Glimpses of Shi'ism in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal - Sayyid Kazim Tabatabai - XKP

7/27/2019 Glimpses of Shi'ism in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal - Sayyid Kazim Tabatabai - XKP

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Chapter1Abstract

Abu Abdillh Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Shaybn (166-241AH/780-855 CE) [1] is the founder of one of the four schools of Sunni

jurisprudence and his book al-Musnad [2] is considered among the mostcomprehensive and early collections of hadth. It contains some 30,000sayings attributed to the Prophet and the period of its writing makes itamong the foremost of the sihh al-sittah (six authentic books) of theSunni sect. One of the characteristics of this work is the wide space givento hadth concerning the merits of the Prophets Ahl al-Bayt, most ofwhich are confirmed from the viewpoint of Shiite Muslims as well.Compared to the other hadth compendiums of the Sunnis, the Musnadsemphasis on this subject is so pronounced that it has attracted the atten-

tion of orientalists and other researchers. The writer of this article has at-tempted to focus on this particular point of the Musnad and its author byselecting some of the hadth mentioned in this bulky compendium witha short explanation wherever necessary.

The key words of this brief article are Tashayyu, Ibn Hanbal, Musnad,Hadth Compendiums, Merits of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), Hadth al-Ghadr,Hadth al-Thaqalayn, Hadth al-Manzilah.


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Chapter2Introduction

The Musnad of Ibn Hanbal is probably the first of the six books ofhadth considered authentic by Sunni Muslims, since its author died 15

years before the death of the senior-most of the six hadth compilers,Muhammad bin Isml al-Bukhr (d. 256 AH), and 62 years before thelast of them, Ahmad bin Shuayb al-Nas, passed away (303 AH).Throughout history, Sunni scholars have attached great importance toIbn Hanbals Musnad and eulogized it. Hfiz Abu Mus Madyan (581AH), writes:

This book is a great source and a reliable reference work for research-ers of hadth. The author has selected from the bulky hadth literature, a

large number of narrations to serve as guidelines and support for thepeople so that when differences arise they take refuge in them and citethem as authentic. [3]

Shams al-Dn Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Dhahab (748 AH) writes:This book focuses on the hadth of the Prophet. There are very few

hadth not included (in this collection) whose authenticity has been con-firmed One of the fortunate things about the Musnad is that we findvery few hadth which are considered inauthentic. [4]

Ibn al-Jazar (833 AH) is even more ecstatic about Ibn HanbalsMusnad, and says:

On the face of the earth no better book of hadth has been compiled. [5]Ibn Hajar al-Asqaln writes in Tajrd Zawid al-Musnad al-Bazzz:If a hadth is mentioned in Musnad Ibn Hanbal, other Masnd are not

cited for its sources.Jall al-Dn al-Suyut (849-911 AH) [6] says:Even the weak hadth found in it are near to hasan (fair). [7]


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Although these expressions are a clear exaggeration, they nonethelessconfirm the importance of this book for the Sunnis. In the light of histor-ical accounts, it was a habit among the Sunnis of the past to recite this

book in the presence of scholars of hadth, and at times such a recitationwould be held in a sacred place. For instance, during the first half of the9th century AH, Ibn Hanbals Musnad was recited in the presence ofShams al-Dn Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Jazar in the Masjid al-Harm of Mecca with the last session ending in the month of Rab al-Awwal 828 AH.[8]It is also reported that during the 12th century AH(18th century CE), a group of pious Sunnis gathered in the ProphetsMosque in Medina to recite Ibn Hanbals Musnad in 56 sessions.[9]

However, the most outstanding characteristic of the Musnad is that itcontains several eyecatching hadth on the merits of the Prophets Ahl al-Bayt (a), whereas most of the compilers of the other masnd, sihh andsunan, have either ignored these ahdth or related only a few of them.Ibn Hanbal got into trouble with the authorities for having related theseahdth on the merits of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and his house was searchedon the orders of the Abbsid caliph Mutawakkil on suspicion of sup-porting the Alawid cause.[10]

It is a well known fact that Ahmad bin Shuayb al-Nas, the last ofthe six Sunni compilers of the sihh al-sittah, relied on Ahmad bin Han-

bals narrations for writing his excellent work titled Khasis Amr al-Muminn Al bin Ab Tlib (a).[11] In short, the Musnad contains narra-tions, many of which are considered authentic from the Shiite point ofview. These are so pronounced when compared to the other Sunni col-lections of hadth that orientalists and researchers have attempted to in-vestigate the cause, and after drawing a comparison between Ahmad binHanbal and his contemporary compilers of the sihh al-sittah, have cometo the conclusion that Muhammad bin Isml al-Bukhr and Muslim binHajjj al-Qushayr, for fear of the Abbsids, left out these ahdth butsince Ahmad was courageous he showed no fear in relating the ahdthon the merits of Imam Al (a) and the Ahl al-Bayt (a).[12]

Ibn Hanbal did not confine the merits of the Prophets Ahl al-Bayt (a)to his book, but whenever necessary he opened his mouth to speak aboutthese virtues. Despite the fact that he held all the companions of theProphet in great esteem and considered those who cursed them to be


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outside the pale of Islam,[13] he strongly defended the superiority of theProphets immediate family against their enemies, especially againstMutawakkil who left no stone unturned in his enmity to the Ahl al-Bayt(a). His son Abdullh bin Ahmad relates:

Once, when I was sitting with my father, a group of the people ofKarkh (a locality of Baghdad) came and started a discussion on the ca-liphate of Ab Bakr, Umar, Uthmn and (Imam) Al [(a)]. My fatherraised his head and facing them said:

O people, you have said enough concerning (Imam) Al [(a)] and thecaliphate. Be informed that the caliphate did not embellish (Imam) Al[(a)] but it was (Imam) Al [(a)] who embellished the caliphate.

Ibn Ab al-Hadd Mutazil (d. 655 AH), commenting on the above re-marks of Ahmad bin Hanbal says:

The meaning of this statement is that the other caliphs adorned them-selves with the caliphate and the caliphate covered their flaws, but therewas no shortcoming or deficiency in (Imam) Al [(a)] to be made up bythe caliphate.[15]

Abdullh bin Ahmad bin Hanbal also quotes his father as saying:

No narration with genuine isnd (chain of authority) has been relatedon the merits of anyone else (of the companions), as in the case of (Imam)Al [(a)].[16]

He further states:I asked my father what credence he had concerning the preferential

merits of the companions? He replied:In the matter of caliphate, Ab Bakr, Umar and Uthmn are superior

to all others.I asked him what about (Imam) Al [(a)]? He answered:O my son! (Imam) Al bin Ab Tlib [(a)] is from a family concerning

whom (whose merits) no one can deliberate.[17]One of the students of Ibn Hanbal narrates:We were in the presence of Ahmad bin Hanbal when a person asked:O Ab Abdillh! What is your opinion about the hadth which says

that (Imam) Al (a) stated:I am the distributor of hell?Ibn Hanbal replied:


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From what aspect do you doubt its credence? Has it not been relatedthat the Prophet told (Imam) Al (a):

None will love you but the faithful believer and none will hate youbut the hypocrite?

We said:He asked:Where is the place of the faithful believer?In paradise,we answered.He asked:Where is the place of the hypocrite?In hell,we replied.

