Strange sufferings and trials of the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace
Ibn Shahr Aashub [116] has already related the immigration of the Messenger of Allah from Mecca to Medina, and also Mozaf‘far has explained it in “Dalaeel as-Sidgh”, [117] now, we are going to quoted the explanation of Shahr Aashub. He has related thus: ‘The Messenger of Allah said to the Commander of the believers:
إنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى أوصَى إلَىَّ أن أهجُرَ دارَ قَومى و أنّ أنطَلِقَ الَى غارِ ثَوْرٍ فَارقَدْ عَلى فِراشى و اشْتَملِ بِبُرْدِىَ الحَضْرَمىِّ وَ اعلَم أنَّ اللهَ يَمْتَحِنُ أولياءهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ إيمانِهِمْ وَ مَنَازِلِهِمْ مِن دِينِهِ فَأَشَّدُّ النّاسِ بَلاءٍ الانبيَاءُ ثُمَّ الامْثَلُ فَالامْثَلُ. وَ قَدِ امْتَحَنَكَ يَا ابْنَ امَّ وَ امْتَحَنَنى بِمِثْلِ مَا امْتَحَنَ بِهِ خَلِيلَهُ إبراهِيمَ وَ الذَّبِيحَ إسْمَاعِيلَ، فَصَبْراً صَبراً فَإنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَهِ قَريبٌ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ. ثُمَّ ضَمَّهُ إلَى صَدْرِهِ وَ أوصاهُ بِقَضاءِ دُيُونِهِ وَ إنجازِ عِداتِهِ وَ رَدَّ الوَدائِعِ إلَى اهْلِهَا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ- الحديث
‘Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has enjoined me to leave my main home and land for the “Thaur Cave”. Now, O Ali, lie in my bed and spread my Hazrami Robe on you; and know that, Allah tests His saints according to their beliefs and status. And know that the calamities and afflictions of the messengers are most serious, and apart from the messengers, whoever’s grade and position is close to them, his suffering is serious. It is the same with the ordinary people, as much as the belief and piety of a man is more, his distress is the most. O Ali, O the son of my mother, Allah is to try you so is He to try me – but with severe trial. He is going to try me hard: such as the trial of Abraham, the friend of His, and his son, Ishmael, who was going to be slaughtered.
[You are as a son to me, you must lie in my bed exposing yourself to forty of Arabs’ swordsmen until, in the dark mid-night, you find your body in pieces on the bed].
So you must be patient and tolerant, you must bear what is going on, for Allah’s mercy is closer to good-doers.’
Afterward, the Messenger of Allah affectionately embraced Ali bin Abī Tālib and mentioned him of his duty: to fulfill his covenants, to return the trusts of the people back to them; then, he left Mecca.
From the whole foregoing subjects three objects have been analyzed: the first one is the greatness and vast knowledge of the Messenger of Allah of the Glorious Qur’an, the second is the vastness of his spirit about the book of genesis, manifestation of miracles and his occupying the affairs of the universe and the third is the amount of his disasters and trials.
Thus, it has become clear that, in all three stages, the Messenger of Allah has been the greatest and strongest of all the messengers; and all these three stages, as heritage, have been conveyed to the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace. Therefore, his Holiness, Ali, is more learned than all the messengers and the successors of them on the Book laws and rules as well the Book of genesis. And he is stronger in the Essence of Allah, he is more mature and perishable in the great court of Right.
It is why the commentator, Mo‘tazeli ibn Abi al-Hadid unveils the fact and confesses the superiorities of the Holiness to all angels, saints, and the messengers and apostles:
قَدْ قُلْتُ لِلْبَرْقِ الَّذى شَقَّ الدُّجى فَكَأنَّ زَنجِيّاً هُناكَ يُجْدَعُ [118]
يَا بَرقُ إن جِئتَ الغَرىَّ فَقُلْ لَهُ ا تُراكَ تَعْلَمُ مَنْ بِأرضِكَ مُودَعُ
فِيكَ ابنُ عِمرانَ الْكَلِيمُ وَ بَعْدَهُ عيسَى يُقَفِّيهِ وَ أحْمَدُ يَتْبَعُ
بَلْ فِيكَ جِبريلُ وَ ميكالُ واسْ رافيلُ وَ المَلُا المُقَدَّسُ أجْمَعُ
بَلْ فِيكَ نُورُ اللهِ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ لِذَوِى الْبَصائِرِ يَسْتَشِفُّ وَ يَلْمَعُ
فِيكَ الإمامُ المُرْتَضَى فِيكَ الوَصِىُّ المُجْتَبَى فِيكَ الْبَطْينُ الانزَعُ [119]
1- I said to the light in the sky, the very light that has burst apart the darkness and looks like the Ethiopian slave with his nose is cut off!
2- O light! If you find your course towards the Noble Najaf, tell that Land: Do you know who is entrusted you and buried in you?!
3- Within you, the Orator to Allah, Moses the son of Imran, has plunged in, next to him Jesus and at last ‘Ahmad’ is placed in.
4- Who knows it, perhaps in you Gabriel, Michael, Seraph[iel] and all the Holy Angels of the divines have been buried.
5- Maybe, in you, the Light of Allah, Glory to Him in the Highest, has abided, the very Light that manifests Allah from the beyond of one’s insight, and relates all the Names and Attributes of Allah – the Light that always illuminates.
6- Within you is lying the Approved Imam, the Successor of the best-Chosen, that is: a pure, perfect and free from sin and disbelief – the full treasure of benevolent and the main source of fact is placed in you!
As ibn Abi al-Hadid’s creed is “Mo‘tazeli”, (the creed that considers the angels to be more noble than the messengers), he says: Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, and then he goes on saying: even Gabriel, Michael, Seraph[iel] and all the Holy Angels.
Yes, this is the status and position of the Holiness, Ali, who is the Successor of Muhammad, either in the spiritual or the material worlds ; he is in fact Muhammad’s own, having the divine absolute guardianship, being aware of all being and witnessing the condition of the messengers.
The Commander of the believers is the Remainder of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants
The Holiness who, in his sermon, prohibits the people following the fake and deceitful leaders, but invites them to the Household of the Messenger of Allah, considers himself to be the main remainder of the Messenger of Allah. He tries to say that while he is alive, the Messenger is also alive – he has not died.
After explaining the conditions and attributes of the saints and friends of Allah, he states:
وَ آَخَرُ قَدْ تَسَمَّى عَالِماً لَيْسَ بِهِ فَاقْتَبَسَ جَهائِلَ مِنْ جُهَّالٍ وَ أضاليلَ مِنْ ضُلالٍ، وَ نَصَبَ لِلنَّاسِ شَرَكاً مِنْ حَبائِلِ غُرورٍ وَ قَولِ زُورٍ، قَدْ حَمَلَ الْكِتَابَ عَلى آرائِهِ وَ عَطَفَ الحَقَّ عَلَى اهْوَائِهِ، يُؤْمِنُ مِنَ العَظائِمِ وَ يُهَوِّنُ كَبيرَ الجَرائِمِ، يَقولُ: أَقِفُ عِندَ الشُّبُّهَاتِ، وَ فِيهَا وَقَعَ، وَ أعْتَزِلُ الْبِدَعَ، بَيْنَهَا اضْطَجَعَ فَالصُّورَة صُورَة إنسانٍ وَ القَلْبُ قَلْبُ حَيوانٍ، لَا يَعْرِفُ بَابَ الهُدَى فَيَتَّبِعَه وَ لَا بَابَ العَمى فَيَصُدَّ عَنْهُ، فَذَلِكَ مَيِّتُ الاحْيَاءِ فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ وَ أَنَّى تُوْفَكُونَ؟ وَ الاعْلَامُ قَائِمَة وَ الاياتُ وَاضِحَة وَ المَنارُ مَنوصُوبَة، فَأَيْنَ يُتاهُ بِكُمْ بَلْ كَيْفَ تَعْمَهُونَ؟ وَ بَّينَكُمْ عِتْرَة نَبِيِّكُمْ وَ هُمْ ازِمَّهُ الْحَقِّ وَ اعْلَامُ الدِّينِ وَ أَلْسِنَة الصِّدْقِ، فَأنزِلُوهُمْ بِأحْسَنِ مَنازِلِ القُرآنِ، وَرِدُوهُمْ وُرُودَ الهيِم العِطاشِ. أيُّهَا النَّاسُ خُذُوهَا عَنْ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّين صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ: «إِنَّهُ يَمُوتُ مَنْ مَاتَ مِنَّا وَ لَيْسَ بِمَيِّتٍ، وَ يَبلَى مَنْ بَلِىَ مِنَّا وَ لَيْسَ بِبالٍ» فَلَا تَقُولُوا بِمَا لَا تَعْرِفُونَ فَإنَّ أكْثَرَ الحَقر فِيمَا تُنْكِرونَ، وَ اعْذِرُوا مَنْ لَا حُجَّة لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَنَا هُوَ. [120]
And opposite that divinity and pure person there is another man who calls himself the learned one, however he is not the learned; he is ignorant and borrows misrepresentation words from the other ignorant people an makes them his own prey to lure the people and then hunt them. He interprets the Book of Allah according to his desire and changes the right into his false imaginations and thoughts.
He has left the people on their own committing big sins and crimes, and introduced big offences as trifle and not to be important to care of. He says: ‘I am weary of the doubtful affairs,’ though he is always living in doubts!
He claims to be weary of the innovations while has furnished the mansion of his life on the innovation!
His face resembles as the face of human but his heart as the animal’s heart.
He knows not the door of the guidance to guide the people there, and does not know the door of the error to keep the people away from it – this man is a dead among the living.’
‘O people, where are you going, where are you being lead to and what are your desires? Now, the banners of the guidance have been hoisted and the signs of the prosperity have become manifest, and the illuminating minarets are set up for the lost!
So, o people, to where and which astonishing barren land and wilderness are they driving you?
It is perhaps, you have deliberately shout your eyes, blinded yourselves, not to know you are in your wondering world!
The truth is that the Household of the Messenger are among you, and they are the standard of the right, the banners of the religion and the right speakers. Abide them in the best mansions of the Qur’an, and observe the best degree of the Qur’an in them. Hasten towards them like the thirsty camels rush to the rare water in the desert; quench your thirst by their vast knowledge, blessings, mercy, righteousness and truthfulness. ((Here, by saying ‘the Household of the Messenger’ the Holiness means he himself, he wants to tell them in any afflictions: when they want a solution for their worldly problems as well the problems of their Hereafter, and being prosperous, they should refer to him only.’
‘O people! Take this statement of the Messenger of Allah, the seal of the prophets, and listen what he has stated to you: “Whoever dies from us, in fact he is not a dead; he who gets older and decays from us, he does not really get older nor does he decay.’
Ibn Abi al-Hadid has faced the disturbance of mine in translation these two foregoing sentences, he has totally misinterpreted them and lost the main points of them.
He says: ‘This statement of the Messenger of Allah may denotes two different things: The first one means, our people do not die but Allah takes them to the kingdom of the heavens, therefore, if one digs up a grave of them he cannot see any corpse therein. However, this probability versus the second statement of the Messenger who says: Those who get older from us and decay …, therefore, this statement must be predestinated and said:
وَ يَبْلَى كَفَنُ مَنْ بَلِىَ مِنّا
‘The winding sheet of one who has decayed from us gets older.
The second subject is that there exists some tiny bits of particles as a man’s origin and fact. Now, because of the exorcism and honoring the Messenger of Allah and the Holy Imams, Allah takes those tiny particles above from the graves of them, then, in the Kingdom of His, He adds other particles to them and humanize them in the most perfect figures so that to become the very dead from the Household of the Messenger – thus, they never die. [121]
But with a little consideration it becomes clear that he has mixed up in the meaning of this sentence. In the middle of his sermon, the Commander of the believers does not want to quote anything from the Messenger of Allah because in the beginning, he introduced himself as the main Household and added that he must be referred in deed. As the witness to his saying, he has referred to the statement of the Messenger of Allah and said, ‘If you do not believe me, then listen what the Messenger has stated; he has stated: “We do not die, we are always alive,” so now, I am exactly the Messenger himself, I am the continuation of him. That is, O people, I am the full mirror of that Fact that the Messenger of Allah was the full mirror of Him – the Fact. That Fact is the absolute Successorship of the Great Divine which, during the life of the Messenger, manifested in that Holiness. So, the meaning of the statement of the Messenger of Allah is that by the death, our bodies, which are related to the world of the divinity do not die or get old. Our souls are always alive from He is All Alive and Eternal; that living is by our souls that has been illuminated in Our Successor, in fact, this is the same heritage that has been transferred from the Messenger of Allah to the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace,
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِن عِبَادِنَا.
‘… then We allowed some of Our worshippers, whom We had singled out, to inherit this Book, (Qur’an: 35/32).’
A good proof for our claim is that, after expressing these two sentences, the Holiness quotes the Messenger of Allah stating:
فَلَا تَقُولُوا بِمَا لَا تَعْرِفُونَ فَإنَّ أَكْثَرَ الحَقِّ فِيما تُنْكِرُونَ، وَ اعْذِرُوا مَنْ لَا حُجَّة لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَنَا هُوَ.
“O people! Do not speak about the things that you have no knowledge about, it is because most people deny the facts and truth, they close their eyes to the fact.
And do accept the excuses of one against whom you cannot present a proof – and that is me.”
On the other hand, after being struck, the Holiness himself makes it clear that: “My body used to be with you, not my soul, and the next day, you will find that still body with no soul. So far, all my power and greatness were from the Source of Holiness, Allah, the Highest. All this knowledge of mine, all these miracles and the whole superiorities of mine will return to the Source of Perfection – and this is the best advice and preach for you.’
وَ إنَّمَا كُنتُ جَاراً جَاوَرَكُمْ بَدَنِى ايّاماً، وَ سَتُعْقَبُونَ مِنِّى جُثَّة خَلاءً، سَاكِنَة بَعْدَ حَراكٍ، وَ صَامِتَة بَعْدَ نُطْقٍ، لِيَعْظكُمْ هُدُوِّى وَ خُفُوتُ إطراقِى، وَ سُكُونُ اطرافى، فَإنَّهُ أوْعَظُ لِلْمُعْتَبِرينَ مِنَ المَنْطِقِ البَلِيغ وَ القَوْلِ المُسْمُوعِ. [122]
To the people he states: “O people, I was your neighbour, my body used to live with you a few days but tomorrow you will find me a still body with no spirit – it is motionless after being alive for a period of time, and it is speechless after being orator.
The motionless body of mine must teach you something, and my droopy eye-lids, my stock-still muscles an still hands and feet must be a good advice for you. It is because for those who get lessons, they are the most influent orators and are more affective.
Apart from prophet-hood, the Commander of the believers was the heir to the whole accomplishments of the Generous Messenger
Anyhow, the summary of what we said so far is: The Commander of the believers was the inheritor to all priorities of the Messenger of Allah but only the position of the prophet-hood which was ended up by the seal of the messengers. The light and illumination which were inspired to the Messenger of Allah by the Secret World, all were transferred to the pure and bright heart of the Commander of the believers; this is the meaning of the real heritage which the Sunnite have related:
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِن عِبَادِنَا» نَحْنُ أُولَئِكَ ... [123]
“So, We gave Our Book as the heritage to those whom We have chosen as Our servants,” we are those [people] …
In the interpretation of the phrase of ‘We have chosen as Our servants’ the Commander of the believers said: “This phrase means we, we the Household,” [124]
And in a separate place, ibn Mardowiia, by means of his documents, quotes the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, stating: “We are the very chosen worshippers who have inherited the Qur’an.”
