**** Hazrat Ali (RA) (4th Caliph of Islam) **** Jiska main Maula hun, usla ALI (RA) Maula hai (HADITH) Hazrat Ali (RA) was, the Fourth 4th Caliph of Islam, was a versatile genius. Few persons have ever been endowed with the unsurpassed traits of chivalry and learning, piety and clarity of thought and imagination that distinguished the illustrious son-in-law of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) who had brought him up under his own fostering care and ideal guardianship. Hazrat Ali (RA) has universally been acclaimed as one of the best products of Islam. His bravery had won him the title of Lion of God. Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (RA) whose kunniyat was Abul Hasan, was born in the 13th year of the Year of Elephant. He was a cousin of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his clan Banu Hashim having been entrusted with the high function of the custody of the sacred Kaaba, was held in high esteem, throughout Arabia. Abu Talib, who had a large family entrusted his son Ali (RA) to the care of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Hazrat Ali (RA) was brought up by the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself from his very childhood -- a factor, which greatly contributed to cultivating extraordinary virtues in him. According to reliable historical sources, Hazrat Khadija (RA) was the first woman, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (RA), the first man and Hazrat Ali (RA) was the first child to embrace Islam. Hazrat Ali (RA) played a conspicuous role at the time of the Prophets migration from Makkah. While Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) accompanied the Prophet (PBUH), constantly harassed and hunted by the Quraish of Makkah, on his perilous journey to Madinah, Hazrat Ali (RA) was kept behind to return to the owners the valuables they had entrusted to the custody of the Prophet (PBUH), It speaks volumes for the intergrity of the Prophet (PBUH) that even his sworn enemies reposed full trust in his honesty and deposited their valuables with him. Hazrat Ali (RA) slept soundly in the house of the Prophet (PBUH) besieged by his enemies. The next morning he cleared the accounts and departed for Madinah. The Prophet (PBUH) selected the young talented Ali (RA), as the life partner for his favorite daughter Fatima az-Zahra (RA), the beautiful. The nuptial ceremony was performed with utmost simplicity, which will serve as an example for all times to come. The dowry given to the beloved daughter of the Prophet consisted of a sheet of cloth, a few earthen utensils and a grinding stone. Three sons, Hazrat Imam Hassan (RA), Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and Hazrat Mohsin (RA) and two daughters Hazrat Zainab (RA) and Hazrat Umme (RA) Kulsum were born. The lineage of the Prophet continued through Hazrat Imam Hassan and Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), hence their descendants are called Syed (Master). Hazrat Ali (RA) lived a humble and simple life;he earned his living through manual labour. He could not add anything to the property of the house and his beloved wife performed all household duties with her own hands. Faced with extreme poverty, the humanitarianism and the spirit of charity and self-sacrifice and self-denial of this ideal couple of Islam have hardly any parallel in the annals of mankind. Hazrat Ali (RA) was chosen by the Prophet (PBUH) to carry the message of Islam to the people of Yemen, where earlier Muslim missionaries had failed. There he met with great success and the tribe of Hamdan embraced Islam the same day. The Prophet (PBUH), he took a leading part in all defensive campaigns except Tabuk, when reluctantly he had to stay back in Madinah under the orders of the Prophet (PBUH) who said, You stand to me in the same relation in, which Aaron stood to Moses, except that there is to be no Prophet after me. Hazrat Ali (RA) unique valor for the first time in the battle of Badr, when he overpowered Waleed and Sheba, the renowned warriors of Arabia in single combats. In the battle of Ohad, when the standard bearer of Islam fell fighting, he took hold of the standard and killed the enemy standard bearer. This exceptional heroism made people declare, La fata llla Ali (There is no youth like Ali). Two years after, he met Amr ibn Abad Wudd, the greatest known warrior of Arabia in a duel and killed him. Of all his marital exploits, the most outstanding was the capture of the citadel of Khaibar, which was regarded impregnable. It was strongly fortified by the Jews and withstood repeated attacks by Muslims under the command of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqui and Umar. Thereupon the Prophet (PBUH) said, Tomorrow the standard of Islam will be entrusted to a person who would capture it and who loves God and His Messenger whom God and His