Certainty Uncovered - Kashf al-Yaqin

Jamal al-Din ibn Yusuf Allamah Hilli - XKP

Published: 2013
Tag(s): "Imam Ali" "shia ipad" "shia ibooks" "Allamah Hilli" "islamic laws" "Jamal al-Din ibn Yusuf Allamah Hilli" "Kashf al-yaqin" "virtues of imam ali" "Certainty Uncovered" islam xkp yaqin Ardbeli

Chapter 1 Translator’s Note

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad and his pure progeny!

This book which discusses Imam `Ali’s merits and virtues was given to me for translation into English by the honorable manager of Ansarian publication, Mr. Hajj Muhammad Taqi Ansarian, a devotee of Ahl al-Bayt. For this reason, I should really thank him for his good choice.

The translation of this book is dedicated to my dear wife, Maryam Kazemi, for her piety, patience, and her love for Imam `Ali (a.s).

I would like to thank my dear son, Arya, for proofreading this book.

Above all, my special thanks will go to my knowledgeable friend, Mr. Badr Shahin, for editing this book. I am much obliged to him as usual.

Chapter 2 Biography of `Allamah Hilli

The great Sheikh, the supporter of religion and annihilator of the works of the corrupt and the wrongdoers, Jamal al-Din Abu-Mansur Hasan, is the son of Sadid al-Din Yusuf, the son of Zayn al-Din `Ali, the son of Muhammad, the son of Mutahhar, known as `Allamah Hilli and `Allamah `ala al-Itlaq.[1]

Sheikh `Amili, in (his book of) Tadhkirat al-Mutabahhirin, says: Sheikh `Allamah Jamal al-Din Abu-Mansur, Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn `Ali ibn Mutahhar Hilli, is a pure learned scholar, most well-versed of all scholars, researcher, trustworthy, jurisprudent, traditionalist, theologian, and a dignified man unrivaled in the rational and transmitted science. His virtues cannot be counted.

He learnt theology and rational science from Muhaqqiq Hilli and Muhaqqiq Tusi and other sciences from other scholars. Muhaqqiq Tusi too learnt jurisprudent (Fiqh) from him.[2]

Hasan ibn `Ali ibn Dawud, writing about him in his book, says: He was a great Shi`ite scholar of his time, having numerous books and leading Imamiyyah in the rational and transmitted sciences in his time. His honorable father, may his soul rest in peace, was a dignified jurisprudent and lecturer.[3]

During the life of `Allamah Hilli, Sultan Khodabandeh chose Shi`ism as his sect, had coins minted in the name of the twelve Imams and had it circulated in the country in AH 708. It was during the same time that the nation of Islam got rid of the heresy of the tyrant rulers after the Holy Prophet (s.a), their tyrannical domination over spiritual leadership came to an end, and Muslims attained certain freedoms denied by the `Abbasid Caliphs.  If the `Abbasid Caliphs were content with political domination alone, and had entrusted the spiritual leadership and Imamate to the right ones, so many followers of Ahl al-Bayt had not been killed mercilessly.[4]

Ibn Hajar says: Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn Mutahhar Hilli, the Shi`ite scholar, was a divine sign in intelligence and cleverness. He wrote a commentary on Ibn Hajib so beautifully that earned him a great reputation during his lifetime. He is the one against whom, ibn Taymiyah wrote a book themed “Rejection of the Heretic (Al-Radd `Ala al-Rafidah).”

Ibn Mutahhar was well-known among Muslims for his good temper. Having studied some of ibn Taymiyah’s books, he said: If he could understand what I say, I would respond to him (meaning that he is ignorant).[5]

Ibn Hajar also says: Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn `Ali Mutahhar, the well-known Rafidi who led the Imamiyyah Shi`ites in his time, was well-versed in rational science. He wrote a commentary on the book entitled Alfa¨ Mukhtasar authored by ibn Hajib of Mosul and a book on `Ali’s virtues. Ibn Taymiah wrote a book in its rejection.

Sheikh Taqi al-Din Sabki too expressed his protest to that book in his poems, ibn Hajar says: After studying ibn Taymiyah’s book, I found out that Sabki’s protest was right.[6]

Said About Him

Sheikh Khabir Mirza `Abdullah Afandi Isfahani says: The honorable Sheikh Jamal al-Din Abu-Mansur

Hasan ibn Sadid al-Din, Yusuf ibn `Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Mutahhar Hilli, is a great ambitious leader, a practicing scholar, a fully-skilled poet and the most learned of the scholars (`Allamah in the full sense of the word). He has reached the peak of knowledge. He is famous for prudence and judiciousness. He is the nephew of Muhaqqiq Hilli and a divine sign on the earth. He has also a great right on the Twelvers in terms of the explication of Shi`ite knowledge and jurisprudence.

He was well-versed in all branches of science on which he authored a book. He was expert in philosophy, theology, jurisprudence, Hadith, fundamental dogmas, and Arabic literature, as well as a capable poet. In the city of Ardabil, I came to some of his poems indicating his poetic talent.[7]

Khajeh Nasir al-Din Tusi being asked about this great scholar, following his visit to the city of Hillah and its scholars, said: I found a sagacious and expert teacher who will gain superiority over me if he endeavors.[8]

Sheikh al-Hurr al-`Amili says: He is `Allamah in the full sense of the word and his reputation has spread all over the world. No Shi`ite scholar has been so far called `Allamah `ala al-Itlaq.[9]

Amir Mustafa Tafreshi in his book, Naqd al-Rijal, writes: He is Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn `Ali ibn Mutahhar, Abu-Mansur Hilli. In his description of `Allamah Hilli, he, with apology, writes: I would better not describe him, for my book has no enough room for what he knew of the branches of knowledge, and the virtues he possessed. He is above what people say about his benefaction and virtues. He has left behind over seventy books on fundamental dogmas, secondary precepts of religion, physics and divinities. May Allah illuminate his tomb, and those of his father and his child. May Allah award him with the best rewards.[10]

The author of the book, Minhaj al-Maqal, writes: Hasan ibn `Ali ibn Mutahhar, Abu-Mansur, `Allamah Hilli was born in the city of Hillah and took residence in it. His virtues and benefactions are innumerable.[11]

Mawla Ni¨am al-Din Qarashi in his book, Ni¨am al-Aqwal, writes: Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn `Ali Mutahhar Hilli known as Abu-Mansur and Jamal al-Din, may Allah purify his soul, is the chief of the tribe, the `Allamah of his time, and a researcher of precision. He is the teacher of the new generations, for all the scholars after him benefited from his knowledge. He is well-known for his superiority and is in no need of description.[12]

His Teachers

This great spiritual man has left behind many books, from which known and unknown teachers benefited. A large group of scholars have learnt from him as mentioned in the books written by Shi`ite and Sunni scholars.

In the beginning of his study, `Allamah Hilli benefited from the classes of his father Sadid al-Din Yusuf and then those of his maternal uncle, Muhaqqiq Hilli and the author of Shara'i` al-Islam. In rational sciences, mathematics and other sciences, he was a student of Muhaqqiq Tusi, Kamal al-Din Maytham ibn `Ali Bahrani, Jamal al-Din Ahmad ibn Tawus Hasani and his brother, Radi al-Din ibn Tawus. He also learnt from other scholars.[13]

His grandfather, who was greatly interested in his education, assigned him a teacher during his childhood making him obliged to teach the Holy Qur'an and writing to the young boy. `Allamah Hilli learnt the Holy Qur'an and writing from the same teacher.

His Pupils

Ibn Futi in his book, Mu`jam al-Alqab, on `Allamah’s nephew, `Amid ibn `Abd al-Muttalib ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali Husayni Hilli, writes: He learnt jurisprudence from his maternal uncles, Mawlana Jamal al-Din Hasan ibn Mutahhar Hilli.[14]

Also a large group of others like his son, Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin Muhammad, his nephews, Sayyid `Amid al-Din and Sayyid Diya’ al-Din Husayni have narrated Hadiths from him.

Sayyid Taj al-Din Muhammad ibn Qasim ibn Maya, Sheikh Zayn al-Din Abu-al-Hasan `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Tarad Matar Abadi, and sheikh Razi al-Din Abul-Hasan `Ali ibn Ahmad Marandi too have quoted him. As evidenced by the documents gathered by sheikh Thani on al-¯ahifah al-Kamilah al-Sajjadiyyah, one of the other persons who has mentioned  `Allamah’s name is sheikh Taj al-Din Hasan Sarabashnawi.[15]

His Works

Writing about his biography in the book, Khulasat al-Aqwal fi Ma`rifat al-Rijal, `Allamah Hilli has mentioned the names of the books he has succeeded to complete or has begun to author till AH 693 as more than 64 books.

Further he says: most of the books have not been completed but I hope God will bless me to complete them.[16]

Ibn Kathir says: The Iraqi Shi`ite Abu-Mansur Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn Mutahhar Hilli is the great sheikh of the heretics in Iraq. His many books which amounted to 120 volumes include fifty books on jurisprudence, fundamental dogmas, syntax, philosophy, and heresy. The most famous of these books among theological students is a commentary by ibn Hajib on the principles of Fiqh in the style of al-Mahsul wal-Ahkam. It is extremely useful, for it has many traditions and beautiful justifications.[17]

His Birth

In Khulasat al-Aqwal, he says: I was born on the 19th of Ramadan in AH 648. I hope God will be Gracious to me to bring my life to an end gracefully.[18]

Hasan ibn `Ali ibn Dawud in his book writes: He was born in AH 648.[19]

Quoting Riyad al-`Ulama in the book of A`yan al-Shi`ah, it is written that answering the questions of Sayyid al-Muhanna ibn Sinan Madani, `Allamah says: My father said that the auspicious birthday of my son, Abu-Mansur Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn Mutahhar took place on the last third part of Friday night, on the 29th of Ramadan, AH 648. Then, he says: It might be 29th and not the 27th.[20]

Shahid has been quoted as saying that the departure of that honorable person took place on Saturday, 21stof Muharram, AH 726.

In Tawdih al-Maqasid by sheikh Baha' al-Din `Amili, we read: The honorable `Allamah Hasan ibn Mutahhar Hilli passed away on the 21st of Muharram, AH 726. May his soul rest in peace.[21]

Place of Death and Tomb

`Allamah Hilli passed away in the city of Hillah Mazidiyah but his pure body was transferred to the holy city of Najaf and buried on the right-side chamber next to the Holy Shrine of Amir al-Mu’minin. His tomb is visited to date by the pilgrims of Amir al-Mu’minin.[22]

Chapter 3 Preface

In the name of Allah, The most compassionate, the most merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Eternal, the Subduing, the Great, the Generous, the Concealer, the First, the Last, the Hidden, the Manifest, the Knower of the nature of secrets, the Aware of the unconscious, the Originator of the beings, with no need of any partner or load, the Inventor of all contingent beings with no need of helper or supporter, I praise Him for his bounties, thank Him for His grace. Greeting and peace be upon the master of the former and latter generations, Muhammad, the chosen one, and his dignified progeny, the infallible Imams.

Whereas the royal order of the dignified king, the master of the affairs of the nations, the ruler of the kings of Arabs and non-Arabs, the king of kings, kind and compassionate to the servants, the grace of the providence in the world, the mercy of God upon the world people, the divine mercy on the world creatures, uprooter of oppression and tyranny, having the divine support, the reviver of the prophets’ traditions, administrators of justice in the world, one who has the Grace of God with him, having holy breath, having control of men, a human having reached the zenith of perfection with his special vision,  a star shining in the sky of virtues and his sublime thoughts have supremacy over all, his praiseworthy deeds and a model for the world rulers, Oljaytu Khodabandeh Muhammad, the Sultan on the earth, may God prolong his reign till the Day of Judgment and may the banner of his victory be hoisted and may his rule be immune and safe from change and fall—was issued on writing a book about the virtues and merits of the commander of the believers, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, peace be upon him, in compliance with his royal order, I endeavored to carry out this task as quickly as possible and called the book “The certainty Uncovered about the Virtues of Amir al-Mu’minin.” The book is as brief as possible, since the prolongation of the book might cause the readers to be bored. The virtues and merits of the Imam are such that cannot be counted by human beings.

Quoting Ibn `Abbas, the great orator of Khawarizm has reported  that the Holy Prophet said: Should the sky-touching trees turn into pens, and the seas turn onto ink, and should the Jinn become counters, and humans become writers, they cannot possibly enumerate the virtues and merits of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.

The author says: How can we count the virtues of a person who has been so beautifully described and praised by the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a).

A poet of high capability who had kept silent in eulogizing the Imam was blamed for not so doing. In response to those blaming him, the poet composed a poem expressing his inability the general concept of which is as follows:

Blame me not in giving up the idea of eulogizing `Ali, for I know better than you the fact that when the inhabitants of heaven and the earth fail to counter the virtues of Qanbar, that is the slave of `Ali, how can I possibly speak of `Ali’s merits?

The orator of Khawarizm reports: a scholar was asked if he had composed a poem eulogizing `Ali and in answer he said: what should I say about a sublime person whose enemies envied his virtues and concealed them and his friends were not able to propagate his virtues out of fear of their lives and despite these two great obstacles, `Ali’s virtues and merits were such that they have enlightened the earth and the heaven as well as the east and the west. Nevertheless, in this book, we will refer to parts of his virtues in the hope that we have complied with the order and we have recounted the words of the orator of Khawarizm in “Manaqib.”

Reporting the Holy Prophet (s.a), Khawarizmi says: God Almighty has assigned innumerable virtues for my brother `Ali. Whoever recalls one of his virtues and internalizes it, God will forgive his past and future sins and whoever writes a book about one of his virtues, angels will seek forgiveness for him as long as that book remains. Whoever listens to one of his virtues, God will forgive the sins he has committed through his hearing sense and should he read a book about `Ali’s virtues, God will forgive the sins he has committed through seeing. The Holy Prophet has also been quoted as saying: Looking at the face of `Ali and remembering him is worship. God will never accept any servant’s faith save by love for `Ali and immunity from his enemies.

Chapter 4 `Ali’s Virtues Before His Birth

Section One

God almighty said to Abraham (a.s): As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him and  make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make  him a great nation![23]

Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali (a.s) is one of those princes, a virtue making him peerless.

Section Two

The orator of Khawarizm quoting `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud has reported that the Holy Prophet (s.a) said:  O `Abdullah! An angel came to me carrying a message from God who said: O Muhammad! Ask the    prophets coming before you what they commissioned for? I said: You say what they were commissioned  for? He answered: The very essence of their mission is based on the Wilayah of you and `Ali ibn Abi-  Talib.[24]

Section Three

The holy name of `Ali has been written on the divine throne.

Khawarizmi has reported `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud on the authority of the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying:  When God created the universe and Adam and blew in him His spirit, Adam sneezed and began to praise Allah immediately. God said: My servant! Now that you praised me, by My glory, were if not for the sake of two of my servants, I would never have created you. Adam said: O God! Are those two worthy servants from my issue? God said: Yes. Now raise your hand and behold what you see. Adam opened his eyes towards heaven and saw an inscription reading: There is no god but Allah and Muhammad (the prophet of mercy) is His Messenger and `Ali is Allah’s proof for the people. Whoever recognizes `Ali’s right, he is pure inwardly and whoever denies his right will be deprived from my mercy and will suffer. I swear by My glory that whoever obeys `Ali, I will give him a place in heaven even if he is sinful and by My glory, if anyone disobeys him, I will punish him with fire even if he has obeyed me.[25]

Jabir ibn `Abdullah has reported the Holy Prophet (s.a) as having said: Two thousand years before the creation of heavens and the earth, there was an inscription on the gate of heaven reading: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is his brother.[26]

There is a Hadith in Manaqib in which the Holy Prophet has been quoted as saying: Gabriel came to me while he had spread his two wings. On one wing there was the inscription: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad in His messenger and on the other wing, there was the inscription: There is no god but Allah, `Ali is Muhammad’s successor.[27]

In Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Jabir as having said: Before the creation of the heavens and the earth, there was the following inscription on the gate of paradise: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and `Ali is the brother of the Messenger of Allah.[28]

Section Four

There are narrations in which the Holy Prophet (s.a) has said: I and `Ali are of the same light.

Salman has quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a) as having said: I and `Ali were light in the presence of God casting light on the world of creation. This light glorified God fourteen thousand years before the creation of Adam and when God Almighty created Adam, this light was transferred to his loin and in the long period between us and Adam, we were in the pure loins till we were separated in the loin of `Abd al-Muttalib into two parts. One part was me and the other was `Ali.[29]

Salman has also reported the Holy Prophet (s.a) as having said: I and `Ali were a single light before God. Fourteen thousand years before the creation of Adam, when God created Adam, He placed this light in his loin. Then this light was divided into two, part of this light was placed in `Abdullah’s loin and the other part was placed in Abu-Talib’s loin. Therefore, `Ali is from me and I am from `Ali. His flesh is my flesh and his blood is my blood.  Hence, whoever loves `Ali is because he loves me and whoever is hostile to him is my enemy.

Section Five

Adam has resorted to `Ali as mentioned in the Torah.

Khawarizmi has reported Ibn `Abbas who asked the Holy Prophet (s.a) about the words that Adam received from God and he repented thereby. The Holy Prophet (s.a) answered: Adam asked God to accept his repentance through the station of Muhammad, `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn. God Almighty too accepted Adam’s repentance and restored his position in honor of those holy persons.

`Ali’s Virtues At Creation And Birth

`Ali (a.s) was born on 13th of Rajab, thirty years after the year of the Elephant in Ka`bah. This virtue belongs only to him, for no one was ever born in Ka`bah except him neither in the past nor in the future.

The author of Basha’ir al-Mustafa has reported Yazid ibn Qa`nab as saying: I and `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib and a group of the tribe of `Abd al-`Uzza were sitting near Ka`bah when we saw Fatimah Bint Asad, the mother of Amir al-Mu'minin while she was nine months pregnant and signs of delivery were manifest in her, came from afar raising her hands in prayer and saying: O Lord! I believe in You, Your Messengers and their books while accepting as truth the words of the prophet Ibrahim (a.s) who rebuilt this house. O Lord! I ask You through the one who built this house and the one I have in my womb to make the hardship of his birth easy for me.

Yazid ibn Qa`nab says: I saw the wall of Ka`bah was opened and Fatimah went inside it and the wall returned to its former state. The group of people who were sitting there rose up to unlock the door but it was not opened. We inferred that the wall had been opened on the order of the Lord and that it was a favor God had done to that lady and her son. Three days passed and on the fourth day, Fatimah carrying the new-born infant in her hands came out of Ka`bah, saying: Beyond doubt, I am superior to the believing women of former times, for Asiyah, the daughter of Muzahim, worshipped God secretly and God did not like to be worshipped except under necessity that is in Pharaoh’s house which was the cradle of atheism and oppression.

Mary, the daughter of `Imran, too came out of the mosque of Jerusalem and her place of worship on the order of Lord and then gave birth to Jesus (a.s) eating fresh date from a dry palm-tree. However, I entered Ka`bah on the order of Lord and fed on heavenly fruits. After delivery too when I intended to come out of Ka`bah, an invisible caller told me to name the auspicious infant `Ali, for Allah the most High says: I name him after My own name, reared him with special rearing, making him aware of My own profound knowledge. It is he who, in a near future, will clean My house from idols, will break them, and will declare the rule of one God on the roof of My house. He will glorify Me. Happy is one who loves him and obeys his orders and ill-fated is one who is hostile to him and disobeys his orders.[30]

The narrator says: When `Ali was born, the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a) was thirty years old. The Holy Prophet loved him greatly and asked his mother, Fatimah to place `Ali’s cradle near his bed.

The Messenger of Allah was personally in charge of bringing up `Ali. He bathed `Ali with his own hands and fed him and rocked his cradle at sleep time. When `Ali was awake, the Holy Prophet (s.a) would speak to him and put him on his chest, saying: This dear infant is my brother, guardian, supporter, asset, the chosen one, my son-in-law, successor, the husband of my daughter, my trustworthy, and the caliph after me. The Messenger of Allah would always put `Ali on his shoulders and took him to mountains of Mecca so as to be engaged in prayer away from the eyes of the idol-worshippers.

Chapter 5 `Ali’s Virtues In Boyhood And Maturity

Virtues are sometimes acquired for a person due to deeds and their consequences and at other times it has no relation with his deeds. What is discussed in this chapter concerns `Ali’s acquired virtues as mentioned by the narrators. These acquired virtues are sometimes related to `Ali’s spiritual aspect and personality or it is related to his physical aspect.

`Ali’s Spiritual Virtues

Faith

`Ali’s spiritual virtues are related to faith which is above all virtues, for faith in man will lead him to the eternal blessing of paradise and divine pleasure and he will be rescued from the painful punishment of hell. On polytheism which is the opposite of faith Allah Almighty says: “Surely, Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and He forgives what is besides this to whom He pleases.” (4:16)

Therefore, Imam `Ali (a.s) is far from associating anything with Allah and all Muslims unanimously agree that Imam `Ali (a.s) was a pioneer in faith as compared to other companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a). He was the first among men who believed in Allah and his messenger. He never associated anything with Allah even for a moment nor worshipped any idol.

He is the one who toppled all the idols from Ka`bah when he put his feet on the Holy Prophet’s shoulders and went up to the roof of Ka`bah.

Reporting ibn Maryam on the authority of Imam `Ali (a.s), Ahmad ibn Hanbal says: The Messenger of Allah and I went to the sacred Mosque. When we reached Ka`bah the Holy Prophet said: Sit down. I sat down. He put his feet on my shoulders so that I will raise him to the roof of Ka`bah. As a result of heaviness of prophethood, I was not able to rise up. Finding me in this position, the Holy Prophet (s.a) took his feet off my shoulders and sat down on the ground. This time, the Holy Prophet ordered me to mount his shoulders. I too obeyed his order. The Holy Prophet raised me in a way I could fly in sky. At that time, I set my foot on the roof of Ka`bah. I found there the statue of an idol made of copper or lead.[31] I shook it in a way it was unseated. The Holy Prophet said: Throw is down. I threw it down in a way that it shattered into pieces. Then, I came down from the roof of Ka`bah, leaving the sacred mosque hurriedly along with the Holy Prophet. When we saw the houses of Mecca, we ran more hastily lest the people of Mecca should see us.[32]

Al-Tabari, the author of Khasa’is has quoted the prophet (s.a) as saying: The angels sent greeting on me and `Ali for seven years in heaven, for during this period of time no voice except that of `Ali and me was raised to heaven by saying: There is no god but Allah.[33]

In the book, Yawaqit, Abi- `Umar Zahid has quoted Layla Ghifar on the authority of the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying: Actually, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the first person among people who believed in Islam and the first person whom I will see on the Day of Judgment, the last person to whom I say farewell and trust my last will and testament at deathbed.

Ibn `Abbas has been quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his book Musnad as saying: The first person who worshipped God with the Holy Prophet after Khadijah was `Ali (a.s).[34]

Salman Farsi has been quoted by Abu’l-Mu’ayyad as saying: I heard from the Messenger of Allah saying: the first person whom I see at the pond is the first man of faith and Islam, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a.s).[35]

`Amr ibn Maymun has been quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal as saying: I was in the presence of Ibn `Abbas when nine groups joined our gathering. They said: We wish to talk to you privately. Either rise up and come along with us or make this gathering private. He said: I will come along with you. This happened when Ibn `Abbas had not lost his sight.

When Ibn `Abbas attended their gathering, they started speaking to him.

The narrator says: I and those who were in the presence of Ibn `Abbas did not hear their discussion but we saw that Ibn `Abbas who was angry while rising up and putting the dust off his clothes said: Woe to the people who speak ill of a person who has ten marks of distinction among the companions of the Holy Prophet.

Then he said: These people blame a person about whom the Messenger of Allah in Khaybar battle said: I will soon assign to fight them a person who loves God and His messenger and God and His messenger too love him. It was at this time that everyone was curious as to whom this honor would be given. But it was a wishful thinking for all, for the Holy Prophet asked: Where is `Ali?

They said: He is in the place of the grinding, busy with grinding so as to prepare food for the strugglers. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Was there no one else to do this job? At any rate, `Ali was informed that the Holy Prophet had sent for him. `Ali came to the Holy Prophet with eyesore in a way he could not see before his feet. The Holy Prophet rubbed his saliva on `Ali’s eyes which cured him immediately. Hoisting the banner of Islam for three times, the Holy Prophet then gave it to `Ali and told him to go ahead. `Ali conquered Khaybar Fort in no time and brought Safiyyah, the daughter of Huyay as a captive to the presence of the Holy Prophet.

When the Holy Prophet (s.a) sent so-and-so (i.e. Abu-Bakr) to read Surah of Bara’ah, he sent `Ali after him to take the mission from him. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: This mission is carried out by none except me or one who is from me.

The Holy Prophet (s.a) asked his cousins: Which one of you in this world and the hereafter will be my follower? They all answered in negative except `Ali who was present in the gathering but silent. All of a sudden, he rose up and said: I will be a follower of you in this world and the hereafter! The Messenger of Allah said: Yes, indeed you will be my friend in this world and the hereafter.

`Ali was the first to embrace Islam after Khadijah.

The Messenger of Allah spread his cloak on `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and quoted the following holy verse: “Allah only desires to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you, a thorough purifying.” (33:33)

`Ali sacrificed his life for the Messenger of Allah by putting on his clothes and lying in his bed at that night, which is called Laylat al-Mabit when the Holy Prophet left Mecca for Medina secretly away from the eyes of the people of Quraysh. The polytheists were throwing stones at `Ali’s body thinking that it was the Holy Prophet. Abu-Bakr too came and called for the Messenger of Allah. `Ali quietly said: The Holy Prophet is not here. He is heading for Bi’r Maymun. If you hurry, you will reach him. The polytheists kept on throwing stones at `Ali but he wrapped his garment over his head till morning when the polytheists found out that they were throwing stones at a wrong target. They swore at him saying: Whatever stones we threw at him, he did not say anything but was raising his voice. Hence, it was strange for us as to whether it was Muhammad or someone else lying in his bed.

In the battle of Tabuk when the Holy Prophet’s companions were along with him, `Ali said: Will you give me permission to take part in this battle with you? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said, “No.” `Ali was greatly impressed by the Holy Prophet’s unusual answer and started weeping. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Are you not happy that you are to me like Aaron to Moses, except that you are not a prophet? I do not like to pass away from this world unless you will succeed me.

The Holy Prophet (s.a), on another occasion, said to `Ali, “You are the leader of every believer after me.”

The Messenger of Allah, on the order of Allah, closed all the doors opening to Masjid al-Nabi. The door of `Ali’s house was the only one which remained open. He sometimes entered the mosque while he was in a state of ceremonial impurity, for there was no other way for going and coming.

The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Whomever I am a master, `Ali is his master.

Ibn `Abbas says: Allah Almighty made us known in the Holy Qur’an that He is pleased with the companions who swore allegiance under that Tree, for “He was Aware of their in depth faith.” Does anyone have any Hadith at hand to the contrary?

`Afif Kindi has been quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal as saying: I was a merchant who once went to `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib who was a merchant too to buy goods from him on my way to Hajj. When we were in Mina, a man came out of the camp next to ours looking at the sun. When he saw that the sun was moving towards the west and had passed by the middle of the sky, rose up to perform his prayer. Then I saw a woman coming out of the same camp following the man in his prayer. A young boy came out of the camp and performed prayer with him. Since this scene was strange to me, I asked `Abbas who that man is. He said: It is Muhammad ibn `Abdullah ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, my nephew. I asked who that woman was. He said: His wife, Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid. I asked who that young boy was. He said: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, his cousin. I asked what that act was. He said: He is praying and believes he is a prophet but no one follows him except this woman and this young boy. He believes he will soon possess the treasures of Caesar and Khosrow and will conquer their territories!

Ibn `Afif, the cousin of Ash`ath ibn Qays, embraced Islam after some time. He used to regretfully say: If I were a Muslim on that day, I would be the second man, after `Ali, who had embraced Islam and I would enjoy the virtue of being a pioneer in Islam.[36]

Zayd ibn Arqam has been quoted as saying: the first person who performed prayer with the Messenger of Allah was `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[37]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal has related that the Holy Prophet (s.a) said to his daughter, Fatimah: My daughter! I gave you in marriage to one who is a pioneer in Islam among the Ummah, his knowledge is above others and his forbearance is great in hardships. Are you not pleased with this marriage?[38]

Tha`labi in his commentary on the holy verse, “And as for the foremost, the first of the Muhajirs and the Ansar (9:100)” says: Scholars have unanimously believed that the first person who believed in Islam after Khadijah was `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[39] Abu-Dharr and Salman have been reported as saying: The Messenger of Allah took `Ali’s hand in his hand saying: This is the first person who believed in me. He is a distinguisher between justice and injustice among the Ummah, the leader of the believers, and the first person who will shake hand with me on the Day of Judgment. He is the greater accepter of Islam.[40]

`Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib has been quoted as saying: I heard from `Umar ibn Khattab saying to those who blamed `Ali ibn Abi-Talib: Be silent and do not speak ill of `Ali, for I heard from the Messenger of Allah saying: There are three qualities in `Ali and I wish one of them was in me, while one of those qualities alone is more beloved to me that what the sun shines on. The Holy Prophet said this when I, Abu-Bakr, Abu-`Ubaydah Jarrah and a number of the companions were present. Then, the Messenger of Allah put his hand on `Ali’s shoulders and spoke of those three qualities by saying: O `Ali, you are the foremost to Islam and the foremost to faith. Your station to me is like that of Aaron to Moses (a.s). Then he added: O `Ali! One who claims that he loves me but he is your enemy is telling a lie, for love for you is love for me and enmity with you is enmity with me.[41]

When the Qur’anic verse “And warn your nearest relations” (26:214) was revealed, the Holy Prophet (s.a) gathered `Abd al-Muttalib’s sons numbering forty altogether in Abu-Talib’s house and had a meal of a leg of mutton, one Kilo of wheat and some milk prepared for them whereas the meal of each one of them at one meal was four-year camel and sixteen pounds of milk. This group of people ate from that little food and felt full. This was nothing but a miracle becoming manifest in that gathering.

After eating the food, the Holy Prophet (s.a) addressing the gathering and declaring his divine mission, said: let it be known to you that God has sent me to you, sons of `Abd al-Muttalib in particular and to other people in general, for He says: “And warn your nearest relations.” I hereby invite you to two formulas which are light on the tongue but heavy and meaningful in action. By uttering these two formulas, you will soon wield the control of affairs of the Arab and non-Arab and various nations will be subdued to you. You will be redeemed from the fire of hell and enter paradise. Those two formulas are bearing witness to the unity of God Almighty and bearing witness to my mission and prophethood.

Anyone of you, who will respond positively and assist me in my mission, will be my brother, my heir and successor after me. From that gathering, even a single person did not give a positive answer. `Ali relates: I who was the youngest in the gathering, rose up saying: O Messenger of Allah, give me the honor of this mission. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Take your seat and let me see what the others say. The Holy Prophet (s.a) repeated his words for the second time but there was still silence. Once again I rose up expressing my positive response. The Holy Prophet (s.a) again ordered me to sit down. He then repeated his words for the third time. This time too. All kept silent and there was no response. I rose up and expressed my readiness. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: O `Ali, remain in your place. Verily, you are my heir, successor, brother and vizier. When the Holy Prophet (s.a) completed his words, those in the gathering rose up and addressing Abu-Talib mockingly said: Congratulation to you that if you accept the religion of your nephew, your son, `Ali, will be your leader and chief.[42]

Knowledge

It is unanimously believed that `Ali was the wisest among the people of his time. All people resorted to him learning from his rational and transmitted science. There are proofs testifying to what we have said:

First: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib was extremely clever and intelligent, having a hunger for knowledge. He was a constant company of the Holy Prophet, from childhood to the day the Messenger of Allah departed from this world, benefiting from the ocean of his knowledge. Evidently, the Holy Prophet (s.a) was superior to all human beings and his knowledge was above all. Naturally such an intelligent and clever student who accompanied such a perfect man and was hungry for knowledge on the one hand and the student’s interest in learning from childhood till the end of his life had made `Ali a student of high capacity who was walking in a path leading to the zenith of perfection on the other.[43]

Second: `Ali’s superiority over the people of his time is that God Almighty has said of him: “… and the retaining ear might retain it” (69:12). Tha`labi, a Sunni commentator, in interpreting the verse says: The Messenger of Allah said to `Ali: I called on God Almighty to make you a true example of this verse.

Abu-Nasir Hafi¨, the Shafi`ite, has related: The Messenger of Allah said to `Ali: God Almighty has ordered me to call you and teach you the knowledge so that you will retain it. The above mentioned verse was revealed on the same occasion. O `Ali, you have the hearing ear and are the retainer of knowledge.[44]

Third: `Ali’s superior knowledge is that the Messenger of Allah said, “`Ali is the most competent among you in relation to judgment.”

Evidently, passing a fair judgment requires an in-depth knowledge and full faith. Since `Ali was the most competent and qualified, his knowledge too was certainly above all.[45]

Bayhaqi quoted `Ali as having said: The Holy Prophet (s.a) gave me the mission to set out to Yemen for passing judgment among them. Being surprised by the order and its referring to me, I said: O Messenger of Allah! Do you assign me a judge while I am still too young not knowing  the principles of judgment! The Holy Prophet (s.a) put his hand on my chest, prayed for me and said: O Lord! Guide his hear, make his tongue steadfast in telling the truth. `Ali said: By the God who cleaves a grain in the earth, after this prayer, I did not pass any judgment between two persons in which there was a bit of doubt.[46]

Nasa’i, in his book of Sahih, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, in Musnad, have reported `Ali as saying: When the Messenger of Allah sent me to Yemen for judgment among people and I was very young, I said to the Messenger of Allah: You are sending me to people among whom there are many differences and hostilities in relation to legal problems and I do not have experience in passing legal judgment. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: God Almighty will guide you tongue in telling the truth and will keep your heart steadfast so that you will judge among people without having any doubt.[47]

Fourth: Salman Farsi reports: the Holy Prophet (s.a) has said: The most knowledgeable among my Ummah after me will be `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[48]

Fifth: The eloquent of Khawarizm and `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud have reported the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying: Wisdom has been divided into ten parts, none parts of which have been given to `Ali and the people have been given just one part of it.[49]

Sixth: Tirmidhi has quoted the Holy Prophet as saying: I am the city of knowledge and `Ali is its gate.[50]

Baghawi, in Sihah, has reported the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying: I am a collection of wisdom and `Ali is the gate of it.[51]

Ibn `Abbas has quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying: I am the city of knowledge and `Ali the gate thereof. Therefore, anyone who wishes to enter it should go through its gate.[52]

Khawarizmi has quoted Ibn `Abbas on the authority of the Holy Prophet: I am the city of wisdom and `Ali is the gate thereof. Therefore, whoever longs for wisdom should enter the city through its gate.[53]

Seventh: Baghawi, in Sihah, has quoted Abil-Hamra' on the authority of the Holy Prophet as saying: Whoever wishes to understand about the knowledge of Adam, the perception of Noah, the piety of John, and the power of Moses, should look at `Ali, for he has all the virtues of these men altogether.

Bayhaqi has reported that the Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Whoever wishes to find out about Adam’s knowledge, Noah’s piety, Abraham’s friendliness, Moses’ power and Jesus’ worship, should look at `Ali, for he has all these virtues.[54]

In the book of al-Manaqib, the following is recorded: Harith A`war Hamdani has reported that the Holy Prophet who was among his companions says: I will soon show you Adam in his knowledge, Noah in his insight and Abraham in his friendliness. At this time, `Ali joined the Holy Prophet’s companions. Abu-Bakr who was present said: O Messenger of Allah! You have compared a man with three prophets, happy will be this man. Now let us know who this man is. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Do you not know him? Abu-Bakr said: No, messenger of Allah, for His messenger knows better. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: That man is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Turning approvingly to `Ali, Abu-Bakr said: May you enjoy these virtues. O Abul-Hasan, is there anyone like you who has such a high position?[55]

`Ali has also been quoted as saying: By God, no single verse of the Qur’an was revealed whose occasion and place of revelation I did not know. Virtually, God Almighty has blessed me with an intelligent and knowing heart, and a guidance-seeking and asking tongue.[56]

`Abd al-Rahman Salmi has been reported as saying: By God, in the Quraysh tribe, I did not find anyone as knowledgeable as `Ali in relation to the Holy Qur’an.[57]

Abul-Bukhtari has also been reported as saying: I saw `Ali having the Holy Prophet’s woolen garment on, his turban on the head, his sword fasten to his side, wearing his ring and sitting on the pulpit of Kufah. Exposing his chest, `Ali said: Pose your questions to me before I depart from among you, for there is much knowledge within my chest. Then he emphatically said: This chest is the storage of knowledge and what I say to you is the knowledge I have derived from the mouth of the Holy Prophet (s.a). This knowledge is one which was revealed to the Holy Prophet who fed it to me because of his interest in me, that is to say I enjoyed from that special consciousness without seeing the angel of revelation. If I were given the position of judgment, I would issue religious decrees for the followers of Torah, Gospel, and the Psalms according to their own  books in a way that with God’s power, these books would be able to speak to you saying `Ali is speaking truthfully about what we contained and made you aware of. Then, each of those books would blame its followers, saying: Why do you not ponder on and adhere to what you are reading?[58]

On another day, `Ali attended the gathering of people saying: Pose your questions to me before you lose the opportunity when I am not among you. Ask the ways of heavens, for I know them better than those of the earth.[59]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal quoting the Messenger of Allah as saying to Fatimah: My daughter! Are you not pleased[60] for giving you in marriage to the most pioneer among my Ummah, the most knowledgeable of religion and the greatest of them in forbearance?[61]

Ibn `Abbas has quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying: Actually nine tenth of knowledge has been bestowed upon `Ali and by God `Ali shares the other one tenth of knowledge with all the people.[62]

`A’ishah has been quoted as saying: `Ali was the most knowledgeable in relation to the Holy Prophet’s tradition.[63]

Ibn `Abbas has been quoted as saying: In one of his sermons `Umar said: `Ali is the most knowledgeable of us in judgment and his insight is above us.[64]

Abu’l-Mu’ayyad, in his book of Manaqib, has reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas that `Umar, once, delivered a speech in which he said, “`Ali is the most versed of all of us in judicature.”

Eighth: `Ali’s scientific supremacy is based on the fact that the fundamentals of all sciences go back to him, for he laid the foundations of religion, expressed the principle rules of Shari`ah and established the rational and transmitted sciences. As for jurisprudence, obviously the very fundamentals of Fiqh are attributed to him, for all the jurisprudents refer to him in problems related to Fiqh. As for attribution of Imamiyyah to `Ali, there is no room for argument, for the scholars and jurisprudents of Imamiyyah have derived their knowledge from `Ali and his infallible progeny. As for Hanafiyyah whose leader is Abu-Yusuf and Muhammad, they have derived their jurisprudence from Abu-Hanifah who is the student  of Imam Sadiq who was the student of his father, Imam Baqir who was the student of Imam Sajjad who learnt his knowledge from his father, Imam Husayn and he too from his father, Amir al-Mu’minin.

As for Shafi`ites, they have derived their jurisprudence from Shafi`i and he from Muhammad ibn Hasan, the student of Abu-Hanifah and Malik. Therefore, the knowledge and sect of Shafi`i are attributed to these two persons.

As for Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the founder of Hanbaliyyah sect, he derived his knowledge from al-Shafi`i.

Malik, the founder of the Malikiyyah, benefited from Rabi`at-al-Ra'y who was the student of `Ikrimah and `Ikrimah from Ibn `Abbas who was the student of Amir al-Mu’minin.[65]

As for Khawarij, we should say that their leaders were the student of Imam `Ali.

The founder of syntax is Imam `Ali, too. In this relation, Imam `Ali said to Abu’l-Aswad Du’ali: All words are classified as three things: a noun, a verb or a preposition. The Imam then elaborated on their inflection.

As for the interpretation of the Qur’an (Tafsir), it is unquestionably attributed to Imam `Ali, because Ibn `Abbas was a student of Imam `Ali.[66]

Ibn `Abbas reported: Amir al-Mu’minin kept on speaking to me about the exegesis of the letter “b” in “Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim” from early night till morning; yet, the interpretation of the letter did not come to an end.

As for theology, beyond doubt `Ali is the founder of this science on which he has elaborated. `Ali used to speak about theology in his sermons delivered to people who, in turn, benefited from it. Scholars too referred to him for solving their scientific problems. Those who tried to learn this science were four groups; namely: Mu`tazilah, Ash`ariyyah, Shi`ah and Khawarij. The attribution of Shi`ism to `Ali is obvious and requires no explanation.

As for Khawarij, their scholars used to refer to Imam `Ali who was an authority for them.

As for Mu`tazilah, this group is scientifically related to their master, Wasil ibn `Ata', who was the student of Abu-Hashim `Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah. Abu-Hashim was the student of his father and his father was the student of his dignified father, Imam `Ali.

As for Ash`ariyyah, they were the students of Abu’l-Hasan `Ali ibn Abi-Bishr al-`Ash`ari who was the student of Abu-`Ali Al-Jiba’i who was one of the great leaders of Mu`tazilah.[67]

As for the spiritual path and intuition, all Sufis who have taken this path, attribute the Khirqah and other tools of this science to `Ali saying. So do the followers of futuwwah.[68] The valorous men of the time too have learnt the lesson of courage from `Ali to whom they are indebted, for on the day of battle of Uhud, Archangel Gabriel descended from the heavens crying out: There is no man (fata) more valorous than `Ali and no sword sharper than Dhu’l-Fiqar.[69] Moreover, one day, the Holy Prophet came out with happy mien and said to his companions: I am a valorous man, the son and brother of valorous men. The reason for my being valorous is that I am the master and leader of the Arabs. As for being the son of a valorous father, I am the son of Abraham (a.s), the friend of God, a prophet about whom God has said: “… a young man making mention of them, and he was called Abraham” (21:60). As for being the brother of a valorous man, I am the brother of `Ali about whom Gabriel said: There is no man more valorous than `Ali.[70]

As for eloquence, its founder was `Ali, for he had reached the zenith of this technique. It has been rightly said that `Ali’s words are above the words of all creatures and beneath those of the Creator. All orators have learnt eloquence from him.[71]

Ninth: The Holy Prophet’s companions learnt the principles of religion from `Ali alone, often referred to him for religious decrees and if they were faced with problems they would seek the solution from him alone.

`Ali used to correct wrong judgments passed by `Umar. One example is when `Umar ordered a pregnant woman who had committed adultery to be stoned, but Imam `Ali told him not to execute the sentence. When `Umar asked him for the reason, Imam `Ali said, “If this woman’s sin has been proven and she has to be stoned to death, what is the sin of the infant she has in her womb?

Therefore, give her respite and delay her punishments, as to give birth to child. Punish this woman when the nursing period comes to an end.” `Umar complied with `Ali’s order saying: If `Ali were not here, `Umar would perish![72]

A woman, no more than six month pregnant was brought to `Umar. He ordered the woman to be stoned to death because of the sin she had committed. `Ali was informed of the affair and stopped his order. `Umar asked for the reason. `Ali said: God Almighty has said: “The bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months” (46:15). God Almighty has also said: “And the mothers should suckle their children for two whole years” (2:233). Therefore, if we deduct 24 months which is the period of suckling from thirty months, the remaining six months is the period of bearing. `Umar let that woman go saying: If `Ali were not here, `Umar would be perished.[73]

An insane woman who was pregnant, charged with adultery was brought to `Umar. He immediately ordered to stone her to death! `Ali was informed of the issue. He stopped `Umar saying: Have you not heard what the Messenger of Allah has ordered on this case? `Umar said: What is the order of the Messenger of Allah? `Ali said: The Messenger of Allah said: Several groups of people are exempt from duty; one who is insane till he becomes mentally healthy, another is a child until he reaches maturity, and the last one is one who is asleep until he wakes up. Hearing this, `Umar let the woman go and did not punish her.[74]

One day `Umar in his sermon said: Anyone who sets his daughter’s marriage portion more than what is normal, the excess will be returned to the public treasury! A woman from among those present rose up and objected to this, saying: Why do you deprive us of the blessing God has bestowed on us in the Holy Qur’an? God Almighty has said: “… and you have given one of them a heap of gold, then take not from if anything” (4:20). `Umar expressed regret for what he had uttered, saying: All people are wiser and more familiar with the religious precepts than `Umar, even the women behind the curtain.[75]

A woman charged with adultery was brought to `Umar. He immediately ordered the woman to be stoned to death! `Ali who was  present in that place before the execution of the order, said: Stop the order so that the crime will be investigated. Then, he turned to `Umar and said: Is this woman to be stoned to death on your order? `Umar said: Yes. Then, he recounted the woman’s admission of adultery.

`Ali said: Perhaps you have been furious to her or you have intimidated her? `Umar said: Yes, the case is so. `Ali said: Have you not heard from the Messenger of Allah saying: Confession with torture is not valid and no punishment is carried out on a person who confesses in this way. Getting confession by intimidation, putting someone in prison, or chaining a person is not valid either. `Umar let that woman go immediately saying: No mother is able to give birth to a person like `Ali. Verily if `Ali were not here, `Umar would be perished.[76]

Abu’l-Mu’ayyad has reported that one day when `Umar was speaking to people, said: What will you do if we will persuade you from good to evil? He repeated this three times but received no answer. At that moment, `Ali rose up from among people, saying: In that case we will make you repent and restore justice. In other words, we will make you take back what you have said. Should you accept it, it will be better. `Umar said: And if I do not repent? `Ali said: We will then behead you with the sword of law. `Umar said: Thanks God, He has set a person among the Ummah who will rightfully guide us from deviations and will show us the right path.[77]

Sa`id ibn al-Musayyab has reported `Umar as having said: O Lord! Do not spare my life in relation to a complicated problem for whose solution `Ali is not alongside me so as to guide me to its solution, for among this Ummah there is no one except `Ali who can solve problems.[78]

Jabir has quoted `Umar as saying: There were eighteen merits for the Holy Prophet’s companions altogether and thirteen of them belonged solely to `Ali and he shared the other five with us.[79]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported as saying: Knowledge has been divided into six parts. Five parts have been allocated to `Ali and he shares the other part with us too. Nevertheless, he is wiser than all of us in the remaining one part.[80]

There are many narrations on `Ali’s superior knowledge which cannot be counted.

Tenth: Imam `Ali endeavored to collect the Qur’anic verses more than anyone else after the departure of the Holy Prophet (s.a).

Abul-Mu’ayyad has reported `Ali as saying, “After the departure of the Holy Prophet, I made a vow not to put on my cloak unless I will collect all the Qur’anic verses. As a result, I did not do anything except after doing so due to the great task I had undertaken.” `Ali taught the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an to people and Ibn `Abbas was distinguished among all for learning the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an.

Eleventh: Imam `Ali had amazing merits and scientific perfection. One of the stories told is that two men who were co-travelers came to him. One of them had five loaves of bread and the other had three. They chose a place to sit down, test and have a meal. At this time, a third person came along and ate with them. After having the food, he gave eight Dirhams to them for the food he had eaten and left. The one who had five loaves of bread took five of the eight Dirhams and gave the rest to his co-traveler, but the latter considered this division as unjust and refused to take the three Dirhams. So they started quarreling. Therefore, they came to `Ali and informed him of the issue. Turning to one who had three loaves of bread, Amir al-Mu’minin said: Your co-traveler has been fair to you and has given you more than what you deserve. But the man insisted that he had not been given his due share, saying that the money should be divided equally between them. `Ali said: Now that you do not accept your co-traveler’s share, you must know that what is due to you is not more than one Dirham. The man being surprised said: Why? `Ali said: Each of you have eaten 2⅔ of a loaf of bread from the eight loaves. Therefore, out of three loaves of bread belonging to you has been eaten by the third person and out of the five loaves of bread belonging to your co-traveler, 2⅓ of the bread has been eaten by the third person. Therefore, the price of one third of the bread belonging to you eaten by the third person is no more than one Dirham. Hence what is due to you is only one Dirham.[81]

Another judgment passed by `Ali is about a woman who was riding on the back of another woman. A third woman arrived and prodded the woman who was giving the ride, spurring her to move more quickly. At this time, the woman on the top fell down on the ground  and lost her life. `Ali’s judgment was that two thirds of blood money had to be paid by the woman who was giving ride and the woman who had prodded her, for the woman’s death was because of their acts and annulled one third of blood money, for the woman killed had done a futile attempt and there was no compensation for it. This judgment passed at the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a) was approved by him.[82]

One of the other judgments passed by `Ali was about a slave girl jointly owned by two persons who had sexual intercourse with her during the period of purity. The slave girl became pregnant, so the case became dubious for them. As for the child, `Ali drew lot between them. This judgment too was approved by the Holy Prophet (s.a) who raised his hands in prayer, saying: Thanks God who has set among us Ahl al-Bayt a person acting according to the tradition of Prophet David. By David’s tradition, the Holy Prophet (s.a) meant divine inspiration.[83]

Another example of judgment passed by `Ali was when a cow had killed an ass. The owners of the two animals went to Abu-Bakr for judgment informing him of the case. Abu-Bakr said: An animal has killed another animal. So the owner of the killer animal does not have to pay anything! The two persons referred the case to `Umar who passed a judgment similar to that of Abu-Bakr. Then, they informed the case to `Ali who said: If the cow has gone to the place of the ass and has killed it, the owner of the cow has to pay the price of the ass to its owner and if the ass has gone to the place of the cow and it has killed the ass, the owner of the cow does not have to be compensated. Hearing this, the Holy Prophet said: Actually, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib has passed judgment among you based on God’s decree and there is no doubt about this judgment.[84]

One of the other judgments passed by `Ali is about two women who had a dispute over a child each claiming that the child belonged to her. They came to `Ali to offer a solution. `Ali first advised each of them to give up her baseless claim but they both insisted on what they said believing the other party’s claim to be false. To resolve this problem, `Ali ordered Qanbar to bring his sword. The two women said: What is the sword for? `Ali said: I will cut the child into two parts and give a half to each of you. At this point, one of the two women cried out  saying: O Amir al-Mu’minin! If you are supposed to cut the child into two parts, I will give up my claim. Give the child to this woman. `Ali found that the child belonged to her and the other woman’s claim was false. Therefore, he gave the child to his true mother and the other woman whose claim was false, took back her word and confessed the truth.[85]

One of the other judgments passed by `Ali is when a building collapsed on a group of people but two young boys survived and each of them claimed that the other was his slave. There was no witness in this relation either. To settle the dispute, they went to `Ali to find a solution for their problem. To discover the truth, `Ali ordered the two young boys to put their heads out of a window. Then he said to Qanbar: cut off the head of the slave. One of the two young boys pulled his head out of the window starting to run away but the other one remained in the same place. The one who had pulled his head out of the window confessed that he was the slave and the other was the master.[86]

Another example of the judgments passed by `Ali is about a man who had drunk wine at the time of Abu-Bakr. The man was brought to Abu-Bakr and admitted that he had drunken wine but he said he did not know that drinking wine was forbidden and it was unlawful, for he said he was living among people for whom drinking wine was lawful. Hearing this, Abu-Bakr was at a loss, not knowing how to carry out the punishment, for the problem was of an unknown nature to him. So he had to inform the problem to `Ali so as to find a solution for it.

`Ali said: Send with him two trustworthy men to the group of Muhajir and Ansar making them swear by God if there is anyone to whom the verse on the prohibition of drinking wine had been recited or had reported the Holy Prophet as having said anything about this issue or not.

Should anyone bear witness that the wine-drinker knew about the unlawful nature of wine-drinking, give him punishment for wine drinking, otherwise make him repent and let him go, for he has not been aware of the unlawful nature of wine-drinking. Abu-Bakr carried out `Ali’s instruction. When inquiry was made, it was found out that the verse on the prohibition of drinking wine had not been recited to him. Therefore, they made him repent and let him go.[87]

One of the other reasons for `Ali’s superiority over other companions of the Holy Prophet is that Abu-Bakr was asked a question about the meaning of the word “abban” in “And fruits and herbage” (80:31). He helplessly said: If I say I do know what I really do not know of the book of Allah, which sky shall cast its shade on me and which earth shall give accommodation to me? As a matter of fact, I know the meaning offakiha (fruits) but I have no idea of what the word “abban” means.

Being informed of what Abu-Bakr had said, `Ali said: Glory be to Allah. He is free from all defects. Did Abu-Bakr not know that the meaning of “abban” was herbage? The reason God has brought this word in His book is to remind His servants that not only He has prepared a provision for men and for cattle but the cattle enjoy a vital material too so that in this way the human life in eating fruits and his physical power in eating the meat of some of the animals are strengthened.[88]

Another story about `Ali’s supreme position is when Abu-Bakr was asked a question about the meaning of kalalah to which he said: I will express my opinion about it. If my feeling is near to the truth, it would be from divine grace and if I make a mistake, it would be from me and Satan. Being informed of this, Amir al-Mu’minin said: there is no room here for expressing one’s feeling. Is he not sure that kalalah is a term sometimes used for a full blood brother and at other times for half-brother?[89]

Another story based on `Ali’s superiority over the other companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a) is that a Jewish scholar came to Abu-Bakr, saying: Are you the caliph who succeeded the prophet of this nation? Abu-Bakr said: Yes! The Jewish scholar said: In Torah, we have it that the successors of the prophets are above their followers. Now, considering that you are the successor of the prophet of this Ummah, tell me where is God, in heaven or on earth? Abu-Bakr said: God is in heaven, placed on the throne. The Jewish scholar said: Therefore, He is not on the earth. In other words, He is in one place and is not in the other place.

Being helpless in answer, Abu-Bakr began to talk roughly to him saying: This saying of yours is that of an atheist. Get away from me or  

I will have you killed! Being astonished and making fun of Islam, the Jewish scholar left the place. Meeting him on the way, `Ali said: I was informed of what passed between you and Abu-Bakr. The answer to your question is this: We believe that God Almighty is the determiner of all times and places. He is too powerful to be in one place and not in another place or in one time and not in another time. He exists in every place but not in the scope of proximity and His knowledge encompasses all objects. There is nothing outside His prudence and there is no being outside His domination or deprived from His Grace.

I will now inform you of what, one of your books, accepts as truth. Now that you are getting to know the truth, will you accept and believe it? The Jewish scholar said: Yes. `Ali said: Is it not in one of your books that one day when Moses (a.s) was sitting, suddenly an angel appeared to him from the east. Moses (a.s) said: Where do you come from? The angel said: I came from the presence of the Lord of universe. Then another angel came from the west and when Moses (a.s) asked: Where do you come from? The angel said: I came from god Almighty. Another angel came. Again Moses asked his: Where do you come from? He said: From the seventh heaven and from the presence of God Almighty. The fourth angel who came to the presence of Moses (a.s) said: I come from the seventh layer of the earth and from the presence of God Almighty. At this time, Moses (a.s) said: Glory be to God Almighty, for no place is depleting from His existence and no place is nearer to Him than another place. The Jewish scholar confirmed what he heard, saying: What you say is right and there is no doubt in it. I testify that being caliph and successor to the Holy Prophet is your indisputable right but another person has usurped it.[90]

During `Umar’s caliphate, Qudamah ibn Ma¨`un had drunken wine. When the issue was proved, `Umar decided to punish him. In defense of himself, Qudamah said: It is not fair to punish me, for God Almighty says: “On those who believe and do good, there is no blame for what they eat, when they are careful of their duty and believe and do good deed” (5:93). Therefore, I am not to be punished for the sin I have committed, for I am careful of my duty and a believer. `Umar gave up punishing him and let him go. Being informed  of this affair, `Ali went to `Umar immediately, saying: this verse does not apply to Qudamah, for a man who is careful of his duty does not consider as lawful what is unlawful. If he believed in this verse, he would never commit such an act and would not consider it as a lawful act. Turning to `Umar, `Ali said: Send for him immediately and make him repent so as not to repeat it. If he repented, punish him, for punishment is not annulled with repentance. However, if he insisted on his words, kill him, for in this case he is not a Muslim anymore because of taking distance from the Islamic Ummah.

Being informed of `Ali’s judgment, `Umar decided to carry out the punishment but did not know the extent of punishment. `Ali said: One who drinks wine receives eighty lashes. Commenting on the philosophy behind this issue, `Ali said: One who drinks wine becomes drunk, will say something unfair, and slanders God and the messenger of God. Therefore, he has to be punished. So `Umar gave Qudamah eighty lashes making him give a pledge not to repeat it again.[91]

One of the other fair judgments passed by `Ali was when `Umar was informed that a woman had attended a gathering of strange men flirting with them. So he sent a group to her house to find the fact. Entering the woman’s house, the fact-finding group conveyed `Umar’s message to her. The woman who was shaking with fear left her house along with the caliph’s agents. On the way, she went into labor and aborted the fetus she had in her womb as a result of which it lost its life after a few moments. `Umar called the Holy Prophet’s companions asking about the fate of the dead infant. They unanimously said: As you decided to punish the woman for the wrong she had done, no responsibility is on you! Nevertheless, `Umar was not satisfied with their judgment, turned to `Ali asking: O Abul-Hasan, what is your judgment in this relation? `Ali answered: If this group have expressed their opinion without pondering to make you pleased they have undoubtedly misled you having passed a wrong judgment and if they have pondered on it, they have not thought of the truth of the problem. Now, listen carefully to me to make the case clear to you. The aborted infant has blood money which is on your charge, for it was because of your mistake that the woman aborted her child. `Umar said: By God,among these people, it was you who have passed a fair judgment. Now, do not leave this place before you divide this blood money among Banu-`Adi (`Umar’s tribe) and give it to the heirs of the infant. `Ali divided the blood money among `Umar’s tribe and gave it to the next of kin.[92]

Another example of the judgments passed by `Ali was that an old man married a woman and after some time the woman became pregnant but the man claimed he had not had any intercourse with her saying: This is not my child. This happened under the caliphate of `Uthman. Not knowing how to find the truth, the caliph started to investigate the issue asking the woman: Have you been to bed with your husband and has he deflowered you? The woman said: No. `Uthman ordered to give punishment to the woman. Being informed of this, `Ali denounced the judgment, pursued the case with further precision and said: Perhaps the man has reached her without ingress and his semen has reached her. Therefore, `Ali asked: How was your intercourse? The man said: I came before defloration and my semen reached her vulva. `Ali said: This child belongs to the old man. My judgment is to punish this man for his denial.[93]

One of the other hard cases on which `Ali passed a fair judgment is as follows: A woman gave birth to a son having two heads, two bodies but one flank. This was a quite strange issue for the Holy Prophet’s companions, for they did not know whether this was one man or two men. To remove any ambiguity, they referred to `Ali for the answer. `Ali said: Take his sleeping and awakening into consideration. Wake him up after sleeping. If the two wake up at the same moment, they are one but if one is asleep and the other awake, they are two, hence two shares of inheritance must be given to them.[94]

Another story of `Ali’s judgment concerns a hermaphrodite. To distinguish the sex, `Ali ordered to count the hermaphrodite’s right and left ribs. In this way, `Ali passed a judgment and determined the sex of the creature, saying: It is a male not a female.[95]

One of the other merits of `Ali is his injunctions on rebels and outlaws. The Shafi`ite Imam says: I learnt the injunctions concerning the atheists from the Messenger of Allah and those concerning the rebels and outlaws from `Ali ibn Abi-Talib Abu-Talib.[96]

Twelfth: Imam `Ali’s superiority over other people is that he challenged the scholars of his time, revealing his superior knowledge asking them to pose to him questions nobody but he could answer. On various occasions, he used to say: Pose to me your questions and receive the answers before I will depart from among you.

Addressing Kumayl ibn Ziyad sorrowfully and pointing with the finger to his chest, `Ali would say: I have stored a great amount of knowledge here. I wish I could find those worthy of receiving this knowledge so that I would make them familiar with these divine mysteries and blessings. This is because I am a proof of God on the earth for people. The earth is never deplete of a leader who propagate divine guidelines among people whether he is seen openly by people in society or he is in hiding out of fear of the oppressors’ tyranny. This appointment of Imam is an indisputable divine tradition, to prevent the evident proofs of God from being put into oblivion.

In his sermons, Imam `Ali used to admonish people by saying: it is incumbent on you to get to know the person about whose knowledge you are sure. The knowledge which was with Adam on his descent and after him, all prophets and the seal of them, prophet Muhammad were blessed with it, gathered in the household of the Messenger of Allah. You people who are not independent of knowledge have to resort to the progeny of the Messenger of Allah and not the others.[97]

`Ali’s Prescience

One of the spiritual merits and superiorities of `Ali was his prescience which has not been related in the history of Islam for the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (s.a).

An example of `Ali’s prescience was that he used to say: Pose your questions to me before I will depart from among you. By God, if you ask me about a hundred deviated groups or a hundred guided groups, I will inform you of their leaders throughout the time till the Day of Judgment. Amid this, a man rose up and mockingly said: If your knowledge is to that extent, tell me how many hairs are there on my face and head. `Ali said: By God, my friend and my beloved, the Messenger of Allah informed me of this question of yours. I can privately tell you that for each hair on your head, there is an angel who will curse you and for each hair on your face there is a Satan who whispers into your heart to do evil. Let it be known to you that in your house, there is a kid (son) who will kill the son of the Messenger of Allah in a not too far future. I would bring up the main reason behind your question if answer to this question did not create a problem. Yet, the reason I will not say more about your question is the same information I gave about you and your cursed son.

At the time the man posed this question, his son was no more than a small child but it was not long before the child became the same commander of the army of Yazid in the events of Karbala’ who killed Imam Husayn.[98]

One of the other examples of `Ali’s prescience was his words about Talhah and Zubayr when they went to him to get permission to go on the minor Hajj! Reacting to this, `Ali said: By God, you two are not leaving here for performing minor Hajj! In fact, you have not intended to do so. Your main destination is Basrah. But let it be known to you that God will foil their plot and will return their trick to themselves. I will soon gain victory over them. The situation later turned out to be what `Ali had foreseen.[99]

Another example of `Ali’s prescience is when he was holding a session to receive allegiance from people. In that session he said: A thousand-strong crowd (no more, no less) will come to you from Kufah. Ibn

`Abbas who was a devoted student and kept everything under watch reports: To speak about the fixed number of a thousand made my heart beat anxiously, saying to myself: If the crowd will turn out to be less or more than a thousand, the blind-hearted hypocrites will start mocking and denying him. For this reason, I started counting newcomers one by one till it came to be 999. The fact that the number of those attending the session was not a thousand brought sadness to me, saying to myself: Can a true leader like `Ali say something wrong. Amid this, I saw a person coming from afar. When he came near, I found out that he was Uways Qarani whose presence made the number perfect.[100]

Another example of `Ali’s prescience was the prophecy of the killing of Dhu’l-Thadyah, the Kharijite to people in the battle of Nahrawan.

Searching for Dhu’l-Thadyah’s body after the battle among those killed, `Ali said: By God, I am not telling lie, for he has been killed. Soon, he was found killed among the dead. To assure others, `Ali tore Dhu’l-Thadyah’s shirt on the top exposing swelling on his shoulder looking like a woman breast with a few hairs on it. If this swelling were pulled his shoulder blade would be pulled too and if it were set free, his shoulder blade would go back to its place.[101]

About `Ali’s prescience, Jandab ibn `Abdullah Azdi reports: A horse rider who informed `Ali of the situation in the front, coming to `Ali said: the Khawarij have crossed Nahrawan river. `Ali said: They have not crossed the river yet. The man said: By God, they have crossed it. `Ali said: They have never crossed the river. A second man came, reporting what the first man had said, adding: I saw them crossing the river. Again `Ali said: By God, they have not crossed the river, for all of them except a few will be killed here while referring to their killing place.

Jandab reports: I took an oath in my heart to be the first one to fight `Ali if what the reporters say is true and to be among `Ali’s army if they are wrong. We then went to the front with `Ali to discover the truth. It was there that I found out what `Ali had said was true, for they had not crossed the river and eventually all of them except a few were killed there.[102]

Another example of `Ali’s knowledge about things before they happen, is his own martyrdom, saying: By God, this will be dyed, pointing to his beard which was dyed with the blood running from his head.[103]

One of the other examples of `Ali’s prescience was when he said: Juwayriyah ibn Ma`shar would be hanged after amputation of his hands and legs. A short time after this, under the rule of Mu`awiyah, Ziyad ibn Abi- amputated his hands and legs and then hanged him.[104]

Foreseeing the martyrdom of Maytham Tammar, `Ali said: He would be the tenth person killed with a dagger in his side at the door of the house of `Amr ibn Harith and then hanged by a palm tree, pointing the tree to Maytham. Thence, he would come to the tree, performed prayer, to `Amr: As I will be your neighbor, you have to observe good neighborly relations. Soon afterwards, `Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad hanged him by the same tree and had him stricken in his side which led to his martyrdom.[105]

Imam `Ali also foresaw amputation of hands and legs of Rashid Hejri as well as his hanging.[106]

Another example of Imam `Ali’s prescience was foreseeing the martyrdom of his faithful aide, Kumayl ibn Ziyad by Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, the cruel. After not long time since the martyrdom of `Ali, Hajjaj martyred Kumayl and `Ali’s prediction came true.[107]

On another occasion, Imam `Ali foresaw the martyrdom of Qanbar at Hajjaj’s hands, for he had heard these predictions from the Messenger of Allah and he had to inform people of it at a proper time. One day when Hajjaj was sitting among his treacherous collaborators he said: I would like to kill one of the aides of Abu-Turab to get near to God, introduce one to me. They said: One who has been long with Abu-Turab is Qanbar. So he immediately summoned him saying: Give up the faith of Abu-Turab! Qanbar said: Do you know any better faith than that of `Ali? Being helpless to give an answer, Hajjaj said: I have decided to kill you. It is up to you to choose its kind! Qanbar said: I will give you the option. Hajjaj said: Why? Qanbar said: I will kill you the same way you will kill me, for my master, Amir al-Mu’minin had informed me that I would be martyred by a blood-thirsty like you! The blood-sucking Hajjaj immediately ordered to behead Qanbar and the executioner beheaded him. In this way Qanbar went to heaven.[108]

Another example of `Ali’s prescience was that a man came to him saying: I passed by Wadi al-Qira, saw Khalid ibn Arfatah passing away and buried there. O Amir al-Mu’minin, seek forgiveness for him. `Ali said: He has not died and will not die till he will lead the deviated group whose standard bearer is Habib ibn Hammar. At this time, a man sitting there said: O Amir al-Mu’minin, I am a Shi`ite following you. `Ali said: Who are you? He said: Habib ibn Hammar! `Ali said: Beware not to be the standard bearer of that group but I am sure, you will be! You will enter the mosque through this gate, pointing to the gate called Bab al-Fil. When `Ali was martyred, Imam Hasan was poisoned and passed away, when Imam Husayn’s uprising came about and Karbala’ event happened, and `Umar ibn Sa`d was appointed as commander of the army by `Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad and equipped Kufah’s army to fight Imam Husayn, he entrusted the army command to Khalid ibn `Arfatah and made Habib  ibn Hammar its standard bearer. The latter entered the mosque from the same gate, i.e., Bab al-Fil, and thence went to Karbala’, taking part in the fight against the son of the Holy Prophet (s.a).[109]

Another occasion which shows Imam `Ali’s prescience was when addressing Bara' ibn `Azib. `Ali said: My son, Husayn will be killed while you are alive but you do not help him. After martyrdom of the master of the martyrs, Bara' said: By God, `Ali informed me of Husayn’s martyrdom. Yes, he was martyred but I did not help him. He expressed regret as long as he lived following the events of Karbala’ for not having helped Imam Husayn.[110]

One of the other examples of `Ali’s prescience is a Hadith reported by Juwayriyah ibn Ma`shar Abdi on the authority of `Ali about Imam Husayn. He has reported: When I was accompanying `Ali on the way to Siffin, when we reached the high lands of Karbala’, `Ali stood in a corner of the army camp, looking right and left, he started weeping. Then, he said: By God, this is their landing place where they are killed. Someone asked: O Amir al-Mu’minin, what is the name of this land? `Ali said: This is the land of Karbala’ and the place of martyrdom of a group who will go to paradise without reckoning. People did not understand what he meant till Imam Husayn and his companions were martyred there.[111]

The last example of `Ali’s prescience is about the building of the city of Baghdad, Abbasid rule, their performance for five hundred and odd years, name of each of them and their fall by Hulagu Khan.

`Allamah Hilli says: My father has related this news and has a few words as to why Mongol did not invade the cities of Hillah and Kufah nor the two holy cities of Najaf and Karbala’, for Mongol did not invade any city without having ruined it and killed its inhabitants. It was for this reason that when Hulagu besieged Baghdad, looting by Mongols had intimidated everyone though Baghdad had not collapsed yet.

When the news of Mongols reached the people of Hillah, they all left their homes for deserts out of fear and a few of them including my late father, Sayyid Majd al-Din ibn Tawus and the great jurisprudent, ibn Abi’l-`Izz who remained in the city. These people gathered in a place, exchanged views on how to save themselves and  the residents of Hillah and finally decided to write a letter to Hulagu expressing their allegiance to him and assuring him that they would not confront him but were obeying his instructions. They sent the letter to Hulagu through a Persian-speaking man. Having received the letter, Hulagu ordered two men by the names of Tekolm and Aladdin to go to the city of Hillah and convey to the inhabitants of the city the message to the effect that if you obey the sultan, you must rush to meet him. The two men came to the city of Hillah informing people of Sultan’s order but no one dared to take any action or go to Hulagu with them, for they did not know what would finally happen. My father said: If I go to Hulagu by myself and brief him on the affair, there will be no need for the presence of others. Sayyid ibn Tawus and ibn Abi’l-`Izz too approved his decision, saying: You go to Hulagu along with these two agents and convey to him the decision of others. It is well to mention that my father went to meet Hulagu before the conquest of Baghdad and the killing of the last Abbasid caliph.

Receiving my father, Hulagu said: How did you decide to come to me when the end of affairs is not clear, when Caliph’s problem with me is still unresolved, when he may decide to make peace with me and I may leave him to himself and leave this place? My father said: What we have done is based on a narration from our master, Amir al-Mu’minin who has spoken of Baghdad in this way: Al-Zawra' and what will make you comprehend what Al-Zawra’ is? It is a land abounding in Manna trees. Sky-touching buildings will be made there and people turn to it from everywhere. There are abundant treasures in the depth of it persuading its inhabitant to suffer a lot in order to gain it. The sons of `Abbas will turn it into the seat of their rule. They will also turn it into a place of debauchery, oppression, injustice and violation of the rights of the deprived people. The leaders of this city are a group of adulterers, lewd scientists, and treacherous viziers. Their employees are the sons of Persia and Rome. If there is any praiseworthy act, no one will do it and if there is any blameworthy act, they will not forsake it. In that city, men have inclination towards men and women have intercourse with women. Amid this tumult, people of this city will be afflicted with murder and looting by the dominating Turks. Long-lasting moaning and cries will be raised among the residents of this city. What will make you comprehend  what the Turks are? They are people with slant eyes, shield-like faces who are iron-clad with no hair on their faces. Their commander is a man with loud voice whose authority is all-encompassing with a great ambition. He will not pass by any city without conquering it. No banner is raised against him without being toppled. Woe to one who is hostile to him. He keeps on seizing all the cities till he conquers everywhere and brings them under his control.

When we heard, read about and saw all these features about you, we found out that you have all these features in you, so we set our hope on you and decided to come to you. Hearing this, Hulagu became extremely pleased and happy. So, he wrote a decree in the name of my father in which he gave amnesty to the residents of Hillah and the nearby cities and never invaded them.[112]

Ali’s Courage In Battlefields

Muslims unanimously believe that `Ali was the most courageous man after the Holy Prophet (s.a) in the battlefields. `Ali attacked the enemy in such a way that surprised the angels in heaven!

Speaking about fighting between `Amr ibn `Abd-Wudd `Amiri and `Ali who eventually killed him, the Holy Prophet (s.a) said: The killing of `Amr by `Ali is better that the worship of Jinn and human beings.[113]

In the battle of Badr in which many atheists of Quraysh were killed by `Ali, Gabriel was present. All the Muslims heard him saying with a loud voice: There is no man more valorous than `Ali and there is no sword sharper than Dhu’l-Fiqar.[114]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal has written: Following martyrdom of his father, Hasan ibn `Ali made a speech in which he said: O people, yesterday an honorable man departed from among you and rushed to the hereafter who was unrivaled among the former nations, and the future generations too will fail to comprehend him, for anytime the Holy Prophet (s.a) sent him to a battle, he was accompanied by Gabriel on the right side and by Michael on the left side and he would not return from battlefield until he achieved victory.[115]

Khawarizmi has reported: `Abdullah ibn `A’ishah quoted his father as saying: Anytime the polytheists looked at `Ali in the battlefield, they would make their last will and testament, for they could see death before their eyes.[116]

Imam `Ali’s situations in this field are too many to be counted. Only through his sword did the religion of Islam raise and achieve maintenance and the wrong diminish and fade away.

In the coming chapter about jihad, we will refer to some of his campaigns.

`Ali’s Piety

It was unanimously believed that `Ali was the most pious man after the Holy Prophet (s.a). He was detached from the world which he had divorced three times. The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by

`Ammar ibn Yasir as saying: O `Ali, God Almighty has adorned you with an ornament which was extremely praiseworthy with Him whereas He has not adorned anyone of His servants with such an adornment. This divine ornament has three stages which are all rooted in you: He detached you from the world; made the world look disgusting to you; and placed the love for the poor in your heart to the extent that they are pleased with your leadership and you are pleased to be followed by them. Happy is one who has the love for you, he is steadfast in following you and practically approves your instructions. Woe is to your enemy and one who denies you. As for your friends and followers, they are your brothers in faith and they will abide in paradise with you. As for your enemies and those who have denied you, God Almighty should place them in the abode of liars.[117]

`Abdullah ibn Abi- al-Hudhayl reports: I saw `Ali wearing a Razi shirt which was such that, if stretched, it would reach the nail of his finger and if let loose, it could hardly reach the elbow.[118]

`Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz reports: Among this Ummah we do not know anyone more pious than `Ali after the Holy Prophet (s.a).[119]

Qubaysah ibn Jabir reports: I have not found anyone more pious than `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[120]

Suwayd ibn Ghaflah reports: I went to see Imam `Ali while he was in Caliphate’s seat. Before the Imam, there was a bowl of sour yoghourt the smell of which I could feel. A loaf of bread of barley the husk of which I could see was in his hands. The Imam was breaking the dry bread with his hand and when the bread is too hard to be broken by his  hand, the Imam would break it with his knee and then throw it in the yoghurt. He then asked me to approach him and share him in eating that food. “I am observing fasting,” I apologized. The Imam said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: He whom is prevented by fasting from eating from food that he desired, it will be incumbent upon Allah to feed him from the food of Paradise and serve him from its drink.” At this time, I said to Fiddah, his slave-girl who was standing by him: Don’t you fear Allah for treating this old man as such? Fiddah said: He has asked me not to sieve the flour. `Ali asked: What are you talking about? I told him the story. At this time `Ali said: May my parents be ransom for the one for whom the flour was not sieved, nor did he eat fill bread of wheat for three straight says until he passed away.[121]

One day Imam `Ali (a.s) went to the market, bought a shirt for three Dirhams and wore it. The sleeve of the shirt was not long enough to cover his wrist completely and the shirt itself was not long enough to cover the legs properly. Raising his hand in prayer while wearing it, Imam `Ali said: O Lord, thank you for blessing me with a shirt which both covers my body and gives me splendor among people.[122]

Imam `Ali (a.s) used to say: O yellow gold and white silver! Deceive someone else and set the trap on the way of others.[123]

One day, Imam `Ali who had prepared his special sword for selling went to the market, saying: Who will buy this sword? By God who makes the grain grow in the earth, this sword has long served the Messenger of Allah, removing the dust of sorrow from his holy face. If I could afford to buy one piece of clothes, I would never sell it.[124]

One day, Imam `Ali who was wearing a garment with patches attended a gathering. An ignorant man started blaming him. Imam `Ali said: Wearing this shirt for a leader like me is not blameworthy, for it makes my heart humble on the one hand, and a believer who sees me wearing it will follow me on the other.[125]

One day, Imam `Ali went to the market buying two coarse shirts. He said to Qanbar, his servant: Choose between the two. He chose one and put it on. Putting on the other one, `Ali found that the sleeves were too long, so he cut it short and wore it.[126]

Imam `Ali appointed a man from the tribe of Thaqif as governor of the city of `Akbar, saying to him: Come to me tomorrow after the Noon Prayer. I have a business with you. The man reports: I went to see him the next day. Contrary to what is usual with rulers, I did not find any doorkeeper to stop me at the time of appointment. So I went to the Imam and found him sitting with a clay bowl and a jug of water only. At this time, the Imam ordered to bring him a sealed package. I said to myself: The Imam considers me as trustworthy, so he wants to show me a precious Jewel he has kept hidden from others. Soon, he removed the seal from the package and opened it. Suddenly, my eyes fell on some soft flour of barley and wheat. He poured it into a bowl, added some water to it, ate a little of it and offered the rest to me. To see this scene made me lose my patience, so I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin, it is strange that you are living in a country like Iraq which abounds with so many blessings yet you are living a hard life.

The Imam said: By God, the seal I have put on this package is not because of meanness so that no one will eat with me rather I wish to use it to the extent of my need. I am also afraid that one of my kinsmen may take away some of it and add some delicious food to it and as a result of it add some non-pure food which I do not like. The Imam then warned me against eating a food about which I was doubtful. He further said: Do not eat anything but lawful (Halal) food.[127]

Chapter 6 `Ali’s Generosity and Magnanimity

Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali was the most generous and the most honest man after the Holy Prophet (s.a) for the highest degree of generosity is to offer one’s life and `Ali, by lying in the bed of the Holy Prophet atLaylat al-Mabit, sacrificed his life for the sake of the Messenger of Allah.

Ibn Athir reports: The Qur’anic verse “And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah” (2:207) was revealed about Imam `Ali when the Holy Prophet (s.a) left Mecca for Medina, ordering `Ali to lie in his bed and to transfer people’s trust to them the next day. This was at a time when the atheists of Quraysh had brotherhood between you, making the life of one of you longer. Does anyone of you prefers his brother to himself and accepts his shorterlife? They both opted for the longer life and showed no self-sacrifice. At that time, God Almighty by sending a revelation asked: Why are you not like `Ali who, by making a contract of brotherhood between Muhammad and `Ali, lay in his bed and sacrificed his life for him, preferring Muhammad’s life. I now give you a mission to go down to the earth and safeguard him from the harms of the enemy. Gabriel and Michael, to fulfill the divine order, came down to the earth. Gabriel stood at the head and Michael at the foot of `Ali safeguarding him from the harms of the enemies. Addressing `Ali, Gabriel said: Hail to you, O son of Abu-Talib! Is there anyone like you while God prides Himself on your position to angels?[128]

`Ali’s property which was four Dirhams on the whole, was given as charity, one by night, one by day, the third secretly, and the fourth openly. God Almighty revealed the verse “As for those who spend their property by night and by day, secretly and openly, they have their reward from their Lord and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (2:274)” On the same occasion like some of the other verses, this verse is not applied to anyone but `Ali. Hence, the revelation of this verse about `Ali is one of his special merits. Most of the commentators of the Holy Qur’an believe that the verse was revealed in relation to the purified `Ali.[129]

Tha`labi and some other commentators in their interpretations on the occasion of revelation of Surah Hal-Ata (Surah al-Dahr or al-Insan No. 76) have written: Hasan and Husayn fell sick. Their grandfather, the Messenger of Allah went to `Ali’s house to visit them. All the people who had gathered in `Ali’s house called on him to make a vow for the healing of Holy Prophet’s young sons, a vow entailing some sort of undertaking. `Ali agreed to this suggestion, saying: If my sons are healed, I will fast for three days as a sign of thanks to please Allah. Lady Fatimah too said: If my sons are healed, I will fast for three days to thank Allah. Fiddah, the female servant too said: If my masters are healed, I will fast three days to thank this blessing. God healed Hasan and Husayn, so `Ali, Fatimah, and Fiddah prepared themselves to fast. But there was nothing in `Ali’s house for eating. So `Ali went to Simon, the Jew, and borrowed three kilos of barley from him. Lady Fatimah personally rose up to bake the bread so she grinded the barley baking five loaves of bread.

The first day all were fasting, `Ali went to the mosque to perform his evening prayer behind the Messenger of Allah. Having completed his prayer, `Ali came home to break his fast. The tablecloth was spread with five loaves of bread on it. Before they start eating, a poor man stood at the door, saying: Greeting to you the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad.

I am a poor man among Muslims seeking refuge to your house. Give some food to me. May God feed you with heavenly food. Hearing this, `Ali said: Give my share of food to this man! Fatimah said: I will do the same. Hence, there was nothing but water for them to break their fast with. The second day, Fatimah grinded another kilo of barley baking five loaves of bread for five persons. In the evening, again `Ali went to the mosque for performing evening prayer and returned home after completing his prayer. When the tablecloth was spread, immediately an orphan came to the door, saying: Hail to you, the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad. I am an orphan of the immigrants. My father was martyred on the day of `Aqabah. I am starving. Give me some food. May God feed you with heavenly food. Giving their food to the orphan, `Ali and Fatimah broke their fast with plain water again.

In the third night too, the same thing happened. Fatimah grinded one more Kilo of barley baking five loaves of bread again. Having performed his evening prayer in the mosque, `Ali returned home. This time, a captive came to the door, saying: Greeting to you Ahl al-Bayt  of the Messenger of Allah. Is it right to make me a captive but not feed me? I am a captive of Muhammad. Give some food to me. May God feed you with heavenly food. Hearing this, `Ali gave his own food and that of others to the captive. Hence, they had nothing but water instead of food for three straight nights.

On the fourth day, when they were completing the vow, `Ali took the hand of Hasan in his right hand and the hand of Husayn in his left hand heading for the Holy Prophet (s.a) while they were shivering from hunger. As soon as the Holy Prophet saw them, he said: This scene has greatly saddened me. So they decided to go and visit Fatimah. At this time, Lady Fatimah was engaged in prayer in the altar. Her eyes were sunken and her belly stuck to her back because of hunger! This scene was so heavy to the Messenger of Allah that he raised his hands in prayer immediately, saying: O Lord! I seek refuge in you and ask help from you.

Turning to Ahl al-Bayt, he said: I do not think there is anything left of your life as a result of hunger, for you may soon depart from this world! At this time, Gabriel came down saying: O Muhammad! Take this divine blessing. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: What is it? Gabriel recited to him the verse “Hal Ata.”[130]

Tha`labi  has quoted `Abayah ibn Rab`i as saying: Once `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas was sitting among a group of people near ZamZam relating Hadiths from the Holy Prophet (s.a), a man who had covered his head and face with a turban joined them and began to relate Hadiths from the Holy Prophet (s.a) like Ibn

`Abbas. Being surprised, Ibn `Abbas said: For the sake of God, tell us who you are. He removed his turban and said: Whoever knows me has recognized me, and whoever has not recognized me, I am Jundub ibn Janadah, Abu-Dharr Ghifari. I heard the Messenger of Allah, with my two ears and if I am lying, may I be deprived of my hearing, and saw with these two eyes, if I am lying, may I be deprived of seeing, as saying: `Ali is the leader of benefactors and the slayer of the atheists. Whoever helps him, will be helped by God and whoever refuses to help him will be deprived of God’s help forever.

Tha`labi further said: Let it be known to you that one day I performed noon prayer with the Messenger of Allah in the mosque. Amid this, a needy man rose up to ask for help but no one responded. The needy man raised his hands towards the sky, saying: O Lord, you are witnessing that I asked for help but no one took heed of my request. At that time `Ali who was bowing in his prayer pointed with the small finger of his right hand to the needy man. He went to `Ali and took the ring. The Messenger of Allah was looking this scene from near.

After completing his prayer, the Messenger of Allah raising his hand towards the sky, said: “O Lord! Expand my breast for me, and make my affair easy to me, and loose the knot from my tongue, that they may understand my word and give to me an aide from my family: Harun, my brother” (20:24-31) and You revealed the verse “We will strengthen your arm with your brother and we will give you both an authority, so that they shall not reach you; go with our signs” (28:35). O Lord! I am your chosen prophet. Expand my breast for me, and make my affair easy to me, and set `Ali who is from my family my vizier so that he will support me.[131]

Abu-Dharr reports: The Messenger of Allah had hardly finished this when Gabriel came down, saying: O Muhammad, Read! He said: What shall I read? Gabriel said: “Only Allah is your Wali and His Apostle and who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow” (5:55).

In Tha`labi’s commentary (Tafsir), we read that this verse has been mentioned in the six most reliable Sunni reference books of Hadith.[132]

Mujahid reports: God Almighty prohibited consulting the Holy Prophet without giving charity. Following the revelation of this verse, no one consulted him except `Ali ibn Abi-Talib who did so after giving one Dinar in charity. Then the verse was abrogated and the permission was given.[133]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: There is a verse in the Holy Qur’an that no one but me has acted on it;[134]“O you who believe! When you consult the Apostle, then offer something in charity before your consultation.” (58:12). Amir al-Mu’minin said: God Almighty discharged this Ummah of a duty because of me, for if I did not act according to that verse, it would remain valid forever while no one could act to it, that is to offer charity he wished to consult the Messenger of Allah. Therefore, it was I who removed the heavy burden from the shoulder of this Ummah. I am the true proof of this verse which is not applicable to anyone before or after me.[135]

`Abdullah `Umar has said: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib had three features and if I had just one of them, it was more valuable than having red-haired camels! The first is marriage with Lady Fatimah, second is having the honor of standard bearing on the day of Khaybar and the third is the verse “Najwa” which is applicable to no one but `Ali.[136]

`Ali used to plant trees and irrigate orchards with his own holy and powerful hands. He made orchards one after the other giving them in the path of Allah and never saved the money for himself and his family.[137]

`Ali’s Religiosity, Piety and Prayer

There is no doubt that `Ali was steadfast in religion, and strenuous in piety making him peerless. The truth of religion was firm in his pure heart. Due to these two powers of religiosity and piety, his prayer  

was always answered. It is for the same reason that the Messenger of Allah resorted to him on the day of mutual curse (Mubahalah), for no companion could match him.

The Holy Prophet (s.a), threatening the rebels of Quraysh said: O rebels! Stop your hostile act, or God will raise a man whose heart he has tested with faith to fight you and to behead you for promoting faith and justice. The Messenger of Allah was asked: Is it Abu-Bakr? He said: No. they asked: Is it `Umar? He said: No, he is the one who is mending sandals.[138]

Khawarizmi has reported: addressing `Ali on the day of Khaybar’s conquest, the Messenger of Allah said: If I were sure a group of my Ummah did not attribute to you what the Christians attributed to Jesus, son of Mary, I would say about your high position something that wherever you passed by people they would take the dust under your feet as something holy, using the water with which you perform ablution as a cure for their pains. But for certain exigency, I will not speak of it. As for your superiority over others, it would suffice to say that you are from me and I am from you. I will inherit you and you will inherit me. Your position to me is like that of Aaron to Moses except that there is no prophet after me.

O `Ali, you will propagate my faith, you will fight the enemies of Islam after me, you are the nearest to me on the Day of Judgment, you are my vicegerent at the Pond, which is the gathering place of the people, rejecting the hypocrites! And you are the first to meet me at the Pond and the first of my Ummah to enter paradise.

Your followers on the Day of Judgment will be quenched by the water of Kawthar; they will come to me with bright faces; I will intercede for them and will be my neighbors in paradise; your enemies on the Day of Judgment will be restless out of thirst, their faces are black and wrinkled. O `Ali, enmity with you is enmity with me and friendship with you is friendship with me. There is no open or hidden distance between you and me. What is hidden in my breast and I am informed of it is in your breast too. Your children are truly my children. You are the gate of my knowledge and whoever seeks it must hear it from your tongue. Your flesh is my flesh and the blood running in your veins is running in my veins with no difference.

Truth which is not perishable is in your tongue, heart and face. Faith is placed in the depth of your blood and flesh as it exists in me. Verily, God Almighty has ordered me to give you the good tidings that on the Day of Judgment, you and your family will enjoy all the blessings of paradise whereas the enemies of you and your family will be punished in the fire of hell. Your unhappy enemies are not seen on that day at the pond of Kawthar whereas a single friend of yours will not be absent there. At this time, `Ali said: To thank all these blessings God Almighty has bestowed upon me, I perform prostration and praise Him.[139]

Zamakhshari has been quoted by Khawarizmi as saying: Two men came to `Umar asking him about the divorce of a female slave. Turning to a group of people with a man who was bald in the front part of his head, `Umar said: What is your judgment on this issue? The man said: She should keep two Iddah (period during which a divorced or widowed woman may not be married to another man) whereas a free woman should keep three Iddah. So `Umar said: Two Iddah. Addressing `Umar, one of the two men said: You are Amir al-Mu’minin and caliph. We came here to pose our question to you but you are asking others for the answer though, by God, he did not speak to you but gave you a sign. `Umar said: Woe to you. Do you know who this man is? He is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: If heavens and the earth are put on a pan of a scale and `Ali’s faith is placed on the other, surely `Ali’s faith will be heavier.[140]

Ummu-Salamah has been quoted as saying: The day the Messenger of Allah was in my house, Gabriel came down speaking to him for some time. In that position, the Messenger of Allah was smiling. After the meeting, I said: O Messenger of Allah, may my parents be ransom for you, what was the reason for your smiling and rejoicing? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Gabriel informed me that when he was coming to me, he had seen `Ali grazing his camels and lying because of tiredness and since he had gone to sleep and the cover he had put on himself had gone aside and half of his body was exposed to the sun, he had put the cover on his body and he had felt that `Ali’s strong faith had penetrated his heart.[141]

`Ali (a.s) called to witness a group of Muslims about the Holy Prophet’s  saying “Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too.” This group of people among whom was Anas ibn Malik testified the truthfulness of the saying. Although Anas had heard if from the Holy Prophet (s.a), he refused to testify it. Amir al-Mu’minin said to him: Why did you not testify while what they heard from the Holy Prophet and testified, you have also heard. Anas said: As a result of old age, I am afflicted with oblivion. Hence I do not remember anything! `Ali who knew Anas was lying and the reason he denied it was his close ties with the rulers, raised his hands in prayer, heaved a sigh, cursed him, saying: O Lord! If this man is lying, strike a blow on his face in a way even his turban cannot cover it. Following this prayer, Talhah ibn `Umar reports: By God, I observed the spot on his forehead and cheeks which remained forever.[142]

Imam `Ali also cursed a man by the name of `Aizar who was suspicious of being a spy and gathering information for Mu`awiyah. Addressing him, `Ali asked: Why do you report to Mu`awiyah what is happening here? The man denied, swearing that he had not done so. `Ali raised his hands in prayer, saying to him: If you are not truthful in what you say, and deny the truth, may God strike you blind. Soon before the following Friday, he became blind as a result of `Ali’s curse in a way they brought him to the mosque while taking his hand.

`Ali who was preaching a sermon on the pulpit, said: I am a servant of Allah and the brother of His messenger; I have the honor of marrying the Lady of paradise; I am leader of the believers and the successor of the last prophet. No one can boast of it except me and whoever has such a claim will be saddened by God Almighty. Amid this, a man from the tribe of `Abs rose up, protested what `Ali had said, and mockingly said: Who is there who cannot have such a claim? I now say that I am the servant of Allah and the brother of His messenger while I am not afflicted with any distress. He had hardly finished his words when insanity afflicted him and he started trembling all over. He was then pulled out of the mosque from his feet.

Another prayer of `Ali, answered was when he asked God to return the sun which was setting to a position he could perform his prayer. This happened twice for `Ali, once at the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a) and the other after his departure from this world.[143]

Asma’ bint `Umays, Ummu-Salamah, Jabir ibn `Abdullah Ansari, Abu-Sa`id Khidri and a group of the companions have reported: The Holy Prophet (s.a) was at home and `Ali was in his presence. At this time, Gabriel came down to convey a divine message to the Holy Prophet (s.a). While the Holy Prophet was receiving the message, he had put his head on `Ali’s knees. This state continued till sunset. `Ali who had not performed afternoon prayer had to perform his prayer in a sitting position by hints, given that the Holy Prophet’s head was on his knees. Following the revelation, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, have you missed the afternoon prayer? `Ali said: No, I did it by hints. The Holy Prophet said: Why? `Ali said: Because you were receiving the revelation and I did not like any change to take place in that situation.

Considering `Ali’s courtesy and his respect for revelation and prophethood, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, call on the Lord to return the sun to the `Asr Prayer time so that you will perform your prayer at its proper time. Be sure, God will not delay answering your prayer for being so obedient to God and His messenger. `Ali did so on the order of the Holy Prophet and the sun which was setting returned immediately to the position of `Asr Prayer. When `Ali completed his prayer, the sun set in the same position.[144]

As for the second time, it was after the departure of the Holy Prophet from this world. When Imam `Ali intended to go through the Euphrates river to the land of Babylon, a large number of his aides were preparing themselves to go through the river. Only `Ali and a few number of his army had performed their `Asr prayer. They had not gone through the river when the sun set. So some of his aides missed their prayer and thus were deprived of the virtue of congregational prayer. They spoke to Imam `Ali expressing their regret for having defaulted their prayer and being deprived of congregational prayer. Hearing this, `Ali raised his hands in prayer called on God to return the sun to the `Asr prayer time. Imam `Ali’s prayer was answered, that is the sun returned to `Asr prayer time till the Imam’s companions performed their prayer. This scene made the Imam’s aides rejoice and they started glorifying the Lord and asking for forgiveness.[145]

When the river Euphrates overflew and the city of Kufah was exposed  to flood, the inhabitants of the city, from fear of drowning, took refuge with Imam `Ali, beseechingly asking him to raise is hands in prayer. He mounted the Holy Prophet’s special horse and being accompanied by people went to the bank of Euphrates, where he dismounted, performed ablution, turned to Kiblah and stood for prayer. People, who were looking on, saw him raising his hands in supplication after having performed his prayer. Relying on the stick he had in hand, he struck the water on the surface, saying: Stop overflowing with the permission of the Lord. Water in river subsided on Imam `Ali’s order, to the extent that fishes could be seen. Amid this, most of the fishes hailed the leader of the believers except some of them which were silent and did not say anything. They were eels and two other kinds. People were surprised by hail of some and silence of others and asked the reason. Imam `Ali (a.s) said: Those fishes which God made to speak and hail me are pure and eating them is lawful (Halal) and those which were silent, were impure the eating of which is unlawful (Haram) for people. Hence, they must be avoided.[146]

`Ali’s Good Temper

Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali’s good temper was superior to all people in a way that his enemies and his friends recognized his humor which was motivated by his good temper.

One night, Imam `Ali came across a poor widow whose small children were weeping. This scene greatly impressed Imam `Ali’s kind heart, for the woman, to keep her hungry children calm, had put a pot of water on the fire. Being informed of this, Amir al-Mu’minin went along with Qanbar to her house, putting some dates, oil and bread in a basket and carried them on his shoulder. Qanbar said: O master! Let me do this work! Imam `Ali said: I deserve more to carry food for the poor. Reaching the house of the woman, Imam `Ali asked permission of the woman to enter. The door was opened. Imam `Ali personally undertook to prepare the food. So, he put some water, rice and oil in the pot and waited for the food to be cooked. When it was ready, he called the children for eating. The children were happily engaged in eating the food. To amuse them after eating, Imam `Ali started imitating the bleating of lambs, making them laugh. Qanbar who was witnessing the scene said: O my  master, I saw a strange scene from you which was imitating the bleating of lambs. Carrying the food was certainly aimed at winning God’s pleasure, nearness to Him and a reward in the hereafter. Imam `Ali said: When we entered the old woman’s house, her children were crying from hunger. I intended to make them happy in addition to feeding them. I found no way better than that for making them happy.

Dirar ibn Damarah reports: Following the martyrdom of Amir al-Mu’minin, I headed for Syria to see Mu`awiyah. Knowing that I was a devotee of Imam `Ali, Mu`awiyah said: Describe `Ali for me. I said: accept my excuse, for my tongue cannot possibly describe him. Mu`awiyah said: Your excuse is not accepted. You have to describe him to me. I said: Now that you refuse to accept my excuse, listen carefully! `Ali was sharp-sighted, prudent, powerful, and strong in the way of Allah. What he said was a criterion to distinguish between what was just and unjust. His judgments were fair. He was abounding in knowledge. Wisdom was evident in all dimensions of his character. His intuition satiated those who had a thirst for it. He feared the ornaments of the world. He was devoted to the nightly supplications. Pondering on the tumultuous future made him cry ceaselessly. Wearing coarse garment was pleasant for him. He loved plain food. He was not pretentious but was like one of us. If we had any question, we would pose it to him and he would immediately answer it. If we asked for any help, he would immediately help us. Although he was very intimate, he was so awesome that we would never dare to say anything in vain. He was so dignified that we would never open our eyes on his face. He honored people of religion and pleased the poor by fondling them. No man of authority dared to misuse his power in his presence so as to get his approval for the unjust act he had done. No common man was made disappointed by his justice, thinking that since he had no power, he would be deprived of his justice.

Dirar ibn Damarah then said: I take God as witness that in the middle of night and also when the stars were about to disappear, I saw him holding his beard in his hands, and like one bitten by a snake, he wept bitterly, saying: O world, go and deceive someone else, for I am not fond of you. Nevertheless, if you are offering yourself  to me, you are quite mistaken, for I have divorced you three times, giving you no chance of recourse. O world, know that your life is short, your worth little and your pleasure transient. Then he heaved a sigh, saying: Woe to little provision, long journey and a path full of horror. Hearing this, Mu`awiyah was deeply impressed and started weeping. Those who were present burst into tears and wept. Then Mu`awiyah said: May God bless you Abul Hasan `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. He is the very same you described, but Dirar, to what extent is your sorrow for `Ali? Dirar said: the sorrow of a woman whose child is beheaded in his lap, for neither her eyes become dry of tear nor her sorrows will come to an end.[147]

`Ali’s Forbearance

Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali was more patient and forbearing than all people. The best proof is the fact that he was deprived of his right and an unjust rule was imposed on him. Nevertheless, he adopted patience and restrained his anger.

