The Date And Place Of Birth Of Imam ‘Ali

1) Abu Hamzah al-Thumali narrates that he heard Imam al-Sajjad (‘a) say:
Fatimah bint Asad (‘a) was circumambulating the Ka’bah when suddenly she appeared to feel the pangs of birth. She entered the Ka’bah and it is in the Ka’bah that ‘Ali (‘a) was born.1

عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ أَسَدٍ رَضِيَ االلهُ عَنْهَا ضَرَبَهَا الطَّلْقُ وَهِيَ فِي الطَّوَافِ، فَدَخَلَتِ الْكَعْبَةَ فَوَلَدَتْ أَميرَ الْمُؤمنينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَم فيها

2) Attab Ibn Usayd narrates:
Amir Al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib (‘a) was born on Friday, the thirteenth day of Rajab, in the Holy precinct of Ka’bah, in Mecca, twelve years before the Prophet’s (proclamation of) Messengership of Allah. At that time the Prophet (S) was twenty-eight years old.2

وَرُوِيَ عَنْ عَتَّابِ بْنِ أُسَيْدٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: وُلِدَ أَمِيـرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ بِمَكَّةَ فِي بَيْتِ االلهِ الْحَرَامِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً خَلَتْ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، وَلِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِـهِ ثَمَـانٍ وَعِشْرونَ سَنَةً، قَبْلَ النُّبُوَّةِ بِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً

3) ‘Ali (‘a) was born in the precinct of the Holy Ka’bah in Mecca on Friday the thirteenth day of Rajab. Neither before nor after him was anyone born in the Holy precinct of the Ka’bah. God bestowed this honor on him to make explicit to men his greatness.3

وُلِدَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ بِمَكَّةَ فِي الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ اَلثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنْ شَهْرِ االلهِ الأَصَمِّ رَجَبَ، بَعْدَ عامِ الفيل بِثَلاَثينَ سَنَةً. وَلَمْ يُولَدْ فِي بَيْتِ االلهِ الْحَرَامِ أَحَدٌ سِوَاهُ؛ لاَ قَبْلَهُ وَلاَ بَعْدَهُ. وَهِيَ فَضـيلَةٌ خَصَّهُ االلهُ بِها إِجْلاَلاً لَهُ، وَإِعْلاَءً لِرُتْبَتِهِ، وَإِظهاراً لِتَكْرِمَتِهِ

4) It is recorded [in reliable books] that:
‘‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib Ibn Abd al-Muttalib Ibn Hashim Ibn Abd-Manaf was the legatee and successor to the Messenger of Allah, a just leader, guide and the most truthful, the commander of all Testamentary trustees, the foremost leader of believers in Allah’s Unity; who is known as Abu’l-Hasan, was born in the House of Allah, on Friday, the thirteenth of Rajab thirty years after the Elephant Year. His mother is Fatimah bint Asad Ibn Hashim Ibn Abd-Manaf and she was the first among the Hashimites to profess Islam.4

وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَـافٍ، وَصِـيُّ رَسُولِ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَخَليفَتُهُ؛ اَلإِمامُ الْعادِلُ، وَالسِّيِّدُ الْمُرْشِدُ، وَالصِّـدِّيقُ الأَكْبَـرُ. سَـيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ، وَإِمامُ الْمُوَحِّدينَ. كُنْيَتُهُ: أَبُو الْحَسَنِ. وُلِدَ بِمَكَّةَ فِي البَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ، يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِثَلاَثَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً خَلَتْ مِنْ رَجَب، بَعْدَ عَامِ الْفِيلِ بِثَلاَثِينَ سَنَةً. وَأُمُّهُ فَاطِمةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ. وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ هَاشِميٍّ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ مِنْ هَاشِمِيِّينَ

The Circumstances Surrounding Ali’s Birth

5) Yazid Ibn Qa’nab narrates:
I, along with Ibn Abbas and some members of the clan of Abd al-’Uzza, was sitting near the Holy precinct of the Ka’bah when we saw Ali’s mother who was then in the ninth month of her pregnancy. She appeared to be suffering the pangs of birth and she was praying,
‘O Lord! I believe in You, Your Prophets and in the scriptures revealed by You. I do affirm Your covenant with my ancestor, Prophet Abraham. I affirm that it was he [Abraham] who constructed the Holy precinct of Ka’bah. I beseech You in the name of the builder of the Holy Ka’bah and I beseech you in the name of the one who is in my womb, please make his birth easy.’

