COMPLIANCE WITH THE WILL

COMPLIANCE WITH THE WILL

The Prophet (s.a.) had appointed Hazrat Ali (a.s.) as his Wasi with the confidence that he would comply with all his wishes and instructions during his lifetime and thereafter. He would treat them as his bounden duty. Therefore, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) acted as the most responsible and committed executer of the Will of the Prophet of Islam (s.a.). For the last rites of the Prophet (s.a.), in accord with his wish, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) personally gave him the bath and the burial. In addition to these normal duties, he was responsible for fulfilling the promises that the Prophet (s.a.) had made to some people and to clear his outstanding debts. This has also been sited in one of the traditions of the Prophet (s.a.): –Ali (a.s.) will fulfil the promises made to me and will clear my debts.” Hazrat Ali (a.s.) meticulously performed all the tasks and responsibilities that were entrusted to him by the Prophet (s.a.). Abdul Wahed ibne Awan says:

“When the Prophet (s.a.) wisal occur, Ali (a.s.) appointed a herald to announce that whatever promises the Prophet (s.a.) made to the persons or the debts he owed to them, should call on him for settlement. Every year during the Haj he used to send a person to make an announcement near Uqba, the place of sacrifice, about his commitment to honor the promises made to the people by the Prophet (s.a.). After him Imam Hassan (a.s.) followed the practice and so did Imam Hussain (a.s.). Then the practice was discontinued.”

Ref: Tabaqaat ibne Saad, Vol 2, Page 319

Could there be a better example of dedication and fuflfilment of responsibilities than this that during the Haj when people from all over are assembled the announcement was made for fifty years to ensure that the demands of no person remained unattended? For such settlement Hazrat Ali (a.s.) neither made the condition of any written documents nor he asked for any witnesses. Abd Allah ibne Aun says that whatever claims anyone made, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) settled them.