HAZRAT ALI (alaihis salam)

One day hazrat Ali (a.s.) was working in his treasury when two men came to see him. It was night time and a candle
was lit. Their intention was to gain some kind of important post in his government.

They discussed things related to the state. After a while, the topic of discussion changed to something else. Hazrat
Ali (a.s.) blew out the candle and lit another one and continued the conversation.

The visitors were very surprised and asked, “O Ali, why did you blow out one candle and lit another one?”

Imam Ali: The first candle belonged to the state. So long as you discussed things related to the state, I used it for that
purpose. Then you changed your topic of discussion to something which did not relate to the state but was
something personal. I therefore lit my personal candle.”

These two men having realised the principles of hazrat Ali (a.s.) and his strictness, changed their mind of asking for
any post.

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Hazrat Ali (a.s.) had an older brother called Aqeel. He was getting some financial aid from the state because of his
poverty. He thought that he was not getting enough money from the state, so one day he invited his brother hazrat Ali
(a.s.) for lunch.

After eating, Aqeel explained to his brother and said, “Look my brother, the aid that I am getting from the state is not
sufficient. Could you please increase little bit more so that I can live little bit comfortably?”

Imam Ali (a.s.): If what you say is true, then how could you afford to invite for lunch today?

Aqeel: I saved bit by bit for a few days and then I invited you.

Imam: This means that you are still getting that little bit extra from which you could save. So really speaking, that
extras should be cut off and given to someone more needy.

Aqeel: Oh no, please don’t do that. I will try to survive on what I get and won’t complain any more.

One day hazrat Ali (a.s.) went to say his prayers in the masjid.

A man came to hazrat Ali (a.s.) and offered him to look after his camel whilst he went to say his prayers. Hazrat Ali
(a.s.) accepted the offer and entrusted his camel to him.

After a while, someone came and asked hazrat Ali (a.s.) if the camel wondering outside the masjid was his.

Hazrat Ali (a.s.) came out and noted that the camel was his and its rein had gone missing.

Imam Ali (a.s.) went to the market to buy another rein. He went to a shop where he found the exact rein that had
gone missing. Hazrat Ali (a.s.) asked the shopkeeper the price of that rein.

Shopkeeper: A man had just been to my shop and sold this rein to me for eight dirhams. You can have it for the same
price.

Imam: Showing him the eight dihams that he was holding in his hands and said, “This man did me a favour of looking
after my camel. I decided to give him eight dirhams in return. He could not wait to get this lawfully. Instead he
robbed it and sold it you. He still got the same amount of money and not a penny more!

Sometimes people become so greedy that in order to obtain their sustenance, they would do anything. What
they fail to understand is that Allah has already destined his rizq. Now whether he earns it lawfully or
unlawfully, begs or steals or gambles, he is not going to get anything more.

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The only difference is that if you earn lawfully, you will have to give account to Allah and if you earn it
unlawfully, there is a punishment for it.

During the time of hazrat Ali (a.s.) a man was convicted of a murder.

Hazrat Ali (a.s.): Did you murder your victim and why?

Convict: He raped me so I killed him.

Imam: Do you have any witnesses to support your claim?

Convict: No. There was no one present at the time.

Hazrat Ali (a.s.) asked to wait for three days before passing a sentence against the convict.

After three days, the grave of the victim was opened and there was no body found in his grave.

Imam Ali (a.s.) let the man free.

Imam Ali (a.s.) said that the body of a homosexual does not stay in his grave for more than three days. His
body is removed from his grave and put together with the Sodomites [people who were destroyed because of
this sin during the time of prophet Lut a.s.)]

Hatim Tai was a very generous king of his time. He had 40 gates in his palace and anyone begging through all these
40 gates was still given something in charity.

One day a man came to Imam Ali (a.s.) and praised Hatim Tai saying, “His generosity is very well known. A beggar
would go through 40 gates and still get various amount of money!”

Hazrat Ali (a.s.): Why could he not give enough on one door that the beggar needed to go to other doors begging?

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One day some ladies came to hazrat Ali (a.s.) and asked, “How come men are allowed to marry up to four
wives and we are not allowed to marry more than one husband?

Hazrat Ali (a.s.): Take this empty bottle each of you and come back tomorrow. Fill these bottles with water
from home when you come back.

On the next day when these ladies returned with their bottles filled with water, he asked them to empty them
in a bowl provided. They did as instructed.

When they emptied the bottle, hazrat Ali (a.s.) asked them to take their water back but with the condition that they
should take their own water and not of anyone else’s.

Obviously they were surprised to hear such condition. They said, “But this is not possible at all. All the water
is mixed and there is no way to take the water that we brought from our homes.”

Hazrat Ali (a.s): Now try to understand what you asked me yesterday. If a woman has more than one
husband, how are you going to identify who is the father of your child? Whereas a man having children with
four wives, the father will be still the same.

Once during the rule of the second Khalifa Omar bin al-Khattab, an Arab entered his complaint in the court.
The court summoned the plaintiff and the defendant to appear. In this case, the defendant was Amirul
mu’mineen, Ali bib Abi Talib (a.s.)

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Omar acted as a judge. As was customary in the Islamic courts, both the parties ought to station
themselves, sitting or standing, next to each other. Accordingly. Omar called out the plaintiff’s name and
beckoned him to a particular place in the court. Then he turned to Imam Ali a.s. and said:

“O Abul Hasan, place yourself next to the plaintiff please.”

As Ali rose to comply, there were signs of displeasure evident on his face. Omar observed this and said:

“O Ali, you do not like to stand next to your adversary.”

Imam Ali a.s. replied: “It is not so. I am not at all displeased at being asked to station myself next to him. I
am displeased because you have, from the very beginning, acted contrary to the norms of justice. You called
him by his name, and you called me respectfully with my Kuniyyah. You know that when respect is meant,
we call a person by his Kuniyyah and not by his name. You said: “O Abul Hasan” and not ‘O Ali’. By so
doing, you have already shown preference for me over the plaintiff.”

THE DEER HUNTING INCIDENT OF HARUN-AR-RASHID

“During the reigns of the Umayyad Caliphs his blessed resting—place could not be
disclosed, and so it was also under the Abbasids until the reign of Harun-ar-Rashid. But in
the year 175 A.H. (791 A.D.), Harun happened to go hunting in these parts, and the deer he
was chasing took refuge on a small piece of raised ground. However much he asked his
hunting dogs to capture the quarry, they refused to go near this spot. He urged his horse to
this place, and the horse too refused to budge; and on this, awe took possession of the
Caliph’s heart, and he immediately started to make inquiries of the people of the
neighbourhood, and they acquainted him with the fact that this was the grave of Hazrat Ali
Ibn Abu Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet. Harun ordered a tomb to be
erected over the grave, and people soon began to settle down in its vicinity.”

The Four Questions Asked Imam Ali (a.s.) By The Jews

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Imam Ali (A.S.) was always available when the three khalifa sought his advice on religious matters.
His position as the jurist was on the top of the list among the companions of the Holy Prophet (saw).
Umar Ibne Khattab the 2nd Caliph had given clear instructions that when Ali was present in the
mosque of the Prophet no one should take precedence over him in answering questions on religious
matters. In one such encounter during the time of the 2nd Caliph, a group of Jewish scholars
approached the caliph and said, "We have a few questions. If we get the answers to these questions
correctly, we will accept the Islamic faith.

"Ask whatever you want to ask," said the caliph.

They asked the following questions:

1. What are the locks and keys of heaven?
2. Who was the messenger who was neither of the human nor of the Jinn and who warned his people?

3. Which are the 5 beings who were created without ! the aid of ovaries?
4. What are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve?

The caliph thought over these questions for a time, then said, "I do not know the answers to these
questions. I will take you to a man who is most knowledgeable in the commandments of Allah and the
Holy Prophet and the greatest among us.

The caliph then brought the Jewish scholars to Ali (a.s.). They asked the same questions to him. Ali
(a.s.) answered thus:

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1. The locks of the heavens are beliefs in more than one god, and its keys are the letters of "La Ilaha
Illallah, Muhammad-Ur-Rasulallah."

2. The messenger who warned his people is the ant who, when Solomon's army was passing by, said
to his people, " Enter your houses so that the army may not stamp you out (without intention)". So
Allah states in the Holy Qur'an, " Until they came to the valley of the Ants, said an ant (addressing the
other ants of the valley) O" you ants' enter into! your dwellings, so that Solomon and his hosts may not
crush you while they know it not". (Sura An-Naml. V 18)

3. The five beings who were not born of ovaries are: Adam, Eve, the staff of Moses which used to
change into a python, the camel of Saleh, and the sheep of Ibrahim (which was sent by Allah to
become a ransom of the life of Ibrahim's son Ismael).

4.

· One is Allah who has no partners,

· two are Adam and Eve,

· three are the substances ( i.e. non-living matter, plants and animals),

· four are the Heavenly books: Torah of Moses, Bible of Jesus, Zubur of Dawood and the Qur'an of
Hadhrat Muhammad (saw).

· Five are the daily prayers.

· Six are the days of creation of the heavens and earth, as per the verse of the Qur'an: " And indeed
We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them two, in six periods and touched us
not any fatigue." (Sura Qaf V. 38).

