Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

(1)hadis-e-rasool k mutabic ummat main ali mola ka kia martaba hay

(2) HAZRAT MUHAMMAD SALLAL LAHO ILAHI WA AALEHI WASALLAM K ASHAAB UMAR ABOBAQAR AUR USMAAN MAWIYA TOO SYED NA THAY HUMM UN KOO SYED NA KIS BINA PAR KEHTAY HAIN

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Status of Ali (r.a.)

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question-1: hadis-e-rasool k mutabic ummat main ali mola ka kia martaba hay

(Translation of question: According to the hadiths of the Messenger (saws) what is the status of Moula Ali (r.a.) in the Ummah)

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 59 Surah Hashr verse 8, in appreciation of the early companions of the Holy Prophet who migrated for Islam, and Hadrat Ali (r.a.) was definitely amongst them:

They (the companions who migrated from Makkah to Medina) seek Allah’s Bounty and His Goodwill, and are ever ready to succour Allah and His Messenger. They indeed are the truthful.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 100:

Allah was well pleased with those Muhajirs and Ansaar who were the first to respond to the invitation of the Faith, and with those also, who followed them in their righteous conduct, and they too, were well pleased with Allah. Allah has got ready for them Gardens, underneath which, canals flow, and they will abide therein for ever. This is the Greatest Success.

And Hadrat Ali (r.a.) is definitely amongst the first of the Muhajirs to accept the Faith!. Allah and His Messenger (saws) have themselves praised Hadrat Ali (r.a.) and his ‘maqaam’ in Islam. This ‘maqaam’ and status was given because Hadrat Ali (r.a.) loved Allah and His Messenger (saws), feared Allah Alone, and spent his whole life, and gave unlimited sacrifices with the Prophet (saws) and his companions in the propagation and for the victory of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (saws) himself, gave the good news of Paradise to Hadrat Ali (r.a.) during his own lifetime. This magnificent honor was given only to 10 companions of the Holy Prophet (saws), who were told in their lifetime that Allah has granted them Paradise. And our beloved Prophet (saws) never spoke anything from himself, but it was revealed to him by Allah, the All Wise, All Knowing.

There are just so many authentic and established narrations recorded in the ahaadeeths of the Messenger of Allah (saws) regarding the qualities and status of some of his companions including Hadrat Ali (r.a.) that if we were to list all of them it would indeed become a very lengthy answer! Here quoted are only a few of them where one could easily realize the status and rank of Hadrat Ali (r.a.) in the sight of the Messenger of Allah (saws):

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6084 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

When Allah's Messenger (saws) arranged brotherhoods among his companions (between the Muhajireen from Makkah and Ansar of Medina), Hadrat Ali (r.a.) came weeping to him (saws) and said, "You have arranged brotherhoods among your companions, but you have arranged no brotherhood between me and anyone." He (saws) replied, "Your are my brother in this world and the next."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.52 Narrated by Salama

The Prophet (saws) said in one of the battles : “Tomorrow, I (saws) will give the banner (make him the commander of the army) to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.” The Prophet (saws) gave the banner to Hadrat Ali the following day.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6225 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Paradise is desirous (waiting anxiously) for three people: Ali (ibn Abu Talib), Ammar (bin Yassir) and Salman (al Faarsi)."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6094 Narrated by Al-Bara' ibn Azib and Zayd ibn Arqam

When Allah's Messenger (saws) alighted at the pool of Khumm, he (saws) took Ali by the hand and asked those present, "Do you not know that I am closer to the believers than they themselves?" They replied, "Certainly." He (saws) then asked, "Do you not know that I am nearer to every believer than he himself?" They replied, "Certainly." He (saws) then said, " O Allah, he whose patron I am has Ali as his patron. O Allah, be friendly to those who are friendly to him and hostile to those who are hostile to him." After that Umar met him (Hadrat Ali) and said, "Congratulations, O son of AbuTalib. Morning and evening you are the patron of every believing man and woman."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6125 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "O Allah, show mercy to Ali! O Allah, cause the Truth to accompany him wherever he goes!"

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6111 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

The Prophet (saws) said, "The most learned in legal matters (of Islam), is Ali."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 903 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “O Ali, verily I like for thee what I like for myself, and I disapprove for thee what I disapprove for myself.”

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.56 Narrated by Ubaida

The Prophet (saws) said to Hadrat Ali(r.a.), "Will you not be pleased from this, that you are to me, like Aaron was to Moses?"

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6092 Narrated by Umm Salamah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who reviles Ali has reviled me."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 6091 Narrated by Umm Salamah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "A hypocrite does not love Ali and a believer does not hate him."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 141 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Ali said: “By Him Who split up the seed and created something living (Allah), the Prophet (saws) gave me a promise that no one but a believer would love me, and none but a hypocrite would nurse grudge against me.”

Your Question-2: HAZRAT MUHAMMAD SALLAL LAHO ILAHI WA AALEHI WASALLAM K ASHAAB UMAR ABOBAQAR AUR USMAAN MAWIYA TOO SYED NA THAY HUMM UN KOO SYED NA KIS BINA PAR KEHTAY HAIN

(Translation of Question: The Companions of Prophet Mohamed (saws) Umar, Abu Bakr, Uthmaan, Muawiya were not ‘syed’; then on what basis do we call them ‘Syed-na’?)

To answer your question, first we must differentiate the true meaning of the Arabic term ‘Syed’ and the connotation or usage of this term in the sub-continent culture.

The literal meaning of the Arabic term ‘Syed’ is a title of honor meaning ‘a leader’, and this term is generally used in the Arabic language even today as a synonym of the English title of honor: ‘Mr.’. Nowhere other than in the sub-continent region and culture is this term ‘Syed’ used to imply the descendants of the Noble Prophet of Allah (saws)! In the rest of the Islamic world, if one wishes to imply that someone is from amongst the descendants of the Last Messenger of Allah (saws), they are known as the Banu Hashim and not ‘Syed’ as is used in the Indian sub-continent to imply a descendant of the Prophet Mohamed (saws).

When any believer calls Hadrat Abu Bakr, or Hadrat Umar, or Hadrat Uthmaan, or Hadrat Ali, or Hadrat Bilaal, or Hadrat Salmaan, or any of the Noble Companions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) as ‘Syed-na’, it is but a term of honor they use to imply that these noble souls are ‘our leaders’ and in no terms mean to imply that any of them were descendants of the Messenger of Allah (saws) as the term ‘Syed’ is incorrectly used for the descendants of the Prophet (saws) in the sub-continent today!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan