9. إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ أُولَبِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
“(As for) those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men.”1
Tabari, in his Tafseer,2
has narrated through his authorities from Abu Jarud
from Muhammad bin Ali regarding the verse:
أُولَبِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
“They are the best of men.”3
That the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said:
“O Ali you and your Shia are the best of men (Khairul Bariya).”
Khwarizmi, in the book of Manaqib,4
has narrated from Jabir that he said: I
was present in the company of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) when Ali (a.s.) arrived.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: “My brother has come to you.”
Then he glanced at the Kaaba and hit his hand upon it and said: “By the one in whose hands my life is, I swear that this person and his Shia would be
successful on Judgment Day.”
Then he said: “Among you, he is first to believe in me and he the most loyal
regarding the covenant to Almighty Allah and who is most steadfast in fulfilling
divine commands and most equitable among you in conduct with others. He is
the wisest of you in equitable distribution; and in perfections and excellence, he
is greatest among all of you.”
Jabir said: At that time the verse:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ أُولَبِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
“(As for) those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men.”5
…was revealed about Ali (a.s.). After that whenever Ali (a.s.) entered a
gathering, companions of the Prophet used to remark: The best of men has
arrived.
In Fusulul Muhimma,6
Ibne Sabbagh Maliki has directly narrated from Ibne
Abbas that when this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said to Ali
(a.s.):
“On Judgment Day, you and your Shia will enter the field of gathering
(Mahshar) while you have earned the satisfaction of God. And your enemies are
angry and their heads would be held aloft by iron collars and they shall be in
chains; and they would enter the field of gathering in this condition.”7
وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ
“I swear by the time, most surely man is in loss, except those who believe and do good…”8
Jalaluddin Suyuti says in Durre Manthur:
5
Ibne Marduya has narrated from
Ibne Abbas regarding the verses:
وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
“I swear by the time, most surely man is in loss,”9
That they imply Abu Jahl bin Hisham and the implication of the verse:
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ
“Except those who believe and do good…”10
…is Ali (a.s.) and Salman.