Muslims Observe Death Anniversary of Holy Prophet's Cousin

The Independent (Freetown)
NEWS
October 12, 2006
Posted to the web October 12, 2006

By Isata Lebbie

October 15 which is the month of Ramadan in this year's Islamic calendar, marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Ali.

Muslims in Sierra Leone are observing the anniversary. Ali was the cousin of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. He was one of the pioneers in laying a foundation for the Islamic faith. He was among the early converts to Islam. Imam Ali was one of the caliphates after the death of prophet Muhammad but was assassinated.

After his death, Muslims who believe that the household of the prophet known as Ahl Uhl Bhait, must be preserved followed his teachings.

Ali was well-known for his piety and continence. He did many things for his own self as well as for his own people and others, as he was extremely pious. Ali's piety was not the outcome of circumstances like that of other pious persons, who engage themselves in worship on account of the weakness of their souls, or to escape the vicissitudes of life and to keep aloof from the people, or in imitation of their ancestors, and the effects of the events of life confirm it, because as a rule people accord respect to ancestral customs and traditions.

His worship was in fact a continuous effort and a campaign against mischief for the sake of human life and prosperity. He fought against all aspects of evil and wickedness. On the one hand he fought against hypocrisy and selfishness and on the other hand against dastardliness, abjectness meanness, helplessness and other bad qualities that the people had acquired during those evil days. According to Ali, the essence of piety is to sacrifice one's life for the sake of truth and justice.

Imam Ali was assassinated in Kufa by Abdurrahman bin Muljim, a Khariji, on the twenty first of Ramadan , year 40 A.H.(40 years after the emergence of Islam). He died at the age of 63 years, all of which were spent in serving Allah's cause, upholding justice, and establishing God's rule on earth.