Part 57

reported by “Ikrimah Ibn ~Ammaar and other reporters of Hadith.

Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi also report on the authority of Sad Ibn Abi Waqgqaas, father, who said that Mu’ awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyaan asked Sa*d: "What prevents you from insulting Abu Turaab, i.e. ‘Ali Ibn Abi Taalib?" He replied: "Three things the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said about him prevent me from doing so. If he had said one of them about me, it would have been more preferable to me to red (expensive) cattle. I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say to “Ali, after he had decided to make him be in charge of Al-Madeenah in the absence of the Prophet and his Companions, who were leaving for Jihad: "Don't you like to be with me in the same position in which Aaron was, with Moses? The only difference between them and us, is that there will be no other Prophet after me." The Prophet said this because * Ali was sad because be thought it degrading to be left behind with women and children white the other Muslim men were going to fight in Allah's cause (Jihad).

Sa*d said that the second thing the Prophet said about Allah which he wished for himself was when he, peace and blessings be upon him, said on the day of the battle of Khaybar: "I shall give the standard to aman who loves Allah and His Prophet, and is loved by Allah and His Prophet." All the Companions looked forward to being given the standard. But the Prophet said, "Please call me “Ali.” And when he was

brought suffering from his eyes, the Prophet spat slightly in his eyes and then gave him the standard, and he gained victory.

A Brief Sketch of ~ Ali's Private Life, Islamic Legal Rulings and Words:

In his Sunan, Sa*eed Ibn Mansoor says: An old man from Fazaarah narrated that he heard * Ali say: "All praise and thanks are due to Allah Who has made my enemy ask me about matters relating to his religion. Mu*awiyah wrote to ask me about the legal ruling (in inheritance) of the bisexual, and I wrote back to him that he should inherit according to the private part that is more prominent - mal or female”.

Ibn * Asaakir reports on the authority Hasan: When ~ Ali arrived in Al-Basrah (in Iraq), Ibn Al-Kawwaa' and Qays Ibn *Abaad went to him and said: "Tell us about this situation you have found yourself in; are you going to govern a nation wherein people attack each other? "Didn't the Prophet, pace and blessings be upon him, promise you anything? Please inform us, as you are honest and trustworthy about what you heard from him." He (> Ali) said: "Concerning being promised something by the Prophet, pace and blessings be upon him, he did not do that; by Allah, I was the first person to believe his Message, and would not be the first to lie against him. If he had promised me that (i.e. the Caliphate), 1 would not have allowed the two brothers from the family of Taym [bn Murrah, and “Umar Ibn Al-Khattab to stand on his (the Prophet's) pulpit; I would have fought them single handed, even if I had no helmet but this garment of mine". But the Prophet, pace and blessings be upon him, was not murdered, nor did he die suddenly. He was sick for a number of days, and the Mu'zzin

(prayer caller) used to go to him, them call people to Salaah. The Prophet used to ask Abu Bakr to lead people in Salaah, while he knew my status. One of his wives wanted him to choose someone else, instead of Abu Bakr, but he refused, became angry and said: "You are even like the women that were with Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in Salaah."

“Ali is also reported to have said that after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, the Companions consulted among themselves and chose their leader in this world, whom the Prophet (pace be upon Him) was pleased to be their religious leader.

And as Muslims know, Salaah is the foundation of religion, the most important religious duty and a pillar of Islam. Ali said that they therefore pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, who deserved it. The Companions did not disagree concerning his caliphate; they did not accuse each other, nor did they show disloyalty to him.

~Ali said that he was loyal to Abu Bakr, obeyed him, and joined his army in Jihad. He used to accept what Abu Bakr gave him, accepted his order to take part in Jihad, and punished those who went against Allah's laws, at his command.

After the death of Abu Bakr, he was succeeded by “Umar, who followed the example of his predecessor. All the Companions pledged allegiance to ~ Umar and were not disloyal to him. “Ali said that he was loyal to ‘Umar, fought in the army in which he was commander, took what ~ Umar gave him, and went out to Jihad when he ordered it. He went on to say that he also used to mete out the punishments stipulated by Allah, on the orders of ~ Umar.

