عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّي اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهٖ وَ هُوَ فِي بَعْضِ حُجُرَاتِهِ فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَذِنَ لِي فَلَمَّا دَخَلْتُ قَالَ لِي يَا عَلِيُّ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ بَيْتِي بَيْتُكَ فَمَا لَكَ تَسْتَأْذِنُ عَلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ أَحْبَبْتَ مَا أَحَبَّ اللهُ وَ أَخَذْتَ بِآدَابِ اللهِ يَا عَلِيُّ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهُ أَبَى خَالِقِي وَ رَازِقِي أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي سِرٌّ دُونَكَ يَا عَلِيُّ أَنْتَ وَصِيِّي مِنْ بَعْدِي وَ أَنْتَ الْمَظْلُومُ الْمُضْطَهَدُ بَعْدِي يَا عَلِيُّ الثَّابِتُ عَلَيْكَ كَالْمُقِيمِ مَعِي وَ مُفَارِقُكَ مُفَارِقِي يَا عَلِيُّ كَذَبَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ يُحِبُّنِي وَ يُبْغِضُكَ لِأَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَنِي وَ إِيَّاكَ مِنْ نُورٍ وَاحِدٍ
Imam Ali Ibn al-Husain narrates from his father who narrates from his father Ameer al-Momineen (peace be on them),
“I went to the Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) while he was in one of his rooms. I sought permission from him. He allowed me. When I entered, he told me, ‘O Ali! Don’t you know that my house is your house? Then why do you seek permission to enter?’ I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I love to do this’.
He (peace be on him and his progeny) reassured, ‘O Ali! You love whatever Allah loves and have adopted the etiquette of Allah. O Ali! Don’t you know that my Creator and my Sustainer has not allowed me to have any confidante other than you? O Ali! You are my successor after me and you will be oppressed and repressed after me. O Ali! The one who is steadfast with you is like the one who is standing with me and the one who parts with you has parted with me. O Ali! He has lied who thinks that he loves me but bears malice against you because Allah – the High – has created you and me from one light’.”
References:
1. Meah Manqebah, p. 59, Manqebah No. 33
2. Kanz al-Fawaaed, vol. 2, p. 55
3. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 27, p. 230, H. 38
Note:
1) This tradition further endorses the concept of the Verse of Malediction (Aayah Mubaahalah) and numerous other evidences that Ali (peace be on him) is the self of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny).
2) Here, these two great teachers of humanity want to show that despite their high positions, they follow the etiquette prescribed by Allah the High. That is, when we enter into each other’s house, we must seek permission.
3) Moreover, when the believers go for visitation (ziyaarat) of the infallible guides (peace be on them), before entering any shrine, they must recite the supplication of permission. One must never think that since the owner of the shrine is no longer in this material world, no permission is required. This is certainly not the case. All the personalities of the Ahle Bait (peace be on them) are alive even after departing from this material world.
4) Those who were steadfast with Ali (peace be on him) after the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) and were not swayed by the incidents of Saqifah Bani Saaedah were like those who were with the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny). The converse also holds true. Of course, history is a witness that those who were steadfast were very few in number that they could be counted on fingers. 5) Lastly and most importantly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) is talking about Ali (peace be on him) being oppressed and repressed by his own nation and followers after his martyrdom. Ali is the one whose right was usurped, he was confined to his house, while he was seeing his inheritance being plundered. That is, the religion of Allah was being played with. Preposterous answers were given to questions raised about divine beliefs like monotheism. Quran was being whimsically interpreted. Its meanings and concepts were being distorted. The traditions (sunnah) of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) were being altered. Gradually, Islam was being counterfeited while the successor of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) was a silent spectator due to the latter’s will.