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`Ali, an Aide of the Holy Prophet and Fatimah

Lady Fatimah has been reported by Abu-Sa`id Khidri as saying: I went to the presence of my father and after greeting him said: By God, o prophet, there has been no food in `Ali’s house for the past five days. We have neither a sheep nor a camel. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: My daughter, come closer and put your hand on my back. I put my hand on his back. I found that a stone was hanging between his two shoulders extending to his breast! Fatimah cried out: Woe, there has been no fire made in the house of Muhammad for the past two month! At this time, the Messenger of Allah said: Do you know `Ali’s position to me? He accompanied me when he was at the age of twelve. He was hardly sixteen when he fought the enemies with his sword and he was seventeen when he defeated the brave men of the Arabs. He was twenty two when he removed sorrow from my heart while there were only fifty men with him.

Hearing `Ali’s merits, Fatimah’s face became illuminated. She stood where she was listening carefully to what her father said when `Ali arrived. Seeing that the house was illuminated by the light of Fatimah’s face, `Ali asked Fatimah: When I left home, you did not have such a light on your face? Lady Fatimah said: O `Ali! My face is shining because my father was expressing your merits for me. My shining face shows my happiness![558]

`Imran ibn Husayn has reported: I went to the presence of the Holy Prophet and greeted him. The Holy Prophet said: O `Imran! You

 

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فِي وَصْفِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِالْمُسَاعَدَةِ لَهُ وَزِيَارَتِهِ لِفَاطِمَةَ:

رَوَى الخَوارِزْمِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخِدْرِيِّ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلامُ قَالَتْ: أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَقُلْتُ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَةُ. قَالَ: وَعَلَيْكِ السَّلاَمُ يَا بُنَيَّةُ. فَقَالَتْ: وَاللهِ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ مَا أَصْبَحَ فِي بَيْتِ عَلِيٍّ طَعَامٌ وَلاَ دَخَلَ بَيْنَ شَفَتَيْهِ طَعَامٌ مُنْذُ خَمْسٍ، وَلاَ لَنَا ثَاغِيَةٌ وَلاَ رَاغِيَةٌ، وَلاَ أَصْبَحَ فِي بَيْتِهِ سَفَّةٌ. فَقالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: ادْنِي مِنِّي، فَدَنَتْ فَقالَ: أَدْخِلِي يَدَكِ بَيْنَ ظَهْرِي. فَهَوَتْ بِيَدِهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ بَحَجَرٍ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مَرْبُوطاً بِعِمَامَتِهِ إلَى صَدْرِهِ. فَصَاحَتْ فَاطِمَةُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ صَيْحَةً شَدِيدَةً. وَقالَ: مَا أُوقِدَ فِي دَارِ مُحَمَّدٍ نَارٌ مُنْذُ شَهْرَيْنِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهَا: أَمَا تَدْرِينَ مَا مَنْزِلَةُ عَلِيٍّ مِنِّي؟ كَفَانِي أَمْرِي وَهُوَ ابْنُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، وَضَرَبَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ بِالسَّيْفِ وَهُوَ ابْنُ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، وَقَتَلَ الأَبْطَالَ وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، وَفَرَّجَ هُمُومِي وَهُوَ ابْنُ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَحْدَهُ وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَهُ خَمْسُونَ رَجُلاً. فَأَشْرَقَ وَجْهُ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْها السَّلامُ وَلَمْ تَزَلْ قَدَمَاهَا مِنْ مَكَانِهَا حَتَّى أَتَتْ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَإِذَا الْبَيْتُ قَدْ أَنَارَ بِنُورِ وَجْهِهَا. فَقالَ لَهَا عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: يَا بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ، لَقَدْ خَرَجْتِ مِنْ عِنْدِي وَوَجْهُكِ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْحَالِ. فَقَالَتْ: إنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أَخْبَرَنِي بِفَضْلِكَ.

وَعَنْ عِمْرانَ بْنِ الْحُصَيْنِ قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ. فَرَدَّ وَقالَ: يَا عِمْرَانُ، إِنَّ لَكَ عِنْدَنَا مَنْزِلَةً وَجَاهاً، فَهَلْ لَكَ فِي عِيَادَةِ فَاطِمَةَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ يَا رَسولَ

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have a special position to me! Do you like to go together and see my daughter, Fatimah? I said: May my parents be ransom for you, yes. The Messenger of Allah rose up and we went to Fatimah’s house. When we reached there, the Holy Prophet (s.a) greeted his daughter, saying: My daughter! Can we enter? Lady Fatimah said: Come in please. The Holy Prophet said: Someone is with me. Fatimah said: Who is he? The Holy Prophet said: `Imran ibn Husayn Khuza`i. Fatimah said: Dear father, by God who appointed you as a prophet, I have no gown at home except a cloak! The Holy Prophet said: Cover yourself with it. Fatimah said: I can only cover my body with it. What shall I do with my head? The Holy Prophet gave her a piece of cloth, saying: Use it as a headscarf. We then entered the house. The Holy Prophet asked after Fatimah’s health. Fatimah said: I do not feel very well but I am more suffering from hunger, for there is nothing to eat at home! Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah started weeping. I started weeping too. Then, the Holy Prophet said: I have glad tidings for you, o Fatimah. Rejoice and grieve not! My daughter, by the God who appointed me as a prophet, I have not eaten anything for the past three days, though my position to God is above yours. If I ask for food, He will provide me with it but I have preferred the hereafter to this world! O Fatimah, do not complain from hunger. By God who appointed me as a prophet, you are the princess of the world women. Being extremely pleased, Fatimah put her hands on her head, saying: Then I wish I had not said so. But what is the position of Asiyah, Pharaoh’s wife, and Mary, `Imran’s daughter? The Messenger of Allah said: Asiyah was the princess of the women of her time, Marry was the princess of the women of her time, Khadijah was the princess of the women of her time but you are the princess of the women of your time. You four ladies will abide in houses built from reed. There will be no harms in these houses.

Fatimah asked: Dear father! What is Qassab? The Holy Prophet said: It is an empty pearl shaped like a reed and there is no harm of suffering in it.

Putting his hand on Fatimah’s shoulder, the Holy Prophet said: O my daughter! By God who appointed me as a prophet, I married you to a man who is the lord of the world and master of the hereafter.[559]

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اللهِ، بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي. فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَقُمْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَى بَابِ فَاطِمَةَ. فَقالَ: السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ، أَأَدْخُلُ؟ قَالَتْ: أُدْخُلْ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ. قَالَ: أَنَا وَمَنْ مَعِيَ؟ قَالَتْ: وَمَنْ مَعَكَ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: مَعِي عِمْرَانُ بْنُ حُصَيْنٍ الْخُزَاعِيُّ. قَالَتْ: وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّهُ مَا عَلَيَّ إلاَّ عَبَاءَةٌ لِي. فَقالَ: يَا بُنَيُّةُ، إصْنَعِي بِهَا كَذَا وَكَذا، وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ. فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، هَذَا جَسَدِي قَدْ وَارَيْتُهُ فَكَيْفَ لِي بِرَأْسِي؟ فَأَلْقَى إَلَيْهَا مِلاَءَةً لَهُ خَلِقَةً فَقَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ، شُدِّي هَذِهِ عَلَى رَأْسِكِ. ثُمَّ أَذِنَتْ لَهُ فَدَخَلَتْ مَعَهُ فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ أَصْبَحْتِ يَا بُنَيَّةُ؟ فَقَالَتْ: أَصْبَحْتُ وَاللهِ وَجِيعَةً يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، وَزَادَنِي عَلَى مَا بِي وَجَعٌ مِنَ الْجُوعِ لَسْتُ أَقْدِرُ عَلَى طَعَامٍ آكُلُهُ، فَقَدْ أَهْلَكَنِيَ الْجُوعُ. فَبَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَبَكَيْتُ مَعَهُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَبْشِرِي يَا فَاطِمَةُ، وَقَرِّي عَيْناً وَلاَ تَحْزَنِي، فَوَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالنُّبُوَّةِ حَقَّاً إِنْ كَانَ ذُقْتُ طَعَاماً مُنْذُ ثَلاَثٍ وَإِنِّي لأَكْرَمُ عَلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى مِنْكِ وَلَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أَظَلَّ عِنْدَ رَبِّي يُطْعِمُنِي وَيَسْقِينِي لَفَعَلْتُ، وَلَكِنِّي آثَرْتُ الآخِرَةَ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا. يَا بُنَيَّةُ، لاَ تَجْزَعِي فَوَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالنُّبُوَّةِ حَقَّاً إِنَّكِ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ. فَوَضَعَتْ يَدَهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَتْ: يَا لَيْتَهَا مَاتَتْ، فَأَيْنَ آسِيَةُ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ؟ فَقالَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: آسِيَةُ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ عَالَمِهَا وَمَرْيَمُ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ عَالَمِهَا وَخَدِيجَةُ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ عَالَمِهَا وَأَنْتِ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ عَالَمِكِ. إِنَّكُنَّ فِي بُيُوتٍ مِنْ قَصَبٍ لاَ أَذًى فِيهَا وَلاَ نَصَبٌ. فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، وَمَا بُيُوتٌ مِنْ قَصَبٍ؟ قَالَ: دُرٌّ مُجَوَّفٌ مِنْ قَصَبٍ لاَ أَذىً فِيهِ وَلا نَصَبٌ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى مِنْكَبِهَا وَقالَ: يَا بُنَيَّةُ، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ، لَقَدْ زَوَّجْتُكِ سَيِّداً فِي الدُّنْيَا وَسَيِّداً فِي الآخِرَةِ.

 

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`Ali During the Night Journey

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abu-`Umar Zahid as saying: During the Night Journey, I passed by a crowd in whose mouths fire was blazing. Asked Gabriel who they were, Gabriel said: They are the backbiters who eat the flesh of the dead! I passed by another group who were crying out. I said: Who are they? Gabriel said: These are unbelievers! Then we continued our way till we reached the fourth heaven where I saw `Ali who was praying! I asked Gabriel: Is it `Ali who has overtaken us and reached here before us? Gabriel said: This is not `Ali. I said: Who is he then? Gabriel said: Since archangels and cherubim heard `Ali’s merits especially when you said about him: `Ali’s position to me is as Harun to Moses except that there will be no prophet after me, they longed for meeting `Ali. Hence, God Almighty created an angel like `Ali so that when the angels long to see `Ali, to come and see him.[560]

The Holy Prophet (s.a) has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: During the night I was taken to heavens (Night Journey), I saw an inscription on the gate of paradise which read: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, `Ali is beloved of Allah, Hasan and Husayn are the chosen of Allah, Fatimah is a heavenly lady. May curse of Allah be upon their enemies and those who have rancor against them.[561]

The Holy Prophet’s Sacrificing his father for `Ali and promising him with Paradisiacal gardens

The Holy Prophet (s.a) said to `Ali: May my father be ransom for you. He then gave him good tidings about gardens in paradise.

