Before The
Pledge Of Allegiance
Now, we are discussing a
matter. We do not know exactly to what extent the matter was affected by
the previous conditions. Still it is enough for us to present some of
the social conditions which the Muslims knew for the first time after
the death of the Prophet. That is because the Prophet had a strong
effect on the selves, a strong power in forming society, and a powerful
hand in building the elements of the activity of beliefs.
We are recalling the
memories to draw a transient picture here. Thus it is enough for us to
take an appropriate thing from every event or to take the suitable
events for our subject and leave the others. That is because we want, in
the light of this method, to know whether our subject (i.e., the Peace
Treaty of al-Hasan) was affected by the previous circumstances or not.
The greatest event in the
history of Islam was the death of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless
him and his family. Thus that heavenly radiation gave this world all
good ceased. Suddenly, the world became dark and people began to prepare
themselves to commit evil deeds. When the Apostle of Allah, may Allah
bless him and his family, died, the earth separated from the sky. For
the Prophet was the only means between them. Is the earth in no need of
the sky? Of course not. For the sustenance of the earth, its good, its
life, its activity, its light, and its religion are all from the sky.
This event (the death of the Prophet) would have caused intense
loneliness in this world and a heavy loss for Muslims if he (the
Prophet) had totally ended his relation with the world and Muslims.
However, the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, was
aware that the believers would be tested after him through facing great
misfortunes. The Prophet was kind to the believers. Thus he told them
that only one rope would continue the relation between them and the sky.
So is there a rope worthier of clinging than the rope of the sky in the
time when inspiration has ceased? For this reason, the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and his family, said: "I have left among you that which
if you cling to, you shall not go astray after me: the book of Allah,
(which) is the extended rope from the sky to the earth, and my family,
the members of my house. They (Allah's Book and the Prophet's family)
shall not abandon each other till they come to me at the Hawd (the river
in Paradise). So think, how will you treat them after me?"
[1]
Accordingly, we have the
right to base the research that is between our hands, on these events to
conclude the attitude of the community towards the family of the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or the attitude of those
groups who claimed that they had the right to represent the community.
That is because we want to know how that community and those groups
treated the family of the Prophet after him. In the meantime we want to
conclude the appropriate events for our subject. So if the word al-'itra
means 'asbira or the kin of the man, then 'Ali was the most prominent
man of them all after Allah's Apostle. If the mentioned word means
dhurriya (progeny), then al-Hasan was the eldest one in the family of
the Prophet after him. For, in Arabic, the word al-'itra is used for
both 'ashira (kin) and dhurriya (progeny).
However, after the death
of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, the Muslim community
disagreed on the matter of the succession. That is because some Muslims
depended on their viewpoints. Some of them cleaved to the clear
traditions of their Prophet, who said many traditions concerning
nominating the successor after him. However, this is not the next to
mention all these traditions. Meanwhile we do not intend to discuss with
those who depended on their personal interpretations, nor do we intend
to discuss with those who worshipped Allah according to the clear
traditions of their Prophet. For everything on which we agree and
disagree with them all or with a party of them ended as it was at its
time. The research, which we are doing, now has nothing to change the
adopted ideas.
We do not look for excuses
for those who depended on their viewpoints. In spite of their
disagreement on the traditions of their Prophet, we say: The Apostle of
Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, regarded the Qur'an and his
family as his deputies after him as in the foregoing traditions and
similar ones. However, those who depended on their viewpoints treated
the Prophet's deputies (the Qur'an and the Prophet's family) according
to their political ideas that mean that they accepted the traditions of
the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. In other words
they thought that the interest should be taken into consideration. Also
they thought that obeying the orders of the Prophet was in charge of the
experienced old men. If they confirmed what the Prophet wanted, then it
was okay. If they did not confirm what the Prophet wanted, they put into
effect whatever they wanted.