He said:Ali is thus the distributor of hell.[18]

Ibn Hanbals belief thus bears close resemblance to that of his teacher,Shfi, who also recorded the merits and virtues of Imam Al (a) andhis descendants and considered himself their devotee. When Ibn Hanbalwas asked about the battle between Imam Al (a) and Muwiyah binAb Sufyn, he said regarding them he knew nothing but good,[19] butadded that in the field of jurisprudential studies he found Imam Al (a)

to be linked to the truth. For instance, when in his presence Shfi wasaccused of tashayyu for listing Imam Als (a) battles with Muwiyahand the Khawrij under the rules of transgressors, he replied that amongthe companions of the Prophet, Imam Al (a) was the first leader whohad to deal with the sedition and revolt of opponents.

This reply makes it clear that Shfis categorizing of the battlesbetween Imam Al (a) and Muwiyah under rules for transgressors,does not expose him to the fault-finding of his critics. In fact, for any fairobservor, the verdict between Shfi and his critics is that Muwiyahwas a transgressor, as could be further confirmed by the famous sayingof the Prophet to his companion Ammr bin Ysir: taqtuluka al-fiah al-

bghiyah (you will be killed by a party of transgressors).[20] No onecan deny that Ammr, while fighting on the side of Imam Al (a), waskilled by the forces of Muwiyah during one of the battles of the SiffnWar, and thus in the light of this hadth, beyond an iota of doubt,Muwiyah is a transgressor.[21]


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Ibn Hanbal was a contemporary of four of the infallible Imams of theProphets Household Imam Mus al-Kzim (a), Imam Al bin Musal-Riz (a), Imam Muhammad al-Jawd (a) and Imam Al al-Hd (a).The author of Rawzt al-Jannt relates on the authority of Daylams

Irshd al-Qulub that Ahmad bin Hanbal was a student of Imam al-Kz-im (a).[22] Shaykh al-Tifah Tus considers him among the students ofImam al-Riz (a).[23] A contemporary researcher pointing out Ibn Han-

bals links with Imm scholars, writes that he studied under many ofthose known to be followers of the school of Imam Jafar al-Sdiq (a),and for this reason he has often been criticised by the enemies of theShiites.[24]

In view of the above facts it could be said that since Ahmad bin Han-

bal was under the influence of the Infallible Imams (a) or their disciplesor that he had a spirit of courage and fair-mindedness, he did not hesit-ate to include in his Musnad many of the hadth on the virtues and mer-its of the Ahl al-Bayt (a). These hadth are so eye-catching that one of thecontemporary scholars has collected them in an exclusive work titledMusnad al-Manqib.[25]

In this article the writer has selected some hadth from the Musnadand highlighted them with brief explanations.


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Chapter3Admonition to Kinsmen and Nomination of Imam Al(a)

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:

Aswad bin Amir has related to us from Shark from Amash fromMinhal from Abdullh bin Asadi, that (Imam) Al (a) said:

When the yah And warn your relatives of nearest kin (26:214) wasrevealed, the Prophet gathered his family around him and treated 30 ofthem to a meal and then said:

Who is willing to guarantee my debts and commitments so that heshould be with me in paradise and should be my successor from amongmy family.

A person whom Shurayk did not name, answered:O Messenger of Allah you are like a sea,[26] who can take charge of

this responsibility.The Prophet repeated his statement to his relatives, and (Imam) Al

[(a)] replied:I will undertake this responsibility.[27]

Ahmad Muhammad Shkir the annotator of the Musnad has enumer-ated the isnd of this hadth as hasan or fair. The same event has beennarrated in greater detail in the words of Imam Al (a) in hadth no.1371 of the Musnad (vol. 2, pp. 352-353) and the annotator has termed itsisnd as sahh (authoritative).


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Chapter4Hadith al-Manzilah

In 9 AH the Prophet prepared to march for the expedition against theRomans, and according to Shaykh Mufd and Shaykh Tus since he was

concerned of the evil intentions of the enemies, he told Imam Al (a): Itis not advisable to leave Medina without me or you. He subsequentlyplaced Imam Al (a) in charge of Medina before departing for the ex-pedition to Tabuk, and in order to quell the hypocrites ill-speaking ofhis cousin, he said the latters position to him was like that of Aaron toProphet Moses (a). This saying is known as Hadth al-Manzilah and has

been reported by all scholars. Ibn Hanbal has recorded it in the Musnadtwenty times through different chains of isnd on the authority of sever-al companions of the Prophet including Jbir bin Abdullh al-Ansr,

Asm bint Umays, Abdullh bin Abbs, Ab Sad al-Khidr and Sadbin Ab Waqqs.[28] The last named has related it ten times and one ofthe versions reads as follows:

Ab Ahmad Zubayri quotes Abdullh bin Habb bin Ab Thbit fromHamzah bin Abdullh from his father and from Sad (bin Ab Waqqs)who narrating this hadth for us, said:

When the Messenger of Allah left Medina for Tabuk he placed (Imam)

Al [(a)] as his vicegerent in Medina. (Imam) Al [(a)] asked theProphet:

Are you making me your vicegerent?

The Prophet replied:Are you not happy that your position to me is that of Aaron to Moses,

except that there is no Prophet after me?[29]Ahmad Shkir has termed the isnd of this hadth as fair.


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Chapter5Ab Bakrs Dismissal from leading the Hajj and theEntrustment to Imam Al (a) to Convey Surah al-Barah

Ibn Hanbal says of the event which occurred in the month of Dh al-Hijjah, 9 AH:

Wak has related to us from Isrl from Ab Ishq from Zayd binYuthay from Ab Bakr:

The Prophet sent him (Ab Bakr) with Surah al-Barah to the peopleof Mecca (to proclaim) that after this year no polytheist will be allowedat the Hajj, neither should the nude circumambulate the Kabah, none

will enter paradise except the person who has become Muslim, whoeverhas a pact between him and the Messenger of Allah it is valid until thespecified period, and Allah and His Messenger are free from any obliga-tion to the polytheists. After a while, he told (Imam) Al [(a)], may Allah

be pleased with him:

Overtake Ab Bakr and send him back to me and you proclaim (theSurah to the Meccans).

(Imam) Al [(a)] acted as per the instructions and when Ab Bakr re-

turned to the Prophet he cried and said:

O Messenger of Allah, did anything happen?He replied:Nothing has happened concerning you except good, but I have been

commanded (by Allah) that these (commandments) should either be con-veyed by my or by a man who is from me.[30]

Ahmad Shkir, the annotator of the Musnad has considered the isnd

of this hadth as sahh (authoritative) and has said that Zayd bin Yuthay


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was a trustworthy person of the first generation of Muslims after theProphet and the name of his father has also been mentioned as Uthay.

