Birth of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) : Self-preservation of Imam Ali (AS) : Ghadeer Affair :

On the 13th of the month of Rajab, twenty-three years before the
migration of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) a child was born in the
family of Abu Talib, the light of whom kindled the whole World.
KunaabMecci narrates about his birth: "We and Abbas (Ibne Abdul
Mutalib) were sitting together when suddenly we saw Fatima bint-e-Asad
moving towards the Kaabah in the condition having delivery pain and
saying "Oh God I have faith in you and the Prophet (i.e., Abraham) who
by your command laid the foundation of this house. O God! I swearyou
by the same Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and swear you by the child in my
womb make this birthcomfortable and easy for me."
This was the time when all of us saw with our own eyes that the wall
ofKaabah broke apart and Fatima bint-e-Asad entered into the Kaabah.
Then the wall again united.
We ran terrified and trembling to our houses to send our women into
the Kaabah for the help and assistance of Fatima bint-e-Asad. We did
our best but the door did not open. This event surprised all the
people of Makkah.
The women of Makkah were anxiously counting moments to meet Fatima
bint-e-Asad till the time she came out of the Kaabah along with a
beautiful baby, saying,"God has chosen me fromamong the ladies of
Makkah and He made me His guest in His house and gave me meals and
fruits of the heaven to eat.
The ladies who were surrounding her in the form of a circle and
escorting her to her home asked her, "What name have you given to this
child?"
Fatima bint-e-Asad said:"When I was in the Kaabah, I heard a hidden
voice call," Name this child "ALI".
Yes! We are talking aboutImam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) the pious man
whose childhood and infancy period lasted in such a pure and chaste
way that he himself stated in Nahjul Balagha ,"The Prophet
Mohammad(pbuh) used to pick me inhis lap and embrace me and chew the
food and put it into my mouth."
Early youth of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS):
Ali ibn Abu Talib describes this enlightening period of his age as
under: The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) used to go to the Cave of Hira but
nobody except he (pbuh) and I did know about it. At the time when the
religion ofIslam had not yet reached the homes, he (pbuh) and his wife
Khatijah (SA) were the only Muslims. I was the next person to them
whosaw the light of revelation and prophet hood and smelled the
fragrance of the Prophet hood.
When the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) of Islam was ordered by God to invite
his family members to embrace Islam. Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS)
according to the advice of the ProphetMohammad (pbuh) invited forty
persons of the Prophet's family at his home. Although the food was
quite little but all of them ate fully well. After the meal was over
the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) spoke to those present saying, "Oh the
sons of Abdul Mutalib, God has ordered me to invite you to embrace
Islam and get you introduced to it."
Whosoever, having believed in my Prophet hood, promises to help and
assist me shall be my brother, deputy and successor and my caliph.
He (pbuh) repeated this sentence thrice but no one except "Imam Ali
ibn Abu Talib (AS)" gave a positive response. As many times as the
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) addressed the persons present, nobody except
Imam Ali (AS) answered. Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) was rising again
and again to his feet and promising help to him and announcing his
faith.
This is the very reason why the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said:"This
Ali, is my brother and successor listen and lend ears to what he says
and obey his orders." When Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) entered from
his early youth into the phase of puberty, the part of age when all
the human energies and powers are strong and firm, even in this part
of the life he remained closely associated to the Prophet Mohammad
(pbuh) like a flying moth which moves around the Candle. He defended
Islam and the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) with his strong, energetic arms.
When the enemy besieged and surrounded the Muslims in the battle of
Hunain and they abandoned andleft behind the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
running away for their lives, it was only and onlyImam Ali ibn Abu
Talib (AS) who defended and saved the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and made
the enemies retreat and take to their heals.
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) killed Marhab the chief of army of Jews in
the Khyber battle, whose power and bravery was making everybody
tremble but Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) cut him into two and pulled
apartthe gate of the Khyber fort which used to be opened and closed by
twenty men together. Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) used it as a bridge
over the trench for the Islamic army to cross overto the Khyber fort.
Many such events are the specimens and evidences about the faith, and
spiritof self-sacrifice and devotion of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS).
Self-Sacrifice and Devotion of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS):
There is no doubt to it that every body loves his soul and very rarely
gets ready to sacrifice it for another person but because of the fact
that Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) loved the soul of the Prophet
Mohammad (pbuh) even more than his own one, he got prepared to lay his
life for him.
The event takes shape like this. When the polytheists saw that they
are in danger, they jointly made a firm determination to take the
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) by surprise and martyr him. So all of them
gathered in "Dar unNadva" and choose one person from each family so
that every tribe gets involved in getting Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
killed and then noone could take the revenge of him.
The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) had come to know about this conspiracy
through revelation. God ordered him (pbuh) to migrate from Makkah in
the darkness of the night. The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) needed someone,
prepared to sacrifice his life and must be a trustworthy secret
holder.
Hence, there was no one else except Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) in
whom he confided, and told him "God has informed me that the infidels
will break through the house to kill me so today you sleep on my bed."
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) smilingly accepted it, because he (as)
knew that the life of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) would be saved by
his action. In fact, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) used to say later
thatthe best sleep he had ever had was on that night (Shab-e-Hijrat).
Then the time came when the darkness of thenight covered everythingand
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) was sleeping on the Prophet's (pbuh) bed
calmly and peacefully and the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) came out of his
house and started proceeding towards the Cave of Saur with Hazrat Abu
Bakr (RA). The infidels besieged the house and got prepared with their
swords and spears to attack it. The sooner they were instructed to
make it, they break through the house rushing with naked swords. But
when they found Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) laying on the bed of the
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) they immediately moved out of the house
desperate and astonished, and sent a few horsemen to search the
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). But not very long afterwards they too
returned defeated and hopeless.
Allah liked this action of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) so much that HE
revealed this verse in the Holy Quran: "And among men is he who sells
his NAFS (self) in exchange for the pleasure of Allah..." (Surah 2:
Baqarah / Verse 207)
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) and Holy War:
Islam is the religion of peace and tranquility and does not like
killing, plundering, and bloodshed. But if some one kills another
withoutany reason then Islam has strong punishment todeal with him.
Of course, if an enemy attacks the Muslims then by the standards of
wits, common sense, and religious law, self defense which as a form of
Jihad/Jehad becomes essential and indispensable.
All the battles of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) in which Imam Ali ibn
Abu Talib (AS) fought armed and truthfully were defensive battles.
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) was such a brave, faithful, holy warrior
who never got frustratedand upset and tired of the fighting and
battles. He was afraid of no one except God. He used to say "By God if
I see that on one side is the truth and on the other side all the rest
of the people I, without caring and paying heed to those reproaching
me, will fight all alone with my sword, on the way and path of the
right, against them.
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib's (AS) way or Training:
The city of Kufa was the capital of the Islamic Government. People
fromall over the World used togather at that point to get the benefit
of knowledge and learning from that great Islamic University.
One of those days two men came across each other in the vicinity of
the city one of them was Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) and the other was
a Christian who did not recognize him. The Christian man was moving
towards the suburban area of Kufa, where as, Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib
(AS) was on his way to Kufa.
They mutually agreed to accompany each other for a while, talking to
each other, so that they do not get tired.
They reached a point where two ways split out, so that each one wanted
to move on one of those two different roads. The Christian bade
Farwell and went on his way but he observed thathis Muslim companion,
whose way was on the opposite side, was moving towards him. So he
stopped and questioned him, "Don't you want to go to Kufa?"
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) said, "Yes". The Christian man said,
"Thenwhy are you coming towards this direction?"
Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) replied, "I wish to accompany you to a
certain length of distancebecause the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
said,"when two persons are together on a way (journey companions) they
get a right over each other."
"Now that you have got aright upon me, I go alongwith you up to a
certain distance so that I must pay you (discharge) that right of
yours in this world. Then I will part offon my own way." The Christian
man was much pleased and moved by this humanly attitude and conduct
and he likedhis talk and said, "It is befitting that I should also
embrace Islam whichhas such a culture and students."
His amazement and astonishment was only too enhanced when he
discovered that his travel companion is Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS),
the ruler of Islam. So he immediately accepted and embraced Islam at
his hand.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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