“Another reason we seek attachment to the descendants of the Prophet is the authentic Hadith-e-Safina, which has been narrated by all of your great ulema, almost without exception, and with unbroken continuity.
More than a hundred of your own scholars have related this hadith:
Muslim bin Hajjaj in Sahih;
Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in Musnad;
Hafiz Abu Nu’aim in Hilyatu’l-Auliya;
Ibn Abdi’l-Birr in Isti’ab;
Abu Bakr Khatib Baghdadi in Ta’rikh-e-Baghdad;
Muhammad bin Talha Shafi’i in Matalibu’s-Su’uli;
Ibn Athir in Nihaya; Sibt Ibn Jauzi in Tadhkira;
Ibn Sabbagh-e-Makki in Fusulu’l-Muhimma;
Allama Nuru’d-Din Samhudi in Ta’rikhu’l-Medina;
Seyyed Mu’min Shablanji in Nuru’l-Absar;
Imam Fakhru’d-Din Razi in Tafsir-e-Mafatihu’l-Ghaib;
Jalalu’d-din Suyuti in Durru’l-Mansur;
Imam Tha’labi in Tafsir-e-Kashfu’l-Bayan;
Tabrani in Ausat; Hakim in Mustadrak, Volume 3, page 151;
Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in Yanabiu’l-Mawadda, Chapter 4;
Mir Seyyed Ali Hamadani in Mawaddatu’l-Qurba, Mawadda 2;
Ibn Hajar Makki in Sawa’iqu’l-Muhriqa under verse 8;
Tabari in his Tafsir as well as his History;
Muhammad bin Yusuf Ganji Shafi’i in Kifayatu’t-Talib, Chapter 100, page 233.
Many other great scholars of your sect have related that the Holy Prophet said:
“The likeness of my Ahle Bait is that of the Ark of NoahThe likeness of my Ahle Bait is that of the Ark of Noah(*).
He who gets into it is saved;
he who turns away from it will be drowned and lost.”
Imam Muhammad Bin Idris Shafi’i has referred to the authenticity of this hadith in his couplets which Allama Fazil Ajib recorded in his Zakhiratu’l-Ma’al. Imam Shafi’i, who is recognized as one of the distinguished religious scholars of the Sunni sect, admits that our attachment to the purified family of the Prophet is the means of our deliverance because, of the seventy sects of Islam, the sect which follows the descendants of the Prophet is the only one to secure deliverance.”
(*) The above mentioned reference to Noah’s Ark is found in the Holy and Glorious “Quran Al Karim”:
Surat HUD
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
011.036
YUSUFALI: It was revealed to Noah: “None of thy people will believe except those who have believed already! So grieve no longer over their (evil) deeds.
PICKTHAL: And it was inspired in Noah, (saying): No-one of thy folk will believe save him who hath believed already. Be not distressed because of what they do.
SHAKIR: And it was revealed to Nuh: That none of your people will believe except those who have already believed, therefore do not grieve at what they do:
011.037
YUSUFALI: “But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and address Me no (further) on behalf of those who are in sin: for they are about to be overwhelmed (in the Flood).”
PICKTHAL: Build the ship under Our eyes and by Our inspiration, and speak not unto Me on behalf of those who do wrong. Lo! they will be drowned.
SHAKIR: And make the ark before Our eyes and (according to) Our revelation, and do not speak to Me in respect of those who are unjust; surely they shall be drowned.
011.038
YUSUFALI: Forthwith he (starts) constructing the Ark: Every time that the chiefs of his people passed by him, they threw ridicule on him. He said: “If ye ridicule us now, we (in our turn) can look down on you with ridicule likewise!
PICKTHAL: And he was building the ship, and every time that chieftains of his people passed him, they made mock of him. He said: Though ye make mock of Us, yet We mock at you even as ye mock;
SHAKIR: And he began to make the ark; and whenever the chiefs from among his people passed by him they laughed at him. He said: If you laugh at us, surely we too laugh at you as you laugh (at us).
011.039
YUSUFALI: “But soon will ye know who it is on whom will descend a penalty that will cover them with shame,- on whom will be unloosed a penalty lasting:”
PICKTHAL: And ye shall know to whom a punishment that will confound him cometh, and upon whom a lasting doom will fall.
SHAKIR: So shall you know who it is on whom will come a chastisement which will disgrace him, and on whom will lasting chastisement come down.
011.040
YUSUFALI: At length, behold! there came Our command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: “Embark therein, of each kind two, male and female, and your family – except those against whom the word has already gone forth,- and the Believers.” but only a few believed with him.
PICKTHAL: (Thus it was) till, when Our commandment came to pass and the oven gushed forth water, We said: Load therein two of every kind, a pair (the male and female), and thy household, save him against whom the word hath gone forth already, and those who believe. And but a few were they who believed with him.
SHAKIR: Until when Our command came and water came forth from the valley, We said: Carry in it two of all things, a pair, and your own family– except those against whom the word has already gone forth, and those who believe. And there believed not with him but a few.
011.041
YUSUFALI: So he said: “Embark ye on the Ark, In the name of Allah, whether it move or be at rest! For my Lord is, be sure, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!”
PICKTHAL: And he said: Embark therein! In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
SHAKIR: And he said: Embark in it, in the name of Allah be its sailing and its anchoring; most surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
011.042
YUSUFALI: So the Ark floated with them on the waves (towering) like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself (from the rest): “O my son! embark with us, and be not with the unbelievers!”
PICKTHAL: And it sailed with them amid waves like mountains, and Noah cried unto his son – and he was standing aloof – O my son! Come ride with us, and be not with the disbelievers.
SHAKIR: And it moved on with them amid waves like mountains; and Nuh called out to his son, and he was aloof: O my son! embark with us and be not with the unbelievers.
011.043
YUSUFALI: The son replied: “I will betake myself to some mountain: it will save me from the water.” Noah said: “This day nothing can save, from the command of Allah, any but those on whom He hath mercy! “And the waves came between them, and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood.
PICKTHAL: He said: I shall betake me to some mountain that will save me from the water. (Noah) said: This day there is none that saveth from the commandment of Allah save him on whom He hath had mercy. And the wave came in between them, so he was among the drowned.
SHAKIR: He said: I will betake myself for refuge to a mountain that shall protect me from the water. Nuh said: There is no protector today from Allah’s punishment but He Who has mercy; and a wave intervened between them, so he was of the drowned.
011.044
YUSUFALI: Then the word went forth: “O earth! swallow up thy water, and O sky! Withhold (thy rain)!” and the water abated, and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: “Away with those who do wrong!”
PICKTHAL: And it was said: O earth! Swallow thy water and, O sky! be cleared of clouds! And the water was made to subside. And the commandment was fulfilled. And it (the ship) came to rest upon (the mount) Al-Judi and it was said: A far removal for wrongdoing folk!
SHAKIR: And it was said: O earth, swallow down your water, and O cloud, clear away; and the water was made to abate and the affair was decided, and the ark rested on the Judi, and it was said: Away with the unjust people.
011.045
YUSUFALI: And Noah called upon his Lord, and said: “O my Lord! surely my son is of my family! and Thy promise is true, and Thou art the justest of Judges!”
PICKTHAL: And Noah cried unto his Lord and said: My Lord! Lo! my son is of my household! Surely Thy promise is the truth and Thou are the Most Just of Judges.
SHAKIR: And Nuh cried out to his Lord and said: My Lord! surely my son is of my family, and Thy promise is surely true, and Thou art the most just of the judges.
011.046
YUSUFALI: He said: “O Noah! He is not of thy family: For his conduct is unrighteous. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel, lest thou act like the ignorant!”
PICKTHAL: He said: O Noah! Lo! he is not of thy household; lo! he is of evil conduct, so ask not of Me that whereof thou hast no knowledge. I admonish thee lest thou be among the ignorant.
SHAKIR: He said: O Nuh! surely he is not of your family; surely he is (the doer of) other than good deeds, therefore ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge; surely I admonish you lest you may be of the ignorant
011.047
YUSUFALI: Noah said: “O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless thou forgive me and have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!”
PICKTHAL: He said: My Lord! Lo! in Thee do I seek refuge (from the sin) that I should ask of Thee that whereof I have no knowledge. Unless Thou forgive me and have mercy on me I shall be among the lost.
SHAKIR: He said: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from asking Thee that of which I have no knowledge; and if Thou shouldst not forgive me and have mercy on me, I should be of the losers.
011.048
YUSUFALI: The word came: “O Noah! Come down (from the Ark) with peace from Us, and blessing on thee and on some of the peoples (who will spring) from those with thee: but (there will be other) peoples to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end will a grievous penalty reach them from Us.”
PICKTHAL: It was said (unto him): O Noah! Go thou down (from the mountain) with peace from Us and blessings upon thee and some nations (that will spring) from those with thee. (There will be other) nations unto whom We shall give enjoyment a long while and then a painful doom from Us will overtake them.
SHAKIR: It was said: O Nuh! descend with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people from among those who are with you, and there shall be nations whom We will afford provisions, then a painful punishment from Us shall afflict them.
We believe that these proofs from our Holy Book and from Hadith a Rassoul are quite clear. Either you follow Ahl al Bayt teaching and you are saved, or else you are doomed (Sura Hud 011.042).
