4. The last days of the life of

Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi T2lib (&) and his martyrdom 4.1. The aftermath of Nahrawsn The fact that Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (L&) fought this rebellious group offers strong evidence and clear proof that he was in the right when he fought the people of Syria and that he was closer to the truth than MuC2wiyah. It was narrated from the Messenger of Allah (@) that he said: "A group will secede from my Ummah at a time of division among the Muslims, and they will be killed by the group that is closer to the truth."1191 The reader might expect the army to have strong resolve in fighting the people of Syria after this and the other proofs mentioned above, such as the killing of 'Amm% ibn Y2sir (&), became clear to them. However, the opposite happened. The plan that was drawn up by Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&,) was to go to Syria after the end of fighting against the Kharijites, because bringing Syria under the control of the caliphate and uniting the Ummah was a necessary goal that had to be pursued. As he mentioned in his speech, fighting the Khaijites was only aimed at securing the interior front lest they attack the women and children left behind in Iraq during his absence.

But as they say, the winds blow in a way other than what the sailors want, and 'Ali (&) was unable to attack Syria before he was martyred.1192 Xli's anitude towards the Kharijites and Shia The rebellion of the Kharijites had the effect of weakening the army of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&). The battles of the Camel, Siffeen and NaJuawin also led the people of Iraq to grow tired of war. They grew reluctant and started hating war, especially after the battle with the Syrians at Siffeen, because their conflict with them was not like fighting with anyone else. The battle of Siffeen was fierce and never left their memory; many children were orphaned, and many women were widowed, without achieving the goal. Were it not for the peace deal or arbitration, which was welcomed by Amir alMu'mineen 'Ali and many of his companions, disaster would have struck the Muslim world with unimaginably bad consequences. Thus they were very reluctant to march with 'Ali (&) to Syria, even though they h e w that he was in the One of the dilemmas that destabilized the camp of Amir alMu'mineen 'Ali (&) was the emergence of a group that went to extremes in venerating him and elevated him to the level of divinity, to the extent that some thought that this was a reaction to the Kharijites who had disavowed 'Ali (&) and accused him of di~belief."~~ In reality, the ulterior motive of this group was to introduce corrupt beliefs to the Muslims in order to destroy their religion and weaken the Muslims in general, not just the army."95 Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) stood up to them, as we have seen above.

Undoubtedly the splitting away of the Kharijites and his subsequent fighting against them weakened his side a great deal, and then problems came one after another. Al-Khirreet ibn Rhhid (it was also said that his name was alH i t h ibn Rkhid), who had been one of 'Ali's governors in alAhwiz, revolted and led his people Banu Nzjiyah in rebellion. When he called for 'Ali (&) to he deposed, many people responded and he gained control over many cities, even collecting taxes from the people. 'Ali (&) sent an army led by Ma'qil ibn Qays ar-Rayy&, 'Ali ibn Abi rrilib who defeated and killed the rebel leader.1196 Those people who were paying land tax hoped to stop paying it in the lands under 'Ali's mle, and the people of al-Ahwk rebelled; 'Ali (&) was inevitably confronted with military and financial difficulties because of that. Ash-Shu'bi said: "When 'Ali defeated the people of Nahrawh, many people went against him, and people in many regions began to turn against him. Banu Nsjiyah rebelled against him.

Ibn al-H&ami came to Basra, and the people of al-Ahwk rebelled. Those who were paying the land tax wanted to stop, and they expelled Sahl ibn Haneef, 'Ali's governor in ~ersia.""'~ At the same time, Mu'iwiyah (&) was trying by all possible means, both secretly and openly, to weaken the camp of Amir alMu'mineen 'ALi (&), and he took advantage of the division and troubles that had arisen in 'Ali's army. He sent an army, led by ' A m ibn d-'As (&), to take control of Egypt and bring it under his authority. He was helped hy a number of factors, such as: *:* Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) was preoccupied with the Kharijites. * 'Ali's governor in Egypt, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, was not as clever as his predecessor Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubidah as-Sc'idi d-Anski had been. He got involved in fighting with those who were demanding vengeance for the murder of 'Uthmin (&), and he did not try to use diplomacy with them as the previous governor had done, so they defeated him. +' Mn'iwiyah agreed with those who were seeking vengeance for the murder of 'Uthmh in Egypt, which helped him to gain control of it.ll'* *:* Egypt was far away from the headquarters of Amir alMu'n~ineen 'Ali (4) and was close to Syria. 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia +:* The geographical location of Egypt, which was attached to Syria through the Sinai, meant that it was like a natural extension of Syria.

Egypt gave Mu'iwiyah (&) a great deal of additional economic strength and human resources. Mu'iwiyah also sent his troops to Arabia, Makkah, Madinah and Yemen, but these troops were soon forced to turn back after Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) sent some of his soldiers to block their Mu'iwiyah (&) also hied to win over some prominent hibes and governors from 'Ali (4). He tried to convince Qays ibn Sa'd (&), who was 'Ali's governor in Egypt, to join him but was not able to. However, he did manage to stir up doubts about him in 'Ali's inner circle and among his advisers, so 'Mi (&) dismissed and this dismissal of Sa'd ibn Qays was a huge gain for Mu'iwiyah. He also tried to win over Ziyid ibn Abeehi, 'Ali's governor in Persia, but failed to do so.120L However, Mu'iwiyah (&) managed to influence some prominent people and governors because of what he promised to give them and because they realised that Mu'iwiyah was gaining the upper hand and 'Ali (&) was growing weaker. 'Ali (&) said in one of his speeches: "Bisr has just come to me from Mu'iwiyah, and I think these people will prevail over you because of their unity and support for their falsehood and your division and lack of support for your truth, because of their obedience to their leader and your disobedience to your leader; because they are sincere, and you are treacherous.

I appointed so-and-so, but he betrayed me and took the wealth to MuCiwiy&, I appointed someone else, and he betrayed me and took the wealth to Mu'iwiyah. Even if I entrusted one of you with a wooden vessel, I would fear that he would betray me concerning it. 0 Allah, I hate them, and they hate me. Relieve them of me, and relieve me of them."'202 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 4.2. 'Ali's attempts to motivate his army, then the truce with Mu'gwiyah Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) ,. did not give up when faced with these calamities, this reluctance on the part of his followers and their letting him down. He did his utmost to motivate his troops with all that he possessed of knowledge, proof and eloquence. His fiery speeches, for which he was famous and which are regarded as the best literary legacy, were not the product of an idle mind or mere imagination; they were based on bitter experience and the painful reality that he was living.

When some border land under his control was raided, he said: "Jihad is one of the gates of paradise, which Allah opens to the closest of His friends. It is the gannent of piety, the shield of Allah and the greatest protection. Whoever abandons it because of lack of interest, Allah will give him a garment of humiliation to wear; calamities will befall him, he will be brought low and a seal will be placed on his heart. He will be led away from truth because of neglecting jihad; he will be humiliated and deprived of justice. "Verily, I called you by night and by day, secretly and openly to fight these people. I told you to attack them before they attacked you, for by Allah, no people are attacked in their land but they are humiliated.

But you were negligent and reluctant, so attacks were launched against you and land was taken from you. Here is a man from Gh2mid whose troops reached al-Anbk, he killed Hassib alBakri, chased your cavalry from their posts and defeated them. I have heard that one of them would enter upon a Muslim woman and a dhimmi woman and take her jewellery, and she could offer no resistance except weeping and asking for mercy. Then they left without any harm having befallen them; no man among them was ever wounded, and none of his blood was shed. If a Muslim man were to die after that of sorrow for what happened, he would not be to blame; rather in my eyes that would be appropriate. 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia "How strange it is, by Allah, that these people are united in their falsehood, and you are disunited and do not support your trnth.

This is what breaks the heart and brings grief and sorrow. May yon perish, for you have become a target to be shot; you are raided and do not raid others, you are attacked and do not attack others. Allah is being disobeyed, and yon are pleased with that. If I command you to march towards them on a hot day, you will say that it is too hot and we should wait until it cools down. If I command you to march towards them in winter, you will say that it is too cold and we should wait until it warms up. All of that in order to avoid heat and cold.

If you are trying to avoid heat and cold, then by Allah yon will try harder to flee from the sword, 0 you men who are not men. Yon have the minds of children and are as irrational as women. 'Would that I had never seen you or met you, for knowing you, by Allah, has caused me great grief and sorrow. May Allah kill yon, for you have filled my heart with pus and anger, and you have caused me a great deal of distress. You have spoiled all my plans with your disobedience and reluctance, to the point that Quraysh have begun to say that the son of Abu Titlib is a courageous man, but he has no experience of war. What a strange thing they are saying!

Is there anyone among them with more experience of war than me? Or who has attained a higher position in it than me? For I got involved in it when I had not yet reached the age of twenty, and here I am having passed the age of sixty. But if a man is not obeyed, his wisdom is to no This was a fiery speech delivered by Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&), in which he heaped criticism on the heads of those people who had prevented him from reaping the fruits of his jihad and achieving the victory he strove for. He composed this speech in a sublime literary style, with phrases that should have stirred people's hearts and unleashed their potential. It is free of any ambiguity or Xli ibn Abi Trilib mysteriousness, and it is also free of artificial, far-fetched rhymed prose. 1204 The speeches that are proven to be from Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (4) and were delivered during his caliphate not only give a picture of the historical reality; they also highlight the feelings of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) about the problems he faced with his army becoming reluctant and slowing down after the Battle of Nahrawk.

However, most of the speeches that are attributed to him (&) are not sound, and many scholars say that the speeches of 'Ali (&) that are quoted in Nahj al-Bal6ghah are made up and fabricated by 'ash-Shareef ar-~a&~'.'~" It is essential to employ a precise, critical method when dealing with them as a historical source. At the same time, 'Ali (4) began to remind his companions of his virtues and his high standing in Islam. A number of eyewitnesses narrated that 'Ali (&) implored the people at arRabhah: "Who heard the Messenger of Allah (%) say at Ghadeer Khumm: 'Don't you know that I am closer to the believers than their own selves?' and they said yes, then he said: 'If I am a person's mawla, 'Ali is also his mawla. 0 Allah, love those who love him, and take as an enemy those who take him as an enemy'?" Twelve men - or sixteen men, according to another report - stood up and testified to that.lZo6 This reminds us of 'Uthmk's (&) calling on the Companions to testify to his virtues when the rebels besieged him. It is as if he was saying: If a person's actions and service to Islam are like that, should his reward be l i e this? Despite all his tremendous attempts and efforts, 'Ali (&) could not achieve what he wanted. He could not manage to lead a campaign to Syria because of the division, friction and disunity that occurred within his army, and because of the emergence of people who were controlled by whims and desires.

