The proofs of the credibility and necessity of clinging to...

The proofs of the credibility and necessity of clinging to the (‘a) The hadith scholars { muhaddithun } of both Sunni and Shi‘ah schools of thought are of the opinion that the Messenger of Allah (S) has left behind two precious legacies and invited all Muslims to hold fast to these two legacies, regarding that felicity and guidance are the consequence of people’s holding fast to these two—the first is the Book of Allah (the Qur’an) and the second is his progeny { ‘itrah } and the members of his Household { } ( ‘a ).

Here are some examples of these traditions: 1. In his Sahih (or Sunan ), Tirmidhi thus narrates on the authority of Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah said: "يا أيها الناس إني قد تركت فيكم ما إن أخذتم به لن تضلوا: كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي." “O people! I am leaving behind two things, which if you hold fast to, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my progeny, the members of my Household.”[^9] 2.

Tirmidhi thus also writes in the mentioned book: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم: إني تارك فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا بعدي أحدهما أعظم من الأخر: كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض وعترتي أهل بيتي لن يفترقا حتى يردا عليّ الحوض فانظروا كيف تخلفوني فيهما. The Messenger of Allah (S) said: Verily, I am leaving among you two weighty things, which if you hold fast…