His Character
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 Hazrat 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 greatness
Muslim scholars unanimously agree with the fact, "that none of the companions of the Holy Prophet was so widely praised by God (through the verses of the Quran) and His Prophet for his virtues and excellence as was Hazrat Ali".
Ahmad ibn Hanbal says, "there hath not come down to us regarding the merits of any one of the Companions of the Apostle of God what hath been transmitted concerning Ali. At times they are represented as so astounding that it was for this reason that the Bani Umayyah were jealous of him and came to hate him. That he did enjoy the special confidence of Muhammad is acknowledged by all."
Numerous sayings of the Holy Prophet exalting the virtues and personal attributes of the first Apostolical Imam have been quoted both by Shia and Sunni scholars. "After the Holy Prophet," says Allama Ibne abil Hadid al-Motazali, `it was Hazrat Ali who devoted most of his time to the worship of God and spent the nights in silent devotion and the days in fasting. He was brave and forgiving, strong and understanding, religious and secular. He was the only person of his time who mastered the Holy Scriptures. Wise men from East and West came to quench their thirst from his unfathomable spring of Divine Knowledge."
Love for Imam Ali in the Quran and Sunnah
What we have said so far has shed light on the value and influence of love, and it has incidentally become clear that love for the pure ones is a means for the reform and refinement of the soul, not that it is an end in itself. Now we must see whether Islam and the Qur'an have chosen someone we should love or not. When the Qur' an relates what the previous prophets have said, it points out that they have all said: "we do not ask a wage from people, our only reward is from God. However it addresses the Seal of the Prophets thus:
قل لا اسالكم عليه اجرا الا المودة فيلقربي
Say: "I do not ask of you a wage for this, except love
for (my) relatives. (ash-Shura, 42:23)
Here there is a need to ask why the rest of the prophets looked for no wage but the most noble Prophet asked for one for his message; why did he want friendship for his near relatives as a requital for his message?
The Qur'an itself provides an answer to this question:
قل ما سالتكم من اجر فهو لكم ان اجرى الا على الله
say: "I have asked no wage of you; that shall be yours.
My wage falls only upon God "(Saba', 34:47)
That is to say, that which I ask for as a wage accrues to you, not to me; this friendship is a halter for your own perfection and reformation, and it is called a wage. Otherwise it is in fact another good which I recommend to you from the point of view that the Household and relatives of the Prophet are people who do not gather round defilement and whose hems are clean and pure.
Love and devotion to these people brings no other result apart from obedience to the truth and adherence to virtues, and it is friendship for them which transmutes and perfects like the elexir.
Whatever the meaning of "relatives" may be, it is certain that the most obvious person to whom it is applicable is 'Ali. Lmam Fakhru d-Din ar-Razi says:
"Zamakhshari relates in his (Qur'anic exegesis) al-Kashshaf: ' When this verse was sent down they said: "0 Messenger of Allah! Who are the relatives to whom our love is due? " He said: " 'Ali and Fatimah and their sons." '
"It is thus established from this tradition that these four persons are "relatives of the Prophet, and that they should enjoy the respect and love of the people, and this matter can be reasoned out in a number of ways:
"1 - The verse: except love for my relatives.
"2 - There is no doubt that the Prophet dearly loved Fatimah, and he said: Fatimah is a part of my body: what harms her harms me.' he also loved Ali and the Hasanayn (Hasan and Husayn), since a great number of mutawatir traditions (those which are narrated by so many as to make doubt impossible) have reached us on this subject. Thus friendship of them is obligatory on all the community, because the Qur'an commands:
و اتبعوه لعلكم تهتدون
And follow him (the Prophet), haply you will be guided. (al-A'raf, 7:158)
"It also commands:
لقد كان لكم في رسول الله اسوة حسنة
You have a good example in Allah's Messenger. (al-Ahzab, 33:21)
" These (considerations) prove that love for the Family of Muhammad - who are 'Ali, Fatimah and the Hasanayn - is obligatory on all Muslims. "
There are also many traditions from the Prophet concerning love and friendship for 'Ali:
1: Ibn al-Athir narrates that the Prophet spoke to 'Ali and said: "0 'Ali, God has embellished you with things, no dearer embellishment than which exists before his slaves: resignation from the world has been appointed for you in such a way that neither do you profit from the world, nor it from you. On you has been bestowed the love of the wretched; they are proud of your leadership, and you also of their following you. Content is he who loves you, and is a true friend to you. And woe betide he who shows enmity towards you, and lies about you.
2: as-Suyuti relates that the Prophet said: " Love of 'Ali is faith, and enmity towards him is sedition. "
3: Abu Na'im narrates that the Prophet addressed the Ansar and said: "Shall I guide you to something which, if you grasp it after me, you will never go astray? They said:
"Yes, 0 Messenger of Allah! He said: "It is 'Ali: love him with the love (you have) for me, and respect him with the respect (you have) for me. For God has ordered me through Gabriel to tell you this. "
The Sunnis have also narrated traditions from the Prophet in which observing 'Ali's face and talking of his virtues is counted as a form of worship.
POLARISATION AROUND THE CHARACTER OF IMAM ALl
1: Muhibb at.-Tabari narrates from A'ishah that she said: "I saw my father (AbU Bakr) gazing often at All's face. I said: 0 my father! I see you gazing often at Mi's face.' He said: "0 my daughter! I heard the Prophet say: "Looking at the face of All is worship.
2: Ibn Hajar narrates from A'ishah that the Prophet said: "The best of my brothers is Au, the best of my paternal uncles is Hamzah, and remembrance of Mi and speaking about him is worship.
Mi was the most loved person before God and the Prophet, and thus naturally the best of those who are loved. Anas ibn M?lik says: "Every day, one of the children of the An~?r would do some task for the Prophet. One day my turn came. Umm Ayman brought a chicken dish before the Prophet and said: Messenger of Mlah! I have caught this chicken myself and cooked it for you.' He said: 0 God! Send the best of (Thy) slaves that he may share with me in eating this chicken.' At that very moment someone knocked on the door and the Prophet said to me: Anas! Open the door.' I said: May God make it a man of the Ans?r!' But I found Mi in front of the door, and I said: The Prophet is busy.' Then I returned to stand in my place. Again there was a knock at the door, and the Prophet said: Open the door.' Again I prayed that it would be someone from the An~ar. I opened the door and again it was All. I said: The Prophet is busy.' Then I returned to stand in my place. Yet again there was a knock at the door, and the Prophet said:
Anas, go and open the door, and bring him in. You are not the first person to love your own people; that is not one of the Ans?r.' I went and brought All in, and he ate the chicken dish with the Prophet.
CLOSING OF THE DOORS OPENING INSIDE
THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE.
Later on, some companions of the Prophet also built their houses close to the Mosque with doors opening into the courtyards. Sometime afterwards, while they were leisurely sitting in the Mosque, a voice was heard
"Ye people l Close your doors opening into the Mosque." The people were struck with wonder to hear the voice, but they sat dumb without stirring to carry out the Command, till they heard again the injunction to close the doors on pain of Divine Wrath. Terrified at this warning, they all approached the Prophet, who was in his apartment. Ali also came out of his apartment which was adjacent to the Prophet's rooms since the day of Fatima's marriage with him. He stood by the Prophet when he ordered that all the doors opening into the Mosque, excepting that of Ali and his own, should be closed. People began to murmur. The Prophet was angry at their attitude and addressed them thus : "Verily, God ordered His apostle Moses to build a holy Mosque, and he allowed Moses, Aaron and the two sons of Aaron, viz. Shabbar and Shabbir, to live therein. I was likewise ordered to construct a holy mosque wherein myself and my brother Ali and his two sons, Hasan and Husain are allowed to live. Verily, I do only what I am ordered to do. I never undertake to act on my own wish. Certainly I have not ordered of my own accord to close your doors or to let Ali's door open. It is Clod who granted Ali an abode in the Holy Mosque." Consequently, the companions, whose houses skirted the quadrangle of the Mosque, closed their doors.
It is recorded on the authority of Sa'd, that the Apostle of God said to Ali : "It is not lawful for any to be in the Mosque while under the obligation of performing a thorough ablution except for me and for thee," Major Jarret's translation of Suyuti's His. p. 175.
Omar b. AI-Khattab said : "Verily. Ali hath been endowed with three qualities, of which had I but one, it would be more precious to me than were I given high bred camels." It was asked of him what they were? He replied : "His marriage with fatima, the daughter of the Prophet; his remaining in the Mosque while that is permitted to him which is not lawful for me; and carrying the Standard on the day of Khaibar." Major Jarret's translation of Suyuti's His. p. 175. Tirmizi Misltkath 463, Nasai page 9, Riazunnazarah Vol. II page 192, Ibn-e-Maghazili and Kanzul-Ummal page 29.
- Ali the Magnificent,Compiled by Yousef N. Lalljee.
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The attributes of Ali
Out of the persons who have narrated the attributes of Imam Ali son of Abu Talib the author of Zakhairal-Uqba writes thus: "His stature was moderate and slightly short. His skin was of wheaten colour and his beard was white and long. His eyes were large and black. lie 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. lie 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".
Once a man lodged a complaint against Ali with Umar who was then the caliph. Umar summoned both of them and said: "O Abul Hasan! Stand side by side with the other party. Signs of displeasure appeared on the face of Ali. Thereupon Umar asked him whether he did not wish to stand by the side of the other person. Ali replied: "No. That is not so. However, I have observed that you have not maintained equality between me and my opponent. You have addressed me with my Kuniyah and thus shown me respect whereas you have not meted out the same treatment to him."..'' (The Arabs did not consider it proper to address the respec.able persons with their real names. In case, therefore, they wished to accord respect to someone they addressed him with his Kuniyah.)
It is very difficult to explain fully the nature and habits of human beings and especially of great personalities because personal qualities of men are related with one another and everyone of them influences others. Every quality is related with another quality and every habit is the cause of another habit and the result of~a third one, or two of them are effect of another and so on and so forth. Hence, I propose to study a few of the personal qualities of Ali from different angles and to compare them within one and the same personality so as to arrive at some conclusions by means of this intellectual, analysis. In the first instance I shall briefly present the various, qualities of Ali by deducing them from his simple dealings and well-known actions so that his nature, habits and disposition arc known and our detailed discussion in the following chapters may be limited to those qualities and characteristics.
The prophet and Ali
A very good and pure spirit existed in the family of Abu Talib. It looked at the world in a peculiar manner and saw all things connected and united with one another.
This spirit was very strong in the prophet and Ali and a very firm relationship existed between them, because Ali had been brought up by the prophet from his childhood till he grew up to be a youth. When we admit that it is possible that good morals should become firm naturally in a heart and a soul we have also to say that Ali was born with perfect faith in the prophethood of Muhammad and support for him, because the qualities and virtues of the Family of Abu Talib in which the prophet was brought up were transferred to his cousin from his birth.(1)
The personality of Ali developed with the virtues of his family. It was this place where he heard Muhammad speak and the call to Islam also started from here.
Ali was quite young when the prophet attached him with himself and called him his brother.
In his sermon entitled "Qase'a" Ali mentions the attention paid to him by the prophet and says: "Do you know, that due to my relationship and on account of my worth and merit, what were my relations with the prophet.
From the very beginning of my life he loved me and I loved him. He took me in his lap when I was a baby and thence I was always with him, he often kept me embraced to his heart, he used to make me sleep next to him; we used to be so close to each other that I felt the warmth of his body and smelled the fragrance of his breath. When I was a baby, he fed me with his hands often chewing hard bits for me. He never found me lying nor weak and wavering. From the time of his babyhood God had appointed the Holy Ghost to be always with him and this archangel was leading him towards exemplary qualities and high moral values and I followed the prophet step by step as a baby camel follows its mother. Daily he used to place before me a fresh standard of efficiency and used to order .me to follow it. Every year he used to stay in a grotto of the Hira Mountains for sometime, and nobody used to be with him but I. None could then see or hear him or be near him but I. During those days Islam was the religion of only the prophet and his wife Khadijah, I was the third of the trio (the prophet, Khadijah and Ali himself). Nobody else in this world had accepted Islam I even then used to see the divine light of revelation and prophethood and smell the heavenly fragrance of prophethood. When the prophet received the first revelation Satan lamented loudly. I asked the prophet "Who is lamenting and why . He replied, "It is Satan who had given up hopes of acquiring complete sway over human mind. In this disappointment he is lamenting over the chance lost. Verily, Ali, you also hear whatever is revealed to me and you also see whatever is being shown to me. With this difference that you are not entrusted with prophethood, but you will be my successor, helper and vizier, and you will always uphold truth and justice .
Childhood is the age when one is fully capable of acquiring good qualities. Ali spent a good deal of his life with the prophet alone. He imitated the prophet's conduct and remained separated from his community which was leading a miserable life and was firmly bound with the chains of hereditary customs.
For years Ali lived in a pure atmosphere by the side of his cousin and was loved very much by him. None of the companions and followers of the prophet could develop such a close relationship with him. Ali opened his eyes on the path which had been opened for him by his cousin.
He learnt how to worship God from Muhammad's prayers. He enjoyed the prophet's love, kindness and brotherhood. His relationship with Muhammad was similar io the one between Muhammad and Abu Talib. When Ali first felt the sentiment of love in his mind he loved Muhammad. When he spoke for the first time he spoke with Muhammad. On the very first occasion when he was required to display manliness and valour he showed readiness to support Muhammad. Muhammad's friends were friendly with him and his enemies also respected his personality. Ali was such a protege and disciple of the prophet that he became his soul and a part of his limbs.
In the early days of the prophetic mission of the prophet some elders amongst Quraysh who hated worship joined him. The slaves and helpless persons came round him in expectation of justice and freedom. And after he was successful and victorious a third group also joined him, because those people had .no alternative left. They wanted to benefit from the new situation and most of Bani Umayyah belonged to this group. These different groups embraced Islam on different occasions and although they resembled one another in the matter of obedience to the prophet the degrees of their faith differed. However, as Ali was born and brought up in the lap of prophethood, his faith was natural and innate, and he emerged from the body of his mother with this faith in his heart. His faith had nothing to do with age or the vicissitudes of time. He offered prayers and testified the prophethood of Muhammad at an age when a child cannot even express his thoughts. And he did all this without obtaining any order or advice from anyone. Most of the persons who embraced Islam in the early days of Muhammad's prophethood had worshipped the idols in previous days. However, when Ali prostrated
for the first time it was before the Allah of Muhammad. this was the quality of the faith of the person who was
destined to crow up as a supporter and well-wisher of the prophet, to lead the faithful after the prophet, and to save the people from the calamities of time.
1- The correct position is this that Abu Talib and the members of his family or the ways and manners of the time or the environments had no influences on the prophethood of Muhammad or the Imamate of Ali. These things were related with divine inspiration and neither Abu Talib nor the members of this family shared the secrets of prophethood and Imamate.
His precendence in Islam and Belief and migration .
Reports of his Priority in Belief in God and His Apostle and of his Being the First of all Responsible Men in (Faith)
[Abu al-Jaysh al-Muzaffar b. Muhammad al-Balkhi informed me: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi Thalj informed us: Abu alHasan Ahmad b. (Muhammad b.) al-Qasim al-Barqi told us: `Abd al-Rahman b. Salih al-Azdi told me: Asad b. `Ubayda told us on the authority of Yahya b. °Af b. Qays, on the authority of his father (`Affil' b. Qays),2 who said:)
I was sitting with al-`Abbas b. `Abd al-Muttalib, may God be pleased with him, in Mecca, before the affairs of the Prophet became known to the public. A man came and looked up towards the sky where the sun hovered above. He turned in the direction of the Ka`ba and stood to pray. Then a youth came and stood at his right and a woman came and stood behind them both. The man bowed, and the youth and the woman bowed. The man raised his hands and the youth and the woman raised their hands. Then he prostrated and they both prostrated.
"`Abbas!" I exclaimed, "it is a fantastic affair!"
"Indeed, it is a fantastic affair," replied al-`Abbas. "Do you know who that man is? He is Muhammad b. `Abd Allah b. `Abd alMuttalib, my cousin. Do you know who that youth is? He is `Ali b. Abi Talib, my cousin. Do you know who that woman is? She is Khadija, daughter of Khuwaylid. This cousin of mine (i.e. Muhammad) has told me that his Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who has ordered him to carry out this religion (din) which he is practising. No, by God, there are not any on the face of the earth, who practise this religion except these three."
[Abu Hafs `Umar b. Muhammad al-Sayrafi informed me: Muhammad b. Ahmad b. AbT Thalj told me on the authority of Ahmad b. Muhammad b. al-Qasim al-Barql, on the authority of Abu Salih Sahl b. Silih - it was about the year 100 (A. H.) - who said I heard Abu al-Mu'ammar `Abbad b. `Abd al-Samad who said: I heard Anas b. Malik say:]
The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, said: "The angels bless me and `All for seventy years, because (for a time) only 'Ali and I raised the testimony to heaven that there is no god but God and Muhammad is the Apostle of God."
[By the same chain of transmitters on the authority of Ahmad b. (Muhammad b.) al-Qasim al-Barql: Ishaq told us: Nuh b. Qays told us: Sulayman b. `All al-Hgshimi Abu Fatima told us: I heard Mu adha al-`Adawiyya say:]
I heard `All b. Abi Talib say on the pulpit at Basra: "I am the greater testifier of truth (siddTq) for I believed before Abt7 Bakr believed; I became a Muslim before he became a Muslim."
[Abu Nasr Muhammad b. al-Husayn al-Muqrl al-Basrl alSayrawani informed : Abu Bakr Muhammad b. (Ahmad b.) Abl Thalj told us: Abu Muhammad al-Nawfahtold us on the authority of Muhammad b. `Abd al-Hamld, on the authority of `Umar b. `Abd alGhiffar al-Faqlml who said: IbrahTm b. Hayyan reported to me qt the authority of Abu `Abd Allah, retainer of Banu Hashim, on the authority of Abu Sukhayla, who said:]
I and `Ammar went on the pilgrimmage. We stopped at the house of Abu Dharr, may God be pleased with him, and stayed with him for three days. When the time of our departure was at hand, I said to him: "Abu Dharr, we consider that nothing except confusion has come over the people. What is your view?"
"Cleave to the Book and `All b. Abi Talib," he replied, "then bear witness to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, who said: "`All was the first to believe in me and will be the first to shake my hand in greetings on the Day of Resurrection. He is the greatest testifier of the truth (sicldiq) and discerner of truth and falsehood. He is the chief of the believers and money is the chief cause of wrong-doing.' -
THE LIFE OF THE COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL
Al-Shaykh al-Mufid, may God be pleased with him, comments: The reports with this meaning are numerous as testimonies (of it) are bulky.
[Among such are the words of Khuzayma b. Thabit al-Ansari, the man who gave two testimonies, in what was reported to me by Abu `Abd Allah Muhammad b. `Imran al-Marzubani on the authority of Muhammad b. al-`Abbas who said:]
Muhammad b. Yazid al-Nahwi recited to us on the authority of Ibn `A'isha (the words) of Khuzayma b. Thabit al-Ansari, may God be pleased with him:
I never thought that this affair would leave the clan of Hashim, and then within it (that) it would leave Abu Hasan (i.e. 'Ali).
Was he not the first to pray with their (i.e. the Muslims') gibla (direction of prayer), and the most knowledgeable man in traditions and practice?
(Was he not) the last of men with whom the Prophet made a covenant (ahd), and the one whose helper was Gabriel in washing and shrouding (the body of the Prophet)?
He it is in whom there is what others are not distinguished by. There is not among the people the good which is in him.
What is it which makes you reject him, for we know him? Yet your pledge of allegiance is made through the greatest cheating.
THE FIRST AMONGST MEN TO ADOPT ISLAM WAS ALI (a.s)
Almost all the Shi'ah and Sunni historians are unanimous that the first amongst men to embrace Islam was All. As against this well-known statement there can also be found some rare statements, in history. Their narrators have chosen to state the reverse of it. For example, it is said that the first man to embrace Islam was either Zayd bin Harith or Abu Bakr. However, most of the arguments bear evidence against these two statements. Some of these are as follows:
THE FIRST EVIDENCE
Ali had been brought up from his very childhood in the house of the Holy Prophet and the latter endeavoured to educate him like a kind father. Most of the biographers say unanimously: "Before the appointment of Muhammad to the prophetic mission a severe drought appeared in Makkah. Abu Talib, the uncle of the Holy Prophet, had a big family to support. He was the chief of Quraysh, and his income was not at all in keeping with his expenditure and he was not as wealthy as his brother Abbas. The financial condition of Abu Talib prompted the Holy Prophet to discuss the matter with his uncle Abbas and they decided to take some of the children of Abu Talib to their own houses so as to alleviate his burden and to help him meet his requirements. Consequently the Prophet took Ali to his house and Abbas took Ja'far under his guardianship ".
(Seerah Ibn Hisham, vol. I, page 246.)
In the circumstances it can be said that, when Ali went to the Holy Prophet's house his age was not less than eight or ten years. The reason for this presumption is that the object of the Holy Prophet in taking All under his patronage was to alleviate the burden of the chief of Makkah (Abu Talib) and besides the fact that separation of a child from his parents who is less than eight or ten years, is a difficult matter; it could not also have any appreciable effect on the conditions of life of Abu Talib.
Hence, it is necessary that we should presume the age of Ali at that time to be such that his being taken away from Abu Talib had an appreciable effect on the latter's conditions of life. In the circumstances how can it be said that strangers like Zayd bin Harith and others had become acquainted with the secrets of revelation, whereas the cousin of the Holy Prophet, who was nearest to him of all others and was always with him, remained ignorant of them?
The purpose of the Prophet in fostering Ali was to compensate Abu Talib to some extent for the services rendered by him and so far as the Prophet was concerned there was nothing more dear to him than to guide a person directly. Keeping all these things in view how can it be said that the Holy Prophet kept his cousin deprived of this great blessing, notwithstanding the fact that he (Ali) was an intelligent person with a highly enlightened mind? It would be better if we learn about this matter from the lips of Ali himself: In the sermon.entitled tlasrah he explains his rank and esteem in the eyes of the Prophet thus: "You know the esteem in which the Holy Prophet held me on account of our near relationship and the high position and respect (which I enjoyed in his eyes). During my childhood he fostered me under his own care and stuck me to his bosom. He embraced me in his bed and I used to smell his sweet smell. I followed him just as the off-spring of a she-camel follows its mother. Every day he hoisted (showed) a sign of his moral virtues and ordered me to follow it. He stayed in Hira every year (before his appointment to the prophetic mission) and I used to go and see him there, whereas none else saw him.
At that time Islam had not reached any house except that of the Holy Prophet and Khadijah, and I was the third amongst them. I used to see the light of revelation and messengership and smelt the fragrance of prophethood".(Nahjul Balaghah, vol. II, page 182.)
THE SECOND EVIDENCE
Narrating the life history of Afif Kandi, Ibne Hajar (in `AI-Isabah), Ibne Abdul Bir (in Isti'ib) and many other scholars of history have quoted him to have said: "During the Age of Ignorance I once went to Makkah. My host was Abbas son of Abdul Muttalib and both of us arrived in the precincts of the Holy Ka'bah. Suddenly I saw that,a man came and stood by the side of the Ka'bah. Then a boy arrived and stood on his right side. Soon after that I saw a woman came and stood behind them. I saw the boy and the woman performing ruku` and sujud (kneeling and prostration) in imitation of the man. This unprecedented scene inspired me to enquire from Abbas about it. He said: "That man is Muhammad son of Abdullah and that boy is his cousin and the woman standing behind them is the wife of Muhammad". Then he added: "My nephew says that a day will come when he will control the treasuries of `Kisra' and `Kaiser'. By Allah, there is no follower of this religion on the face of the earth except these three". Then the narrator says: "I wish that I had been the fourth of them! "
Since the above narrative is not directly concerned with Ali, even those persons, who fail to narrate his virtues have quoted it. Amongst the traditionalists only Bukhari has thought it proper to declare it `weak', but his attitude towards the progeny of the Holy Prophet's household is quite well-known. The readers can study the said narrative in detail in the books mentioned below. (Tarikh-i Tabari, vol. II, p. 211; Tarikh-i Kamil, vol.II, pp. 31-38, and A`lam ul wara, page 25).
THE THIRD EVIDENCE
In the sermons and dissertations of All we usually come across the following and other similar sentences:
"I am the servant of Allah and the brother of the Holy Prophet and the greatest truthful one, and none will utter this sentence after me except one who is a liar. I offered prayers along with the Holy Prophet for seven years before anyone else did so". (In some of the narratives the period has been mentioned to be five years and on the basis of numerous indications it may be said that a part of this period preceded to the prophetic mission.) The author of al-Ghadir (vol. 111, page 222) has quoted authorities for these narrations from the books of traditions arid history and we dispense with quoting the same briefly:
THE FOURTH EVIDENCE
The following traditions of the Holy Prophet narrated by successive witnesses with various explanations have been quoted to this effect:
"The first person who will meet me on the pool of `Kausar' and the first person who embraced Islam is Ali son of Abu Talib ".
You may also study the authorities for these traditions in the third volume of `al-Ghadir', page 320. The evidences for both the parts have reached the stage of consecutiveness and when a person studies these hadiths without any bias he becomes definite about All being the foremost - among the believers. fie does not, therefore, prefer at all the other two statements which are in a minority from the point of view of narration. The number of the supporters of the first statement (viz. Ali was the first person to embrace Islam), who consist of distinguished companions of the Prophet and tdbe'in (companions of the companions of the Prophet) exceeds sixty. So much so that even Tabari (Tarikh-i Tabari, vol. 11, page 215.) who has left the matter open and has contented himself only with quoting the statement says that Ibn Said asked his father: "Was Abu Bakr the first person to embrace Islam?" His father replied: "No. Before he embraced Islam more than fifty persons had come round to the Prophet's way. However, his Islam was superior to the Islam of others".
MAMUN'S DISCUSSION WITH ISHAQ
Ibn Abd Rabbih quotes an interesting incident in `Aqdul Farid' which may be summarized as under:
Mamun arranged a debating assembly and the famous scholar Ishaq occupied the foremost position in it. When All's precedence over others in the matter of acceptance of Islam was established, Ishaq said: "When Ali embraced Islam he was only a boy but Abu Bakr was a mature man (at the time he became a Muslim). Hence his faith enjoys superiority over that of Ali".
Mamun suddenly intervened and said: "Did the Prophet invite Ali in his boyhood to adopt the faith, or his faith was due to divine inspiration? It cannot at all be said that his faith was inspired, because, not to speak of Ali, even the faith of the Prophet was not inspired but was the result of guidance and messages brought by Jibreel from Allah. Hence, when the Holy Prophet invited him to accept Islam, did he do so on his own account or had he been ordered by Allah to accomplish the deed? We cannot imagine that the Prophet should subject himself or anyone else to hardship and responsibility without an order from Allah. Hence there is no alternative except that we should say that the Prophet's call is supported by divine order. And does the Omniscient Lord order His Prophet to invite an untalented boy (for whom `faith' or `no faith' are alike) to adopt Islam? Certainly such an act is not possible from the All-Wise and All-Knowing Allah.
Hence, it should be concluded that the faith of All was a true and firm faith which was not at all inferior to the faith of others and it is Ali son of Abu Talib to whom the verses of Qur'an " and the foremost are the foremost, these are they who are drawn nigh (to Allah)", most appropriately applies.
- The Message (The holy Prophet of Allah), by Ayatullah Jafar Subhani.
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Ali's Devotion
Ali's devotion to the Prophet without fear of running the risk of losing his own life was much appreciated by the Allknowing Judge of man, the merciful God, who sent down the angels Gabriel and Michael to guard him from the murderous mob; and informed the Prophet on his way to Medina of His approval of Ali's resignation to His Will, with the words contained in Verse 204 of Sura 11 of the Quran.
"And of men there is one who selleth his soul for the sake of seeking the pleasure of God; and God is gracious unto His servants."
Men of understanding and intelligence will ever admire Ali till the end of time for the tranquillity of mind displayed by him in the midst of this terrible struggle between life and death.
Also, they will marvel at the Prophet's wise selection of Ali for this night's dramatic performance.
Something in Ali's bearing, his intensely personal heroism, some magnetic quality of his demeanour, must have been responsible for his survival on this occasion. The mob held back and we know that Ali stayed behind in Mecca for some days to return the properties left in trust by the Holy Prophet to their rightful owners as directed.
Ali hastened to Medina
Having satisfactorily accomposhed these responsibilities entrusted to him and having arranged for the safe departure of the Prophet's family members to Medina, Ali hastened forward on foot to Medina, travelling only in the night and hiding himself in the day, lest he should fall into the hands of the Quraish. He reached Qoba three days after the arrival of the Prophet, with his feet sorely lacerated and bleeding. The Prophet, overjoyed at seeing him, received him with open arms, and finding him tired and exhausted, shed tears manifesting his fondness and affection for him; he subsequently applied the moisture of his mouth to the wounds of Ali's feet with his own hands and prayed for him. This produced instantaneous relief.
The converts at Qoba desired the Prophet to lay the foundation stone of a mosque for them. The Prophet asked some of his companions to ride on his camel and to make a circuit round the place. It was his intention to build a mosque in the place where the camel stopped. Some of his companions mounted on the back of the camel, but it refused to budge. Then the Prophet asked Ali, his vicegerent, to make the attempt. As soon as Ali set foot in the stirrups, the camel stood up and the Prophet directed Ali to let the animal go by itself without guiding it. Ali let loose the rein, and the camel went round a small piece of ground and came back to its starting point and knelt down. The Prophet marked the site and fixing the position of Qibla, he laid the foundation stone for the mosque. There is a mention of this mosque in the Quran vide Sura IX-109 last portion.
This was the last halt of the Prophet before he set out for Medina. Qoba is situated only two miles to the south of Medina, and is remarkable for its beauty and fertility.