Habash bin Jundah al-Suluk who took part in the Farewell Pilgrim-

age of the Prophet, has recorded four hadth with a similiar text in hisown Musnad which confirms Ibn Hanbals narration of the above hadth.Habash quotes Ab Bakr that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

Al is from me and I am from him. My words will not be conveyed ex-cept by me or by Al.[31]


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Chapter6The Prophets Declaration of Imam Als (a)Vicegerency


Burayrah (Aslam) has related:

The Prophet (S) dispatched two regiments towards Yemen, one underthe command of (Imam) Al bin Ab Tlib [(a)] and the other led byKhlid bin Wald with instructions that when the two regiments are witheach other they should be under the sole command of (Imam) Al [(a)],and when they are separate they will remain under different command-ers. We the Muslim forces, encountered the Yemeni tribe of Ban Zaydand fought and defeated these infidels. When their men had died fight-ing, the families surrendered and from among the captives, (Imam) Al[(a)] chose a maid for himself.

Burayrah continues:Khlid bin Wald sent me to the Prophet with a letter informing him of

this matter. I submitted the letter to the Prophet and when he had read itI saw signs of anger appear on his face. I said:

O Messenger of Allah (S), you sent me with a man instructing me toobey him, and accordingly I performed whatever duty I was ordered todo.

The Messenger of Allah (S) said:L taqa f Alyyin fa innahu minn wa ana minhu wa huwa waliyy-

ukum bad wa innahu minn wa ana minhu wa huwa waliyyukum bad(Don't try to find faults with Al, he is indeed from me and I am fromhim, he is your leader after me. He is from me and I am from him, he is

your leader after me).[32]


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Chapter7Hadith al-Thaqalayn

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:Aswad bin Amir has related from Ab Isrl, i.e. Isml bin Ab Ishq

Malaie, from Atiyyah from Ab Sad who quotes the Prophet as saying:Inn trikun fkum al-thaqalayn, ahaduhum akbaru min al-akhar,

Kitaballh hablun mamdudun min al-sam-i il al-arz wa itrat Ahl-iBayt, wa annahum lan yaftaraq hatt yarid alayya al-hawz (I amleaving among you two precious things, one of which is greater than theother. The Book of Allah which is the rope extending from the sky to theearth and my progeny my Ahl al-Bayt. And the two will never part witheach other until they return to me at the pool (of kawthar in para-dise).[33]


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Chapter8Hadith al-Ghadir

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:Abdullh bin Ahmad relates from Al bin Hakm Awd from Shark

from Abi Ishq from Sad bin Wahab and Zayd bin Yuyhay both ofwhom have narrated:

(Imam) Al [(a)] complained and addressed the people at Rahbah,saying:

All those who had heard the Prophets words at Ghadr Khum, standup.

The narrator says:

Six persons on behalf of Sad and six persons on behalf of Zayd stood

up and bore testimony that they heared the Prophet say on the Day ofGhadr:

A laysa Allahu awl bi al-muminn? Qlu: Bal. Qla: Allahummaman kuntu mawlh fa Alyyun mawlh. Allahumma wli man wlhwa adi man adh (Is not God superior to the faithful?

Yes! said the gathering. He said:O Allah! For whomsoever I am master Al is his master. O Allah! be-

friend his friends and despise his enemies).[34]

Ibn Hanbal has recorded the event of Ghadr over 30 times in hisMusnad through different isnd or chains of authority and in the wordsof more than 10 companions of the Prophet.[35] The version of Hadth al-Ghadr mentioned above is from the notes of Ibn Hanbals son Abdullhon his fathers work. Ahmad Shkir the annotator of the Musnad has de-scribed as sahh the isnd of this hadth and has said about Sad bin Wa-hab Khaywn that he was among the trustworthy and experiencedMuslims of the first generation after the Prophet.[36]


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Chapter9Preventing the Prophet from Writing the Will

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:Wahab bin Jarr has related from his father from Yunus from Zuhar

from Ubaydullh that Abdullh bin Abbs narrated a hadth to us thatthe Prophet said in his last days:

Come, I will write for you a text so that you will never go astray afterme.

Several persons including Umar bin al-Khattb were present andUmar told the gathering:

Pain has prevailed upon the Prophet. The Qurn is with you and theBook of Allah is sufficient for us.

The gathering disputed with each other in this matter, with some re-

peating Umars words and others telling him (Umar):Hearken, so that the Prophet may write something for you.Since voices were raised and disputes arose the Prophet felt distressed

and told them firmly:Get up and leave my presence.Ibn Abbs added:The great tragedy is that, by their dispute and clamour, they prevented

the Prophet from writing the will for them.[37]

Ahmad Shkir describing the isnd of this hadth as sahh,[38] writes:This hadth has been repeated in this book (Musnad) in the same wordsor in a summarised form in several places.[39]


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Chapter10Three Merits of Imam Al (a) in One Hadith


Qutaybah bin Sad has related to us from Htam bin Isml fromBukayr bin Mismr from Amir bin Sad from his father (Sad bin AbWaqqs) who narrated the hadith that when the Prophet on leaving for acampaign asked (Imam) Al (a) to stay (behind in the city) in his place,the latter said:

Are you leaving me with the women and children?I heard the Prophet reply to him:Y Al am tarz an takuna minn bi manzilati Hrun min Mus ill

annahu l nabiyya bad (O Al! Are you not pleased that your positionto me is similar to that of Aaron to Moses, except that prophethood willcease after me?).

(Sad bin Ab Waqqs says) I also heard (the Prophet say) on the Dayof Khaybar:

La-utiyanna al-ryah rajulan yuhibbu Allaha wa Rasulahu wa yuhib-buhu Allahu wa Rasuluh (I will give the standard to the man who lovesAllah and His Prophet and who is loved (in turn) by Allah and HisProphet).

All of us raised our necks (to see). He said:Call Al to me.On hearing this instruction (Imam) Al [(a)] was brought to the

Prophet with sore eyes. The Prophet rubbed his eyes with his saliva andgave him the standard and through his hands Allah conquered Khaybarfor the Muslims. And when the ayah Call our sons and your sons, andour women and your women and ourselves and yourselves (3:61) was


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revealed, the Messenger of Allah called Al (a), Ftimah (a), Hasan (a)and Husayn (a) and said:

Allahumma huli ahl (O Allah these [persons] are my family).[40]

The annotator of the Musnad considers the isnd of this hadith assahh (authoritative) and writes:

This hadith has also been recorded through Qutabyah on the samechain of authority by Muslim and Tirmidhi in their books. At the begin-ning of this hadith, it is mentioned in the two books (Sahh Muslim andSahh Tirmidhi) that Muwiyah (bin Ab Sufyn) ordered Sa'd (bin AbiWaqqas) to curse (Imam) Al (a), saying:

What prevents you from cursing Abu Turab?

Sa'd replied:I remember three things which the Messenger of Allah said to (Imam)

Al (a) and accordingly I will never curse him. If only one of these vir-tues was for me I would have considered it better than possessing red-haired camels.

Then he related the three virtues (of Imam Al) for Muwiyah as saidbefore.[41]


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Chapter11The merits of Imam Al (a) According to Ibn Abbas

Ahmad bin Hanbal says:Yahy bin Hammd has related to us from Ab Awwnah from Ab

Balj from Amr bin Maymunah who narrated the hadith, saying:I was sitting with (Abdullh) bin Abbs when nine parties ap-

proached him and said:Either get up and come with us or leave this place for us.Ibn Abbs who at that time had not yet lost his eyesight, answered:I will come with you.They conferred with him in slow tones and we did not understand

what they spoke about. Ibn Abbs then returned to his place and whileshaking his clothes said:

Alas, alas! They are trying to fault with a man who has ten privileges(which he recounted as follows):

A. The Prophet (on the day of the conquest of Khaybar) said: I willsend the one whom God will never turn back distressed; he loves Allahand His Prophet. Then he enquired: Where is Al? They answeredthat he was at home writhing in pain. He said: May none of you be af-flicted with pain. Then Al came with his sore eyes in a state that hewas almost unable to see a thing or the way. The Prophet blew his breath

into his eyes and after shaking the standard thrice, handed it to Al, whoreturned victorious from this mission and brought with him (for theProphet) Safiyyah bint Ibn Akhtab.[42]

B. The Prophet had sent someone (Ab Bakr) for conveying Surah al-Barah (to the people of Mecca). Then he sent (Imam) Al (a) after himto take charge of the Surah and said: This Surah should not be con-veyed except by him who is from me and I am from him.


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C. He told his near of kin (children of Abdul-Muttalib): Who amongyou is ready to accept my wilyah in this world and the hereafter? Theydid not reply to him. Al (a) who was sitting near him said: I am yourfriend in this world and the hereafter. The Prophet said: You are

(indeed) my friend in this world and the hereafter. The Prophet againturned to the gathering and asked: Who among you will choose myfriendship in the world and the hereafter? They did not reply but Alsaid: O Messenger of Allah! I choose your friendship in this world andhereafter. He said: You are certainly my friend in this world and thehereafter.

D. He is the first one after Khadjah to practice the Muslim faith.

E. The Prophet raised his cloak and covering Al, Ftimah, Hasan andHusayn with it, said: Indeed, Allah desires to remove uncleanness fromyou O Ahl al-Bayt and keep you pure as pure can be. (Holy Qurn33:33)

F. (Imam) Al sold (risked) his life, put on the Prophets clothes andslept in his place when the infidels (of Mecca) intended to make theProphet the target of their malevolence. Al [(a)] was sleeping whenAb Bakr approached him thinking him to be the Prophet. (Imam) Al

[(a)] told him: The Prophet has gone towards the well of Maymun, goand join him. Ab Bakr left and entered the Cave of Thaur with him.The infidels started pelting (Imam) Al [(a)] with stones (mistaking himto be the Prophet). He flexed himself, writhed in pain but did not removethe cloth covering his head. Only with the break of dawn did he removeaside the cloth covering his head.

G. When the Prophet was leaving Medina with the people for theTabuk expedition, (Imam) Al (a) asked him: Am I not accompanyingyou? The Prophet replied in the negative. (Imam) Al (a) sighed andthe Prophet told him: Are you not pleased that your position to me issimilar to that of Aaron to Moses, except that you are not a Prophet? Is itnot proper for me to leave and you should stay as my vicegerent?

H. The Prophet told him: After me you are the Master and Leader ofall faithful people.


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I. The Prophet said: Close all doors (of houses) leading into theMosque (of Medina) except that of the house of Al. As a result hecould enter the mosque in any state, since except for this passage therewas no other entrance to his house.

J. The Prophet said: For whomsoever I am Master, Al is hisMaster.[43]


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Chapter12The Canonical Meaning of Ahl al-Bayt (a)

Ibn Hanbal says:

A. Ahmad has related from Muhammad bin Masab from Awz fromShaddd Ab Ammr who narrates:

I approached Wthilah bin Asqa while a group of people was withhim and were speaking about (Imam) Al [(a)]. When they got up andleft, Wthilah said:

Do you want me to inform you what I had seen of the Messenger ofAllah (S).

I replied in the affirmative. Wathilah said:I went to Ftimah [(a)] to enquire about (Imam) Al [(a)] and she said

that he had gone to the Messenger of Allah (S). I waited for him to comeand saw the Messenger of Allah (S) approaching with Al, Hasan andHusayn. The Prophet entered with Hasan and Husayn holding either ofhis hands, and he went near to Al and Ftimah and made them sit ontheir knees in front of him and Hasan and Husayn. Then he coveredthem with his cloak and recited this ayah:

Indeed, Allah desires to remove uncleanness from you O Ahl al-Baytand keep you pure as pure can be. (Holy Qurn 33:33)

Then he said:

Allhumma huli Ahlu Bayti wa Ahlu Bayti ahaqq (O Allah thesethe people of my house and the people of my house are [certainly] mostmeritorious).[44]


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B. Aswad bin Amir has related to us from Hammd bin Salamah fromAl bin Zayd from Anas bin Mlik who narrates that for six monthsevery morning when the Prophet came out (of his house), he would pass

by the doorstop of Ftimahs house and say:

To prayer O Ahl al-Bayt, Indeed, Allah desires to remove uncleannessfrom you O Ahl al-Bayt and keep you pure as pure can be.[45]

The above description reveals that the word Ahl al-Bayt in the contextof this ayah is a canonical term established by the Holy Qurn and elu-cidated by the Prophet who determined the identity of this group. TheProphet by gathering his daughter Ftimah (a), her husband Imam Al(a) and the couples two sons Imam Hasan (a) and Imam Husayn (a)

under his cloak and reciting this ayah which was revealed in praise ofthis group, made it clear that who actually are the Ahl al-Bayt and whoare not included in the concept of this ayah.[46]

An interesting point to note here is that although Ibn Hanbals narra-tions of the above ahdth have made clear the concept of the Ahl al-Baytin Ayah al-Tathr (Verse of Purity), he has recorded under the sectionMusnad Ahl al-Bayt several hadith not only from Imam Hasan andImam Husayn (a) but from their uncles Aql bin Ab Tlib and Jafar bin

Ab Tlib as well as from their cousin Abdullh bin Jafar.[47[ It is worthnoting that the last three persons, despite being the meritorious scions ofthe Prophets clan, the Ban Hashim, are not members of the Ahl al-Baytin view of the canonical term of the Qurnic ayah. This slip on the partof Ibn Hanbal can be explained by the ahdth concerning Imam Al (a)which he has included in the so-called group Asharah al-Mubashshirahand also mixed up ahdth on the merits of Hazrat Ftimah al-Zahr (a)in the section titled Musnad al-Nis.[48]


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Chapter13Friendship with the Ahl al-Bayt (a)

Ibn Hanbal says:

A. Ahmad has related from Ibn Numayr from Amash from Adiyy bin

Thbit from Zirr bin Husbaish from (Imam) Al [(a)] who narrates:By Allah! One of the covenants which the Messenger of Allah (S)

bound me with is this:

None will bear enmity towards me but the hypocrite and none willlove me but the faithful believer.[49]

Ahmad Shkir regards the isnd of this hadith as sahh and says aboutAdiyy bin Thbit al-Ansr al-Kuf:

He was one of the trustworthy persons of the first generation ofMuslims after the Prophet and his being a Shah does not affect his nar-rations since he was trustworthy and truthful.

B. Abdullh bin Ahmad has recorded: Nasr bin Al Azd narratesfrom Al bin Jafar from his brother (Imam) Mus bin Jafar [(a)] fromhis father (Imam) Jafar bin Muhammad (al-Sadiq) from his father(Muhammad bin Al al-Bqir), and he from (his father Imam) Al bin al-Husayn [(a)], who from his father (Imam Husayn), and grandfather

(Imam Al), who narrates the hadith that the Messenger of Allah (S)holding the hands of Hasan and Husayn said:

Man ahabban wa ahabba hadhayn wa abhum wa ummahumkna ma f darajat yawm al-qiymah (Anyone who loves me andthese two and their father and mother will be with me and on my stationon the Day of Resurrection).[50]


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Ahmad Shkir considers the isnd of this hadith as sahh. It is alsoworth noting that when Nasr bin Al Azd narrated this hadith he wassubjected to 1000 whiplashes on the orders of the Abbsid caliph al-Mutawakkil.[51]

C. Abu Ahmad (Muhammad bin Abdullh bin Zubayr Asad) has re-lated to us from Sufyn (Thawr) from Ab Jihf from Abi Hzim fromAb Hurayrah who quotes a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (S),saying:

Man ahabbahum faqad ahabban wa man abghazahum faqadabghazan, yan Hasanan wa Husaynan (Anyone who loves them, Imean Hasan and Husayn, indeed loves me, and anyone who hates them,

surely hates me).[52]

Ahmad Shkir considers the isnd of this hadith as sahh.


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Chapter14Imam Als (a) Comparison with Prophet Jesus (a)

Ibn Hanbal says:

Abdullh bin Ahmad has related to us from Abu al-Harth Surayj binYunus from Abu Hafs Abbr from Hakam bin Abd al-Malik from Harth

bin Hasrah from Ab Sdiq from Rabah bin Njidh from (Imam) Al(a), who narrates:

The Messenger of Allah (S) told me:Fka mathalun min Is, abghazathu al-Yahud hatt bahatu ummahu,

wa ahabbathu al-Nasr hatt anzaluhu bi al-manzilati allat laysa bih(You are like Jesus. The Jews hated him so much that they slandered his

mother, and the Christians because of their extreme devotion to himplaced him in a position which was not his.

Then (Imam) Al (a) said:

Yuhliku fiyya rajuln, muhibbun mufritun yuqarrizun bi ma laysafiyya, wa mubghizun yahmiluhu shann al an yabhatan (Two per-sons [groups] are doomed concerning me; the devoted extremist exaltingme to what I am not, and the spiteful hater bearing malice towards meand slandering me).[53]

The annotator of the Musnad considers the isnd of this hadith as has-an (fair).


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Chapter15Sadaqah Forbidden to the Prophets Progeny

Ibn Hanbal says:Muhammad bin Jafar has related from Shubah from Burayd bin Ab

Maryam from Abi Hawr who narrates the hadith that he told (Imam)Hasan bin Al (a):

What memories do you have of (your grandfather) the Messenger ofAllah (S).

He replied:

I remember that once when I picked up a date from the dates thatwere part of zakt and placed it in my mouth, the Messenger of Allah (S)

pulled it out of my mouth together with the saliva around it and threw itamong the rest of the dates. He was asked (by his companions):

O Messenger of Allah (S)! What would have happened if you had nottaken from the child this one date?

He replied:

Inna Al-a Muhammad la tahillu lan al-sadaqah (For us the progenyof Muhammad, sadaqah [alms] is not permissible).[54]

According to Ahmad Shkir the isnd of this hadith are sahh. Thishadith with slight variation in its text or chain of authority has been re-peated over fifteen times in the Musnad.[55]


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Chapter16Imam Al (a) will Fight for Interpretation of theQurn

Ibn Hanbal says:

Wak has related to us from Fitr from Isml bin Raj from his fatherfrom Abi Sad who narrates that the Messenger of Allah (S) said(addressing his companions):

Inna minkum man yuqtilu al tawlih kam qtaltu ala tanzlih(Who among you will fight for the interpretation [of the Qurn] as Ifought on its revelation)?

Abi Sad says:At this Ab Bakr and Umar got up but the Messenger of Allah (S)

said:

l, wa lkin khsif al-nal (No [not you] but the one who is busymending the shoe).

(Ab Sad adds):Wa Alyun yakhsifu nalahu (And [Imam] Al [(a)] was mending his

shoes.[56]

It is recorded that during the Battle of Siffn the Prophets loyal com-panion Ammar bin Ysir who was on the side of Imam Al (a), referredto this famous hadith of the Prophet in favour of Imam Al (a) while fa-cing the Syrian army of the rebel Muwiyah bin Ab Sufyn, and recitedthe following epic verses (rajaz):

Nahnu darabnkum al tanzlihWa al-yawm nadribukum al tawlih


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(We had fought you on the revelation [of the Qurn] and today we arefighting you on its correct interpretation).[57]


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Chapter17Ammr would be Killed by Transgressors

Ibn Hanbal says:

Abu Muwiyah has related to us from Amash from Abd al-Rahmnbin Ziyd who quotes Abdullh bin Harth as saying:

I was with Muwiyah (ibn Ab Sufyn) when he was returning from(the Battle of) Siffn and I was riding between him and Amr bin As,when Abdullh the son of Amr bin As said:

Don't you remember the Messenger of Allah had told AmmrWaihaka y ibn al-Sumayyah, taqtuluka al-fiah al-bghiyah (Bravo O

son of Sumayyah! You will be killed by a group of transgressors).

Amr bin As turned to Muwiyah and said:Did you not hear what he says?Muwiyah replied:You find fault with us! Did we kill him? Those who brought him here

are responsible for his death![58]

This hadith has been recorded over twenty times in the Musnad on the

authority of eight companions of the Prophet with variations in itstext.[59] Ahmad Shkir considers this hadith not only sahh butmutawtir (regularly transmitted throughout the first three generationsof Muslims by a large number of transmitters) and says that scholarshave never doubted its veracity. Explaining the word hannahu (findingfault) as used by Muwiyah, he writes:

It is clear that Muwiyah is not disputing this hadith but is censurngAbdullh bin Amr (bin As) for remembering it in this situation (when


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Ammr has been killed by his troops), since he fears that if his armyknows that he is on the wrong track they would desert him. In view ofthis fact, Muwiyah was trying to misinterpret and give a wrong con-notation to this hadith by saying that the killers of Ammr are those that

brought him to the battlefield.

Ahmad Shkir, quoting Ibn Hajar Asqalns comments in Fath al-Brf Tafsr Sahh al-Bukhr (vol. 1, p. 452), further writes:

This hadith has been related by several companions of the Prophet in-cluding Qatdah bin Numn, Umm Salamah, Ab Hurayrah, Abdullh

bin Amr bin As, Uthmn bin Affn, Hudhayfah al-Yamn, AbuAyyub al-Ansr, Abu Rfi, Khuzaymah bin Thbit, Muwiyah, Amr

bin As, Abu al-Yasar and Ammr bin Ysir himself. This hadith is afirm proof of the virtues of (Imam) Al [(a)] and Ammr and theirstanding with the Prophet. It is also a fitting reply to the enemies of(Imam) Al (nawsib pl. of nsib) who accuse him of error in his wars(during his caliphate).[60]


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Chapter18Prophecy of the Martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a)

Ibn Hanbal says:

Muhammad bin Ubayd has related to us from Sharhabl bin Madrakfrom Abdullh bin Nujayy from his father who narrates that he wasmarching with (Imam) Al [(a)] towards Siffn and when we reachedNinevah, (Imam) Al [(a)] cried in a loud voice:

O Ab Abdillh! Be patient. O Ab Abdillh! Be patient beside theRiver Euphrates.

I asked him:For what?

He said:Once when I went to the Prophet I saw tears in his eyes and asked

him:O Messenger of Allah (S) who has made you upset? Why are your eyes

moist with tears?He said:

Bal qma min ind Jibralu qabl, fahaddathan anna al-Husaynyuqtulu bishatt al-Furt. Qla: Hal laka an ushimaka min turbatih? Qla:

Qultu: Naam. Famadda yadahu faqabaza qabzatan min turbin faatnh. falam amliku ayn an fzat (A while ago [the Archangel] Gab-riel left. He has informed me that indeed Husayn will be killed besidethe River Euphrates.

Then he [the Prophet] said:Do you like to smell part of his soil [where Imam Husayn (a) will be

killed].I said:


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Yes.

He stretched his hand and taking a fistful of soil gave it to me. As aresult, tears started rolling down uncontrollably from my eyes.)[61]

The annotator of the Musnad regards the isnd of this hadith as sahhand writes that Nujayy is not the only one to narrate this from Imam Al(a).


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Chapter19The Number of the Prophets Righteous Successors

Ibn Hanbal says:

A. Hasan bin Mus has related to us from Hammd bin Zayd fromMujlid from Shab from Masruq who says that in Kufa Abdullh binMasud was giving us lessons from the Holy Qurn when a personasked:

O Ab Abd al-Rahmn! Did you not ask the Prophet how many ca-liphs would this ummah have?

Abdullh bin Masud said:Since my coming to Iraq no one has posed me this question so far ex-

cept you.Then he added:Yes! We did ask the Messenger of Allah (S) about this matter and he

said:Ithn-Ashara ka iddati nuqab Ban Isrl (Twelve, equal to the

number of the Chieftans of Ban Isrl).[62]

The isnd of this hadith are sahh according to Ahmad Shkir.Ibn Hanbal says:

B. Sufyn bin Uyaynah has related to us from Abd al-Malik binUmayr from Jbir bin Samrah al-Suw who narrates that he heard theMessenger of Allah (S) say:

L yazl hdha al-amr mziyan hatt yaqum ithn-ashara amran(This affair [religion] will continue until twelve leaders [Amr] will rise).

Then he mentioned something which I did not hear, so I asked myfather (who was sitting beside me), who said:

All of whom will be from the Quraysh.[63]


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This hadith has been recorded over 40 times in Ibn HanbalsMusnad[64] and in some versions the word Khalfah is found instead ofAmir.[65] The version which I have selected here has the shortest chain

of authority and reaches the Prophet through the medium of three nar-rators. Sunni scholars and exegetes of hadith have rather been perplexedand come up with unconvincing comments in their explanation of thisparticular hadith of the Prophet. They have been unable to reconcile withtheir beliefs the meaning of the figure of twelve caliphs as used by theProphet. As a result we find conflicting and self-contradictory answers intheir explanations.[66]


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Chapter20The Uprising of the Mahd (a)

Ibn Hanbal says:A. Hajjj and Abu Nam have related from Fitr from Qsim bin Ab

Bazzah from Ab al-Tufayl from (Imam) Al [(a)], who quoted the Mes-senger of Allah (S) as saying:

Law lam yabqa mina al-duny ill yawmun labaatha Allahu rajulanminn yamlauh adlan kam muliat jawran (If only a day were to re-main for the end of the world, Allah will raise a man from my progenywho will fill it [the earth] with justice as it was filled with oppres-sion)[67]

Ibn Hanbal says:

B. Fazl bin Dukayn has related to us from Ysn al-Ijl from Ibrhmbin Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah from his father (Imam) Al [(a)], whoquoted the Messenger of Allah (S) as saying:

al-Mahd minn Ahla al-Bayt yuslihuhu Allahu f laylatin (The Mahdis from us the Ahl al-Bayt, Allah will set right his affairs in [the course of]one night).[68]

Ibn Hanbal says:

C. Sufyn bin Uyaynah has related to us from Asim (bin Ab al-Najud) from Zirr (bin Hubaysh) from Abdullh (bin Masud) who nar-rates from the Messenger of Allah (S):

L taqum al-sah hatt yalia rajulan min Ahli Bayt yuwtiu ismuhuism (The Day of Resurrection will not come until a man who is from myAhl Bayt and whose name is my name, will rise).[69]


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Ahmad Shkir has termed the isnd of all three hadith as sahh, andhas criticised the North African scholar Abd al-Rahmn bin Muhammad

bin Khaldun (1332-1406) for rejecting the reports concerning the Mahd(a). It is worth noting that Ibn Khaldun in his famous Muqaddimah or

Introduction to History has embarked on a lengthy discussion on theahdth concerning the Mahd (a), and writes:

It has been well known (and generally accepted) by all Muslims inevery epoch, that at the end of time a man from the Ahl al-Bayt (of theProphet) will without fail make his appearance, one who will strengthenthe religion and make justice triumph. The Muslims will follow him, andhe will gain domination over the Muslim realm. He will be called theMahd Evidence for this matter has been found in the ahdth that reli-

gious leaders have published. They have been discussed by those whodisapprove of (the matter) and have often been refuted by means of cer-tain (other) akhbr.[70]

Ibn Khaldun in his discussion on the ahdth concerning the Mahd(a) says that those who reject the coming of the Mahd have criticisedthese reports, which he acknowledges have been narrated on the author-ity of some of the prominent companions of the Prophet and have beenrecorded in all authoritative Sunni books, whose names he has

mentioned.He writes:

Hadith scholars acknowledge negative criticism to have precedenceover positive criticism. If we find that some person in the chain of trans-mitters is accused of negligence, poor memory, weakness or poor judge-ment, it affects and weakens the soundness of the hadith. It should not

be said that the same faults often affect the persons (mentioned as au-thorities) in the two Sahhs (Bukhr and Muslim). The general con-sensus of hadith transmitters confirms the soundness of the contents (ofthe two Sahhs) as presented by Bukhr and Muslim. The uninterruptedgeneral consensus in Islam also confirms the acceptibility of (the twoSahhs) and the necessity of acting in accordance with their contents.General consensus is the best protection and defence. Works other thanthe two Sahhs are not on the same level with them in this respect [71]

He goes on to quote, one after another, several of the ahdth from theProphet concerning the Mahd (a), along with the chain of transmitters


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as found in the orginal sources, and tries to find fault with them in amanner which is clearly artificial. One of the ahdth which he criticisesis the narration that Ibn Hanbal has recorded on the authority ofAbdullh bin Masud. Ibn Khaldun then directs his attack at Asim bin

Ab al-Najud even after acknowledging him to be one of the seven au-thoritative Qurn readers.[72] To deflect criticism from his assumption,he writes:

Were someone to argue that (Bukhr and Muslim) published tradi-tions of his, (we should reply that) they published them when there werealso other (authorities for the same tradition), and that they did not usehim as their basic authority.[73]

The annotator of the Musnad, Ahmad Muhammad Shkir, finds thecriticism of Ibn Khaldun unconvincing and rejecting it, writes:

Ibn Khaldun attempted something for which he was not qualified andventured into an arena which was not his domain. His preoccupationwith state and political affairs and his serving of kings and nobles dom-inated his thought and speech, and as a result induced him to imaginethat the report of the uprising and revolution of the Mahd [(a)], was a(purely) Shiite belief. However, it is worth noting that first Ibn Khaldun

has not properly understood the statements of hadith compilers that neg-ative criticism (jarh) takes precedence over positive criticism (tadl). If hehad properly understood their statements he would not have commen-ted in this manner. It is also possible that he understood their purpose

but since his thoughts were profoundly influenced by the political viewsof his times, he has tried to weaken the ahdth concerning the Mahd(a).

Second, Asim bin Ab al-Najud is considered one of the reputed re-citers of the Holy Qurn and is also regarded as a trustworthy transmit-ter of hadith. Maybe he has made mistakes in some ahdth but these arenot to the extent that his narration should be rejected. The strongest criti-cism against him is that he was not of good memory. But on the basis ofsuch a single criticism, could we ignore him and consider this as a meansof rejecting a report whose authenticity has been confirmed throughvarious other chains and narrated in the words of several companions(of the Prophet)? The soundness of this report is to the extent that no onehas any doubts about it, because among the transmitters could be seen


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just, truthful and candid persons. Moreover, since this hadith has beennarrated by other transmitters as well, the likelihood of a slip concerningsomeone whose memory being sharp is somewhat under doubt, is com-pletely eliminated.[74]

These were some of the examples of the large number of hadith con-cerning the virtues of the Prophets Ahl al-Bayt (a) found in the Musnadof Ahmad bin Hanbal. The writer of the article had to limit his selectionin view of the space. It is hoped that this article would serve the purposeof bridging the gap between the Muslims and promote better under-standing of each other.


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Chapter21Footnotes

[1]He is popularly known as Ibn Hanbal. Born in Baghdad or in Mervin Khursn (presently the city is in the Republic of Turkmenistan), he

started learning hadith at the age of 16 and travelled to different placesin collecting from scholars the sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad(S). Among his prominent teachers, mention could be made of Sufyn

bin Uyaynah, Abd al-Razzq bin Hammm al-Sann and Muhammadbin Idrs al-Shfi. He left behind many works, the most famous ofwhich is the hadith compendium titled al-Musnad. His biographers havecredited him with such characteristics as sharp memory, patience, purityof heart and thought, sincerity, courage and intellect. For further famili-arity on his life, viewpoints and bases of thought, refer to the contempor-

ary Egyptian scholar Shaykh Muhammad Abu Zuhrahs work titled: IbnHanbal Haytuhu wa Asruhu, Aruhu wa Fiqhuh (Ibn Hanbal HisLife and Times, His Views and His Fiqh), Egypt, Dr al-Fikr al-Arab,1367 AH/1947 CE.

[2] Musnad (pl. Masnd) is the name given to works where the hadithare arranged in order of the names of the companions who after theProphet are regarded as the prime source by the Sunnis. Several books

[3] Abu Mus al-Madyan, Khasis al-Musnad (This treatise has beenpublished at the beginning of Ibn Hanbals Musnad by AhmadMuhammad Shkir), p. 21.

[4] Al-Jazar, Muhammad bin Muhammad, al-Musad al-Ahmad fKhatm-i Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, p. 39. This treatise has also been in-cluded by Shkir in his introduction to the Musnad.

[5] Ibid, p. 28.


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[6] Al-Suyut, Jall al-Dn, Jmi al-Ahdth, compiled and arranged byAbbs Ahmad Saqar and Ahmad Abd al-Jawd, pulished in 21 volumes

by Dr al-Fikr, Beirut, 1994.

[7] Hasan or fair, according to Sunni traditionists is the term used toclassify a hadith which is traced to the Prophet or his companions or thesecond generation of Muslims, on the authority (sanad) of a person ofshort memory but considered reliable. This type of hadith is also free ofshdh, which means a tradition of reliable isnd but contrary to anothersimilarly attested tradition.

[8] Ibn al-Jazar, al-Musad al-Ahmad f khatm Musnad al-Imam

Ahmad, pp. 53-55.

[9] Al-Murd, Silk al-Durar, vol. 4, p. 160

[10] On Ibn Hanbals accusation of support for the Alawids refer toAbu al-Faraj Abd al-Rahmn bin Al bin al-Jawzs Manqib al-ImamAhmad bin Hanbal with a foreword by Adil Nuwayhiz, Dr al-Afq al-

Jaddah Publishers, Beirut, pp. 359-362, 1973.

[11] This work brought about the death of al-Nas. It is said thatwhen on a trip to Damascus he found the people of Syria ignorant of thelofty personality of Imam Al (a), he decided to write a book on themerits of the Commander of the Faithful. When al-Nas started readinghis work from the pulpit of the Mosque of Damascus, the enemies of theProphets Household pulled him down and beat him so severely that hesuccumbed to his injuries in Palestine.

[12] Ahmad Amn, Zuh al-Islm, 6th edition, vol, 2, pp. 122-123, pub-lished by Maktabah al-Nihzat al-Misriyyah, 1961.

[13] Ibn al-Jawz, Manqib al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, p. 165.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Ibn Ab al-Hadd, Sharh Nahj al-Balghah, vol. 1, p. 17.



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[17] Ibid.

[18] Abu al-Husayn Muhammad bin Ab Yal, Tabaqat al-Hanbilah,

vol. 1, p. 320, edited by Muhammad Hmid al-Faq, Cairo, 1952. It is in-teresting to note that Ibn Hanbals reply bears close resemblance to theanswer given by Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a) to Mufazzal bin Umar con-cerning this same hadith. Imam Al bin Mus al-Riz (a) also gave asimilar reply to Mamun; refer to Allmah Majlis: Bihr al-Anwr, vol.39, pp. 193-194, Dr al-Ihy al-Turth al-Arab, Beirut. It is essential toknow that according to many narrations, Imam Al (a) has stated: I amthe distributor of heaven and hell, Bihr al-Anwr, vol. 39, p. 199.


[20] Bgh is used to describe a person who on the basis of a wrongcause rebels against and fights the just leader. In the view of Imamischolars, such a bgh is a kfir. Refer to al-Miqdd bin Abdullh al-Suy-urs Kanz al-Irfn f fiqh al-Qurn, edited by Muhammad BqirBehbud, al-Maktabah al-Murtazawiyyah, vol. 1, p. 386, Tehran 1384 AH.

[21] For more details refer to Shaykh Muhammad Abu Zuhrahs book

Ibn Hanbal: Haytuhu wa Asruhu, Aruhu wa Fiqhuh, pp. 148-149.

[22] Muhammad Bqir al-Musaw al-Khwansr, Rawzt al-Jannt,vol. 1, p. 187, Maktabah Ismliyn, Tehran, 1390 AH.

[23] Al-Tus, Muhammad bin al-Hasan, al-Rijl, p. 367, edited byMuhammad Sdiq Al-i Bahr al-Ulum, 1st edition, Najaf, 1381/1961.Also refer to Sayyid Abu al-Qsim al-Khu: Mujam Rijl al-Hadith, vol.2, p. 260, 3rd edition, Dr al-Zahr, Beirut, 1403/1983.

[24] Asad Haydar, al-Imam al-Sdiq wa al-Madhhib al-Arbaah, vol.2, pp. 503-506, 2nd edition, Dr al-Kitb al-Arab, Beirut, 1392/1971. Theauthor has listed the names of Ibn Hanbals teachers, who according tohim had Shiite tendencies, but a review of Shiite narrators in Sayyid al-Khus Mujam Rijl al-Hadith shows that no hadith has been relatedfrom Ahmad bin Hanbal in authoritative Shiite books of hadith.


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[25] Ustd, Riz, Musnad al-Riz (a) in 40 articles, p. 154, 1st edition,published by Kitb-Khneh Ayatullh Marash Najafi, Qum, 1413/1371.

[26] Reference to the great generosity and munificence of the Prophet,

Ahmad Shkirs explanation on the margins of this hadith.

[27] Ahmad bin Hanbal, al-Musnad, annotated by AhmadMuhammad Shkir in 15 volumes, Dr al-Marif, Cairo, 1949-1958,hadith no. 883.

[28] Hamd Abd al-Majd al-Salaf, Murshid al-Muhtr, vol. 1, p. 239,2nd edition, Beirut, 1407/1987.

[29] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 1600 (Ahmad Shkir).

[30] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 4.

[31] Ibn Hanbals Musnad published in 6 volumes by Matbaah al-Maymaniyyah, vol. 4, pp. 164-165, 1st edition, Egypt, 1313 AH.

[32] Ibn Hanbals Musnad, vol. 5, 356, Matbaah al-Maymaniyyah.

[33] Ibid, vol. 3, p. 14. Hadith al-Thaqalayn has been recorded extens-ively in the Musnad, e.g. vol. 3, pp. 17, 26 & 59; vol. 4, p. 367; vol. 5, pp.181, 189, 190.


[35] Al-Salaf, Murshid al-Muhtr, vol. 3, pp. 156-157.

[36] Ahmad Shkirs explanation on Hadith al-Ghadr.

[37] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 2992 (Ahmad Shkir)

[38] Refer to footnotes of the same hadith.

[39] Al-Musnad, hadith nos. 2676 & 31111; also refer to Musnad, Mat-baah al-Maymaniyyah, vol. 3, p. 346 (Musnad Jbir bin Abdullh al-Ansr).


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[41] Muslim bin Hajjj, al-Jmi al-Sahh, vol. 2, pp. 236-237, BulaqPress, Cairo, 1290 AH; Muhammad bin Is Tirmidh: al-Sunan (al-Jmi

al-Sahh), vol. 4, pp. 329-330, printed in India, 1328.

[42] The conquest of Khaybar by Imam Al (a) is among the widelyrelated hadith. Ibn Hanbal has recorded this several times in hisMusnad, e.g. refer to vol. 3, p. 116 and vol. 4, p. 52, al-Maymuniyyahprint.

[43] We have mentioned this hadith in brief because of its length. Forthe full text refer to Musnad, hadith 3062 (Ahmad Shkir), and also

hadith no. 3063 recorded through different isnd. Ahmad Shkir con-siders the isnd of both the hadith as sahh.

[44] Musnad, vol. 4, p. 107 (Musnad Wthilah bin Asqa), Matbaah al-Maymaniyyah; also refer to vol. 6, pp. 292, 298, 304, 323 (Musnad Umm-iSalamah).

[45] Ibid, vol. 3, p. 259 (Musnad Anas bin Mlik); also refer to vol. 3, p.286.

[46] On the identity of the Ahl al-Bayt.

[47] Al-Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 167, 199 (Ahmad Shkir)

[48] For hadith on Hazrat Ftimah al-Zahr (a) refer to al-Musnad,vol. 6, p. 282, Matbaah al-Maymaniyyah.

[49] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 642 (Ahmad Shkir). This hadith has beenrecorded through a slightly different chain of authority (isnd) on pages102 & 236 of the same book.

[50] Ibid, hadith no. 576. This hadith has been added by Ibn Hanbalsson Abdullh.

[51] Ibn Hajar Asqaln, Tahdhb al-Tahdhb, vol. 1, p. 430, printed byDirat al-Marif al-Uthmniyyah, Haiderabad Deccan (India).


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[52] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 7863 (Ahmad Shkir); also refer to hadithnos. 6406 & 7392 of the same edition.

[53] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 1376 and also hadith no. 1377 with a slight

variation in its text and a different chain of authority (Ahmad Shkir).

[54] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 1727 (Ahmad Shkir)

[55] Among these mention could be made of Hadith nos. 1723, 1725,1731, & 7744 of Musnad. Also refer to al-Salaf: Murshid al-Muhtr, vol.1, p. 177 for similar hadith.

[56] Al-Musnad, Matbaah al-Maymaniyyah, vol. 3, pp. 31 & 33; also

refer to p. 82 of the same volume where the hadith says Imam Al (a)was mending the Prophets shoes.

[57] Th Husayn, al-Fitnah al-Kubr (Al and Prophethood), vol. 2, p.77, 6th edition, Dr al-Marif, Egypt, 1969.


[59] Also refer to hadith nos. 6500, 6926, 6927. For other instances of its

recording in the Musnad refer to al-Salaf: Murshid al-Muhtr, vol. 2, p.39. For details on the Prophets prophecy and Ammars martyrdomrefer to Muhammad bin Jarr al-Tabar: Trkh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk,vol. 5, pp. 38 to 42, annotated by Muhammad Abu al-Fazl Ibrahm, 2ndedition, Dr al-Marif, Egypt, 1971.

[60] Al-Musnad, hadith nos. 209, 210.

[61] Ibid, hadith no. 6480 (Ahmad Shkir).

[62] Ibid, hadith no. 3781. Refer to Holy Qurn (5:12) regarding theNuqab (Chieftans) of Ban Isrl.

[63] Al-Musnad, vol. 5, p. 101. Also refer to al-Safrn, Shams al-DnMuhammad: Sharh Thulthiyyt Ahmad, vol. 1, p. 539, first edition,1380, Damascus.

[64] Al-Salaf, Murshad al-Muhtr, vol. 3, p. 380.


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[65]E.g. refer to Musnad, al-Maymaniyyah print.

[66] For more information on the views of the Sunnis refer to al-

Safrn: Sharh Thulthiyyt Ahmad, vol. 2, pp. 540-566. Also seeal-Askar, Sayyid Murtaz: Naqsh-e Aimmah dar Ihy-e Dn, vol. 11,pp. 74-84.

[67] Al-Musnad, hadith no. 773.

[68] Ibid, hadith no. 645.

[69] Ibid, hadith no. 3571. There are several other hadith in the

Musnad concerning the uprising of the Mahd (a), e.g. hadith nos. 3572,3573, 4098, 4279 etc. Most of the isnd of these ahadith have been con-firmed as sahh.

[70] Ibn Khaldun, al-Muqaddimah, translated by Franz Rosenthal, vol.2, pp. 156-157, published by Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1986.

[71] Ibid, vol. 2, p. 158.

[72] Ibid, vol. 2, p. 159.

[73] Ibid, vol. 2, p. 162.

[74] Shkir, Sharh al-Musnad, vol. 5, pp. 197-198.


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Glimpses of Shi'ism in the Musnad of Ibn Hanbal - Sayyid Kazim Tabatabai - XKP