This excerpt is taken from the book of Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri Hafizahullah Difa-e-Sahaba Radi Allahu Anhum.
Prayers that the Prophet ﷺ taught to Sayyidina Ali Radi Allahu Anhu
Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم taught me this prayer during times of distress:
لا إله إلا الله الحليم الكريم، سبحان الله، وتبارك الله رب العرش العظيم، والحمد لله رب العالمين .
"There is no deity except Allah, the Forbearing, the Honorable, the Pure. The Most Blessed, the Owner of the Great Throne. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds."
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 94, 91/1, and its chain is Hasan)
Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه narrates:
أن فاطمة عليها السلام، شكت ما تلقى من أثر الرحا، فأتى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم سبي، فانطلقت فلم تجده، فوجدت عائشة فأخبرتها، فلما جاء النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أخبرته عائشة بمجيء فاطمة، فجاء النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم إلينا وقد أخذنا مضاجعنا، فذهبت لأقوم، فقال : على مكانكما، فقعد بيننا حتى وجدت برد قدميه على صدري، وقال : ألا أعلمكما خيرا مما سألتماني، إذا أخذتما مضاجعكما تكبرا أربعا وثلاثين، وتسبحا ثلاثا وثلاثين، وتحمدا ثلاثا وثلاثين فهو خير لكما من خادم .
"Lady Fatimah رضي الله عنها used to feel great hardship with the grinding of the millstone. In this regard, she went to the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and requested that a servant be given to her. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was not at home, so she expressed her request in front of Lady Aisha رضي الله عنها. When the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم returned home, Lady Aisha رضي الله عنها conveyed this message to him. Upon hearing this, he came to our house. We stood up to welcome him, but he said: 'Sit down.' He sat among us, and I felt the coolness of the Prophet’s feet on my chest. He said: 'Shall I not give you something better than that servant? When you lie down on your bed, recite Allahu Akbar 34 times, SubhanAllah 33 times, and Alhamdulillah 33 times. This is better than a servant.'"
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3705, Sahih Muslim: 2727)
The prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ which was most beloved to him on the face of the earth:
Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه narrates:
أنه جاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : إن عمك الشيخ الضال قد مات، فمن يواريه؟ قال : اذهب فوار أباك، ولا تحدث حدثا حتى تأتيني ففعلت، ثم أتيته ، فامرني ! أغتسل، فاغتسلت، ودعا لي بدعوات ما يسرني ما على الأرض بشيء منهن .
"I said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Your misguided uncle has died, who will bury him? He said: Go, bury your father and listen! Do nothing until you return to me! I did so, then came to you. You told me to perform ghusl, and when I had performed ghusl, the Prophet ﷺ made many prayers for me, those prayers are more beloved to me than the entire world."
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad: 131, 97/1, Sunan Abi Dawood: 3214, Sunan an-Nasa'i: 2008, 190, authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah: as in Al-Isabah by Ibn Hajar: 114/7 and Ibn al-Jarood: 550, and narrated by Abu Dawood al-Tayalisi: p. 19, hadith: 120, with a good and connected chain, and an authentic chain)
The group of Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه is the group closest to the truth:
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
تمرق مارقة عند فرقة من الناس تقتلها أولى الطائفتين بالحق .
"When people have become divided, the group of Kharijites will leave Islam, and those groups closest to the truth will fight against them."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1064/150, Khawas Ala al-Nasai: 172)
The Honor of Jihad Against the Kharijites:
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
تمرق مارقة عند فرقة من الناس تقتلها أولى الطائفتين بالحق .
"When people become divided, a group of Kharijites will emerge; they will be fought by the group closest to the truth."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 1064/150, Khawas Ali by Al-Nasa'i: 172)
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
كنا جلوسا ننتظر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فخرج علينا من بعض بيوت نسائه، قال : فقمنا معه، فانقطعت نعله، فتخلف عليها على يحصفها، فمضى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ومضينا معه، ثم قام ينتظره وقمنا معه، فقال : إن منكم من يقاتل على تأويل هذا القرآن، كما قاتلت على تنزيله، فاستشرفنا وفينا أبو بكر وعمر فقال : لا ، ولكنه خاصف النعل ، قال : فجئنا نبشره، قال : وكأنه قد سمعه .
"One day we were waiting for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) came from his wife's house, and we walked with him. On the way, his shoe broke. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stopped to tie the shoe, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) went ahead. We continued walking. When we reached a place, we stopped and waited for Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). We also stood still. Meanwhile, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Among you there will be a man who will fight over the interpretation and explanation of the Qur'an just as I fought over its revelation.' Hearing this, we looked around carefully. At that time, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) were also present among us, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'He is the one who ties the shoe.' We then came to give this glad tidings to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and it seemed as if he had already heard it."
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 82/3, and its chain is Hasan)
Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (6937)
and Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (3/122)
have declared this hadith "Sahih" (authentic). Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) has agreed with their assessment.This hadith is among the signs of Prophethood. It establishes the excellence and virtue of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) because the Prophet (peace be upon him) praised him for fighting against the fitnah of the Kharijites.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
حديث فى مدح على رضى الله عنه على قتال الحوارح قبحهم الله.
