Question 276, from the book Al-Jawab Al-Moneer Vol. 3, section of the answers by the Ansar of Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s)
A Sunni woman wrote a message to which the Ansari Sheikh Nathim Al-Uqeily, may Allah (swt) safeguard him, responded with proofs just from Sunni sources. Basically her questions and his answers tackled the following points (which are points often raised by our Sunni brothers and sisters):
1) How dare you accuse A’isha of adultery while she was the wife of the Prophet? Why do you not sanctify her like you sanctify Khadijah and Umm Salamah for example? And let’s assume that A’isha made a mistake against Imam Ali by going to war against him, does this take her out from Islam?
(Here Sheikh Nathim will state very clearly that we never accused A’isha of adultery. And he will mention that we only sanctify the wives who have held tight to the will and commands of the Prophet (sawas), so he will prove from Sunni sources a lot of Hadiths in which the Prophet (sawas) clearly and repeatedly stated that if Ali goes on a certain path and other people go to another path then you must stick with Ali because he will always take you to guidance and will never mislead you, and he will also mention other Hadiths from Sunni sources which say that whoever separates from Ali has separated from the Prophet and whoever separates from the Prophet has separated from Allah (swt). And it is confirmed with Sunni and Shia that A’isha went out against Ali in a lot of incidents, and the most popular of them is the battle of the camel, so according to the Sunni Hadiths, A’isha separated from Ali (a.s), therefore she has separated from the Prophet (sawas), therefore, she has separated from Allah (swt) – according to Sunni sources. He will also mention Hadiths that show that the Prophet (sawas) himself was the one who commanded us to love Ali and he (sawas) (not the Shia!) was the one who made the love of Ali a measure of faith – again just from Sunni sources)
2) If you say that A’isha was misguided and not upon the truth, then how could the Prophet (sawas) make a “mistake” and marry her while he is infallible?
(Here Sheikh Nathim will prove from the Qur’an that Prophets do not necessarily marry righteous women)
3) Isn’t there a verse in Qur’an that says “The evil ones are for the evil ones and the good ones are for the good ones”? So how do you say that A’isha is evil?
(Here Sheikh Nathim will show that according to the Sunni scholars and sunni interpretations, this verse does not mean what she understood, rather it means: “the evil speech is for the evil people and the good speech is for the good people”, according to the Sunni interpretations)
4) A’isha is from Ahlul Bayt since she is the wife of the Prophet, so she is purified from every impurity because the verse in the Holy Qur’an says: {Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification}
(Here Sheikh Nathim will prove from Sunni sources that the wives of the Prophet are not included in “Ahlul Bayt” and not included in this verse and that “Ahlul Bayt” is restricted to only Ali, Fatima and their Progeny, peace be upon all of them – all from Sunni sources)
So if any of those question are questions that you faced before, then please take the time to read the response of Sheikh Nathim, perhaps you may take it insha’Allah as a base then further research on your own if you need to.
And may Allah (swt) guide the sincere truth seeker.
The following is the question as it came in the book:
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Question 276:
a) I have sent you a message two months ago but you have not responded to it. I believe you did not like it. I will give you noble verses to prove to you that Ahlul Bayt include the wife:
In the Name of Allah The Merciful The Intensely Merciful {And when Job (Ayoub) called to his Lord, “Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful” * So We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of adversity. And We gave him [back] his family….} [Surat Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:83-84]
In the Name of Allah The Merciful The Intensely Merciful {They said, “Are you amazed at the decree of Allah ? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, Ahlul Bayt (people of the house). Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable”} [Surat Hud 11:73]
In the Name of Allah The Merciful The Intensely Merciful {And when Moses had completed the term and was traveling with his family…..} [Surat Al-Qasas 28:29]
As for the purification, In the Name of Allah The Merciful The Intensely Merciful {….Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you….} [Surat Al Ma’ida 5:6]
b) Peace, Mercy, and Blessings of Allah be upon you. May Allah send His Peace and Blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad and the companions of Muhammad, all of them.
You say the truth a lot of times, rather you are the best Shia group. However, you agree with them in insulting and cursing and you did not even make The mother of the Believers (A’isha) be rescued from that. Rather, you made the measure of faith to be the love for Ali and his sons, and not believing in Allah and His Angels and Messenger and the Final Day.
The infallible does not make mistakes, so how could the Prophet make a mistake and marry A’isha? He is far away from that! Did not Allah (swt) say that evil ones is for evil ones and good ones are for good ones? Contemplate over the verse and seek Allah’s forgiveness! And let’s assume that she made a mistake against Imam Ali, does this take her out from Islam? Was she not honored by the hug of the Messenger of the Nation? Or Ali is of a higher rank that his Prophet?!
