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Ali - the Perfect Creation, an Energy and Physical Perspective

Greatness of the Prophet (S)
The Prophet has said:
By Allah, I can tell you who among you will go to paradise, and who among you will burn in hell for ever. The whole universe is before my eyes. Beware! If I tell you about things and events, you will not like it.

I have already told you all that which brings you near to Allah, so you must carry out those commands, and I have disclosed all that which separates you from Him and takes you to hell, so do not do what I have forbidden.

Do not transgress the boundaries laid down by Allah. If you ask questions about the things He has not disclosed, because of His wisdom, you will find yourselves in deep trouble.
Before we begin to mention and discuss the virtues of Ali, it would be sufficient here to quote a statement from the Invocation of Adeelah to confirm the supremacy of the Prophet Muhammad (S) above the entire creation. Imam al-Mahdi (ATFS) says:
You are the most generous, the most Merciful. O Allah! Send blessings on the best creature, Muhammad, and on his pious and pure progeny. There is no authority and no might except Allah's, the High, and the Great. (All) praise is for Allah, the lord of the worlds.
al-Khumeini (AR) writes the following about the Prophet (S):
The Prophet (S), whose knowledge was derived from the divine revelation, and whose soul was so great that it could predominate over the spirits of millions upon millions of human beings; who rejected all the practices and customs of the pagan Arabs; who shattered under his feet all the false creeds; abrogated all the scriptures and the circle of Prophethood achieved its completion in his noble existence; who was the ruler of the world and the hereafter, and who was the master of all the worlds, with the permission of Allah (SWT) Almighty - yet his humility towards the creatures of Allah (SWT) was more than of any other human being.
In Hayatul-Qulub, the great al-Majlisi (AS) writes that authentic chain of reporters mention from al-Ridha (AS) and al-Sajjad (AS) that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
The Almighty Allah created 124,000 Prophets and I am the most honored one before Allah. However, I do not pride myself over it. And, He created 124,000 Successors, among whom Ali is the most exalted.
Safwan al-Jamal from al-Sadiq (AS), has also narrated the above tradition.

al-Mahdi has the following to say about Muhammad, the last of Prophets, in theInvocation of al-Iftitah recited during the month of Ramadhan al-Mubarak:
O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad, Your servant, messenger, confidant, friend, beloved intimate, mercy unto all the created beings, bearer of your sacraments, quotient of your messengers, the most superior, the exquisite, the most handsome, the most perfect, the upright, the more prospering, the more pleasant, the thoroughly purified, the sublime; who has more and better blessings, advantages, mercies, affections and salutations than You made available to any one of Your servants, prophets, messengers, friends, and those honored by You from among Your created being.
And then he says the following about Ali:
O Allah! Send Blessings on Ali, the leader of the faithful, and the successor to the messenger of the lord of the worlds, Your servant, Your beloved representative, brother of Your messenger, and Your decisive argument over mankind, Your most important sign, and the great news from You.
And finally, he says the following about Fatima:
O Allah! Send blessings on the truthful pure Fatima, the chosen leader of the women of the worlds.
It is reported that Archangel Dardaeel once produced a pair of scales, which was equal to the space between heaven and earth. He placed the Prophet on one side of the scale and one hundred of his future companions on the other, but they proved a mere feather to their leader. The angel then put against him a thousand of his most renowned and eminent followers, but they weighed nothing against the Prophet. Half of his sect was also tried, and then his entire sect.

Then, Dardaeel placed all the angels, mountains, seas, deserts, trees and the whole universe Allah has made into the opposite scale, but the whole inconceivable amount was totally overbalanced by the Prophet Muhammad (S) (al-Majlisi (1627).

Such status was (and is) the Prophet (S). And, according to authentic traditions, the best creation after the Prophet is Ali, the Commander of the entire Universe - since Ali was created from the same light of the Prophet. Ali proved this aspect in his life in so many ways. The Holy Prophet had said:
I and Ali are from one and same divine light. He is the head of my body.
al-Majlisi (1627) writes in his Hayatul-Qulub that Shaykh Saduq (AR) states, on the authority of al-Sadiq (AS), that the Commander of the Faithful declared that the Most High:
Allah (SWT) created the Sacred Light of Muhammad, the asylum of Prophecy, before the heavens or earth, empyrean or throne, table of decrees or divine pen, paradise or hell were formed. His light was also created previous to the creation of any other Prophets by the period of 424,000 years.

In this light Allah formed twelve compartments; namely of Power, Greatness, Grace, Mercy, Felicity, Munificence, Official Dignity, Religious Direction, Prophecy, Exaltation, Majesty and Intercession. Allah then stationed that intelligent light in the compartment of power for the period of 12,000 years, and the journeys for this light continued. In the last journey to the compartment of intercession, the light cried for one thousand years - glory and thanks to the Mighty Lord!

The Most High then formed twenty seas of light, in each of which were a number of sciences that no one understands but Allah. He then commanded the light of Muhammad to go down through the sea of Glory; of Patience; of Humility; of Submission; of Contentment; of Faithfulness; of Mildness; of Abstinence; of Fear; of Repentance; of Good Works; of Abundance; of Religious Direction; of Carefulness and of Modesty, till he had passed through the twenty seas. When he came forth from the last sea, the Most High addressed him saying, O My Beloved! Best of My Prophets! First of My Creatures! Last of My Apostles! Be the Advocate on the Day of Reward!

That light (of Muhammad) then fell into adoration, and when it arose, 1,24,000 drops fell from the light, from everyone of which Allah made a Prophet, thus completing the number of those sacred Prophets.

It is further reported that the Prophet, in the form of light and energy, dwelt under the Empyrean 73,000 years, and then resided 70,000 years in Paradise. Afterwards, the light was rested another period of 70,000 years at Sidratul-Muntaha. Emigrating from heaven to heaven it arrived at length in the lowest of these celestial mansions, where it remained until the Most High willed the creation of Adam, the Father of Mankind.
Greatness of Ali (AS)
Ibn Abbas (one of the most authentic and revered Shia narrators) is quoted to have said that the Messenger of God said:
If all the trees were pens, and all the seas were ink, and all the Jinn were counters, and all human beings were writers, they would not be able to count the incredible virtues of Ali. (Kanzul-Ummal. Manaqib Khazrami. Kifayatul- Talib. Lisanul-Mizan. Mizanul-Itidal, and more than 10 other references)
Ja'far bin Muhammad (6th Imam), from his father (5th Imam), from Ali bin Husain (4th Imam), from his father (3rd Imam), from the Commander of the Believers who said that the Messenger of God said:
Allah has given so many incredible virtues to my brother, Ali that they are impossible to count. So if someone mentions one of his virtues while believing in it, God will forgive all of his past and future sins. And if someone writes one of his virtues, angels will seek forgiveness for him for as long as that written text continues to exist. And if someone listens to one of his virtues, God will forgive all of the sins that he committed using his ears. And if someone reads a book about his virtues, God will forgive all of the sins that he committed using his eyes.

Looking at Ali is worshipping God, and mentioning him is worshipping God.

God does not accept the belief of anyone who does not accept Ali's WILAYAT (successor to the Prophet (S), and who does not renounce his enemies.
(Biharul-Anwar. Manaqib Khazrami. Kifayat al- Talib. Mizan al-Itidal. Amali al-Saduq and several other references)
The Origin and Essence of Ali (and the rest 13 Perfect Creations of Allah (SWT) - Light and Energy
al-Qur'an remarks that the creation of Light before the human-form is a reality and we have observed that the origin of the whole of creation is Light.
O You Who Believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance. In the hope that your Lord will remove your ills from you and admit you to Gardens, beneath which Rivers flow. The Day that Allah will not permit the Prophet and those who believe with him to be humiliated.

Their Light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, Our Lord! Perfect our Light for us, and grant us Forgiveness, for You have power over all things.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 66, Verse 8)
And,
On the Day you shall see the believing men and women - their light running forward before them and on their right hands.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter Hadid, Verse 12)
In the Salutations of al-Warith, we say to the Aimmah and Ali:
I know and bear witness that you were light in the sublime loins and in the pure wombs, the dirt of ignorance never touched you, and neither did obscurity conceal you in its folds.
Abu Dhar (AR) remarks:

I swear to Allah that I heard the Messenger of Allah (S) with my own ears say - and may Allah make me deaf if I lie about this:
Ali and I were created from the same light. We were to the right of the throne sanctifying Allah two thousand years before Allah created our father, Adam. And, when Adam was created, Allah placed us in his backbone and kept moving us from the honorable backbones to the purified wombs until we reached the backbone of my grandfather, Abdul Muttalib.

Then Allah divided us into two halves and sent me to the backbone of Abdullah and sent Ali to the backbone of Abu Talib. Allah chose me for the Prophethood as a mercy and a blessing, and He chose Ali for his courage, knowledge and eloquence.

Allah derived two names from us from His own names. The owner of the Throne is Mahmud and I am Muhammad; Allah is A'ala and this is Ali. (Amali of Tusi. Rawzatul-Waizeen)
Abdullah bin Masud says that I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
The sun has two sides - one side gives light to the inhabitants of the heavens, and one side gives light to the inhabitants of earth. There is writing on both sides. Do you know what is written (on both sides of the sun)?

We replied, Allah and His Messenger know better.

The Prophet said,

The writing on the side that gives light to the heaven says, Allah is the light of the heavens and earth (al-Qur'an - Chapter 24, Verse 35). The writing on the side that gives light to the inhabitants of earth say, Ali is the light of the earths.
(Biharul-Anwar. Madinatul-Maajez)
Before we proceed to explore the highest possible physical, mental and spiritual status of Ali in this whole creation and entire universe, we will first explain the status of Ali in the entire creation in matters of energy. This will make him the greatest and most pure personality who was ever created - most certainly, after the Prophet of Islam - Muhammad (S), and after him only; second to him and third to none.

As we shall note, Ali was blessed with and attained the highest possible level of energy wholesomeness (energy in its purest and most vibrant form compared to the whole of creation - animate and inanimate). Apparently, the qualities, greatness and behavior (in light/energy and physical form) in him also contribute to his total sense of purity, and we shall exhaust these reports on his greatness.

Ali is a celestial being - pure energy - and he has been blessed access to all information within the energy of the entire creation. Because he was second in creation (after the Prophet (S) - he has been endowed with power and knowledge over the entire creation, and witnessed all events, and shall keep on witnessing the creation as it reaches its perfection and THE final goal set by Allah. No wonder the Prophet (S) had witnessed a Camel duiring his Me'raj which kept growing new humps every now and then. The Archangel Jibraeel (AS) remarked that the humps have never stopped growing since its birth. Apparently, these humps denote the praises of Ali as they are discovered.

Because of the knowledge and happenings of the entire creation, al-Majlisi writes that these Purified Souls are thus witnesses upon the entire creation. In Kafi and in Basair, Imam Ali (AS) is reported to have said:
Allah has made us clean of evils, infallible and made us witnesses over the creation; proof (Hujjat) in His earth and also He has made Qur'an with us and us with the Qur'an. Neither we will separate ourselves from it nor will it separate itself from us.
No wonder Ali said that if the veils of the heavens were lifted, his certainty and knowledge would not increase even a bit, for he has been blessed with the knowledge of the entire creation, from the tiniest bacteria, to the biggest of galaxies.
All in these make up the reasons why Ali is such a perfect personality, that his energy was and is in union with the entire creation during the beginnings of time, and at all times - and the main reason why he and only he always put forth this question, Ask me anything you want - I know the way of the heavens more than the earth.

In Nahjul-Balagha, he even explains the origins of creation in such an explicit manner, that there is no doubt he witnessed all such events. He explains Allah, in a way no one has ever or will ever describe Him. He explains the creations of the sky, earth, clouds, the angels, and the reasons behind the creation. He even explains the feelings and remarks from these creations.

For example:

He has arranged the depressions and elevations of the openings of the sky. He has joined the breadths of its breaches, and has joined them with one another. He has made easy the approach to its heights for those (angels) who come down with His commands and those (angels) who go up with the deeds of the creatures. He called it when it was yet (in the form of) vapor. At once the links of its joints joined up. Then Allah opened up its closed door and put the sentinels of meteors at its holes, and held them with His hands (i.e. power) from falling into the vastness of air.

He commanded it to remain stationary in obedience to His commands. He made its sun the bright indication for its day, and the moon, the gloomy indication for its night. He then put them in motion in their orbits and ordained their (pace of) movement in the stages of their paths in order to distinguish with their help between night and day, and in order that the reckoning of years and calculations may be known by their fixed movements. Then He hung in its vastness its sky and put therein its decoration consisting of small bright pearls and lamp-like stars. He shot at the over-hearers arrows of bright meteors. He put them in motion on their appointed routine and made them into fixed stars, moving stars, descending stars, ascending stars, ominous stars and lucky stars.

Then Allah, the Glorified, created for inhabiting of His skies and populating the higher strata of his realm new (variety of) creatures namely the angels. With them He filled the openings of its cavities and populated with them the vastness of it circumference. In between the openings of these cavities there resounds the voices of angels glorifying Him in the enclosures of sublimity, (behind) curtains of concealment and in veils of His Greatness. And behind this resounding, which deafens the ears, there is the effulgence of light, which defies the approach of sight to it, and consequently the sight stands, disappointed at its limitation.

He created them in different shapes and with diverse characteristics. They have wings. They glorify the sublimity of His Honor. They do not appropriate to themselves His skill that shows itself in creation. Nor do they claim they create anything in which He is unparalleled.

Allah spread the earth on stormy and tumultuous waves and the depths of swollen seas, where waves clashed with each other and high surges leapt over one another. They emitted foam like the he-camel at the time of sexual excitement. So the tumult of the stormy water was subdued by the weight of the earth, when the earth pressed it with its chest its shooting agitation eased, and when the earth rolled on it with its shoulder bones the water meekly submitted. Thus after the tumult of its surges it became tame and overpowered, and an obedient prisoner of the shackles of disgrace, while the earth spread itself and became solid in the stormy depth of this water. (In this way) the earth put an end to the pride, self-conceit, high position and superiority of the water, and muzzled the intrepidity of its flow. Consequently it stopped after its stormy flow and settled down after its tumult.

Thereafter He did not leave alone the barren tracts of the earth where high portions lacked in watersprings and where rivers could not find their way, but created floating clouds, which enliven the unproductive areas and grow vegetation. He made a big cloud by collecting together small clouds and when water collected in it and lightning began to flash on its sides and the flash continued under the white clouds as well as the heavy ones He sent it raining heavily. The cloud was hanging towards the earth and southerly winds were squeezing it into shedding its water like a she-camel bending down for milking. When the cloud prostrated itself on the ground and delivered all the water it carried on itself, Allah grew vegetation on the plain earth and herbage on dry mountains. As a result, the earth felt pleased at being decorated with its gardens and wondered at her dress of soft vegetation and the ornaments of its blossoms. Allah made all this means of sustenance for the people and feed for the beasts. He has opened up highways in its expanse and has established minarets (of guidance) for those who tread on its highways.
The origin of Ali (AS) is light, and his living and life after death is light, and so his presence permeates anything and everything - so these events that are mentioned are not at all difficult feats for a person his status..

It has been said that:
The traditions relating to the nature of their (the Aimmah (AS) bodies and the creation of their spirits and hearts; and those which speak of their having been given the knowledge of the Greatest Name; the sciences bestowed upon them from the unseen divine stores of the prophets, the angels; what is above that and that which does not enter into the imagination of you and me; and that which is mentioned of their other excellences in the various chapters of reliable works of our associates, especially in the Usul al-Kafi, are such as to confound the intellect, no one can apprehend their mysteries and realities except their own sacred beings.

Imam al-Baqir (AS) once said:
We (the Aimmah, 14 perfect souls) have been taught the language of the birds and bestowed with knowledge of everything.
Ali says in the Peak of Eloquence (in several of his remarkable sermons):
They (the Aimmah) are the trustees of His secrets, shelter for His affairs, source of knowledge about Him, center of His wisdom, valleys for His books and mountains of His religion. With them Allah straightened the bend of religion's back and removed the trembling of its limbs.

None in the Islamic community can be taken at par with the Progeny of the Prophet. One who was under their obligation cannot be matched with them. They are the foundation of religion and pillar of Belief. The forward runner has to turn back to them while the follower has to overtake them. They possess the chief characteristics for leadership. In their favor exists the will and succession (of the Prophet). This is the time when right has returned to its owner and diverted to its center of return.

No person in the world can be brought at par with them, nor can any one be deemed their equal in sublimity, because the world is over laden with their obligations and has been able to secure eternal blessings only through their guidance.

They are the corner stone and foundation of religion and the sustenance for its life and survival. They are such strong pillars of knowledge and belief that they can turn away the stormy flow of doubt and suspicion. They are such middle course among the paths of excess and backwardness that if some one goes far towards excess and exaggeration or falls behind then unless he comes back or steps forward to that middle course he cannot be on the path of Islam.

They possess all the characteristics, which give the superiority in the right for leadership. Consequently, no one else in the ummah enjoys the right of patronage and guardianship. That is why the Prophet declared them his vicegerents and successors.

He is the leader (Imam) of all who exercise fear (of Allah) and a light for those who seek guidance. He is a lamp whose flame is burning, a meteor whose light is shining and a flint whose spark is bright. His conduct is upright, his behavior is guiding, his speech is decisive and his decision is just. Allah sent him after an interval from the previous Prophets when people had fallen into errors of action and ignorance. Allah may have mercy on you.
In the Invocation of Alqamah, it is said about the Aimmah (AS):
I beseech You in the name of Muhammad, the last Prophet, and Ali, the commander of the faithful, in the name of Fatima, the daughter of Your Prophet, and in the name of Hasan and Husain.

I direct myself towards You, through them, in my address, through them I try to get a hearing, through them I put forward my case to get Your favors, in their names I make a request to You; bound to You by oath, living a life according to Your commands.

I carry out my pledge by every means, in the name of the love and devotion You have for them, and the influence and status they enjoy in every dimension of Your will; the superior most preeminence in wisdom and character You bestowed upon them to transcend above everything in the whole universe.

In the name of Your name You revealed to them in trust; on account of which You chose them in preference over everything found in the heavens and the earths; through which You built their respect, developed to perfection their surpassing excellence in knowledge, learning and deeds, out of all the rest of the people, till their completeness surpassed the total achievement of all the people put together.
The Aimmah (AS) were indeed created perfect and are flawless creations of Allah, and only He knows the extent of their Infallibility because He created them. If they are the leaders over the entire creation, the Aimmah (AS) also had to excel in every science so their knowledge is God-given and vast, unlimited. This is why they could answer queries in any language and no one was able to overcome these blessed souls in any manner, be it worship, knowledge or just plain discipline and behavior towards the public. Also, the inanimate objects were under their watch and command, be it the tiniest creation.

Ali (AS) remarks:
By Allah! I have learnt the proclamation of the messages, the fulfillment of promises and perfection of words. With us, the Ahlul-Bayt, are the doors of wisdom and the lights of all things. Where are those who claim that they, instead of us, are deeply rooted in knowledge? They do so lying and rebelling against us. Allah has elevated us and degraded them, and has bestowed upon us and deprived them, made us enter and expelled them. It is through us that guidance is sought and blindness removed. Certainly, the Imams will be from the Quraish, they have been planted in the line of Hashim. The Imamate is not right for others, neither is it for the governors to the exclusion of others.

We are the close ones and the companions, the treasures and the doors. Houses are not entered except by their doors; whosoever enters them in any other way is called a thief.

Within them (Ahlul-Bayt) is the nobility of the Qur'an, and they are the treasures of the Merciful one. When they speak they utter the truth, and when they are silent, none should speak before they do.

They are the life of knowledge and death of ignorance; their forbearance tells you of their knowledge and their silence the wisdom of their speaking. They do not go against the truth nor do they differ about it. They are the pillars of Islam and the asylums of protection. Through them the truth has returned to its rightful position, falsehood has vanished and it's tongue severed from it's root. They have understood religion attentively and carefully, not from hearsay or from relaters, because the relaters of knowledge are many, but few observe it.

His (The Prophet) progeny is the best of progenies and his family the best of families. His tree is the best of trees, grown in sanctity and excelled in generosity, for them are long branches and fruits that cannot be reached.

We are the tree of Prophethood, the station of divine message and the place where angels visit. We are the mines of knowledge, the fountainheads of wisdom. Those who support and love us, can expect mercy, our enemies and one who hates us, await the wrath [of God].

We are the noble ones, and our progeny is the progeny of the Prophets. Our party is the party of Allah, the most Glorious and Majestic. The rebellious groups are the party of Satan. Whoever equates us with our enemy is not from us.

Where do you go and how [much] do you lie? The standards are raised and the signs clear. The minarets have been erected, so where are you wandering? How can you wander blindly, when among you is the progeny of the Prophet (S) and they are the pillars of truth, standards of religion, the truthful tongues? Accord to them the same position as you do to the Qur'an and come to them as thirsty camels approach water springs.

O people, take it from the seal of the Prophets (S) that he who dies from amongst us is not dead, and he who decays from amongst us does not really decay. Do not say what you do not understand, because most of the truth lies in what you deny. Accept the argument of one against whom you have no argument. It is me. Did I not act according to the more weighty thing (the Qur'an) and did I not leave for you the less weighty thing (the Ahlul- Bayt of the Prophet) and did I not fix for you the standard of faith?

Examine the Ahlul-Bayt of your Prophet and follow their character and footsteps and they will never lead you astray. They will never make you return to destruction. If they lie down, then you lie down, and if they arise, then you arise. Do not precede them otherwise you will go astray. Do not lag behind them as you will be ruined.
In a tradition quoted by al-Majlisi (AR) in Mi'atul-Qul, Kitabul-Iman wal-Kufr and Bab al-Musfaha, with his continuous chain of transmission reaching the august Shaykh, the best of the narrators, Muhammad, son of Ya'qub al-Kulayni, from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammed, from Ribi', from Zurarah, from Abu Ja'far (AS). Zurarah says, I heard him say:
Verily, God the Almighty and the Glorious, cannot be described. And how could He be described when He declares in His Book, They measure not God with His true measure. Hence He cannot be described by any measure, and if described He would transcend it.

And verily, the Prophet (S) cannot be described, and how could one describe a servant whom God, the Almighty and the Glorious, has concealed with seven veils. Allah made obedience to him in the earth like obedience to him in the heavens. He declared, Whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatsoever he forbids, abstain from it.

And He has declared, Whoever obeys him assuredly obeys Me, and whoever disobeys him disobeys Me. Hence He has delegated authority to him.

And we (Imams of the Ahlul-Bayt) cannot be described. And how could a group of people be described whom God has kept free from impurity, which is doubt.

And neither can the believer be described. And indeed, when the believer takes his brother with the hand on meeting him, God looks at them and sins are shed from their faces in the way leaves fall from a tree.
In Qur'an:
Verily! Verily Allah intends to keep every kind of uncleanness away from you - O People of the house, and purify you a thorough purification.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 33, Verse 33)
In the Ziyarat of al-Jamia, the Shiites of Ali say:
You (the 14 Infallible), whom Allah has kept all impurity and filth far away from you.
Mir Ahmed Ali (1988) writes in his Qur'an - Translation and Commentary that when this verse (of purification) was revealed, the Prophet (S) was in the house of Umme Salama. He then gathered his daughter Fatima, his cousin and Fatima's husband Ali, and their two sons al-Hasan and al-Husain - AS - and the Prophet said - O Allah! THESE constitute my Progeny. Even Umme Salama was not permitted in this gathering of the five blessed individuals. This gathering is mentioned in details earlier in the Tradition of the Cloak. In this tradition there is also a mention about this entire universe created because of the love of the Prophet, Ali and the Infallible - AS.

In the book Hayatul-Qulub, al-Majlisi (AR) relates that when Allah created Adam (AS), He told him that He would not have created him (Adam) if it were not for these two personalities. Upon enquiry, he was informed to look at the divine inscription upon which was written:
Muhammad is the Prophet of Mercy and Ali is the Key to Paradise.
Further Discussion on the Origin of Ali - Light and Energy
We have noted before that the first creation was the light of Muhammad (S), before any other creation. al-Majlisi (1627) writes that the Most High created him, Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husain - in the form of light - before the creation of Adam, and when as yet there was neither heaven, nor earth, nor darkness, nor light, nor sun, nor moon, nor paradise, and nor hell. Then, Allah made the Prophet's soul journey through different stages for thousands of years and purified him with the utmost perfection. These journeys are listed in details in the book Hayatul-Qulub, by al-Majlisi (1627), one of the foremost and most revered scholars in Islam.

al-Majlisi relates that on the respectable authority of Abu Dhar, a companion of the Prophet (S), Muhammad said that Ali and I were created one light, and we ascribed glory to Allah on the right side of the Empyrean two thousand years before Allah created Adam. In al-Amali by al-Mufid, the Prophet has said:
Allah, Most High, created the souls two thousand years earlier, then the bodies attached it to the Throne and ordered them to greet me and obey me. So, the first one among men who greeted me and expressed his obedience to me was the soul of Ali.
In al-Kafi - Volume 1, Page 441, al-Kulayni reports that Abu Ja'far said:
O Muhammad! Verily God, the Blessed and the Exalted, is ever unique in His Unity. Then He created Muhammad, Ali and Fatima. They remained for a thousand eons. Then He created all the things and made them witness their creation and decreed them to obey them, delegating their affairs (i.e. of the creatures) to them. Hence they permit whatever they will and forbid whatever they will and they will not do anything, except what God, the Exalted, wills.

Then he said, O Muhammad, whoever goes beyond this creed transgresses the bounds (of right doctrine) and whoever lags behind perishes, and whoever adheres to it attains (to the truth). So hold on to it, O Muhammad!
al-Sadiq, the sixth Shiite Infallible continues:
O Mufaddhal! We (the 14 Infallible) were with our Lord and there was none else, except us in the Green Shadow. We glorified Him, called Him Holy and One and extolled Him. Besides us there was neither any archangel nor any spirit, until when it appeared to God to originate the creation. Thereupon, He created whatever He willed and howsoever He willed of the angels and the other creatures. Then He gave the knowledge of that to us.
In the Invocation of Adeelah:
We paid attention to him, believed in what he said, and in the Holy Qur'an. You revealed to him, and in his successor Ali, appointed by him on the day of Ghadir, and identified in clear words, This is Ali.

I testify that there are pious Imams and righteous successors, after the chosen Messenger, from Ali, the one who subdues of infidels.

After him, his eldest son, Hasan bin Ali, thereafter his brother, Husain, the grandson of the Messenger of Allah, obedience unto whom is the will of Allah; then Ali, the adorer of Allah (al-Sajjad), then Muhammad, the treasure of knowledge (Baqir), then Ja'far, the truthful (Sadiq), then Musa the sagacious (Kadhim), then Ali the devoted (Ridha), then Muhammad the pious (Taqi), then Ali an- Naqi, then Hasan the gatherer (Askari).

Then, the awaited savior, evident argument and established successor, my hope, because of whose perpetuity, the world is going on; because of whose blessings all living beings get their daily bread, because of whose presence, the heaven and the earth stay stable; and through him Allah will fill the earth with equity and justice, when it is run over with tyranny and oppression.

I bear witness that their words are decisive arguments; to follow their example is obligatory, to obey them is compulsory, to love them is necessary (because it has been) preordained, to take after them is sure salvation, to oppose them is certain destruction.

They are the chiefs of the people of paradise, effective helpers on the Day of Judgment, and the best guides for the mankind, surely the best approved successors.

I testify that death is certain, interrogation in the grave is certain, raising of the dead is certain, Sirat (the bridge over hell) is certain, Mizan (trail) is certain, Hisab (accountability) is certain, the Book (Qur'an) is true, Paradise is real, Hell is real, and certainly there is no doubt in the hour of resurrection. Verily Allah shall raise the dead from their graves.
To provide further explanation that Ali was created in the form of light eons before the entire creation, including all the Prophets; it is reported that Ali, besides the Prophet, also experienced most of the heavenly journeys into the boundaries of the universe that the Prophet made. And since the Prophet and Ali are from the same Light, their stories of these sacred journeys would be the same, as in the case of Me'raj, the physical Ascension mentioned clearly in Qur'an and explained in earlier sections.

It is reported that when on the Night of Ascension, the Prophet visited the Kingdom of Allah in the heavens. He told him, Go and inform your followers what you have seen here. The Prophet asked, who would testify my statement? Allah replied, Ali will testify. As noted earlier, Ali was also the only person to venture into other worlds of the Jinn community and fight battles with the unbelievers and solve their problems. Some of these narrations have been mentioned and some will be noted later.

In many traditions, we have that from the light of Ali, many of the angels were created. This is yet another explanation that the original existence of Ali is light, as all angels are in the form of light. And since Allah confirms in Qur'an that angels have been kept responsible for every-THING in the universe (including the counting of rain-drops that have fallen on earth since its creation), Ali is far superior to them and governs their knowledge and understanding. With his blessed powers, he commands the whole universe and its governing laws, and he has the ability to employ, alter and break these rules when he desires to, with the assistance from Allah.

The Messenger of Allah once said:
Allah created seventy thousand angels from the light of Ali's face. All they do is seek forgiveness for him, for his Shia, and for those who love him until the Day of Judgment. (Ghayatul-Maram. Madinatul-Maajez. Khazrami in Manaqib and in Maqt al-Husain, and several others)
One of the main verses in Qur'an concerning the knowledge of Ali, and only Allah and His Prophet can confirm such a high status of Ali:
.And everything We confined into a Manifesting Guide.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 36, Verse 12)
Similar quotations can be observed in Chapters 2, 6 and 34, Verses 124, 59 and 3 in the Qur'an respectively. In most authentic traditions, this guide is Ali, and he holds knowledge of the entire creation and such treasures of knowledge unknown to mankind.

To possess such knowledge on the entire creation means Ali has had and continues to have access to the entire creation, living and non-living, the tiniest atom's energy (and the information within, its evolution) released from the parts, actions, or experiences of EACH THING CREATED. This makes Ali a perfect resonator of the different frequencies of energy released from each thing created, whether the energy is positive and highly charged or low charged and blocked.

Ali once remarked to his followers:
If the forces of evil had exterminated the Qur'an, not leaving a single verse, I would have even then related every event that would happen till the Day of Judgment.
It is reported by authentic historians that when the first verses of the chapter of Ha Mim was revealed, Ali said to the people that all of the comings and goings in the past, now and the present, and the future in creation has been amassed in these letters and if not the following verse of Qur'an, I would have informed you of all these happenings.
Allah effaces out or confirms what He pleases; with Him is the Mother of the Book.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 13, Verse 39)
In another authentic tradition, it is mentioned by al-Baqir (AS):
Among all the knowledge given to us by Allah is the explanation and the commandments of the Holy Qur'an and that we have also been given the knowledge of the changes taking place in every time and age or era. And he added, We used to tell it whenever we found any writer who would not reveal our secrets or to any such person who could be informed of the secrets.
One final narration confirming the energy wholesomeness and ability to unify with all creation (at the energy level), the Shia of Ali say in the Salutations of al-Jamia that you (the Aimmah (AS) are witnesses over the entire creation. Earlier, al- Majlisi was even quoted with such an explanation.

Verses from the Qur'an that the Prophet will bear witness over the entire creation on the Day of Judgment do exist. Ali, Fatima and the remaining perfect 12 will do the same. Dr. Bahmanpour explains further that some of these powers were also gifted to Prophets and Prophet Isa (AS) used to tell his followers that I can see what you eat (past, present and future meals), what you do even when I am not with you.

Dr. Bahmanpour (Senior Islamic Lecturer at the Islamic College for Islamic Studies in the UK - 2005) says that Ali, and the Aimmah have been endowed with great powers and knowledge so as to unify with the entire creation and are able to see and report of all actions, and this is the only way for them to be able to bear witness over our actions, and so can every THING in this universe.

We narrated earlier how our actions reach the 12th Imam (AS) every week. Imam Ali (AS) used to say that I am going to witness over your actions. No doubt, in Sunni and Shia traditions, Ali has been termed as - one who will distribute Heaven and Hell.

Continuing with the Salutations of al-Jamia, the followers of Ali remark - our accounts (on the Final Day) are with you, you will be our judge, and our final destination is with you (the Aimmah (AS) and then Allah (SWT).

