Day: 12 October 2020

Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (as) was endowed with a quick, sharp, incisive, mathematical mind. Here are a few interesting stories in which Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb’s (as) mathematical brilliance revealed itself.

What is a wife’s share?

Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (as) was once interrupted while he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit by someone who asked him how to distribute the inheritance of someone who had died leaving a wife, his parents and two daughters. Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (as) instantly answered:

“The wife’s share becomes one ninth.”

How?

This answer is in fact the result of a long analysis with a number of steps. Ordinarily, we have to decide on the original share of each of these heirs, in the following way:

The wife takes one eighth, in view of the presence of an inheriting child. [Noble Qur’an, 4:12]

The deceased’s father and mother take one sixth each. [Noble Qur’an, 4:11]

The two daughters take two thirds of the inheritance. [Noble Qur’an, 4:11]

So the total will be:
1/8 + 1/6 + 1/6 + 2/3 = 3/24 + 4/24 + 4/24 + 16/24 = 27/24

This means the share becomes less than 1/8 in view of the increase of the total of the shares which are so fixed and prescribed. So the one eighth, the original share due to the wife out of twenty-four total shares, has become three shares out of a total of twenty-seven, which is one ninth.

Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb’s (as) mind went through this complex mathematical process in a second!

Amir al-Muminin, Imam Ali (as) was not only a great warrior but a great scholar as well. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said about him, “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate.” He was one of the great jurists among the Companions. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) appointed him as the Judge of Yemen during his life time. He was a master of Arabic and his writings were as effective as his speech.

On many occasions Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) had prayed for him. When he sent Imam Ali (as) to Yemen in Ramadan (10 AH), he blessed Imam Ali (as) with the following prayer: “Oh Allah (SWT) put truth on his tongue and enlightens his heart with the light of guidance.” Then he himself put turban on his head and gave the black standard.

On one occasion Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said to Imam Ali (as), “You pertain to me and I pertain to you.” At another place, Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Only a hypocrite does not love Ali and a believer does not hate him.”

According to a Hadith Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said to Imam Ali (as), “You have a resemblance to Prophet Jesus whom the Jews hated so much that they slandered his mother Mary and whom Christians loved so much that they placed him in a position not rightly his. Ali afterwards said, “Two (types of) people will perish on my account, one who loves me so excessively that he praises me for what I do not possess, and one who hates me so much that he will be impelled by his hatred to slander me.”

Famous Sayings of Imam AliImam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said: “The world is a corpse. Whoever seeks it is a dog.”

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said: “The pomp and glory of a vicious life is to me worth less than the sneeze of a goat.”

 

“O world, are you offering yourself to me? Do you desire me? Never! Never! Deceive someone other than me, I have divorced you for the third time, so that you cannot return to me (metaphorically, of course; he is alluding to the fact that, in Islam, the third divorce is final) your life is short, the existence you offer is base, and your danger is great. Alas for the scarcity of sustenance (good deeds), the great distance of the journey, and the loneliness of the road!”

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said: “O Ammar, grieve not if the pleasures of this world are kept away from you. Honey, the best and sweetest food, is the saliva of an insect, the bee. The nicest dress is made of silk which is the refuse of a small worm. The most refreshing scent, musk, is the blood of an animal, the deer. The best drink is water which is also used by animals to quench their thirst. The most passionate act is cohabiting in which urinative organs are used.”

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said: “This world is like a serpent, so soft to touch, but so full of lethal poison. Unwise people are allured by it and drawn towards it, and wise men avoid it and keep away from its poisonous effects.”

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said: “When this world favors anybody it lends him qualifications, and attributes surpassing merits of others, and when it turns its face away from him it snatches away even his own excellences and fame.”

 

I wonder at the arrogance of a haughty and vain person. Yesterday he was only a drop of semen and tomorrow he will turn into a corpse.

 

I wonder at the man who observes the Universe created by Allah and doubts His Being and Existence.

 

I wonder at the man who sees people dying around him and yet he has forgotten his end. Also Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said: “Every breath you take is a step towards death.”

 

The people of this world are the example of a caravan that is taking them while they are sleeping.

 

I wonder at the man who has seen the first life (understands the marvel of genesis of creation) and denies the second life (refuses to accept that he will be brought back to life again).

 

I wonder at the man who takes great pains to decorate and to make comfortable this mortal habitat and totally forgets his permanent abode.”

