20
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 sincerity of Ali in every second of his life (since the
beginnings of creation), that even one strike of his sword on the day of Khaybar
was, is and continues to be weightier in the books of Allah than the worship of the
entire creation, including the non-living, the angels and the jinn. al-Sajjad (AS)
- the Chief of Worshippers - comments that this also includes my worship.
I swear by the station of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) that
even if all the Archangels (AS) and all the Prophets
of Allah (SWT) (AS), except the Seal of Prophets
(S), who is the lord of Ali (AS) and all others, if
they try to utter a single Takbir (i.e. ALLAHU
AKBAR - Allah (SWT) is Great) of Ali's, they will
not be able to do it!
Shaykh Bahmanpour says that this tradition uncovers the sincerity of Ali (AS),
which preceded all of creation. He also says that it was only Ali (AS) who fought
the Kharijites (extremely pious, but misled people) and said that he was the only
one capable of fighting them, that he revealed the eye of transgression, and to not
fight them after him.
It is reported from Ja'far bin Muhammad, from his father, from Ali bin Husain,
from his father, who said that the Messenger of Allah is reported to have said to
Ali:
O Abal Hasan! If the beliefs of the entire creation
and their good deeds were put on one side of a
scale and your good deeds, for only one day, on
the other side of the scale, your good deeds for a
single day would undoubtedly be greater than all
of the good deeds of the entire creation.
In the Battle of Uhud, Allah boasted about you to
His high-ranked angels. He removed the covers
from the seven heavens on that day, and Paradise
and everything in it started shining for you. The
Lord of the Worlds was pleased with what you
did, and Allah will reward you for that day with
a reward which will make all of the prophets, the
messengers, the truthful ones, and the martyrs
envy you.
(Ghayatul-Maram. Yanabi al-Mawaddah)
We have noted earlier that the Prophet has said that Ali is with the truth and the
truth is with Ali. In Ziyarat al-Jamia, we say to the Aimmah (AS) and Ali that you
are WITH the truth, IN the truth, FROM the truth and truth will always RETURN
to you. Truth is so much with Ali that the Prophet used to say to his followers that
whenever you are undecided in any particular situation, and if you are with Ali,
then see what Ali does.
The sincerity of Ali was so great, that it was unmatched after the Prophet of Islam.
It is reported that he lived in many worlds altogether, and more with humans and
was able to communicate with beings at different levels. Once when he was praying
and in bending position, a beggar asked for some assistance and Ali - in the state
of total concentration in the worlds of the heavens - he realized the beggar and
lifted his hand for him to take the ring, sell it and keep the money. Allah so much
loved this act that a verse was then revealed.
Only Allah is your Wali and His Messenger
and those who believe, those who keep up
prayers and pay the poor-rate while they
bow.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 5, Verse 55)
Mir Ahmed Ali (AR) says:
All the commentators unanimously hold, as
Qushaji admits in the Sharh al-Tajrid on the
subject of Imamat, that this verse refers to Ali
when he gave his ring to a beggar while bowing
down in the course of his prayers.
Nasai has also recorded this tradition in his
Sahihah al-Nasai, and so has the author of al-Jama
Bain al-Sihah al-Sittah (corroboration of the six
authentic books) in discussion of the commentary
on al Maidah, and so does al-Tha'labi in his Tafsir
Kabir, and al-Balakhi in his Yanabi has copied
it from Ahmad bin Hanbal's Musnad, volume 5,
margin of page 38, and so many other books.
When Abi Ishaq Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Naysaburi al-Tha'labi
reached this verse he recorded the following in his Tafsir al-Kabir on the authority
of Abu Dhar al-Ghifari, who said:
Both of my ears may turn deaf and both my eyes
may become blind if I speak a lie. I heard the
Prophet saying:
Ali is the guide of the righteous and the slayer of
the infidels. He who has helped him is victorious
and he who has abandoned him is forsaken.
One day I said my prayers in the company of the
Prophet; a beggar came to the Masjid and begged
for alms, but nobody gave him anything. Ali was
in a state of ruku' in the prayer. He pointed out
his ring to the beggar, who approached him and
removed the ring from his finger. Thereupon the
Prophet implored Allah, saying:
O Allah! My brother Musa begged You saying, My
Lord, delight my heart; make my task easy; undo
the knot in my tongue so that they may understand
me; appoint from among my kinsmen, Harun, my
brother, as my vizier; strengthen my back with
him and make him participate in my mission so
that we may glorify You and remember You more
frequently. Certainly You see us, and You inspired
him. O Musa! All your requests have been granted.
(The Prophet continued) Delight my heart and
make my task easy and appoint from among my
kinsmen Ali as my vizier and strengthen my back
with him.
(Abu Dhar proceeds) By Allah, the Holy Prophet
had not yet finished his supplication when the
trustworthy Jibraeel descended to him with this
verse.
Observers report that during the Battle of Khandaq, Imam Ali (AS) was on top of
Marhab and when about to massacre him, Marhab spat on the face of Ali and he
got emotional. He instantly raised himself from the body of Marhab and refrained
from hitting him with the sword, as he would have done that out of anger and not
because of Allah.
The Bravery of Ali in Battles for Islam
And among men is he who sells himself
to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is
affectionate to the servants.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 2, Verse 207)
Tha'labi, Ghazali, the author of Ahyaul Ulum, and all the Shia commentators say
that this verse was revealed to praise Ali, when he slept in the bed of the Prophet,
during the night of hijrat/migration. Mir Ahmed Ali (AR) says:
It is reported that immediately after the death of
Abu Talib, Abu Sufyan, the chief of the branch of
Umayya, succeeded to the principality of Makkah.
A zealous votary of the idols, a mortal foe of the
line of Hashim, he convened an assembly of the
Quraish and their allies. All tribal heads held a
conference on the instigation of Abu Sufyan and
Abu Jahl. It was resolved that one man from
every tribe should go to the Prophet's house in
the darkness of the night and kill him jointly, in
order to divide the guilt, and baffle the vengeance
of the Bani Hashim.
In the stupidity of their ignorance, they forgot that
Allah is seeing, hearing, and His hand (Ali) was
alive, who, from his earliest days, had committed
himself to save the Prophet at all costs.
In the dark night, the conspirators surrounded
the house of the Prophet. Meanwhile, Allah
commanded the Prophet to leave Makkah at once
and go to Madina. The Prophet explained Ali of
the divine plan and asked him to lie down on his
bed, in order to lead the enemies into thinking
that it was the Prophet himself who was sleeping,
thus giving him enough time to go away from
Makkah. Ali asked the Holy Prophet if his lying
down in his bed would save the Prophet's life, to
which he answered in the affirmative. So Ali lay
down on the Prophet's bed, covering himself with
his blanket. Ali made a willing choice of certain
death, as the blood-thirsty enemies were lurking
around the house to kill the Prophet in his bed at
any time during the night.
The bravery of Ali in all battles is well mentioned in history books and has been
cited by many historians, and by even those who disliked him. Ali put so memorable
a fight in all battles, that in the battle of Badr, the Archangel Jibraeel (AS) gloried
Ali's action with the celebrated sentence,
La Fatah Illa Ali (There is no man save
Ali) and
La Sayf Illa Dhulfiqar (There is no sword save Dhulfiqar).
Concerning the bravery of Ali, al-Mahdi remarks the following in his Salutations to
al-Husain in Ziyarat of al-Nahiya:
(After al-Husain tried to convince the infidels
about his position in Islam) So you warned them
of divine retribution before you made Jihad
with them. And you emphasized to them, and
presented a firm argument against them, but in
spite of this they broke every oath and allegiance
regarding you.
And they angered your Lord and your grandfather
and initiated the attack upon you. So you also
became prepared with spear and sword for the
battle and attack. And you routed the army of
transgressors.
And you were surrounded in the dust of the battle
and fighting with Dhulfiqar with so much ferocity
as if Ali (AS) was himself fighting.
Suffice to mention the following by Aqa Mahdi Puya (1988):
According to well-known traditions in Sahih,
Musnad and Tafasir, Ali was the only person who
owned the qualities mentioned in Verse 29 of the
chapter of al-Fath.
In all the battles fought by the Prophet against the
enemies of Allah, the Shaykhayn (the first caliph,
Abu Bakr and the second caliph, Umar) never
played a decisive role in any battle, nor won victory
in single combats or general confrontations; on
the contrary they were always either overpowered
or ran away from the scene of action. More often
they did not carry out the orders given to them by
the Prophet.
(An example) The Prophet knew that Dhith-
Thadiyyah was an apostate, so he asked the
Shaykhayn to kill him, but they disobeyed and
spared his life; and it was this renegade who,
according to Sahih al-Bukhari and others, became
the leader of the Khawarij, and was finally killed
by Ali in the battle of Nahrwan.
In the Battle of Nahrwan, Ali (AS) himself was fighting like any other ordinary
soldier. During this battle, a man came to face him and in the encounter lost his
sword. He realized his hopeless plight of standing before Ali without any weapon
in hand. Ali's hand was raised for a blow when he saw the opponent trembling
with fear, he lowered his hand slowly and said,
Run away, friend, you are not in a
position to defend yourself.
This attitude made the man bold and he said,
Ali! Why don't you kill me, it would
have made one enemy less for you. Ali replied, I couldn't strike a man, who cannot
defend himself. You were begging for your life and it was spared.
The opponent got bolder, and said,
I am told that you have never refused a beggar.
Now I beg you of your sword, will you grant it to me? Ali handed him over the
sword! Taking possession of the sword he said,
Now Ali! Who is going to defend
you against me and save you from my killing-blow? He replied,
of course Allah
will defend me if He so wills! He has appointed my death to be my guarding angel,
no one can harm me before it is due and no one can save me when it arrives.
Nobility of thought and action affected the foe and he kissed the bridle of Ali's
horse and said,
O master! You are a great man indeed! You cannot only forsake
the life of your enemy in a battlefield but also you can grant him your sword.
May I have the honor to act as your bodyguard and to fight for you? Imam Ali
replied,
Friend! Fight for truth and justice and don't fight for individuals!
During the Battle of the Ditch, the famous Amr bin Abduwud - succeeded in
crossing the moat at a point where it was not very wide. Amr was one of the best
warriors in all of Arabia. In battle he was considered equal to 1,000 warriors. He
began to challenge the Muslims to fight, but his reputation made them hesitate.
Three times the Prophet (S) urged the Muslims to fight Amr. Each time only Imam
Ali (AS) stood up. Finally, the Prophet (S) allowed him to go, giving him his own
sword and tying a special turban on his head. As Imam Ali (A) went to the battle
field, the Holy Prophet (S) exclaimed,
The whole Faith is going to fight the whole
Infidelity.
When Amr learnt the identity of Ali (AS), he refused to fight him, saying that Abu
Talib had been his friend and he did not want to kill his friend's son. Ali (AS) told
him not to be concerned about his death because if he died he would be blessed
with a place in Heaven while Amr would end up in Hell.
He then reminded Amr that he had once said that if any opponent made three
requests, Amr would always grant one of them. Amr agreed to this. Imam Ali (AS)
then invited Amr to accept Islam or to return to Makkah or to come down from his
horse as Imam (AS) had no horse and was on foot.
Amr agreed to the last request and came down from his horse. A fierce battle
followed.
For a time, so much dust covered both warriors that nobody knew what was
happening. Amr sent a murderous blow to the head of Imam Ali (AS).
Although Imam Ali (AS) blocked it with his shield, Amr's sword broke through and
inflicted a serious cut on his head. Imam Ali (AS) then struck a blow to Amr's feet
which brought Amr down. Suddenly the shout of ALLAHU AKBAR was heard from
Imam Ali (AS) as he chopped off Amr's head. The killing of Amr shocked the other
warriors who had crossed the moat, and they fled away.
When Ali killed Amr, he came to the Prophet and his sword was still dripping with
the blood of Amr. When the Messenger of God saw him , he said:
O Allah! Give Ali some qualities that you have not
given to anyone else before him and you won't
give to anyone after him.
So Jibraeel came down from heaven and he had a Tangerine from paradise and he
told the Prophet,
The Magnificent Lord sends His salaam to you and says - Give
greetings to Ali Ibn Abi Talib with this Tangerine from Me. So the Prophet gave
the Tangerine to Ali and it split into two parts.
There was a green silk cloth in it
that had the following written in it, This is a present from the glorious Lord to Ali
Ibn Abi Talib.
(Khazrami in Manaqib. Mizan al-Itidal. Yanabi al-Mawaddah)
During the Battle of Khaybar, both Abu Bakr and Umar led the Muslims on
separate occasions to try and enter the forts but they were forced to retreat. Umar
even demoralized the Muslims by praising the courage of the chief of the Jews, a
fearful warrior by the name of Marhab. This action of Umar displeased the Prophet
(S) very much.
Finally, the Prophet (S) announced a famous message. He declared,
Tomorrow I
shall give the standard to a person who loves Allah and the Prophet and who is
loved by Allah and the Prophet, and Allah will accomplish the conquest of this fort
at his hands. He is a man who has never turned his back to the enemy and does
not run away from the battlefield.
All the soldiers were curious to learn who that person would be, and the next
morning they gathered around the Prophet (S) to see who would be chosen to lead
the soldiers. The Prophet (S) asked,
Where is Ali?
He was informed that Ali (AS) was suffering from an eye infection so severe that he
was unable to see. The Prophet (S) ordered that Imam Ali (AS) be brought to him.
When Ali (AS) came, the Prophet (S) rubbed his eyes with his saliva and prayed
for his recovery. The eyes of Imam Ali (AS) were instantly cured and he never had
trouble with them again.
The Prophet (S) then ordered Imam Ali (AS) to advance against the enemy. He told
him to ask the chiefs of the forts to accept Islam. If they refused he was to ask them
to surrender and live freely under Muslim protection and pay tax to the Muslim
state. If this offer was also refused, then he should fight.
Ali (AS) approached the forts wearing a strong coat of amour and carrying his twintongued
sword, Dhulfiqar. The Jews sent out one of their best warriors, Harith the
brother of Marhab, to fight the Muslims. The soldiers of Islam were struck with
fear when they saw the powerful Harith advance toward them. However, Ali (AS)
met his challenge and after a brief fight, Harith lay dead on the ground.
The death of his brother enraged Marhab. He came out of the fort fully armed and
in a deadly mood. He was dressed in a heavy coat of amour and wore on his head
a cap made of stone which he had covered with a helmet. As he challenged the
Muslims, he recited his war poem stating,
The walls of Khaybar testify that I am
Marhab. I am the best of warriors and those who face me in the battlefield are
colored with their own blood.
Ali (AS) stepped forward and recited his own poem, stating,
I am the person
whose mother named him Haidar, a wild lion. In battle I make short work of my
enemies.
