Imam Ali

Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (علي‎, translit. ʿAlī, 15 September 601 – 29 January 661) was the cousin and the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (s). He is the first Imam of Shi'a Muslims and the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph of the Sunni Muslims. He was born on Rajab 13, 23 BH (March 17, 599 AD) inside the Holy Ka'ba in Mecca.

143544

Hadith . Qur'an . God (Allah) . Imam Ali . Prophet Muhammad

Can you provide authentic references from Quran and Hadith books and a logical explanation for the belief that Allah spoke to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the voice of Mola Ali (AS)?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 3 settimane fa

Bismihi ta'ala

There are references that when the holy Prophet (s.a.w.) went in his Mi'raj journey, Allah ta'ala communicated with the Prophet (s.a.w.), in the voice of Imam Ali (a.s.). This is among the merits of Imam Ali (a.s.).

Of course, in Sunni sources, like al-Durr al-Manthur, v. 4, p. 154-5, it says the Prophet (s.a.w.) heard the voice of Abu Bakr.

But Sunni sources also narrate it being Imam Ali (a.s.).

We have absolute belief that Allah ta'ala does not have a body, or anything material, and even in this case of "communicating", it was casting the sound.

So, the voice was not Imam Ali (a.s.), but the casting of a sound to an angel that resembled the voice of Imam Ali (a.s.), because it was the most loved of sounds for the Prophet (s.a.w.).

Some Sunni references for this narration:

al-Manaqib, by al-Khwarazmi, p. 78, p. 6, h. 61.

Yanabi' al-Mawaddah, v. 1, p. 246, h. 28.

With prayers for your success

137214

Fajr . Adhan . Divorce . Tarawih . Imam Ali . Umar b. al-Khattab

Why was Maula Ali (as) not able to correct during his rule the changes in Fajr Adhan, divorce rules, and Taraweeh that were introduced by caliph 'Umar?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 3 mesi fa

Imam Ali (AS) has removed the deviations which were created by the previous three rulers of Saqeefah as he clearly declared that they have deliberately changed the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWA). He removed the discrimination between Arabs againt non Arab Muslims and between Quraish tribe against other tribes etc.

Imam Ali (AS) suffered a lot from the hypocrites and Quraish tribe who were against him and against his reforms. They took the name of Umar as a slogan against Imam Ali (AS). They asked him in the month of Ramadan to appoint for them a person to lead Taraweeh. He clearly said that it is a Bid'ah away from the Sunnah of the Prophet. They insisted and gathered in the Masjid of Kufa. He sent his son Imam Al-Hasan (AS) to stop them from Taraweeh, but they shouted loudly ( WA SUNNATA UMARAAH)(Where is the Sunnah of Umar?). It reached to a critical point of civil disorder among Muslim society. Imam Ali (AS) had no choice but to leave them to do what they want to save the Muslims from turmoil. You can find details in Sunni books like Sharh Al-Nahj by Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed , V. 12, P. 283 and Tareekh Al-Tabari V.4, From page 281 onward.

Shia books like Wasaa'il Al-Shia , V.5 P. 193 has also mentioned some details of this matter.

Wassalam.

136418

Qur'an . Qur'an Compilation . Imam Ali . Uthman b. 'Affan

What were the differences, if any, between the Quran compiled by Imam Ali and Uthman? If there were differences how do we know what we have today is unaltered?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 3 mesi fa

Insofar as we do not physically have the Qur'anic manuscript compiled by Imam 'Ali, it is not possible to answer this question with the certainty that comes from seeing things with one's own eyes. Rather, it is necessary to rely on historical reports, and the validity of historical reports can be debated.

Anyway, one difference is that it is reported that Imam 'Ali added commentary and explanations to the codex that he compiled, including an explanation of when/why the ayat were revealed (asbab al-nuzul) and also a broader explanation of the ayat.

It is also reported that Imam 'Ali's manuscript was arranged chronologically, in order of the date of revelation, whereas the 'Uthmanic codex is not arranged chronologically.

In any case, we have been told by the Imams to use the codex that we have today as it is, so it is good to have faith that this is what we are meant to be using.

Allah knows best.

136526

Caliphate . Imam Ali . Sunni-Shi'a

Why could Maula Ali (a) not correct the wrongdoings of the earlier caliphs when he became caliph of the Muslims?

Maula Ali (As) did correct the wrongdoings of the previous rulers of Saqeefah, except things which concerned him and his family because he did not want to use the power for his own or his family's benefit.

1. Ameerul Mo'mineen Ali (AS) removed all the wrong, corrupt and unjust rulers who were been appointed by Saqeefah rulers.

2. He removed discrimination between Arabs against non Arab Muslims and between Quraish against other tribes and all sorts of discrimination which was practiced by Saqeefah rulers.

3. He distributed all the wealth among all Muslims equally and did not keep anything for himself or his family.

4. He implemented justice in every case and dispute among Muslims even those were against him.

5, During his rule, poverty diminished among Muslims because he gave the poor their proper rights which led to real social and economic justice.

Wassalam.

132790

Imam al-Hasan . Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan . Ubaydullah b. Abbas . Imam Ali

Why did Imam Hassan made Ubaidullah b. Abbas commander of the troops he sent to fight with Muawia, when he had shown his lack of support during the caliphate of Imam Ali and was condemned by the Imam for it?

Imam Hasan (AS) knew things which we do not know as his knowledge is from the Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (SAWA) and Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS). We, with our limited knowledge are not entitled to argue on any decision of any Infallible as he does not do but what Allah (SWT) wants.

We believe that every act done by the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS) is in favour of Islam, whether we know the details or not.

Wassalam.

134115

Salah (Prayers) . Sahaba (Companions) . Qabd al-yadayn . Imam Ali

If folding hands in prayer was a government order, what benefit did that government get from it? Did Imam Ali or any other Sahaba oppose this order?

Mahmood Abu Maryam, Trying to make sense of it all... Answer updated 5 mesi fa

The default position when you stand up to commence prayer is putting hands on the side - sadl al-yadayn. This was the way Muslims in Medina, Makka, and later in cities such as Kufa, would have been praying, until the rise of the Umayyads in Syria.

The contrary position of qabd - folding hands - almost certainly got introduced by Mu’awiya and this Umayyad custom survived into Sunni orthodoxy, except for the Maliki madhhab.

Professor Yasin Dutton has written an interesting paper - Amal vs Hadith in Islamic Law - that tackles this topic where he says:

The non-Sunni madhhab’s, however - the Ithna Asahri Shi’a, the Zaydi’s, the Isma’li’s and the Ibadi’s (Khawarij) - are all agreed, along with the majority of the Maliki’s, on sadl.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, a prominent contemporary Sunni scholar, has explained, in a video you can find online, how the act of folding hands, versus not, was seen as an indicator of political affiliation during those days such as the civil war between Imam ‘Ali and Mu’awiya. Clearly he sees sadl as the more authentic and well-evidenced position.

He makes the following key points:

People who were on the side of Imam ‘Ali in the civil wars prayed with their hands by the side (sadl)
Even the Khawarij who seceded from the side continued to pray like that.
Later Shi’a Imams, for instance Imams al-Baqir and Ja’far al-Sadiq, prayed the same way, without folding.
Basically the outward form of a person, practicing sadl or qabd, used to be an immediate and visual indicator of their political position with respect to Imam ‘Ali or Mu’awiya.

Hope this helps.

128406

House . Marriage . Imam Ali . Fatimah al-Zahra

Is the narrative authentic that says that Allah sent a star on the house of Maula Ali AS as an indication of Allah’s Will that Fatima AS must only marry him?

It is mentioned in La'ali al-Akhbar (vol 3, p 413) and attributed to Imam al-Baqir (A) that the angel Jibra'il told the Prophet (S) that the planet Venus (the evening star) would descend on Friday night on the house of the person whom Fatima (A) should marry. The people waited to see who it was, and it was the house of Ali (A).

