In the year 35 Hijri after the shahaadat of Hadhrat Uthman (radhiyallahu anhu) the reigns of the khilaafat were taken up by Hadhrat Ali (karramallahu wajhah). Since he is the external dimension of Rasulullah’s spiritual munificence (faidh) in the Chishtiyyah Chains, discussion on him is of pivotal importance.

His name is Ali and his nicknames were Abu Turab and Abul Hasan. His title is Asadullah (The Lion of Allah). The following is his ancestral tree:
Ali the son of Abi Talib, the son of Abdul Muttalib, the son of Hashim, the son of Abd Manaf. His lineage links up with Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم) in the third ancestral generation, i.e. Abdul Muttalib. It is indeed a wonderful coincidence that the one furthest in ancestral ties (i.e. Abu Bakr) was the closest regarding Khilaafate and the one whose ancestry was closest (i.e. to Nabi-e-Akram) was furthest in the matter of the Khilaafate.

According to Hafiz Bin Hajr who wrote in Isabah, the correct view is that he was born ten years prior to Nubuwwat. He was in fact brought up in the lap of Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم). He therefore enjoyed an exceptionally high degree of resemblance, close relationship and affinity with the morals, habits and attitudes of Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم). All agree that Hadhrat Ali is among those fortunate ones who was blessed with Islam since childhood. However there are differences regarding the age when he had accepted Islam. There are three versions, viz. 8, 9 and 10 years. He would say:

“I commenced Salaat seven years before others.”

According to Hadhrat Imaam Ahmad Bin Hambal (rahmatullah alayh) there is no other Sahaabi whose excellences and virtues are narrated in such abundance as those of Hadhrat Ali (karramallahu wajhah). It is the view of some Masha-ikh that on account of the hatred for Hadhrat Ali during the era of Banu Umayyah, the Ulama-e-Haqq would make it a point to profusely narrate his excellence in a bid to counter and refute the opposition. Imaam Nisai and others have in fact complied treatises on the excellences and virtues of Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu).

Courage, bravery and dare in the battlefield are among his special qualities while his special occupation was the dissemination of Uloom-e-Zaahiriyyah and Uloom-e-Baatiniyyah.

During the Battle of Khaibar, he received the honour of Hubbullah (Love of Allah) and Hubbur Rasool (Love of the Rasool) from Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم). Rasulullah (صلى الله عايه وسالم) said: “Tomorrow the flag will be given to the one who loves Allah and His Rasool and Allah and His Rasool too love him.”

Inspite of Hadhrat Ali’s eyes paining, Nabi-e-Akram (صلى الله عايه وسالم) handed him the flag. He rubbed his mubaarak saliva on Hadhrat Ali’s eyes and the pain miraculously disappeared.