Some Traditions on the Virtues of Imam ‘Ali (as)
ﺑِﺴْﻢِ ﺍﻟﻠَّـﻪِ ﺍﻟﺮَّﺣْﻤَـٰﻦِ ﺍﻟﺮَّﺣِﻴﻢِ
It is narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah (S) said: "He who wants to see Noah (as) in his determination, Adam (as) in his knowledge, Abraham (as) in his clemency, Moses (as) in his intelligence and Jesus (as) in his religious devotion should look at ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (as)."
Sunni references:
• Sahih al-Bayhaqi
• Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as quoted in
• Sharh Ibn Abil Hadid, v2, p449
• Tafsir al-Kabir, by Fakhruddin al-Razi, under the commentary of the Verse of Imprecation (Mubahilah), v2 p288. He wrote this tradition has been accepted as all genuine.
• Ibn Batah has recorded it as a tradition related by Ibn Abbas as is stated in the book "Fat’h al-Mulk al-’Ali bi Sihah Hadith-e-Bab-e-Madinat al-Ilm", p34, by Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Siddeeq al-Hasani al-Maghribi.
• Among those who have admitted that Imam ‘Ali (as) is the store house of the secrets of all the Prophets is the Chief of Gnostics, Muhyiddin al-Arabi, from whom al-Arif al-Sha’rani has copied it in his al-Yawaqeet wa al-Jawahir (p172, topic 32).
It is also narrated that:
The Prophet (S) said: "There is amongst you a person who will fight for the interpretation of the Qur’an just as I fought for its revelation.”The people around him raised their heads and cast inquisitive glances at the Prophet (S) and at one another. Abu Bakr and Umar were there. Abu Bakr inquired if he was that person and the Prophet (S) replied in the negative. Then Umar inquired if he was that person and the Prophet (S), replied "No. He is the one who is repairing my shoes (i.e., ‘Ali)."
Abu Said Khudri said: Then we went to ‘Ali and conveyed the good news to him. He did not even raise his head and remained as busy as he was, as if he had already heard it from the Messenger of Allah (S)."
Sunni references:
• al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p122, who said this tradition is genuine based on the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
• al-Dhahabi, also records it in his Talkhis al-Mustadrak and admitted that it is genuine according to the standard of the two Shaikhs.
• Khasa’is, by al-Nisa’i, p40
• Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v3, pp 32-33
• Kanz al-Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, v6, p155
• Majma’ al-Zawa’id, by al-Haythami, v9, p133
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and al-Hakim recorded with authentic document from Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Apostle of God said to ‘Ali: "Verily you will do battle for (implementation of) the Qur’an, as you has done for its revelation."
Sunni reference: Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p173
al-Hakim recorded that Anas Ibn Malik narrated that the Holy Prophet said to ‘Ali:
“You shall inform my nation about the truth and what they dispute after me":
Sunni reference:
• al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p112, who wrote this is an authentic Hadith according to the stipulation of the two Shaikhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim). (This would mean that the chain of narrators are considered to be authentic as stipulated by Bukhari and Muslim)
The First Muslim
It is an undisputed fact that Imam ‘Ali was the first man to embrace Islam after the Holy Prophet (S). Below are some of the references
Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Asakir recorded on the authority of Salim Ibn Abi Jaad that he said: I asked of Muhammad Ibn Hanifah, "was Abu Bakr the first of the people to adopt Islam?”He replied: "No".
And Ibn Asakir on a reliable ascription from Muhammad Ibn Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas, that he said to his father Sa’d: "was Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq the first of you in embracing the faith?”He said: "No, for there were more than five people in faith before him"
Ibn Kathir says: "it is clear that Muhammad’s family believed before every other - his wife Khadija, his freedman Zaid and the Wife of Zaid Umm Ayman and ‘Ali and Warakah."
Sunni reference:
• Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p33 (History of the Caliphs translated by Major Barrett) is also narrated that
Anas Ibn Malik said: "The Messenger was commissioned on Monday and ‘Ali believed in him on Tuesday."
Sunni reference: al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p112
al-Hakim also narrated that:
Salman al-Farsi said that the Messenger of God said: "The first one of you to drink from the Basin on the Day of Judgment is your first Muslim, ‘Ali, the son of Abu Talib."
Sunni reference: al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p112
Ibn Hisham recorded that:
‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib was the first male to believe in the Messenger of God and that he prayed with him while he was only ten years old.
Sunni reference: Biography of the Prophet, by Ibn Hisham, v1, p245
The famous Sunni Historian, al-Tabari also wrote:
The first three to offer prayers were Muhammad (S) , Khadija and ‘Ali (as).
Sunni reference: History al-Tabari, v2, p65
Also Khateeb al-Baghdadi, in his book quotes Imam ‘Ali that:
‘Ali said: "I was the first one to accept Islam at the hands of the Holy Prophet."
• Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v4, p333
From the book "Certainty Uncovered", the translation of "Kashf al-Yaqin"
Author: Allamah Jamal al-Din ibn Yusuf Hilli
‘Ali is the supervisor of the Kawthar Pond, the giver of permission to enter Paradise, the bearer of the standard on the Resurrection Day and during crossing the Discriminating Bridge (Sirat), and his two angels takes pride in him on the other angels1 The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn Abbas as saying: On the Day of Judgment, ‘Ali stands by the Pond of Kawthar. No one enters paradise without his permission.2
The Holy Prophet (S) has been reported by Jabir as saying : The two angels who are in charge of taking up ‘Ali’s deeds are more proud than other angels, for they present to God not any one of ‘Ali’s deeds which brings about Allah’s wrath. So they have a privilege over other angels.3 The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Ibn Abbas as saying: On the Day of Judgment, on God’s order, Gabriel sits at the gate of paradise and blocks people’s entrance into paradise except those having a clean record signed by ‘Ali.4
Jabir ibn Samarah has reported : The Holy Prophet (S) was asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who is your banner bearer on the Day of Judgment? He said: My banner bearer on that day will be my banner bearer in the world. He is no one but ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib.5 The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Abdullah ibn Anas as saying: On the Day of Judgment when The Discriminating Bridge will be put over hell, no one can cross it unless he has a document in hand showing his love for ‘Ali..
At the beginning of his mission, the Prophet of Islam said in a speech: (In the Dawat e Zul Asheerah at the residence of Hazrat Abu Talib (a s )
“Who amongst you shall support me in this matter and be my brother, the executor of my will (wasi), and my successor (caliph)?"
All the listeners, with the exception of Ali, who was the youngest among them, kept silent.
Ali (a s) responded by saying: "I will be your helper, O' prophet of God."
The Messenger of Allah (s) then put his hand on the back of Ali’s neck and said: "This is my brother, executor of my will and successor;
therefore, listen to him and obey him."
Those present laughed and kept saying to Abu Talib: "Allah has commanded you to listen to your son, and to obey him!"
A sahih hadith reported in numerous sunni books including:
The History of Tabari , The History of ibn Asakir , Al-Durr al-Manthoor by suyuti ,Al-Mukhtasar, by Abul Fid.
Prophet Muhammad (s) said: "Ali is from me and I am from Ali and no one represents me except Ali."
Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith No.119.
The Messenger of Allah (s) said to Ali (a) : "Your position to me is like the position of Aaron to Moses, except that there shall be no Prophet after me"
S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Hadith Number 700. Sahih muslim Book 031, hadith Number 5913:
The Messenger of Allah said: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate; therefore, whoever wishes to attain knowledge, let him enter through the gate."
Reported in hundreds of Sunni books. Classified authentic by numerous Sunni scholars such as imam Hajr al Asqalani, imam Tabari, Imam Suyuti and Imamal Hakim.
During his tenure as Caliph, Umar ibn Khattab frequently sought the advice of imam Ali (a) to solve problems that perplexed him.
On many occasions, Umar said about Imam Ali (a): "If there was no Ali, Umar would have perished!"
Fadha'il al-Sahaba by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p647, Hadith 1100. Al-Isti'ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr al qurtubi, v3, p39; Manaqib, by al-Khawarizmi, p48.Al-Riyadh al Nadhirah, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, v2, p194;.Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p171
The Quran says:
{10:35} "..Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge?.
Prophet Muhammad (s) said: "Ali is from me and I am from Ali and he is the guardian of every believer after me"
Sunan Tirmidhi, volume 2, page 298. Mustadrak al-Hakim, volume 3, page 111. Sawaiq al-Muhriqa, page 122, published in Egypt .
"It has been revealed to me that `Ali has three exclusive merits: that he is the chief of the Muslims, the Imam of the righteous, and the leader of those whose foreheads radiate with the mark of faith."
Mustadrak al-Hakim page 138, Vol. 3. Kanz al Ummal, page 157, Vol. 6, is hadith 2628. Also quoted by al-Barudi, Ibn Qani`, Abu Na`im, and al-Bazzar.
His name is written on the Gate of Paradise.
The Messenger of Allah (s) said:
"It is written on the gate of Paradise : `There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Ali is the Brother of the Messenger of Allah'. "
Al-Awsat by Tabarani. Al-Muttafaq wal-Muftaraq By al-Khatib. Kanz al-Ummal. Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal page 35, Vol. 5. Ibn `Asakir page 46.
These are just a small sample of the merits of imam Ali (a).
This presentation cannot do justice to the Commander of the Faithful.
Ahmed ibn Hanbal said: "Ali had
many enemies who searched
hard to find a fault attributable to
him, but they could not, so they
brought a man whom Ali had
fought and battled with, and
praised him because of their
hatred towards Ali.”
They could not find flaws in Imam Ali (a) so THEY fabricated traditions in favour of his enemies.