Fatimah bint Asad leaned against the wall of the Ka'bah to rest. Miraculously, the wall opened. Fatimah bint Asad entered and the wall closed behind her. 'Abbas bin 'Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's (s.a.w.) uncle witnessed this miracle. He and his companions rushed to the gate of the Sacred House, which was locked, and tried in vain to open it. Understanding that the Divine was at work there, he and his companions ceased to interfere. The news of this incident soon spread throughout Mecca.

Imam Ali (a.s.) was born within the Ka'bah with his eyes closed and his body in humble prostration before the Almighty Allah. Fatimah stayed in the Ka'bah for three days and as the fourth day approached, she stepped out, carrying her baby in her arms. She found the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) waiting to receive the newly-born child in his anxious arms. So the first face that little Ali saw in this worldwas the smiling face of the Apostle of God, Muhammad(s.a).
Imam Ali's (a.s.) birth inside the honored Ka'bah is unique in the history of the world. Neither a prophet nor a saint was ever blessed with such an honor.(4) It is an undisputed historical fact recognised by all historians that the Holy Ka'bah is the birthplace of Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.).
Glad tidings were brought to Abu Talib and his household. Upon their arrival at the Sacred House they saw Muhammad al-Mustafa (s.a.w.) there with the child in his arms.(5) He carried the baby Ali to the house of Abu Talib, where he, himself was brought up.

A great banquet was prepared, slaughtering many animals, in honor of the blessed new-born child.(6)
The party was attended by a crowd of people. They offered their congratulations, spent hours of merriment expressing their high feelings towards their chieftain, the sheikh of Al-Abtah, and towards his blessed child.
Days passed quickly as the blessed child grew up in the arms of his parents and his cousin, Muhammad (s.a.w.), who used to frequent his uncle's house, where he had formerly tasted the warmth of affection, and drank from the fountains of sincerity and loyalty during the years of his childhood and youth.

Muhammad (s.a.w.) continued to frequent his uncle's house, although he was now a married man, living with his wife, Khadijah, in their own house. He cherished Ali and surrounded him with affection and care, speaking to him tenderly, rocking his cradle or carrying him in his arms.

THE PATRONAGE OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH

Six years passed after Ali's birth. The Quraish (Muhammad's tribe) suffered from an acute economic crisis which had a heavy effect on Abu Talib, who had to support a large family, as well as a host of poor people who used to come to him as a prominent figure in the community at Mecca. Could the "Chosen One" (s.a.w.) and Bani Hashim (his family) accept such a hard situation for their leader?

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) went to his uncle, Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib, the wealthiest of the Bani Hashim, and said, "O uncle! your brother, Abu Talib, sustains a large family, and the people are badly afflicted by the situation. So, let us go to him to lighten his hammad though he to be sustained by us."(7)

The proposal from Al-Mustafa (the Chosen One) (s.a.w.) was gladly accepted by his uncle, Al-Abbas, and they both hurried to Abu Talib and talked him into accepting the suggestion.

Abu Talib said, "If you let me have Aqil and Talib, I will let you do as you see fit..."(8)
Al-Abbas took Ja'far, and Muhammad (s.a.w.) took Ali (a.s.), then six years old.(9)
Having chosen Ali (a.s.), the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: "I have chosen whom Allah had chosen for me above you - Ali." (10)

Thus, Ali (a.s.), from his early childhood, lived under the patronage of Muhammad (s.a.w.), grew up under his care and drank from the fountains of his affection and tenderness. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) brought him up as his Lord had taught him. He never separated from him until he joined the Almighty .

