Chapter One Introduction

:

Prophet (s) said to Ali: You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except there is no
Prophet after me
The authenticity of hadith Manzila is agreed upon by all Muslims, Shia and Sunni alike. It
has been narrated by over 20 companions of the Prophet (s) and is found in both Sahih
Bukhari and Muslim, the two most authentic books in Sunnism. The hadith is one of the
many clear proofs of Imam Alis (as) caliphate, as can be recognized by any honest
seeker of truth. Unfortunately, todays pseudo Nasibis insist that the tradition is of little
importance rather it was linked to an event, and was just said to console a desolate Ali
(as). In their efforts to argue this case they have sought to corrupt the meaning of the
hadith, offering false and baseless interpretations that go against both the Quran and the
hadith itself.

Hadith Manzila is Muttawatir

One of the most striking comparisons is that of Musa and Harun and Muhammad (s) and
Ali, this comparison was cited on many occasions. Its repetition signifies its importance,
and highlights nexus between all four personalities. The Hadith is well known as Hadith
Manzila. This Hadith has been transmitted by a plethora of Sahaba to the point that it
has attained the level of being a Muttawatir Hadith i.e. a Hadith narrated by successive
chains, as recorded by Imam Hakim in Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihain, Volume 2 page
337:

This hadith has entered the limits of being Tawatur
Some Sunni scholars wrote books wherein they only included those Hadith which are
Mutawatur. For example, Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti recorded in his book Al-Azhar alMutanathira Fi al-Ahadith al-Mutwatira, page 38 Hadith 101:
)) ((
.
The Hadith ((Are you not pleased that you are to me as Harun was to Musa))
Ahmad recorded it from Abu Saeed al-Khudari, Asma bint Umays and al-Tabarani

recorded from Um Salamah, Ibn Abbas, Habshi bin Janadah, Ibn Umar, Ali, Jabir
bin Samara, al-Bara bin Azib and Zaid bin Arqam
Similarly Imam Muhammad bin Jafar Al-Katani records in his collection of Mutawatir
Hadiths namely Nadhem al-Mutanathir Fi al-Hadith al-Mutawatir, page 195 Hadith 233:
(Are you not pleased that you are to me as Harun was to Musa).
Narrated from Abu Saeed al-Khudari, Asma bint Umays, Um Salamah, Ibn Abbas,
Habshi bin Janadah, Ibn Umar, Ali, Jabir bin Samara, al-Bara bin Azib, Zaid bin
Arqam and other twenty persons.
I say: It has been narrated from Malik bin al-Huwayreth, Saad bin Abi Waqas and
Umar bin al-Khatab.
Ibn Asakir has tracked the chains and recorded them in a whole chapter and he
recorded it from over twenty companions.
Sheikh Jasoos may Allahs mercy be upon him said in his book Sharh al-Resalah
stated: The hadith Your status to me as Aarons status to Moses is Mutawatir
and has been narrated by more than twenty companions and Ibn Asakir record it
over twenty pages.
Nadhem al-Mutanathir Fi al-Hadith al-Mutwatir, page 195 Hadith 233
Whilst shameless Nawasib such as ibn al Hashimi insist that no credence should be
given to this Hadith and it carries nothing of value, we can see that the Sunni Ulema
counted this Hadith amongst the esteemed merits of Ali (as) and would cite this as one
of his greatest virtues.
This conversation has been recorded in context of conversation between Sad and
Muawiyah, in Sahih Muslim Book 031, Number 5915:
This hadith has been narrated. on the authority of Shuba with the same chain of
transmitters. Amir b. Sad b. Abi Waqqas reported on the authority of his father
that Muawiya b. Abi Sufyin appointed Sad as the Governor and said: What
prevents you from abusing Abu Turab (Hadrat Ali), whereupon be said: It is
because of three things which I remember Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon
him) having said about him that I would not abuse him and even if I find one of
those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camelg. I
heard Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) say about Ali as he left behind
hrin in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). All said to him: Allahs Messenger,
you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Allahs
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: Arent you satisfied with being
unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no

prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would
certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger and
Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We have been
anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call Ali. He was called
and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the
standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the
(following) verse was revealed: Let us summon our children and your children.
Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) called Ali, Fitima, Hasan and Husain
and said: O Allah, they are my family.

Chapter Two Analyzing the

meaning of Hadith Manzila
Analyzing the relationship between
Musa (as) and Harun (as) from the
Quran
We read in Sahih Bukhari the Hadith as follows, the Prophet (s) saying to Ali (as):
Your position to me is like the position of Harun to Musa, except that there will be
no prophet after me.
So what was the relationship between Musa (as) and Harun (as) and Muhammad (s)
and Ali (as). There must some similarity, it must carry some importance after all the
Prophet (s) recounted this simile on many occasions.
It must have something to do with future of Islam (said many times) that is why the
Prophet (s) said: Your position to me is like the position of Harun to Musa, except
that there will be no prophet after me thus alluding to a relationship that continued
beyond his (s) lifetime.

The Hadith together completely different eras of history, history is a science and must be
examined. When the Prophet (s) indicates this relationship we must ascertain these
relationships to compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) during that time.
Not everything was similar between Harun (as) and Ali (as).
1.

Harun (as) older than Musa (as), Ali (as) was younger than the Prophet (s)

2.

Harun died before Musa (as) whilst Ali (as) outlived the Prophet (s).

These are trivial differences; contrast doesnt mean anything if we can evidence that
there was time when he appointed Harun (as) as his successor at a point when he left
his people. To understand the similarities one needs to delve into the Quran. It is
interesting that those Nawasib who insist that everything needs to go back with Quranic
corroboration as proof, fail to do so when it comes to Hadith Manzila, rather they choose
to use false Qiyas to interpret the Hadith in a manner that protects their doctrine of man
made Caliphate and lowers the rank of Maula Ali (as).
This Sahih Muttawatir narration can be located in a plethora of Sunni works including all
of the Saha Sittah. What was the Prophet (s) alluding to by referring to his relation to Ali
(as) to be like that of Harun (as) and Musa (as)? To understand this we need to first
examine the relationship between the prophet Harun (as) and the great prophet Musa
(as). If we can understand this relationship we can surely understand the relationship Ali
(as) had to Muhammad (s), and we will have found the answer to our question
concerning the meaning of Hadith Manzila. The Quran clarifies this relationship, as it
does on so many issues. Let us examine the relationship between Musa (as) and Harun
(as) from the Quran.

First relationship Harun (as) was the brother of

Musa (as)
And granted we unto him out of our mercy his brother Harun (The Quran 19:53)
Exactly the same relationship existed between the Prophet (s) and Ali (as). Just like the
wording of Hadith Manzila, the Prophet (s) due to his perfection complied with this order
and proclaimed Ali (as), (who was his first cousin and son-in-law) to be his brother in
terms of closeness. This was as Allah (swt) commanded the Prophet (s) to make the

relationship between him and Ali (as) as near to that of Harun (as) and Musa (as) as he
could, except that Ali (as) would be exempted from the rank of Prophethood.

Second relationship Harun (as) was the Vizier

of Musa (as)
The Quran states that Harun (as) was the vizier of Musa (as), and it compels us to
accept that this relationship also therefore applies also to Ali (as) and Muhammad(s).
Harun (as) was made the vizier to his brother Musa (as); the Word of Allah states that at
the beginning of his mission Musa (as) prayed to Allah to give him a vizier, to ease his
burden:
Musa said: O Allah! Assign me a Vizier from my family, (that is) my brother
Harun. Add to my strength through him, and make him share my task: that we may
celebrate thy praise without stint (Allah) said: We granted your requests, O
Musa (20:29-36)
Commenting on this verse al Mawardi writes
Musa does not restrict himself to speaking of wazirate alone rather refers also to
a consolidation of his strength and an association with him in his affair .
al Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah, by Abul Hasan al Mawardi, English translation by Dr
Asadullah Yate, p 40
The relationship is clarified yet again in the Quran:
And indeed We gave Musa the Book and We did appoint with him Harun as an
Apostle and his Vizier (25:35).
Do we really need to pass any further comment? Hadhrat Musa (as) was given the Book
by Allah (swt) as was Hadhrat Mohammed (s). Harun (as) was appointed as a Prophet
and as Musa (as)s Vizier. Hadith Manzila points to the same relationship between the
Prophet (s) and Ali (as).

Third relationship Harun (as) was the Khalifa of

Musa (as) during his lifetime
The Quran states that Harun (as) was the khalifa of Musa (as), and compels us to
acknowledge that this relationship therefore must also apply to Ali (as) and
Muhammad(s). For, when Musa (as) was called away by his Lord to Mount Sinai he said
to Harun (as) as he departed:
In verse 7:142 Allah swt mentions the words of Nabi Musa [as] to Harun [as] before he
went up into the Mountain:


The word ukhulfni is the root origin of the Arabic word Khalifa (Caliph), by whose use
Allah, who is above all error, is directly implying that Harun (as) would now take Musa
(as) s role among the people as their khalifa, the position that Musa (as) had now been
passed to his brother Harun (as). If you look at the available English translations they
confirm this, although they dont use the words caliph. A successor is a person who
takes the place of another when that person leaves, whether temporarily or forever. This
makes it clear that Nabi Harun [as] held the position of Caliph during the life of Musa
[as]. Now let us turn to the hadith. Sometimes in translation of the beautiful marvelous
Arabic of the Quran, whose depth one can spend a whole lifetime studying, the true
meaning of a word of Allah is lost. By study of the pure classical Quranic Arabic used
here we shall show the position the Quran gives Harun (as) to Musa (as) and thereby
the position Muhammad(s) gave Ali (as) in this hadith, for this verse clarifies the
relationship of Harun (as) to Musa (as). In English the one Arabic word ukhulfnichosen
by Allah in 7:142 has been translated in English transliteration in manner that indicate
succession.
[Mohsin Khan]: And Msa (Moses) said to his brother Harun (Aaron): Replace me
among my people.
[Shakir]: and Musa said to his brother Haroun: Take my place among my people.
[Pickthal]: and Moses said unto his brother, Aaron: Take my place among the
people.

it is clear from this verse that in Musa (as)s absence Harun (as), who had till then been
his vizier, became the acting khalifa.
This is not surprising, only logical, since if a Premier departs for a substantial period of
time without the benefits of modern-day communication his second in command, his
vizier, would remain to take up the mantle of leadership. And indeed, Muhammad(s) was
to follow Musa (as)s example in years to come when he would appoint his own vizier, Ali
ibn Abu Talib (as) as the khalifa to succeed him.
Therefore it should come as no surprise that Muhammad(s) said the following
concerning Ali ibn Abu Talib (as):
Your position to me is like the position of Harun to Musa, except that there shall
be no Prophet after me.

Applying the above cited relationships

to Hadith Manzila
Ibn al Hashimi states:
Shia says
The words except there will be no prophet after me indicates that Ali was being
appointed for a task similar to Prophethood. Otherwise, there would have been no need
to mention Prophethood at all. One of the fundamental beliefs of Islam is that Prophet
Muhammad was the final seal of the Prophets. Therefore, whenever Prophet
Muhammad would liken anyone to a Prophet, he would make sure to clarify that this is
only a comparison and does not mean there will be any Prophet after him.

Reply
Whilst Shia are in no doubt that the station of Prophethood ended with Muhammad (s)
we would like to know why this Nasibi doesnt seek to explain the Hadith in its entirety?
The Prophet (s) is making it clear that other than Prophethood all other ranks that existed
between Musa (as) and Harun (as) existed between him and Ali (as). Whilst we accept
the second portion precluded Prophethood for Ali (as), all other relationships that Harun

(as) had with Musa (as) existed, why doesnt Ibn al Hashimi offer any comments about
the opening words? If you look at the complete Hadith Your position to me is like the
position of Harun to Musa, except that there will be no prophet after me we can
see that the sole rank the Ali (as) did not share with Harun (as) was that of Prophethood,
The words of Rasulullah (s) except there will be no Prophet after me proves that
other than the station of Prophethood all the other ranks / duties that were associated
with the Prophethood of Harun (as) had to also be possessed and filled by Maula Ali
(as). Note that Muhammad(s) puts only one exemption clause in the nature of this
relationship and that is that unlike Harun, Ali (as) will not be a prophet, hence the
words, except that there will be no prophet after me. Given that the Quran states
in black and white that Harun (as)s relationship to Musa (as) is that of brother, vizier and
khalifa it must be the same with Ali (as) for the only difference will be that Ali (as) is not a
prophet.
One can understand this by analyzing this table:
Your position to me is like the position of Haroon to Musa, except that there
will be no prophet after me.
Station

Prophet Harun (as)

Imam Ali (as)

And granted we unto

You are my brother in

him out of our mercy

this world and the next

his brother Haroon

Tareekh ul Khulafa by

Brother

(The Quran 19:53)

Suyuti, page 177

Vizier and partner in

Musa said: O Allah!

When this verse

propagating the Deen

Assign me a Vizier from

descended, The Prophet

my family, (that is) my

(s) was on a mountain,

brother Haroon. Add to

straight after its descent,

my strength through

The Prophet (s) prayed to

him, and make him

Allah, Oh Allah! Through

share my task: that we

my brother Ali, ease the

may celebrate thy

burden on my back, and

praise without stint

Allah accepted this

(Allah) said: We

prayer

granted your requests,

Tafsir Durre Manthur, by

O Musa

Jaladin Suyuti, Vol 4 p 528

Asma narrates that the
Prophet (s) said Listen I
supplicated before Allah
in the same manner, that
my brother Musa had
done. O Allah make my
brother Ali my Vizier,
and strengthen my back
through him. May my
brother Ali a partner in
this task, so that we can
praise You together.
(The Quran 20:29-36)

Al-Riyad al-Nadhira, p247

Ibn Abbas report that
the Messenger of Allah
(P.B.U.H) said to Ali :
Your status to me as
Aaron status to Moses
except you are not a
prophet, I shall not leave
without you being my

And Musa said unto

Khalifa

successor of every
believer after me

his brother Haroon: Take

Albaani declared it Hasan

my place (as khalifa)

in Dhilal al-Janah, volume

among the people. (The

2, page 337 Tradition

Quran 7:142)

1188.

Chapter Three Refuting the

claims of Nasibi advocates

First Claim The Prophet (s) was

merely seeking to reiterate his familial
link with Ali (as)
Abdul Hamid Siddiqi states:
Shiite authors refer to this and similar traditions in support of their claim that by those
words the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) had made a pointed reference to
Hadrat Ali as his successor. The Sunni scholars assert, and rightly, that the above words
of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) have a reference to a family relationship
between him and Ali and not to the question of Caliphate. Aaron was the cousin of
Moses and so was the case with Ali and the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him).
The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) ordered Ali to remain in Medina in charge of
the city and the Prophets family while he was proceeding on the campaign of Tabuk. Ali
expressed his anxiety to participate in the campaign and not to stay behind in Medina.
The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) referred to the example of Moses who had
left his brother Aaron in charge of the community when he himself ascended mount
Sinai
Sahih Muslim, English translation by A.H.Siddiqi, Vol 4 p 1284, footnote 2695

Reply
So, Siddiqi is trying to convince his readers that the Mutawatir tradition Your position to
me is like the position of Harun to Musa, except that there shall be no prophet after me.
means little and it only refers to the fact that Aaron and Moses were cousins as were
Muhammad (s) and Ali (as). If anything, this highlights the self-contradictory nature of
the arguments advanced by the scholars of the Ahle Sunnah exemplified by Siddiqi. He
shoots his own logic in the foot on two occasions in just these few lines, since first the
Quran does not state that Harun (as) and Musa (as) were cousins, they were brothers

(7:142 & 20:29) unlike the first statement made by Siddiqi. What is even stranger is that
in the same paragraph Siddiqi seems to forget what he wrote earlier and informs us that
Aaron and Moses were indeed brothers.
Secondly, by referring to the relationship between Aaron and Moses, Siddiqi explains
that the Prophet was referring only to the example of Moses who had left his
brother Aaron in charge of the community when he himself ascended mount
Sinai and that no further significance should be given to this narration, it being of only
minor historical significance. We agree with Siddiqis statement concerning Sinai, but not
with his amnesia concerning his own statement that Musa (as) did indeed leave Harun
(as) as his brother, in charge of the community. Since Siddiqi also writes Harun (as)
was left in charge of the community we naturally assume this relationship also applies
to that of Muhammad (s) and Ali (as); we also believe that by referring to this hadith
Prophet Muhammad (s) was making it clear that when he left his people, he would
likewise leave Ali (as), his vizier, as his deputy in charge of the community.

Second claim Harun (as) was never

the Khalifa of Musa (as)
Ibn al Hashimi quotes and comments:
Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari, a Shia scholar, says
He (Allah) appointed Harun the helper, assistant, deputy and successor of Musa among
his people, and even made him a prophetSince Harun was the leader of all the Bani
Israil, the situation of Ali, peace be upon him, was analogous.
source: Imamate And Leadership,
http://www.home.swipnet.se/islam/books/imamate/lesson5.htm
This is simply incorrect: Prophet Harun died before Prophet Musa, so it is impossible to
claim that Harun was the successor of Musa. The successor of Prophet Musa was
Prophet Yusha (Joshua) and therefore if the Prophet had wanted to imply successorship,
then surely he would have likened Ali to Prophet Yusha.

Reply Harun was appointed as

Khalifa when Musa (as) went to Tur
When the Prophet Musa (as) went to Mount Tur, he appointed Harun (as) as the leader
of all the Bani Israil, that is a fact proven from the Quran. The Sunni scholars have also
accepted this fact. The renowned Deobandi scholar from the Indian Subcontinent Ashraf
Ali Thanvi in his tafsir of the above verse curiously
translates ukhulfni as management of affairs.What is however very interesting is in
his commentary of the above verse he writes:
Harun was only a Prophet, he was not a leader which is why it was important to
make him a khalifa in his absence.
Tafsir Bayan ul Quran, by Ashraf Ali Thanvi under the commentary of verse 7:142
In the History of Tabari Volume 3 page 72 we read:
Then Moses set out, making Aaron his vice-regent over the children of Israel.
This is precisely what Mujataba Musavi Lari was alluding to.

Third claim Harun never succeeded

his brother as Khalifa, he died during
his lifetime
Ibn al Hashimi states:
The Shia propagandists oftentimes abuse the following Hadith in order to claim that the
Prophet appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor:
Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 700:
Allahs Apostle set out for (the Battle of) Tabuk, appointing Ali as his deputy (in
Medina). Ali said, Do you want to leave me with the children and women? The
Prophet said, Will you not be pleased that you will be to me like Harun to Musa?
But there will be no prophet after me.

However, this Hadith is not evidence for the Caliphate of Ali after the death of the
Prophet because the comparison made was between Ali and Prophet Harun. It is wellknown that Prophet Harun died before Prophet Musa, and thus was never his successor
after him.
The following is an explanation by Imam al-Qurtubi in his Tafseer:
There is no disagreement that Harun died before Musaand (Harun) was not a
successor after him (Musa), for the successor (to Musa) was Yusha bin Noon (i.e.
Joshua), so if he (the Prophet) wanted by his saying (to grant Ali) the Caliphate, he
would have said you will be to me like Yusha was to Musa, so when he didnt say this it
proved that he didnt want that meaning, but he (simply) wanted that you are my deputy
over my family in my life and my absence from my family, like Harun was deputy of Musa
over his people when he left to speak to his Lord.

Reply One Harun (as) would have

been the Khalifa had he outlived his
brother (as)
One should look to the Quran before making such a submisison. Whilst there is no
disputing that Harun (as) died before Musa (as), does not the Quran say, as mentioned
in the previous chapter, that Musa (as) told Harun (as) to ukhulfni (take my place) in
Musa (as)s very absence when Musa (as) went to Mount Tur? Muawiyas spiritual sons
might claim argue that this was merely a temporary measure, since Musa (as) returned
from Mount Sinai to which we will pose one question:
What would have happened in the event of Musa (as) dying on Mount Sinai? Harun was
his khalifa, would his role have been nullified upon Musa (as)s death? Would he have
been deposed or would he continue to lead the people?
The answer is clear; Harun would have continued to rule as Khalifa. His role would have
changed from a temporary to permanent post. There would have been no need to
debate about the succession in the event of Musa (as)s death.

The Quran stipulates that Harun was the brother, vizier and Khalifa of Musa (as) which
evidences his superiority in the Ummah of Musa (as). We can gauge from Hadith
Manzila, wherein Maula Ali (as) was compared to Harun (as) that he was likewise the
most superior person in the Ummah of Muhammad (s). When Imamate is based on
excellence, wherein the Head of State is superior to all below him then it is logical that
Imam Ali (as) on account of his superiority was likewise the immediate Khalifa following
the death of the Prophet (s).
It is common sense from Musa (as)s words that Haruns role was that as leader and
successor, and should be acknowledged as such even if he were to die before Musa
(as). Therefore the fact that he died and did not become khalifa does not in anyway alter
this fact. Whilst we acknowledge that Yusha bin Nun became khalifa after Musa (as), this
was only because Harun (as) passed away during his brothers lifetime, had this not
been the case Harun would have been khalifa. Once it is proven that Harun (as) had
been appointed as the Khalifa of Musa (as) during his lifetime, then the same applies to
Imam Ali (as), in Hadith Manzila the Prophet (s) made it clear that just like the
appointment of Harun (as) by Musa (as), he (s) was likewise appointing Ali (as) as the
Khalifa in his absence. The intention to appoint Harun (as) remained the same, had
Harun outlived his brother he would have been the Khalifa. Applying this to the Hadith
under discussion we see that Maula Ali (as) outlived the Prophet (s), meaning that he
would succeed him as the Khalifa. Exactly the same applies in the case of Maula Ali
(as), and this can be evidenced from the wording of the Hadith:
You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except there is no Prophet after me thus
making it clear that the remaining stations bestowed on Harun (as) were
possessed by Ali (as) both during and after the death of the Prophet (s)
The Prophet made it clear that this status given to Imam Ali (as) was continuous after his
death. Therefore it doesnt matter when Harun (as) died. What matters is that Harun was
Musa (as)s Caliph during his life and Imam Ali was given this status by being compared
to Harun, and possessed the legitimate right to this status after the Prophets death.
Ibn Hajar al Asqalani in his in Fatah al Bari has relied on the following explanation of
Sunni scholar Sheikh Ahmad bin Ishaq al-Taeibi:

 : , :
,

al-Taeibi has said: The meaning of this hadith is that he (Ali) is linked to me
having the same position from me as the position Harun had with respect to Musa,
and there is a vague comparison here which was made clear by his words:
except there is no Prophet after me. This made it clear that the link that was
mentioned between them was not in Prophethood, but rather what was below that
and that is the Caliphate. And when it was Harun that was being compared who
was the Caliphate was during the life of Musa, this proves that the Caliphate of Ali
was limited to the life of the Prophet (s)
A similar interpretation is offered by Al-Muhaddith Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi in Tauhfa
Ithna Ashari, page 210, chapter 7, Hadeeth Manzila:
The reality of this hadeeth itself provides grounds for the ahlul sunnat to prove
the virtues of Hazrat Ameer in (terms of the) correctness of his Imamate during his
own time, and that this hadith merits thee (him) for the Imamate.
Notice how both Sunni scholars acknowledge that the similarity is the Caliphate /
Imamate, but then limits it to the life of Prophet Muhammad [sawa]. This is answered
very simply by saying that if it was limited to the Prophets lifetime then he wouldnt have
talked about what was after him: after me! It is hence clear that Imam Ali is not only
the Caliph during the Prophets life, but that Caliph afterwards as well. Moreover, this
version of the tradition also makes elaborates matters yet further:


Ibn Abbas reports that the Messenger of Allah (s) said to Ali: Your status to me as
Aaron status to Moses except you are not a prophet, I shall not leave without you
being my successor over of every believer after me
Dhilal al-Janah by Albaani, Volume 2 page 337 Tradition 1188

Fourth claim If the Prophet (s) was

alluding to succession he would have
made reference to Yusha bin Nun not
Harun (as)
Ibn al Hashimi states:
The Hadith al-Manzilah does not at all help the Shia cause, but rather it is a strong proof
against the Shia claims. Had the Prophet wished to imply that Ali was his successor,
then he would have likened Ali to Prophet Yusha rather than Prophet Harun. Instead, the
Prophet likened Ali to Prophet Harun whose role was not that of a temporal ruler but that
of a spiritual guide.
If any doubt remains allow us to cite Al-Burhan al-Jali by Abdullah al-Ghermari, page 54:
)) ((

The hadith (( your status to me like the status of Aaron to Moses)) shows that the
status of Ali to the prophet (pbuh) is like the status of Aaron to Mosses in
brotherhood and caliphate

Reply
Sadly for shameless Ibn al Hashimi rather than weaken the Shia stance it strengthens it
after all what was the relationship between Musa (as) and Harun (as)? Who possessed
a closer relationship with Prophet Musa (as) was it Harun (as) or Yusha bin Nun (as)?
Had the comparison merely been to that of Yusha that would have been just one rank
that of Leadership, nothing more than that, whereas the relationship between Musa (as)
and Harun (as) was far greater. Rasulullah (s) by citing Hadith Manzila made it clear that
the believers need to look no further than the Quran to recognize that station of Harun
(as). Yusha may have indeed succeeded Harun as the Head of State, but he is not
talked of in the Quran. We are not denying the excellence and honor bestowed upon

Yusha bin Nun, but remember that excellence was one that linked him to Musa (as), he
was his Khalifa. Harun (as)s being the Khalifa of his brother only partially reflected the
relationship between the two Prophets. The relationship between Harun (as) and Musa
(as) was multi faceted as can be evidenced from the Quran. Rasulullah (s) citing the
relationship between Harun (as) and Musa (as) sought to highlight thebest
possible relationship that best described his relationship with Ali (as) that was more than
the fact he was his Khalifa as was Yusha bin Nun. The Prophet (s) therefore cited that
relationship that a simile that could be gauged by looking at the Quran after all both
Israelite Prophets are extolled on many occasions and we are informed that Harun (as)
was brother, Vizier and Khalifa of Musa (as) a relationship that likewise applied to
Maula Ali (as).
Hadith Manzila hence brings together all of the excellences between Musa (as) and
Harun (as). Yusha bin Nun may have been the Khalifa after Musa (as) but he didnt
possess the other attributes that Allah (swt) gave Harun (as) in the Quran. Allah (swt)
describes Harun (as) as the Vizier, brother, helper and Khalifa of Musa (as). Hadith
Manzila by drawing this simile seeks to show the excellence rank of Ali (as) by citing
those of Harun (as) that far excelled those Yusha bin Nun. When an employer is
developing a job specification for a post he will seek to set out various attributes that
need to be evidenced in the person specification, what is commonly termed the job
criteria. Having one single attribute shall not suffice; an applicant shall need to evidence
that he meets all the essential criteria that thus entitle him to be selected for an interview.
Thereafter if successful he will need to get a job reference from a referee typically a
previous employer, who will be asked to endorse the successful applicant against the
person specification set. The referee will seek to endorse the applicants right by citing
those attributes that he conforms he has, thus entitling him to the job. Simply citing one
might not be good enough he shall apply all of the criteria to reaffirm that this is the right
person for the job. Now coming to this example Yusha bin Nun was a Prophet and the
Khalifa of Musa (as). These were attributes of Yusha evidencing his excellence, but the
Quran extols the excellence of Harun (as) in a far greater manner. In the eyes of Allah
(swt) Harun (as) is superior on account of the esteemed ranks that he possesses.

Fifth claim Maula Ali (as) was merely

appointed as a caretaker over the
family of the Prophet (s)
Ibn al Hashimi states:
In Hadith al-Manzilah it is narrated that the Prophet left to go for war and he deputized
Ali as the caretaker of his family in his absence. It was very routine at that time for a
father to deputize his son as caretaker of the family in his absence; because the Prophet
did not have a son, Ali was the most appropriate choice for this very noble task.
Hakikat Kitabevi states:
Rasulullah (s), when he started for the Ghaza of Tabuk, appointed him (Ali) as his
deputy in Medina to protect his Ahlulbait, and said You are related to me as Harun was
to Musa, with the only difference that there will not be any Prophet after me .
Advice for the Muslim, by Waqf Ikhlas, p 130 (Waqf Ikhlas Publications, seventh edition,
Istanbul, Turkey)
Safi ur Rahman Al Mubarukpur states:
In Ar Raheeq al Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) a modern day biography of the Prophet
(s) the Wahabie scholar sets out Hadith Manzila in the following way:
To Ali ibn Abi Talib he entrusted his familys safety and affairs and ordered him to stay
with them. This move made the hypocrites undervalue Ali, so he followed the Messenger
of Allah (s) and caught up with him. But the Prophet made Ali turn back to Medina after
saying: Would it not suffice you to be my successor in the way that Aaron (Harun) was
to Moses.
Ar Raheeq al Makhtum, by Safi-ur-Rahman Al-Mubarukpuri, English translation by Darus-Salam Publication, p 427

Reply One This argument portrays

the Prophet (s) as a selfish man
(asthaghfirullah)
The irony is if we accept this absurd argument then it means that Rasulullah (s)
recognized the importance of appointing a caretaker for his family as he went away
temporarily but didnt bother appointing a caretaker to tend to the needs of the entire
Ummah after him! So the Prophet (s) leaves Ali (as) in Madina so that he can fulfill his
role as caretaker over his family. All responsibilities associated with the running of a city
are to be ignored, all that caretaker Ali (as) must do is to remain situate within close
proximity of the the wives of the Prophet (s) to ensure that their needs are met. Was this
the sole duty of caretaker Ali (as) providing for the welfare needs of the Prophets family?
If for example a delegation was to come from another land, was Ali (as) to tell them:
Come back when the Prophet (s) returns, my duties are to look after his (s) family!
If for example the Kuffar attacked the city were Ali (as) orders to remain indoors and
protect the Ahlulbait and no one else? Was the Holy Prophet that selfish, that his only
concern was for the safety his family? May Allah protect us from such a viewpoint, which
simply casts a blot on the character of our immaculate Prophet (s)! Besides, Hakikat
Kitabevi then add that after deputizing Ali (as) in Medina, the Prophet (s) then narrated
the hadith You are related to me as Harun was to Musa, so could these learned
brothers kindly answer the following question: when Musa (as) went to Sinai and left
Harun (as) in charge, to Take my place as the Quran states, was Harun left in charge
of only his immediate family and that of his brother Musa (as), or rather, all of Bani
Israel? The answer is of course Harun (as) was in charge of all those left behind, not just
the relatives! Hakikat Kitabevi is simply seeking to water down the event, so that its
readers are not forced to stop and think about the significance of the hadith.
We ask those with open minds, would Rasulullah (s) have been so selfish! Moreover
what about all the other women and children of the Sahaba should we deduce that the
women and children outside the family unit were left to fend for themselves!? Were they
to be left to their own devices whilst the men were on the front line? Dont forget
Rasulullah (s) had ordered all men of fighting age to participate in Tabuk, he didnt allow

any caretaker to remain at home, and the only caretaker fortunate enough to have been
appointed was the appointed by the Prophet (s) to look after his immediate family! To
suggest that Rasulullah (s) cared only about appointing a caretaker for his family and
gave no credence to all the other women and children in the city is in effect portraying
him as an unjust selfish man, whose only interest was meeting the needs of his
immediate family! The irony is (according to the world of Ibn al Hashimi) the same
Prophet (s) that even for a temporary basis deemed it incumbent to appoint a caretaker
to meet his families needs, sought no credence to ensuring they were cared for following
his death; on the contrary he stipulated that every possession he (s) owned, (from land
down to a food bowl) was to be given away as charity to the poor and needy.

Reply Two According to Sunni

scholars Ali (as) had responsibility over
everything and everyone in Madina
Unlike Ibn al-Hashimi al-Nasibis assertion that Maula Ali (as) was merely a caretaker to
the family of Prophet (s), some of the esteemed Sunni scholars confirm that Ali (as) had
responsibility over everything and everyone in Madina. Remember, this is not the Shia
stance as we believe that Hadith Manzila provides a solid evidence for Alis being the
successor of Holy Prophet (s) generally, we are only bringing up this point here just in
order to counter the foolish claim of Ibn al-Hashimi al-Nasibi. We will prove this from the
following esteemed Sunni works:
1.

al Istiab, Volume 3 page 24

2.

Sawaiqh al Muhriqa, page 29

3.

Madarij al Nubuwwa, Volume 2 page 348 Dhikr Tabuk

4.

Insan al Ayun, Volume 3 page 104 Dhikr Tabuk

5.

Sharh Mishkat, Volume 11 page 336

6.

Tarikh Khamis, Volume 2 page 135

7.

Sharh Nawawi, Volume 2 page 278

8.

Manaqib Ali, page 33

9.

Al-Fasl Fi al-Melal wa al-Nihal, by ibn Hazm, v4 p78

10.

Al-Ghunya Fi Usool al-Deen, by Abu Saeed Abdulrahman bin Muhammad, p183

Imam Ibn Abdul Barr stated in his authority work Al-Istiab:

:
.
During the battle of Tabuk, the Prophet (s) appointed him [Ali] as his Khalifa in
Madina and over his relatives and said to him: Your status to me is like the status
of Aaron to Moses except there is no prophet after me
Similarly, Imam Nawawi, whilst towing the typical Nasibi line regarding Hadith Manzila
rejected the notion of Ali bin Abi Talib (as) being appointed as Caliph of the Prophet (s)
generally, but unlike Ibn al-Hashimi al-Nasibi, Nawawi accepted that Ali (as) was
appointed caliph over the entire people of Madina at the time of Tabuk:
, , ,
,
And this hadith is not a proof for any one of them (Shia), rather it proves a merit
for Ali, not that he is better than other than him, and there isnt any proof in it that
he is the Caliph after the Prophet, as the Prophet (s) only said this to Ali when he
made him a Caliph in Madina in Ghazwa Tabuk
Imam Ibn Hazm stated:

Allahs messenger (pbuh) said this statement when he appointed him as Caliph
over Madina at the Tabuk battle.
Abu Saeed Abdulrahman al-Mutwali al-Shafiyee (d. 478 H) records:
It has been said that during the Tabuk battle when Allahs messenger appointed
him as Caliph in Madina
Ibn Maghazali records this tradition in Manaqib Ali, page 33, Hadith number 49:
As the Prophet (s) left for Tabuk he told Ali to remain in Madina. Ali said: O
messenger of Allah (swt) you never left me behind in any other battle. The

Prophet (s) then said: The situation in Madina cannot be resolved without the
presence of me or you.
From the modern day Sunni historians we have the testimony of Ata Mohyuddin, who
states:
Before leaving for Tabuk, Muhummud (may peace be upon him) appointed Ali as
his representative there. Besides commanding the Medina garrison Ali was to
officiate at Prayers and to perform all those duties that had hitherto devolved on
the Holy Prophet. In addition to maintaining law and order in the country he was
also required to look after the Prophets household, a duty which more than all
others epitomized the love and trust in which he was held by his master.
Ali the Superman, by Ata Mohyuddin, page 81 [Sh Muhammad Ashraf Publishers,
Lahore]
Mohyuddin needs to study the Quran in more detail (we assume he has some
knowledge of it) and reflect on the already quoted verses covering all 3 relationships that
Harun (as) had to Musa (as). At least he does not believe Ali (as) was simply left behind
in Madinah during the expedition to Tabuk to protect the family of the Prophet (s), and
acknowledges his deputation by the Prophet to perform all those duties that had
hitherto devolved on the Holy Prophet., a responsibility expected of the vizier, or
second in command. If we look at these references in their totality, they prove that Maula
Ali (as) had complete control over Madina, and was not just left to cater for the needs of
the immediate family of the Prophet (s).

Reply Three Harun (as) was not just

appointed by Musa (as) as his caliph
over his family, rather he was the
caliph over the entire Bani Israel
The Nawasib are trying to suggest that Prophet (s) whilst designating Ali bin Abi Talib
(as) drew an analogy to the relationship between Musa (as) and Harun (as) thus making

him [Ali] caliph over his family just like Musa (as) made Harun (as) as his caliph over
their family, perhaps Ibn al Hashimi could answer this question:
When did Musa (as) appoint Harun (as) as the Caliph over their family and no one
else?
Musa (as) had clearly appointed Harun (as) as his Caliph over the entire Bani Israel, we
read in Tarikh Kamil, Volume 1 page 62:

He (Musa) appointed his brother Harun as the Khalifa over the Bani Israel

Sixth claim Hadith Manzila should be

interpreted in accordance with the
events that preceded Tabuk
Ibn al Hashimi quotes and comments:
In order to respond to this, we must first understand the context in which this Hadith was
said. Before the Battle of Tabuk, a band of the Munafiqoon (Hypocrites) began to spread
anti-Islamic propaganda in order to dishearten the Muslims. One of the lies they spread
was directed towards Ali ibn Abi Talib and it was because of this that the Prophet said
what he said in the Hadith. We read:
Expedition to Tabuk
The Munafiqoon were constantly in league with the Jews of al-Medinah and were
holding regular consultations against the Muslims. A band of twelve Munafiqoon built
their own separate mosque as a center for carrying out their hostile activities and antiIslamic propaganda, and for creating a rift among the Muslims. When they saw the
Muslims engaged in preparing for the impending battle, they started passing
discouraging remarks
Islamic Armys Departure
The Messenger of Allah set out for Tabuk with an army of 30,000 men from al-

Medinahand he put Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansari in charge of al-MedinahThe

Prophet had left behind Ali to look after his family. The Munafiqoon used this as an
opportunity to spread false rumors about Ali. They implied that the Prophet gave little
importance to Ali and therefore left him alone in al-Medinah. When his patience ran out,
he (Ali) hurried from al-Medinah andjoining the Prophet at al-Jurfasked: The
Munafiqoon are saying such-and-such about me and so I have come to you. The
Prophet of Allah said: They are liars. I have left you behind to look after my household,
so go back. In order to soothe his feelings, the Prophet further added: You are to me as
Harun was to Musa, except that there will be no Prophet after me. Ali returned to alMedinah pacified and satisfied.
(Tareekh al-Islam, Vol.1, p.232)
This context is understood by the Shia as well:
Al-Islam.org says
The Expedition of Tabuk
The hypocrites in Medina seized this opportunity to plant disaffection in the minds of
the neophytes in Islam. ..
The Prophet appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib his viceroy in Medina during his own absence
For the hypocrites, there was nothing more disagreeable than to see Ali in authority over
them. When the army left Medina, they began to whisper that the Apostle had left Ali in
Medina because he wanted to get rid of him. Ali was mortified to hear that his master
had found him a burden. He, therefore, immediately went after the army and overtook it
at Jorf. The Apostle was surprised to see him but when he (Ali) explained why he came,
he (the Apostle) said:
These people are liars. I left you in Medina to represent me in my absence. Are you not
content to be to me what Aaron was to Moses except that there will not be any prophet
after me.
source: Restatement of History of Islam, http://al-islam.org/restatement/34.htm
Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari, a Shia scholar, says
they (the Munafiqoon) began spreading idle rumors in the hope of weakening Alis
position. They hinted that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family,
was angry with Ali, peace be upon him, and that it was for this reason that he had not
been permitted to accompany him on a major military expedition.

Ali, peace be upon him, was greatly troubled and saddened by the circulation of these
rumors, and he hastened to the presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him and his family, who had already left Madinah. He told him what had happened, and
with a single historic sentence he clarified the special position of Ali, peace be upon him,
once and for all:
Are you not content that your relation to me shall be like the relation of Harun to Musa,
excepting only that there shall be no prophet after me?
source: Imamate And Leadership,
http://home.swipnet.se/islam/books/imamate/lesson5.htm
Hadith al-Manzilah was said to Ali because of the circumstances, which were that Ali
objected to staying behind with children and women as opposed to embarking on Jihad
with the Prophet. By saying those words, the Prophet was explaining to Ali how he would
be to him, by staying behind watching over women and children, like Harun was to Musa
when the latter left the former behind as a deputy over his people. The Prophets
purpose in saying this was to reassure Ali that this deputyship was an honor and that he
would not be any less than the ones who went to fight in battle.

