The Ninth Proof
Another traditionalist advanced an argument, saying: "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, looked at 'Umar on the Day of 'Arafa, smiled (at him) and said: 'Surely Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, boasts of His creatures in general and of 'Umar in particular.'"
Al-Ma'mun's Answer
Disproving this tradition, al-Ma'mu`n said: "This is impossible, for Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, does not boast of 'Umar and leaves His Prophet; therefore, 'Umar is among the elite and the Prophet is among the populace.
"This tradition is not more wonderful than your tradition which says that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'I entered the Garden and suddenly I heard the beat of two sandals; (I came to know that) Bila`l, Abu` Bakr's retainer, had entered the Garden before me.' For this reason you have said: 'Abu` Bakr's retainer is better than the Messenger, may Allah bless him and his family, for the early is better than the late.'"
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1. Ibid., 4, 163.
2. Ibid., 33, 7.
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The Tenth Proof
Another traditionalist said: "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'If the punishment came down, none would be safe from it except 'Umar b. al-Khatta`b.'"
Al-Ma'mun's Answer
He said: "This tradition also opposes the Book, for Allah, the Exalted, says to His Prophet:
But Allah was not going to chastise them while you were among them.
1 So you have regarded 'Umar as an equal to the Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family."
The Eleventh Proof
Another traditionalist said: "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, bore witness that 'Umar would enter the Garden before ten of his companions."
Al-Ma'mun's Answer
He said: "If 'Umar was as you have said, he would not say to Hudhayfa: 'I adjure you before Allah, am I among the hypocrites?' If the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, had said to him: 'You are among the inhabitants of the Garden,' and he did not believe him and Hudhayfa confirmed him, then he believed Hudhayfa and did not believe the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and this is (something) opposes Islam; if he had believed the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, then why did he ask Hudhayfa? These traditions contradict each other."
The Twelfth Proof
Another traditionalist said: "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'I was placed in the scale of a balance and my community was placed in the other scale, and I outweighed it; then
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1. Ibid., 8, 33.
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Abu Bakr was put in my place, and he outweighed it; then 'Umar (was put in his place), and he outweighed it; then the balance was raised.'"
Al-Ma'mun's Answer
He confuted this tradition, saying: "This (tradition) is impossible, for either their bodies or their deeds were placed in the balance. If their bodies (were placed in the balance), then every human being knows that their bodies do not outweigh the bodies of the community; if their deeds (were placed in the balance), then they have not been (weighed) yet. Just imagine how much more is that which has not been (weighed) yet?"
Then al-Ma'mu`n turned to the traditionalists and asked them: "Tell me: Through which thing do the people claim that they are superior to each other?"
"They claim that they are superior to one another through good deeds," replied a traditionalist.
Commenting on this statement, al-Ma'mu`n said: "Tell me about him who was more excellent than his companion during the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family: did the less excellent (
mafdul) do after the death of the Messenger more than the most excellent (
al-fadil) did in the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family? Would he be equal to him? If you say 'yes', then I will make you find in this time of ours him who is the best of them in jiha`d, hajj, fasting, prayer, and alms."
"You are right," they all replied, "the most excellent (
fadil) in our time is not equal to the most excellent in the time of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family."
So al-Ma'mun said to them: "Carefully consider what your Ima`ms, from whom you have taken your doctrines, have narrated concerning the outstanding merits of 'Ali, peace be on him, and compare them with what it has been mentioned concerning the ten (persons) for whom they have borne witness that they will enter the Garden. If they ('Ali's outstanding merits) were part of numerous parts, then you are right; if they (your Ima`ms) have narrated
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concerning 'Ali's excellences more (than they have narrated concerning the excellences of the ten persons), then take what your Ima`ms have narrated and do not exceed (it)."
The traditionalists were perplexed, not knowing what to answer, for al-Ma'mu`n had closed before them all avenues of argument. Then al-Ma'mu`n turned to them and asked: "Why have you kept silent?"
"We have fully searched out (the matter)," they replied. That is because they had nothing to advance as an argument.
"I am going to question you," said al-Ma'mu`n, "tell me: which work was the best when Allah appointed His Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family?"
"Priority in belief in Islam," they all answered, "for Allah, the Exalted, says:
And the foremost are the foremost, these are they who are drawn nigh (to Allah).
1 "
"So did you know that there was anyone earlier than 'Ali (in belief) in Islam?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"He (Ali) was earlier but he was still young; there was no religious, obligatory duty on him. As for Abu` Bakr, he became a Muslim when he was an old man, and there was a religious, obligatory duty on him, so there is a difference between these two states," they answered.
Al-Ma'mu`n answered, saying: "Tell me about the Islam of 'Ali: Was it through an inspiration by Allah, the Exalted, or through the summons of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family? If you say that it was through an inspiration, then you have preferred him to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, for the Prophet had not been inspired; rather Gabriel came to him from Allah; he summoned him to Him and informed him of Him.
"If you say (that 'Ali became Muslim) through the summons of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, then did he summoned him (to Islam) of his own accord or through the order of Allah, the Most High? If you say (that he summoned him to it) of his own accord, then this opposes the words through which Allah has
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1. Ibid., 56, 10-11.
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described His Prophet, saying:
Say: I do not ask you for any reward for it; nor am I of those who affect 1 , and through these words of Him, the Exalted: Nor does he speak out of desire. It is not naught but revelation that is revealed.
2 If he (summoned him) on behalf of Allah, then Allah had ordered His Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to summon 'Ali (to Islam) from among the boys of the people and preferred him to them. Therefore, he (the Prophet) summoned him ('Ali to Islam) because he was trustworthy and Allah, the Exalted, supported him.
"Yet there is another quality. Tell me: Is it permissible for the Wise (Allah) to impose upon His creatures unbearable religious duties? If you say 'yes', then you are unbelievers; if you say 'no', then how is it permissible for Him to order His Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to summon him who does not accept what he is ordered (to perform) because of his boyhood, minority, and his being weak to accept (Islam).
"Still there is another reason. Did you know that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, summoned any boy from among the boys of his family or other than them, and he was equal to 'Ali? So, if you claim that he had not summoned any other than him, then this is an excellence for 'Ali over the boys of the people."
Then al-Ma'mu`n turned to the traditionalists and asked them: "Which work is after the precedence to faith?"
"Jihad in the path of Allah," they all answered.
As a result al-Ma'mun continued establishing argument against them concerning that Ima`m 'Ali was the most excellent one, saying: Do you think that any of the ten (persons) had any act during jihad as 'Ali had throughout the attitudes of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family? (For example, at the Battle of) Badr more than sixty polytheists were killed; 'Ali killed more than twenty, and the rest of the people killed forty."
"Abu` Bakr was directing it (the battle) along with the Prophet,
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1. Ibid., 38, 86.
2. Ibid., 53, 3-4.
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may Allah bless him and his family, in his canopy," a traditionalist replied.
"You have brought a wonder through this," retorted al-Ma'mu`n, "was he (Abu` Bakr) directing it with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or without him? Did he make him as a partner? Was the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, in need of Abu` Bakr's opinion? Which of these three (viewpoints) is the most lovable to you?"
"I seek refuge in Allah," replied the traditionalist, "I do not claim that he (Abu` Bakr) directed it without the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or he (the Prophet) made him as a partner or the Prophet was in need of him."
"Then what is the excellence (of his being) in the canopy?" asked al-Ma'mu`n, "if the excellence of Abu` Bakr came through absenting himself from the battle, then all those who absented themselves (from it) must be more excellent than the muja`hideen, while Allah, the Great and Almighty, says:
The holders back from among the believers, not having any injury, and those who strive hard in Allah's way with their property and their persons are not equal; Allah has made the strivers with their property and their persons to excel the holders back a (high) degree, and to each (class) Allah has promised good; and Allah shall grant to the strivers above the holders back a mighty reward. "
1
Then al-Ma'mu`n addressed Isha`q b. Hamma`d b. Zayd, a leading traditionalist, saying: "Recite the
Sura Hal Ata."
Ishaq recited the Sura. When he reached these words of Him, the Exalted:
And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the orphan and the captive...., al-Ma'mu`n asked him: "Concerning whom these verses have been revealed?"
"Concerning 'Ali," answered the traditionalist.
"Have you heard that 'Ali, peace be on him, had said:
'We only feed you for Allah's sake; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks,' when he had given food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive?"
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1. Ibid., 4, 95.
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"No," replied the traditionalist, "surely Allah, the Most High, had known 'Ali's inner self and intention, so He has manifested that in His Book, that His creatures may recognize his ('Ali's) affairs."
"Did you come to know that Allah has described the Garden with a thing other than the (
transparent) glasses made of siliver (qawarïr) as it is in this verse?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"No," came the answer.
"Therefore, this is another excellence," retorted al-Ma'mu`n, "What did Allah mean by the (
transparent) glass made of siliver (qawarïr)?"
"I do not know," was the answer.
