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HADITH OF PROPHET ABOUT AHLULBAYT
Here are some of the points used in discussions and debates between Sunnis and Shias:
# Hadith of position
Hadith al-Manzilah is a Hadith in Islam.
It is one of the primary hadiths used by the Shia to justify Ali's right in the Succession of Muhammad. The Sunnis however, interpret it otherwise.
In 9 A.H. (630), Muhammad prepared to lead an expedition against Syria, and to fight the Battle of Tabuk. He did not want to leave Madinah unguarded, since there were suspicions regarding the safety of the city, and decided to leave Ali behind as his deputy. Ali asked if he was going to be left behind with the women and children. Muhammad is reported to have said:
"Are you not pleased to have the position (manzilah) in relation to me as that Aaron had in relation to Moses, except that after me there will be no other prophet?" (Bukhari)
Shias, in addition to holding that this hadith was repeatedly mentioned by Muhammad in a number of different occasions (e.g. brotherhood contract between Muhammad and Ali), point out that the hadith is very general in its statement, particularly due to the word showing exception, indicating, to the word, a status for Ali with respect to Muhammad exactly similar to that of Aaron with respect to Moses (with the exception of prophethood).
The Shia point out that the Qur'an mentions (7:142) Moses having assigned Aaron as his successor during his retreat unto the Mount; additionally, they assert, the Qur'an has shed light onto Aaron's status with respect to Moses through the latter's well-known prayer:
20:25-32 (Moses) said:: "O my Lord! expand me my breast; Ease my task for me; And remove the impediment from my speech; So they may understand what I say; And give me a vizier (Minister) from my family; Aaron my brother; Add to my strength through him; And make him share my task..."
The Shia also point out that this hadith, which makes use of a figurative reference, has exactly the same implication of the more direct Hadith of Invitation in which Muhammad is reported to have explicitly referred to Ali as his brother, inheritor and vicegerent (Arabic: Khalif).
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# Hadith of warning
Hadith of the dinner invitation
The warning hadith, also known as "invitation of the close families" (Dawat dhul-Ashirah) is a famous Islamic hadith, that is recorded in all Muslim books through different chain of narration, which is considered to be mutawatir and sahih. The Shi'a's use this hadith to prove that Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib) is the rightful successor of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
Invitation of close families
For three years Muhammad invited people to Islam in secret. Then he started inviting people publicly. When, according to the Qur'an he was commanded to invite his closer relatives to come to Islam, and gathered the Banu Hashim in a ceremony and told them clearly that whoever would be the first to accept his invitation would become his successor and inheritor. Ali who was 13 or 14 years old at that time was the one to step forth and embrace Islam.
Imam Ali, the one narrating the hadith, says he was ordered to cook food for forty people by Muhammad, for the exact number of family members attending the event.
After the food was presented and the people ate and drank, Muhammad stood up and said, "O sons of Abd al-Muttalib, by Allah, I do not know of any person among the Arabs who has come to his people with better than what I have brought to you and I have verily came to you with the best of this world and the hereafter, and Allah has ordered me to invite you to it. So who of you, will help me in this mission and to be my brother (akhí), my successor (wasiyyí), and my caliph (khalifatí) among you?"
Muhammad repeated this three times, no one present responded to him except the youngest of them — ‘Ali b. Abí Tãlib. He stood up and said, "I will be your helper, O Prophet of God."
Muhammad then put his hand on the back of Ali's neck and said, "Inna hadhã akhhí wa wasiyyí wa khalífatí fíkum, fasma‘û lahu wa atí‘û — Verily this is my brother, my successor, and my caliph amongst you; therefore, listen to him and obey.". However a handful of the people then laughed and said to Abu Talib that Muhammed has ordered you to obey your son.
Sunni sources: at-Tabari, at-Ta’ríkh, vol. 1 (Leiden, 1980 offset of the 1789 edition) p. 171-173; Ibn al-Athír, al-Kãmil, vol. 5 (Beirut, 1965) p. 62-63; Abu ’l-Fidã’, al-Mukhtasar fi Ta’ríkhi ’l-Bashar, vol. 1 (Beirut, n.d.) p. 116-117; al-Khãzin, at-Tafsír, vol. 4 (Cairo, 1955) p. 127; al-Baghawi, at-Tafsír (Ma‘ãlimu ’t-Tanzíl), vol. 6 (Riyadh: Dar Tayyiba, 1993) p. 131; al-Bayhaqi, Dalã’ilu ’n-Nubuwwa, vol. 1 (Cairo, 1969) p. 428-430; as-Suyuti, ad-Durru ’l-Manthûr, vol. 5 (Beirut, n.d.) p. 97; and Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanzu ’l-‘Ummãl, vol. 15 (Hyderabad, 1968) pp. 100, 113, 115. Further references: ‘Abdu ’l-Husayn al-Aminí, al-Ghadír, vol. 2 (Beirut, 1967) pp. 278-289.