Yazid Ibn Qa’nab narrates further:
We saw the wall of the Ka’bah splitting open and Fatimah [bint Asad] entered into there and disappeared from our sight. The two sides of the cracked wall were miraculously joined together. We wanted to open the lock of the door but could not open the lock in spite of our hectic and repeated efforts. We then realized that whatever had happened was due to the will of God.

After four days, Fatimah emerged from inside the Ka’bah and said,
‘I am superior to all the women before me. Muzahim’s daughter Asiyah had to pray secretly because only threat could make one pray secretly in a [holy] place; ‘Imran’s daughter Mary shook the dry stalk of a date tree and [miraculously] fresh dates fell from that tree and she ate those dates. When I entered the precinct of the Ka’bah, I ate the fruits sent from heaven.

When I wished to come out [of the Ka’bah] a voice proclaimed, “O Fatimah! The name of this, your child shall be Ali, for he is high and exalted. God Almighty said, ‘I have named him after one of My Names and I have imbibed my culture and etiquettes in him, I have endowed him with My Wisdom, for he is the one who would remove the idols from the precinct of the Ka’bah. He will give the call for prayer [adhan] from the roof of Ka’bah and he will glorify Me. Fortunate is he who adores him and obeys his commands. Wretched and unfortunate is the one who harbors enmity towards him and disobeys him.”5

قَالَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ قَعْنَبٍ: كُنْتُ جَالِساً مَعَ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَفَريقٍ مِنْ عَبْدِ الْعُزَّىٰ بِإِزاءِ بَيْتِ االلهِ الْحَرَامِ، إِذْ أَقْبَلَتْ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدٍ -أُمُّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ- وَكَانَتْ حَامِلاً بِهِ لِتِسْعَةِ أَشْـهُرٍ، وَقَدْ أَخَذَها اَلطَّلْقُ. فَقالَتْ: «رَبِّ! إِنِّي مُؤْمِنَةٌ بِكَ وَبِما جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مِنْ رُسُلٍ وَكُتُبٍ. وَإِنِّي مُصَدِّقَةٌ بِكَلاَمِ جَدِّي إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْخَلِيلِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ وَأَنَّهُ بَنَىٰ الْبَيْتَ الْعَتيقَ. فَبِحَقِّ الَّذِي بَنَىٰ هٰذَا الْبَيْتَ، وَبِحَـقِّ الْمَوْلُودِ الَّذِي فِي بَطْنِي لَما يَسَّرْتَ عَلَيَّ وِلاَدَتِي»

قَالَ يزيد بن قعنب: فَرَأَيْنا البَيْتَ وَقَدِ انْفَتَحَ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ، وَدَخَلَتْ فاطِمَةُ فِيهِ وَغابَتْ عَنْ أَبْصَارِنَا، والْتَزَقَ الْحَائِطُ. فَرُمْنا أَنْ يَنفَتِحَ لَنا قُفْلُ الْبَابِ فَلَمْ يَنْفَتِحْ. فَعَلِمْنا أَنَّ فِي ذٰلِكَ أَمْراً مِنَ االلهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ خَرَجَتْ بَعْدَ الرَّابِعِ وَبِيَدِها أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ، ثُمَّ قالَتْ: «إِنِّي فُضِّلْتُ عَلَىٰ مَنْ تَقَدَّمَنِي مِنَ النِّسَاءِ، لأَنَّ آسِيَةَ بِنْتَ مُزَاحِمٍ عَبَدَتِ االلهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ سِرّاً فِي مَوْضِعٍ لاَ يُحِـبُّ أَنْ يُعْبَـدَ االلهُ فِيـهِ إِلاَّ إِضْطِرَاراً. وَأَنَّ مَرْيَمَ بِنْتَ عِمْرَانَ هَزَّتِ النَّخْلَةَ الْيَابِسَةَ بِيَدِهَا حَتَّىٰ أَكَلَتْ مِنْها رُطَباً جَنِيّاً.

وَإِنِّي دَخَلْتُ بَيْتَ االلهِ الْحَرامَ فَأَكَلْتُ مِنْ ثِمَارِ الْجَنَّةِ وَأَوْراقِها. فَلَمَّا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ، هَتَفَ بِي هَاتِفٌ: يَا فَاطِمَـةُ سَمِّيهِ عَلِيّاً، فَهُوَ عَلِيٌّ. وَااللهُ الْعَلِيُّ الأَعْلىٰ يَقُولُ: إِنِّي شَقَقْتُ اسْمَهُ مِنِ اسْمِي، وَأَدَّبْتُهُ بِأَدَبِي، وَوَقَفْتُـهُ عَلَىٰ غَوامِضِ عِلْمي، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُكَسِّرُ الأَصْنامَ فِي بَيْتِي، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُؤَذِّنُ فَوقَ ظَهْرِ بَيْتِي وَيُقَدِّسُـنِي وَيُمَجِّدُنِي. فَطُوبَىٰ لِمَنْ أَحَبَّهُ وَأَطَاعَهُ. وَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُ وَعَصَاهُ»

Ali’s Ancestry

6) ‘Ali (‘a) was the son of Abu Talib, son of Abd al-Muttalib, son of Hashim, son of Abd-Manaf, son of Qusay, son of Kilab Murrah, son of Ka’b, son of Lu’ay, son of Ghalib, son of Fihr, son of Malik, son of Nadhr, son of Kinanah, son of Khuzaymah, son of Mudrikah, son of Mudhar, son of Nizar, son of Ma’d, son of Andan. Abu Talib was also known as Abd-Manaf.6

بِالإِسْنَادِ: هُوَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ قُصَيِّ بْنِ كِلاَبِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ لُويِّ بْنِ غَالِبِ بْنِ فِهْرِ بْنِ مَالِكِ بْنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ كِنانَةَ بْنِ خُزَيْمَةِ بْنِ مُدْرِكَةَ بْنِ مُضَـرَ بْنِ نِزارِ بْنِ مَعْدِ بْنِ عَدْنانَ. واسْمُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَبْدُ مَنَافٍ.

7) Ali’s mother was Fatimah bint Asad. Asad the son of Hashim, son of Abd- Manaf, son Qusay. Fatimah bint Asad was the first female child born to a Hashimite father. She embraced Islam and went over to the side of the Prophet.7

بِالإِسْنَادِ: أُمُّ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ: فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ. وَهِـيَ أوَّلُ هَاشِمِيَّةٍ وَلَدَتْ لِهاشِمِيٍّ. وَقَدْ أسْلَمَتْ وَهاجَرَتْ إِلَىٰ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ.

8) Ali’s mother Fatimah bint Asad brought up the Prophet (S) and was therefore like a mother to him. She was the first lady to embrace Islam and migrated with the Prophet (S) to Medina. On her death, the Prophet (S) shrouded her with his own garments.8

أُمُّهُ فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ. وَكانَتْ مِنْ رَسُولِ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِمَنْزِلَـةِ الأَمِّ. وَرُبِّيَ فِي حِجْرهَا. وَكانَتْ مِنْ سَابِقاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ إِلَىٰ الإِيـمَانِ. وَهاجَرَتْ مَعَ رَسُولِ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إِلَىٰ الْمَدِينَةِ. وَكَفَّنَها النَّبِيُّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عِنْدَ مَوْتِها بِقَميصِه

Ali’s Titles And Agnomen [Kunyah]

9) The most famous titles of ‘Ali (‘a) are: al-Murtadha, Haydar, Amir al- Mu’minin and al-Anza’ al-Batin.9

