Asad Allah

	Imam 'Ali (a); First Imam of Shi'a
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Asad Allāh (Arabic: اَسَدُ الله) is an attribute that literally means "the Lion of God" and when used about a human implies his courage. This title was used for Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib and Imam Ali (a).

Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib

Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet (s) was called Asad Allah^[1] and Layth Allah^[2]^[3] because of his courage in battles.

According to a hadith mentioned in historical and hadith sources, it is written on the pillar of 'Arsh (throne) that Hamza is Asad Allah wa Asad Rasul Allah' (the Lion of God and the Lion of the Messenger of God (s)).^[4]

In a war cry in the Battle of Badr, Hamza called himself Asad Allah and Asad Rasul Allah.^[5] In a ziyarah text attributed to him, he is saluted using this title.^[6]

Imam 'Ali (a)

The Prophet (s) also titled Imam Ali (a) as Asad Allah and Asad al-Rasul. In some sources, Imam Ali (a) is mentioned as Asad Allah al-Ghalib (Arabic: أسد الله الغالب; literally: the Lion of God, the Victorious).^[7]

Some Shi'a orators and preachers mention Imam Ali (a) as Asad Allah al-Ghalib in a prelude to their speeches.

Notes

↑ Ibn Ḥayyūn, Sharḥ al-akhbar, vol. 3, p. 228.
↑ Ibn Ḥajar, al-Iṣāba, vol. 5, p. 512.
↑ Layth is literally equivalent to "Asad" in Arabic, meaning "lion".
↑ Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 224.
↑ Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 1, p. 74.
↑ Ibn Qūlawayh, Kāmil al-zīyārāt, p. 22.
↑ Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 34, p. 268.

References

Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Aḥmad b. ʿAlī. Al-Iṣāba fī tamyīz al-ṣaḥāba. Edited by ʿĀdil Aḥmad ʿAbd al-Mawjūd & ʿAlī Muḥammad Muʿawwaḍ. Beirut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmīyya, 1415 AH.
Ibn Ḥayyūn, Nuʿmān b. Muḥammad. Sharḥ al-akhbar fī faḍāʾil al-aʾimma al-aṭhār. Edited by Muḥammad Ḥusayn Ḥusaynī Jalālī. Qom: Daftar-i Nashr-i Islāmī, 1409 AH.
Ibn Qūlawayh, Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad. Kāmil al-zīyārāt. Edited by ʿAbd al-Ḥusayn Amīnī, Najaf: Dār al-Murtaḍawīyya, 1356 Sh.
Kulaynī, Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-. Al-Kāfī. Edited by ʿAlī Akbar Ghaffārī & Muḥammad Ākhūndī. Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmīyya, 1407 AH.
Majlisī, Muḥammad Bāqir al-. Biḥār al-anwār. Beirut: Dār Iḥyāʾ al-Turāth al-ʿArabī, 1403 AH.
Mufīd, Muḥammad b. Muḥammad al-. Al-Irshād. Edited by Muʾassisat Āl al-Bayt. Qom: Kungira-yi Shaykh al-Mufīd, 1413 AH.
Wāqidī, Muḥammad b. ʿUmar al-. Al-Maghāzī. Edited by Marsden Jones. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Aʿlamī, 1409 AH.

[1] Ibn Ḥayyūn, Sharḥ al-akhbar, vol. 3, p. 228.

[2] Ibn Ḥajar, al-Iṣāba, vol. 5, p. 512.

[3] Layth is literally equivalent to "Asad" in Arabic, meaning "lion".

[4] Kulaynī, al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 224.

[5] Mufīd, al-Irshād, vol. 1, p. 74.

[6] Ibn Qūlawayh, Kāmil al-zīyārāt, p. 22.

[7] Majlisī, Biḥār al-anwār, vol. 34, p. 268.

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Imam 'Ali (a) First Imam of Shi'a
Life Event of Ghadir • Laylat al-Mabit • Yawm al-Dar • Caliphate • Timeline Heritage Nahj al-Balagha • Ghurar al-hikam • Al-Shiqshiqiyya Sermon Excellences Excellences of Ahl al-Bayt (a) • Al-Wilaya Verse • Ahl al-Dhikr Verse • Ulu l-Amr Verse • Al-Tathir Verse • Al-Mubahala Verse • Al-Mawadda Verse • Al-Sadiqin Verse • Hadith Madinat al-'Ilm • Hadith al-Thaqalayn • Hadith al-Raya • Hadith al-Safina • Hadith al-Kisa' • Al-Ghadir Sermon • Hadith al-Manzila • Hadith Yawm al-Dar • Hadith Sadd al-Abwab • Hadith al-Wisaya • La Fata Illa Ali • The First Muslim Companions 'Ammar b. Yasir • Malik al-Ashtar • Abu Dhar al-Ghifari • 'Ubayd Allah b. Abi Rafi' • Hujr b. 'Adi • others Related Topics Holy Shrine v t e