· Seven are the seven heavens, in the light of the Qur'anic Verse: " And we have erected above you
the seven strong ones." (Sura An-Naba V12)

· Eight are those angels who bear the heavens, as per the Qur'anic Verse: " And the angels shall be on
the side of it; and above them shall bear that day `Arsh' (the throne of authority). of your Lord, eight of
them (Sura Al-Haaqqah. V.17)

· Nine are the nine signs given to Moses as stated by God: "And indeed we gave Moses nine clear
signs (miracles); so ask the children of Israel when he came to them, Pharaoh said to him; "Verily I
deem you O' Moses one bewitched. "(Sura Bani Israel, V 101).

· Ten are the ten days, i.e. God had promised Moses that he would stay on the mountain of Toor for
thirty days, and later added ten more days to this duration, as it is stated in the Qur'an." And we made
an appointment with Moses for thirty nights and completed it with ten more;" Thus was completed the
term of his Lord, forty nights, and (before he went up) Moses said to his brother Aaron: You take my
place among my people, act rightly and follow not the path of the mischief-makers." (Sura Al-A'araf.
V.142).

· Eleven are the brothers of Joseph, son of Jacob, as the Qur'an states, "When said Joseph to his
father, O' my father; Verily I did see (dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon,, I saw them all
prostrating to me." (Sura Yousuf. V.4).

· Twelve are the Twelve water-springs manifested by the staff of Moses, as God states, " And
(remember) when Moses sought water for his people; said We, `Strike the rock with your staff' Then
gushed out therefrom twelve springs; each people knew their drinking place; "Eat and drink God's
provision, and commit not evil in the earth acting mischievously. "(Sura Al Baqarah V60).

When the Jewish scholars heard the replies of Hadhrat Ali (a.s.) they said, "We bear witness that there
is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (saw) is His Messenger and Ali (a.s.) is the "Wasi" and

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successor of the Messenger of Allah as Aaron was the Wasi of Moses. They all embraced Islam, went
back to their tribe and converted all of them to Islam.

Who cut your fingers off?

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 Love of a friend!

There was a friend Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.), a good and

believing man, who unfortunately fell into error, and who had
to be punished. Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.) cut off the fingers
of his right hand. The man took hold of his cut hand, with the
blood dripping from it, with his left hand and went away. He
was then instigated by a seditious Kharijite, who wanted to
take advantage of the course of events for his own party and
against Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.), so he came up to the
companion of Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.) with an utter of
compassion and said:

"Who cut your fingers off?"

"The Chief of the Prophet's successors", he said, "the leader of the untainted ones
at the Resurrection, the most righteous among the believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib, the
Imam of Right Guidance, cut of the fingers of my right hand... the first to reach the
Gardens of Felicity, the hero of the brave, the avenger against the promoters of
ignorance, the giver of zakat (Charity)... the leader on the right and the perfect path,
the speaker of what is true and appropriate, the Champion of Makkah, the steadfast
exceller".

"Poor you!", said the Kharijite, "he cut of your fingers, and you extol him thus!"

"Why should I not extol him", replied the companion, "now that his friendship is
mixed with my flesh and blood? I swear by God that he did not cut off my fingers
except with a right that God has established".

Such was the love, attraction and the affection of the companion for Hadhrat Ali
Murtaza (A.S.).

Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.) said: "If I cut a faithful Muslim into pieces to make him
hate me, he will not turn into my enemy and if I give all the wealth of this world to a
hypocrite to make him my friend he will not befriend me. It is so because the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said: "O Ali! No faithful Muslim will ever be your
enemy and no hypocrite will ever be your friend."

Justice even against his own interests!

When it came to justice, Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.) never bothered about himself.
Shu'bi narrates the following incident which occurred during the Khalifah of Hadhrat
Ali Murtaza (A.S.).

He says, I once entered the vast open ground of Kufa. I witnessed that Hadhrat Ali
Murtaza (A.S.) was standing besides two containers which were filled with gold and
silver coins. A huge crowd had gathered around him. Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.) had
a whip in his hand for preventing the people from hampering the distribution of
money. Then Hadhrat Ali Murtaza (A.S.) began distributing the money until nothing
remained for himself and returned home empty-handed.

I returned home and said to my father: "I witnessed a very strange act today but I
failed to comprehend if this person's action was good or bad because he never
retained anything for himself". When asked about the person, I said, "Hadhrat Ali
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 A Biographical

Profile of Imam Ali (a.s)

http://www.freewebtown.com/shiaofahlulbayt/documents/english/A%20Biographical%20Profile
%20Of%20Imam%20Ali.htm

http://www.maaref-foundation.com

http://www.al-islam.org/encyclopedia/index.html

http://www.ghadeer.org/english/tradition/40forty/subjct.htm

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kTbWX_4RhpU

http://www.al-islam.org/peshawar/index.html

www.shiabelievers.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Eur0qSNl8

Sunni Markaz Wilayat e Ali (a.s)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPwJrkO2IaA&feature=related

http://www.al-islam.org/revealer/

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