The Meaning of Hadith
alThaqalayn
In each of the parts of the `Abaqat dealing
with a particular hadith, the author, Sayyid Hamid Husayn - quddisa
sirruh - after dealing with its tawatur goes on to
deal with the meaning and doctrinal import of the hadith. In fact,
this is the method which he is forced to follow in order to refute
the statements of Shah `Abd al-`Aziz in the Tuhfah regarding
the tawatur of the traditions mentioned by him as well
as their doctrinal import.
In the second section of the part of the `Abaqat
dealing with Hadith al-Thaqalayn, Sayyid Hamid Husayn
deals with Shah `Abd al`Aziz's objections, the first of
which relates to its transmission and the rest to its doctrinal
impact.
The first objection dealt with is the statement
of Shah `Abd al`Aziz that only Zayd ibn Arqam from among
the Prophet's Companions has narrated the tradition. This objection
is met by pointing out that at least thirty-four Companions have
narrated the tradition. The sources which narrate the tradition
from each of them - which were mentioned earlier in this article
- are pointed out by him.
Moreover, he points out, Zayd's narration of
the tradition has two lengthier versions as recorded by al-Nasa'i
in al-Khasa'is, alHakim in al-Mustadrak, al-Tabarani
and `Ali al-Muttaqi. Moreover, he points that the wording of the
tradition as quoted by Shah `Abd al-`Aziz has not been narrated
or recorded by any Sunni authority on tradition.
The next statement of Shah `Abd al-`Aziz that
is dealt with is his outright denial that Hadith al-Thaqalayn
implies the religious leadership of the Ahl al-Bayt (A). The
author points out that since the Prophet (S) has placed the Ahl
al-Bayt (A) by the side of the Qur'an, it means that the Ahl al-Bayt
(A) have to be followed, like the Qur'an, as the living guides
of the Ummah in matters of doctrine, ritual and law. He cites
the statements of numerous leading Sunni authorities in affirmation
of this. The author points out that the words 'thaqalayn' and
the command to hold on to them (al-'i`tisam, al-'akhdh or
al'ittiba` in accordance with the different wordings)
unambiguously imply that in the same way as it is obligatory to
follow the Qur'an, so also it is equally obligatory to follow
the AhI al-Bayt (A) in the matters of Islamic teachings. Moreover,
the inseparability of the Qur'an and the AhI al-Bayt (A), as well
as the repeated emphasis on holding on to the two and the specific
emphasis on adherence to the Ahl al-Bayt (A) and the observance
of their rights clearly establish the obligation to follow the
Ahl al-Bayt (A) as the religious leaders, authorities and guides
of the Ummah. The author points out that this interpretation of
the Hadith al-Thaqalayn is also confirmed by some verses
of the Holy Qur'an such as:
Say: 'I do not ask of you a wage for this, except love for the kinsfolk.' (42:23)
And halt them, to be questioned. (37:24)
The author cites a number of Sunni scholars,
such as al-Sakhawi in al'Istijlab, al-Suyuti in al-Durr
al-manthur (vi, 7), `Abd alWahhab alBukhari in
Tafsir Anwari, al-Khatib al-Sharbini in al-Siraj al-munir
(v, 538), al-Tayyibi in al-Miqat (v, 594), alMunawi
in Fayd al-Qadir (iii, 14), al-Zarqani in Sharh alMawahib
(vii, 7) and others, regarding the interpretation of the first
verse. Others, including al-Samhudi, alWahidi, alShaykhani,
Mawlawi Wali Allah Lakhnowi, and Mawlawi Muhammad Mubin, have
affirmed that the questioning on the Day of Judgement referred
to in the second verse refers to the attitude of the individual
Muslim vis-a-vis the Prophet's Ahl alBayt (A).
Sayyid Hamid Husayn then goes on to point that
Hadith alThaqalayn also affirms the freedom of the
Imams of the Ahl alBayt (A) from sin and error (`ismah)
because: the hadith commands adherence to them and the Qur'an
together and since the Qur'an is free from every trace of falsehood
and error, so is the guidance of the Ahl al-Bayt (A); adherence
to the two of them is considered as a guarantee against misguidance
for the Ummah, which is only possible if the Imams of the Ahl
al-Bayt (A) are free from error and sin. This conclusion is also
supported by other traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) in favour
of `Ali (A) and the Ahl al-Bayt (A), some of which were mentioned
earlier.
Furthermore, the author points out, the Hadith al-Thaqalayn
implies the preeminence of the Ahl al-Bayt
(A) within the Ummah from the viewpoint of knowledge (a`lamiyyah)
and excellence (afdaliyyah). He cites statements of
several non-Shi`i scholars in confirmation of this conclusion.