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# Ahl al-Kisa
Hadith of the Cloak
Ahl al-Kisa (People of the Cloak) refers to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatimah, his cousin and son-in-law Ali, and his two grandsons Hasan and Husayn. They are also referred to as Al al-Aba (meaning the five). The origin of this belief is found in the Hadith of the Event of the Cloak and the Hadith of Mubahala, hadithayn that are accepted as authentic by both Sunni and Shi'i Muslims, with differences only in interpretation.
It is one of the foundations of the Shi'i conception of the Imamate, which states that patrilineal descendants of Muhammad have a special spiritual leadership over the Muslim community. The Ahl al-Kisa, along with the their descendants, the Imams, form the Shi'i definition of Ahl al-Bayt "People of the House", a term used to designate the family of Muhammad.
The main branches of Shi'i Islam consider them to be in a state of ismah "infallibility", a belief originating from the verse of purification in the Qur'an.
The Hadith of The Cloak (Hadith-e-Kisa) refers to the Ahl al-Kisa. The hadith is an account of an incident where Muhammad gathered Hassan ibn Ali, Husayn ibn Ali, Ali and Fatimah under his cloak. This is mentioned in several hadiths, including Sahih Muslim, where Muhammad is quoted as saying the phrase Ahl al-Bayt (meaning Muhammad's Household or, literally, people of the house) from the second part of verse 33:33 of the Qur'an, the verse called "Ayat al-Tathir" or "the verse of purification".
In reference to verse 33:33, L. Veccia Vaglieri, in her Encyclopedia of Islam article entitled "Fatima", writes:
"[…] the preceding verses contain instructions to the wives of Muhammed, and there the verbs and pronouns are in the feminine plural; but in this verse, addressed to the People of the House, the pronouns are in the masculine plural. Thus, it has been said, it is no longer a question of Muhammed’s wives, or of them alone…. The expression Ahl al-bayt can only mean “Family of the Prophet”."
The tradition about this hadith goes from different sources to Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad. She narrated that once her father visited her home, he had fever and was not feeling well, he asked for a Yemeni cloak which Fatimah brought to him and folded it around him. Later he was joined in that Yemeni cloak by his grandsons Hasan and Hussein, who were followed by their father Ali ibn Abi Talib, who was cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. Finally Fatimah asked the permission to enter that cloak. When all five of them joined together under the cloak, Muhammad narrated the Quranic verse 33:33 to those under the cloak that all five of them are chosen ones, and he further stated that he wants from Allah to keep all impurities out of reach and away from all of us. Muhammad then prayed to Allah to declare all five of them as his Ahlul Bayt and keep away the Najasat (impurities). Allah at that request immediately sent Gabriel to reveal to Muhammad that all
the five under the cloak are dearest and closest to Allah and they are Taher (purest of the pure) without any traces of impurities.
This is a central hadith in terms of the differences between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims (along with few more hadiths and Verses in the Qur'an) as it is the foundation for the Shi'i claim that Governorship of Muslims should reside only with the direct line of Muhammad through Fatimah and Ali, as well as being the basis for their further claims that certain of the descendants of Muhammad are infallible: points on which Sunni Muslims strongly disagree. They claim that the term has a broader meaning that does not invest any such authority in Muhammad's family exclusively and that it is possible for any right-living person of faith to attain such spiritual purity or authority.
Shi'a writers claim that the narrative shows that Muhammad, Fatima, Ali, Hasan and Husayn are the sole members of "Ahl al-Bayt" or "People of the House." Shias view this as an illustration of God's confirmation of the purity and sinlessness of the five "Ahl al-Bayt." This, and other events, leading to the doctrine of the sinlessness of the Ahl al-Bayt and that Ahl al-Bayt are given the exclusive guardianship of Islam by Allah, since they alone are sinless.
This is a very important hadith for Shia Muslims, along many more ahadith and verses in the Qur'an, as the foundation for the Shia claim that governorship of the Muslim community should be only in the posterity of Muhammad as the base for claims that some descendants of Muhammad are infallible (ismah).
The Shias claim that the verse itself says "only", implying that the blessing of this merit is exclusive to a single group and one other than the wives. i.e., Allah desires to keep away the uncleanness from "only" you, "O people of the House", and not from anyone else, and this is why the six stern commandments of the other verses are given to the wives, because they are not protected and must act accordingly; the "people of the house", on the other hand, need no such instructions. The Shi'a also point out that the rhetoric changes to a masculine tone in the final part of the verse whereas is was feminine before that.
Shias also argue that the first part of the verse addresses a person or group in the feminine gender, while the second part addresses in the masculine gender, meaning that at least one person in the group is a male.
The Incident of Mubahala
According to the Sunni hadith collections, it is narrated that during the 9th - 10th year after hijra an Arab Christian envoy from Najran (currently in northern Yemen and partly in Saudi Arabia) came to the Muhammad to argue which of the two parties erred in its doctrine concerning Jesus (Quran 3:61). Muhammad offered to do the Arabic tradition known as Mubahala, where each conflicting party should cover themselves, and together all parties ask God sincerely to destroy and inflict with curses on the lying party and their families. Muhammad, to prove to them that he is a prophet, brought his daughter Fatimah and his surviving grandchildren, Hasan and Hussein, and Ali ibn Abi Talib and came back to the Christians and said this is my family (Ahl) and covered himself and his family with a cloak.
The Shia claim that this authentic hadith proves whom the Quran is referring to when it mentions the Ahlul-Bayt (or Household), which includes only Ali, Fatimah, and their descendants.Sunni dispute that this verse was about Muhammad's wives and their children and even their servants.
The Shia celebrate this event as Eid-e Mubahala.
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# Mubahala
Mubahala literally meaning 'mutual prayer' (Cursing) or Lian, but in Islamic tradition it refers to a form of resolving religious disputes. When the argumentations from both sides fail to resolve a religious issue, the parties jointly pray Allah to cast His curse on whichever of the two parties is false. Since curse means 'moving someone far away from the divine mercy' and moving far away from mercy is being close to divine wrath--therefore, the essens of the meaning is: Wrath be on the liar. As such, whoever is the liar shall face the evil consequences whereupon the truth will become evident before the disbelievers as well. Many times Mubahala is a kind of ordeal which instigation or call to the ordeal may be more important than execution of it.
According to hadith collections, it is narrated that an Arab Christian envoy from Najran (currently in northern Yemen and partly in Saudi Arabia) under the leadership of their chief priest Abd al-Masih came to the Prophet Muhammad at Medina to ask him about his views about Jesus because the Christian's themselves, were divided in to four different beliefs in regards to Jesus' relationship with Allah:
Jesus is Allah.
Jesus is the son of Allah.
Jesus is one of a trinity or
Allah is far from what they attribute to Jesus.
After the Christians likend Jesus' miraculous (fatherless) birth to Adam's creation, the Prophet responded, "He (Allah) created him (Jesus) from dust, then said to him: "Be", and he was". The Prophet continued, "The truth comes from Allah alone; so be not of those who doubt. If anyone disputes in this matter with thee, now after full knowledge hath come to thee, say: Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then pray and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars." This, was the Prophet's call for Mubahala. The Christians consulted each other and refused to accept the Prophet's response to not deify Jesus, Jesus was only mortal created by God but not God Himselftogether with the Prophet, the two sides scheduled the Mubahala for the following morning. Before dawn of the next day, the Prophet sent a close companion, Salman al-Farisi, to construct a shelter for the people who the Prophet was going to take
with him. It was uncommon for Mubahala to include families of the parties involved but when included, the family causes the process to become more effective. Because the Prophet brought only select members of Islam's most religious, prestigious and pure family, carrying Husayn in his arm with Hasan holding his hand, followed by Fatima and concluding with Ali. The Prophet declared, Lord these are the People of my House, Ahl al-Bayt and covered his family with a cloak. The leaders of the Christian group recognized the gravity of the situation, prophethood of Muhammad and the Prophet's confidence in the outcome of the incident. The Christian leaders became frightened and advised their followers to pull out of the Mubahala stating that, "By God! He would not have come with them (the Ahl al-Bayt) if he was afraid that the proof would be against him. Therefore, be warned against the contest of prayer with him. By God! If it was not for the position of Caesar
(the Byzantine emperor), I would submit to him. But (now) make peace with him on what can be agreed between you and him. Return to your land and think about it yourselves." The Christians took the advice of Priest Abd al-Masih and formed a peace treaty with the Prophet, the Christian proposal being you remain on your religion, while we remain on our religion and the Prophet's proposal forcing the Christians to pay Jizya, a levy on free non-Muslim's under Muslim rule. The Christian's continued, asking the Prophet to send with them a trustworthy man to aid them in judging monetary disputes amongst themselves. The Prophet agrees and appoints 'Abu 'Ubaydah bin Al-Jarah our of a large group of willing and hopeful contendors.