In this manner the
succession was taken from the Prophet's family. In this manner, it was
possible or advisable for a great number of those who believed in
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family, to give Mu'awiya the right
to compete with the others for the succession of Islam and to produce
old- age [2] as evidence for it. In the
meantime the old men such 'Amr b. al-'As, al-Mughira b. Shu'ba, Abu
Hurayra al-Dousi, and the like confirmed his claim. This claim of
Mu'awiya, that included disdain at the sacredness of Islam, was not for
the first time. Rather it had historical backgrounds.
[3]
It is obvious that these
historical back grounds led to an unexpected trend in Medina when the
people held a meeting in the Shelter (saqifa) of banu (the sons of)
Sa'ida to find a new rope other than that of the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and his family, in the foregoing tradition. In this
connection, Polis Salama said:
Events occurred one by one
under the Shelter (Saqifa)
They provoked hidden
things and inclinations
Tendencies divided like
the branches of
The tender boxthron.
[4]
The owner of the right
(Imam 'Ali) in the succession adopted an honorable attitude towards his
brothers who depended on their viewpoints. His attitude in itself
underlined that he wanted to protect Islam from collapse. Also such an
attitude underlined that he was the only means or rope between the
people and the sky. He (Imam 'Ali) failed for a very short time to
pledge allegiance (to Abu Bakr). That is because his Islamic mind showed
him his usurped right. Then he was forced to pledge allegiance.
[5] So some of his companions asked him:
"How did your people deprive you of this position (Caliphate) while you
are worthier of it than them?" He (Imam 'Ali) said: "It was a selfish
act on which the hearts of people has become greedy while some people
did not care for it. The Arbiter is Allah and to Him is the return on
the Day of Judgment. Now leave this story of devastation about which
there is hue and cry."
These words show you that
Imam 'Ali was internally angry but was externally submissive.
[6]
The enemies of Imam 'Ali
have become blind to his light (outstanding merits). In other words the
covering of enmity is on their eyes. So they have ignored him. However,
they have not ignored his early Islam, his jihad (struggle), his close
relation to the Prophet, his affinity with him, his brotherhood to him,
his knowledge, and his worship. Moreover, they have not ignored the
traditions of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family,
concerning him. They understood these qualities of his then more than we
understand them at the present time. However, the enemies of Imam 'Ali,
peace be on him, showed enmity towards him because of his many
outstanding merits, his intense justice, and his sword with which he
killed many of them in the fields of the holy battles.
Also 'Ali's enemies showed
enmity towards him because he was in the fourth decade of his life. No
wonder, for they thought that the caliph after the Apostle of Allah, may
Allah bless him and his family, should be in the seventh decade of age
to be fully experienced.
'Ali's enemies have
forgotten that the Imamate in Islam is religion like Prophethood itself.
What is permitted in Prophethood is permitted in the Imamate. Also what
is not permitted in the Imamate what is not permitted in Prophethood
though great. So what is the relationship between ijtihad (the ability
to conclude religious verdicts) and an age when there is a textual
nomination? What is the importance of political interests towards
Allah's Words and the traditions of his Apostle, may Allah bless him and
his family?. 'Ali's age when the Prophet died was equal to that of 'isa
b. Maryam (Jesus, Mary's son) when Allah, the Great and Almighty, raised
him (Jesus) to the sky. It was possible for 'isa to be a prophet in the
earth at such an age. So why was it impossible for 'Ali to be a caliph
at the age of thirtythree? Worth mentioning Allah will choose such an
age for the people of Paradise on the Day of Judgment. If this age was
not the best years of the human being, Allah would not choose it for his
servants in the gardens.
'Ali's enemies harbored
malice against him because of his close relation to the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and his family. So they hated to see that the Imamate
and Prophethood come together in one house. We do not know why the
outstanding merit, according to this logic, has caused this malice. We
do not know why 'Ali's close relation to the Prophet made his enemies
prevent him from taking the reins of the Caliphate.
They ('Ali's enemies)
thought that they did good things for Islam and Muslims when they
separated the Imamate from the family of Prophethood, and when they
helped other families to usurp the high religious position.
