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Imam 'Ali (a)

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Imam 'Ali (a) (Arabic: الإمام علي (ع)) was the first Imam of the Shia Muslims, the husband of Lady Fatima (s), and the father of Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a). According to Shia belief, he was appointed by God as the imam and caliph after Prophet Muhammad (s). Imam 'Ali (a) was the first male to believe in the Prophet of Islam, his son-in-law, and one of his closest Companions. He was a prominent and influential figure in early Islamic history.

In his sermons and letters, Imam 'Ali discussed the hajj and its purposes and effects, describing both hajj and 'umra as means of nearness to God and cleansers of sins. From his perspective, hajj and 'umra symbolize the humility of the servants before the greatness of the Lord.

During the Prophet's (s) lifetime, Imam 'Ali (a) performed hajj several times. Notably, in 9/631, he was tasked with proclaiming the verses of disassociation from the polytheists to the pilgrims. He also accompanied the Prophet (s) on the Farewell Pilgrimage. The exact number of his pilgrimages after the Prophet's demise is unknown. It is said that during his caliphate, he was unable to perform hajj.

There are various locations and structures in Hijaz and other Islamic lands associated with Imam 'Ali (a), including the House of Imam 'Ali in Medina and Kufa, Mosques of Imam 'Ali, Abar 'Ali, and Spring of Imam 'Ali in Karbala. His shrine is located in the city of Najaf, Iraq, and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Shia Muslims.

Life and Status

Ali b. Abi Talib was born in the year 30 of 'Am al-Fil/600[1] (23 years before the hijra) in Mecca, inside the Ka'ba.[2] He grew up in the house of Prophet Muhammad (s)[3] and is considered the first male convert to Islam.[4] Imam 'Ali was the husband of Lady Fatima (s)[5] and father of Imam al-Hasan (a), Imam al-Husayn (a), Lady Zaynab, and al-'Abbas b. 'Ali.[6]

In the 40th year after hijra/661, during morning prayer in the Kufa Mosque, he was fatally struck by Ibn Muljam al-Muradi, one of the Khawarij from Nahrawan, and was martyred three days later.[7]

Succession to the Prophet (s)

Shia Muslims believe that the Prophet's (s) successor must be divinely appointed, and that Prophet Muhammad (s), by God's command, appointed 'Ali b. Abi Talib as his caliph and leader of the Muslim community.[8] Despite this, Imam 'Ali remained away from political leadership for 25 years during the rule of the first three caliphs. After the assassination of 'Uthman b. 'Affan, the third caliph, people pledged allegiance to him[9] in the year 35/656.[10] He then assumed the caliphate[11] and during his nearly five-year rule, he modeled his governance on that of the Prophet (s) and enacted significant reforms.[12]

The Prophet's (s) Praise for Imam 'Ali (a)

The Prophet, who counted Imam 'Ali among his closest Companions[13], spoke highly of his virtues.[14] It is reported that the Prophet said: “Ali will never be separated from the truth, and the truth will never be separated from Ali.”[15] Imam 'Ali participated in all of the Prophet's battles, except for the Battle of Tabuk, when the Prophet appointed him as his deputy in Medina.[16] He is regarded as the perfect embodiment of the Prophet's spiritual training[17] and as a unique exemplar of piety and devotion.[18]

Imam 'Ali's Performance of Hajj

Imam 'Ali (a) performed hajj several times during the Prophet's (s) life, though the number of pilgrimages after that is unclear.[19] According to historical sources, he accompanied the Prophet on the 'Umrat al-Qada, a compensatory 'umra made in 7/629 when the Prophet (s) and a group of Muslims entered Mecca to perform the rituals.[20]

In the ninth year after hijra/631, the Prophet tasked Imam 'Ali (a) with publicly reciting the verses of disassociation at hajj.[21] This act is considered one of his virtues.[22] Notable practices of Imam 'Ali (a) during hajj included abstaining from hunting, using the sacrificial offering, performing ritual washing upon entering the sacred precinct, and combining the Maghrib and 'Isha prayers in Muzdalifah.[23]

He also participated in the Farewell Pilgrimage of the Prophet (s)[24], during the return from which the Prophet declared him his successor at Ghadir Khumm.[25]

It is said that due to the three civil wars (Jamal, Ṣiffīn, and Nahrawan), Imam 'Ali (a) was unable to perform hajj during his caliphate[26] and did not personally lead the pilgrimage. Instead, in 36/657 and 37/658, he appointed 'Abd Allah b. al-'Abbas, and in 38/659 and 39/660, his agent over Mecca, Qutham b. al-'Abbas, to lead the hajj.[27] It is also narrated that during his rule, the Kiswa (Ka'ba's cloth covering) was sent from Iraq.[28]

Imam 'Ali's View of Hajj

Main article: Hajj in the Sayings of Imam 'Ali (a)

Imam 'Ali emphasized the obligation of Hajj[29] and urged Muslims to fulfill this duty.[30] He spoke about the spiritual, social, political, and economic dimensions of hajj. In his words, hajj and 'umra pilgrims are guests of God[31], and the rituals are a means of nearness to God[32], a conduit for divine mercy[33], and a remover of poverty and sins.[34] He considered hajj a symbol of human humility before divine majesty.[35] He compared the pilgrims to thirsty seekers reaching a spring[36] and to birds seeking refuge.[37] From his view, performing hajj is a great honor bestowed upon certain servants of God.[38]

In his will to Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a), he emphasized visiting the Ka'ba and not abandoning it, warning that its abandonment would bring divine wrath.[39] In a letter to the governor of Mecca, he ordered the provision of cultural and welfare needs for pilgrims, especially ensuring they were housed free of charge and welcomed kindly.[40]

In a sermon, after describing the simplicity of the Ka'ba, Imam 'Ali reflects on why God placed it in a barren, rocky place rather than a fertile, green area —so the test of hajj would not be easy and its reward not small.[41]

Endowments

Main article: Endowments of Imam 'Ali (a)

Imam 'Ali during his lifetime, especially throughout the 25 years of the rule of the first three caliphs, was engaged in digging wells, establishing palm groves, and creating numerous farms and plantations, and then he dedicated all these properties and assets as endowments for the needy.[42] Imam 'Ali's endowments have been described as including more than 100 (or 170) wells in the Yanbu area and countless other wells and springs in various regions, particularly in the city of Medina and its surrounding areas, as well as the dedication of palm groves, numerous plantations, and similar properties.[43]

Shrines Attributed to Imam 'Ali (a)

In the Islamic lands, there are places attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) which serve as pilgrimage sites for Muslims. Some of these include:

Places Attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) in Hejaz

Main article: Places Attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) in Hejaz

There are locations and buildings in the land of Hejaz that bear the name of Imam 'Ali (a) or have connections to his life. Among these are:

  • Abyar 'Ali ('Ali's Wells), a palm grove south of the city of Medina, with wells attributed to Imam 'Ali (a).[49]
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Shrine of Imam 'Ali (a)

Main article: Holy Shrine of Imam 'Ali (a)

The burial place of Imam 'Ali (a) is located in the city of Najaf in the country of Iraq. According to Imam 'Ali's will, his sons Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a) secretly and overnight buried his body on a high land behind Kufa, which has been called by names such as Najaf, Dhuhr al-Kufa, and al-Ghari.[56] Imam 'Ali's grave remained hidden for years and only the Ahl al-Bayt (a) were aware of it.[57] Numerous traditions from the Infallible Imams (a) confirm the existence of Imam 'Ali's grave in Najaf.[58] After the fall of the Umayyads and the removal of the Khawarij threat, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a) informed some Shias about the location of Imam 'Ali's grave and even visited the grave with some of his companions. It is said that Harun al-Rashid was the first to build a dome over the grave.[59] Subsequently, various buildings were constructed on the grave at different times.[60]

