Hadith al-Manzila: Difference between revisions

[[Shi'a]] scholars have answered that, "Indeed this hadith is authentic and frequently narrated and according to hadith scholars this hadith is among "most authentic prophet's traditions and most established sources" and even al-Dhahabi, a great Sunni scholar, has approved this hadith in his ''Talkhis al-mustadrak''. If this hadith were not authentic, it would not be mentioned in [[Sahih al-Bukhari]] and [[Sahih Muslim]]. Moreover, [[Mu'awiya]] who was a fierce enemy of Imam 'Ali (a) who had ordered others to insult and curse [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] and to invent hadith against him, not only accepted this hadith but also narrated it.<ref>]ذد Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, P. 179</ref>

A group of Sunnis related this hadith only to the [[Battle of Tabuk]] and some others even limited it and said that the Prophet (s) appointed 'Ali (a) his deputy only in [[Medina]] and only among his own family and said that accepting this hadith does not mean that all the Prophet's (s) positions and merits except [[prophethood]] could be also approved about 'Ali (a) and the appearance of hadith can only mean that 'Ali (a) was the Prophet's (s) deputy only in the absence of the Prophet (s) at the time of the Battle of Tabuk and just about his family affairs like [[Aaron]] was his deputy in his absence.

# Many Sunni scholars did not limit this hadith to the Battle of Tabuk and believe that the Prophet (s) said the same hadith in other occasions too. In approving the deputyship of Imam 'Ali (a), [[Ibn Abi al-Hadid]] referred to the Qur'an and different hadiths and says that all merits and positions of Aaron are proved about 'Ali (a) and if the Prophet (s) was not the Last of Prophets, 'Ali (a) would even be his partner in prophethood. The Prophet (s) named 'Ali's (a) sons the same as Aaron's sons and said, "I named them Shubbar and Shubayr after Aaron's sons."

# Companions themselves understood a general sense of the hadith regarding 'Ali's (a) positions; for example, when [[Jabir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari]] was asked about the meaning of the hadith of Manzila, he (s) answered that in this hadith, the Prophet (s) appointed 'Ali (a) as his deputy among his ummah, in his life and after his demise and made his obedience incumbent upon you.

Aaron had the position of caliphate and other merits when Moses was alive, since he passed away before Moses, thus 'Ali (a) might have had Aaron's positions and merits while the Prophet (s) was alive; therefore, Hadith of Manzila cannot be considered a rule for caliphate after the Prophet (s).

# The word "except" in the hadith ("Illa annahu la nabiyya ba'di"), ["except for there is no prophet after me."]) clarifies the generality of the hadith and the mentioned positions and merits are approved for 'Ali (a) after the Prophet (s), otherwise there would be no need for the exception. According to [[al-Tabarasi]], hadith scholars generally agree that the Prophet (s) appointed 'Ali (a) as his deputy in Medina in the Battle of Tabuk and did not dismiss him and this position remained valid for Imam 'Ali (a).