Response To: "Obeying `Ali is Obeying Allah, Disobeying `Ali is Disobeying Allah"

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

"The Shi'ite Offensive" cited a report transmitted by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihain, in an attempt to demonstrate that obedience to `Ali is tied one's obedience to Allah. However, the tradition under scrutiny contains two weaknesses within its chain of transmission. The first issue is the transmission of Yahya bin Ya`la. Critics such as Abu Hatim, Yahya ibn Main, al-Bukhari, al-Dhahabi, and ibn Hajar have all questioned his credibility. When ibn Abi Hatim inquired his father about Yahya bin Ya`la, he responded:

Translation: "I asked my father about him, he replied: He is not strong, he is weak in hadith."

Abu Ja`far al-`Uqayli relays the following observation from Imam al-Bukhari:

Translation: "Yahya bin Ya`la al-Aslami al-Qatwani: mudtarib al-hadith (discrepant in hadith)."

The second issue in the chain of transmission involves Mu`awiya bin Thalaba, who is not considered a reliable transmitter. Although he was documented by ibn Hibban in Kitab al-Thiqat, ibn Hibban is regarded as lenient, or mutasahil, in his assessments on transmitters. Shaikh al-Albani discusses in his Silsila al-Ahadith al-Da`ifa wa al-Mawdu`a the case of another transmitter who was deemed trustworthy solely by ibn Hibban in Kitab al-Thiqat:

Translation: "As for ibn Hibban, he mentioned him in al-Thiqat, this is from his habit of authenticating unknown narrators, as we have pointed out repeatedly [...]."

Similarly, Shaikh Muqbil bin Hadi was questioned concerning the assessments of ibn Hibban:

Translation: "Question: ibn Hibban is known for strengthening unknown narrators, so if the narrator was not unknown, and has more than one student, and ibn Hibban says: mustaqim al-hadith or thiqa, do we still not accept it or is it considered? Answer: From the people of knowledge, al-Mu`allimi accepted this in al-Tankil bi ma fi Ta`nib al-Kawthari min al-Abatil. As for (thiqa), in most cases he is known for being lenient, so we stop, because he was lenient in strengthening unknown narrators. However, if he strengthened someone who is known, then it is accepted."

End.