 

Description of man according to Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) : “Man is a wonderful creature; he sees through the layers of fat (eyes), hears through a bone (ears) and speaks through a lump of flesh (tongue).”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Whoever wishes to see Adam in his knowledge, Nuh/Noah in his piety, Ibrahim/Abraham in his forbearance (patience), Musa/Moses in his strength, and Isa/Jesus in his worship and devotion should look at Ali ibn Abi Talib.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Make your gatherings lively with the remembrance of Ali ibn Abi Talib.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Annazro ela’a wajhe Aliyin ibadah (Looking at the face of Ali is Worship.)”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “You (Ali) are in the same position with respect to me as Aaron (Harun) was to Moses (Musa) except that there is no prophet after me.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Nobody knows Allah except me and Ali. Nobody knows me except Allah and Ali. Nobody knows Ali except Allah and me.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gate.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Allah (SWT) has created me and Ali from the same one Noor.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “I am from Ali and Ali is from Me.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Ali is my brother in the world and hereafter.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Ali is with Haqq (truth) and Haqq is with Ali – O Allah (SWT) turn Haqq in the same direction in which Ali turns.”

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) had affirmed in the battle of Khyber, when he said: “Tomorrow, I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) and whom Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) love.” This man attacks but never flees. He does not come back from a battle, until he achieves victory by Allah’s Blessings.

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said the following about Ali ibn Abi Talib:

He is the first one to believe in Islam; He is the most knowledgeable; He is the most correct one in his DEEN; He is the most certain; He is the most patient; He is the most forgiving and generous; He is the bravest in heart; He is the IMAM and the successor after me.

Dr. Allama Iqbal said: “Har Ke Dar Aafaaq Gardad Bu Turaab; Baaz Gardaanad Ze Maghrib Aaftaab (In spiritual exaltation, if anyone can achieve the status of Bu Turaab, then he will be able to cause the sun to rise from the West.)”

A case was brought before Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph. Two babies, a girl and a boy, were born on a single dark night to two wives of the same man. The father of the babies had passed away and both wives claimed to be the mother of the son.

Umar ibn al-Khattab asked, “Where is Abul Hasan, vanquisher of difficulties?”

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) was called for and the case detailed to him. He called for two small vessels to be brought and had them weighed and then instructed that equal amount of milk from each mother be drawn into a vessel.

When they were weighed again, it was found that one was heavier than the other. Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) declared that the mother with the heavier milk was the mother of the boy and the lighter milk was that of the girl’s mother.

Umar ibn al-Khattab asked how he comes to this conclusion. Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) replied that Allah (SWT) has prescribed that, “For a male is the share of two females.”

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) was the most just ruler after Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) in the history of Islam.

Once two women came with a dispute to Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as). The dispute was that each of those two women claimed that the child was their son. No one was ready to back off their claim, that she was not the mother of that child. So Imam Ali (as) said, ok, I will divide the child into two parts by cutting him in half. This way both of you can keep half of your child. Just when the child was about to be cut suddenly one of the women cried, No! Please let the other woman keep this child. And, hence Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) concluded that the woman who cried out at the last moment was the real mother. Since a real mother could not bear to see her son to be get killed, even if it meant her to stayed away from her own child.

After the death of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), the Justice of Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) was very popular. Even the first three Caliphs resorted to him in numerous cases.

 

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: The foremost judge amongst you is Ali.

During the days of second Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, a woman was arrested and presented before him.

 

People said, “O Khalifa! This woman has committed adultery. She has delivered a child after only a period of six months pregnancy”.

 

Umar ibn al-Khattab ordered the woman to be stoned to death.

 

As people were taking her towards the location for punishment, she kept on pleading that she was innocent but no one would listen to her.

 

Finally someone informed Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) about the situation and he (as) came to Umar ibn al-Khattab and asked, “Why have you ordered this woman to be stoned to death?”

 

Umar ibn al-Khattab replied, “For adultery! She has given birth to a child after a period of six month’s pregnancy and we all know the pregnancy period is of nine months”.

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said, “This is not true! It is possible for a woman to give birth after six months pregnancy. This child belongs to her husband”.

 

When asked for Quranic evidence, Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said, Allah (SWT) says at one place: “And the mothers should suckle their children for two years” (2:233) and in another place Allah (SWT) says: “And the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months” (46:15) If the period of weaning which is two years (24 months) is subtracted from thirty months (which is overall period of bearing & weaning), there remains only six months. This proves that pregnancy period can be of six months.

