The greatest proportion of friendships and affections or enmity
and hatred are all manifestations of human attractions and repulsions which are
based on resemblance or otherwise. There is a saying that birds of the same
feather flock together!
Imam Ali (a.s.) was the man who attracted the people and
repelled the people with extremes. Throughout his life, noble, civilized
individuals, worshipers of Allah, self-sacrificing, merciful, and just men rotated
round the axis of his existence. After his death during the times of Muawiyah
and Umayyad, great number of people were arrested for the crime of friendship
to him and underwent the most severe tortures, but they did not give way in
their friendship and love of Imam Ali (a.s.) and stood firm to the end of their
lives! Among them we can notice Maytham al-Tammar who, twenty years after
Imam Ali (a.s.)’s martyrdom, spoke from his crucifixion of Ali and his virtues
and human qualities. People thronged round to hear what Maytham had to say. The
tyrants of Umayyads, seeing their interest in danger, ordered to put a
gag in his mouth and later finding it unsuccessful killed him. During the
period of another Abbasside tyrant, Mutawakkil, as-Sikkit, a Shia of Ali, was
employed as a teacher for his children. This was 200 years after Ali’s
martyrdom. Mutawakkil asked the teacher if he loved Mutawakkil’s children
more than Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn. He replied, “By Allah, I swear the
Ali’a slave Qanbar is dearer to me than your children and you.” Mutawakkil was
angered and ordered to cut as-Sikkin’s tongue from his throat! History books are studded with examples of
such people who were completely overwhelmed by the love for Ali. To the same
degree, Ali had stubborn enemies, enemies who set people trembling at the sound
of their names.
Traditions about Ali and his followers and lovers: The
Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “Ali and his party (Shias) will be
the triumphant ones.” Shias are
extremely fond of him and drawn to him. Thus, Shi’ism is the religion of love
and devotion. Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “If I strike the nose of a
believer with my sword so that he may become enemy, it will not create
hostility, and if I pour (the riches of the) whole world on the head of a
hypocrite so that he may like me, he will never like me, because this
has been decreed and laid down by the tongue of the Prophet when he said, “O
‘Ali, the believer will never be your enemy and the hypocrite will never love
you.” Ali is the embodiment of truth. There was a good believing friend of Imam
Ali who fell into error who had to be punished. Imam Ali cut off his right-hand
fingers. The man held his cut hand. A Kharijite, ibn al-Kawwa met him and
inquired as to who cut his hand? The man paid glowing tributes to Imam Ali
(a.s.). It is the “Love “and one of the effects of love is power, love is the
power of glory which makes the coward a courageous one! Love awakens sleeping
power, and frees chained and fettered forces, just like the splitting of the
atom freeing the atomic power! Love perfects the soul and brings out astounding
latent abilities. Love brings out man from egoism and self-love. As soon as he takes
a step outside his “Self “all the ugly habits and qualities are also destroyed.
Spiritual love which is falling in love with excellence and
goodness. Allah loves people with distinct qualities like: “Truly Allah loves
those who repent, and those who cleanse themselves.” (2:222) “Allah loves the
good doers.” (3:148) “Allah loves those who guard themselves.” (9:4) “Allah
loves the just.” (49:9) “Say, if you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love
you and forgive your sins.” (3:31)
When Imam Ali (a.s.) appointed Malik al-Ashtar governor of
Egypt, he advised Malik, “Awaken in your heart mercy for (your) subjects and
love for them, and kindness towards them. So, give them of your forgiveness and
your pardon, just as you would like Allah to give you of His forgiveness and
pardon.”
Source: Polarization Around the Character of Ali ibn Abi
Talib (a.s.) by Ayatullah Murtada
Mutahhari (r.a.)
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