Born 318 A.H.
Died: 352 A.H.
He composed the following verses regarding the Caliphate of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and that this Caliphate is clear from tradition of Ghadeer:
1. Haider, who is my master, I deem him to be my chief, since it is understood from reasoning that: 2. Caliphate after the Prophet is destined for him by the command of the Beneficent Lord. 3. To whom Ahmad said on the day of Ghadeer: 4. Stand up O Ali, and be the standard for them after me and be pleased for the divine rewards on Judgment Day. 5. You are the master of those, who would fulfill the covenant and this is the clarification mentioned by revelation. 6. It is that Almighty Allah said: convey the Caliphate to him and appoint him for My command. 7. And if you do not, it is as if you have not conveyed any message nor fulfilled your duty to Me.
Introduction to the poet
Abul Qasim Ali bin Ishaq bin Khalaf Qattan Baghdadi, famous as Zahi,1 was
a remarkable poet inclined to Ahle Bayt (a.s.): he followed their faith and
fulfilled the recompense of prophethood by his loyalty to them. His best poems
are in praise of the Holy Imams (a.s.).
A person like Zahi, who was aware of language and rhetoric and an expert
of lexicology and literature has used the term of ‘Maula’ in the meaning of
Caliphate and Imamate, which is strong evidence of the correctness of Shia
stance regarding the tradition of Ghadeer.
According to Ibne Khallikan, Zahi was born on Monday, when ten days
remained in the month of Safar in 318 A.H. and he passed away on Wednesday,
when ten days remained from Jamadiul Awwal, 352 A.H. or after 360 A.H.
Since his religious poems are not mentioned in poetry collections, we
present a sample as follows:
Among them being the following verses in praise of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.):
1. He was the one, who conversed with the sun and one for whom the sun rose up again after it had set in Babel. 2. One, who kicked the ground and one, who caused a spring to flow for the army in a parched valley. 3. It is such a river that every other river is smaller than it and its waves rise up high. He takes a handful of water. 4. And he is such a lion in the thicket that at that time every lion seems smaller. 5. He is one, who disseminates divine sciences on the earth and for whose love, Almighty Allah widens sustenance. 6. His sword is such that if a child sees it during the battlefield his hair would grey due to terror. 7. He steps into the battlefield while he had deemed his sword to be his armor. And what excessive filth he has eradicated is only restricted to him and that’s all.
Statement of the poet: “He was the one who conversed with the sun”
It is a hint to the report narrated from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that he said
to Ali (a.s.): “O Abul Hasan, speak to sun so that it may speak to you.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “Peace be on you, O obedient one of Allah and His Messenger.”
The sun responded: “And peace be on you O Ameerul Momineen, Imam of
the pious. And leader of the folks of Paradise, whose foreheads, hands and feet
(places of ablution) are illuminated and white.2 O Ali, you and your followers
shall be in Paradise. O Ali, you are the first of those for whom the earth split (an
allusion of being created) it was Muhammad and then you. And the first of those,
who would become alive is Muhammad and then you. And the first of those, who
would be dressed is Muhammad and then you.”
So Ali (a.s.) prostrated for Allah, the Mighty and High while tears flowed
from his eyes. The Prophet came to him and said: “My brother and loved one,
raise your head as Almighty Allah has boasted over the folks of seven heavens
regarding you.”
This report is mentioned by Shaykhul Islam Hamawaini in Faraidus
Simtain3, Khwarizmi in Manaqib4 and Qunduzi in Yanabi5.
Statement of the poet: “and one for whom the sun rose up again after it had set in Babel”
It is a hint to the report of returning of the sun for Ali (a.s.) in Babel, as Nasr
bin Muzahim has mentioned in Kitabus Siffeen6 through his authorities from
Abde Khair that he said: I traveled in Babel was with Ali (a.s.) and it was the
time of Asr prayer. We toured from one place to another; each was larger than the
other till Imam Ali (a.s.) arrived at a nice place and alighted. I also alighted after
him, but by that time the sun had already set and the time of Asr Prayer had
passed. Ali (a.s.) prayed to God and the sun rose up again, so that we may recite
our prayer. After that the sun set once more.
Statement of the poet: “he caused a spring of fresh water to flow”
It is a hint to the traditional report that Nasr bin Muzahim has mentioned in
Kitabus Siffeen7 through his chains of authorities from Abu Saeed Teemi Tabei,
famous as Aqeesa. Aqeesa says: We were traveling in an expedition with Ali
(a.s.) towards Shaam, till we reached Sawad to the rear of Kufa. People became
thirsty and needed water. So Ali (a.s.) took us to a firm slab of rock the size of a
goat and ordered us to dig there. We dug and a spring of water gushed up from
there. People quenched their thirst. Then he ordered us to replace the slab. Then
we set out from there and had moved a little when Ali (a.s.) asked if one of us
remembered that place. Some of us went to search for it on foot and mounted to
search for it and came to that place where the rock was. But we could not find it.
When he failed to see it we came to a monastery over there and ask them about it. They said there was no source of water nearby. How is that? We have ourselves
drank water from it. They asked: “Did you really drink from that place?” “Yes,”
we replied. The chief of the monastery said: “This monastery is not constructed,
except for that water and no one can take that water out, except a prophet or a
successor of prophet.”
Among the poems of Zahi is ‘Qasida Taiyya’, some verses of which are as follows:
1. He is the last successor and monotheism is present among creatures because of him. 2. He is the inside of unseen knowledge and one, who in exposition of hints, is apparent and is criterion of every man having envy. 3. Swiftly his sword revived religion as it destroyed the heresies of those, who talk nonsense. 4. He is the jurist of this Ummah and a scholar, who is such an expert that no one can overtake him. 5. He is the greatest news and the proof of truth and hardship for enemies and lamp in all calamities, which cause destruction.8 6. He is a rope connecting to God and is the door of repentance. He is one, who opens the locks of every difficulty and hardship. 7. He is the step of truth, which transforms the heart of every person, by steps, which are not deviated. 8. He is the stream of Talut and the side of God and is the spring, because of whose effulgence, intellect is destroyed. 9. The hearing ear, that is heedless to nonsense. 10. For him is the good return to the owner of Throne and he is such that if his help and guidance were not there, I would have been deviated.