Abu-Ayyub Ansari has been quoted as saying: The Messenger of Allah was afflicted with a little illness. Lady Fatimah went to visit her father. Finding her father ill and weak, she started weeping in a way that her tears dropped on the earth. To remove sorrows from his daughter, the Holy Prophet said: My dear daughter, one of God’s blessing bestowed upon you is that on the order of the Lord, I married you to one who was foremost in Islam, the most knowledgeable, and the most patient and forbearing man. God Almighty whose knowledge encompasses everything chose me as being worthy of prophethood, giving me the honor of a divine mission and with another grace, chose your husband ordering to me to give you in marriage to `Ali and appointing him as my successor.[148]

Imam `Ali’s Physical Excellence and Superiority `Ali’s Worship

It is evident to everyone that Imam `Ali was the most pious of his time. He has left behind a heritage of night prayers and supplications. He was so devoted in his prayer that he did not pay attention to anything but Allah. He was detached from the world and so absorbed in Allah that he did not feel the pains. Once he was hit  with a lance in the leg in one of the battles and no one was able to pull the lance out of his leg because of much pain. It was decided to do so when he was in his prayer. They knew that only in prayer, `Ali’s spirit took distance from his body making him not feel the pain.[149]

Imam Sajjad (a.s) used to perform one thousand Rak`ah prayer, tolerating much hardship. If he was benevolently asked not to tolerate this much hardship, he would say: Have a look at the record of prayer of my grandfather Amir al-Mu’minin. After opening the book and looking like one who was unable to do anything, he would put down the book, saying: Who has the merit of `Ali in praying? What is my prayer as compared to that of my grandfather, `Ali.[150]

Imam Musa ibn Ja`far has been quoted as saying: The verse “You will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure, their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration” (48:29) was revealed in honor and dignity of `Ali.[151]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported as saying: The verse “And they say: we believe in Allah and in the apostle and we obey” (24:47) was revealed in honor of `Ali.[152]

Mujahid has been quoted as saying: The verse “And he who brings the truth and accepts it as truth” (39:33) was revealed in honor of `Ali.[153]

Imam Baqir (a.s) has been quoted as saying: The verse “and he who brings the truth” was revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a) and “accepts it as truth” was revealed in honor of `Ali.[154]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported as saying: The verse “and bow down with those who bow down” (2:43) was exclusively revealed in honor of the Holy Prophet and `Ali, for they were the first who bowed down.[155]

Imam `Ali never abandoned the recommended night prayer even at that most horrible night during Siffin battle, which is called laylat al-harir.

One day, Imam `Ali was involved in the battle of Siffin, he was closely watching the sun to see when it passes by the middle of sky so as to be prepared for prayer. Ibn `Abbas who had him under watch said: O `Ali, why are you looking so much at the sun? The Imam said: To perform prayer. Ibn `Abbas said: Is this a proper time for performing prayer? Imam `Ali said: O Ibn `Abbas! What are we fighting these people for? Is it not for performing the prayer that we are fighting them?[156]

Jihad in the Way of Allah

Muslims unanimously believe that the pillars of Islam were strengthened by the sword of `Ali. In this relation, no one preceded him nor did anyone reach his position after him. He was courageous and valorous in the battlefields, Allah’s sword and remover of sorrow from the face of the Holy Prophet (s.a) in a way he amazed the angels in attacking the atheists.

After the departure of the Holy Prophet (s.a) from this world, Imam `Ali went through trials the most important of which were fighting the breakers of promise (the companions of camel), the deviators (Mu`awiyah and his aides), and apostates (those fighting `Ali in Nahrawan), but Imam `Ali was victorious and reached the highest position.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal reports: Hasan ibn `Ali, following the martyrdom of his father, preached a sermon among people, saying: O people, yesterday, a man departed from among you who had no peer in knowledge in the past nor will have in the future, for he was the foremost. My grandfather, the Messenger of Allah repeatedly entrusted the standard of Islam to him. Gabriel safeguarded him on the right side and Michael safeguarded him on the left side from the harms of enemy. He never backed down in the battlefield till he achieved victory.[157]

Wahidi reports: `Ali, `Abbas and Talhah were engaged in self-glorying. Talhah said: What a better honor is there for me than having the key of God’s House and its opening on my order! `Abbas said: It is an honor for me to provide the Hajj pilgrims with the water of ZamZam which is solely at my disposal! `Ali said: I have no idea of what you are speaking about. But I started to worship Allah six month before other people. I had an active participation in the battlefields in a way God Almighty states: “What! Do you make one  who undertakes the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the sacred mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah’s way? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people. Those who believed and fled their homes, and strove hard in Allah’s way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers of their objects.” (9:19-20)

God Almighty revealed this verse in judgment among them and in honor of `Ali, praising his pride in terms of faith, immigration and fighting in the way of God.[158]

Battle of Badr

What is Badr? Abu’l-Yaq¨an says: Badr is the name of a man of Ghifar, the tribe of Abu-Dharr Ghifari.[159] Shi`bi says: Badr is the name of a well attributed to a man called Badr.[160]

The battle of Badr was the most horrific among the other battles, the first trial of Muslims, and the one taking place vehemently between the Holy Prophet and the atheists of Quraysh.

God Almighty states about the trial of Muslims: “Even as your Lord caused you to go forth from your house with the truth, though a party of the believers were surely averse; They disputed with you about the truth after it had become clear, and they went forth as if they were being driven to death while they saw it.” (8:5-6). This battle happened eighteen months after the immigration of the Holy Prophet (s.a) to Medina and `Ali was twenty seven years old.[161]

The atheists of Quraysh insisted on fighting this battle, for they outnumbered the Muslims, though among them, there were far-sighted men who were not ignorant of the consequences of this battle, had taken part reluctantly, had been forced into the battle and challenged only their peers. The Messenger of Allah too warned his army not to fight them, saying: They only challenge their peers. Hence, the first person who was given mission to fight them was `Ali and his match was Walid ibn `Utbah, a man of courage and valor but he was killed by `Ali after a short fighting.[162]

Al-`As ibn Sa`id ibn al-`As was a man of courage and horror. For this reason, no one was ready to fight him. He too was killed by `Ali. [163]

Hanzalah ibn Abi-Sufyan too fought `Ali but he was killed. `Ali injured ibn `Adi, too.[164] Then, Nawfal ibn Khuwaylid, who was highly-esteemed and obeyed by people of Quraysh, entered the battle. Nawfal was very clever and a mischief-maker and the one who had tied down Abu-Bakr and Talhah with a rope and had tortured them till he set them free with the mediation of others.[165]

Once the Messenger of Allah found out that Nawfal had taken part in this battle, he raised his hands in prayer, saying: O Lord, eradicate him. Soon, he was killed by Imam `Ali in a hand to hand fighting. After Nawfal’s perdition, the Holy Prophet said: Who will bring me the news of Nawfal? `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah, I killed him. While rejoicing and saying: Allah is the Greatest, the Holy Prophet said: Thanks Lord who answered my prayer.[166]

Imam `Ali was in the front line of the battle fighting the atheists of Quraysh and killing them one after the other. In this battle, seventy of Quraysh leaders were killed by `Ali and the rest were killed by Muslims and three thousand angels who had taken part in the battle.[167]

Following the killing of seventy courageous men of Quraysh, the Holy Prophet (s.a) threw a handful of small sands on them, saying: May your faces turn ugly thereby they were all defeated and started fleeing.[168]

The Battle of Uhud

The battle of Uhud took place in the month of Shawwal and `Ali was hardly nineteen years old then.[169]

The battle of Uhud was waged to make up for the defeat of leaders of Quraysh in the battle of Badr. Therefore, they plotted to annihilate Muslims by spending much money and informed Abu-Sufyan of the plot. Abu-Sufyan, after counseling with his aides, decided to besiege Medina in order to kill the Messenger of Allah and his aides.[170] The Holy Prophet (s.a) was informed of Quraysh’s move, so he exchanged views with his companions and decided that the fighting to take place outside Medina and moved towards Uhud with the Muslims. One third of crowd who were hypocrites returned to Medina, half way. So the Holy Prophet (s.a) headed for the place of martyrdom along with seven hundred people. In this relation, God Almighty states: “And when you did go forth early in the morning from your family to lodge the believers in encampments for war…” (3:121). [171]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) on that day lodged the encampments, organized then in a long line, appointed fifty men of Ansar under the command of a man by the name of `Abdullah ibn `Umar ibn Khiram to be stationed at the top of the mountain, dangerous for the enemy’s hidden attack, ordering them not to move from their places and to closely watch the enemy’s moves even if all Muslims were killed, for it was a strategic place. If there was any possible attack, it would start from the same place. Therefore, it had to be safeguarded, for the enemy might besiege Muslims from the same position.[172]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) entrusted the standard of Muslims to `Ali. The enemy’s standard bearer was Talhah ibn Abi-Talhah whom they called Kabsh al-Katibah. `Ali plucked out his eyes from its sockets with one blow. He made a loud cry and the standard of atheism fell down from his hand. He was then killed and his brother, Mus`ab, carrying the standard on his shoulder prepared himself for fighting but `Asim ibn Thabit killed him by throwing an arrow. Then their male servant whose name was Sawwab and was the most agile and strong picked up the standard and prepared himself for fighting but `Ali cut off his right arm with a single blow. Sawwab wielded the standard in his left hand but `Ali cut off his left arm too with another blow. When his two arms were cut off, Sawwab stuck the standard on his chest with the help of his remaining arms but `Ali struck a blow on his head with his sword, making him fall down on the ground and die. Having lost their standard bearers, the enemy was frightened, Muslims who were rejoicing for the enemy’s escape and their victory, were engaged in gathering war booties.[173]

Those Muslims stationed on the order of the Holy Prophet at the top of the mountain overlooking the battle front, seeing the enemy’s defeat and gathering of the was booties, asked their commanders to give them permission to come to the scene of fighting so that they will not be deprived of war booties! `Abdullah said: The Messenger of Allah has ordered me not to move from this place even one step. Therefore, we should not leave our position. They said: You are right. The Holy Prophet’s order was right but he did not know that we could achieve victory so quickly. Hence, they collectively entered the scene to gather war booties, leaving `Abdullah by himself! Khalid ibn Walid attacked him from behind and martyred  him, attacking the Holy Prophet and his aides from behind. Addressing those who had left their positions, the Holy Prophet said with a sad tone: Here is what you were after! So the enemy in a solid column attacked on Muslims with swords, spears, arrows and stones, launching a hard fighting. Seeing this, the companions of the Holy Prophet gathered around him, trying to protect him from the enemy but seventy Muslims were martyred.[174]

In this battle, `Ali remained steadfast, defended the Holy Prophet and his divine mission, and was prepared to sacrifice himself for the Holy Prophet from every side the enemies attacked him. When the Holy Prophet opened his eyes after fainting as a result of the enemy’s brutal attack, he saw no one but `Ali, saying: O `Ali! What did these people do and where have they gone to? `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! They have broken their promises and by escaping from the battle scene, have taken shelter on the mountain! The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: O `Ali, repel this fierce group which attacked me. `Ali launched a hard attack, dispersed all of them, and returned to the Holy Prophet. The enemy invaded from another direction but `Ali defeated them again with his matchless resistance.[175]

Those how escaped from the scene, though seeing the Holy Prophet was being attacked, remained on the mountain except fourteen of them who returned.[176]

At that time, sad news which was heart-rending spread in Medina and that was the news on the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s.a).[177]

Hind, the daughter of `Utbah, who had lost her relatives in the battle of Badr promised Wahshi (a slave) that she would provide him with a great sum of money if he could kill the Holy Prophet, `Ali, or Hamzah (the Holy Prophet’s uncle). Accepting the act, Wahshi said: Forget about killing the Prophet, for I can in no way kill him, for he is being circled by his companions. As for `Ali, I cannot play any trick to kill him either, for when fighting, he is careful about himself from every side, repelling the enemy’s attack. So I am only hopeful of killing Hamzah, for when he is fighting and angry, he does not see even before himself. Wahshi martyred Hamzah Hind came and ordered to tear Hamzah’s belly and give her his liver. She then lynched his body. His nose and ears were two broken. [178]

In this battle, Gabriel brought the deed of honor of “There is no man more valorous than `Ali and there is no sword sharper than Dhu’l-Fiqar” for the great man, `Ali and read it with a loud voice to people so that they heard it all.[179]

At this time, Gabriel said: O Messenger of Allah, the angels are surprised at `Ali’s self-sacrifice for you and hailed his great help. The Messenger of Allah said: Why they should not be when `Ali is from me and I am from him. Gabriel took pride in this and said: I am from you too.[180]

The atheists of Quraysh who were killed in the battle of Uhud by `Ali’s sword were a great number. Muslims’ final victory and their returning to the Messenger of Allah was due to `Ali’s steadfastness and courage in the battlefield.[181]

Chapter 7 `Ali’s Courage in the Battle of Khandaq (The Ditch)

In this battle, Quraysh and its collaborators from the family of Kinanah, the inhabitants of Tihamah with ten thousands men as well as the tribe of Ghatafan from Najd rushed to help Quraysh putting Muslims in a corner. The Messenger of Allah who knew their decision beforehand, ordered Muslims to dig a ditch around the city of Medina. Following this act, the sworn enemies of Islam surrounded the city from every side.

In this connection, the Holy Qur’an states: “…When they came upon you from above you and from below you…” (33:10). To fight the enemy, the Messenger of Allah rose for defense with three thousand Muslims behind the ditch and within the city. Amid this, the Jews inside the city were allied with the atheists so as to defeat the Holy Prophet and Muslims. Hence, the enemy pressured the people of Medina from inside and outside, adding to their worries. The horse-riders of Quraysh, including `Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl and `Amr ibn `Abd-Wudd who, in their wishful thinking, dreamt of a quick victory stood in the front line, asking for a challenger and declared a hand to hand fighting. Among Muslims, the first man who responded him was `Ali, saying: O Messenger of Allah, I am prepared to fight him! The Messenger of Allah said, “He is `Amr,” and kept silent. Asking for a challenger for the second time, `Amr said: Where is the paradise you promise with martyrdom? Why don’t you come to the field to be martyred and to go to paradise, is there no one to fight me? `Ali said: I will fight him. The Holy Prophet, at this time too due to an exigency and to prevent others from saying `Ali does not give others any chance and that he acts hastily, said: He is `Amr and kept silent.

On the third time when `Amr boldly cried out: Who is your fighter? Again `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah, I will fight him though he is `Amr! At this time, the Holy Prophet gave `Ali permission to fight, saying: Now Islam in its entirety is standing against atheism in its entirely implying that if `Ali achieves victory, Islam will be victorious and if `Amr overcomes, then there will be no name of Islam. Addressing `Amr after going to the battlefield, `Ali said: You have pledged that if a man of Quraysh calls you to two things, you will accept. `Amr said: It is so. `Ali said: I invite you first to God, His messenger and Islam. `Amr said: Forget it, I will never accept Islam! `Ali said: I am on foot, you better dismount your horse so as to fight hand to hand. `Amr who was feeling death, out of pity said: O son of my brother! I do not desire to kill you, for you are an honorable man and your father was an old friend of me! `Ali said: But by God, I desire to kill you. `Amr was disturbed by these words and dismounted his horse. `Ali threw him on the ground after an hour of hand to hand fighting `Ali killed him and his son too. Seeing this fatal scene, `Ikrimah ibn Abi-Jahl and other atheist took to their heels, leaving the battlefield. God returned their anger back to them, so the enemies found no benefit in continuing the fighting and thus were defeated.[182]

Seeing `Amr killed, `Umar ibn Khattab said to `Ali: He had a good coat of mail, why didn’t you take it off his body for there is no cuirass like it? `Ali said: It was not fair to leave him naked on the ground.[183]

`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud used to recite the verse “…and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting; and Allah is Strong Mighty” (33:25) about `Ali.[184]

Rabi`ah al-Sa`di reports: I went to Hudhayfah ibn Yaman, saying: Whenever I relate a Hadith on the excellence of `Ali, the people of Basrah reject us, saying: You are exaggerating and going to extremes about `Ali. Is there any Hadith which I can relate and the enemies cannot deny? Hudhayfah said: O Rabi`ah! Which merits of `Ali should  

I recount? By Lord in whose hand my life rests, if the deeds of the aides of Muhammad from the day he was ordained as prophet till the Day of Judgment are put on a pan of a scale and `Ali’s deeds are put on the other pan of scale, beyond doubt, `Ali’s deeds are heavier. Rabi`ah said: This is a Hadith for which one cannot sit or stand, implying that it is hard to accept and more hard to recount. Hudhayfah said: O fool! How can you say that this Hadith is hard to accept when the Messenger of Allah said the same thing on the day of the battle of the Ditch!

Then he added: Where were Abu-Bakr, `Umar, Hudhayfah, and all the companions of the Holy Prophet on the day when `Amr ibn `Abd-Wudd was yelling and challenging a fighter? All the crowds on that day were at a loss, creeping in a corner. It was only `Ali who responded to him, went to fight and killed him. By God in whose power my life is, the reward of `Ali’s deed on that day is more than the reward of the deeds of Muhammad’s companions till the Day of Judgment.[185]

Following the defeat of allies on the day of the battle of Ditch, the Messenger of Allah decided to suppress the Jews of Banu-Qurayzah who had allied with Quraysh, so gave `Ali the mission to inspect their situation from close with thirty men of Khazraj tribe, saying: O `Ali, see what state Banu-Qurayzah are in? Have they left their forts on not? Going on his mission, `Ali accompanied by his aides reached near the enemy’s position, seeing that they were stationed in their forts and had blocked entrances and exits, swearing at the Holy Prophet (s.a). `Ali immediately went to the Holy Prophet informing him of the situation and went directly to carry out his mission. Seeing `Ali, one of them said: The killer of `Amr has come and the others confirmed it. Hearing the name of `Ali, Banu-Qurayzah took to his heels, leaving his position. By advancing into the big fort, `Ali installed the standard of Islam. The running Jews were swearing at the Holy Prophet and speaking ill of him. The Messenger of Allah said: O the brothers of pigs and monkeys, where are you fleeing? When we confront our enemies, we will ruin their life and make the bright day dark for them. They said: O Abu-al-Qasim! You were not tyrant or foulmouthed. Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah turned back, ashamed and kept them under siege for twenty five nights. Since  they could not resist, they suggested to surrender and bowed to Sa`d ibn Mu`adh’s arbitration. The Messenger of Allah too accepted it. Sa`d ibn Mu`adh ruled their men to be killed, their women and children to be taken captive and their property to be divided among Muslims. At this time, the Holy Prophet (s.a) ordered the men of Banu-Qurayzah amounting to nine hundred to be put under watch in the houses of Banu’l-Najjar tribe. Then, he ordered the watchmen to bring them one by one near the ditch through the exit way of the neighborhood and ordered `Ali to behead them one after the other and to throw their bodies in the ditch. `Ali carried out the instructions, beheaded them all and threw them in the ditch.[186]

In the battle of Banu’l-Mustalaq in which `Ali was a pioneer, Muslims eventually gained the victory. In this battle, Malik and his son who were among the enemy leaders were killed by `Ali, and Juwayriyyah, the daughter of Harith ibn Abi-Dirar was taken captive and brought to the presence of the Messenger of Allah, who chose her for himself. After the battle, the father of Juwayriyyah came to the Holy Prophet, saying: O Messenger of Allah! My daughter must not be taken captive, for she is dignified and brought up in a respectable family! The Holy Prophet said: Go to your daughter and ask her if she wishes to be with us or she will be free to return with you. Harith hailed the Holy Prophet’s magnanimity and greatness, and conveyed the Holy Prophet’s message to his daughter but Juwayriyyah opted for God and His messenger, saying: God and His messenger are better than everyone and everything else! After this event, the Holy Prophet set her free, then married her and she became one the wives of the Messenger of Allah.[187]

In the battle of Hudaybiyah which led to peace treaty, the one who drew up and wrote the peace treaty between the Messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn `Amr was `Ali. In this connection, two merits were added to his virtues no one shared with him.[188]

One of those two merits is that when the Messenger of Allah decided to perform minor Hajj of Hudaybiyah, he, along with a group of his companions, went to Juhfah to become Muhrim but there was no water in that area. So, the Messenger of Allah ordered Sa`d ibn Malik to take water skins and water-carrying camels to search for water. After a short time, Sa`d returned, saying: Since this region is under the enemy’s control, I fear to fetch water! The Holy Prophet assigned another person to fetch water. Like Sa`d, he too returned quickly and repeated what Sa`d had said. At this time, the Messenger of Allah ordered `Ali to do the work. After searching, `Ali found out that water was in a spot controlled by the enemy. Hence, without fearing the enemy, `Ali went to the same spot, filled the water skins, fastened them unto camels and brought them for the Holy Prophet (s.a) who praised his valuable deed and prayed for him.[189]

`Ali’s second merit is that when the peace treaty was being concluded, Suhayl ibn `Amr turned to the Holy Prophet, saying: O Muhammad, give back to us these slaves of ours who have joined you. The Holy Prophet was so annoyed with this request, that too, with bold tone that signs of anger could be seen in his face, for it is not right to entrust Muslims to atheists. Besides, his impolite tone implied domineering. Hence, the Holy Prophet said: O group of Quraysh! Stop your hostile attitude otherwise God will send to punish and behead you for the promotion of religion a person whose heart He has tried with faith. Those who were present said: O Messenger of Allah, who is he? The Holy Prophet said: The one who is mending my shoes in the room. To know the man with such a merit, people rushed to the room and found that it was `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[190]

At a time one of the pair of shoes of the Holy Prophet was torn and had to be mended, he called `Ali to mend it. Then while walking a short space in his odd shoe, he turned to his companions, saying: One of you will fight for the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an in the same way that he fights along with me for its revelation. Abu-Bakr said: Is it me? The Holy Prophet said: No. The companions kept silent, looking at one another, asking themselves whom the Holy Prophet meant. Breaking the silence and pointing to `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: He is the one who is presently mending my shoe, for he is the only person who stands against deviators and fight for the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and those Sunnahs of me which will be abandoned. This is at a time when the book of Allah will be distorted and wrongdoers will interfere in religion. It is with `Ali’s fighting that God’s religion will gain a new life and he will cut their hands off religion.[191]

In the battle of Khaybar, which took place in the seventh year A.H., it was `Ali who achieved victory for Islam. The Holy Prophet besieged for twenty and odd nights the Jews of Khaybar who had dug a huge ditch round their fort, taking sanctuary in it.

Eventually, one day the Jews opened the gate of the fort. Marhab and his aides came out of the fort, declaring their combat readiness. At this time, the Messenger of Allah called Abu-Bakr and gave the standard of Islam to him, placing a group of immigrants (Muhajir) under his command. Abu-Bakr who was facing defeat soon returned along with those accompanying him.

On the second day, the Messenger of Allah gave the standard of Islam to `Umar, appointing him the commander of the army. He went a few steps forward but not being able to advance and facing defeat, he too returned. Seeing the defeat of the two, the Holy Prophet said: Where is `Ali? Tell him to come to me. It was said he had sore eye. The Holy Prophet said for a second time: Tell `Ali to come here, for he is a man who loves God and His messenger and God and His messenger too love him. He has never abandoned the battlefield and has defeated his enemy with his successive attacks. He is the one who carries the banner of Islam and adds to its glory.

The companions rushed to `Ali conveying the Holy Prophet’s message. Unable to see before him, `Ali in compliance with the Holy Prophet’s order was brought to the Messenger of Allah who asked: What is the problem? `Ali said: I have sore eye and a bad headache. The Holy Prophet said: Sit down and put your head on my lap. Then, putting his saliva on the head and eyes of `Ali the Holy Prophet prayed for him. `Ali immediately opened his eyes and there was no sign of headache in him. Giving then the white banner to `Ali, the Holy Prophet said: By carrying this banner, victory will be yours, for Gabriel will accompany you and victory awaits you. You will cast such a horror in hearts that they will have no option other than surrender. In their book, Torah they have read that the one who will overcome them and will destroy their fort is a man by the name of Ilya. Once you get near to their fort, tell them: I am the son of Abu-Talib and my name is `Ali. This word is the sign of their humiliation. With Allah’s Grace, you will achieve victory soon. To carry out the Holy Prophet’s order, `Ali set out for the Jews’ fort. Wearing a cuirass, having   a helmet with a stone in it on his head and prepared for fighting, Marhab came out of the fort. After a short while and in a hand to hand fighting `Ali with a strike of a sword, cut his helmet into two, cleaving the stone and his head to his teeth. Marhab fell on the ground and went to the hell.[192]

A Jewish rabbi reports: When `Ali said: I am `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, a heavy horror fell on the hearts of the Jews and whoever accompanied Marhab escaped into the fort, closing its gate tightly. With the divine power, `Ali took off the gate of the fort, making it a bridge for the Muslims to cross it and to enter the fort. Muslims gained huge booties in this way.

When the Muslims gave up taking the booties, `Ali threw the gate a few meters away. The gate was so heavy that forty men helped one another to close it. It also required seventy men to take it off its place. At this time, a man asked `Ali: How did you take off a gate like this? `Ali said: The gate was not as heavy as the shield I wield in my hand. Then, he said: By God, I did not take it off with my physical power. Rather, it was a divine force which helped me to take it off and to place it as a bridge for Muslims to cross over.[193]

In the conquest of Mecca when God promised the Holy Prophet victory, stating: “When there comes the help of Allah and victory” (110:1), the banner of Islam was in `Ali’s hand.[194]

When entering Mecca, the Messenger of Allah took a pledge from the pride-taking army of Islam not to fight anyone unless they start to fight. Only a few people who had harassed the Holy Prophet had been made exceptions to this command. One of them was Huwayrith ibn Nufayl ibn Ka`b who harassed the Holy Prophet in Mecca and was punished and killed by `Ali on the order of the Holy Prophet.[195]

When the Messenger of Allah entered the sacred mosque, there were three hundred and sixty idols chained together with a rope. The Holy Prophet ordered `Ali to bring him a handful of small sands. `Ali too complied with the Holy Prophet’s order and prepared the small sands. Aiming at all the idols, the Messenger of Allah recited: “Say: the truth has come and the falsehood has vanished; surely falsehood is a vanishing thing” (17:81) and ordered all the idols to be toppled, thrown away from the mosque and be broken.[196]

In the battle of Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah supported by ten thousand Muslims left Medina for Hunayn. At that time, Abu-Bakr self-admiringly said: We will never be defeated in this battle because of shortage in human force, but in the climax of conflict, they all fled save nine persons from Banu-Hashim and the tenth person was Ayman ibn Ummi-Ayman who was martyred and the verse “then you turned back retreating; Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His apostle and upon the believers” (9:25-26) was revealed about those who retreated. Believers in this verse include `Ali and those who remained steadfast with him.

At a time when `Ali was defending with his unsheathed sword in front of the Holy Prophet, `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib was on the right side, Fadl Ibn `Abbas on the left side, Abu-Sufyan ibn Harith holding the reins of his horse, Nawfal and Rabi`ah, the two sons of Harith, `Abdullah ibn Zubayr ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, `Utbah ibn Mu`it, two sons of Abi- Lahab had circled round the Messenger of Allah and were protecting him.[197]

The Messenger of Allah said to his uncle, `Abbas who had an audible voice to call with loud voice those who were fleeing and to remind them of the divine pledge they had with the Holy Prophet. Therefore, `Abbas cried loudly: O followers of the Messenger of Allah who expressed your allegiance with him under the tree, O companions of Surah Baqarah, where are you fleeing? Why have you forgotten the pledge you have given to God and His messenger? Come back and be steadfast! The people who had fled in the dark of the night leaving the Messenger of Allah alone among the enemy, by hearing his voice and considering that he was watching them flee and knew them, came down from the adjacent hills, while being encouraged gathered around the Holy Prophet and bravely broke the siege of the enemy.[198]

In the thick of the fight, a man from the tribe of Hawazin, names Abu-Jarwal, carrying a black banner with the intention to kill the Holy Prophet was killed by `Ali. With his killing the atheists took to their heels. While they were fleeing, `Ali killed forty others of them. Thereafter, the army of atheism was defeated and a number of them were taken captive by Muslims.[199]

In the battle of Tabuk, God revealed to the Holy Prophet there was no need for fighting, and that the only duty of him and Muslims aimed at intimidating the enemy was to move towards Rome, as it was the time of gathering the fruits of palm trees, and people feared confrontation with the powerful enemy, most people refused to take part in the battle. The Messenger of Allah who had taken march towards Tabuk seriously, to carry out God’s order, departed with a group of believers toward Tabuk, appointing `Ali as his successor to protect Medina and to act as guardians of families, saying to him: The security of this city will not be guarded by anyone except you and me.

The Messenger of Allah knew that the Arabs residing around Mecca and those who had suffered life losses in the battles were looking for a chance to invade Mecca when the Holy Prophet was not in that city. It was due to this reason that he vigilantly endeavored to safeguard it. Now that the Holy Prophet was in the battle, he appointed `Ali to safeguard Medina which was feared to face chaos in the absence of the Messenger of Allah. Hearing this, the blind-hearted hypocrites and gossipmongers inside Medina were extremely worried and jealous of `Ali, for they knew that with the presence of `Ali no danger could threaten Medina and in this way their plot was foiled. Hence, they started the so-called cold war, spreading the rumor by saying: As the presence of `Ali in this battle is heavy for the prophet, he does not wish to take him with himself. Therefore, he leaves `Ali in Medina which means he does not honor `Ali, though they knew how much the Holy Prophet was interested in `Ali!

This kind of rumors was heavy for `Ali. So he immediately left Medina for meeting the Messenger of Allah. He informed the Holy Prophet of the rumors, saying: Hypocrites have this impression that appointing me as your successor in Medina is not aimed at honoring me but it is because you don’t like me to accompany you! Fondling `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: O my brother, go back to Medina, for Medina has no security without me and you. Your position to me is like that of Aaron to Moses except that there will come no prophet after me. In my absence, you will be caliph and successor for my kinsmen.[200]

When the Messenger of Allah returned to Medina from Tabuk, `Amr ibn Ma`dyakrib Zubaydi came to him. The Holy Prophet spoke to him about belief in God and His messenger, and he too along with his tribe accepted Islam. At this time the man’s eye fell on Ubay ibn Athath Khath`ami who had killed his father. Taking him by the neck, `Amr brought him to the Holy Prophet, saying: This is the killer of my father. Let me punish him with retribution. The Messenger of Allah said: Bloodshed in the time of ignorance has no value in Islam. `Amr who took pride in his belief and had the impression that the Holy Prophet would issue the order of retribution because of his belief, gave up Islam and became an apostate, for his demand had not been met.

The Messenger of Allah sent `Ali to the tribe of `Amr (Banu-Zubayd) to either arrest or kill him. As soon as the tribesmen saw `Ali with his special anger said to `Amr: O Bathur, what would you feel if this youth of Quraysh defeats you and you have to pay heavily for your act implying that you will be disgraced among your tribesmen. `Amr proudly said: It is in fighting that he will understand who I am and who he is! Saying this, `Amr asked for challenger, `Ali stood opposite him and made a loud cry. Hearing `Ali’s loud cry, `Amr left the scene and took to his heels! In the thick of the fight `Ali killed `Amr’s brother, his nephews, and took his wife and the women of Banu-Zubayd captives. After achieving victory at the end of fighting, `Ali returned to Medina, appointing Khalid ibn Sa`id over them to give amnesty to those who embrace Islam and to collect their alms. When peace prevailed, `Amr resorted to Khalid, embraced Islam once again and spoke to him about his wife and children, asking for their freedom. Khalid too freed `Amr’s wife and children. When taking the girls of Bani-Zubayd, `Ali chose one of those girls for himself but Khalid ibn Walid who was among the army of Islam, because of his rancor against `Ali, told Buraydah Aslami to rush to Medina to inform the Messenger of Allah before the arrival Islam’s army. Reaching the house of the Holy Prophet, Khalid saw `Umar and informed him of the affair to know his opinion. `Umar who was looking for such a chance confirmed his opinion and asked him to go to the Messenger of Allah as soon as possible, thinking that the Holy Prophet would get angry with `Ali’s act because of his daughter, Fatimah. Buraydah went to the presence of the Holy Prophet and  read Khalid’s letter hoping that he will be angry with `Ali’s act. But contrary to his expectation, the Holy Prophet was angry with Khalid’s letter. Although Buraydah noticed how angry the Holy Prophet was in order to realize his objective, he corrected Khalid’s writing, saying: O Messenger of Allah, if you give permission to people to choose whomever they want and whatever property they wish, before the division of booties, there will be a chaos in the division of booties and no one can attain his right. Being angry with Khalid’s letter and Buraydah’s saying, the Messenger of Allah said: O Buraydah, woe to you! Has the dark veil of hypocrisy covered your eyes that you are saying this about `Ali? Whatever is permissible for me in booties is also permissible for `Ali. That is, in the same way that it is permissible for me to devote a female slave or other property to myself before division of booties, so is it for `Ali. Then, he added `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the best of people whom I will appoint as successor among my Ummah. Admonishing Buraydah with a short sentence, the Holy Prophet said: Beware not to be hostile to `Ali, for you will be hostile to God and God will be hostile to you. Being informed of `Ali’s supreme position, Buraydah regretted what he had said, repented and asked for forgiveness.[210]

In the battle of Salsalah, a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah saying: A group of Arabs in Wadi al-Raml are intent to invade Medina at night. Addressing his companions, the Messenger of Allah said: Are there enough people to defend? A group of the people of Suffah rose up, saying: O Messenger of Allah, we are prepared to fight them. Assign a commander for us. Another group said the same. The Messenger of Allah decided to draw lots which fell upon eighty persons. The Messenger of Allah assigned Abu-Bakr as their commander, telling them to move towards the tribe of Banu-Salim (the invaders) in the heart of Wadi al-Raml. It was not long before Abu-Bakr returned to Medina, defeated and with casualties. Then, he assigned `Umar as their commander, gave the banner of Islam to him and sent them to Wadi al-Raml. This time too, `Umar returned to Medina while being defeated. These successive defeats saddened the Holy Prophet. `Amr ibn al-`As expressing his readiness said: O Messenger of Allah, give this mission to me. The Holy Prophet accepted his request assigning him as the commander of the army but it was not long before that he returned to Medina, defeated while  two persons were killed and a number of them were injured. Following the defeat of these people, being depressed and cursing the enemies, the Messenger of Allah called for `Ali, entrusted the commandership of the army to him, saw him off to the mosque of Ahzab, and prayed for his victory. As ordered by the Holy Prophet, Abu-Bakr, `Umar and `Amr ibn al-`As accompanied `Ali. Enjoying a special vision and knowing the military tactic, `Ali and the army moved forward at the nights and hid themselves at the days till they reached the headquarters of the invaders. Blocking the entrance and exit of the headquarters, they encircled the enemy. Given the plan and the speedy victory of Muslim, `Amr ibn al-`As spoke to Abu-Bakr and `Umar to dissuade `Ali from his skillful military act to deprive him of victory. This suggestion was accepted by Abu-Bakr. So he came to `Ali saying: This is the land of ferocious animals and it is harder for us to act than in the enemy’s headquarter. Therefore, we would better to transfer this camp further up to be safe from the enemy and ferocious animals. `Ali listened but gave no answer. Abu-Bakr went to `Umar and `Amr ibn al-`As informed them of the case. `Amr advised `Umar with the same words saying: You speak to `Ali; perhaps he will accept what you say. `Umar conveyed the same to `Ali but `Ali gave no answer and kept silent. Putting the army on alert, `Ali launched his heroic attack on the enemy at dawn, made them flee within a short space of time and achieved the victory. Concurrent with the victory of the army of Islam under the leadership of `Ali, Gabriel appeared to the Messenger of Allah, reciting to the Holy Prophet the Surah “I swear by the runners breathing pantingly” (100) as a sign of victory. Being informed of this victory through revelation, the Messenger of Allah rushed to welcome `Ali. Seeing the Holy Prophet, `Ali dismounted his horse and hugged him. The Holy Prophet who was extremely happy said: If I was not afraid a group of my followers to say about you what the Christians said about Jesus, the son of Mary, I would say something about you that anytime you pass by people they would take the dust under your feet as a blessing and rub it against their eyes. Now, mount your horse with the honor, for God and His Messenger are pleased with you. As `Ali, the great man of history, had an active presence in the battlefields on the order of God and His messenger, he went through trials by tolerating a lot of sufferings and calamities to be worthy of his position.

Following the departure of the Holy Prophet, Imam `Ali spent most of his lifetime in wars.[202]

In the battle of camel, Talhah and Zubayr breached their homage to Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful.[203] Before people had pledged their allegiance to `Ali, `A’ishah in Medina repeatedly provoked people to kill `Uthman. She is said to be the only person who was severely opposing `Uthman’s behavior. She used to rally people to kill `Uthman. Her habitual phrase was: Kill Na`thal![204]] May Allah kill him. These garments of the Messenger of Allah have not yet grown old; nevertheless, `Uthman has rotten the Prophet’s tradition. Following successive warnings, she left Medina for Mecca as a sign of protest. However, after the killing of `Uthman, she speedily decided to return to Medina to achieve her goal. On her way to Medina, she was told that following `Uthman’s killing, people pledged allegiance with `Ali. So she changed her route and went back to Mecca speaking of the unfair killing of `Uthman and saying: I will revenge myself on `Ali for the unfair killing of `Uthman![205]

Talhah and Zubayr left Medina and asked permission of Imam `Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, to go on Umrah. Knowing their true aim[206], Imam `Ali addressed them in this way: By God, you are not going on Umrah; rather, you are going on conspiracy.[207] At any rate, Talhah and Zubayr headed for Mecca. Having reached there, they met with `A’ishah and persuaded her to leave for Basrah for fighting against Imam `Ali.  Imam `Ali prepared himself to travel after them and he wrote a letter to `A’ishah and the other two, asking them to refrain from doing what God would not accept and to return to their allegiance to him. But they did not accept the Imam’s advice. At this time, `Ali raised his hands towards the heaven and cursed them, saying: O Lord! This is Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah who put his hand in my hand with his heart’s consent and pledged allegiance to me and then broke it. Take my revenge on him! O Lord! Zubayr ibn `Awwam broke his ties of relationship with me, took back his allegiance with me, showed blatant hostility to me and waged war against me while he knows he has been unjust to me. O Lord! Take his evil away from me as You consider proper.[208]

The two armies lined up and armed themselves. Wearing a shirt and cloak and having a black turban on his head, `Ali stood between the  two armies, calling Zubayr with a loud voice. Hearing his name, Zubayr came to `Ali who said: What is the reason for your presence in this riot? Why are you drawing sword against me? Zubayr said: To avenge `Uthman’s blood! Imam `Ali said: You and your aides have killed `Uthman. Therefore take revenge on yourself. By the motto “there is no god but Him”, do you remember the day the Holy Prophet (s.a) said to you: Do you love `Ali and you said: Yes, indeed why should I not love him? He is my cousin. The Messenger of Allah said: It will not be long before you rebel against him while you are unjust and he is just. Zubayr said: I very well remember that! Then Imam `Ali said: For the sake of God, do you remember the day the Messenger of Allah and you while your hand was in his hand were coming from the house of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Auf, I rushed to welcome the Messenger of Allah and greeted him. He smiled at me and I smiled at him. You said: The son of Abu-Talib does not stop taking pride in himself! The Messenger of Allah said: Zubayr! Calm down. `Ali does not take pride in himself. It will not be long when you will rise against him while you are unjust and he is just.

Zubayr said: Yes, it was so. You reminded me of what I had forgotten! So it is not late to give up fighting you. I would not take part in this riot if I remembered it. Saying this, Zubayr went to `A’ishah. His son `Abdullah said: What has happened? Zubayr said: `Ali reminded me of what the Messenger of Allah had said about him and I had forgotten. So I do not consider fighting against him fair. `Abdullah said: This is not the whole story. You fear the sword of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib!

Getting angry with his son, Zubayr attacked the army. `Ali said: Give him a chance of maneuver, for he does not mean to fight rather he wishes to show his combat capability to his son. Zubayr went out of `Ali’s army with a courageous move. Addressing his son, Zubayr said: Did you see what I did? Does a timid person display such a pomp and power? I would not have done so if I had feared. He then went through the lines of his army and joined a group of Banu-Tamim tribe outside the city of Basrah. This act of Zubayr was heavy for `Amr ibn Jurmuz Mujashi`i, a member of the tribe who was aware of Basrah riot. So he killed Zubayr in sleep though Zubayr was his guest. Hence, Imam `Ali’s prayer about him was answered.[209]

As for Talhah, the warmonger, when he was fighting, suddenly an arrow hit him in the leg and he died immediately. Then the fighting began with intensity.[210]

At this time a man by the name of `Abdullah who was one of the rioters of the battle of camel, parading between two armies said: Where is Abul Hasan? Standing in front of him, `Ali attacked on him and cut off his shoulder with one blow of sword. `Abdullah died immediately. Then another man blocked the way to `Ali, challenging him. With a slight attack and the blow `Ali struck on his face, half of the man’s head was cut off. He died too immediately. Thereafter, ibn Abi-Khalaf Khuza`i was prepared for fighting, saying: O `Ali, do you like to fight me? `Ali said: I do not reject it but woe to you! What comfort do you seek in death though you know who I am? He said: O son of Abu-Talib, put aside this pride of yours in battles and come closer to me to see who will kill who! `Ali directed his horse towards him. `Abdullah tried to strike a blow but `Ali repelled it with his special skill and cut off his right hand with the first blow of sword and cut off his head with the second blow. He too died immediately.

When the fighting intensified, `Ali ordered to hamstring the camel of `A’ishah and the camel fell down on the earth. In this bloody battle, started by `A’ishah, sixteen thousand seven hundred and ninety persons of her thirty thousand strong army were killed and out of `Ali’s twenty thousand strong army, only one thousand and seventy persons accompanying Imam `Ali were martyred.[211]

In this battle, a man by the name of Mikhraq ibn `Abd al-Rahman from Mu`awiyah’s army entered the battle, asking for a challenger. From `Ali’s army, a man by the name of Mu’ammal ibn `Ubayd Muradi responded and stood before him. The man from Syria martyred him. Then, a youth from the tribe of Azd fought him and he was martyred too. At this time `Ali stood before him as a disguised man and killed him. Another rider came to the battlefield but he was killed too. Fighting continued till the seventh man from the army of Mu`awiyah was killed. Seeing the killed persons, the army of Syria left the battlefield but `Ali remained in the battlefield unknown.

To boost the morale of his army, Mu`awiyah ordered his slave whose

name was Harb and unrivaled in bravery, to prepare himself for fighting against the lone rider of the battlefield and to kill him! The slave who had seen the killing of several men said to Mu`awiyah: Beyond doubt, he will kill me but you can opt for sending me to the battlefield to be killed or keeping me for harder days. Mu`awiyah accepted the slave’s suggestion and said: Stop for the moment. `Ali remained in the battlefield, waiting for a challenger. Finding that he had no challenger, `Ali returned to his army camp.[212]

Sometime later, another brave man of the army of Syria by the name of Kurayb ibn Sabbah entered the battlefield and asked for challenger. Mubarqa` Jawlani, one of `Ali’s aides went to fight him but he was martyred in this hand to hand fighting. Another struggler faced him but he was martyred too. This time, `Ali entered the battlefield for a hand to hand fighting saying: Spare your life and fear God. Kurayb said: Who are you? The answer was: I am `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Kurayb said: come closer. `Ali stood opposite him. Blows of sword were exchanged between them but it was not long before `Ali sent him to hell with a speedy blow of his sword. Another man from the army of Mu`awiyah replaced Kurayb but after a few moments, he was killed too. The third and fourth men came to the battlefield but they were killed by `Ali one after the other.

At this time, Amir al-Mu’minin sent a message to Mu`awiyah saying: Let us fight each other and put an end to the battle so no more Arabs are killed from the two sides. Mu`awiyah said: Forget about this request, for I will never fight you. At this time, `Urwah ibn Dawud, one the army leaders of Syria, who had a desire to fight `Ali entered the battlefield and proudly said: O `Ali! If Mu`awiyah is not willing to fight you I am prepared to fight you. He had hardly finished saying these words when `Ali struck a blow on him with his sword and killed him. With the coming of evening, the army of Syria left the battlefield.[213]

Being disguised, `Ali came to the battlefield the following day and asked for a challenger. To obtain an honor in the army of Syria, the tricky `Amr ibn al-`As accepted the challenge, for he did not know who the challenger was. Knowing him well and in order to keep him away from the army, `Ali speedily moved away from before him. `Amr chased him but soon found out that it was `Ali. So he decided  to flee the scene but this time `Ali chased him, throwing a spear at him which hit his cuirass. `Amr fell off his horse and seeing himself in the claws of death, unveiled his private parts. So `Ali turned his face away from him. Taking the opportunity, `Amr rose up immediately and took to his heels. `Ali too returned to his army camp. `Amr who had escaped death, rejoicingly went back to Mu`awiyah finding him laughing. `Amr said: By God, if what happened to me had happened to you, you would have been struck with `Ali’s sword, your children would have been made orphans and your property would have been looted! Mu`awiyah said: What you are saying is right but your shameless act will remain in history forever.[214]

Busr ibn Arta’ah was one of the most evil men in the army of Mu`awiyah and he had a rancor against `Ali. He was impudent in committing sin and in disobeying God. Hearing that `Ali had challenged Mu`awiyah, Busr said: I will fight him. Coming to the battlefield, he stood opposite `Ali who attacked him immediately making Busr fall from his horse. Seeing himself in the claws of death, like `Amr ibn al-`As, Busr too raised his legs, unveiling his private parts. `Ali turned his face away from him. Taking the opportunity, Busr fled from the battlefield. Mu`awiyah who was closely watching this scene burst into laughter. Amid this, a brave youth of Kufah cried loudly: Shame on you O shameless people who instead of fighting in the battlefield unveil your private parts like what `Amr ibn As did.[215]

In Laylat al-Harir when the army men of Mu`awiyah were howling like dogs from the intensity of war, `Ali was present in the battlefield and every time he killed an army man of Mu`awiyah, he would loudly say: Allah is the Greatest. At that night the number of Takbir amounted to five hundred and twenty three. At that night six thousand men were killed till dawn.[216]

Following that historic night, `Ali’s companions saw victory of their army before their eyes. To conclude the affairs, Malik Ashtar together with `Ali’s army launched a lightning attack, chasing Mu`awiyah’s army and pushed them back to their army camp. Seeing this scene, `Amr ibn `As was sure that the war would end in favor of `Ali. For this reason, he went to Mu`awiyah to think of a solution,saying: We would better put up the books of Qur’an and invite them to arbitration! Praising this suggestion, Mu`awiyah immediately ordered the army to put up the books of Qur’an on the spears. The reciters of the Qur’an gave up fighting saying: We will not fight the Qur’an. We should give in to the verdict of the Qur’an. Being aware of `Amr’s trick, `Ali said: This trick belongs to `Amr, for they have never acted according to the Holy Qur’an. Nevertheless, the blind-hearted hypocrites who were among `Ali’s army and looking for a chance of sabotage, ignored `Ali’s advice, saying: We will not fight anymore. The Qur’an’s verdict should rule between us and this group. They also said: Tell Malik to stop fighting or we will submit you the people of Syria or we will kill you right here! `Ali sent one of his companions to inform the case to Malik who was then fighting and witnessing the victory. Malik too sent a message saying: It is not the right time for me to return, for I wish to bring the fighting to a conclusion. `Ali sent a message again saying: They will either kill me or surrender me to Mu`awiyah if you do not return. So Malik sorrowfully came back to `Ali, swearing at ignorant reciters but the die was cast and the war had not come to a conclusion.[217]

Saddened by this unexpected event, `Ali turned to the army of Syria, saying: Why have you put Books of Qur’an on the spears? They said: To invite you to the verdict of the Qur’an, to choose a man from among us and a man from among you to sit and exchange views on caliphate and make a decision on choosing a rightful caliph.

Being aware of this trick, `Ali informed his aides of the plot and the intention of the deviators of Syria under the guise of acting according to the Holy Qur’an. But this time too, they ignored `Ali, forcing him to accept arbitration.

Mu`awiyah appointed `Amr ibn `As as arbitrator who represented the people of Syria. Imam `Ali too appointed `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas but regretfully the people of Kufah rejected him. Imam `Ali said: Choose Abul Aswad Du’ali then! They said: No, we will choose Abu-Musa Ash`ari as our representative! Imam `Ali said: But this man is naïve and ignorant. Besides, he has no inclination towards us. They said: We do not accept anyone but Abu-Musa! So they chose him as their representative.

