Harith al-Hamdani


Harith Al A'war Al-Hamdani was a prominent contemporary of Prophet Muhammad, and also was one of the firm followers of Ali.

Biography

Incident Of the Fire

During the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, he would preach about the virtues of Ali in public gatherings, bringing the ire of Umar ibn al-Khattab. Umar threatened Harith, saying that if he continued to do so he would be burnt alive. This did not affect the frequency at which Harith's preaching, as a result of which Umar and a mob of people prepared a fire to burn Harith. At the moment that he was about to be thrown upon the fire Ali ibn abu Talib appeared, took Harith by the hand and led him away while the mob was dumbstruck.

A meeting with Ali

Perhaps one of the most important accounts involving Harith al-Hamdani is one in which Ali Ibn Abi Talib spoke to him at a time when Harith was old and in poor health. The account is in Nahj al-Balagha as follows: