Before going any further, for the benefit of those who are kept in dark by their clergy about the exalted status that has been bestowed to Ahlulbayt (as), allow us to present some facts on the topic.
Let us begin our discussion about the religious duty to love Ahlulbayt (as) by citing the incident of cloak as recorded by Allamah Ibn al-Najar al-Hanbali (d. 972 H) in ‘Sharh al-kawkab al-Munir’ Vol. 1 pg. 399:
أَهْلُ الْبَيْتِ ( هُمْ : عَلِيٌّ وَفَاطِمَةُ ) بِنْتُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ( وَنَجْلَاهُمَا ) هُمَا حَسَنٌ وَحُسَيْنٌ ( رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمْ ) لِمَا فِي التِّرْمِذِيِّ { أَنَّهُ لَمَّا نَزَلَ قَوْله تَعَالَى { إنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمْ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ } أَدَارَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْكِسَاءَ .وَقَالَ : هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي وَخَاصَّتِي
Ahlulbayt are Ali, Fatima the daughter of Prophet (s) their sons who are Hasan and Hussain (ra), according to what is in Tirmidhi (book) that when He [swt] revealed {And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless.} the Prophet (as) covered them with a cloak and said: ‘They are my family and my own’.
Likewise, there exists an obligation on the believers to love his Ahulbayt (as) as commanded by Allah (swt) in Surah Ash-Shuraa l:
قُل لا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى
[O Prophet,] say, "I do not ask you for a reward for this [message] except for showing affection to my close relatives."
Allah (swt) has made it incumbent upon al Muslims to love the close relatives of Rasulullah (s) and the Sunni scholars are in agreement that the verse refers to loving Imam ‘Ali (as), Sayyida Fatima (as) and their children. As evidence we shall cite the following esteemed Sunni works:
Tafsir Gharaib al Qur’an Part 25 the verse of Muwaddat pg. 28 comments on the verse as follows:
Saeed bin Jabayr narrates after the descent of this verse Rasulullah (s) was asked ‘who are your kinfolk, who are these close relatives whose love had been made compulsory?’ Rasulullah said they are ‘Ali, Fatima, and their sons’. The commentator then added ‘Verily there is no doubt that this verse descended with regards to the Ahlul Bayt (as) as a matter of pride and superior rank.’
We read in Diwan of Imam Shafi’i pg. 89:
"O Ahlulbayt of the Prophet of Allah! Love for you has been made obligatory for us by Allah, as revealed in the Holy Qur'an (referring to the above verse). It is sufficient for your dignity that if one does not send salutations to you in the ritual prayers, his prayers will not be accepted."
We read in Sawaiq al Muhriqah Vol 1, pg. 387:
Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrated ‘When this verse descended the people asked who are these close relatives whose love had been made compulsory?’ Rasulullah said they are ‘Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn’. One narrator in this chain was an extremist [Ghali] Shi’a yet he is very truthful. Hadhrat ‘Ali said a verse in Surah Shuara descended in our honor and every believer is required to act upon it, he then recited the verse ‘Say: “No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin.”
And for those who may bring the excuse of the incident being ‘weak’ let us provide the testimony of Imam Hassan (as) that the verse 42:23 was revealed for His (as) blessed family. As recorded in Majma Al-Zawa'id, Vol 9, pg 142-143, H 14798 Imam al-Hasan Ibn Ali (AS) said the following in a discourse which he delivered on the martyrdom of Imam Ali:
“… I am among Ahlul-Bayt whom Allah has made their love obligatory for any Muslim when He revealed to His Prophet (s): “Say: I don’t ask you any wage except to love my near kin. And if anyone earns any good We shall give Him an increase of good.” Thus earn the good deed through loving us Ahlul-Bayt.”
Ibn Hajar Makki al-Haythami states about this tradition:
“Narrated al-Bazar and al-Tabarani from al-Hassan may Allah be pleased with him through various chains of narration some of them are ‘Hasan’.”
Let us now read a testimony of Imam Zain al-Abdeen (as) from Tafsir Durre Manthur that is also in Tafsir Ruh al Ma’ani, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafsir Tabari that after the murder of al-Husain (as) when his family were taken prisoners and were moved to Damascus, a man in the city (who among others was looking at the passing of prisoners in the city) said to Zain al-Abideen (Imam Ali Ibn al-Husain) that “Praise be to Allah who destroyed you and made you helpless and cut the root of sedition.” On that, Zain al-Abideen said:
“Didn’t you read ‘Tell I don’t ask you any wage except to love my near kin’?” The man answered: “Are you those?” He (Zain al-Abideen) said: “Yes.”
