In debates with Sunnis, Shias will often cite a very well-known narration, known as ḥadīth Al Thaqalayn, from Sunni literature to justify their absolute reliance on Ahlulbait. In this context, many often forget a fundamental concept in ḥadīth authentication: though a report may be generally authentic, a certain addition/wording of the report listed in a certain book may not be. For example, a report may have an authentic basis in Sunni literature; however, a scholar of ḥadīth (such as Al-ṭabaranī) may report the ḥadīth through a weak transmitter with an extra addition or a change in its wording. This would deem that addition/wording unreliable and unauthentic, even though the report may have a basis.

With that being said, it is very common to see Shias cite the weaker wordings/additions of this ḥadīth, and then attribute those reports to Imam Muslim in his Saḥīḥ. However, this is an error in citation, as Imam Muslim’s reports often do not contain many of the additions that are cited. Thus, it would be wrong attributing the additions/wordings Muslim did not report in his ḥadīths to Saḥīḥ Muslim or any other reference.

Now regarding the ḥadīth, which is commonly known as Ḥadīth Al Thaqalayn:

It is reported in numerous Ḥadīth books through several companions of the Prophet ﷺ. It is reported through: Jābir bin ‘Abdillah, Zaid bin Arqam, Abu Sa’īd Al-Khudri, Zaid bin Thābit, Abu Dhar Al-Ghifārī, Hudhaifah bin Usaid, Abu Hurairah, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar, and Alī bin Abī Tāleb. Though the basis of the report is well attested to, the reports greatly vary in their wordings to the extent that their implications greatly change depending on the certain variation of the report. Thus, we will address this ḥadīth with a careful examination of every relevant report through each companion.

First: The reports of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Jābir bin ‘Abdillah:

1. Muslim, Abu Dawūd, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn ḥibbān, Al-Nasā’ī, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Ibn Mājah and others (etc.) transmit the report through Ḥatim bin Isma’īl Al-Madanī, who said: Ja’far Al-Sādiq told us that he heard his father, Muḥammad Al-Bāqir, say:

“We once visited Jābir bin ‘Abdillah, and he inquired about everyone there until he got to me. I then said: “I am Muḥammad bin Alī bin Al Ḥusain”. He then caressed my head, placed his palm on my chest (and I was a young man that day), and then he said: “Welcome oh son of my brother, ask for whatever you want.”

Al-Bāqir eventually asks him to inform him about the pilgrimage of the Prophet ﷺ. Jābir gives a long and detailed answer, until he gets to the point where he says the Prophetﷺ  said in a sermon on Mount ‘Arafah:

“… and I have left among you that which if you hold fast to, you will never go astray:  The Book of Allāh. You will also be asked about me (on the Day of Resurrection), (now tell me) what shall you say? They (the companions) said: We will bear witness that you have conveyed (the message), discharged (the ministry of Prophethood) and given wise counsel.”

Jābir said:

He (the Prophet ﷺ ) then raised his forefinger towards the sky, pointing it at the people and said: “O Allāh bear witness. O Allāh bear witness,” saying it thrice.[1]

This report is authentic, as all of its transmitters are reliable and trustworthy individuals.

As clear in this report, there is no mention of Ahlulbait, let alone a command to follow them.

2. Al-Tirmidhī & Al-ṭabarānī transmit the report though Zaid bin Al-Ḥasan Al-Anmāṭī who transmits from Ja’far bin Muḥammad, from his father, from Jābir bin‘Abdillah, who said:

“I saw the Messenger of Allāh during Hajj, on the day of ‘Arafah. He was upon his camel Qaswa, giving a sermon, so he said: ‘O people! Indeed, I have left among you, that which if you hold fast to it, you shall not go astray: The Book of Allāh and my ‘Itrah, the members of my household.”[2]

Al-Tirmidhī classifies the ḥadīth saying: “This ḥadīth is Ḥasan Gharīb in this form.”

What many readers may not understand is that Al-Tirmidhī used two terms to describe the ḥadīth.

First: he used the term: Ḥasan

Second: he used the term: Gharīb

Though many readers may quickly conclude that this is an authentication of the report by Al-Tirmidhī, that most certainly is not the case.

In fact, from this statement, one can infer that Al-Tirmidhī declares the report to be weak.

This issue stems from a misunderstanding of Al-Tirmidhī’s usage of the term “Ḥasan”. Many conflate Al-Tirmidhī’s “Ḥasan” with the general term “Ḥasan” used by other Muḥaddiths. However, they are totally different concepts.

Al-Tirmidhī, in his book Al-‘Ilal Al-Saghir, actually clarified what he meant when he used the term “Ḥasan”. He says:

“Whatever it is that we mentioned in this book saying, ‘A Ḥasan ḥadīth,’ we only meant that its chain is Ḥasan according to us. Every Ḥadīth that is reported that does not have in its chain someone who is accused of lying, nor is the Ḥadīth Shādh, and it has been transmitted through other routes similar to that, then it is a ḥasan ḥadīth according to us.”[3]

Any reader informed in the sciences of ḥadīth will recognize that weak ḥadīths can fall under this category. For example, a report may be transmitted through a transmitter with a very bad memory. As long as the transmitter is not a liar, nor the report is shādh, then Al-Tirmidhī will classify it as Ḥasan.  However, a mistake could still have been made on the transmitter’s part.

