Imam Ali’s Martyrdom
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) said, “Oh Ali! I see before my eyes thy beard dyed with the blood of thy forehead.”
The night before Friday, the 19th of the month of Ramadan of the year 40 AH, Imam Ali couldn’t sleep, he looks up to the sky and says, “By God, You have neither lied nor lied, and it is the night that You promised.”
On the morning of the 19th, as Imam Ali was getting ready for the morning prayer he said, “Get accommodated with death for verily, death will find you, and do not fear death when it finds you in your place of residence.” Also, on that same morning, Imam Ali explicitly wanted his sons, Imam Hassan and Hussain, to offer their morning prayers in their house; he wanted them not to accompany him as they usually did to the mosque. As he was leaving his house to head to the mosque, geese were gathered at the doorstep hissing. A few people tried to move these geese to pave the way for Imam Ali, but he told them otherwise and explained that the hisses are cries that will be followed by wails. Imam Ali reached the mosque, and engaged in leading the congregation.
On the morning of the 19th, as Imam Ali was getting ready for the morning prayer he said, “Get accommodated with death for verily, death will find you, and do not fear death when it finds you in your place of residence.” Also, on that same morning, Imam Ali explicitly wanted his sons, Imam Hassan and Hussain, to offer their morning prayers in their house; he wanted them not to accompany him as they usually did to the mosque. As he was leaving his house to head to the mosque, geese were gathered at the doorstep hissing. A few people tried to move these geese to pave the way for Imam Ali, but he told them otherwise and explained that the hisses are cries that will be followed by wails. Imam Ali reached the mosque, and engaged in leading the congregation.
Abdulrahman son of Muljam, a man who was supposedly praying, stood just behind Imam Ali. As the imam was in his second prostration, the killer got up, held his poisonous sword, and struck Imam Ali on his head with a big blow. Right then, the imam said in a loud voice, “By The Lord of the Ka’aba, I have won,” and Angel Gabriel cried from the heavens, “By God, the pillars of guidance have been destroyed.”
Imam Ali was carried to his house. Lubabah, the wife of Imam Ali’s uncle, sat beside his head, and Um Kalthoom, his daughter, sat beside his feet. Imam Ali said, “The Prime Companion (God) is the greatest securer and the best savior.”
Um Kalthoom called Abdulrahman and said, “O’ the enemy of God, you have killed the Commander of the Faithful.” “I only killed your father,” he replied. “O’ the enemy of God, I hope that there is not anything wrong with him,” she said. “I see you rather crying for him. By God, I have struck him a blow that if it were divided amongst the people of the Earth, it would have destroyed them,” said Abdulrahman as he went to Imam Ali.
Imam Ali said, “Give him delicious food and prepare him a comfortable bed. If I live, then I am the guardian of my blood; I will choose to forgive or punish him. If I die, join him with me; I will dispute him with The Lord of the Worlds.” He expressly ordered that no harshness should be shown towards his murderer. He should not be tortured before his execution and should be dispatched only with one blow of sword. His body should not be mutliated, members of his family should not be made to suffer on account of his crime, and his property should not be confiscated. Imam Ali’s justice was always accompanied with mercy, even to the worst of his own enemies.
Um Kalthoom called Abdulrahman and said, “O’ the enemy of God, you have killed the Commander of the Faithful.” “I only killed your father,” he replied. “O’ the enemy of God, I hope that there is not anything wrong with him,” she said. “I see you rather crying for him. By God, I have struck him a blow that if it were divided amongst the people of the Earth, it would have destroyed them,” said Abdulrahman as he went to Imam Ali.
Imam Ali said, “Give him delicious food and prepare him a comfortable bed. If I live, then I am the guardian of my blood; I will choose to forgive or punish him. If I die, join him with me; I will dispute him with The Lord of the Worlds.” He expressly ordered that no harshness should be shown towards his murderer. He should not be tortured before his execution and should be dispatched only with one blow of sword. His body should not be mutliated, members of his family should not be made to suffer on account of his crime, and his property should not be confiscated. Imam Ali’s justice was always accompanied with mercy, even to the worst of his own enemies.
Two days after the tragedy, Imam Ali whispered, “There is no God but Allah,” and the Quranic verses;
﷽
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ * وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ * وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
“So whoever does an atom's weight of good shall see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil shall see it (99:7,8).” The last breath of the man that’s entire life was devoted to teach, to spread God’s message that is humanity and beyond, was on the 21st of the month of Ramadan of the 40th year after Hijra*. The voice of justice has been killed.
*Hijra: the migration of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) from Mecca to Medina in A.D. 622
Sources:
- https://www.al-islam.org/history-of-the-caliphs-rasul-jafariyan/imam-alis-imamate
- http://imamhussain-lib.com/arabic/pages/f46.php
- www.shiachat.com/forum/topic
- Figure 1: https://imamali.tumblr.com/post/56691326195/while-leaving-for-prayer-imam-ali-as-had-a-bunch
- Figure 2: https://twitter.com/Margdoosh/status/1260275434568155139/photo/1
- Figure 3: https://www.deviantart.com/seyfullah-design/art/Amirul-Muminin-Imam-Ali-Ibn-Abi-Talib-a-s-727145066
