Scholarly status of Sayyiduna ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā

Dear Islamic brothers! Amīr-al-Mu`minīn, Sayyiduna ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā ’s personal and character traits, good manners, manner of living life, yearning and passion for worshipping day and night, his piety and abstinence, his intense scholarly services and other such countless traits and marvels are a part of his great blessed personality. His scholarly achievements are absolutely amazing and astonishing. Renowned Islamic jurisprudents and great Muftis used to depend on him regarding knowledge.

Further, due to this knowledge, his glory and greatness were very well noted and renowned amongst the Fuqaha (jurists) of the Ṣaḥābah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ  عَـنْهُم. Of course! His status and rank was very elevated even according to the blessed companions. Let’s have the privilege of listening to the sayings of some blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ  عَـنْهُم about his scholarly brilliance.

Scholarly status before the blessed companions

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullāh b. ‘Abbās رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ  عَـنْهُمَا has said: Whenever we asked about a ruling from Sayyiduna ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā رَضِىَ اللهُ  عَـنْهُ, we always got the correct answer.

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullāh b. Mas’ūd رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ  عَـنْهُ has said: The residents of Madinah would get ‘Ali b. Abī Tālib رَضِىَ اللهُ  عَـنْهُ to decide their cases.

Sayyiduna Sa’īd b. Musayyab رَضِىَ اللهُ  عَـنْهُ has said: Amongst the blessed companions of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ  عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم there was no one except Sayyiduna ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā رَضِىَ اللهُ  عَـنْه who used to say, ‘Ask me whatever you need to ask’.^[1]

Similarly, Sayyiduna ‘Ali al-Murtaḍā’s رَضِىَ اللهُ  عَـنْهُ great scholarly ability and competence on Shar’i rulings can be judged by the fact that once before the great female Islamic scholar, Umm-ul-Mu`mineen, Sayyidatuna ‘Āishah Ṣiddīqah رَضِیَ اللهُ  عَنْهَا who had been holding the post of iftā (issuing verdicts) permanently since the time of the caliphate of her respected father Sayyiduna Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللهُ  عَـنْهُ and who had great expertise in the knowledge of Quran, inheritance, medicine, Halal and Haram, poetry, Arabic proverbs, genealogy, etc., someone spoke about Sayyiduna