And Hakim Haskani has quoted Abu Hamza Thomali who is quoting the Holiness Imam Saj‘jad, upon him be peace, saying:
قالَ: إنِّى جَالِسٌ عِندَهُ إذ جَاءَهُ رَجُلانِ مِن أهْلِ العِراقِ فَقالًا: يَا ابنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ جِئنَاكَ (كَى) تُخْبِرَنَا عَنْ آياتٍ مِنَ القُرآنِ، فَقَالَ: وَ مَا هِىَ؟ قَالا: قَولُ اللهِ تَعالَى: «ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا». فَقالَ: يَا اهْلَ العِراقِ! وَ أَيِّش يَقُولُونَ؟ قَالا: يَقُولُونَ إنَّها نَزَّلَتْ فِى امَّة مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ الحُسَيْنِ: امَّة مُحَمَّدٍ كُلُّهُمْ إذَاً فِى الجَّنَّة؟! قالَ: فَقُلْتُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الْقَوْمِ: يَا ابنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ فِيمَنْ نَزَلَتْ؟ فَقَالَ: نَزَلَتْ وَ اللهِ فِينَا أَهلَ الْبَيْتِ- ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ- قُلْتُ: أَخْبِرْنَا مَنْ فِيكُمْ الظَّالِمُ لِنَفْسِهِ! قَالَ: الَّذى اسْتَوَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ وَ سَيِّئَاتُهُ- وَ هُوَ فِى الجَنَّة- فَقُلْتُ: وَ المُقْتَصِدُ؟ قَالَ: العَابِدُ لِلّهِ فِى بَيْتِهِ حَتَّى يَأْتِيهُ اليَقِينُ. فَقُلْتُ: السَّابِقُ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ؟ قَالَ: مَن شَهَرَ سَيْفَهُ وَ دَعا إلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّهِ [125]
Abu Hamza says: ‘I was sitting with the Holiness Imam Zain al-Aabedin, Upon Him be Peace, when two men from Iraq entered and said: “O the son of the Messenger of Allah, we have come to ask you to explain us the meaning of some verses of the Qur’an.” The Holiness asked: “Then, what are those questions?”
They said: It is the statement of Allah:
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا ...
‘… then We allowed some of Our worshippers, whom We had singled out, …
The Holiness said: “In Iraq people’s opinions who are the singled out who are the inheritors of the Book?” They answered: It is said that the Book has been sent down for the nation of Muhammad, Bless be to Him and his Descendants.
The Holiness asked: “Then, all of them going to enter paradise?”
Abu Hamza says: I asked the Holiness, ‘O the son of the Messenger of Allah, so for whom has the Book been sent down?’
The Holiness repeatedly answered thrice: “By Allah, it has been sent down for us, the Household.”
I said: ‘So let us know who is more cruel towards himself among you?’
The Holiness said: “The one whose good and bad works are the same but still he is in paradise!”
I asked: ‘And who is thrifty and moderate?’
He said: “The one who, in his home, worships Allah to attain certainty.” I asked: ‘Who is always ready to do goodness?’
He answered: “He who carries the naked sword and invites the people to the religion of Allah.”
And the Holiness Imam Reza, Upon Him be Peace, has a similar dispute with Ma‘moon that: ‘the purpose of (the Inheritors of the Book) is the Household of the Messenger of Allah;’ this piece of the discussion is drawn from a lengthy narrative that the Holiness Imam Reza had discussed on it by the means of the Qur’an in the Assembly of Ma‘moon. In that Assembly, he had proved twelve priorities for the family and the Household of the Messenger of Allah. Sadough has explained this narrative in details in the “Oyun Akhbar Ar-Reza”,[126] and Sayyid Bahrani has mentioned a brief part of it in the Ghāyat al-Maram to prove the case of the ‘Heritage’.[127] And Majlisi too has brough a short part of it from Aban bin Salt, in “Tafsir Ali bin Ibrahim”. [128]
And Majlisi says: ‘Sayyid Ali bin Tawous has said in the book of “Sa‘d- as-So‘ud”: I have found many narratives and have mentioned some of them in:
" البَّهْجَة بِثَمَرِة المُهْجَة "
Which according to the statement of Allah, Glory to Him in the Highest, as:
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِن عِبَادِنَا- الآية...
all of them are of the offspring of the Messenger, and among them, “the cruel to himself” means one who is ignorant to the Imam, and “the volunteer to do good works” is the Imam himself.”
Among all those whose narratives we have explained so far include Sheikh Abu Ja‘far Muhammd bin Banwiia, from his book “Feraq” which is by means of his document from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace. And the next one is from the book of “Wahida”, from ibn Abi Jomdur, who has narrated of Abu Muhammad al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Askari; and the another one is the “Dalail” which belongs to Abdullah bin Ja‘far Hem‘yari, quoting Imam Hassan al-Askari. And from the book of Muhammad bin Ali bin Ribah, with his own document from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, Upon Him be Peace. And another one is from the book of “Jami-e-Saqir” of Yunus bin Abdur-Rahman, and also the book of Himad Ansari, and finally the book of Ibrahim Khazzaz – there are of course some which have escaped from my memory now.’ [129]
This is a collective of narratives which we already explained in the generous commentary of the Nobel Book , and now, we are going to explain a few verses of it.
Through the whole subjects we talked about, it became clear that the Commander of the believers is: the unique creature in the world, so is he distinctive in his lofty attributes; he is as the precious pearl of the world, as the illuminating gem among the whole creatures, the teacher men, the sample of right instruction, the source of the benevolence, the mine of blessings, the proud of man as well proud of the angels and the messengers is he.
How well has the prophet Elias praised him by these attributes, and he has wept upon the tragic event of the Holiness.
The statement of the Holiness Elias concerning the merits of the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace
Safwani, in the book of “Ihan and Mihan”, and Kolaini in the book of “Kafi” have related that the Commander of the believers was martyred:
جاءَ شَيْخٌ يَبكى وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ: اليَوْمَ انْقَطَعَتْ عِلاقَة النُّبُوَّة، حَتَّى وَقَفَ بِبابِ البَيْتِ الَّذى فِيهِ أميرُالمؤمِنِينَ وَ أَخذَ بِعِضادَتِى البابِ فَقالَ: رَحِمَكَ اللهُ فَلَقَدْ كُنتَ اوَّلَ النّاسِ إسلاماً، وَ أخْلَصَهُمْ ايماناً، وَ أَشَدَّهُمْ يَقِيناً، وَ أَخْوَفَهُمْ مِنَ اللهِ، وَ أَطْوَعَهُمْ لِنَبِىِّ اللهِ، وَ أَفْضَلَهُمْ مَناقِبَ، وَ أَكْثَرَهُم سَوابِقَ، وَ أشْبَهَهُمْ بِهِ خَلْقاً وز خُلْقاً وَ سيماءً وَ فَضْلًا. و كُنتَ أَخْفَضَهُمْ صَوْتاً، وَ أعْلاهُمْ طَوْداً، وَ أَقْدَمَهُمْ كَلاماً، وَ أَصْوَبَهُمْ مَنطِقاً، وَ أَشْجَعَهُم قَلْباً، وَ أَحْسَنَهُمْ عَمَلًا، وَ أَقْوَاهُمْ يَقِيناً. حَفِظْتَ مَا ضَيَّعُوا وَ رَعَيْتَ مَا أَهْمَلُوا، وَ شَمَّرْتَ إذِ اجْتَمَعُوا، وَ عَلَوْتَ إذَ هَلَعُوا، وَ وَقَفْتَ إذ شَرَعُوا، وَ أَدْرَكْتَ أوتارَ ما ظَلَموا. كُنتَ عَلَى الكَافِرِينَ عَذَاباً وَاصِباً، وَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَهْفاً وَ حِصْناً، كنتَ كَالجَبَلِ الرّاسِخِ لَا تُحَرِّكُهُ العَواصِفُ. كُنتَ لِلطِّفولِ كَالابِ الشَّفِيقِ وَ لِلارامِلِ كَالبَعْلِ العَطُوفِ. قَسَمْتَ بِالسَّويَّة، وَ عَدَلْتَ فِى الرَّعِيَّة، وَ أَطْفَأتَ النِّيرانَ وَ كَسَرْتَ الاصْنَامَ، وَ أَذْلَلْتَ الاوثَانَ، وَ عَبَدْتَ الرَّحْمَنَ- فى كَلَامٍ لَهُ كَثيرٍ- فَالتَقتُوا فَلَمْ يَرَوا أحَدَاً. فَسُئِلَ الحَسَنُ عليه السّلام مَن كانَ الرَّجُلُ؟ قالَ: الخِضْرُ عليه السّلام. [130]
‘When the Commander of the believers passed away, a man came while weeping, he cried: ‘Today, the chains of the prophet-hood has broken!’ He stood at the door of the room where the sole of the Holiness had left him, he stretched out his hands holding the two frames of the door and saying: ‘May Allah have mercy upon you! You were indeed the first man to believe Islam and, in the point of belief, you were the purest of them. Your certainty was stronger than all, so were your priorities and virtues the most. You feared Allah more than anyone else and your obedience to the Messenger of Allah was more than the others. Your similarity to the Messenger of Allah: in the point of view of natural power, spiritual attitude, holiness signs on your features and nobility was more than all.
You were quiet and peaceful, and in the points of view of strength and steadiness you were at the highest degree.
Your words when speaking was more acceptable than the others, your logic was right, your heart was vast, your manner was better and your belief was stronger than all.
You secured whatever they wasted, you took care of what they overlooked, you were active when they came together and you saved your dignity when they were greedy.
You stopped when the innovated and you implored against they oppressions.
O Ali, you were a steady and hard persecute against the disbelievers and to the believers you were a secured resort.
You were like a great and steady mountain which the passion winds and the void verdicts, and the severe storms of desires, the plans of the opponents could not give you the least shake!
You were as a kind father to the children and so were you the most kind husbands to the lonely widows.
You spent out equally of the public treasury, you were just with the peasants and the nations. You extinguished the fires of the disbelief, polytheism, oppressions, partiality, aggression and insurgence to the rights of the others.
You destroyed the manifest and inward idols and humiliated them and you rose up in the position of servitude in front of Allah, Glory to Him in the Highest.’
And the man made so many similar speeches and stated of great attributes of the Holiness, but all of a sudden, he disappeared! The people looked around for him but saw no one. They asked the Holiness Imam Hassan, Upon Him be Peace, about him. He stated: “That old man was Elias, the prophet of Allah, Upon Him be Peace.
Al‘lāma Majlisi, has related this statement brief difference in the words and phrases, but in Bihar, he has related it in details, and he also has related it from Kamal ad-Din and Tamam an-Nemat. [131]
And Mohaddith Ghomi says: ‘This narrative has been related with the authentic documents from Kolaini, Sadough and the others, and I have also mentioned it in the book of “Hadiia”, in the section of visiting that Holiness – it is because Elias’ statements are as supplication when one is visiting the Commander of the believers. [132]
And I, the most humble, believe: In fact, these statements of Elias are the complete spiritual positions of the Commander of the believers, they deserve to be published in details as a separate book.
[O Ali] the sea-water is not enough to wet my finger-tips
To count the leaves of your virtues’ book, and perfect deeds!
The merits of the Commander of the believers are innumerable
It is related from Mowaffagh bin Ahmad Kharazmi by his own documents quoting Muhammad bin Mansour who is saying: I heard Ahmad bin Hanbal say: The amount of the virtues and superiorities that have been related about Ali have not been related about any of the companions. And Ahmad Hanbal has said: ‘A man to ibn Abbas said: ‘Glory be to Allah! How great many are the virtues of Ali; I think that there are more than three thousand virtues for him’ Abn Abbas said: ‘Do you not want to say that they are almost thirty thousand?’ [133]
And also by means of his documents, Kharazmi has related from Harab bin Abdul Hamid that Soleiman A‘mash has told us that Mansour Dawaneqi told us at the time of his Caliphate: ‘O Soleiman, you should tell me how many narratives you have related about the virtues of Ali.’ I said: Just a few.
He said: ‘Woe on you! I asked you, howmany?’
I answered: A thousand, or say that, ten thousand.’
When he heard the word of ‘thousand’, he despised it and said: Woe on you, o Soleiman, your very first saying “Ten Thousand” is correct. [134]
And also by his own documents from Mojahid, Kharazmi relates from ibn Abbas that:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ: لَو أَنَّ الاشْجارَ أَقْلامٌ وَ البَحْرُ مِدادٌ وَ الجِنَّ حُسابٌ وَ الإنسَ كُتّابٌ مَا أحْصَوا فَضائِلَ عَلِىِّ بنِ أبِيطالِب. [135]
the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, stated: “If all trees were changed into pens, and the sea-water changed into ink, the Jinn were accountants and all people were writers they could not write all virtues of Ali.”
And also Muhammad bin Omara by his documents from his father, Ja‘far bin Muhammad Sādiq, has related from his great grand father, the Commander of the believers quoting the the Messenger of Allah saying:
قالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ لِرَهْطٍ مِنْ أصحَابِهِ: إنَّ اللَهَ تَعالَى جَعَلَ لاخِى عَلِىٍّ فَضائِلَ لَا تُحْصَى كَثْرَة، فَمَنْ ذَكَرَ فَضِيلَة مِن فَضائِلِهِ مُقِرّاً بِهَا غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنْبِهِ وَ مَا تَأخَّرَ.
[The Holiness Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, said to some of his companions: “Allah, the Exalted, has assigned too many virtues for my brother, Ali; whoever mentions just one of his virtues, and believes in it, Allah wipes out all his sins in the past and present.”
وَ مَن كَتَبَ فَضيلَة مِن فَضائِلِه لَمْ تَزَلِ الملائِكَة تَسْتَغْفِر لَهُ مَا بَقِىَ لِذَلِكَ الكِتَابِ رَسْمٌ، وَ مَنِ اسْتَمَعَ الَى فَضِيلَة مِن فَضائِلِهِ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ الذُّنُوبَ التى اكْتَسَبَهَا بِالنَّظَرِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: النَّظَرُ الىَ عَلِىٍّ عِبَادَة، وَ ذِكْرُهُ عِبادَة، لَا يَقْبَلُ اللهُ ايمانَ عَبْدٍ إلّا بِمُوالاتِهِ وَ البَراءَة مِنْ اعْدَائِهِ. [136]
And whoever writes a virtue out of the virtues of Ali bin Abī Tālib, the angels will always ask [Allah’s] forgiveness for him until the trace of that writing exists. And whoever listens to a virtue of Ali’s virtues, Allah forgives all his sins that he has committed by his ears and listening. He who observes Ali’s virtues written in a book, Allah forgives all his sins that has committed by his eyes.” Then, he stated: “Looking at Ali is worshipping, remembering Ali is worshipping; Allah does not accept the belief of His worshipper unless through his affection to Ali and hating his enemies.”
And also Kharazmi in “Manaqib” from Simak bin Harab has related from Saeed bin Jabir saying:
قُلْتُ لابنِ عَبّاسٍ- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنهُما- اسالِكَ عَنِ اختِلَافِ النّاس فى عَلىٍّ- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنهُ- قالَ: يَا بنَ جُبَيْرٍ تَسألُنى عَن رَجُلٍ كانَتْ لَهُ ثَلاثَة آلافِ مَنقَبَة فِى لَيْلَة وَاحِدَة وَ هِىَ لَيْلَة القِرْبَة فِى قَليبِ بَدْرٍ، سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثَة آلافٍ مِنَ المَلائكَة مِن عِندِ رَبِّهِمْ، وَ تَسألُنى عَن وَصِىِّ رَسُولِ الله صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ صَاحِبِ حَوْضِهِ وَ صَاحِبِ لِوائِهِ فِى المَحْشَرِ. وَالَّذى نَفْسُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ العَبَّاسِ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ كَانَت بِحارُ الدُّنيا مِداداً، وَ أشْجَارُها أقْلَاماً، وَ أهْلُها كُتَّاباً فَكَتَبُوا مَناقِبَ عَلِىِّ بنِ أَبِى طالبٍ وَ فَضائِلَهُ مَا أحْصَوهَا. [137]
[Saeed bin Jabirsays:] ‘I asked ibn Abbas about the different opinions of the people concerning Ali bin Abī Tālib and he said: “O son of Jabir, are you questioning me about a man who had three thousand virtues only at a single night? It was the night of Badr when Ali was standing near the well with the skin water-carrier with him, then, three thousand angels saluted him by the permission of their Creator. And are you questioning me about the Successor of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, the owner of the Kow‘thar [river in Paradise], the owner of the Banner of Monotheism and praise on the Day of Resurrection!” By Allah, Who has the soul of Abdullah bin Abbas in His hand, if all the oceans were changed into ink, and all threes in the world were made pens, and the entire people were writers they were not able to write all the virtues of Ali bin Abī Tālib.”
And also Kharazmi has related Abu Tafi, in “Manaqib” that he says:
قالَ بَعضُ الصَّحابَة: لَقَدْ كَانَ لِعَلىٍّ مِنَ السَّوابِقِ مَا لَوْ قُسِّمَت سَابِقَةٍ مِنْها بَيْنَ الناسِ لَوَسِعَتْهُمْ خَيراً.
‘Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah have said: There are such virtues for Ali bin Abī Tālib that if one of them would be shared among the whole people of the world, every one of them would receive mercy and blessing.
Ibn Shahr Aashu says: ‘These kinds of miracles that, after the demise of Ali bin Abī Tālib, some of the Sunnite and the opponents have voluntarily related of the virtues of Ali is a miracle; Allah has conquered them to mention so, for the manifest virtues of him are just against their will and creed. It is so that if one among them rejects one of these virtues, the others immediately object him by saying he is not right. And they say, it is not deniable because this subject has been written in all books and commentaries , and all the great scholars have unanimously agreed that this narrative is right. Therefore, this virtue of Ali bin Abī Tālib is not deniable or to be rejected – if it is not found in a certain book then the other books have clearly mentioned it.’
And some of that Holiness’ miracles, after the demise of him, are those that the great scholars of the Sunnite and the common people of them are mentioning his virtues, on the whole, these virtues have become the necessary knowledge of them to speak about, similar to: Ibn Jarir Tabari, who has composed the book of “Al-Ghadir”, and ibn Shahin has written the book of “Manaqib” and the “Virtues of Fatima, Upon Him be Peace.” And Ya‘qub bin Sheiba has worked on the books of: “Tafzil al-Hassan wa al-Hussein, Upon Them be Peace,” and “Mosnad-e-Emir al-Momenin was Akhbaraho wa Fazaelho”. And Jahiz has written the book of “Alawi” and the book of “Priorities of Bani Hashim on Bani Omayyad”, and Abu Naeem Isfahani has written the book of “Manghaba al-Motahharin fi Fazaeel-e- Emir al-Momenin”, and also “Ma nazal al-Qurhn fi Emir al-Momenin, Upon Him be Peace,”
And Abu al-Mohasin ar-Royani has written the “Ja‘farei‘iat”, and Mowaffagh al-Makki the book of “The Cases of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace,” and the “The sun turning for the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace.”
And Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Momen Shirazi has written the book of “The revelation of the Qur’an for the status of the Commander of the believers.”
And Abu Salih Abd-ul-Malik Moazzin has done the book “Al-Arbaeen fi Fazaeel az-Zahra , Upon Her be Peace.”
And Ahmad bin Hanbal has written the book of “Mosnad of the Household and the priorities of the companions”, and Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmad an-Nazari has written the book “Al-Khasaes al-Alawiia ala saeer al-Bareiia”, and ibn Moghazeli the book of “Al-Manaqib”. And Abu al_g Ghasim al-Bosta the book of al-Maratib. And Abu Abdullah Basari has written the book of “Darajat”, and Khatib Abu Turab the book of “Al-Hadaegh”.
As all these writers had tendency towards the opponents of the Commander of the believers, and their creed was following the Two Sheikhs, they have refrained from saying many facts and truth frankly. However, this much is also a miracle confessing his virtues by the opponents.[138]
The poet says:
شَهِدَ الانامُ بِفَضْلِهِ حَتَّى العِدى وَ الفَضْلُ مَا شَهِدَتْ بِهِ الاعداءُ. [139]
All people, unanimously, bear witness on his virtues,
even his enemies; virtue is that the foes bear witness.
And another poet says:
يَرْى مَناقِبَهُم لَنا أعْداؤهُم لا فَضْلَ إلّا مَا رَواهُ حَسُودُ. [140]
The enemies of them count for us of their virtues
There are no virtues or nobility unless the jealous relate them.
Of course, these people whom ibn Shahr Aashub has explained about used to be before his period. Because he died in the year 588, the Islamic date and calendar, when some of the books had already be written, and some others were written after him.
Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi, the son of Sayyid Hassan Khiersan has mentioned them in the instruction of “Yanabi Al-Mawadda”, he has counted them to be as many as one hundred and eighty-three.
Ibn Shahr Aashub says: And some of his miracles, after his demise, are the large quantity of the Holiness’ superiorities and virtues, though because of the fright of the governments and the opponents, they did away with most of the documents and written papers of his virtues, and they did not mention his name in public.
Moslim, Bokhari, ibn Batta and Naziri, along with other narratives of Aisha, have related from the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants:
فَقَالَتْ فِى جُمْلَة ذلِكَ: فَخَرَجَ النَّبِىُّ بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ الفَضْلِ وَ رَجُلٍ آخَرَ يَخُطُّ قَدَماهُ، عاصِباً رَأسَهُ- تَعْنى عَلِيّاً- عليه السّلام..
‘Meanwhile [Aisha] said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, in his fatal illness, set out for the mosque, he was in a horrible condition , while wrapping his head up with a piece of cloth and two of his relatives were holding him on his arms, he was hardly dragging his legs ahead: one of those two men was Fazl bin Abbas and the next one a certain man.’ (Here, Aisha due to her jealousy, has mentioned ‘a certain man’ instead of saying ‘Ali’ – either she has not mentioned his name or the narrators have refrained from saying it frankly.)
The announcement of prohibition by Mua‘wiyah for mentioning the priorities of the Commander of the believers
وَ قَالَ مُعَاوِيَة لابنِ عَبّاسِ: إنّا كَتَبنا فِى الآفاقِ نَنهَى عَنْ ذِكْرِ مَناقِبِ عَلِىٍّ فَكُفَّ لِسَانَكَ. قالَ: أفَتَنهَانَا عَن قِراءَة القُرآنِ؟ قالَ: لا. قالَ: افَتَنهَانَا عَن تَأوِيلِهِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قالَ: افَتَقْرَأهُ وَ لَا نَسألُ؟ قالَ: سَلْ عَن غَيْرِ أهلِ بَيْتِكَ. قالَ: إنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ عَلَينا فَنَسألُ غَيْرَنا؟ أتَنهَانا أن نَعْبُدَ اللهَ؟ فَإذاً تَهْلِكُ الامَّة. قالَ: اقرَأوا وَ لا تَروُوا مَا انزلَ اللهُ فِيكُم. «يُريدُونَ لِيُطْفِئوا نُورَ اللَهِ فِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ. ثُمَّ نَادَى مُعاوِية: أن بَرِئَت [141] الذِّمَّة مِمَّن رَوى حَديثاً مِن مَناقِبِ عَلىٍّ، حَتَّى قالَ عَبدُ اللهِ بنُ الشَّدادِ اللَّيثُ: وَدَدْتُ أنِّى أترَك أن احِدثَ بِفَضائِلِ عَلِىِّ بنِ أبى طالبٍ يَوماً إلَى اللَّيْلِ وَ أنَّ عُنقى ضُرِبَت. [142]
Mua‘wiyah said to ibn Abbas: ‘We have sent our commandments to all Islamic lands that to stop mentioning the virtues of Ali, you too refrain your tongue mentioning of his priorities.’
Ibn Abbas said: ‘Do you prohibit us from the meaning and comments of the Qur’an?’ He said: ‘Yes, I do.’
Ibn Abbas said: ‘What! Shall we read the Qur’an but without understanding the meaning, and not asking about?’
He said: ‘Ask your questions, but do not ask the Household.’
Ibn Abbas said: ‘The Qur’an has been revealed to the Household then should we ask our questions from the others? Do you want to refrain us from worshipping Allah? In this way, all nation will perish.’
Mua‘wiyah said: ‘In that case, recite the Qur’an but do not explain to the people the status of the verses that the Messenger of Allah has stated to be sent down for the dignity of the Household.’
(That is it! They want to extinguish the Light of Allah and stop the fact to be spread!)
Then, on top of his voice, Mua‘wiyah said: ‘From now on, I will not have a moral obligation against one who relates of Ali’s virtues.’
The condition became terrible and people were in so frightened to speak about the virtues of Ali that Abdullah bin Shad‘dad Laithy says: ‘I would like them to give me a day’s time chance to speak of Ali’s virtue then be beheaded.’
The situation was so palpitation that Mohad‘dith, in his “Narrative Jurisprudence” or challenging to speak of Ali, he dared not mention his name but only said, a man, instead of Ali:
قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِن قُرَيش.
A man from the Ghuraish said.
And, instead of mentioning Ali, Abd-ur-Rahman bin Abi Leila used to say “A man from the companions of the Messenger”, and Hassan Basiri used to say: “The father of Zeinab.” [143]
And they questioned Saeed bin Jabir: ‘Who is the carrier of the flag and the Banner of the Praise on the Day of Judgement?’
He answered: ‘Why are you flattering yourselves![144] Do you want me to tell something about Ali and being slaughtered?’
And Sha‘bi said: ‘I used to hear that the preachers of Bani Omayyad cursed and insulted Ali bin Abī Tālib when preaching in the mosques – however, as if one had hold Ali on the arms and taken him to the heavens – I would hear that that they praised Omayyad and his ancestors, though fetid smell of him could be smelled everywhere.’
And they saw an Arab woman who was saying in the Mosque of Kufa
يَا مَشْهُوراً فِى السَّماواتِ وَ يا مَشْهُوراً فى الارَضِينَ، يا مَشْهُوراً فى الآخِرَة، جَهَدَتِ الجَبابَرة وَ المُلُوكُ عَلى اطفاء نُورِكَ وَ اخمادِ ذِكْرِكَ، فَأبَى اللهُ لِذِكْرِكَ الّا عُلُواً وَ لِنُورِكَ إلّا ضِياءً وَ نَماءٌ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ المُشْرِكُونَ.
‘O you who are famous in the heavens, well-known on the earth and o you who are famous in the Hereafter!
The tyrannical of the world and the powerful Kings tried to put out your illumination and stifle your invocation of Allah but the Almighty Allah increased your mentioning and brightened your illumination – though the disbelievers do not like it.
They questioned him: ‘Who do you intend this man is?’
He answered: ‘He is Ali bin Abī Tālib.’ As soon as the questioner got to know who was speaking the man disappeared.
And ibn Nobata says: ‘The tricks and plans of the Quraish fell flat in extinguishing Ali’s light, and another cry was added to the cries of the Doomsday; the affect of the mercy of the Doomsday appeared on the earth. Now, the shrines and graves of Ali’s offspring are seen on the earth. Now and then, the miraculous dreams of the great men unveil the virtues of him. The bed-ridden patience are cured, the afflicted people are rescued: and these affairs [and miracles] are not seen to happen except by Ali bin Abī Tālib. [145]
The elegy of OZRA on the merits of Ali
Sheikh Ozri has composed some poems and this is one he has done for the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants: [146]
مَا تَناهَتْ عَوالِمُ العِلْمِ إلّا وَ إلَى ذاتِ أحمَدٍ مُنتَهَاهَا،
اىُّ خَلْقٍ لِلهِ أعظَمُ مِنْهُ وَ هُو الغَابَة الَّتى اسْتَقصاها،
قَلَّبَ الخَافِقَينِ ظَهْراً لِبَطْنِ فَرأى ذاتَ أحْمَدٍ فَاجتَباها.
1- ‘Knowledge has no ending, except it ends to Ahmad, [it is because]
2- which one of the creatures of Allah is greater than he is; the ultimate object of Allah, in creating the world, is he.
3- Allah turned upside down the entire being, investigated the universe and came to the essence of Ahmad – so He selected him.’
Then, the poet turns to the Household and composes about the purity and greatness of them, as:
سَادَة لَا تُرِيدُ إلّا رِضَى اللهِ كَما لا يُريدُ إلّا رِضاها
خَصَّها مِن كَمالِهِ بِالمَعانى وَ بأعلَى أسْمائِهِ سَمّاها
لَمْ يَكُونُوا لِلْعَرْشِ إلّا كُنُوزاً خافِياتٍ سُبْحانَ مَن أبداها
كَمْ لَهُم ألْسُنٌ عَنِ اللهِ تُنبْى هِىَ أقْلَامُ حِكْمَة قَدْ بَراها
وَ هُمُ الاعْيذنُ الصَّحيحاتُ تَهْدى كُلَّ نَفْسٍ مَكْفُوفَة عَيناها
عُلَمآءٌ أئمَّة حُكَماءُ يَهْتَدِى النَّجْمُ بِاتِّباع هُداها
وَرِثُوا مِن مُحَمَّدٍ سَبْقَ أولاها وَ حَازُوا ما لَمْ تَحُزْ اخراها
4-‘The Imams, from the Household, are Sayyid and such great
that they are not in the need of anything but the satisfaction of
Allah – as Allah is after noting but their satisfaction.
5- Through His Perfection, Allah ha specified them
gracefulness, and He has let them enjoy of His finest Names
by calling them after those Names.
6- They are in the firmament of Allah but as the hidden treasures; Holiness be Allah Who has manifested them.
7- They are the tongues who inform of Allah and make men aware of Him; true, they are the wisdom pens whom Allah has sharpened with His Own hand.
8- They are the sound seers who direct and guide those who have gone blind in both eyes.
9- They are the Scholars, the Imams and the Sages that by the instructions of them the stars, in the sky, find their courses to move.
10-The inherited Muhammad that which, in the racing ground with the earlier nation, as the reward and prize, was assigned, and they dominated what the later nation was not able to achieve or dominate.
Again, concerning the attribution of the Messenger of Allah, he says:
آيَة اللهِ حِكْمَة اللهِ سَيْفُ اللهِ وَ الرَّحْمَة الَّتى أهداها،
فاضَ لِلْخَلْقِ مِنْهُ عِلْمٌ وَ حِلْمٌ أَخَذَتْ عَنْهُمَا العُقُولُ نُهاهَا،
لَمْ يَكُنو أكْرَمَ النَّبِيِّين حَتَّى عَلِمَ اللهُ أنَّه أزكاها،
إنَّمَا الكائِنَاتُ نُقْطَة خَطٍّ بِيَدَيْهِ نَعيمُها وَ شَقاها،
كُلُّ مَادُونَ عَالَمِ اللَّوحِ طَوعٌ لِيَدَى فَضْلِهِ الَّذى لا يُضاها،
حازَ مِن جَوْهَرِ التَّقَدُّسِ نَفساً تاهَتِ الانبياء فى مَعناها،
لا تُجِلْ فِى صِفاتِ أحْمَدَ فِكْراً فَهِىَ الصُّورَة الَّتى لَن تَراها،
حازَ قُدْسِيَّة العُلومِ وَ إن لَمْ يُؤتَها أحْمَدٌ فَمَن يُؤتاها،
وَهُوَ الآية المُحيطَة فِى الكَوْنِ فَفى عَيْنِ كُلِّ شَىءٍ تَراها.
