Response To: "Ali is the Guide (Al-Hadi)"

The following is a response to "The Shi'ite Offensive", their article can be found here.

Allah, the Exalted, said in the Quran:

إنما أنت منذر ولكل قوم ھاد

Translation: "You are only a warner, and for every people is a guide."

Reference: Quran, Ch:13, V:7.

The Twelver Shia contend that Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) is the 'guide' referred to in this verse. To substantiate their claim, the Twelver Shia invoke several reports found within the Sunni tradition. "The Shi'ite Offensive" sought to demonstrate the reliability of these reports and, in turn, to establish `Ali's role as a guide for Muslims. The current response will critically evaluate their endeavours.

The Shi'ite Offensive began:

((But who is the warner, and who is the guide? Narrated from Ibn Abbas: “When this verse (13:7) was revealed, the Prophet (saww) placed his hand upon his chest and said, “I am the warner” and then moved his hand to the shoulder of Ali (as) and said, “And you are the guide O’Ali. Through you the guided ones will be guided after Me” [Source: Al-Kashf wa-l-bayān ʿan tafsīr al-Qurʾān (Tafseer al-Tha’labee), Vol. 5, Pg. 272])).

Response: Prior to evaluating the authenticity of this tradition, it is essential to highlight the perspectives of prominent Sunni authorities regarding al-Tha`labi's tafsir. In his renowned work Minhaj al-Sunna, Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiyya stated:

بل علماء الجمھور متفقون على أن ما یرویھ الثعلبي وأمثالھ لا یحتجون بھ، لا في فضیلة أبي بكر وعمر، ولا في إثبات حكم من الأحكام، إلا أن یعلم ثبوتھ بطریق.

Translation: "Rather, the majority of scholars are in agreement that the reports which al-Tha`labi and his likes narrate shall not be used as evidence, not in the virtues of Abu Bakr and `Umar, nor can it be used to prove the rulings, except if it can be established through a route."

Reference: Minhaj al-Sunnah, ibn Taimiyya, Vol:7, P:90.

Abu al-Fida ibn Kathir said:

وكان كثیر الحدیث واسع السماع، ولھذا یوجد في كتبھ من الغرائب شيء كثیر.

Translation: "And he (al-Tha`labi) reported a lot of hadith, he heard many, and because of that there are so many strange things in his book."

Reference: al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, ibn Kathir, Vol:12, P:40.

With regard to the authenticity of the hadith itself, the Twelver Shia place their trust in the assessment of ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani, who deems the hadith to be sound. "The Shi'ite Offensive" follows suit and present ibn Hajar's judgment as evidence:

(("And what’s strange, is what Al-Tabari recorded with a reliable (Hassan) chain (Isn'aad) from the path of Sa'eed bin Jubair, from Bin Abbas, who said: When this verse came down, The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.s) placed his hand on his chest and said: "I am the Warner", and then pointed at Ali, and said: "Oh Ali, you are the guide, and through you shall guidance be attained after me." And if this is affirmed, then the meaning of this saying is more special than the one after it, and that is about the man from Bani Hashim for example, and this was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, and Abdullah Bin Ahmad in Ziyad'at Al-Musnad, and Bin Mardudiyah, from the path of Al-Asadi from Abdull-Khair, from Ali who said: "The guide is a man from Bani Hashim.", and some narrators of this, said: it is (Referring to the man from Bani Hashim) Ali, as if he took it from the narration that was before it. In the source (isn'aad) from both of them are some Shi'a narrators, and even if that was affirmed, the narrators do not oppose his saying." [Fat'h Al-Bari, fe Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari By: Ibn Hijir Al-Askalani, Vol #8, Page #376: In Surah Ibrahim, Book #14])).

Response: "The Shi'ite Offensive" seem to readily accept ibn Hajar's assessment, perhaps because it aligns with their theological predispositions. This demonstrates a lack of objectivity on their part, as numerous hadith critics have rejected this report. Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taimiyya offers the following insight:

ھذا كذب موضوع باتفاق أھل العلم بالحدیث، فیجب تكذیبھ ورده.

