The word hadith (pl. ahadith), occurring 23 times in the Koran, is a noun formed from the verb hadatha means to be new. The Hebrew hadash carries the same meaning. From this followed the use of the term for a piece of news, tale, story or a report. The story tellers were also called hudath. The Muslims since the very lifetime of the Prophet called the report with regard to his sayings as the hadith.
Hadith Al-Aman Al-Ummah:
The word aman al-ummah means the security of the ummah. The Prophet is reported to have said: "Just as the stars are a means of securing (aman) the people of the earth against drowning, my Ahl al-Bayt is a means of securing my ummah from division" (Mustadrak, 3:149 etc.). In this context, according to ar-Risala fi l-Imama (comp. 408/1017) by Abul Fawaris Ahmad ibn Yaqub, Imam al-Muizz said in a speech he delivered on the day of fast-breaking in Cairo that, "O people, God has chosen a Messenger and Imams. He has made them superior and favoured them. He has accepted them as the guides to His creatures. He sent down His revelation upon them, and made them speak with His wisdom. They are like luminous stars : if one of them sets, another one shining, glittering and fully radiant will illuminate."
Hadith Al-Haqq:
The famous hadith states, "Ali is always with the Truth and the Truth is always with him." This tradition has been transmitted through fifteen channels. Under the commentary of al-Bismillah, Fakhruddin Razi quotes the Prophet as saying in Tafsir-i Kabir that, "And the truth turns with him (Ali) wherever way he turns" (wa dara al-haqq ma'ahu haithu dar)
Hadith Al-Kudsi:
Hadith al-Kudsi means the sacred tradition. It is also called Hadith Ilahi or Hadith Rabbani (divine tradition). It is a class of traditions which gives words spoken by God, as distinguished from Hadith Nabawi (prophetic tradition) which gives the words of the Prophet. Hadith al-Kudsi is a report or saying transmitted by the Prophet which God speaks in the first person. These reports do not form part of the Koran. It also does not necessarily come through Jibrail, but may have come through inspiration (ilham) or in dream (ru'ya). Hadith al-Kudsi does not form a separate group in the books of tradition, but some collections have been compiled from others. The largest collection, al-Ithafat al-sanniya fi
Hadith Al-Safina:
"Anas bin Malik related the Prophet as saying: "Surely the likeness of my Ahl al-Bayt is similar to Noah's Ark, whoever boards it will attain salvation and whoever remains behind is drowned." The word safina means ark, and thus this tradition became known as the Hadith al-Safina. This tradition is narrated by eight Companions of the Prophet, and eight persons from the disciples of the Companions, and by sixty scholars and more than ninety authors.
This tradition has been narrated by Hakim Nishaburi in al-Mustadrak (2:343), Khatib in Tarikh Baghdad (21: 91) and other great recorders of traditions (al-Ghadir 2:300-1). Imam Shafi has said that, "When I saw different schools of thought directing people toward the seas of ignorance and deviation, I boarded the ark of salvation in the Name of God. This ark is verily crystallized in the Ahl al-Bayt of the Seal of the Prophets,"
The Prophet said: "We serve as the ark of salvation. Whoever holds fast to this ark will reach salvation and whoever deviates from it will be cast into perdition. Whoever wants God to grant him something should resort to the Ahl al-Bayt'." This tradition has been narrated by Shaykh al-Islam Hamu'i in the first chapter of Fara'id al-Samtayn and Khatib Khwarazmi in Manaqib (p. 252). Suyuti in his Dhur-e-Manthur quotes Ibn Shaiba that Ali bin Abu Talib said, "Our likeness to this Muslim ummah is that of Noah's Ark and the gate of remissions."
Hadith Al-Saqlain:
The word saqlain means weighty or heavy thing. In his saying, the Prophet called the Koran and Ahl al-Bayt as the weighty things, and thus this tradition became known as Hadith al-Saqlain. This tradition was spoken on four major occasions, such as at Arfat (Tirmizi, 5:328), at Ghadir Khum (Nisai, 96:79), at Prophet's Mosque in Medina (Ibn Atiyyah, 1:34) and in Prophet's chamber during his last illness (Ibn Hajar, p. 89). This tradition however became more famous at Ghadir Khum. Besides, this tradition has been transmitted through more than a hundred channels by over 35 Companions of the Prophet.
Zaid bin Arqan reported: When the Prophet was returning from the Valedictory Pilgrimage, he halted at Ghadir al-Khum and said, "I am about to be summoned (by God) and I will respond (to His call). I am leaving in you two weighty things: one of them is bigger than other; the Book of God, and my Ahl al-Bayt. Beware how you shall treat them after me, for they shall not part from each other until you join me at the basin (on the judgment day)." (vide, Mustadrak, 3:109, al-Muslim, 15:180, Masnad, 4:367, etc.)