By Allah, we love Ali and his sons, and if there is someone who hates then he hates him because of you! You have exaggerated in your love to them to the degree of extremism and you made them in the rank of the God, they know what Allah’s Messenger does not know, [The Messenger] whom they accused his wife and did not know she was innocent until Allah exculpated her in His Book.
Lastly I say that insulting and cursing is not from the manners of the Prophets. And there is no Prophet [who came] particularly for a certain group and not for another, such as you, your vicegerent came only for the Shia. I am not writing to argue, rather, to know the truth, for I have previously written to you but you have not answered; because I have written from the Qur’an and there is no argument in the Qur’an!
Sender: Suheila – Denmark
Answer:
In the Name of Allah The Merciful, The Intensely Merciful,
All Praises belong to Allah the Lord of the Worlds,
O Allah, send Your Peace and Blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis, and send great greetings.
We do not accuse any of The Messenger’s (sawas) wives to have committed adultery (God forbid), and we respect all who have followed the commands of The Messenger Muhammad (sawas) and did not come out against his rightful Successor after him, for we sanctify Khadijah and Umm Salama and the likes of them (a.s).
As for A’isha the daughter of Abu Bakr, it has been proven from Sunni sources and Shia sources that she fought Ali Ibn Abi Talib the Successor of the Messenger of Allah (sawas), and because of her Fitna thousands of people were killed and martyrs were gone, and she was among the harshest enemies of The Commander of the Believer Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s).
As such, she has violated the commands of the Messenger of Allah (sawas) who has said about the right of Ali ibn Talib (a.s): [Pay attention that all the following Hadiths are from Sunni sources]
(Whoever obeyed me has indeed obeyed Allah The Almighty. And whoever disobeys me has indeed disobeyed Allah. And whoever obeys Ali has indeed obeyed me. And whoever disobeyed Ali has indeed disobeyed me) [1]
(O Ammar, if you saw Ali taking a path and the people taking another path, then go with Ali and leave the people, for he will never take you to destruction nor will he ever take you out of guidance) [2]
(Whoever separates from Ali has indeed separated from me, and whoever separates from me has indeed separated from Allah) [3]
(O Ali, whoever separates from you has indeed separated from me, and whoever separated from me has indeed separated from Allah) [4]
And Sheikh Al-Ameeny said in “Al-Ghadeer”: Volume 2 Page 313: The Messenger of Allah (sawas) said:
(Verily, this is the first one to believe in me, and he is the first to shake hands with me on the Day of Resurrection. And he is the Grand Siddiq (Truthful), and he is the Farouq (Distinguisher) of this nation, he distinguishes between the truth and falsehood, and he is the dragonfly of the believers)
Al-Sheikh Al-Ameeny said in “Al-Ghadeer”: Volume 2 Page 313, reported by Al-Tabarani from Salman and Abu Dharr, and Al-Buheiqy and Al-‘Adny from Huzayfa, and Al-Hasheemy in Al-Mojma’: Volume 9 Page 102, and Al-Hafiz Al-Kinjy in Al-Kifaya 79 from Tareeq Al-Hafiz ibn ‘Asaker and in the end, [Ali is] (my door which [people] come to me from, and he is my Successor after me). And Al-Mutaqqi Al-Hindi mentioned it in the fist expression, in Ikmal Kanz Al-‘Umal: Volume 6 Page 5.
And in Musnad Ahmad:
(And the people went out in the battle of Tabuk, he said: so Ali said to him(the prophet sawas): Do I go out with you? So he said: The Prophet said to him: No. So Ali cried. So the Prophet said to him: Are you not satisfied to have the position in relation to me as that Aaron had in relation to Moses, except that after me there will be no other prophet?”. Indeed I can not go except while you are my successor. He said: And the Messenger of Allah said to him: You are the Wali (vicegerent/guardian) of every believer after me) [5]
And in Mojma’ Al-Zawa’id: Ibn Abbas narrated:
(When the Prophet (pbuh [and his family]) married Fatima to Ali, Fatima said: O Messenger of Allah, you have married me to a poor man, he does not own anything. So the Messenger of Allah (pbuh [and his family]) said: Are you not satisfied, O Fatima, that Allah chose two men from the People of Paradise, one of them is your father, and the other is your husband?) [6]
And in Kanz Al-‘Umal:
(Whoever wants to live my life and die my death and enter Paradise which my Lord promised me a twig from its twigs that He planted with His hands, and it is the Paradise of Al-Khuld (Immortality)), then let him take Ali and his progeny after him as his masters, for they will never take you out of a door of guidance, and they will never make you enter a door of misguidance) [7]
And in Kanz Al-‘Umal:
(O Buraydah, verily, Ali is your Wali (vicegerent/guardian) after me, so love Ali for he does what he is commanded to do) [8]
And in Kanz Al-‘Umal:
(There will be Fitna after me, so when this takes place then stay with Ali ibn Talib for he is the Farouq (distinguisher) between the truth and falsehood) [9]
And in Kanz Al-‘Umal:
(O Ammar, if you saw that Ali took a path, and the people took another path than his, then go with Ali and leave the people, for indeed he will never take you to destruction and he will never take you out of guidance) [10]
As for the fact that A’isha was the wife of the Messenger of Allah (sawas), this does not mean that she is sacred, nor does it mean that she is protected from going astray! The proof for that is the fact that the Qur’an has talked about the misguidance of the wives of some of the Prophets:
{Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them, so those prophets did not avail them from Allah at all, and it was said, “Enter the Fire with those who enter”} [Surat Al-Tahrim 66:10]
{[Abraham] said, “Indeed, within it is Lot.” They said, “We are more knowing of who is within it. We will surely save him and his family, except his wife. She is to be of those who remain behind” } [Surat Al-Ankabut 29:32]
{And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed for them and felt for them great discomfort. They said, “Fear not, nor grieve. Indeed, we will save you and your family, except your wife; she is to be of those who remain behind} [Surat Surat Al-Ankabut 29:33]
So if the verse which you mentioned: {The evil ones are for the evil ones, and the good ones are for the good ones. Those are declared innocent of what the people say. For them is forgiveness and noble provision} [Surat Al-Nur 24:26] means that The Prophet can not marry except a woman who is righteous outwardly and inwardly like you understood, then here is the response from the Qur’an which proves that some of the wives of the Prophets were misguided and their abode is Hell Fire and the most evil destination.
Moreover, the interpretation of this verse according to Abnaa’ Al’Ama (The General People i.e Sunnis), is that what is meant by the “evil ones” is “bad words/speech”, and what is meant by the “good ones” is “good words/speech”. And here is the text of the interpretation with its source:
It is mentioned in Mo’jam Al-Kabeer by Al-Tabarani: Volume 23 Page 157-159:
Salma ibn Nabeet said that Al-Dahak ibn Muzahim, regarding what he says about “the evil ones are for the evil ones”, he said that it means: “the evil words are for the evil people”. And regarding what he says about “the good ones are for the good ones”, he said that it meant: “the good words are for the good people”.
Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’ed ibn Abi Maryam narrated to us that Abu Maryam narrated to us that Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Firyaby narrated that Warqaa’ narrated that Abu Najeeh narrated that Mijahid narrated about the saying: The good ones and the bad ones, he said [it means]: The good saying and the bad saying, for the good saying is for the believers, and the bad saying is for the disbelievers.
Abu Khaleefa narrated that Muhammad ibn Abeed ibn Hisan narrated that Muhammad ibn Thawr narrated that Mu’amar narrated that Abi Najeeh narrated that Mujahid said about the saying “The evil ones are for the evil ones” that it means “The evil speech is for the evil people and the evil people are for the evil speech, and the good speech is for the good people and the good people are for the good speech”
Ali ibn Mubaraka Al-San’ani narrated to us that Yazeed ibn Al-Mubarak narrated that Muhammad ibn Thawr narrated that ibn Jareeh narrated that Mujahid said about the saying “The evil ones are for the evil ones” that it means “The evil saying and the good saying for the the good believer and the bad disbeliever”
Abdel Rahman ibn Salem Al-Razi narrated that Sahl ibn Uthman narrated that Ali ibn Mashar and Marwan ibn Mu’awiya that both of them said: Abdel Malik ibn Abi Suleiman narrrated that Al-Qasim ibn Biza narrated that Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said about the saying “the evil ones are for the evil ones and the good ones are for the good ones” that it means: “the evil saying is for the evil people and the good saying is for the good people”
Zakariya ibn Yahya Al-saji narrated that Ahmad ibn Ishaq Al-Ahwazi narrated that Abu Ahmad Al-Zubayri narrated that Hassan ibn Saleh narrated that Abdel Malik ibn Abi Suleiman narrated that AlQasim ibn Abi Biza narrated that Mujahid or Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said about the saying “the evil ones are for the evil ones” that it means: “the evil saying is for the evil people and the good saying is for the good people”
Hafs ibn Al-Saleh narrated that Abdullah ibn Muslim ibn Hermz narrated that Sa’eed ibn Jubayr narrated that Ibn Abbas said about the saying “the evil ones are for the evil ones” that it means: “the evil saying is for the evil of people”, and about “the good ones are for the good ones” that it means “the good saying is for the good people”.
End of the words of Al-Tabarani
And perhaps what is meant from “the evil ones and the good ones” are certain women during the time of the Messenger (sawas) or specific women by certain descriptions, not that the speech is general. So how could you interpret Qur’an according to your own desire?!
In all cases, your understanding of the verse opposes the Noble Qur’an in which it was mentioned that [some] Prophets married women who are from the people of Hell Fire.
As for the Ahlul Bayt (People of the House) of the Prophet, and the fact that [“Ahlul Bayt”] is especially for Ali ibn Abi Talib and their progeny, then this is confirmed from Shia and Sunni sources. And I shall narrate to you what has been narrated from Abnaa Al’ama (the sunnis) in order that it may be a definite proof upon you:
Ahmad narrated in his Musnad: Ali ibn Zayd said that Anas ibn Malik said that the Prophet (sawas) would pass by the house of Fatima for six months and when the Fajr arrives he says:
(It is time for Prayer, O people of the house (Ahlul Bayt)! Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification) [11]
And it has also been narrated: Shaddad Abi Ammar said: I entered upon Wa’ila ibn Al-Asqa’ and there were people with him, so they mentioned Ali. Then when they left he said to me: Do you want me to tell you what I have seen from the Messenger of Allah (sawas)? I said: Yes. He said: I went to Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) to ask her about Ali. She said: (He went to the Messenger of Allah sawas). So I sat down waiting for him, until the Messenger of Allah (sawas) came, and with him were Ali, Al-Hassan, and Al-Hussein (may Allah be pleased with them). He took each one of them by their hand until he entered, and he got Ali and Fatima closer and made them sit down between his hands, and he made Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein sit on his lap, then he covered them with his dress, or he said cloak, then he narrated this verse: {Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification}, and he (sawas) said: (O Allah, these are my Ahlul Bayt, and my Ahlul Bayt are more rightful/more deserving) [12]
It has also been narrated that Ataa’ ibn Abi Ribah said (I have been informed by the one who heard Umm Salama mentioning that the Prophet (sawas) was at her house, so Fatima came to him with a dish called AI-Khazira (a kind of food). The Prophet told her (call your husband and two sons). She said: So Ali, Al-Hassan, and Al-Hussein came, they entered upon him and began eating from that Al-Khazira, while he was lying on a bench/couch, under it was a cloak from Khaybar. She said: While I was praying in the room, Allah The Almighty sent down the verse {Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification}. So he took the cloak and covered them with it, then he brought his hand out and directed it towards the sky and said: (O Allah! This is my household (Ahlul Bayt) and my special ones, so keep off from them every kind of impurity and purify them with a perfect purification) She said: I entered my head to the house and said: Am I with you, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said: (You are toward goodness, you are toward goodness) [13]
Mas’ab ibn Sheeba said that Safiyya bint Shebya said: A’isha said: (once the Prophet came wrapped up in a cloak of black hair. Then Al-Hassan son of Ali entered and he took him inside the cloak, then Al-Hussein came and joined them inside the cloak. Then his daughter Fatima came and he took her inside, then Ali entered and he took him inside the cloak. Then he said: {Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification}[14]
Al-Hakim narrated from Isma’il son of Abdullah son of Ja’far son of Abi Talib, that his father said: (When the Messenger of Allah (sawas) saw the Mercy coming down, he said: (Call for me, call for me). So Safiyya said: Whom do we call for you O Messenger of Allah? So he said: (My Ahlul Bayt Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein) So they were called and came, so the Prophet (sawas) covered them with his cloak then raised his hand and said: (O Allah these are my family, so send Your Peace and Blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad) Then Allah The Almighty sent down: {Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification}[15]
Al-Tirmidh narrated from Ataa’ that Umar ibn Abi Salama the stepson of the Prophet (sawas) that he said: (This verse came down upon the Prophet (sawas) {Verily Allah desires to keep off from you every kind of impurity O’ People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and purify you with a perfect purification} in the house of Umm Salama, so the Prophet (sawas) called Fatima and Hassan and Hussein and covered them with a cloak, and Ali was behind him so he covered him with [the same] cloak, then he said: (O Allah, These are my Ahlul Bayt so keep off from them every kind of impurity and purify them with a perfect purification) Then Umm Salama said: Am I with them O Messenger of Allah? So he said: You remain in your position and you are toward goodness) [16]
So the significance of the fact that “Ahlul Bayt” is restricted to Ali and Fatima and their progeny is not hidden in the Hadiths, and especially the last Hadith, since he did not include Umm Salama (a.s) the wife of the Messenger Muhammad (sawas). And we have more.
