لطفا منتظر باشید ...
THE RISING OF THE DAWN
On Friday, the 13th of the blessed month of Rajab, 12
years before the ordainment of Muhammad (s.a.w ) as
Allah's Messenger, Fatimah bint Asad felt that she was
about to give birth to her child. She came to the Sacred
Ka'bah and began to circumambulate praying as she walked,
"O Allah! I believe in You and in the messengers and
the scriptures You have sent. I believe in what has been
said by my grandfather, Abraham (a.s.) who built the
Ancient House (the Ka'bah). So, for the sake of the
builder of this House, and for the sake of the child in
my womb, I implore You to make my labor easy "(3)
Fatimah bint Asad leaned against the wall of the
Ka'bah to rest. Miraculously, the wall opened. Fatimah
bin Asad entered and the wall closed behind her. 'Abbas
bin 'Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's (s.a.w.) uncle
witnessed this miracle. He and his companions rushed to
the gate of the Sacred House, which was locked, and tried
in vain to open it. Understanding that the Divine was at
work there, he and his companions ceased to interfere.
The news of this incident soon spread throughout Mecca.
Imam Ali (a.s.) was born within the Ka'bah with his
eyes closed and his body in humble prostration before the
Almighty Allah. Fatimah stayed in the Ka'bah for three
days and as the fourth day approached, she stepped out,
carrying her baby in her arms. She found the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.) waiting to receive the newly-born child in his
anxious arms. Then the Holy Prophet recited the Adhan and
Eqamah in the ears of the baby.Imam Ali's (a.s.) birth inside the honored Ka'bah is
unique in the history of the world. Neither a prophet nor
a saint was ever blessed with such an honor.(4) It is an
undisputed historical fact recognised by all historians
that the Holy Ka'bah is the birthplace of Ali bin Abi
Talib (a.s.).Glad tidings were brought to Abu Talib and his household.
Upon their arrival at the Sacred House they saw Muhammad
al-Mustafa (s.a.w.) there with the child in his arms.(5)
He carried the baby Ali to the house of Abu Talib, where
he, himself was brought up.
A great banquet was prepared, slaughtering many
animals, in honor of the blessed new-born child.(6) The party was attended by a crowd of people. They offered
their congratulations, spent hours of merriment
expressing their high feelings towards their chieftain,
the sheikh of Al-Abtah, and towards his blessed child.Days passed quickly as the blessed child grew up in the
arms of his parents and his cousin, Muhammad (s.a.w.),
who used to frequent his uncle's house, where he had
formerly tasted the warmth of affection, and drank from
the fountains of sincerity and loyalty during the years
of his childhood and youth.
Muhammad (s.a.w.) continued to frequent his uncle's
house, although he was now a married man, living with his
wife, Khadijah, in their own house. He cherished Ali and
surrounded him with affection and care, speaking to him
tenderly, rocking his cradle or carrying him in his arms.
THE PATRONAGE OF THE MESSENGER OF'
ALLAH
Six years passed after Ali's birth. The Quraish
(Muhammad's tribe) suffered from an acute economic crisis
which had a heavy effect on Abu Talib, who had to support
a large family, as well as a host of poor people who used
to come to him as a prominent figure in the community at
Mecca. Could the "Chosen One" (s.a.w.) and Bani
Hashim (his family) accept such a hard situation for
their leader?
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) went to his uncle,
Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib, the wealthiest of the Bani
Hashim, and said, "O uncle! your brother, Abu
Talib, sustains a large family, and the people are badly
afflicted by the situation. So, let us go to him to
lighten his hammad though he to be sustained by us."(7)
The proposal from Al-Mustafa (the Chosen One) (s.a.w.)
was gladly accepted by his uncle, Al-Abbas, and they both
hurried to Abu Talib and talked him into accepting the
suggestion.
Abu Talib said, "If you let me have Aqil and
Talib, I will let you do as you see fit..."(8) Al-Abbas took Ja'far, and Muhammad (s.a.w.) took Ali
(a.s.), then six years old.(9) Having chosen Ali (a.s.), the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.)
said: "I have chosen whom Allah had chosen for me
above you - Ali." (10)
Thus, Ali (a.s.), from his early childhood, lived
under the patronage of Muhammad (s.a.w.), grew up under
his care and drank from the fountains of his affection
and tenderness. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) brought
him up as his Lord had taught him. He never separated
from him until he joined the Almighty .
A PRODUCT OF THE PROPHETIC RAISING
Imam Ali (a.s.) referred to the vast dimensions of the
education he received at the hands of his guide, the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) in one of his speeches known
by the title " Al-Qasi'ah" (censure):
"...you know what my relations with the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.) were. From the very beginning of my
life, he loved me and I loved him. He took me in his lap
when I was a baby and thence I was always with him. He
often kept me embraced to his heart. He used to lay me
next to him. We used to be so close to each other that I
felt the warmth of his body and smelled the fragrance of
his odor. When I was a baby, he fed me with his hands,
often chewing hard bits for me. He never found me lying
nor weak and wavering. From the time of his (the Prophet
(s.a.w.)) infancy, Allah had appointed the greatest of
His angels to always be with him, and His Arch Angel was
leading him towards exemplary qualities and high moral
values, and I followed him (s.a.w.) step by step as a
baby camel follows its mother. Daily he used to place
before me a fresh standard of efficiency and used to
order me . to follow it. Every year he used to stay in a
grotto of the Hara' for some time, and nobody used to be
with him but I. None could then see or hear him but I.
During those days Islam was the religion of only the
Prophet and his wife, Khadijah. I was the third of the
trio. Nobody else in this world had accepted Islam. Even
then I used to see the divine light of revelation and
prophethood and smell the heavenly fragrance of
prophethood."(11)
In his own words, this text reveals how Imam Ali
(a.s.), during his childhood, was treated by the
Messenger (s.a.w.) with care, tenderness and self-denial.
The Prophet went to the extent of chewing morsels of food
and putting them in Ali's mouth, holding him in his arms
and treating him as though he were his own beloved son.During his boyhood and youth, the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.) exerted his efforts to form Ali's personality.
He used to instruct him to do as he did, to follow his
wake. Every day the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) would
demonstrate a new example of high morality for Ali to
follow, step by step, as is described in his speech.Therefore, it is a mistake not to believe that Ali (a.s.)
was initially and purposely chosen to come as an
illustration of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) in his
thought, attitudes and diverse aspects of his conduct,
even in his way of walking.(12)
Imam Ali (a.s.) was so pure in spirit and
straightforward in morality, according to the education
he received from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), that
many shadows of the hidden future were lighted before
him. He says: "...When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.)
received the first revelation, Satan lamented so loudly
that I asked the Holy Prophet: Who is lamenting and why?
He replied, 'It is Satan who has given up hopes of
acquiring complete sway over human minds. In his
disappointment, he is lamenting over the chance lost.
Verily Ali, you also hear whatever I hear, and you see
whatever I see, only you are not a prophet. But you are
my wazir (minister), successor and helper, and you will
always hold the truth and justice."(13)
The path which he walked, in the proximity of Allah,
the Exalted, to obey His commands and to enact His
Messenger's practice, qualified him to be a minister to
prophethood--the post that is entrusted only to those who
already covered a long distance towards the peak of
virtue and the fear of God. It was only the prophethood's
calling that separated him from the Prophet (s.a.w.). So
he deserved and rightly ascended to the ministerial
platform. Thus was Imam Ali (a.s.)!
UNDER THE SHADE OF REVELATION
Although Imam Ali (a.s.) lived in the custody of his
father and brothers for six tender years, with a
prominent role played by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.)
in attendance, it became a complete task of rearing him
and educating him when the responsibility fell to the
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) from his sixth year. As already
mentioned, it was then that he moved to the Prophet's
house because of the financial crisis which befell his
father, Abu Talib.Since that early age, Imam Ali (a.s.) lived with the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.). It was there that he spent
his teens and adolesence during which he was a close
observer of all the developments that happened in the
life of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).
So, Imam Ali's (a.s.) education was not an ordinary
one, nor one which a normal child receives from his
father, or elder brothers. The training and instruction
he received was very special and it suffices to know that
he followed Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) like his shadow,
even during periods of exclusive privacy inside the Hara'
grotto where the mental and spiritual developments were
witnessed through which Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was
passing.Imam Ali (a.s.), remembering those momentus days, during
a decisive period of his life, recalls "...Every
year he used to stay in a grotto of Hira' Mountain for
some time, and nobody would be with him but I..."(14)
Yes, it was only Imam Ali (a.s.) who witnessed the
tremendous spiritual change which had been ripening in
the soul of Al-Mustafa (s.a.w.), until the blessed Divine
revelation shined forward upon him.Owing to the far-reaching extent of the spiritual and
moral level to which his soul had attained, Imam Ali
(a.s.) deeply felt the revolution that had taken place in
the unseen world, where Satan had been defeated, after
losing hope of being worshipped by hearing the final
message revealed to the Seal of the Prophets (s.a.w.). He
had seen the preliminary signs of prophethood personified
in no one less than his tutor and guide, when the light
of deliverance shone, and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.)
received the first Divine Communique entrusting him with
his mission for mankind:
"Read: In the name of your Lord Who created.
Created man from a clot. Read: And your Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teaches by the
pen, teaches man that which he knew not."
