ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib Compliance With the Will The things that a person leaves unfulfilled in this world and those that need to be done only after the death of the person, he entrusts to a person close to himself whom he deems capable and willing to comply with his wishes. It is the bounden duty of a person to comply with the will of a dear departed person to the best of his capability.

The Prophet (a.s) had appointed `Ali (a.s) as his wasi with the confidence that he would comply with all his wishes and instructions during his lifetime and thereafter. He would treat them as his bounden duty. Therefore, `Ali (a.s) acted as the most responsible and committed executer of the Will of the Prophet of Islam (a.s). For the last rites of the Prophet (a.s), in accord with his wish, `Ali (a.s) personally gave him the bath and the burial.

Despite of the unfavorable conditions in the neighborhood and the machinations of the adversaries, his only concern at the time was to comply with the last wishes of the Master. In addition to these normal duties, he was responsible for fulfilling the promises that the Prophet (a.s) had made to some people and to clear his outstanding debts.

This has also been sited in one of the traditions of the Prophet (a.s): “`Ali will fulfill the promises made to me and will clear my debts.” `Ali (a.s) meticulously performed all the tasks and responsibilities that were entrusted to him by the Prophet (a.s). `Abd al-Wahid ibn `Awan says: “When the Prophet (a.s) died, `Ali (a.s) appointed a herald to announce that whatever promises the Prophet (a.s) made to the persons or the debts he owed to them, should call on him for settlement.

Every year during the H ajj, he used to send a person to make an announcement near `Uqbah, the place of sacrifice, about his commitment to honor the promises made to the people by the Prophet (a.s). After him, Imam al-Hasan (a.s) followed the practice and so did Imam al-Husayn (a.s).

Then the practice was discontinued.”[1] [1] Tabaqāt Ibn Sa`d, Vol 2, Page 319 Could there be a better example of dedication and fulfillment of responsibilities than this that during the Hajj when people from all over are assembled the announcement was made for fifty years to ensure that the demands of no person remained unattended? For such settlement `Ali (a.s) neither made the condition of any written documents nor he asked for any witnesses.