As a result, in 40 AH, Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) was forced to come to an agreement 61 0 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia with Mu'iwiyah ibn Abi Sufyk (&), that Lraq would be for 'Ali and Syria would be for Mu'iwiyah, and that neither would interfere in the other's sphere of influence by means of any raid or military campaign.1207 At-Tabari said in his book of history: "In 40 AH, there was a truce between 'Ali and Mu'iwiyah, following a correspondence between them, which is too lengthy to be quoted here, about agreeing to put an end to war between them. 'Ali would have Iraq, and Mu'iwiyah would have Syria, and neither would interfere in the other's sphere of influence by means of any raid or military campaign."'208 4.3. The supplication of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) asking that his martyrdom be hastened Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) made a truce with Mu'iwiyah, but it seems that this truce did not last. Mu'iwiyah sent Bisr ibn Abi A@'& to the Hijaz in the year in which 'Ali (&) was martyred.1209 When 'Ali (&) was not able to prepare an army as he wanted, and he saw how they had let him down, he began to hate life and wish for death. He would turn to Allah (%) in supplication and ask Him (s) to hasten his death. One of the reports from him says that he delivered a speech one day in which he said: "0 Allah, I am tired of them, and they are tired of me.

Relieve me of them, and relieve them of me. What is keeping the most wretched of you from contaminating it with blood?" And be put his hand on his beard.1210 'Ali (&) persisted in supplications throughout his final days. It was nmated that Junduh said: "They crowded around 'Ali (&) so much that they stepped on his feet, and he said: 'I am tired of them, and they are tired of me; I hate them, and they hate me. Relieve me of them, and relieve them of me.""z11 According to another report, Abu SZh said: "I saw 'Ali place the mu~haf on his head until the paper crackled, and he said: '0 Allah, I asked them to grant me what 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 61 1 is mentioned in it (the Quran), but they refused. 0 Allah, I am tired of them, and they are tired of me; I hate them, and they hate me. They have forced me to do things out of character. Give them someone worse than me, and give me someone better than them.

Cause their hearts to dissolve like salt in water.""212 According to another report, it was only three days or so before he was killed, may Allah have mercy on him.1213 Al-Hasan ihn 'Ali said that 'Ali (&) told him: "I dreamt that the Messenger of Allah (g) came to me last night, and I said: '0 Messenger of Allah, do you see how much trouble and pain I have from your Ummah?' He said: 'Pray against them.' I said: '0 Allah, replace them for me with someone better than them, and replace me for them with someone worse to them than me."' Al-Hasan (&) said: "Then he went out, and the man struck him."LZ14 4.4. 'Ali's awareness that he would be martyred Some hadiths of the Prophet (g), which are regarded as signs of his prophethood, narrate that he told 'Ali (&) that he would be one of the martyrs. In sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (&) that the Messenger of AUah (g) was on Mount U?~ud, and it shook. The Messenger of AUah (@) said: "Be still, Uhud, for there is no one on you but a Prophet, a Siddeeq and a martyr." On it were the Prophet (@), Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthmzn, 'Ali, Talhah, az-Zuhayr and Sa'd ibn Abi WaqqL (may Allah be pleased with them There are other hadiths that are more specific than this; they said that 'Ali would be martyred in the land of Iraq and spoke of how he would be assassinated, too. AU of this is a demonstration of the truth of the prophethood of Mdpmniad (g), and the fact that he said that which AUah (&) told him by means of revelation and did not 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia speak from his own desire.1216 The Prophet (@) told 'Ah (A&) what was going to happen to him, and 'Ah believed that with certainty and used to tell them about it. One of these reports narrated what 'Ali said when he was heading towards Iraq.

Abn al-Aswad ad-Du'ali narrated that he heard 'Ali (&) say: "Abdullah ihn S a l h came to me when I had put my foot in the stimp and said to me: 'Where are you going?' I said: 'Iraq.' He said: 'Verily, if you go there, the edge of the sword will strike you there.' I said: 'By Allah, I heard the Messenger of Allah (g) say that before.'" Ahu al-Aswad said: "I was amazed at - i r r 1 2 1 7 that and said: 'A fighter telling such a thing about himself! 'Ali (&) also spoke of this hadith in Yanhu' before he was appointed to the caliphate, to Abu Fudaah al-Ansiri al-Badri (&), who visited him when he was sick. He said: "I am not going to die of this sickness (or this pain), for the Prophet a) promised me that I would not die until this (meaning his beard) was contaminated from this (his head, because of bleeding from his head)."1218 He told this hadith to the Kharijites and to his companions. Al-Bayhaqi compiled these hadiths and others in DalZ'il an-~ubuwwah,'~'~ and al-HZidh - Ibn Katheer compiled them in al-BidGyah w a n - ~ i h i ? ~ a h . ' ~ ~ ~ It was narrated that Abdullah ihn Sah' said: "I heard 'Ali (&) say on the .. minbar: 'We are only waiting for a wretched man. The Messenger of Allah (g) promised me that this (his heard) would be contaminated with the~hlood of this (his head).' They said: 'Tell us who your killer is, so that we may go and annihilate his family.' He said: 'I urge you by Allah not to kill anyone for my killing except the one who kills me.'122' Then he recited some lines of poetry and said: Gird your loins in preparation for death, for death is imminent; Do not be scared of killing when it arrives in your valley. ,, 1222 Some reports go further than that and say that 'Ali (&) knew who this wretched person was who would kill him.

'Ubaydah asSalmhi narrated with a sound chain of narration that whenever 'Ali 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 61 3 saw lbn Maljam, he would say: "I want him to live, and he wants me to die."1223 According to another report, 'Ali (&) said concerning 'Abdur-RWZn ibn Maljam: "Verily, this one is my killer." It was said: "What is keeping you from dealing with him?" He said: "He has not killed me yet."'224 The people asked him to appoint a successor when he told them that he would be killed, hut he refused to do that. It was narrated that Ahdullah ibn Whi' said: "I heard 'Ali say! 'This (his beard) will be contaminated from this (from blood flowing from a wound to the head). What is this wretch waiting for?' They said: '0 Amir al-Mn'mineen, tell us who he is so that we can annihilate his family.' He said: 'By Alld., then you would be killing because of me people who are not involved in my killing.' They said: 'Appoint a successor for us.' He said: 'No, but I will leave you as the Messenger of Allah (g) left you.' They said: 'What will you say to your Lord when you meet Him?' He said: 'I will say: 0 Allah, You left me with them as long as You wanted, then You took me to Yourself. You are still with them; if You will, You can guide them, and if You will, You can let them go astray. ,r,1225 It was also narrated from 'Ali (&) that he said: "I heard as-Sidiq al-Masdooq (@) say: 'You will be struck here' a n d he pointed to his temples - 'and the blood will flow until it contaminates your beard, and the one who does that win be the most wretched among them, just as the one who hamstrung the she-camel was the most wretched of Thamood. i r r 1226 4.5. The martyrdom of Amir al-Mdmineen 'Ali (&) and the lessons to be learned from it The battle of Nahrawk left a deep wound in the souls of the Kharijites, which the passage of time only made more painful and sorrowful, so a group of them decided to murder 'Ali (&) in vengeance for their brethren who had been slain at Nahrawk.

'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia Biographers and historians all mention a famous report,'Z27 which is not free of flaws because it contains some contradictions, and we do not think it unlikely that this important event was, like others, subjected to embellishment in later times. Based on the sources and studies, there seems to be a consensus that the killing of 'Ali (&) took place at the hands of Kharijite elements in revenge for those who had been killed at Nahrawk, It is difficult to accept and believe the rest of the stories that are connected to this slaying, such as the love story between Lbn Maljam and Q u t h , the alleged role of d-Ash'ath al-Kindi - whose innocence we shall prove below - and so on. The following are the details of the murder of 'Ali (&): 4.5.1. The meeting of the conspirators The story of Ibn Maljam and his companions says that Ibn Maljam, al-Buruk ibn Abdullah and 'Amr ibn Bakr at-Taymi got together and talked about the people's situation. They criticised their rulers, then they mentioned the people who had been killed at Nabrawin and prayed for mercy for them, and they said: "What is life worth after they are gone, our brethren who called the people to worship their Lord and never feared the blame of the blamers for the sake of Allah? Why don't we sell ourselves for the sake of Allah, and go to the leaders of misguidance and try to kill them, so that the land will be relieved of them and we may avenge our brethren thereby?" Ibn Maljam, who was from Egypt, said: "I will take care of 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib for you." Al-Bmk ibn Abdullah said: ''I will take care of Mu'iiwiyah for you." 'Amr ibn Abi Bakr said: "I will take care of 'Amr ibn al-'A~ for you." So they made a solemn pledge and swore by Allah that none of them would give up or leave his target alone until he killed him or died in the attempt.

Then they took their swords and put poison on them, and agreed that on the seventeenth of Ramadan, each one of them would attack his target. Then each of them went to the city where his target 'Ali ibn Abi Tiilib 61 5 4.5.2. Ibn Maljam's departure and his meeting with Qutgrn, the daughter of ash-Shajnah Ibn Maljam al-Mur2di belonged to the tribe of Kindah. He set out and met his companions in Kufah, but he concealed his secret from them for fear that they might disclose his plans. One day he saw some people from the tribe of Taym ar-Rahzb, ten of whom 'Ali (&) had killed on the day of Nahrawh, and they talked about their slain ones. On the same day, he met a woman of Taym ar-Rab2b named Qu&n hint ash-Shajnah, whose father and brother had been killed in the battle.

She was a very beautiful woman. After he saw her, he could not get her out of his mind, and he forgot the purpose for which he had come. He proposed to her, and she said: "I shall not marry you unless you do what I tell you." He said: "What is that?" She said: "Three thousand, a slave man and woman, and the killing of 'Ali ihn Abi T2lib." He said: "This will be your mahr. As for the killing of 'Ali (&), I do not think that you are serious about marrying me if you want me to kill 'Ali." She said: "Seek him out and try to kill him. If you succeed, then you and I will both be happy, and you can live happily with me. If you are killed, then that which is with Allah is better than this world and its adornments." He said: "By Allah, I have only come to the city to kill 'Ali, so you will have what you asked for." She said: "I will find someone to help you and assist you in achieving what you want." She sent for a man of her people, Taym ar-Rabzb, whose name was Wardk.