Translation: "This is a fabricated lie with the consensus of the people of knowledge in ḥadīṯh, hence it must be denied and rejected."

Reference: Minhaj al-Sunna, ibn Taimiyya, Vol:7, P:139.

Imam al-Dhahabi, in his abridgement of al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihain, critically addressed al-Hakim's assertion of the hadith's authenticity, stating:

قلت: بل كذب، قبح الله من وضعھ.

Translation: "I say rather it is a lie! May Allah humiliate the one who devised this."

Reference: Talkhis al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihai, al-Dhahabi, Vol:3, P:435.

Imam ibn Kathir said:

وھذا الحدیث فیھ نكارة شدیدة.

Translation: "And in this hadith there is a harsh weakness."

Reference: Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, ibn Kathir, Vol:4, P:372.

Imam al-Alusi said:

واستدل بذلك الشیعة على خلافة علي كرم الله وجھھ بعد رسول الله صلى الله علیھ وسلم بلا فصل. وأجیب بأنا لا نسلم صحة الخبر، وتصحیح الحاكم محكوم علیھ بعدم الاعتبار عند أھل الأثر

Translation: "And the Shia have used this as evidence for the caliphate of `Ali, after the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, without hesitation. And our response to them is that we do not submit that this report is authentic. And al-Hakim authenticating the hadith is not reliable to the people of narrations."

Reference: Ruh al-Ma`ani, al-Alusi, Vol:7, P:103.

Muhammad Abu Shahba said:

ومن ذلك ما ذكره بعض المفسرین: كابن جریر في تفسیره، والسیوطي في: "الدر المنثور" ومفسروا الشیعة في تفاسیرھم، عند تفسیر قولھ تعالى: )ویقول الذین كفروا لولا أنزل علیھ آیة من ربھ إنما أنت منذر ولكل قوم ھاد( فقد فسروا المنذر: بالنبي صلى الله علیھ وسلم، والھادي بأنھ علي رضي الله عنھ، والجمھور من المفسرین سلفا وخلفا على أن المنذر والھادي ھو رسول الله وكذلك ما روي عند تفسیر قولھ تعالى: )وتعیھا أذن واعیة( من أن المراد بھا: أذن علي، فقد رووا: أن النبي صلى الله علیھ وسلم لما نزلت الآیة أخذ بأذنھ وقال: "ھي أذنك یا علي"، وفي روایة: "اللھم اجعلھا أذن علي"، وھما موضوعان كما نبھ على ذلك شیخ الإسلام ابن تیمیة، وغیره من الأئمة.

Translation: "And an example of that (i.e., Shia tafsir) as mentioned by some of the commentators like ibn Jarir in his commentary, and al-Suyuti in his al-Dur al-Manthur and the Shia commentators in their exegeses, in explaining His saying, the Most High: And the disbelievers say: Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord? You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide. They interpreted the warner to be the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the guide is `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. The majority of the commentators, the early and the later ones, said that the warner and the guide is the Messenger of Allah. Also including that which has been narrated in the interpretation of His saying: That it might be retained by the retaining ears. They said that it is referring to `Ali’s ears. They narrated that when this verse was sent down, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, grabbed his ears and said: It is your ears `O `Ali. And in another report: `O Allah make it `Ali’s ear. And they are both fabricated as it was pointed out by Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiyya and other Imams."

Reference: al-Isra`iliyat wa al-Mawdu`at fi Kutub al-Tafsir, Muhammad Abu Shahba, P:332.

