The Imamiyyah scholars and reporters have uninterruptedly narrated the Holy Prophet’s appointment, due to a Divine command, of Imam `Ali being the next leader of Muslims after him. Scholars of other Muslim sects have also mentioned a big deal of such traditions. Seeking briefness, I will hereinafter refer to some of these reports and traditions.
The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by Jabir as saying: When God Almighty created the heavens and the earth, He called them and they too responded to His call. Then he offered to them my prophethood and `Ali’s Wilayah (leadership) and they accepted it. Later, he created all the beings and entrusted religion to us. So happy is one who will follow us and wretched is one who disobeys us. Then he said: It is we who consider what is permitted by God as Halal (lawful) and what is not permitted by God as Haram (unlawful).[339]
Abu-Sa`id Khidri has quoted Salman as saying: I said to the Messenger of Allah: There is a successor for every prophet, who is your successor? The Messenger of Allah kept silent and did not say anything. After some time, he called me and said: O Salman! I rushed to him saying: yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: Do you know who was the successor of Moses? I said: Yes, he was Yusha` ibn Nun. He said: Why? I said because he was the most knowledgeable of his time. He said: For this reason, my executer, my confidential and the best person who will fulfill my pledges is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[340]
The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Anas ibn Malik as saying in the book Al-Arba`in: I and `Ali are two proofs of Allah for His servants.[341]
When the verse “And warn your nearest relations” (26:214) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah invited his nearest relations, the children of `Abd al-Muttalib, amounting to forty, to Abu-Talib’s house, ordered to prepare food for them from leg of mutton, one mudd of wheat and a bowl of milk. Although each of them used to eat one mutton at a meal, and drink a goatskin of water, they all ate and
فِي نَصِّ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِالْخِلاَفَةِ بَعْدَهُ:
تَوَاتَرَتِ الإمَامِيَّةُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَنَقَلَ الْجُمْهُورُ شَيْئاً كَثيراً، نَحْنُ نَذْكُرُ طُرَفاً مِنْهُ عَلَى سَبِيلِ الإخْتِصارِ.
رَوَى الخَوارِزْمِيُّ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إنَّ اللهَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ دَعَاهُنَّ فَأَجَبْنَهُ، فَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِنَّ نُبُوَّتِي وَوِلاَيَةَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَقَبِلَتَاهُمَا، ثُمَّ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ وَفَوَّضَ إلَيْنَا أَمْرَ الدِّينِ، فَالسَّعِيدُ مَنْ سَعِدَ بِنَا وَالشَّقِيُّ مَنْ شَقِيَ بِنَا. نَحْنُ الْمُحِلُّونَ لِحَلاَلِهِ وَالْمُحَرِّمُونَ لِحَرَامِهِ.
وَمِنْهُ: عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخِدْرِيِّ عَنْ سَلْمَانَ قَالَ: قُلتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ وَصِيٌّ، فَمَنْ وَصِيُّكَ؟ فَسَكَتَ عَنِّي. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدُ رَآنِي فَقالَ: يَا سَلْمَانُ! فَأَسْرَعْتُ إلَيْهِ قُلتُ: لَبَّيْكَ. قَالَ: تَعْلَمُ مَنْ وَصِيُّ مُوسَى؟ قُلتُ: نَعَمْ! يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ. قَالَ: لِمَ؟ قُلتُ: لأَنَّهُ كَانَ أَعْلَمَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ. قَالَ: فَإنَّ وَصِيِّي وَمَوْضِعَ سِرِّي وَخَيْرَ مَنْ أَتْرُكُهُ بَعْدِي يُنْجِزُ عِدَتِي وَيَقْضِي دَيْنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ.
وَمِنْ كِتابِ الأرْبَعينَ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: أنَا وَعَلِيٌّ حُجَّةُ اللهِ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ.
وَلَمَّا نَزَلَ قَوْلُهُ تَعالَى: ﴿وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ﴾ جَمَعَ خَاصَّةَ أَهْلِهِ وَعَشِيرَتِهِ وَهُمْ بَنُو عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فِي دَارِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَكَانُوا أَرْبَعِينَ رَجُلاً وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُصْنَعَ لَهُمْ فَخِذُ شَاةٍ مَعَ مُدٍّ مِنْ طَعَامِ الْبُرِّ وَيُعَدُّ لَهُمْ صَاعٌ مِنَ اللَّبَنِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْهُمْ مَعْرُوفاً بِأَكْلٍ الْجِذْعَةِ
drank of what the Messenger of Allah had prepared yet nothing dwindled. With this, the Messenger of Allah showed them his superiority and revealed the first sign of his prophethood.
