Response to Chapter 6 Entitled: “Afriki’s failed efforts to get the Shi’a to accept a Sunni narration”
I have attempted to make this article of mine to be as honest as possible. Hence, I concede this point to the Shia. Brother Afriki should have clarified that Ibn Sa’d was Sunni. However, there is no need to rely on this narration, and instead we should focus on the four Hadith in Al-Kafi. Surely the Shia cannot convince us that those four were also written by Imam Al-Kulayni the Sunni?
Not only this, but there are plenty of Shia sources that discuss the marriage of Umm Kulthoom bint Ali to Umar bin Khattab. Therefore, Brother Afriki could easily refer the reader to those. Among the Shia sources that narrate the fact of this marriage from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir with the statement “Umm Kulthum bint Ali ibn Abi Talib died at the same time as her son Zayd ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab” and the narration from Muhammad ibn al-Hasan that “Umar ibn al-Khattab married Umm Kulthum bint Ali with a dowry of 40,000 dirhams” are the following:
1- Agha Burzug al-Tahrani’s al-Dhari`a (5:184).
2- Ali ibn Muhammad al-`Alawi’s al-Mujdi fi Ansab al-Talibiyyin (p. 17).
3- Al-Fadil al-Hindi’s Kashf al-Litham (2:312).
4- Al-Hurr al-`Amili’s Wasa’il al-Shi`a Al al-Bayt (15:19, 17:594, 21:263, 26:314).
5- Muhammad ibn Habib al-Baghdadi’s al-Munammaq fi Akhbar Quraysh (p. 301).
6- Al-Muhaqqiq al-Ardabili’s Majma` al-Fa’ida (11:530).
7- Al-Muhaqqiq al-Naraqi’s Mustanad al-Shi`a (19:452).
8- Al-Muhaqqiq al-Sabzawari’s Kifayat al-Ahkam (p. 307).
9- Al-Sayyid Muhammad Sadiq al-Rawhani’s Fiqh al-Sadiq (24:496).
10- Al-Shahid al-Thani’s Masalik al-Afham (13:270).
11- Al-Shaykh al-Amini’s al-Ghadir (6:136-137).
12- Al-Shaykh al-Tusi’s al-Mabsut (4:272).
13- Tahdhib al-Ahkam (9:362-363).
14- Al-Shaykh al-Jawahiri’s Jawahir al-Kalam (39:308).
I acknowledge that Ibn Sa’d’s work is not useful in quoting to debate with the Shia. Having agreed with Answering-Ansar on this point, I’d like to clarify that the reason why the Hadith compilers were wary of narrating Hadith from Jafar bin Muhammad was only because the Shia hold him to be one of their Infallible Imams, and they would narrate false Hadith from him. Thus, Hadith which they claimed was from Imam Jafar would have to be scrutinized to make sure that it had no Shia fabricators in their chain of transmission because the Shia were very fond of forging Hadith in his name. It should be clear, however, that the Ahlus Sunnah believes Jafar bin Muhammad to be Sunni and an upright Muslim. The Shia trying to convince us that he is Shia is similar to their failed attempts at convincing us that the Prophet or Ali were Shia.
I have conceded that Ibn Sa’d’s work cannot be used as a Hujjah (proof) for the Shia. Answering-Ansar has clearly stated that using Ibn Sa’d’s work in a debate is not fair due to the fact that the Shia do not acknowledge it as an authentic book. Fine. Then let me refer you to the most authentic Shia book: it is called Al-Kafi and perhaps we could use this as Hujjah for the Shia in a debate. Oh but wait, Answering-Ansar doubts its authenticity! Thus, there is no way to debate with the Shia since he can even deny the most authentic book of his just like he denies Ibn Sa’d’s Sunni book.
By denying the authenticity of Al-Kafi, Answering-Ansar has violated the rules of debate by making it impossible to convince them from their own Shia books, since any time we point to the Shia books, the Shia can simply say “it’s not authentic.” Well then, which book is authentic? The Shia scholars have declared by Ijma (consensus) that Al-Kafi is the most reliable Shia book of Hadith–and the classical Shia scholars and the traditionists have declared that Al-Kafi is 100% Sahih–and yet even this the Shia propagandist is saying is not authentic. Thus, no matter what source Afriki referred to, it would never suffice for Answering-Ansar.
Written By: Ibn al-Hashimi, www.ahlelbayt.com