The event is referred to in the Qur'an and Tafsirs of 3:61, where the prophet was ordered to invite the disputants regarding the nature of Jesus to imprecation:
Surely, the case of Jesus, in the sight of Allah is like the case of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, "Be", and he came to be. The truth is from your Lord. So, do not be of those who doubt. So if someone argues with you in this after what has come to you of the knowledge, say, "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then pray and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars." This is, indeed, the true narration. And there exists no god but Allah. And Allah is surely the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. So, should they turn back, Allah is all-aware of the mischievous.
"Our sons": Hasan and Husayn, the grandsons of the Prophet, sons of 'Ali and Fatima. Because at the time of occurecnce of the Mubahala the Prophet had no children besides Fatima, let alone a son; Hasan and Husayn are included in "sons/children" because children of one's daughter are regarded as one's own children too.
"Our women": Fatima, the only surviving daughter of the Prophet from his marriage with Khadija, wife of 'Ali and mother of Hasan and Husayn. "Women" could have meant wives but the Prophet viewed Fatima as the most superior female Muslim and brought her instead.
"Ourselves": Prophet Muhammad
What about 'Ali?
Many scholars disagree as to where 'Ali should be categorized in the people the Prophet calls his Ahl al-Bayt. In the Surah 'Al-'Imran, 'Ali is included in the "sons" because he is the son-in-law of the Prophet and because the Prophet adopted and raised 'Ali like a son. The Sunni scholar al-Suyuti holds that 'Ali is part of the "ourselves" 'Ali being "the self" of the Prophet which causes some scholars to conclude the power and superiority of 'Ali especially when it comes to his right of imamate and immediate successorship following the Prophet. Supporting the belief that only these members of the Ahl al-Bayt are spiritually pure and have pure genes. Theologically, Shi'is emphasize the significance of the cloaking of the Ahl al-Bayt as highlighting their primal rights on the leadership of the community of the believers, their principle of legitimacy.
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# Hadith of Mubahala
The Hadith of Mubahela is Muslim tradition about a debate of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad with the Christians of Najran and summoned the members of his household, the Ahl al-Bayt.
The event is recorded in several hadith collections and is referred to in the Qur'anic Sura Al Imran.
It is seen as one of the merits of Ahl al-Bayt and is widely used in Shī‘ī-Sunni arguments, and also used by the Shī‘ah to prove that Ali has the same authority over Muslims as Muhammad.
According to Islamic tradition, the Christians of Najran were unhappy about the rapid spread of Islam in the lands of Arabia. They wished to discuss this matter with Muhammad and arrived in Medina in 630 CE. Learned scholars were selected by the Christians who had a continuous dialogue with Muhammad for three days. It started on Saturday, when Sunday arrived, the Christians asked to leave the city to pray. Muhammad told them to stay and pray inside the mosque, which they did.
Muhammad and the Christians were unable to arrive on any mutual understanding. At this point, Muhammad proclaimed that he had received a revelation (recorded in Sura Al Imran):
But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of God on the liars. [Qur'an 3:61]
The next morning, Muhammad emerged from his house with his closest family. He held the hand of Hasan walking beside him, held Husain in his arms, followed by his daughter Fatimah and finally by his son-in-law Ali. He came and stood with this family in front of the Christian bishops who also came forward to perform the Mubahela.
The chief of the Christians was bishop Abul Harris. When he saw this small family of the Prophet he turned towards his fellow Christians and told them, do not indulge in Mubahela with this family, for I am observing such pious faces that if they would order the mountain to come to them the mountain shall move towards them. It is therefore prudent to make treaty with them rather than confrontation of this spiritual imminence.
They asked Muhammad for peace and it was accepted. Muhammad extended the hand of friendship towards them, a treaty was signed and both parties left on friendly terms.
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# Hadith of the pond of Khumm
The Hadith of the pond of Khumm refers to the saying (i.e. Hadith) about a historical event crucial to Islamic history. This event took place on 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah of 10 AH in the Islamic calendar( March 10, 632 AD) at a place called Ghadir Khumm, which is located near the city of al-Juhfah, Saudi Arabia and was a place where people from different provinces used to greet each other before taking different routes for their homes.
Shi'a Muslims believe it to be an appointment of Ali by Muhammad as his successor, while Sunni Muslims believe it to be a simple defense of Ali in the face of unjust criticism.
A few months before his death, Muhammad – living in the city of Medina – made his last religious pilgrimage to Mecca in a trip referred to as The Farewell Pilgrimage. There, atop Mount Arafat, he addressed the Muslim masses in what came to be known as The Farewell Sermon. After completion of the Hajj, or religious pilgrimage, Muhammad turned back towards his home in Medina.