Moreover, they forgot the
precautionary steps of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his
family, when he limited the succession to his family.
The traditions of the
Prophet have drawn the attention of the wise men to the mistakes of the
people. Besides they have drawn their attention to the correctness of
the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family.
So the operation of
separation between the Caliphate and the family of the Prophet has moved
historical differences among the lovers of the Caliphate throughout
various generations. Also it has caused ugly disasters for Muslims and
distorted the ideal beliefs of Islam. All these differences and
disasters would have not happened if the Caliphate had been given to its
real owners. In other words if the people had obeyed Allah and His
Apostle as in this verse: "And it behooves not a believing man and a
believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when
Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah
and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying." (Qur'an:
33:36)
All these differences and
disasters have taken next among Muslims because the ambitious ones have
been permitted to compete with the righteous for the Caliphate.
For example, bloody
battles took next between banu (the sons) of Hashim and banu (the sons
of) Umayya, between banu al-Zubayr and banu Umayya, between banu al-'Abbas
and banu Umayya, and between banu 'Ali and banu al-'Abbas. All these
bloody battles took next because of that separation between the family
of the Prophet and the Caliphate. Noteworthy the Prophet underlined the
succession after him through his traditions to prevent those bloody
battles and regretful events from happening in Islam.
The members of the House
(Ahl al-Bayt) suffered from various misfortunes. They were liable to
assassinations, capturing, and homelessness. They suffered from all
these misfortunes. That was because of the first mistake which was made
to disobey the policy which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his
family, adopted to protect his community and his family. Unfortunately,
the people disobeyed him in what he wanted.
However, they
misunderstood the meaning of this wise policy. For they hated to see
that the Caliphate and Prophethood come together in one family.
Meanwhile they wanted to follow another policy.
The age was their apparent
justification, which they explained for the people. No one but Allah
knows the hidden reasons. Their spiteful memories resulted from the
battles between them and the early Muslims or from envy that "eats
religion as fire eats wood," as in the holy tradition.
The love of leadership and
the desire for authority have been dangerous diseases from which people
suffer. Also they are deep-rooted diseases in the nature of powerful
leaders.
However, Prophethood and
the Imamate, as two Divine offices, are different from the familiar
meaning in the political fields. In other words Prophetic policy results
from religion and belongs to it. So the only source in political affairs
is the Owner of religion (the Prophet), and his words are decisive in
them.
If you want to know the
close relationship between this event and our subject, you have to read
the following words of al-Husayn b. 'Ali, peace be on him. For you will
know that al-Hasan expressed his dissatisfaction in the following letter
of his when the people pledged allegiance to Mu'awiya in Kufa. Al-Hasan,
peace be on him, said: "When he (Allah's Apostle), may Allah bless him
and his family,, passed away, the Arabs differed over the succession
after him. So the Quraysh said: 'We are his tribe, his family, and his
friends. You have the right to dispute with us over the succession after
Muhammad.' So the Arabs believed the words of Quraysh and their proof
for that (succession) against him who disputed with them over the
succession after Muhammad. So you bestowed upon them and yielded to
them. Then we argued [7] with the Quraysh as
the Arabs did. However, the Quraysh did not treat us with justice as the
Arabs treated them. They (Quraysh), with the exclusion of the Arabs,
took this matter through (asking) equity and protest. We, the members of
the House of Muhammad and his friend, disputed with the Quraysh. We
asked them to treat us with justice. However, they turned away from us'
seized (power), and gathered together to oppress and force us. So we
suffered from their persecutions toward us. So the promise is Allah. He
is the Lord and Helper.
"We became surprised at
those who took unjustly our right and the succession of our family. If
they (the Quraysh) had an outstanding right and priority in Islam, we
would refrain from disputing with them. We do not want the hypocrites
and the allies (ahzab) to find a gap in the religion to corrupt it.
