Short Biography of 4th Caliph Ali al-Murtaza
Ameer al Momineen Sayyiduna Ali al Murtuda Radi Allahu Ta ala Anhu
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HIS BIRTH: Ameer al Momineen Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtuda Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu was born on a Friday. Some narrations quote the date as the 13th of Muharram and others state the 13th of Rajab. His birth occurred 30 years after the incident of Feel. He was born inside the Holy Kaa’ba, and none has been blessed with this excellence before him. [Noor al-Absaar].
BLESSED NAME: His name is Ali and is known as Abu al-Hassan and Abu Turab and his titles are Murtuda, Asadullah and Haidar-e-Karraar.
HIS BRAVERY: Hadrat Imam Muhammed Ghazzali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu write in Ihyaa al-Uloom that on the night of Hijrat, when Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu was asleep in the blessed bed of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, Almighty Allah sent wahi to Hadrat Jibraeel and Hadrat Mikaeel (alaihimus salaam) that, “I have made the two of you brothers to one another and I made the age of one from amongst you more than that of the other. Is there any from amongst you that will give part of your age to the other?”
None answered from both of them. Almighty Allah said, “The both of you are not the example of Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu. I have made him the brother of my Beloved Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. Look, he is asleep in the bed of his brother and is willing to sacrifice his life for him. Both of you go to earth and protect him from his enemies. Hadrat Jibraeel descended and stood at the head side of Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu and Hadrat Mikaeel stood at his feet, protecting him for the entire night.” It was on this, that Almighty Allah revealed the verse, “Some person sells his life in pleasing Allah, and Allah is Most compassionate towards his servants.” (Surah Baqara) – [Kashful Mahjoob, Page 260]
Hadrat Abu Raafi’ Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu says that during the battle of Khaibar, the shield of Sayyiduna Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu was damaged. He went forward in the Love of Allah and His Rasool SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam and uprooted the Door of the Fort of Khaibar with his bare hands and used it as a shied. After the battle, forty strong men together could not move the door from where it has kept by Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu. [Zarkani, Vol 2, Page 230 – Taareekh al-Khulafa, Page 33]
HIS KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY: He was a very kind and generous personality. He never caused pain to anyone. Even if someone committed an error, he explained to him with great kindness and love. Hadrat Abu Dhar Ghaffari Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu says, “Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu was very exalted, brave, Truthful, soft hearted and kind. The desire to help the poor flowed in him like the huge waves of the sea. He used to travel far away from home, to assist the sick, old, poor, orphans, crippled and downtrodden.”
HIS VAST KNOWLEDGE: Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu attained great knowledge from the holy court of Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. Hadrat Abu Amar reports from Abu Tufail, that Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu said, “Ask me whatever you wish from the Quran. There is no ayat that I am not aware of. I even know whether it was revealed during the day or night, or it was revealed on soft our mountainous land.” [Jaami’ al-Manaqib]
Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu narrated five hundred and eighty six Ahadith (Sayings) of Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. His knowledge, wisdom and decisions were so great that Hadrat Umar a-Farooq Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu says, “The best judge amongst all the saHaba is Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu.”
Hadrat Saeed ibn Habeeb Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu says, “There was no person in Madinah Munawwarah except Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu who could say, ‘Ask me what ever you want to know’”
Hadrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ood Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu was also the possessor of great knowledge, but he too used to openly announce the following, “None has more knowledge of the Fara’idh than Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu and none has more understanding than him.” Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu says, “If I wished to compile the commentary of Sura Fateh, then I would be able to load 40 camels with books (from this tafseer).”
HIS POETRY: In eloquence and command of language, there is none that can be equal to the people of Arabia. They have the ability to render beautiful impromptu verses of prose. Hadrat Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu was also a very great poet. He wrote Praises to Allah, and many poems in praise of the Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam, which can be found in the books of history and Seerah. A few stanzas of his poems are being presented for attaining blessings.
Radeena Qismatal Jabaari feena
Lana ilmuw wa lil Juhhaali Maalu
“We are pleased with that which our Lord has distributed
That, he blessed me with knowledge and the ignorant with wealth.”
Li Annal Maala Yufni Anqareebin
wa Innal ilma Yabqaa Laa Yazaalu
“Because very soon, the wealth will become less and be finished
And knowledge will remain, for there is no end for it.”
LOVE FOR HADRAT ALI: The Muhaditheen have recorded that Hadrat Ali al-Murtuda Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu said, “The Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said the following words about me, ‘You have a special attachment with Hadrat Esa Alaihis Salam. The Jews hated him so bitterly that (Allah forbid) they accused his pure mother Bibi Maryam Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu and the Christians went over the limitations in his love to such an extent, that (Allah forbid) they called him the son of Allah. Beware, since there will also be two groups in your case. One will be those, who in your love will hold you in such esteem, that they will transgress the limitations and the other group, will be those who will have dislike for you, and they shall target you with their accusations.’”
From these blessed words, it is evident that both the Kharijis and Shi’as are Misled and that the proper ones are the Ahle Sunnat wa al-Jama’at, who show great love to Sayyiduna Ali Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu and yet we do not transgress the limitations.
HIS FINAL ADVICE: Before his wisaal, he called Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain (Radi Allahu Anhum) and said, “I advice you to remain pious and do not wish for the world even if it wishes for you. And if you lose any worldly belonging, then do not cry over it. Have mercy on the orphans, and help the weak.” He then turned to one of his sons, Hadrat Muhammad bin Hanafiyah Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu and gave him the same advice. He then read the Kalima and his soul travelled from this mundane world in to the heights of the hereafter. Inna Lillaahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raaji’oon!!
GHUSL AND KAFFAN: Hadrat Imam Hasan, Imam Hussain and Abdullah ibn Jaa’far (Ridwaanullahi Ta’ala Alaihim Ajma’een) gave him ghusl and tied his kaffan, which was three pieces of cloth. Hadrat Imam Hasan Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu lead his Janaaza Salaah. [Taareekh al-Khulafa]
THE AQIDA OF THE AHL AS-SUNNAH WA AL-JAMA’AH
Sayyiduna Gawth al-Aa’zam Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani Radi ALLAHu Ta’ala Anhu says, “The Aqida of the Ahle Sunnat wa al-Jama’ah is this, that the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam is the Greatest of all Ummahs, and from the Ummah, the greatest are the Asharah al-Mubasharah. These are ten personalities, namely, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Talha, Zubair, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Sa’ad, Sa’eed and Abu Ubaidah Al Jarah (Ridwaanullahi Ta’ala Alaihim Ajma’een). From these ten, the most exalted are the Khulafa ar-Raashideen. From the four of them, the most exalted is Abu Bakr as-Siddique, then Umar al-Farooq, then Uthman al-Ghani and then Ali al-Murtuda.” (Ridwaanullahi Ta’ala Alaihim Ajma’een).
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Tadhkira Mashaikh-e-Qadiriyah Barakatiya Ridawiyah
Asl E Nasl E Safaa Wajhe Wasle Khuda
Baab E Fasle Wilayat Pe Laakho(n) Salaam
Murtuda Shere Haq Ashja-Ul Ashjae
Saaqi E Sheero Sharbat Pe Laakho(n) Salaam
~ AlaHadrat, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan عليه الرحمة
SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam wa ‘Ala Alihi wa Sahbihi Wa Baraka Wa karam