Ali ibn Abi-Talib (RA)
Character of Ali (RA)
Ali (RA) narrated in an authentic hadith that the prophet (SAW) said to him: O Ali (RA), no one loves you except that he is a believer. Therefore, every believer has to love Ali (RA) and if you have something in your heart against Ali (RA) then there is a big question mark over your Islam. Muhammad (SAW) also said: verily Allah (SWT) wants to purify you and clean you up O Ahl Al-Bayt (People of the House). And he wants to give you the complete and absolute purification. That is the Ahl Al-Bayt of Rasoolullah (SAW) and Ali (RA) was an Imam of Ahl Al-Bayt and he has a special position in this religion. (Note: Shia Muslim go above and beyond that and make other claims about Ali that he himself would not agree with).
Story 1: Journey at Night
Ali (RA) used to pray every single night and he used to fast a lot in terms of voluntary fasts. So the people asked him: O Ali (RA), you know you have a palace in paradise yet you are standing at night and fasting every day. Why? So he looked at them and said: the journey to the hereafter is a very long journey, you need to travel towards it by night. By night if you are fast asleep all the time, your journey to paradise is going to be made more difficult. If you really want to travel into paradise, you better start travelling by making that journey at night by standing up to do salah for Allah (SWT).
Story 2: Problems
Abu Bakr (RA) was Caliph for two years in which there were virtually no problems. Them Umar (RA) was Caliph for 10 years and during his tenure there was also no problem. Uthman (RA) was Caliph for 12 years where there was no problem for the first 10 years but problems arose in the last 2 years. When Ali (RA) became Caliph, there were problems from the very start. He tried his best to unite the Muslims for 4 years and 9 months. A man once came to Ali (RA) and asked him: why was it that there were no problems at the time of Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) and in your time it is full of problems? So Ali (RA) tells him: it is because at the time of Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA), they ruled over people like me. In my time, I rule over people like you. |Heart to Heart: the lesson here brothers and sisters is that if we as Muslims were united and dedicated like the first generation of Muslims, we would have no problems.|