Section Three :: During the Caliphate of the First 3 Caliphs

Lonely and Without Supporters

After the passing away of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) the nation came together to oppose Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), to usurp his rights, to oppress and seclude him from society, except a handful who clung on to the strong rope of Allah, who fulfilled their covenant given to Allah, the Almighty and His Messenger (s.a.w.a.). But they were only few.

Narrations from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) where he complains about lack of supporters.

Narration 1 – Imam Ali (a.s.) Wishes for One Hundred Supporters

Amr bin Humaq told Imam Ali (a.s) that, “I have not come to you in pursuit of wealth or prestige of this world, but have come to you for you are the cousin of the Prophet and best among all men and the husband of Fatemah (s.a.), the mistress of women, and the father of the Prophet’s immortal Progeny, and your share is more than any other Emigrant (Muhajir) or Helper (Ansar). By Allah! If you command me to shift the mountains from their place and pull out the water from the deep seas, I shall obey you until death overtakes me. I will always strike your enemies with the sword in my hand and shall assist your friends and may Allah elevate your position and grant you victory. Even then I do not believe that I may have accomplished what is due towards you.” Imam Ali (a.s) prayed for him thus: “O Allah! Illuminate his heart and guide him towards the Right Path. I wish there were a hundred similar to you among my Shi’ah.¹

Narration 2 – Complains Not Having Forty Supporters

It is narrated in the book Kitab Sulaym bin Qais that,

Janabe Salman said: “When Imam Ali (a.s.) was taken to Abu Bakr and he was saying: “By God, if I had my sword in my hand, then you would see that you would have never reached this stage. By God, I do not consider myself bad in doing jihad with you. If I had even forty people then I would disperse your
community. May God curse that community who paid allegiance to me and then became disloyal.”

Narration 3 – Did Not Have Even Thirty Supporters

Sheikh Kulaini narrates a from Abu Haysam bin Teehan that one day Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) recited a sermon in Medina where he described the treachery that he faced and the benefits that people would have received if they accepted him as the rightful successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Abu Haysam says that that after ending this sermon Imam Ali (a.s.) came out of the Masjid and walked a little distance in the desert where he saw approximately thirty sheep that had taken shelter in the pen.

Seeing this, he said, “By Allah! If I had along with me men who were true supporters of Allah, the Mighty, the Sublime, and His Prophet (s.a.w.a.), equalling the number of these Sheep, I would certainly have deposed this son of the one who eats flies, from his authority”.

We quote the complete narration below for the benefit of the readers.

Abu Haysam bin Teehan that he said, that one day Ameerul Mo’meneen Ali (a.s.) recited this sermon in Madinah for the people. First he parised and glorified Allah (s.w.t.) and said, “Beware! I swear upon Allah (s.w.t.) Who split open the seed and created men. If you had obtained the knowledge and excellence from the mine (i.e. the original place), and drank the water when it was pure and agreeable, reserved righteousness from its original place, paved the way through the illuminated path, and traversed righteousness from its own path; the path of salvation would be manifest upon you, while the signs of righteousness would be apparent and the customs of Islam would be illuminated for you.

Then you would have enjoyed the blessings of Allah (s.w.t.) abundantly, and not a single family from among you Muslims would have fallen victim to indigence and oppression and even the protected disbelievers would be in peace. But you traversed the path of the tyrants while your world turned dark even though it was vast, while the doors of knowledge and excellence closed upon your faces, then you spoke in conformity to the whims of yourselves. You created discord in your Religion and gave verdict in the Religion of Allah (s.w.t.) without knowing anything.

Then you obeyed the astray ones who misled you and you betrayed the ‘Masters of Righteousness’ and they too left you to your own selves. You dawned under the influences of your whims, then when you face a problem, you asked the ‘People of the Zikr’ and when we give you our verdict regarding it, you say : Knowledge is but here, but then what is the use of this confession to your state, when you do not follow them in practice, rather you oppose them and leave their orders behind your backs. Be quite! Soon you shall reap what you have sown and shall witness the punishment of your deeds.

I swear by Allah (s.w.t.) Who split open the seed and created man, you very well know that I am your Master and Guide and I am the one whose obedience has been assigned. I am the Erudite among you under whose light the Right Path can be paved. While I am the Vicegerent of your Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the Chosen one of your Lord, the tongue of your light, the one cognizant of your affairs. Then very soon the wrath of Allah (s.w.t.) shall descend upon you regarding what you have been promised as it descended upon the people before you. Very soon shall Allah (s.w.t.) ask you regarding your Imam and you shall arise along with your Imam and return to your Lord. I swear by Allah (s.w.t.) ! If I had along with me such quantity of men equalling the men of Taloot² or similar to the combatants of Badr, and they in turn would be your enemies, I would strike at you with the sword along with them until I would have returned you towards righteousness and truth, and this striking is better for shutting down the path of infidelity & hypocrisy and would be more effective than leniency and moderateness. O Allah! Judge between us with Righteousness and You are the Best Judge”.

Abu Haysam says that after ending this sermon Imam Ali (a.s.) came out of the Masjid and walked a little distance in the desert where he saw approximately thirty sheep that had taken shelter in the pen.

Seeing this, he said, “By Allah! If I had along with me men who were true supporters of Allah, the Mighty, the Sublime, and His Prophet (s.a.w.a.), equalling the number of these Sheep, I would certainly have deposed this son of the one who eats flies, from his authority”.

Narration 4 – Few Narrations on the Number of His Supporters

Janabe Salman (a.r.) narrates that Imam Ali (a.s) once mentioned, “Except four, after the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) everyone has become an apostate”.³

In another tradition Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) said, Except four, from all the people, nobody accepted what I said - Salman, Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Zubayr.⁴

There are few other narrations which mention the names of esteemed companions like Ammar ibn Yasir, Buraydah Aslami, Janabe Bilal, among others who remained loyal to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and believed in him as the rightful successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

All in all, the true followers and loyal supporters of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) were very few, which one could count on their fingertips.

His Knowledge Not Benefited From

The people left the door of knowledge and source of guidance and choose to wilder around in the darkness of ignorance and disbelief.

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) himself says,

I used to go to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) everyday – once in the morning and once at night and he used to see me alone and wherever he went I used to go with him. The companions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) know that he did not do that with anyone else except me, and sometimes this used to happen in my house The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to come to me and when I used to go to him at some place, he used to meet me alone, and asked his women to go and there was nobody except him and myself and when he used to come to my house to meet me alone, then neither Fatimah nor my children went away.

When I used to question him, he would answer me and when I was silent or my questions finished, he would himself start. There is no verse of Quran that was revealed that he did not make me recite and write, and I used to write with my own hands, and he used to pray to Allah that I understand it and remember it.

In another narration, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) says to Janabe Zahra (s.a.),

He (Imam Ali (a.s.)) has knowledge about Allah’s Book and my Sunnah and there is no one in my Ummah, except your husband, who knows absolutely all my knowledge because Allah has given me such a knowledge that except myself and him no one else knows. He (Allah) has not given this knowledge to Angels of messengers- He has given the knowledge only to me. He commanded me to give that knowledge to Hazrat Ali (a.s.) so I did that.

Then there is no one in my Ummah who has all my knowledge. Understanding and Jurisprudence except Ali. O Fatimah you are his wife, his two sons Hasan and Husayn are my grandchildren and they are also the chosen ones of my Ummah. Only Ali is the one to do the command to do good and forbid evil. Allah the Exahlted and Praised has bestowed him with knowledge of wisdom, and the final decision.

In another narration, Imam Ali (a.s.) complains,

Ali (a.s.) said: “The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)during his illness privately gave me key to one thousand doors of knowledge with which one thousand doors open, and if the Ummah had, from the day the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)passed away, followed me and obeyed me, then it would have got subsistence from up and from beneath its feet till the Day of Judgment with satisfaction.

Islam faced a great dangers after the passing away of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), the new Muslims had many questions concerning Islam and its laws and the self-established caliphs and successors of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) were so ignorant that they were not aware of basic Islamic Laws like purification. Let alone being capable of embarking on any intellectual discussions concerning religion, its fundamentals, the Holy Quran or its exegesis.