The version deemed sound by ibn Hajar was reported by Imam ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his tafsir. Nevertheless, al-Tabari's chain of transmission exhibits several flaws, which have been scrutinised by Shaikh al-Albani as follows:

قلت: وھذا إسناد مظلم؛ ولھ ثلاث علل: الأولى: اختلاط عطاء بن السائب. الثانیة: معاذ بن مسلم؛ قال الذھبي في ترجمتھ: "مجھول. روى عن شرحبیل بن السمط؛ مجھول. ولھ عن عطاء بن السائب خبر باطل سقناه في) الحسن بن الحسین( ". الثالثة: الحسن بن الحسین الأنصاري - وھو العرني -؛ وھو متھم، وقد تقدم شيء من أقوال الأئمة فیھ تحت الحدیث 4885؛ فلا داعي للإعادة. وقد ساق الذھبي في ترجمتھ ھذا الحدیث من مناكیره من روایة ابن الأعرابي بإسناده عنھ. وقال: "ومعاذ نكرة، فلعل الآفة منھ".

Translation: "This chain is dark (i.e., weak), it contains three defects. The first one is due to `Ata ibn al-Sa`ib’s memory lapse. The second one is due to Mu`adh ibn Muslim. Al-Dhahabi said about him: He is unknown. And he has with `Ata ibn al-Sa`ib a false report which we have from al-Hasan ibn Husain (the narrator). The third one is due to al-Hasan ibn al-Husain al-Ansari al-`Irni who is accused (of lying) and we have already mentioned some of the words of the scholars regarding him under the hadith 4885, so there is no need to repeat it. And al-Dhahabi had cited this hadith of his under his biography as one of his rejected narrations from the report of al-A`rabi. He said: Mu`adh is a nobody (i.e., his ahadith are rejected), hence why the defect might be from him."

Reference: Silsila al-Ahadith al-Da`ifa wa al-Mawdu`a, Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Vol:10, P:535.

In summary, the report from Tafsir al-Tabari is deemed weak and, as a result, inadmissible, owing to the aforementioned defects that were not addressed by ibn Hajar.

"The Shi'ite Offensive" added:

((There are more narrations including Mustadrak of Al Hakim, Tafsir Al Tabari, etc that have been rigorously authenticated. For more information on the chain and authentication of these ḥadīṯh visit [Slave of Ahlulbayt blog])).

Response: The "Slave of Ahlulbayt" has presented three Sunni sources that suggest this verse refers to `Ali. The first source, Tafsir al-Tabari, has already been demonstrated to contain a number of irreconcilable defects.

The second source is al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihain by al-Hakim al-Naysaburi. A prevalent error among the Twelver Shia is to rely solely on al-Hakim's verdicts concerning the ahadith he narrates. It is unsurprising that both the "Slave of Ahlulbayt" and "The Shi'ite Offensive" commit this mistake. Sunni scholars emphasise the necessity of conducting further research rather than depending solely on al-Hakim's assessments, given his reputation for leniency in the evaluation of ahadith.

Imam al-Nawawi said:

وروى الحاكم حدیث أنس وقال: ھو صحیح ولكن الحاكم متساھل كما سبق بیانھ مرات. والله أعلم.

Translation: "And al-Hakim narrated the report of Anas and said that it is authentic. However, al-Hakim is lenient as mentioned before multiple times, and Allah knows best."

Reference: al-Majmu` Sharh al-Madhab, al-Nawawi, Vol:7, P:53.

Imam al-Dhahabi said:

إمام صدوق ولكنھ یصحح في مستدركھ أحادیث ساقطة، ویكثر من ذلك.

Translation: "He is a truthful scholar but he authenticates in his al-Mustadrak false reports and he does that a lot."

Reference: Mizan al-`I`tidal, al-Dhahabi, Vol:3, P:608.

Imam ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah:

وبالجملة فتصحیح الحاكم لا یستفاد منھ حسن الحدیث البتة فضلا عن صحتھ.

Translation: "And in short, the grading (as authentic) of al-Hakim cannot never be benefited from in making the report hasan let alone sahih."

Reference: al-Furusiyya, ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, P:214.

Imam Badr al-Din al-`Ayni said:

وقد عرف تساھل الحاكم في تصحیح الأحادیث المدخولة.

Translation: "And al-Hakim’s leniency is known in terms of authenticating fabricated reports."

Reference: `Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Badr al-Din al-`Ayni al-Hanafi, Vol:9, P:113.

