Peshawar Nights: Ali's announcement of Saluni (ask me) and the reports of the Sunnis

Tenth Session-part 7

*Gabriel brought a sealed book for Wasi (successor) of the Holy Prophet

*Ali's announcement of Saluni (ask me) and the reports of the Sunnis

*Ali's claim that he could judge cases according to the Torah as well as the Gospels

*Prophesying that Sinan bin Anas was the murderer of Imam Husain

*Foretelling the standard bearing of Habib bin Ammar

*Foretelling Mu'awiya's oppression

*Foretelling of Dhu'th‌Thadiyya's murder

 

GABRIEL BROUGHT A SEALED BOOK FOR WASI (SUCCESSOR) OF THE HOLY PROPHET

One of the divine gifts received by Ali through the Holy Prophet was a sealed book brought by Gabriel. The great scholar and historian, Allama Abu'l-Hasan Ali Bin al-Husain Mas'ud, who is respected by both sects, writes in his Isbatu'l-Wasiyya: "Gabriel and the trusted angels brought from Allah Almighty a sealed book to the Holy Prophet and said to him: 'All those present there with you except your wasi (successor) should leave so that I may give you the Kitab-e-Wasiyya (the book of the last testament).'

Then the Holy Prophet ordered all those present there to leave except Amiru'l-Mu'minin, Fatima, Hasan, and Husain. Gabriel said: 'O Prophet! Allah sends His salaam to you and says that this is the document in which He has made you a promise and has made His angels witnesses to it and that He Himself is witness to it.'

Then the Holy Prophet began to tremble and said: 'Salaam (salutation) is He, and salutation is from Him, and salutation returns to Him.'

Taking the book from Gabriel he read it and gave it to Ali. The Holy Prophet said: 'This is a promise and trust from my Lord to me. Verily, I have performed my duty and have delivered Allah's message.'

Amiru'l-Mu'minin said: 'May my mother and father sacrifice their lives for you! I also bear witness to the truth of this message. My ears, eyes, flesh, and blood bear testimony to it.'

The Holy Prophet said to Ali: 'Here is my will from the side of Allah. Accept it and be a guarantor for it before Allah. It is for me to fulfill my duty.' Ali said: 'I shall be a guarantor for it, and it is for Allah to help me.'

In this book Amiru'l-Mu'minin has been asked to fulfill the following promises:

'To be friendly with Allah's friends; to be hostile to Allah's enemies. To have patience with oppression; to patiently endure and pacify anger when his rights are usurped, when he is abused, and when he is unjustly attacked.'

The Amiru'l-Mu'minin said: 'I accept it, and I am content with it. If indignity is shown to me, if hadith are rejected, if the ordinances of the Holy Qur'an are set at naught, if the Ka'ba is razed to the ground, and if my beard is colored with the blood of my head, even then I will endure and be patient.'

After that Gabriel, Michael, and the other close angels were declared witnesses of Amiru'l-Mu'minin. Similarly, Hasan, Husain, and Fatima were also entrusted with the same responsibility. The problems and conditions that they had to face were told to each in detail. After that the testament was sealed with a raw gold stamp and given to Ali. The testament contains hadith of Allah Almighty, the hadith of the Holy Prophet, the opposition of those who oppose and change divine ordinances and all the events and calamities that occurred after the Holy Prophet.

And this is what Allah says: 'And everything have We secured in a Manifest Imam (Guide, i.e. Ali).' (36:12)"

In short, the Holy Prophet transmitted his knowledge to Ali and Ali's descendants, the infallible Imams. Had it been otherwise the Holy Prophet would not have called Ali the "gate of knowledge" and would not have said: "If you want to take advantage of my knowledge, go to Ali's door."

If the Holy Imam had not possessed all of the Holy Prophet's knowledge, he would not have declared before all friends and enemies: " Ask me whatever you like before I die and leave you."

No one else except Ali ever claimed this merit for himself. When others who claimed to possess knowledge were questioned about known and unknown facts, they were put to shame.

Hafiz Ibn Abdu'l-Barr Maghribi Andalusi in his Isti'ab fi Ma'rifati'l-Ashab said, "Whoever uttered the words 'Ask me before I die and leave you' was a liar, except Ali Bin Abi Talib." Abdu'l-Abbas Ahmad Ibn Khallikan Shafi'i in his Wafaya and Katib-e-Baghdadi in his Ta'rikh, v. 13, p.163, report that one day Maqatil Bin Sulayman, who was one of the distinguished ulema, renowned for his ability to answer difficult questions quickly, declared before a public gathering: "Ask me about anything below the firmament."

A man put this question to him: "When did the Prophet Adam perform Hajj? Who cut his hair when he finished it?" Maqatil was perplexed and remained silent.

Another man said to him: "Does the ant absorb food through the stomach or through another channel? If it is through the stomach, where are its stomach and intestines?"

Maqatil was again dumbfounded. He said: "Allah has put this question into your heart, so that my pride in my knowledge might be put to shame."

Only one who is perfectly competent to answer all questions can make such a claim. In the whole Community no one except Ali Bin Abi Talib possessed such rank.

Since he was the "gate of knowledge" of the Holy Prophet, he had full knowledge of all known and unknown matters just as the Holy Prophet did. Therefore, he was able to say, 'ask me' and gave prompt and satisfactory answers to all questions. Among the Companions, too, there was not a single person except Ali, who made such a claim.

Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in Musnad, Muwaffaq Bin Ahmad Khawarizmi in Manaqib, the great Khwaja Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, Baghawi in Mu'jim, Muhibu'd-din Tabari in Riyazu'n-Nuzra, v. II, p.198, and Ibn Hajar in Sawa'iq, p.76 have quoted Sa'id Bin Musayya as saying that no one of the Companions, except Ali Bin Abi Talib, ever said: "Ask me whatever you like."

 

ALI'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF SALUNI (ASK ME) AND THE REPORTS OF THE SUNNIS

A large number of your prominent ulema, like Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir, v.IV, Ibn Abdu'l-Barr in Isti'ab, Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, Muhyi'd-din Khawarizmi in Manaqib, Imam Ahmad in Musnad, Hamwaini in Fara'id, Ibn Talha in Durru'l-Manzum, Mir Seyyed Ali Shafi'i in Mawaddatu'l-Qurba, Hafiz Abu Nu'aim Ispahani in Hilyatu'l-Auliya, Muhammad Bin Talha Shafi'i in Matalibu's-Su'ul, Ibn Abi'l-Hadid in Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, and several other eminent Sunni scholars have reported with slight variation of wording from Amir Bin Wathila, Ibn Abbas, Abi Sa'id al-Buhturi, Anas Bin Malik, and Abdullah Bin Mas'ud that Amiru'l Mu'minin announced from the pulpit: "O people! Ask me anything you like, before I die. Verily, my heart is the storehouse of all knowledge. Ask me, because I have the knowledge of all that has passed and all that is to come."

Abi Dawud in his Sunan, p.356, Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in his Musnad, v.I, p.278, Bukhari in his Sahih, v.I, p.46 and v.X, p.241, have reported authoritatively that Ali said: "You may ask me about whatever you like; I understand the nature of any matter which you might ask about."

 

ALI'S CLAIM THAT HE COULD JUDGE CASES ACCORDING TO THE TORAH AS WELL AS THE GOSPELS

Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi, in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, ch.XIV, p.74 reports from Mu'affaq Bin Ahmad Khawarizmi and Sheikhu'l-Islam Hamwaini reports from Abu Sa'id Buhturi that he (Abu Sa'id) said: "I saw Ali on the pulpit while he was putting on the Holy Prophet's mantle, sword and the turban. He uncovered his chest and said: 'Ask me anything you like, before I die, because my breast contains great wisdom. This is my stomach which is a storehouse of knowledge. This is the saliva of the Holy Prophet; this is what the Holy Prophet has fed me as grain. I swear by Allah that if a carpet is spread and I sit on it, verily, I will instruct the follower of the Torah, according to the Torah. I will instruct the followers of the Gospels according to the Gospels, until both the Torah and the Gospels are made to speak and bear witness to the following: Ali has spoken the truth and the verdict that he has given is according to what has been revealed in us. When you recite the Book you don't understand this much.'"

 

ALI'S KNOWLEDGE ABOUT VERSES OF THE HOLY QUR'AN

Sheikhu'l-Islam Hamwaini in his Fara'id and Mu'ayyidu'd-din Khawarizmi in his Manaqib report that the Holy Imam spoke these words from the pulpit: "Ask me about what you do not understand before I die. I swear by Allah who split the grain and created man that if you ask me about any verse of the Holy Book of Allah, I will tell you about it - when it was revealed, during the day or at night, at a halting place or on the way, on the plain or in the hills, about whom it was revealed, a believer or against a hypocrite, what Allah meant by it, and whether the verse is general or particular."

Thereupon Ibn Kawwa, the Khariji, stood up and said: Let me know what

Allah means by saying, "Those who acknowledged belief and performed good actions are the best of men."

The Holy Imam said: "The verse refers to us and our followers, whose faces, hands and feet will be glittering on the Day of Judgement. They will be recognized by their foreheads."

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in Musnad and Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, ch.XIV, p.74, report from Ibn Abbas that Ali spoke these words from the pulpit: "Ask me about what you do not understand before I die. There is no verse about which I do not know more than anyone else does. I know how and when it was revealed. Ask me about any disturbances, for there is no disturbance about which I do not know who caused it and who was killed in it."

Ibn Sa'd in Tabaqa, Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bin Yusuf Ganji Shafi'i in

Kifayatu't-Talib, ch.52, and Hafiz Abu Nu'aim Ispahani in Hilyatu'l-Auliya,v.I, p.68, report with authentic references that Amiru'l-Mu'minin said: "By my Lord, no verse was revealed, but I know definitely about whom it was revealed, and where it was revealed. Verily, Allah has bestowed upon me a wise heart and an eloquent tongue."

In the same books it is reported that Amiru'l-Mu'minin said: "Ask me about the Book of Allah. There is not a single verse about which I do not know whether it was revealed in the hills or on the plains."

 

ALI'S KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GUIDE OR MISGUIDE

Khawarizmi reports in his Manaqib from A'mash, who reported that Ubaya Bin Raba'i said: "Ali frequently used to say: 'Ask me about what you do not understand before I die. I swear by my Lord that there is not a green field, or a desert land, or a group of people who misguide a hundred men or guide a hundred men, but I know them. I know better than anyone else those who lead the people or incite them to evil until the Day of Judgement.'"

Jalalu'd-din Suyuti in Ta'rikhu'l-Khulafa, p.124, Badru'd-din Hanafi in Umdatu'l-Qari, Muhibu'd-din Tabari in Riyazu'n-Nuzra, v.II, p.198, Suyuti in Tafsir-e-Itqan, v.II, p.319, and Ibn Hajar Asqalani in Fathu'l-Bari, v.VIII, p.485 and also in Tahdhibu't-Tahdhib, v.VII, p.338, report that Ali said: "Ask me anything you like, and I swear by Allah that I will tell you of all things that will happen up to the Day of Judgement. If you ask me about the Book of Allah, I swear by my Lord that there is not a single verse which I do not understand well. I know if a verse was revealed during the night or in the day, on the plains or in the hills."

Can anybody except one who has knowledge of the unseen make such claims before both friends and foes?

 

PROPHESYING THAT SINAN BIN ANAS WAS THE MURDERER OF IMAM HUSAIN

Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazali has recorded the same reports in his Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, v.I, p.208 from Ibn Hilal Saqafi's Gharat. He says that a man stood up and said: "Let me know about the hair of my head and beard."

The Holy Imam said: "My friend, the Holy Prophet has informed me that there is an angel in the root of each hair of your head who curses you. There is a devil in the root of each of the hairs of your beard who misleads you. There is a calf in your house who will kill the son of the Holy Prophet."

This man was Anas Nakh'iy, whose son, Sinan, was a small child at the time of Ali's prophesy. In 61 A.H. Sinan reached Karbala and was one of the murderers of Imam Husain.

Some reporters say that the man who had asked the question was Sa'd Bin Abi Waqas and that his son ("calf") was the accursed Umar Bin Sa'd, who was the chief of Yazid's army, a central figure in the tragedy of Karbala. It is also possible that both of them had asked the question in two different meetings.

These reports, however, show that the Holy Imam drew attention to the fact that he was aware of the unseen.

 

FORETELLING THE STANDARD BEARING OF HABIB BIN AMMAR

Your eminent ulema, like Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in Musnad and Ibn Abi'l-Hadid in Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, v.I, p.208 have reported that during the days of his apparent caliphate, Amiru'l-Mu'minin was sitting in the Kufa mosque with his companions when a man said that Khalid Ibn Uwaita had died in Wadiyu'l-Qurba. The Holy Imam said: "He is not dead, nor will he die, until he becomes the leader of the misguided army. His standard bearer will be Habib Bin Ammar."

A young man stood up from the assembly and said: "I am Habib Ibn Ammar and am one of your true and sincere friends."

Ali said, "I have never told a lie and never will. I am, as it were, seeing Khalid, the chief of the misguided army, and you are his standard bearer. You people will enter the mosque there (pointing to the Babu'l-Fil), and the flag of the standard will be torn by the gate of the mosque."

Years passed. During the caliphate of the wicked Yazid, Ubaidullah Bin Ziyad became the governor of Kufa and sent formidable forces to fight Imam Husain. One day many of those who had heard Amiru'l-Mu'minin's prophecy about them concerning Khalid and Habib Ibn Ammar, were sitting in the mosque when the noise of the soldiers and their slogans was heard. The people saw that Khalid Ibn Uwaita, the chief of the misguided army going to Karbala to fight against the son of the Holy Prophet, entered the mosque through the same Babu'l-Fil to stage a demonstration. Habib Ibn Ammar was carrying his standard. When Habib entered the mosque, the flag of his standard was torn by the gate of the mosque. The hypocrites were shown how deep Ali's knowledge was and how true his prophecies were.

Don't these signs and predictions prove that Ali had knowledge of the unseen?

If you carefully study the Nahju'l-Balagha, which is a compilation of Ali's sermons and pronouncements, you will find that there are clear prophecies about calamities and disturbances, affairs concerning the great kings, the revolts of the Zanj people, the domination of the Mongols, Genghis Khan's reign, the accounts of the oppressive caliphs, and their treatment of the Shias.

Ibn Abi'l-Hadid discussed these facts in his Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, v.I, p.208-211. The great scholar, Balkhi Hanafi, in his Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, also discusses how Ali frequently displayed his deep knowledge in his sermons and predictions.

 

FORETELLING MU'AWIYA'S OPPRESSION

The Holy Imam also foretold that Mu'awiya would subdue the Kufans and order them to reject him (Ali). For instance, the Holy Imam said: "Shortly after me a man with a large throat and a fat stomach will dominate you. He will eat whatever he gets; if he does not get it, he will demand it. So you should kill him. But you will never kill him. Verily, he will soon order you to call me by ill names and to keep aloof from me. So I permit you to abuse me because it is a verbal thing, which for me is a source of purity and for you security against the harm of this man. But since aloofness and hatred are from the heart, you should not acquire hatred for me. I was born in the nature of Islam and unity of Allah and I have taken the lead in matters of belief and Hijra (migration)."

Ibn Abi'l-Hadid in his Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, and your other high-rankingulema confirm the fact that the man referred to above was Mu'awiya Bin Abu Sufyan. When his domination was firm he ordered the people to abuse and revile Ali. This wicked practice continued for eighty years, and the Holy Imam was abused in the mosques, and in the sermons of the Jum'a prayers.

While Umar Bin Abdu'l-Aziz Amawi was caliph, however, he forbade this hateful practice.

Ali's foretelling this evil practice is another proof of his possessing knowledge of the unseen. Ali foretold many events which were confirmed after many years.

 

FORETELLING OF DHU'TH-THADIYYA'S MURDER

Before the battle of Nahrwan, the Holy Imam prophesied the killing of the Kharijis and specifically of Tazmala, known as "Dhu'th-Thadiyya". He predicted also that of the Kharijis not even ten persons would survive and that of the Muslims not more than ten persons would be killed. Ibn Abi'l-Hadid and the great scholar, Balkhi, and others have reported that what the Imam said came true. Ibn Abi'l-Hadid, in his Sharh-e-Nahju'l-Balagha, v.I, p.425 writes, "This is one of those reports, which have been almost consecutively narrated. It is quite well known and has been reported widely. It is regarded one of the miracles of the Holy Imam."

You see, therefore, the vast difference between Ali and other "caliphs." If he did not possess knowledge of the unseen, how could he prophesy events which occurred years later?

For instance, he prophesied Mitham Tammar's murder at the hands of Ubaidullah Bin Ziyad, Juwairiyya's and Rashid Hajari's murder by Ziyad, and Amr Bin Humuq's murder at the hands of Mu'awiya's friends. He foretold the martyrdom of his son, Imam Husain to many people as well.