What Did The Will Aim At?
One of the best method of explaining the verses of the Qur'an, which even now commands the attention and favour of the research scholars and the ulema of the present times, is that the brevity and the ambiguity of a verse which may have been revealed on a subject, may be removed by means of another verse on the same. subject, which may, from the point of view of expression, be more clear than the former one. In the terminology of exegesis, it is called explaining one verse with the help of another. This method is not peculiar to the explanation of the verses of the Holy Qur'an; it applies to the Islamic traditions as well and the ambiguity of one hadith can be removed with the help of another tradition, because our great leaders have given emphatic and repeated directions on delicate and appreciable matters, the expression of which with regard to the aim is not identical and at the same level Sometimes the aim has been expressed clearly and at another time it has been considered advisable only to allude to it. As has been stated above the Prophet, while confined to bed, asked his companions to bring him pen and paper so that he might dictate a will and the same should be recorded.
He also told them that the will would ensure their not going astray at anytime. (As is clear, the reason mentioned by the Prophet for writing the will was that people might not go astray). Later, on account of differences between those present, the Prophet abandoned the idea of writing the will. It may possibly be asked: "On what subject did the Prophet want to write a will?" Reply to this question is quite clear, because, keeping in view the basic facts mentioned at the beginning of this discussion, it must be said that the aim of thie Prophet in writing the will was nothing except confirming the Caliphate and succession of Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and making it obligatory for the people to follow the members of his household. This conclusion can be arrived at by studying the Hadith Thaqalayn which has been accepted by the Sunni and the Shi'ah traditionalists unanimously, because he spoke thus with regard to the will which he wanted to execute: "I am writing this document to ensure that you do not go astray after me".
And in the Hadith Thaqalayn also he used identical words and insisted that the people should follow the two Siqls (weighty or precious things viz. the Holy Qur'an his progeny) so that they might no go astray after him. Here is the text of the Hadith Thaqalayn. "I am leaving two weighty (valuable) things amongst you. So long as you follow both of them you will not go astray. These two valuable things consist of the Book of Allah (the Qur'an) and my progeny and Ahlul Bayt". Can it not be concluded from the wording of these two traditions, and the similarity present in them, that the aim of the Prophet in asking for pen and paper was to record the contents of the Hadith Thaqalayn in a more clear manner and to confirm the rulership and direct caliphate of his successor, which had been announced verbally on the 18th of Zil-Haj when the Iraqi, the Egyptian and the Hijazi pilgrims were parting company (at Ghadir-i Khum). Furthermore, the strong opposition of one, who immediately after the demise of the Prophet constituted a consultative body in Saqifah bani Sa'idah for the selection of a caliph and made his old friend a candidate for it in a special manner and the latter's nominating him as a caliph in violation of all principles, perhaps in recompense for his help, shows that there were indications in the gathering and into the speech of the Prophet that he wanted to dictate something about the caliphate and the rulership of the Muslims. He, therefore, strongly opposed the bringing of pen and paper, for otherwise there was no reason why he persisted so much that the pen and the paper should not be brought.
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Why Did The Prophet Not Persist In Writing The Will?
Why did the Prophet not exercise his power to write the will when. in spite of the opposition by some persons, he could very well call his secretary and dictate the same to him? The reply to this question is also clear. If the Prophet had persisted in writing the will, they, who were saying that illness had overpowered him, would have persisted more in their impoliteness and their supporters would also have given. publicity to this view and endeavoured to prove their view- point. In that case, besides the fact that impoliteness towards the Prophet would have spread and continued, the will, too, would have lost its value. Hence, when some persons in order to make amends for the ill treatment, asked the Prophet, whether they might bring pen and paper he was much disturbed and said "After all that has been said, do you want to bring pen and paper? I recommend only that you should behave well with my progeny". Having said this he turned his face from those present and they too got up and dispersed. Only Ali, Abbas and Fazal remained there.(49)
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Making Amends For The Matter
Although the open opposition by some companions made the Prophet abandon the writing of the will, he made his object known in another manner. History testifies that while he was very seriously ill he placed one hand on the shoulder of Ali and the other on the shoulder of Maiymunah, his slave-girl, and proceeded towards the mosque. In spite of severe pain and inconvenience he made himself reach the pulpit and mounted it. Tears trickled from the eyes of the people and perfect silence prevailed over the mosque. People were waiting to hear his last words and recommendations. The Prophet broke the silence of the gathering and said "I am leaving two valuable things amongst you". At this moment a man stood up and asked "What is meant by two valuable things?" Then he added "One of them is the Qur'an and the other is my progeny".(50) Ibn Hajar Askalani has given another version of making amends for the matter.
Footnotes:
1. Seerah-i Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 123-126.
2. Yanabi'ul Muwwadah, vol. 1, P. 55.
3. al-Bidayah wan Nihayah, vol. 11, P. 226.
4. Seerah-i Halabi, vol. 111, P. 289.
5. Istilam means rubbing one's hands with the Black Stone before performing tawaf; the point underlying it is that, while constructing the Ka'bah, Ibrahim stood on it. Hence this stone has acquired a peculiar honour. During his ten years' stay in Medina the Prophet performed 'Umrah twice -for the first time in the seventh year and for the second time in the eighth year of migration, it was after the conquest of Makkah. The present 'Umrah was the third one which he performed along with the ceremonies of Haj.(Tabaqat-i Kubra, vol. 11, P. 174).
6. Safa and Marwah are the names of two hills which are situated near Masjidul Haram and Sa'i means covering the distance between those hills. Sa'i commences from Safa and ends at Marwah.
7. It is an allusion to sexual intercourse and the washing necessitated by it, because one of the things prohibited, while one is in the state of Ehram, is sexual intercourse with a woman and its prohibition ends with Taqseer.
8. Biharul Anevar, vol. XXI, P. 319.
9. Biharul Anwar, vol. XXI, P. 385.
10. Khisal by Shaykh Saduq, vol. 11, P. 84.
11. Seerah-i Ibn Hisham, vol.11, P. 605.
12. The custodians of the Ka'bah used to change the sacred months after taking money from those people, who were keen to wage war during these months.
13. In this historical sermon the Prophet recommended the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah to the people; and in the sermon delivered at Ghadir and at the time of his death he recommended to them the Book of Allah and his own progeny. There is nothing contradictory between these two versions which were delivered on two different occasions, because there can be no objection to the Prophet treating Sunnah as equivalent to the Qur'an and announcing both of them as memorable things on one occasion and recommending his family and successors on another occasion and insisting upon their following them, which is in fact following the Prophet and his Sunnah. Some ulema of Ahl-i Sunnat have imagined in their exegeses that the Prophet said these words on one occasion only, and have mentioned his progeny in the footnotes as an alternative, whereas we do not stand in need of any such correction, because, as a matter of principle, there is no contradiction between the two narratives.
14. Seerah-i Ibn Hisham, vol. 11, P. 605.
15. Khisal by Shaykh Saduq, P. 84.
16. Biharul Anwar, vol. XXI, P. 405.
17. Tabaqat-i Ibn Sa'd, vol. 11, pp. 184-186.
18. Tarikh-i Tabari, vol. 11, P. 216 and Tarikh-i Kamil, vol. 11, P. 410.
19. Rabigh is a place situated between Makkah and Medina.
20. It is one of the Miqats (i.e. places where Ehram is put on). From here the paths of the people of Medina, Egypt and Iraq were separated.
21. In order to make sure that no misunderstanding arose afterwards the Prophet repeated this sentence thrice.
22. For further details refer al-Ghadir vol. 1, by Allamah Amini.
23. Seerah-i Ibn Hisham, vol. 11, p. 600. - 601.
24. Seerah-i Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, P. 599.
25. Seerah-i Ibn Hisham, vol. 11, P. 642 and al-Nass wal Ijtihad (P. 12). by Sharafuddin ‘Amili.
26. According to the historical sources of Ahl-i Sunnat the standard was fastened on the 26th of Safar and as, according to them, the death of the Prophet took place on the 12th of Rabi'ul Awwal; hence all the events which the readers will peruse are likely to have taken place during a period of sixteen days. However, as the Shi'ah scholars, following the descendants of the Prophet consider the date of his death to he 28th Safar, it would be necessary that these events should have taken place some days earlier than 28th Safar.
27. It is a strip of land in the region of Balqa in Syria and is situated between ‘Asqalan and Ramlah near Muta'.
28. It is an extensive place three miles away from Medina towards the side of Syria.
29. Nahjul Balaghah, Kalimat-i Qisar, (saying No. 125).
30. Some of the biographers like Halabi have mentioned his age to be 17 and according to some others he was 18. However, all are agreed that his age at that time did not exceed 20.
31. Tabaqat-i Ibn Sa'd, vol. 11, P. 120.
32. Tabaqat-i Ibn Sa'd, vol. 11, P. 190.
33. al-Milal van Nihal by Shahristani, Fourth Preface P. 29 and Sharh-i Nahjul Balaghah by Ibn Abil Hadid, vol. 11, P. 20. 34. Tabaqat, vol. 11, P. 190.
35. al-Muraji'at, pages 310-311.
36. al-Nass wal Ijtihad, p. 15-19.
37. Some say that he was accompanied by Abu Rafe' or by Burayrah, the servant of Ayesha (Tabaqat, vol. 11, P. 204).
38. Tabaqat, vol. 11, P. 204 and Bihar, vol. XXII, P. 466.
39. However, as has also been stated in discussions relating to contact with the souls, it is not proper to listen to every claimant.
40. Seerahi Ibn Hisham, vol. 11, p. 654 and Tabaqat-i Ibn Sa'd, vol. 2, p. 216.
41. Evidently what was meant was that the Prophet might dictate the deed and one of his secretaries might write it out, because the Prophet had never held a pen in his hand or written anything.
42. Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul 'llm, vol. 1, P. 22 and vol. 11, P. 14; Sahih Muslim, vol. 11, P. 14; Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1, P. 325 and Tabagat-i Kubra, vol. 11, P. 244.
43. Sharh-i Nahjul Balaghah, Ibn Abil Hadid, vol. 11, P. 20.
44. Sahih Muslim, vol. 1, P. 14 and Musnad Ahmad7 vol. 1, P.355.
45. Kanzul ‘Ummal, vol. 111, P. 138 and Tabaqat, vol. 11, P.244.
46. The late Allamah Mujahid Sharfuddin has collected all these excuses in his book entitled al-Muraji'at and refuted them in a decent manner.
47. Hayati Muhammad, P. 475.
48. Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1, P. 355.
49. Biharul Anwar, vol. XXII, P. 469, quoted from al-lrshad by Shaykh Mufid and A'lamul Wara' by Tabrsi.
50. Biharul Anwar, vol. XXII, P. 476, quoted from Majalis by Mufid.
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