"This hadith praises Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for fighting against the Kharijites. May Allah destroy the Kharijites."
Reference: (Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya: 305/7)
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ذكر قوما يكونون فى أمته، يخرجون فى فرقة من الناس، سيماهم التحالق قال : هم شر الخلق أو من أشر الخلق يقتلهم أدنى الطائفتين إلى الحق قال : فضرب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لهم مثلا، أو قال قولا : الرجل يرمي الرمية أو قال العرض فينظر فى النصل فلا يرى بصيرة، وينظر فى النضي فلا يرى بصيرة، وينظر فى الفوق فلا يرى بصيرة قال : قال أبو سعيد : وأنتم قتلتموهم، يا أهل العراق .
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned some people who would emerge during times of division. Their sign is shaved heads; they will be the worst of creation. The group closest to the truth will kill them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave their example as someone shooting an arrow at prey, then carefully examining the arrow's shaft but seeing no sign of blood. Then he looks at the feathers and finds no mark. Then he looks at the nock (the notch where the bowstring rests) and sees no sign either.
The narrator of the hadith (Abu Nadhrah, may Allah have mercy on him) says that Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'People of Iraq! You will kill them.'"
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 149/1064)
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
قوم يخرجون من هذه الأمة، فذكر من صلاتهم، وزكاتهم، وصومهم يمرقون من الإسلام كما يمرق السهم من الرمية، لا يجاوز القرآن تراقيهم يخرجون فى فرقة من الناس، يقاتلهم أقرب الناس إلى الحق .
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned the prayer, zakat, and fasting of the Kharijites and said: They will leave Islam just as an arrow leaves the prey. The Qur'an will not pass down their throats. Their emergence will be during times of discord. The group closest to the truth will fight them."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 153/1064)
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
بينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقسم ذات يوم قسما فقال ذو الخويصرة التميمي : يا رسول الله اعدل قال : ويحك ومن يعدل إذا لم أعدل؟ فقام عمر فقال : يا رسول الله انذد لي حتى أضرب عنقه فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : لا ، إن له أصحابا يحتقر أحدكم صلاته مع صلاته، وصيامه مع صيامه، يمرقون من الدين مروق السهم من الرمية، حتى إن أحدهم لينظر إلى نصله، فلا يجد فيه شيئا، ثم ينظر إلى رصافه، فلا يجد فيه شيئا، ثم ينظر إلى نضيه، فلا يجد فيه شيئا، ثم ينظر إلى قذذه، فلا يجد فيه شيئا سبق الفرث والدم، يخرجون على خير فرقة من الناس، آيتهم رجل أدعج إحدى يديه مثل ثدي المرأة، أو كالبضعة تدردر قال أبو سعيد : أشهد لسمعت هذا من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وأشهد أني كنت مع على بن أبى طالب حين قاتلهم، فأرسل إلى القتلى، فأتي به على النعت الذى نعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم .
"We were present with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) while he was distributing war booty. Then a man named Dhul-Khuwaysirah from the tribe of Banu Tamim came and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Be just.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Alas! If I do not act justly, then who will?' Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'Allow me to strike off his head.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'No, leave him; he must have some companions. You will consider your prayer less than theirs, your fasting less than theirs, and they will leave the religion just as an arrow leaves the prey. When the root of the arrow's feather is examined, no mark will be found. Then the feather will be examined, and no mark will be found. Then the nock of the arrow will be examined, and no mark will be found. Even though the arrow passed through dung and blood, they will rebel against the best group of people. Their sign is a black man whose one arm is raised like a woman's breast or like loose flesh.'
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I testify that I heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I testify that when Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) fought them, I was with him. The person was searched for, and his entire appearance was as the Prophet (peace be upon him) described."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6163)
Ubaidullah ibn Abu Rafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
أن الحرورية ، لما خرجت مع على بن أبى طالب فقالوا : لا حكم إلا لله قال على : كلمة حق أريد بها باطل، إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وصف ناسا، إني لأعرف صفتهم فى هؤلاء الذين يقولون الحق بألسنتهم لا يجوز هذا منهم، وأشار إلى حلقه من أبغض خلق الله إليه، منهم أسود إحدى يديه طبي شاة أو حلمة ثدي، فلما قاتلهم على قال : انظروا فنظروا، فلم يجدوا شيئا فقال : ارجعوا والله ما كذبت، ولا كذبت، مرتين أو ثلاثا، ثم وجدوه فى خربة، فأتوا به حتى وضعوه بين يديه، قال عبيد الله : أنا حاضر ذلك من أمرهم، وقول على فيهم .
"The Haruriyyah rebelled against Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), saying: لا حكم الا لله (There is no authority except for Allah). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: They are using the truth as a pretext to conceal falsehood. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had spoken about them; I know them well. They have these signs; they say the truth with their tongues, but it does not pass down their throats," pointing to his throat. "They are the most hated creatures by Allah. Among them is a man named Aswad whose hand will be like the back of a goat or the tip of a woman's breast. After the fighting, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'Search for Dhul-Thadiyah!' When he was not found, he said: 'By Allah! I did not lie to you, nor did the Prophet (peace be upon him) lie.' He said two or three times that people would bring his corpse out of a ruin. The narrator Ubaidullah ibn Abu Rafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) says: When this whole event occurred and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said this, I was present there."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 157/1066, Khawas Ali by Al-Nasa'i: 177)
Suwayd ibn Ghaflah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that he heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say:
إذا حدثتكم عن نفسي فإن الحرب خدعة، وإذا حدثتكم عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلأن أخر من السماء أحب إلى من أن أكذب على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : يخرج قوم أحدات الأسنان، سفهاء الأحلام، يقولون من خير قول البرية ، لا يجاوز إيمانهم حناجرهم، يمرقون من الدين كما يمرق السهم من الرمية، فإن أدركتهم فاقتلهم، فإن فى قتلهم أجرا لمن قتلهم يوم القيامة .
"If I say something on my own, listen! War is deception, but if I attribute something to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), then I would wish to fall from the sky rather than lie about the Prophet (peace be upon him). I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: Some young men will appear who will be weak in intellect and will recite the Qur'an, but faith will not pass down their throats. They will leave the religion just as an arrow leaves the prey. Wherever you find them, kill them. There is a great reward for their killers on the Day of Judgment."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6930, Sahih Muslim: 154/1066)
Kulaib ibn Shahab Jarami al-Kufi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
كنت عند على جالسا إذ دخل رجل عليه ثياب السفر قال : وعلي يكلم الناس ، ويكلمونه فقال : يا أمير المؤمنين أتأذن أن أتكلم؟ فلم يلتفت إليه، وشغله ما هو فيه، فجلست إلى الرجل، فسألته ما خبرك؟ قال : كنت معتمرا، فلقيت عائشة فقالت لي : هؤلاء القوم الذين خرجوا فى أرضكم يسمون حرورية قلت : خرجوا فى موضع يسمى حروراء، فسموا بذلك، فقالت : طوبى لمن شهد هلكتهم، لو شاء ابن أبى طالب لأخبركم خبرهم، فجئت أسأله عن خبرهم، فلما فرغ على قال : أين المستأذن؟ فقص عليه كما قص علينا قال : إني دخلت على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وليس عنده أحد غير عائشة أم المؤمنين فقال لي : كيف أنت يا علي، وقوم كذا وكذا؟ قلت : الله ورسوله أعلم، وقال : ثم أشار بيده فقال : قوم يخرجون من المشرق يقرؤون القرآن لا يجاوز تراقيهم، يمرقون من الدين كما يمرق السهم من الرمية، فيهم رجل مخدج كأن يده ثدي أنشدكم بالله أخبرتكم بهم؟ قالوا : نعم قال : أنا شدكم بالله أخبرتكم أنه فيهم؟ قالوا : نعم قال : فأتيتموني، فأخبرتموني أنه ليس فيهم، فحلفت لكم بالله أنه فيهم، فأتيتموني به تسحبونه كما نعت لكم؟ قالوا : نعم قال : صدق الله ورسوله .
"I was sitting with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when a man wearing travel clothes came to him. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was engaged in conversation with people and did not pay attention to him. I went and sat beside the man and asked: What do you want to say? He said: I went to perform Umrah in Makkah, where I met Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). She said: Why are those who rebelled in your area called Haruriyyah? I replied: Because they emerged from a place called Harura. She said: There is glad tidings for those who participate in killing them. Ibn Abi Talib can tell you more; I came to ask about this. When Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) finished, he asked: Where is the one who sought permission? The man conveyed Sayyida Aisha's words to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I went to the house of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and no one was there except the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Ibn Abi Talib! What will happen when people are in such a state? I replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: A nation will emerge from the east opposing you," pointing with his hand, "They will recite the Qur'an, but it will not pass down their throats. They will leave the religion just as an arrow leaves the bow. Among them will be a man with defective hands; one of his hands will be like a woman's breast. Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Swear, have I told you about them? People said: Yes! Have I told you that he is among them? People said: Yes. He said: Then you said he is not among them. I swear by Allah, he is among them. Then you dragged his corpse to me. People said: Yes. He said: Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth."
Reference: (Zawaid Musnad Imam Ahmad: 160/1, Khawas Ali ibn Abi Talib by Al-Nasa'i: 183, Al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi Asim: 913, and its chain is Hasan)
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya: 293/7)
has graded its chain as "Jayyid" (good).Zaid ibn Wahb (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
خطبنا على بقنطرة الديز جان فقال : إنه قد ذكر لي خارجة تخرج من قبل المشرق، وفيهم ذو التدية، فقاتلهم، فقالت الحرورية بعضهم لبعض : لا تكلموه، فيردكم كما ردكم يوم حروراء ، فشجر بعضهم بعضا بالرماح، فقال رجل من أصحاب على : اقطعوا العوالي، والعوالي الرماح، فداروا واستداروا، وقتل من أصحاب على اثنا عشر رجلا، أو ثلاثة عشر رجلا فقال على : التمسوا المخدج، وذلك فى يوم شات فقالوا : ما نقدر عليه، فركب على بغلة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم الشهباء، فأتى وهدة من الأرض فقال : التمسوه فى هؤلاء، فأخرج فقال : ما كذبت، ولا كذبت فقال : اعملوا ولا تتكلوا، لولا أني أخاف أن تتكلوا لأخبرتكم بما قضى الله لكم على لسانه، يعني النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولقد شهدنا أناس باليمن قالوا : كيف يا أمير المؤمنين؟ قال : كان هداهم معنا .
"At the bridge of Dayz Jan, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) gave us a sermon and said: I was informed about a nation among whom Dhul-Thadiyah will be. From the east, this nation will rebel against you; fight them! The Kharijites said to each other: Do not talk to them! They will reject you as they did on the day of Harura. They began throwing arrows at each other. A man from Sayyiduna Ali's group said: Stop their spears! They were surrounded, and twelve or thirteen companions of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) were martyred. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Search for the one with defective hands. That day was very cold. People said: We could not find him. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) mounted the mule named Shahba of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Near a pit, he said: Search here! His corpse was found there. He said: I did not lie, nor did the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) lie. He said: Keep acting and do not rely solely on trust. If I did not fear that you would rely on trust, I would inform you of the divine decree that Allah revealed to you through the Prophet (peace be upon him). (Also, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said): The Yemenis are with us. People asked: Commander of the Faithful! How is that? He said: They have also been guided with us."
Reference: (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 311/15, Musnad Al-Bazzar: 580, and its chain is Hasan)
Salmah ibn Kahil (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Zaid ibn Wahb (may Allah have mercy on him) told him:
أنه كان فى الجيش الذين كانوا مع على الذين ساروا إلى الخوارج، فقال على : أيها الناس إني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : سيخرج قوم من أمتي يفرؤون القرآن، ليس قراوتكم إلى قراوتهم شيئا، ولا صلاتكم إلى صلاتهم شيئا، ولا صيامكم إلى صيامهم شيئا، يقرؤون القرآن يحسبون أنه لهم، وهو عليهم، لا تجاوز صلاتهم تراقيهم، يمرقون من الإسلام كما يمرق السهم من الرمية، لو تعلمون الجيش الذى يصيبونهم ما قضي لهم على لسان نبيهم صلى الله عليه وسلم لا تكلوا على العمل، وآية ذلك أن فيهم رجلا له عضد، وليست له ذراع، على رأس عضده مثل حلمة ثدي المرأة عليه شعرات بيض ، قال سلمة : فنزلني زيد منزلا منزلا حتى مررنا على قنطرة، على الخوارج عبد الله بن وهب الراسي فقال لهم : ألقوا الرماح، وسلوا سيوفكم من جفونها، فإني أخاف أن يناشدوكم قال : فسلوا السيوف، وألقوا جفونها، وشجرهم الناس يعني برماحهم فقتل بعضهم على بعض، وما أصيب من الناس يومئذ إلا رجلان قال على : التمسوا فيهم المخدج، فلم يجدوه ، فقام على بنفسه حتى أتى ناسا قتلى بعضهم على بعض قال : جردوهم، فوجدوه مما يلي الأرض ، فكبر على وقال : صدق الله، وبلغ رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقام إليه عبيدة السلماني فقال : يا أمير المؤمنين الله الذى لا إله إلا هو سمعت هذا الحديث من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال : إي والله الذى لا إله إلا هو لسمعته من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، حتى استحلفه ثلاثا وهو يحلف له .
"He was among the army that marched with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to suppress the Kharijites. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O people! I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say that some people from my Ummah will appear who will recite the Qur'an, but their recitation will be nothing compared to yours. Your prayer will be nothing compared to theirs, and your fasting will be nothing compared to theirs. They will recite the Qur'an thinking it is a proof in their favor, but it will be against them. Their prayers will not pass down their throats. They will leave Islam just as an arrow leaves the prey. If the army going to fight them knew what virtues the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned about them, they would abandon other good deeds. Their sign is that among them is a man whose arm from the elbow to the shoulder will be present, but the part below the elbow will be missing. The upper part of his arm will be like a breast and will have white hair. Salmah ibn Kahil (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Zaid ibn Wahb (may Allah have mercy on him) dropped me off at each station until we crossed a bridge. (The narrator says that when we confronted them) Abdullah ibn Wahb Rasbi was their leader. He said to them: Throw spears and draw swords from their sheaths! I fear they will demand from you. The narrator says they threw spears and drew swords, leaving the spears behind. People fought with spears. The Kharijites' corpses piled up. On that day, only two companions of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) were martyred. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Search for the defective-handed one. They could not find him. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and came to those who had killed each other and said: Remove these corpses. It was seen that the defective-handed one was clinging to the ground. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said Allahu Akbar and said: Allah spoke the truth; the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) conveyed it. Ubaidah Salmani (may Allah have mercy on him) asked: Commander of the Faithful! Can you swear by Allah, the True God, that you heard this from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) yourself? He said: Yes! By Allah, the True God! I heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) myself. He swore three times, and you (Sayyiduna Ali) kept swearing."
Reference: (Sahih Muslim: 156/1066, Khawas Ali ibn Abi Talib by Al-Nasa'i: 196)
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
لما خرجت الحرورية اعتزلوا فى دار، وكانوا ستة آلاف فقلت لعلي : يا أمير المؤمنين أبرد بالصلاة، لعلي أكلم هؤلاء القوم قال : إني أخافهم عليك قلت : كلا، فلبست، وترجلت، ودخلت عليهم فى دار نصف النهار، وهم يأكلون فقالوا : مرحبا بك يا ابن عباس، فما جاء بك؟ قلت لهم : أتيتكم من عند أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم المهاجرين، والأنصار، ومن عند ابن عم النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وصهره، وعليهم نزل القرآن، فهم أعلم بتأويله منكم، وليس فيكم منهم أحد، لأبلغكم ما يقولون، وأبلغهم ما تقولون، فانتحى لي نفر منهم قلت : هاتوا ما نقمتم على أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وابن عمه قالوا : ثلاث قلت : ما هن؟ قال : أما إحداهن، فإنه حكم الرجال فى أمر الله وقال الله : إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ ما شأن الرجال والحكم؟ قلت : هذه واحدة قالوا : وأما الثانية، فإنه قاتل، ولم يسب، ولم يغنم، إن كانوا كفارا لقد حل سباهم، ولئن كانوا مؤمنين ما حل سباهم ولا قتالهم قلت : هذه ثنتان، فما الثالثة؟ وذكر كلمة معناها قالوا : محى نفسه من أمير المؤمنين، فإن لم يكن أمير المؤمنين، فهو أمير الكافرين قلت : هل عندكم شيء غير هذا؟ قالوا : حسبنا هذا قلت : لهم أرأيتكم إن قرأت عليكم من كتاب الله جل ثناؤه وسنة نبيه ما يرد قولكم أترجعون؟ قالوا : نعم، قلت : أما قولكم : حكم الرجال فى أمر الله، فإني أقرأ عليكم فى كتاب الله أن قد صير الله حكمه إلى الرجال فى ثمن ربع درهم، فأمر الله تبارك وتعالى أن يحكموا فيه أرأيت قول الله تبارك وتعالى : يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْتُلُوا الصَّيْدَ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاءٌ مِّثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ النَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ وكان من حكم الله أنه صيره إلى الرجال يحكمون فيه، ولو شاء لحكم فيه، فجاز من حكم الرجال، أنشدكم بالله أحكم الرجال فى صلاح ذات البين، وحقن دمائهم أفضل أو فى أرنب؟ قالوا : بلى، هذا أفضل وفي المرأة وزوجها : وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا فنشدتكم بالله حكم الرجال فى صلاح ذات بينهم، وحقن دمائهم أفضل من حكمهم فى بضع امرأة؟ خرجت من هذه؟ قالوا : نعم قلت : وأما قولكم قاتل ولم يسب، ولم يغنم، أفتسبون أمكم عائشة، تستحلون منها ما تستحلون من غيرها وهى أمكم؟ فإن قلتم : إنا نستحل منها ما نستحل من غيرها فقد كفرتم، وإن قلتم : ليست بأمنا فقد كفرتم : النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ فأنتم بين ضلالتين، فأتوا منها بمخرج، أفخرجت من هذه؟ قالوا : نعم، وأما محي نفسه من أمير المؤمنين، فأنا آتيكم بما ترضون، إن نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الحديبية صالح المشركين فقال لعلي : اكتب يا على هذا ما صالح عليه محمد رسول الله قالوا : لو نعلم أنك رسول الله ما قاتلناك فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : امح يا على ، اللهم إنك تعلم أني رسول الله، امح يا علي، واكتب هذا ما صالح عليه محمد بن عبد الله والله لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خير من علي، وقد محى نفسه، ولم يكن محوه نفسه ذلك محاه من النبوة، أخرجت من هذه؟ قالوا : نعم، فرجع منهم ألفان، وخرج سائرهم، فقتلوا على ضلالتهم، فقتلهم المهاجرون والأنصار .
"When the people of Harura rebelled, they were gathered in a large group of six thousand in one house. I said to Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him): Commander of the Faithful! Please delay the prayer so I may talk to the Kharijites. Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I fear they may harm you. I said: That will not happen. So I wore a beautiful garment, combed my hair, and reached them at exactly noon while they were eating. (Note that Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a handsome man with a loud voice.) They greeted me warmly and said: Ibn Abbas! What brings you here? I said: I am coming from the companions of the Muhajirin and Ansar, the cousin of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the son-in-law of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Qur'an was revealed during his time. He knows the interpretation and meaning of the Qur'an better than you. None of his people are with you. I will introduce your views to him and his views to you. Some people separated and came to me. I asked: What complaints do you have against the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)? They said: Three complaints. I asked: What are they? They said: The first complaint is that they accepted humans as judges in the matter of Allah, whereas Allah said: إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ Judgment belongs only to Allah. What concern do humans have with judgment? I said: One complaint is answered. What is the second complaint? They said: The second complaint is that they fought (Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions) but neither took prisoners nor plundered their wealth. If they were disbelievers, it would have been permissible to take prisoners, and if they were believers, it would not have been permissible to fight them. I said: That is the second complaint answered. What is the third complaint or something similar? They said: They erased the title of Amir al-Mu'minin from the commander himself. If he is not Amir al-Mu'minin, then (God forbid) is he Amir al-Kafirun? Then I asked: Are there any other complaints? They said: No, that is all. I said: If I prove your statements wrong by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger, will you return? They said: Yes! I said: Regarding the complaint that they accepted humans as judges in the matter of Allah, I will recite a verse of the Qur'an in which Allah allowed humans to judge even in a trivial matter like a quarter of a dirham and commanded them to decide. What do you think about Allah's words: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْتُلُوا الصَّيْدَ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاءٌ مِّثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ النَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ O people! Do not hunt while in the state of Ihram. If you deliberately kill, you must compensate with an animal like one of the cattle. Two just men among you will decide the matter. Allah's command is that He has delegated judgment to the people so they may decide. If Allah wished, He would have decided it Himself. Yet Allah allowed people's judgment in this matter. I ask by Allah: Is it better to appoint judges to resolve disputes and prevent bloodshed among people or to decide about a rabbit worth a quarter of a dirham? They said: Yes! That is better and preferable. Listen further! Allah said about husband and wife: وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا If you fear discord between them, appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family. I ask by Allah: Is appointing judges to reconcile Muslims and prevent mutual bloodshed better than the pleasures of this woman? Has the first objection been answered? They said: Yes! Then I said: Regarding the complaint that they fought but did not take prisoners or plunder wealth, I ask: Would you like to imprison your mother, Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)? Would you consider permissible what you consider permissible for others (female slaves) regarding her? She is your mother. If you say: Everything permissible for female slaves is permissible for her, then you have committed disbelief. And if you say she is not our mother, then you are also a disbeliever. Allah says: النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ The Prophet has more right over the believers than themselves, and their wives are their mothers. You are caught between two misguidances; you must find a way out. Has this objection also been answered? They said: Yes! Then I said: Regarding the complaint that they erased the title of Amir al-Mu'minin, I will give you a proof you will like. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) made peace with the polytheists at Hudaybiyyah, he said to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): Ali! Write: This is a treaty on which Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), is making peace. Hearing this, the polytheists said: If we believed you were the Messenger of Allah, why would we fight you? Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Ali! Erase it. Allah knows best that I am the Messenger of Allah. Ali! Erase it and write: This is a treaty on which Muhammad ibn Abdullah is making peace. After presenting this proof, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Kharijites: By Allah! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is better than Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself erased the words Muhammad, Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). This did not mean that he erased his prophethood. Has the last complaint also been fully answered? They said: Yes! Then two thousand of them returned to Sayyiduna Ali's group, while the rest refused. They fought Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and were killed by the Muhajirin and Ansar while persisting in their misguidance."
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 342/1, Sunan Abi Dawood: 4037 abridged, Khawas Ali by Al-Nasa'i: 190, and the wording is his, Al-Ma'rifah wa'l-Tarikh by Al-Fasawi: 2/1 52, Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani: 312/10, Al-Mustadrak by Al-Hakim: 150/2, and its chain is Hasan)
Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it "Sahih" according to Imam Muslim's conditions. Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) agreed.
Honoring the Name of Mustafa ﷺ:
Sayyiduna Bara bin Azib رضي الله عنه narrates:
لما صالح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أهل الحديبية وقال ابن بشار : أهل مكة كتب على كتابا بينهم قال : فكتب محمد رسول الله فقال المشركون : لا تكتب محمد رسول الله، لو كنت رسول الله لم نقاتلك قال : على امحه قال : ما أنا بالذي أمحاه، فمحاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بيده، فصالحهم على أن يدخل هو وأصحابه ثلاثة أيام ولا يدخلها إلا بجليان السلاح فسألته قال ابن بشار : فسألوه ما جلبان السلاح؟ قال : القراب بما فيه .
"The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم made a treaty with the people of Hudaybiyyah (Ibn Bishar رحمه الله said: meaning the people of Makkah), and its document was written by Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه. He wrote in it, 'This agreement is from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.' The polytheists objected to this, saying, 'Do not write "Messenger of Allah" with Muhammad; if you were truly a Messenger, why would we fight you?' So the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم instructed Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه to erase the words "Messenger of Allah." Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه said that he could not erase it, so the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم himself erased that phrase with his own hand and made peace with the polytheists on the condition that you صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and your companions would come to Makkah the following year for three days, entering with weapons sheathed. Imam Ibn Bishar رحمه الله says that the students asked Imam Shuba رحمه الله what "Jalban al-Silah" (mentioned here) is, and he explained that it is the sheath and what is inside it is called Jalban."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2698, Sahih Muslim: 1783)
Prediction of Martyrdom and an Example of Faith in Hadith:
Abu Sinan Yazid bin Umayyah Dawli, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that when Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, recovered from an illness, we said:
الحمد لله الذى أصحك يا أمير المؤمنين قد كنا خفنا عليك فى مرضك هذا، فقال : لكني لم أخف على نفسي، حدثني الصادق المصدوق، قال : لا تموت حتى يضرب هذا منك يعني رأسه وتخضب هذه دما يعني لحيته، ويقتلك أشفاها كما عقر ناقة الله أشقى بني فلان، خصه إلى فخذه الدنيا دون ثمود .
“O Commander of the Faithful! Thanks be to Allah, the Lord of Glory, who granted you health. We were afraid for you during this illness.” Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “I was not afraid because the truthful and trustworthy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told me: You will not die until your head is wounded, your beard is stained with blood, and an unfortunate person martyred you. Just as the unfortunate people of Thamud killed the she-camel of Allah, the Lord of Glory. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, attributed this unfortunate person to a tribe close to Thamud but lower than them.”
Reference: (Musnad Abd bin Humayd: 92, and its chain is Hasan)
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it “Sahih” according to Imam Bukhari’s conditions.
Reference: (113/3)
Love for the Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:
Marwan bin Hakam, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
شهدت عثمان، وعليا رضي الله عنهما وعثمان ينهى عن المتعة، وأن يجمع بينهما، فلما رأى على أهل بهما، لبيك بعمرة وحجة، قال : ما كنت لادع سنة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم لقول أحد .
"I have met both Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه and Ali رضي الله عنه. Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه used to forbid Hajj Tamattu’, and when Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه saw this, he said: لبيك بعمرة وحج I cannot abandon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ based on someone else's statement."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1563, Sahih Muslim: 1223)
Accepting after hearing the Hadith:
Ikramah, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
إن عليا حرق قوما ارتدوا عن الإسلام، فبلغ ذلك ابن عباس، فقال : لو كنت أنا لقتلتهم بقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : من بلل دينه فاقتلوه، ولم أكن لأحرقهم لقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : لا تعذبوا بعذاب الله، فبلغ ذلك عليا، فقال : صدق ابن عباس .
"Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, burned apostates in fire. When Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, heard about this, he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'Whoever reverts from Islam, kill him.' If the decision were in my hands, I would kill them, not burn them, because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'Do not punish with the punishment of Allah.' When this news reached Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: Abdullah ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, is telling the truth."
Reference: (Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 1458 and its chain is authentic)
Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, classified this hadith as "Hasan Sahih."
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was pleased with Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him:
Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو عنهم راض، فسمى عليا، وعثمان، والزبير ، وطلحة ، وسعدا ، وعبد الرحمن .
"When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, he was pleased with those people: Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Uthman, Zubair, Talha, Saad, and Abdur Rahman (may Allah be pleased with them)."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3700)
Also, Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
إني لا أعلم أحدا أحق بهذا الأمر من هؤلاء النفر الذين توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو عنهم راض، فمن استخلفوا بعدي فهو الخليفة فاسمعوا له وأطيعوا، فسمى عثمان ، وعليا، وطلحة ، والزبير، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف، وسعد بن أبى وقاص .
"When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, he was pleased with those people. I think no one has more right to the Caliphate than them. Whoever you appoint as Caliph after me, obey and follow him. Those people are Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Talha, Sayyiduna Zubair, Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, and Sayyiduna Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with them)."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 1392)
Such a Prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):
Mutarrif bin Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
صليت أنا وعمران بن حصين خلف على بن أبى طالب، فكان إذا سجد كبر، وإذا رفع رأسه من السجود كبر، وإذا نهض من الركعتين كبر ، فلما قضى أخذ عمران بيدي، فقال : لقد ذكرني هذا، قال كلمة يعني صلاة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم .
"I and Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, were praying behind Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. When he, may Allah be pleased with him, went into prostration, raised his head from prostration, and stood up after two rak'ahs, he said Allahu Akbar. When the prayer was completed, Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, took my hand and said: He reminded me of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him."
Reference: (Sunan an-Nasa'i: 1082, and its chain is authentic)
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him,
Reference: (581)
has declared this hadith "authentic."Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, is among the people of Paradise:
Sayyiduna Saeed bin Zaid رضي الله عنه narrates:
أشهد على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بما سمعته أذناي ووعاه قلبي، وإني لم أكن لأروي عليه كذبا يسألني عنه إذا لقيته أنه قال : أبو بكر فى الجنة، وعمر فى الجنة، وعلي فى الجنة، وعثمان فى الجنة، وطلحة فى الجنة والزبير فى الجنة، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف فى الجنة، وسعد بن مالك فى الجنة وتاسع المؤمنين لو شئت أن أسميه لسميته فرج أهل المسجد يناشدونه يا صاحب رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم، من التاسع؟ قال : ناشدتموني بالله العظيم، أنا تاسع المؤمنين ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم العاشر .
"My ears heard from the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and my heart preserved it; I do not lie about the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Whenever I met the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, I used to ask about this matter. He said: Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه is among the people of Paradise, Umar رضي الله عنه is among the people of Paradise, Ali, Uthman, Talha, Zubair, Abdul Rahman bin Awf, and Saad bin Malik رضي الله عنهم are among the people of Paradise. If I wanted, I could name the ninth. There was a commotion in the mosque: 'O Companion of the Messenger! Tell us the name of the ninth?' He said: By Allah! I am the ninth, and the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم is the tenth."
