The Evaluation of Shams al-Din Dhahabī’s Opinion of the “Yawm al-Dār” Hadith

This paper analyzes and evaluates the critiques proposed by Dhahabī on the “Yawm al-Dār” Hadith referring an event happened in the early days of the holy Prophet’s invitation. Shi'a takes it as an evidence to the Imamate of Ali bin Abi Tālib (AS). The Sunni scholar, Dhahabī challenges the tradition through proposing critiques based on that he discredits it. This study is paramount considering: 1. The importance of the hadith to the succession of the holy Prophet (PBUH), 2. The state of Dhahabī, not only as a historian but also as a hadith expert. Based on the descriptive-analytical method, it concludes that Dhahabī’s sanad and rijāl critiques are not acceptable based on Sunni rijāl and contextual principals. Additionally, Sunni scholars, regarding Ali’s the authority of caliphate after the holy Prophet (PBUH), approve and accept the Yawm al-Dār tradition.