Imam Ali’s Arguments against the People on the Consultation Day

I was in the house in which the six-member council held a gathering. I heard Ali (a.s.) say, ‘The people established Abu Bakr as the Caliph while by God it was my right to be in charge of the affairs and I was more deserving for that position than he was. Moreover, Abu Bakr put Umar in charge of the Caliph while by God it was my right to be in charge of the affairs and I was more deserving for that position than Umar was. Now Umar has placed me as the sixth member of a six-member council without recognizing my nobility over them. If needed, I can bring arguments for them which the Arabs, the non-Arabs, the ones who have pledged, and the atheists cannot deny and I can change everything around with them.’ Then Ali (a.s.) added, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has accepted the Unity of God before me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no. It was you.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) has said, ‘Your relationship to me is like that of Aaron’s relationship to Moses (MGB) except that there will be no Prophets after me’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no. It was you.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you with whom God’s Prophet (MGB) has shared his offering for the Lord of the Two Worlds other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no. It was you.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you to have gone to the Prophet when upon receiving a roasted bird God’s Prophet (MGB) prayed to ‘O my Lord! Please send me your most beloved creature to share this bird with me’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no. It was you.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said the following when Umar returned from Fort Khaybar and his companions called him a coward and he called his companions cowards, since he had been defeated there, ‘Tomorrow I shall give this flag to one who is not going to flee, whom God and God’s Prophet love, and he loves God and God’s Prophet. He shall not return until by God’s help he conquers the Fort.’ Indeed the next morning he (MGB) said, ‘Bring Ali (a.s.) to me.’ They told him (MGB), ‘O Prophet of God! His eyes hurt so much that he cannot even wink.’ The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Bring him to me.’ When I went to see God’s Prophet (MGB), he spit his blessed saliva into my eyes and said, ‘O God! Please cool its heat and heat its coolness.’ I swear by God that I have not had any more pains in my eyes since then. I took the flag, and God defeated the atheists. Was that me, or someone other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no. It was you.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has a brother like my brother Ja’far who is adorned with two wings in Paradise with which he can go anywhere he wishes to?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has an uncle like my uncle Hamzih who is the Lion of God and God’s Prophet, and the Master of the Martyrs?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has offspring like mine being Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein who are the (grand)children of God’s Prophet (MGB) and the Masters of the Youth in Paradise?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has a wife like mine being Fatimah - the daughter of God’s Prophet (MGB) who is a piece of the Prophet’s own flesh and blood, and the Master of the Ladies in Paradise?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘Whoever abandons you will abandon me. Whoever abandons me has indeed abandoned God’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘The Walia clan must stop, else I shall dispatch a man towards them who is just like me myself. Obeying him is like obeying me and disobeying him is like disobeying me. He shall kill them with the sword!’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘If my love touches the heart of any Muslim, all his sins shall be wiped out by God. Whoever loves me also loves you. Whoever thinks that he loves me, but dislikes you is telling a lie’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘You are my Caliph reigning over my family, children and all the Muslims in my absence. Your enemy is my enemy and my enemy is indeed God’s enemy. Your friend is my friend and my friend is God’s friend’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘O Ali! Mercy shall overtake whomever loves you and becomes your friend. Damnation shall overtake whomever despises you and becomes your enemy’, other than me?’ On that occasion Ayesha said, ‘O Prophet of God! Would you please pray for my father and I not to be amongst those who dislike him and are his enemies?’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Be quiet! If you and your father be amongst those who love him and are his friends, then mercy shall overtake you. However, if you and your father be amongst those who despise him and are his enemy, then damnation shall overtake you. Indeed you and your father are wicked. Your father shall be the first one to usurp his rights and oppress him and you shall be the first one to fight him.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘O Ali! You are my brother and I am your brother in this world and in the Hereafter. Your house and my house will be facing each other in Paradise just like two brothers’ houses are’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! ! Is there anyone amongst you other than me about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘O Ali! Indeed God has allocated something to you and has honored you with something. No deed is more loved by God than abstinence in this world. You shall not gain anything in this world. Nothing in this world can get a hold of you either. Abstinence shall be the adornment of the good-doers near the Honorable the Exalted God on the Resurrection Day. Then blessed be the ones who love and acknowledge you. Woe be to the ones who despise and deny you.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you whom God’s Prophet (MGB) sent after water other than me? I went, filled up the water container, and put it on my back to carry it back. On the way back a wind started to blow forcing me to turn back and sit down. Then I stood up. Again a wind started to blow forcing me to turn back and sit down. Then I stood up again. Another wind started to blow forcing me to turn back and sit down. Then I stood up and went to The Prophet (s.w) and told him (MGB) what had happened. The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Gabriel informed me about this. The first wind was Gabriel accompanied by one-thousand angels who greeted you. The second wind was Michael accompanied by one-thousand angels who greeted you. The third wind was Isra’fil accompanied by one-thousand angels who greeted you.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you other than me about whom Gabriel said, ‘O Muhammad! Do you see how Ali (a.s.) cooperates?’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘He is from me and I am from him.’ Then Gabriel added, ‘And I am from you.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has the following honor other than me? Once when I was recording down something for the Prophet of God (MGB), The Prophet (s.w) closed his eyes. I thought that he was telling me things and I kept taking them down. However, when The Prophet (s.w) woke up, he (MGB) asked me, ‘O Ali! Who dictated things for you up until this point?’ I said, ‘O Prophet of God! It was you who dictated it to me.’ The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘No. It was Gabriel who dictated it to you.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom the caller from the Heavens has announced, ‘There is no sword like Zulfaqar and there is no true knight but Ali’, other than me? They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘If I were not afraid that the people would start to pick up the dirt under your feet and save it for their progeny I would have said something about you and then everyone would pick some dirt up from under your footsteps’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you other than me about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘Protect my house and do not let anyone come to me since the angels come to visit me.’ Then Umar came three times and I returned him telling him that the angels which are so many in number are visiting God’s Prophet (MGB). Then I granted him permission to enter. Once he saw The Prophet (s.w) he told him, ‘O Prophet of God! I came to visit you several times, but Ali (a.s.) did not let me in and said that you are having so many angels visit you. How could Ali (a.s.) see the angels and how did he know how many of them there were?’ Then The Prophet (s.w) faced me and asked, ‘O Ali! He is right! How did you know how many angels there were here?’ I replied, ‘I heard their various sounds and counted their number based on their sound.’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘You are right! You have one of the traditions of my brother Jesus (MGB).’ Then Umar left while he was repeatedly saying, ‘The Prophet (s.w) considered him to be similar to the son of Mary (Jesus (MGB)).’ Then the Honorable the Exalted God revealed the following verses, ‘When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a clamor thereat (in ridicule)!And they say, ‘Are our gods best, or he?’ This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation, yea, they are a contentious people. He was no more than a servant, We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel. And if it were Our Will, We could make angels from amongst you, succeeding each other on the Earth.’ ’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, Tooba is the name of a Heavenly tree which is rooted in Ali’s house. There are branches of this tree in the homes of all the believers’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘You fight according to my tradition and compensate for my obligations’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you to whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘You will fight the perfidious party, the deviators, and the apostates ’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has gone to God’s Prophet (MGB) when the Prophet’s head was on Gabriel’s lap about whom Gabriel told The Prophet (s.w), ‘Go to you cousin since he is closer to you than I am’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has had the opportunity of holding the Prophet’s head on his lap (while The Prophet (s.w) was asleep) and not said the afternoon prayers until sunset. Then when The Prophet (s.w) woke up and asked, ‘O Ali! Did you say the afternoon prayer?’ and I replied, ‘No’ The Prophet (s.w) prayed and then the light of the sun returned allowing me to say my prayer and then it set other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you with the following honor. When God’s Prophet (MGB) sent the Bara’at Chapter (Declaration of Immunity) with Abu Bakr, the Honorable the Exalted God sent Gabriel and said, ‘O Muhammad! No one but either you or someone who is from your own family should propagate this chapter.’ Then God’s Prophet (MGB) sent me to take it from Abu Bakr. I went, took it from Abu Bakr and propagated it. God has considered me to be of the Prophet’s family. Has anyone else amongst you attained this nobility other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘You are the Divine Leader of whomever obeys me. You are the source of light for my friends. You are the word to which the pious ones are accustomed’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘Whoever likes to live as I live, die as I die, reside in Paradise which my Lord has promised - the Paradise in which God has planted the trees with His own Hands - should love Ali ibn Abi Talib (MGB) and his progeny who shall be the Divine Leaders and the Trustees to whom God grants my knowledge and understanding. They shall not let you enter the gates of loss and shall not let you leave the gates of guidance. You should not try to teach them their duties since they will be more knowledgeable than you are. The truth shall be wherever they are’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘It has been decreed and recorded that no one but believers shall love you and no one but atheists shall detest you’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said something similar to what he (MGB) said about me, ‘On the Resurrection Day, those who are your friends shall rise up from their graves and ride white camels with the fasteners of their saddles being bright lights, and the roads will be paved for them. All difficulties will be eased for them. They shall be granted immunity. They will have no sorrow until they reach the Threshold of the Merciful. A table shall be spread out in front of them from which they can eat until the Reckoning ends. The people shall be frightened while they will not. The people shall be sad while they will not.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has the honor of being married to Fatimah the way I was? As you know when Abu Bakr went to ask The Prophet (s.w) to allow him to marry Fatimah (MGB), The Prophet (s.w) turned him down. Also when Umar went to ask The Prophet (s.w) to allow him to marry Fatimah (MGB), The Prophet (s.w) turned him down. Then when I asked The Prophet (s.w) to allow me to marry Fatimah (MGB), The Prophet (s.w) married her off to me. Then both Abu Bakr and Umar went to see The Prophet (s.w) And said, ‘You did not marry her off to us, but you married her off to him!’ The Prophet (s.w) replied, ‘I did not turn you down and I did not marry her off to Ali. It was God who turned both of you down and married her off to Ali.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Have you heard God’s Prophet (MGB) say, ‘All ties of kinship and nationality will be cut off on the Resurrection Day except for ties of kinship with me and my nation.’ Which ties are better than mine and which nationality is better than mine? My father and the Prophet’s father were brothers. My two (grand)sons of the Prophet Al-Hassan (MGB) and Al-Hussein (MGB) (the Masters of the Youth in Paradise) are my sons. Fatimah (MGB) who is the daughter of God’s Prophet (MGB) and the Master of the Ladies in Paradise is my wife. Is there anyone amongst who with a better nationality and ties of kinship than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you other than me about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘Indeed God created the people and has divided them up into two groups. He has placed me in the better of the two groups. Then God divided up the people into several branches and placed me in the best branch. Then He divided them up into many tribes and placed me in the best tribe. Then He divided them up into many families and placed me in the best family. Then God chose me and He chose Ali and Ja’far from my family and made me the best of the three. I was sleeping between the two sons of Abi Talib (i.e. Ali and Ja’far) when Gabriel came along with an angel. The angel asked Gabriel, ‘To which of the three have you been sent?’ Gabriel replied, ‘To that one.’ Then Gabriel took my hand and had me sit down.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you other than me whose door (of his house) was left open from the mosque when all the other doors were shut. On that occasion Abbas and Hamzah went to see God’s Prophet (MGB) and said, ‘You forced us out and let him stay in the mosque?’ The Prophet (s.w) replied, ‘I did not force you out and I did not let him stay. It was God who forced you out and let him stay. The Honorable the Exalted God revealed the following to my brother Moses (MGB), ‘Prepare a pure mosque and house yourself, Aaron and Aaron’s children in it.’ The Honorable the Exalted God revealed the following to me too, ‘Prepare a pure mosque and house yourself, Ali and Ali’s children in it.