Clear statements of Prophet
1. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: “The first to meet me at the Pool (Hauz),
would be one, who embraced Islam first and that is Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.).”
Hakeem has reported this tradition and certified to its veracity in his
Mustadrak; and Khatib Baghdadi in his Tarikh; it is also mentioned in Istiab and
Sharh Ibne Abil Hadeed.1
2. He said to Lady Fatima (s.a.): “I have given you in marriage to the best
person of my community, because he is the wisest and most forbearing of all and
most senior in Islam.”2
3. He held the hand of Ali (a.s.) and said: “This Ali is the first of those, who
believed in me and on Judgment Day, he would be the first to shake hands with
me; and he is the great truthful one (Siddiq Akbar).”3
4. Abu Bakr and Umar proposed for the hand of Fatima, but the Prophet
declined saying that a command was not issued for him about this. When Ali
(a.s.) proposed for her, the Prophet accepted without any hesitation and said to
Fatima: “I give you in marriage to the first of Muslims.”
This report is narrated by some companions like Asma binte Umais, Umme Aiman, Ibne Abbas and Jabir bin Abdullah.4
Statements of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.)
1. He says: “I am the slave of God and brother of Prophet; I am the greatest
truthful one; and after me, whoever claims thus would be a liar; and I am one,
who prayed with Prophet seven years before anyone else; and I am the first of
those, who prayed with the Prophet.”
This report is mentioned by Ibne Abi Shaibah5, Nasai6, Ibne Majah7, Hakeem8
and Tabari9 through authentic chains of narrators and through trustworthy narrators.
2. He says: “I worshipped God five years before anyone else.”10
3. He says:
ما اعرف احدا من هذه الامه عبد الله بعد نبينا غیری، عبدت الله قبل ان يعبده احد من هذه الامه تسع سنين
“Other than the Prophet, there was no one with me who worshipped God, because I worshiped God, nine years before anyone else from this Ummah.”11
He says: “The Prophet was appointed on his mission on Monday and I
embraced Islam on Tuesday.”12
4. He says: “I prayed with the Prophet six years before anyone else prayed
with him.” Ahmad has narrated this report through two chains of authorities.13
5. He says: In the verses, which His Eminence (a.s.) wrote to Muawiyah and
which were mentioned previously, he said:
6. “I was a young boy and had not reached maturity, that I embraced faith and
became a Muslim before all of you.14
Statement of Imam Hasan (a.s.)
7. Imam Hasan (a.s.) says in a sermon in the gathering of Muawiyah:
“O people, I adjure you by Allah, do you know whom you are abusing? He
was one, who prayed towards both prayer directions (Qibla), whereas, you O Muawiyah, were disbeliever about them and regarded them as deviation and in
order to deceive people, you worshipped idols of Laat and Uzza. I adjure you by
God, do you know that he was present at the two great allegiances: Fatah and
Rizwan, and he paid allegiance? Whereas, you, O Muawiyah, was denier in one
of them and oath-breaker in the other. I adjure you by God, do you know that he
was the first of those, who embraced faith; whereas you and your father, O
Muawiyah, were from those, whose loyalties were attracted through gifting them
money.”15