Hazrat Ali – The Jihad of the Soul

By Gwenaël Verez

Hazrat Ali (600-661) is an iconic figure of Islam. He was said to be the Gate of Knowledge and the Right Hand of God. Few prophets can claim such attributes, which suggests that he holds a unique place in the spiritual history of mankind. The main events of Ali’s life are told through fictionalised accounts by his contemporaries – from those who loved and admired him to those who failed to acknowledge his spiritual authority or even hated him. The author’s aim is to bring to life the historical and spiritual greatness of the man whom Muhammad proclaimed to be his brother and the master whom all should follow and love. The text incorporates many of Hazrat Ali’s own sayings, preserved by tradition. The famous sermons on Creation, the letter of governance to his most faithful commander, Malik al-Ashtar, and his Treaty of the Covenant with the Christians of Armenia are included in a separate chapter at the end of the book. Gwenaël VEREZ is the author of The Search for the Divine Mother, re-edited into a new edition in 2021. In 2020, he also published a new English translation of the Amritanubhava, the masterpiece and gem of the great Indian philosopher Jnaneshwara.
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"A beautiful work of a spiritual nature; clear, pedagogical, profound with elegant translations and, above all, full of a subtle energy and a remarkable inner intensity." Prof. M.A. Amir-Moezzi, Sorbonne Université, chair Exegesis and Theology of Shi’ite Islam

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781291917727

Book preview

Foreword

For thirty years, I have yearned to write this book about Ali ibn Talib.Although I was born in a desert oasis nestled in the Sahara, I worried that my inability to speak Arabic would impinge on the legitimacy of my efforts. However, I always felt close to this figure and the idea never left me. Encouraged by the enthusiasm of my friends and the inspiration of my muse – my wife Doris – I finally put pen to paper. Khalil Gibran’s Jesus, the Son of Man seemed to me a good model to celebrate Ali’s spiritual legacy by weaving historical events with his teachings as they have been passed down through the generations.

The word Hazrat – meaning great in Arabic – was often affixed to Ali’s name, a testament to the nobility of his character and unrivalled bravery in battle. His life was defined by countless fearless and daring acts coupled with a profound wisdom that he lavished on those around him. This unique combination of traits makes Hazrat Ali a historical figure whose legacy deserves greater prominence outside of the confines of religion – most notably Shia Islam – with which he is often associated.

In his central message, Hazrat Ali says that the meaning of religion is to recognise God. In this, he echoes the great spiritual traditions, from the Vedanta of the Upanishads, to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. He recalls the classic of Indian philosophy, the Bhagavad-Gita, when he speaks of jihad as a holy war against inner enemies preventing the fullness of spiritual realisation. Finally, in his heroic defence of the values of justice and moral conscience, he reminds us of the depictions of eternal struggles between good and evil that feature so prominently in the greatest Indian and Greek ancient epics.

It was Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1923-2011) who sparked my curiosity about Hazrat Ali as she repeatedly praised him, testifying to his spiritual greatness and divine nature. I had the great privilege of knowing her and experiencing, through her grace, the bliss of spiritual enlightenment that Hazrat Ali spoke of. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is for me, as for many, the highest spiritual personality of modern times. Her teachings put into perspective the messages of all the great Masters, from Confucius to Socrates, from Buddha to Shankaracharya, from Lao Tzu to Khalil Gibran, to name but a few. She made me understand that Hazrat Ali is part of a spiritual continuum to raise the consciousness of humanity towards the knowledge of the Spirit, the Self, the Atman or, as C.G. Jung used to say, of God within us.

As for the presentation of the texts, all the quotations in italics are taken from the earliest written sources of Islam. Conversely, the words in inverted commas are fictionalised. Most of the characters existed (see the list of the main protagonists in the appendix) and the events recounted are all historical, drawn from extensive research on early Islam, notably W. Madelung’s work on the succession of Muhammad. It should be mentioned, however, that most sources were compiled centuries after the events. It is therefore impossible to guarantee absolute authenticity of the accounts present in this work. Several appendices help to situate the narrative in its spatial and temporal dimensions. The sequence of chapters is chronological and the dates are those of the Gregorian calendar.

The book ends with some of Hazrat Ali’s great writings, including the magnificent sermons on Creation, the Treaty of Alliance with the Christians of Armenia and an extract from the famous letter to Malik al-Ashtar on the governance of Egypt.

Hazrat Ali considered himself exalted. Fourteen centuries have passed and his exaltation continues to move us, enthrall us and uplift us.

Gwenaël VEREZ, Vienna 2021

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my friends:

– First and foremost, Richard Payment for the publishing work and the improvement of the English translation. Without Richard, this book would not exist.

– Michel Cernay, professor of history, for his perspective on historical events and his suggestions in the writing.

– Mahmood Ghasemi for his selection of texts and his advice on the English translations of Persian and Arabic sources.

– Jean-Michel Peyrot, Grazyna and Pat Anslow for their careful proofreading and gentle support.

A lover, I am, of Ali!

In deep contemplation,

My very Being cries:

Ali, Ali, Ali!

Ali is my Guide and my Inspiration.

