The Great Tiding
By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz
"What is it about which they question each other; "[Is it] about the Great Tiding; Great Tiding; "The one about which they differ.
"No indeed! They will soon know!
"Again, no indeed! They will soon know!” (Holy Qur’an 78:1-5)
During one of the battles of the protracted several-month-long Siffin War near Raqqa in Syria, soldier from the camp of the rebel, Mu’awiyya ibn Abu Sufyan, entered the field against the army of the Commander of the Faithful, the Leader of the Pious, and the divinely-designated vicegerent of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) – Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) – wielding his sword and reciting the above mentioned ayahs of the holy Qur’an.
Imam Ali (AS) happened to be on the battlefield at the moment, and on hearing the neo-Muslim Syrian recite what he had some three decades earlier diligently written down (along with explanatory notes) as the Prophet’s personal scribe on revelation of these ayahs of Surah Naba, he asked the person whether he knew the meaning of these Words of God Almighty, and Who is "Naba’ il-Azim” or the "Great Tiding” regarding whom people differ?
The Syrian replied: No, I do not know.
To the surprise of the man, Imam Ali (AS) answered: "I am the Naba’ il- Azim” and it is concerning my "Wilayah” (God-given authority – proclaimed by the Prophet) about which you differed amongst yourselves and rose against me in the matter of my position of (the Prophet’s) Vicegerent, after having acknowledge it (on the Plain of Ghadeer-Khom). On the Day of the Resurrection (Qayamah) once again you will understand it (when everything becomes manifestly clear).”
These words of guidance from the Epitome of Valour who could have cut down the Syrian with a flashing stroke of his redoubtable twin-bladed sword, Dhu’l-Feqar, may have enlightened the Syrian.
But despite the earnest efforts of the Paragon of Magnanimity, the charlatan Mu’awiyyah and his misled forces, made their ears deaf to the call of the Emblem of Justice, to decide the fate of the battle through a single combat with him, instead of bleeding thousands of unsuspecting Muslims to death.
We are on the threshold of the auspicious 13th of Rajab, the day the Holy Ka’ba came alive in Mecca, exactly 1459 lunar years ago, when its walls miraculously opened and closed to allow the noble lady, Fatema bint Asad (AS), to enter sancta sanctorum for the birth of the Great Tiding.
The only person to be born in the holiest spot on Planet Earth needs no introduction. Those who differ about Imam Ali (AS) and his prime position as the Prophet’s Heir, do so at their own peril.
A famous hadith says that a believer will never cease to love Imam Ali (AS), while a hypocrite will never give up enmity to him – preferring the eternal fires of hell rather than the bliss of paradise.
As a matter of fact, he is the barometer for testing one’s faith. Like the Ka’ba his position is pivotal. He is the noblest person created by God after his cousin, Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). His entire life was in the service of Islam, and those who turn against him, in fact, have turned away from the Prophet and God.
It was not for no reason that Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), while elaborating to his companions the virtue of his cousin, son-in-law, and divinely-designated Vicegerent, has said: "O Ali! Allah has created me and you from His Light. He created Adam and put that light into Adam. This light reached Abdul-Muttalib and then it split; so I was in Abdullah and you were in Abu Taleb. Nubuwwah (Prophethood) does not befit anyone other than me, while Wilayah (vicegerency) does not befit anyone other than you. Whoever denies your vicegerency denies my prophethood, and whoever denies my prophethood Allah will throw him down on his nose into the Fire…”
To end this brief column, here is a famous statement from the Imam himself, in whose direct progeny is the Prophet’s 12 and Last Infallible Heir, Imam Mahdi (AS), who will reappear in the end times to usher in the global government of peace, prosperity and justice, as the rightful successor to the Great Tiding: "The earth shall never be devoid of the Divine Proof, He may be apparent and prominent or he may be concealed and hidden. And it is because of him that the proofs and signs of Allah are not wasted.”
