Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

THIS BOOK

This book is a translation of the sermons, letters, orders and some of the sayings of Imam Ali (A.S)  as compiled by Sayyid al-Razi and called A Nahjul-Balagha, the path to eloquence.

These sermons and preachings of Imam Ali (A.S)  were so highly valued and venerated in the Islamic world that within a century of his death they were taught and read as the last word on the philosophy of monotheism, as the best lectures for character building, as exalted sources of inspiration, as very persuasive sermons towards piety, as guiding beacons towards truth and justice, as marvelous eulogies of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and the Holy Qur’an, as convincing discourses on the spiritual values of Islam, as awe inspiring discussions about the attributes of Allah. As an historic masterpiece in literature aloneNahjul-Balagha is the original and undisputed model in the Art of Rhetoric.

IN THE 1ST CENTURY A.H.

According to the famous book of biographiesRijal al-Kabir , the first person to collect these sermons in a book form was Zaid ibn Wahab al-Juhni, who died in 90 A.H. and who was regarded as a narrator ofahadith . Thus, within thirty years of Imam Ali’s death and during the first century of Hijra, his sermons, letters,ahadith etc., were collected quoted and preserved.

IN THE 2ND CENTURY

With the dawn of 2nd century, Ibn Wahab’s example was followed by (1) the famous caligraphist of the early Abbaside regime, Abdul Hamid ibn Yahya (132 A.H.), (2) and then ibn al-Muqaffa’ (142 A.H.) took up this work of compilation. Jahiz al- A Othmani says ibn al-Muqaffa’ had very carefully studied these sermons and used to say that he had saturated himself from the Fountains head of knowledge and wisdom and was daily getting fresh inspirations from these sermons (3) ibn Nadim in his biographies book titledthe Fahirst says that Hisham ibn al-Sa’ib al-Kalbi (146 A.H.) had also collected these sermons (Fahrist: ibn Nadim, section VII page 251).

Thence onward century after century Muslim scholars, theologians, historians and traditionists were citing these sermons, quoting them, discussing the meanings of the words and phrases used by Imam Ali (A.S) , and referring them when they needed an authority on theology, ethics, the teaching of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and the Holy Qur’an or on literature and rhetoric.

IN THE 3RD CENTURY

During the third century five famous men took up this work.

1. Abu A Othman A Omer ibn Bahr al-Jahiz, who died in 255 A.H. (868 A.D.), quoted many sermons in his bookAl-Bayan wal Tabyin .

2. Ibn Qutaybah al-Daynuri, who died in 276 A.H., in his booksA Uyun al-Akhbar andGharib al-Hadith quoted many sermons and discussed meanings of many words and phrases used by Imam Ali (A.S) .

3. Ibn Wazih al-Ya’qubi, who died in 278 A.H., cited many sermons and sayings of Imam Ali (A.S)  in hisHistory .

4. Abu Hanifah al-Daynuri (280 A.H.) in his historyAkhbar al-Tiwa l quoted many sermons and sayings.

5. Abul-Abbas al-Mubarrad (286 A.H.) in his bookKitab al-Mubarrad collected many sermons and letters.

IN THE 4TH CENTURY

1. The famous historian ibn Jarir al-Tabari, who died in 310 A.H., quoted some of these sermons in hisTarikh al-Kabir .

2. Abu Muhammed Hasan ibn Ali ibn Shu’bah al-Halabi (320 A.H.) had collected some sermons in his bookTuhaf al- A Uqul . This book was later printed in Iran.

The following writers have also extensively quoted the sermons and sayings of Imam Ali (A.S)  in their respective books.

3. Ibn Warid (321 A.H.) in his book ALMOOJTHABNEE.

4. Ibn Abd Rabbih (328 A.H.) inAl- A Iqd al-Farid .

5. Thiqatul-Islam al-Kulayni (329 A.H.) in his book titledAl-Kafi .

6. Ali ibn Muhammed ibn Abdullah al-Madani (335 A.H.) collected sermons, letters and sayings of the Imam (–) in his book. Yaqut al-Hamawi mentions of this book inMu’jam al-Udaba’ page 313 Vol. 5.

7. The historian al-Mas’udi (346 A.H.), inMuruj al-Thahab , has quoted some of the letters and sermons of the Imam (–).

8. Abul-Faraj al-Isbahani (356 A.H.) in his book titledAl-Aghani ,

9. Abu Ali QUALI (356 A.H.) in hisNawadir , and

10. Sheikh al-Saduq (381 A.H.) inKitab al-Tawhid , has extensively quoted these sermons, letters and sayings.

IN THE 5TH CENTURY

1. Sheikh al-Mufid (413 A.H.) inAl-Irshad has quoted many sermons,ahadith sayings and letters of the Imam (–).

2. Sayyid al-Razi (420 A.H.) compiled the book titledNahjul-Balagha .

3. Sheikhul Ta’ifa Abu Ja’fer Muhammed ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi (460 A.H.) was a contemporary of Sayyid al-Razi and had collected some of these sermons etc., long before Sayyid took up his work.

What Sayyid al-Razi could compile inNahjul-Balagha does not contain all the sermons letters and sayings of Imam Ali (A.S) Mas’udi (346 A.H.) in his famous history Muruj al-Thahab (Vol. 2, p. 33 printed at Cairo) says that only sermons of Imam Ali (A.S) , which have been preserved by various people, number more than four hundred and eighty. These were spontaneous orations, people have copied them one from another and have compiled them in book forms; they have cited them and have quoted passages from them in their books.

Apparently out of these four hundred and eighty sermons some were lost and Sayyid al-Razi could lay hand on only about 245 sermons, in addition he collected about 75 letters and more than 200 sayings. Almost everyone of the sermons, letters and sayings collected inNahjul-Balagha is to be found in books of Authors who died long before Sayyid al-Razi was born, while some are found in works of such authors who, though his contemporaries, yet were older to him and had written their books beforeNahjul-Balagha was compiled. In the Index No. 2:A,B and C, I have given a list of the names of these authors, books and the number of sermons, etc. found in those books.

If I quote all of what has been said by the Muslim and the Christian Arab scholars, theologians, philosophers and historians in praises of these sermons, sayings and letters, it will cover a volume as big as this book, therefore I shall briefly quote only a few of them:

1. Abu Sa’adah Mub arak ibn al-Athir al-Jazri (606 A.H.) is recognized unto this day not only as a narrator ofahadith but also as a lexicologist of great eminence. His bookAl-Nih aya , is a study of the history and meanings of the difficult words of Holy Qur’an and the traditions. In this book he has at great length discussed many words, phrases and the sentences of the Imam Ali’s sermons from the bookNahjul-Balagha . He says that so far as comprehensiveness is concerned Ali’s words come next only to the Holy Qur’an.

2.A allama Sheikh Kamalludin ibn Muhammed ibn Talhah, the Shafi’ite, (who died in 652 A.H.) in his famous bookMatalib al-Su’l, writes the following: A The fourth attribute of Imam Ali (A.S)  was his eloquence and rhetoric. He was such an Imam in these arts that none can aspire to rise up to the level of the dust of his shoes. One who has studiedNahjul- Balagha can form some idea of his supreme eminence in this sphere.

3.A allama Abu Hamid Abdul Hamid ibn Hibathullah, known as ibn Abil Hadid, the Mu’tazilite, who died in 655 A.H., and who has written a really great commentary on these sermons says the following:

i      A His speeches, letters and sayings are so supremely eminent that they are above the sayings of man and below only the words of Allah. None can surpass it but the Holy Qur’an.

ii     In another place, he says, A His sayings are (the actualized) miracle of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) His prophecies show that his knowledge was super-human.

4.A allama Sa’ddud-Din al-Taftazani (791 A.H.), inSharh al-Maqasid , says, Ali had a supreme command over the language, over ethics, and over the tenets of thereligion. At the same time, he was a great orator. His sermons, compiled inNahjul-Balagha, bear witness to these facts.

5.A allama Ala’ud-Din al-Qawshaji (875 A.H.), inSharah al-Tajrid, says, A The bookNahjul-Balagha, that is, the sermons and sayings contained therein, prove that none can surpass it on these lines but the Holy Qur’an.

6. Themufthi of Egypt, Sheikh Muhammed Abdoh (1323 A.H.), has written a commentary on the book,Nahjul-Balagha . He was among those modern thinkers, who made the modern world realize the beauties of the teaching of Islam. His introduction on his own commentary ofNahjul-Balagha deserves careful study.

In this introduction he says that everyone who fully understands Arabic language must agree that the sermons and sayings of the Imam (–) are next only to the words of Allah and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Ali’s words are so full of meanings and they convey such great ideas that this bookNahjul-Balagha should be very carefully studied, referred and quoted by students as well as teachers. This professor of Arabic literature and philosophy persuaded the universities of Cairo and Beirut to include the bookNahjul-Balagha in their courses for advance studies of literature and philosophy.

7. The famous author and orator Sheikh Mustafa Ghalaini of Beirut, who is considered as an authority on commentaries (tafsir ) of the Holy Qur’an and also on Arabic literature in his book,Arij al-Zahr and from the chapter titled A The Style of Language is written: A Who can write better than Ali except the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Allah. Those who want to study eminent standards of literature should study the bookNahjul-Balagha . It contains such depth of knowledge and such wonderful advises on the subjects of ethics and religion that its constant study will make a man wise, pious and noble-minded and will train him to be an orator of great standing.

8. Muhammed Mohiuddin, a professor of Arabic at Al-Azhar University of Cairo, says thatNahjul-Balagha is a collection of the works of Imam Ali (A.S) It is compiled by Sayyid al-Razi. It contains such examples of chaste language, noble eloquence and superior wisdom that none but Ali can produce such a work because next to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , he was the greatest orator, the greatest authority on language and literature and the greatest source of wisdom of thereligion (Islam). He was such a philosopher that from his words flow streams of knowledge and wisdom.

9. Abdul Wahhab Hammudah, an authority on Arabic literature and on traditions and also a professor at the Fu’ad I University of Cairo, wrote the following in 1951: A The BookNahjul-Balagha contains all that great scholars, professor of ethics, philosophers, scientists, authorities on religions and politicians can say or write. The wonderful force of advises and the superfine way of presenting arguments and the depth of vision prove that it is the work of a super mind like that of Ali (A.S) .

10. Abdul Maseeh al-Antaki, the Christian editor of the Egyptian magazine A Alamran, in his famous book titled Sharh al-Quasa’id al- A Alawiyya writes: A It cannot be denied that Ali (A.S)  was the Imam of speakers and orators, and he was the teacher and leader of writers and philosophers. There is truth in this assertion that his sayings are superior to that of any man and are inferior only to the sayings of Allah the Almighty. He undoubtedly was the man from writers, speakers, philosophers, theologians and poets have drawn inspirations, have improved their styles and have mastered their arts. The compilation of his work is namedNahjul-Balagha , which should be read often.

11. Fu’ad Afram al-Bust ani, a professor of Arabic literature, in the Qiddis Yousuf [Saint Joseph] College of Beirut, is a Roman Catholic. He has compiled a book containing selections from the works of philosophers, scientists, theologians and essayists. He starts this book with the following words, A I want to start this work of mine with Theselections from the bookNahjul-Balagha . It is a work of the greatest thinker of the world Imam Ali-Ibn Abu-Talib.

12. The famous Christian moralist, author and poet, Paulis Salamah, in his famous bookAwwal Malhama al-Arabiyya (printed at al-Ans ari Press of Beirut) says, A The famous bookNahjul-Balagha is the work which makes one realizes the great mind of Ali ibn Abu Talib. No book can surpass it but the Holy Qur’an. In it, you will find pearls of knowledge strung in beautiful chains, flowers of language making ones mind fragrant with sweet and pleasing smell of heroism and nobility, and streams of chaste language sweeter and cooler than the famous stream of the Kawthar flowing constantly and refreshing minds of readers.

THE AUTHOR: Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S)

1. His Genealogy:

Imam Ali (A.S)  the master of the faithful was the first cousin of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) His father, Abu Talib, and the father of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , Abdullah, were sons of Abdul-Muttalib, and children of the same mother, Fatima (S.A), the daughter of Asad son of the famous Banu Hashim. Thus, his (Imam Ali’s) parents were cousins. His genealogical table is as follows., etc. (Refer to Index 1)

2. His Birth:

Hazrat Ali (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was born on the 13th of Rajab 30 A.H. (in the Year of Elephant) (about 610 A.D.), i.e. 23 years before the Hijra of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Historians say that he was born in the precincts of Ka’ba. In this connection please refer the following books: 1. Imam Hakim, in hisMustadrak, 2. Al-Mas’udi, in hisMuruj al-Thahab , p. 125, 3.Izalatul-Khafa , 2nd subject, p. 251, and 4.A allama al-Alusi inSharh al-Ainiyya .

3. His Name:

At the time of his birth his father and his cousin, Muhammed, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , were out of Mecca, his mother gave him the names of A Asad and A Hayder; when his father returned he called him A Zaid. But when the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  came back to the city, he took his young cousin in his charge and gave him the name Ali, saying that it was the name decreed for him by Allah.

(1) Imam Noodi, the commentator of Bukhari

(2) Ibn al- A Arabi in his bookYawaqit

(3) Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, in his bookTathkirat Khawas al-A’imma .

Hazrat Ali (A.S)  has called himself Ali and A Hayder.

4. HisKunya

Among various kunyas, the most famous were A Abdul-Hasan, A Abul-Sibtain, and A Abu Turab. (Refer to the note below).

5. His Titles:

His titles were: A al-Murtada (the pleased one), A Amir al-Mu’minin (the Commander of the Faithful), A Imamul-Muttaqin (the leader of the pious).

His Physique:

The famous historian and biographistA allama Ali ibn Muhammed, in his book titledUsd al-Ghaba fi Tamyiz al-Sahaba (Vol. IV, page 398), says that he was a man of middle height with very black and very big and piercing eyes, very handsome cast of face, very clear and fair complexion, broad shoulders, powerful arms, vast chest, strong and roughened hands, a long muscular neck, a broad forehead and he had few hairs on the top of his head.

Note: Names derived on account of some relation or some connection. It is an Arab system that respectable people are addressed with theirkunya and not with their names. Imam Hakim, in hisMustadrak (Vol. 3), Kamil ibn Athir in hisTarikh al-Khamis , Ibn Abdul Birr, in hisIsti’ab (Vol. 2, p. 486) andA allama Tabrani, in hisRiyaz al-Nazira (Vol. 2 pp. 202 and 218) agree with the above description. Tabrani further says that he used to walk with very light tread and was very agile in his movements, had a very smiling face, very pleasing manner, a jovial temperament, very kind disposition and very courteous behavior. He would never lose his temper.

7. His Upbringing:

He was born three years before the marriage of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  with Hazrat Khadeeja (S.A). Soon after his birth the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  took him under his holy care and Ali was like a son unto him. He used to live with the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , used to sleep with him, was fed by him, washed and dressed by him, and even carried by him on a sling whenever he would go out. The historian al-Mas’udi, inIthbathal-Wasiyya (p. 119) says that when the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  married Khadija, she adopted this child as her son. Hazrat Ali himself has described his childhood in A khutbat al-qasi’a saying, A I was still a new born baby when the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  took me from my parents. I used to cling to him; he would make me sleep in his bed, pressing my body against his and making me smell his fragrance and feel its warmth; he used to feed me, and (when I grew a little older) he never found me uttering a lie or feigning a deceit. To me he was like a guiding star and I used to carefully follow his actions and deeds. I was attached to him like a young camel attached to its mother. He used to place before me high values of morality, and used to advise me to follow them; every year he would spend some days at the grotto of the Hera mountain. And I used to be with him, I was his only companion then and none else could meet him at Hera, there I used to see the light of revelation, and used to smell the fragrance of Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  hood. Once the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  said to me, Ali! You have attained a very eminent place. You see what I see and you hear what I hear.

Bothhafiz Abu Na’im in his bookHilyat al-Awliya’ , (Vol. 1, p. 67) andimam al-Sayyuti in hisTafsir al-Durr al-Manthur say that once Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  said to Hazrat Ali (A.S) , A O Ali! Allah has ordered me to keep you near me. You are to me like an ear that retain everything, because you are theretaining ears that the Holy book (Holy Qur’an) has praised.

8. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Hazrat Ali (A.S)  : How they loved each other

(i) Ibn Abil Hadid, the Mu’tazilite scholar and commentator ofNahjul-Balagha , cites Abdullah ibn Abbas saying, A Once I asked my father: A Sir, my cousin, Muhammed, has many sons. They all died while still infants. Which of them did he love the most? He replied: Ali ibn Abu Talib’. I said, A Sir, I was inquiring about his sons. He replied, A The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  loved Ali (A.S)  more than all of his sons. When Ali was a child I never saw him separated from Muhammed for half an hour, unless Muhammed went out of the house for some work. I never saw a father love his son so much as the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  loved Ali, and I never saw a son so obedient, so attached and so loving to his father as Ali was to Muhammed.

(ii) The same author cites the companion of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , Joobair-Ibn Mut’imm ibn A Adiyy ibn Nawfil, saying that once his father addressed him and some young men of his family A have you noticed the child Ali loving, venerating and obeying that young man, Muhammed, instead of his own father, what an intensity of love and veneration. I swear by our gods, the Laat and the Uzza, that instead of having so many offspring of Naufil around me I had a son like Ali.

(iii)A allama Tirmithi (Jama al-Tirmithi - Vol. I, p. 38, Mishkauth Vol. 2, p. 8 andMusnad of Imam Ahmed, Vol. I, p. 146), quotes the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  saying, A O Ali, I wish to achieve every such thing for you that I desire to acquire myself and I want to keep you away from all those things whose contact I abhor.

(iv)‘allama Tabrani (in his Oasuth) and Imam Hakim (in hisSahih ) say that whenever the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was angry, nobody dared to speak to him but Ali.

(v) Ibn Abil Hadid (commentary ofNahjul-Balagha Vol. 2I p. 251) once again quotes the uncle of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , Abbas saying that they (Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Ali) loved each other intensely. The Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was so fond of Ali that once when Ali was a young boy he sent him out on some errand and the child took a long time to return, he started getting worried and anxious and in the end he prayed to Allah A Please Master do not let me die unless I behold Ali once again. (This incident is also quoted by Tirmithi).

(vi) Ali started acting as the bodyguard of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  even when he was just a boy of 13 or 14 years. The young men of Quraish under instigation of their parents used to stone the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Ali took up the work of acting as his defender. He fell upon those young men, broke the nose of one, teeth of the other, pulled the ears of the third and threw down the fourth. He often fought against those who were older than himself, was often himself hurt, but he never forsook Theself imposed duty. After some days he got the nickname of A Qazeem (one who breaks or throws away) and nobody dared to throw anything at the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  when Ali (A.S)  was with him, and he would not let the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  go out of the house alone (A’yan Vol. 3, p. 280).

Offering himself as a sacrifice at the night of Hijra (migration) and his subsequent behavior in all the battles are enough proofs of the intensity of Ali’s love to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  

9. His Character:

I. Jurjy Zaidan (George Gordan) who died recently was a famous Christian historian, linguist, philosopher and poet of modern Egypt. Arabic was his mother tongue, but he was so well- versed in English, French, Germany, Persian and Latin that he used to contribute to historical and philosophical magazines of France, Germany and England. About Hazrat Ali he says the following:

None can praise to the extent that he (Ali) deserves. So many instances of his piety and fear of Allah 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 servants 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.

II. The famous Egyptian philosopher and Professor of Islamics of Alazhar University,A allama Muhammed Mustafa Beck Najeeb in his equally famous book A Hima’ethul Islam says the following: A What can be said about this Imam? It is very difficult to fully explain his attributes and qualities. It is enough to realize that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had named him the gateway of knowledge and wisdom. He was the most learned person, the most brave man and the most eloquent speaker and orator. His piety, his love of Allah, his sincerity and fortitude in following religion were of such high order that none could aspire to reach him. He was the greatest politician because he hated diplomacy in the way of unjustice and loved truth and justice, his was the policy as taught by Allah. On account of his sagacity and thorough knowledge of human mind he always arrived at correct conclusion and never changed his opinions. His was of the best judgment, and had he no fear of Allah he would have been the greatest diplomat among the Arabs. He is loved by all, and everyone has a place for him in his heart. He was a man of such surpassing and pre-eminent attributes and such transcending and peerless qualities that many learned men accepted perplexed about him and imagined him to be an incarnation of Allah. Several men among the Jews and Christians love him and such philosophers who came to know of his teachings bow down before his incomparable vast knowledge. Roman kings would have his pictures in their palaces and great warriors would engrave his name on their swords. (Hima’ethul Islam, part I, p. 98)

III. Another philosopher and historian of Egypt, namely Prof. Muhammed Kamil Hatha, pays his tributes in the following words: His life is a agglomeration of pleasing incidents, bloody encounters and sad episodes. His personality is very prominent on account of his transcending and high qualities. Each aspect of his life is so lofty and glorious that a study of one phase would make you feel that it was the best phase of his character and the most beautiful picture of his personality, while contemplation of any other phase will enchant you more and you will come to the conclusion that no human being can attain that height, and a third aspect will fascinate you equally and you will realize that before you is a personality of such great eminence that you cannot fully appreciate its greatness and you will feel that Ali was an Imam (Leader) in battlefield, was an Imam (Leader) in politics, was an Imam in religion, and also an Imam in ethics, in philosophy, in literature, in learning and wisdom. It is not difficult for Allah to create such a person (a review on the character of Ali by Ustad (Professor) Muhammed Kamil Hatha, P. 40)

IV. The historian John J. Pool (author ofthe Life of H.M. Queen Victoria ) in his bookStudies in Muhammedanism makes the following points:

(i) This prince was a man of mild and forbearing character, wise in counsel and bold in war. Muhammed had given him the surname of A the Lion of Allah.

(ii) Ali (A.S)  and his sons Hasan (–) and Husain (–) were truly noble men; men of righteousness, men of a brave, a humble and a forgiving spirit. Their lives deserve to be commemorated for there was a peculiar pathos about them (their lives) which were not spent selfishly or in vain. As Mathew Arnold (Essays in Criticism) says A the sufferers of Kerbala’ had aloft to the eyes of millions the lessons so loved by the sufferer of Cavalry (Representation of Crucifixion) :-- A Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and Ye shall find rest unto your souls. He further says that Ali (A.S)  was the first Caliph to protect and encourage national literature. This prince was a scholar himself and many of his wise sayings and proverbs are published in a book. It is a remarkable work and deserves to be more widely read in the West.

