A hadith is mentioned regarding the virtue of Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه, in which the Prophet ﷺ said about him: (مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلاهُ) meaning, "Whomsoever I am the master of, Ali is also his master." Based on this hadith, it is claimed that Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه is the undisputed caliph or that he had a greater right to the caliphate and that this right was taken away from him!
First Point
This hadith is narrated from multiple companions of the Prophet رضي الله عنهم. For this reason, some scholars have declared it to be mutawatir (mass-transmitted). For example, Imam Dhahabi
Reference: Siyar A'lam al-Nubala: 8/335
, Allama Suyuti
Reference: Qutaf al-Azhar al-Mutanathirah, No: 102
, Allama Katani
Reference: Nazm al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir, No: 232
, Allama Murtada al-Zabidi
Reference: Laqit al-Lala' al-Mutanathirah, No: 61
, and Sheikh al-Albani
Reference: Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, No: 1750
.Among the companions رضي الله عنهم from whom this hadith is narrated, some of their names are:
◄ Ali ibn Abi Talib
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 641
◄ Saad ibn Abi Waqqas
Reference: Ibn Majah: 121
◄ Zaid ibn Arqam
Reference: At-Tirmidhi: 3713
◄ Buraidah ibn Al-Husayb
Reference: As-Sunan Al-Kubra An-Nasa'i: 8089
◄ Al-Bara ibn Azib
Reference: Ibn Majah: 116
◄ Jabir ibn Abdullah
Reference: Al-Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 34243
◄ Abdullah ibn Abbas
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 3061
◄ Abu Hurairah
Reference: Al-Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 34263
May Allah be pleased with them all.In most hadith books, two synonymous phrases of this hadith have also been recorded: (مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلَاهُ) and (مَنْ كُنْتُ وَلِيَّهُ، فَعَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّهُ). In some narrations, this addition has also appeared: (اللهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاهُ، وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاه). Translation: (O Allah! Be the friend of the one who befriends Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, and be the enemy of the one who is hostile to him). However, some scholars have declared this addition weak, such as Imam Ahmad
Reference: Al-Muntakhab min Al-‘Ilal lil-Khallal, p. 210
and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
Reference: Minhaj as-Sunnah: 7/55
. While some scholars have considered it authentic, such as Shaykh Al-Albani
Reference: Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah, No: 1750
.Second Point
The doubt mentioned is based on deriving an incorrect meaning of the word 'Mawla'. In the Arabic language, the word 'Mawla' has approximately twenty-one (21) meanings, some of which are opposites of each other, such as: السيد و العبد (master and slave), الـمُنْعِم و الـمُنْعَم عليه (one who grants favor and one who is favored), الـمُعْتِق والـمُعْتَق (one who frees and one who is freed). When this is the case, selecting one meaning cannot be done according to personal desire or preference but requires evidence or context. Here, 'Mawla' means guardian or friend. Thus, the meaning of the hadith will be that whoever I am a friend to, Ali is also his friend; in other words, whoever loves me should also love Ali.
