Critical Analysis of

Shirdel, Masoumeh

doi:10.22034/hsr.2024.51289.1017

Critical Analysis of "Ninth of Rabīʻ" Narration

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Masoumeh Shirdel

Assistant Professor, Hadith and Quranic Sciences Department, Humanities Faculty, Kosar University of bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.

10.22034/hsr.2024.51289.1017

Abstract

In a number of Shiʻa hadith sources, there is a narration known as "Ninth of Rabīʻ" which refers to the event of the murder of the second caliph on the ninth of Rabīʻ al-Awwal. Unfortunately, this narration, which has also gained the title "Rafʻi Qalam," has been misused by some lesser individuals to justify holding celebrations under the title "ʻĪd al-Zahrā" in these days by claiming to dissociate from the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS). They use the text of the narration to justify certain inappropriate behaviors and statements over three days, considering them permissible. ‘To what extent can such narrations truly possess authority and authenticity?’ The present study, using a critical analysis method, aims to examine this narration. The findings indicated that the mentioned narration is significantly flawed from various source, history, document and content’s perspectives: 1) This narration lacks a credible background in earlier Shia sources and its earliest reference can be traced back to the fifth century in a book belonging to the Nusayrites sect titled "Majmūʻ al-Aʻyād." This raises the probability that it was fabricated by the Nusayrites extremists and transferred to Shiʻa sources in the sixth century. Additionally, in earlier sources, the name "Abul Khaṭṭāb" is mentioned, but this name has been changed to "Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb" in later Imamiyya sources; 2) The prevailing opinion among historians and most Shiʻa scholars is that the murder of the second caliph occurred in late Dhul Ḥijjah of the 23rd year of hijra, not on the ninth of Rabīʻ al-Awwal; 3) From a chain of transmission perspective, the narration is Mursal (a type of weak narration), and all its primary narrators are unknown and deemed distorted; 4) Content-wise, the text of the narration includes discussions such as the assertion of alterations in the Quran, the lifting of obligations for three days, and the permissibility of cursing and insulting, all of which contradict the text of the Quran, the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the practices of the impeccable Imams (AS), thereby undermining the principle of preserving the unity of Muslims.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Feghh al Hadith

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