Chapter Two: Bringing Back the Sun to Him

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.

أ ـ مَن رُدَّت لَهُ الشَّمسُ

He for Whom the Sun Was Brought back

843. الإمام الصادق عليه السلام :

843. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said:

إنَّ سُلَيمانَ بنَ داوودَ عليه السلام عُرِضَ عَلَيهِ ذاتَ يَومٍ بِالعَشِيِّ الخيَلُ ،

“One evening horses were displayed before Solomon, son of David (AS),

فَاشتَغَلَ بِالنَّظَرِ إلَيها

so he was occupied with looking at them,

حَتّى تَوارَتِ الشَّمسُ بِالحِجابِ ،

until the sun disappeared behind the [night’s] veil. [That is it set (Editor).]

فَقالَ لِلمَلائِكَةِ :

He said to the angels:

رُدُّوا الشَّمسَ عَلَيَّ حَتّى اُصَلِّيَ صَلاتي في وَقتِها !

 ‘Bring back the sun for me [so] that I may offer my prayer in its appointed time.’

فَرَدّوها ، فَقامَ فَمَسَحَ ساقَيهِ وعُنُقَهُ ،

They brought it back; so he stood up and rubbed his legs and his neck.

وأمَرَ أصحابَهُ الَّذينَ فاتَتهُم الصَّلاةُ مَعَهُ بِمِثلِ ذلِكَ ـ

He commanded his companions that had missed their prayer to do so.

وكانَ ذلِكَ وُضوءَهُم لِلصَّلاةِ ـ ثُمَّ قامَ فَصَلّى ،

That was their ablution for prayer. He then stood and prayed;

فَلَمّا فَرَغَ غابَتِ الشَّمسُ وطَلَعَتِ النُّجومُ .

when he finished, the sun set and the stars rose.

ذلِكَ قَولُ اللّهِ عَزَّ وجَلَّ :  «وَ وَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُدَ سُلَيْمَـنَ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ * إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِىِّ الصَّـفِنَـتُ الْجِيَادُ * فَقَالَ إِنِّى أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّى حَتَّى تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ * رُدُّوهَا عَلَىَّ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحَا بِالسُّوقِ وَ الْأَعْنَاقِ» . ص : 30 ـ 33 .

These are the words of God: “To David We gave Solomon; what an excellent servant!  Indeed, he was a penitent soul. When one evening there were displayed before him prancing steeds, he said,‘  Indeed, I have preferred the love of [worldly] niceties to the remembrance of my Lord until [the sun] disappeared behind the [night’s] veil. Bring it back for me!’ Then he [and others] began to wipe [their] legs and necks.” Quran, 38:30-33

كتاب من لا يحضره الفقيه : ج 1 ص 202 ح 607 .

Man la-Yahduruh al-Faqih, vol. 1, p. 202, h. 607.

ب ـ رَدُّ الشَّمسِ لِلإِمامِ عليه السلام مَرَّتَينِ

Bringing the Sun back Twice for the Imam

844. الإمام علي عليه السلام :

844. Imam Ali (AS) said:

إنَّ اللّهَ تَبارَكَ وتَعالى رَدَّ عَلَيَّ الشَّمسَ مَرَّتَينِ ،

“ Indeed, God brought back the sun twice for me;

ولَم يَرُدَّها عَلى أحَدٍ مِن اُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه و آله غَيري .

He had not brought it back it for anyone from the community of Muhammad (SA) except me.”

الخصال : ص 580 ح 1 .

Al-Khisal, p. 580, h. 1.

ج ـ رَدُّ الشَّمسِ لَهُ في عَهدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و آله

 

845. المعجم الكبير عن أسماء بنت عميس :

845. Al-Mujam al-Kabir, reporting from Asma bint Umays, who said:

كانَ رَسولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله إذا نَزَلَ عَلَيهِ الوَحيُ يَكادُ يُغشى عَلَيهِ ،

 “Whenever revelation was revealed upon the Messenger of God (SA) he would almost lose consciounsness.

فَاُنزِلَ عَلَيهِ يَوما وهُوَ في حِجرِ عَلِيٍّ ،

One day while he rested his head on the lap of Ali, the revelation descended on him.

فَقالَ لَهُ رَسولُ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله :

Thereafter, the Messenger of God (SA) said to him:

صَلَّيتَ العَصرَ ياعَلِيُّ ؟

‘O Ali, have you offered the aftermoon prayer?’

 قالَ : لا يا رَسولَ اللّهِ .

He said: ‘No, O Messenger of God’.

 فَدَعا اللّهَ فَرَدَّ عَلَيهِ الشَّمسَ حَتّى صَلَّى العَصرَ .

The Prophet prayed to God and He brought the sun back, until he prayed.

 قالَت : فَرَأَيتُ الشَّمسَ طَلَعَت بَعدَما غابَت

She said: I saw the sun rising after it had set,

حينَ رُدَّت حَتّى صَلَّى العَصرَ .

when it was brought back, until he prayed.”

المعجم الكبير : ج 24 ص 152 ح 391 .

Al-Mujam al-Kabir, vol. 24, p. 152, h. 391.

د ـ رَدُّ الشَّمسِ أيّامَ إمارَةِ الإِمامِ عليه السلام

 

846. الإرشاد :

846. Al-Irshad, relates:

وكانَ رُجوعُها ]أيِ الشَّمسِ[ عَلَيهِ بَعدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و آله :

“It was returned for him after the era of the Prophet (SA)

إنَّهُ لَمّا أرادَ أن يَعبُرَ الفُراتَ بِبابِلَ ،

that was when he wanted to cross the Euphrates at Babylon;

اشتَغَلَ كَثيرٌ مِن أصحابِهِ بِتَعبيرِ دَوابِّهِم ورِحالِهِم ،

many of his followers were occupied in taking their animals and baggage across.

وصَلَّى عليه السلام بِنَفسِهِ في طائِفَةٍ مَعَهُ العَصرَ ،

He (AS) offered the afternoon prayer himself with a group who were with him.

فَلَم يَفرَغِ النّاسُ مِن عُبورِهِم حَتّى غَرَبَتِ الشَّمسُ ،

People had not finished their crossing when the sun had set

فَفاتَتِ الصَّلاةُ كَثيرا مِنهُم ،

and many of them missed the prayer.

وفاتَ الجُمهورُ فَضلَ الاِجتِماعِ مَعَهُ ،

They missed the merit of the congregation with him

فَتَكَلَّموا في ذلِكَ ،

and thus spoke about it.

فَلَمّا سَمِعَ كَلامَهُم فيهِ سَأَلَ اللّهَ تَعالى رَدَّ الشَّمسِ عَلَيهِ

When he heard their talk about it, he asked God to bring back the sun,

لِيَجتَمِعَ كافَّةُ أصحابِهِ عَلى صَلاةِ العَصرِ في وَقتِها ،

so that all of his followers might be assembled to perform the afternoon prayer at its appointed time.

فَأَجابَهُ اللّهُ تَعالى في رَدِّها عَلَيهِ ،

God answered him by bringing back the sun for him.

فَكانَت فِي الاُفُقِ عَلَى الحالِ الَّتي تَكونُ عَلَيها وَقتَ العَصرِ ،

The horizons became such as they are for the time of the afternoon prayer.

فَلَمّا سَلَّمَ بِالقَومِ غابَت ،

When he said the final greeting (at the end of the prayer) for the people,

فَسُمِعَ لَها وَجيبٌ شَديدٌ هالَ النّاسَ ذلِكَ ،

the sun disappeared and a powerful sound was heard from it which terrified them.

وأكثَروا مِنَ التَّسبيحِ وَالتَّهليلِ وَالاِستِغفارِ

They became profuse in their glorification of God, in their declarations of His uniqueness, in seeking His forgiveness,

وَالحَمدُ للِّهِ عَلى نِعمَتِهِ الَّتي ظَهَرَت فيهِم ،

and in praising God for His favour which He had shown to them.

وسارَ خَبَرُ ذلِكَ فِي الآفاقِ وَانتَشَرَ ذِكرُهُ فِي النّاسِ .

The reports have reached distant horizons and its account spread among people.”

الإرشاد : ج1 ص346 .

Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 346.