THE MAGNIFICENCE OF HAZRAT ALI MURTAZA (RADI ALLAAHU ANHU)-THE FOURTH CALIPH (KHALIFAH) OF ISLAM
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 'Ali is from me and I am from Ali, and he is the protector of every true believer after me'. (Ibn Al-Maghazeli).
Prophet ﷺ, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(Radi Allaahu Anhu), Hazrat Umar(Radi Allaahu Anhu), and Hazrat Uthman(Radi Allaahu Anhu), all had immense love for Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu). '
Allah Ta'ala states in The Holy Quran:
'Undoubtedly, those who believed and did good deeds soon the Most Affectionate will make for them love'
(Surah Maryam. verse 96)
Allah Ta'ala states that 'We instil the love of Our beloved servants in the hearts of people in a natural way, so that people love them without any apparent reasons'.
'Surely. Those who have believed and those who have left their homes for Allah and fought in the way of Allah, it is those who look forward to the mercy of Allah. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful'
(Surah Al-Baqara. verse 218)
Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was one of the first who used to accompany Prophet ﷺ in Islamic battles. In a hadith, it is narrated that Prophet ﷺ sent Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) for a battle. When Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was out of the sight of Prophet ﷺ, his eyes filled with tears and he made dua in the court of Allah Ta'ala. 'O Allah! Do not take my soul till I see Ali'.
Hazrat Aa'isha(Radi Allaahu Anha) narrates that once Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) arrived, and Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(Radi Allaahu Anhu) continuously gazed at the face of Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu). Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(Radi Allaahu Anhu) remarked that Prophet ﷺ said, 'gazing at the face of Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) is also worship (ibadat).
Once Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(Radi Allaahu Anhu) said to Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) that there is a reward for you, ' only those will enter Paradise whom Ali will allow'. Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) remarked that Prophet ﷺ told him, 'do not allow the enemies of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(Radi Allaahu Anhu) to enter Paradise'.
Allah Ta'ala states in The Holy Quran:
'But those who come with truth and confirm it as truth, these are among the pious'
(Surah Az-Zumar. verse 33)
Hazrat Ali's(Radi Allaahu Anhu) recitation of this verse is 'wallazi saddaqa bihi'. Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) explains this verse as 'the one who is the bringer of truth is Prophet ﷺ, and the verifier of this truth is Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq(Radi Allaahu Anhu).
About Hazrat Ali(Radi Allahu Anhu), Prophet ﷺ said:
'I am the warner, and the guide after me is Ali'
'Ali is the door of my knowledge'
'Love for Ali is faith and hatred for Ali is hypocrisy'
'Ali is the distinguisher between truth and falsehood'
Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was the fourth caliph of Islam. He was the cousin, and also the son-in law' of Prophet ﷺ, husband of Hazrat Fatimah(Radi Allahu Anha), and father of Hazrat Imam Hassan(Radi Allaahu Anhu) and Hazrat Imam Hussein(Radi Allaahu Anhu). He was very brave as a soldier and was the flag bearer in most of the Islamic battles. Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) was intelligent and extremely knowledgeable. Prophet ﷺ said, 'I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the door to my knowledge, one who desires knowledge should enter from that gate'.
In 'Kanzul Iman', Hazrat Salmaan Faarsi(Radi Allaahu Anhu) narrates the Prophet ﷺ said, 'in my nation, Ali is the most knowledgeable after me'.
During the caliphate of Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu), an infidel challenged the knowledge of Prophet ﷺ. Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) assembled everybody in Masjid Nabawi, stood on the mimber e Rasool ﷺ wearing Prophet's ﷺ ring and turban (amama) and said, 'Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the city of knowledge, and I am the door to that knowledge, ask me whatever you want to know?'
Ahmed Ibn Hanbal reports that from the companions(Radi Allaahu Anhum) of Prophet ﷺ, there was none other than Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) who could issue such a challenge.
Once Jibreel(alaihis salaam) descended in a human appearance, and asked Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu), 'where is Jibreel?' Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu) looked in every direction and then said, 'I looked in every direction and everywhere, I couldn't see Jibreel. Hence, you are Jibreel, right in front of me'.
None of the companions(Radi Allaahu Anhum) had the knowledge of The Quran as Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu). Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said, 'Ali is with The Quran and The Quran is with Ali. And the two shall not separate till they come to me at the pool of Kauthar'. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal has related from Hazrat Umar(Radi Allaahu Anhu) that Prophet ﷺ used to say to Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu), 'you have the most knowledge of The Quranic verses among them'.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 'said, 'embellish your gatherings by mentioning Hazrat Ali(Radi Allaahu Anhu).
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This article is an abridged English translation of Urdu sermons delivered by his eminence, Peer Syed Imroz Dean Saifi, Hanfi, Maturidi of Masjid Anwaar e Madina, Surrey BC Canada
If there is an inaccurate translation, please pardon it and not let it be a means to negatively reflect on the honoured presenter.