The words of Ali (AS) were carefully chosen. He knew that Marhab had been recently
having bad dreams about being ripped apart by a lion and his words therefore
caught Marhab by surprise and disturbed him. However, Marhab advanced
with a terrible fury, determined to use all his skill to avenge his dead brother.
The blows of the two warriors struck awe in the hearts of the onlookers. Suddenly
Marhab plunged his three-pronged lance towards Ali, who avoided the thrust and
struck a powerful blow to the head of Marhab. The sword of Ali (AS) broke through
the helmet, stone cap and head of Marhab and finally stopped at his teeth.
A silence fell as the Jews unbelievingly watched their champion fall dead. As
he shouted
ALLAHU AKBAR in victory, several experienced Jewish soldiers
surrounded Ali (AS). However, they could not match his skill and soon they lay
dead.
During the fight someone struck a blow at Ali (AS), breaking his shield. He turned
to the gate of the fort and wrenched it off its hinges and used it as a shield. When
he finally threw it away, even 10 Muslims could not lift it (70, in other reports). Ali
(AS) later commented that he had lifted the gate by the strength granted to him by
Allah due to his firm faith in the Day of Judgment.
As a result of the bravery of Imam Ali (A), the fort was taken and soon all forts were
within the hands of the Muslims. The Muslims lost 20 men in this battle while the
Jews lost 93 men. The Prophet (S) had made the Jews realize how useless it was
to plot the downfall of the Muslims. After the victory he restored all their land to
them with the orders that half of the profit from their agricultural activity should
be given over to the Muslims in return for protection.
On a separate note, it is reported that once Ali (AS) said to Malik - al-Ashtar that
during battles, he looks in-between the eyes of the non-Muslim out to kill him and
if that person had within his loins the spirit of a believing Muslim 70 generations
down the line. Ali would thus only wound the enemy and not kill him - such was
the hidden knowledge and bravery of Ali (AS). The same knowledge was handed
to his son al-Husain (AS) in Karbala and he refrained from just striking everyone
who came forth.
It is said of Ali (al-Mufid writes similar words in his book Kitab al-Irshad):
Among the signs of God, the Exalted, concerning
Ali (AS) is the fact that there is not mentioned a
single contestant during the battles whom he met
as an opponent, whom he did not overcome at
one time and did not overcome at another time.
He did not give any of his enemies a wound unless
that man died of it immediately or recovered after
a time.
No rival escaped from him in battle, no one could
escape his blow. For that it is appropriate that
there was no doubt about his victory over every
rival who came against him and his killing of every
hero he fought. This is also among the things by
which he was set apart from all other men and by
which, God caused ordinary human behavior to
be transcended at every time and occasion. It is
among the clear indications of his (position).
Allamah Taba Tabai (AR) writes that Majmaul-Bayan writes under the verse,
O
you who believe! Whoever of you turns back from his religion, then
soon Allah will bring a people He shall love them and they shall love
Him. And it has been said:
They are, the Leader of the faithful Ali (AS) and
his companions, when he fought those who fought
against him - the nakithin (pledge-breakers), the
qasitin (deviators from the truth), the mariqin
(heretics) [in the battles of Jamal, Siffin and
Nahrwan, respectively.] It has been narrated
from Ammar, Hudhayfah and Ibn Abbas; and it
is also narrated from Abu Ja'far and Abu Abdillah
(AS).
As for the attributes of being gentle with the
believers and hard against the unbelievers, and
waging war in the way of Allah, without being
afraid of a censure of any censurer, nobody can
than Ali (AS), who fully deserved these virtues.
His jihad against polytheists and unbelievers is
well known, and everyone is aware of his strivings
in strengthening of Islam and helping the religion,
as well as his gentleness before the believers.
Apart from that, there are a lot of traditions
narrated through Sunni chains that the verse, Only Allah is your Guardian and His
Messenger and those who believe, those
who keep prayers ., was revealed for Ali (AS)
although it uses plurals.
Mir Ahmed Ali writes:
A careful study of (Chapter 5) verses 54 and
55 indicates that they have no relation with
the preceding verses prohibiting friendship
with infidels. The subject matter of verse 54 is
quite different. It is in praise of Ali, about his
nomination to political and religious leadership;
and wherein the renegades have been warned of
his might and valor, and frightened of his great
overwhelming influence.
The Prophet said:
The resolute co-operation among the Quraish
will not dissipate unless Allah appoints over you a
man whose heart Allah has tested through severe
trial of faith. He will strike your necks and you
will be as afraid of him as frightened sheep.
Whereupon Abu Bakr inquired if he was that
man and Umar inquired if he was that man. The
Holy Prophet replied, No. But the person who is
mending shoes inside the room is that man. And
Ali turned up with shoes in his hand which he was
repairing for the Holy Prophet.
A companion reports to swear to Allah that he has never seen a knight and a
speaker who was comparable to Ali. He remembers seeing him in the Battle of
Siffin. He had a black turban on his head and his eyes were like two shining lights.
He would come to each troop and lecture them. When he came to my troop, we
saw a large battalion of twenty thousand men from Muawiya's army (may Allah's
curse be on him) coming toward us. People became very scared and some of them
started running.
The Commander of the Believers (AS) said:
O people of Iraq! What is this fear and this
cowardly behavior? They are nothing but men
with hearts, and if the swords of the people of
HAQQ touch them they will be like locusts on a
very windy day.
Fear Allah and be calm. Have patience, lower
your voice, unleash your swords, look fiercely
at them, strike them hard, and meet them with
your swords and spears. Be ashamed of running,
because if you run you will be disgraced in this
world and will be punished in the Hereafter.
Cleanse your souls by walking eagerly toward
death. Allah and my brother, the Messenger of
Allah (S) are watching you.
Attack this dark pavilion and destroy it. Shaytan
is resting under this pavilion. Shaytan has opened
his arms to receive you and he is ready to jump
toward you. So stay steady with HAQQ and you
shall have the upper hand, Allah is with you,
and never will He put you in loss for your
deeds (al-Qur'an - Chapter 47, Verse 35).
Here I go to attack so follow me.
BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHIM, HAA
MEEM, LA YUNSAROON.
Then the Commander of the Believers (AS) attacked and less than one hundred
men followed him. He led them and they attacked the battalion of Muawiya and I
could see nothing but dust. When the scene cleared, we looked and all we could see
were hands and heads on the ground, while the rest of the battalion ran for their
lives. Then the Commander of the Believers (AS) came back toward us. His sword
was still dripping (with blood) but his face was shining like a full moon. He said:
Fight the leaders of Kufr. They have no faith. Kill
them and finish them.
Ali and His Assistance to Prophets (AS) - asking Allah on behalf of Ali
The supplication on the 28th day of Ramadhan is as follows:
O Allah! Let me make a greater offer of Nawafil
(the recommended) prayers in this month. Let my
religious duties be uppermost in my mind. Let me
be near to the means of approach (Muhammad
(S) and his Infallible progeny) that are the select
best medium to gain Your favors. O He who does
not get confused on account of the ceaseless
demands of the countless beseechers, but attend
to each and every supplication.
The Prophet remarked several times that the character and actions of Ali culminate
the qualities and actions of all the Prophets, and that any action or quality observed
in all the Prophets can be seen in Ali. He said that if anyone wanted to see the
zenith of all the Prophets, including
the knowledge of Adam, the piety of Nuh, the
devotion of Ibrahim, the awe of Musa, and the service and abstinence of Isa, then
look at the bright face of Ali.
Historians have further noted that all the 1, 23,999 Prophets of Islam stood erect
in respect to the Prophet Muhammad when he met with them during the nightly
Ascension of Me'raj. Whenever Fatima came to the Messenger of Allah, he would
rise from his seat, kiss her on the forehead, and make her sit with him. Additionally,
historians narrate that Fatima always stood erect in respect for Ali whenever he
graced her presence. No doubt, such personality is immersed in divine light and
energy that encompasses the whole of creation.
The former Prophets could think of no station higher than that of the vision of the
divine names and attributes, with the result that they had to face many difficulties
and hardships, and were able to get rid of them only by invoking the station of
the spiritual guardianship of the Prophet, Imam Ali, Fatima al-Zahra and their
progeny. It was the spiritual guardianship of these personalities that delivered the
former Prophets from their worries and grief.
Scholars believe that:
Although the former Prophets were to a certain extent conscious of the high
position of the Aimmah and that is why they invoked it, but till the end of their
life they did not know all its characteristics. Some Qur'anic verses show that only
Prophet Ibrahim once or twice viewed these higher truths, but only momentarily.
The permanent vision of them will be in the other world only.
Besides helping the whole of creation including all the Prophets (AS), it is said
that Ali, at the will of Allah, appeared in many forms to fulfill some divine plans
(the possibilities of such journeys have been explained). al-Majlisi (1627) writes
that Ali and the Prophet were present when Adam was created, when Prophet Nuh
embarked into his Ark, when Namrud threw Prophet Ibrahim into the huge fire,
and so forth. Ali was also there for Prophet Suleiman (AS).
It is stated in Minhaj al-Sadiqin and Umdat al-Bayan that the Prophet once said
to Ali:
O Ali! You helped all the Prophets of Allah
concealed from view, and you help me in person,
manifestly.
Qais, the servant of Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) said:
Once when Ali, Amirul-Mu'mineen was near the
mountain at Siffin, the time for Maghrib prayers
set in. So he went farther away and called for
the prayers. When he finished the Adhan, a man
appeared from near the mountain, having grey hair
and beard, with a bright, white face. He said, Peace
be upon you, O Amirul-Mu'mineen and mercy and
blessings from Allah! Welcome to the successor of
the last of the Prophets, leader of the ones with
bright, brilliant faces (on the Day of Judgment),
magnanimous and protected, excellent one and
one who has the reward of the Truthful, master of
all the successors!
So, Amirul-Mu'mineen (AS) said, And peace be
upon you, how are you. He replied, I am well,
waiting for the Holy Spirit.
I do not know of any name, which is greater in
the estimation of Allah, at the time of ordeal, than
yours, nor of any who has earned more rewards
than you, or of anyone who has an elevated place
higher than yours. Put up with all that you are in, O
my brother, till you meet the al-Habib (the beloved
Prophet (S). Verily, I have witnessed whatever
befalls our colleagues in the past at the hands of
the children of Israel. They cut them apart with the
saw and carried them over the bier.
And then pointing towards the people of Syria,
he said, And if these poor, ugly faces know
what chastisement and exemplary punishment
awaits them for fighting against you, they would
withdraw. And then pointing to the people of
Iraq, he said, And if these bright faces knew what
award awaits them for having obeyed you, they
would love to be cut by the scissors. And peace
and His mercy and blessings be upon you. Then
he disappeared.
At that time, a group from his followers stood up
and said, O, Amirul-Mu'mineen, (for they heard
what the man had said) who is this man? Amirul-
Mu'mineen said, He is Sham'un, the successor of
Isa (AS). Allah sent him to me to give me solace
for this confrontation with His enemies!
They said, May our parents be your ransom, By
Allah, we will help you the way we helped the
messenger of Allah (S) and none from the al-
Muhajir nor al-Ansar shall desert you, except the
unfortunate one. (Upon hearing this), Amirul-
Mu'mineen spoke to them kind words.
(al-Amali)
When Prophet Suleiman asked from Allah the power over the creations of Allah
including wind, animals, seas, etc., it is said in Qur'an that Allah gifted him with
such abilities to communicate with inanimate objects, animals, and the jinn
community that no one could perform during his time. For example, Hud-Hud
(hoopoe) is a light, graceful bird, with a yellow crest on its head. It is said that this
bird served Prophet Suleiman as an efficient scout, and also used to discover water
beneath the surface of the earth. In Qur'an:
We made the wind subservient to him
(Suleiman); it followed his command to
run gently wherever he desired.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 38, Verse 36)
And Suleiman's host of the jinn, men and
birds were gathered to him, and they were
formed into groups (at his service and
ready to carry out his orders)
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 27, Verse 17)
When al-Ridha or al-Sadiq (AS) was asked as to the origin of this power, he said
that Prophet Suleiman always wore a ring in which the name of Ali was inscribed
and he always performed such miraculous events with the ring (with the name Ali)
on his finger (Abdul Hakim, 1999).
We now appreciate that it was Ali who brought the entire throne of Bilqis, which
was several hundreds of miles away - and in a blink of an eye - when Prophet
Suleiman asked this feat from his followers. Asif, the brother of Prophet Suleiman
agreed to do it and did it by just mentioning one of the names of Allah he knew and
Ali was there to assist. According to scholars, the Prophet, and after him, Ali are
acknowledged as the most superior possessors of the spiritual powers.
It is reported in reliable traditions that when Prophet Yusuf (AS) was thrown into
a well by his brothers, he prayed to Allah taking out the name of Muhammad and
his Infallible family and he was thus relieved from the sufferings. Uddin writes that
Prophet Nuh (AS) also asked assistance from Ali and his purified progeny during
the great flood. Moreover, Ghayas Uddin (1969) reports that:
Krishna also prayed to God through Ahli - (Ali),
as per a Hindu magazine - 1931.
His findings from some Hebrew sources
regarding one of the Psalms of David which
clearly mentioned Aillee (Ali), his epithet Haidar
(sic) - Lion, and the Ka'bah. This, we are told was
in the custody of the Bishop of Damascus.
And the Song of Prophet Suleiman (AS) - which
refers mainly to Muhammad, and his pure
progeny.
We have also noted in details that the Prophet once said to an unbeliever who
questioned his and the status of his sanctified family:
When Prophet Adam took a false step, he repented
for it in the words of Muhammad and the Family
of Muhammad and Allah forgave him.
When Prophet Nuh boarded the ark, he prayed to
Allah for the sake of Muhammad and the family
of Muhammad to save him from the flood.
When Prophet Ibrahim was thrown into the fire,
he invocated Allah for the sake of Muhammad
and the family of Muhammad.
When Prophet Musa cast down his staff, he
prayed to Allah for the sake of Muhammad and
the family of Muhammad, to overcome the fear
he had in him.
No wonder Ali was given the titles -
The One Who Manifests Wonders, The
Exhibitor of Marvels and The Removal of Difficulties. Ali and none other in this
entire universe have owned these three titles. Ali once said to Nouf, as reported by
al-Amini in his book Self Building:
He is the God-Almighty, the Magnanimous
through whose special benevolence your wishes
are granted. Pay attention towards Him with your
full strength and do not allow satanic whispers to
enter inside your heart, and if you find it difficult
then consider me as your guarantor.
Ali even helped the last Prophet of Islam, Muhammad in many instances. For
instance, during the Battle of Khaybar, it was observed that Ali responded to the
Prophet's call for assistance, as commanded by Allah. He was several miles away
and in an instant, Ali was present near the Prophet. Such kinds of journeys by Ali
and the Prophet have been explored in much detail in earlier sections, but suffice
to say that he was there when the Prophet called for him, as he was present when
all the Prophets needed assistance.
