يَقُولُ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي أَئِمَّتُكُمْ بَعْدِي وَ يُومِئُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ يَقُولُ هَذَا أَمِيرُ الْبَرَرَةِ وَ قَاتِلُ الْكَفَرَةِ مَخْذُولٌ مَنْ خَذَلَهُ مَنْصُورٌ مَنْ نَصَرَهُ
After the battle of Hudaibiyyah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) said, “My Ahle Bait are your Imams after me.” Then, he (peace be on him and his progeny) pointed towards Ali (peace be on him) and declared, “He (Ali) is the chief of all good-doers and the killer of all transgressors. Whoever abandons will be abandoned (by Allah) and whoever helps him will be helped (by Allah).”
References:
1. Al-Amaali of al-Shaikh al-Toosi (r.a.), p. 483, Majlis 17th
2. Al-Taraaef, vol. 1, p. 103, H. 151
3. Al-Seraat al-Mustaqeem, vol. 2, p. 56
4. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 37, p. 334
Notes:
1) This narration has been extensively narrated by the Shias as well as their opponents. In fact, Khateeb al-Baghdadi has recorded it in three places in his famous book Tarikh-o-Baghdad.
2) ‘Bararah’ is the plural of ‘Baarr’ which means good-doer while ‘Fajarah’ is the plural of ‘Faajir’ which implies transgressor or the one who has deviated from the right path.
3) The term ‘Killer of transgressors’ implies that whoever was killed by Ali (peace be on him) was a transgressor.
4) In this narration, Allah is taking the guarantee for helping the one who helps Ali (peace be on him). It must be noted that while our help for Ali (peace be on him) will be limited and finite, but Allah’s help is infinite and limitless, in this world, Barzakh as well as the hereafter.
5) It should also be noted that the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) from the beginning of his Prophethood introduced Ali (peace be on him) and his mastership to the people. As his death approached nearer, his intensity for this introduction increased manifold. The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah was an event which took in the later part of his life.
6) It was here that the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) that he ordered the Muslims to greet Ali (peace be on him) as the Chief of the Believers.