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The Muslim Ummah in the time of the Great Prophet
(peace be upon him), after his death and during the succeeding decades
of its history, accepted Shura (consultation) system, and the right of
the Ummah to choose their leaders. The members of the Prophet’s
household were in the forefront in supporting and applying it.
However, when the Ummah faced the forceful imposition of the Umayyad
rulers and their holding to power by hereditary manner, and discarding
of the Shura system. at that time some Shiites loyal to the Ahl Al-Bayt
were influenced by these happenings. They affirmed their right to
Khilafah (Leadership of the Muslim Ummah), instead of the Umayyads.
They also stressed the necessity of this leadership remaining in their
progeny. This idea however, was not entertained by Ahl-al-Bayt
themselves, nor the Shiah of the first century of Hijrah.
Despite what the Imamate Shiites used
to mention of texts on the appointment of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib by
the Prophet (peace be upon him), as Khalifah after him, their literary
heritage is full of other texts stressing the fact that the Great
Prophet (peace be upon him) himself and the members of his household
adhered to the principle of Shura and the right of the Ummah to choose
their leadership.
One report from Sharif Al-Murtada-one of
the prominent Shiite scholars of the fifth century of Hijrah has it
that Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib spoke to Amir Al-Muminin (Ali bin Abi
Talib) during the illness of the Prophet (peace be upon him), so that
he asks the Prophet, who will be in charge of affairs after him, and
that if it is for us (Ahl al-Bayt) he should reveal it; and if it is
for some other people, he entrust it to us. The leader of the faithful
(Ali) said, we went to the Messenger of Allah when his illness became
serious and we said O Messenger of Allah, choose a successor for us,
He said. “No, I fear that you will be divided regarding him, as the
children of Israel became divided over Harun, but if Allah knows any
goodness in you, He will choose for you (a leader).
Kulayni says in ‘Al-Kafi’, that he
reported from Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad Sadiq: ‘When the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) was on his death bed, he called Abbas and
Amir al-Muminin, and then he said to Abbas “O the uncle of Muhammad …
you will take the heritage of Muhammad, pay back his debts and repulse
his enemy”. He replied him saying, "O Messenger of Allah, let my
father and mother be your ransom, I am an old man with many dependants
and little wealth, who can bear the like of your responsibilities?” He
lowered his head for a while and then he said again, “O Abbas, will
you take the heritage of Muhammad, repulse his enemy and pay back his
loans?” He replied as before… He then said “Definitely, I will give it
to the one who will take it and all the responsibilities associated
with it.” Then he said: “O Ali! O brother of Muhammad, will you
repulse the enemy of Muhammad, pay back his loans and take hold of his
heritage? He said, “Yes, let my father and mother be your ransom”.
‘Such is Ali, my beloved friend’.
This wasiyyah (will) as can be seen, is
an ordinary personal will that is not related with politics or Imamate
and religious leadership. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has put it,
in the beginning before Abbas bin Abd-al-Muttalib, who became fearful
of it, but Imam Ali accepted it voluntarily.
There is another will which Sheikh
Mufid, used to report in some of his books, from Imam Amir al-Muminin
Ali (peace be upon him), saying that the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) has entrusted it to him before his death. This was a general
spiritual and ethical will, and is related to the matters of
endowments and charity. If we cast a glance on these traditions
mentioned by pivots of Imamate Shiites like Kulayni, Mufid and Murtada,
we will see that it shows the non-existence of any will from the
Messenger of Allah to Imam Ali on (the issue of) Khilafah and Imamate
and that he left the matter as ‘Shurah’ (a consultative issue). This
explains the reluctance of Imam Ali in taking allegiance (bayah) for
himself after the demise of the Prophet, despite the insistence of
Abbas bin Abd Al-Muttalib on him to do so, when he said to him
‘Stretch your hand I will give my oath of allegiance to you, and I
will bring this Sheikh from the Quraish to you, i.e. Abu Sufyan and it
will be said that the uncle of the Messenger of Allah has paid
allegiance to the son of his uncle? No one then, of the Quraish will
contend against you; and the other people follow the Quraish’. The
Imam rejected that (offer).
Imam Sadiq has reported from his
father, who reported from his father, that when Abu Bakr was appointed
as Khalifah, Abu Sufyan came to Imam Ali and he said to him, do you
agree, O children of Abd Manaf that ‘Taym’ will be leaders over you?
