Another Explanation
In discussing the outward and inward meaning of the Qur'an, we pointed out that the Islamic sciences are explained in the Qur'an through different means and that these are in general divided into the two dimensions of the exoteric and the esoteric. The exoteric explanation is the one that conforms to the level of the simple thought patterns and understanding of the majority, in contrast to the esoteric, which belongs to the elite alone and which can be comprehended only with the aid of the vision which comes through the practice of the spiritual life.
The explanation that emanates from the exoteric view presents God as the absolute ruler of the world of creation, all of which
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is His dominion. God has created many angels, whose number is legion, to carry out and execute the commands He issues for every aspect of creation. Each part of creation and its order is connected to a special group of angels who are the protectors of that domain. The human species is His creation and human beings are His servants who must obey His commands and prohibitions; and the prophets are the bearers of His messages, the conveyors of the laws and regulations, which He has sent to mankind and has demanded that mankind obey. God has promised reward and recompense for faith and obedience, and punishment and painful retribution for infidelity and sin, and will not break His promise. Also since He is just, His justice demands that in another state of being the two groups of virtuous and evil men, who in this world do not have a mode of life in accordance with their good and evil nature, become separated, the virtuous to possess a good and happy life and the evil a bad and wretched existence.
Thus, God, according to His Justice and the promises He has made, will resurrect all men who live in this world after their death, without exception, and will investigate in detail their beliefs and works. He will judge them according to the truth and give everyone who has a right his due. He will carry out justice on behalf of all who have been oppressed. He will render to each person the reward for his own actions. One group will be assigned to eternal heaven and the other group to eternal hell.
This is the exoteric explanation of the Holy Qur'an. Of course, it is true and correct. But its language is composed of terms and images born of man's social life and thought in order that its benefit might be more general and the radius of its action more widespread. Those who have penetrated into the spiritual meaning of things and are to a certain extent familiar with the esoteric language of the Holy Qur'an, however, understand from these sayings meanings which lie above the level of simple and popular comprehension. The Holy Qur'an, amidst its simple and uncomplicated expositions, occasionally alludes to
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the esoteric aim and purpose of its message. Through many allusions, the Holy Qur'an affirms that the world of creation with all its parts, of which man is one, is moving in its "existential becoming" which is always in the direction of perfection toward God.
1 A day will come when this movement will come to an end and will lose completely its separate and independent existence before the Divine Majesty and Grandeur.
Man, who is a part of the world and whose special perfection is through consciousness and knowledge, is also moving with haste toward God. When he reaches the end of this becoming, he will observe plainly the Truth and Oneness of the Unique God. He will see that power, dominion and every other quality of perfection belong exclusively to the sacred Divine Essence; the reality of each thing as it is will be revealed to him. This is the first stage in the world of eternity. If, through his faith and good works in this world, man is able to have communication, relation, familiarity and friendship with God and the beings in His proximity, then with a felicity and joy that can never be described in human language he will live near God and in the company of the pure beings of the world above. But if, because of desire and attachment to the life of this world and its transient and baseless pleasures, he is cut off from the world above and has no familiarity with or love for God and the pure beings of His Presence, then he becomes afflicted with painful torment and eternal adversity. It is true that a man's good and evil acts in this world are transient and disappear, but the forms of these good and evil acts become established in the soul of man and accompany him everywhere. They are the capital of his future life, be it sweet or bitter.
These affirmations can be drawn from the following verses: God says, "Lo! Unto thy Lord is the (absolute) return" (Qur'an,
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1 Editor's note: As it has been menitoned before this metaphysical principle should not in any way be confused with the modern theories of evolution or progress as these terms are usually understood.
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XCVI, 8). And He says, "Beware all things reach Allah at last?" (Qur'an, XLII, 53); and "The (absolute) command on that day is Allah's" (Qur'an, LXXXII, 19). Also in the account of the address made to certain members of the human race on the Day of Judgment, He says, "(And unto the evildoer it is said): Thou wast in heedlessness of this. Now We have removed from thee thy covering, and piercing is thy sight this day" (Qur'an, L, 22).
