15. Fifteenth objection
He says: He – Allamah Hilli – has narrated false statements, which prove
the ignorance of the narrator; for example, he says: Surah Hal Ataa was revealed
in honor of Ahle Bayt (a.s.). This is a false statement, because Hal Ataa,
according to consensus of scholars, was revealed in Mecca and the marriage of
Ali and Fatima took place after Hijra in Medina and Hasan and Husain were born
after the revelation of Hal Ataa; hence the falsehood of the claim is clear for all.1
Reply to the fifteenth objection
Unawareness and ignorance of this man is not restricted to one point; on the
contrary he is ignorant of beliefs, ignorant about sects, ignorant about biography,
ignorant about Islamic practical laws and ignorant about traditions and in the
same way, ignorant about the sciences of Quran; that is why he has not
understood the following issues:
1. A Surah can be Meccan with some of its verses being Medinite and vice
versa. This is a common occurrence in Quran as was mentioned before.2
This is also admitted by Ibne Hassar, who says:
Sometimes, there are Medinan verses in a Meccan Surah and Meccan verses
in a Medinan Surah.3
2. The most certain way to distinguish whether a Surah is Mecca or Medinan,
is to see if there are authentic traditional reports regarding the revelation of
those verses and not reports without chains of authorities or incomplete
chains of authorities. And we mentioned some narrators of this report, on the
basis of this, Shia have not fabricated the tradition that he should prove their
and Allamah Hilli’s ignorance and since there is doubt in that, Ahle Sunnat
scholars would be equal to Allamah Hilli in that.
3. He claims that scholars have consensus that it is Meccan. This statement is
not based on facts, on the contrary, the majority has said the opposite as Khazin in his Tafseer,4
has narrated from Mujahid, Qatada and numerous Ahle Sunnat reporters.
4. Persons like Hasan, Akrama, Kalbi and others, believe that verses of this
Surah are Meccan; but they have clearly stated that verses related to
‘feeding’ are Medinan.
5. His statement that every Meccan Surah was definitely revealed before Hijrah
is incorrect; because it is possible that it was revealed after Hijrah and
during the last journey of Prophet (Farewell Hajj). Especially, with attention
to the statement of Ibne Jubair, Hasan, Zahhak, Akrama, Ataa and Qatada,
who say that ‘and the prisoners’ includes all believers, so much so that even
slaves are included. Ibne Jarir and others believe this.
16. Sixteenth objection
He says: His statement – Allamah Hilli – who says: According to the verse:
قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبِي
“Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives.”5
…affection and love for Ahle Bayt (a.s.) is obligatory. It is wrong, because
this verse is Meccan and during its revelation neither Ali has married Fatima, nor
they had children.6
And he says:7 His statement – Allamah Hilli – that Allah revealed the
following verse:
قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبِي
“Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives.”8
…for them, is false, because these verses are placed in Surah Shura and this
Surah, without any doubt is Meccan and it was revealed before the marriage of
Ali with Fatima, and birth of Hasan and Husain.
Till he says: And some Ahle Sunnat writers and Shia, including followers of
Ahmad, and others have narrated that when this verse was revealed they asked
the Prophet:
“O Prophet of God, who are the Ahle Bayt?”
He replied: “Ali, Fatima and their two sons.”
But it should be said that this traditional report, according to the consensus of tradition experts, is false, due the fact that this verse, according to consensus of
scholars, was revealed in Mecca and since all verses of Surah Shura are Meccan;
on the contrary all Ha Mim Surahs are Meccan.
Then he goes into a detailed account of the dates of birth of Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (a.s.) to show off his expertise in history.
Reply to these statements
If there had been no other calumny in the book of Ibne Taymiyyah other
than this nonsense against the family of prophethood, it would have been
sufficient for his everlasting disgrace.
As for the verse being Meccan
Not even one scholar has clearly declared that this verse is Meccan, what to
say of the false consensus he claims? He claims that the Surah is Mecca only on
the basis of jealousy and ignorant conjecture as he has concluded from the
statement of the scholars.
Scholars have excepted the four verses:
أمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا
“Or do they say: He has forged a lie against Allah?”9
Till:
خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ
“He is Aware of, Seeing, His servants.”10
…also some scholars have excepted the verses from:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْبَغْى
“And those who, when great wrong afflicts them.”11
…till
مِنْ سَبِيلٍ
“there is no way (to blame).”12
These are some verses; what to say about the love of affection (Mawaddat),
all scholars deny that all verses of Surah Shura are Meccan.13
According to clarification of Qurtubi,14 Nishapuri15 , Khazin in his Tafseer, 16
Shaukani in his Fathul Qadeer17 and others have narrated from Ibne Abbas and Qatada that four
verses:
قُلْ لَّا اسْلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبِي
“Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives.”18
…and after, are Medinite and the rest are Meccan.