The Legacy of ʿAlī (RA) | Mufti Abdul Wahab Waheed | Mercy to Mankind Conference 2024

The Legacy of ʿAlī (RA) — The True Warrior

Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh everyone, it's good to see everyone. As you can see, Shaykh Abdullah has been a bully, always a bully, will remain a bully. But it's beautiful that all of you are here.

I met some of you on the way in, some of you saw the water situation. It's called barakah, right? When rain comes down in many ways. May Allah reward you all for coming through and being here and honoring us with your presence.

It's always beautiful to have all of you at our campus. May I make du'a that Allah allows us to continue doing this, insha'Allah ta'ala. The topic that Shaykh Abdullah had — and he's forcing me to speak about — is a topic I actually had assigned to me, and he said, no, you have to speak about the topic that I had, which was ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu as a warrior.

So insha'Allah, we'll try to speak about the topic and may Allah make it beneficial.

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the most honored of prophets and messengers, our master Muhammad, the Prophet of the worlds, whose name is written in the Bible and the Torah.

Allah has said in His Book Al-ʿAzīz, after I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan, in the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate:

Say: By the grace of Allah and by His mercy, so let them rejoice. It is better than what they accumulate.

And Allah said in another place: may Allah be pleased with them and they pleased with Him. And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

My companions are like stars — whichever of them you follow, you will be guided.

The Classroom of the Ṣaḥābah

My dear brothers and sisters, elders and youngsters, throughout the history of time, we will notice that there are two types of students in every classroom. Regardless of how good the school is, how great the methodology is, how unique the teaching style is, regardless of how prestigious the university is, every classroom will have two types of students. There will be those students who are simply excelling — honor roll students who pass every grade and fly by — and those on the opposite end of the spectrum who are simply crawling their way forward, who are simply just making it through. Regardless of how good the professor is, the university is, the methodology is, we always have two types of students.

The only classroom in which every single student was an honor roll student, was a student that was an absolute A-plus student, was the classroom of the ṣaḥābah, raḍiyallāhu ʿanhum ajmaʿīn. Regardless of how old those students were, regardless of which background they came from, regardless of what they had before they became Muslim — because Islam never took from people, it was able to give. Never did Islam enter into a person, into a home, into a society and take something from it. It only enters to give. It never enters to diminish. It only enters to honor, and empower, and enable.

This classroom was a classroom where every single person was excelling — not because of who they were before they became Muslim, simply because of who they were once they accepted the Prophet ﷺ. And in this beautiful galaxy of ṣaḥābah, there was a youngster, a young man who was known as a cousin of the Prophet ﷺ — ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib — who was a warrior. Not a warrior because he fought in every battle. Not a warrior because he stood tall. A warrior in every aspect of his movements.

Standing When No One Else Will

It's nice, it's cool, when people stand up for the truth when the whole world is standing up for it. Because if you didn't stand up for it, that deafening silence would be incriminating. And your justification of anything does not determine your innocence. When everyone stands up for the truth, when everyone is standing up for those who are oppressed, we can also stand up. But it's difficult to stand when everyone around you is against you. It's difficult to raise our voice and to put everything on the line when the entirety of the world is against you. When it's not the popular thing to do. When it's not the woke thing to do. When it's not the strategic thing to do. When it's not the right thing to do because we have no choice.

It's very difficult to be courageous and be a warrior when everyone that looks upon you sees you to be someone strange, sees you to be someone weird. And this is how ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu was — as a young man, at the age of 10, who literally was a kid, a child, when the Prophet ﷺ stood upon Mount Ṣafā when he finally received prophethood at the age of 40.

He climbed the mountain of Ṣafā and he turned towards the people of Quraysh and he invited them — this was the center of the city. He invites all of the people of Mecca, the leaders of Mecca. And he stands in front of them and he says to them, in the famous story: "If I was to inform you of an army behind this mountain, would you believe me?" And they all responded by saying, "Of course we would believe you. You are Al-Ṣādiq Al-Amīn — you've never lied to us. Why would we doubt your truthfulness and your honesty?" He said, "If that's the case, what if I was to tell you that if we don't believe in the oneness of God, in an afterlife that is to come, in my prophethood, then there is definitely a punishment that may be hovering above us?"

And as the Prophet ﷺ said this, his uncle Abū Lahab stands up in the middle of all of these people, in an audience that is silent. It's easy to be a warrior. It's easy to stand when everyone is standing. It's difficult to stand when everyone is not standing.

For that youngster who is being oppressed by someone. For that sister who is being oppressed by someone. Being a warrior doesn't simply mean to be caught in a picture. Being a warrior doesn't simply mean being seen by people. Being a warrior means our presence is a deterrence of any form of oppression — regardless of whether it makes a difference or not, I will stand.

And in the moment Abū Lahab stands up — the strongest voice of Makkah stands up — and he says to the Prophet of Allah:

"Woe to you, O Muhammad! Was it for this purpose that you gathered us? You took our time, you're wasting our time, you took us away from our families, our work, and you brought us here to tell us that you're a prophet? Is that all you've got to tell us?"

And in that moment, the Prophet of Allah speaks over him and he says, "Is there anyone that believes in me?" Being a warrior means to stand up when it's not cool, when it's not woke. And in that moment, ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu, a 10-year-old child, stands up and says:

"I believe in you. I believe in you." And the Prophet of Allah looks at him — he's a child — and he says, "Is there anyone else?" And ʿAlī once again stands up and says, "Ya Rasulallah, I believe in you." And the third time he stands up and the Prophet looks towards the people and says, "Is there nobody else that believes in this man?"

The Warrior Who Knows When to Step Back

Being a warrior means not just to step up, but also to step back when you're asked to step back. When the Prophet of Allah ﷺ was performing the Hijrah, and all of the companions are trying to find their way to Madīnah al-Munawwarah — they're trying to find their way out because now they have permission to go to a land that is peaceful, and it creates a sense of comfort for the ṣaḥābah. And in that moment, the Prophet of Allah is waiting for his moment to be told that he can leave. And when he is finally given permission to go with Abū Bakr raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu, who does he look towards? He calls upon that same warrior.

He calls upon ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu and he says, "I don't want you to come with me — because that is a courageous thing to do, to travel with me on a journey where the entirety of Mecca is looking for me dead or alive — but what I want you to do is sleep on my bed and lay on my bed."

Being courageous also means to hold back. Being courageous also means to know when to stop speaking. Being a warrior also means to know when it's enough.

The Warrior Controls His Ego

There was a moment when ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu, in the middle of a battle, was toppling someone and standing above him as he had dropped him to the ground. And as he was about to strike him and finish him off, this man spat at ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu — spat in his face. And ʿAlī just held back. And he let him go.

The people around him said to him, "Why would you let this man go? He was right in front of you. You could have taken his life without a blink of an eye." He said, "When I was first on top of him and about to finish him, I was doing it because this was a battle of truth versus falsehood. But the moment he spat on my face, it became my ego versus him. And I have to hold back."

Being a warrior means that when my mother speaks to me, even when I'm in the right, I know how to hold back. The Prophet ﷺ said:

The strong man is not the one who can overpower others; rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when he is angry. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith 6114; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith 2609)

Yes, being a warrior means standing on the streets for Gaza. Yes, being a warrior means putting our work, our jobs, our degrees on the line. But yes, being a warrior also means that when my father or mother call upon me and when it's difficult, being a warrior means that I can still stand up — because it's not the cool thing to do, it's not the woke thing to do.

Being a warrior means when my sibling or someone calls me out and says something to me and I look upon them angry and frustrated —

— I am able to swallow my anger. I am able to hold back.

Sleeping on the Prophet's Bed

So the Prophet of Allah says, "ʿAlī, you stay here." The entirety of Mecca is standing outside the house of the Prophet with their spears, ready to attack. And when they finally open the door and they're about to kill and strike the man laying there — they open up the blanket and they see ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib. And they see this man who put himself on the line again for the Prophet ﷺ.

He goes to Madīnah al-Munawwarah sometime later. And by the time he gets there, every single companion from the Muhājirūn has already been given a brotherhood or sisterhood with the Anṣār. So they've been given their companionship. So ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib comes and the Prophet of Allah greets him. He says, "Ya Rasulallah, you've already given everyone a brother or a sister. But what about me? Who's my brother? Who's my companion?" And the Prophet embraces him and he says, "Would you not be pleased that I am your brother? I am your brother."

ʿAlī in the Battles

Once again, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib — as the journey of Madīnah continues and in every single battle of the Prophet ﷺ. In Badr, he stood up when the Prophet of Allah called upon his name. In Uḥud, he was seen fighting without any form of fear as the Meccans had come to attack the Prophet of Allah ﷺ.

The Battle of the Trench — Facing ʿAmr

In the Battle of Khandaq — the battle of the trench — as the trench was dug and there was really no battle taking place, it was one of the most difficult battles for the Muslims.