1- [Muhammad is] the sign of Allah, the wisdom of Allah, the sword of Allah and the mercy of Allah whom He has gifted the earth.
2- From Muhammad, knowledge and patience, were diffused to the creatures; thus wisdom got its intelligence from these knowledge and patience.
3- Muhammad was not the most respectable of the messengers until Allah considered him to be the most valor and talented of the whole messengers.
4- The entire being in the universe is as a line with the both ends in his hands: whether mercy and blessing come to them, or the problems and pains touch them.
5- On the whole, the entire beings existing lower than the Guarded Tablet are obedient and rest in his generous and graceful hands – the graceful and generous that have no similarity.
6- He’ through the Source of Pureness and the Essence of the Holiness’ has come to such an Eternal Soul that the messengers are bewildering in its fact and meaning.
7- Therefore, you do not parade your thought to learn the attributes of Ahmad, for those attributes are in such a way that you will never see them.
8- He has attained the position of Sanctity and received the knowledge of the Kernel of the kernels – if this knowledge and Holiness have not been honoured to Ahmad, then who else have they been given to?
9- He is the greatest sign, the full mirror of Allah and encompassing the entire universe, and that is why you see him in everything.’
After relating the status of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, in details, he turns to the positions of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, and says:
مَلِكٌ شُدَّ أزْرُهُ بِأخيهِ فَاستَقامَت مِنَ الامورِ قَناها،
اسَدَدِ اللهِ مَا رَأتْ مُقْلَتاه نَارَ حَربٍ تَشُبُّ إلّا اصطَلاها.
10-He was a Sovereign that Allah strengthened him by his brother, for the course of affairs impedes when the bayonet stands idle;
11-his brother is known as “The Lion of Allah”, his eyes did not see a battle but he attacked and warmed it up.
Then he goes on explaining of the virtues of the Holiness and his actions in the Battle of Badr, Ohud, the Parties, Honain, Kheibar and the other virtues of his such as: the revelation of the Purification Verse, the Dispute, the Chapter of the “Hæl æta”, blocking the doors, the Narrative of the Status, the Narrative of Ghadir and some others until he says:
أَيُّهَا الرّاكِبُ المُجِدُّ رُوَيداً بِقُلوُبٍ تَقَلَّبَتْ فِى جَواها
إن تَرَائَتْ أرْضُ الغَريَّينِ فَاخْلَع وَ اخْلَعِ النَّعْلَ دُونَ وَادى طُواها
وَ إذا شِمْتَ قُبَّة العالَمِ الاعلَى وَ أنوارَ رَبِّها تَغشاها
فَتَواضَع فَثَمَّ دَارَهُ قُدْسٍ تَتَمَنَّى الافلاكُ لَثْمَ تَرَاها
قُلْ لَهُ وَ الدُّمُوعُ سَفْحَ عَقِيقٍ وَ الجَوى تَصْطَلى بِنارِ غَضاها
يَا بنَ عَمِّ المُصطَفى أنتَ يَدُ اللهِ الَّتى عَمَّ كُلَّ شَىءٍ نَداها
أنتَ قُرآنُهُ القَديمُ وَ أوصا فُكَ آياتُهُ الَّتى أوحاها
حُسْبُكَ اللهُ فى مَآثِرَ شَتّى هِىَ مِثْلُ الاعدادِ لا تَتَناهى
أنتَ بَعْدَ النَّبِىِّ خَيْرُ البَرايا وَ السَّما خَيْرُ ما بِها قَمَراها
لَكَ ذاتٌ كَذاتِهِ حَيثُ لَولا أنَّها مِثْلُها لَما آخاها
قَدْ تَراضَعتُما بِثَدىِ وِصال كانَ مِن جَوهَرِ التَّجَلّى غَذاها
يَا عَلِىُّ المِقدارُ حَسبُكَ لا هُو تِيَّة لا يُحاطُ فى عُلياها
لَكَ نَفْسٌ مِن جَوهَرِ الُّطف صيغَتْ جَعَلَ اللهُ كُلَّ نَفسٍ فِداها
كُلُّ ما فِى القَضاء مِن كائناتٍ أنتَ مَولى بَقائها وَ فَناها
يا أخا المُصطَفى لَدَىَّ ذُنوبٌ هِىَ عَيْنُ القَذى وَ أنتَ جَلاها
يا غِياثَ الصَّريخِ دَعْوَة عَافٍ لَيْسَ إلّا ك سَامِعٌ نَجواها
كَيفَ تَخْشَى العُصادُ بَلوَى المَعا صِى وَ بِكَ اللهُ مُنقِذٌ مُبتلاها
لَكَ فى مُرتَقَى العُلى وَ المَعالى دَرَجاتٌ لا يُرتَقى أدناها.[147]
12-O you, the camel-driver, that are taking away the part of our blistered hearts, do ride a bit slowly;
13-When you caught sight of the Land of Najaf, be humble, and when stepping onto the main environment, take off your sandals.
14-When you see the dome and the exalted shrine as well the Light of Allah surrounding it
15-humble yourself, because that is the Holy House, the House of Purity, where the heavenly spheres wish they could give kisses to it.
16-While your tears running down like the fresh pearls, and when your burning desires land on that beloved warm land, tell him:
17-O you! The Cousin of the Chosen One, you are the hands of Allah whose mercy and blessings have filled up all around.
18-You are the ancient Qur’an of Allah, your attributes are the verses of the Qur’an which Allah has sent down.
19-Allah is enough for you for having such approved characters and the praiseworthy manners – they are endless to be numbered.
20-After the Messenger, among all the creatures, you are the best creature: yes, above in the sky, you are the best star – in that sky where the sun and the moon exist.
21-Your nature is as the nature of the Messenger, if it was not so, the Messenger would not choose you as his brother.
22-You two have suckled the unique union breast, the breast that it contained the Essence of the illuminating Names and the Divine attributes.
23-O Ali, it is enough to know that you are from the spiritual world! The vey Spiritual World that encompasses all beings!
24-Your being is formed by the Holiness Monotheism – may Allah sacrifice in your honour every individual being!
25-In Divine Events, whatever happens, you have direct authority on it – either it is an eternal affair or the mortal event.
26-O MOSTAFA’s brother! I tolerate a sin that is like a thistle in my sight, it is only you who can remove it.
27-O the shelter for an afflicted man, who has been afflicted by the disasters and hardship, do respond his question – the very afflicted that except you, no one can hear his whisperings and hidden grievances.
28-Why should the offenders fear of their offenses while Allah has assigned you as the savoir and aid for the miserable!
29-The degree and rank, and the ladder of your perfection is so high that never can a man step on the first rung of it!
And then he explains in details the events of the ‘SAQIFAH and the seizure of the Caliphate, and condemns the both Sheikhs. He also speaks of the rank and honour of the Highnesses ZAHRA and refers to the enjoinments of the Messenger concerning the oppressions she had gone through by them:
فجزاه الله عن الرّسول و عن أهل بيته خير الجزاء.
May Allah reward him for the Prophet and his family all the best of rewards!
In fact, his poems, and all his mentioning and attributes, deserve to be translated in Persian, made into a book and distributed to the public.
A few poems on the virtuous of Commander of the believers
How nice the Persian poet has composed this piece in Farsi!
When the Truth manifested in the shape of man
It, first, dressed up Ali with the clothes of man,
He was brought from No-abode to human-being,
That to give the Unaware mankind glad-tidings.
And how beautifully has composed another poet:
Learn the secret of the loving the Imam and lit the light of your soul, go to Ali and learn the high-level manners.
Ali’s light is the highest, receiving its light even from the Highest, the Original Light illuminates his already bright feature.
The Secret of the Identity appeared, and the Spirit of the Divine Will came – the formation for everything from the start of the Divine Will.
This point is determined that the whole spirit belongs to Divine, to the Munificent of the gifts and nourishment!
There is no way to reach His Source, or a bit of His Attributes, His gentleness to the subject and His Justice in the cases!
And how nice Mullah-e-ROMI has composed this piece:
O ROMI, no one has become aware of Ali’s secret For never has a man been aware of Allah,
One feasible and countless needed attributes No one has power and string except Allah. [148]
And how nice has the learned writer, ‘Abdul Baqi Afandi, has composed this one:
يَا ابَا الاوصياء أنتَ لِطه صِهْرَهُ وَ ابْنُ عَمِّهِ وَ أخُوه
إنَ لِلَّهِ فى مَعاليكَ سِرّاً أكثَرُ العالَمينَ مَا عَلِمُوه
أنتَ ثانِى الاباء فى مُنتَهَى الدَّورِ وَ آباؤهُ تُعَدُّ بَنُوه
خَلَقَ اللهُ آدَمَ مِن تُرَابٍ فَهُوَ ابنٌ لَهُ وَ أنتَ أبُوهُ. [149]
1- O Father of the Successors [of the Messenger of Allah], comparing your status and position to ‘Ta, Ha’, is that you are the son-in-law of the Messenger, you are his cousin as well his brother.
2- Your high position and grades, with Allah, is a personal secret that most of the worlds cannot estimate it.
3- At the end of the course of creation, you are considered as the second father for the entire being, and the present fathers, are the offspring of that.
4- Allah created Adam of clay, thus, he is the son of clay; however, you are the father of clay – you are the clay’s father.
And the Proof of Allah, Hajj Sayyid Ismail Shirazi, the cousin of the Proof of Allah, Sayyid at-Taefat Hajj Mirza Muhammad Shirazi, may Allah honour him higher position, has composed an excellent elegy on the birthday anniversary and the praise of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, now, we are to relate a part of it:
إنْ يَكُنْ يُجْعَلُ لِلّهِ البَنُون وَ تَعالَى اللهُ عَمّا يَصِفُونَ
فَوَليدُ الْبَيْتِ احْرى أنْ يَكُون وَلِىِّ الْبَيْتِ حَقّاً وَلَداً
هُوَ بَعْدَ المُصْطَفى خَيرُ الوَري مِن ذُرَى العَرْشِ إلى تَحْتَ الثَّرى
قَدْ كَستْ عَلْياؤهُ امَّ القُرى عزه تحمى حماها ابدا
عُزَيرٌ؛ لا؛ و لا ابنُ مَريَم حَيثُ لَا يَدْنُوه مَن لَم يُحْرِم
سَبَقَ الكَون جَميعاً فِى الوُجود لا وَ طَوى عالَمَ غَيبٍ وَ شُهُود
كُلُّ مَا فِى الكَوْن مِن يُمْنَاهُ جُود إذ هُوَ الكائِنُ لِلّهِ يَدا
بِفخارٍ قَدْ سَما كُلَّ البَشَر سَيِّدُ حَازَتْ بِهِ الفَضْل مُضَر
فَبِهِ لا بِالنُّجومِ يُهْتَدى وَجْهُهُ فِى الفَلَكِ العُليا قَمَر
وَ يَدُ اللهِ مُدِرُّ الانعُمِ نَحْوَ مَعْناهُ لِنَيْلِ المُغْنَمِ [150]
1- If it were that to assign sons to Allah – of course He is above all to be attributed with –
2- Therefore, the child who was born in the House of Allah, deserved to be the child of the House Owner!
3- After the Chosen Messenger, he, (Ali bin Abī Tālib), is the best of the creatures, from the highest point of the firmament down unto the earth and even under the earth.
4- His high position and noble status, and also his dominant on the Mother of the Towns, (The Generous Mecca), is the most honourable clothing for him, and a means to prohibit anyone to enter that Preserved Haven .
5- Whether that one be ‘Ghozair’, or Jesus, the son of Mary, for no one can get close to it for the state of ritual taboo.
6- He, in the form of being, has taken the lead of the entire universe, and has flown by the secret and manifest worlds and investigated them.
7- And whatever in the world of creation exists is through the blissful hand of his, for he is the hand of Allah.
8- He is such a Mister by his arrival the tribe of ‘MOZAR’ was such proud that it took the lead among the nations.
9- His bright and illuminating face in the above firmament is like the full-moon light guiding the being – but not the stars.
10-And he is the hand of Allah who showers the blessings, and in the form of being he diffuses the being to aim and purpose so that the being to get enough benefit.
And how perfect, the Divine Sage, ‘MIRZA-e-JILWAH’, has composed this in Farsi:
‘Except Ali, no one was at the service of Ahmad,
For the caring to Moses was none save Aaron.
With his human feature and Divine attributes,
Glory to Allah for such a fine composition!
He enlivened the world with the sword of his
Blood dripping from his sword’s point.
The vastness of his dignity cannot be known,
One cannot cross the Oxus with his sucks on!
Head for the holy law and seek for Ali’s affection
By all means, if you have not a defected heart!’ [151]
References
[117] " دلائل الصدق", volume 2, page 80.
[118] Here, he has likened the dark night to a obedient slave, and the lightening is likened when the nose of the slave is torn apart!
[119] This is from the original elegy of the seven elegies of ibn Abi-al-Hadid that is known as: " علويّات سبع", and it is published under the title of "the suspense of seven elegies"; and the book is lacking the page numbers, however, this piece is believed to be in the beginning of the fourth part. And how nice the MOL'LA of Rome has composed this piece هم آدم و هم شيث و هم ايّوب و هم ادريس هم يوسف و هم يونس و هم هود على بود هم موسى و هم عيسى و هم خضر و هم الياس هم صالح پيغمبر و داود على بود آن كاشف قرآن كه خدا در همه قرآن كردش صفت عصمت و بستود على بود Either of them: Adam, Seth, Job, Enoch, and Joseph, Jonah and Hood was Ali Each of them: Moses, Jesus, Elias, and Elijah as well the Fem the Prophet, David was Ali That discoverer of the Qur'an that Allah praised and attributed him as the chastity was Ali.
[120] "نهج البلاغه", sermon 85, pages 153 and 154, from the publication of Abdah, Egypt.
[121] "نهج البلاغه" 'Nahj-ul-Balagha', volume 6, pages 377 and 378; but we have explained it in brief.
[122] "نهج البلاغه", sermon 147, page 269.
[123] "غاية المرام",, the first and the second narratives, page 351.
[124] "غاية المرام",, the first and the second narratives, page 351.
[125] " شواهد التنزيل", volume 2, page 104.
[126] "عيون", page 149.
[127] "غاية المرام", page 352, the tenth narrative.
[128] "بحار الانوار", volume 7, page 45.
[129] "بحار الانوار", volume 7, page 45.
[130] " مناقب", ibn Shahr Aashub, volume 1, page 481.
[131] " بحار الانوار", volume 9, page 677.
[132] " منتهى الآمال", volume 1, page 134.
[133] " ينابيع المودّة", section 40, page 121.
[134] " ينابيع المودّة", section 40, page 121.
[135] " ينابيع المودّة", section 40, page 123.
[136] " ينابيع المودّة", section 40, page 123.
[137] " ينابيع المودّة", section 40, page 123.
[138] "مناقب ابن شهرآشوب", volume 1, page 484.
[139] "مناقب ابن شهرآشوب", volume 1, page 484.
[140] "مناقب ابن شهرآشوب", volume 1, page 484.
[141] And, in the substitute copy, it is written "انّی برِئت الذِمّة ", 'I taken away my covenant'.
[142] "مناقب ابن شهرآشوب", volume 1, page 484. And this narrative clearly relates the visiting of Mua‘wiyah with ibn Abbas in the " قاموس الرجال ", volume 6, page 41, from the book of " سليم بن قيس ", and exists in the book of Salim page 202 and 203.
[143] "مناقب ابن شهرآشوب", volume 1, page 485.
[144] Same source.
[145] Same source.
[146] Same source.
[147] The Poetic Works of Ozri.
[148]
[149] "سفينة البحار", volume 2, page 231.
[150] "سفينة البحار", volume 2, page 230.
[151] "سفينة البحار", volume 2, page 230.