The truth of religion was firm in his pure heart

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

قَالَ أَبُو ذر: فَما اسْتَتَمَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ الكَلِمَةَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ جِبْريلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ تَعالَى فَقالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ إقْرَأْ. قَالَ: وَمَا أَقْرَأُ؟ قَالَ: إِقْرَأْ ﴿إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمْ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ.﴾

وَمِنْ تَفْسيرِ الثَّعْلَبِيِّ وَنُقِلَ فِي الجَمْعِ بَيْنَ الصِّحاحِ السِّتَّةِ نَحْوُهُ قَالَ مُجاهِدُ: نَهَى اللهُ تَعالَى عَنْ مُنَاجَاةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلهِ حَتَّى يَتَصَدَّقوا. فَلَمْ يُناجِهِ إلاَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طالِبٍ، قَدَّمَ دِيناراً فَتَصَدَّقَ بِهِ. ثُمَّ نَزَلَتِ الرُّخْصَةُ. وَقالَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إنَّ فِي كِتابِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجلَّ لآَيَةً مَا عَمِلَ بِهَا أَحَدٌ قَبْلي وَلا يَعْمَلُ بِهَا أَحَدٌ بَعْدِي: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمْ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَةً…﴾

وَقالَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: بِي خَفَّفَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجلَّ عَنْ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ أَمْرَ هَذِهِ الآيَةِ، فَلَمْ تَنْزِلْ فِي أَحَدٍ قَبْلي وَلَمْ تَنْزِلْ فِي أَحَدٍ بَعْدي.

قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: كَانَ لعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِبٍ ثَلاثَةٌ، لَوْ كَانَتْ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ أَحَبَّ إلَيَّ مِنْ حُمُرِ النَّعَمِ: تَزْويُجُه فَاطِمَةَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْها، وَإعْطاؤهُ الرَّايَةَ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرٍ وَآيَةُ النَّجْوَى.

وَكَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَعْمُرُ بِيَدِهِ الشَّريفَةِ حَديقَةً يَتَصَدَّقُ، وَلَمْ يُخَلِّفْ دِينَاراً وَلا دِرْهَماً.

فِي الْوَرَعِ وَالدِّينِ وَاسْتِجابَةِ الدُّعَاءِ:

لاَ خِـلافَ أنَّ أمِيـرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيـنَ عَلَيْهِ السَّـلامُ شَديدُ الوَرَعِ عَظيمُ الدِّينِ، رَسَخَ الإيمانُ فِي قَــلْبِهِ، وَلِشِدَّةِ دِينِهِ وَوَرَعِهِ كَـانَ مُسْتَجَابَ الدَّعْوَةِ. تَوَسَّلَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْه

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

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

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

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

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

وَآلِهِ فِي الْمُباهَلَةِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أصْحَابِهِ يُقارِبُهُ لأَخْرَجَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لأَنَّهُ وَقْتُ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى الدُّعَاءِ وَالإسْتِعانَةِ فِيهِ بِمُسْتَجَابِ الدُّعاءِ.

وقَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ، لَتَنْتَهُنَّ يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ أوْ لَيَبْعَثُنَّ اللهُ عَلَيْكُمْ رَجُلاً إمْتَحَنَ اللهُ قَلْبَهُ بِالإيمانِ يَضْرِبُ رِقابَكُمْ عَلَى الدِّينِ. قِيلَ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، أَهُوَ أبُو بَكْرٍ؟ قَالَ: لاَ. فَقيلَ: فَعُمَرُ؟ قَالَ: لاَ، وَلَكِنَّهُ خاصِفُ النَّعْلِ الَّذِي فِي الحُجْرَةِ.

