This article on the odd night of 27th Ramadan, Lailatul-Qadr (Night of Power)

‎Aamir Ibrahim 

As Salamu Alaykum to all Muslims and “As-salamu ala man ittiba al-huda” to our Dear Salafi / Ghayr Muqalid friends.

I am writing this article on the odd night of 27th Ramadan, Year 2012. 1433 A.H. May Allah accepts this effort from me and makes it a cause of my forgiveness. May Allah write this amongst my deeds of Ibadah (worship). May Allah bring Nur into the hearts of people who accept truth after It has been made clear to them, May Allah bless the people who do not reject truth just because of their Nafoos (egos) and May Allah guide the misguided ones who keep beliefs of Anthropomorphism, disrespecting Prophets, Ahlul Bayt and Sahaba - Ridhwan Allaho Ajm'ain. 

Some People just in opposition to Shi'ites go to the extremes of rejecting qualities of blessed Ahlul Bayt (family of Prophet Muhammad - Peace be upon him). Ibn Taymiyyah used to do this often and also crossed many boundaries just to put his point through in his book called Manhaj As-Sunnah (in reality Manhaj Al Khawarij). 

Although we as true representatives of Sunni school (i.e. Ash'ari/Maturidi) also refute the Rafidhi Shi'ite cult, but this does not mean we just in their opposition start ridiculing the known merits of Ahlul Bayt.

I thank the Muslims all around the world who welcomed these threads and circulated them in different parts of the globe (all Praise be to Allah and the Sadaqa is of His dear Prophet - Peace be upon him). In those threads it was made clear through quotes of Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (ra) that Ibn Taymiyyah used to exaggerate matters just in hatred of Mawla Ali (RA) and opposition to Shi'ites.

Plagiarism is not only an immoral act according to western norms but also according to Islam it is admonished. By Plagiarism here I mean that we should give credit to the person who has become a Door (Sayyidna Ali - Radhi Allahu Anhu) towards the City of Knowledge (Sayyidna Muhammad ur Rasul-Ullah - صلى الله عليه وسلم -).  

In this regard there has come a Hasan (Fair) hadith. Imam al Hakim made a whole chapter in his Mustadrak Ala Sahihyan with the title: 

"أنا مدينة العلم وعلي بابها "

Then he brought 3 hadiths under it. 

Hadith # 1 

حدّثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب ، ثنا محمد بن عبد الرحيم الهروي بالرملة ، ثنا أبو الصلت عبد السلام بن صالح ، ثنا أبو معاوية ، عن الأعمش ، عن مجاهد ، عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله : «أَنا مَدينَةُ الْعِلْم وَعَلِيٌّ بابُها فَمَنْ أَرادَ الْمَدينَةَ فَلْيَأْتِ الْبابَ». هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد ولم يخرجاه

Translation: Narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA) who narrates from Prophet (Peace be upon him) who said: "I AM THE CITY OF KNOWLEDGE AND ALI IS IT'S DOOR" If you want to enter the city then enter through It's gate. 

Imam al-Hakim said: This hadith has a Sahih chain but is not narrated by Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim [Mustadrak al Hakim (3/136)]

Imam al-Hakim then does in deep length to prove this hadith Sahih, he states: 

وأبو الصلت ثقة مأمون فإني سمعت أبا العباس محمد بن يعقوب في التاريخ يقول: سمعت العباس بن محمد الدوري يقول: سألت يحيى بن معين، عن أبي الصلت الهروي فقال ثقة، فقلت: أليس قد حدث عن أبي معاوية (3126)، عن الأعمش، أنا مدينة العلم، فقال: قد حدث به محمد بن جعفر الفيدي وهو ثقة مأمون، سمعت أبا نصر أحمد بن سهل الفقيه القباني إمام عصره ببخارى يقول: سمعت صالح بن محمد بن حبيب الحافظ يقول: وسُئل عن أبي الصلت الهروي فقال: دخل يحيى بن معين ونحن معه على أبي الصلت فسلّم عليه فلما خرج تبعته، فقلت له: ما تقول رحمك الله في أبي الصلت؟ فقال: هو صدوق فقلت له: إنه يروي حديث الأعمش عن مجاهد، عن ابن عباس، عن النبي : «أَنا مَدينَةُ الْعِلْم وَعَلِيٌّ بابُها فَمَنْ أَرادَ الْعِلْمَ فَلْيَأْتِها مِنْ بابِها»، فقال: قد روي هذا ذاك الفيدي عن أبي معاوية، عن الأعمش كما رواه أبو الصلت.

