Hadith al-Thaqalayn in the Shi'ah Opinion
That which indicate the Shi'ah's being the true followers of the real Prophetic Sunnah, can be found in Hadith al-Thaqalayn, narrated from the Messenger of Allah (S): "I am leaving behind among you two precious things: the Book of Allah and my Kindered, my Ahl al-Bayt. As long as you adhere to them you will never go astray after me. So don't outstrip them (fa la tasbiquhum), for then you shall perish, and don't fall short of them, for then you will perish. Don't teach them for they are more knowledgeable than you".97 In some other narrations he added: The Subtile, the Aware has told me that the two verily will never seperate until they meet me at the Pond.
This hadith has been narrated by Ahl al-Sunnah in more than twenty sources of their Sihah and Masanid, as has been reported by the Shi'ah in all books of traditions. It shows, as can be seen, very conspiciously that Ahl al-Sunnah have gone astray due to not adhering to these two precious things, and have perished since they have outstripped Ahl al-Bayt, surmissing that Abu Haninah, Malik and Ibn Hanbal were more knowledgeable than the Pure 'Itrah, so they followed them and abandoned the 'Itrah.
For their claim of being committed to the Qur'an, it has no proof as the Qur'an is wholly full of generalities having no details for rules. It bears different interpretations, and there should be someone to elucidate it and an exegete to expose its rules, as the case for the Prophetic Sunnah that requires trusworthy narrators and learned exegetes.
This problem can never be solved but through resorting to Ahl al-Bayt, who are the Imams from the Pure kindered recommended by the Messenger of Allah (S).
When referring to other traditions beside the Hadith al-Thaqalayn, holding the same meaning and denoting the same objective, as his saying :"'Ali is with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with 'Ali. They shall never seperate until they meet me at the Pond"', 98 and his saying: "'Ali is with the Truth and Truth is with Ali.They shall verily never seperate until they meet at the Pond on Doomsday", 99it will be assured for us and every researcher that who ever abandoned 'Ali, has in fact abandoned the real interpretation of the Almighty Allah's Book, and whoever abandones 'Ali has in fact discarded truth behind, and followed falsehood, since when truth is abandoned, aonly misguidance is left.
Assured also will be that Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah have neglected the Qur'an and Prophetic Sunnah by neglecting truth incarnated in 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (A), beside the coming true of Muhammad's prophecy that his Ummah will divided into seventy-three sects all being misguided except one sect. This delivered sect being the one that followed truth and guidance through following the guide of al-'Imam 'Ali (A), fighting whoever fought him and making peace with whomever reconciled with him, following his example in knowledge and being committed to the Imams from among his sons.
The Qur'an has refered to them as:
"Those are the best of created beings.Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden undermeath which rivers flow, wherein they dwell for ever.Allah hath pleasure in them and they have pleasure in Him.This is (in store) for him whom fearth his Lord". (98:7-8)
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97. Sahih al-Tirmidhi; Sahih Muslim; mustadrak al-Hakim, Musnad Ahmad, kanz al-'ummal; Khasa 'is al-Nasa'i, Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd; al-Tabarani, al-Sayuti, Ibn Hajar and Ibn al-'Athir. For knowing volume and page numbers refer to al-Muraja'at, p. 82 and onwards.
98. It is reported by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, vol. iii, p.124 and al-Dhahabi in his Talkhis.
99. Muntakhab kanz al-'ummal, vol. v. p. 30, Ta'rikh Ibn 'Asakir, vol. iii, p.119; Tarikh Baghdad, vol. xiv, p. 321; Ta'rikh al-khulafa', by ibn Qutaybah, vol.i p. 73.
Adapted from the book: "The Shi'ah; The Real Followers of the Sunnah" by: "Dr. Muhamad al-Tijahi al-Samawi"