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘The truth is with Ali (a.s.) and Ali (a.s.) is with the truth. These Two will be inseparable until they come to me at the Heavenly Pool’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who protected the life of God’s Prophet (MGB) with his own life when the polytheists came and wanted to kill The Prophet (s.w) other than me? I slept in his bed and God’s Prophet (MGB) went to the cave of Sowr. When the polytheists came to his house, they suspected that I was Muhammad (MGB). They woke me up from sleep and asked, ‘What happened to your cousin?’ I said, ‘I do not know.’ They beat me up to the point of death.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) said what he (MGB) said about me as follows, ‘Indeed God has ordered me about the Mastery of Ali. His Mastery is the same as my Mastery. My Mastery is the same as the Mastery of my Lord! This is a covenant which my Lord has made with me and has made me responsible to declare it to you? Did you hear it?’ The people said, ‘Yes, we heard that.’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘However, there are those amongst you who say ‘we heard’ with his tongue, but carried the people on his shoulders and acts out of enmity with Ali.’ The people said, ‘O Prophet of God! Please introduce them to us.’ The Prophet (s.w) replied, ‘Indeed my Lord has ordered me to turn away from them due to what is destined and each one of you should suffice with what truly goes on in your hearts.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who killed nine of the champions of the Abduldar clan? Then their slave Sawab al-Habashi went to the field and yelled, ‘I swear by God that I shall kill Muhammad in revenge for the blood of my masters.’ Water was running out of his mouth and his eyes looked like two bowls filled with blood due to anger. Everyone was scared of him and stayed back. I went in front of him. He was as tall as a castle. There were two strikes of swords exchanged between the two of us and I cut him up into two pieces from his belly. The lower half of his body was still standing on his two feet, and all the Muslims were looking on and laughing at him.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has killed as many polytheists from the Quraysh as I have?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who went to fight with Amr ibn ‘Abd Wudd when he came into the field and challenged someone to fight with other than me? You were all scared. It was I who stood up. God’s Prophet (MGB) asked me, ‘Where are you going?’ I replied, ‘To fight this corrupt person!’ The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘This is Amr ibn ‘Abd Wudd!’ I said, ‘O Prophet of God! If he is Amr ibn ‘Abd Wudd, I am Ali ibn Abi Talib.’ The Prophet (s.w) said the same thing to me again. I gave him (MGB) the same response. Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Go in the name of God!’ Once I went there and approached him, he asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I said, ‘I am Ali ibn Abi Talib!’ He said, ‘O cousin! You are a noble fighter. Please return! I was friends with your father and I was his companion. I do not like to kill you.’ I told him, ‘O Amr! You have made a covenant with god to honor one of three proposals presented to you by anyone.’ Amr said, ‘Go ahead and propose!’ I said, ‘Bear witness that there is no god but God, Muhammad is God’s Prophet and confess to what he has brought to us from God.’ Amr said, ‘Present your second proposal.’ I said, ‘Return to your own house.’ Amr said, ‘By God, the women of Quraysh are going to say that I was scared and ran away from the battlefield.’ Then I said, ‘Get off your horse and let’s fight.’ He accepted this proposal and got off his horse. We started to fight and two strikes were exchanged between us. His strike ruptured my armor and his sword reached my head, but I chopped off his legs with my strike. God had him killed by my hands. Is there anyone amongst you to have done this?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who dared to face Marhab when he stepped forward and said, ‘I am he whose mother has named him Marhab. I am a well-experienced champion - armed from head to foot. I attack, sometimes with the spear and sometimes with the sword,’ other than me? He struck me and I struck him. On his head was a covering carved from stone, since his head was so big that his helmet did not fit his head. I split open this covering and my sword hit his head killing him. Is there anyone amongst you who has performed such a feat?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God revealed the following known as the verse of purity upon His Prophet (MGB), ‘…And God only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless’ and then, The Prophet (s.w) took his cloak and covered me under it along with Fatimah (MGB), Al-Hassan (MGB) and Al-Hussein (MGB) and said, ‘O my Lord! These are the members of my Family. Please remove all abomination from them and make them pure and spotless.