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 187/1, Sunan Abi Dawood: 4650, Sunan Ibn Majah: 133, Fada'il al-Sahaba by An-Nasa'i: 90, and its chain is authentic)
The first to bow before Allah:
Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه narrates:
أنا أول من يجلو بين يدي الرحمن للخصومة يوم القيامة وقال قيس بن عباد : وفيهم أنزلت : هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ قال : هم الذين تبارزوا يوم بدر حمزة، وعلي ، وعبيدة، أو أبو عبيدة بن الحارث، وشيبة بن ربيعة، وعتبة بن ربيعة، والوليد بن عتبة .
"I am the one who will be the first to kneel before Allah on the Day of Judgment and will argue." Qais bin Ibad رحمه الله says: Regarding this verse: هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ "These two groups were disputing about their Lord." It refers to those people who were in the battle of Badr; one group consisted of Hamza, Ali, and Ubaidah or Abu Ubaidah bin Harith رضي الله عنهم, and the other group was Shibah bin Rabi'ah, Utbah bin Rabi'ah, and Walid bin Utbah."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3965, Sahih Muslim: 3033)
The House of Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه:
Saad bin Ubadah رضي الله عنه narrates:
جاء رجل إلى ابن عمر فسأله عن عثمان، فذكر عن محاسن عمله، قال : لعل ذاك يسوؤك؟ قال : نعم، قال : فأرغم الله بأنفك، ثم سأله عن على فذكر محاسن عمله ، قال : هو ذاك بيته، أوسط بيوت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثم قال : لعل ذاك يسوؤك؟ قال : أجل، قال : فأرغم الله بأنفك انطلق فاجهد على جهدك.
"Someone asked Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما about Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه, so he رضي الله عنهما described the virtues of Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه, then said: Perhaps you disliked this? He replied: Yes. He said: May Allah dust your nose. Then he asked about Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه, and he said: His house is between the houses of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. Perhaps you disliked this as well? He replied: Yes! He said: May Allah dust your nose. Go and issue whatever fatwa you wish against me."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3704)
Understanding the Quran and Sunnah:
Abu Juhaifah, may Allah have mercy on him, asked Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him:
هل عندكم كتاب؟ قال : لا ، إلا كتاب الله، أو فهم أعطيه رجل مسلم، أو ما فى هذه الصحيفة، قال : قلت : فما فى هذه الصحيفة؟ قال : العقل، وفكاك الأسير، ولا يقتل مسلم بكافر .
“Do you have any book?” He replied, “No, except the Book of Allah and the understanding given to a Muslim or this scroll.” It was asked, “What is in this scroll?” He said, “It contains issues of giving alms, freeing slaves, and that a Muslim should not be killed in place of a disbeliever.”
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 111)
The Messengers of Surah Bara’ah:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
بعثني أبو بكر فى تلك الحجة فى مؤذنين يوم النحر ، نؤذن بمنى أن لا يحج بعد العام مشرك ولا يطوف بالبيت عريان، قال حميد بن عبد الرحمن : ثم أردف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عليا، فأمره أن يؤذن ببراء ة، قال أبو هريرة : فأذن معنا على فى أهل منى يوم النحر : لا يحج بعد العام مشرك ولا يطوف بالبيت عريان .
“On the day of sacrifice, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, sent me along with those mu’adhdhin (callers to prayer) who were announcing in Mina that after today no polytheist will perform Hajj, nor will anyone circumambulate the House of Allah naked. Hamid bin Abdul Rahman, may Allah have mercy on him, says: Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, as a mu’adhdhin, and he also began to announce with us: O people! After today no polytheist will perform Hajj, after today no one will circumambulate naked.”
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 369)
Humility and Submission:
Muhammad bin Hanfiya, may Allah have mercy on him, asked Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him:
أى الناس خير بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قال : أبو بكر، قلت : ثم من؟ قال : ثم عمر، وخشيت أن يقول: عثمان، قلت : ثم أنت؟ قال : ما أنا إلا رجل من المسلمين .
"Who is the best personality after the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him?" He replied: Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. It was asked: Then who? He said: Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. Then there was a concern that if asked again, the name of Uthman would be mentioned. He said: Father! Then it is you, right? He replied: I am just an ordinary Muslim."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3671)
Desire to die like the three Caliphs:
Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
اقضوا كما كنتم تقضون، فإني أكره الاختلاف، حتى يكون للناس جماعة، أو أموت كما مات أصحابي .
"(People of Iraq! Do whatever you want regarding the freedom of the mothers of the children), I cannot differ with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, on this issue. I want the unity of the Ummah to remain and I wish to die in the manner of the three Caliphs."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3707, and its chain is authentic)
If intellect ruled over revelation:
Abd Khair, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
رأيت على بن أبى طالب، يمسح ظهور قدميه، ويقول : لولا أني رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مسح على ظهورهما ، لظننت أن بطونهما أحق .
"I saw Sayyidina Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, wiping over the upper part of the feet (in the socks). He said: If I had not seen the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, wiping over the upper part of the feet, I would have said that wiping over the lower part of the feet is better."
Reference: (Musnad al-Humaydi: 26/1, Hadith: 47, and its chain is authentic)