Moreover, the author states, there are many
traditions which indicate that Hadith al-Thaqalayn and
Hadith al-Ghadir were proclaimed by the Prophet (S) in
the course of a single sermon at Ghadir Khumm. Some of these traditions
have been recorded by al-Muttaqi in Kanz al`ummal (i,
167), Ibn Kathir in Ta'rikh (v, 209), al-Sakhawi in al-'Istijlab
(MS), al-Samhudi in Jawahir al`iqdayn (MS), Ibn
Hajar in al-Sawa`iq (25) from al-Tabarani and many others.
According to still some other versions of the
narration, Hadith alThaqalayn, Hadith al-Ghadir and
Hadith al-Manzilah were mentioned in the course of the
same sermon at Ghadir Khumm as mentioned by Ibn Hajar in al-Fatawa
al-fiqhiyyat al-kubra, ii, 122.
In some versions of the tradition, he points
out, the word 'khalifatayn' (successors) is mentioned instead
of 'thaqalayn', as in the narrations recorded by Ahmad
ibn Hanbal in Musnad, v, 181, as well as alTabarani,
Ibn Abi `Asim, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Zarqani and others.
This word implies rather more explicitly the Imamah and
Khilafah of `Ali ibn Abi Talib (A) and the Ahl al-Bayt
(A).
Some versions of the tradition, such as the
one narrated by alQunduzi in Yanabi` al-mawaddah, 20,
from al-Hasan ibn `Ali (A), contain the following statement of
the Prophet (S) which signifies the perpetuity of the Imamate:
O God, You don't let the earth remain devoid of Your Proof over Your creation so that Your proofs should not become invalid or that Your friends should go astray after You have guided them. They (the Proofs of God) are few in number but great in worth near God, Almighty and Glorious. Indeed, I had prayed to God, Exalted and Blessed, to place knowledge and wisdom in my descent and the descent of my descendants, and in my seed and the seed of my seed, until the Day of Resurrection, and my prayer was granted.
This closely resembles the following tradition
of Nahj albalaghah (Hikam:147) addressed by
`Ali (A) to his pupil Kumayl ibn Ziyad.
...But the earth is never devoid of him who stands for God with a proof (qa'im li'Ilah bi hujjatin). He is either manifest and well-known or afraid and concealed, so that God's proofs and His clear signs should not become invalid. How many are they and where are they? By God, they are few in number, but great in esteem before God. Through them God maintains His proofs and signs till they entrust them to others like themselves and plant them in the hearts of their likes. Knowledge has led them to the reality of understanding and they have attained the spirit of certitude. That which is hard upon the seekers of comforts comes easy to them. They endear what the ignorant regard with aversion. They live in the world with their bodies, but their spirits are in a higher realm. They are the vicegerents (khulafa') of God in His earth and His callers to His Din. Oh, how much I yearn to see them! (H: 147)
This tradition of `Ali (A) has been widely
reported and recorded by Shi`i and non-Shi`i traditionists and
historians, including Ibn `Abd Rabbih in al-`Iqd al-farid,
i, 265, 293; al-Ya`qubi in Ta`rikh, ii, 400; al-Harrani
in Tuhaf al-`uqul, 169; al-Saduq in al-Khisal, i,
85 and Ikmal al-Din, 169; Abu Talib al-Makki in Qut
al-qulub, i, 272; al-Khatib alBaghdadi in Ta'rikh
Baghdad, vi, 389; al-Razi in al-Tafsir al-kabir, ii,
192; Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Mukhtasar, 29 and Jami`
bayan al-`ilm; al-Khwarazmi in al-Manaqib, 390 and
al'Azhari in Tahdhib al-lughah, vi, 70.
To return to the discussion of `Abaqat about
the doctrinal import of Hadith al-Thaqalayn, the author
next points out that `Ali (A) referred to it in the course of
his debate with the members of the six-man council (shura)
appointed by `Umar, the second caliph, to select a successor
to him. `Ali's arguments (ihtijaj) before the shura
are recorded in detail by Ibn al-Maghazili in his al-Manaqib,
112. Al-Qunduzi in Yanabi` al-mawaddah, 35, also refers
to `Ali's reference to Hadith alThaqalayn in order
to establish the incontestability of his claim to successorship
of the Prophet (S).
This tradition was also referred to by al-Hasan
ibn `Ali (A) in his speech delivered after being elected as caliph
following `Ali's (A) martyrdom. Al-Qunduzi, op. cit., 21,
48 483 and Sibt ibn alJawzi in Tadhkirat alkhawass,
198, have recorded related traditions in their works. Besides
the large number of Companions who have narrated the tradition,
reference to it also occurs in a letter of `Amr ibn al-`As addressed
to Mu`awiyah and recorded in al-Khwarazmi's al-Manaqib, 128
- 130, and in a statement of al-Hasan al-Basri, a well-known Tabi`i
saint, as recorded by Ibn Abi al-Hadid in Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah,
iv, 95. All these references affirm the preeminence of `Ali
ibn Abi Talib (A) and the Ahl al-Bayt (A) in the Ummah and their
claim to the comprehensive leadership of the Ummah after the Holy
Prophet (S).