Summary:
The day of the arrival of Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws in to the lap of his-asws mother (Syeda Fatima Bint[1] Asad-asws) at the Holy Kabah is celebrated worldwide by the followers of the Ahl Al-Bayt-asws on the 13th of Rajab. The Holy Shrine of Amir Al-Momineen‑asws in Al-Najaf was revealed after the destruction of Bani Ummaid dynasty by Bani Abbasid, during Haroon Al-Rashid’s rule in 169 AH, who built the first structure over the Holy grave of Imam Ali-asws.[2] Similarly, the attributes, elevated status and even the name of the Infallible Imam (Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws) was not allowed to be mentioned by the evil rulers of Bani Ummaid, who encouraged and openly insulted Imam Ali-asws. The Infallible successors-asws of Imam Ali-asws, therefore mostly observed precautions of dissimulation (Taqeeya) and only revealed those attributes and Infallible and Divine Characteristics of Amir Al-Momineen-asws which were essential, in secret and to their-asws very close disciples, which have reached us through the Ahadith (the narrations).
In Shia Ahadith books, as per the strict conditions of dissimulation (Taqeeya), therefore, we find very limited information on the day and place of the coming to the world of Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws. From the historians and Ahadith compilers we mostly find that it was on the 13th of Rajab when Imam Ali-asws was blessed to his-asws parents-asws. A few historians also quote 7th of Shaban, the middle of the month of Ramazan and during the Arafa of Zil Hajj (from Anas Ibn Malik, a well-known enemy of Ahl Al-Bayt-asws).
We start with the most common and the most observed date of the coming to the world of Amir Al-Momineen-asws, followed by the narrations citing other days, when Imam-asws descended into his-asws mother’s lap. Additional accounts and details on the arrival of Imam Ali-asws are included in the Appendices I-IV.
Riwaya (Reports) on Coming to the world of Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws on 13th Rajab:
التهذيب: وُلِدَ ع بِمَكَّةَ فِي الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ لِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً خَلَتْ مِنْ رَجَبٍ بَعْدَ عَامِ الْفِيلِ بِثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً وَ قُبِضَ ع قَتِيلًا بِالْكُوفَةِ- لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِتِسْعِ لَيَالٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعِينَ مِنَ الْهِجْرَةِ وَ لَهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَلَاثٌ وَ سِتُّونَ سَنَةً
(The book) ‘Al Tehzeeb’ –
‘Ali-asws came to the world at Makkah in the Sacred House (Kabah) during the night of Friday the thirteenth night vacant from Rajab (13th of Rajab), thirty years after the year of the elephant, and he-asws passed away being killed at Al-Kufa on the night of Friday on nine nights remaining from the Month of Ramazan of the year forty from the emigration, and on that day there were sixty three (63) years for him-asws.
وَ أُمُّهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ وَ هُوَ أَوَّلُ هَاشِمِيٍّ وُلِدَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ هَاشِمِيَّيْنِ وَ قَبْرُهُ بِالْغَرِيِّ مِنْ نَجَفِ الْكُوفَةِ
And his-asws mother-asws is (Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as Bin Hashim-as Bin Abd Manaf-as, and he-asws is the first Hashimite from (both) Hashimites (parents) in the (history of) Al-Islam among the Hashimites, and his-asws grave is at Al-Ghary, from Najaf, Al-Kufa’’.[3]
مصبا، المصباحين ذكر ابن عياش: أن اليوم الثالث عشر من رجب كان مولد أمير المؤمنين ع في الكعبة قبل النبوة باثنتي عشرة سنة
(The book) ‘Al Misbaheyn’ – Ibn Ayyash mentioned,
‘On the thirteenth day from Rajab (13th of Rajab) was the arrival of Amir Al-Momineen-asws in the Kabah, before the Prophet-hood by twelve years’’.[4]
و روي عن عتّاب بن أسيد أنه قال: ولد أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب ع- بمكة في بيت الله الحرام يوم الجمعة لثلاث عشرة ليلة خلت من رجب و للنبي ص ثمان و عشرون سنة- قبل النبوة باثنتي عشرة سنة
And it is reported from Attab Bin Asesyd having said,
‘Amir Al-Momineen-asws arrival was in Makkah in the Sacred House of Allah-azwj (Kabah) on the day of Friday of thirteenth night vacant from Rajab (13th of Rajab), and the Prophet-saww was of twenty-eight years, before the Prophet twelve years’’.[5]
إقبال الأعمال: رُوِيَ أَنَّ يَوْمَ ثَالِثَ عَشَرَ شَهْرِ رَجَبٍ كَانَ مَوْلِدَ مَوْلَانَا أَبِي الْحَسَنِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فِي الْكَعْبَةِ قَبْلَ النُّبُوَّةِ بِاثْنَتَيْ عَشَرَةَ سَنَةً
(The book) ‘Iqbal Al Amaal’ –
‘It is reported that on the thirteen’s of the month of Rajab (13th of Rajab) was the arrival of our Master-asws Abu Al-Hassan Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, in the Kabah, before the Prophet-hood by twelve years’’.[6]
أَقُولُ قَالَ الشَّهِيدُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّرُوسِ: عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ وَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخَوَانِ لِلْأَبَوَيْنِ وَ أُمُّهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ وَ هُوَ وَ إِخْوَتُهُ أَوَّلُ هَاشِمِيٍّ وُلِدَ بَيْنَ هَاشِمِيَّيْنِ وُلِدَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ ثَالِثَ عَشَرَ شَهْرِ رَجَبٍ
I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘The martyr said in the lessons (regarding) Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws Bin Abdul Muttalib-asws Bin Hashim-as, ‘And Abu Talib-asws and Abdullah-asws were two brothers-asws of the two fathers, and his-asws mother-asws Fatima Bint Asad-as Bin Hashim-as, and he-asws and his-asws sisters-asws were the first Hashimites to be blessed to the two Hashims, being blessed on the day of Friday of the thirteenth, of the Month of Rajab’ (13th of Rajab).
وَ رُوِيَ سَابِعَ شَهْرِ شَعْبَانَ بَعْدَ مَوْلِدِ النَّبِيِّ ص بِثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً انْتَهَى
And it is reported it was seventh of the month of Shaban after the arrival of the Prophet-saww by thirteen years – end’.[7]
و قال علي بن محمد المالكي في الفصول المهمة كان ولد أبو طالب طالبا و لا عقب له و عقيلا و جعفرا و عليا و كل واحد أسن من الآخر بعشر سنين و أم هانئ و اسمها فاختة و أمهم جميعا فاطمة بنت أسد
And Ali Bin Muhammad Al-Maliki has said in (the book) ‘Al-Fusool Al-Muhimma’ – Abu Talib‑asws begot Talib-as and there was no posterity for him, and Aqeel-as, and Ja’far-as, and Ali-asws. and each one was older than the other by ten years, and Umm Hany, and her name is Fakhta, and the mother-asws of all of them is (Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as.
هكذا ذكر موفق بن أحمد الخوارزمي في كتاب المناقب ولد بمكة المشرفة داخل البيت الحرام في يوم الجمعة الثالث عشر من شهر الله الأصم رجب سنة ثلاثين من عام الفيل قبل الهجرة بثلاث و عشرين سنة و قيل بخمس و عشرين و قبل المبعث باثنتي عشرة سنة و قيل بعشر سنين
That is how Mowfaq Bin Ahmad Al-Khawarizmy has mentioned in Kitab Al-Manaqib, and he (Ali-asws) was blessed (to his-asws parents-asws) at Makkah inside the Sacred House (Kabah) during the day of Friday the thirteenth from the month of Rajab (13th of Rajab) in the year thirty from the year of the elephant, before the emigration by twenty three years; and it is said by twenty five years; and before the Prophet-hood by twelve years; and it is said to be ten years.
و لم يولد في بيت الحرام قبله أحد سواه و هي فضيلة خصه الله تعالى بها إجلالا له و إعلاء لمرتبته و إظهارا لكرامته و كان هاشميا من هاشميين و أول من ولده هاشم مرتين و كان مولده بعد أن دخل رسول الله ص بخديجة بثلاث سنين و كان عمر رسول الله ص يوم ولادة علي ثماني و عشرين سنة انتهى كلام المالكي
And no one had been born in the Sacred House before him-asws, besides him-asws, and it is a merit Allah-azwj the Exalted has Specialised him-asws with it, as a reverence for him-asws and exaltation of his-asws rank, and a manifestation of his-asws honour. And he-asws was a Hashimite from the two (both parents-asws being) Hashimites, and the first one from one being blessed to two Hashimites, and him-asws being blessed (to his-asws parents-asws) after Rasool-Allah-saww had been married with Khadeeja-asws by three years, and the age of Rasool-Allah-saww of the day of the arrival of Ali-asws was twenty-eight years – end of the speech of Al-Maliki’’.[8]
المناقب لابن شهرآشوب: وُلِدَ ع فِي الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ بَعْدَ عَامِ الْفِيلِ بِثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً وَ رَوَى ابْنُ هَمَّامٍ بَعْدَ تِسْعٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً
(The book) ‘Al Manaqib’ of Ibn Shehr Ashub,
‘He-asws (Imam Ali-asws) was blessed (to his-asws parents-asws) in the Sacred House (Kabah) on the day of Friday the thirteenth of Rajab (13th of Rajab), after the year of the elephant by thirty years’. And it is reported by Ibn Hammam, after twenty-nine years’’.[9]
إعلام الورى شا، الإرشاد عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ عَلَيْهِ أَفْضَلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَ السَّلَامِ كُنْيَتُهُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ وُلِدَ بِمَكَّةَ فِي الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَجَبٍ سَنَةَ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ عَامِ الْفِيلِ
(The books) ‘Ilam Al Wara’ (and) ‘Al Irshad’ –
‘Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws Bin Abdul Muttalib-asws Bin Hashim-as Bin Abd Manaf-as, chief of the successors-as, upon him-asws be the most superior of the Salawaat and the greetings. His-asws teknonym is Abu Al-Hassan-asws, blessed (to his-asws parents-asws) in the Sacred House (Kabah), on the day of Friday of the thirteenth of the month of Rajab (13th of Rajab) of the year thirty from the year of the elephant.
وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ قَبْلَهُ وَ لَا بَعْدَهُ مَوْلُودٌ فِي بَيْتِ اللَّهِ سِوَاهُ إِكْرَاماً مِنَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ وَ إِجْلَالًا لِمَحَلِّهِ فِي التَّعْظِيمِ
And no one was born before him-asws nor after him-asws, in the Sacred House of Allah-azwj besides him-asws, as an honour from Allah-azwj, Majestic is His-azwj Name, to him-asws with that, and a reverence to his-asws position in the reverence.
وَ أُمُّهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ وَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ إِخْوَتُهُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ وَلَدَهُ هَاشِمٌ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَ حَازَ بِذَلِكَ مَعَ النُّشُوءِ فِي حَجْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ التَّأَدُّبِ بِهِ الشَّرَفَيْنِ
And his-asws mother-as is (Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as Bin Hashim-as Bin Abd Manaf-as; and Amir Al-Momineen-asws and his-asws sister were the first ones from having been born with both parents being Hashimites, and accomplished with that with the growing up in the lap of Rasool-Allah-saww and being educated by him-saww being the two nobilities’’.[10]
Riwaya of 7th of Shaban on Imam Ali-asws’s coming to the World
أَقُولُ قَالَ الشَّهِيدُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّرُوسِ: عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ وَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخَوَانِ لِلْأَبَوَيْنِ وَ أُمُّهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ وَ هُوَ وَ إِخْوَتُهُ أَوَّلُ هَاشِمِيٍّ وُلِدَ بَيْنَ هَاشِمِيَّيْنِ وُلِدَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ ثَالِثَ عَشَرَ شَهْرِ رَجَبٍ
I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘The martyr said in the lessons (regarding) Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws Bin Abdul Muttalib-asws Bin Hashim-as, ‘And Abu Talib-asws and Abdullah-asws were two brothers-asws of the two fathers, and his-asws mother-asws Fatima Bint Asad-as Bin Hashim-as, and he-asws and his-asws sisters-asws were the first Hashimites to be blessed to the two Hashims, being blessed on the day of Friday of the thirteenth, of the Month of Rajab (13th of Rajab)’.
وَ رُوِيَ سَابِعَ شَهْرِ شَعْبَانَ بَعْدَ مَوْلِدِ النَّبِيِّ ص بِثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً انْتَهَى
And it is reported it was seventh of the month of Shaban (7th of Shaban) after the arrival of the Prophet-saww by thirteen years – end’.[11]
Appendix I: Ahadith on Amir Al-Momineen-asws’s coming to the world
روضة الواعظين قَالَ جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيُ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص عَنْ مِيلَادِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَقَالَ آهِ آهِ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْ خَيْرِ مَوْلُودٍ وُلِدَ بَعْدِي عَلَى سُنَّةِ الْمَسِيحِ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَنِي وَ عَلِيّاً مِنْ نُورٍ وَاحِدٍ- قَبْلَ أَنْ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ بِخَمْسِمِائَةِ أَلْفِ عَامٍ فَكُنَّا نُسَبِّحُ اللَّهَ وَ نُقَدِّسُهُ
(The book) ‘Rowzat al Waizeen’ – Jabir Bin Abdullah Al Ansari said,
‘I asked Rasool-Allah-saww regarding the blessing (to his-asws parents-asws) of Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws. He-saww said: ‘Aah! Aah! You have asked me-saww about the best birth to be born after me-saww upon the Sunnah of the Messiah-as. Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Created me-saww and Ali-asws from one Noor, before He-azwj Created the creation, by five hundred thousand years. We-asws used to Glorify Allah-azwj and extolling His-azwj Holiness.
فَلَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى آدَمَ قَذَفَ بِنَا فِي صُلْبِهِ وَ اسْتَقْرَرْتُ أَنَا فِي جَنْبِهِ الْأَيْمَنِ وَ عَلِيٌّ فِي الْأَيْسَرِ ثُمَّ نَقَلَنَا مِنْ صُلْبِهِ فِي الْأَصْلَابِ الطَّاهِرَاتِ إِلَى الْأَرْحَامِ الطَّيِّبَةِ فَلَمْ نَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى أَطْلَعَنِيَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مِنْ ظَهْرٍ طَاهِرٍ وَ هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَاسْتَوْدَعَنِي خَيْرَ رَحِمٍ وَ هِيَ آمِنَةُ
When Allah-azwj the Exalted Created Adam-as, Cast us-asws to be in his-as Sulb, and I-saww settled in his-as right side and Ali-asws in his-as left. Then we-asws were transferred from his-as Sulb into the clean Sulbs to good laps. We-asws did not cease to be like that until Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Caused me-saww to emerge from a clean Sulb, and he-as is Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib-asws, and Deposited me-saww into the best lap, and she-asws is (Syeda) Aamina-asws.
ثُمَّ أَطْلَعَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلِيّاً مِنْ ظَهْرٍ طَاهِرٍ وَ هُوَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ اسْتَوْدَعَهُ خَيْرَ رَحِمٍ وَ هِيَ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدٍ
Then Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Caused Ali-asws to emerge from a clean Sulb, and he-as is Abu Talib-asws, and Deposited him-asws in the best lap, and she-asws is (Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ وَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ وَقَعَ عَلِيٌّ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ كَانَ فِي زَمَانِهِ رَجُلٌ عَابِدٌ رَاهِبٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ المثرم بْنُ دعيب بْنِ الشيقتام وَ كَانَ مَذْكُوراً فِي الْعِبَادَةِ قَدْ عَبَدَ اللَّهَ مِائَةً وَ تِسْعِينَ سَنَةً وَ لَمْ يَسْأَلْهُ حَاجَةً فَسَأَلَ رَبَّهُ أَنْ يُرِيَهُ وَلِيّاً لَهُ
Then he-saww said: ‘O Jabir! And before Ali-asws occurred in the lap of his-asws mother-asws, there was a man in his (that) time, a worshipper, a monk called Al-Masram Bin Daeeb Al-Shaywatam, and he was mentioned among the worshipper as having worshipped Allah-azwj for one hundred and ninety years and did not ask Him-azwj for any need. He asked his Lord-azwj to Show him a friend of His-azwj.
فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بِأَبِي طَالِبٍ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَنْ بَصُرَ بِهِ المثرم قَامَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَبَّلَ رَأْسَهُ وَ أَجْلَسَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَنْتَ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ تِهَامَةَ فَقَالَ مِنْ أَيِّ تِهَامَةَ قَالَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ قَالَ مِمَّنْ قَالَ مِنْ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ قَالَ مِنْ أَيِّ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ قَالَ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ
So, Allah-azwj the Exalted Sent Abu Talib-asws to him. When Al-Marsam sighted him-asws, he stood up to him-asws, kissed his-asws head, and sat down in front of him-asws. He said, ‘Who are you‑asws, may Allah-azwj have Mercy on you-asws!’ He-asws said: ‘A man-asws from Tihama’. He said, ‘From which (area of) Tihama?’ He-asws said: ‘From Makkah’. He said, ‘From who?’ He-asws said: ‘From Abd Manaf-as’. He said, ‘From which (clan) Abd Manaf-as?’ He-asws said: ‘From the Clan of Hashim-as’.
فَوَثَبَ إِلَيْهِ الرَّاهِبُ وَ قَبَّلَ رَأْسَهُ ثَانِياً وَ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَعْطَانِي مَسْأَلَتِي وَ لَمْ يُمِتْنِي حَتَّى أَرَانِي وَلِيَّهُ
The monk leapt towards him-asws and kissed his-asws head secondly, and said, ‘The Praise is for Allah-azwj Who Gave me my request and did not Refuse me until He-azwj Showed me His-azwj friend’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبْشِرْ يَا هَذَا فَإِنَّ الْعَلِيَّ الْأَعْلَى قَدْ أَلْهَمَنِي إِلْهَاماً فِيهِ بِشَارَتُكَ قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ مَا هُوَ قَالَ وَلَدٌ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ صُلْبِكَ هُوَ وَلِيُّ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ اسْمُهُ وَ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ وَ هُوَ إِمَامُ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَ وَصِيُّ رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Then he said, ‘Receive glad tidings, O you-asws, for the most Exalted has Inspired me of your‑asws glad tidings’. Abu Talib-asws said: ‘And what is it?’ He said, ‘A son-asws to be coming out from your-asws Sulb, he-asws is a friend of Allah-azwj. Blessed is his-asws name and exalted is his-asws mention, and he-asws is Imam-asws of the pious, and successor-asws of the Rasool-saww of Lord-azwj of the worlds.
فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتَ ذَلِكَ الْوَلَدَ فَأَقْرِئْهُ مِنِّي السَّلَامَ وَ قُلْ لَهُ إِنَّ المثرم يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامَ وَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ أَنَّكَ وَصِيُّهُ حَقّاً- بِمُحَمَّدٍ يَتِمُّ النُّبُوَّةُ وَ بِكَ يَتِمُّ الْوَصِيَّةُ
So, if you were to come across that son-asws, convey the greetings from me and tell him that Al-Marsam conveys the greetings and he testifies that there is no god except Allah-azwj Alone, there is not associate for Him-azwj, and that Muhammad-saww is His-azwj servant and His-azwj Rasool-saww, and you-asws are his-saww successor-asws truly. By Muhammad-saww the Prophet-hood is completed and by you-asws the successor-ship is completed’.
قَالَ فَبَكَى أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ قَالَ لَهُ مَا اسْمُ هَذَا الْمَوْلُودِ قَالَ اسْمُهُ عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ إِنِّي لَا أَعْلَمُ حَقِيقَةَ مَا تَقُولُهُ إِلَّا بِبُرْهَانٍ بَيِّنٍ وَ دَلَالَةٍ وَاضِحَةٍ
He (Rasool-Allah-saww) said: ‘Abu Talib-asws wept and said to him: ‘What is the name of this child?’ He said, ‘His-asws name is Ali-asws’. Abu Talib-asws said: ‘I-asws do not know the reality of what you are saying except a clear proof and clear evidence’.
قَالَ المثرم فَمَا تُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَ اللَّهَ لَكَ أَنْ يُعْطِيَكَ فِي مَكَانِكَ مَا يَكُونُ دَلَالَةً لَكَ قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ أُرِيدُ طَعَاماً مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فِي وَقْتِي هَذَا فَدَعَا الرَّاهِبُ بِذَلِكَ فَمَا اسْتَتَمَّ دُعَاؤُهُ حَتَّى أُتِيَ بِطَبَقٍ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ فَاكِهَةِ الْجَنَّةِ رُطَبَةٌ وَ عِنَبَةٌ وَ رُمَّانٌ
Al-Marsam said, ‘So what do you want, that I should ask Allah-azwj for you that He-azwj should Give you in your place what would happen to be evidence for you?’ Abu Talib-asws said: ‘I-asws like to have food from the Paradise during this time of mine-asws’. The monk supplicated with that, and his supplication had not completed even he was brought a tray, upon it were from the fruits of Paradise, dates, and grapes, and pomegranates.
فَتَنَاوَلَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ مِنْهُ رُمَّانَةً وَ نَهَضَ فَرِحاً مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ حَتَّى رَجَعَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَأَكَلَهَا فَتَحَوَّلَتْ مَاءً فِي صُلْبِهِ فَجَامَعَ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ أَسَدٍ فَحَمَلَتْ بِعَلِيٍّ ع وَ ارْتَجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ وَ زَلْزَلَتْ بِهِمْ أَيَّاماً حَتَّى لَقِيَتْ قُرَيْشٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شِدَّةً وَ فَزِعُوا وَ قَالُوا قُومُوا بِآلِهَتِكُمْ إِلَى ذِرْوَةِ أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُمْ أَنْ يُسَكِّنُوا مَا نَزَلَ بِكُمْ وَ حَلَّ بِسَاحَتِكُمْ
Abu Talib-asws partook a pomegranate from it and got up happy from his-asws time until he-asws returned to his-asws house. He-asws ate it and the water in his-asws Sulb was transformed, and he‑asws went to (Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad. She-asws was blessed with Ali-asws, and the ground trembled and there was an earthquake with them for days until Quraysh faced difficulties from that, and they panicked and said, ‘Arise to your gods to supplicate at (mount) Abu Qubeys until we ask them to calm down what has befallen with you has been released in your courtyards’.
فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى ذِرْوَةِ جَبَلِ أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ فَجَعَلَ يَرْتَجُّ ارْتِجَاجاً حَتَّى تَدَكْدَكَتْ بِهِمْ صُمُّ الصُّخُورِ وَ تَنَاثَرَتْ وَ تَسَاقَطَتِ الْآلِهَةُ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا فَلَمَّا بَصُرُوا بِذَلِكَ قَالُوا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِمَا حَلَّ بِنَا
When they gathered upon the peak of mount Abu Qubeys, it went on to shake with a shaking until the solid rocks crumbled with them, and the gods (idols) fell down upon their faces. When they saw that, they said, ‘There is no strength for us with what has been released with us’.
فَصَعِدَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ الْجَبَلَ وَ هُوَ غَيْرُ مُكْتَرِثٍ بِمَا هُمْ فِيهِ فَقَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى قَدْ أَحْدَثَ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ حَادِثَةً وَ خَلَقَ فِيهَا خَلْقاً إِنْ لَمْ تُطِيعُوهُ وَ لَمْ تُقِرُّوا بِوَلَايَتِهِ وَ تَشْهَدُوا بِإِمَامَتِهِ لَمْ يُسَكَّنْ مَا بِكُمْ وَ لَا يَكُونُ لَكُمْ بِتِهَامَةَ مُسَكِّنٌ
Abu Talib-asws ascended the mountain and he-asws was indifferent (uncaring) with what predicament they were in’. He-as said: ‘O you people! Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted has Caused an event to occur during this night and has Created such a creature in it, if you were not to obey him-asws and do not acknowledge with his-asws Wilayah and testify with his-asws Imamate, what is with you will not settle down nor will there happen to be a dwelling for you all at Tihama’.
فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ إِنَّا نَقُولُ بِمَقَالَتِكَ فَبَكَى أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ قَالَ إِلَهِي وَ سَيِّدِي أَسْأَلُكَ بِالْمُحَمَّدِيَّةِ الْمَحْمُودَةِ وَ بِالْعَلَوِيَّةِ الْعَالِيَةِ وَ بِالْفَاطِمِيَّةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ إِلَّا تَفَضَّلْتَ عَلَى تِهَامَةَ بِالرَّأْفَةِ وَ الرَّحْمَةِ فَوَ الَّذِي
They said, ‘O Abu Talib-asws! We are saying with your-asws words!’ Abu Talib-asws wept and raised his-asws hands to Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic and said: ‘My-asws God-azwj and my-asws Master‑azwj! I-asws ask You-azwj by the praise-worthiness of the praise-worthy (Muhammad-saww), and by the exaltedness of the exalted (Ali-asws, and by the brightness of the Fatimid (Fatima‑asws), only to Grace upon Tihama with the Kindness and the Mercy’’.
فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ وَ بَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ لَقَدْ كَانَتِ الْعَرَبُ تَكْتُبُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ فَتَدْعُو بِهَا عِنْدَ شَدَائِدِهَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَ هِيَ لَا تَعْلَمُهَا وَ لَا تَعْرِفُ حَقِيقَتَهَا فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي وُلِدَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَشْرَقَتِ السَّمَاءُ بِضِيَائِهَا وَ تَضَاعَفَ نُورُ نُجُومِهَا وَ أَبْصَرَتْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قُرَيْشٌ عَجَباً
(Rasool-Allah-saww said): ‘By the One-azwj Who Split the seed and Formed the person! The Arabs used to write these phrases and supplicate by these at the calamities during the pre-Islamic period, and they neither knew nor understand their realities. When it was the night in which Amir Al-Momineen-asws was blessed (to his-asws parents-asws), the sky shone with its illumination and the radiance of its stars double, and Quraysh sighted wonders from that.
فَهَاجَ بَعْضُهَا فِي بَعْضٍ وَ قَالُوا قَدْ أُحْدِثَ فِي السَّمَاءِ حَادِثَةٌ وَ خَرَجَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ هُوَ يَتَخَلَّلُ سِكَكَ مَكَّةَ وَ أَسْوَاقَهَا وَ يَقُولُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تَمَّتْ حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ وَ أَقْبَلَ النَّاسُ يَسْأَلُونَهُ عَنْ عِلَّةِ مَا يَرَوْنَهُ مِنْ إِشْرَاقِ السَّمَاءِ وَ تَضَاعُفِ نُورِ النُّجُومِ
They agitated each other and said, ‘An event has occurred in the sky!’ And Abu Talib-asws came out and he-asws mingles in the market stalls of Makkah and its markets, and he-asws said: ‘O you people! The Argument of Allah-azwj is completed!’ And the people came to ask him-asws about the reach of what they had seen, from the brightness of the sky and doubling of the radiance of the stars.
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَبْشِرُوا فَقَدْ ظَهَرَ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ وَلِيٌّ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ يُكَمِّلُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خِصَالَ الْخَيْرِ وَ يَخْتِمُ بِهِ الْوَصِيِّينَ وَ هُوَ إِمَامُ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَ نَاصِرُ الدِّينِ وَ قَامِعُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَ غَيْظُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَ زَيْنُ الْعَابِدِينَ وَ وَصِيُّ رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ إِمَامُ هُدًى وَ نَجْمُ عُلًا وَ مِصْبَاحُ دُجًى وَ مُبِيدُ الشِّرْكِ وَ الشُّبُهَاتِ وَ هُوَ نَفْسُ الْيَقِينِ وَ رَأْسُ الدِّينِ
He-as said to them: ‘Receive glad tidings, for during this night has appeared a friend from the friends of Allah-azwj. Allah-azwj would Perfect the good characteristics in him-asws and end the successors-as by him-asws, and he-asws is Imam-asws of the pious, and helper of the religion, and suppressor of the Polytheists, and enrager of the hypocrites, and adornment of the worshippers, and successor-asws of Rasool-saww of Lord-azwj of the worlds, Imam-asws of guidance, and the high star, and lamp for the darkness, and annihilator of the Shirk and the suspicions, and he-asws is the soul of conviction, and head of the religion’.
فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُكَرِّرُ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ وَ الْأَلْفَاظَ إِلَى أَنْ أَصْبَحَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَابَ عَنْ قَوْمِهِ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِلَى أَيْنَ غَابَ
He-as did not cease repeating these phrases and words up the morning. When it was morning, he-as disappeared from his-as people for forty mornings’. Jabir said, ‘I said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! Where did he-as disappear to?’
قَالَ إِنَّهُ مَضَى يَطْلُبُ المثرم كَانَ وَ قَدْ مَاتَ فِي جَبَلِ اللُّكَامِ فَاكْتُمْ يَا جَابِرُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ أَسْرَارِ اللَّهِ الْمَكْنُونَةِ وَ عُلُومِهِ الْمَخْزُونَةِ إِنَّ المثرم كَانَ وَصَفَ لِأَبِي طَالِبٍ كَهْفاً فِي جَبَلِ اللُّكَامِ وَ قَالَ لَهُ إِنَّكَ تَجِدُنِي هُنَاكَ حَيّاً أَوْ مَيِّتاً
He-saww said: ‘He-as went searching for Masram, and he had died in the mount Al-Lukam. Conceal, O Jabir, for it is from the hidden Secrets of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Treasured Knowledge. Al-Marsam had described a cave to Abu Talib-asws being in mount Al-Lukam and had said to him-as, ‘You-as will find me there, whether alive or dead’.
فَلَمَّا مَضَى أَبُو طَالِبٍ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْكَهْفِ وَ دَخَلَ إِلَيْهِ وَجَدَ المثرم مَيِّتاً جَسَداً مَلْفُوفَةً مِدْرَعَةً مُسَجًّى بِهَا إِلَى قِبْلَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُنَاكَ حَيَّتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا بَيْضَاءُ وَ الْأُخْرَى سَوْدَاءُ وَ هُمَا يَدْفَعَانِ عَنْهُ الْأَذَى فَلَمَّا بَصُرَتَا بِأَبِي طَالِبٍ غَرَبَتَا فِي الْكَهْفِ وَ دَخَلَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ إِلَيْهِ
When Abu Talib-asws went to that cave and entered into it, he-asws found Al-Masram dead, a body wrapped, enshrouded, lying down to his Qiblah. Over there were two snakes, one of them white and the other one black, and they were both repelling the harm from him. When they sighted Abu Talib-asws, they disappeared in the cave, and Abu Talib-asws entered to see him-asws.
فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا وَلِيَّ اللَّهِ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ فَأَحْيَا اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بِقُدْرَتِهِ المثرم فَقَامَ قَائِماً يَمْسَحُ وَجْهَهُ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً وَلِيُّ اللَّهِ وَ الْإِمَامُ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ
He-as said: ‘The greetings be unto you, O friend of Allah-azwj, and Mercy of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Blessings’. Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Revived Al-Masram by His-azwj Power. He stood upright wiping his face, and he was saying, ‘I testify that there is no god except Allah-azwj Alone, there is not associate for Him-azwj, and that Muhammad-saww is His-azwj servant and His-azwj Rasool-saww, and that Ali-asws is friend of Allah-azwj and the Imam-asws after the Prophet-saww of Allah-azwj’.
فَقَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ أَبْشِرْ فَإِنَّ عَلِيّاً فَقَدْ طَلَعَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَقَالَ مَا كَانَتْ عَلَامَةُ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي طَلَعَ فِيهَا قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ لَمَّا مَضَى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ الثُّلُثُ أخذت [أَخَذَ] فَاطِمَةَ مَا يَأْخُذُ النِّسَاءَ عِنْدَ الْوِلَادَةِ فَقُلْتُ لَهَا مَا بَالُكِ يَا سَيِّدَةَ النِّسَاءِ قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَجِدُ وَهَجاً فَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهَا الِاسْمَ الَّذِي فِيهِ النَّجَاةُ فَسَكَنَتْ
Abu Talib-asws said: ‘Receive glad tidings for Ali-asws has emerged to the earth’. He said, ‘So what was the sign at night in which he-asws emerged?’ Abu Talib-asws said: ‘When a third of the night had passed by, (Syeda) Fatima-asws was alarmed by what tends to alarm the women when expecting. I-asws said to her-asws: ‘What is the matter with you-asws, O chieftess of the women?’ She-asws said, ‘I-asws felt a glow, so I-asws recited the Name in which is the salvation, so it settled’.
فَقُلْتُ لَهَا إِنِّي أَنْهَضُ فَآتِيكِ بِنِسْوَةٍ مِنْ صَوَاحِبِكِ يُعِنَّكِ عَلَى أَمْرِكِ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ فَقَالَتْ رَأْيَكَ يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ فَلَمَّا قُمْتُ لِذَلِكَ إِذَا أَنَا بِهَاتِفٍ هَتَفَ مِنْ زَاوِيَةِ الْبَيْتِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ أَمْسِكْ يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ فَإِنَّ وَلِيَّ اللَّهِ لَا تَمَسُّهُ يَدٌ نَجِسَةٌ
I-asws said to her-asws: ‘I-asws shall go and come to you-asws with women from your-asws companion to assist you upon your matter during this night’. She-asws said: ‘O Abu Talib-asws, it is up to you‑asws’. When I-asws stood for that, there I-asws was with a caller calling out from a corner of the House (Kabah), and he was saying, ‘Withhold, O Abu Talib-asws, for the friend of Allah-azwj shall not be touched by unclean hands!’
وَ إِذَا أَنَا بِأَرْبَعِ نِسْوَةٍ يَدْخُلْنَ عَلَيْهَا وَ عَلَيْهِنَّ ثِيَابٌ كَهَيْئَةِ الْحَرِيرِ الْأَبْيَضِ وَ إِذَا رَائِحَتُهُنَّ أَطْيَبُ مِنَ الْمِسْكِ الْأَذْفَرِ فَقُلْنَ لَهَا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا وَلِيَّةَ اللَّهِ فَأَجَابَتْهُنَّ ثُمَّ جَلَسْنَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَ مَعَهُنَّ جُؤْنَةٌ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَ أَنِسْنَهَا حَتَّى وُلِدَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع
And there I-asws was with four women having had entered to be with her-asws, and upon them were white attires as if these were of white silk, and their aromas were more aromatic than the yellow musk. I-asws said to them: ‘The greetings be unto you, O friends of Allah-azwj’. They answered, then they sat in front of her-asws, with them was a silver tray of perfumes, and they comforted her-asws until Amir Al-Momineen-asws descended (from heavens).
فَلَمَّا وُلِدَ انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ كَالشَّمْسِ الطَّالِعَةِ وَ قَدْ سَجَدَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً وَصِيُّ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ يَخْتِمُ اللَّهُ النُّبُوَّةَ وَ بِي يُتِمُّ الْوَصِيَّةَ وَ أَنَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
When he-asws was blessed (to his-asws parents-asws), I-asws ended up to him-asws, and there he-asws was like the emerging sun, and he-asws had performed Sajdah upon the ground and he-asws was saying: ‘I-asws testify that there is no god except Allah-azwj, and Muhammad-saww is Rasool-saww of Allah-azwj, and I-asws testify that Ali-asws is successor-asws of Muhammad-saww Rasool-Allah-saww, and the Prophet-hood has ended with Muhammad-saww and the successorship has ended with me-asws, and I-asws am Amir Al-Momineen-asws’.
فَأَخَذَتْهُ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ وَ وَضَعَتْهُ فِي حَجْرِهَا فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ عَلِيٌّ فِي وَجْهِهَا نَادَاهَا بِلِسَانٍ ذَلِقٍ ذَرِبٍ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا أُمَّاهْ فَقَالَتْ وَ عَلَيْكَ يَا بُنَيَ فَقَالَ مَا خَبَرُ وَالِدِي قَالَتْ فِي نِعَمِ اللَّهِ يَنْقَلِبُ وَ صُحْبَتِهِ يَتَنَعَّمُ
One of them picked him-asws up from the ground and placed him-asws in her-asws lap. When Ali-asws looked into her-asws face, he-asws called out at her-asws in an eloquent sharp tongue: ‘The greetings be unto you-asws, O mother-asws!’ She-asws said: ‘And upon you-asws, O my-asws son-asws!’ He-asws said: ‘What is the news of my-asws father-asws?’ She-asws said: ‘He-asws turns in the goodness of Allah-azwj and being Blessed in His-azwj Companionship’.
فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ لَمَا تَمَالَكْتُ أَنْ قُلْتُ يَا بُنَيَّ أَ لَسْتُ بِأَبِيكَ قَالَ بَلَى وَ لَكِنِّي وَ إِيَّاكَ مِنْ صُلْبِ آدَمَ وَ هَذِهِ أُمِّي حَوَّاءُ فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ غَطَّيْتُ رَأْسِي بِرِدَائِي وَ أَلْقَيْتُ نَفْسِي فِي زَاوِيَةِ الْبَيْتِ حَيَاءً مِنْهَا
When I-asws heard that, I-asws could not control myself-asws to say: ‘O my-asws son-asws! Aren’t you-asws with your-asws father-asws?’ He-asws said: ‘Yes, but be careful from the Sulb of Adam-as, and this here is my-asws mother-as Hawwa-as’. When I-asws heard that, I-asws covered my-asws head with my-asws cloak and threw myself in a corner of the House in embarrassment from her-as.
Then another one approached and with her was a tray of perfumes. She held Ali-asws. When he-asws looked at her face, he-asws said: ‘The greetings be unto you, O my-asws sister!’ She said, ‘And upon you-asws be the greetings, O my brother-asws’. He-asws said: ‘So, what is the news of my-asws paternal uncle?’ She said, ‘Good, and he conveys the greetings to you-asws’.
ثُمَّ دَنَتْ أُخْرَى وَ مَعَهَا جُؤْنَةٌ فَأَخَذَتْ عَلِيّاً فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَى وَجْهِهَا قَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكِ يَا أُخْتِي قَالَتْ وَ عَلَيْكِ السَّلَامُ يَا أَخِي قَالَ فَمَا خَبَرُ عَمِّي قَالَتْ خَيْرٌ وَ هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلَامَ فَقُلْتُ يَا بُنَيَّ أَيُّ أُخْتٍ هَذِهِ وَ أَيُّ عَمٍّ هَذَا قَالَ هَذِهِ مَرْيَمُ ابْنَةُ عِمْرَانَ وَ عَمِّي عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَ طَيَّبَتْهُ بِطِيبٍ كَانَ فِي الْجُؤْنَةِ فَأَخَذَتْهُ أُخْرَى مِنْهُنَّ فَأَدْرَجَتْهُ فِي ثَوْبٍ كَانَ مَعَهَا
I-asws said: ‘O my-asws son-asws! Which sister is this, and which uncle is this?’ He-asws said: ‘This is Maryam-as daughter of Imran-as and my-asws uncle Isa-as Bin Maryam-as’. And she-as perfumed him-asws with perfume which was in the tray. Another one of them held him-asws and wrapped him-asws in a cloth which was with her’.
قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ طَهَّرْنَاهُ لَكَانَ أَخَفَّ عَلَيْهِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْعَرَبَ كَانَتْ تُطَهِّرُ أَوْلَادَهَا فَقَالَتْ يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ إِنَّهُ وُلِدَ طَاهِراً مُطَهَّراً- لَا يُذِيقُهُ حَرُّ الْحَدِيدِ فِي الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا عَلَى يَدِ رَجُلٍ يُبْغِضُهُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ مَلَائِكَتُهُ وَ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَ الْأَرْضُ وَ الْبِحَارُ وَ تَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْهِ النَّارُ
Abu Talib-asws said: ‘I-asws said: ‘If we were to cleanse (circumcise) him-asws, it would be lighter upon him-asws (won’t feel pain)’ – and that is because the Arabs used to clean (circumcise) their children. She said, ‘O Abu Talib-asws! He-asws is of clean birth, Purified. He-asws will not taste the heat of iron in the word except upon the hand of a man hated by Allah-azwj, and His-azwj Rasool-saww, and His-azwj Angels, and the skies, and the earth, and the oceans, and the Fire (Hell) is desirous to him-la’.
فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ فَقُلْنَ ابْنُ مُلْجَمٍ الْمُرَادِيُّ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَ هُوَ قَاتِلُهُ فِي الْكُوفَةِ سَنَةَ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ وَفَاةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص
I-asws said: ‘Who is this man-la?’ She said, ‘Ibn Muljim Al-Muradi-la, may Allah-azwj Curse him-la, and he-la is his-asws killer in Al-Kufa in the year thirty from the expiry of Muhammad-saww’.
قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ فَأَنَا كُنْتُ فِي اسْتِمَاعِ قَوْلِهِنَّ ثُمَّ أَخَذَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ابْنُ أَخِي مِنْ يَدِهِنَّ وَ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ فِي يَدِهِ وَ تَكَلَّمَ مَعَهُ وَ سَأَلَهُ عَنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَخَاطَبَ مُحَمَّدٌ ص عَلِيّاً بِأَسْرَارٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمَا
Abu Talib-asws said: ‘I-asws was intently listening to their words, then Muhammad-saww Bin Abdullah-asws, son-saww of my-asws brother-asws took him-asws from her hands and placed his-saww hand upon his-asws hand and spoke with him-asws, and he-asws asked him-saww about all things. Muhammad-saww addressed Ali-asws with the secrets which were between them both.
ثُمَّ غِبْنَ النِّسْوَةُ فَلَمْ أَرَهُنَّ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي لَوْ عَرَفْتُ الْمَرْأَتَيْنِ الْأُخْرَيَيْنِ فَأَلْهَمَ اللَّهُ عَلِيّاً فَقَالَ يَا أَبِي أَمَّا الْمَرْأَةُ الْأُولَى فَكَانَتْ حَوَّاءَ وَ أَمَّا الَّتِي أَحْضَنَتْنِي فَهِيَ مَرْيَمُ بِنْتُ عِمْرَانَ- الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَها وَ أَمَّا الَّتِي أَدْرَجَتْنِي فِي الثَّوْبِ فَهِيَ آسِيَةُ بِنْتُ مُزَاحِمٍ وَ أَمَّا صَاحِبَةُ الْجُؤْنَةِ فَهِيَ أُمُّ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ فَالْحَقْ بِالْمُثْرِمِ الْآنَ وَ بَشِّرْهُ وَ خَبِّرْهُ بِمَا رَأَيْتَ فَإِنَّهُ فِي كَهْفِ كَذَا فِي مَوْضِعِ كَذَا
Then the women disappeared, and I-asws could not see them. I-asws said within myself-asws: ‘If only I-asws could have recognise the other two women’. Allah-azwj Inspired Ali-asws. He-asws said: ‘O my-asws father-asws! As for the first woman, it was Hawwa-as, and as for the one who held me-asws, it is Maryam-as Bint Imran-as, the one who protected her-as chastity, and as for the one who covered me-asws in the cloth, she is Aasiya-as Bint Muzahim-as (wife of Pharaoh-la), and as for the one holding the tray, she is mother of Musa-as Bin Imran-as. So, go and meet Al-Masram now, and give him glad tidings and inform him with what you-as have seen, for he is in such and such cave in such and such place’.
فَخَرَجْتُ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُكَ وَ إِنَّهُ وَصَفَ الْحَيَّتَيْنِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنَ الْمُنَاظَرَةِ مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ ابْنِ أَخِي وَ مِنْ مُنَاظَرَتِي عَادَ إِلَى طُفُولِيَّتِهِ الْأُولَى فَقُلْتُ أَتَيْتُكَ أُبَشِّرُكَ بِمَا عَايَنْتُهُ وَ شَاهَدْتُ مِنِ ابْنِي عَلِيٍّ ع
I-as went out until I-as came to you, and he-asws had described the two snakes. When he-asws was freed from the talking with Muhammad-saww, son-saww of my-as brother-as, and from talking to me-as, he-asws returned to his-asws former childishness. So, I-as have come to give you glad tidings with what I-as have seen and witnessed from my-as son-asws Ali-asws’.
فَبَكَى المثرم ثُمَّ سَجَدَ شُكْراً لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ تَمَطَّى فَقَالَ غَطِّنِي بِمِدْرَعَتِي فَغَطَّيْتُهُ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِهِ مَيِّتٌ كَمَا كَانَ فَأَقَمْتُ ثَلَاثاً أُكَلِّمُ فَلَا أُجَابُ فَاسْتَوْحَشْتُ لِذَلِكَ وَ خَرَجَتِ الْحَيَّتَانِ فَقَالَتَا لِي السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ فَأَجَبْتُهُمَا
Al-Masram wept, then performed a Sajdah of thanks, then stretched. He said, ‘Cover me with my clothes’. I-as covered him, and there I-as was with a dead man just as he had been. I-as stayed for three (days) to speak, but he did not answer, so I-as felt lonely to that and the two snakes came out. They said to me-as, ‘The greetings be unto you-as, O Abu Talib-asws’. I-as answered them.
ثُمَّ قَالَتَا لِي الْحَقْ بِوَلِيِّ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّكَ أَحَقُّ بِصِيَانَتِهِ وَ حِفْظِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمَا مَنْ أَنْتُمَا قَالَتَا نَحْنُ عَمَلُهُ الصَّالِحُ خَلَقَنَا اللَّهُ مِنْ خَيْرَاتِ عَمَلِهِ فَنَحْنُ نَذُبُّ عَنْهُ الْأَذَى إِلَى أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ فَإِذَا قَامَتِ السَّاعَةُ كَانَ أَحَدُنَا قَائِدَهُ وَ الْآخَرُ سَائِقَهُ وَ دَلِيلَهُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ
Then they said to me-as, ‘Join with the friend of Allah-azwj for you-as are more rightful with his‑asws maintenance and his-asws protection than others’. I-as said to them: ‘Who are you two?’ They said, ‘We are his righteous deeds. Allah-azwj Created us from his good deeds, and we will be impeding the harm from him up to the establishment of the Hour. One of us would be his leader and the other his usher, and point him to the Paradise’.
ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ إِلَى مَكَّةَ
(Rasool-Allah-saww said): ‘Then Abu Talib-asws left to go to Makkah’.
قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ النَّاسُ يَقُولُونَ [إِنَ] أَبَا طَالِبٍ مَاتَ كَافِراً قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالْغَيْبِ إِنَّهُ لَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي أُسْرِيَ بِي فِيهَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى الْعَرْشِ فَرَأَيْتُ أَرْبَعَةَ أَنْوَارٍ فَقُلْتُ إِلَهِي مَا هَذِهِ الْأَنْوَارُ
Jabir said, ‘I said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! Allah-azwj is the Greatest! The people are saying that Abu Talib-asws died a Kafir!’ He-saww said: ‘O Jabir! Allah-azwj is more Knowing with the unseen. When it was the night during which there was the ascension with me-saww (Miraj) to the sky, I-saww ended up to the Throne, and I-saww saw four Noors (images of light). I-saww said: ‘My-asws God-azwj! What are these Noors?’
فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذَا عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَ هَذَا أَبُو طَالِبٍ وَ هَذَا أَبُوكَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَ هَذَا أَخُوكَ طَالِبٌ
He-azwj Said: “O Muhammad-saww! This is Abdul Muttalib-asws, and this is Abu Talib-asws, and this is your-saww father-as Abdullah-asws, and this is your-saww brother Talib-asws!”
فَقُلْتُ إِلَهِي وَ سَيِّدِي فَبِمَا نَالُوا هَذِهِ الدَّرَجَةَ قَالَ بِكِتْمَانِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَ إِظْهَارِهِمُ الْكُفْرَ وَ صَبْرِهِمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَاتُوا
I-saww said: ‘My-saww God-azwj and my-saww Master-azwj! Due to what have they-as attained this rank?’ He-azwj Said: “Due to the concealing the Eman and their manifesting the Kufr, and their patience upon that until they-as died’’.[12]
Appendix II: Additional Riwaya Ahadith on Amir Al-Momineen-asws’s coming to the world
علل الشرائع مع، معاني الأخبار ني، الغيبة للنعماني الدَّقَّاقُ عَنِ الْأَسَدِيِّ عَنِ النَّخَعِيِّ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ قَالَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ قَعْنَبٍ كُنْتُ جَالِساً مَعَ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَ فَرِيقٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّى بِإِزَاءِ بَيْتِ اللَّهِ الْحَرَامِ إِذْ أَقْبَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدٍ أُمُّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ كَانَتْ حَامِلَةً بِهِ لِتِسْعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ وَ قَدْ أَخَذَهَا الطَّلْقُ
(The books) ‘Illal Al Sharaie’ along with ‘Ma’ani Al Akhbar’, ‘Al Ghaybat Al Numani’ – From Al Asady, from Al Nakhaie, from Al Nowfali, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Al Mufazzal, from Sabit Bin Dinar, from Saeed Bin Jubeyr who said, ‘Yazeed Bin Qa’anib said,
‘I was seated with Al-Abbas son of Abdul Muttalib-asws and a group from (clan of) Abdul Uzza facing the Sacred House of Allah-azwj, when (Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad, mother-asws of Amir Al-Momineen-asws, came, and she-asws was expecting him-asws at the ninth month, and the pangs of childbirth had seized her-asws.
فَقَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي مُؤْمِنَةٌ بِكَ وَ بِمَا جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مِنْ رُسُلٍ وَ كُتُبٍ وَ إِنِّي مُصَدِّقَةٌ بِكَلَامِ جَدِّي إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْخَلِيلِ وَ إِنَّهُ بَنَى الْبَيْتَ الْعَتِيقَ فَبِحَقِّ الَّذِي بَنَى هَذَا الْبَيْتَ وَ بِحَقِّ الْمَوْلُودِ الَّذِي فِي بَطْنِي لَمَّا يَسَّرْتَ عَلَيَّ وِلَادَتِي
She-asws said, ‘Lord-azwj! I-asws am a believer in You-azwj and in whatever has come from Your-azwj Presence from Rasools-as and Books, and I-asws am a ratifier with the speech of my-asws grandfather-as Ibrahim-as the Friend (of the Beneficent), and he-as had built the Ancient House (Kabah). So, by the right of the one-as who built this House (Kabah), and by the right of the one-asws to be blessed in its interior, Ease upon me-asws my-asws Gift !’
قَالَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ قَعْنَبٍ فَرَأَيْنَا الْبَيْتَ وَ قَدِ انْفَتَحَ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ وَ دَخَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فِيهِ وَ غَابَتْ عَنْ أَبْصَارِنَا وَ الْتَزَقَ الْحَائِطُ فَرُمْنَا أَنْ يَنْفَتِحَ لَنَا قُفْلُ الْبَابِ فَلَمْ يَنْفَتِحْ فَعَلِمْنَا أَنَّ ذَلِكَ أَمْرٌ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ
Yazeed Bin Qa’nab said, ‘We saw the House and it had opened up from its back, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws entered into it and disappeared from our sights, and the wall stuck (together again). So, we decided to open the lock of the door, but it did not open, and we came to know that, that is a Command from the Commands of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic.
ثُمَّ خَرَجَتْ بَعْدَ الرَّابِعِ وَ بِيَدِهَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع ثُمَّ قَالَتْ إِنِّي فُضِّلْتُ عَلَى مَنْ تَقَدَّمَنِي مِنَ النِّسَاءِ لِأَنَّ آسِيَةَ بِنْتَ مُزَاحِمٍ عَبَدَتِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ سِرّاً فِي مَوْضِعٍ لَا يُحِبُ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ إِلَّا اضْطِرَاراً وَ إِنَّ مَرْيَمَ بِنْتَ عِمْرَانَ هَزَّتِ النَّخْلَةَ الْيَابِسَةَ بِيَدِهَا حَتَّى أَكَلَتْ مِنْهَا رُطَباً جَنِيًّا وَ إِنِّي دَخَلْتُ بَيْتَ اللَّهِ الْحَرَامَ فَأَكَلْتُ مِنْ ثِمَارِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ أرواقها [أَرْزَاقِهَا]
Then she-asws came out after the fourth (day) and in her-asws hands was Amir Al-Momineen-asws. Then she-asws said, ‘I-asws have been merited over the ones from the women who have preceded me-asws because Aasiya-as Bint Muzahim-as (wife of Pharaoh-la) worshipped Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic secretly in a place in which it is not liked (Obligated) to worship Allah-azwj in it except out of desperation, and that Maryam-as Bint Imran-as shook the dry palm tree by her-as hand until she-as ate ripe dates from it, and I-asws entered the Sacred House of Allah-azwj and ate from the fruit of the Paradise and its sustenance.
فَلَمَّا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ هَتَفَ بِي هَاتِفٌ يَا فَاطِمَةُ سَمِّيهِ عَلِيّاً فَهُوَ عَلِيٌّ وَ اللَّهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْأَعْلَى يَقُولُ إِنِّي شَقَقْتُ اسْمَهُ مِنِ اسْمِي وَ أَدَّبْتُهُ بِأَدَبِي وَ وَقَفْتُهُ عَلَى غَامِضِ عِلْمِي وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَكْسِرُ الْأَصْنَامَ فِي بَيْتِي وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يُؤَذِّنُ فَوْقَ ظَهْرِ بَيْتِي وَ يُقَدِّسُنِي وَ يُمَجِّدُنِي فَطُوبَى لِمَنْ أَحَبَّهُ وَ أَطَاعَهُ وَ وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُ وَ عَصَاهُ
When I-asws intended to exit, a caller called out to me-asws: ‘O Fatima-asws! Name him-asws as ‘Ali’, for he-asws is exalted and Allah-azwj is the most Exalted. He-azwj Says: “I-azwj Derived his-asws name from My-azwj Name, and I-azwj Educated him-asws with My-azwj Education, and Harmonised him-asws upon My-azwj Mysterious Knowledge, and he-asws is the one-asws who will be breaking the idols (placed by the Polytheists) in My-azwj House, and he-asws is the one-asws who will be permitted to be on the back (roof) of Me-azwj House, and he-asws will exclaim My-azwj Holiness and My-azwj Glory. So, Beatitude is for the one who loves him-asws and obeys him-asws, and woe be unto the one who hates him-asws and disobeys him-asws’’.[13]
ضه، روضة الواعظين رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع يَقُولُ إِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ أَسَدٍ ضَرَبَهَا الطَّلْقُ وَ هِيَ فِي الطَّوَافِ فَدَخَلَتِ الْكَعْبَةَ فَوَلَدَتْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِيهَا
(The book) ‘Rowzat Al Waizeen’ – It is reported by Muhammad Bin Al Fuzeyl, from Abu Hamza Al Sumali who said,
‘(Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as, was alarmed while she-as was performing the Tawaaf. She-as entered the Kabah, and (Syeda) was blessed with Amir Al-Momineen-asws’.
قال عمرو بن عثمان: ذكرت هذا الحديث لسلمة بن الفضيل فقال- حدثني محمد بن إسحاق عن عمه موسى بن بشار أن علي بن أبي طالب ع ولد في الكعبة
Amro Bin Usman said, ‘I mentioned this Hadeeth to Salamah Bin Al-Fazeyl. He said, ‘It is narrated to me by Muhammad Bin Is’haq, from his uncle Musa Bin Bashaar that Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws was blessed (to his-asws parents) in the Kabah’’.[14]
المناقب لابن شهرآشوب شَيْخُ السُّنَّةِ الْقَاضِي أَبُو عَمْرٍو عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ فِي خَبَرٍ طَوِيلٍ إِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ أَسَدٍ رَأَتِ النَّبِيَّ ص يَأْكُلُ تَمْراً لَهُ رَائِحَةٌ تَزْدَادُ عَلَى كُلِّ الْأَطَايِبِ مِنَ الْمِسْكِ وَ الْعَنْبَرِ مِنْ نَخْلَةٍ لَا شَمَارِيخَ لَهَا فَقَالَتْ نَاوِلْنِي أَنَلْ مِنْهَا قَالَ لَا تَصْلُحُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَشْهَدِي مَعِي أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنِّي مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
(The book) ‘Al Manaqib’ of Ibn Shehr Ashub, sheykh of the Sunnah, the judge, Abu Amro Usman Bin Ahmad, in a lengthy Hadeeth,
‘(Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as saw the Prophet-saww eating a date having additional aroma for it over all the perfumes, from the musk and Al-Amber, being from a palm tree having no stalk for it. She-as said, ‘Give me-as to take from it’. He-saww said: ‘It is not correct except if you‑as were to testify that there is no god except Allah-azwj and I-saww Muhammad-saww am Rasool-saww of Allah-azwj’.
فَشَهِدَتِ الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ فَنَاوَلَهَا فَأَكَلَتْ فَازْدَادَتْ رَغْبَتُهَا وَ طَلَبَتْ أُخْرَى لِأَبِي طَالِبٍ فَعَاهَدَهَا أَنْ لَا تُعْطِيَهُ إِلَّا بَعْدَ الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلُ اشْتَمَّ أَبُو طَالِبٍ نَسِيماً مَا اشْتَمَّ مِثْلَهُ قَطُّ فَأَظْهَرَتْ مَا مَعَهَا فَالْتَمَسَهُ مِنْهَا فَأَبَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْهَدَ الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ
She-as testified the two testimonies. He-saww gave it to her-as and she-as ate, and it increased her desire, and she-as sought another for Abu Talib-asws. He-saww pacted to her-as that she-as would not give it to him-as except after the two testimonies. When the night shielded upon him-as, Abu Talib-asws smelt a breeze he-as had not smelt similar to it at all. She-as revealed what was with her and he-as sought it from her-as. She-as refused to him-as except if he-as were to testify the two testimonies.
