The Four Ways the Prophet’s Traditions Reach the People

Al-Khiṣāl|Volume 1|Book 5|Chapter 106

Al-Khiṣāl

Book 5, Chapter 106

The Four Ways the Prophet’s Traditions Reach the People

Hadith #1

4-13 1 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن إبراهيم بن عمر اليماني، وعمر بن اذينة، عن أبان بن أبي عياش، عن سليم بن قيس الهلالي قال: قلت لامير المؤمنين عليه السلام:يا أمير المؤمنين أني سمعت من سلمان والمقداد وأبي ذر شيئا من تفسير القرآن وأحاديث عن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وآله غير ما في أيدي الناس، ثم سمعت منك تصديق ما سمعت منهم ورأيت في أيدي الناس أشياء كثيرة من تفسير القرآن ومن الاحاديث عن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وآله أنتم تخالفونهم فيها وتزعمون أن ذلك كله باطل، أفترى الناس يكذبون على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله متعمدين ويفسرون القرآن بآرائهم، قال: فأقبل علي عليه السلام فقال: قد سألت فافهم الجواب إن في أيدي الناس حقا وباطلا، وصدقا وكذبا، وناسخا ومنسوخا، وعاما وخاصا، ومحكما ومتشابها، وحفظا ووهما. وقد كذب على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله على عهده حتى قام خطيبا فقال:أيها الناس قد كثرت على الكذابة، فمن كذب على متعمدا فليتبوء مقعده من النار، ثم كذب عليه من بعده، إنما أتاكم الحديث من أربعة ليس لهم خامس: رجل منافق يظهر الايمان متصنع بالاسلام لا يتألم ولا يتحرج أن يكذب على رسول الله متعمدا فلو علم الناس أنه منافق كذاب لم يقبلوا منه ولم يصدقوه ولكنهم قالوا: هذا قد صحب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ورآه وسمع منه فأخذوا عنه، وهم لا يعرفون حاله وقد أخبره الله عن المنافقين بما أخبره ووصفهم بما وصفهم فقال عز وجل: "وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ تُعْجِبُكَ أَجْسَامُهُمْ وَإِنْ يَقُولُوا تَسْمَعْ لِقَوْلِهِمْ ."ثم بقوا بعده فتقربوا إلى أئمة الضلالة والدعاة إلى النار بالزور والكذب والبهتان فولوهم الاعمال، وحملوهم على رقاب الناس وأكلوا بهم الدنيا وإنما الناس مع الملوك والدنيا إلا من عصم الله، فهذا أحد الاربعة. ورجل سمع من رسول الله شيئا لم يحفظه على وجهه ووهم فيه ولم يتعمد كذبا فهو في يده يقول به ويعمل به ويرويه ويقول: أنا سمعته من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فلو علم المسلمون أنه وهم لم يقبلوه، ولو علم هو أنه وهم لرفضه، ورجل ثالث سمع من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله شيئا أمر به ثم نهى عنه، وهو لا يعلم، أو سمعه ينهى عن شيء ثم أمر به وهو لا يعلم فحفظ منسوخه ولم يحفظ الناسخ فلو علم أنه منسوخ لرفضه ولو علم المسلمون أنه منسوخ لرفضوه، وآخر رابع لم يكذب على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله مبغض للكذب خوفا من الله عز وجل وتعظيما لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لم يسه بل حفظ ما سمع على وجهه فجاء به كما سمع لم يزد فيه ولم ينقص منه، وعلم الناسخ من المنسوخ فعمل بالناسخ ورفض المنسوخ، فان أمر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله مثل القرآن ناسخ ومنسوخ، وخاص وعام، ومحكم ومتشابه، وقد كان يكون من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله الكلام له وجهان وكلام عام، وكلام خاص مثل القرآن و[قد] قال الله عز وجل في كتابه: "وَمَا آتَاكُمْ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا." فيشتبه على من لم يعرف ولم يدر ما عنى الله به ورسوله صلى الله عليه وآله، وليس كل أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله يسأله عن الشئ فيفهم، كان منهم من يسأله ولا يستفهم حتى أن كانوا ليحبون أن يجيئ الاعرابي والطاري فيسأل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حتى يسمعوا، وكنت أدخل على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله كل يوم دخلة وكلليلة دخلة، فيخليني فيها أدور معه حيثما دار، وقد علم أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أنه لم يصنع ذلك بأحد من الناس غيري، فربما كان ذلك في بيتي يأتيني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله أكثر ذلك في بيتي، وكنت إذا دخلت عليه بعض منازله أخلاني وأقام عني نساءه، فلا يبقى عنده [أحد] غيري، وإذا أتاني للخلوة معي في بيتي لم تقم عنه فاطمة ولا أحد من بني، وكنت إذا سألته أجابني، وإذا سكت وفنيت مسائلي ابتدأني، فما نزلت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله آية من القرآن إلا أقرأنيها وأملاها علي فكتبتها بخطي، وعلمني تأويلها وتفسيرها، وناسخها ومنسوخها، ومحكمها ومتشابهها،وخاصها وعامها، ودعا الله لي أن يؤتيني فهمها وحفظها، فما نسيت آية من كتاب الله، ولا علما أملاه علي وكتبته منذ دعا الله لي بما دعا، وما ترك شيئا علمه الله من حلال ولا حرام [ولا] أمر ولا نهي كان أو يكون، ولا كتاب منزل على أحد قبله في أمر بطاعة أو نهي عن معصية إلا علمنيه وحفظته فلم أنس حرفا واحدا، ثم وضع عليه السلام يده على صدري ودعا الله لي أن يملا قلبي علما وفهما وحكما ونورا، فقلت: يا نبي الله بأبي أنت وامي إني منذ دعوت الله لي بما دعوت لم أنس شيئا ولم يفتني شيء لم أكتبه أفتتخوف علي النسيان فيما بعد؟ فقال: لا لست أخاف عليك النسيان ولا الجهل

