THE FIRST AND THE FOREMOST ONES

Whenever a new revolutionary movement starts, the people who respond to the call are not the same in any way with those who join after the movement is firmly anchored and the original comrades had already born the onslaught of criticism, victimization, oppression etc.

Similarly, when the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) introduced Islam to his near ones, Sayyida Khadija (s.a.) and the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) were the only ones who accepted and practiced Islam.

There are two Ayahs in the Glorious Qur'an relating to this; Surah al-Tawbah Ayah 100 which reads: “Allah is well pleased with the foremost ones of those who left their homes for the cause of Allah, those who helped them after their arrival in Madinah, and those who nobly followed these two groups. He has prepared gardens for them wherein streams flow and wherein they will live forever. This certainly is the supreme triumph.”

Surah al-W'aqia Ayah 10 which says : “The foremost ones (in faith and virtues) – the foremost ones in receiving their reward.”

In the Sunni and Shia books, it is written that the first in Islamic history were three persons i.e. Hizqeel of Ale Fir'aun, Habib Najjar of the time of Prophet Ie'sa and Imam Ali and he was superior to the other two.

The famous writers A'lousi, Al-Suyuti and Hakim of Mustadrak maintained that Imam Ali (a.s.) was the first Muslim.

Some of the writers in order to minimize the bravery and superiority of Imam Ali (a.s.) say that although he was the first Muslim but he was a child.

There was a drought in Makkah and Hazrat Abu Talib had six children. Hence, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.)visited Hazart Abu Talib (a.s.) and offered to raise Imam Ali (a.s.). The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) describes his early life in Nahjul Balagha Sermon 190: “He used to press me to his chest and lay me beside him, touch his body with mine and make me smell his smell. He used to chew a thing and then feed me with it. From the time of weaning Allah had put a great angel with him to take him along the path of high character and good behavior throughout day and night, while I used to follow him like a young camel following in the foot print of its mother. In those days Islam did not exist in any house except that of the Prophet of Allah and Khadija while I was the third after these two. I used to see and watch the effulgence of divine revelation and message, and smelt the scent of Prophet hood. When the revelation descended on the Prophet of Allah (s.a.) I heard the moan of Satan. I said, O 'Prophet of Allah, what is this moan? And he replied, “This is Satan who lost all hope of being worshiped. O' Ali you see all that I see and you hear all that I hear, except that you are not a Prophet, but you are a vicegerent and you are surely on (the path of) virtue.”

Later, Is'haque commented to Abbasid Caliph Ma'moun “Imam Ali was the first to accept Islam but he was a boy” Ma'moun said “Did Allah asked Ali to accept Islam?” Is'haque “The Prophet asked him” Ma'moun “Prophet did not do any thing except what Allah desires, hence Allah asked the Prophet to ask Ali to accept Islam, hence Allah knew that Ali understands what he is accepting.”

The “foremost ones” were Imam Ali (as.), Sayyida Khadija (s.a.), Umme Ayman, Abu Zar Ghiffari, Ammar-e-Yasir and his parents etc.

Sources used:

The Glorious Qur'an, Tafsir-e-Namoona, Lectures by Ammar Nakshwani