↑[1] . Likewise, Salam ibn Abi Umrah al-Khorasani has narrated in his Kitab (p. 117), from Salam ibn Sa‘id al-Makhzumi, from Yunus ibn Habab, from Ali ibn al-Husain, who said: “The Messenger of Allah stood up, praised Allah, and glorified Him, then said: «مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ إِذَا ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُمْ آلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلُ عِمْرَانَ فَرِحُوا وَاسْتَبْشَرُوا، وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُمْ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ اشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ؟! وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ، لَوْ أَنَّ عَبْدًا جَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِعَمَلِ سَبْعِينَ نَبِيًّا، مَا قَبِلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَلْقَى اللَّهَ بِوَلَايَتِي وَوَلَايَةِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي»; ‘What is the matter with some people that when the family of Ibrahim and the family of Imran are mentioned to them, they rejoice and become glad, but when the family of Muhammad is mentioned, their hearts shrink with aversion?! By the One in whose hand is the life of Muhammad, if a servant comes on the Day of Judgment with the deeds of seventy Prophets, Allah will not accept that from him until he meets Allah under my guardianship and the guardianship of my Ahl al-Bayt.’”

↑[2] . Az-Zukhruf/ 28

↑[3] . Al-Ankabut/ 27

↑[4] . Al-Baqarah/ 124

↑[5] . Likewise, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Thaqafi (d. 283 AH) has narrated in al-Gharat (vol. 1, pp. 199–204) that Ali wrote to Mu‘awiyah: “Indeed, we—the Ahl al-Bayt—are the envied family of Ibrahim. We have been envied just as our forefathers before us were envied, as a recurring pattern and example. Allah has said: the family of Ibrahim, the family of Lut, the family of Imran, the family of Ya‘qub, the family of Musa, the family of Harun, and the family of Dawud. Thus, we are the family of our Prophet Muhammad ... We are a household whom Allah has chosen and selected, and He has placed Prophethood and the Book among us. To us belong wisdom, knowledge, faith, the House of Allah, the dwelling of Isma‘il, and the Station of Ibrahim. Dominion belongs to us. Woe to you, O Mu‘awiyah! We are more entitled to Ibrahim, and we are his family... The Imamate belongs to Ibrahim and to his believing descendants who follow him… I call you, O Mu‘awiyah, to Allah, His Messenger, His Book, and His wise guardian in authority from among the family of Ibrahim... Follow us and take us as your example, for that is an obligation upon the people of the worlds toward us—the family of Ibrahim—and indeed, the hearts of believers and Muslims incline toward us.” Mu‘awiyah then wrote in his reply: “Your letter reached me, and in it you made frequent mention of Ibrahim, Isma‘il, Adam, Nuh, and the Prophets, and of Muhammad , your kinship with him, your status, and your right. Yet you were not content with your kinship with Muhammad until you attributed yourself to all the Prophets.” Ali then replied to him: “As for what you reproached me for, O Mu‘awiyah, regarding my letter and my frequent mention of my forefathers—Ibrahim, Isma‘il, and the Prophets—whoever loves his forefathers mentions them often, and mentioning them is an act of love for Allah and His Messenger. I, however, reproach you for your hatred of them, for hatred of them is hatred of Allah and His Messenger… And as for what you denied concerning my lineage from Ibrahim and Isma‘il, my kinship with Muhammad , my merit, my right, my dominion, and my Imamate, you have always denied it, for your heart has never believed in it. Indeed, we—the Ahl al-Bayt—are such that no disbeliever loves us, and no believer hates us. And as for what you have denied concerning the statement of Allah, Exalted and Majestic, where He has said: ﴿فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا﴾ [‘Indeed, We gave the family of Ibrahim the Book and wisdom, and We granted them a great dominion’]—you have denied that this includes us… and you have denied my Imamate and my dominion. Do you then find in the Book of Allah His statement about the family of Ibrahim: We chose them over the people of the worlds? That is our privilege over the people of the worlds. Or do you claim that you are not of the people of the worlds? Or do you claim that we are not of the family of Ibrahim? If you deny this for us, then you have denied Muhammad , for he is from us and we are from him. Now, if you can separate us from Ibrahim, Isma‘il, Muhammad, and his family in the Book of Allah, then do so.”

