stories of ali bin abi talib as

[YA ALI]

salams

1.
There was a friend of Amir al-Muminin, a good and believing man,
who unfortunately fell into error, and who had to be punished. Imam Ali
cut off the fingers of his right hand. The man took hold of his cut hand,
with the blood dripping from it, with his left hand and went away. He was
then instigated by a seditious Kharijite, who wanted to take advantage of
the course of events for his own party and against Imam Ali, so he came
up to the man with an utter of compassion and said:

Who cutt your hands off?

The Chief of the Prophet's successors, he said, the leader of the
untainted ones at the Resurrection, the most righteous among the
believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Imam of Right Guidance, cutt of
the fingers of my right hand ..... the first to reach the Gardens
of Felicity, the hero of the brave, the avenger against the promoters
of ignorance, the giver of zakat .... the leader on the right and the
perfect path, the speaker of what is true and appropriate, the
Champion of Mecca, the steadfast exceller.

Poor you! said the man, he cutt of your hands, and You extol him thus!

Why should I not extol him, replied the companion, now that his
friendship is mixed with my flesh and blood? I swear by God that
he did not cutt off my hand except with a right that God has
established.

Such was the love, attraction and the affection of the companion for Ali.

[YA ALI]

Number 2

Once Ali was returning from a journey with a string of camels fully laden
with goods. On the way a beggar asked for a piece of bread. Ali ordered his
beloved slave Qambar to give some bread to the beggar. Qambar started
searching for bread. After a few moments Ali asked about the delay. Qambar
said, "I am looking for the bread." Ali said, "Give the bagger the camel
which carries the food."

After a while Ali again inquired about the delay.
Qambar replied, "I am searching for the camel carrying the food." "Give the
whole caravan", Ali ordered.

Qambar hurriedly jumped off from the camel & handed the reins of the whole
caravan to the fortunate beggar.

Ali smiled at the agility of Qambar & asked him, "Why did you jump so
quickly & hand over the reins in such a haste?" Qambar replied, Master, you
are in such a mood that on account of a little delay, you gave away the
whole caravan.

I was afraid if there was some more delay, you might give me
away also with the caravan. You will get a thousand slaves like me, but
where will I get a master like you?"

Number 3

Kufa was now the seat of the Islamic rule. The entire Muslim world
with the exception of Damascus looked towards Kufa for guidance. They
travelled to Kufa often.

Two men were in each other's company on the road to Kufa. One was a
muslim and the other was a non muslim. As they progressed, the non muslim
traveller asked his companion:

I am going further than Kufa, to a small village where I live. Where
are You going?

His muslim companion said:

I live in Kufa

They proclaimed happily, discussing various things, helping each other, all
in a spirit of cordiality. When they drew near to Kufa, the non muslim took
a side road towards his village. Just as he was about to bid farewell, he
observed that his muslim companion was coming with him.

Didn't you tell me that You are going to Kufa where You lived?

The muslim replied

Yes of course

On this the non muslim inquired

Then why were you coming this way? That is the only road leading to
Kufa?

I know, said the muslim, But we have long been companions. Our Prophet
(PBUH&HF) said that when two are companions to each other on a journey
they have obligations and duties towards each other. You gave me
company and now it is my duty to follow You a few steps and then make
a gentle departure.

No wonder that Your Prophet (PBUH&HF) managed to spread his faith so
quickly. His (PBUH&HF) teachings were indeed great.

And then it so happened that once the same non muslim entered Kufa. There
he found that his muslim companion had been none other but the Khalifa of
his time, Ali ibn Abi Talib . He soon became a muslim and remained the
most faithful of companion of the Imam.

Number 4

Once, after a day's hard work, Ali was sitting under a tree & eating his
barley bread & salt. A passing beggar asked him for food. Ali readily
offered to share what he was eating & gave the beggar a piece of bread.

The old beggar found it difficult to chew & complained that the bread was too
hard. Ali informed the beggar that he would get good hot food if he cared
to go to Imam Hasan's house.

When the beggar arrived at the given address, he found that a banquet was
spread out & people were eating. Imam Hassan invited the beggar to join
them. He started eating & after a while he would eat one mouthful & put one
mouthful in his bowl.

Seeing this, Imam Hasan said, "Why are you putting
food in your bowl? Have your fill & then you can take some more with you."
The beggar replied, "I am collecting some good food for a man, who is
eating dry barley bread & salt."
Imam Hasan smiled & said, "That man is Maula Ali & this house is his
house."

Number 5

The Guests

A father and a son were once guests of Imam Ali . As they arrived, Imam received them warmly and arranged for their comfortable accommodation. In a room where they were seated, Imam sat opposite them, engaging them in a friendly conversation. And then it was time for the meal. After food had been served and eaten, Qambar, Imam's servant, brought a basin and a pitcher full of water for washing the guests' hands. Imam took the pitcher himself and asked the father to extend his hands so that he would pour the water.

"How is it possible that my Imam serves me? It should be otherwise," the guest said.

Imam Ali said: "Here is your brother in faith, eager to serve his brother and to earn the pleasure of Allah. Why do you prevent him?"

But the guest hesitated. Finally Imam said: "As your Imam, I request that you allow me the honour of this service."

And when the guest complied, Imam said: "Let your hands be washed thoroughly. Do not hasten, thinking that I should be relieved of this duty early."

When it was the son's turn, Imam instructed his own son Muhammad b. Hanafiyyah, to hold the pitcher and wash the guest's hands. Looking at his son, Imam said:

I washed your father's hands. My son washed your hands. If your father had not been my guest today, I would have washed your hands myself. But Allah loves to see that when a father and a son are present in a place, the father enjoys a privilege and a priority.

Number 6
One Day a Jewish person came to Imam Ali (A.S.), thinking that since Ali thinks he is too smart, I'll ask him such a tough question that he won't be able to answer it and I'll have the chance to embarrass him in front of all the Arabs.

He asked "Ali, tell me a number, that if we divide it by any number from 1-10 the answer will always come in the form of a whole number and not as a fraction."

Ali Looked back at him and said, "Take the number of days in a year and multiply it with the number of days in a week and you will have your answer."

The person got astonished but as he was a Mushrik he still didn't believe Imam Ali (A.S.). He calculated the answer Imam Ali (A.S.) gave him.

To his amazement he came across the following results:

The number of Days in a Year = 360 (in Arab)

The Number of Days in a Week = 7

The product of the two numbers = 2520

Number 7
Imam Ali

A wifes share ?
The Imam was once interrupted while he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit by someone who asked him how to distribute the inheritance of someone who had died leaving a wife, his parents and two daughters. The Imam instantly answered:
"The wife's share becomes one ninth."

How ?

This answer is in fact the result of a long analysis with a number of steps. Ordinarily, we have to decide on the original share of each of these heirs, in the following way:

- The wife takes one eighth, in view of the presence of an inheriting child.[see Quran 4:12]

The deceased's father and mother take one sixth each. [Holy Qur'an 4:11]

The two daughters take two thirds of the inheritance. [Holy Qur'an 4:11]

So the total will be :
1/8 + 1/6 + 1/6 + 2/3 = 3/24 + 4/24 + 4/24 + 16/24 = 27/24

This means the share becomes less than 1/8 in view of the increase of the total of the shares which are so fixed and prescribed. So the one eighth, the original share due to the wife out of twenty-four total shares, has become three shares out of a total of twenty-seven, which is one ninth.

The Imam's mind went through this complex mathematical process in a second!

Number 8
Hamidi reports in his Jam'-e-Bainu's-Sahihain that during the caliphate of Umar, five people were arrested on the charge of fornication and brought before Umar. It was proved that the five men had committed fornication with a certain woman. Umar at once ordered them to be stoned to death. At that time Ali entered the mosque and having heard what Umar had ordered said to him: "Here your order is contrary to Allah's ordinance."


Umar said: "Ali! Fornication has been proved. Death by stoning is the prescribed punishment for this sin."


Ali said: "In the matter of fornication, there are different orders in different cases. Accordingly, in the present cases different orders should be passed."


Umar asked him to detail what the orders of Allah and His Holy Prophet were in those cases, for Umar had heard the Holy Prophet say on a number of occasions: "Ali is the most learned man and the best judge."


Ali ordered the five men to be brought to him. He ordered the first man to be beheaded. He ordered the second man to be stoned to death. He ordered the third man be given 100 lashes. The fourth man was given 50 lashes. The fifth man was given 25 lashes.


Umar, surprised and puzzled, said: "Abu'l-Hasan, how did you decide these cases in five different ways?"


The Holy Imam said: "The first man was an infidel under the protection of Islam. He committed fornication with a Muslim woman. Since he lost the protection of Islam he was liable to be killed. The second man had a wife, so he was stoned to death. The third man was unmarried; hence, he was ordered to be given 100 lashes. The fourth man was a slave who deserves a sentence half that of a free man, that is, 50 lashes. And the fifth man was an imbecile, so he was given a mild punishment, that is, 25 lashes."


Then Umar said: "If Ali had not been there, Umar would have been ruined O Abu'l-Hasan,! I hope I am not alive when you are not among us."




Number 9
In the time of the rule of Umar a woman came to him and confessed of adultery. She also said, "Please impose the penalty of fornication upon me."
When Umar heard this, he ordered that the penalty of fornication be executed upon this woman. Ali (a.s.) happened to be there and was surprised at this. He said, "Umar, inquire from this woman the conditions when she had committed fornication."
The woman explained, "I was extremely thirsty in the desert. When I went far in search of water, I sighted a black tent which belonged to an Arab. I approached him and asked for water. But he refused to give me any water without my having adultery with him. I did not agree to his devilish desires and ran away into the desert. My eyes became sunken and I felt as if each of my bones were breaking. I returned to this man and in exchange of a drink of water I gave my body to him."
Ali (a.s.) said,
"It is this compulsion which is mentioned in the ayat,
'...But whoever is compelled by hunger, in inclining willfully to sin, then surely Allah is Forgiving Merciful,'
(Surah Maidah 5:3).
This woman is not at all guilty of the crime."
Then Imam (a.s.) ordered for her release and she was released.
(Burhan - e - Quran)