It is regrettable that figures such as Mr. Javadi Amoli, without seriously examining the matter, have treated this story—simply because they encountered it in the works of eminent scholars—as an outward sign of their knowledge of Imam Ali’s monotheism. Some have also sought to explain it through the four journeys of Ibn Arabi’s mysticism and Mulla Sadra’s philosophy, without considering the consequences. (yon.ir/jJ1Q5)
Can all this confusion and contradiction yield any conclusion other than that the story is fabricated and was intended to lay the groundwork for casting doubt on the truth of the verse about Imam Ali giving alms while praying?
If this story is set aside, will our understanding of Imam Ali’s supreme monotheism be shaken?
Can anyone other than an infallible authority confirm that Imam Ali’s unawareness of what was around him was due to his supreme monotheism? If it is said that, in light of the criteria set out by the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), one can gain some understanding of the inward realities of the Infallible Imams, to the extent of one’s capacity, then we must ask: why did the Ahl al-Bayt speak of the signs of supreme monotheism, yet refrain from mentioning this great example?
Is the Story of the Ring During Imam Ali’s Prayer Fabricated?
The essence and first answer at a glance (60-word summary)
The blessed being of Imam Ali (AS) is a locus for the realization of the divine will, and multiple, even opposing, manifestations and events may proceed from him. The doubts raised by opposing groups are no reason to retreat from an established truth. For one who has entrusted every aspect of his being to its true Owner, it is possible for multiple, varied, and even contradictory acts to occur at the same moment.
Answer by Master Ali Saei (Abdullah Meshkat)
Teacher and researcher in the intellectual tradition of wisdom and the Ahl al-Bayt | Soroush Bamdadān Cultural CenterA being who embodies divine remembrance and the Divine Names can manifest all the expressions of those Names within his blessed soul, for the soul of the Master is the locus in which the divine will is fulfilled. It is therefore possible for many manifestations and multiple, even conflicting, events to arise from the Master’s soul.
The doubts raised by opposing groups are no reason to retreat from a truth that has been established.
When every aspect of a person’s being is entrusted to its true Owner, the realization of numerous, differing and even conflicting states in a single moment is possible.