Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

Education and Upbringing

The ideal environment that `Ali ibn Abi-Talib had was his singular privilege. He opened his eyes in the lap of the Prophet of Islam (a.s), had his upbringing under his tutelage and spent his youth in his august company. He benefited from the Prophet’s fountainhead of learning and grew up under his care as Fatimah bint Asad says:

“When `Ali (a.s) was born, the Prophet (a.s) Gave him this name and made him suck his tongue. He dropped his saliva in the mouth of the baby and put his tongue in his mouth. Sucking the tongue, the baby slept. On the second day we searched for a foster mother, but `Ali (a.s) took away his mouth from the bosom of the women. We thought of Muhammad (a.s). He put his tongue in the mouth of the baby who then slept soundly. This went on until Allah desired it to be so.”[1]

Although during the period of fosterage `Ali (a.s) had his mother’s care, but after weaning the Prophet (a.s) took up the responsibility. He used to give him the bath and spend hours taking him round in his arms. While awake, he used to sing lullabies to him. He took more care than the parents did in the upbringing of `Ali (a.s). At the age of six years `Ali (a.s) formally came under the care of the Prophet (a.s).The parents were relieved of his responsibility. The apparent reason of his coming totally under the tutelage of the Prophet (a.s) was that Makkah was passing through one of its worst droughts and Abū-Talib had difficulty of maintaining his large family. The Prophet (a.s), realizing his uncle’s straitened financial position, felt that he needed to be helped. He discussed the matter with his other uncle, `Abbas. He told him that Abū-Talib will not express about the difficulties himself. He said that Allah had endowed `Abbas with wealth and he could provide his brother some relief by sharing the burden along with the others in the family. `Abbas agreed with the suggestion and both of them went to Abū-Talib for a discussion. They suggested to him that they came to him with a proposal that they would share

[1] Al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah, Dahlān, Page 176

the burden of maintaining some of his children. In the beginning, he was hesitant, but in the end, he yielded. They decided that `Aqil would remain with Abū-Talib, and said that `Abbas was free to take other sons with him. Therefore, `Abbas took charge of Talib, Hamzah agreed to take up guardianship of Ja`far and the Prophet (a.s) himself requested his uncle to allow him to take the responsibility of `Ali (a.s). The fact is that from the Day of Creation `Ali (a.s) had been earmarked for him!

The drought came as a blessing in disguise for `Ali (a.s) that he came under the direct tutelage of the Prophet (a.s). Ibn Jarir al-tabari writes:

“It was Allah’s Blessing for `Ali (a.s) that the Quraysh suffered one of the worst droughts at the time. This way Allah accomplished what He had planned for `Ali (a.s)”[1]

It is natural that children do not want to be separated from their parents. But the Prophet’s love and affection did not let `Ali (a.s) feel much for the separation from his father and mother. He found his father’s affection in the affectionate looks of the Prophet (a.s). He received a wealth of joy and happiness under his loving care. The Prophet (a.s) used to feed the child with his own hands, made him sleep near himself. He took care of the child day and night and attended to all his needs himself. `Ali (a.s) himself says about his upbringing:

“I was still a child that the Prophet (a.s) took the responsibility of my upbringing. He used to keep me close to his chest. He made me sleep near him and made me smell his fragrance. He used to chew some food and then feed it to me.[2]

This was an example of `Ali’s physical upbringing. But since the Prophet (a.s) was created by Allah for the moral uplift of the entire world, one can imagine the attention and training that he would provide to the one who has been specifically earmarked for his personal tutelage! On the one hand he was `Ali’s benefactor and on the other he was the Mentor for the Entire World. In these circumstances, definitely `Ali (a.s) would receive the best of training and upbringing imaginable! Therefore, the prophet (a.s) paid utmost attention to the development of the intellectual and moral development of his ward. `Ali (a.s) says about his moral training thus:

[1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 2, Page 57
[2] Nahj al-Balāghah

“I used to trail the Prophet (a.s) the way a she-camel’s little one trails it! Every day he used to raise the flags of good morals for me and used to order me to follow them!”[1]

This upbringing played such a role in the development of his personality that he was a replica of the Prophet (a.s) in morals, knowledge and action and was recognized as the reflection of his mentor’s qualities and excellence. Therefore, because of Divine Blessing and the august company of the Prophet (a.s), `Ali (a.s) was endowed with extraordinary qualities.

In his own words, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) has described thus:

“In my chest is the knowledge that has been fed to me as bird feeds its little ones!”

This allegory of `Ali (a.s) has lot of meaning and delicacy in it. As a bird, feeds the food stored in its beak to its off spring, the Prophet (a.s) transmitted all the knowledge, be it on Shari`ah, wisdom, Qur’an, Sunnah, Morals and statesmanship, evident and hidden, current or past, to `Ali’s chest. After completion of this training the Prophet (a.s) said,

“I am the city of Knowledge and `Ali is its Gate!”

The Prophet (a.s) very clearly indicated now that anyone desirous of acquiring his knowledge had compulsorily to go through `Ali (a.s). Is not it a fact that entry to any city has to be made through its gate! `Ali (a.s) is a personality whose knowledge is directly acquired from his mentor, the Prophet (a.s), and the Prophet’s knowledge is the direct Endowment from Allah!

[1] Nahj al-Balāghah