`A’ishah has reported: I saw the Messenger of Allah hugging `Ali and kissing him while saying: May my father be ransom for the martyr who is lonely and has no helper.[562]

Imam `Ali (a.s) has been reported as saying: I was accompanying the Messenger of Allah in Medina. We passed by an orchard with fruitful trees. I said: O Messenger of Allah! How beautiful this orchard is! The Holy Prophet said: Your garden in paradise is more beautiful than it! We passed by another orchard. I said: O Messenger of Allah, this orchard is beautiful too! The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: It is not more beautiful than your garden in paradise. We passed by the third,

 

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فِي حَالِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لَيْلَةَ الْمِعْرَاجِ:

رَوَى أَبُو عُمَرَ الزَّاهِدُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قَالَ: مَرِرْتُ لَيْلَةَ الْمِعْرَاجِ بِقَوْمٍ تُشَرْشَرُ أَشْدَاقُهُمْ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا جِبْرِيلُ مَنْ هَؤُلاَءِ؟ فَقالَ: هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْغِيبَةِ. قَالَ: وَمَرَرْتُ بِقَوْمٍ وَقَدْ ضُوضِؤُوا فَقُلْتُ: يَا جِبْرِيلُ مَنْ هَؤُلاَءِ؟ فَقالَ: هَؤُلاَءِ الْكُفَّارُ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ عَدَلْنَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ الطَّرِيقِ. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيْنَا إلَى السَّمَاءِ الرَّابِعَةِ رَأَيْتُ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يُصَلِّي فَقُلْتُ لِجِبْرِيلَ: يَا جِبْرِيلُ، أَهَذَا عَلِيٌّ وَقَدْ سَبَقَنَا؟ قَالَ: لاَ، لَيْسَ هَذَا عَلِيَّاً. قُلتُ: فَمَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةَ الْكَرُوبِيِّينَ سَمِعُوا فَضَائِلَ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَخَاصَّتَهُ وَسَمِعَتْ قَوْلَكَ فِيهِ: أَنْتَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي، إشْتَاقَتْ إلَى عَلِيٍّ فَخَلَقَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجلَّ لَهَا مَلَكاً عَلَى صُورَةِ عَلِيٍّ. فَإِذَا اشْتَاقَتْ إلَى عَلِيٍّ جَاءَتْ إلَى ذَلِكَ الْمَلَكِ فَكَأَنَّهَا قَدْ رَأَتْ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

وَرَوَى ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: رَأَيْتُ لَيْلَةَ عُرِجَ بِي إلَى السَّمَاءِ عَلَى بَابِ الْجَنَّةِ مَكْتُوباً: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ، مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللهِ، عَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّ اللهِ، الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ صَفْوَةُ اللهِ، فَاطِمَةُ أَمَةُ اللهِ، عَلَى بَاغِضِيهِمْ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ.

فِي تَفْدِيَةِ النَّبِيِّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لَهُ بِالأَبِ وَوَعْدِهِ بِحَدَائِقَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ:

مِنْ كِتَابِ الْمَنَاقِبِ: عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إلْتَزَمَ عَلِيَّاً وَقَبَّلَهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: بِأَبِي الْوَحِيدُ الشَّهِيدُ.

وَمِنْهُ: عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي بَعْضِ طُرُقِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى حَدِيقَةٍ وَهِيَ الرَّوْضَةُ ذَاتُ الشَّجَرِ فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذِهِ الْحَدِيقَةَ! فَقالَ: مَا أَحْسَنَهَا! وَلَكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَحْسَنُ مِنْهَا. ثُمَّ أَتَيْنَا عَلَى حَدِيقَةٍ أُخْرَى فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، مَا أَحْسَنَ هَـذِهِ الْحَدِيقَةَ! قَـالَ: لَكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَحْسَـنُ مِنْهَـا.


 

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fourth, and seventh orchard and I repeated what I had said. The Holy Prophet too repeated the same answer. When we passed by all gardens, he put his arms round me and started weeping! I said: O Messenger of Allah! Why are you weeping? The Holy Prophet said: A group of these people have your rancor in their hearts but do not disclose it till I pass away. I said: Will it harm my religion. The Holy Prophet said: No.[563]

The Holy Prophet and `Ali’s Merits (God Decrees the Holy Prophet to Express `Ali’s Merits)

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Jabir ibn `Abdullah Ansari as saying: Gabriel came down to me, saying: God Almighty has commissioned you to express `Ali’s merits among your companions so that they will convey your message to the future generations. He has also decreed all angels to listen to you when you speak of `Ali’s merits. God Almighty has revealed to you, saying: O Muhammad! Whoever opposes you about `Ali’s merit will be in fire and whoever obeys you will be in paradise. The Messenger of Allah immediately ordered a crier to gather the people. Then the Holy Prophet went up the pulpit and began his sermon, saying: I seek refuge to God from the outcast Satan. In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. O people! I am bearer of good news and a warner. I am an unschooled prophet who has not learnt reading and writing from anyone. I am commissioned by my Lord to speak of the merits of a man whose flesh is my flesh and whose blood is my blood and he is a treasure of my knowledge, a man whom God has chosen, has guided and loves. God Almighty created me and him and blessed each of us with a merit. I was appointed as prophet and he was charged with propagating my mission. He appointed me as the city of knowledge and `Ali as the gate of the city. God appointed him as receptacle of my knowledge from which erudition and injunctions of religion are derived. He appointed `Ali as my successor and decreed I should convey these recommendations to you. The Compassionate God warns his enemies of torment and will bless his friend with a supreme position, forgives his followers and orders people to obey him.

O people, know that God Almighty states: Enmity with `Ali is enmity with Me and love for him is love for Me; whoever curses him, has cursed

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حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا عَلَى سَبْعِ حَدَائِقَ أَقُولُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، مَا أَحْسَنَهَا! فَيَقُولُ: لَكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَحْسَنُ مِنْهَا. فَلَمَّا خَلاَ لَهُ الطَّرِيقُ إعْتَنَقَنِي وَأَجْهَشَ بَاكِياً. فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، مَا يُبْكِيكَ؟ قَالَ: ضَغَائِنُ فِي صُدُورِ أَقْوَامٍ لاَ يُبْدُونَهَا لَكَ إِلاَّ بَعْدِي. فَقُلْتُ: فِي سَلاَمَةٍ مِنْ دِينِي؟ فَقالَ: فِي سَلاَمَةٍ مِنْ دِينِكَ.

فِي أَمْرِ اللهِ تَعالَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِتَبْلِيغِ فَضَائِلِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ:

رَوَى جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ نَزَلَ عَلَيَّ وَقالَ: إِنَّ اللهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَقُومَ بِتَفْضِيلِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ خَطِيباً عَلَى أَصْحَابِكَ لِيُبَلِّغُوا مَنْ بَعْدَكَ ذَلِكَ عَنْكَ وَيَأْمُرُ جَمِيعَ الْمَلائِكَةِ أَنْ تَسْمَعَ مَا تَذْكُرُهُ. وَاللهُ يُوحِي إِلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَنَّ مَنْ خَالَفَكَ فِي أَمْرِهِ فَلَهُ النَّارُ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَكَ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ. فَأَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مُنَادِياً فَنَادَى الصَّلاَةَ جَامِعَةً. فَاجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ وَخَرَجَ حَتَّى عَلاَ الْمِنْبَرَ. فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ: أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ، بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَنَا الْبَشِيرُ وَأَنَا النَّذِيرُ وَأَنَا النَّبِيُّ الأُمِّيُّ. إِنِّي مُبَلِّغُكُمْ عَنِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجلَّ فِي أَمْرِ رَجُلٍ لَحْمُهُ مِنْ لَحْمِي وَدَمُهُ مِنْ دَمِي، وَهُوَ عَيْبَةُ الْعِلْمِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي إنْتَجَبَهُ اللهُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ وَاصْطَفَاهُ وَهَدَاهُ وَتَوَلاَّهُ، وَخَلَقَنِي وَإِيَّاه، وَفَضَّلَنِي بِالرِّسَالَةِ، وَفَضَّلَهُ بِالتَّبْلِيغِ عَنِّي. وَجَعَلَنِي مَدِينَةَ الْعِلْمِ، وَجَعَلَهُ الْبَابَ، وَجَعَلَهُ خَازِنَ الْعِلْمِ، وَالْمُقْتَبَسَ مِنْهُ الأَحْكَامُ، وَخَصَّهُ بِالْوَصِيَّةِ، وَأَبَان أَمْرَهُ، وَخَوَّفَ مِنْ عَدَاوَتِهِ، وَأَزْلَفَ مَنْ وَالاَهُ، وَغَفَرَ لِشِيعَتِهِ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعاً بِطَاعَتِهِ. وَأَنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجلَّ يَقُولُ: مَنْ عَادَاهُ فَقَدْ عَـادَانِي،

 

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Me and whoever opposes him, has opposed Me; whoever rebels against him, has rebelled against Me; whoever harms him, has harmed Me; Whoever has rancor against him, has had rancor against Me; whoever longs for him, has longed for Me. Whoever plays tricks in him, has played trick on Me; whoever helps him, has helped Me.

Then, the Holy Prophet said: O people! Listen to what I say and obey me, for I am warning you against the severe chastisement as God states: “On the day that every soul shall find present what it has done of good and what it has done of evil, it shall wish that between it and that (evil) there were a long duration of time; and Allah makes you to be cautious of (retribution from) Himself” (3:30).

Then the Holy Prophet (s.a) raised the hand of `Ali and said: O people! This man is the leader of the believers and God’s proof for all the people. He will fight the unbelievers!

The Messenger of Allah raised his hands in prayer and said: O Lord! You are a witness that I have acted according to Your decree and carried out this mission. These are Your servants and You have the power to transform them. I now seek forgiveness for you and myself.

