Author: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid (حفظه الله)
"On the gates of Paradise, it is written: 'There is no deity but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and I have supported him through Ali.'
And I wrote this inscription 2,000 years before the creation of the heavens and the earth."
This narration is referenced in:
Mizan al-I‘tidal (1/433), Kanz al-‘Ummal (33043), and Ibn al-Jawzi’s Al-‘Ilal (1/238).
"There is no deity but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and Ali is the brother of the Messenger of Allah."
Such contradictions in wording raise further doubts about the narration's authenticity.
Mizan al-I‘tidal, Al-Mughni, Al-Du‘afa wal-Matrukin, Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil, Kanz al-‘Ummal, Al-‘Ilal.
The Narration:
It is reported from Jabir (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:"On the gates of Paradise, it is written: 'There is no deity but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and I have supported him through Ali.'
And I wrote this inscription 2,000 years before the creation of the heavens and the earth."
This narration is referenced in:
Mizan al-I‘tidal (1/433), Kanz al-‘Ummal (33043), and Ibn al-Jawzi’s Al-‘Ilal (1/238).
Analysis of the Narration's Authenticity
One critical issue raised is the existence of Paradise and how it could have been created before the creation of the heavens and the earth. This claim further adds to the suspicion regarding the narration's authenticity.- Ash‘ath bin Hassan (راوي):
- Identified as the nephew of Hassan bin Salih bin Hayy, who was known for extreme Shia leanings.
- Imam Al-Dhahabi stated: "He was a staunch Shia, and scholars criticized his narrations."
References: Mizan al-I‘tidal (1/433), Al-Mughni (1/92)
- ‘Atiyyah al-‘Awfi (راوي):
- Known for fabricating chains of transmission and attributing narrations to Jabir (رضي الله عنه) without ever meeting him.
- Yahya bin Salim al-Kufi (راوي):
- Declared weak by Darqutni and other scholars.
References: Mizan al-I‘tidal (7/179), Al-Mughni (2/735), Al-Du‘afa wal-Matrukin (3/195)
- Declared weak by Darqutni and other scholars.
- Zakariya bin Yahya al-Kasai (راوي):
- Considered "among the worst narrators" by Yahya ibn Ma‘in.
- Aqili stated: "This narration is fabricated."
References: Mizan al-I‘tidal (3/110), Al-Du‘afa wal-Matrukin (1/295), Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil (3/595)
"There is no deity but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and Ali is the brother of the Messenger of Allah."
Such contradictions in wording raise further doubts about the narration's authenticity.
False Attribution to Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه):
This narration has also been attributed to Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (رضي الله عنه). However, historical facts disprove this:- Abu Ayyub did not participate in the Battles of Jamal or Siffin alongside Ali (رضي الله عنه), a critical detail that contradicts the narration’s claims.
- This inconsistency indicates either a deliberate fabrication or an error by later narrators.
Conclusion:
This narration is not authentic due to the presence of unreliable narrators and contradictions in the text. Scholars like Imam Al-Dhahabi, Ibn al-Jawzi, Darqutni, and others have criticized it heavily, declaring it fabricated or unreliable. Furthermore, the historical inaccuracies and contradictions make it unworthy of acceptance.Key Takeaways:
- Fabrication in Hadith: The narration is a product of fabricators aiming to elevate the status of Ali (رضي الله عنه) through unreliable means.
- Caution in Narration Acceptance: It emphasizes the importance of verifying the chains of narrations and understanding the context.
- Ali's (رضي الله عنه) True Status: The authentic traditions about Ali (رضي الله عنه) are sufficient to establish his lofty rank without resorting to unreliable fabrications.
Mizan al-I‘tidal, Al-Mughni, Al-Du‘afa wal-Matrukin, Al-Jarh wa al-Ta‘dil, Kanz al-‘Ummal, Al-‘Ilal.