She spoke to him, and he responded. Ibn Maljam went to a man from Ashja', whose name was Shabeeb ibn Bajrah, and said to him: "Will you be interested in something that will bring you honour in this world and the hereafter?' He said: "What is it?" Ibn Maljam said: "Killing 'Ali ibn Abi T2lih." Shabeeb said: "May your mother be bereft of you! This is something terrible. How can you kill 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia 'Ali?" Ibn Maljam said: "I will lie in wait for him in the mosque, then when he comes to pray the dawn prayer, we will attack him and kill him. If we survive, then we will be happy and will have gotten revenge; if we are killed, then that which is with Allah is better than this world and everything in it." Shabeeb said: "Woe to you, if it was someone other than 'Ali, it would be more bearable to me. You know the sacrifices he made for Islam and that he was one of the first to stand with the Prophet (g).

I do not feel comfortable with the idea of killing him." lbn Maljam said: "Do you not know that he killed the people of Nahrawin, the righteous slaves of Allah?' Shabeeb said: "Yes." Ibn Maljam said: "Then we should kill him in revenge for those of our brethren whom he slew." Then Shabeeb agreed. Then they went to Q u t h , who was observing i'tikiif in the Great Mosque, and said to her: "We have agreed to kill 'Ali." She said: "If you want, you may come to me." Ibn Maljam went back to her on the night before Friday, the night before the morning on which 'Ali was killed in 40 AH. He said: "This is the night on which I agreed with nly two companions that each of us would kill his target." She brought silk bands and tied them around their chests, then they took their swords and sat opposite the door from which 'Ali would come out. When he came out, Shabeeb struck him with his sword, but his sword hit the jamb of the door or a small window. Ibn Maljam struck him on the head with his sword. Wardin ran away and entered his house, and a man of his father's tribe entered upon him as he was taking the silk band from his chest.

He asked: "What is this silk and sword?" They told him what had happened, and he left, then he came back with his sword, pounced on Wardin and killed him. Shabeeb went out towards the gates of Kindah before dawn. A man from Hadramawt, whose name was 'Uwaymir, caught up with him, and Shabeeb still had his sword in his hand. Shabeeb grabbed the Ha&ami man and threw him to the gronnd. When he saw the 'Ali ibn Abi Ttlib 61 7 people coming after him and he still had his sword in his hand, he feared for his life, so he dropped the sword and managed to escape by mingling with the crowd of people. They also chased Ibn Maljam and caught up with him, then a man from Hamadfin, whose kunyah was Abu Adma', took his sword and struck him in the leg, bringing him to the ground.

'Mi (&) was late for the prayer, so Ja'dah ihn Hubayrah ihn Abi Wahb took his place and led the people in the dawn prayer. 'Ali (&) said: "Bring the man to me." He was brought, and 'Ali said: "0 enemy of Allah, did I not treat you well?" He said: "Yes." He said: "What made you do this?" He said: "I sharpened it for forty days and I asked Allah to cause the worst of His creation to be killed by it." 'Ali (&) said: "I don't think but that you will be killed by it; I think you are the worst of His creation. rr1229 4.5.3. Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah narrated the story of the slaying of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali Ibn al-Hanafiyyah said: "By Allah, on that night on which 'Ali was struck, I was praying in the Great Mosque with a large number of the people of the city. They were praying near the door, standing, bowing and prostrating, and they never got tired from the beginning of the night until the end. When 'Ali came out for the dawn prayer, he started calling out: '0 people, the prayer, the prayer.' I do not know whether he came out of the door and said these words or not, but I saw the flash of the sword and I heard (the words): 'Ruling is for Allah, 0 'Ali, not for you andnot for your companions.' I saw a sword and then a second sword. Then I heard 'Ali saying: 'Don't let the man escape.' The people ran after him from all sides, and soon Ibn Maljam was caught and hrought to 'Mi. 1 was among those of the people who entered, and I heard 'Ali (&) saying: 'A life for a life.

If I die, then kill him as he killed me, and if I live, I shall decide about him.'"1230 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia He sajd that the people went to al-Hasan, and they were upset by what had happened to 'Ali (4). While they were with him and Ibn Maljam was tied up before him, Urnm Kulthoom bint 'Ali called out to him, weeping: "0 enemy of Allah, my father will be fine, but Allah is going to humiliate you." He said: "For whom are you weeping? By Allah, 1 bought it (the sword) for one thousand, and I put enough poison on it for one thousand. If this blow had struck all the people of the city, none of them would have ~urvived."'~~' 4.5.4. The doctor's advice to 'Ali (&) and his inclination towards the process of consultation It was narrated that Abdullah ibn Maik said: "The doctors gathered around 'Ali (&) on the day he was wounded, and the most knowledgeable of them in medicine was Atheer ibn 'AIIU asSukooni, who had been the personal physician of Chosroes. Atheer got the fresh lung of a sheep, took a vein from it and inserted it into 'Ali's wound; then he inflated the vein and pulled it out, and there was some white brain matter on it, so he knew that the blow had reached his brain.

He said: '0 Amir al-Mu'mineen, give your final instructions, for you are going to die."'1232 It was said that Jundub ibn Abdullah entered upon 'Ali (&) and asked him something. He said: "0 Amir al-Mu'mineen, if we lose you - may we never lose you - should we swear allegiance to al-Hasan?" He said: "I wiU not command yon or forbid you; you decide."'233 4.5.5. Final advice of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali to his sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may AUah be pleased with them all) Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) called for al-Hasan and alHusayn and said: ''I urge you to fear Allah and not to seek worldly 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 61 9 luxury, even if it becomes available to you. Do not weep for anything that you have lost (of worldly gains). Speak the truth, show compassion to orphans, help the destitute, and strive for the hereafter. Be an opponent of the wrongdoers and support the one who is wronged.

Act upon what is in the Book and never fear the blame of the blamers (when striving) for the sake of Allah." Then he looked at Mulpmmad ibn al-Hanaiiyyah and said: "Have you beard the advice I gave to your two brothers?"1234 He said: "Yes." He said: "I advise you likewise. I advise you to respect your two brothers because of their great rights over you. Follow them, and do not decide about anything without consulting them." Then he said: "I advise you both to take care of him, for he is the son of your father, and you know that your father loved him." He said to al-Hasan: "I advise you, 0 my son, to fear Allah, establish regular prayer on time, and pay zak% to those who are entitled to it. Do wudoo' well, for there is no prayer without purification, and no prayer is accepted from one who withholds zakih. I advise you to forgive others, suppress your anger, uphold ties of kinship, be forbearing with the ignorant, keep seeking knowledge of Islam, verify the facts before making any decision, always read the Quran, be a good neighbour, enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and avoid immoral actions. rr 1235 When death was imminent, he gave the following advice: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is the advice given by 'Ali ibn Abi Tiilib, affuming that he hears witness that there is no God except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Mulpmrnad is His slave and His Messenger.

He sent His Messenger [Muhammad (@)I with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over all religions even though the polytheists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah hate it.1236 Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'alameen 'Ali's attitude towards tlze Kharijites and Shia (mankind, jinn and all that exists). He has no partner. This I have been commanded, and I am of the ~ u s l i m s . ' ~ ~ ' "I advise you, 0 Hasan and all my children and family, to fear Allah your Lord, and never die except in a state of slam,'^^* and hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah (this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves.'z39 I heard Ahu d-Qisim say: 'Reconciling between people is better than supererogatory prayers and fasts.' Check on your relatives and uphold ties with them, then your reckoning with Allah will he easier. I urge you by Allah to he kind to orphans, and do not silence them or ignore them when they are with you. I urge you by Allah to be kind to your neighbours, for your Prophet (g) enjoined that, and he continued to enjoin that until we thought that he would make the neighbour an heir.

I urge you by Allah to take care of the Quran, and do not let others he better at putting it into practice than you. I urge you by Allah to take care of the prayer, for it is the foundation of your religion. I urge you by Allah to take care of the House of your Lord; do not forsake it as long as you live. I urge you by Allah to engage in jihad for the sake of Allah with your wealth and your lives. I urge you by Allah to take care of zakih, for it extinguishes the wrath of the Lord. I urge you by Allah to take care of those whom your right hands possess (female slaves).

"Prayer, prayer; never fear the blame of the blamers for the sake of Allah. Allah will suffice you against anyone who wants to harm or transgress against you. Speak kindly to people as Allah has commanded you, and do not give up enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, lest the worst of you attain positions of authority, then you will call upon Allah hut receive no response. I enjoin you to keep in touch with one another and help one another; beware of turning away from one another, cutting off ties with one another and becoming divided. Cooperate in righteousness and piety; 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib do not cooperate in sin and transgression. Fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment.

May Allah take care of you, my household. May the teachings of the Prophet (@) continue to guide you. I bid you farewell, peace be upon you and the mercy of AUah." Then he did not say anything except LA ilciha illci Allrih (There is none worthy of worship other than Allah) until he died, may Allah (s) he pleased with him, in the month of Ramadan 40 AH.'^^' According to another report, he was killed on the morning of 21 t am ad an.'^^' This report may be understood as referring to the day on which he left this world, because he remained alive for three days after he was struck by this wretched man.'=' 4.5.6. 'Ali's prohibition of mutilation or torture of his killer 'Ali (&) said: "Detain this man. Then if I die, kill him, and if I live, wounds equal for equal."1243 According to another report, he said: "Feed him and give him water and treat him well. If I recover, then I am in charge of the matter and I will forgive him if I want, or if I want, I will settle the score."1244 There is some additional material in another report, according to which he said: "If I die, then kill him as he killed me but do not overstep the mark, for Allah likes not the transgressors."'245 'Ah forbade al-Hasan to mutilate him and said: "0 Banu 'Abdul-Mugalib, I do not want you to indulge in shedding the blood of the Muslims, saying he killed Amir al-Mu'mineen, he killed Amir al-Mu'mineen.

No one should he killed in retaliation for my killing except the one who killed me. Listen, 0 Hasan. If I die from this blow of his, then give him hlow for hlow, but do not mutilate the man, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (&2) saying: 'Beware of mutilation, even of a ferocious dog."''246 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia There are many reports about the final words of 'Ali (&) concerning the one who killed him; some of these reports are sound and some of them are weak. The report which says that 'Ali (&) gave instructions to bum his body after killing him has a weak chain of narration. Other reports all say the same, that 'Ali issued instructions that the man be killed if he died as a result of his shike, and forbade them to do anything other than that. These reports support one another and reach such a level that they become binding evidence.

Moreover, Amir al-Mu'mineen did not regard him as an apostate and order that he be killed; rather he forbade that when some of the Muslims wanted to kill him, and he said: "Do not kill the man. If I recover, then wounds equal for and if I die, then execute him. r, 1248 The famous historical report says: "When 'Ali (&) died, alHasan sent for Ibn Maljam, who said to al-Hasan: 'How about a deal? By AUah, I never made a pledge to Allah but I fulfilled it. I made a pledge to Allah, between the Black Stone and Maq2m Tbriheem, that I would kill 'Ali and Mu'2wiyah or die in the attempt. If you wish, you may let me go and try to kill MuS2wiyah, and I promise you by Allah that if I do not kill him, or if I kill him and survive, I will come to you and put my hand in yours.' Al-Hasan said to him: 'By Allah, not until you see hellfire,' and be went and killed him.'249 Then the people took him and burned him with fire." This report has an interrupted chain of narration, The sound reports, which are more befitting to al-Hasan, alHusayn and Ah1 al-Bayt, say that they adhered to the fmal instructions of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'ALi in dealing with 'AbdurR&mh ibn Maljam. There is a report - which is not sound - that says: "When 'Ali was buried, they brought Ibn Maljam, and the people gathered, 'Ali ibn Abi Tcilib bringing naphtha and wood.

Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, alHusayn and Abdullah ihn Ja'far ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Tilib said: 'Let us enjoy our revenge on him.' Abduuah cut off his hands and feet, and he did not speak or show any fear. Then his eyes were put out, but he did not panic; he said: 'You are applying kohl to your uncle's eyes,' and recited the surah $Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created [all that exists] ... ) (Quran 96: 1) to the end, with his eye sockets bleeding. Then orders were given to catch hold of his tongue in order to cut it out, at which point he panicked. It was said to him: 'Why are you panicking?' He said: 'This is not panic, but I hate to be in this life, conscious, without remembering Allah.' They cut out his tongue, then they burned him. He was dark skinned with a handsome face, gaps between his teeth and hair down to his earlobes, and on his rr1251 forehead was the mark of prostration.

Again, this report is not sound. A&-Dhahabi said concerning 'Abdur-Rahmh ibn Maljam: "He was the killer of 'Ali (&), a Khaijite and evildoer ... He took part in the conquest of Egypt alongside prominent people. He was one of those who had knowledge of the Quran and studied Islam. He was one of Banu Tadool and was a prominent hero in Egypt. He learned the Quran from Mu'zdh ibn Jabal and was a devoted worshipper.

It was said that he was the one who sent Subaygha alTameemi to 'Umar (&) to ask him about what was not clear to him of the text of the Quran. Then his destiny overtook him, and he did what he did. "According to the Kharijites, he is one of the best of the Ummah. Concerning Ibn Maljam, 'ImrZn ibn eat& al-Khzriji said: 'What a beautiful blow from a righteous man, who was seeking thereby nothing except the pleasure of the One of the mighty Throne. Sometimes I remember him and think of him as the best of people before Allah.' 'Ali's attitude towards the Khanjites and Shiu "According to the RZdis, Ibn Maljam will be the most wretched of creation in the hereafter. According to us, Ah1 asSunnah, he is one of those who we hope will be in hell, but we believe that it is possible that Allah may forgive him.

He is not as either the Kharijites or the RZdis think of him. He comes under the same ruling as the killers of 'Uthmh, az-Zubayr, Ta&ah, Sa'eed ibn Jubayr, 'Ammk, Kh2rijah and al-Husayn. AU of these killers we disavow and hate them for the sake of Allah, but we leave their case to Allah ( + ) to decide as He As for al-Buruk ibn Abdullah, on the night on which 'Ali was struck, he lay in wait for Mu'iwiyah. When Mu'iwiyah came out to pray the dawn prayer, he attacked him with his sword, and his sword fell on Mn'%wiyah's backside, then he was captured. At-Bumk said: "I have some news that may please you tonight; will it benefit me with you if I tell it to you?" Mu'iwiyah said: "Yes." Al-Buruk said: "A brother of mine has killed 'Ali this night." Mu'iwiyah said: "Perhaps he could not manage to do that." A l - B d said: "No, 'Ali comes out with no one to guard him." Mu'Zwiyah ordered that he be killed, then he sent for as-Si'idi, who was a physician. The doctor said: "Choose one of two ways of treatment: I will either heat a piece of iron and put it where the sword fell, or I will give you medicine to drink, but you will never be able to have children after that, although you will recover.

The sword that struck you was poisoned." Mu'gwiyah said: "As for fire, I cannot bear it. As for not having any more children, I have Yazeed and Abdullah, who are enough joy for me." So the doctor gave him that medicine and he recovered, but he had no more children after that. Because of this incident, Mn'2wiyah ordered that booths be set up and night guards appointed, and he appointed police to stand by his head when he prostrated. As for 'Amr ibn Bakr, he lay in wait for 'Am ibn al-'AS that night, but he did not come out because he had a stomachache. 'Amr 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib ibn al-'AS told Khirijah ibn Hudhsah, who was his chief of police and was of (the tribe) Banu 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy, to go out and lead the prayer. 'Amr ibn Balcr attacked and killed him, thinking that he was 'Amr ibn al-'As.

The people caught him and took him to 'Amr ibn al- 'As, greeting him as the governor. The killer said: "Who is this?" They said: " ' A m (ibn d-'A$)." He said: "Who did I kill?" They said: "Kh2rijah ibn Hudhsah." He said to 'Am ibn al-'AS: "Woe to you, 0 evildoer. By Allah, I did not think that he was anyone but you." 'Amr said: "Yon wanted me, but Allah wanted Khirijah." Then 'Amr ordered that he be executed.1253 4.5.7. The length of 'Ali's caliphate, the location of his grave and the age at which he was killed According to Khaleefah ibn Khayy;!, 'Ali's caliphate lasted four years, nine months and six days - or, it was said, three days or fourteen days.'254 But it seems that it was four years, nine months and three days, because allegiance was sworn to him as caliph on 18 Dhul-Ifijjah 35 AH, and he died as a martyr on 21 Ramadan 40 AH."^^ The body of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (4) was washed by d - Hasan, al-Husayn and Abdullah ibn Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with them) and was shrouded in three pieces of cloth, among which was no chemise.1256 Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (4) offered the funeral prayer for him, saying takbeer four times.'257 According to one report with no chain of narration, he said nine takbeers over him.1258 As for the location of his grave, the reports differ concerning it. Ibn alJawzi narrated a number of reports concerning that, then he said: "Allah knows best which is most correct."1259 Among the reports concerning this matter are the following: 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia *:* That d-Hasan ibn 'Ali (&) buried him by the mosque in ar-Rabbah, which is near-the gates of Kindah, before the people finished praying the dawn prayer.1z60 03 That he was buried at night in Kufah near the governor's palace beside the J h i ' mosque, and the location of his grave was unmarked.lZ6' *:+ That his son d-Hasan (&) took him to adi in ah.'^^^ 0% That the grave which is just outside Kufah, the shrine in Najaf, is the grave of 'Ali (&), but this was rejected by some scholars such as Shurayk ibn Abdullah an-Nakha'i, the qidi of Kufah (d. 178 AH) and Muhammad ihn Sulaymk al-Hacjrami (d. 297).1263 In fact, the innovation of the so-called shrine of 'Ali (&) in Najaf was introduced during the days of Banu Buwayh, who were RZdi Shia, during the Abbasid era. The Shia fabricated this idea, as is their wont, during the fourth century AH, but the scholars unanimously agree that this is not the grave of 'Ali (&); it was said that it is the grave of al-Mugheerah ihn Shu'bah.

Ibn Taymiyah said: "As for the shrine in Najaf, people of howledge are unanimously agreed that it is not the grave of 'Ali; it was said that it is the grave of d-Mugheerah ihn Shu'bah instead. No one said that this was the grave of 'Ali, and no one went there for the purpose of visiting 'Ali's grave, for more than three hundred years, despite the fact that so many of Ah1 al-Bayt, the Shia and others, ruled in Kufah. It was only taken as a shrine during the reign of Banu Buwayh - the Persians - ,, 1264 more than three hundred years after the death of 'Ah. There is also a difference of opinion concerning 'Ali's age when he was killed. Some said that he was fifty-nine years old when he was killed; others say that he was sixty-five or sixty-three years old. This last view is the most correct.1265 'Ali ibn Abi Tiilib 4.5.8.

The speech of al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (&) after the slaying of his father It was narrated that 'Am ibn Hubnashi said that al-uasan ibn 'Ali addressed them after the killing of 'Ali (&) and said: "A man left you yesterday who was never preceded by the early ones in knowledge and will never be caught up with by the later ones. The Messenger of Allah (g) used to send him on expeditions and give him the banner, and he would not give up fighting until victory was granted to him.1266 He did not leave behind any gold or silver, except for seven hundred dirhams from his stipend, which he was keeping for the servant of his family."1267 4.5.9. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqss (&) praises 'Ali (4) It was narrated from Rabee'ah alJarshi that mention was made of 'Ali in the presence of a man, and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqi~ was also present. Sa'd said to him: "Do you remember 'Ali? Verily, he had four qualities which, if I had one of them, would be dearer to me than snch and snch." And he mentioned the red camels. These four qualities were: the Prophet's saying "I shall give the banner..."; his saying, "You are to me like Haroon was to Moosa"; and his saying, "If I am a person's mawla, 'Ali is also his mawla." (The narrator forgot the last one.) 4.5.10.

Abdullah ibn 'Umar praises 'Ali ibn Abi Tslib (&) It was narrated that Sa'd ibn 'Ubaydah said: "A man came to Ibn 'Umar and asked him about 'Uthm2n (&,). He mentioned his good deeds and said: 'Perhaps that bothers you?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'May Allah cause your nose to be rubbed in the dust!' Then he asked him about 'Ali (&), and he mentioned his good deeds and said: 'It is all hue, and that is his house in the midst of the houses of 'Ali's anitude towards the Kharijites and Shia the Prophet (g).' Then he said: 'Perhaps that annoys you? He said: 'Indeed it does.' He said: 'May Allah cause your nose to be rubbed in the dust! Go away and do whatever you can against me.""269 4.5.11. How Mu1$wiyah responded to the news of 'Ali's slaying When the news of 'Ali's slaying reached Mu'zwiyah, he began to weep. His wife said to him: "Are you weeping for him when you fought him?" He said: "Woe to you, you do not know what the people have lost of virtue, understanding and kn~wledge."'~'~ Mu'Zwiyah used to write to 'Ali ibn Abi T2ib (&) and ask him about the new issues he faced.