Stretch your hand I will pay my allegiance to you, by God, I will
support Abu Fusail with horses and men. He withdrew from him and then
said, “Woe unto you O Abu Sufyan this is one of your shrewdness, the
whole people have agreed upon (the leadership of) Abu Bakr. You still
wish for Islam crookedness of Jahiliyyah (before Islam) and you are in
Islam? I swear by God. That will never bring any harm to Islam, even
if you are still the source of strife (fitnah)”.
IMAM ALI’S CONCIOUSNESS
OF HIS PRIORITIES
There is a consensus among the historians of the
Sunni and the Shiite worlds that Imam Ali bin Abi Talib was indignant
towards the election of Abu Baker in the beginning, and that he did
not give him his oath of allegiance, but sat in his house for some
period of time; that he commented on the objection of the Quraish in
the (Thaqifah of Bani Saidah) that they are the tree (origin) of the
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) by saying: ‘They advance the
argument of being the tree (origin) but failed to take advantage of
the fruits’.
Sharif Rida mentioned in “Nahj al-Balaghah
that: The Imam complained some day against the Quraish and said “O
Allah help me against the Quraish and those who supported them. They
have served my kinship, turned away from me and agreed upon than
anyone else’.
Despite the consciousness of Imam Ali
of being the most deserving of the Khilafah, he later on paid the oath
of allegiance to Abu Bakr, and that was when large number of Muslim
communities apostacised (Riddan) At that time Uthman bin Affan went to
him and said to him “O my cousin, definitely no one will go out to
fight these people where you had not given your oath of allegiance!’ (Murtada:
Al-Shafi, vol-3, P. 242).
Then he sent for Abu Bakr to come to
him, when Abu Bakr came, he (Ali) said to him, “I swear by God, we did
not compete with you what Allah has bestowed on you of good and favor,
but we thought that we have a share in this affair but we were
overwhelmed. He addressed the Muslims saying: “Nothing prevented me
from paying allegiance to Abu Bakr, except that I know his right (in
this affair), but we see that we have a share in this affair, and we
were overwhelmed. Then he paid allegiance to Abu Bakr. The Muslims
(present) said: ‘You have done what is right and what is good…”.
No doubt the denial of Imam Ali of
paying allegiance to Abu Bakr immediately (after his election), was
due to the fact that he saw himself as the most suitable person for
the Caliphate, that is true; or it was due to belief in the necessity
of taking part in the Shura and the impermissibility of someone other
than him usurping it without due right. Aman from Bani Asad had asked
him ‘How did your people denied you this position when you are the
most deserving of it? He replied, ‘O brother of Bani Asad… for some
one take this position by force when we are the closest in relation to
the Messenger of Allah and was most honored, that is selfishness which
some souls were very rich in.
Imam Amir Mumin had said in his famous
sermon named Shaqshaqiyyah:
“By Allah, so-and-so has 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 pivot to the grinding-stone. The floodwater flows
down from me and the bird cannot fly up to me. I put a certain veil
against the Caliphate and kept myself detached from it. Then I began
to think whether I should assault or endure calmly the blinding
darkness of tribulations wherein the grown up are feeble and the young
grow old, and the true believer acts under strain till he meets Allah
(on his death). I found that endurance thereon was wiser. So I adopted
patience although there was pricking in the eye and suffocation in the
throats. I watched the plundering of my heritage, till the first one
went his way but handed it to so-and-so after him. Nevertheless I
persevered despite the length of period, and the severity of
tribulations, till when he went his way of death, he put the matter of
Caliphate in a group; and regarded me to be one of them. But good
heavens! What had I to do with this Shura (consultation)? Was there
any doubt about me with regard to the first of them, that I was now
considered one of these ones?”
There is another narration, from Zayd
bin Ali, that Imam Amir Muminin has said, The people gave their oath
of allegiance to Abu Bakr, while I am the more deserving of that
garment, but I restrained my anger and waited and lowered my chest to
the ground (controlled my wrath).”
In these sermons, Imam Ali bin Abi
Talib points to his being the most deserving of the Caliphate and one
who with more right to it, for the Household of the Prophet are the
fruits, if the Quraish were the tree (origin) of the Messenger of
Allah. He does not point to the existence of any text (nass) from the
Messenger of Allah specifying him as his successor, or his appointing
him as the Khalifah after him. Kulayni reports from Imam Muhammad
Baqir his saying: Imam Ali has never called (people) to himself and
that he confirmed the people on what they did and concealed his
affair’.
If the Hadith of Ghadir is considered the clearest
and the strongest text from the Prophet as regards Amir Muminin (Ali),
some of the earlier scholars of Imamate Shiism like Sharif Murtada
consider it as an unclear and ambiguous text on the issue of Khilafah.
For he says in (Al-Shafi) “We do not claim absolute knowledge in the
text (above), neither for ourselves nor against our opponents, and we
do not know of any of our people who claim that’ (13).
Therefore, the companions did not
understand from the Hadith of Ghadir or any other Hadith, the meaning
of specific text or appointment to the Caliphate. Due to this, they
chose the Shura way as a mode of choosing a leader. They then gave
their oaths of allegiance to Abu Bakr as Khalifah after the Prophet
(peace be upon him), which clearly shows that no clear meaning of
Khilafah was deduced from the reported texts for Imam Ali or the
non-existence of such text at that time.
IMAM ALI AND SHURA
(CONSULTATION)
What emphasizes the fact that Shura (consultation)
was the constitutional system that Imam Amir Muminin Ali bin Abi Talib
abided by; and that he had no knowledge of vertical hereditary
leadership of the Ahl al-Bayt, is his participation in the Shura
process after the death of Caliph Umar bin Khattab, and his arguments
before the members of the Shura on his virtues and his role in the
service of Islam; so also the fact that he did not point to the issue
of the text or his appointment as Khalifah after the Prophet. If the
Hadith of Ghadir has any of this import, the Imam would have refered
to it, and he would have won the day with what is greater and stronger
than mentioning his virtues.
Imam Ali believed in the
system of consultation and it’s being first and foremost the right of
the Immigrants and the Helpers (Muhajirin and Ansar). Due to this he
refused to accede to the call of rebels-after the murder of Caliph
Uthman, who invited him to assume power, and he said to them “This is
not of your powers, this is for the Muhajirin and Ansar, anyone they
chose as a leader will be a leader”.
When the Immigrants
and the Helpers came to him and said, “Stretch your hand, we would
give you our oath of allegiance”, he withdrew from them. They repeated
as the first, and he also withdrew again, and they repeated that for
the third time then he said “Leave me and look for another person and
know that, if I responded to you, I will do with you what I know…. and
if you leave me alone, I am just like one of you, I would be the most
obedient and loyal to anyone you choose to conduct your affairs for me
to be a vizier is better for you than to be a leader” He walked to
Talhah and Zubair and put it across to them and said:” If anyone of
you wishes , I will give him my oath of allegiance” They both said “
No … the people accept you more (than any other man). At the end he
said to them “If you insist, my oath of allegiance “bayah” must not be
secret, and it will not be taken till after the acceptance of the
(general) Muslim populace, so I will go out to the Masjid (mosque)
anyone who wishes to give his oath of allegiance to me let him do it”.
(14)
Therefore, if the
theory of a “text” and appointment is established and well- known to
the Muslims, it would not be permissible for Imam (Ali) to reject the
revolters, and then wait for the word of the Immigrants and Helpers
(Muhajirin & Ansar), as it will also not be permissible for him to say
“ to be a vizier is better for you than to be a leader”. It will also
not be right for him to put the leadership (Khilafah) before Talhah
and Al-Zubair, and he will not need to wait for the oath of allegiance
from the general Muslims.
There is another narration from the work of Salim
bin Qays al-Hilali that discloses the belief of Imam Ali in Shura, and
the right of the Ummah to elect its leader. He said in one of his
letters, “What is obligatory in the laws of Allah and Islam is that
the Muslims, of if their leader dies or is killed, they should not
perform any act nor innovate something, nor move in order to do
something new, unless they choose for themselves a chaste leader, who
is learned, scrupulous, and well-versed in the legal and traditional
matters”. (15)
When Talhah and Al-Zubair dissented, he pleaded for
his case on the basis of their oath of allegiance to him, saying: “You
gave me your oath of allegiance and now you breached it.” He did not
point to the issue of a text from the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon
him). All that he said to Al-Zubair which made him to desist from
fighting him, was his reminding him of the statement of the Prophet (S.A.W)
that, “You will fight him, while being a transgressor!”
Imam Ali also said to Mu'awiyah who rebelled
against him …My allegiance in Madinah is binding on you in Sham
(Syria), because the people who swore their oath of allegiance to me,
where the same people who swore allegiance to Abu Bakr, Umar and
Uthman, so the one present has no other alternative to choose, nor has
the absent the right to reject, Definitely Shura is the right of
Muhajirin and Ansar, when they agree on a person, and called him the
leader (of the Ummah), therein lies the pleasure of Allah..’
So, Shura is the basis of leadership in the right
of Imam Ali, and this was in the absence of the theory of (a text and.
(divine) appointment or selection), Which was not referred to by the
Imam in any instance.
Imam Ali views himself, undoubtedly, as an ordinary
person, who is not infallible, and he demanded from the Shiites to
other Muslims to view him in that sense. History has preserved for us
a wonder of his many wonders which is transmitted by Kulayni in al-Kafi,
where he says:
“I am in myself not above mistake, and I am not
contented that my actions are free of it, except that Allah suffices
me of myself, with what He bestows onto me’. (16)
The belief of Imam Ali in Shura (Consultation) as a
constitution for the Muslims, became very clear in the process of the
Caliphate of Imam Hassan when the Muslims came to him after the strike
of Abdul Rahman bin Muljan on him, and requested him to appoint his
son Hassan after him (as the leader), for he said “No, we did go to
the Prophet of Allah and said,” Appoint (for us a leader), and he
said” No, I fear that you will be divided on his affairs, as Harun,
but if Allah finds any good in your hearts, he will choose for you’
They requested him to point to someone, but he did not . They then
said to him,” If we lost you, we will not lose giving our oath of
allegiance to Hassan. He said, “I do not command, nor prevent you, you
can discern better”. (17)
Hafiz Abu Bakr Ibn Abi al-Dunya (208-281) has
mentioned in the book titled “The Murder of Imam, the Commander of the
Faithful, from Abdul Rahman bin Jundub from his father who said “I
said “ O! Commander of the faithful, if we lose you (if you die) and
we will not lose, we will give our oath of allegiance to Hassan. He
said, “I will not command you (to do that) nor prevent you”. I
repeated what I said and he replied in the same way. (18)
Sheikh Hassan bin Sulaiman has mentioned in 'Mukhtasar
Basair al-Darajat’ from Salim bin Qays al- Hilali, who said “I heard
Ali saying, while in the company of his two sons and Abdullah bin
Ja’far and some of his close associates (supporters) ‘ Leave people
with what they have chosen for themselves, and maintain your silence.
(19)
Imam Ali the leader of the faithful has given his
will to Imam Hassan and his other children, but he never mention the
issue of leadership and the Caliphate, His will was spiritual, ethical
and personal, or as, Sheikh Mufid has said in Al-Irshad, the will was
for Hassan regarding his family, children and companions, his
responsibility and his charity’. (20)
That will is as follows:
“ This is what Ali bin Abi Talib has willed. He
willed (enjoined) that he bears witness that there is no god (deity)
except Allah Alone, He has no partner with Him, and bears witness that
Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, He sent him with guidance and
the religion of truth, that He makes it prevail over all religion,
even though the pagans (polytheists) may detest (it). That “… Truly,
my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are (all)
for Allah, the Lord of the worlds … with this am I commanded, and I am
of the Muslims”. Then I enjoin you O Hassan and my entire children and
family and to whomever my book reaches, that you should fear Allah,
your Lord. “ So die not except as Muslims “And hold fast, all together
by the Rope of which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided
among yourselves.” I heard the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him)
saying “ keeping Straight (making peace in) the relations between you
is better that too much fasting and prayer (in which the relations are
severed), the guilt that wipes away religion is the severing of
relations. There is no power except with Allah. Maintain your next of
kin and make good your relations with them, so that accountability
will be light on you. (Fear) Allah in the affairs of the orphans, you
should not leave them without food (even for alternate days) they
should not be neglected in your presence. (Fear) Allah, in the affairs
of your neighbors, they are the will of the Messenger of Allah, for he
kept on enjoining us (to do good to them) to the extent that we
thought he would apportion to them a share of the inheritance. (Fear)
Allah in the commandments of the Quran, so that no other people will
act upon it before you. (Fear) Allah in the affairs of the House of
your Lord, it should not be disserted as long as you live, for if it
became disserted you will not be aware of each other. (Fear) Allah in
the affairs of Ramadan, for fasting it is a shield for you from the
fire. (Fear) Allah as regards Jihad for the sake of Allah with your
hands, wealth and tongues. (Fear) Allah in the payment of Zakat for it
extinguishes the anger of the Lord. (Fear) Allah in the covenant of
your Prophet, he should not be wronged in your midst. (Fear) Allah in
what your right hands possess (servants and maids). Beware not to fear
any blame in implementing Allah’s commandments. It is enough for you
(to remember) “ Speak good to people” as Allah has commanded you. Do
not abandon ‘enjoining good and forbidding evil (Al-Amr bi al-Maruf Wa
al-Nahy an al-Munkar)’, lest the worst of you be made rulers over you,
and the best of you will pray, and their prayers will not be accepted.
I advise you my children with maintaining your relations and
generosity. I exhort you against cutting your relations, competing in
amassing wealth and division. “Help you one another in virtue and
piety; but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear
Allah-Verily, Allah is severe in punishment.” May Allah protect you,
members of the Household (of the Prophet (peace be upon him), May he
preserve the (message) of your Prophet in you. I bid you farewell. My
greetings of peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you”. (21)
For
the reason (mentioned above) this precious, spiritual and ethical will
did not play any role in recommending Imam Hassan for he Caliphate,
because it is devoid of any pointer to it. It was not also an
alternative to the Shura system which members of the Prophets
household stick to as a constitution for the Muslims.
IMAM HASSAN AND
SHURA
Ibn Abi al-Hadid has states in ‘Sharh Nahj- al
Balaghah’: ‘When Ali (peace be upon him) died, Abdullah bin Abbas bin
AbdulMutallib came out to the people and said, he has left a
successor. “If you like, he will appear to you, and if you don’t like,
then there is no one on anyone.” The people wept (upon hearing this)
and said “ No, he should appear to us”. (22)
As it can be noticed Imam Hassan did not depend, in
the call for oath of allegiance on the mention of any text, concerning
him from the Prophet (peace be upon him) or from his father, Imam Ali
Ibn Abbass pointed to the status of Imam Hassan, when he reminded the
Muslims that he is the son of the daughter of the Prophet (peace be
upon him). He mentioned that he is the one recommended (Wasiy) by Imam
Ali (peace be upon him), but he did not show that the basis of the
call to give him oath of allegiance was a text or a will on his
leadership.
This explains Imam Hassan’s conviction in the
system of Shura, and the right of the Ummah to choose its leader. This
faith became glaringly clear for the second time, when he stepped down
of the mantle of leadership for Mu'awiyah, and his precondition of
reverting to the same principle of Shura after his death. He mentioned
as part of the conditions for reconciliation: “that Mu’awiyah has no
right to hand over power to anyone after him, but that the issue of
leadership will be resolve by consultation among Muslims’. (23)
If the Caliphate has been by means of a text (nass)
from Allah, and appointment from the Prophet (peace be upon him), as
the theory of Imamate is saying, it will not be permissible for Imam
Hassan to stop down from power, in favor of anyone, under any
circumstances. It will not be permissible for him after that to pay
allegiance to Mu’awiyah, and to order his companions and followers to
pay allegiance to him. It will not be permissible for him to neglect
Imam Hussain, and would have alluded to the necessity of appointing
him after. But Imam Hassan did not do any of these things; he behaved
in a way that reveals his sticking to the right of the Muslims in
choosing their Khalifah through the principle of Shura.
IMAM HUSSAIN AND SHURA
Imam Hussain remained loyal to his oath of
allegiance to Mu’awiyah till the last day of the latter, and he
refused an offer from the Shiites of Kufah to revolt against Mu’awiyah
after the death of Imam Hassan. He mentioned that there was a covenant
between him and Mu’awiyah, which would not be breached. He did not
call the people to himself till after the death of Mu’awiyah, who
breached the agreement of reconciliation, and handed over power to his
son, Yazid as the Khalifah after him, Imam Hussain refused to give his
oath of allegiance to him, and insisted on going to Iraq, which led to
his martyrdom at Karbala in the year 61 A.H. (24)
Sheikh Mufid reveals that Imam Hussain did not call
anyone to his Imamate throughout the reign of Mu’awiyah. He explains
that as Taqiyyah (Insinuation) and truce (armistices) between him and
Mu’awiyah, and he fulfilled his side of the agreement till the death
of Mu’awiyah. (25)
There is no any trace of the theory of a text in
the incident of Karbala, either in the letters of the Shiites from
Kufah to Imam Hussain and their inviting him to come to Shiites
gathered in Kufah in the house of Sulaiman bin Sard al-Khuza'i and
they praised Allah and thanked Him. Sulaiman bin Sard said: “Mu’awiyah
is dead and Hussain has shrinked back from accepting the oath of
allegiance of the people. He has gone to Makkah and you are his
followers and supporters and the supporters of his father. If you know
that you will help him and fight his enemy, and that we will sacrifice
ourselves for his sake, then write to him and let him be aware (of
that); and if you fear failure and your weakness, you should not
deceive the man at all. They replied, ‘No, we will fight his enemy and
sacrifice ourselves for his sale. He then said, “Write to him!” they
wrote:
‘To Hussain bin Ali from Sulaiman bin Sard and
Musayyib bin Najiyyah, Rifa’ah bin Shaddad al –Bujali, Habib bin
Madhahir, and his followers and supporters and the Muslims of Kufah;
Peace be on you, we praise Allah, other than whom there is no deity,
He has no partner…. … After that: All praise be to Allah who punished
your tyrant and stubborn enemy who snatched from this Ummah its
affairs and took it by force from its rightful owners, and became a
leader over it, without its consent, and then killed the good and
pious among them, and left the worst of them; he made the wealth of
Allah as a circuit among the tyrants and the rich, so away with him,
as were Thamud gone away! He is not a leader over us, come unto us,
would that Allah will reconcile us to the truth. Nu’man bin Bashir is
in the palace, we don’t meet him either in the Friday prayers or at
the time of Eid! If it reaches us that you are preceding to us, we
will drive him out till we send him to Sham (Syria) by Allah’s will”.