The Holy Prophet left Qoba on Friday the 16th Rabi L, corresponding (according to Mr. Caussin de Perceval) with the 2nd of July 622.(Caussin de Perceaval Vol. iii. pp. 17-20; Ibn-Hisham p. 335).
Boreida b. Al Hasib with his seventy neophytes (new converts) formed a procession, carrying as standard his lance with a piece from his turban fastened to its upper end.
It being Friday, the Rrophet stopped at Raanawna, a place midway between Qoba and Medina, and performed his Friday Prayers, followed by a sermon to the Muslims present. This Friday Service and the Sermon were the first, to be observed always thereafter.
When the Prophet after the Service, was proceeding to Medina, the whole spectacle with its ceremonial solemnity looked really grand, like a triumphal procession headed by a monarch, increasing in its majestic grandeur as it approached the City, where thousands of spectators had assembled to have a look at the great Prophet of Islam. History of the world records no greater example of the triumph of truth.
Each tribe, which he passed through, desired the honour of his presence and requested him to take up his abode with them. The Prophet, refusing all these offers, said that the camel, which he rode on, was inspired and would take him to the proper quarter. The camel proceeded on to the eastern sector and knelt down in the open courtyard of the Banu Najar, near the house of Khalid b. Zaid, known in history as Abu Ayyub Ansari, the then head of the Banu Najjar family-the family to which Muhammad's grand father Abd-al-Mottalib's mother Selma belonged. He was delighted to be fortunate to have the honour of the Prophet's presence.
After his arrival in Medina, one of the first acts of the Holy Prophet was to establish the brotherhood, individually between the people of Medina (known as AnsarsHelpers) and the emigrants of Mecca known as Mohajirs, and-to lay the foundation of the Prophet's mosque known as Masjid-e-Nabavi.
The Prophet inculcated the fundamental principle that brotherhood depended not on blood but on faith alone. The rights of family inheritance within Islam, were expressly valid and sacred. These mandates resulted in a considerable extension of the Muslim community.
His own brotherhood the Prophet bestowed upon Ali, his cousin, as previously he had done in Mecca, declaring according to Suyuti, "Thou art My Brother in this world and in the next".
The Muslims were sympathetic and considerate to one another after the brotherhood was enjoined. They were so zealous in their faith that nothing else came before Islam; and anything outside of it was looked upon as unholy. In fact, they were animated with a strange spirit of firmness in their adherence to the Prophet and of cohesiveness to hold together. Gibbon gives the account in the following words : "To eradicate the seeds of jealousy. Muhammad judiciously coupled his principal followers with the rights and obligations of brethren; and when All found himself without a peer, the Prophet tenderly declared that he would be the companion and brother of the noble youth. The expedient was crowned with success; tile Holy fraternity was respected in peace and war, and the two parties vied with each other in a generous emulatioli of courage and fidelity." W. Smith's p. 460. The ordinance of brotherhood is given thus in the Quran
"Verily those who believe and have emigrated and have tried with their substance and their souls for the cause of God, and those who have given them shelter and been helpful, shall be near of kin (heirs) the one to the other." Sura VIII-73. (Taliquat Ibn-e-Saad Vol. III page 13, Riazunnazarah Vol. 11 page 1, Usdul Ghalia Vol. I page 269, Muntakheb Kanz-ul Ummal page 145, Kunuz-ul-Haquaiq page 20.)
The Holy Prophet took up his temporary residence in the house of Abu Ayub Ansari for seven months, until the Masjid-e-Nabavi, with proper quarters for himself, was built in the courtyard where the camel had stopped.
The construction work was distributed among the Mohajirs and the Ansars-the Prophet, too, had his share of the work. But he was seldom allowed to work, as Ammar Yasir used to accomplish the Prophet's share of work in addition to his own. Ammar Yasir was the first and foremost to begin the foundation of the mosque, and Ali was the first to offer his services as a labourer working alongside with the other members of the fraternity, shovelling the earth when the foundations were being laid and later carrying on his shoulders, baskets of mortar and brick which he passed on to the masons. While thus labouring, Ali used to recite the following verse
Whosoever builds a mosque
And works whether sitting or standing
Puts up with the pain of labour
While others shirk work
For fear of dust and pain
Both of these verily
Cannot equal each other.
When the mosque and residential houses were ready, the Prophet and Ali, (his chosen companion) shifted from their temporary residence to the permanent ones.
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