Translation: Abi as-Salat is “THIQA MA’MOON” I heard Abu al-Abbas Muhammad bin Ya’qub who said in his at-Tarikh: I heard from al-Abbas bin Muhammad ad-Dori who said: I asked Imam Yahya bin Ma’een regarding Abi as-Salat al-Harwi and he

 (Yahya bin Ma’een) said: “HE IS THIQA” …(Imam al-Hakim then also proves from Yahya Bin Ma’een that he called Abi as-Salat as Sudooq (truthful) [See Mustadrak al Hakim (3/136, Hadith # 4686)]

Hadith # 2 

حدّثنا بصحة ما ذكره الإمام أبو زكريا ، ثنا يحيى بن معين ، ثنا
أبو الحسين محمد بن أحمد بن تميم القنطري ، ثنا الحسين بن فهم ، ثنا محمد بن يحيى
بن الضريس ، ثنا محمد بن جعفر الفيدي ، ثنا أبو معاوية ، عن الأعمش ، عن مجاهد ،
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله : «أَنا مَدينَةُ الْعِلْمِ
وَعَلِيٌّ بابُها فَمَنْ أَرادَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَلْيَأْتِ البابَ» قال الحسين بن
فهم: حدّثناه أبو الصلت الهروي، عن أبي معاوية. قال الحاكم ليعلم المستفيد لهذا
العلم أن الحسين بن فهم بن عبد الرحمن ثقة مأمون حافظ. ولهذا الحديث شاهد من حديث سفيان
الثوري بإسناد صحيح. 

Translation: Same hadith as above (but wiith different chain not having Abi as-Salat ) Imam al-Hakim (rah) also said: This hadith is a Shahid (witness) over the hadith of Sufyan ath-Thawri (rah) and has a "SAHIH CHAIN" [ibid]

After this Imam al-Hakim (rah) presents the hadith coming via route of Sufyanath-Thawri to further strengthen his point. 

Hadith # 3 

حدّثني أبو بكر محمد بن علي الفقيه الإمام الشاشي القفال ببخارى ،
وأنا سألته ، حدّثني النعمان بن الهارون البلدي ببلد من أصل كتابه ، ثنا أحمد بن
عبد الله بن يزيد الحراني ، ثنا عبد الرزاق ، ثنا سفيان الثوري ، عن عبد الله بن
عثمان بن خثيم ، عن عبد الرحمن بن عثمان التيمي قال:
سمعت جابر بن عبد الله يقول: سمعت رسول الله
يقول: «أَنا مَدينَةُ الْعِلْم وَعَلِيٌّ بابُها فَمَنْ أَرادَ الْعِلْمَ
فَلْيَأْتِ الْبابَ». 

Translation: Same hadith but with a totally different chain coming from Sahabi Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) [Refer to Mustadrak ala Sahihayn, (3/137), Hadith # 4688, Published by Dar ul Kutb al-iLmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon]

The above hadith whether Sahih or not (shall be discussed later) makes the chain to be "Ghayr Wahid (Multiply narrated)" and hence the Asl (origin) for this hadith is soundly established because it has now come from different turuq (ways) having different narrators. 

However at this point I consider it important to mention both sides of the coin (unlike Wahabis who only spread deceit and hide useful information). It has always been the way of real Ahlus Sunnah to present both negative and positive angles so that seekers of knowledge can distinguish truth from falsehood. 

The hadith of Madinatul Ilm has been disputed upon by many scholars, some even rejected it (Such as Hafidh ad-Duniya Imam al-Bukhari, Imam DaraQutni, Ibn Daqiq al 'Eid, Sheikh ul Islam Imam an-Nawawi and many others) whereas others
have soundly and rightly proven it to be Hasan (Sayyid al Mufasireen and also a hadith master Imam Ibn Jarir at-Tabri, Imam al-Ala'i, Sheikh ul Islam and leading authority in Shafi'i fiqh i.e. Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Mujaddad-reviver of 9th century Imam Jalal ad-din Suyuti, Imam al-Manawi, Imam al-Sakhawi and many others)

Nadeem Ahmed

I have not mentioned Ibn Jawzi (rah), Ibn Taymiyyah and al-Dhahabi (rah) in list of those shcolars who bashed this hadith because these scholars have at times taken extreme stance on hadiths relating to merits of Ahlul Bayt. With all due respect to Ibn Jawzi (rah) who repented from his hatred for Sufis and turned towards love for Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (rah) and also al-Dhahabi (rah) who later on proved his own master Ibn Taymiyyah as Munafiq, but Ibn Taymiyyah and his pseudo followers like Albani al-Mubtadi al-Mashoor deserve no credit at all.

This hadith has also come with another wording. 