Allah (swt) had made love of Sayyida Fatima, Imam ‘Ali (as) and their children compulsory in the Holy Qur’an, hence anyone that bears enmity towards them has rejected the Qur’an. Hence we read in Hasakani Al Hanafi’s Tafsir Shawahed al-Tanzeel, Vol 2 pg. 140-142:
Umamah al-Baheli reported that the messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘Allah has created the prophets from different trees but He created me and Ali from one tree, I am the root Ali is the branch, al-Hassan and al-Hussain are the fruit and our Shia are the leaves, whoever holds a branch amongst its branches will survive and whoever turns away will go astray, if a slave worshiped Allah between al-safa and al-marwa for thousand year then another thousand year then another thousand year without possessing love of us Ahlulbayt, Allah will throw him in the hell’. Then (the messenger of Allah) recited: ‘No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin. [042.023]‘
Also:
Ibn Asakir also recorded it in Tarikh Dimashq, Vol. 41 pg. 335 and in Tarikh Dimashq Vol. 42 pg. 65 and pg. 66
We have this tradition in Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0141:
Zirr reported: ‘Ali observed: By Him Who split up the seed and created something living, the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) gave me a promise that no one but a believer would love me, and none but a hypocrite would nurse grudge against me.
We also have the testimony of Abu Said al Khudri:
“We recognized the hypocrites by their hatred of Ali.”
1. Fada'il Sahaba by Ahmad bin Hanbal pg. 579 Hadith number 979
2. Fada’il Sahaba by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal pg. 639 Hadith number 1086
3. Al-Mustadrak al Hakim Vol. 3 pg. 139
4. al-Isti’ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, pg. 1110
5. Al-Estidkar, by ibn Abd al-Barr, Vol. 27 pg. 101 (narrated from Jabir)
6. Muwadeh awham al-Jame wa al-Tafriq, by al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Vol. 1 pg. 41
7. Al-Manaqib, by al-Khawarezmi pg. 232
8. Dakhaer al-Uqba, by al-Tabari pg. 91
9. Tarikh al-Khulafa, Imam-Suyuti pg. 137
10. Meftah al-Naja, by Allamah al-Bedakhsi, pg. 43
11. Al-Qaul al-Fasl, by Alawy al-Hadhrami , Vol. 1 pg. 448
12. Arjah al-Matalib, by Allamah Ubaidallah Amrtsri, pg. 513
13. al-Riyadh al-Nadirah, by al-Muhibb al-Tabari, Vol. 3 pg. 190
The margin writer of the book ‘Fadail al-Sahaba’ namely Dr. Wasiullah Muhammad Abbas graded the tradition of Abu Said al-Khudri as ‘Sahih’, the one of Jabir as ‘Hasan’ and the one of Abu Dhar which is ‘Sahih’ according to Hakim and ‘Weak’ according to Dhahabi. That being said, even if it was weak. We have shown 2 authentic narrations, so the weak one of Abu Dhar only makes the others stronger.
One of the pioneer Sunni scholars Imam Ali bin Muhammad al-Hemayri (d. 323 H) who has been referred to as “Imam, Faqih and Allamah'' by Imam Dhahabi (Siyar a'lam al-nubala, v. 15 p. 13) has also recorded this tradition with different chain of narration in his book ‘Juzu al-Hemayri’ pg. 97, Hadith 38:
ثنا هارون بن إسحاق ثنا سفيان بن عيينة عن الزهري عن يزيد بن خصيفة عن بسر بن سعيد عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال ما كنا نعرف المنافقين على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إلا ببغض علي
Harun bin Ishaq – Sufyan bin Uyayna – al-Zuhri – Yazid bin Khusayfa – Busr bin Saeed – Abi Saeed al-Khudri said: ‘During the time of Messenger of Allah (pbuh), we used to recognize the hypocrites through their hate towards Ali’.