4-131 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim quoted his father, on the authority of Hammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Umar al-Yamani and Umar ibn Azineh, on the authority of Aban ibn Abi Ayyash, on the authority of Salim ibn Qays al-Hilaly, “I once asked the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (MGB), ‘O Commander of the Faithful! I have heard from Salman, Miqdad and Abuzar some interpretations (of the Quran) and traditions from the Prophet (MGB) which differ with what is in the hands of the people. Then I heard that you acknowledged what I had heard from the people. There are many things in the hands of the people including interpretations of the Quran and traditions of the Prophet (MGB) with which you disagree and consider invalid. Do you think that the people falsely ascribe these traditions to God’s Prophet (MGB) and interpret the Quran as they wish?’ Then Ali (MGB) faced me and said, ‘You asked. Now try to understand the answer. In fact, what exists in the hands of the people includes truth and falsehood; right and wrong; etc.During the Prophet’s lifetime, they ascribed so many lies to him that he was forced to stand up and say, ‘O people! The lies ascribed to me have become too much. Whoever intentionally ascribes lies to me will go to Hell.’ However, there were a lot more lies ascribed to him. Indeed the Prophet’s narrations only reach you from four persons. Firstly, narrations may reach you from a hypocrite who claims to believe in public, but has not hesitation whatsoever to ascribe lies to the Prophet (MGB). The people would not accept his lies, if they know that he is a hypocrite. However, the people believe what he says, because they think that he has seen the Prophet (MGB) and has heard what he says from the Prophet (MGB). They do not really know him. However, the Honorable the Exalted God has informed us about the hypocrites and their characteristics and said, ‘When thou lookest at them, their exteriors please thee; and when they speak, thou listenest to their words…’Such hypocrites existed even after the Prophet (MGB). They got close to the leaders who misled the people and invite to the fire, and spoke in favor of them so that they may be hired to fill major positions. The people usually follow their leaders, unless they are saved by God.Secondly, narrations may reach you through a man who has heard something from God’s Prophet (MGB), but has not memorized it. He has no intentions of lying but he has not understood it well. He possesses incorrect narrations. He instructs others to follow them and follows them himself. He narrates them for others and says that he has heard it from God’s Prophet. If the Muslims know that it is wrong, they would not accept it from him. It may even be the case that he might discard it, if he knew it was wrong.Thirdly, narrations may reach you from someone who has heard that God’s Prophet (MGB) has issued an order, but has not heard that God’s Prophet (MGB) himself has later issued an opposite order. Or he may have heard that God’s Prophet (MGB) has admonished against something, but has not heard that God’s Prophet (MGB) himself has later advised it. He remembers it one way but he has either not heard or doesn’t remember it the other way. If the Muslims knew that such and such an order has later been dismissed, they would abandon it.Fourthly, narrations may reach you from someone who has not ascribed lies to the Prophet of God (MGB). Rather he hates to lie since he fears the Honorable the Exalted God and honors God’s Prophet (MGB). Such a person may have memorized whatever he has heard from God’s Prophet (MGB) and may restate his words in exactly the same way that he has heard them. However, it may be the case that they use one decree and not use its opposite. The decrees of the Prophet (MGB) are similar to the verses of the Quran. There are ones that are opposite to the previous ones (to cancel or change them). The Prophet (MGB) had many such statements. We must accept what the Prophet (MGB) has said, and abandon what he has withheld as the Honorable the Exalted God said in His Book, ‘…So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah for Allah is strict in Punishment.’Whoever doesn’t realize what God and the Prophet (MGB) meant would fall into error. It is not the case that all the companions of the Prophet (MGB) could give the proper answer to whatever they may be asked. Some of them asked some questions, but never tried to understand the answer. It seemed hard for them to understand things. They waited for a Bedouin to come and ask questions from the Prophet (MGB), so that they may hear theProphet’s response. I always had an especial time during the day and at night with the Prophet (MGB). He (MGB) let me be with him (MGB) during these times. All the companions of the Prophet (MGB) knew well that he (MGB) never treated anyone else this way. Sometimes the Prophet (MGB) came to see me in my house. Sometimes I went to see the Prophet (MGB) in his house. He (MGB) would then tell his wives to leave the room and had a private meeting with me. When the Prophet (MGB) came to see me in my house, he (MGB) would not tell Fatimah (MGB) or any of my children to leave. He (MGB) responded to whatever I asked. He (MGB) talked whenever I finished asking questions and remained silent. He (MGB) would clearly recite to me whatever Quranic verse which was revealed to him (MGB), so that I may write it in my own handwriting. He (MGB) taught me their interpretation and the other related issues. He (MGB) asked God to help me memorize it. I have not forgotten any of the verses of the Holy Quran and any of the knowledge which he (MGB) stated to me and I wrote it down. The Prophet (MGB) did not withhold anything from me and taught me whatever God had taught him including issues such as the legitimate and the illegitimate; obligatory and forbidden deeds; books of the previous Prophets; their enjoining to do good deeds and admonishing against evil deeds. I memorized everything and did not forget anything. Then he put his hand on my chest and asked God to fill up my heart with knowledge, understanding, wisdom and light. I said, ‘O Prophet of God! May my parents be your ransom! I have forgotten nothing and have written all of that which you taught me since the time you prayed to God for me. Are you worried that I may forget them?’ The Prophet (MGB) replied, ‘No. I am not worried about that at all.’”