Hazrat `Ali - Part 8 - Hazrat `Ali's Kunyahs and Titles
Part 8 - Hazrat `Ali's Kunyahs and Titles
In Arabic, it is considered respectful to address a person by referring to him as the father (Abu) of one of his sons. Hazrat `Ali was popularly known as Abu'l-Hasan – Father of Hasan.
Prophet Muhammad used three kunyahs for Hazrat `Ali: Abu'lHasanayn – Father of the two Hasans; Abu's-Sibtayn – Father of the two grandsons; Abu'r-Rayhanatayn – Father of the two fragrant flowers.
The above kunyahs are an indication of the love and respect which the members of the Panj-tan-i pak or ahlu'l-bayt felt for each other.
Hazrat `Ali's Titles
Mawla: means 'master'. This title of Hazrat `Ali is a direct reference to the event of Gadir-i Khumm, where the Prophet, after inviting the Muslims present to testify to his own position as their 'Mawla' then declared Hazrat `Ali to be their 'mawla' too, (see chapter on Gadir-i Khumm and the Qur'an 33:6).
Murtaza: means 'the pleased', 'the accepted'. It is from the word 'irtaza', which is traditionally believed was used by Hazrat Jibril when he brought the message to Prophet Muhammad, that Allah had chosen Hazrat `Ali to marry Hazrat Fatimah. As shown in the first chapter, Hazrat `Ali was chosen by Prophet Muhammad again and again for a number of roles, relationships and special tasks. Additionally, this title is an indicator that Hazrat `Ali was also chosen by Allah to succeed Prophet Muhammad, as witnessed by the momentous event of Gadir-i Khumm.
Asas: literally means 'foundation'. Hazrat `Ali was the first Imam of the cycle of Prophet Muhammad and as such, was the 'foundation' Imam. With every Natiq there has to be an Asas and that of Prophet Muhammad was Hazrat `Ali.
Shah-i Mardan: means the 'King of Men'. It is a Persian title and is of later origin. Its equivalent in Arabic can be 'fata' i.e., the ideal man.
Waliyyu'llah: means 'Friend of Allah' and refers to the Ayat-i Walayat, Surah 5:55.
This particular title is used on Fatimid and Alamut coins as '`Aliyyun Waliyyu'llah'.
"An example of a Fatimid coin from the time of Mawlana Imam al-Mu`izz"
Nafs-i Rasul: means 'Soul of the Prophet', which is referred to in the ayat-i Mubahalah, Surah 3, verse 61 (3:61) (see Chapter One). This title also reminds us of the number of ahadith, in which the Prophet declared the special bond between himself and Hazrat `Ali.
Note: The word 'soul' (anfus, sing. nafs) in the Arabic in the Qur'an is simply translated into English as 'yourselves' and 'ourselves'.
Sahib-i Saluni: This title originates from a very famous statement of Hazrat `Ali quoted in full in the section on "Hazrat `Ali's knowledge of the Holy Qur'an". It refers to Hazrat `Ali as the only companion of the Prophet, who said 'ask me…'
Amiru'l-Mu'minin: or 'Commander of the faithful' is a wellknown title of Hazrat `Ali. It is based on the Prophetic Tradition: 'God has not sent a verse, in which is addressed 'O you who believe (Ya ayyuha'l-ladhina amanu …), but the chief and commander (amir) of the verse, is `Ali'.
Amiru'n-Nahl or Ya`subu'd-Din: The title 'Amiru'nl-Nahl' literally means 'Prince of the Bees'. 'Ya`sub' also means 'Prince of the Bees', therefore the second title literally means 'Prince of the Bees of religion'.
Hazrat `Ali used to refer to himself as Amiru'n-Nahl, a practice which echoed a Prophetic Tradition, in which Prophet Muhammad had likened mu'mins to bees. Therefore, the Commander of the mu'mins or believers is compared to the Queen of Bees (in Arabic, however, the word 'Prince' is used instead of 'Queen').
Further, Pir Nasir Khusraw giving the ta'wil of the four streams of the Qur'anic description of paradise,72 says that the stream of honey symbolises the ta'wil of the Asas. Just as honey is sweet and has medicinal qualities, in a similar way, the ta'wil of the Asas has spiritual healing. Moreover, just as the bees work collectively under the guidance of a sole leader, similarly, mu'mins should be united under the guidance of the Imam of the time.
Khasifu'n-na`l: means 'Mender of the shoe'. This title was given to Hazrat `Ali by the Prophet on the occasion when he declared that Hazrat `Ali would fight for the ta'wil of the Qur'an as he has fought for its tanzil (See the section on "Hazrat `Ali's knowledge of the Qur'an").
Abu Turab: literally means Father of dust or earth. It was a title given by Prophet Muhammad to Hazrat `Ali.
This unusual title has been the subject of many and varied interpretations: it has been suggested that Hazrat `Ali was given this title because he used to prostrate (sajadah) a lot i.e., his forehead touched the earth often in prostration; some others try to link the title with the origin of Hazrat Adam from clay; yet others have taken the view that Hazrat `Ali possessed the miraculous powers of conversing with the earth.
The great Ismaili hujjat of Khurasan, Pir Nasir-i Khusraw, however, gives a ta'wili explanation in his book Wajh-i Din.73 He refers to the Qur'an – Surah 78, verse 40 (78:40) which says: "Lo! We warn you of a doom at hand, a day whereon a man will look on that which his own hands have sent before, and the disbelievers will cry: 'Would that we were dust (turaban)".
Pir Nasir focuses on the last line of the above verse and questions why the disbelievers would yearn to be dust on the Day of Judgement. It is because the ta'wil of dust is 'mu'min'. Pir Nasir further explains this ta'wil by stating that just as dust or earth can be mixed with water to form clay, in the same way, a mu'min can be transformed by the addition of the water of knowledge or `ilm. It is for this profound reason that Prophet Muhammad gave Hazrat `Ali the title of Abu Turab or the father of the mu'mins.
The lack of knowledge coupled with bias is much evident in the article on Hazrat `Ali in the Enyclopaedia of Islam, page 385, where it is stated '... and Abu Turab, 'dustman', a name probably given to him contemptuously by his enemies, but which was afterwards interpreted as an honorific by invented episodes'. Not only is the factual historical content incorrect, since it was given by Prophet Muhammad, but an inexcusable error is the mistranslation of Abu Turab as 'dustman'. This example of bias and misrepresentation is a salutary warning against relying on secondary sources for a study of Ismaili history.
An interesting point to note is that in the above list of titles, of the last two, i.e., Khasifu'n-Na`l and Abu Turab, both of which were given to Hazrat `Ali by Prophet Muhammad, the literal or exoteric meanings are humble and lowly. It is important to note that humility is a key characteristic of our Prophets and Imams.
Note: There are many other perhaps more commonly known titles of Hazrat `Ali, but only those were chosen which have special esoteric significance regarding the position of the Imam.
- 72'Wajh-i Din' by Pir Nasir-i Khusraw, Persian, pp. 79-80.
- 73Ibid., Persian p. 124.
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