"He meant that they were made of siliver because of their clearness," commented al-Ma'mu`n, "what in them is seen just as what outside them is seen; this is like these words of him (the Prophet), may Allah bless him and his family: 'O Isha`q, your longing for the (transparent) glasses made of siliver (
qawarïr)' (must be) gentle, by this he meant the women who were as transparent as glasses made of siliver; (this is) like these words of him, may Allah bless him and his family: 'I rode the horse of Abu` Tallha and found it a sea,' namely, it was like a sea because of its abundant running; and like these words of Him, the Exalted:
And death will come to him from every quarter, but he shall not die; and there shall be vehement chastisement before him 1, which mean that as if death came to him (from every quarter); and if it came to him from one quarter, he would die."
"O Ishaq, are you not among those who bear witness that the ten (persons) are in the Garden?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"Yes," came the answer.
"If one says: 'I do not know whether this tradition is right or wrong,' do you regard him as an unbeliever?" asked al-Ma'mun.
____________
1. Ibid., 14, 17.
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"No," was the answer.
"If one says: 'I do not know whether this sura (belongs) to the Qur'a`n or not,' do you regard him as an unbeliever?" asked al-Ma'mun.
"Yes," came the answer.
"O Isha`q," said al-Ma'mu`n, "tell me about the tradition of the grilled bird: Is it authentic in your view?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"By Allah, your obstinacy has appeared," retorted al-Ma'mu`n, "either this (i.e. 'Ali) is as the Prophet summoned him or he is rejected, or Allah had known the most excellent (
al-fadil) of His creatures, but the less excellent (
al-mafdul) was more lovable to Him, or you claim that Allah does not distinguish the most excellent (
al-fadil) from the less excellent (
al-mafdul); therefore, which of these three (views) is the most lovable to you?"
Isha`q became perplexed, did not find any answer, and remained thinking until he found a way to defend his viewpoint, saying: "O Commander of the faithful, surely Allah, the Exalted, says concerning Abu` Bakr:
"He is the second of the two, when they were both in the cave, when he said to his companion: Grieve not, surely Allah is with us.1 So Allah ascribed him to the companionship of His Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family."
"Glory belongs to Allah!" exclaimed al-Ma'mu`n, "how little your knowledge of the language and the Book is! The unbeliever may be the companion of the believer. Therefore, which excellence is in this (companionship)? Have you not heard these words of Him, the Most High:
His companion said to him while disputing with him: Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a small life-germ, then He made you a perfect man? 2 He made him a companion for him; and al-Hazali composed poetry, saying:
I left early in the morning and my wild companion (which) was under the cloak was aware of the east.
"And al-Azdi has said:
I summoned the wild animal regarding it and my companion has pure legs and body.
"Therefore, he regarded his own horse as his companion. As for
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1. Ibid., 9, 40.
2. Ibid., 18, 37.
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these words of Him:
surely Allah is with us, Allah is with the pious and the sinful. Have you not heard these words of Him, the Most High: Nowhere is there a secret counsel between three persons but He is the fourth of them; nor (between) five but He is the sixth of them; nor less than that nor more but He is with them wherever they are. 1 As regarding these words of Him: Grieve not, tell me about the grief of Abu` Bakr: Was it obedience or disobedience? If you claim that it was obedience, then you have regarded the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, as one who prohibits obedience, and this opposes the attribute of the Wise (Allah); and if you claim that it was disobedience, then the disobedient have no excellence. Tell me about these words of Him, the Exalted:
Allah send down His tranquillity upon him. Upon whom (did He send tranquillity)?"
"He sent down tranquillity upon Abu` Bakr," replied Isha`q, "for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was free from the quality of tranquillity."
Then al-Ma'mun demanded: "Tell me about these words of Him, the Exalted:
Certainly Allah helped you in many battlefields and on the Battle of Hunayn, when your great numbers made you vain, but they availed you nothing and the earth became strait to you notwithstanding its spaciousness, then you turned back retreating. Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Apostle and upon the believers. 2 Do you know the believers whom Allah has meant in this verse?"
"No," was the answer.
Then al-Ma'mu`n explained the meaning of this sacred verse, saying: "Surely the people turned their backs in flight at the Battle of Hunayn, so none stayed with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, except seven Ha`shimites: 'Ali, peace be on him, was striking (the polytheists) with his sword; al-'Abba`s took hold of the bridle of the mule of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and five persons were surrounding the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
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1. Ibid., 58, 7.
2. Ibid., 9, 25-26.
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his family, lest he should be wounded by the weapon of the unbelievers until Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, granted His Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, a victory. The believers whom Allah meant in this verse were 'Ali and the Ha`shimites who were present. So who was more excellent¾ he who was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the tranquillity was sent down upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and upon him or he who was in the cave with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and was not entitled to sending it upon him? O Isha`q, who is more excellent¾he who was in the cave with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or he who slept on his bed and protected him with his own soul until the determined emigration went well with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family?
"Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, ordered His Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to order 'Ali to sleep on his bed and to protect him with his own soul. So he ordered 'Ali to do that, and he said: 'Will you be safe, O Allah's Prophet?' 'Yes,' he said. 'I listen and obey,' he retorted. Then he ('Ali) wore the Prophet's garment, and slept on his bed. As for the polytheists, they surrounded him; they were sure that it was the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who was on bed. They had unanimously agreed that each man from each Qurayshi tribe should strike him one time, lest the Ha`shimites should demand his blood. As for 'Ali, peace be on him, he heard of the order of the people which would destroy his own soul, but he was not as impatient as Abu` Bakr was in the cave while he was with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. 'Ali was still alone with patience and fore-thought, so Allah sent His angels to protect him from the polytheists of Quraysh. When he entered upon morning, he got up. The people looked at him and asked: 'Where is Mohammed?' 'I do not know,' he answered. 'Then you have deceived us,' they retorted. Then he followed the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. Therefore, 'Ali was still the most excellent due to his (brave) attitudes; he increased himself nothing except good until Allah, the Exalted, took him to Himself while he was praiseworthy and forgiven."
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"O Isha`q, do you not narrate the tradition of authority (
hadith al-wilaya)?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"Yes," came the answer.
"Narrate it," ordered al-Ma'mu`n.
He narrated it to al-Ma'mu`n, and he asked him: "Do you not see that it (the tradition) has made obligatory his right against Abu` Bakr and 'Umar whereas it has not made obligatory their rights against him?"
"The people say that the Prophet said this tradition concerning Zayd b. Ha`ritha," answered Isha`q.
Denying this answer, al-Ma'mu`n asked: "Where did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, say it?"
"He said it at Ghadïr Khum," replied Isha`q, "after he had finished the Farewell Pilgrimage."
Al-Ma'mu`n hastened to disprove that, asking: "When was Zayd b. Ha`ritha killed? Was he not killed before Ghadï~r Khum?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"Tell me: If you came to know that your own son became fifteen years of age and said: 'My master is the master of my cousin, O people accept (him),' would you hate that?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"Yes," came the answer.
Denying these words of Isha`q, al-Ma'mu`n asked: "Do you deem your son far above what you do not deem the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, far above?"
Then al-Ma'mu`n turned to him in order to establish an argument against him, saying: "Do you narrate the statement of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to 'Ali: 'Your position with me is as Ha`ru`n had with Mu`sa`.'?"
"Yes," was the answer.
"Did you not know that Ha`ru`n was the brother of Mu`sa` on side of his father and mother?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"Yes," came the answer.
"So did 'Ali have such a position?" asked al-Ma'mu`n.
"No," was the answer.
"Ha`ru`n was a prophet," retorted al-Ma'mu`n, "but 'Ali was not a
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prophet, so the third position is nothing except the succession (
khilafa). The hypocrites said: 'He (the Prophet) was displeased with him ('Ali); he appointed him as a successor in order to soothe him.' This is just as Allah has given an account of Mu`sa` when he said to Ha`ru`n:
Take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers.,1 "
Commenting on these words of al-Ma'mu`n, Isha`q said: "Surely Mu`sa` appointed Ha`ru`n as successor among his people while he was alive, and then he went to the appointed place and time of his Lord; surely the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, appointed 'Ali when he went out to make campaigns (
ghazawat)."
Al-Ma'mu`n answered him, saying: "Tell me about Mu`sa`: Was there with him any of his companions when he appointed Ha`ru`n as successor and went to the appointed place and time of his Lord, the Great and Almighty?"
"Yes," answered Isha`q.
"Did he not appoint him as a successor over them all?"
"Yes," came the answer.
"So such was 'Ali," explained al-Ma'mu`n, "when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, went out to make campaigns, he appointed him as a successor over the weak, the women, and the boys, for most of his people were along with him; he appointed him as a successor over them all; the proof of that he appointed him as a successor over them all during his lifetime, his absence, and after his death is this statement of him, may Allah bless him and his family: ' 'Ali's position with me is as Harun had with Musa, except that there will be no prophet after me.' According to this statement, he was also the helper of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, for Musa supplicated Allah, the Exalted, and said in his supplication:
And give to me an aider from my family, Harun, my brother. Strengthen my back by him, and associate him (with me) in my affair.
2Therefore, if 'Ali had a position with the Prophet as Ha`ru`n had with Musa, then
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1. Ibid., 7, 142.
2. Ibid., 20, 29-32.
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he was his aider just as Ha`ru`n was the aider of Mu`sa` and was his successor just as Ha`ru`n was the successor of Musa."
