23. Twenty-third objection
He says: Allamah Hilli Rafidhi has narrated from Amr bin Maimoon that Ali Ibne Abi Talib was having ten such qualities, which no one else had:
1. Statement of the Prophet regarding him that: “Now, I will appoint such a
person that Almighty Allah would definitely not humiliate him; he loves Allah
and His Prophet, and Allah and His Prophet also love him.” People craned their
necks to see whom the Prophet implied. Suddenly the Prophet asked: “Where is
Ali Ibne Abi Talib?” They said: “He has got sore eyes, he is grinding flour in the
mill,” – and none of them made flour – Amr bin Maimoon said: “Ali came while
he was unable to see anything and the Prophet blew on his eyes; then he waved
the flag thrice and then handed it over to him. He returned after a short while
bringing with himself Safiya, daughter of Huyy bin Akhtab.1
2. The Prophet appointed Abu Bakr to announce Surah Baraat, but
dispatched Ali in his pursuit to take it from him and announce it himself. He said:
“Only I and one, who is from me, can discharge this duty.”
3. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) asked his cousins: “Which of you want to
remain with me in the world and the hereafter?” All refrained, except Ali, who
said: “I want to remain with you in the world and the hereafter.” The Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) did not say anything. Again the Prophet addressed each of
them, saying: “Which of you accepts my Mastership (Wilayat) in the world and
the hereafter?” Again they did not reply. Ali (a.s.) repeated his statement. The
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: “You are my successor (Wali) in the world and the
hereafter.”
4. After Khadija, Ali was the first to embrace Islam.
5. The Prophet spread his garment over Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain and remarked:
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ ٱلرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًۭا (٣٣)
“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.”2
6. Ali risked his life to save the life of Prophet by donning his garment and
sleeping in his bed.
7. The polytheist stoned Ali (a.s.).
8. When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) set out for the Battle of Tabuk, Ali (a.s.)
asked: “Shall I also not accompany you?” His Eminence (s.a.w.a.) replied: “No.”
Ali (a.s.) wept, but His Eminence said: “Are you not pleased that you are to me
as Harun was Moosa (a.s.)? Except that you are not a prophet? And it does not
befit that I should leave, without appointing you as my representative.”
9. And he said: “You would be the guardian (Wali) of all believers after
me.” He also said: “One whose master I am, Ali is also his master.”
10. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) closed all the door leading into the
Masjid, except the door of Ali; and Ali used to come out of the Masjid in the state
of ritual impurity; and his house had no access, except through the Masjid.3
Ibne Taymiyyah then mentions points, whose gist is as follows:
Firstly: Such traditional reports are not recorded from Amr bin Maimoon.
Secondly: even supposing we accept it, the report is without chains of authorities.
Thirdly, such points are mentioned in it that to attribute them to the Prophet is
blatant falsehood: like it is not possible for me to leave Medina, without leaving
you as my successor, because Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) left Medina many times
without appointing Ali as representatives; on the contrary he appointed others as
his representatives.
At this point, he mentions the name of some individuals, who became
representatives of Prophet in Medina; and then he says:
“Representing the Prophet in Medina during expedition of Tabuk, was only
over ladies, children, those, who were exempted from battle and those three, who
avoided participating in Jihad, or who were alleged hypocrites; and that is all,
because during that period Medina was absolutely peaceful and its residents lived
in security; and representative of the Prophet was not required to perform any
Jihad. In the same way the incident of closing of all doors and leaving the door of
Ali (a.s.) open is fabricated, which the Shia have concocted against authentic
traditions, which Abu Saeed Khudri has narrated from Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). It
is mentioned in that report that during his last moments, His Eminence (s.a.w.a.)
said: “Abu Bakr and his companions are most trustworthy with regard to monies.
If I wanted to choose the friendship of anyone other than my Lord, I would
definitely choose Abu Bakr as my friend. And no window remained open into the
Masjid, except the window4 of Abu Bakr…” and Ibne Abbas has also mentioned
this report as quoted in Saheeh Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim.
The tradition: ‘After me, you are the Master (Wali) of all believers,’ is also
according to consensus of scholars, a fabricated tradition.”
At this point he mentions numerous nonsensical and fabricated points to
prove that this excellence is not restricted to Ali (a.s.).