‘Ali is the Best Creature

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by ibn Mardawayh on the authority of Hudhayfah as saying: ‘Ali is the best of the human beings. Whoever does not admit this, is an unbeliever who has denied an indisputable fact.⁹⁴ The Holy Prophet has been reported by Salman as saying: ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the best one I appoint as my successor.⁹⁵ Quoting Salman, Ab Said Khidri reports: One day the Messenger of Allah called me. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I am at your service. He said: Today I take you as a witness that ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib is the best of people.⁹⁶

Abu-Rafi has quoted his father and his grandfather as saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying to ‘Ali: O ‘Ali, you are the best of my Ummah in the world and hereafter.⁹⁷

The Messenger of Allah has been quoted by Habashi ibn Janadah as saying: The best man who walks on the earth after me is ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib.⁹⁸ The Holy Prophet (S) has been quoted by Anas ibn Malik as saying: ‘Ali is the best person whom I leave behind after myself.⁹⁹ Jabir ibn Abdullah has reported: The Messenger of Allah sent Walid ibn Uqbah to Banu-Wulayah tribe against whom he had a long-cherished rancor in the pre-Islamic era to collect alms from them.

When Banu-Wulay’ah tribe were informed of it, they rushed to welcome him and to know what he wanted from close. But Walid was horrified, having the impression that they were going to fight him. So he returned to Medina from the same spot. He presented a false report to the Messenger of Allah, saying: Banu-Wulayah tribe are disobeying you, refusing to pay alms and are intent to kill me. Being aware of Walid’s return to Medina and his report, all of Banu-Wulayah tribe came to Medina without any delay and went to see the Messenger of Allah, saying: Walid’s report is baseless. We neither disobey you nor refuse to pay alms. We only feared that he might take revenge because of his rancor against us!

فَقالَ: مَا أَخَّرَكَ يَا عَلِيُّ؟ قَالَ: هَذِهِ آخِرُ ثَلاثِ كَرَّاتٍ يَرُدُّنِي أَنَسٌ، يَزْعُمُ أَنَّكَ عَلَى حَاجَةٍ. قَالَ: مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا صَنَعْتَ يَا أَنَسُ؟ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ دُعَاءَكَ فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِي رَجُلٍ مِنْ قَوْمِي. فَقالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: إنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ قَوْمَهُ، إنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ قَوْمَهُ.

فِي النَّصِّ عَلَيْهِ بِأَنَّهُ خَيْرُ الْخَلْقِ: مِنْ مَناقِبِ ابْنِ مَرْدَوَيْهَ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: عَلِيٌّ خَيْرُ الْبَشَرِ، مَنْ أَبَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ.

وَعَنْ سَلْمانَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ، عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ خَيْرُ مَنْ أُخَلِّفُ بَعْدِي. وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخِدْرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ سَلْمَانُ: رَآنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فَنَادَانِي. فَقُلْتُ: لَبَّيْكَ. قَالَ: أُشْهِدُكَ الْيَوْمَ أنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ خَيْرُهُمْ وَأَفْضَلُهُمْ.

وَعَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ عَنْ أبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَنْتَ خَيْرُ أُمَّتِي فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ. وَعَنْ حَبَشِيِّ بْنِ جُنادَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: خَيْرُ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَى الأَرْضِ بَعْدِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ.

وَعَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: عَلِيٌّ خَيْرُ مَنْ تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي. وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ: بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ الْوَليدَ بْنَ عَقَبَةَ إلَى بَنِي وُلَيْعَةَ وَكَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ شَحْنَاءُ فِي الْجَـاهِلِيَّةِ، فَلَمَّـا بَلَغَ بَنِي وُلَيْعَةَ اسْتَقْبَـلُوهُ لِيَنْظُرُوا مَـا فِي

The Messenger of Allah who was fully informed of the event, in order to punish and give them a lesson said: O Banu-Wulayah! Stop this impudent act, otherwise I will send to you a man who is like me in position to fight you, to take your sons captive and to exterminate you. Pointing to ‘Ali, the Messenger of Allah said: He is the best man walking on the earth. Putting his hand on ‘Ali’s shoulder, he said: He is ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib. Concurrent with this, the verse:

“O you who believe! If an evil-doer comes to you with a report …”

was revealed about Walid.¹⁰⁰