Then, the Holy Prophet came down from the pulpit. Concurrently Gabriel came down and conveyed God’s message to him in relation to communicating the mission, saying: O Muhammad! God Almighty greets you and says: You will be rewarded for carrying out this decree; Hail to you that you conveyed our divine mission; you made necessary recommendations to your Ummah, pleaded the believers, and disappointed the unbelievers.

O Muhammad, your cousin will be put to test and he will pass the test. We will put the people to test through him.

O Muhammad, praise your Lord at all times and all places and say: Praise be to Allah, “and they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back” (26:227).[564]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn `Abbas as saying: God Almighty blessed me with five features and blessed `Ali with five features too. He blessed me with comprehensive and meaningful words, and blessed `Ali with comprehensive knowledge; he blessed me with prophethood, and blessed `Ali with guardianship; he blessed

 

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وَمَنْ وَالاَهُ فَقَدْ وَالاَنِي، وَمَنْ نَاصَبَهُ نَاصَبَنِي، وَمَنْ خَالَفَهُ خَالَفَنِي، وَمَنْ عَصَاهُ عَصَانِي، وَمَنْ آذَاهُ آذَانِي، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُ أَبْغَضَنِي، وَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُ أَحَبَّنِي، وَمَنْ أَرَادَهُ أَرَادَنِي، وَمَنْ كَادَهُ كَادَنِي، وَمَنْ نَصَرَهُ نَصَرَنِي. يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إسْمَعُوا لِمَا آمُرُكُمْ بِهِ وَأَطِيعُوهُ. فَإِنِّي أُخَوِّفُكُمْ عَذَابَ اللهِ ﴿يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُحْضَراً وَمَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ سُوءٍ تَوَدُّ لَوْ أَنَّ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَهُ أَمَداً بَعِيداً وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللهُ نَفْسَهُ.﴾

ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَالَ: مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ، هَذَا مَوْلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَحُجَّةُ اللهِ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَجْمَعِينَ وَالْمُجَاهِدُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ. اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي قَدْ بَلَّغْتُ، وَهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَأَنْتَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى إصْلاَحِهِمْ، فَأَصْلِحْهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ. أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ.

ثُمَّ نَزَلَ فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقالَ: إِنَّ اللهَ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلاَمَ وَيَقُولُ: جَزَاكَ اللهُ خَيْراً عَنْ تَبْلِيغِكَ، فَقَدْ بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالاَتِ رَبِّكَ وَنَصَحْتَ لأُمَّتِكَ وَأَرْضَيْتَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَرْغَمْتَ الْكَافِرِينَ. يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إِنَّ ابْنَ عَمِّكَ مُبْتَلىً وَمُبْتَلىً بِهِ. يَا مُحَمَّدُ، قُلْ فِي كُلِّ أَوْقَاتِكَ: الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنْقَلِبُونَ.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَقُولُ: أَعْطَانِيَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعالَى خَمْساً وَأَعْطَى عَلِيَّاً خَمْساً: أَعْطَانِي جَوَامِعَ الْكَلِمِ وَأَعْطَى عَلِيَّاً جَوَامِعَ الْعِلْمِ، وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيَّاً وَجَعَلَهُ وَصِيَّاً، وَأَعْطَـانِيَ الْكَوْثَرَ وَأَعْطَـاهُ السَّلْسَــبِيلَ، وَأَعْطَــانِي الْوَحْيَ


 

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me with Kawthar fountain, and blessed `Ali with Salsabil fountain; he blessed me with revelation, and blessed `Ali with inspiration; he called me to Himself on the Night Journey, and he opened the ways to heavens for `Ali and removed the veils in a way that he saw me and I saw him! Then the Holy Prophet’s eyes were filled with tears! I said: May my parents be ransom for you. Why are you weeping? The Holy Prophet said: O Ibn `Abbas! The first thing God told me was to look down. I saw that all the veils had been removed and the doors of heavens were open; `Ali had raised his head towards me; he was speaking to me; I was speaking to him too, and God was speaking to me! I said: What did God say to you? The Holy Prophet said: God said: O Muhammad! I appointed `Ali as your successor, vizier, and executor. Convey these words of mine to him, for he is listening to you! I conveyed God’s message to him while he was in God’s presence. Bowing down, `Ali said: I do obey God’s decree and accept His command. At that time God ordered to angels to hail him and they hailed `Ali too and `Ali hailed them too. I saw angels giving good news to one another. They hailed me wherever I passed by them.

O Muhammad! By God who appointed you as a prophet, the angels were rejoicing for the leadership of `Ali. I saw the bearer of the throne lowering their heads towards the earth. I asked Gabriel: Why are they looking at the earth? He said: They call on God to see `Ali and God too gave them a chance to see `Ali. He informed me of the event to the letter. I found out that I had not taken a step without `Ali being informed of it!

Ibn `Abbas reports: I said: O Messenger of Allah! Please guide me. He said: It is incumbent on you to have the love for `Ali! Again I said: O Messenger of Allah! Please guide me to what is good and fair! The Holy Prophet said: It is incumbent on you to have the love for `Ali ibn Abi-Talib! By God who appointed me as prophet, He will not accept any good deed from a servant without asking about his love for `Ali though He knows better. The reason He asks about love for `Ali is that if a servant confesses he loves `Ali, his deeds are accepted, for nothing is hidden for God to ask about. If the answer is negative, he will be sent to hell!

O Ibn `Abbas! By God who appointed me as a prophet, the fire of hell is more furious to `Ali’s enemy than to a person who believes God has a son!

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وَأَعْطَاهُ الإِلْهَامَ، وَأُسْرِيَ بِي إلَيْهِ وَفُتِحَ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَالْحُجُبُ حَتَّى نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ وَنَظَرْتُ إلَيْهِ.

ثُمَّ بَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. فَقُلْتُ: مَا يُبْكِيكَ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي؟

فَقالَ: يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا كَلَّمَني بِهِ رَبِّي أَنْ قَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أُنْظُرْ تَحْتَكَ. فَنَظَرْتُ إلَى الْحُجُبِ قَدِ انْخَرَقَتْ وَإِلَى أَبْوَابِ السَّمَاءِ قَدِ انْفَتَحَتْ وَنَظَرْتُ إلَى عَلِيٍّ وَهُوَ رَافِعٌ رَأْسَهُ إلَيَّ فَكَلَّمَنِي وَكَلَّمْتُهُ وَكَلَّمَنِي رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجلَّ.

فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، بِمَ كَلَّمَكَ رَبُّكَ؟

قَالَ: قَالَ لِي: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إنِّي جَعَلْتُ عَلِيَّاً وَصِيَّكَ وَوَزِيرَكَ وَجَعَلْتُهُ الْخَلِيفَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ، فَأَعْلِمْهُ بِهَا، فَهَا هُوَ يَسْمَعُ كَلاَمَكَ. فَأَعْلَمْتُهُ وَأَنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجلَّ. فَقالَ لِي: قَدْ قَبِلْتُ وَأَطَعْتُ. فَأَمَرَ اللهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ أَنْ تُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَفَعَلَتْ. فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمَ، وَرَأَيْتُ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ يَتَبَاشَرُونَ بِهِ. وَمَا مَرِرْتُ بِمَلأٍ إلاَّ هَنَّؤُونِي وَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لَقَدْ دَخَلَ السُّرُورُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ بِاسْتِخْلاَفِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجلَّ لَكَ ابْنَ عَمِّكَ. وَرَأَيْتُ حَمَلَةَ الْعَرْشِ قَدْ نَكَسُوا رُؤُوسَهُمْ فَسَأَلْتُ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، فَقالَ: إِنَّهُمُ اسْتَأْذَنُوا اللهَ فِي النَّظَرِ إلَيْهِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ. فَلَمَّا هَبِطْتُ جَعَلْتُ أُخْبِرُهُ بِذَلِكَ وَيُخْبِرُنِي، فَعَلِمْتُ أَنِّي لَمْ أَطَأْ مَوْطِئاً إلاَّ وَقَدْ كُشِفَ لِعَلِيٍّ عَنْهُ.

قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ أَوْصِنِي.

فَقالَ: عَلَيْك بِحُبِّ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ.

فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ أَوْصِنِي.

قَالَ: عَلَيْك بِمَوَدَّةِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. وَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيَّاً إنَّ اللهَ لاَ يَقْبَلُ مِنْ عَبْدٍ حَسَنَةً حَتَّى يَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ حُبِّ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَهُوَ تَعالَى أَعْلَمُ. فَإِنْ جَاءَهُ بِوِلاَيَتِهِ قَبِلَ عَمَلَهُ عَلَى مَا كَانَ فِيهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَأْتِهِ بِوِلاَيَتِهِ لَمْ يَسْأَلْهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ وَأَمَرَ بِهِ إلَى النَّارِ.

يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، وَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيَّاً إنَّ النَّارَ لأَشَدُّ غَضَباً عَلَى مُبْغِضِ عَلِيٍّ مِنْهَا عَلَى مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ للهِ وَلَداً.

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O Ibn `Abbas! Should the archangels and the apostles be unanimously hostile to `Ali, God will throw all of them into the fire of hell. I said: O Messenger of Allah, can anyone be `Ali’s enemy? The Holy Prophet said: `Ali’s enemies are those who have no real share of Islam, though they apparently consider themselves Muslims and my Ummah.

O Ibn `Abbas! A sign of their enmity with `Ali is that they prefer people of lower rank to him! By God who appointed me as a prophet, He has not created any prophet more honorable than me and no prophet’s successor more honorable than `Ali.

Ibn `Abbas reports: I always cherished this advice of the Holy Prophet by having a love for `Ali and his leadership. I do not know any better act for myself than `Ali’s love!

Ibn `Abbas reports: It was not long before that the Messenger of Allah was on the verge of departing from this world. I went to his presence and said: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be ransom for you. Now that your days are numbered, what is your advice to me? The Holy Prophet said: O Ibn `Abbas! Oppose `Ali’s enemies and never support them. Do not take them your friends! I said: O Messenger of Allah! Why don’t you advise people to forsake `Ali’s enmity at this sensitive juncture of time given that there is no obstacle? The Messenger of Allah started weeping so much so that he almost fainted! He then said: O Ibn `Abbas: It has been so destined that the sworn enemies of Islam will oppose `Ali in the future! By God who appointed me as a prophet, no denier of `Ali’s right will ever die without God deny him the blessing He has given him.

O Ibn `Abbas! Should you wish to meet your Lord while He is pleased with you, adopt the path of `Ali; be always with him; be pleased with his leadership; be hostile to his enemies, and be a friend of his friends. Have no doubt about `Ali and his leadership, for any doubt about `Ali is doubt about God.[565]

Salman Farsi has reported: We swore an oath of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah not to fail to be benevolent to Muslims, consider `Ali as our leader and love him.[566]

 

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يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، لَوْ أَنَّ الْمَلائِكَةَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ وَالأَنْبِيَاءَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى بُغْضِهِ، وَلَنْ يَفْعَلُوا، لَعَذَّبَهُمُ اللهُ بِالنَّارِ.

قُلتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، وَهَلْ يُبْغِضُهُ أَحَدٌ؟

فَقالَ: يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، نَعَمْ! يُبْغِضُهُ قَوْمٌ يَذْكُرُونَ أَنَّهُمْ مِنْ أُمَّتِي لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللهُ لَهُمْ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ نَصِيباً.

يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، إنَّ مِنْ عَلاَمَةِ بُغْضِهِمْ لَهُ تَفْضِيلَ مَنْ هُوَ دُونَهُ عَلَيْهِ. وَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيَّاً مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ نَبِيَّاً أَكْرَمَ عَلَيْهِ مِنِّي وَلاَ وَصِيَّاً أَكْرَمَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ وَصِيِّي عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَلَمْ أَزَلْ مُحِبَّاً لَهُ كَمَا أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَوَصَّانِي بِمَوَدَّتِهِ، وَإنَّهُ لأَكْبَرُ عَمَلِي عِنْدِي.

قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: ثُمَّ مَضَى مِنَ الزَّمَانِ مَا مَضَى وَحَضَرَتْ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ الْوَفَاةُ وَحَضْرُتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، قَدْ دَنَا أَجَلُكُ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي؟

فَقالَ: يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، خَالِفْ مَنْ خَالَفَ عَلِيَّاً وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ لَهُمْ ظَهِيراً وَلاَ وَلِيَّاً.

قُلتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، فَلِمَ لاَ تَأْمُرُ النَّاسَ بِتَرْكِ مُخَالَفَتِهِ؟

قَالَ: فَبَكَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ حَتَّى أُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، سَبَقَ الْكِتَابُ فِيهِمْ وَعِلْمُ رَبِّي. وَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيَّاً، لاَ يَخْرُجُ أَحَدٌ مِمَّنْ خَالَفَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَنْكَرَ حَقَّهُ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرَ اللهُ مَا بِهِ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ.

يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، إذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَلْقَى اللهَ عَزَّ وَجلَّ وَهُوَ عَنْكَ رَاضٍ فَاسْلُكْ طَرِيقَةَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَمِلْ مَعَهُ حَيْثُمَا مَالَ، وَارْضَ بِهِ إِمَاماً، وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ، وَوَالِ مَنْ وَالاَهُ.

يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، إحْذَرْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَكَ شَكٌّ فِيهِ، فَإِنَّ الشَّكَّ فِي عَلِيٍّ كُفْرٌ بِاللهِ.

وَعَنْ سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ قَالَ: بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَلَى النُّصْحِ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالإئْتِمَامِ بعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَالْمُوَالاَةِ لَهُ.

 

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The Holy Prophet has been quoted by Imam Sadiq (a.s) on the authority of his father and grandfather as saying: During my Night Journey when I reached Sidrat al-Muntaha, the herald of God said: O Muhammad! Make necessary recommendation about `Ali, for he is the master of the Muslims, the leader of the pious, and the head of the prosperous on the Day of Judgment.[567]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by `Abd al-Rahman Ansar on the authority of his father as saying: God has blessed me with nine merits which are gathered in `Ali; three merits in this world and three merits in the hereafter; I wish two merits for him and I am worried about the one merit remaining! As for the three worldly merits, `Ali will conceal my private parts (implying that he will do everything related to my burial), he is the guardian of my Ahl al-Bayt, and my executor. As for three merits of hereafter, I am given the banner of al-Hamd which I will give to him, I will trust `Ali in intercession, and he will help me with carrying the keys of paradise and dividing them among those who deserve paradise. As for the two things I wish for him, `Ali will never go astray or become unbeliever. As for the last one, I fear that Quraysh will maltreat and betray him after me.[568]

`Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi- Layla has quoted his father as saying: On the day of Khaybar battle, the Messenger of Allah gave the banner to `Ali and God made him victorious. On the day of Ghadir Khum, the Holy Prophet while introducing `Ali said: He is the master of every believing man and women. Addressing `Ali, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, you are from me and I am from you. You will fight for the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an after me in the same way that I fought for the revelation of the Holy Qur’an. He also said: O `Ali! Your position to me is as Harun to Musa. Peace with you is peace with me and war against you is war against me. You are the firm rope of Allah to whom people should clutch. You solve people’s problems when they are at a loss. You are the guardian of every believing man and woman. You are the one about whom God revealed the verse “and an announcement from Allah and His apostle to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage” (9:3). You are the one who acts according to my Sunnah and will defend my nation.

(387)

وَعَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: لَمَّا أُسْرِيَ بِي إلَى السَّمَاءِ وَانْتَهَيْتُ إلَى سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى نُودِيتُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، إسْتَوْصِ لِعَلِيٍّ خَيْراً، فَإِنَّهُ سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَإِمَامُ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَقَائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَنْصَارِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: أُعْطِيتُ فِي عَلِيٍّ تِسْعاً: ثَلاَثاً فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَثَلاَثاً فِي الآخِرَةِ، وَاثْنَتَيْنِ أَرْجُوهُمَا لَهُ، وَوَاحِدَةً أَخَافُهَا عَلَيْهِ.

فَأَمَّا الثَّلاَثُ الَّتِي فِي الدُّنْيَا: فَسَاتِرُ عَوْرَتِي، وَالْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ أَهْلِي، وَوَصِيِّي فِيهِمْ.

وَأَمَّا الثَّلاَثُ الَّتِي فِي الآخِرَةِ: فَإِنِّي أُعْطَي لِوَاءَ الْحَمْدِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَدْفَعُهُ إلَيْهِ فَيَحْمِلُهُ عَنِّي، وَأَعْتَمِدُ عَلَيْهِ فِي مَقَامِ الشَّفَاعَةِ، وَيُعِينُنِي عَلَى حَمْلِ مَفَاتِيحِ الْجَنَّةِ.

وَأَمَّا اللَّتَانِ أَرْجُوهُمَا لَهُ: فَإنَّهُ لاَ يَرْجِعُ مِنْ بَعْدِي ضَالاًّ وَلاَ كَافِراً.

وَأَمَّا الَّتِي أَخَافُهَا عَلَيْهِ فَغَدْرُ قُرَيْشٍ بِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِي.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى قَالَ: قَالَ أَبِي: دَفَعَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ الرَّايَةَ يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ إلَى عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَفَتَحَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ.

وَوَقَّفَهُ يَوْمَ غَدِيرِ خُمٍّ فَأَعْلَمَ النَّاسَ أَنَّهُ مَوْلَى كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَمُؤْمِنَةٍ.

وَقالَ: أَنْتَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْكَ.

وَقالَ: تُقَاتِلُ عَلَى التَّأْوِيلِ كَمَا قَاتَلْتُ عَلَى التَّنْزِيلِ.

وَقالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنَا سِلْمٌ لِمَنْ سَالَمْتَ وَحَرْبٌ لِمَنْ حَارَبْتَ.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ الْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقَى.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ تُبَيِّنُ لَهُمْ مَا اشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْهِمْ بَعْدِي.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ إِمَامُ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَمُؤْمِنَةٍ بَعْدِي، وَوَلِيُّ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَمُؤْمِنَةٍ بَعْدِي.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ اللهُ فِيهِ ﴿وَأَذَانٌ مِنَ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الأَكْبَرِ﴾.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ الآخِذُ بِسُنَّتِي وَالذَّابُّ عَنْ مِلَّتِي.

(388)

The Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, on the Day of Judgment, I am the first one who will be raised to life and you will be raised to life with me too. I am at the Pond and you will be with me too. The Messenger of Allah said: O `Ali, I am the first person who will enter paradise. You, Hasan, Husayn, and Fatimah will enter paradise after me. God has revealed to me to make your merits public and I have carried out this mission accordingly.

O `Ali, beware of rancor some people have in their hearts against you and this will become manifest only after my departure from this world. May the curse of Allah be upon them. Then the Holy Prophet started weeping and when the reason was asked, he said: Gabriel informed me that the rancorous people will bother `Ali and will deny his indisputable right. They will fight `Ali and will kill his children! Gabriel also informed me the oppression against his children will continue till the uprising of the Riser. But after the uprising of the Riser (Imam Mahdi) they will gain power and people’s love for them will increase. On that day, their ill-speakers will be few, their enemies will be abased and their eulogizers will be numerous. This prophecy will be materialized when there is an apocalypse and the oppressed people lose their hope of a better world. Then the Riser of Ahl al-Bayt will reappear among them and turns despair into hope. The Messenger of Allah said: The name of the Riser would be the same as my name and the name of his father is the same as the name of my father and he will be one of the sons of my daughter, Fatimah. At that time, truth will become manifest by him and falsehood will be removed by his sword and all the people, whether they wish or not, will follow him.

The narrator reports: At this time, the Holy Prophet stopped weeping. Addressing the believers, he said: I will give you good news about the rule of the Riser, for this uprising is a divine promise with no violation. This victory is imminent. Then, the Holy Prophet raised his hands in prayer, saying: O Lord! These are my household (Ahl al-Bayt), remove uncleanness from them and have mercy on them. Help them in their plights, give them honor, for You have power over everything.[569]

Ummu-Salamah was informed that her male servant was speaking ill of `Ali. She called him and kindly said to him: I have heard that you

 

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وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ تَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الأَرْضُ وَأَنْتَ مَعِي.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنَا عِنْدَ الْحَوْضِ وَأَنْتَ مَعِي.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَنْتَ مَعِي تَدْخُلُهَا وَالْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ وَفَاطِمَةُ.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ اللهَ أَوْحَى إِلَيَّ بِأَنْ أَقُومَ بِفَضْلِكَ، فَقُمْتُ بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ وَبَلَّغْتُهُمْ مَا أَمَرَنِي اللهُ بِتَبْلِيغِهِ.

وَقَالَ لَهُ: إتَّقِ الضَّغَائِنَ الَّتِي فِي صُدُورِ مَنْ لاَ يُظْهِرُهَا إِلاَّ بَعْدَ مَوْتِي. أُولَئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللاَّعِنُونَ. ثُمَّ بَكَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. فَقِيلَ: مِمَّ بُكَاؤكَ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ؟ فَقالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ إنَّهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَهُ وَيَمْنَعُونَهُ حَقَّهُ، وَيُقَاتِلُونَهُ وَيَقْتُلُونَ وُلْدَهُ وَيَظْلِمُونَهُمْ بَعْدَهُ. وَأَخْبَرَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَنِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجلَّ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ يَزُولُ إِذَا قَامَ قَائِمُهُمْ وَعَلَتْ كَلِمَتُهُمْ وَاجْتَمَعَتِ الأُمَّةُ عَلَى مَحَبَّتِهِمْ. وَكَانَ الشَّانِئُ لَهُمْ قَلِيلاً وَالْكَارِهُ لَهُمْ ذَلِيلاً، وَكَثُرَ الْمَادِحُ لَهُمْ. وَذَلِكَ حِينَ تَغَيَّرُ الْبِلاَدُ وَضَعُفَ الْعِبَادُ وَالإِيَاسُ مِنَ الْفَرَجِ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَظْهَرُ الْقَائِمُ فِيهِمْ. ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إسْمُهُ كَٱسْمِي وَٱسْمُ أَبِيهِ كَٱسْمِ أَبِي. هُوَ مِنْ وُلْدِ ابْنَتِي فَاطِمَةَ، يُظْهِرُ اللهُ الْحَقَّ بِهِمْ وَيُخْمِدُ الْبَاطِلَ بِأَسْيَافِهِمْ وَيَتَّبِعُهُمُ النَّاسُ بَيْنَ رَاغِبٍ إِلَيْهِمْ وَخَائِفٍ لَهُمْ.

قَالَ: وَسَكَنَ الْبُكَاءُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَقَالَ: مَعَاشِرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، أَبْشِرُوا بِالْفَرَجِ، فَإِنَّ وَعْدَ اللهِ لاَ يُخْلَفُ، وَقَضَاؤُهُ لاَ يُرَدُّ، وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ، وَإنَّ فَتْحَ اللهِ قَرِيبٌ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ أَهْلِي فَأَذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَطَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهِيراً. اللَّهُمَّ إكْلأْهُمْ وَارْعَهُمْ وَكُنْ لَهُمْ وَانْصُرْهُمْ وَأَعِنْهُمْ وَأَعِزَّهُمْ وَلاَ تُذِلَّهُمْ وَاخْلِفْنِي فِيهِمْ إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ.

وَبَلَغَ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ أَنَّ لَهَا عَبْداً يَنْتَقِصُ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَيَتَناوَلُهُ. فَأَحْضَرَتْهُ وَقَالَتْ: يَا بُنَيَّ،

 

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speak ill of `Ali. He said: Yes, I do. Ummu-Salamah said: May your mother mourn you! Sit here so that I will tell you what the Messenger of Allah has said about `Ali! Then you are free to choose any way you wish! On the day and night the Messenger of Allah was in my house, I asked for permission to enter the room but he did not give me permission. This made me upset, saying to myself: Perhaps I have disobeyed him or a verse has been revealed about me! I asked for permission to enter the room for the second time but I heard the same answer! For the third time, I asked for permission. This time, the Holy Prophet gave me permission to enter the room. I saw `Ali sitting on his knees facing the Messenger of Allah. `Ali was saying: May my parents be ransom for you! What should I do if such and such things happen! The Messenger of Allah too was inviting him to patience and self-restraint. `Ali repeated what he had asked but he received the same answer. When `Ali repeated what he has asked for the third time, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali! if the opponents do not stop their behavior, put your sword on your shoulder and behead them step by step till you will meet me and till blood is dropping from your sword!

After speaking with `Ali, the Messenger of Allah turned to me, saying: O Ummu-Salamah, why do I see signs of worry on your face? I said: Why should I not be worried. I asked for permission to enter the room two times but you did not give me permission! The Holy Prophet said: By God! You have not done anything wrong, for God and His messenger always have a good impression of you. But you came at a time when Gabriel was sitting on my right side and `Ali on my left side. Gabriel was informing me of the unpleasant events that would happen after me, saying: these events will happen about `Ali. Gabriel told me to inform `Ali of them and to make a testament! Ummu-Salamah, listen and be a witness that `Ali is my brother in the world and in the hereafter. Ummu-Salamah, listen and be a witness that `Ali is the standard bearer in the world and bearer of the banner of al-Hamd on the Day of Judgment. O Ummu-Salamah, listen and be a witness that `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is my successor and executor. He is the one who will fulfill my promises and will reject some people from the Pond!

O Ummu-Salamah, listen carefully and be a witness that `Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the master of Muslims, leader of the pious, and the head of prosperous ones. He is the one who will fight the breachers, deviant, and apostates after me.


 

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سَمِعْتُ أَنَّكَ تَنْتَقِصُ عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. فَقالَ: نَعَمْ. فَقَالَتْ: إجْلِسْ، ثَكَلَتْكَ أُمُّكَ، حَتَّى أُحَدِّثَكَ بِحَدِيثٍ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ، ثُمَّ اخْتَرْ لِنَفْسِكَ:

إِنَّهُ كَانَتْ لَيْلَتِي وَيَوْمِي مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ، فَأَتَيْتُ الْبَابَ فَقُلْتُ: أَدْخُلُ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ؟ فَقالَ: لاَ. فَكَبَوْتُ كَبْوَةً شَدِيدَةً مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يَكُونَ رَدَّنِي مِنْ سَخَطِهِ أَوْ نَزَلَ فِيَّ شَيْءٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ. ثُمَّ جِئْتُ ثَانِيَةً فَجَرَى مَا جَرَى فِي الأُولَى. فَأَتَيْتُ ثَالِثَةً فَأَذِنَ لِي وَقالَ: إدْخُلِي. فَدَخَلْتُ وَعَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ جَاثٍ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، إِذَا كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَبِمَا تَأْمُرُنِي؟ قَالَ: آمُرُكَ بِالصَّبْرِ. فَأَعَادَ الْقَوْلَ ثَانِيَةً وَهُوَ يَأْمُرُهُ بِالصَّبْرِ. فَأَعَادَ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ، إذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ فَسُلَّ سَيْفَكَ وَضَعْهُ عَلَى عَاتِقِكَ وَاضْرِبْ بِهِ قِدْماً قِدْماً حَتَّى تَلْقَانِي وَسَيْفُكَ شَاهِرٌ يَقْطِرُ مِنْ دِمَائِهِمْ.

ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إِلَيَّ فَقالَ: مَا هَذِهِ الْكَآبَةُ يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ؟ قُلتُ: لِمَا كَانَ مِنْ رَدِّكَ إِيَّايَ يَا رَسولَ اللهِ. فَقالَ: وَاللهِ مَا رَدَدْتُكِ عَنْ مُوجِدَةٍ، وَإِنَّكِ لَعَلَى خَيْرٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ؛ وَلَكِنْ أَتَيْتِنِي وَجِبْرِيلُ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَلِيٌّ عَنْ يَسَارِي، وَجِبْرِيلُ يُخْبِرُنِي بِالأَحْدَاثِ الَّتِي تَكُونُ بَعْدِي وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُوصِيَ بِذَلِكَ عَلِيَّاً.

يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، إسْمَعِي وَاشْهَدِي؛ هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَخِي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَأَخِي فِي الآخِرَةِ.

يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، إسْمَعِي وَاشْهَدِي؛ هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَزِيرِي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَوَزِيرِي فِي الآخِرَةِ.

يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، إسْمَعِي وَاشْهَدِي؛ هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ حَامِلُ لِوَائِي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَحَامِلُ لِوَاءِ الْحَمْدِ غَداً فِي الْقِيَامَةِ.

يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، إسْمَعِي وَاشْهَدِي؛ هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَصِيِّي وَخَلِيفَتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي وَقَاضِي عِدَاتِي وَالذَّائِدُ عَنْ حَوْضِي.

يَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ، إسْمَعِي وَاشْهَدِي؛ هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَإِمَامُ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَقَائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلِينَ وَقَاتِلُ النَّاكِثِينَ وَالْقَاسِطِينَ وَالْمَارِقِينَ.

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I said: O Messenger of Allah! Will you say who these three groups are? The Holy Prophet said: The breachers are those who pledge allegiance with him in Medina but they will break their allegiance in Basrah and will fight him.

Then, I asked who the deviant are.

The Holy Prophet said: Mu`awiyah and his aiders who are deviators and do not pledge allegiance with him.

I asked who the apostates are!

The Holy Prophet said: They are Khawarij, that is, the companions of Nahrawan. Hearing this, Ummu-Salamah’s servant prayed for her, saying: May God reward you who guided me to the truth. May you be happy forever. From now on I will never speak ill of `Ali.[570]

`Ali’s Arch-Enemy, Zubayr ibn Bakkar

Zubayr ibn Bakkar ibn `Abdullah ibn Mus`ab ibn Thabit ibn `Abdullah ibn Zubayr ibn `Awwam had no match in enmity with Imam `Ali. In fact, he was Imam `Ali’s arch-enemy.

Ibn `Abbas has been reported by Zubayr ibn Bakkar as saying: I was walking hand in hand with `Umar ibn Khattab in one of the alleys of Medina. Addressing me, he said: O Ibn `Abbas! I do not think there is any one more wronged than your master, `Ali! I said to myself I should answer him immediately. Therefore, I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin, return to `Ali what you have taken from him (usurped) with injustice! Being upset and as a sign of protest, he withdrew his hand from my hand. He went a few steps forward, stopped and said: I do not see the reason behind his being wronged as anything but humiliation! I said to myself: By God, what you are saying is worse than what you had said before. So I retorted: By God, on the day he was ordered to take Surah -Bara'ah from your comrade and to convey it to the atheists, God did not humiliate him!

Ibn `Abbas reports: Hearing this answer, he turned his face from me, did not say anything, parted with me and went his way.[571]

Ibn `Abbas has been reported by Ahmad ibn Tahir in Tarikh Baghdad, as saying: During the first days of `Umar’s caliphate, I went to him while there was a bowl of dates before him. He offered me

 

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قُلتُ: يَا رَسولَ اللهِ، مَنِ النَّاكِثُونَ؟

قَالَ: الَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَيَنْكُثُونَ بِالْبَصْرَةِ.

