The Imam himself expressing this fact says; “None preceded me except Ahmad.

The Imam himself expressing this fact says; “None preceded me except Ahmad.”(4) Ahmad ibn Hanbal; the Imam of the Hanbali School of jurisprudence narrated in his book from Iyas ibn Afif from his father: “I was a trader before Islam. Once I went for the Hajj ceremony in Mecca and stayed with my business counterpart; Abbas ibn Muttalib.

One day as we were negotiating a deal, a man came out of his room, looked up at the sun in the sky and as soon as the sun inclined towards the west he began praying. Immediately after that a woman and a young boy came out and joined him in prayer. I asked Abbas who they were, and he said: The man is Muhammad ibn Abdullah my nephew, and she is his wife; Khadijah daughter of Khowaylad and the young boy is Ali ibn Abi Taleb; his cousin.

I asked what they were doing, and he said: “They are praying, and he thinks that he is a prophet whilst no one follows him other than these two. He also claims that one day the treasury of Kasra and Caesar will be opened to him.”(5) We must, however, remember that when we say Imam Ali (a.s) was the first who believed in Islam, we do not mean before that time he did not believe in God or as if prior to that he was an idolater!

Imam Ali (a.s) never in his entire life worshipped other than one God and thus Sunni Muslims admire him by praying for him, “May God honour his face’. This tribute is used only for him to express the fact that his face was honoured by God as unlike many others he never prostrated himself before any idol.

Therefore, when we say Ali was the first Muslim it is in the same context as when Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) said: “And I am the first of the Muslims.” (6) or when the holy Quran says; “The Messenger believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord.” (7) Thus, Imam Ali (a.s) is only the Imam and the leader of those who have faith in God and believes in the message of the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.w). Those who do not believe in Islam in any form or shape cannot claim that he is their leader.

Continued in the next article: ( http://Imam Ali (a.s): The Imam of Who? (2) ) NOTES: ______________________________________________ 1. The Holy Quran 2:124 2. The Holy Quran 9:120 3. Al-Kafi vol.1 p.89 4. Al-Kafi, vol.1 p.198 5. Al-Musnad vol.1 p.448 6. The Holy Quran 6:163 7. The Holy Quran 2:285 Leave a Comment Leave a Comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.