The gate to the city of knowledge

Childhood

Birth in Kaaba

Ali is the only person who was miraculously born inside the Kaaba

Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 483

Son of the best supporter of God’s messenger

ابوطالب پس از آغاز رسالت محمد، بزرگ‌ترین پشتیبان او در مقابل کفار قریش بود. او تا آخر عمر، زندگیش را وقف رسالت محمد کرد.

His father was Abu-Taleb, uncle of God’s last messenger, and the one who was Mohammad’s ward since he was 8 years of age.

After Mohammad started his mission, Abu-Taleb was his best supporter in his struggle against the Qureish pagans. To the end of his life, Abu-Tāleb committed himself to Mohammad’s mission.

Tarikh al-Yaqubi, Vol. 2, p. 31

Nurtured by the Prophet

Ali was under Mohammad’s custody, and the prophet himself nurtured, cultivated and raised him

Zakhaer Al-Oghba, p. 60

Foremost person

The first Muslim man

Ali was the first man to accept the Prophet’s invitation to enter into Islam

Zakhaer Al-Oghba, p. 111

Since the start of the mission, Ali was the Prophet’s executor

At the start of the mission, in the first public meeting for inviting Mecca’s grandee, the prophet said about Ali “O relatives of mine, know that Ali is my brother, executor of my will and my successor among you”.

Tārīkh al-Rusul wa al-Mulūk, Vol. 2, p. 63

The Prophet’s trustee in Mecca

On the eve of emigrating to Medina, the Prophet appointed Ali as his trustee in Mecca, placing him in charge of returning things people had given the Prophet in trust

Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 3, p. 22

Savior of the Prophet’s life.

The night when 40 armed men wanted to kill the Prophet, Ali lay in the bed of the Prophet in his stead, thereby saving the Prophet’s life.

Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 1, p. 348

In war

Valiant self-sacrifice in the Battle of Ohod

During the battle of Ohod, Ali manifested such a degree of selfless sacrifice, laying his own life repeatedly on the line in order to save the Prophet’s life, that Gabriel said “This is the peak of sacrifice he is showing”, and the prophet replied “He is [a part] of me, and Iam [a part] of him”

پس از کشته شدن نه تن از پرچمداران دشمن به دست او، ندایی آسمانی شنیده شد که میگفت: «لافتیالاعلی،لاسیفالاذوالفقار» (هیچ جوانمردیچونعلیو هیچشمشیریچونذوالفقارنیست.)

After 9 of the enemy’s flag bearers were killed by Ali, a revelation from Heaven proclaimed that  “There is no knight [whose gallantry is a match to that of]  Ali’s, and there is no sword to match Ali’s Dholfaqar”.

Tārīkh al-Rusul wa al-Mulūk, Vol. 2, p. 514

The marvel at the Battle of the Trench

During the Battle of the Trench, Ali defeated the pagan Arabs’s greatest commander, hence saving Islam from certain ruin. Concerning this feat, the Prophet said “Ali’s strike on the day of the Battle of the Trench (Khandaq) was more precious than the worth of the entirety of the worship and devotional acts of all creatures”.

Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 34

The Conqueror of Kheybar

During the Battle of Khaybar, when Muslims faced insurmountable obstacles in capturing the enemy’s most well-defended fortress, and the army commanders returned in despair to the Prophet, he said “Tomorrow I will give the flag to the one who never flees the battlefield nor turns his back on any enemy. He is the one who is the beloved of God and His Prophet, and God will capture the fortress by way of [the agency of] his hands”. The next day, the prophet gave Ali the flag, and in a miraculous feat, Ali conquered the castle of Khaybar.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 5, p. 171

Relation to the prophet

The Hadīth of the Rank of Aaron

خود در مدینه گمارد.

In all the 27 battles where the Prophet was personally the commander, Tabuk was the only battle where Ali was absent.And this was because the Prophet had appointed Ali as his substitute in Medina for the duration of the battle.