"So today, Mu'awiya, the
person is surprised when you have unjustly taken the authority while you
are in appropriate for it. You have no known merit in religion, nor have
you a laudable act in Islam. You are the son of an ally (hizb) of the
allies (ahzab). You are the son of the most hostile one of all the
Quraysh towards the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his
family, and His Book. Allah alone is sufficient for you. You shall be
returned to Him, and you shall know to whom the final result shall be."
[8]
Al-Hasan, peace be on him,
expressed his astonishment to show the relationship between Mu'awiya's
usurping the right of the members of the House (Ahl al-Bayt and that of
the early ones from Quraysh. The relationship between the matter of al-Husayn
and that of the early Caliphs resulted from this event. In the meantime
matters other than al-Husayn's matter appeared. Some of these matters
related to the two brothers; some of them related to the parents; and
some of them related to the general right.
We will not mention any of
these matters here. For we do not want to discuss research conducted
within these lines, but the matters that have a relation to our subject.
We have known that there
was a skillful, political activity after the death of the Apostle of
Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. The activity enabled Abu Bakr
to win the attitude (i.e., the Caliphate). 'Umar called that activity
Alta (i.e., unexpected event). Mu'awiya called it: "Usurping the right
and disagreement on authority."[9] So the
quick success which that political activity made underlined the previous
determination of those in power. From this determination, we can easily
understand that there was a special trend towards the family of
Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family. This trend caused effects
during and after its time.
So the family of the
Prophet was helpless, and were intentionally removed (from authority) in
all prominent developments which history witnessed then.[10]
The person who knew the
Caliphate (Abu Bakr) did not prefer them (the Prophet's family) to
others. Besides the person who limited the Caliphate to the three of six
people (i.e., 'Umar) did not treat them with justice. Were not for the
election made by the people after the Event of the House (hadith al-dar),
the Prophet's family would have had no portion in authority throughout
the various times.
Then this special trend
had an effect in creating a strong opposition against the two Caliphs
who consulted the family of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his
family, about their affairs.
At the Battles of Basrah
and Siffin, there are many proofs for what we have said.
Also there are other
proofs concerning the attitude of b. (the son of) 'Umar,
[11] Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas, Usama b. Zayd,
Muhammad b. Muslima, Qadama b. Maz'un, 'Abd Allah b. Salam, Hassan b.
Thabit, Abu Said al-Khudari, Zayd b. Thabit, al-Nu'man b. Bashir. They
were called al-Qu 'ad (the neutrals). For they preferred neutrality to
jihad (holy war) and refrained from pledging allegiance to Imam 'Ali and
his son al-Hasan, peace be on them.
This opposition had
different fields and various kinds. Some of them were the improper,
negative attitudes from which the leaders of the Prophet's family
suffered in Medina, and then in Kufa.
For this reason Imam 'Ali,
peace be on him, addressed the people from his pulpit in Kufa: "You who
are like men, and not men! Your intelligence is that of children and
your wit is that of women. I wish I had not seen you nor known you. By
Allah this acquaintance has brought about shame and resulted in
repentance. May Allah kill you. You have filled my heart with puss and
loaded my bosom with rage. You made me drink mouthfuls of grief one
after the other. You shattered my counsel through disobeying and leaving
me."
Imam 'Ali, peace be on
him, made numerous, similar speeches on various occasions.
It was the opposers who
planted evil intentions all over the cities of 'Ali, and provoked the
people to refrain from supporting him using all pretexts.
I (the author) have
believed in this factor. Meanwhile I do not want to forget the other
factors that took part in creating the abovementioned, special trend.
Namely the factors that took part in creating that opposition that had a
positive, armed attitude and a betraying, negative one towards the
Prophet's family during the holy Hashimite time.
I (the author) have no
doubt that strict justice and accurate equality that prevailed the
Hashimite times disturbed the people or some of them. So the people were
not ready to show obedience and loyalty that were necessary for war and
peace. Besides the booty of the conquered countries made those people
cling to the life in this world.
In spite of that special
trend, which was formed within twenty-five years, the time of the
Caliphate of Imam 'Ali, peace be on him, had appeared before pledging
allegiance to al-Hasan, peace be on him, in Kufa.
Al-Hasan was the eldest
son of 'Ali, peace be on him, and the successor after him. He (al-Hasan)
took part in the good days and bad days of his father. He shared him his
sorrows and pains. At that time, he (al-Hasan) was aware of the
hardships which his father faced from his people, his subjects, and his
enemies. Those hardships made al-Hasan sad. They reminded him of his
grandfather Muhammad, may Allah bless him and his family. For the latter
ordered his community to cling to the Book of Allah and to treat his
family kindly: "Think how you will treat them (my family) after me."
Though al-Hasan, peace be
on him, was full of sorrow, he sometimes resorted to hope. Thus he
remembered the good companions' help. Also he remembered their activity,
their sacrifice, and their loyalty. Accordingly, he concluded that their
deeds were free from the political ambitions in this world.
Among those companions
were army leaders, excellent orators, jurists, readers of the Qur'an,
and the rest of the good ones who fixed Islam.
The Commander of the
faithful (Amir al-mu'minm) relied on those companions during his battles
and his peace. Also the Hashimites relied on them to protect Islam from
dangers.
Imam 'Ali's companions
were from the Muslims who were loyal to the Apostle of Allah, may Allah
bless him and his family. For they promised him to protect him as they
protected their own selves. So al Hasan was hopeful that they would
support him in achieving the authority of his father or his own
authority.
They ('Ali's companions)
believed in the Words of Allah concerning the members of the House of
their Prophet. Also they believed in the trustee of authority (wasi)
after their Prophet. They understood 'Ali thoroughly. 'Ali was the hero
after the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. He was
the best of this community after him (i.e., the Prophet) in loyalty to
the truth, sacrificing for Islam, advising the Muslims, sound justice,
and abundant knowledge. Generally speaking, 'Ali's outstanding merits
made his enemies jealous of him.
Some of 'Ali's good
companions were 'Ammar b. Yasir, Khuzayma b. Thabit (the one with two
testimonies), Hudhayfa b. al-Yamman, 'Abd Allah b. Badil, Malik b. al-Harith
al-Ashtar, Khabab b. al-Arat, Muhammad b. Abu Bakr, Abu al-Haythem b.
al-Tayhan, Hashim b. 'Utba b. Abu Waqqas (al-Mirqal), Sahl b. Hunayf,
Thabit b. Qays al-Ansari, 'Aqaba b. 'Amru, Sa'd b. al-Harith b. al-Samman,
Abu Fadala al-Ansari, Ka'b b. 'Amr al-Ante, Qurda b' Ka'b al Ansari,
'Auf b. al-Harith b. 'Auf, Kilab b. al-Askar al-Kinani, Abu Layla b.
Balil, and the like. They were leaders in the fields of war and
worshippers in prayer. They ordered people to do good and prevented them
from doing evil. They competed with each other for death in the way of
Allah, while other than they competed with each other for worldly
desires.
It is necessary to mention
that all the above- mentioned good companions died martyrs at the
battles headed by 'Ali, peace be on him. Besides, sixty- three Badri
companions died martyrs at the Battle of Siffin.[11]
Many companions of 'Ali died martyrs at the three successive battles.
The camp of Imam 'Ali,
peace be on him, became empty of those good, reliable companions.
Accordingly, he was heard saying: "Allah, make haste the unhappiness of
al-Muradi (i.e., 'Abd al-Rahman b. Muljim)." "What prevents the most
wretched person of it (the community) from coloring it (his beard) with
the blood of that which is above it (i.e., his head)." "Indeed, by
Allah, I wish that Allah took me out of your existence and took me to
his mercy from you."
Peace be on ('Ali) on the
day when he was born, on the day when he was the first to believe Islam,
on the day when he fixed Islam with his sword, on the day when he was
tested, on the day when he died, and on the day when he will be raised
from the dead.