Concerning the hermeneutic interpretation (ta'wil) of the Holy Qur'an (the truth from which the Holy Qur'an originates) God says, "Await they aught save the fulfillment [ta'wil] thereof? On the day when the fulfillment thereof cometh, those who were before forgetful thereof will say: The messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth! Have we any intercessors, that they may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to life on earth), that we may act otherwise than we used to act? They have lost their souls, and that which they devised hath failed them" (Qur'an, VII, 53). He says, "On that day, Allah will pay them their just due, and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth" (Qur'an, XXIV, 25). And, "Thou verily, 0 man, art working toward thy Lord a work which thou wilt meet (in His presence)" (Qur'an, LXXXIV, 6). Also, "Whose looketh forward to the meeting with Allah (let him know that) Allah's reckoning is surely nigh" (Qur'an, XXIX, 5). And, "And whoever hopeth for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work, and make none sharer of the worship due unto his Lord" (Qur'an, XVIII, iii). And, "But ah! Thou soul at peace! Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure! Enter thou among My bondmen! Enter thou My Garden!" (Qur'an, LXXXIX 27-30). Also, He says, "But when the great disaster cometh, The Day when man will call to mind his (whole) endeavor, And hell will stand forth visible to him who seeth, Then, as for him who rebelled, And chose the life of the world, Lo! Hell will be his home. But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, Lo! The Garden will be his home" (Qur'an, LXXIX 34-41).
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Concerning the identity of the reward of actions, God says, "(Then it will be said); 0 ye who disbelieve! Make no excuses for yourselves this day. Ye are only being paid for what ye used to do" (Qur'an, LXVI, 7).
The Continuity and Succession of Creation
This world of creation which we observe does not possess an endless and perpetual life. A day will come when the life of this world and its inhabitants will come to an end as confirmed by the Holy Qur'an. God says, "We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them save with truth, and for a term appointed" (Qur'an, XLVI, 3".
One could ask if before the creation of this world and the present race of humanity there had been another world and another human race; or, if after the life of this world and its inhabitants terminates, as the Holy Qur'an declares, that it will, another world and humanity will be created. The direct response to these questions cannot be found in the Holy Qur'an. There, one can only discover allusions to the continuity and succession of creation. But in the traditions (riw?y?t) of the Imams of the Household of the Prophet transmitted to it is asserted that creation is not limited to this visible world. Many worlds have existed in the past and will exist in the future. The sixth Imam has said, "Perhaps you think God has not created a humanity other than you. No, I swear to God that He has created thousands upon thousands of mankind and You are the last among them."
1
And the fifth Imam has said, "God—the Exalted—since creating the world has created seven kinds none of whom were at the race of Adam. He created them from the surface of the earth and set each being one after another with its kind upon the earth. The, He created Adam, the father of mankind, and
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1 Bihar al-Anwar, vol. XIV, pp.79.
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brought his children into being from him."
1 And also the sixth Imam has said, "Do not think that after the passing away of the affair of this world and the Day of Judgment and the placing of the virtuous in heaven and the evil in hell there will no longer be anyone to worship God. No, never! Rather, again God will create servants without the marriage of the male and the female to know His Oneness and to worship Him."
2
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1 Bihar al-Anwar, vol. XIV, pp.79.
2 Bihar- al-Anwar, vol. XIV, pp.79.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE IMAM [IMAMOLOGY)
The Meaning of Imam
Imam or leader is the title given to a person who takes the lead in a community in a particular social movement or political ideology or scientific or religious form of thought. Naturally, because of his relation to the people he leads, he must conform his actions to their capabilities in both important and secondary matters.
As is clear from the preceding chapters, the sacred religion of Islam takes into consideration and gives directives concerning all aspects of the life of all men. It investigates human life from the spiritual point of view and guides man accordingly, and it intervenes on the plane of formal and material existence from the point of view of the life of the individual. In the same way it intervenes on the plane of social life and its regulation (i.e., on the plane of government).
Thus the Imamate and religious leadership in Islam may be studied from three different perspectives: from the perspective of Islamic government, of Islamic sciences and injunctions and of leadership and innovative guidance in the spiritual life. Shi'ism believes that since Islamic society is in dire need of guidance in each of these three aspects, the person who occupies the function of giving that guidance and is the leader of the community in these areas of religious concern must appointed by God and the Prophet. Naturally, the Prophet himself was also appointed by Divine Command.
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The Imamate and Succession
Man through his God-given nature realizes without any doubt that no organized society, such as a country or city or village or tribe or even a household consisting of a few human beings, can continue to subsist without a leader and ruler who puts the wheel of the society in motion and whose will governs each individual's will and induces the members of that society to perform their social duty. Without such a ruler, the parts of this society become dispersed in a short time and disorder and confusion reign. Therefore, he who is the radar and governor of a society, whether it be great or small, if he is interested in his own position and the continued existence of his society, will appoint a successor for himself if he is to be absent from his function temporarily or permanently. He will never abandon the domain of his role and be oblivious to its existence or annihilation. The head of a household who bids farewell to his house and household for a journey of a few days or months will appoint one of the members of the household or someone else as his successor and will leave the affairs of the house in his hands. The head of an institution, or the principal of a school, or the owner of a shop, if he is to be absent even for a two hours will select someone to represent him.
In the same way, Islam is a religion which according to the text of the Holy Book and the Sunnah is established upon the basis of the primordial nature of things. It is a religion concerned with social life as has been seen by every observer near and far. The special attention God and the Prophet have given to the social nature of this religion can never be denied or neglected. It is an incomparable feature of Islam. The Holy Prophet was never oblivious to the problem of the formation of social groupings wherever the influence of Islam penetrated. Whenever a city or village fell into Muslim hands, he would, in the shortest time possible, appoint a governor or ruler in whose
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hands he would leave the affairs of the Muslims.
1 In very important military expeditions ordered for the Holy War (jihad) he would appoint more than one leader and commander, in order of succession. In the war of Mut ah, he even appointed four leaders, so that if the first were to be killed the second would be recognized as the head and his command accepted and if the second were to be killed, then the third, and so on.
2
The Prophet also displayed great interest in the problem of succession and never failed to appoint a successor when necessary. Whenever he left Medina he would appoint a governor in his own place.
3 Even when he migrated from Mecca to Medina and there was as yet no idea as to what would occur, in order to have his personal affairs managed in Mecca for those few days and to give back to people what had been entrusted to him:, he appointed 'All—may peace be upon him— as his successor.
4 In the same way, after his death 'Ali was his successor in matters concerning his debts and personal affairs.
5 The Shi'ites claim that for this very reason it is not conceivable that the Prophet should have died without appointing someone as his successor, without having selected a guide and leader to direct the affairs of Muslims and to turn the wheels of Islamic society.
Man's primordial nature does not doubt the importance and value of the fact that the creation of a society depends on a set of common regulations and customs which are accepted in practice by the majority of the groups in that society, and that
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1 Tarikh Ya'qubi,vol. III, pp. 60- 61; Sirah of Ibn Husham, vol. IV, pp. 197.
2 Tarikh Ya'qubi, vol. II, pp. 52-59; Sirah of Ibn Husham, vol. II, pp. 223.
3 Tarikh Ya'qubi,vol. II, pp. 44 and 59-60; Sirah of Ibn Husham, vol. pp. 251, vol. IV, pp. 173 and 272.
4 Tarikh Ya'qubi, vol. II, pp. 29; T?rikh Abu'l-Fida' vol. I, pp. 126; Sirah of Ibn Husham, vol. II, pp. 98.
5 Ghayat al-Maram, pp. 664, from the Musnad of Ahmad and others.
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the existence and continuation of that society depend upon a just government which agrees to carry out these regulations completely. Anyone who possesses intelligence does not neglect or forget this fact. At the same time, one can doubt neither the breadth and detailed nature of the Islamic Shari ah nor the importance and value the Prophet considered it to possess, so that he made many sacrifices for its application and preservation. Nor can one debate about the mental genius, perfection of intelligence, perspicacity of vision or power of deliberation of the Prophet (beside the fact that this is affirmed through revelation and prophecy).
According to established traditions in both Sunni and Shi ite collections of hadith (in the chapter on temptations and seditious and others) transmitted from the Prophet, the Prophet foretold seditions and tribulations which would entangle Islamic society after his death, and the forms of corruption which would penetrate the body of Islam, and later worldly rulers who would sacrifice this pure religion for their own impure, unscrupulous ends. How is it possible that the Prophet should not neglect to speak of the details of events and trials of years or even thousands of years after him, and yet would neglect the condition that had to be brought into being most urgently after his death? Or that he should be negligent and consider as unimportant a duty that is on the one hand simple and evident and on the other significant to such a degree? How could he concern himself with the most natural and common acts such as eating, drinking and sleeping and give hundreds of commands concerning them, yet remain completely silent about this important problem and not appoint someone in his own place?
