Bright Stars
The Rank of Sayyiduna Ali رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ Explained by the Final Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
Awais Yameen Attari
Countless hadith describe the virtues and merits of this noble soul; the beloved Prophet’s son-in-law; the consort of Sayyidatunā Fāṭimah رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا; the father of our masters Ḥasan and Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهما; and the fourth rightly-guided Caliph of the believers, Sayyidunā ʿAlī al-Murtaḍā رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ.
Imam Ahmad رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْـه noted:
مَا جَاءَ لِاَحَدٍ مِنْ اَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ الـلّٰـهِ صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنَ الْفَضَائِلِ مَا جَاءَ لِعَلِیِّ بْنِ اَبِی طَالِبٍ رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُ
The number of narrations about the virtues of Sayyidunā ʿAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ are more than any other Companion.[1]
We present eighteen hadith about the merits of Sayyidunā ʿAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ, hoping that love for him will fill our hearts and souls.
1. Perpetual brotherly bond:
The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to Sayyidunā ʿAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ:
اَنْتَ اَخِی فِی الدُّنْیَا وَالْآخِرَۃ
“You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter.”[2]
2. He is from the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:
The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم informed Sayyidunā ʿAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ:
اَنْتَ مِنِّی وَاَنَا مِنْك
“You are from me, and I am from you.”[3]
3. The door to knowledge:
اَنَا مَدِیْنَةُ الْعِلْمِ وَعَلِیٌّ بَابُھَا
“I am the city of knowledge, and ʿAlī is its door.”[4]
4. The door to wisdom:
اَنَا دَارُ الْحِکْمَةِ وَعَلِیٌّ بَابُھَا
“I am the house of wisdom and Ali is its door.”[5]
5. Helper and friend:
مَنْ کُنْتُ مَوْلَاہُ فَعَلِیٌّ مَوْلَاہُ
“For whomever I am his friend, ʿAlī is also his friend.”[6]
6. The Prophet’s deputy in Madinah:
Sayyiduna Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ related: The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم set out for the Expedition of Tabuk and appointed Sayyidunā ʿAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ as his deputy in Madinah. Sayyidunā ʿAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ asked: “Are you leaving me with the women and children?” The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied:
اَلَا تَرْضٰى اَنْ تَكُوْنَ مِنِّیْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُوْنَ مِنْ مُّوْسٰى اِلَّا اَنَّهٗ لَيْسَ نَبِیٌّ بَعْدِیْ
“Are you not pleased that you are for me as Hārūn عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم was for Mūsā عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم? However, there will be no prophet after me.”[7]
7. The measure of faith and hypocrisy:
لَا يُحِبُّ عَلِيًّا مُنَافِقٌ وَلَا يُبْغِضُهٗ مُؤْمِنٌ
“A hypocrite does not love ʿAlī, and a Muslim does not hate him”.[8]
8. Recipient of the Prophet’s supplication:
اَللّٰهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالَاهُ وَعَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ
“O Allah! Befriend the person who befriends ʿAlī and take as an enemy the person who takes him as an enemy.”[9]
9. To love ʿAlī is to love the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:
مَنْ اَحَبَّ عَلِيًّا فَقَدْ اَحَبَّنِيْ وَمَنْ اَبْغَضَ عَلِيًّا فَقَدْ اَبْغَضَنِيْ
“The one who loves ʿAlī loves me, and the one who hates ʿAlī hates me.”[10]
10. Talking ill of ʿAlī:
مَنْ سَبَّ عَلِيًّا فَقَدْ سَبَّنِي