On the way back, the below Qur'anic verse was revealed,
“O Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou wilt not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind.”[5:67] following which Muhammad stopped at the pond of Khumm and delivered a sermon. Prominent narrators of traditions have attributed the revelation of this verse to be in relation to Ali on the occasion of Ghadeer Khumm.
The exact meaning of the sermon is a matter of much dispute; While Shia Muslims believe that through this sermon, Muhammad nominated Ali to be his successor, Sunni Muslims disagree about the authenticity of some of the statements of the sermon and also disagree on the interpretations.
On the way back to Medina, he ordered his Companions to stop at Ghadeer Khum and delivered a sermon of which, a brief version is quoted below,
O people, Allah the Most Kind the Omniscient has told me that no apostle lives to more than half the age of him who had preceded him. I think I am about to be called (die) and thus I must respond. I am responsible and you are responsible, then what do you say?’ They said, ‘We witness that you have informed, advised and striven. May Allah bless you.’ He said, ‘Do you not bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle, and that His Heaven is true, His Hell is true, death is true, the Resurrection after death is true, that there is no doubt that the Day of Judgment will come, and that Allah will resurrect the dead from their graves?’ They said, ‘Yes, we bear witness’. He said, ‘O Allah, bear witness.’ Then he said, ‘O people, Allah is my Lord and I am the lord of the believers. I am worthier of believers than themselves.
Of whomsoever I had been Master(Mawla), Ali here is to be his Master. O Allah, be a supporter of whoever supports him (Ali) and an enemy of whoever opposes him.
Then he said,
‘O people, I will go ahead of you and you will arrive at my Pond (in Heaven) which is wider than the distance between Basra and San’a. It has receptacles as numerous as the stars, and two cups of gold and two of silver.
I will ask you about the two weighty things that I have left for you when you come to me to see how you dealt with them. The greater weighty thing is Allah’s book—the Holy Qur’an. One end is in Allah’s hand and the other is in your hands. Keep it and you will not deviate. That other weighty thing is my family (Ahl al-Bayt) and my descendents. The Most Kind the Omniscient had told me that both of them, would not separate until they come to my Pond
Another similar narration of the Hadith goes as follows
"Oh people! Reflect on the Quran and comprehend its verses. Look into its clear verses and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah, none shall be able to explain to you its warnings and its mysteries, nor shall anyone clarify its interpretation, other than the one that I have grasped his hand, brought up beside myself, [and lifted his arm,] the one about whom I inform you that whomever I am his master (Mawla), this Ali is his master (Mawla); and he is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, my brother, the executor of my will (Wasiyyi), whose appointment as your guardian and leader has been sent down to me from Allah, the mighty and the majestic."
On the completion of Muhammad's sermon, Umar al-Khattab said, "Congratulations to you, Ali! This morning has brought you a great blessing. Today you have become the master of all believing men and women". At a later occasion when Umar was asked about his special treatment to Ali as compared to other companions, his reply was, "He is my master."
Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, a Shafi'i scholar, writes in his book, Mawaddat al-Qurba in Mawadda 5, that many companions quoted Umar in different places as having said that the Prophet made Ali the chief and leader of the nation and that the Prophet announced publicly that Ali was their master. Umar was also quoted saying that on the day of that announcement, a handsome youth was sitting besides him and that the youth said to him, "Surely, the Prophet has bound a covenant which none but a hypocrite would break. So Umar! Avoid breaking it." When Umar told the Muhammad about the incident, Muhammad said that the youth was not of the Adam's progeny but was Gabriel and was stressing the point about Ali.
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# Eid al-Ghadeer
Eid al-Ghadeer is a festival observed by Shia Muslims on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar to commemorate the appointment of Ali ibn Abi Talib by the Islamic prophet Muhammad as his immediate successor. It marks the anniversary of Muhammad's sermon, described in Hadith of the pond of Khumm, in which he stated, Whomsoever's master (mawla) I am, this Ali is also his master. O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are hostile to him.
Background Context
A few months before his death, Muhammad – living in the city of Medina – made his last religious pilgrimage to Mecca in a trip referred to as The Farewell Pilgrimage. There, atop Mount Arafat, he addressed the Muslim masses in what came to be known as The Farewell Sermon. After completion of the Hajj, or religious pilgrimage, Muhammad turned back towards his home in Medina.
On the trip there, he stopped at the pond of Khumm and praised Ali. The exact meaning of the praise is a matter of much dispute; not only do Sunni and Shi'a Muslims disagree as to, which statements about the pond are authentic, but they also disagree on the interpretation.
Shi'a Muslims believe that after the pilgrimage, Muhammad ordered the gathering of Muslims at the pond of Khumm and it was there that Muhammad nominated Ali to be his successor.They further believe the wordings of sermon as follows;
"Oh people! Reflect on the Quran and comprehend its verses. Look into its clear verses and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah, none shall be able to explain to you its warnings and its mysteries, nor shall anyone clarify its interpretation, other than the one that I have grasped his hand, brought up beside myself, [and lifted his arm,] the one about whom I inform you that whomever I am his master (maula), this Ali is his master (maula); and he is Ali Ibn Abi Talib, my brother, the executor of my will (Wasiyyi), whose appointment as your guardian and leader has been sent down to me from Allah, the mighty and the majestic."
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# Hadith of the Twelve Successors
The Hadith of the Twelve Successors is a famous hadith in Islam, in which the Islamic prophet Muhammad speaks about twelve Muslim rulers succeeding him. It is found in both Sunni and Shi'a hadith books.
Sahih Bukhari:
Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, "There will be twelve Muslim rulers." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish."
Sahih Muslim :
Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, "The (Islamic) religion will continue until the Hour (day of resurrection), having twelve Caliphs for you, all of them will be from Quraysh."
Sunan Abu Dawood :
The Prophet said: "This religion remains standing until there are twelve vicegerents over you, all of them agreeable to the nation, all of them from Quraysh."
Sunan al-Tirmidhi :
The Prophet said: "There will be after me twelve Amir (Prince/Ruler), all of them from Quraysh."
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal:
Masrooq relates that someone asked Abdullah Ibn Masood, "O Abaa Abd al-Rahmaan, did you ask the Messenger of Allah how many caliphs will rule this nation?". Abdullah Ibn Masood replied, "Yes, we did ask the Messenger of Allah and he replied, "Twelve, like the number of chiefs (nuqabaa) of Bani Israel""
Similar Reports from Sunni and Shia Texts
Muhammad was quoted as saying,
Surely Islam will always remain mighty till there are twelve caliphs in it. All of them will be of the Quraish.
There will be twelve caliphs after me, all of them will be from Quraish.
There will be twelve caliphs for this nation.
Surely this religion will always overcome its opponents and no enemy or deserter can ever harm it till there are twelve caliphs from my nation in it. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair (Islam) shall always remain mighty impregnable and victorious against all its opponents till it is ruled by twelve, all of them will be from Quraish.
This affair shall always remain mighty and victorious over its opponents till there are twelve. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair (islam) shall always remain righteous till theere are twelve chiefs. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair shall always remain closely united till there are twelve caliphs in it all of them will be from Quraish.
This affair will always survive till there are twelve chiefs in it. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair (islam) shall always remain upright till theere are twelve chiefs. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair shall neither pass nor will come to an end till twelve caliphs pass in it. All of them will be from Quraish.
This religion shall survive till the Hour is established or there are twelve caliphs(ruling) upon you. All of them will be from Quraish.
There will be twelve strong supports for this nation. Whoever forsakes them will not harm them. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair shall always overcome the one who opposes it. No enemy or opponent will harm it till there will be twelve caliphs from Quraish.
Surely this affair shall always remain dominant. No opponent can harm it till there are twelve chiefs. All of them will be from Quraish.
This affair of this nation (Islam) shall always be dominant till there are twelve chiefs or caliphs. They are all from Quraish.
The affair of this nation shall always remain straight and dominant over its enemy till there are twelve caliphs amongst them. All of them will be from the Quraish.
There will be twelve strong people from the Quraish. The one who bears enmity against them, his enemy will not harm them.
Twelve (Caliphs) will follow this affair (islam). All of them will be from Quraish and their likes will not be seen.
Abdullah ibn Masood on being asked if he asked the Messenger about how many caliphs will rule this nation. He replied in affirmative and said that the Messenger replied, "Twelve, like the number of chiefs (nuqabaa) of Bani Israel".
Your caliphs will be twelve equal to the number of chiefs of Bani Israel.
Know that the affair of my nation shall always be righteous till there are twelve caliphs in it. All of tem will be from the Quraish.
This religion shall always be upright till there are twelve from Quraish. When they are no more, the earth will be destroyed (swallowed) with all its inhabitants.
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Shias see the 'Hadith of the Twelve Successors' as a basis for their belief in a succession of Imams. Shi'a argue that the "Twelve Successors" must have come in succession, arguing from the term "Successors" (Arabic: Caliph). Twelver Shiites in particular identify the "twelve rulers" with their twelve Imams from Ali to Muhammad al-Mahdi.
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal : Don't try to find faults with ‘Alī, he is indeed from me and I am from him, he is your leader after me. He is from me and I am from him, he is your leader after me.