The Shiite Muslims always call Allah for assistance and supplicate to Allah on
behalf of Ali, and the remaining Infallible, as this has been the order of Allah to
Prophet Adam (AS) and to all mankind (Abdul Hakim, 1999). It is reported that
when Prophet Adam (AS) was in distress and discomfort, he was asked by the Most
High to invoke Him on behalf of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husain
(AS), and Allah would grant his supplication as well as the supplication of every
person. No wonder, it is the common practice of Shiite Muslims to send salutations
and blessings on Muhammad and his Infallible Progeny three times before they
invoke Allah, and also end with this blessing. Tabrizi quotes al-Sadiq having said:
Unless and until a prayer is accompanied by
salutations upon the Prophet and his holy
progeny, the Infallible; it is far away from being
granted.
An authentic report says that (a Jinn once said) - One day I disobeyed his (Prophet
Suleiman) command, so he sent some people to look for me but I disregarded them
and did not pay any attention to his commands. Suddenly this young man (Ali)
came toward me on horseback and hurt me so badly that the wound has left a mark
that still has not healed, and he showed the location of the wound to the Prophet
(S).
Other researchers and historians write that one day, a jinn went to the Prophet (S)
and asked him some questions. Suddenly Ali (AS) came in and the jinn became
small like a bird. When Ali (AS) left, the jinn asked the Prophet (S), O Messenger
of God, who is this young man? The Prophet (S) in turn asked him,
Why did you
change your form? What business do you have with him and why are you afraid
of him? The jinn replied, During the time of Nuh's (AS) Deluge I wanted to make a
hole in the ship to sink it, at that very moment that young man came after me and
amputated one of my hands with his sword. Then he showed his amputated hand
to the Prophet (S) who said,
Yes, this is the very young man you had seen before.
The Knowledge of Ali
al-Mufid writes in Kitab al-Irshad that when the pledge of allegiance was made to
the Commander of the faithful (AS) for the caliphate, he went out to the mosque
wearing the turban and cloak of the Apostle of God (S). He went up on the pulpit.
After praising and glorifying God, and giving admonition and warning, he sat down
confidently, knitted his fingers together and placed them on his stomach. Then he
said:
Question me before you lose me. Question me,
for I have the knowledge of those who came
earlier and those who will come later. If the
cushion (on which a judge sits) was folded for me
(to sit on), I could give judgements to the people
of the Torah by their Torah, to the people of the
Gospels by their Gospels, to the people of Psalms
by their Psalms and to the people of the Furqan
(i.e. Qur'an) by their Furqan, so that each one of
these books will be fulfilled and will declare, O
Lord, indeed Ali has given judgement according
to Your decree.
By God, I know the Qur'an and its interpretation
(better) than anyone who claims knowledge of it.
If it were not for one verse in the Book of God,
Most High, I would be able to inform you of what
will be until the Day of Resurrection.
Then he said:
Question me before you lose me, for by Him Who
split the seed and brought the soul into being,
if you questioned me about (it) verse by verse, I
would tell you of the time of its revelation and why
it was revealed, I would inform of the abrogating
(verse) and the abrogated, of the specific and
general, the clearly defined and the ambiguous,
revealed in Makkah and Madina. By God, there
is not a party who can lead astray or guide until
the Day of Resurrection, without me knowing its
leader, the one who drives it forward and the one
who urges it on.
Examples of such reports are so many, that the book would become unduly long in
reporting them.
Ibn Abbas reports the Messenger of God having said to Abdul Rahman bin Awf:
O Abdul Rahman, you people are my companions,
but Ali Ibn Abi Talib is from me and I am from
him. So those who compare him to anyone, are
not fair to me. And those who are not fair to me,
hurt me. God's curse is on those who hurt me.
O Abdul Rahman, Allah sent His book to me
and ordered me to teach it to all people except
Ali, because he does not need to be taught. God
made Ali's eloquence as my eloquence and Ali's
knowledge as my knowledge.
If patience was a person, it would be Ali; and if
moral excellence was a person it would be Hasan;
and if modesty was a person it would be Husain:
and if everything that is good were to be a person
it would be Fatima, and she is even better than
that.
The origin of my daughter, Fatima, is greater than
any other inhabitant on earth, as is her honor and
her generosity.
(Ghayatul-Maram. Khazrami in Maqtal-Husain.
Faraid al-Simthain)
We have already mentioned in details about the knowledge of Ali, but herewith are
some more quotations declaring his highest level of sanctity in his energy and the
information within. In Nahjul-Balagha, Ali says about himself:
By Allah, if I wish, I can tell every one of you from
where he has come, where he has to go and all his
affairs, but I fear lest you abandon the Messenger
of Allah - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him
and his progeny - in my favor.
I shall certainly convey these things to the
selected ones who will remain safe from that fear.
By Allah, Who deputed the Prophet with Right
and distinguished him over the creation. I do not
speak save the truth. He (the Prophet) informed
me of all this and also about the death of every
one who dies, the salvation of every one who is
granted salvation, and the consequences of this
matter (the caliphate). He left nothing (that
could) pass into my head without putting it in my
ear and telling me about it.
O people! By Allah, I do not impel you to any
obedience unless I practice it before you and do
not restrain you from any disobedience unless I
desist from it before you.
(Sermon 175)
In sermon 192, he says:
Beware! Surely Allah has commanded me to fight
those who revolt, or who break the pledge, or
create trouble on the earth. As regards pledgebreakers,
I have fought them, as regards deviators
from truth, I have waged holy war against them,
and as regards those who have gone out of the
faith, I have put them in (serious) disgrace.
As for Shaytan of the pit, he too has been dealt
with by me through the loud cry with which the
scream of his heart and shaking of his chest was
also heard. Only a small portion of the rebels
has remained. If Allah allows me one more
chance over them I will annihilate them except a
few remnants that may remain scattered in the
suburb of the cities.
Even in my boyhood I had lowered the chest of
(the famous men) of Arabia, and broken the horn
points (i.e., defeated the chiefs) of the tribes of
Rabi'ah and Mudar. Certainly, you know my
position of close kinship and special relationship
with the Prophet of Allah - peace and blessing of
Allah be upon him and his descendants.
When I was only a child he took charge of me. He
used to press me to his chest and lay me beside
him in his bed, bring his body close to mine
and make me smell his smell. He used to chew
something and then feed me with it. He found no
lie in my speaking, nor weakness in any act.
From the time of his weaning, Allah had put a
mighty angel with him to take him along the path
of high character and good behavior through day
and night, while I used to follow him like a young
camel following in the footprints of its mother.
Every day he would show me in the form of a
banner some of his high traits and commanded
me to follow it.
Every year he used to go in seclusion to the hill of
Hira, where I saw him but no one else saw him. In
those days Islam did not exist in any house except
that of the Prophet of Allah - peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him and his descendants - and
Khadija, while I was the third after these two. I
used to see and watch the effulgence of divine
revelation and message, and breathed the scent
of Prophethood.
When the revelation descended on the Prophet of
Allah - peace and blessing of Allah be upon him
and his descendants - I heard the moan of Satan.
I said, O Prophet of Allah, what is this moan?
And he replied, This is Shaytan who has lost all
hope of being worshipped. O Ali, you see all that
I see and you hear all that I hear, except that you
are not a Prophet, but you are a vicegerent and
you are surely on (the path of) virtue.
I was with him when a party of the Quraish came
to him and said to him, O Muhammad, you
have made a big claim which none of your forefathers
or those of your family have made. We
ask you one thing; if you give us an answer to it
and show it to us, we will believe that you are a
prophet and a messenger, but if you cannot do it,
we will know that you are a sorcerer and a liar.
The Messenger of Allah said, What do you ask
for? They said, Ask this tree to move for us, even
with its roots, and stop before you. The Prophet
said, Verily, Allah has power over everything. If
Allah does it for you, will you then believe and
stand witness to the truth? They said, Yes.
Then he said, I shall show you whatever you
want, but I know that you won't bend towards
virtue, and there are among you those who will
be thrown into the pit, and those who will form
parties (against me).
Then the Prophet said, O tree, if you do believe in
Allah and the Day of Judgment, and know that
I am the Prophet of Allah, come up with your
roots and stand before me with the permission
of Allah. By Him who deputed the Prophet with
truth, the tree did remove itself with its root
and came with a great humming sound and a
flapping like the flapping of the wings of birds,
till it stopped before the Messenger of Allah while
some of its twigs came down onto my shoulders,
and I was on the right side of the Prophet.
When the people saw this they said by way of pride
and vanity, Now you order half of it to come to
you and the other half of it remain (in its place). The Prophet ordered the tree to do the same.
Then half of the tree advanced towards him in
an amazing manner and with greater humming.
It was about to touch the Prophet of Allah. Then
they said disbelieving and revolting, Ask this half
to get back to its other half and be as it was. The
Prophet ordered it and it returned.
Then I said, O Prophet of Allah, I am the first
to believe in you and to acknowledge that the
tree did what it did just now with the command
of Allah, the Sublime, in testimony to your
Prophethood and to heighten your word. Upon
this all the people shouted, Rather a sorcerer,
a liar; it is wonderful sorcery, he is very adept
in it. Only a man like this (pointing to me) can
stand testimony to you in your affairs.
Certainly, I belong to the group of people who
care not for the reproach of anybody in matters
concerning Allah. Their countenance is the
countenance of the truthful and their speech
is the speech of the virtuous. They are wakeful
during the nights (in devotion to Allah), and over
beacons (of guidance) in the day. They hold fast
to the rope of the Qur'an, revive the traditions
of Allah and of His Prophet. They do not boast
nor indulge in self conceit, nor misappropriate,
nor create mischief. Their hearts are in Paradise
while their bodies are busy in (good) acts.
Ali also said:
I swear to Allah that the Messenger of Allah
made me the successor of his nation. Therefore,
I am Allah's decisive argument after the Prophet,
and I swear that following me is mandatory on
the inhabitants of the heavens as it is on the
inhabitants of earth. When angels want to praise
Allah they talk about my qualities.
O people! Follow me and I will guide you to the
path of righteousness. Do not go right or left
because you will get lost. I am the heir of your
Prophet and his successor. I am the Imam of the
pious and the believers; I am their commander
and their Master. I will lead my Shia to Paradise
and my enemies to Hell.
I am Allah's sword on His enemies and I am His
mercy on His friends.
I am the owner of the Prophet's Pool (Pool of
Kauthar) and I carry his flag.
I have his position and I have his right of
intercession.
Me, Hasan, Husain, and the nine sons of Husain,
are Allah's successors in His land. We are the only
ones trustworthy of His revelation. We are the
Imams of Muslims after the Prophet and we are
Allah's decisive arguments on His creatures.
(Ghayatul-Maram)
The fifth Shiite Infallible, al-Baqir (AS) says that when the verse (Chapter 36, Verse
12) was revealed:
.And everything We confined into a
Manifesting Guide.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 36, Verse 12)
There was Abu Bakr and Umar who asked the Prophet if the manifesting guide was
the Torah, the Evangel, or the Qur'an - the Prophet replied negative. The Prophet
then turned towards Ali, son of Abu Talib, and he said:
Verily! This is the manifesting guide, in whom God
has contained the knowledge of everything! The
Prophet continued, O group of men! There is no
branch of knowledge, which God did not bestow
on me and I have conveyed that knowledge to Ali.
Verily! God has contained in me knowledge and I
have contained it in Ali. I am the city of knowledge
and Ali is its gate.
On commenting these verses from Qur'an:
Verily! It is Qur'an honorable; In a book
hidden; Touch it not save the purified
ones.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 56, Verses 77-79)
Mir Ahmed Ali (1988) quotes a tradition saying that the Prophet is
the Hidden Book
on this earth and in that book the Qur'an is treasured. The Prophet then passed
this treasure to all the Infallible and the first custodian of this transfer of unlimited
knowledge that the Qur'an holds was Ali, who got it direct from the Prophet.
Once, Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) passed by riding the Prophet's mule and Salman
was present among the people. So Salman (AR) said:
(O people)! Do you not rise to detain him and ask
him questions? By Allah, Who split the grain and
created the breathing creatures, no one but he
(i.e. Ali) will inform you about the secrets of your
Prophet. Indeed, he is the most learned about
this earth and its chief element on which it rests.
If you miss him, you will miss the knowledge and
deny the people (its benefit).
(al-Amali)
Shahr, son of Hawshabn said:
By Allah, the authority of Muawiya cannot stop
me from speaking the truth about Ali (AS). I
heard the Prophet (S) say:
Ali is the best among you; and in matter of religion,
he is the most learned jurist among you, and he
knows incisively about my traditions, more than
any of you. And as far the Book of Allah (i.e. the
Qur'an), he is its best student among you all. O,
Allah! I love Ali, so You also love him; O Allah! I
love Ali, so You also love him.
(al-Amali)
In Chapter 2 and Verse 2 of the Qur'an, Allah says that this is the Book; in it is
guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah - The Prophet (S) pointed
towards Ali and said he is the Book, you should have no doubts about him.
In Firdaws al-Akhyar by Dayami and Tafsir al-Ayyashi, when the Almighty Lord
decided to create the Universe, He assembled all His creatures together before
Himself and asked them, Who is your Lord? Thereupon the first to answer was
the Prophet, and next was Ali, son of Abu Talib, and then all the eleven remaining
Infallible who were to be his descendants. They all said, You are our Lord. Then
the Almighty Lord made them the repositories of divine knowledge and said to the
Angels,
Behold! These are the repositories of My Knowledge and these are the
trusted ones from among all My creatures and they shall be the guides of all in
everything.
In the book Ikmal, al-Saduq has recorded and supported by references, a lengthy
tradition of the Prophet as related by Salman:
O Fatima! Do you not know that we are the Ahlul-
Bayt for whom Allah has preferred the hereafter
to this world and that Allah, the One Who Bestows
Blessings and the Most High, cast a glance over
the inhabitants of the earth and chose me out of
all His creatures. Then He cast a second glance
and chose your husband and inspired me to give
you to him in marriage and take him as my friend
and to appoint him as my minister and successor
over my followers. So, your father is the best of
all the prophets, and your husband the best of all
the executors of will. And you will be the first to
rejoin me (after my death).
Imam al-Sadiq said:
The ink a scholar used to write is superior to
the blood a martyr sheds. As has been proved in
the commentary of the above noted verses, the
Holy Prophet, Ali, Fatima and the eleven holy
Imams, in their progeny, are the fountainheads
of knowledge and wisdom. It is a historic fact that
none of them ever received any tutoring from any
mortal. It is Allah who thoroughly purified them,
taught them and granted wisdom to them from
His infinite wisdom.