Similarly, Al-Tirmidhī classifies this ḥadīth as Gharīb, which means that the wording in the report is exclusively transmitted through one route, in this case: through Zaid bin Al Ḥasan Al Anmāṭī, as pointed out by Al-ṭabarānī after he reported the ḥadīth.

Zaid bin Al Ḥasan is a weak transmitter.

• Abu Ḥātem said: “Munkar Al Ḥadīth”… meaning: he transmits objectionable reports.[4]
• Ibn Ḥajar declared him: “Da’īf” (weak), as well.[5]
• Al-Dhahabī included him in his encyclopedia of weak transmitters Al-Mughni fi Al-Du’afaa. [6]

Thus, this report of Al-Tirmidhī to Jābir bin ‘Abdillah is weak, and this wording of Al Thaqalayn cannot be relied upon or cited as evidence.

Second: The reports of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Zaid bin Arqam:

1. Muslim, Aḥmed, Ibn Khuzaymah, Al-ṭabarānī and others transmit the report through Abu Hayyan who said: Yazid bin Hayyan told me: “I went along with Ḥusain bin Sabra and ‘Umar bin Muslim to Zaid bin Arqam, and as we sat by his side, Ḥusain said to him:”

“Zaid you have been able to acquire a great virtue that you saw Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ, listened to his talk, fought by his side in (different) battles, and offered prayer behind him. Zaid, you have in fact earned a great virtue. Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ.”

He said:

I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ, so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that.”

He then said:

“One day Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allāh, extolled Him, delivered the sermon and exhorted (us), and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and and I am about to respond to the call of my Lord, but I am leaving among you al Thaqalayn: the one being the Book of Allāh in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allāh and adhere to it.

He exhorted us to hold fast to the Book of Allāh and then said:

“The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.

Ḥusain said to Zaid:

“Who are the members of his household? Aren’t his wives the members of his family?”

Thereupon he (Zaid) said:

“His wives are the members of his family, (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of Zakat is forbidden.”

And he asked:

“Who are they?”

Thereupon he said:

“Alī and the offspring of ‘Alī, ‘Aqil and the offspring of ‘Aqil and the offspring of Ja’far and the offspring of ‘Abbas.”

Ḥusain said:

Are these are those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden?

Zaid said: “Yes.”[7]

This report is authentic and is transmitted with an authentic isnād.

In this report, we can see several key points:

• There is no command to follow Ahlulbait, for the Prophet ﷺ merely commands the believers to grasp onto the Quran & to fulfill their duties towards Ahlulbait & take care of them.
• Similarly, the narrator of the ḥadīth, Zaid, indicates that the wives of the Prophet ﷺ are generally included under the definition of the term “Ahlubait”; however, they are not addressed in this specific case.
• ‘Aqil, Al-‘Abbas, Ja’far bin Abī Tāleb and their respective progenies are included under the term “Ahlulbait”; thus, it is wrong for Shias to cite this ḥadīth claiming it is exclusively meant for Alī & Fatimah, and their progeny.

2. Aḥmed bin Ḥanbal said: Aswad bin ‘Amer told us: Isra’il , from ‘Uthman bin Al-Mughirah, from ‘Alī bin Rabi’a, who said:

I met Zaid bin Arqam while he was entering or leaving Al-Mukhtar, so I asked him: Did you hear the Messenger of Allāh say: “I am leaving among you Al Thaqalayn?”

He said: “Yes” [8]

This isnād is clearly authentic, as all of its transmitters are thiqat (trustworthy/reliable). Similarly, there is no reference to grasping onto Ahlulbait, or following them.

3. Al-Tirmidhī said: Alī bin Al Mundhir Al-Kufī said: Muḥammad bin Fudhayl told us: Al-A’mash told us, from ‘Atiyyah, from Abu Sa’īd:

& from Al-A’mash, from Habīb bin Abī Thābit: from Zaid bin Arqam; both (Abu Sa’īd & Zaid) said: The Messenger of Allāh said:

“Indeed, I am leaving among you, that which if you hold fast to them, you shall not be misguided after me. One of them is greater than the other: The Book of Allāh is a rope extended from the sky to the earth, and my family, the people of my house, and they shall not split until they meet at the Ḥawdh, so look at how you deal with them after me.”[9]

Al-Tirmidhī declared the ḥadīth to be Ḥasan Gharīb.

As mentioned earlier, this does not imply Al-Tirmidhī authenticates the ḥadīth. In fact, the ḥadīth is very weak.

Regarding the first isnād reported by Al-Tirmidhī:

Al-A’mash is a trustworthy transmitter; however, he is known to be a mudallis[10]. A mudallis is a transmitter who makes tadlis, or skips over the transmitter he heard the report from in the chain of transmission.

Thus, unless the mudallis explicitly mentions hearing the report from the transmitter above him, the report cannot be trusted as there could be a gap between the mudallis and whomever he reportedly transmits the report from. In this case, Al-A’mash does not mention hearing the report.