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal : When the āyah "And warn your relatives of nearest kin" (26:214) was revealed, the Prophet gathered his family around him and treated 30 of them to a meal and then said: "Who is willing to guarantee my debts and commitments so that he should be with me in paradise and should be my successor from among my family." A person whom Shurayk did not name, answered: O Messenger of Allah you are like a sea, who can take charge of this responsibility. The Prophet repeated his statement to his relatives, and (Imam) Ali replied: "I will undertake this responsibility."
Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in his Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, ch.76, reports from Fara'idu's-Simtain of Hamwaini, who reports from Mujahid, who reports from Ibn Abbas : that a Jew named Na'thal came to Muhammad and asked him questions about Tawhid (Unity of Allah). Muhammad answered his questions and the Jew embraced Islam. Then he said: "O Holy Prophet, every prophet had a wasi (vicegerent). Our Prophet, Moses Bin Imran, made a will for Yusha Bin Nun. Please tell me who is your wasi?" The Holy Prophet said: "My vicegerent is Ali Bin Abi Talib; after him are Hasan, and Husain and after them are nine Imams, who are the successive descendants of Husain."
Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha'labi in his Manaqib and Tafsir, Ibn Maghazili Faqih Shafi'i in his Manaqib and Mir Seyyed Ali Hamadani in his Mawaddatu'l-Qurba (Mawadda VI) : narrate from the Second Rightly-Guided Caliph, Umar bin Khattab, who, when the Muhammed established fraternal and brotherly ties between the companions, said, 'This Ali is my brother in this world and in the hereafter. Among my descendants he is my caliph; he is my successor (vicegerent) in my community. He is the heir to my knowledge; he is the payer of my debt. What belongs to him belongs to me; what belongs to me belongs to him; his benefit is my benefit and his loss is my loss. He who is a friend of his is really a friend of mine and he who is an enemy of his is really an enemy of mine."
While there may be a difference of opinion amongst some Sunni scholars of the exact identity of the 'Twelve Successors', one cannot deny that some of the greatest Sufi scholars, the vast majority of whom were Sunni, are unanamous on the elect status of the 'Twelve Imams' of spirituality.
In the preface of his book 'The Ghadir Declaration', the well known Islamic scholar Professor Tahir-ul-Qadri quotes the following from Shah Wali Allah, one of the greatest Sunni scholars India ever produced:
“In this Ummah the first person to open the door of spiritual dominion is ‘Alī al-Murtadā. The secret of spiritual dominion of the leader permeated his progeny. Therefore, not a single saint is found in the Ummah who is not directly or indirectly indebted to the spiritual leadership of ‘Alī to attain spiritual leadership...Now in the Ummah anyone who is blessed with spiritual leadership by Allāh’s Messenger is indebted either to ‘Alī al-Murtadā or to the Chief Helper Abdul Qadir Jilani. No one can reach the status of wilāyah without this (indebted-ness)”.
Another prominent Indian Sunni scholar, Shāh Ismā‘īl Dahlawī held the following view:
“Alī al-Murtadā has also an edge over Abū Bakr as-Siddīq and ‘Umar Fārūq and this edge lies because of the greater number of his followers and all the highest spiritual and saintly activity, from his days to the end of the world, has to be mediated through him, and he has a say in the kingdom of the kings and the leadership of the leaders and this is not hidden from those who are familiar with the world of sovereignty… Most spiritual chains are directly derived from ‘Alī al-Murtadā. So, on the Day of Judgment, ‘Alī’s army including followers of high status and great reputation, will outnumber and outshine others to be a source of wonder for all the spectators.”
Finally, the greatest Islamic scholar of India,Imam Rabbani Mujjadid Alf Thani Ahmad Sirhindi, a Master of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, appropriately highlight the Sunni belief regarding the Twelve Imams in his Maktubaat:
“And there is another way close to the spiritual sovereignty and this is the way of the saints and the general friends of Allāh, and this way is marked by its characteristic passion and it carries the guarantee of mediation and the leader and chieftain of the saints of this way is ‘Alī al-Murtadā. And this grand office is reserved for him. On this way, the feet of the Holy Prophet are on ‘Alī’s head and Fatima and Hasan and Husayn are included with him. I believe that he enjoyed this position even before his physical birth, as he did after it, and whosoever has received the divine blessing and guidance, has received it through him, because he is closest to the last point on this way and the centre of this spot belongs to him. And when his period ended, the grand office passed on to Hasan and Husayn and then on to each one of the Twelve Imams, individually and elaborately. And whosoever received guidance in their life and after their death, received it through these saints. And the refuge and place of shelter of the saints of high ranks are these saints, (because they are the centre of all spiritual activity) and the sides tend to converge on the centre” (Maktubat al-Rabbani, 9:173,123).
