KNOWLEDGEABLE DESERVES LEADERSHIP

There is a well-known saying; Knowledge is Power. This is evident not only in modern times but also in olden days. Let us review the story of Prophet Sulayman. Allah (SWT) revealed few questions to Prophet Dawood and also provided the answers and commanded him to test his nineteen sons. Whosoever answered those questions correctly will succeed the father.

One day Prophet Dawood called all his sons in the presence of the scholars and the chiefs of the tribes of his kingdom. He then put forward the following questions:

1. Which thing is closest (nearest) to man?
2. Which is the farthest thing?
3. Which two things are attached to each other?
4. Which is the most awe-creating thing?
5. Which two things remain unchanged?
6. Which two things are always different?
7. Which two things are opposed to each other?
8. What is the action the result of which is good?
9. What is that action the result of which is bad?

The sons of Prophet Dawood felt helpless and could not answer any of these questions.

Then youngest of the sons, Prophet Sulayman, stood up and gave the following answers:

1. Death, as a man can die any moment, hence death is nearest to life.
2. The farthest thing is “the time” which has gone away
3. The two things that are attached together is “man’s body and his soul”
4. The most awe-creating thing is “the man’s dead body”
5. The two things that remain the same are “sky and the earth”
6. The two things which are different are “day and night”
7. The two things which are opposed to each other are “life and death”
8. The action, the end of which is good, is the patience and forbearance at the time of anger.
9. The action, the end of which is bad, is haste at the time of anger.

We should keep in mind the state of general knowledge at the time of Prophet Dawood.

Prophet Dawood, was very much impressed by the correct answers and appointed Prophet Sulayman as his successor.

During the period of the second caliph, a group of Jews came to the caliph and said “We have few questions. If we get the answers to these questions correctly, we will accept Islamic faith”. They asked the following questions:

1. What are the locks and keys of heaven?
2. Who was the messenger who was neither of the human nor jinn and who warned his people?
3. Which were the five beings who were created without the aid of ovaries?
4. What are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve?

The caliph thought over it and said, “I do not know the answers to these questions, but I will take you to a man who is most knowledgeable in the commandment of God and Prophet and the greatest among us.” The caliph then brought the Jewish scholars to Imam Ali (A.S.). They asked the same questions to him. The Gateway of Knowledge replied:

1. The locks of the heavens are beliefs in more than one God and its keys are the letters “La Ilaha Illallah Muhammad ur Rasululallah.
2. The messenger who warned his people is the ant who, when Prophet Sulayman’s army was passing by said to his people, “Enter your houses so that the army may not stamp you out (without intention). So Allah states in Holy Qur’an, “When they arrived in the valley of the ants, one ant said to the others, “Enter your dwellings lest you be carelessly crushed by (Prophet) Sulayman and his army” Surah An-Namal verse 18.
3. The five beings who were not born of ovaries are: Adam, Eve, the staff (stick) of Prophet Musa, which used to change into a python (snake), the camel of Prophet Saleh, and the sheep of Prophet Ibrahim (which was sent by Allah to become a ransom of the life of Prophet Isma’el.
4. One is Allah who has no partners, Two are Adam and Eve, Three are the substances (i.e. non-living matter, plants and animals), Four are the Heavenly Books: Tora (Taurait) of Musa, Bible (Injeel) of Jesus (Eisa), Zubur of Dawood, and Qur’an of Muhammad (SA), Five are the daily prayers. Six are the days (periods) of creation of heavens and earth as per the verse of the Holy Qur’an “We created the heavens, the earth and all that is between them in six periods without experiencing any fatigue.” Sura al-Qaf verse 38. Seven are the seven heavens, in the light of the Qur’anic verse, “Have We not made seven strong heavens above you?” Surah An-Naba verse 12. Eight are those angels who bear the heavens as per the Qur’anic verse, “The angels will be around the heavens and on that day eight people will carry the Throne (knowledge) of your Lord above all the creatures.” Surah Al-Haqqa verse 17. Nine are the nine signs given to Prophet Musa as stated by Allah, “To Musa We gave nine illustrious miracles. Ask the Israelites; Musa came to them. The Pharaoh said to him, “Musa, I believe that you are bewitched.” Surah Al-Isra’ verse 101. Ten are the ten days i.e. Allah had promised Musa that he would stay for thirty days on the mountain of Toor, and later added ten more days to this duration, as stated in the Noble Qur’an, “We told Musa to stay with Us for thirty nights (in the mountains) but added ten nights more, so his appointment with his Lord came to an end after forty nights….” Surah Al-A’raf verse 142. Eleven are the brothers of Yusuf , son of Prophet Yaqoob, as the Noble Qur’an states, “When Yusuf said, “Father, in my dream I saw eleven stars, the sun, and the moon prostrating before me.” Surah Al-Yusuf verse 4. Twelve are the twelve water-springs manifested by the staff (stick) of Prophet Musa, as Allah says, “When Musa prayed for rain, We told him to strike the rock with his staff. Thereupon twelve fountains gushed out of the rock and each tribe knew their drinking place. (The Lord told them), Eat and drink from Allah’s bounties and do not abuse the earth as corrupt ones” Surah Al-Baqara verse 60.

When the Jewish scholars heard the replies of Imam Ali (AS), they said, “We bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad (SAWS) is His Messenger and Ali (AS) is the “Wasi” and successor of the Messenger of Allah as Aaron (Haroon) was the “Wasi” of Moses (Musa).” They all embraced Islam, went back to their tribe and converted all of them to Islam.

It is a point to ponder that if any one is forced to convert to Islam under coercion then he will go back to his original faith as soon as the imminent danger to his life or property is removed. Change always comes from heart and the seat of intellect is heart. If a person is convinced about any matter like religion then he converts forever. Is it possible to collect data about the Millions of people attracted towards Islam by the limitless ocean of knowledge of Imam Ali (AS). There is well-accepted tradition of the Prophet (SAWS) which reads, “I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gateway.”