According to what we know, the teacher of Ali was Allah, the Creator, and Prophet
Muhammad (S), so his knowledge is unlimited and only He has set the limits. Kafisays that a man once asked Imam Ali (AS), Is God carrying the heavens or the
Arsh is carrying God? The Imam answered:
God is the creator and sustainer of the heavens
and earth and all that exist between them. He
has told us about this in His own words.
al-Khumeini (AR) writes in his article Allah - His Praise and Dominance:
As a matter of fact we all are under a veil except
the Holy Prophet who was educated direct by
Allah and the Holy Imams of the Holy Prophet's
Progeny who received training from Him.
For instance, he was well aware of the Qur'an before its revelation and recited the
first twelve verses of the chapter of al-Mu'minun as soon as he opened his eyes
under the arms of the Prophet after he was born - though the Qur'an was revealed
ten years later. He even asked the Prophet (S) if he could recite for him from the
earlier revelations - the Taurat, the Injil and the Zabur. So, this is all apparent in
history. We are aware that Prophet Isa also spoke in his infancy and even taught
the priests at that time when he was a child.
We have narrated a tradition earlier that Ali happens to be the ONLY creation
who asked the general population to ask him any question, for he had the answer
to each of them. Simply, Allah has allowed his energy to resonate with all energy
that out there, energy of the entire creation. Thus, he has knowledge of the whole
of creation, as it evolves. In al-Amali, he is quoted:
Ask me before you lose me. By Allah, if you ask me
about anything that could happen up to the Day
of Judgment, I will tell you about it. Ask me about
the Book of Allah, because by Allah there is no
(Qur'anic) verse that I do not know whether it was
revealed during the night or the day, or whether it
was revealed on a plain or on a mountain.
In Basair al-Darajat, it is mentioned with reliable chains of narrators that Imam
al-Baqir (AS) said:
In the Holy Qur'an, there is not a single verse
which does not have its outward and inward
meaning. There is not a single letter which is
not a sign showing what is happening and its
happening and appearing is being made known
to the Imam of the time and its meaning is known
to the living and present Imam, and so also to the
earlier Imam. Allah says, Its meaning is not
known to anyone but Allah and those who
are firmly rooted in knowledge and it is we
who know it.
Likewise, with reliable chains of narrators, Imam al-Sadiq (AS) is quoted that he
said:
By Allah, I know the Book of Allah from beginning
to end so thoroughly as if they are the two palms
of the hand. In the Holy Qur'an are the news of
the earth and the heavens and the past and the
future.
In al-Amali by al-Mufid, Saeed, son of al-Musayyib quotes Ali to have said:
There is no verse between the two covers of
the Qur'an, except that I know for whom it was
revealed and when it was revealed, and whether
on a plain, leveled land or upon a mountain.
Surely, here in my breast is abundant knowledge!
So, put your questions to me before you do not
find me among yourselves, for when you have lost
me, you will not find anyone uttering the words I
utter.
He also said that the knowledge of the entire Qur'an is in the chapter of Ya Sin. The
knowledge of the chapter of Ya Sin is in the chapter of al-Hamd; the entire chapter
of al-Hamd is in Basmallah; the knowledge in Basmallah is in the Ba of Basmallah,
and
I am the dot below the Ba of Basmallah, which means that to Ali has been
entrusted the whole of the book and its true exposition. Therefore, Ali has been
endowed with the maximum knowledge possible of the Qur'an with its external
meaning and internal interpretation.
Imam Ali (AS) has said:
Ask me anything you wish about the Book of Allah.
By Allah! There is not a single verse revealed,
during night or day, during travel or at home
except that the Prophet (S) informed me about it
and taught me its meanings.
And ibn Abbas said,
My knowledge and the knowledge of the Companions of
Muhammad (S) is but a drop in seven seas if compared with Ali's knowledge.
When the Prophet was asked as to how one would really know the leader of the
time, he replied that when you ask him any question (in any language) - instantly
- he would have the correct answer for it. This is one of the main reasons why the
Shiites follow Ali as the first successor to the Prophet, as he was divinely chosen, he
had all the knowledge and the Prophet declared his leadership after him many times
and in many instances. Historians narrate that even trees and stones confessed to
the leadership of Ali.
Many times, Ali even put his leadership in trial when he asked his sons al-Hasan
and al-Husain to reply to questions asked to him. Being infallible, they instantly
had answers for all questions addressed to the leader of the time, Ali. Apparently,
if any person spoke a particular language or even understood better a certain
concept, this would make him better than the Infallible, and this is not possible as
the Infallible have been gifted with unlimited knowledge and leadership by Allah
Himself.
In al-Kafi (al-Kulayni reports) from Abu Ja'far (AS), Jabir says:
I asked him concerning the knowledge of the
Knowing One (al-Alim, i.e. an Imam). He replied
saying, O Jabir, verily, there are five spirits in
the prophets and the Awsiya; the Holy Spirit,
the Spirit of Faith, the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of
Power, and the Spirit of Appetite. By the means
of the Holy Spirit, O Jabir, they know everything
from the Throne to underneath the earth.
It is reported that there are more than 300 verses in Qur'an in direct reference to
Ali, though there are hundreds more. Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti in his book Tarikh al-
Khulafa says that the son of Asakir, reporting from son of Abbas says,
There has
not been revealed in The Book of Allah regarding any one what has been revealed
concerning Ali and that 300 verses have been revealed concerning Ali.
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali (AS) said:
People (who have discarded us) have no truth,
nor any propriety, except that which they have
learnt from us Ahlul-Bait. None from them can
judge truly or with justice, unless he has taken its
guidance from Amirul-Mu'mineen Ali, son of Abu
Talib (AS) the key, the gate, the path blazer, the
way. And when they are confused in any matter,
the fault is theirs if they commit an error; and if
they decide rightly, the credit goes to Ali, son of
Abu Talib (AS).
The Prophet said the following about Ali's knowledge of the Qur'an:
Ali is the most knowledgeable of the book of Allah
(Qur'an) from among my nation.
(Biharul-Anwar)
Verily! The Qur'an has been revealed in seven
letters. There is no letter, which has not an evident
and a latent meaning; and verily Ali knows the
evident as well as the latent.
al-Mufid narrates a tradition in his al-Amali:
Once, while Amirul-Mu'mineen (the Commander
of the Faithful) Ali Ibn Abi Talib was going around
the Ka'bah, he came across a man who had clung
to the curtains of the sacred house, saying, O
He, Whom one hearing does not distract from
another and O He, Who is not misled by the
seekers, and O He, Who is not wearied by the
insistent supplication. Grant me the coolness of
Your Pardon and the Sweetness of Your Mercy.
Ali asked him, Is this your prayer? The man said, So, you heard it? He said, Yes. The man said, Pray this way at the end of every daily prayer.
By Allah, when a faithful prays with these words
at the end of the daily prayer, Allah forgives
him all his sins even if they equal the heavenly
stars in number, or the pebbles and the earth in
abundance. Then Ali told him, I have knowledge
of it, and Allah is Infinite, Beneficent.
The man who was al-Khidhr said, By Allah, you
are right O, Amirul-Mu'mineen. Over everyone
endowed with knowledge, there is one who
knows most.
In his Salutations to al-Husain, al-Mahdi mentions Ali and prays to Allah in the
following manner:
And for the sake of his (the Prophet's) brother who
is the greatest mine of knowledge and wisdom,
that is Ali (AS), Amirul-Mu'mineen.
Amr, son of As, an avowed enemy of Ali, once said that Ali is the Nabail-Adheem
(the great news described in Chapter 78, Verse 01 in the Qur'an). He is the
Babullah - the door of Allah - the door through which one enters into the realm of
the realization of Allah, the Creator. A similar quotation can be seen in the sayings
of the Infallible and the Prophet.
Aqa Mahdi Puya (1988) writes in his section in the commentary to Qur'an that he
carried out together with Mir Ahmed Ali (1988):
Whatever man does is recorded. The record of
the deeds of every individual, and the records
pertaining to creation and legislation (which
includes knowledge of everything that has been
created since the beginning, its progress and the
laws governing it) have been made known to the
manifesting Imam; therefore he is the repository
of all knowledge. The manifesting Imams have
been clearly identified in al-Qur'an in Chapter 33,
Verse 33, Chapter 56, Verses 77-79, and Chapter
03, Verse 61.
Even Muawiya, a staunch enemy of the Prophet once said to one of his companions
when Ali was struck by a sword whilst in prostration to Allah:
The rising sun in the east and the setting sun in the
west have not seen a person more knowledgeable
than Ali.
Abi Saeed al-Khudri reports the Prophet as having said:
Knowledge is divided in five parts. Four of those
parts are given to Ali Ibn Abi Talib and the last
part is shared amongst all people.
I swear to God that sent me as a Prophet that Ali
is more knowledgeable than all people, even with
regards to the one part (of knowledge) that is
given to them.
(Ghayatul-Maram. Biharul-Anwar)
The Titles of Ali
Some of the titles of Ali, which are exclusively his, are given below:
Mawlud Ka'bah
Born in The House of Allah
Nafsul-Rasul
The self of The Messenger
Kullu Iman
The Total Faith
La Fata
The hero who has no equal
Karrar Ghayra Farrar
The unconquerable attacker who never runs
away from the battlefield
Babul-Ilm
The Gateway to Wisdom
al-Murtadha
The Chosen (by Allah)
Amirul-Mu'mineen
The Commander of The Faithful
Imamul-Muttaqin
The Leader of The Pious
Mazharal-Ajaib
The One Who Manifests Wonders
Imam al-Awliya
The original source of The Friends of Allah who
seek His closest nearness
Sayyid al-Awsiya
The Chief (or the first) of The Successors of The
Prophet
Also,
al-Murtadha
The chosen one
Abul-Hasan
Father of al-Hasan
Abul-Hasanain
Father of al-Hasan and Husain
Zawj al-Batul
Husband of al-Batul (Fatima al-Zahra)
Wasi al-Rasul
The Heir of The Holy Prophet
al-Imam al-Awwal
The First Leader (after the Prophet)
Khalifa Rasulullah
Caliph of The Messenger of Allah
Sayyid al-Awsiya
The chief of deputies of the Holy Prophet
Waliyullah
The friend of Allah (SWT)
Abu Turab
Father of earth
Abul-Aimmah
Father of the Holy Imams
Akhu Rasulullah
The brother of the Apostle of Allah
Asadullah al-Ghalib
The ever victorious lion of Allah
Saifullah
The Sword of Allah
Abul-Aitam
The father of the orphans and the helpless
Fatihi-Khaibar
The victor of Khaybar
Bab Madinatul-ilm
The gateway of the city of knowledge
al-Mutahhari in The Perfect Man, says about Ali (AS):
Ali is such a man, and has been recognized in this
way for over a thousand years. The compiler of
Nahjul-Balagha, Sayyid Radhi, says:
The amazing thing about this book is that you
see Ali in so many different worlds as you read
it, that is in the words of devotion, philosophy,
mysticism, military affairs, court of justice,
religious jurisprudence and so on, and he is never
absent from any human world.
Safiyedin Hilli, a poet of the sixth century of the
Hijra, says about Ali that he is a collection of all
contraries, he is both a ruler and a sage, docile and
brave, poor and generous, gentle and resolute, a
devotee and a man of action. He is a hero in allhuman
spheres, something that we cannot be,
but we can at least maintain a certain degree of
equilibrium among all values to be called a true
Muslim in different walks of life.
With regards to The Solver of Difficulties, not only humans and animals, but Jinn
also seek assistance and help from Ali. One narration follows:
In the book Rawzah, which is an authoritative book on the traditions, is a narration
from ibn Abbas. The tradition says that one day after morning prayers in Madina
some of the companions went to see the Prophet (S). He was leaning against
the pulpit in the company of such revered companions as Huzayfah, Abu Dhar,
Salman and Miqdad when suddenly a terrifying sound came from the outside the
Masjid. The Prophet (S) said,
O Huzayfah and Salman, go and see what is going
on outside.
They went and came back very quickly telling the Prophet (S):
O Messenger of God, there are forty armed men
with the spears and elongated helmets over
which are decorations of pearls and jewels. They
have a wonderful bearing, strange faces and on
the top of each spear hung a sack of pearls. They
are waiting for the honor of being in your holy
presence. Facing these individuals is a young man
whose face is like the full moon and upon which
a beard has not begun to grow who is continually
shouting.
Afterwards, the Prophet (S) admitted them into his presence and ordered Huzayfah
to go to Fatima's chamber and summon the
Solver of Difficulties, Ali Ibn Abi Talib
(AS). Huzayfah said,
When I went to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) he
said:
O Huzayfah, have you come to inform me of a
people whom I have known about since the day
of their creation and the important issue that
warranted them coming to Madina?
He then gave thanks to God and departed for the Masjid and I went with him.
When the people in the Masjid saw Ali (AS), they stood up. The Prophet (S) said to
everyone to sit down. When they all sat down, the handsome young man stood up
and said,
Which one of you is the Breaker of Idols and the Mine of Belief who helps
the Prophet (S) and the other religions? And thereupon enumerated the many
epithets of Ali (AS).
The Prophet (S) turned to Ali (AS) and said,
O Ali! Satisfy this young man's need
who is describing you by belief and good intentions and remove his sorrow. The
Commander of the Faithful (AS) turned towards the young man and said:
O young man, come and tell me what you need so
that, Insha Allah, with the power of God, it would
be provided. I am the Lifeboat and the provider of
a person's request, I am the Prophet's Successor,
tell me your request!
When the young man recognized Ali (AS), he said:
I had a brother who was so interested in hunting
that he could not break his habit.
One day he saw a wild cattle in the wilderness,
spurred his horse towards them and shot one of
them. At that very moment he became paralyzed
and lost his power of speech and could only
communicate by signs and since then, no medical
treatment has been able to cure him.
We are informed that if you attended to him
you would be able to remove this illness. If
my brother is cured of this suffering, I promise
you that my entire tribe and their relatives who
number seventy thousand swordsmen who are
all powerful fighters with fast horses will accept
the prophet hood of the Prophet (S) and your
guardianship and convert to Islam.
They are well known for their generosity and are
the remnants of the tribe of Ad. They have many
horses and domesticated animals, female-slaves
and male, for which we cannot thank our Lord
enough, but are willing to put all of them at the
disposal of those who help us.
Imam Ali (AS) asked him, Where is your brother? He replied,
He is in a camel
litter which is at this moment coming to see you along with a group of our
relatives, who, if you cure him, would all stop worshipping idols and convert to
your cousin's religion.
While they were speaking, an old woman brought a camel to the door of the Masjid
and made it sit down. The young man said,
My brother is in this camel litter. The Commander of the Faithful went to the litter and saw a smiling paralyzed
boy. When he saw the Commander of the Faithful (AS), the boy started crying
and with a plaintive voice said,
We have sought refuge with you and we make our
complaints to you, O, the City of the Prophet (S).
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) consoled him and said,
After this, there is
nothing for you to fear and be sure that your sorrows would be changed into
happiness. Ali (AS) ordered it proclaimed that after the evening prayer, the people
should assemble at Baqi (the famous cemetery in Madina) to see a wonderful sight,
the like of which had never been seen.
When the city of Madina gathered at sunset in
Baqi, the Commander of the Faithful (AS) entered
with his sword Dhulfiqar, they saw two fires from
afar one of which was smaller than the other.
Imam Ali (AS) turned towards them and went
into the fire that was less and disappeared. The
two fires touched each other, as if two armies were
attacking each other. The people heard a terrible
sound like thunder from the fire and became
afraid. The sound gradually became louder and
no one knew what was going to happen.
This anxiety continued among the people all that
night until the next morning, Ali's friends became
worried about what befell him whilst his enemies
were happy to think that he might have met his
destruction.
Suddenly, the fires went out, the smoke
disappeared and the thunder ceased. The
Commander of the Faithful (AS) then appeared
with a head in his hand about eleven fingers long
with a large eye in the middle of its forehead. Ali
(AS) held the head by the hair, which was very
similar to that of beasts of prey and went up to
the young man's camel litter and said, i The
young man stood up, healed and fell at Imam's
feet. He kissed it and declared, Give me your
hand so I can become a Muslim at your hand
and I will testify that God is one, there is no god
but Him, that Muhammad (S) is His Messenger
and you are the friend of God and the immediate
successor of Mustafa (S). In this way did the two
brothers and every one else who had accompanied
them became Muslims.
All of the people had been awestruck by the event and the sight of the hideous
decapitated head. Some of them asked him whose head was it and the story behind
it.
Ali (AS) replied that it was the head of Amr ibn Khayl, ibn Laqis, ibn Iblis, may God
curse him, who had twelve thousand jinn under his command and who had caused
such trouble for the boy. First, the Imam invited them to Islam but they rejected
it and inevitably Amr resorted to violence. In retaliation Ali called them by the
names that Musa (AS) had called them. After calling them he killed all of them, and
did not leave a single one of them alive. In this way he had saved the boy from their
evil, which had him paralyzed.
In another incident, there was a Jewish man by the name of Hujar Humeiri who
used to trade foodstuff between cities with a donkey.
One day, near Kufa, he lost his donkeys with their loads as if the ground had
swallowed them. It came to nothing whatever he tried. Inevitably, he went to
Imam Ali (AS). As soon as Imam Ali (AS) saw him, he said,
Jewish brother, we
have the knowledge of the misfortunes and the deaths (kinds, time, the reasons
of the misfortunes and the death) and whatever you would like me to tell you.
Why have you come here? Or will you say .? The Jewish man answered,
You go
ahead. Imam Ali (AS) said,
The jinn have stolen your possessions with tricks in
such and such a place, now what do you want to do? The Jewish man said,
I will
convert to Islam, if you oblige and return my possessions to me. Imam Ali (AS)
went with the Jewish man to that place and after praying two units of prayer, he
made a Dua, then read a Qur'anic verse.
Then he addressed the jinn,
O Servants of God! Why have you done this? I swear
that you have not promised loyalty to me in this manner, and in some narrations
he threatened them. Suddenly the donkeys appeared with their loads and the
Jewish man became Muslim by professing God's Unity and Muhammad's (S)
prophecy and also believed the sainthood of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS).
In reference to the name Ali, Aqa Mahdi Puya (1988) writes:
The truthful tongue, the sublime and exalted Ali
Ibn Abi Talib, or Ali should be taken as a proper
noun. There is no difference between these two
alternatives because he was not only Ali by his
name but also, in all aspects of his personality,
he was Ali in the real sense of the adjective. He
was created Ali by the Aliyyul A'la, the Highest
High, and the Lord of the Worlds. As the gate to
the city of knowledge (the Prophet) he was the
truthful tongue of all the previous Prophets of
Allah, because whoever represents the Prophet
represents all the Prophets of Allah. Therefore
he is rightly known as the Kitabullah al-Natiq,
the speaking book of Allah.
Superiority of Ali to other Prophets (AS)
On the 20th of Ramadhan, when Ali was on his death bed following the attack by
Abdul-Rahman Ibn Muljim Muradi, he asked al-Hasan (AS) to call in the Shia
(followers of Ali (AS) who had gathered at the door of his house. When they entered,
they surrounded his bed and wept silently. Ali said, You may ask any question you
like before I leave you, but your questions should be brief. One of those present
was Sasa'a Bin Suwhan.
Sasa'a said to Ali, Let me know who is superior, you or Adam? Ali (AS)
said, It is not proper for a man to praise himself, but according to the
maxim - Declare the blessings that Allah has given you - I tell you that
I am superior to Adam. When asked why this was so, Ali explained that,
Adam had every means of mercy, comfort, and blessings for him in
paradise. He was asked simply to abstain from the forbidden food. But
he could not restrain himself, and he ate from the tree. As a result, he was
expelled from paradise.
Allah did not forbid him, Ali, from eating wheat. But since he had no
inclination towards this temporal world, he voluntarily refrained from
eating wheat. (The point of Ali's remark was that excellence of a man
before Allah lies in piety and devotion, and that the height of piety lies in
abstaining even from what is permissible).
Sasa'a asked, Who is superior, you or Nuh? Ali replied, I am superior. Nuh
called his men to worship Allah, but they did not obey. Their shameful
mistreatment was torture to him. He cursed them and invoked Allah, O
my Lord! Leave not on the earth a single person of the unjust ones.
After the death of the Prophet, even though the people caused me extreme
difficulty, I never cursed them. I suffered their torment with patience.
Sasa'a asked, Who is superior, you or Ibrahim? Ali replied, I am superior,
for Ibrahim said, My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead. He
said, What! do you not believe? He said, Yes, but that my heart may be at
ease.
My faith was such that I said, If the veil over the unseen were lifted, my
faith would not increase.
Sasa'a asked, Who is superior, you or Musa? Ali replied, I am superior,
for when Almighty Allah ordered Musa to go to Egypt to invite Pharaoh
to the truth, Musa said, My Lord! Surely I killed one of them, so I am
afraid that they will slay me. And my brother Aaron, he is more eloquent
of tongue than I. Therefore send him with me as an aide, to help me.
Surely I fear that they will reject me. (28:33-34)
The Prophet ordered me, by the command of Allah, to go to Makkah and
to recite the verses of the Chapter al-Bara'a from the top of the Ka'bah to
the Quraish infidels. I was not afraid, even though there were few people
there who had not lost a near relative by my sword. Obeying his order, I
performed my duty alone. I recited the verses of al-Bara'a and returned.
Sasa'a asked, Who is superior, you or Isa? Ali said, I am superior, for
when Mary 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.
The saying of the Prophet further proves the point made by Ali that he is pure in
its entirety:
O Ali! It is not permissible for anybody to cohabit
and enter the Masjid except you and me.
Ali and The Day of Judgment
We have noted earlier the possibility of Ali and (and few other sanctified persons)
to be able to present themselves at a particular place in an instant. And as he
promised, Ali will be there in person when all humans are about to die. It is further
reported that the pains of one's death will fade away when the dying person is able
to see the Imam in front of him or her. It is therefore, understandable that he can
and will be near any dying person, even though there may be hundreds of people
dying at a time, and thousands of miles apart.
Allamah Taba Tabai (AR) writes the following in his exegesis of Qur'anic verse 35,
Chapter 5 - appended to these traditions is the narration of al-Ayyashi from Abu
Basir that he said, I heard Abu Ja'far (AS) saying,
Enemies of Ali, they shall abide in the Fire; Allah
has said, and they shall not go forth from
it.
The Messenger of Allah said to Ali:
O Ali, on the Day of Judgment, you will be brought
sitting on a pulpit of light. There will be a crown
on your head that shines so brightly that it will
almost blind people.
Allah will call out, Where is the successor of
Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah?
Then, O Ali, you will say, Here I am.
Then the caller will say, Those who loved you,
let them enter Paradise, and those who were
against you, send them to Hell.
Therefore, you (Ali) will divide those who go to
Paradise and those who go to Hell, and this is an
order from the All-Powerful King.
(Ghayatul-Maram. Biharul-Anwar. Tabari in
Bishara. Qunduzi in Yanabi al-Mawaddah)
Ali will take care of his followers on the Final Day when his followers need him
the most. In al-Amali by al-Mufid, al-Sadiq is quoted to have said:
On the Day of Resurrection, an announcer will
announce from inside the Throne, Where is the
Khalifa (Successor, Leader) of Allah on earth? So
Dawud, the Prophet, will stand up and the voice
from Allah, Most High, will say, We do not mean
you, although you were Allah's Khalifa.
Then a second announcement will be made,
Where is Allah's Khalifa on earth? Then Ali will
rise. So a voice will come from Allah, Most High, and O people! This Ali, son of Abu Talib is the
Khalifa of Allah on His earth and His proof over
His slaves. So whoever adhered to his rope while
on earth, should hang on to his rope here (also),
so that he may have the benefit of his light and
may follow him in the rising ranks of Paradise.
In the same book al-Amali, Ibn Abbas relates:
I asked the Prophet about the Verse of the Qur'an
- and those foremost in faith, are the
foremost, those are the ones brought near,
in the Garden of Bliss... (al-Qur'an - Chapter
56, Verses 10,11,12). He said, Jibraeel told me - which refers to Ali and his Shia (followers). They
are the foremost towards Paradise, brought
closer to Allah, Most High, by the special honor
bestowed upon them.
In conclusion, the whole of creation has to revere Ali and who he is, and if not, then
according to the Prophet in al-Amali by al-Mufid:
Whoever doubts the excellence of Ali will rise
from his grave on the Day of Reckoning, with
a collar of fire around his neck, having three
hundred prongs. On each prong, there will be a
Shaytan frowning upon him, spitting at his face.
It is also true that Ali will be the one to partition people between heaven and hell,
and he will most certainly stop the fire from even touching the faithful believer.
This promise from Ali was given to Hamdani during his life-time. Apparently, he
will command and talk to the fire to refrain from burning his faithful followers just
as we have seen Ali and the Infallible converse with fire in this world. They will do
the same on that Final Day.
Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari, is reported to have said:
I was sitting with the Prophet when Ali came. The Prophet brought him close to
him, and wiped his (Ali's) forehead with his aba (clothing) and said to him,
O Abal
Hasan, shall I tell you the good news that Jibraeel gave me? Ali replied, Yes, O
Messenger of Allah. The Prophet said:
There is a well in Paradise called Tasneem. Two
rivers emerge from it and (they are so large that)
all of the ships of the world can sail on them.
There are several trees on the shores of Tasneem.
Their branches are pearls and coral, and the grass
there is saffron. Directly adjacent to the trees,
there are people sitting on chairs made of light on
whose foreheads, written in light, is
These are the believers; these are the lovers of
Ali.
(Burhan. Ghayatul-Maram)
Jabir bin Abdullah Al-Ansari has said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah say, The first one
who enters Paradise from among the prophets
and the truthful ones is Ali.
Then Abu Dujana stood up and asked, Did you
not tell us that Allah told you that Paradise is
forbidden for all the prophets before you enter
it, and it is forbidden for all nations before your
nation enters it?
The Prophet replied, Yes, but do you not know
that the one who carries the flag is in front of
everyone? And Ali will be the flag bearer on the
Day of Judgment who will be in front of me. He
is the owner of my flag so he will enter Paradise
before I do. He will lead with the flag and I will
follow directly behind him.
Then Ali stood up, his face beaming with joy, and
said, Praise the Lord that honored us through
you, O Messenger of Allah.
(Manaqib. al-Muhtazar. Misbah al-Anwar. al-
Fadhail. Kashf al-Ghumma)
Ibn Abbas said,
I would have given the world to have had the Messenger of God
make the statement he made about Ali about me. So people asked Ibn Abbas as to
what was the statement. He (Ibn Abbas) replied:
The Prophet told Ali, You are from me and I am
from you; your progeny is from us and we are
from them; your Shia are from us and we are
from them; Your Shia will enter paradise five
hundred years before the others.
(Ghayatul-Maram)
In another narration, a companion asked Abdullah bin Abbas as to why did the
Prophet (S) give Ali (AS) the name ABA TURAB (Father of the Dust)? Abdullah
bin Abbas replied:
Because Ali (AS) is the owner of earth and he is
Allah's decisive argument after the Prophet (S).
It is through him that the earth stays stable. I
heard the Messenger of Allah (S) say, On the Day
of Judgment, when KAFIRS (disbelievers) see
the rewards, the honor, and the status that Allah
has prepared for the Shia of Ali they will say to
themselves, Woe to me, Would that I were dust!
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 78, Verse 40)
This verse means that the Kafir will wish that he
was from amongst the Shia of Ali.
(Ilal Al-Sharae)
One day while the Commander of the Believers, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS) was giving a
speech in the Mosque of Kufa, a snake entered the Mosque. People started hitting
it with their shoes.
Ali (AS) said to them:
Wait! May Allah have mercy on you! This snake
is a commissioner.
So people stopped hitting the snake. The snake came close to Ali Ibn Abi Talib
(AS) and started whispering in his ears. Then the snake came down from the pulpit
and Ali (AS) followed it. The people asked,
O Commander of the Believers! Will
you not tell us what the snake said to you? He replied,
I will. The snake said:
I am the messenger of Jinn. They (wanted me to)
tell you, If people loved and obeyed you the way
we do, Allah would not punish mankind in Hell.
(Biharul-Anwar. Madinatul Majiz)
Greatness of Fatima, the Wife of Ali
It only makes perfect sense that a person like Ali, the Commander of the Faithful,
whose physical being of human nature coincides with his heavenly nature of pure
light and energy - the purest form possible - can only marry a woman similar
to his status. It is reported that Fatima, the only daughter of the Prophet was his
only choice and before Ali, it is said that Fatima had refused several proposals
from persons significantly below her status. Most certainly, she was also a celestial
being, and third in creation after Prophet Muhammad (S) and Ali (AS).
One of her titles is Zahra, meaning that when she stood in her praying place, the
angels in the heavens witnessed a glittering light, just like the starlight in the sky
that glitters for the people on the earth.
Ali once said:
I have married the mistress of all the women of
the community. I am the best of the vicegerents.
al-Majlisi writes that Fatima (was so pure and sanctified by Allah, that she) did
not even menstruate, and Ali had no reason to marry any other woman. So Allah
forbade him to marry other women in observance of her purity. Or, her eminence
disallowed him from marrying another woman; where as this particularity of hers
is part of this eminence (Ordoni, 1987).
The status of Fatima - as pure and Infallible as she happens to be - is described in
the Qur'an:
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the
earth, a likeness of His light is as a niche in
which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 24, Verse 35)
Ibn al-Maghazil al-Shafi and several other commentators relate that the niche
mentioned in the above verse in Qur'an is Fatima, and the lamp refers to al-Hasan
and al-Husain.
