The Messenger of Allah spread his cloak on `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and quoted the following holy verse: “Allah only desires to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you, a thorough purifying.” (33:33)
`Ali sacrificed his life for the Messenger of Allah by putting on his clothes and lying in his bed at that night, which is called Laylat al-Mabit when the Holy Prophet left Mecca for Medina secretly away from the eyes of the people of Quraysh. The polytheists were throwing stones at `Ali’s body thinking that it was the Holy Prophet. Abu-Bakr too came and called for the Messenger of Allah. `Ali quietly said: The Holy Prophet is not here. He is heading for Bi’r Maymun. If you hurry, you will reach him. The polytheists kept on throwing stones at `Ali but he wrapped his garment over his head till morning when the polytheists found out that they were throwing stones at a wrong target. They swore at him saying: Whatever stones we threw at him, he did not say anything but was raising his voice. Hence, it was strange for us as to whether it was Muhammad or someone else lying in his bed.
قَالُوا: هُو فِي الرَّحَى يَطْحَنُ. قَالَ: وَما كانَ أَحدُكُمْ يَطحَنُ عَنهُ. قَالَ: فَجاءَ وَهوَ أرْمَدُ لاَ يَكادُ أنْ يُبصِرَ. فَتَفَلَ فِي عَينَيْهِ ثُمَّ هَزّ الرَّايةَ ثَلاثاً فَأعْطاها إيَّاهُ. فَجاءَ بِصَفِيَّةَ بِنتِ حُيَيٍّ.
قَالَ: ثُمّ بَعثَ فُلاناً بِسورَةِ التَّوبَةِ فَبعثَ عَلِيَّاً خَلفَهُ فَأخَذَها مِنهُ. قَالَ: لاَ يَذْهَبُ بِها إلاَّ رَجُلٌ مِنّي وَأنَا مِنهُ.
قَالَ: وَقالَ لِبَني عَمِّهِ: أيُّكُم يُوالينِي فِي الدُّنيا وَالآخِرَةِ؟ قَالَ: وَعَلِيٌّ جالِسٌ مَعَهُمْ فَأَبَوْا. فَقالَ عَلِيٌّ: أَنا أُوالِيكَ فِي الدُّنيا وَالآخِرةِ. فَقالَ: أنْتَ وَلِيّي فِي الدُّنيا والآخِرَةِ.
قَالَ: وَكانَ أوَّلَ مَنْ أسلَمَ مِن النَّاسِ بَعدَ خَديجَةَ.
قَالَ وَأخَذَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ثَوبَهُ فَوَضَعَهُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ وَفاطِمَةَ وَحَسَنٍ وَحُسَيْنٍ فَقالَ: ﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمْ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا.﴾
قَالَ: وَشرَى عَلِيُّ نَفسَهُ؛ لَبِسَ ثَوبَ رَسولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ثُمَّ نامَ مَكانَهُ. قَالَ وَكانَ الْمُشرِكونَ يُريدونَ رَسولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ.
فَجاءَ أَبُو بَكرٍ وَعَلِيٌّ نائِمٌ. قَالَ: وَأبو بَكرٍ يَحسبُ أنَّهُ نَبِيُّ اللهِ. قَالَ: فَقالَ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ. قَالَ: فَقالَ لهُ عَلِيٌّ: إنَّ نبِيَّ اللهِ قَد انطَلَقَ نَحوَ بِئْرِ مَيْمُونٍ فَأَدْرِكْهُ. قَالَ فَانطَلَقَ أَبو بَكرٍ فَدخَلَ مَعَهُ الغَارَ. قَالَ: وَجَعَلَ عَلِيٌّ يُرْمَى بِالْحِجارَةِ كَما كانَ يُرْمَى رَسولُ اللهِ وَهوَ يَتَضَوَّرُ قَدْ لَفَّ رَأسَهُ بِالثَّوْبِ لاَ يُخْرِجُهُ حَتَّى أصبَحَ. ثُمَّ كَشَفَ عَن رَأْسِهِ الثَّوْبَ فَقالُوا: كانَ صَاحِبُكَ نَرْميهِ فَلا يتَضَوَّرُ وَأَنْتَ تَتَضَوَّرُ وَقَد استَنْكرْنا ذلكَ.
In the battle of Tabuk when the Holy Prophet’s companions were along with him, `Ali said: Will you give me permission to take part in this battle with you? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said, “No.” `Ali was greatly impressed by the Holy Prophet’s unusual answer and started weeping. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Are you not happy that you are to me like Aaron to Moses, except that you are not a prophet? I do not like to pass away from this world unless you will succeed me.
The Holy Prophet (s.a), on another occasion, said to `Ali, “You are the leader of every believer after me.”
The Messenger of Allah, on the order of Allah, closed all the doors opening to Masjid al-Nabi. The door of `Ali’s house was the only one which remained open. He sometimes entered the mosque while he was in a state of ceremonial impurity, for there was no other way for going and coming.
source : GREATER SINS by Ayatullah-ul-Uzma Sayed Abdul Husain Dastghaib Shirazi (r.a.)
