Whoever gets on board will survive and whoever abandons it will be drowned...

Whoever gets on board will survive and whoever abandons it will be drowned; and it is like the door of Hittah (the door that whoever passes through it has his sins forgiven).” O people I have heard your Prophet say, “I have left two things amongst you.

If you hold on to them you will not go astray; The Book of God and my Household.” When Abu Dharr returned to Medina, Othman called for him and interrogating him, asking him, “What made you give a speech in Hajj?” Abu Dharr replied, “That was the order of the Prophet”. Othman asked, “Do you have any witnesses?” Imam Ali and Miqdad testified for him and the three of them left.

When they had gone a bit far, Othman said, “This man and his two friends think they hold a high rank.” This particular event has also been narrated differently with the addition of an important point. Sheikh Toosi in his book of Amali narrates with a chain of narration from Rafee, the slave of Abu Dharr. Abu Dharr climbed the stairs of the Kabah and held the ring of the Kabah’s door.

He leaned to the door and said, “O People, those who know me, know me and for those who do not know me, I am Abu Dharr. I heard from the Prophet that he said, “Truly my Household among my Ummah is like the ship of Noah for his Ummah. Whoever gets on board will survive and whoever leaves it will be drowned.” Also I heard the Prophet say, “Make the position of my Household among you as your head is for your body and like your eyes are for your head.

A body is not lead except by the head and the head is not lead except by the eyes.” Ibn Abbas has also narrated a Hadith that explains the position of the Ahlul Bayt.