The Birth of Ali Signifies His Eternal Energy Purity
Authentic reports narrate an incident wherein Sasa'a asked Ali in his deathbed, Who is superior, you or Prophet Isa? Ali said:
I am superior, for when Maryam became pregnant by the Grace of Allah, and the time of her delivery approached, a revelation was granted to her, Leave this holy House for this is a House for prayers, not a place for the delivery of children. Accordingly, she left the holy House and went to the wilderness where she gave birth to Isa.

But when my mother, Fatima, daughter of al- Asad, felt labor pains within the precincts of the Ka'bah, she clung to the wall and prayed to Allah in the name of that House and the builder of that House, to lessen her pain. Soon a fissure appeared in the wall, and my mother heard a mysterious voice telling her, O Fatima! Enter the House of the Ka'bah. She went in, and I was born inside of the Ka'bah.
With regards to walls and their living nature and consciousness, we have explained that even walls have the ability to respond to prayers and commands. In Tafsir Ayyashi, Abu Sabah quotes al-Sadiq (AS), I asked him about the words,
There is not a thing but glorifies His Praise.
and he said:
Everything Praises God and the gaps we see in the wall are those praises of God.
The birth of Ali took place in Makkah, inside the Grand Mosque of Allah, the Ka'bah. He was the only one gifted with such a blessing. We have noted earlier that Makkah remains one of the most sanctified cities in the world and polytheists and non- Muslims are not permitted to even visit Makkah, as per the ruling of Allah (SWT), the Most Sublime. Atheists and even unclean Muslims are not permitted inside the vicinity of the Mosque of al-Haram. al-Khumeini in his book The Disciplines of the Prayer confirms that leading a life of a polytheist, disobeying the commands set by Allah, leading a sinful life and so forth lead to un-cleanliness at different levels and requires ablution with water that will eventually cleanse the person at those specific levels already mentioned.


According to al-Majlisi (1627), the entire vicinity of the Ka'bah (and maybe the whole city) should be considered a mosque and the reason why we have so many restrictions. Hunting, uprooting plants, war, shedding of blood, urinating or defecating facing the Ka'bah, and so many other acts that have the ability to induce blockages in the universal energy field surrounding the Ka'bah are also forbidden near the vicinity of this House of Allah on earth. Apparently, the command to Prophets of Allah was to forbid these acts even in the sacred city of Jerusalem.

Besides the general respect, reverence and power given to the Ka'bah, the visits by the most purified Infallible and clean Muslims, unlimited numbers of angels and many Prophets of Allah have circumambulated the Ka'bah, keeping the House at a higher vibratory rate. It is said that 300 Prophets of Allah have been buried near al-Ka'bah and since there are no reports that these Prophets resided in Makkah, it stands out to reason that these blessed individuals were ordered to visit, and perform circumambulation of the Ka'bah, raising and sanctifying the energy surrounding this House of Allah.

Archangel Jibraeel (AS) once informed Prophet Adam (AS) that he also performed the circumambulation of this holy House 300 years before him. And since angels are pure energy, the rates of frequencies of the energy fields within the Ka'bah would most certainly increase in abundance from such visits. The Prophet (S) narrates:
Allah has not created any creation greater in number than the angels. Everyday seventy thousand different angels come down to do Tawaf around Bayt al-Ma'mur. Then they come down and do Tawaf around the Ka'bah, after which they go to the grave of the Prophet (S) and say Salaam to him. Then they go to the grave of the Commander of the Believers, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) to say Salaam to him, after which they go to the grave of Husain (AS) and say Salaam to him, and then they ascend back to the heavens. This will continue until the Day of Judgment. (Bayt al-Ma'mur - the Qiblah of the inhabitants of the skies. It is in the fourth sky, exactly on top of the Ka'bah - Biharul-Anwar - Volume 18, Pages 285- 350)
About Bayt al-Ma'mur (the House above al-Ka'bah), the scholars have remarked that Allah once distanced a multitude of Archangels from the Arsh (Throne) as far as the distance of five hundred years. They gathered around it and pointed at it with their fingers, whereupon the Lord looked mercifully at them and set up for them the Ma'mur House and said to them, Circle around it, leave the Throne alone. So they circled it, and it is the House entered every day by seventy thousand angels who never return to it. Allah, therefore , made the Ma'mur House for the repentance of the residents of the heavens, then He made the Ka'bah for the repentance of the residents of the earth.

About the greatness of al-Ka'bah (on earth and in Paradise), Ali himself says inNahjul-Balagha:
He selected from among His creation those who on listening to His call responded to it and testified His word. They stood in the position of His Prophets and resembled His angels who surround the Divine Throne securing all the benefits of performing His worship and hastening towards His promised forgiveness. Allah the glorified made it (His sacred House) an emblem for Islam and an object of respect for those who turn to it. He made obligatory its pilgrimage and laid down its claim for which He held you responsible to discharge it.
(Peak of Eloquence - Sermon 1)
We have noted earlier that the first land to re-surface when the earth was born is the land that houses the Ka'bah, and so Ali also had the honor of being born in the first and foremost house on earth, first built by Prophet Adam after the earth was created. Since then, Allah ordered all the Prophets to revere it and maintain its purity. It stands to reason, therefore, the Ka'bah is most likely the first nonmaterial witness on the Day of Judgment of all the actions and histories that transpired in the world. We have also explained earlier that the first human to witness all actions will be the Prophet as his creation is the first compared to the creation of the WHOLE universe and it's tiniest of contents.

The Ka'bah in Makkah also remains one of or the most electrically vibrant structures on this earth, for the fact that millions of Muslims worldwide direct their attention and energy to the Ka'bah daily during their prayer and other activities, and absorb the same. This has been extensively explored. Moreover, the higher source and intelligent energy the Ka'bah draws from the higher (straight-ahead) Bayt al-Ma'mur in Paradise (the Ka'bah in Paradise) should also be considered and forms part of the energy system surrounding the Ka'bah and what is released from it.

Billions of Muslims worldwide visit the Ka'bah several times during their lives. And, when Muslims visit the Ka'bah, their energy remains at the highest rate of vibration since they visit and circulate the Ka'bah only in ablution and physical purity. Spiritual purity is also encouraged. The circulating energy is thus desirable. These people have so many restrictions that even lawful sexual relations with one's wife are not permitted during those three sacred days. Other restrictions are to avoid war and shedding of blood, to avoid producing evil thoughts and images, and so many others that may compromise one's energy and reduce its level of vibration.

Allah has made the approach and handling of the Ka'bah as perfect and absolute since time immemorial - as the first House on this earth. The Kiswah (cloth, with specific divine writings wrapped around al-Ka'bah, and Bayt al-Ma'mur (Ka'bah in Paradise) above the Ka'bah adds to the unlimited and eternal energy purity of this House. No wonder, the Ka'bah has been rightly termed the House of Guidance and whosoever approaches it or directs himself towards it shall gain from it. It is considered as the most blessed house on earth.

If Allah (SWT) is so protective and does not wish the slightest of disturbance or compromise to the energy circulating the environment of the Ka'bah, then the only person born inside the Ka'bah, and who lived in this House of Allah (SWT) for three consecutive days must be physically and spiritually perfect and cleansed at all levels. This person blessed with eternal purity is Ali (AS), son of Abu Talib.

It is reported that even the birth of Ali had to be perfect, for Allah (SWT) would not have allowed impurity (as a result of the birthing process) inside the Ka'bah, a mosque wherein even the minutest of impurity is not allowed. This is applicable in all mosques, and the Grand Mosque is even more applicable. Once a companion of the Prophet requested him to allow him to give water to the pilgrims near the Ka'bah and the Prophet replied - Allah does not prefer such an act. It seems that Allah would not even allow drips of water from people's mouth to spill near the Ka'bah.

al-Bazzar records on the authority of Sa'd, that the Apostle of God said to Ali, It is not lawful for anyone to be in the mosque, while under the obligation of performing a total ablution, except for me and for you. This tradition in itself signifies further eternal purity in Ali, physical, spiritual and in terms of energy.

When Ali was about to be born, his blessed mother Fatima approached the Ka'bah and it is reported by observers and historians that the walls of the Ka'bah instantly cleaved into half and a passage was made. The mother of Ali spent three nights and three days inside the Ka'bah and Ali was born.

We have mentioned before with significant scientific indications concerning rocks and their ability to listen, learn and transform. The tradition below would not be out of place here.

al-Taba Tabai quotes the following tradition in Light within Me, that Ammar Yasir (AR) narrated,
I came to my Master Ali (AS) one day and he recognized feelings of sadness in me. So he said, What's wrong? I said, A debt, which the debtor came to claim. So he pointed to a rock and said, Take this and pay your debt off from it. So Ammar said, but it's a rock. So Amirul-Mu'mineen (AS) said, Call upon Allah (SWT) by my name, He will turn it (the rock) into gold for you. Ammar (AR) said, So I called upon Allah (SWT) by His name and it became soft, and I took what I needed from it. Then he said, Call upon Allah (SWT) by my name to make the rest of the rock as it was.
The above incident explains how Ali relates with Inanimate (in particular, rock) structures - his communication with gold (and that he divorced it) has been mentioned.

On a separate note, we have noted earlier that the walls of Makkah even cried in sadness after the event that took place in Karbala and al-Husain and his children were martyred for the sake of Islam, and that walls respond to one's prayers as well.

These narrations make it clear to understand the communication - at the energy level - between Ali as an infant in the womb, and the walls of the Ka'bah.

Moreover, there was no impurity normally associated with giving birth as Allah would never allow impurity inside the Ka'bah, the Grand Mosque in this entire universe. Clearly, there was a relationship between Ali, his body and soul, the light inside his mother's womb and the walls of the Ka'bah. The walls having observed the presence of Ali and his mother cleaved and made a passage for the mother of Ali to pass.

Authentic reports narrate that just before delivery, part of the (lady Fatima, daughter of Asad, mother of Ali) discourse addressing Allah and the Ka'bah was:
I was forever a believing women, I believe in the Prophet Muhammad (whose Prophethood was declared a decade later, but she was well aware of it), I believed in all other Prophets; on behalf of the baby inside my womb who has already been born (in the form of light) and who talks to me mysterious things and happenings, and on behalf of this baby who is a sign amongst your many signs, and a sign of Your Oneness,
and instantly, the walls of the Ka'bah cleaved apart. Fatima, the mother of Ali expected this by proceeding into the House and was not afraid as would any other human being.

