The Prophet (PBUH) from the Perspective of Imam Ali (AS)

Question

What attributes and qualities did Imam Ali (AS) ascribe to the Prophet (PBUH)?

Imam Ali (AS) describes the Prophet (PBUH) with magnificent attributes in Nahj al-Balagha. In Sermon 151, he depicts the Prophet as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings, and a warner. He describes him as the noblest and most honorable of people, whose character surpassed all in purity and generosity. In Sermon 72, Imam Ali (AS) recalls over twenty traits of the Prophet, including his servitude, prophethood, and the strength with which he bore the heavy burden of his mission.

Imam Ali (AS) refers to the Prophet (PBUH) as the leader of the pious who called people to truth, fulfilling his mission with unyielding commitment. Imam Ali (AS) recognized the Prophet as someone who viewed worldly life as trivial and encouraged others to see it as insignificant.

Sermon 72 of Nahj al-Balagha

In Sermon 72, Imam Ali (AS) enumerates over twenty attributes of the Prophet and prays, “O Allah, bestow upon Muhammad (PBUH), Your servant and messenger, the most honorable salutations, the fullest blessings, and the richest bounties.”

Some of the qualities Imam Ali (AS) mentions for the Prophet (PBUH) include:

• Servitude,
• Prophethood,
• Seal of Prophets,
• The one who opened closed doors and revealed truth with truth,
• The one who countered falsehood and defeated misguidance,
• The one who carried the heavy burden of the mission with all his might,
• Rising to God's command and seeking God's pleasure with each step.

Imam Ali (AS) further says about the Prophet that he showed no hesitation or retreat in fulfilling the divine commands. He embraced divine revelation with awareness, safeguarded God’s covenant, and moved forward with vigor in executing God’s commands.

The Prophet continued on this path, igniting the flame of truth for those who sought it, illuminating the way for the ignorant, and guiding hearts entangled in sin and temptation. He raised the banners of truth, established the luminous laws of Islam, and served as a trustworthy keeper of divine knowledge, a witness for the Day of Judgment, God’s messenger to proclaim the truth, and His envoy to all creation.

The Most Prominent Attributes of the Prophet (PBUH) from Imam Ali’s (AS) Perspective

In Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali (AS) speaks of the Prophet (PBUH) as being selected by Allah from the strong lineage of prophets, from the source of guiding light, a place of unmatched nobility, a shining beacon in the darkness, and the springs of wisdom. The Prophet is described as a healer, a physician for the spiritually ill, and a balm for hearts that are blind, ears that are deaf, and tongues that are mute. With his remedy, he tirelessly seeks out those forgotten and lost in their ailments.

In Sermon 151 of Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali (AS) says that Allah sent Muhammad (PBUH) as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner. As a prophet, he was the finest of creation, noble and generous from his youth to his old age. His character surpassed that of the purest, and his generosity was more enduring than any rain. Imam Ali (AS) describes the Prophet as a caller to truth who conveyed the message of his Lord without faltering or neglect, and who fought without excuses against his enemies for the cause of Allah. The Prophet was the leader of the pious and a light of guidance for the enlightened.

Imam Ali (AS) viewed the Prophet (PBUH) as someone who regarded the world with disdain, portraying it as insignificant to others as well. He considered it despicable and demonstrated this view by deeming it unworthy in the eyes of his followers. Imam Ali (AS) notes that the Prophet turned away from worldly attachments wholeheartedly, preferring those worldly adornments be kept distant from his sight, so he would neither desire luxurious attire nor long for permanence within it.