Hayatus Sahabah - The Lives of the Sahabah - Part 1 of 3

THE LIVES OF THE SAHABAH m%5 (vo~-I) 253
Ali declared, "This coat of armour belongs to me. I had lost it a long time
ago." Qaadhi Shuray then asked, "What have you to say, 0 Christian?" The
Christian pleaded, "No. The Ameerul Mu'mineen is mistaken. The armour is
mine." Qaadhi Shuray ruled, "The armour cannot be taken from the Christian
unless you have proof (of yourf ownership, 0 Ameerul Mu'mineen)." ~adhrat Ali
B,Wj submitted, "Shuray is right."
The Christian then said, "As for me, I testify that it is certainly the judgement of
the Ambiyaa that the Arneerul Mu'mineen c& come to a judge under his power
who passes judgement against him. 0 Ameerul Mu'mineen! I swear by AIlaah that
the armour belongs to you. As I walked behind pu one day, the armour fell off
your brown camel and I picked it up." He then declared:
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"I testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allaah and that
Muhammad @% is Allaah's Rasul."
Hadhrat Ali said to him, "Now that you have accepted Islaam, you may
have it." The man then loaded it on his horse.
A narration of Haakim states that the armour of Hadhrat Ali once fell off
his camel and was found by a person who sold it. When the armour was found in
the, possession of a Jew, Hadhrat Ali %%%% took the case to Qaadhi Shuray.
(Hadhrat Ali BbWs son) Hadhrat Hasan !&MW and his freed slave Qambar
testified in favour of Hadhrat Ali 3i83&%. Qaadhi Shuray said, "Bring me another
witness in place of Hasan." "Do you not accept the testimony of Hasan?" asked
Hadhrat Ali !k33W6. "No," replied Qaadhi Shuray, "but 1 recall that you told me
that it is not pkmissible for a son to testify in favour of his father."
Hadhrat Yazeed Tameemi reports a lengthy narration in which he states that
Qaadhi Shuray said to Hadhrat Ali ''We shall accept the testimony of your
freed slave but not that of your son." Hadhrat Ali said, "Good grief! Have
you not heard Urnar report that Rasulullaah @% said, 'Hasan and Husayn shall
be the leaders of the youth of Jannah?'" Turning to the Jew, Hadhrat !@ZW6 Ali
then said, 'You may have the armour, 0 Jew!" The Jew said in astonishment, "The
Ameerul Mu'mineen takes the case before the judge of the Muslims who
passes judgement against him and he still accepts it! 0 Ameerul Mu'mineen! I
swear by Allaah that you have spoken the truth. The armour is yours. I picked it
up when it fell off your camel." He then declared:
"I testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allaah and that
Muhammad @?% is Allaah's Rasul."
Hadhrat Ali ?ZW% then gave him the armour as a gift along with seven hundred
Dirhams. The man then faithfully s'tayed close to Hadhrat Ali ?i?@&!&j until he was
martyred in the Battle of Siffeen. (2)
(1) Tirmidhi and Haakim.
(2) Haakim in Kunna and Abu Nu'aym in Hilya (Vo1.4 Pg. 139) as quoted in Kanzul Ummaal (Vo1.4 Pg.6)