SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) - is acceptance of Islam a good explanation used for Ali (a.s.)?
Answer: we say that Imam Ali (a.s.) is the first person who accepted Islam just for agreeing with Sunnis; it may be said that: accepting Islam signifies background of polytheism, but we should say that: when did Imam Ali (a.s.) reject faith to be necessary to change his way and accept Islam? And when did he set up partner with Allah to be necessary to believe Allah? He is a person who was born with Islam and Divine Unity, and he was born in the house of Allah. He opened his eyes to the Prophet (s.a.w.), and he grew up under his care. He went with the Prophet (s.a.w.) to Hara cave to pray Allah at those ages, when other people were worshipping idols. Therefore Islam and faith of his holiness mean that he renewed his covenant with the Prophet (s.a.w.) and he publicly declared the belief that he has kept it in his heart from childhood and acted upon it. The meaning of his belief and accepting Islam is like the meaning of belief and accepting Islam of prophet Ibrahim (a.s.). The Almighty Allah states about him that:
[1]"و انا اول المسلمین"
“and I am the first of those who submit.”
[2]"اذ قال له ربه اسلم قال اسلمت لرب العالمین"
“When his Lord said to him, Be a Muslim, he said: I submit myself to the Lord of the worlds.”
[3]"و انا اول المومنین"
“and I am the first of the believers.”
And He states about the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) that:
[4]"آمن الرسول بما انزل الیه من ربه"
“The messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord.”
[5]"قل انی امرت ان اکون اول من اسلم"
“Say: I am commanded to be the first who submits himself.”
[6]"و امرت ان اسلم لرب العالمین"
“and I am commanded that I should submit to the Lord of the worlds.”
Each meaning that we understand from acceptance of Islam and faith of prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.), is also used for acceptance of Islam and faith of Imam Ali (a.s.).
Mrs. Doctor Sa’ad Mahir quotes from Masudi that he said: “… many of people believe that not only Ali (a.s.) has never set up a partner with Allah to be necessary to accept Islam again, but also he completely followed the acts and behavior of the Prophet (s.a.w.), and he imitated him, he also acted in this way at maturity, and Allah surly kept and confirmed him, and made him successful in following the Prophet (s.a.w.)…”[7] [8]



[1] - Quran, Al- Ana`am, verse. 163.
[2] - Quran, Al- Baqara, verse. 131.
[3] - Quran, A- A`raf, verse. 143.
[4] - Quran, Al- Baqara, verse. 285.
[5] - Quran, Al- Ana`am, verse. 14.
[6] - Quran, Al- Ghafir, verse. 66.
[7] - Mashhad al- Imam Ali (a.s.) fi al- Najaf, p. 35.
[8] - Ali Asghar Rizwani, Imamology and answering to the doubts, vol. 2, p. 454. www.shafaqna.com/English