many components—one of the factors that contributed to firmly establishing the foundations of Islam. In many of the events by which Islam became firmly established, his sword played no decisive role. On the Day of Badr, for example, it was but one sword among many.

We have explained more than once that all the campaigns in which actual fighting took place numbered nine. After the death of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—Ali did not participate in the fighting against Byzantium and Persia. Nor is any campaign of Ali’s known in which, independently of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—he exerted any substantial influence on his own. Rather, whatever victory he achieved in those campaigns came as part of the victory granted to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The major wars in which he himself was commander were three: the Battle of the Camel, Siffīn, and al-Nahrawān. At the Camel and al-Nahrawān, he was victorious. His army, in fact, was many times larger than the forces fighting him. Yet despite this, he did not establish supremacy over those who fought him (1). Rather, they continued to hold the upper hand over him until he was martyred and attained the honour and good pleasure of Allah, while his cause grew weaker and that of his opponents grew stronger.

This is evidence that the victory he attained during the lifetime of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was a victory granted by Allah to His Messenger and to those who fought alongside him for His religion. Allah says:

“Indeed, We shall surely support Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses stand.”

[Surah Ghāfir: 51].

Likewise, the victory attained by others besides Ali—such as the victories of Abū Bakr, Umar, and Uthmān over those whom they fought—was only a victory granted by Allah to His Messenger, just as He had promised him in His Book.