Part 58

Al-Madaa’'ini reports: When * Ali went to Al-Kufah, one of the Arab sages met him and said: "By Allah, you have graced the caliphate without it's gracing you, Commander of the Faithful; you have made it an exalted position, without it's exalting you; and the caliphate was needier of you than the need you had of it".

Majma* reports that “Ali used to weep the Islamic treasury and pray in it, hoping that place would bear witness in the Hereafter that he did not deny Muslims their right to public money.

Ibn *Asaakir also reports that ~ Ali said: "You must be more concerned about Allah's acceptance of your deeds, than the deeds themselves, for no deed is considered meager if it is accompanied with piety". So, a deed that gains Divine acceptance is never considered minor.

Yahya Ibn Ja‘ dah reports that ~ Ali Ibn Abi Taalib said: "O you who have memorized the Quran, practice its teaching, for the learned man is he who learns and translate into practice what he learns. There will come a time when people will possess vast knowledge but their secret actions will be different from what they do in public. They will sit in groups, feeling proud of themselves, to the extent that a man will be angry if his student seek knowledge from someone else. The deeds of such men of knowledge will not be accepted by Allah".

It was also reported that * Ali said: "Divine acceptance of one's deeds is the best means of guidance; good manners are the best Companion; a sound mind is one's best friend; learning is the best inheritance, and no solitude is worse than that caused by conceit.

Al-Harith relates: A man went to * Ali and said: "Inform me about predestination". He answered: "It (predestination) is a dark path which you should not tread". The man asked again: "Inform me about predestination". “Ali answered: "It isa" deep sea" into which you should not enter". The man asked a third time: "Inform me about predestination”. ~ Ali once again answered: " It is a Divine secret that you should not try to find out about. The questioner repeated his question a fourth time, so ‘Ali asked him: "O you questioner, has Allah created you by His will, or by your will? The man answered: "By His (the Almighty's) will. ~Ali said: "He (Allah) will therefore make you do whatever He wills".

“Ali was once asked: "What is generosity?" he answered: "That which is self-motivated; but generosity which is due to making a request or begging, is an act resorted to because one feels shy, or wants to honor the beggar or the one who requests.

It was also reported that a man went to ~ Ali and praised and extolled him; however, Ali had been informed beforehand about him. So, he said to the man: "I am not as you have described me, and above your opinion about me in your mind”.

“Ali is reported to have said: The recompense of sin is carelessness with acts of worship, straightened means of sustenance, and decrease in pleasure. He was asked: "What do you mean by, "decrease in pleasure"? He answered: "It means that whenever one has a strong desire to do or get what is lawful, he is overtaken by doing or getting something that is unlawful.”

~Ugbah Ibn Abi As-Sahbaa' narrates: When Ibn Maljam dealt > Alia fatal blow, his son, Al-Hasan, went to him crying. His father said: "Take these four pieces of advice of mine and four others, into good part. Al-Hasan asked: "What are they, father?” ~Ali answered: "The best wealth is one's intellect, the worst kind of poverty is foolishness; no solitude is worse than that caused by conceit, and the best form of "kindness" is good manners. The other four pieces of advice are. Because of the Companionship of the foolish, for they will do you harm while they intend good. Beware of befriending a liar, because he will make you believe what is not true and take your mind away from the truth. Beware of the friendship of the miser, because he will withhold from you what you stand in need of. Beware of a shameless person, as he will forsake you because of any meager gain”.

Ibn ~Asaakir reports that a Jew came to ~ Ali and asked him: "When did your Lord first exist?" * Ali's countenance changed, and he answered: "He (Allah) existed when there was no beginning; His Being was not preceded by anything else; His Existence is without a cause, and is neither with a beginning nor an ending. He does not rely on any means that will lead to an end because He (the Almighty) is the besought of all". The Jew then embraced Islam.

The Hadiths Narrated in Connection with the Kharijites:

Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Suwayd Ibn Ghaflah who narrates that ~ Ali said: "If I speak to you about the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, you should believe me, because I prefer falling down from the sky to lying about him. But if I talk to you on issues of mutual interest, you must know that war calls for deception. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says: "In later years, some people who are part of my nation will emerge. They will be young men, foolhardy, quote the words of the best human being, and they will read the Quran without contemplating its meaning.” One of the narrators of this Hadith, ~Abdur-Rahmaan narrates another version of it: "Their faith will be in their mouths only, not in their hearts. They will bold out of the fold of Islam with the speed of an arrow that goes out of a bow. If you come across them, kill them; for there will be great reward on Judgement Day for those who kill them. This Hadith is reported in the two Saheehs of Al-Bukhari and Moslem.

Ahmad reports on the authority of ‘Ubaydah who narrates that ~Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the people of Nahrawaan: “There is a man with a short hand among you. If it were not for fear that you would be proud, I would inform you about what Allah revealed to His Prophet

concerning the reward He would grant anyone who would kill that man and those with him. *Ubaydah went on to say, "I asked ~ Ali, 'Did you hear these words from the Prophet?' * Ali answered: "By the Lord of the Ka*bah (three times), that I heard them from him." This Hadith is reported by Moslem. After narrating it, ~ Ali added: "I prefer falling down from the sky to the ground, to lying about the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Abu Katheer the feed-slave of Al-Ansaar who said: "I was with my master, “Ali Ibn Abi Taalib when some people of Nahrawan were killed; some people's hearts were heavy about this incident. “Ali addressed them saying: "O you people! Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, spoke to me about some people who will abandon Islam with the speed of an arrow from a bow, and will never return to its fold once again. The sign of that incident is that there would be a black man among them with a short hand. And one of his hands is like a woman's breast, with a nipple like that of such a breast and on it are seven strands of hair; search him". So, Ali's Companions searched for this man and found him by the bank of a river, lying among the dead. When ~ Ali saw him, he glorified Allah saying: “Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), Allah is the Most Truthful, and so is His Prophet". The dead man was having a_ bow on his person; * Ali took it and struck his short hand saying: " Allah is Most Truthful, and so is His Prophet". All the people glorified Allah saying, "Allahu Akbar", when they saw the dead man. They were delighted, and the grief they felt for the people killed in Nahrawaan, vanished. (This Hadith was only reported by Ahmad.)

Imam Ahmad reports on the authority of Abu Sa* eed who narrates that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There will be among the people of my nation

disunity and differences, And there will be those whose nice words would be incompatible with their deeds. They will read the Quran, whose effect will be in their mouths only, not in their hearts. They will demean each other's Salaah and Siyaam; these people will hasten to abandon Islamic teachings with the speed of an arrow from a bow, and will not return to the fold of Islam once again, They will be the worst of Allah's creatures. Give glad tidings to those who will kill them, or be killed by them. These revolters would call people to follow the teachings of Allah's Book (the Quran), while they themselves will deviate from them. He who fights against them has a better claim to obeying Allah, than them.” The Companions asked, "O Allah's Messenger! How would we recognize them?" The Prophet answered, "Their heads will be shaved". (Reported by Abu Dawood and other reporters of Hadith.)

On the authority of Jabir Ibn * Abdellaah who narrates thus: “Once I was with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the year of Al-Ju’raanah, while he was distributing silver, that was in Bilaal's clothes, then a man said, "O Allah's Messenger! Be just (in your distribution)". The Prophet replies: "Woe unto you!" Who else will be just, if 1am not just, I will be done for if 1 am unjust." “Umar was raged, and said: "O Allah's Messenger, allow me to Kill this hypocrite". But the Prophet replied: "Allah forbid; people will say that I kill my Companions. This man and his associates will read the Quran without having faith in it, and they will abandon Islam with the speed of an arrow from a bow". (Reported by Ahmad)

Moslem Ibn Al-Hajjaaj reports in his sahih on the authority of the Zayd Ibn Wahab Al-Juhani, who says that he was in the army of those who later joined the Kharijites. ~ Ali addressed the people saying: "O you people! I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say: "Certain people from my nation will read the Quran in a way different from

yours, the way you pray will be different from theirs, and they will fast ina manner completely different from yours. They will read the Quran thinking that Allah will reward them for doing so, not knowing that it (the Quran) will serve as a "proof" against them. If the army that will fight against them know their Divine reward revealed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, they will exert utmost effort. The aforementioned people will be known by the presence among them of a man without a forearm. The end of his upper arm looks like the nipple of a breast, with white stands of hair. These hypocrites will then go to Mu*awiyah and the people of the Levant, who will leave them to control your children and wealth; I believe these are the people who will do such things. They shed the blood that is sacred and denied people their freedom of movement. So, go forth and fight them in the name of Allah". Salamah said that Zayd Ibn Wahab suggested one station (for the army) after another, till they passed by an aqueduct. We met on that day in which the leader of the Kharijites was ~Abdullaah Ibn Wahab Ar-Raasibi, who said to his men: "Throw your spears (at the enemies), take out your sword and break their sheaths, for I fear that they (your enemies) will make an appeal to you like the one they made on Harooraa’ Day". So, his men took up their positions and fought brutally with their spears and arrows. ~ Ali's army also charged with their spears and arrows.