وَمِنْ كِتابِ المَناقِبِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَوْمَ فَتْحِ خَيْبَرٍ لِعَلِيٍّ: لَوْلا أنْ تَقولَ فِيكَ طَوائِفُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَا قَالَتِ النَّصَارى فِي عِيسَى بْنِ مَرْيَمَ لَقُلْتُ فِيكَ اليَوْمَ مَقالاً لاَ تَمُرُّ عَلَى مَلأٍ مِنَ المُسْلِمينَ إلاَّ أخَذوا مِنْ تُرابِ نَعْلَيْكَ وَفَضْلِ طَهُورِكَ يَسْتَشْفُونَ بِهِ. وَلَكِنْ حَسْبُكَ أَنْ تَكونَ مِنّي وَأنا مِنْكَ تَرِثُنِي وَأَرِثُكَ وَأنْتَ مِنّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إلاَّ أنَّهُ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي. أَنْتَ تُؤَدِّي عَنّي دَيْنِي وَتُقاتِلُ عَلَى سُنَّتِي، وَأَنْتَ فِي الآخِرَةِ أقْرَبُ النَّاسِ مِنّي، وأَنْتَ غَداً عَلَى الحَوْضِ خَليفَتِي تَذودُ عَنْهُ المُنافِقِينَ، وَأَنْتَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ الحَوْضَ، وأَنْتَ أَوَّلُ دَاخِلٍ لِلْجَنَّةِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي، وَإنَّ شِيعَتَكَ عَلَى مَنابِرَ مِنْ نُورٍ رُواءٌ مَرْوِيُّونَ مُبْيَضَّةٌ وُجُوهُهُمْ حَولِي أَشْفَعُ لَهُمْ فَيَكونونَ غَداً فِي الجَنَّةِ جِيرَانِي. وَإنَّ أَعْداءَكَ غَداً ظِماءٌ مُظْمَئونَ مُسْوَدَّةٌ وُجُوهُهُمْ مُقْمَحُونَ. حَرْبُكَ حَرْبِي وَسِلْمُكَ سِلْمِي وَسِرُّكَ سِرِّي وَعَلانِيَتُكَ عَلانِيَتِي وَسَرِيرَةُ صَدْرِكَ كَسَريرَةِ صَدْري، وَأَنْتَ بَابُ عِلْمي وَأنَّ وِلْدَكَ وِلْدِي وَلَحْمَكَ لَحْمي وَدَمَكَ دَمي. وَأنَّ الْحَقَّ مَعَكَ وَالْحَقُّ

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

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

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

`Ali (a.s) called to witness a group of Muslims about the Holy Prophet’s

عَلَى لِسَانِكَ وَفِي قَلْبِكَ وَبَيْنَ عَيْنَيْكَ وَالإيمانُ مُخالِطٌ لَحْمَكَ وَدَمَكَ كَما خَالَطَ لَحْمِي وَدَمِي، وَأنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجلَّ أَمَرَنِي أنْ أُبَشِّرَكَ أنَّكَ وَعِتْرَتَكَ فِي الجَنَّةِ وَأنَّ عَدُوَّكَ فِي النَّارِ، لاَ يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ الحَوْضَ مُبْغِضٌ لَكَ وَلا يَغيبُ عَنْهُ مُحِبٌُّ لَكَ. قَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: فَخَرَرْتُ للهِ سُبْحانَهُ سَاجِداً وَحَمَدْتُهُ عَلَى مَا أَنْعَمَ بِهِ عَلَيَّ مِنَ الإسْلامِ وَالقُرْآنِ وَحَبَّبَنِي إلَى خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّين وَسَيِّدِ المُرْسَلينَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ.

وَمِنَ المَناقِبِ عَنِ الزَّمَخْشَرِيِّ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلانِ إلَى عُمَرَ فَقالا لَهُ: مَا تَرى فِي طَلاقِ الأَمَةِ؟ فَقامَ إلَى حَلَقَةٍ فِيهَا رَجُلٌ أصْلَعُ فَقالَ: مَا تَرَى فِي طَلاقِ الأَمَةِ؟ فَقالَ: اثْنَتَانِ. فَالْتَفَتَ إلَيْهِما فَقالَ: اثْنَتَانِ. فَقالَ لَهُ أَحَدُهُما: جِئْناكَ وَأَنْتَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ فَسَأَلْناكَ عَنْ طَلاقِ الأَمَةِ فَجِئْتَ رَجُلاً فَسَأَلْتَهُ فَوَاللهِ مَا كَلَّمَكَ. فَقالَ عُمَرُ: وَيْلَكَ أَتَدْرِي مَنْ هَذَا؟ هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طالِبٍ. سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَقولُ: لَوْ أنَّ السَّمَاواتِ وَالأرْضَ وُضِعَتْ فِي كَفَّةٍ وَوُزِنَ مَعَ إيمانِ عَلِيٍّ لَرَجَحَ إيمانُ عَلِيٍّ.

وَمِنَ المَناقِبِ: عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ: بَيْنا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلهِ عِنْدِي إذْ أتَاهُ جِبْريلُ فَنادَاهُ، فَتَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ضَاحِكاً. فَلَمَّا سَرَى عَنْهُ قُلتُ: بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمّي يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، مَا أَضْحَكَكَ؟ فَقالَ: أخْبَرَنِي جِبْريلُ أَنَّهُ مَرَّ بِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَهُوَ يَرْعَى ذَوْداً وَهُوَ نائِمٌ قَدْ أُبْدِيَ بَعْضُ جَسَدِهِ قَالَ: فَرَدَدْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثَوْبَهُ فَوَجَدْتُ بَرْدَ إيمانِهِ قَدْ وَصَلَ إلَى قَلْبِي.

وَاسْتَشْهَدَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ جَماعَةً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمينَ فِي قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ

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

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

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

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

وَآلِهِ: مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلاهُ فَعَلِيٌّ مَوْلاهُ، فَشَهِدوا لَهُ وَأَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ حاضِرٌ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ.

فَقالَ لَهُ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: مَا يَمْنَعُكَ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ؟ فَقَدْ سَمِعْتَ مَا سَمِعوا.

فَقالَ: يَا أمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ، كَبُرْتُ وَنَسِيتُ.

فَقالَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: اللَّهُمَّ إنْ كَانَ كاذِباً فَاضْرِبْهُ بِبَياضٍ لاَ تُوارِيِه العِمَامَةُ. قَالَ طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُمَرَ: فَأَشْهَدُ بِاللهِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُها بَيْضاءَ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ.

وَدَعا عَلَى العَيْزارِ وَقَدِ إتُّهِمَ بِرَفْعِ أخْبارِهِ إلَى مُعاوِيَةَ فَجَحَدَ وَأحْلَفَ.

فَقالَ: إنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِباً فَأَعْمَى اللهُ بَصَرَكَ.

فَما دَارَتِ الجُمُعَةُ حَتَّى خَرَجَ أعْمَى يُقادُ قَدْ أذْهَبَ اللهُ بَصَرَهُ.

وَخَطَبَ عَلَى المِنْبَرِ فَقالَ: أنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَأَخو رَسُولِهِ، وَرِثْتُ نِبِيَّ الرَّحْمَةِ وَنَكَحْتُ سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ أهْلِ الجَنَّةِ. وَأنَا سَيِّدُ المُؤْمِنِينَ وَآخِرُ أَوْصِيَاءِ النَّبِيِّينَ. لاَ يَدَّعِي ذَلِكَ غَيْري إلاَّ أَصَابَهُ اللهُ بِسُوءٍ.

فَقالَ رَجَلٌ مِنْ عَبْسٍ كَانَ جَالِساً بَيْنَ يَدَيِ القَوْمِ: وَمَنْ لاَ يُحْسِنُ أنْ يَقولُ هَذَا؟ أنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَأَخُو رَسُولِهِ! فَلَمْ يَبْرَحْ مَكانَهُ حَتَّى تَخَبَّطَهُ الشَّيْطانُ. فَجُرَّ بِرِجْلِهِ إلَى بَابِ المَسْجِدِ.

وَدَعَا فَرُدَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ مَرَّتَيْنِ:

إحْداهُما فِي زَمَنِ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ:

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

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

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

When the river Euphrates overflew and the city of Kufah was exposed

رَوَتْ أسْماءُ بِنْتُ عُمَيْسٍ وَأُمُّ سَلَمَةَ وَجابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الأنْصارِيُّ وَأَبو سَعِيدٍ الخِدْرِيُّ وَجَماعَةٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ أنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ كَانَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ وَعَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ إذْ جَاءَهُ جِبْريلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يُناجِيهِ عَنِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجلَّ. فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّاهُ الوَحْيُ تَوَسَّدَ فَخِذَ أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. فَلَمْ يَرْفَعْ رَأْسَهُ حَتَّى غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ. فَاضْطُرَّ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لِذَلِكَ إلَى صَلاةِ العَصْرِ جَالِساً يُومِئُ بِرُكُوعِهِ وَسُجودِهِ إيماءً. فَلَمَّا أَفاقَ مِنْ غُشْيَتِهِ قَالَ لأمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَفاتَتْكَ صَلاةُ العَصْرِ؟ قَالَ لَهُ: لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ أنْ أُصَلِّيَها قائِماً لِمَكانِكَ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ وَالحَالَةِ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْها فِي اسْتِماعِ الوَحْيِ. فَقالَ لَهُ، أُدْعُ اللهَ تَعالَى حَتَّى يَرُدَّ عَلَيْكَ الشَّمْسَ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيها قائِماً فِي وَقْتِها كَما فاتَتْكَ، فَإنَّ اللهَ يُجيبُكَ لِطاعَتِكَ للهِ وَلِرَسولِهِ. فَسَأَلَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجلَّ فِي رَدِّ الشَّمْسِ فَرُدَّتْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى صارَتْ فِي مَوْضِعِها مِنَ السَّماءِ وَقْتَ صَلاةِ العَصْرِ. فَصَلّى أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ صَلاةَ العَصْرِ فِي وَقْتِها ثُمَّ غَرُبَتْ.

والثَّانِيَةُ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ:

لَمَّا أرَادَ أنْ يَعْبُرَ الفُراتَ بِبابِلَ اشْتَغَلَ كَثيرٌ مِنَ الصَّحابَةِ بِتَعْبيرِ دَوابِّهِمْ وَرِحالِهِمْ وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِنَفْسِهِ فِي طَائِفَةٍ مَعَهُ العَصْرَ. فَلَمْ يَفْرُغِ النَّاسُ مِنْ عُبورِهِمْ حَتَّى غَرُبَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَفاتَتِ الصَّلاةُ كَثيراً مِنْهُمْ وَفاتَ الجُمْهورُ فَضْلَ الاجْتِماعِ مَعَهُ، فَتَكَلَّموا فِي ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ كَلامَهَمْ فِيهِ سَأَلَ اللهَ تَعالَى رَدَّ الشَّمْسِ عَلَيْهِ لِيَجْمَعَ كافَّةَ أصْحابِهِ عَلَى صَلاةِ العَصْرِ فِي وَقْتِها. فَأَجابَهُ اللهُ تَعالَى إلَى رَدِّها عَلَيْهِ وَكانَتْ فِي الأُفُقِ عَلَى الحَالِ الَّتِي تَكونُ عَلَيْها وَقْتَ العَصْرِ. فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ القَوْمُ غابَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَسُمِعَ لَهَا وَجيبٌ شَديدٌ، فَهالَ النَّاسَ ذَلِكَ وَأَكْثَروا مِنَ التَّسْبيحِ وَالتَّقْديسِ وَالتَّهْليلِ وَالاسْتِغْفارِ.

وَلَمَّا زادَ الْمَاءُ فِي الكُوفَةِ وَخافَ أهْلُها مِنَ الغَرَقِ فَزِعوا إلَى أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

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