Hadith # 4 

حَدّثَنَا إِسماعيلُ بنُ مُوسَى أخبرنا مُحمّدُ بنُ عُمَرَ بنِ الرّومِيّ 
حدثنا شَرِيكٌ عَن سَلَمَةَ بنِ كُهَيْلٍ عَن سُوَيْدِ بنِ غَفلَةَ عَن 
الصُّنَابِحِيّ عَن عَلِيَ ، قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ: «أَنَا دَارُ 
الْحِكْمَةِ وَعَلِيٌّ بَابُهَا » .

قال: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَريبٌ مُنْكَرٌ رَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ هَذَا الحَدِيثَ عَن 
شَرِيكٍ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرُوا فيهِ عَن الصّنَابِحِيّ وَلاَ نَعْرِفُ هَذَا 
الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ أحَدٍ مِنْ الثقَاتِ غير شَرِيكٍ. وَفي البَابِ عَن ابنِ 
عَبّاسٍ.

Translation: Narrated by Sayyidna Ali (RA) from Prophet (Peace be upon him) who said: "I AM THE HOUSE OF WISDOM AND ALI IS IT'S DOOR" 

Imam at-Tirmidhi said: This hadith is Ghareeb and Munkar. Some reported it form Sharik without mentioning,from Sunabihi. The only authority form whom we know this hadith is Sharik. And in this chapter, hadith is narrated also form Ibn Abbas : [Mishkaat al Masabih, (3/357)]

Imam at-Tirmidhi did call this hadith Munkar but look at the last highlighted part where Imam at-Tirmidhi said that hadith is also narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA) in this chapter. This he is pointing towards the hadith of "MADINATUL ILM" and Imam at-Tirmidhi did not refute that one. Plus Imam at-Tirmidhi has made a whole seperate title for this hadith which means he himself accepted Asl for it (Allahu wa Rasuluhu A'lam) Authenticity of this hadith and all different turaq Sayyid al Mufasireen and a great Muhadith Imam Ibn

Jarir at-Tabri (rah) said of above hadith: 

وهذا خبر صحيح سنده

Translation: This report has a "SAHIH CHAIN" [Imam at-Tabri in Tahdhib al-Athaar (1/395)]

Imam al-Zarkashi (rah) after long analysis of mentioning all those who called it Mawdho, Da'eef, Hasan and Sahih. He gives his final judgement  as follows: 

والحاصل ان الحديث ينتهي لمجموع طريقي ابي معاوية وشريك الى درجة الحسن المحتج به ولا يكون ضعيفا فضلا عن ان يكون موضوعا انتهى

Translation: The net result (of whole analysis) is that this hadith from it's two routes from Abu Mu'awiya and Sharik "MAKE IT REACH SUCH A STAGE OF HASAN HADITH THAT IT IS TAKEN AS PROOF AND IT CANNOT BE CALLED DA'EEF LET ALONE MAWDHO" [Al-Manthoora fil Ahadith al Mashoorah, Page # 165]

 Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah)'s beautiful + modest analysis

وسئل شيخ الإسلام أبو الفضل بن حجر عن هذا الحديث في فتيا فقال هذا الحديث أخرجه الحاكم في المستدرك وقال إنه صحيح وخالفه أبو الفرج بن الجوزي فذكره في الموضوعات وقال إنه كذب والصواب خلاف قولهما معاً وإن الحديث من قسم الحسن لا يرتقي إلى الصحة ولا ينحط إلى الكذب وبيان ذلك يستدعي طولاً ولكن هذا هو المعتمد في ذلك انتهى

Translation: Sheikh ul Islam Abu al-Fadhl Ibn Hajr al Assqalani (rah) was asked regarding this hadiths. He said: This hadith is narrated by Imam al-Hakim (rah) in his Al-Mustadrak where he said "IT IS SAHIH" on the other hand Abu al-Farj Ibn Jawzi (rah) said in his "Al-Mawdhoaat that this hadith is a lie" (I say) that the correct viewpoint is opposite to both (al-Hakim and Ibn Jawzi) "BECAUSE THIS HADITH IS IN CATEGORIES OF HASAN HADITHS WHICH CANNOT BE ELEVATED TO STATUS OF SAHIH NOR DERAILED TO STATUS OF BEING A LIE AND THIS EXPLANATION REQUIRES DETAIL, HENCE THIS IS WHAT IS RELIED UPON (I.E. IT IS HASAN NOT SAHIH NOR MAWDHO)" [Imam as-Suyuti in Al-Masnooa fil Ahadith al Mawdhoa, Page # 284]

Now remember Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah) is the top most authority in al Jarh wa't Tadeel ever-since 700 + AH 

His student Imam al-Sakhawi (rah) also declared this hadith as "HASAN" in his Maqasid al Hasanah, Hadith # 189]

Proof from Ghayr Muqalid Wahabi leading authorities: 

Although Wahabis today have become so bad that they even consider their own Akabireen as Ahlul Bidah, Qadhi Shawkani was indeed a great scholar but he was stubborn on rejecting Taqlid and also had some wrong Aqida concepts. Overall his Aqaid and Fiqhi viewpoints could be compared to Ahlus Sunnah and thus we pay him little respect. 