When ~ u ' Z w i ~ a h heard that 'Ali (&,) had been killed, he said: "Knowledge and understanding have been lost with the death of 'Ali ihn Abi TZlib." His brother 'Utbah said to him: "Do not let the people of Syria hear you saying that." He told him: "Leave me alone."'271 During his caliphate, Mu'Zwiyah asked Dirk as-Sa&i to describe 'Ali (&) to him. He said: "Excuse me from that, 0 Amir alMu'mineen." He said: "No, I insist." He said: "If I must describe him, then by Allah he was far-sighted and strong in supporting Islam; he spoke the truth'272 and ruled with justice; knowledge flowed from - him, and his wisdom manifested itself in all that he did; he felt alienated from this world and its adornments, and felt at ease with the night and its loneliness; he shed tears frequently and thought deeply; he liked gannents that were short and food that was coarse; he was like one of us and would answer us if we asked him, and tell us if we questioned him. By AUah, despite his bringing us close to him, we could hardly speak to him, out of respect. He showed great respect to people of piety and religious commitment and brought the poor close; the strong man could not have any hope (of being let off by 'Ali) if he was in the wrong, and the weak man could never despair of 'Ali ibn Abi Tiilib his justice. I hear witness that I saw him standing in the middle of the night, when the stars appeared deeper in the sky, holding on to his heard and groaning like one in pain, weeping like one who is grieving, saying: '0 worldly delights, tempt someone else; are you trying to tempt me or do you have hope that I could be tempted? No way, no way.

I have divorced you thrice, an irrevocable divorce. Your time is short, and you are insignificant. I complain of little provision, a long journey and loneliness on the road."' Then Mu'iwiyah wept and said: "May Allah have mercy on Ahu d-Hasan. By Allah, he was like that. How great is your grief for him, 0 DirC?" He said: "Like the grief of a woman whose child was slaughtered in her lap."'273 It was narrated that 'Umar ibn 'AbdulL'Azeez said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (g) in a dream, and Abu Bakr and 'Umar were sitting with him. I greeted him with sd2m and sat down, and while I was sitting, 'Ali and Mu'iwiyah came in and were led into a room, then the door was closed while I was looking on.

Soon 'Ali came out, saying 'Judgement has been passed in my favour, by the Lord of the Ka'bah.' Soon after that, Mut2wiyah came out saying, 'I have been forgiven, by the Lord of the ~ a ' b a h . " " ~ ~ ~ Ibn 'As%ir narrated that a man said to Abu Zur'ah at-Rki: "I hate Mu'iwiyah." He said to him: "Why?" He said: "Because he fought 'Ali." Abu Zur'ah said to him: "Woe to you; Mu'iwiyah's Lord is Most Merciful and Mu'iwiyah's opponent was noble and generous. What has the matter between them got to do with you? May Allah be pleased with them both."1275 4.5.12. What al-Hasan al-Ba~ri (may Allah have mercy on him) said Al-Hasan al-Bqri was asked about 'Ali ibn Abi T a b (&), . , and he said: "By Allah, 'Ali was a straight arrow that Allah sent 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia against His enemy, the prominent jurist of this Ummah, whose service to Islam cannot be denied, one of the most senior figures in Islam, a relative of the Messenger of Allah (&). He was never heedless of the command of Allah and never feared the blame of the blamers, he never showed any interest in worldly gains, he adhered to the Quran in the most perfect manner, and thus he attained the pleasure of Allah.

This was 'Ali ibn Abi T2lib (may Allah be pleased with him)."1276 4.5.13. What m a d ibn Hanbal said conceming the caliphate of 'Ali (&) Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: "I was sitting before my father one day when a group of people from Karkh came and talked a great deal about the caliphate of Abu Bakr, the caliphate of 'Umar ibn al-Kha@b and the caliphate of 'Uthmgn, and they talked even more about the caliphate of 'Ali ibn Abi T%b. My father raised his head to look at them and said: '0 people, you have talked too much about 'Ali and the caliphate, and the caliphate and 'Ali. Do you think that the caliphate adorned 'Ali? On the contrary, 'Ali adorned it."'1277 4.5.14. Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays is innocent of the murder of 'Ali (&) Some reports accuse al-Ash'ath ihn Qays of being involved in the murder of 'Ali.

Al-Ya'qoobi said: " 'Abdur-Raljmin ibn Maljam stayed with al-Ash'ath ibn Qays for a month, sharpening his sword."1278 Ibn Sa'd stated in at-TabaqZt: " 'Abdur-Raljmh ibn Maljam spent that night, preceding the morning on which he had decided to kill 'Ali, with al-Ash'ath ibn Qays in the place where he used to pray. Then when dawn was about to break, al-Ash'ath said: 'Dawn has broken.' 'Abdur-Rahmsn ibn Maljam and Shabeeb ibn Bajrah stood up and picked up their swords, then went and sat 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib opposite the door from which 'Ali would come out."1279 This report is weak, There is no evidence for accusing al-Ash'ath because when we examine the role be played in 'Ali's caliphate, we find that he was sincere and loyal to 'Ali (&). He was the fnst one to fight the people of Syria in the battle for the water, and he showed enmity towards the Kharijites from the time they fust appeared. He is the one who told 'Ali that the Kharijites were saying that 'Ali had repented from his sin and recanted the arbitration, and he fought them at Nahrawh. He was also keen to strengthen his ties with Ah1 al-Bayt, and he gave his daughter in marriage to al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (&). When al-Hasan wanted to go to his bride, the tribe of Kindah spread their cloaks from his door to the door of al-~sh'ath.'~" Al-Ash'ath died forty days after the murder of 'Ali, and al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi T2ib offered the funeral prayer for him.'282 Al-Hasan was the husband of his daughter.lZs3 There is no narration from the family of 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib (&) to suggest that they levelled this accusation against alAsh'ath or that they discussed it with any member of al-Ash'ath's family.

The murder of 'Ali was carried out only by the Kharijites, and was mostly within the context of avenging the slain of ~ a h r a w h . ' ~ ~ ~ 4.5.15. The danger posed by the misguided and deviant groups to the Muslims When misguided sects and deviant groups spread in Muslim lands, they pose a danger to the Muslims, threatening security and stability, making the people doubt their beliefs and spreading corruption and rnin. That was the case with the Khariiite renegades - who rebelled against 'Ali (&) and regarded him as a disbeliever, a group of whom caught him unawares and killed him, as we have seen - . - above. They claimed that they were selling their souls for the sake of Allah by doing this deed, but they had no proof or evidence for that; 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia rather they were following whims and desires and obeying Satan. When we understand from the previous information that the K h ~ j i t e s were the cause of 'Ali's slaying, and we recognise the corruptness of their way of thinking, then we will realise that the Muslim Ummah must beware of them, warn against them and oppose them.

The scholars and callers to Islam have to do their part so that security and safety may he established; then the lights of the Sunnah will shine forth, and the fires of innovation will be extinguished. This can be achieved in the best manner by supporting the belief of Ahl asSunnah wal-Jam2'ah and standing up to innovation and innovators. These are means of reviving societies, and this is the best way to bring Muslims together and unite them. Whoever ponders the lengthy history of Islam will realise that the states which were based on and adhered to the Sunnah are the ones that united the Muslims, adopted the ideology of jihad, and enjoined what is good and forbade what is evil; by means of these states, Islam prevailed in the past and in modem history. This is unlike those states that were established on a foundation of innovation and created chaos, division and innovation, leading to disunity; those states soon died out and became extinct.'z85 4.5.16. The deeply entrenched grudges against the sincere believers that filled the hearts of the Kharijites The deeply entrenched grudges against the sincere believers that filled the hearts of the Kharijites are indicated by the words of 'Abdnr-RarnZn ibn Maljam, who said concerning his sword: "I bought it (the sword) for one thousand, and I put enough poison on it for one thousand.

If this blow had struck all the people of the city, none of them would have survived."'286 Xli ibn Abi Tilib These words of his highlight the blatant enmity harboured by these Kharijites, not only against the ordinary believers but also against prominent leaders such as 'Ali ibn Abi TZlib (&), whose character combined the greatest and noblest characteristics. Look, may AUah bless you, at how conupt ideas and deviant thoughts, and those who promote them, can lead people to such a wretched level that they assassinate believers and leave idolaters alone.lZx7 4.5.17. Impact of a bad environment on the people who live in it A had environment has an impact on the people who live in it, even if some of them love justice and strive for it. Ibn Maljam went to a man from Ashja', whose name was Shabeeb ibn Bajrah, and said to him: "Will you be interested in something that will bring you honour in this world and the hereafter?" Shabeen said: 'What is it?" Ibn Maljam said: "Killing 'Ali ibn Ahi Tsib." Shabeeb said: "May your mother be bereft of you! This is something tenible. How can you kill 'Ali?" Ibn Maljam said: "I will lie in wait for him in the mosque, then when he comes to pray the dawn prayer, we will attack him and kill him.

If we survive, then we will he happy and will have gotten revenge; if we are killed, then that which is with Allah is better than this world and everything in it." Shabeeb said: "Woe to you, if it was someone other than 'Ali, it would be more bearable to me. You know the sacrifices he made for Islam and that he was one of the first to stand with the Prophet (&). I do not feel comfortable with the idea of killing him." Ibn Maljam said: "Do you not know that he killed the people of Nahrawh, the righteous slaves of Allah?" Shabeeb said: "Yes." Ibn Maljam said: "Then we should kill him in revenge for those of our brethren whom he slew." The report of at-Tabari says that be was persuaded by these 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia Look, may Allah bless you, at how people with misguided ideas can influence the people that they mix with and sit with. Even though Shabeeb was not happy with the idea of killing 'Ali because of what he knew of his great efforts in support of Islam and his seniority with regard to being with the Prophet (g), he responded to Ibn Maljam when he persuaded him with his specious arguments, reminding him that 'Ali (&) had killed his fellow Kharijite renegades. Thus he stirred up his emotions and convinced him, even though these brethren had been killed lawfully, not unlawfully. He responded to his request and agreed with him, and the outcome was corrupted thinking, a mined reputation and obvious loss.

This reminds every Muslim to beware of keeping company with anyone who has corrnpt beliefs and deviant ideas, and to hasten to sit with devoted scholars who know the trnth and act upon it and guide people to that which serves their best interests in this world and the hereafter. If he does not accept that straight path and mixes with these deviants and is influenced by their beliefs, he will end up biting his fingers in regret at a time when regret is to no avail,1z89 as Allah (&) says: (And [remember] the Day when the - dhsim [wrongdoer, oppressor, polytheist] will bite at his hands, he will say: 'Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger [Muhammad].' 'Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never en so-and-so as an intimate friend! He indeed led me astray from the Reminder [this Quran] after it had come to me.

And Satan is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need.'b (Quran 25: 27-29) These are some of the lessons to be leamed from the slaying of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi T a b (&), the devoted scholar who spent his entire life submitting to Allah (&), turning to Him always. He showed us a blessed way to follow and set a blessed example for us to emulate. 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 4.6. Eulogies for Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali 4.6.1. Abu al-Aswad ad-Du'ali Ibn 'Abdul-Ban said: "Most narrators attribute these lines of verse to Umm al-Haytham bint ai-'Ary2n an-Nakha'iyyah: 0 eye, why do you not help us, why don't you weep for Amir al-Mu'mineen? Umm Kulthoom weeps for him.

Tell the Kharijites, wherever they are, May Allah never comfort those who rejoice in his death. Is it in the month of Ramadan that you made us grieve for the loss of the best of all people? ... He acquired all beautifil qualities, but above all he attained the love of the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds. Quraysh know very well that you are the best among them in lineage and religious commitment. If you see the face of Abu Husayn [meaning Ali], you will see the fill moon above those who look at it. Before his death we were in a good state and we could see the mawla of the Messenger of Allah with us, Striving to establish the truth and never doubting it, being fair to enemies and relatives alike, Never withholding any knowledge he had, and he was never one of the tyrants.

When the people lost 'Ali, it was as $ they were cattle lost for years."1z90 4.6.2. Ismsee1 ibn Maammad al-Himyari Ask Quraysh, if you are not aware, who was the most steadfast and strongest in devotion to the faith? 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia Who was the earliest in Islam, greatest in knowledge and had the best wife and children, The one who declared the oneness of Allah when Quraysh disbelieved the Prophet, calling upon idols and rivals alongside Allah? Who was the most just, most knowledgeable, the most sincere in JirlJilling promises? If they tell you the truth, they will only mention Abu Hasan ['Ali], unless you ask someone who envies the righteous."91 4.6.3. Bakr ibn HammSd at-~~harti"~' and his refutation of the Kharijite poet 'ImrSn ibn ~atfi?in"~~ The Kharijite poet 'Imr2n ibn Hat&n said: What a beaut~ful blow from a righteous man, who was seeking thereby nothing except the pleasure of the One of the mighty Throne Sometimes I remember him and think of him as the best of people before Allah.

Bakr ibn Hamm2d at-Taarti said in response to that: Say to Ibn Maljam when the decree of Allah inevitably comes to pass: 'Woe to you, you have destroyed a pillar of Islam; You have killed the best of those who walk the earth, the first of people in Islam and faith; The most knowledgeable of the Quran among people, and the most knowledgeable of the Sunnah of the Messenger. Rather the blow came to him from a misguided person and that blow will land him in hell; he will meet Allah when He is angry with him, 'Ali ibn Abi T6lib As if he intended nothing by this blow except to go to hell for eternity.1294 Thus Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi T2ib departed this world after striving mightily in jihad, and with his death, one of the brightest and purest chapters of history came to an end. History knows him as a brilliant man of a unique calibre. His ultimate aim was to seek the pleasure of Allah (B); his main concern was that Islam should prevail; his greatest wish was that the dings of Allah ( s ) should govern the world of mankind, and his highest aspiration was that justice should be achieved among his subjects. Studying the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs will strengthen the resolve of the new generation of Muslims and guide them. It will bring to life the beauty and splendour of the early days of Islam, teach them that the affairs of the last of this Ummah will never be sound except through that by which the affairs of the early generation became sound, and help the callers to Islam, scholars and seekers of knowledge to follow the example of that era.

The Muslims should study its characteristics and features, the attributes of its leaders and community, its system of ruling and the way in which it governed people's affairs. That will help the young people of this Ummah to restore the Urnmah to its role of leading humanity. I completed this book at 12.55 p.m. on Saturday, 7 Rabee' al- &bir 1424 AW7 June 2003 CE, by the grace of Allah ( s ) . Praise he to Allah first and foremost. I ask Him to accept this work, to open people's hearts in order for them to benefit from it, and to bless it from His bounty. Allah (&) says: (Whatever of mercy [i.e. of good], Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it; and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter.

And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.) (Qur'arz 35: 2) 'Ali's attitude towards the h r i j i t e s and Shia Upon the completion of this book, I cannot but stand before Him with humility, turning to Him and acknowledging His blessings and grace, recognising that I have no power and no strength of my own. Allah ($) is the Bestower of blessings, He is the Giver of honour, He is the Helper, and He is the guide. To Him be praise for that with which He has blessed me from beginning to end. I ask Him, may He be glorified, by His beautiful names and sublime attsibutes, to make this work of mine sincerely for His sake alone and beneficial to His slaves, and to reward me for every letter I have written and add it to my record of good deeds. May He also reward my brothers who helped me with all that they could to complete this humble effort. We hope that every Muslim who reads this book will not forget in his supplications the author, the slave of Allah who is in need of his Lord's forgiveness, mercy and good pleasure, for a supplication offered for one's brother in his absence will be answered, if Allah (g) wills.

I end this book with the words of AUah (&): BMy Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.) (Quran 27: 19) Glory and praise be to You, 0 Allah. I bear witness that there is no god but You; I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You. And the end of our supplication is: Praise be to AUah the Lord of the Worlds. A servant who is in need of his Lord's pardon, forgiveness, mercy and good pleasure Ali Muhammad Muhammad as-Sallgbi 7 Rabee' a l - h r 1424 AH Conclusion %s is what AUah (s) has enabled me to compile in the chapters of this book, which I have called in Arabic Seerat Ameer alMu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib: Shakhfiyatuhu wa 'Afruhu (Biography of Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi Tcilib - his Life and Times). Whatever is correct herein is purely by the grace of Allah (g), to Whom be praise.

Whatever errors are contained herein, I ask Allah to forgive me, and I repent to Him; Allah (&) and His Messenger (g) bave nothing to do with them. However, I was keen to avoid making mistakes so that I would not be deprived of reward. I ask AUah (G) to make this book of benefit to my Muslim brothers and sisters, and I ask those who read it to remember me in their prayers, for the supplication for one's brother in his absence will be answered, if Allah wills. I end this book with the words of AUah (!&): #Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who bave preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord!

Yon are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.% (Quran 59: 10) Glory and praise be to Yon, O Allah. I bear witness that there is no God but You; I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You. Weak and fabricated hadiths about Amir al-Mu'nnineen 'Ali ibn Abi TSlib (&) 1. "AUah revealed three things to me concerning 'Ali on the night on which I was taken on the night journey: that he was the leader of the believers, the imam of the pious and the commander of those witb bright faces and limbs (from doing wndoo')." Fabricated. Al-Albhi: As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 353. 2. "Three people are ahead of everyone else: the one who reached.

Moosa first, Joshua; the one who reached 'Eesa first, the man mentioned in Ya-Seen; and the one who reached Muhammad first, 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib." Very fabricated. A l - A l b ~ : AsSilsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 358; da'if al-Jimi', no. 3334. 3. " 'Ali is the leader of tbe righteous: the one who supports him will prosper, and the one who lets bim down is doomed." Fabricated. At-Alb% As-Silsilah ad-kz'eefah, no. 357; da'if al-Jdrni', no. 37799. 4. "The duel of 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib against 'Amr ibn 'Abd Wudd is better than the deeds of my Ummah until the Day of Resurrection." A lie. Al-Alb% As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 400. 5.

"0 Allah, verily Your slave 'Ali bas devoted himself to Your Prophet, so cause the sun to rise again for him." According to another report: "0 Allah, he was preoccupied with obeying You and Your Messenger, so cause the sun to rise again for him." Weak and fab~icated hadiths about Xli ibn Abi Tilib Asma' said: "I saw it setting, then I saw it rising after it had set." Fabricated. Al-Albini: As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 971. 6. "Allah enjoined me to love four and told me that He loves them." It was said: "0 Messenger of Allah, who are they?' (According to another report: "Tell us their names.") He said: "'Mi is one of them," and he repeated this three times, "and Abu Dhan; Sahnin and al-Muqdid. He enjoined me to love them and told me that He loves them." Weak. .4-Albihi: As-Silsilah 4Da'eefah, no. 1549, no. 3128; Da 'eef al-Jrimi', no. 1566; Da 'eef Sunan al-Tinnidhi, no. 771; da'if Sunan Ibn Mrijah, no. 28; Al-MishEt, no. 6249. 7. "I am the city of knowledge, and 'Ali is its gate. Whoever wants knowledge, let him come to its gate." Weak.

Al-Albki: AsSilsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 2955. 8. "I am the slave of Allah, the brother of the Messenger of Allah; I am the senior qicldeeq, and no one claims that after me but a liar. I prayed seven years before the people." False. da'if Sunan Ibn Mrijah, no. 23. 9. "May Allah have mercy on 'Ali. 0 Allah, cause truth to be on his side wherever he is." Very weak. Al-Albini As-Silsilah adDa'eefah, no. 2094; da'if al-Jiimi', no. 3095; da'if Sunan alTirmidhi, 767; al-Mishkrit, no. 6125. 10. " 'Ali is with the Quran, and the Quran is with 'Ali; they will never be parted until they both come to the reservoir." Weak.

Da 'eef al-Jrimi', no. 3802. 11. " 'Ali is the king of the believers, and wealth is the king of the hypocrites." Weak. da'if al-Jrimi', no. 3805. 12. "On the night on which I was taken on the Night Journey, I came to my Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, and He revealed to Xli ibn Abi Tilib me three things concerning 'Ali: he is the leader of the Muslims, the guardian of the pious and the commander of those with bright faces and limbs." Fabricated. Al-Albgni: As-Silsilah adDa'eefah, no. 4889. 13. "0 Anas, go and call the leader of the Arabs" - meaning 'Ali. 'kishah said: "Are you not the leader of the Arabs?" He [the Prophet (g)] said: "I am the leader of the sons of Adam, and 'Ali is the leader of the Arabs. 0 An& shall I not tell you something which, if you adhere to it, you will never go astray after that?" They said: Yes, 0 Messenger of Allah.

