This Day in History-Imam Ali's Martyrdom

[أبو الحسنيين]

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IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL

“Do they not travel through the earth, and see what the end of those before them was? But the home of the Hereafter is best, will ye not then understand?” Holy-Quran 12-109.

ISLAM’S HISTORIC DIARY
*Subject: The Martyrdom of Imam Ali (A.S & R.A
*Date: 24th of January 661
*Place: Kufa, Iraq
*Elapsed time: Day for Day: 1348 years
*Main Historic figure: Ali Ibn Abi Taleb.

Imam Ali is the first child in the Noble family of Bani – Hashim whose both selfs are Children of Hashem , his father Abu-Taleb is the son of Abdul-Mottaleb the son of Hashim bin Abd-Manaf and his mother is Fatima bint Asad bint Hashim bint Abd-Manaf, the Hashimi family in the tribe of Quraish is well known for its moral virtues and high humanistic characteristics among the Arab tribes.

Imam Ali was born on the thirteen of Rajab twenty two years before the Hijra (600 A.D), he was the only person ever to have been born inside the Kaaba since its foundation by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH).

His mother Fatima Bint Assad was very respected and much loved by our beloved Prophet Mohamed, Imam Ali did not cry after his birth, nor did he open his eyes, he refused to be fed until after three days when the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) who then gave his tongue into his mouth, Ali sucked the moisture of the tongue, ever since they remained together in all walks of life only to be separated physically at the death of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).

Imam Ali embraced Islam at the age of eight , to be the first Boy to accept Islam , once Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) told him : “ You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter” to his great achievement and ever reached Honour : he slept in the bed of Prophet Mohamed(PBUH) when the pagan Quraysh tribe plotted to kill him , as such Imam Ali had a special place in Prophet Mohamed’s heart to the extent he called Ali by many fond names such as Abu Turab.

Ali’s modesty, austerity, piety and deep knowledge of the Holy Quran and his wisdom gave him great distinction among the Prophet’s Companions, Abu-Bakr, Omar and Othman (RA) used to consult him frequently during their Caliphate, in many occasions Omar said:
“Not the presence of Abul Hassan, Omar would have perished”.

Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric; his speeches, sermons and letters stood as models of literary expression for generations and are now proudly serving the different topics of PhDs thesis throughout the world prestigious Universities

Speaking about Imam Ali’s virtues and high insightful qualities is such a great task , it is reported by Mudjahid : “ A man asked Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) how numerous are the virtues of Imam Ali ,presuming that they are around three thousand , Ibn Abbas replied to the man to the thirty thousand they are nearest , then added if the trees are to be pens and the oceans ink , they would not be able to estimate Amir al Moomineen virtues and attributes”
[Kitab Tadhkirat Al Khawass- Sibt Al Hafidh Ibn Al Djawzi Al Hanafi-Page23].

In the second year of Hijra , Imam Ali married the pure Fatima daughter of Khadija Al Kubra and of the Beloved Prophet Mohamed adding a huge Honour to his credit by becoming Prophet Mohamed ‘s son in law ,it goes without saying that Imam Ali had to confront many hardship and hurdles in the path of rising high the flag of Islam , his bravery is beyond comparison and he took part in twenty six over twenty seven battles of earlier Islam with the Beloved Prophet, from Badr , Uhud, Al Khandaq , Khaybar to the sole exception of Tabuk.

When he was appointed by the Prophet as a Regent for Medina , Imam Ali , being an eager knight and wanted to take part in the Tabuk battle , politely objected to the Prophet’s decision saying : “ You wish to appoint me as vice-regent over women and elderly people” , the Beloved Prophet emotionally replied to Imam Ali : “ O Ali do not you want to be like Aaron to Moses though there is no prophet after me” this Hadith was later known as “ Hadith Al Manzilah” or the “the upper stance Saying”.

After the passing away of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), and as it was predicted by the Prophet Mohamed, Imam Ali encountered undesirable and reluctant stances, however during the period of the three rightly-guided Caliphs, Imam Ali was to express the rule for many of the new events which did not occur previously in Islam as well as solving the problems when the Caliphate system faced dead ends in political matters and some other problems , furthermore his most desired hobby during this period was to dig wells and lay irrigation works around Medina and then donate them for the welfare of the travellers and the destitute as endowments in the way of God.

Nevertheless, he was urged by the vast majority of the people to take the destiny of the nation after the death of Caliph Othman, and when he was preparing and laying the foundations of the new government, and much to his chagrin, he had to confront such insurmountable obstacles and seditions and was reluctantly obliged to face the reality of the tragic events in three different places: the battle of the Camel, Siffin and Nahrawan.

If only those hypocrites and “last minute” fresh converts to Islam knew the merits of this great Imam, the world would have been spared of all injustice, they failed to realise the blessings that he was for Humanity and when they realised it was too late with the yoke of oppressors already tightened around their necks this was explicitly said by himself:

“Tomorrow you will see these days of mine and unknown characteristics of mine will be revealed to you, and after my place has been vacated and someone else has occupied it, you will know me better.” Nahj Al Balagha, Sermon N° 149.

“By the Lord of the Kaaba I have succeeded”
Thus said the Man who practically demonstrated to the world the concept of Human rights and social justice as laid down in Medina by his Mentor Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), when struck by the doomed fate Ibn Muljim‘s sword while prostrating to Almighty Allah a certain morning in Kufa mosque on the 19th of Ramadan 40 AH corresponding to the 24th of January 661AD.

Unfortunately, it is both a great sin and a disgraceful deed for those wicked and insane perpetrators to learn that this God’s pious man was cursed upon the Minbar (pulpit) of the Friday prayers during a six decade period under the reign of the Ommayad dynasty until the arrival of a God- fearing Man: Omar Ibn Abdulaziz (RA) who shifted this pagan accultural habit to a Quranic meditation that is still reverberating nowadays throughout all Friday prayers of the Muslim world:

“Allah commands justice, the doing of good and liberality to kith and kin, and he forbids all shameful deeds and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you that ye may receive admonition”.
Holy-Quran 16-90.

As such History never deceives nor forgets, for Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb who left the mortal world a very satisfied man , no wonder because he left behind an immortal legacy which has since continued to inspire Humanity towards the lofty goals of justice in society , this great Imam might have paid a very heavy price for such unparalleled commitments of tolerance and freedom of expression towards those who opposed him , but it is surely because of this that he is still well remembered and much loved in the hearts of all Muslims and Humanity despite the 1348 elapsed years !!!

It goes without saying that Imam Al Mutakeen (the pious men) Ali Ibn Abi Taleb is not an exclusive “Monopoly” for a particular group of this Ummah or the Muslims in general but He is rather a common heritage and legacy for Mankind that is why, He will be forever immortalised in the memory of Mankind and especially in Islamic History.
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