Reply One There is no evidence to

suggest that the tradition should be
restricted to the context of Tabuk
This hadith makes it clear that all the relationships that existed between these two
Israelite Prophets, likewise applied to the relationship between Muhammad (s) and Ali
(as), but with the exception that Ali would not be a Prophet, while Harun (as) was. The
Holy Prophet (s) makes no other exemption, so why do Sunnis? To suggest that Hadith
Manzila has to be restricted and understood in accordance with the time and place it
wherein was is utter bigotry, after all what more qualification does a Muslim need other
than the Prophet (s) clarification of his (s) statement, that places no restriction about the
limits of the analogy of Harun (as) and Musa (as) barring one, which, as we have said,
is except there will be no prophet after me.

Reply Two Ibn Hashimis has

exposed his enmity to Maula Ali (as)
Now let us return to this absurd argument that Rasulullah makes this crucial simile
merely to allay the concerns of Ali (as) and to counter the comments of the Munafiqoon.
This clearly exposes Ibn al Hashimi for the hypocrite he is, after all these shameless
peoples sole objective in life is to play down the excellences of Maula Ali (as). According
to the world of Ibn al Hashimi no credence should be given to this Hadith, Rasulullah (s)
just uttered this irrelevant statement to console a distraught Ali! We guess it would have
been common place for the Prophet (s) to compare his rank with his subject to that of
Prophets nothing should be read into that, it is merely the Prophet (s) making
statements without any forethought, rather such utterances are just to make people feel
happy! Allaying concerns via comforting words is one thing but allaying them in a
manner wherein you compare the relationship between Master and subject to that of two
Prophets is a completely different matter. Rasulullah (s) could have merely said, You are
very important to me, I have complete faith in you, now return to Medina why extol his
excellence in such a manner? Rasulullah (s) could have said these words of comfort in a
non descriptive manner, and merely stressed how valuable Maula Ali (as) was to him,
without mentioning examples, why did he see the need to do so? And even then he (s)
could have said that he valued him as crucial person like a father does a son (as Ibn al
Hashimi alludes to) but he does not, rather he compares his importance and rank by
comparing him to Prophet Harun (as)! Why explicitly set out the similarities that he and
Ali (as) have with Musa (as) and Harun (s). This goes beyond the realm of mere
consolatory words, and in fact becomes a significant statement. The Prophet (s) would
not make such a statement, unless the intention was to draw something important from
it!

Reply Three If this Hadith was

restricted to Tabuk, why would the
Prophet use the words no Prophet
after me

If the similarity that is mentioned is indeed specific to that one incident, why does that
Prophet (s) talk about what was afterhim? He says except there is no Prophet after
me . If we were to accept the explanation given in Imam Nawawis Sharh, then it would
have been more appropriate for the Prophet to say the following:
You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except that you are not a Prophet
Instead he [sawa] says:
You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except there is no Prophet after me
If we take the Sunni interpretation, the Prophets words except there is no Prophet after
me make no sense whatsoever. The only way to understand these words is to say that
the similarity mentioned in the hadith was not specific to that one incident; that Imam Ali
(as) continually held this position, and he held it both during and after the life of our
Prophet (s), because otherwise the Prophet would not have talked about what was after
him.

Reply Four The fact that the Prophet

(s) said Hadith Manzila on other
occasions destroys the claim that it
needs to be restricted to the context of
Tabuk
We will shout the mouth of shameless Ibn al Hashimi by citing the other occasions when
the Prophet (s) cited Hadith Manzila thus suffocating the Nasibis efforts to suggest the
hadith be understood in the context of Tabuk and nothing else.

Occasion One
We read in Zakhair al-Uqba, page 120:

Asma bint Umays said: When Fatima gave birth to Hassan, the Prophet (pbuh)
said to me: O Asma, bring my grandson to me. Then I wrapped him in a yellow
cloth and gave him to the Prophet. The Prophet put him on his shoulder and said:
I never saw you wrapping a child with a yellow cloth. Then he (the Prophet)
replaced the cloth with a white one and then recited Adhan in (Haasans) right ear,
and thene recited Iqama in (Haasans) left ear. The Prophet (s) then asked: Ali,
What have you named the child? He replied: How can I keep it before you?. The
Prophet (s) then said: I can also not give a name until Allah (swt) decides. Gibrael
then descended saying: O Muhammad your Creator conveys Peace on you and
says Ali is to you as Harun was to Musa except there is no prophet after you, give
the child the same name that Harun gave his child

Occasion Two
Another incident occurred when Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah were in
the company of the Prophet (s) who was leaning on Ali. We read in Tarikh Damishq,
Volume 42 page 167:
Ibn Abbas narrated that he heard Umar bin al-Khattab discussing with some
people about the first Muslims, thus Umar said: I heard Allahs messenger (pbuh)
saying three virtues about Ali, if I had one of these (virtues) it would be more
lovable to me than anything else.
I was with Abu Ubayda, Abu Bakr and a group of companions, then the Prophet (s)
patted Alis shoulder and said: O Ali, you are the strongest amongst the believers
in faith, the first Muslim who embraced Islam and your status to me is like the
status of Harun to Musa.
Another version of same episode is found in Kanz al-Umal, Volume 13 page 123
Tradition 36392:

Ibn Abbas narrated that Umar bin al-Khattab said: Stop mentioning Ali, I heard
Allahs messenger (s) saying three virtues about Ali, if I had one of these (virtues)
it would be more lovable to me than anything else.
I was with Abu Bakr, Abu Ubayda Ibn al-Jarah and a group of companions of
Allahs messenger, then the prophet (a) patted Alis shoulder and said: O Ali, you
are the strongest amongst the believers in faith, the first Muslim who embraced
Islam, and your status to me is like the status of harun to Musa, surely whoever
claimed that he loves me and hates you is a liar.

Occasion Three
Similar words were cited by the Prophet (s) in the case of Hamzahs daughter in whose
regard Ali, Jafar and Zayd had a discussion. We read in Tarikh Dasmishq, Volume 42
page 170:
Jaffar bin Abi Talib said: When Hamzas daughter arrived at Madina, Ali, Jafar
and Zaid disputed about her, thus Allahs messenger (a) said: Tell me what is
wrong? Zaid said: She is my niece and Im worthier to take of her. Ali said: She
is my cousin and I have brought her here. Jafar said: She is my cousin, and her
aunt is my wife. (The prophet) said: O Jaffar, take her, you are worthier (to take
care of her). Then Allahs messenger said: I will judge between you, as for you
Zaid, you are my friend, and Im your friend. As for you Jafar, you look like me
physically and ethically. As for you Ali, your status to me is like the status of
Aaron to Moses, except the prophethood...

Occasion Four
The ahadith narrated during the first fraternity also includes this text. This bond was
made in Mecca prior to the migration, when the Messenger of Allah (s) consummated
brotherhood among the emigrants in particular. We read in Fadhail al-Sahaba, Volume 2
page 638 Tradition 1085:
Zayd bin Abi Awfa said: I went to Allahs messenger in his mosque, then he
(Zaid) mentioned the story of brotherhood amongst the companions of Allahs
messenger. Then Ali said to the Prophet (s): I lost my patience and felt sorrow
when I saw you doing that to your companions but not to me, if I have incurred
your displeasure I wish to apologise.

