Chapter 14
Imam ‘Ali (‘a) will Fight for Interpretation of the Quran
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Ibn Hanbal says:
WakÄ«‘ has related to us from Fitr from IsmÄ‘Ä«l bin RajÄ’ from his father from Abi Sa‘Ä«d who narrates that the Messenger of Allah (S) said (addressing his companions):
“Inna minkum man yuqÄtilu ‘alÄ ta’wÄ«lih kamÄ qÄtaltu ‘ala tanzÄ«lih” (Who among you will fight for the interpretation [of the Qur’Än] as I fought on its revelation)?
Abi Sa‘Ä«d says:
At this AbÅ« Bakr and ‘Umar got up but the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
“lÄ, wa lÄkin khÄsif al-na‘l (No [not you] but the one who is busy mending the shoe).”
(AbÄ« Sa‘Ä«d adds):
Wa ‘AlÄ«yun yakhsifu na‘lahu (And [Imam] ‘AlÄ« [(‘a)] was mending his shoes.[56]
It is recorded that during the Battle of SiffÄ«n the Prophet’s loyal companion ‘Ammar bin YÄsir who was on the side of Imam ‘AlÄ« (‘a), referred to this famous hadith of the Prophet in favour of Imam ‘AlÄ« (‘a) while facing the Syrian army of the rebel Mu‘Äwiyah bin AbÄ« SufyÄn, and recited the following epic verses (rajaz):
Nahnu darabnÄkum ‘alÄ tanzÄ«lih
Wa al-yawm nadribukum ‘alÄ ta’wÄ«lih
(We had fought you on the revelation [of the Qur’Än] and today we are fighting you on its correct interpretation).[57]
Notes:
[56] Al-Musnad, Matba‘ah al-Maymaniyyah, vol. 3, pp. 31 & 33; also refer to p. 82 of the same volume where the hadith says Imam ‘AlÄ« (‘a) was mending the Prophet’s shoes.
[57] TÄhÄ Husayn, al-Fitnah al-KubrÄ (‘AlÄ« and Prophethood), vol. 2, p. 77, 6th edition, DÄr al-Ma‘Ärif, Egypt, 1969.