As noted, Fatima was also third (after Ali) in the creation of the purest souls in
this entire universe. Nothing was created then, not even time, prophets, or the
earth and galaxies. The Light of Fatima was created and from it Allah made the
heavens and the earth. Fatima was also named the mistress of all women in the
entire universe, a much higher status than the remainder 11 Aimmah, the purest
of the souls.
It is reported that when Fatima, the only daughter of the Prophet was born into
this world, the Prophet (her father) took her in his blessed hands and remarked
that she was his intercessor. Some scholars of Islam have stated further that if the
entire creation including rocks, pray to the Prophet for intercession, then Fatima
being his intercessor in front of Allah makes Fatima the most important person
- after the Prophet (S) and Ali (AS) - in the entire universe and its contents. She
certainly deserves the title
Mistress of all Women in the Entire Universe, from the
beginning to the end.
The book of Fatima deserves some attention and also signifies her greatness.
Fatima was so blessed, she even had her own
Book of Revelation from Allah, the
Creator and Designer of the Universe. Ordoni (1987) narrates that in Volume 10 of
Biharul-Anwar, al-Sadiq once said to Abu Basir:
.We also possess Fatima's Book (mus-haf), and
had they known about the Book of Fatima! It is
three times the size of your Qur'an; and by Allah,
it has not a letter of your Qur'an, rather it was
dictated and revealed to her by Allah.
Imam Ali (AS) said:
In Fatima's mus-haf, not only all lawful and
unlawful Islamic decrees are available, but also
the whole knowledge about whatsoever events
that has happened (in the past) and shall happen
(in future) are recorded therein.
It is reported that Fatima had regular visits from the highest ranked angel Jibraeel
after the demise of her father. Ali was also present in all these occasions wherein the
revelations to Fatima took place and he was inscribing all the information. Fatima
(AS) was thus perfect in all dimensions of her personality and had achieved the
zenith of human perfection. That is why she is a perfect role model for all human
beings, either men or women.
al-Khumeini (AR) once said:
. Fatima al-Zahra (AS) is the manifestation of all
dimensions that could be imagined for a woman
or for a human being.
She has not been an ordinary woman, but a
spiritual and celestial lady and a representation
of perfect humanity, the real meaning of a perfect
lady, and the ultimate example of an ideal human
being.
She is a heavenly creature who has appeared in
this world in form of a human being. All that could
be imagined with regard to mankind's excellence
is crystallized in the character of our Lady Fatima
(AS).
Had she been a man, she ascended the position
of the Messenger of Allah. Spirituality, celestial
qualities, heavenly moralities, and divine
manifestations have been developed in the
personality of Fatima, a perfect human being.
Fatima (AS) is Heavenly Conceived
The Prophet once said:
The origin of my daughter, Fatima, is greater than
any other inhabitant on earth, as is her honor and
her generosity.
The Prophet (S), through a divine command, was ordered to seclude himself from
contact with Khadija (AS) for 40 days. Despite all his love for his dear wife, the
Prophet (S) did not go home in compliance with Allah's order. During the whole
40 day period of his seclusion, Muhammad (S) was engaged in prayers, fasting,
and spiritual connections with his Lord. We have earlier noted the benefits - to
the energy and information within the energy - from such soaking prayer and
concentration to the Almighty.
When the seclusion stage came to its end, at the time of Iftar (while the Prophet (S)
was preparing himself to end his fasting by eating food, he heard the familiar voice
of Archangel Jibraeel (AS),
Allah sends His salaams to you! Get ready to receive
the celestial gift from your Lord! Then angels brought down a tray full of heavenly
fruits for Muhammad (S). Jibraeel told him:
Eat from this heavenly dish tonight; then go to
Khadija; Almighty Allah has willed to create a
pure child out of this heavenly food.
Thus Fatima (AS) was conceived from the fruits of paradise.
It is reported that at the crucial moment of giving birth, when Khadija had lost hope
to receive any help from the ladies of Quraish, she sought assistance from her Lord.
By the grace of Allah, four of the most beautiful women in white dressings came
to help her in that time of need. They had bowls of heavenly water in their hands.
Each one began to introduce herself. The first one said, I am your foremother,
Hawwa. The second one said, I am Asiya daughter of Muzahim, Pharaoh's wife.
The third one said, I am Kulthum, Musa's sister, and the fourth one said, I am
Maryam, daughter of Imran and mother of Isa; we have come to deliver your
child.
And so with the help of these heavenly ladies, Fatima (AS) was delivered, and the
brightness and brilliance of her face illuminated the sky from east to west. The
four holy ladies bathed the baby with heavenly water, wrapped her in heavenly
clothes, and put her on the lap of Khadija (AS). We can appreciate the energy
communication and interaction between these sacred women, her mother and
Fatima, and was thus a perfect creation.
Respect for Fatima (AS)
The behavior of the Prophet towards his daughter Fatima was revered. At a time
when the most violent behaviors were shown against women and girls, at a time
when burying little newborn daughters alive was counted as a routine act, the
Prophet (S) exhibited immense respect and love towards his dear daughter.
Whenever Fatima (AS) came to see the Prophet (S), he welcomed her, stood up to
respect her, kissed her hand and made her sit at his own place.
On every occasion that the Prophet (S) decided to go on a journey, Fatima was
the last one to whom he bade farewell, and as soon as he came back from his trip,
Fatima was the first one whom the Prophet visited.
Imam al-Baqir (AS) and Imam al-Sadiq (AS) have related that the Prophet (S)
never slept unless he kissed the face of Fatima (AS) and placed his face on hers.
The Prophet (S) loved Fatima so much he used to say:
May her father be sacrificed for her.
Thus he expressed his deep love for her dignified daughter. Sometimes he (S) called
her as Umme Abiha, which means the
Mother of Her Father. Also in some cases
the Prophet (S) repeated:
Fatima is a part of my body.
Marriage of Fatima to Ali in the Heavens
Husain bin Ali Ibn Abi Talib has said:
The Prophet was in Um Salama's house when an
angel, who had twenty heads, descended upon him.
Each one of the angel's heads had one thousand
tongues, and he was praising Allah with each tongue
in a different language. His wings were larger than
all of the seven heavens and the seven earths.
The angel said, I am Sarsaeel. Allah sent me to
you to marry the light to the light. Your daughter,
Fatima, to Ali.
So the Prophet married Fatima to Ali with Jibraeel,
Mikaeel, Israfeel, and Sarsaeel as witnesses.
Then the Prophet looked and saw the following
written between the shoulders of Sarsaeel:
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH.
MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH
AND IS THE PROPHET WHO BRINGS MERCY
ON PEOPLE.
ALI IS THE DECISIVE ARGUMENT THAT ALLAH
USES ON HIS CREATURES.
(Just for revelation) Then the Prophet asked
Sarsaeel, How long have you had this written
between your shoulders?
Sarsaeel replied, Twelve thousand years before
Allah created Adam.
(Madina al-Maji. Manaqib. Kashf al-Ghumma.
Biharul-Anwar)
In a tradition quoted by Professor Abdul Hakim (1999) in one of his sermons in
Karachi, he says that the Prophet (S) compared Ali to the Chapter of Unity (Oneness
of Allah) in Qur'an and if Ali was not there, there would be no male in this entire
universe to marry the like of Fatima, including Prophet Adam and the entire
creation after him. al-Sadiq has said,
Had the Commander of the Faithful, Ali not
married her, no man on earth from Adam on would have been suitable for her
until the Day of Rising (Abu Muhammad Ordoni, 1987 -
Fatima, The Gracious)
It is reported that the heavens witnessed Ali and Fatima's wedding before the event
even took place on earth. This was informed to the Prophet by Jibraeel himself and
happens to be the only wedding enacted in the heavens by Allah Himself. While on
this topic of the heavens - from the book
Fatima, The Gracious by Ordoni (1987)
- it is reported by Asqalani in his book
Lisanul-Mizan, Volume 3, Page 346, that
al-Hasan Ibn Ali al-Askari reported that his fathers quoted Jabir Ibn Abdullah as
saying - the Prophet said:
When Allah created Adam and Eve (Hawwa),
they strutted through paradise and said, Who are
better than we? At that moment they noticed an
image of a girl like they had never seen before;
from this girl came an illuminating light so bright
that it almost blinded the eyes.
When asked, Allah answered, This is the image of
Fatima, the mistress of your women descendants.
What is this crown on her head? Allah said, Her
husband Ali. Adam then asked, What are her two
earrings? Allah replied, Her (two) sons, they
were ordained in My Ever-Existent knowledge
two thousand years before I created you.
The Prophet once declared to Ali -
Here comes Jibraeel to tell me that Allah
has willed to unite you in marriage with Fatima. He has, moreover, called as
witnesses to her marriage four thousand angels. Allah has revealed to the tree of
Tuba, scatter your pearls and rubies! Black-eyed heavenly ladies rushed to pick
the precious stones up, which they shall exchange as presents among them till the
Day of Resurrection (reported by Ordoni, 1987).
It is related on the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said:
On the night when Fatima was married to Ali,
the Messenger of Allah stood before her. Jibraeel
stood at her right hand and Mikaeel at her left.
Seventy thousand angels stood behind her,
praising and sanctifying Allah.
The Commander of the Faithful - Ali - prided
himself on his marriage to her on numerous
occasions.
Abu Ishaq al-Thaqafi reported on the authority of
Hakim Ibn Jubayr, who reported from al-Hajari
who related from his uncle who said:
I heard Ali say one day, I shall utter words, which
no other man would utter but that he would be
a liar. I am Abdullah (Allah's servant), and the
brother of the Apostle of Allah. I am the one
whose guardian is the Prophet of Mercy, for I
have married the Mistress of all the women of
the community. I am the best of the vicegerents.
Fatima (AS) and Her Titles
Fatima, means separated and protected from ignorance and impurity, and the one
who is kept away from the fire of hell; the one who is adorned with all virtues,
merits, and purities; and the one who shall save herself and all her followers from
the fire of hell.
Siddiqa, means extremely honest; this title points out the degree of Fatima's
honesty and truthfulness as one of her outstanding qualities.
Mubaraka, blessed, as she was granted much blessings by Allah (SWT), and she
herself was a source of abundant blessings. The offspring of the Prophet all are
descendents from Fatima (AS).
Taahira, pure and chaste, as she was purified along with other members of the
Household (Ahlul-Bayt) of the Prophet according to verse 33 of al-Ahzab in the
Qur'an,
Verily, Allah desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O
People of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying.
Zakiyya, the purified soul; purified from any kind of pollution or deficiency, a quality
that made her attain the highest level of spiritual evolution and perfection.
Raaziya, the one who is content with the Will of Allah, surrenders herself to all that
Allah (SWT) has predestined for her, and endures pain and suffering in the way of
the mission of Allah's Messenger.
Mardhiyya, the one, with whom Allah and His Messenger and the sacred Imam are
fully satisfied because of her impeccable worship, nice moralities, good fulfillment
of duties, and all her good deeds.
Muhaddatha, the one to whom the angels talked, the matchless lady who received
some sort of divine inspirations. In this relation, Imam al-Sadiq (AS) is quoted
as saying, Fatima (AS) was named as Muhaddatha as an angel came to her
continuously and talked to her in the same way that it (the angel) used to talk to
Maryam. The angel told Fatima,
O Fatima! Allah (SWT) has selected you, purified
you, and made you superior to all women throughout the world. (Ordoni, 1987).
Zahra, means luminous, as when she stood in her praying place, the angels in the
heavens witnessed a glittering light, just like the starlight in the sky that glitters for
the people on the earth.
Fatima - The Most Sanctified and Purified Woman
The purity of Fatima -
Wife of Ali, daughter of the Prophet, mother of al-Hasan
and al-Husain, grandmother of all the Infallible including al-Mahdi in occultation - is beyond human imagination and comprehension. The following quote from al-
Sadiq, by al-Tabarsi in his book Beacons of Light narrates that the highest level of
purity that Allah gave to a human female was to Fatima, and none other. Besides
the following narration, Ordoni (1987) in his book Fatima, The Gracious, mentions
more than ten narrations that explain the purity of Fatima and her experiencing no
menstruation or parturition.
Fatima has 9 names with Allah. They are - Fatima,
al-Siddiqa (the Righteous), al-Mubaraka (the
Blessed), al-Tahirah (the Pure), al-Zakiyyah (the
Unblemished), al-Radhiyah (the one content with
Allah's pleasure), al-Mardhiyyah (the one pleasing
to Allah), al-Muhaddathah (the one Spoken to by
angels) and al-Zahirah (the Luminous).
In the musnad (collection of transmitted traditions) of the eighth Infallible al-Ridha, it is
reported that the Prophet declared:
I named my daughter Fatima (the weaned one)
because Allah weaned her and those who love
her from the Fire.
The Prophet also called her al-Batul (pure virgin),
and said to Aishah - O Humayra (a redish white, a
well-known epithet of Aishah), Fatima is not like
the women of human kind, nor does she suffer
the illness you (women) suffer. This is explained
in another prophetic tradition, which asserts that
she never menstruated.
It is likewise reported by Sunni traditions on the
authority of Anas Ibn Malik, who heard Umm
Salma, the wife of Abu Talhah al-Ansari, say:
Fatima never experienced the blood of
menstruation or parturition, for she was created
from the waters of Paradise. This is because
when the Messenger of Allah was transported to
heaven, he entered Paradise, where he ate of its
fruits and drank its water.
In
Biharul-Anwar - Volume 10, al-Baqir says:
When Fatima was born, Allah (Exalted is His
Name) revealed to an angel to speak the name
Fatima with Muhammad's tongue. Allah then
said, I have bestowed knowledge upon you and
safeguarded you from menstruation. Then Abu
Ja'far added:
By Allah! Allah (Blessed and Exalted is His Name)
bestowed knowledge on her and safeguarded her
from menstruation with the covenant.
From the same author al-Tabarsi, he quotes the following traditions from Anas Ibn
Malik that:
Fatima is the most excellent of all the women of
the world.
The most excellent among the women of the world
are - Maryam daughter of Imran (that is, the
Virgin Mary), Asiyah daughter of Muzahim (wife
of Pharaoh), Khadijah daughter of Khuwaylid
and Fatima, daughter of Muhammad.
I heard the Apostle of Allah say, I am a tree,
Fatima is its trunk and Ali is its pollen. al-Hasan
and al-Husain are its fruits, and our followers
(Shia) are its leaves. The roots of the tree are
in the Garden of Eden, and its trunk, fruits and
leaves are in Paradise.
Ali Ibn Abi Talib has said:
The Prophet used to order me to open the door
to whoever wanted to join him when he came to
break his fast, but that night he ordered me to
guard the door of the house and said to me, O son
of Abu Talib! This food is forbidden to everyone
save me.
