Message of Hadise Saqlain

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) said: "Verily, I am leaving behind two precious things (thaqalayn) among you: the Book of Allah and my kindred (itrah), my household Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), for indeed, the two will never separate until they come back to me by the Pond (of Al­ Kawthar on the Day of Judgement)."

This tradition is one of the famous Traditions among the ‘ulama of the Sunnis and Shi’ites. A large group of the Companions, without any break, recorded this tradition from the Prophet and some of the great ‘ulama say that 30 of the Companions have

mentioned it

The great scholar, Sayyid Hashim Bahrani, in his book, Ghayat al-Maram, mentions this tradition with 39 documentations from the Sunni scholars and 80 documentations from the Shi’ite ‘ulama. Mir Hamad Husayn Hindi, another great scholar who studied this issue further, mentioned 200 Sunnis who have recorded this tradition and he has compiled them in 6 volumes.

Among the individuals of the famous Companions who have recorded this are Abu Sa’id Khudari, Abu Dharr Ghifari, Zayd ibn Arqam, Zayd ibn Thabit, Abu Rafa’, Jabir ibn Matam, Huzaifah, DamarahIslami, Jabir ibn Abdallah Ansari and Umm Salimah.

Since, Islam has offered humanity the most comprehensive value system for all aspects of life, the explanation of this system is of the greatest importance. Let us analyze some points in brief:

1. Who are Ahlulbayt (a.s.)?
A’raj quotes Abu Hurairah who narrates from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that he said,

“Certainly, I leave amongst you two weighty things (saqalain), the Book of Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He – whoever follows it will be on guidance and whoever forsakes it will

be deviated; then my Ahle Bait. I remind you of Allah concerning my Ahle Bait (he repeated this thrice).”

I (A’raj) asked Abu Hurairah, ‘Are his wives his Ahle Bait?’

He replied, ‘No, his Ahle Bait are his progeny and his family and they are the twelve Imams, whom Allah has mentioned in his saying,

“And He has placed a remaining word in his posterity.” (Surah Zukhruf - 43:28.)²

In another tradition, we also read that when the verse was revealed about Mubahilah, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) called ‘Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn, peace be upon them, and said, ‘This is my Ahlul Bayt.’ ³

2. The introduction to the Qur’an and his family as ‘two valuable things’ is clear proof that Muslims must never turn away from these two, especially with the condition in many Traditions where it states that, “If these two are released or freed from each other, you will be lost.”

3. Placing Qur’an beside his family and his family beside Qur’an is proof that as the Holy Qur’an will never be altered and that it will be preserved, the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) had the position of infallibility.

4. In some of these traditions, it has been stated that the Prophet (s.a.w.a) said, “On the Day of Resurrection, I will question you about how you behaved towards these two great souvenirs, to see how you have acted towards them.

5. According to the Prophet's statements, the only way to salvation in the world is the obedience to the Glorious Qur'an and the Prophet's household (Ahlul Bayt).

6. Pond of Al- Kawthar:

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) said - "Kawthar is a stream of super excellence, exclusively belonging to me. Only the righteous believers (among my followers) will be allowed to

drink from it. Ali (a.s.) shall distribute the water from it to them. On the day of judgement I will see some of my companions driven, like cattle, away from Kawthar. It will be announced that they are those who, after my departure from the world, deviated from the true religion and introduced innovations (based upon conjecture) to corrupt the faith." 

7. It becomes clear that the leadership of the ummah of Muslims after the Prophet is through ‘Ali (a.s.) and after him, also, through the Imams from this family.(Ahlulbayt (a.s.))

8. Formula for Guaranteed Success -

If we hold on to both (thaqalayn) then our success is a guarantee from Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) because whatever he (s.a.w.a) has said is from Allah (swt) –

"Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed."

(Surah Najm - 53:3-4)

Finally, we pray to Allah (swt) to give us taufeeq to follow Holy Qur'an & Ahlulbayt (a.s.) and if we face any problems in this world, we must refer to them only. We must spend our life under this two light (noor of Allah) meaning our actions should be according to the teachings of book of Allah & Ahlulbayt (a.s.) only.

1.    SirahHalabi, vol. 33, p. 308

2.    Kefaayah Al-Asar, pg. 87, Chap. 9, Tr. No. 5;
Behaar Al-Anwaar, vol. 36, pg. 315, Chap. 41, Tr. No. 161.

3.    Mash kat al -Masbaih, p. 568, printed in Delhi and Riyadh al-Nafarah, Vol. 2, p. 248, recorded from Muslim and Tarmidhi.

4.    Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hambal.