Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrates that the Holy Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
This indicates that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) loved Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) and vice versa, and every believer loves Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ).
Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrates that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
In the Arabic language, a sincere friend is referred to as "mawla".
[Refer to Al-Qamoos Al-Waheed, p. 1900]
The Holy Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said to Zayd bin Harithah (رضی اللہ عنہ):
He (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) also said regarding Sayyiduna Julaibib (رضی اللہ عنہ):
Some Rafidah (rejectors) claim the Hadith of Wilaya to argue that Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) had the immediate right to the Caliphate, but such claims are refuted by the aforementioned and other evidence.
Once, Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) fell ill, and the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) prayed for him:
The famous Tabi'i Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i (رحمه الله) reported:
This shows that dyeing the hair with henna or a reddish color is not obligatory.
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
This means that whoever loves Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Hasan, Sayyiduna Husayn, and all the Companions (رضی اللہ عنهم), will be with the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) on the Day of Judgment.
Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
This means Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) was the first among the children to embrace Islam, while Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (رضی اللہ عنہ) was the first among the men. And Allah knows best.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
Urwah (bin Zubayr, Tabi'i رحمه الله) said:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضی اللہ عنہ) stated:
During the Battle of Khaybar, Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
Then he killed Marhab, the Jew, and the victory of Khaybar was achieved by his hands.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) was on Mount Hira along with Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Talha, and Zubair (رضی اللہ عنهم) when the mountain shook. The Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
The Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
Once, some people complained about Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ), so the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) delivered a sermon:
Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i said:
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (رحمه الله) said:
In short, Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) was a participant in Badr, one of the foremost in embracing Islam, Amir al-Mu'minin, a rightly guided caliph, and the fourth caliph. His virtues are numerous, and this short article cannot encompass them all.
Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad bin al-Husain al-Ajurri (رحمه الله) (died 360 AH) said:
O Allah! Fill our hearts with the love for Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Ali, and all the companions (رضی اللہ عنهم). Ameen!
"Indeed, Ali is from me and I am from him, and he is the friend (wali) of every believer."
[Tirmidhi: 3712, and its chain is sound]
This indicates that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) loved Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) and vice versa, and every believer loves Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ).
Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrates that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
"Whoever I am his master (mawla), then Ali is his master."
[Tirmidhi: 3713, and its chain is authentic]
In the Arabic language, a sincere friend is referred to as "mawla".
[Refer to Al-Qamoos Al-Waheed, p. 1900]
The Holy Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said to Zayd bin Harithah (رضی اللہ عنہ):
"You are our brother and our mawla."
[Bukhari: 2699]
He (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) also said regarding Sayyiduna Julaibib (رضی اللہ عنہ):
"He is from me, and I am from him."
[Sahih Muslim: 2472/131, Darussalam: 6358]
Some Rafidah (rejectors) claim the Hadith of Wilaya to argue that Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) had the immediate right to the Caliphate, but such claims are refuted by the aforementioned and other evidence.
Once, Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) fell ill, and the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) prayed for him:
"O Allah, cure him or grant him well-being."
Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that he was never sick after that.
[Sunan Tirmidhi: 3564, and he said: 'This hadith is hasan sahih and its chain is sound']
The famous Tabi'i Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i (رحمه الله) reported:
"I saw (Amir al-Mu'minin) Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) standing on the pulpit. His hair and beard were white."
[Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 3/188, 189 Hadith 5267, and its chain is authentic]
This shows that dyeing the hair with henna or a reddish color is not obligatory.
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
"Seek Muhammad's (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) pleasure in his household."
[Sahih Bukhari: 3713]
This means that whoever loves Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Hasan, Sayyiduna Husayn, and all the Companions (رضی اللہ عنهم), will be with the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) on the Day of Judgment.
Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
"The first to accept Islam was Ali."
Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (رحمه الله), a minor Tabi'i, rejected this by saying the first to accept Islam was Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (رضی اللہ عنہ).
[Tirmidhi: 3735, and he said: 'This hadith is hasan sahih and its chain is authentic']
This means Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) was the first among the children to embrace Islam, while Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (رضی اللہ عنہ) was the first among the men. And Allah knows best.
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
"The first to accept Islam was Ali."
[Mu'jam al-Sahabah by Al-Baghawi, 4/357, Hadith 1810, and its chain is authentic]
Urwah (bin Zubayr, Tabi'i رحمه الله) said:
"Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) accepted Islam at the age of eight."
[Mu'jam al-Sahabah by Al-Baghawi, 4/357, Hadith 1810, and its chain is authentic]
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضی اللہ عنہ) stated:
"We used to discuss that the best (judge) among the people of Madinah was Ali bin Abi Talib."
[Fada'il al-Sahabah by Imam Ahmad, 2/604, Hadith 1033, and its chain is authentic]
During the Battle of Khaybar, Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
"I am the one whose mother named me Haydar (lion)."
[Sahih Muslim: 807, Darussalam: 478]
Then he killed Marhab, the Jew, and the victory of Khaybar was achieved by his hands.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) was on Mount Hira along with Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Talha, and Zubair (رضی اللہ عنهم) when the mountain shook. The Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
"Stay still, for on you are a Prophet, a Siddiq, and martyrs."
[Sahih Muslim: 417, Darussalam: 6247]
The Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:
"Whoever harms Ali has harmed me."
[Fada'il al-Sahabah/Ziyadat al-Qutai'i: 1078, and its chain is sound. It has a supporting witness in Ibn Hibban, Mawarid: 2202, and Al-Hakim 3/123, who authenticated it, and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him]
Once, some people complained about Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ), so the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) delivered a sermon:
"O people, do not complain about Ali, for by Allah, he is very strict in the matters of Allah."
[Musnad Ahmad: 3/86, Al-Hakim: 3/134, and he authenticated it, and Al-Dhahabi agreed. Its chain is sound]
Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) said:
"I hope that I, Uthman, Talha, and Zubair (رضی اللہ عنهم) are among those whom Allah has mentioned in His Book:'We shall remove whatever is in their hearts of resentment, (so they will be) brothers, on thrones facing each other.'
[Al-Hijr: 47]
[Fada'il al-Sahabah/Ziyadat al-Qutai'i: 1057, and its chain is sound]
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i said:
"I saw Ali… with a thick beard."
[Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd: 3/25, and its chain is sound. Younus bin Abi Ishaq is free from tadlis]
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (رحمه الله) said:
"No companion of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) has as many virtues narrated as Ali bin Abi Talib (رضی اللہ عنہ)."
[Mustadrak al-Hakim: 3/107, 108 Hadith 4572, and its chain is sound]
In short, Sayyiduna Ali (رضی اللہ عنہ) was a participant in Badr, one of the foremost in embracing Islam, Amir al-Mu'minin, a rightly guided caliph, and the fourth caliph. His virtues are numerous, and this short article cannot encompass them all.
Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad bin al-Husain al-Ajurri (رحمه الله) (died 360 AH) said:
"Know, may Allah have mercy on us and you, that indeed Allah has bestowed great virtue upon Amir al-Mu'minin Ali bin Abi Talib (رضی اللہ عنہ). His excellent attributes are many, his virtues are numerous, and his rank is high. He is the cousin of the Messenger of Allah (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم), the father of Hasan and Husayn, the brave warrior of the Muslims, the defender of the Messenger of Allah, the fighter against equals, the just Imam, ascetic, detached from the world, seeking the hereafter, follower of truth, distant from falsehood, and possessor of all excellent morals. Allah and His Messenger love him, and he loves Allah and His Messenger. He is a person whom only a pious believer loves, and only an unfortunate hypocrite harbors enmity towards. He is a treasure of intellect, knowledge, patience, and manners."
[Al-Shari'ah, p. 714, 715]
O Allah! Fill our hearts with the love for Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Ali, and all the companions (رضی اللہ عنهم). Ameen!