You were the humiliated and degraded ones from among the masses...

You were the humiliated and degraded ones from among the masses, fearing that people may carry you away by force!(13) Thus Allah, the Blessed, the Sublime, delivered you through the medium of my father Muhammad, while you attained this deliverance after he (the Prophet) had to face numerous difficulties and fight with the stubborn polytheists, the beasts among the ʿArabs and after that with the People of the Book (the Christians and the Jews).

Role of Imam Ali in the Defense of Islam Whenever the polytheists kindled the fire of wars, Allah would put it out; and when the adherents of Satan would manifest themselves or the beastly ones among the polytheists opened their mouths of envy, he (the Prophet) would dispatch his brother (Imam ʿAli) towards them.

He (Imam ʿAli) would crush them and extinguish the blaze of their fire with his sword and he (Imam ʿAli) bore extreme brutality in the way of Allah and strove to obey the commands of Allah. He was the nearest to the Prophet of Allah and the master of the friends of Allah. He was always ready to serve the creations (of Allah), looking over the welfare of the people, endeavoring and toiling (in this way) and he was not affected with the censure of any censurer (14).

While you were living a life of pleasure and peace, and were far away from the severity of battle, (you were in) enjoyment and security. Then you waited that we, the Ahlul-Bayt, may be engulfed in severity of trails and waited to hear this news and in the heat of the battle, you retreated and fled from the battlefield! To be continued! NOTES: ______________________ 1.

Refer to the Qurʾānic verse, “Take alms out of their wealth (O Prophet), you would cleanse them and purify them thereby.” Sūratul Tawbah (9): 103 2. Refer to the Qurʾānic verse, “Verily, only the patient ones will be paid their recompense without any account.” Sūratul Zumar (39): 10 3. Refer to the Qurʾānic verse, “And for you there is (security of) life in retribution, O you people of understanding, so that you may guard yourself (against evil).” Sūratul Baqarah (2): 179 4.

Refer to the Qurʾānic verse, “They who fulfill their vows, and fear the day the woe of which stretches far and wide” Sūratul Dahr (76): 7 5. Refer to the Qurʾānic verse, “Intoxicants and games of chance, (dedication of) stones (i.e. idols) and (divination by) arrows, are only an abomination of Satan’s handiwork.” Sūratul Māʾidah (5): 90 6.