13 Rajab Marks Birth Anniversary of Commander of Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him)

13 Rajab Marks Birth Anniversary of Commander of Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him)
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The birth anniversary of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), on the 13th of Rajab marks a singular and momentous event in Islamic history. His birth inside the Sacred Kaaba is a rare occurrence that clearly reflects his unique rank and distinguished status—an honor that, according to numerous historical reports, was granted exclusively to him.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was born 23 years before the Hijrah, on Friday, the 13th of Rajab, in the Year of the Elephant, inside the Kaaba in Mecca. This extraordinary event has been widely recorded in many Shi‘a and Sunni sources and is regarded as one of his exclusive virtues, underscoring his exceptional spiritual station in Islam.

The comprehensive and unparalleled personality of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) encompasses a vast range of virtues, positions, and decisive roles in Islamic history—so profound that fully understanding them is described as beyond the capacity of human speech and writing.

His father, Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle and guardian of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), supported the Prophet wholeheartedly during the period of the mission. Numerous narrations affirm that Abu Talib passed away with faith, and in sacred traditions his unwavering support of the Prophet is described as a reason divine punishment was forbidden upon him.

His mother, Fatimah bint Asad, was among the earliest women to embrace Islam. She endured the hardships of Mecca and the migration to Medina alongside the Prophet’s family. The Messenger of God honored her greatly, and upon her passing, shrouded her with his own garment.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was the first man to believe in the Messenger of Islam. Throughout his life, he fulfilled multiple roles: companion, narrator of hadith, scribe of revelation, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, husband of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (peace be upon her), and father and ancestor of the eleven infallible Imams (peace be upon them).

From the Shi‘a perspective, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was appointed by divine command and explicit designation of the Prophet as his immediate successor. Many Sunni scholars have also emphasized his precedence in faith and the عظمت (greatness) of his rank.

Despite centuries of scholarship and writing, countless dimensions of the virtues of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) remain unexplored. According to a narration from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), even if all trees were turned into pens and all seas into ink, enumerating the virtues of Ali (peace be upon him) would not be possible, and reflecting upon his merits is itself an act of worship.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) stands as a unique embodiment of human perfection—one in whom the virtues of the previous prophets, except the Seal of the Prophets, were gathered—making him a truly exceptional figure in the history of humanity.