Shaikh Sadooq relates through his chain of transmitters from Ibn Abbas, that once I was in the company of Imam Ali (a.s.) (during the days of his Caliphate), when discussion arose between usregarding the Caliphate (after the Prophet). Imam Ali (a.s.) replied in detail, that has been quoted in Nahjul Balagha, “By Allah ! The son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) dressed himself with it (the caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill. He knew that the floodwater and the stream of wisdom & perfection, that comes forth from the highlands, flows through me, while the birds of high flight do not have the strengthto reach the peak of my intelligence. Thus I released the mantle of caliphate and kept myself detached from it”.
[113] This sermon is known as the Sermon of Shiqshiqayya, and is counted among the most famous sermons of Imam Ali (a.s.). It was delivered at Rahbah. Although some people have denied it to be his utterance and attribute it to Sayyid Razi, yet there are proofs in Non-Shi'ah books regarding the Sermon to be from Imam Ali(a.s.). Ibn Abil Hadeed writes that his master Abul Khair Musaddiq bin Shabib al Wasiti (d. 605 A.H.) stated that he heard this sermon from Shaikh Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Ahmad al Baghdadi (d. 567 A.H.) known as Ibn al Khashab, he also saw this sermon in the compilations of his master Abul Qasim (Abdullah bin Ahmad) al Balkhi (d. 317 A.H.). Other Non Shi'ah Scholars who acknowledge its veracity are Sibt Ibn al Jawzi al Hanafi (d. 654 A.H.) in Tazkiratul Khawasul Ummah, Qazi Shihab al Khafaji in Sharh Durrah al Ghawas, Shaikh Ala ud Dawla Simnani in al ‘Urwah li Ahl al Khalwah wal Jalwa, Abul Fazl Ahmad al Maydani in Majma'al Amsal, Ibn Aseer in Al Nihayah, etc.
“Then I began to think whether I should arise alone to defend my right or endure calmly the events of censorship and oppression that have taken place, wherein the grown up are made feeble and the young grow old and the true believer acts under strain till he meets Allah (s.w.t.) (on his death). I found that patience and endurance thereon was wiser. So I followed the path of patience and endurance, although my state was similar to the one whom there waspricking in the eye and suffocation in the throat. I watched the plundering of my inheritance until the first one passed away but handed over the Caliphate to the second one (Umar) after himself”.
Then Imam Ali (a.s.) recited the verses of al A’sha : “My days are now passed on the Camel’s back in hardship, while there were days (of ease) when I enjoyed the company of Jabir's brother Hayyan”.[114]
“It is strange that during his (Abu Bakr) lifetime he wished to be released from the caliphate but then he wed the caliphate to the other one (Umar) after his death. No doubt these two shared the Caliphate among themselves similar to the two udders of the Camel. Thus he put the Caliphate in the hands of a man who was very rude, hot-tempered,
[114] Hayyan of Yamamah was the chief of the tribe Banu Hanifah and was quite wealthy. Jabir was the name of his younger brother while al A’sha, whose real name was Maymun ibn Qais ibn Jandal, enjoyed the position of being his bosom friend and led a decent happy life through his bounty. In the above verse he compares his current life, when he roamed about in search of livelihood, with the previous one wherein he led a happy life in Hayyan's company. Imam Ali (a.s.) quotes this verse comparing his present life wherein he was deprived of his right and persecuted while during the days of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) he enjoyed peace and security.
