Author: Shukran Ahmadi
The biography of Hazrat Ali “MAPH” (Part 3)
Bani Hashem clan
Bani Hashim were the main flower of Quraysh tribe. From the historical and scattered texts that have been recorded about their life, we come to the conclusion that this tribe was full of tender human emotions, and in traits such as, moderation in all matters, intelligence, firm belief in the high position of the Kaaba in the eyes of Allah, Avoiding cruelty and killing, high effort, compassion for the weak and oppressed, generosity and courage and other desirable qualities were distinguished.
Abdul Mutalib bin Hashem; Hazrat Ali’s Grandfather
Abdul Muttalib bin Hashem, after his uncle, Mutalib, took on the responsibility of providing water to the pilgrims with Zamzam water and receiving and feeding them, and like his ancestors, he performed this service in a proper manner, and in this regard, He earned the honor, dignity, popularity and grandeur of the people which his previous ancestors had not achieved this honor.
Abul-Muttalib’s faith and belief in the place of the Kaaba to Allah and that Allah is the patron and protector of this house, as well as the high spirit of the Quraysh commander and his strong personality is fully revealed from the conversation between him and Abraha, the king of Abyssinia, when Abraha intended to insult and destroy the house of the Kaaba and had marched to Makka.
Abul-Muttalib advised his children to leave oppression and encouraged them to leave bad things and to have good morals. While he was over eighty years old, he passed away in 578 ADS, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was eight years old. Historians have said that on the occasion of the death of Abdul Muttalib, the Makka market was closed for several days.
Abu Talib, the father of Hazrat Ali (RA)
Abu Talib bin Abdul Muttalib bin Hashim bin Abdul Manaf was born thirty-five years before the birth of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). According to popular saying, his name was Abdul Manaf, and he was known as his nickname. Some have said that his name was Imran or shibeh. He was one of the chiefs and elders of Quraysh, whom people used to refer to him to resolve their differences. Abdullah, the father of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Abutalib, were real brothers, their mother was Fatimah Amro bin Aaiz bin Abd bin Imran bin Makhzoom.
When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) acted to declare the truth, reveal the Islamic call and mentioned the polytheist gods and condemned them, this action cost them dearly and they rose to opposition and enmity. Seeing that situation, Abutalib loved the Prophet (peace be upon him) and defended him. Some time passed and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued to call. When this situation went on for a long time, some of the Quraysh went to Abutalib and asked him to stop his nephew. Abutalib narrated the words of the Quraysh to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and said: Have mercy on me and yourself and do not impose on me that I cannot do. The Prophet (PBUH) replied: (I swear to Allah! If they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, I will not stop doing this until Allah makes the religion of Allah prevail or I sacrifice myself in this way.) Then Abutalib said: O my nephew! Go say whatever you like! By Allah, I will never leave you to anyone.
Islam was spreading among the Arab tribes when suddenly, the Quraish gathered in order to prevent the progress of Islam and make an agreement to cut off relations with Bani Hashem and the children of Mutalib, not to take wives from them and not to give them wives and not to trade with them. They wrote a contract and hung it in the house of the Kaaba and agreed to implement its provisions. After this incident, Bani Hashem and the children of Mutalib moved with Abutalib in the valley that belonged to him.
This incident happened in the month of Muharram in the seventh year of the Prophet’s mission. Banu Hashim spent about three years in this state. During this time, nothing would reach them, but secretly. Then there was the story of the termite eating the covenant, which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had informed Abutalib before. After that, they tore the covenant, and its provisions were canceled. Abutalib passed away in the middle of Shawwal in the tenth year of the prophet hood, when he was more than eighty years old, and did not believe. Khadija also passed away in the same year. After that, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) faced many problems, that’s why this year was named Aam al-Hozn.
Hazrat Ali’s brothers
Abu Talib had four sons named: Talib, whose Abu Talib’s nickname is also from his name; Aqeel, Ja’far and Ali and had two daughters named: Umm Hani and Hamaneh. All these children were from Fatima bint Asad, and each of them was ten years apart in age, Talib was ten years older than Aqeel, and Ja’far was ten years older than Ali.
Talib died in the battle of Badr. Some have said: He left the house and did not return and no news or trace of him was found. He was a beloved follower of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he also wrote poems in praise of him.
Another brother of Hazrat Ali (MAPH), Aqeel bin Abu Talib, whose nickname was Abu Yazid, became a Muslim in the year of the conquest of Makka, and according to one narration, he converted to Islam after the peace of Hudaybiyah and migrated on the first of the eighth year of Hijri. Aqeel was captured by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. His uncle Abbas ransomed him. His name is mentioned in several hadiths. He participated in the battle of Mote, but he was not mentioned in the conquest of Makka and the battle of Honain. It seems that he was sick at that time. But Zubair bin Bakr, with his document from Hasan bin Ali, said that Aqeel was among those who resisted and stood firm on the day of the battle of Honain.
Aqeel passed away during the caliphate of Muawiya (may Allah be pleased with him), but in the book “Tarikh al-Bukhari al-Asghar” it is authentically stated that Aqeel (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away before the incident of Hara during the reign of Yazid. He was 96 years old when he died.
Another brother of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) Jafar bin Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the first Muslims. Jafar migrated to Abyssinia. King Najashi of Abyssinia and his followers were converted to Islam by him. When Jafar and his companions (after the Khaybar campaign) were returning from Abyssinia, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) welcomed them and kissed Jafar’s forehead and said: “I do not know whether to be happier about the conquest of Khaybar or the arrival of Jafar”. Abdullah son of Jafar says: Whenever I asked Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for something, he would not agree. As soon as I said my father’s name, he would immediately accept my request.
During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Jafar (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred in the war with the Romans in the 8th year of Jumadi al-Awwal in the land of Mote in the Sham region. When he turned to the campaign, he got off his red horse and cut its hands and feet, and then he fought until he was killed. Ibn Umar (RA) says: I was present in that battle, when I found Ja’far among the martyrs; there were more than ninety spear and arrow wounds on the front of his body. It is narrated from Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: When the news of the martyrdom of Jafar (may Allah be pleased with him) reached the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), we saw traces of sadness on his face (may peace be upon him).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to house of Jafar: Bring my brother’s children to me. Jafar’s children were brought to the Prophet (peace be upon him), as if they were the chicks of birds (who have lost their parents). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered that their heads be shaved, then he said to their mother: You should not worry about their future, because I am their guardian in this world and the hereafter.
When Najashi, the king of Abyssinia, asked the Muslim immigrants, how is this religion because of which you have separated from your people and have not joined the religion of other nations? Ja’far (RA) got up to answer; First, he drew a detailed picture of the ugly face of the Jahili period for the king, and then he counted the transformations that Islam brought in the lives of Muslims. In this speech, Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with him) not only considered the side of Najashi who was a Christian king and was loyal to his religion and had a special prejudice, but also avoided mentioning the issues that provoked the controversy and ignorance of the non-Muslims. Indeed, his wise words were very timely and true.
One of the sisters of Hazrat Ali (RA) was Umm Hani, the daughter of Abu Talib and the cousin of the Prophet (PBUH). Some have called her the Fakhteh, and some called Fatima and a group called Hend. But the famous saying is the same as the Fakhteh. She was the wife of Habira bin Amr bin Ayez Makhzoumi. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said about her: The best noble and free women and the most kind to their children are the women of Quraysh.
Abu Umar says: When Makkah was conquered, Habira fled to Najran, and he wrote a poem about this and remembered his excuse for escaping, and when it was known that Umm Hani had converted to Islam, he wrote a poem about her. Habira had a son named Umar from Umm Hani. For this reason, his nickname was Abu Umar, Imam Tirmidhi and others have said: He was alive after the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him.)
The other sister of Hazrat Ali (RA) was Jumaneh, daughter of Abu Talib. Abu Ahmad al-Askari writes that she was mother of Abdullah bin Abi Sufyan bin Al-Haris bin Abdul Mutalib. Darqutani also said in the book: Al-Ukhowat: Abu Sufyan bin al-Haris married Jamaneh and Abdullah was born from her. Zubair bin Bakar says: Jumaneh was the sister of Umm Hani. Ibn Ishaq placed her in the ranks of those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave her thirty wasaq of the spoils of Khaybar.