He said: "This is 'Ali: Love him because you love me, and honour him because you honour me, for Jibreel enjoined upon me from AUah the same as I have enjoined upon yon." Fabricated. AlAlb&. As-Silsilah 4-Da'eefah, no. 4890. 14. "You will explain to my Ummah what they differ about after I am gone." Fabricated. Al-Alh& As-Silsilah ad-Da 'eefah, no. 4891. 15. "I am the wamer, and 'Ali is the guide.

Through you, 0 'Ali, those who are guided will be guided after I am gone." Fabricated. Al-AlbZni: As-Silsilah 4-Da'eefah, no. 4899. 16. "When I was taken on the Night Journey (al-lsrri'), I saw written on the leg of the Throne: There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. He is My chosen one among My creation, and I have supported him with 'Ali." Fabricated. Al-Alh2nt As-Silsilah 4-Da'eefah, no. 4902. 17. "Whoever would like to look at the deeds of Adam, the understanding of Nooh, the patience of Ibraeem, the asceticism of Yahya and the strength of Moosa, let him look at 'Ali." Fabricated.

Al-Albiini: As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 4903. 71 0 Weak and fabricated hadiths about 'Ali ibn Abi Tcilib 18. "You will fight those who recant and are unjust and rebellious, in the roads and on the banks of rivers and streams." Fabricated. Al-Alb2~. As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 907. 19. "This verse - (0 Messenger warnmad]! Proclaim [the Message] which has been sent down to you from your Lord) (Quran 5: 67) was revealed on the day of Ghadeer Khumm concerning 'Ali." Fabricated.

Al-Alhhi: As-Silsilah adDa'eefah, no. 4922. 20. "When the Messenger of Allah appointed 'Ali at Ghadeer Khumm and instructed that 'Ali should be in charge after him, this verse was revealed: (This day, I have perfected your religion for you [and] completed My Favour upon you.) (Quran 5: 3)" Fabricated. Al-AlhW As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 4923. 21. "This is my brother, my appointed heir and my successor (caliph) among you, so listen to him and obey" -referring to 'Ali. Fabricated. Al-Alb2ni: As-Silsilah ad-Da 'eefah, no. 4932. 22.

"I adjure you by Allah, is there anyone among you whom the Messenger of Allah took as a brother when be established ties of brotherhood among the Muslims - apart from me?" They said: No, by Allah. Fabricated. Al-Albint As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 4949. 23. "There is no sword except Dhul-Fiq$ and no hero except 'Ali." False, falsely attributed to 'Ali. Minh2j as-Sunnah, 5/70. 24. "Love for 'Ali is a good deed that cannot be undermined by doing bad deeds alongside it, and hating him is a bad deed alongside which no good deed is to any avail." False, falsely attributed to 'Ali.

Minhzj as-Sunnah, 5/73. 25. "The two weighty things are the Book of Allah, one side of which is in the hand of Allah and the other side of which is in 'Ali ibn Abi Tklib your hands; adhere to it and do not go astray. The other (weighty thing) is my family. The All Knowing [Allah] has told me that they (these two weighty things) will never be separated until they both come to me at the reservoir. I asked my Lord for that. So do not go ahead of them lest you be doomed, and do not fall behind lest you be doomed, and do not teach them because they know better than you." Weak.

Al-Albhi: As-Silsilah adDa'eefah, no. 4914. 26. "Knowing the family of Muhammad is salvation, loving the family of Muhammad is help to cross the path leading to paradise (that passes over hellfire, and which is found by disbelievers and sinners to be extremely sharp and narrow), supporting the family of Muhammad is protection against punishment." Fabricated. Al-Albzni: As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 4917. 27. "This is my brother, my appointed heir and successor (caliph) after I am gone, so listen to him and obey." This hadith is false in both text and chain of narration. As for the chain of narration, it includes 'Abdul-Ghaff^ar ibn al-Qhim, of whom ad-Dhahabi said: Abu Maryam al-An$% was a RZdi and not trustworthy. 'Ali ibn at-Madeeni said: He used to fabricate hadith.

Mizin alI6tid&l, 21640. 28. "My appointed heir and confidant is 'Ali ibn Abi T a b . The best of those I am leaving behind, who will fulfil my covenant and pay off my debts, is 'Ali ihn Abi Tab." Narrated by alHaythami in Majma' az-Zmyi'id, 9/14. He attributed it to atTabarhi and said: Its chain of narration includes an-Nis* ibn 'Abdullah, who is rejected. 29. "I am the house of Wisdom, and 'Ali is its door." Narrated by atTirmidhi and Abu Na'eem, who did not comment on atWeak andfabricated hadiths about 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib Tirmidhi's words: This is a svange munkar ha dith... we do not know this hadith from any wstworthy narrator fiom Shurayk. No. 3723.

Ibn al-Jawzi said: This is a fabricated hadith. Mishkrit al-Ma~iibeeh, 311777. Ibn d-Jawzi deemed it to be a lie - AlMawdoo 'iit, 11349. 30. "You, 0 'Ali, and your party, &hey are the best of creatures) (Quran 98: 7)." Its chain of narration includes Ahu alJarood, Ziy2d ibn al-Mundhir d-Kufi, whom al-Hz& - ibn E]lajar called: a Rsidi whom Yabya ihn Ma'een deemed to he a liar. AtTaqreeb, no. 2101. 31. "Allah revealed to me three things concerning 'Ali: he is the leader of the believers, the leader of the pious and the leader of those with bright faces and limbs." A l - H h said in alManciqib: Its chain of narration is sound.

I say: Rather it is very weak and also intetnpted. Ithcif al-Maharah, 11344. He said that 'Umar ibn d-Husayn d-'Aqeeli and his shaykh Yahya ibn al- 'Ala' ar-Rki are both rejected. In fact, he stated clearly that this hadith is fabricated. 32. "What great news, 0 'Ali. You have become our mawla and the mawla of every believing man and woman." Its chain of narration includes 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jad'an, of whom alJawzjini said: His hadith is weak.

Ash-Shajarah fi Abcil arRijcil, p. 194. Ibn dJawzi said in al-'Ilal al-Mutaniihiyah filAhcideeth al-Wiihiyah (11226): It is not permissible to quote this hadith as evidence. From that man hack to Abu Hurayrah, all its narrators are weak. AI-Bazzir said: A number of scholars spoke about it. Kashf al-Astiir, 490. Ad-Diraqu@i said: It is not strong.

Sunan ad-Diiraqupi, 11103. 33. "May Allah have mercy on 'Ali. 0 Allah, cause truth to be with him wherever he goes." Narrated by d-Hgkim, who said: It is 'Ali ibn Abi Ttlib sound according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs pukhari and Muslim]. Al-Mustadrak, 31125. Its chain of narration includes N%i' at-Tameemi. Ad-Dhahabi said, commenting on a l - H e Al-Mukbtik is worthless. Al-H%fi& said: Al-Mukhtk is weak.

At-Taqreeb, p. 6522. 34. '"Ali is my brother in this world and the hereafter." Weak. AlAlbini: da'if al-Jcimi', no. 3801. 35. "'Ali is the gate of humility. Whoever enters it will be safe." Fabricated. Its chain of narration includes Husayn al-Ashqar.

Bukhari said: There is some doubt concerning it. At-Tareekh alKabeer, 212862. He said: He narrated strange things. At-Tareekh as-Sagheer, 21319. Al-Albini: As-Silsilah ad-Da'eefah, no. 3913. 36. "'Ali is the best of mankind.

Whoever does not accept that has disbelieved." Fabricated. Al-Hz& ibn Hajar said: It was narrated by Ibn 'Adiy via several chains of narration, all of which are weak. Tasdeed al-Qaws, 3/89. Adl-Dhahabi said: This is a munkar hadith. Adl-Dhahahi also described this hadith as clearly false. Mizcin al-Z'tidcil, 11521; Ibn alJawzi in alMawdoo 'it, 11348. 37.

'kishah said: "I know that 'Ali is dearer to you than my father, two or three times." Weak. Al-Alhhi: da'if Abi Dciwood, p. 491. 38. "The likeness of my family is that of the ship of Nooh; whoever embarks on it will be safe, and whoever stays behind will drown." Narrated by at-Tabarini in al-Kabeer, 3/37; alHaythami, 61168. Its chain of narration includes 'Ahdullah ibn D2hir and al-Hasan ibn Abi Ja'far, who are both rejected. This was stated by al-Haythami. Weak and fabricated hadiths about 'Ali ibn Abi Ttlib 39.

"Whoever would like to live like me, die like me and dwell in the garden of eternity that my Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, has promised me, with trees that He planted with His hand, let him love 'Ali ihn Ahi Tsh." Classed as sound by alH&m, 31128. Ad-Dhahahi commented: Its chain of narration includes al-Qhim, who is rejected, and his shaykh, namely Y&ya ibn al-'Ali al-Aslami, is weak. Al-HZ& - said in AtTaqreeb (7677): He is Shia and weak. But he made a mistake in the name of al-Aslami, calling him al-Muhikibi, and 'AbdulHusayn exploited that in the worse manner in al-Murciji'cit. 40. "Allah never put anything in my heart but I put it in 'Ali's heart." Fabricated. Al-mawdu'cit, 11131; Asas at-Trilib, no. 1262. 41.

"The one who loves you loves me, and the one who loves me loves Allah. The one who hates you hates me, and the one who hates me hates Allah." Al-Hiifidh - said: This was narrated by Ibn 'Adiy, but it is false. Lisrin al-Mizcin, 21109. 42. "0 'Ali, he of good cheer, for you and your companions and your party will be in paradise. 0 'Ali, did you pray the afternoon prayer?" He said no. He said: "0 Allah, Yon know that he was busy sewing You and Your Messenger, so put the sun hack for him." So Allah (&) brought it hack for him, and 'Ali prayed, then the sun set. Glossary of Islamic terms* abu (or abi) Ah1 al-Bayt ah1 as-Sunnah wal-jam4 'ah al&mdulillrih Allihu akbar rimeen Amir alMu 'mineen An$& 'aqeedah (pl.

