IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) A Messenger of Covenant
“And [remember] when ALLAH made [His] Covenant with the Prophets, [He said]: ‘Behold that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge. And afterward there will come unto you a Messenger [Muhammad, on whom be peace], confirming that which ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him.’ ALLAH said: ‘Do ye agree, and take this My Covenant as binding on you?’ They [the Prophets] said: ‘We agree.’ He [ALLAH] said: ‘Then bear witness, and I Am with you among the witnesses'”– (The Holy Quran 3:81).
‘Ali bin Abu Talib†, asserted that ALLAH did not send a Prophet, from Adam on, but that He made a covenant with him concerning Muhammad (on whom be peace), that if Muhammad (on whom be peace) were to be sent while he lived, he must have faith in him and assist him. ALLAH also so commanded every Prophet to make this with his own people – (The Qur’an and Its Interpreters: The House of ‘Imran, SUNY Press, NY, 1992, p.240).
————————————————————————————————————————
† ‘Ali was the son of Abu Talib, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad (on whom be peace) and was also the son in law of the Prophet Muhammad (on whom be peace) through the wedlock with Sayyidana Fatima, the beloved daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be unto them).
‘Ali belongs to Ahl al-Bayt (the family of the Messenger of ALLAH, peace be unto them). As when the verse “Let us summon our children and your children..” (3:61) was revealed, ALLAH’s Messenger (on whom be peace) called ‘Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussain (peace be unto them) and said: “O ALLAH, they are my family” (Bukhari). ‘Ali was the foremost who witnessed and attested the Apostleship and Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them). The journey to Islam begins with the primary cardinal affirmation that “There is no God but ALLAH; Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAH” and the sign of the completion of faith is seen in the Love of ALLAH, His Messenger Muhammad (on whom be peace), and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be unto them). As ALLAH said: “Say (O Muhammad, on whom be peace): If you Love ALLAH, then follow me, ALLAH will love you and forgive you your faults, and ALLAH is Forgiving, Merciful” – (Quran 3:31). And the Messenger of ALLAH (on whom be peace) himself said: “None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind” – (Bukhari). And Ibn Umar reported Abu Bakr said: “Please Muhammad (i.e. the Prophet, on whom be peace) by doing good to his family” – (Bukhari). It is also narrated by Zaid bin Arqam that the Messenger of ALLAH (on whom be peace) himself said: “Indeed, I am leaving among you, that which if you hold fast to them, you shall not be misguided after me. One of them is greater than the other: The Book of ALLAH is a rope extended from the heaven to the earth, and my family – the people of my house – and they shall not split until they meet at the pond (i.e., Hauzu’l-Kausar, which will be given to the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, on the Day of Judgment), so look at how you deal with them after me” – (Tirmidhi).
Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain (Peace be unto them) were the sons of ‘Ali and the grandsons of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon them) of whom, he said, “The masters of the youth of paradise” (Tirmidhi). Imam Hassan was martyred in the Islamic month of Safar and Imam Hussain (Peace be unto them) was also martyred on 10th of Muharram (Yaumul Ashura of Islamic calendar) – the most significant day in history. It is right to say that ALLAH Himself reserved the day of 10th of Muharram especially for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and thus
RSS