It was also narrated in Medina when brotherhood was...

It was also narrated in Medina when brotherhood was established between the Muhajirin and the Ansar. On each occasion the Prophet selected ‘Ali as his brother, saying, "You are to me as Aaron was to Moses except that there shall be no prophet after me." Hafiz: So far as I have observed, the hadith of ‘Manzila’ was narrated only at the Battle of Tabuk. The Prophet left ‘Ali in his place, which caused ‘Ali to worry. The Prophet consoled him with these words. I think you have been misled.

Well-Wisher: No, I am not mistaken. Your own authentic books have narrated it. Among them are Mas'udi (a reliable reporter according to both sects) who writes in his ‘Muruju'dh-Dhahab’, Volume II, page 49, Halabi in ‘Siratu'l-Halabiyya’, Volume II, pages 26 and 120, Imam Abdu'r-Rahman Nisa'i in ‘Khasa'isu'l-Alawiyya’, page 19, Sibt Ibn Jauzi in his ‘Tadhkira’, pages 13-14, Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in ‘Yanabiu'l-Mawadda’, chapter 9 and 17, and several others have narrated this ‘hadith’.

They all say that, apart from the two occasions of establishing brotherhood, it has been narrated on many other occasions as well. Therefore, this hadith is not to be construed in a restricted sense or for a particular occasion only. Its general significance is an established fact. lt was through this hadith that the Holy Prophet declared on appropriate occasions ‘Ali's succession after him. One of those occasions was the Battle of Tabuk.

Hafiz: How is it possible that the companions of the Prophet heard this hadith in its general sense, knowing that it meant the succession of ‘Ali was willed by the Prophet and yet, after the death of the Prophet, they became hostile and accepted another man as caliph? Well-Wisher: I have many references in support of my answer to your question, but the best response for this occasion is to consider the trials of Aaron in a very similar situation.

The Holy Qur'an states that when Moses appointed Aaron his successor, he gathered round him the Bani Isra'il (according to some reports, 70,000 people). Moses emphasized that in his absence they should obey Aaron, his Caliph and successor. Moses then went up the mountain to be alone with Allah. Before a month passed, Samiri incited dissension among the Isra'ilis. He fashioned a golden calf and the Bani Isra'il, having left Aaron, gathered round the treacherous Samiri in large numbers.