It is a dark night and a worrisome time. The man has to travel to a new city whose inhabitants excitedly await his arrival, but the goods in his possession are the cause of his hesitation. He is aware that the people who have left these in his custody believe in his trustworthiness and would expect to get their possessions back despite the complex circumstances. His young cousin asks him why he is perturbed, and after a discussion, a decision is made.
The young man motions his cousin to take up the pre-planned journey to Yathrib and lies down to sleep, aware of the fact that his resolution may cost him his life. But, he sleeps soundly, confident that Allah is watching over him.
Dawn witnesses a group of armed men attacking a house, in pursuit of a man already miles away from them. In place of their intended victim, they find a young man. Enraged, the group rushed outside.
The young man gets out of bed, follows his morning rituals, and taking the possessions with him, goes out. He looks for the rightful owners, returns the things, and starts making arrangements for a journey of his own. Two days later, he sets foot out of Makkah and starts the long-awaited journey to Yathrib.
This fearless young man was Ali bin Abi Talib, the first child to embrace Islam. His cousin/companion was Muhammad (SAW). Ali (RA) decided to sleep in the Prophet’s bed, despite having the knowledge of the fact that a group of pagans was waiting outside the house, ready to enter at the crack of dawn and kill the Holy Prophet (SAW). The valour shown by Ali (RA) in the face of such startling circumstances reflects his fearless personality.
Abu Talib, the Prophet (SAW)’s uncle, was Ali’s father. Ali bin Abi Talib (RA) had been brought up by the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his wife Khadija (RA) from infancy. He was only ten years old when he embraced Islam.
Three years after the sacred revelation, the Prophet of Islam (SAW), one day, climbed the Safa hill and proclaimed the Shahadah. He looked around for support but found everybody lacking. However, a young man stood up bravely and said, “I am only a young boy, my legs are thin and I am also suffering from eye-sore; but I assure you, you will always find me standing by you.” He was gallant Ali (RA). True to his words, this young man was always found physically and mentally agile, prepared to provide his assistance and co-operation to the beloved Prophet (SAW).
Ali (RA) was the Prophet (SAW)’s son-in-law as well, being the husband of his most beloved daughter, Fatima (RA). He was a member of Banu Hashim and was entrusted by the tribe with the custody of the Kaaba.
Known as Asadullah- The Lion of Allah, due to his courage and bravery, he was elected as the fourth Muslim Caliph. His caliphate lasted for four years and nine months. He was sixty-three years old at the time of his demise.
The Lion of Allah – Notes
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| startling | very surprising |
| perturbed | anxious |
| enraged | very angry |
| valour | bravery |
| custody | guardianship of something |
| agile | able to move quickly and easily |
| resolution | a firm decision to do or not to do something |
| pagans | people holding religious beliefs other than those of the established religion |
A. Fill in the blanks.
- Ali (RA) was a member of _________.
- ________ was the Prophet (SAW)’s paternal uncle.
- Ali (RA) was ________ years old at the time of his death.
- _________ is the old name of Madinah.
- Ali (RA)’s wife was __________ (RA).
- The young man slept soundly and was confident that _________ is watching over him.
B. Write true/false in the given space.
- Prophet (SAW) was Ali (RA)’s uncle. ______
- Ali (RA) was known as Asadullah. _______
- Ali (RA)’s caliphate lasted for six years. _______
C. Answer the following.
Q 1: Who is the man at the beginning of the story ‘The Lion of God’?
Ans:__________________________________________________________________________________
Q 2: Why was the Prophet (SAW) reluctant to start his journey to Yathrib?
Ans:__________________________________________________________________________________
Q 3: What was Prophet (SAW)’s final decision?
Ans:_________________________________________________________________________________
Islamic Comprehension
The study of Islamic education assists you to comprehend the history of Muslims. Read these authentic stories and then answer questions to assess your level of knowledge.