Shaykh Alauddin Sakatwari says in Mahaziratul Awail:1
“The first one to be named as Abu Turab, was Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).
When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) saw him sleeping smeared in dust, he
said to him kindly: ‘Rise up, O Abu Turab.’ And this was his (Ali’s) favorite title
and after that through the blessings of the self of Muhammad, nobility was
obtained by him and the dust informed him of the future and past events.
Understand this issue, which is a remarkable secret.”2
The talented poet, Abdul Baqi Effendi Umari, has mentioned a beautiful and
profound point; he says:
“Almighty Allah created Adam from dust; thus Adam is the son of dust and
you are the father of dust.”
7. Among the special qualities of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), which our poet,
Maliki has hinted at, is the tradition of immunity and its announcement.
It is that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) first deputed Abu Bakr to
announce the initial verses of Surah Baraat. At this point Jibraeel came down
from Almighty Allah and said: This mission cannot be performed, except by you, or someone, who is from you.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) sent Ali (a.s.) in pursuit of Abu Bakr on
his own camel, Ghazba or Jada saying: Go to him; and when you reach him, take
the verses from him, go to Mecca and announce them to Meccans.
Ali (a.s.) caught up with Abu Bakr at Arj, Zul Halifah, Zajnan or Johfa. He
took the letter from him and set out for Mecca. He performed the Hajj and
announced those verses.
This traditional report is mentioned by numerous scholars through different
authentic chains of narrators to such an extent that in view of some Ahle Sunnat,
even if it had been less frequently narrated, it would have been widely narrated
(Mutawatir).
In Al-Ghadeer, the late Allamah Amini has mentioned names of seventythree persons, who mentioned this traditional report.3
The following are some of them:
- Hafiz Abu Muhammad Abdullah Darami, author of Sunan (d. 255 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Abdullah Ibne Majah Qazwini, author of Sunan (d. 273 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Isa Tirmizi, author of Saheeh (d. 279 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Abdur Rahman Ahmad Nasai, author of Sunan (d. 303 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Jarir Tabari, (d. 310 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Husain Baihaqi, author of Sunan (d. 458 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Qasim Jarullah Zamakhshari Shafei, (d. 538 A.H.).
- Hafiz Abu Abdullah Yahya Qurtubi, author of Tafseer Kabeer, (d. 567
A.H.).
- Hafiz Izzuddin bin Abil Hadeed Mutazali, (d. 655 A.H.).
- Hafiz Jalaluddin Abdur Rahman Suyuti Shafei, (d. 911 A.H.).
The chains of narrators of these scholars in the event of announcement of
immunity reach upto to some companions of Prophet. Allamah Amini in AlGhadeer, has mentioned the names of thirteen persons from them, among whom
are:
1. Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.), through the chains of Zaid bin Yasi. He has
narrated from His Eminence (a.s.) that when ten verses of Surah Baraat were
revealed on Prophet, he summoned Abu Bakr and asked him to announce them to
the Meccans. After that he summoned me and said:
“Follow Abu Bakr [enroute to Mecca] and when you reach him take the
letter from him and go to the people of Mecca and announce it to them.”
I caught up with him at Johfa, took the letter from him and he returned and
asked the Prophet: “O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), was something revealed
about me.” His Eminence replied: “No, but Jibraeel came and said to me: Only yourself or someone from you, can announce this.”
Abdullah bin Ahmad in Zawaidul Musnad, Hafiz Abu Shaykh and Ibne
Marduya have mentioned it and in the same way, Suyuti in Durre Manthur,
Kanzul Ummal, Shaukani in his Tafseer, have quoted from them and it can be
seen In Tafseer al-Manar as well.4
2. Abu Bakr bin Abu Qahafa: He says: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
sent him to announce the verses to Meccans that from the following year, the
polytheists will not have the right to perform Hajj and no one would
circumambulate in nude. And that except for Muslims, none would enter
Paradise. Also, any pact that exists between Prophet and someone else, will
continue as it is till the end of the period. And Allah and His Messenger are
immune from the polytheists.
Abu Bakr was gone for three days when the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
summoned Ali (a.s.) and said: Catch up with him and send Abu Bakr back to me;
and you announce the verses yourself. He says: Ali did that and when Abu Bakr
came to the Prophet, he cried and asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), am I
facing a difficulty?’ His Eminence said: ‘Regarding you, nothing, except good
has happened, but I was commanded that only I could announce them or a man
from me.’
Ahmad has mentioned this tradition in Musnad and Ibne Kathir in his Tarikh.5
3. Ibne Abbas:
Tirmizi in Jami, Baihaqi in Sunan and…have narrated this report from him.6
4. Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari:
Darami in his Sunan, Nasai in Khasais and…have narrated the following
report from him:7
The gist of these traditions is that: The incidence of the actual event is
having wide narration or its idea is widely narrated (Mutawatir); it is that the
verses were taken away from Abu Bakr and Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) announced
them and revelation arrived commanding the Prophet that only he or a persons
from him can announce it. This indicates that he was not considered worthy for
announcing some verses of Quran; then how he can be vested with promotion
and teaching of whole religion and informing about all issues?
Introduction to the poet
Abu Abdullah Shamsuddin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Ali Hawari Maliki
Andulusi Nahwi, famous as Ibne Jabir Aami, was from the province of Mariya.8
He was a poet, a literary person and had expertise in grammar, history, biography
and traditions. He was born in the year 698 A.H. and he passed away in 780 A.H.
He has left behind important writing, among them being: Sharhul Feeya Ibne
Malik; in Baghiya, Suyuti says:
“It is a useful book, since it has diacritics on the verses. This book is really
very valuable; and is beneficial for beginners.”
His biography can be found in the books of Ad-Durarul Kamina, Baghiyatul
Waa fee Tabaqatul Naha and Shazaratuz Zahab.9