Even if we accepted the hypothesis (which Shi ism does not accept) that the appointment of the ruler of Islamic society is given by the Shari' ah to the people themselves, still it would be necessary for the Prophet to give an explanation concerning this matter. He would have had to give the necessary instructions to the community so that they would be aware of the problem upon which the existence and growth of Islamic
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society and the life of religious symbols and observances depended and relied. Yet there is no trace of such a prophetic explanation or religious instruction. If there had been such a thing, those who succeeded the Prophet and held the reins of power in their hands would not have opposed it. Actually, the first caliph transferred the caliphate to the second caliph by bequest. The second caliph chose the third caliph through a six-man council of which he was himself a member and whose order of procedure he had himself determined and ordered. Mu'awiyah forced Imam Hasan to make peace and in this way carried away the caliphate. After this event, the caliphate was converted into an hereditary monarchy. Gradually many religious observances identified with the early years of Islamic rule (such as holy war, commanding what is lawful and prohibiting what is forbidden, the establishment of boundaries for human action) were weakened or even disappeared from the political life of the community, nullifying in this domain the efforts of the Prophet of Islam. Shi'ism has studied and investigated the primordial nature of man and the continuous tradition of wisdom that has survived among men. It has penetrated into the principal purpose of Islam, which is to revivify man's primordial nature, and has investigated such things as the methods used by the Prophet in guiding the community; the troubles which entangled Islam and the Muslims and which led to division and separation; and the short life of the Muslim governments of the early centuries, which were character by negligence and lack of strict religious principles. As a result of these studies, Shi'ism has reached the conclusion that there are sufficient traditional texts left by the Prophet to indicate the procedure for determining the Imam and successor of the Prophet. This conclusion is supported by Qura'nic verses and hadiths which Shi'ism consider, as sound, such as the verse on wilayah and the hadiths of Ghadir, Safinah, Thaqalayn, Haqq, Manzilah, Da'wat 'Ashirah Aqrabin and others.
1 But of course these hadiths, most of which are also
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1 Editor's note: These refer to different sayings of the Prophet in which the question of the Imam is discussed. The most famous of these, Hadith
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accepted by Sunnism, have not been understood in the same way by Shi ism and Sunnism. Otherwise, the whole question of succession would not have arisen. Whereas these hadiths appear to Shi'ites as a clear indication of the Prophet's intention in the question of succession, they have been interpreted by Sunnis in quite another way so as to leave this question open and unanswered.
To prove the caliphate of 'Ali ibn AbiTalib, Shi'ites have had recourse to Qur'anic verses, including the following: "Your friend (wall) can be only Allah; and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poor-due, and bow down (in prayer) [or, and this reading is accepted by 'Allamah Tabataba'i: "... pay the poor-due while bowing down (in prayer)"]" (Qur'an, V, 55). Shi ite and Sunni commentators alike agree that this verse was revealed concerning 'Ali ibn Abi-Talib and many Shi' ite and Sunni traditions exist as supporting this view. Abu-Dharr Ghifari has said: "One day, we prayed the noontime prayers with the Prophet. A person in need asked people to help but no one gave him anything. The person raised his hands to the sky saying, Oh God! Be witness that in the mosque of the Prophet no one gave me anything. 'All ibn AbiTalib was in the position of genuflection in the prayers. He pointed with his finger to the person who took his ring and left. The Prophet, who was observing the scene raised his head toward heaven and said: 'Oh God! My brother Moses said to Thee, "Expand my breast and make easy my tasks and make my tongue eloquent as that they will comprehend my words, and make my brother, Aaron, my helper and vizier," [cf. Qur'an, XXVIII, 351.] Oh God! I am also Thy prophet; expand my breast and make easy my tasks and make 'All my vizier and helper.'
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Ghadir, as mentioned above is the traditional basis for the celebration of the "Feast of Ghadir." Since the Safavid period, this feast has acquired a particular political significance in Iran, since it marks the formal transfer of political power to 'Ali and under whose aegis all Shiite kings have ruled.
