Jihad in the Way of Allah

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

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

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

Wahidi reports: `Ali, `Abbas and Talhah were engaged in self-glorying. Talhah said: What a better honor is there for me than having the key of God’s House and its opening on my order! `Abbas said: It is an honor for me to provide the Hajj pilgrims with the water of ZamZam which is solely at my disposal! `Ali said: I have no idea of what you are speaking about. But I started to worship Allah six month before other people. I had an active participation in the battlefields in a way God Almighty states: “What! Do you make one

يُراقِبُ الشَّمْسَ. فَقالَ لَهُ ابن عَبَّاسٍ: يَا أمِير المُؤْمِنِينَ مَا هَذَا الفعل؟ فَقالَ: انظر إلَى الزوال حَتَّى نصلي. فَقالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: هَلْ هَذَا وَقْتُ صَلاةٍ؟ إنَّ عِنْدَنا لَشُغْلاً بِالقِتالِ عَنِ الصَّلاةِ. فَقالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: فَعَلَى مَا نُقاتِلُهُمْ؟ إنَّما نُقاتِلُهُمْ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ.

فِي الجِهادِ:

لاَ خِلافَ بَيْنَ المُسْلِمينَ كافَّةً أنَّ الدِّين إنَّما تَمَهَّدَتْ قَواعِدُهُ وَتَشَيَّدَتْ أرْكانُهُ بِسَيْفِ مَوْلانا أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عليهِ أَفضَلُ الصَّلاةِ والسَّلامِ لَمْ يَسْبِقْهُ فِي ذَلِكَ سابِقٌ وَلا لَحِقَهُ لاحِقٌ. كَانَ رابِطَ الْجَأْشِ قَوِيَّ الْبَأْسِ سَيْفَ اللهِ وَكاشِفَ الْكُرَبِ عَنْ وَجْهِ رَسُولِ اللهِ. تَعَجَّبَتِ الْمَلائِكَةُ مِنْ حَمْلاتِهِ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكينَ وَابْتُلِيَ بِجِهادِ الْكُفَّارِ وَالْمَارِقينَ وَالْقَاسِطيـنَ وَالنَّاكِثيـنَ.

رَوَى أحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ فِي مُسْنَدِهِ قَالَ: خَطَبَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلامُ فَقالَ: لَقَدْ فارَقَكُمْ بِالأَمْسِ رَجُلٌ لَمْ يَسْبِقْهُ الأَوَّلُونَ بِعِلْمٍ وَلا يُدْرِكُهُ الآخِرونَ. كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَبْعَثُهُ بِالرَّايَةِ، جِبْريلُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَمِيكائِيلُ عَنْ شِمالِهِ، لاَ يَنْصَرِفُ حَتَّى يُفْتَحَ لَهُ.

وَنَقَلَ الواحِدِيُّ قَالَ: إنَّ عَلِيّاً وَالعَبَّاسَ وَطَلْحَةَ افْتَخَروا. فَقالَ طَلْحَةُ: أنَا صَاحِب البَيْتِ بِيَدي مِفْتاحُهُ. وَقالَ العَبَّاسُ: أنَا صَاحِبُ السِّقايَةِ وَالقائِمُ عَلَيْها. وَقالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: مَا أَدْري مَا تَقُولانِ، لَقَدْ صَلَّيْتُ سِتَّةَ أشْهُرٍ قَبْلَ النَّاسِ وَأنَا صَاحِبُ الْجِهادِ. فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَـالَى: ﴿أَجَعَلْتُـمْ سِقَـايَةَ الْحَـاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ

who undertakes the giving of drink to the pilgrims and the guarding of the sacred mosque like him who believes in Allah and the latter day and strives hard in Allah’s way? They are not equal with Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people. Those who believed and fled their homes, and strove hard in Allah’s way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers of their objects.” (9:19-20)

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