It is stated in al-Fiqh al-Akbar:'The most noble person after the Prophets (upon them be blessings and peace) is Abu Bakr, the Most Truthful (as-Siddeeq), (may Allaah be pleased with him), then 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Differentiator (al-Farooq), (May Allaah be pleased with him), then 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan, Possesor of Two Lights (Dhun-Nurayn), (May Allaah be pleased with him), and then 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the Chosen One (al-Murtada), (may Allaah be pleased with him).' The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) remarked to Hadrat Ali (رضي الله عنه), "You are to me like Haroon (عليه السلام) was to Moosa (عليه السلام), except that there is to be no prophet after me."
His lineage is: 'Ali son of Abu Talib son of 'Abdul-Muttalib son of Hashim son of 'Abd Manaf son of Qusayy al-Qurashi.
His name is 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib (whose name name was 'Abd Manaf), Ibn 'Abdul Muttalib (whose name was Shaybah), Ibn Haashim (whose name was Al-Mugheerah), Ibn Qusayy (whose name was Zayd), Ibn Kilaab, Ibn Murrah, Ibn Ka'b, Ibn Lu'ayy, Ibn Ghaalib, Ibn Fihr, Ibn Maalik, Ibn Nadr, Ibn Kinaanah. He was also known as Abu Turaab (the father of dust), a name given to him by the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), whose daughter Faatimah az-Zahraa' (radiallaahu 'anha) he married.
According to some authors Ali (radiallaahu 'anh) was 21 old at the time of marriage, while Fatima (radiallaahu 'anha) was 16 years old.
'Ali's mother was Fatimah Bint (daughter of) Asad, Ibn Hishaam, ibn Abd Manaaf, Ibn Qusayy. It was said that she was the first chold born to the Hashimite family. She embraced Islaam and migrated to Madeenah.
'Ali (radiallaahu 'anh) was one of the Companions that Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) gave the glad tidings of entering Jannah (Paradise), and one of the six members of the consultative committee. He was one of the people who gained the pleasure of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) during his lifetime, and was the fourth Rightly-Guided Caliph of the Muslimeen.
On the authority of Ibn Sa'd, may Allaah be pleased with him, who says: "The best name 'Ali (radiallaahu 'anh) loved was Abu Turaab. He was given this name because one day his wife Faatimah (radiallaahu 'anha) made him angry, so he left her, went to the masjid and lay down near a wall. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) went to him, and found his back covered with dust. He wiped his back and said, 'Sit up, Abu Turaab." (Reported by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad)
His Personal Appearance Hadrat 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) had a dark complexion, with big beautiful eyes, above average height, he had a thick beard which was to his chest. The hair on his chest and shoulders was thick.
Sayyiduna 'Ali (رضي الله عنه), was among the first people who embraced Islam. He did so at the age of seven. It is also said that he did so at the age of eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen or sixteen; Abdur Razzaq (رحمه الله) mentioned the last age of sixteen on the authority of Mahmar, Qatadah and al-Hasan (رحمهم الله). It was also said that Hadrat 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) was the first person to embrace Islaam; but the correct view is that he was the first boy to do so. The same applied to Hadrat Khadeejah (رضي الله عنها) who was the first woman to embrace Islaam; Zayd ibn al-Harith (رضي الله عنه) was the first slave to become a Muslim, and Hadrat Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (rرضي الله عنه) was the first freeman to believe in the message of Islam.
Hadrat 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) embraced Islaam at this tender age because he was under the guardianship of Propher Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), at a time when there was famine. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) took him from his father (the Prophet's uncle), and when the Divine Message was revealed to him, his wife Khadeejah (رضي الله عنها) and the rest of his household including his cousin, believed it.
It was narrated that 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) said: "I was the first person to embrace Islaam," but the chain of narrators mentioned for this hadeeth was not correct. Ibn 'Asaakir (رحمه الله) also reported a lot of ahaadeeth which are rejected and unsound; Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is the All-Knowing.
Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله) reports on the authority of Shaybah (رحمه الله) and 'Amr ibn Murrah (رحمه الله) that Hamzah (رحمه الله), the slave of the Ansaar, said: "I heard Zayd ibn Arqam (رضي الله عنه) say, 'the first person to embrace Islaam at the hands of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was 'Ali (رضي الله عنه)," and in another version of the hadeeth, 'the first person to offer salaah (prayer) was 'Ali (رضي الله عنه).'" 'Amr (رحمه الله) said: "I mentioned these ahaadeeth to an-Nakha'ee (رحمه الله), who rejected them and said that the first person to embrace Islaam was Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (رضي الله عنه).
Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurzai (رحمه الله) says: "The first woman to embrace Islaam was Khadeejah (رضي الله عنها), and the first two males to do so were Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and 'Ali (رضي الله عنه). However, Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) made his faith manifest, whereas 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) kept it a secret." The latter resorted to secrecy because of fear of his father, who later ordered him to follow his cousin (the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) and support him.
Hadrat 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) migrated to Madeenah after the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had left Makkah, because he ordered 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) to pay his debt, return the things that were left with him for safe-keeping, and join him later. 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) complied, then went to Madeenah, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) established a pledge of brotherhood between him ('Ali (رضي الله عنه)) and Sahl (رضي الله عنه). But Ibn Ishaaq (رحمه الله) and other writers on the Prophet's biography state that Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) established brotherhood between him and 'Ali (رضي الله عنه). A lot of ahaadeeth were narrated in this connection, but none of them are considered authentic because of their weak chain of narrators or poorness of style, e.g., "You are my brother, inheritor, viceroy, and the best to give orders after me." This is a fabricated hadeeth which is not in line with ahaadeeth reported in the authentic Books of Al-Bukhari and Muslim and others; and Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى), the All-Knowing, Knows Best. (Seeratul Khulafaa' ar-Rashideen (رضي الله عنهم))
Ahaadeeth On His Virtues, May Allah Be Pleased With Him Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) said: "No Campanion of the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه وسلم) virtues have been mentioned more than those of 'Ali (رضي الله عنه)." (This hadeeth was reported by al-Hakim)
Imam al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) and Imam Muslim (رحمه الله) report on the authority of Sahl ibn Abi Waqqaas (رضي الله عنه) who narrates: "Allaah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked Ali (رضي الله عنه) to stay behind during the Battle of Tabook. He ('Ali - رضي الله عنه) said: "Do you make me stay behind with the women and children?" The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Are you not content to stand to me as Haroon (Aaron - عليه السلام) stood to Moosa (Moses - عليه السلام), except that there is no Prophet after me.""
Al-Hakim (رحمه الله) reports on the authority of Ummul Mu'mineen Hadrat 'Aa'isha Siddeeqah bint as-Siddeeq (رضي الله عنهما), that Hadrat 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) was mentioned to her, and she said: "He is the best living authority on the Sunnah."
1) He was of the opinion that it is Sunnah for men to fold the hands below the navel in salaah. [Abu Dawood]
2) He was of the opinion that the Taraaweeh comprises of twenty Rakaahs. [Tirmidhi Vol.1 Pg.99, Bayhaqi Vol.2 Pg.495]
3) He issued the Fatwaa that the Eid and Jumu'ah salaahs cannot be performed in villages. [Musannaf of Abdur Razzaaq Vol.3 Pg.167, Ibn Abi Shayba Vol.1 Pg.439 - this narration is authentic].
Imam Al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) and Imam Muslim (رحمه الله) report on the authority of Hadrat Sahl Ibn Sa'd (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said on the day of the Battle of Khaybar: "I shall give the standard to a man tomorrow, through whose hands victory will be achieved, and Allaah and His Prophet love him." So people spent the night talking about who that person would be. In the morning all of those men went to Allaah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) with the hope of receiving the standard. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked, "Where is 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib?" The Sahaabah (رضي الله عنهم) answered that he was suffering from a sickness in his eyes. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then said, "Send someone to call him." Hadrat Ali (رضي الله عنه) was brought, and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) put some of his saliva into the eyes of Hadrat 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) and prayed for him. He recovered, and looked as if nothing was wrong with him; the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then gave him the standard.
At-Tirmidhi (رحمه الله) reports on the authority of Hadrat Ibn 'Umar (رضي الله عنهما) who says: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) instituted a pact of brotherhood among his Companions (رضي الله عنهم), and 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) went to him in tears and said, 'O Allaah's Messenger! You have established brotherhood among your Companions, but you have not done so for me.' The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied, 'You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter.'
Hadrat Anas Ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) and Hadrat 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) narrate that Allaah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said about Hadrat Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and Hadrat 'Umar (رضي الله عنه): 'Those two will be the chiefs of the old men in Jannah (Paradise), both from the old and modern times, excluding Messengers and Prophets... Do Not tell of that, 'Ali.' (at-Tirmidhi)
At-Tirmidhi (رحمه الله) reports on the authority of Abu Sareeha (رضي الله عنه) or Zaid Ibn Arqam (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "He who considers me his friend must also consider 'Ali (رضي الله عنه) as his friend."
at-Tirmidhi (رحمه الله) and al-Hakim (رحمه الله) report on the authority of Buraydah (رضي الله عنه) who narrates that the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) has ordered me to love four people, and informed me that he loves them."
The Sahaabah (رضي الله عنهم) said, "Name them, O Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم)." The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "'Ali (رضي الله عنه) is one of them (he said this three times), then Abu Dharr, Miqdaad, and Salmaan (رضي الله عنهم)."
On the authority of Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) who said: "When the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) became angry no one had the courage to talk to him, except 'Ali (رضي الله عنه)." (Reported by at-Tabarani and al-Hakim and the hadeeth was authenticated by the latter)
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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