البته علی علاقه داشت همراه پیامبر باشد اما پیامبر گفت: «آیا راضی نیستی که نسبت تو به من، همان نسبت هارون به موسی باشد، جز اینکه بعد از من پیامبری نیست؟»

Although Ali preferred to accompany the Prophet, God’s messenger said:“Are you not content with your rank relative to me being that of the rank of Aaron to Moses, except that there will be no prophet after me?”

Sahih al-Bukhari, Part 80, p. 794

Bond of brotherhood with the Prophet

After the migration (Hejraᵗ), the prophet made brothers of each Immigrant-Helper pair. Eventually, Ali was left alone, without the Prophet having appointed him a brother. When Ali asked why, the Prophet said “You are my brother in this world and in the hereafter; I swear to the One God who commissioned me to [convey the message of] the truth that I delayed your pairing in order to pair you as my own brother- a fraternity which shall span [the times of] both this world and the hereafter.

Fazael Al-Sahabe, Vol. 2, p.617

The Prophet’s son-in-law

The Prophet permitted for the marriage of his daughter, Lady Fatimah, to Ali.

We know from the words of the Prophet which have reached us that this pairing by way of marriage was done at God’s behest of command.

Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 8, p. 19

Member of the Prophet’s Household

The prophet took Ali and his daughter Fatemeh, as well as his grandsons Hasan and Hosein to the Mobāhela (cursing ritual of mutual imprecation) with leaders of the Christians of Najrān . This event was an affirmation of the limitation of the membership of the Household of the Prophet to these five individuals.

Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 150

Access to the Prophet’s Mosque

The only house the prophet permitted to have a door opening onto his mosque was Ali’s. The prophet, in response to objection by some of the companions to the favor thus bestowed on Ali said “God has ordered me to close all doors opening to the mosque, except that of Ali’s house; never did I order a door to be closed or to remain open on my own volition; rather, I follow God’s will in all matters.

Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 3, p. 369

revelation

Memorizer and redactor of revelation

Ali was among the redactors and memorizers of the revelations; moreover, he was the prophet’s special and trusted secretary and scribe.

Ansab al-Ashraf, Vol. 2, p. 99

The special informer of revelation

وقتی علی به ابوبکر رسید و ابوبکر به مدینه بازگشت متواضعانه از پیامبر پرسید که آیا آیه ای در رابطه با او وحی شده است؟

پیامبر فرمود : «نه، اما فرمان یافتم که این سوره را یا خودم به مشرکان مکه ابلاغ کنم و یا کسی که از من است»

The Prophet sent Abu Bakr to convey the Suraᵗ ol-Berā٬aᵗ (The Execration) to the idolaters of Mecca, but shortly afterwards decided to send Ali ﷺ instead, instructing him to take the scroll from Abu Bakr and recite it to the Meccans. When Ali caught up with Abu Bakr and the latter returned to Medīna, he despondently asked the Prophet ﷺ whether there had been an āya (revelation) revealed with respect to him. The Prophetﷺsaid, “No, but I have been told to convey the message of this sura to the idolaters of Mecca either myself [personally] or by one who is [a part] of me.”

Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 4, p. 545

Vicegerency

Whoever I’m his vicegerent, Ali is hisvicegerent

Upon returning from his last Haj pilgrimage, the Prophet stopped at Qadir Khomm among a huge crowd of Moslems and announced Ali as his successor, saying “whomsoever I have [hitherto] been lord and master [mowlā], [so too] this [here] Ali shall [henceforth similarly] be his lord and master.”All the companions then shook hands with Ali in allegiance, and congratulated him in his appointment.

Sunan al Tirmidhi, Vol. 12 p. 175

Martyrdom

Martyrdom in theprayer-niche

Eventually, on the 19^th of Ramadan, Ali was martyred by the blow of a poisoned sword while he was at prayer in the prayer-niche of the Kufa mosque; 2 nights later, on the eve of the 21^st of Ramadan, he ascended to God’s heaven.

Al-Hawi al-Kabir, Vol. 13 p. 112

Closure

Gate to prophet’s knowledge

The Prophet of God said, “I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gate. Anyone who desires to enter this City must enter it through its Gate.”

Al-Mustadrak alaa al-Sahihain, Vol. 3, p. 126