`Amr ibn `As instigated another plot, suggesting to Abu-Musa: What has afflicted the people of Kufah and Syria come from `Ali and Mu`awiyah. We, the representatives of these people should now oust these two from caliphate and choose a trustworthy person as caliph. The ignorant Abu-Musa accepted this trick and praised his decision! Being sure of what Abu-Musa had said, `Amr ibn `As said: As you are a respectable old man and your knowledge of Islam is more, you oust `Ali first and then I will oust Mu`awiyah. Abu-Musa complied with what `Amr ibn al-`As suggested, saying: Now it is your turn to oust Mu`awiyah! `Amr ibn al-`As rose up and said: O people, you are witnessing that Abu-Musa ousted `Ali from caliphate and that is what I desire. But I establish Mu`awiyah in the seat of caliphate. The ignorant Abu-Musa found out that he had been tricked. Se he started swearing at him. `Amr too swore at Abu-Musa. They cursed each other but the die was cast.[218]

In this battle, Abul Yaqzan `Ammar ibn Yasir was martyred. He is the one about whom, the Messenger of Allah had said: `Ammar is the apple of my eye and he will be killed by a rebellious group.[219]

The killer of `Ammar is Abu-`Ariyah Muzani who cast down his spear with humiliation and ibn Juni Saksaki beheaded him. `Ammar was 94 years old then.[220]

Speaking about `Ammar’s merit, Abu-Sa`id Khidri reports: When Masjid al-Nabi was being built in Medina, we, the companions of the Messenger of Allah, would carry one mud brick each but `Ammar carried two mud bricks. Once messenger of Allah passed by him and removed the dust from his hand and face, saying to him: O `Ammar, like others carry one mud brick. `Ammar said: O Messenger of Allah! I am seeking nearness to Allah with it. Once again, he was faced with the Messenger of Allah who removed dust from his head and face, saying: A rebellious group will kill you, while you are inviting them to paradise and they are inviting you to fire.[211]

`Alqamah and Aswad report: To probe the presence of Abu-Ayyub Ansari alongside `Ali and his participation in the battles of camel and Siffin, we went to his house. After entering the house, we said: God Almighty blessed you when the Holy Prophet first entered your house upon arrival in Medina and in this connection you are privileged,for God revealed to his camel to stop at the door of your house and you had the honor to host the Messenger of Allah. Now, given this merit, what is the reason for your accompanying Imam `Ali? Abu-Ayyub said: I swear by God, we were sitting in this room and there was no one except the Messenger of Allah and Imam `Ali on the right side and me on the left side and Anas who was standing opposite `Ali. All of a sudden, someone knocked at the door. The Messenger of Allah said to me: Go and see who is behind the door. Anas answered the door, saying: It is `Ammar. The Messenger of Allah said: Open the door for that purified person. He opened the door. `Ammar entered the house and greeted the Messenger of Allah who welcomed him. Fondling him, the Holy Prophet said: In a not too distant future after my departure, there will be a great difference Among my Ummah in a way they will draw sword against each other. Follow the man sitting on my right side at that time even if all the people go one way and `Ali alone will go another way. Opt for the way of `Ali and leave others, for `Ali will never mislead you. O `Ammar, know that to obey `Ali is to obey me and to obey me is to obey God.[222]

We now deal with Khawarij. It was a group who hastily seceded from religion and was deviated. Following the issue of arbitration in the battle of Siffin when `Ali returned to Kufah to wait for the period fixed between him and Mu`awiyah to come to an end so that he will fight Mu`awiyah later, four thousand of army men who were pious withdrew from the army of `Ali as dissidents leaving Kufah saying: Verdict belongs solely to God and obeying Mu`awiyah who had rebelled against God was not right. They said: Since `Ali has accepted arbitration, he must repent it. Over eight thousand others too joined them leaving Kufah for Harawa, choosing `Abdullah ibn al-Kawa as their commander and getting ready to fight `Ali.

Imam `Ali gave `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas the mission to tell them the truth and guide them. `Abdullah went to them, bewared them of disobeying the instructions of Amir al-Mu’minin but they did not listen to him and remained in their deviation. Then, `Ali personally went to speak to them while ibn Kawa and a group of his followers, riding on horses were ready to fight. Turning to ibn Kawa, Imam `Ali said: Let me speak to you. Ibn Kawwa’ said: Am I safe from your sword? Imam `Ali said: Be sure I will not harm you.

Ibn Kawwa’ with ten of his companions went to Imam `Ali to discuss the issue. Imam `Ali said: Did I not warn you that the people of Syria had chosen the verdict of Qur’an as a trick to deceive you, for they were exhausted with war and I said: Let us finish the war but you did not accept? Ibn Kawwa’ said: Yes, it was as you say. Imam `Ali said: Did I not tell you now that you insist on arbitration let me assign my cousin, `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas as the representative of Iraq’s army, for they could not deceive him but you did not accept insisting on Abu-Musa Ash`ari and I reluctantly accepted it. I would never accept their offer if there were people other than you alongside me. Apart from this, in that session, I made a condition that the arbitrators should obey and observe God’s verdict and implement the tradition of the Messenger of Allah and in case of violation of God’s verdict, I did not have to observe it. Is the truth anything other than this? Ibn Kawwa’ said: What you say is justified but there is one question unanswered. Why did you not continue the war given that the arbitration was illegal? Imam `Ali said: The continuation of war depended on the expiry of the period set between the two parties which had to be observed. Ibn Kawwa’ asked: What is your decision after the expiry of the period? Imam `Ali said: There is no option but war. Hearing this, ibn Kawa and ten of those accompanying him joined Imam `Ali’s companions and withdrew from Khawarij but the rest of them remained Khawarij following the motto of “there is no verdict but that of Allah.”

This group chose `Abdullah ibn Wahah Rasibi and Hurqus ibn Zuhayr Bujali known as Dhu’l-Thadyah as their commanders, gathered in Nahrawan where they made their camp.

Imam `Ali set out to chase them and stopped within two farsangs of their gathering place, wrote them a letter giving them advice but they insisted on their position and refused to accept what was just. To guide and give them ultimatum, Imam `Ali sent Ibn `Abbas, saying: Ask them what objections you have to my acts? Imam `Ali assured Ibn `Abbas that they could not harm him, for he was closely watching the situation. Ibn `Abbas conveyed the message to them. The Khawarij said that some of `Ali’s acts deserved criticism and were somehow unclear. Receiving the report of Ibn `Abbas, Imam `Ali personally, went to see them, saying to them: O people, I am `Aliibn Abi-Talib. What are your objections? They said: The first objection is that we were with you in the battle of camel, fighting them on your order but after the victory you made only their property permissible for us but did not permit us to take their women and children captive! Imam `Ali said: The question is that their men fought us and after victory, what was left of their property in the front was lawful to you whereas their women had not fought us, hence we were not permitted to take them captive. As for the children, I should say that they were born maturely Muslims and had not committed any sin so their captivity was not lawful to us. I saw with my own eyes how gracious the Messenger of Allah was to the women and children of the atheists and never did he take them captive. So it is not strange if I was gracious to Muslims and did not take them captive.

They said: Our second objection to you is that in the battle of Siffin while drawing up the treaty between you and Mu`awiyah, you removed your title of commander and leader of believers. Imam `Ali said: The reason is that in the peace treaty of Hudaybiyah and the one between messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn `Amr in which the Holy Prophet had mentioned his name as prophet, Suhayl objected to the word “prophet” in it, for they said: If we believed in your prophetic mission, there would be no meaning in concluding a peace treaty. Hence the Messenger of Allah removed the word “prophet” from the peace treaty. I too followed the Holy Prophet’s act and removed the word “commander of believers (Amir al-Mu’minin)” from my title.

They said: Our third objection to you is that in relation to arbitration, you said: O people, look at the book of Allah. Confirm me if you accept my superiority over Mu`awiyah. This does not mean anything save doubt in your rightfulness! Answering it, Imam `Ali said: What I said then was not based on doubt, rather I wished to act fairly, for concerning mutual curse (Mubahalah) with the Christians of Najran, God states: “and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars” (3:60) though they were surely lying and if instead of the aforesaid verse, God would state: “and pray for the curse of Allah on you”, they would not be pleased nor accepted it.

They said: our fourth objection to you is this: Why did you give in to  arbitration regarding your indisputable right while arbitration has meaning when a right is recognized with it? Your decision on your indisputable right was not justified. The Imam said: I followed the Messenger of Allah in this connection, when he entrusted arbitration to Sa`d ibn Mu`adh in relation to the Jews of Banu-Qurayzah though the Messenger of Allah himself was the best arbitrator. Then Imam `Ali (a.s) said: Is there any other objection? They all kept silent. At this time, a large group of them loudly cried: We repent! We repent. Imam `Ali too accepted their repentance and pardoned them. Those who repented were eight thousand but the other four thousand remained in their rebellion, and declared war.[223]

The commanders of Khawarij, `Abdullah ibn Wahab Rasibi and Dhu’l-Thadyah would say: We consider fighting against `Ali as an act of seeking nearness to God and His pleasure as well as salvation in the Day of Judgment. Hence, addressing `Ali, they would say: We do not see fighting against you anything but happiness of Allah and the hereafter. Answering them, Imam `Ali recited the verse: “say: shall we inform you of the greatest losers in their deed” (18:103). Then the war reached its climax and attacks started. The first man, who entered the battlefield, was Akhfash Ta’i who had fought alongside `Ali in the battle of Siffin. He cleft the army line and asked to fight `Ali who rushed to the battlefield and killed him. Then, Dhu’l-Thadyah stood opposite `Ali to kill the Imam but `Ali did not give him any respite and with a blow of sword on his head killed him. His horse threw him down on the back of the Euphrates river.

Later Malik ibn Waddah, the cousin of Dhu’l-Thadyah prepared himself for fighting, attacking `Ali first. He too was killed by `Ali within short space of time.[224]

After this event, Wahab ibn `Abdullah, a leader of rioters, raised his voice, saying: O Son of Abu-Talib, by God, I will not leave the battlefield unless either I am killed or will kill you! Let us fight each other and let the people watch us from afar! Hearing this, `Ali started smiling and said: May Allah kill him. How impudent and shameless he is, given that I have sword in one hand and spear in the other. This ill-fated and unlucky man has either washed his hands off life or is nurturing a false hope in his mind by saying so. Wahab attacked `Ali first but it was not long before he was killed by Imam `Ali.[225]

With the passage of an hour, out of four thousand people, only nine survived and the rest were killed. Out of those nine men, two fled to Sistan. The Khawarij in Sistan are the progeny of these two men. Two others went to Oman. Abaziah are their progeny. The other two went to Yemen where they produced the generation of Abaziah. The other two fled to Bawazij and the last one of them took refuge to Mozan hills.[226]

In this battle, based on `Ali’s prophecy only nine of his aides were martyred and only nine of men survived the Khawarij.[227]

Although Imam `Ali had taken part in many battles and had an active part in them, he was not heavily hurt in any one of them. He was not blamed by the Messenger of Allah even on one occasion. He never turned his back on war, nor did he fear brave fighters, nor did he flee from the enemies.[228]

Imam `Ali’s Precedence to Believing in the Holy Prophet

The great Shafi`ite scholar and jurisprudent, ibn Mughazili in his book “Manaqib” in a commentary on the verse “and the foremost are the foremost” (56:10) writes: Yusha` ibn Nun (Joshua) was the foremost in believing on Moses (a.s), the man of Al-Yasin was the foremost in believing in Jesus (a.s) and `Ali ibn Abi-Talib was the foremost in believing in Muhammad the son of `Abdullah, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon them all.[229]

`Abdullah ibn `Abbas had been quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad as saying: I heard from `Ali ibn Abi-Talib saying: I am servant of Allah and brother to His messenger. I am also the great accepter. Anyone who makes such a claim after me he is certainly liar who has slandered Allah and His messenger! The evidence of the truthfulness of what I say is that I have worshiped Allah and have performed prayer seven years before all people.[230] 

Ahmad ibn Hanbal in “Musnad” had quoted ibn Abi-Layla as reporting: The Messenger of Allah said: The foremost or the pioneers who accepted divine mission were three persons, namely, Habib the carpenter, and Ilyas the believer who said: “O my people! Follow the messengers” (36:20) and Ezekiel the believer of the family of Pharaoh who said: “What! Will you slay a man because he 

says: My lord is Allah” (40:28), and the third of them who is superior to the other two is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib who accepted the Holy Prophet’s mission before other people.[231]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Imam al-Rida (a.s) as saying: All people will enter the plain of resurrection on foot except we four who will enter it while riding. I will ride the heavenly horse, Buraq, my brother, Salih will ride the she-camel which was hamstrung, my uncle, Hamzah, will ride the she-camel, `Adba’, and my brother, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib will ride a heavenly camel while carrying the banner of “Hamd” in his hand before Allah, saying: There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.

Then, people will say: This is an archangel, a messenger, or bearer of the throne of the Lord of the worlds. At that time, an angel from within the throne will respond: O group of men! This is neither an archangel, nor a messenger, nor the bearer of the throne, rather, he is the greater Accepter, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, with the banner of “Hamd” in hand and testifying to the unity of God of the world and the mission of the last prophet.[232]

`Ali and Surah Bara’ah

The Messenger of Allah gave Abu-Bakr the mission to convey Surah Bara’ah (al-Tawbah, No. 9)) to the Meccans to the effect that the atheists are not allowed to perform Hajj rituals from now on, no one can circumambulate Ka`bah being nude and that not any non-Muslim will enter paradise. Furthermore, anyone having a time agreement of non-violation between him and the Messenger of Allah, it will be valid for that period of time, for this is a declaration of immunity by Allah and His messenger towards the atheists. To fulfill this mission, Abu-Bakr walked three successive days to reach Mecca, but all of a sudden, Gabriel appeared to the Holy Prophet, saying: O Messenger of Allah! God Almighty is sending you greetings and state: This important mission will not be carried out by anyone but you or a man from your household! The Messenger of Allah called `Ali, saying: Ride on my she-camel, rush towards Mecca, meet Abu-Bakr on the way, take the Surah Bara’ah from him, convey it to the people personally, and give him option to either accompany you or to return to me. `Ali rode on the Holy Prophet’s `Adba' she-camel and headed for Mecca. Seeing `Ali rushing towards him, Abu-Bakr  was full of fear, asking: What is this rush for? Are you here to accompany me or you have another mission? `Ali said: The Holy Prophet (s.a) has ordered me to take the Surah Bara’ah from you, to read it for the atheists and give you the option to either accompany me or return to the Messenger of Allah. Abu-Bakr said: I will go back to the Holy Prophet.

Coming to the presence of the Holy Prophet, Abu-Bakr said: O Messenger of Allah! You chose me to convey what the others were interested in but you took back the mission from me and gave it to another person! Has any verse been revealed to you about me? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: No, but Gabriel came down to me saying: This mission cannot be carried out by anyone other than you or someone who is from you! Since `Ali is from me and no one but he can act on my behalf, I entrusted the mission to him.[233]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported by Zubayr ibn Bakkar ibn Zubayr ibn `Awwam, a supporter of Umayyad, as saying: I was passing through an alley in Medina along with `Umar ibn Khattab. `Umar said: O son of `Abbas, I believe that your friend, that is your cousin, `Ali, has been treated unjustly. I said: But what will happen if you treat him justly? Pulling back his hand from my hand immediately and walking a few steps forward speedily, `Umar stopped till I caught up with him. Turning to me, `Umar said: O son of `Abbas, I know why he has been treated unjustly. First of all, `Ali was young and the old men of Arabs could not tolerate him as a commander or leader. Hence, they belittled him and denied his right. Ibn `Abbas reports: I said to him: By God, God Almighty did not belittled him on his mission to convey Surah “Bara’-at.” Hearing this, `Umar turned his face away from me and went his way.[234]

`Ali’s Contradictory Virtues (Polarization)

It is unanimously agreed that `Ali was the most pious man of his time in a way he had divorced the world three times (he had completely renounced the world).

He was fasting during days and worshipping during nights. He would break his fast with dried barley bread which he kept out of the reach of others putting a seal on it so that his sons, Hasan and Husayn, would not add fat or olive to it. A man who is detached from  the worldly pleasures as such must be weak naturally and unable to tolerate the difficulties of life. However, thanks to the piety and detachment from world, he was so powerful that in the conquest of Khaybar, he took off the gate of the fort which seventy men could not hold up, threw it as far as a few meters away and made it a bridge for the Muslims to cross. Imam `Ali (a.s) used most of his time in the battlefields putting the enemies of Islam under his sword. A person like this must be stone-hearted as a rule but Amir al-Mu’minin was not as such. On the contrary, he was tender-hearted, kind and good-tempered. For this reason, the hypocrites considered this characteristic of him as witticism and used to say: He is full of witticism.[235]

`Ali’s Maxims

Imam `Ali (a.s) was the master of the eloquent writers and speakers so much so that on his mastery of words, it is said: His elocution is above that of all creatures and below that of the Creator. The masters of eloquence have learnt from his school.

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: O people! Certainly this world is a passage while the next world is a place of permanent abode. So, take from the passage (all that you can) for the permanent abode. Do not tear away your curtain before Him who is aware of your secrets. Take away from this world your hearts before your bodies go out of it, because herein you have been put on trial, and you have been created for the other world. When a man dies people ask what (property) he has left while the angels ask what (good deeds) he has sent forward. May Allah bless you, send forward something, it will be a loan for you, and do not leave everything behind, for that would be a burden on you.[236] The parable of the world is like a fatal poison drunk by an unconscious man.

Imam `Ali (a.s) had said: O people! Break the stormy waves of mischief with the life boats. Take the illusory crown of honor off your head. Abandon the path of discord and walk on the path of happiness. If you wish to take your right, rise up powerfully to reach your goal, for a bird which has no strong wing can hardly fly. If you have no power to defend your right, calm down and submit yourself to fate so as to receive what is destined for you.

This world is fetid water which does not taste good for man’s healthy nature. The parable of unripe fruit for the gardener is the parable of a farmer who has farmed in the land belonging to others.

Should I say caliphate is my right, the ignorant people will say: `Ali is trying to gain power and rule. If I keep silent, they will say: `Ali is afraid of death. How difficult it is for this ignorant mass of people to understand the truth! By God, the son of Abu-Talib is more fond of death than a child of his mother’s breast. Hence, my silence in relation to caliphate is not motivated by fear of death. Rather, my silence is due to what I know about future. I know, if I say something and act accordingly, what will happen to Islam! If what I have buried in my bosom will come out of my throat like the lava of a volcano, you will be shaken with worries.[235]

No graceful life is possible save in the light of religion. There is no death more fatal than denial of truth. Therefore, on the path to destination, you must drink the wholesome water of certainty so as to rid you from the fatal slumber of uncertainty. Avoid toxic words which poison the spirit of certainty in you, ruin your firm belief and prevent you from useful deed.[238]

In response to a man who disparaged the world, Imam `Ali said: This world is the abode of honesty for one who accepts its honesty, replete with blessings for those who comprehend this truth well, and a profitable market for one who prepares a provision from it. It is the prostration-place of God’s prophets, the destination of His revelations, the prayer-place of His angels, and the profitable business of His saints, wherein they gained mercy and won Paradise. Who can now disparage it after it has warned its inhabitants, declared departure, and mourned itself and its inhabitants? So, it urges to give up its pleasure for the sake of the pleasure of the Hereafter and to accept its tribulation for the sake of escaping the tribulation of the Hereafter by means of frightening, warning, desiring, and terrifying. So, O you who swear at the world with your tongue but you are attached to its vanity, say: When did the world deceive you? Did the rotten bones of your fathers deceive you? Did the resting-places of your mothers make you feel arrogant? Were you deceived by their taking care of you and a medicine which might cure  you but with the coming of death they were all useless? Did the world not show you their resting-place in the same way that it will show your resting-place to others? Were all these not a lesson for you to learn? After death, neither weeping of mourners nor your friends and relatives will benefit you.[239]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: Do not set your hope on anyone but God Almighty. Do not fear anyone but your sin. A scholar who does not know a matter, if asked question, must not be ashamed of saying: God knows better. The importance of patience for faith is like the importance of head for body. Therefore, one who is not patient in tribulations and hardships had no faith.[240]

Every speech in which there is no name or remembrance of God is abortive and every silence not based on pondering is forgetfulness and every vision which is not admonitory is idle.[241]

One who has redeemed himself and then set free is never like one who sells himself and then sets himself free, that is, one who with praiseworthy deeds, has redeemed himself from hell is never like one who with sins and blameworthy acts, has surrendered his soul to hell.[242]

Courtesy will replace what is counted for.[243]

An abstemious man in world is one who the more abstemiousness manifests itself in him, the more he turns away from the world and takes distance from it.[244]

Love for one’s relatives makes kinship stronger. Nevertheless, knowledge is superior to family and tribal dignity.[245]

One who is fond of magnanimity never goes after sin![246]

The ultimate degree of generosity is to give away what is in one’s power.[247]

Man’s ignorance of his faults is his biggest sin.[248]

Man reaches the ultimate degree of piety when he is content with what he has and does not overreach himself.[249]

Ignore your friend’s mistake so that if the enemy ever attacks you and you are in need of his support, he will defend you.[250]

Timely confession ruins the foundation of sin.[251]

The worst provision for the Day of Judgment is to oppress the servants of God.[252]

Man’s life is divided into two days, or better to say two parts: One day the world turns to man and another day it turns its back on him. Therefore, be careful not to be arrogant when the world turns to you and to be patient when the world turns its back on you.

If man knew when his life came to an end, he would not extend his desires.[253]

On many occasions, an esteemed person is humiliated because of his bad temper and behavior and a humble person is honored because of his good temper and behavior.[254]

A man’s worth is to the extent of his comprehension, knowledge and his praiseworthy deeds.[255]

People are the offspring of their own deeds, for they are attributed to their father, family and ancestors for their identity but praiseworthy deeds make them independent of being attributed to their ancestors.[256]

Whoever counsels with the wise men will be guided to the right path.[257]

One who is content with a little thing is in no need of extra and one who is always thinking of extra is in need of every worthless and little things.[258]

All matters are subject to destiny, so much so that sometimes death results from effort.[259]

A believer makes himself suffer but people are at ease with him.[260]

The best worship is patience against hardships and silence for being immune from harms of what one says and hoping for solution in hard times.[261]

Forbearance is a believer’s supporter, knowledge his friend, tolerance his brother, benefaction his father, and patience in hardships his commander.[262]

Three things are heavenly treasures for man: Hiding the charity he gives, hiding the calamity which befalls him and hiding his illness.[263]

O man, if you extend your hand in need towards a person, you will become certainly his captive. If you show independence from others, you will be his equal and if you give away something to a person, you will be his commander and ruler.[264]

Independence cannot be achieved with evil deeds, that is, a man has to refuse to commit sin, oppression, or treason to be independent. Ease and peace of mind will never come to a jealous person. Friendship and kindness must never be expected from kings, for tyrant rulers to establish their position have no mercy on even their closest friends.[265]

Generosity has its roots in man’s dignity. Hence, to hold others under obligation against generosity is contrary to man’s greatness.[266]

Abandoning friends and not socializing with people is a strong motivation for cutting off of friendship. Hence, it is said: It is easy to find friends but difficult to keep them.[267]

There are three groups of people whose prayers are never rejected: 1. A fair-minded leader who treats his servants with justice. 2. A benefactor son who treats his father fairly. 3. A wronged person who complains to God from an act of oppression. God Almighty will say: By my honor, it is incumbent on me to help you and I will take your right from the oppressor, even after a long time.[268]

A sinner who has a smile on his lips but confesses to his sins is better than an obedient weeper who flaunts God.[269]

Whoever sets his hope on others, the latter’s awe and glory is in his heart and whoever fails to know something, he is deprived of its knowledge, finds fault with it and speaks ill of it.[270]

The most wonderful organ of human body is his heart. In this organ, phenomena of wisdom and its opposite are manifest. If it is hopeful of anything, then the hardship of greed overtakes it and if it is incited by greed, it will be ruined. If despair overtakes it, successive regrets will kill it and its anger will be intensified. If it is self-satisfied, it will forget its own preservation. If it is overtaken by fear, it is preoccupied with its avoidance. If it gains security and tranquility,it is overtaken by vanity. If it abounds in blessings, it will face megalomania. If hardship afflicts it, complaints will make it disgraced. If it is afflicted with property, it will be obsessed with distress. If hunger bothers it, feebleness will overpower it. If it is indulged in overeating, it will be deprived of breathing. Therefore, every failure or shortage will harm it and every excess will corrupt it.[271]

Imam `Ali (a.s) holding Kumayl ibn Ziyad’s hand in his hand, said: O Kumayl, these hearts are containers. The best of them is that which preserves its contents. So, preserve what I say to you. People are three types: One is the scholar and divine. Then, is the seeker of knowledge who is also on the way to deliverance. Then (lastly), is the common rot who runs after every caller and bend in the direction of every wind. They seek no light from the effluence of knowledge and do not take protection of any reliable support.

O Kumayl, knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge guards you, while you have to guard the wealth. Wealth decreases by spending, while knowledge multiplies by spending.

O Kumayl, knowledge is belief which is acted upon. With it man acquires obedience during his life and a good name after his death. Knowledge is the ruler while wealth is ruled upon.

O Kumayl, those who amass wealth are dead even though they may be living while those endowed with knowledge will remain as long as the world lives. Their bodies are not available but their figures exists in the hearts. Look, here is a heap of knowledge (and Imam `Ali pointed to his bosom). I wish I could get someone to bear it. Yes, I did find (such a one); but either he was one who could not be relied upon. He would exploit the religion for worldly gains, and by virtue of Allah’s favors on him he would domineer over the people and through Allah’s pleasure he would lord over His devotees. Or he was one who was obedient to the hearers of truth but there was no intelligence in his bosom. At the first appearance of doubt, he would entertain misgivings in his heart. So, neither this nor that was good enough. Either the man is eager for pleasures, easily led away by passions, or is covetous for collecting and hoarding wealth. Neither of them has any regard for religion in any matter. The nearest  example of these is the loose cattle. This is the way that knowledge dies away with the death of its bearers. However, the earth is never devoid of those who maintain Allah’s pleas either openly and reputedly or, being afraid as hidden in order that Allah’s pleas and proofs should not be rebutted. How many are they and where are they? By Allah, they are few in number, but they are great in esteem before Allah. Through them Allah guards His pleas and proofs till they entrust them to others like themselves and sow the seeds thereof in the hearts of those who are similar to them.

Knowledge has led them to real understanding and so they have associated themselves with the spirit of conviction. They take easy what the easygoing regard as hard. They endear what the ignorant take as strange. They live in this world with their bodies here but their spirits resting in the high above. They are the vicegerents of Allah on His earth and callers to His religion. Oh, oh, how I yearn to see them! Go from here now, O Kumayl Wherever you wish.[272]

Imam `Ali has preached a sermon about those who sit for dispensation of justice among people but are not fit for it, as follows:

Among all the people the most detested before Allah are two persons. One is he who is devoted to his self. So he is deviated from the true path and loves speaking (foul) innovations inviting towards wrong path. He is therefore a nuisance for those who are enamored of him, is himself misled from the guidance of those preceding him, mislead those who follow him, in his life or after his death, carries the weight of others’ sins and is entangled in his own misdeeds.

The other man is he who has picked up ignorance. He moves among the ignorant, is senseless in the thick of mischief and is blind to the advantages of peace. Those resembling men have named him scholar but he is not so. He goes out early morning to collect things whose deficiency is better than plenty, till when he has quenched his thirst from polluted water and acquired meaningless things. He sits among the people as a judge responsible for solving whatever is confusing to others. If an ambiguous problem is presented before him, he manages shabby argument about it of his own accord and passes judgment on its basis. In this way, he is entangled in the confusion of doubts as in the spider’s web, not knowing whether he was right of  wrong. If he is right he fears lest he erred, while if he is wrong he hopes he is right. He is ignorant, wandering astray in ignorance and riding on carriages aimlessly moving in darkness. He did not try to find reality of knowledge. He scatters the traditions as the wind scatters the dry leaves.

By Allah, he is not capable of solving the problems that come to him nor is fit for the position assigned to him. Whatever he does not know he does not regard it worth knowing. He does not realize that what is beyond his reach is within the reach of others. If anything is not clear to him, he keeps quiet over it because he knows his own ignorance. Lost lives are crying against his unjust verdicts, and properties (that have been wrongly disposed of) are grumbling against him.

O people, you must never disobey your leaders on the ground that you do not know them, for no excuse will be accepted from you in this connection. This is because the knowledge with which Adam came down on the earth and what all the prophets from Adam to the seal of prophets are privileged with, are gathered in the family of your prophet. O you who from the companions of Noah’s Ark have walked onto this earth with the divine will know that there is the same flood and ark in our time. Hence, the only way for salvation is to seek refuge in Ahl al-Bayt. If the people at that time embarked on Noah’s Ark and were safeguarded from drowning, you too will be safe from superstitions and deviations at this time by resorting to Ahl al-Bayt. I pledge my obligation to what I say and I undertake to be accountable for it on the Day of Judgment.

Verily, I say woe is to one who is deviating from this path. Have you not heard what the Messenger of Allah said about Ahl al-Bayt when he returned from his last pilgrimage and communicating his divine mission: Verily I am leaving among you two valuable things; you will not go astray after me as long as you adhere to them. One is greater than the other. They are the book of Allah, and my household. They will never separate from one another until the come to me at the Pond.

Be aware that following the Holy Qur’an and the school of Ahl al-Bayt is like sweet and wholesome water which quenches your spiritual thirst whereas following people of innovation is like bitter and salty water which should be avoided.[273]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has preached a sermon about differences of view among the theologians as follows: When a problem is put before anyone of them, he passes judgment on it from his imagination. When exactly the same problem is placed before another of them he passes an opposite verdict. Then those judges go to the chief who had appointed them and he confirms all the verdicts, although their God is one (and the same), their prophet is one (and the same), their book (the Qur’an) is one (and the same).

Is it that Allah ordered them to differ and they obeyed Him? Or He prohibited them from it but they disobeyed Him? Or Allah sent an incomplete faith and sought their help to complete it? Or they are His partners in the affairs, so that it is their share of duty to pronounce and He has to agree? Or is it that Allah the Glorified sent a perfect faith but the prophet fell short of conveying it and handing it over (to the people)? The fact is that Allah, the Glorified, says: “We have not neglected anything in the Book” (6:38).

And says that one part of the Qur’an verifies another part and that there is no divergence in it as He says: “…and if it had been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found in it much discrepancy” (4:82).

Verily, the Holy Qur’an has a wonderful outward and a profound inward. Its wonders are imperishable and its strange points are infinite. The darkness of ignorance and the insufficiency of human thoughts are illuminated by it.[274]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: O son of Adam, do not devote your utmost effort to a day which is not the last day of your life, for, God will provide you with daily food throughout the days of your life. If you gain what is in excess of your daily food, you have saved it for someone else. So the pain is yours and the gain is the heir’s.

The result of what you do is a hard reckoning on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, o man! Benefit from your property while living, be happy with it and prepare a provision you need for the Day of Judgment, for the journey is long, and the meeting place is the Day of Judgment when paradise and hell await you![275]

Imam `Ali’s sermons and maxims cannot be counted within the short space of this book. To avoid prolongation and boredom, only some of the sermons and maxims have been mentioned.

Part 1
Imam `Ali’s External Virtues and Merits

`Ali’s Genealogy

Beyond doubt, kinship with the Messenger of Allah is both a unique privilege and superiority over others. Hence, God considers the honor of kinship with the Holy Prophet (s.a) as part of the honor of nearest relations when we read in the Holy Qur’an: “and warn your nearest relations” (26:214).

Elsewhere, God says: “and most surely it is a reminder for you and your people” (43:44). It is for this reason that God Almighty has prohibited giving charity to them due to their honor and dignity. Hence, the closer a person is to the Messenger of Allah, the more honorable and dignified he or she is.[276]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: We are a family beyond comparison.[277]

Abu-`Uthman Jahiz who was an ardent enemy of Imam `Ali says: `Ali was truthful in what he said! How can we compare anyone with this family when the Messenger of Allah, two purified persons, `Ali and Fatimah, their two sons, Hasan and Husayn, two martyrs of Islam, Hamzah and Ja`far who flies in paradise with two wings, the great chief of Hijaz, `Abd al-Muttalib, the provider of water to the Hajj pilgrims, `Abbas, the wise man of Batha' and Najdah, Abu-Taib  are from this family in which all the merits and virtues are gathered. Ansar are their helpers and Muhajir are those who immigrated towards them. Accepter is one who has accepted them and Faruq, that is, the distinguisher between justice and injustice is among them. True disciples are their disciples and if Dhu’l-Shahadatayn (the man of double testimony) was honored with this title, it is because his testimony is about them.

A proof of their dignity is that the Messenger of Allah said: Verily, I am leaving among you two valuable things. You will not go astray after me as long as you adhere to them. One is greater than the other. They are the Book of Allah, which is a rope stretched from the heavens to the earth, and my Household. They will never separate from one another until they come to me at the Pond.

Verily, if the household of the Holy Prophet (s.a) was like other people, `Umar would not ask `Ali to be his father-in-law to obtain the honor of kinship. `Umar reported the Holy Prophet (s.a) as saying: Every relation through blood or marriage on the Day of Judgment will be cut off except relation with me, which will never be cut off. These were good traits of all members of the Holy Prophet’s household. Nevertheless, Imam `Ali (a.s) has special privileges for the blessed days of his life and his excellent qualities the description of which requires voluminous books to cover.

Imam `Ali is a man of noble birth, supreme position, abundant knowledge, wonderful rhetoric, eloquent speech, and broadmindedness. Based on this, his morality is an example of his pure and genuine character. `Ali’s personality testifies to the former honors of his family. This is `Ali’s description by an enemy let alone by his devotee in whose veins the love for `Ali runs.[278]

Imam `Ali’s dignified mother was Fatimah bint Asad ibn Hashim ibn `Abd-Manaf, a lady who undertook to rear the Messenger of Allah in his childhood, fondling him on her lap. She was among the first women who believed in Allah and His messenger and immigrated to Medina with the Holy Prophet (s.a).[279]

The day this lady passed away, the Messenger of Allah personally undertook to perform her funeral rites, shrouding her in his own garment and when the digging of grave was knee-deep, removed the earth from the grave, lay down in the grave for moments and said: O Lord, who are living forever, you make the living die and the dead to become alive, through Your messenger, Muhammad and the messengers before me, forgive my mother, Fatimah bint Asad, instill the profession of faith into her ear and widen her grave, for you are the Most Merciful.

At this time, the Holy Prophet (s.a) instilled the right words in her ear, repeatedly saying: Your son, your son! Not Ja`far or `Aqil! Those attending the funeral service said: O Messenger of Allah! What you did for `Ali’s mother, Fatimah, you did not for others. You shrouded her in your own garment, lay down in her grave before burial, and instilled into her ear, you said: Your son, your son; Not Ja`far or `Aqil. What is the meaning of all this? The Messenger of Allah said: One of the days I was speaking about how people were naked and bare-footed when they will be on the Resurrection Day.

Hearing this, Fatimah bint Asad became very sad, saying: woe to the humiliation of that day! I promised her that I would shroud her in my own garment so that she would not come to the Resurrection Day naked. I lay down in her grave to make her safe from tightness of grave. The reason I said: Your son, your son, Not Ja`far or `Aqil, was that the examining angels entered her grave, asking her: Who is your Lord? She said: God Almighty is my Lord. She was asked: Who is your prophet. She said: Muhammad. She was asked: Who is your Imam? She kept silent, not knowing what to answer. I said to her: Your son, your son, meaning that your Imam and leader is your son, `Ali, not `Aqil or Ja`far.[280]

Imam `Ali was the first Hashemite of two Hashemite lineage. He was born a Hashemite, both on the mother and father sides.[281]

Imam `Ali’s dignified father was Abu-Talib, `Abd-Manaf ibn `Abd al-Muttalib Known as Shaybat al-Hamd, literally meaning a model of thanksgiving or the thanksgiving old man.

`Ali and the Holy Prophet’s lineage gather together in `Abd al-Muttalib, the son of Hashim ibn `Abd-Manaf, the son of Qasi ibn Kilab ibn Murrah ibn Ka`b ibn Lu’ay ibn Ghalib ibn Fihr ibn Malik ibn Nadr ibn Kinanah ibn Khuzaymah ibn Mudrikah ibn Ilyas ibn Mudar ibn Nizar ibn Ma`d ibn `Andan ibn Mubdi` ibn Mani` ibn Adad ibn Ka`b ibn Yashjub ibn Ya`rub ibn Humaysa` ibn Qaydar ibn Isma`il ibn Ibrahim, the Friend of God.

`Ali was the Holy Prophet’s full blood cousin on both sides. His uncles were `Abbas, Hamzah ibn `Abd al-Muttalib, his brothers, `Aqil and Ja`far, his sons, Hasan and Husayn, and his wife, lady Fatimah, the princess of the world women. Due to Allah’s Grace, Imam `Ali has been honored by God Almighty with all the excellent qualities of this family. These blessings are tied to all members of the Holy Prophet’s household.[282]

`Ali’s Marriage with Lady Fatimah

Ibn `Abbas reports: When Fatimah, the honorable daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a) reached maturity, prominent suitors came to the Messenger of Allah, asking her hand in marriage, having the impression that their requests would be accepted but the Holy Prophet (s.a) rejected their requests, saying: I am waiting for Allah’s decree, for Fatimah’s marriage is on His decree.

Sa`d ibn Mu`adh Ansari who knew this, said to `Ali ibn Abi-Talib: By God, the Messenger of Allah has no one in mind save you. `Ali answered: Marriage needs wealth which I have not! The Messenger of Allah too knows that I have no wealth! Sa`d said: I put you under an obligation to do so. `Ali said: What should I say to the Holy Prophet? Sa`d said: Say: I have come here to ask the hand of Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad in marriage. To this end, `Ali came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah but due to modesty, he had lowered his head and did not say anything. The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, I see a sign of request in your face. What is your request? `Ali said: Asking your daughter’s hand in marriage! The Holy Prophet (s.a) who looked happy and had a smile on his lips, said: I will accept it eagerly. On his return, `Ali told Sa`d the whole story. Sa`d said: The Messenger of Allah had accepted your request, for he keeps his promise and never breaks it.

On that night, the Messenger of Allah called Bilal, saying: I married my daughter to my cousin. I wish to hold a marriage banquet to set it as a tradition among my Ummah. Now, go to sheep-selling market, buy a sheep and five mudd of barley, and make a pot ready for cooking them. I will invite Muhajir and Ansar to this banquet. Bilal carried out what the Holy Prophet had ordered. A large group of people gathered in the Holy Prophet’s house, ate from the food yet no shortage was seen in it. Then, the Holy Prophet ordered Bilal to take the food to the houses of his wives and to say to them: Eat of this food, you and any woman who comes to you. Bilal carried out this order.[283]

Then, the Messenger of Allah attended the gathering of his wives, saying: I have married my daughter, Fatimah to my cousin. I intend to send her to him. She is your daughter, do whatever you can for her nuptial ceremony. The Holy Prophet’s wives who were overjoyed, perfumed and adorned Fatimah with their Jewels and took to her house the dowry which Salman and Bilal had prepared on the order of the Holy Prophet. A cloak of Khaybar, a jug, a ewer, a tub, curtain, a mattress of date fiber and a pillow were all that made up the dowry. Then, they informed the Holy Prophet to come. Seeing this scene and having tears on his cheeks, the Holy Prophet raised his hands in prayer and said: O Lord! Make this marriage auspicious to a couple most of whose vessels are made of clay.[284]

The wives of the Messenger of Allah chose Ummu-Ayman as housekeeper to meet the needs of the bride.[285]

Then, the Messenger of Allah called Fatimah to come to his presence. When Fatimah’s eyes fell on her husband, `Ali, who was sitting beside her father, she started weeping. The Messenger of Allah who intended to put her hand in `Ali’s hand, while weeping said: My daughter, Fatimah! I did not marry you to

`Ali on my own, rather, God on your behalf and Gabriel on `Ali’s behalf, arranged this marriage in heaven between you two.[286]

At that time, God Almighty commissioned the tree of Tuba to give away ornaments, robes, pearls and rubies and ordered the Paradisiacal women to get together and pick up heavenly ornaments, pearls and rubies. They obeyed Allah’s order, take pride in it till the Day of Judgment and offer those ornaments to one another, saying: These are all from the blessings of Fatimah.[287]

Verily, my daughter, I have married you to the best of my kinship. I married you to one who is a master in this world and will be a righteous man on the Day of Judgment. Putting Fatimah’s hand in `Ali’s hand, the Messenger of Allah said: Now, go to your house. May God Almighty brings about love between you and improve your affairs till I come to see you again. The bride and the bridegroom sat beside each other for a few moments while the Holy Prophet’s wives too were with them. Of course, there was a curtain between `Ali and them and Fatimah was sitting next to women.[288]

After the passage of a short time, the Messenger of Allah entered the bridal chamber. Seeing that the Holy Prophet had come, the women hurriedly left the house except Asma’ bint `Umays. As for the reason she stayed there, she said: When Khadijah was in the bed of death, she was weeping. I said to her: Why are you weeping at this time while you are one of the greatest women in world, the wife of the Messenger of Allah, and you were given the good tiding that you will go to paradise? Khadijah said: The reason I am weeping is that my daughter, Fatimah is very young and she will need someone to help her on her wedding night. I am afraid there will be no woman to help her! I said: O my lady, don’t worry, I promise to meet her needs on that night if I live long enough till then. So, when all women left the   

house, I stayed there. The Messenger of Allah who had ordered all women to leave the house, seeing my shadow said: Who are you? I said: I am Asma’ bint `Umays. He said: Did I not tell you to leave the house? I said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah, but my staying here is not meant to disobey you, rather, I promised to Khadijah to stay with Fatimah on such a night and told him the whole story. Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah started weeping, prayed for me and said: I pray to God to safeguard you from Satan from four sides. Then, he said to me: Fill a tub of water and bring it here. I carried out his order. The Messenger of Allah filled his mouth with water and poured it back to the tub, raised his hands in prayer and said: O Lord! This bride and groom are from me and I am from them. Cleanse them of impurity in the same way you cleansed me of impurity.

Then, he called Fatimah, took a handful of water and sprinkled it on her face and breast. He took two handfuls of water and sprinkled them on her side and head! Then, he sprinkled some water on her body, repeated the same prayer and told Fatimah to drink a few draughts of it, to rinse her mouth with it and to perform ablution with it. The Messenger of Allah then asked for another tub and did the same with `Ali. After doing so, he left Fatimah’s house and on his way home, he repeatedly prayed for them not for anyone else.[289]

Ibn `Abbas reports: On the night Fatimah was sent to `Ali’s house, to honor this honorable Lady, the Messenger of Allah was in front of her, Gabriel on the right side, Michael on the left side, and seventy thousand angels were following her, glorifying the Lord till dawn. There are many Hadiths in this relation but this one is above all.[290]

`Ali, the Holy Prophet’s Brother

Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad has quoted Zayd ibn `Awfi as saying: I went to the presence of the Holy Prophet (s.a) where `Ali was speaking about covenant of brotherhood among the companions. He said: O Messenger of Allah, when I saw that you made covenants of brotherhood among your companions but I was ignored, my soul was going out of my body! If this is because I have done something wrong and you are angry with me, here I am for any punishment you deem proper! Seeing `Ali’s sad face, the Messenger of Allah said: By  

God Almighty Who appointed me as prophet, the reason I forsook to speak to you was nothing but to reserve you as a brother for myself. As for your position to me is like Aaron’s to Moses except that there will be no prophet after me. O `Ali, you are my brother and heir. I said: What will I inherit from you? He said: What the former prophets have left behind among their followers and that is the book of Allah, and the tradition of His messengers. You will be with me in paradise while my daughter is with you. You are my brother and friend. Then, the Messenger of Allah, as a sign of happiness for this great occasion recited the verse “They shall as be brethren, on raised couches, face to face” (15:47).[291]

Ibn Mughazili, the Shafi`ite jurisprudent has reported Anas as saying: On the day of Mubahalah (mutual curse), the Messenger of Allah made a covenant of brotherhood among his companions. At this time, `Ali was standing in a place the Holy Prophet could see him and knew his position but did not say a word about brotherhood with him. He left the place for home with tearful eyes. The Messenger of Allah asked for `Ali. Those present in that place said `Ali had gone home weeping. The Messenger of Allah said to Bilal: Go quickly and bring `Ali here. When Bilal arrived in `Ali’s house, he found `Ali weeping. Lady Fatimah asked `Ali for his weeping, saying: May Allah never make you weep! `Ali said: the Messenger of Allah made covenant of brotherhood between Muhajir and Ansar, but he did not say a word about me though he saw me standing there! Lady Fatimah said: Don’t worry. Perhaps my father has reserved you for himself! Bilal reports: I said: O `Ali, go and see the Messenger of Allah. `Ali went to the presence of the Holy Prophet (s.a) who asked `Ali about the reason for his weeping. `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! You made the covenant of brotherhood among the companions, but you did not say a word about my brotherhood with anyone, though you were seeing me! The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, I reserved you for myself. Are you not happy for being the brother of the prophet? `Ali said: Yes indeed, O Messenger of Allah! I am really happy but how did I obtain such an honor? The Holy Prophet took `Ali’s hand in his hand, took him up the pulpit, raised his hands in prayer and said: O Lord! `Ali is from me and I am from `Ali. His position to me is as Aaron’s to Moses. Then he said: Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too. Following this event, `Ali happily set out for his house. Following him, `Umar ibn Khattab said: congratulations for this position. Now, you are my master and that of every Muslim![292]

Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman reports: the Messenger of Allah made covenant of brotherhood between Muhajir and Ansar in a way he made each the brother of his peer. Then, he took `Ali’s hand in his hand, saying: `Ali is my brother. Hudhayfah further reports: Beyond doubt, the Messenger of Allah is the master of all prophets and leader of the pious ones as well as the messenger of the lord of the universe, who is peerless, and `Ali, his brother too is peerless in universe.[293]

Only Door of `Ali’s House Open to the Masjid

The fact that the doors of the companions’ house open to the Masjid were closed except that of `Ali proves `Ali’s unique position.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Musnad has quoted Zayd ibn Arqam as saying: The doors of houses belonging to some of the Holy Prophet’s companions opened to Masjid which they frequented at will.

One of the days, the Messenger of Allah ordered all the doors to be closed, saying: You have to close the doors opening to Masjid and there is no exception in this regard save the door of `Ali’s house which will never be closed. With this order, some of the companions started to speak to one another about the reason behind it and envy `Ali. They would say: What is this privilege that the Holy Prophet has given to

`Ali? Zayd reports: The Messenger of Allah rose up and after praising Allah said: It is not me who have issued the order to close all the doors to Masjid except that of `Ali, to which some of you have protested. By God, I have neither closed nor opened the door of any house. This decree has been issued by God Almighty and I am the one to convey it. Hence, in conveying this decree, I will obey God and will carry out His decree.[294]

Ibn Mughazili in Manaqib has quoted `Adi ibn Thabit as saying: The Messenger of Allah after entering the mosque said to the companions: God Almighty revealed to prophet Moses (a.s): Build for me a pure mosque in which no one but Moses, Aaron, and the children of Aaron will reside. He also revealed to me to build a pure mosque in which no one but me, `Ali, and his children will reside.[295]

Hudhayfah ibn Usayd Ghifari has been reported as saying: When the companions of the Holy Prophet came to Medina, they had no house  to live in. Hence, they had made their resting-place in the mosque but the Messenger of Allah barred them from doing so, saying: Mosque is the place of worship. So you must not use it as a place for rest or sleeping, for you may have nocturnal pollution which will undermine its sanctity. Following this order, the companions moved from the mosque and built houses around it based on their need and ability and opened a door to the mosque. The Messenger of Allah in another order, gave Mu`adh ibn Jabal the mission to close the doors opening to the mosque. To this end, Mu`adh went to Abu-Bakr first to convey the message, saying: The Holy Prophet has ordered you to move from the mosque and block the door of your house to the mosque. Abu-Bakr said: I will eagerly accept the Holy Prophet’s order. He immediately blocked the entrance to the mosque and left that place.

Then Mu`adh conveyed the Holy Prophet’s message to `Umar, saying: Block the door of your house opening to the mosque and leave the place. `Umar said: I will obey the Holy Prophet’s order but I wish one of the windows of my house would open to the mosque. Mu`adh conveyed to the Messenger of Allah what `Umar had wished. Then, Mu`adh went to `Uthman when the Holy Prophet’s daughter was in his house and conveyed the message. `Uthman too complied with the Holy Prophet’s order and left the mosque.

Mu`adh’ last message was conveyed to Hamzah who obeyed the Holy Prophet’s message, left the mosque and blocked the door of his house to the mosque. Amid this, `Ali was thinking about whether this order would include him too though the Messenger of Allah had built a house for him among his own houses in the mosque.

But the Messenger of Allah removed any doubt about it by saying: O `Ali, you stay where you are, for you are purified and this order does not include you and your family. When this news reached Hamzah, he said: O Messenger of Allah! I was surprised that you sent all of us out of mosque but you kept only a youth of Bani `Abd al-Muttalib in it. The Holy Prophet said: This was not a decision of my own, for I would not give privilege to anyone if I had to decide. By God, this is a grace God Almighty has bestowed upon

`Ali. As for you, I have good news about you. God and His messenger are pleased with you. So be happy. This good news became manifest in the battle of Uhud  when Hamzah was martyred. This privilege of `Ali was heavy for some of the companions. So in their gathering, they started to complain and tried to know the reason. Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah rose up among the companions and said: It is heavy for some men to see that I have allowed `Ali to stay in the mosque, and have started to complain about it. By God, sending out some people from mosque and allowing `Ali to remain in the mosque was not on my order. God Almighty revealed to Moses (a.s) and his brother: Build houses for your close relatives, making them Kiblah for them, perform prayer in them. Following this decree, God ordered Moses again not to allow anyone to reside or have sexual intercourse with his wife in that place of worship except Aaron and his progeny. Since `Ali’s position to me is like that of Aaron to Moses, and he is my brother, no one has the right to have sexual intercourse with his wife in this place except `Ali and his progeny. The Messenger of Allah further said: If anyone is displeased with this, the way is open for him. Let him go from here to there, pointing with his holy hand toward Syria.[296]

Mutual Curse (Mubahalah)

The story of mutual curse indicates one of the other merits of Imam `Ali, his children and his dignified wife, for the Messenger of Allah sought their help so that his prayer be answered by their saying Amen.

Following the conquest of Mecca when Islam and its rule spread in Hijaz, delegations from every direction came to the Holy Prophet (s.a) either to embrace Islam or to seek life security. One of these delegations was the Christians of Najran consisting of thirty people headed by Abu-Harithah who was their bishop (chief priest). Some of the members of this delegation were: Al-`Aqib, al-Sayyid, and `Abd al-Masih who came to Medina in fine silk robes while wearing a cross on their necks. The Holy Prophet too was performing his afternoon prayer. At this time, a group of the Jews of Medina met the Christians, started discussing their differences with one group rejecting the other. At any rate, Najran delegation came to the presence of the Holy Prophet (s.a), saying: O Muhammad! What is your opinion about Jesus, the son of Mary? The Messenger of Allah said: Jesus is the servant of Allah who appointed him as a prophet.

The chief priest said: Do you know any father for him? The Holy Prophet said: No, because his creation was not through marriage so that he would have a father. The bishop said: Was he not created? The Holy Prophet said: Yes, he was created! They said: How can a person be created with no father? At this time, God Almighty revealed the following verse: “surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of Adam, …, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars” (3:59-61). Reciting these verses, the Messenger of Allah added: If you do not accept what I say, prepare yourself for mutual cursing and know that punishment will come down on those who are unjust! The chief priest and his companions started exchanging views and decided to be given a deadline till the next morning so that they would announce the result of their decision. The Holy Prophet (s.a) agreed. Returning home, the chief priest said to his aides: If tomorrow Muhammad and his household come for mutual cursing, we will never give in to it but if he comes with his companions, we will take part in it and know that he is not right.

Turning to Christians, an outstanding person said: O Christian community, you certainly know that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, for he spoke truthfully about Jesus Christ. By God, if a group carry out mutual cursing with a prophet, life will become bitter to the elderly people and they will perish soon and no children will be found among them. If you go for mutual cursing, you will all perish! If you are fond of your religion and adhere to it, the only solution will be to compromise with this man, to put an end to hostility and to return to your land.

The following day when Christians came to see the Holy Prophet (s.a), they found the Messenger of Allah taking the hand of `Ali in his hand, Hasan and Husayn being in front of him and Fatimah behind him. The chief priest asked people about them. They said: This man whose hand is in the hand of the Messenger of Allah is his cousin, son-in-law and the most beloved man to him, that is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, these two children are his grandchildren and the most beloved to him, and that woman too is his daughter, the dearest and most honorable and the closest to his heart, whom he calls his own spirit! Looking at `Aqib, Sayyid and `Abd al-Masih who enjoyed high  positions with him, the chief priest said: Think well about your affair, for those who accompany him are his endeared ones like whom there is no one on the earth. He has brought them for mutual cursing, a sign that he is sure about what he says! By God, if he were not right, he would not expose his endeared ones to mutual cursing. By God, if the position of Caesar of Rome who follows us was not involved, we would certainly embrace Islam. But this great obstacle on our way, there is no option other than compromise or accepting what he wants.

Now, try to get out of this dangerous situation and save your future with cleverness. O Christian people, I can see illuminated faces to whom everyone resorts for the removing of mountains, God will remove that mountain from one place to another. If you are ready for mutual cursing with them, you will certainly perish and there will be no Christian on the earth till the Day of Judgment!

Hearing the words of their chief priest, the delegation of Najran Christians came to the conclusion that they should end the matter peacefully. Hence, they said: O Abu-al-Qasim! We have decided not to have mutual cursing with you. So you shall have your religion and we shall have our religion. The Messenger of Allah said: You have to embrace Islam so that you will share profit and loss with Muslims. They disagreed.

The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Therefore, be prepared for fighting. They said: We are not able to fight Arabs. Nevertheless, we will compromise with you in a way that you will not attack us, nor will you stop us from practicing our religion. In return, we will promise to pay two thousand garments, each garment being equal to forty Dirhams, each year and if it is less than it a year, we will make it up the following year, that is, one thousand garments in the month of Safar and one thousand in the month of Rajab. In addition to this, we will offer you thirty armors each year. The Messenger of Allah accepted their request, saying: By God in whose Hand my life is, if the Christians of Najran embarked on mutual cursing, they would certainly perish; they would be transformed into pigs and monkeys; a blazing fire would engulf them so much so that it would burn the birds on branches and in the sky; all the Christians of Najran would perish and all the Christians on the earth would be annihilated.

The reason the aforementioned verse was recited is that God Almighty has considered Muhammad’s life as `Ali’s life and `Ali’s life as Muhammad’s life.[297]

Love for `Ali, A Must

God Almighty states: “say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives” (42:24). Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali (a.s) is the master of the Household of the Holy Prophet (s.a) and a near relative.[298]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal in a narration recounts that the Messenger of Allah having the hands of Hasan and Husayn in his hand said: Whoever has the love for me, for my two sons, and for their parents in heart, will be near me in paradise on the Day of Judgment.[299]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal has quoted Zarr ibn Habish as saying: `Ali said: By God, the Messenger of Allah informed me of the divine covenant to the effect that hypocrisy is the sign of enmity with you and faith is the sign of love for you. Hence no one is my enemy unless he is hypocrite, and no one loves me unless he is a believer.[300]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal has reported `Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi-Layla as saying: On the day of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah said: I will give the banner of Islam to a man who loves Allah and His messenger, and Allah and His messenger too love him. He is a champion who has never turned his back on war and kills the ill-fated enemies of Islam with his sword. The Holy Prophet’s companions, who were longing for this honor, looked at the face of the Messenger of Allah but soon they became desperate, for this honor was given to `Ali.[301]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Hudhayfah as saying: Whoever wishes to resort to a ruby God created and said “be” and it “was”, has to accept the imamate of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib after me and to obey him.[302]

Abdullah ibn Mas`ud has been reported as saying: the Messenger of Allah had come to the house of Ummu-Salamah from the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh when someone knocked the door. The Messenger of Allah said: Ummu-Salamah, go and open the door. Ummu-Salamah said: O Messenger of Allah! Who is at the door and how high is his position that I should welcome him without Hijab (veil) given that verses were revealed about me yesterday? The Messenger of Allah said: Obey my order, for to obey me is to obey Allah and to disobey me is to disobey Allah. The man who is asking for permission  to come in, is not a man of feeble will or reckless. He will not enter the house unless he knows no woman is on his way. He loves Allah and His messenger and Allah and His messenger too love him.

Ummu-Salamah says: I opened the door but he held the door post and stopped where he was. I went inside the room and behind curtain. Being sure there was no one on his way, he came to the presence of the Holy Prophet and greeted him. The Messenger of Allah said: O Ummu-Salamah, did you know him. I said: Yes, he is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Then, he said: His temperament is my temperament, his flesh, his blood, and all the dimensions of his existence come from my existence. He is the one who will act to what I have promised. Listen to this and be a witness of it. O Ummu-Salamah, he is the treasure of my knowledge and the leader of the believers after me. Then, he said: Listen to me and be a witness. He will fight the deviators, Mu`awiyah and his followers, and Khawarij after me. By God, he will enliven my tradition. Again listen to me and be a witness. Then, the Messenger of Allah said: If a servant worships Allah between Rukn and Maqam for thousands of thousands years, and then passes away while being an enemy of `Ali, God will throw him into hell on face and he will be in the abyss of hell forever.[303]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Mu`adh as saying: Love for `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is a good deed with which a sin is forgivable and enmity with him is a sin unforgivable.[304]

Ibn Mas`ud has been quoted as saying: Love for Ahl al-Bayt for one day is better than a year of worship and one who passes away with this one-day-love will certainly enter paradise.[305]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abu-Dharr as saying: `Ali is the gate of my knowledge and guidance which is opened to its devotees. He will express to my Ummah what I have been commissioned to convey. Love for him is faith, enmity with him is hypocrisy and friendship with him is worship.[306]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Jabir as saying: Gabriel came down to me while he was holding a green tablet in hand with an inscription in white reading: I have made the love for `Ali ibn Abi-Talib incumbent upon all creatures. Therefore, o prophet, convey it to the whole people.[307]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: God would have never created Hell if all people had had love for `Ali.[308]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported as saying: O `Ali, if a servant worship God like Noah, gives away gold as heavy as Mount Uhud, lives so long as to go on Hajj pilgrimage on foot a thousand times, and is killed innocent between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah but does not accept your imamate and leadership, he will not deserve to go to paradise.[309]

A man said to Salman: Your extreme friendship with `Ali is amazing! Salman said: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: Whoever loves `Ali loves me and whoever is hostile to `Ali is hostile to me too.[310]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Abdullah ibn `Umar as saying: Whoever loves `Ali God Almighty will accept his prayer, fast and good deeds and will answer his prayer. Whoever loves `Ali he will be given cities in paradise as many as the number of his veins. Whoever has love for the family of Muhammad will be safe from hard reckoning, the Balance and the Discriminating Bridge on the Day of Judgment. Whoever passes away with the love for the family of Muhammad will join prophets in paradise with my intercession. Then he said: Let it be known to you that whoever is the enemy of the family of prophet, there will be an inscription between his eyes reading: This person is deprived of God’s mercy.[311]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud as saying: Whoever believes in me and what has been revealed to me but is the enemy of `Ali, he is lying and has no faith.[312]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abi- Barza as saying: By God in whose Hand my life is, no one can move on the Day of Judgment unless he is asked about four things: How his life was spent, what his body was worn out for, where his wealth was gained from, and what his wealth was spent on as well as the love for Ahl al-Bayt. At this time `Umar rose up saying: What is the sign of your love? Putting his hand on `Ali’s head, the Holy Prophet said: Love for this great man after my passing away, for to obey him is to obey me and to oppose him is to oppose me.[313]

`Abdullah ibn `Umar has reported: The Messenger of Allah was asked: In what tone did the Almighty God speak to you on the night of ascension (Mi`raj)? The Holy Prophet said: He addressed me in the tone of

`Ali! At that time, I was inspired to ask: O Lord, are you speaking to me or it is `Ali who is speaking to me? God said: O Ahmad! My truth is different from that of other things! I can neither be compared with people nor am I described with similar things! I created you from my light and `Ali from your light. Thereafter, I became aware of the secret of your heart, finding out there was no one closer and more beloved to your heart than `Ali. Hence, I addressed you in the tone of `Ali so that your heart will be put at rest in this assembly of friendship.[314]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Abi- Baraza and Hafiz Abu-`Abdullah Shafi`i as saying: God Almighty took a solemn pledge from me about the position of `Ali in fulfilling my mission. I said: O Lord, what is that important mission? God said: Listen! I said: I am prepared. God said: `Ali is the standard-bearer of guidance, the leader of the saints and the light of the devoted ones. He is the word rendered necessary for the pious. Whoever loves `Ali loves me and whoever is his enemy is my enemy! O prophet! Give these good tidings to him. At this time `Ali came to me and I conveyed this good news to him. `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! I am the servant of Allah and under His power. If God punishes me, it is but for sin and disobedience, and if He has given the good news about me, He has honored me with His Grace. At this time, I raised my hand in prayer, saying: O Lord! Illuminate his heart with belief. God Almighty answered my prayer about him, saying: I will fulfill what you have wished for him. Then God informed me about the trials which will not befall my companions except him. Then I said: O Lord! Is he my brother and helper? God said: This position had been foreseen before you knew about it, for he has been a subject of my test and I will test people with his position.[315]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Ammar ibn Yasir as saying: I advise to believe in the imamate of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib one who believes in me and accepts my prophethood, for whoever accepts his imamate, has accepted my imamate and prophethood. Whoever believes in my Wilayah will enter theWilayah of Allah, and Allah is pleased with him.[316]

Abu-`Alqamah has reported: The Messenger of Allah performed his morning prayer in the gathering of his companions and turning to them, said: O companions! Last night, I dreamt of my uncle, Hamzah, and my brother, Ja`far, with a big tray of fruits before them. They were eating the fruits which were from the tree “Sadr.” Then the fruits turned into grapes and after some moments into dates. I went near them, saying: May my father be ransom for you. Which good deed did you find better? They said: May our parents be ransom for you. Among good deeds we did not find but three deeds, namely, sending greeting upon you, quenching a thirsty person and keeping the love of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib in our hearts.[317]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported as saying: God Almighty takes pride in my followers as compared to followers of other prophets, forgives you all and has a special favor towards `Ali. Surely, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all. I neither intimidate people about my tribe nor support them unduly. What I say comes from my Lord who has given me this mission and I have to convey it. Gabriel, the Messenger of Allah says to me: Happy is one who loves `Ali both during his life and after his passing away. Ill-fated is one who is the enemy of `Ali both during his life and after his passing away, and has his rancor in his heart.[318]

`Abdullah Ibn `Abbas who had lost his sight, accompanied by Sa`id ibn Jubayr, passed by the well of Zamzam where a group of people from Syria were cursing `Ali. Hearing this, `Abdullah said: Take me back to those people. Being among them, `Abdullah said: Which one of you curses God? They said: God forbid. None of us curses God! Then, he asked: Which one of you curses the Messenger of Allah? They said: God forbid! We never curse our prophet. Then, he asked: Which one of you curses `Ali? They said: Yes, we curse `Ali! Ibn `Abbas said: I bear witness that I heard the Messenger of Allah saying to `Ali: O `Ali! Whoever curses you, has cursed me and whoever curses me, has cursed Allah! Whoever curses Allah, He will throw him into hell on face! Sa`id reports: Ibn `Abbas said this to them, turned his back from them and left the place.[319]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Anas as saying: On the night journey, I saw an angel sitting on a pulpit of light with other angels gathering round him. I said to Gabriel: Who is this angel? Gabriel said:See him from close and greet him. I went close and greeted him. I found out that he was my brother and cousin, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. I asked amazingly: Has `Ali come to the fourth heaven before me? Gabriel said: No, but since angels were fond of seeing `Ali, God created an angel of light in the form of `

Ali. While glorifying Allah, angels go to visit him seventy thousand times every Friday night and day and the reward is offered to those who love `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[320]

`Ali, the Holy Qur’an, and the truth are Inseparable

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Abi-Layla as saying: Soon after my passing away, mischief and sedition will occur among you people from every direction! At that time, do not leave `Ali alone if you look for salvation, for he will distinguish between what is just and what is unjust. He will remove the dust of injustice from justice.[321]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Ibn `Umar as saying: One who is deviated from the path of `Ali, is deviated from my path. Such a person is deprived of guidance and the leadership of God Almighty.[322]

Abu-Ayyub Ansari reports: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying to `Ammar ibn Yasir: The rebellious group will kill you while you are with the truth and truth is with you! O `Ammar! Should you see `Ali has chosen a path but all people have chosen another path, leave the people to themselves and opt for the path of `Ali, for `Ali’s path is not worrisome. He will not mislead you nor will he obstruct the path of truth to you.

O `Ammar! If a person carries a sword on his shoulder to help `Ali and strikes it on the head of enemy, God Almighty will honor him with a sword of pearl as a sign of pleasure and if a person carries a sword on his shoulder to help `Ali’s enemies or fights him, God Almighty will hang a sword of fire on his shoulders as a sign of wrath.[323]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `A’ishah as saying: Truth always accompanies `Ali and keeps pace with `Ali whatever path he walks on.[324]

Ummu-Salamah reports: I heard from the Messenger of Allah saying: Truth is with `Ali and `Ali is with truth. These two are not separable till the Day of Judgment when they come to me at the Pond.[325]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by `A’ishah as saying: Truth is with `Ali and `Ali is with truth. These two are inseparable. There is no separation between them till they come to me at the Pond.[326]

Ummah Salamah reports: I heard from the Messenger of Allah saying: `Ali and his followers will come to me at the Pond while truth is with them and they are inseparable.[327]

Abi- Rafi` reports: the Messenger of Allah said to me: O Abu-Rafi`! What will be your position if you see a group of injustice are fighting `Ali given that he is right and they are not right? Should a person desire God’s pleasure, he must fight the enemies of `Ali, for fighting `Ali’s enemies is God’s order and His pleasure. Therefore, whoever is able to fight must do so and attend the battlefield immediately. If he is not physically able to do so, he must rise up against `Ali’s enemies verbally to undermine their success and to disgrace them. Even if he is not able to do so, he must fight them with his heart. This is the last stage of Jihad in the path of truth against his enemies.

Abu-Rafi` reports: After hearing this advice, I said: O Messenger of Allah! Pray to God for me that if I live till then, I will have the honor of fighting them. Eventually when people pledged their allegiance with Imam `Ali, Mu`awiyah challenged him, and Talhah and Zubayr went to Basrah, I said to myself: They are the same people about whom the Holy Prophet spoke.

Abu-Rafi` decided to fight them. Hence, he sold the land he had in Khaybar and his house in Medina to spend on fighting the enemies of `Ali. When `Ali left Medina for Basrah to put an end to the battle of Jamal (camel), Abu-Rafi` and his family accompanied `Ali to Basrah. He was in Kufah until the martyrdom of Amir al-Mu’minin. Thereafter, he returned to Medina with Imam Hasan and since he had neither land nor house in that city, Imam Hasan gave him a piece of land in Yanba from `Ali’s endowment for farming as well as a house.[328]

In the battle of Jamal when Zayd ibn Sawhan was wounded, `Ali went to see him in the last moments of his life, saying: O Zayd! May God bless you. By God, as far as I know you, you are an altruist, that is,

you ignore yourself but help others. Zayd raised his head, saying: O my master! May God bless you, too. By God, I have a feeling that you know God truthfully and are fully aware of the divine verses and decrees. I swear by God that I did not rise up against your enemies out of ignorance and bewilderment. The reason I am fighting along with you is the words I heard from Hudhayfah ibn Yaman who reported the Messenger of Allah as saying: `Ali is the leader of the benefactors and the killer of wrongdoers. God will help those who help him and abase those who abase him. Beyond doubt, truth is always with `Ali. O you who follow truth! Never leave him alone. Follow him in words and actions.[329]

Ummu-Salamah also reports: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: `Ali is with the Qur’an and the Qur’an is with `Ali. These two are inseparable till they come to me at the Pond.[330]

Whoever I Am the Master, `Ali Is His Master

The Messenger of Allah sent `Ali to Yemen to collect compromise money including cash, expensive cloth, one fifth levy, and alms from the Christians of Najran and he himself left Medina for Mecca to perform Hajj while Muslims too had announced their readiness for performing Hajj rituals from every part with a notice in advance. The departure time of the Holy Prophet was 25th of Dhu'l-Qa`dah. Concurrently, the Holy Prophet (s.a) wrote a letter to `Ali to leave Yemen for Mecca but he had not specified the kind of Hajj. The Holy Prophet put on the clothed of Ihram (i.e. putting on the uniform of Hajj) for Qiran (a form of the ritual Hajj) and the companions too put on their clothes of Ihram in the same place. To meet the Holy Prophet, `Ali too left Yemen for Mecca and went to the presence of the Messenger of Allah before the arrival of his army men. Rejoicing at seeing, the Holy Prophet said: With what intention did you put on the clothes of Ihram? `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah, you had not specified the type of Hajj in the letter but my intention is the same as yours. While putting on my clothes of Ihram, I said: O Lord, I put on the clothes of Ihram the same as the Holy Prophet has done. I have brought thirty four camels with me. Being happy and saying: Allah is the Greatest, the Holy Prophet said: I have brought sixty six camels with me too. Therefore you will share the Hajj rituals and sacrifice with me. Some of the companions of the Holy Prophet had not brought animals for sacrifice with them. Hence, the verse “Complete your Hajj and Umrah for Allah” was revealed to determine their duties.

To explain this verse, the Holy Prophet put the fingers of his two hands together and showing them to people said: I merged this type of Umrah with the Hajj and this merger continues till the Day of Judgment. Then he said: I would not bring the animals for sacrifice with me if I had to perform what I have been commissioned to do. Then he ordered a herald to declare that those who have not brought animals for sacrifice with them get out of the state of Ihram and consider their Hajj as Tamattu`, but those who have brought animals for sacrifice with them remain in the state of Ihram. With this order, some people obeyed the Holy Prophet’s instruction and some others disagreed, saying: It is not fair that the Holy Prophet is in the state of Ihram while we can put on our new clothes, have intercourse with our wives and wear perfume. Knowing this, the Holy Prophet said: I would have got out of the state of Ihram, if I had not brought animals of sacrifice with me! At this time, some of the people regretted what they had said and obeyed the Holy Prophet’s order. Yet, a group of them headed by `Umar ibn Khattab kept on opposing it. Being informed of their second Ihram, the Holy Prophet sent for `Umar, saying to him: Why do you remain in the state of Ihram? Have you brought an animal for sacrifice? He said: No. the Holy Prophet said: Why are you opposing me then? He said: By God, I will not come out of the state of Ihram as long as you are in it. The Holy Prophet said: You will never believe in this order and keep on opposing it till the end of your life. `Umar persisted in this so much so that during his caliphate, he would sit in his pulpit, announcing his opposition to this order of the Holy Prophet and would threaten people in giving it up.[331]

After completing Hajj rituals, the Messenger of Allah accompanied by Muslims left Mecca for Medina till they reached a place called Ghadir Khum. At this time, the verse, “O Messenger of Allah! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people (5:67),” was revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a).

God knew that if the Holy Prophet passed by Ghadir Khum and did not stop there, people would be dispersed and everyone would go to his own city. Although it was very hot, the Holy Prophet ordered people to stop, to take a rest under the trees and to make a pulpit with  camels’ saddles. He then ordered people to get ready for congregational prayer. When the people gathered, the Holy Prophet went up the pulpit, called `Ali to come and stand near him, praised the Lord and informed the people about the news of his departure from this world, saying: I have been called by my Lord. Soon I will pass away and you will miss me. I am leaving among you two valuable things: the book of Allah and my Household. If you adhere to them, you will never go astray. They will never separate from one another until they come to me at the Pond.

Then with a loud voice said: Am I not superior to you? They all said: Yes, you are our guardian and you rule on all aspects of our life! At this time, the Holy Prophet (s.a) raised the two arms of `Ali in a way his armpit became manifest, saying: Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too! Then, raising his hands in prayer, he said: O Lord, support one who supports `Ali and be the enemy of one who is his enemy. Help one who helps `Ali and abase one who refuses to help him.

After delivering the sermon and conveying the message, the Holy Prophet came down from the pulpit, performed two Rak`ah of prayer and since it was the time of noon prayer, he performed the noon prayer with Muslims. He then sat in his camp and ordered to set up a camp for `Ali to sit in it. Then, he called on all companions to come to `Ali to congratulate and salute him for his position as the successor of the Messenger of Allah. Amid this, one rejoicing more than others was `Umar ibn Khattab who said: May this position be blessed to you now that you are my master and the master of all believing men and women![332]

Buraydah has been quoted as saying: The Messenger of Allah sent a group of the companions headed by `Ali on a military expedition and I was among them too. After returning, the Holy Prophet asked us about the behavior of `Ali. Among the gathering, the only one who complained of `Ali was me. When I raised my head to look at the Holy Prophet’s face, I could see the sign of anger in his face! At this time the Holy Prophet said: Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too.[333]

`Imran ibn Hussayn has been reported as saying: the Messenger of Allah sent an army on a military expedition under the command of `Ali. Following victory, `Ali chose a female slave for himself. This act  was heavy for us, so we disputed with him. We, four companions vowed to report this act of `Ali to the Messenger of Allah. As it was usual with Muslims to go and visit the Messenger of Allah first and then go to their houses, we too went directly to the Messenger of Allah and based on a previous agreement, one of the four said: O Messenger of Allah, `Ali did such and such in this expedition and told him the whole story. Turning back his face, the Messenger of Allah said nothing. The second one started speaking but the Messenger of Allah turned back his face again. The third and the fourth one too did the same and faced the same scene. While anger could be seen in his face, the Messenger of Allah said: What on earth do you want from `Ali? He repeated it three times and then said: `Ali is from me and I am from `Ali. He is the leader of every believer after me.[334]

The Holy Prophet has been reported as saying: Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too.[335]

The Holy Prophet has also been quoted as saying: May Allah bless `Ali. O Lord! Render the truth always with `Ali so that wherever he is the truth is with him too.[336]

After reporting the event of Ghadir Khum, the orator of Khawarizm adds: The Messenger of Allah raised `Ali’s arms in a way his armpit became manifest. At this time, the verse “This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed my favor on you” (5:3) was revealed to the Holy Prophet who rejoiced, said: Allah is the Greatest, and added: Religion has became perfect today, God is pleased that I have conveyed the message and blessed us with the leadership of `Ali over universe. He then raised his hands in prayer, saying: O Lord! Love those who love `Ali and be the enemy of one who is his enemy. Help one who helps him and abase one who leaves him alone.[337]

Jabir has been quoted as saying: On the day of Ta’if, the Messenger of Allah called `Ali and spoke to him privately. As the dialog prolonged, the people who were there said: How long his private words with his cousin is! Rejecting what they said, the Messenger of Allah said: By God, I did not mean to speak to him privately. It was God Almighty who was speaking to him privately, that is to say, God told me to talk to him privately.[338]

Traditions supporting this fact are too many to be counted.

The Holy Prophet’s Appointment of Imam `Ali for the Next Leadership

The Imamiyyah scholars and reporters have uninterruptedly narrated the Holy Prophet’s appointment, due to a Divine command, of Imam `Ali being the next leader of Muslims after him. Scholars of other Muslim sects have also mentioned a big deal of such traditions. Seeking briefness, I will hereinafter refer to some of these reports and traditions.

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by Jabir as saying: When God Almighty created the heavens and the earth, He called them and they too responded to His call. Then he offered to them my prophethood and `Ali’s Wilayah (leadership) and they accepted it. Later, he created all the beings and entrusted religion to us. So happy is one who will follow us and wretched is one who disobeys us. Then he said: It is we who consider what is permitted by God as Halal (lawful) and what is not permitted by God as Haram (unlawful).[339]

Abu-Sa`id Khidri has quoted Salman as saying: I said to the Messenger of Allah: There is a successor for every prophet, who is your successor? The Messenger of Allah kept silent and did not say anything. After some time, he called me and said: O Salman! I rushed to him saying: yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: Do you know who was the successor of Moses? I said: Yes, he was Yusha` ibn Nun. He said: Why? I said because he was the most knowledgeable of his time. He said: For this reason, my executer, my confidential and the best person who will fulfill my pledges is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[340]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Anas ibn Malik as saying in the book Al-Arba`in: I and `Ali are two proofs of Allah for His servants.[341]

When the verse “And warn your nearest relations” (26:214) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah invited his nearest relations, the children of `Abd al-Muttalib, amounting to forty, to Abu-Talib’s house, ordered to prepare food for them from leg of mutton, one mudd of wheat and a bowl of milk. Although each of them used to eat one mutton at a meal, and drink a goatskin of water, they all ate and  drank of what the Messenger of Allah had prepared yet nothing dwindled. With this, the Messenger of Allah showed them his superiority and revealed the first sign of his prophethood.

When they stopped eating, the Messenger of Allah turned to those present and said: O sons of `Abd al-Muttalib! God Almighty has appointed me as prophet to all people especially to you by saying “warn your nearest relations.” I now invite you to two words which are easy to say but heavy to act. With these words, you will rule over Arabs and non-Arabs, you will make various nations on the earth to follow you to make them enjoy God’s blessing of entering the paradise and being saved from hell. Those words are testifying the oneness of God and my prophethood. Whoever, accepts this call and supports me will be my brother, executer, heir and vizier. From among the gathering, even a single person did not respond him positively! Amir al-Mu’minin says: I was present in that gathering. Though I was the youngest, I rose up and responded positively to his call, saying: O Messenger of Allah! I will help you in this great task. The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, calm down and take your seat. The Messenger of Allah repeated his call but there was silence again. This time too, I rose up and repeated my words. The Messenger of Allah gave me the same answer. For the third time, the Messenger of Allah repeated his call and faced silence. Again I rose up and gave my positive response. The Messenger of Allah ordered me to sit down with kindness, saying: `Ali, you are my executer, heir, and caliph after me. Those who were present rose up to leave and mockingly turned to Abu-Talib and said: May following your nephew and accepting his religion which has made your son your leader be blessed to you![342]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Abi- Buraydah as saying: Every prophet has an heir and executer. `Ali too is my heir and executor.[343]

Anas reports: The Messenger of Allah said: O Anas! The first person who comes to you is Amir al-Mu’minin, the master of Muslims, the leader of the benefactors and the last executor! Anas reports: By hearing this word, I raised my hands in prayer, saying: O Lord! Choose this man from Ansar and kept it in my heart while looking at the door. All of a sudden, `Ali entered. The Holy Prophet said: O  

Anas! Who is this person? I said: It is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Rejoicingly, the Messenger of Allah rose up and hugged him. He then mixed the sweat of his own face with that of `Ali and rubbed it on his face! `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! Today you did to me what you had not done before! The Holy Prophet said: Why should I not do it when you carry out my pledges, you have my voice heard by people, solve their problem and settle their differences?[344]

Abu-Na`im reports: One day the Messenger of Allah said to `Ali: Hail to you, the master of Muslims and the leader of the pious.[345]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Salman as saying: Verily, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is my brother, vizier, helper, and the best successor I leave behind me.[346]

Abi- Ayyub Ansari reports: When the Messenger of Allah fell sick, Lady Fatimah came to visit her father. She sat near his bed and seeing her father feeble started weeping so much that the Messenger of Allah tried to appease her by saying: O my daughter! One of the blessings of Allah to you is that I married you to one who is the most knowledgeable and the most forbearing. Verily God Almighty with His infinite knowledge did a favor to the people on the earth by appointing me as a prophet and did another favor by choosing your husband. He revealed to me to marry you to `Ali and choose him as my executor.[347]

Daraqutni, the author of the book, al-Jarh wal-Ta`dil too has related the above narration.

Daraqutni, on the authority of his own series of narrators, has quoted Abu-Harun `Abdi as saying: I met Abu-Sa`id Khidri asking him: Did you take part in the battle of Badr? He said: Yes, I did. I said: will you not tell me something about what you heard from the Holy Prophet about `Ali’s merits and virtues? He said: I will inform you of it. When the Messenger of Allah was improving from illness and Lady Fatimah had come to visit him, I was sitting on the right side o f the Messenger of Allah. Seeing her father feeble, Lady Fatimah started weeping! The Holy Prophet who was deeply impressed asked Fatimah about her weeping. Lady Fatimah said: Dear father, I am afraid of living when I am not near you. The sworn enemies of Islam may reveal their long-lasting cherished rancor! To  appease his daughter, the Prophet of Allah said: Do you not know that God Almighty with His infinite knowledge did a favor to those living on the earth by appointing your father as a prophet and once again did a favor to them by choosing your husband and revealed to me to marry you to him and then I appointed him as my executer? O my daughter! Do you not know that your position with God is so great that I married you to the most knowledgeable, the most forbearing and the foremost in Islam? Hearing this, Lady Fatimah became happy, smiled and received her reward from her father.

At this time, in order to inform Lady Fatimah of the abundant blessing God had given to Muhammad and His household, the Messenger of Allah said: O Fatimah! `Ali has eight merits which are unique in universe, namely, his belief in Allah and His messenger, his abundant knowledge, a wife like you, sons like Hasan and Husayn, enjoying the good and forbidding the evil. O Fatimah! We are Ahl al-Bayt endowed with six qualities which were not given to anyone in the former generations nor will be given to future generations but to us. Our prophet is the best and he is your father. We have the best executer and he is your husband. Our martyr is the best and he is the uncle of your father. Ja`far Tayyar who flies with two wings in paradise belongs to us. Two best sons of this Ummah are your sons. Mahdi behind whom Jesus will perform prayer is from us too.

Then, the Messenger of Allah put his hand on Husayn’s shoulder and said: Mahdi of this Ummah will come from this son of mine.[348]

The Holy Prophet has been quoted by Anas as saying: Verily, my friend, my vizier, my helper, my successor and the best man who will survive me and carries out my orders is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[349]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported as saying: Gabriel came to me with his wings wide open. On one wing there was the inscription: There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger, and the other: There is no God but Allah and `Ali is the successor of His messenger.[350]

`Ali; Amir al-Mu’minin

Ibn `Abbas has been quoted as saying: When the Messenger of Allah had put his head on the lap of Dihyah ibn Khalifah Kalbi in the courtyard of his house, `Ali entered, greeted him and said: In what state is the Messenger of Allah? He said: He is now in good condition.

Imam `Ali answered, “May God reward you with a worthy rewarding on behalf of us, the people of the Prophet’s House.” At this time, addressing `Ali, Dihyah Kalbi said: O `Ali! I like you and I have brought you a praiseworthy salutation from God which I present to you. You are the commander of the believers, the leader of graceful people and benefactors. You are the master of the sons of Adam except the prophets! On the Day of Judgment, the banner of al-Hamd is in your hand. You and your followers along with Muhammad and his followers will enter paradise with no delay. Salvation is for one who accepts your leadership and the loser is one who disobeys you. The friends of Muhammad are your friends and his enemies are your enemies who will never enjoy Muhammad’s intercession. Then, he said: O you are chosen by God! Come close to me and put your cousin’s head on your lap. After moment’s the Messenger of Allah took his head off `Ali’s lap and said: Whose voice was that? `Ali told him the whole story. The Messenger of Allah said: The one speaking to you was not Dihyah Kalbi! He was Gabriel who called you with the name God has chosen for you! It is Gabriel who has placed your love in the hearts of the believers and your awe in the hearts of the unbelievers.[351]

Ibn Mardawayh on the authority of Buraydah reports: The Messenger of Allah ordered us to address `Ali as the commander of the believers and say: Peace be to you, O Amir al-Mu’minin.[352] 

Ibn Mardawayh on the authority of `Abdullah reports: Once `Ali went to the Messenger of Allah while `A’ishah was with him. He took a seat between the Holy Prophet and `A’ishah who protested by saying: Did you not find any other place than my seat? Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah who had become angry tapped her on the back and said: `A’ishah! Calm down and stop bothering me with your snide remark against my brother, `Ali, for he is Amir al-Mu’minin, the master of Muslims, the leader of the graceful people. On the Day of Judgment he will sit on the Discriminating Bridge, will guide his followers to paradise and his enemies to hell.[353]

Ibn Mardawayh on the authority of Rafi`, the manumitted slave of  `A’ishah reports: When I was a young boy, I used to do the chores outside the house for `A’ishah and when the Messenger of Allah was at home, in addition to outside chores, I would do chores inside the  house too. One day when the Messenger of Allah was at home, someone knocked at the door. I went quickly to the door and found there was a female slave with a big tray with a cover on it. She asked permission to enter. I went and informed `A’ishah. She said: Guide her into the house. Entering the house, the female slave put the tray on the ground before `A’ishah, saying: This is a gift offered to you. She took it to the Messenger of Allah and removed the cover from it. The female slave left and the Messenger of Allah started eating from the tray, saying: I wish Amir al-Mu’minin, the master of Muslims and the leader of the pious, were here to share the food with us. At this time, someone knocked at the door. When I opened the door, I found `Ali behind it. Rushing towards the Messenger of Allah, I said: `Ali is behind the door, asking permission to enter. The Holy Prophet’s eyes fell on `Ali’s face and said: You are most welcome! Hail to you. I longed for your presence twice. If you were late, I would pray to God to bring you here. Now, take a seat and eat with us.[354]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Anas as saying: Paradise longs for four men of my Ummah! I intended to ask him who they were but I feared they might not be those in my mind. Hence, I went to Abu-Bakr, told him of the story, and said: Ask the Messenger of Allah who they are. Abu-Bakr said: I fear that I might not be among the four and to be exposed to the blame of my tribe (Bani Taym). So I went to `Umar and asked him to do the same. `Umar too brought up the possible blame of his tribe (Banu-`Adi). Thereafter, I went to `Uthman and told him the story. Like the other two, he said: I fear I may not be among the four and be blamed by Umayyad. Being desperate, I went to `Ali who was irrigating his tree and told him the story.

`Ali said: By God, I will ask the Messenger of Allah and I am not fearful, for if I am one of the four, I will praise Lord for giving me such a blessing and if I am not one of them, I will pray to Lord to make me one of the four and place their love in my heart.

So he headed for the Holy Prophet’s house while I was accompanying him. We saw the Messenger of Allah at a time Dihyah Kalbi had his head on his lap. Seeing `Ali, Dihyah rose up, hailed him and said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Come and put the head of your cousin on your  lap, for you are more deserving of this act! `Ali sat on the ground and put the head of the Messenger of Allah on his lap. At this time, the Holy Prophet woke up, saying: O Abul Hasan! You are not here without reason. What do you need? `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah, may my parents be ransom for you. When I came here, your head was on Kalbi’s lap. He rose up, greeted me and said: Put the head of your cousin on your lap, for you are more deserving than me! The Messenger of Allah asked: Did you recognize him? I said: Yes, he was Dihyah Kalbi. The Messenger of Allah said: He was not Dihyah rather, he was Gabriel the trustworthy in the guise of Dihyah. Then `Ali said: May my parents be your ransom. Right now, Anas informed me that you have said: Paradise longs for four persons! Who are those four? Pointing his finger at `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: By God, you are the first of them. He repeated this three times. `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be your ransom; who are the other three? The Holy Prophet said: The other three are: Miqdad, Salman, and Abu-Dharr.[355]

The Messenger of Allah has said on the authority of `Abbas: On the Day of Judgment, no one will enter the plain of the Resurrection Yard riding except four persons. Rising up from his seat, `Abbas said: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be your ransom; who are those four persons? The Holy Prophet said: I will ride my heavenly horse (Buraq), my brother Salih will ride his she-camel which was hamstrung, my uncle Hamzah will ride my `Adba’ she-camel and my brother, my cousin and my son-in-law, `Ali, will ride one of the she-camels of paradise with fine silk on it, with emerald legs, red gold body, white camphor head, ambergris tail, glowing with light, musky skeleton, neck of pearls, cupola of divine light whose inward is divine forgiveness and its outward is divine mercy. The banner of al-Hamd is in his hand. When he passes by a group of angels, they will say: Is he an arch-angel, a prophet or bearer of divine throne? At that time a herald from near or inside the divine throne will say: He is neither arch-angel, nor a prophet or bearer of divine throne. He is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, Amir al-Mu’minin, the leader of the pious and the head of the graceful ones. Delivered is one who accepts him and loser is one who denies or disobeys him. If a worshipper prays for thousands of years between Rukn and Maqam of Ka`bah in a way his body languishes and meets God while he is the enemy of the family of Muhammad, God will throw him to hell on face.[356]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported as saying: when on my Night Journey, I reached the farthest lote-tree (Sidrat al-Muntaha), I stopped in the presence of Allah who said: O Muhammad! I said: Yes. He said: You have tried my servants. Which of them obeys you? I said: O Lord! I found `Ali the most obedient. He said: You said the truth. Have you appointed a successor among your Ummah to guide my servants with my book and to teach them what they do not know? I said: O Lord! You appoint my successor, for you are the Best Appointer! God said: I have appointed `Ali. Therefore, appoint him as your vicegerent and executor after yourself, for I have given him my knowledge and forbearance. He is truly the commander of the believers. This is a title I have allocated to him only, for no one has had it before or will have it in future. O Muhammad! `Ali is the standard bearer of guidance, leader of my obedient servants and the light of my The saints. He is the word I made incumbent on the pious. Whoever loves him, has loved me and whoever is hostile to him, has been hostile to me! O Muhammad! Convey this good news to him. The Messenger of Allah said: I conveyed to him this good news. He appreciated it and said: I am a servant of God and under His control. If He blames me, it is because of the sin I have committed and if He forgives me it is because God is my Lord and my Aide. God said: Verily I will fulfill the promise I have given him. I said: O Lord! Make belief in You steadfast in him. God said: I did, but O Muhammad! I will try him with tribulations and calamities with which I have not tried anyone of the saints. I said: He is my brother and my long-cherished friend. God said: This is the fate I know about him. He will be afflicted with all these calamities and it is due to his high positions. My party, my devotees and the followers of prophets would not be recognized if there were no `Ali.[357]

These traditions have been reported from more than three hundred ways of narration.

Chapter 8 The Unity of `Ali and the Holy Prophet

 There is a widely transmitted Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah has said about `Ali: You are to me like Aaron to Moses. `Ali is the soul of the Holy Prophet, for his blood is from the blood and his flesh is from the flesh of the Messenger of Allah.

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: `Ali’s blood and flesh is from my blood and flesh. His position to me is like that of Aaron to Moses except that there is no prophet after me! Be a witness to what I say. Listen to and remember it. `Ali is the commander of the believers (Amir al-Mu’minin), master of Muslims and treasure of my knowledge. His path is my path. Whoever seeks nearness to me has to walk on his path. He is my brother in this world and my companion in the hereafter. He will be with me in the zenith of dignity and the most sublime stages.[358]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Jabir as saying: I and `Ali are one and from the same tree and the other people are from different trees.[359]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: The likeness of `Ali to me is the likeness of my head to my body.[360]

When `Ali victoriously came to the Holy Prophet from Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah said: If I did not fear that a group of my Ummah would say about you what the Christians said about Jesus, I would say something about your majesty that whenever you passed by a group of them, they would take the dust of your footsteps as a source of blessing and would use the water dropping from your hands in ablution as a cure! As for your dignity, I should say that you are from me and I am from you. You are my inheritor and I will inherit you. Your position to me is as Aaron had with Moses, except there will be no prophet after me. You will pay my dept and fight my enemies. You are the nearest to me on the Day of Judgment and the first to join me at the Pond. You are the first who will wear heavenly green garment along with me. You are also the first person of my Ummah to enter paradise and your followers will be sitting on the pulpits of light. Truth is always on your tongue, in your heart, and manifest before your eyes.[361]

It has been reported in Manaqib that Mu`awiyah proposed to Sa`d ibn Abi-Waqqas to curse `Ali! Being disturbed, Sa`d rejected Mu`awiyah’s proposal. Mu`awiyah asked for the reason. Sa`d said: The Messenger of Allah stated three features about `Ali for which I will never curse him. If I had only one of those features it would be more valuable to me than red-haired camels. Then, he added: One of  those features is as follows: when the Messenger of Allah went on a military expedition and appointed `Ali as his successor in Medina and `Ali complained: Do you leave me in Medina with children and women? The Holy Prophet said: Are you not happy that your position to me is as Aaron had with Moses, except that there will be no prophet after me?

`Ali’s second feature is that on the day of Khaybar, I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: Tomorrow I will give the banner of Islam to a man who loves Allah and His messenger and Allah and His messenger too love him! On that day a group of companions including myself were waiting for such an honorable position in the hope that we would be honored with it. But the Messenger of Allah said: Call `Ali! Having sore eyes, `Ali came to the Holy Prophet who rubbed his saliva on `Ali’s eyes which cured them immediately. The Holy Prophet gave the banner of Islam to `Ali who later returned to the Messenger of Allah with full victory.

`Ali’s third feature is that on the day of mutual cursing (Mubahalah), God Almighty introduced `Ali as the soul of the Holy Prophet (s.a): “Come let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, and our near people and your near people” (3:61) and the Messenger of Allah called `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, saying: O Lord! These are my Ahl al-Bayt.[362]

Jabir ibn `Abdullah has been reported as saying: I and a group of the companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a) were lying down in the mosque. Having a leafless twig of palm in his hand, the Messenger of Allah entered the mosque, complaining of our lying down in Masjid. So we along with `Ali had to leave the mosque as quickly as possible. At this time, the Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali! Come here, for whatever is permissible for me in the mosque is permissible for you too. Are you not happy that your position to me is as Harun had with Musa except that there will be no prophet after me? By God under whose control my life is, on the Day of Judgment you will drive away a group of people from the Pond with teak rod you have in hand in the same way that a thirsty camel is driven away from water! Even now, I can see your position at the Pond.[363]

`Ali has reported: I was afflicted with a severe disease. To seek the cure, I went to the house of the Holy Prophet (s.a). Seeing I was sick, the Messenger of Allah made me lie down in his own place, put a covering of his garment on me and started praying. After the passage of a short time in prayer, he said: O son of Abu-Talib, God has healed you. You do not have to worry any more, for whatever I asked God for myself, I asked for you. All my wishes were fulfilled except the question of prophethood, for there will be no prophet after me.[364]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Mu`adh ibn Jabal as having said to `Ali: You share all the merits and virtues with me except prophethood in which I am superior to all people and no man of Quraysh has such virtues and merits; You are the first to believe in Allah; You are the most faithful to Allah’s covenant; You are the most steadfast in carrying out God’s orders. You are the fairest in division of property; You are the most just among the servants, the most knowledgeable in judgment and the most privileged with God on the Day of Judgment.[365]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by ibn `Umar as saying: Whoever keeps his distance from `Ali’s manners has kept distance from my manners and whoever keeps distance from me has kept distance from God.[366]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abi- Dharr as saying: O `Ali, whoever keeps distance from me and forsakes my way, has kept distance from God. Beyond doubt, parting with you will be parting with me.[367]

The Story of the Grilled Bird

A narration which has been widely transmitted and it is well-known both to Shi`ite and Sunni Muslims is the story of the grilled bird.

Anas ibn Malik reports: A grilled bird was offered to the Messenger of Allah as a gift, for which he raised his hands in prayer, saying: O Lord, send to me Your most beloved creature to eat with me from this bird. Being sure that the Holy Prophet’s prayer would be answered, Anas reports: I hoped that he would be a man from Ansar (helpers). Hence I said: O Lord, let the man be from Ansar! But concurrent with the Holy Prophet’s prayer `Ali was at the door and asked for permission to enter. I said: The Messenger of Allah is busy now. `Ali went away and came again after a few moments. Again I said that the Holy Prophet was busy. For the third time `Ali came at the door. The Messenger of Allah said: Open the door. I opened the  door. `Ali came in. The Holy Prophet asked: What happened between you and Anas? `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! This is the third time I come to see you but each time Anas stopped me from entering the house, saying: The Holy Prophet is busy!

The Holy Prophet (s.a) called me and said: Why did you stop `Ali from coming in. I said: O Messenger of Allah, when I heard your prayer and I was sure your prayer would be answered, I wished the most beloved man with Allah would be a man from my tribe, Ansar! The Messenger of Allah said: Yes, everyone is interested in his close relations and repeated this sentence for a second time.[368]

Ali is the Best Creature

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by ibn Mardawayh on the authority of Hudhayfah as saying: `Ali is the best of the human beings. Whoever does not admit this, is an unbeliever who has denied an indisputable fact.[369]

The Holy Prophet has been reported by Salman as saying: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the best one I appoint as my successor.[370]

Quoting Salman, Ab Sa`id Khidri reports: One day the Messenger of Allah called me. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I am at your service. He said: Today I take you as a witness that `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the best of people.[371]

Abu-Rafi` has quoted his father and his grandfather as saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying to `Ali: O `Ali, you are the best of my Ummah in the world and hereafter.[372]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Habashi ibn Janadah as saying: The best man who walks on the earth after me is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[373]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Anas ibn Malik as saying: `Ali is the best person whom I leave behind after myself.[374]

Jabir ibn `Abdullah has reported: The Messenger of Allah sent Walid ibn `Uqbah to Banu-Wulay`ah tribe against whom he had a long-cherished rancor in the pre-Islamic era to collect alms from them. When Banu-Wulay`ah tribe were informed of it, they rushed to welcome him and to know what he wanted from close. But Walid was  horrified, having the impression that they were going to fight him. So he returned to Medina from the same spot. He presented a false report to the Messenger of Allah, saying: Banu-Wulay`ah tribe are disobeying you, refusing to pay alms and are intent to kill me.

Being aware of Walid’s return to Medina and his report, all of Banu-Wulay`ah tribe came to Medina without any delay and went to see the Messenger of Allah, saying: Walid’s report is baseless. We neither disobey you nor refuse to pay alms. We only feared that he might take revenge because of his rancor against us!

