The Vastness of Imam Ali’s Knowledge
The Shia think that the knowledge of the prophets is covert and that God has revealed it to him by inspiration and then they vest it in their successors at the last gasp.
Imam Ali (A.S) said: ”The Prophet, in his deathbed, whispered to me and taught me one thousand chapters of knowledge; each one of them contained one thousand chapters.”
Of course Imam Ali’s scientific theories about monotheism, the creation of man, heavens, earth, stars, suns, mountains, clouds thunder, plants, philosophy of history, phylogeny and even the creation of the peacock and the bat. The interpretation of the Qur’an confirmed what he had said about the mentioned above items.
His speeches, his letters to his officers and his scientific sayings (except jurisprudential traditions) had been compiled in a book named Nahjul-balagha, which was really next to the Qur’an.
The Holy Qur’an is the words of God. The great part of it deals with many branches of knowledge like theology, sociology, economy and others. This holy book needed to be interpreted by a pious and learned man. Nahjul-balagha was the great work of Imam Ali (A.s) in this concern. It was below the speech of God and higher than man’s speech. Imam Ali was the father of gnosis and many Islamic mystics have based their principles on his teachings.
His religious decrees and judgments were followed and obeyed by the previous caliphs as the second caliph Umar often said: ”I would have gone astray if Ali (A.S) had been not here.”[1]
Once he was asked what number was to be divided by 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10 without fraction. He answered quickly: ”Multiply the number of the days of a year by the number of the days of a week to get the result.”
360 x 7 = 2520.
Once again three persons came to him and said: ”There are 17 camels that must be divided among us in this manner; half of them for one of us, a third of them for the other and a ninth of them for the last one. How can we divide live camels among us?”
Imam Ali (A.S) added to them one of his owns camels and then he said: ”Now the half of the camels is 9 heads, the third is 6 and the ninth is 2 heads.” 9+6+2=17. He answered their problem and then he took back his own camel.
In fact this was really a scientific masterpiece but the most important thing was his deep knowledge of monotheism, which had given him much importance. Certainly monotheistic knowledge is connected with morality and it is affected by the call of conscience. It consequently brings peace and comfort. It is neither destructive nor ruinous because it is not based on material concerns. Of course Islam provides such liberal education. At first, a person is purified from evilness and then is taught science and wisdom to do good for mankind.
Recently some news came from America saying that some 14 or 15 years old students attacked their fellow students by gun and consequently a number of them were killed. Thereupon the public prosecutor asked the local clergyman to think of a remedy and to restrain the present situation because men of authority could not do anything.
Although it is a bit late to stem the tide of prostitution, drunkenness and licentiousness among the people, it is much better doing nothing at all.
In order to put down such wicked acts among the youngsters, firstly, the educationists should gradually insert the religious teachings in school’s programs and, secondly, papers and film editors should reconsider making erotic films and writing deviational stories, because T. V and magazines are the real educators of people. They play an important role in teaching them.
Just as Europe had obtained many benefits from the civilization of Islam during the Crusades, the west, at the present time, needs to be in contact with the spiritual centers in the Islamic Republic of Iran to seek remedy for its shortcomings.
Now it is the outset of exchanging views among the civilizations and it can audaciously be said that the words and deeds of Imam Ali (A.S) are good guides to find the way of establishing peace and securing the human rights all over the world.
[1] Refer to the judge Fadhlullah ibn Roozbahan in his book Ibtl al-Battil, ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in his at-Tahtheeb p.p.337, ibn Hajar in his al-Issaba, vol.2 p.p.509, Hajji Ahmad Afandi in his Hidayatul Mutab p.p.146, 152, Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his Musnad and Abu Na’eem al-Isfahani in his Hilyatul Awliya'.
Source: A book named,Imam Ali (A.S) Sunshine of Civilized Islam
By Muhammad Hussein Tahmasebi
Other links:
The Sufferings of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (part 1)
The Sufferings of Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (part 2)
The Sufferings of Hazrat Ali (part 3)
Ali’s Attraction: Secrets and Causes (Part 1) Ali’s Attraction: Secrets and Causes (Part 2)