After delivery, the mother of Ali came out the same way after the walls cleaved once again and remarked the following:

I was chosen amongst the entire creation, and Allah has made me better than the most revered ladies like Maryam and Asiya. This is because I have had the privilege to give birth inside the House of Allah. I also stayed in for three nights and days and I was fed with food that was brought directly from Paradise.
After the three days and on my decision, I decided to leave the Ka'bah and I heard the following from the Most High - that Allah kept the young boy's name Ali (High) as Allah is the Most High; Ali will have the same character as Allah has and desires; Ali will destroy all the idols in the Ka'bah. I (Allah) have made Ali the benefactor of the entire creation in the entire universe and every creature who has a request to make to Me or invoke Me has to come through Ali; Ali is the guide and leader of the entire creation; Ali is the one who will closely assist the Prophet in his mission; love of Ali will win Paradise, and hate of Ali will be the cause for one to taste the fire of Hell.
(Abdul Hakeem, 1999)
Also, it is reported in another tradition that people saw Fatima, daughter of Asad (AS), mother of the Commander of the Believers (AS), come close to the Ka'bah. She was nine months pregnant with him and she was in labor.

Fatima bint Asad (AS) said:
O Allah! I believe in you. I believe in what You sent to Your Messengers. I believe in Your books. I believe in the message of my grandfather, Ibrahim al-Khaleel, and the one who built Your house. I ask You through the right of the one who built this house and through the right of the baby that I am carrying to make my labor easy.
Then we saw the wall of the Ka'bah open from the rear. Fatima bint Asad (AS) entered the Ka'bah and she disappeared with the wall closing behind her. We tried to open the door of the Ka'bah but failed. We then understood that this was a miracle.

After four days she came out of the Ka'bah with the Commander of the Believers in her arms and said:
I have a higher status than all of the women before me because Asiya bint Mozahim worshipped Allah secretly in a place that was not recommended to worship Allah except when necessary; Maryam bint Imran shook a dry palm tree and ate from its fresh ripe dates, but I entered the Holy House of Allah and I ate from the food of Paradise.

When I wanted to come out, a caller called me and said, O Fatima! Name him Ali because he is Ali (High) and Allah is Ali al-A'la (The Highest). Allah tells you, I derived his name from My name. I educated him with My manners, and I taught him My most obscure knowledge.

He is the one that will break the idols in My house, and he is the one that will give the ADHAN (announcement), sanctifying and glorifying Me on the roof of the Ka'bah. Bliss and happiness be on those who love him and follow him, and woe unto those who hate him and disobey him. (Ilal al-Sharae by Saduq. Maani al-Akhbar. Amali. Biharul-Anwar)
During the delivery of Ali, his father Abu Talib cautioned all the people and said that this child will be the successor of the Prophet and that one will not be satisfied with his life if he or she does not believe in Ali.

Most certainly, the Prophet (S) said:
O Ali! You are like the Ka'bah. People should come to you and you should not go to them. So if these people come to you and ask you to govern them, accept their request. But if they do not, do not go to them until they go to Allah.
(Biharul-Anwar)

MORE on Greatness of Ali

In a tradition, quoted by more than 15 narrators, the prophet (S) said that - Jibraeel

(AS) once told me:

Ali is the best human being. Those who deny this are unbelievers. (Biharul-Anwar. Ghayatul-Maram. Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha)
The Messenger of Allah said:
No one has a higher status than Ali Ibn Abi Talib except me. He is the Imam of my nation, he is my heir, and he is my successor. Those who follow him are guided to the right path; those who follow anyone other than him are lost and have strayed off the right path.

Indeed, I am the chosen prophet. I do not say this about Ali from my own inclination. What I say is nothing but revelation brought by Jibraeel from Allah, who owns everything in the skies and in the earth, and whatever is between the skies and the earth, and whatever is under the earth. (Ghayatul-Maram. Kanzul-Ummal. Biharul- Anwar)
He further said:
Ali is God's best creation after me. Hasan and Husain are the Masters of the Youth of Paradise, and their father enjoys an even higher status than them, and Fatima is the Mistress of all of the Worlds' Women.
(Saduq in Khisal. Bihar. Ibn Shahr Ahub in Manaqib. Maani al-Akhbar and several other references)
Finally,
Ali to me is like my skin; he is like my flesh; he is like my bones; and he is like the blood that flows in my veins.

Ali is my brother, my heir, my caliph, he repays my debts, and he fulfills my commitments.

Ali is my replacement in the world when I die. (Ghayatul-Maram)
The Commander of the Believers (AS) said, I was sitting in Ruhbah and people were sitting around me. Then someone stood up and said, O Commander of the Believers! It is Allah that has made your status so low, and your father will be tortured in Hell.

I replied:
Be quiet! May Allah shut your mouth! I swear to Allah, who sent Muhammad (S) as a prophet, that if my father intercedes for all of the sinners on earth Allah will accept it.

How can my father be in Hell, while I, his son, am the one who divides between Paradise and Hell?

I swear to Allah who sent Muhammad (S) as the prophet, my father's light on the Day of Judgment exceeds the light of all creatures except the light of five lights: the light of Muhammad (S), my (Imam Ali's) light, the light of Fatima, the light of Hasan and Husain, and the light of the Imams from the sons of Husain.

Beware that the light of Abu Talib is from our lights. Allah created his light two thousand years before He created Adam.
(Amali of Tusi. Burhan. Biharul-Anwar. Ihtijaj. Ta'weel al-Ayat)
In Anwar al-Numaniyya, Tafseer al-Qummi, al-Amali of Saduq, the Messenger of Allah (S) is reported to have said:
O people! Who can be a better speaker and more truthful in speaking than Allah?

O people! Your Lord, Allah, has ordered me to appoint Ali as the flag, Imam, successor, and caliph for you. He ordered me to choose Ali as my minister and my brother.

O people! Ali is the door of guidance after me. Ali is the caller to Allah after me; he is the most righteous one of the believer, and who is better in speech than he who calls to Allah and does good and says:

Verily I am (one) of the Muslims.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 41, Verse 33)

O people! Ali is from me. His sons are my sons and he is the husband of my love.

Ali's orders are my orders, and his prohibition is my prohibition.

O people! Obey Ali and abstain from disobeying him, because obeying Ali is obeying me, and disobeying Ali is disobeying me.

O people! Ali is the most truthful one in this nation. Ali is the separator of right from wrong and Ali is the narrator of hadith in this nation.

Ali is the Harun of this nation, Ali is the Yusha' of this nation, Ali is the Asif of this nation and he is Sham'un of this nation. (Harun was the brother and minister of Musa. Yusha was the successor of Musa, Asif was the successor of Suleiman. Sham'un was the successor of Isa).

Ali is the door of sustenance for this nation, Ali is the ark of survival for this nation. Ali is the Talut (Talut here means the commander. For more information, refer to the Qur'an 2:247- 249) of this nation and he is the Dhul Qarnain (the owner of two branches, that is, Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS) of this nation.

O people! Ali is the trial of the creatures. He is the greatest decisive argument, the greatest sign of Allah, the Imam of the inhabitants of the world, and the strongest handhold.

O people! Verily, Ali is with HAQQ and HAQQ is with Ali and (HAQQ is) on his tongue. O people! Ali is the divider of Hell. His friends will not enter it, and his enemies will not survive.

O people! Ali is the divider of Paradise. His enemies will not enter it, and his friends will not be prevented from entering it.

O my companions! I have advised you and I have conveyed the message of my Lord to you, but you do not like the advisors.

I said all of this, and I seek forgiveness for myself and for you.
When the Commander of the Believers, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) came back from the Battle of Nahrwan to Kufa, he heard that Muawiya had been cursing and insulting him, and was killing his followers. So he gave a speech in which he started by praising Allah and by sending Salawat to the Prophet (S). He mentioned the blessings that Allah had bestowed on His Prophet and on him.

Then he said, If it was not for this verse in the Qur'an. I would not mention what I am about to say. Allah says:
Keep recounting (make mention of) the bounties of your Lord.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 93, Verse 11)

O Allah, praise is only for You for Your countless blessings and Your unforgettable favors.

O people! I have heard the news (of Muawiya's behavior) and I can see that my death is approaching and that you are ignoring my status.

O people! I leave behind that which the Prophet (S) left for you, the Qur'an and my family, which is the family of the Guide to Survival, the last of the prophets, and the Master of Nobility, Prophet Muhammad (S).

O people! You will not hear this after me except from a liar.
  • I am the brother of the Messenger of Allah (S) and his cousin.
  • I am the sword of his revenge and his pillar of intense strength and support.
  • I am the round molar of Hell and I am its fierce teeth.
  • I am the supporter of orphans.
  • I am the taker of souls.
  • I am Allah's strength that cannot be suppressed.
  • I am the disputer of wrong.
  • I am the killer of knights.
  • I am the destroyer of KUFR (disbelief).
  • I am the son-in-law of the best of all creations.
  • I am the master of all of the successors and I am the heir of the best of the prophets.
  • I am the door of the city of knowledge.
  • I am the keeper of the knowledge of the Messenger of Allah (S) and I am his heir.
  • I am the husband of Batul (a woman who is never in the state of menses), the Master of All of the Worlds' Women, Fatima, the pure, the pious, the guided, the benevolent, the love of the love of Allah (the Prophet (S), the best of his progeny, and the flower of the Messenger of Allah (S). His (Prophet) grandsons are the best of grandsons and my sons are the best of sons.
  • Is there anyone who can deny this? Where are the Muslims who believe in Qur'an?

    My name in the Bible is ILIYA, in the Torah is BARI, and in the Psalter is ERI. Indians know my name as KABEER, Romans know me as BIT'RISA, Persians know me as JUBEIR, Turks know me as TABIR, blacks know me as HEYTAR, priests know me as BUSI, Abyssinians know me as BITRIK, my mother knows me as HAYDARA, my nurse knows me as MAYMOUN, Arabs know me as ALI, Armenians know me as FAREEQ and my father knows me as DHAHEER.

    Beware that I am the special one in the Qur'an with many names. Do not change these or you will loose your religion.

    Allah says - Fear Allah and be with the truthful ones (al-Qur'an - Chapter 9, Verse 119). I am the truthful one.

    I am the muazzin in this life and in the Hereafter, as Allah says - Then a muazzin between them will say - The curse of Allah be on the unjust (al-Qur'an - Chapter 7, Verse 44). I am that muazzin.

    And Allah says - An announcement from Allah and His Messenger (al-Qur'an - Chapter 9, Verse 3). I am that announcement.

    And Allah says - Verily Allah is with those who do good (al-Qur'an - Chapter 29, Verse 69). I am the one who does good.

    And Allah says - Verily there is a reminder in this for whosoever has a heart. (al-Qur'an - Chapter 50, Verse 37). I am the one who has a heart.

    And Allah says - Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and reclining (al-Qur'an - Chapter 3, Verse 191). I am the one who remembers.

    And Allah says - On the heights shall be men who know them all by their marks (al- Qur'an - Chapter 7, Verse 46). Those men are my uncle (Hamza), my brother (Ja'far), my cousin (the Prophet S), and I.

    I swear to Allah, the Creator of seeds, that Hell will not touch any of our lovers, and none of those who hate us will enter Paradise.

