as established through mass transmission, as well as with the circumstances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); the reason for instituting brotherhood, its benefit, and its purpose; and the fact that those so paired used to inherit from one another on that basis. Accordingly, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established bonds of brotherhood between the Emigrants and the Helpers, as he did between Saʿd ibn al-Rabīʿ and ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn ʿAwf, and between Salmān al-Fārisī and Abū al-Dardāʾ, so as to forge a firm bond between the Emigrants and the Helpers. This continued until Allah Most High revealed:

“And blood relatives are more entitled to inherit from one another according to the Book of Allah.”

(Surah al-Anfāl: 75)

This was the pact of mutual alliance concerning which Allah revealed:

“And those whom your oaths have bound, give them their share.”

(Surah al-Nisāʾ: 33) (1).

The jurists have differed over whether this provision remains in force, so that inheritance may be based upon it in the absence of blood kinship, or whether no inheritance may be based upon it. They hold two views, both of which are reported from Ahmad. The first is the school of Abū Hanīfa, and the second is the school of Mālik and al-Shāfiʿī.

[Seventh: The Hadith of the Banner]

Chapter.

The Rāfidī said (2):

“Seventh: what the majority as a whole have narrated: ‘When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) laid siege to Khaybar for twenty-nine nights (3), the banner was in the possession of the Commander of the Faithful, ʿAlī (4), and then an inflammation of the eyes afflicted him, leaving him unable to