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Abu Dharr says, "The words of the Prophet had not as yet finished when the verse [cited above] was revealed."
1
Another verse which the Shi' ites consider as proof of the caliphate of 'Ali is this: "This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favor unto you, and have chosen to you as religion AL-ISLAM V, 3). The obvious meaning of this verse is that before that particular day the infidels had hoped that a day would come when Islam would die out, but God through the actualization of a particular event made them lose forever the hope that Islam would be destroyed. This very event was the cause of the strength and perfection of Islam and of necessity could not be a minor occasion such as the promulgation of one of the injunctions of religion. Rather, it was a matter of such importance that the continuation of Islam depended upon it.
This verse seems to be related to another verse which comes toward the end of the same chapter: "0 Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou will not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind." (Qur'an, V, 67). This verse indicates that God commanded a mission of great concern and importance to the Prophet which if not accomplished would endanger the basis of Islam and prophecy. But the matter was so important that the Prophet feared opposition and interference and in awaiting suitable circumstances delayed it, until there came a definite and urgent order from God to execute this command without delay and not to fear anyone. This matter also was not just a particular religious injunction in the ordinary sense, for to preach one or several religious
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1 Tabari, Dhakha'ir al-'Uqba, Cairo, 1356, pp. 16. This hadith has been recorded with a slight variation in al-Durr al-Manthur, vol. II, pp. 293. In his Ghayat al.Maram, pp. 103, Bahrani cites 24 hadiths from Sunni sources and of Shi'ite sources concerning the conditions and reasons for the revelation of this Qur'anic verse.
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injunctions is not so vital that if a single one of them were not preached it would cause the destruction of Islam. Nor did the Prophet of Islam fear anyone in preaching the injunction and laws of religion.
These indications and witnesses add weight to the Shi ite traditions which assert that these verses were revealed at Ghadir Khumm and concern the spiritual investiture (wilayah) of 'Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Moreover, many Shiite and Sunni commentators have confirmed this point.
Abu-Sa'id Khidri says: "The Prophet in Ghadir Khumm invited people toward 'Ali and took his arm and lifted it a high that the white spot in the armpit of the Prophet of God could be seen. Then this verse was revealed: 'This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favor unto you, and have chosen for you as religion AL-ISLAM.' Then the Prophet said. `God is great (Allahu Akbar) that religion has become perfected and that God's bounty has been completed. His satisfaction attained and the wilayah of 'Ali achieved.' Then he added, 'For whomever I am the authority and guide 'Ali is also his guide and authority. Oh God! Be friendly with the friends of 'Ali and the enemy of his enemies. Whoever helps him, help him, and whoever leaves him, leave him."
1
In summary, we can say that the enemies of Islam who did everything possible to destroy it, when they lost all hope of achieving this end, were left with only one hope. They thought that since the protector of Islam was the Prophet, after his death Islam would be left without a guide and leader and would thus definitely perish. But in Ghadir Khumm, their wishes were brought to nought and the Prophet presented 'Ali as the guide and leader of Islam to the people. After 'Ali, this heavy and
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1 Bahrani, Ghayat al-Maram, pp. 336, where six Sunni and fifteen Shi'ite hadiths concerning the occasion and reason for the revelation of the above Qur'anic verse are cited.
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necessary duty of guide and leader was left upon the shoulders of his family.
1
Some of the hadiths pertaining to Ghadir Khumm, the investiture of 'Ali, and the significance of the Household of the Prophet are cited here:
Hadith Ghadir
The Prophet of Islam upon returning from the farewell pilgrimage stopped in Ghadir Khumm, assembled the Muslims and, after delivering a sermon, chose 'All as the leader and guide of Muslims.
Bara' says: "I was in the company of the Prophet during the farewell pilgrimage. When we reached Ghadir Khumm, he ordered that place to be cleaned. Then he took 'All's hand and placed him on his right side. Then he said, 'Am I the authority whom you obey?' They answered, 'We obey your directions.' Then he said, Tor whomever I am his master (mawla) and the authority whom he obeys, 'All will be his master. Oh God! Be friendly with the friends of 'Ali and enemy of the enemies of
Then 'Umar ibn al-Al-Khattab said to 'All, 'May this position be pleasing to you for now you are my master and the master of all the believes.'"