Imam al-Alusi said:

وتصحیح الحاكم محكوم علیھ بعدم الاعتبار عند أھل الأثر.

Translation: "And al-Hakim authenticating the hadith is not reliable to the people of narrations."

Reference: Ruh al-Ma`ani, al-Alusi, Vol:7, P:103.

Shaikh al-Albani said:

وكل خبیر بھذا العلم الشریف یعلم أن الحاكم متساھل في التوثیق والتصحیح ولذلك لا یلتفت إلیھ، ولا سیما إذا خالف.

Translation: "And every experienced person in this honour field of knowledge knows that al-Hakim is lenient in grading something as reliable or authentic, hence why no one should turn to him, especially if he contradicts others."

Reference: Silsila al-Ahadith al-Da`ifa wa al-Mawdu`a, Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Vol:1, P:157.

Shaikh Muqbil ibn Hadi al-Wadi`i said:

ولكن الحاكم متساھل فالمعتبر كلام أبي حاتم وھو مستور الحال.

Translation: "But al-Hakim is lenient, thus Abu Hatim’s word is the reliable one and he is safe."

Reference: Rijal al-Hakim fi al-Mustadrak, Muqbil ibn Hadi al-Wadi`i, Vol:1, P:417.

The hadith presented by al-Hakim is deemed weak due to the inclusion of Husain al-Ashqar in its chain of transmission. In addition to being an ardent Shi'ite, al-Ashqar is a significantly discredited transmitter among scholars.

Imam al-Dhahabi recounts:

الحسین بن الحسن الأشقر ... قال البخاري: فیھ نظر. وقال أبو زرعة: منكر الحدیث. وقال أبو حاتم: لیس بقوي. وقال الجوزجاني: غال شتام للخیرة. وقال ابن عدي: جماعة من الضعفاء یحیلون بالروایات على حسین الاشقر، على أن في حدیثھ بعض ما فیھ. وذكر لھ مناكیر، قال في أحدھا: البلاء عندي من الاشقر. وقال أبو معمر الھذلي: كذاب. وقال النسائي والدارقطني: لیس بالقوى.

Translation: "al-Husain ibn al-Hasan al-Ashqar [...] al-Bukhari said: There is suspicion in him. Abu Zur`ah said: He is munkar (disapproved) in hadith. Abu Hatim said: He is not strong (in narrating hadith). And al-Jouzajani said: He is a fanatic who insults those who are good. And ibn `Adi said: A group of weak narrators refer to him in the narrations. Then he mentioned some of his manakir (disapproved narrations), and he commented on one of them saying: The defect is from al-Ashqar. And Abu Ma`mar al-Hudhali said: He is a liar. al-Nasa`i as well as al-Daraqutni both said: He is not strong."

Reference: Mizan al-`I`tidal, al-Dhahabi, Vol:1, P:531.

Should the Twelver Shia wish to counter this disparagement by citing the remarks of ibn Hajar who said that Husain al-Ashqar is somewhat trustworthy, as can be found in his work Taqrib al-Tahdhib (p.166), it shall be said to them in response:

a. Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut and Dr. Bashar `Awad Ma`ruf concluded in their summary of ibn Hajar’s work that he is weak:

بل: ضعیف، ضعفھ البخاري، وأبو حاتم وأبو زرعة الرازیان، والجوزجاني، وأبو الفتح الأزدي. وقال النسائي والدارقطني وأبو أحمد الحاكم: لیس بالقوي. وقال أبو معمر الھذلي: كذاب.

Translation: "Rather, he is weak. al-Bukhari, Abu Hatim, Abu Zur`ah, al-Jouzajani, and Abu al-Fath al-Azdi weakened him. And al-Nasa`i, al-Daraqutni, and Abu Ahmad al-Hakim said: He is not strong. And Abu Ma`mar al-Hudhali said: He is a liar."