قُلتُ: مَنِ الْقَاسِطُونَ؟

قَالَ: مُعَاوِيَةُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ.

قُلتُ: مَنِ الْمَارِقُونَ؟

قَالَ: أَصْحَابُ النَّهْرَوَانِ.

فَقالَ مَوْلَى أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ: فَرَّجْتِ عَنِّي، فَرَّجَ اللهُ عَنْكِ. وَاللهِ لاَ سَبَبْتُ عَلِيَّاً أَبَداً.

فِي أَخْبَارٍ أَوْرَدَهَا الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ:

كَانَ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ ثَابِتِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ العَوَّامِ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عِنَاداً لأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. وَقَدْ رَوَى عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: إنِّي لأُمَاشِي عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ فِي سِكَّةٍ مِنْ سِكَكِ الْمَدِينَةِ إِذْ قَالَ لِي: يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، مَا أَظُنُّ صَاحِبَكَ إِلاَّ مَظْلُوماً.

قُلتُ فِي نَفْسِي: وَاللهِ لاَ يَسْبِقُنِي بِهَا. فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ، فَٱرْدُدْ ظُلاَمَتَهُ.

فَانْتَزَعَ يَدَهُ مِنْ يَدِي وَمَضَى وَهُوَ يُهَمْهِمُ سَاعَةً. ثُمَّ وَقَفَ فَلَحِقْتُهُ فَقالَ: يَا بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، مَا أَظُنُّهُمْ مَنَعَهُمْ مِنْهُ إِلاَّ أَنِ اسْتَصْغَرُوهُ.

فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي: هَذِهِ وَاللهِ شَرٌّ مِنَ الأُولَى. فَقُلْتُ: وَاللهِ مَا اسْتَصْغَرَهُ اللهُ حِينَ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ سُورَةَ بَرَاءَةٍ مِنْ صَاحِبِكَ. قَالَ: فَأَعْرَضَ عَنِّي.

وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي طَاهِرٍ فِي تَارِيخِ بَغْدَادَ بِسَنَدِهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عُمَرَ

 

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to eat and I took just one date while he ate up all the dates and drank a jug of water after it. Leaning on a pillow, he turned to me and said: Where do you come from? I said: I am coming from the mosque. He said: Why did you leave your cousin? I had the impression that he was talking about `Abdullah Ja`far. I said: He was busy with his grandchild. He said: I do not mean him. I mean great man of Ahl al-Bayt (`Ali). I said: He is busy with irrigation of the trees as well as recitation of the Holy Qur’an. He said: O `Abdullah, the blood of the camels sacrificed be in your charge (swearing by at that time) if you do not answer my question. I said: Ask your question. He said: Is he still thinking of caliphate? I said: Yes. He said: Does he think that the Messenger of Allah has appointed him as caliph? I said: Yes and added: I asked my father about `Ali’s right to caliphate and he said: `Ali is right! `Umar said: The Holy Prophet sometimes uttered certain words for which there was no proof or excuse! In fact, he used to point out this issue once in a while. Even in his deathbed, he wanted to explicitly mention his name but as I was worried about Islam and feared that it might be threatened, I stopped him from mentioning his name expressly! By the Lord of this Ka`bah, Quraysh had never unanimity about `Ali’s caliphate. If he were in charge of affairs, all the Arabs from around Medina would oppose him and break their allegiance. As the Messenger of Allah noticed that I knew his intention, he did not say anything in this relation, so what God had destined was implemented! The author of the book says these words of `Umar refer to ink, pen, and paper which had to be brought on the order of the Holy Prophet but `Umar stopped him, saying: This man is saying delirium because of much pain. The book of God is sufficient for us.[572]

This is an indication to the famous incident when `Umar prevented the Holy Prophet from writing down his will, claiming that the Holy Prophet was hallucinating!

Let us go back to what Zubayr ibn Bakkar has related. He has quoted his uncle Mus`ab as saying: The agent of Mu'nisah summoned a man to the court presided over by Sharik ibn `Abdullah as judge, filing a suit against him. The judge was carefully listening to the statements of both parties to avoid any mistake. Amid this, Mu’nisah’s agent who had the upper hand and his support, arrogantly attacked the other party, yelling at him. Finding that the agent’s moves were against the court’s order and disrespect for the judge, Sharik protested by saying: Shut up! The agent said: Do you

 

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فِي أَوَّلِ خِلاَفَتِهِ وَقَدْ أُلْقِيَ لَهُ صَاعٌ مِنْ تَمْرٍ عَلَى خَصْفَةٍ، فَدَعَانِي لِلأَكْلِ. فَأَكَلْتُ تَمْرَةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَقْبَلَ يَأْكُلُ حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ شَرِبَ مِنْ جَرٍّ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ وَاسْتَلْقَى عَلَى مَرْفَقَةٍ لَهُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: مِنْ أَيْنَ جِئْتَ يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ؟ قُلتُ: مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ. قَالَ: كَيْفَ خَلَّفْتَ بَنِي عَمِّكَ؟ فَظَنَنْتُهُ يَعْنِي عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ، فَقُلْتُ: خَلَّفْتُهُ يَلْعَبُ مَعَ أَتْرَابِهِ. قَالَ: لَمْ أَعْنِ ذَلِكَ؛ إِنَّمَا عَنَيْتُ عَظِيمَكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ. قُلتُ: خَلَّفْتُهُ يَمْتَحُ بِالْغَرْبِ عَلَى نَخْلاَتٍ لَهُ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ. فَقالَ: يَا عَبْدَ اللهِ، عَلَيْكَ دِمَاءُ الْبُدْنِ إِنْ كَتَمْتَنِيهَا؛ أَبَقِيَ فِي نَفْسِهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْخِلاَفَةِ؟ قُلتُ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: أَيَزْعُمُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ جَعَلَهَا لَهُ؟ قُلتُ: نَعَمْ. وَأَزِيدُكَ، سَأَلْتُ أَبِي عَمَّا يَدَّعِيهِ فَقالَ: صَدَقَ. فَقالَ عُمَرُ: لَقَدْ كَانَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ فِي أَمْرِهِ ذَرْوٌ مِنْ قَوْلٍ لاَ يُثْبِتُ حُجَّةً وَلاَ يَقْطَعُ عُذْراً، وَقَدْ كَانَ يَربَعُ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَقْتاً مَا. وَلَقَدْ أَرَادَ فِي مَرَضِهِ أَنْ يُصَرِّحَ بِٱسْمِهِ فَمَنَعْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إِشْفَاقاً وَحِيطَةً عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ. لاَ وَرَبِّ هَذِهِ الْبَيِّنَةِ، لاَ تَجْتَمِعُ عَلَيْهِ قُرَيْشٌ أَبَداً. وَلَوْ وَلِيَهَا لاَنْتَقَضَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْعَرَبُ مِنْ أَقْطَارِهَا. فَعَلِمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أَنِّي عَلِمْتُ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ فَأَمْسَكَ وَأَبَى اللهُ إِلاَّ إِمْضَاءَ مَا حَتَمَ.

وَهَذَا إشَارَةٌ مِنْ عُمَرَ إلَى الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قَالَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إِئْتُونِي بِدَوَاةٍ وَكَتِفٍ. فَقالَ عُمَرُ: إنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَهْجُرُ.

وَلْنَرْجِعْ إلَى مَا رَوَاهُ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ:

قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَمِّي مُصْعَبٌ عَنْ جَدِّي عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ قَالَ: تَقَدَّمَ وَكِيلٌ مِنْ مُؤْنِسَةَ إلَى شَرِيكِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْقَاضِي مَعَ خَصْمٍ لَهُ، فَإِذَا الْوَكِيلُ مُدِلٌّ بِمَوْضِعِهِ مِنْ مُؤْنِسَةَ، فَجَعَلَ يَسْطُو عَلَى خَصْمِهِ وَيَغْلُظُ لَهُ. فَقالَ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ: كُفَّ لاَ أُمَّ لَكَ. فَقَالَ: أَوَتَقُولُ لِي هَذَا؟

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know who I am? I am the agent of Mu’nisah! The judge ordered the slave in charge of executing the court’s order to give him some slaps in the face. The slave too did so. The agent left the court for Mu’nisah’s house with humiliation and filed a complaint against the judge. Mu’nisah immediately wrote a letter to Mahdi, the `Abbasid ruler, complaining of the judge’s attitude towards his agent. Mahdi too dismissed the judge from his position with a reproach to the effect: Should a person like you judge among Muslims? The judge said: For what reason, o Amir al-Mu’minin? Mahdi said: Your opinion is against all people in relation to caliphate and have your own idea of Imamate! Sharik said: I have no religion other than that of all people. How can I oppose them then? As for the question of Imamate and leadership, I should say that I have no Imam or leader except the Book of Allah and the tradition of the Holy Prophet. As for your saying that I am not competent for judgment, it is you who have appointed me! If you have committed any mistake, you have to ask for forgiveness. Furthermore, if you have not made any mistake in your choice, you are bound to it and have to reinstate me!

Mahdi asked: What is your opinion about `Ali? Sharik said: My opinion is the same as that of your grandfathers, `Abbas and `Abdullah. Mahdi said: What was their opinion on this issue? Sharik said: As for `Abbas, when he died he believed that `Ali was the best among the companions and stood by this belief till the end of his life, for the elderly companions and Muhajir were in need of `Ali in solving the most complicated problems and in all events but `Ali was not in need of anyone!

