In the footsteps of the Prophet

On a dark night, one look at the heavens is enough to reveal some facts of life. Stars scattered across the horizon reveal the wisdom of the Almighty. These stars, regardless of their distance from planet Earth, lit up the gloomy faade of the night. And, makes the questioner realize, that all it takes to revive the lost glory, is the light of Emaan. That light which when shone from a lone star can illuminate the galaxy, is in no way comparable to the light which shines from the heart embodied in the spirit of the Quran and Sunnah. Just like the stars of the night guides the lost, the stars of the Prophet 1 continue to guide the Ummah, come 1400 years. Since eternity, the light of the stars has not faded. This is the Sunnah of Allah, and similarly there is another Sunnah, and that of preserving the water which stemmed from the heel of Ismael2, some thousand of years before the birth of the Holy Prophet. That water which when touched by a Prophet does not stop, does not become stale, how can the light of our Holy Prophets stars diminish, when according to the Quranic parlance, this light i,e Islam is the religion accepted by Allah till the last day? Today, I would like to talk about one such star, nephew of the Holy Prophet, Son-in-law of the Prophet, Fath-e-Khaybar, Asadullah Ghalib, Khalifa-e-Rashid, Hazrat Ali (R.A). This is Ali, a small kid whom the Prophet takes in his hands, mould him into a man of unmatched wisdom and valour. This is Ali, the young man, whom the Prophet exclaims Arise, O Ali (in the battle of Badr). This is Ali, the brave whom the Prophet entrusts with the valuables and belongings of the Quraysh on the night of the Prophets Hijra. This is Ali, the eloquent, who on the death of the Prophet exclaimed If you had not counselled us with patience and forbidden us against wailing, Ali would have performed (your ablution) with tears. And, finally this is Ali, the obedient. The Prophet of Allah made Hazrat Abu Bakr his confidant, Ali became Abu Bakrs confidant. The Prophet made Abu Bakr his father-inlaw by marrying Hazrat Aisha, Ali wed his brothers widow, Asma bint Umais to Abu Bakr. The Prophet ordered in his last illness Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. Let the blamer find fault and let the ambitious aspire. God and the believers will not have it otherwise 3(He repeated the last sentence three times, and for the rest of the illness Abu Bakr led the prayer)4. Ali in love for the Prophet exclaimed That person whom Allahs Messenger chose as our religious (Prayer) leader, we made him our worlds leader, and made Abu Bakr our imam and leader. This is Ali, who on the funeral of his wife, Hazrat Fatima said O Abu Bakr, in your presence, it does not befit that I lead the (funeral) prayers. This is Ali, who understand Abu Bakrs attitude towards the Zakat rejectors, the sending of the army to Syria leaving Madina vulnerable to revolting tribes, the defiance of the Fake Prophet, and to deal with the Hadith rejecters. Hazrat Ali conveys all this, in some beautiful phraseology, on the death of Abu Bakr

By Allah, you are the fort (and castle) of Islam. There were no mistake in your argument, and nor any fault in your foresightedness. You were strong like the mountain which cannot be swayed by the winds, and nor uprooted by those who wish to (destroy it). This is Ali, who named his son Abu Bakr; the same Abu Bakr who was martyred with his brother Hussain at Karbala. This is Ali, who bestowed the epithet of Ashja un Nass (the most bravest of all) to Abu Bakr, and narrated this incident to the companions When we were at Badr, and arrows were being showered from all sides, it was Abu Bakr who guarded the Prophet, and when at Mecca (Utbah bin Muit) tried to strangle the Prophet to death, it was Abu Bakr who ran at the Prophets help, and in a bid to save the Prophet was beaten mercilessly by the Quraysh. What I have mentioned above is just one aspect of the Sirah of Hazrat Ali, and that his obedience to the Prophet. And, I have discussed various instances of the Prophets love for Hazrat Abu Bakr, and have shown that how Hazrat Ali following in Prophets footsteps loved and respected Hazrat Abu Bakr. Otherwise there are many facets of Hazrat Alis personality. Ali is in the words of the Prophet, much like Hazrat Isa5, Ali is the founder of the four types of Silsilas i.e Naqshbandi, Chishti, Suhrawardy and Qadri. Ali is as the Prophet said the greatest decision maker and Ali is the brave warrior about whom the Prophet said at Khyber Tomorrow will I give the standard unto a man whom God and His messenger love. God will give us the victory by his hands; he is not one who turns back in fight.

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Reference to the incident of the springing up off the Zam-Zam at the touch of Hazrat Ismails feet. Reference to the Hadith My Companions are even as the stars; whichsoever of them you follow, you shall be rightly guided 3 Tabaqat Ibn Saad 4 Muhammad by Martin Lings. Pg 342 5 Reference to the Hadith O Ali, you are very much like Isa. The Jews bare so much malice and enmity against him, that they even slandered his mother, Mariam, and the Christians bore him so much love that they put him on a pedestal that was not his.