‘Atiyyah is a weak transmitter:

• Abu Ḥātem Al-Razī, Al-Nasā’ī, Aḥmed bin Ḥanbal, Ibn ‘Adi, Yaḥya bin Ma’īn (and many others) have declared him to be: Da’īf (weak).[11]
• Al-Dhahabī said: “There is a consensus on his weakness” [12]
• Sufyan Al-Thawri and Hushaim used to weaken the transmission of Atiyyah, as stated by ‘Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Hanbal. [13]
• Abu Zur’ah Al-Razi described him saying: “Layyin”, meaning he is weak.[14]

Regarding the second isnād presented by Al-Tirmidhī:

Habīb bin Abī Thābit is known for making tadlis.[15]

Al-A’mash, as stated earlier, was also known for making

‘Alī bin Al-Madīnī, said: “Habīb met Ibn ‘Abbas and he heard from A’isha; however, he did not hear from any other Sahaba.”[16]

Thus, it is evident that there is a gap in the chain between Habīb & Zaid bin Arqam; similarly, there may be a gap between Al-A’mash & Habīb and Al-A’mash and ‘Atiyyah (an already weak transmitter).

Thus, this report is weak and unreliable due to the gap between Habīb & Zaid, and the weakness of ‘Atiyyah.

Other reports have added a transmitter between Habīb & Zaid; however, these reports also have a gap in the chain of transmission as we will show in the next report.

4. Al-Nasā’ī & Al Ḥākim report the ḥadīth through: Yaḥya bin Hammad, who said: Abu ‘Uwanah told us: Habīb bin Abī Thābit told us, from Abu Al-Tufail, from Zaid bin Arqam who said:

“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, while returning from his last hajj he rested at Ghadīr Khumm and ordered that the ground be swept.

Then he said:

It is as if I am about to answer the call (of death). Verily, I have left behind Al Thaqalayn amongst you, one of which is greater than the other. The Book of Allāh and my kinship. So watch out how you treat these two after me, for verily they will not separate from each other until they come back to me by the side of the Ḥawdh.’

Then he said:

“Verily, Allāh is my mawla and I am the mawla of every believer”

Then he took ‘Alī by the hand and said:

‘This is the mawla of whomever I am his mawla. O God, love whoever loves him and be the enemy of whomever takes him as an enemy.”[17]

This report is still problematic:

• Habīb bin Abī Thābit, as shown earlier, never met a companion besides A’isha and Ibn ‘Abbas.[18] Thus, there still is a gap in the chain of transmission between Habīb & Abu Al Tufail.

This is a mere indicator to how weak this report is, for Habīb has evidently omitted several men from the chain of transmission!

Thus, this report cannot be relied upon.

5. Al-ṭabarānī & Al-Ḥākim and others report the ḥadīth through: Abu Nu’aym, who said: Kāmil Abu Al-‘Ala’ said: I heard Habīb bin Abī Thābit report from Yaḥya bin Ja’da, from Zaid bin Arqam that he said:

We left with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ  until we arrived at Ghadīr Khumm, and it was one of the hottest days we had experienced. He (the Prophet ﷺ) praised & glorified Allāh, and then He said:

“O people ! There has not been a Prophet sent except that he lived half of the length of the previous Prophet’s life, and I am about to answer the call of death; and I am leaving amongst you something which you will not go astray after: the Book of Allāh.”

            He then stood and took the hand of Alī and said:

“O people ! Who is more worthy of you than your own selves?”

They (the audience) answered: “Allāh and His Messenger are more knowledgeable.”

The Prophet ﷺ asked: “Am I not more worthy of you than your own selves?”

They answered: “Of course.”

The Prophet ﷺ then said: “Whoever I am his mawla, then Alī is his mawla.”[19]

           

Many Shias will cite Al-Ḥākim’s assertion that the ḥadīth is authentic; however, this is not really an issue to anyone with knowledge and understanding of ḥadīth criticism methodology.

Al-Dhahabī says, describing Al-Ḥākim: “A sadūq Imam; however, he often authenticates ḥadīths in his Mustadrak that are very weak. I do not know: did he miss their defects? Or is he ignorant of the proper methodology?”[20]

Ibn Ḥajar said: “It is said that when he [Al Ḥākim] authored Al Mustadrak, he was at the end of his life. Others have mentioned that he had acquired a bit of confusion and negligence at the end of his life. The evidence that supports this is that he had mentioned a group of weak transmitters in his book Al-Du’afaa (weak transmitters), and he asserted that they cannot be relied upon in transmission. However, we find that Al Ḥākim narrates ḥadīths through some of them in his Mustadrak and claimed that they were authentic!”[21]

There are also many similar quotes by other notable ḥadīth critics that indicate that the authentication of Al-Ḥākim is not authoritative, and is often clearly wrong. In fact, this is an example of his mistakes, as we will show:

The isnād is problematic because:

Kāmil Abu Al-’Alā’ is not a reliable transmitter.

• Al-Nasā’ī said “He is not strong.” [22]
• Al-’Uqailī included him in his book: Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir, which is an encyclopedia of weak transmitters.[23]
• Ibn Ḥajar said: “He is a sadūq who makes mistakes”[24]
• Ibn Ḥibbān describes him saying: “He is from those who distort the asanid…. without even knowing. His reports cannot be reliably cited.”[25]

Though Yaḥya bin Ma’īn[26] and Al-‘Ijlī[27] declared him to be a thiqah, they went against the consensus of the majority of ḥadīth critics.

6. Al-Ḥākim said: Abu Bakr bin Isḥaq & Da’laj bin Aḥmed Al-Sijzi told us: Muḥammad bin Ayyoub said: Al Azraq bin Alī told us: Hassan bin Ibrahim Al Kermani told us: Muḥammad bin Salamah bin Koheil told us: from his father, from Abu Al Tufail who heard Zaid bin Arqam say:

The Prophet ﷺ was camping between Makkah and Medina near five dense trees. The people cleaned the place under the trees and he rested there for some time. He offered the prayer and then stood up to address the crowd. He praised Allāh, gave some advice to the audience and then said whatever Allāh wanted him to say. He said:

“O people! I am leaving two things with you. You will never go astray as long as you follow them and they are Allāh’s Book and my progeny.”

He then added:

“Don’t you know that I am more worthy of the believers than their own selves?”

He repeated it three times. Everyone said: “yes”.

Then he said: “One who has me as his mawla has ‘Alī as his mawla.”[28]

This ḥadīth is weak due to multiple defects:

Hassan bin Ibrahim is a saduq, yet critics stated he made mistakes in his transmission:

• Ibn ‘Adi[29] & Ibn Ḥibbān[30] stated that makes mistakes in his transmission.
• Ibn Ḥajar said: “He is a saduq who makes mistakes.”[31]
• Al-Nasā’ī[32] said: “He is not a strong transmitter.”
• Ibn Ma’īn said: “He is a thiqah as long as he transmits from another thiqah” [33]

As will be shown, Hassan transmits this report from a weak transmitter; thus, his transmission is problematic.

Muḥammad bin Salamah is a weak transmitter.

• Yaḥya bin Ma’īn, [34] Al Jawzajanī[35] & Ibn Sa’d[36] declared him to be weak.
• Al-‘Uqailī also listed him in Al-Du’afaa Al-Kabir, which is his encyclopedia on weak transmitters.[37]

7. Al-ṭabarānī reports the ḥadīth through Ḥakim bin Jubair, from Abu Al-Tufail, from Zaid bin Arqam, who said:

The Prophet ﷺ camped on the day of Juhfa, and then the people approached him. He praised Allāh & glorified Allāh, then he said:

“I find that there has not been a prophet sent except that he lived half of the length of the previous prophet’s life, and I am about to respond to the call of my Lord, so what shall you say?”

They said: “You have given wise council.”

He said: “Do you not witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allāh and that Muḥammad is His slave and messenger, that Heaven is true, Hell is true, and that resurrection after death is true?”

They said: “We bear witness.”

So he lifted his hands, placed them on his chest and then said: “I bear witness with you as well.”

He then said: “Do you not hear?”

They said: “Yes.”

He said: “I am your predecessor at the Ḥawdh, and you will be brought in front of me at the Ḥawdh. Its width is larger than the distance between San’a and Busra. It has silver cups as much as the stars of the skies in quantity, so look at how you treat the thaqalayn after me.”

A man then asked: “What are the thaqalayn O Messenger of Allāh?”

The Prophet ﷺ said: The Book of Allāh, one of its ends is in the hand of Allāh, and the other is in yours, so hold on to it and you shall not go astray. The other one is my family.

The Subtle & Acquainted (Allāh) informed me that they shall never split apart until they meet at the Ḥawdh, and I requested that from my Lord. So, do not advance in front of them, or else you shall perish; and do not fall short of them, or else you shall perish. Do not teach them, for they are more knowledgeable than you”

Then, he took the hand of Alī and said: “Whoever I am more worthy of him than himself, then Alī is his Walī. O Allāh, befriend him, he who befriends him; and be the enemy of he who is his enemy.”[38]

This report is weak:

Ḥakim bin Jubair is a weak transmitter.

• Abu Ḥātem Al Razī[39] and Ibn Ḥajar[40] declared him to be weak.
• Al-Bayhaqī said: “He is not strong.” [41]
• Ibn Ḥibbān mentioned that he was very deluded in what he transmitted.[42]
• Yaḥya bin Ma’īn said: “He is worthless.” [43]
• Aḥmed bin Ḥanbal said: He is Da’īf in ḥadīth and Mudtarib (contradictory in his transmission).[44]

Thus, this wording of the al Thaqalayn cannot be relied upon as it is exclusively transmitted through this weak transmitte

8. Al-ṭabarānī and Al-Bazzār report the ḥadīth through Al-Hassan bin ‘Ubaidillah, from Al Qasim bin Hassan, from Zaid bin Thābit that he said: The messenger of Allāh said: “I am leaving behind among you Al Thaqalayn: The Book of Allāh the members of my household, and they shall not separate until they meet at the Ḥawdh.”[45]

This report is transmitted through trustworthy and reliable transmitters.

Though Bukhari and Al-Dāraqutnī criticized Al-Hassan bin ‘Ubaidillah, most ḥadīth critics have unanimously agreed that he is a thiqah (reliable and trustworthy transmitter)

As evident, there is no command to follow Ahlulbait in this version of ḥadīth al Thaqalayn.

Third: The reports of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Abu Sa’īd Al-Khudrī:

1. Aḥmed, Abu Ya’la, Ibn Abī ‘Asim and others transmit the report through ‘Abdul-Malik bin Sulayman, from ‘Atiyyah Al-‘Awfī, from Abu Sa’īd Al-Khudrī, who said: The Prophet ﷺ said:

“I have left among you that which if you grasp onto, you shall never go astray after me: al Thaqalayn. One of them is larger than the other: The Book of Allāh, a rope extended from the heavens unto earth; and the members of my household. They shall not separate from each other until they meet at Al Ḥawdh”[46]

 

As pointed out in the earlier reports, ‘Atiyyah Al-‘Awfī is a weak transmitter. Thus, this report cannot be relied upon

2. Aḥmed, Al-ṭabarānī, Alī bin Al-Ja’d and Al-ājurrī all transmit the report with weak chains to Al-A’mash, from ‘Atiyyah Al-‘Awfī, from Abu Sa’īd Al-Khudrī, from the Prophet ﷺ, that he said:

“I am about to be called to my Lord and respond to the call, and I am leaving among you Al Thaqalayn: The Book of Allāh & my ‘Itrah. The Book of Allāh is a rope extended from the heavens unto the earth, and my ‘Itrah is the members of my household. The Subtle & Acquainted (Allāh) informed me that they shall never split apart until they meet at the Ḥawdh, so look at how you deal with them after me.”[47]

This report is extremely weak for several reasons:

The isnāds of Aḥmed, Alī bin Al-Ja’d and Al-ājurrī contain: Muḥammad bin Talha, who is a trustworthy transmitter that is not absolutely reliable due to mistakes he makes in his transmission.

• Al-‘Uqailī & Ibn ‘Adi listed him in their compilations of weak transmitters[48]
• Abu Dawūd[49] & Ibn Ḥibbān[50] mentioned that he used to make mistakes in his transmission.
• Al-Nasā’ī said: “He is not strong” [51]
• The isnād of Al-Tabarani contains: Sāliḥ bin Abī Al-Aswad, a weak transmitter.
• Ibn ‘Adī described him saying: “His hadiths are not upright, and he is unknown” [52]
• Ibn Ḥajar said: “Wāhī”, meaning he is extremely weak.[53]

Al-‘Amash, as mentioned earlier, makes tadlis, and unless he explicitly mentions hearing the report from who is above him in the chain of transmission, there could be a gap in the isnād. In this case, Al-‘Amash does not explicitly mention hearing the report from ‘Atiyyah, but he merely transmits it through him by saying: عن or “from”.

‘Atiyyah is a weak transmitter as shown earlier.

Fourth: The report of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Zaid bin Thābit:

Aḥmed bin Ḥanbal, Ibn Abī Shaybah, Ibn Abī ‘Asim, transmit the report through Sharik, from Al-Rukayn, from Al-Qasim bin Hassan, from Zaid bin Thābit who said: the Messenger of Allāh said: “I am leaving among you two successors: the Book of Allāh and the members of my household, and they shall not separate until they meet on Al-Ḥawdh.”[54]

This report is weak for several reasons:

Sharik is known to be an unreliable transmitter who makes mistakes in his transmission:

• Al-Jawzajani said: He had a bad retention of reports, and was contradictory in his transmission.[55]
• Ibn Sa’d[56] & Al-Dāraqutnī[57] mentioned he was not a strong transmitter.
• Ibn Ḥajar said: “He was a sadūq who made lots of mistakes, his retention changed a lot once he became the judge of Kufa.” [58]
• Al-’Uqailī included him in Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir, his encyclopedia on weak transmitters.[59]

Al-Qasim bin Hassan is also a weak transmitter:

• Bukhari said: “His ḥadīth is munkar, and he is unknown.” [60]
• Ibn Al-Qattan Al-Fasi said: “He is unknown.” [61]
• Ibn Ḥajar said: Maqbūl.[62]

This means, according to Ibn Ḥajar, that: “His reports are only accepted if they are corroborated by other reliable transmitters; otherwise, he is a weak transmitter.”[63]

In this case Al-Qasim’s report from Abu Sa’īd Al Khudri is only corroborated by Atiyyah, another weak transmitter; thus, it is unreliable.

Fifth: The reports of al Thaqalayn through Abu Dhar Al Ghifārī:

Al-Dāraqutnī was asked about the ḥadīth of Hensh bin Al-Mo’tamir from Abu Dhar, from the Prophet ﷺ that he said: “I have left among you Al Thaqalayn: The Book of Allāh and my Itrah, and they shall never separate until they meet at Al Ḥawdh. It [the itrah] is just like the vessel of Nuh, whoever rides it, then he will survive.”

Then, Al-Dāraqutnī commented saying: “Abu Isḥaq Al Sabe’i transmits it through Hensh. That is what Al-‘Amash, Yunis bin Abī Isḥaq, and Mufdhil bin Saleh reported. However, Isra’il reported it differently: he narrated it through Abu Isḥaq, through an unknown man, through Hensh bin Mo’tamir. The correct transmission, in my opinion is that of Isra’il.”[64]

Thus, Al-Dāraqutnī in reality criticized the ḥadīth and criticized its chain of transmission due to the presence of an unknown man in the Isnād, so how can Shias cite this ḥadīth of Al-Dāraqutnī claiming it supports their argument?!

Similarly, Hensh is a weak transmitter.

• Al-Nasā’ī: “He is not strong”[65]
• Al-‘Uqailī listed him in Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir , his encyclopedia of weak transmitters.[66]
• Abu Ḥātem said: “I do not see that they [the critics] consider his transmission reliable.” [67]
• Ibn Ḥibbān said: “He was very deluded in his transmission of reports, and he used to exclusively transmit from Alī certain reports that do not resemble what the other reliable transmitters used to report, to the extent that his transmission is not considered reliable any more.”[68]

Sixth: The report of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Hudhayfah bin Usaid:

Al-ṭabarānī transmits the report through: Zayd bin Al Hassan Al-Anmāṭī who said: Ma’ruf bin Kharrabudh told us, from Abu Al-Tufail, from Hudhaifah bin Usaid who reported – part of a larger ḥadīth – that the Messenger of Allāh said:

“… and I will ask you when you meet me at Al Ḥawdh about Al Thaqalayn, so beware of how you treat them both after me: The Book of Allāh, one of its ends is in the hand of Allāh, and the other is in yours, so grasp onto it and do not go astray and change; And my Itrah, the members of my household. The Subtle & Acquainted (Allāh) has informed me that they shall not perish until they both meet at the Ḥawdh.”[69]

 

This report is weak:

Zaid bin Al-Hassan Al-Anmāṭī is a weak transmitter, as noted earlier in this paper.

Ma’ruf bin Kharrabudh is also not a reliable transmitter.

• Yaḥya bin Ma’īn declared him to be Da’īf (weak).[70]
• Ibn Ḥajar said: “He is a sadūq, and he would make mistakes.” [71]
• Ibn Ḥibbān said: “He used to buy books and narrate from them.. .then his memory changed, so he used to transmit ḥadīths with mistakes.”[72]
• Al-‘Uqailī said: “His reports are not corroborated”, and he listed him in Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir, his encyclopedia of weak transmitters [73]

 

Seventh: The report of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Ibn ‘Abbas:

Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Ḥākim and others transmit the report through: Isma’īl bin Abī Uwais, from his father, from Thawr bin Zaid Al-Dili, from ‘Ikrimah, from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allāh gave a sermon during final pilgrimage and he said: “O people I have left among you that which if you grasp onto, you shall never go astray: The Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Prophet.”[74]

This report is weak:

Isma’īl bin Abī Uwais is not a reliable transmitter:

• Al-Nasā’ī declared him to be Da’īf (weak).[75]
• Ibn Ḥajar said: “He was a sadūq, but he made mistakes when transmitting ḥadīths from his memory.” [76]
• Abu Ḥātem Al-Razī said: “He was an honest person; however, he was inattentive in his transmission.” [77]
• Abu Uwais is a weak transmitter:
• Al-‘Uqailī lists him in his encyclopedia of weak transmitters, and quotes Yaḥya bin Ma’īn declaring him to be a weak transmitter, as well. [78]
• Ibn Ḥibbān said: “He used to make a lot of mistakes in his transmission” [79]
• Al-Dāraqutnī said: “He was considered a weak transmitter by our companions” [80]
• Al-Nasā’ī said: “Abu Uwais is weak, and his son Isma’īl is even weaker”[81]

 

 

Eighth: The reports of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Abu Hurairah:

1. Al-Ḥākim transmits the report through Sāliḥ bin Musa Al-Talhi, from ‘Abdulaziz bin Rufai’, from Abu Sāliḥ , from Abu Hurairah, who said: the Messenger of Allāh said: “I have left among you two things from which you shall never go astray: The Book of Allāh and my Sunnah, and they shall never separate until they meet at Al Ḥawdh.[82]

This report is weak because:

Sāliḥ bin Musa is a very weak transmitter:

• Al-Nasā’ī[83] and Ibn Ḥajar[84] said: “Matrūk al Ḥadīth”, meaning: his transmission is to be disregarded.
• Abu Ḥātem Al-Razī & Al-Bukhari said: “Munkar Al-Ḥadīth.”[85]
• Yaḥya bin Ma’īn said: “He is worthless.”[86]

2. Imam Mālik said: I was informed that the Messenger of Allāh said: “I have left among you to things you shall not go astray as long as you grasp onto them: The Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of his Prophet.”[87]

This report is clearly weak, as there is more than a 130-year gap between Imam Mālik and the Prophet ﷺ; therefore, this report of Al Thaqalayn is not reliable.

Ninth: The report of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Ibn Umar:

‘Abd bin Ḥumaid transmits the ḥadīth through Musa bin ‘Ubaidah who said: Sadaqah bin Yasār told us from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allāh said: “… and I have left among you that which if you grasp onto, you shall not go astray: The Book of Allāh…”[88]

This report is weak:

Musa bin ‘Ubaidah is a weak transmitter.

• Abu Ḥātem Al-Razī said: “Munkar Al Ḥadīth.”[89]
• Yaḥya bin Ma’īn said: “He is worthless.”[90]
• Abu Zur’ah Al-Razī said: “He is not strong.”[91]
• Al-Nasā’ī and Ya’qub bin Shaybah declared him to be a weak transmitter. [92]

Tenth: The report of al Thaqalayn transmitted through Alī:

Ibn Abī ‘Asim and others reported the ḥadīth through: Kathīr bin Zaid, from Muḥammad bin ‘Umar bin ‘Alī, from his father, from ‘Alī bin Abī Tāleb that he said:

The Messenger of Allāh was at a tree in Khumm, then he took the hand of Alī and said: “Do you not bear witness that Allāh is your lord?”

They said: “Of course”

He said: “Do you not bear witness that Allāh and His Messenger are more worthy of you than your own selves, and that Allāh and His messenger are your Awliya’ ?”

They said: “Of course”

So the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever Allāh and His messenger are his mawlas, then this man is his mawla, and I have left among you that which if you take, you shall never go astray: The Book of Allāh, its end is His hand and the other is in yours; and the members of my household.”[93]

This ḥadīth is weak:

Kathīr bin Zaid is not a reliable transmitter.

• Yaḥya bin Ma’īn said: “He is not strong” [94]
• Abu Ḥātem Al Razī said: “He is not strong … his ḥadīths should merely be written.”[95]
• Al-Nasā’ī declared him to be Da’īf (weak)[96]
• Ibn Ḥajar says: “He is a sadūq who makes mistakes in his transmission”[97]

Muḥammad bin ‘Umar bin ‘Alī is an unknown transmitter:

• The earliest quote from a critic available is that of Ibn Al-Qattān Al-Fāsī, and he states that Muḥammad is an unknown transmitter.[98]
• Ibn Sa’d said: “He had very little hadith transmission”[99]
• Al-Dhahabī said: “I did not see any problems in him, nor did I see any criticism of him by the earlier critics.” [100]
• Ibn Ḥajar claimed he was a sadūq.[101]

Considering the fact that Ibn Al-Qattān Al-Fāsī claimed he was unknown, along with Ibn Sa’d’s statement that he had very little reports transmitted, it seems that the correct ruling on this transmitter is that he is unknown.

Al-Dhahabī statement does not mean he views him to be a reliable transmitter. The mere fact the he knows no criticism of him as a transmitter does not mean there is any praise of him that makes him a reliable transmitter! In fact, it only supports the notion that he is an unknown transmitter, as stated by Ibn Al-Qattān Al-Fāsī.

Similarly, Ibn Hajar’s claim that he is a saduq, goes against the general indicators provided by the earlier critics.

 

Conclusion:

These are the major chains of transmission that this famous ḥadīth revolves around. After an analysis we can come to several conclusions:

1. The most authentic reports we have of this ḥadīth are:

• The ḥadīth reported by Imam Muslim in his Saḥīḥ through the companion Jābir bin ‘Abdillah, where he quotes the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ saying:

“… and I have left among you that which if you hold fast to, you will never go astray:  The Book of Allāh. You will also be asked about me (on the Day of Resurrection), (now tell me) what shall you say? They (the companions) said: We will bear witness that you have conveyed (the message), discharged (the ministry of Prophethood) and given wise counsel.”

• The ḥadīth reported by Imam Muslim in his Saḥīḥ to the companion Zaid bin Arqam, where he quotes the Prophet ﷺ saying:

“I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord, and I am about to respond to the call (of my Lord). I am leaving among you Al Thaqalayn: the one being the Book of Allāh in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allāh and adhere to it.

He exhorted us (to hold fast) to the Book of Allāh and then said:

“The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.”

• The report of Aḥmed bin Ḥanbal, where he quotes ‘ ‘Alī bin Rabi’a saying:

I met Zaid bin Arqam while he was entering or leaving Al-Mukhtar, so I asked him: Did you hear the Messenger of Allāh say: “I am leaving among you Al Thaqalayn?”

He said: “Yes”

• The report of Al-ṭabarānī and Al-Bazzār where they report that Zaid bin Thābit said:

The messenger of Allāh said: “I am leaving behind among you Al Thaqalayn: The Book of Allāh the members of my household, and they shall not separate until they meet at the Ḥawdh.”

2. In these authentic Thaqalayn reports, we see that there is only a command to follow the book of Allāh and hold steadfast to it. The Prophet ﷺ mentions Ahlulbait, on the other hand, for the Muslims to take care of them and give them their rights after the death of the Prophet ﷺ.

3. In the Ḥadīth of Zaid bin Arqam reported by Muslim, the companion explicitly says that the term Ahlulbait mentioned in the ḥadīth spans Alī, Al-‘Abbas, ‘Aqil, Ja’far and their respective progenies. Thus, the term Ahlulbayt in hadith Al Thaqalayn it is not limited to the progeny of Fatimah as many Shias claim.

4. Some individuals might appeal to the authentication of Al Thaqalayn by other muhaddiths to many of the reports deemed weak in this paper. However, the very nature of this kind of work is very holistic; thus, many muhaddiths who authenticated the earlier reports did not provide extensive research regarding these reports. In this paper, evidence was presented to support every claim; hence, these citations and points must be addressed if anyone were to academically address this paper and refute its conclusions.

Quoting the authentications of other muhaddiths and researchers does not address the argument presented, as many of these individuals (as mentioned earlier) were simply limited in their research for many varying reasons.

