18. What are the traditions of inheritance (that Shi′as cite them) as transmitted by Sunnis?

Answer:

There are many traditions about the inheritance of Imam Ali. According to these traditions and reason, no one can deny it.

There is no doubt that the Messenger of Allah (S) has left ‘Ali with a legacy of knowledge and wisdom. The Messenger of Allah (S) has said, "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate; therefore, whoever wishes to attain knowledge, let him approach through the gate."1

Refer to the hadith on the day of warning, during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (S), ‘Ali (‘a) used to say: "By Allah, I am his brother, successor and cousin, and the heir of his knowledge; so, who is more worthy of all this other than myself?"2

Once ‘Ali was asked, "How did you come to inherit your cousin rather than your uncle?" He answered, "The Messenger of Allah (S) gathered the descendants of ‘Abdul Muttalib and he prepared for them food. … Then he (S) said, ‘O descendants of ‘Abdul Muttalib! I have been sent to you in particular, and to all people in general; so, who among you pledges to be my brother, friend and heir?' Nobody stood; so, I stood, though the youngest among the attendants, but he (S) told me to sit. He repeated his statement twice, and each time, I was the only one who stood up, and every time he would tell me to sit. On the third time, he shook hands with me; thus did I come to inherit my cousin instead of my uncle.'"3

According to Hakim's Mustadrak, and to Thahbi's Talkhis, who both testify to its authenticity, Qatham ibn al’Abbas was asked once: "How did ‘Ali come to inherit the Messenger of Allah (S) rather than your own selves?" He answered, "It is so due to his being the foremost among us in following him, and in keeping company with him more than anyone of us."4

Muhammad ibn Hamid al-Razi quotes Salamah al-Abrash, Ibn Ishaq, Abu Rabi’ah al-Ayadi, Ibn Buraydah, ending with the latter's father Buraydah citing the Messenger of Allah (S) saying, "For every Prophet there is a successor and an heir; my successor and heir is ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib."5

In his Kabir, and through Isnad to Salman al-Farsi, Tabrani quotes the latter citing the Messenger of Allah (S) saying, "My successor, my confidant, the best man I leave behind me to fulfill my promise and implement my religion, is ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib (‘a)."6

This is a clear text proving that he is the successor, and an obvious testimony that he is the best of people after the Prophet (S). It contains an obligatory instruction that he should succeed him, and that people should obey him, as is clear to the wise.

Abu Na’im alHafiz, in his Hilyat al-Awliya, quotes Anas saying that the Messenger of Allah (S) said to him, "O Anas! The first to enter this door is the Imam of the pious, the leader of Muslims, the chief of religion, the seal of successors of prophets, and the leader of the most pious among renowned men." Anas says that ‘Ali came in, and the Messenger of Allah (S) stood up with excitement, hugged ‘Ali and said to him, "You will discharge my responsibility, convey my instructions, and explain all that in which they will dispute after me."7

Tabrani, in his Kabir, quotes Abu Ayyub al-Ansari citing the Messenger of Allah (S) saying that he addressed Fatimah once thus, "O Fatimah! Have you not come to know that Allah, the Dear One, cast a look at the inhabitants of the earth and chose your father from among them and sent him as His Messenger, then He cast a second look and selected your husband and inspired me to marry him to you and appoint him as my successor?"8

Notice how Allah selected ‘Ali (‘a)from among all other inhabitants of the earth, immediately after selecting from among them the Seal of His Prophets (S), and see how the selection of the successor is conducted in the same sequence to the selection of the Prophet. Also, see how Allah inspired His Prophet to solemnize his marriage and appoint him as his successor. Is it fitting to push aside when it comes to selecting a caliph, one who is the best among Allah's servants, the successor of the master of His Prophets, and prefer someone else to him? Is it fitting if someone else, other than he, should rule the Muslims and make him simply one of his own commoners and subjects? Is it possible, by virtue of reason, that one elected by people should be obeyed by who was selected by Allah, just as He selected His Prophet? How is it possible that both Allah Himself and His Messenger choose him while we elect someone else?

"A faithful man or woman, after Allah and His Messenger have decreed an edict, should practice free will regarding their affairs; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger surely strays manifestly." (Quran; 33:36(

According to these traditions and many more, no one can deny this will. Moreover, Reason alone rules it impossible that the Prophet (S) would order something and strongly requires his nation to adhere to it (to make will) while he himself is in dire need to act upon it. He needed a will in order to appoint his representative, and take into consideration the orphans who most badly need a caretaker. Allah is above neglecting his precious legacy, which includes Allah's legislations and commandments, and Allah is above leaving his orphans and widows, who are residents of the earth far and wide, struggling in the dark, going and coming as they desired, without a guardian through whom Allah's argument becomes complete against them. Yet even common sense by itself rules that he should have left a will for ‘Ali (‘a), since we have found the prophet (S) entrusting him to bathe and embalm his corpse, to clothe and bury it, and to pay his outstanding debts.

• 1. . Mustadrak, vol. 3, p. 137.
• 2. . Ibid, p. 126.
• 3. . Kanz al-Ummal, vol. 6, p. 408, no. 6155.
• 4. . It occurs on page 125 of its third volume. It is also quoted by Ibn Abu Shaybah, and it is hadith number 6084 on page 400, vol. 6, of Kanz al-’Ummal.
• 5. . Thahbi has quoted this hadith while discussing the biography of Sharik in his book Mizan al-I’tidal, falsifying it and alleging that Sharik could not have tolerated narrating such a hadith. He said: "Muhammd ibn Hamid al-Razi is not trustworthy." Our answer to his allegation is that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam Abul Qasim al-Baghwi, Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, the Imam of critics and verifiers Ibn Ma’in, and others of their caliber, have all trusted Muhammad ibn Hamid and narrated his hadith, for he is their mentor. A reliable authority such as al-Thahbi admits the same in his biography of Muhammd ibn Hamid in his Al-Mizan. The man cannot be charged with Rafidism or Shi’ism, but the critic is a predecessor of Thahbi; so, there is no reason for initiating such an accusation regarding this hadith.
• 6. . Kanz al-Ummal, vol. 6, p. 155.
• 7. . It exists on page 450, vol. 2, of Sharh Nahjul Balaghah.
• 8. . Kanz al-Ummal, vol. 6, p. 143, no. 2541.