A Critical Analysis of the Selfie Perspective on the Hadith: "The Influence of Imam Ali’s Love in Erasing Sins"

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Document Type : Original Article

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Collaborative Researcher, Department of Comparative Studies of Islam and Religions, Imam Reza International Research Institute, Al-Mustafa International University, Khorasan Branch, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

The hadith “Ḥubbu ʿAlīyyin yaʾkulu al-sayyiʾāt kama tākulu al-nār al-ḥaṭaba” (“The love of Ali erases sins just as fire consumes wood”) is a well-known Prophetic tradition cited in numerous Sunni sources under the topic of Imam Ali’s virtues. However, contemporary Salafi thought has challenged its authenticity through skeptical, epistemological, and isnational critiques, classifying it as weak (daʿīf) or even fabricated (mawḍūʿ). This study, employing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing on authoritative rijāl and ḥadīth sources from both Sunni and Shia traditions, critically examines the alleged weaknesses in the chain (isnād) and meaning (dallālāt) of this narration. Findings reveal that claims questioning the reliability of narrators such ae rooted in theological presuppositions and a tendency toward takṣīr (undermining the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt). Therefore, the study concludes that the Salafi stance on this hadith reflects a broader ideological bias rather than a balanced, evidence-based assessment.e rooted in theological presuppositions and a tendency toward takṣīr (undermining the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt). Therefore, the study concludes that the Salafi stance on this hadith reflects a broader ideological bias rather than a balanced, evidence-based assessment.s Muḥammad ibn

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Theology Journal

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 September 2026

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