Day 21 Ramadhan - Step 24

Day 21 #Ramadhan - Step 24  - Sufi Secrets & Gems of Ramadhan.

I have been posting my Sufi Ramadhan Secrets and Gems, about the (Day) in Ramadan (not) the night, In Islam the Tonight comes 1st and starts at Maghrib Tonight the day then follows, thus last tonight marks the 21st of Ramadhan, one of the odd nights in the Last Ashara on which Laytatul Qadr may fall. However it also marks a more heartbreaking event. The martyrdom of our Maula, The father of the Princes of Heaven, The Commander of the Faithful, The Father of Tasawwuf, The Lion of Allah, Shah-e-Mardan; Sayyiduna Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (Alaihi salaam). At the hour of standing before Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), during a prayer of submission, in the best of days, while fasting during the month of Ramadhan while performing the most glorious Islamic duties, while preparing to wage jihad, and in the highest and most pure divine places, the Mosque of Kufa.  

We will never be on the level of even the dirt on the sandals of Sayyiduna Ali (Alaihi salaam), but the least we can do In sha Allah is to send the rewards of our supererogatory prayers, our obligatory prayers, our salawat, even our good deeds to him.. A martyr never dies so take hold of this opportunity of the 3rd Ashara and 21st Ramadhan to send as much sawaab to him as possible and make du’a that on the Day of Judgement you will be with him, the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) and all the righteous, In Sha Allah.

Let us understand this individual (Alaihi Salaam) of truth, not only in terms of leadership, khilafa, Islamic jurisprudence as most of our books like to talk about; but look at him through the prism of Taqwa and True knowledge that he was blessed with.

“The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) saw Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (karamAllahu ta’ala wajhu wa alayhi salaam) and Ammar Yasir stretched out and asleep on the soft ground and woke them up. 

He (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) then touched Sayyiduna Ali (karamAllahu ta’ala wajhu) with his blessed hands and said: “Awake, O Abu Turab! (Father of the Soil) Would you like me to tell you of the most wretched of men?“ He (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) then said; “There are two of them. 

One is Uhmir Samud, who slew the camel (of Salih). The other is,” pointing to Sayyiduna Ali’s (alayhi salaam) blessed head, “The person who strikes here with his sword, smearing your beard with blood.”

Sayyidina ‘Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was the fourth Khalifah of Islam. Some of the titles given to Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) were Al-Murtada (the one contented with the Decree of Allah), Asadullah (the Lion of Allah) and Abu Turab (Father of sand) because once he slept on bare sand. He was also known as Abul Hasan which means the father of Imam Hasan (Rady Allahu Anhu). Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was thirty years younger than the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam). He was the cousin of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam). His father's name was Hadrat Abu Talib and his mother's name was Sayyidatina Fatimah bint Asad (Rady Allahu Anha).

Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was the first from among the children to accept Islam. He was only eleven years old when he accepted Islam. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) loved Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) and Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) also loved Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam). He later went on to marry Sayyidatina Fatimah (Rady Allahu Anha), the blessed daughter of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam).

They had two sons and their names are Imam Hasan (Rady Allahu Anhu) and Imam Husain (Rady Allahu Anhu). Together, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam), Sayyidina Ali, Sayyidatina Fatimah, Imam Hasan, and Imam Husain (Rady Allahu Anhum) are known as Ahl al-Bayt which means the People of the Household of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam). We Muslims must love the Family of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) more than our own families.

Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was very brave and strong. This is why he is known as Asadullah which means the Lion of Allah. His love for Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) was indeed very great. In the wars against the disbelievers, Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) fought very bravely. There was one incident when Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) went to Madinah al-Munawwarah because he had received news that his enemies were going to come to his house and try to kill him.

Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was so brave that he got into the bed of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam). Before leaving, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) had told Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) to meet him in Madinah al-Munawwarah. When the enemies picked up the blanket, they saw Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu). They were very angry to see that it was not Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) and they left.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) had left everyone's belongings with Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) to be distributed to their rightful owners. When he gave everyone's things back, they asked him if he was scared while he slept in the bed of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam). He replied that he was not scared because Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) had told him to meet him in Madinah al-Munawwarah. So he knew nothing would happen to him. This shows us how brave Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was, and how much he loved and trusted Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam).

Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was also a very knowledgeable person. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) had once said, “I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate.” This is why Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) was also given the title of Bab ul-'Ilm which means “The Gate of Knowledge”. This was only one title among many that were given to Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu).

Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu) lived a very simple life and he was a great person. His braveness was clearly visible and his love for Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) and for His Rasul (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallam) was unquestionable. He was martyred at Kufa in Iraq on Monday, the 21st of Ramadan 40 A.H. at the age of 63. He was laid to rest in Najaf, near Kufa. We have learned a great deal from Sayyidina Ali’s (Rady Allahu Anhu) dedication to Islam. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) grant more people from this Ummah to follow the footsteps of Sayyidina Ali (Rady Allahu Anhu). Amin.