Word of the poet: ‘most truthful lady’
The implication here is Fatima, daughter of Prophet (s.a.w.a.), whom her
father named with this name according to a report, which Abu Saeed has narrated
from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) in the book of Sharafun Nubuwwah, that
His Eminence said to Ali (a.s.):
“You are given three qualities, which no one else was given, not even me:
you have a father-in-law like me,1 but I didn’t have such father-in-law; and you
are given such a wife, ‘most truthful lady’, which I was not given; and you are
given Hasan and Husain from your loins, but the like of those two were not given
to me; but you are from me and I am from you.”2
Word of the poet: ‘most truthful man’
This implies Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), who is the most truthful one of the
nation and this title is only for him.
Mohibuddin Tabari writes in Riyadh:3 Indeed, the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.) named him ‘Siddiq’.
Khajandi says: “He was given the title of the leader of Ummah and ‘Siddiqe
Akbar’ (the great truthful one).”
There are a large number of traditional reports regarding this point, which we mention as follows:
1. Ibne Najjar and Ahmad in Manaqib,4 have narrated from Ibne Abbas from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that he said: “Three persons are ‘Siddiq’ (most
truthful): Hizqeel, the believer from the people of Firon, Habib Najjar from Aale
Yasin and Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).”
2. It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that he said:
“Indeed, this man was the first to believe in me, and he is the first of those,
who would shake hands with me on Judgment Day, and he is the Siddiq Akbar
(the great truthful one) and the Farooq (one who separates truth from falsehood)
of this Ummah; and he is the leader of believers.”
Tibrani has narrated this traditional report from Salman and Abu Zar. In
Kifaya, Hafiz Ganji has narrated it through authorities of Hafiz Ibne Asakir.5
And according to Ganji, it is mentioned at the end of the tradition:
“And he is my gate, through which one must enter and he is the Caliph after
me.”
Muttaqi Hindi has quoted the report in Ikmal Kanzul Ummal according to
the first version.
3. It is narrated from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that he said:
“My Lord said to me on the night of ascension: O Muhammad, I selected
you for My message; I have chosen you for Myself. You are My Prophet and the
best of the creatures. After that is the Siddiq Akbar (most truthful) the purified
one, whom I created from your essence; and deemed him to be your Vizier and
the father of two grandsons, two chiefs and two martyrs and the purified ones,
and the two chiefs of Paradise; and gave in your marriage the best of the ladies of
the world. You are the tree and Ali is its branch and Fatima its leaves and Hasan
and Husain are its fruits; I created the two of them from the essence of High
heavens (Illiyin) and created your Shia from you. Indeed they are such that if they
are threatened with death their affection for you would increase.”
I asked: “My Lord, who is the Siddiq Akbar (most truthful)?”
“Ali Ibne Abi Talib,” he replied.
Qarashi has mentioned this report in Shamsul Akhbaar.6
4. It is narrated from Ali (a.s.) that: “I am the slave of God, brother of
Messenger of Allah and Siddiq Akbar (most truthful) and no one would claim
this, except the greatest liar. Indeed, I prayed seven years before the people.”
This report is quoted by Ibne Abi Shaibah through correct chains of
narrators and Nasai has mentioned it in Khasais through chains, whose narrators
are trustworthy; and Ibne Majah has stated it in Sunan, through correct chains of
narrators.7