The name of Ali in the Qur’an

According to the traditions the name of Ali (a.) is mentioned three times in the Qur’an:

[ 1. ] “And when your Lord said to the angels: ‘I. will create a man from a dry mass, from a shapable black mud. When I have formed him and blown into him by my Spirit, then fall down and prostrate yourselves before him. Then the angels all bowed down together except Iblis; he refused to be one of those who bowed down. He said, “O Iblis, what is the matter with you that you do not belong to those who bowed down?” He said: “I cannot possibly prostrate myself to a man you created from a dry mass, from a malleable black mud.” He said: “Then get out of there. You are worthy to be stoned to death. And on you lies the curse until the day of judgment.” He said: “My Lord, grant me respite until the day they are raised.” He said: “Behold, you are of those to whom respite is granted until the day of appointed time.” He said: “My lord, because you have misled me, I will, I swear it, tempt them on the earth and make them stray all but your chosen servants among them.” He said: “This is the way of Ali, which is straight. Over My servants you have no power except those among the stray ones who follow you.” [Al-Hijr 15:28-42]

وإذ قال ربك للملائكة إني خالق بشرا من صلصال من حمإ مسنون فإذا سويته ونفخت فيه من روحي فقعوا له ساجدين فسجد الملائكة كلهم ​​أجمعون إلا إبليس أبى أن يكون مع الساجدين قال يا إبليس ما لك ألا تكون مع الساجدين قال لم أكن لأسجد لبشر خلقته من صلصال من حمإ مسنون قال فاخرج منها فإنك رجيم وإن عليك اللعنة إلى يوم الدين قال رب فأنظرني إلى يوم يبعثون قال فإنك من المنظرين إلى يوم الوقت المعلوم قال رب بما أغويتني لأزينن لهم في الأرض ولأغوينهم أجمعين إلا عبادك منهم المخلصين قال هذا صراطُ عليٍّ مستقيم إن عبادي ليس لك عليهم سلطان إلا من اتبعك من الغاوين

Comment:

The reading here is :هَـٰذَا صِرَاطُ عَلِيٍّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ

„Hāḏā Ṣirāṭu ʿAliyyin Mustaqīm.”

Translation:

“This is the straight path of Ali.” [Al-Hijr 15:41]

Most people read: هَـٰذَا صِرَاطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ

„Hāḏā Ṣirāṭun ʿAlayya Mustaqīm.”

Translation:

“This is a straight path upon Me.” [Al-Hijr 15:41]

[2.] “My Lord, grant me judgment and place me among those who do good and give me a tongue of truth among the generations that will come.” [Ash-Shu’ara’ 26:83-84]

رب هب لي حكما وألحقني بالصالحين واجعل لي لسان صدق في الآخرين

“When he had separated himself from them and from the one whom they served besides Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob: and We appointed both of them as prophets. We gifted them out of Our Mercy, and We appointed for them Ali as the tongue of truth.” [Maryam 19:49-50]

فلما اعتزلهم وما يعبدون من دون الله وهبنا له إسحاق ويعقوب وكلا جعلنا نبيا ووهبنا لهم من رحمتنا وجعلنا لهم لسان صدقٍ عليا

Comment:

The reading here is: وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا

„Wa Ǧaʿalnā Lahum Lisāna Ṣidqin ʿAliyyan.”

Translation:

“And We appointed for them Ali as the tongue of truth.” [Maryam 19:50]

The majority reads: وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ لِسَانَ صِدْقٍ عَلِيًّا

“Wa Ǧaʿalnā Lahum Lisāna Ṣidqin ʿAliyyan.”

Translation:

“And We gave them a good name and a high reputation.” [Maryam 19:50]

[ 3. ] “Ha, Mim. We made it an Arabic Qur’an so that you may understand, and with Us is he in the mother of the Book Ali, the Wise.” [Az-Zukhruf 43:1-4]

حم والكتاب المبين إنا جعلناه قرآنا عربيا لعلكم تعقلون وإنه في أم الكتاب لدينا لعلي حكيم

Comment:

The reading here is: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ

„Wa Innahu Fī Ummi l-Kitābi Ladaynā La ʿAliyyun Ḥakīm.”

Translation:

“And with us is he in the mother of the Book Ali, who is wise” [Az-Zukhruf 43:4]

The majority reads: وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ

„Wa Innahu Fī Ummi l-Kitābi Ladaynā La ʿAliyyun Ḥakīm.”

Translation:

“And verily, he is exalted with Us in the Mother of the book, full of wisdom.” [Az-Zukhruf 43:4]

[ 4. ] If you collect the single letters like “Alif Lam Mim” that are mentioned in the beginning of some chapters of the Qur’an, the following letters remain: ا ل م ص ر ك ه ي ع ط س ح ق ن

“Alif, Lām, Mīm, Ṣād, Rāʾ, Kāf, Hāʾ, Yāʾ, ʿAyn, Ṭāʾ’, Sīn, Ḥāʾ, Qāf, Nūn.”

This gives rise to the following sentence: صِرَاطُ عَلِيٍّ حَقٌّ نُمْسِكُهُ

“Ṣirāṭu ʿAliyyin Ḥaqqun Numsikuhu.”

Translation:

“The way of Ali is true, to which we hold fast.”

Or also: عَلِيٌّ صِرَاطُ حَقٍّ نُمْسِكُهُ

“ʿAliyyun Ṣirāṭu Ḥaqqin Numsikuhu.”

Translation:

“Ali is the true path, that we hold on to.”