Acceptance of narrations is obligatory

Question:

Must one accept reports that are in accordance with the Qur’an?

Answer:

Ahmad Ibn Ali reported that Imam Al-Hadi (a.) said: “If the Book of God confirms a report as confirmed and true and a group of the community rejects it and opposes it with a fabricated narration, then they become strayed disbelievers through their denial and rejection of the Book of God and the report, that is highly authentic (Sahih) ,is the one, that has been accepted as true by the Book of God, just like the unanimous report of the Prophet Muhammad (s. ), in which he says: “I leave you two successors: The Book of God and my family. If you hold on to both, you will never go astray. Both will never separate until they come to me at the Pool of Paradise.” And in another of his sayings, his word is in the same meaning: “I leave behind for you two weighty things: The book of God and the people of my house from my family. Both will never be parted until they reach me at the pool of paradise. If you hold on to both, you will never stray.”If we find evidence of this narration in the text of the Qur’an as in His Word: “Your guardian is God and His Messenger and the believers who establish prayer and pay the tax while bowing.” (5:55) After which the traditions of the scholars agree for the Commander of the Believers (a.): “He gave his ring while bowing and thanked God for it and He sent down this sign because of him.” And whereupon we find that the Prophet Muhammad (s.) distinguished him among his companions with this saying: ” For whose master I am, His master is Ali. May God be with him who is with him and against him who is against him!” And his statement: “Ali implements the teachings of my faith and fulfils my promise. He is my successor for you after me.” And his statement when he left him in Medina: “O messenger of God, will you leave me with the women and children?”He said: “Are you not content that your position with me is the same as that which Aaron had with Moses, except that no one after me is a prophet?” We then know that the book of God confirms these reports and testifies to these testimonies as true. The community is obliged to acknowledge them as long as the reports agree with the Qur’an and the Qur’an agrees with these reports. If we find it to be in accordance with the Book of God and we find the Book of God to be in accordance with these reports and they have a supporting evidence, then the imitation of these reports is a obligation that nobody opposes except those who are stubborn and corrupt.” [Al-Ihtijaj of Abu Mansur At-Tabarsi, Volume 2 Page 252 – 253]

عن أحمد بن علي عن علي بن محمد الهادي عليهما السلام قال: فإذا شهد الكتاب بتصديق خبر وتحقيقه فأنكرته طائفة من الأمة، وعارضته بحديث من هذه الأحاديث المزورة، فصارت بإنكارها ودفعها الكتاب كفارا ضلالا، وأصح خبر ما عرف تحقيقه من الكتاب مثل الخبر المجمع عليه من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حيث قال: إني مستخلف فيكم خليفتين: كتاب الله وعترتي، ما أن تمسكتم بهما لن تضلوا بعدي، وأنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض واللفظة الأخرى عنه في هذا المعنى بعينه قوله عليه السلام: إني تارك فيكم الثقلين: كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي، وأنهما لم يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض ما أن تمسكتم بهما لن تضلوا فلما وجدنا شواهد هذا الحديث نصا في كتاب الله مثل قوله: إنما وليكم الله ورسوله والذين آمنوا الذين يقيمون الصلاة ويؤتون الزكاة وهم راكعون ثم اتفقت روايات العلماء في ذلك لأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: أنه تصدق بخاتمه وهو راكع فشكر الله ذلك له وأنزل الآية فيه ثم وجدنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قد أبانه من أصحابه بهذه اللفظة: من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه اللهم وال من والاه، وعاد من عاداه وقوله صلى الله عليه وآله: علي يقضي ديني وينجز موعدي وهو خليفتي عليكم بعدي وقوله صلى الله عليه وآله حيث استخلفه على المدينة فقال: يا رسول الله أتخلفني على النساء والصبيان؟ فقال: أما ترضى أن تكون مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى إلا أنه لا نبي بعدي فعلمنا إن الكتاب شهد بتصديق هذه الأخبار، وتحقيق هذه الشواهد، فلزم الأمة الاقرار بها إذا كانت هذه الأخبار وافقت القرآن، ووافق القرآن هذه الأخبار فلما وجدنا ذلك موافقا لكتاب الله، ووجدنا كتاب الله لهذه الأخبار موافقا، وعليها دليلا، كان الاقتداء بهذه الأخبار فرضا لا يتعداه إلا أهل العناد والفساد