 

So Umar ibn al-Khattab set the woman free and said, “If Ali had not been there, Umar would have perished.”

“(Remember) the day when We will summon every people with their Imam (guide); then whosoever is given his book in his right hand, then these shall read their book (joyfully) and they shall not be dealt with unjustly”. (17:71)

 

In explaining the above verse from Noble Qur’an, Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “(On that day) everyone will be summoned with the Imam of their time, Book of their Lord and the Sunnah (tradition) of their Prophet”. (Namoona)

 

Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “The person who dies and has not known the Imam of his time [Imam Mahdi (as) is the present time Imam] has died the same as one who died during the Age of Ignorance.”

 

The foremost principle of Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as)’s life was: Having firm belief and faith in Almighty Allah (SWT). Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) therefore based his entire life upon the teachings and guidance of Noble Qur’an. That’s why Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Ali is with Quran and Quran is with Ali”.

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) said, “Ask me (anything) about the Book of Allah (Noble Qur’an). By Allah! There is not a single verse which was revealed during night or day, during travel or at home, but Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) read it to me and taught me its meanings…” (Amali of Shaykh al-Toosi)

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) was the only one who declared ‘Saluni, Saluni Kabla an Tafkiduni’ – ‘ask me, ask me, before you do not find me amongst you.’

 

Imam Ali, Abu Turab (as) also said, “If authority is given to me and I have to act as a judge, I will judge the followers of Tawrat from Tawrat, the followers of Injeel from Injeel, the followers of Zaboor from Zaboor and followers of Furqan (Quran) from Furqan. By Allah! There is not a single verse which has been revealed during night or day, in the field or in the mountains but that, I possess its knowledge as to where it was revealed and for whom it was revealed”.

Principle of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as)Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza’s (as) only aim of life was to earn the eternal pleasure of Allah (SWT) in everything that he (as) said and did in this life. And in order to achieve this aim, he (as) adopted such strong principles which either strongly attracted people towards him or strongly repelled them. One of his principles was having firm belief and faith in Allah (SWT) and basing his entire life upon the teachings and guidance from the Noble Qur’an.

 

The other principle of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) was that of Adl meaning: Justice and Equity. Belief in Allah (SWT) and being Just, were in fact the primary mission of Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw). Noble Qur’an says:

 

“… and say (O Muhammad!) I believe in whatsoever Allah has sent down of the book; and I am commanded to do justice between you…” (42:15)

 

Studying the life of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as), we will observe that his whole life revolved around belief in Allah (SWT) and doing Justice.

 

Love of a friend / companion towards Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as)

 

There was a friend / companion of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as), a good and believing man, who unfortunately fell into error, and who had to be punished. Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) cut off the fingers of his right hand. The man took hold of his cut hand, with the blood dripping from it, with his left hand and went away. He was then instigated by a seditious Kharijite, who wanted to take advantage of the course of events for his own party and against Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as), so he came up to the companion of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) with an utter of compassion and said:

 

Who cut your fingers off?

 

The Chief of the Prophet’s successor, he said, the leader of the untainted ones at the Resurrection, the most righteous among the believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Imam of Right Guidance, cut of the fingers of my right hand… the first to reach the Gardens of Felicity, the hero of the brave, the avenger against the promoters of ignorance, the giver of Zakat (Charity)… the leader on the right and the perfect path, the speaker of what is true and appropriate, the Champion of Makkah, the steadfast exceller.

 

Poor you! Said the Kharijite, he cut of your fingers, and you extol him thus!

 

Why should I not extol him, replied the companion of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as), now that his friendship is mixed with my flesh and blood? I swear by Allah (SWT) that he did not cut off my fingers except with a right that Allah (SWT) has established.

 

Such was the love, attraction and the affection of the companion for Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as).

 

Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) said: If I cut a faithful Muslim into pieces to make him hate me, he will not turn into my enemy and if I give all the wealth of this world to a hypocrite to make him my friend he will not befriend me. It is so because Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) has said: “O Ali! No faithful Muslim will ever be your enemy and no hypocrite will ever be your friend.”

The principle of keeping judiciary independent of and over and above the executive, administrative and military functions of the State was the main factor of the reforms introduced by him. He was very particular about this. So much so that historians narrate that once Imam Ali (A), on finding his (lost) armor in the possession of a Christian man, took him to court and stood with his opponent before Qazi Shurayh, his Chief Justice as a complainant and the Chief Justice wanted to give him a place of honour in the court and to treat him like a king or caliph. He reproached the judge for such a behaviour, saying that he was there as a plaintiff, and not as a king or caliph.

 

Imam Ali (A) informed the judge: “It is my armor. I neither sold, nor donated it”.

 

The judge asked the Christian man: “What do you have to say against what Amir al Momineen, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) says?”

 

“It is mine”, said the Christian man. “Amir al Momineen, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) is but a liar”.

 

The judge turned to Imam Ali (as), demanding that he should present his evidence proving that the armor was his. Imam Ali (as) smiled and said that he had no evidence. So, the judge issued his decision that the armor belonged to the Christian man.

 

Amir al Momineen, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) then cheerfully accepted the decision of the court against him. The effect of upholding the prestige of the Court of Justice, and his adherence to the principles of equality and equity were so impressive that the person, against whom he had filed the case, and had lost it, ran after him, kissed the hem of his garment, and said, “My master! Teach me Islam, I am a Christian and I want to be converted”.

 

“Why?” enquired Imam Ali (A), “Did anybody force you to do that?”

 

“No, my master”, he replied, “but your behaviour of treating even a non-Muslim subject as your equal, the prestige you have granted to justice and fair play, and your abstinence from use of power and authority made me feel that Islam is a great religion. You are a ruler and a caliph, you could have easily ordered me to be killed and my property looted, and nobody would have dared to ask reasons of your actions, but you took the case against me to the court, and cheerfully accepted the decision against you; I have never heard of such a ruler before you. Secondly, the thing that you claimed as yours is actually yours and not mine, but I know the persons who could provide proof of this are out of Kufa, therefore, I boldly said that it was mine, and not yours. That was a lie, and now I am ashamed to feel that I have lied against such an honourable person. You have heard me. Will you not allow me to enter the fold of Islam?”

 

The great Imam enquired, “Are you of your free-will entering our fold?”

 

“Yes”, he replied, “Under your regime, I have nothing to lose by remaining in my religion and no worldly benefit to gain by embracing Islam and by confessing my guilt and sin.”

 

The numerous examples from history truly shows that Imam Ali (A) was the perfect leader, and thus his title Amir al Momineen = Leader of the Believers. It remains to ask ourselves if we are the best Momineen (believers) and if we can soon earn the opportunity of being led by Imam Ali’s (A) grandson?

 

Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini (ra) said in one of his speeches: “What can I say about Imam Ali’s (A) character? Who can possibly say about him? The various dimensions that this phenomenal character possesses is beyond description and human comprehension. Someone who acquires the level of human perfection must possess about 1000 dimensions and speaking about even one of them is beyond our level of comprehension. This character who is totally free of counter qualities, can not be spoken about by anyone therefore it is better that I too keep silent.

How many of us in this life would resort to Justice even if it was against ourselves? Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) says, “One who exhibits fairness on his part, Allah (SWT) shall increase him in glory”. (Jame al-Sadaat)

 

When it came to justice, Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) never bothered about himself. Shu’bi narrates the following incident which occurred during the Caliphate of Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as). Shu’bi says,

 

I once entered the vast open ground of Kufah. I witnessed that Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) was standing besides two containers which were filled with gold and silver coins. A huge crowd had gathered around him. Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) had a whip in his hand for preventing the people from hampering the distribution of money. Then Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as) began distributing the money until nothing remained for himself and returned home empty handed.

 

I returned home and said to my father: “I witnessed a very strange act today but I failed to comprehend if this person’s action was good or bad because he never retained anything for himself”. When asked about the person, I said, “Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza (as)” and told him everything that had transpired. Upon hearing Hazrat Ali Al Murtaza’s (as) fairness, my father began to cry and said, “My son! You have witnessed the most excellent person from amongst the people”.

 

A Leader with a perfect temperament and humility

 

Many at times when we watch the news we are presented with various leaders who’s true views and inner thoughts are revealed by accident, e.g. by a microphone capturing their remarks uttered only meant for a private audience. When reading about Imam Ali’s (A) life and incidents, it is very remarkable that various witnesses who had the opportunity to be with the Imam Ali (A) in private, are always portraying Imam Ali (A) with the best Moral (Akhlaq).