The Messenger of Allah who was fully informed of the event, in order to punish and give them a lesson said: O Banu-Wulay`ah! Stop this impudent act, otherwise I will send to you a man who is like me in position to fight you, to take your sons captive and to exterminate you. Pointing to `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: He is the best man walking on the earth. Putting his hand on `Ali’s shoulder, he said: He is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Concurrent with this, the verse: “O you who believe! If an evil-doer comes to you with a report …” was revealed about Walid.[375]

Warning Against Those Challenging `Ali’s Authority

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abi- Dharr as saying: Anyone who challenges `Ali’s authority in relation to caliphate after me is certainly an unbeliever who has risen to fight Allah, His messenger and has disobeyed the decree of Allah and His messenger. Also anyone who is doubtful of `Ali’s right to caliphate is certainly an unbeliever.[376]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Imam Sajjad on the authority of his father, Imam Husayn, and his grandfather, Imam `Ali, as saying: The wrath of Allah and me is intense on one who sheds my blood and hurts me in relation to my household.[377]

Anas has reported: I was in the presence of the Messenger of Allah when his look fell on `Ali who was coming to him. He said: I and the one who is coming are two proofs of Allah to my Ummah on the Day of Judgment.[378]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Mu`awiyah ibn Haydah Qushayri as having said to `Ali: O `Ali, one who dies with the rancor  

against you, he has died as a Jew or Christian!

Yazid ibn Zuray` reports: I said to Bahz ibn Hakim: Have your father and your grandfather narrated this Hadith on the authority of the Messenger of Allah? In response he said: May Allah strike me deaf if I am lying.[379]

Anas ibn Malik has reported: Being in the presence of the Holy Prophet, I and a group of people said: O Messenger of Allah, by God we love you more than ourselves and our children. At this time, `Ali entered. The Messenger of Allah, looking at `Ali, compassionately said: One who says he loves me but has your rancor in heart is lying.[380]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Khalid ibn Zayd known as Abu-Ayyub Ansari as saying: O `Ali, God Almighty has placed the love for the poor in your heart. You are pleased with their following you and they are pleased with your leadership. Happy is one who follows you and he is truthful in it. Woe to one who has your rancor in heart and tells lies about you.[381]

Ibn `Abbas has reported: I was in the presence of the Messenger of Allah when `Ali entered with fury. The Holy Prophet asked the reason. `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! I was in the gathering of your cousins who were saying things far from your dignity. That made me furious. Being angry, the Messenger of Allah rose up and said: O people! Whoever makes `Ali angry has made me angry, for `Ali is the first one who believed in Allah and His messenger and adhered to Allah’s covenant. O people, anyone who hurts `Ali’s feelings, he will be raised among Jews and Christians. Jabir asked: Even if he accepts the oneness of God and your prophethood? The Messenger of Allah said: Yes, even if you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is Allah’s messenger, the only advantage is that your blood will not be shed, your property will not be confiscated for Muslims and poll tax will not be collected from you.[382]

Abu-Hurayrah has reported: The Messenger of Allah looking at the faces of `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, said: I am at war with one who is at war with you and at peace with one who is at peace with you.[383]

`Ali Compared to Surah al-Ikhlas, the Holy Ka`bah, and the head of the Holy Prophet; and the duty towards him is like the duty towards fathers

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Nu`man ibn Bashir as saying: The likeness of `Ali among this Ummah is the likeness of “say: He, Allah, is one” (112:1).[384]

Ibn `Abbas has quoted the Messenger of Allah as having said to `Ali: O `Ali, your position among people is like the position of “say: He, Allah, is one” in the Qur’an. Whoever recites this Surah once, it is as if he has recited one third of the Holy Qur’an. Whoever recites it twice, it is as if he has recited two thirds of the Holy Qur’an and whoever recites it thrice, it is as if he has recited the whole Qur’an. Whoever loves you verbally, he has indeed loved one third of Islam. Whoever loves you verbally and whole-heartedly, he has loved two thirds of Islam and whoever loves you with his tongue, heart, and hands and fights the enemies of Islam on your order, his love for Islam is perfect. I swear by One who has rightfully appointed me as prophet, if those living on the earth love you like the dwellers of heaven, God will not punish them with the fire.[385]

The Messenger of Allah has said: The likeness of `Ali among you is the likeness of the hidden and manifest Ka`bah; looking at it is worship and circumambulating it is the greater Hajj.[386]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: The relation of `Ali to me is like the relation of my head to my body.[387]

The Messenger of Allah has also been reported by Ibn `Abbas as saying: The position of `Ali to me is like the position of my head to my body.[388]

The Holy Prophet has been quoted by `Ali as saying: `Ali’s right to Muslims is like a father’s right to his son.[389]

`Ali’s Ablution with Heavenly Water

Anas ibn Malik has reported that the Messenger of Allah said to Abu-Bakr and `Umar: Go to `Ali and ask him about the last night event. I will follow you too. Anas further reports: Abu-Bakr, `Umar and I headed for `Ali’s house. Reaching there, we asked Abu-Bakr:

Has anything happened? Abu-Bakr said: If anything has happened, it is fair. Then, he said: The Messenger of Allah said to `Umar and me: Go to `Ali to inform you of the event which happened to you last night. At this time, the Messenger of Allah arrived and asked `Ali to tell us about the event of the last night. `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! I am ashamed of telling the story. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Tell us the event, for God is not ashamed of telling the truth. `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! Last night I was in need of water for purification but I could not find any. I was afraid my morning prayer be defaulted. Hence, I hastily sent Hasan and Husayn to two different directions to search for water but they were late and there was no sign of water. A kind of sorrow overwhelmed me for not having access to water. All of a sudden, I realized that the ceiling of the room cleft and a pail covered with a piece of cloth came down. When I uncovered the pail, I saw that it was full of water. Having purified myself with that water and having performed my prayer, I saw the pail of water going up to heaven and the cleft ceiling turned back to its former position! The Holy Prophet rejoicingly said: The pail was from heaven, the water was from Kawthar, and the cover was heavenly silk. Then, the Holy Prophet added: O `Ali, who could be like you last night when Gabriel was serving you?[390]

`Ali, a Great Master

Ibn `Abbas reports: the Messenger of Allah looking at `Ali’s face, said: You are a master in the world and the hereafter! Whoever loves you has loved me. Someone who is my friend is God’s friend too. Your enemy is my enemy and my enemy is God’s enemy. Woe to one who is your enemy after me.[391]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Akhtab ibn Muhammad as saying: During my night journey, I observed a palace made up of red rubies. At that time, God Almighty revealed to me that the palace belonged to `Ali who is the master of Muslims, the leader of the pious and the fortunate ones.[392]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by As`ad ibn Zurarah as saying: During my night journey when I reached the lote-tree (Sidrat al-Muntaha) God Almighty revealed to me three times, saying: `Ali is the leader of the pious, the master of Muslims, and the one who guides the fortunate ones to paradise.[393]

More Merits of Imam `Ali

`Ali is the supervisor of the Kawthar Pond, the giver of permission to enter Paradise, the bearer of the standard on the Resurrection Day and during crossing the Discriminating Bridge (Sirat), and his two angels takes pride in him on the other angels[394]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: On the Day of Judgment, `Ali stands by the Pond of Kawthar. No one enters paradise without his permission.[395]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by Jabir as saying: The two angels who are in charge of taking up `Ali’s deeds are more proud than other angels, for they present to God not any one of `Ali’s deeds which brings about Allah’s wrath. So they have a privilege over other angels.[396]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: On the Day of Judgment, on God’s order, Gabriel sits at the gate of paradise and blocks people’s entrance into paradise except those having a clean record signed by `Ali.[397]

Jabir ibn Samarah has reported: The Holy Prophet (s.a) was asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who is your banner bearer on the Day of Judgment? He said: My banner bearer on that day will be my banner bearer in the world. He is no one but `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[398]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Abdullah ibn Anas as saying: On the Day of Judgment when The Discriminating Bridge will be put over hell, no one can cross it unless he has a document in hand showing his love for `Ali.[399]

Virtues of `Ali’s Children

The sons of Amir al-Mu’minin, two of whom, are Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn have merits which cannot be counted.

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud as saying: Hasan and Husayn are two masters and leaders of youths in paradise.[400]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been reported by Abu-Hurayrah as saying: An angel was permitted to come to visit me and to give good tidings to me. The good tidings were: Fatimah is the princess of the women of my Ummah, and Hasan and Husayn are two masters of the youths in paradise.

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ya`li `Amiri as saying: Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn. God loves one who loves Husayn. He is one of my grandsons.[401]

It has been reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas: Gabriel came to the presence of the Holy Prophet, saying: Verily God Almighty annihilated seventy thousand persons against martyrdom of the innocent Yahya (John), the son of Zachariah, but He will annihilate twice this number against the martyrdom of your daughter’s son, Husayn.[402]

The Holy Prophet of Islam has said: Beyond doubt, the abode of the killer of Husayn is in a coffin of fire and his punishment is as much as that of half the world people. This torment is at a time when his hands and feet are tied to hot chains thrown into the fire on face in a way that he is placed in the abyss. This evil criminal has stinking smell from which the dwellers of hell seek refuge to God. He abides in the fire of hell, is tormented, cannot get rid of it even for an hour and the fetid water of hell is poured into his throat. Woe to the killers of Husayn from the chastisement on the Day of Judgment.[403]

Mus`ab has reported: Imam Husayn went on Hajj pilgrimage on foot for twenty five times.[404] 

Bara' has reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah carrying Hasan on his shoulder, saying: O Lord! I love Hasan. You love him too.[405]

Hudhayfah ibn Yaman has reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah holding Husayn’s hand in his hand, saying: O people! This is Husayn ibn `Ali! Hold him in high esteem! This is Husayn whose grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, maternal uncle and aunt, brother and himself are in paradise. Their devotees and followers of their devotees are in paradise too.[406]

Abu-Hurayrah has reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah relishing the saliva of Hasan and Husayn like one who relishes dates.[407]

Usamah ibn Zayd reports: One of the other nights, I knocked the door of the Holy Prophet’s house for a need. The Holy Prophet came out of the house and met what I needed. At this time, I saw the Holy Prophet wrap with something which I did not know what it was.  So I said: O Messenger of Allah! What is it? The Holy Prophet unwrapped himself.

I saw that he was holding Hasan and Husayn in his arms. Then, he said: These are my sweethearts and the sweethearts of my daughter! O Lord! You know that I love them. You too do not deny them love. He repeated this three times.[408]

Jabir reports: One day I went to the presence of the Holy Prophet while Hasan and Husayn were riding on his back. He was saying: You are riding on a good horse and you two are good riders![409]

Abu-Sa`id Khidri reports: I and a group of people were in the presence of the Holy Prophet (s.a) speaking to one another till it was the time of siesta. Given that the conversation prolonged and the Holy Prophet (s.a) was accustomed to siesta, seeing the signs of tiredness on his face, we left the meeting place. But at this time, we saw Lady Fatimah knocking at the door. `Ali who was among us said to her: O Fatimah! Why are you out at this hot time of the day? She said: Hasan and Husayn have not come back home. I thought they were at their grandfather’s house. I am here for this reason. `Ali said: They are not at their grandfather’s house. Go back home and do not bother your father. The Holy Prophet who was inside heard them. Despite being tired, he came out. Seeing her father Fatimah said: O Messenger of Allah! Your sons, Hasan and Husayn have not returned home. I thought they were in your house. I came here to be sure of it!

The Messenger of Allah said: God Almighty will protect them from any harm. Now, go back home with peace of mind. We deserve more to go and look for them. So Fatimah went back home while the Messenger of Allah and `Ali went in different directions. We all went to look for them and after a short while, we found them near a wall while one was lying in the shelter of another from the sunlight. As soon as the Holy Prophet’s look fell on them, he started weeping. He bint, took them up and while kissing them put Hasan on his right shoulder and Husayn on his left shoulder and headed for the house. It was a hot day then and the Holy Prophet did not let his two sons put their feet on the hot ground lest their feet be hurt. He carried them on his shoulders throughout the way.

Sulayman ibn Salim reported A`mash as saying: The errand boy of Abu-Ja`far Mansur called me to see him at midnight, saying: Abu-Ja`far  wants to see you immediately. I said: For what reason has Amir al-Mu’minin summoned me at this time of night? He said: I have no idea. I said: Tell him that I will come to see you after a few minutes. But I said to myself: To be summoned at this hour of night is certainly not for something fair. Perhaps, he wants to ask me something about the virtues and merits of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. If I tell the truth, he will kill me. Hence, I purified myself (performed Ghusl), put on my shroud, applied Camphor, wrote my last will and testament, gave it to my family and headed for the palace of Mansur. When I entered the palace, I found my old friend, `Amr ibn `Ubayd Basri with him. Hence, I was relieved of anxiety, for I knew he would defend me in all conditions. At any rate, after exchange of greetings, I took a seat in a corner. Mansur said: Leave that place and come near me. I went near to him while exchanging a few words with `Amr ibn `Ubayd. However the smell of camphor had spread in that palace. Mansur asked: What is the smell for? I said: For something urgent. Mansur said: Should you not tell the truth, I will have you killed! I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin, your errand boy called on me at midnight. I said to myself, this untimely call has no reason other than asking questions about the virtues of `Ali. Since I am not going to conceal them, it will result in my being killed! For this reason, I performed Ghusl, applied camphor, put on my shroud, and came to you. This is the whole truth! Sitting on his knees and reclining as if he was announcing his readiness to hear me, Mansur said: I seek refuge to God to have an innocent person killed. Now tell me what is my name and do you know my name at all? I said: yes, your name is `Abdullah ibn Mansur, the son of Muhammad ibn `Ali ibn `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib. He said: That is true. Now, by God and by my relation to the Messenger of Allah, what do you and other scholars know about `Ali’s virtues and merits? I said: My knowledge is little. I know about ten thousand Hadiths and a little more! Mansur said: O Sulayman, I will now recite two Hadiths about `Ali’s virtues which will overshadow all the Hadiths you and other jurisprudents know provided that you will not tell it to anyone of the Shi`ite Muslims and take an oath for your undertaking. I said: I do not take an oath, but I will not tell it to anyone. Then he said: When I feared the rule of Banu-Marwan and I was running from one city to another, I was trying to narrate `Ali’s virtues to attract the love of  

`Ali’s devotees to spreading his merits. People highly respected me inviting me to their houses and received me in the best way till I reached Syria. Contrary to other places, the people of Syria were Khawarij and the followers of Mu`awiyah. They would curse `Ali in their mosques every morning. One day, I arrived in a mosque at noon disguised as a poor man. Knowing about the people of Syria, I feared that they might know me and surrender me to the ruling authorities. The congregational noon prayer started. Wearing a worn-out cloak, I too prayed with them. When the prayer was completed, the prayer leader leant against the wall; the worshipers circled around him and did not say anything out of respect for him.

At this time, two boys entered the mosque. Seeing them, the prayer leader opened his arms, saying: My sons! Come here. He gave them a hug, called their names respectfully, saying: By God, the names I have given you was motivated only by my love for Muhammad and his household. I heard him calling them Hasan and Husayn. I rejoiced, saying to myself my wish has been realized. To be on the safe side, I asked a young man who was near to me: Who is the prayer leader and what is the relation of these two boys with him? He said: This sheikh is the two boy’s grandfather. In this city no one has the love for `Ali except him. It is for this reason he has named them Hasan and Husayn. This added to my joy. So I rose up quickly and said to myself: Today I am a sharp sword and do not fear anyone. Approaching the sheikh, I said: O sheikh, I find you a devotee of Ahl al-Bayt. If you like I will relate to you a narration about them which will please you. He said: I am very much fond of it. Should you gladden me by telling it, I will gladden you too. I said: My father has related it on the authority of my grandfather, and he too on the authority of his father has quoted the Messenger of Allah but the sheikh interrupted me by saying: Who is your father, your grandfather, and father of your grandfather? I said: Muhammad ibn `Ali ibn `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas, and then related the tradition. Ibn `Abbas reported: I and a group of people were in the presence of the Holy Prophet (s.a) when all of a sudden, Fatimah while weeping came to the presence of her father. The Messenger of Allah said: My daughter, why are you weeping? May your eyes never be tearful! She said: Dear father! Hasan and Husayn have disappeared since morning. I searched for them in the houses of your wives and other  places but I could not find any trace of them. `Ali has been irrigating the trees for the past five days and has not come home to search for them. The Messenger of Allah assigned Abu-Bakr who was sitting on his right side to search for them and assigned `Umar, Salman, Abu-Dharr, and a group of companions whose number amounted to seventy to search for Hasan and Husayn who were, in the words of the Holy Prophet, the apple of his eye. They all searched for Hasan and Husayn but they could not find them and returned without any news! The Messenger of Allah was upset with this unexpected event so he headed for the mosque to pray for them. Raising his hands, he said: O Lord! Through the position of Ibrahim, your friend! And through the position of Adam, your chosen one, protect the apple of my eye and return them safely to me whether they are on sea or land!

At this time Gabriel appeared saying: O Messenger of Allah, your Lord hailed you and said: Do not grieve! These two children have merits in this world and the hereafter, having abode in paradise. I have assigned an angel over them to guard them in sleep and wakefulness. Being gladdened by this news, the Messenger of Allah set out while Gabriel, the trustworthy, was on the right side and Muslims were around him till they reached the orchard of Banu-Najjar. The Messenger of Allah hailed the guardian angel, kneeled down, finding that Hasan had put his hand around Husayn’s neck and they had both gone to sleep. The guardian angel too had spread one wing as bed and the other wing as cover. The Holy Prophet (s.a) kept on kissing them till they woke up. He took up Hasan and Gabriel took up Husayn and went out of orchard.

Ibn `Abbas reports: After exit from orchard, I saw Hasan on the right side and Husayn on the left side of the Messenger of Allah who showered them with kisses, saying: Whoever loves you has loved the Messenger of Allah and whoever has rancor against you is the enemy of the Messenger of Allah.

Abu-Bakr said: O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to carry one of them on my shoulder but the Holy Prophet said: What good riders they are and what a good horse they have. `Umar requested the same thing and received the same answer.

The Holy Prophet then entered the mosque while Hasan was clutching his shirt and leaning against his arm, saying: Today, I will elaborate on the dignity that God has given to these two endeared sons of mine. Bilal was ordered to announce to people to be gathered in mosque. Addressing them, the Holy Prophet said: Shall I guide you today to the best people in terms of grandfather and grandmother? They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: Do not leave Hasan and Husayn alone, for their grandfather is the Messenger of Allah and their grandmother is Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid, the lady of the women in paradise! Shall I guide you to the best persons who have dignified father and mother? The people said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He said: Resort to Hasan and Husayn, for their father is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib who is better than his sons, a youth who loves God and His messenger, and God and His messenger too love him. He has benefited Islam and possesses merits. Their mother is Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah and the princess of women in paradise. O people, shall I guide you to the best people who have dignified uncle and aunt? The people said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! The Holy Prophet said: The uncle of Hasan and Husayn is Ja`far Tayyar who flies in paradise with two wings. Their aunt is Ummu-Hani, the daughter of Abu-Talib. O people, shall I guide you to the maternal uncle and aunt of the best people? The people said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! The Holy Prophet said: The best people are Hasan and Husayn whose maternal uncle is Qasim, the son of the Messenger of Allah and whose maternal aunt is Zayinab, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah.

O people! I hereby declare that the grandfather, the grandmother, the parents, the paternal and maternal uncles and aunts of Hasan and Husayn are in paradise. Whoever loves the sons of `Ali will be with us in paradise and whoever is their enemy will be in hell. One of the honors God has given to Hasan and Husayn is that their names have been mentioned in the Torah as Shubbar and Shubayr.

Mansur reports: When that clergyman heard this Hadith from me, honored me much, saying: Now that you have related this narration about `Ali, it does not befit you to have such a worn-out shirt. He immediately offered me a precious garment and a horse which later I  sold for a hundred Dinars. Then he said: Now, I will guide you to two of my brothers. One is the leader of a group who curse `Ali a thousand times in this city from morning till night and curse him four thousand times on Fridays. Recently, God has denied him His blessings and has made him an example for public and now he has become a devotee of `Ali. I will now guide you to the other brother who is a devotee of `Ali from his childhood. I am sure you will receive benefits from him. Now, rise up and move towards him.

O Sulayman, by God, I rode on the horse and the sheikh and the people who were in the mosque accompanied me to the door of his brother’s house. The sheikh had already stressed that I should not keep silent when meeting his brother.

When the companions left me, I knocked at the door. A tall man with dark complexion rushed to receive me. Looking at my horse, he welcomed me and said: This horse belongs to him. If he has favored you, it is due to your love for God and His messenger. Should you gladden me by relating a Hadith, you will be nicely rewarded. O Suleiman, by God, I related to him the most valuable narration which you have heard before and I will now relate to you. I said: My father and my grandfather reported their father as saying: I and a group of people were sitting in the presence of the Messenger of Allah when Fatimah, carrying Husayn on her shoulder entered weeping. The Holy Prophet welcomed his daughter, took Husayn from her and asked the reason of her weeping. Fatimah said: My dear father! The women of Quraysh reproach me, saying: Your father has married you to one who has no wealth! The Holy Prophet said: Calm down, my daughter. Never repeat these words again, for your marriage was not in my hand, rather God Almighty decreed to marry you to `Ali after He had married you to `Ali with Gabriel, Michael, and Seraphiel as witnesses. O Fatimah, the Lord of universe had a look at the world with His infinite knowledge, and chose your father as a prophet. He once again looked at creatures and appointed `Ali as my executor on God’s order, for his illuminated heart was the most susceptible, his forbearance more than others, his belief in Islam, the foremost, his generosity above others, and his temper and morality better than others.

My daughter! On the Day of Judgment I will mission `Ali to quench  

the thirst of anyone of my followers whom he knows. O Fatimah! Your sons, Hasan and Husayn are the masters of the youths in paradise. Their names had been mentioned in the Torah as Shubbar and Shubayr even before my prophethood. They have been named Hasan and Husayn due to the dignity which their grandfather and they themselves have with God.

O Fatimah, on the Day of Judgment, your father will be dressed with two garments of heavenly garments. `Ali too will be adorned with such vestments. On that day, I will give the banner of al-Hamd to `Ali and due to the dignity he has with God, my followers will stand under his banner. At that time, the herald will declare: O Muhammad, your ancestor Ibrahim is the best man and your brother `Ali is the best brother. Once the Lord of universe calls me, He will call `Ali too. If I sit on my knees, `Ali will do the same. If I intercede for anyone, `Ali will intercede for him too. If my prayer is answered `Ali’s prayer will be answered too. He will not only cooperate with me in intercession but also in giving the keys of paradise to people. O Fatimah! Rejoice and know that `Ali and his followers attain salvation on the Day of Judgment.

Mansur reports: Another narration is that one day when Fatimah was sitting in a corner sorrowful, the Messenger of Allah came and sat near her asking the reason she was sad. Fatimah said: May I be ransom for you. How should I not be sorrowful while I know you will depart from this world? The Messenger of Allah said: Do not grieve, my daughter, for death is a certain issue and there is no doubt about it. With this, Fatimah started weeping more, saying: Dear father, where can we meet again? The Messenger of Allah said: On mount al-Hamd where I will intercede for my Ummah with my Lord! She said: What if we do not meet there? He said: on The Discriminating Bridge where Gabriel is on my right side, Michael on my left side, Seraphiel is clutching my lap and angels move behind me and I humbly say: O Lord! My Ummah, my Ummah. Make the reckoning easy for them. At that time, I will look at my Ummah on the right and left side and see all prophets are busy with themselves, saying: Woe to me, woe to me! It is only I who say woe to my Ummah, woe to my Ummah! The first ones of my Ummah who will join me are: You, `Ali, Hasan, and Husayn. Then God will say: O Muhammad! If your Ummah have sinned  as much as the height of lofty mountains but have not associated anything with Me and they are not under the leadership of my enemies, I will forgive them.

Mansur says: That young man, after hearing this narration gave me ten thousand Dirhams and thirty sets of suits, saying: Where do you come from? I said: From Kufah. He said: Are you from an Arab race or non-Arab? I said: I am an Arab. He said: As you gladdened me with this Hadith, I too rewarded you! Then that young man said: Come and see me in such and such mosque tomorrow. I hope you will not lose the way. Then, I went to the sheikh who was waiting for me. He became glad to see me, hugged me and asked about his brother. I told him the whole story. He said: May God reward him and place us near each other in paradise.

O Sulayman, I rode on my horse the next day and headed for the mosque the young man had described for me. But soon I lost the way to mosque. Amid this, I heard the voice of a Muezzin from a mosque. I said to myself by God I will perform my prayer with this people. So I dismounted from my horse and entered the mosque. At this time, I caught sight of a man, the Imam of the mosque and found him similar to the young man. I stood on his right side and followed him in prayer. As soon as we bowed down and prostrated, his turban fell off his head. Surprisingly I found that his face, hands, and feet and head were like a pig! Seeing this made me unmindful of my prayer. I was at a loss not knowing what I was saying! I pondered on his affair. With the completion of prayer, the man had a look at me, saying: Was it not you who went to see my brother yesterday? I said: Yes. He said: My brother gave you money and clothes, didn’t he? I said yes, and told him the whole story. Taking my hand in his hand, he took me out while the people who were in mosque followed us. Reaching his house, he ordered his servant to close the door. When he took off his clothes, I found that his body was like the body of a pig. This scene horrified me! Surprisingly I said: Why your body is like that? He said: It has a story which I should tell you. I am the Imam and Muezzin of this mosque. I used to curse `Ali a thousand times between Azan and Iqamah of Morning Prayer. One Friday when I cursed `Ali and his sons four thousand times, I went out of the mosque, and leant against this shop you see. Sleep overwhelmed  me. In my dream, I saw a place like paradise where `Ali was reclining on a heavenly cushion. Hasan and Husayn too were reclining on a throne each rejoicingly. Under their feet, a prayer-mat of light spread! At that time, I saw the Messenger of Allah sitting and Hasan and Husayn standing before him while Hasan had a pitcher in hand and Husayn had a bowl in hand. The Holy Prophet said to Hasan: Give me some water. Hasan gave water to the Holy Prophet. Then he said to Husayn: Quench the thirst of your father, `Ali. Husayn quenched the thirst of his father. He then commissioned Hasan to give water to those who were present there, saying: My dear Hasan, give water to the man who is leaning against the wall of the shop! But Hasan turned his back on me and said: Dear father! How can I give him water while he curses my father a thousand times a day? Today, he especially cursed us and our father four thousand times!

Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah looked at me angrily and said: What made you curse my brother, `Ali, and my sons, Hasan and Husayn? May Allah curse you and deny you His Mercy! Then he spit on me in a way it covered my whole body! I woke up then out of horror and saw every part of my body hit by spit transformed in a way you can see. I have turned into an example of God’s wrath for the public!

Then Mansur said: O Sulayman, do you remember any Hadith like these two on the merits of `Ali? O Sulayman, love for `Ali is a sign of pure faith, and enmity with him is discord, for no one loves `Ali unless he is a pure devoted believer and no one is his enemy but an evil-minded unbeliever. Sulayman says: I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin, am I safe to ask you a question which just came to my mind concerning these two wonderful Hadiths? He said: Yes. I said: What do you think of those who killed `Ali and his sons? He said: They are being tormented in the fire of God’s chastisement. There is no doubt about it? Hearing this, he lowered his head and said implicitly: O Sulayman, kingdom is barren. But Sulayman! Given what I have told you, narrate as many Hadiths as you can remember about `Ali’s merits.[410]

The author of the book, Nihayat al-Talab wa Ghayat al-Sa’ul, has quoted Ibn `Abbas as saying: I was in the presence of the Messenger  of Allah while he had placed his son Ibrahim on his right knee and Husayn on his left knee. He alternately kissed one and the other. At this time, Gabriel descended and conveyed a divine message to the Holy Prophet (s.a) and left. The Messenger of Allah said: It was Gabriel who said: Allah greets you and says: I will not keep these two alive for you. You have to ransom one for the other! Looking at the face of Ibrahim, the Holy Prophet started weeping and looking at the face of Husayn he started weeping too! He then said: The mother of Ibrahim is a slave. With Abraham’s death, no one but his mother and I will mourn but Husayn’s mother is Fatimah and his father is `Ali, my cousin whose flesh is my flesh and his blood is my blood. If Husayn dies, I, his mother and his father will mourn. Hence, I am prepared to ransom Ibrahim for Husayn! Addressing Gabriel, the Holy Prophet said: I have ransomed Ibrahim for Husayn! Ibn

`Abbas reports: Ibrahim died after three days. Since then, anytime the Holy Prophet (s.a) saw Husayn, he would hug and kiss him, saying: May I be ransom for you for the sake of whom I made my son Ibrahim a ransom.[411]

The merits of his sons are more evident than sunlight. So are the merits of his descendants, the Infallible Imams from the offspring of Imam al-Husayn, peace be upon them all.

Ibn `Abbas has quoted the Holy Prophet as saying: The likeness of my Ahl al-Bayt is the likeness of Noah’s Ark. Whoever is sitting in it will be saved from drowning, and whoever refused to enter it was annihilated.[412]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Abu-Dharr as saying: The likeness of my Ahl al-Bayt is the likeness of Noah’s ark. Whoever sits in it will be saved and whoever rejects it will be swallowed by flood. Whoever fights my Ahl al-Bayt at the end of the world is like one who accompanies anti-Christ and misleads people.[413]

Ibn `Abbas reports that the Messenger of Allah said to Husayn: Mahdi, may Allah expedite his reappearance, is from your sons.[414]

Ibn `Abbas has reported: I heard it from the Messenger of Allah with my own ears (if I am lying, God may strike me deaf) say: I am the tree of prophethood, Fatimah is fruit-bearing, `Ali is the graft of the tree, Hasan and Husayn are fruits and followers of Ahl al-Bayt are leaves of this tree in paradise. There is no doubt about it.[415]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Jabir ibn `Abdullah as saying: Truly, paradise longs for four members of my Ahl al-Bayt whom Allah loves and has ordered me to love. They are `Ali, Hasan, Husayn, and Mahdi whom Jesus will follow in prayer.[416]

The Messenger of Allah has also said: There are four groups for whom I will intercede on the Day of Judgment; those who respect my progeny, those who endeavor to meet their needs, those who help them out in difficult situations, and finally those who have love for my progeny and express it.[417]

It has been reported on the authority of Layth ibn Sa`d: In the year 110 A.H., I went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. I circumambulated Ka`bah, I did Sa`y (ritual roaming) between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and went up Mount Abu-Qubays. There, I found a man who had raised his hands in prayer, uttering the words “o Lord, o Lord” to the extent that he was almost fainting. Then he uttered “O Allah, o Allah, o the Ever-living, the self-subsistent, o the Lord of Glory and Hhonor, o Lord, o Lord” so frequently that he was almost out of breath. Then, he said: O Lord! These two striped clothes I have on are worn out, give me a new one. Hunger has made me intolerant, give me food! Immediately I saw a basket full of grapes with no seed and a set of suit in the form of two-piece striped clothes in front of him! I went to him without any delay so as to eat from the grapes. He prevented me from eating. I said: I will share you with this blessing. He said: Why? I said: I heard your prayer and said amen. He said: Eat from it but do not save any! We were engaged in eating. Although it was not the season for grapes, and nothing like it could be found in the city, after eating, I found out that the grapes were intact. Then he gave me one of those striped clothes. I said: I am in no need of clothes. He said: Take a distance from me so that I will put them on. I took a distance from him. He wore the clothes, took his old clothes in his hand and came down the mountain and went away. I started to follow him. On the way, a beggar who was half-naked said: O son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah! Give me the clothes you have in your hand. May Allah give you clothes. He gave the clothes to the poor man. I followed the beggar and asked him: Who was that man? He said: Ja`far ibn Muhammad Sadiq (a.s).

Sufyan Thawri reports: On my pilgrimage to Mecca, I met Ja`far ibn  Muhammad. I found no Hajj pilgrimage in Mash`ar to be engaged in prayer and supplication as much as him! When we reached Arafat, he took a distance from people and was engaged in prayer and supplication in a corner. At this time, a basket full of grapes came down from heaven to him, though it was not the season for grapes. He started eating grapes and invited me to eat too. Then, he said: Sufyan! What do you think of the number of the Hajj pilgrims? I said: Allah and His messenger know better! He said: Four hundred thousand! But among this crowd, only the Hajj of four persons is accepted and God will accept the Hajj of all pilgrims thanks to these four persons.[418]

Narrations about their merits are too many to be counted.

Jabir ibn Samarah has reported: I heard from the Messenger of Allah say: after me, twelve persons will have the position of Emir and leader and they are all from Quraysh.[419]

Masruq has been quoted by Ahmad ibn Hanbal as saying: I and a group of people were sitting with `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud in the mosque when a man arrived and asked `Abdullah: Did your prophet not speak to you of the number of his successors? Ibn Mas`ud said: Yes, they are as many as the number of chiefs of Bani Israel.[420]

The Messenger of Allah in relation to Imam Husayn said: My son, Husayn, is the Imam and leader of people. He is the brother of Imam, the son of Imam, and the father of nine leaders the ninth of whom is the Riser (Mahdi).[421]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abi- Sa`id Khidri as saying: I will soon pass away but I am leaving among you two valuable things. You will not go astray after me as long as you adhere to them. One is greater than the other. They are the Book of Allah, which is a rope stretched from the heavens to the earth, and my Household, they will never separate from one another until they come to me at the Pond. Be careful how you deal with them after me.[422]

Ibn `Abbas has reported: When the verse “say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relative” (42:23) was revealed, the companions of the Holy Prophet asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who are the near relatives? The Holy Prophet said: `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and their progeny.[423]

When Imam Hasan (a.s) was passing away, he started weeping. His brother, Husayn asked: O my brother! Are you weeping out of fear, though you are one of the youths in paradise, though you have gone on Hajj pilgrimage on foot for twenty times, and though you have given away half of your wealth in the way of Allah to the extent that you have given away even your shoes? Imam Hasan (a.s) said: O my brother! I am not weeping out of fear of death, rather separation from friends make me cry, for I cannot meet them anymore.[424]

Chapter 9 Virtues of `Ali’s Spouse

The Holy Prophet (s.a) held Fatimah, `Ali’s wife, in high esteem. He forbade people to marry her and the only person blessed with this auspicious marriage was `Ali.[425]

The Messenger of Allah said: Fatimah is part of me. Whatever hurts her will hurt me too.[426]

Addressing Fatimah, the Messenger of Allah said: My daughter! Verily God Almighty will become angry with your anger and happy with your happiness.[427]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud as saying: God Almighty has banned the torment of hell to Fatimah’s progeny due to her innocent and purified nature.[428]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: My daughter was named Fatimah because God has saved her and her devotees from chastisement and fire.[429]

The Messenger of Allah has said: When the Day of Judgment comes, a herald from behind heavenly curtains warns: Close your eyes and lower your heads, for this is Fatimah, the dignified daughter of Muhammad who intends to cross the Discriminating Bridge.[430]

Ibn `Abbas has reported: the Messenger of Allah used to kiss Fatimah so much so that `A’ishah would say to the Holy Prophet: Why do you kiss Fatimah so much? The Holy Prophet would say in response: On the night Gabriel took me to heaven, he gave me heavenly fruits. The result was that Fatimah’s fetus was made. By intercourse with Khadijah, she conceived Fatimah! Since then, any time I long for those fruits I kiss Fatimah and in this way I can smell the perfume of those fruits.[431]

`A’ishah has been quoted as saying: When the Messenger of Allah was sick as a result of which he passed away, Fatimah came to visit the Holy Prophet and with the sorrow she had, she threw herself on her father’s chest and spoke to him privately for some time. Hearing her father’s words, she started weeping bitterly and once again threw herself in her father’s arms. This time too, they spoke to each other privately but Fatimah was happy. Following the Holy Prophet’s departure from this world, she was asked about the reason behind her weeping and her smiling. Fatimah said: On the first time, my father whispered to me something that made me weep. My father said: Fatimah, I will not recover from this illness. I will meet my Lord soon. For this reason, I started weeping. But the second time, he whispered to me something which gladdened me. He said: My daughter, do not grieve for parting with me, for you are the first person from my Ahl al-Bayt to join me after my passing away. Hearing this made me glad, for joining my father was the most pleasant to me. Another good news I received from my father was that I was the lady of the women in paradise with the exception of Mary, the daughter of `Imran. This added to my happiness and pleasure.[432]

Anas has reported: The Messenger of Allah in relation to Fatimah said: Four women are above all the other in world: Mary, the daughter of `Imran, Asiyah, the daughter of Muzahim and the wife of Pharaoh, Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid, and Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad.[433]

Yazid ibn `Abd al-Malik Nawfali has reported on the authority of his father and grandfather: One day, I went to the presence of Fatimah, the Holy Prophet’s daughter. Before greeting her, she greeted me and said: During the illness from which my father did not recover, he gave good news to me and said: Whoever greets me and you for three successive days, will have paradise as his reward. The narrator says: I asked her if this was true during the life of her and her father or after their passing away. She said: Both during our life and after our passing away.[434]

When the verse “Do not hold the apostle’s calling (you) among you to be like your calling one to the other” (24:63) was revealed, Fatimah says: I decided to call my father as “Messenger of Allah” but my father turned to me and said: This verse was not revealed for you and your family; for you are from me and I am from you. Rather, this verse was revealed about the arrogant Arabs and the wrongdoers who did not call me as the “messenger of Allah.” My daughter! Always call me “father” which gladdens my heart and it is nearer to God’s pleasure. Then he hugged me, kissed me and rubbed his saliva on my face. Since then, I was in no need of any perfume.[435]

Verses Revealed in Honor of `Ali

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: There is no verse in the Holy Qur’an which starts with “O you who believe” in which `Ali does not stand at the top of them![436]

Ibn Mardawayh on the authority of Ibn `Abbas has reported: There is no verse in the Holy Qur’an in which `Ali is not at the top of its addressees and their leader.[437]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been reported by ibn Mardawayh on the authority of Ibn `Abbas as saying: The Holy Qur’an was revealed in four parts; the first quarter of it is about us and our merits, the second quarter of it is about punishment of our enemies. The third quarter of it is about the former generations, their lifestyle, parables and proverbs. The fourth quarter of it is about religious duties and injunctions. All the honors and dignities mentioned in the Holy Qur’an are about us.[438]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported by ibn Mardawayh as saying: What has been revealed in the Holy Qur’an about `Ali is not about anyone else.[439]

Mujahid has been quoted as saying: Seventy verses have been revealed in the Holy Qur’an in honor of `Ali.[440]

The Messenger of Allah has been reported by Bara’ as having said to `Ali: O `Ali, pray and say: O Lord, make a covenant with You for me so I adhere to it and bring about a love for me in the hearts of the believers. It was after this event that the verse “Surely (as for) those who believe and do good deeds for them will Allah bring about love” (19:96) was revealed.[441]

About the verse “There is a guide for every people” (13:7) Ibn `Abbas says: The Messenger of Allah pointed to his breast when the verse “You are only a Warner” (13:7) was revealed and in interpreting it, pointed to `Ali, saying: O `Ali, the guided ones after me will follow you.[442]

As for the verse “Is he then who is a believer like him who is a transgressor? They are not equal” (32:18), Ibn `Abbas says: In this verse, believer is `Ali and transgressor is Walid.[443]

God Almighty states: “Is he then who has with him clear proof from his Lord, and a witness from him …” (11:17). About this verse, `Abbad ibn `Abdullah Asadi says: I heard `Ali (a.s) say on the pulpit: There is no man from Quraysh about whom one or two verses have not been revealed. A man who was jealous rose up and ironically asked: What verse has been revealed about you? `Ali, who had become upset, said: If you did not ask this question in this gathering I would never answer it! But woe to you! Have you not recited Surah Hud? Then, he recited the aforementioned verse saying: One who has clear proof from his Lord is the Messenger of Allah and I am his witness.[444]

God Almighty states: “Stop them, surely they will be questioned.” Ibn `Abbas says: On the Day of Judgment, all people will be questioned about the leadership of `Ali.[445]

Ibn `Abbas has reported: In the verse “be careful of your duty to Allah and with the true ones” (9:119), `Ali is the true one.[446]

According to Ibn `Abbas, the verse “those who spend their property by night and by day, secretly and openly” has been revealed in honor of `Ali, for his property was four Dirhams on the whole. He spent one Dirham by night, one Dirham by day, one Dirham openly, and one Dirham secretly as charity to the poor.[447]

As for the verse, “O you who believe! When you consult the Apostle, then offer something in charity” (58:12), no one has acted according to it except `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[448]

The verse “Only Allah is your Wali and His Apostle and those who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow” (5:55), was revealed in honor of `Ali when he offered his ring to a poor man while bowing in prayer.[449]

About the verse “Those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men” (98:7), `Ali has said: the Messenger of Allah was leaning against my chest when he said: O `Ali, the aim of this verse is you and your followers. The meeting-place of you and your followers will be at the Pond on the Day of Judgment. When people kneel down for reckoning, your followers will enter paradise with illuminated faces.[450]

The verse “But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: come let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars” (3:61), was revealed in honor of `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn.[451]

In the interpretation of the verse “So it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem” (48:29), Hasan has said: Islam was strengthened by `Ali’s sword and obtained its position in world.[452]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas and Asma’ bint `Umays as saying: The verse “the believers that do good” (66:4) included `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[453]

About the verse “and gardens of grapes and corn and palm trees having one root and (others) having distinct roots; they are watered with one water” (13:4), Jabir ibn `Abdullah has quoted the Messenger of Allah as saying: All people are from different roots but I and `Ali are from the same root, invoking the abovementioned verse.[454]

According to Ibn `Abbas, the verse “On the day on which Allah will not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him” (66:8) is about `Ali and his followers. The first one who is clad with heavenly Hillah is prophet Ibrahim due to his being the friend of Allah. The second one is the Holy Prophet of Islam, for he is the chosen one. The third one is `Ali who is clad with heavenly garment entering paradise between the two honorable prophets. Ibn `Abbas, then recited the abovementioned verse, saying: `Ali and his followers will go to paradise while being accompanied by the Holy Prophet.[455]

The verse “and they give food out of love for Him to the poor” (76:8), was revealed in honor of `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn.[456]

The verse “of the believers are men who are true to the covenant which they made with Allah” (33:23), was revealed in honor of `Ali (a.s).[457]

The verse “Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to those whom we chose from among Our servants” (35:32), was revealed in honor of `Ali (a.s), for he was the chosen servant of God.[458]

The verse “I and those who follow me …” (12:108), was revealed in honor of Imam `Ali (a.s).[459]

The verse “Is he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth …” (13:19), was revealed in honor of `Ali (a.s).[460]

Imam `Ali asked the Messenger of Allah about the meaning of trial in the verse “Do men think that they will be left alone on saying “we believe” and not be tried?” (29:2). The Holy Prophet said: This trial is related to you, for people will be put to test through you and they will put you to test too. In other words people will be hostile to you and you have to be hostile to them too.[461]

About the verse “Then we gave book for an inheritance …” (35:32), `Ali said: We are the inheritor of the Book.[462]

Imam Baqir (a.s) has been quoted as saying: The verse “and oppose the Apostle after that guidance has become clear to them” (47:32) was revealed about `Ali.[463]

Imam Baqir (a.s) has also been reported as saying: The word “man” in the verse “and bestow His grace on every one endowed with grace” (11:3), is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[464]

The verse “I and those who follow me” (12:108) is about `Ali ibn Abi-Talib and the Holy Prophet’s household.[465]

The verse “Is he then who knows that what has been revealed to you from your lord is the truth …” (13:19), is about `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[466]

The verse “O you who believe …” is about `Ali according to Ibn `Abbas. There is no verse in the Holy Qur’an which addresses the believers and `Ali is not their leader.[467]

Ibn `Abbas has reported: God Almighty reproaches the Holy Prophet’s companions in certain verses except `Ali. Wherever `Ali’s name is mentioned implicitly, he is respected and honored. Wherever the believers are addressed in the Holy Qur’an, `Ali is their leader. Hence, we are commissioned to always speak well of `Ali and ask God’s forgiveness for him.[468]

Hudhayfah has reported: `Ali is the truth and the real secret of truth.[469]

About the verse “Who is then more unjust than he who utters a lie against Allah and (he who) gives the lie to the truth” (39:32), Musa ibn Ja`far has quoted his father as saying: The unjust man is one who rejects the Holy Prophet’s words about `Ali.[470]

About the verses “and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. So they returned with favor from Allah and (His) grace; no evil touched them” (3:173-174), Abu-Rafi` says: After the battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah sent `Ali and a group of the companions to chase Abu-Sufyan. Amr from the tribe of Khuza`ah met `Ali on the way. He informed that Abu-Sufyan and his aides were intent to strengthen their forces in order to fight Muslims. `Ali said: We only trust in Allah and do not fear the enemy’s attack. This verse was revealed about `Ali and his companions.[471]

Ibn Mas`ud recited the verse “and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting” (33:25) as “and Allah sufficed the believers in fighting, by `Ali ibn Abi-Talib”, that is God removed the trouble of fighting from believers through `Ali “and Allah is Strong, Mighty” (33:25).[472]

The verse, “O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord” (5:67), is about the leadership of `Ali. It was revealed at the end of the last pilgrimage by the Messenger of Allah at Ghadir Khum.[473]

Zayd ibn `Ali reports: When Gabriel conveyed the message of `Ali’s leadership (Imamate) to the Messenger of Allah, the Holy Prophet was a little worried about conveying this message saying to himself: My people are not much distant from the era of ignorance. I hope they will not return to the former state once again with this message![474]

Abu-Dharr and `Abdullah have been reported as saying: During life of the Messenger of Allah, whenever we recited the verse “O apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord” we would say: It is `Ali, the master of the believers. Then, we would recite the rest of the verse “and if you do not, then you have not delivered this message, and Allah will protect you from the people” (5:67).

“In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted …” (24:36)[475]

Anas and Buraydah have reported: When the Messenger of Allah recited the abovementioned verse to the end, a man rose up and asked: O Messenger of Allah! Which are these houses? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: The prophets’ houses. Pointing to `Ali and Fatimah’s house Abu-Bakr asked: O Messenger of Allah! Is this house one of them too? The Holy Prophet said: Yes, it is the best of them.[476]

About the revelation of the verse, “O you who believe! Do not forbid (yourselves) the good things which Allah has made lawful for you” (5:87), it is said that `Ali together with a group of the companions decided to forbid themselves even the lawful pleasures when this verse was revealed.[477] 

Qatadah reports: `Ali and a group of the companions including `Uthman ibn Maz`un decided to retreat from the world, to forsake women and to live the life of a recluse when this verse was revealed.[478]

Ibn `Abbas reports: The abovementioned verse was revealed about `Ali and his companions, where we read “And ordain for me a goodly mention among prosperity” (26:84).[479]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) has been reported as saying: The aim of the abovementioned verse is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, for when God offered Wilayah to the prophet Ibrahim, he said: O Lord! Ordain this position in my progeny. God accepted his prayer and gave this position to `Ali.

The verse “I swear by the star (the Qur’an) when it goes down. Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; nor does he speak out of desire” (53:1-3).[480]

Habbah `Arani reports: When the Messenger of Allah ordered all the doors opening to the mosque be blocked, this order was heavy for his companions! Amid this, I looked at Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib while he had wrapped himself in a red bathing gown, his eye full of tears, and expressing his grievances said: You expelled me, your uncle, `Abbas, Abu-Bakr and `Umar from the mosque but you allowed your cousin to remain in the mosque! At this time a man rose  up and mockingly said: He always endeavors to promote the position of his cousin! Being informed that the order had been heavy for the companions, the Messenger of Allah ordered them to gather in the mosque. After praising God, he spoke so eloquently that no one had witnessed such an elaborate sermon before. The Holy Prophet then said: O people! I have neither kept the doors open nor closed them on my own. I have neither allowed him in nor expelled others from the mosque on my own. Rather, I have done it on God’s decree. Then, he recited the verses “I swear by time, most surely man is in loss, except those who believe and do good. (103:1-3)”[481]

Ibn `Abbas reports: Man in loss is Abu-Jahl whereas those who believe and do good are `Ali and Salman.[482]

The verse “and (as for) the foremost, the first of the Muhajirs and the Ansar” (9:100), is about `Ali ibn Abi-Talib and Salman and no one else.[483]

“And give good news to the humble, to those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, and those who are patient under that which afflicts them, and those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what we have given them” (22:34-35). Ibn `Abbas says: `Ali and Salman are form this group. “and enjoin on each other patience” (103:3).[484]

Ibn `Abbas reports: The following verse was revealed about `Ali: “Surely (as for) those for whom the good has already gone forth from us, they shall be kept far off from it (fire)” (21:101).[485]

Nu`man ibn Bashir reports: `Ali recited the abovementioned verse one of the nights, saying as saying: I am from this group. It was prayer time then. `Ali rose up for prayer, saying: “They will not hear its faintest sound” (21:102). 

About the verse “and most certainly you can recognize them by the intent of (their) speech” (47:30)[486], Abu-Sa`id reports: On the Day of Judgment, the enemies of `Ali will be recognized from the tone of their voice.

God Almighty states: “Whoever brings a good deed, he shall have ten like it” (6:160).[487]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been quoted as saying: Good deed in the aforesaid verse is love for Ahl al-Bayt and bad deed is enmity with us. Anyone who enters the Day of Judgment with our enmity will be thrown into fire by God Almighty.[488]

God states: “Then a crier will cry out among them” (7:44).

