As for Shia traditional reports
In Usul Kafi,1 Thiqatul Islam Kulaini, under the subject of Chapter of
difference between messenger, prophet and Muhaddath, has narrated four
traditions:
Among them being: A tradition narrated through Buraid from Imam
Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) regarding the words of
Almighty Allah in Surah Hajj:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍۢ وَلَا نَبِىٍّ
“And We did not send before you any apostle or prophet.”2
…or any Muhaddath.
Buraid said: “May I be sacrificed on you, we did not recite it in this way,3
thus, who is messenger and prophet and Muhaddath?”
He replied: “Messenger is one, to whom the angel appears and speaks to;
prophet is one, who sees the angel in dream and how often prophethood and
messengership gathers in a single person. Muhaddath is one, who hears the voice
of the angel, but does not see his form.”
I said: “May God keep you in good health, how do they understand what
they have seen in dream is true and from Almighty Allah?”
Imam (a.s.) replied: “He is assisted (and God bestows good sense to them),
so that they may understand this point and indeed Allah, Mighty and Sublime
concluded the books with your Book and the prophets with your Prophet.”
Another tradition has also mentioned this same difference between
messenger, prophet and Muhaddath. In two other traditions, the same difference
is mentioned, but instead of Muhaddath, Imam is mentioned.4
Kulaini has also quoted five traditions under the chapter of the Imam are
Muhaddath and Mufahham: One of them is from Humran bin Ayyin from Imam
Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that he said: “Ali was Muhaddath.”
The gist of another tradition is that:5 Ali Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) identified
his own killer and was also aware of great issues, on the basis of the words of
God:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍۢ وَلَا نَبِىٍّ
“And We did not send before you any apostle or prophet.”6
And two more traditions7, one of them saying: “The successors of Muhammad are Muhaddath.”
Another one says: “The Imams are knowledgeable, truthful, perceptive and
Muhaddath.”
The fifth tradition in the meaning of Muhaddath is that they can hear the
angel, but cannot see him; and in this chapter in Usul Kafi, there is no other
tradition than this one.
In Amali,8 Shaykhut Taifa has narrated through his chains of narrators from
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that Ali (a.s.) was Muhaddath, and Salman was
Muhaddath. The narrator says: I asked: “What is the sign of Muhaddath?” He
replied: “An angel comes to them and inspires such and such on their heart.”
Traditional reports on this matter are in excess and are present throughout
Shia books.9 Those mentioned above were the main traditional reports and they
comprise the gist of the present and past Shia belief regarding this subject.
Its gist is: There are Muhaddath persons in this Ummah, just as they were
present in the past nations and Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and his descendants –
the Holy Imams (a.s.) – are Muhaddath, although they are not prophets. This
quality was not restricted to the position of Imamate, on the contrary, Lady
Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was also Muhaddatha as was Salman Farsi.
Yes, all Imams from the Holy Progeny are Muhaddath, but all Muhaddath
are not Imams. The meaning of Muhaddath are those, who possesses knowledge
about different things that they have obtained through one of the three ways
mentioned in traditions.
This is the complete viewpoint of those two sects and their traditional
reports regarding Muhaddath, and you may note there is no difference between
them.
The Shia, in relation to other sects of Islam, do not have any extraordinary
views regarding this, except that they do not regard Umar bin Khattab as
Muhaddath. It is due to his intellectual biography recorded in pages of history
and at this point, we are not on the subject of discussing that.
Then, is it correct to regard only some persons as excellent because of being
Muhaddath and to regard it as deviation and defect in others? No, by God. Come
look at the falsehood of Hijaz and the origin and base of hypocrisy and source of
corruption in the society:
Abdullah Qaseemi – let’s ask him: How in his book – As-Sara Bainul Islam
wal Wathniya10 – he has written that in view of Shia, the Imams of Ahle Bayt (a.s.)
are prophets and they receive divine revelation and angels bring revelation to them and these Shia believe the same about Fatima and Imams from her progeny
as they believe about the prophets!
In all these points we argue through the correspondence of Hasan bin Abbas
quoted in Al-Kafi.11
Does this ignorant man not know that these lies and allegations target a big
group of people, whose correct viewpoint has created nobles around the world;
these lies are nothing, but refuting the view of Muhaddith mentioned in Holy
Quran and viewpoint of talking of angels to the Imams of Ahle Bayt (a.s.) and
their mother, Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.) – as that reasoning demands – while all
Muslims are same in this belief.
Can the Shia also not say: “In view of Ahle Sunnat, Umar bin Khattab and
others, who were Muhaddath, are prophets and angels bring divine revelation
upon them?”
However, the Shia are learned and wise and they don’t hurt feelings through
lies, allegations and false statements.
Were these unequivocal traditional reports of the Shia, which say that the
Imams are knowledgeable and are not prophets, not seen by this man? Did this
man not come across in Al-Kafi – in the chapter that he has used to condemn the
Shia – statements of Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.),
who said:
“Indeed, Almighty Allah ended the divine books through your Book and
ended your prophets through your Prophet?”
إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِى ٱلْكَذِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰذِبُونَ (١٠٥)
“Only they forge the lie who do not believe in Allah’s communications, and these are the liars.”12