Question 276 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 3

Supporters Response:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Intensely Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send His prayers upon Muhammad and his family, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them abundant peace. To proceed … We do not accuse any of the Messenger’s wives (s) of indecency-Allah forbid. We respect every one of them who followed the instructions of the Messenger Muhammad (s) and did not rise against his rightful successor after him. We therefore revere Khadijah, Umm Salamah, and women like them-peace be upon them. As for Aisha daughter of Abu Bakr, it is established through both Sunni and Shia sources that she fought the successor of the Messenger of Allah (s), Ali ibn Abi Talib. Thousands were killed and martyred because of her tribulation, and she was among the fiercest enemies of the Commander of the Believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). She was therefore among those who opposed the instructions of the Messenger Muhammad (s), who said concerning Ali ibn Abi Talib (a): ‘Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah. Whoever obeys Ali has obeyed me, and whoever disobeys Ali has disobeyed me’ (^[183]). ‘O Ammar, if you see Ali travel through one valley while the people travel through another, travel with Ali and leave the people. He will never lead you to ruin or take you out of guidance’ (^[184]). ‘Whoever separates from Ali separates from me, and whoever separates from me has separated from Allah’ (^[185]). ‘Whoever separates from you, O Ali, separates from me, and whoever separates from me has separated from Allah’ (^[186]). Sheikh al-Amini said in al-Ghadir, volume 2, page 313, from the Messenger of Allah (s): ‘This is the first to believe in me, the first to shake my hand on the Day of Resurrection, the Greater Truthful One, the Distinguisher of this nation who distinguishes truth from falsehood, and the chief of the believers.’ Sheikh al-Amini said in al-Ghadir, volume 2, page 313: al-Tabarani transmitted it from Salman and Abu Dharr; al-Bayhaqi and al-Adani from Hudhayfah; al-Haythami in al-Majma, volume 9, page 102; and al-Hafiz al-Kanji in al-Kifayah, page 79, through al-Hafiz Ibn Asakir. At its end is: ‘He is my gate through which I am approached, and he is my successor after me.’ Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi mentioned it with the first wording in Ikmal Kanz al-Ummal, volume 6, page 5. In Musnad Ahmad: ‘He went out with the people on the expedition to Tabuk. Ali said to him, “Shall I go out with you?” The Prophet of Allah said to him, “No.” Ali wept, so he said to him: “Are you not pleased to be to me in the station Aaron held with Moses, except that you are not a prophet? It is not fitting for me to depart unless you are my successor.” The Messenger of Allah said to him: “You are my guardian over every believer after me”’ (^[187]). In Majma al-Zawa’id, from Ibn Abbas, who said: ‘When the Prophet-may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family-married Ali to Fatimah, Fatimah said, “O Messenger of Allah, you married me to a poor man who possesses nothing.” The Messenger of Allah-may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family-said: “Are you not pleased, O Fatimah, that Allah chose two men from among the people of Paradise, one of them your father and the other your husband?”’ (^[188]). In Kanz al-Ummal: ‘Whoever wishes to live my life, die my death, and enter the Garden my Lord promised me-one of whose branches He planted with His hand, and which is the Garden of Eternity-must accept the authority of Ali and his progeny after him. They will never take you out through a gate of guidance or admit you through a gate of misguidance’ (^[189]). In Kanz al-Ummal: ‘O Buraydah, Ali is your guardian after me, so love Ali, for he does what he is commanded’ (^[190]). In Kanz al-Ummal: ‘There will be a tribulation after me. When that occurs, adhere to Ali ibn Abi Talib, for he is the distinguisher between truth and falsehood’ (^[191]). In Kanz al-Ummal: ‘O Ammar, if you see Ali travel through one valley while the people travel through another, travel with Ali and leave the people. He will never lead you to ruin or take you out of guidance’ (^[192]). As for Aisha being a wife of the Messenger of Allah (s), this does not mean she was sacred or protected from misguidance. The Quran explicitly states the misguidance of the wives of some prophets: ‘Allah sets forth for those who disbelieve the example of Noah’s wife and Lot’s wife. They were under two righteous servants from among Our servants, but they betrayed them, and the two did not avail them against Allah at all. It was said, “Enter the Fire with those who enter”’ (^[193]). ‘He said, “Lot is in it.” They said, “We know better who is in it. We will surely save him and his family, except his wife; she is among those who remain behind”’ (^[194]). ‘When Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed for them and felt constrained on their account. They said, “Do not fear and do not grieve. We will save you and your family, except your wife; she is among those who remain behind”’ (^[195]). If the verse you mentioned-‘Impure women are for impure men, and impure men are for impure women; pure women are for pure men, and pure men are for pure women. Those are absolved of what they say. For them are forgiveness and a noble provision’ (^[196])-meant, as you understood it, that a prophet can marry only a woman whose outward and inward state are righteous, this would be a rebuttal of the Quran, which establishes that some prophets’ wives were misguided and that their destination is Hell-and wretched is the destination. An interpretation of this verse has also been transmitted from Sunni authorities, saying that what is meant by impure things is evil speech and by pure things is good speech. Here is the text of the interpretation and its source: It is stated in al-Tabarani’s al-Mujam al-Kabir, volume 23, pages 157–159, from Salamah ibn Nabit, from al-Dahhak ibn Muzahim, concerning the words ‘impure men are for impure women.’ He said: impure words are for impure people. Concerning ‘pure things are for pure men,’ he said: pure words are for pure people. Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Said ibn Abi Maryam narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Firyabi narrated to us; Warqa narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, concerning pure and impure things. He said: they are evil and good speech. Good speech is for believers, and evil speech is for disbelievers. Abu Khalifah narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ubayd ibn Hisab narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Thawr narrated to us, from Mamar, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, concerning ‘impure things are for impure men.’ He said: impure words are for impure people, impure people are for impure words, pure words are for pure people, and pure people are for pure words. Ali ibn al-Mubarak al-Sanani narrated to us; Yazid ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Thawr narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from Mujahid, concerning ‘impure things are for impure men and pure things are for pure men.’ He said: evil and good speech-good is for the believer and evil for the disbeliever. Abd al-Rahman ibn Salim al-Razi narrated to us; Sahl ibn Uthman narrated to us; Ali ibn Mushir and Marwan ibn Muawiyah narrated to us; they said: Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Sulayman narrated to us, from al-Qasim ibn Abi Bazzah, from Said ibn Jubayr, concerning ‘impure things are for impure men and pure things are for pure men.’ He said: impure words are for impure people, and pure words are for pure people. Zakariyya ibn Yahya al-Saji narrated to us; Ahmad ibn Ishaq al-Ahwazi narrated to us; Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri narrated to us; Hasan ibn Salih narrated to us, from Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Sulayman, from al-Qasim ibn Abi Bazzah, from Mujahid or Said ibn Jubayr, concerning ‘impure things are for impure men.’ He said: impure words are for impure people, and pure words are for pure people. Hafs ibn al-Salih, from Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Hurmuz, from Said ibn Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas, concerning ‘impure things are for impure men,’ said: impure speech is for impure people. Concerning ‘pure things are for pure men,’ he said: pure speech is for pure people. Here ends al-Tabarani’s statement. It may be that what is meant by impure and pure women is particular women in the time of the Messenger (s), or women identified by specific attributes, rather than the statement being general. From where, then, do you derive the authority to interpret the Quran according to your desire?! In any event, your understanding of the verse contradicts the Noble Quran, which mentioned that prophets married women who are among the people of the Fire. As for the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt and the specification of Ali ibn Abi Talib and their progeny by that title, it is established through both Sunni and Shia sources. I will mention to you what was narrated by Sunni authorities so that the proof against you may be firmer: Ahmad narrated in his Musnad from Ali ibn Zayd, from Anas ibn Malik, that for six months the Prophet (s), whenever he went out for dawn prayer, would pass by Fatimah’s house and say: ‘Prayer, O Ahl al-Bayt. Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly’ (^[197]). He also narrated from Shaddad Abu Ammar, who said: I entered upon Wathilah ibn al-Asqa while some people were with him and they mentioned Ali. When they stood to leave, he said to me: ‘Shall I tell you what I saw from the Messenger of Allah (s)?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘I came to Fatimah-may Allah Most High be pleased with her-and asked her about Ali. She said, “He has gone to the Messenger of Allah.” I sat waiting for him until the Messenger of Allah came with Ali, Hasan, and Husayn-may Allah Most High be pleased with them-holding each of the two by the hand. When he entered, he brought Ali and Fatimah near and seated them before him, and seated Hasan and Husayn, each upon one of his thighs. Then he wrapped them in his garment-or he said, a cloak-and recited this verse: “Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly.” He said: “O Allah, these are my Ahl al-Bayt, and my Ahl al-Bayt are most entitled”’ (^[198]). He also narrated from Ata ibn Abi Rabah, who said: ‘One who heard Umm Salamah mention it narrated to me that the Prophet (s) was in her house. Fatimah came to him with a stone pot containing a dish and entered upon him. He said to her, “Call your husband and your two sons.” She said: Ali, Husayn, and Hasan came and entered upon him. They sat eating from that dish while he was upon a sleeping mat on a raised platform beneath which was a Khaybari cloak. She said: I was praying in the chamber. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sent down this verse: “Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly.” She said: He took the remainder of the cloak and covered them with it, then brought out his hand and raised it toward heaven. He said: “O Allah, these are my Ahl al-Bayt and my special ones, so remove impurity from them and purify them thoroughly. O Allah, these are my Ahl al-Bayt and my special ones, so remove impurity from them and purify them thoroughly.” She said: I put my head into the house and said, “Am I with you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “You are toward good; you are toward good”’ (^[199]). From Musab ibn Shaybah, from Safiyyah daughter of Shaybah, who said: Aisha said: ‘The Prophet (s) went out one morning wearing a striped cloak of black hair. Hasan ibn Ali came, and he admitted him beneath it. Then Husayn came and entered with him. Then Fatimah came, and he admitted her. Then Ali came, and he admitted him. Then he said: “Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly”’ (^[200]). Al-Hakim narrated from Ismail ibn Abdullah ibn Jafar ibn Abi Talib, from his father, who said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah (s) saw mercy descending, he said, “Call them to me, call them to me.” Safiyyah said, “Whom, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “My Ahl al-Bayt: Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn.” They were brought, and the Prophet (s) cast his cloak over them, then raised his hands and said: “O Allah, these are my family, so send Your prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.” Allah, Mighty and Majestic, sent down: “Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly”’ (^[201]). Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ata, from Umar ibn Abi Salamah, the stepson of the Prophet (s), who said: ‘This verse was sent down to the Prophet (s)-“Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly”-in the house of Umm Salamah. The Prophet (s) called Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn and covered them with a cloak; Ali was behind him, so he covered him with the cloak. Then he said: “O Allah, these are my Ahl al-Bayt, so remove impurity from them and purify them thoroughly.” Umm Salamah said, “Am I with them, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Remain in your place, and you are toward good”’ (^[202]). The indication in these hadiths-especially the last-is clear: the Ahl al-Bayt are confined to Ali, Fatimah, and their progeny (a), such that Umm Salamah (a), the wife of the Messenger Muhammad (s), was not included. We have more. Finally, I ask Allah to guide you and cause you to turn back to what is right. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send His prayers upon Muhammad and his family, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them abundant peace. The Scientific Committee Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah establish him upon the earth) Sheikh Nazim al-Uqayli