3 - Did the word Shi''ah (Sh''atu-''Ali) exist during the era of Muhammad [saw]? "Anyone who claims that the word Shi''ah or Shi''ites was used by Sayyidina Rasul-e-Akram (Sallallahu alayhi wa Salla) or during his era is a liar, and no proof whatsoever exists to support this claim".
Hadith in which Rasulullah (s) praised Ali and his Shi''a can be found in many classical Ahl''ul Sunnah texts, and have even been recorded by Ulema like Ibn Hajar al Makki in their books written against the Shi''a. For the sake of brevity we will cite just a handful of traditions to prove our point.
It is in praise of the Shi''a of Ali that Allah (swt) sent down the following revelation:
"Those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of the creatures. Their reward from their Lord shall be everlasting gardens, below which flow rivers, they will abide there forever. Well pleased is God with them and they are well pleased with Him" (Qur''an 98:7)".
Muhammad bin Ali narrates in Tafsir ibne Jarir, Volume 33 page 146 (Cairo edition) that the Prophet (s) said "The best of creations are you Ali and your Shi''as."
Jalaladin Suyuti, (849 - 911 AH) is one of the highest ranked Sunni scholars of all time. In his commentary of this verse, he records through 3 asnad (chains) of narrators, that the Prophet (s) told his companions that the verse referred to Ali and his Shi''a:
"I swear by the one who controls my life that this man (Ali) and his Shi''a shall secure deliverance on the day of resurrection".
(Tafseer Durre Manthur Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo edition)
The 3 Sahaba who narrated this hadith are (1) Ali (as) himself (2) Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (ra) (3) Abdullah ibne Abbas (ra). The majority school acknowledges them as truthful narrators of hadith. Had this been in a Shi''a book, you would have deemed it a forgery, but it''s presence in your books has really confused your Ulema.
There are no hadith in which the Prophet (s) guaranteed paradise for a specific Sahabi and his followers, with the sole exception of Ali (as) and his Shi''a.
Other Sunni scholars have also recorded this hadith from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari in their commentaries of the above verse.
[Tafsir Fatha ul bayan Volume 10 page 333 (Egypt edition) & Tafsir Fatha ul Qadir, Volume 5 page 477]
Hadhrath Abdullah ibne Abbas narrates "that when this verse descended the Prophet (s) said, Ali you and your Shi''a will be joyful on the Day of Judgement" (Tafseer Durre Manthur Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo edition)
Ahmad ibn Hajr al Makki quotes from Imam Dar Qatany in his al Sawaiqh al Muhrriqa page 159 (Cairo edition) "O Abul Hasan, you and you Shi''a will attain paradise".
Ibn Hajr al Makki in his anti Shia book, Sawaiqh al Muhriqa, records this tradition from Imam Tabarani:
"O Ali four people will enter heaven first of all. Me, You, Hasan, and Hussain, your descendants will follow us and our wives will follow our descendants and our Shi''a will be to the left and right of us".
Hadhrath Ali narrates in Tafsir Durre Mansur, Volume 6 page 379 (Cairo edition) that Rasulullah (s) said to him:
"Have you not heard this verse "Their reward from their Lord shall be everlasting gardens, below which flow rivers, they will abide there forever"? This verse refers to you and you Shi''a, I promise you that I will be meet you at the Fountain of Kawthur".
The classical Shafii scholar al Maghazli records a tradition from Anas bin Malik that he heard the Prophet (s) say:
"Seventy thousand people will go to heaven without questions, the Prophet then turned to Ali and said ''they will be from among your Shi''a and you will be their Imam"
Manaqib Ali al Murtaza, page 184 by al Maghazli al Shafii
We could cite more traditions if the author so wishes, let us remind ourselves about the writers confident proclamation:
Ahlisunnah.org/ahlibayt states:
"Anyone who claims that the word Shi''ah or Shi''ites was used by Sayyidina Rasul-e-Akram (Sallallahu alayhi wa Salla) or during his era is a liar".
Are the traditions of Ibn Hajar, Maghazli, Suyuti sufficient as proof or would you like us to present some more?