Links to the Bible
Various Muslim authors link the 'Hadith of the Twelve Successors' to verses in the Biblical Book of Genesis, which relates God speaking to Abraham:
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year." Genesis 17:17-21
The twelve rulers are commonly understood to refer to the twelve sons of Ishmael:
These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. Genesis 25:13-16
Some Muslims reject this identification, identifying Gen. 25:17-20 as a direct quotation of God and Gen. 25:13-16 as the fallible narration of a human author. Further, they argue that 25:16 contains the specifier "tribal" not contained in 17:20, "twelve rulers".
The Shi'a draw a further distinction, arguing that God is not in interested in secular power and refers to the religious authority of prophets or Imams when using the words "rulers" or "kings". According to this argument, the Biblical authors refer to kings or others with secular power when using the same words. Proponents of this view identify the words "great nation" with the Muslim community and not with kingdom. Note however that Twelver Shias consider the Imams not only as religious leaders but also as princes and the rulers.
Muslims identify the "twelve rulers" mentioned in Genesis with the Twelve Successors of the Hadith. For instance, the 14th century Sunni scholar Ibn Kathir stated:
We see the following prophecy in the Taurat which is in the hands of the Jews and the Christians: "Indeed Allah, the Exalted, has given Ibrahim (a.s.) the glad tidings of Isma'il, and he has bestowed a favour and multiplied it and placed in his progeny twelve mighty (personalities)." ...
Ibn Taymiyya said: "And these are the same, regarding whom the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has given the glad tidings in the tradition of Jabir ibn Samurah and stated their number; indeed this is with regard to the Imams and the Hour will not come till they last."
Since these successors, whether Caliph or Imam, originate from the tribe of the Quraish, from which Muhammad sprang, they are considered descendants of Ishmael.
A quote from the Shia Imam Muhammad al-Baqir refers to Abraham's prayer narrated above:
"We are the remnant of progeny. And that was the prayer of Ibrahim (a.s.) regarding us."
Several sources also link the Hadith of the Twelve Successors to Twelve tribes of Israel with the words
"Twelve Caliphs, (like) the number of the Chiefs of Bani Israel."
A few sources also draw a link to Moses:
"There will be Caliphs after me, whose number is like those of the companions of Musa."
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Others:
# Hujjah
al Qunduzi in Yanabi al-mawaddah, from al-Hasan ibn Ali, contain the following statement of the Prophet which signifies the perpetuity of the Imamate:
"O God, You don't let the earth remain devoid of Your Proof over Your creation so that Your proofs should not become invalid or that Your friends should go astray after You have guided them. They (the Proofs of God) are few in number but great in worth near God, Almighty and Glorious. Indeed, I had prayed to God, Exalted and Blessed, to place knowledge and wisdom in my descent and the descent of my descendants, and in my seed and the seed of my seed, until the Day of Resurrection, and my prayer was granted."
Imam Ali says in Nahjal Balaghah (Hikam:147):
"But the earth is never devoid of him who stands for God with a proof (qa'im li'Ilah bi hujjatin). He is either manifest and well-known or afraid and concealed, so that God's proofs and His clear signs should not become invalid. How many are they and where are they? By God, they are few in number, but great in esteem before God. Through them God maintains His proofs and signs till they entrust them to others like themselves and plant them in the hearts of their likes. Knowledge has led them to the reality of understanding and they have attained the spirit of certitude. That which is hard upon the seekers of comforts comes easy to them. They endear what the ignorant regard with aversion. They live in the world with their bodies, but their spirits are in a higher realm. They are the vicegerents (khulafa') of God in His earth and His callers to His Din. Oh, how much I yearn to see them!"
This tradition of Ali has been widely reported and recorded by Shia and non-Shia traditionists and historians, including:
Ibn Abd Rabbih in al-Iqd al-farid, i, 265, 293; al-Yaqubi in Ta`rikh, ii, 400; al-Harrani in Tuhaf al-uqul, 169; al-Saduq in al-Khisal, i, 85 and Ikmal al-Din, 169; Abu Talib al-Makki in Qut al-qulub, i, 272; al-Khatib al-Baghdadi in Ta'rikh Baghdad, vi, 389; al-Razi in al-Tafsir al-kabir, ii, 192; Ibn Abd al-Barr in al-Mukhtasar, 29 and Jami bayan al-ilm; al-Khwarazmi in al-Manaqib, 390 and al-Azhari in Tahdhib al-lughah, vi, 70.
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