Scholars of other religions and communities were constantly probing the Muslims on various topics to establish the truthfulness of the religion of Islam and the Messengership of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

The real mine and inheritor of the knowledge of Divine Sciences was sidelined and not accessible. Yet, for safeguarding the interest of Islam and establishing its truthfulness Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) came forward on many occasions.

We are narrating below one such incident, which highlights the dearth of knowledge of the self-proclaimed successors of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and also, the helplessness of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).

Equating their knowledge with Imam Ali (a.s.)

Mohammed bin Hukaim narrates from Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) concerning Abu Hanifa, that he (a.s.) cursed him and said that he equated his knowledge with that of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).

Abu Hanifa used to say,

قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَ أَنَا قُلْتُ

Imam Ali (a.s.) said this, but I say (this differently).

This implied that he considered himself more knowledge than Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) to present an opinion contrary to the sayings of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).⁵

Incident of Jasleeq

One of the literary works of Salman Farsi is his famous book “Archbishop Jasleeq and Amir al-Momineen Ali (A.S). Jasleeq is a Greek word, meaning Archbishop. This book contains the discussion of Amir al-Momineen Ali (A.S) with the Roman Archbishop which was recorded by Salman Farsi.

Allamah Davood Ilhami quotes the below narration from this book.

Janabe Salman writes, the great danger Islam faced after the passing away of the Holy Prophet (SAWA) was that Islam’s light would have been extinguished forever if Ali (A.S) was not present at that time. The Roman emperor got the news of passing away of the Holy Prophet (SAWA) and he thought that the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAWA), contrary to the previous prophets had not appointed his successor and left it to the people.

Had the Prophet (SAWA) nominated a successor, Muslims would not have faced problems, so the emperor of Rome doubted the truthfulness of Islam and formed a committee of Christian priests and sent a group of one hundred intellectuals under the supervision of the archbishop Jasleeq to Madinah to discuss the truthfulness of Muslim’s religious beliefs.

Some historians have narrated that this group had a short stop at Baytul Moqaddas on their way to Madinah. They talked to the Jewish intellectuals about the purpose of their journey. So about the same number of Jews accompanied them to Madinah.

This intellectual group entered Madinah on Friday and soon they asked for the Holy Prophet’s successor. When this group of 200 people entered Madinah it caused much noise, so a great number of Muslims also entered the Holy Prophet’s mosque, they met Abu Bakr and some other Muslims there.

Salman says: I too was there. It was a great gathering with awe-inspiring silence. The archbishop broke the silence and addressed the Muslims, “Let us see your Prophet’s successor, I and my companions are here to investigate your religion. If we found it right, then we will accept your religion otherwise we will go back”. Omar bin Khattab who was sitting next to Abu Bakr, pointed at him, saying: “This man is our leader and master after the Holy Prophet (SAWA)”.

The archbishop Jasleeq turned to Abu Bakr and asked: “Are you the prophet’s successor?”

Abu Bakr said: “No, I’m not”.

The archbishop asked: What are you then?

Before Abu Bakr could answer, Omar said: “This man is the caliph after the Holy Prophet”.

The archbishop asked: “Are you that learned and self-sufficient caliph who on basis of his knowledge is able to satisfy all people in needs”.

Abu Bakr: “No, I’m not that caliph”.

The archbishop asked: “If so, what is this position you have been chosen for and consider yourself as the successor of Muhammad (SAWA)? In our books we have read that this position is specifically appropriate for God’s chosen prophets and it does not suit anyone else who is not divine. The Almighty God nominated Adam as His caliph on earth; and told David that I have nominated you as my caliph on earth. Has Muhammad (SAWA) given you this position?

Abu Bakr replied: “No, but his disciples and friends agreed with my caliphate”.

The archbishop remarked: “So you are the people’s caliph and not the caliph of the Prophet, as you have clearly stated that you were not nominated by the Prophet. Of course, it is against the Prophet’s Sunnah or way and no prophet ever passed away without announcing his successor; it seems that you have turned away from the traditions of all prophets and annulled Muhammad’s prophethood.

Salman was listening to the conversation between the archbishop and Abu Bakr carefully. At this moment, the archbishop turned to his companions and said: “It seem that Muhammad (SAWA) was not a Divine prophet from God but he was a ruler who ruled the Arabs with power and pressure because if he were a prophet, he would have definitely nominated someone to succeed him as all prophets have done!”

Salman says that the archbishop was extremely irritated and told Abu Bakr: “You old man! You have confessed that the prophet hasn’t nominated you as his successor but you were chosen by the people. Now I ask you if God follows people’s will, why did He send so many prophets to them? Actually you have denied the mission of all the prophets and you have practically affirmed that you do not need a divine prophet thus you have falsified God and accused your own prophet. Therefore, I find it necessary to talk to you people to know whether you have done this on basis of faith and truth or due to ignorance, infidelity and carnal aspirations?”

On hearing the archbishop’s arguments, the caliph was drowned in thoughts and the signs of helplessness and distress were apparent in his face. The archbishop finding himself victorious frequently shouted: “You old man! Answer my question!”

Silence like spell of death had overshadowed the caliph and all the Muslims present there. They were all quiet as if their lips were sealed. The archbishop addressing his companions, said: the religion of these people is not based on right. They all agreed with him. He then continued: “Are you ready for some more questions?”

Abu Bakr replied:” yes, you may ask”.

He said: ”Tell me who am I and what is my position near God? And who are you and what is your position near God?”

Abu Bakr said: “I feel I am a true believer but I do not know my position near God. In my view you are an infidel but I don’t know about your position near God.”

The archbishop: “But in my opinion, you have ruined your faith with infidelity and you do not know your position. You don’t really know whether you are supporting truth or falsehood? But I believe in God after denial and infidelity and I am completely satisfied about my position. But unknowingly, you have yourself given witness about my salvation and your own ruin and straying. Then the archbishop turned to his companions and said: My friends are happy because this person has announced your salvation. Yes, you old man! Tell me if you are a true believer and me an infidel, where is your place in paradise and where is my place in the hell?

Abu Bakr asked the people sitting next to him to help him answer the priest but unfortunately they were silent. Therefore very quietly in a shaking voice and terrified he replied: “I don’t know about your and my place in heaven or hell!”

The archbishop said: How did you dare to announce yourself as Muhammad’s successor when you are not learned enough to answer people’s needs but you are in need of others’ knowledge. Don’t you have anyone more learned than you among Muslims?

If your prophet was sent by God, he wouldn’t have ruined his promise with God but would have definitely kept his promise like other prophets, who nominated their successors.

If among Muslims anyone is wiser than you, then your religion could be right, but if he were like you, unable to answer me and devoid of any signs from the prophet then you have cheated these people, because the ignorant has no right to be a leader.

Salman felt Islam is in danger.

Salman writes: “When I saw this painful scene, I felt Islam is in danger. I stood up and rushed like lightening towards the house of Ali (a.s.). I knocked the door, Ali (a.s.) came out and saw my fright and enquired about the cause of my awe.

I told him Islam is in danger “why are you sitting here? Muhammad’s religion is ruined. Muslims have lost their dignity. Then I described everything that had happened.”

Ali (A.S) who is the nation’s hope and the people’s rescuer and has always solved the problems of the Islamic world, moved towards the Masjid un-Nabi (SAWA) immediately and sat on the ground next to the Holy Prophet’s grave and said: “O Christian! Ask me whatever questions you have. I will answer all questions.

The Archbishop told him the reason for his visit was to find out the successor of the Prophet of Islam and said they have introduced this man (pointing to Abu Bakr) as the Prophet’s successor, but unfortunately I found him quite ignorant, so I am doubtful about the truthfulness of Islam.

Ali (A.S) addressing the Archbishop Jasleeq and his companions said: “I am the successor of the Prophet of Islam and the interpreter of Quran. I know Islam thoroughly and I know its firm and ambiguous aayat, its superseding and superseded aayaat. I have the knowledge for guidance of all people.

Now ask me whatever you wish about the future up to the Doomsday. O the Christian Sage! Besides the aayat of the Qur’an, I have knowledge about the Bible as well as the Torah. The Holy Prophet (SAWA) has removed the curtains and familiarized me with all knowledge. I am the Prophet’s brother, cousin, and son-in-law. I and my descendants are the inheritors of his knowledge and we are like Noah’s ark whoever gets on it survives but whoever denies to mount it drowns and is devoured by stormy waves.

I and my descendants are like ‘Hitta’ for Israelites (See 2:158). For our prophet I am like Harun for Moses, with this difference that after him no other prophet will be sent. O the Christian Sage!

“Anyone who has love for me is a true believer and anyone who has enmity with me is an infidel”. On hearing these wise words, the archbishop was delighted and turned to his companions and said:

“I swear by God! This is the person who speaks with knowledge. I hope we have arrived at our goal and will find the religion for which we set out together.

Then he turned to Ali (a.s.) and asked: “O the learned intellectual! Tell me where is my and your place near God?

Ali (A.S) answered: “I am a true believer, due to God’s blessings and grace, but you are an infidel because you have violated your pledge with Him.

The archbishop asked: “where is your place in the heaven and mine in the hell?”

Ali (a.s.): “I haven’t entered heaven or hell to know mine or your place but it is mentioned in the Qur’an, concerning the good and bad people’s place in the hereafter, it is said in this book that God has promised different ranks and stages of paradise to His prophet and He has said that infidels and sinful criminals will be sent to the hell which has seven doors and each one will enter through a door.

The archbishop told his companions: “Friends, our wish is fulfilled and we have found what we were searching for. O great intellectual! Tell me if the Throne (Arsh) carries God or God carries the Throne?”

Ali (A.S): If you hear the right answer, will you embrace Islam?

The archbishop said: “yes, by God! If you answer my questions correctly, I and all my companions will accept Islam.”

Ali (a.s.) replied: God carries the Throne (Arsh) and the skies. He has stated in the Qur’an that God the Almighty prevents the skies and the earth from clashing against each other.

The archbishop: O the great wise man! Tell me where is God the Almighty?

Ali (a.s.): “Above and beneath, in the North, South, West, and East and He is dominant over all creatures. He encloses everyone everywhere and this aayat of the Qur’an is a witness to my words:

“There is no secret talk among three but God is their fourth, nor among five but He is their sixth. God is with them (even if) less than that or more and wherever they may be. Then on the Day of Judgment, He will inform them about what they have done.”(Mujadelah: 7)

The archbishop: “I swear by God! His words are perfectly true he speaks with divine grace, exactly like Jesus (A.S), prophets and their heirs by the grace of God.

O the wise intellectual! Let me know whether Paradise is in this world or in the Hereafter and truly where are these worlds situated?

Imam Ali (A.S) answered: ” This world is in the Hereafter and the Hereafter has enclosed or surrounded this world. The Hereafter is the place of comfort for life. There a human being resembles a person in sleep while his soul is on excursion. Our body dies but our soul is eternally alive.

God says: The abode of the Hereafter is indeed life, if you comprehend.(Annkabut:64).

Then the archbishop Jasleeq asked: “O great intellectual! Your Quran states: The entire earth will be in His fist on the Day of Resurrection and skies will be folded or scrolled in His right hand. (Zumar: 67)

So when the earth is under full dominance of God and the skies are folded by Him, where would Heaven and Hell exist?”

Ali (A.S) asked for a paper and ink and wrote “Heaven and Hell” on it and folded the paper and gave it to Jasleeq and asked: “Haven’t I folded the paper?”

They all answered: ”Yes, you did.”

Ali (a.s.) asked: ”Unfold it” and they did.

Ali (a.s.) asked: Has the writing disappeared or vanished?

They replied: ”No”.

Ali (a.s.) said: As the writing “heaven and hell” has not vanished, heaven and hell themselves won’t disappear when God folds the skies.

The archbishop: “You the great intellectual! It is stated in your Qur’an ‘Kulla Shayin Halikun illa wajhah’ “All things shall perish except God.” What does it mean and what is its reason?

Imam Ali (a.s.) asked a Muslim to get some logs of wood and to kindle them with fire. The Imam asked the archbishop to tell him the direction of the fire.

The archbishop Jasleeq replied: “you can assume it to be in any direction.”

Ali (a.s.) answered: It is God’s creation and you cannot assume its direction or face. How could you recognize the nature of God when eyes cannot see Him and mind cannot imagine Him. (laysa kamithlihi shay wa huwa Samiun Haleem) “There is nothing like God and He is All Hearing and Forbearing.”

The archbishop was deeply influenced by Ali’s discussion and strong logic behind his words and said: You the true successor of the prophet! Have answered all my questions and I am guided through you.

The Roman Archbishop Jasleeq accepted Islam and became a Muslim.

He then turned to his companions and said: “Oh my friends! We have finally found the person we were in search of and reached our goal. We should all follow Ali to be blissful, Here and in the Hereafter”.

Actually, the archbishop’s confirmation was considered really important by Salman who had the experience of church and Christian teachings. He actually knew the rank of an archbishop and how his conversion to Islam would affect the Christian world?

The archbishop and all his companions became Muslims and entered Islam through its gateway Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) the prophet’s successor.

So, Muslims were full of happiness and Ali’s face gleamed with joy. Ali (a.s.) humbly stated with pleasure: “I praise God the Almighty, who illuminated his finalized religion and helped Muslims prevail in the discussion.”

Abu Bakr and his disciples were also happy on seeing this scene when Ali (a.s.) wiped off all misery and humiliation from their faces and saved Islam from the danger of extinction forever.

The Muslims said: “Abul Hasan! May God, the Almighty reward you.”

Salman Farsi who has written this event so precisely says: when the newly converted Roman Muslims wanted to leave Madinah, they all visited Ali’s house to bid him farewell.

Ali (a.s.) sat next to them.

The Roman archbishop, who had embraced Islam, said: O the prophet’s successor! , the people who have usurped the caliphate are like Israelites, who destroyed everything intentionally and deserve hell! The archbishop then said we frankly ask you to decide for us whether we should return to our cities, or stay here and fight for your right.

After a long discussion, Ali (a.s.) said: “It’s better you return to your cities. Our late prophet (SA) has asked me to be patient as it is more important to protect true Islam. Whoever accompanies me at the proper time to fight will be praised and whoever dies before the warfare may be considered as a victim of tyranny.”

Tears dropped from Ali’s eyes when the Roman Muslims left for their cities, weeping over Ali’s helplessness.

His Lovers were Persecuted

The fact is that no terror is known to have encompassed the group of children of any prophet, of any Imam, of the king of any period whether pious or profligate like the terror which encompassed the offspring of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him.

Nor were any so much subjected to being killed, to being pursued from their houses and lands, and to being terrorised as the offspring and sons of the Commander of the Faithful were subjected to. The different kinds of severity meted out to them did not occur for any other group of people. They were killed by murderous treachery, by treason and by deception.

It was done to most of them during their lifetimes as an example. They were tormented by hunger and thirst until their lives were taken by death. This required them to scatter throughout the land and to become separated from their houses, their families and their countries.

(It required) their family background to be kept secret from the majority of the people. The fear surrounding them extended to keeping themselves hidden from those who loved them in addition to their enemies. Their flight extended from their lands to the furthest east and west, to places which lacked civilisation and where the majority of the people were without knowledge of them.

They avoided bringing such people close to them and mixing with them, out of fear for their own lives and their offsprings’ from the tyrants of those times. All of these are the reasons which should bring about the disruption of their organisation, the pulling out of their roots, and the paucity of their numbers. Yet they, despite everything we have described, are the most numerous offspring of any one of the prophets, the righteous men and the friends (of Allāh). Indeed they are more numerous than the offspring of anyone else among the people.

They have extended across the lands through their great number and have become more numerous than the offspring of most men. They have done this despite their marriages within their (family circles) to the exclusion of those outside them and by limiting them to those possessing their own genealogies of the nearer members of the relations. In that the normal practice has been transcended as we have explained. It is proof of the illustrious sign concerning the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, as we have already described and explained.

There is a long list of followers and lovers of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) who were imprisoned, tortured, persecuted and killed by the caliphs and the subsequent tyrants after them. They committed no other crime except that of loving and following Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).

Below are few companions and esteemed personalities who were persecuted and killed for being ardent followers of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).

• Janabe Abu Zar

• Janabe Misam al-Tammar

• Janabe Malik e Ashtar

• Janabe Mohammed bin Abi Bakr

• Janabe Amr ibn Humaq al Khuzai

• Janabe Hujr ibn Adi

Cursed from Pulpit

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was cursed from the pulpit for many years.

Mu`awiyah was the leader of the oppressive gang. He stood in enmity against the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), fought him, cursed him from Muslims’ pulpits and ordered people to do likewise.

Marwan had been among the wickedest figures of the Umayyads throughout whose term as Medina governor cursed Imam Ali (a.s.) as well as the Hashimites.⁶

It is narrated in Kitab al Irshad,

The report is well-known and widespread on the authority of al-Sha‘bī that he used to say: “I (i.e. al-Sha‘bī) used to hear the preachers of the Umayyads curse the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib, peace be on him, on their pulpits.” He would raise his finger to the sky and (go on): “I used to hear them praising their ancestors on their pulpits as if they could reveal their corpses.”

The tyrannical governors would flog anyone who mentioned any good of him. Indeed, their heads were cut off for doing that and exposed to the people to make them disassociate themselves from him. The normal course (of events) followed this pattern for it to become accepted that no good should be mentioned of him in any way much less his outstanding merits be mentioned, his qualities be reported and proof of his rights be set out.

Insulting and cursing Imam Ali (a.s.) was prolonged as a tradition until it was ceased in ‘Umar ‘Abd al-Aziz’s time.

Mu’awiya himself stressed that it must be spread to the extent that the offspring mature with this slogan, the youths grow old and no one narrates his excellence.

Mu’awiya was extremely bound to curse Imam Ali (a.s.) at the conclusion of his sermons. He even compelled Imam’s disciples to go up the pulpit and curse him. Any agent of Mu’awiya who did not abide by the tradition of cursing was deposed and replaced right away. He had enticed people into daring not to name their babies Imam Ali (a.s) but call them Mu’awiya instead.

He had announced that if anyone narrated the excellences of Imam Ali (a.s.), he would never warrant his security. Subsequently all preachers expressed their disgust for Imam Ali (a.s.) and cursed him.

Killers of Janabe Zahra (s.a.) Were Respected

Qunfuz was accorded respect by the second caliph. On one such occasion when he was taking back a part of wealth from his governors, the caliph exempted Qunfuz from it.

It is narrated in Kitab Sulaim bin Qais, tradition no 14, that Abbas asked Imam Ali (a.s.), What do you think, why did he stop Qunfuz from returning the wealth like he asked all other governors to return the wealth?

Imam Ali (a.s.) looked at the people around him, then his eyes filled with tears and he replied, “in gratitude of that striking, that he hit Janabe Fatima (s.a.) with his whip. Until she passed away, the effect of hitting was like a boil on her hand.”

Footnotes

1. Nafasul Mahmoom narrating from Al-Ikhtesaas ↩

2. Taloot (Saul) was a virtuous man among the Bani Israeel who was appointed by Prophet Ashmaweel (Samuel) to fight Jaloot (Goliath) who had captured all the land on the shore of the Mediterranean including Palestine and Eygpt. At the conlusion of this battle Taloot won, and this has been referred to in Surah al Baqarah of the Holy Qu’ran. And because of the reference of Taloot in the above sermon, this sermon is also referred to as ‘Khutba al Talootiyah’. ↩

3. Kitab Sulaym bin Qais, Tradition 4 ↩

4. Kitab sulaym bin Qais, Tradition 12 ↩

5. Basair al-Darajaat, Vol. 1, Page 147 ↩

6. History of Caliphs, Vol. 2, Ansariyan Publications ↩