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom the Prophet said, ‘I am the Master of all the Children of Adam. O Ali! You are the Master of the Arabs’ other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you who has been the subject of the following. Once when God’s Prophet (MGB) was looking at the sky when he was in the mosque, he (MGB) saw that they were bringing something. Then he (MGB) saw that they were bringing something there. He rushed to that direction. His companions reached there after him. There were four black fellows who were carrying a coffin. The Prophet (s.w) told them, ‘Put it down.’ They put the coffin on the ground. The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Open it up.’ They opened it up. There was a black slave in the coffin who had iron chains on his neck. God’s Prophet (MGB) asked, ‘Who is this?’ They answered, ‘He is a wicked and corrupt slave of the Riyaheen who has fled. We have been ordered to bury him with these chains on his neck as you can see.’ I looked at him and said, ‘O Prophet of God (MGB)! Whenever he saw me he said, ‘I swear by God that I love you. I swear by God that only believers love you and only atheists detest you.’ God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘O Ali! He has attained such a great reward from God just due to this belief that now seventy different tribes of angels each of which has one-thousand branches are praying over his corpse.’ God’s Prophet (MGB) opened up the chains from around his neck, prayed over his corpse and buried him.’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom God’s Prophet (MGB) has said about me, ‘Last night I was granted permission to supplicate. My Lord granted to me everything which I asked for. I asked God to grant you whatever I asked Him to grant me.’ Then I said, ‘Praise be to God.’’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Do you know that after God’s Prophet (MGB) dispatched Khalid ibn al-Walid to the Jadhimah clan and he did to them what he did, God’s Prophet (MGB) climbed up the pulpit and said the following thrice, ‘O my Lord! I am disgusted with what Khalid ibn al-Walid did.’ Then he (MGB) said, ‘O Ali! You go.’ Then I went and gave them compensation, and asked them by God to tell me if there was anything else to be compensated for? They said, ‘Yes. Since you asked us by God to tell you, the compensation for the dishes for our dogs and the knee-caps for our camels is still left.’ Then I gave them compensation for that, too. I also gave them a lot of gold which I had and told them, ‘This is expiation from God’s Prophet (MGB) to compensate for whatever you know or do not know and for any fears that your women and children may have experienced.’ Then I returned to God’s Prophet (MGB) and informed him (MGB) of what I had done. The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘I swear by God that I am more pleased of what you have done than red-haired camels. ’’ They replied, ‘By God. Yes.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Did you hear God’s Prophet (MGB) say, ‘O Ali! They had my nation march in front of me last night. Once those who carry the flags passed by me, I prayed to God to forgive you and your followers.’’ They replied, ‘By God. Yes.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Did you hear God’s Prophet (MGB) say, ‘O Abu Bakr! Go and chop off the neck of the person who is in such and such place.’ Then when Abu Bakr returned, The Prophet (s.w) asked him, ‘Did you kill him?’ Abu Bakr replied, ‘No. I found him praying.’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘O Umar! Go and kill him.’ Then when Umar returned The Prophet (s.w) asked him, ‘Did you kill him?’ Umar replied, ‘No. I found him praying.’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘I ordered you to kill him and you come back telling me that you found him praying?’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘O Ali! Go and kill him.’ Once I started to go, The Prophet (s.w) told me, ‘Kill him if you find him there.’ Once I returned I said, O Prophet of God (MGB)! I did not find anyone there.’ Then The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Would you have killed him if you found him there?’’ They replied, ‘By God. Yes.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Is there anyone amongst you about whom The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Your friends are in Paradise and your enemies are in Hell’, other than me?’ They replied, ‘By God; no.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘I swear to you by God! Do you know that Ayesha told God’s Prophet (MGB), ‘Ibrahim (the son of Mariya al-Qabti) is not your son. He is the son of so and so Al-Qabti.’ The Prophet (s.w) told me, ‘O Ali! Go and kill him!’ Then I asked God’s Prophet (MGB), ‘Are you sending me there as a heated iron to execute this decree as soon as I get there, or do you want me to discover the truth?’ The Prophet (s.w) replied, ‘No. Go and discover the truth.’ Then I went after that Al-Qabti man. Once he saw me, he ran away into a garden. I followed him into the garden. Then he climbed up a date palm tree. I pursued him to the top of the tree. Once he realized that I was chasing him, he took off his under shorts and I noticed that he had been totally castrated. Then I returned and told the Prophet about it. The Prophet (s.w) said, ‘Thanks God for removing this accusation from the Household.’ Wasn’t it done by me?’ They replied, ‘By God. Yes.’ Then Ali (a.s.) said, ‘O God! Please be a witness to this.’”