[1] Sahih Muslim  [1218],  Sunan Abi Dawud  [1905, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah [2809], Sahih Ibn Hibban  [1457], Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Nasa’i  [3987], Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah [30077], Sunan Ibn Majah  [3074]

[2] Jam’i Al-Tirmidhi   [3786], Al-Mo’jam Al-Awsat [4757] , Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir  [2680]

[3] Al-‘Ilal Al-Saghir 758\1

[4] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 3/406

[5] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib  1/223

[6] Al-Mughni fi Al-Du’afaa 1/246

[7] Sahih Muslim [2408], Musnad Ahmed  [18780], Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah [2357] , Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir  [5028]

[8] Musnad Ahmed [18826]

[9] Jami’ Al-Tirmidhi [3788]

[10] Al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban 4/302

[11] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 7/225

[12] Diwan Al-Du’afaa 276

[13] Tahdhib Al-Kamal 20/147

[14] Tahdhib Al-Kamal 20/148

[15] Al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban 4/137

[16] Al-‘Ilal by Ibn Al-Madini  2/140

[17] Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Nasa’i [8410], Al-Mustadrak ‘ala Al-Sahihayn [4633]

[18] Al-‘Ilal by Ibn Al-Madini 2/140

[19] Al-Mustadrak ‘ala Al-Sahihayn [6329], Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir [4986]

[20] Mizan Al-I’tidal 6/216

[21] Lisan Al-Mizan 5/232

[22] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 8/410

[23] Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir 4/8

[24] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 1/459

[25] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 8/410

[26] Tarikh Ibn Ma’in 3/273

[27] Al-Thiqat by Al-‘Ijli 2/224

[28] Al-Mustadrak ‘ala Al-Sahihayn  [4634]

[29] Al-Kamil fi Du’afaa Al-Rijal3/261

[30] Al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban6/244

[31] Taqrib Al-Tahdib1/157

[32] Al-Do’afaa wal-Matrukun1/34

[33] Tarikh Ibn Ma’in – Riwayat Ibn Mihriz 1/80

[34] Mizan Al-I’tidal 3/568

[35] Lisan Al-Mizan 1/183

[36] Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubrah 6/356

[37] Al-Du’afaa Al-Kabir 4/79

[38] Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir [2681 & 4971]

[39] ‘Ilal Al-Hadith by Ibn Abi Hatem 6/528

[40] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib  1/176

[41] Ma’rifat Al-Sunan wal-Athar  9/329

[42] Al-Majruhin by Ibn Hibban 1/246

[43] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 2/445

[44] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 2/445

[45] Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir [4980 & 4981],   Musnad Al-Bazzar: Musnad Zaid bin Arqam  [224]

[46] Musnad Ahmed   [10827 & 11167], Fada’il Al-Sahabah  603\2, Musnad Abi Ya’la Al-Mowseli  [1140], Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Asem  [1553]

[47] Musnad Ahmed [10747], Fada’il Al-Sahaba 779\2, Al-Shari’ah by Al-Ajurri  [1702], Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir  [2679], Musnad Ibn Al-Ja’d  [2711]

[48] Al-Kamil fi Du’afaa Al-Rijal  7/474, Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir 4/85

[49] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 9/239

[50] Al-Thiqat by Ibn Hibban 7/388

[51] Al-Do’afaa wal-Matrukun by Al-Nasa’i1/93

[52] Lisan Al-Mizan 5/280

[53] Lisan Al-Mizan 5/280

[54] Musnad Ahmed[21068 & 21145], Fada’il Al-Sahabah 603\2, Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah  [31679], Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Asim  [754]

[55] Mizan Al-I’tidal  2/270

[56] Mizan Al-I’tidal  2/271

[57] Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra 6/355

[58] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 1/266

[59] Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir  2/193

[60] Mizan Al-I’tidal  3/369

[61] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib  8/311

[62] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib1/449

[63] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 1/8

[64] Al-‘Ilal Al-Waridah fi Al-Ahadith Al-Nabawiyyah  6/236

[65]Al-Du’afaa wal-Matrukun by Al-Nasa’i 1/35

[66] Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir  1/288

[67] Mizan Al-I’tidal1/619

[68] Kitab Al-Majruhin by Ibn Hibban 1/269

[69] Al-Mo’jam Al-Kabir [2683 & 3052]

[70] Mizan Al-I’tidal  4/144

[71] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 1/540

[72] Al-Do’afaa wal-Matrukun by Ibn Al-Jawzi 3/129

[73] Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir  4/220

[74] Al-Mustadrak ‘ala Al-Sahihayn1/248, Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi  10/114

[75] Al-Do’afaa wal-Matrukun by Al-Nasa’i1/17

[76] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib1/108

[77] Al-Jarh wal-Ta’dil by Ibn Abi Hatem 2/181

[78] Al-Do’afaa Al-Kabir 2/270

[79] Al-Majruhin by Ibn Hibban 2/24

[80] Mizan Al-I’tidal 2/450

[81] Al-Sunan Al-Kubra by Al-Nasa’i 6/450

[82] Al-Mustadrak ‘ala Al-Sahihayn 1/93

[83] Al-Do’afaa wal-Matrukun by Al-Nasa’i 1\57

[84] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 1/274

[85] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 4/404

[86] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib4/404

[87] Al-Muatta’2/478

[88] Musnad ‘Abd bin Humaid 2/477

[89] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 10/359

[90] Tahdib Al-Tahdhib 10/358

[91] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 10/358

[92] Mizan Al-I’tidal 4/213

[93] Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Asem  [1361]

[94] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 8/414

[95] Tahdhib Al-Tahdhib 8/414

[96] Al-Do’afaa wal-Matrukun 1/89

[97] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 1/459

[98] Bayan Al-Wahm wal-Iham fi Kitab Al-Ahkam 5\267

[99] Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra 2/249

[100] Mizan Al-I’tidal 3/668

[101] Taqrib Al-Tahdhib 498