CHAPTER NO.9 SIMILES OF HADRAT ALI (R.A)

CHAPTER NO.9 SIMILES OF HADRAT ALI (R.A)

Hadrat Ali had the peculiar skill to explain things by giving appropriate similes. In his various addresses and sermons, we come across many instances of his brilliance of expression that brings home the truth through these interesting examples.

The world: The world is like a serpent which is outwardly very soft skinned but poisonous within.

Falsehood: Like the feathers of a peacock, falsehood might look very attractive, but is as ugly as [as are the] feet of a peacock. Falsehood has no legs to stand upon.

The unbelievers: Unbelievers are like bats who can see in the dark, but who are blinded by daylight and [so] cannot see.

THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS CALL: When Hadrat Ali exhorted the people of Iraq to respond to his call for war against Muawiyah, they did not respond to his call. He said, "You are like a pregnant woman who undergoes the ordeal of childbirth, but gives birth to a dead child."

THE TREE AND THE FRUIT: When after the death of the holy Prophet, the Quraish based their claim to the caliphate on the ground that they belonged to the same tree as the holy Prophet. Hadrat Ali said, "It is strange that they look to the tree, but neglect its fruit."

THE PEOPLE OF BASRA: When the people of Basra, who had originally taken the oath of allegiance to him, [yet] later chose to fight against him, Hadrat Ali said that these people were near the water but far from the sky.

PEOPLE OF THE AGE OF IGNORANCE: Referring to the people of the age of ignorance in the pre-Islamic era, Hadrat Ali said that they were like an egg which has broken in the nest.

THE PEOPLE OF KUFA: Addressing the people of Kufa, Hadrat Ali said: "When I invite you to fight, your eyes begin to move in their sockets as if you [were] in the agony of death. You are like camels whose herdsmen have disappeared, and when these animals are collected on one side, they scatter on the other side."

MUGHIRA B. SHU'ABA: Mughira was regarded by the Quraish as a wise man. When Mughira favoured Muawiyah, Hadrat Ali said, "Mughira has profited from Islam only to the extent of seeking worldly gain. He is oblivious to the Hereafter."

THE PEOPLE WHO RUN AFTER THE WORLD: About the people who run after the world, Hadrat Ali said, "Those people who chase after the world are like beasts who lunge at one another, with the strong oppressing the weak."

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT DECEIVED BY THE WORLD: About the people who are not deceived by the world, Hadrat Ali said, "Those who have understood the deceptive character of the world, do not feel distressed on death. They are like the people who migrate from a famine-struck land to a land of plenty."

HADRAT ALI'S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE UMAYYADS: During the caliphate of Hadrat Uthman, Hadrat Ali had a complaint that the Umayyadds were was holding from him what was due to him. He said, "The Umayyads are withholding what is due to me, just like the camelman who milks the she camel withholds milk from the young one of the camel.

FALSEHOOD OF MUAWIYAH: Referring to the falsehood of Muawiyah, Hadrat Ali said that falsehood had appeared in his case like the horns on the head of a young goat.

SHEDDING OF SINS THROUGH PRAYER: In a sermon, Hadrat Ali said that through prayer the sins of men were shed just [like] a tree sheds its leaves.

CLEANLINESS AND PRAYERS: In another sermon, Hadrat Ali said, "Prayer is like a hot spring of water which flows at your door and provides you with the wherewithal for cleanliness."

CRUMBS AFTER MEALS: In a sermon, Hadrat Ali said that the world had run its course, and nothing had been left of it except the crumbs after the meals.

THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS CALL: Hadrat Ali compared the people who did not respond to his call to a camel who ran away from the herd shrieking with pains in its belly.

HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE: Hadrat Ali prayed for the hearts of the people to melt at the mention of the God's words, just like salt [is] dissolved in water.

IGNORANT PERSONS: Hadrat Ali said that ignorant persons were like persons riding on beasts of burden who could not see. He deplored that such ignorant people dealt with the injunctions of Islam as wind scattered straw.

ASHAS B. QAIS: Hadrat Ali said that among his companions, Ashas b. Qais was what Abdullah b. Abi Sahi was in the time of the holy Prophet.

PATIENCE AND FAITH: Patience and faith bear the same relation in a human being. Like a head is attached to the body (and a body cannot be without a head) so there can be no faith without patience.

DISEASE AND SINS: Disease sheds sin just [like a] tree sheds its dead leaves.

DEATH OF THE VIRTUOUS: Hadrat Ali compared the death of the virtuous to the migration journey of the people from a famine-struck land to a land of plenty.

DAYS OF LIFE: The days of life pass like clouds in the sky.

DEVOTION TO THE WORLD: Those who are devoted to the world are like barking dogs and ferocious animals who lunge at one another and where the strong devour the weak.

SEEKERS OF THE WORLD: Those who seek the world are like a loose camel roaming about causing mischief.

VIRTUE OF SILENCE: Hadrat Ali advocated the virtue of silence by advancing the simile that water can be preserved in a waterskin only when its mouth is tied.

THIRSTY CAMELS ON A WATER POND: When the people flocked to him and urged him to accept their allegiance, Hadrat Ali compared them to thirsty camels who flocked to a water pond when their harnesses were untied.

THE CALIPHATE OF HADRAT UMAR: When Hadrat Abu Bakr died,  Hadrat Umar became the Caliph. Hadrat Ali held that the second Caliph was like a person riding a camel, whose reins, if tightened would injure the camel, and if loosened would endanger the rider.

UMAYYAD USE OF THE BAIT-UL-MAI: Referring to the appropriation of the funds of the Bait-ul-Mai by the Umayyads for personal ends during the caliphate of Hadrat Uthman, Hadrat Ali held that they ate away the public funds, just as the camel eats away the grass.

WITHHOLDING THE MILK OF THE SHE CAMEL FROM ITS YOUNG: Hadrat Ali had the complaint that during the caliphate of the Hadrat Uthman, the Umayyads withheld from him what was his right, just like the camelman who, while milking the she camel, withholds its milk from its young one.

HANDLE OF THE GRINDING STONE: When Hadrat Abu Bakr became the Caliph, Hadrat Ali held that Hadrat Abu Bakr had assumed the mantle of the caliphate forcibly while he knew that he (Hadrat Ali) was as essential for the caliphate as a handle was necessary for turning the grinding stone.

THE SIMILE OF A SINNER: A sinner is like a person riding on an animal [of] which he had no control, and which is running fast to hurl him into a precipice.

DROPS OF RAIN: The injunctions of God descend like drops of rain.

SUMMER CLOUDS: When the people of Kufa did not respond to the call of Hadrat Ali to meet the challenge off Muawiyah, Hadrat Ali said that he longed for warriors who in their action and speed would be like summer clouds.

THE GOAT AND THE LION: Addressing the people of Kufa, Hadrat Ali said, "I want you to tread the path of the truth, but you run from it like a goat runs away when hearing the roar of the lion."

TAKING THE THORN OUT OF THE FOOT WITH A THORN: On another occasion Hadrat Ali said that the people of Kufa were like a person who picked out [a] thorn from his foot with a thorn.

SOLUTION OF SALT IN WATER: With reference to the people of Kufa, Hadrat Ali prayed "O God, melt their hearts like salt dissolves in water."

BULL WITH CROOKED HORNS: When Talha defected after taking the oath of the allegiance to him, Hadrat Ali compared him to a bull with crooked horns.

SHAKING PLANTS: Referring to the piety of the Companions of the holy Prophet, Hadrat Ali said that they shuddered at the mention of the Hereafter [like] plants shake when a strong wind blows.

PREGNANT WOMAN SEPARATING FROM THE CHILD: Addressing the people of Kufa, Hadrat Ali said that they were not dependable and that they were likely to leave him like a pregnant woman is separated from [her] child at childbirth.

HOUSEHOLDS OF THE HOLY PROPHET: Hadrat Ali described the household of the holy Prophet to be like stars, in that if one star sets another star rises.

FOAMING WAVES OF THE SEA: While addressing Hadrat Uthman, Hadrat Ali said that treason was likely to rage like the foaming waves of the sea.