Part 56

Apart from this there are other horrors which are more severe: A fire that is extremely hot, coming from a very deep pit, and people thrown therein will be chained. The water found in Hell will be of pus, and the angels who guard it (Hell) would receive command from Allah not t6 show mercy. ~ Ali then cried, and the Muslims who were with him did the same. He then went on to say: "But on the other hand there is Paradise whose area is like that of the heavens and earth which will be the abode of the righteous. May Allah make you and [ pious, and save us from that painful punishment."

Wakee> reports that ~Awfa Ibn Dalham said: ~ Ali gave a Khutbah, and said: "This worldly life is about to end and the Hereafter is fast approaching. The “arena” is in this world, and the winner of the "competition" will be determined in the Hereafter. You are living “days of hope", which will be followed by an inevitable end of life. He who neglects doing good deeds during those days, and before the end of his life, will be disappointed. As you know, desires are attained by working against anything that stands in the way of achieving them. Indeed, those who hope to enter Paradise ought not to sleep a lot, and whosoever wants to be saved from the Hell-Fire should not sleep a lot. He who is not benefited by the truth will be affected by falsehood. And whoever is not guided to the right path, will follow the path of misguidance. You have been ordered to “depart” (for the Hereafter) and given provision for that "journey"; and take note that this world is a passing one in which the righteous and the shameless sinners get their daily bread. But in the Hereafter. the true promise of the AllPowerful Lord will be fulfilled. Indeed:

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"The devil promiseth you destitution and enjoineth on you lewdness. But Allah promiseth you forgiveness from Himself with bounty. Allah is All Embracing, All Knowing." (A\- Baqarah: 168)

O you people, make good use of your days on earth, and you will be saved in the Hereafter. Thus, Allah has promised to grant Paradise to whoever worships Him, and will make Hell the abode of whoever disobeys Him. The flames of the HellFire will not be put out; the person trapped therein will neither be released nor granted respite. The fire of Hell will be extremely hot, it will come from a very deep pit and its dwellers will have pus as a drink.

My greatest fear for you is following your base desires and vain hope of long life. (In another version of this narration, following of one's base desires is a bar to truthfulness, and vain hope of Jong life makes one forget about the Hereafter.)

*Aasim Ibn Dhamrah reports that a man expressed hatred of this world to * Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who replied: "The world is a “place of honesty" for those who are honest with it; it is a place of gaining salvation for those who know about it (the world), and a place of gaining wealth and provision for the Hereafter for those who seek them herein. The world is also the place wherein Allah sent Divine Revelation, the praying-place of Allah's Angels, the earth in which His Prophets’ places of worship are found, and the "market place" of those closest to Allah. In this “market place”. In this "market place" (the world), such people gain Allah's Mercy and strive to enter Paradise. He who denounces the world ought to know that it has warned of its dangers, it is coming to an end, the evil that is behind the happiness felt in it,

and the misfortune of those who desire it. The world has also warned those who are attached to it". * Ali added: "O you who has denounced the world because your desires have not been fulfilled, when did it (the world) deceive you? When was it “harsh" with you? Was it because of the death of your father or your mother being buried in her grave?"

Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya reports on the authority of Yahya Ibn Ya* mur who narrated that * Ali said: "Everything is predestined from the Heavens like drops of rain which fall from the sky. Every soul will get that which Allah predestines for it - this may be in the form an increase or decrease in one’s well being, the number of his children, or amount of his wealth. If one finds a decrease in the aforementioned, he should not consider this a misfortune. The Muslim who does not indulge in worldly pleasures turns out to be humble, and evil people are those who are tempted by the "seducing beauty" of this world. A man who is miserable and has lost hope of getting fire is eager to see sparks flare up from fire iron, so that he would stop worrying.

Thus, a Muslim who does not resort to deception, hopes to be rewarded in this world or the Hereafter when he supplicates Allah Almighty. He may be rewarded in this world by being blessed with children, wealth, honor and being religious. Or, Allah Almighty may reward him in the Hereafter, which is far more better and everlasting. There are two kinds of benefits: worldly benefit, which takes the form of piety and wealth, and the benefit of the Hereafter which comprises of those good things that are everlasting. Allah, through His Grace, may make one enjoy the benefits of both worlds. Sufyaan Ath-Thawri commented that such wise sayings could only have been uttered by * Ali.

Zubayd Al-Yami reports on the authority of Muhajir Al- *Aamiri, who narrates that ~Ali Ibn Abi Taalib wrote some

words of advice to a companion of his, who was the governor of a certain city: "Don't isolate yourself from your subjects for a long period of time, if you do so, this will cause you worry and make you ignorant of their affairs. Isolation will cause the subjects not to know anything about their ruler, so, old people will be suppressed, and young people will be honored and held in high esteem. Also, when a ruler does not know much about his subjects, what is good in the society will be considered evil, and vice versa; and truth will be tainted with falsehood.

It must also be remembered that the ruler is an ordinary human being who dose not know those issues which people keep secret; for there is no art of telling a man's construction from his face. It is, therefore, difficult for him to distinguish between a liar and someone who is honest; thus, the ruler can be able to give people their rights by being in close contact with them.

* Ali went on to say to his companion that one could only be either of two people: one who exerts effort in giving people their rights, and therefore dose not need to isolate himself from such people. It is, therefore, incumbent upon him to give them their due rights. The other kind of person is he who miserly. How fast is it for such a person to lose his bounties! And how fast will people stop from requesting something from who is a miser.

Hammaad_ Ibn Salam reports that Ayyoob As-Sakhtiaani said: "He who loves Abu Bakr makes religion (Islam) firmly established; he who loves ‘Umar treads the path to righteousness; he who loves ~Uthman is guided by Allah's Light. And he who loves ~Ali "grasps a firm handhold”. Finally, he who says good things about the Companions of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, makes himself devoid of hypocrisy.

Abu Dawood reports in the Book of Predestination that during the days of the Kharijities (those who revolted against ~ Ali), ten of * Ali's Companions used to guard him every night with their arms. ~ Ali saw them and asked, "What has kept you waiting?" they answered, "We have come to guard you". * Ali said, "Will you guard me from what has been predestined?" He then went on to say: “Nothing happens on earth except that which Allah has predestined, for I hope the Almighty will protect me in Heaven."

Some Merits of the Commander of Faithful:

-Al-Hasan Ibn ~Arafah reports on the authority of Muhammad Ibn ~Ali who said: “A call was heard from the heavens on the day of the battle of Badr: there is no sword but Dhul Faqaar, and no young man, except ~ Ali.

~Ali Ibn Abi Taalib witnessed the Ridawaan Pledge of Allegiance, about which Allah Almighty says:

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"Allah was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance unto thee beneath the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down peace of reassurance on them, and hath rewarded them with a near victory." (AlFath: 18)

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also commented on this pledge saying: "Those who took the pledge of allegiance under the tree will never enter the Hell-Fire."

It is also reported in the authentic books of Hadith and others, that on the day of the Khaybar battle, the Prophet said: "Tomorrow I shall give the standard to a man who loves Allah and His Prophet, and is also loved by Allah and His Prophet; he does not flee from the battlefield. Allah will make Muslim gain victory through him." So, the Prophet's Companions passed the night wondering who the standard would be given to. “Umar even went to the extent of saying: " It was only on this occasion that I longed for leadership". On the following day, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave the standard to “Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, and the Muslims gained victory under his command.