CAUSE OF THE REVELATION (VERSE NO. 55)

      TABARSI in his MAJMA- AL- BAYAN and many other commentators and authors have narrated that IBN- ABBASS said:-

      ``I was sitting besides the spring of ZAMZAM in Mecca, and I was narrating traditions for a group of people gathered round me that the prophet said so and so. Then there came a man with a turban on his head and a veil upon his face, who sat among the audience. When I rehearsed a tradition from our prophet, he too, narrated another commencing with; ``The prophet said...''

      I earnestly and by a swearing asked him who he was? He uncovered his face and said:- ``O people! Let all of you know that I am ABUZAR GHAFFARI, the near companion to the Messenger of God. I heard with my own ear, and saw with my own eyes; and if I lie let Allah render me deaf and blind - that Mohammad S.A. our dear prophet said:- `Ali is the leader and guardian of the righteous and good- doers, and the slayer of the unbelievers. Whoever helps him, God will help him; and whoever leaves him, Allah will leave him. ABUZAR then continued his narration saying:-

      Once I was performing my prayer with the prophet in his mosque. A beggar came in and asked the Muslims for alms and charity; but no one gave him anything! The beggar raised up his hands towards the heavens and said:- `O, My Gracious Lord! Do testify that in your prophet's mosque I asked for help, and no one stretched out a hand in favour towards me. In that very moment HAZRAT ALI (AS) was performing prayer, and was then in the state of bowing when he pointed with his little finger to the beggar to come near, the beggar approached, and took out Ali's relatively valuable ring out of his little finger. A while after GABRIEL appeared bringing down with him the above verse.''

      The above tradition has been narrated by many narrators, commentators and scholars with a little difference only in the wordings.