Perhaps it was not possible too...

Perhaps it was not possible too, because at the Feast of al-`Ashirah, It was already declared that `Ali (a.s) was the brother of the Prophet (a.s). But to renew the bond, in al-Madinah too, the Prophet (a.s) declared `Ali (a.s) his brother! Therefore, Ibn `Abd al-Barr writes: “Once the prophet (a.s) established brotherhood between the Muhajirūn, and at another time between the Muhajirūn and the Ansar.

On both these occasions he told `Ali (a.s) he was his brother in this world and in the Hereafter!”[1] This brotherhood does not mean the common Islamic brotherhood that, according to the Verse, إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ. “The Believers are all brothers, (49:10)” This brotherhood is of a higher level and a reflection of nearness and attachment between the two persons.

If this was the common bond of friendship, then `Ali (a.s) already enjoyed it because of being a Muslim and of the same descent as the Prophet (a.s).Then what was the need of public declaration of their brotherhood? Then there was no reason that when he was not included in the roster of brotherhood at the beginning for him to complain about it!

When the Prophet (a.s) created the companions as brothers and did not mention `Ali (a.s) at that time, he approached the Prophet (a.s) with tears in his eyes and said, “O Prophet (a.s)! You have named the Muhajirūn and Ansar as brothers, but you did not think me deserving of this honor!” The Prophet (a.s) embraced `Ali (a.s) and said: “O `Ali!

You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter.”[2] This brotherhood not only brightened the ancestral brotherhood between the two, but also proved the superiority of `Ali (a.s) over the Muhajirūn and Ansar. It also highlighted the similarity between the superior character and nature of `Ali (a.s) as that of the Prophet (a.s). When `Ali (a.s) has been declared by the Prophet (a.s) as his brother, it proved that he was the only person amongst the Muslims deserving of that position!

This choice is not because of the ancestral affinity but it is on the basis of identical qualities of the two persons. `Ali therefore considered this brotherhood with the Prophet (a.s) as a great privilege and when he was holding the reins of government, he once went up the pulpit and said: “I am Allah’s creature and the brother of His Prophet (a.s)”[3] [1] Al-Istī`āb, Vol 2, Page 273 [2] Al-Tirmidhī, Vol 2, Page 143 [3] Tārīkh Abul-Fidā, Vol 1, Page 127 Previous…

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