Hundred Great Muslims

Hundred Great Muslims
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learning. Writing in 'Izalat-ul-Khifa', Shah Waliullah attributes the high intellectualism
of Hazrat Ali to the ideal training of the Prophet. He reports on the
authority of Imam Hanbal that Hazrat Ali possessed the highest intellectual
attributes among the Companions. This is further corroborated by the declaration
of the Prophet: "I am the store-house of knowledge while Aliis its gate."
He was a 'Hafiz' of the Quran and a commentator of high standing. Along with
Hazrat Ibn Abbas he is considered as the greatest authority on the Quran of
which he arranged the chapters in order of their revelation during the first six
months of the Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr.
Ibn Nadim in his celebrated work 'AI Fihrist', has given this order of
arrangement. Hazrat Ali exercised utmost circumspection in sifting reports
about the traditions, so much so that the traditions reported and collected by
him are universally taken to be authentic. He was the greatest Mujtahid and
jurist of his time and one of the greatest or-all times. He solved all vexing and
complicated problems which defied solution. As already stated he was the
prinoipal adviser on religious and legal matters during the reign of the first three
Caliphs. All knotty problems were referred to him and his verdict was considered
final. Even such high personalities as Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Aisha referred
their difficulties to him. All schools of religious thought regard him as the
father of Islamic mysticism. The celebrated mystic, Junaid Baghdadi acknowledges
Ali as the highest authority on the subject and according to Shah Waliullah,
who says in 'Izalat-ul-Khifa' that Ali devoted much time to mysticism
before his being elected as Caliph. He was one of the two greatest orators of
early Islam-the other being Hazrat Abu Bakr. According to Ibn Nadim, Hazrat
Ali is known as the founder of Arabian grammar.
Hazrat Ali was undoubtedly the greatest jurist of early Islam. Once two
women who were quarrelling over an infant child-each claiming it, were produced
before him. On hearing the statements of both the. claimants, Hazrat Ali
ordered the child to be cut to pieces. The real mother was overwhelmed with
grief and weepingly pleaded to the Caliph to spare the child. Hazrat Aliawarded
the child to its real mother and punished the other woman. Hazrat Urnar used
to say about him: "God forbid, we may be confronted with any controversial
issue, which Ali might not be able to solve". According to Hazrat Abdullah bin
Masood, Ali possessed the best power of judgement in Medina. The Prophet
himself relied on the judgements of Ali and had appointed him the Qazi of
Yemen. He had instructed him not to deliver his judgement without hearing
both the contending parties. Even his opponents like Amir Muawiya referred
their knotty problems to him and accepted his judgement. The early Islamic
history is full of learned judgements delivered by hi Ill .
Hazrat Ali led a very simple and poverty-stricken life. His whole life was
characterised by abstemiousness. He was the very incarnation of simplicity,
piety and tender-heartedness. Wordly splendour had no attraction for him.
The treasures of the conquered Roman and Persian Empires lay at his feet, but
he never cared to cast an eye at them. Once he distributed the entire wealth