V. Ibn Abul-Hadid, the Mu’tazilite commentator ofNahjul-Balagha , says the following: Hazrat Ali had a personality in which opposite characteristics had so gathered that it was difficult to believe a human mind could manifest such a combination. He was the bravest man that history could cite and such brave persons are always hard hearted, cruel, and eager for bloodshed. On the contrary Ali was kind, sympathetic, responsive and a warm-hearted person, qualities quite contradictory to the other phase of his character and more suited to pious and Allah fearing persons.

He was an extremely pious and God-fearing person and often pious and religious persons avoid society and do not care to mix with men of sins and men of wrath. Similarly, warriors, kings, and dictators are usually arrogant and haughty. They consider it below themselves to mix with poor, lowly and humble persons. But Ali (A.S)  was different. He was a friend to all. As a matter of historical fact it is known that he had a tender spot in his heart for the poor and humble, and for the orphans and the cripples. To them he was always a kind friend, a sympathetic guide and a fellow sufferer; he was meek unto them but haughty and arrogant against famous warriors and generals, so many of whom he had killed in hand to hand combat. He was always kind but strict with wayward persons, sympathetically teaching them the ways of Allah. He always smiled and passed happy and witty rejoinders, it was difficult to overcome him in any debate or repartee, his rejoinders and retorts always bore high marks of culture, education and knowledge.

He was a scion of a very illustrious, rich and noble clan, as well as son-in-law and great favorite of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) At the same time he was the greatest warrior and marshal of his time, yet in spite of his riches he ate, dressed and lived like a poor person. To him wealth was for the use of other needy persons, not for himself and his family. Change of times and change of circumstances did not bring any change in his bearing, mien, or character. Even when he ascended the throne of Arabia and was acclaimed as the Caliph, he was the same Ali (A.S)  as they had found him to be during the previous regimes. Once in the society of Abdullah, son of Imam Malik ibn Hanbal, a discussion took place about Ali and his caliphate. Abdullah brought the discussion to an end saying that the caliphate did not bring any honor or glory to Ali, but it was itself honored and glorified by Ali and it received the status actually due to it.

Ibn Abul-Hadid also says that, in this world, an example cannot be found of any person other than Ali who was a first class warrior and a marshal, a philosopher, a moralist and a great teacher of religious principles and theology. A study of his life shows that his sword was the only help that Islam received during its early days of struggle and its wars of self-defense. For Islam he was the first line of defense, The second line of defense and the last line of defense. Who was with him in the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khundak, Khayber and Hunain? This is one aspect of his life. Yet the other phase of his character is portrayed by his sermons, orders, letters and sayings. What high values of morality they teach, what ethics they preach, what intricate problems of Unitarianism they elucidate, how rich they are in philosophy. How they try to train us to be kind, good, benevolent and Allah fearing rulers, and faithful, sincere and law abiding subjects. How they persuade us to be warriors who can fight only for Allah, truth and justice, and not mercenaries murdering and plundering for wealth and riches; and how they instruct us to be teachers who can teach nothing injurious and harmful to mankind. Was there any such combination before and will there ever be?

VI. To M. Oelsner, the famous French Orientalist and author ofLes Effets de La Religion de Mohammed , Ali (A.S)  was the beau ideal of chivalry: and personification of gallantry, bravery and generosity.

He says the following: A Pure, gentle and learned without fear and without reproach, he set for the world the noblest example of chivalrous grandeur of character. His spirit was a pure reflection of that of Muhammed, it overshadowed the Islamic world and formed the animating genius of succeeding ages.

VII. Robert Durie Osborn, inIslam under the Arabs, says that Ali (A.S)  had been advised by several of his counselors to defer the dismissal of the corrupt governors previously appointed until he himself was sure against all enemies. The standard of Islam, the hero without fear and without reproach, refused to be guilty of any duplicity or compromise with injustice. This uncompromisingly noble attitude cost him his state and his life; but such was Ali, he never valued anything above justice and truth.

VIII. Edward Gibbon, in Vol. 5 ofthe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire says, A The zeal and virtues of Ali were never out-stripped by any recent proselyte. He united the qualification of a poet, a soldier and a saint. His wisdom still breathes in a collection of moral and religious sayings; and every antagonist in the combats of tongue or of sword was subdued by his eloquence and valor. From the first hour of mission to the last rites of his funeral, the Messenger was never forsaken by this generous friend, whom he delighted to name his brother, his vicegerent and the faithful Aaron of a second Moses.

IX. Al-Mas’udi, the famous historian of Islam, says, A If the glorious name of being the first Muslim, a comrade of the prophet in exile, his faithful companion in the struggle for the faith, his intimate associate in life, and his kinsman, if a true knowledge of the spirit of his teachings and of the Book, if self-abnegation and practice of justice, if honesty, purity, and love of truth and if knowledge of law and science constitute a claim to pre-eminence, then all must regard Ali as the foremost Muslim. We shall search in vain to find, either among his predecessor (save the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) ), or among his successor, those virtues with which Allah had endowed him.

10. His Faith

As has been declared by all the historians of Islam, since his childhood, Ali (A.S)  was adopted and looked after by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) It was only natural that his religious tendencies from his childhood were those of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) The question as to when he embraced Islam is out of consideration. He was Muslim from the very beginning. His religion was thereligion of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) At the age of 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, and 14th year he was following thereligion which the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had at his 35th, 37th, 40th, 42nd, and 44th year of his life. The difference between therespective ages of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Ali was about 30 years. If the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  at any period of his life was a non-Muslim, then Ali at that period was also a non-Muslim. This is the logic of facts. Imam Nur ad-Din Ali ibn Ibrahim, the Shafi’ite, in his bookAl-Sira al-Halabiyya says A Ali was like a son unto the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  therefore his religion from the very beginning was thereligion followed by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) the famous historian Mas’udi says A The general census of opinion among the Muslim historians and theologians is that Ali was never a non-Muslim and never prayed before idols. Therefore the question of his embracing Islam does not and cannot arise.

11. His Wife, Children and Life at Home

Hazrat Ali was married to Hazrat Fatima (S.A), the only daughter of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  from Hazrat Khadija. He had been betrothed to her several days before the expedition of Badr. But the marriage was celebrated three months later, Hazrat Ali, being 21 years old, and Hazrat Fatima (S.A), beingr 15, (as stated inthe Spirit of Islam ), was very happy in his blessed marriage. The transcendental distinctiveness of their respective characters blended with each other so well, so much so that they never quarreled nor complained about each other, leading a happy and contented life. Each one of them was rich in his own rights. Fatima (S.A) was the only heir of one of the richest women of Arabia, Khadija, and had inherited many orchards and gardens in Mecca and Medina. Besides, that she was the daughter of the head of a rich clan and a king of a fast growing kingdom. Ali was a marshal who had very handsome shares from the spoils of wars. Yet all that they owned went to the poor, crippled and orphans, and they themselves often starved. Their only luxury in life was prayer, and the company of each other and their children. They willingly shared the sorrows and suffering of the poor. They were given a slave girl, Fizza, but the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had made arrangements that every alternate day was the off day of Fizza and her mistress would do all the household work. Even when Hazrat Fatima (S.A) was ill on Fizza’s off day, Fizza would not be allowed to attend to the duties, but Hazrat Ali would work; and the hero of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khayber and Hunain was seen grinding oats, lighting the oven, preparing the bread and looking after the children. Salman says A What a household, the only daughter of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and wife of his vicegerent leading the life of a poor laborer. If they had spent one-tenth of what they were distributing daily they would have led a life of ease and comfort. From Hazrat Ali the Lady of Light (Fatima [S.A]) had four children and the fifth (Mohsin) was a still birth. The causes of this mishap and also that of her death are very sad and pathetic incidents of their lives. The names of these four children were Hasan, Husain, Zainab (wife of Abdullah ibn Jafar) and Umm al-Kulsoom (wife of Obaydullah ibn Ja’fer). During the lifetime of Hazrat Fatima (S.A) Hazrat Ali did not marry another woman. After her death he married Yamama. After the latter’s death, married another lady, having the name of A Hanafiyya by whom he had a son, Muhammed ibn al-Hanafiyya. After her death, he married again, thus he had many children some of whom had unparalleled places in the history of mankind, e.g. Hasan, Husain (–) (the hero of Kerbala’), Zainab (the defender of true Islam in Kufa and Damascus), Abbas (commander of Husain’s army in Kerbala’) and Muhammed ibn al-Hanafiyya, the hero of Nahrawan.

12. Ali Among his Friends and Foes and Among the Rich and the Poor

I have cited below a few cases which typically exemplify the characteristics of Ali ibn Abu-Talib’. He was, as Pool says, A Truly a noble man, a man of righteousness, and a man of brave, humble and forgiving spirit, and as Oelsner says A Pure, gentle and learned without fear and without reproach, setting the noblest example of character to the world. Out of hundreds and hundreds of cases to select I find it rather difficult which to choose and which not to choose. I have selected a few according to the standard of my knowledge and visualization.

I. Ali’s behavior with his foes

(1) Talhah ibn Abu Talhah was not only a bitter enemy of Islam, but was a personal enemy of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Ali (A.S) His exertions to harm these two and their mission is historically verifiable. In the battle of Uhud he was the flag-bearer of the army of Quraish. Ali (A.S)  faced him and in a hand to hand encounter dealt him such a severe blow that he reeled and fell down. Ali (A.S)  left him like that and walked away from him. Many Muslim warriors ran up to Ali (A.S)  and advised him to finish Talhah, saying that he was Ali’s worst enemy. Ali (A.S)  replied A Enemy or no enemy, he cannot defend himself now, and I cannot strike a man who is not in a position to defend himself. If he survives, he is welcome to live as long as his life-span lasts.

(2) In the Battle of Jamal, in the thick of the encounter, his slave Qambar brought some sweet syrup saying A My master the sun is very hot and you have been constantly fighting, have a glass of this cold drink to refresh yourself. Ali (A.S)  looked around himself and replied A Shall I refresh myself when hundreds of people around me are lying wounded and dying of thirst and wounds? Instead of bringing sweet syrup for me take a few men with you and give each of these wounded persons a cool drink. Qambar replied A My master, they are all our enemies. Ali (A.S)  said A They may be but they are human beings and attend to them.

(3) In the battle of Siffin Mu’awiyah reached the river Euphrates before the army of the Imam (–), and took position of the river. When Hazrat’s army reached there he was informed that they would not be allowed a drop of water from the river. The Imam (–) sent a messenger to Mu’awiyah saying that this action was against the canons of humanity and orders of Islam. Mu’awiyah replied saying that A a war is a war and therein one cannot accept principles of humanity and doctrines of Islam. My sole aim is to kill Ali (A.S)  and to demoralize his army and this stop. of water will bring about these results easily and quickly. the Imam (–) ordered Imam Husain to attack and get back the river. The attack took place and river side position was captured. It was then Mu’awiyah’s turn to beseech permission to get water from the river. His messengers arrived and Ali (A.S)  told them to take as much water as they like and as often as they require. When his officers told him that those were the very people who had refused water to them, should they be allowed a free run of the river? He replied A they are human beings and even though they have acted inhumanely, I cannot follow their example and cannot refuse a man food and drink because he happens to be my worst enemy.

(4) It was the battle of Nahrawan and he himself was fighting like any other ordinary soldier. During this battle a man came to face him and in the encounter lost his sword. He realized his hopeless plight of standing before Ali (A.S)  without any weapon in hand. Ali’s hand was raised for a blow when he saw the antagonist trembling with fear he lowered his hand slowly and said A Run away friend. You are not in a position to defend yourself. This attitude made the man bold and he said A Ali (A.S)  why do not you kill me it would have made one enemy less for you. Ali (A.S)  replied A I cannot strike a man, who cannot defend himself. You are begging for your life and it was spared. the opponent got bolder and said, A I am told that you have never refused a beggar. Now I beg you of your sword, will you grant it to me? Ali (A.S)  handed him over the sword. Taking possession of the sword he said A Now Ali (A.S)  who is going to defend you against me and save you from my killing blow. He replied A Of course Allah, He will defend me if He so wills. He has appointed my death to be my guarding angel none can harm before it is due and none can save me when it arrives. Nobility of thought and action effected the foe and he kissed the bridle of Ali’s horse and said A O master, you are a great man indeed. You cannot only forsake the life of your enemy in a battlefield but also you can grant him your sword. May I have the honor to act as your bodyguard and to fight for you? He replied A Friend fight for truth and justice and do not fight for persons.

(5) During 39 and 40 A.H., Mu’awiyah organized bands of murderers and brigands to enter border towns and to carry on loot, plunder, arson and rape. Kumail was at that time the governor of Hayeth. He asked Hazrat’s permission to organize similar bands and carry plunder in the province of Circiea which was under the control of Mu’awiyah. Hazrat Ali (A.S)  replied to him A I never expected such a suggestion from a man like you. It is more noble and more moral to guard your people and province than to plunder others. They might be our enemies but they are human beings. They consist of civil population compromising of women and children. How can one kill, loot and plunder them? No, never even dream of such a venture.

(6) It was the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting. It was the time of the morning prayers. The mosque was full of Muslims. Ali (A.S)  was kneeling before Allah and when he raised his head a terrible blow fell upon it giving a very deep cut. There was a great disturbance and commotion in the mosque. The murderer started running. The Muslims followed, caught and bound him in ropes and brought him before Ali (A.S)  who was on the prayer carpet drenched in blood and was reclining upon his sons. He knew the blow was fatal and he could not survive it but when the murderer was brought before him, he saw that the rope which had bound him was so tightly bound that it was cutting into his flesh. He turned towards those Muslims and said, A You should not be so cruel with your fellow being. Slacken his ropes. Do you not see that they are cutting into his flesh and he is in agony?

So was Ali (A.S) Islamic history repeatedly notes well the incidents of his chivalrous and merciful treatment towards his enemies.

II. Let us see what the history says about his behavior with his friends and relatives.

1. Abdullah, a son of his brother Ja’fer, was his favorite nephew, whom he had brought up since the death of Ja’fer and to whom he had given his most favorite daughter, Zainab, into marriage. This Abdullah came to him, requesting an advance installment of his share from Baitul Mal. Ali (A.S)  refused and when the young man persisted, he said, A No my son, not a day before all the others, and a pie more!

2. Aqil, his elder brother, was financially in a very unhappy condition, he asked for something more than his share and before the time was due. The Imam (–) refused, saying that he could not resort to dishonesty. Aqil must wait till the time of distribution, and must bear the sufferings patiently. He had cited this incident in one of his sermons.

3. Ibn Hanif was his trusted disciple and a faithful follower. He was governor of a province and was once invited to a function which was followed by sumptuous dinner. When Hazrat heard of this he wrote him a severe letter, criticizing his action and said, A You went to a dinner where only rich people were invited and the poor were scornfully excluded. This letter can be seen inNahjul-Balagha .

III. Ali (A.S)  among his servants and slaves

He had two slaves, Qambar and Sa’id: After his death Qambar related that he very seldom had the occasion to serve his master. The Imam (–) used to do his work for himself; washing his own clothes, and patching them when patching was needed. He also drew water from the well for his own daily use. He would give them good food and decent dresses, and would himself eat and dress like a very poor man. Let alone whipping or beating he never even got angry with us. He never used a cane even on his horse, camel or mule. These animals apparently understood his mood and desire and would trot and walk as he wished them to do. His often used phrase with them was A go easy child’ Continuing, Qambar said A Once and only once he got annoyed with me. It was the occasion when I showed him the money that I had hoarded. It was from my share of income given to me like others from the Muslim treasury and the gifts I had received from the members of his family. I had no immediate use of it and had collected the amount. It was not much, being barely 100 dirhams. When I showed him the amount he looked annoyed and what pained me more he looked very sad. I inquired as to why he was so sad, he said A Qambar, if you had no use of this money, were there not people around you who were in need of it? Some of them might have been starving and some ill and infirm, could you not have helped them? I never thought that you could be so heartless and cruel, and could love wealth for the sake of wealth. Qambar I am afraid you are not trying to acquire much from Islam, try more seriously and sincerely. Take these coins out of my house. I took them out and distributed them among the beggars in the Kufa mosque.

Sa’id says, A It was a very hot day. The Imam (–) was writing some letters. He wanted to send me to call some of his officers. He called me once, twice and the third time. Each time I purposely remained silent and did not reply. He got up to go himself and saw me sitting not very far from him. He asked me why I did not respond to his call. I replied, A Sir, I want to find out when and how you get angry. A smile played on his lips and he replied: A You cannot rouse my anger with such childlike tricks. Then he set me free and kept on supporting me till his death.

IV. Ali (A.S)  among his subjects

(i) Once A Ubaydullah ibn Abbas, as governor, ill-treated Banu Tamim clan. They complained to the Imam (–). He wrote to ibn Abbas, A You should not behave like a beast with your subjects. They are respectable people and should be treated respectfully. You are representing me and your treatment is considered as that of mine. Your first consideration should be the welfare of those over whom you rule and then to treat them with due respect and consideration.

(ii) Once a group of non-Muslim subjects waited on the Imam (–), complaining that Abdullah ibn Abbas always treated them with contempt and scorn. They were farm tillers and agricultural laborors. It had then become a practice that non-Muslims were usually treated scornfully. The Imam (–) wrote to Abdullah, A The agricultural population of your province complains about your harsh, contemptuous and cruel treatment. Their complaints require careful considerations. I feel they deserve a better treatment than what was met out to them. Give them a chance to approach you, and meet them kindly and politely. They may be heathens and polytheists, but being your subjects and human beings, they do not deserve to be driven from us and to be treated harshly and contemptuously.

(iii) Hazrat Ali (A.S)  was passing through A Ambaz with his army. The rich men of the province, as was the custom of those times, came out to greet him. They offered the best Persian horses as presents, and requested his permission to act as hosts to his army. He met them very courteously, but very politely refused to accept the gifts and the invitation, saying, A You have paid your taxes. To receive anything more from you, even when you offer it voluntarily and willingly, is a crime against the state. But when they persisted and pressed their request, he ordered that the horses could be accepted against their taxes, and so far as the feast was concerned it must be paid out of the war expenses.

(iv) In the MagazineAl-Hukam , Vol. 2, No. 47 of 1906, there appeared an article saying that the Russians in 1905 found an order of Hazrat Ali (A.S) , in his own handwriting which was in Kufic script. This was found in a monastery of Ardabil, chief town of Azerbaijan. This letter was an amnesty deed to the monastery and the Christians of Ardabil. A translation of this deed appeared in the Russian newspapers and thence it was translated in the Turkish papers and in the Arabic magazines of Cairo and Beirut, and lots of commentating articles on the spirit of toleration and the treatment of conquered by Islam were written by the Russians and Arab Christians. Apparently from the MagazineAl Habl al-Mateen, it was translated byAl-Hukam .

In this deed, the Imam (–) says that as the caliph and ruler, he promises safety and security of life, property, honor, social status and religious freedom of Armenian Christians. This order should be obeyed by his officers and his successors. The Christians should not be maltreated or looked down upon because they are non-Muslims. So long as they do not try to betray and injure the cause of the state of Islam. They should not be molested and should be allowed to practice their religion and trades freely and openly. Islam teaches us to carry a message of peace with us and improve the status of society wherever we go and the best way to achieve this is to create amity, friendliness and concord between human beings. Therefore, Muslims should try to develop friendship of these people and should never resort to the wrong use of power, force and arrogance. They should not be over-taxed, humiliated and forced out of their homes, lands and trades. Their priests should be treated with due respect, their monasteries should be protected; they should be allowed to carry on their lectures, teachings and preaching as usual and their religious ceremonies should not be prohibited. If they want to build their places of worship, then fallow and ownerless lands should be allotted to them. One who disobeys this order, is going against the orders of Allah and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and will deserve His wrath.

(v) Harith ibn Shuhail, one of the governors of the provinces was in Kufa, and while riding through the city he saw Imam Ali (A.S)  also riding. He got down from his horse to accompany the Imam (–) on foot. The Imam (–) stopped his horse and said, A It ill becomes a man to lower himself before anybody but his Allah. Please get back upon your horse. Even had you not been an officer of the State, still I would not allow you to lower yourself like this. The sight of such humiliation of man before another man never pleases me. It is the worst form of tyranny which can be practiced.

(vi) There is a letter of the Imam (–) which is actually a system of rules and regulations for the administration of benign government and a code for higher values of morality. It is included inNahjul-Balagha and it is referred to so very often by historians of Europe and philosophers of Arabia. Even Justice Kayani refers to it in his presidential address in Karachi on April 16, 1960, that it now needs no further introduction. In it, there are orders which show that he wanted his officers to remember that the people over whom they ruled are exclusively entrusted to them by Allah and should be treated as such.

V. Ali (A.S)  Among the Poor

He had a very soft corner in his heart for old, weak, infirm, disabled and poor, and children were always his favorites.

(i) It was the hottest day of The season, he had finished his noon-prayers in the mosque and was passing through the bazaar when he saw a young slave-girl piteously weeping on the road. He asked her thereason. She said that her master had given her some money to get dates from the bazaar. The dates which she brought were not liked by her master and he wanted them to be returned and his money refunded. The fruit seller refused to take them back, her master was beating her for the money and seller had also caned her for going to him over and over again. She did not know what to do and whom to approach for help. The Imam (–) accompanied her to Theseller and advised him to take back the dates. He was a new comer to Kufa and did not recognize the Imam (–) and was rude to him. A passerby intervened and told him who the Imam (–) was. He jumped from his shop and begged of the Imam (–) to excuse him and said that he would give back the money immediately to her. The Imam (–) replied that it was really mean of him to treat an honest suggestion disdainfully and haughtily and to cower before power and might so abjectly and humiliatingly. The owner of the slave-girl had also heard the news of this incident and ran to meet the Imam (–) to apologize for the trouble caused by the slave-girl. The Imam (–) told him, A You have no mercy for a person who is under your power and cannot forgive her mistake. Have you then a right to expect mercy and forgiveness from our Master? You people have acquired nothing from Islam but its name.

(ii) One day, he saw an old woman carrying a heavy load of firewood which she could ill-afford to lift. She was tottering under the weight. The Imam (–) relieved her of her weight and carried it to her hamlet, and on her request, lit her oven for her and gave her some money. She did not know who the Imam (–) was and was thanking him for his kindness when a neighbor entered the hamlet, recognized the Imam (–) and told her who he was. Only then she realized that who had served her like an obedient servant was the caliph and the king.

(iii) Only after his death the world came to know that he had provided a shelter outside of the town for a leper in an advanced stage of the disease. He used to go there daily, dress his wounds, feed him with his own hands (because the leper had lost his hands), wash him, put his bed in order and carry him out of the shelter for a little time so that he could get fresh air. Accidentally, relatives and friends of the Imam (–) came across this shelter, found the leper in it, learned his history and told him the Imam (–) was murdered and they had just then buried him. The news so effected the poor cripple that he died on the spot.

13. Ali’s Diet

Imam Ali (A.S)  always ate the kind of food and dressed in such a way that even the poorest could afford better. It was not because he was poor but because he wanted to lead the life of the poorest person and spend all that could be spared on the poor. I have noted below certain cases quoted by the historians. These incidents are of the time when he was the ruler and king of the entire Muslim Empire except Syria.

(i) Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, in hisMusnad, cited Suwayda ibn Ghaflah saying, A One day I went to see Ali (A.S)  at the government house (Darul Imara). It was the time of breakfast and before him there was a cup of milk and some barley bread. The bread was dry, stale, hard and did not contain any butter or oil. It could not be easily broken into pieces. The Imam (–) was exerting himself to break and soften it. I turned towards his slave, Fizza and said A Fizza! have you no pity upon your old master and why cannot you give him softer bread and add some butter or oil to it? She replied A Why should I pity him when he never pities himself. He has given strict orders that nothing is to be added to his bread and even chaff and husks are not to be separated from the flour. We, ourselves, eat much better food than this, though we are his slaves. Hearing this, I said to him, A O Master! Have pity on yourself! Look at your age, your responsibilities, your hard work and your food. He replied: A O Suwayda! You have no idea what the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  used to eat. He never ate to satiety for three consecutive days.

(ii)A allama Kamalud-Din Muhammed ibn Talhah al-Shafi’i, in his book titledMatalib al-Su’l , quotes Abdullah ibn Zurarah saying, A I went to see Imam Ali (A.S)  on an Eid day. He asked me to join in his breakfast. I agreed. A very poor kind of food was served before us. I told him, O Master, you are such a rich man, a caliph and a king. I was expecting that game would be served before us but what do I see? the Imam (–) replied, A O Ibn Zurara! You have heard of mighty kings who have lead life of luxury. Let me be a ruler leading the life of a poor and humble person - a humble laborer.

(iii) Al-Milani, in his book titledSira, and Imam Ahmed, in hisMusnad, quote the famoustabi’i Ibn Abu Rafi’ saying that he went to the Imam (–) on an Eid day and while he was sitting there a bag was brought before the Imam (–) which he thought might contain jewels. The Imam (–) opened the bag but it only contained dried pieces of bread, which he softened with water. Ibn ee Abee Rafay asked him as to thereason of sealing such a kind of food which even a beggar would not care to steal. The Imam (–) smiled and said A I keep it sealed because my children try to substitute softer bread, containing oil or butter in it. ibn Abee Rafay said, A Has Allah prohibited you to eat better kind of food? He replied A No, but I want to eat the kind of food which the poorest of his realm can afford at least once a day. I shall improve it after I have improved their standards of life. I want to live, feel and suffer like them.

14. His Clothing

(i) Imam Ahmed, in his bookAl-Manaqib, and Ibn Athir in his history book, quote Harun ibn Anzah saying that he accompanied his father (Anzah) to the Khawarnaq castle to meet Imam Ali (A.S) Those were winter days and the winter was very severe. He found the Imam (–) in a very thin cotton garment, and the cold wind was making him shiver. Anzah asked him, A O Commander of faithful! Allah has reserved a share for you and your family from Baitul-Mal (treasury). Why do you not make use of it? He replied, A O Anzah! I do not want anything from your treasury, this is the dress I have brought with me from Medina.

(ii) Imam Ahmed quotes Zaid ibn Wahab saying that once the Imam (–) came out of his house and there were patches sewn to his dress. Ibn Na’jah, a Kharijite and an enemy, was allowed by the Imam (–) to lead a peaceful and comfortable life at Kufa taunted the Imam (–) on the very poor and coarse kind of dress put on by him. He replied A Let go, what have you to find objection in my dress? It is the kind which our masses can afford. Why can you not think of their lives and dresses? I shall improve my standard after I have succeeded in improving theirs. I shall continue to live like them. Such kind of dress makes one feel humble and meek, and is helpful as a reminder and an encouragement to give up vanity, haughtiness and arrogance.

(iii) Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, in his books titledKanzul- A Ummal , and al-Tabari inAl-Riyaz al-Nazira, quote A Omer ibn Quais saying that once he asked the Imam (–) as to thereason of his having patches in his dress. He replied, A O A Omer! Such type of dress makes you soft-hearted; it vanishes vanity from your mind, and it is the kind which poor Muslims can conveniently afford.

(iv) Shaikul-Islam Imam A Abu A Omer, Youuf ibn Abdul-Birr, in his book Al-Isti’ab quotes Hussan ibn Jermoze saying that his father once saw the Imam (–) coming out of the Kufa mosque in a shirt made of jute cloth. Around him were people so well dressed that compared to him they looked like princes. He was instructing them as to how they might better understand their own submission to the Will of Allah (Islam).

(v) Imam Ahmed quotes Abu Noziah, theready-made cloth merchant of Kufa, saying that the Imam (–) purchased two shirts from his shop, one was of superior quality, which he handed over to his slave Qambar to put on. The other was of a rough cloth, very coarse and cheap which he reserved for himself.

15. His services to Islam and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  

(i) the first occasion on which Ali (A.S)  offered his services to the cause of Islam was when the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was first ordered by Allah to preach Islam openly.

For three years the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was preaching Islam under absolute secrecy. At the end of the third year (i.e. The fourth year after A Baysuth’, in 45 A Amul-Fil) he received orders to preach his near relations and to admonish them. A The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  directed Ali (A.S)  to prepare an entertainment and to invite the sons and grandsons of Abdul-Muttalib. This was done and about forty of them came, but Abu Lahab, made the company break up before Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household) had an opportunity to speak. The next day a second invitation was issued. When they came and the frugal meal was served the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  rose and declared his sacred character and offered the treasures of time and of eternity to whomsoever should become his disciples. He then concluded by demanding, A Who among you will aid me to bear this burden, who will be my Lieutenant and Vizier, just as Aaron was to Moses? the assembly remained mute with astonishment, not one venturing to accept the offered perilous office, until Ali (A.S) , Muhammed’s cousin, stood up and exclaimed A O Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  ! I will, though I am indeed the youngest of these present, the most rheum of them as to the eyes and the slenderest of them as to the legs; I, O Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , will be thy Vazir over them. On which throwing his arms around the generous and courageous youth, and pressing him to his bosom, Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household) declared; A Behold my brother and my Vizier and obey him. (John Davenport,An apology for Muhammed and Holy Qur’an )

Many historians are of the opinion that it was a monumental declaration and indeed a momentous occasion, and that Ali’s declaration was the first and greatest service done in behalf of the Islamic cause. Had the appeal of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  been left unanswered, the propagation of Islam would have been nipped in the bud. To them the whole idea was the actualization of an adult person preaching Monotheism and Submission, and a young courageous youth offering his services vehemently appeared completely foreign to the gatherings’ traditional sensibilities. They laughed at both of them and dispersed, advising Ali’s father to obey his youngest son from that day onward. These two, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Imam Ali (A.S)  proved to the world that there was nothing laughable in their declaration. They proved to the world that their wisdom and courage was enough for Allah to make their mission a success. Carlyle says that in his opinion, young Ali (A.S)  had the kind of personality as could be liked, loved and venerated by everybody. He was a man of such excellent character, so loving and lovable and so intensely brave that if anything stood against his bravery it was consumed as if by fire, yet he was so gentle and kind that he represented the model of a Christian knight.

As was said this was really the first and the greatest service to the cause of Allah; Monotheism and Submission to His Will alone (Islam). From this day to the last day of his life, Imam Ali (A.S)  sincerely, bravely and nobly acted as the defender of the faith.

(ii) The second great occasion was when the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was forced to leave Mecca, making somebody stay in his place in such a way that his enemies would believe that he was still in his house and thus he might safely go away in the darkness of the night. This departure to Medina is called the Hijra and the Muslim era is named after this event. It took place during the month of September, 662 A.D. Thursday the 26th Safar (thirteen years after the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , A.S., started preaching Islam). The people of Medina were favorably inclined towards Islam and some had embraced this religion and had promised every kind of support to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Many Muslims had left for Medina and were handsomely treated by the Ansars of Medina. The Quraish, realizing that Islam was gaining a good support and a firm hold at Medina and those who had fled from Mecca were being happily settled there, decided to strike at the root cause. Their hatred of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was so intense that nothing would satisfy them but his death. They gathered at Noodva and decided that a few people from each clan of Quraish would jointly attack the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and strike him with their swords at one and the same time. Thus no individual of any single clan would be responsible of his death. Banu Hashim would not be able to kill any person in return or to fight against any single clan and as they were not strong enough to fight against all the clans of Quraish at the same time they would be forced to be satisfied with blood-money (diyya ). They further decided to surround the house of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  during the night so that he could not get away and then to kill him the next morning. Thus forty men got ready and surrounded his house. Allah revealed to His Messenger of the intrigue planned against him and ordered him to leave Mecca the very same night. It was a serious and dangerous occasion. He was ordered by Allah to go and to go in such a way that none of his enemies might suspect his departure and, if possible, none of his friends might know of it. The walls of his house were barely seven feet high and anyone placing a stone and standing upon it could easily peep into the house. He knew the house was surrounded. Whenever he asked someone to sleep in his bed, he would cover him with the Prophet's coverlet. Such a person was expected not to expose his identity till dawn (by which time the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  would be safe and out of danger). This person was also to be unarmed so that he might not rouse the suspicion of the peeping enemies. He should thus be willing to bear the brunt of the enemies’ anger in the morning, and be ready to be killed. To whom but Ali (A.S)  could be Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  turn at this most dangerous moment? In detail he informed Ali (A.S)  of the whole plan and of the positive danger of taking his place in details saying that the least that could be expected of those enemies would be death and torture. Ali (A.S)  asked, A If I take your place and leave you alone to go through the gathered enemies, will your life be safe? A Yes, replied the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) A Allah has promised me a safe passage through them. Ali (A.S)  bowed his head before Allah as a sign of thanksgiving. He lied down on the bed of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and covered himself with the Prophet’s coverlet. During the night, many stones and arrows were aimed at him. Stones hit him in the back and on the head and arrows embedded in his legs but he did not even turn in his bed. In the morning he was found out by the enemies only when one of them pulled back the coverlet. When they wanted to attack him, knowing that he was Ali (A.S)  not Muhammed, only then did he unsheathe his sword.

In Medina, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was forced to defend himself and his followers, and was thus forced to fight many battles. At each and every battle Ali (A.S)  was the hero. And it was he who fought single-handedly with the famous warriors of Arabia, defeated the enemies and brought a victory to Islam.

Records of these battles carry with them chronicles of his bravery, courage and chivalry. Even the enemies sang songs of his valor and gallantry.

Every one of these battles was an outcome of very grave circumstances and conditions, and a complex combination of intricately serious events initiated by quite real and extremely harmful forces launched against the peace and well being of Muslims and Islam. There were many such encounters but I have briefly mentioned only five of those instances where the events had far reaching effects. In each of them Ali (A.S)  alone broke through evil combinations and carried the Muslims and Islam to a position of safety, eminence and power.

(iii) the first of these battles was Badr. It took place in the month of Ramazan of the 2nd year of Hijra. Muslims were not prepared for a battle and could ill-afford to fight against superior forces. But Medina was being invaded and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was necessarily forced to defend himself and his followers. He decided to leave Medina and fight out the battle in an open field. He had only 313 Muslims who were not adequately armed for a battle, many of them were nervous of an encounter and were suffering from inferiority complex. The Quraish had come with an army of about 1000 warriors which had frightened the Muslims even more. The battle took place and about 36 Quraish were killed by Ali (A.S)  ; some of them were very important persons and famous warriors of the Quraish.

Ali (A.S)  killed every one of those 36 antagonists in hand to hand combat, and most of them were the persons who had surrounded the house of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  on the night of the Hijra. During this encounter he was wounded, but by his bravery and courage he brought home to Muslims that he would act as the first line of defense for Islam, that they had no cause to suffer from inferiority pangsand that Allah would defend them against heavy odds. Among the Quraish were two of the worst enemies of Islam, Abu Jahl and Abu Sufyan; and in this battle Abu Jahl was killed. Ali (A.S)  was the hero of this battle and brought the first victory in Islam in armed encounters with its enemies.

(iv) The second most important battle was that of Uhud. The Quraish and their leader Abu Sufyan were smarting under the defeat of Badr and had sworn to retaliate. The idolaters were burning for revenge. They made formidable preparations for another encounter and succeeded in obtaining the assistance of Tihama and Kinana tribes. Abu Sufyan’s wife, Hind, mother of Mu’awiyah, took a keen interest in all arrangements and preparations. She had written poems to entice Quraish against Islam and had organized a band of women minstrels who accompanied the army of Quraish to the battlefield. Thus they had mobilized an army of 3000 infantry and 2000 cavalry. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  could muster only 700 Muslims to face this horde. They faced each other in the battlefield of Uhud. The battle took place on the 11th Shawal 3 A.H. (a year after the battle of Badr). The command of the Muslim army was divided between Ali (A.S)  and Hamza and Abu Sufyan had appointed Khalid ibn al-Walid, Akram ibn Abu Jahl and A Omer ibn al-As as the three commanders to command the right wing, left wing and the center respectively.

The first encounter took place between Ali (A.S)  and Talhah ibn Talhah. This encounter carries with it an incident of marvelous chivalry by Ali (A.S) , which I have narrated elsewhere. Talhah suffered defeat at the hands of Ali (A.S)  and died. He was the flag bearer of Quraish’s army. His death brought his four sons and one grandson to face Ali (A.S) , and each one of them was killed by him. As other flag bearers followed them, they were in turn killed by Ali (A.S) Then a general encounter took place in which Ali (A.S)  and Hamza carried the day and the Muslims were victorious. A But eagerness of spoils threw the ranks of the Muslim army into disorder, Ali (A.S)  however tried to keep them in order, but it was not to be. Khalid ibn al-Walid immediately attacked them from therear and the flank. He wounded the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  with a javelin and had also stoned him. The face of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was also wounded and he had fallen down from the horse. Khalid ibn al-Walid started shouting with a loud voice: A The lying Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  is slain! Without stopping to verify this claim, the followers of Islam fled, panic-stricken (Davenport). The wounded Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was left in the battlefield with only Ali (A.S) , Hamzah, Abu Dujanah and Thakwan to defend him. These brave warriors fought fiercely and during this encounter, Hamzah was killed, Zakwan and Abu Dajana lay seriously wounded and Ali (A.S)  was left alone in the battlefield. He had received 16 wounds but he searched and found the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  lying wounded and surrounded by enemies under command of Khalid who were trying to kill him. He fought against these six men, killed two of them and scattered therest. He bodily lifted the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and carried him to a mount while he kept on attacking the rallying armies of the enemy and shouted that A the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  is alive! and calling Muslims to A come back! Those Muslims who had not fled very far came back and saw the wounded Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  with his daughter, Fatima (S.A) (who had come out of Medina upon hearing the rumor of her father’s death) to look after him. They took heart and gathered again under the command of Ali (A.S) , and starting to fight again, victory was gained. The most peculiar aspect of this battle was that the greed of the Muslim warriors had converted a hard-earned victory into a ignominious defeat and Ali (A.S)  had reconverted this defeat into a glorious victory. He thus once again saved the day by saving the face of the fleeing Muslims. Most important of all, he saved was the life of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , for without Ali (A.S)  the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  would have been killed.

Twenty eight famous warriors of Arabia were killed by Ali (A.S)  in this battle of whom seventeen were flag bearers of the Quraish. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  declared that the Angel Gabriel was loud in the praise of Ali (A.S)  and had said A there is no braver youth than Ali (A.S)  and no better sword than his Zulfiquar. A detailed account of this battle may be read in

1. Al-Waqidi’sHistory of Prophets

2. Shah Isma’il al-Hamawini’sHistory

3. Tabari’sTarikh

(v) the third momentous armed encounter of the Muslims with the Quraish is called the battle of the clans (Ahzab) or battle of the moat or ditch (Khandaq). It is so called because many clans of Arabs were persuaded by Abu Sufyan to help him to annihilate Islam and the Muslims. Because these forces invaded Medina, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was obliged to dig a moat or ditch around his army. This battle also proves that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was forced to take up arms in defense of his followers and his mission. It took place on the 23rd of Thil-Qi’da in the year 5 A.H.

The defeat at Uhud was a crushing blow to the Quraish and their leader Abu Sufyan. While retreating from Uhud, he promised that he would come back again to avenge the defeat. He instigated the clans of Banu al-Nazir, Banu Ghatfan, Banu Sleem and Banu Kinanah and also succeeded in persuading Banu Qurayzah who, till then, had not sided with any party, to join their forces against Islam. Abu Sufyan was very sure of his success. He especially relied upon the fame of A Omer ibn Abd Wudd, who was as famous in Arabia as Rustam was in Iran. He had gathered an army of about 9 to 10 thousand soldiers under command of this famous warrior.

They marched upon Medina, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  could barely muster 2000 Muslims to face this army. For nearly a month the armies stood facing each other and one day A Omer jumped the moat and faced the Muslim army, challenging them for an encounter. He was accompanied by A Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl, Abdullah ibn al-Mugheerah, Zurarah ibn al-Khattab, Nawfal ibn Abdullah and others. His bravery, valor and courage were so well known in Arabia that none of the Muslims except Ali (A.S)  dared face him. The assemblage of famous warrior tribes and the presence of A Omer ibn Abdul-Woodh as their commander had made the Muslims so nervous that even the Holy Qur’an says that A Their eyes were petrified and their hearts were beating violently and they were thinking of running away. Thrice A Omer ibn Abdul-Woodth challenged them and every time none but Ali (A.S)  stood up and asked the permission of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  to face him. Twice the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  refused him the permission, but in the end he allowed him, saying that A Today faith in embodiment is facing embodied infidelity then he raised his hands in prayers and beseeched Allah, saying A Master! I am sending Ali (A.S)  alone in the battlefield, do not allow me to be left alone, you are the best Companion and the best Guardian. Muslims were so certain of Ali (A.S)  being killed by A Omer that some of them came forward to have a last look at his face. The encounter ended in Ali’s success and Omer’s death. After A Omer he faced Abdullah ibn Mughirah and Nawfal ibn Abdullah and killed them both. Thus, a victory was won without any Muslims, except Ali (A.S) , coming out of the ranks. In the encounter with A Omer and the defeat and death of this great warrior, Ali (A.S)  again exhibited such a chivalrous attitude that the sister of A Omer composed a poem in praise of the man who faced the brother, fought bravely against him and paid such a noble and chivalrous tribute to his vanquished enemy. In it she said A if anyone else than Ali (A.S)  had killed her brother, she would have wept over the infamy her life long, but not now. the death of A Omer had completely demoralized the various clans gathered and they started leaving the army and going back to their countries. The Quraish went back to Mecca sad and dejected.

Thus Ali (A.S)  brought an end to the hostilities of Quraish in three encounters of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq. Their best warriors were killed, their unity against Islam was crushed, their pride was humiliated and their prestige before the Arab clans was lowered by him and by him alone.

He further raised the status of Muslims among the haughty, merciless and warring tribes of Arabia. In all of these three battles not more than sixty Muslims were killed. He alone had killed more than seventy enemies of Islam, every one of whom was the head of some clan or a sub-clan, a warrior famous for his bravery or a deadly enemy of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Islam.

For a detailed account of this battle following books may be consulted:

1. Shah Waliyyullah Dehlawi’sIthbatul-Ghafa’

2. Kamil ibn al-Athir’rHistory, Vol. 2

3. Al-Sayyuti’sAl-Durr al-Manthur

4. Tabari’sTarikh

(vi) In their struggle for existence Muslims had to face a very serious opposition from the Jews. In the beginning they tried to help the Quraish against Islam surreptitiously and then openly. But when Ali (A.S)  broke through the enmity of the Quraish and when the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was forced to banish the Jews from Medina, they decided to try their fate against Islam with the help of Banu Asad, Banu Kinana and Banu Ghatfan. Khayber was the province which they had occupied since the times of their banishment from Palestine. It contained a few fortresses, the biggest of them was called Qumoose, which was on a steep hill. In these fortresses they started gathering in large numbers. After raising an army of 10 to 12 thousand warriors their misguided venture was to include a march on Medina. Hearing this serious news the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  decided to face them at Khayber only. He marched at the head of an army of 3000 soldiers. This battle took place in Muharram of the year 7 A.H.

Ali (A.S)  then was suffering from an eye problem and was left at Medina. The Muslim army succeeded in defeating the Jews in minor skirmishes but when they tried to capture the main fort of Qumoose they had to face a set back. They could not succeed though they tried for days at a stretch. The defeats sustained sadly demoralizing the Muslim army. Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had allowed every important person to command the Muslim forces day by day. Yet each day theresult was fresh defeat, fresh demoralization, fresh boldness of Jews and daily increasing danger of some more clans, emboldened by the weakness and defeats of Muslims, joining hands with the Jews. There were still many such tribes who were deadly against Islam and wanted to harm it, but Muslims victories at Badr, Uhud and Khandaq had made them nervous. The news of the defeats at Khayber were making them bold. A The Jews of Khayber united by an ancient alliance with a Beduin horde of Banu Ghatafan were incessantly working for the formation of a powerful coalition against the Muslims. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  knew fully well the power possessed by the desert races to injure the Muslims. (Spirit of Islam). There was further danger of the Munafiqueen (hypocrites and double dealers) staging a revolt in Medina. Prompt measures were needed to avert these evils. Only a victory could have saved the situation which was getting more and more critical day by day. The Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was himself ill and sadly felt the need of Ali (A.S)  at his side. He knew that although he himself was ill, Ali (A.S)  had not left him alone and had followed him. Therefore ill or not ill Ali (A.S)  had to come to the succor of Muslims, Islam and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) When the news of the last disastrous repulses of the Muslims were brought to him, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  said, A Tomorrow I shall give the command (the flag, an insignia of the command) of this army to a man who is brave, who will keep on attacking, who will not run away from the battlefield, who loves Allah and His Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and is beloved by Allah and His Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) He will not come back to me without success. the next day Ali (A.S)  was called from his bed and was handed over the command. He took the fort by storm; killed Marhab, Antar, Murrah, Al-Harith and four other tribal chieftains of the Jews in hand to hand combat. He broke the door of the fort single-handedly, carried his army inside the fort and within four hours he flew the flag of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  on the biggest fortress of Arabia. He once again moved the cause of Allah ever closer towards an ultimate Islamic Victory at the hands of Muslims, and on that day saved Islam from disastrous ends.

The news of success pleased the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  so much that he, though ill, came out to greet the victor, embraced him said Ali (A.S)  had I not been afraid that Muslims will start regarding you as Christians regard the Christ, I would have said things about you which would have made the Muslims venerate you and to consider the dust of your feet as something worth venerating. But it will suffice to say that you are from me and I am from you; you will inherit me and I will inherit you; you are unto me what Aaron was unto Moses. You will fight for my cause, you will be nearest to me on the day of Judgment and you will be next to me on the fountain of Kawthar. Enmity against you is enmity against me; a war against you is a war against me; your friendship is my friendship. To be at peace with you is to be at peace with me; your flesh is my flesh; your blood is my blood; who will obey you will obey me. Truth is on your tongue, in your heart and in your mind. You have as much faith in Allah as I have. You are a door to me. As per orders of Allah I give you these tidings that your friends will be rewarded in the Heaven and your enemies will be punished in the Hell.

For further details of the above Hadith and the battle of Khayber, following books may be consulted:

1.Ma’arij al-Nubuwwa , Vol. 4, p. 216.

2The Manaqib of Akthab al-Kharzami

3. Mullah Ali Hamdani’sYanabi’ al-Mawadda

4. Ibn Hisham’sSira , p. 187

5. Tabari’sTarikh .

(vii) the victory which Ali (A.S)  brought to Islam in Khayber proved of great consequence to its mission and its followers. It gave such an importance and prestige over the infidels of the Quraish that they, who till then had complete control and sway over Mecca and did not even allow the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and his followers to come forhajj andA umra and had forced them for the treaty of Hudaybiya, were now obliged to surrender the city to him. Mecca fell before the superior forces of Islam.

The causes of the invasion and fall of Mecca are not to be discussed here. Suffice it to say that Abu Sufyan who had brought it all upon the heads of Quraish, later leaving the country and countrymen to the devil, started running after every important person to secure his own and his family’s freedom of life and property from the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Through the mediation of Abbas (uncle of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) ) he received the pardon that he sought. The behavior of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  against these murderers of Muslims and the enemies of Islam was so merciful, benign and humane that he pardoned every one of them, a clemency and kindness which was and shall ever remain unparalleled in the history of mankind. When Mecca was taken over by the Muslims, the precincts of Ka’ba were cleared of all idols by the person of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Ali (A.S) , and it ceased to exist as the center of infidelity and polytheism in Arabia.

The fall of Mecca which took place in the Ramadan of 8 A.H. (January 630 A.D.) was accompanied with serious repercussions. The success of Islam since the Hijra had brought many followers to its fold. These were of three types. Some had seen the truth in its preaching and had accepted it sincerely and faithfully. Some were such that they wanted to bask in the glory of a religion which was fast becoming a mighty temporal power and they wished to make their worldly positions good through its influence and had accepted it with those ulterior motives. While there were some whose conversion was under false impression that unless they had accepted Islam their lives and properties were not safe. The fall of Mecca had a very sad effect upon those two latter groups. They were not expecting that Abu Sufyan and the Quraish would succumb so easily to the pressure of Muslim invasion. The clearing of idols from the precincts of Ka’ba and closing its doors to the infidels was a heavy blow. It became more poignant when they found out their age-long enemy, the man whose valor and whose sword brought all these victories to Islam as well as disastrous defeats to their side, Ali (A.S)  was the flag bearer a (commander) of the Holy Prophet’s (†) forces on the occasion of the fall of Mecca. Along with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  he was the man who cleared the Ka’ba of its idols. There still were many polytheist clans in Arabia. To them Mecca was the center of worship. Among them there were two powerful bedouin tribes; Banu Hawazin and Banu Thaqif. They now were joined by Banu Nusair, Banu Sa’d, Banu Hashim and Banu Hilal. Those tribes decided to stage a comeback and were quietly promised help by the hypocrites.

(viii) the whole thing was arranged so quickly and so stealthily that by the time the Muslims could come out of the sweet pleasure of success at Mecca there was an army of 20,000 warriors at Tayef ready to face them. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  marched to Ta’if at the head of an army of 15,000 Muslims. Some of them were freed slaves of the Muslim’s conquest of Mecca and many more were the hypocrites of the types mentioned above. There were a few thousand of those Muslims who had accompanied him from Medina.

The hostile tribes decided to attack the Muslim army at a point of vantage at Hunain and selected two prominent locations where they concealed their archers. The Muslims were very proud of their strength and were very sure of their success, but their behavior during the encounter was shamelessly timorous and cowardly. The Almighty Master discussing their attitude in this battle says A Allah came to your help on so many occasions. Yet, on the day of Hunain, your vanity in the number of your soldiers and your arrogance did not prove of any avail to you, you were badly defeated and could not find any place of shelter. You started running away without shame (section 9, Tauba).

This encounter took place in the month of Shawwal 8, A.H. (January/February 630 AD). When the Muslim army marched towards the place where the archers were concealed the enemy opened the campaign with such a severe onslaught of their archery that the Muslim army could not stand it. The assault was fierce and the confusion in the Muslim ranks made the archers bolder and they came nearer and attacked from both flanks and from the front. The Muslims could not stand the attack any longer. They started running without putting up any resistance and had lost their senses and touch with reality so much that they even left the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  unprotected beyond their cares (Bukhari’sSahih ).

The first battalion to run in trouble was the one commanded by Khalid ibn al-Walid (Rawzat al-Safa , Vol. 2, p. 137,Tarikh al-Anbiya’ , Vol. 2 p. 388). He was accompanied by Banu Saleem and therecently converted Quraish of Mecca. This was followed by such a disorderly and tumultuous flight of Muslims that only ten persons out of an army of 15,000 were left with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Eight of them were Banu Hashim (Abbas and his two sons, Ali (A.S) , Aqil and three other cousins of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) .

Abbas was shouting at the Muslims to return, reminding them of oaths of allegiance taken and promises made, but it was of no avail. Those who had accepted Islam for wealth and power or under false fears were not willing to risk their lives. They ran as fast as they could. Many of them who had carefully hidden their enmity of the rising power were happy at the defeat. They gathered around Abu Sufyan, started congratulating him and saying that A The magical spell of the lying prophet is broken! They were praying for the comeback of polytheism (Abul-Fida’, p. 349,Rawzat al-Safa , p. 136 Vol. 2,Tarikh al-Anbiya’ , p. 389 Vol. 2).

Once again it fell to the lot of Ali (A.S)  to save the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Islam. Armies of Banu Hawazin and Banu Thaqif under the cover of their archers were rushing down the hillock, and were getting ready for a fierce onslaught. Ali (A.S)  divided the small band of faithful Muslims in three divisions; to Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, A Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib and his nephew Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith, he assigned the duty of guarding the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) To three others he gave orders to guard therear while he faced the onslaught with only three warriors along with him. He fought and fought, was wounded, but faced the commander of the hostile army, Abu Jerdal in a hand to hand combat and killed him with one stroke of sword. He attacked the enemy’s rank once again, bringing the number of those whom he had slain on that day to forty. His aides had a glorious example before them. Rhey also fought bravely and killed thirty more men.

The day was saved, the commander of the enemy’s army was killed, their ranks were broken, they had no courage to face Ali (A.S)  and started retreating. The sight of a powerful enemy under retreat made the fleeing Muslims bold and they came back afterwards as victory was won for them.

A detailed account of this encounter is to be found in

1.Rawzat al-Safa , Vol. 2, p. 136.

2.Tarikh al-Anbiya’ , Vol. 2, p. 388

3.Sirat ibn Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 621

4.Kunzul-Ummal, Vol. 5, p. 307

(ix) During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , Imam Ali (A.S)  was sent on many occasions for the propagation of Islam and on many missions of mercy and peace. He carried out these duties to the satisfaction of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Allah. For instance in the words of A The Spirit of Islam’, A The men of Khalid ibn al-Walid, under the order of this newly converted warrior killed Banu Khazimah’s bedouins. The news of this wanton bloodshed deeply grieved the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and he prayed A O Master! I am innocent of what Khalid has done. He immediately dispatched Imam Ali (A.S)  to make every possible preparation for the outrage committed. Such a mission was congenial to Ali’s nature and he executed it faithfully. After making a careful enquiry as to the number of persons killed, their status, and the losses incurred by their families, and paid thediyya strictly. When every loss was made good he distributed theremainder of the money he had brought among the kinsman of the victims of other members of the tribe. This gladdened every heart by his gentleness and benevolence and while carrying with him the blessings of the whole people, he returned to the prophet who overwhelmed him with praises and thanks.

Similarly in 8 A.H. when other missions failed to bring the powerful Yemeni tribe of Banu Hamdan to the folds of Islam, Ali (A.S)  was sent there. Ibn Khaldun says that on the first occasion he gathered the tribesmen some of whom were very learned and spoke before them of the truths which Islam preached. This sermon was so effective that some of those learned persons immediately embraced Islam. This was followed by long discussions with others. He made them realize the rationality of the doctrines of Islam. The discussions ended in the whole-hearted conversion of Banu Hamdan, who followed their learned leaders. This news pleased the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  to the extent that he bowed down before Allah in thanks and thrice said A Peace be to Banu Hamdan and to Ali (A.S) Again in 10 A.H. his sermons and preaching proved so effective that the whole province embraced Islam as one entity.

16. Designation of Ali (A.S)  as Vicegerent

It is generally supposed that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had not expressly designated anyone as his successor in the spiritual and temporal government. Yet this notion is framed on an incorrect apprehension of fact, for there is abundant evidence that many times the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had openly indicated Ali (A.S)  as his successor. (The Spirit of Islam, p. 292)

(i) the first occasion was when he was ordered by Allah to openly and unreservedly invite his kith and kin to Islam. This occasion is called A da’wat al- A sheera (inviting therelatives to Islam). In the words of Rev. Sale, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  said, A Allah has commanded me to call you unto Him; who therefore, among you will be assisting to me herein and become my brother and my vicegerent? All of them hesitating and declining the matter, Ali (A.S)  at length rose up, and declared that he would be his assistant and threatened those who should oppose him. Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household), upon this, embraced Ali (A.S)  with great demonstration of affection and desired all those present to listen to and to obey him as his Deputy.

Thus, at this occasion of the introduction of Islam as a religion Imam Ali (A.S)  was declared by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  as his Deputy. The value of Ali’s support to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and his designation as a vicegerent at this stage is fairly well assessed by theologians, historians and thinkers of the West and the East.

Refer to:

1. Al-Tabari’sTafsir , Vol. 19, p. 68

2.Tafsir Ma’alim al-Tanzil , p. 663

3. Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal Vol. I p. 163

4. Mustadrak Imam Hakim Vol. 2I p. 133

5.Tarikh of Tabari Vol. 2 p. 216

6.Al-Tarikh al-Kamil, Vol. 2 p. 26

7.Tarikh of Abul-Fida’, Vol. I p. 116

(ii) The second occasion was at the time of Ali’s conquest of Khayber. The words of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  quite clearly, positively and expressively give his opinion about Imam Ali (A.S)  and his desire to leave Imam Ali (A.S)  as the guardian and the propagator of his mission. He said A You are from me and I am from you, you will inherit me. You are unto me what Aaron was unto Moses. you will be nearest to me on the day of Judgment and next to me on the fountain of Kawthar, enmity against you is enmity against me, a war against you is a war against me. you have as much faith in Allah as I have. You are a door to me. (Refer to p. 26 the Battle of Khayber) What more can one say? Can there be anything more forceful, more eloquent, more pregnant with clear indications and more categorical than the words which the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  has used? Do they leave any shadow of doubt? Has the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  ever used such words for anybody else?

(iii) the third instance was the occasion of the invasion of Thabook. To understand the occasion and the cause of remarks of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  it is necessary to know the historical background of the incident. It was the summer of 9 A.H. and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had received the information that the Roman King was mobilizing his forces to invade the Islamic State and many Arab tribes were gathering round him. He decided to face them in their own land and not to allow them the run of the Muslim state so that they may not lay waste to the lands through which they would pass. The situation had become very serious because there was famine in Hijaz, Ta’if and Yemen. The Hypocrites (the Munafeqeen) were carrying on an intensive propaganda campaign to try to make the people believe that the famine was the sign that Allah was angry with Muslims and wants to exterminate them with the worst form of death (cannibalism). And in case of a defeat against the Roman armies there was eminent danger of revolt. It was imperative that the state should be left in the hands of a faithful and powerful guardian otherwise there was every possibility of being sandwiched between the two enemies. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  therefore decided that Imam Ali (A.S)  should act as a regent in his place so the world might realize that in the opinion of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , none could look after the temporal as well as spiritual welfare of the Muslims during his absence but Ali (A.S) He called Ali (A.S)  and told him that he would have to act as the last line of defense for him and Islam, saying A O Ali (A.S)  ; nobody could look after the center of the Muslim state but you or I. (Imam Hakim inMustadrak ,A allama ibn A Abdul-Birr inIsti’ab , Shah Waliyyullah inIzalatul-Khafa’ , Sibt ibn al-Jawzi inTathkiratul-Khawass andA allama al-Muttaqi al-Hindi inKanzul- A Ummal ). Imam (–) Ali’s stay at Medina disappointed the A munafiqun (hypocrites) as they constituted the majority of those left behind by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) They claimed that the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had lost faith in Imam Ali (A.S)  and had therefore left him behind and that it was positively certain that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was going to suffer a defeat. Imam Ali (A.S)  naturally felt anxious for the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and annoyed at aspersions against him. He left Medina immediately, met the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  at the place of Jerf and told him all that was said at his back. Thereupon the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  said Ali (A.S)  ! they are lying against you as they have lied against me. They have called me an epileptic, a magician, a sorcerer and a necromantic and have always portrayed me as a liar. I have appointed you as my vicegerent and my caliph over all which I have left behind. Are you not satisfied to realize that you are unto me what Aaron was unto Moses (Bukhfari’sSahih , Ch. 145, p. 387 and Ch. 18, p. 89).

(IV) the fourth time was (in the wording of theSpirit of Islam ) : A Notably the occasion of thereturn journey from the performance of A The Farewell Pilgrimage’, during a halt at a place called Khumm, he had convoked an assembly of the people accompanying him, and used the words which could leave little doubt as to his intention regarding a successor. Ali (A.S) , said he, is to me what Aaron was to Moses. The Almighty Allah be a friend to his friends and a foe to his foes; help those who help him and frustrate those who betray him (The Spirit of Islam, p. 292).

I would be doing a great disservice to the cause of truth and to the history of Islam if I do not sketch at least a bare outline of this incident. More than fifty thousand people had gathered on that occasion and many of them narrated all that took place there. Among those narrators we find such luminaries as Abu Bakr, A Omer, A Othman, al-Zubair ibn al- A Awwam, Abdullah ibn A Omer, Abdullah ibn A Abbas, Mother of the Faithful A A’isha, Mother of the Faithful Umm Salamah, Abdullah ibn Mas’ud and Hassan ibn Thabit (The bookArjahul-Matalib cites 100 names of the companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Among these, there are among about 153 historians and collectors of the Holy Prophet’s traditions and authors of A Sihah books,mu’jams andmusnads from the 1st Century A.H. right up to 1300 A.H. These have all narrated the entire incident in detail and have drawn practically the same inference as the author ofthe Spirit of Islam . The bookArjahul-Matalib again gives a list of them in chronological order of 13 centuries, from which I have quoted a few names at the end of this section.

The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was returning from the A Farewell Pilgrimage and had reached the place Khumm, (which in the words of the famous historian and geographer Ibn Khallikan is a valley lying between Mecca and Medina and in the neighborhood of Juhfa). It contains a pond, a A ghadir, near which the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  pronounced his invocation. This took place on the 18th of Thul-Hijja and the 18th of this month is the anniversary of the Feast of Ghadir (Eilul-Ghadir).

There, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  suddenly made his camel stop and said that just then a message of Allah was revealed unto him which must be immediately conveyed to the Muslims. He dispatched messengers towards those who had gone ahead and those who were following him leisurely to come back or to hurry up and join him at once. When all of them were gathered he performed the noon-prayers in that blazing hot summer sun. A pulpit was erected for him and from this eminence he preached a sermon which is rightly considered as a masterpiece of Arabic literature and a brief survey of what the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had taught and achieved for the Muslims. Then he said that he had just then received therevelation which said, A O Messenger! proclaim the whole of what which hath been sent down to thee from Your Master, for it thou dost it not, it will be as if thou hast not all performed the duty of His prophethood. And Allah will protect thee (thy mission) from evil men, verily Allah guides not the unbelievers, and he was standing there to convey that message to the Muslims and to perform the duty he was ordered to perform. Continuing Thesermon he said A O people! Shortly I shall be called (to the Heaven), and if I go back I shall have to give an account as to how I have conveyed His Message to you and you (in your turn) will also be asked as to how you have accepted and carried out my teachings. Now tell me what you will say. Thereupon all the gathering as one man declared A O Messenger of Allah! we testify and declare that you have conveyed the message of Allah in full details, you have striven your utmost to guide us to the right path, and taught us to follow it. You were most kind to us and you never wished for us but our good, may Allah repay you for all that. Thereupon he asked the gathering A Do you not testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammed is His creature, His servant and His Messenger, that there is the Heaven and the Hell? Do testify that death will overtake every one of you, that you will be brought back from your graves, that the day of resurrection will surely dawn and human beings will be resurrected from their graves to account for their deeds? the gathering declared A We believe and testify to all of this. Hearing this declaration he said A I am leaving among you two of the most important things worthy of obedience, the Holy Qur’an and my progeny (descendants). Take care how you treat them, they will not separate from each other till they reach me on the Fountain of Kawthar. Then said he A The Almighty Allah is my Master (mawla ) and I am the Master of all Muslims and have more right and power on their lives than they themselves; do you believe in this assertion of mine? In one voice, they all replied A Yes O Messenger of Allah. Thrice he asked the same question and thrice he received the same reply. On this solemn affirmation he said A Hear and remember that to whomever I am Master ofmawla Ali (A.S)  is the Master andmawla to him. He is to me what Aaron was unto Moses. The Almighty Allah be a friend to his friends and a foe to his foes. The Almighty will help whoever helps him and frustrate those who betray him. While saying this he raised Imam Ali (A.S)  so that the gathering could have a look at the man, who would be Master andmawla of those who believe the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  to be their Master andmawla . Thereupon the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  received therevelation, A This day I have perfected your religion for you and have filled up the measure of my bounties upon you and I am pleased with Submission to His Will alone (Islam) to be your religion.

After performing this ceremony and receiving the above revelation the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  came down from the pulpit, prostrated before Allah in prayers and ordered a tent to be fixed. In this tent Imam Ali (A.S)  was made to take his seat and people were ordered to pay homage to him and to address him as Amir al-Mu’minin (Master of the faithful). The first person to congratulate and address him as such was the Imam (–) A Omer ibn al-Khattab, saying A I congratulate you, O Ali (A.S) Today you have become mymawla (Master) and Master of every Muslim man and woman.

Refer to:

1. TheMusnad of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal (Vol. 5, p. 281)

2. Imam al-Ghazali in Siyar al- A Alamin.

Theremarks of Imam al-Ghazali about this event and the inferences he has drawn are instructive readings. If I have space at my disposal I shall add them as a separate index otherwise Sirul-Aalemeen may be referred.

List of some out of the famous 153 authors and books which contain the above event:

1. Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (125 A.H.)

2. Muhammed ibn Ishaq (152 A.H.)

3. Ibn Rahooya(238 A.H.)

4. Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal,Musnad, Vol. 5, p. 281 (243 A.H.)

5. Jarir al-Tabari (310 A.H.)

6. Al-Tirmithi (320 A.H.)

7. Imam Hakim (Mustadrak ) (400 A.H.)

8. Imam al-Ghazali (Siyar al- A Alamin) (505 A.H.)

9. Sibt ibn al-Jawzi (654 A.H.)

 10. Ibn Subbaq al-Malekee(855 A.H.)

 11. Soyoothee (1011 A.H.)

 12. Sheikh Abdul Huq Mohaddis Dahlavi (1052 A.H.)

 13. Shah Waliyyullah Mohaddis Dahlavi (1176 A.H.)

 14.A allama Muhammed Mu’in (1280 A.H.)

 15. A brief survey of the Imam Ali’s life from the Hijra to the death of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  (1 A.H. to 40 A.H.)

When the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  left his house at Mecca in the night and Ali (A.S)  was found in his bed, the Quraish at first thought of killing him, but when they found him ready to defend himself they gave up idea and dispersed in search of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) .

Ali (A.S)  as per orders of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  stayed three days at Mecca and handed back all the articles which were entrusted to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  for sole custody, mostly by his enemies, secured their receipts and left the city in broad daylight.

He was entrusted by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  for the safe transport of the Holy Prophet’s daughter, Fatima (S.A), the daughter of Hamzah, another Fatima, his own mother, a third Fatima, and his aunt, the daughter of Abdul-Muttalib, a fourth Fatima (S.A). The Quraish wanted to prevent the departure of these four ladies. Eight prominent people came out to fight. Ali (A.S)  fought single handed with them. He killed Junah with a stroke of his sword and scattered therest and continued the journey. On account of scarcity of mounts he had to travel on foot and thus he reached Medina with bleeding feet. Awaiting the arrival of Imam Ali (A.S)  the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was staying at Quba’, two miles away from Medina, when he reached Quba’, on the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal (probably the end of June) the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  embraced him, dressed his bleeding feet and entered Medina along with him.

Before his migration to Medina the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had created a bond of brotherhood between the Muslims. He had fraternized Abu Bakr to the Imam (–) A Omer, A Othman to Abdul Rehman ibn Oaf, the Imam (–) Hamza to Zaid ibn Haresa and Talhah to al-Zubair. On that occasion he had fraternized Imam Ali (A.S)  to himself, saying, A O Ali (A.S) , you are my brother in this world as well as in the next, (Tharikh al-Khamees Vol. I p. 398).

1st A.H.

Five months after his arrival at Medina, he created a fraternity between the Muhajirun (the immigrants) with the Ansars (the supporting citizens of Medina). On that occasion, he again called Ali (A.S)  and said A O Ali (A.S)  you are my brother in this world and hereafter. the historian ibn Hisham says A The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  caught the hand of Imam Ali (A.S)  and said A he alone is my brother. Thus the Messenger of Allah, who was actually the leader of all the prophets as well as of all the pious men of the world and who had no parallel among human beings by fraternizing with Imam Ali (A.S) , showed that Ali (A.S)  also had no parallel among mankind except the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) (Seerath al ibn Hisham Vol. 2, Abul-Fida’ Vol. I p. 127,Mustadrak of Imam Hakim Vol. 2I andFath al-Bari , commentary of Sahih Bukhari Vol. VII p. 211).

2nd A.H.

During the 2nd year of Hijra Imam Ali’s marriage took place with the Holy Prophet’s daughter Fatima (S.A). The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was receiving many offers for his daughter from very rich people of Medina, from some of the Muhajirun and from chiefs of mighty clans of Arabia. He had refused even to consider these offers and sometime felt annoyed at them. At the end he closed the door by saying that he was awaiting the orders of Allah. The bookUsd al-Ghaba fi Tamyeez al-Sahaba , gives a detailed account of these offers and the way of refusal by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Some of the Ansars suggested to Imam Ali (A.S)  to place a proposal for himself before the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Imam Ali (A.S)  went before him feeling shy and modest. This was the first time in his life that he talked reservedly to a man who was like a father unto him and to whom he was like a dear son. When the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  heard the proposal he was so pleased that he smiled and said (it is a welcome and happy proposal) Tarikh al-Khamees Vol. I p. 407, Ibn Sa’d, Vol. 8, pp. 11, 12, andUsd al-Ghaba ).

The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  took the consent of Fatima (S.A) for this proposal. The marriage ceremony was very simple and without pomp and ostentation. There was a sermon from the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  in which he praised Allah mentioning some of His attributes and citing verses of the Holy Qur’an and concluding with theremarks that he was ordered by Allah to give Fatima (S.A) into marriage with Imam Ali (A.S) This was followed by akhutba from Imam Ali (A.S) , praising Allah and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and desiring the gathering to witness his marriage with Fatima (S.A), the daughter of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) After this happy ceremony somebody reminded the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  of his late companion in life the mother of Fatima (S.A), Khadija, and he said A Khadija! Where is Khadija? Who can be like Khadija? She testified for me when the world was falsely accusing me as a liar. She relieved me of much of my weight, she was my partner in my work and she helped me when others were creating obstruction in my mission.

After reaching Medina, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  stayed in the house of Kulthum ibn Hadam for seven months and Imam Ali (A.S)  was staying with him. When the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  finished the construction of mosque he built houses for his wives around it and in the center of them he built a house for Imam Ali (A.S)  (Bukhari’sSira , Ch. 14 p. 387). Following his example, many of his companions except Abu Bakr built their houses around the mosque. Abu Bakr was staying in the locality of Banu A Abd A Awf where the marriages of both of his daughters took place and later on he shifted to Sukh (Bukhari, Vol. 1). The doors of all the houses built around the mosque opened in the mosque. One day the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  ordered that except the doors of his houses and that of Ali (A.S)  all the other doors should be closed. Some of the companions requested him to allow them to keep a small window open. He replied, A No, not a pin hole, Allah so willed it. (Imam Ahmed’sMusnad , theMustadrak of Imam Hakim, theKhasa’is of al-Nisa’i)

In the year 2 A.H., the Battle of Badr took place (refer to Section 15, p. 22).

3rd A.H.

In the year 3 A.H., the first child to Imam Ali (A.S)  and Fatima (S.A) was born and he was named Hasan (–) by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) .

In the same year (3 A.H.), the Battle of Uhud took place (Refer to Section 15, p. 22) which was followed by the dispatch of an expeditionary force to Hamra’ul-Asad under Imam Ali (A.S) .

4th A.H.

In the year 4 A.H., Imam Ali (A.S)  and Fatima (S.A) had The second child Husain (Imam Husain [–]) who was also named by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) In the same year a battle took place with Banu Nazir and Imam Ali (A.S)  brought it to a successful end and Banu Nazir were forced to vacate their fortress.

5th A.H.

In the year 5 A.H., three battles took place, the Battle with Banu Mostaliq, the Battle of Khandaq (the moat) and the Battle with Banu A Anzah. In all of them, Ali (A.S)  was the Commander of the army. The most important of them was the Battle of Khundaq (which I have narrated in Section 15 p. 23).

6th A.H.

In the year 6 A.H., an expedition to Fadak was sent under the command of Imam Ali (A.S)  and without a battle or skirmish he brought the whole province under control of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) .

In Thul-Qi’da of this year, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , along with fourteen hundred Muslims left for Mecca with the intention ofhajj (pilgrimage). He had no desire to fight anybody and had left all the armaments at Medina. When the Quraish came to know about this intending pilgrimage they refused to allow the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  to enter Mecca. Khalid ibn al-Walid came out with a force of two hundred well-equipped cavalry men to obstruct the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and if necessary to fight over the issue. At an oasis called Hudaybiya the opponents faced each other. A chieftain namedA urwa from Quraish came out to discuss the situation with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and instead of a battle, a treaty was arranged, and it was written by Imam Ali (A.S) The last clause of the treaty was that the present intention of the pilgrimage would be given up until the following year although the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and Muslims could come for Umra.

7th A.H.

In the year 7 A.H., two battles took place, the Khayber and the Wadi al-Qura. The more important of them was Khayber which I have accounted in section 15 p. 25.

In the same year the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  along with Muslims went to performA umra , it was very peaceful mission. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and many of the Muslims had their wives and children with them. TheA umra was performed without incident.

8th A.H.

In Islamic History, the year 8 A.H. held some important events in its unfolding.

The first of them was the Liberation of Mecca. The terms of the treaty of Hudaybiya were dishonored by the Quraish. Within two years of the treaty, they killed twenty persons from Banu Khuza’a’s clan without any justifiable reason. Representatives of the clan came to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , asking for his promised support. He was annoyed at this flagrant dishonoring of the treaty and said, A I am not helped if I do not help them.

The arrangement for the invasion of Mecca was being carried on by the Muslims. In the meanwhile, Hatib, a companion of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  who was with him in the battle of Badr, wrote a letter to his family, informing them of the intention of Muslims. This espionage, under the orders of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was detected by Imam Ali (A.S)  and he brought this letter to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) It was being sent through an Abyssinian slave girl. Hatib confessed his crime and was mercifully pardoned by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  (Bukhari).

When all the arrangements were ready, the army of invasion, numbering ten thousand, marched towards Mecca. The command of the army this time was given to Sa’d ibn A Abadah Ansari, with orders to enter Mecca as the advancing party.Sa’d entering Mecca, saying A Today is going to be a big day, a day of retaliation, a day when Mecca will be looted. Abbas, the uncle of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , hearing this came to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and said, A O Messenger of Allah!Sa’d has very serious intentions against Quraish. He may carry on a massacre. the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  called Imam Ali (A.S)  and said A O Ali (A.S)  ! you go and take the command from Sa’d and do what’s needed. He would not be unhappy in handing over the command to you and to you alone. Imam Ali (A.S)  took over the command of the expedition and entered the city, declared perfect amity and peace and waited for the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) When the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  entered Mecca he went straight to the Ka’ba and started removing the idols placed there. Some of them were placed on a very high platform where his hands would not reach, he asked Ali (A.S)  to mount on his back and remove the idols. Ali (A.S)  obeyed the order, mounted on his back and was removing the idols when the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  asked A O Ali (A.S)  ! how do you find yourself? Imam Ali (A.S)  replied, A O Messenger of Allah! I find myself on such an eminent place that I feel as if my head is resting on the Empyrean of Allah the Almighty. Thereupon the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  replied A O Ali (A.S) , how fortunate you are, doing the work of Allah and how fortunate I am that I am bearing your burden. (Imam Ahmed’sMusnad , Vol. I p. 151).

At the occasion, a poet presented a eulogy in praise of Imam Ali (A.S)

A I am asked to praise Ali (A.S)  in verses,

Because recital of his praises will

Release a man from Hell.

I replied to them, how can I praise

A man whose attributes are so sublime

That men got confused over these attributes

And started apotheosizing him.

He has placed his foot at such an eminent

Place, that according to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) ,

It is the place on which, on the night of

Meraj, Allah has placed His hand of

Grace and Mercy.

Hearing this eulogy, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  rewarded the poet handsomely.

The second important event was the massacre of Banu Jazima by Khalid ibn al-Walid and reparations carried by Imam Ali (A.S)  under orders of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  (Refer to section 15 p. 28).

During the month of Shawwal of that year, the Muslims faced certain powerful tribes of Arabs on the battlefield of Hunain. Ali (A.S)  again secured a victory for them (Refer to section 15 p. 28). Hunain was followed by an expedition to Thaef under the command of Imam Ali (A.S) Those who had run away from Hunain had gathered there and wanted to measure their strength once again. The commander of their army who was the chiefs of Banu Zaigham clan was killed by Imam Ali (A.S) , which broke the back of resistance and various parties of hostile clans started dispersing. Seeing the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  raised the siege and brought the expedition to an end.

In the same year Imam Ali (A.S)  was sent to Yemen on a missionary service. He carried on this work so successfully and his speeches there proved so effective that the tribe of Banu Hamdan embraced Islam as one entity. (Refer Section 15 p. 29)

9th A.H.

The 9th year of the Hijra relates four important incidents of Imam Ali’s life.

The first was the expedition to Thatul-Salasil. Ali (A.S)  brought it to a successful end, defeated the clans gathered there to invade Medina and brought the happy news to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) The Messenger of Allah came out of Medina to welcome the warrior. Ali (A.S)  was riding a horse at the head of his army, saw the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  walking towards him and jumped from his horse. The Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  told him A keep on riding, do not dismount, Allah and His Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  are really pleased with your services. The Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  made him remount his horse and he walked along with the horse (Refer to Hamra’ul-Ashira andMa’arijul-Nubuwwa ).

The second event was the Holy Prophet’s expedition in person to Thabook, which I have narrated in Section 16 p. 30.

The third important event in the life of Ali (A.S)  and in the history of Islam was thereading of the Chapter (Sura) Bara’at before the infidels of Mecca. This Sura declares that Allah and his Messenger in the future will have nothing to do with the infidels and polytheists. All the treaties which existed till then were now annulled and cancelled. No polytheist or infidel would, in the future, be allowed to enter the city of Mecca or the precincts of Ka’ba. Imam Hakim in hisMustadrak Vol. 2I, p. 32,Al-Riazul-Nazira, Vol. 2, p. 203, theMusnad of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Vol. I p. 331,Al-Isab fi Ma’rifatil-Sahaba , Vol. IV, p. 270 andIzalatul-Khafa’ , Section 2, p. 261 say that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  first ordered Abu Bakr to carry this Sura to Mecca and to read it at the Ka’ba. But immediately after him he sent Imam Ali (A.S)  to replace Abu Bakr on the mission. When Abu Bakr complained about this change, the Messenger of Allah replied A I have done it under orders of Allah which came explicitly that either I should perform this duty or somebody who is like me.

The fourth event took place in Najran, a city in the province of Yemen. It was center of the Christian Missionary activities in Southern Arabia. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had written to the Chief priest of the city to realize the blessings of Islam. In reply he wrote that he would like to personally discuss the teachings of this new religion. His name was Harith. He was invited and came with a retinue of fourteen priests. The priests stayed at Medina as guests of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Long discussions about monotheism versus trinity took place and it was realized that these priests were not open minded. Oon the contrary, they were prejudiced against Islam. The Almighty Master ordered the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  to explain to them that A Verily Jesus is as Adam in the sight of Allah. He created him out of dust. He then said unto him A Be’ and he was. A This is the truth from Your Master; be not therefore one of those who doubt; and whoever shall dispute with thee after the knowledge which hath been given thee, say unto them, come let us call together our sons and your sons, our women and your women and ourselves and yourselves. Then let us make imprecations and lay the curse of Allah upon those who lie. (Surat Ali Imran, Chap. III).

According to A Amir ibn Sa’d and Ummul-Mu’minin A A’isha, when the above verses were revealed to the Messenger of Allah he called Ali (A.S) , Fatima (S.A), Hasan and Husain (–) and said A Master! This is my family and progeny (Ahl al-Bayt). (Bukhari’sSira , Parts VII p. 77, Saree Muslim, Vol. 2 p. 278, al-Tirmithi, P. 421, Misquath Vol. 8, p. 129).

Imam Fukhrud-Din al-Razi (inAl-Tafsir al-Kabir, Vol. 2, p. 701, printed in Egypt) says that when the above verses were revealed the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  of Allah covered himself with a black coverlet, took in it Ali (A.S) , Fatima (S.A), Hasan and Husain (–) and said A Master! This is my progeny, my household and my family (Ahl al-Bayt). Thereupon the Messenger of the Master received therevelation A Verily Allah desireth to remove from you every abomination of sin and evil, and you are the household of the prophet, and to purify you by a perfect purification.Tafsir Khshshaf , Vol. I, p. 308 agrees with Imam Fakhrud-Din al-Razi.

Hearing the glad news of the Divine Purification, Sanctification and Consecration, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  decided to take only these four persons along with him for the ceremony of trial by imprecations as ordered by Allah. That is, Ali (A.S)  representing the A selves as mentioned in the above verses, Fatima (S.A) representing women, Hasan and Husain (–) representing A sons.

The Christian priests were then informed of these orders of Allah and said A They agreed next morning to abide by the trial as a quick way of deciding which of them were in the wrong. Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household) met them accordingly accompanied by his daughter Fatima (S.A), his son-in-law Ali (A.S)  and his two grandsons Hasan and Husain (–) and desired them (the Christian priests) to wait till he had said his prayers. But when they saw him kneel down their resolution failed them and they dared not venture to curse him and his party, but agreed to sign a treaty and pay tribute to him. (Rev. George Sale)

A Ahl al-Bayt (–), people of the household (of Muhammed [†]), is the designation usually given to Fatima (S.A), Ali (A.S)  and their children and descendants. This is the name by which ibn Khaldun invariably designates them, and followers and disciples, Shi’as or adherents of the A People of the House. Sanai (the famous Sufi poet whom Rumi praises) represents the general feeling with which the descendants of Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household) were regarded in the following verses of poetry:

A Excepting the book of Allah and his family (Descendants)

Nothing has been left by Ahmed the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) ,

Memorial such as these can never be obtained till the day of

Judgment

Seethe Spirit of Islam , p. 313; note,Kanzul- A Ummal Vol. VI , p. 159,Tafsir al-Kushshaf, Vol. 1, p. 308, al-Hamadani inMawaddat al-Qurba , andA allama Ibn Hajar al-Makki inAl-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa , while discussing this event and the verses referred above, have given their opinion that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , by translating the word A Selves as himself and Ali (A.S) , the word A Women as Fatima (S.A) and the word A Sons as Hasan and Husain (–) have shown to the Muslim the estimation in which these four persons are held by Allah and by himself. They and they alone are his Ahl al-Bayt (–) who deserve the Divine purification, sanctification and consecration.

10th A.H.

During this year, Ali (A.S)  was sent once again on a propagation mission to Yemen and then on an expedition against A Amr ibn M’adi Karb. He performed both the duties successfully. Imam Ahmed ibn e-Hanbal in hisMusnad Vol. V , p. 356, Imam Nisa’i inKhasa’is andA allama ibn Hajr al-Makki inAl-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqa, p. 2, say that from the later expedition Khalid ibn al-Walid sent a letter containing complaints of Imam Ali (A.S)  to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) This letter was carried by Buraydah, a companion of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) On receipt of this letter, the Messenger of Allah was annoyed and got angry and said, A you are fabricating lies and fictitious complaints against Ali (A.S) , he is from me and I am from him, he is your master (wali ) after me. Whoever annoys him actually annoys me and whoever forsakes him forsakes me. He is made of the same material that I am made of and I am made of the same material that Abraham is made of and my status before Allah is superior to that of Abraham.

The end of the 10th A.H. saw the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  performing the A Farewell Pilgrimage and while returning from there, for the last time he designated Imam Ali (A.S)  as his Vicegerent. I have narrated this incident in Section 16 , p. 30).

11th A.H.

The year 11th A.H. was the saddest year of Imam Ali’s life. He lost two of his best friends. One of whom he loved and venerated like a father, like a master and like the dearest friend, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  who died during the early months of the year. His death was followed by the death of Imam Ali’s dearest companion, his wife, Fatima (S.A), the lady of the Light.

The last year of Holy Prophet’s life was spent at Medina. An envoy of his was killed by the Syrians and he had ordered an expedition against the Byzantines under Usamah ibn Zaid and he had ordered all his companions except Imam Ali (A.S)  join this expedition, and had ordered the troops to be encamped outside the city (Al-Tabari’sTarikh ,Tarikh al-Kamil ibn Athir.Tabaqat al ibn Sa’d andAl-Sira al-Halabiyya ,Madarij al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 2 , p. 766). Yough he was ill yet in spite of his weakness he came out, arranged the flag (the Insignia of the command) with his own hands and handed it over to Usamah. He felt that people were not willing to join this expedition, because of the young age of Usamah. He got annoyed and said A May the curse of Allah be on those who forsake the army of Usamah. (Millal-o-Nahal ofA allama Shahristani andSharah Mawahib al-Laduniyya ).

The cause of this illness was the poison which had been given to him and which had slowly penetrated into his system and had now begun to show its effect. It became evident that he had not long to live. The news of his approaching end led to the stopp. of the expedition (The Spirit of Islam ). At the last stage of illness the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  was staying at the house of Ummul Mu’minin A A’isha. From there he came out for the last time to lead the prayers. He was so weak that he was actually carried there by the sons of Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib. He, himself, led the prayers (Fath al-Bari, Sharah Sirat al-Bukhari , Ch. 3 , p. 372).

This exertion proved too much for the Messenger of the Master and when he returned home from the mosque he fainted. His condition was very serious at that time and the fainting fit was of long duration. His children and members of family, and his companions started weeping and lamenting. He came out of the swoon and looked at those tear sprinkled faces around him and said, A Bring a pen, some ink and paper so that I may write a will for you that will keep you on the straight path. Some of his companions wanted to offer him the pen and paper while A Omer was of opinion that he was talking insanely on account of the intensity of illness. He argued that they had the Holy Qur’an with them which would suffice them. This discussion took a serious turn and people started arguing in loud voices. The Messenger of Allah got annoyed at this and asked them to go away and to leave him alone. (Saree-Bukhari Ch. 12 , p. 126, Ch. 8 , p. 100, Ch. 23 , p. 384,Minhaj al-Sunna ofA allama Ibn Taymiyyah,Shah Sahih Muslim ofA allama Noodi, gives a detailed account of this event).

This was Sunday the 27th Safar. After the above incident the Messenger of Allah called Ali (A.S)  and said Ali! You will be first to meet me on the fountain of Kawthar. After me when hardship and reverses face you then do not lose patience and when you find people running after worldly gains then you busy yourself in the way of truth and Allah. (Rawzat al-Ahbab, Vol. I , p. 559,Madarij al-Nubuwwah, Vol. 2 , p. 551). On the next day, Monday the 28th of Safar, the Messenger of Allah passed away to therealm of His Grace, Blessings and Majesty.

Last Moment and the Last Rights of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  

A allama Muhammed ibn Sa’d, in his famous bookTabaqat (Vol. 2, Section 2, pp. 51, 61) relates that during the caliphate of the Imam (–) A Omer once the famous Jew, Ka’b al-Ahbar (who later embraced Islam), asked of the caliph: A Sir, please tell me what were the last words of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) A The Caliph told him to ask Imam Ali (A.S)  about it. Ka’b came to him and asked him the same question. The Imam (–) replied, A During the last moments of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  his head was resting on my shoulder and his words were Salat! Salat! ( A Uphold prayers, prayers!). Ka’b declared, A Verily, the last moments of all of the prophets have always been thus, they are ordained for it and they carry the message even with their last breath. Then Ka’b went to A Omer and asked him. A Who performed the ablutions of the body of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  after his death? the caliph told him to ask Imam Ali (A.S)  about that also. He again came to Imam Ali (A.S)  and repeated the question. Imam Ali (A.S)  replied. A The Messenger of Allah had willed that none but I should perform those ablutions because if any other person looked at his naked body he would get blind. A curtain was hung and from the other side of the curtain Fazl ibn Abbes and Osaama, blind-folded, were handing water to me and I was performing the ablutions.

These facts, that Imam Ali (A.S)  was the only person to be with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  at his last moments and to have performed the last rights, are also acknowledged by the books Thazkeray Khasul A’imma Cha, p. II , p. 16,Kanzul A Ummal , Vol. 4, p. 55,Mustadrak of Imam Hakim, Vol. 3, p. 139,Riaz al-Nazira , printed in Egypt, p. 80 andMu’jam al-Kabir of al-Tabrani.

After the last ablutions and after shrouding the august of the Messenger of Allah as per his will, first Imam Ali (A.S)  performed the A death prayers’ alone. Then the parties of the Muslims came and offered the death prayers without any leader (Imam).A allama ibn Abdul Birr in Isthee’ab says that after Imam Ali (A.S)  offered his A Death prayers’ alone then Banu Hashim offered the prayers, then the Muhajirun and then the Ansars.

Burial of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  

After the death prayers were said. Imam Ali (A.S) , Abbas, Fazl ibn Abbas and Osaama ibn Zaid got busy with the arrangements of the burial of the Messenger of Allah. At therequest of the Ansars, Aos ibn Kholee Ansari, who was also a Badri (a participant in the Badr campaign), was allowed to join them. Osaama dug the grave in the house of Ummul Mu’minin A A’isha. Aos got into the grave and Imam Ali (A.S)  lifted the august body in his hands and lowered it into the grave. He stayed in the grave for some time while weeping bitterly. Usamah says A I have never seen Ali (A.S)  weeping like that before or after this occasion. Then he came out of the grave and lifting his hands said, A Master! he was Your first creation, his apparent death is not a sign of his mortality, he lifted the gloom prevailing before the creation started, he was a proof of Your Glory and Benevolence, he had come to us from therealm of Your Love and Glory, and was our guide towards that Realm. His soul was the Emblem of Your Supreme Might, his body was the masterpiece of Your Creation and his mind was Your Treasure house. Then he covered the grave (Irshad Sheikh Mufid).

When Ali (A.S)  and Banu Hashim were busy with the last rites of the burial of the Messenger of Allah, some Muhajirun and some Ansars gathered at thesaqifa and decided that Abu Bakr should be the first caliph. Imam Ali (A.S)  was asked to accede to this decision. He refused. Abu Sufyan came to Medina and went to Abbas (uncle of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and said to him, A These people have taken away the caliphate from Banu Hashim. You are uncle of the Messenger of Allah and oldest among the Quraish, you have been kind to them also, they will accept your lead. Let you and I swear allegiance to Ali (A.S) If anybody opposes us we shall kill him. They both came to Ali (A.S)  and Abu Sufyan told him Ali (A.S) , if you like I shall overflow Medina with infantry and cavalry, accept our proposal. Put out your hand and let us swear the oath of allegiance. Hearing this Ali (A.S)  replied A Abu Sufyan, I swear by Allah the Almighty that you, through this proposal, want to create serious dissension among the Muslims. You have always tried to harm Islam, I do not need your sympathies or your help.

A detail account of this event may be found in

1. Tabari, Vol. 2I , pp. 202, 303

2.Tarikh al-Khulafa’ , p. 45

3.Kanzul- A Ummal Vol. 2I , p. 140.

Imam Ali (A.S)  realized that any serious dissension at this stage would harm the cause of Islam considerably. He had before him the example of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and treaty of Hudaybiya and had been foretold by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  of all that would happen.A allama Ali ibn Muhammed (630 A.H.) inUsd al-Ghaba fi Thamyiz al-Sahaba (Vol. IV , p. 31) says A The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had said to Imam Ali (A.S) , A Your status is like that of Ka’ba. People (Muslims) approach the Ka’ba, but this holy house never approaches anybody. Therefore after my death if people come to you and swear the oath of allegiance you accept it and if they do not come to you then you do not go to them.

A allama Sheikh A Abdul Haqq, the traditionist al-Dehlawi, inMadarij al-Nubuwwa (Vol. 2 , p. 511) says that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had advised Imam Ali (A.S) A After me you will have to face the extremes of suffering. Do not get disheartened and do not lose patience; and when you find people craving for and trying their utmost to secure worldly power and wealth you mould your life for the hereafter.

Imam Ali (A.S)  loved Islam as intensely as the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had loved it. He could not, therefore, for the sake of worldly kingdom endanger Islam. He knew that a civil war at that stage would give chances to the Jewish clans of Banu Nazir and Banu Quraiza on one side and the Christian tribes of Najran and Syria by the Byzantine armies on the other. Themunafiqun (hypocrites) and fresh converts on the third would simply take advantage of the situation. When they found the Muslims busy killing each other, they would literally cut them into pieces, and Islam would totally disappear as a message of peace. He wanted the Arabs to remain in the fold of Islam even with the desires of making their worldly position good, and wanted the enemies of Islam to realize that Islam was powerful enough to defend itself even after the sad demise of the Messenger of the Master. Therefore, he was willing to accept every wrong for the Islam and to retire to Theseclusion of his house. The advice he gave to his uncle Abbas is to be found inNahjul-Balagha wherein he told him not to join the turmoil.

According to the famous Arab philosopher, mathematician and physician Ave Sena (Bu Ali (A.S)  Sena) Imam Ali (A.S)  and Holy Qur’an were the two miracles of Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household), the Messenger of Allah. The life of Imam Ali (A.S)  at every stage was a mirror like thereflection of the life of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) The days of Badr, Uhud, Khayber, and Hunain were not long passed and their hero still had the same courage, valor, bravery and strength with him. He could have jumped at the proposal of Abu Sufyan, but had he done so he would not have been Ali ibn Abu Talib, the man A who loved Allah and His Messenger and was loved by Allah and His Messenger (Mi’raj al-Nubuwwa ).

Death of Fatima (S.A)

Unfortunately, his feelings were not reciprocated. The following books give an account of very serious events which happened at Imam Ali’s refusal to accede to the decision ofsaqifa :

1. Tabari, Vol. 2I , p. 198

2Al- A Iqd al-Farid of Ibn Abd Rabbih, Vol. 2 , p. 179, printed in Egypt.

3.History of Abul-Fida’ Vol. I , p. 156 printed in Egypt.

4.Kitab Imama wal Siyasa ofA allama Ibn Qutaybah, Vol. I , p. 20, printed in Egypt (this book gives a very detailed account)

5.Muruj al-Thahab by al-Mas’udi, p. 159

6Al-Milal wal-Nihal of al-Shahristani, Vol. I , p. 25 printed in Bombay, India

7Al-Faruq of al-Shibli al-Nu’mani, printed in India

8. Ibn Abil Hadid in commentary ofNahjul-Balagha .

What one could gather, from various accounts which these books have given, is a sad and pathetic episode. It appears that though Imam Ali (A.S)  decided to retire to Theseclusion of his house and not to take any part in power politics, his house was burned down on his family and him. And either the burning door or a hard hit from the hilt of a sword or a heavy push or all together broke the ribs and hand of Fatima (S.A) (daughter of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) This caused her such a serious injury that the baby she was carrying was a still- birth.A allama Shahristani inAl-Milal wal-Nihal (Vol. I , p. 25) says that there was nobody in the house but Ali (A.S) , Fatima (S.A) and their children (who were between the ages of 4 to 8). Apparently the assault was sudden and unexpected, nobody was ready for it. The resulting confusion could be better imagined than narrated. The lady of the house was seriously hurt, and had fainted, the house was full of smoke, the children were frightened. As Ali (A.S)  was attending to his wounded wife and suffocating children he was overpowered and dragged from the house. Later Fatima (S.A) was refused her heritage. The physical injury and the mental shock laid her low and after a short illness she passed away on the 14th of Jamadiul-Awwal, 11 A.H. She was buried in the dead of the night. Besides Banu Hashim only the following companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  attended her funeral: Salman, Abu Tharr, A Ammar and Miqdad. Before the death she had expressed her sufferings in a poem, a verse of which has come down in the Arabic language as a proverb. She says A So many sufferings have descended upon me that if they had descended upon bright days they would have been turned into dark nights.

The account of the last day of her life clearly shows what kind of a lady was this daughter of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) She told the household that she was feeling better, the pain in her ribs and in her hand was not so severe and that her fever had come down. Then she started bathing the children. Immediately Ali (A.S)  and Fizza came to her assistance. She got the children bathed, dressed and fed, then sent them away to her cousin. Then she called Imam Ali (A.S)  to her side and said Ali (A.S) , my dear husband, you know very well why I did all that. Please excuse my fussiness, they have suffered so much with me and during my illness that I want to see them happy on the last day of my life. Yes, Ali (A.S) , you know also that this is the last day of my life, I am happy and also I am sad. Happy I am that my troubles will shortly be over and I shall meet my father and sorry that I am to part with you. Please, Ali (A.S) , make a note of what I say and do as I wish you to do. After me you may marry anybody you like but you must marry my cousin Yamama, she loves my children and Husain is very much attached to her. Let Fizza remain with you even after her marriage, if she so desires, she was more than a mere servant to me. I loved her like my daughter. Ali (A.S) , bury me in the night and do not let those who have been so cruel to me attend my burial. Let not my death dishearten you. You have to serve Islam and humanity for a long time to come. Let not my sufferings embitter your life, promise me Ali (A.S) Imam Ali (A.S)  said, A Yes Fatima (S.A), I promise. Ali (A.S) , she continued, A I know how you love my children but be very careful of Husain (–). He loves me dearly and will miss me sadly, be a mother unto him. Till my recent illness he used to sleep on my chest, he is already missing it. Ali (A.S)  was caressing the broken hand, his hot and big tears dropped on her hand. She looked up and said A Do not weep Ali (A.S) , I know with a rough outward appearance what a tender heart you possess. You have already borne too much and will have to bear more. Farewell my master, farewell my dear husband, farewell Ali (A.S) Say Good-bye Fatima (S.A). Hearing this she said A May the Merciful Master help you to bear these sorrows and sufferings patiently. Now let me be alone with my Allah. Saying this she turned towards her prayers carpet and prostrated before Allah. When after a little time Imam Ali (A.S)  entered the room he found her still in prostration but the soul had departed to join her Holy father in therealm of His Grace, Mercy and Might. She died very young as Imam Ali (A.S)  says A A flower nipped in the bud, it was from Junnath (the Heaven) and it went to Junnath, but has left its fragrance in my mind.

From 12th A.H. to 24th A.H.

From that time onward till 35 A.H., Imam Ali (A.S)  led a retired life. In the beginning, he spent his days in compiling the Holy Qur’an in the chronological order of chapters and verses as they were revealed to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) He presented this to the Muslims, but when its acceptance was refused, he advised his companions to accept the Holy Book as compiled officially, saying that his compilation would not be seen by anybody, so that there might not come into existence more than one version of the Holy Qur’an and might not create doubts about the authenticity of this august book.

When Abu Sufyan found that Imam Ali (A.S)  was not paying attention to him, he tried to get in the good books of the government and his eldest son Yazid was appointed as the governor of Syria and on Yazid’s death, his brother Mu’awiyah was appointed on the same post.

During the caliphate of Abu Bakr and more often during the time of the Imam (–) A Omer, whenever Ali’s advice was asked for, he, like a true Muslim, offered his sincere advice.

Although the people of Banu Hashim were never given any place of honor within the government, Ali (A.S)  did not mind this indifference and whenever a serious problem arose and his counsel was sought, he cooperated whole-heartedly.

The Spirit of Islam says, A From the commencement of the Islamic preaching, Imam Ali (A.S)  had extended the utmost consideration and friendship to the conquered. After the battle of Quadesia, Ali (A.S)  used to devote his share of prize money to redemption of captives, and repeatedly with his counsel and persuasive interference, he induced the Imam (–) A Omer to lighten the burden of subjects and captives.

Imam Hakim in Mustadrak and Kamil ibn Athir in his history say that until the year 17 A.H., no era was fixed by the Muslims to designate their years. Sometimes Aamul-Feel (year of Abysinian invasion of Mecca) was considered as the beginning of an era. At other times, the battle of Fujjar (a pre-Islamic encounter between Arab clans) was chosen. Still, others considered a time when repairs on the Ka’ba were done as the year to mark the era. When this confusion was brought to the attention of the Imam (–) A Omer, he asked the advice of Imam Ali (A.S) , who told him to begin the Muslim era from the year of the Hijra (emigration of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , A.S.) to Medina.

On another occasion, the people went to the Imam (–) A Omer saying that a lot of jewels and valuable articles and attachments in the Ka’ba could be converted into currency and be used for arming the armies, proving to be a very useful asset. When Imam Ali’s advice was sought he said, A These articles were there during the times of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  but he did not touch them. Yough Muslims were poorer then than now, and though they were more in need of arms and mounts then you are in need of, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  still did not make use of these ornaments for such purposes. It shows that the Messenger of Allah did not appreciate such appreciation. You also do not do it. Hearing this the Imam (–) A Omer said, A O Ali (A.S) ! Had you not been here, we would have suffered a disgrace. (Rabiul-Abrar ofA allama Zamakhshari)

On the occasion of the invasion of Rome, when the Imam (–) A Omer sought his counsel as to the advisability of heading the army as the Commander-in-Chief, he advised him to be at the helm and to send some experienced general as a commander. This advice is narrated in a sermon inNahjul-Balagha . Similarly, at the time of invasion of Iran, he counselled A Omer not to leave the capital and to send somebody else.

The booksIzalatul Khafa’ (subject II , p. 268 and 269),Al-Riaz al-Nazira Vol. 2 , pp. 194 to 197),Musnad Imam Ahmed Vol. 2 , p. 231 (Margin),Mustadrak Imam al-Hakim Vol. I , pp. 438 to 460, Ishtheab’allama Abdul Birr Vol. 2 474) andIhya’ul- A Ulum of Imam Ghazali, cite several such cases where the Imam’s counsel was asked for and he sincerely gave his advice.

Only one case I want to relate shows in what high esteem Ali (A.S)  held the value of the knowledge acquired, collected and preserved by man in the fields of philosophy, science, history, geography and ethics.

The following authors give a detailed account of the famous library of Iskunderia (Alexandria) in Egypt:

1. Judge "Abul-Qasim" Sa’d ibn Ahmed al-Andalusi (462 A.H.) inTabaqat al-Umam .

2. Haji Khalifa Chulpee inKhashf al-Zunun, Vol. I, Preface, p. 24, printed in Egypt.

3. The famous biographer Ibn Nadim inAl-Fahrist , p. 334, printed in Egypt.

4. The historian Jamal ud-Din, known as Ibn al-Qifti, in Akhbarul-Ulema’ wa Akhba al-Hukama’, pp. 232, 233, printed in Egypt and at Liepzieg, Germany.

5. Imam Hafizud-Din Muhammed ibn Muhammed ibn Shahal, known as ibnul-Bazzaz al-Kurmi (827 A.H.) inKitab Imam al-A’zam , Vol. I, p. 37, printed at Hyderabad, India.

6.A allama Ahmed ibn Mustafa, known as Tashul-Kubra Zada (962 A.H.) inMiftahul-Sa’ada andMisbahul-Siyada , Vol. 1, p. 241, printed in Hyderabad, India.

They are unanimous in saying that there was a fairly large library at Alexandria, Egypt. It contained between five to seven thousand books on papyri, pal, leaves and parchments, a very large library indeed when compared with the standard of literacy and education of those days.

It contained books on chemistry, astronomy, irrigation, engineering, physics, philosophy and various religions etc.

When A Amr ibn al- A As conquered Egypt, he inquired about what to do with those books. Orders were issued from the Center that A if these books are according to the Holy Qur’an (i.e. They say the same things which this Holy book has said) then we do not need them and if they say anything contrary to the Holy Qur’an then we do not want them. Therefore, in any case they ought to be burnt. (Akhbarul- A Ulema’ wa Akhbar al-Hukama’ of Ibn al-Qufti, pp. 232 and 233) printed at Cairo and Leipzieg)

The history of Muhammed ibn Abdo edited byA allama Rashid Rida, Editor, Al-Manar, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 1, p. 535,Tabaqat al-Umam of Judge Sa’id al-Andalusi, as well as Ayath al-Biayuth ofMuhsinul-Mulk say that when Imam Ali (A.S)  heard the news of this, he tried to persuade them to refrain from issuing such an order. He said, A Those books are treasures of knowledge and they cannot say anything against the Holy Qur’an. On the contrary, the knowledge contained therein would act as commentaries of this Holy Book and would assist and help in further explanations of the knowledge as presented by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Knowledge is an asset for human beings and a birthright of a man. It should not be destroyed.Akhbarul- A Ulema’ further states that his suggestion was not accepted and those books were distributed among one thousand hot water bath houses of Alexandria to be burnt as fire wood.

From 11 A.H. to 33 A.H.

Upon his death, Abu Bakr nominated A Omer as his successor to the caliphate and, A Omer, upon his death, appointed a board of six members to select his successor; the board considered (1) Abdul Rshman ibn e Oaf, (2) Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqas (3), A Othman ibn A Affan (4), Talhah ibn Abdullah (5), al-Zubair ibn al-Awwam and (6) Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S). The terms of reference for this council were as follows:

1. If they unanimously selected a person, he would be designated as the caliph.

2. If there was no unanimity, then that person would be caliph for whom Abdul-Rahman ibn A Awf and his party voted.

3. If any five of them agreed on one man and the sixth disagreed, then the dissenter should immediately be killed.

4. If any four of them agreed on one man and then two disagreed, then those two should be killed.

5. If there was a tie, then the casting vote would be that of Abdullah ibn A Omer (his son). Abdul-Rahman ibn A Awf was a cousin of A Othman and husband of the aunt of Sa’d ibn Abi-Vaqquas and al-Zubair was son-in-law of Abu Bakr. Abdul Rahman ibn Oaf withdrew his candidacy to the caliphate.

(Refer toKitabul-Imama walSiyasa of Muhammed ibn Qutaybah al-Daynuri (270 A.H.), p. 26,History of Ibn Khaldun, second part , pp. 134 to 136, printed in Egypt).

In the council, the opinions were equally divided in favor of Imam Ali (A.S)  and A Othman. Abdul Rahman ibn Oaf asked Imam Ali (A.S) , A If you are selected as a caliph, do you promise that you will act according to the Holy Qur’an and the traditions and orders of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and according to the rulings and decisions of the previous two caliphs? Imam Ali (A.S)  replied, A So far as the Holy Qur’an and the orders and traditions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  are concerned, I agree to abide by them and follow them faithfully and sincerely, but so far as the rulings and decisions of the previous two caliphs are concerned, if these are according to the Holy Book and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  who could dare refuse them. If they are against the orders of Allah or the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , who would dare accept and follow them? I refuse to bind myself with those rulings and decisions. I shall act according to my knowledge and my discretion.

Then Abdul Rahman asked the same question of A Othman. He agreed not only to act according to the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  but also to implicitly follow the rulings and the decisions of the previous two caliphs. Then Abdul Rahman declared A Othman as a caliph. (Refer to 1. Tabari, Vol. 5 , pp. 35 to 38, Vol. 16 , p. 590) 2. Ibn Khaldun, p. 134 to 136, 3. Abul-Fida’, p. 34, 4.Rawzatul-Safa , Vol. 2, p. 98)

Muharrum 1, 24 A.H.

Justice Sayyid Amir Ali, in his book titledA Short History of the Saracens , p. 46, says, A The choice of electorate fell upon A Othman, a member of the Ummayad family (Muharram, 1, 24 A.H., November 7, 644 A.D.). In the end, his election proved to be the ruin of Islam. He fell at once under the influence of his clan. He was guided entirely by his secretary and son-in-law Marwan, who had once been expelled by the prophet for a breach of trust. With Ali’s usual patriotism and devotion to the faith, he gave his adhesion to A Othman as soon as he was elected. A Othman displaced most of the lieutenants employed by A Omer and appointed in their stead incompetent and worthless members of his own family. The weakness of the center and the wickedness of the unworthy favorites was creating a great agitation among the people. Loud complaints of exaction and oppression by the governors began pouring into the capital. Ali (A.S)  pleaded and tried to reason several times with the caliph concerning the manner in which he allowed the government to fall into the hands of the unworthy favorites, but A Othman, under the influence of his evil genius Marwan, paid no heed to the Imam’s advice. Twice, Imam Ali (A.S)  was asked to leave Medina and to go to a village near it and twice he was called back to intervene between the ruler and the ruled. A few sermons inNahjul-Balagha has related these facts. To continue the version of the short History of the Saracen, A At last, a deputation from the provinces arrived in Medina to demand redress. They were sent back with promises. On their way home, they intercepted a letter by Marwan, purporting to bear Theseal of the caliph. This letter contained directions to the local governors to behead the leaders of the deputation upon arrival of their destinations. Furious at this treachery, therepresentatives returned to Medina and demanded the surrender of Marwan. This demand was requested even by members of the house of Ummaiya (Mas’udi in Moravejul-Zahab). The ill-fated A Othman met this demand with a stern refusal. Enraged at what they believed to be the complicity of the caliph, they besieged him at his home. (A Short History of the Saracen, pp. 47 and 48)

Narrating the details of the siege and the murder, Tarikh al-Khamis (Vol. 2 , pp. 61, 262), Tarikh al-Khulafa’ by al-Sayyuti, p. 108,Muruj al-Thahab of al-Mas’udi andRiaz al-Nazira, Vol. 2 , p. 125, say that at this hour of peril, the Ummayyad deserted the old chief and some fled towards Syria. Mu’awiyah, though ordered by the caliph, did not come to his help. On the contrary, the contingent which he sent to Medina was ordered to stop and stay at a place thirty miles away from Medina and wait for further orders. These orders never arrived until the caliph was killed, and the contingent was called back. But Imam Ali (A.S)  sent water and food to the caliph during the siege and later, as per the Imam’s orders, A Othman was bravely defended by his sons and dependents. The insurgents had great difficulty in making any impression on the defenders; therefore, on the 18th of Thul-Hijja 34 A.H., some of these besiegers scaled a wall of a neighbor’s house, entered the house of the caliph and killed him inside his house.

The people who were furious against the caliph were:

1. Talhah: He played an important role in the siege and the stopp. of water. He was commanding the group of the people who were bent upon killing A Othman. On that account, Marwan killed him in the Battle of Jamal, Tabari, Vol. 6, p. 154,Kamil ibn al-Athir , Vol. 4, p. 70, Ibn Khaldun, Vol. 2 , p. 397). This very Talhah later came out as the avenger of murder of the caliph and carried out the propaganda that Imam Ali (A.S)  was responsible for A Othman’s murder. He was one of the chief instigators of the Battle of Jamal. He had instigated the people to kill A Othman with the hope of succeeding the caliphate. When he was frustrated with it, he launched a revolt against Imam Ali (A.S)  (Refer to sermon 179 ofNahjul-Balagha ).

2. Az-Zubair ibn al- A Awwam was considered the number one enemy of the caliph (Mustadrak of Imam Hakim, Vol. 2I , p. 118,Kitabul-Imama wal-Siyasa , Vol. VI , p. 58,Muruj al-Thahab of Mas’udi, Vol. 2 , p. 11). Later, al-Zubair, with motives like those of Talhah, staged a revolt against Ali (A.S)  and was the prime initiator for the Battle of Jamal. On the battlefield of Jamal, Imam Ali (A.S)  reminded him of the orders given to him by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  about Imam Ali (A.S) Al-Zubair left the battlefield and was riding to Medina when he was killed by A Omer ibn Jerneoze, who was neither in Imam Ali’s army nor his own companion. Imam Ali (A.S)  felt sad at Zubair’s death, and said, A Yough he later turned into a bitter enemy of mine, in the early days of Islam, he was a good defender of the cause of religion. (Refer to sermon 12).

