Editing Masters of the Youth of Paradise

'''Masters of the Youth of Paradise''' is one of the of epithets that have been commonly used for Imam [[Hasan B. ʿAli B. Abi Taleb|Hasan]] and Imam [[Hussain ibn Ali|Hussain]], according to an authentic [[hadith]] which have been transmitted by both [[Sunnis]] and [[Shiʿa|Shi‘as]] from [[Prophet Muhammad]]. This honor has not been granted to anyone except these two people.

==Hadith==
It has been recorded that the Holy Prophet said, “Al-Hasan and al-Hussain are the two masters and leaders of the youths of paradise.” This tradition has reached high fame and reputation and is classified among the firmly established hadith related in successive chains. There are various versions of the hadith that have been recounted:

1. On his own chain of transmission [sanad], Khatib Baghdadi recounts that Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali quoted the Holy Prophet saying,

الحسن والحسین سیدا شباب أهل الجنة، وأبوهما خیر منهما.

“Al-Hasan and al-Hussain are the masters of the youths of Paradise and their father is better than these two.”<ref>Tarikh-e Baghdad, vol. 1, p. 140; Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 167</ref>

2. On his own chain of transmission, Muttaqi al-Hindi recounts that Imam ‘Ali narrated that the Holy Prophet said to [[Fatima]],

ألا ترضین أن تکونی سیدة نساء أهل الجنة، وأبناک سیدی شباب اهل الجنة.

“Will you not be pleased that you will be the chief of the women of Paradise and your two children will be the chiefs of the youths of Paradise?”<ref>Kanz al-‘Ummal, vol. 16, p. 281</ref>

3. On his own chain of transmission, Ibn ‘Asakir recounts that Ibn ‘Abbas quoted the Holy Prophet saying,

الحسن والحسین سیدا شباب اهل الجنة، من أحبهما فقد أحبّنی ومن أبغضهما فقد أبغضنی.

“Al-Hasan and al-Hussain are both chiefs of the youths of Paradise. Anyone who loves them, surely loves me, and anyone who hates them, surely hates me.”<ref>Mukhtasar Tarikh Damishq, p. 45</ref>

Others who have narrated and recorded this hadith are listed in the following two groups:
A) The Prophet’s companions
This hadith has been recounted by many of the Prophet’s companions including:
<br />
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|1. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib .
|11. Malik ibn Huwayrith Laythi
|-
|2.  Souhan bin Omayya al-Abdi
|12. Qurrah ibn Ayas
|-
|3. ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas
|13. Usamah ibn Zayd
|-
|4. Abu Bakr ibn Abi Qahafah
|14. Anas ibn Malik
|-
|5. ‘Umar ibn Khattab
|15. Abu Hurayrah Dusi
|-
|6. ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar
|16. Abu Sa‘id Khudri
|-
|7. Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah Ansari
|17. Bara’ ibn ‘Azib
|-
|8. ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud
|18. ‘Ali Hilali
|-
|9. Hudhayfah ibn Yaman
|19. Abu Ramathah
|-
|10. Jahm
|20. Buraydah
|}

B) The Sunni ‘Ulama’
Many Sunni scholars have also recorded and narrated this noble hadith. Among them are the following:
<br />
{| class="wikitable"
|+
|1. Khatib Baghdadi<ref>Tarikh-e Baghdad, vol. 1, p. 140</ref>
|11. Al-Hakim al-Neyshaburi <ref>Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 167</ref>
|21. Suyuti <ref>Al-Jami‘ al-Saghir, vol. 1, p. 379</ref>
|-
|2. Ibn ‘Asakir<ref>Mukhtasar Tarikh Damishq, p. 41</ref>
|12. Ganji Shafi‘i<ref>Al-Kifayat al-Talib, p. 341</ref>
|22. Daylami<ref>Firdaws al-Akhbar, vol. 5, p. 76</ref>
|-
|3. Tabarani<ref>Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir, vol. 3, pp. 35-36</ref>
|13. Al-Tirmidhi<ref>Al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, vol. 5, p. 660</ref>
|23. Ibn Abi Shaybah<ref>Al-Musannaf, vol. 12, p. 96</ref>
|-
|4. Muttaqi al-Hindi<ref>Kanz al-‘Ummal, vol. 13, p. 97</ref>
|14. Ahmad ibn Hanbal<ref>Al-Musnad, vol. 5, pp. 391-392</ref>
|24. Nassa’i<ref>Al-Khasa’is, p. 36</ref>
|-
|5. Muhibb al-Din Tabari<ref>Dhakha’ir al-‘Uqba, p. 129</ref>
|15. Dhahabi<ref>Tarikh al-Islam (The History of Islam), vol. 2, p. 90; Siyr A‘lam al-Nubala’, vol. 3, p. 168</ref>
|25. Ibn Hibban<ref>Ibn Hibban, Al-Sahih, vol. 15, p. 413</ref>
|-
|6. Haythami<ref>Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, vol. 9, p. 182</ref>
|16. Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani<ref>Al-Isabah, vol. 1, p. 256</ref>
|26. Sam‘ani<ref>Al-Ansab, vol. 3, p. 477</ref>
|-
|7. Abu Na‘im Isfahani<ref>Hiliat al-Awliya’, vol. 4, p. 139</ref>
|17. Baghawi<ref>Mu‘jam al-Sahabah, p. 22</ref>
|27. Suyuti<ref>Al-Jami‘ al-Saghir</ref>
|-
|8. Ibn Hammad Hanbali<ref>Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 1, p. 85</ref>
|18. Abu al-Qasim Sahmi<ref>Tarikh Jurjan, p. 395</ref>
|28. Al-Mannawi<ref>Fayd al-Qadir, vol. 3, p. 550</ref>
|-
|9. Waki‘<ref>Akhbar al-Qudat, vol. 2, p. 200</ref>
|19. Nahbani<ref>Al-Fath al-Kabir, vol. 2, p. 80</ref>
|29. Al-Albani<ref>Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, vol. 2, p. 424</ref>
|-
|10. Ibn Majah<ref>Sunan ibn Majah, vol. 1, p. 44</ref>
|20. Ibn Hajar Haythami<ref>Al-Sawa‘iq al-Muhriqah, p. 114</ref>
|
|}
==Authenticity of this Hadith==
A number of Sunni scholars of hadith have stipulated and confirmed the correctness of this hadith:

1. Hafiz al-Ganji al-Shafi‘i says, “This hadith is healthy [hasan] and founded [thabit]…”<ref>Kifayat al-Talib, p. 341</ref>

2. Abu al-Qasim Tabarani, the leader of Sunni scholars of hadith, has related the chain of transmission of this hadith in his “Al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir”. At the same time, he comments on the spiritual state and position of Imam al-Hussain. He attributes this hadith to a number of the Prophet’s companions [sahabah] and names all of them… After that, he adds, “The close and strong connection of these chains of transmission to one another is enough to prove the correctness and authenticity of this hadith.”<ref>Kifayat al-Talib, as narrated by Tabarani</ref>

3. Al-Hakim al-Neyshaburi says, “This hadith, including the part which says ‘and their father is better than these two’, is correct according to the conditions of the two shaykhs (i.e. Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not collect it.”<ref>Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, vol. 3, p. 167</ref> Following this hadith, al-Neyshaburi states, “This is a hadith which can be authenticated in many ways, and I am surprised why these two did not narrate it."<ref>Ibid</ref>

4. Dhahabi says, “This hadith is authentic [sahih].”<ref>Ibid</ref>

5. Al-Tirmidhi says, “This hadith is noble and sound [hasan] but has been isolated and abandoned [gharib].”<ref>Al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, vol. 5, p. 660</ref> Al-Tirmidhi also narrated this hadith on a different chain of transmission and adds a footnote at the end saying, “This hadith is sound and correct.”<ref>Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, according to the commentary of al-Tirmidhi, vol. 10, p. 272</ref>

6. Al-Albani has approved the authentication done by al-Tirmidhi. He says, “The truth of the matter is what has been reported by al-Tirmidhi.”<ref>Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, vol. 2, pp. 423- 426</ref>

Al-Tirmidhi says, “The chains of transmission of this hadith are authentic and the people mentioned in the line of transmission are all truthful according to the distinguished and upheld standards of narrating; in addition, Maysarah ibn Habib (one of the narrators of this hadith) is well known for his trustworthiness.”

Al-Albani has also assented to the authentication done by Hakim and Dhahabi.<ref>Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, vol. 2, p. 424</ref>

7. Haythami, in his book entitled, “Majma‘ al-Zawa’id”, assents to the authenticity of the above mentioned hadith through the line of transmission of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri.<ref>Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, vol. 9, p. 201</ref>

8. Mustafa ibn ‘Aduwwi.<ref>Al-Sahih al-Musnad min Fada’il al-Sahabah, p. 257</ref>

9. Huwayni Athari in his book entitled, “Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin” has approved and assented to the authenticity of this hadith.<ref>Tahdhib-u Khasa’is al-Imam ‘Ali (as), p. 99, hadith 124</ref>

10. Al-Dani ibn Munir Al Zahawi.<ref>Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin (as), as researched by Al Zahawi, p. 107, hadith 140</ref>

11. Hamzah Ahmad al-Zayn, the renowned and celebrated researcher of the book entitled, “Musnad Ahmad” has categorized this hadith as authentic.<ref>Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Musnad, as reseached by Hamzah Ahmad al-Zayn, vol 1, pp. 101, 195, 204, 259</ref>

12. Ibn Hibban has reported this hadith in his “Al-Sahih”.<ref>Sahih ibn Hibban, vol. 15, p. 413, printed by Mu’assisah al-Risalah</ref>

This hadith has been recounted through so many chains of transmission that Suyuti and Sam‘ani consider it to be consecutive [mutawatir].<ref>Tuhfah al-Ahwadhi, vol. 10, p. 186; Fayd al-Qadir, vol. 3, p. 550; Al-Ansab, vol. 3, p. 477</ref>
<br />

==Source==

*[https://alhassanain.org/The%20Uprising%20of%20Ashura%20and%20Responses%20to%20Doubts/The_Uprising_of_Ashura_and_Responses_to_Doubts_html/the_uprising_of_ashura_edited.htm ‘Ali Asghar Ridwani, The Uprising of Ashura and Responses to Doubts]


==References==
<br />
[[Category:Imam Hussain’s Titles]]
<references />