Abstract:
This paper evaluates the historical authenticity of a prominent ḥadīth that is regularly cited amidst Sunnī-Shi’ite polemical discussions, the long ḥadīth of Abū Balj regarding`Alī’s merits. The significance of this Prophetic tradition stems from several clauses within it that are perceived to be aligned with Shi’ite theology and relevant to debates on the successorship of the Prophet. A careful study of this tradition, however, will demonstrate the presence of various defects in its transmission that ultimately undermine and dispel its historical authenticity.
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