STATUS HADIS MANZILAH

قال رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه واله وسلم ‏ ‏لعلي:
‏ ‏أنت مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى الا انه لا نبي بعدي

Prophet [s] said to Ali: ''You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except there is no Prophet after me''

The authenticity of hadith Manzila is agreed upon by all Muslims, Shia and Sunni alike. It has been narrated by over 20 companions of the Prophet [s] and is found in both Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, the two most authentic books in Sunnism. The hadith is one of the many clear proofs of Imam Ali’s [as] caliphate, as can be recognized by any honest seeker of truth. Unfortunately today’s pseudo Nasibis insist that the tradition is of little importance rather it was linked to an event, and was just said to console a desolate Ali (as). In their efforts to argue this case they have sought to corrupt the meaning of the hadith, offering false and baseless interpretations that go against both the Quran and the hadith itself.

Hadith Manzila is Muttawatir

One of the most striking comparisons is that of Musa and Harun and Muhammad [s] and Ali, this comparison was cited on many occasions. Its repetition signifies its importance, and highlights nexus between all four personalities. The Hadith is well known as Hadith Manzila. This Hadith has been transmitted by a plethora of Sahaba to the point that it has attained the level of being a Muttawatir Hadith i.e. a Hadith narrated by successive chains, as recorded by Imam Hakim in Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihain, Volume 2 page 337:

هذا حديث دخل في حد التواتر

“This hadith has entered the limits of being Tawatur”

Some Sunni scholars wrote books wherein they only included those Hadith which are Mutawatur. For example, Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti recorded in his book Al-Azhar al-Mutanathira Fi al-Ahadith al-Mutwatira, page 38 Hadith 101:

حديث (( أما ترضى أن تكون مني بمنزلة هرون من موسى )) أخرجه أحمد عن أبي سعيد الخدري وأسماء بنت عميس ، والطبراني عن أم سلمة وابن عباس وحبشي بن جنادة وابن عمر وعلي وجابر بن سمرة والبراء بن عازب زيد بن أرقم.

“The Hadith ((Are you not pleased that you are to me as Harun was to Musa)) Ahmad recorded it from Abu Saeed al-Khudari, Asma bint Umays and al-Tabarani recorded from Um Salamah, Ibn Abbas, Habshi bin Janadah, Ibn Umar, Ali, Jabir bin Samara, al-Bara bin Azib and Zaid bin Arqam”

Similarly Imam Muhammad bin Jafar Al-Katani records in his collection of Mutawatir Hadiths namely Nadhem al-Mutanathir Fi al-Hadith al-Mutawatir, page 195 Hadith 233:

(Are you not pleased that you are to me as Harun was to Musa).

Narrated from Abu Saeed al-Khudari, Asma bint Umays, Um Salamah, Ibn Abbas, Habshi bin Janadah, Ibn Umar, Ali, Jabir bin Samara, al-Bara bin Azib, Zaid bin Arqam and other twenty persons.

I say: It has been narrated from Malik bin al-Huwayreth, Saad bin Abi Waqas and Umar bin al-Khatab.

Ibn Asakir has tracked the chains and recorded them in a whole chapter and he recorded it from over twenty companions.

Sheikh Jasoos may Allah's mercy be upon him said in his book Sharh al-Resalah stated: ‘The hadith ‘Your status to me as Aaron's status to Moses" is Mutawatir and has been narrated by more than twenty companions and Ibn Asakir record it over twenty pages’.
 Nadhem al-Mutanathir Fi al-Hadith al-Mutwatir, page 195 Hadith 233

Whilst shameless Nawasib such as ibn al Hashimi insist that no credence should be given to this Hadith and it carries nothing of value, we can see that the Sunni Ulema counted this Hadith amongst the esteemed merits of Ali (as) and would cite this as one of his greatest virtues.

This conversation has been recorded in context of conversation between Sad and Muawiyah, in Sahih Muslim Book 031, Number 5915:

This hadith has been narrated. on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters. Amir b. Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that Muawiya b. Abi Sufyin appointed Sa'd as the Governor and said: What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab (Hadrat 'Ali), whereupon be said: It is because of three things which I remember Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said about him that I would not abuse him and even if I find one of those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camelg. I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say about 'Ali as he left behind hrin in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). 'All said to him: Allah's Messenger, you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to him: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger and Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We have been anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call 'Ali. He was called and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed:" Let us summon our children and your children." Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) called 'Ali, Fitima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family.