In this part of the article titled “The Caliphate of Imam Ali and his method of rule”, we shall look at the achievements of his government and the Caliphate after the martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s).
The Shia During the Caliphate of Imam Ali (a.s)
During the four years and nine months of his Caliphate, Imam Ali (a.s) was not able to eliminate the disturbed conditions which were prevailing throughout the Islamic world, but he was successful in three fundamental ways:
1. As a result of his just and upright manner of living, he revealed once again the beauty and attractiveness of the way of life of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a), especially to the younger generation.
In contrast to the imperial grandeur of Mu’awiyah, he lived in simplicity and poverty like the poorest of people. He never favoured his friends or relatives and family above others, nor did he ever prefer wealth to poverty or brute force to weakness.
2. Despite the cumbersome and strenuous difficulties which absorbed his time, he left behind among the Islamic community a valuable treasury of the truly divine sciences and Islamic intellectual disciplines. Nearly eleven thousand of his proverbs and short sayings on different intellectual, religious and social subjects have been recorded.
In his talks and speeches, he expounded the most sublime Islamic sciences in a most elegant and flowing manner. He established Arabic grammar and laid the basis for Arabic literature. He was the first in Islam to delve directly into the questions of metaphysics (falsafah-i ilahi) in a manner combining intellectual rigour and logical demonstration. He discussed problems which had never appeared before in the same way among the metaphysicians of the world.
Moreover, he was so devoted to metaphysics and gnosis that even in the heat of battle he would carry out intellectual discourse and discuss metaphysical questions.
3. He trained a large number of religious scholars and Islamic savants, among whom are found a number of ascetics and Gnostics who were the forefathers of the Sufis, such men as Uways al-Qarani, Kumayl al-Nakha’i, Maytham al-Tammar and Roshaid al-Hajari. These men have been recognized by the later Sufis as the founders of gnosis in Islam. Others among his disciples became the first teachers of jurisprudence, theology, Quran commentary and recitation.
The Transfer of the Caliphate to Mu’awiyah
After the death of Imam Ali (a.s), his son, Imam Hasan ibn Ali (a.s), who is recognized by the Shi’ah as their second Imam, became Caliph. This designation occurred in accordance with Ali’s last will and testament and also by the allegiance of the community to Imam Hasan (a.s)
But Mu’awiyah did not remain quiet before this event. He marched with his army toward Iraq, which was then the capital of the caliphate, and began to wage war against Imam Hasan (a.s).
Through different intrigues and the payment of great sums of money, Mu’awiyah was able gradually to corrupt the aides and generals of Imam Hasan (a.s). Finally, he was able to force Imam Hasan (a.s) to hand the Caliphate over to him so as to avoid bloodshed and to make peace.
Imam Hasan (a.s) handed the Caliphate to Mu’awiyah on the condition that it would be returned to him after the death of Mu’awiyah and that no harm would come to his partisans.
In the year 40/661, Mu’awiyah finally gained control of the caliphate. He then set out immediately for Iraq and in a speech to the people of that land said:
“I did not fight against you for the sake of the prayers or of fasting. These acts you can perform yourself. What I wanted to accomplish was to rule over you and this end I have achieved.”
He also said,
“The agreement I made with Imam Hasan (a.s) is null and void. It lies trampled under my feet.”
With this declaration, Mu’awiyah made known to the people the real character of his government and revealed the nature of the program he had in mind. He indicated in his declaration that he would separate religion from politics and would not give any guarantees concerning religious duties and regulations.
He would spend all his force to preserve and to keep alive his own power, whatever might be the cost. Obviously, a government of such a nature is more of a sultanate and a monarchy than a Caliphate and vicegerency of The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) of God in its traditional Islamic sense. That is why some who were admitted to his court addressed him as “king”.
He himself in some private gatherings interpreted his government as a monarchy, while in public he always introduced himself as the caliph.
Naturally, any monarchy that is based on force carries with it inherently the principle of inheritance. Mu’awiyah, too, finally realized this fact, and chose his son, Yazid, who was a heedless young man without the least religious personality, as the “crown prince” and his successor.
This act was to be the cause of many regrettable events in the future. Mu’awiyah had previously indicated that he would refuse to permit Imam Hasan ibn Ali (a.s) to succeed him as Caliph and that he had other thoughts in mind. Therefore, he had caused Imam Hasan (a.s) to be killed by poisoning, thus preparing the way for his son, Yazid.
In breaking his agreement with Imam Hasan (a.s), Mu’awiyah made it clear that he would never permit the Shi’ah of the Household of The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) to live in a peaceful and secure environment and continue their activity as before, and he implemented this very intention.
It has been said that he went so far as to declare that whoever would transmit a hadith in praise of the virtues of the Household of The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) would have no immunity or protection concerning his life, merchandise and property.
At the same time, he ordered that whoever could recite a hadith in praise of the other Companions or Caliphs would be given sufficient reward. As a result a noticeable number of hadiths were recorded at this time praising the Companions, some of which are of doubtful authenticity.
He ordered pejorative comments to be made about Imam Ali (a.s) from the pulpits of mosques throughout the lands of Islam, while he himself sought to revile Imam Ali (a.s). This command continued to be more or less in effect until the Caliphate of Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz when it was discontinued.
With the help of his agents and lieutenants, Mu’awiyah caused the elite and the most outstanding among the partisans of Imam Ali (a.s) to be put to death and the heads of some of them to be carried on lances throughout different cities.
The majority of Shias were forced to disown and even curse Imam Ali (a.s) and to express their disdain for him. If they refused, they were put to death.
