Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (7/393)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

[The Tenth: The Hadith of Ghadīr Khumm and the Hadith “My Household Is Like Noah’s Ark”]

Chapter.

The Rāfidī (1) said:

“The tenth is the report transmitted by the majority that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

‘I am leaving among you that which, if (2) you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my kindred, the members of my household. The two will never part (3) until they come to me at the Pool.’

He also said:

‘My household (4) among you is like Noah’s Ark: whoever boards it is saved, and whoever stays behind drowns.’

This proves that it is obligatory to follow what the members of his household (5) say. Moreover, ‘Alī is their leader’ (6). This would make it obligatory for everyone to obey him, and he would therefore be the Imam.” (7)

The response may be given from several angles:

First: The wording of the hadith found in Sahīh Muslim, narrated by Zayd ibn Arqam, is:

“The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—stood among us and delivered a sermon at a watering place called Khumm, between Mecca and Medina. He said:

‘To proceed: O people, I am only a human being. Soon there will come to me the messenger of

(1) In K, p. 172 (M). (2) K reads: fīkum al-thaqalayn mā in (“among you the two weighty things which, if…”). (3) K reads: yatafarraqā (“they separate”). (4) K reads: “And he—may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace—said: ‘The likeness of my household…’” (5) M reads: ahl al-bayt (“the Household”). (6) K reads: “And their leader is Alī—peace be upon him.” (7) K reads: “Thus, he would be the Imam rather than any of the other Companions.”

[العاشر حديث غدير خم وحديث أهل بيتي مثل سفينة نوح] فَصْلٌ. قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ (١) : " الْعَاشِرُ: مَا رَوَاهُ الْجُمْهُورُ مِنْ قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " «إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ (٢) تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا: كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي، وَلَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا (٣) حَتَّى يَرِدَ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ» ، وَقَالَ: «أَهْلُ بَيْتِي (٤) فِيكُمْ مَثَلُ سَفِينَةِ نُوحٍ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا، وَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ» ، وَهَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى وُجُوبِ التَّمَسُّكِ بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ (٥) ، «وَعَلِيٌّ سَيِّدُهُمْ» ، (٦) ، فَيَكُونُ وَاجِبُ الطَّاعَةِ عَلَى الْكُلِّ، فَيَكُونُ هُوَ الْإِمَامَ " (٧) . وَالْجَوَابُ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ: أَحَدُهَا: أَنَّ لَفْظَ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي فِي صَحِيحِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ: " «قَامَ فِينَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَطِيبًا بِمَاءٍ يُدْعَى خُمًّا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ، فَقَالَ: " أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَنِي رَسُولُ

(١) فِي (ك) ص ١٧٢ (م) (٢) ك: فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ مَا إِنْ. (٣) ك: يَتَفَرَّقَا (٤) ك: وَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَآلِهِ: مَثَلُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي (٥) م: أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ (٦) ك: وَسَيِّدُهُمُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ (٧) ك: فَيَكُونُ هُوَ الْإِمَامَ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