When they stopped eating, the Messenger of Allah turned to those present and said: O sons of `Abd al-Muttalib! God Almighty has appointed me as prophet to all people especially to you by saying “warn your nearest relations.” I now invite you to two words which are easy to say but heavy to act. With these words, you will rule over Arabs and non-Arabs, you will make various nations on the earth to follow you to make them enjoy God’s blessing of entering the paradise and being saved from hell. Those words are testifying the oneness of God and my prophethood. Whoever, accepts this call and supports me will be my brother, executer, heir and vizier. From among the gathering, even a single person did not respond him positively! Amir al-Mu’minin says: I was present in that gathering. Though I was the youngest, I rose up and responded positively to his call, saying: O Messenger of Allah! I will help you in this great task. The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, calm down and take your seat. The Messenger of Allah repeated his call but there was silence again. This time too, I rose up and repeated my words. The Messenger of Allah gave me the same answer. For the third time, the Messenger of Allah repeated his call and faced silence. Again I rose up and gave my positive response. The Messenger of Allah ordered me to sit down with kindness, saying: `Ali, you are my executer, heir, and caliph after me. Those who were present rose up to leave and mockingly turned to Abu-Talib and said: May following your nephew and accepting his religion which has made your son your leader be blessed to you![342]
The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Abi- Buraydah as saying: Every prophet has an heir and executer. `Ali too is my heir and executor.[343]
Anas reports: The Messenger of Allah said: O Anas! The first person who comes to you is Amir al-Mu’minin, the master of Muslims, the leader of the benefactors and the last executor! Anas reports: By hearing this word, I raised my hands in prayer, saying: O Lord! Choose this man from Ansar and kept it in my heart while looking at the door. All of a sudden, `Ali entered. The Holy Prophet said: O
فِي مَقْعَدٍ وَاحِدٍ وَبِشُرْبِ الزُّقِّ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ. فَأَكَلَتِ الْجَمَاعَةُ كُلُّهَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْيَسِيرِ حَتَّى شَبِعُوا وَلَمْ يَنْقُصِ الطَّعَامُ، فَبَهَرَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ وَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ آيَةَ نُبُوَّتِهِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، إنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَنِي إلَى الْخَلْقِ كَافَّةً وَبَعَثَنِي إلَيْكُمْ خَاصَّةً فَقالَ ﴿وَأَنْذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الأَقْرَبِينَ﴾ وَأَنا أَدْعُوكُمْ إلَى كَلِمَتَيْنِ خَفِيفَتَيْنِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ ثَقِيلَتَيْنِ فِي الْمِيزَانِ تَمْلِكُونَ بِهِمَا الْعَرَبَ وَالْعَجَمَ وَتَنْقَادُ بِهِمَا لَكُمُ الأُمَمُ وَتَدْخُلُونَ بِهِمَا الْجَنَّةَ وَتَنْجَوْنَ بِهِمَا مِنَ النَّارِ: شَهَادَةَ أَنْ لاَ إلَهَ إلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ. فَمَنْ يُجِبْنِي إلَى هَذَا الأَمْرِ وَيُؤَازِرْنِي عَلَى الْقِيَامِ بِهِ يَكُنْ أَخِي وَوَزِيرِي وَوَصِيِّي وَوَارِثِي وَخَلِيفَتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي. فَلَمْ يُجِبْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ. فَقالَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: فَقُمْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ وَأَنا إذْ ذَاكَ أَصْغَرُهُمْ سِنَّاً فَقُلْتُ: أنَا يَا رَسولَ اللهِ أُؤَازِرُكَ عَلَى هَذَا الأَمْرِ. فَقالَ: إجْلِسْ. ثُمَّ أَعَادَ الْقَوْلَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ ثَانِيَةً فَصَمَتُوا. فَقُمْتُ وَقُلْتُ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِيَ الأُولَى. فَقالَ: إجْلِسْ. ثُمَّ أَعَادَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ مَقَالَتَهُ ثَالِثَةً فَلَمْ يَنْطِقْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ بِحَرْفٍ، فَقُمْتُ وَقُلْتُ: أنَا أُؤَازِرُكَ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ عَلَى هَذَا الأَمْرِ. فَقالَ: إجْلِسْ فَأَنْتَ أَخِي وَوَصِيِّي وَوَزِيرِي وَوَارِثِي وَخَلِيفَتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي. فَنَهَضَ الْقَوْمُ وَهُمْ يقُولُونَ لأَبِي طَالِبٍ: لِيُهْنِكَ الْيَوْمَ إنْ دَخَلْتَ فِي دِينِ ابْنِ أَخِيكَ، فَقَدْ جَعَلَ ابْنَكَ أَمِيراً عَلَيْك.
وَمِنْ كِتابِ الْمَناقِبِ: عَنِ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ وَصِيٌّ وَوَارِثٌ، وَإنَّ عَلِيَّاً وَصِيِّي وَوَارِثِي.
وَمِنْهُ: عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: يَا أَنَسُ، أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَابِ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَيِّدُ المُسْلِمينَ وَقَائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلِينَ وَخَاتَمُ الْوَصِيِّينَ. قَالَ: قُلتُ: اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ، وَكَتَمْتُهُ، إذْ جَاءَ فَقالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: مَنْ هَذَا يَا أَنَسُ؟
Anas! Who is this person? I said: It is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Rejoicingly, the Messenger of Allah rose up and hugged him. He then mixed the sweat of his own face with that of `Ali and rubbed it on his face! `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! Today you did to me what you had not done before! The Holy Prophet said: Why should I not do it when you carry out my pledges, you have my voice heard by people, solve their problem and settle their differences?[344]
Abu-Na`im reports: One day the Messenger of Allah said to `Ali: Hail to you, the master of Muslims and the leader of the pious.[345]
The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Salman as saying: Verily, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is my brother, vizier, helper, and the best successor I leave behind me.[346]
Abi- Ayyub Ansari reports: When the Messenger of Allah fell sick, Lady Fatimah came to visit her father. She sat near his bed and seeing her father feeble started weeping so much that the Messenger of Allah tried to appease her by saying: O my daughter! One of the blessings of Allah to you is that I married you to one who is the most knowledgeable and the most forbearing. Verily God Almighty with His infinite knowledge did a favor to the people on the earth by appointing me as a prophet and did another favor by choosing your husband. He revealed to me to marry you to `Ali and choose him as my executor.[347]
Daraqutni, the author of the book, al-Jarh wal-Ta`dil too has related the above narration.
Daraqutni, on the authority of his own series of narrators, has quoted Abu-Harun `Abdi as saying: I met Abu-Sa`id Khidri asking him: Did you take part in the battle of Badr? He said: Yes, I did. I said: will you not tell me something about what you heard from the Holy Prophet about `Ali’s merits and virtues? He said: I will inform you of it. When the Messenger of Allah was improving from illness and Lady Fatimah had come to visit him, I was sitting on the right side o f the Messenger of Allah. Seeing her father feeble, Lady Fatimah started weeping! The Holy Prophet who was deeply impressed asked Fatimah about her weeping. Lady Fatimah said: Dear father, I am afraid of living when I am not near you. The sworn enemies of Islam may reveal their long-lasting cherished rancor! To
فَقُلْتُ: عَلِيٌّ. فَقَامَ مُسْتَبْشِراً فَاعْتَنَقَهُ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَمْسَحُ عَرَقَ وَجْهِهِ عَلَى وَجْهِ عَلِيٍّ وَيَمْسَحُ عَرَقَ وَجْهِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ. فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ لَقَدْ صَنَعْتَ بِي شَيْئاً مَا صَنَعْتُهُ بِي مِنْ قَبْلُ. قَالَ: وَمَا يَمْنَعُنِي وَأَنْتَ تُؤَدِّي عَنِّي وَتُسْمِعُهُمْ صَوْتِي وَتُبَيِّنُ لَهُمْ مَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِي.
وَرَوَى أَبُو نَعيمٍ الحَافِظُ أنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ يَوْماً: مَرْحَباً بِسَيِّدِ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَإمَامِ الْمُتَّقِينَ.
وَمِنْ كِتابِ الْمَناقِبِ: عَنْ سَلْمَانَ الفَارِسِيِّ رَضيَ اللهُ عنهُ أنَّهُ سَمِعَ نَبِيَّ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَقُولُ: إنَّ أَخِي وَوَزِيرِي وَخَيْرَ مَنْ أَخْلُفُهُ بَعْدِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ.
وَمِنْهُ: عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ أنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مَرِضَ مَرَضَهُ فَأَتَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ تَعُودُهُ. فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ مَا بِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنَ الْجَهْدِ وَالضَّعْفِ إسْتَعْبَرَتْ فَبَكَتْ حَتَّى سَالَ الدَّمْعُ عَلَى خَدَّيْهَا. فَقالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: يَا فَاطِمَةُ إنَّ لِكَرَامَةِ اللهِ إِيَّاكِ زَوَّجْتُكِ مِنْ أَقْدَمِهِمْ سِلْماً وَأَكْثَرِهِمْ عِلْماً وَأَعْظَمِهِمْ حِلْماً. إنَّ اللهَ تَعالَى إطَّلَعَ إلَى أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ إطِّلاعَةً فَاخْتَارَنِي مِنْهُمْ فَبَعَثَنِي نَبِيَّاً مُرْسَلاً، ثُمَّ إطَّلَعَ إطِّلاَعَةً فَاخْتَارَ مِنْهُمْ بَعْلَكِ فَأَوْحَى اللهُ إلَيَّ أَنْ أُزَوِّجَكِ إيَّاهُ وَأَتَّخِذَهُ وَصِيَّاً وَأَخاً.
وَرَواهُ الدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ صَاحِبُ الجَرْحِ وَالتَّعْديلِ أيْضاً.
وَعَنِ الدَّارقُطنِيِّ عَنْ رِجالِهِ عَنْ أَبِي هَارُونَ العَبْدِيِّ قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخِدْرِيَّ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: هَلْ شَهِدْتَ بَدْراً؟ فَقالَ: نَعَمْ. فَقُلْتُ: أَلاَ تُحَدِّثُنِي بِشَيْءٍ مِمَّا سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي عَلِيٍّ وَفَضْلِهِ. فَقالَ: بَلى، أُخْبِرُكَ أنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مَرِضَ مَرْضَةً عُوفِيَ مِنْهَا وَهُوَ فِي عَقِبِ عِلَّتِهِ فَدَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ فَاطِمَةُ عَلَيْها السَّلامُ تَعُودُهُ وَأَنا جَالِسٌ عَنْ يَمِينِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ مَا بِرَسُولِ اللهِ مِنَ الضَّعْفِ خَنَقَتْهَا الْعَبْرَةُ حَتَّى بَدَتْ دُمُوعُهَا عَلَى خَدِّهَا. فَقالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ
appease his daughter, the Prophet of Allah said: Do you not know that God Almighty with His infinite knowledge did a favor to those living on the earth by appointing your father as a prophet and once again did a favor to them by choosing your husband and revealed to me to marry you to him and then I appointed him as my executer? O my daughter! Do you not know that your position with God is so great that I married you to the most knowledgeable, the most forbearing and the foremost in Islam? Hearing this, Lady Fatimah became happy, smiled and received her reward from her father.
At this time, in order to inform Lady Fatimah of the abundant blessing God had given to Muhammad and His household, the Messenger of Allah said: O Fatimah! `Ali has eight merits which are unique in universe, namely, his belief in Allah and His messenger, his abundant knowledge, a wife like you, sons like Hasan and Husayn, enjoying the good and forbidding the evil. O Fatimah! We are Ahl al-Bayt endowed with six qualities which were not given to anyone in the former generations nor will be given to future generations but to us. Our prophet is the best and he is your father. We have the best executer and he is your husband. Our martyr is the best and he is the uncle of your father. Ja`far Tayyar who flies with two wings in paradise belongs to us. Two best sons of this Ummah are your sons. Mahdi behind whom Jesus will perform prayer is from us too.
Then, the Messenger of Allah put his hand on Husayn’s shoulder and said: Mahdi of this Ummah will come from this son of mine.[348]
The Holy Prophet has been quoted by Anas as saying: Verily, my friend, my vizier, my helper, my successor and the best man who will survive me and carries out my orders is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[349]
The Messenger of Allah has been reported as saying: Gabriel came to me with his wings wide open. On one wing there was the inscription: There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger, and the other: There is no God but Allah and `Ali is the successor of His messenger.[350]
source : http://www.maaref-foundation.com
