Question

Is the following Hadith authentic?

Sayyiduna ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports:

“Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) took Hasan and Husayn by the hand and said: ‘Whoever loves me and loves these two, [loves] their father and mother, shall be with me on my level on the Day of Judgement”

Answer

Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has recorded this Hadith. ‘Allamah Dhahabi (rahimahullah) has declared the Hadith very weak (munkar). He further states that, although Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) loved them and encouraged us to love them, it is not possible that a person be granted the exact stage of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) just by loving Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn (radiyallahu ‘anhuma).

However, since it has been authentically reported in Sunan Tirmidhi and elsewhere, that a man will be with whom he loves, if a person loves Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his family, he will be with them in Jannah. (‘with them’ does not necessarily mean on the exact same level or stage as them).

(Refer: Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 4066, edition of Ar Risalah Al ‘Alamiyyah and Siyaru A’lamin Nubala, vol. 12, pg. 135)

Note: Besides the Hadith in question, there are other reliable Hadiths that encourage love for the Family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in general and Hadiths that encourage love for Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) specifically too. See here for more.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala

Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar