In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Beneficent

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"Of whomever I am his master, Ali also is his master (mawla)."

This is the famous tradition, also mentioned in the narration given by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihayn (vol. iii, pp. 109-110), quoted in the section "On Some Sahih Versions of the Hadith" in the present article, in which the Prophet (s) while returning from his last pilgrimage stopped the entire caravan at Ghadir Khumm and made the announcement:

"Of whomever I am his master, Ali also is his master (mawla)."

This is a mutawatir tradition about which al-`Allamah al-'Amini wrote his great work al-Ghadir fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah wa al-Aadab.

Among the many Sunni traditionists who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

  1. Al-Tirmidhi in his Sahih (Bulaq, 1292), ii, 298;
  2. Sunan Ibn Majah (Matba`at al­Faruqi, Delhi), in "bab Fada'il ashab Rasul Allah (s)" from al-Bara' ibn `Azib and Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas;
  3. Al-Hakim in Mustadrak (Hyderabad, 1313) from Zayd ibn Arqam (iii, 109, 533), Sa`d ibn Malik (iii, 116), from Rifa`ah ibn Ayas al­Dabbi from his father from his grandfather (iii, 371), and from Buraydah al-'Aslami; (iii, 110; ii, 129);
  4. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, al­Matba`at al­Maymaniyyah, Egypt, 1313, from al-Bara' ibn `Azib (iv, 281), Buraydah al-'Aslami (v, 347, 350, 358), Zayd ibn Arqam (iv, 372, iv, 368, v, 307), Ibn `Abbas (i, 330), Abu al­Tufayl (iv, 270) and `Ali ibn Abi Talib (i, 84, 88, 118, 139, 152, v, 307, 366, 419); Abu Nu`aym al­'Isfahani; in Hilyat al­'awliya' (Egypt: Matba`at al­Sa`adah, 1351) iv, 23, v, 26;
  5. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi; in al-Tafsir al-Kabir (Dar Tiba`at al-'Amirah) under the verse 5:67;
  6. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, in Ta'rikh Baghdad (Matba`at al­Sa`adah, 1360), vii, 377, viii, 290, xii, 343, xiv, 236;
  7. Al-Nasa'i in Khasa'is (Matba`at al-Taqaddum al-`llmiyyah, Egypt, 1348), pp.4, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 40;
  8. Al-Muhibb al-Tabari, in al-Riyad al-nadirah (Matba`at al­'Ittihad, Egypt, 1st ed.), ii, 169, 170, 172, 203 and Dhakha'ir al­`uqba (Egypt 1356), 86;
  9. Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani in al-Sawa'iq al-muhriqah (al-Matba`at al-Maymaniyyah,Egypt; 1312), pp. 25, 26;
  10. Ali al-Muttaqi al-Hindi in Kanz al-`ummal (Hyderabad, 1312), i, 48, vi, 83, 153, 154, 390, 397, 398, 399, 403,405, 406, 407;
  11. Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani in al-'lsabah (Calcutta, 1853 A.D.), i, part one, 57, 319; iii, part one, 29; iv, part one, 14, 16, 61, 143, 169, 182; vi, 223, vii, part one, 78, 156;
  12. Ibn al-'Athir in Usd al-ghabah (al-Matba`at al-Wahbiyyah, Egypt, 1285), i, 308, 367, 368, ii, 307, 233, iii, 92, 93, 321, 374, iv, 28, v, 205, 276, 383;
  13. Ibn Qutaybah in al-'Imamah wa al-siyasah (Matba`at al-Futuh al-'Adabiyyah, 1331), 93;
  14. Al-Tahawi in Mushkil al-'athar (Hyderabad, 1333), ii, 307;
  15. Al-Manawi in Fayd al-Qadir (Egypt, 1356), vi, 218, 358 and Kunuz al-haqa'iq (Istanbul, 1285), 92;
  16. Al-Haythami Majma` al-zawa'id (Egypt, 1352), vii, 17, ix 103, 104, 105, 106,107, 108, 119, 163, 164;
  17. Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Qari in Mirqat al­mafatih (al-Matba`at al-Maymaniyyah, Egypt, 1309), v, 568.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"Are you not pleased to have the position (manzilah) in relation to me as that Aaron
had in relation to Moses, but there is no prophet after me."

  1. Al-Bukhari in his Sahih (al-Matba`at al-Khayriyyah, Egypt, 1320) in "Kitab bad' al-khalq", "Bab manaqib `Ali ibn Abi Talib" and "Bab ghazwat Tabuk," in two places, records this tradition in which the Prophet (s) is reported to have said to `Ali:

    "Are you not pleased to have the position (manzilah) in relation to me as that Aaron had in relation to Moses, but there is no prophet after me."

