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This Thread is Dedicated to Virtues , Life , Stories of Father of The Sufism , Father of Tasawwuf Hazrat Ali كَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ


Father of Tasawwuf


'Amir al-Momineen' (Leader of the Faithful); Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, is acclaimed as the father of Sufism [tasawwuf]. Most Sufi orders claim their descent from Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.


According to 'Data Ganj Baksh'; UTHMAN 'ALI AL-HUJWIRI [d.469H] Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, the rank of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu is very high in the lineage of Sufis. According to JUNAYD AL-BAGHDADI [d.298H] Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu is the Shaykh as regards to the principles and practices of tasawwuf



The Beloved Prophet & Tasawwuf :



The roots of tasawwuf lie embedded in Islam itself. There are numerous passages in the Qur'an al-karim which are of a mystical character. The Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam himself displayed mystical inclinations and he very often retired to the cave known as Hirah for the purpose of devotions, meditation and contemplation. The The Beloved of Allah Salla Allahu ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam was the recipient of two types of revelations, one embodied the Qur'an al-karim, and the other illuminated his heart. The former was meant for all, the latter for those selected few whose hearts could be illuminated with the Divine Light. The knowledge of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam was thus both book knowledge (Ilm-i-Safina) and heart knowledge (Ilm-e-Sina).



Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu received his heart knowledge from the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam. It is related that after the Ascension, the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta''ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam awarded a mantle to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu which led to the illumination of his heart.



Gnosis of God


According to Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu the base of religion is the gnosis of God. He held:



"The height of gnosis is His confirmation. The height of confirmation is tawhid. The height of tawhid is the acknowledgement of the supremacy of God in all matters. He is beyond all attributes. No particular attribute can give an idea of His exact nature. He is not bound by anything; all things are bound by Him. He is Infinite, limitless, boundless, beyond time, beyond space, beyond imagination. Time does not affect Him. He existed when there was nothing. He will exist forever. His existence is not subject to the law of birth or death. He is manifest in everything, yet He is distinct from everything. He is not the cause of anything, yet everything is because of Him. He is unique and He has no partner. He is the Creator. He creates as well as destroys. All things are subject to His command. He orders something to be and it is."


Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu enjoined the severance of the heart from all things save God. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was asked what was the purest thing that could be acquired, and he said,


"It is that which belongs to a heart made rich by God."


When Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was asked about gnosis, he said,


"I know God by God, and I know that which is not by God by the light of God."

When asked whether he had seen God, he said that verily he had seen God for he could not worship Him unless he knew Him.


Prayers to God


When Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu used to pray, his hair would stand on end. He would tremble and say,


"The hour has come to fulfill a trust which the heavens and the earth were unable to bear."


Abu Darda Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu an eminent Companion of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam said,


"None in this world has excelled Ali in prayer."


While praying, so great was the intensity of his emotions that he would fall into a swoon. It is related that on one occasion, Abu Darda Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu found Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu lying rigid on the prayer mat, and touching his cold body thought that Sayyadina Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu had breathed his last. When he broke this news to Hadrat Fatima Radi Allahu ta'ala anha, she said that Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu often became unconscious while praying. Abu Darda Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu wept profusely, and then sprinkled some water on Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu's face and he regained consciousness. Seeing tears in the eyes of Abu Darda Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu said:


"Why are you crying? You shed tears when you see me in this state. Imagine what will happen to me when the Angels dragged me into the presence of God, and I am forced to render an account of my deeds. They will blind me with fetters of iron, and present me before God, and those of my friends who will happen to be witnesses will be powerless to help me. They will lament my unhappy plight, but none save God will be able to help me on that day."


Communion with God



Very often, Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu would sob all night in his prayers to God, and God would reward him with a glimpse of Inner Vision. According to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, the highest purpose of knowledge is the awakening of latent spiritual faculties whereby one is enabled to discover his true and inner self. It is to this inner self that God reveals Himself when the self disappears in the vision of the "All Absorbing Reality." Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu often observed that man could have the joy and wonder of communion with God if one abandoned pride, disciplined the flash, overcame lust and submitted to the Will of God. He exhorted people in his various sermons to not indulge in gross licentiousness which had characterized Arab society in the "Days of Ignorance." But should instead live in piety and simplicity as enjoined by Islam. Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu said,


"Man is a wave in the boundless Sea of God. As long as man's vision is clouded by ignorance and sensuality he will consider himself to be a separate entity, different from God. But when the veil between him and God is lifted, he will then know what he really is. The wave will then merge with the ocean."


Sayyadina Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu held that enlightenment is needed so that one can first get to know himself. Only then would he get to know God. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu held that to this end religious exercises must be practised. The Sufism for which Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu stood, derived its strength from the Shari'ah. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu preached that any form of knowledge which failed to show the Infinite Reality in man was useless, because it could not fill that vacuum in which the aching soul in every individual was so pathetically conscious. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu wanted men to be virtuous as virtues purify the soul, and it is only the purified soul that can be the recipient of spiritual enlightenment. This is the doctrine of Inner Light which was the enunciated by Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu as the core of Sufi thought. Accordingly, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu is acknowledged as the "father of Sufism" and the prince of saints




Doctrine of preference



Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu also enunciated the doctrine of preference. He stood for and preferred the claims of others to his own claims. He gave an outstanding demonstration of this doctrine when he slept on the bed of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam on the night of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam's migration from Makkah, when the infidels were seeking to slay him. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu risked his life for the sake of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, because of the preference that Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu gave to the life of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam as compared with his own life.


After the death of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu considered that he was the most deserving person to be elected as the Caliph. Yet, when his claims were overlooked and other persons were elected as Caliphs, he offered them an allegiance in pursuance of the doctrine of preference. It was this spirit of preference that motivated Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu to plunge in the thick of battle to meet the challenge of the enemy regardless of his own personal safety. It is related that after the Ascension, when the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam gave Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu a mantle, he asked him how he would use the mantle. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu said that he would use it to cover the faults of others. The true Sufi way lies in covering the faults of others



Fasting


According to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, fasting was not a mere formality or a ritual; it was an exercise for the purification of the soul. Because of his constant fasting, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu earned the epithets of "Qa'im-ul-Lait" (praying most of the night without sleep); and "Sa'im-ul-Nahar" (fasting mostly during the day). Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu held that hunger sharpens the intelligence and improves both the mind and health. Hunger involves some affliction for the body, but it illumines the heart, purifies the soul, and leads the spirit to the presence of God. One who cultivates his spiritual nature by means of hunger in order to devote himself entirely to God and detach himself from worldly ties, is at a much higher level than the person who cultivates his body by means of gluttony and lust.


Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu acted on the advice of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam,


"Fast so that perchance your hearts may seek God in this world."


And indeed, because of his fasting and other spiritual exercises, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu did see God in this world. The Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam had enjoined,


"When you fast, let your ear, your eye, your tongue, your hand, and your every limb fast."


Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu followed this advice to the letter as well in spirit. Through the discipline of fasting, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was able to subordinate the physical senses to spiritual requirements in such a way that they could respond only to what was pure and became dead to what was impure. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu thus led a purified life.



Zakat

Sayyadina Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu held:



"Of the most meritorious acts of a believer, and one of the most acceptable things to God is Zakat. It behoves everyone to give charity, because from amongst the acts of worship, this is the most pleasing to God."


In his sermons, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu exhorted the people in the following terms:


"O ye people, send a part of your wealth to God so that it may stand you in good stead in the next world. Do not leave your entire wealth here so that it will become a source of annoyance to you in the next world."


In the annals of Arabs, Hatim Tai enjoys fame for his munificence and generosity. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu outclassed Hatim in the matter of generosity



Pilgrimage


Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was born inside the Ka'bah. He had, therefore a strong emotional attachment for the Ka'bah. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu observed that the Ka'bah Shareef was located in a territory known for its stony wastes and wilderness and where no water was available. God had ordained the Muslims to bear the hardships involved in a journey through such an inhospitable land cheerfully so that those very privations might ultimately become a source of salvation. The pilgrimage is symbolic of the fact that whatever hardship one bears in the trials of life and endeavours to fulfill the will of God, he acquires goodness and righteousness by them. The darkest thing in the world is the beloved's house without the beloved. What is really important for a lover is the beloved and not the house of the beloved. According to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu the spirit of pilgrimage did not lie in a bare visit to the Ka'bah, it lay in developing the inner vision whereby one could see God, the Lord of the Ka'bah.



Jihad

Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu held that jihad is the gateway to Paradise. He said:



"God has opened this gate for His friends. It is the mantle of piety. It is the shield of faith. He who avoids it, God subjects him to disgrace."


Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu held that jihad did not lie in merely taking up arms in the cause of God, it means incessant struggle against falsehood it all spheres of life. Jihad is the main pillar on which Islam rests



Repentance


The first stage in the path of tasawwuf is repentance. Repentance is described as the awakening of the soul from the slumber of heedlessness so that the sinner becomes aware of his evil ways and feels contrition for past disobedience. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu repeatedly prayed for God's forgiveness. His typical prayer was:


"O God, forgive me my sins of which you are more aware than me. And if I commit these sins again, even then forgive me and whatever promises I have made with myself to follow Your commands that have not been fulfilled. I seek Your forbearance. If I have sought Your proximity with my tongue, but my heart has not kept pace with my tongue, then overlook my lapse. O God, forgive me for my futile talk, vain desires and lapses of tongue."



Detachment


Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu admonished that while living in the world, one should not renounce the world, still he should not have an undue attachment for it because detachment from the world (Zuhd) is a means of attaining God. It is related that someone begged Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu to give him a precept. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu said:


"Do not let your wives and children be a cause of concern for you, for if they be the friends of God, He will look after His friends, and if they are the enemies of God, why should you take care of God's enemies?"



Patience


In the mystic way, the traveller will meet many trials and tribulations. God subjects His lovers to severe testing, and only he will pass such tests who is patient. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was the personification of patience, and for this he acquired the epithet of "Job, the Second." In the battle of Uhud, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu received as many as 61 wounds on his person so that his whole body looked like one massive wound to which the nurses were unable to dress. Although Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was in mortal agony, he said: "May God Grant me the patience to bear this suffering. Is it not a favour of God that He gave me the courage to stand and fight, and not to leave the field?"



About the patience of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, Dr. Ata Mohyuddin writes as follows in his Ali, the Superman:



"Ali used to say that at no time in his life had he ever known peace and tranquillity. From the time of infancy when he was taken into the home of the Beloved Prophet, Ali felt the ferment of turbulence and turmoil. The Beloved Prophet was constantly persecuted by the Meccan pagans. And from adolescence onwards, Ali was constantly fighting in jihad, and after the death of the Beloved Prophet, he was embroiled against his wish, in the political intrigues of others. Even when elected Caliph, the implacable enemies of Islam arose and rebelled against him, yet he bore all these afflictions with patience, thanking God that he had acquitted himself well in the tests and trials to which the Almighty had thought fit to subject him."

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Sayyidina Ali كَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ referenced in Quran


According to the consensus of commentators, some of the verses which refer to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu are as follows:



Verse 33, Sura 33


"Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Folk of the Household, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing."

Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu is obviously included in the expression "Folk of the Household."


Verse 61, Sura 3


"And whoso disputeth with thee concerning him, after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, say (unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we will pray humbly (to our Lord) and (solemnly) invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie."

This verse alludes the deputation of the Christians of Najran who came to Madina to hold a discussion with the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam about the truth of Islam. In this verse, the reference to "our sons, and our women" includes references to Hadrat Ali, Hadrat Fatima, Hasan and Hussain [Allah be pleased withem all].


Verse 3, Sura 9


"And a proclamation from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free from obligation to the idolaters, and (so is) His messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you; but if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve."

In pursuance of this verse, the Beloved Prophet commissioned Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu to go to the 'Greater Pilgrimage' to announce the verses of the Sura "Immunity" wherein God absolved the Muslims from all obligations under treaties previously concluded with the idolators.


Verse 23, Sura 42


"Say O Muhammad to mankind: 'No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin.' "

According to Traditions, when the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam was asked as to who were the relatives alluded to in the verse, the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam said,


"Verily, the reference is to Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain."


Verse 21, Sura 45


"Do those who commit evil deeds suppose that We shall treat them like those who believe and do good deeds - that their lives and their deaths shall be equal.No, bad is their judgment."

According to Ibn Abbas, "the doers of good" cited to in this verse, refer to to to Hadrat Ali, Hadrat Hamza and Hadrat Ubaydah b. Harith.


Verse 17, Sura 11


"Is he to be counted equal with those who rely on a clear proof from his Lord and the witness from Him recites it, and before it was the Book of Moses, and example and a mercy? Such believe therein. Whoso disbelieves therein, the Fire is his appointed place. So be not you in doubt concerning it. Lo, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of mankind believe it not."

One day, in one of his sermons, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu said that there was hardly a man from among to the Quraysh who had not been referred to in the Noble Qur'an. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was asked to recite some verse which alluded to him. Thereupon he recited the above verse.


Verse 4, Sura 66


"Now if both of you turn to Allah repentant, it will be better for you as your hearts are already so inclined. But if you backup each other against him, surely Allah is his helper, and Gabriel and the righteous among the believers, and furthermore, all other angels too are his helpers."

According to Ibn Abbas, the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam said that the "righteous men" alluded to as "helper" in this verse, refers to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.


Verse 18, Sura 32


"Is he who is a believer like him who is an evil doer? Verily they are not equal."

According to Ibn Abbas, "believer" in this verse refers to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, and "evil doer" refers to Walid b. Utba.


Verse 54, Sura 25


"And He it is Who created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage, and your Lord is all powerful."
According to the Traditions, "kindred by blood and kindred by marriage" refers to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.


Verse 36, Sura 24


"The lamp of light is lit in houses which Allah has allowed to be exalted so that His name be remembered in them. Therein He is glorified in the mornings and evenings."

According to the Traditions, the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam said that be "houses" referred to in this verse include the house of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu and Hadrat Fatima Radi Allahu ta'ala anha.


Verse 55, Sura 5


"Your friend is only Allah and His Messenger, and the believers who observed prayer and pay the poor rate."

According to the Traditions, "the believers" referred to in this verse includes a reference to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.


Verse 12, Sura 58


"O ye who believe! When you consult the Messenger in private, give alms before your consultation. That is better and purer for you. But when you do not find the wherewithal, Lo! Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."


According to the Traditions, when this verse was revealed the Beloved Prophet wanted to fix an amount which every person who consulted the Beloved Prophet should pay. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu contended that since the people were generally poor no amount should be fixed and the option should rest with the person concerned, to pay whatever alms he could.


Verse 181, Sura 7


"And of those We have created, there are people that guide men in the truth, and do justice therewith."
According to the Traditions, the reference to "people that guide men with truth" includes a reference to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.


Verse 57, Sura 43



"And when the son of Mary is cited as an example, lo, the people jeer thereat."

According to the Traditions, the Beloved Mesenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam is said to have told Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu that one day his example would be like that of Jesus Christ. A section of the people would love him so much that they would willingly die for him, whereas there would also be other people who would fight against him.


Verse 29, Sura 48


"Muhammad is the Apostle off God. And those with Him are firm against the disbelievers, and Merciful amongst themselves. Thus see them bowing down, and prostrating themselves in prayer, seeking grace from Allah and His pleasure. Their mark is upon their faces, being the traces of prostrations. Such is their description in the Torah. And their description in the gospel is like a seed that sends forth its sprout, then makes its strong; it then becomes thick, and stands on its stem, delighting the sowers, and causing the disbelievers to burn with rage at the sight of them. Allah has promised to those of them who believe and do good works, forgiveness and a great We reward."

According to the commentary of Imam Abu Musa, this verse was revealed in favour of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu


Verse 43, Sura 13



"And those who disbelieve say 'you are not a Messenger' say to them, 'sufficient is Allah as the witness between me and you, and so is he who possesses knowledge of the Book."

According to commentators, the phrase "whosoever has the knowledge of the Book" alludes to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.



Verse 64, Sura 8

"O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and for such of the followers as follow you."

According to commentators, the phrase "such of the followers as follow you" alludes to Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu.

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Short Biography of Sayyidina Ali كَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ



Hazrat Ali (ra), son of Abu Talib, the uncle of our Prophet (saas), was one of the first Muslims who accepted Islam at an early age. He was also the son in law of the Messenger of Allah (saas) and a member of his ahl al-bayt (household).

He grew up alongside the Prophet Muhammed (saas) and was taught by him.

He never prostrated himself before idols or worshiped them; he prostrated himself before Allah alone.

He was therefore known by the name of “Karam Allah Wajhu” (May Allah honor his face).

Hazrat Ali (ra) became one of our Prophet's (saas) closest helpers ever since he accepted Islam at an early age, and remained with him until his death.

Hazrat Ali was born in Mecca, some 23 years before the hegira, or migration. He is a blessed Caliph of Islam whose adherence to Qur’anic moral values our Prophet (saas) cited as exemplary. He was the last Caliph in the “Era of the Four Caliphs,” one of the most glorious times in the history of Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) married him to his beloved daughter Hazrat Fatima, thus making him his son in law.

Hazrat Ali had three sons by Hazrat Fatima; Hassan, Hussein and Muhsin, and two daughters, Zaynab and Ummu Gulsum. The line of our Prophet (saas) continued through Hazrat Hassan and Hazrat Hussein, the sons of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Fatima




HAZRAT ALI’S LOVE FOR AND EXEMPLARY OBEDIENCE TO THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAAS)




Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari cites Hazrat Ali (ra) as saying:

The Messenger of Allah (saas) called me and said: “O Ali! Almighty Allah has commanded me to warn and frighten those close to me. Prepare a meal for us. Then bring together the sons of Abdulmuttalib for me to talk to them so I can communicate them what I have been commanded.”

At the Messenger of Allah's (saas) command, I gathered them together, and the Messenger of Allah (saas) said to them: “Almighty Allah has charged me with calling you to Him. Which one of you wishes to be my brother, heir and Caliph?” All those there were silent. Although I was younger than any of them, I said, “O the Messenger of Allah! I want to be your helper.” The Messenger of Allah (saas) put his hand on my neck and said: “This person is my brother, heir and Caliph among you; listen to him and obey his commands.” (History of Tabari, Vol. 2, p. 62.)


A LEARNED CALIPH OF ISLAM



One of Hazrat Ali’s (ra) most prominent characteristics was the learning he possessed by the leave of Allah.
His learning was not limited to texts of jurisprudence and laws. He was also one of the leading figures of his time in mathematics and similar branches of science. Our Prophet (saas) praised this important attribute of Hazrat Ali in a hadith:

"I am the city of learning, and [Hazrat] Ali (ra) is the gate" (Daylami)

Ever since childhood Hazrat Ali was alongside the Prophet (saas), and learned about Qur’anic moral values and the wisdom of the Qur’an from him, and served as his secretary of revelation. Hazrat Ali was one of the leading scholars of Islamic jurisprudence among the Companions.



HAZRAT ALI’S (RA) EXEMPLARY COURAGE


Another one of Hazrat Ali’s (ra) most prominent characteristics was his exemplary courage. Hazrat Ali feared nobody other than Allah, exhibited great determination, and made no concessions regarding the moral values of the Qur’an under any circumstances.

He served as standard bearer in all the battles he fought in. He was only absent from the Battle of Tabuk, as he had remained in Medina at the Prophet’s (saas) command.

He was around 25 at the Battle of Badr and commanded the defenders of Islam. Despite receiving 70 wounds, he continued fighting alongside the Messenger of Allah (saas) right up to the end.

During the fighting against the pagans at the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Ali’s sword broke in his hand as he was defending our Prophet (saas). Upon this, our Prophet (saas) gave him his own famous sword, called “Zulfiqar.”


At the Battle of the Trench, he struck down the renowned Arab warrior Amr Ibn Abduwud with a heavy blow. This achievement of Hazrat Ali played a major role in the outcome of the Battle of the Trench.

During the Battle of Khaybar, Hazrat Ali tore down the door of the Castle of Khaybar with his own hand and used it as a shield


He was a complete fighter. They wounded Hazrat Ali (ra) in 17 places, but he heroically remained on his feet and continued to fight. He had 17 sword wounds, insha’Allah. Just one sword wound would put most people down. But they have wounded my beloved hero from 17 places, masha’Allah, my grandfather, he heroically remained standing. He tore down the door of the Castle of Khaybar, insha’Allah. With that adrenalin, masha’Allah.