And their hearts had reached their throats. A very difficult moment for the ṣaḥābah. And a man by the name of ʿAmr — who was one of the enemies — was able to jump over the trench. He was able to figure out a way to gallop over this massive trench. And as he jumped over, this man was so tall and large that as he sat on a horse, his feet would be touching the ground. And as they see him, he looks upon the companions — he jumps over and looks upon them and says, "Is there anyone here to take care of me? Is there anyone here that has the ability to stand in front of me? Is there anyone here that has the ability to look me eye to eye?" And he starts calling out the ṣaḥābah.

The companions narrate — what Anas ibn Mālik says — that in that moment there was no one amongst them that was not afraid. Because he was known to be the most fierce warrior of Mecca. We don't want to fight him one on one. We'd rather not engage.

In that moment, a 25-year-old youngster stands up and he says to him:

"Oh man, don't get excited. Don't be excited — I'm right here. You want someone to stand up? I'm right here and I'll take care of you. And when I'm done taking care of you, there will be no mention of your name except for the day that I took care of you. No one's going to remember you except for when they talk about how I stood up to you because you came against the Prophet ﷺ."

The man was an elderly warrior, and he sees this kid who was just married four months before this. Four months before. Consistency in being a warrior doesn't change because of our situations. "I would stand for Gaza if I didn't have this position, but now I have this position. I would stand if I didn't go to this university, but now I go to this university." Standing for justice or being a warrior doesn't change based upon our situations — because that's what a warrior is.

And as he stands in front of him, ʿAmr looks upon him and he says, "إِنِّي لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُهْرِيقَ دَمَكَ — You're a child. I don't want to attack you. I don't want to kill you. Move out of my way." He says, "Well, I want to fight you. Let's get it moving. Why are we still talking?" And they jump off their horses.

The ṣaḥābah say: "All we hear is a clashing of swords. And when the dust settles, we see ʿAlī standing on top of the body of ʿAmr." And the ṣaḥābah celebrate by saying Takbīr. And they respond with اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ — to the point where Anas ibn Mālik says it was as if even the mountains were saying اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ with them.

The Battle of Khaybar — The Flag of Love

It wasn't just those moments — throughout his entire life. In the Battle of Khaybar, when the ṣaḥābah were attempting with the Prophet of Allah to conquer the fortress of the Jews that had caused all the trauma and difficulty in Khandaq. For days, they're trying to attack the fortress, but they're not finding a way through. They're strategizing, attempting to open up the fortress, but it's just not happening.

At nighttime, the Prophet of Allah says:

"Tomorrow, I will give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him." (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith 2942; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith 2406)

99% of the people are hoping — "I can love Allah and the Prophet. That is our goal of life." But there were a few that the Prophet actually loved like this — that they were the recipient of the Prophet's love, that he declared his love for them: "I'm looking for this man who I love, and Allah loves this man."

ʿUmar raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu says that night none of them slept. It's as if — for those applying for medical school, applying for grad school — the night before match day, everyone's waiting. Everyone becomes motivated for tahajjud. Everyone starts worshipping as we should. So everyone is awake at night hoping their name will be called upon.

ʿUmar raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu says:

"There was no day in my life that I wished for my name to be called upon more than this day. I never wanted to be a leader except for this day — because it meant the Prophet loves me." That was attractive to them. Being a warrior for any cause means that the cause you're standing for is attractive. It's something that enables you, something that you enjoy. The ṣaḥābah were attracted to the concept of the ākhirah. They were attracted to the concept of the love of Allah. They were attracted to the idea of being with the Prophet on the Day of Judgment. We cannot stand for a cause that does not attract us, that the outcome is not something which is attractive to us. They were attracted to this outcome — that the Prophet loves me.

And the next morning, the Prophet of Allah after Fajr ṣalāh, looks upon the people and says, "Where is ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib?" And ʿAlī had been hit on the eye and was injured. The Prophet called him from his tent. And as he comes, the Prophet of Allah takes his saliva and places it upon the eye of ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu. And his eye is cured. And that same evening, the Prophet and the ṣaḥābah were given the victory of the fortress of Khaybar.

Being a warrior meant being called upon — and even when you were injured, you would stand. Being a warrior didn't mean we were called upon and stood only when it was convenient. Being a warrior meant that I was called upon when it was not convenient, when it was moments of difficulty for me and my family. But I let nobody know about what was going on in my house. I let nobody know the difficulty of my situation because my name was called upon. My name being called upon meant that I had to stand. What was happening behind the scenes made no difference to anybody because I'm a warrior, and I'm attracted to that outcome.

The Battle of Tabūk — Standing Back

ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu was not only a warrior because he stood at inconvenient times. He was also a warrior because he stood back at convenient times. Being a warrior meant that at the Battle of Tabūk, when the Prophet of Allah ﷺ is taking the entirety of Madīnah with him — every man that can ride an animal and walk and hold a sword is being called upon. And as ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu — this warrior whose entire life has been dedicated to earning medals on his chest because of the amount of battles he has been present in — the Prophet of Allah ﷺ holds him on his way out from Madīnah and says to him, "Oh ʿAlī, you're staying back this time."

