One of the major arguments that the supporters of Saqifa argue is the fact the the Shaikhayn’s being buried next to Rasulullah (s) serves as evidence of the exalted status they have in the eyes of Allah (swt). This is a fact that their clergy desperately seek to impress upon their subjects. In this regard, we find that they are now seeking to strengthen their position by relying on Shia hadith literature, but via their normal modus operandi of deceit and trickery. The two Shia Hadiths Nawasib are currently using, are from:
1) Al-Kafi, Volume 3 page 203 Kitab al-Janaiz. Hadith 4599 which states that a person is born from the soil/sand where he is buried.
2) Al Kafi Hadith No. 4600 that says that a person’s heart is attracted towards the soil/sand wherein he is to be buried.
In light of the above mentioned traditions, Nawasib make a far fetched attempt to convince the Shia that by virtue of their being buried within close proximity to the grave of Holy Prophet (s), the Shaikhayn are deriving benefits from him (s) or that their burial at that particular place is of virtuous and merit act.
Hadith No. 4600 has been recorded by Shaykh Yaqub Kuleni (rh) through a narrator Abu Minhal who has been said to have narrated only this very Hadith in the entire available Hadith works (see Mu’ajam al-Rijal, Volume 23 page 67 No. 14879) therefore the Hadith is weak (see Al-Mufid bin Mu’ajam al-Rijal, page 765). Furthermore, Shaykh Baqair Majlisi (rh) has declared this specific Hadith as weak (see Mirtat ul Aqul, Volume 14 page 120 Hadith).
As for the Hadith No. 4599, we fail to understand as to how the text may prove some merits of Shaikhayn because it only says that a person is born from the soil/sand of the place from where he is buried. When companionship itself couldn’t bring any benefit to both individuals, how come their mere burial at a particular place, subsequently become a reason of their merits? It may have been some sort of merit had they been utterly devoted towards their faith whist they were in the company of Rasulullah (s) and adhered to his directives after his (s) death such as the command set out in Hadith Taqlayn rather than opposing the same. If we adopt such logic according to which a person that led an impious life but was buried by his relatives and friends at some auspicious place that would thus enable him to acquire merits should we conclude that the hypocrites buried in shall derive benefit and merits by virtue of their place of burial? Arriving at such a conclusion would neither be logical not pursuant to the dictates of Islamic Law. A similar example could be given with regards to the battlefield of Uhud wherein the martyrs and the Kufar are buried next to one another.
Ibn Hazm in his authority work Al-Muhala, Volume 8 pages 285-286 Kitab al-Hajj sated:
قال أبو محمد : واحتجوا بأخبار موضوعة يجب التنبيه عليها والتحذير منها .
منها : خبر رويناه { أن النبي عليه السلام قال في ميت رآه : دفن في التربة التي خلق منها } ، قالوا : والنبي عليه السلام دفن بالمدينة فمن تربتها خلق وهو أفضل الخلق فهي أفضل البقاع . وهذا خبر موضوع ; لأن ۔ ۔ ۔
Some people try to make use of fabricated Hadiths it is hence Wajib to draw (matters to) their attention and in this regard we have recorded one of such Hadiths wherein it is stated that whilst observing a funeral, the Holy Prophet (s) said:
‘He has been buried in the soil from which he was created. From this, people inferred that since he (s) was buried in Madina he (s) was thus created from the soil of Madina and since he (s) was superior to the entire creations of this world therefore the portion of land wherein he (s) is buried is also superior portion of the world.
This Hadith is fabricated because in its chain there is a narrator Muhammad Ibn Hassan Ibn Zabalta who is totally unreliable. Ibn Moin has stated about him that he was not Thiqa and scholars are unanimous on his being Matrook. And the same Hadith is narrated through Anees bin Yahyah as Mursal but we do not know who Anees bin Yahyah was.
Second Hadith has been narrated through Abu Khalid who is Majhul and he narrated it through Yahyah Albaka who is weak.
Even if the Hadith is assumed as Sahih, still only the grave of Holy Prophet (s) shall have this merit because hypocrites are also buried here and there of the very land and similarly Ibrahim, Ishaq, Yaqub, Musa, Harun, Sulaiman and Daud are buried in Syria but no Muslim claims that Syria is superior to Mecca.
This is the very argument that is advanced by us as Shias, namely that it is the specific grave of an infallible that has reverence and not the area around it.