'aqri'id) father (of) -. +JI hi the people of the Prophet's household or family hi 'people of the Sunnah and the Gk; CI3 community' dl dl all praise is for Allah $7 Allah is the Greatest &T 0 Allah, accept our invocation; amen &I *i the leader of the Muslims; lit: 'the commander of the faithful' >Lpii 'helpers': the Muslim citizens of Madiuah who gave refuge to the Prophet (g) and the other Muslim emigrants from Makkah ;+ belief system that is based upon a firm conviction in all the fundamentals of faith and of the oneness of Allah, firm creed that one's heart is fixed upon without any wavering or doubt, and that excludes any supposition, doubt or suspicion * The Arabic words are transliterated according to the conventions of the Transliteration Chart found in this book. If a word has become part of the English language (i.e. is found in a dictionary of Standard English), that spelling is used in this hook and appears first in this Glossary, with the transliterated form in brackets after it. 71 6 Glossaiy of Islamic terms as-salcimu 'alaykum P f"-J1 'awrah ;~3.= banu (or bani) Baqee ' Cemetery bay 'at +a + as-Saqeefah da 'wah dhimmi dirham Eid ('eed) fatwa (fatwah) a greeting, which means 'peace' the part of a person's body that must he screened from public view; for males it is the area between the navel and the knees, and for females it is everything except the hands and the face lit. 'children (of)'; usu. referring to a tribe that claims a common ancestor the cemetery located next to the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, in which many of the Prophet's companions and family members are buried The oath of allegiance given to Abu Bakr as the new leader of the Muslims: this took place at a meeting in Saqeefah after the death of the Prophet (g) disseminating the teachings of Islam and calling people to accept and embrace Islam protected or covenanted people; nonMuslims who must pay the jizyah in lieu of zakit a silver coin; a unit of currency lit. festival, the two celebrations: one at the end of Ramadan and the other at the culmination of the Hajj religious decision or decree Xli ibn Abi Trilib 71 7 fay ' jiqh jitnah ghaneemah ghareeb hadd Hadith (hadith) hadith (hadith) -3 what Muslims acquire of the wealth of disbelievers without fighting or jihad 4Zj Islamic jurisprudence; understanding or interpreting Islamic law lit. trial, temptation; (attempting to sow) discord between Muslims what Muslims acquire of the wealth of those who fight them and what they capture in battle of horses and mounts; war booty lit. 'strange' or 'unusual': a category of hadith in which at some points in its chain there is only one narrator J& ritual shower necessary after a major impurity, e.g., after sexual intercourse or at the end of the menstrual period ltype of punishment prescribed by Allah +JSthe collected statements and actions of Prophet Muhammad (g) that with the Quran form the basis of Islamic law &.ASa statement or action of Prophet Muhammad (g) that was remembered and recorded by his Companions and followers &UI 'the one who has memorized (the Quran)': an honorific title the major pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque, site of the Ka'bah at Makkah, to be undertaken by every able Muslim once in hisher lifetime 71 8 Glossary oflslamic tenns halal JSLr (halril) har6m f Hijciz jk Hijrah z? hoor 'een Zblees 'iddah inn6 lill6hi 4 6b bll @ wa inn6 ilayhi 3-1) rriji 'oon inshallah blllA.2 j t permitted according to Islamic law forbidden according to Islamic law the Western region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes Makhah and Madinah migration: esp. the migration from Makhah to Madinah by Prophet Muhammad (gg) and his Companions that marks the start of the Islamic calendar plural of (gazelle-like) + 'ayn (eye); houris, the 'firn-breasted' women with beautiful eyes, promised to male believers in paradise another name for Satan in Arabic the waiting period after a woman is widowed or divorced, in which she is not allowed to remany, in order to ascertain whether or not she is pregnant with the child of her late or ex-husband to use one's knowledge of the Quran and the Sunnah to derive rulings on matters not specifically mentioned in either source of Islamic law 'to Allah we belong and to Him is our return'; a phrase uttered during times of difficulty [from Soorat al-Baqarah (2: 156)l God willing 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib i'tikif i s 6 1 seclusion in the mosque solely for the purpose of worship jihiliyyuh +b lit. 'ignorance'; the age of spiritual darkness before Islam Jibreel J.* the Arabic name for Gabriel (,%), the archangel who transmitted the verses of the Quran and other communication from Allah to Prophet Muhammad (g) jihad >k struggle or striving (in Allah's cause) (jiha) jinn jr non-human, rational beings created by (plural of jinni) Allah from hre, often referred to as 'demons' or 'devils'; They have free will like humans: some are Muslims, others disbelievers; some are obedient to Allah, others disobedient. Satan is a jinni.

Some people try to 'foretell' the future by contacting a jinni. Some disobedient jinn mislead people into thinking that they can tell them what will happen in the future, near or far, or that the jinn can provide people with riches or some sort of power. Kaaba (Ka 'bah) Wlaleel khazeerah the House of Allah in Makkah, originally built by Prophets Ibr2heem and Ismi'eel, and which Muslims face wherever they pray J?; a very close friend zrj; a dish prepared by cutting meat into small pieces and covering it with water. When the meat is almost done, some Glossary of Islamic terms khuff 16 ilciha ill6 Allcih Maghreb mahr mahram maq6m Zbrciheem flour is sprinkled on to it (and cooked for a while). a type of footwear worn for travelling, usually made of leather. In some cases, it is permissible to wipe over them when m&ng ablutions for prayer, instead of taking them off and washing the feet g5 an honorary name usually composed of Abu (father of) or Umm (mother of) and the name of the first son or first child &I Ji d! Y there is none worthy of worship other than Allah pi. school of juristic thought u+ The Maghreb literally means the place of sunset, or the west.

It is also used to refer to the countries of North Africa (excluding Egypt), or specifically to Morocco ,p obligato~y marriage gift presented by the groom to the bride, and a necessary stipulation of the marriage contract f* a degree of consanguinity precluding marriage; a man whom a woman may never marry due to the close blood or marriage relationship. e.g., father, brother, son, uncle, and father-in-law ,+131 fL the Station of Abraham (Ibriheem) next to the Ka'bah 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib al-Masjid fIQI +I the Sacred Mosque in Makkah where al-Harem the Kaaba is situated mawla J, master, protector, helper or friend maw~ool JgPp lit. 'connected': a term used by Hadith scholars to describe a narration with an uninterrupted chain of narrators minbar + raised pulpit in a mosque from which sermons are presented; The pulpit in a mosque is different from that in a church. The pulpit in a mosque is basically a raised platform at the top of a set of steps, and it usually has a railing for the imam or speker to lean on. This is why one can speak of 'sitting on the pulpit', and 'ascending the pulpit' mubihalah &alp a method of resolving religious disputes in which both parties come together to pray and invoke the curse of Allah on the side that is lying mudd L a measure of volume: approx. what one's two hands can scoop up Muhijiroon jj3k lit. emigrants (of any kind); in Islamic (or Muhijireen) discourse this term is used to refer to people who emigrate to safeguard their religion, and specifically, the Muslims who migrated with Prophet Muhammad (g) from Makkah to Madinah mujehid JA& one who strives in the way of Allah, a (pl. mujihideen) fighter in jihad Glossary of Islamic terms mursal musnad mutawiitir prophethood + a category of hadith which is related by only one narrator, who is neither upright nor precise; technically, it is a weak hadith that contradicts an authentic hadith Jlp a category of hadith: a narration that a tzbi'ee ascribes to the Prophet (gg) without mentioning the Companion that he took it from L&.SA copy of the Arabic text of the Quran that is neither accompanied by commentary nor translated a compilation (made by his student) of the hadiths related by an Imam jlp a category of hadith describing narrations that are related by a group of upright and trustworthy narrators who also related from a group of upright and tmstworthy narrators, and so on, until the narration ends at the Prophet (@J The term 'prophethood' is not in the English dictionaty, but is an invented term, formed along the pattern of 'childhood' and 'motherhood', as a noun reflecting a particular state of being. It is meant to translate the meaning of the Arabic word nubnwwah, which has no one-word equivalent in English, but which could be translated as meaning 'the state of being a prophet', and is also used to 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib qiblah (qiblah) qiy2m al-lay1 raj'ah raka 'ah (pl. raka '2t) Ramadan (RamaGn) ar-rijs refer to 'all things that have to do with being a prophet'. The term 'prophethood' has since become common in English-language Islamic discourse U I the bearing from the Kaaha to any point on Earth, the direction that all Muslims must face in prayer MI tLj lit.

'standing the night'; getting up to pray supererogatory prayers during the late night and early morning before fajr k.rJ the Shiite belief that some people win be brought back to this life from the dead, in their original forms, before the Day of Resurrection hS, a unit of the formal prayer (&it) a h h P J the ninth month in the Islamic calendar; the month of obligatory fasting; the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed M~ dirt or filth; also used to refer to evil deeds and sins, prohibited food and drink, polytheism and other prohibited acts c$, the act of bowing (in prayer) cb a measurement roughly equivalent to 3 kg, or four times the volume of a mudd #I one of the two hills between which pilgrims must hurry back and forth Glossary shaykh shirk shu 'oobiyyah surah or soorat Sunrzah tribi 'oon (sg. tribi 'ee) tafseer during the rites of the Hajj and the 'umrah a grade of hadith: sound or authentic peace; the greeting of peace i% formal prayer: a combination of physical postures, recitation and supplication teacher, mentor; scholar I associating partners with Allah Q+ Derived from the Arabic word sha'b meaning people, nation, or race: the Shu'oobiyyah movement advocated equality of Arabs and non-Arabs. The term is often used by Arabs in a more. specific context that refers to the resentment of Arabs by Persians that occurred in the 9th and 10th centuries CE i, chapter of the Quran the practice and collected sayings of Prophet Muhammad (g) that together with the Quran forms the basis of Islamic law jeWI those who knew or met any of the Companions and transmitted hadiths from them - exegesis: commentary. or explanation of the meanings (usu. of Qur'anic verses) 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib takbeer taqiyyah tawcif tawhid thareed Ummah 'umrah unseen wali wasimah witr d g l b idols; everything evil that is worshipped & the act of saying Allcihu akbar + Dissimulation of or deception about one's religions beliefs, especially in times of danger or persecution I fearful awareness of Allah, being mindful of Allab, pious dedication; being careful not to transgress the bounds set by Allah dl& circumambulation of the Ka'bah the Oneness of Allah: that He alone deserves to be worshipped and that He has no partners a dish made from pieces of flat bread soaked in a meat stew ! community or nation: usu. used to refer to the entire global community of Muslims z a minor, non-obligatory pilgrimage to Makkah a term used to denote phenomena or aspects that cannot be known using ordinaq human faculties JJI friend and helper (of Allah) WJI a plant or tree found in Yemen, the leaves of which are used for dyeing hair jJI lit. an odd number: a single unit of supererogatory prayer, to be prayed any time after the evening ('ishci') Glossary of Islamic terms prayer and before the call for the dawn prayer wudoo' +Jr;.> ablution required before prayer or touching the Quran zakrit ;Is; obligatov charity: an 'alms tax' on (zak6h or zakcit) wealth payable by Muslims and to be distributed to other Muslims who qualify as recipients