Asbagh Ibn Nubaatah narrates:
دَخَلَ ضِرَارُ بْنُ ضَمْرَةَ النَّهْشَلِيُّ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ
Ziraar Ibn Zamrah al-Nahshali came to Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan.
فَقَالَ لَهُ صِفْ لِي عَلِيّاً
Muawiyah said to him: "Describe Ali for me."
قَالَ أَ وَ تُعْفِينِي
Ziraar replied, "Will you excuse me from that?"
فَقَالَ لَا بَلْ صِفْهُ لِي
He said, "No. You must describe him."
فَقَالَ لَهُ ضِرَارٌ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَلِيّاً كَانَ وَ اللَّهِ فِينَا كَأَحَدِنَا
Ziraar said: "May Allah have mercy on Ali (a.s.)! By Allah, he was among us like one of us.
يُدْنِينَا إِذَا أَتَيْنَاهُ وَ يُجِيبُنَا إِذَا سَأَلْنَاهُ وَ يُقَرِّبُنَا إِذَا زُرْنَاهُ
He would bring us close when we approached him, answer us when we asked him, and draw us near when we visited him.
لَا يُغْلَقُ لَهُ دُونَنَا بَابٌ وَ لَا يَحْجُبُنَا عَنْهُ حَاجِبٌ
No door was closed between him and us, and no guard kept us away from him.
وَ نَحْنُ وَ اللهِ مَعَ تَقْرِيبِهِ لَنَا وَ قُرْبُهُ مِنَّا لَا نُكَلِّمُهُ لِهَيْبَتِهِ وَ لَا نَبْتَدِيهِ لِعَظَمَتِهِ
Yet by Allah, despite his closeness to us and his nearness, we would not speak to him out of awe for him, nor would we begin speaking in his presence because of his greatness.
فَإِذَا تَبَسَّمَ فَعَنْ مِثْلِ اللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَنْظُومِ
When he smiled, it was as though strings of pearls were shining.
فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ زِدْنِي مِنْ صِفَتِهِ فَقَالَ ضِرَارٌ رَحِمَ اللهُ عَلِيّاً
Muawiyah further insisted, "Tell me more about his attributes." Ziraar continued, "May Allah have mercy on Ali (a.s.)!"
كَانَ وَ اللهِ طَوِيلَ السَّهَادِ قَلِيلَ الرُّقَادِ يَتْلُو كِتَابَ اللهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَ أَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ وَ يَجُودُ لِلهِ بِمُهْجَتِهِ وَ يَبُوءُ إِلَيْهِ بِعَبْرَتِهِ
By Allah, he was long in wakefulness and little in sleep. He would recite the Book of Allah during the hours of the night and the ends of the day. He would give his very life generously for the sake of Allah, and he would turn to Him with tears.
لَا تُغْلَقُ لَهُ السُّتُورُ وَ لَا يَدَّخِرُ عَنَّا الْبُدُورَ وَ لَا يَسْتَلِينُ الِاتِّكَاءَ وَ لَا يَسْتَخْشِنُ الْجَفَاءَ
No veils were closed to him, and he did not withhold from us his illuminating insights. He was neither inclined to luxury nor harsh in manner.
وَ لَوْ رَأَيْتَهُ إِذْ مُثِّلَ فِي مِحْرَابِهِ وَ قَدْ أَرْخَى اللَّيْلُ سُدُولَهُ وَ غَارَتْ نُجُومُهُ
If you had seen him when he stood in his prayer niche, after the night had lowered its curtains and its stars had faded,
وَ هُوَ قَابِضٌ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ يَتَمَلْمَلُ تَمَلْمُلَ السَّلِيمِ وَ يَبْكِي بُكَاءَ الْحَزِينِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ
holding his beard, writhing like one stung by a serpent, and weeping like a grief-stricken man, saying:
يَا دُنْيَا إِلَيَّ تَعَرَّضْتِ أَمْ إِلَيَّ تَشَوَّقْتِ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِيكِ أَبَنْتُكِ ثَلَاثاً لَا رَجْعَةَ لِي عَلَيْكِ
'O world! Have you presented yourself to me? Do you long for me? Far from it, far from it! I have no need of you. I have divorced you three times, never to return to you.'
ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَاهٍ وَاهٍ لِبُعْدِ السَّفَرِ وَ قِلَّةِ الزَّادِ وَ خُشُونَةِ الطَّرِيقِ
He (a.s.) then said, 'Alas! Alas! The journey (of the hereafter) is so lengthy, the provisions are so scarce, and the road is so rough!'
فَبَكَى مُعَاوِيَةُ وَ قَالَ حَسْبُكَ يَا ضِرَارُ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ وَ اللهِ عَلِيٌّ رَحِمَ اللهُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ
(Upon hearing this) Muawiya started crying and said: "Enough, O Ziraar. By Allah, Ali was indeed like that. May Allah have mercy upon Abul Hasan!"
References
- Al-Amaali of Shaikh Saduq (a.r.), p. 624, H. 2
- Kitab al-Fazaael by Shazaan Ibn Jibrail al-Qummi, p. 97
- Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 41, p. 14, H. 6
Note
- The death of an elderly person, or a fatherly figure, is very tough to bear for his family, friends and associates.
- Their extent of grief is directly proportional to the closeness, proximity and love for the deceased.
- When Muawiyah, a proclaimed opponent of Imam Ali (a.s.) asked Ziraar to describe the qualities of Ali (a.s.) for him, the words Ziraar used to describe his master were only a minor expression of his grief, considering he was stating that to an opponent.
- The extent of grief for the family and companions of Ameerul Momineen Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) is unimaginable and indescribable for anyone.
- The impact Imam Ali (a.s.) had on his family, his companions, his followers and on humanity is unmatched.
- These famous words of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) still echo in the ears of humanity today:
خَالِطُوا النَّاسَ مُخَالَطَةً إِنْ مِتُّمْ مَعَهَا بَكَوْا عَلَيْكُمْ وَ إِنْ عِشْتُمْ حَنُّوا إِلَيْكُمْ
"Mix with people in such a manner that if you die, they weep over you and if you live, they should long for you (your company)."
[Nahj al-Balaagha, Saying 10]
It is a sign of the love for Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that his followers grieve his martyrdom till date and this grief will continue till the end of this world. The only hope and solace for us, is the reappearance of the last heir of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), the master of this era and the Imam of our time, His Eminence Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.), who is the bearer of all attributes and characteristics of his ancestor. We earnestly pray to Allah to hasten his reappearance and include us among his helpers and sincere servants.
Aameen, O Lord of the worlds!