All the narrators in the chain are authentic. Harun bin Ishaq: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Seduq’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib, v2 p257), Dhahabi said: ‘Thiqah’ (Al-Kaashef, v2 p329). Sufyan bin Uyayna: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Thiqah’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib, v1 p371), Dhahabi said: ‘Thiqah Thabt’ (Al-Kaashef, v1 p449). al-Zuhri Ibn Hajar said: ‘There is an agreement about his magnificence & mastery’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib, v2 p133), Al-Dhahabi said: ‘The Imam, the Hafiz of his time’ (Siyar a'lam al nubala, v5 p326). Yazid bin Khusayfa: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Thiqah’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib, v2 p327), Dhahabi said: ‘Thiqah’ (Al-Kaashef, v2 p386). Busr bin Saeed: Ibn Hajar said: ‘Thiqah’ (Taqrib al-Tahdib)
Al Hakim also recorded in Mustadrak ala Sahihain Vol 3 pg. 141:
Salman said: The Prophet saws said: whoever loves Ali loves me and whoever bears a grudge against Ali then he bears a grudge against me.
Muslims are in agreement that a person who claims to be “muslim” and bears hatred for the Prophet (saws), such a person is a munafiq. The Prophet (saws) is equating Hatred for imam Ali (as) to hatred for himself.
Now that we know that every person that has hatred for Imam Ali (as) is a Hypocrite according to the Prophet (saws), Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra), Salman (ra) and Abu Sa'id al-Khudhi (ra). Let us read the following verse in Surah al-Munafiqoon (63:1):
إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ قَالُوا۟ نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
When the hypocrites come to you ˹O Prophet˺, they say, “We bear witness that you are certainly the Messenger of Allah”—and surely Allah knows that you are His Messenger—but Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars.
Can there be a bigger proof than the words of Allah (swt), who has deemed the hypocrites as liars? In this verse, we find the hypocrites testifying to the truth, however, it does not reflect their belief. Allah (swt) has testified that the hypocrites are liars and only a hypocrite would bear a grudge against Imam Alee (a.s). This hypocrisy did not only exist with the Nawasib but also extended to the Uthmani's.
We are quoting from the following authentic books of Ahle Sunnah:
Holy Prophet (s) said: “Whoever abuses Ali, abuses me”
Shu’aib al-Arnaoot in his margin of Musnad Ahmed, Imam Hakim in Mustadrak while Imam Dhahabi in his margin of Mustadrak graded this hadith as ‘Sahih
Various Sunni scholars have recorded the following Hadeeth:
Prophet (s) said to Ali: “You are master in this world and hereafter, Whoever loves you (Ali), loves me and my lover is Allah’s (swt) lover, your enemy is my enemy and my enemy is Allah’s enemy, woe to who will hate you after I pass away”
1. Al-Mustadrak volume 3 page 128
2. Nadhm Durar al-Semtain, by al-Zerandi al-Hanafi, page 102
3. Tarikh Baghdad, by al-Khatib, volume 4 page 261
4. Tarikh Damishq, by ibn Asaker, volume 42 page 292
5. Al-Manaqeb, by al-Khawarezmi, page 70
6. Ma’arej al-Wusol, by al-Zerandi al-Shafeei, page 40
7. Al-Fusul al-Muhyma, ibn al-Sabagh al-Maliki, volume 1 page 594
8. Yanaby al-Muwada, by Qandozi al-Hanafi, volume 1 page 272
9. Manaqeb amir al-Mominin, by ibn al-Mghazli al-Shafeei
10. Tadkirat al-Khawas, by Sebt ibn al-Jawzy, page 54
11. Al-Ryadh al-Nadhyra , by Muhib al-Deen al-Tabari, volume 2 page 177
12. Dayl al-leale, by al-Seuti, page 61
13. Al-Manaqeb al-Murtadhwya, by al-Kashfi al-Hanafi, page 112
14. Noor al-Absar, by al-Sheblanji, page 74
15. Sulh al-Ekhwan, by Sheikh Dawoud Naqshebandi, page 117
16. Meftah al-Naja, by Allamah al-Bedakhshi page 54
Al-Hafiz ibn al-Sidiq al-Maghrebi proved the authenticity of the hadith in his book ‘al-Rad al-Muqnea’ pages 7-8 while Imam Al-Hakim said about the tradition:
“Sahih according to the method of two Sheikhs (Bukhari & Muslim)”
We read in Tafsir Kashaf Vol 5 pg. 406, under the commentary of the verse of Mawaddah:
ألا ومن مات على حب آل محمد مات مؤمناً مستكمل الإيمان۔۔۔ألا ومن مات على بغض آل محمد مات كافراً
“One who dies with the love of the progeny of Muhammad dies with complete Iman, one who dies with a hatred of the progeny of Muhammad dies a Kaafir”.
