Is looking at Ali رضي الله عنه worship?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

I am not aware of any authentic (Sahih or Hasan) Hadith saying looking at Ali is worship. The narrations I have come across tend to be very weak or fabricated. However, the onus is on those who are claiming the Hadith to prove its authenticity. If they can prove it, then we will accept it.   

Explanation

أَبُو نُجَيْدٍ عِمْرَانُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ طَلِيقٍ الضَّرِيرُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ عِمْرَانَ بْنَ حُصَيْنٍ يُحِدُّ النَّظَرَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقِيلَ لَهُ، فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: النَّظَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ رَضِي اللهُ عَنْهُ عِبَادَةٌ

Abu Nujayd Imran bin Khalid bin Taliq al-Darir, from his father, from his grandfather who said: I saw Imran bin Husayn staring intently at Ali. When he was asked about it, he said, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: Looking at Ali, May Allah be pleased with him, is an act of worship. (Tabarani, al-Mujam al-Kabeer, 207). 

The narration above contains the words, looking at Ali is worship. However, it has Imran bin Khalid bin Taleeq in the chain. According to Imam al-Dhahabi his narrations are baseless (Batil). Meaning, it is not merely a weak narration. Rather it is falsehood. Thus, it is not permissible to narrate it, except to warn against it.

عمران بن خالد بن طليق بن عمران بن حصين الخزاعي. عن آبائه حديث: النظر إلى على عبادة. رواه عنه يعقوب الفسوي. وهذا باطل في نقدي. (ميزان الاعتدال في نقد الرجال)

Imran bin Khalid bin Taliq bin Imran bin Husayn al-Khuza’i. Narrated from his forefathers the Hadith: Looking at Ali is an act of worship. It was narrated from him by Ya’qub al-Fasawi. It is baseless according to my assessment. (Shams al-Deen al-Dhahabi 748H, Mizan al-I’tidal fi Naqd al-Rijal).

Another narration 

The narration asserting that looking at Ali is worship is also fond in the Mustadrak of Imam Hakim. Importantly it does not have Imran bin Khalid bin Taleeq in the chain. However, it has been declared a fabrication by Imam al-Dhahabi. Thus, it is strictly prohibited to narrate it as a prophetic narration. 

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: النَّظَرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ عِبَادَةٌ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الْإِسْنَادِ ” وَشَوَاهِدُهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ صَحِيحَةٌ. قال الامام الذهبي: ذا موضوع

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri narrated from Imran bin Husayn who said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Looking at Ali is an act of worship. This Hadith has a Sahih chain of narration. And its supporting narrations from Abdullah bin Mas’ud are also Sahih. Imam al-Dhahabi said: This is fabricated. (Mustadrak al-Hakim, 4681). 

Numerous narrations 

The narration saying, looking at Ali is worship has many chains. Imam Abdur al-Rahman Ibn al-Jowzi mentioned many of them in his book of fabrications(الموضوعات) . He identified the fabricators and problematic narrators in the various chains. He did make a general statement that it is not authentic from any of its chains. However, he may have been speaking about a particular group of narrations.  

هَذَا الحَدِيث لَا يَصح من جَمِيع طرقه. (الموضوعات)

This Hadith is not authentic through any of its chains. (Imam Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Jawzi, 597H, al-Mawdu’at).

Books of fabrications 

Many scholars included the narration, looking at Ali is worship, in their works on Hadith fabrications. Including Imam al-Suyuti. He mentioned it in his work named al-laalali al-Masnu’ah fi al-Ahadith al-Mawdu’ah (اللآلىء المصنوعة في الأحاديث الموضوعة). And Imam al-Showkani included it in his work ‘al-Fawaid al-Majmu’ah fi al-Ahadith al-Mawdu’ah (الفوائد المجموعة في الأحاديث الموضوعة) too. 

General statements 

Imam Ibn al-Jowzi made a general statement saying the narration claiming, looking at Ali is worship, is not authentic from any of its chains. He may have been referring to the narration from a particular Sahabi and not intended it as an absolute negation. However, in Asna al-Matalib the author was absolute in his declaring the narration baseless (Batil).  

النّظر إِلَى عَليّ عبَادَة. أوردهُ ابْن الْجَوْزِيّ فِي الْمَوْضُوع وَفِي الْمِيزَان: إِنَّه بَاطِل. (أسنى المطالب في أحاديث مختلفة المراتب)

Looking at Ali is an act of worship. Ibn al-Jawzi included it in his book of fabrications. In al-Mizan: It is baseless. (Imam Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Hut 1277H, Asna al-Matalib fi Ahadith Mukhtalifat al-Maratib).

Conclusion

The narrations claiming that the blessed Prophet ﷺ said, looking at Ali is worship, are likely to be fabrications, baseless or extremely weak. If that is the case, then it is prohibited to narrate them. However, anyone claiming that this is not the case, must present the narration from and original Hadith source and confirm authenticity. Without doing so, it will remain objectionable to narrate this and attribute it to the blessed Prophet ﷺ. 

It is important to note that there is an absolute abundance of sound Hadith narrations praising Sayidina Ali. We have no need for fabrications or dubious narrations. Rather it is counterproductive, since it gives the impression that we lack authentic narrations elucidating the rank of Sayidina Ali (May Allah Most High be pleased with him). 

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (15.09.26)