فَلَمْ يَمْلِكْ نَفْسَهُ أَنْ شَهِدَ الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَهَا أَنْ تَكْتُمَ عَلَيْهِ لِئَلَّا تُعَيِّرَهُ قُرَيْشٌ فَعَاهَدَتْهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَأَعْطَتْهُ مَا مَعَهَا وَ آوَى إِلَى زَوْجَتِهِ فَعَلِقَتْ بِعَلِيٍّ ع فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ وَ لَمَّا حَمَلَتْ بِعَلِيٍّ ع ازْدَادَ حُسْنُهَا فَكَانَ
He-as could not control himself-as to testify the two testimonies, apart from that he-as asked her-as to conceal it lest Quraysh were to fault him-as. She-as pacted to him-as upon that and gave him-as what was with her-as, and he-as sheltered to his-as wife. She-as conceived Ali-asws during that night, and when she-as was pregnant with Ali-asws, her-as beauty increased.
يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي بَطْنِهَا فَكَانَتْ فِي الْكَعْبَةِ فَتَكَلَّمَ عَلِيٌّ ع مَعَ جَعْفَرٍ فَغُشِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَالْتَفَّتِ الْأَصْنَامُ خَرَّتْ عَلَى وُجُوهِهَا فَمَسَحَتْ عَلَى بَطْنِهَا وَ قَالَتْ يَا قُرَّةَ الْعَيْنِ سَجَدَتْكَ الْأَصْنَامُ دَاخِلًا فَكَيْفَ شَأْنُكَ خَارِجاً وَ ذَكَرَتْ لِأَبِي طَالِبٍ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ هُوَ الَّذِي قَالَ لِي أَسَدٌ فِي طَرِيقِ الطَّائِفِ
He-asws spoke to her-as in her-as holy lap. She-as was in the Kabah, Ali-asws spoke with Ja’far-as and there was fainting upon him-as. The idols fell down, falling upon their faces. She-as caressed upon her-as belly and said, ‘O delight of the eyes, the idols are doing Sajdah to you-asws inside the Kabah, so how would your-asws situation be outside?’, and she-as mentioned that to Abu Talib-asws. He-as said: ‘He-asws is the one-asws a lion had spoken to me-as of in the road of Al-Taif’’.[15]
Appendix III: Anas (Ibn Malik) says Amir Al-Momineen-asws’s coming to the world is in Zil Hajj
وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَ رِوَايَةِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ ع وَ الْحَدِيثُ مُخْتَصَرٌ أَنَّهُ انْفَتَحَ الْبَيْتُ مِنْ ظَهْرِهِ وَ دَخَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ عَادَتِ الْفَتْحَةُ وَ الْتَصَقَتْ وَ بَقِيَتْ فِيهِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْ ثِمَارِ الْجَنَّةِ فَلَمَّا خَرَجَتْ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَهْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ
And it a report of Sho’ba, from Qatadah, from Anas (a well-known fabricator), from Al Abbas Bin Abdul Muttalib, and a report of Al Hassan Bin Mahboub,
‘From Al-Sadiq-asws, and the Hadeeth is short – The House (Kabah) opened from its back (wall) and (Syeda) Fatima-asws entered into it, then the opening returned and adhered, and she-as remained in it for three days. She-as are from dates of the Paradise. When she-as came out, Ali-asws said: ‘The greetings be unto you-as, O father-as and Mercy of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Blessings.
ثُمَّ تَنَحْنَحَ وَ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ- قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْآيَاتِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَدْ أَفْلَحُوا بِكَ أَنْتَ وَ اللَّهِ أَمِيرُهُمْ تَمِيرُهُمْ مِنْ عِلْمِكَ فَيَمْتَارُونَ وَ أَنْتَ وَ اللَّهِ دَلِيلُهُمُ وَ بِكَ وَ اللَّهِ يَهْتَدُونَ وَ وَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِسَانَهُ فِي فِيهِ- فَانْفَجَرَتْ اثْنَتا عَشْرَةَ عَيْناً
Then he-asws cleared his-asws throat and said: ‘In the Name of Allah-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful! The Mominoun[16] have succeeded [23:1]’ – the Verses. Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘They would be succeeding due to you-asws. By Allah-azwj! You-asws are their commander instructing them from your-asws knowledge so they would be learning, and by Allah-azwj, you-asws are their pointer, and by Allah-azwj they would be guided by you-asws’ – and Rasool-Allah-saww placed his‑saww tongue in his-asws mouth, and twelve springs (of knowledge) burst forth.
قَالَ فَسُمِّيَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ يَوْمَ التَّرْوِيَةِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ غَدِهِ وَ بَصُرَ عَلِيٌّ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ وَ ضَحِكَ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَ جَعَلَ يُشِيرُ إِلَيْهِ فَأَخَذَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَتْ فَاطِمَةُ عَرَفَهُ فَسُمِّيَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ عَرَفَةَ
He (the narrator) said, ‘That day was named as the day of Al-Tarwiyya (saturation). When it was the next day and Ali-asws sighted Rasool-Allah-saww, greeted unto him-saww and smiled in his‑saww face and went on to make gestures to him-saww. Rasool-Allah-saww took him-asws. (Syeda) Fatima-asws said, ‘He-asws is accustomed to his-saww recognition’. That day was named as the day of Arafaah (recognition).
فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الثَّالِثُ وَ كَانَ يَوْمَ الْعَاشِرِ مِنْ ذِي الْحَجَّةِ أَذَّنَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ فِي النَّاسِ أَذَاناً جَامِعاً وَ قَالَ هَلُمُّوا إِلَى وَلِيمَةِ ابْنِي عَلِيٍّ وَ نَحَرَ ثَلَاثَمِائَةٍ مِنَ الْإِبِلِ وَ أَلْفَ رَأْسٍ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ وَ الْغَنَمِ وَ اتَّخَذُوا وَلِيمَةً وَ قَالَ هَلُمُّوا وَ طُوفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ سَبْعاً وَ ادْخُلُوا وَ سَلِّمُوا عَلَى عَلِيٍّ وَلَدِي فَفَعَلَ النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ وَ جَرَتْ بِهِ السُّنَّةُ
When it was the third days, and it was the tenth day from Zil Hajj, Abu Talib-asws proclaimed among the people a proclamation of gathering, and said: ‘Come to a feast of my-as son-asws Ali‑asws!’ And he-as slaughtered three hundred camels and a thousand heard from the cows and the sheep, and they took the feast. And he-as said: ‘And perform Tawaaf of the House (Kabah), seven (circuits), and greet unto Ali-asws my-as son-asws!’ The people did that and the Sunnah flowed by it.
وَضَعَتْهُ أُمُّهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَفَتَحَ فَاهُ بِلِسَانِهِ وَ حَنَّكَهُ وَ أَذَّنَ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَ أَقَامَ فِي الْيُسْرَى فَعَرَفَ الشَّهَادَتَيْنِ وَ وُلِدَ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ
His-asws mother-as in front of the Prophet-saww. He-saww opened his-asws mouth by his-saww tongue and palated him-asws, and recited Azaan in the right ear and Iqamah in the left. He-asws recognised the two testimonies and was born upon the nature’’.[17]
Explanatory note: –
بيان: لا يخفى مخالفة هذا الخبر لما مر من التواريخ و يمكن حمله على النسيء الذي كانت قريش ابتدعوه في الجاهلية بأن يكون ولادته ع في رجب أو شعبان
The differing in this Hadeeth is not hidden to what has passed from the historical accounts, and it is possible it is carried upon the forgetfulness which Quraysh had innovated it during the pre-Islamic period that his-asws birth happened to be in Rajab or Shaban’.[18] (P.s. – This is what you would expect from Anas Bin Malik narrating)
Appendix IV: As per a Riwaya, Amir Al-Momineen-asws’s coming to the world is in the Month of Ramazan
This Riwaya is difficult to comprehend as it includes the communications with the ‘sooth-sayer’, which appears derogatory.
كَنْزُ الْكَرَاجُكِيِّ، رَوَى الْمُحَدِّثُونَ وَ سَطَرَ الْمُصَنِّفُونَ أَنَّ أَبَا طَالِبٍ وَ امْرَأَتَهُ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ أَسَدٍ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمَا لَمَّا كَفَلَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص اسْتَبْشَرَا بِغُرَّتِهِ وَ اسْتَسْعَدَا بِطَلْعَتِهِ وَ اتَّخَذَاهُ وَلَداً لِأَنَّهُمَا لَمْ يَكُونَا رُزِقَا مِنَ الْوَلَدِ أَحَداً ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ نَشَأَ أَحْسَنَ نُشُوءٍ وَ أَحْسَنَهُ وَ أَفْضَلَهُ وَ أَيْمَنَهُ
(The book) ‘Kunz’ Al Karajaki – It is reported by the narrators and writings of the compilers,
‘Abu Talib-asws and his-as wife Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as, may Allah-azwj be Pleased with them-as both, when took the responsibility of Rasool-Allah-saww, were cheerful at his-saww honour and prepared for his-saww emergence, and they-as took him-saww as a son-saww of theirs-as, because they-as did not happen to have been graced with any child, then he-saww would grow up with excellent upbringing, and his-saww excellence and merits and auspiciousness.
فَرَأَى فَاطِمَةَ وَ رَغْبَتَهَا فِي الْوَلَدِ فَقَالَ لَهَا يَا أُمَّهْ قَرِّبِي قُرْبَاناً لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى خَالِصاً وَ لَا تُشْرِكِي مَعَهُ أَحَداً فَإِنَّهُ يَرْضَاهُ مِنْكِ وَ يَتَقَبَّلُهُ وَ يُعْطِيكِ طَلِبَتَكِ وَ يُعَجِّلُهُ
(Syeda) Fatima-asws viewed and she-as became desirous regarding the child. He-saww said to her‑as: ‘O mother-as! Offer an offering for the Face of Allah-azwj the Exalted sincerely and do not associate with Him-azwj, for He-azwj would be Pleased from you-as and Accept it and Give you-as your-as request and Hasten it’.
فَامْتَثَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ أَمْرَهُ وَ قَرَّبَتْ قُرْبَاناً لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى خَالِصاً وَ سَأَلَتْهُ أَنْ يَرْزُقَهَا وَلَداً ذَكَراً فَأَجَابَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى دُعَاءَهَا وَ بَلَّغَ مُنَاهَا وَ رَزَقَهَا مِنَ الْأَوْلَادِ خَمْسَةً- عَقِيلًا ثُمَّ طَالِباً ثُمَّ جَعْفَراً ثُمَّ عَلِيّاً ثُمَّ أُخْتَهُمْ فَاخِتَةَ الْمَعْرُوفَةَ بِأُمِّ هَانِئٍ
(Syeda) Fatima-asws complied with his-saww instruction and offered and offering for Allah-azwj the Exalted sincerely and asked Him-azwj to Grace her-as a male child. Allah-azwj the Exalted Answered her-as supplication and her-as wish was reached, and she-as was graced five children – Aqeel, then Talib, then Ja’far-as, then Ali-asws, then their sister Fakhta – the one well-known as Umm Hany.
فَمِمَّا جَاءَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تُرْزَقَ أَوْلَادَهَا أَنَّهَا جَلَسَتْ يَوْماً تَتَحَدَّثُ مَعَ عَجَائِزِ الْعَرَبِ وَ الْفَوَاطِمِ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْهُمْ فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَائِذِ بْنِ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ مَخْزُومٍ جَدَّةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لِأَبِيهِ وَ فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ زَائِدَةَ بْنِ الْأَصَمِّ أُمُّ خَدِيجَةَ وَ فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رِزَامٍ وَ فَاطِمَةُ ابْنَةُ الْحَارِثِ وَ تَمَامُ الْفَوَاطِمِ الَّتِي انْتَمَى إِلَيْهِنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص- أُمُّ قُصَيٍّ وَ هِيَ ابْنَةُ نَضْرٍ
From what has come from her-as Hadeeth is that before she-as was graced her-as children, one day she-as was seated discussing with the old women of the Arabs and the ‘Fatimas’ from Quraysh, from them was Fatima daughter of Amro Bin Aaiz Bin Imran Bin Makhzum, a grandmother of Rasool-Allah-saww to his-saww father-as, and Fatima daughter of Zaidah Bin Al-Asamma, mother of Khadeeja-asws, and Fatima daughter of Abdullah Bin Rizam, and Fatima daughter of Al-Haris, and all the Fatimas whom Rasool-Allah-saww belonged to, Umm Qusay, and she is daughter of Nazr.