As for `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas, he is the one who fought alongside `Ali and was present actively in all the battles, carried out `Ali’s orders and considered `Ali as his leader. Disobeying `Ali’s orders was a great sin for him! If `Ali’s Imamate was unjust, the first person involved in this issue, was your father `Abdullah, for he was a jurisprudent and well-versed in the divine injunctions! Hearing this, Mahdi, the `Abbasid ruler, kept silent and Sharik left the court. Between this debate and his dismissal, it was only one week.[573]

Zubayr ibn Bakkar has related: Addressing Ibn `Abbas, `Abdullah ibn Zubayr said: It was you who fought Umm al-Mu’minin (the mother of the believers) and the disciples of the Holy Prophet (Talhah

 

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فَأَنَا قَهْرُمَانُ مُؤْنِسَةَ. فَقالَ: يَا غُلاَمُ، إصْفَعْهُ. فَصَفَعَهُ عَشْرَةَ صَفْعَاتٍ. فَانْصَرَفَ بِخِزْيٍ فَدَخَلَ عَلَى مُؤْنِسَةَ فَشَكَى إِلَيْهَا مَا صَنَعَ شَرِيكٌ بِهِ. فَكَتَبَتْ رُقْعَةً إلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ تَشْكُو شَرِيكاً وَمَا صَنَعَ بِوَكِيلِهَا، فَعَزَلَهُ. وَكَانَ قَبْلَ هَذَا قَدْ دَخَلَ إلَيْهِ فَأَغْلَظَ لَهُ الْكَلاَمَ وَقالَ لَهُ: مَا مِثْلُكَ مَنْ يُوَلَّى أَحْكَامَ الْمُسْلِمينَ. قَالَ: وَلِمَ يَا أمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ؟ قَالَ: لِخِلاَفِكَ الْجَمَاعَةَ وَلِقَوْلِكَ بِالإِمَامَةِ. قَالَ: مَا أَعْرِفُ دِيناً إلاَّ عَنِ الْجَمَاعَةِ، فَكَيْفَ أُخَالِفُهَا وَعَنْهَا أَخَذْتُ دِينِي. وَأَمَّا الإِمَامَةُ فَمَا أَعْرِفُ إِمَاماً إلاَّ كِتَابَ اللهِ وَسُنَّةَ نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. فَهُمَا إِمَامَايَ وَعَلَيْهِمَا عَقْدِي. فَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرَ أمِيرُ المُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَّ مَا مِثْلِي يُوَلَّى أَحْكَامَ المُسْلِمينَ، فَذَاكَ شَيْءٌ أَنْتُمْ فَعَلْتُمُوهُ. فَإِنْ كَانَ خَطَأً وَجَبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الإسْتِغْفَارَ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ صَوَاباً وَجَبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الإمْسَاكُ عَنْهُ. قَالَ: مَا تَقُولُ فِي عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ؟ قَالَ: مَا قَالَ فِيهِ جَدَّاكَ الْعَبَّاسُ وَعَبْدُ اللهِ. قَالَ: وَمَا قَالاَ؟ قَالَ: أَمَّا الْعَبَّاسُ فَمَاتَ وَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ أَفْضَلُ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ. وَقَدْ شَاهَدَ كُبَرَاءَ الصَّحَابَةِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ يَحْتَاجُونَ إلَيْهِ فِي الْحَوَادِثِ وَلَمْ يَحْتَجْ إلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا. وَأَمَّا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ رَضيَ اللهُ عنهُ فَضَارَبَ مَعَهُ بِسَيْفَيْنِ وَشَهِدَ حُرُوبَهُ وَكَانَ فِيهَا رَأْساً مُتَّبَعاً وَقَائِداً مُطَاعاً. فَلَوْ كَانَتْ إِمَامَتُهُ جَوْراً كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يَقْعُدُ عَنْهُ أَبُوكَ لِعِلْمِهِ بِدِينِ اللهِ وَفِقْهِهِ فِي أَحْكَامِ اللهِ.

فَسَكَتَ الْمَهْدِيُّ وَخَرَجَ شَرِيكٌ، فَمَا كَانَ بَيْنَ عَزْلِهِ وَبَيْنَ هَذَا الْمَجْلِسِ إِلاَّ جُمُعَةٌ أَوْ نَحْوُهَا.

حَدَّثَ الزُّبَيْرُ قَـالَ: إنَّ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ قَـالَ لإبْنِ عَبَّـاسٍ: قَاتَلْتَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَحَوَارِيَّ رَسُولِ

 

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and Zubayr) and voted in favor of temporary marriage! `Abdullah said: You, your father, and you maternal uncle brought her to the battlefield. She was called the mother of believers by us and it was thanks to us she was honored with this title. We too were good children for her. May God forgive her. It was you and your father who fought `Ali. If `Ali was a virtuous and believing man, you have then gone astray. If `Ali was an unbeliever, you have then brought yourselves the wrath of God by fleeing from fighting him.

As for temporary marriage, I heard the Messenger of Allah allowing it and deeming it lawful; therefore, I issued so.[574]

Mutrif ibn Mughirah ibn Shu`bah has been quoted by Zubayr as saying: My father and I went to see Mu`awiyah. My father regularly visited him, talked to him, and after leaving him informed me of their discussion. He spoke well of Mu`awiyah and praised his witticism. One night when he came home, he was upset and refused to eat dinner. An hour passed but neither he nor I said anything. This silence was not without reason. I thought I had done something wrong so I mustered courage and asked the reason. He said: My son, tonight I have come from the presence of the most evil person on the earth. I said: Who is he? He said: It is Mu`awiyah. I said: Why? He said: After an hour of speaking to him, I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Now that your honor has reached its climax, how good it would be for you to dispense justice, to improve your behavior and to be engaged in good deeds.

Mu`awiyah said: What do you mean? I said: It would be appropriate for you to do favor to your brethren from Banu-Hashim who have long been wronged under your rule and to observe bonds of relationship, for they have no power to be feared from!

Mu`awiyah said: Never such an offer is acceptable to me. A man of Taym tribe (Abu-Bakr) took the power and dispensed justice. He did what he should have done. But by God, soon he passed away, was hidden under the earth, and his name was buried too. If he is sometimes remembered they only say: Abu-Bakr did such and such. Then a man from Banu-`Adi tribe (`Umar) came to power. He endeavored much and during his ten-year rule rendered valuable services. But by God, soon there was no name of him and if he is sometimes

 

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اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَأَفْتَيْتَ بِتَزْوِيجِ الْمُتْعَةِ. قَالَ: أَنْتَ أَخْرَجْتَهَا وَأَبُوكَ وَخَالُكَ، وَبِنَا سُمِّيَتْ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَكُنَّا لَهَا خَيْرَ بَنِينَ فَتَجَاوَزَ اللهُ عَنْهَا. وَقَاتَلْتَ أَنْتَ وَأَبُوكَ عَلِيَّاً، فَإِنْ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ مُؤْمِناً فَقَدْ ضَلَلْتُمْ بِقِتَالِكُمْ أَمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ كَافِراً فَقَدْ بُؤْتُمْ بِسَخَطٍ مِنَ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ بِفَرَارِكُمْ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ.

وَأَمَّا الْمُتْعَةُ فَإِنَّا نُحِلُّهَا؛ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يُحِلُّهَا وَيُرَخِّصُ فِيهَا فَأَفْتَيْتُ فِيهَا.

حَدَّثَ الزُّبَيْرُ عَنْ مُطْرِفِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ قَالَ: وَفِدْتُ مَعَ أَبِي الْمُغِيرَةِ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَكَانَ أَبِي يَأْتِيِه فَيَتَحَدَّثُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ يَنْصَرِفُ إِلَيَّ فَيَذْكُرُ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَيَعْجَبُ بِمَا يَرَى مِنْهُ، إِذْ جَاءَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَأَمْسَكَ عَنِ الْعِشَاءِ وَرَأَيْتُهُ مُغْتَمَّاً مُنْذُ اللَّيْلَةِ. فَانْتَظَرْتُهُ سَاعَةً وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لِشَيْءٍ حَدَثَ فِينَا وَفِي عِلْمِنَا. فَقُلْتُ: مَا لِيَ أَرَاكَ مُغْتَمَّاً مُنْذُ اللَّيْلَةِ؟ فَقالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، جِئْتُ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَخْبَثِ النَّاسِ. قُلتُ: وَمَا ذَاكَ؟ قَالَ: قُلتُ لَهُ وَقَدْ خَلَوْتُ بِهِ: إِنَّكَ قَدْ بَلَغْتَ سِنَّاً، يَا أمِير المُؤْمِنِينَ، فَلَوْ أَظْهَرْتَ عَدْلاً وَبَسَطْتَ خَيْراً، فَإِنَّكَ قَدْ كَبُرْتَ. وَلَوْ نَظَرْتَ إلَى إِخْوَتِكَ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ فَوَصَلْتَ أَرْحَامَهُمْ، فَوَاللهِ مَا عِنْدَهُمُ الْيَوْمَ شَيْءٌ تَخَافُهُ. فَقالَ: هَيْهَـاتَ هَيْهَـاتَ! مَلَكَ أَخُو بَنِي تَيْمٍ فَعَدَلَ وَفَعَلَ مَا فَعَلَ، فَوَاللهِ مَا عَدَا أَنْ هَلَكَ فَهَلَكَ ذِكْرُهُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَقُولَ قَائِلٌ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ. ثُمَّ مَلَكَ أَخُو بَنِي عَدِيٍّ فَاجْتَهَدَ وَشَمَّرَ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ. فَوَاللهِ مَا عَدَا أَنْ هَلَكَ فَهَلَكَ ذِكْرُهُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَقُولَ قَائِلٌ: عُمَرُ. ثُمَّ مَلَكَ عُثْمَانُ فَمَلَكَ رَجُلٌ

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remembered it is said: `Umar did such and such. Then the power came to `Uthman, a man of Umayyad like whom there is no one in terms of lineage! He did what he should have done. But by God, soon he passed away and there is no name of him and of his performance. But this brother of Banu-Hashim, that is the Messenger of Allah, is remembered well five times a day on the minarets of Mosque as “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”! Is there any hope for me not to hear this name! May you mourn your mother for giving me such an offer! No, by God, I will not remain calm unless this name is buried and there is no sign of it. These words of him about the Messenger of Allah do not mean anything other than his weak belief in him.[575]

Zubayr has quoted the distinguished men of Hadith as saying: One day Mihqan ibn Abi-Mihqan Dabbi went to see Mu`awiyah, saying: O Amir al-Mu’minin! Now that I am in your presence I am coming to you from the presence of a man who is the meanest, the most avaricious, the feeblest in speech, and the most timid among Arabs! Mu`awiyah said: Who is he? Mihqan said: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib! Finding these words in his own favor, Mu`awiyah said to the people of Syria: Listen what this Iraqi brother is saying! Take care to give him due honor. Then Mu`awiyah asked Mihqan to repeat what he had said. Mihqan repeated what he had said! Mu`awiyah said: Woe to you, o fool! How do you consider `Ali as the meanest while his father is Abu-Talib, his grandfather is Abdul Muttalib, and his wife is Fatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah? How do you consider `Ali as the most avaricious man among the Arabs while by God, if there is a house filled with gold and another house filled with straw at his disposal, he will give away the gold before the straw. Can you accuse him of being timid while by God, if two hostile groups stand face to face, the only valiant man who will boldly attack the enemy is no one but `Ali? And how can you consider `Ali the most feeble in speech while by God no one introduced the art of eloquence among Quraysh except him. Then he said: The mother of Mihqan bore a son who is meaner, more avaricious, more timid, and feebler in speech! By God, if it were not for what you know, I would certainly have you beheaded. Take care not to repeat this again! May God curse you. Mihqan said: By God! You have done more injustice to him than me, for you know how supreme his position is; yet, you


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لَمْ يَكُ أَحَدٌ فِي مِثْلِ نَسَبِهِ وَفَعَلَ مَا فَعَلَ وَعُمِلَ بِهِ مَا عُمِلَ. فَوَاللهِ مَا عَدَا أَنْ هَلَكَ فَهَلَكَ ذِكْرُهُ وَذِكْرُ مَا فُعِلَ بِهِ. وَإنَّ أَخَا بَنِي هَاشِمٍ يُصَاحُ بِهِ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللهِ. فَأَيُّ عَمَلٍ يَبْقَى بَعْدَ هَذَا، لاَ أُمَّ لَكَ؟ لاَ وَاللهِ إلاَّ دَفْناً دَفْناً.

وَهَذَا الْكَلاَمُ فِي حَقِّ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَدُلُّ عَلَى وَهْنِ عَقِيدَتِهِ فِيهِ.

حَدَّثَ الزُّبَيْرُ عَنْ رِجَالِهِ قَالَ: دَخَلَ مِحْقَنُ بْنُ أَبِي مِحْقَنٍ الضَّبِّيُّ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَة فَقالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ، جِئْتُكَ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَلأَمِ الْعَرَبِ وَأَبْخَلِ الْعَرَبِ وَأَعْيَا الْعَرَبِ وَأَجْبَنِ الْعَرَبِ. قَالَ: وَمَنْ هُوَ يَا أَخَا بَنِي تَمِيمٍ؟ قَالَ: عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. قَالَ مُعَاوِيَة: إسْمَعُوا يَا أَهْلَ الشَّامِ مَا يَقُولُ أَخُوكُمُ الْعِرَاقِيُّ. فَابْتَدَرُوهُ أَيُّهُمْ يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ وَيُكْرِمُهُ. فَلَمَّا تَصَدَّعَ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَيْفَ قُلتَ؟ فَأَعَادَ عَلَيْهِ. فَقالَ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ يَا جَاهِلُ، كَيْفَ يَكُونُ أَلأَمَ الْعَرَبِ وَأَبُوهُ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَجَدُّهُ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَامْرَأَتُهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ؟! وَأَنَّى يَكُونُ أَبْخَلَ الْعَرَبِ فَوَاللهِ لَوْ كَانَ لَهُ بَيْتَانِ بَيْتُ تِبْنٍ وَبَيْتُ تِبْرٍ لأَنْفَدَ تِبْرَهُ قَبْلَ تِبْنِهِ؟! وَأَنَّى يَكُونُ أَجْبَنَ الْعَرَبِ فَوَاللهِ مَا إلْتَقَتْ فِئَتَانِ قَطُّ إلاَّ كَانَ فَارِسَهُمْ غَيْرَ مُدَافَعٍ؟! وَأَنَّى يَكُونُ أَعْيَا الْعَرَبِ فَوَاللهِ مَا سَنَّ الْبَلاَغَةَ لِقُرَيْشٍ غَيْرُهُ؟! وَلَمَا قَامَتْ أُمُّ مِحْقَنٍ عَنْهُ أَلأَمُ فَأَبْخَلُ وَأَجْبَنُ وَأَعْيَا لِبَظْرِ أُمِّهِ. فَوَاللهِ لَوْلاَ مَا تَعْلَمُ لَضَرَبْتُ الَّذِي فِيهِ عَيْنَاكَ، فَإِيَّاكَ، عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ، وَالْعَوْدَةُ إلَى مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: وَاللهِ أَنْتَ أَظْلَمُ مِنِّي؛ فَعَلَى


 

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fought him! Mu`awiyah said: Enmity with him is over power and domination not over anything else!

Mihqan said: Have you traded power with divine wrath and painful punishment?

Mu`awiyah said: It is not so. I know something about God which you do not know, for He stated “My mercy encompasses all things” (7:156). [Mu`awiyah does not know that this verse will not include him, for the rest of the verse is “so I will ordain it (especially) for those who guard (against evil)”][576]

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Bakkar on the authority of `Ammar ibn Yasir as saying: “I advise the Imamate of `Ali to one who believes in Allah and has accepted my prophethood, for whoever accepts `Ali’s Imamate has accepted my Imamate and whoever accepts `Ali’s Imamate is certainly under the Imamate of God.

Whoever has love for `Ali in his heart, it is mixed with his love for me and whoever has love for me has love for God.[577]

`Ali’s Valor

All the people unanimously believe that during the battle of Uhud, Gabriel came down, saying: There is no man more valorous than `Ali and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali.

Khawarizmi has quoted Muhammad ibn `Ubaydullah ibn Abi-Rafi` as saying: On the day of Uhud, Gabriel with a loud voice declared: There is no man more valorous than `Ali and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali. This narration has been frequently related.[578]

Abu-`Umar Zahid has reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas as saying: One day, the Messenger of Allah rejoicingly said: I am a valorous man, the son of a valorous man, and the brother of a valorous man. As for saying: I am a valorous man, he was unanimously believed to be a valorous man among Arabs. As for saying: I am the son of a valorous man, as we know he is the son of prophet Ibrahim, the friend of Allah, for God describes him so in the verse “They said: We heard a youth called Ibrahim speak of them” (21:60). As for calling himself the brother of a valorous man, he is

 

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أَيِّ شَيْءٍ قَاتَلْتَهُ وَهَذَا مَحَلُّهُ؟ قَالَ: عَلَى خَاتَمِي هَذَا حَتَّى يَجُوزَ بِهِ أَمْرِي. قَالَ: فَحَسْبُكَ ذَلِكَ عِوَضاً مِنْ سَخَطِ اللهِ وَأَلِيمِ عَذَابِهِ. قَالَ: لاَ يَا بْنَ مِحْقَنٍ، وَلَكِنِّي أَعْرِفُ مِنَ اللهِ مَا جَهَلْتَ حَيْثُ يَقُولُ تَعالَى: ﴿وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ﴾

حَدَّثَ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ بِإسْنَادِهِ إلَى عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: أُوصِي مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللهِ وَصَدَّقَنِي بِوِلاَيَةِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ. مَنْ تَوَلاَّهُ فَقَدْ تَوَلاَّنِي وَمَنْ تَوَلاَّنِي فَقَدْ تَوَلَّى اللهَ. وَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنِي وَمَنْ أَحَبَّنِي فَقَدْ أَحَبَّ اللهَ.

فِي حَدِيثِ الفُتُوَّةِ:

أَجْمَعَ النَّاسُ كَافَّةً عَلَى أَنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ نَزَلَ فِي غَزَاةِ أُحُدٍ وَنَادَى: لاَ سَيْفَ إِلاَّ ذُو الْفِقَارِ وَلاَ فَتَى إِلاَّ عَلِيٌّ.

وَقَدْ رَوَى الخَوارِزْمِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ: نَادَى الْمُنَادِي يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ: لاَ سَيْفَ إلاَّ ذُو الفِقَارِ وَلاَ فَتَى إلاَّ عَلِيٌّ.

وَقَدْ رَوَى هَذَا بِطُرُقٍ مُتَعَدِّدَةٍ.

وَرَوَى أَبُو عُمَرَ الزَّاهِدِ بِإسْنَادِهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُصْطَفَى صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قَالَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَهُوَ نَشِيطٌ: أنَا الْفَتَى ابْنُ الْفَتَى أَخُو الْفَتَى. فَقَوْلُهُ ”أنَا الْفَتَى“ لأَنَّهُ فَتَى الْعَرَبِ بِإِجْمَاعٍ، أَيْ سَيِّدَهَا. وَقَوْلُهُ ”ابْنُ الْفَتَى“ يَعْنِي إبْرَاهِيمَ الْخَلِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجلَّ: ﴿قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيم﴾ وَقَوْلُهُ ”أَخُو الْفَتَى“ يَعْنِي عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ. وَهُوَ مَعْنَى قَوْلِ جِبْرِيلَ فِي يَوْمِ بَـدْرٍ وَقَدْ عَـرَجَ إلَى السَّمَـاءِ بِالْفَتْحِ

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`Ali’s brother, for Gabriel, the divine caller, on the day of Badr when he was rejoicingly going up the heaven, said: There is no man more valorous that `Ali and there is no sword sharper than that of `Ali.[579]

Ibn `Abbas has been quoted as saying: I saw Abu-Dharr Ghifari while he was clutching Ka`bah’s curtain, saying: Those who know and do not know me! I am Abu-Dharr. If you people keep on fasting in a way your statures become as thin as a thread and keep on praying so much that your backs become crooked, it will not benefit you unless you have the love for `Ali.[580]

The author of the book says: If a man like Abu-`Umar Zahid, a Sunni Muslim considers `Ali as the most pious and relates such a narration, is it fair to ignore it? Verily, it is love for the world and mammonism which keep the truths in the veil of ignorance.

 

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وَهُوَ فَرِحٌ يَقُولُ: لاَ سَيْفَ إلاَّ ذُو الْفِقَارِ وَلاَ فَتَى إلاَّ عَلِيٌّ.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ وَهُوَ مُتَعَلِّقٌ بِأَسْتَارِ الْكَعْبَةِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: مَنْ عَرَفَنِي فَقَدْ عَرَفَنِي، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنِي فَأَنَا أَبُو ذَرٍّ. لَوْ صُمْتُمْ حَتَّى تَكُونُوا كَالأَوْتَارِ وَصَلَّيْتُمْ حَتَّى تَكُونُوا كَالْحَنَايَا مَا يَنْفَعُكُمْ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى تُحِبُّوا عَلِيَّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ.

فَإِذَا كَانَ مِثْلُ هَذَا يَرْوِيهِ أَزْهَدُ النَّاسِ عِنْدَ السُّنَّةِ وَهُوَ أَبُو عُمَرَ الزَّاهِدُ كَيَفْ يَجُوزُ التَّغَابِي عَنْهُ لَوْلاَ مَحَبَّةُ الدُّنْيَا وَطَلَبُ الرِّئَاسَةِ؟!