Authenticity of the Saying: My Household Are Like Noah's Ark

Question

Is one of the reasons for our backwardness, which the shaykhs did not mention, that we have placed our worst people in authority and have not followed the Messenger's saying, peace and blessings be upon him, 'My household are like Noah's ark: whoever boards it is saved, and whoever leaves it drowns'? We have been drowning for a long time now.

Answer (English translation)

Answer: This is something said by the Shi'a. 'My household are like Noah's ark' is a false, fabricated hadith with no basis. His household are not themselves the ark of salvation. The household of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, have the right to be sincerely advised, treated kindly, have those among them who lack knowledge taught, and have those who do wrong pardoned when the wrongdoing admits of pardon, along with the other beneficial matters that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reminded people of.

However, they are not the ark. The ark is Allah's Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. This is the ark: whoever adheres to both is saved, and whoever falls behind them perishes. Among the members of the household are those who are right and those who are wrong. They include Abu Talib, who is among the people of the Fire, and Abu Lahab, who is among the people of the Fire. They also include Ali, who is among the people of Paradise, and his descendants, such as al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn Ali and a number of later members of the household who were good, upright people of guidance.

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with them and grant them His pleasure, Uthman ibn Affan, and the rightly guided caliphs are superior to those others. All these are among the people of salvation and happiness; it is not restricted to the household. Everyone who adheres uprightly to Allah's command, whether from the household or not, follows the path of salvation and is in the ark. Whoever turns away from obedience to Allah and His Messenger is among those who perish, even if he is descended from the prophets or belongs to the household of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The Shi'a and those associated with them should understand this.

There is another hadith they mention: 'I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate.' This is also fabricated. Its implication is that there is no knowledge except through Ali. It is fabricated, as is the saying, 'My household are like Noah's ark.' The household of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who are meant are those who are upright and guided, not those who deviate and turn away from that.