↑[6] . Many of the Sahabah and the righteous Tabi‘un agreed with him on this, and it is clear that they were not innovators or rafidis. For example, it has been narrated from Uwaym ibn Sa‘adah al-Ansari—one of those regarding whom Allah revealed in the Mosque of Quba: ﴿فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَتَطَهَّرُوا ۚ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ﴾ (at-Tawbah/ 108); “In it are men who love to become pure, and Allah loves the pure”—that he said on the day of Saqifah: “The caliphate belongs to no one but the people of Prophethood. Place it where Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has placed it; for the call of Prophet Ibrahim is theirs” (Kitab al-Riddah by al-Waqidi, p. 34), and from some of the Ansar that they said at the Saqifah: “We pledge allegiance to none but Ali” (Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 3, p. 202), and from Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari that he said: “When the Messenger of Allah passed away, Abbas said to Ali: ‘Come out so I pledge allegiance to you in full view of the people, so that no two people will differ over you.’ But he refused and said: ‘Is there among them one who would deny our right and act unilaterally against us?!’ So Abbas said: ‘You will see that this will indeed happen.’ Then, when Abu Bakr was given the pledge of allegiance, Abbas said to him: ‘Did I not tell you, O Ali?!’” (al-Amali Fi Athar al-Sahabah by Abd al-Razzaq, p. 27; Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri, vol. 1, p. 583), and from Salman that when Abu Bakr was given the pledge of allegiance, he said: “You went wrong, yet you were right; had you placed it among the Ahl al-Bayt of your Prophet, you would have enjoyed it in abundance” (Musannaf of ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 7, p. 443). It has also been narrated: “When Abu Bakr was pledged allegiance to and his authority became established, many of the Ansar regretted pledging allegiance to him. They reproached each other, mentioned Ali ibn Abi Talib, and called out his name” (al-Akhbar al-Muwaffaqiyyat by al-Zubair ibn Bakkar, p. 222), and it has been narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam that he said: “Had Ali ibn Abi Talib and others from Banu Hashim not been occupied with the burial of the Prophet and with their grief over him, remaining in their homes, those who coveted it would not have coveted it” (Kitab al-Riddah by al-Waqidi, p. 45). Likewise, Ali said, when he was summoned to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr: “We are more entitled to Muhammad , alive or dead, for we are his household and the closest of creation to him. So if you fear Allah, then act fairly toward us. It is not appropriate for you to remove the authority of Muhammad from his home and the innermost part of his house into your homes and the innermost parts of your houses. The Quran was revealed in our houses, and we are the source of knowledge, understanding, religion, the Sunnah, and obligations, and we know the affairs of creation better than you. So do not follow your desires, lest your share be the lowest” (Kitab al-Riddah by al-Waqidi, p. 46). Ali and those with him among the Sahabah then withdrew to the house of Fatimah, and Zubair drew his sword and said: “I will not sheath it until Ali is given the pledge of allegiance” (Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 3, p. 203). It has been narrated from Ziyad ibn Kulaib that he said: “Umar ibn al-Khattab came to the house of Ali, where Talha, Zubair, and other men from the Muhajirin were present. Then he said: ‘By Allah, I will burn this place down on you, or you will come out to give the pledge of allegiance!’ Then Zubair rushed out against him, brandishing his sword, but he stumbled and the sword fell from his hand. Then they leapt upon him and seized him” (Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 3, p. 202), and some of the Sahabah during the time of Umar said: “Pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr was a hurried and ill-considered action. When Umar dies, we will pledge allegiance to Ali” (Sahih of al-Bukhari, vol. 8, p. 168; Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri, vol. 1, pp. 581, 584). Then, when Umar died, Ammar said to Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf: “‘If you want Muslims not to differ, pledge allegiance to Ali.’ Miqdad ibn al-Aswad said: ‘Ammar is right; if we pledge allegiance to Ali, we will say: “We hear and we obey.” Ibn Abi Sarh said: ‘If you want Quraysh not to differ, pledge allegiance to Uthman.’ Ammar rebuked ibn Abi Sarh and said: ‘When have you ever given sincere counsel to Muslims?’ Then Banu Hashim and Banu Umayyah spoke, and Ammar said: ‘O people! Allah, Exalted and Majestic, honored us through His Prophet and exalted us with His religion. How then can you divert this matter away from the Ahl al-Bayt of your Prophet?!’ A man from Banu Makhzum said: ‘You have gone too far, son of Sumayyah! And what concern is it of yours how Quraysh appoint a ruler for themselves?’ Abd al-Rahman then pledged allegiance to Uthman. So Ali said: ‘It is a continuation of the old preference. This is not the first day you have conspired against us. ﴿فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ﴾ [“So patience is most fitting, and Allah is the One sought for help against what you describe” (Yusuf/18)].’ Ali then left, saying: ‘Soon what has been decreed will come to pass.’ Then Miqdad said: ‘O Abd al-Rahman, by Allah, I have excluded you from among those who judge by the truth and act justly by it. I have never seen anything like what has been brought upon the people of this house after their Prophet. I am truly astonished at Quraysh for abandoning a man of whom I would not say that anyone is more knowledgeable or more just in judgment. By Allah, if only I could find supporters for him!’ A man then said to Miqdad: ‘May Allah have mercy on you. Who are the people of this house, and who is this man?’ He Said: “The people of the house are Banu Abd al-Muttalib, and the man is Ali ibn Abi Talib’” (Tarikh al-Madinah by ibn Shabbah, vol. 3, p. 929; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 4, p. 232; al-Iqd al-Farid by ibn Abd Rabbih, vol. 5, p. 31). It has also been narrated from Zayd ibn Wahb that he said: “While we were gathered around Hudhayfah, he said: ‘How will you be when the household of your Prophet splits into two factions, and some of you strike the faces of others with the sword?’ We said: ‘O Abu Abdullah, will that really happen?’ He said: ‘Yes—by the One who sent Muhammad with the truth—it will indeed happen.’ One of his companions then said: ‘O Abu Abdullah, what should we do if we reach that time?’ He said: ‘Look to the faction that calls to the cause of Ali, and adhere to it, for it is upon guidance’” (Musnad of al-Bazzar, vol. 7, p. 236), and from Abu Sukhaylah that he said: “Salman and I passed through al-Rabadhah and met Abu Dharr. He said: ‘A tribulation will occur. If you live to see it, then hold fast to the Book of Allah and to Ali ibn Abi Talib, for I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Ali is the first to believe in me, the first to shake my hand on the Day of Judgment, and he is the leader of believers’” (Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri, vol. 2, p. 118), and from Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud that he said: “This Ummah has a faction and a jama‘ah. Join it when it is united, and when it splits, watch over the Ahl al-Bayt of your Prophet. If they make peace, you too make peace; and if they fight, you too fight—for they are with the truth, and the truth is with them. It does not separate from them, nor do they separate from it” (Tartib al-Amali al-Khamisiyyah by al-Shajari, vol. 1, p. 201). Also, Sulayman ibn Surad al-Khuza‘i (d. 67 AH)—one of the Sahabah—rose up and called people to depose Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan and return the authority to the Ahl al-Bayt of their Prophet, who are more deserving of it (see Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri, vol. 6, p. 371; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 5, p. 598; Tajarib al-Umam by ibn Miskawayh, vol. 2, p. 125). Many other narrations from other Sahabah regarding this matter have also been reported. It is an established fact that these righteous individuals among the Muhajirin and the Ansar—who gave precedence to the Ahl al-Bayt and called for their sovereignty—were not innovators or rafidis! As for those from among the great Tabi‘un and their followers who agreed with them on this matter, they are too numerous to count. Among them is Abu al-Tufayl Amir ibn Wathilah (d. 107 AH), who was counted among the Sahabah; Uways al-Qarani (d. 37 AH); Abu al-Aswad al-Du‘ali (d. 69 AH); Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i (d. 96 AH); Tawus al-Yamani (d. 106 AH); al-Hakam ibn Utaybah (d. 115 AH); Salamah ibn Kuhayl (d. 122 AH); Thabit al-Bunani (d. 123 AH); Mansur ibn al-Mu‘tamir (d. 132 AH); Aban ibn Taghlib (d. 141 AH); Hisham ibn Urwah (d. 146 AH); Sulayman al-A‘mash (d. 148 AH); Abu Hanifah (d. 150 AH), who was among the supporters of Zayd ibn Ali ibn al-Husain (d. 121 AH); Ma‘mar ibn Rashid (d. 153 AH); Sufyan al-Thawri (d. 161 AH); Waki‘ ibn al-Jarrah (d. 196 AH); al-Shafi‘i (d. 204 AH), who said: “If loving the family of Muhammad is rafd… then let the jinn and humankind bear witness that I am a rafidi” (Manaqib al-Shafi‘i by al-Bayhaqi, vol. 2, p. 71); Abd al-Razzaq (d. 211 AH); al-Fadl ibn Dukayn (d. 219 AH); Ali ibn al-Ja‘d (d. 230 AH); and others. It is no secret that all of these individuals are among the renowned, knowledgeable, and righteous figures of Muslims, whom the scholars of hadith deemed trustworthy, transmitted reports from, and whose narrations were recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and the compilers of the Sunan and Musnads. What Mansoor states on this matter is the same as what they stated; therefore, no one accuses him of rafd or innovation except every ignorant oppressor or every malicious nasibi.

↑[7] . Al Imran/ 67