He wrote to them “From Hussain son of Ali to the
leaders among the believers and the Muslims … After that, surely Hani
and Sa’id have come to me with your letter, and they are the
messengers to have come to me from you, and I have understood all that
you have narrated and said, the statement of most of you is on this is
“We do not have a leader (Imam), come, it is likely that God will
reconcile between us on the Truth and guidance”.
Due to this, I am sending to you my brother and
cousin and one in whom I have confidence, of my household, Muslim bin
Aqil. If he writes to me that the people of thought, respect and piety
among you have arrived at a consensus on what your messengers came to
me with, and which I read in your letters, I will come to you very
soon, by the grace of Allah. For definitely, a leader is not other
than one who judges by the Book (Quran), who establishes justice, who
practices the religion of truth and who puts all his services for the
sake of Allah. Wassalam’.
This shows that the concept of Imam according to
Imam Hussain is not other than, (the leader who judges by the Book (Quran),
who establishes justice, who practices the religion of truth, and who
puts all his services for the sake of Allah). He was not presenting
any new theory on the Infallible Imam appointed from Allah; He was not
also demanding the Caliphate as a personal right for him, because of
being the son of Imam Ali, or being appointed by Allah. Because of
these, he did not think of transferring the Imamate to any of his
children, he did not give a will to his only son who remained alive
Ali Zayn al- Abidin”. He only enjoined his sister Zaynab or his
daughter, Fatimahh, and his will was a ordinary one, related to his
personal affairs, and did not at all talk on the topic of Imamate and
Caliphate. (27).
What confirms further the non-existence of the
theory of divine Imamate at that time, was the non-mention of it by
Imam Ali bin Hussain, in his famous sermon delivered boldly and
bravely in front of Yazid bin Mu’awiyah, in the Umayyad Mosque, when
he was arrested and taken to Syria. He said in that sermon:” O people!
We have been given six (favors) and have been preferred due to seven
(features): We have been bestowed knowledge, forbearance, tolerance
and elegance, bravery and love in the hearts of people. And we have
been preferred due to the prophet (peace be upon him) being from us,
so also the Siddiq, Jafar al-Tayyar, the lion of Allah and His Prophet
and the two grandchildren of this Ummah. He then mentioned Imam, the
leader of the Faithful (Ali) and said “I am the son of the pious
believers, and the heir of the Prophet, the drone of the Muslims, the
light of Mujahidin, the fighter against breaches (of covenant),
oppressors and heretics, I am the scatterer of hosts, the bravest of
them at the time of hardship, and the strongest in fortitude, that is
the father of the grandchildren, Ali bin Abi Talib’.
Imam Zayn al-Abidin did not allude in that his
brave sermon to the issue of the will or divine Imamate, or the Law of
hereditary Imamate by text. He did not say to the people, that he is
the legal Imam, who should be obeyed after his father Imam Hussain.
Imam Zayn al-Abidin was satisfied with the talk on the virtue of the
Prophets household, and the good qualities of Imam Ali, and his
historical achievements.
