The Story of Sacrifice on Laylat al-Mabit
Verse 207 of Surah Al-Baqarah in the Holy Quran refers to a person who sells their soul in pursuit of God's pleasure, with many Islamic exegetes interpreting this verse as referencing the act of sleeping in the Prophet’s (PBUH) bed on the night of Laylat al-Mabit.
“And among the people is he who sells his soul seeking the pleasure of Allah. and Allah is most kind to [His] servants.” reads the verse.
The renowned Sunni exegete, Al-Tha'labi (d. 1025), narrates that when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) decided to migrate from Mecca to Medina, he entrusted Ali (AS) to return the belongings and repay the debts of the people. On the night of his departure to the Cave of Thawr, while the infidels had surrounded his house, the Prophet (PBUH) instructed Ali (AS) to sleep in his bed, covered with the Prophet’s cloak.
At that moment, God revealed to Jibreel (Gabriel) and Mika’il (Michael): “I have established brotherhood between you and decreed that one of you will live longer than the other. Who among you will sacrifice their life for the other?” Neither angel was willing to make the sacrifice. Then God revealed, “Now, Ali (AS) has taken the Prophet’s place, ready to sacrifice his life for him. Descend to earth and protect him.”
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As Jibreel stood at Ali’s head and Mika’il at his feet, Jibreel declared, “Congratulations, O Ali! Through you, God takes pride in the angels.” At that moment, this verse was revealed, describing Ali’s attributes.
In this verse, the "seller" is a human being, the "buyer" is God, the "commodity" is the soul, and the "price" is God’s pleasure. Unlike other verses where the reward for such transactions is mentioned as eternal paradise or salvation from hell, this verse highlights God’s pleasure. The verse concludes with the assurance of God’s compassion: “And Allah is most kind to [His] servants.”
The scholar Ibn Abi al-Hadid (d. 1258) states that Ali’s heroic act on Laylat al-Mabit is universally acknowledged, except by non-Muslims and those lacking sound judgment.
For further reading, refer to:
- Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. 1, p. 348
- Siraat-e Ibn Hisham, vol. 2, p. 29
- Tarikh al-Yaqubi, vol. 2, p. 39
- Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah by Ibn Abi al-Hadid, vol. 3, p. 370
