7. How can one (according to the Sunni references) prove that ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib was the successor of the Prophet?

Answer:

The Prophet introduced Ali as his successor

Anyone who is acquainted with the biography of the holy Prophet (S), especially researching his conduct while laying the foundations of the Islamic State and its legislative system, will find ‘Ali (‘a) the vizier of the Messenger of Allah (S). He will find ‘Ali as his supporter against his foes, the custodian of his knowledge, the heir of his government, his vicegerent, and the one in charge after him. Whoever studies the statements and actions of the Prophet (S), while at home or on a journey, will find his statements sequential in this regard from the beginning of his Call till his demise.

Refer to such statements at the dawn of the Call, before Islam was preached in Mecca publicly, when the Almighty revealed unto him the verse "And warn thy nearest tribe" (Qur'an; 26:214) He invited them to the house of his uncle Abu Talib. They were forty men, more or less. Among them were his uncles Abu Talib, al-Hamzah, al-’Abbas, and Abu Lahab.1

At the conclusion of his statement to them, the Messenger of Allah said, "O descendants of ‘Abdul-Muttlib! I swear by God that I know no youth among the Arabs who has brought his people something better than what I have brought you. I have brought you the best of this life and the life to come, and God has commanded me to call you towards Him. Therefore, who among you shall support me in this matter and be my brother, the executor of my will, and my successor”?

All the listeners, with the exception of ‘Ali, who was the youngest among them, kept silent. ‘Ali responded by saying: "I, O Messenger of Allah, am willing to be your vizier in this matter." The Messenger of Allah (S) then took ‘Ali by the neck and said: "This is my brother, executor of my will and vizier; therefore, listen to him and obey him." Those present laughed and kept saying to Abu Talib: "Allah has commanded you to listen to your son, and to obey him!"2

This event, which has been recorded by almost all the scholars, historians, amply proves that the Imamate and the Caliphate were the right of Ali (‘a).

It is sufficient proof for its authenticity the fact that it is reported by the reliable authorities upon whose accuracy the authors of sahih books rely unhesitatingly. Refer to page 111, vol. 1, of Ahmad's Musnad, where you will read this hadith as narrated by Aswad ibn ‘Amirfrom Sharik, al-A’mash, Minhal, ‘Abbad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Asadi, from ‘Ali (‘a) chronologically. Each one of these men in the chain of narrators is an authority in his own right, and they all are reliable traditionists according to the testimony of the authors of the sahih books without any dispute. Al-Qaysarani has mentioned them in his book Al-Jami’ Bayna Rijal al-Sahihain. There is no doubt that this hadith is authentic, and the narrators report it from various ways each one of which supports the other.

• 1. . Sunnis in this regard sequentially report the hadith.
• 2. . Many of those who have learned the prophetic legacy by heart have reported the hadith above verbatim as such. Among them are: Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Mardawayh, Abu Na’im, al-Bayhaqi in his book Al-Dala'il, both al-Tha’labi and al-Tabari in their exegeses of Surat al Shu’ara' in their book Al-Tafsir al-Kabir, in vol. 2 of al-Tabari's Tarikh al-Umam wal Muluk. Ibn al-Athir has reported it as an undisputed fact in vol. 2 of his Al-Kamil when he mentioned how the Almighty commanded His Messenger to declare his call to the public. Imam Abu Ja’far al-Iskafi al-Mu’tazili in his book Naqd al-Uthmaniyyah declaring its accuracy, al-Halabi in his chapter on the Prophet's hideout at the house of Arqam in his well-known Sirah…