In continuation of the discussions on the conspiracy against Imam Ali immediately after the death of the Messenger of Allah (PBUHH), we shall focus on other aspects of the topic in this article.
So the last verse disproves the claim that the true followers killed the wrongdoers before Moses (AS) come back. Yes, after Prophet Moses came back, he punished the influential individuals among those who led people astray. But he did not kill them:
(Moses) said (to Sameri): “Go! Your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say ‘Touch me not’; and moreover (for a future penalty) thou hast a promise that will not fail: now look at thy god of whom thou hast become a devoted worshipper: we will certainly (melt) it in a blazing fire and scatter it broadcast in the sea!” (1)
Another brother mentioned that if Ali wished could very well incite forceful rebellion since he is from a very strong tribe Bani Hashm, and both Abu Bakr and Umar from a weak tribe Adiyy, and Taym. Then why did he keep silent and did not use force to restore his right after the election held in Saqifah?
If Bani Hashim were strong with respect to other tribes, as the above brother claims, then Muslims wouldn’t have had to migrate from Mecca to Medina. Also, they wouldn’t have been subject to economic sanctions in She’b Abi Talib.
The exceptional brevity of Imam Ali (AS) in various wars and his killing of the most important warriors of Arabs, is well-known for even Sunnis. Imam Ali mentioned that he himself has killed 4000 infidels with his sword (this figure includes those who were killed by him in the civil wars). Killing the lions of Arabs developed a very intense and long-lasting hatred in the heart of the Arabs from different tribes. For this very reason, most Arabs due to their tribal ties, even after embracing Islam, were not friendly toward Imam Ali and other members of Ahlul-Bayt. This hatred gave its fruit on the issue of the Caliphate, and later in the civil wars at the time of Imam Ali (AS) as well as the prosecution of Ahlul-Bayt and their partisans after his martyrdom which continued with utmost brutality for a number of centuries.
The hatred of the house of Umayyah against Bani Hashim (the clan of Prophet and Ali) is well-known. The wars of Abu Sufyan and his son Muawiyah against Prophet and Ali respectively, also the horrible massacre of the grandson of the prophet at Karbala by the grandson of Abu Sufyan, are only some of the top items among the long list of such crimes. You might also want to refresh the memory that when Muawiyah took over power, he instituted the Sunnah of cursing Imam Ali. Sunni history books and Sunni collections of traditions clearly state that Muawiyah commanded all the Imams of the mosques throughout the Muslim world to curse Imam Ali in every Friday prayer. (Sunni references are available upon request).
Now, we turn to the events of Saqifah and the “election” of Abu Bakr: During the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), the Mosque of the Prophet was the centre of all Islamic activities. It was there that the decision of war and peace were made, delegations were received, sermons were delivered and cases were decided. It is not surprising that when the news of the demise of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) spread, the Muslims assembled in that very Mosque.
On the other hand, Saqifah of Bani Sa’idah was located three miles outside Medina and was a secret location for the evil activities of some Arab tribes. (2)
Why then did Sa’d Ibn Ubadah and his fans as well as Abu Bakr and Umar leave the Mosque secretly and without informing other prominent companions and went three miles outside Medina to discuss the issue of the Caliphate? Why didn’t they discuss the issue as important as this among the Muslims inside the mosque? Wasn’t that they wanted to usurp the Caliphate without the knowledge of the people? Why did Abu Bakr and Umar with Abu Ubaydah slip out of the mosque secretly? Was it because Ali and Bani Hashim were present in the mosque and in the house of the Prophet, and they did not want them to know the plot?
Also, we should keep in mind that it was the custom of the Arabs that once a person was declared, even by a small group, to be the chief of the tribe, others hesitated to oppose him, and Willy nq4illy followed suit. Due to their dislike of Imam Ali (AS) (which I discussed earlier), they did not respect his right, nor did they even inform him of this meeting. They SIMPLY neglected the last sermon of the Prophet in Ghadir Khum where the Messenger of God declared him as his successor just two and a half months before the incident of Saqifah.
A Sunni brother mentioned that: If Imam Ali disapproved of Uthman, then why did he risk the lives of his beloved sons, al-Hassan and al-Hussain, trying to protect the life of his adversary from the blood-thirsty rioters in Medina?
According to the Shia sources, such news is dubious. We do not have any strong evidence that Imam Ali sent his sons to support Uthman’s House. In fact, al-Tabari who is one of the important Sunni Historians said that Imam Ali deserted Uthman since Uthman insisted on keeping Marwan in his administration. Here is the related part from the History of al-Tabari, when the siege over Uthman was very severe:
People informed Ali of the news. Then Ali came to Uthman and said: “Surely you have satisfied Marwan (again), but he is satisfied with you only if you deviate from your religion and reason, like a camel carrying a litter that is led around at will. By God, Marwan is devoid of sense in regard to his religion and his soul. I swear by God, I think he will bring you in and then not send you out again. After this visit, I will not come again to chide you. You have destroyed your own honour and you have been robbed of your authority.”
When Ali departed, Uthman’s wife told him: “I have heard that Ali said to you that he will never return to you and that you have obeyed Marwan (again), who leads you wherever he wishes.” Uthman said: “What shall I do?” She responded: “You should fear God alone, who has no partner, and you should adhere to the practice of your two predecessors (Abu Bakr and Umar). For if you obey Marwan, he will kill you. Marwan enjoys no prestige among the people and inspires neither awe nor love. People have only abandoned you due to Marwan’s position (in your councils). Send to Ali, then, and trust in his honesty and uprightness. He is related to you and he is not a man whom people disobey.” So Uthman sent to Ali, but he refused to come, saying: “I told him I would not return.” (3)
Even if we suppose that Imam Ali protected Uthman in his last days, the protection was not because he loved Uthman to be in power. He did so (if true) since he knew that this is a conspiracy, and he knew that those companions who plotted to kill Uthman, would become the avenger of his blood tomorrow, as it happened (e.g., the companions like Talha, Zubair, Muawiyah, and …) and it became a custom of the assassination of Caliphs with self-judgments including the assassination of Ali (AS) himself.
Another reader mentioned that, if some companions conspired against Imam Ali and usurped his right of Caliphate, is it not a possibility that they conspired to alter the Quranic text? The compilers and transmitters of the Quran were fallible and sinners. As for the protection of The Quran, it is the will of Allah! Even if all the people of the world gather to change it they will fail. Muslims could recall the history that Allah willed to raise and preserve Moses in the house of His Enemy, Pharaoh.
Continued in the next article: ( Conspiracy Against Imam Ali (PBUH) 4 )
NOTES:
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1. The Quran 20:97
2. see Ghiyath al-Lughah, p228
3. Sunni reference: History of al-Tabari, English version, v15, pp 176-179
