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 over it,crossing the ditch and entering the fortress captured by him, Ali was the one who could be present at several places at one and the same time and he could by God's given power to him, do and undo things for which he is even today popularly called both by his friends and focs alike as the ' Mazharul-Ajaib' and he who, when in power, as the 'Kalif ' in charge of the Treasury, stood in the treasury room and addressing the heaps of gold and silver, said ' O' yellow, O' white, go! beguile, and prouden any one else other than me! Ali has divorced ye two thrice. There can be no return for you unto me! It is said that once when he was the Kalif, Ali was mend- ing his own shoes which were totally worn out and Salman the faithful devotee of the 'Ahlul- Bait' remarked ' O' Ameertul Mominneen! What is left in them that thou mendest them ? Ali asked Salman ! What thinkest thou that this torn or worn out shoe worths? Salman replied. ' O' Ameerul Momineen ! Only God and thou knowest it.' Ali smiled and said ' Salman! know thou that this torn away and worn out shoe is to me of more worth and value than the Kalifate.' Aspiration for any worldly power on the part of such a divine is urnmaginable. And if Ali had ever accepted to rule, it was in the interest of the wel- fare of the people themselves, to give them the blessings of a godly kingdom on earth. If the world had accepted Ali, at the very first instance, it would have saved itself of all the chaos and confusion which ended the life of the Third Kalif. The opinion of a non- muslim writer on the history of the muslims, Mr. Seddillot, quoted by Mr. Justice Ameer Ali in his famous work 'the Spirit of Islam' will give out the truth in the above statement which, a dispassionate and unprejudiced mind of even a non-muslim scholar realised:-
"Had," says Seddillot : "the principles of hereditary succession in favour of Ali been recognised at the outset, it would have prevented the rise of those disastrous pretentions which engulfed Islam in the blood of muslims. The husband of Fatema, united in his person the right of succession as the lawful heir of the prophet as well as the right by election. It might have bee thought that all would submit themselves before his glory, so pure and so grand." (SI by AA)

Ali weds Lady Ummol-Baneen

THE WORLD AROUND the Holy Prophet witnessed and history has vouched the fact that the gap in the domestic life and the happiness


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 of the Prophet, created by the demise of Lady Khadija doubtlessly proved as irreparable for no other woman fittingly filled it up to give the Apostle of God the happiness at home or the harmony in his domestic life, and it is only about the good Lady Omme Salema that the Holy Prophet said: ' Ante alal Khair, i.e., Thou arton good- ness, which the good Lady proved true by not leaving the house of the Holy Prophet even after his departure from this world, and remaining as attached to his Ahlul Bait as she was during his life- time. The same was the case with Ali the First Imam, the Vice- gerent of God on earth, succeeding the Holy Prophet. After the martyrdom of the Holv Lady Fatema, there was none in the world to take her holy place in the house of Ali and the good Lady Ommol- Baneen served Ali after Holy Lady Fatema as did Omme Salema to the Holy Prophet after the demise of Lady Khadija.

The alliance for a Holy Cause

 THE PROPIIECY FROM the Holy Prophet about the impending ' Zibhe Azeem' or the Great Martyrdom of Husain, had gained so much currency and had become a matter of such a conviction and concern to the AhluI-Bait that after the departure of Lady Fatema,Ali called his brother Aqeel who was known for his knowledge about the tribal geneologies and told him to find out a respectable lady of a noble family, known for its bravery, for him to wed for he wanted to have a brave son from her to be his own representative there at Karbala to serve Husain the son of the Holy Prophet and help him in the calamitous situation against his enemies and lay his life defending Husain on his own behalf, for Hasan and Husain were hailed as the sons of the Holy Prophet and each one was addressed as 'Ibne Rasoolullah' (son of the Holy Prophet).
Ali expressly and particularly stressed when he told Aqeel for the selection of a lady, that he wanted the determined issue from the lady to be the bravest one in the world, to serve Husain at Karbala on his own behalf. Aqeel said:-
" Marry thou, Ommol- Baneen- e- Kalbi, the daughter of Hazm bin Khalid- e- Kalbi, for braver than her father, there was none in the tribes."

Abbas the Standard-Bearer of Husain arrives

THE DESIRE OF Ali was readily granted by the Lord. Ali wanted one issue, to serve on his behalf at Karbala, God gave him three


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 more along with the one desired by him and the Lady Ommol- Baneen gave four Sons to Ali:-
1. Abbas 2. Jaffar 3. Othman 4. Abdullah.
The birth of Abbas has been given by God, certain similarities with the birth of his father Ali. When Ali was born, he did not open his eyes until came to him the Holy Prophet and took him in his lap and on the apostolic hands Ali opened his eyes for the first time in the world and looked first at the holy face of the Apostle of God and smiled. Similarly did Abbas for lie opened his eyes first when Husain came and took him in his lap and Abbas opened his eyes and looked first at the holy face of Husain and smiled.
When Ali was born, he was given to the Holy Prophet who adop- ted him as his son and Ali remained with the Apostle of God and was brought up by him. Similarly, Abbas was given to Husain and remained closely attached to Husain, and Abbas prided treating himself as the slave of Husain addressing Husain not as brother, though he was a brother, but as 'Syed wo Maula' My Chief and my Master.
In short, if the Holy Prophet had come into the world to present Islam and if Ali was given to him as an assistant and helper in the apostolic mission, Husain, had been sent by the Lord to save Isalm and re-establish it at Karbala and Abbas was given to Husain to assist him and to help him in the godly mission of apostolic nature.
In resonse to the desire of Ali the First Holy Imam or the Vicegercnt of God on earth, God had sent Abbas for Husain, as was sent Ali for the Holy Prophet, to exhibit exactly the same matchless bravery, wonderful valour, irresistible prowess and the amazing and the inimitable and ideal faithfulness to defend Husain and the truth at Karbala.
For the marked resemblance with his father, Abbas was popu- Iarly known as 'Haider-e-Thani', i.e., Haider (Ali) the Second ; and for his extraordinary handsome features, he was fittingly called the 'Qamar-e-Bani Hashim', i.e., The Moon of the Hashimites.
Abbas is reported to be of such a well built and a tall stature that historians report that when he mounted a horse, his knees touched the ears of the steed and that the animal would proudly bear the commanding personality of its majestic rider.


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 All his life, right from his infsney, Abbas moved most closely with Husain, practically as a faithful slave to his loving master, or a dutiful son to a respectable father, exactly as Ali moved with the Holy Prophet.
The ways of heaven are obvious but to the awakened minds of those who believe in Him, His Might, His Wisdom and His Ever- Fulfilled Will. When God wants His will to be fulfilled on earth, He sends down His own agencies, ha they angels or men, duly fitted by Himself to serve His purpose. Apostles of God when assigned any taskful allotment of any mission, ware given the help by another one like them to assist them. Mosas was commended to proceed against Pharaoh and he was given an assistant in his brother Aaron. The Help Prophet Muhammed was to deal with the pagan and the heathen world and he was given en assistant in his brother Ali and Hosaim now having been sant to face the devils in human frames and to re-establish Gid's Religion, offering the Greatest Sacrifice (the 'Zibhe Azeem' ) ever offered on earth, he was given Abbas his brother duly fitted with all the qualities necessary to fulfil the divine purpose at Karbala.

The Kulifate thrust upon Ali

THE THIRD KALIFATE ended in chaos, turmoil and the murder of the kaif Othman. There was unrest among sPa people all over the empire. Ma'aviah the governor of Syria appointed by Omar 30 A.H., took  full advantage of the patronage of the Omayyids by the third kalif and had astablishad himself stongly at Damascus and had made the place a stronghold of his own.
An amazing situation was created that the Kalifate aftes which people ran and for which there was so much of dispute and tension, now was ronning after Ali imploring him to accept it. There waa no question of any election, nomination or co-optation now; the whole nation was now at Ali's door, imploring him to be gracious enough rn accept their Kalifate. Ali repeatedly refused but the public as a whole would not accept any excuse from him. The great historian Oakly in his famous work the History of the Saracens and other historians too, say that Ali said :-
"If you  excuse me and elect another , whomsoever you may think fit choose,  shall most submissively Vield obe- dience to him, if not, and I must with your wish


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to accept the offer,I must say frankly at the outset
that I shall conduct the administration quite indepcn
dently and I shall deal with all of you according to
the Holy Book of the Lord and to the best of knowledge and judgment.” Ok. HS. p. 289.
The people unhesitatingly and unanimously assented to the condition and gladly extended their hands in token of their fealty to Ali,but he refused to accept their assent unless it be in public, in order that none might have any doubt about the offer being from the
people and none might have any cause to grumble thereafter.
The next day, the Mosque of the Holy Prophet was so fully packed that none could cross through the crowd and the multitude of those who could not get into the Mosque were thronging around the holy edifice to hear about Ali’s consent to their offer and last
of them all, arrived the Vicegerent of the Holy Prophet and mounting the pulpit making plain and clear to every one, his condition for accepting the offer, assented to it. People, who on the previous
occasions were running away from paying their fealty to the Kalifate and who had to be forced, coerced, threatened, encouraged and purchased to pay it, now were rushing to have the honour of kissing the holy hand of Ali.

The state of affairs—Ali was offered

PEOPLE AND THE state of affairs Ali had been offered to rule,can not be depicted in this brief work. Readers interested to know about the details of the historic chaos, confusion and turmoil and the unrest that prevailed when Ali was forced to undertake
the Kalifate, may refer to Tabari or the other detailed works on the History of the muslims after the departure of the Holy Prophet.The following quotation from the famous and the popular work the
‘Spirit of Islam’ by Justice Amir Ali will suffice to give a rough idea of the situation:—
“Under Othman there was complete reversal of the policy and the administration. Merit and faithful services were wholly disregarded. All offices of trust and emolument were seized by the Omayyids. The governorships of the provinces were bestowed on men who proved themselves most inimical to Islam, and the treasury was emptied in their favour." SI. AA.


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 People had mostly been naturalised in corruption and accustomed to bribing bargains. Some of the opportunists were labouring under some false expectations. The corrupt ones thinking Ali to have been disappointed all the while until the Third Klif, for not getting the chance to rule, and now having got it, expected Ali also to canvas support and the unearned and illegal popularity at a higher scale to maintain his position by the same favouritism and bribes.
To rule a wicked people, strictly by the Word of God with the strict maintenance of the scale of justice, is quoting unpopularity and troubles. Thus Ali had always to face intrigues and revolts against his godly rule with his uncompromising love of truth, pure justice, fair play, strict discipline and, impartial treatment totally void of any kind of nepotism or favourtism which were unknown to him, and to every one of the Ahlul-Bait.
Justice Amir Ali remarks: -
"Had Ali been allowed to reign in peace, his virtues, his firmness and his ascendancy of character would have perpetuated the old republic and its simple manners." S.I., AA.
In fact, if Ali had been allowed to have his own ways in the rule and administration of the affairs of the state and of the people, even after the chaos and the confusion which ruled the state when he received the reigns of the rule after the Third Kalif, the world would have enjoyed the godly kingdom on earth. There would not have been any trouble at all if the Omayyids the declared enemies of Islam and the Holy Prophet, had not been given the opportunity to rule over the destiny of the Muslims. The trouble started with Ma'aviah and was perpetuated by him in the start of the Omayyid dynasty of the assassins of the holy ones of the Ahlul-Bait, who also murdered their own kith and kin, and were the debauchees and the drunkards who had broken the records of all kinds of licentiousness.
The first to revolt against the Kalifate of Ali unanimously set up by the people as a whole was Ma'aviah. The Muslim world very well knows as to who Ma'aviah was and of what calibre he was of. He was the son of Abu-Sofyan the Arch-enemy of Islam, who was the causative factor behind every battle that was forced on


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the Holy Prophet. Ma'aviah, had gathered strength sufficient to establish his independence in Syria. Thus Ali had to meet Ma'aviah in a battle at Siflin. The treachery and the deceit with which ended this battle, is there in the history.
After Ma'aviah, Ali was forced to meet the army under the command of Ayesha in the battle at Basra, called the Battle of the Camel (Jange Jamal).
After the battle of Jamal, Ali had to meet the forces of the hypocrites at Naharvan, in which Ali had prophecied that only nine wi11 be killed on his side and only nine will escape death, on the other side and it happened exactly so.
The godly rule of the muslim empire, by Ali, the Vicegerent of God, was not allowed to continue beyond 40 A.H., (i.e., for about four years).

The unique position of Ali

ALl's DEPARTURE FROM this world was actually the departure of the Holy Prophet, tor both of them, were the personification or the manifestations of one and the same Divine Light.
"I and Ail are of one and the same Divine Light." (SM.)
The Holy Prophet Muhammad had come to conclude the apostleship and Ali was sent to inaugurate the Imamat, i.e., the serial of the divinely commissioned Guides, the Imams, himself being the First of them.
Though the apostleship had concluded with the Holy Prophet, the guidance from God for mankind is an evercontinuous process of the divine grace which has to remain until the end of the world. God has never allowed any gap to be in the continuity of his guid ance Prophets were sent in all parts of the world, one after another; where one prophet was called back, another one in his place was sent, as a prophet or a vicegerent or the Wasi of the retiring one.
"We abrogate not a sign or cause it to be bypassed but We bring one better than it or one like it ; knowest thou not that God over all things as powerful." 2 : 106
The wordings of the above verse of the Holy Qur'an needs a careful study. It clearly says that when one sign God is re moved, another better than it or the like of it is brought in its


