Source of the report
The following notable Ahle Sunnat scholars have narrated this traditional
report: Muslim in his Saheeh – as quoted in Kifayah – Tirmizi in his Jami, but without the sentence of enmity: this report is good and authentic, Ahmad in his
Musnad, Ibne Majah in his Sunan, Nasai in his Sunan and Khasais Ibne Hajar
Haithami and in Sawaiq of Ibne Hajar Asqalani; in Fathul Bari; Suyuti in Jamaul
Jawame and its sequence and so on…1
Another form of this traditional report
The believer will never be inimical to me, even if I cut off his nose, with this
sword; and the hypocrite will never be affectionate to me, even though I might
give him the whole world; because this definite command was issued from the
tongue of the Ummi Prophet and he said:
“O Ali, the believer will never be inimical to you and the hypocrite would
never be friendly to you.”
This traditional report is mentioned in Nahjul Balagha2 and Ibne Abil
Hadeed says in Sharh Nahjul Balagha:3
“From this part, the Imam wanted to remind them of the statement of the
Prophet about him.”
2. It is narrated from Umme Salma that: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
said
“No hypocrite is ever friendly to Ali and no believer is inimical to him.”4
3. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said in a sermon:
“O people, I advise you affection for Zulqarnain, my brother and my cousin,
Ali Ibne Abi Talib; as only the believer is affectionate to him and only the
hypocrite is inimical to him.”5
4. It is narrated from Ibne Abbas that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) glanced at Ali (a.s.) and said:
“None, but the believer is affectionate to you and none, but the hypocrite is
inimical to you.”6
It is one of the traditional reports through which Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) argued on the day of Shura saying:
“I adjure you by Allah, is there anyone among you that the Prophet should have mentioned about him: Only the believer loves him and only the hypocrite is
inimical to him?”
All said: “By Allah, no!”7
Yes, after noting the traditional report, the value of statement of Ibne
Taymiyyah will become clear, when he says: “None of these two reports are
found in any reliable book and has no proper chains of narrators.”
For one, who regards authentic traditions as inauthentic and regards his own
Sihah and Masanid books as unreliable, it is sufficient to know the extent of his
ignorance that one is amazed that what all he and his supporters can resort to, in
spite of such degraded beliefs!
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱتَّبِعُونِ أَهْدِكُمْ سَبِيلَ ٱلرَّشَادِ (٣٨)
“O my people! follow me, I will guide you to the right course;”8