    Allah says - He created man from water, and made for him a relationship and son-inlaw (al-Qur'an - Chapter 25, Verse 54). I am the son-in-law.

    Allah says - It might be retained by the retaining ears (al-Qur'an - Chapter 69, Verse 12). I am the retaining ear.

    Allah says - A man wholly belonging to one man (al-Qur'an - Chapter 39, Verse 29). I am that man for the Prophet (S).

    Mahdi is from my sons.

    I have been made your test. The hypocrite is exposed through his hatred for me, and Allah tests the believers with my love.

    The Prophet (S) promised me, O Ali, no one loves you but a believer, and no one hates you but a hypocrite.

    I am the owner of the flag of the Prophet (S) in this life and in the Hereafter.

    On the Day of Judgment, the Messenger of Allah (S) will precede me, and I will precede my Shia. I swear to Allah that none of my Shia will be thirsty and none of them will be scared (on the Day of Judgment).

    I have authority on my Shia, and Allah has authority on me.

    Those who love me, love someone who loves Allah. Those who hate me, hate someone who hates Allah.

    I have heard that Muawiya has insulted and cursed me! O Allah! Increase Your punishment on him and descend the curse on the one who deserves it, Amin. O Lord of the Worlds, Lord of Ismail, and the Sender of Ibrahim, You are Glorious.
    Then he (Imam Ali AS) came down from the platform and he never addressed the public like that again for the rest of his life, which came to an end when Ibn Muljim (may Allah's curse be on him) killed him.
    (Maani al-Akhbar)

    The Prophet has said that Allah honored me with five virtues and Allah honored Ali with five virtues:
  • Allah gave me the knowledge of everything and gave Ali the knowledge of everything.
  • Allah appointed me as a Prophet and appointed Ali as the successor.
  • Allah gave me the river of Kauthar and gave Ali the river of Salsabil.
  • They shall be given to drink there of a cup tempered with ginger from a spring by the name of Salsabil.
    (al-Qur'an - Chapter 76, Verses 17-18)
  • Allah gave me the revelation and gave Ali the inspiration.
  • Allah took me to Me'raj and Allah opened the doors of the skies for Ali and removed all the covers, so Ali could see me and I could see him while I was in Me'raj.
  • Once, the Messenger of Allah (S) started crying. So I (Ibn Abbas) asked him, Why are you crying, O Messenger of Allah? May I sacrifice my father and mother for you. The Prophet (S) replied:

    O Ibn Abbas! On the night of Me'raj, the first thing that Allah told me was, O Muhammad, look down.

    So I looked down, and I saw the doors of the skies were open and all of the covers were removed. I could see Ali and he was looking up at me. Ali spoke me and I spoke to Ali. Then Allah spoke to me.

    So I (Ibn Abbas) asked, What did Allah say to you?

    The Prophet (S) replied, Allah said to me: O Muhammad! I have assigned to Ali as your successor, your minister, and your caliph after you. So let Ali know because he can hear you. So I told Ali what Allah had ordered me to say.

    Ali replied, I have accepted this position and I will obey.

    Then Allah ordered all of the angels to say Salaam to Ali, and they all did. Ali replied to their Salaam, and I saw that the angels were pleased that Ali had replied to their Salaam.

    I did not pass by any angel who did not congratulate me and say, O Muhammad! We swear by Allah, who sent you as a Messenger, that all of the angels became happy when Allah appointed your cousin, Ali.

    Then I saw the carriers of the Throne lowering their heads toward the earth.

    So I asked Jibraeel, Why are the carriers of the throne lowering their heads toward the earth?

    Jibraeel replied, All of the angels were honored by looking at the face of Ali except the carriers of the Throne. Now they have asked permission from Allah to look at his face and Allah granted them permission.

    Then when I came down from Me'raj I was telling Ali about what had happened, but it was Ali who was telling me about everything that had happened. So I knew that I had not stepped foot anywhere without it being uncovered for Ali and without Ali seeing it.
    Then I (Ibn Abbas) said, O Messenger of Allah! Advise me.

    The Messenger of Allah (S) said, O Ibn Abbas! I advise you to love Ali Ibn Abi Talib.

    I (Ibn Abbas) said to him, Give me some other advice.

    The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

  • I advise you to love Ali Ibn Abi Talib.
  • I swear by Allah who sent me as a prophet, that Allah will not accept the good deeds of any slave without first questioning him about his love for Ali Ibn Abi Talib, and Allah knows the truth.
  • So if the slave had the Wilayat, Allah will accept all of the deeds of that slave, despite his shortcomings.
  • If the slave did not have the Wilayat, Allah will not question him about anything else and will order him to be taken to Hell.
  • O Ibn Abbas! I swear by Allah, who sent me as a prophet, that Hell is harsher on those who hate Ali than it is on those who believe Allah had a son.

    O Ibn Abbas! Even if all of the high-ranked angels and all of the prophets hated Ali, which they do not, Allah would torture them in Hell.
    So I asked the Prophet (S), Is there anyone who hates Ali?

    The Prophet (A) replied:
    Yes, some people who think they are from my nation hate him and they have nothing to do with Islam. One of the signs of those who hate Ali is that they elevate people who are lower than Ali, above Ali.

    O Ibn Abbas! I swear by Allah who sent me as a prophet that Allah did not send any prophet more honorable in His eyes than me, and Allah did not appoint any successor more honorable in His eyes than my successor, Ali.
    Ibn Abbas narrates that he continued loving Ali (AS) just as the Prophet (S) had ordered and advised him, and that this was his most important deed.

    Ibn Abbas further narrates that he went to visit the Prophet (S) on his death bed and said to him, May I sacrifice my father and mother for you, O Messenger of Allah! Your death has approached, so what do you command me to do?

    The Prophet (S) replied, Be against those who are against Ali. Do not support them or associate with them.

    I asked him, Why don't you order people not to be against Ali (AS)?

    The Prophet (S) started crying until he fainted. When he woke up he said:
    O Ibn Abbas! Allah knows them (those who are against Ali (AS). O Ibn Abbas! I swear by Allah who sent me as a prophet that none of those who hate Ali or ignore his rights will leave this world without first being disgraced.

    O Ibn Abbas! If you want to meet Allah while He is pleased with you, follow the path of Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Turn when he turns and accept Ali as your Imam. Be the enemy of his enemies, and be the friend of his friends.

    O Ibn Abbas! Beware of having doubts about Ali, because doubt about Ali is Kufr to Allah.(Amali of Tusi. Biharul-Anwar. Ta'wil al-Ayat)
    Allamah Taba Tabai, one of the most revered scholars and author of al-Mizan - Qur'an Exegesis, quotes al-Ihtijaj:

    I adjure you by Allah; do you know that Ali was the first among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (S) to forbid the desires to himself; then Allah revealed:
    O You Who Believe! Do not forbid (yourselves) the good things which Allah has made lawful for you.
    (al-Qur'an - Chapter 5, Verse 87)
    Jabir, son of Abdullah al-Ansari reports a tradition that the great al-Mufid (author of more than 190 books and treatises) writes in his book al-Amali, the angel Jibraeel (AS) descended unto the Prophet, and said:

    Allah commands you to address the people around you, informing them about the excellence of Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) and has commanded all the angels to listen to what you will say. And He reveals to you that whoever will oppose you about his affair, he shall enter Hell fire, and Paradise is for him who obeys you.

    Then, the Prophet caused the announcement, (join) the congregational prayers. People assembled and the Prophet climbed the pulpit and commenced first by saying, I seek refuge from Shaytan, the condemned and I begin in the Name of Allah, Most Merciful. Then he said:
    O People! I am the bringer of good tidings and I am the Warner. I am the Prophet, born in Ummul-Qura. I am now conveying to you, from Allah, Most High, about a man whose flesh is from my flesh and whose blood is from my blood; he is treasure-house of the knowledge and he is the one who Allah has selected from this community, chosen him, befriended him and guided.

    Allah created me and him from one essence and blessed me with the Prophethood and blessed him with the task of purveying on my behalf. He made me city of the knowledge and made him its gate. He made him a treasurer of the knowledge and the source from whom divine laws are received. He blessed him with specific divine appointment, made clear his position, forewarned against animosity to him and made affection towards him obligatory, enjoining all people to obey him.

    And He, Most High, says:

    Whoever hates him, hates Me and whoever befriends him, befriends Me. Whoever rises against him, rises against Me and whoever opposes him, opposes Me. Whoever disobeys him, disobeys Me and whoever harms him, harms Me. Whoever despises him, despises Me. And whoever loves him, loves Me and whoever obeys him, obeys Me.

    Whoever pleases him, pleases Me and whoever protects him, protects Me. Whoever fights him, fights Me and whoever helps him, helps Me. Whoever intends foul against him, does so against Me and whoever plots against him, plots against Me.

    O People! Listen to my command and obey it. For I warn you against the severe punishment by Allah. On the Day when every soul will find present before it every good deed it has done; and whatever evil it has done, it will wish that there be between it and the evil it has done, a great distance. And Allah cautions you of Himself.

    Then he took Amirul-Mu'mineen (Ali) and said, O people! This is the Master of the Believers and the Annihilator of the Infidels and the Proof of Allah to all mankind. O Allah! I have indeed conveyed and they are your servants. And You are able to reform them so reform them by Your mercy, O Most Merciful.

    Then he came down from the pulpit and the Angel Jibraeel came unto him saying, O Muhammad, Allah sends you Peace and says:

    May Allah reward you best for having conveyed. You have indeed conveyed the message from your Sustainer and given your community the correct advice. You have pleased the faithful and constrained the infidels. O Muhammad, your cousin will be stricken with affliction and because of him, some will be surely tried. And those who do wrong shall soon come to know what punishment awaits them.

    Abdullah, son of Umar reports from Umar Ibn al-Khattab who said that we asked the Messenger of Allah about the status of Ali. The Prophet replied angrily:
    What is wrong with you people, asking me about someone to whom Allah has given a rank and position as high as mine, except for the Prophethood!

    Beware! Those who love Ali love me, and those who love me please Allah, and Allah rewards them with Paradise.

    Beware! The angels seek forgiveness for those who love Ali. The gates of Paradise are open for them, and they will enter from any door they choose without being questioned.

    Beware! Allah will give those who love Ali their book (of deeds) in their right hand, and their questioning (on the Day of Judgment) is an easy questioning; it is like the questioning of the prophets.

    Beware! Those who love Ali will not leave this world without first drinking from the Pool of Kauthar, eating from the tree of Tuba, and seeing their place in Paradise.

    Beware! Allah eases the death process of those who love Ali, and makes their graves a garden from the gardens of Paradise.

    Beware! Allah gives those who love Ali one HUR, for each vein in their body. They (those who love Ali) will intercede for eighty of their family members and Allah will give them one city in Paradise for every hair on their body.

    Beware! Allah sends the angel of death to those who know and love Ali in the same way He does to the prophets. He removes the terror of Munkar and Nakeer; He lights their graves and makes it (their graves) as big as seventy light years; and He raises them on the Day of Judgment with their faces shining brightly.

