Hizrat Ali (A.S), an exalted figure in the Islamic history whose dazzling contribution after Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) could never be disregarded, was a sublime being in whom numerous differing qualities had joined together. All the good qualities were cantered in their full brightness as though he was a collection of several selves and each self was an astounding portrait of achievement which showed fourth the delineation of distinction in its untainted form.
Besides being a stalwart in the realms of life and a great combatant in the battle field, Hizrat Ali (A.S) has been a unique combination of various flawless characteristics. The taste of learning and God knowing does not usually come with material activity but Amir-ul-Momineen adorned the meeting of learning and scholarship along with war-like pursuits and watered the field of Islam with springs of learning and truth along with shedding streams of blood (in battles)”.He is the only person in the history of mankind who, on the pulpit in Kufa proclaimed that “… ask me whatever you want to know before I depart”.
A person once asked about the distance between earth and sun on which Ali (A.S) answered- “equal to the distance which an Arabian horse can cover within five hundred years”.
After 1400 years, scientists, in order to realize the authenticity of the answer began to research. it was observed that an Arabian horse on an average travels 22 miles per day. And that the horse would travel 9,30,00,000 miles during five hundred years. Scientists say that the distance between the sun and the earth does not remain the same because rotation is not absolutely circular rather it is oval. Consequently scientists presume that the distance may vary from 9,16,00,000 miles (min) to 9,44,00,000(max). Hazrat Ali (A.S) said 9,30,00,000 miles because Golden mean of 9,16,00,000 and 9,44,00,000 is 9,30,00,000.
Such was his intellectual capacity that in pre-scientific era he was able to discover the distance between the sun and the earth.
Where there is rule and authority there is also a crowd of servants and workers, checks of eminence with equipment of pageantry but the period of Ali (A.S) was that of an example of the highest simplicity. In him people saw only tattered turban in place of a regal robes and the floor of the earth in place of the ruler’s throne. He never liked grandeur and pageantry nor allowed show of external grandiosity. His practical life is enough proof of his sayings and sermons.
Alama kaamlul din Mohammed Ibne-Talha-e-Shafiyee in his book ‘Mataib-ul- Soul’ quotes Abdullah Ibn Zurair saying that “I went to see Hazrat Ali (A.S) on Eid. He asked me to join him for breakfast. I agreed, a very poor kind of food was served before us. I said -O lord, you are such a rich man, a Caliph and a king! Hazrat replied- ‘Ibne-Zurare, you have heard of mighty Kings who had lead the life of luxury. Let me be a ruler leading the life of a poor and humble person -a humble labourer.’
Non -Muslim scholars share a common podium with Muslim researchers regarding the practical life of Hazrat Ali (A.S) and conceive him to be paradigmatic for mankind of all eras. The historians including John J. Pool ( author of the life of Queen Victoria) in his book ‘Mohammadianism’ says ” Ali as ,the prince was a man of mild and forbearing character, wise in council and bold in war. Mohammed (SAW) had given him the surname of “lion of God”. Jurjyzaidan, a famous Christian historian and philosopher says “None can equal so many instances of his piety and fear of God as are cited. One starts loving and venerating him. He was a true follower of Islam”. Besides john Davenport, AwardGibben, Sir William, Thomas Carlyle and many others have praised Ali (A.S).
(The author is a student of Tehran university of medical sciences and can be reached at showkathussain555@gmail.com)
