Who is Hazrat Ali RadiAllahu Anhu?

Hazrat Ali RadiAllahu Anhu is one of the most iconic personalities in the history of Islam, cousin and son-in-law of Holy Prophet Hazrat Mohammad Mustafa ﷺ, the youngest supporter of Islam, the gate of knowledge and the possessor of Zulfiqaar.

The hero of Ghazw-e-Badr, the ultimate conqueror of Fort of Khaybar, Sher-e-Khuda (The lion of Allah), the 4th Caliph of Islam.

When we read Islamic history, we find that his name is Ali and Abul Hassan and Abu Turaab are his titles. He is the husband of Sayyidah Faatima RadiAllahu Anha and he is the blessed father of Hazrat Imam Hassan and Hussain (Allah is pleased with them). 

Knowledge of Hazrat Ali Radiaalhu Anhu

The leader of believers Sayyiduna Hazrat Ali (Allah is pleased with him) says: 

لو شئت لا وقرت من تفسير الفاتحة سبعين بعيرا 

If I wish I can load 70 camels with the commentary of Surah Al-Faatiha. A camel carries many loads and several components in each load. According to calculations, approximately 2.5 million components or parts (example : one can imagine the amount of leaves, material or the weight that can be placed on a camel ) can be carried by the camel which is only one load. This is only the commentary of Surah Al-Faatiha then imagine the commentary of the rest of the Holy Quraan. This is the knowledge of Hazrath Ali Radi Allahu Anhu. 

Then turning to the knowledge of Hazrath Abu Bakr Siddiq, Hazrath Omar (Radi Allahu Anhuma) accounts for nine parts of this knowledge that Hazrath Ali (Radi Allahu Anhu) possessed. Hazrath Abu Bakr (Radi Allahu Anh) had more knowledge than all of us. (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 9 Page Number 118)

There is a Hadith which has been mentioned by Imam Jalaluddin Suyooti (Alaihir Rahma) in his authentic book Jaamius Sagheer that our beloved Prophet ﷺ said: 

"انا مدينة العلم و ابو بكر اساسها و عمر حيطانها و عثمان سقفها و على بابها"

" I am the city of knowledge, Abu Bakr is its foundation, Omar is its wall, Uthman is its roof and Ali is its door". 

This hadith describes the virtue of the knowledge of the Prophet ﷺ and his caliphs. At the same time, it is describing the correct order and virtue of the Khilafat.

Hazrath Ali Radi Allahu Anhu towards Jannah

There is a Hadith Shareef in the Nihayah of Ibn Al-Athir that the Prophet ﷺ said that: "Ali Murtuza will walk happily towards paradise between me and Ibrahim" or "he will be taken towards paradise between me and Ibrahim" just like how a new bride is taken to the bridegroom's house. (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 6 Page Number 201)

Justice of Hazrat Ali Radi Allahu Anhu

In response to a question, Sayyidi Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Alaihir Rahma once said: one day a man came in the court of the leader of the believers, Hazrat Ali (Allah is pleased with him) and said that someone had committed adultery with my mother in his dream, Hazrath Ali (Allah is pleased with him) said "Make him stand in the sun and whip his shadow." (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 5 Page Number 959) 

Asr Salaah of Hazrat Maula Ali RadiAllahu Anhu

The sun that had set, and on the command of Prophet ﷺ returned and then Hazrat Ali (Allah is pleased with him) offered his Asr Salaah. (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 2 Page Number 634) 

Adhan eliminates grief

It is narrated in Musnad Al-Firdaus from Hazrat Ali (Allah is pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ saw me sad and said: "O Ali, I found you sad, tell one of your family members to call the Adhan in your ears because Adhan eliminates grief and anxiety." All the narrators of this Hadith up to Hazrat Moula Ali have said: "We practiced this method and witnessed the result ." (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 2 Page Number 676)

Precaution of Hazrat Ali Radia Allahu Anh

In response to a question, Sayyidi Ala Hazrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan Alaihir Rahmah says that the leader of the believers Hazrath Maula Ali Radi Allahu Anh used to always shave his head. Reason being that there is impurity under every hair and if water does not reach its roots then the impurity may not be removed. To eliminate this doubt he used to shave his head and he himself said: "Then I became the enemy of my own head." (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 9 Page Number 521) 

A wisdom of respect

It is narrated on the authority of Hazrat Mohammad Ibn Ali (Radi Allahu Anh) in Sayeed Bin Mansoor Sunan that Hazrat Sayyiduna Ali (Allah is pleased with him) went somewhere and that family (host) presented a throne for Hazrat Ali (Radi Allahu Anhu), the leader of the believers Hazrat Maula Ali sat himself on it and said "Only a donkey will not accept the word of honour." (Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef Volume 9 Page Number 74)

His grace and perfection

Hazrat Ali Radi Allahu Anh is an embodiment of the beautiful attributes and qualities. The companions also admired his excellent qualities and attributes. Hazrat Omar (Allah is pleased with him) said, Allah Almighty gave Hazrat Ali three such things, if I could find one of them I would consider it better than red camels, people asked what are those things so he said:

1. He married Hazrat Sayyidah Faatima, the beloved daughter of Prophet ﷺ.

2. Hazrat Ali's stay in the mosque and what is lawful for him in the mosque is not for me.

3. In the battle of Khaybar, the Holy Prophet ﷺ gave him the flag of Islam.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas said that Hazrat Ali has 18 attributes which are not found in any other Sahaabi.

(Taarikh-ul-Khulfa Page Number 259, Mua'arif e Sahaaba 408)

The miracle of Hazrath Ali Radiaallahu Anh

It is proven from authentic sources that he would place his one foot in the stirrup, of a horses saddle, and before he could place the other foot onto the other stirrup and settle down on the horse, he would complete reciting the entire Qur'an.

 According to another narration, he would complete the recitation of the Qur'an (make one Khatam) before sitting on the horse.

His sad departure and the duration of his reign as a Khalifa

It is stated that Sayyiduna Ali RadiAllahu Anhu was injured in the early hours of Friday 19th Ramadaan before he passed away during the early hours of Sunday 21st Ramadaan 40 AH. The duration of his reign as a Khalifa was 4 years, 8 months and at the time of his martyrdom, he was 63 years old.

References: Taarikh-ul-Khulfa, Shawahidun-Nubuwah, Fataawa Razwiyyah Shareef, Seerat e Mustafa Jaan e Rahmat. 

Presented By: Darul Uloom Ala-Hazrat & Amjadi Darul Ifta 165 Moorton Drive Chatsworth, Durban, South Africa.