This narration is provided as part of the explanation of the origins of the tasbih of Fatima al-Zahra (A).

I am personally not aware of any chain of narration for this and therefore, without a chain of narration, it would not be classified as authentic.

Allah knows best.

110583

Prophets . Succession to Prophet Muhammad . Ghadir Khumm . Imam Ali

Besides the Holy Prophet (saw) nominating Imam Ali (as) as his successor on the 18th day of Zul Hijjah, were there any other Prophets (as) who also nominated their successors on this same blessed day?

The day of Al-Ghadeer (18th Thil-Hajjah) was the day on which Allah Has saved Prophet Ibraheem from the fire,

and the day if the victory of Prophet Musa on the magicians of Firaon ,

Land the day of the appointment of Yosha' ibn Noon as the successor of Prophet Musa,

and thecday if the appointment of Sham'oon as successor of Prophet Easa,

and the day if the appointment of Aasif ibn Barkhia as the successor of Prophet Sulaiman.

Wassalam.

128415

Sunni-Shi'a . Imam Ali

As a Sunni Muslim I always heard that Shia Muslims believe Ali (ra) is greater than Prophet Muhammad (SAW)? Is this true?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answer updated 8 mesi fa

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

What you heard is completely false. The Prophet Mohammad (sawa) is the greatest of all creation and if anyone puts someone above his status, they are out of Islam. Such a belief would also contradict the ahadith of the shia which clearly state not to put anyone above Rasullah (sawa)

May Allah swt grant you success

122714

God (Allah) . Faith (Iman) . Imam Ali

Imam Ali (a) said about Allah’s existence that he did not see Him with his eyes but with the realities of faith. What is meant by that and how can we see Allah in such a manner?

1. Imam Ali (AS) has the maximum and highest level of intellect after the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), that is why his faith in Allah is the maximum after the Prophet (SAWA). The Hadeeth stated that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) told Ali (AS): O Ali, no one Knew Allah (properly) but myself and you.
2. Seeing Allah by eyes is impossible because He is above all senses and He can never be confined or limited to any sense. Allah is The Creator of all senses and whatever can be sensed and whatever can not be sensed.
3. Proper Intellect leads us to the fact that lot of things in the existence are comprehended and known by intellect and reason not by materialistic senses.
4. Realities of Faith in Allah (SWT) are in each and every thing in this universe, but many people don't see it because of their indulging in darkness of sins which disable their intellectual abilities. When the heart is clean from sins, mind is transparent and more able to see the realities which are behind the outer senses. These realities lead the human being to the absolute Truth of Allah.

5. Realities of faith are for every believer according to his degree in the purity of heart and proper thinking. More purity in heart leads to more proper thinking which in turn leads to discovering more realities of faith.

6. The Faith in Allah is the faith in the greatest Truth in the universe. Proper intellect can never deviate from clear facts, what about the greatest Fact. Faith in Allah increases by proper thinking which leads to comprehending more realities of faith.

Wassalam.

God (Allah) . Faith (Iman) . Imam Ali

Imam Ali (a) said about Allah’s existence that he did not see Him with his eyes but with the realities of faith. What is meant by that and how can we see Allah in such a manner?

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 1 anno fa

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. What is being referred to in this hadith is perhaps along these lines: Physical beings are senses with the physical senses and since Allah is not confined to matter and doesn't have a material form He cannot be seen with the physical eyes. But the human is endowed with senses that are capable of comprehending the metaphysical. In order to make use of them a person cannot be in doubt of their existence. The realities of faith are sensed with these senses and this is the field of religious experience. God is seen through the veil of His Perfections deep within the being of a human.

May you always be successful

122933

Imam Ali

If someone we know insults Imam Ali (as) or another Imam or speaks incorrectly about them, what should one do?

We must clarify the truth to those who don't know it. Our responsibility is to make the truth clearly known to people.
We must defend the truth in every lawful and possible way.

Wassalam.