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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Shiite Apologetics Question One Which one is correct, my itrah, or my sunnah? Answer: The eminent narrators of the hadith have reported it in two ways: a) Kitaballah wa `itrati, Ahla Bayti _ the Book of Allah and my kindred, my household; b) Kitaballah wa sunnati _ the Book of Allah and my Sunnah. The authentic hadith quoted from the holy Prophet (a.s) contains the phrase: wa Ahla Bayti.

The hadith citing sunnati instead of Ahla Bayti -my household- is nil and void in terms of authenticity, but the one containing Ahla Bayti is sound for the following reasons: Chain of narrators of the hadith containing Wa Ahla Bayti The two great Islamic narrators of the hadith who have quoted this narration are: a) Muslim, who, in his Sahih, quotes Zayd ibn Arqam as saying: Once the Messenger of God delivered a sermon at Ghadir Khumm _ a brook between Mecca and Medina.

Having praised God, he said: O people! I am a human being who is about to be summoned by the divine angel and who is to respond to this call. I am leaving behind two precious things (Thaqalayn) : the first is the Book of Allah, which contains guidance and light. So take hold of the Book of Allah and act according to it. Thus, he put great emphasis on acting according to the Holy Quran. Then he added: and Ahla Bayti (my household). With regard to my Ahla Bayt I remind you of Allah.

He repeated this sentence three times.[1] b) Darimi has also quoted the same hadith in his book Sunan.[2] It should be noted that both hadiths are textually as lucid as the day, with no distortion in them. c) Tirmidhi has quoted the same narration using the phrase wa `itrati, Ahla Bayti : I leave behind two things among you. If you take hold of them, you will not be misguided after me.

One of them is greater than the other: the Book of Allah, which is a rope extended from the heaven to the earth, and my itrah, my household. The two will never separate until they return to me by the pond (of Kawthar). So, heed how to deal with them.[3] Muslim and Tirmidhi, authors of the books of Sahih and Sunan, have both emphasized the phrase Ahla Bayti. This is sufficient proof advocating our view. [1] Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p.1803, No. 2408. `Abd al-Baqi edition. [2] Sunan al-Darimi, vol.

2, p. 431-2. [3] Sunan al-Tirmidhi, vol. 5, p. 663, No. 37788. The text containing wa sunnati.