3. A Amr ibn al- A As was the third bitter enemy of A Othman. Tabari gives a detailed account of the way he insulted the caliph in the mosque, and says, A Nobody was more pleased at the murder of A Othman than A Amr ibn al- A As. thereason was that he had been deposed from the governorship of Egypt by the third caliph. Later, this A Omer joined Mu’awiyah as a claimant for retribution of the murder of A Othman.

When the events from year 11 A.H. to 34 A.H. were unfolding, Imam Ali (A.S)  took no part in the affairs of the state. In the words of the History of Saracen, A He was endeavoring in Medina to give an intellectual turn to the newly developed energy of the Saracenic race. In the public mosque at Medina he delivered weekly lectures on philosophy, logic, history, explanation of the traditions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  and the verses of the Holy Qur’an, as well as Muslim law and rhetoric. Thus, he formed the nucleus of the intellectual movement which displayed itself in such great force in the later days. Those lectures and sermons were compiled within forty years of his death by Zaid ibn Wahab al-Jehny (Rijalul-Kabeer). Many of them were lost, but some of them are preserved inNahjul-Balagha (Mas’udi).

34 to 40 A.H.

Five days after the death of Caliph A Othman, by a unanimous election in which representatives from Basra, Kufa, Egypt and Hijaz took part, Imam Ali (A.S)  was elected as a caliph. This took place on the 24th Thul-Hijja 34 A.H. (July 5, 655 A.D. according to the Julian calendar).

Eric Schroeder, inMuhammed’s People , printed in England in 1955, says, A Five days after the murder of Caliph A Othman, the people gathered together and decided: A We know no fitter man to be Imam than Ali (A.S) , but will he take the burden of Imamate? Some answered, A Press him at home till he consents. They all gathered at Ali’s house with such eagerness that they were pushing and crushing each other. They called to Ali (A.S)  and said, A If we go to our homes again without an Imam and caliph, such a strife will stir as will never again be stilled. You will have to consent to be our Imam and Caliph of Allah. Ali (A.S)  replied, A Small longings have I for this authority, yet the believers must have a chief, and gladly will I accept temporal authority of another of Talhah. A Nay, thou hast more right than I, said Talhah. One who stood nearby forced open Ali’s palm and Talhah swore the oath of allegiance to Ali (A.S) Al-Zubair did likewise and from Ali’s house, they brought him to the mosque. Everybody thronged around him to swear the oath of allegiance to him as their imam and caliph.

The Spirit of Islam says, A It might have been thought that all would submit themselves before his glory; so fine and so grand. But it was not to be. Al-Zubair and Talhah, who had hoped that the choice of people might fall on either of them for caliphate, balked in their ambitious design. Smarting under therefusal of the new caliph to bestow on them the Governorship of Basra and Kufa, they were the first to raise the standard of revolt. They were assisted by Ummul Mu’minin A A’isha, who had taken a decisive part in the former elections. She was the life and soul of the insurrection and she, herself, accompanied the insurgent troops to the field riding a camel. Ali (A.S) , with his characteristic aversion to bloodshed, sent his cousin Abdullah ibn Abbas to adjure the insurgents by every obligation of the faith and abandon the arbitrament of war. It was to no avail. Al-Zubair and Talhah initiated a battle at a place called Khurayba and were defeated and killed. The battle is called the Battle of Jamal (camel) from A A’isha’s presence in a litter on a camel. A A’isha was taken prisoner, treated with courtesy and consideration and escorted with every marks of respect to Medina. She was sent escorted by her brother Muhammed ibn Abu Bakr. Refer to Asam al-Kufi, p. 147. Tabari, Vol. 4 , pp. 548-565,Rawzat al-Safa , Vol. 2, Tarikh al-Thahbi , pp. 1-21. Abul-Fida’ , pp. 518-520.

After the battle, Ummul Mu’minin A A’isha felt that even though she had brought about this insurgence, she saw that Imam Ali (A.S)  was treating her with utmost courtesy and kindness. She requested that her nephew, Abdullah ibn al-Zubair, who had been commander-in-chief of therebel forces and was taken prisoner, to be forgiven and freed. Imam Ali (A.S)  granted therequest. Marwan got nervous thinking that as the two worst enemies of Imam Ali (A.S)  (Talhah and al-Zubair) were killed and (Abdullah ibn al-Zubair) was excused and pardoned, the burden of vengeance might fall upon him. He requested Imam Hasan and Imam Husain to plead for his cause. They requested his pardon and he was also pardoned. (Years afterward, the very same Marwan made his archers shoot arrows on the dead body and bier of Imam Hasan and later he persuaded the governor of Medina, though unsuccessfully, to immediately kill Imam Husain on his refusal to accept Yazid as the Caliph). Then an order of general amnesty, peace and forgiveness was issued. Every opponent was forgiven and every prisoner was released (al-Mas’ud al-Zahbi , p. 28).

Ali’s officers and commanders in this battle, besides his sons Imam Hasan, Imam Husain and Muhammed ibn al-Hanafiyya, were the following companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  : 1) Abdullah ibn the Imam (–) Abbas, 2) A Ammar al-Yasir, 3) Abu Ayoob al-Ansari, 4) Hazima ibn e-Sabith (for whom the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had said that his sole testimony would be equal to the testimony of two witnesses), 5) Quais ibn Sa’d ibn A Abadah, 6) Obaydullah ibn Abbas, 7) Muhammed ibn Abu Bakr , 8) Hajr ibn Addi al-Kundi, 9) Addi ibn Hatim Thaaee.

The victory gave Ali (A.S)  time to consolidate his sovereignty in Hijaz, Iraq and Egypt. According to Mas’udi, with the honesty of purpose which always distinguished him, he disregarded all advises for temporizing. Several of his advisers counseled him to defer the dismissal of the corrupt officers previously appointed until he was, himself, sure concerning who were the enemies, but this hero, without fear and reproach, refused to be guilty of any duplicity or compromise with injustice and inequity. Therefore, immediately after his accession, he gave orders for the dismissal of the corrupt and tyrannical governors, for thereturn of fields and states which had been previously bestowed with public revenues among the favorites of the rulers, and for the equal distribution of the public revenues among the Arabs and non-Arabs, black and whites, masters and slaves, rich and poor.

These orders gave great offence to those who had enriched themselves under former administrations, and his endeavors to remedy the evils which had crept into administrations, raised a host of enemies against him. No sooner was therebellion of Talhah and al-Zubair suppressed, Mu’awiyah, an Ummayaide by decedent and who had held the governorship of Syria from the time of A Omer, raised the standard of revolt.

Abu Sufyan, his son Mu’awiyah and his clan Banu Umayyah had little sympathy and no faith in Islam. Mas’udi, inMuruj al-Thahab , Vol. VI, says that when Abu Sufyan had grown old and blind, he was sitting in the mosque and there were Imam Ali (A.S) , Abdullah ibn Abbas and many other Muslims besides them. Themu’aththin (the caller to prayers) started theathan . He reached the part, A I testify that Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household) is the Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  of Allah. Abu Sufyan said, A Look at my cousin, (meaning the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) ), where he has placed his name! Imam Ali (A.S)  became annoyed, saying that it was done by the order of Allah.Tarikh al-Khamis , Vol. 2 , p. 97, printed in Egypt says that Abu Sufyan advised Banu Umayyah to treat the caliphate like a ball and to pass it on from one to another of their clan and never let the ball out of their possession, saying, A I swear that there is neither punishment nor judgment, neither the Heaven nor the Hell, and neither theresurrection nor the day of Reckoning. His son and his clan accepted his teachings, followed his faith, adopted his advice and obeyed his orders.

In the very beginning, Mu’awiyah had made fools of Talhah and al-Zubair. According to Ibn Abil Hadid, when Mu’awiyah learned that people had sworn the oath of allegiance to Imam Ali (A.S) , he wrote to al-Zubair that he had taken the oath of allegiance for him and for Talhah as his successor. The whole of Syria was ready to back them, and they should try to overthrow Imam Ali’s regime and accept the caliphate which was awaiting them in Damascus (Refer to Sermon 12 ofNahjul-Balagha ). Thus, exciting these two old men, Mu’awiyah kept Imam Ali (A.S)  busy with their rebellion and secured time to make his government more powerful in Syria.

Talhah and al-Zubair, with their rebellion, had done a great service to Mu’awiyah’s cause but now, they were no longer living to serve his purpose. Therefore, he approached Mughirah ibn Shoaba (who had originally tried to converge with Imam Ali (A.S)  but was repulsed by him), Marwan ibn al-Hakam, Walid ibn A Uqbah, Abdullah ibn A Omer, Abu Huraya and A Amr ibn al- A As. His best friend was A Amr ibn al- A As. Yough Mu’awiyah had to pay a heavy price (governorship of Egypt and more than 10 Laes of dinars) to purchase the fidelity and faith of A Omer, the later events proved that it was the best investment that Mu’awiyah had made in his life. He also collected proofs that Ziyad ibn Abih was actually the son of Abu Sufyan (born in sin) and not the son of a slave A Obaid. This change of fatherhood was officially (though shamelessly) proclaimed and Ziyad A proudly became the natural brother of Mu’awiyah. Zaid proved himself to be a man without conscience, without remorse, without faith in Islam and without any consideration of human rights, but a very useful ally to Mu’awiyah. He was Mu’awiyah’s second best friend. Histories of Tabari,Rawzatul-Safa , A Asim al-Kufi,Muruj al-Thahab , Abul-Fida’, theKamil of Ibn Athir may be referred to for details of the above mentioned facts. With these henchmen beside him, Mu’awiyah staged a revolt against Imam Ali (A.S) .

After settling Chaldea and Mesopotamia, Imam Ali (A.S)  was forced to march towards Syria to face Mu’awiyah’s forces at a place called Siffin. The previously noted books and Simon D. Aucklay in theHistory of the Saracens , give a detailed account of this battle which was an extensive one.

Tabari, Vol. VI , p. 577,Rawzatul-Safa , Vol. 2 , p. 425, Abul-Fida’ , p. 425 narrate in details the orders issued by Imam Ali (A.S)  to his officers and soldiers before the battle. As these orders give a clear indication of the principles and methods laid down by Imam Ali (A.S)  as to howjihad (Holy War) should be carried on, I have briefly copied them here:

 1. Never begin a war yourself, Allah does not like bloodshed, fight only in defense.

 2. Never be the first to attack your enemy, repulse his attacks, but do it boldly, bravely and courageously.

 3.While declaring yourself and your deeds (via the medim of ajaz [martial] poetry, a

 custom in hand to hand combatants), never waste your time. Instead of speaking about yourself, speak about Allah and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) .

 4. Never follow and kill those who run away from the battle or an encounter as life is dear to them. Let them live as long as death permits them to live.

 5. Never kill wounded persons who cannot defend themselves.

 6. Never strip naked a dead man for his coat of arms or dress.

 7. Never cut noses or ears of dead men to humiliate them.

 8. Never submit to looting and arson.

 9. Never molest or outrage the modesty of a woman.

10. Never hurt a woman even if she swears at you or hurts you.

11. Never hurt a child.

12. Never hurt an old or an enfeebled person.

This battle started on the 1st of Safar 38 A.H. and lasted for more than two months. During this period about 18 encounters took place.

A In the beginning with his usual humanity, Imam Ali (A.S)  endeavored to bring about a peaceful settlement. But Mu’awiyah was inflated with pride and wanted impossible conditions. To avoid unnecessary shedding of blood, Imam Ali (A.S)  offered to end the quarrel by personal combat, but Mu’awiyah, realizing who and what Imam Ali (A.S)  was, declined the challenge. In spite of every exasperation, Imam Ali (A.S)  commanded the troops to await the enemy’s attack, to spare the fugitives and to respect the captives. Once, during the encounters, A Amr ibn al- A As and at another time Busr ibn Arath, faced Imam Ali (A.S)  in the battlefield. They did not realize until the encounter started that the warrior facing them was Imam Ali (A.S) One blow was sufficient to send them down from their horses. When they found no way of escaping his sword, each one of them, in his turn, immediately stripped naked and fell down turning their faces towards the earth and backs towards the sky. Both armies laughed at those life-saving antics and someone suggested that Imam Ali (A.S)  kill them. In the case of A Amr ibn al- A As he replied, A I cannot kill timid dogs. He has begged for his life in a shameless and humiliating manner. I cannot dirty my arms with the blood of such a cowardly and shameless person.

These rebels were defeated in three successive battles. Mu’awiyah was ready to fly from the field when a trick of his accomplice, A Amr ibn al- A As, saved them from destruction. He made his mercenaries tear the Holy Qur’an into many , pp. and to tie those , pp. to their lances and flags and shout for quarters. Even whe the Holy , pp. were not available, mere rags were tied to the lances. There were some persons in the army of Imam Ali (A.S)  who were bribed by Mu’awiyah, for instance Ashas ibn Quais. As per orders of A Amr ibn al- A As, they and their soldiers desisted from the battle and forced other soldiers to desist also. They gathered around Imam Ali (A.S)  and called upon him to refer the dispute to arbitration. Imam Ali (A.S)  saw through the ploy practiced by therebels and tried to make his soldiers realize it, but the clamor of the army led him to consent to the course granted. He then wanted Abdullah ibn Abbas to represent his side in the arbitration. Again, a part of the army, under instigation of al-Ash’ath, demanded that A a weak and old man, named Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, who was also secretly hostile to Imam Ali (A.S) , (History of the Saracens ) be nominated as an arbitrator from this side. There was immediate danger of serious factions arising in his own army, which might have developed in bloodshed. Therefore, Imam Ali (A.S)  acceded to the demand and Abu Musa was appointed as an arbitrator. Mu’awiyah was represented by the astute and cunning A Omer ibn al-al- A As. They both decided against Imam Ali (A.S) , who, deprived of the fruits of victory by a section of his soldiers and faithless officers, retired in disgust with a part of his army and faithful followers to Kufa.

In the battle of Siffin, one of the famous companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)   A Ammar ibn Yasir and another great favorite of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , Owais al-Qurni, fought for Imam Ali (A.S)  and were killed in the battle.

The men who had been, with ulterior motives, most clamorous at Siffin for arbitration felt that their hopes could not be realized. They repudiated the arbitration and denounced it as sinful. They openly mutinied against Imam Ali (A.S) ; therefore, they were called Kharijites. From Kufa, they withdrew to a place called Nahrawan, which was on the border of the desert. There, they assumed a threatening attitude, killing some officers of the government and many respectable men, women and children. They refused to listen to reasonable advice, to join duty or to return home. Their conduct at last became so serious that Imam Ali (A.S)  was forced to attack them at Nahrawan. That encounter is called the battle of Nahrawan. The majority fought, but a few escaped to Bahrain and Ahsa [in today’s Saudi Arabia] where they formed the nucleus of a fanatical horde which later assumed various names and adopted various guises.

Abu Musa had also retired to Medina where he subsequently received a handsome yearly pension from the court of Mu’awiyah. (Refer to Tabari, Abul-Fida’, A Asim al-Kufi, Rawzat al-Safa,Muruj al-Thahab , theKamil of Ibn Athir and theShort History of the Saracens ).

From the day of ascension as caliph to the last day of his life, Imam Ali (A.S)  did not get a day’s rest and peace. It is a wonder, that facing the heavy odds that he had to encounter, how and when he could get time to introduce reforms in the government; to lay out fundamentals of grammar for Arabic language; to deliver sermons on theology, rhetoric, philosophy of religion, wonders of creation and nature, and duties of man to Allah and man; to advise people in the most persuasive style; to suppress the tendencies for innovation and schism, which had crept in the minds of Muslims or to introduce and bring into effect principles of a benign government.

After dealing with therevolt of the Kharijites, Imam Ali (A.S)  had to face the problem of consolidating his control over Egypt. He had sent Qais ibn Sa’d as a governor there, but had to call him back and send Muhammed ibn Abu Bakr in his place. Unfortunately, Muhammed, though brave and sincere, was no match to Mu’awiyah and A Amr ibn al- A As. He was forced by Mu’awiyah into a battle. Muhammed wrote to Imam Ali (A.S)  who sent Malik ibn Ashter for help. But Malik could not reach Egypt. He was poisoned on the way by a henchman of Mu’awiyah and died (Tabari, Vol. IV, p. 521). Muhammed was informed of this fact. That young man faced A Amr ibn al- A As alone, was defeated in the encounter,killed and by the orders of Mu’awiyah, his dead body was burnt and his ashes were strewn (Tabari, Vol. IV , p. 592). Imam Ali’s words at the news of the death of Muhammed show he loved the young man and how the youth loved him. After Muhammed, Imam Ali (A.S)  had to send some experienced officer to Egypt. He was busy with that problem when Mu’awiyah organized bands of guerillas with orders to loot, murder, arson and rape. These bands were to attack in waves against the provinces of Hijaz, Basra, Rayy, Mosul and Harath. Imam Ali  (–) organized defenses of these provinces, defeated these bands and freed the country from earlier harassment.

It would have been very easy for Imam Ali (A.S)  to divert the minds of masses towards foreign invasion and thus make them busy in murder and plunder. It had always been done by rulers and is even today considered as the best form of employing energies of a rising nation as well as the easiest way to form an empire to propagate religion. But Imam Ali (A.S)  hated bloodshed, did not believe in imperialism and had no faith in propagation of religion with a sword in one hand and the Holy Qur’an in the other. He believed Islam to be a message of peace and love and wanted mankind to be ruled on the basis of equity and justice. Therefore, after strengthening one province after another and fortifying their defenses, he introduced reforms to create a benign temporal state and never considered expanding his domain.

By the time he got complete control over those problems and could organize an army to liberate Syria and Egypt from thereign of terror which had held them in its sway, the fateful month of Ramzan 40 A.H. arrived.

40th A.H.

It was the 19th of Ramadan, the month of fasting of that eventful year. It was the time of morning prayers. The place was the mosque in Kufa. Imam Ali (A.S)  had arrived in the mosque long before the time of the prayers, had roused those who were sleeping in the mosque. Among them was Abdul Rahman ibn Muljim al-Muradi. He was lying on his face and had hidden under his garment a sword, the blade of which had been poisoned. Imam Ali (A.S)  roused him and told him that it was an unhealthy way of sleeping as it hinders free breathing. He also told him that he had hidden a sword in his garment and an evil intention in his mind. Imam Ali (A.S)  then called the Muslims to morning prayers and led Theservice. It was the first part of the prayers and he was rising from the kneeling posture when the sword of Abdul Rahman ibn Muljim descended on his head, giving him a very deep cut. It was the same sword that Imam Ali (A.S)  had pointed out only half an hour earlier. The prayers were disturbed. Abdul Rahman started running and people went after him. Nobody was attending the prayers. There was confusion everywhere. But Imam Ali (A.S)  finished his two prostrations and then reeled into the hands of his sons Hasan and Husain. The wound which was bleeding profusely was attended to. His blood-drenched lips parted into thanks-giving prayers as he said, A Master! I thank You for rewarding me with martyrdom; how kind are You and how Gracious. May Your Mercy further lead me to therealm of Your Grace and Benevolence. Abdul Rahman was caught by Sasa ibn Sohan and was brought before Imam Ali (A.S) The hands of the murderer where tied behind his back. The Imam (–) saw that the ropes were cutting into the flesh of the murderer. He forgot the wound of his head, the blow which was to end his life and to cut his career in its prime. He forgot that Abdul Rahman was a murderer. All that he saw was a human being subjected to inhuman torture. He ordered the Muslims to loosen the ropes on Abdul Rahman’s hands and treat the man humanly. This kindness touched the murderer and he started weeping. A smile played on those lips and in faint voice Imam Ali (A.S)  said, A It is too late to repent now, you have done your deed. Was I a bad Imam or a unkind ruler?

The people carried the Imam to his house and when he saw the bright day he said,

A O day! you can bear testimony to the fact that during the life time of Ali (A.S)  you have never, not even once, dawned and found him sleeping.

He lived two days after this event and in that interval, whenever he found time, he delivered a few sermons (sermon No. 152 is one of them). In those sermons and with his dying breath, he expressly ordered that no harshness should be used towards his murderer, who should be executed if the heirs of Imam Ali (A.S)  so desired, with one blow. He should not be tortured before death, his dead body should not be mutilated, members of his family should not suffer on account of his crime and his property should not be confiscated. He designated his son Imam Hasan (–) as his vicegerent.

Thus, the last chapter closed on the history of a life which from beginning to end was filled with noble deeds, pious thoughts and sublime words and every filled hour of a glorious life. A Had Ali (A.S)  been allowed to reign in peace, says Oeslner, A his virtues, his firmness, and his ascendancy of character would have perpetuated the basic principles of a good government and its simple manners. the dagger of an assassin destroyed the hope of Islam. A With him, says Osborn, A perished the truest-hearted and the best Muslim of whom the Mohammedan history has preserved the remembrance. A Seven centuries before, says Justice Amir Ali, A this wonderful man would have been apotheosized, and thirteen centuries later, his genius, talents, virtues and valor would have exerted the admiration of the civilized world. Chivalrous, humane and forbearing to the verge of weakness, as a ruler he came before his time. He was almost no match by his uncompromising love of truth, his gentleness and his merciful nature to cope with Umayyads’ treachery and falsehood (The Spirit of Islam ). Justice Amir Ali further says, A To quote the language of the modern French historian, A But for his assassination, the Muslim world might have witnessed therealization of the prophet’s teaching, in actual amalgamation of the first principles of true philosophy into positive action. The same passionate devotion to knowledge and learning which distinguished Muhammed (P.B.U.H. and His Holy Household) breathed in every word of Ali (A.S) With a liberality of mind, far beyond the age in which he lived, was joined a sincere devotion of spirit and earnestness of faith. His sermons, his psalms, his litanies portray a devout outlook towards the source of all good, and an unbounded faith in humanity.

According to his will, he was buried at Najaf, a place about two miles from Kufa.

About Ali (A.S) , his character, his wisdom, his teaching, his services to Islam, his love of mankind, his respect to duty, his adherence to piety, truth and justice, more than eight thousands books have already been written. They are in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, English, Spanish, Italian, German, French, Gujarati, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, a sincere homage to the sincerity of his faith in the greatness and nobility of character inherent in man and in the possibility of human beings developing these traits by good thoughts and good deeds.

Imam Ali (A.S)  as a Ruler and Statesman

Before Imam Ali (A.S)  took charge of the state, the condition of the country was in hopeless turmoil. All of the most important people and the companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had lost sympathy with the government and were openly hostile to it. Rank, favoritism and the short-sighted greed of Marwan and his clan were responsible for this chaos. People were embolden to rise in arms against the mismanaged and malevolent rule. Their uprising had succeeded. They had lost all respect for authority, and had no desire to see the ruling junta back in power again. On the other hand, the members of the overthrown regime had sinister designs to gain back the control which had benefitted them for so long, while some influential persons were hoping to gain the caliphate for themselves.

For three days after the murder of the caliph, there was anarchy in the capital and on the fifth day, Imam Ali (A.S)  was unanimously elected. He neither claimed nor contested for the temporal kingdom. It was forced upon him. But when he accepted it, in his first speech, he openly declared they had elected him as their temporal ruler and he would remain so as long as they kept on obeying him. He had grave doubts about the sincerity of their desire as twice, he had refused to accept their request to act as their ruler. Yet, seeing their hopeless plight and their repeated solicitations moved him to assent to their entreaties; yet he was under no obligation to them for their election, on the contrary, he had done them a service by agreeing to rule over them. He knew well, thereasons of their persistent supplications for his rulership. They had been badly treated by the malevolent, cruel and oppressive regime and the ruling class had insulted them and had always refused to listen to their grievances or come to their relief. The masses had been kept under complete ignorance of the true teaching of Islam and were made to feel that such ignorance was the best thing for them. They had been made to concentrate on worldly benefits at the cost of religion and piety, theresult being a rule of brutal force of which they were tired and wanted the kind of benign government which had been introduced by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) That desire had made them look for somebody who could reintroduce that type of government They realized that Imam Ali (A.S)  was the man in whom the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had confided and intrusted more than in anybody else, and that he had been the trustee to every secret of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Therefore, they unanimously elected him as their ruler.

Ironically, they had not realized theresponsibilities and obligations under which they had brought themselves by making him their Amir (ruler). He knew their weaknesses and also knew that they would lose their confidence in him when they would find that he attached more importance to general welfare than to personal good, when he would make them follow the path laid down by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , when, with the introduction of equality and equity he would make them accept the principles of brotherhood of man and general amity towards their fellow beings, and when he would try to lead them toward selfless discharge of duties as laid down by Allah and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) , thus making them a model subject of the kingdom of Allah, a model to be adopted by those who desire peace and prosperity under a benign rule. He was afraid that with the introduction of such a revolutionary (Islamic) system of government and society, the uninitiated would revolt against him, continuing to clamour for unwarranted and unreasonable personal benefits as usual, and crave vicious pleasures that would no longer be possible in a fairness-to-all and a godly system of government which he had envisioned in Islam. Those who would revolt did not realize that the previous, traditionally exploitive secular regimes, by allowing them cheap and simple pleasure, granting them limited power and keeping them in the darkness of ignorance their rulers, had actually turned them into automata to work for them as kinds of slaves deprived of vision and foresight without hope for a good prospect of a future life. On the other hand, Imam Ali (A.S)  would try to make them follow the true part of religion at the behest of their own free will, make them develop the habit of simple living and high thinking and teach them to give up the desire of seeking undue favors and unjustifiable pleasures. That was the kind of men that Allah wanted them to be and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  had tried to model them into. The task had not been easy then and the lapse of a quarter century had made it even more difficult, but Imam Ali (A.S)  would try to achieve it. (Al-Karrar ofmawlana Riaz Ali)

Whatever shadow of hope was lurking in the minds of persons expecting wealth, prosperity and governorship disappeared with this very first speech of Imam Ali (A.S) They knew that they could not expect unholy and ungodly concessions from Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S). Their unreasonable claims on public wealth, their fiefs and their unjustifiable holdings of public property would not remain with them. The result was three rebellions against Imam Ali (A.S)  and a restless period of rulership for about four years.

His Reforms

But Ali (A.S) , with the sincerity of purpose, tried to do what he had promised and raise the mental uplift of the masses. The first thing was the consolidation of the state which he successfully carried out against very heavy odds. The second thing was to create a central bureau where he distributed the work of training the crude Arabs into educated and civilized people. To Abul-Aswad al-DuAli, he dictated basic principles and rules of grammar for the Arabic language with special instruction to concentrate on the syntax of that language. Abdul Rahman al-Sulmi was made to look after the art of reading the Holy Qur’an correctly. Kumail ibn Ziyad was made responsible for mathematics, engineering and astronomy, A Omer ibn Sulma for the Arabic language and literature (prose), Abadah ibn al-Samit for poetry and logic, Abdullah ibn Abbas for principles of administration and rhetoric, and he himself, for philosophy of religion, ethics, commentary of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) Actually, he was hub of the whole activity. Yough every hour of his glorious life was filled, he still found time to teach his assistants, what to say, when and how to say it, what to teach, and when and how to teach it. Long after his death, every one of his above pupils proved a shining star in the sky of Muslim civilization and have been considered as Imams.

Introduction of New System of Government

The next subject which engaged his immediate attention was the improvement of administration. To make due arrangements for security of the state from external attacks, to preserve law and order, to control corruption and bribery, to provide equality of opportunities and equal distribution of public wealth among his subjects, to appoint honest and pious officers, to chastise and remove from service dishonest ones, to maintain a powerful army, to avoid enrollment of mere mercenaries in it, to take care of traders and traders and treat non-Muslims with deserving leniency and respect, were apparently the items of his program which he successfully carried out.

Division of Public Service Departments: He divided the state services into following sections:

1. Public finance

2. Army

3. Central administrative bureau

4. Judiciary,

5. Provincial offices

 the department of Public Finance was divided into two sections:

a. Collection section and

b. Distribution sections.

The collection section was subdivided into three heads and only three kinds of taxes were allowed to be collected by Imam Ali (A.S)  :

(i) Land Revenue: It was usually collected in coins of silver and gold or in bullion. Officers to collect this revenue were sometimes appointed by the center, but the Imam (–) had also authorized the governors to appoint such officers themselves.

(ii)Zakat (poor rate) andsadaqa (poor fund) : These were usually collected in kind or in live-stock. Officers to collect this revenue were always appointed directly by the Imam (–) and he took great care to appoint honest and pious persons on these posts and to keep a sharp look out on their activities and behavior.

(iii)Jizya : This was a tax from non-Muslims in lieu ofzakat, etc. and in return for Thesecurity and amenities provided to them. Collection of no other kind of tax, from non Muslims, was allowed by him.

Land surveys were carried out by him wherever necessary. Every taxpayer had the right to appeal and an appellate jurisdiction was brought into force. Officers for this court of appeal were directly appointed by the Imam (–).

He was the first man to introduce a budgetary system for the collection of revenues and expenditure. Every province had to present its budget direct to him for approval. The incomes were divided into two heads; provincial and central.Zakat andsadaqa were items of the central revenues, land revenue andjiziya were provincial incomes.

The schedule of rate for land revenue was fixed by him as follows:

1. 1st Class (most fertile) land1.5 dirham per Jareeb

2. 2nd class fertile land1 dirham per Jareeb

3. 3rd Grade land.5 dirham per Jareeb

4. Vineyards, and orchards10 dirhams per Jareeb

 and date palm groves

(Note: 1 Jareeb ‘ 2268 3/4 sq. yd.)

Sadaqa andzaka t were the taxes which only Muslims had to pay. It was a tax levied on personal income, landed property, hoarded bullion and currency and on livestock. Its rate was that which was fixed by tenets of the Muslim law.

Jizya was an annual, personal tax, collected per head of a person irrespective of his income or property. But such persons were divided into classes. The division of classes follows:

1st class: very rich persons and landlords48 dirhams per head

2nd class: middle class people42 dirhams per head

3rd class: businessmen42 dirhams per head

4th class: general public12 dirhams per head

There were positive orders that nojizya was to be collected from beggars or persons falling in following categories:

1. Those who were above 50 years of age

2. Those who were below 20 years of age

3. All women

4. All paralyzed persons

5. All disabled persons

6. All blind persons

7. All mentally disabled persons

Income from the source ofzakat and Sadaqa was reserved for the following heads:

A. Administration of the departments of collection and distribution.

B. Grants, donations and aids to poor, have-nots, orphans, aged widows and disabled persons.

C. Honorarium to volunteers who fought for the state.

D. Pensions to widows and orphans of soldiers and officers of the army.

E. To acquire and set free slaves from the bondage of slavery.

F. Reparation of government loans.

G. To help pilgrims whenever and wherever they were found stranded.

Items C to F were, for the first time, introduced by Imam Ali (A.S)  and as far as F was concerned, no king had ever thought his kingdom to be morally obliged to pay back a loan taken from somebody.

Imam Ali (A.S)  was the first man who declared that a ruler’s share of income from the state was equal to that of any commoner.

Income fromjizya was earmarked for the following items of expenditures:

 (i) Maintenance of the army.

 (ii) Construction and maintenance of forts

(iii) Construction and maintenance of roads and bridges

 (iv) Well sinking

 (v) Construction of rest houses

Land revenue was the provincial income to be spent on maintenance of courts, offices, and other necessary items as per orders of the center. Before I bring an end to the narration of his system of revenue collection, I must mention a remark passed by him in this respect to one of his governors. He said, A So far as collection of land revenue is concerned, you must always keep in view the welfare of the taxpayer which is primarily of more importance than the taxes themselves. And, the actual taxable capacity of the people rests on the fertility quotient of the land. More attention should therefore be paid to land fertility and the prosperity of the taxpayer than to the collection of revenues.

Distribution of public wealth was a subject on which Imam Ali (A.S)  spent much time and thought and, in return, caused him to lose many adherents and followers.

The first reform that Imam Ali (A.S)  introduced was to reorganize the treasury and the accounts department. Dishonest officers were removed from Theservice. A system of accounting was introduced. A Othman ibn Hanif was appointed as the chief treasury officer. A principle of equal distribution of public money was introduced. For the first time, a system of weekly distribution was adopted. Every Thursday was the distribution day or pay day so that Muslims could spend their Friday holiday happily. Every Thursday the accounts were closed and every Saturday started with fresh books of accounts.

Impartiality and equity were the keynotes of Imam Ali’s policy of distribution of wealth. At the Center (Kufa), he often supervised the distribution himself and after the work was over and the accounts cleared, he would say prayers in the treasury and thank his Master that he had performed his duty faithfully.

Imam Sha’bi says that as a young boy, once he passed the treasury at the time when Imam Ali (A.S)  was supervising the distribution. He saw African slaves standing in line with the Arab sheikhs and getting equal shares, and within a short time the heaps of silver and gold coins disappeared, the treasury was cleared, Imam Ali (A.S)  said the prayers and left the office empty-handed. That day he had given his share to an old woman who complained that her share was not sufficing her ( A Kitab al-Gharath).

Once one of his most favorite and trustworthy companions, A Othman ibn Hanif told him that by introduction of the principle of equal distribution of wealth and bringing important persons down to the level of commoners, by raising the status of Blacks and Persians to that of Arabs, by allotting shares to slaves equal to their masters, by depriving the rich persons of their worldly attachments and by stopping special grants apportioned to them according to their status, he had done more harm to himself and his cause than good. Continuing he said, A Look my Master, these are thereasons why influential and rich Arabs are deserting you and are gathering around Mu’awiyah. Of what use are these poor persons, disabled people, aged widows and Black slaves to you. How can they help and serve you? the Imam (–) replied, A I cannot allow rich and influential persons to exploit the society of this Muslim state and to run an inequitable and unjust system of distribution of wealth and opportunities. I cannot for a moment tolerate this. This is public wealth, it comes from the masses it must go back to them. The rich and powerful persons have not created any wealth, they have merely sucked it from the masses and after paying the taxes, etc., what is left to them is many times more than what they pay to the state and they are welcome to retain it. Had all this been private property I would have gladly distributed it in the same manner. As far as their desertion is concerned, I am glad they have deserted me. As far as the usefulness or services of these disabled persons and have-nots is concerned, remember that I am not helping them to secure their services, I fully well know they are unable to serve me. I help them because they cannot help themselves and they are as much human beings as you and I. May Allah help me to do my duty as He wishes me to do. (Kitab al-Gharath)

The Army

 Imam Ali (A.S)  was a born soldier and had started his military career at the age of fourteen when he acted as a bodyguard to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) From that time onward, he was the only military talent on whom the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  would rely and all arrangements for organization of defenses and maintenance of an army of volunteers or soldiers were totally entrusted to him by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) It was his ability and valor which brought such success to Islam in its early stage against such enormous odds. Even A Omer was taking his advice on military problems (Al-Sirajul-Mubin, Al-Murtaza and Kitab al-Gharath).

Time had not dimmed his valor or his ability to organize such an important section of the state. At the age of sixty, in the battlefields of Jamal, Siffin and Nahrawan, he was as brave a soldier, as good a leader and as keen a marshal as he was in the prime of his life in the battlefields of Badr, Uhud, Khundaq, Khaiber and Hunain.

During his short period of rulership of about four years, he organized this department very carefully.

The first liability on the state exchequer was the army department. Every governor of the province, besides being chief finance officer of the province, was the commander of the army placed under him. When officers could not be found to look after the military as well as civil administration, then the functions were divided.

Imam Ali (A.S)  did not tolerate mere mercenaries but did not let services of volunteers go unpaid. He hated murder and bloodshed and desired his soldiers to be soldiers in Theservice of Allah and religion. His strict orders to the army were, A Always keep fear of Allah in your mind, remember that you cannot afford to do without His Grace. Remember that Islam is a mission of peace and love. Keep the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  before you as a model of bravery, valor and piety. Do not kill anybody unless in self-defense. Take care of your mounts and your arms, they are your best guards. Work hard while you are at it and then devote some time to rest and relaxation. Rest and relaxation are as necessary for you as hard work. Do not let one overstep the time limit of the other. Do not pursue those who run away from an encounter and do not kill fleeing persons. Do not kill those who beg for life and mercy. Do not kill civilians. Do not outrage the modesty of women. Do not harm old people and children. Do not accept any gifts from the civil population of any place. Do not lodge your soldiers or officers in the houses of civilians. Do not forget to say your daily prayers. Fear Allah. Remember that death will inevitably come to every one of you some time or other, even if you are thousand of miles away from a battlefield, therefore, be always ready to face death. He did not appreciate heavily armed and clad soldiers. He liked lighter swords, lighter bows and arrows, lighter coats of arms and lighter chains of armor. He preferred to have an agile and a noble army. I wish I had space at my disposal to translate parts from the booksAl-Gharath, Al-Siraj al-Mubin, Al-Murtaza andKitab al-Siffin (as quoted by ibn Abil Hadid). They have discussed and narrated at some length his system of reorganizing the army, his principles of strategy and his tactics of war: how he divided the army into six units, beginning from the vanguard and ending it at therear guards (Rawdah andSaqqah ) ; how he arranged to cover every possibility of a retreat with the help of these units; how he sub-divided the cavalry into horse and camel units; and infantry into archers, swordsmen and A Mata’een’ (soldiers armed with short lances which they threw with precision, skill and force) ; how he made the vanguard responsible for scouting, pioneering and performing duties of army engineers and miners; how he used to arrange the army in a battlefield; how he never suffered a defeat in his life; how bold he was; how he used to fight without protecting his body with armor or shield; how he never delivered more than one blow (mostly his one blow was sufficient to kill his opponent, if not he would give the opponent a chance to get up and run away) and how nobody ever dared stand before him for his second blow. To him war was a pious duty to be performed only for the purpose of defence. He often declared, A A Muslim’s life is a battlefield, where he is seldom required to defend his self or his cause and country at the point of sword, which is Jehad al-Asghar (holy war on a minor scale), however formidable be the forces he is to face, while in every day of his life he is to fight against evil desires, vicious cravings and inordinate wishes, which isal-jhad al-akbar (A holy war on a major scale), take care and do not suffer a defeat in this battle; remember it is life-long struggle; a success here will be honored with martyrdom, even if one dies in his bed surrounded by his relatives.

Judicial Procedure

The principle of keeping independent of, and over and above the executive, administrative and military sections of the state was the main factor of thereforms introduced by Imam Ali (A.S) He was very particular about this, so much so that historians narrate that once he appeared before his Chief Justice (Judge Sharaih) as a complainant and the Chief Justice wanted to give him a place of honor in the court and to treat him like a king or caliph. He reproached the judge for such a behavior, saying that he was there as plaintiff and not as a king or a caliph, and then he cheerfully accepted the decision of the court against him. The effect of upholding the prestige of the court of justice, and his adherence to the principles of equality and equity were so impressive that the person, against whom he had filed the case and had lost it, ran after him, kissed the hem of his garment and said, A My Master, teach me Islam, I am a Christian and I want to convert. A Why, inquired Imam Ali (A.S) , A Did anyone force you to do that? A No, my Master, the Christian said, A But your behavior of treating even a non-Muslim subject as your equal, the prestige you have granted to justice and fair play and your abstention from use of power and authority made me feel that Islam is a great religion. You are a ruler and a caliph, you could have easily ordered me to be killed and my property looted, and nobody dare ask reasons of your actions, but you took the case against me to the court and cheerfully accepted the decision against you; I have never heard of such a ruler before you. What is more, what you claimed as yours is actually yours and not mine, but I know the persons who could provide proof of this are out of Kufa, therefore, I boldly said that it was mine and not yours. That was a lie, and now I am ashamed to feel that I lied against such an honorable person. You have heard me. Will you not allow me to enter the fold of Islam? the Imam (–) inquired, A Are you of your free-will entering our fold? A Yes, the Christian replied. Under your regime, I have nothing to lose by remaining in my religion and no worldly benefit to gain by embracing Islam and by confessing my guilt and sin.

The code which he laid down for selection and enrollment of judges shows he took care of even minute requirements of the post and position. It says,

1. Only such persons should be selected who are well versed in Muslim law and know enough of the Holy Book and traditions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household)  to decide according to the principles laid down therein. Besides, they must have knowledge of personal laws of other religions followed in their provinces.

2. They must be men of some standing and status.

3. They must not lose their tempers or patience and treat litigants harshly and insultingly. The litigants must feel that their interests are well-guarded and well looked after, and that the doors of justice are always open to them.

4. If they feel that they have made a mistake, they should not obstinately stick to it, but try to undo the injustice done by them.

5. They should be able to probe deeply before them and to reach the truth.

6. They must be able to reach decisions quickly and must not unnecessarily prolong a case.

7. They must not accept recommendations and must not be influenced.

8. Their salaries should be fixed so that they are not tempted by bribes and gifts.

9. In audiences and levees of the governors they should be given seats of honor.

10. Greedy and various persons, and those who are open to flattery and cajolery should also be avoided.

11. The door of appeal to the public should not be closed. The caliph should always hear appeals against the decisions of the courts and should decide as per orders of Allah and the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. and His Household) .

Central and Provincial Secretariat and Subordinate Offices

The Imam (–) has laid down a code for the officers of the State which covers every aspect of their duties and obligations. It is embodied in the form of a letter (Letter No. 53,Nahjul-Balagha ) written to one of his governors. Abdul-Masih al-Antaki, the famous Christian jurist, poet and philosopher of Beirut who died in the beginning of the 20th century says, A It is by far a superior and better code than the ones handed down by Moses and Hammurabi. It explains what a humane administration should be like and how it is to be carried on and it justifies the claims of Muslims that Islam wants to introduce a godly administration of the people, by the people and for the people. It decrees that a ruler should not rule to please himself but to bring happiness to the ruled. No religion before Islam tried to achieve this end. Ali (A.S)  must be congratulated for having introduced these principles in his government and for having written them down for posterity.

I quote here just a few points to illustrate what Abdul-Masih meant by saying that it was a better code than the codes handed down by Moses or Hammurabi.

(1) You must create in your mind kindness and love for your subjects. Do not behave with them as though you are a voracious and ravenous beast and that your success lies in tearing them up and devouring them.

(2) Muslims and non-Muslims should be treated alike. Muslims are your brothers and non-Muslims are human beings just like you.

(3) Do not feel ashamed to forgive. Do not hurry over punishments. Do not quickly lose your temper over mistakes and failures of those over whom you rule. Anger and desire of vengeance are not going to be much use to you in your administration.

(4) Do not allow the (evil) force of favoritism and nepotism to violate your duties to Allah and to man, and drive you towards tyranny and oppression.

(5) While selecting officers take care that you do not select such people who have served tyrannous and oppressive rulers and have been responsible for atrocities and savage cruelties committed by the state.

(6) Select honest and kind persons and, from among them, prefer those who speak out the bitter truth to you unreservedly without fear or favor.

(7) Appointments in the first place must be on probation.

(8) Keep your officers well paid so that they may not be tempted to corruption or misappropriation.

(9) Appoint confidential officers to secretly watch the activities of your officers and staff and report to you about their behaviors.

(10) Thesecretaries of your civil, judicial or military services should be of personage naturally richer in character than the average. Choose the best amongt them irrespective of age or period of service.

(11) All letters or applications should be dealt with by the officers and replies or orders about them should be drafted by them only, no subordinate must be allowed to work as the eyes and minds of these officers.

(12) Take your subjects into your confidence and make them feel that you are their wellwisher and friend.

(13) Never break a promise or go against the terms of a treaty. It is a sin against Allah.

(14) You must take care of your traders but should never allow them to resort to hoarding, black-marketing and profiteering.

(15) Promote and encourage local arts and crafts, it reduces poverty and raises the standard of life.

(16) Farm tillers are assets to the state and should be protected as an asset.

(17) Remember that your sacred duty is to look after the poor, disabled and orphans. Let not your officers humiliate them, ill-treat them or oppress them. Help them, protect them and let them approach you whenever they are in need of your help.

(18) Avoid bloodshed. Do not kill anybody unless he deserves to be killed according to the canons of Islam.