The Sun
On a day in Medina when the air was hot and the streets were filled with dust. At first, it was only soft whispers. But soon, those whispers turned into louder voices filled with jealousy. In the markets and alleyways, a group of hypocrites and envious people were growing restless.
They didn’t like how the Prophet (PBUH&HF) treated Imam Ali (PBUH) with so much love and respect. It bothered them deeply every time the Prophet praised him in public.
With a calm heart and steady voice, the Prophet would speak about Ali’s courage, wisdom, and loyalty.
But each time he spoke, it made the envy in their hearts grow stronger.
They couldn’t accept that Ali had shown unmatched bravery in battles, or that the Prophet had ordered the people to call him Amir al-Mu'minin (“Commander of Their grim faces and sharp looks made it clear— they were holding something inside. One of them smiled and said quietly, “Truly, today Mohammad said something stand the moment when the Prophet clearly the Faithful”). And more than anything, they couldn’t announced that Ali would be his successor. strange...”
But perhaps what stung the most was one simple sentence from the Prophet—one that echoed in their Another, unable to hide the anger and sarcasm in his voice, added, “By God, tomorrow we’ll go to Baqi‘ ourselves and minds: “Whoever obeys him after me will find success. But see what really happens between Ali and the whoever opposes him will be lost and miserable.”
sun…”
A group of hypocrites gathered in a corner, their faces tense and their eyes full of resentment. They leaned in close, whispering bitter words, their voices dripping with envy.
One of them, with a mocking tone, said, “It seems that Mohammad—[God forbid]—has lost his mind when it comes to his cousin!”
Another added, “By God, all this affection he shows is just because of Ali’s bravery in battle. Everything he says about him comes from how much he loves him…”
A third person, looking upset, whispered angrily, “He really goes too far when he talks about Ali.”
But what they didn’t know was that their words, no matter how quietly spoken, the Messenger of God (PBUH&HF) is aware about their matter…
One of them, as if he had nothing left to say, gave a bitter smile and said mockingly, “If God really wanted to, He would command the sun itself to shout Ali’s name!”
The group fell silent. Some smiled sarcastically, others looked confused. But none of them realized that this sarcastic comment was about to turn into a stunning reality the very next day…
While the hateful and heavy words of the hypocrites were still hanging in the air over the city, the angel Jibra'il (Gabriel) descended and informed the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH&HF) of what had happened.
The Prophet stood before the people, his eyes calmly scanning the crowd. Then, in a voice that was gentle but full of strength, he said: “Bring Ali to me from his home.”
It wasn’t long before Imam Ali (PBUH) arrived—his steps were quick, his face bright with eagerness. In his eyes, the Prophet’s command was the very purpose of his life.
The Prophet looked at him with love and said: “O Ali, tomorrow after the morning prayer, go to the hills around Baqi‘ and stand facing the place where the sun rises. When the sun appears, recite the special prayers I am now teaching you. Then, speak clearly to the sun and say: ‘Peace be upon you, O new creation of God.’ Listen carefully to what reply you receive, then come back and tell me what you heard.”
And all of these words were spoken openly, in the presence of the people.
Their grim faces and sharp looks made it clear—they were holding something inside. One of them smiled and said quietly, “Truly, today Mohammad said something strange...”
Another, unable to hide the anger and sarcasm in his voice, added, “By God, tomorrow we’ll go to Baqi‘ ourselves and see what really happens between Ali and the sun…”
Their grim faces and sharp looks made it clear— they were holding something inside. One of them The next morning, a soft breeze swept across the gentle earth of Medina. The mosque was filled with smiled and said quietly, “Truly, today Mohammad said something calm light as the new day quietly began.
