Even excluding this really lofty and very important spiritual status, the commander of the faithful Imam Ali (a.s) is a unique, unprecedented personality, even from a worldly and human perspective. Perhaps, after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) we cannot find any other personality with the qualities that the commander of the faithful Imam Ali a.s had.
This is why his followers and even those who do not follow him- love and respect him. Many people among non-Shias, non-Muslims, irreligious people, and other such people love him.
Those who know about him and about concepts related to that great personality respect and love Hazrat Imam Ali a.s. This is because of the qualities that existed in him. One of those qualities that attracts more attention is, primarily in the first place, his justice.
Imam Ali qualities
A pure and extensive justice without any consideration for anyone. It was so astonishing that one becomes really astonished at hearing about its examples and instances.
Another noteworthy quality of his was piety and indifference to worldly possessions for himself. That great personality built the world and helped people achieve growth and worldly and otherworldly progress (Barzakh and Jannah). But he did not want anything for himself.
What has been narrated about him in this regard is really impressive. We could equally mention his courage, his kind behavior towards the weak, and his firm determination directed at oppressors and arrogant powers.
His self-sacrifice on the path of the truth these are really some points:
- His sea of wisdom- his words indicate a sea of wisdom, and his behavior was as firm as a mountain, really. There are really astonishing points in the life of that personality. These remarkable qualities existed in him, even making his enemies acknowledge them.
- And his bravery and courage was such that the onslaught of armies could not shake the firmness of his foot with the result that he achieved success in every encounter and even the bravest fighter could not save his life in an encounter with him. Thus Ibn Qutaybah writes in al-Ma’arif, “Whomever he encountered was prostrated.“
- ash-Shafi’i said as follows: “what can I say about a man in whom three qualities existed with three other qualities that were never found together in any other man -generosity with want, bravery with sagacity and knowledge with practical achievements“.
Imam Ali sermon on creation of universe.
He brought creation into existence from nothing without any prior thought, experiment, or movement. He did so without any hesitation or mental struggle. He set the time for everything, arranged their differences, assigned their characteristics, and determined their forms, knowing them fully before creating them. He was aware of their limits, traits, and complexities.
When the Almighty created the atmosphere, the vast skies, and the layers of wind, He filled them with stormy water, with waves crashing over one another. He placed this water on strong winds and powerful gales, commanding them to return it as rain. He gave the wind control over the rain’s strength and set its limits. The wind blew underneath while the water flowed fiercely above.
Then, the Almighty created the wind, made its movement steady, fixed its place, intensified its motion, and spread it far and wide. He ordered the wind to stir the deep waters, causing the waves of the oceans to rise. The wind churned the water like curd, pushing it into the sky, raising its level until the surface was covered in foam.
The Almighty then lifted the foam into the open sky, creating the seven heavens. He made the lower one as a stable wave and the upper one as a protective ceiling and a towering structure without any pillars or supports.
He adorned the skies with stars and meteors, placing the shining sun and bright moon under the rotating sky and the moving ceiling of the heavens.
Imam Ali: Epitome of Virtue.
For example, Urwah ibn al-Zubayr said something to his son, who was speaking against Hazrat Ali, which is astonishing: “It is ALLAH who has raised him, and no matter what people do, he will achieve more development and growth.”
That is, the Zubayr family, especially Abdullah ibn Zubayr’s children, had a bad relationship with the commander of the faithful.
Well, these are the qualities of that great personality, and all these qualities are at the Highest of Perfection- To the highest of Perfection!
In other words, he was the Shining epitome of these qualities. We should make these qualities our model. Of course, we have fallen considerably behind in these areas.
We should follow that great personality’s lead both in terms of his personal conduct and in terms of the way to govern and rule. Therefore, we should use the same methods and show the same qualities.
Administer the same justice and show the same courage and piety- We should have these qualities in our conduct.
But we are hugely behind. We should endeavor hard in these areas and move forward. Well, on the occasion of the 19th day of Ramadan- the day when he was wounded- I wish to say something about the sacrifices that he made and his enthusiasm for martyrdom.
Prophet on martyrdom to Imam Ali
On the occasion of the 19th day of Ramadan – the day when he was wounded – I want to say something about the sacrifices he made and his enthusiasm for martyrdom. Imam Ali a.s. said this in Nahjul Balagha sermon 156. Imam Ali a.s. says that when this ayah was revealed and recited.
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتۡرَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَنُونَ
Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “We believe”, and that they will not be tested?
When the idea of fitna (sedition) was discussed, I understood that as long as the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) lives among us, this fitna (Sedition would not happen and that it would happen after the holy Prophet. Imam Ali a.s.
Spoke to the Holy Prophet and asked a question to him. The Holy Prophet said something in response, which has been mentioned in the same sermon. When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) greetings be upon him and his household- discuss those points for the commander of the faithful (Imam Ali a.s.), his most prominent student.
He becomes excited due to his sense of obligation and responsibility. He says something that I will write for you now: “Oh Prophet of Allah, on the day of Uhud when people had fallen as martyrs, and I was not among them, and that was distressing for me, did you not say to me ‘cheer up,’ as martyrdom is for you hereafter?”
To paraphrase this in our words, he said to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), “O Prophet of Allah, Do you remember that during the battle of Uhud, when Hamzah was martyred, and a number of our friends were martyred, but I did not receive martyrdom even though I had all those wounds – This came really hard for me, that I did not receive the martyrdom.
Prophet (ﷺ) paid attention to Ali a.s. and said, “Dear Ali, I have good news: you too will be martyred.“
Do you remember – When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Cheer up, as martyrdom is for you hereafter.” On that day, you informed me that, dear Ali, you have good news: martyrdom is following you, and you will be martyred.
Hazrat Ali asks now, “Several years have passed. Why have I not been martyred yet? The holy Prophet (ﷺ) answers: “Yes, it is so. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) answers Dear Ali, you will indeed be martyred.
Then, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) says, But what about your Endurance at present for hardships until your martyrdom? Now that your destiny is to be martyred, how will you bear that?
Well, martyrdom in battle is not as brutal as in those days. An arrow or a sword will strike you. Nowadays, people are hit by a bullet, and they are martyred. This is a relatively minor issue.
However, martyrdom in great arenas after enduring many hardships is very important. The commander of the faithful was martyred after having passed a challenging era – while he was in the mihrab.
That is why the holy Prophet (ﷺ) said, “But what about your enduring at present?” When martyrdom is bestowed on you, how will you endure that (until martyrdom is received)?
“Imam Ali a.s. said, ‘O prophet of Allah, this is not an occasion for endurance, but rather an occasion for cheering and gratefulness,” Endurance is a bitter matter or for an unwanted course of action. This is one of those blessings for which one should be happy and should that ALLAH for.
The Night of Martyrdom
This enthusiasm for martyrdom is one of the qualities of the commander of the faithful, and Hazrat Ali achieved his goal on a night like this. Then, people heard a cry saying, “I swear to ALLAH that the pillars of Guidance have broken and Ali al-Murtaza has been murdered.“
The martyrdom due to the wound that he received occurred to the commander of the faithful at night, like Shab-e-Qadr. ALLAH’s greetings be upon Him.