فَإِنَّهُنَّ لَجُلُوسٌ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِنُورِهِ الْبَاهِرِ وَ سَعْدِهِ الظَّاهِرِ وَ قَدْ تَبِعَهُ بَعْضُ الْكُهَّانِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ وَ يُطِيلُ فِرَاسَتَهُ فِيهِ إِلَى أَنْ أَتَى إِلَيْهِنَّ فَسَأَلَهُنَّ عَنْهُ فَقُلْنَ هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ ذُو الشَّرَفِ الْبَاذِخِ وَ الْفَضْلِ الشَّامِخِ فَأَخْبَرَهُنَّ الْكَاهِنُ بِمَا يَعْلَمُهُ مِنْ رَفِيعِ قَدْرِهِ وَ بَشَّرَهُنَّ بِمَا سَيَكُونُ مِنْ مُسْتَقْبَلِ أَمْرِهِ وَ أَنَّهُ سَيُبْعَثُ نَبِيّاً وَ يَنَالُ مَنَالًا عَلِيّاً
They were seated when Rasool-Allah-saww with his-saww dazzling Noor and his-saww apparent happiness, and one of the sooth-sayers had followed him-saww, looking at him-saww and prolonged his discernment regarding him-saww, until he ended up to them. He asked them about him-saww. They said, ‘This is Muhammad-saww, with the high nobility and lofty merits’. They informed the sooth-sayer with what he already knew of his-as high worth and gave them glad tidings with what would be happening from his-saww future affairs, and that he-saww would be Sent as a Prophet-saww and achieve an exalted achievement’.
قَالَ وَ إِنَّ الَّتِي تَكْفُلُهُ مِنْكُنَّ فِي صِغَرِهِ سَيَكْفُلُ لَهَا وَلَداً يَكُونُ عُنْصُرُهُ مِنْ عُنْصُرِهِ يَخْتَصُّهُ بِسِرِّهِ وَ بِصُحْبَتِهِ وَ يَحْبُوهُ بِمُصَافَاتِهِ وَ أُخُوَّتِهِ
He said, ‘And that the one from you who took his-saww responsibility during his-saww young age, he-saww will guarantee a son-asws for her-as to be his-saww affiliate from his-saww affiliates, specialising him-asws with his-saww secrets and with his-saww accompaniment, and love him-asws with his-saww affection and his-saww brother-hood’.
فَقَالَتْ لَهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدٍ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا أَنَا الَّتِي كَفَلْتُهُ وَ أَنَا زَوْجَةُ عَمِّهِ الَّذِي يَرْجُوهُ وَ يُؤَمِّلُهُ
(Syeda) Fatima-asws Bint Asad-as, may the Pleasure of Allah-azwj be upon her-as, said to him, ‘I-as am the one who took his-saww responsibility, and I-as am married to his-saww uncle-as who wished and hoped for him-saww’.
فَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتِ صَادِقَةً فَسَتَلِدِينَ غُلَاماً عَلَّاماً مِطْوَاعاً لِرَبِّهِ هُمَاماً اسْمُهُ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَحْرُفٍ يَلِي هَذَا النَّبِيَّ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِهِ وَ يَنْصُرُهُ فِي قَلِيلِهِ وَ كَثِيرِهِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ سَيْفَهُ عَلَى أَعْدَائِهِ وَ بَابَهُ لِأَوْلِيَائِهِ
He said, ‘If you-as were truthful, then you-as will be blessed with a boy-asws, being a Sign, obedient to his-asws Lord-azwj, brave. His-asws name would be upon three letters, following this Prophet-saww in the entirety of his-saww matters, and helping him-saww in his-saww little and his-saww more, until he-asws would become his-saww against his-saww enemies, and his-saww door for his-saww friends.
يُفَرِّجُ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ الْكُرُبَاتِ وَ يَجْلُو عَنْهُ حِنْدِسَ الظُّلُمَاتِ تَهَابُ صَوْلَتَهُ أَطْفَالُ الْمِهَادِ وَ تَرْتَعِدُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ الْفَرَائِصُ عَنِ الْجِلَادِ لَهُ فَضَائِلُ شَرِيفَةٌ وَ مَنَاقِبُ مَعْرُوفَةٌ وَ صِلَةٌ مَنِيعَةٌ وَ مَنْزِلَةٌ رَفِيعَةٌ يُهَاجِرُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ فِي طَاعَتِهِ وَ يُجَاهِدُ بِنَفْسِهِ فِي نُصْرَتِهِ وَ هُوَ وَصِيُّهُ الدَّافِنُ لَهُ فِي حُجْرَتِهِ
He-asws would relive the worries from his-saww face and eradicate the darkness from him-saww, the darkness inflaming the cradles of the children, and the limbs of the executioners would tremble from fearing him-asws, having noble merits and well known virtues, and invincible connections, and high status. He-asws would emigrate to the Prophet-saww being in his-saww obedience, and fight with his-asws own self and help him-saww and he-asws is his-saww successor-asws, the defender of his-asws in his-as chamber’.
قَالَتْ أُمُّ عَلِيٍّ ع فَجَعَلْتُ أُفَكِّرُ فِي قَوْلِ الْكَاهِنِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ رَأَيْتُ فِي مَنَامِي كَأَنَّ جِبَالَ الشَّامِ قَدْ أَقْبَلَتْ تَدِبُّ وَ عَلَيْهَا جَلَابِيبُ الْحَدِيدِ وَ هِيَ تَصِيحُ مِنْ صُدُورِهَا بِصَوْتٍ مَهُولٍ فَأَسْرَعَتْ فَأَقْبَلَتْ نَحْوَهَا جِبَالُ مَكَّةَ وَ أَجَابَتْهَا بِمِثْلِ صِيَاحِهَا وَ أَهْوَلَ وَ هِيَ تَتَهَيَّجُ كَالشَّرَدِ الْمُحْمَرِّ وَ أَبُو قُبَيْسٍ يَنْتَفِضُ كَالْفَرَسِ وَ فِصَالُهُ تَسْقُطُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ شِمَالِهِ يَلْتَقِطُونَ ذَلِكَ فَلَقَطْتُ مَعَهُمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَسْيَافٍ وَ بَيْضَةً حَدِيدَةً مُذَهَّبَةً
The mother-as of Ali-asws said, ‘I-as went on thinking regarding the words of the sooth-sayer. When it was the night, I-as saw in my-as dream as if the mountain of Syria had come walking and upon it were iron coverings, and it was shouting from its middle with a loud voice. It quickened towards a mountain of Makkah and it answered with similar to its shout and more terrifying, and it was agitated like glowing red, and (mount) Abu Qubeys was trembling like the horse, and its young were falling on its right and its left, and (the people) were picking that. So, I-as picked up along with them, four swords and an iron helmet, gold plated.
فَأَوَّلَ مَا دَخَلْتُ مَكَّةَ سَقَطَتْ مِنْهَا سَيْفٌ فِي مَاءٍ فَغَيَّرَ وَ طَارَ وَ الثَّانِي فِي الْجَوِّ فَاسْتَمَرَّ وَ سَقَطَ الثَّالِثُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَانْكَسَرَ وَ بَقِيَ الرَّابِعُ فِي يَدِي مَسْلُولًا فَبَيْنَا أَنَا بِهِ أَصُولُ إِذَا صَارَ السَّيْفُ شِبْلًا فَتَبَيَّنْتُهُ فَصَارَ لَيْثاً مَهُولًا
When I-as entered Makkah, the first sword from these fell into the water and was immersed. It changed and flew away, and the second went in the air, and kept going, and the third fell into the ground and broke, and the fourth remained in my-as hand, unsheathed. While I-as was with it when it leapt and the sword became a (lion) cub, it manifested and became a terrifying lion.
فَخَرَجَ عَنْ يَدِي وَ مَرَّ نَحْوَ الْجِبَالِ يَجُوبُ بَلَاطِحَهَا وَ يَخْرِقُ صَلَاطِحَهَا وَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ مُشْفِقُونَ وَ مِنْ خَوْفِهِ حَذِرُونَ إِذْ أَتَى مُحَمَّدٌ فَقَبَضَ عَلَى رَقَبَتِهِ فَانْقَادَ لَهُ كَالظَّبْيَةِ الْأَلُوفِ فَانْتَبَهْتُ وَ قَدْ رَاعَنِي الزَّمَعُ وَ الْفَزَعُ فَالْتَمَسْتُ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ وَ طَلَبْتُ الْقَائِفِينَ وَ الْمُخْبِرِينَ
It went out from my-as hand and passed towards the mountain scouring its blade and puncturing its solidness, and the people were fearful from it, and they were being cautious from its fear, when Muhammad-saww came and grabbed upon its neck and towed it like the antelope to the feeding. I-as woke up, and the trepidation and the panic had scared me-as. So, I-as sought the interpreters, and sought the lineage experts, and the informants.
فَوَجَدْتُ كَاهِناً زَجَرَ لِي بِحَالِي وَ أَخْبَرَنِي بِمَنَامِي وَ قَالَ لِي أَنْتِ تَلِدِينَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَوْلَادٍ ذُكُورٍ وَ بِنْتاً بَعْدَهُمْ وَ إِنَّ أَحَدَ الْبَنِينَ يُغْرَقُ وَ الْآخَرُ يُقْتَلُ فِي الْحَرْبِ وَ الْآخَرُ يَمُوتُ وَ يَبْقَى لَهُ عَقِبٌ وَ الرَّابِعُ يَكُونُ إِمَاماً لِلْخَلْقِ صَاحِبَ سَيْفٍ وَ حَقٍّ ذَا فَضْلٍ وَ بَرَاعَةٍ يُطِيعُ النَّبِيَّ الْمَبْعُوثَ أَحْسَنَ طَاعَةٍ
I-as found a sooth-sayer who could foretell my-as state for me-as and inform me-as of my-as dream, and he said to me-as, ‘You-as will be blessed with four male children and a daughter after them, and that one of the sons would drown, and the other would be killed in the war, and the one would be dying, and there would remain a posterity for him, and the fourth would happen to be an Imam-asws of the people, owner of the sword and truth, with merits and excellence in ingenuity, obeying the Sent Prophet-saww with excellent obedience’.
فَقَالَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ مُفَكِّرَةً فِي ذَلِكَ وَ رُزِقْتُ بَنِيَّ الثَّلَاثَةَ عَقِيلًا وَ طَالِباً وَ جَعْفَراً ثُمَّ حَمَلْتُ بِعَلِيٍّ ع فِي عَشْرِ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الشَّهْرُ الَّذِي وَلَدْتُهُ فِيهِ وَ كَانَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ رَأَيْتُ فِي مَنَامِي كَأَنَّ عَمُودَ حَدِيدٍ قَدِ انْتُزِعَ مِنْ أُمِّ رَأْسِي ثُمَّ سَطَعَ فِي الْهَوَاءِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ السَّمَاءَ ثُمَّ رُدَّ إِلَيَّ
(Syeda) Fatima-asws said, ‘I-as did not cease to be thinking regarding that, and I-as had been three sons – Aqeel, and Talib and Ja’far-as. Then I-as was expecting Ali-asws during the tenth of Zil Hajj. When it was the month in which I-as was to be blessed with him-as, and it was the month of Ramazan, I-as saw in my-as dream as if a pillar of iron had been snatched from the top of my-as head, then spread in the air until it reached the sky, then returned to me-as.
فَقُلْتُ مَا هَذَا فَقِيلَ لِي هَذَا قَاتِلُ أَهْلِ الْكُفْرِ وَ صَاحِبُ مِيثَاقِ النَّصْرِ بَأْسُهُ شَدِيدٌ يُفْزَعُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ وَ هُوَ مَعُونَةُ اللَّهِ لِنَبِيِّهِ وَ تَأْيِيدُهُ عَلَى عَدُوِّهِ
I-as said, ‘What is this?’ It was said to me-as, ‘This is a killer of the people of Kufr, and owner of the covenant of victory. His-asws prowess is intense, they would panic from fearing him-asws, and he-asws is the Assistance of Allah-azwj to His-azwj Prophet-saww and His-azwj Aid against his-saww enemies’.
قَالَتْ فَوَلَدْتُ عَلِيّاً
She-asws said, ‘And I-asws was blessed with Ali-asws’’.
وَ جَاءَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّهَا دَخَلَتِ الْكَعْبَةَ عَلَى مَا جَرَتْ بِهِ عَادَتُهَا فَصَادَفَ دُخُولُهَا وَقْتَ وِلَادَتِهَا فَوَلَدَتْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع دَاخِلَهَا وَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص ثَلَاثُونَ سَنَةً عَلَى الْكَمَالِ فَتَضَاعَفَ ابْتِهَاجُهُ بِهِ وَ تَمَامُ مَسَرَّتِهِ وَ أَمَرَهَا أَنْ تَجْعَلَ مَهْدَهُ جَانِبَ فرشته [فِرَاشِهِ]
And it has come in the Hadeeth that she-as entered the Kabah upon what had been in accordance with her-as habit, but her-as entry happened to be at the time of the coming of Amir Al-Momineen-asws inside it, and that was during the middle of the month of Ramazan, and for Rasool-Allah-saww there were thirty years upon the perfection. His-as joy doubled with him-asws and his-saww happiness was complete, and he-saww instructed her-as to make his-asws cradle to be beside his-saww bed.
وَ كَانَ يَلِي أَكْثَرَ تَرْبِيَتِهِ وَ يُرَاعِيهِ فِي نَوْمِهِ وَ يَقَظَتِهِ وَ يَحْمِلُهُ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ وَ كَتِفِهِ وَ يَحْبُوهُ بِأَلْطَافِهِ وَ تُحَفِهِ وَ يَقُولُ هَذَا أَخِي وَ صَفِيِّي وَ نَاصِرِي وَ وَصِيِّي
And he-saww took charge of most of his-asws upbringing and he-saww would take care of him-asws during his-asws sleep, and carry him-asws upon his-saww chest and his-saww shoulders, and loved him-asws with his-saww kindness and his-saww gifts, and he-saww would say: ‘This is my-saww brother-asws, and my-saww elite, and my-saww helper, and my-saww successor-asws’.
فَلَمَّا تَزَوَّجَ النَّبِيُّ ص خَدِيجَةَ أَخْبَرَهَا بِوَجْدِهَا بِعَلِيٍّ ع وَ مَحَبَّتِهِ فَكَانَتْ تَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَ تُزَيِّنُهُ وَ تُحَلِّيهِ وَ تُلْبِسُهُ وَ تُرْسِلُهُ مَعَ وَلَائِدِهَا وَ يَحْمِلُهُ خَدَمُهَا فَيَقُولُ النَّاسُ هَذَا أَخُو مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَحَبُّ الْخَلْقِ إِلَيْهِ وَ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِ خَدِيجَةَ وَ مَنِ اشْتَمَلَتِ السَّعَادَةُ عَلَيْهِ
When the Prophet-saww married to (Syeda) Khadeeja-asws, informed her-as of his-saww feelings with Ali-asws and his-saww love. She-as used to increase it and adorn him-asws and dress him-asws, and ornament him-asws, and clothe him-asws, and send him-asws with her-as children, and her-as servants would carry him-asws. The people were saying, ‘This is a brother-asws of Muhammad-saww, and the most beloved of the people to him-saww, and delight of the eyes of Khadeeja-asws, and the one-asws the happiness is inclusive upon’.
وَ كَانَتْ أَلْطَافُ خَدِيجَةَ تُطْرِقُ مَنْزِلَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ لَيْلًا وَ نَهَاراً وَ صَبَاحاً وَ مَسَاءً ثُمَّ إِنَّ قُرَيْشاً أَصَابَتْهَا أَزْمَةٌ مُهْلِكَةٌ وَ سَنَةٌ مُجْدِبَةٌ مُنْهِكَةٌ وَ كَانَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ذَا مَالٍ يَسِيرٍ وَ عِيَالٍ كَثِيرٍ فَأَصَابَهُ مَا أَصَابَ قُرَيْشاً مِنَ الْعُدْمِ وَ الْإِضَاقَةِ وَ الْجُهْدِ وَ الْفَاقَةِ
And the politeness of Khadeeja-asws was that she-as would knock on the door of Abu Talib-asws at night and day, and morning and evening. Then Quraysh were afflicted with fatal crisis, a year of severe drought, and Abu Talib-asws, may Allah-azwj be Pleased from him-as was with little wealth and a log of dependants, so it affected him-as what had affected Quraysh, from having nothing, and the troubles, and the efforts, and the destitution.
فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ دَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَمَّهُ الْعَبَّاسَ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا الْفَضْلِ إِنَّ أَخَاكَ أَبَا طَالِبٍ كَثِيرُ الْعِيَالِ مُخْتَلُّ الْحَالِ ضَعِيفُ النَّهْضَةِ وَ الْعَزْمَةِ وَ قَدْ نَالَهُ مَا نَزَلَ بِالنَّاسِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأَزْمَةِ وَ ذُو الْأَرْحَامِ أَحَقُّ بِالرِّفْدِ وَ أَوْلَى مَنْ حَمَلَ الْكَلَ فِي سَاعَةِ الْجَهْدِ
During that, Rasool-Allah-saww called his-saww uncle Al-Abbas and said ‘O Abu Al-Fazl! Your brother Abu Talib-asws is with a lot of dependants, deficient state, weak advancement and determination, and it has afflicted him-as what has befallen the people, from this crisis, and the ones with kinship are more rightful with the support, and foremost with carrying the children in time of struggle.
فَانْطَلِقْ بِنَا إِلَيْهِ لِنُعِينَهُ عَلَى مَا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ فَلِنَحْمِلَ عَنْهُ بَعْضَ أَثْقَالِهِ وَ نُخَفِّفَ عَنْهُ مِنْ عِيَالِهِ يَأْخُذُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَّا وَاحِداً مِنْ بَنِيهِ يَسْهُلُ عَلَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ
So, come with us-saww to him-as for us to assist him-as upon what predicament he-as is in, and let us carry part of his-as burden on his-as befall and lighten it from him-saww from his-as dependant. Each one of us should take one of his-as sons, to ease upon him-as with that, what situation he-as is in’.
فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَبَّاسُ نِعْمَ مَا رَأَيْتَ وَ الصَّوَابُ فِيمَا أَتَيْتَ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ الْفَضْلُ الْكَرِيمُ وَ الْوَصْلُ الرَّحِيمُ
Al-Abbas said to him-saww, ‘Good is what you-saww have viewed and correct is what you-saww have come with. By Allah-azwj! This is the honourable merit and the maintaining of the kinship’.
فَلَقِيَا أَبَا طَالِبٍ فَصَبَّرَاهُ وَ لِفَضْلِ آبَائِهِ ذَكَّرَاهُ وَ قَالا لَهُ إِنَّا نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَحْمِلَ عَنْكَ بَعْضَ الْحَالِ فَادْفَعْ إِلَيْنَا مِنْ أَوْلَادِكَ مَنْ يَخِفُّ عَنْكَ بِهِ الْأَثْقَالُ
They met Abu Talib-asws and exhorted patience to him-as and reminded him-as of the merits of his-as forefathers-as, and said to him-as: ‘We want to carry one of the situation from you-as, so hand over from your-as children to us what would lighten the burden from you-as by it’.
قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ إِذَا تَرَكْتُمَا لِي عَقِيلًا وَ طَالِباً فَافْعَلَا مَا شِئْتُمَا فَأَخَذَ الْعَبَّاسُ جَعْفَراً وَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَلِيّاً فَانْتَجَبَهُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَ اصْطَفَاهُ لِمُهِمِّ أَمْرِهِ وَ عَوَّلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي سِرِّهِ وَ جَهْرِهِ وَ هُوَ مُسَارِعٌ لِمَرْضَاتِهِ مُوَفَّقٌ لِلسَّدَادِ فِي جَمِيعِ حَالاتِهِ
Abu Talib-asws said: ‘When you were to leave Aqeel and Talib for me-as, you can do whatever you so desire to’. So Al-Abbas took Ja’far-as and Rasool-Allah-saww took Ali-asws. He-saww chose him-asws for himself-saww, and selected him-asws for his-saww important matters. He-saww relied upon him-asws regarding his-saww secrets, and he-asws would be quick to his-saww pleasure, in accordance to the guidance in the entirety of his-asws situations.
وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فِي ابْتِدَاءِ طُرُوقِ الْوَحْيِ إِلَيْهِ كُلَّمَا هَتَفَ بِهِ هَاتِفٌ أَوْ سَمِعَ مِنْ حَوْلِهِ رَجْفَةَ رَاجِفٍ أَوْ رَأَى رُؤْيَا أَوْ سَمِعَ كَلَاماً يُخْبِرُ بِذَلِكَ خَدِيجَةَ وَ عَلِيّاً ع وَ يَسْتَسِرُّهُمَا هَذِهِ الْحَالَ
And Rasool-Allah-saww, in the beginning of the descent of the Revelation to him-saww, every time a caller called with it or he-saww heard a trembling sound from around him-saww, or saw a dream, or heard a speech, would inform Khadeeja-asws and Ali-asws with that, and would tell them to keep this state a secret.
فَكَانَتْ خَدِيجَةُ تُثَبِّتُهُ وَ تُصَبِّرُهُ وَ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ ع يُهَنِّئُهُ وَ يُبَشِّرُهُ وَ يَقُولُ لَهُ وَ اللَّهِ يَا ابْنَ عَمِّ مَا كَذَبَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ فِيكَ وَ لَقَدْ صَدَقَتِ الْكُهَّانُ فِيمَا نَسَبَتْهُ إِلَيْكَ
So, (Syeda) Khadeeja-asws used to confirm him-saww and advise him-saww to be patient, and Ali-asws used to congratulate him-saww and give him-saww glad tidings, and saying to him-saww, ‘By Allah-azwj, O son-saww of uncle-as! Abdul Muttalib-asws has not lied regarding you-saww, and it has ratified the sooth-sayers regarding what had been attributed to you-saww’.
وَ لَمْ يَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ إِلَى أَنْ أُمِرَ ص بِالتَّبْلِيغِ فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ خَدِيجَةَ وَ مِنَ الذُّكُورِ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع وَ عُمُرُهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَشْرُ سِنِينَ
And he-saww did not cease to be like that until he-saww was Commanded with the delivery. So, the first one from the women to believe him-saww was (Syeda) Khadeeja-asws, and from males it was Amir Al-Momineen Ali-asws ibn Abu Talib-asws, and on that day his-asws age was of ten years’’.[19]
[1] Daughter of
[2] Imam Ali Shrine – Wikipedia
[3] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 3
[4] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 7 a
[5] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 7 b
[6] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 8
[7] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 9
[8] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 10 b
[9] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 16
[10] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 13
[11] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 9
[12] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 12 a
[13] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 11 a
[14] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 17
[15] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 14 a
[16] Plural of the believers
[17] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 14 b
[18] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 37
[19] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 35, The book of History – Amir Al Momineenasws, Ch 1 H 38