Hadith of the two weighty things

The word "Hadith" refers to a saying of the Prophet of Islam. The "Hadith al-Thaqalayn" refers to a Prophetic saying about "al-Thaqalayn", which translates to "the two weighty things." In this narration, Muhammad referred to the Quran and "Ahl al-Bayt" (the Prophet's family) as the two weighty things. Although the Hadith is accepted by both Sunnis and Shi'as, the two groups differ on the exact wording of what Muhammad said, as well how to interpret these words.

1 Overview
2 Sunni and Shi'a Concordance
3 Shi'a View
4 Sunni Viewpoint
5 External links

[edit] Overview

After Muhammad's death, the Sunnis and Shi'as differed on who should be Muhammad's successor and the first Caliph of the Muslims. The Sunnis were of the view that the leadership should be based upon merit instead of lineage, and it was on this basis that the Sunnis accepted Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, and Uthman bin Affan as the first three Caliphs, despite the fact that neither of these men were blood-relatives of Muhammad. The Shi'as, on the other hand, rejected the Caliphate of these three men, and instead believed that the leadership of the Muslims should always remain within the "Ahl al-Bayt" or the Prophet's family. The Shi'as believe that these three Sunni Caliphs usurped the rightful rule of the twelve Imams (leaders) of the Prophet's family (starting with Ali ibn Abi Talib), who they say were divinely appointed by God and His Messenger Muhammad. The Shi'as use the Hadith al-Thaqalayn to prove the claim that Muhammad meant for all his successors to be from his own family. The Sunnis reject this view and believe in a different interpetation of Hadith al-Thaqalayn.

[edit] Sunni and Shi'a Concordance

Both Sunnis and Shi'as accept that Muhammad said the following:

“I am going to leave with you two heavy burdens. The first of them is the Book of Allah: in it is the true guidance and the light. Therefore, hold fast to it. And my household. I remind you of Allah in matters relating to my household. I remind you of Allah in matters relating to my household. I remind you of Allah in matters relating to my household.” (Sahih Muslim)

Both Sunnis and Shi'as believe in respecting Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet's family). However, it is only the Shi'as who claim that the Caliph (leader) of the Muslims must always be a descendant of Muhammad. The Sunnis reject this view and believe that any capable Muslim can be the Caliph of the Muslims, regardless of his lineage.

[edit] Shi'a View

The Shi'as, who make up 10-12% of the Muslims, believe that Muhammad said Hadith al-Thaqalayn multiple times in multiple settings in multiple wordings. They argue that Muhammad said Hadith al-Thaqalayn at Mount Arafat during his Farewell Sermon, at Ghadir Khumm, in the mosque of Medinah, during his last illness, and many other places and times. The Shi'as believe that Muhammad said this Hadith so many times because he wanted to stress how important it was that the Muslims only take as leaders his own descendants.

The Shi'as believe that this Hadith is mutawattir, meaning that it has been related so many times by so many people that there is no doubt about its authenticity. The Shi'a claim that this Hadith is the most authentic of Hadiths, claiming that it has been narrated by over 35 Companions of Muhammad.

The Hadith al-Thaqalayn is by the Shi'a, among other reasons, to justify their claim of Ali's succession to Muhammad. Shi'as view this hadith as a clear indication that Muhammad wished to keep the matter of leadership within his own family, starting with his cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib. They say that Muhammad was clearly indicating that only the Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet's family) have a right to authority and leadership. It is based on this claim that the Shi'as reject the first three Sunni Caliphs, referring to them as usurpers and tyrants.

Because the Shi'a believe that Muhammad said Hadith al-Thaqalayn on many occasions, the Shi'a have many different versions of what Muhammad said. One such version corresponds closely to what the Sunnis also believe in:

The Prophet said: “One of them (i.e. the Thaqalayn) is the Book of Allah and the other one is my select progeny (Itrat), that is family (Ahlul-Bayt). Beware of how you behave (with) them when I am gone from amongst you, for Allah, the Merciful, has informed me that these two (i.e., Quran and Ahlul-Bayt) shall never separate from each other until they reach me in Heaven at the Pool (of al-Kawthar). I remind you, in the name of Allah, about my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you, in the name of Allah, about my Ahlul-Bayt. Once more! I remind you, in the name of Allah, about my Ahlul-Bayt." Source: - A’alam al-Wara, pp 132-133

The Shi'as, however, also believe in other versions of the Hadith such as:

“I have left with you something, which if you strictly adhere to, you shall never go astray–The Book of Allah and my progeny.”

“I leave you two weighty things, if you stick to both you will never go astray after me: the Book of Allah and my progeny.”

"I am leaving for you two precious and weighty Symbols that if you adhere to both of them, you shall not go astray after me. They are, the Book of Allah, and my progeny, that is, my Ahl al-Bayt. The Merciful has informed me that these two shall not separate from each other till they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."

It is these latter versions--rejected by the Sunnis--that more strongly support a Shi'a interpretation, namely that Muhammad intended to keep the leadership of the Muslims within his own family.

[edit] Sunni Viewpoint

The Sunnis, who make up 85-90% of the Muslims, reject the idea that the Hadith al-Thaqalayn is mutawattir, and they also reject the idea that it was narrated by over 35 of Muhammad's Companions. Instead, the Sunnis believe that it was narrated by no more than 10 of Muhammad's Companions.

The Sunnis believe that Muhammad only mentioned Hadith al-Thaqalayn at Ghadir Khumm. They reject the idea that Muhammad said it during his Farewell Sermon atop Mount Arafat. The Sunnis believe that Muhammad only mentioned the two weighty things (i.e. Quran and the Prophet's family) on his way back to Medinah (at Ghadir Khumm) and that his speech was therefore directed primarily to those living in Medinah because it was they who would have the task of taking care of the Prophet's family after his death.

The Sunnis believe that a group of soldiers were harshly criticizing Muhammad's cousin, and it was due to this that Muhammad said Hadith al-Thaqalayn. It was in response to this hatred, abuse, and disrespect towards Ali ibn Abi Talib that Muhammad found it necessary to defend his family in Hadith al-Thaqalayn; Muhammad was about to die and therefore he was naturally worried about the fate of his family, and so he urged his followers to take care of them after his death.

The Sunnis believe that Hadith al-Thaqalayn does not delegate a role of leadership to the Prophet's family. Instead, it is simply Muhammad's request for his fellow Muslims to take care of his family after his death. To bolster this claim, the Sunnis point to narrations in which Muhammad said: "I remind you of my family", "beware of how you behave with them", "how you treat them after me", etc. The Sunnis take Hadith al-Thaqalayn to mean taking care of (and behaving with) Muhammad's family after his death, and they reject it as a proof for the idea that the leadership must remain within Muhammad's family.

It should be noted that Sunnis reject many of the versions of Hadith al-Thaqalayn, classifying them as "Dhaeef" or weak in authenticity due to the fact that many of these were narrated by Shi'as.