Muhammad Jafar al-Tabasi in a writing titled “Distortions of the Great Event of Ghadir Khumm in History” states:
However, the doubt about the invalidity of the chain of the hadith “Man Kuntu Mawlahu Fa Ali Mawlahu” was raised by Ibn Hazm Dhaheri Qurtubi Yazidi (d. 456 AH) in his book “Al-Fasl wa al-Ahwa’ wa al-Nahl” as follows:
“As for ‘Man Kuntu Mawlahu Fa Ali Mawlahu’, it is not authentic from the path of the trustworthy narrators at all.” [1]
He repeated the same in his book “Al-Mufadala”. [2]
Truth and Reality
First Response
In response to this doubt, it suffices that Hafid al-Dhahabi (d. 748 AH) gave the highest credibility to this hadith and wrote:
“It is a good, very high hadith, and its text is mutawatir.” [3]
Al-Dhahabi also says elsewhere:
“The hadith is established without doubt.” [4]
In addition to these two statements, al-Dhahabi expressed his heartfelt conviction, saying:
“I am certain that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) uttered this hadith.” [5]
Second Response
Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH) is also among the hadith scholars who considered this hadith sahih, saying:
“Hadith al-Ghadir is hasan sahih.” [6]
Third Response
Al-Ghazali (d. 505 AH) considered the text of this hadith as agreed upon by all Muslims and wrote:
“The majority agreed on the text of the hadith in his sermon on the day of Ghadir by consensus of everyone, and he says: Man Kuntu Mawlahu Fa Ali Mawlahu.” [7]
With the explicit statements of experts in hadith science, some of which were mentioned, there remains no doubt about the worthlessness of Ibn Hazm’s claim.
At the same time, it is appropriate to mention Abu Hurayrah’s confirmation of the authenticity of the Ghadir hadith and his failure to act upon its content.
Abu Hurayrah is one of the narrators of the sahih Ghadir hadith. Ibn Abi Shaybah (d. 235 AH), who is the teacher and Bukhari, narrates from Abi Yazid al-Awdi and he from his father that Abu Hurayrah entered the mosque. A group gathered around him.
At that time, a young man said to him: I adjure you by God, have you heard the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) say:
“Whoever I am his mawla, Ali is his mawla; O God, love whoever loves Ali, and be enemy to whoever is enemy to Ali”?
Abu Hurayrah replied: Yes, I have heard it.
The young man said to Abu Hurayrah: Then I am dissociated from you, and I bear witness that you have been hostile to the friends of Ali and befriended the enemies of Ali. At that point, people stoned him. [8]
[1] Al-Fasl wa al-Ahwa’ wa al-Nihal, vol. 3, p. 6.
[2] Al-Mufadala, p. 264.
[3] Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’, vol. 5, p. 415.
[4] Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’, vol. 8, p. 335.
[5] “I am certain that the Messenger of God said it.” Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’, vol. 5, p. 415 and vol. 8, p. 335.
[6] Sahih Tirmidhi, vol. 5, p. 633.
[7] Sirr al-Alamin, p. 453.
[8] Al-Musannaf, vol. 7, p. 499, hadith 22092.
