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?

Birth of the son of Kaaba,Imam Ali b. Abi Talib

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.

Shia point of view regarding the Imam Ali’s birth

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.

Poetry about the Imam’s birth

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:

1.  Kitab al-Kafi (first Volume – page 452)
2. Kitab al-Irshad (first Volume – page 5)
3.  I'lam al-Wara bi A'lam al-Huda (first Volume – page 306)
4.  Bihar al-Anwar (35th Volume – page 182)
5.  Description of Nahj al-Balagha (first Volume – page 6)
6.  Manaqib Ale Abi Talib (third Volume – page 307)
7. 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.
 

Islam, as the last divine monotheistic religion, is the most perfect of the religions: “Today I have perfected your religion for you… and I have approved Islam as your religion.” (5:3). By introducing Islam, Allah has completed His blessings upon human beings (5:3). In other words, Islam provides everything that humans need to reach their perfection and salvation in the afterlife [1]; what they require for a divine life in this world and the tools they need for their social life, too; including their rights and responsibilities. The Islamic responsibilities of each individual towards others were thoroughly discussed previously. Here, the focus will be on Islamic responsibilities that concern the rights and benefits of people in society.

1. Social Expediency Is the Priority

When reviewing the Islamic teachings, one can notice the importance of congregation, unity, and brotherhood in the society. That is why many duties such as those to parents, neighbors, relatives, sick people, the elderly, the young people, mentors, etc. as various members of society are defined in Islam. Doing good to orphans, those in need, the traveler and the beggar, and freeing slaves (2:177) is another Islamic principle that concerns the members of society.

Hence, it can be concluded that in most cases, Islam has preferred the benefits of the congregation over the individual, even if it imposes a limitation or a loss to the individual. This can be compared to some of the social rules that aim to bring order in society but are limiting to individuals (e.g., red light). 

2. No to Social Ranking or Racial Discrimination 

In Islam, there is no place for arrogance and racism, but brotherhood towards other Muslims and a general sense of humanity towards every human being have been encouraged [2]. According to the Quran, the diversity of life and the various languages and colors of human beings are all signs of Allah’s majesty (30:22). Also, as Islamic teachings suggest, no privileged class exists, and everyone is equal in society, the only criteria for superiority over others is having piety or moral excellence (49:13).

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) has also emphasized this in a narration where he (PBUH&HP) says that all human beings are from the same father (Adam (AS)) and no nation or race is superior to the other [3]. In another narration, he (PBUH&HP) says that whoever knows more than others is more respected [4], and he repudiates the discriminations based on tribe, origin, color, and wealth. 

3. Giving Alms-Tax (Zakat) Is an Islamic Responsibility

By many of its rulings and duties considered for its followers, Islam aims to direct the attention of each individual to other’s needs. One way of achieving this goal is through the Alms-Tax (Zakat). Zakat is an exact amount of money that must be paid according to the rules of Sharia to be used in favor of the people in need or for certain beneficial deeds in society. Zakat can be given to poor people or can be spent on public welfare or creating jobs.

It should be noted that one can directly pay Zakat to the needy people only under the permission of his/her religious expert (Marja’). The aim is to manage and organize the resources by an expert aware of the requirements of the society; Marja’. This is one of the solutions to prevent a particular group of community to manipulate the economy. It empowers those who have been neglected in society to become productive and useful. 

4. Voluntary Charity (Sadaqah)

Sadaqah is giving away something (money, clothes, food, teaching, etc.) voluntarily to someone in need without expecting anything in return and with the intention of pleasing Allah: “spend from what we have provided you” (63:10). Giving charity in the form of Sadaqah is highly recommended in Islamic teachings. However, the manner of giving charity is of high importance in Islam. Sadagah should be offered discreetly to needy people rather than in public with the intention of showing off and pretending to be generous. This means that Islam encourages the preservation of human dignity. 

Here, we reviewed a general Islamic viewpoint that guarantees the rights of every member of the society and the importance it gives to social expediency. These Islamic recommendations will ultimately promote human rights and dignity.  

References:

1. M H Tabataba'i, “Tafsir al-Mizan”, Surah Al-Maidah.
2. islam and humanity
3. M. Karajaki, “Ma’dan al-Jawahir wa-Riyadat al-Khawatir”, p. 21.
4. Shaykh Saduq, “al-Amali”, p. 27.