The Signs of the Genuine Companions

In the first section of the above supplications for the following traits concerning the real companions of the Prophet (s.a.w) were mentioned:

1. Assisting the Prophet (s.a.w) at all times and locations;

2. Showing no hesitation in adopting the faith;

3. Being ready to accept invitations;

4. Accepting the Prophet’s Prophet-hood through sound reasoning;

5. Separation from one’s family and household to raise the status of God’s words (Migration);

6. Fighting the close and distant relatives for the establishment of Nubuwwah.

The following Quranic verses and narrations will show you the above issues:

فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ  [1]

“So as for those who believe in Him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful.”

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنْ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ  [2]

“And as for the foremost, the first of the Muhajirs and the Ansars, and those who followed them in goodness, Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them for ever; that is the mighty achievement.”

In the above verse reference is made to the different groups of true Muslims. The first group are those who were the pioneers in the advancement of Islam and who migrated for Islam:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنْ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ

The second group included those who pioneered in assisting the Prophet(s.a.w): (Ansars).

The third group consists of those who followed the individuals who belonged to the first and second groups and who endeavored to advance Islam. At the end of the above verse it is mentioned that Allah is satisfied with them and they are contented with Allah. It is said that Allah has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow. One of the characteristics of such an asset is that it is perpetual. Such achievements are considered as a great victory indeed.

At this juncture, the following question is raised by most commentators: Who was the first person who accepted Islam?

Everybody is of the unanimous belief that the first woman who accepted Islam was the Prophet’s loyal and hardworking and devout wife. All Islamic scholars and Muslim commentators, together with a large number of Sunni scholars, are of the opinion that Imam Ali (a.s) was the first among men who accepted Islam.

This truth has got so much popularity among the Sunni scholars that a group of them think that this consensus was nearly unanimous.

In Mustadrak, the section on recognition, page 22, Hakim Naishaburi, says:

لا أعْلَمُ خِلافاً بَيْنَ الْتَوارِيخِ أنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أبي طالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أوَّلُهُمْ إسْلاماً، وَإنَّمَا اخْتَلَفُوا في بُلُوغِهِ.

“The historians unanimously believe that Imam Ali(a.s) was the first man who accepted Islam. They do not, however, know about the state of his maturity at the time he accepted Islam.”

In his book called “Estiab” Vol. 2, page 457, Ibn Abdul Birr writes:

اِتَّفَقُوا عَلى أنَّ خَدِيَجَةَ أوَّلُ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَصَدَّقَهُ فيما جاءَ بِهِ، ثُمَّ عَلِيٌّ بَعْدَها.

“It is unanimously held that Khadijah was the first human being who accepted Allah and Muhammad’s faith and confirmed him, then after her Imam Ali (a.s) did so.

قَدْ رَوى النَّاسُ كافَّةً افْتِخارَ عَلِيٍّ بِالسَّبْقِ إلَى الإسْلامِ.

“Every body reports that the honor of precedence goes to Imam Ali(a.s).”

There are numerous narrations narrated from the Prophet(s.a.w) and Imam Ali(a.s) concerning this issue.” The great Prophet(s.a.w) has stated:

أوَّلُكُمْ وارِداً عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ أوَّلُكُمْ إسْلاماً: عَلِيُّ بْنُ أبي طالبٍ. [3]

“The first person among you who will arrive at the Kauthar is the first who accepted Islam and that person is Imam Ali (a.s).”

A group of Sunni scholars, as reported in Al-Gadir, have reported from the Prophet(s.a.w) that he had raised Ali’s hands and declared:

إنَّ هذا أوَّلُ مَنْ آمَنَ بي، وَهذا أوَّلُ مَنْ يُصافِحُني، وَهذا الصِّدِّيقُ الأكْبَرُ.

“This man is the first individual who has accepted my faith; and he will be the first one to shake my hands at the Doom’s Day; this man is a great and honest one.”

According to Hilliyatul Awliya, Vol. 1, P 66, the Prophet(s.a.w) has said:

يا عَلِيُّ لَكَ سَبْعُ خِصالٍ لا يُحاجُّكَ فيهِنَّ أحَدٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ: أنْتَ أوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِاللهِ إيماناً، وَأوْفاهُمْ بِعَهْدِ اللهِ، وَأقْوَمَهُمْ بِأمْرِ اللهِ...

“O Ali! You have seven perorogatives, no one of which could be challenged by anybody: You were the first to accept the Faith; you are the most loyal among believers; you are the steadiest in believing God,….

Concerning this issue, there are numerous narrations in the books relating to history, commentary and Hadith, most of which appear on pages 220-240, vol.3 of Al-Gadir and on pages 114-120, vol. 3, of Ihqaq Al-Haq.

It is interesting to note that those who have not been able to reject Ali’s precedence in his acceptance of Islam have tried to lessen the validity and significance of this historic event. Some others have gone so far as to claim that it was Abu Bakr who first accepted Islam.

Sometimes, they claim that when Ali(a.s) accepted Islam he was just ten years of age. They say he was not mature enough. Therefore, they contend, his Islam could not have been of any effect.

In his commentary of the above-mentioned verse, Fakhr Razi writes: This is strange, we know that when the Prophet(s.a.w), at Yaum Al-Dar, introduced Islam to his tribe, nobody accepted it except for Ali(S.A) who rose and announced that he had accepted Islam. The Prophet(s.a.w) confirmed his Islam and called Ali(a.s) his brother, and as his substitute.

And this narration which is reported by a group of those who recite Hadith both Shiite and Sunni, in the books called Sihah and Musanid, and by a group of muslim historians, as well, clearly shows that the Prophet(s.a.w) not only accepted Ali’s Islam at his age, but also he called him his brother and substitute.

Sometimes, some writers have tried to depreciate the significance of Ali’s precedence in accepting Islam by referring to Khadijah as the first woman and to Abubakr as the first man and to Ali as the first child who accepted Islam.

This interpretation is offered by the famous but prejudiced commentator of Al-Minar below the above mentioned verse: But it should be noticed that being young on the part of Ali(a.s) dose not decrease the significance of his precedence. This becomes clear when we notice that the Holy Qur’an has stated concerning Yahya:

وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيًّا  [4]

“(O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with strength) and We granted him wisdom while yet a child.”

We also know that Jesus Christ(a.s) talked about his mission when he was very young. Addressing those who were skeptic about him and his statement, he said:

إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِي الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا  [5]

“Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet.”

When we combine the content of the above verses from the Holy Qur’an with that of the Hadith mentioned above concerning the Prophet’s election of Imam Ali(a.s) as his substitute we will realize how the writer of Al-Minar is prejudiced.

Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, narrates from Mu’atazeli Abu Ja’afar Eskafi who has said: Some say AbuBakar was the first to accept Islam; if this statement is correct, why didn’t he use this among his perorogatives and virtues. Neither did any of his followers and fans say anything regarding this issue?

Thus, we come to the conclusion that precedence in Islam exclusively belongs to the Prophet’s genuine followers: In this respect Khadijah and Imam Ali (a.s) excel others.