When Mecca was conquered, he and the Prophet Muhammad (saas) smashed the idols around the Kaaba; then they entered inside, tore down the idols there, and threw them outside.


The Prophet Muhammed (saas) ordered that the idols that were high up should be smashed, saying, “O Ali! Climb on my shoulders and tear them down and break them.” Hazrat Ali climbed onto the shoulders of the Messenger of Allah (saas) and cast the idols down. He described the fervent love of Allah he felt at that moment in the words; “I felt as if I could have reached the sky had I so wished."

SOME OF THE APPELATIONS OF HAZRAT ALI (RA)



Sher-i Yazdan (The Lion of Allah)
Al-Qur'an an-Natiq (The Speaking Qur’an)
Haydar (The Lion)
Haydar Al-Karrar (He who heroically attacks the enemy revolving around himself)
Al-Murtadha (He with whom Allah is well pleased)
Shah e- Walayat (The Shah of the Guardians)
Amir al-Muminun (Commander of the Believers)
Asad -ullah (The Lion of Allah)
Shah e-Mardan (The Shah of the Heroes)
Sayfullah (The Sword of Allah)
Sultan al-Ashiya (The Sultan of the Generous)
Abu Turab (The Father of the Soil)
Hazrat Ali died in 661, on the morning of the 19th day of Ramadan, being martyred by a blow from the poisoned sword of Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam , while he was performing the morning prayer in the Mosque of Kufa.

Hazrat Ali’s dying words were:

- I swear that I have achieved what I hoped for.



THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAAS) FORETOLD THE MARTYRDOM OF HAZRAT ALI (RA)



The Messenger of Allah (saas) gave Hazrat Ali the title of Abu Turab, or Father of the Land, and foretold his martyrdom.

The Messenger of Allah (saas) saw Hazrat Ali and Ammar Yasir stretched out and asleep on the soft ground and woke them up. He then touched Hazrat Ali with his hands and said: “Awake, O Abu Turab! (Father of the Soil) Would you like me to tell you of the most wretched of men?" And then he said; "There are two of them. One is Uhmir Samud, who slew the camel (of Salih). THE OTHER IS," pointing to Hazrat Ali's (ra) head, "THE PERSON WHO STRIKES HERE WITH HIS SWORD, SMEARING YOUR BEARD WITH BLOOD.”(Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 4, p. 263-264, 5/326, h.17857; p. 327, h.17862; Al- Mustadrak al-Sahihain, 3:140, 3/151, h.4679; 408/2,Events of the 2nd year of the hegira, al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, 2:236, 2/249; Al- Bidaya wa’l- Nihaya 3:247, 303/2 events of the 2nd year of the hegira.)


OUR PROPHET’S (SAAS) WORDS ABOUT HAZRAT ALI (RA)



"He who loves Ali has loved me. Enmity toward him is enmity toward me. He who offends him has offended me. And he who has offended me has of course offended Allah." (Tabarani)

"Everything has a wing. The arm and wing of this Ummah are Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra). Everything also has a shield, and the shield of this Ummah is Ali (ra)." (Khatib)

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~~ SOME VIRTUES OF HAZRAT ALI (R) ~~


Zirr reported: 'Ali observed: By Him Who split up the seed and created something living, the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) gave me a promise that No one but a believer would love me, and none but a hypocrite would nurse grudge against me.

Reference

Book 001, Number 0141: (Sahih Muslim)





Sa'd reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying to 'Ali: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses?

Reference

Book 031, Number 5916: (Sahih Muslim)


Sayyidna Abu Sarihah (Radhi Allah) or Zayd ibn Arqam (Shu’bah is uncertain about it) said that Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) said: He for whom I am Mawla Ali is Mawla

Reference

[Sunnan al Tirimdhi Hadith No. 3733]


Sayyidna Hubshi ibn Junadah (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger said: Ali is from me and I am from Ali

Reference

[Sunnan Ibn Majah Hadith No. 119] – Imam Tirimdhi also narrated it and declared it Hassan Sahih.



