Sunni Feedback on The Issues of Infallibility and Ahulbayt [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Some Traditions on the Virtues of Imam Ali (AS)
It is narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: He who wants
to see Noah (AS) in his determination, Adam (AS) in his knowledge,
Abraham (AS) in his clemency, Moses (AS) in his intelligence and
Jesus (AS) in his religious devotion should look at Ali Ibn Abi
Talib (AS).

Sunni references:

Sahih al-Bayhaqi
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as quoted in
Sharh Ibn Abil Hadid, v2, p449
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Fakhruddin al-Razi, under the commentary
of the Verse of Imprecation (Mubahilah), v2 p288.

He wrote this
tradition has been accepted as all genuine.

Ibn Batah has recorded it as a tradition related by Ibn Abbas
as is stated in the book Fat'h al-Mulk al-Ali bi Sihah Hadith-e-Bab-e-Madinat
al-Ilm, p34, by Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Siddeeq al-Hasani
al-Maghribi.

Among those who have admitted that Imam Ali (AS) is the store
house of the secrets of all the Prophets is the Chief of Gnostics,
Muhyiddin al-Arabi, from whom al-Arif al-Sha'rani has copied it
in his al-Yawaqeet wa al-Jawahir (p172, topic 32).

It is also narrated that:

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: There is amongst you a person
who will fight for the interpretation of the Quran just as I fought
for its revelation.

The people around him raised their heads
and cast inquisitive glances at the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and
at one another.

Abu Bakr and Umar were there.

Abu Bakr inquired
if he was that person and the Prophet (PBUH&HF) replied in
the negative.

Then Umar inquired if he was that person and the
Prophet (PBUH&HF), replied No.

He is the one who is
repairing my shoes (i.
e.
, Ali).

Abu Said Khudri said: Then we went to Ali and conveyed the good
news to him.

He did not even raise his head and remained as busy
as he was, as if he had already heard it from the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH&HF).

Sunni references:

al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p122, who said this tradition
is genuine based on the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.

al-Dhahabi, also records it in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak and
admitted that it is genuine according to the standard of the two
Shaikhs.

Khasa'is, by al-Nisa'i, p40
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v3, pp 32-33
Kanz al-Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, v6, p155
Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p133

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and al-Hakim recorded with authentic document
from Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Apostle of God said to Ali:
Verily you will do battle for (implementation of) the Quran,
as you has done for its revelation.

Sunni reference: Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti,
p173
al-Hakim recorded that Anas Ibn Malik narrated that the Holy Prophet
said to Ali:

You shall inform my nation about the truth and what they
dispute after me:

Sunni reference:

al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p112, who wrote this is an
authentic Hadith according to the stipulation of the two Shaikhs
(al-Bukhari and Muslim).

[This would mean that the chain of narrators
are considered to be authentic as stipulated by Bukhari and Muslim]

The first Muslim
It is an undisputed fact that Imam Ali was the first man to embrace
Islam after the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF).

Below are some of
the references
Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Asakir recorded on the authority of Salim
Ibn Abi Jaad that he said: I asked of Muhammad Ibn Hanifah, was
Abu Bakr the first of the people to adopt Islam? He replied:
No.

And Ibn Asakir on a reliable ascription from Muhammad Ibn Sa'd
Ibn Abi Waqqas, that he said to his father Sa'd: was Abu
Bakr al-Siddeeq the first of you in embracing the faith?
He said: No, for there were more than five people in faith
before him



Ibn Kathir says: it is clear that Muhammad's family believed
before every other - his wife Khadija, his freedman Zaid and the
Wife of Zaid Umm Ayman and Ali and Warakah.

Sunni reference:

Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p33 (History
of the Caliphs translated by Major Barrett)

It is also narrated that
Anas Ibn Malik said: The Messenger was commissioned on Monday
and Ali believed in him on Tuesday.

Sunni reference: al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p112
al-Hakim also narrated that:

Salman al-Farsi said that the Messenger of God said: The
first one of you to drink from the Basin on the Day of Judgment
is your first Muslim, Ali, the son of Abu Talib.

Sunni reference: al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p112
Ibn Hisham recorded that:

Ali Ibn Abi Talib was the first male to believe in the Messenger
of God and that he prayed with him while he was only ten years
old.

Sunni reference: Biography of the Prophet, by Ibn Hisham, v1,
p245
The famous Sunni Historian, al-Tabari also wrote:

The first three to offer prayers were Muhammad (PBUH&HF) ,
Khadija and Ali (AS).

Sunni reference: History al-Tabari, v2, p65
Also Khateeb al-Baghdadi, in his book quotes Imam Ali that:

Ali said: I was the first one to accept Islam at the hands
of the Holy Prophet.

Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v4, p333

End of Chapter 2 of the Shi'ite Encyclopedia
v2.0