Reference: Tahrir Taqrib al-Tahdhib, Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut and Shaikh Bashar `Awad Ma`ruf, Vol:1, P:287.

b. The jarh al-mufassar, particularly of the majority, is favoured over the ta`dil of the few. Shaikh Muqbil ibn Hadi al-Wadi`i clarified this principle in the following:

أما تقديم تعديل الأكثرين فليس بصحيح لأن الجارح اطلع على ما لم يطلع عليه المعدل، فمثلا: أنت تجد الرجل ملازماً للصف الأول وثقته لكن صاحبك يعرف أنه ليس بحافظ، هو ضعيف الحفظ، أنت تعرف أن الرجل يلازم الصف الأول لكن صاحبك يعرف أنه يعمل في البنوك الربوية أو أنه عنده يصور مصور أو أنه يعمل في حلق اللحى، فالجارح اطلع على ما لم يطلع عليه المعدل، لو وثقه عشرة وجرحه واحد بجرح مفسر كان الجرح المفسر مقبولاً، والله المستعان.

Translation: "As for giving precedence to the ta`dil of the majority, then this is incorrect because the criticiser has observed what the mu`adil has not observed. For example, when one finds a man always in the first row (in prayer), they declare him thiqa, but his friend knows that he is not a strong memoriser, rather he is weak in his memory. So, whilst he knows that the man is always in the first row, his friend knows that he works in a usurious bank, or he makes pictures, or he works as one who shaves the liḥya, hence the jarih has observed in him that which the mu`adil has not observed. If ten people were to declare him thiqa, and then a single person made criticism of him through jarh al-mufassar, then the jarh al-mufassar is to be accepted, and the help of Allah is solely sought."

Reference: Ijabat al-Sa`il `ala Aham al-Masa`il, Muqbil ibn Hadi al-Wadi`i, P:499.

Therefore, the hadith in al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihain is weak, and it cannot be relied upon.

The third tradition that "Slave of Ahlulbayt" invoked was related by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (2:306). They also relied upon on the verdicts of Shaikh Ahmad Shakir and Noor al-Din al-Haythami to attest to its authenticity.

Shaikh Ahmad Shakir was, however, deemed a lenient muhaqiq. The erudite scholar and late Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Shaikh `Abd al-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz, said concerning his leniency:

عنده بعض التساھل، یعفو عنا وعنھ، في التحسین والتصحیح، صحح حدیث ابن لھیعة وجماعة من الضعفاء.

Translation: "He has some leniency, may him and us be forgiven, in his way of accepting and authenticating. He authenticated the hadith of ibn Lahi`ah and ample other weak narrators."

Reference: binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/23061/ما-درجة-حكم-احمد-شاكر-على-الاحاديث

In the case of al-Haythami, he merely said 'rijalahu thiqat', or that the narrators were trustworthy. This does not imply that the hadith is authentic and Shaikh al-Albani explains this in the following statement:

قول المحدث في حديث ما: رجاله ثقات، أو قوله: رجاله رجال الصحيح، لا يعني أن إسناده صحيح، بل نحن نفهم من استعمالهم لهذا الأسلوب أن ذلك يعني أن إسناده غير صحيح؛ هذا أمر غريب جداً

Translation: "The saying of a hadith upon a hadith: its narrators are trustworthy, or the statement: the men are of the rijal al-sahih, does not mean that the route of transmission is authentic, rather we ascertain from the way these expressions are utilised that its route of transmission is not authentic, this is a very odd matter."

Reference: Silsila al-Huda wa al-Nur, Shaikh al-Albani, Lesson 89.

The defective nature of this report has been elucidated by Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut who has posited a lengthy critique on it in his research of Musnad Ahmad. He writes:

إسناده ضعیف، وفي متنھ نكارة، مطلب بن زیاد وثقھ أحمد، وابن معین، وعثمان بن أبي شیبة، وابن حبان، والعجلي، وقال أبو داود: ھو عندي صالح، وقال ابن عدي: لھ أحادیث حسان وغرائب، ولم أر لھ منكرأ، وأرجو أنھ لا بأس بھ، وقال أبو حاتم: یكتب حدیثھ ولا یحتج بھ، وقال الآجري عن أبي داود: رأیت عیسى بن شاذان یضعفھ، وقال: عنده مناكیر، وقال ابن سعد: كان ضعیفا في الحدیث جدا، والسدي- واسمھ إسماعیل بن عبد الرحمن- وثقھ جماعة، وضعفھ آخرون وفیھ تشیع، وروى لھ مسلم، ومثل ھذین الاثنین لا یحتملان مثل ھذا المتن.

