Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

104 'Ali ibn Abi T2lib in Makkh
narrated by Ibn Jareer and mentioned by Ibn Katheer from 'Ali that
4And by the roof raised high) (Qur'an 52: 5) means the heaven.
Sufyk said: Then he recited: (And We have made the heaven a roof,
safe and well-guarded. Yet they turn away from its signs [i.e. sun,
moon, winds, clouds].ft (Qur'an 21: 32)
He understood the verse, (Guard strictly [five obligatory] a+-
Salawrit [the prayers] especially the middle Salrih. And stand before
Allah with obedience) (Qur'an 2: 238) as referring to 'Asr prayer,
based on the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (g) on the day of al-
Ahz2b: "They distracted us from the middle prayer, 'Asr prayer, may
Allah (g) fill their houses and graves with fire."168
Another example is his understanding of the verse, 4If yon
avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall expiate
from you your [small] sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance [i.e.
paradise].), (Qur'an 4: 31) It was narrated from Sahl ibn Ahi
Khaythamah that his father said: I was in this mosque - the mosque
of Kufa - when 'Ali (4) was addressing the people from the
minbar and saying: "0 people, the major sins are seven." The people
listened carefully, and he repeated it three times, then he said: "Why
don't you ask me about them?" They said: "0 Amir al-Mu'mineen,
what are they?' He said: "Associating others with Allah, killing the
soul that Allah (g) has made sacred, slandering chaste women,
consuming the wealth of orphans, consuming usury, fleeing from the
battlefield, and living like a ~edouin'~~ after migrating."'70 This
understanding is based on the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (g)
in which he said: "Avoid the seven that doom one to hell." They said:
0 Messenger of Allah (a), what are they? He said: "Associating
others with AUah, witchcraft, killing the soul that Allah has made
sacred except in cases dictated by Sharia, consuming usury,
consuming the wealth of the orphan, running away from the
battlefield and slandering chaste women, indiscreet but