أبو الحسنيين
22-10-2008, 12:06 PM
IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL
THE GREAT ATTRIBUTES OF IMAM ALI (A.S)
1. Imam Ali the Trustworthy
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.
2. Imam Ali & His Brother Aqeel
Imam Ali 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 Imam 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) said: 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 Ali: 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!!!!!!
3. Imam Ali & the Camel keeper
One day Imam Ali (A.S.) went to say his prayers in the Masjid, when a man came to Imam Ali and offered him to look after his camel whilst he went to say his prayers. Imam Ali 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. Imam Ali 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, as such Imam Ali 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 Ali: Showing him the eight dirhams 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 to his Servants, now whether he earns it lawfully or unlawfully, begs or steals or gambles, he is not going to get anything more , 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.
4. Imam Ali & the murdered Man
During the time of Imam Ali (A.S) a man was convicted of a murder.
Imam Ali: 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.
Imam Ali 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 then let the man free.
Imam Ali 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.).
5. Imam Ali & the question of the Ladies
One day some ladies came to Imam 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?”
Imam 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, Imam Ali 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.”
Imam Ali: 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.
6. Imam Ali in the Caliphate ‘s court room
Once during the rule of the second Caliph Omar Ibn 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 Imam Ali (A.S).
Omar acted as a judge, as it 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 . 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 “Kunyah”.
You know that when respect is meant, we call a person by his Kunyah 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 GREAT ATTRIBUTES OF IMAM ALI (A.S)
1. Imam Ali the Trustworthy
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.
2. Imam Ali & His Brother Aqeel
Imam Ali 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 Imam 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) said: 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 Ali: 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!!!!!!
3. Imam Ali & the Camel keeper
One day Imam Ali (A.S.) went to say his prayers in the Masjid, when a man came to Imam Ali and offered him to look after his camel whilst he went to say his prayers. Imam Ali 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. Imam Ali 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, as such Imam Ali 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 Ali: Showing him the eight dirhams 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 to his Servants, now whether he earns it lawfully or unlawfully, begs or steals or gambles, he is not going to get anything more , 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.
4. Imam Ali & the murdered Man
During the time of Imam Ali (A.S) a man was convicted of a murder.
Imam Ali: 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.
Imam Ali 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 then let the man free.
Imam Ali 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.).
5. Imam Ali & the question of the Ladies
One day some ladies came to Imam 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?”
Imam 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, Imam Ali 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.”
Imam Ali: 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.
6. Imam Ali in the Caliphate ‘s court room
Once during the rule of the second Caliph Omar Ibn 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 Imam Ali (A.S).
Omar acted as a judge, as it 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 . 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 “Kunyah”.
You know that when respect is meant, we call a person by his Kunyah 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.”