After the death of ~Umar, ~Ali reflected on his blood relationship with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, his being among the first people to embrace Islam and his other virtues. He (Ali) thought that he would not be done justice in the matter of the caliphate; but ‘Umar felt that his successor might commit sins for which he (Umar) might be held responsible, if he appointed him. So, * Umar did not appoint a successor, nor did he mention the name of his son in this issue. If he wished, he would have been partial and chose his son. He delegated the responsibility of choosing a successor to six people from the Quraysh tribe, and ~ Ali was one of them.

When these people were assembled, ~ Ali thought that none of them would be against his appointment. *~ AbdurRahmaan Ibn ~Awf made them promise that they would be loyal to and obey whoever Allah chose to be their leader. Then he ( Abdur-Rahmaan) took ~ Uthmaan Ibn * Affaan's hand and put it in “Ali's; and the latter thought that he had given his pledge of allegiance in advance, and that he had promised to be loyal to someone else. Thus, all the Companions pledged their allegiance to *Uthmaan. “Ali said that he was loyal and obedient to him (* Uthmaan), took part in Jihad in the Muslim army that was under his (‘Uthmaan) command. He used to accept whatever *Uthmaan gave him, and punished those who went against Allah's laws, on his ( Uthmaan's) orders.

When ~Uthman was murdered, “Ali once against thought about his stance towards the caliphate. He recalled that the two Caliphs whom the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, chose to lead the Companions in Sa/aah had died, and the last caliph had just been murdered. So, the people living in the cities of the two holy shrines (Makkah and Madeenah) and the territories close them, pledged their allegiance to ~ Ali.

But his right to the caliphate was usurped by someone else whose relationship with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was not as close as his. This usurper was not as learned as * Ali, nor did he embrace Islam before him. Thus he ( Ali) had a better right to be Commander of the Faithful.

Abu Nu ‘aym reports in his Dalaa'il, on the authority of Ja*far's father that two men went to “Ali to be judged for a dispute between them, while he was sitting on a wall, a man said to “Ali: "The wall will collapse." He replied: "Go about your business, Allah suffices as a protector." ~Ali judged between the two men, and the wall collapsed immediately after he had descended it.

In At-Tuyuriyyaat, Ja far Ibn Muhammad reports on the authority of his father that a man said to ~ Ali: " We hear you say in your Khutbah: "O Allah! Grant us righteousness through the means you granted it to the Rightly-Guided caliphs; who are these caliphs?" ~ Ali's eyes become wet with tears, and he said: "They are my beloved ones, Abu Bakr and “Umar, the exemplars of guidance, the Sheikhs of Islam, the two notables of tribe of Quraysh who deserved to be followed after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He who follows them is safeguarded, and anyone who treads their path is guided to the path of righteousness. A person who "clings" to them becomes a member of Allah's "party".

*Abdu-Razzaaq reports on the authority of Hajar AlMudaryy thus: "“Ali asked me: ‘What would you do if you were ordered to curse me?’ Hajar also asked: "Would such a situation arise?" ~ Ali answered, "Yes, it would come to pass.” Hajar asked, "Then, what should | do?" ~ Ali said, “Curse me, but do not be suspicious of me." Hajar said that Muhammad Ibn Yoosuf, brother of Al-Hajjaaj, who was the governor of Yemen, ordered him to curse * Ali. He (Al-Hajjaaj) said: "The governor has ordered me to curse “Ali, so curse him; may

Allah's curse be upon him. No one knew the wisdom behind these words except one man.

At-Tabaraani_ in his book A/-Awsat, and Abu Nu>aym in his Ad-Dalaa‘il, report on the authority of Zaadaan, who said that “Ali narrated a Hadith, and was accused of lying by a man. “Ali said to him: "Do you agree that I pray against you, if you are the liar?" the man said: "Go ahead." So, ~Ali prayed, and the man lost his eyesight.

Ibn Abi Shaybah reports in his book A/-Musanif on the authority of ~Ataa', who said: "* Ali came with a man against whom two people bore witness that he had stolen. After * Ali had dealt with the issues of other people, he issued a threat against the false witness saying: "If any false witness is brought to me, I will deal with him in such and such a way". After that, he asked to be seen; so, he set the accused free.

Ibn *Asaakir reports on the authority of Ja‘ far Ibn Muhammad and _ his father that the words "the All-Powerful is Allah", were inscribed on * Ali's ring.