THE SECLUSION OF IMAM ZAYN AL-ABIDIN
Imam Ali bin Hussain did give his oath of
allegiance to Yazid bin Mu’awiyah, after the incident (battle) of
Harrah. (28) He refused to lead the Shiites, who were demanding
revenge on the murder of his father Imam Hussain, who were getting
ready for a revolt, nor did he claim the Imamate, or fight for it, as
Sheikh Saduq has said, “he withdrew from the people and did not meet
anyone, and on one meets him, except his closest companions. He
devoted himself to the worship of Allah; only little knowledge has
come from him. (29)
Sheikh Saduq exaggerated seriously, and in an
irrational manner, when he narrated from Imam Sajjad: That he was
exhorting Shiites to succumb to the ruler and obey him, and to keep
not away from him, and to keep away from his wrath. He suspects the
rebels of being responsible for the oppression meted out to them from
the ruler. (30)
ELECTION OF SULAIMAN BIN SARD AL-KHUZA’I AS THE LEADER OF SHIITES
Thus, as a result of the leadership vacuum, Shiites
in Kufah appointed Sulaiman bin Sard al-Khuza'i as their leader i.e.,
after the murder of Imam Hussain. That was when they gathered around
five of their leaders, and Musayyib bin Najibah addressed them saying
“ O people! Elect a man from among you as your leader; because so you
cant do without a leader (Amir) to refer to, and a center to revolve
around. Rifa'ah bin Shaddad then stood up and seconded his statement
saying: “You said that choose a man from among you as your leader, you
can refer to and revolve around his banner, we second that opinion,
and if you are that man, then you will be acceptable to us, one who
will advise us and love our group; but you are of the opinion, and the
others also saw that this (leadership) should go to the Sheikh
(leader) of Shiites, companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and
a pioneer –Sulaiman bin Sard, who is firm and resolute” then Abdullah
bin Wal and Abdullah bin Sa'ad spoke. They praised Allah and glorified
Him… Musayyib bin Najibah then said, you are right and have attained
success, I am of the same opinion as you all”. So they chose Sulaiman
bin Sard as their leader. (31)
Sulaiman bin Sard al-Khuza'i led the movement
towards revenging on the killers of Hussain. It became known as the
movement of the Repenters (al-Tawwabin).
When Mukhtar bin Ubaidah al-Thaqafi established his
movement in Kufah, he wrote to Ali bin Hussain calling him, so that he
will give his oath of allegiance to him (Ali), and for him to proclaim
Imamate, and to spread his call. He sent to him a lot of wealth. But
(Ali) refused to accept all that from him, or even to reply his
letter. When Mukhtar despaired of him he wrote to his uncle, Muhammad
bin Hanafiyyah, demanding similar thing from him. He started
proclaiming his Imamate. (32) Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah had actually
taken the leadership of the Shiites, and had tendered the
establishment of the state of Mukhtar bin Ubaidah al-Thaqafi in Kufah.
The Imams from Ahl al-Bayt (Household of the
Prophet) believed in the right of the Muslim Ummah to choose their
leaders. Just as they also believed in the necessity of exercising
consultation (Shura), and in condemnation of coming to power by force.
It is likely that we find in the Hadith that is reported by Saduq in (Uyun
Akhar al-Rida) from Imam Rida from his father Kadhim, from his father,
Ja'far Sadiq, from his father Muhammad Baqir from his grandfather, the
Messenger of Allah, where he says, “ Anyone who comes to you, with the
intention of dividing the community, and snatching from the Ummah its
right, and wants to become leader without consultation, kill him,
Allah Almighty has permitted that’. (33)
We may discern from this Hadith, the best
expression of the faith of the Imams of Ahl al-Bait in consultation (Shura)
and their abiding by it. If they were calling people to follow and
obey them, they were only doing that, because of their belief in being
superior and more deserving of leadership (Khilafah) than the
“Caliphs” who were not judging by the Quran, and were not establishing
justice or truly practicing the religion.
Thus, going by the concept of Deservedness the
earlier generations of Shiites, especially those of the first century
(A.H) said:
“
Surely Ali was the most deserving of men after the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him), due to his virtues’ and his pioneering (roles in
Islam) and his knowledge. He was the best of all men after the prophet
(peace be upon him) the bravest, the most generous, the most ascetic
of them. But they legalized despite that, the leadership of Abu Bakr
and Umar and considered them, as qualified for that honorable
position. They mentioned that Ali submitted the affairs to them,
accepted that and voluntarily gave his oath of allegiance to them,
without being coerced into that, he left his right to them, so we also
accept what the Muslims have accepted of him, and whom he gave his
allegiance to. Anything other than this is not permissible for us, and
nothing will suffice anyone of us other than this. So the leadership
of Abu Bakr has becomes right and acceptance because of Ali’s
acceptance of it.” (34).
Another sect of the Shiites meanwhile said “Ali is
the best of men, due to his close relationship to the Messenger of
Allah, and his pioneering roles and his knowledge. But it was legal
for people to choose other than him as their leader, if the leader
that will be chosen is qualified, whether he likes it or dislikes it.
The leadership of a leader appointed on them, with their acceptance,
is right, guidance and obedience of Allah Almighty. His obedience is a
compulsory duty (imposed) by Allah.’
