The Hadith of Ghadir in Sunni Sources

Question

Is the Hadith of Ghadir Mentioned in Authentic Sunni Sources or in Their Sihah Sittah?

Yes, the Hadith of Ghadir is indeed recorded in Sunni sources, including some of the six canonical books of Sunni hadith (al-Sihah al-Sittah). For example, al-Nasa’i—a prominent Sunni scholar and the author of Sunan al-Nasa’i, one of the Sihah Sittah—narrates the following in his work al-Sunan al-Kubra:

“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), upon returning from his final pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wadaʿ), reached the area of Ghadir Khumm. There, he ordered the people to halt. He said, ‘Soon I shall be called to my Lord and I will answer the call. Indeed, I am leaving among you two weighty things—one greater than the other:

1. The Book of Allah,
2. My family (ʿItrah) and my household (Ahl al-Bayt). So, watch carefully how you treat them after me. These two will never separate until they return to me at the Pond of Kawthar. ’ Then he said: ‘Indeed, Allah is my Master, and I am the master of all believers. ’ Then he took the hand of Ali (a) and declared: ‘Whoever I am his master (mawla), this Ali is his master. O Allah, befriend those who befriend him, and be the enemy of those who are hostile to him. ’”

While the full sermon of Ghadir—which was delivered by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) on that day—is not entirely recorded in the six canonical Sunni books, many of the key phrases regarding the wilayah (authority) and leadership of Imam Ali (a) are mentioned therein. It is fair to say that the most critical portions of the Hadith are included in these sources, though the full text of the sermon is absent. Nevertheless, this Hadith is considered authentic and undeniable by numerous Sunni scholars. A few testimonies include:

1. Ahmad al-Maghribi, a Sunni scholar, writes:

“The Hadith of Ghadir is sahih (authentic), well-established, and mutawatir (mass-transmitted). It has been transmitted through over a hundred chains of narration, and many scholars have compiled independent works solely on this Hadith. ”

1. Ibn ‘Asim, another Sunni scholar, states:

“The Hadith ‘Whoever I am his master, Ali is his master’ is extremely authentic. A group of Companions narrated it through various authentic chains. ”

Al-Iskafi, another Sunni scholar, affirms the mutawatir status of the Hadith of Ghadir among all Muslims.

The Hadith of Ghadir in the Sihah Sittah

While the full sermon of Ghadir is not found in its entirety, several key phrases and incidents from the event are narrated in the Sihah Sittah, especially under the section of Imam Ali’s virtues. Examples include:

1. Sunan Ibn Majah (One of the Six Canonical Sunni Books) The Prophet is reported to have said:“Whoever I am his master, Ali is also his master.” This narration comes in the context of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, who rebuked Muawiyah for disrespecting Imam Ali, saying:“I heard the Messenger of Allah say, ‘Whoever I am his master, Ali is his master.’”

2. Sunan al-Tirmidhi Narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam:“Whoever I am his master, Ali is his master after me.”

3. Al-Nasa’i’s Other Works In addition to Sunan al-Nasa’i, he reports the Hadith of Ghadir in three other major works, indicating the Hadith’s significance:

• al-Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 5, p. 131
• Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin, p. 50
• Fada’il al-Sahabah, p. 14

4. Another Narration from Sunan Ibn Majah Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib recounts that during the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet dismounted and gathered the people for prayer. Afterward, he took the hand of Ali and said:

“Am I not more entitled to you than your own souls?”

They said: “Yes, indeed.”

Then he asked: “Do I not have authority over all the believers?”

They replied: “Yes.”

He said:

“Then this (Ali) is the master of whomever I am the master. O Allah, love those who love him, and be the enemy of those who oppose him.”

The Hadith of Thaqalayn (The Two Weighty Things)

This hadith, also mentioned in the sermon of Ghadir, is likewise found in the Sihah Sittah:

• Sahih Muslim, considered the most authentic Sunni hadith collection after Sahih al-Bukhari, narrates from Zayd ibn Arqam:

The Prophet stood at Ghadir Khumm and said:

“O people! I am only a human being and soon I shall be called [to my Lord]. I leave among you two weighty things: the first is the Book of Allah in which is guidance and light—so hold fast to the Book of Allah. And [secondly] my Ahl al-Bayt...”

Then he said three times:

“I remind you of Allah concerning my Ahl al-Bayt.”

• Al-Tirmidhi also records the Hadith of Thaqalayn, stating: “I am leaving among you two things which, if you hold onto them, you will never go astray. One is greater than the other: the Book of Allah, a rope extending from the heavens to the earth; and my family (Ahl al-Bayt). They will never be separated until they return to me at the Pond. So see how you treat them after me.”

• Al-Nasa’i, in his other works, considers the Hadith of Thaqalayn to be part of the Hadith of Ghadir, which the Prophet delivered after appointing Imam Ali as his successor:
  • Fada’il al-Sahabah, p. 15
  • al-Sunan al-Kubra, vol. 5, p. 45
  • Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin, p. 93

Concluding Notes

The phrase “Whoever I am his master, Ali is his master” has been narrated in at least 67 Sunni hadith and tafsir sources, with over 230 independent chains of transmission—clearly establishing the authenticity and undeniability of the Hadith of Ghadir.

Likewise, the Hadith of Thaqalayn (i.e., “I leave among you the two weighty things…”) appears in more than 48 Sunni books and has been transmitted over 102 times. In addition to these, many Sunni sources record narrations regarding the virtues of Imam Ali (a), including al-Nasa’i, who compiled an entire book titled Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin, in which he also references the Hadith of Ghadir.

Resources

• This passage is adapted from the book "Responding to Questions and Doubts Regarding Ghadir Khumm."