Ayatollah Fadhil Lankarani' Speech on the Character of Imam Ali (AS)

There are endless things to say about the personality of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) even until the Day of Judgment, and this is not an exaggeration. One is left astonished as to what to say in speaking about that noble figure.

What is even more surprising is that despite most of these virtues being expressed by the Prophet of God (PBUH) and the revelation of more than three hundred Quranic verses related to Ali ibn Abi Talib, and despite his struggles being in plain view of everyone, how was it that after the Prophet of God, deviation occurred in the Islamic society and a divine figure appointed by Almighty God as the guardian over the believers was made to leave leadership of the Muslims?

There is a narration about the Commander of the Faithful which, if we can analyze and understand a part of it correctly, we will reach many insights about his character.

All our problems stem from not knowing God. All our problems stem from not knowing the Prophet of God and the Commander of the Faithful and the divine saints. When we come to know them, the path of guidance will be opened to us, and a person will move with such speed that it is indescribable.

In this narration, Anas ibn Malik swears by God, who has no partner, that he heard this narration from the Prophet. This indicates that what he is about to say is of great importance.

He says that he heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: "The title of the record of a believer is the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib." We must contemplate this hadith deeply. The apparent and initial meaning of the narration is that on the Day of Judgment, the record of a believer's deeds is sealed with the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib. On the Day of Judgment, the main title of a believer's record, even before prayers, fasting, pilgrimage, and other acts of worship, is the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib.

To better understand this meaning, we need to consider other hadiths alongside this one. In one hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) says to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): "No one loves you except a believer, and no one hates you except a hypocrite." That is, Dear Ali, only a believer loves you, and only a hypocrite harbors hatred and enmity towards you.

In another hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) says: "If it were not for you, O Ali, the believers after me would not be recognized," implying that after the Prophet, there would be no criterion to distinguish believers from non-believers without Ali.

This is quite astonishing. Why is the title of the believer's record on the Day of Judgment the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib? Because love for God does not make sense without the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib. This is not merely a slogan, but rather a fundamental belief based on abundant evidence. If someone does not believe in Ali, they do not believe in the reality of God, religion, and the Quran.

According to another narration, the Prophet (PBUH) said to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): "You among the people are like Surah Al-Ikhlas (Surah Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad)." That is, Dear Ali, your example is like "Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad." Just as reciting it once grants the reward of a third of the Quran, reciting it twice gives the reward of two-thirds of the Quran, and reciting it three times is equivalent to completing the entire Quran. Similarly, if someone accepts you with their tongue, a third of their faith is complete. If someone accepts you with their tongue and heart, two-thirds of their faith is complete. If someone accepts you with their tongue, heart, and helps you with their hand, their faith is fully complete.

If we try to interpret these narrations individually, we may not grasp their true essence. However, when considered collectively, we reach the core of the matter.

Considering these narrations that say: "The title of the record of a believer is the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib," another says, "No one loves you except a believer, and no one hates you except a hypocrite," or "If it were not for you, O Ali, the believers after me would not be recognized," and this narration that states your example is like Surah Al-Ikhlas and that complete faith is attained through verbal, heartfelt, and practical belief in Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), the relationship between faith and love for him becomes clear.

How astonishing it is to say that a person's fundamental faith is intertwined with Ali!

Unfortunately, the meaning of this narration is not understood by the Wahhabis, hence they accuse the Shia of polytheism. The meaning of these narrations is not that we worship Ali, but rather that true worship of God is impossible without faith in Ali and without belief in him. 

This is not just mere saying or an emotional matter that God wants us to have, by saying, "Humans, I want you to accept Ali so that I may accept you." No, this is the reality.

Ali is the manifestation of monotheism and the symbol of faith in God. Through Ali, one reaches God. If someone does not accept this manifestation, how can they accept God? We must strive to understand why God has made Ali the criterion of faith. Why is Ali the Divider of Paradise and Hell on the Day of Judgment?

Another remarkable hadith states, "Ali is with the Quran, and the Quran is with Ali." This matter is not exclusive to the Commander of the Faithful but also includes the pure Imams.

When the event of Ghadir Khumm occurred, the first and second caliphs congratulated the Commander of the Faithful verbally, but their hearts were not at ease. They asked the Prophet, "Is this guardianship you speak of specific to Ali, or do others have a share in it as well?" The Prophet replied, "This guardianship that I have conveyed to you from God is for Ali, and after him, Hasan, and then Husayn, and after him, nine descendants from Husayn's lineage."

This is among the narrations that many Sunni books have also narrated and is known as the Hadith of the Twelve Successors. The Hadith of the Twelve Successors refers to the names of the twelve Imams that we Shia believe in, from the Commander of the Faithful to the Awaited Savior (AS). The Prophet has mentioned this, and even the Sunnis say its narration is mutawatir (frequent and widespread).

On the day of Ghadir, after mentioning the names of Ali's (AS) descendants, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "They are with the Quran and the Quran is with them; they will never separate until they return to me at the Pool (of Kawthar)."

My point in emphasizing this is to note that the reason why the love of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) is the title of a believer's record is because Ali and his pure descendants are the true essence of the Quran and inseparable from each other. If you read the Quran every day of your life but do not accept Ali, it is of no use. This book without Ali has no meaning, and Ali without the Quran has no meaning. They must be together because they find meaning in each other. Consequently, these two together shape a person's faith. Ali is the manifestation of the true essence of the Quran.