Re: Sects of Islam
Leave me and seek someone else. We are facing a matter which has (several) faces and colours, which neither hearts can stand nor intelligence can accept. Clouds are hovering over the sky, and faces are not discernible. You should know that if I respond to you I would lead you as I know and would not care about whatever one may say or abuse. If you leave me then I am the same as you are. It is possible I would listen to and obey whomever you make in charge of your affairs. I am better for you as a counsellor than as chief .** Nahjul Balagha Sermon 91**
Brother** Nussairee** Imam Ali (ra) would NOT have uttered the above words if he was indeed ‘divinely chosen’ as the Imam of the time. He is duty bound to carry out the Divine Will.
Can you imagine Prophet (saw) saying to the Makkans “Leave me and seek someone else”?
I am sure you know the following response of the Prophet (saw) to his Uncle Abu Talib who advised the Prophet (saw) ‘taper down’ his mission and not ‘provoke’ the Makkan.
“O my uncle, if they placed the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, to force me to renounce my work, verily I would not desist there form until Allaah made manifest His cause, or I perished in the attempt.”
Imam Ali (ra)’s response would have been in same vein!!
But in the above Sermon Imam Ali (ra) says:
He will follow any person the people at large opted for.
He is willing to be a counselor rather than be a chief.
This is not in line with Divine appointment!
Dear Ibn Sadique, sure u understand the importance of context in understanding speech of the Imam…was this speech of his before or around the time of the coup of Saqeefa or was it a couple of decades later?..rather than fast forwarding 2 decades later u shud first shed some light on what Imam said abt the matter of leadership at the time of death of the Prophet saww…