Messenger also Love. The next morning Hazrat Ali (RA) was summoned in the presence of the Prophet (PBUH). Incidentally he was suffering from bad eyesore. The Prophet (PBUH) applied his saliva to his eyes, and placed the standard in his hands. Hazrat Ali (RA) made a dash and captured the fort by tearing asunder the huge gate, which could not be moved by dozens of men. During the reign of the first two Caliphs, Hazrat Ali (RA) was the principal adviser of the State. He solved all knotty problems and important decision was taken by the Caliphs without his advice. His advice was sought on all matters, especially legal and religious on which he was considered an authority. After the death of the Prophet (PBUH), he mostly devoted his energies to the development of the moral and intellectual life of the adherents of the new faith and seldom took part in warfare. Most of the great administrative works during the reign of Hazrat Umar (RA) were undertaken at his instance. Hazrat Ali (RA) was elected Caliph after, the martyrdom of Hazrat Usman (RA), at a time when the world of Islam was in great turmoil and Madinah; the Metropolis, was besieged by insurgents. The inhabitants of Madinah and neighboring provinces vied with on another in taking the oath of allegiance to him, as he was the most deserving person for the high post among and faithful. But Muawiya, who had gathered great power around himself, clamoured for avenging the blood of Hazrat Usman (RA). Muawiya, being a clever person, realized that he had hardly any chance for the exalted position in the presence of Hazrat Ali (RA), hence he devised this means of winning popular support. The insurgents were two powerful to be dealt with and a hasty step would have culminated in the disintegration of the Empire. This restrained Alis (RA) hands, The situation had become so critical and the political atmosphere was so much explosive, that any drastic action taken against the insurgents would have endangered the security of the new state. Hazrat Ali (RA) opponents had, however, resolved to exploit the situation to their advantage. His demand for avenging Usmans blood was not inspired by high motive. Hazrat Ali (RA) explored all possibilities of amicable settlement before declaring war against Muawiya in the interest of national solidarity. On 12th Rajab 36 A.H. Kufa accorded a royal welcome to the Caliph and made elaborate arrangements for his entertainment in the local palace. But being a saintly person, Hazrat Ali (RA) shunned all pageantries and preferred to camp in an open field. The two forces lay facing each other, as Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Aisha (RA) wanted to avoid a clash and negotiate for a settlement. She was respectfully sent back to Madinah escorted by noble ladies and the Caliph in person saw her off for a considerable distance. Hazrat Ali (RA) now diverted his attention to Muawiya, the rebel Governor of Syria, who was threatening the solidarity of the young state. Being humane by nature. Hazrat Ali (RA) tried his level best to bring about a peaceful settlement and avoid shedding of Muslim blood. But Muawiya advanced impossible conditions. Hazrat Ali offered to end the quarrel by personal combat, but the Umayyad declined the Challenge. At last the fateful hour arrived and the two forces fought a bloody battle. The rebels were defeated in three successive battles says a well-known historian, and Muawiya was ready to fly from the field. when a trick of his accomplice Amr, son of Aas, saved them from destruction. These internal dissensions within the house of Islam gave birth to a new fanatical horde called Kharijis, which probed to be a great menace for the administration of Hazrat Ali (RA). They spread disorders throughout the domains of the Caliph, killing innocent people and converting them to their fanatical creed by force. The Caliph, who faced the turmoils and turbulence around him with extraordinary courage and patience dealt with the Khariji fanatics with a strong hand and exterminated them after a bloody battle. Hazrat Ali (RA) was elected as a Caliph in the most stormy period of Islamic History. He was a versatile genius. Being brought up by the Prophet (PBUH) himself and having had the chance of spending about 30 years in his company, Hazrat Ali (RA) occupies the unique position of being the greatest intellectual among the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH). Like Aristotle he is known as the father of Islamic learning.. He was the greatest Mujtahid and jurist of his time and one of the greatest of all times. He solved all vexing and complicated problems, which defied solution. As already stated he was the principal of adviser on religious and legal matters during the reign of the first three Caliphs. All knotty problems were referred to to him and his verdict was considered final. Evan such high