Another faction of them said;” The Imamate
(leadership) of Ali was established at the time he called people (to
accept him as Imam) and when he revealed his affair.” (36)
It
has been said to Hassan bin Hassan bin Ali, who was the eldest of the
Talibites in his time, and was the one to whom his father gave his
will, and the custodian of the trust of his grandfather, “Didn’t the
Messenger of Allah say, “Any one to whom I am master Ali is to him
also a master”? He replied, “Yes, but by Allah, the Messenger of Allah
did not mean Imamate and power, if he willed that he would have been
explicit on it…” (37)
His son, Abdullah, used to say “We do not have in
this affair, what others do not have, and the none of the household of
the Prophet is Imam whose obedience is made compulsory by Allah’.
He used to dispute the statement that the Imamate
of Amir al-Muminin (Ali) was from Allah. (38)
This means that the theory of a text (appointing
the Imam) and the hereditary leadership among the members of the
Prophets household only has no existence in the first generation
Shiites.
Thus, their view of the two great companions, Abu
Bakr and Umar, was positive, as they did not consider them as usurpers
of the caliphate, left by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
as a matter to be resolved by consultation (Shura) among the Muslims.
And that he did not appoint anyone specifically by means of a text or
injunction. This explains the order of Imam Sadiq to his followers to
accept their leadership.
REFERENCES
1- Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol-4, p. 149 and vol. 3 p. 295
2-
Kulayni: Al-Kafi, vol 1 p. 236 from Muhammad
bin Hussain and Ali bin Muhammad from Sahl bin Ziyad from Muhammad bin
Walid, al-Sirafi from Iban bin Uthman from Abu Abdullah.
3-
See: Amali al-Mufid, p. 220, Majlisi, and
Mufid: Al-Irshad, p. 188
4-
Murtada: al-Shafi, vol 3 p. 237 and 252 vol. 2. p. 149
5-
Murtada: al-Shafi, vol. 3 p- 252 and 237 and Ibn Abi al-Hadid:
Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. 1, p. 222
6-
Nahj al-Balaghah, p. 98
7- Ibid,
p. 336, Sermon-217
8-
Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol. 3 p. 242
9-
Kulayni:
Rawdah al-Kafi, p. 231 sermon 162, Saduq: 'Ilal- al-Shara’i' vol. 1 p.
146
10-
Nahj al-Balaghah p. 48, Sermon - 3
11-
Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol 3 p. 110
12- Kulayni: Rawdah al-Kafi. P. 246
13-
Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol 2 p. 128
14-
Tabari,
vol. 3 p. 450
15-
Kitab
Salim bin Qays Al-Hilali, p. 182, Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 8 p.
555 (old edition)
16-
Kulayni:
Rawdah al-Kafi, pp. 292-293 Majlisi: op. cit, vol. 74. p. 309
17-
Murtada:
Al-Shafi, vol. 3 p. 295, Tathbit Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, vol.1 p. 212
18-
Tathbit
Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, p. 43
19-
Majlisi: op.cit. Vol. 7 chapter on “ Tradition attributed to
Salim, not available in his book.”
20-
Mufid:
Al-Irshad, p. 187
21-
Hafidh
Abu Bakr bin Abi al-Dunya: Maqtal al-Imam Amir al-Muminin, pp. 41-42
(ed. Mustapha Murtada al-Qazwini, published- Markaz Al- Dirasat wa al-
Buhuth al-Ilmiyya, Beirut.)
22-
Ibn Abi al-Hadid: Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah vol. 4 p. 8, p. 13 and
Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2 p. 44
23-
Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 44 p. 65 chapter on How to
reconcile the History of Imam Hassan Mujtabah and the Great Trial (Fitnah),
vol. 2, p. 183
24-
Mufid:
Al-Irshad. P. 199
25-
ibid.
p. 200
26-
ibid.
p. 204
27-
Saduq Ali bin Babawaih: Al-Imamah wa al-Tabsirah Min al-Hayrah,
p. 198 Al-Saffar: Basair al-Darajat, p. 148 and 198
28-
Kulayni: Al-Kafi, al-Rawdah, p. 196
29-Saduq: Ikmal al-Din, p. 91
30-
Saduq: Al-Amali, p. 396 Majlisi, p. 59
31-
Tarikh al-Tabari: vol. 7 p. 48
32-
Masudi: Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 84
33-
Ibid. vol. 2 p. 62
34-Nukhbati: Firaq al-Shiah p. 21 Ashari: Al-Maqalat
wa al-Firaq. P. 18
35-
Nukhbati: Firaq al-Shiah p. 421 Ashari: Al-Maqalat wa al-Firaq
p. 18
36-
Nukhbati,
ibid. p. 54
37-
Ibn Asakir: Al-Tahdihib, vol. 4 p. 162
38-
Al- Saffar: Basair al-Darajat, p. 153 and 156.
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