    Beware! Allah places those who love Ali under the shade of His Throne with the company of the truthful, the martyrs, and the virtuous. They are safe from the great and the loud terrors on the Day of Judgment.

    Beware! The good deeds of those who love Ali are accepted and their sins are forgiven. They will be in Paradise in the company of Hamza (the Prophet's uncle), the Master of the Martyrs.

    Beware! Allah places wisdom in the hearts of those who love Ali; Allah places truth on their tongues; and Allah opens the doors of His mercy to them.

    Beware! Earth is the prison of those who love Ali and Allah will free them. Allah boasts about them to His angels and to those who carry His Throne.

    Beware! An angel will call on those who love Ali from under Allah's Throne and say, O Allah's servant, carry on because all of your sins have been forgiven.

    Beware! On the Day of Judgment, the faces of those who love Ali will be shining like a full moon.

    Beware! Allah will place the crown of dignity on the heads of those who love Ali and they will wear the suit of glory.

    Beware! Those who love Ali will pass the bridge with the speed of light and will not feel the difficulty associated with passing.

    Beware! Allah writes a guarantee (of protection) from Hell to those who love Ali, and a pass for the bridge and a guarantee (of protection) from the torture.

    Beware! The book of those who love Ali will not be published and they (those who love Ali) will not be measured; they will be told to enter Paradise without judgment.

    Beware! Those who love the family of the Prophet are secure from the calculation, the scale, and the bridge.

    Beware! Angels shake hands with those who die with the love of the family of the Prophet. The souls of the prophets come to visit them and Allah fulfills all of their requests.

    Beware! Those who die hating the family of the Prophet die as unbelievers.

    Beware! Those who die with the love of the family of the Prophet die with faith, and I guarantee Paradise for them.

    Beware! Those who die hating the family of the Prophet will have the following written between their eyes on the Day of Judgment, excluded from the Mercy of Allah.

    Beware! Those who die hating the family of the Prophet will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.

    Beware! Those who die hating the family of the Prophet will come out of their graves with black faces.
    (Biharul-Anwar. Ghayatul-Maram. Fadhail al- Shia. Ta'wil al-Ayat. Tabari in Bisharatul-Mustafa. Arbaeen al-Khozayee)
    From Tawus, Ibn Abbas says:

    After the Prophet led the ASR Salat (prayers), he stood up and said, Those of you who love me and love my family, follow me. So we all followed him until we reached the house of Fatima. The Prophet knocked on the door and Ali came out of the house. His hands were stained with clay.

    The Prophet said to him, O Abal Hasan, tell the people what you saw yesterday. Ali said:
    Yes, O Prophet, May I ransom my mother and father for you. It was DHUHR Salat time and I wanted to do Wudhu but I had no water. So I sent Hasan and Husain to get water, but they took a long time. Then I heard a voice calling me and saying, O Abal Hasan look to your right. So I looked and there was a pot hanging made of gold, filled with water that was whiter than ice, sweeter than honey, and it had the fragrance of a rose. Then I did Wudhu from that water and I drank a little from it. Then I put one drop (of this water) on my head and I felt the coolness of this drop in my heart.
    Then the Prophet asked, Do you know where this pot was from? Al replied, Allah and His Messenger know better. The Prophet said:
    The pot was from the pots of Paradise and the water was from the river of Kauthar. That one drop (you put on your head) was from under the Throne of Allah.
    Then the Prophet hugged Ali and kissed his forehead and said to him, O my love, Jibraeel was your servant yesterday. You have a great position and status in Allah's eyes.
    (Ghayatul-Maram. Madinatul-Maajez)

    al-Tusi has recorded, after quoting several references, in his Amali a tradition as related by Ammar Ibn Yasir, who says that the Prophet of Allah said to Ali:
    Allah has decorated you with those excellent qualities and ornamental attributes, which are dearer to Him than those with which He has decorated any other of His slaves. He has decorated you with religious devotion and fervor, and denouncement of worldly pleasures from which you will feel no loss nor will anything be missed by you. And He has bestowed upon you love for the indigent, and made you agreeable to their following, and (made) them agreeable to your Imamat (Leadership). Blessed is he who loves, testifies and supports your words, and woe to him who hates you and denies the truth of your words.
    al-Qummi (in his book Stages of The Hereafter - Manazil al-Akhirah) quotes al- Saduq who quotes from Abdullah, son of Abbas who says that he heard the Prophet Say:
    The one who doubts the greatness and high honour of Ali will arise from his grave in a manner that in his neck will be bound a collar with three hundred thorns in it, and on each thorn Shaytan will be seated who will be spitting on his face with rage.
    The Prophet has said:
    O Ali! If there had not been the risk of people idolizing you as the Christians worship Prophet Isa, I would have made public such of your merits as would make people use the soil under your feet to cure their ailments and the water from the remainder of your WUDHU (ablution) in order to be cured.
    (Amali of Saduq)
    In Qur'an:
    He (Allah) said, O Iblis! What prevented you from doing obeisance to one whom I created with My Own Hands? Are you proud, or are you of the exalted ones?
    (al-Qur'an - Chapter 38, Verse 75)
    According to al-Khudhri, as we are told by al-Saduq in his book Fadhail al-Shia, a man once came to the Prophet and asked him about the Exalted Ones. The Prophet replied that, They are I (myself), Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husain. We were in the Pavilion of the Throne praising the Almighty, and the angels were repeating after us, one thousand years (in other reports, two thousand) before Allah, the Exalted and the Almighty, created Adam (al-Jibouri, 1987).

    al-Baqir (AS) said:
    O Abu Hamza, do not place Ali (AS) below the level to which Allah has raised him, and do not elevate him above the level where Allah has kept him. It is enough (excellence) for Ali that he is the one who fought the apostates and he is the one who will pair off the inmates of paradise.
    Amirul-Mu'mineen, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) said, The Prophet (S) held my hand and said:
    Whoever dutifully performed the five (daily) prayers, and then died with your love in his heart, he will have redeemed his pledge. And whoever died with hatred for you, died a death of ignorance (i.e. the era before Islam), though he will account for his deeds as ordained by Islam. And he who lives after you, with your love in his heart, Allah will end his life with security and faith, till he arrives near me at the Pool.
    Saeed, son of al-Musayyib has said:
    I heard a man ask Ibn Abbas about Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS). Abbas told him, Surely, Ali is the one who prayed towards both the Qiblah and swore allegiance to the Prophet on both occasions. He never worshipped an idol nor did he divine by the arrows. He was born a Muslim and did not associate any partner to Him, even for a wink.

    The man said, I did not ask you that! I want to know from you about the sword which he proudly carried over his shoulder, came to Basra and killed forty thousand. Then he went to Syria, confronted the Arab leaders, pitting one against the other and then killed them. Then he came to Nahrwan and killed the Muslims up to the last one.

    Ibn Abbas told him, Who do you think is more knowledgeable, Ali or myself? He said, If I had thought Ali to be more knowledgeable, I would not have come to you!

    Upon hearing this, Ibn Abbas was enraged and he said:

    May your mother mourn you! Ali is the one who taught me. And his knowledge is from the Prophet (S) and the Prophet received knowledge from Allah, Most High. So, the knowledge of the Prophet is from Allah, and Ali's knowledge is from the Prophet and my knowledge is from Ali. And the knowledge of all the companions of Muhammad, (S) when compared to Ali's knowledge is just like a drop in the seven oceans.
    (al-Amali)
    In Ziyarat of Nahiya, al-Mahdi (AS) refers to al-Husain (AS) as thus:
    .And for the sake of his brother who is the greatest mine of knowledge and wisdom, that is Ali (AS), Amirul-Mu'mineen, and for the sake of Fatima (AS) the chief of the ladies of the worlds.
    And, after mentioning the fourteen Infallible (AS), he says:
    . They are the best of the creations.
    In the Invocation of Nudba, the Imam al-Mahdi (AS) asks us to pray and ask:
    . Where are those who know all the answers scholars who communicated and made clear the religion of Allah? The fundamentals of knowledge and wisdom!
    Jabir, son of Abdullah al-Ansari was once asked, (during his old age) when his eyebrows had fallen over his eyes, Tell us about Ali, son of Abi Talib (AS). Jabir lifted his eyebrows with his hands and said:
    He is the best of all creatures, no one hates him but a hypocrite and no one doubts in him except an infidel.
    The Prophet (S) said:
    The night I was taken to the heavens, I ended up at Sidratul-Muntaha, I heard:

    O Muhammad, counsel (your people) good about Ali, for he is the master of the Muslims, Imam of the people of Taqwa (those who guard themselves from all sins), and leader of the hopping horses with white spots on their foreheads (leading to the paradise), on the Day of Judgment.
    (al-Amali)
    The Prophet (S) remarked in several instances that, Ali is with Allah and Allah with Ali; Ali is with the Truth and the Truth is with Ali; Ali is with Qur'an and Qur'an is with Ali; Ali is the Hand of Allah; Ali is the Face of Allah; Ali is the Soul of Allah, and so forth. Apparently, Allah preferred to associate with Ali and the Infallible because they were the ones who manifested His Names in action at all times. In fact, only Allah and the Prophet really know the real status of Ali in the heavens and the earth, as this tradition is only from the Prophet himself in praise of Ali.

    In Kitab al-Tawhid, Shaykh Saduq (AR) says:
    Ali is the eye of God, the hearing of God, and the divine proximity.
    Allah (SWT) states in Qur'an that He is with the Believers, He is with the Faithful and He is with the Pious, and so forth. Since Ali is the Commander of the Believers, the Commander of the Faithful and the Leader among the Pious people, there would be no hesitation in affirming that Ali is with Allah at all times. Many a times, Allah even attributed Ali, the Prophet and the actions of the Infallible as His actions.

    The Prophet once informed Ali:
    O Ali, your high qualities cannot be counted. I swear to God, who created the seeds and created people, if all creatures would concede to loving you and understanding your true status, God would not have created hell. (Ghayatul-Maram. Ehqaq al-Haq)
    The Messenger of Allah further said:
    I swear to Allah, who has sent me as a Warner and a Guide, that the Throne of Allah did not settle, the universe did not start moving, and the heavens and the planets were not created until after Allah wrote on them:

    LA ILAHA ILLALLAH. MUHAMMAD RASULLULLAH. ALI WALIYULLAH.
    Then the Prophet explained what Allah told him, in His own voice:

    Allah said, O Muhammad. I replied, LABBAYK WA SAADAYK. Allah said:
    I am Mahmud and you are Muhammad. I derived your name from mine and I made you superior to all of My creatures. Assign your brother, Ali, to be a flag for My slaves to guide them to My religion.

    O Muhammad! I have made the believers the chosen ones, and I have made Ali their commander. Therefore, I curse those who give commands to Ali and I torture those who disobey him. But those who follow him, I will bring them closer to Me.

