wikishia:Featured Article/2016/37

Aṣbagh b. Nubāta Al-Mujāshiʿī al-Tamīmī al-Ḥanẓalī (Arabic:اصبغ بن نباته المُجاشعی التَمیمی الحَنظلی) (Seventh century), was a close and loyal companion of Imam 'Ali (a). He was one of the members of Shurta al-Khamis (A group of elite and devoted soldiers of Imam 'Ali).

The main reason for Asbagh's fame among the companions of Imam 'Ali (a) was his narrations and Shi'a scholars of 'Ilm al-rijal regarded him as an outstanding and authentic narrator of hadith. His narrations are mainly about historical, jurisprudential and moral issues. Most famous narrations from him are the letter of Imam 'Ali (a) to Malik al-Ashtar and the Imam's advice to his son, Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya.

Majority of Sunni hadith scholars did not regard Asbagh as authentic. It seems that this rejection is because of his zealous love towards Imam 'Ali (a) so that they accused him of being Rafidi and ghali. Read more...