Ali’s(as) Generosity and Magnanimity
Translaition of
Kashf al-yaqin
virtues of Maula ali(a.s)
Author: Jamal al-Din ibn Yusuf 'Allamah HilliTranslaitor: Dr. 'Ali Akbar Aghili Ashtiani
`Ali’s Generosity and Magnanimity
Beyond doubt, Imam `Ali was the most generous and the most honest man after the Holy Prophet (s.a) for the highest degree of generosity is to offer one’s life and `Ali, by lying in the bed of the Holy Prophet at Laylat al-Mabit, sacrificed his life for the sake of the Messenger of Allah.
Ibn Athir reports: The Qur’anic verse “And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah” (2:207) was revealed about Imam `Ali when the Holy Prophet (s.a) left Mecca for Medina, ordering `Ali to lie in his bed and to transfer people’s trust to them the next day. This was at a time when the atheists of Quraysh had brotherhood between you, making the life of one of you longer. Does anyone of you prefers his brother to himself and accepts his shorter life?
| They both opted for the longer life and showed no self-sacrifice. At that time, God Almighty by sending a revelation asked: Why are you not like `Ali who, by making a contract of brotherhood between Muhammad and `Ali, lay in his bed and sacrificed his life for him, preferring Muhammad’s life. I now give you a mission to go down to the earth and safeguard him from the harms of the enemy. Gabriel and Michael, to fulfill the divine order, came down to the earth. Gabriel stood at the head and Michael at the foot of `Ali safeguarding him from the harms of the enemies. Addressing `Ali, Gabriel said: Hail to you, O son of Abu-Talib! Is there anyone like you while God prides Himself on your position to angels?[128] `Ali’s property which was four Dirhams on the whole, was given as charity, one by night, one by day, the third secretly, and the fourth openly. God Almighty revealed the verse “As for those who spend their property by night and by day, secretly and openly, they have their reward from their Lord and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (2:274)” On the same occasion like some of the other verses, this verse is not applied to anyone but `Ali. Hence, the revelation of this verse about `Ali is one of his special merits. Most of the commentators of the Holy Qur’an believe that the verse was revealed in relation to the purified `Ali.[129] Tha`labi and some other commentators in their interpretations on the occasion of revelation of Surah Hal-Ata (Surah al-Dahr or al-Insan No. 76) have written: Hasan and Husayn fell sick. Their grandfather, the Messenger of Allah went to `Ali’s house to visit them. All the people who had gathered in `Ali’s house called on him to make a vow for the healing of Holy Prophet’s young sons, a vow entailing some sort of undertaking. `Ali agreed to this suggestion, saying: If my sons are healed, I will fast for three days as a sign of thanks to please Allah. Lady Fatimah too said: If my sons are healed, I will fast for three days to thank Allah. Fiddah, the female servant too said: If my masters are healed, I will fast three days to thank this blessing. God healed Hasan and Husayn, so `Ali, Fatimah, and Fiddah prepared themselves to fast. But there was nothing in `Ali’s house for eating. So `Ali went to Simon, the Jew, and borrowed three kilos of barley from him. Lady Fatimah personally rose up to bake the bread so she grinded the barley baking five loaves of bread. |
| The first day all were fasting, `Ali went to the mosque to perform his evening prayer behind the Messenger of Allah. Having completed his prayer, `Ali came home to break his fast. The tablecloth was spread with five loaves of bread on it. Before they start eating, a poor man stood at the door, saying: Greeting to you the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad. I am a poor man among Muslims seeking refuge to your house. Give some food to me. May God feed you with heavenly food. Hearing this, `Ali said: Give my share of food to this man! Fatimah said: I will do the same. Hence, there was nothing but water for them to break their fast with. The second day, Fatimah grinded another kilo of barley baking five loaves of bread for five persons. In the evening, again `Ali went to the mosque for performing evening prayer and returned home after completing his prayer. When the tablecloth was spread, immediately an orphan came to the door, saying: Hail to you, the Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad. I am an orphan of the immigrants. My father was martyred on the day of `Aqabah. I am starving. Give me some food. May God feed you with heavenly food. Giving their food to the orphan, `Ali and Fatimah broke their fast with plain water again. In the third night too, the same thing happened. Fatimah grinded one more Kilo of barley baking five loaves of bread again. Having performed his evening prayer in the mosque, `Ali returned home. This time, a captive came to the door, saying: Greeting to you Ahl al-Bayt of the Messenger of Allah. Is it right to make me a captive but not feed me? I am a captive of Muhammad. Give some food to me. May God feed you with heavenly food. Hearing this, `Ali gave his own food and that of others to the captive. Hence, they had nothing but water instead of food for three straight nights. On the fourth day, when they were completing the vow, `Ali took the hand of Hasan in his right hand and the hand of Husayn in his left hand heading for the Holy Prophet (s.a) while they were shivering from hunger. As soon as the Holy Prophet saw them, he said: This scene has greatly saddened me. So they decided to go and visit Fatimah. At this time, Lady Fatimah was engaged in prayer in the altar. Her eyes were sunken and her belly stuck to her back because of hunger! This scene was so heavy to the Messenger of Allah that he raised his hands in prayer immediately, saying: O Lord! I seek refuge in you and ask help from you. |
| Turning to Ahl al-Bayt, he said: I do not think there is anything left of your life as a result of hunger, for you may soon depart from this world! At this time, Gabriel came down saying: O Muhammad! Take this divine blessing. The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: What is it? Gabriel recited to him the verse “Hal Ata.”[130] Tha`labi has quoted `Abayah ibn Rab`i as saying: Once `Abdullah Ibn `Abbas was sitting among a group of people near ZamZam relating Hadiths from the Holy Prophet (s.a), a man who had covered his head and face with a turban joined them and began to relate Hadiths from the Holy Prophet (s.a) like Ibn `Abbas. Being surprised, Ibn `Abbas said: For the sake of God, tell us who you are. He removed his turban and said: Whoever knows me has recognized me, and whoever has not recognized me, I am Jundub ibn Janadah, Abu-Dharr Ghifari. I heard the Messenger of Allah, with my two ears and if I am lying, may I be deprived of my hearing, and saw with these two eyes, if I am lying, may I be deprived of seeing, as saying: `Ali is the leader of benefactors and the slayer of the atheists. Whoever helps him, will be helped by God and whoever refuses to help him will be deprived of God’s help forever. Tha`labi further said: Let it be known to you that one day I performed noon prayer with the Messenger of Allah in the mosque. Amid this, a needy man rose up to ask for help but no one responded. The needy man raised his hands towards the sky, saying: O Lord, you are witnessing that I asked for help but no one took heed of my request. At that time `Ali who was bowing in his prayer pointed with the small finger of his right hand to the needy man. He went to `Ali and took the ring. The Messenger of Allah was looking this scene from near. After completing his prayer, the Messenger of Allah raising his hand towards the sky, said: “O Lord! Expand my breast for me, and make my affair easy to me, and loose the knot from my tongue, that they may understand my word and give to me an aide from my family: Harun, my brother” (20:24-31) and You revealed the verse “We will strengthen your arm with your brother and we will give you both an authority, so that they shall not reach you; go with our signs” (28:35). O Lord! I am your chosen prophet. Expand my breast for me, and make my affair easy to me, and set `Ali who is from my family my vizier so that he will support me.[131] |
Abu-Dharr reports: The Messenger of Allah had hardly finished this when Gabriel came down, saying: O Muhammad, Read! He said: What shall I read? Gabriel said: “Only Allah is your Wali and His Apostle and who believe, those who keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow” (5:55). In Tha`labi’s commentary (Tafsir), we read that this verse has been mentioned in the six most reliable Sunni reference books of Hadith.[132] Mujahid reports: God Almighty prohibited consulting the Holy Prophet without giving charity. Following the revelation of this verse, no one consulted him except `Ali ibn Abi-Talib who did so after giving one Dinar in charity. Then the verse was abrogated and the permission was given.[133] Imam `Ali (a.s) has said: There is a verse in the Holy Qur’an that no one but me has acted on it;[134] “O you who believe! When you consult the Apostle, then offer something in charity before your consultation.” (58:12). Amir al-Mu’minin said: God Almighty discharged this Ummah of a duty because of me, for if I did not act according to that verse, it would remain valid forever while no one could act to it, that is to offer charity he wished to consult the Messenger of Allah. Therefore, it was I who removed the heavy burden from the shoulder of this Ummah. I am the true proof of this verse which is not applicable to anyone before or after me.[135] `Abdullah `Umar has said: `Ali ibn Abi-Talib had three features and if I had just one of them, it was more valuable than having red-haired camels! The first is marriage with Lady Fatimah, second is having the honor of standard bearing on the day of Khaybar and the third is the verse “Najwa” which is applicable to no one but `Ali.[136] `Ali used to plant trees and irrigate orchards with his own holy and powerful hands. He made orchards one after the other giving them in the path of Allah and never saved the money for himself and his family.[137] `Ali’s Religiosity, Piety and PrayerThere is no doubt that `Ali was steadfast in religion, and strenuous in piety making him peerless. The truth of religion was firm in his pure heart. Due to these two powers of religiosity and piety, his prayer |
| as always answered. It is for the same reason that the Messenger of Allah resorted to him on the day of mutual curse (Mubahalah), for no companion could match him. The Holy Prophet (s.a), threatening the rebels of Quraysh said: O rebels! Stop your hostile act, or God will raise a man whose heart he has tested with faith to fight you and to behead you for promoting faith and justice. The Messenger of Allah was asked: Is it Abu-Bakr? He said: No. they asked: Is it `Umar? He said: No, he is the one who is mending sandals.[138] Khawarizmi has reported: addressing `Ali on the day of Khaybar’s conquest, the Messenger of Allah said: If I were sure a group of my Ummah did not attribute to you what the Christians attributed to Jesus, son of Mary, I would say about your high position something that wherever you passed by people they would take the dust under your feet as something holy, using the water with which you perform ablution as a cure for their pains. But for certain exigency, I will not speak of it. As for your superiority over others, it would suffice to say that you are from me and I am from you. I will inherit you and you will inherit me. Your position to me is like that of Aaron to Moses except that there is no prophet after me. O `Ali, you will propagate my faith, you will fight the enemies of Islam after me, you are the nearest to me on the Day of Judgment, you are my vicegerent at the Pond, which is the gathering place of the people, rejecting the hypocrites! And you are the first to meet me at the Pond and the first of my Ummah to enter paradise. Your followers on the Day of Judgment will be quenched by the water of Kawthar; they will come to me with bright faces; I will intercede for them and will be my neighbors in paradise; your enemies on the Day of Judgment will be restless out of thirst, their faces are black and wrinkled. O `Ali, enmity with you is enmity with me and friendship with you is friendship with me. There is no open or hidden distance between you and me. What is hidden in my breast and I am informed of it is in your breast too. Your children are truly my children. You are the gate of my knowledge and whoever seeks it must hear it from your tongue. Your flesh is my flesh and the blood running in your veins is running in my veins with no difference. |
| Truth which is not perishable is in your tongue, heart and face. Faith is placed in the depth of your blood and flesh as it exists in me. Verily, God Almighty has ordered me to give you the good tidings that on the Day of Judgment, you and your family will enjoy all the blessings of paradise whereas the enemies of you and your family will be punished in the fire of hell. Your unhappy enemies are not seen on that day at the pond of Kawthar whereas a single friend of yours will not be absent there. At this time, `Ali said: To thank all these blessings God Almighty has bestowed upon me, I perform prostration and praise Him.[139] Zamakhshari has been quoted by Khawarizmi as saying: Two men came to `Umar asking him about the divorce of a female slave. Turning to a group of people with a man who was bald in the front part of his head, `Umar said: What is your judgment on this issue? The man said: She should keep two Iddah (period during which a divorced or widowed woman may not be married to another man) whereas a free woman should keep three Iddah. So `Umar said: Two Iddah. Addressing `Umar, one of the two men said: You are Amir al-Mu’minin and caliph. We came here to pose our question to you but you are asking others for the answer though, by God, he did not speak to you but gave you a sign. `Umar said: Woe to you. Do you know who this man is? He is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib. I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: If heavens and the earth are put on a pan of a scale and `Ali’s faith is placed on the other, surely `Ali’s faith will be heavier.[140] Ummu-Salamah has been quoted as saying: The day the Messenger of Allah was in my house, Gabriel came down speaking to him for some time. In that position, the Messenger of Allah was smiling. After the meeting, I said: O Messenger of Allah, may my parents be ransom for you, what was the reason for your smiling and rejoicing? The Holy Prophet (s.a) said: Gabriel informed me that when he was coming to me, he had seen `Ali grazing his camels and lying because of tiredness and since he had gone to sleep and the cover he had put on himself had gone aside and half of his body was exposed to the sun, he had put the cover on his body and he had felt that `Ali’s strong faith had penetrated his heart.[141] `Ali (a..s) called to witness a group of Muslims about the Holy Prophet’s |
| saying “Whomever I am the master, `Ali is his master too.” This group of people among whom was Anas ibn Malik testified the truthfulness of the saying. Although Anas had heard if from the Holy Prophet (s.a), he refused to testify it. Amir al-Mu’minin said to him: Why did you not testify while what they heard from the Holy Prophet and testified, you have also heard. Anas said: As a result of old age, I am afflicted with oblivion. Hence I do not remember anything! `Ali who knew Anas was lying and the reason he denied it was his close ties with the rulers, raised his hands in prayer, heaved a sigh, cursed him, saying: O Lord! If this man is lying, strike a blow on his face in a way even his turban cannot cover it. Following this prayer, Talhah ibn `Umar reports: By God, I observed the spot on his forehead and cheeks which remained forever.[142] Imam `Ali also cursed a man by the name of `Aizar who was suspicious of being a spy and gathering information for Mu`awiyah. Addressing him, `Ali asked: Why do you report to Mu`awiyah what is happening here? The man denied, swearing that he had not done so. `Ali raised his hands in prayer, saying to him: If you are not truthful in what you say, and deny the truth, may God strike you blind. Soon before the following Friday, he became blind as a result of `Ali’s curse in a way they brought him to the mosque while taking his hand. `Ali who was preaching a sermon on the pulpit, said: I am a servant of Allah and the brother of His messenger; I have the honor of marrying the Lady of paradise; I am leader of the believers and the successor of the last prophet. No one can boast of it except me and whoever has such a claim will be saddened by God Almighty. Amid this, a man from the tribe of `Abs rose up, protested what `Ali had said, and mockingly said: Who is there who cannot have such a claim? I now say that I am the servant of Allah and the brother of His messenger while I am not afflicted with any distress. He had hardly finished his words when insanity afflicted him and he started trembling all over. He was then pulled out of the mosque from his feet. Another prayer of `Ali, answered was when he asked God to return the sun which was setting to a position he could perform his prayer. This happened twice for `Ali, once at the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a) and the other after his departure from this world.[143] |
| Asma’ bint `Umays, Ummu-Salamah, Jabir ibn `Abdullah Ansari, Abu-Sa`id Khidri and a group of the companions have reported: The Holy Prophet (s.a) was at home and `Ali was in his presence. At this time, Gabriel came down to convey a divine message to the Holy Prophet (s.a). While the Holy Prophet was receiving the message, he had put his head on `Ali’s knees. This state continued till sunset. `Ali who had not performed afternoon prayer had to perform his prayer in a sitting position by hints, given that the Holy Prophet’s head was on his knees. Following the revelation, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, have you missed the afternoon prayer? `Ali said: No, I did it by hints. The Holy Prophet said: Why? `Ali said: Because you were receiving the revelation and I did not like any change to take place in that situation. Considering `Ali’s courtesy and his respect for revelation and prophethood, the Holy Prophet said: O `Ali, call on the Lord to return the sun to the `Asr Prayer time so that you will perform your prayer at its proper time. Be sure, God will not delay answering your prayer for being so obedient to God and His messenger. `Ali did so on the order of the Holy Prophet and the sun which was setting returned immediately to the position of `Asr Prayer. When `Ali completed his prayer, the sun set in the same position.[144] As for the second time, it was after the departure of the Holy Prophet from this world. When Imam `Ali intended to go through the Euphrates river to the land of Babylon, a large number of his aides were preparing themselves to go through the river. Only `Ali and a few number of his army had performed their `Asr prayer. They had not gone through the river when the sun set. So some of his aides missed their prayer and thus were deprived of the virtue of congregational prayer. They spoke to Imam `Ali expressing their regret for having defaulted their prayer and being deprived of congregational prayer. Hearing this, `Ali raised his hands in prayer called on God to return the sun to the `Asr prayer time. Imam `Ali’s prayer was answered, that is the sun returned to `Asr prayer time till the Imam’s companions performed their prayer. This scene made the Imam’s aides rejoice and they started glorifying the Lord and asking for forgiveness.[145] When the river Euphrates overflew and the city of Kufah was exposed |
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