An accomplished scholar, Mirza Abdullah Isfahani, student of Allamah Majlisi, in the second part of Riyaazul Ulama has said that Shaykh Abul Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abul Qasim Hasmi, erudite (learned) scholar well known as Hasmi is from our elder scholars.
It is apparent that he was from our ancient scholars and Amir Sayyid Husain Amili known as Mujtahid, a contemporary of Sultan Shah Abbas Maazi Safawi has said at the end of his treatise, which he has written the condition of opponents in the
world and the hereafter in some debates, which occurred between Shia and Ahle Sunnat with the explanation that the second of them is an odd incident, which occurred in the holy city of Hamadan, between Twelver Shia and a Sunni person, which I
saw in that book.
The ancient one, which as per habit, comprises of the date of inscribing it is 300 years before this and it was mentioned in that book as follows:
There was a fast friendship and close alliance between a Twelver Shia scholar named Abul Qasim bin Muhammad Abul Qasim Hasmi and an Ahle Sunnat scholar named Rafiuddin Husain in most of their affairs and journeys.
Each of these two made no secret of their religion and their beliefs on the other and jokingly referred to Rafiuddin as a Nasibi and Rafiuddin labeled Abul Qasim as a Rafidi.
There was no serious dispute between them with regard to religion. Till it so happened that in the Masjid Atiq of Hamadan there was a conversation between him and Rafiuddin Husain gave preference to Abu Bakr and Umar over Ameerul Momineen
(a.s.) and Abul Qasim refuted Rafiuddin and accorded superiority to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) over Abu Bakr and Umar and Abul Qasim argued in favor of his religion with the help of Quranic verses and many traditions and mentioned the ranks, excellence
and many miracles performed by Imam Ali (a.s.) and Rafiuddin argued to the opposite and argued in favor of superiority of Abu Bakr over Imam Ali (a.s.) due to Abu Bakr’s companionship in the cave with the Prophet who referred to him as Siddiq Akbar
among the immigrants and the Ansar.
Also, he said: Abu Bakr was chosen from the immigrants and Ansar for Caliphate and Imamate and companionship of the Prophet.
Rafiuddin also said: Two traditions of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) are issued in favor of Abu Bakr, one being: You are like a dress for me…and so on.
And second being: Follow two persons after me: Abu Bakr and Umar.
Abul Qasim, the Shia, after hearing this statement from Rafiuddin said: Why do you accord superiority to Abu Bakr over the chief of successors and the leader of the saints, the bearer of Liwa and the Imam of the Jinns and men, the distributor of Hell
and Paradise; whereas you know that he the true Siddiq Akbar and Farooq is the brother of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and husband of Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.)?
And you know well that His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) slept on the bed of the Prophet when he left Mecca towards the cave, escaping from the oppressors and infidels. Imam Ali (a.s.) slept on his bed, and shared in the hard times of the Prophet.
Messenger of Allah closed the doors of the companions opening into the mosque, except the door of Imam Ali (a.s.).
He raised Ali (a.s.) on his shoulders to break the idols installed at the roof of the Kaaba.
The Almighty Allah married Ali (a.s.) and Fatima (s.a.) at the High Heavens.
He fought a duel with Amr Ibne Abde Wudd and conquered Khyber and did not associate anything with the Almighty Allah even for a blink of the eye as opposed to those three.
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a) compared Imam Ali (a.s.) to four prophets, when he said: Whoever wants to see Adam (a.s) in knowledge and Noah (a.s.) in his perception and see Prophet Moosa (a.s.) as his severity and Isa (a.s.) in his piety, he should look
towards Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).
Despite these virtues and perfections and relationship to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and his turning the sun for him, how is it reasonable and permissible to prefer Abu Bakr to Ali (a.s.)?
When Rafiuddin heard these statements from Abul Qasim, that he gave precedence to Ali (a.s.) over Abu Bakr, the base of his specialty with Abul Qasim was destroyed. After some conversation Rafiuddin said to Abul Qasim: I will follow the religion of any person who comes to the mosque.
Since the belief of the people of Hamadan was known to Abul Qasim, that he knew that they were Ahle Sunnat, he feared this challenge from Rafiuddin. But Abul Qasim accepted this condition after excessive arguments and unwillingly agreed to the
above condition. Immediately entered a young man on whose face were signs of nobility and demeanor. It seemed that he was coming from a journey. He entered the Masjid and after performing the Tawaf, he came to them.
Rafiuddin arose and after greeting asked the young man about the matter, which had been decided between him and Abdul Qasim and he exaggerated his belief greatly for that youth and adjured him to reveal his belief to them.
That youth without any delay recited these following lines:
When should I say that my Master is superior to the two of
them?
When I say this I am finding fault in one regarding whom I
say this.
Do you not see that the sword attacks the enemy by its sharp edge
You are saying that the walking stick is sharper than the
sword.
When the young man completed the recitation of these verses and Abul Qasim and Rafiuddin were amazed at his eloquence and wanted to ask more about him, he disappeared from their sight and no trace was seen. When Rafiuddin witnessed this strange matter, he left his false religion and adopted the true religion of the Twelver Shia.
“There is a deep wisdom in the couplets of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) and he has given a great message to the world that, in reality, Imam Ali (a.s.) cannot be compared to the two. And whosoever compares Imam Ali (a.s.) to Abu Bakr or while debating compares Imam Ali (a.s.) with any person and says that Imam Ali (a.s.) is superior to so and so, then in reality, he has lowered the status and position of the Imam (a.s.) which is not permitted. The perfection of words and wisdom of the words of the Imams (a.s.) are beyond comparison in the sense that in the conversation while the Imam (a.s.) established the superiority of Imam Ali (a.s.), he did not compare him with any person. This should give us an estimate of the superiority of the virtues of the Ahle Bayt (a.s.).”
Reyaazul Olamaa wa Hayaazul Fozalaa, vol. 5, pg. 504-506
Najmus Saaqib, Incident 58, pg. 845
