Infraestructura urbanística

(i) Ibn Abul-Hadid, the Mu’tazilite scholar and commentator of Nahjul-Balagha, cites Abdullah ibn Abbas saying, “Once I asked my father: ‘Father! My cousin, Muhammad, has many sons. They all died while still infants. Which of them did he love the most?’ He replied: Ali ibn Abu Talib’. I said, ‘Father! I was inquiring about his sons.’ He replied, ‘The Holy Prophet (h) loved Ali (x) more than all of his sons.

When Ali (x) was a child I never saw him separated from Muhammad (h) for half an hour, unless Muhammad (h) went out of the house for some work. I never saw a father love his son so much as the Holy Prophet

(ii) The same author cites the companion of the Holy Prophet (h), Jubayr Ibn Mut`im ibn `Adiyy ibn Nawfil, saying that once his father addressed him and some young men of his family: “Have you noticed how the child Ali has been loving, venerating and obeying that young man, Muhammad (h), instead of his own father?! What an intensity of love and veneration! I swear by our gods, the Lat and the Uzza, that instead of having so many offspring of Nawfil around me, I wish I had a son like Ali (x)!”

(iii) Allama al-Tirmidhi (Jami al-Tirmidhi, Vol. 1, p. 38; Mishkat Vol. 2 p. 8 and Musnad Imam Ahmed Vol. I p. 146), quotes the Holy Prophet (h) saying, “O Ali! I wish to achieve every such thing for you that I desire to acquire myself and I want to keep you away from all those things whose contact I abhor.”

(iv) Allama al-Tabrani (in his book titled Al-Awsat) and Imam Hakim (in his Sahih) say that whenever the Holy Prophet (h) was in anger nobody dared to address him but Ali.

(v) Ibn Abul-Hadid (in his Commentary on Nahjul-Balagha, Vol.

21, p. 251) once again quotes the uncle of the Holy Prophet (h), Abbas, saying that they (the Holy Prophet [h] and Ali) loved each other intensely. The Prophet (h) was so fond of Ali that once when Ali was a young boy, he sent him out on some errand and the child took a long time to return, so he started getting worried and anxious; in the end, he prayed to Allah saying: Please, Lord! Do not let me die unless I see Ali again.”This incident is also quoted by al-Tirmidhi.

(vi) Ali started acting as the bodyguard of the Holy Prophet (h) even when he was just a boy of 13 or 14 years. The young men of Quraish under instigation of their parents used to stone the Holy Prophet (h). Ali took up the work of acting as his defender. He fell upon those young men, broke the nose of one, teeth of the other, pulled the ears of the third and threw down the fourth. He often fought against those who were older than himself, was often himself hurt, but he never forsook the self imposed duty. After some days he got the nickname of “Qazeem”(one who breaks or throws away) and nobody dared to throw anything at the Holy Prophet (h) when Ali (x) was with him. He would not let the Holy Prophet (h) go out of the house alone (Ayan, Vol. 3, p. 280).

Offering himself as a sacrifice at the night of Hijra (migration) and his subsequent behavior in all the battles are enough proofs of the intensity of Ali’s love for the Holy Prophet (h).

9. Character

I. Jurjy Zaidan (George Gordan) who died recently was a famous Christian historian, linguist, philosopher and poet of modern Egypt.

Arabic was his mother tongue, but he was so well-versed in English, French, Germany, Persian and Latin that he used to contribute to historical and philosophical magazines of France, Germany and England.

About Hazrat Ali he says the following:

“None can praise Ali (x) to the extent that he deserves. So many instances of his piety and fear of Allah are cited that one starts loving and venerating him. He was a true, strict and scrupulous follower of Islam.

His words and deeds bore stamps of nobility, sagacity and courage of conviction. He was a great man having his own independent views about life and its problems. He never deceived, misled, or betrayed anybody. In various phases and periods of his life he exhibited marvelous strength of body and mind which were due to his true faith in religion and in his sincere belief in truth and justice. He never had servants and never allowed his slaves to work hard. Often he would carry his household goods himself and if anybody offered to relieve him of the weight he would refuse.”

II. The famous Egyptian philosopher and Professor of Islamics of Alazhar University, allama Muhammad Mustafa Beg Najeeb, in his equally famous book Himatul Islam [protectors of Islam] says the following: “What can be said about this Imam?! It is very difficult to fully explain his attributes and qualities. It is enough to realize that the Holy Prophet (h) had named him the gateway of knowledge and wisdom. He was the most learned person, the most brave man and the most eloquent speaker and orator. His piety, his love of Allah, his sincerity and fortitude in following religion were of such high order that none could aspire to reach him. He was the greatest politician because he hated diplomacy in the way of injustice and loved truth and justice, his was the policy as taught by Allah. On account of his sagacity and thorough knowledge of

man of such surpassing and pre-eminent attributes and such transcending and peerless qualities that many learned men accepted perplexed about him and imagined him to be an incarnation of Allah. Several men among the Jews and Christians love him and such philosophers who came to know of his teachings bow down before his incomparable vast knowledge. Roman kings would have his pictures in their palaces and great warriors would engrave his name on their swords”(Himatul Islam, part I, p. 98).

III. Another philosopher and historian of Egypt, namely Prof.

Muhammad Kamil Hatha, pays his tributes in the following words: His life is a agglomeration of pleasing incidents, bloody encounters and sad episodes. His personality is very prominent on account of his transcending and high qualities. Each aspect of his life is so lofty and glorious that a study of one phase would make you feel that it was the best phase of his character and the most beautiful picture of his personality, while contemplation of any other phase will enchant you more and you will come to the conclusion that no human being can attain that height and a third aspect will fascinate you equally and you will realize that before you is a personality of such great eminence that you cannot fully appreciate its greatness and you will feel that Ali (x) was an Imam (Leader) in battlefield, was an Imam (Leader) in politics, was an Imam in religion and also an Imam in ethics, in philosophy, in literature, in learning and wisdom. It is not difficult for Allah to create such a person (a review on the character of Ali by Ustad (Professor) Muhammad Kamil Hatha, P. 40)

IV. The historian John J. Pool (author of The Life of H.M. Queen Victoria) in his book Studies in Muhammadanism makes the following points:

(i) This prince was a man of mild and forbearing character, wise in counsel and bold in war. Prophet Muhammad (k) had given him the surname of “the Lion of Allah.”

(ii) Ali (x) and his sons Hassan (x) and Hussain (x) were truly noble men; men of righteousness, men of a brave, a humble and a forgiving spirit. Their lives deserve to be commemorated for there was a peculiar pathos about them (their lives) which were not spent selfishly or in vain. As Matthew Arnold (Essays in Criticism) says, “The sufferers of Kerbala’ had aloft to the eyes of millions the lessons so loved by the sufferer of Cavalry (Representation of Crucifixion): ‘Learn from me, for I

am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls.’”He further says that Ali (x) was the first Caliph to protect and encourage national literature. This prince was a scholar himself and many of his wise sayings and proverbs are published in a book. It is a remarkable work and deserves to be more widely read in the West.

V. Ibn Abul-Hadid, the Mu’tazilite commentator of Nahjul-Balagha, says the following: “Hazrat Ali had a personality in which opposite characteristics had so gathered that it was difficult to believe a human mind could manifest such a combination. He was the bravest man that history could cite and such brave persons are always hard hearted, cruel and eager for bloodshed. On the contrary Ali was kind, sympathetic, responsive and a warm-hearted person, qualities quite contradictory to the other phase of his character and more suited to pious and Allah fearing persons.”

He was an extremely pious and God-fearing person and often pious and religious persons avoid society and do not care to mix with men of sins and men of wrath. Similarly, warriors, kings and dictators are usually arrogant and haughty. They consider it below themselves to mix with poor, lowly and humble persons. But Ali (x) was different. He was a friend to all. As a matter of historical fact it is known that he had a tender spot in his heart for the poor and humble and for the orphans and the cripples. To them he was always a kind friend, a sympathetic guide and a fellow sufferer; he was meek unto them but haughty and arrogant against famous warriors and generals, so many of whom he had killed in hand to hand combat. He was always kind but strict with wayward persons, sympathetically teaching them the ways of Allah. He always smiled and passed happy and witty rejoinders, it was difficult to overcome him in any debate or repartee, his rejoinders and retorts always bore high marks of culture, education and knowledge.

He was a scion of a very illustrious, rich and noble clan, as well as son-in-law and great favorite of the Holy Prophet (h). At the same time he was the greatest warrior and marshal of his time, yet in spite of his riches he ate, dressed and lived like a poor person. To him wealth was for the use of other needy persons, not for himself and his family. Change of times and change of circumstances did not bring any change in his