16
“He—peace and blessings be upon him—would seek victory through the poor among the Emigrants.” (1)
Despite this, ʿAlī is superior to al-Barāʾ [ibn Mālik] (2) and others like him. How, then, could he not be superior to Khālid?!
As for his statement, “The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said concerning him, ‘ʿAlī is Allah’s sword and Allah’s arrow,’” this hadith is unknown in any of the hadith collections, nor does it have any known chain of transmission (3). Its meaning is also false, for ʿAlī is not the only sword and arrow of Allah. The apparent sense of this wording implies exclusivity.
(1) Al-Zamakhsharī states in *al-Fā'iq fī Gharīb al-Hadīth*, 2/246 (ʿĪsā al-Halabī ed., 1366/1947): “The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—would begin the fighting with the poor among the Emigrants; that is, he would initiate combat with them, regarding them as an auspicious beginning. It is also said that he would seek victory through them.” Ibn al-Athīr gives a similar explanation in *al-Nihāyah*, but I have been unable to locate the hadith.
(2) The words “ibn Mālik” are added in A and B.
(3) I could not locate this fabricated hadith.
«وَكَانَ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - يَسْتَفْتِحُ بِصَعَالِيكِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ»
(١)
.
وَمَعَ هَذَا فَعَلِيٌّ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْبَرَاءِ
[بْنِ مَالِكٍ]
(٢)
وَأَمْثَالِهِ، فَكَيْفَ لَا يَكُونُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ خَالِدٍ؟ ! .
وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ:
" وَقَالَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -:
«عَلِيٌّ سَيْفُ اللَّهِ وَسَهْمُ اللَّهِ»
"
.
فَهَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لَا يُعْرَفُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ كُتُبِ الْحَدِيثِ، وَلَا لَهُ إِسْنَادٌ مَعْرُوفٌ
(٣)
.
، وَمَعْنَاهُ بَاطِلٌ ; فَإِنَّ عَلِيًّا لَيْسَ هُوَ وَحْدَهُ سَيْفَ اللَّهِ وَسَهْمَهُ. وَهَذِهِ الْعِبَارَةُ يَقْتَضِي ظَاهِرُهَا الْحَصْرَ.
(١) ذَكَرَ الزَّمَخْشَرِيُّ فِي كِتَابِهِ " الْفَائِقِ فِي غَرِيبِ الْحَدِيثِ " ٢/٢٤٦ (ط. عِيسَى الْحَلَبِيِّ، ١٣٦٦/١٩٤٧) : " النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - كَانَ يَسْتَفْتِحُ بِصَعَالِيكِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ، أَيْ يَفْتَتِحُ الْقِتَالَ تَيَمُّنًا بِهِمْ وَقِيلَ: يَسْتَنْصِرُ بِهِمْ " وَذَكَرَ ابْنُ الْأَثِيرِ كَلَامًا مُقَارِبًا فِي " النِّهَايَةِ " وَلَكِنِّي لَمْ أَهْتَدِ إِلَى مَكَانِ الْحَدِيثِ.
(٢) بْنِ مَالِكٍ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) .
(٣) لَمْ أَجِدْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ الْمَوْضُوعَ