Djalal ad-Din Rumi

Preamble

The life of Ali ibn Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, was extremely paradoxical, constantly juxtaposing sanctity and tragedy.

Ali is unique in the depth of his spiritual teachings, the extent of his forgiveness of offences and rebellions, his respect for everyone – especially women, which was exceptional at the time – his demands regarding the management of the public treasury and the well-being of all classes of the population ... in other words, he radiated with divine nobility.

He was confronted with horrible violence, risking his own life to save Muhammad from assassination by taking his place in bed, allowing the Prophet to flee. He displayed a perfect mastery of the sword and the tactics of battle. And he would die murdered, a martyr.

His life is defined by two forces in constant opposition:

• On the one hand, the Revelation carried by the Prophet. It was not only about monotheism with the majesty and glory of the Creator, about virtue and righteousness, but it was also about the destruction of idols and the witchcraft associated with worship. Muhammad established a Community where, in their totality, regardless of their status and wealth, their tribes, their family clans or their nations, believers were equal in the eyes of God. This faith, this charity, would be embodied by Ali, with the Prophet making it known: Ali is the Friend of God and He will be among the first in Paradise.

• On the other hand was the fierce resistance of the wealthy Umayyad family of the tribe of the Quraish. As merchants, they protected the Kaaba in Mecca, which housed the idols of all their clients. At the same time they resorted to pillaging, murder, war and treachery. Following Muhammad’s victory, rather than a conversion, they adapted. They would occupy a position of power and take charge of the expansion of Islam, knowing that the conquests would become enormous sources of wealth. They would be able to impose this religion in its various forms, lead the prayer and eliminate any criticism of their way of life, luxury, lust and corruption. Their champion Muawiya would eventually become the caliph, completing a compilation of the Quran that eliminated elements inconvenient to him. He then declared himself emperor – the first of the Umayyad Dynasty, in reference to his clan.

This led to the final confrontation, in eastern Syria in historic Mesopotamia, with the Battle of Siffin, near the city of Raqqa, a place we will talk about again in 2014. The battle was enormous, opposing the leaders of Islam: Ali, then caliph, with his Iraqi forces, and Muawiya the Umayyad, a wealthy governor of Syria and a declared rebel. This battle between the dominant Umayyad family and the clan of the Hashims raged on a continental scale, hostilities previously limited to the precincts of the distant and modest city of Mecca. Above all, it embodied the struggle between the truth of the Prophet’s teaching and the rapacity of the false converts. After thousands of deaths, Ali would be compelled to accept an arbitration, having been weakened by the withdrawal of certain elements within his army, who would become known as the Kharijites. It was one of these men who would kill Ali as he was prostrating in the mosque for morning prayer.

These chapters are recollections of those who experienced this tragedy of holiness. The author has drawn on fragmented and often indirect sources to bring the story to life. It can be inferred how Ali’s life and message were to enrich Islam and consequently, what it would bring to humanity.

Michel Cernay, historian

O Ali! Something in you resembles Jesus, the son of Mary.

If I did not fear what certain groups in my Community

would say about you, as the Christians said about Jesus,

I could reveal something that would have people

gather the dust of your footsteps as a blessing.

The Prophet Muhammad

Hazrat Ali – Recollections from His Time

I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its Gate.

Whoever desires Knowledge, let him enter through the Gate.

The Prophet Muhammad

Prologue

Since Antiquity, the arid lands of the Arabian Peninsula have known several religious influences against a background of paganism. The multiple incursions and retreats of the Sassanids of Persia brought Zoroastrianism, while Christianity was present in the northern part of Arabia with its Roman and Nestorian branches. But it was, above all, the Abyssinian kingdom of Aksum, located on the other side of the Red Sea, which had exerted its Christian dominance over the region. Judaism was the religion of the Himyar Kingdom, which extended over a large part of Yemen. Following the invasions of Himyar by the Abyssinians of Aksum at the beginning of the sixth century, the Jewish tribes were forced to move further north in the peninsula, notably to Yathrib, the ancient Medina or even further, to the oases of Khaybar.

On the southern side of the Hijaz mountains, set in an arid valley, lay a city that would become famous: Mecca, an important trading centre, the crossroads of trade routes between Africa, the Persian Empire, Byzantium and Yemen, where Indian sailors would unload their shipments. Gold, ivory, precious stones, spices, incense and slaves were all sold and bartered there. The caravans that left for Damascus could be huge, gathering up to two thousand camels. The privileged position of Mecca allowed the fame of the Black Stone, discovered by Abraham two thousand years earlier, to spread well beyond Arabia. The reputation of the Kaaba has long since crossed the Kyber Pass to reach the Punjab where Mecca is known as Makeswara. In India, the sacred stone is considered to be a Shiva Lingam, the symbolic representation of the Absolute.

For centuries, itinerant merchants stopped in Mecca and brought small statues of their divinities which they placed in and around the Kaaba enclosure surrounding the Black Stone. The sacred place became a fair for idols of all kinds, more than three hundred of them. The local gods and goddesses - Allat, Manat and Uzza - were the most worshipped by the Meccans and their statues were given the best places in the site. The Christians hung an icon of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The image of Abraham was also painted on one wall of the precinct.