Therefore, al-Hasan had to
face the hardships of the time when his father lived. Namely, he had to
face the hardships, which his father faced: the poverty of al-Ansar (the
supporters), the armed hostility, and the betraying boycott.
[1] Al-Tirmidhi, Kanz al-'Ummal, vol. l, p. 44, tradition no.874.
There are many traditions similar to this tradition. For example, among
them is: "I am leaving two caliphs among you: the Book of Allah, (which)
is extended between the sky and the earth or (which) is between the sky
and the earth, and my family, the members of my House, and they shall
not abandon each other till they come to me at al-Hawd (the river in
Paradise) - (Imam Ahmad, al-Musnad. Al-Tabarani, al-Kabir).
[2] Ibn Abu al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol.4, p.13.
[3] Al-Mas'udi, Hashim b. al-Athir, vol. 6, pp. 78-79. Many of our
old poets, based their good poems on these historical backgrounds. For
example, Mihyar al-Daylami referred to them when he said:
As for the two evil ones:
b. (the son of) Hind and his son,
Even if their affair
became tyrannical after fear
They did not create
(anything) in what they had brought.
Rather they followed those
ways.
Mihyar's teacher, al-Sharif
al-Radi, may Allah have mercy on, had referred to them:
The deed of the latter
ones, though rises over
The ugly deed of the early
ones, is not more.
Al-Kumayt had referred to
the above- mentioned historical backgrounds before these two poets: The
bowmen hit it (the target) with the bow of other than them So the
latter, gave him the trousers. There are other poetic lines similar to
these in meaning.
[4] Bolis Salama.
[5] Mu'awiya said in what he wrote to him (Imam 'Ali) with Abu Imama
al-Bahili: "And you failed to pledge allegiance to him (i.e., Abu Bakr)
till you were forced to (pledge allegiance) to him. You were dragged
with the reins of force as the injured camel dragged."
[6] Imam 'Ali, Nahj al-Balagha, (explained by Muhammad 'Abda),
vol.1, p.299.
[7] The ugliest spites concerning the matter of the members of the
House (Ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, is that those debates
disappeared from history. So we have found nothing of them but bits and
peices which the enemy's observation ignored without intention. So here,
I (the author) have mentioned the following words of the renewing poet
al-Hajj 'Abd al Husayn al-Azdi:
Read what the desires
write at your time.
(That) tells about what
occurred in the past times.
[8] Ibn Abu al-Hadid, vo1.4, p.12.
[9] You can clearly find that in what Mu'awiya wrote to Muhammad b.
Abu Bakr concerning Imam 'Ali, peace be on him. He (Mu'awiya) said:
"Your father and his companions were the first to usurp his right and
disagreed with him on authority. They agreed and were harmonious on
that. Then they summoned him to pledge allegiance to them. However, he
was slow in coming to them and failed to answer them. So they asked him
to be quick, and they intended to do a great thing against him. Then he
(Imam 'Ali) pledged allegiance to them and yielded to them. However,
they prevented him from taking part in their authority. And they did not
inform him of their secrets till Allah made them die." Then he (Mu'awiya)
added: "If what we are in was right, then your father seized it and we
were his partners. Were not for your father's previous act, we would
have obeyed b. Abu Talib and yielded to him. However, your father had
done that (disobedience) before us. So we followed him." See al-Mas'udi,
Hashim b. al-Athir, vol.6, pp.78- 79.
[10] We find many examples concerning this point in the words of the
Commander of the faithful (Amir al-mu'mineen peace be on him). In this
connection he said: "By Allah, I am still deprived of my right. (Some
people) have been preferred to me since Allah made His Apostle die till
this day of people." And He said: "Allah, I ask you to show your enmity
towards Quraysh and those who help them. For they have severed the
relations between me and my relatives, belittled my great position,
gathered together to dispute with me over the authority which belongs to
me."
[11] A next on the bank of the Euphrates, between 'Ana and Dir al-Sha'ar. |