Allamah Ahmad bin Sawda al-Edrisi, the preacher of Mecca shrine said about this tradition:
“The narrators starting fromMuhammad bin Aslam till the end are reliable”
Rafe al-Labs wa al-Shubahat,pg. 98
This tradition can also be read in:
1. Tafsir Kabir, Published in Egypt (1357/1938), Part 27, pp. 167
2. Tafsir ibn Arabi, Vol. 2, pg. 219
3. Tafsir al-Thalabi, Vol. 8, pg. 314
4. Yanabi al-Mawaddah Vol. 125
5. Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 16 pg. 23
6. Tajhiz al-jaish, by Allamah Hassan al-Dehlawi, pg. 13
7. Al-Sharaf al-Muabad, by Allamah al-Nabhani, pg. 74
8. Arjah al-Matalib by Allamah Amritsari pg. 320
9. Nuzhat al-Majalis, by Allamah Sheikh Abdulrahman al-Safoori, Vol. 2 pg. 222
10. Fasl al-Khetab, by Allamah Muhammad Khawaja parsa al-Bukhari, pg. 399
We read in Fadhael al-Sahaba by Ibn Hanbal pg. 661 and also in Tafsir Dur al-Manthur by Allamah Jalauddin Suyuti who under the commentary of Ayah Mawwaddah clearly records:
Narrated Ibn Uday in the report of Abi Saeed that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever hates us Ahlulbayt, verily he is hypocrite.”
We also read in Tafsir Durr al-Manthur:
Narrated Ahmad and Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim, in the report of Abi Saeed that the Messenger of Allah said: “By Him in whose hands my life is, anyone who hates us Ahlulbayt will be sent to hell by Allah.”
Shaykh Shu’aib al-Arnaoot graded the tradition as ‘Hasan’ while Imam Albani said in Silsilat al-ahadith al-Sahiha, Vol. 5 pg. 643, Hadith number 2488:
“The chain is sahih according to Muslim’s condition”
This tradition can also be read in:
In ‘Tazkirah Imam Hussain’ pg. 78, Mufti Ghulam Rasool records:
Ibn Abbas narrates that Rasulullah (s) said ‘If any individual prays in the Kaaba in between Rukn and the place of Ibraheem, fasts, and then dies in such a state that he hated the Ahl’ul bayt of Muhammad that person shall go to Hell ‘ [Dakhair al Ukba pg. 51]“
Mohibuddeen al Tabari in Riyadh al Nadhira Vol. 3 pg. 154 Chapter 116 narrates this tradition from ‘Abu Bakr:
Rasulullah (s) said, “Love of ‘Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain is a sign of one having been born legitimate, hatred of them is the sign of one having been born illegitimate”.
When we see these Nasibi bearing enmity towards Imam ‘Ali (as) and the other members of the Ahlul bayt (as) blame should be apportioned to the pre marital activities of their mothers.
Sunnis always bash and insult Shias for hating the actions of some of the companions. Indeed it is a general belief among the so called 'Ahl ul Sunnah' that cursing or hating any of the companions is Kufr (Disbelief).
Al-Dhahabi records in Al-Kaba'ir pg. 237:
“Whoever criticizes or curses them has verily left the religion (of Islam) and apostatized from the religion of Muslims.”
Salih ibn Fawzan records in Al-Ijabat Al-Muhimah pg. 210:
“Whosoever is a hater of the companions is a Kafir (disbeliever).
If we bring together these Hadeeth, we see that in the eyes of the Prophet (s) those that bear enmity towards Imam ‘Ali (as) and the other members of the Ahl’ul bayt (as) are:
When Rasulullah (s) has described such individuals in such harsh terms, what should be our religious duty to such individuals. Rasulullah (s) showed no mercy towards such individuals and placed them in the category of Hell bound Kaafirs, it is common sense that we should steer clear away from such people, particularly if we claim to love the Ahl’ul bayt (as). With this in mind we shall now delve into matters and determine whether the Ahe Sunnah (who claim to be the true followers of the Ahl’ul bayt (as) have kept the words of Rasulullah (s) in mind and ensured that their religious teachings were never contaminated by such filthy creatures.