The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH&HF) led the morning prayer, and Imam Ali (PBUH) stood by his side. After the prayer, the Prophet turned toward him, Another, unable to hide the anger and sarcasm in strange...”
looked into his face, and said:
his voice, added, “By God, tomorrow we’ll go to Baqi‘ ourselves and “Rise, O Aba al-Hasan, and carry out what God and His Messenger have commanded you. Go to Baqi‘, and see what really happens between Ali and the say to the sun what I taught you yesterday.” sun…”
Imam Ali (PBUH) set out for Baqi‘ without delay. The sky was still dark before sunrise, and a mysterious silence covered the city. Only the occasional sound of birds broke the stillness of dawn. Amir al-Mu’minin (PBUH) stood upon a rise, facing the horizon where the sun would soon appear. He stood in quiet reflection, whispering prayers—words whose meaning no one knew, but it was as if the very earth of Baqi‘ could feel their weight.
Soon, the sky began to glow, and a band of light touched the edge of the horizon. The sun rose slowly, like a witness invited to a divine event.
At that moment, Imam Ali (PBUH) looked toward the sun and, with a firm and powerful voice, declared:
"As-salāmu ʿalayka yā khalq Allāh al-jadīd al- muṭīʿ lah." Peace be upon you, O new creation of God who submits to His command.
And at that very moment, the sun responded—with clear and eloquent speech:
Peace be upon you, O brother and successor of the Messenger of God! I bear witness that you are the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden. You are the servant of God and the true brother of His Messenger!
When the sun gave its reply, a wave of silence fell over the hypocrites—heavy and unexpected. Some narrowed their eyes in shock, others stepped back, and a few visibly trembled. It was as if the ground beneath them had shifted and their minds could no longer think clearly.
Without planning or words, they rushed toward the mosque—confused eyes, unsteady steps, and hearts shaken.
They stood before the Messenger of God (PBUH&HF) and asked with trembling voices: “O Messenger of God, what was that? How should we understand this wonder? We have never heard anything like this from the nations before us, nor from any prophet in the past.”
The Prophet turned to them in front of the crowd and said:
“Did you hear what the sun said? Will you now admit it and testify to what you heard?” They replied, “Ali must come and tell us himself what the sun said to him…” But the Prophet (PBUH&HF) firmly refused and said: “No.
This time, you must speak. You must tell what you yourselves heard.”
So, looking at one another, still stunned, they said: “Ali—after whispering those mysterious words that seemed to shake all of Baqi‘—spoke to the sun and said: ‘Peace be upon you, O new creation of God who obeys Him,’ and the sun replied: ‘Peace be upon you, O brother of the Messenger of God and his successor; you are the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden; you are the servant of God and the true brother of His Prophet.’”
Then the Messenger of God (PBUH&HF) said: “Praise be to God, who has granted us special knowledge— things you are not able to understand, and blessings you do not even know exist. You know very well that I made a bond of brotherhood between myself and Ali, and I had you all bear witness that he is my successor. And yet, you still insist on denying what happened today!”
They replied, “Yes, O Messenger of God…”
The Prophet continued, “Woe to you! How can you claim to understand the meaning of the sun’s words?
When the sun called Ali the First, it meant he was the first man to believe in me—just as Khadijah (peace be upon her) was the first woman to believe in me. And when it said the Last, it meant that Ali is the last of the successors, because I am the last of the prophets. As for the Manifest, it means that Ali is fully aware of all the knowledge God has given me. That knowledge was not given to anyone except me—and after me, only to Ali.
And he will pass it on to whichever of his children he chooses. what it meant by 'the Hidden' is that, by God, he is fully aware of the knowledge of the first and the last, and of all the books that have been revealed to the prophets. And what God has taught me of knowledge is hidden from you, and the virtue He has granted me, He has not given to you."
So tell me—what is there left for you to deny?”
The hypocrites, stunned and overwhelmed, lowered their heads in shame. They said, “We ask God for forgiveness. If we had known what you know, we would never have turned away from admitting your rank and the position of Ali. Please, ask God to forgive us.”
At that very moment, God revealed a verse from the Qur’an:
“It is the same for them—whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them—God will never forgive them. Truly, God does not guide the rebellious people.”
(Surah al-Munāfiqūn, verse 6)