Ali, Peace Be Upon Him: Commander of the Faithful and the Noblest of the Righteous in the Qur’an

Al-Hakim al-Haskani, one of the Sunni scholars, narrates in Shawahid al-Tanzil (vol. 1, p. 21, hadith 13) that Ikrimah reported Ibn Abbas as saying: In the Noble Qur’an, every verse in which the expression «those who believe and do righteous deeds» appears, Ali, peace be upon him, is the leader of those believers and the noblest of those righteous people. Among the companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, there is no one who was not subjected to the reproach and rebuke of God, the Glorified, except Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, who has always been described with goodness and excellence. Then Ikrimah said: I know things concerning the lofty merits and innumerable virtues of Ali, peace be upon him, which the regions of the earth and the heavens cannot bear to hear.

In Islamic history, no name such as «Ali ibn Abi Talib», peace be upon him, has ever disappeared from the horizon of guardianship and leadership. He, who is described with the greatest qualities in the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic hadiths, also holds a special place among Sunnis that cannot be overlooked. One of the reliable Sunni sources is Shawahid al-Tanzil by al-Hakim al-Haskani, which refers to an important narration from Ikrimah, one of Ibn Abbas’s students. In this narration, Ibn Abbas points out that all Qur’anic verses containing the phrase «those who believe and do righteous deeds» pertain specifically to Ali, peace be upon him. This is a very key point that many people may not have noticed.

It is interesting that this narration has been transmitted by a Sunni scholar. Moreover, it was recorded in his book not merely by an ordinary scholar, but by al-Hakim al-Haskani, regarded as one of the greatest Sunni traditionists. Even Ikrimah, himself a prominent Sunni scholar, states that Ibn Abbas, the great companion of the Prophet, spoke of Ali, peace be upon him, in this way. Can these testimonies not be regarded as evidence of Ali’s superiority over the other companions?

Ibn Abbas emphasizes that every Qur’anic verse referring to believers and righteous people in fact belongs to Ali, peace be upon him. This description precisely demonstrates Ali’s special and unique rank. Thus, this narration not only emphasizes his greatness in the Qur’an, but also indicates that he holds the highest rank among all the companions. So, was anyone as deserving of leadership as Ali, peace be upon him?

Another feature apparent in this narration is that no rebuke or reproach from God occurred concerning Ali, peace be upon him. While the other companions, especially those who usurped the caliphate, were subject to rebuke or censure, Ali, peace be upon him, demonstrated throughout all stages of his life not only chastity but also perfection in thought and action. If he was free from every form of divine reproach, this means that he was infallible in every respect and free from human errors. Is such a person, described as infallible, not the most deserving person for leadership?

Ikrimah goes on to say that he knows matters concerning Ali, peace be upon him, which the earth and heavens cannot bear to hear. This sentence has a profound meaning: the virtues and merits of Ali, peace be upon him, are so great and extensive that even the earth and heavens cannot comprehend them. Throughout Islamic history, Ali, peace be upon him, suffered many injustices and, at certain times, faced curses and imprecations from the Umayyads and opponents. Yet despite all this, Ali, peace be upon him, remained a shining star. Can these virtues recorded about him in history not be evidence of his superiority over all the companions, especially the first three caliphs?

This narration appears in al-Hakim al-Haskani’s Shawahid al-Tanzil, which is regarded as one of the reliable Sunni sources. Given that al-Hakim al-Haskani himself was a prominent Sunni scholar, the reliability of this narration can be accepted. Therefore, this narration is considered a reliable proof not only for Shi‘a but also for Sunnis. Can this narration not be used as evidence of Ali’s superiority, peace be upon him?

After reading this narration, we must ask ourselves: can we view Ali’s rank, peace be upon him, merely as that of an ordinary companion? Or should we acknowledge him as the Commander of the Faithful and the noblest of the righteous, whom the Qur’an and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, have always remembered with goodness?

Does the fact that even Sunni scholars, including al-Hakim al-Haskani and Ikrimah, have acknowledged Ali’s special rank, peace be upon him, not cause us to reconsider our view of Islamic history?

Dear opponents, what reason do you have for all this reproach and criticism of Ali, peace be upon him, throughout history? Could it be that all the virtues mentioned in this narration are not based on truth?

What do you think? Does this narration show the unparalleled rank of Ali, peace be upon him?

We eagerly await your views! 👇 Leave a comment and take part in this important discussion.