    O Muhammad! I have made Ali the Imam of Muslims. Those who proclaim to precede him, I disgrace them. I imprison those who disobey him.

    I have made Ali the master of all of the successors, and I have made him the glorified leader of the believers.

    He is My decisive argument on My entire creation.
    (Madinatul-Maaje. Ghayatul-Maram. Biharul- Anwar. Jawahir al-Saniyya. Taweel al-Ayat)
    A companion once asked Abu Abdillah, Ja'far bin Muhammad (AS) about the meaning of fifty of the letters in the Qur'an and he answered my questions. Then I said, You are the most knowledgeable about Qur'an. Abu Abdillah (AS) said:
    How can Allah use someone as an argument on the Day of Judgment who does not know everything that His creation needs.
    al-Mufid writes in Kitab al-Irshad:
    When the waters of the Euphrates overflowed and grew so big that the people of Kufa became anxious about drowning. They resorted to the Commander of the faithful. He rode out on the mule of the Apostle of God, and the people went with him until he reached the banks of the Euphrates. He dismounted and performed the ritual ablution and prayed alone, by himself, while the people watched him. Then he called on God with prayers which most of them heard. He went towards the Euphrates, leaning on a stick which was in his hand. He struck the surface of the water with it and said, Abate, with God's permission and His will.

    The waters sank so that the fish at the bottom (of the flood) appeared. Many of them greeted him with title of the Commander of the faithful. However some kinds of fish did not speak. They were eels, a scaleless fish (marmaliq) and mud fish (zumar). The people were amazed at that and they asked for the reason that some who were able to speak and some others could not. He said, God made those fish which were ritually pure speak to me and He kept those silent towards me which were forbidden, impure and worse.

    This is a widespread report, the fame of which is, through its transmission and narration, like the fame of the wolves speaking to the Prophet, the stones praising God in the palm of his hand, the trunk of the tree bending towards him and the feeding of many with little food.

    Whoever continues to find fault with the miracles of Ali is one who can only find the doubts about it in what the denigrators depend upon, in what we have enumerated of the miracles of the Apostle.
    al-Khumeini (AR) writes the following in his Exegesis of The Blessed Chapter Tawhid in the Qur'an:

    Wahab ibn Wahab further quotes Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS) explaining as-Samad. He also reports Imam al-Baqir's explanations concerning the secrets of the letters of as-Samad. He says that Imam al-Baqir (AS) said:
    Had I found bearers for the knowledge which Allah has bestowed upon me, I would have spread knowledge about at-tauhid, Islam, faith, religion and the laws out of as-Samad.

    But how can I find bearers of such knowledge, while my grand father, Amirul Mu'minin, could find none to carry his knowledge, such that he used to painfuly sigh and tell his followers, on the minbar (pulpit), Ask me before you miss me. Behind the ribs of my bosom is great knowledge. Oh! Oh! that I can find no carriers for it.
    Ali and the Verses that begin with O Believers! In al-Qur'an
    When asked to comment on al-Qur'an, Chapter 36, Verse 20 - and from the remote part of the city there came a man running, he said, O My People! Follow the messengers ., the Prophet (S) said about this Believer from the people of Ya Sin:
    There were three persons who, without a moment of hesitation, responded to the call of three prophets, believer from the people of Fir'aun (Qur'an - Chapter 40, Verse 28); believer from the people of Yasin (Qur'an - Chapter 36, Verse 20), and Ali Ibn Abi Talib (Qur'an - Chapter 26, Verse 214); and they never worshipped any god save Allah even for the twinkling of an eye, they are the most truthful and Ali is the best amongst them.
    (Tafsir Tha'labi)
    And the best of believers, it is Ali, the Prophet has said and reported in al-Dur al- Manthur.

    Chapter 3, Verse 7, Mir Ahmed Ali (AR) comments further:
    It is a historical fact that all the companions of the Prophet, before embracing Islam, for a long time in their lives, were idol worshippers. The Prophet, Bibi Fatima and Ali Ibn Abi Talib and their children were the only ones who were free from the impurity of polytheism right from the day they were born. All Muslims, in every age, add Karramallahu Wajhu (Allah graced and honored his face above others) after the name of Ali, because he never worshipped any ghayrallah (other than Allah).
    Ikrimah narrates from Ibn Abbas that he said:
    No verse was revealed (with the words) O You Who Believe!, but Ali is its chief and its head. Allah has admonished the companions of Muhammad (S) in more than one place, but He has never mentioned Ali except with good (words).
    (at-Tafsir al-Ayyashi)
    Allamah Taba Tabai (AR) says that the same hadith up to the words its head has been narrated in Tafsir al-Burhan from Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad from Ikrimah from Ibn Abbas; al-Ayyashi also has narrated it from Ikrimah; and we have quoted this hadith earlier from al-Dur al-Manthur. Some traditions quote al-Ridha (AS) as saying:
    There is not in the Qur'an O You Who Believe!, except about us.
    al-Hajj Mujahid has narrated in many traditions concerning the virtues of Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali (AS). He writes:
    Whenever in any place the phrase O Believers! occurs in the Qur'an Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali (AS) is to be considered the foremost of them and the most meritorious, as he has surpassed them all in embracing Islam.
    (Furat al-Kufi. Tafsir Furat al-Kufi (Tehran - 1410/1990, p. 49. In his exegesis of the verse 274, in the Chapter of al-Baqara of al-Qur'an.)
  • The Tafsir (exegesis) of Abu al-Hajjaj Mujahid, son of Jabr (or Jubayr), a Makki and Makhzumi (21-104 or 105/642-722 or 723), is the work of a leading commentator of an Iranian origin and belonging to the Tabi'un, the generation following that of the Prophet (S) and his companions.


  • He had studied the sciences of the Qur'an and the arts of Qur'anic hermeneutics (Tafsir and Ta'weel) under Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) and Ibn Abbas, Jabir al-Ansari, Umm Salama, Umm Hani bint Abu Talib, and others.


  • Ibn Asakir (d. 571/1175), in Tarikh Dimashq, has given an elaborate biographical account of him and describes him in these words - Sufyan Thawri would say, One should learn the exegesis of the Noble Qur'an from four persons, Saeed ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, Ikrimah and Dahhak ibn Mozahim. Qatadah would say, Mujahid is the most learned of the Tabi'un in the exegesis of the Qur'an.


  • Ibn Abbas reports:
    We were sitting with the Prophet when Ali entered.

    Ali said, Peace be on you, O Messenger of Allah. The Prophet replied, Peace be on you too, O Commander of the Believers.

    Ali responded, O Prophet, you call me the Commander of Believers while you are still alive?

    The Prophet answered, Yes, while I am alive.

    Then the Prophet continued, O Ali! You passed by Jibraeel yesterday and did not say Salaam. So Jibraeel said, Why did the Commander of the Believers not say Salaam to us. I swear to Allah, we would have been pleased if he had said Salaam to us and we would have responded.

    Ali answered, It looked like you and Dehya were in a private meeting so I did not want to interrupt.

    The Prophet said, He was not Dehya, he was Jibraeel. I asked Jibraeel why he called you the Commander of the Believers. Jibraeel told me that in the Battle of Badr, Allah told Jibraeel to come to me (the Prophet) and tell me to order the Commander of the Believers to ride his horse in front of the army lines because the angels love to watch him do that. So Allah named you the Commander of the Believers that day in the heavens.

    Then the Prophet said, O Ali! You are the commander of everyone in the heavens and the commander of everyone on earth. You are the commander of those who have passed away and the commander of those who are yet to come. There is no commander before you and no commander after you. It is forbidden for anyone who has not received this title from Allah to be called by this name.

    Harith bin al-Khazraj the holder of the flag of Ansar, once said, I heard the Messenger of Allah telling Ali:
    No one precedes you after me except a Kafir (unbeliever), and no one disobeys you except a Kafir. The people of the seven skies call you the Commander of the Believers by the order of Allah.

    Ali and the Verse of Obedience

    Jabir al-Ju'fi has said:

    I asked Abu Ja'far (AS) about the verse; obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority from among you. He said, The Imams.
    (Tafsir Ayyashi)
    Ibn Shahrashub narrates, al-Hasan ibn Salih asked al-Sadiq (AS) about it and the Imam replied:
    The Imams from the Ahlul-Bayt of the Messenger of Allah (S).
    Abdullah ibn Ajilan has narrated from Abu Ja'far (AS) that he said about this verse of obedience:
    It is about Ali and the Imams; Allah has put them in places of prophets except that they do not make anything lawful or unlawful.
    (Tafsir Ayyashi)
    Abu Basir has narrated from Abu Ja'far (AS) that he said:
    It (i.e. the verse of obedience) was revealed about Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS).
    I said to him, People say to us as to what was to prevent Him from naming Ali and his Ahlul-Bayt in His Book? Abu Ja'far (AS) said:
    Tell them, Verily Allah revealed (the order of) prayer to His Messenger; but he did not name three (units) or four, until it was the Messenger of Allah who explained it.

    And He revealed (the order of) Hajj and did not reveal to circumambulate seven times, until the Messenger of Allah (S) explained it. [Likewise] Allah revealed, Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority from among you, and it was revealed about Ali and al-Hasan and al-Husain (AS).
    And he (the Messenger of Allah (S) said about Ali:
    Whoever's master am I, Ali is his master.
    Also the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
    I admonish you concerning the Book of Allah and my Ahlul-Bayt. Verily I have asked Allah not to let them be separated from each other until He brings them to the hawdh (reservoir (of Kauthar), and He has granted it to me.
    And he said:
    Do not teach them because they are more knowledgeable than you; verily they shall never take you away from the gate of guidance and shall never let you enter the gate of misguidance.

    If the Messenger of Allah had remained silent and not identified the people (of his Ahlul-Bayt), surely the progeny of Abbas, and the progeny of Aqil and someone else's progeny would have claimed (to be among them); but Allah revealed in His Book, Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purification (33:33)

    And Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husain and Fatima (AS) were the interpretation of this verse; so the Messenger of Allah (S) took the hands of Ali and Fatima and al-Hasan and al-Husain (AS) and entered them under the mantle in the house of Umm Salama and said, O Allah! Every prophet had had his precious things and his people; and these are my precious things and my people. Umme Salama said, Am I not from your people? He said, Verily you are (proceeding) to good but these are my precious things and people of my (house).
    (Tafsir Ayyashi)
    The Sincerity of Ali
    The Prophet (S) has said:
    The victory of Ali on the day of the battle of the Ditch is much more in worth than the devotional worship performed by the created beings of both the worlds (seen and unseen) till the Day of Judgment.
    Also:
    HAQQ is with you. It is in your tongue, it is in your heart, and it is between your eyes. Faith is mixed in your flesh and blood just as it is mixed in my flesh and blood.

    (O Ali) if it had not been for you, the believers would not have been known after me. (Amali of Saduq)
    al-Khumeini (AR) confirms the sincerit