Page 7 - Pakistan Link - July 30, 2021

OPINION JULY 30, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7

n By Dr Akbar S Ahmed Ali, the Lion of God Even on his deathbed, in agony be-
American University cause of the assassin’s poisoned
Washington, DC blade, he asked his sons to loosen the
rope around the wrist of the assailant
I am the City of Knowledge and provide him water to drink. With

and Ali is its Gate.” This say- his dying breath he forgave his killer.
“ing is attributed to the Prophet Some of the greatest Muslim po-
of Islam (peace and blessings be ets and mystics have written glowing
upon him). It not verses in paise of Ali. Rumi wrote:
only immortalizes “I am a lover of Ali,
Ali but also cap- in my spiritual trance, my very

tures his defining being cries out Ali Ali …
characteristic. Ali He is my lawgiver,
—called Hazrat Ali my true guide and inspiration.”
as a mark of respect Rumi also wrote:
-- was the quintes- “Learn how to act sincerely from
sential scholar. But he was also a Ali
warrior, the fourth caliph of Islam God’s lion, free from all impu-
and a close cousin and son-in-law rity.”
of the Prophet of Islam. So eminent
is his position in the history of Is- Mirza Ghalib called Ali the
lam that the Shia sect of the religion “Epicenter of the Prophet’s prog-
derive their identity and passion eny and pivot of faith is Ali.”
from their devotion to Ali and his
family. And Allama Iqbal wrote:

When scholars discuss the “The first Muslim, the King of
causes of the spectacular success of Men, Ali

early Islam, they look for historical The treasure of faith, in the
causes. Some suggest the sword in world of love, Ali
one hand and the Qur’an in the other In the affection of his progeny, I

as an explanation. Others point to the live –
already decaying situation of the Ro- Like a jewel, I sparkle [in his
man and Persian empires. But it was love]”

really the extraordinary commitment Yousufzai and President Musharraf, vered in those sections of society armies mystified as to his motives.
and valor of those around the Proph- one of the very few Pakistanis to be who call themselves the Shia. Later he explained. “Earlier I would Ali is today revered by Muslims,
et in the early years who insured the so invited. Many stories are told of Ali’s have killed him for my faith. Now I Shia and Sunni, all over the world.
early success of early Islam. Among The story of Ali in Abbas’ bi- courage and wisdom. His book Nahj would have killed him because of my Many, many young men are called

them few shone as bright as Ali ibn ography begins with his birth in the al Balagha contains gems of wisdom anger.” Ali in his honor. Both my son-in-law

Abi Talib. Kaaba itself. The signs are auspicious. and should be widely read. There is a In the end, Ali was killed by and my nephew, for examples, are

That is why a good biography The Kaaba is said to have miracu- famous story of Ali being sent forth a poisoned sword. While the killer named Ali.

of Ali is welcome. Professor Hassan lously opened to allow the pregnant in the midst of battle to fight the was preparing the murder, Ali was The sweep of this book is spec-

Abbas in The Prophet’s Heir: The Life mother to enter and give birth. The tacular. It was conceived at the time

of Ali ibn Abi Talib (Yale University Prophet himself took Ali in his arms Abbas visited Medina, the city of the
Press, 2021) has provided one this as the mother emerged from the Prophet, and it takes him to the cen-
year. The book is a passionate labor Kaaba with the infant and named ters of Islamic learning both in the

of love. The author dedicates it to his him Ali. As a child Ali recalls his west and the east. The author thanks
father Ghulam Abbas, “who inspired adoration of his cousin, Muhammad, a long list of scholars, institutions

me to pursue knowledge and seek the Prophet of Islam: “I used to fol- and finally, but most importantly,
the truth.” And what better subject to low him (Muhammad) like a young his wife and daughter. In particular,
discover knowledge and truth than camel following in the footprints of he singles out his wife Benish for
the life of Ali. his mother.” her commitment and support.
It is the greatness of the USA Ali’s life is full of drama. It is The book is happily not bowed

that it welcomes immigrants like also one of great triumphs and heart- down by academic debates, eschato-
Abbas; it is the tragedy of Pakistan rending tragedy. During the lifetime logical polemics, and theological ar-
that it so carelessly loses them. Ab- of the Prophet he was constantly by guments. It is written in an accessible
bas belongs to the elite police cadre his side, ever loyal and ever faithful. style. It is meant to be read widely
of the Pakistan civil services. Abbas It was widely believed that Ali would and not only by scholars.
is Distinguished Professor of Inter- be the successor or Caliph after the For Muslims this book is a must,

