Imamat 1 - Chp 5

Imamat 1 - Chp 5

Superiority of Imam Ali (as)

Revision of Previous Session

• It is our belief that ALL the Prophets (as) & Imams (as) are appointed by Allah (swt) only

• The Ummat/Nation has no choice in this matter

• Allah (swt) has clearly spoken about appointment of Prophets (as) & Successors [eg: H Adam, H Moosa, H Dawood, H Ibrahim (as)] in the Holy Quran

• A Miracle is an unfailing test of truth for people to differentiate between a true Prophet & imam (as) against false claimants

Homework of Previous Session

Bring an incident of a miracle showed by an Imam (as)

Superiority of an Imam (as) as a characteristic

Umar believed in Afzaliyat of Ali (a.s.)

Ibne Abbas narrates-I was going with Umar in One Night, he was riding on a donkey and I was on a horse, then Umar recited before me Aayat, which was about Ali (a.s.) and Umar said “O Son of Abdul Muttalib, I Swear, certainly Ali (a.s.) is superior then me and Abu Baqr”. Ibne Abbas was surprised and said “Then, Why you yourself first advocated Abu Baqr ? Umar said” Whatever we did was not due to enimity but because Ali (a.s.) was very young and people would not have accepted. Then, Ibne Abbas said “Prophet (s.a.w.w.) was not worried about the point which you said, and you were worried ?”

Ref: Kanzul Ummal by Muttaqi Hindi, Vol.6 , Pg.391.

Belief of Ahmad ibne Hambal

Ahmad ibn Hambal was once asked by his son about his views on the subject of superiority. He said: Abu Bakr and Umar and Uthman. His son asked: And what about Ali ibn AbiTalib (a.s.)? He replied : He is from the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). Others cannot be compared with him

Conclusion

• Despite knowing the fact that Hazrat Ali (a.s.) is the most superior of all the companions of Holy Prohet (s.a.w.a.), the companions did not take him (as) as the caliph.

• The scholars who came after them have also recorded the numerous virtues of H Ali (a.s.) which makes him superior.

• There are at least 86 verses in the Holy Quran extolling the virtues of Hazrat Ali b. Abi Talib (a.s.) and the traditions on this subject cannot be counted.