Translation:“Barā’ bin ‘Āzib (RA) narrates: We performed hajj with Allāh’s Messenger (SAW). On the way he stayed at a place and commanded us (to establish) the prayer in congregation. After this, he held ‘Alī’s hand, and said: Am I not nearer than the lives of the believers? They replied: Why not! He said: Am I not nearer than the life of every believer? They replied: Why not! He said: One who has me as his master has this (‘Alī) as his guardian. O Allāh! Befriend the one who befriends him and be the enemy of one who is his enemy.”
References:

► Ibn Mājah narrated this sound hadīth (tradition) in preface (al-muqaddimah) to his Sunan (1:88 # 116)
►Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:168)
►Ibn ‘Asākir, Tārīkh Dimashq al-kabīr (45:167, 168)
►Ibn ‘Abī ‘Āsim briefly mentioned in as-Sunnah (p.603 # 1362).



It is narrated by Barā’ bin ‘Āzib (RA): We were on a journey with Allāh’s Messenger (SAW). (On the way) we stayed at Ghadīr Khum. There it was announced that the prayer was about to be offered. The space under two trees was cleaned for Allāh’s Messenger (SAW). Then he offered the zuhr (noon) prayer, and, holding ‘Alī’s hand, he said: Don’t you know that I am even nearer than the lives of the believers? They said: Why not! He said: Don’t you know that I am even nearer than the life of every believer? They said: Why not! The narrator says that he said while holding ‘Alī’s hand: One who has me as his master has ‘Alī as his master. O Allāh! Befriend the one who befriends him (‘Alī) and be the enemy of one who is his enemy. The narrator says that after this ‘Umar (bin al-Khattāb (RA)) met ‘Alī (RA) and said to him: O Ibn Abī Tālib! Congratulations, you have become the master of every male and female believer, morning and evening (for ever).”

References

►Ahmad bin Hambal related it from Barā’ bin ‘Āzib through two different chains of transmission in al-Musnad (4:281)
►Ibn Abī Shaybah, al-Musannaf (12:78 # 12167)
►Ibn Kathīr in al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:169; 5:464)
►Ibn ‘Asākir, Tārīkh Dimashq al-kabīr (5:167, 168)
► Ibn Athīr, Asad-ul-ghābah (4:103)
► Dhahabī has said in Siyar a‘lām-in-nubalā’ (2:623, 624)

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^^
MASHALLAH Brother what a great thread

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* Sayyidna Hubshi ibn Junadah (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger said: Ali is from me and I am from Ali

Reference

[Sunnan Ibn Majah Hadith No. 119] – Imam Tirimdhi also narrated it and declared it Hassan Sahih




* “Barā’ bin ‘Āzib (RA) narrates: We performed hajj with Allāh’s Messenger (SAW). On the way he stayed at a place and commanded us (to establish) the prayer in congregation. After this, he held ‘Alī’s hand, and said: Am I not nearer than the lives of the believers? They replied: Why not! He said: Am I not nearer than the life of every believer? They replied: Why not! He said: One who has me as his master has this (‘Alī) as his guardian. O Allāh! Befriend the one who befriends him and be the enemy of one who is his enemy.”

References:

► Ibn Mājah narrated this sound hadīth (tradition) in preface (al-muqaddimah) to his Sunan (1:88 # 116)
►Ibn Kathīr, al-Bidāyah wan-nihāyah (4:168)
►Ibn ‘Asākir, Tārīkh Dimashq al-kabīr (45:167, 168)
►Ibn ‘Abī ‘Āsim briefly mentioned in as-Sunnah (p.603 # 1362).




* Imam al-Shafi`i said with the subtleness of the wise in his Diwan:
I call upon my Lord to witness that `Uthman is of high merit And that `Ali's high merit is shared by none.

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~~Assesment of western scholars~~



Philip Hitti In his book History of the Arabs, Professor Hitti assessed the character of Hadrat Ali as follows:


"Valiant in battle, wise in council, eloquent in speech, true to his friends, magnanimous to his foes, Ali became both the paragon of Muslim nobility and chivalry, and the Solomon of Arabic tradition around whose name, poems, proverbs, sermonettes and anecdotes innumerable have clustered. He had swarthy complexion, large black eyes, bald head, a thick and long white beard, and was opulent and of medium stature. His sabre Dhul Fiqar, which was wielded by the Prophet on the battlefield of Badr, has been immortalized in the words of this verse found engraved in many medieval Arab records, "no sword can match Dhul Fiqar, and no young warrior can compare with Hadrat Ali."



Sir William Muir In his book, The Caliphate, its Rise, Decline and Fall, Sir William Muir paid his tribute to Hadrat Ali in the following words:


"In the character of Ali, there are many things to commend him for. Mild and beneficent, he treated Basra when prostrate at his feet with a generous forbearance. Towards theocratic fanatics, who wearied his patience by incessant intrigues and senseless rebellion, he showed no vindictiveness. In compromise indeed and in procrastination lay the future of his caliphate. With greater vigour, spirit, and determination, he might have averted the schism which for a time threatened the existence of Islam, and which has never ceased to weaken it. Ali was wise in counsel and many an adage and astute proverb have been attributed to him. But like Solomon, his weakness was for others more than himself




Professor Nicholson In his book A Literary History of the Arabs, Nicholson remarked:


"Ali was a gallant warrior, a wise counsellor, a true friend and generous foe. He excelled in poetry and in eloquence. His verses and sayings are famous throughout the Muhammadan East, though few of them can be considered authentic. He can be compared with Montrose and Bayard in the fineness of spirit. On the other hand he has exerted down to the present-day a posthumous influence only second to that of Muhammad himself.






Thomas Carlyle In his book On Heroes and Hero Worship, Thomas Carlyle observed:


"As for this young Ali, one cannot but like him. A noble minded creature, as he shows himself, now and always afterwards, full of affection, of fiery daring something chivalrous in him, brave as a lion, yet with a grace, truth and affection worthy of Christian knighthood. He died by assassination in the mosque at Kufa, death occasioned by his own generous fairness, confidence in the fairness of others. He said: if the wound proved not unto death, they must pardon the assassin, but if it did, they must slay him straightaway, so that the two of them in the same our might appear before God, and see which side of that quarrel was the just one."




Dr. Henry Stubbe In his book An Account of the Rise and Progress of Muhammadanism, Dr. Henry Stubbe observed:


"Ali was of a brown complexion, a little man with a somewhat large belly, he had a contempt of the world, its glory and pomp. He feared God much, gave many alms, was just in all his actions, humble and affable, of an exceedingly quick wit, and of an ingenuity that was not common. He was exceedingly learned, not only in those sciences that terminate in speculation, but those which extend to practice."




Major Price In his book Memoirs of the Principal Events of Muhammadan History, Major Price observed:


"His virtues and extraordinary qualities have been the subject of voluminous panegyrics, and his war-like exploits from his youth upwards have been particularly celebrated in the "Khawer Nama," a poem well-known in the East and which may perhaps contend in extravagance with the wildest effusions of European romance. With his acknowledged talents and magnanimity, it is however, difficult to account for the train of civil mischief and perpetual discontent which continued to disturb him for the whole of his reign. His gallant spirit was probably incapable of bonding to the ordinary shifts of political craft, and it is perhaps true that the Arabian chiefs were not yet sufficiently disciplined to see the sovereign authority quietly monopolized by any particular family



J.J. Saunders In his book A History of Medieval Islam, J.J. Saunders observed:


"His moral qualities were respectively recognized. He was a brave fighter and an eloquent orator and a loyal friend. Many things of his are quoted to prove his mastery of proverbial wisdom, a gift highly honoured among the Semites. He displayed towards his foes a patience and magnanimity expressive of a humane and generous disposition. His religion was founded on genuine piety. He was shocked by the growing luxury and corruption of the age. As his temper was indolent, he drifted rather than led. He was easily outmatched by the astute and the forceful, and he lacked the commanding personality to impose his will on a turbulent society.

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People excessively praising and the ones who slander Ali

Ali is reported to have said: "Allah's Messenger called me one day and said:
"You have some of the attributes of Isa ; the Jews hated him to the extent that they accused his mother (of lewdness) falsely; and the Christians loved him to the extent that they raised him to a status (lordship) which he did not deserve. Two kinds of people will seek my destruction. He who feigns excessive love for me, and exceeds the limits in praising me, and he who slanders me, and is led by such hatred to accuse me falsely."

(Reported by Al-Bazzaar, Abu Ya'la.)