" HAIDER - AE - KARRAR "

Al-MURTAZA ' The chosen one of ALLAH ' .Birth [ L1 ]

IMAM ALI (a.s ) is known within the Islamic tradition by a number of titles , some reflecting his personal qualities & others derived from particular episodes of his life . Ali Ibn Abi Talib , cousin & son in law of PROPHET MUHAMMAD ( S.A.W ) { Pbup } . Ali ( son of Abu talib & his wife Fatima bint Asad ) , Ali was born according to most older historical sources , on the 13th day of lunar month of Rajab , about the year 600 , in MECCA . The birth of Imam Ali (as) took place under unique circumstances inside the holy Kaaba at Mecca . The age of Holy prophet Muhammad (saw) at the birth of Imam Ali (as) was almost 30 years . It is considered unique because no prophet or saint has ever been born in holy sanctuary. Fatima bint Asad ,the expectant mother of Imam Ali was praying outside the holy Kaaba when she suddenly felt the labor pain & prayed to ALLAH saying " O ALLAH ! I blew in you & in the messenger & scriptures you have sent . I believe in what has been said by my grandfather , Prophet Abraham ( Ibrahim ) who built the ancient house ( holy Kaaba ) . So, for the sake of builder of this house & for the sake of the child in my womb , I implore you to make my labor easy " . Just then the wall of the holy sanctuary opened miraculously. As she stepped in , the wall closed behind her . Shortly after that she gave birth to her baby .
The striking contrast behind Fatima bint Asad , the mother of Imam Ali & the period of pregnancy & delivery & that of Maryam bint Imran , the mother of prophet Isa / Jesus (as) are indeed very interesting. Yes , this one shows us the greatness of Fatima bint Asad , her child & their lofty rank in the sight of ALLAH .
The noble QURAN relates that when Maryam bint Imran was facing the pain of labor, she first decided to retreat the house of worship. She was however 'forced' out of there & was told that house of God is not a place to deliver a child ! Therefore, she turned towards the east & secluded herself in the desert to give birth . However , when we research the Hadith , we see that Fatima bint Asad was about to deliver & had gone to the holy Kaaba to perform the tawaf ( circumambulate ) & complain to ALLAH about her pain & make supplication for ease , the holy Kaaba actually split open , welcoming her inside ! For a period of three days , she remained in this holy sanctuary, only coming out after the birth of her son , Imam Ali bin abi taleb (as) .
To understand the significance & importance of place birth of Imam Ali , it is essential to know a little history of Holy Kaaba .
Holy Kaaba was rebuilt & renovated at the command of ALLAH , by the prophet Abraham assisted by his worthy successor, his son Ismail under the supervision & guidance of angel Jibril .
The verse of noble QURAN ( 2:127 -128 ) say :
" & remember Abraham & Ismail raised the foundations of the house (with this prayer) : ' Our lord ! Accept ( this service ) from us : for thou art the All - hearing , the All-Knowing. ' Our lord ! Make of us Muslims , bowing to thy ( will ) , & of our progeny a people Muslim , bowing to thy ( will ) ; & show us our place for the celebration of ( due ) rites ; & turn unto us ( in mercy ) ; for thou art the oft-returning, most merciful ".
" & when we made the house a pilgrimage for men & a ( place of ) security&: appoint for yourselves a place of prayer on the standing place of Abraham . & we enjoined Abraham & Ismail saying : purify my house for those who visit (it) & those who abide (in it ) for Devotion & those who bow down (&) those who prostrate themselves ". { QURAN 2:125 }
< These verses clearly depict the purpose of Holy Kaaba , namely that it was to be a place of worship, that it was pure & sacred . >
& it was to this sacred place , the holy Kaaba , that provinces led Fatima bint Asad, the mother of Imam Ali (as) . She felt weighed down by intense pain when Imam Ali was due to be born . She knelt to pray & when she raised her head from her prostration, the wall of the Holy Kaaba splits as if by a miracle, to admit her within , & the portion of the wall returned to its normal position . The holy Kaaba was sealed with Fatima bint Asad inside . Had it not been the will of God , such a thing could never have happened. This crack is still there to this day on the wall of the Holy Kaaba .
Some people, including Abbas Ibn Abd al - Muttalib , Holy prophet Muhammad's (saw) uncle witnessed this miracle , who had been near the holy Kaaba & started telling other people . The news spread like wildfire all over Mecca . The keys of the holy Kaaba were brought to unlock the door , but all efforts ended in failure .
On the fourth day of this happening, with awe , the wonderstruck crowds surrounding the Holy Kaaba witnessed the lock of the door falling of its own accord , & to their surprise, Fatima bint Asad emerged radiant from the sacred premises , cheerfully holding her newborn baby with his eyes close in her arms .
Yet another surprise awaited them that the Holy Prophet Muhammad ( saw ) was waiting to receive her & her newly born child , because Holy prophet Muhammad ( saw ) had been away when all this happened. When holy prophet Muhammad (saw) came back from his trip , went to the Holy Kaaba & the first face the little Imam Ali (as ) saw in this world was the smiling face of Holy Prophet of Islam whom he greeted thus :

" Assalamo Alaika Ya RasoolAllah " ( pbup ) . Thus it is an undisputed fact that Imam Ali Bin abi talib (as) was born a Muslim & his first words testified to the prophethood of Muhammad (saw) , Holy prophet lovingly took him into his arms . Imam Ali's first bath after his birth was given by Holy prophet , with a prediction that this child would give him his last bath . This prophecy was fulfilled on the death of Holy prophet Muhammad (saw) . Then Holy Prophet recited the Azaan & Eqamah in the ears of baby .
Imam Ali (as) accepted no other food than the moisture of Holy Prophet Muhammad's (saw) tongue , which he sucked for several days after his birth . Holy Prophet fondled him in his lap in his infancy & chewed his food & fed Imam Ali (as) on it . Holy prophet often made Imam Ali (as) sleep by his side , & he enjoyed the warmth of Holy Prophet's body & inhaled the holy fragrance of his breath .
Imam Ali (as) has been described as having been found like a priceless Pearl in the shell of Holy Kaaba , or a sword in the sheath of ALLAH'S house , or as lamp found in ALLAH'S abode shedding light all around .
{ The sanctified birth of Imam Ali (as) , as that of Holy Prophet was foretold in the scriptures, when ALLAH said to Abraham , who asked for a blessing on Ismail; " & for Ismail, I have heard thee : behold I have blessed him & will make him fruitful & will multiply him exceedingly, twelve princes shall be beget , & I will make him a great nation " . [ Genesis 17:20 ]
The delicious prophecy in genesis 17:20 about the advent of a prophet is said to point to the appearance of holy prophet and to Imam Ali (as) as the first of the 12 princes who are none other than the 12 imams.
Imam Ali (as) birth in the holy Kaaba is unique ,for this is the only known occasion on which a child was born within the presinsts of the holy place ever since its foundation thousands of years ago .

Ali was related to Prophet Muhammad through his father Abu talib & mother . Abu talib was Prophet's uncle & became his guardian when Prophet's father died , & Fatima bint Asad acted as the Prophet's mother after his biological mother died . Abu talib was the leader of Banu Hashim , a clan of the Qurayshi tribe of Mecca ( Saudi Arabia ) .
When Ali was six years old , Prophet Muhammad ( saw) was granted permission from his uncle Abu talib to bring him up as his own child , Ali was taken in & raised by MUHAMMAD & His wife Khadija.  For ten years , Imam Ali stayed in Holy prophet's care & became inseparable, taking on the characters Prophet , going as far so as to state ; I was the first to pray to ALLAH along with the Holy Prophet . At age 10 Ali became , according to tradition , the second person after Khadija to accept Islam . Although Ali's father accepted his decision & said , " since he ( the Prophet ) leads you only to righteousness , follow him & keep close to him " . Imam Ali said in a sermon : [ The holy Prophet (S.A.W) brought me up in his own arms & fed me his own morsel . I followed him wherever he went like a baby camel following its mother . Each day a new part of his character would become known to me & I would accept & follow it as a command . ]