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 place. An apostle was sent in the place of the apostle retiring from this world and each succeeding one, came with a superior message and with a higher status:-
" And these apostles, We have exalted some of them over the others. Of them are some unto whom God hath spoken and some He bath raised in degrees. 2 :253
The Last one of God's apostles, under the principle laid down in the above verse, must naturally be the one with the superior-most message and with the highest degree in status among the community of the apostles of God. And when the Holy Prophet Muhammad the Superior-most and the Best of God's creation has already come, the one that would be brought under verse (2:106) could not be the better than the Best for the term is meaningless and hence, he would be the equal to his predecessor the Holy Prophet, and the verse 2:106 has the provision for it in its words 'or the one like him.' Thus when the Holy Prophet was withdrawn from the people, Ali the one equal to him in his purity (33 :33) and excellence, as of one and the same divine light and the ' Nafse' or the self or the soul of the Holy Prophet shown at 'Mobahila' under the verse(3 :6o) was brought and declared to the world, under the command of the verse 5:67, as the 'Maula' , i.e., the Master or the Lord or the Commander or the Ruler or the Governor in the place of the Holy Prophet, as was the Holy Prophet himself.
What is said above is the truth and it is quite a different thing altogether if any one accepts it or not and truth can never be wiped out even if the human world as a whole jointly endeavours to do it, for it is the challenge of the Lord that His Light, the Truth, none shall put out:-
 "They desire to put out the Light of Cod with their mouths, but God perfecteth His Light, though the disbelievers may be averse to it." 61:8

Comparing Alito others

BEFORE THINKING OF comparing Ali to any one besides the Holy Prophet, one should first get himself informed of the unique position of Ali and the glorious height of his position in divinity identical with the Holy Prophet, as depicted by the Holy Qur'an the


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 Word of God and as open declaration by the Holy Prophet, about him.
In what sense can any one be compared to the one who was of one and the same Light with the Holy Prophet?
How could the Brother of the Holy Prophet be equal to any one else?
What comparison could any one have with the one who was the Head of the Body of Muhammad, who was the Soul to the Body of the Apostle of God, who was of the same blood and flesh of the Holy Prophet? (Lahmoka Lahmi, Damoka Dami).
How could any one be compared to the 'Asadullah,' i.e., Lion of God who stood fast with the cause of God, along with the Holy Prophet on the trying occasions when every one even the closest compa nions had taken to their heels and had disappeared for days together.
Ali was declared the Gate of the City of Knowledge. How could the Treasurer of knowledge be compared to the ignorant ones:-
" Are those who know and who know not, alike?" 36:9
The Holy Prophet had told Ali : "O' Ali thou seest what I see and thou heareth what I hear"- How could the one who had the divine sight and insight as had the Holy Prophet, be compared to any one who owns not this gift of the Lord.
" Are the blind and the seeing alike?
Or, are darkness and light equal?" 13:16
How could Ali, who though wrongly, was doubted by some people (the 'Nusairie's ) to be God Himself, be compared to any one of those whose bonafide about the sincerity of their faith itself is questionable.
;To go into the details of the exclusive distinctions of Ali in his excellence which was doubtlessly divine and certainly incomparable with any other mortal save the Holy Prophet; will need a separate volume of its own. In short it could be said that to attempt to compare Au to any one else besides the Holy Prophet, will be nothing short of the bankruptcy of the intellect


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 or the betrayal of one's ignorance of the position of this Holy one in the human race. The same is the position of Lady Fatema in her personal excellence, and the divinity of her soul, cannot be compared to any other Lady in the world.

Husain intercedes for Shimar

IT IS REPORTED that once, in Kufa, Shimar was convicted and imprisoned during the rule of Ali. Through the window of the prison, Shimar saw Husain passing by, and cried aloud:-
" O Son of the Apostle of God; I intercede on my behalf to thy Father Ali and get me free from this prison.
Husain went straight to his Father Ali and appealed for mercy for Shimar.
Ali asked: " Dost thou know, Husain, that this is Shimar, he would be the murderer of thine and the Torturer of Thy family at Karbala?"
Husain said: " Father! I am the Son of the Apostle of God who is the mercy unto the worlds and thy Son who is Commander of the faithful and the Reliever of the distressed ones and the Son of Fatema the Lady of Paradise and the Liberator of the sinners Shimar has appealed for mercy throngh me - Father! I will act as I should, and let Shimar act as he liketh."
Thus Shimar was granted mercy and the same Shimar was the one who severed the head of Husain in Karbala and raised it on his lance, and tortured his family and children.

Hasan receives the Imamat

 WHEN FATEMA HAD left this world suffering the treachery of the followers of her father, and Ali had shed the blood of his head, in prayer in the niche of the Mosque in Kufa and had departed from this world, Hasan and Husain were left alone amidst an atmosphcre totally hostile and murderous to the Ahlul-Bait.
After Ali, Hasan his eldest son became the Second Imam and along with the Imamat, he received also the Kalifate or the Rule of the Muslim Empire. But Ma'aviah the son of Abu Sofyan the Governor of Syria, appointed by Omar and strengthened by