epithet ‘Asadullāh’, which means ‘the lion of Allah’.^[1] Sayyidunā Ali رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ attained martyrdom on the 21^st of Ramadan.^[2]

Let us gain the blessings of listening to some Hadith on his greatness.

Hadith 1: Whoever’s Maula I am, Ali is his Maula

After the farewell Hajj, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was returning to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. On the way, he stopped at a place known as Ghadīr Khumm.

Sayyidunā Barāˈ b. ꜤĀzib رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ states, “The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stopped at Ghadīr Khumm. A place was cleared for the Prophet  صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the shade of a tree, and he صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم offered Ẓuhr Salah. After the salah, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم addressed the noble Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ saying, اَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ اَنِّی اَوْلٰی بِالْمُؤْمِنِیْن مِنْ اَنْفُسِہِم (Do you not know that I have more right over the believers than their own selves?).

The Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ replied, “Indeed, we know.”

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then said, اَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ اَنِّی اَوْلٰی بِکُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ مِنْ نَفْسِہٖ (Do you not know that I have more right over every believer than himself?).

The Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ replied, “Indeed, we know.”     

Then, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took the hand of Sayyidunā Ali              رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ in his own hand and said, مَنْ کُنْتُ مَوْلَاہُ فَعَلِیٌ مَوْلَاہُ (Whoever’s Maula I am, Ali is his Maula too).