Imam Ali (AS); The Speaking Quran and the Complete Mirror of Divine Verses

In the Islamic system of knowledge, Imam Ali (AS) is known as a perfect human being, a comprehensive manifestation of divine verses, and a clear mirror of the truth of the Holy Quran. He is not only the reciter and preserver of the verses of revelation, but also the speaking soul and the embodied spirit of this heavenly book; a human being in whose being and behavior the divine word has become objectified and who has stepped into the realm of action from the perspective of the world.

 

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) was not only a prominent companion and immediate successor of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), but he was also considered the link between heavenly revelation and human life on earth; a link in which the divine verses were transferred from the Preserved Tablet to the stage of human life.

 

That is why in Islamic culture, Ali (AS) has been called the "speaking Quran"; an expression that is not merely literary, but rather expresses a deep and existential connection between the Imam and the Quran. If the Quran is a divinely written book, Imam Ali (AS) was the embodied and moving Quran. For every verse that was revealed, the Prophet of God (PBUH) taught its interpretation and interpretation to Ali (AS), and he was the first person to both understand and implement these verses in the field of action. Thus, the Quran came to life in his being and spoke in the language of behavior and conduct.

 

In the field of monotheism, the words and sermons of Imam Ali (AS) have such depth and clarity that it seems as if they originate from the position of divine witness. Where he says: “You have not seen anything except that you have seen Allah before him, after him, and with him,” a vivid image of the noble verse “He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Concealed” is placed before man. This statement is not a mere statement of a theoretical unity of existence, but rather it shows how a human being can manifest the divine verses not only in the book, but also in his soul and being.

 

The Holy Quran is a collection of moral and social teachings, and Imam Ali (AS) demonstrated these teachings in the most beautiful way in his personal life and in the realm of government. His self-sacrifice was the objective interpretation of the verse "And they had influence over themselves and if they had any special qualities"; From making sacrifices in Lailat al-Ambit to donating his and his family's little food to the needy while fasting.

 

His justice in judgment and government was considered a clear example of the divine command "If you judge between people, rule with justice"; A justice that even his enemies had to confess to. Alevi asceticism and piety was also a practical manifestation of the verse "In the sight of Allah, I fear you." A piety that crystallized in simplicity, avoiding worldliness, and taking responsibility before God and creation.

 

In the presence of Imam Ali (AS), the beautiful names of God were also clearly manifested. His boundless knowledge is reminiscent of the name "Al-Alim"; the same knowledge about which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate." His natural justice was the manifestation of the name "Al-Adl"; to the extent that he himself advises his son to treat friends and enemies on the basis of justice. His courage was also a manifestation of the divine attribute that on the battlefields was considered an example of the verse "Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His way in rows."

 

In his sermons, Imam Ali (AS) speaks of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the wonders of nature, animals and plants, as if he were reciting divine creational verses. His descriptions of the order of creation are a living interpretation of verses such as “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth” and show that he is not only an interpreter of the compiled Quran, but also an interpreter of the creational Quran; a Quran that has spread throughout the universe.

 

The Mutawatir Hadith of Thaqalain clearly shows the indissoluble bond between the Quran and the progeny, and Imam Ali (AS) as the head of the progeny is the practical embodiment of this bond. His letters and government decrees, especially the Malik Ashtar Treaty, are a clear example of the practical interpretation of the social and political verses of the Quran; a text that can still be a model of just governance at any time.

 

Therefore, Imam Ali (AS) is not just a historical figure belonging to the past. He is the embodiment of divine verses and a living model for all times; for every human being who wants to bring the Quran from the level of recitation to the arena of life. Understanding his existential dimensions opens a window to a deeper understanding of the Quran and, through the path of the Quran, to knowing God.

 

Ali (AS) himself is a mirror in which whoever looks sees a ray of divine verses; a clear and dust-free mirror that introduces the Quran and the progeny in an unbreakable unity to the human being of today and tomorrow.