I sat at the door, and the Prophet uncovered the
plate, in privacy, to find a cluster of dates and a
bunch of grapes; he ate until satisfied and drank
his need of water. He then extended his hands
to be washed, so Jibraeel poured the water,
Mikaeel washed his hands, and Israfeel dried
them. Thereafter, the remaining food with the
plate ascended to heaven. Then he (S) started to
prepare himself for prayers when Jibraeel said to
him, Prayer is forbidden to you until you go to
Khadija's house and perform coition with her;
for Allah (Glory be to Him) ordained upon Him
to create noble progeny from you tonight. So he
rushed to Khadija's house.
In another tradition, al-Ridha quotes the Prophet who said:
On the night of my Ascension to Heaven, Jibraeel
took my hand and led me into Paradise, then he
handed me dates from which I ate; those dates
were formed into sperm. When I descended to
earth, I came unto Khadija who became pregnant
with Fatima; thus, Fatima is a Human Huri
(human heavenly lady), whom whenever I long
for Paradise I smell.
Fatima (AS) and The Verses of al-Kawthar
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate,
the Merciful.
Verily, We granted you Kawthar (the
Abundant Blessing). So, turn to your Lord
in prayer and make a sacrifice. Surely,
your enemy (and not you) is the one who
shall be without posterity.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter al-Kawthar)
Kawthar means Abundant Blessing, and it may include a broad range of concepts;
however, many great Shiite scholars believe that Fatima al-Zahra (AS) is the
personality who best fits the concept of Kawthar.
Before Fatima was born, the enemies of the Prophet (S) repeatedly annoyed him by
saying that he was the one who should be without posterity (as all his children had
died due to different reasons). Here, in this verse, Almighty Allah (SWT) negates
the claims of His enemies and says,
We granted you the Kawthar.
According to one scholar, we can conclude that Fatima (AS) is the same Kawthar
(the Abundant Blessing) mentioned in Qur'an, as all later offspring of the Prophet
descended from Fatima al-Zahra, who were (and are) the guardians of Islam.
Besides the twelve Infallible (AS) - who have an exceptional standing and are
flawless - if we have a look at the past history of Islam, we come across innumerable
Sayyids (the offspring of the Prophet and Fatima), among whom we can trace
countless Islamic scholars, authors, jurisprudents, narrators, interpreters, and
devoted commanders, who struggled hard to safeguard the teachings and precepts
of Islam, ideologically and physically.
Fatima (AS) and The Verses of al-Insan
...They fulfill vows and fear a day, the evil
of which shall be spreading far and wide.
And they give food - out of love for Him
(Allah) - to the poor and the orphan and
the captive (and say), We only feed you for
Allah's sake. We desire from you neither
reward nor thanks. Surely we fear from
our Lord a stern, distressful day.
Therefore Allah will guard them from the
evil of that day and cause them to meet
with ease and happiness.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 76, Verses 7-11)
These verses of Qur'an speak of the Ahlul-Bayt (AS), eulogizing their selflessness
and piety. These verses are good evidence for their merits and virtues. The historical
occasion to which these blessed verses refer was - once al-Hasan and al-Husain
were at their childhood age, they fell sick and the Prophet together with some of his
companions visited them. He suggested that Ali (AS) should make a vow to Allah
for his sons' health. Heeding the Prophet's suggestion, Imam Ali, Fatima, along
with their maid, Fizza, took a vow that if the boys recovered, they would fast for
three consecutive days. Eventually al-Hasan and al-Husain (AS) recovered, and to
fulfill the vow, they also fasted along with their parents and the maid.
They all fasted for three consecutive days, but each day - at the time of breaking the
fast - some needy person (as verse No. 8 indicates) appeared, and the Ahlul-Bayt
gladly fed him, and themselves passed the nights without food and broke their
fasts with water only.
On the fourth day, Imam Ali (AS) took his dear sons - al-Hasan and al-Husain (AS)
- with himself to see the Prophet. When the Prophet (S) observed them - trembling
with hunger - he said,
It grieves me to see you in this condition. Then, he stood up and accompanied them to their house. On entering the house, he was shocked
to see the sight of his daughter Fatima, sitting hollow-eyed on her prayer mat,
her stomach stuck to her back. It was then that the Archangel Gabriel came down
with this Surah, saying,
O Muhammad, Allah congratulates you for having such a
(devoted) household, and then recited the verses of the chapter al-Insan.
Fatima (AS) and The Verse of al-Tatheer
Verily, Allah desires to keep away the
uncleanness (impurities) from you, O
people of the House! And to purify you, a
(thorough) purifying...
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 33, Verse 33)
This is actually a genetic purification of the Ahlul-Bayt (AS). That is, the Ahlul-
Bayt (including Fatima) are not only infallible (far from any kind of uncleanness,
disobedience, error, sin, or personal whim) but also away from the thought of sin.
Fatima and the Verse of Mubahila
.Let us call our sons and your sons, our
women and your women, and ourselves
and yourselves. Then let us pray and invoke
Allah's curse upon those who lie.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 3, Verse 61)
Historians narrate that in place of our women the Prophet took only his daughter
Fatima to confront the Christians during the event of Mubahila. The Prophet
could have taken his close female relatives or some other women, but he took
only his daughter, the Infallible lady. Together with Fatima, her father (Prophet
Muhammad), both sons (al-Hasan and al-Husain) and husband (Ali) who were
also Infallible proceeded to argue with the Christians who were defeated. She was
also the only lady permitted inside the Cloak under the cover of the Prophet when
the verse of Purification was revealed.
Mir Ahmed Ali (1988) has summarized the Event of Mubahila as follows:
The Prophet was sending invitations to all to
accept the True Religion of Allah. Tribe after
tribe, region after region were coming into the
fold of Islam. One such invitation was sent to the
Christians of Najran, a town in Yemen, in the 9th
year of Hijra. A deputation of 60 scholars came to
discuss the matter with the Prophet.
Abdul Masih, the chief monk, asked him as to who
was the father of Isa, thinking that the Prophet
would accept (God as the father of Isa. Verse 59
of this chapter was revealed and presented to
the Christians as a reply but they did not listen
to reason). Then this verse was revealed to call
them to a spiritual contest by invoking the Curse
of Allah on the liars. The Christians agreed to this
contest.
Early next morning, the 24th of the month
of Dhilhijjah, the Prophet sent Salman to the
selected site, outside the city area, to set up a
shelter for those whom he would take with him,
as his sons, women and selves. A large number
of companions assembled in the mosque, making
themselves available for the selection. On the
opposite side of the field, selected for the contest,
the Christians, with their selected men, women
and children appeared on the scene.
At the appointed hour, a huge crowd, standing in
wait, saw the Prophet coming in, al-Husain in his
arms, al-Hasan holding his index finger, walking
beside him, Fatima Zahra, close to his heels and
Ali just behind her - as his sons, women, and
selves. It should be noted that although there
was provision for women and selves the Prophet
selected one woman and one self - Fatima and Ali,
because there was no woman and no man among
his followers at that time that could be brought
into the contest of invoking the curse of Allah on
the liars. They alone were the truthful ones.
The Prophet raised his hands to the heaven and
said, O my Lord! These are the people of my
house. The chief monk looked up and down at
the faces of the Pure Five from who emanated
a radiant and brilliant glow; and this sight filled
him with awe and anguish. He cried out aloud, By
Jesus! I see the faces that if they turn upward to
the heavens and pray, the mountains shall move.
Believers in Jesus of Nazareth, I tell you the
truth. Should you fail to come to some agreement
with Muhammad, he, along with the godly souls
with him, shall wipe out your existence forever,
should they invoke the curse of God on you.
The Christians saw the wisdom of their chief and
readily agreed to arrive at a settlement. As there is
no compulsion in religion Islam, the Prophet gave
them complete freedom to practice their faith. He
also agreed to protect their lives and possessions,
and for this service the Christians consented to
pay a nominal fee (Jizya). It was an extraordinary
manifestation of the glory of Islam.
Fatima and the Day of Judgment
Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari (AS) narrates that I once said to Imam al-Baqir (AS):
May I be your sacrifice, son of Allah's Messenger
(S), narrate to me a hadith in regards to the traits
of your grandmother, Lady Fatima (AS), so that
if I report it to your Shiites, they would rejoice at
hearing it.
Abu Ja'far (AS) said:
My grandfather, the Prophet (S) is reported to
have said that on the Day of Rising, pulpits of
(divine) light shall be the highest (from amongst
the things visible) on that Day. Allah (SWT)
will then say, Deliver a sermon so I will deliver
a sermon that none of the Prophets (AS) or the
Messengers (AS) have ever heard before.
Then for the successors (of Prophets (AS) shall be
erected pulpits of light, and in the middle of these
pulpits one shall be erected for my successor,
Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS), which will be higher than
all other pulpits. Allah (SWT) will then say, Ali!
Deliver a sermon. So he will deliver a sermon like
the one no successor has ever heard before.
Then for the children of the Prophets (AS) and
Messengers (AS) shall be erected pulpits of light,
and among them shall be a pulpit of light for my
two sons, grandsons and the two flowers of my
life, Hasan ibn Ali (AS) and Husain ibn Ali Ibn Abi
Talib (AS). Then it shall be said to them, Deliver
a sermon. So they will deliver two sermons like
those that none of the children of the Prophets
(AS) have ever heard before.
A caller (by the name) Jibraeel (AS) shall then
call, Where is Fatima, daughter of Muhammad
(S)? She will then rise.
Allah (SWT), Blessed and Exalted is His Name,
shall say, O people of the Gathering! To whom
does honor belong today? So, Muhammad (S),
Ali, Hasan, Husain (AS) will say, To Allah (SWT),
the One, the Almighty. Allah (SWT) the Exalted
will then say, O People of the Gathering! Lower
your heads and cast your eyes down, for this is
Fatima proceeding towards Paradise.
Jibraeel (AS) shall then bring her a female camel
from the female camels of Paradise. Its sides shall
be embellished, and its muzzles with fresh pearls
and it shall have a saddle of coral. It shall kneel
down in her presence, so she will ride it.
Allah (SWT) will then send 100,000 angels to
accompany her on her right side, and 100,000
angels to accompany her on her left side, and
100,000 angels to lift her onto wings until they
bring her to the gate of Paradise. When she is near
the gate of Paradise, she will look to her side.
Allah (SWT) will then say, Daughter of My
Beloved! Why did you look to your side after I
gave the command that you enter My Paradise?
She will say, My Lord! I wish that my position be
realized on such a Day.
Allah (SWT) will say, Daughter of My Beloved!
Go back and look for everyone in whose heart
was love (and obedience) for you or for any of
your progeny. Take their hands and lead them
to Paradise.
Abu Ja'far (AS) says:
By Allah (SWT), Jabir (AR), she will pick her
Shiites (i.e. obedient followers) and those who
loved her just like a bird picks good seeds from
bad seeds. However, when her Shiites are near
the gate of Paradise, Allah (SWT) will inspire their
hearts to look to their sides. And when they do so,
Allah (SWT) the Almighty will say, My beloved
ones, why did you look around when Fatima, the
daughter of My Beloved interceded for you?
The people will answer, Our Lord! We hoped that
our position would (also) be known on such a
Day.
Allah (SWT) will then say (to the selected people), My beloved ones, go back and look for everyone
who loved you for your love of Fatima. Look for
everyone who fed you for the love of Fatima;
Look for every one who clothed you for the love
of Fatima; Look for every one who gave you a
drink for the love of Fatima; Look for everyone
who prevented backbiting from being done
against the love of Fatima. Take their hands and
lead them into Paradise.
Indeed, there are various degrees of serving Allah
(SWT), but affection (and cordial inclination) for
us, Ahlul-Bayt (AS), is the highest one.
Salman al-Farsi quotes the Messenger of God having said:
O Salman, those who love Fatima, my daughter,
will be with me in paradise, and those who hate
her will be in hell.
O Salman, the love of Fatima will be beneficial in
one hundred difficult instances. The least difficult
of these instances will be at the time of death, in
the grave, at the scale, the gathering of people on
the Day of Judgment, the bridge, the display (of
your book), and the calculation.
I am pleased with those with whom Fatima is
pleased, and God is pleased with those with whom
I am pleased.
I am angry with those with whom Fatima is
angry, and God is angry with those with whom I
am angry.
Woe unto those who are unjust to her and her
husband, the Commander of the Believers.
Woe unto those who are unjust to her Shia and
her progeny.
(Biharul-Anwar. Ghayatul Maram. Maqtal al-
Husain. Yanabi al-Mawaddah)
Virtues of The Prince of The Believers, Imam Ali (AS) -
as recorded by
one of the most revered scholars in Islam, author or al-Mizan (Exegesis of Qur'an
- 20 volumes) and many other books, Allamah Taba Tabai (AR)
It is narrated by Allamah Majlisi (AR) that Imam Zayn al-Aabideen (AS), who
relates on the authority of his father Muhammad al-Baqir (AS), reported that the
Prophet (S) had once refused to say funeral prayers at the funeral of Barau, till
Ali (AS), who happened to be absent at that hour, returned and prayed with the
Prophet (S) the funeral prayers.
After the funeral, the Prophet (S) congratulated the family members of Barau on
his happy entrance into Paradise, and the heavenly ladies welcoming him with
pleasure. And the Prophet (S) continued:
Even if Barau's sins had exceeded in number of
the sands, particles of dust, drops of rain, leaves of
trees, hairs of animals, glances of their eyes, their
breathings, motions and stops, all would have been
forgiven and pardoned at the prayer of Ali.
Seek the prayers of Ali and beware of his curse,
of everyone he curses will certainly be destroyed,
although his good deeds equal in number of the
creatures of Allah (SWT).
In
Uyunul-Akhbar from Imam al-Ridha (AS) concerning the verse of The Trust
(in Chapter 33, Verse 72) is the wilayat. Whoever claims it without a right has
disbelieved.
Also from the same book from Imam al-Sadiq (AS):
Surely Allah (SWT), the Blessed and High, created
the spirits before the bodies by two thousand
years, and He made the most high and noble of
them Muhammad (S) and Ali, Hasan and Husain
(AS) and the (remaining) Imams (AS).
Then he presented it (The Trust) to the skies, the earth and the mountains so their
light fainted. So Allah (SWT), the Blessed and High said:
These are My beloved ones, My near ones, My
proofs over My creation and the leaders of my
creation. I have not created any creation more
beloved to me than them - for them and for those
who are near to them. I have created My Paradise
(for them and their loved and near ones, the
followers), and for those who oppose them and be
inimical towards them I have created My Hell. So
whoever claims their position with Me and their
place in My Greatness I will punish them with such
a chastisement that I will not punish anyone with
a punishment the like of these persons in all the
worlds, and I will place him with the hypocrites in
the lowest grade in My Hell.
Whoever affirms their mastership and does not
claim their position and place with My Greatness, I
will place these persons with them in the meadows
of My Paradise, and they will have whatever they
want from Me. I will shower unto them My Mercy
and I will make them My neighbors. I will cause
them to be intercessors for the sinners among My
servants, male and female. So, their successorship
is a trust from Me to My creation...