وَأَمَّا أَلْقَابُ الإِمامِ عَليٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: فَالْمُرْتَضَىٰ وَحَيْدَرُ، وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَالأَنْزَعُ الـبَطِينُ

10) Amir al-Mu’minin, Ya’sub al-Din, al-Murtadha, Nafs al-Rasul, Sahib al-Liwa’, Sayyid al-Arab, Abu’l-Rayhanatayn, al-Hadi, al-Faruq, and Amir al-Bararah… etc.10

أَمِـيرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ، وَيَعْسُوبُ الدِّينِ، وَالْمُرْتَضَىٰ، وَنَفْسُ الرَّسُولِ، وَصَاحِبُ اللِّـوَاءِ، وَسَـيِّدُ الْعَـرَبِ، وَأَبُـو الرَّيْحَانَتَيْنِ، وَالْهَادِي، وَالْفَارُوقُ، وَأَمِيرُ الْبَرَرَةِ…

11) Among his Kunyah11 are: Abu’l-Hasan, Abu’l-Sibtayn, Abu Turab and the Prophet (S) himself had conferred these Kunyah on ‘Ali (‘a).12

وأَمَّا كُنْيَتُهُ: فَأَبو الْحَسَنِ، وَأَبو السِّبْطَيْنِ، وَأَبو تُرَابٍ؛ كَنَّاهُ بِهَا رَسُولُ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ

12) His [popular name] Kunyah was Abu’l-Hasan. The Prophet (S) had conferred the title Abu Turab as his Kunyah which was a favorite of the Prophet (S) and by which he always referred to ‘Ali (‘a).13

كُنْيَةُ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ. وَكَنَّاهُ رَسُولُ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: أَبَا تُرابٍ، فَكانَ أَحَبَّ مَا يُنَادَىٰ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ

Ali’s Names

13) Mufadhdhal Ibn ‘Umar narrates that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said that the Prophet (S) said:
When I ascended the skies [during Mi’raj - the night of Ascension], I received a revelation from God saying, ‘O Muhammad, I looked at the earth and I chose you as my messenger and I likened your name to My Name, for I am Mahmud and you are Muhammad. Similarly, when I looked at the earth I chose ‘Ali to be your legatee, successor, and son-in-law, and the father of your progeny. From My Names, I chose the name ‘Ali for him because I am al-’Ali al-A’la [The Most High].’14

بِالإِسْنَادِ، عَنْ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: لَمَّا أُسْرِيَ بِي إِلَىٰ السَّمَاءِ أَوْحَىٰ إلَيَّ رَبِّي جَلَّ جَلاَلُهُ فَقَـالَ: «يَـا مُحَمَّدُ، إنِّي اطَّلَعْتُ عَلَىٰ الأَرْضِ اطِّلاَعَةً فَاخْتَرْتُكَ مِنها، فَجَعَلْتُكَ نَبِيّاً وَشَقَقْتُ لَكَ مِـنْ اسْـمِي اسْماً؛ فَأَنَا الْمَحْمُودُ وَأَنْتَ مُحَمَّدٌ. ثُمَّ اطَّلَعْتُ الثَّانِيةَ فَاخْتَرْتُ مِنْها عَلِيّاً، وَجَعَلْتُهُ وَصِيَّكَ وَخَلِيفَتَكَ وَزوْجَ ابْنَتِكَ وأَبَا ذُرِّيَّتِكَ. وَشَقَقْتُ لَهُ اسْماً مِنْ أَسْمَائِي؛ فَأَنَا الْعَلِيُّ الأَعْلَىٰ وَهُوَ عَلِيٌّ

14) The Prophet (S) said:
On Doomsday, ‘Ali will be called by seven names and it will be said to him: ‘O Sadiq [truthful],’ O Proof, O Devoted worshipper, O Guide; O Guided; O Bravest. O Ali, you and your Shi’ah will enter Paradise without being questioned.’15

قَالَ رَسُولُ االلهِ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ، يُنادونَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِـبٍ بِسَـبْعَةِ أَسْمَاءٍ: يَا صِدِّيقُ، يَا دَالُّ، يَا عَابِدُ، يَا هَادِيُ، يَا مَهْدِيُّ، يَا فَتَىٰ، يَا عَلِيُّ: مُرَّ أَنْتَ وَشِـيعَتُكَ إِلَـىٰ الْجَنَّةِ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ.