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: The crier is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[489]

God states: “When he calls you to that which gives you life” (8:24).

Imam Baqir says: It means he calls you to the Wilayah (leadership) of `Ali, for `Ali’s Wilayah is a momentum for man’s spiritual life which will accompany him to the end. God Almighty states: “In the seat of honor with a most Powerful King” (54:55).[490]

Jabir ibn `Abdullah reports: I and a group of the companions were in the presence of the Holy Prophet when some of them brought up the issue of paradise. The Holy Prophet said: Truly, the first man who walks in paradise is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Abu-Dujanah Ansari said: O Messenger of Allah! You said: Paradise is forbidden for prophets before your entrance and also forbidden for the nations of former prophets before the entrance of your Ummah! The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Yes, Abu-Dujanah. But do you not know that God has a banner of light whose club is from ruby with the inscription “there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and Muhammad’s household is the best”? One who carries that banner enters the plain of The Resurrection Yard before all people. He will go to paradise before me. That banner holder is no one but `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, pointing to him with his hand. Abu-Dujanah says: The Messenger of Allah made `Ali happy with this good tiding. Then the Messenger of Allah said: Praise be to Allah who honored us with you.

The Holy Prophet (s.a) also said: O `Ali! Congratulations to you! There is no servant of Allah who has accepted your love and God will not gather him with us on the Day of Judgment. Then the Holy Prophet; recited the aforesaid verse.[491]

God states: “And when a description of the son of Marium is given, lo! Your people raise a clamor thereat” (43:57).

Addressing `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali! There is a sign of Jesus in you. An extremist group were annihilated due to their love for him, and another group were annihilated due to their enmity with him.

Hearing this, the hypocrites said: He is not ready to compare `Ali to anything less than Jesus, the son Mary! At this time, the verse “and of those whom We have created are a people who guide with the truth and thereby they do justice” (7:181.[492]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been quoted by Zadhan as saying: This Ummah will be divided into seventy three groups (sects)! Seventy two groups are in fire and one group go to paradise and they are the ones for whom this verse was revealed. They are no one but me and my followers.

God Almighty states: “And that the retaining ear might retain it” (69:12).[493]

Buraydah reports: Addressing `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: God has decreed I should bring you close to myself, to teach you sophisticated knowledge, for there is no one who can retain it save you. It is incumbent on God to place His knowledge where it is safe from harms. Then, this verse was revealed.[494]

Makhul has reported: The Messenger of Allah recited this verse. Turning to `Ali, he said: I called on God Almighty to give you retaining ear which retains divine knowledge and Qur’anic verses.[495]

God states: “What! Do you make (one who undertakes) the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the sacred Mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah’s way? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people. Those who believed and fled (their homes), and strove hard in Allah’s way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers (of their objects) (9:19-20). This verse was revealed about `Ali.

God states: “You will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves” (48:29).[496]

Imam Kazim (a.s) said: This verse was revealed in honor of `Ali.[497]

God states: “and those who speak evil things of the believing men and the believing women without their having earned (it)” (33:58).

Muqatil ibn Sulayman reports: This verse was revealed about `Ali, for a group of hypocrites spoke evil things of him with false accusation.

God states: “And they say: we believe in Allah and in the Apostle and we obey” (24:47).[498]

Ibn `Abbas says: This verse was revealed about `Ali and a man of Quraysh who had bought a piece of land from him.[499]

God Almighty states: “And He it is Who has created man from the water, then He has made for him blood relationship and marriage relationship” (25:54). This verse was revealed in honor of `Ali and Fatimah.[500]

The verse “the possessors of relationship have the better claim in the ordinance of Allah to inheritance, one with respect to another, than (other) believers, and (than) those who have fled (their homes) (33:6). It is said that the person described here is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib who was a believer, a Muhajir and a relative of the Messenger of Allah.

God states: “Give good news to those who believe that theirs is a footing of firmness with their Lord” (10:2).[501]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) has been quoted by Jabir as saying: This verse was revealed about the Wilayah of `Ali.

God states: “And the foremost are the foremost, these are they who are drawn nigh (to Allah)” (56:10-11).[502]

Ibn `Abbas reports: Yusha` ibn Nun was the foremost in believing in prophet Moses (a.s), the believer of Ilyas believed in Jesus and `Ali ibn Abi-Talib believed in the Messenger of Allah and was the foremost.

God states: “This day have I perfected for you your religion” (5:3).[503]

Abu-Sa`id reports: This verse refers to `Ali’s Wilayah in Ghadir Khum when the Messenger of Allah raised `Ali’s hand, appointing him as the leader of Muslims. The Holy Prophet then gladly said: Allah is the Greatest; religion became perfect with Wilayah; Allah is pleased with my prophethood and `Ali’s (Divinely commissioned) leadership.[504]

God states: “And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah” (2:207). It is noteworthy that this verse was revealed the night `Ali spent in the place of the Holy Prophet on his bed and was ready to sacrifice his life for the Messenger of Allah.

God states: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority” (4:59).[505]

`Abd al-Ghaffar ibn Qasim reports: I asked Imam Sadiq (a.s) who are those in authority in this verse? (who those in authority are in this verse.) The Imam said: By God, `Ali is one of them.

God states: “And an announcement from Allah and His Apostle to the people to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage (9:3).” This verse was revealed when `Ali announced Surah Bara’ah to the atheists.[506]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal reports in Musnad: This verse was revealed when the Messenger of Allah gave Surah Bara'ah to Abu-Bakr to take to Mecca. Then he sent `Ali after him, saying: This verse cannot be conveyed by anyone other than me and someone from me. This is what God Almighty has recommended through Gabriel.

God states: “a good final state shall be theirs and a goodly return” (13:29).[507]

Muhammad ibn Sirin reports: Tuba is a tree in paradise whose root is in `Ali’s house and a branch of it is in every house in paradise.

God states: “But if We should take you away, still We shall inflict retribution on them” (43:41).[508]

Ibn `Abbas reports: God will inflict retribution on those who are `Ali’s enemies and will punish them.

God states: “He has made the two seas to flow freely (so that) they meet together” (55:19).[509]

Anas reports: The two seas that meet together are `Ali and Fatimah and “there come forth from the pearls both large and small” (55:22). The pearls are Hasan and Husayn.[510]

Ibn `Abbas reports: Those two seas are `Ali and Fatimah “between them is a barrier which they cannot pass” (55:20). Between the two is the Holy Prophet and the pearls are Hasan and Husayn.

God states: “Say! I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives.” (42:23).[511]

Ibn `Abbas reports: I asked the Messenger of Allah about near relative. The Holy Prophet said: Those whose love is incumbent upon you are `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn. He repeated this three times.

God states: “and he who brings the truth and (he who) accepts it as the truth” (39:33).[512]

Imam Baqir has been quoted as saying: One who brought the truth was Muhammad and one who accepted the truth was `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.[513]

God states: “And most surely those who do not believe in the hereafter are deviating from the way” (23:74).[514]

In this relation Imam `Ali has been quoted as saying: These people are those who refuse to accept our Wilayah.

God states: “Whoever brings good, he shall have better than it; and they shall be secure from terror on that day. And whoever brings evil, there shall be thrown down on their faces into the fire.” (27:89).[515]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: Doing good is love for us and doing evil is enmity with us.

God states: “and the dwellers of the most elevated places shall call out to men whom they will recognize by their marks” (7:48).[516]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: We are the companions of the elevated places. Whomever we recognize as our followers by their marks, we will guide to paradise.[517]

“Can he be held equal with his (`Ali) who enjoins what is just, and he (himself) is on the right path?” (16:76)

“Peace be on the family of Yasin (37:130).”

“And whoever has knowledge of the Book” (13:43).

God states: “Then as for him who is given his book in his right hand” (69:19).

Ibn `Abbas has been reported as saying: Al-Yasin is the household of the Holy Prophet who has said: We are the fateful Book of Bani Israel and the one who has knowledge of the Book is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. One who is given his book in his right hand and goes to paradise is `Ali. The one who orders justice is also `Ali.

God states: “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the house, and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.” (33:33).[518]

Hafiz ibn Mardawayh has reported more than a hundred narrators as saying: This verse is about Muhammad, `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, and no one shares this merit with them.[519]

Abul-Hamra’ has been quoted by Abu-`Abdullah Muhammad ibn `Imran Marzubani as saying: I was serving the Messenger of Allah for nine or ten months. During this time, whenever the Holy Prophet intended to go to the mosque to perform his morning prayer, he would first go to the door of `Ali’s house, would greet them and from behind the door, Fatimah, `Ali, Hasan, and Husayn too would greet him back.

Then, he would say: Rise up for prayer. May Allah have mercy on you. The Holy Prophet then, recited the following verse: “Is he to whom We have promised a goodly promise which he shall meet with” (28:61).[520]

Mujahid says: This verse was revealed about `Ali.

God states: “Surely Allah will make those who believe and do good deeds enter gardens beneath which rivers flow” (22:23).[521]

This verse is said to be about `Ali, Hamzah, and Ubaydah ibn Harith, who fought `Utbah, Shaybah, and Walid in the battle of Uhud.

As for the unbelievers, the verse “these are two adversaries who dispute about their Lord” (22:19) was revealed and the other verse says: “and taste the chastisement of burning” (22:22).[522] 

God states: “And We will root out whatever of rancor is in their breasts-(they shall be) as brethren, on raised couches, face to face” (15:47).

Abu-Hurayrah reports: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib said to the Holy Prophet (s.a): O Messenger of Allah, which one of us do you love more, me or Fatimah? The Holy Prophet said: I love Fatimah more than you but you are dearer to me than Fatimah! I can see you at the Pond with cups of water as many as the stars. A group of people who are deviated from the path of your Wilayah are rejected by you. To prove your sublime position, it would suffice to say on that day Hasan, Husayn, Fatimah, `Aqil, and Ja`far are sitting on raised couches, face to face. Another station of yours is that you along with your followers have a place near me in paradise. Then, the Messenger of Allah recited the aforesaid verse and said: You will be so glad to see one another that no one takes his look from the face of others and does not look back.

God states: “Delighting the sowers that He may enrage the unbelievers” (48:29).[523]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) says: The powerful man who amazes the unbelievers and makes them angry is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.

God states: “And bow down with those who bow down” (2:43).[524]

Ibn `Abbas has been quoted as saying: This verse was revealed in honor of the Messenger of Allah and `Ali, for both of them were the first ones who bowed down and performed prayer.

The abovementioned narrations have been all related by Hafiz ibn Mardawayh. In relation to the verse “I swear by the star when it goes down” (53:1), Khawarizmi has quoted Anas as saying: During the life of the Holy Prophet (s.a) a star from among other stars was coming down. At this moment, the Messenger of Allah turning to his companions, said: Look at this star. On whosever house it comes down, he will be my executor and successor! They kept on looking at the star to see on whose house it would come down, given that they all wished they would be blessed with this dignity. However, since no one but `Ali deserved such merit, they saw with their own eyes that the star came down on `Ali’s house. At this time, the following verse was revealed to the Holy Prophet: “or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace?” (4:54).[525]

Imam Baqir (a.s) has been reported by Jabir as saying about this verse: We are the people whom others envy due to having merits.

God states: “And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, form their backs, their descendants” (7:172).[526]

Asbagh ibn Nubatah recited this verse to `Ali. Hearing it, `Ali started to weep, saying: Verily, I remember the day when God took the covenant of servitude from us, the children of Adam!

God states: “Surely I will make you an Imam of men” (2:124).[527]

Ibn Mas`ud reports: The Holy Prophet said: I am what my father Ibrahim desired! We said: O Messenger of Allah! You are what your father Ibrahim desired? The Holy Prophet said: Yes, God Almighty revealed to Ibrahim by saying: I will make you an Imam of men. Being happy for this glad tiding, Ibrahim said: O Lord! Make my  progeny Imam like me! God conveyed to him through revelation: I will never promise anything which I will not fulfill. Ibrahim asked: What is that promise? God said: I will not give Imamate and leadership of My servants to any oppressor from your progeny! Ibrahim said: O Lord! Bless me and my children not to worship idols, for a large group of people have been misled by idols! O Lord, purify me and my children. This prayer of Ibrahim was answered about me and `Ali, for we two have never worshipped any idol. Hence, God appointed me as prophet and `Ali as my successor and executor.

God states: “a niche in which is a lamp” (24:35).[528]

`Ali ibn Ja`far has been quoted by Musa ibn Qasim and Muhammad ibn Sahl Baghdadi as saying: I asked Abul Hasan (a.s): What is niche in this verse? He said: Niche is Fatimah and lamp is Hasan and Husayn.

“in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star”

He then said: Fatimah is the brightly shining star among the world women.

“…lit from a blessed olive tree…”

The olive tree is the tree of Ibrahim (a.s).

“…neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not, light upon light, Allah guides to His light whom He pleases…”

God states: “And do not kill your people; surely Allah is Merciful to you” (4:29).[529]

Khawarizmi on the authority of Ibn `Abbas says: You people, do not kill the Ahl al-Bayt of your prophet, for they are like your souls and above all the reason behind your existence.

God states: “Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward” (48:29).[530]

Khawarizmi on the authority of Ibn `Abbas says: A group of the Holy Prophet’s companions asked him: About whom was this verse revealed? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: On the Day of Judgment, a banner of white light will be hoisted and a herald will proclaim “O master of believers”, and those who believed in him after Muhammad’s ordainment rise up. At that time, `Ali ibn Abi-Talib will rise up and the banner with white light will be given to him. Under the banner, all the former Muhajir and Ansar will gather. At that time, `Ali will sit on a pulpit of light and the Muhajir and Ansar will come to the presence of `Ali and will receive their spiritual reward allocated to each of them. When all are rewarded, they are told: Now that you know your features and your abodes in paradise, God Almighty has allocated special rewards and forgiveness the price of which is paradise. At this time, `Ali who walks in front of them will guide all those under the banner to paradise. Then `Ali returns once again, sits on the same pulpit and this time all believers come to his presence and receive their share which is entrance to paradise. Nevertheless, another group will be drawn directly to hell on that day, for they do not believe in the leadership of `Ali. Their punishment is nothing but the torment of fire. God states: “Those who believe and do good deed (that) they shall have forgiveness and a mighty reward” (5:9) that is to say the foremost and those who believe in `Ali’s leadership.

“those who disbelieve and reject our communications, these are the companions of the flame” (5:10) that is to say those disbelieve in `Ali’s leadership and deny `Ali’s right which is incumbent on all the world people.

Verses revealed in honor or about `Ali, as mentioned here, are those verses which have been related by the Sunni Muslims. We have not mentioned about what has been related by the Shi`ite Muslims.[531]

The Holy Prophet’s Progeny is From the Issue of `Ali, the Distributor of Paradise and Hellfire

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Jabir as saying: God Almighty has set every prophet’s progeny from his own issue but He has set Muhammad’s progeny from `Ali’s issue. This is one of `Ali’s unique merits that the pure progeny of Muhammad is from `Ali’s loin. On the Day of Judgment, every blood relation is cut off save that of the Holy Prophet.[532]

`Abdullah Ibn `Abbas has reported: I and my father, `Abbas ibn `Abd  

al-Muttalib were in the presence of the Holy Prophet when `Ali entered and greeted the Messenger of Allah who greeted him back similarly, rose up from his place, hugged him, kissed him on the forehead and gave `Ali a place near himself! My father said: O Messenger of Allah! Do you love him? The Holy Prophet said: O uncle! By God, God’s love for `Ali is more than my love for him! God Almighty has set every prophet’s progeny from his own issue but my progeny is from this man’s loin.[533]

Addressing `Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: It is you who divide the fire of hell among the dwellers of hell, and it is you who will knock at the gate of paradise and will enter it before others without being reckoned.[534]

Munashadah

About Munashadah (asking others to swear by God) which has been successively transmitted, `Amir ibn Wathilah has been quoted as saying: When a council was held to choose a caliph, `Ali and I were present in the gathering. Inviting them to Munashadah about his usurped right, `Ali said: I will present you with such a proof that no Arabs and non-Arabs can deny it. Then he added: O people, I ask you to swear by God, is there anyone among you who had confessed the oneness of God before me? They all said: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you whose uncle is Hamzah, the lion of Allah and His messenger and the master of the martyrs except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you who has a wife like Fatimah, the daughter of the Holy Prophet and the princess of women in paradise except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you who has sons like my sons and the two grandchildren of the Holy Prophet, Hasan and Husayn, who are masters of the youths in paradise except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you who has whispered more than ten times with the Messenger of Allah and has given charity for every whispering based on the explicit order of the Holy Qur’an except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you about whom the Messenger of Allah has said: Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too. O God! Help one who helps him and be hostile to one who is hostile to him and then saying: You who are here, convey this to those who are not here except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you about whom the Messenger of Allah has called on God: O Lord! Guide to me Your most beloved servant and one who loves You and me more than others so as to eat from the bird (chicken) which has been brought to me as a gift, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you about whom the Messenger of Allah said: Tomorrow morning, I will give the victorious banner of Islam to a man who loves Allah and His messenger, and Allah and His messenger too love him and he is steadfast in the battlefield till he achieves victory through some wielded this banner before him but escaped with humiliation, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you whom the Holy Prophet (s.a) sent to suppress Banu-Wulay`ah tribe and had told them: O Banu-Wulay`ah tribe! Stop rebelling or I will send to you to take your life with sword one whose soul is my soul and obedience to whom is obedience to me, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you about whom the Messenger of Allah has said: One who claims to love me but is the enemy of this man is lying, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you whom three thousand angels including Gabriel, Michael, and Seraphiel greeted when he brought water to the Messenger of Allah and his companions from the well of Badr, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you Muhajir and Ansar about whom a heavenly caller says: There is no man more valorous than `Ali, and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you whose self-sacrifice in Laylat al-Mabit Gabriel has praised and the Messenger of Allah said: Why it should not be so! He is from me and I am from him and Gabriel eagerly said: I am from you too, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you to whom the Messenger of Allah has said: After me, you will fight the companions of camel, Mu`awiyah and his supporters, and apostates (in the battle of Nahrawan), except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you to whom the Messenger of Allah has said: I fought the unbelievers for the revelation of the Holy Qur’an and after me you will fight those who have gone astray for its interpretation, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you for whom the sun returned to its former position in order to perform his defaulted afternoon prayer, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you who had been commissioned by the Messenger of Allah to take Surah Bara'ah from Abu-Bakr who asked the Messenger of Allah: Has this verse been revealed about me and the Messenger of Allah said: No, this can be only done by `Ali, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you to whom the Messenger of Allah had said: No one loves you but the believer and no one is your enemy but an unbeliever, except me?

They answered: By God, no!

Do you remember when the Messenger of Allah ordered all the doors opening to the mosque to be blocked except the door of my house which had to remain open and you spoke to the Messenger of Allah in this relation and he said: I have neither blocked the door of your house nor have I kept the door of `Ali’s house open, rather, it is God’s decree. Does this decree include anyone except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Do you remember the day of Ta’if when the Messenger of Allah privately spoke to me and this conversation prolonged for some time. You spoke to the Messenger of Allah complaining: Why did you whisper to `Ali? And the Messenger of Allah said: This whispering was on God’s decree and not at my own wish! Was anyone involved in this whispering except me?

They answered: By God, no.

You certainly remember that the Messenger of Allah said about me: The truth is with `Ali and `Ali is with truth. Was it about anyone except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Do you remember the day when the Messenger of Allah said: I leave two heavy things for you behind me, the Book of Allah and my household. As long as you adhere to them, you will never go astray. These two will not part till they come to me at the Pond.

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you who was ready to sacrifice his life for the Messenger of Allah, to lie down in his bed so that he would go safely from Mecca to Medina form the evil of the atheists, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you who has fought `Amr ibn `Abd-Wudd `Amiri when he challenged you, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you about whom the purification (Tathir) verse has been revealed?

They answered: By God, no.

Is there anyone among you to whom the Messenger of Allah has said: You are the master of the Arabs and non-Arabs, except me?

They answered: By God, no.

O groups of Ansar and Muhajir! Is there among you anyone to whom the Messenger of Allah has said: I asked God nothing for myself the like of which I did not ask for you, except me?

They answered: By God, no.[535]

Chapter 10 The Holy Prophet’s Prayer for `Ali

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been quoted by `Abdullah ibn Salamah as saying: When I was badly suffering from a pain I said: O Lord, if my life has come to an end, give me an easy death; If I am supposed to live longer, give a quick recovery; If this pain is a trial, give me patience. The Messenger of Allah who had been informed of my supplication came to visit me asking: What do you say? I repeated the supplication. The Messenger of Allah, raising his hand towards the sky, said: O Lord, give him healing. I was never afflicted with a pain thereafter.[536]

Ummu-`Atiyyah has reported: The Messenger of Allah sent a group of army men, among whom `Ali, on a certain expedition while raising his hands in prayer, saying: O Lord! If the time of my death has come, delay it for a while so that I can see the face of `Ali once again![537]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been reported by `Abdullah ibn Harith as saying: I was afflicted with a severe pain which had made me impatient. Yet I went to the Messenger of Allah and asked him to pray for me. The Holy Prophet made me lie down in his bed, spread his holy cloak on me, and rose up for praying. After a short while, he said: O `Ali, rise up, for you have been recovered. There is no sign of pain in you! This is because I raised my hands in prayer for you. I asked nothing for myself from the Lord the like of which I have not asked for you. Beyond doubt, my requests will be soon fulfilled.[538]

Divine Punishment for `Ali’s Enemies

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Ikrimah on the authority of Ibn `Abbas as saying: God Almighty denied Banu-Isra’il  rain because of maltreating their prophets and creating discord in their religion. God will afflict this Ummah (Muslims) too with famine and drought. He will deny them His mercy because of enmity with `Ali.[539]

Mu`ammar has reported: Zuhri used to relate narrations to me but during his illness from which he had no hope of recovery, related a Hadith from `Ikrimah which he had not recounted before! When he recovered from his illness, he regretted for having related that narration. He said: O Yemeni (Zuhri) do not quote me. Throw away what you have written down! I said: Why? He said: This group of Banu-Umayyah do not accept the apology of those eulogizing `Ali! I said: O Abu-Bakr (Zuhri’s nickname)! How do you cooperate with this group when you have heard this narration by `Ikrimah, revealing one of `Ali’s merits? He said: It is easy to understand. Banu-Umayyah shared their wealth with us. In return for this generosity we give up our faith and move in the direction of carnal desires.[540]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Anas as saying: God created a group who are neither from the children of Adam nor from the children of Iblis. They always curse `Ali’s enemies! The companions asked: Who are they? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: They are birds called Qanbarah which perch on tree branches at dawn, calling: Allah’s curse be on the enemies of `Ali ibn Abi-Talib! They then salute the Imam, calling: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Greetings be to the benefactors who are the chosen servants of God and have many virtues among people.[541]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been quoted by Jabir ibn `Abdullah Ansari as saying: I prayed with the Holy Prophet for three years before anyone believes in God and performs prayer. Another matter which the Messenger of Allah disclosed to me was that no unbeliever is my friend and no believer is my enemy. By God, what I say is what I heard from the Messenger of Allah. I have neither told a lie in my life nor has a lie been attributed to me. I have neither been astray nor have I misled anyone![542]

Jabir ibn `Abdullah has been quoted as saying: When `Ali conquered Khaybar castle and brought about glory for Islam and Muslims, the Messenger of Allah who was greatly pleased with this 

victory said to `Ali: If there was no fear that a group of my followers to say about you what the Christians said about Jesus, I would say something about your supreme position that whenever you passed by a group of Muslims, they would rub the dust under your feet on their eyes as a cure to their pains! As for your high position, I should suffice to say that your position to me is like the position of Aaron (Harun) to Moses (Musa) except that there will be no prophet after me. It is you who will pay my dept after my passing away, conceal my private parts, and fight the sworn enemies of Islam for safeguarding of my Ummah. You are the nearest to me on the Day of Judgment and my deputy at the Pond. Your followers on that day are on the pulpits of light with illuminated faces. They are near me and I will intercede for them. They are my neighbors in paradise in addition to my companions. War against you is war against me and peace with you is peace with me. Your nature is my nature and your sons are my sons.

It is you who will fulfill my promises, for truth is well-rooted in your tongue, heart, and eyes, interwoven with your flesh and skin in a way it is mixed with my flesh and skin. Your enemy has no way to the Pond on the Day of Judgment and your devotee is not far from it. Hearing these good tidings, Imam `Ali prostrated as a sign of thanks, raised his hands and said: O Lord! Praise be to You who blessed me with Islam, taught me the Holy Qur’an, and placed my love in the heart of the best servant and the dearest creature, the most honorable being in the heavens and on the earth, the seal of prophets, and the leader of the selected ones. The Holy Prophet’s kindness to me is a grace of Yours to me.

At this time, the Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali! If you had not been created, real believers would not have been recognized after me. God, the Most Honored and Glorified, has set the progeny of every prophet from his loin but has set my progeny in your loin. O `Ali! You are the dearest creature of God to me and the most honorable of them. Those who love you are the best of Ummah who are not far from me on the Day of Judgment.[543]

`Ali and the Jews (The Story of the Companions of the Cave)

Abu-Ishaq Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Tha`labi in his book, al-`Ara'is writes: When `Umar ibn Khattab took the seat of caliphate, a group of the Jewish scholars came to him, saying: Today, you are the leader of Muslims after Muhammad as well as one of his companions. We have come here to ask you questions. Should you respond our questions, we will understand that Islam is a truthful religion and Muhammad is God’s prophet and messenger. Otherwise, Islam is not truthful and Muhammad is not God’s messenger! `Umar said: Ask me any question you wish!

The Jewish scholars (rabbis) said: Inform us of locks of heavens and keys to them, of a grave with its companions in motion, of a being which warned its people but was neither jinn nor human, of five creatures walking on the earth while they were not in any womb, of what francolin say in crying, horse in its neighing, a toad when it croaks, and a lark when singing. `Umar failed to answer to these questions. Hence, lowering his head, shamefully said: `Umar is not ashamed of saying I do not know what he does not know and ask it from others!

Being pleased with `Umar’s failure to answer their questions, the Jews said: This is a proof that Muhammad is not a prophet and Islam is not a true religion.

At this time Salman who was present and had everything under watch excitedly rose up and said to the Jews: Stop a little while. Then, he went to `Ali’s house, saying: O `Ali! Come and save Islam! `Ali said: Why are you so worried? Salman told him the whole story. Having the striped cloak of the Holy Prophet on his shoulder, `Ali hurriedly went to the mosque. Seeing that `Ali was coming, `Umar hastily welcomed and kissed him, saying: O Abul Hasan! It is only you who can solve the problems. I seek refuge in you in this relation. You are an asset for Islam and the only one on whom we set our hope when an emergency arises!

Anyway, `Ali expressed his readiness for answering the questions, saying: Ask me about anything you wish, for the Messenger of Allah opened a thousand gates of knowledge to me and opened a thousand other gates from each gate. I assure you that you will receive your  answers. But there is one condition which you have to observe. The Jews said: What is that condition? `Ali said: If I answer your questions as mentioned in the Torah, will you convert to Islam and believe in the Messenger of Allah? They said: Yes, we accept this condition. Then they asked: What are locks of heavens? `Ali said: Locks of heavens are to associate something with God. If a person is atheist, no deeds of him or her will go up to heaven.

- What are the keys to those locks?

- The keys to those locks are to bear witness that God is one and Muhammad is His servant and messenger.

- At this time, they looked at one another, saying: This young man said the truth and his answers correspond with truth.

- What is that grave which is in motion with its companion?

- That grave was the fish which swallowed Jonah the son of Mattie which moved in the seven seas.

- What is the creature which warned its  people while it was neither a jinn nor a human being?

- It is the ant of Sulayman ibn Dawud, which said to the ants: Take refuge in your nests, lest Sulayman and his companions walk on you inattentively!

- Who are those five creatures walking on the earth but they were not generated in a womb?

- Those five creatures were: Adam, Eve, the she-camel of Salih, the ram of Ibrahim, and Moses’ Rod.

- What does francolin say when singing?

- It says: The Beneficent God is firm in power.

- What does the rooster say when crowing?

- It says: O the unmindful, remember God!

- What does the horse say when neighing?

- When believers are fighting the unbelievers in the battlefield, they invoke God: Make Your believing servants victorious over unbelievers and assist them.

- What does an ass say when braying?

- It curses customs officers and yells at Satan’s eye.

- What does a toad say while croaking?

- It says: Glory be to my creator who is being glorified in the depth of seas and among the stormy waves.

- What does a lark say while singing?

- It prays: O Lord! Curse the enemies of Muhammad and his household.

After these questions and answers, two of the three Jewish scholars testified to oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad and thus became Muslims but the third of them rose up and said: O `Ali! What you said and appealed to my friends appealed to me too but there is one more question the answer to which I would like to receive from you. `Ali said: Ask me any question you wish! He said: Tell me the story of a group of people who in the distant past, slept for 309 years and then were raised to life by God! `Ali said: They were the companions of the cave about whom God Almighty revealed verses to our prophet with their description. I will tell you the whole story from the Holy Qur’an if you are interested in it. The Jewish man said: O `Ali! I have heard about the Qur’an. Tell me about them if you know their names, the names of their fathers, the name of the city, the king, the dog, and their cave! Wrapping the Holy Prophet’s cloak round himself, `Ali said: O Jewish brother! My beloved, the Messenger of Allah told me the story as such:

In Rome, there was a city by the name of Ephesus or Tartus (before Islam, it was Ephesus and after the advent of Islam it was Tartus) ruled by a benefactor man. After a long time, the ruler passed away and the situation in that city became chaotic. The news of chaos reached a Persian king who was oppressor and unbeliever. With his military expedition to that city, he seized the city in a short time, and made that city his capital where he built a glorious palace. The Jewish scholar who was all ears, listening to what `Ali said, interrupted him, saying: O `Ali! Should you know anything about that palace, describe it more elaborately? `Ali said: O Jewish brother! The palace had been built of flat marble stones, one farasang 

long and one farasang wide with four thousand gold columns from which a thousand gold condyles with chain silvers hanging. The palace was illuminated with the best and most aromatic lamp oil. On the eastern side of the palace, there were two hundred windows and the same number on the western side. The sun lit the palace from morning till evening. A throne of gold measuring eighty meters long and forty meters wide, adorned with different precious Jewels, had been built. On the right side of the throne, there were eighty chairs on which senior officers who had ten thousand army men under their command were sitting at his beck and call.

On the left side of the throne too, there were eighty chairs on which scholars and judges were sitting, waiting for his command.

Then the king sat on the throne and put the royal crown on his head. The Jewish scholar once again interrupted `Ali and said: If you know anything about that crown, elaborate on it! `Ali said: The royal crown was made of melted gold having nine bases on which there was a pearl which radiated in night like a lamp. Fifty slaves who were the sons of senior officers with red silk coat and beautiful green breeches, a crown on head, bracelet on hand, ankle-ring on feet, with each having a club of gold in hand were standing over the king’s head ready to carry out his orders. Out of six sons of scholars who were younger, three stood on the right side and the other three on the left side. They were special cancellers without whose consultation the king did not decide on anything. The Jewish scholar said: O `Ali, what were the names of those six persons? `Ali said: My beloved, the Messenger of Allah said: The names of those standing on the right side were Amlikhius, Maximinyanius, and Motyanius, and those standing on the left side were Danius, Yanius, and Mertus.

When he sat on the throne and people gathered in the palace, three slaves entered from entrance. In the hand of the first slave, there was a gold chalice full of musk. In the hand of the second slave, there was a silver chalice full of rosewater and in the hand of the third slave, there was a bird which with a call started flying dipped its wings in the rosewater chalice. At another call, the bird started flying again, dipped its wings in the musk chalice, and with the last call, the bird started flying and sat on the royal crown, sprinkling rosewater and musk on the head and face of king.

Decius ruled over that territory for 30 years with peace of mind. During this time, no sorrow or pain afflicted him. This made him feel so arrogant that he claimed to be God. Hence, he called all the chiefs of tribes and associates, telling them about his claim. Whoever accepted his claim, he would be honored and given royal garments and whoever disobeyed him, would be murdered. Given that situation, people accepted his claim and started worshipping him instead of God either out of greed for royal garment or out of fear for death. This situation continued until a festival day when Decius was sitting on the throne with his royal crown on his head that one of the officers entered the palace and reported that the Persian army was quickly advancing towards them with the intention of war! Hearing this, Decius was so upset that he almost fainted. The crown fell off his head and he rolled on the ground from the throne. At this time, one of the three youths sitting on the right side of him, called Temlikha who was wiser than the others became pensive, saying to himself: If Decius is really God, as he claims, why he eats, drinks, and defecates like human beings whereas these acts are not Godly? Those six youths gathered in one another’s house, ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves. When the event happened to Decius, they happened to be in Temlikha’s house. The other five youth were eating and drinking but Temlikha abstained from eating or drinking. When he was asked the reason, he said: O brothers! A new idea has found its way into my heart which stops me from eating and drinking. They asked: What is that idea? He said: I have long been thinking as who is holding the sky which is spread like a canopy over our heads or what pillars are under it? Who is it that has made the sun and moon move and has decorated the sky with stars? I think the same about the earth. Who is linking the seas and the sky-touching mountains to stop from falling off? I ask myself who brought me to this world from my mother’s womb, gave me daily food, and nourished me.

After pondering, I have come to the conclusion that this world has a maker other than the tyrant and oppressive Decius! Hearing this, all the other youths bowed to him, kissed him, and said: Whatever has passed in your heart has passed in our hearts too. Now tell us what should be done! Temlikha said: O brothers! We have no option other than seeking refuge to the Lord of the heavens and the earth and fleeing this territory!

The other five youths said: Your decision is right. After this, Temlikha sold some of the dates of his palm-groove for three Dirhams, wrapped it in his cloak, saying to his companions: Ride on your horses so as to set out for a desert! The youths mounted their horses and went as far as three miles from their city. Temlikha said: We were in danger of being chased by the tyrant up to here but from now on we are safe. We should dismount our horses and let them go. We should go on our path in this desert till God will guide us on the right path.

The youths walked for seven Farsakhs but since they were not used to walking, their feet were bleeding. On their way, they met a shepherd from whom they asked for milk or water! Seeing their handsome faces, the shepherd said: What you want is with me. But you do not look like common people. You must be princes who have fled your country. Tell me your story. The youths said: O shepherd! We have a religion which does not prescribe telling lies! Will you keep our secret if we tell you the truth? The shepherd said: Yes, indeed. The youths told him the whole story.

Hearing their story, the shepherd while bowing to them, kissed them and said: What has gone into your heart, has gone into my heart too. I ask you now to give me a chance to return this flock of sheep to their owners and then to accompany you! The youths agreed. The shepherd returned the flock of sheep to their owners and joined the six youths with his dog.

Here the Jew once again interrupted Imam `Ali and asked about the color and name of the dog. Imam `Ali said: O Jewish brother, my beloved, the Messenger of Allah, informed me that the dog was black and white though black was prevailing and its name was Qatmir.

Seeing the dog was following them, one of the youths said: This dog with its barking may betray us. We would better drive it away to be safe from any possible danger. Nevertheless, however much they tried to drive it away, the dog did not take distance from them. Seeing that they insisted to expel it, the dog sat on its claws saying in human speech: Why are you driving me away while I bear witness that God is one and has no partner. Let me be with you and keep watch on you, hoping that I will get close to my Lord! Hearing this,the youths stopped driving it away and continued their way. The shepherd led the youths to the top of mountain till they reached a cave.

The Jewish scholar asked another question: O `Ali! What are the names of that mountain and the cave? Imam `Ali said: The name of mountain is “Yankloosh” and the name of the cave is “Wasid.”

Imam `Ali continued the story as such: There were fruitful trees and springs with wholesome water near the cave. They ate from the fruits of trees, drank from the wholesome water of springs, went to the cave at night and slept. The dog too slept at the entrance of the cave, keeping watch on them. At that time, God Almighty gave the angel of death a mission to grasp their souls. When this was done, God appointed two guardian angels for each to turn them from one side to the other and ordered sun to shine on the cave every morning and afternoon. The sun too carried out its mission accordingly.

When Decius returned to his palace from the venue of festival, he saw no sign of those six youths. Hence, he asked after them. A man who knew about the escape of the youths, said: Your majesty, they have fled your territory and have a God other than you! Hearing this, Decius who was furious, pursued them with a thousand army men and tracked them down to the top of mountain where the cave was. When they reached the entrance to the cave, having the impression that they had gone to sleep, Decius arrogantly said: They have been afflicted with a punishment worse than the one I wished to carry out about them. He immediately ordered the entrance to the cave to be blocked with stone and  plaster, saying to his companions: If this heaven and earth has a God, let him save them from this situation!

The believing youths slept in that cave for 309 years without any soul. Then God Almighty at a dawn of a day, when the sun started shining, blew spirit into their bodies. They immediately rose up and saying to one another: Last night, we defaulted out prayer to God. Let us go to the spring of water! Going to the spring, they amazingly found that the spring had disappeared and the trees had dried up! They said with amazement: Has something happened during the night as a result of which the springs and green trees have dried up!?

At this time, God made them feel hungry. So one of them said: Which  one of you will go to city to buy some bread? Be careful the bread is not mixed with the fat of pig! In this relation, God states: “Now send one of you with this silver (coin) of yours to the city, then let him see which of them has purest food” (18:19).

Temlikha said to them: You stay here, for no one but I can buy the bread. He then said to the shepherd: Give me your clothes and I will give you my clothes. He put on the shepherd’s clothes and headed for the city. On his way, he saw scenes and ways he had never seen before. Reaching the gate of the city, he caught sight of a green banner with the inscription: “There is no god but Allah, Jesus is Allah’s messenger” installed over the gate!

Looking with amazement at the banner, and rubbing his eyes, Temlikha said to himself: Am I dreaming? He paused there for a long time and then entered the city. He passed by a group of people who were reading Gospel (Injil) and saw people he did not know. At any rate, he decided to go to the market to buy bread. He asked the baker: What is the name of this city? He said: Ephesus.  Temlikha asked: What is the name of the king? He said: `Abd al-Rahman. Temlikha said: If what you say is the truth, then I am facing a strange situation! Temlikha gave the money to him, saying: Give me bread for the value of this money. As Temlikha’s Dirhams were bigger and heavier than the current ones, the baker was surprised!

The Jew interrupted Imam `Ali for the fourth time, saying: O `Ali, what was the weight of those Dirhams? Imam `Ali said: My beloved, the Messenger of Allah informed me of it. The weight of each Dirham was equal to the weight of ten and one third of Dirhams.

The baker said: I believe you have found a treasure! Should you not give some of it to me I will surrender you to the king. Temlikha said: I have found no treasure. The Dirhams you see with me is the money for the dates I sold three days back and fled the city of the tyrant Decius! Being furious and surprised, the baker said: You have found a treasure, do not give anything from it to me, making fun of me, and mentions the name of a tyrant man who claimed to be God and died more than three hundred and odd years ago!

Then, the baker caught his hand to take him to the king. A large group of people gathered round them too.

At this time, the king who was a wise and farsighted man arrived and asked about the event. People said: This man has found a treasure! The king asked Temlikha: If you have found any treasure, it will be yours. We follow the religion of Jesus. He has instructed us to receive only one fifth of it! So do not fear, for we will not harm you. Temlikha said: Your majesty! I assure you that I have not found a treasure. I am a native of this city. The king asked: Are you really a native of this city? Temlikha said: Yes. The king said: Name some of the people you know. Temlikha named a thousand persons whom neither the king nor the people knew! The king said: We do not know these people, for they do not live in our time. Then the king asked: Do you have a house in this city? Temlikha said: Yes, send someone with me to show him my house. The king appointed an agent to go with people to Temlikha’s house. They went from one street to another and from one alley to another till they reached the highest building. Temlikha said: This is my house and knocked the door. An old man whose eyebrows had fallen on his eyes due to senility appeared at the threshold. Being horrified, he said: What do you want from me? The king’s agent said: This young man claims this house belongs to him! The old man said angrily: What is your name? The young man said: Temlikha the son of Festin. The old man said: Say it again! He repeated his name and that of his father. All of a sudden, the old man hugged and kissed him, saying: By the Lord of Ka`bah, this young man is my grandfather. He is one of the six men who fled the tyrant Decius and took refuge with the Lord of the heaven and the earth. The proof is that prophet Jesus (a.s) has told us about them saying: One day they will be raised to life. They told the story to the king who rode on the horse heading for them. Reaching Temlikha, the king dismounted from the horse and put Temlikha on his shoulder. People kept on kissing his hands and feet, asking him: O Temlikha! Where are your friends? Temlikha said: They are safe and sound in the cave.

In those days, the city of Ephesus was jointly run by a Muslim and a Christian. They mounted their horses and accompanied Temlikha up to the cave. Addressing them, Temlikha said: You wait here. I fear that if my friends hear the sound of horses’ hooves, feeling that Decius is chasing them, they will faint. Stay here for a short while so that I will inform them. People stopped outside the cave. Temlikha went to his friends who were pleased to see him, hugged him and said: Thanks God, you are safe from the evil of Decius. Temlikha said: Forget Decius and tell me how long you were in this cave. They said: One day or less than a day. Temlikha said: It is not so. We have been sleeping in this cave for 309 years! Now I should tell you that Decius is dead and the people of Ephesus believe in God after the passage of three centuries and they are now waiting to see you outside the cave! His friends said: Temlikha, are you going to put us to test by people? Temlikha said: What do you desire? They said: Raise your hands for prayer. They raised their hands for the same purpose, saying: O Lord! Through what you cast in our hearts and showed us, make us die and do not disclose our secret to anyone.

God gave the death angel the mission to grasp their souls and then God hid the entrance to cave in a way that the two Muslim and Christian men went round the cave for seven days but found no trace of the cave. They were ascertained that this event depended on the grace of God so that these youths will be a lesson for us and others. At that time, the Muslim governor said: These youths died in my religion, hence, a mosque must be built on the site of the cave, and the Christian man said: They died in my religion and a covenant must be built there! The dispute between the two ended in fighting and finally the Muslim man became victorious. Therefore, they built a mosque there. In this relation, the Holy Qur’an says: “Those who prevailed in their affair said: We will certainly raise a Masjid over them” (18:21). When the story came to here, Imam `Ali said: O Jewish man! This was the story of the companions of cave. Is this story conforming to your Torah? The Jewish man said: Yes, it conforms to the letter, but Abul Hasan, do not call me a Jew from now, for I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger and you are the most knowledgeable man of this Ummah.[544]

`Ali on the Shoulders of the Holy Prophet

Abu-Hurayrah has been quoted by Khawarizmi as saying: The Messenger of Allah on the day of conquest of Mecca said to `Ali: Can you see the idol on the top of Ka`bah? `Ali said: Yes. The Holy Prophet said: To unseat and to overthrow it, I have to raise you! `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! Should you allow, I will raise you. The Messenger of Allah said: If the tribes of Rabi`ah and Mudar join hands and wish to put any part of my body on their shoulders they will never be able to do so! But you, `Ali! Rise up. `Ali rose up on the Holy Prophet’s order. The Messenger of Allah took `Ali’s legs and raised him in a way that his armpit became manifest, saying: O `Ali, what do you see? `Ali said: O Messenger of Allah! I see that due to your holiness God Almighty has blessed me with such a dignity that I can even touch the sky with my hand. At this time, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, unseat the idol and throw it down! `Ali obeyed his order. Then the Holy Prophet cast `Ali in the air and he himself went to a side. `Ali fell on the ground with a smile on his lip. The Holy Prophet asked: Why do you smile? `Ali said: Because I fell from the roof of Ka`bah but I was not hurt! The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, how can you be hurt while Muhammad raised you up and Gabriel brought you down?[545]

Mentioning and Looking at `Ali; sorts of Worship

`A’ishah has been quoted by Khawarizmi as saying: The Messenger of Allah said: To remember `Ali and to have his name on one’s tongue is worship.[546]

Khawarizmi on the authority of Mu`adh ibn Jabal said: The Messenger of Allah said: Looking at `Ali is worship.[547]

`A’ishah, `Imran ibn Husayn, Jabir and Wa'ilah ibn Asqa` have quoted the Holy Prophet as saying the same thing.[548]

The Holy Prophet has been quoted by `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud as saying: To look at `Ali’s face is worship.[549]

`A’ishah has been reported as saying: I saw Abu-Bakr keep on looking at `Ali’s face. I said: Dear father, your looking at `Ali’s face amazes me. Is there any reason for it? Abu-Bakr said: Yes, my daughter. I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Looking at `Ali’s face is worship.[550]

`A’ishah kept on saying to people: Adorn your gathering with the remembrance and name of `Ali.[551]

`Ali’s Station on the Day of Judgment

The Holy Prophet has been reported by Sahl ibn Abi-Hathmah as saying: God Almighty on the Day of Judgment will make a vault of red gold for me on the right side of the throne, and a vault for my  father, Ibrahim, on the left side of the throne and a dome of red gold for `Ali between these two. Behold the position of `Ali which is between two friends.[552]

The Messenger of Allah has also been quoted by Sahl ibn Abi-Hathmah as saying: On the Day of Judgment, God Almighty will make a dome of red gold for me on the right side of the throne and a vault for my father, Ibrahim, and a dome of olivine for `Ali. Now what do you think of the beloved between these two friends?[553]

Seeking Guidance from `Ali

Khawarizmi has reported on the authority of Zayd ibn Arqam: I and a group of people were in the presence of the Holy Prophet. His holiness said: Would you like me to guide you to a person who will never mislead you if you seek guidance from him or consult with him? We said: Certainly. The Holy Prophet said: Your guide is this person and then pointed to `Ali. Then the Messenger of Allah said: Your salvation lies in that you will be bother to him, accept what he says, follow his conduct, enjoin people to follow him, help him in difficult situations and hardships and be his counselor, for Gabriel has informed me of it.[554]

Harith has quoted the Messenger of Allah on the authority of `Ali: In Paradise, there is a stage called medium (resort) which is especially for the messenger. I hope I am that messenger. Invoke it in your prayer. The Holy Prophet’s companions asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who has the same rank and stage with you there? The Holy Prophet said: Fatimah, `Ali, Hasan, and Husayn.[555]

The Story of a Dinar `Ali Found

Khawarizmi reports on the authority of Abu-Sa`id Khidri: `Ali was badly in need. So he left home in the hope of gaining something. On his way, he found one Dinar. To find its owner, he made a public call. But there was no one to claim it. Being informed of it, Fatimah said: Now that no one claims it, take it for yourself and buy some flour with it. if anyone claims it later, we will compensate. So `Ali went out to buy some flour. He went to one who had flour and asked the price of it. The seller told him the amount and price of the flour. Imam `Ali said: Weigh the flour for me and gave him the Dinar in  return. The seller said: By God, I will not charge you! `Ali came home and told Fatimah the whole story. After praising God and expressing surprise, Fatimah said: O `Ali, you took the flour and returned the money! `Ali said: What should be done? He took an oath not to charge me!

`Ali once again publicly announced that he had found one Dinar in the hope that someone would claim it but it was useless. Having consumed the whole flour, `Ali once again went to the market to buy food with the same Dinar. This time, the same story happened. Returning home, he informed Lady Fatimah of the event. Again Fatimah praised God and said: You have brought the flour and money together! `Ali said: What can I do when the seller took an oath by God that he would not charge me. The third time, `Ali went out to find the person who had lost that one Dinar. But no one claimed it. When `Ali took the Dinar to market to buy flour for the third time, Fatimah said to `Ali: O `Ali, this time you take an oath by God that he must charge you. It so happened that the same man with the same amount of flour and price was on the market. But this time, `Ali said to the seller: By God, you must take this one Dinar, throwing it towards him and returned home. Following this event, the Messenger of Allah met `Ali, saying: O `Ali, what was the story of Dinar? `Ali told the story in detail. The Holy Prophet said: Did you recognize the seller of flour? `Ali said: No. the Holy Prophet said: He was Gabriel and this one Dinar was the share God Almighty had sent for you! By God, if you had not taken an oath by God, that Dinar would have remained with you and Gabriel would have given you the flour.[556]

Abu-Sa`id Khidri has reported: There was no food in `Ali and Fatimah’s house! At this time, Lady Fatimah said: O `Ali, we do not have anything at home! I wish you would go out and gain something! `Ali left the house and on his way found one Dinar. He made it public to people but no one claimed it. Being desperate, `Ali came home and told Fatimah the whole story. Lady Fatimah said: O `Ali, take it as a loan against one Dinar and buy some food for us. `Ali went to the market and saw an old man selling flour.

`Ali bought the flour but the seller did not take the Dinar. He came home and told Fatimah the story. Lady Fatimah said: May God have mercy on that old man who recognized you and did not take the Dinar.

