Aban ibn Abi Ayyash narrates from Sulaym ibn Qays Hilali. Sulaym said: “I asked Ali (a.s): (“O Amirul Mumineen, I heard some commentary of Quran from Abu Dhar, Salman and Miqdad, and some riwaya they heard from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). After that I heard confirmation of these from you. I have seen a lot of things relating to commentary of Quran and lots of traditions from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) in people’s hands and they are different from what I have heard from you and people think that they are invalid. Do you think that these people intentionally lie about the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and comment on the Quran in their own understanding?”)
Sulaym said: “Ali (A.S.) turned towards me and said: O Sulaym, you have asked so understand the answer. People have in their hands valid and invalid, truth and falsehood, nasikh (those verses that invalidated other verses) and Mansukh (the invalid verses), particular and general, Mohkam (clear) and Mutashabih (not clear) and Hifdh (memorised) and Wahma (suspect) and during the time of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) also people told lies and related to him, until he (S.A.W) got up in front of them to address them. He said: [“O people, there are a lot that relate lies towards me. So any person who intentionally relates a lie to me, he should reserve a place in Hell for himself”]. After his death people lied and related the lie to him. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W), May Allah bless the Nabi of Rahmah (the Prophet of Mercy), and send His blessings on him and his Ahlulbayt.
Those that tell you traditions will be of four types – there won’t be a fifth one.
One will be a hypocrite who will portray Iman and is a Muslim just to show. He does not think it is bad, or a sin, to relate false things to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) intentionally. If Muslims knew he was a liar, a hypocrite, then they would not accept what he said was true. But they said he is a companion of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), they have seen him, heard tradition from him, he does not lie and does not think it lawful to relate a lie to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). Whereas the information that Allah has given about hypocrites, He has given and He has described his attributes that he has. Allah Tabarak WA T’Ala has said: And when you see them, their presence will please you, and if they speak, you will listen to their speech; (Surah Munafiqun:4).
These people in the end stayed alive and became nearer to the imams who deviated them and, near to those who called them towards Hell through deceit, lie, hypocrisy, and accusation. So they made them leaders and let them ride on the backs of people and in this world, through them, fed themselves. And people are with Kings except those whom Allah saves. So this is one of the four types.
There is another who heard something from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) but he did not remember exactly what he heard and did not lie intentionally and he has what he heard from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and he acts on it, and says that he heard it from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). If Muslims knew that he had any doubt, then they would not accept it. If he himself knew he was doubtful then he would leave it.
The third type is a person who heard something from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) what he ordered and then stopped it, but the person does not know, or he heard something that was stopped and after that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) order to do it, but the person does not know it. This person remembered Mansukh (what order has been withdrawn) and did not remember Nasikh (what is current). If he knew it was Mansukh he would leave it. If Muslims knew the order was Mansukh when they heard, they would all leave it.
The fourth is a person who did not associate any lie to Allah or His Prophet because he bore enmity towards lie, and feared Allah, respected and valued the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and had no doubt. He remembered it the way he heard it. He did not add or leave anything out, remembered Nasikh and Mansukh, acted on Nasikh and left Mansukh.
The order of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to do, and to stop, is like Quran. It is Nasikh and it is Mansukh. It is general and particular, Mohkam and Mutashabih. Sometimes there used to be two types of his talk. One used to be particular and general like Quran. He who did not know what Allah has meant and what the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) had meant also heard this.
Not all companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) were of the type who would ask him and understand him. There were also those who used to ask, but did not understand until they wanted that somebody comes, or an Arabi (one who lived in the outskirts of Medina) comes and asks the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) so they would hear him.
I used to go to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) everyday – once in the morning and once at night and he used to see me alone and wherever he went I used to go with him. The companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) know that he did not do that with anyone else except me, and sometimes this used to happen in my house The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) used to come to me and when I used to go to him at some place, he used to meet me alone, and asked his women to go and there was nobody except him and myself and when he used to come to my house to meet me alone, then neither Fatimah nor my children went away.
When I used to question him he would answer me and when I was silent or my questions finished, he would himself start. There is no verse of Quran that was revealed that he did not make me recite and write, and I used to write with my own hands and he used to pray to Allah that I understand it and remember it.
I have not forgotten any verse of Allah’s Book ever since I have remembered it. He told me its meanings, and I remembered it and he made me write it and I wrote it, and there is nothing that Allah told him haram or halal, or Amr or Nahiy and Itaa’t (obedience) and sin, and things that have happened or will happen until the Day of Judgement, but he told me and I remembered it. I have not forgotten even one alphabet about it. Then the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) kept his hand on my chest and prayed to Allah that my chest is filled with knowledge, understanding (fahm), Fiqh (jurisprudence), Hukm and Noor (light) and teaches me in such a manner that I do not remain ignorant and remember it in a manner that I do not forget it.
One day I asked him “O Prophet of Allah, since the day you prayed for me, whatever you prayed, I have not forgotten the knowledge that you taught me so why do you make me write and why do you ask me to write? Are you afraid that I will forget it? He replied “O my brother, I am not afraid that you will forget it or by ignorant. Allah has informed me that He has accepted my prayer for you and for your partners (the imams) who will be after you”. I asked “O Prophet of Allah, who are my partners?”
He replied: “Those whom Allah made near to Him and with Him, near to me also – for whom He has said: O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you; (Surah Nisa:59). So I asked: “O Prophet of Allah, who are these people?”
He replied: “They are Awsiya until they all come to me at the Fountain. They are all guided and are guides. They will not be harmed by those who harm them and do not lose from those that leave them. They are all with Quran and Quran is with them.
They will not separate from Quran and Quran will not separate from them. Through them Allah will help my Ummah and through them it will rain, and through their prayers which have already been accepted, calamities of people will be removed.”
I said: “O Prophet of Allah, please tell me their names.” He replied: “My this son (he kept his hand on Hassan’s (a.s) head), then after him my this son (and he kept his hand on the head of Husayn (a.s)) and then my this son’s son (again he put his hand on Husayn’s (a.s) head), then his son whose name will be same as mine, whose name will be Muhammad. He will spread my knowledge and he will be the treasurer of Allah’s Message and O my brother, Ali will be born soon during your life time so give him my salaam”. Then he turned to Husayn (a.s) and said: “Very soon Muhammad Ibn Ali (a.s) will be borne in your life time – give him my salaam”. Then, O brother, all 2 Imams in your children” (i.e. 2 imams including Ali (a.s).)
Then I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me the names of all.” So he (S.A.W) uttered the names of each one individually.
So O brother of Bani Hilal, By God, the Mahdi (Guide) of this Ummah will be he who will fill this earth with justice and peace in the same manner that it is full of oppression and tyranny. By God, I know all of them who will pay him allegiance in between Rukn-Makam (place between Hajre Aswad and Makame Ibrahim), and I know their names and their tribe.”
Sulaym said: “After the death of Ali (a.s) I met Hasan (a.s) and Husayn (a.s) in medina and I narrated this Hadith to them from their father. They both said: [“You are telling truth. Our father told this Hadith to you when we were sitting and we remembered it from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) in the same manner that you were informed of it by our father. There is no addition nor omission in this.”]
Sulaym said: “Then I met Ali Ibnul Husayn (a.s) when his son Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s) was with him. I narrated this Hadith to him the way I had heard it from his father, and his uncle, and from Ali (a.s). So Ali Ibnul Husayn (a.s) said: [“Amirul Mumineen (a.s) taught me, narrating from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) when he was ill and I was a child”].
Then Muhammad (a.s) said: [“I was taught by my grandfather Husayn (a.s) through the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) when he was ill.”]
Aban said: “I told this whole Hadith to Ali Ibnul Husayn (a.s) narrating it from Sulaym. He said: [“Sulaym said truth. Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari came to my son when he was a child and kept coming to the place of teaching. He kissed him (my son) and gave the salaam of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) to him.”]
Aban said: “I went for Hajj after the death of Ali Ibnul Husayn (a.s) and met Abu Ja’afer, Muhammad ibn Ali (peace be on both of them) and told him the whole Hadith without leaving even one alphabet. His both eyes filled with tears and he said: [“Sulaym said truth. My grandfather Husayn (a.s) and I were sitting with my father and he narrated this Hadith exactly like this to me. At that time my father said: YOU HAVE SAID TRUTH. My father has narrated this Hadith exactly from Amirul Mumineen (a.s) and we are witness.”]
Then they both told me whatever they heard the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). Aban ibn Abi Ayyah says: “After that Abu Ja’afer al Baqir (a.s) told me: [“The oppression that the Quraysh have subjected us to and the way they have over powered us and killed us and the tyranny that our Shia tolerated and the oppression that our lovers have tolerated from people!
No doubt, the day that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) passed away, he informed of our rights and ordered to obey us, and made our Wilayat and Muwaddah compulsory and informed everyone that we have more authority over them than they themselves and he ordered those who present to inform those that were not present. But people over powered Ali (a.s) and Ali (a.s) told them everything that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) had told him and what people had heard about him. People said “You say truth that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) had said that, but he withdrew them and said that we Ahlulbayt are those for whom Allah has given high esteem and has chosen us, and did not prefer duniya for us and Allah will not gather Nubuwah and Imamah for us.” Four people bore witness to this – Umar, Abu Ubeydah, Ma’az ibn Jabal and Salim Mawla Abi Huzayfah, thus creating doubts in people’s minds, so people confirmed what they said, and they reversed (from Deen). They took away Caliphate from the mines where Allah had kept it.
They talked about our rights and used them as an argument to keep the Ansar quiet and then gave the Caliphate to Abu Bakr. Then Abu Bakr gave it to Umar to pay him back. Then Umar declared a shura (committee) among six people, and everyone gave it to Abdul Rahman. Then ibn Awf gave it to Uthman on the condition that he returned it to him. Uthman cheated, so ibn Awf said he (Uthman) was a kafir and ignorant and taunted him in his life time. The children of Abdul Rahman believed that Uthman poisoned him and he died. Then Talha and Zubayr stood up and both willingly paid allegiance to Ali (a.s) and then broke the allegiance and they cheated. They took ‘Aishah to Basra with them and demanded blood (revenge) of Uthman. Then Muawiyah called the evil people of Shaam to take revenge of Uthman’s blood and brought war upon us. Then Ahle-Harura (Kharjites) opposed Ali (a.s) saying that Ali (a.s) should make a decision according to the Book of Allah and the Tradition of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). If the two had made a decision according to the condition above, then according to the Book of Allah and the Tradition of His Prophet, Ali (a.s) should have been Amirul Mumineen. Ahle Nehrwan opposed this and fought with him.
Then people paid allegiance to Hasan ibn Ali (a.s) after his father and agreed to support him and then cheated and tried to hand him over to Muawiyah and attacked him until they poked a knife in his thigh, looted his army and the khalkhal (an ornament worn in ankle) of the mothers of his children. After that when he had no helpers, he signed a peace treaty with Muawiyah, saved his blood and the blood of his Ahlulbayt and his Shia, who were very few.
The 18000 people of Kufa paid allegiance to Husayn (a.s). They cheated him and opposed him and fought with him until he was martyred.
Since the death of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) we Ahlulbayt have been humiliated, made distant and have been deprived and killed and made to leave our home town and we felt frightened for our blood and the blood of our followers. The cheaters, through their lies, got nearer to the leaders, judges and governors in every city and our enemies told false and invalid traditions relating to their past leaders and quoted riwayah (narrations) that we had never told. They only wanted to humiliate us and wanted to accuse us of falsehood, and wanted to get nearer to their leaders through lies.
After the passing away of Hasan (a.s) this became very common during the time of Muawiyah. At that time, in every city, Shias were killed, their hands and feet were cut off and they were hanged on accusations of their being near to us and talking about their love for us.
Then after that adversities increased in numbers and strength, from the martyrdom of Husayn (a.s) until the time of ibn Ziyad. Then came Hajjaj and he killed them (Shia of Ali) for every doubt and accusation until it was said that this person (Shia) was zindiq and majusi and Hajjaj liked it better that these words be used rather than say that they were Shia of Husayn Salwatullah Alayhi.
Sometimes you find a person talk about another person as being good. It is possible that he may be God fearing, and is also honest. He mentions such a big Tradition which is surprising and in which he mentions virtues of previous rulers, whereas Allah has not even created any such thing. And he thinks that this is true because he has heard it from people about whom he did not think were dishonest or less God fearing. And they narrate such bad things from Ali (a.s) and Hasan (a.s) and Husayn (a.s) that only Allah knows what they (narrators) have attributed lies, invalid and wrong things.”]
Aban says: “I asked: May Allah keep you good, tell me some of these things”.
He replied: “Some people have narrated that the two leaders of the old people in Heaven are Abu Bakr and Umar and Umar is he whom Angels speak to and talk to him and contentment talks on his tongue, and Angels feel embarrassed with Uthman and there is a representative of those of skies and a representative of those of the earth and follow those two leaders who are going to come after me and stay firm and, except Nabi, Siddique and Shahid do not listen to anybody, (until Abu Ja’afer (a.s) counted more than 100 narrations) and people think that this is true.”
So Alayhissalam (peace be upon him) said: “By God, this is all lies and wrong”
I said: “May God keep you good, is not there anything correct?” Alayhissalam (pbuh) said: “Some of them are fabricated and some have been turned and twisted. Surely when it is said that it is compulsory for you to listen to Nabi, Siddique and Shahid, it means ALI (A.s). So he accepted this and it is like this: ‘that how can it not be congratulations for you when higher than you is Nabi, Siddique, Shahid?” Here it is meant Ali (a.s), and all narrations like this are wrong, invalid and lies.
O Allah, let my talk be the talk of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and the saying of Ali (a.s) until the Ummah of Muhammad (S.A.W), after him, continues opposing until Allah presents Mahdi (a.s).