Imam Ali b. Abi Talib (a): Difference between revisions

'Ali (a) had an influential role in the [[Ghazwa]]s (battles in which the Prophet himself was also present), save for the [[Battle of Tabuk]].<ref>Muhammad b. Sa'd. ''al-Tabaqat al-kubra'', vol. 3, p. 24</ref>in which he remained in [[Medina]] as the deputy of the Prophet (s). He was the main Standard-bearer of the Islamic army in many Ghazwas. He remained with the Prophet (s) in the battles that other Muslims escaped, and continued to fight.

The Battle of Badr was the first battle between the Muslims and the idolaters of [[Mecca]]. It took place on [[Friday]], the [[Ramadan 17]], [[2]]/[[March 13]], [[624 CE|624]] along the wells of [[Badr]].<ref>Al-Baladhuri, Ahmad b. Yahya. ''Ansab al-ashraf'', vol. 1, p. 2883</ref> In this battle, the Muslims killed seventy of the idolaters, including a few influential chiefs like [[Abu Jahl]] and [['Utba b. Rabi'a]].

It was an Arab custom to precede the general battle with a few one-on-one combats. So, 'Utba b. al-Rabi'a, his son, Walid, and his brother, Shayba came forward and wanted the Prophet (s) to send a few worthy opponents to the battlefield to fight with them. The Prophet (s) sent 'Ali (a), [[Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib|Hamza]] and [['Ubayda b. Harith]]. 'Ali (a) struck Walid quickly, as did Hamza to 'Utba, killing them quickly. They then went on to help 'Ubayda against Shayba, killing him too.<ref>Tabari, ''Tarikh al-rusul wa l-muluk'', vol. 2, p. 148</ref>

In this battle, Ali (a) killed many combatants, including prominent figures of the Meccan army such as Walid b. Utba, Nawfal b. Khuwaylid (whom the Prophet (s) had cursed), Hanzala b. Abi Sufyan, ʿAs b. Saʿid.  

In this battle, after the victory of the polytheists, many Muslims fled the battleground and left the Prophet (s) alone. Ali (a) was one of the few ones who did not leave the Prophet (s) and defended him. The Imam (a) is reported to have said, "The Immigrants and Helpers were fleeing to their houses, but, despite having seventy wounds, I [stayed and] defended the Messenger of God."

Paying tribute to the dedication that 'Ali (a) showed, the archangel [[Gabriel]], in praise of 'Ali's self-sacrifice, said to the Prophet (s): "This is the ultimate devotion that 'Ali has shown." The Prophet (s) agreed with Gabriel and said, "I am from 'Ali and he is from me." A voice then echoed in the sky, saying, "La fata illa 'Ali, la sayf illa Dhu l-faqar" which means "There is no youth like 'Ali (a), and there is no sword like [[Dhu l-Faqar]] (the sword of 'Ali (a))"<ref>Ibn Athir, ''al-Kamil fi l-tarikh'', vol. 2, p. 107</ref>

In the Battle of Khandaq (trench), as suggested by [[Salman al-Farsi]], the Muslims dug a trench around [[Medina]] in order to keep the enemy away from the city.<ref>Ibn Hisham, ''al-Sira al-nabawiyya'', vol. 3, p. 235</ref>

For several days, the two armies confronted each other on opposite sides of the trench. They would sometimes fight, throwing stones and arrows. Finally, [['Amr b. 'Abd Wad]] (from the army of the polytheists), along with a few others, jumped over the trench at its narrowest part and managed to reach the other side. 'Ali (a) asked the [[Prophet (s)]] to give him permission to fight 'Amr, and the Prophet (s) accepted. After fighting with 'Amr, 'Ali (a) knocked him down and killed him.<ref>Tabari, ''Tarikh al-rusul wa l-muluk'', vol. 2, p. 573-574</ref>

After the battle the Prophet (s) said, "The hit of 'Ali (a) [to 'Amr] during this battle, is more valuable than the worship of all jinns and human beings."<ref>Majlisi, ''Bihar al-anwar''.Vol.20, P.216</ref>

The Battle of Khaybar occurred in [[Jumada I]] [[7]]/[[September]], [[628 CE|628]], when the [[Prophet (s)]] issued a command to attack the Jewish fortresses due to their threats.<ref>Ibn Hisham, ''al-Sira al-nabawiyya'', vol. 2, p. 328</ref> After a few men, like [[Abu Bakr]] and [['Umar]], could not conquer the forts, the Prophet (s) said, "Tomorrow I will give the flag to a man who loves God and His prophet, and God and His prophet also love him."<ref>Muslim. ''Sahih Muslim'', vol. 15. P.178-179</ref> The next morning, the Prophet (s) called 'Ali (a) and gave the flag to him.  

Al-Shaykh al-Mufid reports that in the Battle of Khaybar Imam Ali (a) proceeded towards the fort's door, tore it off, and used it as his shield until the end of the battle. <ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', p. 590</ref>

In the beginning of [[Ramadan]] in [[8]]/630, the Prophet (s) traveled to [[Mecca]] from [[Medina]] with the intention of conquering Mecca. After [[Sa'd b. 'Ubada]], one of the standard bearers, chanted slogans about revenge; the Prophet (s) sent 'Ali (a) to take the flag from Sa'd and chant a slogan about mercy.<ref>Ayati. ''Tarikh-i payambar-i Islam'', p. 459</ref> After the Conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (a) entered [[Ka'ba]] and broke the idols in it, then 'Ali (a) climbed onto the shoulders of the Prophet (s) and threw down the idol of [[Khuza'a]] tribe.<ref>Zamakhshari, ''Al-Kashshaf 'an haqa'iq al-tanzil'', vol. 3, p. 689</ref>

This battle took place in Shawwal, [[8]]/January, [[630 CE|630]], and Ali (a) was a flagbearer in it.<ref>Ayati. ''Tarikh-i payambar-i Islam'', p. 481</ref> During the battle, the polytheists conducted a sudden raid, and most of the Muslims fled to save their lives. Only Ali (a) and a few others remained and defended the Prophet (s).  

The battle of Tabuk was the only battle led by the [[Prophet (s)]] in which 'Ali (a) did not participate. He stayed in [[Medina]] at the Prophet's command in order to protect the city in the Prophet's (a) absence against the plots of the [[hypocrites]].

Soon after the Prophet (s) left for war, the hypocrites began to spread rumors about the Prophet (s) being not pleased with 'Ali that he didn't want him to go. In order to put a quick end to the vicious rumours, 'Ali (a) immediately rushed towards the Prophet (s) who was outside of the city and informed him of the matter. It was here that [[Hadith al-Manzila]] ('the hadith of position') was narrated by the Prophet (s). He stated, "My brother, 'Ali! Return to Medina, since nobody except me or you,has the competence to handle these affairs. Thus, you are my vicegerent and successor amongst my [[Ahl al-Bayt]] and my people. Are not you pleased [to know] that you are in the same position (Manzilah) to me as that of [[Aaron]] to [[Moses]], except that after me there will be no other prophet?"<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 1. P.156; Ibn Hisham. ''al-Sira al-nabawiyya'', vol. 4, p. 163</ref>

# The Sariyya of Ali (a) to [[Fadak]] to confront Banu Sa'd in Sha'ban, [[6]]/December, [[627 CE|627]]

# The Sariyya of Ali (a) to destroy an idol's temple called Fals belonging to the tribe of Banu Tayy in Rabi' II, [[9]]/July, [[630 CE|630]].  

# The Sariyya of Ali (a) to Yemen in [[Ramadan]], [[10]]/December]], [[631 CE|631]].

After the conquest of Mecca and the victory in the Battle of Hunayn in [[8]]/[[630 CE|630]], Prophet Muhammad (a) decided to expand his mission. He sent [[Mu'adh b. Jabal]] to Yemen, but Mu'adh was not completely successful. Then, the Prophet (s) sent [[Khalid b. Walid]], who did not succeed either and thus returned to Medina after six months. Afterwards, the Prophet (s) sent Ali (a) to Yemen with a letter which he wrote for the Yemenites. Ali (a) read the Prophet's (s) letter for the people and called them to Islam. As a result of Ali's (a) efforts, the [[tribe of Hamdan]] embraced Islam. Ali (a) informed the Prophet (s) of Hamdan's conversion; the news made the Prophet (s) happy, and he prayed for the Hamdanids. In some sources, a conflict is reported between Ali (a) and the tribe of [[Madhhij]]. According to these reports, Ali (a) went to their land and called them to Islam. They rejected him, and a battle broke out, in which Madhhij was defeated. Ali (a) collected the spoils of the battle and delivered them together with the [[zakat]] of the people of [[Najran]] to the Prophet (s) during the [[Farewell Pilgrimage]]. The Prophet (s) also appointed Ali (a) as a judge in Yemen and prayed for him to have sound judgments. Instances of these judgments are reported in historical sources.