Hadith Al-Ta'ir:
The word ta'ir means a bird or a thing that flies off. Hakim in Mustadrik (3:130), Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah (6:339), etc. report that once when the Prophet sat down to eat a fowl that had been cooked for his dinner, he prayed to God: "My Lord, bring the most beloved of Your creatures, that he may eat this fowl with me." In the meantime, Ali bin Abu Talib came and the Prophet ate with him. Hence, this tradition became known as Hadith al-Ta'ir.
Hadith Al-Yaum Al-Dar:
The word yaum al-dar means the day of the house. In the fourth year of the Prophet's mission, God commanded him to proclaim openly his call. The Koran says: "And warn thy tribe of near kindred" (26:24). Thus, the Prophet invited the chiefs of Banu Hashim to a banquet. In the end, the Prophet stood and said, "I have brought for you the best of this world and the next. God has commanded me to invite you to it. Which of you will help me establish this religion, to be my brother and my successor?" The spell of hush prevailing over the audience was broken by impatient courage of Ali bin Abu Talib, who responded with enthusiasm and said, "O'Prophet of God! I am the youngest of all here, yet I beg to offer myself to stand by you and to share all your burdens and earn the great privilege of being your vicegerent." The Prophet caused Ali to sit down. Again he put the question to the assemblage. All remained silent but Ali rose for a second time to repeat his fidelity, and was again ordered to sit down. The Prophet repeated same question the third time, but got no response. Ali again stood up and repeated his fidelity. The Prophet said, "You are my brother, my collateral and vicegerent," vide Tabari (2:63), Tabaqat (1:171), Masnad (1:119), Ibn Athir (2:22), Abul Fida (1:116), etc.
Hadith-I Manzila:
The word manzila means rank. The Prophet took march for military operations to Tabuk during the month of Rajab of the 9th year after Hijra. He departed from Medina heading an army of 25000 soldiers aiming at the borders of Jordan. He left Ali bin Abu Talib to take his place in Medina. Ali said to the Prophet, "Do you leave me with the children and the women?" The Prophet said, "Are you not satisfied to be to me like Aaron was to Moses, except that there shall be no prophet after me." (Bukhari, 6:3, Ibn Majah, 1:45, Tirmizi, 5:302, Masnad, 1:131, Mustadrak, 3:133, Ibn Hisham, 2:172, etc.)
The Prophet uttered the analogy between Ali and Aaron on many occasions as well. For instance, Umm Salim, the wife of Abu Ayub Ansari reported that the Prophet told her, "Umm Salim, the flesh of Ali is from my flesh and his blood is from my blood, and he is to me like Aaron to Moses." (vide, Kanzul Ummal, 5:32 by al-Muffaqi al-Hindi, etc.)
It indicates that the above hadith of the analogy gives Ali all the offices of Aaron except the prophethood. Aaron was the brother of Moses and his minister. The Koran states that Moses prayed to God, saying: "And give me a minister from my family: Aaron, my brother. Add to my strength through him" (20:24-31).
It is interesting to note that the Prophet had appointed temporary deputies during the following campaigns:-
Abu Lubabah was appointed in Medina when he left to the battle of Badr.
Ibn Arfatah when the Prophet left for Dumat al-Jandal.
Ibn Om Maktum during the operations against Banu Quraidah and Banu Lihyan.
Abu Tharr during the operations against Banu al-Mustalaq.
Numeila during the time of battle of Khaibar.
Ibn al-Adbat during Omrat al-Qada.
Abu Rahman during the conquest of Mecca.
Abu Dujana during the farewell pilgrimage.
The Prophet never said to any one of these temporary deputies what he had spoken of Ali bin Abu Talib: "You are to me like Aaron to Moses."
The Sunni writers believe that the Prophet appointed Ali as his deputy over Medina only during Prophet's expedition to Tabuk, but there is no evidence that Ali was deposed on the Prophet's return. Besides, if the Prophet's statement merely meant for the time of his absence from Medina, then there was no reason for him to add, "except that there shall be no prophet after me." This addition clearly indicates that the Prophet meant his permanent appointment over the Muslims.
Hadith-I Qirtas:
There is the highly controversial episode in the last days of the Prophet's life, which is also called the Episode of Pen and Paper. The Prophet, while in his terminal illness and only days before his death, called for pen and paper. According to Bukhari (1:41), when the Prophet's illness became serious, he said, "Bring me writing materials that I may write for you something, after which you will not be led into error." Umar said, "The illness has overwhelmed the Prophet. We have the Book of God and that is enough for us." Then, the Prophet differed about this and spoke many words, and said, "Leave me! There ought not to be quarrelling in my presence." And Ibn Abbas went out saying, "The greatest of all calamities is what intervened between the Prophet and his writing."