Lastly, I ask Allah that you may be guided and that you may turn to the truth. And all praises belong to Allah the Lord of the worlds. And may Allah send His Peace and Blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad, the Imams and the Mahdis, and send great greetings.
The Academic Committee
Ansar of Imam Al-Mahdi (may Allah enable him in the Earth)
Sheikh Nathim Al-Uqeily
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[1] Al-Hakim Al-Nisaboury reported it in his Mustadrak and he testified that its Isnad (Sanad/credibility of chain of narrators) is Sahih (authentic/credible). Revise Al-Mustadrak: Volume 3 Page 121, And the same content Al-Mustadrak: Volume 3 Page 128. And also Al-Hakim testified that its Sanad is Sahih. And in his Talkhees, Sayyed Abdel Hussein Sharaf Al-Deen reported from Al-Zahaby reported his testimony that the Sanad if this Hadith is Sahih. Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 614
[2] Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 613
[3] Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabeer by Al-Tabarani: Volume 12, Page 323. Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 614
[4] It was reported in the same content by Al-Hakim Al-Nisaboury in his Mustadrak and he testified that its Sanad is Sahih, adn this is its text (Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that The Prophet (sawas) said: (O Ali, whoever separates from me has separated from Allah, and whoever separates from you has separated from me). Its Isnad is Sahih and has not reported by the two. Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim Al-Nisaboury Volume 3 page 123-124. And Al-Haithamy mentioned it in Mojma’ Al-Zawa’id Volume 9 Page 135 the door of “Al-Haqq ma’ Ali (The truth is with Ali)”, and Al-Haithamy testified that its chain of narrators are Thuqat (credible/trusted). Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 614
[5] Musnad Ahmad Volume 1 Page 331. And it was reported by Al-Hakim Al-Nisaboury in his Mustadrak and he testified that its Sanad is Sahih. Revise Al-Mustadrak Volume 3 Page 133-134. And Al-Haithamy reported it in Mojma’ Al-Zawa’id Volume 9 Page 119-120 the door of “Jam’i fi Manaqib Ali a.s (Collection of the virtues of Ali a.s)”. And Al-Haithamy said about this Hadith: Ahmad Al-Tabarani has reported it Al-Kabeer and Al-Awsat in summary, and the men (narrators) of Ahmad are the men of the Sahih, other than Abi Balj Al-Fizary and he is Thiqa (credible/trusted) and there is Leen in it.
[6] Mojma’ Al-Zawa’id by Al-Haithamy Volume 9 Page 112. Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabeer by Al-Tabarani Volume 11 Page 77
[7] It was reported by Al-Hakim Al-Nisaboury in his Mustadrak and he testified that its Sanad is Sahih, Al-Mustadrak Volume 3 Page 128. Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 611
[8] And it was reported by Ibn Asakir in Tareekh Madinat Dimishq (The history of the city of Damascus) Volume 42 Page 191. Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 612
[9] Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 612
[10] Kanz Al-‘Umal – AlMutaqa Al-Hindi Volume 11 Page 613
[11] Musnad Ahmad Volume 3 Page 259
[12] Musnad Ahmad Volume 4 Page 107
[13] Musnad Ahmad Volume 6 Page 292
[14] Sahih Muslim Volume 7 Page 130
[15] Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim Al-Nisaboury Volume 3 Page 147
[16]Sunnan Al-Tirmidhi Volume 5 Page 328Norhan Alqersh
The despicable guilty shortcomer
أشهد أن لا اله إلا الله
اَشْهَدُ اَنّ مُحَمّدًا رّسولُ الله
اَشْهَدُ اَنّ عَليّا وّ الْاَئِمَةٍ مّنْ وّلْدِهِ حُجَجُ الله
اَشْهَدُ اَنّ أحمد الحسن وَ الْمَهْديّينَ مِنْ وّلْدِهِ حُجَجُ الله