Hadith #2892

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his pure progeny, and his noble companions.

The Arabic Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) states,

إلَيْنا يَرْجِعُ الغالِي، وبِنا يَلْحَقُ التّالِي۔

This Hadith can be translated as,

To us return the ones who exceed the bounds and the ones who lag behind [come forward to] meet up with us.

Let us delve into the meaning of the important words in this Hadith. The word (al-ghali) "الغالِي" refers to those who exceed the limits or go beyond what is permissible. They may transgress the boundaries set by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) and His Messenger (ﷺ). On the other hand, the word (at-tali) "التّالِي" refers to those who lag behind or fall short in their actions and efforts to follow the path of righteousness.

To understand the enlightening message of this Hadith, we can turn to the Quran for guidance. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says in Surah Al-A'raf (7:55),

And call upon your Lord for help and be humble and submissive in your prayers. Indeed, He does not like transgressors.

This verse emphasizes the importance of humility and submission in our worship, warning against exceeding the limits set by Allah.

Furthermore, in Surah Al-Hadid (57:21), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) states,

Race toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

This verse encourages us to strive and hasten towards seeking forgiveness and the ultimate reward of Paradise.

Reflecting on the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) in light of these Quranic verses, we can derive profound insights. The first part of the Hadith,

To us return the ones who exceed the bounds,

reminds us that those who transgress the limits set by Allah will ultimately be held accountable and will return to face the consequences of their actions. This serves as a warning to Muslims against arrogance, extremism, and going beyond the boundaries of what is permissible in Islam.

The second part of the Hadith,

the ones who lag behind [come forward to] meet up with us,

highlights the importance of striving and making efforts to catch up with the righteous. It encourages Muslims to continuously improve themselves and not to fall behind in their pursuit of righteousness. Just as the Quran urges us to race towards forgiveness and the pleasure of Allah, this Hadith emphasizes the need for Muslims to actively seek knowledge, engage in good deeds, and strive to be among the righteous.

Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) possessed immense knowledge and wisdom, and his words in this Hadith serve as a reminder for Muslims to maintain a balanced approach in their religious practice. It is crucial to avoid extremism and arrogance, while also making consistent efforts to improve ourselves and catch up with those who are more righteous.

In conclusion, the Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) reminds us of the importance of adhering to the limits set by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) and avoiding transgression. It also encourages us to continuously strive and make efforts to improve ourselves, seeking to catch up with the righteous. May Allah guide us all to the straight path and grant us the wisdom to understand and implement the teachings of the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt (عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلسَّلَامُ).