The martyrdom of Hazrat Ali

This weekend’s surge in the number of pilgrims heading to Najaf, the holy city in southern Iraq, has yet again reinforced the towering personality of Hazrat Ali (a.s), the fourth caliph of Islam after Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).

The event marks the martyrdom anniversary of Hazrat Ali (a.s) at the nearby majestic ‘Kufa’ mosque in the 7th century AD, where he was struck with a poison-laced sword by Abdul Rehman ibn Amr ibn Muljam al-Muradi, commonly known as Ibne Muljim.

The bloodshed occurred as Hazrat Ali (a.s) led the early morning ‘Fajr’ prayers on the 19th of Ramazan. He succumbed to his fatal injuries just two days later, on the 21st of Ramazan, and was laid to rest in a gravesite whose location at the time was only known to his close family members.

So ended the lifetime of a gigantic personality whose birth almost 60 years earlier in the Holy Kaaba on the 13th day of the Islamic month of Rajab-ul-Murajab, remains an unparalleled miracle.

The precaution taken to protect the location of the grave site of Hazrat Ali (a.s) was meant to guard his final resting place from being desecrated by his foes. But the powerful impact of Hazrat Ali (a.s) on the times that he lived in, and subsequently over almost 14 centuries, is witnessed across the bustling city of Najaf, also known as Najaf e Ashraf. The city identifies itself centrally with Hazrat Ali (a.s).

Najaf today attracts pilgrims from a diverse set of ethnic, geographic and linguistic backgrounds throughout the year. They include a number of non-Muslims too, who are simply pulled to the city to personally witness the enduring impact left behind by Hazrat Ali.

Not too far from the resting place of Hazrat Ali (a.s) lie the scores of grave sites of a succession of prophets and other notables from centuries gone by, at Najaf’s ‘wadi us salaam’ cemetery, which bears testimony to the spiritually powerful character of this land.

Beyond Iraq, across the world, in countries like Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, the remembrance of Hazrat Ali (a.s) over centuries has been associated with monuments dedicated to his legacy.

For instance, travellers from Peshawar to the historic Khyber Pass entrance to Afghanistan, drive by Ali ‘pahar’ or Hazrat Ali’s mountain, popularly dedicated to Hazrat Ali (a.s), with a large boulder delicately perched on its side for centuries.

TLocals believe that the boulder has remained in place after it was miraculously stopped by Hazrat Ali (a.s) from falling below upon a local habitation.

And the city of Hyderabad in Sindh owes its name to one of the popular titles of the late caliph – ‘Hyder’ or ‘Hyder e Karar’. Devotees of Hazrat Ali (as) visit the famous ‘qadam gah e Hazrat Ali’ in Hyderabad throughout the year. It is a shrine that hosts a rock bearing two footprints believed to be those of Hazrat Ali (a.s).

Meanwhile, in Delhi, a monument to Hazrat Ali (a.s) includes a similar rock bearing two footprints that are believed to be Hazrat Ali’s.

And the city of Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan’s Balkh province was created around the historic Masjid-e-Imam Ali, or Imam Ali’s mosque. Though the historical evidence surrounding the claim remains weak, visitors to this mosque believe that the final resting place of Hazrat Ali (a.s) lies within its compound. Hence, the title of the city: Mazar-e-Sharif or the city of the saint.

Irrespective of the historic veracity surrounding each of these landmarks, their existence underlines the powerful impact left by Hazrat Ali (a.s) upon the evolution of history to this day.

His fame ranged from the battlefield in view of the multiple victories claimed by Hazrat Ali (a.s) to the world of knowledge. A popular text known as ‘Nahjul Balagha’ carries the sermons, letters and other texts written or verbally delivered by Hazrat Ali (a.s) during his lifetime as he lived up to his well-preserved claim of successfully answering every question put up to him.

“Salooni, salooni, kabla ant’afkadoonee” (Ask me, ask me, before I am not amongst you) was the historic public call by Hazrat Ali (a.s) as he answered questions from his pulpit, first in Medina and subsequently from the seat of the caliphate in Kufa. Over time, the acknowledgment of the wisdom of Hazrat Ali has poured from across the world, overshadowing many other iconic figures.

Sir Edward Gibbon, the English historian of the 18th century famously recognized Hazrat Ali (a.s) for unifying “…the qualifications of a poet, a soldier, and a saint; his wisdom still breathes in a collection of moral and religious sayings.”

And Washington Irving, the 19th-century American writer, while praising Hazrat Ali (as) wrote: “He possessed the three qualities most prized by the Arabs: courage, eloquence and munificence.”

An oft-repeated source of recognition for the wisdom of Hazrat Ali (a.s) continues to be driven by a letter he wrote to Maalik-e-Ashtar upon the latter’s appointment as the governor of Egypt, then a province of the Islamic empire.

Over time, many scholars and leaders have recognized this document as a rich source of guidance for the governance of a state for all times to come.

In his widely shared remarks, the late Kofi Annan, a former secretary-general of the UN, acknowledged the letter for offering rich guidance, including the protection of non-Muslims and Muslims alike.

“Remember Maalik that among your subjects there are two kinds of people; those who have the same religion as yours; and those who have other religions than yours and yet they are human beings like you,” wrote Hazrat Ali (a.s) in powerful words that still provide a fundamental basis for the rights of all citizens of an Islamic state.

Together, the sources of guidance attributed to the teachings of Hazrat Ali (a.s) have laid down a model of governance for all times to come. It is hardly surprising that the shrine in Najaf has become a source of inspiration for visitors, irrespective of their faith.

The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist who writes on political and economic affairs. He can be reached at: farhanbokhari@gmail.com