Being a warrior means that if that is the demand — that I will sit back. Sometimes speaking up is what is required of me. And sometimes not speaking back to a father or a mother or an elder is what is required of me. Sometimes holding back because that is the demand of our deen is the requirement.

The Prophet of Allah ﷺ said, "You stay back." And ʿAlī begins to cry. He says, "Are you leaving me back with the elders and the children and the families? I want to be by your side. I want to be with you on every step of this journey." And the Prophet of Allah ﷺ looks upon him and says, "Would you not like to be as Hārūn was to Mūsā — that you stay back and take care of Madīnah? I trust you, but there is no Prophet after me."

Being a warrior means that I love the Prophet, and it meant that if it meant that I stand back, I will stand back.

The Warrior at the Prophet's Final Days

Being a warrior meant that in the most difficult moments — when the Prophet of Allah ﷺ was leaving this world and the entirety of Madīnah was in disarray — that ʿAlī is seen holding the Prophet of Allah ﷺ, walking him to the masjid. I'm not sure if anyone has seen elderly parents or people who are sick in your families when you have to walk them and hold them. It breaks your heart — because these were the same people who once upon a time held our hands and walked with us. They were the same people who held us up and gave us the strength that we needed. And now, ʿAlī is the one holding the Prophet up.

Being a warrior means that in that moment when the entirety of Madīnah is in disarray, I am responsible for the washing of the Prophet's body. I am responsible for the janāzah of the Prophet ﷺ. I am responsible for burying the Prophet ﷺ. Burying the Prophet of Allah is my responsibility. Taking care of all of his internal affairs of the home is my responsibility.

Being a warrior means that six months later I lose my wife. Being a warrior doesn't just mean knowing how to stand. Being a warrior means taking that strength of īmān and knowing what to say in moments of difficulty. Everyone can speak up, but how many can stay quiet when they're required to stay quiet? Everyone can grab something and hurt someone, but how many are such that when they have to hold back, they can actually hold back? How many are such that can actually resist the demand of retaliating? Being a warrior isn't all about doing something. It's all about holding back when it's in need of holding back.

ʿAlī at the Grave of the Prophet ﷺ

Being a warrior meant the Prophet ﷺ leaves. Fāṭimah leaves six months later. Your best friend leaves and six months later your spouse leaves the world. Being a warrior means knowing that this life has nothing to give me anyways. This life and its limited abilities of making me happy and bringing joy to me has more of an ability of bringing pain to me. Being a warrior means that in that moment saying the right words — coming to the Prophet's resting place with tears swelling in your eyes and rolling down your cheeks, and saying the right words to our Ḥabīb — when ʿAlī comes to the grave of the Prophet ﷺ after losing his wife and losing his best friend, and he says:

Being a warrior meant that in that moment of difficulty I will only say that which brings Allah's pleasure. That despite all of that which is happening to me — being a warrior means that I will not question Allah. Being a warrior means that I will not question the power and the ḥikmah of Allah. Me losing a loved one, losing a sibling, losing a family member — being a warrior doesn't mean that I go on a rampage and a rage. Being a warrior means that I turn back to Allah because He's the only one that can bring me comfort anyways. He's the only one that can bring comfort and peace to my heart.

He says: "When the going becomes tough, I come to your resting place crying. I complain and I cry. Ya Rasulallah, you can't respond — you've already left this world. And I know, Ya Rasulallah, that you have no ability because you've already left and you can't speak to me. However — even though you've already left, you are present within my heart. And the remembrance of your life, speaking about your life, thinking about your difficulties brings comfort to me. Those moments of happiness that I had with you — walking with you, being with you in Badr, walking with you in Uḥud, being with you in Khandaq, standing next to you in Khaybar — all those memories is what allows the difficulties of this world to be mitigated. Because I just can't wait for that moment to reappear in the bliss of the ākhirah."

Conclusion: The True Warrior

This is the warrior of the Prophet ﷺ — ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu. That in every call he was present — in the call of responding, in the call of holding back, in the call of delaying, in the call of instigating and initiating. In every moment of his life, being a warrior meant that whatever the demand of Allah and the Prophet was for me at that moment, I will reciprocate and respond based upon the demand that Allah has upon me — not the demand that I have upon myself in that which I think is better for this moment.

May Allah make us amongst those people that can learn from the lives of these great companions and allow us to be courageous like ʿAlī raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu.