Draft:Ali ibn al-Husayn (Ali al-Akbar)
| Ali ibn al-Husayn (Ali al-Akbar) | |
|---|---|
| File:Ali ibn al-Husayn (Ali al-Akbar).jpg | |
| Name | Ali ibn Husayn (Ali al-Akbar) (peace be upon him) |
| Other Names | {{{other_names}}} |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Medina |
| Brith Date | 33 AH (653 CE) |
| Death Place | Karbala |
| Death Date | 61 AH (680 CE) |
| Religion | Islam |
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Ali ibn Husayn (Ali al-Akbar) (peace be upon him) was the eldest son of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him). He resembled the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) more than anyone else in physical appearance, character, and speech. His courage, bravery, religious insight, and political insight were manifested during the journey to Karbala, especially on the day of Ashura. He was about 25 years old in Karbala. He was the first martyr of Ashura from Banu Hashim. He is buried at the feet of his honorable father, and for this reason, the Imam's shrine is hexagonal.
Biography of Ali al-Akbar
Ali ibn Husayn (Ali al-Akbar) (peace be upon him), the eldest son of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), was born in the year 33 AH (653 CE) in Medina.
His honorable mother was Layla bint Abi Murrah. Layla bore a son for Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) who was mature, brave, handsome, and the person most resembling the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny). His face was the face of the Messenger, and his speech was the speech of the Messenger of God. Whoever wished to see the Messenger of God would look at the face of Layla's son, to the extent that his honorable father would say, "Whenever we longed to see the Prophet, we would look at his face"; therefore, on the Day of Ashura, when he asked permission to enter the battlefield and headed for the front lines, Imam Husayn turned his face to the sky and said, "O Allah, bear witness against these people, for a youth has emerged against them who resembles Your Messenger most closely in creation, character, and speech. Whenever we longed for Your Prophet, we would look at him...".
Ali ibn Husayn (Ali al-Akbar) (peace be upon him) was about 25 years old in Karbala. Some narrators have stated his age as 18 years and 20 years. He was the first martyr of Ashura from Banu Hashim. The bravery and courage of Ali ibn Husayn (Ali al-Akbar) (peace be upon him), along with his combat skills and religious and political insight, were manifested during the journey to Karbala, especially on the day of Ashura. His speeches and sacrifices also well confirm this matter.
When Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) passed through the stopping place of "Qasr Bani Muqatil", sleep overtook his eyes while on horseback, and after waking up, he said "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un" and repeated this sentence and the praise of God three times. When Ali al-Akbar asked the reason for this praise, His Holiness said: In a dream, I saw a rider saying that this caravan is heading towards death. He asked: Are we not on the right path? He said: Yes. Ali al-Akbar said: "Fa-inna idhan la nubali an namuta muhiqin" (Then we do not care if we die while being on the right path)!
On the day of Ashura, after the martyrdom of the Imam's companions, the first person who asked permission to enter the battlefield to sacrifice his life for the sake of religion was him. Although going to the battlefield was very difficult for the Ahl al-Bayt and for the Imam, nothing else was expected from his altruism and spirit of sacrifice. When he was going to the battlefield, Imam Husayn, in heartbreaking words to the Divine Threshold, cursed those unjust people who invited them but drew swords against them.
Ali al-Akbar went to the battlefield several times and fought bravely against the vast army of the enemy. After his martyrdom, Imam Husayn placed his face on the bloodied face of Ali al-Akbar and cursed the enemy once again.
Moral Characteristics of Ali Akbar
Ali, in his youth, attracted the attention of a multitude of young people with his ethical and behavioral characteristics. He knew the qualities of his grandfather, thus he always looked into the mirror of his ethics and behavior and adorned himself with those qualities. In his youth, among gatherings and with his friends, he was cheerful and happy; but in solitude, he was contemplative and sorrowful. He had a great interest in seclusion with his God, engaging in supplication and conversation with the Creator of existence. In life, he was easy-going, gentle, and good-tempered; his gaze was lowered, and he did not stare at anyone. Most of the time, he cast his eyes upon the ground and associated with the destitute and the poor, who did not have significant respect in society and in the eyes of worldly seekers from an apparent perspective. He would sit and rise with them, share meals with them, and place food in their mouths with his own hand. Intellectual integrity and spiritual steadfastness made him such that he never feared any ruler.
He never found fault with others and avoided undeserved praise and listening to people's flattery. He considered all humans as servants of God and refrained from humiliating them. Throughout his life, he never insulted or spoke ill of anyone. He hated lies and honesty and truthfulness were his constant method. He was forgiving and donated whatever he acquired to others, especially the needy. Whenever someone offered him a gift, he accepted it with cheerfulness. If someone had a gathering and invited him, he would accept. He would visit the sick, even if the patient's house was in the most remote point of the city. He would attend the funeral procession of the dead in Shiism and never left any lost friend alone.
He was a kind brother to his peers and a loving father to children, and he treated Muslims with his kindness and affection. Worldly affairs and material anxieties did not shake him.
Ali's life was simple and unadorned, and no trace of luxury, extravagance, or waste was seen in it. Those who had good ethics and worthy virtues were always honored and respected by him, and relatives benefited from his maintaining of kinship ties. He possessed immense patience and expected nothing from anyone.
In the battlefield, he was a brave, powerful, and energetic warrior, and the multitude of enemies never frightened him. In executing justice and defending the right, he was decisive and steadfast. He hastened to aid the deprived and oppressed and stood against oppressors until he returned the right to its owner; he would not rest. He attached great importance to acquiring knowledge and learning teachings and always prevented his followers from ignorance and unawareness.
He had abundant interest in cleanliness and adornment, and this trait was seen in him from childhood. Therefore, he always cared for the cleanliness of his clothes and body.
He was very humble and hated arrogance, and he considered most of the people of Hell to be the proud and rebellious. He had compassion not only for humans but also for animals, and he treated them with kindness, gentleness, and fairness.
Those who have seen Ali's apparent face and illuminated visage have depicted his face as follows:
His face was very majestic and shone like the bright moon. It was adorned with beauty and cleanliness. He was taller than the short and shorter than the tall. His complexion was fair mixed with redness, and he had black and wide eyes with hairy eyelashes; his cheeks were smooth and low-fleshed. His hair appeared neither very curly nor very straight. He had a very fine line of hair from his chest to his navel; his body was proportionate and moderate, and his chest and shoulders were broad.
His shoulders were spaced apart. He had a broad back; except for the thigh and calf which are below the joints, the bones of his wrist were elongated, and he had a broad and generous palm. The palms of his hands and feet were strong and large, and his fingers were stretched and long, and the soles of his feet were raised from the ground. He walked quickly, and when walking, it was as if he were descending from a sloping ground or going down from a stone. When he turned towards someone, he turned with his whole body. His eyes were lowered and his gaze was towards the ground rather than the sky.
His nose was elongated and thin, and there was a prominence in the middle, and light emanated from it.
His mouth was neither very small nor large. His beautiful teeth were white, shiny, and thin. His neck was silver-colored in clarity, light, and steadfastness, and the scent of musk and amber rose from him.
Some historians have written these characteristics for his grandfather; but they have considered Ali similar in these characteristics.
With these illuminating features, he can be well recognized; he is Ali Akbar, the noble son of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him). He was a beautiful youth who, like his grandfather the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), appeared radiant in character and heavenly in countenance. The memory and name of the Prophet constantly emanated from his manner of speaking, walking, and other ethical social interactions. Therefore, Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) introduced him as the person most similar to himself, and even to the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), in creation, constitution, ethics, spiritual qualities, speech, and social etiquette.
Those who were familiar with the captivating face of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and his resonant voice, when Ali spoke from behind a wall, felt as though they were hearing the voice of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him and his progeny).
Sometimes, when Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) longed for the recitation of the Quran by his dear grandfather, he would say to Ali: "O dear Ali! Recite the Quran for me so that I may enjoy and benefit from it."
Sweet speech, fluent expression, great respect towards parents, unconditional obedience to the station of Wilayah, and devotion to the truth were another page of Ali Akbar's golden life. Since these features were accompanied by his humility, they garnered everyone's admiring gaze.
Age of Ali Akbar
There are different narrations regarding the lifespan of Hazrat Ali Akbar (peace be upon him). It is said that Sayyid al-Shuhada stated: "If God had given me 10 children, I would have named them all Ali." On the other hand, "Akbar" means "the elder", and considering this point, it can be understood that Hazrat Ali Akbar (peace be upon him) was the eldest son of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him).
Regarding his exact age, it has been narrated as "Thamaniyah Ashrin" (twenty-eight); however, some say "Thamaniyah Ashr" (eighteen), which is incorrect, and he was 28 years old.
Shrine of Ali Akbar
Hazrat Ali Akbar is the closest martyr buried with Imam Husayn. His grave is located at the feet of Abu Abdullah al-Husayn, and for this reason, the Imam's shrine is hexagonal.