    Among other traditionists who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

  2. Muslim in his Sahih (Matba`at Bulaq, 1290), "Kitab fada'il al­Sahabah," through three chains;
  3. al-Tirmidhi, in his Sahih, ii, 301;
  4. Ibn Majah in his Sunan, p. 12;
  5. al-Hakim in Mustadrak, ii, 337;
  6. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad, i, 29, 170, 173, 174, 175, 177, 179, 182, 184, 185; 230, iii, 338, vi, 369;
  7. al-Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 4, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 32;
  8. Ibn Sa`d in al­Tabaqat (Leiden 1322) iii, part one, 14, 15;
  9. Abu Nu`aym in Hilyat al-'awliya', vi, 345, vii, 194, 195, 196, viii, 307;
  10. al-Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, i, 324, iii, 288, iv, 71, 204, 382, vii, 452, viii, 52, ix, 394, x, 43, xi, 432, xii, 323;
  11. al-Tabari in his Ta'rikh al-'umam wa al-muluk (Matba`at al-'lstiqamah, Cairo, 1357), ii, 368;
  12. Ibn al-'Athir, Usd al­ghabah, v, 8;
  13. al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-`ummal, iii, 154, v, 40, vi, 154, 188, 395, 402, 404, 405, viii, 215;
  14. al-Haythami, Majma` al-zawa'id, ix, 109, 110, 111, 119;
  15. al-Muhibb al-Tabari, in al-Riyad al-nadirah, i, 13, ii, 162, 163, 164, 175, 195, 203 and Dhakha'ir al-'uqba, 120.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"Verily, I and `Ali are inseparable, and he is the master (wali) of every believer after me."

  1. Al-Tirmidhi, in his Sahih, ii, 297, records this tradition of the Prophet (s):

    "Verily, I and `Ali are inseparable, and he is the master (wali) of every believer after me." Among other traditionists who have recorded it in their books are:

  2. Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, iv, 437, v, 356;
  3. Abu Dawud al­Tayalisi in his Musnad, iii, 111, xi, 360;
  4. al-Haythami, Majma` al­zawa'id, ix, 109, 127, 128, 199;
  5. al-Khatib al­Baghdadi, Ta'rikh Baghdad, iv, 339;
  6. al-Muhibb al­Tabari, al­Riyad al­nadirah, ii, 203, 171;
  7. al-Muttaqi al­Hindi, Kanz al­`ummal, vi, 154, 155, 396, 401;
  8. Ibn al-'Athir in Usd al-ghabah, v, 94;
  9. Abu Nu`aym in Hilyat al­'awliya', vi, 294;
  10. al-Nasa'i, Khasa'is, 19, 23;
  11. as well as Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Tabari, al-Tabarani, al-Daylami, Ibn Mardawayh, Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Rafi`i, and Ibn Hajar.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"My God, bring the most beloved of Your creatures, that he may eat this fowl with me."
Then `Ali came and the Prophet ate with him.

  1. Al-Tirmidhi in his Sahih reports that once when the Prophet (s) sat down to eat a fowl that had been prepared for his dinner, he prayed to God:

    "My God, bring the most beloved of Your creatures, that he may eat this fowl with me." Then `Ali came and the Prophet ate with him.

    Among others who have recorded this tradition in their works are:

  2. al-Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 130, 131;
  3. Abu Nu`aym in Hilyah, vi, 339;
  4. al-Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, ii, 171;
  5. al-Muhibb al-Tabari in al-Riyad al-nadirah, ii, 160, 161, and Dhakha'ir al-`uqba, 61;
  6. al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id, ix, 125, 126;
  7. al-Muttaqi in Kanz al-Ummal, iv, 406;
  8. Ibn al-'Athir in Usd al-ghabah, iv, 30.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate;
whoever intends to enter the city should come to its gate."

  1. Al-Hakim records this tradition of the Prophet (s) in his Mustadrak, iii, 126, 127:

    "I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate;
    whoever intends to enter the city should come to its gate."

    Among others who have narrated or recorded it in their works are:

  2. al-Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, ii, 348, 377; vii, 172; xi, 48, 49;
  3. al-Muhibb al-Tabari in al-Riyad al-nadirah, ii, 193;
  4. al-Muttaqi in Kanz al-`ummal, vi, 152, 156, 401;
  5. Ibn Hajar in al-Sawa'iq al-muhriqah, 73;
  6. al-Manawi in Kunuz al-haqa'iq, 43 and Fayd al-Qadir, iii, 46;
  7. al-Haythami, Majma` al-zawa'id, ix, 114;
  8. Ibn al-'Athir in Usd al-ghabah, iv, 22 and Tahdhib al-Tahdhib (Hyderabad, 1325), vi, 152; as well as al­`Uqayli, Ibn `Adi and al­Tabarani.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"Whoever wishes to see Adam in his knowledge, Noah in his piety, Abraham in his forbearance, Moses in his strength, and Jesus in his worship and devotion should look at `Ali ibn Abi Talib."

Among the narrators who have recorded similar traditions in their works are:

  1. al-Muhibb al­Tabari in al­Riyad al­nadirah, ii, 218, 208;
  2. al-Muttaqi in Kanz al­`ummal, i, 226;
  3. Ibn Abi al­Hadid, Sharh Nahj al­balaghah (Egypt, ed. Muhammad Abu al-Fadl), ix, 168;
  4. al-Qunduzi, Yanabi` al­mawaddah (Istanbul), p. 214, 312;
  5. Ibn `Asakir, Ta'rikh Dimashq, "tarjumat al­'Imam `Ali ibn Abi Talib," ii, 280;
  6. Fakhr al-Razi, Tafsir, ii, 700;
  7. Ibn al-Maghazili, Manaqib, 212;
  8. Ibn al-Sabbagh al-Maliki, al-Fusul al-muhimmah, 107.

On the day of Khaybar, The Holy Prophet (s) said:

"Tomorrow I will give the standard to a man, by whose hand God shall conquer (Khaybar). He loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him."

The people passed the night wondering as to who will receive it and everyone was hopeful of getting it. (The next day) the Prophet (s) declared: "Where is `Ali?" He was told: He is suffering with an eye pain. (When `Ali came) the Prophet applied his saliva to his eyes and prayed for him. `Ali recovered as if he had no pain before. Then the Prophet (s) gave it (the standard) to him ....

  1. Al-Bukhari mentions this tradition in his Sahih, "Kitab al-jihad wa al-siyar".
  2. Muslim in his Sahih, "Kitab al-jihad wa al­siyar" and "Kitab fada'il al­Sahabah";
  3. al-Tirmidhi in his Sahih, i, 218;
  4. Ibn Majah in Sunan (Matba`at al­Faruqi, Delhi) "bab fada'il ashab Rasul Allah (s)";
  5. al-Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 38, 437;
  6. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad, i, 99, 133, 185, 320, iv, 51, v, 353;
  7. Abu Nu`aym in Hilyat al 'awliya', i, 26, 62;
  8. al-Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 4, 5, 7, 8, 32;
  9. al-Muttaqi in Kanz al­`ummal, v, 283, 285, vi, 394, 395, 405;
  10. al-Haythami in Majma` al­zawa'id, vi, 150, 151, ix, 119, 123, 124;
  11. Ibn Hajar, Tahdhib al­Tahdhib, vii, 337, 339;
  12. al-Muhibb al­Tabari, al­Riyad al-nadirah, ii, 185, 187, 203;
  13. al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, ii, 300;
  14. Ibn Sa`d, al-Tabaqat, ii, part one, 80;
  15. Ibn `Abd al-Barr, al­'Isti`ab (Hyderabad, 1336), ii, 450;
  16. al-Bayhaqi in Sunan, vi, 362.
  17. Al-Muhibb al-Tabari in al-Riyad al-nadirah, ii, 163:

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"May God's mercy be upon `Ali. My God,
keep the haqq (truth, righteousness, justice) always with `Ali."

  1. al-Tirmidhi has recorded this tradition of the Prophet (s) in his Sahih, ii, 298.
  2. al-Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 119, 124;
  3. al-Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, xiv, 321;
  4. al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id, vii, 134, 235; 243; and
  5. al-Muttaqi in Kanz al-`ummal, vi, 157.

Abu Sa`id al-Khudri reported: We sat waiting for the Messenger of Allah (s) when he came out to meet us. The strap of his sandal was broken and he tossed it to `Ali.

Then The Holy Prophet (s) said: "A man amongst you will fight the people over the ta'wil (interpretation) of the Quran in the same way as I have fought over its tanzil (revelation)."

Thereupon Abu Bakr said: Is that I? The Prophet (s) said: No.

Then Umar asked him: Is that I? The Prophet (s) said: No.

Then The Holy Prophet (s) said: "He is the mender of the sandal (i.e. `Ali)."

  1. al-Nasa'i in Khasa'is, 40, reports this tradition on the authority of Abu Sa`id al-Khudri.
  2. al-Hakim in Mustadrak, iii, 122;
  3. Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad, iii, 33, 82;
  4. Abu Nu`aym in Hilyat al-'awliya', i, 67;
  5. Ibn al-'Athir in Usd al-ghabah, iii, 282, iv, 33;
  6. Ibn Hajar, al-'lsabah, i, 22, iv, 152;
  7. Ibn `Abd al­Barr, al-'lsti`ab, ii, 423;
  8. al-Haythami, Majma` al-zawa'id, v, 186;
  9. al-Muttaqi, Kanz al-`ummal, vi, 155, 390, 391.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (s) said:

"The parable of my ahl al-bayt is that of the boat of Noah,
whoever gets aboard it is saved and whoever stays away from it is drowned."

  1. Al-Hakim records this tradition of the Prophet (s) in his Mustadrak, ii, 343, iii, 150.
  2. Abu Nu`aym in Hilyat al-'awliya', iv, 306;
  3. al-Khatib in Ta'rikh Baghdad, xii, 19;
  4. al-Suyuti in al-Durr al-manthur (al-Matba`at al-Maymaniyyah, Egypt, 1314), under verse 2:58;
  5. al-Muttaqi in Kanz al-`ummal, i, 250, vi, 216;
  6. al-Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id, ix, 167, 168;
  7. al-Muhibb al-Tabari in Dhakha'ir al-`uqba, 20; al-Manawi in Kunuz al-haqa'iq, 132.

Index

1