From the book
al-Amali, from al-Taliqani (AR) with his chain of narrators, from
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) - the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
Surely Allah (SWT) has made for my brother,
Imam Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) virtues that none
can count but He. So whoever mentions only one
of his many virtues with full conviction concerning
it, Allah (SWT) forgives him of his sins that which
has passed and that which is to come, even if he
came on the Day of Judgment with the sins of all
men & jinn.
And whoever writes a virtue of the many virtues
of Imam Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) the angels will
not seize in seeking forgiveness for him as long as
a trace of that writing remains.
And whoever listens to a virtue of his many
virtues, Allah (SWT) forgives him the sins that he
committed by listening.
And whoever looks to the writing of his virtues,
Allah (SWT) forgives him those sins that he
committed by looking.
Then the Messenger of Allah (S) said:
To look at Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) is worship,
to remember him is worship and the faith of a
servant is not accepted except by (rectification of)
his mastership and being clear of his enemies.
A man once came to the Prophet (S) and said,
O Messenger of Allah! Some sailed
to China for trading and came back quickly, making so much money that his
friends envy him, and he has become very wealthy.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said,
In this life the more wealth you have, the more
troubles you will have. So do not envy the wealthy, except those who spend
their wealth in Allah's way. But should I tell you about a person who, with less
investment and less time, has made more profit, and moreover, his wealth is kept
safe under the Throne of Allah?
The people replied,
Yes, O Messenger of Allah!
The Prophet (S) said,
He is the person who is coming toward us.
So we looked and we saw one of the Ansar who looked rather shabby (approaching
us).
The Messenger of Allah (S) said:
This man has earned a reward and blessing
today, and if you were to divide it among all of the
inhabitants of the skies and the earths, the least
they would deserve would be forgiveness for their
sins and entrance to Paradise.
So the people asked,
What did he do today to deserve such a reward?
The Prophet (S) replied,
Go and ask him.
The people went to the man and said,
Congratulations for the glad tidings that the
Prophet (S) has given you. Tell us what you have done today.
The man replied:
I did not do anything. When I left my house this
morning, I had a business affair that I had to take
care of but I was late. I was worried that it was
too late to attend to it, so I thought to myself - Let
me go and look at the face of Ali Ibn Abi Talib
(AS) instead because I had heard the Messenger
of Allah (S) say - Looking at the face of Ali Ibn Abi
Talib is worshipping Allah.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said:
Yes! I swear to Allah that this is worshipping Allah,
and this is the best way of worshipping Allah! O
slave of Allah! You left your house this morning
trying to make some money to bring back for your
family, but instead you went to look at Ali Ibn Abi
Talib's face while you love him and believe in his
status. What you did is better than having the
entire world. You gave up the money in the way
of Allah. Allah will release one thousand men
from Hell with your intercession for every breath
you took as you walked toward Ali.
(Amali of Saduq. Biharul-Anwar)
Also from the book
al-Amali from Muhammad, son of al-Qasam al-Astarabaadi
with his chain of narrators, the Prophet (S) was once asked:
Surely, this person (pointing towards a faithful
servant) has climbed this day in elevation in good
deeds and obedience, so much that if it were
divided among the people of the heavens and
earth, the share of the least of them would be the
forgiveness of his sins and mandatory (entrance
into) heaven for him. So the people gathered
around that faithful servant and asked him as to
what he did today that the Prophet (S) himself is
praising the act so much. The man replied, I don't
know whether I did anything other than that I
came out from my house seeking the fulfillment
of a need which its fulfillment I found being
delayed, so I feared that the opportunity passed
me. So I said to myself that I would replace it
with a look at the face Imam Ali, son of Abu Talib
(AS) for I heard the Messenger of Allah (SWT)
(S) say:
A look at the face of Imam Ali (AS) is worship.
So the Messenger of Allah (SWT) (S) said:
Yes, by Allah! Looking at the face of Ali (AS) is
worship. And which (kind of) worship. You, O
Servant of Allah (SWT), came seeking to earn some
coins by which you could nourish your family and
the opportunity passed you so you replaced it by
looking at the face of Imam Ali (AS), and you love
him and believe in his superiority.
(Indeed) That is better for you than if you were in
the possession of the weight of the whole world in
red gold and you spent it in charity in the way of
Allah (SWT). You will (thus) intercede for every
breath you took in your journeying toward him
1000 necks. Allah (SWT) will free (people) from
the Fire by your intersession.
al-Mutahhari (AR) in his book
Polarization Around the Character of Imam Ali,
Muhibb al-Tabari narrates from Aisha that she said, I saw my father (Abu Bakr)
gazing often at Ali's face. I said, O my father! I see you gazing often at Ali's face.
He said, O my daughter! I heard the Prophet say, Looking at the face of Ali is
worship.
Aisha says:
Ali Ibn Abi Talib came to my father (Abu Bakr)
while he was ill with the illness that caused his
death. My father was staring at his (Ali's) face and
would not take his eyes off of him.
So when Ali left, I asked my father as to why was
he looking at his face like that?
He (Abu Bakr) replied, Because I heard the
Messenger of God say - looking at Ali's face is
worshiping God.
(Biharul-Anwar. Ghayatul-Maram. Amali al-
Saduq. Kashf al-Ghummah and several others)
From the book al-Rawdha, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (SWT) once
exclaimed:
No people gather and mention a virtue of Imam
Ali, son of Abu Talib (AS) but descend upon them
the angels of the sky until they encircle them.
So when they (the people) disperse, the angels
ascend to the sky and the (other) angels say, Surely we smell of your fragrance that which we
don't smell in other angels. We have never sensed
a fragrance more beautiful than this?
So the angels reply, We were with a (group of)
people who were mentioning Muhammad (S)
and his Ahlul-Bayt (AS), thus do we smell of their
fragrance, (and) so we became perfumed. So
the other angels say, Take us to those people (on
earth). So the angels with fragrance reply, they
dispersed, and every one of them has gone to his
place of residence. So they say, Take us down so
that that place can at least perfume us.
Ibn Abbas (AR) narrates that once came a person and asked the Prophet (S) if the
Love of Ali (AS) would benefit him on the Day of Judgment! So the Prophet (S) said
to that person that:
When the Day of Judgment shall arrive, Allah
(SWT) will order an angel to set the Fire ablaze,
and He will order an angel by the name of Ridhwan
(AS) to bring Paradise near. Then He will extend
the Bridge and establish the Scale under the
Throne and a caller shall call out to Muhammad
(S) and bring his followers for the accounting.
Then He will extend on the distance of 7 thousand
years; and on every archway shall be angels who
shall sweep away mankind. (By Allah!) No soul
shall pass these archways but one who befriended
Imam Ali (AS) and his Ahlul-Bayt (Peace be on all
of them); and the one who knew them and they
knew him.
And whoever didn't know them (the Ahlul-Bayt
(AS), will fall into the Fire on the top of his head,
even if he had with him the worship of 70,000
servants, because, all the worship will not bear
weight on the Gathering Day on the Scale and no
foot of a human shall be firm on the Bridge except
by the love of Imam Ali (AS). And to this is the
indication with His, Allah (SWT)'s word:
And Allah shall make firm those who
believe, with the firm word in this world
and in the hereafter.
(al-Qur'an - Chapter 14, Verse 27)
Ibn Abbas (AR) further narrates that the Messenger of Allah (S) also said to Ali
(AS):
O Ali! Has not become firm the love of you in the
heart of any believer but his foot will be firm on
the Bridge, until he enters heaven.
The author of
Uyunul-Akhbar narrates:
Once Imam Ali (AS) was travelling with a Jew (who
hadn't recognized the Imam (AS) and passed on
a path crossing across over the water. Then the
Jew called out to Amirul-Mu'mineen (AS) and
remarked, Hey you! If you had my knowledge,
you would be able to cross (the water with your
horse) as I have crossed.
So Amirul-Mu'mineen (AS) said to the Jew to
remain firm where he was. Then he (Imam Ali
(AS) pointed to the water so it solidified, and he
passed over on it. When the Jew saw this act, he
fell on his feet and said, O Youth! What did you
say so as to change the water to stone?
Amirul-Mu'mineen (AS) said to him, So what did
you yourself say so as to cross over the water?
The Jew replied, I called Allah (SWT) by His
Greatest Name. So Amirul-Mu'mineen (AS)
asked as to what was the Great Name of Allah
(SWT).
The Jew replied, I asked Him by the Name of
the Successor of Muhammad (S). So Amirul-
Mu'mineen (AS) said to him, I am the successor
of Muhammad (S). Then the Jew said, Surely it's
the truth, and then he submitted (and became a
Muslim).
And of that is what Ammar Yasir (AR) narrated. He said:
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.
So Ammar said, I called upon Allah (SWT) by his
name and the rock became gold (instantly). So he
said, Take from it your need. So I said, how can I
soften it? He (AS) said, O One Weak in Certainty!
Ask Allah (SWT) by my name to soften the rock,
for it was by my name that Allah (SWT) enabled
the metal to become soft for Prophet Dawood
(AS). 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 late George Gordon was a famous Christian historian, linguist, philosopher
and poet of Egypt. Arabic was his mother tongue, at the same time he was well
versed in English, French, German, Persian and Latin, and he used to contribute to
historical and philosophical magazines of France, Germany and England.
About Ali he said:
None can praise Ali to the extent that he deserves.
So many instances of his piety and fear of God are
cited that one starts loving and venerating him.
He was a true, strict and scrupulous follower
of Islam. His words and deeds bore stamps of
nobility, sagacity and courage of conviction. He
was a great man having his own independent
views about life and its problems. He never
deceived, misled, or betrayed anybody.
In various phases and periods of his life he
exhibited marvelous strength of body and mind
which were due to his true faith in religion and
in his sincere belief in truth and justice. He never
had a servant and never allowed his slaves to work
hard. Often he would carry his household goods
himself and if anybody offered to relieve him of
the weight he would refuse.
His stature was moderate and slightly short. His
skin was of wheaten color and his beard was
white and long. His eyes were large and black.
He had a cheerful face and was good-natured.
His neck was long like a goblet made of silver.
His shoulders were broad. The joints of his hands
were like those of a roaring lion, because his
hands and wrists were completely joined with
each other and distinction could hardly be made
between them. His hands and fingers were strong,
moderately fat and fleshy. His calves were fleshy
and their lower part was thin. His arms were also
fleshy in a similar manner.
He walked calmly like the prophet. However, as
and when he proceeded to give a fight he walked
briskly and did not turn his head to see anything
else. His bodily strength was unimaginable. He
usually picked up the fighters whom he laid his
hands on and threw them on the ground without
any difficulty or effort, as if they were small
children. And if he held the arm of any warrior
in his hand the latter could not even breathe. It
is well known that he did not fight with anyone
whom he did not vanquish, even though he might
have been very strong and a renowned champion.
At times he picked up a big gate, which a number
of strong persons could not even close, or open,
and used it as a shield to defend himself.
On some occasions he threw away with one
hand, a stone, which could not even be shaken
by a number of men. At times he roared in the
battlefield so loudly that the bravest men got
frightened although their number might be quite
large. He possessed such a great power to bear
hardships that he did not fear any harm from heat
or coldness. He used to wear summer clothes in
winter and winter clothes in summer.
Final Comment
The entire creation of Allah, including all animate and Inanimate objects, even
non-Muslims (mainly Hindus and Christians) have evolved to pray on behalf of the
Aimmah and we see this often throughout the world. One story would suffice and
involves a Christian Monk who asked the head of Imam al-Husain (AS) (after being
mercillessly massacred with his children on the deserts of Karbala) for intercession
on the Final Day, and al-Imam told him that he had to become a Muslim first and
so he did.
Conclusion
Man, therefore, is an enmeshed, integral part of
life on earth and in the universe. They maintain
he is linked to the cosmos via his bioplasmic
body, and reacts to changes in the planets as well
as the moods and illnesses of others, to thought,
emotion, sound, light, color, magnetic fields,
the seasons, cycles of the moon, tides, thunder,
storms, strong winds and even levels of noise.
(Tompkins and Bird, 1989)
Energy is the substance that can be described as all that is. Every thing exists in
the form of energy. Our thoughts are included in this, as the unspoken word is an
energy that is sent out and travels in the direction given. We therefore have been
given a very powerful tool to work with, to co-create our lives and the universe for
that matter. Decisions can be influenced, people's health can be changed and your
quality of life can change for the better or worse.
Life is about choices. It is totally up to you as to what kind of energy you want to
send out and what you want to receive. As a thought wave is sent out, it interacts
with the wave patterns of the person or activity it is directed at. When waves meet
they can be added or subtracted depending on if the wave pattern is positive or
negative. Also, energy cannot be destroyed and that these energy packets/waves
get sent round and round. We have the power to influence the existence of all that
is.
Energy has certain specific characteristics. They can be superimposed, they get
reflected and they can change direction. If your energy is directed at a certain
activity or person, you will influence that flow or pattern of energy in a certain
fashion. Since you have interfered with the energy patterns of a particular nature,
the result will be the creation of energy packet in response to that. That new,
changed, thought pattern is sent to you, and so we influence actions, decisions,
state of health etc. without being aware of what we do! It is a very big responsibility
to control our thoughts, as the outcome of these thoughts might not be what was
intended.
This explanation of Ali (AS) makes a very good conclusion to this work:
This Islam is the religion, which Allah has
chosen for Himself, developed it before His eyes,
preferred it as the best among His creations, and
established its pillars on His love.
He has disgraced other religions by giving honour
to it. He has humiliated all communities before
its sublimity. He has humbled its enemies with
His kindness and made its opponents lonely by
according it His support.
He has smashed the pillars of misguidance with
its columns. He has quenched the thirst of the
thirsty from its cisterns, and filled the cisterns
through those who draw its water.
He made Islam such that its constituent parts
cannot break, its links cannot separate, its
construction cannot fall, its columns cannot
decay, its plant cannot be uprooted, its time does
not end, its laws do not expire, its twigs cannot be
cut, its parts do not become narrow, its ease does
not change into difficulty, its clarity is not affected
by gloom, its straightness does not acquire
curvature, its wood has no crookedness, its vast
paths have no narrowness, its lamp knows no
putting off and its sweetness has no bitterness.
It consists of columns whose bases Allah has
fixed in truthfulness and whose foundation He
has strengthened, and of sources whose streams
are ever full of water and of lamps, whose flames
are full of light, and of beacons with whose help
travellers get guidance, and of signs through
which a way is found to its highways and of
watering places which provide water to those who
come to them.
Allah has placed in Islam the height of His
pleasure, the pinnacle of His pillars and the
prominence of His obedience. Before Allah,
therefore, its columns are strong, its construction
is lofty, its proofs are bright, its fires are aflame,
its authority is strong, its beacons are high and
its destruction is difficult. You should therefore
honour it, follow it, fulfil its obligations and
accord the position due to it.
