Brief Commentary On Hadeeth Al-Kisaa (Tradition of the Cloak)
Authenticity Of Tradition
Before we delve in the analysis of this narration, let us first survey the Islamic books to gain or increase our level of confidence regarding the authenticity of Hadeeth Al Kisaa. As mentioned, both schools of thought in Islam have related the Tradition of the Cloak in the major books of narration. There are countless sources and references to support that; however for the sake of brevity, we will only cite a handful of examples to demonstrate the recurrence of this tradition.
Sources
Minhaaj Al Sunnah – Volume 3, page 3; Sahih Tirmidhi – Volume 5, page 351, Hadeeth # 3105; Hakim Al Nisapouri (Mustadrak Al Sahihain) – Volume 3, page 146); Sahih Muslim – Volume 4, page 1883, Hadeeth # 2424; Masnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal – Volume 6, page 292
The Tradition of the Cloak has been narrated by various individuals and examples of the sources for each of these narrators are:
Narrator: Ibn Abbas
Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Al Masnad) – Volume 1, page 331; Ibn Abi ‘Asem (Al Sunnah) – Volume 2, page 602, Hadeeth 1351; Al Nisaai (Al Sunan Al Kubra) – Volume 5, page 112, Hadeeth 8409; Al Tabrani (Mu’jam Al Kabir) – Volume 12, page 77, Hadeeth # 12593; Al Hakim (Al Mustadrak) – Volume 3, page 133
Narrator: A’yesha bint Abi Bakr
Ibn Abi Shayba (Al Mussanaf) – Volume 6, page 373, Hadeeth # 32093; Muslim (Al Jame’a Al Sahih) – Volume 2, page 283, Hadeeth 2424; Al Hakim (Al Mustadrak) – Volume 3, page 147
Narrator: Abu Sa’eed Al Khidr
Ibn A’saker (Tarikh) – Volume 14, page 146, Hadeeth # 3459; Ibn Jareer Al Tabari (Jame’a Al Bayaan) – Volume 22, page 9, Hadeeth # 21727
Narrator: Umm Salama
Abu Al Shaykh (Tabaqaat Al Muhaditheen) – Volume 4, page 149, Hadeeth # 915; Al Khatib (Al Mutafaq Wal Muftaraq) – Volume 2, page 11588, Hadeeth # 723; Ibn A’saker (Tarikh) – Volume 42, page 136, Hadeeth # 8518
Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al Tayyar
Abu Bakr Al Bazaar (Al Masnad) – Volume 6, page 210, Hadeeth # 2251; Abu Abdullah Al Hakim (Al Mustadrak) – Volume 3, page 148, Hadeeth # 4709
Narrator: Anas ibn Malik
Ibn Hanbal (Al Masnad) – Volume 3, page 259, 285; Tirmidhi (Al Jame’a Al Sahih) – Volume 5, page 142, Hadeeth # 3217; Tabari (Jame’a Al Bayan) – Volume 22, page 5
Testimonials
• Allamah Al Azizi: “The term ‘AhlulBayt’ refers to Ali, Fatima Al Zahra, and their progeny”. Source: Al Seraj Al Muneer Volume 1, page 46
• Fakhr Al Razi: “There is no doubt that Fatima, Ali, Hasan, and Husain had a special relationship with the Prophet (SA) and was attached to him, and this is apparent according to the recurrent narration, hence they must be the ones referred to as “Ahl”.
• Ibn Hajar Al Makki: “The Verse of Purification (33:33) according to most exegesists was revealed in regards to Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husain.” Source: Sawa’eq Al Muhreqa, pg. 220