diff --git a/backend/libraries/punk/corpus.jsonl b/backend/libraries/punk/corpus.jsonl index e69de29..612386f 100644 --- a/backend/libraries/punk/corpus.jsonl +++ b/backend/libraries/punk/corpus.jsonl @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +{"id": "/Users/giers/LLM Tools/Heimgeist/backend/libraries/punk/stage/19f1e5d2ceaab5fd1f1dc58ff07422388f156610d16dfdea2bdb35a5b9e70813--GeorgeJordac-TheVoiceOfHumanJustice.pdf", "parent_id": null, "source_path": "/Users/giers/Documents/GeorgeJordac-TheVoiceOfHumanJustice.pdf", "url": null, "mime": "application/pdf", "record_type": "file", "title": "", "text": "\f The Voice of Human Justice\n(Sautu'l 'Adalati'l Insaniyah)\n\n\nTranslator: M Fazel Haq\n\nContents\n\nPUBLISHERS' NOTE\nPREFACE\nARABIAN PENINSULA\nTHE COMING OF THE PROPHET\nA GLANCE OVER HISTORY\nTHE PROPHET AND ABU TALIB\nTHE PROPHET AND ALI\nALI IS MY BROTHER\nTHE ATTRIBUTES OF ALI\nKNOWLEDGE AND SAGACITY OF ALI\nHUMAN RIGHTS AND ALI\nPOVERTY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES\nCONDITIONS PRIOR TO ALI\nRULER IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE\nFREEDOM AND ITS SOURCES\nINDIVIDUAL FREEDOM\nACCOUNTABILITY\nHELPING THE NEEDY\nNEITHER FANATICISM NOR INFALLIBILITY\nWAR AND PEACE\nCOMBAT OPPRESSION\nADMINISTRATION OF ALI\nU.N.CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS\nVALUE OF LIFE AND ALI\nCONDITIONS PREVAILING AFTER ALI\nTHE TWO FAMILIES OF QURAYSH\nMU`AWIYA AND HIS SUCCESSORS\nHUSAYN AND YAZID\nSUPPORTERS OF THE TWO PARTIES\nMURDERERS OF UTHMAN\nTHE VOLLEY OF CRITICISM\n\fFACTS ABOUT UTHMAN`S MURDER\nSOME FALSE STATEMENTS\n\n\nA GREAT CONSPIRACY\nREVOLT AGAINST ALI\nGOD! BE A WITNESS\nTWO IMPOSTORS\nTHE DISASTER\nWAS IT JUSTIFIED?\nTHE DIVINE WILL\nLET THEM MOURN\n\f Publishers' Note\nThe Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali, peace be on him, is the most distinguished\npersonality of Islam after Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be on him. His entire life\nis the life of struggle for the advancement of Islam. He was a great combatant, a great judge, a\ngreat philanthropist and the most pious person of his time. Much has been written and\ncontinues to be written about the life, character and attributes of Imam Ali. The present book\nis an English translation of Sautu'l `Adalati'l Insaniyab, the biography of the Imam, written in\nArabic by George Jordac, a renowned Christian author of lebanon. It has gained much\npopularity in the Arab and the Muslim world. Many Muslim and non-Muslim scholars have\npaid it glowing tributes. The author is an enlightened man of letters and has written the book\nwith perfect sincerity. However, at times, he has said things which do not accord with the\nfacts of history. In such cases necessary clarification has been made in the foot-notes and at\nplaces some paragraphs have been deleted altogether. Keeping in view the usefulness and\npopularity of the Arabic version of this book, the Islamic Seminary is presenting the English\nversion for the English knowing readers. It is hoped that this book will enlighten the mind of\nour conscientious young generation and will inspire it to form an Islamic social order.\n\f Preface\nThe history of great men is a fountain of experience, faith and aspirations for us - a fountain\nwhich will never dry up. The great men of the world are like lofty peaks of mountains which\nwe aspire to climb with great eagerness and ardent desire. They are the light-houses which\nkeep darkness away from around us. It is due to the examples set by them that we have gained\nself-confidence. They have made us hopeful of life, taught us its aim and objects and helped\nus to avail of its amenities. If these great souls had not been there, we would have fallen prey\nto despair while combating with the unseen and intellegible forces and would have\nsurrendered ourselves to death. However, the righteous persons have not so far surrendered\nthemselves before despair nor shall they do so in future, because they are entitled to victory\nand success. This is proved by the fact that in history many persons have been successful and\nvictorious and Ali is one of them. These people who conquered death are always with us.\nAlthough time and space separate them from us, neither time prohibits us from hearing their\nwords nor the distance prevents us from seeing their faces. Preface of the first edition of the\nArabic version published in 1956. The best proof of what has been said above is the present\nbook. It is the biography of a great man. Although he was born in Arabia his person is not\nmeant for Arabia only. Although the fountains of his kindness and favours sprang from Islam\nhe is not confined to the Muslims. If he had been for the Muslims only a Christian would not\nhave been prompted involuntarily to analyse the events of his life and eulogize like a poet his\nfascinating judgments, his stupendous feats of valour and interesting incidents of his life.\nChampionship of Ali was not confined to the battle field. He was also matchless in the matter\nof faith, piety, purity, eloquence, magnanimity, help for the deprived and the oppressed and\nsupport for truth. So much so that even after the passage of more than fourteen hundred years\nhis wonderful achievements are a beacon light for us and extremely useful for making our\nlives sublime. The author has explained the various events in detail and also mentioned at\nlength the views and beliefs of the Imam regarding religious, political, social and financial\nmatters. Furthermore, he has explained the events of the life of Ali with great dexterity and in\na manner in which they had not been penned before. No historian or writer, however deft and\ndexterous he may be, can draw a true picture of the Commander of the Faithful even in a\nthousand pages, nor can he explain the dreadful events which took place in his time. The\nthings which this wonderful and unmatched person thought of, and acted upon, had not till\nthen been seen or heard by anyone. They are more than a historian can cover even in a very\ndetailed treatise. Hence, whatever picture of Ali is described by a writer will inevitably be\nincomplete. However, the object of an author in writing a book like this is to collect the\ndetails of the actions and words of the Commander of the Faithful from all possible sources\nand to ponder over them very carefully and then to present them in such a way that it may be\npossible to see a glimpse of the Imam as he was. This is what the author has done in this\nbook. I am sure that George Jordac, a research scholar and an unbiased person as he is, has\nbeen successful in describing the life of the Imam to a large extent and those who read it will\nbe obliged to say that it is the biography of a person who was second to the Prophet of Islam.\n\fMichael Na'imah\n\f Arabian Peninsula\nThe territory of Arabia is very wonderful and miraculous and it will retain this characteristic\neven in future. It contains very large deserts. If these deserts had not been devoid of rains and\nhad been green and fertile this land would have fed the hungry and clothed the naked of the\nworld. However, unfortunately Arabia has always remained a desert. It contains vast areas\ncomprising mounds of sand, small and dry hills and stony tracts, which are neither cultivable\nnor habitable. If farming had been possible this region would have been thickly populated, but\nthe position is otherwise. Although this territory is surrounded by sea on three sides, the rains\nare very scanty and it is very hot during summer. It also rains in some areas which makes the\natmosphere somewhat cool. However, when the scorching wind blows it is so hot that trees\nand plants become dry and even the animals die of heat. The Arab poets liken zephyr, which\nalways blows from the eastern side, with the breeze of Paradise. There are no perennial rivers\nin Arabia. However, as and when rains come and the streams begin to flow, the people avail\nof the opportunity and store water by constructing dams. This water suffices only for some\ntime. Camel is the typical animal of Arabia which enjoys a distinguished position as\ncompared with the animals found in other regions. The Almighty God has given it long legs\nso that it may cover long distance easily and may not get weary in the dreary deserts. Its\nhooves are also such that its feet do not get thrust into the sand. It also possesses sufficient\nstamina to cross the difficult and strong paths and can tolerate heat as well as thirst. God has\ngiven it an extraordinary stomach in which it can store water to suffice for many days and as\nand when water is not available its owner also takes out water somehow from its stomach for\nhis personal use. The Arabs have given the camel thousands of names. Vegetation is very rare\nin this territory. Some thorny bushes grow but they too are withered on account of shortage of\nwater and severe heat. The dwellings of the people are usually tents which cannot protect\nthem either from the scorching winds or from the heat of the sun. In fact there is no difference\nbetween living in these tents and living under the sky. For these reasons its population is\nscanty and scattered. The people of Arabia do not usually live at one place permanently but\nshift from place to place. The staple food of the Arabs is dried palm-dates. To this is added\nthe meat of the camels and the hunted animals. On account of their spending their lives\npermanently in the deserts warfare and bloodshed have become a part of their nature. It is so\nhot in the desert and valleys of the Arabian Peninsula that the earth accumulates sufficient\nheat to enable the people to roast the animals on the sand. Similar deserts replete with sand,\nscanty and scattered population and uniformity of conditions are very tiresome things and\nmake life unpleasant. Aspiration and hope which are the capital of happy life do not exist\nanywhere in this desert. In such difficult circumstances and with such uniform life it was not\npossible for the nomadic Arabs to become acquainted with the vicissitudes of life and the\nvarious ways and manners of the other people of the world. Existence of righteousness and\npiety which make the heart of man accept faith cannot be imagined in a barren land. Such\nqualities develop in green and fertile lands and not in stony and dry areas. They develop in\npersons who are endowed with blessings of all kinds and not in the hearts of those who are\n\fdevoid of them. A few small towns and settlements of those times were not very significant,\nfirstly because their number was very small and secondly their position was no better than a\nfew tents pitched in a barren desert, which had to suffer the onslaught of unfavourable winds.\nOf course, in taif and Madina better means of livelihood were available. As regards Mecca it\nwas an idol-temple. Its residents were tradesmen in whose eyes one dinar was more valuable\nthan the life of a human being. A life of poverty and indigence in a desert burning like hell\nwith the present full of despair and the future without any hope- this was the condition of\nwhat was called the Arabian Peninsula. What is surprising is this that although there are many\nlands adjacent to Arabia which are fertile and contain all amenities of life, there were people\nwho ignored all these facilities and preferred to lead a miserable life in this barren land. They,\ntherefore, never thought of stepping out of this desert. And what is more surprising is the\npeople there considered their homeland to be superior to the entire remaining world. They\nneither wanted to leave it, nor desired to choose another place as their homeland. This was a\nmiracle of the Arabian Desert even before the prophet of Islam was appointed to the prophetic\nmission. However, if we compare all the cold and sweet springs, the fertile and green lands,\nthe beautiful sceneries, the wealth and all other blessings available to various countries, other\nthan Arabia, with the thing which appeared in that land, all those blessings and facilities\nappear to be of no value. The Arabian Desert, the land of miracles, produced something\nwhich is superior to all other blessings. That magnanimous being was the great personality\nwho showered his blessings on all human beings, who cleansed the springs of reality, because\nof whom the value of life became known, righteousness and deliverance became great things,\nand reality was elevated viz. Muhammad. The birth of the cousin of Muhammad, Ali, in\nArabia, where human life was not worth more than a dinar was the second miracle of this\nDesert.\n\f The coming of the prophet\nWith eyes as bright as the shining sun, a reality on the lips more brilliant than the light of the\nsun, a heart more fresh than the flowers of the gardens of Yathrib and Taif, habits and morals\nmore decent than the moon- lit nights of the Hijaz, a mind more brisk than the strong winds, a\nbewitching tongue, a heart with heavenly light, firm determination like a trenchant sword and\nheavenly words on the tongue - such was Muhammad son of Abdullah, the prophet of Arabia,\nthe prophet who destroyed the idols which had separated brothers from brothers. He did not\nbreak only the idols of wood and stone but also broke the idols of wealth, indecent habits and\nparty-spirit. The only thing which the cowardly Quraysh desired was money should be\ntransferred from the hands of the nomadic Arabs to their own pockets. The only value which\nthey attached to life was that in order to earn profit they should travel through the desert on\nthe back of the camels undergoing extreme hardships and then return to their hometown\nMecca - the same Mecca which was the city of idol-worship, and where money was the only\nthing which counted. Suddenly they heard a voice which shook their nerves. Their hopes were\nshattered. The world turned away its face from them saying: \"The value of man is not the\nsame which you have assessed and the object of the creation of the nomadic Arabs is not the\nsame which you think it to be\".\n\nThis was the voice of Muhammad Banu Asad and Banu Tamim were so foolish and\nignorant that they buried their daughters alive without any cause. There was no justification\nfor their doing so except that it was a custom which had survived amongst them. They were\nopposed to the Divine will. They hated the beauty of nature. And then they heard a voice,\nwhich was expressive of deep love and sympathy for the people saying: \"Don't bury your\ndaughters alive. Daughters are as good a creation of God as the sons. No human being has a\nright to deprive others of life. It is only God who creates the people and makes them die\".\n\nThis was the voice of Muhammad The Arabs were always fighting. They fought and shed\nblood for years on account of very trivial things. They killed their own brothers and then\nrejoiced and glorified themselves on it. To sacrifice their lives for the sake of their own\nignorance was something very ordinary for them. The children cried and screamed and grew\nup in conditions which were not conducive to the creation of love or sympathy for anyone in\ntheir minds. In these circumstances they heard another voice which said: \"What are you\ndoing? You kill one another although you are all brothers because all of you have been\ncreated by God. Strife is something satanic. Peace and friendship are more beneficial for you.\nThe blessing for which you fight can't be achieved except through peace\".\n\nThis, too, was the voice of Muhammad The Arabs were the most proud and egoistic people.\nThey considered the non-Arabs inferior to themselves. Not only this but they did not consider\nthe non-Arabs even human beings. Muhammad disliked this attitude of the Arabs very much.\nAddressing these proud people he said: \"No Arab is superior to a non-Arab unless he is more\n\fpious. Whether you like it or not all human beings are brothers of one another\". There were\noppressed, homeless and helpless persons whose faces had been scorched by the hot winds.\nThe society had discarded them and made their lives miserable. They were more humble in\nthe eyes of the people than the particles of sand and their life had become extremely\nunenviable. And these were the true friends of the prophet of Islam, just as the indigent and\noutcasts of the society were the friends of Jesus Christ and other great men of the world. It\nwas these very people for whose benefit the prophet of Islam endeavoured to prevent the\nestablishment of dictatorship, disallowed slavery, freed man from the bondage of his fellow-\nmen, and established the public treasury so that all might benefit from it without any\ndiscrimination. He directed the efforts of the people towards public welfare. He insisted on\nQuraysh, who were his kinsmen, at every step that they should improve their conduct, do\ngood deeds, and keep their attention directed whole-heartedly to God, who has united the\nscattered creation into a single whole. However, Quraysh instigated the ignorant persons as\nwell as their own children to stone and ridicule him. The helpless, oppressed and homeless\nslaves among whom one was Bilal, the Mu'azzin of the prophet, were overjoyed when they\nheard this: \"All human beings are fed by God. He likes him most who is more helpful to his\ncreatures\".\n\nThis was the voice of Muhammad Those who were his enemies and stoned and ridiculed\nhim heard this animating voice: \"Ifyou (Muhammad) had been stern and hard-hearted they\nwould all have deserted you a long time ago. Forgive them and ask God to forgive (their sins)\nand consult with them in certain matter. But when you reach a decision trust God. God loves\nthose who trust Him\". This was the voice of Muhammad The following pure words were\nimprinted on the minds of those who were endeavouring in the path of God for a better life,\nand were ready to support him (Muhammad) in his campaign against idol-worship and evil-\ndoing, and were afraid lest their rights and good conduct might be wasted in the battle-field.\n\"Remember! Don't be treacherous. Don't commit breach of trust. Don't kill either a child or a\nwoman or an old man or a monk in a monastery. Don't burn a date-palm tree and don't cut any\ntree nor pull down a building\".\n\nThis voice was the voice of Muhammad The Arabs heard this heavenly voice from\nMuhammad and spread it in all the four corners of the world. They covered powerful rulers\nand kings with this voice, established brotherhood amongst human beings and strung them in\none faith, and created relationship between man and God. The shade of Muhammad spread so\nmuch that the entire Old World came under it and the land from the east upto the west began\nproducing the fruits of goodness, knowledge, peace and friendship. The prophet of Islam\nstretched his hand and sowed the seeds of friendship and brotherhood throughout the world.\nThat hand is still stretched and is busy sowing the seeds. Hence, there is no part of the world\nwherein the followers of Muhammad are not found. One of them may be in Pakistan and the\nother may be in Spain, but in spite of this both of them are treated to be under one and the\nsame standard. The prophet provided honour and respect to the Orientals which is even now a\nshining crown on their heads. This voice of the prophet, was a call for human brotherhood. It\nstopped the hands of the rulers from reaching the property of the subjects and gave equal\n\frights to all human beings. In his religion there is no discrimination between a common man,\na ruler and a subject and an Arab and a non-Arab, because all human beings are the slaves of\nGod and it is He who provides sustenance to all of them. This voice emancipated women\nfrom the oppression of men, freed the labourers from the injustice of the capitalists and\ndelivered the servants from the degradation of submission to their masters. As opposed to\nPlato and other philosophers, who deprive the workers of their social rights on account of\ntheir mean occupation and have divided the society into many grades, the prophet of Islam\nmade all human beings participate in the affairs of government. He also disallowed usury and\nexploitation of one man by another. After the prophet of Islam it was Ali bin Talib who called\nmen to good morals.\n\f A glance over history\nIf you lend ear to the history of the world you will hear the news of a great event the like of\nwhich has not happened even after a passage of more than ten centuries. If you reflect\ncarefully about the various happenings in the world you will be fascinated by a grand\npersonality before whose high thinking everything appears to be trivial. The world and its life,\nand the children, the kinsmen, wealth and rulership do not enjoy any importance in his eyes.\nThis personality is too great to be placed in the row of ordinary people and his insight is so\nkeen that it resembles the reasoning of common people only in name. If you hear with the\nears of your heart, history will narrate to you that story of the martyrs in the path of truth and\njustice with whose blood the border of the sky is covered. If you look at the horizon you will\nobserve two kinds of redness; one the natural redness and the other that of the blood of the\nmartyrs in the path of truth and justice. Have a look at the history of the East and find out that\ngreat power of comprehension and understanding which is the centre of every circle of high\nthinking, and the origin of every true reasoning and logic. Every modern research and new\nidea about the life of this world and the Hereafter is related to him. The opinions which may\nhave come to your notice with regard to human system and laws, principles of civilization and\nrules of morality has originated from this spring. These rules and principles are based on the\nmutual relations, co-operation and partner ship of humanity. Which reflective power1 has\ninvented a new policy and a new method in philosophy and placed it at the disposal of the\npeople who have passed it on to the posterity? Everyone has benefited from it according to his\nunderstanding, but none has so far reached its real philosophy and its depth. It is necessary\nthat other brains and intellects should make new discoveries from what he has said. Who is\nthat enlightened person who himself is involved in suffering and pains but others are blessed\nand happy because of him? He who has prepared and continues to prepare the path for his\nfriends as well as enemies! A scholar who is prepared whole-heartedly to explain things for\nothers after discussing the cause and effect of everything! Who is that subtle scholar who has\npondered over everything and there is nothing about which he is not well-informed? So much\nso that he knows even those things which the people have not done but have only thought\nabout them. He possesses such a powerful intellect that the knowledge which appeared in the\nEast after him is also associated with him; in fact it is he who is the foundation and the\nfountain-head of all such sciences. Have you ever observed so perfect an intellect as should.\nhave recognized the greatest reality? And that reality is the basis for social relations, the cause\nfor everyone pursuing his own particular path. It tells why one group follows the right path\nand the other wrong path. This reality which was understood by Ali thirteen hundred years\nago has been made the new subject of discussion by the scholars of the East and the West. By\nthis I mean the need for the necessities of life, to acquire which the people are following\ndifferent paths. One group has transgressed its limits. It has ignored the rules of justice and is\nendeavouring to mislead the people. In order to achieve their nefarious ends deception is\nbeing practised and illogical things are being spread by the capitalists to accumulate wealth,\nby government officers to get things done gratis and to keep the masses under control and by\n\fthe innovators to collect obedient followers. Do you recognize that great sage who established\nmore than a thousand years ago a reality which superseded thousands of superstitions and\nextravagant ideas and said: \"If a person starves it is due to the fact that his share has been\ntaken by another\" and added: \"I have not seen any excessive bounty which is not associated\nwith a right which has been violated\". As regards hoarding he wrote to one of his governors:\n\"Prohibit the people from hoarding, because it is some thing which entails loss to the public\nand brings bad name to the rulers\". A great and enlightened person realized the real secret of\nhumanity more than a thousand years ago and concluded that those persons who had no value\nin the eyes of the kings and the rulers were endowed with virtues and good morals, and every\nkind of oppression practised upon them was considered by them (i.e. by the rulers) to be\npermissible. The Italian sculptor Rapheal prepared an image of the Virgin Mary in the shape\nof an Italian farmer woman and made all good human qualities visible in it. Tolstoy, Voltaire\nand Goethe also recommended and approved with their mental labour and imagination the\nsame thing which had been indicated by Raphael in the image. However, Ali clarified this\nconcept centuries ago. He campaigned against the aristocrats, the ruling class, the profiteers\nand the selfish persons, opposed their wrong and absurd way of thinking about the oppressed\nand said: \"By God! I shall realize the right of the oppressed person from the oppressor and\nshall pull the oppressor to the fountain-head of truth by putting a cavessor in his nose, even\nthough he may not like it\".\n\nThe things which he said about the people of his time go to show that he had understood them\nvery well. They consisted on the one hand of the worthless aristocrats and others who were\nholding high positions notwithstanding their inefficiency, and on the other hand of persons\nwho were helpless and oppressed and who had no alternative but to obey. He therefore, said\nbriefly: \"Your down trodden are honourable and your powerful ones are base and mean\". 2\nBy these words he means that the subordinate people cannot display their good morals and\ntalents due to their helplessness and oppression by the powerful class and the persons holding\nhigh position keep their defects hidden under their costly dress. He told the people that truth\nand virtue are established and eternal things which have always been and will remain for ever.\nIn the heart of his hearts every human being believes in this, although different persons may\ninterpret it in different ways. Even the oldest nations have flourished under the protection of\nthis belief although they may not have known it. They have inherited their views and beliefs\nfrom their ancestors and adopted them because by doing so they have been saved from the\ntrouble of investigation and research. Imitation has thus become their second nature. The\nbasis of all the beliefs and thoughts is this that there is an absolute reality which should be the\nstarting point of all discussions and opinions.\n\nThe qualities of his head and heart enabled Ali to realize this fact and he believed whole-\nheartedly that anything which is based on truth does not become shaky. He was a perfect\nspecimen of steadfastness and found himself successful in the event of victory as well as\ndefeat. In the battlefield as well as in the arena of politics it was immaterial for him to win or\nlose, because he knew that the reality was with him and it was he himself who was the\nstandard for distinguishing between truth and falsehood. Throughout the history of the world\n\fit is not possible to find a man with such a firm determination that he should not waver in any\ncircumstances and the flames of revolt should not make him tremble. No other thing can\nshake the faith of a man than this that the enemies should be accusing him of worst offences\nand even deviation and heresy. And nothing can make a man more unsettled than the threat of\ndeath or attack on one's faith which is worse than death. However, Ali did not waver in any\ncircumstances and nothing could make him deviate from his path. He did not give up his\nefforts for the enforcement of Islam and did not crave for wealth or position as a reward for\nthese efforts. His only reward was the success of the faith. Have you seen in the history of the\nworld a magnani mous person with a kind and loving heart encircled by greedy, rebellious\nand revengeful, stone-hearted persons, keen to exploit one another, but he may be inviting\nthem to peace and welfare and they may still be joining hands to fight against him? There are\nmany sayings which people repeat verbally or in writing and every person selects one of them\naccording to his nature to serve as his motto. However, have you seen any other person who\nmay be the embodiment of purity and modesty in its true sense? Amongst the great\npersonalities of the world Ali was foremost in the matter of love and sincerity. Sincerity was\nhis habit and nature, and his heart and soul were imbued with it. He loved the people but did\nnot associate love with his own self. He kept his promises. Sincerity was the essence of his\nbeing. By his natural and profound intelligence he found out that freedom is the most sacred\nthing. The entire world craves for it and does not consider any other blessing to be equal to it.\n3 Only the free persons possess power of correct thinking and good habits, and true love and\npure sincerity are also not possible without freedom. He, therefore, said: \"The worst brother is\nhe with whom you have to observe formalities\". Hence, the best man is he who is not of this\ntype. Do you know any ruler who never ate his fill because many persons amongst his\nsubjects did not get sufficient food to fill their bellies, or did not wear fine clothes because\nmany persons wore coarse dress, or did not accumulate wealth because there were many poor\nand needy persons? Ali recommended to his children and friends to follow in his footsteps.\nHe declined to give as much as one dinar to his brother, because he was not entitled to it. He\ntook severe action against his companions, subordinates, and officials, if they took even a loaf\nof bread as bribe. He warned a person against breach of trust in respect of public property in\nthese words: \"I swear by God that if you commit breach of trust in respect of public property I\nshall take such severe action against you that you will become poor, burdened and disgraced\".\nAnd he addressed another person in these eloquent words: \"I have been given to understand\nthat you have swept the earth clean, have appropriated whatever was under your feet and have\nspared nothing. You should, therefore, send your account to me\". He also admonished in\nthese words a person who became rich by taking bribes: \"Fear God and return the property of\nthe people to them. If you do not do so and God provides me hold over you I shall perform\nthe duty which I owe to God with regard to you and shall strike you with the sword which has\ndespatched to Hell every one whom it has struck\". Have you ever heard about a monarch who\nused to grind the grains with his own hands and prepared for himself the bread, which could\nbe broken only by pressing it with the knee? He who mended his shoes himself? He who did\nnot accumulate any worldly wealth, because he had no object in view except to help the\nafflicted and the oppressed, so that he might realize their rights from the oppressors and make\nthem happy? He who never cared for his food and never thought of sound sleep, because\n\fsome persons in his country had to starve. He who uttered this eloquent sentence: \"Should I\ncontent myself with this that people call me 'Commander of the Faithful' and I should not\nshare the hardships of life with them?\" If government and sovereignty do not serve the\npurpose of establishing truth and eliminating falsehood they are the worst things of the world\nin the eyes of Ali. Which person out of those who are famous for their justice is such that\neven if all the inhabitants of the world combine against him it must be said that he is truthful\nand all his opponents are false. It was Ali who possessed this qualification, because his\ntruthfulness and justice were not acquired but inherent and from them others learnt lessons.\nHis laws were not formulated on account of the exigencies of government and polities but\ngovernment and polities were based on those laws. He purposely did not adopt a path which\nmight lead him to rulership, but adopted that which might enable him to make his place in the\npure hearts. Justice was a part of his soul and was ingrained in his heart and it had combined\nother virtues also with itself. It was not possible for him to deviate from justice and from the\ndemands of his nature. Justice was an element which was entwined in his entire body and ran\nin his Veins like blood. Have you seen any brave man in the pages of history who was\noppossed by a group of self-seekers which also included his kinsmen and then a battle took\nplace, and those persons were victorious and he was defeated, and even then he dominated\nover them? It so happened in the case of Ali and he dominated over them, because they were\ndevoid of human qualities and had risen in the capacity of oppressors using the weapons of\ndeceit, bribery, covetousness and fraud, whereas he sacrificed all gains and even his life in the\npath of human excellence, justice and protection of the rights of others. It was for this reason\nthat the victory of his enemies was in fact their defeat and his defeat was a great success for\nhuman virtues. Have you come across a great warrior in the pages of history who should love\neven his enemies and wish to see them endowed with human qualities. Ali was such a person.\nHe was so kind to his enemies that he recommended to his companions: \"Do not take the\ninitiative in fighting with them. When they are defeated by the will of God do not pursue or\nkill those who run away. Do not kill the helpless and the wounded and do not molest the\nwomen''. The army of the enemy consisting of eleven thousand persons, who were keen to\nshed his blood blocked his approach to water so that he might die of thirst. However, when he\nregained control over water he said to them: \"We are quenching our thirst with water. The\nbirds are also availing of it. You too should come and carry away water to meet your needs\".\nImam Ali used to say: \"If a person is killed while performing jihad in the path of God his\nspiritual reward is not more than one who can take revenge, but refrains from doing so,\nbecause such a person is one of the angels of God''. When a wicked person struck on his head\nand as a result of it, he was departing from the world he said to his companions: \"In case you\nforgive him your action will be nearer to piety and virtue''. He was a great warrior, who had\ncombined his valour with kindness. He reproved only verbally the enemies, who had gathered\nto oppose him, although he could curb their power with his sword. Even when he went to\nadmonish them he was bare-headed and without any armour whereas they were armed so\nheavily that their faces could hardly be seen through their helmets and coats of mail. Then he\nreminded them of old brotherhood and friendship and wept much on account of their having\nadopted the wrong path. However, even when he realized that the advice was not having any\neffect on them and they were bent upon shedding his blood he did not commence fighting\n\fhimself but delayed it till they themselves started it. At that moment he drew his sword for the\nsake of the oppressed and launched an attack which scattered them like the particles of sand\nin the desert. After the spiteful oppressors who openly displayed enmity and rebellion were\nkilled and he himself gained victory he wept on their dead bodies, notwithstanding the fact\nthat they had met this fate on account of their selfishness and worst greed. Have you heard\nabout any king who was well- equipped with all means of sovereignty and wealth which were\nnot available to others, but he chose sufferings and pains for himself? Of course, Ali made\nsuch a choice. He was of noble descent but he said: \"No dignity is greater than humility and\nmeekness''. He said to some persons who loved him: \"Whoever loves me should prepare a\nrobe of poverty for himself''. A group of persons went to the extreme in the matter of love for\nhim. Thereupon he said: \"Persons of two kinds got involved in destruction in connection with\nme - the friends who went to the extreme, and the spiteful enemies''. Ali severely punished a\ngroup which considered him to be their deity. He advised like brothers a group of persons\nwho were inclined favourably towards him. Some persons abused him. His adherents did not\ntolerate this and abused those people in reply. Thereupon he said: \"I do not like that you who\nare my friends should become persons who use abusive language'' Some people were inimical\nto him. They harmed and slandered him and rose in opposition to him. In spite of this he used\nto say: \"Punish your brother with goodness and improve his nature with prizes and honours''.\nAli also said: \"Your brother is not more powerful than you in breaking the bonds of love and\nfriendship, provided that you try to cement them, and is not quicker than you in doing harm if\nyou behave well with him''. Some persons suggested to him to behave towards the oppressors\nkindly and leniently so that his government might be strengthened. He said in reply: \"Your\nfriend is he who prevents you from doing evil, and your enemy is he, who induces you to do\nevil''. He also said: \"Adopt truth even though it may be harmful to you and refrain from\ntelling lies even though you may derive benefit from it''. Ali had done good to a person. Once\nthe same person came to fight with him. Ali then said addressing himself: \"If a persoh is not\nthankful to you for your goodness this should not mean that you should discontinue your\ngoodness''. Once the blessings of the world were being discussed in his presence. Ali said:\n\"Out of the worldly blessings good morals are sufficient blessings''. When some persons\nsuggested to him to use all possible means like the kings to achieve victory Ali said: \"A\nperson whose heart is overcome by sin is not a victor, and he who dominates by means of bad\ndeeds is actually the vanquished person''. Ali overlooked those bad deeds of his enemies of\nwhich only he was aware and said repeatedly: \"The best habit of a manly person is that he\nshould treat what he sees to be unseen''. If his enemies or the simpletons among his friends\nsaid something which he did not like he used to say: \"If you hear something from someone\nand there is a possibility of its being good do not be suspicious about it''. Do you know any\nreligious leader who has given directions to his officials in these words: ''The people are\neither your brethren-in-faith or equal to you in the matter of creation. You should, therefore,\noverlook their shortcomings in the same manner in which you wish God to overlook yours''.\nDo you know any king who may have forsaken his kingdom to establish truth? And have you\nseen any wealthy person who may have contented himself with only a loaf of bread to sustain\nhis life, and life in his eyes should mean doing good to mankind and he should have told the\n`world' not to deceive him but someone else? Amongst the monuments of the East have you\n\fread Nahj al-Balaghah (The English version of the glorious book has been published by\nIslamic Seminary) and seen how eloquent and impressive its sentences are? It deals with\nvarious matters and also provides information about the other world. It is like the events of\nthe world which cannot be altered, and if even one word is removed from its place the entire\npurport will undergo a change. This book will continue to remain attractive so long as man\nand his intellect and sentiments exist. Its eloquence surpasses every other eloquence. It\ncontains all the attributes of the Arabic language which existed at that time and were\nintroduced later. Hence, it has been said that it is lower than the word of God and higher than\nthat which has been said by God's creatures. Great wisdom, knowledge of the highest\nstandard, unparalleled eloquence, perfect valour and unlimited love and kindness were all\ncombined in Ali. If a person possesses even one of these attributes it is sufficient to dazzle\nothers and when they are combined in one person his greatness is evidently beyond\ncomprehension. At times it so happened that this philosopher, man of letters, scholar,\nadministrator, ruler and commander sequestered himself from the world, and did not have any\ndealings with others. He then desired only to stimulate human qualities and rouse the\nsentiments, and made these nice and pure words, which are the proof of love and intense\nfeelings, reach the ear of the hearts gently: \"To lack friends is tantamount to poverty''. \"Do not\nexpress joy on the adversity of others''. \"Bring people nearer to you by means of gentleness\nand munificence''. \"Forgive one who oppresses you''. \"Do not deprive of your munificence a\nperson who deprives you of his munificence''. \"Establish new relations with the person who\ncuts off his relations with you''. \"Be friendly towards one, who is inimical towards you''. He\nwas a great man, who surpassed the philosophers of the world in high thinking, the righteous\nof the world in beneficence, the scholars of the world in the matter of vast knowledge, the\nresearchers of the world in the matter of deep insight, all the philanthropists as regards love\nand kindness, all the pious persons in the matter of abstemiousness, and all the reformers of\nthe world in the matter of reformatory views. He shared the sorrows of the helpless and\nhelped the oppressed in their distress. He taught the literary persons of the world the art of\nliterature and trained the brave men in the methods of warfare. He was always prepared to\nsacrifice his life for the establishment of truth. He went higher than the highest stage of\nhuman virtue and perfection. He displayed these qualities equally in his words and actions.\nHe was so great that the domination of his enemies over him was meaningless and their\nvictory carried no importance, because at that time everything had turned upside down. The\nright hand was on the left side and the left hand was on the right side. High and low, light and\ndarkness, the earth and the sky, had all assumed a reverse shape. It makes no difference in the\nposition of Ali whether or not history recognizes him and whether his eminence appears\ngreater or lesser. Notwithstanding this, history has testified that he was the deepest stage of\nhuman thought. He sacrificed his life for the sake of truth and reality. He was the father of the\nmartyrs and the proclaimer of justice. He was the unique man of the East, who will live for\never!\n\n\n1 In fact the knowledge of Ali should not be treated to be the\noutcome of reflection because it was derived from divine inspiration\n\fand was communicated to his heart through the prophet. The\nknowledge which was possessed by him or even a small part thereof\ncannot be acquired by reflection and reasoning however profound\nand extraordinary it may be.\n\n2 Here the Commander of the Faithful has referred to the\ntrouble which was created during the period of his caliphate and\nwhich did irreparable harm to the Muslim nation. Although these\nwords do not carry the meaning inferred by the writer still it is an\nestablished fact and is evident from his other remarks.As a matter\nof fact the greatest object of the appointment of the prophets to\ntheir mission and the means of their success was this that they\nintroduced freedom of the individual and freedom of thought as\nopposed to the policy of the tyrants like Nimrud and Pharaoh who\ncontrolled the lives and property of the people and kept their power\nof thinking paralysed.\n\n3 Man loves freedom. In case, therefore, a person is put in a\nprison and all amenities of life are provided to him he will even then\nprefer freedom to the prison life. The prophets campaigned against\nthe tyrants and succeeded, because they declared that man is\nentitled to possess control on his own activities and property\nwhereas the despotic rulers deprived the people of this right and\nsubjected them to all sorts of torture and tyranny.\n\f The prophet and Abutalib\nIf we leave aside the details and cast a glance not at the apparent conditions but at the reality,\nit appears that the conditions and the adventures of life of Ali son of Abu Talib were similar\nto those of the prophet Muhammad and the attitude of his companions towards Mu'awiya and\nhis associates was similar to that of the prophet and the Muslims towards Abu Sufyan, Abu\nJehl and other Quraysh. The difference between them was this that the prophet acquired\nnecessary strength to establish a state and to subdue the chiefs of Quraysh whereas the\ncircumstances and conditions had changed in the days of Ali and he did not succeed in\noverpowering his opponents. Although Ali could not rule over the people like Bani Umayyah\nhe was not deprived of ruling over the pure hearts of the virtuous people. And he was so well-\nquipped with the qualities of a perfect man that he deserved to rule the hearts. Before we\nbegin our discourse about Ali it is necessary to throw some light on the relationship which\nassociated him with Muhammad son of Abdullah. This relationship existed in the detailed\nadventures of their lives as well as in their spiritual qualities which had come together in one\nfamily. The prophet was the most perfect person and the son of Abu Talib followed in his\nfootsteps and was the most perfect person next to him and excelled all others. When the\nprophet was deprived of the love of his parents his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, who was the\ngrandfather of Ali as well, assumed his guardianship. His grandfather was very fond of him.\nMany times it so happened that he fixed his eyes on his grandson and said to those present:\n\"This child is very honourable''. He accorded Muhammad great respect even though he was a\nchild yet, and in the general assemblies he made him sit at a place in the shade of the Ka'bah\nwhere even his brothers could not aspire to sit. When the prophet's grandfather breathed his\nlast his guardianship was assumed by his uncle Abu Talib, the father of Ali. The prophet led a\nvery comfortable life under the guardianship of his uncle, and benefited from his love and\nexcellent manners and morals, which he had inherited from Abd al-Muttalib. The good\nmorals, which were characteristic of the family of Abd al-Muttalib were inherent in the soul\nof Muhammad and were manifest in his words and actions. It might be said that when God\nchose His messenger from the family of Bani Hashim He also chose his magnanimous uncle\nto train him. It appears that a messenger-angel had informed Abu Talib about the mystery\nrelated to his nephew of which others were not aware. Once during a period of famine and\ndrought this child was requested by his uncle to pray to God for rains with his back resting on\nthe wall of the holy Ka'bah. The child complied with his uncle's wish and pointed to the sky\nwith his finger. There was no cloud in the sky at that moment. However, the clouds gathered\nsuddenly from all sides, and it rained heavily so that the fields were filled with water and the\nearth gained a new life. The people asked Abu Talib, \"Who is this boy?'' He replied: \"He is\nmy nephew Muhammad about whom I have said: He is the white-faced one. By means of his\nbright face water is sought from the clouds. He is the refuge for the orphans and the protector\nof the widows''. This narrative indicates the fervent mutual love and affection of the uncle and\nthe nephew. Abu Talib always attended to the needs of the child very meticulously and was\nextremely kind to him. Once when Abu Talib went to Syria he also took with him his nephew\n\f(Muhammad) who was then about fourteen years of age. After having crossed Madyan, the\nValley of Oara the land of Samud they came near the gardens of Syria. They enjoyed different\nscenes and observed therein the secrets of nature. The views of Abu Talib about Muhammad\nwere confirmed by the monk Bahira when he told him that his nephew would become a\ntowering personality in the future. From then onwards he took greater care of his nephew\nbecause he became aware that a mystery was linked with his person. When Abu Talib heard\nthe people of Mecca calling Muhammad with the title of'Amin' (the honest) he was very much\npleased, and the tears of joy began to flow down from his eyes. Khadijah, the chief of the\nwoman of Quraysh, herself proposed marriage to Muhammad although she had already\nrejected the suit of rich Qurayshite noblemen. The only confidant and true adviser of\nMuhammad was Abu Talib. He therefore, consulted him in the matter. Abu Talib was well\naware of the nature and morals of Muhammad and knew that he was not inclined towards\nanything except goodness. He supported this alliances because what his nephew had enquired\nabout was exactly the same thing which he (Abu Talib) himself had wished from the core of\nhis heart. After the Quranic verses were revealed to Muhammad in the Cave of Hira the first\npersons to express faith in him and to offer prayers with him were his wife Khadijah and his\ncousin Ali. When Abu Talib came to know about the embracement of Islam by Ali he said to\nhim: \"My son! What act do you perform?\" Ali replied: \"Dear father! I have adopted the\nreligion of the prophet of God, confirm what he has brought and follow him in offering\nprayers\". Abu `falib said: \"Dear son! Be obedient to him always, because he will never invite\nyou to anything except goodness and virtue\". When the prophet of Islam ordered the Muslims\nto migrate to Ethiopia he made Ja'far son of Abu Talib the chief of the migrants, and of all\nthose persons he loved his cousin most. Abu Talib was the first person in Islam who\ncomposed verses eulogizing Muhammad and exhorted the people to support him. Once a\ngroup of Quraysh came to Abu Talib and asked him to surrender Muhammad to them. He\nreplied to them: \"So long as all of us are not finished we shall neither surrender him to you\nnor withhold assistance from him\". Throughout his life Abu Talib did not forget even for one\nmoment that Muhammad was a great person and his (i.e. Abu Talib's) brother Abdullah and\nhis father Abd al-Muttalib were also great personalities. When the time of Abu Talib's death\ndrew near he called a large number of persons belonging to his family by his bedside, and\nsaid to them: \"I exhort you to behave well with Muhammad because he is known as 'honest'\namong Quraysh and is famous among the Arabs for his truthfulness, and all these qualities are\ncombined in his person. I can imagine very well that the indigent and the nomads have\ngathered round him and have accepted his invitation and confirmed his words. Their\nmovement has become strong. The chiefs and elders of Quraysh have been humiliated. The\nweak persons have become honourable. Those who were opposed to him most are most\nobedient to him and those who were more apart from him are profiting more by remaining in\nhis service. O Quraysh! Support and reverence him. I swear by God that whoever follows his\npath will be saved and whoever acts on his advice will become prosperous. If I had lived and\ndeath had granted me respite I would have defended him from the calamities of time because\nhe is truthful and honest. Accept his invitation, co-operate with one another in supporting him\nand fight against his enemies, because so long as the world lasts he is the capital of dignity\nand honour for you\". Abu Talib rendered support to the prophet for forty two years. He\n\fopposed Quraysh for his sake and supported his declaration of prophethood till he breathed\nhis last. After Abu Talib's death the prophet felt that he had been deprived of his great\nsupporter who used to defend him against harm by Quraysh. Abu Talib was the chief of the\nfamily in which the prophet had been brought up, and was his supporter against his enemies.\nHe loved him ardently and warded off the mischief of the obstinate Quraysh against him. The\nprophet himself said: \"So long as my uncle Abu Talib lived the people could do me no harm\".\nAs we all know Muhammad was very patient and self-possessed, and notwithstanding the fact\nthat his enemies were numerous and his friends were fewer, he believed firmly that he would\nsucceed in his mission. The question therefore, arises as to the reason for his being so much\ngrieved at the death of his uncle. In fact the reason was their great mutual love, because a\nperson loves one who is kind to him and supports him. His flowing tears showed that the\nprophet was feeling that he had lost something which was as dear to him as his own life.\n\f The prophet and Ali\nA very good and pure spirit existed in the family of Abu Talib. It looked at the world in a\npeculiar manner and saw all things connected and united with one another. This spirit was\nvery strong in the prophet and Ali and a very firm relationship existed between them, because\nAli had been brought up by the prophet from his childhood till he grew up to be a youth.\nWhen we admit that it is possible that good morals should become firm naturally in a heart\nand a soul we have also to say that Ali was born with perfect faith in the prophethood of\nMuhammad and support for him, because the qualities and virtues of the Family of Abu Talib\nin which the prophet was brought up were transferred to his cousin from his birth. 1 The\npersonality of Ali developed with the virtues of his family. It was this place where he heard\nMuhammad speak and the call to Islam also started from here. Ali was quite young when the\nprophet attached him with himself and called him his brother. In his sermon entitled \"Qase'a\"\nAli mentions the attention paid to him by the prophet and says: \"Do you know, that due to my\nrelationship and on account of my worth and merit, what were my relations with the prophet.\nFrom the very beginning of my life he loved me and I loved him. He took me in his lap when\nI was a baby and thence I was always with him, he often kept me embraced to his heart, he\nused to make me sleep next to him; we used to be so close to each other that I felt the warmth\nof his body and smelled the fragrance of his breath.When I was a baby, he fed me with his\nhands often chewing hard bits for me. He never found me lying nor weak and wavering. From\nthe time of his babyhood God had appointed the Holy Ghost to be always with him and this\narchangel was leading him towards exemplary qualities and high moral values and I followed\nthe prophet step by step as a baby camel follows its mother. Daily he used to place before me\na fresh standard of efficiency and used to order me to follow it. Every year he used to stay in a\ngrotto of the Hira Mountains for sometime, and nobody used to be with him but I. None could\nthen see or hear him or be near him but I. During those days Islam was the religion of only the\nprophet and his wife Khadijah, I was the third of the trio (the prophet, Khadijah and Ali\nhimself). Nobody else in this world had accepted Islam I even then used to see the divine light\nof revelation and prophethood and smell the heavenly fragrance of prophethood. When the\nprophet received the first revelation Satan lamented loudly. I asked the prophet \"Who is\nlamenting and why\". He replied, \"It is Satan who had given up hopes of acquiring complete\nsway over human mind. In this disappointment he is lamenting over the chance lost. Verily,\nAli, you also hear whatever is revealed to me and you also see whatever is being shown to\nme. With this difference that you are not entrusted with prophethood, but you will be my\nsuccessor, helper and vi zier, and you will always uphold truth and justice\". Childhood is the\nage when one is fully capable of acquiring good qualities. Ali spent a good deal of his life\nwith the prophet alone. He imitated the prophet's conduct and remained separated from his\ncommunity which was leading a miserable life and was firmly bound with the chains of\nhereditary customs. For years Ali lived in a pure atmosphere by the side of his cousin and was\nloved very much by him. None of the companions and followers of the prophet could develop\nsuch a close relationship with him. Ali opened his eyes on the path which had been opened\n\ffor him by his cousin. He learnt how to worship God from Muhammad's prayers. He enjoyed\nthe prophet's love, kindness and brotherhood. His relationship with Muhammad was similar to\nthe one between Muhammad and Abu Talib. When Ali first felt the sentiment of love in his\nmind he loved Muhammad. When he spoke for the first time he spoke with Muhammad. On\nthe very first occasion when he was required to display manliness and valour he showed\nreadiness to support Muhammad. Muhammad's friends were friendly with him and his\nenemies also respected his personality. Ali was such a protege and disciple of the prophet that\nhe became his soul and a part of his limbs. In the early days of the prophetic mission of the\nprophet some elders amongst Quraysh who hated worship joined him. The slaves and helpless\npersons came round him in expectation of justice and freedom. And after he was successful\nand victorious a third group also joined him, because those people had no alternative left.\nThey wanted to benefit from the new situation and most of Bani Umayyah belonged to this\ngroup. These different groups embraced Islam on different occasions and although they\nresembled one another in the matter of obedience to the prophet the degrees of their faith\ndiffered. However, as Ali was born and brought up in the lap of prophethood, his faith was\nnatural and innate, and he emerged from the body of his mother with this faith in his heart.\nHis faith had nothing to do with age or the vicissitudes of time. He offered prayers and\ntestified the prophethood of Muhammad at an age when a child cannot even express his\nthoughts. And he did all this without obtaining any order or advice from anyone. Most of the\npersons who embraced Islam in the early days of Muhammad's prophethood had worshipped\nthe idols in previous days. However, when Ali prostrated for the first time it was before the\nAllah of Muhammad. This was the quality of the faith of the person who was destined to\ngrow up as a supporter and well-wisher of the prophet, to lead the faithful after the prophet,\nand to save the people from the calamities of time.\n\n\n1 The correct position is this that Abu Talib and the members of\nhis family or the ways and manners of the time or the environments\nhad no influences on the prophethood of Muhammad or the Imamate\nof Ali. These things were related with divine inspiration and\nneither Abu Talib nor the members of this family shared the secrets\nof prophethood and Imamate.\n\f Ali is my brother\nIn order to indicate at which level spiritual brother\nhood existed between the prophet and Ali, to what extent\nAli inherited the virtues of the prophet, how Ali's soul\nacquired the colour of prophethood, how much he was\nloved by the prophet and to what extent he respected and\nhonoured the prophet with his heart and tongue, it is\nnecessary that a few traditions may be quoted. Only then\nwe can conclude that in accordance with the sublime rules\nwhich became the source of strengthening the religion of\nIslam, the prophet was paving the way for the caliphate\nof Ali. And he was doing so, because he could see his own\nface in the mirror of the person of Ali and the good\nqualities possessed by him were also possessed by Ali as\nwill be explained later.\nTabrani has quoted Ibn Mas'ud as saying that the\nprophet said: \"Looking at Ali's face amounts to worship\".\nAnd Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqas quotes the prophet as saying:\n\"Whoever hurts Ali hurts me\".\nYa'qubi has quoted in parts of his history that when\nthe prophet was returning to Madina from the \"Farewell\npilgrimage\" he stopped on the 18th day of Zil-Hajj at\nGhadir al-Khum near Johfah, delivered a sermon and then\nheld the hands of Ali and said: \"Of whomsoever I am the\nmaster, Ali too is his master. O God! Love him who loves Ali\nand be inimical towards him who is inimical towards Ali\".\nFakhruddin al-Razi has quoted in Tafsir al-Kabir that\nthereafter Umar son of Khattab greeted Ali and said to\nhim: \"O Ali! You have become my master as well as of\nevery Muslim man and woman\".\nThis hadith has been quoted from sixteen companions\nof the prophet by the ulema and historians like Tirmizy,\nNasa'iand Ahmad bin Hanbal, and has also been verified\nby many poets, the foremost among them being Hassan\nbin Thabit Ansari. He says: \"On the day of Ghadir the\nprophet called the people at Khum and made his voice\nreach the ears of all and said: Who is your chief and master?\nThe people did not feign ignorance and said: Your God is\nour master and you are our prophet and we are not\ndisobedient to you\". Then the prophet said to Ali: \"Rise; for\n\fcertainly I have chosen you to be the Imam and the guide\nafter myself. Hence, of whomsoever I am the master this\nAli, too, is his master. You should, therefore, be his true\nfriends and supporters\".\nAbu Tamam Tai is one of the poets who have\nmentioned the event of that day. Another poet Kumait\nAsadi has given a detailed account of it in his al-Qasidab\nal-Ainiyya. He says inter alia: \"In the ground of Ghadir\nal-Khum the prophet made an announcement about his\ncaliphate. I wished that the prophet's decision had been\naccepted. I never saw a day as important as the day of\nGhadir and I never saw such a right being violated\".\nAbu Sa'id Khudari has been quoted in Kitab Aal\nlbn Khalwiyya as having said that the prophet said to Ali\n\"Love for you is faith and enmity towards you is hypocrisy\"\n\"Your friend will be the first person who will enter Paradise\nand your enemy will be the first person who will be\nthrown into Hell\".\nThe narrators believe that the prophet looked at the\nface of Ali time and again, and said: \"This is my brother\".\nAbu Huraira has been quoted to have said that the\nprophet addressed his companions saying: \"If you want to\nsee the knowledge of Adam, the determination of Noah,\nthe habits of Abraham, the supplications of Moses, the\npeity of Jesus and the guidance of Muhammad combined\nin one person look at the man who is coming towards\nyou\". When the people raised their heads they saw that\nit was Ali\".\nOnce a man complained against Ali before the prophet.\nThe prophet said in reply: \"What do you want from Ali?\nWhat do you want from Ali? what do you want from Ali?\nAli is from me and I am from Ali and after me he is the\nmaster of all believers\". 1\nThe prophet sent Ali to Yemen. Some of his com-\npanions requested him to give them the camels received as\nalms to mount so that their own camels might take rest.\nAli did not accede to their request. When all of them\nreturned to Madina the persons whose request had been\nrejected by Ali complained against him to the prophet.\nS'ad son of Malik Shaheed acted as their spokesman. He\nsaid that Ali had been harsh towards them and also made a\nmention of the relevant incident. While he was speaking\nthe prophet struck his thigh with his hand and said loudly.\n\f\"O Sa'd! Stop complaining against Ali. You should know\nthat he is dedicated to the path of God\".\nIt appears from the above mentioned traditions as\nwell as from many others which have not been quoted\nhere that the prophet considered Ali to be his brother, and\nAli, too, was very much pleased with his brotherhood.\nMoreover, the prophet used to invite the attention of the\npeople to the attributes and virtues which had concentrated\nin the personality of Ali so that they might know that he was\nthe best person to carry on the lslamic mission after him.\nSome instances have been quoted in authentic\ntraditions, which go to show that the natural conditions\nalso helped in creating harmony between Muhammad\nand Ali, and shaped the events and the environments\nin such a way that Ali displayed the attributes which\nwere not shared with him by any one.\nOne of those attributes was that he was born in the\nKa'bah, which is the \"Qibla\" of the Muslims and his birth\ntook place at a time when the Islamic call was about to\nbe given by Muhammad and he had not made it public.\nIn those days he resided in the house of Ali's father\nAbu Talib. When Ali opened his eyes he saw Muhammad\nand Khadijah offering prayers. He was the first man who\nexpressed faith in Muhammad although he was not yet\nfully grown up. When the people reproved him for\nembracing Islam without the permission of his father he\nreplied at once: \"God created me without seeking Abu\nTalib's agreement. Then why should I obtain my father's\npermission to worship God\".\nFor quite a long time the religion of Islam remained\nconfined in the house of Muhammad and there were then\nonly four Muslims in the world: namely, Muhammad, his\nwife Khadijah, his cousin Ali and his slave Zaid bin Harith.\nOn the day when Muhammad invited his kinsmen\nto a feast and wished to address them and communicate\nthe message of Islam to them, his uncle Abu Lahab\ninterrupted him and incited those present against him.\nConsequently all of them stood up and left Muhammad's\nhouse. The prophet invited them once again and said after\nmeals were over: \"I do not know any person in Arabia\nwho may have brought a present which is better than the\none which I have brought for you. Who from amongst you\nwill help me?\" The persons present declined to commit\n\fthemselves and wanted to leave the house as before, but in\nthe meantime Ali, who was still a boy and had not attained\nthe age of manhood stood up and said: \"O prophet of God!\nI shall assist you and shall fight against anyone who\nopposes you\". Members of Bani Hashim family laughed\nout and then went away ridiculing Abu Talib and Ali.\nIn every battle Ali was the standard-bearer of the\nprophet. He dedicated his valour, blood, heart, tongue and\nhis very life for his cousin, the prophet, and for the success\nand victory of Islam. He crushed the enemies of Muhammad\nand showed his mettle as and when the occassion demanded.\nAt the time of the Battle of the Ditch when the\ncompanions of the prophet were worried and perplexed on\naccount of the fear of the enemy, Ali stood like a rock\nbefore the chiefs of Quraysh and displayed such feats of\nvalour that the Muslims became hopeful of their victory,\nand the Quraysh and their allies had to suffer defeat.\nIn the Battle of Khaybar Ali performed a jihad,\nwhich was astonishing. The forts of Khaybar, although\nvery strong, were conquered at his hands. This was notwith-\nstanding the fact that very brave and experienced soldiers\nwere assembled there and the companions of the prophet\nwere afraid of them. In short the siege of the fort by the\nMuslims was prolonged. The soldiers within were defending\nthemselves courageously, because they knew that if they\nwere defeated by Muhammad their power in the Arabian\nPeninsula would come to an end and their business and\nauthority would go.\nThe prophet sent Abu Bakr to conquer the fort. He\ndisplayed his efficiency in his own way and came back\nwithout achieving the success. On the following day he\nsent Umar son of Khattab, but he also returned like Abu\nBakr without achieving any success and could not overcome\nthe lofty fort and the armed soldiers. The prophet then\ncalled Ali and ordered him to conquer the fort. Ali gladly\nproceeded to perform this duty for the sake of Islam.\nWhen he approached the fort, and its inmates came to\nknow that this time Ali son of Abu Talib, who had not\nsustained defeat in any campaign, had come to join the\nbattle, many squads of theirs came out from the fort all at\nonce, and one of their soldiers attacked so forcefully that\nthe shield fell down from the hand of Ali. He immediately\npulled out the gate of the fort and continued to fight,\n\fusing it as a shield, till the fort was conquered. And the\nfort was not conquered till a number of soldiers were\nkilled, the first among whom was Harith son of Abi\nZainab. At this stage we come across a strange phenomena.\nIn the history of our ancestors we come across many\nchampions who fought battles for the sake of their beliefs,\nbut in the heart of their hearts they desired peace and\nwished that the problem had been solved without resorting\nto warfare. Besides them we also know many brave men\nwho met martyrdom to achieve their objective. However,\nsuch battles and martyrdoms are mostly without any fore-\nthought. There are sudden occurrences which usually\ntake place owing to eruption of enthusiasm and ardour\nin the presence of the onlookers. However, the case of\nAli son of Abu Talib is most surprising, because in order\nto defend the faith of Muhammad and his own, and for\nthe sake of brotherhood, and in the path of God he exposed\nhimself to the gravest danger. It is an event which is\nunparalleled in history and abundantly proves the unity\nand harmony of these two great personalities.\nWhen persecution by Quraysh reached its maximum\nlimit and they were planning to kill Muhammad and destroy\nIslam, the prophet went to the house Of Abu Bakr and toId\nhim that as Quraysh were conspiring to kill him he had\ndecided to migrate. Abu Bakr expressed his desire to accompany\nthe prophet and the latter acceded to his request.\nWhen both of them decided to migrate, they were certain\nthat the Quraysh would pursue them. Muhammad therefore\nproposed to follow a deviated path and should leave their\nhouses at a time at which they could not normally be\nexpected to do so. On the very night during which\nMuhammad decided to. migrate, the Quraysh had decided\nto kill him and had posted a group of experienced warriors\nround his house so that he might not escape under the\ncover of darkness. however, Muhammad asked his cousin\nAli confidentially to sleep in his bed and to cover himself\nwith his green sheet. He also asked him to stay on in Mecca\ntill he had restored to the people the things which they\nhad deposited with him. (i.e. with Muhammad ).\nAs usual Ali obeyed the orders of the prophet very\ngladly. As mentioned above Quraysh had besieged the\nhouse of the prophet. They peeped through the holes and\nsaw a man sleeping in the bed of the prophet. Thev were\n\ftherefore, satisfied that the prophet had not escaped. In\nthe latter part of the night when the enemies imagined that\nthe prophet was sleeping in his bed he was actually in the\nhouse of Abu Bakr, wherefrom both of them proceeded to\nthe Cave of Thour. On finding a clue the Quraysh reached\nthis place also, but God kept them hidden from the eyes\nof the enemies.\nThe examples of self-sacrifice set by Ali are very rare.\nOne wavers between life and death and reflects whether\none should sacrifice high morals, which are the capital\nof one's life, for the sake of the base and transitory\ncomforts of worldly life. If, on such an occasion a person\nchooses martyrdom, it is a proof of the fact that in his\neyes real life is eternal life and not temporary mudane life.\nOf course, such devotion and self-sacrifice is very\nrare in the world. If Socrates and others like him welcomed\ndeath gladly, Ali son of Abu Talib also placed his life at\nthe disposal of the prophet of his own free will. However,\nto go into the battlefield and court death or to drink a cup\nof poison is easier as compared with the heroic act performed\nby Ali. Just imagine how difficult it is for a person\nto sleep in the bed of one whom his enemies are bent upon\nto kill and it is not possible to escape from their hands,\nespecially when they may be watching him from a distance\nof a few steps and making signs for a murderous attack and\nhe may be observing their movements and hearing their\nwords and seeing their blood thirsty swords flashing on his\nhead and may spend the entire night in this condition.\nAt this dangerous stage Ali imitated the prophet and\ndisplayed the power of resistance which he had acquired\nby his association with his illustrious cousin. His sleeping\nin the bed of the prophet was a specimen of his jihad and\neffort for the promotion of the faith propagated by him.\nThis dangerous fact unveils the nature of the Imam that his\nactions were not tainted with artificiality and resembled\nthe coming out of a pearl from a shell. It also shows his\nstrong intellect and matchless insight, because it is not\npossible for any other person to understand fully the\nreality of the Islamic call at such a young age.\nThis fact also shows many other traits of Ali. It shows\nthat he did not attach any importance to worldly life. He\nwas very faithful and sincere. He did not prefer himself to\nothers. He was prepared even to lay down his life for the\n\fsake of the oppressed, so that they might be relieved of the\noppression, and the prophetic mission of the prophet might\nsucceed. Fidelity, manliness, righteousness valour and all\nother good qualities were concentrated in this person. The\nself-sacrifice displayed by him at this stage was an introduction\nof the heroic acts performed by him in future.\nThere existed a firm relationship of love and brotherhood\nbetween Muhammad and Ali and they assisted each\nother in connection with the Islamic call. This co-operation\ncommenced from the time when Muhammad recognized\nAbu Talib and Ali recognized Muhammad i.e. from the\ntime when these three illustrious personalities were living\ntogether in a house which was founded on piety and\nvirtue. It was one of the characteristics of the house of\nAbu Talib that it was there that Ali and Abu Talib were\nable to realize the greatness of Muhammad. As a result of\nthis Abu Talib bestowed his love and kindness on\nMuhammad and Ali displayed obedience and devotion to\nhim. This very recognition prepared Ali for supreme\nsacrifices. The prophet also realized this reality fully well.\nHe loved Ali beyond measure. He did not only love Ali\nhimself but endeavoured to make others also love him, so\nthat he might assume the responsibilities of the caliphate\nafter him. He wished that people might become fully\naware of the qualities of Ali so that after his own death\nthey should see in Ali the person of Muhammad himself\nas if Muhammad were still alive. Hence, they should select\nhim with love and kindness of their own free will, and not\nbecause he belonged to the Family of Bani Hashim and\nwas the cousin of the prophet. This was so because the\nprophet himself opposed such discriminations and had\nstrictly prohibited them. It was for this reason that just as\nhe had himself avoided material benefits, he also kept Bani\nHashim away from governmental offices which might bring\nworldly benefits. 2\n\n\n\n\n1 The prophet sent two detachments of the soldiers to Yemen -\none under the command of the Imam and the other under the\ncommand of Khalid son of walid and said that if both the contingents\nreached there together, the command would rest with Ali.\nKhalid who was perfectly imbued with the habits and sentiments of\n\fthe age of ignorance was very much annoyed at this. After the\ncompletion of the assignment, therefore, he sent some persons to\nthe prophet to complain against Ali.\nThe companion Buraidah, the bearer of the letter says: \"I\nplaced before the prophet the letter which I had brought and it was\nread out for him. The prophet was so much annoyed that I observed\nthe signs of anger on his face. Then I said: \"O prophet of God! I\nseek refuge in you. The letter has been sent by Khalid and he\nordered me to bring it to you. As he has been my commander,\nI obeyed his orders. The prophet said: \"Do not talk ill of Ali. He is\nfrom me and I am from him and he is your master and man of\nauthority after me\". (Al-Musnad-Ahmad bin Hanbal, vol.5, p.356,\nAl-Khasais-Nasa'i, p. 24).\nIn one of the texts of Hadith, an addition to the above-\nmentioned Hadith is available and it is that when Buraidah saw the\nbehaviour and the extreme anger of the prophet he entertained\ndoubt in his mind about his own faith and, therefore, said to the\nprophet: \"I administer you an oath of the rights of companionship\nwhich exist between us that you may stretch out your hand so that\nI may take an oath of allegiance de novo and my sin may be\nforgiven\". (Majma al-Zawaid by vol.9, page 128).\nOn the basis of this narration the Imam is the supervisor,\nman of authority and guardian of the Muslims, after the prophet.\nViz. he enjoys exactly the same guardianship, over the life and\nproperty of the people, in the capacity of the successor of the\nprophet as the prophet himself and, of course, exercises this\nauthority for their material and spiritual benefit as the exigencies\nof the circumstances demand.\n\n2 The prophet had declared zakat, which formed a large part of\nthe assets of the public treasury, to be unlawful for Bani Hashim,\nso much so that he did not even send them to collect zakat so that\nthe people might become aware that it was not utilized by the\nprophet's Family, and was collected only to assist the indigent\npersons and to meet common needs of the Muslims.\n\f The attributes of Ali\nOut of the persons who have narrated the attributes\nof Imam Ali son of Abu Talib the author of Zakhair_\nal-Uqba writes thus: \"His stature was moderate and slightly\nshort. His skin was of wheaten colour and his beard was\nwhite and long. His eyes were large and black. He had a\ncheerful face and was good-natured. His neck was long like\na goblet made of silver. His shoulders were broad. The\njoints of his hands were like those of a roaring lion, because\nhis hands and wrists were completely joined with each\nother and distinction could hardly be made between them.\nHis hands and fingers were strong, moderately fat and\nfleshy. His calves were fleshy and their lower part was thin.\nHis arms were also fleshy in a similar manner. He walked\ncalmly like the prophet. However, as and when he proceeded\nto give a fight he walked briskly and did not turn his head\nto see anything else. His bodily strength was unimaginable.\nHe usually picked up the fighters whom he laid his hands\non and threw them on the ground without any difficulty\nor effort, as if they were small children. And if he held the\narm of any warrior in his hand the latter could not even\nbreathe. It is well-known that he did not fight with anyone\nwhom he did not vanquish, even though he might have\nbeen very strong and a renowned champion. At times he\npicked up a big gate which a number of strong persons\ncould not even close or open, and used it as a shield to\ndefend himself. On some occasions he threw away with\none hand, a stone, which could not even be shaken by a\nnumber of men. At times he roared in the battlefield\nso loudly that the bravest men got frightened although\ntheir number might be quite large. He possessed such a\ngreat power to bear hardships that he did not fear any\nharm from heat or coldness. He used to wear summer\nclothes in winter and winter clothes in summer''.\nOnce a man lodged a complaint against Ali with Umar\nwho was then the caliph. Umar summoned both of them\nand said: \"O Abul Hasan! Stand side by side with the\nother party. Signs of displeasure appeared on the face of\nAli. Thereupon Umar asked him whether he did not wish\nto stand by the side of the other person. Ali replied: \"No.\n\fThat is not so. However, I have observed that you have not\nmaintained equality between me and my opponent. You\nhave addressed me with my Kuniyah and thus shown me\nrespect whereas you have not meted out the same treat-\nment to him''. 1\nIt is very difficult to explain fully the nature and\nhabits of human beings and especially of great personalities\nbecause personal qualities of men are related with one\nanother and everyone of them influences others. Every\nquality is related with another quality and every habit\nis the cause of another habit and the result of a third one,\nor two of them are effect of another and so on and so\nforth. Hence, I propose to study a few of the personal\nqualities of Ali from different angles and to compare them\nwithin one and the same personality so as to arrive at\nsome conclusions by means of this intellectual analysis.\nIn the first instance I shall briefly present the various\nqualities of Ali by deducing them from his simple dealings\nand well-known actions so that his nature, habits and\ndisposition are known and our detailed discussion in the\nfollowing chapters may be limited to those qualities and\ncharacteristics.\nWe now commence the discussion with reference to\nhis acts of worship.\nAli was well-known fot his piety and continence. He\ndid many things for his own self as well as for his own\npeople and others, as he was extremely pious. I believe\nthat Ali's piety was not the outcome of circumstances\nlike that of other pious persons, who engage themselves\nin worship on account of the weakness of their souls,\nor to escape the vicissitudes of life and to keep aloof\nfrom the people, or in imitation of their ancestors, and\nthe effects of the events of life confirm it, because as a\nrule people accord respect to ancestral customs and\ntraditions. 2\nThe fact is that the piety of the Imam Ali was based\non a firm footing and was linked with the mutual tie which\nexists in all parts of the creation and has bound the sky\nand the earth with each other. His worship was in fact a\ncontinuous effort and a campaign against mischief for the\nsake of human life and prosperity. He fought against all\naspects of evil and wickedness. On the one hand he fought\nagainst hypocrisy and selfishness and on the other hand\n\fagainst dastardliness, abjectness meanness, helplessness and\nother bad qualities which had been acquired by the people\nduring those evil days. According to Ali the essence of\npiety is to sacrifice one's life for the sake of truth and\njustice. He has said: \"Your faith should be at such a level\nthat you should prefer truth to falsehood even though\nit may cause you loss and falsehood may bring you gain''.\nHis piety was of the same type as defined by him. He\nwas martyred on account of this very truthfulness, and\nif it be possible to give the title of \"Martyr'' to living\npersons it may be said that even while alive he was a\nmartyr in the path of truth and righteousness.\nIf a person studies the piety of the Imam carefully it\nwill become known to him that even in politics and\ngovernment, he had a special method in the matter of\nworship which he pursued firmly. When he stood before\nthe Almighty God he made his supplications with full\nattention, just as a poet is lost in the beauties of nature.\nThe following remark of Ali is very instructive for those\nwho worship God and observe piety: \"One group worships\nGod to be favoured with His blessings. This is the worship\nof the tradesmen. Another group worships Him on account\nof His fear. This is the worship of the slaves. A third group\nworships Him by way of thanksgiving. This is the worship\nof the free man''.\nUnlike many persons the Imam's worship was not\non account of fear, and it was also not a tradesman-like\nworship with the hope of acquiring Paradise. On the other\nhand when great men stand before the Almighty God they\nfind themselves meek and obliged to consider themselves\nHis worst slaves. The basis of this worship is reason,\nconscience, and spiritual perfection.\nOne who accords the same position to worship as\nwas accorded by Ali will certainly view life in the same\nmanner in which it was viewed by Ali. Such a person does\nnot seek life for wordly gains and transient pleasures.\nOn the other hand he seeks it to attain high morals and to\nachieve the ends which are compatible with his nature.\nIt was for this reason that Ali chose piety in the world\nand did not seek fame and ostentation. He was true in\nthe matter of piety in the same way in which he was true\nin the matter of his actions, words and intentions. He was\ndisinclined towards the pleasures of life in the same way\n\fin which he was disinterested in rulership, and other things,\nwhich were so much coveted by others. He lived with\nthe members of his family in a hut which was also his\nseat of government. His rulership was not in the form of\nkingship but in the form of caliphate. He ate barley\nbread prepared from the flour ground by his wife. Of\ncourse his governors and officials availed of the luxuries\nwhich became available from Syria, Egypt and Iraq. Often\nhe did not make his wife take the trouble of grinding the\nmill and did this job himself. Although he was the\nCommander of the Faithful he ate bread which was so\ndry and hard that it could be broken by pressing it with\nthe knee. When it was very cold during winter he did\nnot have any clothes for that season and contented himself\nwith thin summer clothes.\nHaroon son of Antara relates thus from his father:\n\"I went in the presence of Ali in Khurnaq Palace in winter\nseason and saw that he was wearing an old cloak and was\ntrembling with cold. I said to him: O Commander of the\nFaithful! God has fixed a share for you also in the public\ntreasury and in spite of that you are living in this condition''.\nHe replied: \"I swear by God that I do not take anything\nout of your (i.e. public) property and this cloak is the\nsame which I brought from Madina''.\nHe spent his days in the small house with perfect con-\ntentment till he was martyred at the hands of lbn Muljim.\nAlthough he was the caliph there was none amongst the\nMuslims who lived as simple and contented a life as he did.\nIn fact this lack of interest on his part in worldly\ncomforts was related with his valour. Some persons think\nthat these two qualities are apart from each other, but\nthis view is not correct. Really speaking his valour\nconsisted of the greatness of his soul and his efforts to\nachieve great objects and to help the poor and the needy\nwithout caring for his own benefit. The fact is that he was\nnot prepared to enjoy the pleasure of life while living in\na city in which many helpless and indigent persons were\nalso residing.\nUmar son of Abdul Aziz was a caliph of the family\nof Bani Umayyah. This family was inimical towards Ali,\nslandered him and abused him from the pulpit. In spite\nof this he was obliged to remark thus keeping in view\nthe sublime conduct of Ali: \"The most chaste and pious\n\fperson in the world was Ali son of Abu Talib''.\nIt is said that Ali did not place either a stone on a\nstone or a brick on a brick and did not also join a reed\nwith a reed. In other words he did not construct for\nhimself even a house made of reeds. Although the White\nPalace had been constructed for him he did not occupy\nit because he did not wish to live in a house which was\nbetter than the huts made of wood occupied by the poor\npeople. The manner in which Ali led his life is reflected\nin his well-known remark: \"Should I content myself\nwith this that the people call me the Commander of the\nFaithful and I should not share the vicissitudes of life\nwith them?''\nlbn Athir has narrated that when Ali married the\nprophet's daughter Fatima their bed consisted only of the\nhide of a sheep. They used it as a mattress during night and\nplaced fodder on it during the daytime to feed their camel.\nThey did not have more than one servant. During the\ncaliphate of Ali some property was received from Isfahan.\nIt was divided by him into seven parts. It also included a\nloaf of bread and he broke that also into seven pieces.\nManliness was incarnated in Ali in all respects and\nincluded every quality necessary for it. Broad mindedness\nand forgiveness are the necessary concomitants of manliness\nand they were ingrained in the Imam's nature. It was on\nthis account that he did not even think of harming any\nperson although he might have harmed him, and did\nnot oppress a person about whom he knew that he wanted\nto kill him. Bani Umayyah abused and slandered him but\nhe did not retaliate in the same manner because magnani-\nmous persons do not abuse a person who abuses them.\nImam Ali prohibited his own companions from abusing\nBani Umayyah. At the time of the Battle of Siffin he was\ninformed that some of his companions were abusing Bani\nUmayyah, upon this he said: \"I do not like that you\nshould be one of those who use abusive language. However,\nif you mention their misdeeds and their behaviour you will\nbe justified in doing so and will be pronouncing an ultima-\ntum. In reply to their abuses you should say: \"O Lord!\nProtect our blood as well as theirs. Relieve our and their\nhearts of deviation, and guide us so that he who has not\nrecognized the truth should recognize it, and he who is\ninvolved in injustice and deviation should forsake it''.\n\fHe has no peer in history in the matter of forgiveness\nand connivance, and there are innumerable incidents which\nthrow light on these qualities of his. It is said in this\nconnection that on the occasion of a battle he gave inter\nalia the following instructions to his soldiers: \"Don't kill\nan enemy who runs away. Don't withhold assistance from\none who is helpless and wounded. Don't strip any one.\nDon't take the property of anyone by force\".\nAt the conclusion of the Battle of the Camel he\noffered funeral prayers for the enemies who had been\nkilled and prayed to God for their forgiveness. When he\ngained control over his fell enemies like Abdullah son of\nzubayr, Marwan son of Hakam, and Sa'id son of Aas,\nhe forgave them, behaved with them kindly and prohibited\nhis companions from punishing them although he was\nin a position to give them a harsh treatment, and they\ntoo did not hope that they would be set free. Another\nexample of his connivance is this that when he gained\nthe upper hand on Amr Aas he turned his face aside and\nlet him go, although he was by no means a lesser danger\nfor Ali than Mu'awiya and remained inimical towards\nhim even after this kindness. When he saw Zulfiqar (Ali's\nsword) on his head he committed a particular act and\nhoped that if he did so Ali would shut his eyes and leave\nhim. 3 If Ali had killed Amr bin Aas at that time fraud\nwould have been eliminated and Mu'awiya's army, too,\nwould have been destroyed.\nIn the Battle of Siffin Mu'awiya and his supporters\ndecided to overcome Ali by subjecting him and his companions\nto thirst. For some days, therefore, they blocked\nhis way to the Euphrates and threatened that they would\nnot allow his army to utilize the water and would make\nthem die of thirst. However, Ali's army launched an attack\nand gained control of the bank of the river. But Ali behaved\nwith Mu'awiya in a different manner. Notwithstanding the\nfact that he could stop supply of water to the Syrian army\nas a measure of retaliation he allowed them to utilize water\nin the same way in which his own men were utilizing it.\nOnce he was given to understand that two persons\nwere accusing Ayesha of having started the Battle of the\nCamel and of plotting to kill him. He ordered that each\nof them might be administered one hundred lashes by way\nof punishment.\n\fAfter achieving victory in the Battle of the Camel\nhe sent Ayesha back to Madina with due honour and\nrespect. He accompanied her upto a few miles distance and\nalso sent some persons with her so that they might serve\nher on the way, and she might reach Madina comfortably.\nIn spite of his being so brave Ali avoided being\noppressive. The narrators and historians are agreed that\nhe hated warfare and did not resort to it except when no\nother alternative was left. He always tried that matters\nmight be settled with the enemies without bloodshed and\nfighting. He used to advise his son Hasan not to invite\nanyone to fighting. He was always sincere in what he said\nand followed the policy which he recommended to his\nson till he was obliged to act otherwise.\nFor example when Kharijites were equipping themselves\nfor warfare the companions of Ali suggested to him\nthat he should attack them (i.e. Kharijites) before they\nbecame ready to wage a war. Ali, however, replied: \"I shall\nnot start fighting till they begin the battle themselves\". His\nfaith and human attributes compelled him to keep the\npeople from deviation by means of advice. One day he was\ndelivering a sermon to a gathering and many Kharijites\nwho considered him to be an infidel were also presnt and\nwere hearing him. One of them who was wondering at his\nsweet language and eloquence said: \"May God kill this\ninfidel! How wise and intelligent he is!\" The followers of\nAli wished to kill that man. He, however, said to them:\n\"He has done something wrong with his tongue. You\nshould, therefore, either take revenge from him with the\ntongue or forgive him\":\nWe have already mentioned above that Mu'awiya's\narmy blocked the path of Ali's army to the Euphrates\nso that they might surrender on account of thirst but when\nAli gained control of the bank of the river he did not\nstop Mu'awiya's army from utilizing the water. Many other\nsimilar incidents took place so far as Mu'awiya was concerned,\nbut it is not possible to give their details here.\nAll these events show that as demanded by his angelic\nsoul he was kind even to his enemies and was just and\nmagnanimous to all. A historian narrates thus with reference\nto the Battle of Siffin: \"A man named Kareez son of\nSabah Humeri came out of Mu'awiya's army into the\nbattlefield and said standing between the armies. Is there\n\fanyone who may come and fight with me? One of the\nsoldiers of Ali's army went to combat with him and was\nkilled. He again asked for an adversary. Another man went\nbut he too was killed and still another person also met\ndeath at the hands of Kareez. When he demanded an\nadversary for the fourth time none went to oppose him.\nThe men in the first row stepped back. Ali felt that there\nwas a danger of his army becoming demoralized. He,\ntherefore, went himself to give a fight to Kareez and\nkilled him. Then he killed another man and thereafter\na third man also met the same fate. After having killed\nthree warriors Ali said loudly these words which were\nheard by all: \"If you had not started the battle we would\nnot have fought with you\". Having said this he returned\nto his place\".\nIt is also related in connection with the Rattle of the\nCamel that when the enemies gathered for an attack,\nAli also arrayed his troops but said to them: \"Don't throw\nan arrow nor make an attack with a spear or a sword\nuntil we have first invited them to peace\". He did not\nwish that a battle should take place resulting in blood\nshed and loss of life. After a moment some one belonging\nto the opposite army shot an arrow which struck a com-\npanion of Ali and killed him. Ali said: \"O Lord! Bear\nwitness\" . Then another arrow came and killed another\nman. He said again: \"O Lord! Bear witness\". Then an\narrow struck Abdullah son of Badil and his brother brought\nhim before Ali. Ali again said \"O Lord! Bear witness\".\nAnd then the battle started.\nTo shun cruelty and oppression was a moral principle\nof Ali and formed part of his nature and disposition.\nHe never broke covenants and was not inimical towards\nhis former friends unless they themselves broke the\ncovenants and showed enmity in reply to kindness.\nThe best form of friendship and the meaning of\nfidelity is that a warrior, while standing in the battle-\nfield should look at the former friends who may have\ncome to fight in the capacity of enemies, with the same\nbrotherly eye, should invite them to peace and remind\nthem of former love and friendship, so that they may\npossibly refrain from breach of covenant and treachery,\nor should take away the arms from their hands and solve\nthe difficult problems by negotiations and peace talks.\n\fFighting with a former friend should not be started all\nat once, because it is possible that he may be reminded\nof former relations and may refrain from fighting and\nopposition.\nIf keeping promises and regard for former friendship\nhad not dominated the spirit of Ali he would not have\ndepended on them for warding off the enemies.\nThe Imam's firmness in keeping the promises is\nevident from the treatment which he meted out to Zubayr\nson of Awam and Talha son of Ubaidullah. These two\npersons separated the Imam's friends and helpers from him\nand took them to his enemies. They also misguided Ayesha\nand made her come up as opponent of Ali.\nThose who were present on the spot whether they\nwere friends or enemies, have reported that when Talha\nand Zubayr decided to fight against Ali, broke the oath\nof allegiance and displayed their evil intentions in the\nBattle of the Camel, Ali went to them bare-headed and\nwithout wearing any armour or coat of mail, meaning\nthereby that he had come with peaceful intentions. He\nthen called Zubayr saying: \"O Zubayr! Come to me\".\nZubayr came fully armed. When Ayesha heard about it\nshe cried: \"What a pity it is that there should be a combat\"!\nShe said this because she knew that whoever went to fight\nagainst Ali would be killed, however brave and strong he\nmight be. And it may be said with certainty that Zubayr\ncould not have saved himself if he had fought with Ali.\nHowever Ali embraced Zubayr. Ayesha and her supporters\nwere very much upset to see this. Ali said in a tone of love:\n\"O Zubayr! Why have you come to fight against me?\"\nZubayr replied: \"To avenge the murder of Uthman\". Ali\nsaid: \"May God kill that person who has been responsible\nfor the murder of Uthman\".\nThen Ali reminded Zubayr of past companionship\nand brotherhood and wept a number of times while\ntalking. However, Zubayr was bent upon fighting and\nopposed the Imam till he (i.e. Zubayr) was killed. Ali, who\nattached great importance to the tie of friendship, was\nvery much grieved when Zubayr met his death. Ali did not\nwithhold his suggestions from the former caliphs and\nassisted them in their words and actions. 4\nAlthough this magnanimous person was steadfast\nin his friendship, his friends did not accord due respect\n\fto his friendship, because they did not expect that he would\nact contrary to his nature and let their hands loose to\nusurp the rights of others.\nImam Ali has been reported to have said: \"Even\nif all the seven regions of the world and whatever is under\nthe sky is offered to me so that I may disobey God and\ntake away unjustly the husk of barley from an ant I shall\nnot do so. In my eyes this entire world is inferior to a\nleaf which may be pressed in the mouth of a locust\".\nIn this matter Ali's words and actions conformed\nwith each other. He was not like others who indulge in\ntall talk which their actions belie. He was prompted to say\nthese words by his nature which formed the basis of his\ncharacter. Ali was more kind to the people than anyone\nelse and refrained from harming any person. He became\noblivious of his own self in order to assist others and\nconsidered this self-abnegation to be a part and parcel\nof his life. His entire life was dedicated to the support\nof the oppressed and the helpless so that he might realize\ntheir rights from the tyrants who considered themselves\nentitled to usurp the rights of others on account of noble\ndescent and racial discrimination.\nAli opposed the Quraysh and fought with them,\nbecause they coveted the caliphate for the sake of personal\ngain and in order to acquire position, wealth and rulership.\nHe renounced the caliphate and even the worldly life and\nforsook everything because he could not act like worldly\npersons and could not agree to allow them to exploit the\nweak and the helpless.\nAli was so kind to the common man that when his\nbrother Aqeel requested him to give him something more\nfrom the public treasury than his due share, he turned\ndown his request and as a consequence thereof Aqeel\nwent away to Mu'awiya. Ali tolerated separation from his\nbrother but did not agree to give him anything from the\npublic treasury of the Muslims without entitlement.\nAli was like a kind father for all human beings. He\ngave directions to the officers and governors to behave\nwith the people gently. He behaved harshly with those\nwho oppressed the people and warned them of severe\nconsequences. The following directions given by him\nreached the ears of the governors continuously: \"Redress\nthe grievances of the people and meet their needs because\n\fyou derive your capital from them. Do not deprive anyone\nof what he needs, and do not obstruct him from attaining\nhis object. Do not sell the summer or winter dress of\nanyone to realize revenue. Do not take away from any\nperson a quadruped which is required by him for his\nbusiness and do not whip a person for even a penny.\nAli was the person who wrote an excellent testament\nfor Malik Ashtar Nakha`i at the time of appointing him the\ngovernor of Egypt and the adjoining areas. He wrote: \"Do\nnot live with people like ferocious animals, and do not treat\ntheir sustenance to be war booty, because the Egyptians fall\nunder one of the two categories: either they are your\nbrethren-in-faith from the point of view of religion or your\nequals because of their being human beings. Ignore their\nshortcomings and forgive their mistakes, just as you hope\nthat God will forgive your crimes and sins. Do not regret\nyour forgiving a person and do not insist upon awarding\npunishment\".\nHe added: \"Prohibit hoarding\". Ali strictly forbade\nhoarding, which was the main reason for Mu'awiya and his\nparty opposing him, because they wanted the country,\nthe wealth and the war booty for themselves whereas\nAli wanted them for all human beings.\nAli was so kind to human beings that, as we shall\nmention in detail later, he ordered that his murderer,\nthe wicked Ibn Muljim might be treated kindly.\nIn the recommendations made by him to his sons\nHasan and Husayn he said: \"Be enemies of the oppressors\nand supporters of the oppressed\". He also said: \"Be enemies\nof the oppressor even though he may be your near relative\nand support the oppressed person even though he may not\nbe related to you and may be a stranger\". He always\nendeavoured to punish the oppressors and relieve the\npeople of their wickedness. To achieve this purpose he\nused his heart, tongue, sword and blood. He always re-\nmained a helper of the oppressed and an enemy of the\noppressors. Following this path he never relaxed till the\nend of his life.\nOne should not be surprised that Ali was just. It\nwould have been a matter of surprise if he had not been\njust. The instances of his justice which have been narrated\nare the most valuable assets in human history and man\nshould be proud of them.\n\fHis brother Aqeel asked him to grant him a special\npension out of the public treasury, but he refused to\naccedetohis request saying: \"It is not my personal property\nthat I may give it to anyone I like. There are also other\nhelpless and needy persons, who are more deserving than\nyou are, and I must be mindful of them\". Aqeel said: \"If\nyou do not allow me a pension out of this property I shall\ngo to Mu'awiya\".\nHowever, Ali did not care for what he said, and did\nnot revise his decision.\nHis brother went away and joined Mu'awiya and\nused to say: \"Mu'awiya is better for my world\", Mu'awiya's\ntreatment satisfied him, because the public treasury was a\ntool in his hands with which he strengthened his kingdom,\nachieved his objects and wanted to revive the past politics\nand importance of Bani Umayyah.\nThe Imam did not claim any privileges vis-a-vis his\nsubjects and appeared in the courts as their equal. This was\nso because the spirit of justice had penetrated into the\ndepth of his heart.\nOnce Ali saw his coat of mail in the possession of\na Christian. He took him in the court of a judge named\nShurayh so that he might give a decision regarding its\nownership. When both of them appeared before the judge\nAli said: \"This coat of mail is mine. I have neither sold\nnor gifted it to anyone\". The judge asked the other person:\n\"What have you to say about the claim made by the\nCommander of the Faithful?\" The Christian said: \"This\ncoat of mail is mine. In spite of this, however, I do not\nconsider the Commander of the Faithful to be a liar\".\nThen the judge Shurayh turned to Ali and said: \"Can you\nproduce any witness who should depose that this coat of\nmail is yours?\" Ali smiled and said: \"Shurayh is right.\nI cannot produce any such witness\".\nThe judge gave a judgment in favour of the Christian\nwho took the coat of mail and departed. The Commander\nof the Faithful kept looking at him from behind. After\nhaving gone a few steps, however, he returned and said:\n\"I testify that such an order resembles the order of the\nprophets, because one who is the Commander of the\nFaithful has appeared along with a person like myself in\nthe court of the judge who is also his subordinate and the\njudge has given a judgement against him\". 5 Then he\n\fadded: \"O Commander of the Faithful! I swear by God\nthat this coat of mail is yours and my claim was false\".\nLater the people saw that Christian serving in the\narmy of Ali as a faithful soldier and he fought most\nenthusiastically against Kharijites in the Battle of Nahrawan.\nIbn Abi Rafe' has narrated thus: \"I was the adminis-\ntrator of the public treasury during the period of the\ncaliphate of Ali and was also his scribe. The property\nreceived from Basra for the public treasury included a\npearl necklace. The daughter of Ali sent word to me\nsaying: \"I understand that there is a pearl necklace in the\npublic treasury which is controlled by you. Send that\nnecklace to me on loan so that I may wear it on Eid\nal-Azha day. Thereafter I shall return it\".\nI sent the necklace to her on the conditions that\nshe would be responsible if It was lost or damaged, and\nthat she would return it within three days. She accepted\nthese conditions.\nBy chance the eyes of the Commander of the Faithful\nfell on the necklace and he recognized it. He asked his\ndaughter as to where she had obtained it from. She replied:\n\"I have taken it on loan from Ibn Abi Rafe' the incharge\nof the public treasury to wear it on Eid al-Azha day and\nhave promised to return it to him within three days\".\nThe Commander of the Faithful summoned me and\nsaid; \"Do you consider it lawful to commit breach of\ntrust with the Muslims?\" I replied: \"May God forbid that\nI may commit treachery with the Muslims\". Thereupon he\nsaid: \"Then why did you lend such and such necklace to\nmy daughter without obtaining my permission and without\nthe concurrence of the Muslims?\"\nI replied: \"O Commander of the Faithful! She\nis your daughter. She borrowed it to adorn herself and\n(Footnote Continued)\nhave been made permanent and none can remove them from their\noffice. This has been done, so that they may take decision without\nany fear or favour, and may give judgment against influential persons\nand even against the members of government.\nguaranteed its safe return so that I might restore it to\nits proper place\". Ali said: \"Take it back today and do\nnot do so in future otherwise I shall punish you\".\nWhen Ali's daughter came to know about it she said\nto him: \"O father! I am your dear daughter. Who else\n\fis more entitled to wear this necklace?\"\nAli replied: \"O daughter of Abu Talib! Don't deviate\nfrom the right path. Can you tell me how many Muhajir\nand Ansar women adorn themselves with such necklaces?\"\nEventually I took back the necklace from the\ndaughter of the Commander of the Faithful and restored\nit to its proper place.\nAli observed justice even in small and insignificant\nmatters. If it became necessary for him to divide something\nwith others he gave the right of selection to the other\nparty so that people might not think that discrimination\nwas being made in the matter of division between the\npersons in authority and the subordinates.\nOne day he went to the shop of a draper named Abu\nal-Nawar accompanied by his slave and purchased two\ndresses. Then he asked his slave to choose one out of the\ntwo dresses. The slave picked up one of them and Ali\nretained the other. 6\nAll the orders and letters which he sent to the\ngovernors and other officials rotate on the pivot of justice.\nAli's near ones as well as others joined hands in\nopposing him. It was on account of the fact that he did\nnot give them preference from the point of view of equity\nand justice, and did not grant any concession to his\nrelatives. He was not influenced by anyone and accepted\nonly the right things from others.\nWhen Uthman son of Affan became caliph, he gave\nfull freedom to his relatives, friends and associates to\naccumulate wealth, and he followed those who gave him\nwrong advice. Marwan had the greatest influence on\nhim. He did not benefit from the wise recommendation\nwhich Abu Bakr had made to Umar. Abu Bakr had said:\n\"Don't be in proximity to those persons who are eager to\nfill their bellies and acquire position and wealth. Don't be\nenamoured of the fact that they have associated with the\nprophet and served him. Assess the nature of every person\nand find out what sort of man he is\".\nAli hated such greedy persons. Hence when he\nbecame the caliph he decided to deal with them justly.\nHe, therefore dismissed some of them and checked the\ngreed of others for position and wealth.\nThere was a group of persons who wanted to give\nthe principles of Islam a new form and make them a means\n\fof acquisition of position and wealth and to treat the\nIslamic territories a hereditary property of their family.\nAli fought against them and said to them in loud words: \"I\nknow what can keep you from rebellion and mischief,\nbut the thing which is a source of happiness for you is\nthe means of evil for me\". The stage at which Ali's dealing\nwith such people reached is well-known. When the\noppressors were defeated they resorted to deceit and the\nspirit of justice succeeded in the hearts of Ali and his\nfollowers, although apparently they were the sufferers.\nWhen Ali met martyrdom at the hands of Ibn Muljim,\na Nakh'ii woman named Ummul Haisham wrote an elegy\nfor him. A verse of that elegy, goes to show the opinion of\nthe people about his character and justice: \"He established\ntruth and entertained no doubt about it. He behaved justly\nwith his kinsmen as well as strangers\".\nSincerity and intrepidity are the qualities of great\nmen and they were possessed by Ali par excellence.\nSincerity, truthfulness, intrepidity and manliness and\nall other similar qualities are inter-connected. Hence he\ndid not express anything which was opposed to his real\nintention and determination. He did not practise deceit,\nalthough he knew very well that by doing so he could\nget rid of the mischief of the enemies.\nWhat has been said above about the truthfulness\nand character of the Imam fully proves his sincerity and\nintrepidity.\nOne of his principles and morals consisted of simplicity\nin everything. He hated formality very much and used to\nsay: \"The worst brother is he for whom one has to involve\nonself in trouble\". He also used to say: \"If a believer\nobserves formality with his brother it means that he has\nseparated himself from him. If he expressed an opnion or\ntendered an advice or gave some present, then this act of\nhis was not tainted with ostentation. This habit was so\nmuch ingrained in his nature that the selfish people could\nnot make him act according to their wishes, and the\nflatterers should not hope to attract his attention. These\npeople used to say that the Imam was hard-hearted,\nill-natured and proud. - However, the Imam was neither\nhard-hearted nor ill-natured nor proud. On the contrary, as\ndemanded by his nature, he said whatever he had to say\nwithout any formality or deceit.\n\fA large number of persons who gathered around\nhim coveted personal gains. Ali became suspicious about\nthem and did not conceal his misgiving. Expression of his\nviews about them cannot be called pride or rudeness.\nAli hated pride and was absolutely free from egotism.\nHe also forbade his children, companions and officials\nto show pride and practise egotism. While giving them\nadvice he used to say: \"Shun egotism. You should know\nthat egotism is a bad quality and a calamity for reason''.\nHe hated formality. He also restrained the people from\ngoing to the extreme while praising him and told them:\n\"I am lesser than what you say\".\nAt times it so happened that he considered the person\nconcerned to be his enemy. On such occasion he did not\nrefrain from mentioning the mental condition of that\nperson of which he was aware and told him: \"I am better\nthan what you believe about me in your heart\".\nAli disliked some of his friends exalting him too\nmuch in the same manner in which he disliked his being\nbelittled by his enemies. He has said: \"Persons of two\ntypes have been destroyed on account of their attitude\ntowards me. The friends who have exaggerated my qualities\nand the spiteful enemies\". He neither showed pride nor\nhumiliated himself unnecessarily. He presented himself as\nhe was. He was free from affectation and hypocrisy. It is\ndifficult to find a straightforward man like him. He pur-\nchased a bagful of palm-dates and was carrying them\nhome. Some persons observed this and volunteered to\ncarry the bag for him. He, however, told them frankly that\nthe head of the family was more responsible to carry it.\nIt is said erroneously that artificial humility and\nmeekness constitute good qualities. In fact it is falsehood\nand mere affectation that one should pose to be inferior\nto what one actually is. Ali was not humble in that sense\nand he was also not proud. He displayed himself as he\nactually was without any meekness or pride, because\nthese two things are not the qualities of manly persons.\nThe writer of \"Abqari'atu'l Imam\" says: \"Ali entered the\nbattlefield bare-headed to fight against the enemies where\nas they were completely covered with steel and iron. How\ncan it be said that this action of his was based on hypocrisy?\nAnother attribute of Ali was his noble disposition. He\ndid not entertain grudge in his heart against anybody,\n\feven though he might be his fell enemy. As we have\nalready mentioned he directed his sons and friends not\nto kill his murderer (Ibn Muljim). Although Talha had\ncome as an enemy to kill him, he wept on his dead body\nand recited a heart-felt elegy for him. Although the\nKharijites were his deadly enemies and had fought against\nhim, and his murderer was also one of them, and in fact\nthey had not given him lesser trouble as compared with\nMu'awiya and Amr bin Aas, but he advised his friends and\nfollowers not to fight against them. He gave this direction\nbecause he knew that those people had fallen prey to\nmisunderstanding and had been misguided. They were\nseekers of truth but had been mistaken in the matter\nof its assessment as opposed to Mu'awiya and his com-\npanions who were seekers of falsehood and succeeded\nin acquiring it.\nNothing can be seen in the biography of Ali which\nmay go to show that he was revengeful. In all circumstances\nhe showed truthfulness, honesty, straightforwardness and\nswords-man-ship.\nMagnanimous persons are not revengeful and do not\nalso tolerate injustice and oppression. They get annoyed\nwith one Who oppresses others.\nAlthough Ali did not entertain any grudge in his\nheart against anyone, he had to face a spiteful group.\nHis meaningful words show how grieved he was. His grief\nwas such as arose from sympathy and kindness. He was\ngreived to see that people harmed themselves.\nAnother quality which distinguished him from others\nand was complementary to his other attributes was his\nperfect faith in his actions and beliefs, and whenever\nhe did anything he believed in its correctness and in his\nbeing on the right path. When he decided to fight against\nAmr son of Abdawudd, the famous champion of Arabia he\nwas warned by the prophet and his companions about the\nconsequences. He however, decided to fight because besides\nbeing brave he possessed enthusiasm to support Islam.\nWe repeat that when the enemies had encircled Ali\nfrom all sides he busied himself in offering prayers without\nthere being any guard to protect him from the mischief\nof those enemies, and consequently lbn Muljim succeeded\nin wounding him with his poisoned sword. This very thing\nis a great proof of the fact that he was certain of the\n\fcorrectness of what he did, because a righteous person\ndoes not fear anything.\nAll the words and acts of Ali go to prove that he had\nperfect and firm faith in his actions. This was so because\nall his actions emanated from wisdom and capability. 7\nWhen the people were divided into two groups in\ntheir attitude towards him (i.e. friends and enemies)\nhe did not become afraid of the enemies and did not lay\ndown arms before them, because he had perfect faith in\nhis own truthfulness and justice and correctness of his\nactions. It was in this context that he said: \"Even if\nI strike on the nose of a believer so that he may become\nmy enemy he will not become my enemy and even if I\nshower all the bounties of the earth on him so that he may\nbecome friendly towards me he will not become my\nfriend\". He has also said in this behalf. \"I am not afraid of\nfighting against these people alone even though the entire\nworld may join their army\".\nWhen he came to know that a group of the people\nof Madina had joined Mu'awiya he wrote to Sehl son of\nHanif the governor of Madina: \"I understand that a group\nof the inhabitants of your city has secretly joined Mu'awiya.\nHowever, you should not be worried on this account\nthat some persons will leave you and will not assist you.\nI swear by God that these persons have not forsaken injustice\nand oppression and have not stuck to equity and justice.\n\n\n1 The Arabs did not consider it proper to address the respectable\npersons with their real names. In case, therefore, they wished to\naccord respect to someone they addressed him with his Kuniyah.\n\n2 According to the Christians `worship' consists of sequestered\nand monastic life. However, monasticism is not permissible in Islam.\nIt was for this reason that the pious Muslims neither avoided effort\nin life nor kept aloof from other human beings. On the other hand\nat times they heroically staked their very lives even when it was\nexpedient to remain silent (and they do so even in these times).\n\n3 It is said that when Amr b. Aas came to fight against Ali in the\nBattle of Siffin he was very much afraid. He could think of no other\nalternative except that he should lie on the ground and uncover his\nprivate parts so that Ali might shut his eyes, and he himself might\n\fescape. He, therefore, did so and thus saved his life.\n\n4 Ali assisted the caliphs because every action of his was for the\nsake of the benefit of Islam and he did not let the interests of the\nreligion suffer in order to acquire his own right.\n\n5 In the free countries of the modern world the court and judges\nContd...\n\n6 Such incidents show that the leaders of the faith were very\nmindful of the rights of their subordinates. Those who make a show\nof supporting the helpless persons, and accuse religion of being an\nimpediment in the matter of weak persons getting their due rights\nhave not done as much for their subordinates as Imam Ali did.\n\n7 Its reason was that Imam Ali was infallible and he said and did\neverything in accordance with the inspiration and traditions of the\nprophet of Islam. Hence, he did not entertain any doubt about his\nviews and actions.\n\f Knowledge and sagacity of Ali\nAli was matchless so far as power of perception is\nconcerned. The Islamic learning rotates on the pivot of his\nintellect. He was the fountain head of knowledge. There is\nno branch of science in Arabia which was not founded by\nhim or in the foundation of which he was not the chief\nfigure. We shall write in detail later about his great skill in\nsocial sciences, because this topic deserves to be discussed\nseparately. In this chapter I propose to deal only briefly\nwith his knowledge of jurisprudence, scholasticism and\nArabic litrature, as well as his judicial acumen. I shall be\nbrief because many others have written on this subject and\nsome of them have conducted deep research.I shall,\ntherefore, narrate briefly those facts which they have dealt\nwith in detail, and shall narrate those things in detail which\nthey have dealt with only briefly.\nI begin with the Qur'an and the Hadith (tradition)\nand shall write about other sciences later so that it may\nbecome known as to how far the following words of the\nprophet proved to be true about Ali.\n\"I am the city of knowledge and Ali is itS gate\"\nAli was brought up by his cousin. He became his\ndisciple and adopted his habits and conduct. The prophet's\nheritage became implanted in his heart and brain. He\nreflected over the Qur'an with the intellect and eye of a\nsage and learnt its latent realities. The circumstances\nprovided him ample time to reflect over the Qur'an. So\nlong as Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman remained busy with\nthe caliphate, he kept his attention directed towards\nthe Qur'an. He mastered its words and meanings. His\ntongue could recite it eloquently and his heart was immersed\nin it. His knowledge of the traditions of the prophet was\nsuch that none else could compete with him in the matter.\nAnd there is nothing surprising about it, because he was\nalways associated with the prophet and benefited from\nhim more than any other companion or Mujahid did.\nWhatever heard by others was heard by him and whatever\nwas heard by him was not necessarily heard by others. It is\na well-known fact that Ali did not narrate any Hadith from\nanyone except from the prophet. This was so because he\n\fwas certain that not even a word of the traditions of the\nprophet was hidden from his ears and heart. He was asked:\n\"How is it that you are superior to all other companions in\nthe matter of the knowledge of Hadith?\" He replied: \"It\nis so because the prophet told me whatever I enquired\nfrom him, and if I did not enquire about anything he\nhimself made it known to me\"\nAli was superior to all others in the matter of\njurisprudence and Islamic learning just as he acted upon\nthem in a better way than others. Those who were his\ncontemporaries did not find a greater jurist and a greater\njudge than him. Abu Bakr and Umar always approached\nhim for the solution of difficult problems. These two\ncaliphs benefited much from his knowledge and wisdom.\nOther companions of the prophet also consulted him for\nthe solution of their problems. None could put forth\nbetter arguments than him with regard to legal problems.\nAs regards jurisprudence Ali's knowledge was not\nlimited to text and orders. He was more adept than his\ncontemporaries in other branches of learning also, as\ntheir knowledge is necessary for a jurist (for example\nmathematics).\nAbu Ilanifa is called 'the grand Imam' in the capacity\nof a jurist. He was a pupil of Ali, because he learnt juris-\nprudence from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq and the chain of his\nteachers when taken upwards, ended with Ali. In the same\nway Malik son of Anas was a pupil of Ali through a few\nintermediaries. Malik learnt jurisprudence from Rabiya.\nHe learnt it from Akrama. He learnt it from Abdullah and\nAbdullah learnt it from Ali.\nAbdullah son of Abbas, who was the preceptor of\nall others, was asked: \"What is the ratio of your knowledge\nto that of your cousin i.e. Ali. He replied: \"The ratio is\nthe same as exists between a drop and the ocean\".\nThe companions have unanimously quoted the\nprophet as saying: \"The best judge amongst you is Ali\".\nAli excelled all other persons of his time in matters\nof law, because he knew the Qur'an and religious rules and\nregulations better than all others, and in Islam correct\njudgements depend on these two things.\nHe possessed such intelligence, wisdom and power\nof thinking that in the event of dispute he could give\nthe most rational judgement. His conscience was so strong\n\fthat he was capable of giving a conscientious and just\ndecision after examining and understanding various aspects\nof a matter.\nUmar ibn Khattab has been reported to have said:\n\"O Abul Hasan! May that problem be not auspicious for\nthe solution of which you are not available\".\nWhile giving his judgement Ali had regard for the\nclaimants as well as for the nation and the general public.\nThis double consideration and regard on his part was\ninter-dependent. He was the first judge who proved the\nrights of the people from philosophical point of view and\nsaid that it is the duty of the rulers to pay due consideration\nto these rights. Besides in the case of claimants it is also\nnecessary to observe justice in the case of all persons in the\nmatter of general administration. People are under obligation\nto perform certain acts for the reformation of the\nsociety in which they live.\nThere is mutual relationship between the human\nbeings, and the public laws have joined them with one\nanother. It is necessary to respect these laws for the\nreformation of the nation and not only for achieving\npersonal ends.\nAli established public laws and national unity, and\ntreated all the individuals as one person in the matter of\nrights and responsibilities. In his orders and judgements\nhe fully observed this principle which is being followed\nstrictly by the civilized people of the present times.\nOne night Ali heard some afflicted person crying\nfor help. He ran towards him at once and said: \"The\nrescuer has come\". He saw that one man was holding\nanother man by his collar. When he saw Ali he left his\nopponent. Then he said addressing Ali: \"I sold a piece\nof cloth to this man for nine dirhams and did not also\nviolate any condition of the bargain. He gave me base\ncoins and when I asked him to give me good ones instead\nhe abused and slapped me\".\nAli asked the buyer to take back the base coins and\ngive the seller the good coins. Then he enquired from the\nother person whether he had any witness to comfirm that\nthe buyer had slapped him. He produced the requisite\nevidence. Thereupon Ali asked the buyer to sit down\nand told the other man to take revenge. He, however,\nforgave him.\n\fWhen Ali saw that the claimant had forsaken his right\nand forgiven the other person he did not press him to take\nrevenge. He, however, kept this point in view in\nconnection with this incident that it was necessary to\ntake care of the rights of the common people and it was\nhis duty to punish the oppressors so that the link of\njustice might remain firm amongst the people, and the\nrights of the nation might not be violated. He also kept\nin view the fact that in every community there are many\npowerful and cruel persons who usurp the property and\nrights of the weak, and the latter cannot take back or\ndemand their rights on account of weakness or fear,\nalthough it is only appropriate that their rights should not\nbe encroached upon. He, therefore, thought within himself:\n\"Who is there besides myself who should support them\nand claim their rights so that they may lead a peaceful\nsocial life and should rest assured that there is no distinction\nbetween the individuals in respect of social rights, and\ntheir rights are safe?\"\nIn the case mentioned above, therefore, Ali let go\nthe person who had been beaten but caught the agressor\nby the hand and slapped him nine times in the presence\nof the other person saying: \"This is the right of the ruler\".\nAli was not contented with the outward appearance\nof anything and was keen to go deep into all matters.\nHe pondered over the Qur'an and the religion sagaciously\nin the same way in which other thinkers ponder over\nworldly matters.\nNo doubt a person possessing celestial power like\nAli does not content himself with the apparent orders\nof the religion, the carrying out of prescribed duties and\nthe formalities of worship. Mostly the people look at the\nreligion and the orders relating to transactions and\njudgements in a superficial manner. However, Ali looked\nat their interior and realities also. He made these things\nthe subject of his reflection and research, and proved\nthat religion is based on the principles which are linked\nand related with one another. This led to the establishment\nof the science of scholasticism and Islamic philosophy.\nAli was the first scholastic ('Arif) and founder of scholas-\nticism. (For details see \"On Ilmul Kalam wal Irfan, ISP 82)\nThe ancient scholastics drank deep from this foun-\ntainhead, because they acquired the elements and principles\n\fof scholasticism from him. The later scholastics also\nadmit him to be their leader, because they also acquired\nguidance from him.\nWasil son of 'Ata was the chief and the central figure\nof Mu'tazila sect. This was the first sect in Islam which\nintroduced reason into religion and advocated that the\nreligious precepts should conform with the principles\nof logic, and the correctness of religion should be proved\nby means of reason.\nWasil son of 'Ata was the pupil of Abu Hashim son\nof Muhammad son of Hanafiya and his father Muhammad\nwas the pupil of Ali.\nThe samething can be said about the Asha'ira, because\nthey were the pupils of the Mu'tazila, who acquired knowledge\nfrom Wasil son of 'Ata, and he acquired it through\nsome intermediaries from Ali.\nThe source and basis of Sufism lies in Nahj-al-Balaghah.\n79Before becoming aware of the Greek philosophy the Muslim\nsufis had acknowledged the sayings of Ali to be the source\nof their ideas, because till that time Greek philosophy and\nPersian philosophy had not yet been transferred to the.\nArabic language.\nThe Almighty God willed that as in the case of\nreligious knowledge Ali should be the pillar and centre\nof Arabian learning. Not even one person in his time could\ncompete with him in the matter of Arabic literature.\nWith his perfect knowledge of syntax, eloquent\ntongue and great power of thinking he formulated the\nrules and principles of correct Arabic language. He\nconfirmed it with logical reasoning and arguments. His\nskill in logical reasoning can be realized from the fact\nthat he laid the foundation of Arabian sciences and paved\nthe way for others to promote them.\nHistory shows that Ali was the founder of the science\nof syntax. One day Abu'l Aswad, who was one of his\ncompanions came and saw that Ali's head was bent down\nand he was reflecting about something. He said: \"O\nCommander of the Faithful! What are you thinking\nabout?\" Ali replied: \"In your city (i.e. Kufa) I have heard\nsomething which was expressed by the speaker in a wrong\nmanner. I have, therefore, decided to write an elementary\nbook on the principles of the Arabic language\".\nHe then handed over a paper ro Abu'l Aswad on\n\fwhich it was written that the words are of three kinds\nnoun, verb and preposition.\nThis incident has also been narrated in another\nway and it has been said that Abu'l Aswad complained\nbefore Ali that the people usually spoke incorrect language,\nbecause since the time the Arabs had mingled, after their\nconquests, with the non-Arabs,incorrect phrases had\npenetrated into their conversation.\nThe Imam reflected a little and then asked Abu'l\nAswad to write down what he was going to dictate. Abu'l\nAswad procured a pen and a sheet of paper and then\nAli said: \"The Arabic language is composed of noun\nverb and preposition. Noun tells about the things which\nbears that name, verb tells about the motion and action of\nthat thing and preposition conveys a meaning which is\nneither noun nor verb. \"Things are of three kinds viz.\na patent thing, a latent thing and a thing which is neither\npatent nor latent\". (Some scholars of syntax say that by\nthe third kind of things Ali meant 'demonstrative pronoun').\nThen he asked Abu'l Aswad to expand and complete\nthe subject according to the same 'nehv' (i.e. method\nor manner). From that day onwards this branch of learning\nbegan to be called 'Nehv' (syntax).\nOne of the other attributes of Ali was his sharp\nintelligence and quick understanding. Often it so happened\nthat whether it was an assembly of friends or a gathering\nof enemies he uttered extempore wise words, which\nbecame proverbs and passed from one tongue to another.\nDifficult mathematical problems which were enigmas\nfor others were solved by him in no time. It is said that\na woman came in the presence of Ali and complained\nthat her brother had died leaving behind six hundred\ndinars, but out of that money she had been given only\none dinar. Ali replied: \"Perhaps the heirs of your brother\nconsist of one widow, two daughters, mother, twelve\nbrothers and yourself\". And the position turned out to\nbe the same as was mentioned by the Imam.\nOne day while Ali was delivering a sermon from the\npulpit, one of those present said: \"A man has died and\nhe has left behind his widow, father, mother and two\ndaughters\". Ali replied at once: \"The one-eighth share of\nthe widow will be changed into one-ninth. As the Imam\ngave this judgement while he was occupying the pulpit the\n\fproblem began to be called\". \"Obligation of the Pulpit\".\nAli was the philosopher of Islam. Philosophy comes\ninto existence by means of wisdom and intelligence and\nstrong power of perception and inference. A philosopher is\nhe, who mentions a number of important matters in a brief\nnarrative and endeavours to live according to his words.\nAli occupies the highest position not only among\nthe philosophers of Islam, but also among the unique\npersonalities of the human race.\nIt is very difficult to find a person like Ali who may\ninfer theoretical and rational matters with the power of\nhis intellect, and state them in beautiful and brief\nsentences in such a way that the time may preserve them,\nand they may become proverbs. Islamic sciences and\nlearning absorbed the colour of humanity in their paintings\nby means of celestial philosophy and their fountain-\nhead were the two personalities viz. Muhammad and Ali.\nThe Imam looked philosophically at the secrets of\ncreation, human life and society and numerous sayings\nwith regard to the Oneness of God, divine matters, and\nmetaphysics, are available. We have already remarked\nabove that he was the founder of scholasticism and\ntheology. He was a preceptor, whose skill and leadership\nhas been admitted by every person, who came after him\nwith his own view or remark. In Nahj al-Balaghah he has\nstrung so many pearls of wisdom that, time, has made\nhim stand in the first row of the philosophers of the world.\nMuhammad in fact referred to Ali when he said: \"The\nscholars among my followers are like the prophets of\ndescendants of Israel\".\n\f Human rights and Ali\nA Difficult Test\nBy God! I admit the truth myself before any evidence\nis given against me.\nOur matter is very difficult. Our words can be understood\nonly by the honest hearts and the far-sighted intellects. (Imam Ali).\nAli formulated such firm rules and presented such\nsolid views for the rights of the human beings and the\nwelfare of the human society, that their roots penetrate\ninto the depths of the earth and their branches extend\nupto the heavens. All the social sciences which are prevalent\nat present mostly confirm these views and principles.\nAlthough these modern social sciences may be given many\nnames, and may be presented in various forms, their object\nis one and one only that the human being should be\nprotected from oppression and there should be formed a\nsociety, which should protect human rights in a better way\n-a society in which human dignity should be respected\nand the freedom of word and action should be safe to such\nan extent that none should be hurt.\nThe conditions and circumstances of time have a\ngreat effect on the creation of social sciences. It is these\nvery conditions and circumstances which present social\nsciences in one shape at one time and in another shape\nat another time.\nWhen we study history and come across various events\nwe come to know that there has been a conflict between\ntwo different groups of human beings and two different\nviews and ideas. One group has been keen to be despotic\nand to usurp the rights of the common man and to\neliminate his freedom, whereas the other group has been\ndesirous of justice, democracy, preservation of the rights\nof the people and their freedom. During the past all\nuseful movements were started by the oppressed and the\nreformers always rose from amongst them so that they\nmight put an end to oppression and injustice and establish\ngovernments on the foundation of equity and justice\nwhich should accord with reason as well as the conditions\nand circumstances of the society.\nAli enjoys a very high position in the history of\n\fhuman rights. His views were linked with the thinking\nof Islam. The central point of his views was that despotism\nshould come to an end, and class discrimination should\nbe eliminated from amongst the people. Whoever has\nrecognized Ali and heard his remarks and understood\nhis beliefs and views about human brotherhood knows\nthat he was a sword drawn on the necks of the tyrants.\nHis entire attention was directed towards the enforcement\nof the rules of equity and justice. His thoughts and\nmanners and his government and polities were all dedicated\nto the achievement of this purpose. Whenever any oppressor\nencroached upon the rights of the people or treated the\nweak in a humiliating manner or ignored their welfare and\nthrew his own burden on their weak shoulders, Ali gave\nhim a tough fight.\nThe mental upbringing of the Imam took place with\nthis thinking that equity and justice should be enforced in\nsuch a way that equality should be established and one\nclass should not enjoy any supremacy over another class\nand every person should receive that to which he is entitled.\nHis voice remained loud continuously for the enforcement\nof justice, and his mace always remained active to achieve\nthis end. He elevated man and always remained ready to\nprotect him. His government was the best specimen of\nadministration during that period. It was a government\nwhich was just and the protector of human rights, and one,\nwhich achieved its end by all possible means.\nThe Imam realized it clearly that the society of that\ntime was based on fraud, deceit and harmful activities, and\nits reformation was necessary. He also knew well how that\nsociety could be reformed and how much time it would\ntake to do so. Although he thought of the welfare of the\npeople in all respects, the things to which he paid his\nattention most was their reformation. Nothing could stop\nhim from making efforts in this behalf. What he desired\nmost was to establish truth and destroy falsehood and\nnone else could be more capable of making distinction\nbetween truth and falsehood.\nAli assessed things correctly and engaged himself in\nhis task fearlessly according to his calculations. He never\nentertained any doubt with regard to anything related\nto public welfare. As and when any officer or governor\noppressed the subjects Ali neither sat quiet nor connived at\n\ftheir actions. He never displayed slackness when he found\nthat some persons had formed a group against the true\ngovernment. At times his plans to achieve his ends were\nopposed not only to the wishes of his enemies but to those\nof his friends as well, but he did not mind this.\nAll this was done by him so that the right of every\nperson to lead a peaceful life might be ensured, and the\npeople should not be divided into two groups, one of\nwhom should be very happy and the other should be very\nmuch grieved.\nAli had clearly understood that it will be very\ndangerous to divide the people into two classes and to\nprefer one of them to the other. This will retard the\nintellects, create malice in the spirits, and introduce\noppression and injustice in the judgements and transactions,\nand all sorts of mischiefs and corruptions will appear. The\nresult will be that ambition for life will die and the people\nwill become pessimistic and will entertain ill-will towards\none another. Consequently the society will be ruined.\nSo long as these two classes exist in a society a conflict\nbetween them is inevitable and it will involve the loss\nof many lives. During the last days of the caliphate of\nUthman the dignitaries of the state and especially the\nmembers of the Umayyad family, who were the kinsmen\nand relatives of the caliph had made it a practice that they\nopenly opposed the Islamic rules and regulations. They\nhumiliated the people, treated them like slaves and made\nthem so much afraid of the ruler that they could not pick\nup courage to stand before him and mention their\ngrievances. They played with their lives in the same\nmanner in which they played with their property. They\ndid not refrain from shedding the blood of the people\nfor their personal benefit and none could dare take revenge.\nThey were not afraid of taking bribes or looting the\nproperty of others.\nTheir continuous activities, conditions and circum-\nstances showed what their intentions were. It was clear\nthat they were going to besmear their hands with the\nblood of the people, to trample upon their rights and\nto change the caliphate into kingship and the Islamic\ndemocracy into despotism and dictatorship of an individual.\nThe position of the members of this party, between\nthe very just conduct of Ali and their personal avarice,\n\fwas that of gamblers. On the one hand Ali was determined\nto enforce equity and justice with all his might, and on\nthe other hand these persons were keen to have the reins\nof government in their own hands and to possess as much\nwealth and property as possible. Between these two\nconditions they acted like gamblers, hoping to seize an\nopportunity to bring about a revolution and consequently\nto appropriate all benefits themselves. Entertaining the\nworst passions and desires in their minds.\nThere is no doubt about the fact that the responsibility\nassumed by Ali was very difficult and onerous. Various\nreasons and intricate circumstances had made Ali face\nmany difficulties which could not be overcome easily. The\nworld of that time was topsy turvy, the conditions were\nrevolutionary and the events were frightening and the\nresponsibilities of Ali were so great and burdensome that\nthe caliphate and the religion of Islam depended on them.\nBy solving these problems and overcoming these difficulties\nAli performed a task which made his qualities known to\nthe world. The world came to know how mindful he was\nof public rights, how determined he was to promote\nindividual and collective virtues, and with what patience\nand perseverance he achieved his objects.\nAli's difficulties were just like the difficulties\nexperienctd by the prophet when he made known to\nQuraysh that he had been appointed to the prophetic\nmission and they had turned against him. On the one\nside there was truth and justice and equity and equality,\nand on the other side there was treachery, profiteering\nand egotism. The prophet wanted to introduce truth,\njustice, equity and equality whereas the Quraysh were bent\nupon practising treachery, profiteering and egotism.\nAli had also to face a similar difficulty. However,\nit was viewed to be a difficulty by others. So far as Ali\nwas concerned even the greatest difficulty could not make\nhim deviate from his object. If another person possesses\nthe strength and perseverance which Almighty God had\ngiven to Ali every difficulty will become easy for him\nas well. What was intolerable for Ali was that he should\nsit in seclusion and not enforce equity and justice - that\nhe should crush the spirit of freedom and not sow the\nseeds of virtue.\nThe prophet blew a voice in the ears of Abu Suffyan,\n\fAbu Lahab, Umm Jamil, Hind - the liver-eater, and the\nQuraysh tradesmen, on account of which the foundations\nof their plans were demolished, their structure was broken\nand their roofs came down on the ground. However,\nthis very voice was a good tidings and a message of happi-\nness for the Muslims and the helpless people. He said to\nAbu Talib: \"Dear Uncle! Even if these people place the\nsun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand so\nthat I may abandon the invitation to Islam I shall not do\nso till Almighty God makes this religion victorious or I lay\ndown my life\".\nOne day the elders of Quraysh said to Muhammad:\n\"If you have introduced this new religion in order to\naccumulate wealth we shall place so much wealth at your\ndisposal that you will become the richest person amongst\nus. If your object is to acquire high position, we are\nprepared to acknowledge you to be our chief. And if you\nwant to become a king we are ready to accept you as our\nking\". He said in reply: \"My object in inviting people to\nIslam is not to acquire wealth or position, nor am I desirous\nof becoming your king. I extend this invitation because\nGod has sent me to you in the capacity of a prophet and\nhas revealed the Book to me. He has ordered me to warn\nyou of His torture and to give you good tidings of Paradise.\nI have conveyed God's message to you. If you accept it\nyou will be prosperous in this world as well as in the\nHereafter, and if you reject it I shall remain patient till\nGod gives His judgement about you and myself\".\nWhat did Ali do? What was his attitude towards the\nson of Abu Sufyan and Hind, the liver-eater, and towards\nthe traders, who bought and sold positions and offices,\nand towards the soldiery, who blindly sacrificed their\nlives for the benefit of others, and towards those, who\nhad sold their religion and beliefs at the hands of falsehood.\nAli also blew a voice in their ears which demolished the\nfoundations of their designs, and made their structures\nand roofs collapse. And this very voice became the good\nnews of happiness and message of comfort for the righteous\nand pious persons. He said: \"Your powerful are weak and\nyour weak are powerful. So long as the stars revolve in the\nsky I shall not at all give a judgement opposed to justice.\nBy God I shall do justice so far as the oppressor and the\noppressed persons are concerned. I shall put a cavessor in\n\fthe nose of the oppressor and pull him towards truth even\nif he may dislike it most. I swear by God that I admit the\ntruth before any evidence is given against me. I do not care\nwhether I myself am walking -towards death or death is\ncoming towards me\".\nOne day some persons said to Ali \"We are respectable\nmembers of the community\". He said to them: \"An abject\nperson is respectable in my eyes till I recover his right and\nthe respectable person is weak in my eyes till I recover the\nright (of the weak person) from him\".\nWe shall now examine how far Ali put these words\nof his into practice and how he dealt with the people.\n\f Poverty and its consequences\nAli looked at the world intently. He looked at every\naspect of it without any exception. He kept the individual\nas well as the collective rights of the people in mind and\ndid not ignore anything. He invited the people to look\nat the beauty of the world and the wonders of creation\nand simultaneously informed the individuals as well as\nthe society of their rights so that they might acquire the\ngreatest bliss and prosperity. He explained the rights of\nthe individuals and the society so that the individuals\nshould help one another by mutual co-operation and\nendeavour for the permanence and prosperity of the society\nand may benefit from it in their individual capacity.\nMan is composed of three things viz. spirit, body and\nsentiments. Body is the material part of man. It also\nenjoys a right which must be respected.\nAli whose efforts were centred on the refinement\nof the self and good morals also endeavoured to lay the\nfoundation of the society on equity and justice and to\nenact just laws for the material and worldly life of man.\nIt was also the object of Ali to guide the people\nto the purity of heart and the acquisition of good conduct,\nand to nurture and train their conscience in such a way\nthat they might shun bad habits of their own accord and\nadorn themselves with good qualities. However, it is not\npossible to develop good habits until one has food to eat\nand dress to wear and the people cannot acquire means\nof livelihood until justice prevails. Hence the program\nof reformation and refinement should commence with\nthe provision of necessities of life like food, dress etc. The\npeople can become interested in the refinement of self\nand good morals only after these necessities have been\nprovided. This was the object of desire of Ali before\nas well as after he attained to caliphate.\nHow can a labourer, who works hard throughout\nthe day, enjoy the sceneries of the world and ponder\nover the signs of the Might of God when he does not\nget his full wages and is exploited by the profiteers and\nthe money-lenders? How can he become inclined to virtues\nand good morals when he is fed up with his very life?\n\fHow can those helpless persons understand the\nmeaning of refinement of self who weep when whipped\nby their rulers and consider their lives useless - whose very\nlives are owned by the rulers, who are expected to serve\nand assist them but who actually exploit them?\nThere are many indigent persons who do not possess\neven a penny. However, the collector of revenue confiscates\nwhatever property they possess so as to fill the treasures\nof the pleasure loving rulers. They do not have even a\nloaf of bread to eat and their lives and property are also\nnot safe. However, if they utter even a word against the\nrulers their very lives become subjected to trouble. How\ncan such poor people reflect over the secrets and mysteries\nof the universe and make efforts to refine their conduct?\nWhen indigence has estranged a person from every goodness\nand has destroyed his peace of mind, and he has lost\ninterest in everything, and tyrants have tied his hands and\nfeet, and it is not at all possible for him to regain freedom,\nhow is it possible for him to be truthful, pure-hearted and\nvirtuous, and to be free from envy and grudge, and not to\ndeviate from the path of goodness and piety?\nWhen hunger has inflamed a fire in the heart of a\nperson which consumes every drop of his blood and\neliminate his faith, how can he enjoy life, and believe\nin the justice of the people, sympathize with his brothers,\nand live kindly with his kinsmen and relatives?\nHow can a person love others when his hands and feet\nare tied with inferiority complex and servitude, and when\nhe has no interest left in life and considers it to be useless?\nA person who does not have anything to eat cannot\npossess the qualities of goodness and piety, because food\nis the first support for every class and the means of peace\nof mind. It is food which enables a person to reflect,\nand makes him adopt good morals, and show good\nbehaviour towards others.\nFreedom from indigence is the thing which extricates\nman from abjectness and affliction and elevates him to the\ntop of prosperity. Indigence slackens human sentiments.\nPoor and helpless persons consider themselves to be\nstrangers in their own city. They feel that their city is not\ntheir city and their relatives are not their relatives and they\nthemselves are good-for-nothing.\nAs the indigent and needy persons do not consider\n\fthemselves to be fit for good deeds and excellent qualities,\nthey can get rid of this inferiority complex only when\nthey become safe from poverty. Only at that time can\nthey believe that they too can become good citizens and\ncan free their hearts from the feelings of envy and grudge.\nThere were some hypocrites who used to say that\nthe only means of maintaing law and order was that the\npeople should remain divided into two groups - those who\nwere satiated, and those who were hungry. According to\nthem it was not necessary for the satiated to submit before\nthe exigencies of life - the life which is loved by all - nor\nwas it necessary for them to desire any change in their own\ncondition or that of others. They wanted that status might\nbe maintained in the world. According to these hypocrites\nthe hungry were also not entitled to claim their usurped\nright nor could they cry for the loaf which had been\nsnatched away from them and placed on the dinner table\nof the capitalists.\nIf a hungry person claimed his rights and protested\nagainst bread being pulled out of the mouth of his children,\nhe was styled to be an infidel and a mischief-monger, who\ndisturbed the people leading a peaceful life.\nThese hypocrites resorted to new devices every now\nand then to protect the means of their lives of enjoyment\nand pleasure and to keep the indigent persons enslaved.\nThey used various weapons in the remote as well as the\nnear past, to achieve these ends. Their main weapon was\nthe wrong interpretation of the religious orders. This policy\nhas not been peculiar to the Muslims. It has been adopted\nby all hypocrites claiming to profess Buddhism, Judaism,\nChristianity or Islam.\nThe most simple weapon, of which the hypocrites\ntook advantage, was their claim that the prophets have\ninvited the people to abstemiousness, insisted upon forsaking\nworldly pleasures and affluence, preferred indigence\nand poverty, and encouraged the life of contentment and\ninaction instead of making any effort. 1\nThe hypocrites give much publicity to their above-\nmentioned views and desire that the common man should\naccept them as correct, so that others may remain deprived,\nand they themselves may continue to be rich and may\nenjoy the pleasures of life.\nIt is necessary that to counteract their false propaganda\n\fwe should clarify the true position. It is only by doing\nso that we can find out the foundation on which the\npolicies of Ali and the orders given by him were based.\nIt is true that the world was removed from under\nthe feet of Muhammad and spread under the feet of\nothers. All the worldly pleasures and adornments were\nprohibited for him. He was an extremely abstemious\nperson. He never ate his fill and whatever food he ate was\nnot very rich. He left the world in the manner as mentioned\nby Abu Zar: \"The prophet never ate two kinds of food\nduring one day. When he ate dates he did not eat bread.\nOften it so happened that food was not cooked in his\nhouse for many months consecutively\".\nIt is also true that Ali considered only two sheets\nof cloth to be sufficient for himself and also contented\nhimself with only two loaves of bread per day. His house\nalso resembled the house of the poor people. The instances\nof his abstemiousness and contentment are numerous and\nso well known that it is not necessary to recount them here.\nIt is also true that his companions like Abu Zar\ncontented himself with dry barley bread. He as well as the\nmembers of his family ate such bread and were quite\nhappy and contented with it.\nAll these things are true and correct. However, there\nis something else also which is also correct. All of them\nwere responsible for the education and guidance of the\npeople and held the high office of `guide' and `leader'.\nRealizing the responsibility attached to their office they\nconsidered a very small quantity of food and other\nnecessities to be sufficient for themselves and remained\ncontented. However, every person cannot be like them and\ncannot endure the hardships which were endured by them,\nnor can that light, which illuminated their hearts and made\nthem active, kindle in every heart. Furthermore, they were\nso much concerned about the welfare of their followers\nthat they did not pay much heed to their own food, dress\nand comfort. 2\nThose, who have studied the lives of these leaders\nof the world, must have realized in the very first instance\nthat they were the standard-bearers of revolution, and\ntheir objects were associated with the revolution. What-\never they did was for the welfare of the people and they\ndid it with the help of the people. In order to make the\n\frevolution successful they adopted the methods which\nwere suited to their country. Some of the leaders of the\nrevolution were those who were killed, for example Ali\nson of Abu Talib and some were those, whom the enemies\ncould do no harm, for example the prophet Muhammad.\nIt was not possible for the leaders of the revolution\nto live a life of luxury and pleasure, because the nature\nof the revolution did not permit them to do so. Peace\nof mind is a pre-requisite for a life of pleasure and such\npeace of mind was not enjoyed by these leaders.\nThe second thing is this that the first target of the\nenemies of revolution is the leader of the revolution.\nUntil and unless the revolution suceeds his life remains\nconstantly in danger, and he remains subjected to\noppression and persecution. Now how can it be possible\nfor a man, whose life is constantly in danger, to enjoy\nthe worldly bounties and pleasures? This can be possible\nfor him only if his revolution succeeds or he abandons\nthe revolution.\nHowever, it is also a fact that the leaders of the\nrevolution were free to lead the type of life they liked\nand to be contented with such necessities of life as they\nconsidered to be sufficient. None could object to their\nselecting or not selecting a particular thing for themselves.\nThey had themselves adopted the life of abstemiousness and\ncontentment, but had not compelled others to adopt it.\nBesides all other things, was Jesus Christ not accused\nby the Romans of instigating the people to rise against\nKaiser, and stopping them from paying him the taxes, as a\nconsequence of which he (Christ) was tried and sentenced\nto death?\nWhy did Christ stop the people from paying the\ntaxes to the Kaiser? Was it not on account of the bread\nwhich Kaiser and his officials snatched away from the\nindigent, the hungry and the orphans? Did not the Jewish\npriests of Jerusalem tell the representative of Kaiser in\norder to support the Kaiser's system of government accord-\ning to which the poor were exploited and the capitalists\nbecame rich that if he did not crucify Jesus Christ he was\nnot a friend of the Kaiser?\nIt was Muhammad, the brother of Christ who rose\nagainst the oppressive society of that time, wherein there\nwas a great friction between the oppressors and the\n\foppressed. The Qur'an addresses the people through\nhim in these words: \"Walk on the earth and eat and drink\nwhat has been provided to you by God\"\nHere the people have been directed to eat and drink\nbecause life depends on these acts. This direction has been\ngiven to all the people and not to a particular class. Every\nperson is entitled to work and earn his livelihood.\nOn another occasion it has been said: \"Man should\nhave a look on his food, We sent rains from the heavens,\nsplit the earth, sowed the seeds in it and made the vine and\nsugar-cane and olive and date trees grow from it. We created\ngreen gardens and fresh fruits\".\nThere is a hadith of the prophet wherein he has\nbeen reported to have said: \"There are three things in\nwhich the people have equal shares - water, vegetation\nand fire\".\nEvery person has an equal share in the water which\nGod sends down from above, or lets flow on the earth.\nHowever, if a person digs a canal to procure water or\nstocks water, others are not entitled to take that water\nfrom him, because he has a prior right over it. Similarly\nthe vegetation, which grows naturally and none is entitled\nto appropriate it to himself to the exclusion of others.\nSimilarly if a person kindles fire he cannot deprive another\nperson of it, because if some one lights his lamp with\nthat fire it will not diminish.\nDuring the age of ignorance it was the custom that\nthe chief or the ruler appropriated to himself any piece\nof land he liked for grazing his camels and other animals.\nThe animals belonging to other persons were not permitted\nto enter or graze in that area. His own animals could,\nhowever, graze in the common land utilized by all other\npeople. This was one of the oppressive methods which\nwere adopted during that age. The prophet abolished\nthis tyrannical custom along with many others.\nThe prophet paid full wages to the labourers and also\ndirected others to follow his example so that there might\nnot remain any needy and poor person in the society. As\nand when revenue money was received by him from some\nplace he distributed the share of his companions amongst\nthem in the first instance and gave his daughter Fatima her\nshare afterwards. His intention in doing so was that the\nneeds of the common people should be met first.\n\fWe do not wish to dilate upon here on the subject of\nthe attitude of Muhammad in the matter of wealth and\nindigence. We have already mentioned in detail in a previous\nchapter how Islam has encouraged the people to do useful\nwork so that no needy person may remain in the society\nso much so that in Islam a useful work is more commend-\nable than recommended prayers and fasting.\nProphet Muhammad who did not like poverty and\ndependence on others has been reported to have said: \"It\nis likely that indigence may change into blasphemy\".\nIn a subsequent chapter we shall explain how the\nfar-sighted prophet of Islam understood innumerable\nsecrets and mysteries related to the society and how he\nencouraged the people to make their lives happy.\nAbu Zar Ghaffari was an abstemious and contented\nperson who did not care much for worldly comforts.\nAlthough he chose to lead an insipid life, he put up a\nsevere and serious fight against indigence, and laid down\nhis life while campaigning in support of the rights of the\npeople. The following sentence uttered by him is very\nattractive: \"When indigence proceeds to a city blasphemy\nrequests for its company\".\nThe Umayyads and the latter rulers made their best\nendeavours for the continuance of their power and\nauthority. To achieve this purpose they instigated their\nassociates and employees to narrate forged traditions\nattributing them to the prophet so that they might be\nhelpful for exploiting the people and keeping them\nenslaved. 3 Their proteges, therefore coined and narrated\nmany new traditions wherein the people were advised to\nremain patient, bear the oppression by the rulers and\ncarry out their orders indisputably.\nThe second question is that if these remarks of the\nprophet are genuine from the historical point of view why\ndid the companions acted against them at the time of his\ndeath when there was a dispute about the caliphate,\nsuccession and inheritance?\nFurthermore, why were these traditions not put forth\nand the people advised to remain patient when there\nwas a dispute about those, who declined to pay zakat,\nbeing declared apostates or not, and also when the caliph\nUthman was attacked and the people wanted to kill him?\nAyesha was the favourite wife of the prophet and\n\fremembered many traditions by heart. Talha and Zubayr\nwere also the close companions of the prophet and had\nbeen given the good tidings that they would go to Paradise.\nWhy did these persons not recollect these traditions and\nwhy did they revolt against Ali?\nFurthermore the traditions are directly opposed to\nmany Quranic verses and authentic traditions and they\nhave no relationship with the nature of the prophet and\nIslamic philosophy. For example: It has been said in Surah\nal-Baqarah: \"Fight in the path of God and remember that\nHe is the Hearer, the Knower\".\nIn Surah al-Ma'ida the Qur'an says: \"The punishment\nfor those who fight against the prophet of God and create\nmischief in the world is that they should be killed or\nhanged or their hands and feet should be cut off\".\nIn Surah al-Mujadilah it is said: \"You will not see\nthose who believe in God and the Day of Judgment be\nfriending the enemies of God and His prophet even though\nthey may be their fathers, sons, brothers or kinsmen\".\nIn Surah al-Mumtahinah it has been said: \"O You\nwho believe! Do not befriend those who have become\nsubjected to the wrath of God\"\nThese are some Qur'anic verses which are clearly\nopposed to the aforesaid forged traditions. Now we quote\nbelow some traditions which are opposed to them.\nImam Muslim quotes from Abdullah son of Mas'ud\non different authorities that the prophet said: \"Amongst\nthe followers of the prophets, who were appointed to the\nprophetic missions, they were their apostles and companions,\nwho followed the traditions and orders of the\nprophet concerned. These apostles and companions were\nsucceeded by persons, who said one thing and did another\nthing, and performed acts which were not allowed.\nWhoever fights against such persons with his hands, tongue\nor heart is a believer\". (Sahih Muslim, Vol.1)\nAhu Sa'id Khadri has been quoted to have said that\nhe keard the prophet saying: \"Whoever sees such persons\ncommitting indecent acts should stop them with his hands.\nIf he cannot stop them with his hands he should stop them\nwith his tongue. And if he cannot do even that he should\ncondemn them in his heart. And this is the lowest stage\nof faith\". (Futuhat al-Zahabiya)\nIn short whoever has studied the lives of the prophets\n\fcarefully knows that they disliked indigence and warned\nof Hell-fire those hypocrites, who invited the people\ntowards poverty. If it had not been so the capitalists would\nnot have been enemies of these prophets and the weak and\nhelpless persons would not have gathered around them.\nThe sayings of the ancient sages of Arabia go to show\nthat they knew well that the actions of a person in his\nindividual capacity have a close relationship with the\nsystem of the society. They were well aware that the\navailability of the means of livelihood has a great effect\non the purity of the disposition, morality and habits of\nman. The contentment which is commendable does not\nmean that man should do nothing and should be concerned\nonly with self-indulgence, which brings about indigence,\ndestroys good habits and eliminates faith.\nIt is also not right to say that man's entire attention\nshould be directed towards the training of his soul and\nthe body should be neglected, because obedience to law\nis not possible when one's belly is empty. It is only great\nmen who remain patient like Abu Zar, even if they are\nindigent, and every person does not possess the patience\nand perseverance which was peculiar to Abu Zar. According\nto Sa'adi of Shiraz the prophet's remark: \"Indigence is a\nmatter of pride for man\" refers to those people who were\nchampions of the field of obedience to God and Divine\npleasure and not to the poverty of those who wear the\ndress of righteous men and take food regularly at the\nexpense of others. And the sentence: `Contentment is an\nunlimited treasure' has not been uttered for the idle\npersons who do nothing. It has in fact been uttered with\nreference to those covetous wealthy persons and unjust\nrulers who are not contented with anything and are not\nsatisfied even if all the bounties of the world are placed at\ntheir disposal.\nThe entire life of Ali was spent in improving the\ncondition of the people and relieving them of need and\nindigence. As we shall explain later this was the very\nbasis of his government. Ali himself was the greatest\nabstemious person, who was free from all worldly taints.\nHowever, he did not at all like that others too should\nremain contented with poverty. If it had not been so\nhe would not have started a campaign against the rich\nand powerful persons, and against those, who usurped\n\fthe property acquired by them unlawfully, and distributed\nit amongst the poor and the needy.\nTha`labi narrates an incident in these words: \"One\nday during my childhood I went to the ground of Rahba in\nKufa. There I saw Ali standing on two heaps of gold and\nsilver. Later he began distributing that wealth and distri-\nbuted all of it. Then he returned home in such a condition\nthat he did not take anything with himself. The same Ali\nwho did not take anything out of the said wealth says\naddressing the people: \"Remain busy for your worldly\nprofit in the same way as if you had to stay in this world\npermanently\".\nNothing was more important in the eyes of Ali than\neliminating the indigence of the people. In this connection\nhe has made an explicit statement which cannot be\nexplained away in any other manner. He says: \"If you\ncontinue to walk on the highway of truth the paths will\nwelcome you and none of you will get involved in\nindigence\".\nBesides attacking the ways and manners followed\nby the Arabs during the age of ignorance he also criticized\ntheir derwish-like contentment. He says: \"O Arabs!\nYou lived in hard stones, drank turbid water and ate rotten\nfood like the indigent persons\".\nAli's words show that it was not that he disliked\ndelicious food, fine clothes and a magnificent house,\nwhat he did not like was that he himself should lead a\ncomfortable life whereas others might not be possessing\nthose facilities. His explicit remarks show that it was his\nearnest desires that every person should have sufficient\nmeans of livelihood at his disposal. Ali was the leader\nof the people and it is the duty of a leader to lead as\nhard a life as his followers do, till indigence in the society\nis eliminated. When there is no indigent person left in\nthe society the indigence of the leader too will necessarily\ncome to an end. His way of living will be similar to that\nof the other people, because failing that leadership and\nchiefdom will become meaningless, Ali says: \"Should\nI content myself with this that people call me the Com-\nmander of the Faithful and that I should not participate\nwith them in the matter of the abominable things of the\ntime?\" By the `abominable things' he meant the hardship\nof poverty.\n\fAli did not allow his daughter to adorn herself with\npearl as the daughters of many others were not in a\nposition to adorn themselves in this manner. As has been\nmentioned in the foregoing pages he ordered her emphati\ncally to return the pearl necklace to the treasury saying:\n\"O daughter of the son of Abu Talib! Do not deviate from\nthe right path. Do all the women of the Muhajirs and\nthe Ansar adorn themselves on Eid day in this manner?\"\nHe said \"all the women\" and not \"the women of the\nnobility\".\nWhen Ali attained to the caliphate the first thing\nwhich he did was this that he endeavoured to do away\nwith the poverty of the people. And this was what Ali\nought to have done, because he knew fully well that\nthough man has to suffer many hardships, indigence is the\ngreatest calamity for him. It was he who uttered these\nwords: \"God has not involved man in any hardship which\nmay be greater than indigence\". This sentence shows\nfirstly that he considered the removal of the indigence\nof the people to be absolutely necessary and secondly\nthat he had made a perfectly correct assessment of the\ncondition and circumstances of the people and the\noutcome thereof.\nSome persons have praised indigence much and have\ninvited the people towards it. However, their thinking\nis not correct. Ali campaigned against indigence in the\nsame manner in which the prophet and Abu Zar Ghiffari,\nthe great revolutionary and foremost among Ali's suppor-\nters, and the victim of the tyrant Ummayyads, campaigned\nagainst it.\nThe prophet as well as Ali and Abu Zar knew that\nindigence destroys every quality so much so that it becomes\nthe cause of blasphemy on the part of the pious believers.\nIt was for this reason that Ali fought against it on every\noccasion and humiliated those who invited the people\ntowards it. According to the belief of Ali indigence makes\na wise person deaf and dumb. It is on account of indigence\nthat the inhabitants of the same city become strangers and\neven enemies of one another. There is no doubt about the\nfact that death is a great calamity but inidgence is worse\nthan death. Ali says: \"Indigence is the greatest death\".\nThis is the sentence which Ali uttered against\nindigence and against those who preached indigence\n\fwhich pulls down the edifice of their falsehood and\ndeceit: \"If indigence comes before me in the form of a\nhuman being I shall kill it\".\nIn the eyes of Ali the human society is like a body\nwhich is not composed of antithetical elements nor its\nsystem based on discrimination in the matter of rights\nand liabilities, so that some persons may do whatever\nthey like without there being anyone to restrain them,\nand others should be helpless without there being anyone\nto assist them.\nIn the society which was liked by Ali it was not per\nmissible that one group should grow fat and the other\nshould be reduced to a skeleton or that one group should\nwork and the other group should reap the benefits.\nAlthough Ali was a great spiritual person whose\nattention was always directed towards God there did not\npass even a day when he might have been unmindful of\nthe affairs of the people, or might have ignored even their\nmost trivial matters, because he considered man to be the\nbest specimen of the most excellent creation. He looked\nat the world and its inhabitants exactly in the same manner\nin which the prophet looked at them.\nThe Qur'an says: \"We have made the night to serve as\na dress and the day for earning livelihood\".\nHe made this divine revelation the basis for centralizing\nhis attention on the human society. He revived the\nsocial laws and remained busy in correcting and improving\nthem so that a lucky and prosperous society might come\ninto being. He utilized his sermons and recommendations\non their proper occasions and informed the people of their\nduties and responsibilities.\nAli was most anxious to enforce equity and justice.\nHis main object was that justice should be established.\nAfter he attained to the caliphate some persons came to\ncongratulate him and found him busy in mending his\nshoes. He said to them: \"If I cannot establish truth and\nannihilate falsehood these shoes of mine would be more\ndear to me than the rulership\".\nHe always desired those pious persons, who were\nanxious for the Hereafter, to serve the public to gain the\nbounties of the next world. He said: \"Only that person,\nwho works for the welfare of the people, will be prosperous\nin the Hereafter. And the best things which can be done in\n\fconnection with public welfare are these: to feed the\nhungry; to provide water to the thirsty; to provide dress to\nthose who do not have it; to inform the people of their\nrights and duties; and to protect the rights of others\".\nOne day the Commander of the Faithful paid a visit\nto one of his companions named 'Ala son of Ziad Harasi.\nWhen he saw how spacious his house was he said to him:\n\"Of what use to you is the speciousness of this house\nin this world, when you stand more in need of a spacious\nhouse in the Hereafter where you have to live eternally.\nOf course, if you also desire a spacious house in the\nHereafter you should entertain guests in this house, behave\nwell with your kinsmen and pay the rights of others on\nappropriate occasions. If you do so you will be successful\nin the next world\".\nWhile explaining the importance of fasting and\nprayers he said to Kumail son of Ziad: \"O Kumail! It is\nnot important that you should offer prayers, observe fast\nand pay Zakat. What is important is that you should offer\nprayers with a pure heart and in accordance with the desire\nof God\".\nEven before the Hereafter he was so anxious about\nthe life of the people in this world that inspite of his\nbeing the caliph he went to the Bazars of Kufa as a matter\nof daily routine, stopped at every shop and said: \"O merchants!\nFear God. Seek proximity to the customers. Adorn\nyourselves with the forbearance. Don't swear. Don't tell\nlies. Avoid injustice. Be just to the oppressed and weigh\nand measure properly. Don't give the people lesser than\ntheir due. Don't spread corruption in the world\".\nNauf Bukali has been reported to have said: \"I went\nand saw the Commander of the Faithful in the Masjid of\nKufa. I saluted him and he replied to the salutation. I said:\n\"O Commander of the Faithful! Give me a piece of advice\".\nHe said: \"Be good to the people and God will do good to\nyou\". I requested him to say something more. He said:\n\"Nauf! If you wish to be with me on the Day ofjudgement\nyou must not help the oppressors.\nIn short the central point of the policy of Ali was\nservice of mankind, meeting their needs and eliminatation\nof injustice. Once the prophet looked at him and\nsaid: \"O Ali! God has adorned you with an adornment\nwhich is the best adornment in His eyes. He has endowed\n\fyou with love for the weak. May it be pleasing to you\nthat they should be your followers and happy and satisfied\non account of your being their Imam\".\n\n\n1 As much has been said about the excellence of the renouncement\nof the world and piety it is possible that some persons may\nthink that the acquisition of worldly things is totally prohibited in\nIslam. It is, therefore, necessary to clarify that there are different\nstages of piety and the duties and responsibilities of the prophets,\nsaints and the other chosen servants of God are also different from\nthe common people. So far as the common people are concerned the\ndefinition and the limits of piety recommended to them have also\nbeen specified clearly. Imam Ali said: \"The essence of piety has been\nmentioned in the Qur'an in two sentences. Almighty God has said:\n\"You may not grieve for what you have missed, nor rejoice in what\nGod has given you\". By following this verse one attains perfect piety\".\nGod says: \"O you who believe! Do not make unlawful for\nyourselves the things which God has made lawful for you, and do\nnot transgress the limits. God does not like those who transgress\".\nGod also says: \"(O Prophet!) Ask them as to who has made\nunlawful the ornamental things and the pure edibles which God has\ncreated for his slaves ?\"\nThe verses quoted above go to show that just as it is not\npermissible to treat lawful the things which God has declared\nunlawful, it is not permissible to treat unlawful - the pure things\nand means of adornment declared lawful by God, and it is also not\nallowed to make a vow not to use lawful things. Such a vow is not\nenforceable in religious law.\nImam Ali says: \"Piety in the world means diminishing one's\ndesire, thanking God for His blessings and abstaining from things\nmade unlawful by God\". (Jame` al-Sa`adat)\nAli says: \"Piety in the world does not mean that property\nshould be destroyed or lawful things should be treated to be\nunlawful. On the contrary it means that you should not depend\nmore on the worldly things which you possess as compared with that\nwhich is with God\". (jame' al-Sa'adat)\nAli also says: \"If one acquires possession of everything on\nearth and his object by doing so is to acquire the pleasure of God\nhe is a pious person, and if he forsakes the entire world but his\nobject in doing so is not divine pleasure, he is not pious\".\nSome one asked Imam Ali: \"What is piety?\" He replied: \"To\navoid unlawful things of the world\". In short the goodness or\n\fbadness of worldly things depends on one's intention. If the inten-\ntion is good and the worldly things are acquired to serve as means of\nhappiness in the Hereafter, one's action is praiseworthy, otherwise it\ndeserves to be condemned.\n\n2 In order to keep the morals and mentality of the indigent\npersons high the representatives of the Islamic government have been\ndirected to lead simple lives. They should keep themselves at the\nlevel of the indigent and associate freely with them as was the\nmethod of the prophet.\nIt has been reported in connection with the ways and manners\nof the prophet that he said: \"I shall not abandon five things till my\ndeath viz. taking meals along with the slaves, sitting on earth,\nmilking the sheep with my own hands, wearing woolen clothes,\nand saluting the children, so that it should become a general\ntradition after me\".\nImam Ali has said: \"God has made me the Imam of the people\nand has made it obligatory for me to reduce my personal comfort\nand food to such an extent that my standard of living should\nbecome equal to that of the indigent, so that the indigent may\nfollow the example of my way of life, and the rich may not become\nrebellious on account of their wealth\".\n\n3 Sometimes Bani Umayyah themselves coined such traditions\nand at other times this task was performed for them by their associate\nor paid ulema. We give below some examples of such forged traditions\nand baseless anecdotes: Imam Bukhari has quoted from\nAbdullah ibn Umar as below from different authorities:\nThe prophet said: \"After me you will soon be faced with\ndistinction without a difference and undesirable acts\". The companions\nenquired: \"O prophet of God! What are your orders for us (in\nsuch circumstances)\". The prophet replied: \"Pay those rulers their\nrights and seek your own rights from God\" (Sahih Bukhari vol.8).\nHe has also quoted lbn Abbas as having said: The prophet\nsaid: \"If a person observes something from his king which he abhors,\nhe should observe patience, because whoever separates from the\nnation even to the extent of a span will die the death of ignorance\".\n(Sahih Bukhari vol.8)\nBukhari has reported on different authorities from Alqama\nbin Wail Hazrami as having said: \"Muslim bin Zaid Jo'fi asked the\nprophet: \"O prophet of God! What are your orders in the event\nof some persons becoming our rulers, who demand their rights from\nus but do not pay our rights? The prophet turned away his face from\n\fhim. Muslima repeated his question. The prophet turned away his\nface from him once again. Muslima asked the same question for the\nthird time. Thereupon Ash'ath bin Qais pulled him and the prophet\nreplied: \"You must bear what they say. Their responsibilities rest\nwith them and your responsibilities rest with you\". (Sahih Bukhari\nvol.2, page 119)\nBukhari has quoted Ajrafa as having said that he heard the\nprophet saying: \"Very soon untoward things will happen. If any\nperson wants to create a split in the nation strike him with a sword,\nwhatever the case maybe\". (Sahih Bukhari Vol.2, p.211)\nBukhari has also reported Abu Sa'id Khudari as saying that the\nprophet said: \"When oath of allegiance for two caliphs has taken\nplace kill the one for whom the oath has been taken later\". (Sahih\nBukhari, vol.2, p.122)\nThere are numerous traditions on the subject and the purport\nof all of them is this that the Muslims must remain obedient to the\ngovernment of the time and should not complain against the king\nhowever tyrannical he may be, because by doing so that will create\nsplit and differences among the Muslims.\nThe gist of all these traditions is given in the following Hadith:\n\"Disturbances will appear soon. During these disturbances one who\nis sitting will be in a better position than the one who is standing,\nand the one who is standing will be in a better position than the one\nwho is walking, and one who is walking will be in a better position\nthan the one who is running. And if at that time a person finds a\nplace of refuge he should go into it\". (Musnad Imam Ahmad,\nvol.2, page 282)\nThe above quoted traditions show that fearing split amongst\nhis followers the prophet insisted upon their remaining faithful to\ntheir rulers even though they might be guilty of unlawful acts. This\nwould mean that the prophet was anxious that the unity of the\nMuslims should be maintained at all cost even though the religion\nbrought by him was destroyed. In that case the first question which\narises is this that if the prophet was so anxious for the unity of the\nMuslims that he preferred it even to the religion of Islam why did he\ncreate a split among the polytheist Arabs by inviting them to Islam?\nThe Arabs were united on the point of polytheism and idol-worship,\nbut he created a rift among them by introducing a new religion.\nHe broke their idols and trampled upon their beliefs although\nthese were the things which they loved most.\n\f Conditions prior to Ali\nBefore we explain what ideas and beliefs Ali held\nabout human brotherhood and how he respected human\nrights it appears necessary to mention what the prophet\ndid for the welfare of humanity, what rules and regulations\nhe enacted, and how far he respected human rights. It is\nnecessary to do so, because Ali's only responsibility was\nto enforce the rules promulgated by the Prophet and to\naccomplish what he had wished. What Ali did was a complement\nof the acts of the prophet and every step taken by\nhim was linked with the steps taken by the prophet.\nThe prophet of Islam paid full attention to the\nmaterial and social conditions of the society. Islam enacted\nrules and regulations for the human society in the same\nmanner in which it enacted them for the individuals.\nIslam attaches so much importance to the human brother-\nhood and society that it treats every national service to be\nan act of worship - rather, national service enjoys\nprecedence over the performance of religious rites. The\nprophet of Islam has said: \"Resolving differences and\ndisputes is better than recommended prayers and fasting\".\nThe following incident shows clearly how much the\nprophet was concerned about the welfare of the nation\nand the society:\nIbn Abdullah says: We (i..e the companions) were\naccompanying the prophet in a journey. Some of us were\nfasting whereas others were not. It was summer season. We\nhalted at a place. No shade was available to us except the\nsheets of cloth which we were carrying. There were many\namongst us who were protecting their faces from sunshine\nwith their hands. Those of us who were not fasting stood\nup and pitched the tents and provided water to the animals.\nThereupon the prophet of Islam said: \"Today those\npersons who are not fasting have appropriated the entire\nspiritual reward to themselves\".\nThis incident shows that fasting which is an important\nmandatory article of worship ceases to be valid during\njourney so that one may not show laxity in economic\nmatters for that reason and may not become incapable of\nserving the creatures of God.\n\fThe prophet has also said: \"When anyone of you sees\nan indecent thing being done he should stop it with his\nhands and if he cannot do so he should stop it with his\ntongue. And if he cannot stop it with his tongue he should\ncondemn it in his heart. And this (i.e. the third alternative)\nis the weakest stage of faith\".\n'Ordering to do good and restraining from evil'\nis such an explicit order in Islam that by its means every\nsort of good can be done to others, and all types of evil\ncan be eliminated. There are many traditions quoted\nfrom the prophet which go to show that whoever renders\nany service to the nation is superior to a devout person.\nThis is about common persons who render service to\nthe nation. In case, however, one, who renders such\nservice, is also a scholar, he will no doubt be superior to\nmillions of devout persons in the eyes of the prophet\njust as the moon is superior to millions of stars.\nThe prophet of Islam has said: \"A scholar is decidely\nsuperior to a devout person in the same manner in which\nthe moon is superior to the stars\".\nThe prophet has praised wisdom because it is wisdom\nwhich endeavours to find out ways and means for the\nwelfare of the people. One can do good to the people only\nby means of wisdom. The prophet says: \"An hour's\nreflection is better than a year's worship\". (In some\ntraditions it has been said that it is better than seventy\nyears' worship).\nIslam has paid full attention to the welfare of human\nsociety and its unity and order, as well as to its means\nof livelihood, and has drawn the attention of the people\nto the bounties of the earth and the blessings of work.\n\"Almighty God has created all the gifts of the earth for\nyou. The earth has been created for the creatures. It is God\nwho has subjected the earth to you. Walk on its paths and\neat the provisions made available to you by God\".\nIslam has made it obligatory for man to thank others.\nOne can be thankful to God only when one thanks others,\nbecause one who does not recognise the creatures cannot\nrecognise God.\n`One who has not thanked the people has not\nthanked God'.\nThe prophet has praised useful activities very much.\nHe has not contented himself with praising such activities\n\fbut has also treated worth kissing those hands which are\nswollan due to excessive work. He says: \"This is the hand\nwhich is liked by God and His prophet\".\nThe following narration goes to show how great the\nprophet considered the useful tasks and the measures\nof public welfare:\nThe companions of the prophet saw a well-built man\nand wished that he might have spent his strength by way\nof jihad in the path of God. Thereupon the prophet said:\n\"If this person has come out to serve his weak and aged\nparents it is a task in the path of God. If he has come out\nto earn for his children this is also a task in the path of\nGod. If he has come out to earn for his wife so as to\nprotect her from illegal things this too is a task in the path\nof God. And if he has come out to earn something for\nhimself so that he may not have to beg is also a task in the\npath of God.\nThe books of Hadith contain many traditions of the\nprophet which show that he appreciated work very much\nand had great regards for those who worked hard. He says:\n\"God likes a believer who works and earns. No food is\nbetter than that earned with one's own efforts\".\nHence, when work is such a valuable thing and is even\nregarded to be holy it is necessary for us to work with\nperseverance. When a person works hard he will benefit\nhimself as well as others. His presence in the society will\nbe considered to be auspicious and God will also like him.\nThe prophet says: \"God likes that when someone of you\ndoes a work he should do it properly\".\nWe have said above that Islam has subjected the earth\nto man. He walks on it and utilises its bounties. The\nquestion however, arises as to what attitude Islam adopted\nin the matter of distribution of these bounties?\nAre all the bounties mean for a particular class to the\nexclusion of others? Is only one group of people entitled\nto benefit from them, and are others to remain deprived?\nOr should they be distributed on the basis of efforts and\nneed? Are these bounties to be collected and stored by the\nkings, the aristocrats, the rich and the usurpers, or should\nthey be divided justly among all persons?\nIslam has looked at humanity with the eye of justice\nand logic and has enacted rational laws for it. It has\nneither deprived anyone of his share nor given him more\n\fthan his due. Every effort carries a reward and it is\nnecessary for the society to honour this reward. A good\nsociety does not allow that a hard worker should starve,\nand an idle person should benefit from the proceeds of the\nthe former's work. Nor does a good society mean that\na worker should not get the reward for his work and an\nidle and good-for-nothing person should usurp all the\nbounties, as happened in the societies of the earlier time\nand as Bani Umayyah endeavoured to do after the advent\nof Islam viz. that they should enslave all others and utilize\ntheir property and play with their lives as they liked. We\nfind that Islam has prohibited extravagance and improper\nadornment, especially in a society in which the majority\nof the people are indigent. Its reason is that if there is\nextravagance and improper adornment on one side there\nwill be poverty and hunger on the other side and also\nbecause none is entitled to usurp the proceeds of the\nefforts of others; and life of pleasure in a poor society\nis possible only when some persons feed themselves on the\nproceeds of the efforts of others.The prophet has treated\nthe houses of the spendthrift persons to be the abodes of\nSatan. He says: \"The houses of the devils are cages which\nhave been covered by the people with silk and brocade\".\nThe Qur'an says: \"There were many cities whose\nresidents were drowned in pleasure. We annihilated them\nand their houses were ruined. None was left to reside there\nexcept a few\".\nAt another place the Qur'an warns the people in a\nvery eloquent manner and says: \"When We wish to destroy\na city We order its pleasur-loving citizens to become\nlibertines (i.e. We provide them the means of the life of\nluxury and pleasure) so that they may become deserving of\nannihilation and then We destroy that city\".\nIslam has prohibited living a life of pleasure and\nextravagance while one lives amongst the indigent, as it\ndisheartens them, and has obstructed all paths leading\ntowards it. Tyranny and oppression by the governors and\nthe officials was one such path. The prophet prohibited\nand declared unlawful hoarding, taking work from the\nlabourers without paying wages, becoming owner of land\nwithout doing anything to develop it, usurping the property\nof others, and other similar acts of oppression. He said\nabout hoarding: \"One who hoards is a sinner\".\n\fThe prophet of Islam warned of terrible torture to\nthose who usurp land and said: \"Almighty God will put a\nchain of the seven layers of land round the neck of a\nperson who usurps the lands of others\".\nHe also said: \"One who usurps the property of others\nwill meet God on the Day of Judgement in such circum-\nstances that He will be annoyed with him\".\nIslam has prohibited all kinds of usury. The Qur'an\nsays about usury: \"O believers! Do not go on consuming\ncompound interest\".\nAt another place it says: \"Allah has allowed business\nand disallowed usury. Usurers have been warned of severe\ntorture, because it is a sort of forced labour and amounts\nto enslaving others\". 1\nJustice means that one should get wages equal to\none's work. If the people do not usurp the property of\nothers and do not hoard the commodities to earn large\nprofit wealth cannot become centred in a few hands.\nIf man and his hard work had been given their due\nimportance in the society, servitude and slavery would\nnot have become current. As opposed to corrupt societies\nin which man's worth was assessed keeping in view his\nwealth Islam has a much higher criterion for assessing the\nworth of man.\nThe worst sin which can be committed in a society\nis this that the government and the profiteers should unite\nto exploit the weak and helpless people. The Qur'an says:\n\"Do not eat one another's property unlawfully nor give\nbribes to the rulers so that you may misappropriate\nwhatever you can out of the property of others, although\nyou know\".\nThe prophet has said: \"No food is better than that\nearned with one's own hands\".\nIn Surah al-Zilzal of the Qur'an it has been said:\n\"Whoever does something evil equal to an atom will see\nits result\".\nIt has been said: \"Every person is pledged to his\nactions\".\nAlthough Islam has acknowledged wealth as personal\nproperty, the Islamic laws have been formulated in such\na way that wealth may not be concentrated in a few hands\nand they may not enjoy all its benefits and humiliate\nothers and subject them to forced labour. The Holy Qur'an\n\fsays: \"So that wealth may not become a plaything in\nthe hands of your rich\".\nThus according to the Qur'an and Hadith the wealth\nbelongs, in the first instance, to the community, and the\nmembers of the community can utilize it according to\ntheir needs and efforts. It is for this reason that usurpation\nof other people's property has been disallowed in Islam\nand hoarding of surplus property has also been prohibited.\nThis was the basis of the prophet's fiscal policy and he set\nexamples in this behalf by his words and actions, which\nmust be followed. 2\nRafa'a bin Zaid was one of the dear companions of\nthe prophet. In one of the battles he was killed with an\narrow. People came to the prophet to condole Rafa'a's\ndeath and said: \"O prophet of God! Rafa'a was lucky. He\ndied a martyr's death. By these words they wanted to\nconsole the prophet, but he was not consoled and said:\n\"Certainly not. The turban which he took out of the\nbooty of Khaybar is still a flame like fire\".\nNotwithstanding the fact that Rafa'a had been killed\nwhile performing jihad the prophet treated him to be a\nsinner because he had taken something very insignificant out\nof public property, of his own accord, although he ought\nto have waited till the property was divided.\nThe attitude adopted by Islam towards the usurpers\nand the profiteers can be judged from the fact that it has\nattached great importance to human life. Only a living\nperson is the spirit of this universe and God has created all\nthings for him. In the circumstances how can he be deprived\nof life and means of livelihood and how can it be possible\nto permit some persons to deprive others of the means of\nlivelihood because of their being stronger than them?\nIn the eyes of the prophet of Islam wealth is meant\nto ensure comfortable life for all human beings. Just as\nhuman beings have equal rights to utilize sunlight and air\nin the same way they have equal rights over the means of\nlife which are the products of sunlight and air and none is\nentitled to deprive others of these benefits.\nThe prophet has said: \"All persons have equal rights\nover three things viz. water, vegetation and fire\". To\nwhichever community a person may belong matters little;\nfor he is entitled to enjoy the fruits of his labour. Every\nmember of human brotherhood is under obligation to help\n\fothers, and all of them must make collective efforts for the\nreformation and improvement of their affairs.\nIt is the duty of human brotherhood to recognize the\nrights of the individuals and give them full freedom to earn\ntheir livelihood so that they may work according to their\ncapabilities and enjoy the proceeds of their labour. It is\nalso necessary for the members of the society to help\nothers and not to make their own freedom an obstacle in\ntheir path. It is neither permissible for the human brother-\nhood to oppress the individuals nor is it permissible for\nthe individuals to harm the brotherhood. It is necessary\nfor the individuals to keep in mind the welfare of others in\nthe same manner in which they take care of their own\nwelfare. The prophet has said: \"Every one of you is a\nguardian and every one of you will be answerable for his\nwards. None is entitled to harm others\". The prophet\nhas explained this point with a very fine example as\nnarrated below:\nSome persons boarded a boat and every one of them\noccupied his seat. In the meantime one of them rose from\nhis seat, picked up an axe and began making a hole at the\nplace which was occupied by him. On others having asked\nhim what he was going to do he replied that it was his seat\nand he was at liberty to do there whatever he liked.\nThereupon others held him by the hands and thus saved\nhim as well as themselves from drowning. If that man had\nbeen left to himself he as well as others would have\nbeen drowned.\nIt is obligatory for every person to prevent evil in\nwhichever form it may be committed, and to make efforts\nto ensure the welfare of the society. The prophet has said:\n\"Whoever sees something evil being done must stop it\".\nThe prophet of Islam explained to his followers\nevery now and then that good morals take birth from\npractical training and not only from verbal recommenda-\ntions and advice. People should be shown kindness practi-\ncally and not only verbally. The prophet did not remain\naloof from the people; he mixed with them freely, heard\npatiently what they said, and served them as all great\npersons do.\nAbu Hurayra says: \"Once I accompanied the prophet\nto the bazar. He purchased some things from a shop-keeper\nand advised him to take only reasonable profit on the\n\fsale of his merchandise, not to hoard things, not to earn\nanything by unlawful means, and not to think that he was\nentitled to comfortable life whereas others were not\".\nAbu Hurayra wanted to carry the things purchased\nby the prophet, but he stopped him from doing so, and\nsaid with a smile: \"Leave the things. Their owner has a\nprior right to carry them\".\nThe prophet always mistrusted the kings and did\nnot give them any position in the society because they are\ncorrupt and also corrupt others. The Almighty God says:\n\"When the kings enter a city they destory it and humiliate\nits respectable persons\".\nOne of the events which shows that the prophet\ndid not like glorification is this that on the day on which\nhis son Ibrahim died a solar eclipse took place. Thereupon\nthe people said that sky was also mourning the death of\nthe prophet's son. When the prophet heard this sentence\nhe addressed the people with these words: \"The sun and\nthe moon are the signs of God. They are not eclipsed\nbecause of the death of any person\".\nThe prophet's teachings consisted of this that one\nshould spend one's life in as simple a manner as possible,\nand there should be no intricacy or formality in it. This\nway of leading life is the basis of Islam. If Islamic problems\nare studied carefully it appears that all the problems have\nemerged from one source which is very deep and covers all\nproblems. That source is simplicity untainted with fraud,\nor deceit or in other words `sincerity with life'.\nOnce the prophet hit a bedouin unintentionally with\na stick. He then insisted that the bedouin should also hit\nhim in the same manner. He mounted the pulpit and said:\n\"Whomsoever I may have hit on his back should take\nrevenge from me and if I have taken the property of\nanyone he should compensate himself out of my property\".\nThe prophet had never hurt anyone. However, what\nhe said was sincerity towards life which he manifested\nin the best manner.\nJust as his life was free from hypocrisy and weakness\nit was also untainted with pride. He mended his own shoes,\nand clothes, milked his goats, helped the members of his\nfamily in household matters, carried bricks along with\nhis companions and tied stones on his belly on account\nof hunger.\n\fThis was sincerity towards life which is confirmed by\nall the narrations quoted above with regard to the prophet.\nAs regards the rulers they have to shoulder so many\nresponsibilities that they have to become the servants of\nthe society and not oppressive and rebellious chiefs or\nthieves or dacoits.\nThe biography of the prophet shows that once the\nresidents of some place complained that the governor\nposted there, had taken presents and gifts from the people.\nHe investigated the matter, and it transpired that the\ncomplaint was true. He was very much annoyed upon this,\nsummoned the governor and asked him: \"Why did you\ntake things to which you were not entitled?\" The governor\nreplied: \"O Prophet of God! Those were presents\".\nThe prophet said: \"Supposing that you had stayed on\nat home would the people have come to give you presents?\"\nHe then ordered the governor to deposit the property\nin question into the public treasury and also removed him\nfrom the office.\nThus the prophet directed the people not to give\nbribes and also told the officer notindulge in such nefarious\nactivities. As he had been appointed the ruler of the people\nhe should have been like a father to them and not like\na robber.\nWhen the prophet was so much annoyed at the\ngovernor accepting presents it can very well be imagined\nhow much he must have been annoyed when wealth was\nlooted and the rights of the people were encroached upon.\nIn Islam a ruler is appointed by the selection, and\nunder the authority of the people 3 and he rules the people\nFrom the Shi'a point of view, since the major occultation of\nMahdi, the Imam of the Age in 329 A.H. no particular person has\nbeen appointed to be the head and leader of the Muslim ummah.\nThat is why in the traditions related to leadership during this period\nonly the general qualities and characteristics required to be possessed\nby a leader have been mentioned. This shows that it is upto the\npeople themselves to choose a person as their leader, having follow-\ning qualities and characteristics: -\n* Faith in God, His revelations and the teachings of His prophet.\n* Integrity, adherence to the laws of Islam, and earnestness\nabout their enforcement.\n* Adequate knowledge of Islam, appropriate to his prominent\nposition.\n\f* Enough competence for holding such a position and freedom\nfrom every defect not in keeping with Islamic leadership.\nHis standard of living being equal to that of the low-income\npeople.\nIn this connection there is enough material in the sermons of\nContinued...\naccording to their wishes. He is always anxious about the\nwelfare of the people. Islam has made it necessary for the\nrulers to consult their subjects in important matters, the\nproper solution whereof is difficult. As the Qur'an says:\n\"They perform their tasks with mutual consultation\".\nThe caliph is not entitled to appropriate the property\nof the people without their consent, nor is he competent\nto make any law, because all the requisite laws are those\nwhich have already been enacted by Islam, and he is\nentitled only to safeguard the lives, property and honour\nof the citizens. It is not permissible for a ruler to neglect\noppressed persons, and not to protect their rights from the\ntransgression of the tyrants. It is also not proper for a ruler\nto wait for the oppressed person to come up to him with a\ncomplaint. On the contrary it is his duty to go and help\nthe oppressed person himself, because it is possible that\nthe oppressed person may not pick up courage to make a\ncomplaint or may not be able to find his way to the ruler.\nIslam has severely reproached an oppressed person who\nsilently bears oppression and humiliation and has said that\nsuch a person is cruel to himself. Islam has commended\none's efforts to defend one's life, property and honour.\nThe prophet has said: \"One who gives up his life\nopposing oppression and tyranny is a martyr\".\nThe prophet has also said: \"If people see a tyrant\ncommitting oppression and do not hold his hand it is likely\nthat all of them may become subjected to Divine torture\".\nIslam has considered all human beings to be the\nbrothers of one another. It has also campaigned against\nreligious fanaticism. The Qur'an says: \"There is no com-\npulsion in the matter of faith\".\n\n(Footnote contd.)\nAli and in the epistles he sent to his officials. In a number of epistles\nit has been emphasized that an administrative officer should be free\nfrom love of money, ignorance, inefficiency, outrage, timidness,\nbribery, and violation of Islamic injunctions and traditions and\n\fshould not be guilty of shedding blood. (For further details see:\n\"Philosophy of Islam\" ISP, 1982).\n118\nIt has put up the most tough fight against family or\ntribal bias. The prophet has said: \"Man is the brother of\nman, whether he likes it or not\".\nThe Qur'an says: \"We have bestowed dignity upon\nhuman beings, provided them with means of transport on\nland and water, given them pure things W eat and given\nthem superiority over many creatures\".\nWhenever the prophet addressed the people his\naddress was meant for all human beings whether Arabs or\nnon-Arabs and whether white, yellow or black. He\naddressed them as kind and sympathetic, brothers of one\nanother joined together with the relationship of humanity\nand irrespective of their nationality etc. If there was any\ndifference between them it was on the basis of good deeds\nand not on account of colour or race.\nThe prophet has said: \"O People! Your lord is One.\nYou have also a common ancestor Adam. No Arab is\nsuperior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an\nArab and similarly no red-coloured person is superior to a\nwhite-coloured person and no white-coloured person is\nsuperior to a red-coloured person. And if a person enjoys\nsuperiority over others it is on account of his piety. Those\nof you who are present should convey this message to\nthose who are absent\".\n\n\n1 There is great difference between usury and trade. The traders\nprocure the provisions from appropriate place at cheaper rates.\nEvery person cannot do this. The traders take these commodities to\nsuitable markets for sale. At times they earn some profit and at\nother times they sustain loss. That is not the case with the usury.\nThe money-lender does not make any efforts, is not contented with\na small profit and does not sustain any loss. Hence the difference\nbetween the two kinds of transactions is evident.\n\n2 Those who have studied the Qur'an are aware that Islam neither\nsupports the condemned capitalism nor the unnatural communist\nsystem. It acknowledges the institution of individual ownership so\nthat every person may make the best use of his capabilities. As only\nlegal restrictions are not sufficient for economic reform Islam has\n\falso endeavoured to attain this object by moral training. This is the\nmain difference between the material systems and Islam. Communism\nbinds our entire existence with law and a as a result thereof we are\nreduced to a machine. Consequently we cannot use our will and\ndetermination and they wear away gradually.\n\n3 This form of government is accepted by all Muslim sects,\nwith the difference that the Shi'a regard it as justified only during\nthe occultation of the Imam of the Age. Otherwise the Shi`a give\npreference to those who were appointed or designated by the\nprophet and the Imams. But according to the Sunnis immediately\non the death of the prophet, this form became the only right form\nof the government.\n\f Ruler is one of tbe people\nBefore Ali attained to the caliphate it was likely that\nthe Umayyad governments might be converted into\nkingship - rather it had already been so converted. The\nrulers and other persons at the helm of affairs were of the\nview that the caliphate was their special right and only\nthey were entitled to it on account of their belonging to a\nnoble family. In order to strengthen their hold and establish\na firm government they considered all unlawful acts like\ntribal bias, formation of groups, bribes etc. to be lawful.\nAccording to them a ruler was the master of the lives,\nproperty and honour of the ruled and could exploit them\nin any manner he liked, without the oppressed persons\nhaving any right of protest. They viewed the common\npeople as quadrupeds whom they could load with the\nheaviest burden and beat as much as they wished.\nDuring the time of Uthman the Umayyad governors\ngot an opportunity of despotic rule and they availed of\nit to their heart's content. They endeavoured to strengthen\nthe Umayyad rule in all parts of the Islamic territories.\nThey bribed the Shaykhs and dignitaries of the Arabian\ntribes heavily to win their support. They also gave full\nfreedom to the persons in position to oppress the common\nman in any manner they liked.\nThey also bought the armed forces by giving them\nexcessive wealth and promising them high offices. And in\nfact the people could not oppose them because whoever\nsided with them was honoured, and whoever bpposed\nthem was condemned and disgraced.\nIn short the government was established on new\n120\nprinciples. This was done by Bani Umayyah whose hearts\nhad not sincerely acknowledged Islam. They embraced\nIslam owing to fear and continued to remain within its\nfold on account of their avarice for riches. History shows\nthat these people remained after embracing Islam as they\nwere during the age of ignorance. The distinguished\ncompanions of the prophet who managed the affairs\npreviously were discarded and disgraced. 1 They were held\nto be of no consequence now.\n\fOf course, those companions who co-operated with\nBani Umayyah to destroy the rights of the Muslims and to\nstrengthen the Umayyad government were exalted. These\npersons handed over the keys of the public treasury and\nthe sword of government to Bani Umayyah to make the\npeople obedient to them. The public was also divided into\ntwo groups. One group consisted of pious persons who\nwere the well-wishers of the society. They wanted a just\nruler, although he might not endow riches on them and\nmight not let them plunder the wealth of the public\ntreasury. The second group had deviated from the right\npath. They wanted to sell their faith to Bani Umayyah\nat the price fixed by them. If Bani Umayyah paid that\nprice well and good, otherwise they intended to dilly-\ndally till the price demanded by them was paid.\nWhen Ali, the Commander of the Faithful attained to\nthe caliphate the conditions were very precarious. The\npeople were divided into two groups. The persons\nbelonging to one of those groups were prepared to lay\ndown their lives in support of the pious and just Imam.\nThe other group supported Bani Umayyah and endeavoured\nto strengthen their government and kingdom. Bani\nUmayyah had also been endeavouring for years to establish\ntheir rule on a permanent footing. They knew that their\nprogram was beset with difficulties, but they were deter-\nmined to succeed and had decided to do away with anyone\nwho obstructed them, although he might be a very great\nand respectable religious personality.\nAli was not very keen to become a caliph. He assisted\nAbu Bakr and Umar as and when they were faced with a\ndifficulty. 2 Whenever the Islamic caliphate was confronted\nwith a problem Ali solved it.\nHe showed kindness even to Uthman and never\ncomplained against Uthman's attaining to the caliphate\ninstead of himself. The only thing for which he was\nanxious was the establishment of truth and justice. People beseeched him to\naccept the caliphate but he did not evince any interest in it. History shows\nand his own remarks are also available to the effect that when, after the\nassassination of Uthman, the people came to him collectively and requested\nhim to assume the caliphate he said: \"Leave me and find out someone else for\nthe job. If you leave me alone I shall be a member of the society like you and\nshall be more attentive and obedient than you to the person whom you select as\nthe caliph. I shall be more useful for you in the capacity of an adviser than\n\fin that of a caliph\".\nOn that day Ali was not agreeable to accept the caliphate\nas with his far-sightedness he could see up to the last end of the future. If\nhe was a clalmant of the caliphate earlier, it was not because he desired to\nbecome a ruler. On the contrary what he desired was that Muslims should develop\nwithin themselves those morals and virtues which the prophet wanted to\ninculcate in them. And if he declined to accept that office at that stage\n(i.e. after the assassination of Uthman) it was because owing to the\npolicies of the former rulers the habits of the Muslims had been spoilt and\ntheir way of thinking had changed. The kingdom which was established with the\nname of Islamic state had been moulded into worldly authority and carried the\nsigns of the despotism of Kaiser and Kisra. Ali's object differed from the\ndesires of the people. Neither Ali could condescend to the wishes of the people\nnor people could agree to Ali's achieving the ends he had in view. He himself\ndraws the picture of that period in these words:\n\"The time is extremely incompatible and disagreeable. In these days a\nrighteous person is considered to be wicked and the refractoriness of\nthe tyrant is on the increase. This is so because the sky is covered\nwith dark clouds and the signs of the paths have been obliterated.\nThe people are involved in doubts and sensuality. They have ears but\nthey are deaf. They have eyes but they are blind. They are neither steadfast\nin the battlefield nor reliable in difficult circumstances\".\nAli knew very well that if he accepted the request of the people and\nassumed the responsibilities of the office of caliphate they would not\ntolerate the manner in which he would run the administration and would not\nobey his orders unless he was harsh to them.\nThese were the conditions which Ali had to face after the assassination of\nUthman. The dignitaries as well as the common people gathered outside the\ndoor of his house again and again and insisted upon his accepting the oath\nof allegiance from them. However, notwithstanding the fact that he\nentertained very good wishes for the people in his heart he was reluctant to\naccept the oath of allegiance from them. There was, however, onething which\nobliged him to think of accepting their request. The Muslims were too much\ninsisting upon his accepting that office, which meant that a responsibility\nwas being placed on them to guide those, who were in need of reformation and\nguidance from him. Furthermore, at that time social equity and justice were in\ndanger. Persons in authority were encroaching upon the rights of the weak, and\nthe life, property, and honour, of the common man did not carry any value. Ali\ncould not tolerate that he should sit quietly in his house when the poor\ncitizens were being subjected to oppression. A brave and steadfast person like\nAli could not let the Muslims fall a prey to the atrocities of the wolves of\nBani Umayyah and remain silent. If he had not come to the rescue of the Muslim\nat that difficult moment he would have been treated to be a coward and not the\n\fbrave and valiant person as he is known in history.\nHe himself says: \"I was worried and alarmed lest the foolish and wicked\npersons should become the rulers of this nation and make the property of\nGod their plaything and the creatures of God their slaves and fight with\nthe righteous and make the tyrants their helpers\".\nFor these reasons he considered it obligatory for himself to\naccept the oath of allegiance although many other righteous persons found\nthemselves incapable of bearing the burden of caliphate\nAli hated sequestered life. Except when it was possible to serve the\npeople by remaining in seclusion it was impossible for him to spend his\ntime in retirement. A person who neglects serving the creatures of God\ninspite of his being in a position to do so spoils his faith as well as his\nworld. Ali accepted the caliphate with firm determination and considered\nit in the interests of the Muslims that he should assume that office.\nIn order to understand the nature of Ali's administration and his economic\nand financial policies it is necessary to learn how Ali himself has explained\nthe caliphate and mastership, what position caliphate enjoyed in his eyes\nfrom the religious point of view, and what benefits it carried in its lap.\nWhile addressing the people at the time of taking the oath of allegiance\nfrom them, Ali said to them: \"0 People! I am one of you. I enjoy the same\nrights which you enjoy. My responsibilities are also the same as yours.\nNothing can invalidate truth. (i.e. a ruler or caliph cannot change the\ncommands of God\".\nIn another sermon he said: \"I swear by God that in the first instance\nI myself obey those commands of 127\nGod which I invite you to obey and I myself refrain first from those things,\nfrom which I ask you to refrain\". On this basis the ruler and claiph is not to\nbe obeyed in his personal capacity. It is necessary to obey him because he\nenforces equity and justice and the laws of the Sbari'ab. The caliphate does\nnot entitle the ruler and the caliph to appropriate to himself as much of\nthe property of the public treasury as he likes, and to spend it himself or\ngive it to his friends, associates and kinsmen. On the contrary the object of\nthe institution of caliphate is that justice should be administered. The ruler\nshould mete out equal treatment to everyone, should regard the efforts of a\nperson who, propagates the Divine religion and serves the public, should\nprohibit hoarding, and prevent oppression, and should not deviate from\ntruth in any circumstances. He should not abandon his program even though\nthe wicked and cruel persons dislike his just conduct and may be after his life.\nIt is also his duty to acquaint the people with the rules of justice and to\nprevent their deviation from it.\nAli wrote to one of his governors as under: \"Your holding this office\ndoes not entitle you to accumulate wealth or to take revenge from any person.\nYour only duty is that you should destroy falsehood and revive truth\".\n\fIn the eyes of Ali son of Abu Talib rulership and caliphate did not mean\nthat the ruler should sit on the throne of dignity, strengthen his power and\nmake his position the means of enslaving the people. He says: \"Generosity and\nmunificence is a greater source of love and affection than consanguinity and\nkinship. There is no greatness like meekness and no virtue like knowledge\".\nCaliphate does not mean that poeple should be subjugated at the point of the\nsword, and by means of bloodshed and force, or that they should obey the caliph\non account of fear or covetousness. Ali was a man who did not worship God\nbecause he desired forgiveness or because he feared punishment. On the contrary\nhe worshipped God because He deserved to be worshipped. He wished that the\npeople should obey the caliph on account of his 128\nbeing worthy of obedience and not because of fear or greed of gain. Now as\nregards consulting others the Commander of the Faithful has said: \"One who\nfaces different opinions recognizes the spots of mistakes and errors\". The\nperson who realizes mistakes arrives at truth and right action. The opinions of\nthe people are essential things which benefit the state as well as the people,\nand the affairs are conducted in such a way that they do not entail shame and\nregret. Ali acknowledges this fact in very clear words and says: \"Correctness\ncannot be achieved by abandoning consultation\". It does not behove a ruler to\nkeep his doors shut before the people and try to achieve some object by keeping\nthe people in the dark. The Commander of the Faithful draws attention to this\npoint by saying: \"Acquire light from a kindled lamp\"' According to the\nCommander of the Faithful it is not proper for a caliph to seek distance from\nthem, to be proud and haughty, or to ignore the needs of the people. Caliphate\nis a means of the ruler associating with the people, showing kindness to them\nand behaving with them meekly. If the ruler remains aloof from the people none\nof his excuses and arguments can be accepted. If the people are annoyed with\nthe ruler on account of any such thing they will become a burden on him in the\nsame manner in which his rule will be burden on them, because the people will\nbehave with him as he behaves with them. The Commander of the Faithful says in\nthis behalf: \"The hearts of the subjects are the treasury of the ruler. He will\nget from there what he places there, whether it be equity and justice or\ncruelty and oppression\". In the eyes of Ali the caliphate was not based on\nparty-spirit or family bias which are very bad qualities. He considered\ncaliphate to consist of good qualities, pious deeds, meting out justice to the\npeople and refraining from tyranny and mischief. In any case according to Ali\nrulership was not meant for those people about whom he said: \"If these people\nbecome your rulers they will behave like Kaiser and Kisra\". Nor did those\npersons deserved to be the rulers who were deceitful and oppressive. Keeping\nall these things in view Ali accepted the caliphate with a firm determination\nto establish truth and destroy falsehood and failing that to sacrifice his very\nlife. It was on this account that he insisted that the people should watch the\nactivities of their rulers and should not accept a ruler who did not prove to\n\fbe a public servant. He also advised them to express displeasure on the bad\nactivities of a ruler or to approve them on merit. He said: \"Do you not feel\nannoyed and displeased if foolish persons become your rulers and consequently\nyou are humiliated, afflicted and ruined?\". In his eyes being annoyed at\ncruelty and oppression was as important a thing as welcoming equity and justice.\nHe respected the personal freedom of the individuals and also kept in view the\nrights of the nation. As regards those who did not take oath of allegiance to\nhim he said: \"It does not matter if they do not take the oath of allegiance.\nHowever, they should stay indoors and should not interfere in the affairs of\nthe nation\".\nSa'd son of Abi Waqas who was a member of the Consultative Council\ndeclined to take oath of allegiance to Ali. Ali did not compel him to take the\noath and left him free. Sa'd had said: \"You need not feel worried about me.\nI shall never rise against you\". Similarly Abdullah son of Umar did not take\nthe oath of allegiance. Ali asked him to produce a guarantor, who should\nguarantee that he would not create any disturbance, but he declined to do so.\nThereupon Ali said to him: \"You have been ill-mannered since your childhood and\nI know you from the very first day\". Then he turned to the people and said:\n\"Leave him as well. I guarantee that he will not create any disturbance\".\nThere were some other persons also who remained hidden in their houses and were\ninclined to take the oath of allegiance. Ali said about them: \"I, too, am not\ndesirous of those persons who do not need me\". He left them free 130\non the condition that they would not create any disturbance and would not\nharm the people. Many revolutionaries wanted to free such persons to take the\noath of allegiance but the commander of the Faithful did not agree to this.\nIn the matter of the oath of allegiance his usual attitude was what he says:\n\"I shall accept the oath of allegiance from one who takes it voluntarily and\nshall ignore one, who declines to take it\".\nHence, the freedom of the individuals was fully secured in the government of Ali\nand could not be violated except when they were guilty of harming the people,\nbecause in that case it was not possible for Ali to leave them free. It was for\nthis reason that he did not leave Talha, Zubayr and Mu'awiya alone as he had\ndone in the case of Sa'd son of Waqas and Abdullah son of Umar. These three\npersons were dreaming of attaining to caliphate and were keen to usurp wealth\nand authority. They wanted to create trouble so that they might remove Ali\nfrom his office and appropriate to themselves the public property which\nbelonged to all Muslims. They had accumulated immense wealth, and had also\nequipped an army to fight against Ali's government. It was on account of this\nstate of affairs that Ali did not leave them alone, and all these facts go to\nprove that the opinion formed by him about these three persons as absolutely\ncorrect. Later we shall mention in detail what disturbances took birth from\nthe conspiracy of these three persons against Ali.\nIn short rulership and caliphate is the right of the people and it is not\n\fpermissible to compel a person to take the oath of allegiance. Such a\ncompulsion can possibly be exercised in the public interest but not in the\npersonal interest of the ruler. Good relations can subsist between the ruler\nand the subjects only when the people elect a ruler themselves and take oath\nof allegiances to him voluntarily.\nAs Ali freely associated and mixed with the people, it was, therefore, natural\nthat he should desire that every one of the governors and other officers should\nalso associate with the people as one of them. He recommended to the\nofficials emphatically to respect the rights of the people. Ali introduced\nthe best tradition of the association of the rulers with the people. This\ntradition is also compatible with the tradition of the civilized nations of\nmodern times. He made the subjects the supervisors of the actions of the\nrulers so that they might act according to the wishes of the people. As and\nwhen the Commander of the Faithful entrusted the rulership of a province, a\nterritory or a city, to a person he wrote a testament and gave it to him so\nthat he might read it out before the people. If the people of that place\naccepted the testament it constituted a treaty between them and the ruler\nwhich neither of them could violate. If the treaty was violated by either\nparty it was necessary for the Imam to punish the party concerned and to\nremove the ruler from his office in case he happened to be the violator.\n\n\n1 it was the earnest endeavour and the heartfelt desire of caliph\nUthman that the despotic government of the Umayyads should be\nestablished firmly in all Islamic cities and he spared no effort in this\nbehalf. Two or three days after Uthman's becoming caliph Abu\nSufyan came to congratulate him. As Uthman's partiality towards\nhis kinsmen was well known Abu Sufyan told him what he had in\nhis heart saying: \"Play with the caliphate like a ball and make\nBani Umayyah its pilars\". Although Uthman rebuked him at that\ntime, but from that very day he made the words of Abu Sufyan his\nown motto and entrusted the governorship of all big cities to the\nyoung and inexperienced lads of Bani Umayyah. These persons were\nneither educated nor good natured. By making such appointments\nUthman opened the gates of mischief and disturbance, and provided\nmeans of the destruction of the Muslim society as well as his own\ndeath.\nAllama Abu Amr, the author of lsti`ab says that once Shabil\nson of Khalid arrived when Uthman was sitting with others consist-\ning of Bani Umayyah only. Shabil said: \"O Quraysh! What has\nhappened to you? Has no child, whom you might exalt been left\nwith you? Is there among you no indigent person whom you might\nlike to make rich? Is there among you no unknown person whom\n\fyou might like to become known? Why have you made Abu Musa\nAsh'ari the governor of Iraq and given him that province as his\nfreehold wherefrom he is earning a lot?\" Thereupon Uthman\nenquired as to who should be appointed as governor to replace\nAbu Musa. Those present suggested the name of Abdullah son of\n`Asmir, a cousin of Uthman. He therefore, dismissed Abu Musa and\nappointed Abdullah in his place, although he was only sixteen years\nof age. These youngster of Bani Umayyah did not care as to what\nthey did nor said. Uthman did not pay heed to any complaint\nagainst these boys nor did he attach any importance to reproaches\non this account. One of these young men was sa`id son of Aas,\nthe governor of Kufa. He was a hot-headed and pleasure-loving\nperson who said to a gathering from the pulpit: \"These lands of Iraq\nare gardens for the young men of Quraysh\".\nThese were the boys about whom the prophet had already\nsaid: \"My followers will be ruined at the hands of foolish lads of\nQuraysh\". (Sahih Bokhari Kitab al-Fitan part 10, p.146 and\nMustadrak, vol.4, p.470).\n\n2 It is true that the Commander of the Faithful was not keen for\nwordly government. If he desired the caliphate it was because the\nprophet's Islam could not be propagated and spread except by him.\nThis was so because he had been brought up in the lap of the\nprophet and was the treasure of his wisdom and knowledge. The\nprophet had fed him with knowledge in the same manner in which\na bird feeds its offspring. From the very day of his birth till the\nprophet's death he was not separated from the prophet. Every\nmoment of his spent in the company of the prophet. None knew the\nSunnah of the prophet better than he did. He was the exact picture\nof the ways and manners of the prophet and successor to all his\nattainments. This is a fact which was acknowledged not only by his\nfriends but also by his enemies and even by those who had assumed\nthe office of caliph. God willed and the prophet also desired that\nafter him Ali should be at the helm of affairs, because only he\npossessed the capability to enforce and expand the religion of Islam\nin the manner desired by God and His prophet.\nAs regards the question whether or not he objected to others\nusurping the caliphate the pages of Nahj-al-Balaghah as well as\nhistory go to show that he protested against this on all occasions and\nput forth his arguments. He said: \"I deserve the oath of allegiance\nmore than you do. I shall not take the oath of allegiance to you\nrather you should take the oath in my favour. You have assumed\nthis office in preference to the Ansar on the basis of your kinship\n\fwith the prophet and now you are bent upon usurping it from the\nmembers of his household. Did you not put forth this argument\nbefore the Ansar that you were more entitled to the caliphate\nbecause Muhammad was one of you. And accepting this argument\nthey surrendered this office to you and let you assume the govern-\nment. Now I put forth the same argument before you which you\nadvanced against the Ansar. We are successors of Muhammad during\nhis life as well as after his death. In case, therefore, you believe in\nMuhammad and Islam, you must do justice to us, failing which you\nwill be guilty of wilful oppression\".\nAli's rendering assistance to the three caliphs at difficult times\nis a clear proof. of his magnanimity and high morality. The greatest\nquality of man is that when there is a conflict between personal\ninterests and collective interests he should prefer public welfare to\nhis own interests. Another great quality of man is that he should be\nhonest and sincere even in his dealings with his enemies.\nTo keep personal interests in view in all matters, and to be\ninfluenced by personal likes and dislikes on all occasion, are the\nqualities of mean persons whose actions are governed by animal\ninstincts rather than human values. It is true that the majority of\nhuman beings has always endeavoured to serve individual interests,\nbut if the action of the majority is accepted to be the criterion every\nmeanness will become civilization and culture and every good\nquality will become a vice and defect.\nIt is however, a matter of regret that the people have been\nlooking at the method of action of the great men according to their\nown mentality and have been drawing wrong conclusions.\nAli son of Abu Talib was a perfect specimen of Islamic\nteachings in the world of Islam and the best image of human\nqualities and perfection. His conduct was replete with all the\nqualities which are considered to be the essence of human perfection\nand the most prominent aspect of his disposition was this that he\nnever allowed his personal differences, egotism or enmity to\ninterfere with Islamic and collective matters, nor did he permit his\npersonal interests and feelings to disregard honesty and integrity.\nThe inhabitants of the world who have become accustomed,\non account of their own conduct as well as that of their\nso-called leaders, to keep in view the aspect of personal interest in everything\nconclude from the conduct of Ali that he had no personal differences with anyone\nand entertained great love and friendship for all in his mind. However, if one\nreflects a little with broadmindedness it becomes known that to provide\ncorrect guidance to others for the sake of public welfare, inspite of personal\ndifferences, is the supreme human quality which can be observed clearly in the\n\fconduct of Ali. This characteristic of the Commander of the Faithful is\nreflected in different forms in the events of his life with which the pages of\nhistory are replete. The rulers who acquired the caliphate ignoring the\nqualities of Ali and his entitlement to that office, and claimed to be the only\npersons who could look after the welfare of the society, consulted him as and\nwhen they were faced with any difficulty and on every such occasion he gave\nthem the best advice Suited to the circumstances of the time.\n\f Freedom and its sources\nThe method adopted by Imam Ali in the matter of politics, rulership and\nadministration of the State was based on the principle of the freedom\nof the people. 1 He had an ardent belief in this freedom which can be\nobserved in all his actions. Whether he said something, or gave some orders,\nor prohibited some actions, whether it was at the time of peace or war, or\nmade an appointment of a governor, and in whatever manner he treated the\npeople or his children or worshipped God - his conduct was based on all\nsuch occasions on this freedom.\nThe question, however, arises as to why the people should be free, why they\nshould work according to their will and determination. From where did they\nget the freedom and what are its limits? According to Ali the real cause of\nthis freedom is the human society which must proceed on the path of\nblessedness and prosperity.\nFreedom is the result of the mutual relations, sentiments and inclinations\nof the people. It has a close relationship with a few things which exercise\ngreat influence on it.\nReason and experience prove this thing and it has also been confirmed by Ali\nthat the members of a society are inter-related with one another. This\ninter-relationship of theirs is on account of personal interests\nas well as national interests. 2\nIt was the policy of Ali to reform these connections and ties, so that every\nperson might lead his life in a better way. He provided opportunities to the\npeople to utilize their freedom in the best possible manners and to discharge\nby means of this freedom the responsibilities which it is not possible to\ndischarge without it. In the first instance Ali made the people realize that\nto establish truth and to destroy falsehood is their own responsibility. They\nshould get hold of their freedom, should not be subservient to the orders of\nthe upper classes, and should neither betray the society nor be cruel to\nthemselves. Throughout his life and before attaining to the caliphate, as well\nas thereafter, he explained to the people that they must discharge their duty\nto establish right and destroy falsehood. Ali was endeavouring his best to\nprovide means for the welfare of the people, and at the same time he was so\nsevere in awarding punishment to the criminals that friends and foes were\nequal in his eyes in this matter and he did not observe leniency with anyone.\nAli was confident that his piety was known to all, and they were aware that he\nhad no equal in the matter of piety, and he took from the world only as much\nas was sufficient for his living. The people also knew that the only purpose\nof his life was to establish truth and to help the needy and the oppressed,\nand that he did these things as a matter of duty and not to show kindness\n\fto others. He did\nnot like to eat honey because he was afraid that there might be some persons\namong his subjects to whom even barley bread might not be available. He never\nwore fine dress, because there might be a member of the public who might not\nbe having even coarse dress to wear. He did not like that the people should\ncall him the Commander of the Faithful and he should not partake in their\ndifficulties. Ali kept himself free from all the pollution in which the rulers\nof those days were involved. He did not take advantage of his noble descent.\nHe never coveted territory, high office or wealth. On no occasion did he\ndisplay pride. He remained aloof from all irrational and worthless things. He\nnever preferred his kinsmen and friends to others. He never nursed a grudge\nagainst his opponents, nor did he take revenge on anyone. He never did anything\nabout whose goodness and correctness he was not sure. He did not say or think\nof anything which he did not like. He was indifferent to the things which he\nate or drank, the dress which he wore, and the house in which he lived. He\nutilized these things only as much as they were absolutely necessary for him.\nHe did not take anything from the public treasury to meet his personal\nexpenses, although he could take at least as much as the governors of the\nprovinces did. Authentic narrations show that often he had to sell his sword,\ncoat of mail and household articles to feed himself and the members of his\nfamily. However, he gave sufficient salaries to his governors so that they\nmight not be obliged to take bribes or acquire money by unlawful means. Ali\nkept himself free from all such bonds as might interfere with his administering\njustice between friend and foe. He has mentioned his own condition in this brief\nsentence. \"Whoever forsakes desires remains free\". His piety was the piety of\nmagnanimous persons. It was not tainted with any avarice. He had perfect faith\nin God and he acted according to his belief. There was no simulation of\nhypocrisy in his actions. His good deeds were not prompted by fear of Hell or\ndesire for Paradise. As regards the freedom of the common man its first\nstage is freedom of action. Imam Ali has given the body of the workers the\nsame rank on earth as is enjoyed by the hearts of the righteous persons in\nParadise i.e. this world welcomes the workers in the same manner in which\nParadise remains ready to welcome the righteous persons. About the righteous\npersons he says: - \"Their hearts are in Paradise and their bodies are busy\ndoing work\". (i.e. they do not attach their hearts with the worldly things).\nHe elevated the position of freedom and considered the work of a free person\nto be great. He had made it his principle not to compel any person to do any\nparticular work, because any work which is not done voluntarily is dishonesty\nin freedom as well as in work. He says: - \"It is not my intention to compel\nany person to do a particular work\". He prescribed award for making people do\nuseful work and preserving freedom and deprived of reward a person who\ncompelled others to work. He says: \"The canal belongs to one who dug it on his\nown accord and not to one who compelled others to dig it\" (or one who does not\n\fwork on it). It appears necessary to mention an important point here. The word\nfreedom as it was used in those days did not carry as vast a meaning as was\nattached to it by Ali. Others did not mean by it what Ali meant. In those days\nfreedom was the opposite of slavery and freeman was the opposite of slave.\nCaliph Umar has said: \"How did you make the people your slave when their\nmothers gave birth to them as freemen?\" When we ponder over these words and\ntake into account the time and the conditions in which they were uttered by\ncaliph Umar we clearly learn that by freeman he meant the opposite of slave\ni.e. one who cannot be bought or sold. However, during the modern times the\nwords free and freedom do not carry the same sense in which they were used by\ncaliph Umar. We hereby put forth another proof of our view. In the sentence\nquoted above caliph Umar has expressed annoyance for the people who had reduced\ntheir subordinates to slavery. He rebuked the powerful persons and told them\nnot to consider the weak people to be slaves, because their mothers had given birth\nto them as free men. Caliph Umar did not tell the slaves that they were free and should\nnot obey those who claimed to be the masters of their slaves. In short, caliph\nUmar in his sentence has admonished the masters to give freedom to those\nsubservient and weak persons. According to Imam Ali the meaning of freedom is\ndifferent from what is meant by caliph Umar and carries a much wider sense. In\nthe first instance we reproduce below a clear remark of his on the subject and\nshall later reproduce his other remarks, recommendations and orders in support\nof our view. As opposed to the remark of Umar he says: \"Do not be the slave of\nanyone when God has created you free\". Caliph Umar had addressed the masters\nand told them to give freedom to their subordinates. He had not told the\nsubordinates to decline to obey their masters. Ali, however, addresses the\nsubordinates themselves and tells them to have self-reliance and a sense of\nfreedom. He advises them to realize their right of freedom which is the\nessence of their being. He reminds them that God has created them as free\nbeings and whatever they do or do not do should depend on this natural right\nof theirs. By uttering this sentence Ali sowed the seeds of revolution in the\nhearts of those subordinates, and prepared them to fight against anything\nwhich might stand in the way of their freedom or involve them in perplexity.\nThe readers might think that there is not much difference between the remarks\nof caliph Umar and those of Ali, because Umar has addressed some particular\nperson viz. the masters not to enslave the people whereas Ali has addressed\nall the people and told them that they are free. He has made their freedom\ndependent on their own intentions and not on the intentions of their masters\nso that they may keep them enslaved as long as they like and make them free as\nand when they (i.e. the masters) wish. However, there is basically a great\ndifference between these two remarks. Ali's sentence shows the deep insight\nwhich he had on the meaning of freedom. His sentence\nshows the reality that the fountain-head of freedom is the being of man himself.\nHe has been born free and he himself should select his path of action and not\n\fthat someone else should take pity on him and set him free. This sentence of Ali\nshows that he considered the freedom of man to be inherent and natural and all\nthe actions of man are the outcome of this inherent and natural freedom. This\nfreedom is free from all external influences. This freedom is enjoyed by him\ninternally and not externally. It is like the light of the sun which cannot be\nseparated from it. It is not like the light of the moon which declines. Hence\nthere is a real and basic difference between the sentences uttered by caliph\nUmar and Imam Ali. To one category belong the persons whose freedom depends on\nthe will of others. This freedom is external and does not emerge from its own\nfoutain-head. To the other category belong those free persons whose freedom\ndepends on their nature. This is the real and true freedom. Such free persons\nact according to their reason and interests and do not do what they do not\nlike. However, those whose independence depends on others are not subordinate\nto their own views and thinking. The type of freedom which Imam Ali desired was\nthe one on which human relations are based. It is this freedom by means of\nwhich the human beings can walk side by side with one another on the path of\nprosperity. It is this freedom which can bring a great civilization into\nexistence. As the freedom of the kind mentioned above was considered by Imam\nAli to be the real freedom, all his orders were issued keeping this very freedom\nin view, and he also determined the human rights on that basis. We clearly find\nthe observance of this principle in all his orders and regulations. He treated\nall the human beings to be equal in the matter of rights and responsibilities\nand did not fix any limit in this behalf. And if he did fix any such limits it\nwas fixed keeping in view the interests of the public in general. When we study\nthe character of Imam Ali we clearly\nsee that he did not violate this freedom in any of his laws, orders, rules\nand regulations and kept the public welfare in view in all his actions. He\nmeted out equal treatment to his friends and foes. We have already mentioned\nthat he did not compel any person to do any work against his will, nor did he\nallow forced labour. We have also said that he did not compel anyone to take\nthe oath of allegiance to him. Those who declined to take oath of allegiance\nto him were no doubt wrong-doers, but he left them to themselves because he\nknew that their not taking the oath of allegiance would make no difference nor\nwould the public interests suffer on that account. They refrained from taking\nthe oath for quite a long time, but by doing so they did harm only to\nthemselves. He did not take any action against them so long as they did not\nprove harmful to the public interest. Addressing Mughira bin Sho'ba he said:\n\"I permit you to do whatever you like about yourself\". It may also be mentioned\nthat once Habib ibn Muslim Fehri approached him and said: \"You should abdicate\nso that the people may select a caliph through a consultative council\".\nThereupon Ali replied: `What have you to do with this matter? You should keep\nquiet. Why do you speak about something with which you are not concerned at\nall\". Habib then stood up and said: \"By God you will find us at a place which\n\fwill not be to your liking\". The threat latent in Habib's words is quite clear.\nBut what did Ali do? Did he also threaten him in a similar manner? Did he\nimprison him so that he might not be free to oppose him and might not\ninstigate his tribe to rise against him? Ali did note of these things. On the\ncontrary he cast a glance at him and said like a man who fully believes in his\nown justice and who respects the freedom of others: \"Go and mobilize as many\ninfantry-men and horsemen as you like. May not God keep me alive till the day\nwhen you should take pity on me\". Another proof of the full freedom allowed by\nAli to the people is that many persons belonging to the Hijaz and Iraq went away and\njoined Mu'awiya, but he did not stop them, nor did he consider it necessary to\nkeep them under observation. They were free men in his eyes and were free to\nadopt any course they liked. If a person chose the right path it was well and\ngood, but if he decided otherwise the path to Damascus was open for him and\nMu'awiya was awaiting such a person with his treasures. Hence, when Sehl bin\nHanif Ansari, the Governor of Madina informed him that some persons had gone\nover to Mu`awiya he wrote to him in reply: \"I understand that some of the\npersons belonging to your area are secretly joining Mu'awiya. You need not\nworry at all about the number of people who have left, and the support, which\nhas been lost. It is sufficient for their going astray and your being relieved\nof worry and sorrow that they are running away from truth and guidance towards\nignorance and perversion. They are worldly people who are inclining towards\nthe world and running to it. They recognized, saw, heard and learnt justice.