one stuffed with errors and who always asked excuses. Thus the one assumed the leadership who was similar to a rider of an unrulycamel, if its reins are pulled and not let loose, the nostrils (of the Camel) would tear, but if it be let loose it would fall in the precipice of perdition. Consequently, by Allah (s.w.t.), during his (Umar’s) days, people got involved in misconceptions, failed to strive for truth and tread the path of deviation”.[115]
[115]Imam Ali (a.s.) speaks the truth, during the caliphate of Umar, he introduced numerous innovations in Islam that did not exist during the time of the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.s.) and forbad those thatthe Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself had enjoined. To quote a few, (1) He initiated the Taraweeh Prayer in the month of Ramazan, which the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself had forbidden upon the community (Imam Bukhari, “Saheeh”, Vol 3 & 8), (2) He Added in the Azaan of the Fajr Prayers, “Al Salato Khairum minan Nawm (Prayer is better than sleep)” (Imam Malik, “Al Muwatta”), (3) Pointing the index finger during recition of salutations in Prayers towards the Ka’bah (Shibli Nu’mani, “Al Farooq”; Shah Waliyullah Muhaddis Dehlawi, “Izalatul Khifa”, Vol 3), (4) Changed the ruling of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) by treating three pronounced divorces at one and same time, as one (Imam Muslim, “Saheeh”), (5) The first one to award himself the title of Amirul Mu’meneen (Imam Bukhari, “Saheeh”; Ibn Khaldoon, “Al Muqaddamah”; Shibli Nu’mani, “Al Farooq”), (6) Entered into a treaty with the Christians of Syria in which he offered them entirely new terms by drafting a document that sought to humiliate them, quite contrary to the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)’s dealings with them (Ibn Taymiyah, “Fatawa”; Ibn Hazm, “Al Muhalla”; Shibli Nu’mani, “Al Farooq”), (7) Ordered the killing of Magians (Abi Dawood, “Sunan”, Bk 19), (8) Depriving the Ahlulbait (a.s.) of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) a share from the Khums after his (s.a.w.s.) death, (9) Despatching cruel commanders (like Khalid bin Walid) with drawn swords and large troops to expand his dominion under the pretext of spreading Islam far and wide, (10) Forbidding the writing of Prophetic Ahadees, (11) Prohibiting the pronouncement of “Hayya ala Khairil Amal” in the Azaan (Imam Malik, “Al Muwatta”; Taftazani, “Shahr al Maqasid”; Qushaji, “Shahr al Tajreed”; Ali al Halabi, “Siratul Halabiyah”, (12) Prohibited the Mut’ah of Haj and Mut’ah with women, when it was permitted during the lifetime of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) (Imam Bukhari, “Saheeh”;Imam Muslim, “Saheeh”, Vol 1; Taftazani, “Shahr al Maqasid”; Qushaji, “Shahr al Tajreed”). He most audaciously declared, “There are two Mut’ah’s which existed in the time of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and of Abu Bakr, which I have banned. And I will punish those who disobey my orders, these two are, the Mut’ah concerning Haj and the Mut’ah concerning women”. Imam Ali (a.s.) says, “If Umar had not forbidden Mut’ah, there would have been only a few unfortunate men who committed fornication”. (Tabari, “Tafseer”). Abdullah Ibn Abbas also comments saying, “Mut’ah was a blessing with which Allah, the Almighty, endowed the Ummah of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), and, had it not been prohibited, no one, except the truly perverted ones, would have committed adultery”. (Ibn Aseer, “Nihayah”; Zamakhshari, “Faeq”) (13) Forbad the Mahr for women more than 400 dirhams, when a woman in the public pointed out a verse from the Qur’an permitting it. (Jalaluddin Suyuti, “Tafseer Durr al Mansoor”, Vol 2; Ibn Kaseer, “Tafseer”, Vol 1; Zamakhshari, “Tafseer Kashshaf”, Vol 1; Ibn Majah, “Sunan” Vol 1; Baihaqi, “Sunanal Kubra” Vol 1; Qastalani, “Irshadus Sari Sharh Saheeh al Bukhari” Vol 8; Muttaqi al Hindi, “Kanzal Ummal” Vol 8; Hakim Naishapuri, “Mustradrak” Vol 2), and many more. One should refer to the words of the Qur’an, “And whatever gives you the Apostle, you accept it, and from whatever prevents he, you be away (from it); and fear you (the wrath of Allah); Verily Allah is severe in retribution”. (Surah al Hashr : 7). But Umar seems to be heedless of this injunction of the Qur’an !
“Thus during this period I remained patient and until he too passed away. But during his last days, he handed over the Caliphate to a group of council and regarded me to be one of them. Verily, Allah’s refuge of this council ! Where was any doubt about me with regard to
Khairil Amal” in the Azaan (Imam Malik, “Al Muwatta”; Taftazani, “Shahr al Maqasid”; Qushaji, “Shahr al Tajreed”; Ali al Halabi, “Siratul Halabiyah”, (12) Prohibited the Mut’ah of Haj and Mut’ah with women, when it was permitted during the lifetime of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) (Imam Bukhari, “Saheeh”; Imam Muslim, “Saheeh”, Vol 1; Taftazani, “Shahr al Maqasid”; Qushaji, “Shahr al Tajreed”). He most audaciously declared, “There are two Mut’ah’s which existed
in the time of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) and of Abu Bakr, which I have banned. And I will punish those who disobey my orders, these two are, the Mut’ah concerning Haj and the Mut’ah concerning women”. Imam Ali (a.s.) says, “If Umar had not forbidden Mut’ah, there would have been only a few unfortunate men who committed fornication”. (Tabari, “Tafseer”). Abdullah Ibn Abbas also comments saying, “Mut’ah was a blessing with which Allah, the Almighty, endowed the Ummah of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), and, had it not been prohibited, no one, except the truly perverted ones, would have committed adultery”. (Ibn Aseer, “Nihayah”; Zamakhshari, “Faeq”) (13) Forbad the Mahr for women more than 400 dirhams, when a woman in the public pointed out a verse from the Qur’an permitting it. (Jalaluddin Suyuti, “Tafseer Durr al Mansoor”, Vol 2; Ibn Kaseer, “Tafseer”, Vol 1; Zamakhshari, “Tafseer Kashshaf”, Vol 1; Ibn Majah, “Sunan” Vol 1; Baihaqi, “Sunanal Kubra” Vol 1; Qastalani, “Irshadus Sari Sharh Saheeh al Bukhari” Vol 8; Muttaqi al Hindi, “Kanzal Ummal” Vol 8; Hakim Naishapuri, “Mustradrak” Vol 2), and many more. One should refer to the words of the Qur’an, “And whatever gives you the Apostle, you accept it, and from whatever prevents he, you be away (from it); and fear you (the wrath of Allah); Verily Allah is severe in retribution”. (Surah al Hashr : 7). But Umar seems to be heedless of this injunction of the Qur’an !
the first of them that I was now considered akin to these ones?
[116] But I remained low when they were low and flew high when they flew
[116] Imam Ali (a.s.) revealed his pain for he was extremely aggrieved to find himself being counted among wordly men. It is a proven fact of history that Imam Ali (a.s.) led an austere and abstinent life, while all the other people of this committee were stuffed up with large amount of properties and wealth. Ibn Sa’ad in his Tabaqat alئ Kubra says about Usman bin Affan, “When he died, he left thirty five million dirhams, hundred & fifty thousand dinars, three thousand Camels & herds of Horses. He built himself a palace in Madinah with marble and teakwood. He also had a thousand slaves”. Zubair bin Awwam built tenement houses in Kufah, Basrah, Fustat and Alexandria. His property was estimated at fifty thousand dinars, in addition to which he possessed a thousand horses and thousand slaves. Talhah bin Ubaidullah built a large tenement house of bricks and precious wood in Madinah. Abdul Rahman bin Awf built himself a rich & spacious dwelling, his stables contained a hundred Horses and his pastures one thousand Camels and ten thousand Sheep. And one quarter of the inheritance he left afterhis death was valued at eighty four thousand dinars. (“Arabs, Islam and the Arab Caliphate in the early Middle Ages”, New York, 1969). Far be it that Imam Ali (a.s.) should be made to stand with these gluttonous men ! He was often heard in the middle of the night, crying, "'O vicious world ! Be away from me, why do you come in front of me like this ? Do you want to allure me ? Allah (s.w.t.) forbid that I should be allured and tempted by you and your pleasures. It is not possible. Go and try your allurements on someone else. I do not desire to own you and do not want to have you, I have forsaken you thrice. It is similar to divorcing a woman thrice after which she cannot be taken back as a wife. The life of pleasures that you offer is of a very little duration. There is no real importance in what you offer, the desire of holding you is an insult and humiliation to sober minds. Sad is the plight of those who want to acquire you. They do not provide for the Hereafter. They have to pass through a long journey over a very difficult road towards a sad destination". (Nahjul Balaghah : Saying 77) and, "Now look to your Imam (Imam meant himself). In this world he has satisfied himself with two old, torn and coarse garments and two pieces of bread (one in the morning and one in the evening)". (Nahjul Balaghah : Letter 45).
high. One of them (Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas) turned against me because of his envy towards me, and the other one (Abdul Rahman bin Awf) inclined the other way due to his relationship, while the third one (Usman bin Affan) emerged a winner and took the reins of Caliphate into his hands.[117] And he, similar to a Camel that is satiated and with a
[117] Imam refers to the Council of six men chosen by Umar bin Khattab at his death-bed to be elected the Caliph after him, Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.), Usman bin Affan, Abdul Rahman bin Awf, Sa'ad bin AbiWaqqas, Zubair bin Awwam and Talhah bin Ubaydullah. It is true that Umar did not designate anyone as his successor, but his electoral committee was, in point of fact, a de facto designation. Its constitution guaranteed the selection only of Umar's own candidate (i.e. Usman). His first stipulation was that the candidate who gets most of the votes would become the Caliph, and there was no way for Imam Ali (a.s.) to get most of the votes. Abdul Rahman bin Awf was the husband of the half-sister of Usman, Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas was the first cousin of Abdul Rahman and was under his influence. ‘Tribal solidarity' or ‘tribal chauvisnism' was very strong among the Arabs, thus Talhah belonged to the clan of Abu Bakr and was married to one of his daughters. Therefore it was unthinkable that any of them would vote for Ali (a.s.). Thus he had to count out four votes even before the beginning of the meeting. In any case, Abdul Rahman bin Awf had the casting vote. As Umar's confidante, it was inevitable that he would give his vote and support only to his (Umar's) favourite and the brother of his own wife, Usman. Also Umar laid a stipulation that if anyone of them disagreed with the majority, he would forfeit his life. Is this order to kill the dissenting member or members of his electoral committee, allcompanions of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), a sample of his ‘justice'? Also by adding the name of Zubair into the electoral committee, he made him stand face to face against Ali (a.s.) whom he had favoured in the beginning. As is related that when the house of Ali (a.s.) was attacked, Zubair had tried to defend him with his sword, while Umar himself was a witness to it. Thus he succeeded in fuelling the desire of power into the heart of Zubair and thus oppose Imam Ali (a.s.). Later we find the same Zubair come out in the open to fight Ali (a.s.) in the battle of Jamal !
swollen belly, resolved nothing but to accumulate the public property (for himself) and usurp it. While the adherers of his father (Umayyah) also stood up, similar to the starving Camels that rush to eat the foliage of spring and gulp with such greed, to swallow the wealth of Allah (s.w.t.).[118] Ultimately his rope broke and his unworthy actions destroyed his tasks”.
succeeded in fuelling the desire of power into the heart of Zubair and thus oppose Imam Ali (a.s.). Later we find the same Zubair come out in the open to fight Ali (a.s.) in the battle of Jamal !
[118] Usman bin Affan was a squanderer and bestowed lavish gifts upon his friends and members of his family, the Bani Umayyah, without any legal justification. Ibn Abil Hadeed writes in the first volume of his book Sharh Nahjul Balaghah, that Usman built a sophisticated stone house with doors made of sandalwood. He accumulated great wealth, which he bestowed lavishly on the Umayyads and others. For instance, the Religious Levy (Khums) from Armenia, which was conquered during his time, was bestowed on Marwan without any Religious sanctions. He also gave him hundred thousand dirhams from the Public treasury and very generously offered him Fadak that had been usurped from Sayyedah Fatemah (s.a.). He gave four hundred thousand dirhams to Abdullah bin Khalid, a hundred thousand dirhams to Hakam bin Aas (the father of Marwan), who was cursed and banished (alongwith Marwan) by the Prophet (s.a.w.s.), and two hundred thousand dirhams to Abu Sufyan. These unjustifiable grants of his resulted in public uproar and many eminent companions of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) protested against him. Even A’eshah is quoted to have said, “Kill the Na’sal (a jew of Madinah), for indeed he has become an infidel", because Usman resembled Na'sal more. (Ibn Aseer, “Tareekh”, Ibn Abd Rabbah, “Iqdul Fareed”)