Tafdili Controversy

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

One of the controversies raging in religious Sunni circles of India and Pakistan is the issue of Tafdil, the question of who is superior among mankind. The orthodox and mainstream Sunni doctrine is that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the most superior of the Creation, followed by the other Prophets. This is in contrast to the Mu’tazili heresy that the Angels are superior to the Prophets. Likewise, consider the heresy of the Imamiyah Shi’ah who believe that the Twelve Imams and Fatimah al-Zahra are superior to all the Prophets except the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. With us Sunnis the office of Nubuwwah or Prophesy necessarily elevates its holder above anyone from the Creation who is not a Prophet, whether he is an Angel, an Imam or a Saint. In other words, the rank of Nubuwwah is higher than Imamah and Wilayah, contrary to the conception of the heretical Imamiyah and the pseudo-Sufis.

But in this context, the controversy of Tafdil is specifically concerning the question of whether Mawla Ali, may Allah honor his face, is superior to the three Caliphs who preceded him, namely, Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them all. The dominant view among us Sunnis, which is also my personal belief, is that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq is the best mortal human after the Prophets, followed by Umar al-Faruq, regarding whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “If there is a Prophet after me it is Umar”. The belief that Mawla Ali, may Allah honor his face, is superior to the third Caliph Uthman is less controversial among Sunnis, due to the fact that the virtues narrated from the Prophet concerning Mawla Ali are more numerable than those narrated for sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan. Nevertheless, I accept the dominant view held by us Sunni Muslims that the chronological sequence of the four Rightly-Guided Successors corresponds to the sequence of superiority. But differing in this matter of Tafdil in the specific context of who is superior after the Prophets is not from the fundamentals of the Religion and therefore shouldn’t be viewed as heresy. Mufakkir-i-Islam, Dr. Pir Sayyid Abd ul-Qadir Jilani, from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, wrote an incredible book titled Zubdat ut-Tahqiq on this controversy. While his personal belief is that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, is the best of mortals after the Prophets, he mentioned the views and proofs of those who believe this rank belongs to Mawla Ali instead. Qadi Abd ul-Jabbar of the Mu’tazilah argued that based on strong but speculative argumentation Mawla Ali, may Allah honor his face, is superior:

وأما الكلام في الفضل فلا دليل نقطع به على أيّهم الأفضل وإن قوي في الظن فعلي عليه السلام

As for merit, there is no definite evidence we can use to determine which of them is superior, but was is strong from that which is speculative is that it is Ali, peace be upon him (Usul al-Khamsa, p.98)

But let us instead turn to the views of the illustrious Sahabah concerning the matter of Tafdil. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

مَا احْتَذَى النِّعَالَ وَلَا انْتَعَلَ وَلَا رَكِبَ المَطَايَا ‌وَلَا ‌رَكِبَ ‌الْكُورَ ‌بَعْدَ ‌رَسُولِ ‌اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ جَعْفَرِ

No one has worn sandals, put on shoes, ridden mounts or ridden a camel after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who is better than Ja’far (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi)

Here we receive the opinion that the most superior of this Ummah, after the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, is none other than his noble cousin Ja’far al-Tayyar, may Allah be pleased with him.

It has been reported that our mother A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:

مَا رَأَيْتُ ‌أَفْضَلَ ‌مِنْ ‌فَاطِمَةَ ‌غَيْرَ ‌أَبِيهَا

I have not seen anyone superior to Fatimah other than her father (Mu’jam al-Awsat; v.3, p.137, #2721)

Now we have received another opinion that the most superior of this Ummah, after the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, is none other than his favorite daughter Fatimah al-Zahra, may Allah be pleased with her.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi mentions the opinion of the Prophet’s youngest paternal uncle and one his companions, namely, al-Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him:

أما الْعَبَّاسُ فَمَاتَ ‌وعليُّ ‌عِنْده ‌أفضل ‌الصَّحَابَة

As for al-Abbas, he died and according to him Ali was the most superior among the Sahabah (Tarikh Baghdad; v.10, p.398)

According to Ibn Hazm:

‌كَانَ ‌عمار ‌بن ‌يَاسر وَالْحسن ابْن عَليّ يفضلان عَليّ بن أبي طَالب على أبي بكر الصّديق وَعمر

Ammar bin Yasir and al-Hasan ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) used to give superiority to Ali bin Abi Talib over Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Umar (al-Fisl; v.4, p.106)

About Abu at-Tufail Amir bin Wathilah, may Allah be pleased with him, Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani mentions a report in which it is said:

كَانَ ‌يَعْتَرِفُ ‌بِفَضْلِ ‌أَبِي ‌بَكْرٍ ‌وَعُمَرَلَكِنَّهُ يُقَدِّمُ عَلِيًّا

He acknowledged the merit of Abu Bakr and Umar, but prioritized Ali over them (al-Isabah; v.7, p.193)

Therefore, the view that Mawla Ali, may Allah honor his face and grant him peace, is the best of the Sahabah was certainly held by at least some individuals among them. It is incorrect to consider this view as contrary to the consensus of the Sunnis, as has been demonstrated no such consensus exists. Nor it is right to expel someone from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah merely on the basis of the Tafdil controversy, that is, the problem of who is superior after the Prophets. Therefore, the view of the Tafdilis that Mawla Ali is the most superior after the Prophets is by no means blasphemy or heresy. If the Tafdilis among Ahl us-Sunnah are free of the heresy of Rifd, that is having enmity to any of the Prophet’s Companions, then there is no blame on them. And Allah and His Apostle know best!