Translation: "This chain is weak, and its text contains a weakness. Matlab ibn Ziyad was declared trustworthy by Ahmad, ibn Ma`in, `Uthman ibn Abi Shayba, ibn Hibban, and al-`Ijli. Abu Dawud said: To me he is good. And ibn `Adiy said: He has some reports that are okay and some that are strange, and I have not seen anything wrong from him, and I hope that there is no harm in him. And Abu Hatim said: His hadith can be written (as a witness) but cannot be used as hujja (evidence). And al-Ajurri said that Abu Dawud said: I saw `Isa ibn Shadhan weakening him and said that he has manakir. And ibn Sa`d said: He was very weak in hadith. And as for al-Suddi, and his name is Isma`il ibn `Abd al-Rahman, a group of scholars declared him trustworthy, while the others have weakened him and there is some Shi'ism in him. Muslim narrated from him. These two cannot be handled (trusted) in this kind of matn."

Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, tahqiq of Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut, Vol:2, P:306.

To summarise, none of the reports cited by "The Shi'ite Offensive" or the "Slave of Ahlulbayt" are authentic, and subsequently, their interpretation of this verse from the Quran in light of these defective reports is wholly erroneous.

In the case of the report from Musnad Ahmad, if its authenticity were to be assumed, it does not explicitly state that `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) is the guide, since his name is not mentioned in the report. The narration merely conveys the idea that the guide is a man from the Bani Hashim and in this context, it is correct to assume that the Messenger of Allah (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) was referring to himself, albeit in the third person or indirectly. Another example of this phenomenon can be observed in this hadith:

إن الله خیر عبدا بین الدنیا وبین ما عنده، فاختار ما عند الله.

Translation: "Allah gave a choice to one of (His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter."

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol:1, P:100.

The Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) is clearly addressing himself, yet once again he does so, indirectly, in the third person. In other words, it is not unusual for the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) to speak of himself in this manner. If `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) was the guide that was being foretold in the verse, then it does not necessitate that he is exclusive in holding this position. Consider the following verse wherein Allah addresses the wives of the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam):

یا نساء النبي لستن كأحد من النساء إن اتقیتن فلا تخضعن بالقول فیطمع الذي في قبلھ مرض وقلن قولا معروفا وقرن في بیوتكن ولا تبرجن تبرج الجاھلیة الأولى.

Translation: "`O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women: if you are mindful [of Allāh], then do not be overly effeminate in speech or those with sickness in their hearts may be tempted but speak in a moderate tone. Settle in your homes, and do not display yourselves as women did in the days of ignorance."

Reference: Quran, Ch:33, V:32.

In these verses, Allah commands the wives to avoid being overly effeminate when speaking to other men, to engage in a moderate tone, to remain in their abodes, except during times of religious stipulation or necessity, and to avoid displaying themselves like the women before them in the pre-Islamic times of ignorance. An objective person would ask themselves, do these commands apply solely to the Prophet’s wives. Both Sunni and Twelver Shia exegetes have clarified that although Allah directs His speech towards the wives of the Holy Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam), these rulings apply to all believing women. The same can also be said about verse seven of chapter thirteen in the Quran.

Imam al-Alusi said:

وقال بعضھم: إن صح الخبر یلزم القول بصحة خلافة الثلاثة رضي الله تعالى عنھم حیث دل على أنھ كرم الله تعالى وجھھ على الحق فیما یأتي ویذر وأنھ الذي یھتدي بھ وھو قد بایع أولئك الخلفاء طوعا ومدحھم وأثنى علیھم خیرا ولم یطعن في خلافتھم فینبغي الاقتداء بھ والجري على سننھ في ذلك ودون إثبات خلاف ما أظھر خرط القتاد.

Translation: "And some of them (the Sunni scholars) said that if the report was authentic then the caliphate of the three (Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman), may Allah be pleased with them, must be correct, since it proves that he (`Ali) is upon the truth in what he does and what he abstains from and he is the one with whom one can be guided. And he had given his oath of allegiance to those caliphs in obedience, and he praised them and spoke good of them, nor did he criticise their caliphates. Hence one must follow him and act upon his tradition."

وقال أبو حیان: إنھ صلى الله علیھ وسلم على فرض صحة الروایة إنما جعل علیا كرم الله تعالى وجھھ مثالا من علماء الأمة وھداتھا إلى الدین فكأنھ علیھ الصلاة والسلام قال: یا علي ھذا وصفك فیدخل الخلفاء الثلاث وسائر علماء الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنھم بل وسائر علماء الأمة، وعلیھ فیكون معنى الآیة إنما أنت منذر ولكل قوم في القدیم والحدیث إلى ما شاء الله تعالى ھداة دعاة إلى الخیر.

Translation: "Abu Hayyan said that if the authenticity of the narration were to be assumed, then he, peace and blessings be upon him, made `Ali an example of the scholars of this ummah and their guides to religion. So, it is as if he, peace and blessings be upon him, is saying: `O `Ali, this is your description, hence it includes the first three caliphs, and the rest of the scholars among the companions, may Allah, the Most High, be pleased with them. Rather, it includes the rest of the scholars of the Ummah. So, the meaning of the verse is that you (`O Muhammad) are a warner, and for every people, in the past, the present and in the future, there will be guides and callers to good."

Reference: Ruh al-Ma`ani, al-Alusi, Vol:7, P:103.

"The Shi'ite Offensive" said:

((This is consistent with what Shia texts have to say. In fact, there is an entire chapter from Basair Al Darajaat on this verse being in regards to Imām Ali and the rest of the Imāms, in addition to traditions in other books)).

Response: Even if one were to assume that the reports in the Sunni tradition are authentic, it would remain preposterous to propose that they are consistent with the reports chronicled in Twelver Shia literature. The Twelver Shi'ite renditions of this hadith not only include `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu), but they even goes as far as to include eleven other Imams.

Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni narrates:

عن الفضیل قال: سألت أبا عبد الله علیھ السلام عن قول الله عز وجل: ولكل قوم ھاد فقال: "كل إمام ھاد للقرن الذي ھو فیھم."

Translation: Fudayl said: "I asked Abu `Abdullah about the saying of Allah, the Most Majestic: (And for every people is a guide). He said: Every Imam is a guide during the century in which he lives in."

Reference: al-Kafi, Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni, Vol:1, P:191.

Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi declared it 'Da`if ka al-Muwathaq' in Mir`at al-`Uqul [2:344].

None of the Sunni traditions, whose weaknesses have been previously elucidated, are inclusive of all twelve Imams. Moreover, this tradition raises a number of negative implications on Twelver Shi'ite theology:

a. The narration states that in every age there shall be a different guide. Presuming that the 'guide' in this day and age is the twelfth Imam, how is he guiding anyone when, in this moment, he is in a major occultation.

b) `Ali (Radiya-`llahu-`an-hu) has utilised the title of 'guide(s)' for other than himself and the twelve Imams. Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni narrated:

أبي عبد الله علیھ السلام قال: قال أمیر المؤمنین علیھ السلام لا تختانوا ولاتكم، ولا تغشوا ھداتكم، ولا تجھلوا أئمتكم، ولا تصدعوا عن حبلكم فتفشلوا وتذھب ریحكم.

Translation: "Abu `Abdullah said that the Commander of the Faithful (`Ali) said: Do not be deceitful to your leaders, do not confuse your guides (hudat), do not be ignorant of your Imams and do not cut off the rope of your unity, lest you fail and be disgraced."

Reference: al-Kafi, Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni, Vol:1, P:405. Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi declared it 'Muwathaq' in Mir`at al-`Uqal [4:335].

The Arabic text utilises the word 'hudat' which is the plural form of 'hadi', to denote towards a cohort of people other than the twelve Imams.

c. Assuming the report is authentic, does this make `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) the most deserving and worthiest of being the caliph after the Prophet.

If the Twelver Shia reply in the negative, then the Sunni does not deny that `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu), alongside the rest of the companions and scholars of Islam, were guides during their respective lives. If the Twelver Shia reply in the affirmative, then what is the evidence for this claim. The Quran itself debunks this when Allah said:

وقال لھم نبیھم إن الله قد بعث لكم طالوت ملكا قالوا أنى یكون لھ الملك علینا ونحن أحق بالملك منھ ولم یؤت سعة من المال قال إن الله اصطفاه علیكم وزاده بسطة في العلم والجسم والله یؤتي ملكھ من یشاء والله واسع علیم

Translation: "Their Prophet told them: Allah has appointed Saul to be your king. They protested: How can he be our king when some of us are more deserving of kingship than he, and he has not been blessed with vast riches? He replied: Allah has chosen him over you and blessed him with knowledge and stature. Allah grants kingship to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing’.”

Reference: Quran, Ch:2, V:247.

Allah chose Saul to be the leader over the Children of Israel including Samuel (`alayhi al-salam). We are aware that Samuel (`alayhi al-salam) was a Prophet, yet that did not stop Allah from appointing someone else as a leader over him. Samuel was a guide for his people having attained Prophethood, all the while he lived under the rulership of someone else. Furthermore, Twelver Shia theologians maintain that when Allah appoints a Prophet, they are a Prophet from birth, and it is commonly known that Dawud (`alayhi al-salam) lived under the leadership of Saul.

d. During the caliphate of `Umar (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu), numerous people entered the religion of Islam, and many of them died during that period too, without knowing who `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) was or ever having heard from him.

Shaikh Muhammad Salim al-Khidr said:

لما فتحت الأمصار ودخل الناس في دین الله أفواجا واھتدوا بھذا الدین وبما علموه من كلام الله وكلام رسولھ لم یكن ھؤلاء قد سمعوا من الإمام علي بن أبي طالب بلاغا خاصا یھتدون بھ بل اھتدوا بما علموه من كتاب الله وسنة نبیھ صلى الله علیھ وآلھ وسلم. فھل یقال عنھم مھتدون أم ضالون؟ فإن قیل )مھتدون( كان ذلك كافیا في إبطال الروایة، وإن قیل )ضالون( كان ھذا خلاف ما دل علیھ كتاب الله وسنة نبیھ وإجماع المسلمین.

Translation: "When the lands were conquered, and people entered the religion of Allah in large groups and were guided by this religion and by what they learned from the words of Allah and the words of His Messenger. These people never heard a word from `Ali ibn Abi Talib, nor a specific proclamation by which they would be guided. Rather, they were guided by what they learned from the Book of Allah, and the Sunna of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. So, should it be said that these are guided or misguided. If it is said that they are guided, then this should be enough to reject this narration. And if it is said that they are misguided then this contradicts what is proven from the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His Prophet and the consensus of the Muslims."

Reference: Thumma `Absart al-Haqiqa, Muhammad Salim al-Khidr, P:301.

e. Lastly, the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) had appointed other individuals from amongst the companions (Radiya-llahu-`an-hum) for the Muslims to take as sources of guidance. He (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) said in a notable hadith found in Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami` al-Tirmidhi:

فعلیكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء المھدیین الراشدین، تمسكوا بھا، وعضوا علیھا بالنواجذ.

Translation: "Hold on to my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me. Hold tight to it and cling stubbornly to it."

Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4607, Jami` al-Tirmidhi 2676.

And the rightly guided caliphs are Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, and `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hum). So, if it is supposed that `Ali is the guide that is alluded to in this verse, then Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman are also guides as the Sunnah and the ijma` have clarified.

Authored by: Kimo al-Baydawi.