A PRODUCT OF THE PROPHETIC RAISING

Imam Ali (a.s.) referred to the vast dimensions of the education he received at the hands of his guide, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) in one of his speeches known by the title " Al-Qasi'ah" (censure):

"...you know what my relations with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) were. From the very beginning of my life, he loved me and I loved him. He took me in his lap when I was a baby and thence I was always with him. He often kept me embraced to his heart. He used to lay me next to him. We used to be so close to each other that I felt the warmth of his body and smelled the fragrance of his odor. When I was a baby, he fed me with his hands, often chewing hard bits for me. He never found me lying nor weak and wavering. From the time of his (the Prophet (s.a.w.)) infancy, Allah had appointed the greatest of His angels to always be with him, and His Arch Angel was leading him towards exemplary qualities and high moral values, and I followed him (s.a.w.) step by step as a baby camel follows its mother. Daily he used to place before me a fresh standard of efficiency and used to order me . to follow it. Every year he used to stay in a grotto of the Hara' for some time, and nobody used to be with him but me. None could then see or hear him but I. During those days Islam was the religion of only the Prophet and his wife, Khadijah. I was the third of the trio. Nobody else in this world had accepted Islam. Even then I used to see the divine light of revelation and prophethood and smell the heavenly fragrance of prophethood."(11)

In his own words, this text reveals how Imam Ali (a.s.), during his childhood, was treated by the Messenger (s.a.w.) with care, tenderness and self-denial. The Prophet went to the extent of chewing morsels of food and putting them in Ali's mouth, holding him in his arms and treating him as though he were his own beloved son.
During his boyhood and youth, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) exerted his efforts to form Ali's personality. He used to instruct him to do as he did, to follow his wake. Every day the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) would demonstrate a new example of high morality for Ali to follow, step by step, as is described in his speech.
Therefore, it is a mistake not to believe that Ali (a.s.) was initially and purposely chosen to come as an illustration of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) in his thought, attitudes and diverse aspects of his conduct, even in his way of walking.(12)

Imam Ali (a.s.) was so pure in spirit and straightforward in morality, according to the education he received from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), that many shadows of the hidden future were lighted before him. He says: "...When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) received the first revelation, Satan lamented so loudly that I asked the Holy Prophet: Who is lamenting and why? He replied, 'It is Satan who has given up hopes of acquiring complete sway over human minds. In his disappointment, he is lamenting over the chance lost. Verily Ali, you also hear whatever I hear, and you see whatever I see, only you are not a prophet. But you are my wazir (minister), successor and helper, and you will always hold the truth and justice."(13)

The path which he walked, in the proximity of Allah, the Exalted, to obey His commands and to enact His Messenger's practice, qualified him to be a minister to prophethood--the post that is entrusted only to those who already covered a long distance towards the peak of virtue and the fear of God. It was only the prophethood's calling that separated him from the Prophet (s.a.w.). So he deserved and rightly ascended to the ministerial platform. Thus was Imam Ali (a.s.)!

UNDER THE SHADE OF REVELATION

Although Imam Ali (a.s.) lived in the custody of his father and brothers for six tender years, with a prominent role played by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) in attendance, it became a complete task of rearing him and educating him when the responsibility fell to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) from his sixth year. As already mentioned, it was then that he moved to the Prophet's house because of the financial crisis which befell his father, Abu Talib.
Since that early age, Imam Ali (a.s.) lived with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.). It was there that he spent his teens and adolesence during which he was a close observer of all the developments that happened in the life of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).

So, Imam Ali's (a.s.) education was not an ordinary one, nor one which a normal child receives from his father, or elder brothers. The training and instruction he received was very special and it suffices to know that he followed Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) like his shadow, even during periods of exclusive privacy inside the Hara' grotto where the mental and spiritual developments were witnessed through which Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was passing.
Imam Ali (a.s.), remembering those momentus days, during a decisive period of his life, recalls "...Every year he used to stay in a grotto of Hira' Mountain for some time, and nobody would be with him but I..."(14)

Yes, it was only Imam Ali (a.s.) who witnessed the tremendous spiritual change which had been ripening in the soul of Al-Mustafa (s.a.w.), until the blessed Divine revelation shined forward upon him.
Owing to the far-reaching extent of the spiritual and moral level to which his soul had attained, Imam Ali (a.s.) deeply felt the revolution that had taken place in the unseen world, where Satan had been defeated, after losing hope of being worshipped by hearing the final message revealed to the Seal of the Prophets (s.a.w.). He had seen the preliminary signs of prophethood personified in no one less than his tutor and guide, when the light of deliverance shone, and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) received the first Divine Communique entrusting him with his mission for mankind: