Numerous noble verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed concerning the dignity, virtues, and the divinely mandated obedience to the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
Abdullah ibn Abbas stated: “What has been revealed in the Qur’an regarding Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and his lofty station has not been revealed about any other person.”
According to him, whenever the noble verse «يا أيُّها الَّذينَ آمَنُوا» was revealed, none was more deserving of it than Imam Ali (peace be upon him), for he is the foremost, the leader, and the commander of the believers. Ibn Abbas adds that God rebuked the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) for their shortcomings, yet He made Imam Ali (peace be upon him) the sole and exclusive object of honor. This narration is transmitted by al-Tabarani and Ibn Abu Hatim from Ibn Abbas.
Because of the abundance of verses revealed about Imam Ali (peace be upon him), many eminent scholars of hadith and exegesis compiled collections specifically devoted to these verses. Among them are: al-Juludi, al-Tabarani, Abu Nu‘aym, Muhammad ibn Mu’min al-Shirazi, al-Haskani, Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, al-Hibri, al-Marzubani, Abu Ishaq al-Thaqafi, Abu Jafar al-Qummi, al-Mujashi, Abu Abdullah al-Khurasani, and others.
Below is a selection of the most important verses:
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Surah al-Insan (هل أتى)
Revealed concerning Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Lady Fatima (peace be upon her), and Imams Hassan and Hussain (peace be upon them).
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Verse of Wilayah
«إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ الله وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ» [al-Ma’idah: 55]
“Your guide is only Allah, His Messenger, and the believers; those who establish the prayer, pay their obligatory charity, and bow down (in worship).”
Known as Ayat al-Wilayah. Both Sunni and Shia exegetes unanimously confirm that this verse was revealed regarding Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
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Verse of Affection
«قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عليّهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ» [al-Shura: 23]
“This is the glad tidings that Allah gives to His worshipers, who believe and do good works. Say: ‘For this I ask of you no wage except the love of the (Prophet’s) relatives. We will add good to whosoever gains a good deed. Allah is the Forgiving and the Thanker.”
Known as Ayat al-Mawaddah. The term al-Qurba refers to Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Lady Fatima (peace be upon her), Imams Hassan and Hussain (peace be upon them), and the descendants of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)—the infallible Imams.
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Surah al-Najm
«وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ…» [al-Najm: 1]
“By the star when it plunges, your companion is neither astray, neither errs, nor does he speak out of desire, Indeed it is not except a Revelation which is revealed.”
It is narrated in both Sunni and Shia sources that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) declared: “Wherever this star descends, that person is my successor after me.” The star descended in the house of Imam Ali (peace be upon him). Some hypocrites accused the Prophet of speaking out of personal desire regarding his cousin. In response, Allah revealed:
«وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ * مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ * وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ * إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ» [al-Najm: 1–4]
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Verse of Proclamation
«يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ» [al-Ma’idah: 67]
“O Messenger, deliver what is sent down to you from your Lord; if you do not, you will not have conveyed His Message. Allah protects you from the people. Allah does not guide the nation, the unbelievers. “
Known as Ayat al-Tabligh, revealed just prior to the event of Ghadir Khumm. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) announced, by divine command: “Man kuntu mawlahu fa-hadha Aliyyun mawlahu” (Whomever I am his master, Ali is his master after me).
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Verse of Completion
«الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عليّكُمْ نِعْمَتِي…» [al-Ma’idah: 3]
“This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor to you. I have approved Islam to be your religion.”
Revealed immediately after the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) declared the authority of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) at Ghadir Khumm.
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Verse of the Attentive Ear
«وَتَعِيَهَا أُذُنٌ وَاعِيَةٌ» [al-Haqqah: 12]
“making it a Reminder for you, for all attentive ears to retain”
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) turned to Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and said: “This ear is yours, O Ali.”
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Verse of the Foremost
«وَالسَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ * أُولَٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ» [al-Waqi‘ah: 10–11]
“And the Outstrippers, the Outstrippers, those are they brought near (to their Lord)”
According to Ibn Abbas, among the foremost were: Yusha‘ ibn Nun after Moses, the Companion of Yasin after Jesus, and Imam Ali (peace be upon him) after Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).
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Surah al-Tawbah, verse 19
«أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّه وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ الله» [al-Tawbah: 19]
“Do you consider giving drink to the pilgrims and inhabiting the Sacred Mosque is the same as one who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and struggles in the Way of Allah?”
Revealed the superiority of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) in comparison with al-Abbas, and Shaybah.
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Surah al-Sajdah, verse 18
«أَفَمَن كَانَ مُؤْمِنًا كَمَن كَانَ فَاسِقًا لَّا يَسْتَوُونَ» [al-Sajdah: 18]
“Can he, then, who is a believer, be compared to he who is wicked? They are not equal.”
Once Imam Ali (peace be upon him) in a conversation with Walid ibn Uqbah called him “wicked” this verse of Holy Quran was revealed to approve the difference between them and clarify the sacred posision of the Commander of the Faithful.
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Verse of Confidential Charity
«يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ نَجْوَاكُمْ صَدَقَةً» [al-Mujadilah: 12]
“Believers, when you consult with the Messenger, present before your consultation a free will offering. That is best and purest for you. But if you lack the means, Allah is the Forgiver and the Most Merciful”
No one acted upon this command except Imam Ali (peace be upon him), as he himself affirmed:
“I had a Dinar that I exchanged for ten Dirhams. So whenever I wanted to whisper to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and say something, I gave one dirham in charity, and no one before or after me has done this.”
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Verse of Love
«إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وُدًّا» [Maryam: 96]
“Those who believe and do righteous deeds, the Merciful will assign for them love”
Known as Ayat al-Wudd, revealed concerning Imam Ali (peace be upon him). According to it, God places the love of believers in the hearts of others. According to some narrations, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) asked the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) to say: “O God, place my love in the hearts of the believers.” After this request, the verse of Wudd was revealed.
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Verse of the Best of Creation
«إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ» [al-Bayyina: 7]
“But those who believe and do good deeds are the best of all creatures.”
Both Sunni and Shia narrations affirm that it refers to Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and his followers.
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Surah Muhammad, verse 30
«وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِي لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ» [Muhammad: 30]
“If We willed, We would show them to you and you would recognize them by their marks. But you will surely know them by their twisted speech. Allah knows your deeds”
According to Abu Said al-Khudri, this verse refers to Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
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Verse of Purification
«إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الله لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا» [al-Ahzab: 33]
“O family of the House, Allah only wishes to distance fault from you, and to cleanse you, and to purify you abundantly.”
Known as Ayat al-Tathir, revealed specifically for the People of the Cloak: the Prophet, Imam Ali, Lady Fatima, and Imams Hassan and Hussain (peace be upon them).
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Verse of the Righteous Among the Believers
«وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عليّهِ فَإِنَّ الله هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ» [al-Tahrim: 4]
“but if you support one another against him, (know that) Allah is his Guardian, and Gabriel, and the righteous among the believers; and thereafter the angels are his reinforcers.”
Ibn Abbas reports that the righteous among the believers in this verse refers to Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
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Surah al-Zumar, verse 33
«وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ» [al-Zumar: 33]
“And he who comes with the truth, and confirms it, those are they who surely fear Allah.”
Narrated by Mujahid: the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) brought the truth, and Imam Ali (peace be upon him) confirmed it.
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Surah Hud, verse 17
«أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ» [Hud: 17]
“Then what of he who stands upon a clear proof from his Lord, recited by a witness from Him”
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “The Messenger of God brought proof from his Lord, and I am the witness who follows him.”
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Surah al-Baqarah, verse 124
«إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ» [al-Baqarah: 124]
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) explained: “This covenant of Imamate was placed in me and Ali. Neither of us has ever bowed to an idol. God appointed me as Prophet and Ali as my successor.”
