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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books ‘Ali: The Best of the Sahabah Verse Of Al-Najwa, A Real Eye-Opener ======================================== Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (d.

728 H) states: و الجواب أن يقال أما الذي ثبت فهو أن عليا رضي الله عنه تصدق و ناجى ثم نسخت الآية قبل أن يعمل بها غيره لكن الآيه لم توجب الصدقة عليهم لكن أمرهم إذا ناجوا أن يتصدقوا فمن لم يناج لم يكن عليه أن يتصدق و إذا لم تكن المناجاة واجبة لم يكن أحد ملوما إذا ترك ما ليس بواجب The reply is to say that what is authentically transmitted is that ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, gave charity and had a private conversation (with the Prophet).

Then the verse was abrogated before anyone else could act upon it . However, the verse did not make the giving of charity compulsory upon them (i.e. the Sahabah). Rather, it ordered them to give charity whenever they had private conversation (with the Messenger). Therefore, whosoever did not have a private conversation (with the Prophet) did not have to give charity.

Since having a private conversation (with the Messenger) was not compulsory, none could be criticized for abandoning what was not obligatory.[^1] He adds elsewhere: وهكذا آية النجوى فإنه لم يناج الرسول قبل نسخها إلا علي ولم يكن على من ترك النجوى حرج فمثل هذا العمل ليس من خصائص الأئمة ولا من خصائص علي رضي الله عنه ولا يقال إن غير على ترك النجوى بخلا بالصدقة لأن هذا غير معلوم فإن المدة لم تطل وفي تلك المدة القصيرة قد لا يحتاج الواحد إلى النجوى وإن قدر أن هذا كان يخص بعض الناس لم يلزم أن يكون أبو بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما من هؤلاء كيف وأبو بكر رضي الله عنه قد أنفق ماله كله يوم رغب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم في الصدقة وعمر رضي الله عنه جاء بنصف ماله بلا حاجة إلى النجوى فكيف يبخل أحدهما بدرهمين أو ثلاثة يقدمها بين يدي نجواه The Verse of al-Najwa is like that too.

This is because none had a private conversation with the Messenger before its abrogation except ‘Ali , and there was no blame on anyone who abandoned having a private conversation (with the Prophet). The like of this act (of ‘Ali) is not part of the exclusive merits of the Imams, and was not from the exclusive merits of ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. It is also not said that others apart from ‘Ali abandoned the private conversation out of miserliness to avoid giving charity.

This is because such (a reason) is not known, for the time was short . During that short period, it was possible that one did not need to have the private conversation (with the Messenger).