Re: The sermon of Hz Ali(a.s) about 1st 3 caliphs
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.