He Is the Secret of Secrets, the Radiant of Lights, the engineer of divine mysteries, the embodiment of reality, and the manifestation of absolute truth in the mirrors of souls and horizons. He is the secret of the prophets and messengers, the master of guardians and the truthful, the divine Image, the source of Infinite knowledge, evident in proof, concealed in fate and position. He Is the Basmala of the book of existence, the essence of the Ba point, realized In human ranks. He Is the Lion of the forests of creation, the steadfast In the battles of Innovation, the evident secret, the piercing star, and the leader of the Imams.
Name
Ali ibn Abi Talib Ibn Abd Manaf ibn Abd al-Muttalib.
Titles
He has numerous titles, including: The Lion of Allah, The Gate of the City of Knowledge, Al-Karrar (The Relentless Attacker), Haydar, Al-Murtada, The Opener of the Gate of Khaybar, and Dhu’l-Fiqar.
Kunya (Honorary Titles)
He is known as Abu al-Hasan, Abu al-Husayn, Abu al-Hasanayn, and Abu Turab.
Birth
He was born 23 years before the Hijra.
Children
Al-Hasan, Al-Husayn, Zaynab al-Kubra, Umm Kulthum al-Kubra (their mother was Lady Fatimah al-Zahra al-Batul).
Muhammad al-Akbar, son of al-Hanafiyyah (his mother was Khawlah).
‘Ubaydullah and Abu Bakr (their mother was Layla).
Al-Abbas al-Akbar, Uthman, Ja’far al-Akbar, and Abdullah (their mother was Umm al-Banin).
Muhammad al-Asghar (his mother was Umm Walad).
Yahya and ‘Awn (their mother was Asma bint Umais).
Umar al-Akbar and Ruqayyah (their mother was Al-Sahba).
Muhammad al-Awsat (his mother was Ummamah).
Umm al-Hasan and Ramlah al-Kubra (their mother was Umm Sa’id).
Other daughters include Umm Hani, Maymunah, Zaynab al-Sughra, Ramlah al-Sughra, Umm Kulthum al-Sughra, Fatimah, Umamah, Khadijah, Umm al-Karam, Umm Salamah, Umm Ja’far, Jumana, Nafisa, and an unnamed daughter (her mother was Mahiyah).
Attributes
Darar ibn Damrah described him: “He (may Allah honor his face) spoke decisively and ruled justly. Knowledge flowed from him, and wisdom spoke from him. He avoided the world and its splendor, found solace in the night and its darkness. By Allah, he was tearful, deeply thoughtful, turning his palm and speaking to himself. He liked coarse clothing and simple food. By Allah, he was as one of us, answering when we asked and initiating conversation when we came to him. He came to us when we called him. By Allah, despite his closeness to us, we dared not speak to him due to his awe, nor Initiate conversation out of respect. When he smiled, it was like pearls In their setting. He honored the people of religion, loved the needy, gave no hope to the strong In falsehood, and did not disappoint the weak in seeking justice. When night cast its shadows and stars retreated, he was found In his prayer niche, clutching his beard, trembling like a wounded one and weeping like a grieving person.”
He would say, “O world, O world, are you trying to lure me? Or do you long for me? Far from It, far from it! Go deceive someone else. I have divorced you three times with no return. Your lifespan is short, your value is little, and your danger is great. Woe for the scarcity of provisions, the long journey, and the desolation of the path.”
Residence
Mecca, then Medina, and then Kufa.
Life
He is the leader of the people, beloved by the worshipped, and beloved of the Creator. He Is the gate to the city of knowledge, the head of discourse, the originator of spiritual insights, the banner of the guided, the light of the obedient, the guardian of the righteous, and the leader of the just. He was the first to answer and believe, the most just and certain, the most patient and knowledgeable. Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah honor his face) is the role model of the pious, the adornment of the mystics, the one who reveals the truths of monotheism, and points to the lights of unique knowledge. He is the one with the reflective heart, the questioning tongue, the listening ear, and the faithful covenant. He blinded the eyes of sedition, protected against trials, defended against traitors, subdued the oppressors, and struck down the deviators. He was the fierce one in Allah’s religion, devoted to Allah alone.
A Story About Him
He said, “I set out with the Prophet ﷺ until we reached the Kaaba. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, ‘Sit down,’ and he climbed onto my shoulders. I attempted to stand, but seeing my weakness, he dismounted and said to me, ‘Climb onto my shoulders.’ So I climbed onto his shoulders, and he lifted me, and I felt as if I could reach the sky’s horizon. I climbed onto the roof of the Kaaba, which had an Idol made of brass or copper, and I began to tilt It to the right and left, front and back until I was able to remove it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Throw it,’ so I threw it, and it shattered like glass.”
The Prophet ﷺ said about him on the day of Khaybar: “Tomorrow, I will give the flag to a man through whom Allah will grant victory. He loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.”
His Miracles
It Is narrated that one of Imam Ali’s (may Allah honor his face) followers, a black slave, was brought to him after committing theft. Imam Ali asked him, “Did you steal?” The man replied, “Yes.” Imam Ali then ordered his hand to be cut off. As the man left, he met Salman al-Farsi and Ibn al-Kawwa.
Ibn al-Kawwa asked him, “Who cut off your hand?” The man replied, “The Commander of the Faithful, the Chief of the Muslims, the son-in-law of the Messenger, and the husband of Fatimah al-Zahra.” Ibn al-Kawwa was surprised and asked, “He cut off your hand, yet you praise him?”
The man replied, “Why should I not praise him when he cut my hand with justice and saved me from Hellfire?” Salman heard this and Informed Imam Ali, who then summoned the man. Imam Ali placed his hand on the man’s arm, covered it with a cloth, and recited some supplications. A voice from the sky was heard saying, “Remove the cloth from the hand.” When they removed it, the man’s hand had healed by Allah’s grace and mercy.
It Is also narrated in *The Biography of the Nobles* that Imam Ali (may Allah honor his face) once sent Abu Dharr to call for him, and Abu Dharr saw a mill grinding grain in his house with no one operating It. Abu Dharr informed the Prophet ﷺ of this. The Prophet ﷺ said, “O Abu Dharr, do you not know that Allah has angels roaming the earth who have been assigned to assist the family of Muhammad ﷺ?”
It is also narrated that during the Battle of Khaybar, at the location of al-Sahba’, the Prophet ﷺ rested his blessed head on Imam Ali’s knee. While the Prophet was receiving divine revelation, the time for the Asr prayer passed. Imam Ali, who had not yet prayed Asr, felt sorrow for missing the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, “Did you pray Asr?” Imam Ali replied, “No.” So, the Prophet ﷺ supplicated, “O Allah, he was in obedience to You and Your Messenger, so return the sun for him.” The Prophet’s prayer was answered, and the sun returned from its setting, rising once more, allowing Imam Ali to pray Asr on time.
It Is also narrated that during his journey to Siffin, Imam Ali’s army became extremely thirsty due to a lack of water. They sought water but found none. There was a monastery nearby with a monk, and they asked him for water, but he refused. The monk told them that the water was near but denied them access. They complained of their thirst to Imam Ali (may Allah honor his face), whose zeal flared up. He pointed to a spot and ordered them to dig there. As they dug, they encountered a huge rock, which they could not lift. Imam Ali was Informed of this, so he dismounted his horse, extended his hand beneath the rock, and with minimal effort, lifted the massive rock by Allah’s permission. Sweet, fresh water flowed from beneath it, quenching the army’s thirst and providing for their ablutions. Imam Ali then replaced the rock. Upon witnessing this miraculous event, the monk approached Imam Ali, embraced Islam, and joined the people of guidance.
His Writings
Nahj al-Balagha, Jannat al-Asma’, Al-Hirz, Khutbat al-Bayan, Fasl al-Khitab, and Miftah al-Najat in supplications.
His Passing
Imam Ali (may Allah honor his face) departed this world as a martyr on the night of Friday, the 17th of Ramadan in the 40th year of Hijra, at the age of 63.
Sources:
– *Jumhurat al-Awliya*, Vol. 2, p. 32.
– *Sifat al-Safwah*, Vol. 1, pp. 162–166.
– *Jami’ Karamat al-Awliya*, Vol. 1, pp. 92–93.
– *Hilyat al-Awliya*, Vol. 1, pp. 61–62.
– *Hadiyat al-‘Arifin*, Vol. 5, p. 667.