personalities as Hazrat Umar (RA) and Hazrat Aisha (RA) referred their difficulties of him. All schools of religious though regard him as the father of Islamic mysticism. Hazrat Ali was undoubtedly the greatest jurist of early Islam. Once two women who were quarrelling over an infant child -- each claiming it, were produced before him. On hearing the statements of both the claimants, Hazrat Ali ordered the child to be cut to pieces. The real mother was overwhelmed with grief and weep only pleaded to the Caliph to spare the child. Hazrat Ali awarded the child to its real mother and punished the other woman. During his Caliphate, he had to offer even his favourite sword for sale in order to purchase a piece of cloth. In spite of being extremely poor, he never turned away in disappointment anyone who knocked at his door. One night he watered a garden of Madinah and received grain as his wage. The next morning when he returned home he got a portion of grain boilded. But he gave the whole of it to a beggar who knocked at his door. This was repeated on three successive days with the result that he himself had to go without food for three days. His administration steered clear of partisanship, favouritism or nepotism. He was particularly severe on his Governors and kept a regular watch on their actions. Once his own cousin Ibn Abbas, the Governor of Basra, drew some money from the Baitul Mat for his personal expenses. After the Prophet (p.) entered Al-Medina, Ali (a.s) directly followed him(p.) and was always by his side, obeying his commands and abstaining from sins. Ali (a.s.) was the Hero of the battle of Bader. Historians stated that he had killed during Bader half of the Kouraishites. During the battle, he used to go back from time to time to make sure that the Prophet (p.) was still secure and found him praying and prostrating to Allah. Thus, he was living with the Prophet (p.) and defending him in all his actions. When it seemed that the Muslims were going to lose in the battle of Ohud, Ali (a.s.) was the one who defended and guarded the Prophet (p.). Whenever a Kouraishite battalion attacked the Prophet (p.), he (P.) used to tell him: Ali! Push away this battalion away from me. Ali (a.s.) was the Hero in all the Prophets (a.s.) battles. When he (a.s.) stood out to fight Amar Bin Abid Wed Elamiri, in Al-Ahzab battle, the Prophet (p.) said: The whole faith stood out to fight the whole polytheism. When Ali (a.s) stood to fight Amar, the latter said: I would not like to fight you because your father was my friend. Ali (a.s.) answered: But I would like to fight you. So, the Imam (a.s.) did not care about keeping the relationships of his father or his family; he worried only about his stand before Allah. Alis (a.s.) position in the Prophets view. Ali (a.s.) started his life with the Prophet (p.) who always used to call him to engage in the battles, when in the battle of Tabook, the Prophet (p.) asked him to stay in Al-Madina. Ali (a.s.) did not protest, he only tried to explain his point of view. The Prophet (p.) asked him: Do not you like to be to me as Aaron was to Moses, except there is no Prophet after me? {And give me a minister from my family * Aaron, my brother * Add to my strength through him * And make him share my task} (20:29-32). SO Ali (a.s.) approved. Alis (a.s.) knowledge: Since Allah had inspired the Prophet (p.) with the science of Quran and the Islamic principles, Muslims considered that the Prophet (p.) is the one who has the knowledge all sciences. They were worried because there was no enough time to learn from his (p.) knowledge. So, he (p.) told them: I am the city of knowledge, and Ali (a.s.) is its gate and the one who wants to enter this city must pass through its gate. That is due to the fact that Ali (a.s.) lived with the Prophet (p.), learned all his knowledge and was the only companion who was able to answer all questions concerning all issues. He was the authority whom all the companions used to refer to, while he did not have to ask anyone about any issue. Al-Khalil Bin Ahmad Al-Farahidi, the grammar teacher of Sibawaih, the author of poetics, and the first Arabic dictionary, was asked: Why did you prefer Ali (a.s.) and not any other person? During that time, Al-Khalil was loyal to Ali (a.s). He answered: Everyone needs Ali (a.s.), while he is not in need of any one - Therefore, that is an evidence to prove that Ali is the Imam (authority) of everyone. Ali (a.s) gained this high degree of knowledge because he learned it directly from the Prophet (p.). Even, some of the Prophets (p.) wives said that they felt jealous of Ali (a.s.) because the Prophet (p.) used to spend with him much time every night in teaching him the science of the Holy Quran and talking to him about each verse, the place where it was revealed, its events and perspectives. Consequently, the Imams (a.s) knowledge is derived from the Islamic knowledge and his thought is an Islamic one. Even the ideas which he applied in his experiences were also derived from the general Islamic path. Hence, his thought was demonstrated in the movement in which he profoundly thinks, plans, argues, and goes ahead in all the fields of education, for the sake of Allah. Moreover, the Imam (a.s.) was different from all those who achieved knowledge just to freeze it in their minds and be awarded by it. He believed that his knowledge was not sought for serving his own interests, but for the sake of Allah who owned the whole Knowledge. Since Allah wanted Ali (a.s.) to teach people this knowledge, Ali (a.s.) called on people to ask him even when he was about to meet death. He used to say: Ask me before you lose me. Ali (a.s.) did not leave any commandment without explaining it to people, in order not to let them be suspicious toward any issue. So, he directed them to the right path and saved them from deviation. Alis (a.s.) role in educating people. Ali (a.s) worked on educating people on the Islamic knowledge and that is clear through his speeches in Nahj Al-Ballagha. The Imam (a.s) took advantage of every opportunity to make people aware of all the issues surrounding them. He was the ruler who aimed at elevating the level of knowledge of his people, and not just to affect in order to make them be loyal to him. That should be also the responsibility of the leaders in the Islamic arena who must educate their people with the proper political and religious education. Thus, Allah has obliged every scholar who knows the Islamic sciences and is aware of the peoples need for these sciences, to teach them and take advantage of every occasion to elevate their level of knowledge. Hence, it is unlawful for a Muslim whether he was holding a responsibility or not, to stay home, instead of writing, delivering speeches, discussing and arguing. It is stated in the Quran that: {Those who conceal the clear (Signs) we have sent down, and the Guidance, after we have made it for the People in the Book, on them shall be Allahs curse, and that curse of those entitled to curse} (2:159) It is also stated In the Prophets (p.) Hadith that: If heresy appears among my people, let the scholar teach them from his science. The one who does not do so, on him shall be Allahs curse. Therefore, Islam does not want people to be ignorant, simple minded creatures, or idiots. If Muslim people are not aware of the religious, political, social, and economic issues, enemies can easily exploit their ignorance and entangle them in many problems. For that reason, Islam gives a great and a special importance to knowledge. Thus, Imam Ali (a.s.) divided people in his speech addressed to Kumail Bin Ziad as follows: People are divided into three categories: A scholar who devotes his knowledge to serving Allah, a learner who learns for the sake of rescuing himself, and the hooligan type of rabbles that follow anyone who cries out, turning whichever way the wind blows. The last category has not been illuminated by the light of knowledge and it has not fallen back upon support that offers safety, strength and security. He added: Listen to me Kumail. Knowledge is better than wealth, for knowledge guards you while you have to guard wealth. Knowledge increases the actions, but wealth gradually decreases as it is spent. Then, Imam Ali (a.s.) defined the value of man by saying: The value of each person lies on the work he is skilled in. It is also stated in the Quran that: {…Say: Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endured with understanding that receive admonition} (39:9). That is what we have to recall when talking about Imam Ali (a.s.) who was born in the Al-Kaaba (House of Allah) and devoted his life to Allah. Hence, he was born and died in Allahs hands. So, when Bin Mouljam hit Ali (a.s.) on his head while he was praying, Ali (a.s.) said: I swear by Allah, God of Al-Kaaba, that I won. (3). The Imam (a.s.) was still smiling because he knew that during his life, he had always followed the right path, in spite of his sufferance, pain, and problems. Whenever the Imam (a.s.) felt that he was going to die, he directly thought about educating people. He used to say: Ask me before you lose me. That is Ali (a.s.) whom we are proud of because of his great Jihad, his education that is admired by every person whether Muslim or not, his justice that he proved in all his life stands, and his faithfulness to Allah and to Islam Hazrat Ali (RA) questioned his action and He strengthened his frontiers and raised impregnable fortifications on the northern frontiers of Persia. With the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (RA), ended the glorious regime of the pious Caliph.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 09:22:22 +0000
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