The honoree today is Ali the Great, “Abu Al-Hassan,” the son of Imam Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib, “peace be upon them.” His true image is depicted in each of the verses and attributes that were revealed to the most honorable Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and his family. This is an image that we may find today that we need to re-read again. We need to scrutinize its details. Perhaps due to history, a part of here entered that is not from Ali al-Akbar in any way, or an attribute from there does not rise to the level of an attribute of Ali. The qualities of Ali the Great, the merciful person who shines with his behavior before his words over the entire world, and over enemies before the saints.

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Historical narratives differ about the date of the birth of Ali the Great, “peace be upon him.” Some indicate that it was in the 33rd year of the Hijra (1), that is, two years before the killing of Othman bin Affan, and they provide evidence for that, while others confirm that it was in the 35th year of the Hijra, or 41 for immigration (2). Based on the first date, he lived approximately seven years during the life of his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali, peace be upon him. As for his place of birth, it was in Medina without any disagreement (3).

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Likewise, historical accounts differ about his marriage and children, as some mention that he had a wife and that he had a son from her, relying on what was reported on the authority of Abu Hamza al-Thumali on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he said during his visit, “May God’s blessings be upon you and upon your family and your household and your fathers and your sons and your mothers.” “The good and the righteous” (4) meaning that Ali Al-Akbar was married and had children. But some went to deny this, and that he did not marry or have children, and that he was martyred and had no descendants, and that the only successor to Imam Hussein, “peace be upon him,” was from his son, Imam Zain al-Abidin, “peace be upon him.” As for Ali the Great, he was martyred with his father in Karbala, and he had no descendants (5).

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At the same time, they said about his features that he was of moderate stature, broad shoulders, white in color with a reddish hue, black eyes, and bushy eyebrows. When he walked, it was as if he was descending from the ground, turning with his entire body, looking at the ground more than he looked at the sky, and he smelled of musk and amber (6). When Al-Akbar went out to fight on the day of Ashura, Imam Al-Hussein said:

“O God, bear witness over these people, for among them has emerged a boy who resembles the people in character, manners, and speech to your Messenger, and when we longed for your Prophet, we would look to him” (7). Then he said, “God killed a people who killed you. How dare they rebel against the Most Gracious and violate the sanctity of the Messenger” (8).

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So the question that arises is, where are we compared to Ali the Great?! Where are our morals, our reason, our behavior, our approach, our systems, our society, equality and human brotherhood... Where is all of that in this image that he wanted to embody on the tenth of Muharram?

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It can be said that all we seek from Ali the Great is simply to recall these values that he embodied. To be present before the mind’s eye, and if a person abandons his values, he loses the meaning of his existence in his society and in life, and even loses his self-identity. What the heavenly teachings stipulate is that the individual should be himself wherever he is and that he should strive to create positive values and work to confirm them. This is what God Almighty referred to in His Noble Book regarding every movement of His saints and prophets as a model when He said: “Indeed there is for you in the Messenger of God a good example for whoever hopes in God and the Last Day and remembers God often” (9).

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Therefore, our responsibility is no less important than our individual behavior for the image of Ali the Great, “peace be upon him.” The Islamic community must embody the image of Ali the Great in its social relations. If Ali the Great, “peace be upon him,” gives alms to the poor, then the charity must be transformed into a system, which must be transformed into an institutional state that extends as long as life in societies, transforming social solidarity into a permanent and continuous state, and giving its momentum in an organized manner.

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Likewise, our policy must be in the image of Ali the Great’s model in his policy, not the policy of twisting, turning, and tampering for the sake of personal benefits and personal ambitions, but rather the policy of justice and rejection of injustice and tyranny, and this is what he confirms in his saying, “peace be upon him,” O Father, are we not on the truth... So we do not care whether death falls on us or we fall on death.” Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, answered him, saying: “May God reward you with the best of a son as he repays a son for his father.” This means that dealing with and standing up to the oppressor and supporting the truth should be at this level.

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Let us learn from Ali al-Akbar to be steadfast, to show belief, to defend a right or to express truth and love, and to refrain from learning hatred, because there are many people who teach us hatred, and that the open heart remains the one that God Almighty loves. There is a speech by Imam Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, in which he says: “Is religion other than love?” (10). The basis of religion is this open heart that loves God Almighty, so it loves people through its love for God. Let us follow the example of Ali the Great, peace be upon him, and this is not the case. Only by going to Karbala to visit him, but rather by standing in front of him and thinking about how his heart was filled with love for God and love for people and steadfast in the truth, as in the Almighty’s saying: “O you who have believed, when you meet a group, stand firm and remember God frequently that you may succeed” (11).

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References:

1. For more details see. Abu Al-Faraj Al-Isfahani, The Fighter of the Taliban, edited by: Ahmed Saqr, Beirut, Al-Alami Publications Foundation, 1408 AH, p. 86; Muhammad bin Taher Al-Samawi, Knights of Al-Hayja’, translated by: Abbas Jalali, (Qom: Visitor Publications, 1381 AH), p. 61.

2. For more details, see. Ibn Asakir, the city of Damascus, “Translation of Imam Hussein”, edited by: Sheikh Muhammad Baqir al-Mahmoudi, (Qom: Academy for the Revival of Islamic Culture, 1414).

3. Jaafar bin Muhammad Ibn Nama Al-Hilli, Bringer of Sorrows, edited by: Ali Karmi, (Qom - Haziq Publishing, 1380 AH).

4. Jaafar bin Muhammad bin Qulwayh, Kamil al-Ziyarat, edited and corrected by: Abd al-Hussein al-Amini, al-Najaf al-Ashraf: Dar al-Murtada, 1356 AH.

5. Muhammad bin Saad, Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, (Beirut: Dar Al-Fikr, ed.), vol. 5, p. 211; Ahmad bin Ishaq al-Yaqubi, History of al-Yaqubi, edited by Muhammad Ibrahim Aiti, (Tehran: Ilmi-Farhangi Publications, 1378 AH), vol. 2, p. 184.

6. Muhammad bin Taher Al-Samawi, Knights of Al-Hayja, edited by: Abbas Jalali, (Qom: Za’ir Publications, 1381 AH), pp. 293-294.

7. Al-Muwafaq bin Ahmed Al-Khawarizmi, The Killing of Al-Hussein, edited by: Muhammad Al-Samawi, (Qom: Anwar Al-Huda, 1418 AH), vol. 2, p. 34; Ali bin Musa bin Tawus, Al-Lahuf, edited by: Aqiqi Bakhshayshi, (Qom: Navid Islam Publishing House, 1378 AH), p. 139.

8. Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Mufid, Al-Irshad, edited by Muhammad Baqir Al-Saadi, (Tehran: Islamic Publications, 1380, vol. 2, p. 106).

9. Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 21.

10. Muhammad al-Rishahri, Mizan al-Hikmah, (Qom: Dar al-Hadith, 1422 AH), vol. 4, p. 3643.