They consumed the flour. Lady Fatimah again said: Can you borrow this one Dinar? `Ali went to the market for the second time to buy food and met the same man. `Ali took the flour and the seller returned that one Dinar to him. On his return, `Ali told Fatimah the whole story. They consumed the flour and `Ali went to the market but this time the old man took an oath not to receive the Dinar! Abu-Harun Abdi says: Abu-Sa`id related this story to me. After hearing this story, I found out the others had heard it too. I was returning home when a man of Ansar saw me on the way, asking: What did Abu-Sa`id tell you? I told the story on the authority of Abu-Sa`id. He said: If you promise to keep the secret, I will tell you who that seller was. I said: I promise. He said: He was Gabriel (a.s).[557]

Chapter 11 `Ali, an Aide of the Holy Prophet and Fatimah

Lady Fatimah has been reported by Abu-Sa`id Khidri as saying: I went to the presence of my father and after greeting him said: By God, o prophet, there has been no food in `Ali’s house for the past five days. We have neither a sheep nor a camel. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: My daughter, come closer and put your hand on my back. I put my hand on his back. I found that a stone was hanging between his two shoulders extending to his breast! Fatimah cried out: Woe, there has been no fire made in the house of Muhammad for the past two month! At this time, the Messenger of Allah said: Do you know `Ali’s position to me? He accompanied me when he was at the age of twelve. He was hardly sixteen when he fought the enemies with his sword and he was seventeen when he defeated the brave men of the Arabs. He was twenty two when he removed sorrow from my heart while there were only fifty men with him.

Hearing `Ali’s merits, Fatimah’s face became illuminated. She stood where she was listening carefully to what her father said when `Ali arrived. Seeing that the house was illuminated by the light of Fatimah’s face, `Ali asked Fatimah: When I left home, you did not have such a light on your face? Lady Fatimah said: O `Ali! My face is shining because my father was expressing your merits for me. My shining face shows my happiness![558]

`Imran ibn Husayn has reported: I went to the presence of the Holy Prophet and greeted him. The Holy Prophet said: O `Imran! You  have a special position to me! Do you like to go together and see my daughter, Fatimah? I said: May my parents be ransom for you, yes. The Messenger of Allah rose up and we went to Fatimah’s house. When we reached there, the Holy Prophet (s.a) greeted his daughter, saying: My daughter! Can we enter? Lady Fatimah said: Come in please. The Holy Prophet said: Someone is with me. Fatimah said: Who is he? The Holy Prophet said: `Imran ibn Husayn Khuza`i. Fatimah said: Dear father, by God who appointed you as a prophet, I have no gown at home except a cloak! The Holy Prophet said: Cover yourself with it. Fatimah said: I can only cover my body with it. What shall I do with my head? The Holy Prophet gave her a piece of cloth, saying: Use it as a headscarf. We then entered the house. The Holy Prophet asked after Fatimah’s health. Fatimah said: I do not feel very well but I am more suffering from hunger, for there is nothing to eat at home! Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah started weeping. I started weeping too. Then, the Holy Prophet said: I have glad tidings for you, o Fatimah. Rejoice and grieve not! My daughter, by the God who appointed me as a prophet, I have not eaten anything for the past three days, though my position to God is above yours. If I ask for food, He will provide me with it but I have preferred the hereafter to this world! O Fatimah, do not complain from hunger. By God who appointed me as a prophet, you are the princess of the world women. Being extremely pleased, Fatimah put her hands on her head, saying: Then I wish I had not said so. But what is the position of Asiyah, Pharaoh’s wife, and Mary, `Imran’s daughter? The Messenger of Allah said: Asiyah was the princess of the women of her time, Marry was the princess of the women of her time, Khadijah was the princess of the women of her time but you are the princess of the women of your time. You four ladies will abide in houses built from reed. There will be no harms in these houses.

Fatimah asked: Dear father! What is Qassab? The Holy Prophet said: It is an empty pearl shaped like a reed and there is no harm of suffering in it.

Putting his hand on Fatimah’s shoulder, the Holy Prophet said: O my daughter! By God who appointed me as a prophet, I married you to a man who is the lord of the world and master of the hereafter.[559]

`Ali During the Night Journey

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abu-`Umar Zahid as saying: During the Night Journey, I passed by a crowd in whose mouths fire was blazing. Asked Gabriel who they were, Gabriel said: They are the backbiters who eat the flesh of the dead! I passed by another group who were crying out. I said: Who are they? Gabriel said: These are unbelievers! Then we continued our way till we reached the fourth heaven where I saw `Ali who was praying! I asked Gabriel: Is it `Ali who has overtaken us and reached here before us? Gabriel said: This is not `Ali. I said: Who is he then? Gabriel said: Since archangels and cherubim heard

`Ali’s merits especially when you said about him: `Ali’s position to me is as Harun to Moses except that there will be no prophet after me, they longed for meeting `Ali. Hence, God Almighty created an angel like `Ali so that when the angels long to see `Ali, to come and see him.[560]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: During the night I was taken to heavens (Night Journey), I saw an inscription on the gate of paradise which read: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, `Ali is beloved of Allah, Hasan and Husayn are the chosen of Allah, Fatimah is a heavenly lady. May curse of Allah be upon their enemies and those who have rancor against them.[561]

The Holy Prophet’s Sacrificing his father for `Ali and Promising him with Paradisiacal Gardens

The Holy Prophet (s.a) said to `Ali: May my father be ransom for you. He then gave him good tidings about gardens in paradise.

`A’ishah has reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah hugging `Ali and kissing him while saying: May my father be ransom for the martyr who is lonely and has no helper.[562]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been reported as saying: I was accompanying the Messenger of Allah in Medina. We passed by an orchard with fruitful trees. I said: O Messenger of Allah! How beautiful this orchard is! The Holy Prophet said: Your garden in paradise is more beautiful than it! We passed by another orchard. I said: O Messenger of Allah, this orchard is beautiful too! The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: It is not more beautiful than your garden in paradise. We passed by the third,fourth, and seventh orchard and I repeated what I had said. The Holy Prophet too repeated the same answer. When we passed by all gardens, he put his arms round me and started weeping! I said: O Messenger of Allah! Why are you weeping? The Holy Prophet said: A group of these people have your rancor in their hearts but do not disclose it till I pass away. I said: Will it harm my religion. The Holy Prophet said: No.[563]

The Holy Prophet and `Ali’s Merits (God Decrees the Holy Prophet to Express `Ali’s Merits)

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Jabir ibn `Abdullah Ansari as saying: Gabriel came down to me, saying: God Almighty has commissioned you to express `Ali’s merits among your companions so that they will convey your message to the future generations. He has also decreed all angels to listen to you when you speak of `Ali’s merits. God Almighty has revealed to you, saying: O Muhammad! Whoever opposes you about `Ali’s merit will be in fire and whoever obeys you will be in paradise. The Messenger of Allah immediately ordered a crier to gather the people. Then the Holy Prophet went up the pulpit and began his sermon, saying: I seek refuge to God from the outcast Satan. In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. O people! I am bearer of good news and a warner. I am an unschooled prophet who has not learnt reading and writing from anyone. I am commissioned by my Lord to speak of the merits of a man whose flesh is my flesh and whose blood is my blood and he is a treasure of my knowledge, a man whom God has chosen, has guided and loves. God Almighty created me and him and blessed each of us with a merit. I was appointed as prophet and he was charged with propagating my mission. He appointed me as the city of knowledge and `Ali as the gate of the city. God appointed him as receptacle of my knowledge from which erudition and injunctions of religion are derived. He appointed `Ali as my successor and decreed I should convey these recommendations to you. The Compassionate God warns his enemies of torment and will bless his friend with a supreme position, forgives his followers and orders people to obey him.

O people, know that God Almighty states: Enmity with `Ali is enmity with Me and love for him is love for Me; whoever curses him, has cursed  Me and whoever opposes him, has opposed Me; whoever rebels against him, has rebelled against Me; whoever harms him, has harmed Me; Whoever has rancor against him, has had rancor against Me; whoever longs for him, has longed for Me. Whoever plays tricks in him, has played trick on Me; whoever helps him, has helped Me.

Then, the Holy Prophet said: O people! Listen to what I say and obey me, for I am warning you against the severe chastisement as God states: “On the day that every soul shall find present what it has done of good and what it has done of evil, it shall wish that between it and that (evil) there were a long duration of time; and Allah makes you to be cautious of (retribution from) Himself” (3:30).

Then the Holy Prophet (s.a) raised the hand of `Ali and said: O people! This man is the leader of the believers and God’s proof for all the people. He will fight the unbelievers!

The Messenger of Allah raised his hands in prayer and said: O Lord! You are a witness that I have acted according to Your decree and carried out this mission. These are Your servants and You have the power to transform them. I now seek forgiveness for you and myself.

Then, the Holy Prophet came down from the pulpit. Concurrently Gabriel came down and conveyed God’s message to him in relation to communicating the mission, saying: O Muhammad! God Almighty greets you and says: You will be rewarded for carrying out this decree; Hail to you that you conveyed our divine mission; you made necessary recommendations to your Ummah, pleaded the believers, and disappointed the unbelievers.

O Muhammad, your cousin will be put to test and he will pass the test. We will put the people to test through him.

O Muhammad, praise your Lord at all times and all places and say: Praise be to Allah, “and they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back” (26:227).[564]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: God Almighty blessed me with five features and blessed `Ali with five features too. He blessed me with comprehensive and meaningful words, and blessed `Ali with comprehensive knowledge; he blessed me with prophethood, and blessed `Ali with guardianship; he blessed  me with Kawthar fountain, and blessed `Ali with Salsabil fountain; he blessed me with revelation, and blessed `Ali with inspiration; he called me to Himself on the Night Journey, and he opened the ways to heavens for `Ali and removed the veils in a way that he saw me and I saw him! Then the Holy Prophet’s eyes were filled with tears! I said: May my parents be ransom for you. Why are you weeping? The Holy Prophet said: O Ibn `Abbas! The first thing God told me was to look down. I saw that all the veils had been removed and the doors of heavens were open; `Ali had raised his head towards me; he was speaking to me; I was speaking to him too, and God was speaking to me! I said: What did God say to you? The Holy Prophet said: God said: O Muhammad! I appointed `Ali as your successor, vizier, and executor. Convey these words of mine to him, for he is listening to you! I conveyed God’s message to him while he was in God’s presence. Bowing down, `Ali said: I do obey God’s decree and accept His command. At that time God ordered to angels to hail him and they hailed `Ali too and `Ali hailed them too. I saw angels giving good news to one another. They hailed me wherever I passed by them.

O Muhammad! By God who appointed you as a prophet, the angels were rejoicing for the leadership of `Ali. I saw the bearer of the throne lowering their heads towards the earth. I asked Gabriel: Why are they looking at the earth? He said: They call on God to see `Ali and God too gave them a chance to see `Ali. He informed me of the event to the letter. I found out that I had not taken a step without `Ali being informed of it!

Ibn `Abbas reports: I said: O Messenger of Allah! Please guide me. He said: It is incumbent on you to have the love for `Ali! Again I said: O Messenger of Allah! Please guide me to what is good and fair! The Holy Prophet said: It is incumbent on you to have the love for `Ali ibn Abi-Talib! By God who appointed me as prophet, He will not accept any good deed from a servant without asking about his love for `Ali though He knows better. The reason He asks about love for `Ali is that if a servant confesses he loves `Ali, his deeds are accepted, for nothing is hidden for God to ask about. If the answer is negative, he will be sent to hell!

O Ibn `Abbas! By God who appointed me as a prophet, the fire of hell is more furious to `Ali’s enemy than to a person who believes God has a son!

O Ibn `Abbas! Should the archangels and the apostles be unanimously hostile to `Ali, God will throw all of them into the fire of hell. I said: O Messenger of Allah, can anyone be `Ali’s enemy? The Holy Prophet said: `Ali’s enemies are those who have no real share of Islam, though they apparently consider themselves Muslims and my Ummah.

O Ibn `Abbas! A sign of their enmity with `Ali is that they prefer people of lower rank to him! By God who appointed me as a prophet, He has not created any prophet more honorable than me and no prophet’s successor more honorable than `Ali.

Ibn `Abbas reports: I always cherished this advice of the Holy Prophet by having a love for `Ali and his leadership. I do not know any better act for myself than `Ali’s love!

Ibn `Abbas reports: It was not long before that the Messenger of Allah was on the verge of departing from this world. I went to his presence and said: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be ransom for you. Now that your days are numbered, what is your advice to me? The Holy Prophet said: O Ibn `Abbas! Oppose `Ali’s enemies and never support them. Do not take them your friends! I said: O Messenger of Allah! Why don’t you advise people to forsake `Ali’s enmity at this sensitive juncture of time given that there is no obstacle? The Messenger of Allah started weeping so much so that he almost fainted! He then said: O Ibn `Abbas: It has been so destined that the sworn enemies of Islam will oppose `Ali in the future! By God who appointed me as a prophet, no denier of `Ali’s right will ever die without God deny him the blessing He has given him.

O Ibn `Abbas! Should you wish to meet your Lord while He is pleased with you, adopt the path of `Ali; be always with him; be pleased with his leadership; be hostile to his enemies, and be a friend of his friends. Have no doubt about `Ali and his leadership, for any doubt about `Ali is doubt about God.[565]

Salman Farsi has reported: We swore an oath of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah not to fail to be benevolent to Muslims, consider `Ali as our leader and love him.[566]

The Holy Prophet has been quoted by Imam Sadiq (a.s) on the authority of his father and grandfather as saying: During my Night Journey when I reached Sidrat al-Muntaha, the herald of God said: O Muhammad! Make necessary recommendation about `Ali, for he is the master of the Muslims, the leader of the pious, and the head of the prosperous on the Day of Judgment.[567]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Abd al-Rahman Ansar on the authority of his father as saying: God has blessed me with nine merits which are gathered in `Ali; three merits in this world and three merits in the hereafter; I wish two merits for him and I am worried about the one merit remaining! As for the three worldly merits, `Ali will conceal my private parts (implying that he will do everything related to my burial), he is the guardian of my Ahl al-Bayt, and my executor. As for three merits of hereafter, I am given the banner of al-Hamd which I will give to him, I will trust `Ali in intercession, and he will help me with carrying the keys of paradise and dividing them among those who deserve paradise. As for the two things I wish for him, `Ali will never go astray or become unbeliever. As for the last one, I fear that Quraysh will maltreat and betray him after me.[568]

`Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi- Layla has quoted his father as saying: On the day of Khaybar battle, the Messenger of Allah gave the banner to `Ali and God made him victorious. On the day of Ghadir Khum, the Holy Prophet while introducing `Ali said: He is the master of every believing man and women. Addressing

`Ali, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, you are from me and I am from you. You will fight for the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an after me in the same way that I fought for the revelation of the Holy Qur’an. He also said: O `Ali! Your position to me is as Harun to Musa. Peace with you is peace with me and war against you is war against me. You are the firm rope of Allah to whom people should clutch. You solve people’s problems when they are at a loss. You are the guardian of every believing man and woman. You are the one about whom God revealed the verse “and an announcement from Allah and His apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage” (9:3). You are the one who acts according to my Sunnah and will defend my nation.

The Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, on the Day of Judgment, I am the first one who will be raised to life and you will be raised to life with me too. I am at the Pond and you will be with me too. The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, I am the first person who will enter paradise. You, Hasan, Husayn, and Fatimah will enter paradise after me. God has revealed to me to make your merits public and I have carried out this mission accordingly.

O `Ali, beware of rancor some people have in their hearts against you and this will become manifest only after my departure from this world. May the curse of Allah be upon them. Then the Holy Prophet started weeping and when the reason was asked, he said: Gabriel informed me that the rancorous people will bother `Ali and will deny his indisputable right. They will fight `Ali and will kill his children! Gabriel also informed me the oppression against his children will continue till the uprising of the Riser. But after the uprising of the Riser (Imam Mahdi) they will gain power and people’s love for them will increase. On that day, their ill-speakers will be few, their enemies will be abased and their eulogizers will be numerous. This prophecy will be materialized when there is an apocalypse and the oppressed people lose their hope of a better world. Then the Riser of Ahl al-Bayt will reappear among them and turns despair into hope. The Messenger of Allah said: The name of the Riser would be the same as my name and the name of his father is the same as the name of my father and he will be one of the sons of my daughter, Fatimah. At that time, truth will become manifest by him and falsehood will be removed by his sword and all the people, whether they wish or not, will follow him.

The narrator reports: At this time, the Holy Prophet stopped weeping. Addressing the believers, he said: I will give you good news about the rule of the Riser, for this uprising is a divine promise with no violation. This victory is imminent. Then, the Holy Prophet raised his hands in prayer, saying: O Lord! These are my household (Ahl al-Bayt), remove uncleanness from them and have mercy on them. Help them in their plights, give them honor, for You have power over everything.[569]

Ummu-Salamah was informed that her male servant was speaking ill of `Ali. She called him and kindly said to him: I have heard that you  

speak ill of `Ali. He said: Yes, I do. Ummu-Salamah said: May your mother mourn you! Sit here so that I will tell you what the Messenger of Allah has said about `Ali! Then you are free to choose any way you wish! On the day and night the Messenger of Allah was in my house, I asked for permission to enter the room but he did not give me permission. This made me upset, saying to myself: Perhaps I have disobeyed him or a verse has been revealed about me! I asked for permission to enter the room for the second time but I heard the same answer! For the third time, I asked for permission. This time, the Holy Prophet gave me permission to enter the room. I saw `Ali sitting on his knees facing the Messenger of Allah. `Ali was saying: May my parents be ransom for you! What should I do if such and such things happen! The Messenger of Allah too was inviting him to patience and self-restraint. `Ali repeated what he had asked but he received the same answer. When `Ali repeated what he has asked for the third time, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali! if the opponents do not stop their behavior, put your sword on your shoulder and behead them step by step till you will meet me and till blood is dropping from your sword!

After speaking with `Ali, the Messenger of Allah turned to me, saying: O Ummu-Salamah, why do I see signs of worry on your face? I said: Why should I not be worried. I asked for permission to enter the room two times but you did not give me permission! The Holy Prophet said: By God! You have not done anything wrong, for God and His messenger always have a good impression of you. But you came at a time when Gabriel was sitting on my right side and `Ali on my left side. Gabriel was informing me of the unpleasant events that would happen after me, saying: these events will happen about `Ali. Gabriel told me to inform `Ali of them and to make a testament! Ummu-Salamah, listen and be a witness that `Ali is my brother in the world and in the hereafter. Ummu-Salamah, listen and be a witness that `Ali is the standard bearer in the world and bearer of the banner of al-Hamd on the Day of Judgment. O Ummu-Salamah, listen and be a witness that `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is my successor and executor. He is the one who will fulfill my promises and will reject some people from the Pond!

O Ummu-Salamah, listen carefully and be a witness that `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the master of Muslims, leader of the pious, and the head of prosperous ones. He is the one who will fight the breachers, deviant, and apostates after me.

I said: O Messenger of Allah! Will you say who these three groups are? The Holy Prophet said: The breachers are those who pledge allegiance with him in Medina but they will break their allegiance in Basrah and will fight him.

Then, I asked who the deviant are.

The Holy Prophet said: Mu`awiyah and his aiders who are deviators and do not pledge allegiance with him.

I asked who the apostates are!

The Holy Prophet said: They are Khawarij, that is, the companions of Nahrawan. Hearing this, Ummu-Salamah’s servant prayed for her, saying: May God reward you who guided me to the truth. May you be happy forever. From now on I will never speak ill of `Ali.[570]

`Ali’s Arch-Enemy, Zubayr ibn Bakkar

Zubayr ibn Bakkar ibn `Abdullah ibn Mus`ab ibn Thabit ibn `Abdullah ibn Zubayr ibn `Awwam had no match in enmity with Imam `Ali. In fact, he was Imam `Ali’s arch-enemy.

Ibn `Abbas has been reported by Zubayr ibn Bakkar as saying: I was walking hand in hand with `Umar ibn Khattab in one of the alleys of Medina. Addressing me, he said: O Ibn `Abbas! I do not think there is any one more wronged than your master, `Ali! I said to myself I should answer him immediately. Therefore, I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin, return to `Ali what you have taken from him (usurped) with injustice! Being upset and as a sign of protest, he withdrew his hand from my hand. He went a few steps forward, stopped and said: I do not see the reason behind his being wronged as anything but humiliation! I said to myself: By God, what you are saying is worse than what you had said before. So I retorted: By God, on the day he was ordered to take Surah -Bara'ah from your comrade and to convey it to the atheists, God did not humiliate him!

Ibn `Abbas reports: Hearing this answer, he turned his face from me, did not say anything, parted with me and went his way.[571]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported by Ahmad ibn Tahir in Tarikh Baghdad, as saying: During the first days of `Umar’s caliphate, I went to him while there was a bowl of dates before him. He offered me  to eat and I took just one date while he ate up all the dates and drank a jug of water after it. Leaning on a pillow, he turned to me and said: Where do you come from? I said: I am coming from the mosque. He said: Why did you leave your cousin? I had the impression that he was talking about `Abdullah Ja`far. I said: He was busy with his grandchild. He said: I do not mean him. I mean great man of Ahl al-Bayt (`Ali). I said: He is busy with irrigation of the trees as well as recitation of the Holy Qur’an. He said: O `Abdullah, the blood of the camels sacrificed be in your charge (swearing by at that time) if you do not answer my question. I said: Ask your question. He said: Is he still thinking of caliphate? I said: Yes. He said: Does he think that the Messenger of Allah has appointed him as caliph? I said: Yes and added: I asked my father about `Ali’s right to caliphate and he said: `Ali is right! `Umar said: The Holy Prophet sometimes uttered certain words for which there was no proof or excuse! In fact, he used to point out this issue once in a while. Even in his deathbed, he wanted to explicitly mention his name but as I was worried about Islam and feared that it might be threatened, I stopped him from mentioning his name expressly! By the Lord of this Ka`bah, Quraysh had never unanimity about `Ali’s caliphate. If he were in charge of affairs, all the Arabs from around Medina would oppose him and break their allegiance. As the Messenger of Allah noticed that I knew his intention, he did not say anything in this relation, so what God had destined was implemented! The author of the book says these words of `Umar refer to ink, pen, and paper which had to be brought on the order of the Holy Prophet but `Umar stopped him, saying: This man is saying delirium because of much pain. The book of God is sufficient for us.[572]

This is an indication to the famous incident when `Umar prevented the Holy Prophet from writing down his will, claiming that the Holy Prophet was hallucinating!

Let us go back to what Zubayr ibn Bakkar has related. He has quoted his uncle Mus`ab as saying: The agent of Mu'nisah summoned a man to the court presided over by Sharik ibn `Abdullah as judge, filing a suit against him. The judge was carefully listening to the statements of both parties to avoid any mistake. Amid this, Mu’nisah’s agent who had the upper hand and his support, arrogantly attacked the other party, yelling at him. Finding that the agent’s moves were against the court’s order and disrespect for the judge, Sharik protested by saying: Shut up! The agent said: Do you  know who I am? I am the agent of Mu’nisah! The judge ordered the slave in charge of executing the court’s order to give him some slaps in the face. The slave too did so. The agent left the court for Mu’nisah’s house with humiliation and filed a complaint against the judge. Mu’nisah immediately wrote a letter to Mahdi, the `Abbasid ruler, complaining of the judge’s attitude towards his agent. Mahdi too dismissed the judge from his position with a reproach to the effect: Should a person like you judge among Muslims? The judge said: For what reason, o Amir al-Mu’minin? Mahdi said: Your opinion is against all people in relation to caliphate and have your own idea of Imamate! Sharik said: I have no religion other than that of all people. How can I oppose them then? As for the question of Imamate and leadership, I should say that I have no Imam or leader except the Book of Allah and the tradition of the Holy Prophet. As for your saying that I am not competent for judgment, it is you who have appointed me! If you have committed any mistake, you have to ask for forgiveness. Furthermore, if you have not made any mistake in your choice, you are bound to it and have to reinstate me!

Mahdi asked: What is your opinion about `Ali? Sharik said: My opinion is the same as that of your grandfathers, `Abbas and `Abdullah. Mahdi said: What was their opinion on this issue? Sharik said: As for `Abbas, when he died he believed that `Ali was the best among the companions and stood by this belief till the end of his life, for the elderly companions and Muhajir were in need of `Ali in solving the most complicated problems and in all events but `Ali was not in need of anyone!

As for `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas, he is the one who fought alongside `Ali and was present actively in all the battles, carried out `Ali’s orders and considered `Ali as his leader. Disobeying `Ali’s orders was a great sin for him! If `Ali’s Imamate was unjust, the first person involved in this issue, was your father `Abdullah, for he was a jurisprudent and well-versed in the divine injunctions! Hearing this, Mahdi, the `Abbasid ruler, kept silent and Sharik left the court. Between this debate and his dismissal, it was only one week.[573]

Zubayr ibn Bakkar has related: Addressing Ibn `Abbas, `Abdullah ibn Zubayr said: It was you who fought Umm al-Mu’minin (the mother of the believers) and the disciples of the Holy Prophet (Talhah and Zubayr) and voted in favor of temporary marriage! `Abdullah said: You, your father, and you maternal uncle brought her to the battlefield. She was called the mother of believers by us and it was thanks to us she was honored with this title. We too were good children for her. May God forgive her. It was you and your father who fought `Ali. If `Ali was a virtuous and believing man, you have then gone astray. If `Ali was an unbeliever, you have then brought yourselves the wrath of God by fleeing from fighting him.

As for temporary marriage, I heard the Messenger of Allah allowing it and deeming it lawful; therefore, I issued so.[574]

Mutrif ibn Mughirah ibn Shu`bah has been quoted by Zubayr as saying: My father and I went to see Mu`awiyah. My father regularly visited him, talked to him, and after leaving him informed me of their discussion. He spoke well of Mu`awiyah and praised his witticism. One night when he came home, he was upset and refused to eat dinner. An hour passed but neither he nor I said anything. This silence was not without reason. I thought I had done something wrong so I mustered courage and asked the reason. He said: My son, tonight I have come from the presence of the most evil person on the earth. I said: Who is he? He said: It is Mu`awiyah. I said: Why? He said: After an hour of speaking to him, I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Now that your honor has reached its climax, how good it would be for you to dispense justice, to improve your behavior and to be engaged in good deeds.

Mu`awiyah said: What do you mean? I said: It would be appropriate for you to do favor to your brethren from Banu-Hashim who have long been wronged under your rule and to observe bonds of relationship, for they have no power to be feared from!

Mu`awiyah said: Never such an offer is acceptable to me. A man of Taym tribe (Abu-Bakr) took the power and dispensed justice. He did what he should have done. But by God, soon he passed away, was hidden under the earth, and his name was buried too. If he is sometimes remembered they only say: Abu-Bakr did such and such. Then a man from Banu-`Adi tribe (`Umar) came to power. He endeavored much and during his ten-year rule rendered valuable services. But by God, soon there was no name of him and if he is sometimes  remembered it is said: `Umar did such and such. Then the power came to `Uthman, a man of Umayyad like whom there is no one in terms of lineage! He did what he should have done. But by God, soon he passed away and there is no name of him and of his performance. But this brother of Banu-Hashim, that is the Messenger of Allah, is remembered well five times a day on the minarets of Mosque as “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”! Is there any hope for me not to hear this name! May you mourn your mother for giving me such an offer! No, by God, I will not remain calm unless this name is buried and there is no sign of it. These words of him about the Messenger of Allah do not mean anything other than his weak belief in him.[575]

Zubayr has quoted the distinguished men of Hadith as saying: One day Mihqan ibn Abi-Mihqan Dabbi went to see Mu`awiyah, saying: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Now that I am in your presence I am coming to you from the presence of a man who is the meanest, the most avaricious, the feeblest in speech, and the most timid among Arabs! Mu`awiyah said: Who is he? Mihqan said: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib! Finding these words in his own favor, Mu`awiyah said to the people of Syria: Listen what this Iraqi brother is saying! Take care to give him due honor. Then Mu`awiyah asked Mihqan to repeat what he had said. Mihqan repeated what he had said! Mu`awiyah said: Woe to you, o fool! How do you consider `Ali as the meanest while his father is Abu-Talib, his grandfather is Abdul Muttalib, and his wife is Fatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah? How do you consider `Ali as the most avaricious man among the Arabs while by God, if there is a house filled with gold and another house filled with straw at his disposal, he will give away the gold before the straw. Can you accuse him of being timid while by God, if two hostile groups stand face to face, the only valiant man who will boldly attack the enemy is no one but `Ali? And how can you consider `Ali the most feeble in speech while by God no one introduced the art of eloquence among Quraysh except him. Then he said: The mother of Mihqan bore a son who is meaner, more avaricious, more timid, and feebler in speech! By God, if it were not for what you know, I would certainly have you beheaded. Take care not to repeat this again! May God curse you. Mihqan said: By God! You have done more injustice to him than me, for you know how supreme his position is; yet, you  fought him! Mu`awiyah said: Enmity with him is over power and domination not over anything else!

Mihqan said: Have you traded power with divine wrath and painful punishment?

Mu`awiyah said: It is not so. I know something about God which you do not know, for He stated “My mercy encompasses all things” (7:156). [Mu`awiyah does not know that this verse will not include him, for the rest of the verse is “so I will ordain it (especially) for those who guard (against evil)”[576]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Bakkar on the authority of `Ammar ibn Yasir as saying: “I advise the Imamate of `Ali to one who believes in Allah and has accepted my prophethood, for whoever accepts `Ali’s Imamate has accepted my Imamate and whoever accepts `Ali’s Imamate is certainly under the Imamate of God.

Whoever has love for `Ali in his heart, it is mixed with his love for me and whoever has love for me has love for God.[577]

`Ali’s Valor

All the people unanimously believe that during the battle of Uhud, Gabriel came down, saying: There is no man more valorous than `Ali and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali.

Khawarizmi has quoted Muhammad ibn `Ubaydullah ibn Abi-Rafi` as saying: On the day of Uhud, Gabriel with a loud voice declared: There is no man more valorous than `Ali and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali. This narration has been frequently related.[578]

Abu-`Umar Zahid has reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas as saying: One day, the Messenger of Allah rejoicingly said: I am a valorous man, the son of a valorous man, and the brother of a valorous man. As for saying: I am a valorous man, he was unanimously believed to be a valorous man among Arabs. As for saying: I am the son of a valorous man, as we know he is the son of prophet Ibrahim, the friend of Allah, for God describes him so in the verse “They said: We heard a youth called Ibrahim speak of them” (21:60). As for calling himself the brother of a valorous man, he is 

`Ali’s brother, for Gabriel, the divine caller, on the day of Badr when he was rejoicingly going up the heaven, said: There is no man more valorous that `Ali and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali.[579]

Ibn `Abbas has been quoted as saying: I saw Abu-Dharr Ghifari while he was clutching Ka`bah’s curtain, saying: Those who know and do not know me! I am Abu-Dharr. If you people keep on fasting in a way your statures become as thin as a thread and keep on praying so much that your backs become crooked, it will not benefit you unless you have the love for `Ali.[580]

The author of the book says: If a man like Abu-`Umar Zahid, a Sunni Muslim considers `Ali as the most pious and relates such a narration, is it fair to ignore it? Verily, it is love for the world and mammonism which keep the truths in the veil of ignorance.

Chapter 12 `Ali’s Posthumous Miracles

The learned Sheikh ibn Babawayh who is a scholarly man and one of the grandchildren of the great author, Abu-Ja`far Muhammad ibn Babawayh, has written a book on the merits of Imam `Ali. He has bound himself to relate forty Hadiths, each narrated by forty men! In this book, a wonderful story has been recounted as follows: The poet, Bubbagha' used to visit a king once a year. During one of those visits, the king happened to be in the hunting-ground. The vizier informed the king of the poet’s coming and he ordered to accommodate the poet in one of the palace rooms. He would sleep in that room at nights. This room had a door to the palace gate. The palace watchman used to raise his voice at midnight, crying out: O the unmindful, remember God. He would then say: Curse of God be upon the enemies of Mu`awiyah, and cursed `Ali! The poet was being tormented by his voice but he had no option other than being patient. The poet happened to see in his dream the Messenger of Allah along with `Ali at the gate of palace. The Holy Prophet ordered `Ali to give the watchman a blow between the shoulders for cursing him for forty years. `Ali too did so. The poet woke up frightened! The next night, the poet expected to hear the same cry but there was no sign of the watchman and his crying. The next morning, there was a hubbub in palace. Everyone was rushing to the watchman’s room. The poet asked about the event. He was told that a blow of the size of a hand palm had been dealt between the two shoulders of the watchman which had taken away peace from him. The scar was bleeding too! It was long before he died and went to hell! This was witnessed by forty people.[581]

In the city of Mosel, there was a man named Hamdan ibn Hamdun ibn Harth `Adawi who had a severe rancor against `Ali. One of the residents of the city, who was intent to make a Hajj pilgrimage, went to see him for farewell, saying to him: I will meet your requests if you have any? Hamdan said: I want you to do something for me which is easy. When you go to Medina for the visitation of the Messenger of Allah after you have completed your Hajj rituals, convey my message to the Holy Prophet by telling him: What feature of `Ali pleased you that you married your daughter to him? Was it his big belly, his slim legs, and his bald head that attracted you to do so? Hamdan emphasized his request and asked the Hajj pilgrim not to fail to do so.

After his arrival in Medina, visitation of the Holy Prophet’s shrine, and expressing his own needs, the man forgot Hamden’s message. At night, the man saw in his dream Imam `Ali who said: Why did you not convey Hamden’s message? So next day the man went to the holy shrine and conveyed Hamden’s message to the Messenger of Allah, returned home and went to bed. Again in his dream he saw Imam `Ali holding his hand and taking him to Hamden’s house. Opening the door, `Ali beheaded him with the knife he had in his hand. Cleaning the knife with the bed sheet, he put it in a corner of the ceiling and went out of the house. The pilgrim woke up and told his friends the whole story. He also noted down the date of the dream.

As for the house of Hamdan in Mosel, there was such a wailing that the ruler of Mosel woke up and asked for the reason. He was told that the owner of the house had been beheaded in his bed! The ruler ordered necessary investigation and arrest of suspected people. The people of Mosel were surprised as to how the event had happened, for neither the lock of the door had been broken nor was there any trace of the killer in the house. The ruler was at a loss! No one had entered the house and nothing had been stolen! The suspected neighbors were also in prison. There was no solution for this puzzle till the Hajj pilgrims returned home. The dreamer noticed that the neighbors were in prison! He asked the reason. He was told Hamdan had been beheaded in his house and the neighbors were in prison for investigation.

Being surprised and saying “God is the Greatest”, the man took out his note of dream and read it loudly. They all noticed that Hamdan had been killed exactly the same night the Hajj pilgrim had his dream. They went to the house of Hamdan, took out the bed sheet stained with blood. He told them about his dream and then told people to bring down the knife from the ceiling. The ruler ordered all those held in prison to be free, for they found out that it was a true dream in which there was no doubt. Then people confessed to the truthfulness of `Ali. This was a divine favor to the household of the Messenger of Allah.[582]

Abu-Dulaf had a son who had a rancor against `Ali. One day, a group of Dulaf’s friends were speaking about friendship and enmity with `Ali. One of them related a Hadith from the Holy Prophet who had said: O `Ali no one has love for you but he who is a pious believer and no one is your enemy but one who is the offspring of menstruation or a bastard! Being furious with this, the son of Abu-Dulaf roughly said: What do you think of Abu-Dulaf’s wife? Has anyone had unlawful relation with her so as to give birth to a bastard. At this time, Abu-Dulaf entered and was informed of the matter. He said: There is no doubt about this narration. This son of mine is both the offspring of menstruation and a bastard! When I was sick and resting in my brother’s house a slave girl who was charged with doing my chores, entered the room. My heart was inclined to her. I told her about my desire. She refused and said she was menstruating. But I did not take heed of it and stressed my own position. Hence I went to bed with her. This son is the offspring of that intercourse. Therefore, he is both the offspring of menstruation and a bastard.

The author of the book says: My father told me a story as follows: Being accompanied by my friends, I was going through the streets of Baghdad one day. On the way, I felt thirsty. I told one of my friends to fetch me water from one of the houses. He knocked the door of a house and asked for water. The other friends and I sat in a corner, waiting for him. We caught sight of two boys who were playing. One of them said: The Imam and leader after the Messenger of Allah is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib and the other one said: Abu-Bakr. I said to myself: The Messenger of Allah truly said: O `Ali, no one loves you but a believer and no one is your enemy but an offspring of menstruation. At this time, a woman came out of the house with a bowl of water in her hand. She offered the bowl to me saying: For God’s sake, tell me what you were saying to yourselves! I said: I related a narration from the Messenger of Allah. She insisted that I should relate it once again. Therefore, I repeated it to her. She said: O gentleman! This Hadith is truthful, for these two children are my sons. The one who has a love for `Ali is the one I conceived when I was pure, and the other son is the one whom I conceived when I was menstruating. Hence he is `Ali’s enemy.[583]

A pious man, who always admonished people, one day when he was delivering a sermon, started eulogizing `Ali and in this way quenched the thirst of people with the wholesome water of Wilayah. The sermon prolonged in a way the sun was about to set. At this time, the orator turned to the sun and said: O sun! Stop for moments so that I will bring to an end the eulogy of the Holy Prophet’s cousin and his son. Should you long for listening to his eulogy, hold your rein and listen to what I say to people. O sun, do you remember the day you stopped moving near sunset for my master, `Ali, so that he will perform his afternoon prayer? Let your pause today, be for his sake and his devotees!

Hearing the words of the orator, the sun returned to its former position, the sky became more clear and the sun stopped where it was till the eulogy of `Ali came to an end. This happened in the presence of a large group of people and they all saw it with their own eyes.

The author of the book says: In the city of Hillah there was a man known for his religiosity and recitation of the Holy Qur’an. The Jinn used to throw stones at him through the windows and tortured him every day in a way life had become hard for him but he had no way to escape from this plight! I saw stone-throwing with my own eyes. To stop the jinn’s’ persecution, the man resorted to supplication, prayers and recitation of the Holy Qur’an but it was useless! He then thought of threatening the jinn’s with `Ali. Hence, turning to them, he said: By God, if you do not stop throwing stones at me, I will seek help from `Ali and complain to him about you! After this, stone-throwing stopped and was not repeated again.

Once, the Emir of the city of Hillah went out for hunting. Seeing a bird on Mashhad al-Shams Tomb, he sent a falcon to chase it. The bird was flying away and the falcon chasing it. The little bird sought refuge in the house of ibn Nama, the renowned scholar but the falcon kept on chasing it till it caught the bird in its claws. Soon the falcon stopped moving, started shivering and became motionless! The entourage of Emir who were watching this scene with their own eyes reported the story to him. He realized that this place had a special sanctity with God! So he held the place in high esteem and had it repaired.[584]

Ibn Jawzi, the Hanbalite, in his book, Tadhkirat al-Khawas writes: `Abdullah ibn Mubarak went on Hajj pilgrimage one year and took part in battle the next year. He kept on doing this for forty years. One year when it was time to go on Hajj pilgrimage, he went to a camel-sellers market to but a camel for Hajj journey with five hundred Dinars. On his way, he came across a ruined place and saw an Alawi woman who was plucking a dead duck!

`Abdullah said: What are you doing with this corpse the eating of which is unlawful? She said: O `Abdullah! Do not ask question about that which does not concern you! Something passed in my mind. Perhaps this Alawi woman is in need of this corpse. So I repeated my question. She said: `Abdullah now that you insist, I have to disclose my secret to you. I am an Alawi woman without any guardian. I have four orphaned daughters. Their father has recently died. It is the fourth straight day that we are all hungry. As you know eating corpse under emergency is permissible. Hence, I have taken this dead duck to prepare a food with it! Seeing this, I said to myself: O Abdullah, can you forget this scene? After thinking for a while I gave all my Dinars to her. The woman was so ashamed that she did not look at me. I returned home from that place while feeling that God had taken the desire of Hajj pilgrimage from me. After the Hajj season when all the Hajj pilgrims returned home, I went to see them to say: May God accept your Hajj pilgrimage. They too reciprocally said: May God accept your Hajj pilgrimage too, adding: We saw you in Arafat, Mina, and Mashar. Knowing that I had not gone on Hajj pilgrimage, I said to myself: What does it all mean? During the same night, I saw the Messenger of Allah in my dream, saying to me: `Abdullah! Don’t be surprised. As you helped one of my oppressed children, I called God to create an angel like you to go on Hajj pilgrimage as your deputy every year till the Day of Judgment. Now if you wish, you can go on Hajj pilgrimage and if you do not desire, don’t go, for that angel will do his duty.[585]

Ibn Jawzi has reported: In the lunar year 604, I told this story for Ahmad ibn `Abdullah Moqaddas. He further reports: I read it in the book al-Moltaqal which I had inherited from my grandfather, Abul Faraj ibn Jawzi: An Alawi man was living with his wife and his daughters. After some time, he passed away. His wife reports: After  

the death of my husband, being afraid of the enemies’ reproach, I left Balkh for Samarqand. Our arrival in this city was concurrent with winter when the weather was very cold. As I did not know anyone in the city, I took my daughters to a mosque and went out to find some food. I was at a loss. All of a sudden, I caught sight of a gentleman among people. I asked: Who is this man. They said: This man is the great Sheikh in this city. I went to him and told him about myself and my daughters. He said: Do you have anyone to witness that you are a Sayyidah (a female descendant of `Ali)? He said this and turned his face from me. Being desperate, I headed for the mosque where I had left my daughters. On the way, I saw a man sitting on a platform with people round him. I asked: Who is this man? They said: This Zoroastrian man is the acting officer of the city. I said to myself: I will go to him. Perhaps he can do something for me. Therefore, I went to him, told the whole story of my life and what I had heard from that Muslim man adding that my daughters were in the mosque suffering from hunger and cold. Hearing it, the man called his servant, saying to him: Go home quickly and tell your Lady to come here. The servant went away and after some time, the wife of the man and some of her servants appeared. The Zoroastrian man said to his wife: Go with this woman to such and such mosque, take her and her daughters home and entertain them. The Alawi woman says: The Zoroastrian woman came to the mosque with me, fondled my daughters and we all went to her house. She gave us a separate room, warmed water for us to take a bath, and brought precious gowns for us to wear. Then she prepared a delicious food for us. Having had the dinner, we went to our beds. That night was the best in our life!

As for the great Sheikh, that night he saw in his dream that the Day of Judgment had come and the Messenger of Allah was under the banner of al-Hamd. He saw a palace of emerald in his dream and asked whose it was. He was told: It is built for a monotheist Muslim. The Sheikh wanted to go to the presence of the Messenger of Allah but he turned his face from him. The Sheikh said: O Messenger of Allah! Why do you turn your face from me while I am a Muslim?

The Holy Prophet said: Bring a witness to prove that you are a Muslim? The Sheikh was so amazed that he did not know what to say.

Then the Holy Prophet said: Have you forgotten what you have said to that Alawi woman? Now, this palace is for the man who has accommodated that woman and her orphaned daughters at his house! The Sheikh woke up, frightened! Sheikh ordered his servants to search in the city to find that Alawi woman and the orphans hoping to find a sign of them! He himself went to look for them too! after a long search, they found out that the woman and her daughters were in the house of the deputy officer of the city. The Sheikh went to his house hurriedly, asking: Where is that Alawi woman? The Zoroastrian man said: They are in my house. The Sheikh said: I want to take them to my house. The Zoroastrian man said: I will never allow it! The Sheikh said: Take this one thousand Dinars from me and let me take them! The Zoroastrian man said: By God, I will not do such a thing even if you give me a hundred thousand Dinars! The Sheikh insisted on his request. The Zoroastrian man said: I have had the same dream as you have had. That palace has been made for me. O sheikh! You were too sure of your faith! By God, no member of my family went to bed that night without converting to Islam thanks to this Alawi woman. We are all Muslims now and all the blessings have come to us due to this highly-respected lady!

Speaking of his dream, the man said: I saw the Messenger of Allah in my dream, saying to me: This palace has been built for you and your family, for you have been benevolent to my descendants. I give you the good news that you and your family will go to paradise, for God created you all believers from the very beginning.[586]

Sept ibn Jawzi has related another story as follows: A man saw the Messenger of Allah in his dream, who ordered to him to see such and such Zoroastrian man and to convey to him a message that his prayer has been answered! The man who had seen the Holy Prophet in his dream refused to convey the message thinking that the Zoroastrian man might have the impression that I expect something from him. He saw the Messenger of Allah in his dream for the second and third time. Again the Holy Prophet emphasized that the man should convey his message without any delay, for it was incumbent on him to obey the Holy Prophet! This time, the dreamer went to the Zoroastrian man and privately conveyed the Holy Prophet’s message to him. But the Zoroastrian man said: I do not believe in Islam and prophethood of Muhammad! I said: I know it but what should be done? The Messenger of Allah commissioned me three times to convey his message to you! The Zoroastrian man immediately pronounced the formula of the Islamic faith (there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) and became a Muslim. He invited his family and relatives to Islam, saying: Anyone of my relatives who converts to Islam can possess any portion of the property which he has at disposal or he will not have such a right, for I have found the truth!

With this message, all his relatives and friends converted to Islam. He also cancelled the marriage of his daughter to his grandchild, for marriage between two Mahrams (a near relative with whom one cannot marry) is forbidden!

Then he said to me: Do you know what that prayer which was answered was? I said: No, but I am willing to know it. The new convert said: Once I had married my daughter to a relative, I had given a wedding party, inviting people to come and have the dinner. A poor family was living in our neighborhood whom I had not invited. At dinner time, I told my servants to spread the tablecloth in the yard and to serve the food there. I heard the complaint of the little girl from the next door, who was saying to his mother: This Zoroastrian man is annoying us with the smell of their food. I immediately ordered my servant to take some food, clothing, and a certain amount of money for them. Once the little girl looked at the food, clothing, and money, she said: By God, we will not eat this food without praying for one who has sent them. Se they all raised their hands saying: O Lord! Associate this man with our ancestor, the Messenger of Allah. All those who were present said: Amen![587]

Ibn Jawzi has quoted his grandfather, Abul Faraj on the authority of ibn Khasib as saying: I was in charge of the finance affairs of Mutawakkkil’s mother. When I was busy with account-books, one of the agents came and gave me a purse of one thousand Dinars, saying: The lady says: Divide this money among the needy, for they are from my purest property. By the way, send me their names so that I will give them some money later. Ibn Khasib reports: I took the purse, went home and invited my friends to introduce to me the  needy people. They did so and I divided 300 Dinars among them, keeping the rest with me and waiting for other needy people to come to me. It was midnight when someone knocked the door. I said: who is it? The answer was: I am an Alawi man. I said to myself: Perhaps it is my neighbor. But he has never come to me. What is the reason behind this untimely visit? The servant opened the door and the man came to me. After exchanging greeting I said: How come you are here at this hour of night? He said: A descendant of the Messenger of Allah has come to see me. I had nothing at home to make food for him. So I have come here to borrow some money, however little, from you so as not to be ashamed before my guest.

I gave one Dinar to him, saying: It is free. He thanked me and headed for his house. Being informed of it, my wife said: Were you not ashamed that you gave only one Dinar to that Alawi man who badly needed it? She said: give him whatever money that is left with you. Her words had a great impact on me. So I immediately followed the man and gave him the whole money.

After returning home, I remembered something which made me regret what I had done. If they report me to Mutawakkil given his enmity with the descendants of the Holy Prophet, only God knows what they will do with me! Seeing the sign of worry in my face, my wife asked the reason. I informed her of my worry. She consoled me and said: Do not fear! Trust God and the ancestor of this Sayyid! We were speaking about it when the agents of the lady came to our house with torches in their hands, saying: You have been called by lady!

I was prepared to go but I was at a loss. My body was shivering. With each step I took, an agent would say: Mutawakkkil’s mother is impatiently waiting for you! When I reached the palace, the ushers led me from one room to the other. When I reached the special chamber of the lady, the servant who was with me said: Wait here for the lady. I was extremely depressed not knowing what will happen! But contrary to my expectation, the lady came, weeping. I was surprised with her weeping. Calling me, she said: O Ahmad (name of Abu-Khasib)! May Allah reward you and your wife. Moments ago, I saw the Messenger of Allah in my dream, who was saying: May Allah bless you, Ahmad, and his wife with a good reward. Now tell me  what is the interpretation of this dream? I told her the whole story. She started weeping! At this time, she gave me some money and clothing, saying: This money is for that Alawi Sayyid! This money and clothing is for you, and this money and clothing is for your wife. Her gift was a hundred thousand Dirhams on the whole! After she thanked me and prayed for me, I said goodbye to her and rejoicingly headed for home, saying to myself: I should inform the Sayyid of the event. As soon as I reached the house of Sayyid and knocked the door, he came to welcome me with tears in his eyes. He said: O Ahmad! Give me whatever you have with you. I asked the reason for his weeping. He said: When I returned home from your house, I informed my wife of the event. She said: Let both of us rise up, perform prayer, and pray for Mutawakkkil’s mother, Ahmad, and his wife. Having prayed, we went to our bed. In my dream, the Messenger of Allah said to me: My son, I thanked them for what they did to you! Now, Ahmad will bring you money from Mutawakkkil’s mother. Accept it and pray for her!

Final Note

Towards the end, the author of the book says: We have expressed `Ali’s merits as much as we could but actually `Ali’s merits cannot be counted!

Praise is due to the Lord of the universe. God’s greetings be upon the master of prophets, the Holy Prophet of Islam, and his pure household.

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"Wisdom is the lost property of the Believer, let him claim it wherever he finds it" - Imam Ali (as)