Below are some reasons and indications for deriving this meaning:
This same meaning has been stated by scholars of every class and era of the Ummah, including commentators, hadith scholars, jurists, and linguists. Below are the names of some of them arranged in order of their year of death along with references:
➊ Al-Hasan ibn Salih al-Kufi
Reference: (Death: 167 AH) Al-Sunnah by Abu Bakr ibn al-Khallal (2/ 348)
(Interesting fact: He is from the people of Kufa and has also been accused of Shi'ism)
➋ Imam Yunus ibn Habib al-Dabbi
Reference: (Death: 182 AH) Tahdhib al-Lugha (15/ 324)
➌ Imam Shafi'i
Reference: (Death: 204 AH) Manaqib al-Shafi'i by al-Bayhaqi (1/ 337)
➍ Abu Ubaidah Muammar ibn Muthanna
Reference: (Death: 209 AH) Majaz al-Qur'an by Abu Ubaidah (1/ 124)
➎ Imam Tha'lab Ahmad ibn Yahya
Reference: (Death: 291 AH) Tahdhib al-Lugha by al-Azhari (15/ 322)
➏ Imam Tahawi
Reference: (Death: 321 AH) Sharh Mushkil al-Athar by al-Tahawi (5/ 25)
➐ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah
Reference: (Death: 311 AH) Al-Tawhid by Ibn Khuzaymah (1/ 74)
➑ Imam Ibn Hibban
Reference: (Death: 354 AH) Al-Ihsan fi Taqrib Sahih Ibn Hibban (15/ 375)
➒ Abu Ja'far al-Nahhas
Reference: (Death: 338 AH) I'rab al-Qur'an by al-Nahhas (4/ 120)
➓ Abu Ahmad al-Qassab al-Kirji
Reference: (Death: 360 AH) Nukat al-Qur'an by Abu Ahmad al-Qassab (4/ 366)
◄ Imam Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahani
Reference: (Death: 430 AH) Kitab al-Imamah by Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahani (pp. 214 – 220)
◄ Mukki ibn Abi Talib
Reference: (Death: 437 AH) Al-Hidayah ila Bulugh al-Nihayah by Mukki ibn Abi Talib (11/ 6893)
◄ Imam Bayhaqi
Reference: (Death: 458 AH) Al-I'tiqad by al-Bayhaqi (p. 354)
◄ Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr
Reference: (Death: 463 AH) Al-Tamhid by Ibn Abd al-Barr (14/ 79 T Bashar)
◄ Imam al-Wahidi
Reference: (Death: 468 AH) Al-Tafsir al-Basit by al-Wahidi (4/ 543)
◄ Imam Abu al-Muzaffar al-Sam'ani
Reference: (Death: 489 AH) Tafsir al-Sam'ani (5/ 130)
◄ Imam Isma'il al-Asbahani
Reference: (Death: 535 AH) Al-Tahrir fi Sharh Sahih Muslim by al-Asbahani (p. 364)
◄ Imam Qadi Iyad
Reference: (Death: 544 AH) Al-Shifa bi Ta'rif Huquq al-Mustafa by Qadi Iyad (1/468)
◄ Imam Nawawi
Reference: (Death: 676 AH) Fatawa al-Nawawi (p. 252)
◄ Imam Ala al-Din Ibn al-Attar
Reference: (Death: 724 AH) Al-'Iddah fi Sharh al-'Umdah by Ibn al-Attar (1/ 171)
◄ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
Reference: (Death: 728 AH) Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah (7/321 – 325)
◄ Imam Ibn al-Mulqan
Reference: (Death: 804 AH) Al-I'lam bi Fawa'id 'Umdat al-Ahkam (1/ 635)
◄ Allama al-Suyuti
Reference: (Death: 911 AH) Qut al-Mughtadhi 'ala Jami' al-Tirmidhi by al-Suyuti (2/ 1002)
◄ Allama Ibn Hajar al-Haytami
Reference: (Death: 974 AH) Al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (1/ 107)
◄ Allama Mulla Ali al-Qari
Reference: (Death: 1014 AH) Sharh al-Shifa by Mulla Ali al-Qari (2/ 84)
◄ Allama Abd al-Ra'uf al-Munawi
Reference: (Death: 1031 AH) Al-Taysir bi Sharh al-Jami' al-Saghir by al-Munawi (2/ 147)
◄ Allama Abu al-Hasan al-Sindi
Reference: (Death: 1138 AH) Hashiyat Musnad al-Imam Ahmad (13/ 341)
◄ Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab
Reference: (Death: 1206 AH) Risalah fi al-Radd 'ala al-Rafidah (p. 7)
◄ Allama al-Alusi
Reference: (Death: 1270 AH) Ruh al-Ma'ani by al-Alusi (3/ 362)
The words of this very hadith (مَنْ كُنْتُ وَلِيَّهُ، فَعَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّهُ) testify that here it means master, guardian, or friend, and these words (اللهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاهُ، وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ) also support the same meaning because enmity is used in contrast to friendship. In opposition to an enemy, a friend or beloved is meant, not a ruler or caliph!
The context and background of the hadith also support this meaning. The story is that in the year ۱۰ھ, the Prophet ﷺ sent two armies towards Yemen; the first army was led by Hazrat Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him), whose responsibility was to fight, and after some interval, the second army was sent under the leadership of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had various responsibilities, including collecting and distributing the spoils of war, as well as teaching the religion to the people of Yemen and resolving their disputes. Regarding the distribution of the spoils of war, some companions, including Khalid bin Walid, Buraidah bin Husaib, Bara bin Azib, and Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with them), disagreed with Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). These individuals considered Hazrat Ali’s decisions to be wrong, whereas Hazrat Ali was in the right. These disagreements escalated to the extent that some people developed animosity towards Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). When this matter reached the Prophet ﷺ, he first individually dispelled the misunderstandings of these companions and taught the love of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and later, upon returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage, at the place of Ghadir Khumm (near Juhfa, between Mecca and Medina, approximately 150 kilometers from Mecca), he highlighted the virtues of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in front of everyone so that if anyone harbored any hatred towards Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), it would be removed and they would make room for his love in their hearts.
Reference: This is a summary of the narrations related to this matter. For details, see: Musnad Ahmad: 22967, Sunan al-Nasa'i al-Kubra: 8428, Al-Lu'lu' al-Maknūn fī Sīrat al-Nabī al-Ma'mūn by Musa bin Rashid al-Azmi: 4/452–458, 4/555–557
There are other hadiths conveying this meaning regarding the virtue of Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه:
◈ The Prophet ﷺ addressed Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه and said: (تم سے صرف مومن ہی محبت کرے گا، اور تم سے صرف منافق ہی بغض رکھے گا).
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 78
◈ It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها that the Prophet ﷺ said: (جس نے علی سے محبت کی اس نے مجھ سے محبت کی اور جس نے علی سے بغض رکھا اس نے مجھ سے بغض رکھا).
Reference: Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 23/380, Hasanah al-Wadi'i, Al-Izamat wal-Tatabu', p. (290)
◈ It is narrated from Hazrat Salman al-Farsi رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said: (جس نے علی سے محبت کی اس نے مجھ سے محبت کی اور جس نے علی سے بغض رکھا اس نے مجھ سے بغض رکھا).
Reference: Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn by al-Hakim: 6/58, No: 4697, authenticated by al-Wadi'i, Al-Sahih al-Musnad mimma laysa fi al-Sahihayn, No: 442
Third Point
As far as taking the meaning of Mawla as Wali (ruler or caliph) or Awla (more entitled) is concerned, it is incorrect to derive this meaning from this hadith, for many reasons. Below are these reasons and evidences:
◄ Linguistically, neither of these meanings is proven. Mawlā meaning 'awlā' is not mentioned in any reputable Arabic dictionary. In fact, in the Arabic language, the pattern (مَفْعَل) does not come with the meaning of (أَفْعَل)
Reference: Al-Sawāʿiq al-Muḥriqah by Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī (1/108), Rūḥ al-Maʿānī by al-Alūsī (3/361)
.◄ Similarly, Mawlā does not mean 'wali' either, because 'Mawlā' is derived from وَلایت (with a fatḥah on the wāw), whereas 'Wali' is derived from وِلایت (with a kasrah on the wāw). وَلایت is the opposite of enmity, while Wali means authority, and these two are different things
Reference: Minhāj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah: 7/324
.◄ Even if the word "Mawla" in Arabic also means "wali" or "awla," it is not necessary to take this meaning because Islamic texts are never interpreted in a way that would invalidate other texts or demolish the entire structure of Islam. The false implication here is that all the Companions are accused of not understanding the Prophet's ﷺ intention and instead openly opposing this command. What kind of wisdom is it to accuse or label as conspirators a group known for their righteousness and through whom the religion has reached us, just for the sake of a self-constructed meaning of a single hadith?
◄ Even Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, did not understand this hadith in this sense. The evidence for this is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari
Reference: (Hadith No: 4447)
, in which, near the time of the Prophet’s ﷺ death, Hazrat Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said to Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, that we should ask the Prophet ﷺ about who will get the caliphate. But Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, refused to go, saying that if the Prophet ﷺ forbids us, then later people will not give it to us.The point to consider here is that if the caliphate had been granted through this hadith, then what is the meaning of asking for the caliphate now? They should have said that why are you so concerned about the caliphate, its decision was already made at the occasion of Ghadir Khumm!
◄ Taking this meaning would necessarily imply a reproach on the status of Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, that the personality whose bravery and courage are exemplary, saw his right being usurped and did not raise a single voice against it? Regarding this, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ما أقبح ملة قوم يرمون إمامهم بالجبن والخور والضعف في الدين، مع أنه من أشجع الناس وأقواهم.
Reference: Risalah fi al-Radd 'ala al-Rafidah (p.7)
How bad are those people who accuse their own Imam of cowardice and weakness in matters of religion, while he was the bravest and strongest among the people!
◄ The grandson of Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, also denied the aforementioned meaning.
Reference: Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd (7/315)
And it is authentically narrated in other books that when a Rafidhi began to exaggerate in the status of Ahl al-Bayt in front of Sayyiduna Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, the son of Hasan bin Hasan, he stopped him. The Rafidhi said: Did not the Prophet of Allah say about Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, (مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلاهُ؟)? He replied: If by this was meant leadership and governance, then the Prophet ﷺ would have clarified it to the people. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most concerned for the Muslims; he said: O people! This man is responsible for your affairs and your caliph after me, so listen to and obey him. By Allah! If Allah and His Messenger had chosen Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, for the caliphate, and then Ali had abandoned the command of Allah and His Messenger, then Ali would have been the first to abandon Allah and His command.◄ Another reason for not taking the mentioned meaning is that when Muslims gathered at Saqifah Bani Sa'idah to select the Caliph, the Ansar withdrew their claim upon the mention of the hadith of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه (الأئمة من قريش) (خلیفہ قریش سے ہوگا). If (مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلَاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلاهُ) was intended to mean the Caliphate, then why was it not presented as a decisive hadith, especially since this hadith was well remembered by many companions and the event of Ghadir Khumm had also recently occurred?
◄ Even if it is assumed that the word Mawla in this hadith means Caliph, the mentioned claim is still not proven because the claim is that he is the Caliph without any interruption. There is a big difference between being a Caliph and being a Caliph without interruption. Certainly, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) became the Caliph of the Muslims, but after some interval. The hadith does not mention that there will be no gap or interval in his caliphate; the hadith allows for both possibilities—that there may be a gap or there may not be. Therefore, it is proven that the claim is specific and the hadith is general.
Reference: Risala fi al-Radd ala al-Rafida (p.7), Al-Ahadith al-Marfoo'ah fi Fadl al-Imam Ali Radi Allahu Anhu wa Dirasatuha Bayn Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Shi'ah by Dr. Nihad Abdul Halim Ubaid (p. 972)
Another point
The summary of the matter is that the purpose of this hadith is by no means to express the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), but rather to remove the suspicions that had arisen in the hearts of the soldiers going to Yemen regarding Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Finally, readers are requested to definitely study a book by the respected Sheikh Irshad-ul-Haq Asri, may Allah preserve him, titled "Khutbah Ghadir Khumm aur Ahl-e-Bayt ke Huqooq" (The Sermon of Ghadir Khumm and the Rights of the Ahl al-Bayt).
