[Pooya/Ali Commentary 58:22] The merits and excellences of the thoroughly purified Ahl ul Bayt (Ahzab: 33) mentioned in the commentary of several verses so far studied on the authority of well-known Muslim scholars must inevitably convince you that the highest degree of faith referred to in this verse was demonstrated by them only. (i) "Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him" should make you think of the declaration of the Holy Prophet on the day of Khaybar: "Tomorrow I shall give the standard of Islam to him who loves Allah and His prophet and Allah and His prophet love him." (Tabari, Rawdatul Ahbab, Sirat al Muhammadia, Tadkh ul Khulafa). See commentary of Ma-idah: 54 and Fat-h: 20. In "the party of Allah" only those who possess highest degree of purity of body and soul are included as the entire Muslim ummah knows beyond all doubts that verse 61 of Ali Imran, verse 33 of Ahzab and verse 23 of Shura refer to the Ahl ul Bayt exclusively. (ii) The quality of faith in Allah referred to here could not be had by those who deserted the Holy Prophet in the battlefields (Bara-at: 25 to 27), or watched the battles from a safe distance (Baqarah: 214, 251; Ahzab: 1 to 3 and 9 to 27), or always had doubts about the religion of Allah and the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Fat-h: 1), or refused to obey the commands of the Holy Prophet (Nisa: 65). Such people show lack of faith and courage in the hour of trial because they do not believe in the life of hereafter or "the last day". Those who firmly believe in the life of hereafter do not usurp temporal power by hook or crook, nor undeservedly occupy the seat of leadership. Imam Ali said: "O yellow gold, O white silver, do not waste your glamour on me. Beguile others. I have divorced you thrice. Now there is no link between us." (iii) When "Allah has inscribed faith in their hearts", there remains no chance whatsoever that they may have doubts about the religion of Allah and the prophethood of the Holy Prophet. He who had doubted (Fat-h: 1) obviously has not been favoured with the divine blessing of "faith inscribed in his heart". (iv) He who is "strengthened with a spirit" from Allah, rises to the heights of courage, bravery and glory seen by the whole world in the battles of Badr, Uhad, Khandaq, Hunayn and Khaybar, or on the night of hijrat. See commentary of Ali Imran : 13 and Anfal: 5; Ali Imran: 121 to 168 and Anfal: 16; Baqarah: 214, 251 and Ahzab: 1 to 3, 9 to 27; Bara-at: 25 to 27; Fat-h: 20; and Baqarah: 207 and Anfal: 30. A few exclusive merits of Ali ibn abi Talib, written by Jalal al Din al Suyuti in Tarikh al Khulafa, are given below: (i) Ahmad bin Hanbal says: "There had not come down to us regarding the merits of any one of the companions of the Holy Prophet what has been transmitted concerning Ali." (Al Hakim). (ii) Ibn Asakir from Ibn Abbas says: "There has not been revealed in the book of Allah regarding any one what has been revealed concerning Ali and that 300 verses have been revealed concerning Ali." (iii) Al Tabarani and Ibn Abi Hatim record from Ibn Abbas that he said: "The Lord never revealed the words: "O true believers" but, Ali was understood to be the Lord and the chief of them, and verily the Lord has reproved the companions of the Holy Prophet in various places but has never mentioned Ali save with approval." (iv) Al Tirmizi, Al Nisai and Ibn Maja from Habshi bin Junada say that the Holy Prophet said: "All is a part of me and I of Ali." (v) Al Tabarani records in the Awsat from Jabir bin Abdullah that the Holy Prophet said: "The people are of various stocks but I and Ali are of one stock." (vi) Al Tabarani records in the Aswat and Saghir from Ummi Salima that she narrates: "I heard the Holy Prophet say: "Ali with the Quran and the Quran with Ali shall not be separated until they arrive at the fountain of Kawthar in paradise." (vii) Ibn Sad records on the authority of Ali that he said: "By Allah a verse of the Quran was never revealed but I know regarding what it was revealed and where it was revealed, for my Lord has given unto me a wise heart and an eloquent tongue." (viii) Ibn Sad and others on the authority of Abu Tufayl record that Ali said: "Ask me regarding the book of Allah, for verily there is not a verse but I know whether it was revealed by night or by day, in the plains or on the mountains." (ix) Al Tirmizi and Al Hakim record from Ali that the Holy Prophet said: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate." (x) Ibn Masud says that the Holy Prophet said: "To look at Ali is devotion." (xi) Muslim records on the authority of Ali that he said: "By Him who had cleft the seed and created the soul, verily the Holy Prophet stated to me that none but a true believer would love me, and none but a hypocrite would hate me." (xii) Al Tirmizi from Abu Sa-id al-Khudri says that he said: "We used to distinguish the hypocrites by their hatred of Ali." (xiii) Ibn Asakir on the authority of Abu Bakr records that the Holy Prophet said: "Looking at Ali is worship." (xiv) Al Tabarani from Ummi Salima says that the Holy Prophet said: "He who has loved Ali has verily loved me, and he who has hated Ali has verily hated me, and he who has hated me, verily hated the Lord." (xv) Abu Yula and Al-Bazzaz from Sad bin Abi Waqqas say that the Holy Prophet said: "He who annoys Ali, has annoyed me." (xvi) Ahmed bin Hanbal records and Al-Hakim, on the authority of Umme Salima verifies that she narrates: "I heard the Holy Prophet say: "He who has reviled Ali verily he has reviled me." (xvii) Sad bin Al-Musyib says that Umar bin Khattab used to pray to Allah to preserve him from a perplexing case which the father of Hasan (Ali), was not present to decide and that Umar said: "None of the companions used to say 'Ask me' except Ali." (xviii) Al Tabarani says in the Awsat from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Ali possessed eighteen eminent qualities which belonged to no other of the people." (xix) Al Bazzaz records on the authoritv of Sad that the Holy Prophet said to Ali: "It is not lawful for anyone to be in the Masjid while under the obligation of performing a total ablution, except for me and for you." (xx) Abu Yula says that Umar bin Khattab said: "Verily Ali had been endowed with three qualities of which had I but one it would be more precious to me than were I given high bred camels." It was asked of him what they were, he replied: "His remaining in the masjid while that is permitted to him which is not lawful for me, his carrying the standard on the day of Khaybar and his wedding the Holy Prophet's daughter." (xxi) The two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) record on the authority of Sad ibne Al-Waqqas that the Holy Prophet left Ali ibn Abi Talib behind as his vicegerent during the expedition to Tabuk, and Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you leave me behind among the women and children?" He replied: "Are you not content to be to me in the relation of Harun to Musa save that there shall be no prophet after me?" (xxii) And from Sahl ibn Sad said that the Holy Prophet said on the day of Khaybar: "I will surely give the standard tomorrow to one at whose hands the Lord will give victory, one who loves Allah and His Prophet and whom Allah and His Prophet love." The people passed the night in perplexity as to whom it would be given. When they entered upon the dawn, they went early to the Holy Prophet, each one of them hoping that it would be given to him, but he said: "Where is Ali the son of Abu Talib?" They said to him: "He complains of pain in his eyes." He said: "Then send for him." They brought him and the Holy Prophet applied his saliva in his eyes and prayed for him, and he was healed so that it was as if he had no pain, and he gave him the standard. (xxiii) Muslim records on the authority of Sad ibn Abi Waqqas that when verse 61 of Ali Imran was reveled, the Holy Prophet summoned Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn and said: "O Allah, these are my Ahl ul Bayt." (xxiv) Al Tabarani records in the Awsat and Abu Nu-aym in the Dala-il, on the authority of Zadan, that Ali was relating a tradition when a man accused him of speaking falsely, and Ali said to him: "Shall I curse-"and Ali cursed him, and he did not quit the place till his sight left him. (xxv) Abul Qasim-al-Zajajaji narrates in his dictations that Ali composed a work on the principles of the Arabic language, and the grammar of the Arabic language. As has been stated at several places that praiseworthy qualities are described in the Quran in general terms but they were manifested in full perfection by the Ahl ul Bayt, as recorded in authentic books of history and commentary written by well known Muslim scholars. These qualities are, no doubt, also found in other true believers according to their degree of submission to the will of Allah. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: This verse lays down the basis by which a true believer is distinguished from a hypocrite. The prophets and the imams are always helped by a spiritual power from Allah which may be described as ruhul qudus (holy spirit), and the true believing followers are helped by the spirit of faith (ruhul iman). Also see commentary of Ha Mim: 30.