Allahs messenger said: I swear by He who sent me with the truth, I only left you
for myself, your status to me is like the status of Harun to Musa except there is no
Prophet after me, you are my brother and my inheritor. (Ali) said: O Allahs
messenger, what shall I inherit from you? (The Prophet) said: You shall inherit
from me what the prophets used to inherit. (Ali) said: What did the Prophets
inherit? (The Prophet) said: The book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet,
you are with me in my palace in paradise along with my daughter Fatima, you are
my brother and my friend. Then Allahs messenger recited the verse { (they shall
be) as brethren, on raised couches, face to face.} 015.047

Occasion Five
On the occasion of the Second Fraternity, whilst in Medina, five months after the
migration, the Prophet (a) made fraternity between the emigrants and the supporters.
We read in Al-Mujam al-Kabir, Volume 9 page 287 Hadith 10929:
Ibn Abbas said: The prophet made brotherhood among his companions,
between the Muhajreen and the Ansar, but he left Ali without making his
brotherhood with anyone, thus Ali left in anger and went to a pool. The Prophet (s)
then went after him and when he found him, he (s) patted him by his feet and said:
Stand up, you should be called Abu Turab, are you angry because I made
brotherhood between the Muhajreen and Ansar whilst I left you without making
brotherhood? Arent you pleased that your status to me is like the status of Harun
to Musa except there is no prophet after me? Whoever loved you is faithful and
who ever hated you, God will make him die a pre-Islamic death and will be judged
about his deeds in Islam.

Occasion Six
We read in Tarikh Dasmishq, Volume 42 page 140:
Jabir said: Allahs messenger (pbuh) came as we slept in the mosque, thus he hit
us with a stick and said: Are you sleeping in the mosque, it is not allowed to sleep
in it. Thus we woke up and Ali woke up, then Allahs messenger (s) said: O Ali,
come here, it you are permitted to remain in the mosque whatever is allowed for
me, dont you like the fact that your status to me is like the status of Harun to
Musa except there is no Prophet after me...

Occasion Seven
Umm Salim (mother of Salim) is a renowned female companion of our Holy Prophet (s).
Prophet (s), he (s) frequently visited her, one day he said to her:
O Umm Salim! Alis flesh is of mine, and his blood is of my own; he is to me as
Harun is to Musa.
Kanz ul Ummal, Volume 11 page 607 Tradition 32936

Occasion Eight
We read in Tarikh Dasmishq, Volume 41 page 18:
Aqeel bin Abi Talib said: I disputed with Ali and Jafar bin Abi Talib about
something, thus I said: By Allah you are not more loveable to Allahs messenger
(ah) than me, our relation is one and our father is one and our mother is one.
Allahs messenger (s) said: I love Usama bin Zayd.
I said: Im not asking you about Usama bin Zayd rather Im asking you about
myself. He (s) said: O Aqeel, by Allah I love you because of two qualities, for your
relationship and for Abu Talibs love to you. The most loveable to me is Abu Talib,
while you Jaffar are the most similar person to me in morality whilst you Ali, your
status to me is like the status of Harun to Musa except there is no prophet after
me...

Occasion Nine
We read in Tarikh Dasmishq, Volume 42 page 169:
Ibn Abbas said: I saw Ali approach the prophet (s) and hug him, he [Ali] then
said: I have been informed that you named Abu Bakr, Umar and others, whilst you
didnt mention me. The prophet (s) said: Your status to me is like the status of
Harun to Musa.

Occasion Ten
We read in Tarikh Dasmishq, Volume 42 page 179:

Zayd bin Abi Awufa said: Allahs messenger (s) entered the mosque, thus Ali
stood up, then he (s) said: Your status to me is like the status of Harun to Musa
except there is no Prophet after me.

Occasion Eleven
We read in:
1.

Manaqib Ali page 238 Hadith number 214 by Maghazali

2.

Kifayat Muttalib page 264 Chapter 62

3.

Yanabi al Mawada, page 13 Chapter 22

Shaykh Suleman al-Hanafi al-Qanduzi records:

Ali said: Allahs messenger (s) said to me on the day of Khaybar: If I wasnt afraid
that some people of my nation would say about you what the Christians said
about Isa son of Maryam, I would have said about you some things today that
whenever you passed by a group of Muslims they would take the sand under
which you trod and they would take the remaining water of your ablution for
healing purposes, but it shall suffice to have your status to me like the status of
Harun to Musa except there is no Prophet after me.

Reply Five The fact that Sunni

traditions confirm the Prophet (s) used
the word Caliph in some narrations of
Hadith Manzila proves that he was
alluding to succession
Imam Ali (as) had been left in Madina to oversee all its affairs in the absence of the
Prophet (s). The comparison of Imam Ali (as) to Harun (as) demonstrates that Imam Ali
(as) was the caliph of the Prophet, in the same way that Harun was the caliph of Musa
according to the Quran. This is made even more apparent in the version of the hadith

narrated by the famous Sunni scholar Al Hakim al Nisaburi in his Mustadrak, volume 3
page 141. He narrates it with a small addition not found in many of the other narrations.
: :
: :

Ibn Abbas said: Allahs messenger marched to the Tabuk battle alongside
thepeople, then Ali said to him: Shall I march with you? The prophet replied: No.
Then Ali cried, thus he (prophet) said to him: Arent you pleased that your status
to me is similar to that of Harun to Musa except there shall be no prophet after me,
I shall not leave without you being my caliph.
Al Hakim decalred it Sahih while Dhahabi found no objection to it.
We should point out that this hadith in no way contradicts the other narrations found in
the likes of Bukhari, it merely narrates further details that the other narrations did not
have.

Claim Seven The Prophet (s) never

said Hadith Manzila about previous
deputies as they never received
opposition from hypocrites
Ibn al Hashimi states:
Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari, a Shia scholar, says
To this we answer that whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and
his family, left the Islamic capital, he would always appoint someone to act as his deputy.
If by comparing Ali, peace be upon him, to Harun, the Prophet, peace and blessings be
upon him and his family, had intended nothing more than the usual appointment of a
deputy, restricted in his authority to Madinah for the period of the Prophets absence,
why did he not use a similar expression for those other favored Companions he would
appoint as deputy? Why did he not use the same or similar words to describe the
services they rendered?

source: Imamate And Leadership,

http://home.swipnet.se/islam/books/imamate/lesson5.htm
Now we come back to the question of the Shia propagandist which was: Why did he
(the Prophet) not use the same or similar words to describe the services they (the other
Sahabah) rendered (i.e. for similar tasks)? The answer is obvious: the Munafiqoon did
not spread this particular rumor except against Ali. It was this degrading rumor and Alis
concern that caused the Prophet to say what he said in order to placate Ali. Had other
Companions been similarly slandered, then perhaps they too would have refused to stay
back in Medinah.
Because these other Sahabah did not feel dismayed with their deputyship and did not
ask to go along with the Prophet instead of staying behind, there was thus no need for
the Prophet to reassure them with such words as he used for Ali. On the other hand,
when Ali was deputized by the Prophet to take care of his family, the Munafiqoon implied
that this task was menial as it left Ali behind with women and children. This is the reason
that Ali asked to go along with the Prophet instead. It was based on this specific concern
of Alis (i.e. that the task was menial) that the Prophet spoke the words he did, in order to
convey to Ali the extreme importance of taking care of his family in his absence.

Reply One Ibn al Hashimi has

exposed the traits of the Munafiqoon
At least we can see one thing, that there lived in Medina at the time of Tabuk those who
claimed to be Muslims and were in fact Munafiqoon. Were they some separate species
identifiable with a large M on their foreheads? Clearly not, they sat in the midst of the
Prophet (s) benefiting from his company, in other words they were his Sahaba. It is also
interesting to note that Ibn al Hashimi acknowledges that no other deputy was criticized
by these Munafiqoon other than Maula Ali (as)! This shows that right from the start the
only gripe the Munafiqoon had was with Imam Ali (as) no one else!
Ibn al Hashimi states:
Al-Islam.org says
The Prophet appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib his viceroy in Medina during his own absence.
He selected Ali to be his viceroy for the following reasons: He wanted to show to the rest

of the world that he considered Ali to be more qualified than anyone else to be the ruler
of all Muslims, and to be the head of the Islamic State. He, therefore, appointed him as
his representative in his capital.
source: Restatement of History of Islam, http://al-islam.org/restatement/34.htm
This is a very odd argument. This was the singular instance in which the Prophet left Ali
as his deputy in Medinah, yet we know that there were many other battles in which the
Prophet left other Sahabah behind as his deputy in Medinah. For example, the Prophet
left behind Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansari as his deputy in Medinah; what if we told
the Shia that this is a proof that the Prophet wanted to show to the rest of the world that
he considered Muhammad bin Maslamah Ansari to be more qualified than anyone else,
to be the ruler of all Muslims, and to be the head of the Islamic state and the Prophet
therefore appointed him as his representative in his capitol?
To this, the Shia would say that this is a preposterous argument, yet suddenly they force
this argument upon us in the one single instance in which the Prophet appointed Ali as
his deputy. Therefore, we say to the Shia that their interpretation is just as preposterous
as saying that the other Sahabah were appointed as Caliphs by the Prophet simply
because he deputized them.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote in Minhaj as-Sunnah:
As for the Messenger placing Ali in charge over Medinah, then that is not an honor
specific to him alone. He (the Prophet) had left Ibn Makhtoom, Uthman bin Affan, and
Abu Mundhir (in charge of Medinah, i.e. on other occasions). This (being appointed over
Medinah) is not an unrestricted succession, which is why none of these people ever said
they were the Caliph of Allahs MessengerAli left Medinah along with the Prophet to
Badr, Hunayn and other places, and (the Messenger) left others in Medinah as deputies.
(Minhaj as-Sunnah)

Reply Two
Is it not funny that Ibn al Hashimi is prepared to accept that all of the above named
individuals were appointed as deputies over Madina, but when it comes to Imam Ali (as)
he is not even prepared to accept this role for him! The others may have been deputies
over Madina but according to Ibn al Hashimi he was a family caretaker. The amusing

thing is when it came to this most menial basic job role, Ali (as)s rank was compared to
that of Prophet Harun (as)! Tell us Ibn al Hashimi:

Did he extol any of these deputies in the manner that he did Ali (as)?

Had they been complained about is Ibn al Hashimi going to suggest that the
Prophet (s) would have recited Hadith Manzila for them also?

Are there any examples wherein he (s) recited Hadith Manzila for any other
distraught Sahabi in dire need of consolation?

Are there any authentic narrations wherein he compared any other Sahabis rank
to that of past Prophets (s)?

Ibn al Hashimi states:

In any case, to end the discussion altogether, Prophet Harun and his lineage were
prohibited by the Law of Musa to take executive roles, but they were instead limited to
religious, spiritual, and ceremonial roles. It was Prophet Yusha (Joshua) who became
the Caliph (successor) of Musa, not Prophet Harun nor his descendants. Throughout the
Caliphate of the Shaykhayn and Uthman, Ali remained a spiritual guide for the people.
Similar is the case with many of the Imams of the Shia, who secluded themselves from
any temporal role and instead remained as spiritual guides.

Reply Three
Whilst of no relevance to this discussion, we find it very amusing when Ibn al Hashimi
makes statements without any corroborative evidence to substantiate his claim. Where
did he get information stipulating that the descendants of Harun were barred from
executive Office? This shameless Nasibi should know that for the Israelites the rank of
Imamate and Prophethood passed through Harun (as) and his lineage. This fact is
confirmed by Shah Abdul Qadir Dehalvi (1162 AH to 1230 AH) in his famed Tafseer
Moazeh ul Quran page 204 who in the course of one of the verses of Surah al-Araaf
whilst advancing his own belief in the Imamate stated:
Harun and his progeny were the Imams of Musas Ummah, but when he became
his Caliph, the Ummah did not remain obedient.
Caliphate was in the destiny of someone else. Caliph means the one who hold the
ummah in worldly and religious businesses like the way messenger had
ameliorated it so that the support of the truth remains with them. And Imam

means the one who reminds of Prophet, destined and approved with service and
benevolence of the Prophet, and the masses approach them in the same manner
in order to receive bounties.
Moreover the fact that Ali bin Abi Talib (as) and Imam Hasan (as) were Caliphs nullify the
absurd logic of Ibn al-Hashimi according to which Imams from Ahlulbayt (as) were only
there to give their spiritual guidance and did not have any role in the affairs of the state
as such. As for the suggestion that out Imams secluded themselves from the world like
some mediaeval Sufi that is a lie. They didnt seclude themselves from temporal role
through choice, they knew that the evil usurpers would slaughter them and their followers
who were in minority if they claimed their legitimite. They therefore remained as true
guides in the midst of the people cascading the true teachings of the Quran and Sunnah
to their adherents.

Chapter Four Hadith Manzila

from Shia traditions
We shall also briefly share with our readers the Hadith Manzila from Shia texts.
According to Shia books, Hadith Manzila was recited by the Holy Prophet [s] for Ali bin
Abi Talib [as] on fourteen occasions:
First occasion When Imam Ali was the first person who embraced Islam, the Prophet
[s] said to him this hadith (al-Mahasin by Burqi, Volume 1 page 159).
Second occasion The day of Khaybar (Amali by Seduq, page 156).
Third occasion when Fatima gave birth to Imams Hassan (as) and Hussain (as)
(Amali by Seduq, page 197).
Fourth occasion at Bani al-Mustaleq day (Amali by Seduq, page 238)
Fifth occasion On the day of brotherhood (Amali by Seduq, page 402)
Sixth occasion On the day of Tabuk (Amali by Tusi, page 342)
Seventh occasion Whilst conversing with Um Salamah (Elal al-Sharaie, by Seduq,
Volume 1 page 66)

Eighth occasion in the mosque (Elal al-Sharaie by Seduq, Volume 1 page 202)
Ninth occasion When the prophet addressed worshippers in the mosque in response
to someone that had belittled him (Kitab Salim bin Qays, page 235)
Tenth occasion When the hajj was performed (Amali al-Tusi, page 521)
Eleventh occasion A general one, that does not mention any specific event (Manaqib
Amir al-Mominin by al-Kufi, Volume 1 page 499).
Twelfth occasion When the Prophet (s) was ill during the final days of his life (Kamal
al-Deen by Seduq, page 264).
Thirteenth occasion During Esra wa Miraq (Kamal al-Deen by Seduq, page 251).
Fourteenth occasion When the Prophet met al-Khizer (Uyoon Akhbar al-Raza by
Seduq, Volume 1 page 13).
Let us also read the explanation of Hadith Manzila from a Shia text. We read in Maani
al-Akhbar by Seduq, page 74:
Abu Harun al-Abdi said: I asked Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari about the meaning
of Allahs messenger (s) statement to Ali (as): Your status to me is like the status
of Harun to Musa except there is no Prophet after me.
He (Jabir) said: By Allah he (the Prophet) made him (Ali) Caliph during his (s) life
and after his death and made obedience of him (Ali) obligatory, so whoever didnt
submit to his Caliphate after hearing this statement, is verily amongst the unjust.

Chapter Five: Conclusion

This beautiful Hadith exemplifies the beautiful relationship between Muhammad (s) and
Ali (as). Those that desperately seek to hide the excellences of Ali (as) insist that the
tradition be limited a context and that no further thought should be given to it. They are of
course seeking to hide their Sunni followers from its significance, since recognising this
tradition debases the Sunni doctrine of man made Khilafath, why else would we read this
reaction by an esteemed scholar of the Sunni Sect cited in al-Sunnah, by Khalal, Volume
2 page 347:

Abu Bakr al-Marozi said: I asked Abu Abdullah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) about the
meaning of the hadith of prophet to Ali you are to me as Aaron was to Moses.
He replied: Keep quiet dont ask about this tradition, leave it as it is.
The margin writer Sheikh Dr. Atya al-Zahrani said: The chain is Sahih.
The silence of Ibn Hanbal speaks volumes, for it exposes a reality that he was
unprepared to face up to. Those prepared to look beyond such blind bigotry will soon
recognise Hadith invites seekers of knowledge with the opportunity to delve into the
realties of this wonderful relationship be examining the relationship that existed between
Musa (as) and Harun (as) from the Quran. Once one recognises the relationship
between these two Israelite Prophets, one can likewise recognise the relationship
between the Prophet (s) and Ali (as) a relationship wherein Ali (as) was the brother,
vizier and Khalifa of the Prophet (s). Rather than run away from this reality, and
downplay the excellences of Imam Ali (as) it would be far better for them to sit down and
examine their assertion that the Prophet (s) left neither successor, nor system of
succession. We would ask that they assess this belief and measure it against Hadith
Manzila. Nawasib should recognize that there is life beyond the lure of Saudi petro
dollars. Would it not be better to take an honest position now, before it is too late?