رسول الله صَلَّي اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهٖ أَنَا مَدِينَةُ الْعِلْمِ وَ عَلِيٌّ بَابُهَا فَمَنْ أَرَادَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَلْيَأْتِ الْبَاب
The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) declared,
“I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its door. So, whoever intends to (enter) the city, then he must come through the door.”
Examining the narrations on where and when Imam al-Kadhim (a.s.) was born — evidence that his blessed birth took place at al-Abwa' after Hajj, in Dhul-Hijjah, most likely the 20th. Originally published by Mahdiyyah USA.
Two events affirmed the divine authority of Ameerul Momineen Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) — the Event of Mubahala and the Declaration of Ghadir Khumm. At Mubahala the Christian opponents recognised his proof and bowed out; at Ghadir, where he was established as a proof over the Muslims themselves, many turned against him. A reflection on this striking irony, drawn from Iqbal al-A'mal.
A remarkable narration traced to Salman al-Farsi (r.a.) in which the accursed Iblees himself rebukes a group maligning Ameerul Momineen Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) — testifying to his mastership through the hadith of Ghadir, and recounting how the angels prostrated before the radiant light (Nur Shashʿani) of Ali's very clay (teenat).
The Takfiris denounce tabarruk (seeking blessings) from anyone other than the Prophet (s.a.w.a) as shirk. Yet historical reports from the funeral of Ibn Taymiyyah himself — drinking his washing water, dividing his lote leaves, selling his cap and lice-thread for blessings — reveal a striking contradiction between their doctrine and practice.