For several generations, the Arab Quraysh tribe established its pre-eminence over the area. At its apex was the Umayyad clan that ruled over Mecca. With the Quraish controlling trade, some clans – the Umayyads, Tayms, Makhzums and Assads – amassed significant riches. These were educated, literate people, keen on poetry. The Umayyads were the patrons of poetry contests held in the open air near the Kaaba. As less wealthy merchants, the Hashim clan was the poor relation of the Quraysh tribe and their finances were regularly undermined by the periods of drought that plagued the end of the sixth century. Yet they had the unique privilege of being the guardians of the Kaaba and of providing pilgrims with water from the famous well of Zamzam, located a stone’s throw away from the sacred black rock. They were as much envied for this honorary position as they were despised for their modest resources, especially by the richest clans, the Umayyads and the Makhzums.

Around the Quraysh were numerous tribes, such as the Qays, the Tamins or the Ghatafans, who were most often artisans or shepherds assuming the less rewarding tasks of Meccan society.

To protect their caravans, the Quraish secured the services of Bedouins from the deserts of Nadj and the Yamana highlands.

A man who could neither read nor write, lead the caravans of Khadija, the rich heiress of the Assad clan. Orphaned at a very young age, he was raised by his uncle Abu Talib, the patriarch of the Hashims.

Nobody knew it yet, but he was a Master, a Prophet. One of the greatest.

His name was Muhammad.

I. The Young Hero of Islam

The strongest of men are those who can face themselves.

Hazrat Ali

Abu Talib – The patriarch

I was on the way back from Damascus with my caravan after a thirty-day journey through the desert. The sunrise that day was magnificent. The celestial orb looked bigger and redder than usual and the mountainsides reflected the golden morning rays so intense in the Hijaz. Despite this luminous blaze, the atmosphere seemed serene and peaceful. The birds were singing, but their chirping was different, calmer, more orderly, as if no passerine wanted to be more conspicuous than the others. There was no morning breeze either, which was exceptional in this part of the desert. Nature was on hold. No roar of mountain lions could be heard. The camels got up without their usual protests, even when we attached the heavy loads of goods that always put them in a bad mood. The caravan for Mecca set off again amidst a feeling of stillness and calm, with no other noise than the footsteps and the breathing of camels. Eagles flew over the mountains high in the blue sky, seemingly pointing towards our destination.

When we arrived in Mecca, the children who would always run over to greet each new caravan, called out to me to head straight towards the Kaaba: Your child has just been born, they shouted.

The caravan hastened towards the Stone of Abraham. The camels found their way to the Kaaba all by themselves. When we arrived, all our mounts lay down in unison in front of the sacred enclosure and I alighted to enter the Kaaba as swiftly as I could. I then saw the newborn in the arms of Muhammad, who was giving him his first bath under the tender gaze of his mother and two aunts, Layla and Asma. They had rushed over when they had learned of the sudden and unexpected delivery in the sacred place where my wife had come to pray that very morning. Never before had anyone been born at the foot of the Black Stone.

Upon the suggestion of Muhammad, the child was named Ali, the one who is elevated.

It was the spring of the year 600.

Hallah – Khadija’s sister

When my husband passed away, my sister Khadija invited me to stay at her house with my children. I became familiar with her newly married husband, Muhammad, a man of great wisdom, whom I often saw retreating to the Jabal al Nour, the ‘Mountain of Light’, with little Ali at his heels. After several months, I finally decided to ask Khadija the reason for these excursions to the steep and rugged mountain. She revealed to me that Muhammad headed to the Hira cave to receive the Revelations of the Most High.

My sister had easily convinced me of Muhammad’s divine mission, for I sensed in him a man different from all others. Muhammad radiated such holiness and peace that accepting his revelation seemed natural to me.

One day, Khadija and the Messenger of God decided to give a banquet for all their relatives, as Muhammad was to make an important statement. By the grace of Khadija, the preparations for the feast progressed with joyful harmony. Zayd, a young freed slave, was cutting up the pieces of lamb that my nephew Ali had cooked under Muhammad’s watchful gaze. We took care of the vegetables and bread for the forty guests.

Then Muhammad’s uncles arrived, Abu Talib, who had raised him as a son after the death of his parents, and Hamza, his younger brother. His other uncles, the young al-Abbas and the old Abd al-Uzza, also joined the feast. During the meal, I saw the grumbling Abd al-Uzza nudging al-Abbas and muttering in his ear.

For the dessert, dates stuffed with honey whipped with goat’s cheese were served. When everyone was satiated, Muhammad stood up to declare that he had an important request to make to all the members of his family. Abd al-Uzza immediately jumped up to leave, thinking that he was going to be asked for money, but al-Abbas held him by the shoulders and made him sit down again. The other guests looked at Muhammad expectantly, wondering what he was going to tell them.

Muhammad revealed that he had been retreating to Jabal al Nour for several months, meditating in the Hira cave where he had received the Revelation as a Prophet of God. His speech was solemn, very humble, without any kind of peremptory tone. His mission, he continued,