2
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1 For further explanation see 'Allamah Tabataba'i, Tafsir Mizan, vol. V, Tehran, 1377, pp. 177-214, and vol. VI, Tehran, 1377, pp. 50-64.
2 Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, vol. V, pp. 208 and vol. VII, pp. 346; Dhakha'ir al-'Uqba, pp. 67; al-Fusul al-Muhimmah of Ibn Sabbagh, Najaf, 1950, vol. II, pp. 23; Khasa'is of Nasa'i, Najaf, 1369, pp. 31. In his Ghayat al-Maram, pp. 79, Bahrani has cited eighty nine different chains of transmission for this hadith from Sunni sources and forty three from Shiite sources.
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Hadith Safinah
Ibn 'Abbas says, "The Prophet said, 'My household is like the ship of Noah; whoever embarks upon it will be saved and whoever turns away from it will be drowned."
1
Hadith Thaqalayn
Zayd ibn Arqam has recounted that the Prophet said, "It seems that God has called me unto Himself and I must obey His call. But I leave two great and precious things among you: the Book of God and My Household. Be careful as to how you behave toward them. These two will never be separated from each other until they encounter me at Kawthar (in Paradise.)"
2 Hadith Thaqalayn is one of the most strongly established Hadiths, and has been transmitted through many chains of transmission and in different versions. Shi'ites and Sunnis agree concerning its authenticity. Several important points can be deduced from this hadith and its like: (1) In the same way that the Holy Qur'an will remain until the Day of Judgment, the progeny of the Holy Prophet will also remain. No period of time will be without the existence of the figure which calls the Imam, the real leader and guide of men. (2) Through these two great trusts (am?nat), the Prophet has provided for all the religious and intellectual needs of the Muslims. He has introduced his Household to Muslims as authorities in knowledge and has pronounced their words and deeds to be worthy and authoritative. (3) One must not separate
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1 Dhakha'ir p. 20; al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah of Ibn Hajar, Cairo, 1312, pp. 150 and 184; Tarikh al-Khulafa' of Jalal al-Din Suyuti, Cairo, 1952, pp. 307; Nur al-Absar of Shiblanji, Cairo, 1312, pp. 114. In his Ghayat al-Maram, pp. 237, Bahrani cites eleven chains of transmission for this Hadith from Sunni sources and seven from Shiites sources.
2 Al-Bid?yah wa 'l-Nihayah, vol. V, pp. 209; Dhakha'ir al-'Uqba pp. 16; al-Fusul al-Muhimmah, pp. 22; Khasa's, pp. 30; al-Saw?'iq al-alMuhriqah, pp. 147. In Ghayat al-Maram, thirty nine versions of this hadith have been recorded from Sunni sources and eighty two from Shi'ite sources.
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the Holy Qur'an from the Household of the Prophet. No Muslim has a right to reject "sciences" of the members of the Household of the Prophet and remove himself from under their direction and guidance. (4) If people obey the members of the Household and follow their words, they will never be led astray. God will always be with them. (5) The answers to the intellectual and religious needs of men are to be found in the hands of the members of the Household of the Prophet. Whoever follows them will not fall into error and will reach true felicity; that is, the members of the Household are free from error and sin and are inerrant. From this, it can be concluded that by "Members of the Household" and "progeny" is not meant all the descendants and relatives of the Prophet. Rather, specific individuals are meant who are perfect in the religious sciences and are protected against error and sin so that they are qualified to guide and lead men. For Shi'ism, these individuals consist of 'Ali ibn Abi-T?lib and his eleven descendants who were chosen to the Imamate one after another. This interpretation is also confirmed by the Shiite traditions. For example, Ibn 'Abbas has said, "I said to the Prophet, 'Who are your descendant whose love is obligatory [upon Muslims]?' He said, ''All, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn.'"
1 Jabir has transmitted that the Prophet has said, "God placed the children of all prophets in their 'backbone' but placed my children in the backbone of 'Ali."
2
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1 Yanabi' al-Mawaddah of Sulayman ibn Ibrahim al-Qunduzi, Tehran, 1308, pp. 311.
2 Yan?bi' al-Mawaddah, pp. 318.
