There is no doubt among us that after our dear Prophet Mohammad (PBUH&HP), our twelve imams (AS) are the most important figures of our religion. Therefore, today we wish to learn more about Imam Ali (AS) , the first male convert of the religion, his birth, and conditions surrounding it.
The faithless say, ‘You have not been sent [by Allah].’ Say, ‘Allah suffices as a witness between me and you, and He who possesses the knowledge of the Book.’ The Holy Quran 13:43
And among the people is he who sells his soul, seeking the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is most kind to [His] servants. The Holy Quran 2:207
If the two of you repent to Allah... for your hearts have certainly swerved, and if you back each other against him, then [know that] Allah is indeed his guardian, and his supporters are Gabriel, the righteous among the faithful, and thereafter the angels... The Holy Quran 66:4
If we seek the true meaning of these three verses from our holy book, they all point towards Ali (AS) as their primary focus, guiding us to some aspects of his life. Our dear Imam has been implicitly described by The Quran multiple times, highlighting his great importance in our religion.
No one can fully describe the contributions of Imam Ali (AS) to his religion and the people. If anyone dares to do so, they can only convey a fraction of his significance - like a drop in the sea. With that said, we are about to discuss the first question that may come to our mind: how was our first Imam born?
Thirty years after the “year of the elephant” (*) occurrence, specifically on the 13th of Rajab (March 8th), Prophet Mohammad (PBUH&HP) was 30 years old. This was a decade before our dear The Prophet (PBUH&HP) received the initial revelation from the angel Gabriel and 23 years prior to the great migration of Muslims from Mecca to Medina.
At this juncture, our dear Imam's pregnant mother, Fatima Daughter of Asad, was praying at Kaaba. She experienced intense labor pains, leading her to seek refuge at the Kaaba from the pain.
Remarkably, the wall of Kaaba moved apart, providing shelter for her three whole days. After these days, she came out of Kaaba with her precious son, our first Imam, Ali b. Abi Talib (AS). Imam’s birth was an exceptional honor bestowed upon Islamic nation, and the extraordinary events – the walls moving, his mother’s presence in the holy site of Islam, and his unique birth in the Kaaba - all signified the greatness of the son of the Kaaba.
Fatima Daughter of Asad was the second woman to convert to Islam (after Prophet’s wife, Khadija (SA)). She had the privilege of taking care of the Prophet (PBUH&HP) from the age of eight until his youth in the house of Abu-Talib. Their relationship was so close that Prophet (PBUH&HP) referred to her as “mother,” establishing the early bond that linked the Prophet (PBUH&HP) and Imam Ali (AS) as brothers.
1. Sheikh Mofid (died in 413th AH): our first Imam, Ali b. Abi Talib (AS), was born on Friday the 13th of Rajab, thirty years after the Year of the Elephant in Mecca. No one ever had been born in the Kaaba before or after him. His birth was the great honor, showcasing his distinction over other men of his age.
2. Allamah Al-Hilli (died in 726th AH): Imam Ali (PBUH) was born on Friday the 13th of Rajab and thirty years after the Year of the Elephant. No one before or after him was born in the Kaaba during that time. The Prophet (PBUH&HP) was thirty years old back then.
Sunni point of view regarding the Imam’s birth
Many Sunni scholars believe that the Imam’s birth took place in the Kaaba. Some even hold the view that occurrence was exclusively for the Imam. A few of the scholars’ perspectives are as follows:
1. Al-Hakim al-Nishapuri (died in 658th lunar year): Numerous consecutive narrations indicate that Fatima bt. Asad gave birth to Ali b. Abi Talib in the Kaaba.
2. Sibt ibn al-Jawzi Hanafi (died in 654th lunar year): It has been narrated that when Fatima bt. Asad was pregnant and performing Tawaf around the Kaaba, she experienced intense labor pain. She sought refuge in the Kaaba, and suddenly, the Kaaba’s door opened for her, so she entered and gave birth to her child.
Syed Ismail Himayari (died in 173rd AH) was one of the greatest poets of Arabic literature. He composed a poem about this unique birth:
His mother bore him in the God’s safe site; God’s house and masque was his birth place
He was pure and noble; his mother, his child, and his birthplace too
On one of the darkest nights, he appeared with celestial purity
No child, except for Amine’s child, is honored like him.
References:
- Kitab al-Kafi (first Volume – page 452)
- Kitab al-Irshad (first Volume – page 5)
- I'lam al-Wara bi A'lam al-Huda (first Volume – page 306)
- Bihar al-Anwar (35th Volume – page 182)
- Description of Nahj al-Balagha (first Volume – page 6)
- Manaqib Ale Abi Talib (third Volume – page 307)
- Rawżat al-Vaeezin (page 81)
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* In that year, Kaaba invaded by faithless king Abraha and his great elephant army and ironically saved by Allah himself with an army of birds carrying small stones by their pecks that penetrate the elephants body and skull and all of them got killed and Kaaba was saved.
The Cambridge dictionary defines wisdom as using knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments. (1) The most similar equivalent for this word in Arabic is the word “حکمة” (“Hikmah”) which denotes justice, knowledge and tolerance. (2)
This word has been used so many times in the holy Quran and has a special meaning in Islamic literature. The holy Quran says:
Allah grants wisdom to whomever He wishes, and he, who is given wisdom, is certainly given an abundant good, and none takes admonition except those who possess intellect. (2:269)
About this verse of the Quran, Imam Sadiq (AS) says:
(In this verse) Allah The Almighty has portrayed the intellectuals in the best way. (3)
Allah The Almighty has rapidly pointed out this fact that He has sent the prophets with “Hikmah” and they should teach people how to be wise. The holy Quran says:
Allah certainly favored the faithful when He raised up among them an apostle from among themselves to recite to them His signs (the verses of Quran) and to purify them and teach them the Book and wisdom, and earlier they had indeed been in manifest error. (3:164)
And:
There have already come to them, reports (via the Prophets) containing admonishment, [and representing] far-reaching wisdom; but warnings are of no avail! (4:54)
Also:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good advice and dispute with them in a manner which is the best manner.. (16:125)
And:
When Jesus brought those manifest proofs, he said, ‘I have certainly brought you wisdom, and [I have come] to make clear to you some of the things that you differ about, so be wary of Allah and obey me. (43:63)
Allah almighty even says that the holy Quran is a book full of wisdom:
These are among [precepts] that your Lord has revealed to you of wisdom. (17:39)
These are the signs of the wise Book (31:2)
The original meaning of the word “Hikmah” is wisdom, knowledge and tolerance and the ability to use your knowledge in the best way; but Allah The Almighty prefers some special kinds of wisdom. The verses of the Quran and the hadiths, try to clarify the true meaning of wisdom from Islamic sight.
• Abu-Basir, one of the brilliant pupils of Imam Sadiq (AS) once asked him about the verse; “He grants wisdom to whomever He wishes (2:269)”. Imam Sadiq (AS) replied, “That (Wisdom) is obeying Allah and knowledge about Islam” (4)
• Imam Baqir (AS) also says that “Hikmah” means: “not to commit the sins that Allah has ordained for it the Hell as a punishment” (5)
• Once Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) asked a group of people who they are.
They said that they are some faithful people.
The Prophet (PBUH & HP) asked: “What are the signs of your faith?”
They said: “We are content about what Allah has planned for us and we are submissive to the order of our God and we trust in him for everything.”
The Prophet said: “You are so knowledgeable and wise the way that your wisdom can almost make you like prophets.” (6)
Imam Sadiq (AS) about the verse “…and he, who is given wisdom, is certainly given an abundant good (2:269)” said ,“The abundant good is knowing Imam Ali (AS) and the other Imams (AS)” (7)
He also said: “(The “Hikmah” mentioned in the verse is) obeying Allah and knowing the Imam (of your time)”
In Arabic, the word “جهل” (Jahl) means “Ignorance”, which can be considered the opposite of “Hikmah”. So anyone who is not “Hakim” (wise) is “Ignorant” in Islamic culture. There is a hadith narrated from the Prophet (PBUH & HP) in which he said:
Anyone who dies while they don’t have an Imam will have died like a person in the ages of ignorance (8)
This hadith has been narrated by all Muslims’ Sunnis and Shiites and the authenticity of this record is undeniable.
About knowing the Imam, Imam Sadiq (AS) also said:
Anyone from among the followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) who understands the status and the rights of their Imam, will find how delightful having faith is.(9)
The last meaning of “Hikmah” mentioned in the Hadiths is “Fiqh” (jurisprudence) which means “Understanding”. In Islamic culture, this word is employed to define a deep understanding of religion and profound knowledge about it . (10)
Imam Sadiq (AS) said:
“Hikmah is the knowledge about religion and understanding it (Fiqh). Therefore, anyone who understands the teachings of the religion is a “Hakim” (a wise person). Indeed above all, Satan wishes the ones who deeply understand religion, to be dead.” (11)
The Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) said:
Allah has given me the Quran and he also gave me Hikmah just like the Quran and every house which therein is no Hikmah is nothing but a ruined place. So learn Fiqh and get to know the religion so that you don’t die like ignorant people. (12)
To wrap up, in the Islamic view, “wisdom” means knowing how to live as a good servant of Allah and living the same way. As you see, all the meanings mentioned in the Quran and the Hadiths are about knowledge of religion and living the way religion indicates. Knowing your Imam (who is the leader Allah has chosen for you) is the best way to understand what you should do and how you should obey the orders of Allah. It is then obvious that all these different meanings and teachings employ a common concept which is obeying the order of Allah after having enough knowledge about it.
It is then obvious that all these different meanings and teachings employ a common concept; obeying the orders of Allah after gaining and enjoying competent knowledge about them.
Resources
- https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/wisdom
- Al-Ain, Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, vol.3, pg.66
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.13
- Tafsir noor ath-Thiqhlain, al-Huvaizi, vol.1, pg.287
- Tafsir, Al-Ayyashi, vol.1, pg.151
- At-Tohid, Sheikh Saduq, pg.371
- Tafsir noor ath-Thiqhlain, al-Huvaizi, vol.1, pg.287
- Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol.28, pg.88
- Basa’ir ad-Darajat, Muhammad ibn Hassan as-Saffar, pg.412
- Sihah, al-Johari, vol.6, pg.2243
- Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol.1, pg.151
- Majma al-Bayan, Sheikh at-Tabarsi, vol.2, pg.194
There is a question that occupies the minds of many of us; what will remain of us in this world after we are long gone? Have we left this world and the generations followed by us a worthy legacy? Or we will soon be forgotten? Or even worse, we have left so much evilness and destruction that would never be wiped away from the face of this world? Looking at the lives of prominent figures, throughout the history of Islam, we realize how much effort they have put into spreading a valuable message and leaving behind an enduring legacy for future generations. Despite being under the restraint and pressure of the Caliphs of his time, Imam Sadiq (AS), the sixth Imam of Shias and one of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH&HP) grandchildren, has left Muslims with the most considerable amount of religious content which turned into an essential point of reference for them until the present.
In what follows, we will have a look at the life of Imam Sadiq (AS), this praised personality.
Ja'far b. Muhammad b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ali b. Abi Talib (AS), known as Imam Sadiq (AS), was born on April 20, 702, in Medina. His father was Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS), and his mother was Umm Farwa, the daughter of al-Qasim, son of Muhammad b. Abi Bakr [1]. He had the opportunity to spend twelve years of his life with his grandfather, Imam Sajjad (AS), and thirty-one years with his father. His title al-Sadiq, which literally means "truthful," was given to him, since he avoided any direct involvement in the uprisings of his time [2].
Imam Sadiq (AS) had ten children, among whom was Imam Musa al-Kazim (AS), who was born on 745 A.D.
After the martyrdom of Imam Baqir (AS), Imam Sadiq (AS) was chosen as the leader of Shia Muslims, which lasted thirty-four years. The period of Imam Sadiq (AS) 's leadership coincided with the reign of the last five Umayyad caliphs, including Hisham b. 'Abd al-Malik, Valid b. Yazid b. 'Abd al-Malik, Yazid b. Valid b. 'Abd al-Malik, Ibrahim b. Valid b. 'Abd al-Malik and Marwan b. Muhammad.
While Imam Sadiq (AS) witnessed a period of hardship and restrain under the reign of Hisham, after some years due to the weakening of Umayyads, which finally led to the fall of this dynasty, he found the chance to engage in scholarly activities and promote the actual Islamic teachings. He held many secret gatherings and meetings in which up to four thousand people attended, Imam Sadiq (AS) transferred his knowledge to his students, which later quoted many Hadiths from him and turned into authentic sources for future Muslim scholars [3].
After the fall of the Umayyad dynasty, Imam Sadiq (AS) witnessed the rise of Abbasid caliphs and lived during the reign of two of them, including al-Saffah and al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi. During the time of the first Abbasid caliph, al-Saffah, which was a period of instability and social and political upheavals, being engaged mostly in abolishing the remaining of Umayyad dynasty and their followers, provided Imam Sadiq (AS) with an excellent chance to go on with his scholarly and religious efforts and attract as many students as he could.
Nevertheless, with the coming of al-Mansur to the throne, a period of total suppression and severe restraint began. During his realm, people lived in utter terror, and any kind of opposition was punished severely. Therefore, al-Mansur considered Imam Sadiq (AS) and his followers as a threat to his throne, and since Imam Sadiq (AS) was a public figure respected by all the people, he couldn't hurt him directly. So, he tried to weaken Imam's (AS) reputation and social status by enticing his students to engage in a debate with Imam Sadiq (AS) and defeat him. But all their efforts were futile [4].
Al-Mansur made many attempts to bring harm to Imam Sadiq (AS) and summoned him a few times to his court, intending to assassinate him, yet he wasn't successful. Imam Sadiq (AS) generally didn't tend to meet al-Mansur and attend his court. Al-Mansur was offended by Imam Sadiq's (AS) manner and one day asked him, "Why don't you come to meet me in my court like others?" and Imam (AS) answered, "I didn't do anything to be afraid of you, and you don't benefit us in the hereafter so that I would have hope in you. This position of you is not a blessing to be congratulated by me, and you don't find it a disaster to be comforted by me. So why would I attend you?" [5]
During Imam Sadiq's (AS) life, some religious groups formed, which deviated from the true teachings of Islam and Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH&HP) tradition. To oppose these movements and save Islam from such deviations, Imam Sadiq (AS) held many debates with the heads of these groups and tried to bring their falsehood into the light. Or he would send his students to have discussions with them. He always advised his students and followers to be wary of such deviatory movements and cut all ties with them.
As it was mentioned above, Imam Sadiq (AS) enjoyed an excellent opportunity to spread his knowledge among as many people as he could, which resulted in the transmission of a significant number of hadiths from him to the future generation. Therefore, most of the hadiths in fiqh or theology are from Imam Sadiq (AS) [2]. Due to his significant role in spreading the true Islamic teachings, Twelver Shiism is often called Ja'fari School [3]. Moreover, he held many dialogues and debates with theologians and scholars of different sects and religions, and even atheists, in which he managed to prove the authenticity of his stance. Some of the most famous students of Imam al-Sadiq (a) are Zurara b. A'yan, Burayd b. Mu'awiya, Jamil b. Darraj, 'Abd Allah b. Muskan, 'Abd Allah b. Bukayr, Hammad b. 'Uthman, Hammad b. 'Isa, Aban b. 'Uthman, 'Abd Allah b. Sinan, Abu Basir, Hisham b. Salim, Hisham b. al-Hakam.
Imam Sadiq was famous for his piety, knowledge, abundant and devoted worship, and great generosity [7]. It is reported that he spent a significant part of his time praying, fasting, or saying dhikr (remembrance) [8].
Many narrations are reported about his generosity and kind manner toward people who lived in poverty. For instance, "it is reported that the Imam (AS) gave four hundred dirhams to a beggar, and when he thanked the Imam (a), he (a) gave him his ring, which was worth 10,000 dirhams. According to another report, the Imam would put some bread, meat, and money in a bag and would take it to the houses of the poor and divide it among them, without letting them know who he was. Abu Ja'far al-Khath'ami reports that Imam al-Sadiq (a) gave him a bag of money and asked him to give it to someone from Banu Hashim without telling him from where the money was coming. When Abu Ja'far gave the money to that man, he prayed for the sender and told him that this person always sends him money, but Imam al-Sadiq (a) never sends him anything even though he is rich!" [9]
Imam Sadiq (AS) was martyred on 765 A.D. at the age of sixty-three, poisoned by order of al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi. He was buried in the al-Baqi' Cemetery beside his father, Imam Baqir (AS), his grandfather Imam Sajjad (AS), and his uncle Imam Hasan (AS) [10].
References:
- Mufīd, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-. Al-Irshād fī maʿrifat ḥujaj Allāh ʿalā l-ʿibād. Vol.2, P.180.
- Pākatchī, Aḥmad. 1389 Sh. "Imām Jaʿfar Ṣādiq (a)". Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī 18:180-220.
- Shahīdī, Sayyid Jaʿfar. Zindigānī-yi Imām Ṣādiq Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad (a), p. 47.
- Al-Suyuti, History of the Caliphs, p. 208-209.
- Baha' al-Din 'Ali b. 'Isa al-Irbili, Kashf al-ghumma fi ma'rifat al-a'imma, vol.2, p.208.
- Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. Al-Kāfī. vol. 1, p. 79, 80, 171-173.
- Baha' al-Din 'Ali b. 'Isa al-Irbili, Kashf al-ghumma fi ma'rifat al-a'imma, vol.2, p.691.
- Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 47, p. 16.
- Imam sadiq
- Ibn Shahrāshūb, Manāqib Āl Abī Ṭālib, vol. 4, p. 210.