Chapter Three: The Magnificent Sacrifice during the Overnight Stay

Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (AS), written by Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri, abridged by Mahdi Gholamali, translated by Zaid Alsalami and Safyullah Khan, edited by Hamid Reza Salarkia and published by NORPUB.

 17. تاريخ دمشق عن أبي رافع:

17. Tarikh Dimashq, narrating from Abu Rafi, who said:

 إنَّ عَلِيّا كانَ يُجَهِّزُ النّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه و آله حينَ كانَ بِالغارِ ويَأتيهِ بالطَّعامِ ،

“Ali would supply the Prophet (SA) when he was in the cave and would bring him food.

وَاستَأجَرَ لَهُ ثَلاثَ رَواحِلَ ؛ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و آله ولِأَبي بَكرٍ و[لِ]دَليلِهِمُ ابنِ اُرَيقِطٍ ،

He hired three camels: one for the Prophet (SA), one for Abu Bakr and one for their guide Ibn Urayqi.

وخَلَّفَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه و آله ، لِيُخرِجَ إلَيهِ أهلَهُ ، فَأَخرَجَهُم ،

The Prophet (SA) left Ali behind to bring his family [from Mecca].

وأمَرَهُ أن يُؤَدِّيَ عَنهُ أمانَتَهُ ووَصايا مَن كانَ يوصي إلَيهِ ،

The Prophet (SA) ordered Ali to give back what people had entrusted to him (SA)

وما كانَ يُؤتَمَنُ عَلَيهِ مِن مالٍ ، فَأَدّى أمانَتَهُ كُلَّها .

and return the money people had deposited with him. He paid back the trust thoroughly.

 وأمَرَهُ أن يَضطَجِعَ عَلى فِراشِهِ لَيلَةَ خَرَجَ ،

He (SA) also ordered Ali to sleep in his bed on the night he left,

وقالَ : إنَّ قُرَيشا لَن يَفقِدوني ما رَأَوكَ ،

saying to him: “The Quraish will not look for me as long as they see you.”

فَاضطَجَعَ عَلِيٌّ عَلى فِراشِهِ ،

So he laid in the Prophet’s bed.

فَكانَت قُرَيشٌ تَنظُرُ إلى فِراشِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و آله

The Quraish kept watching the bed of the Prophet (SA)

فَيَرَونَ عَلَيهِ رَجُلاً يَظُنّونَهُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه و آله ،

and saw someone in it, whom they believed to be the Prophet (SA).

حَتّى إذا أصبَحوا رَأَوا عَلَيهِ عَلِيّا ،

When morning came, they saw that it was Ali.

فَقالوا : لَو خَرَجَ مُحَمَّدٌ خَرَجَ بِعَلِيٍّ مَعَهُ ،

They said: “If Muhammad left, then he must have taken Ali with him.”

فَحَبَسَهُمُ اللّهُ عَزَّوجَلَّ بِذلِكَ عَن طَلَبِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و آله حينَ رَأَوا عَلِيّا ولَم يَفقِدُوا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه و آله .

Therefore, Allah the Glorious, kept them away from going after the Prophet (SA) when they saw Ali, so they thought the Prophet (SA) was still there.

 وأمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه و آله عَلِيّا أن يَلحَقَهُ بِالمَدينَةِ ،

The Prophet (SA) then ordered Ali to catch up with him in Medina.

فَخَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ في طَلَبِهِ بَعدَما أخرَجَ إلَيهِ أهلَهُ ،

Ali left to follow the Prophet, after bringing along his family.

يَمشي مِنَ اللَّيلِ ويَكمُنُ مِنَ النَّهارِ حَتّى قَدِمَ المَدينَةَ ،

He would travel at night and stay hidden during the day, until he reached Medina.

فَلَمّا بَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه و آله قُدومُهُ قالَ : اُدعوا لي عَلِيّا .

When the Prophet (SA) was informed of his arrival, he said: “Ask Ali to come to me.”

قيلَ : يا رَسولَ اللّهِ ، لا يَقدِرُ أن يَمشِيَ ،

They said: “O Messenger of Allah, he cannot walk.”

فَأَتاهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه و آله ، فَلَمّا رَآهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه و آله اعتَنَقَهُ وبَكى رَحمَةً لِما بِقَدَمَيهِ مِنَ الوَرَمِ ، وكانَتا تَقطُرانِ دَما ،

The Prophet (SA) came to him, and when he saw him he embraced him and wept out of mercy for him, because of the swelling he saw in his feet, when they were bleeding.

فَتَفَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه و آله في يَدَيهِ ثُمَّ مَسَحَ بِهِما رِجلَيهِ ،

The Prophet (SA) put some of his saliva in his palms and wiped Ali’s feet with it.

ودَعا لَهُ بِالعافِيَةِ ،

He (SA) then prayed for Ali’s good health.

فَلَم يَشتَكِهِما عَلِيٌّ حَتَّى استُشهِدَ .

Ali never complained about them until he was martyred.”

تاريخ دمشق : ج 42 ص 68 ح 8416 .

Tarikh Dimashq, vol. 42, p. 69, h. 8416.