  1. ↑ Al-Kafī, vol. 1, p. 452.
  2. ↑ Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 5; *The Lives of the Infallibles*, vol. 3, p. 4.
  3. ↑ *The Intellectual and Political Life of the Shia Imams*, p. 48.
  4. ↑ Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 6.
  5. ↑ Al-Ṭabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 16; *The Intellectual and Political Life of the Shia Imams*, p. 49.
  6. ↑ *Encyclopedia of the Commander of the Faithful based on the Qur'an, Hadith, and History*, vol. 1, pp. 126, 185.
  7. ↑ Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 9; Al-Kafī, vol. 1, p. 452.
  8. ↑ *Firaq al-Shi'a*, p. 17; *Encyclopedia of the Commander of the Faithful based on the Qur'an, Hadith, and History*, vol. 1, pp. 492–536; *Manṣhūr-i 'Aqa'id-i Imamīyyah*, pp. 149, 151.
  9. ↑ *Encyclopedia of the Commander of the Faithful*, vol. 3, p. 449.
  10. ↑ *Siyasat-nama-yi Imam 'Alī*, p. 23.
  11. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, p. 5.
  12. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, p. 5.
  13. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, pp. 4–5.
  14. ↑ *Encyclopedia of the Commander of the Faithful*, vol. 1, pp. 435–457; *Encyclopedia of Imam 'Ali b. Abi Talib*, vol. 1, pp. 61, 69, 72.
  15. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, p. 5.
  16. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, p. 5.
  17. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, p. 6.
  18. ↑ *A Brief Biography of the Imams*, p. 8.
  19. ↑ "Strategies of the Imams (a) during Hajj", p. 69.
  20. ↑ Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 353; Tafsir al-Namūnah, vol. 22, p. 107.
  21. ↑ Al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah, b. Hisham, vol. 4, pp. 970–973; 'Ilal al-Shara'i', vol. 1, p. 190; Al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah, b. Kathīr, vol. 4, pp. 68–69.
  22. ↑ "Strategies of the Imams (a) during Hajj", p. 70.
  23. ↑ *Ḥajj of the Prophets and Imams (a)*, pp. 233–236.
  24. ↑ Tarīkh-i Ya'qūbī, vol. 2, p. 109; Al-Kafī, vol. 4, pp. 247–248; Al-Tahdhīb, vol. 5, p. 227.
  25. ↑ Al-Irshad, vol. 1, pp. 170–176; *Life of the Commander of the Faithful Imam 'Ali*, p. 43.
  26. ↑ Tarīkh al-Khamīs, vol. 2, p. 278; "Strategies of the Imams (a) during Hajj", p. 69.
  27. ↑ "Amīr al-Ḥajj", vol. 3, p. 84.
  28. ↑ "The Commander of the Faithful and Sending the Kiswah", p. 202; "Strategies of the Imams (a) during Hajj", p. 73.
  29. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 1, p. 259.
  30. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 1, p. 254.
  31. ↑ *Ḥajj and 'umra in the Qur'an and Hadith*, p. 237.
  32. ↑ "hajj in Nahj al-Balaghah", p. 15.
  33. ↑ "hajj in Nahj al-Balaghah", p. 8.
  34. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 4, p. 624; "hajj in Nahj al-Balaghah", p. 12.
  35. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 1, p. 256.
  36. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 1, p. 255.
  37. ↑ "hajj in Nahj al-Balaghah", p. 7.
  38. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 1, p. 257.
  39. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 10, p. 278.
  40. ↑ "hajj in Nahj al-Balaghah", p. 8.
  41. ↑ *Message of Imam 'Ali (a)*, vol. 7, pp. 421, 428.
  42. ↑ “Study and Explanation of the Status of Imam 'Ali's Endowments,” p. 227.
  43. ↑ “Study and Explanation of the Status of Imam 'Ali's Endowments,” p. 227.
  44. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 258.
  45. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 128.
  46. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 260.
  47. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 244.
  48. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 2, p. 24.
  49. ↑ Encyclopedia of hajj and the Two Holy Shrines, vol. 1, p. 3.
  50. ↑ Islamic Monuments of Mecca and Medina, p. 173.
  51. ↑ Islamic Monuments of Mecca and Medina, p. 319.
  52. ↑ “Places attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) in Hejaz,” p. 92.
  53. ↑ “Places attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) in Hejaz,” p. 91.
  54. ↑ “Places attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) in Hejaz,” p. 86.
  55. ↑ “Places attributed to Imam 'Ali (a) in Hejaz,” p. 95.
  56. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 29.
  57. ↑ History of the Holy Shrine of Imam 'Ali (a), p. 148.
  58. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 30.
  59. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, p. 32.
  60. ↑ Shrines of Iraq, vol. 1, pp. 34–37.
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