Ali’s Forbearance

Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali was more patient and forbearing than all people. The best proof is the fact that he was deprived of his right and an unjust rule was imposed on him. Nevertheless, he adopted patience and restrained his anger.

Abu-Ayyub Ansari has been quoted as saying: The Messenger of Allah was afflicted with a little illness. Lady Fatimah went to visit her father. Finding her father ill and weak, she started weeping in a way that her tears dropped on the earth. To remove sorrows from his daughter, the Holy Prophet said: My dear daughter, one of God’s blessing bestowed upon you is that on the order of the Lord, I married you to one who was foremost in Islam, the most knowledgeable, and the most patient and forbearing man. God Almighty whose knowledge encompasses everything chose me as being worthy of prophethood, giving me the honor of a divine mission and with another grace, chose your husband ordering to me to give you in marriage to `Ali and appointing him as my successor.[148]

Imam `Ali’s Physical Excellence and Superiority

`Ali’s Worship

It is evident to everyone that Imam `Ali was the most pious of his time. He has left behind a heritage of night prayers and supplications. He was so devoted in his prayer that he did not pay attention to anything but Allah. He was detached from the world and so absorbed in Allah that he did not feel the pains. Once he was hit

دُنْيَا غُرِّي غَيْرِي! أَبِي تَعَرَّضْتِ أَمْ إلَيَّ تَشَوَّقْتِ! هَيْهاتَ هَيْهاتَ! قَدْ تُبْتُكِ ثَلاثاً لاَ رَجْعَةَ فِيهَا؛ فَعُمْرُكِ قَصيرٌ، وَخَطَرُكِ كَثيرٌ، وَعَيْشُكِ حَقيرٌ. آهٍ مِنْ قِلَّةِ الزَّادِ وَبُعْدِ السَّفَرِ وَوَحْشَةِ الطَّريقِ.

فَبَكى مُعاوِيَةُ وَقالَ: رَحِمَ اللهُ أَبَا الحَسَنِ، كَانَ وَاللهِ كَذَلِكَ. فَما حُزْنُكَ عَلَيْهِ يَا ضِرارُ؟ قَالَ: حُزْنُ مَنْ ذُبِحَ وَلَدُها فِي حِجْرِها، فَلا تَرْقى عَبْرَتُها وَلا يَسْكُنُ حُزْنُها.

فِي الْحِلْمِ:

لاَ خِلافَ فِي أنَّ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ كَانَ أَحْلَمَ النَّاسِ. فَإنَّهُ أُخِذَ حَقُّهُ وَقُهِرَ عَلَيْهِ وَمُنِعَ مِنْ مَرْتَبَتِهِ وَصَبَرَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَكَظَمَ الغَيْظَ وَحَلِمَ.

وَرَوى صَاحِبُ المَناقِبِ عَنْ أَبِي أيُّوبٍ الأنْصارِيِّ: أنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مَرِضَ مَرَضَهُ فَأَتَتْهُ فَاطِمَةُ عَلَيْها السَّلامُ تَعودُهُ. فَلَمَّا رَأَتْ مَا بِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مِنَ الجَهْدِ وَالضَّعْفِ إسْتَعْبَرَتْ فَبَكَتْ حَتَّى سالَتِ الدُّموعُ عَلَى خَدَّيْها. فَقالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: يَا فَاطِمَةُ إنَّ لِكَرامَةِ اللهِ إيَّاكِ زَوَّجْتُكِ مِنْ أقْدَمِهِمْ سِلْماً وَأَكْثَرِهِمْ عِلْماً وَأَعْظَمِهِمْ حِلْماً. إنَّ اللهَ تَعالَى إطَّلَعَ إلَى أهْلِ الأَرْضِ إطِّلاعَةً فَاخْتارَنِي مِنْهُمْ فَبَعَثَنِي نَبِيَّاً مُرْسَلاً. ثُمَّ إطَّلَعَ إطِّلاعَةً فَاخْتارَ مِنْهُمْ بَعْلَكِ، فَأَوْحَى إلَيَّ أنْ أُزَوِّجَهُ إيَّاكِ وَأَتَّخِذَهُ وَصِيَّاً وَأَخاً.

فِي الفَضائِلِ البَدَنِيَّةِ:

العِبادَةِ:

وَمِنَ المَعْلومِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ أَحَدٍ أنَّ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ كَانَ أَعْبَدَ أَهْلِ زَمانِهِ وَمِنْهُ تَعَلَّمَ النَّاسُ صَلاةَ اللَّيْلِ وَالأَدْعِيَةَ الْمَأْثُورَةَ فِيهَا وَالْمُنَاجَاةَ وَالأَدْعِيَةَ فِي الأَوْقاتِ الشَّريفَةِ وَالأَماكِنِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ. وَبَلَغَ فِي العِبـادَةِ إلَى أَنَّهُ إذَا تَوَجَّـهَ إلَى اللهِ تَعالَى فِي صَـلاتِهِ تَوَجَّهَ بِكُلِّيَّتِهِ

with a lance in the leg in one of the battles and no one was able to pull the lance out of his leg because of much pain. It was decided to do so when he was in his prayer. They knew that only in prayer, `Ali’s spirit took distance from his body making him not feel the pain.[149]

Imam Sajjad (a.s) used to perform one thousand Rak`ah prayer, tolerating much hardship. If he was benevolently asked not to tolerate this much hardship, he would say: Have a look at the record of prayer of my grandfather Amir al-Mu’minin. After opening the book and looking like one who was unable to do anything, he would put down the book, saying: Who has the merit of `Ali in praying? What is my prayer as compared to that of my grandfather, `Ali.[150]

Imam Musa ibn Ja`far has been quoted as saying: The verse “You will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure, their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration” (48:29) was revealed in honor and dignity of `Ali.[151]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported as saying: The verse “And they say: we believe in Allah and in the apostle and we obey” (24:47) was revealed in honor of `Ali.[152]

Mujahid has been quoted as saying: The verse “And he who brings the truth and accepts it as truth” (39:33) was revealed in honor of `Ali.[153]

Imam Baqir (a.s) has been quoted as saying: The verse “and he who brings the truth” was revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a) and “accepts it as truth” was revealed in honor of `Ali.[154]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported as saying: The verse “and bow down with those who bow down” (2:43) was exclusively revealed in honor of the Holy Prophet and `Ali, for they were the first who bowed down.[155]

Imam `Ali never abandoned the recommended night prayer even at that most horrible night during Siffin battle, which is called laylat al-harir.

One day, Imam `Ali was involved in the battle of Siffin, he was closely watching the sun to see when it passes by the middle of sky

وَيَنْقَطِعُ نَظَرُهُ عَنِ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى أنَّهُ لاَ يُدْرِكُ الأَلَمَ لأَنَّ النُّشَّابَ إذَا أُريدَ إخْراجُهُ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ الشَّريفِ يُتْرَكُ حَتَّى يُصَلّي فَإذَا اشْتَغَلَ بِالصَّلاةِ وَأقْبَلَ عَلَى اللهِ تَعالَى أَخْرَجوا الحَديدَ مِنْ جَسَدِهِ. وَكَانَ مَوْلانَا زَيْنُ العَابِدينَ صَلَواتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ يُصَلّي فِي اليَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ أَلْفَ رَكْعَةً وَيَدْعو بِصَحيفَةِ أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ ثُمَّ يَرْمي بِهَا كالْمُتَضَجِّرِ وَيَقُولُ: أنَّى لِي بِعِبادَةِ عَلِيٍّ.

وَكَانَ طَويلَ الرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ، كَثيرَ الخُضُوعِ وَالتَّذَلُّلِ فِيهِما.

وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ مَوْلانا مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الكاظِمِ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلام أنَّ قَوْلَهُ تَعالَى: ﴿تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِنْ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ﴾ نَزَلَ فِي أمِيرِ المُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أنَّ قَوْلَه تَعالَى ﴿وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا﴾ أَنَّها نَزَلَتْ فِي عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

وَعَنِ البَاقِرِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ تَعالَى ﴿وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ﴾ نَزَلَ فِي مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَقَوْلَهُ ﴿وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ﴾ نَزَلَ فِي عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

وَعَنْ مُجاهِدٍ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ تَعالَى ﴿وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ﴾ نَزَلَتْ فِي عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ تَعالَى ﴿وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ﴾ نَزَلَ فِي رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاةِ وَالسَّلامِ خَاصَّةً. وَهُما أَوَّلُ مَنْ صَلّى وَرَكَعَ.

وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ صَلاةَ اللَّيْلِ قَطُّ حَتَّى لَيْلَةَ الْهَريرِ.

وَكَـانَ يَوْمـاً فِي حَـرْبِ صِفِّيـنَ مُشْتَغِـلاً بِالْحَـرْبِ وَالقِتـالِ وَكَانَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ

so as to be prepared for prayer. Ibn `Abbas who had him under watch said: O `Ali, why are you looking so much at the sun? The Imam said: To perform prayer. Ibn `Abbas said: Is this a proper time for performing prayer? Imam `Ali said: O Ibn `Abbas! What are we fighting these people for? Is it not for performing the prayer that we are fighting them?[156]