The Beloved Prophet's Bestowals Upon Sayyiduna Ali رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

Prophetic bestowals upon Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ

Mawlana Adnan Ahmad Attari Madani

The fourth Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ꜤAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was granted many favours and things by the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, but the greatest and most valuable favour was that he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ received glad tidings of entering Paradise whilst in this world and that he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ married the Beloved Prophet’s daughter, Sayyidatuna Fāṭima رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا. In this article, you will read about some of the things Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ received from the Prophetic court.

The sword Dhū al-Fiqār

On one occasion, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم clothed him in his own armour, tied his own Ꜥimāmah around his head and gave his own sword, Dhū al-Fiqār, to him.[1]

Standard-bearer

During the Battle of Uhud in Shawwāl 3 AH, Sayyidunā MuṣꜤab b. ꜤUmayr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ held the banner of the Muhājirīn, and after his martyrdom, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed the banner to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.[2] According to another narration, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave the banner of the Muhājirīn to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ in the Battle of Badr too, and he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was twenty years old at that time.[3]

During the Battle of Khaybar, the Noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent many Companions forward to conquer the fort, but despite their efforts, the fort remained unconquered. Ultimately, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم announced, “Tomorrow, I will place this flag in the hand of the one who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah will cause the fort to be conquered by his hand.”

Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was suffering from an eye ailment at that time, so the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent for him (the next day) and applied his blessed saliva to his eye, then he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم waved the flag three times and gave it to him. The outcome of this was the addition of another luminous chapter in the pages of history and Khaybar being conquered at his hand.[4] According to one narration, whenever the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sent Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ to a battle, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would give him the standard of the Muslims.[5]

Giving him sandals to repair

Once, the lace of the Beloved Prophet’s blessed sandal broke, and Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was present in his home, so the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave his sandal to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ for him to fix the lace.[6]

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once stated, “O assembly of Quraysh, you will certainly desist (from your objectionable practices) or Allah will set upon you such a man who will strike your necks for the sake of the religion!”

Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is it me?”

“No,” replied the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

Then Sayyidunā ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is it me?”

“No,” replied the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, “Rather, it is the one who stitches the sandals.” At that time, the Noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had given his blessed sandal to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ and he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was stitching them.[7]

A slave as a gift

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once gifted a slave to Sayyidatuna Fāṭima and Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, and advised them, “Treat him well; I have seen him offering salah.”[8]

Gifted a spear

Najashi sent three spears (or staffs) to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم kept one for himself, gave one to Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ and gave one to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.[9]

Given a comb

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was once given two combs, so he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave one to Sayyidunā Zayd b. Ḥāritha رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ and the other to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.[10]

Engraving a ruby

On one occasion, the Noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ a ruby and instructed him to have “لا الٰہ الا اللہ” engraved on it, so he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ did so. When the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saw the ruby, he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Why did you add the words ‘محمد رسولُ اللہ’?”

Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “I did what you asked me to do.”

Then Angel Jibrāˈīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم arrived and said, “Indeed, Allah Almighty says to you, ‘You love Us, which is why you had Our name engraved (on the ruby), and We also love you, so We had your name engraved [on it].’”[11]

Entrusted with the people’s possessions

Prior to migration, the residents of Makkah would entrust their belongings to the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم emigrated from Makkah al-Mukarramah to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ handed over these items to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, so that he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ could remain in Makkah al-Mukarramah and emigrate to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah after returning these things to their owners.[12]

Granted dirhams

The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was once in possession of ten dirhams, so he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave four dirhams to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ (telling him to purchase an upper garment). When he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ returned with the upper garment of four dirhams, a man stood and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I do not possess an upper garment,” so the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave that upper garment to him. The Beloved Prophet               صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then gave Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ four more dirhams, who purchased another upper garment for him.[13]

Given money to pay blood money

During one incident, due to the misunderstanding of a Muslim general, some Muslims of Banī Jadhīma were martyred, so the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم gave some money to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ and advised him, “Pay the blood money for the loss that has been sustained.” Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ took the money to Banī Jadhīma and gave it to them, but it was not enough, so he رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ sent Sayyidunā RāfiꜤ رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ to the Prophetic court to request more money. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then had more money sent to Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ.[14]

His martyrdom and final request

On the 17^th of Ramadan 40 AH, the wretched khārijī Ibn Muljam attacked Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ in Kufa, and the blade of his poison-dipped sword reached his brain.

Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ had some fragrance of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and one of his final requests was that he be buried with that fragrance applied. He رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ attained martyrdom three nights later (on the 21^st of Ramadan).[15]