national Relations at the Near East Prophet’s death and many believe he for non-Muslims it is essential read-
South Asia Strategic Studies Center was not due to a conspiracy against ing in order to understand the cor-
(NESA), National Defense Univer- Ali. He did become Caliph, the fourth rect history and true spirit of Islam.
sity in Washington DC. He serves as of the Rashidun or the Enlightened For the young reader everywhere, it
a senior advisor at Harvard Univer- Caliphs. He was finally assassinated champion from the opposing army, warned. How can I arrest him for a is an introduction to a real-life su-

sity’s Weatherhead Center for Inter- which set a tragic precedent; his sons as was the custom in those days. Af- crime he hasn’t committed yet, Ali perhero.
national Affairs. Few, if any, Pakistani Hassan and Hussain were also killed. ter an intense hand to hand combat asked? He was the Caliph of Islam (Professor Akbar Ahmed is

scholars have attained Professor Ab- But his line from his wife Fatima, the Ali manages to get the better of his and he had to maintain the highest Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Stud-
bas’s heights. His books, articles and daughter of the Prophet, has con- opponent and knocks him to the standards of moral behavior. ies, School of International Service,
appearances in the media testify to tinued to provide descendants who ground. In an instant, Ali raises his Gallant to the end, Ali was in- American University, Washington,
his rich contributions. He has even provide spiritual guidance to the sword when his opponent spits on spired by the sayings and behavior of DC and author of, most recently,

appeared on the Daily Show with Jon community of Muslims everywhere. him. Suddenly Ali throws down his the Prophet. A soft heart is the best The Flying Man: Philosophers of
Stewart, making him, with Malala These descendants are specially re- sword and walks away leaving both heart, he learned from the Prophet. the Golden Age of Islam)

n By Rafi a Zakaria A Fragmenting Ummah and are taught to forget their beliefs al-
Karachi, Pakistan together, forbidden to pray or practice
people’s capacity to come together for fect on the nature of the metaphoric parts of the world, all of which is their faith in any form.
ver the weekend, 60,000 a higher purpose. ummah. known by other Muslims, but that nev- Sadly, despite the well-known na-
pilgrims began the second Despite their many differences, Take, for instance, the previous ertheless continues. In the Gaza Strip, ture of these atrocities being suffered

OHaj pilgrimage to take place the people from a cross-section of so- emphasis placed on the transnational everyday life continues to be marred by Muslims, the ummah is not able to
under the grip of the ongoing Co- ciety, speaking a staggering number of dimensions of the gathering of pil- by unpredictable attacks by the Israeli cobble together a collective strategy
vid-19 pandemic. languages and dialects, and from plac- grims; that they were not constrained Defense Forces, making celebration, that would take the burden of raising

The 60,000 citizens es far and wide, somehow managed by the borders of a single country even of Eidul Adha, a tricky proposi- these issues away from a single coun-

and residents of to coexist for the duration of the pil- reflected the fact that religious pol- tion. The memory of the ruin inflicted try. The consequence, of course, is

Saudi Arabia were grimage and to create a collective that ity is seen as beyond the frontiers of by the Israelis in the last days of Ra- that the issue is not to be raised at

all masked. Accord- is unparalleled in the entire world. In any one or the other country. The safe madan and last Eid are all exhortations all, not with any real effort towards ac-
ing to reports, they the wake of the pandemic, Saudi Ara- post-pandemic ritual can no longer against gathering in large numbers. tually halting the human rights abuses.
prayed for an end to bia has naturally closed its borders and accord with such a lack of limits, and Then there are the Muslims of If apathy is the name of the game

the Covid-19 pandemic. placed limitations that are necessitated the question now is one of how far the Xinjiang in China. Even as details where nation states are concerned,

The change in the mien and by the nature of the plague. To permit idea of a supranational community emerge of the hell that is a Chinese re- non-state groups appear to be only
manner of the pilgrimage reflects the things to continue as before would, can be strengthened without being re- education camp, the abuse continues. too eager to take up the concept of the

dissension and fragmenting of the undoubtedly, create a catastrophe for energized on a yearly basis by the same When Uighurs are dragged off to one ‘ummah’ for their own purposes. Ru-

Muslim ummah in general. The ar- the entire world. numbers as were previously witnessed of the camps, they are so dispirited that mors have been circulating for a while
ray of nationalities that used to come The reasons for the curtailed pil- at the pilgrimage. they leave notes for their family to for- that Al Qaeda, newly reconstituted,

together for the performance of the grimage thus are good ones. At the The politics of various Muslim get them forever. In the camps, the vast has launched a new magazine that is

annual pilgrimage represented, in a lit- same time, it would not be out of place nations reflect this shrinkage of the numbers of detained Uighurs, (some directed at the Muslim ummah.

eral and tangible sense, the vast ambit to wonder whether the restrictions on Muslim worldview. In the current mo- whose camps can apparently be seen Then there are the Taliban, who,

of the Muslim world and the Muslim the pilgrimage have had a corollary ef- ment, Muslims are suffering in many from outer space) toil day and night UMMAH, P30
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