(Below given matter has been taken from "Voice of Human Justice" by George Jordac)
Hazrat Ali was incomparable so
far as power of awareness is concerned. All Islamic learning till date revolves
around him. He by far can be stated as the fountain of knowledge. Whatever scientific
studies we are studying today, founding bricks was laid by Hazrat Ali
"I
am the city of knowledge and Ali is the gate"
Hazrat Ali was brought up by
Prophet Muhammad and it is a historical fact that he opened his eyes when he
was picked by Prophet (PBUH). And from his child hood Hazrat Ali started to
follow and adopt habits of Prophet (PBUH). Thus Prophet's legacy rooted in his
heart and brain. He reflected over the Qur'an with the intellect and eye of a sage
and learnt its latent realities. The circumstances provided him ample time to
reflect over the Qur'an. So long as Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman remained busy
with the caliphate, he kept his attention directed towards the Qur'an. He
mastered its words and meanings. His tongue could recite it fluently and his
heart was engrossed in it.
His knowledge of the traditions
of the Prophet (PBUH) was such that none else could compete with him in the
matter.
Whatever heard by others was
heard by him and whatever was heard by him was not necessarily heard by others.
It is a well-known fact to both Muslims and Non Muslim that Hazrat Ali never narrated
any Hadith from anybody but from the Prophet (PBUH). This was because not a single
word or tradition of Prophet (PBUH) was hidden from his ears or eyes.
He was asked:
"How
is it that you are superior to all other companions in the matter of the
knowledge of Hadith?"
He replied:
"It
is so because the Prophet (PBUH) told me whatever I enquired from him, and if I
did not enquire about anything he himself made it known to me"
Hazrat Ali was superior to all
others in the subject of jurisprudence and Islamic and also acted upon them
more than anybody else. Those of the same group never found a better jurist and
a greater arbitrator than him. Abu Bakr and Umar always came to him in time of
need for the solution of difficult problems.
Abu Ilanifa known as 'the grand
Imam' in the field of a jurist. He was a student of Hazrat Ali, because he
learnt jurisprudence from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq who is the grandson of Hazrat Ali.
Abdullah son of Abbas, who was
the preceptor of all others, was asked:
"What
is the ratio of your knowledge to that of your cousin i.e. Ali."
He replied:
"The
ratio is the same as exists between a drop and the ocean".
The companions have unanimously
quoted the Prophet (PBUH) as saying:
"The
best judge amongst you is Ali".
He possessed such intelligence,
wisdom and power of thinking that in the event of dispute he could give the
most rational judgement. His conscience was so strong that he was capable of
giving a conscientious and just decision after examining and understanding
various aspects of a matter.
Umar ibn Khattab has been
reported to have said:
"O
Abul Hasan! May that problem be not auspicious for the solution of which you
are not available".
Hazrat Ali established public
laws and national unity, and treated all the individuals as one person in the
matter of rights and responsibilities. In his orders and judgements he fully
observed this principle which is being followed strictly by the civilized
people of the present times.
History
shows that Hazrat Ali was the founder of the science of sentence structure. One
day Abu'l Aswad, who was one of his friend came and saw that Hazrat Ali's head
was bowed down and he was reflecting about something. He said: "O
Commander of the Faithful! What are you thinking about?"
Hazrat
Ali replied: "In your city (i.e. Kufa) I have heard something which was
expressed by the speaker in a wrong manner. I have, therefore, decided to write
an elementary book on the principles of the Arabic language". He
then handed over a paper to Abu'l Aswad on which it was written that the words
are of three kinds’ noun, verb and preposition.
The Imam reflected a little and then
asked Abu'l Aswad to write down what he was going to dictate.
"The
Arabic language is composed of noun verb and preposition. Noun tells about the things
which bear that name, verb tells about the motion and action of that thing and
preposition conveys a meaning which is neither noun nor verb. "Things are
of three kind’s viz. a patent thing, a latent thing and a thing which is
neither patent nor latent"
It is said that a woman came in the
presence of Hazrat Ali and complained that
her brother had died leaving behind six hundred dinars, but out of that money
she had been given only one dinar. Hazrat Ali replied: "Perhaps the heirs of your
brother consist of one widow, two daughters, mother, twelve brothers and
yourself". And the position turned out to be the same as was
mentioned by the Imam.
The Imam looked philosophically at the secrets of creation,
human life and society and numerous sayings with regard to the Oneness of God,
divine matters, and metaphysics, are available. We have already remarked above
that he was the founder of scholasticism and theology. He was a preceptor,
whose skill and leadership has been admitted by every person, who came after
him with his own view or remark. In Nahj al-Balaghah he has strung so many
pearls of wisdom that, time, has made him stand in the first row of the
philosophers of the world.
Prophet (PBUH) in fact referred to Hazrat Ali
when he said:
"The scholars
among my followers are like the prophets of descendants of Israel".
It is very difficult to find a person
like Hazrat Ali who may conclude theoretical and rational matters with the
power of his intelligence, and state them in beautiful and brief sentences in
such a way that the time may preserve them, and they may become proverbs.
Islamic sciences and learning absorbed the color of humanity in their paintings
by means of celestial philosophy and their fountainhead were the two personality’s
viz. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Hazrat Ali.
