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(7)
َعَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللّٰہ ِ صَلَّی اللّٰہ عَلَیہِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَقْبَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ و َعُمَرُ فَقَالَ: ’’هَذَانِ سَی ِدَا كُھُولِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ مِن
اْلَْوَّلِینَ وَاْلْخِرِینَ إِْلَّ النَّبِی ِینَ وَالْمُرْسَلِینَ، ْلَ تُخْبِرْهُمَا یَا عَلِي
Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) relates that Ali (RA) said: ‘I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) appeared. He said: “These two will be the chiefs of the mature men of the people of Paradise—from the earlier and the later generations—excepting the Prophets and the Messengers. Do not inform them of this, O Ali.”’ (Musnad al-Bazzār, No. 490)
Lexical Explanation
كُھُول is the plural of كَھْل. It denotes men in the prime of maturity, roughly between thirty and fifty years of age. Here, the intent is all those who have passed youth and reached old age.
Explanation
Commentators have asked why the Holy Prophet (PBUH) forbade Ali (RA) from informing Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) of this. Some hold that the purpose was lest any complacency in deeds arise or self-admiration enter the heart; others suggest that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) intended to convey it to them personally at an appropriate moment, hence he restrained Ali (RA) (Khatib al-Baghdadi, Sharaf Ashab al-Hadith, 1/90; Mulla Ali al-Qari, Mirqat al-Mafatih, 9/3913). These two explanations, however, do not appear most persuasive. More likely, the intent was that the distinction awaiting them on the Day of Resurrection remain hidden from them in this world, so that they would not be deprived of the joy that comes when an honor is conferred without prior expectation.
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
This exchange between the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Ali (RA) is transmitted not only by Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) among the Companions, but also by Abdullah bin Umar (RA) and Anas bin Malik (RA) (Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq, 44/173). In addition, numerous Successors report it from Ali (RA). Details follow:
1. Via al-Harith al-Awar from Ali (RA): recorded in al-Tirmidhi, no. 3757; Ibn Majah, no. 94; al-
Tabarani, al-Mujam al-Awsat, no. 1359; Ibn Hanbal, Fazaʾil al-Sahabah, nos. 87, 183, 274; al-Ajurri, al-Shariah, no. 1283; Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq 44/169.
At the end of al-Ajurri’s chain there is the addition: qala: fama dhakartu dhalika lahuma hatta halaka (al-Shariah, No. 1283) — “He [Ali] said: ‘I did not mention this to them until both had passed away.’”
Since al-Shabi transmits from al-Harith, some routes omit al-Harith’s intermediary and attribute it directly to al-Shabi (Musnad Abi Yala, No. 94).
2. Via Ali bin al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin: recorded in al-Tirmidhi, no. 3756; Ibn Hanbal, Fazail al- Sahabah, no. 231; al-Ajurri, al-Shariah, no. 1752; Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Dimashq 44/168.
3. Via al-Hasan bin Zayd bin al-Hasan: in Musnad Ahmad, no. 593; Ibn Hanbal, Fazail al-Sahabah, no. 133; al-Ajurri, al-Shariah, no. 1751. Al-Ajurri provides the following background:
An al-husayn bin zayd bin al-hasan qala: ja’a nafara min ahl al-iraq… (al-Shariah, no. 1751) — “Al- Hasan bin Zayd bin al-Hasan said: A group from Iraq came to him and said: ‘Abu Muhammad, news has reached us that you transmit a hadith from Ali bin Abi Talib (RA) concerning Abu Bakr and Umar (RA)—’ He replied: ‘Yes…’” In Ahmad’s chain there is the addition at the end: ya ali, hadhani sayyida kuhul ahl al-jannah wa shababaha bad al-nabiyyina wa al-mursalina. (Musnad Ahmad, No. 593) — “O Ali, these two—after the Prophets and Messengers—are the chiefs of the mature men of Paradise and of its youth.” This addition appears shadh (anomalous), for it is absent from the other chains and also conflicts with reports designating Hasan and Husayn (RA) as the chiefs of the youth of Paradise (al-Tirmidhi, No. 3859; Ibn Majah, No. 117; Musnad Ahmad, No. 10785).
4. Via Zur b. Hubaysh: recorded in al-Dulabi, al-Kuna wa al-Asmaʾ, no. 1683; Hadith Abi al-Fazl al-
Zuhri, no. 486; Ibn ʿAsakir, Tarikh Dimashq 30/172. Its ending reads:
Qala: fama akhbaratu huma wa law kana hayyina ma haddathtu bihadha. (Tarikh Dimashq 30/177)
— “He [Ali] said: ‘I did not inform the two of them; and had they been alive, I would not have narrated this either.’”
5. Via Zayd bin Yuthay: reported by al-Ajurri and al-Tahawi (al-Shariah, No. 1578; Mushkil al-Athar,
No. 1679).
Al-Ajurri’s chain includes an apparent narrator’s insertion: Ya ali, wa hasan wa Husayn sayyida shababi ahl al-jannah. (al-Shariah, No. 1578) — “O Ali, and
Hasan and Husayn will be the chiefs of the youth of Paradise.”
6. Via Abu Khattab al-Wasiti: recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Asakir (al-Musannaf, No. 31302;
Tarikh Dimashq 44/172).
7. In one report through Abu Matar, it is related that during Umar’s (RA) final illness, Ali (RA) visited him
and, finding him anxious about his hereafter, conveyed this glad tiding to him: Faqultu lahu: Abshir bi al-jannah… sayyida kuhulu ahl al-jannah abu bakr wa umar. (Tarikh Dimashq,
44/168; Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Muhtaḍarin, No. 223) — “I said to him: ‘Rejoice in Paradise, for I repeatedly heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: ‘The chiefs of the mature men of the people of
Paradise are Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA).’” This report appears untenable in light of the aforementioned transmissions in which Ali (RA) explicitly states that, in obedience to the Holy
Prophet’s (PBUH) instruction, he did not inform them of this until both had passed away.
(8)
ُعَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَقُولُ: وُضِعَ عُمَرُ عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ فَتَكَنَّفَهُ النَّاسُ يَدْع ونَ وَيُصَلُّونَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ وَأَنَا
َفِيهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَرُعْنِي إَِّلَّ رَجُلٌ آخِذٌ مَنْكِبِي، فَإِذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَتَرَحَّمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ وَقَال َ: مَا خَلَّفْتَ أَحَدًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ أ لْقَى
ُاللّٰہ َ بِمِثْلِ عَمَلِهِ مِنْكَ، وَايْمُ اللّٰہ ِ إِنْ كُنْتُ َلََظُنُّ أَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ اللّٰہ ُ مَعَ صَاحِبَيْكَ، وَحَسِبْت َّإِن ِي كُنْتُ كَثِيرًا أَسْمَعُ الن ُبِيَّ صَل ى اللّٰہ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ذَهَبْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ، وَدَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ، وَخَرَجْتُ أَنَا ُوَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَر. Ibn Abi Mulaykah relates that he heard Ibn Abbas (RA) say: ‘When Umar (RA) was placed upon his bier, people gathered around him, supplicating and sending blessings upon him before he was carried away, and I was among them. Suddenly someone grasped my shoulder—it was Ali b. Abi Talib (RA). He invoked mercy for Umar (RA) and said: “You have not left behind anyone whose record of deeds I would more love to take with me to meet Allah than yours. By Allah, I always believed that Allah would place you with your two companions; and I think I often heard the Holy Prophet (PBUH) say: ‘I went—with Abu Bakr and Umar (RA); I entered—with Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA); I came out—with Abu Bakr and Umar (RA).’”’
Explanation
The phrase “yaj’alakallahu ma ‘a sahibayka” (that Allah would place you with your two companions) alludes to the burial alongside the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Bakr (RA). Their graves were in the chamber of Aisha (RA). According to reports, Umar (RA) sought her permission to be buried there; although she had reserved the remaining place for herself, she gave precedence to Umar (RA) and relinquished it for him (Sahih Bukhari, No. 3530).
Referencing and Variance in Narration Chains
This report from Ibn Abbas (RA) via Ibn Abi Mulaykah is also recorded in: Sahih Muslim, no. 4507; Ibn Majah, no. 97; Musnad Ahmad, no. 884; al-Nasaʾi, al-Sunan al-Kubra, no. 7850; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, no. 4401; Musnad Abdullah b. al-Mubarak, no. 255; Ibn Hanbal, Fazail al-Sahabah, no. 307.
The opening clause of Ali’s (RA) words—“ma khalaqta ahadan ahabbu ilayya an alqallahu bimithli amalihi minka”—is transmitted, with slight verbal variation, by several other narrators. For example, in the narration of Abu Juhayfah Wahb b. Abdullah it is stated: kuntu inda umar... Thumma qala: rahmatullahi Alayka aba hafs… (Musnad Ahmad, No. 853) — “I was present when Umar (RA) had been shrouded. Ali (RA) came, uncovered his face and said: ‘Allah’s mercy be upon you, Abu Hafs. By Allah, after the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) there is no one with whose record of deeds I would more love to meet Allah than yours.’”
This wording is also recorded in: Ibn Sad, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, no. 3905; Ibn Hanbal, Fazail al-Sahabah, no. 326; Ibn Shabbah, Tarikh al-Madinah, no. 1493.
Beyond these, the phrase is transmitted through Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) (al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, No. 4498; Ibn Saʿd, al-Tabaqat, No. 3898), and via Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf, No. 31378; Abu Yusuf, al-Athar, No. 945; Ibn Hanbal, Fazail al-Sahabah, No. 324); Abdullah bin Abi al-Hudhayl also narrates it through a man from Banu Asad (Musnad Ahmad, No. 848). With Ibn Sad it further occurs through Zayd bin Ali, Ayyub, Amr bin Dinar, and Abu Jahzam (al-Tabaqat, Nos. 3906, 3907).
Al-Ajurri relates this episode with additional sentences through Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, in the following words:
Akhbarani abu abd al-rahman… Lam takun ayaban wa la madahan. (al-Shariah, No. 1185) — “Abu ʿAbd al- Rahman said: Ali bin Abi Talib (RA) entered while Umar (RA) lay shrouded and said: ‘There is no one whose record I would prefer to take to Allah above this one wrapped among you.’ Then he said: ‘May Allah have mercy on you, Ibn al-Khattab! Indeed, you were truly knowledgeable of Allah; your breast was filled with His greatness; you feared Allah concerning the people and did not fear the people concerning Allah; you were generous in following the truth and miserly in following falsehood; you took but a meagre share of this world and a full share of the hereafter; you were neither a fault-finder nor a flatterer.’”
[To be continued…]