The Worship of the Commander of the Faithful
The merits of Imam Aliย (p) are plentifulโhis bravery and courage in the battlefield, his generosity to orphans and widows, his leadership of the Muslim community from his residence in Kufa, and so much more. But among the most unique merits of the Commander of the Faithful is his worship and intense love for and devotion to God. A reflection on his prayers and supplications teaches us how to dedicate ourselves to our Lord. The Imamโs diligence, focus, and determination in seeking closeness to the Almighty continue to remain an inspiration for us all in terms of the steps that we need to take in our daily lives. In a beautiful supplication, Imam Aliย (p) states, โOh my Lord! It suffices me as an honor that I am your servant! And it suffices me as pride that you are my Lord! Oh my Lord! You are just as I love, so give me the ability to become that which You love!โ1
Worship in Islamic Tradition
Recognizing the meaning and purpose of worship in Islamic tradition is a fundamental principle, for God tells us in the Quran that the purpose of our creation is solely to worship Him. He states, โWe have created jinn and human beings only that they might worship Me.โ2 God can be worshipped in many ways. Prayers, fasting, the Hajj pilgrimage, giving charity, caring for orphans, and service to humanity are just a few means of seeking closeness to the Creator. It is important to recognize that we should not perform all these acts of worshipย solely to attain rewards, but for a far more important purpose. Imam Aliย (p) states in another beautiful tradition, โOh my Lord! I do not worship You for fear of Your punishment, nor longing for Your reward. But rather I found You worthy of being worshiped, so I worshiped You!โ3 The Imam is teaching us the true meaning of what it means to be created for worship. In other words, recognizing our servanthood in front of our Creator is the pinnacle of fulfilling our responsibility to Him. At the same time, it is not easy for us to get to that position, thus we need to ask God to help us reach the level of his best worshippers. And in Dua Kumayl, Imam Aliย (p) states, โOh God! Make me amongst the best of servants in proximity to You!โ4
The Worship of Imam Aliย (p)
When taking a close look at the life of the Commander of the Faithful, it is evident that Imam Aliย (p) personified what it meant to be a symbol of obedience and devotion to the Almighty.ย Even his grandson, Imam Sajjadย (p), who was known for his worship, prayers, and supplications to God states, โWho can worship like Ali son of Abi Talib?โ5 Narrations tell us of the awe and submissiveness that Imam Aliย (p) had at the time for prayer. Another tradition states, โWhen the prayer time came the Commander of the Faithfulโs face discolored and his body shook. He was asked about the reason for this change of state. Imam Aliย (p) answered, โIt is the time for fulfilling a trust [to God] that He had given the skies, the Earth, and the mountains, but they could not bear it. Instead, the humans bear it despite their weakness.โโ6
Furthermore, in another tradition, Muawiyah (the Umayyad caliph) once called forth a companion of the Imam, Dharar Ibn Dhamarah, and asked him to describe Imam Aliย (p). Dharar replied, โI saw Ali (p) in some occasions worshipping in the darkness of night. He had grasped his beard, agonizing like a snake-bitten person, weeping, and saying, โOh world! Get away from me! Why do you come to me? Deceive others, not me! I do not need you. I divorce you three times. Your time is short, your value is little, and my desire for you is scarce. Oh from the shortage of supply (i.e., good deeds for the afterlife), the journey is long, the travel is far, and arrival [before God for being accounted] is great!โโ7 The relationship that Imam Aliย (p) had with his Lord is an example of the ideal relationship between the creation and his Creator, and it offers us insight into what we should work toward.
Bits of Advice
1. Recite lines from the supplications of Imam Aliย (p): The Commander of the Faithful has incredibly powerful supplications which he has narrated to us by virtue of his close companions and confidantes. For instance, Dua Kumayl, Dua Sabah, and Munajat al-Shabaniya are just a few of his incredible words of devotion to the Almighty. Many of these supplications are lengthy, but even if we recite a few lines from them weekly, it will help us understand our role in front of our Creator and allow us to walk in the footsteps of Imam Aliย (p).
2. Be at the service of humanity: Worship and obedience to God have different facets as mentioned above. Imam Aliย (p) exemplified what it means to care for others for Godโs sake.ย Heย (p) has stated, โI am the father of the orphan, I am the cave [refuge] of the widows.โ8 Imam Aliย (p) cared deeply for the less fortunate, and he put this care into action in the most beautifulย ways. His servitude to God was manifested in his care for those around him. We should reflect to see how we can make a difference and support the underprivileged and underserved in our local communities.
3. Find personal time to connect with our Creator: Life has many distractions, but we learn from the Commander of the Faithfulย (p) that we need to find alone time to reconnect with God. Spending a portion of our days, in the early mornings or in the darkness of the night, supplicating to our Creator, reciting Quran, asking for forgiveness, or centering ourselves for Godโs sake are all from the etiquette of Imam Ali (p). ย These are practices that we should do our best to mirror. In a beautiful tradition of the Imam, he states, โFor the believer, the day should be split into three times: a time for the believer to call upon his Lord. [Secondly], a time to care for onesโ day to day living. And [thirdly], a time to keep between oneโs self to do what he pleases which is permissible and he enjoys.โ9
1. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 91, p. 94.
2. The Holy Quran 51:56. Muhammad Sarwarโs translation.
3. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 41, p. 14.
4. Misbah al-mutahajjid, p. 844.
5. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 41, p. 17.
6. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 41, p. 17.
7. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 40, p. 345.
8. Al-fadhail, p. 84.
9. Bihar al-anwar, vol. 91, p. 94.
1-ย ู
ู ุฏุนุงุก ูุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
“ู
ู ุฏุนุงุก ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
“ุฅููู ููู ุจู ุนุฒูุง ุฃู ุฃููู ูู ุนุจุฏุงุ ูููู ุจู ูุฎุฑุง ุฃู ุชููู ูู ุฑุจูุง ุฅููู”
2- {ููู
ูุง ุฎูููููุชู ุงููุฌูููู ููุงููุฅููุณู ุฅููููุง ููููุนูุจูุฏูููู}
3- ุฑูู ุนู ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
“ุฅููู ู
ุง ุนุจุฏุชูู ุฎููุงู ู
ู ุนูุงุจู ููุง ุทู
ุนุงู ูู ุซูุงุจูุ ูููู ูุฌุฏุชู ุฃููุงู ููุนุจุงุฏุฉ ูุนุจุฏุชูู”
4- ูุฑุฏ ุนู ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
ูู ุฏุนุงุก ูู
ูู “ุงูููููู
ูู …ุ ููุงุฌูุนูููููู ู
ููู ุฃูุญูุณููู ุนูุจููุฏููู ููุตููุจุงู ุนูููุฏููู”
5-ย ุฑูู ุนู ุงูุฅู
ุงู
ุฒูู ุงูุนุงุจุฏูู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
“ู
ู ูููู ุนูู ุนุจุงุฏุฉ ุนูู ุจู ุฃุจู ุทุงูุจ ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
ุ”
6-ย ุฑูู ุฃู ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
ูุงู ุฅุฐุง ุญุถุฑ ููุช ุงูุตูุงุฉ ุชูููู ูุชุฒูุฒูุ ูููู ูู: ู
ุงููุ ููููู: ุฌุงุก ููุช ุฃู
ุงูุฉ ุนุฑุถูุง ุงููู ุชุนุงูู ุนูู ุงูุณู
ุงูุงุช ูุงูุฃุฑุถ ูุงูุฌุจุงู ูุฃุจูู ุฃู ูุญู
ูููุง ูุญู
ููุง ุงูุงูุณุงู ูู ุถุนูู”
7-ย ู
ู ุฎุจุฑ ุถุฑุงุฑ ุจู ุถู
ุฑุฉ ุงูุถุจุงุฆู ุนูุฏ ุฏุฎููู ุนูู ู
ุนุงููุฉ ูู
ุณุฃูุชู ูู ุนู ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
ูุงู: ูุฃุดูุฏ ููุฏ ุฑุฃูุชู ูู ุจุนุถ ู
ูุงููู ูููุฏ ุฃุฑุฎู ุงูููู ุณุฏูููุ ููู ูุงุฆู
ูู ู
ุญุฑุงุจู ูุงุจุถ ุนูู ูุญูุชู ูุชู
ูู
ู ุชู
ูู
ู ุงูุณููู
ุ ููุจูู ุจูุงุก ุงูุญุฒูู ููููู: ูุง ุฏููุง ูุง ุฏููุง ุฅููู ุนููุ ุฃุจู ุชุนุฑุถุช ุฃู
ุฅูู ุชุดููุชุ ูุง ุญุงู ุญูููุ ูููุงุช ุบุฑู ุบูุฑูุ ูุง ุญุงุฌุฉ ูู ูููุ ูุฏ ุทููุชู ุซูุงุซุง ูุง ุฑุฌุนุฉ ูููุงุ ูุนูุดู ูุตูุฑุ ูุฎุทุฑู ูุณูุฑุ ูุฃู
ูู ุญููุฑุ ุขู ู
ู ููุฉ ุงูุฒุงุฏุ ูุทูู ุงูุทุฑููุ ูุจุนุฏ ุงูุณูุฑุ ูุนุธู
ุงูู
ูุฑุฏ.
8-ย ุฑูู ุนู ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
“ุงูุง ุฃุจู ุงููุชุงู
ู ุงูุง ููู ุงูุฃุฑุงู
ู”
9-ย ุฑูู ุนู ุฃู
ูุฑ ุงูู
ุคู
ููู ุนููู ุงูุณูุงู
” ููู
ุคู
ู ุซูุงุซ ุณุงุนุงุช ูุณุงุนุฉ ููุงุฌู ูููุง ุฑุจูุ ูุณุงุนุฉ ูุฑู
ู
ุนุงุดูุ ูุณุงุนุฉ ูุฎูู ุจูู ููุณู ูุจูู ูุฐุชูุง ููู
ุง ูุญู ููุฌู
ู”
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