Qadhi Shawkani affter proving from Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani (rah) that the hadith is Hasan said:

قال الحافظ ابن حجر : والصواب خلاف قولهما معاً . يعني : ابن الجوزي ، والحاكم . وأن الحديث منقسم الحسن ، لا يرتقي إلى الصحة ، ولا ينحط إلى الكذب ، أنتهى . وهذا هو الصواب ؛ لأن يحيى بن معين ، والحاكم قد خولفا في توثيق أبي الصلت ومن تابعه ، فلا يكون مع هذا الخلاف صحيحاً ، بل حسناً لغره ، لكثرة طرقه كما بيناه , 

Translation: ...(Ibn Hajr's viewpoint) is correct because Imam Yahyha bin Ma'een and Imam al-Hakim doing Tawthiq (authenticating) of Abu as-Salat is differed upon. There due to this difference this hadith is not SAHIH BUT RATHER HASAN DUE TO MANY OTHER ROUTES THROUGH WHICH IT HAS COME [Al Fawaid al Majmua fil Ahadith al Mawdhoa, Hadith # 52]  - Actually it is proven from Yahya bin Ma'een that he declared this hadith as Sahih: 

أخبرنا أبو بكر بن ثابت الحافظ، قال: أخبرنا محمد بن أحمد بن رِزْق، قال: أخبرنا أبو بكر محمد بن أحمد بن مُكرم القاضي، قال: حدثنا القاسم بن عبد الرحمن الأنباريُّ، قال: حدثنا أبو الصَّلْت الهَرَويُّ، قال: حدثنا أبو معاوية، عن الأعمش، عن مُجاهد، عن ابن عباس، قال: قال رسول الله: «أنا مدِينةُ العلمِ وعليٌّ بابُها ، فَمن أرادَ العِلْمَ فَلْيأتِ بابَهُ».
قال القاسم : سألتُ يحيـى بن مَعِين عن هذا الحديث، فقال: هو صحيح.

Translation: (After complete hadith with chain it says): Imam al-Qasim asked Yahya bin Ma'een regarding this hadith, he said "IT IS SAHIH" [Tahdhib ul Kamaal (11/460)]

I would like to conclude with this beautiful Istikhara of Imam Jalal ud-din Suyuti (rah): 

وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أُجِيبُ بِهٰذَا الْجَوابِ دَهْرَاً إِلٰى أَنْ وَقَفْتُ عَلٰى تصحيح ابن جرير لحديثَ علي فِي تهذيب الآْثَارِ مع تصحيح (ك) لحدِيث ابنِ عبَّاس، فَاستخَرْتُ اللَّهَ وَجَزَمْتُ بِارتِقَاءِ الْحَدِيث من مرتبة الْحَسن إِلٰى مرتبةِ الصحَّةِ ـ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ

Translation: I (Jalal ud din Suyuti) used to accept the answer of (Ibn Hajr calling it Hasan) "BUT WHEN I GOT TO KNOW THAT IBN JARIR DECLARED THE HADITH FROM IBN ABBAS (RA) AS SAHIH IN HIS TAHDHIB AL ATHAAR, THEN I DID ISTIKHARA (PROCEDURE OF ASKING ALLAH BY PRAYING NAFL AND MAKING DUA) TO ALLAH SO THAT HE INFORMS ME REALITY OF THIS HADITH. AFTER ISTIKHARA I FOUND THIS HADITH ELEVATING FROM HASAN TO SAHIH" [Jami al Jawami (13/410)]

Note: This is not a dream but rather Sunnah way of practising Istikhara, plus this Istikhara is not of some ordinary person but rather a Mujaddad (reviver) of 900 + AH. Hence this itself becomes a Daleel. 

Conclusion : Even though there are proofs which elevate this hadith to the Status of Sahih like Imam Jalal ud-din Suyuti (rah) mentioned above but still due to my love for other Muhaditheen I personally consider this hadith as Hasan (fair).

ALLAH AND HIS APOSTLE (PEACE BE UPON HIM) KNOW THE BEST.

Wassalam