‘Ali Being From The Progeny Of Sincere Devotees Of God

15) Al-Asbagh Ibn Nubatah said: I heard Amir Al-Mu’minin say:
By God, neither my father nor my grandfather nor Hashim and Abd-Manaf ever worshipped any idol. On the other hand, they were sincere devotees of [One, Unique] God.’ Imam ‘Ali was asked, ‘Then what did they worship [if not idols].’ He (‘a) replied, ‘They followed the faith of Abraham and used to pray facing the Holy Ka’bah.’16

عَنْ الأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ االلهِ عَلَيْهِ يَقُولُ: «وَااللهِ، مَا عَبَدَ أَبِي وَلاَ جَدِّي عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَلاَ هَاشِمٌ وَلاَ عَبْدُ مَنَافَ صَنَماً قَطُّ.» قِيلَ لَهُ: «فَمَا كَانُوا يَعْبُـدونَ؟» قَـالَ «كَانُوا يُصَلُّونَ إِلَىٰ البَيْتِ عَلَىٰ دِينِ إِبْراهيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ، مُتَمَسِّكينَ بِهِ»

The Prophet’s Regard For Ali’s Mother

16) Ibn Abbas narrates:
One day ‘Ali came weeping and repeating this statement: ‘From God we came and to Him is our return [Innaa lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un].’ When the Prophet (S) saw him, he inquired as to why ‘Ali was crying. ‘Ali replied that his mother Fatimah bint Asad had passed away. On hearing this, the Prophet (S) too started weeping.

The Prophet (S) then told ‘Ali (‘a), “O Ali, your mother was to me like my own mother. Take my turban and my garment and use them to shroud her. Ask the ladies to give the ritual bath in the best way. Do not move the coffin before I come, for I am obliged to perform her burial and other rites.”

After some time, the Prophet (S) arrived. The coffin was brought out and the Prophet (S), for the first-ever time, performed the funeral prayer of anyone, because he had never done so for anyone else before. He then repeated the takbir statement forty times for her. He then entered her grave and slept there for a while without uttering a single word or moving a single move. He then ordered ‘Ali and al-Hasan to enter there. When they accomplished what he had wanted them to do there, he ordered them to go out. He then moved towards the side of her head and said these words to her,

“O Fatimah! I am Muhammad the chief of Adam’s sons (i.e. all human beings); yet, I do not need to take pride in this. If Munkar and Nakir (the two angels interrogating in the grave) come to you and asked as who is your Lord, you should, answering them, say, Allah is my Lord, Muhammad my Prophet, Islam my religion, the Qur’an my Book, and my son is my leader and guardian.” The Prophet (S) then added, “O Allah, please confirm Fatimah with the sure word.”

He then left her tomb and threw a few sums of dust on the dead body. He then struck his right hand with his left hand to shake off the dust and said, “I swear by Him Who grasps my soul in His Hand that Fatimah has heard the sound of my shaking off the dust.”

Hence, Ammar Ibn Yasir stood up and asked the Holy Prophet (S),
“May Allah accept my father and mother as ransoms for you, Allah’s Messenger! You have offered such a prayer that you have never offered like it ever before.”

The Prophet said,
‘O Abu Yaqzan, she deserves it [that I should lead her funeral prayer]. She is from me. Abu Talib had many sons and plenty of wealth, whereas we had little wealth. Fatimah [bint Asad] used to feed me before feeding her own children; she clothed me before she clothed her children; she used to bathe me and anoint me before she did to her children.’

Ammar then asked, “Why did you offer forty Takbirs over her coffin?”

The Prophet (S) replied,
“Yes indeed O Ammar. When I looked to my right side I saw angels standing in forty rows. For each row of angels, I said one Takbir.”

Ammar asked, “Why did you lie down [besides her] in the grave, so much so that we could not hear what you were saying?”

The Prophet (S) replied,
“On Doomsday people will be raised up naked. I prayed to the Lord that she [Fatimah bint Asad] may be raised fully dressed. By the Lord who has bestowed life upon me, before I came out of the grave I saw two effulgent lamps near her head, two effulgent lamps near her hands, and two effulgent lamps near her feet. I also saw two angels who would stay with her in the grave, until Doomsday, praying for [the Lord’s] Mercy and Forgiveness for her.”17

بِالإِسْنَادِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ االلهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: أَقْبَلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِلَىٰ النَّبِـيِّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بَاكِياً وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ!» فَقَالَ رَسُولُ االلهِ صَـلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْـهِ وَآلِهِ: «مَهْ يَا عَليُّ؟» فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ: «يَا رَسُولَ االلهِ! مَاتَتْ أُمِّي فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ أَسَدٍ.» (قَـالَ) فَبَكَىٰ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «رَحِمَ االلهُ أُمَّكَ يَا عَلِيُّ! أَمَا أَنَّها إِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَ أُمّـاً، فَقَـدْ كَانَتْ لِي أُمّاً. خُذْ عِمَامَتِي هٰذِهِ وَخُذْ ثَوْبَيَّ هٰذَينِ فَكَفِّنْهَا فِيهِمَا. وَمُرِ النِّسَاءَ فَليُحْسِنَّ غَسْلَهَا. وَلاَ تُخْرِجْهَا حَتَّىٰ أَجيءَ فَأَلِيَ أَمْرَها.»

(قَالَ) وَأَقْبَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ، وَأُخْرِجَتْ فَاطِمَةُ أُمُّ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَصَلَّىٰ عَلَيْهَـا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ صَلاَةً لَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَىٰ أَحَدٍ قَبْلَهَا مِثْلَ تِلْكَ الصَّلاَةِ. ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ عَلَيْهَا أَرْبَعِينَ تَكْبِيرَةً ثُمَّ دَخَلَ إِلَىٰ الْقَبْرِ فَتَمَدَّدَ فِيهِ، فَلَمْ يُسْمَعْ لَهُ أَنِينٌ وَلاَ حَرَكَةٌ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَا عَلِيُّ! أُدْخُلْ. يَـا حَسَـنُ أُدْخُلْ.» فَدَخَلَ القَبْرَ، فَلَمَّا فَرِغَ مِمَّا احْتَاجَ إِلَيْه قَالَ: «يَا عَلِيُّ! أُخْرُجْ. يَا حَسَنُ! أُخْرُجْ.» فَخَرجَا ثُمَّ زَحَفَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّىٰ االلهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ حَتَّىٰ صَارَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِها.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَـا فَاطِمَةُ! أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ سَيِّدُ وُلْدِ آدَمَ وَلاَ فَخْرَ. فَإِنْ أَتَاكِ مُنْكَرٌ وَنَكِيرٌ فَسَأَلاَكِ: مَنْ رَبُّكِ؟ فَقُولِي: االلهُ رَبِّي، وَمُحَمَّدٌ نَبيِّي، وَالإِسْلاَمُ دِينِي، وَالْقُرْآنُ كِتابِي، وَإِبْنِي إِمَامِي وَوليِّي.» ثُمَّ قَالَ: «اللَّهُمَّ! ثَبِّتْ فَاطِمَةَ بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ.»

ثُمَّ خَرَجَ مِنْ قَبْرِهَا وَحَثَا عَلَيْهَا حَثَياتٍ، ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ الْيُمْنَىٰ عَلَىٰ اليُسْرىٰ فَنَفَضَـهُما. ثُـمَّ قَـالَ «وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ، لَقَدْ سَمِعَتْ فَاطِمَةُ تَصْفِيقَ يَمِينِي عَلَىٰ شِمَالِي.»

فَقامَ إِلَيْهِ عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ فَقَالَ: «فِداكَ أَبِي وَأُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ االلهِ! لَقَدْ صَلَّيْتَ عَلَيْها صَلاَةً لَمْ تُصَلِّ عَلَـىٰ أَحَدٍ قَبْلَها مِثْلَ تِلْكَ الصَّلاَةِ.»