"What is it about which they question each other; "[Is it] about the Great Tiding; Great Tiding; "The one about which they differ.
"No indeed! They will soon know!
"Again, no indeed! They will soon know!” (Holy Qur’an 78:1-5)
During one of the battles of the protracted several-month-long Siffin War near Raqqa in Syria, soldier from the camp of the rebel, Mu’awiyya ibn Abu Sufyan, entered the field against the army of the Commander of the Faithful, the Leader of the Pious, and the divinely-designated vicegerent of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) – Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) – wielding his sword and reciting the above mentioned ayahs of the holy Qur’an.
Imam Ali (AS) happened to be on the battlefield at the moment, and on hearing the neo-Muslim Syrian recite what he had some three decades earlier diligently written down (along with explanatory notes) as the Prophet’s personal scribe on revelation of these ayahs of Surah Naba, he asked the person whether he knew the meaning of these Words of God Almighty, and Who is "Naba’ il-Azim” or the "Great Tiding” regarding whom people differ?
The Syrian replied: No, I do not know.
To the surprise of the man, Imam Ali (AS) answered: "I am the Naba’ il- Azim” and it is concerning my "Wilayah” (God-given authority – proclaimed by the Prophet) about which you differed amongst yourselves and rose against me in the matter of my position of (the Prophet’s) Vicegerent, after having acknowledge it (on the Plain of Ghadeer-Khom). On the Day of the Resurrection (Qayamah) once again you will understand it (when everything becomes manifestly clear).”
These words of guidance from the Epitome of Valour who could have cut down the Syrian with a flashing stroke of his redoubtable twin-bladed sword, Dhu’l-Feqar, may have enlightened the Syrian.
But despite the earnest efforts of the Paragon of Magnanimity, the charlatan Mu’awiyyah and his misled forces, made their ears deaf to the call of the Emblem of Justice, to decide the fate of the battle through a single combat with him, instead of bleeding thousands of unsuspecting Muslims to death.
We are on the threshold of the auspicious 13th of Rajab, the day the Holy Ka’ba came alive in Mecca, exactly 1459 lunar years ago, when its walls miraculously opened and closed to allow the noble lady, Fatema bint Asad (AS), to enter sancta sanctorum for the birth of the Great Tiding.
The only person to be born in the holiest spot on Planet Earth needs no introduction. Those who differ about Imam Ali (AS) and his prime position as the Prophet’s Heir, do so at their own peril.
A famous hadith says that a believer will never cease to love Imam Ali (AS), while a hypocrite will never give up enmity to him – preferring the eternal fires of hell rather than the bliss of paradise.
As a matter of fact, he is the barometer for testing one’s faith. Like the Ka’ba his position is pivotal. He is the noblest person created by God after his cousin, Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). His entire life was in the service of Islam, and those who turn against him, in fact, have turned away from the Prophet and God.
It was not for no reason that Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), while elaborating to his companions the virtue of his cousin, son-in-law, and divinely-designated Vicegerent, has said: "O Ali! Allah has created me and you from His Light. He created Adam and put that light into Adam. This light reached Abdul-Muttalib and then it split; so I was in Abdullah and you were in Abu Taleb. Nubuwwah (Prophethood) does not befit anyone other than me, while Wilayah (vicegerency) does not befit anyone other than you. Whoever denies your vicegerency denies my prophethood, and whoever denies my prophethood Allah will throw him down on his nose into the Fire…”
To end this brief column, here is a famous statement from the Imam himself, in whose direct progeny is the Prophet’s 12 and Last Infallible Heir, Imam Mahdi (AS), who will reappear in the end times to usher in the global government of peace, prosperity and justice, as the rightful successor to the Great Tiding: "The earth shall never be devoid of the Divine Proof, He may be apparent and prominent or he may be concealed and hidden. And it is because of him that the proofs and signs of Allah are not wasted.”
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