فَقَالَ: «يَا أَبَا الْيَقْظانِ! وَأَهْلٌ ذٰلِكَ هِيَ مِنِّي. وَلَقَدْ كَانَ لَهَا مِنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وِلْدٌ كَثيرٌ. وَلَقَـدْ كَـانَ خَيْرُهُمْ كَثيراً، وَكَانَ خَيْرُنا قَلِيلاً، فَكَانَتْ تُشْبِعُنِي وَتُجِيعُهُمْ، وَتَكْسُـونِي وَتُعْـرِيهِمْ، وَتُـدْهِنُنِي وَتُشْعِثُهُمْ.»

قَالَ: «فَلِمَ كَبَّرْتَ عَلَيْهَا أَرْبعِينَ تَكْبيرَةً يَا رَسُولَ االلهِ؟»

قَالَ: «نَعَمْ يَا عَمَّارُ! إِلْتَفَتُّ عَنْ يَمِينِي فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَىٰ أَرْبعِينَ صَفّاً مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ، فَكَبَّرْتُ لِكُلِّ صَـفٍّ تَكْبيرَةً.»

قَالَ: «فَتَمَدَّدْتَ فِي الْقَبْرِ وَلَمْ يُسْمَعْ لَكَ أَنِينٌ وَلاَ حَرَكَةٌ»

قَالَ: «إِنَّ النَّاسَ يُحْشَرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عُرَاةً، فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَطْلُبُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَبْعَثَهَا سَـتيرَةً وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ! مَا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ قَبْرِهَا حَتَّىٰ رَأَيْتُ مِصْبَاحَيْنِ مِـنْ نُـورٍ عِنْـدَ رَأْسِـهَا، وَمِصْبَاحَيْنِ مِنْ نُورٍ عِنْدَ يَدَيْها، وَمِصْباحَيْنِ مِنْ نُورٍ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْها. وَمَلَكَاهَـا الْمُـوَكَّلاَنِ بِقَبْرِهَـا يَسْتَغْفِرانِ لَهَا إِلَىٰ أَنْ تَقومَ السَّاعَةُ.»

• 1. Rawdhat Al-Wa’izin, vol. 1, p. 81.
• 2. Bihar Al-Anwar, vol. 35, p. 7.
• 3. Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 1, p. 59; Irshad al-Qulub, p. 211; I’lam al-Wara, p. 159; and Kashf al-Yaqin, p. 17 [with a different chain of narrators].
• 4. Rawdhat Al-Wa’izin, vol. 1, p. 76; Al-Irshad by Shaykh Al-Mufid, p. 9 [with a different chain of narrators].
• 5. Rawdhat al-Wa’izin, vol. 1, p. 76; Irshad al-Qulub, p. 211.
• 6. Manaqib ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib, p. 5.
• 7. Manaqib ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib, p. 6.
• 8. I’lam al-Wara, p. 159.
• 9. Fadha’il al-Khamsah, vol. 1, p. 205.
• 10. Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 1, p. 67.
• 11. It is customary among the Arabs to be known by his Kunyah which is a sort of surname, usually but not necessarily, referring to the eldest or the favorite child. For instance, Abu’l-Hasan, Abu Muhammad, Abu Abdullah… etc. Sometimes the Kunyah may even refer to a cat, as for instance Abu Hurayrah which means ‘father of the cat’. It is said that Abu Hurayrah was fond of his cat and hence the name. At times the Kunyah is derogatorily used as in Abu Jahl, which literally means ‘father of ignorance’ [Translator].
• 12. Fadha’il al-Khamsah, vol. 1, p. 205; Manaqib ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib, p. 8.
• 13. Ihqaq Al-Haqq, vol. 6, p. 544.
• 14. Kamal Al-Din, p. 252.
• 15. Ihqaq Al-Haqq, vol. 4, p. 300.
• 16. Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni’mah, p. 174; al-Ghadir, vol. 7, p. 387.
• 17. Amali by Shaykh Al-Saduq, p. 258.