\nThey have understood very well that here all are treated to be equal in the\nmatter of rights and are, therefore, running away towards the place where\ndiscrimination is practised. By God they have not run away from injustice and\nhave not joined justice and we hope that God will make easy every difficulty\nwhich is involved in this matter, and will make the stony land level for us\".\nAnother proof of the fact that Ali believed in the complete freedom of the\npeople is provided by his treatment of the Kharijites. One group of the\nKharijites was that which had rebelled openly and it was these people most of\nwhom were put to sword in the Battle of Nahrawan. However, there were others\nwho held beliefs common with the Kharijites but they considered it expedient\nnot to rebel, and were mixed up with the people of Kufa. Imam Ali behaved kindly\ntowards the Kharijites of the second category and did not permit his companions\nto contend with them. He also gave these Kharijites pensions as much as to the\nMuslims and had allowed them\nto go freely wherever they liked. His way of action was based on perfect\nfreedom i.e. all human beings are free and may do whatever they like and love\nor hate whomsoever they wish. However, none was permitted to harm the people\nor to create mischief on the face of earth. If anyone indulged in mischievous\nactivities he was not spared and was punished for the crime committed by him.\nOnce a Kharijite named Khareet bin Rashid came to Ali and said to him: \"By God\nI shall not obey you and shall not offer prayers with you\". Imam Ali did not\n\finterfere with him and left him free to do whatever he liked. After some time\nKhareet collected a number of men and revolted against him. Even then Ali did\nnot prevent the persons who deserted him and joined Khareet, from doing\nso, although he could stop them from joining Khareet. However, when those\npersons took undue advantage of this freedom and began committing robberies\nand murders he sent his army and suppressed them. The thing which is most\nsurprising is that even at the most delicate moments of his period Ali\npaid due respect to human freedom and never violated it. This he did because he\nconsidered freedom to be the most important thing for humanity. He did not\ndetract from this freedom even when campaigning against the Nakitbeen, Qasiteen\nand Mariqeen who had appropriated large tracts of land to themselves and were\nthe sworn enemies of Ali. It was permissible according to every law and religion\nto fight against such persons and every person with sound judgment would have\ntreated such a fight to be a just one. In the circumstances it was necessary for\nAli to mobilize his supports and march to join battle with the enemy. However,\nAli did not compel any supporter of his to partake in a battle, whether he was\nhis kinsman or someone else. Although he was the caliph and possessed authority,\nbut he did not compel his companions to render material or spiritual assistance,\nbecause in whatevermanner he might have resorted to compulsion it would have\nbeen opposed to thefreedom in which he believed. 3 Imam Ali performed his duty by\nshowing themclearly the true path and appealing to their intellect and reason. He put\nforth arguments regarding his being correct so that whoever liked it might\nrecognize his right, and support him, and whoever did not like it might oppose\nhim in spite of knowing the truth. He prayed for the welfare of those who\nresponsed to his call and praised them. As regards those who did not respond to\nit he warned them about their mistake by tendering them advice. Whoever a person was and\nwherever he was, was free. Ali did not compel anyone and did not consider\ncompulsion to be proper.\nHe never liked that anyone should join him without proper reflection and faith\nand knoweldge. He did not compel anyone to enlist himself in his army to fight\nin the Battles of the Camel, Siffin and Nahrawan for if he had so desired he\nwould have filled the plains and mountains with soldiers.\nAli knew very well what freedom is and what its ins and outs are. He explained\nit by his words and actions and observed it in his behaviour towards the people.\nHe kept the principle of freedom in view in eradicating the evils from the\nsociety, in enforcing the religious law, in mobilizing the forces, in ruling\nover the people, in making recommendations and tendering advice, and, in short,\nin everything. Every day of his life provided a fresh proof of the fact that\nman's right of freedom deserves to be respected provided that it does not mar\nthe freedom of the public at large and this is the real meaning of freedom.\n\n\n1 The author of the book has proved in this chapter that\n\fthe political freedom which exists in the advanced nations of today is the same\nfreedom which prevailed during the period of the caliphate of Imam Ali. There\nis no sign of such freedom in the governments which existed earlier than the\ncaliphate of Ali.\n\n2 In the terminology of the western philosophers, freedom\nmeans the same thing which is meant by the following belief of the Muslims:\n- \"None is permitted to compel another to do a particular work or to appropriate\nhis property without his permission\". These philosophers believe that the cause\nof every oppression is deprivation of the human beings of their freedom and the\nmurders, robberies and other crimes are its consequences. They say that freedom\nand self-determination are the inherent properties of man in the same manner\nin which heat is the inherent property of fire.\n\n3 Even today the westerners are unaware of the freedom which was\nallowed by Imam Ali, as has been explained by the author, although some\nsocial experts like Rousseau have mentioned it in their books and endeavoured\nto make people believe in it. Some persons may possibly think that the penal\nlaws of Islam contradict the claim of the author and also that the Muslims do\nnot consider it permissible that someone should apostatize from Islam or use\nindecent words about God or the prophets. Drinking of wine was punished during\nthe caliphate of Ali as well as other caliphs, purchase and sale of intoxicants\nwas treated to be a crime and the apostates were executed. Such persons may,\ntherefore,ask as to where the freedom exists.\nThe reply to what the author wishes to prove is that all these things\n(viz. punishment for apostasy and other crimes) are correct. However, the\nfreedom which is praiseworthy and which was supported by Ali is not the freedom\nenjoyed by a person to appropriate his property and use it as he likes and to\nadopt the occupation which he desires. In short Ali believed in political and\nsocial freedom.\nAll Muslims agree that drinking wine and apostasy are crimes. Now when these\nacts are crimes from the social point of view how can freedom to commit them be\ncommendable? Hence if Imam Ali had given freedom to the people to commit these\ncrimes his act would have been opposed to the divine commands as well as to the\nfreedom of the people. If caliph Abu Bakr and Umar had not fought against the\napostates they would have opposed the majority. of the Muslims. Even now some\nparties in various countries are declared to be unlawful, because many people\nconsider the views and beliefs of these parties to be crimes. Similarly\napostasy is a crime according to the Muslims, because it certainly creates\ntrouble in the society.\n\f Individual freedom\nThe Imam's treatment of others and his behaviour towards them was based on their freedom.\nMan's conscience should take decisions according to its own determination and with freedom.\nThe means are themselves effective without external effects. The external impediments\nprevent them to some extent from becoming effective.\nCollective activities are correct only when they conform with the principles of a free\nconscience and with the\n\n1 natural laws which are themselves free. Man is free fundamentally. A free being possesses\nfeelings. He thinks with his own power, speaks with authority and acts with his determination.\nTo place him under compulsion would, in fact, amounts to finishing his very being. Hence it\nwill be permissible to curb a person's freedom only when it is permissible to kill him.\n\n2 If you wish to restrict the light of the sun and draw a curtain before it as a consequence\nwhereof it cannot make the opposite things hot and bright, you in fact extinguish its light. If\nyou are able to restrain the air from blowing you in fact annihilate the air. Similarly if you\ndeprive the waves of the rivers, the flowers of the deserts, the birds in the air and all other\nthings available in this world from performing their natural functions it is as good as your\nhaving destroyed them. Same is the case with man and to deprive him of freedom amounts to\nkilling all human beings.\n\n3 This was the conception of freedom in the eyes of the Imam and this was how he reached its\ndepths. He mentioned freedom with his tongue as he understood it and also acted according to\nit. Every deed of his was correct according to his own views and beliefs as well as according\nto those of others. The laws of nature as well as the interests of the society support them.\nAli's words and actions which we have studied thoroughly go to show how he guided the\npeople to do everything with their determination and free will. In fact there was a point which\nhe always kept in view and it was the freedom of the individuals in such a manner that the\nfreedom of others was not hurt.\nA group of the old Greek philosophers and some European philosophers of the Middle Ages\nkept only the individuals freedom in view and did not attach any importance to public\ninterests and national freedom. There was also another group which took only the collective\ninterests into account and did not favour individual freedom and rights. They considered\npressure upon the people and subjecting them to forced labour to be lawful. However, Ali\ntook individuals freedom and collective interests into account in such a way that neither of\nthem might be hurt and made them compatible with each other so that an individual might\ntake care of collective interests with his own free will and free efforts of the individuals might\nbe in the national interests. He declared that the individuals were for the nation and the nation\nwas for the individuals.\nWe shall continue this discussion so that the matter may become perfectly clear. We shall\n\fnow see how he co-ordinated the freedom of the individuals with the public interests.\nAli knew that as the individuals are the members of the nation they should apply their\nfreedom to matters which might not hurt the interests of the nation. Here freedom does not\nmean general licence. On the contrary it should be coupled with the faith and sense of\nresponsibility, and man should consider it his duty to take the public interests into account\nalong with his own freedom.\nAli did not say like other philosophers that human freedom was limited, but said something\ndeeper and did not fix any limit for freedom. His remark is much more valuable and sublime\nthan those of others, and shows that he was much superior to others in understanding the\nspiritual mysteries of man and the social rules and regulations.\nHe inculcated in the hearts of the people the belief in freedom, and added to it the belief that\nevery person has some responsibilities which he must fulfil. The proof of this policy of his is\nthat a canal in a village was filled with dust and became useless and some persons who\nwanted to restart it approached the governor of the area to compel the people to work on it,\nbut the Commander of the Faithful strictly prohibited it and said: \"they may work of their own\nfree will and take wages for that.\nAs regards the canal it belongs to the person who works on it of his own accord and considers\nhimself responsible for the result\".\nAli accorded respect to the freedom of the working class more than one thousand years ago,\nand Rousseau, the famous French writer was inclined to remark thus about two centuries ago:\n\"Respect for mankind and philanthrophy oblige us to say that we should consider our\nsubordinates to be human beings like the intelligent people even though they may be\nuntrained and ignorant\".\nThe principles set forth by the Imam make it necessary that determination and authority\nshould be limited within their own bounds and authority should be coupled with belief in\nresponsibility. Hence duty and responsibility do not hurt authority and will but support them.\nResponsibility alone is not sufficient for the performance of good deeds until determination\nand authority are also responsible. Responsibility is proportionate with authority. The greater\nthe authority and determination the heavier will be the duty and responsibility.\nResponsibility is related with authority in the same way in which it is related with intellect\nand conscience. A person whose power of thinking is paralyzed and who cannot distinguish\nbetween good and evil and whose intellectual capabilities are out of order cannot be held\nresponsible for any action.\nSimilarly a person who has been deprived of his freedom and authority cannot be subjected to\nany responsibility. Freedom, authority and mental awakening make a person distinguish\nbetween good and evil and carry out his responsibilities as a matter of necessity.\nIt was on this account that Ali ordered his governors and other officers to release the people\nfrom captivity and remove the heavy chains from their hands and feet so that they might do\nuseful deeds for the nation of their own free will, because so long as they were not indepen\ndent they would be helpless, and helpless persons are under no responsibility. They do not\nconsider themselves to be responsible and do not, therefore, do good deeds, because good\ndeeds can be done only with freedom of thought. The actions of those who do not possess free\nwill are not their own. They are the actions of the government which are performed through\n\fthem. Their determination is weak and their strength is wasted on inappropriate occasions.\nAfter the Imam the people arrived at that very stage which has been mentioned by us.\nAlthough they were free during the period of his caliphate and were safe from harm and\ntorture by the rulers he had prescribed a rule according to which they were required to admit\ntheir responsibilities of their own free will and were to realize that they owed some\nresponsibilities to the nation and the nation had some rights on them. As we have already seen\non many occasions and shall also see later his orders and directions were based on this\nprinciples and he commanded and prohibited and rewarded and punished the people keeping\nthis principle in view.\n\n\n\n\n1 The author proves in this chapter that the individual should, while enjoying freedom, have\nregard for national interests and should perform all those acts with their determination, free\nwill and choice which are useful for the people and should avoid harmful acts, so that\nfreedom should be confined to one's own freedom and should not result in placing others\nunder compulsion and captivity.\n\n2 By this statement the author wants to prove that the point of view of the socialists that\ngovernment should monopolize all activities and should not leave anyone free on the ground\nthat in various matters the people look after their personal interests and do not care for\nnational interests is not correct.\nthe opponents of this school ofthought say that no interest is higher than freedom and after\ncurbing theirfreedom the people cannot be provided with any bounty which might equal it.\nThey also say that every kind of blessing and advancement of industry and trade can be\nachieved in a better way by means of freedom. As we can very well observe abundant\nfacilities are available in free countries and the number of scholars and skilled persons\navailable there is also larger. The workers in such countries live in comfort and the rate of\ncrime there is very low so much so that in many of those countries no criminal case is\nregistered for years.\n\n3 The mischievous and sensual persons also say that freedom is something respectable and\nthe nation should set them free to indulge in their sensual activities and to bring up the\nchildren and young men in an irreligious atmosphere. They should be told that the freedom\ndemanded by them is a crime and if they are given this licence, others whose number is\nthousands of times larger than theirs, will be deprived of their freedom.\n\f Accountability\nAs we have already said, freedom in its wide sense\nwas the real basis of the government of Ali. In his eyes\nthis freedom was as much realted with the mutual relations\nof the people as with intellect and conscience. Man who\nwishes to cover different stages of advancement by means\nof mutual co-operation and brotherly relations cannot\nachieve success in this behalf unless he is free in his\nindividual and collective capacities. And it is not possible\nfor him to be free unless his conscience is free from those\ndefects which destroy the value of man. Similarly that\npeson cannot also be free whose rights for freedom is\nadmitted by the society but ignored in practice.\nIn this matter Ali meted out equal treatment to the\nindividuals and the society as well as to friends and the\nfoes. He followed this line of action very firmly. He could\nno be made to deviate from his object by any allurement\nor threat. He knew very well that truth is unpalatable to\nmany persons. It is for this reason that he says: \"Our\nmatter is very difficult\".\nHe was also aware that truth is specially hard for the\nrulers. He therefore, says: \"Truth weighs heavily upon the\nrulers and every truth is heavy\".\nHowever, whether truth is heavy on the rulers and the\ndignitaries or light, it was immaterial for Ali, because\nhis intellect as well as conscience obliged him not to\ndeviate from truth in the least, and he did not attach any\nimportance to things other than intellect and conscience.\nIntellect and conscience compelled Ali not to turn away\nhis face from the people who sought justice and not to\nthe people. According to him oppression was a curse in\nwhatever shape it might be, but the worst oppression was\nthat exercised by the powerful on the weak, by the\nhoarder on the public, and by the ruler on the ruled. He\ncould not ignore an oppression, which might give birth to\nwickedness and crime in the society.\nStudy `Nahj al-Balaghah' and you will see how fiery\nhis words are when he speaks about the exploitation of the\npeople. He mentioned this topic in every speech of his.\nHis remarks show that he was fully convinced that exploi-\n\ftation of the wealth of others is a social crime. Whoever\nacquires wealth by unlawful means is an oppressor and\nmust be punished for his offence. In one of his sermons Ali\nsays about the hoarders: \"And he should remember the\nwealth which he accumulated and did not care as to where\nhe acquired it from (i.e. did not make any difference\nbetween lawful and unlawful sources) and collected wealth\nby lawful and unlawful means. He should rest assured that\nhe will be punished for accumulating the wealth by illegal\nmeans\".\nHowever, as regards accumulation of wealth which is\nuntainted by usurpation, oppression and hoarding he says:\n\"Whoever dies while earning by lawful means will die in\nsuch a condition that God will be pleased with him\".\nIt was for this reason that Ali had decided that he\nwould demolish the structures which had been erected on\nthe foundation of usurpation and oppression, abolish the\ncustom of spending the wealth of the public treasury on\none's relatives, and would not permit the influential class\nto exploit the common man. In one of his speeches he\ndeclared thus in clear words: \"Look here! Whoever was\nassigned a Jagir by Uthman out of Allah's property should\nreturn it to the public treasury because nothing can annul\nan old right. If I come to know that women have been\nmarried by spending the money of the public treasury or\nthat money has been distributed in different cities, my\nutmost effort will be to restore that money to its original\nposition. Justice covers a wide range, and if justice is hard\nupon a person injustice will be more hard upon him\".\nIt is possible that there may have been some kings\nand rulers who may not have given anything to an\nundeserving person from the public treasury and may not\nhave spent public money lavishly on their friends and\nrelatives. However, we do not come across anyone like\nAli, who compelled those who had become rich by\nunlawful means during the period of the former govern-\nments to render account of their earning and to return to\nthe public treasury the wealth which they had earned\nunlawfully. This brave action of Ali proves that he had\nimmense knowledge of the state of affairs and had such\na perfect faith in social justice as was not possessed by\nany one else.\nIf the rule that only that person, who works hard\n\fand renders service to the society should be rewarded is\ncorrect then the question arises as to what public service\nHarith son of Hakam had renderd that he should have\nbeen given three hundred thousand dirhams by Uthman\nfrom the public treasury on the day his (Harith's) marriage\ntook place? Was marrying Uthman's daughter a public\nservice? 1\nWhat service had Talha and Zubayr rendered to the\nMuslims as a recompense whereof they got such large\namounts of dirhams and dinars and big jagirs from Uthman\nthat if they had been distributed among the hundreds of\nthousands of the Muslims all of them would have become\nrich and would have got more than they might have hoped\nand desired? 2\nWhat preferential rights did Talha and Zubayr possess\nthat they should have had thousands of slaves and slave-girls?\nEven if it is admitted that they embraced Islam at its\nearliest stage and were the distinguished companions\nof the prophet and had rendered great services to Islam\nthey had done all this for the sake of God and should\nhave expected its reward from God in the Hereafter. God\nnever allows the efforts of the righteous to go in vain.\nWhatever services they rendered to Islam were rendered by\nthem to seek the pleasure of God and it is He who gives\nthe best reward. But what special right had they on the\npublic treasury on which all the Muslims enjoyed equal\nrights? What deeds of public welfare were performed\nby the relatives of Uthman as a reward for which he\nopened the doors of the public treasury for them, entrusted\nthe administration of the state to them, made them the\nmasters of the lives, property and honour of the Muslims\nand allowed them to utilize everything in whatever manner\nthey liked? One of these relatives of his was Mu`awiya,\nwho was notorious for taking bribes. And there were many\nother relatives and friends of his including Hakam son of\n`Aas and Abdullah son of Sa'd.\nWhat services had Mu`awiya rendered to Islam as a\nreward for which he was made the governor of Palestine\nand Hamas, besides Syria, and was also entrusted the\ncommand of four armies? From where did the relatives of\nUthman acquire such immense wealth and how did they\nerect lofty palaces in all cities and villages? When these\npersons did not render any public service from where did\n\fthey get capital to finance these projects? If a person\npossesses usurped wealth for a long time he does not\nbecome its owner nor does that wealth become his personal\nproperty. Falsehood does not become truth if it persists\nfor a long time.\nIt was for this reason that Ali had decided to get\nrestored to the public treasury all those lands and wealth\nwhich had been given by Uthman to undeserving persons\nby depriving those who deserved them even though that\nwealth might have been scattered in different cities or\ngiven to women as their dowry. Justice is a means of\nprosperity and comfort for the people and it cannot be\nlimited or confined.\nAnother point which deserves attention is this that\nAli considered the lands, which had been made personal\nproperty by the people on account of their being Uthman's\nrelatives or favourites, as well as the benefits drawn from\nthem, to be usurped property. Ali knew very well what\nsort of people Uthman's kinsmen were. He was aware that\nafter usurping the lands they would take forced labour\nfrom the common people and accumulate the produce and\nwould acquire more property with this income. Thus their\ncapital would increase day after day and whereas others\nwould continue to become poorer they themselves would\ngrow richer and richer. Then these big landowners would\npurchase the holdings of small owners and consequently\nonly two classes would be left. viz. the capitalists and the\nindigent who would have to depend on the former and\nserve them. In his testament for Malik Ashter Ali says:\n\"Beware! Do not give a land tp any of your associates and\nrelatives. He should not expect from you that you will\nallow him to occupy a land which is harmful for the\nneighbouring people in the matter of irrigation or any\nother common matter, so that he may throw the burden\nthereof on others\".\nThe fears of the Commander of the Faithful about\nthe jagirs proved to be too true. Those persons took\nabundant forced labour from the common people and\nsubjected them to every kind of injustice and oppression.\nDr. Taha Husayn writes in the first volume of his\nbook entitled `Al-fitnatu'l Kubra': \"On the one side there\nwere big landowners and nobles and on the other side\nthere were indigent persons who were the slaves of these\n\fland-owners and nobles. Out of them there emerged a new\nclass in Islam i.e. those who were the chiefs of the nation\naccording to the tribal custom prevalent in the Arabian\nPeninsula and had now become more distinguished and\ndignified on account of abundant wealth and a large\nnumber of associates.\nAccording to Ali all are entitled to share the profit\nwhich accrues from gold and land and only that person,\nwho works harder and is also more needy, is entitled to a\nlarger share. Whoever denies this reality commits treachery\nwith his people.\nIn the eyes of Ali the greatest treachery is the\ntreachery committed with the public. Ali considers that\nman who commits treachery with the public to be mean\nand despicable. He never relied upon such persons and\nnever associated with them.\nAli endeavoured to safeguard the rights of the people to\nthe utmost extent. Whenever he took a decision none could\nmake him deviate from it. He did not care if the people\ndeserted him and joined the enemy. He was the embodi-\nment of truth and whatever he said was absolute justice.\nAli did not show preferential treatment even to the\ndevoted companions of the prophet, who had participated\nin the battles along with him. He says: \"Beware! There are\nsome persons among you whom the world has made\nprosperous. They have acquired lands and dug canals.\nThey ride on strong horses and possess larger number of\nslaves and slave-girls. If I prohibit them tomorrow from\ndoing things in which they are immersed and restrict them\nto the rights of which they are well aware they should not\ncomplain that Ali has deprived them of their rights.\nRemember! Whether they be the Muhajirs or the Ansar,\nwhoever from amongst them thinks that he is superior to\nothers is mistaken. Superiority will be decided upon before\nGod on the Day of Judgment. It is only God who can\nreward the people. Remember! Whoever has acknowledged\nGod and His prophet, certified our community, joined\nour religion and turned to our qiblah is entitled to the\nrights and responsibilities of Islam. All of you are the\nslaves of God and the wealth, which belongs to God will be\ndivided amongst you equally. None enjoys preference\nover another. The righteous and the pious will get better\nreward from God\".\n\fThis very equal treatment meted out by Ali to\ncommon people made the nobles and distinguished persons\namong Quraysh leave Ali and join Mu`awiya as will be\nmentioned in detail later.\nIt was impossible for Ali to prefer those who enjoyed\na higher position to those who were at a comparatively\nlower level, because according to him the criterion of\nvirtue and excellence was not that which was prevalent\nin his days. He did not prefer a Qurayshite to a non-\nQurayshite or an Arab to a non-Arab, because he considered\nall men to be brothers of one another. He could not flatter\nthose chiefs and nobles as Mu`awiya did, nor could he\nattract people towards himself by means of the wealth of\nthe Muslims.\nMalik Ashtar said to the Commander of the Faithful:\n\"O Commander of the Faithful! We joined the people\nof Basra and Kufa and performed jihad against the people\nof Basra. At that time all were of one view. Thereafter\ndifferences arose. Their intentions became weak and their\nnumber decreased. You are just to all and act according to\nwhat is right. Consequently they got scared on account of\nyour justice. On the other hand they saw the policies and\nmethods which Mu`awiya adopts with regard to the\nrich and the noble, because there are very few people in\nthe world who do not aspire for wordly gains. There are\nmany who buy falsehood at the price of truth and adopt\nthe world. In case, therefore, you distribute wealth lavishly\namong the people and give more to the influential persons\nyou will see how their necks become inclined towards you\nand how they sing songs in your praise and become your\nwell-wishers. May God settle your affairs and disperse and\nweaken the association and the deceit of your enemies.\nGod is certainly aware of their deeds\".\nAli said in reply: \"You have said that I act according\nto justice. The reason for this is that God says: \"Whoever\ndoes good deeds does them for his own benefit and\nwhoever does bad deeds suffers on their account. God does\nnot do injustice to His slaves\".\nIf I violate this rule I am afraid that I will have to\nsuffer on this account. As regards your saying that some\npersons have deserted us because truth is intolerable for\nthem, God knows better that they have not left us because\nwe have been unjust to them. And it is also not so that\n\fafter leaving us they have sought refuge with a just person.\nThere is no reason for their deserting us except that they\nhave sought the material world and this world is not\nlasting. On the Day of Judgment they will be questioned as\nto whether they sought the world or acted for the sake of\nGod. Now as regards our spending money to attract the\npeople it is not lawful for us to give anyone from the\npublic property more than what he is entitled to. (And\nI do not bother if the number of my adherents decreases\nowing to my being just) God says thus and what He says is\ncorrect: \"Many people who are smaller in numbers over-\npower those who are stronger numerically. God is with\nthose who are patient\".\nGod appointed the prophet to the prophetic mission\nwhen he was all alone. He had few supporters and then\ntheir number increased. He bestowed honour on his group\nafter they had been humiliated. If God wishes to give\na better turn to our affairs He will solve these difficulties\nand make the matters easy for us\".\nThe gist of his policies and the method of his govern-\nment is embodied in the testament which he wrote and\ngave to Malik Ashtar while appointing him the governor of\nEgypt. He said therein: \"Beware! Do not appropriate to\nyourself the things in which all the people have equal share\".\nThe public rights are those which vest in all the\ncitizens equally and those are the rights to which Ali has\nalluded in his above remarks.\n\n\n\n\n1 Uthman gave three hundred thousand dirhams to Harith son\nof Hakam (brother of Marwan) who was his second son-in-law\nand husband of his daughter Ayesha (Kitab al-Ansab, Balazari,\nVol.5, p.58).\nBalazari says at another place: Camels received as zakat were\nbrought before Uthman and he gave all of them to Harith son of\nHakam (Kitab al-Ansab, Vol.5, p.28).\nAllama lbn Qutaiba, lbn Abd Rabih and lbn Abi al-Hadid\nhave narrated that the prophet had endowed `Mehzool', a bazar of\nMadina, upon the Muslims but Uthman gave it away to Harith\nas Jagir (Ma`arif, p.84, Aqd al-Farid, p.261, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah,\nvol. 1,p.27).\nUthman did favour to Harith in three ways:\n\f(1) He gave three hundred thousand dirhams to Harith although\nthis amount was not Uthman's personal property but belonged to\nthe public treasury of the Muslims.\n(2) He gave Harith all the camels which had been received by\nway of zakat.\n(3) He gave to Harith by way of Jagir all the property which had\nbeen endowed by the prophet upon the Muslims.\n2 On account of the favours done by Uthman to his relatives,\nfriends and associates they became very rich. As a consequence of\nthe method adopted by him in the matter of division of wealth,\nwhich was opposed to the Book and the Sunnah as well as to that\nadopted by his predecessor, these people acquired big jagirs, cons-\ntructed magnificent palaces and accumulated large amounts of wealth.\nZubayr son of Awam left behind eleven houses in Madina,\ntwo in Basra, one in Kufa and one in Egypt. He had four wives.\nThey inherited one-eighth of his property and every one of them got\none million and two hundred thousands. Thus the entire poperty left\nby him amounted to 59 millions and 800 thousands. (Sahih Bokhari,\nvol.5 p.21). In Sahih Bokhari only the number has been stated; it\nhas not been specified whether they were dirhams or dinars, but it\nhas been stated in Tarikh lbn Kaseer that they were dirhams.\nAllama lbn Sa'd writes that Zubayr had jagirs in Egypt and\nhouses in Alexandria, Kufa and Madina. He also received income\nfrom the suburbs of Madina. (Tabaqaat Ibn Sa'd, vol.2 p.77,\nPrinted at Leiden)\nMas'udi says: \"Zubayr left behind, on his death, one thousand\nhorses, one thousand slaves and slave-girls and many palaces and\njagirs. (Murooj al-Zahab,vol. 1,p. 34).\nTalha son of Obaidullah left behind himself one hundred\n`buhars' (ox-skins) full of gold. Allama Ibn Abd Rabih has quoted\nKhashni as having said that Talha left three hundred `buhars' of gold\nand silver. Sibt lbn Jauzi says that he left behind himself gold which\ncould be loaded on three hundred camels. (Tabqat lbn Sa'd vol.3.\np.158. Murooj al-Zahab,v. 1. p.444. Aqd al-Farid, v.2. p.275 etc).\nAllama Balazari has narrated that during the age of ignorance\nHakam son of Aas was a neighbour of the prophet and after the\nadvent of Islam he was one of the deadly enemies and persecutors of\nthe prophet. When Mecca was conquered in the eighth year of\nMigration he came over to Madina. It is doubtful whether he\nembraced Islam. He used to follow the prophet and made ridiculous\nsigns towards him, mimicked him and made a wry face, and when\nthe prophet offered prayers he also stood behind him and made\nsigns with his fingers. The result was that the shape which he gave to\n\fhis face while mimicking the prophet became permanent and did not\nchange till he died. He also became insane.\nOne day while the prophet was staying in the house of one of\nhis wives, Hakam began peeping. The prophet recognized him. He\ncame out of the house and said: \"Who will save me from this\naccursed trembling person?\" Then he added: \"This Hakam and his\ndescendants cannot live where I live.\" He, therefore, exiled Hakam\nand his family to the side of Taif. When the prophet breathed his last\nUthman approached Abu Bakr with the request that Hakam might\nbe permitted to return to Madina. Abu Bakr however, declined to\naccede to his request saying that he could not grant asylum to a man\nwho had been exiled by the prophet. when Umar became the caliph\nafter Abu Bakr Uthman approached him with the same request, but\nhe also gave him the same reply which had been given by Abu Bakr.\nHowever, when Uthman himself became the Caliph he called back\nHakam and the members of his family to Madina. He told the\nMuslims that he had recommended to the prophet to permit Hakam\nand the members of his family to return to Madina and the prophet\nhad promised that he would grant such a permission but he breathed\nhis last before this could be done. The Muslims did not believe what\nUthman said and disliked very much his having allowed Hakam and\nhis descendants to return to Madina. (Kitab al-Ansab vol.5, p.27)\nUthman not only called back Hakam to Madina and made\nhim his chief adviser, but he also gave away to him the entire\nproperty which had been collected as zakat and alms from the tribe\nof Bani Qaza`a.\nWhen Hakam entered Madina he was clad in rags and the\npeople could see in what miserbale condition he was. He had with\nhim a goat which he was driving. He entered Uthman's court in this\ncondition. However, when he left that place he was wearing a very\nvaluable fur cloak and had covered himself with a costly silken\nsheet. (Tarikh Yaqoobi, Vol.2, p.41)\nAllama Balazari says: \"Amongst the many acts of Uthman\nwhich annoyed the people one was this that he deputed Hakam son\nof Aas to collect zakat from Bani Qaza`a, which amounted to three\nhundred thousand dirhams and when Hakam collected this money\nand brought it to Uthman the latter gave away the entire amount to\nhim\". (Tarikh al-Ansab, Balazari Vol.5, p.28).\nAllama Yaqoobi says that Uthman married his daughter to\nAbdullah son of Khalid son of Aseed and ordered that six hundred\nthousand dirhams might be given to him. He wrote to Abdullah son\nof `Aamir that this amount might be paid out of the public treasury\nof Basra. (Tarikh Yaqoobi, Vol.2, p.145).\n\fAllama lbn Abd Rabih Qartabi, Allama lbn Qutaiba and\nAllama lbn Abi al-Hadid have written that Uthman gave four\nhundred thousand dirhams to Abdullah (Aqd al-Farid Vol.2, p. 261.\nMa`araf, p.84 and Sharh lbn Abi al-Hadid Vol.1, p.66).\nOne fifth (khums) of the war booty which was received as\na result of the African war amounted to five hundred gold coins.\nUthman gave this amount to Marwan son of Hakam, who was his\ncousin and son-in-law, being the husband of his daughter Umm Ayan.\nAllama lbn Athir writes: Khums (one-fifth) was brought\nfrom Africa to Madina and Marwan purchased it for five hundred\nthousand dinars. Uthman excused him from making payment of\nthis amount. This was one of those acts of Uthman which were\ncriticized by the people later. (Tarikh Yaqoobi, Vol.3, p.38).\nAllama Balazari and lbn Sa'd have narrated that Uthman\nendowed upon Marwan the \"Khums\" which was received from the\nwar in Egypt, and also bestowed large sums of money upon his\nrelatives. He explained away these acts by saying that he had shown\nkindness to his kinsmen. The people disliked these actions of\nUthman very much and criticized him. (Tabqat Ibn Sa`d, V.3, p.24.\n(Printed at Leiden) and Kitab al-Ansab Balazari, Vol.5, p.25).\nUthman gave one hundred thousand dirhams to Sa`id son of\n`Aas. Ali, Talha, Zubayr, Sa`d son of Abi Waqas and Abdur Rahman\nson of Auf had a talk with him in this regard. He, however, told\nthem that Sa`id was a relative and a kinsman of his and by giving\nthe said amount to him he had shown kindness to a kinsman. (Kitab\nal-Ansab, Vol.5, p.28).\nHe gave large sum of money out of the public treasury to\nWalid son of Aqba son of Abi Mu`eet who was his brother from his\nmother's side.\nAllama Balazari says: \"When Walid was appointed as governor\nof Kufa Abdullah son of Mas`ud was the incharge of the public\ntreasury. Walid borrowed a large sum of money from the treasury.\nThe rulers used to borrow in this manner and returned it when they\nreceived their salaries. After a few days lbn Mas`ud demanded the\nmoney back. Walid complained to Uthman against this demand by\nlbn Mas`ud. Thereupon Uthman wrote to Ibn Mas`ud: \"You are only\na treasurer. Do not press Walid to return the money borrowed by\nhim. It is not proper to expostulate with him\". (Kitab al-Ansab,\nVol. 5,p. 1)\nThe day on which Uthman got one hundred thousand dirhams\npaid to Marwan from the public treasury he also got two hundred\nthousand dirhams paid to Abu Sufyan. (Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah,\nAllama Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Vol.8, p.27).\n\fAllama lbn Abi al-Hadid says that Uthman gave the entire\nwar booty received from different places in Africa, where battles\nwere fought, to his foster-brother Abdullah bin Abi Sarha to the\nexclusion of all other Muslims (Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, V.1, p.27).\n\f Helping the needy\nThere are those common rights which were respected\nby Ali himself and he also impressed upon others to\nrespect them. According to him the real duty of the\ngovernors of the provinces and other officals was that they\nshould protect these rights and should not allow them to\nbe encroached upon.\nIf Ali appointed anyone as a ruler or removed him\nfrom his office, it was for this very reason. According to\nhim these rights carried very wide meanings and were of\nmany kinds. The purport of all of them was, however,\nthat the needs of every person should be met and no one\nshould remain hungry, because remaining hungry is the\ngreatest insult to humanity.\nThere is no harm in violating the laws which cannot\neliminate the indigence of the people. Just as in the creed\nof Ali worship must not estrange man from the society and\nreligion means good behaviour towards the people, and\ntrue religious beliefs are those which promote righteous-\nness, in the same manner the laws should be such as meet\nthe needs of the people and ensure elimination of poverty\nand indigence, so that man may not be humiliated in his\nown eyes and become dejected.\nIt is not a favour but the duty of a ruler and a\nlaw-giver to enact laws which relieve the people of need\nand indigence, and they are entitled to demand such laws\nfrom him.\nAli safeguarded the rights of the people so meticulously\nthat it is almost impossible to find any sermon, speech or\ntestament of his in which he may not have mentioned\nthese rights and may not have drawn the attention of the\ngovernors and the officials to them.\nMeeting the needs of the people was undoubtedly the\ngreatest duty of the ruler and the law-giver and the greatest\nright of the people in the eyes of Ali.\nIt was Ali who considered the greatest sin of Kaiser\nand Kisra to be this (although the list of their sins is quite\nlong) that they humiliated their subjects, did not look\nafter their rights, deprived them of the bounties of the\nearth and the comforts of life and tried to make them\n\findigent and despicable. He says: \"Think over the agitation\nand distress of the people when Kaiser and Kisra were their\nrulers. They had expelled them from fertile lands and the\nwater and verdure of Iraq and transferred them to a place\nwhere there was no vegetation and where there was nothing\nexcept violent winds, and had made them extremely poor\nand indigent.\nWhenever a governor or an official committed breach\nof trust of public property (whether the amount involved\nwas small or large) Ali threatened him with severe punish-\nment. He was deeply grieved as and when he came to know\nthat a governor or an official had usurped a property or\nhad been guilty of hoarding, and he reprimanded him in\nvery severe terms. He once wrote thus to a governor:\n\"I understand that you have usurped the land belonging to\nthe public treasury and have appropriated what was under\nyour feet and eaten what was in your hands. You should,\ntherefore, send me your account\".\nThe sentence \"Send me your account\" in the letter of\nthe Commander of the Faithful deserves attention. This\nsentence carries very vast meanings. He was so keen to\nenforce justice that he could not tolerate any excuse or\nslackness in this behalf.\nBesides possessing a firm faith Ali was a subtle\nobserver and was fully aware of the mysteries of human\nsociety, and the mutual relations of the public. He knew\nwhich rights had been encroached upon, and which of\nthem were going to be encroached upon. He fully realized\nthat injustice and oppression was harmful for the society\ninternally as well as externally and the oppressors as well\nas the oppressed were threatened with grave dangers. He\nconsidered pleading for justice and administration of\njustice to be necessary even though it might be disliked by\nthe governors and the officials. He wrote with much\nannoyance: \"Send me your account\".\nHe was informed about another governor having mis-\nappropriated public property. He wrote to him imme-\ndiately as under:-\n\"Fear God and return the property of the people\nto them. If you do not do so and then God grants me\ncontrol over you I shall acquit myself of my responsibili-\nties in the matter and shall strike you with my sword, and\nwhoever has been the victim of it has always gone direct to\n\fHell. By God, even if Hasan and Husayn had done what\nyou have done I would not have been lenient to them and\nthey would not have been able to make me accede to any\nwish of theirs till I had taken back the right (of others)\nfrom them and had effaced the results arising out of\ninjustice\".\nThe Commander of the Faithful sent a man named\nSa`d to Ziad bin Abih to bring some money which was\nlying with him. The Commander of the Faithful had\nreceived information that Ziad was leading a luxurious life\nand that he was accumulating wealth himself and did not\ngive anything to the widows, the orphans and the indigent.\nWhen Sa`d approached Ziad and demanded the money the\nlatter behaved proudly and rebuked him. Sa`d came back\nand informed Ali about what had happened. Thereupon\nAli wrote a letter to Ziad on these lines: \"Sa`d has\ninformed me that you have rebuked him without any\njustification and behaved with him haughtily and proudly,\nnotwithstanding the fact that the prophet has said that\ngreatness belongs to God only and whoever is proud incurs\nHis wrath. Sa`d has also informed me that you eat food of\nvarious kinds and perfume yourself everyday. What harm\nwill accrue to you if you also fast for a few days for the\nsake of God and give away a part of your wealth as charity\nin the path of God, and eat many times the food which\nyou eat once, or let an indigent person eat it.\nYou, who are rolling in bounties, do not look after\nyour poor neighbours, the weak and needy widows and the\norphans. Do you desire, inspite of all this, that you should\nget the reward of the righteous persons who give alms?\nSa`d has also told me that you speak like the righteous but\nact like the evil-doer? If you really do so you have been\ncruel to yourself and have wasted your actions. You\nshould repent before God and reform your ways and should\nbe moderate in your acts. You should send forward what-\never surplus property you possess for the day on which\nyou will need it, in case you are a true believer. And use\nperfume on alternate days and that should not be too\nmuch. The prophet has said: \"Use perfume on alternate\ndays and do not use it excessively. Peace be on you\".\nThe Commander of the Faithful sent successive\norders to the governors and warned them severely against\nmisappropriating public property and taking bribes. He\n\fconsidered such activities to be the worst relationship\nbetween the rulers and the ruled and a great barrier between\ntitle and the entitled person. He was well aware of the\nharm which these bad habits were likely to do to the\npeople. Once he received information that a military officer\nhad taken bribe. He held his hand and gave it such a\nviolent jerk that it was about to be dismembered from his\nbody. Then he said to him: \"The people earlier than you\nwere annihilated because they deprived the people of their\nrights and they were, therefore, obliged to acquire their\nrights by offering bribes. They compelled the people to do\ninvalid things as a result of which falsehood became\nprevalent\".\nOnce a governor was invited to a feast. The governor\naccepted the invitation and participated in the party.\nWhen the Commander of the Faithful came to know about\nthis he reprimanded the governor severely saying: \"Enter-\ntaining a governor is bribe. Why was this bribe given?\nIf it was given to establish a right it is the duty of a\ngovernor to give the entitled persons their right without\ntaking bribe, or this bribe was given to validate something\ninvalid. If that be the case it is not lawful for a governor to\ndo any such thing even though the entire world may be\noffered to him as bribe.\nThe second thing is: why did the governor participate\nin a feast to which the rich were invited but the indigent\nwere ignored and thus a discrimination was made between\nthe slaves of Allah? This discrimination pained many\npersons and also grieved Ali. Of course if the society is\nprosperous and the people are well-to-do there is no harm\nin inviting only some persons to a party to the exclusion of\nothers. However, when the conditions are such that there\nare poor as well as rich persons in the society, does the\nextension of an invitation to a governor to participate in\na feast not amount to giving him bribe?\nSome persons may think that such severity on the\npart of Ali with regard to the governors and the officials\nwas not appropriate and they did not deserve to be\ncensured and reprimanded in this manner. However, if\nsuch persons become aware of the facilities provided by\nAli to the officers which made it absolutely unnecessary\nfor them to take bribes or to resort to mis-appropriation of\nfunds they will acknoweldge that the severity expressed\n\fby Ali towards the officials was not unjustified.\nAnother point also deserves attention here and it is\nthat Ali did not consider it permissible that the officials\nshould take advantage of their position vis-a-vis the public\neven to the extent of a feast, because such an advantage\nalso amounts to theft or bribe. And when Ali did not\npermit an officer to accept an invitation to a feast by way\nof bribe how could he tolerate that he should appropriate\na whole city to himself or should take the property of the\npeople from them by way of bribe?\nA far-sighted person who has an eye on the realities is\nobliged to be severe and to nip the evil in the bud.\nRestraint on the officials commenced in the days of Ali\nand not during the period of Uthman. Ali gave such\nhandsome salaries to the governors as were sufficient\nfor their needs. There could, therefore, be no justification\nfor their taking bribes.\nIf Ali was severe with the corrupt officers he was also\naffable with the righteous ones. He acknowledged their\nrights and encouraged them for their devotion towards\ntheir Imam and for their services to the Muslims.\nThe letter which he wrote to Umar son of Abi Salma,\nthe governor of Behrain whereby relieving him of his\nassignment and asking him to come over to him to\naccompany him in the Syrian campaign deserves to be\nstudied. He wrote to him: \"I have entrusted the gover-\nnorship of Behrain to No`man son of AjIan Zarqi and have\nrelieved you of it. However, I have not done this because\nyou have been considered to be incompetent or because\nyou have been accused of anything improper. The fact is\nthat you have run the administration very competently\nand faithfully. You should, therefore, come over here and\njoin me. There is nothing against you. The actual position\nis this that I have decided to proceed against the Syrian\nrebels and wish that you should be with me because you\nare one of those persons who can assist me in fighting\nagainst the enemy and erecting the pillar of the faith\".\nHe always adopted this firm policy with regard to the\nofficers. He encouraged those who were righteous and\nwas severe to those who did evil deeds. He neither wavered,\nnor minced words nor resorted to connivance or deceit.\nHis real object was the welfare of the Muslims and the\nestablishment of justice among all, whether they were\n\fthe rulers or the ruled.\nThose officers who did not misappropriate public\nfunds and did not take bribe received salaries from the\npublic treasury according to their needs, and the Comman-\nder of the Faithful praised and encouraged them. As\nregards the dishonest officers, however, Ali reprimanded\nand censured them in the first instance and then dismissed\nthem. In case their crimes were more serious he also\nsentenced them to imprisonment. Besides the governors\nthere were some persons who had usurped the property of\nothers and had accumulated large amount of wealth by\nunlawful means. The Commander of the Faithful subjected\nthem to severe accountability and did not show them any\n\nleniency. He severely opposed their greed to accumulate\nwealth and their sensual and luxurious life, and endeavoured\nto become a wall between them and their wealth which\nthey were keen to increase. He opposed verbally as well as\npractically the usurpation of the property of others and\nseverely prohibited hoarding. In the testament addressed\nto Malik Ashtar he wrote inter alia: \"Keep this also in\nmind that many of these persons are habituated to parsi-\nmony and stinginess. They hoard to make profit and weigh\nlesser and charge more. This thing is harmful for the public\nand a defect of the rulers. You should, therefore, prevent\nthem from hoarding\".\nThen he says: \"If someone is guilty of hoarding after\nyour having prohibited it you should punish him, but you\nmust ensure that no excess or oppression is done in your\naction\".\nAs regards occupation of Jagir and land by the\npeople the view held by Ali was compatible with reason as\nwell as a source of virtue. We have already discussed this\nmatter in the foregoing pages.\nSubjecting others to forced labour and exploiting\ntheir earnings is also a kind of hoarding. Ali did not\ntolerate this also, and has mentioned it at various places in\nNahj al-Balaghah. While describing the condition of the\npeople of his time he says: \"There are many persons whose\nendeavours have been wasted and whose efforts have\ngone in vain. You people are living in a time when good-\nness is receding and wickedness coming nearer and nearer.\nSatanic avarice is killing the people. Wherever you cast\n\fyour eye you will see indigent persons, who are suffering\non account of poverty, or the rich who are guilty of\ningratitude to God, or the stingy persons who do not\npay God's dues and are keen to increase their wealth.\nWhat has happened to your righteous and pious people?\nWhere are those noble and magnanimous persons, who\nwere pious in earning wealth and pure in their actions and\nconduct?\"\nIn fact the Commander of the Faithful had clearly\nunderstood this reality by means of his correct thinking,\npure disposition and high morality that a system which\ncannot eliminate the indigence of the people is worthless\nand a law which cannot do away with class discrimination\nis useless and undesirable. All those social laws, which\ngive birth to a society, in which people are divided into\nclasses, are a plaything in the hands of those, who call\nthemselves the nobles and the dignitaries and exploit the\nrights and property of the common man in a most shame-\nless manner.\nAli took positive steps to eliminate the poverty of the\npeople. His actions were based on two principles: Firstly\nthat the entire wealth of the public treasury and the lands\nand property and all means of earning wealth belong to the\nnation and it is necessary that they should be distributed\namong all the citizens according to their needs and entitle-\nment. Every person should work and benefit from these\nresources according to his efforts. None is entitled to\nappropriate whatever he likes and to convert the public\nproperty into his special property. It is also in the interest\nof the individuals that they should co-operate with the\nsociety. They should prove themselve useful for others and\nshould also benefit from them. The benefits which they\nwill derive from the society will be thousands of times\nmore than those which they render to the society.\nAli says: \"Whoever withholds his hand from doing\nharm to his people apparently withholds only one hand\nbut actually keeps thousands of hands away from himself\".\nThe government should adopt this just policy in\nright earnest because the people are like a body and it is\nnecessary for the government to treat every limb of that\nbody according to its needs. It should neither ignore\nanyone, nor neglect the right of anyone, nor permit any\ndiscrimination between them. It is in such circumstances\n\fthat it can become possible for the government to realize\nrevenue and obtain other rights of the public treasury from\nthe nation and spend it on the projects of public welfare.\nThe second thing on which Ali based his actions was\nthe development of land, because the life of human beings\nand their welfare depend on land. He was of the view that\nthe governors and officers should take much greater\ninterest in the development of land as compared with\nthe effort which they make to realize government revenue,\nbecause if land is not developed from where will the\nrevenue come? A ruler who does not develop land, but\nwants to realize revenue from the public, is ignorant\nand unjust. He desires that the cities should be destroyed,\nthe people should be ruined and he himself should lose his\ndignity and honour. The land is neither developed auto-\nmatically nor by means of the ignorance or power of the\nrulers. Development of land does not also mean that\nmagnificent palaces should be erected on it to accomodate\nrich people. Land is developed with the efforts of the\nlabourers and the residents of villages. The Commander of\nthe Faithful had given strict instructions that if the people\nwere distressed and were not happy with their rulers\nrevenue should not be realized from them.\nThe principles of kindness to the subjects and philan-\nthropy and the moral values demand that the subjects\nshould pay the revenue voluntarily and not under duress.\nIt is the duty of governors to make the subjects prosperous\nin the first instance and then to think of collecting the\nrevenue. The Commander of the Faithful has addressed\nthe collectors of revenue in these words: \"........ Don't\nsell the winter or summer clothings of the people or the\nanimals used by them, in order to collect revenue. Don't\nflog any person or make him stand on his feet for the sake\nof money, and don't sell any of their things for this purpose,\nbecause God has ordered us to take that which is surplus\".\nHe also says: \"In the matter of revenue keep in view\nthe interests of those who pay the revenue, because the\naffairs of others can be set right only by means of taxes\nand the tax-payers\".\nThese views of the Commander of the Faithful about\nland and its development and the conclusion drawn by him\nthat the welfare of government depends on the welfare of\nthe people are so true and correct that nothing wrong\n\fabout them has been found even after the lapse of so many\ncenturies. All the economic and social theories of the\nmodern times also confirm these views.\nAli prescribed a general rule for the development of\nland and the extraction of wealth from its heart which\nis admitted by the social sciences of our time, to be\nabsolutely correct.\nDuring the age of ignorance there was a custom that\nthe powerful persons forced the slaves, prisoners and\nsubordinates to develop their lands. They gave these\nworkers paltry wages at their own sweet will but appro-\npriated the produce of the land themselves without having\ndone any work.\nAccording to their law man did not carry any value\nand his labour did not deserve any reward. The rulers\nconsidered the people to be their slaves and subjected\nthem to forced labour. Their very religion was based on\nmaking people their slaves or in other words on killing\nand destroying those helpless and afflicted persons. The\npeople were ignorant and the rulers, taking undue\nadvantage of their ignorance, made them their slaves.\nThe idolatrous priests, who were the religious leaders of\nthose times had also declared slavery to be lawful and had\nthus strengthened the hands of the rulers. These priests\nhad befooled the people in such a way that they were\nprepared to make supreme sacrifices for the sake of their\nrulers to enable them to increase their wealth and add new\nlands to their territories. All this was done either in the\nname of the homeland or in the name of the deity, whom\nthey worshipped.\nThe famous British historian H.G. Wells says: \"The\nidolatrous priests told the people that the lands which they\ntilled did not belong to them. They belonged to the gods\nwhose image they had hung in the temples, and those gods\nhad given those lands to the rulers. Now it depended upon\nthe sweet will of the rulers to give the lands to those\nservants of theirs whom they liked\".\nThe peasants also began to entertain the belief that\nthe land which they ploughed did not belong to them,\nbut were owned by the god (idol) and it was their duty to\nsurrender a part of the produce of the land to the represen-\ntative of the god. Or that the god had given the land\nto the ruler and he was entitled to impose thereon any\n\ftaxes he liked. Or that the ruler had given the land to the\nlandlord who was their master. If at times the idol, the\nruler or the landlord needed the services of the peasant it\nwas his duty to leave other work and carry out the orders\nof his master. The peasant did not even think that he had\nany right on the land which he ploughed. In short the\npeasant neither possessed any freedom of will nor enjoyed\nany right.\nThe history of Arabia tells us that the persons who\nassumed the reins of government after Ali monopolized\nthe lands, their produce, and the public treasury for their\npersonal benefit. They used to say: \"The entire wealth\nbelongs to God and we are his representatives and vice-\ngerents on earth. It is our prerogative to give this wealth\nto whomsoever we like. Nobody is entitled to criticize\nus in this regard\". 1\nHowever, Ali knew the position very well. He was\nvery far-sighted and was well aware that God does not\nneed land or wealth and the land belongs to those who\nwork on it. Ali also knew that if the peasants are indigent\nthe land will become waste and it will be difficult to\nrealize any revenue. Land can be developed only by those\npeople who are its owners and derive profit from its\nproduce. If the peasants know it for certain that they will\nnot be able to enjoy the fruits of their labour and it will\nreach the treasuries of the extravagent rulers, they will\nwork half-heartedly and will not make any effort to\ndevelop the land. 2 Consequently they themselves will be\nin distress and others will also be deprived of the fruits of\ntheir labour.\nIn case, however, they know that the more they\nproduce with their hard work the more they themselves\nand their children will benefit from it, and the rulers too\nwill not distribute the revenue among their friends and\nrelatives, but will spend it on projects of public welfare,\nthey will work whole-heartedly. As a result of this they\nwill become prosperous and additional revenue will also\naccrue to the government treasury.\nIn the eyes of the Commander of the Faithful the\nhappiness and goodwill of the subjects was the only source\nof the welfare of the people as well as the good condition\nof the rulers. He did not believe in coercion and said:\n\"The best source of satisfaction and heartfelt happiness for\n\fa ruler is that justice should be established and the love\nof the subjects for the rulers should become patent. They\ndo not display love so long as there is ill feeling in their\nhearts and their devotion cannot be relied upon so long as\nthey are not prepared to defend their ruler and do not\ncease to think that his rule has been burdensome and\nit will come to an end after a long time\".\nAli considered farming and all other professions to be\nrespectable. He prohibited people from remaining idle and\nconsidered it essential that a worker should be paid wages\ncommensurate with his work. He exercised much strictness\nin these matters so that the people might realize that he\nwas not going to pay anything which had not been earned\nby the person concerned by means of his work. The\nincident of his real brother Aqil son of Abu Talib is well\nknown. He approached Ali to make him some payment\nwithout any work or service, but Ali declined to accede\nto his request.\nIn the eyes of Ali there was no injustice greater than\nthat a worker should not be paid his wages or that he\nshould be deprived of his right even to the smallest extent.\nAccording to him it was also highly improper that the\nwork done by persons belonging to the higher class should\nbe applauded whereas that done by the ordinary persons\nshould be looked down upon. According to him what\nmattered was the work and its real value whether it was\ndone by a big man or an ordinary person. There were\nmany workers in his time who worked hard but were not\nrewarded for their labour. The Commander of the Faithful\ndisliked it very much. These words of his are a beacon light\nin the path of social and moral principles: \"Keep eye on\nthe achievement of every person and do not attribute the\nachievement of one person to another, and do not deprive\nthe real person of the reward to which he is entitled on\naccount of the work done by him. Never treat an ordinary\nwork to be great on account of high position of the\ndoer, and never treat a great work to be ordinary on\naccount of the low position of the person who has done it.\nDevelopment of land and payment of full wages,\ncommensurate with the work done, were the two strong\npillars on which Ali intended to erect the structure of a\ngood and pious society. Some persons belonging to a parti-\ncular place came to him and said: \"There is a canal in our\n\farea which is now filled with dust. If it is dug again it will\nbe very beneficial for us\". They then requested him to\nwrite to the governor of the area to make it compulsory\nfor everyone to dig the canal. The Commander of the\nFaithful approved the digging of the canal but did not\naccede to their request that the people should be compelled\nto dig it. He wrote thus to Qarza son of Kaa`b the governor\nof the area: \"Some persons belonging to your area came to\nme and told me that there was a canal in that region which\nis now filled with dust. If these people dig the canal once\nagain it will lead to the development of the area and they\nwill be able to pay the revenue. This will also lead to the\nincrease in the income of the Muslims residing in the area.\nThese persons asked me to write a letter to you\ndesiring you to collect the people of that place to dig the\ncanal and to make it obligatory upon them to bear the\nexpenses of the work.\nI do not consider it appropriate to compel any person\nto do a work which he does not like to do. You should,\ntherefore, call the people and employ those of them who\nare willing to do the work. When the canal is ready only\nthose persons who do digging work will be entitled to use\nit, and those who do not participate in the work will have\nno right on its water. If those people develop their area\nand their financial position improves, it is much better\nthan their remaining weak\".\nAli did not consider it lawful to subject anyone to\nforced labour, although a group of persons wished to resort\nto this practice. The thing which matters is that one should\nwork. Ali, therefore, said to those people: \"You have been\nordered to work (and not to remain idle). As regards the\ncanal only those persons, who participate in its digging,\nwill be entitled to benefit from it. Those who do not want\nto do this work cannot be compelled to do it. Work should\nbe done willingly and not under coercion\". This is the\nprinciple which Ali followed very strictly.\nBy formulating this rule about work and the workers\ncenturies ago Ali surpassed the western thinkers. The\nwestern thinkers are putting forth so vehemently the same\nthing today which was said by Ali thirteen hundred years\nago. He provided a basis for justice and a better basis\ncannot be imagined. 3 And that basis is that none should\nbe subjected to forced labour, however beneficial the work\n\fmay be, because taking work by force is an insult to\nhumanity. It reduces the value of man and infringes his\ninherent freedom. Furthermore, work taken under\ncompulsion loses its value, because one who is forced to\nperform a job will not perform it whole-heartedly. Ali,\nhowever, encouraged the people in another way to do the\nwork by saying that only those persons who participate in\ndigging the canal would be entitled to benefit from it. He\nsaid: \"The owners of the canal are those persons who\nparticipate in digging it and not those who refrain from\ndoing so\". 4 This principle enuniciated by Ali is the pillar\non which the greatest beliefs and ideas of the western\nthinkers are based.\nHence it is necessary for every person to work. None\nis great or small except through his work. Whoever works\nshall be rewarded for it. The aristocrates and dignitaries\nare not entitled to usurp the earnings of others and\nencroach upon their rights. As said by Ali if God likes any\none he likes an honest worker. If a person earns some\nwealth by hardwork it naturally belongs to him because\nhe has worked for it. However, he must also take the\ninterest of the nation into account. The said property will\nbe treated to be his personal property so long as public\ninterests are not jeopardized. If public interests demand\nthat a part of the personal property of the individuals\nshould be taken and spent for public welfare this will be\ndone. This wealth is meant for the benefit of the individuals\nas well as for the welfare of the society (it was on this\naccount that revenue was realized from the owners of the\ncanal for the public treasury) when ownership is circum-\nscribed in this manner there will neither be excessive\nwealth with anyone nor will there be any indigent person\nin the society.\nIn every nation there are certain persons (for example\nyoung orphans) who are not able to do any work. Did Ali\nignore such persons, as is done by the western countries,\nor did he take care of them according to the rules of\njustice and morality?\nThere is no doubt about the fact that the nation has\nrights on the individuals and the individuals have rights on\nthe nation. The nation is like a body which is composed of\ndifferent limbs. It is necessary for every limb to help other\nlimbs. Every person is entitled to enjoy the fruits of his\n\flabour. God has given a share of the necessities of life to\neveryone. None is, therefore, entitled to appropriate the\nnecessities of life to the exclusion of others. However,\nit is the responsibility of the nation to support those who\nare unable to earn, for example small children and old\npersons. 5 It should do justice to the helpless persons in\nthe same manner in which it does justice to others. It is\nan exclusive right of theirs, and not an act of kindness and\nthe governments and its representatives are responsible to\npay this right. Ali Says: \"Out of all members of the society\nthese persons are more deserving of justice. Hence you\nshould pay the right of everyone of them and equip your-\nself with an excuse to be presented before God. Take care\nof the orphans and the old persons who can neither earn\ntheir livelihood nor stand before others to beg\".\nAli has gone ahead of thousands of western thinkers\nand philosophers in this matter. He realized the necessity\nof paying the rights of the helpless persons and made it\na responsibility of the government. He did not let it\ndepend on the kindness and generosity of the rich so that\nthe deceitful hypocrites might not get any chance to\nspread mischief. 6\nAli's conscience as well as his intellect were well\naware of the reality that all human beings are entitled to\nlive. This right is one of the necessities of social life.\nFreedom is of no use if sustenance is not available and\na good society cannot come into being without it. He\npromulgated the law that all human beings enjoy equal\nrights. Then in the light of the same law he decided that\nthe needy persons had preferential rights over the public\ntreasury as compared with the rich persons even though\nthose rich persons might have embraced Islam earlier.\nIt is work which entitles one to wages and it is also\nwork by means of which one can become the owner of\nland and property.\nIn the orders which the Commander of the Faithful\nsent to the governors and other officers every now and\nthen he strictly warned them not to harass the people.\nHe directed them not to press the indigent peasants for\npayment of revenue but to render them assistance so that\nthey might work hard and produce more from the land.\nTaxes should be realized from the rich so that the income\nof the public treasury might increase and might be used to\n\fhelp the needy.\nHow great and dignified Ali appears in our eyes when\nwe learn that fourteen hundred years ago he gave emphatic\norders to his governors on these lines: \"Don't sell the\nwinter or summer dresses of the people, or their cereals, or\nthe animals used by them, to realize revenue. Don't flog\nany person or make him stand on his feet for the sake of\nmoney. Don't sell the household effects of any person to\nget revenue - and pay more heed to the development of\nland than to the collection of revenue\".\nThe Commander of the Faithful has mentioned the\nreason for the distressful condition of the indigent persons\nof his time in a few brief sentences and has explained their\ncontents in numerous testaments and precepts. He says:\n\"If an indigent person remains hungry it is because the rich\nman has withheld his share\".\nThis is the greatest reality which is the basis of\nmodern equitable system. Ali had understood this reality\nfourteen hundred years ago and formulated clear rules\nand regulations, as were suited to his time.\nA Lebanese writer who happens to be my friend says\nthat at one time he was residing in a big city of Europe and\nthe movement to put an end to poverty was being carried\non there. One day he met the Education Minister of that\ncountry and said to him during the course of conversation:\n\"We Arabs realized centuries ago the class discrimination\nand its disadvantages which you are endeavouring to\neliminate now\".\nThe Minister said: \"How?\" He replied: Fourteen\nhundred years ago Ali son of Abu Talib said: \"I have not\nseen excessive wealth with anyone except that I have seen\nsimultaneously the right of someone being infringed\".\nThe Minister said: \"We are much better than you\".\nHe said: \"How?\" The Education Minister said: \"Because\nalthough an Arab had understood this reality fourteen\nhundred years ago you have not so far endeavoured to\neliminate indigence and are still involved in it whereas we\nare already endeavouring to get rid of poverty. Hence you\nare fourteen hundred years behind us.i.e. if we had heard\nthis sentence of Ali at that time we would have taken\nnecessary steps in this behalf immediately\".\nBefore we end this chapter, it will be better to\nrecapitulate what has been stated above and to invite the\n\freaders to compare the views of Ali on social matters\nwith those of the modern thinkers and to reflect on them\njudiciously.\nWe can mention the social principles and views of Ali\nin nine sentences. These principles and views consist of the\ncauses of affluence and indigence and the class differences\nof the people or in other words the best rules and regulations\nfor eliminating poverty and need, and establishing equality\nof rights between them.\n(1) Prevent hoarding.\n(2) No indigent person remained hungry except because\na rich man usurped his share.\n(3) I have not seen excessive wealth with anyone except\nthat I have seen the right of someone being infringed.\n(4) You should be more anxious to develop land then\nto collect revenue.\n(5) I do not consider it proper that a person should be\ncompelled to do a work which he does not like.\n(6) The hearts of the pious people are in Paradise and\ntheir bodies are busy doing work in the world.\n(7) The canal belongs to him who participated in its\ndigging and not to him who did not provide physical or\nfinancial assistance to dig it.\n(8) Keep in view the achievement of a person, and do\nnot attribute the achievements of one person to another.\n(9) Beware! Don't appropriate to yourselves the things\nin which all have equal rights.\nIf these sentences of Ali are studied carefully it\nbecomes known that the rights of man in the human\nsociety can be protected and his freedom can be ensured\nonly by acting on those principles.\n\n\n\n\n1 The fact is that this policy began to be acted upon during the\ntime of Uthman himself. During the time of the prophet and the\nperiod of the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar everything belonged\nto the Muslims and they were treated to have equal rights. However,\nUthman's attitude changed considerably. He considered everything\nto be the property of God and considered himself to be the master\nof the Muslims. He spent public property as he wished and gave it to\nwhomever he liked. The Commander of the Faithful has drawn\na picture of this period in these words: \"Consequently the third\n\fproudly took charge of the caliphate as if it was a private grazing\nground and with bloated stomachs he and members of his clan\n(Bani Umayya) started plundering the wealth of the Muslim world in\nthe same reckless gluttonous manner which characterises a camel\nwhen it devours harvest grass.\nUthman deprived the lawful claimants of that property which\nbelonged to all the Muslims and gave it to his kith and kin and near\nand dear ones. On many occasions he uttered words which reflected\nthe beliefs of the age of ignorance according to which the lands and\nits produce and the public treasury belonged to the ruler and he was\nentitled to give it to whomsoever he liked. This sentence of his is\nfound in all history books: \"This is God's property. I shall give it\nto whomsoever I like and shall not give it to any one whom I do not\nlike to give. If any person gets annoyed I don't care\".\nMu'awiya and other Umayyad caliphs were the relatives and\nkinsmen of Uthman. Whatever they did during their own times was\ndone by them in imitation of Uthman.\n2 This goes to show that if the peasants are allowed to share the\nproduce with the land-owners they will work hard to earn more\nprofit from the land. However, if their position is that of wage-\nearners (as in socialism) they will not strive to increase the produce,\nknowing that they will get the same wages whatever the quantity of\nthe produce may be.\nFurther, the socialist governments are a heavy burden on their\nsubjects. They interfere with all the affairs of the subjects and the\nsubjects, too are not faithful to such government, because they do\nnot have any faith in them.\n3 The western philosophers are divided into two groups on this\nquestion. One group considers forced labour to be unjust and\nunlawful whereas the other group considers it to be necessary.\nSocialism holds the latter view.\n4 In the beginning of his letter addressed to the governor the\nCommander of the Faithful had told him that he should encourage\nthe people to dig the canal and bear the expenses of the work. He\nwho could not personally work, should hire some one to work on his\nbehalf. Being `owners of the canal' means that those who participate\nin its digging physically or financially own its water and so long as\ntheir needs are not fulfilled others cannot utilize it. They have a\nright to prevent others from taking the water or to allow them to\ntake it on payment. This is the purport of the tradition quoted\nabove viz. \"The owners of the canal are those persons who\nparticipate in digging it and not those who refrain from doing so\".\n5 In the Islamic law zakat has been made mandatory for this\n\fvery reason. Abdullah bin Sanan has been quoted in Kafi as saying\nthat Imam Ja`far Sadiq said: \"God has fixed that share of the\nindigent persons in the wealth of rich which may suffice them. If He\nhad considered it to be insufficient He would have ordered that\nmore might be paid\".\n6 Meeting the needs of the indigent and helpless person is not\nthe responsibility of the government only as stated by the author. In\nIslamic law the government as well as the individuals have been made\nresponsible to support the needy. If the collection of zakat and its\ndistribution among the poor had been the responsibility of the\ngovernment only, there would have been greater chances of malad-\nministration, because the persons nearer to government have benefited\nto the exclusion of those who had been at a distance from the\ngovernment, and had no chances of approaching the authorities\nconcerned. It is for this reason that Almighty God has ordered the\nindividuals that they should pay zakat to their kinsmen, neighbours,\nand the indigent persons of their own town of whose indigence they\nare aware, and should hand it over to government only when none of\ntheir relatives, neighbours, acquaintances, and residents of their\ntown is entitled to it.\n\f Neither fanaticism nor infallibility\nAli marched steadfastly on the path of action fixed\nby him for himself. He always looked upwards. He pres-\ncribed the economic rights of man as well as other rights\nwithout which the economic rights cannot materialize. He\ndid not do favour to any particular creed, colour or race.\nAll human beings are alike and all of them are entitled to\nlive and to share the amenities of life even though they\nmay be different in their creed, colour or race. Ali was\nconsiderate to the entire mankind. According to him there\nwas no difference between the white-coloured and the\nblackcoloured, the Arabs and the non-Arabs, Muslims and\nnon-Muslims in the matter of economic rights and the\namenities of life.\nAlthough Ali was the successor to the prophet, the\nfortress of Islam, and the Commander of the Faithful, he\ndid not at all wish that the non-Muslims should be\ncompelled to embrace Islam. According to him the people\nwere free to worship God as they liked and to hold the\nbeliefs of their choice subject to the condition that they\ndid not harm others. 1 He allowed freedom of faith\nbecause all human beings are the slaves of God and religion\nis a means of connection between Him and His creatures.\nAccording to Ali one's being a human being was\nsufficient for his being honoured, befriended and dealt\nwith kindly as well as for his rights being immune from\ninfringement by others. In the testament written by him\nfor Malik Ashtar, the Governor of Egypt, he said: \"Do not\nbecome a ferocious animal for them so that you may\ndevour them. 2 There are two kinds of persons amongst\nthe subjects, out of whom some are your brethren-in-faith\nand others are creatures of God like you, and you should\nbe forgiving towards them just as you wish God to be\nforgiving towards you. You should not feel elated when\nyou accord punishment.\nIn the circumstances everyone possesses the same\nrights as you do , even though some or all of his beliefs\nmay be opposed to yours. The object of religion is\ncertainly that it should enable you to establish brotherly\nrelations with others. Others are as much human beings as\n\fyou are. This similarity of creation is a stronger connection\nbetween you and others. You should, therefore, behave\nkindly with all human beings. If your brother commits\na mistake or sin you should overlook his lapse and forgive\nhim, and should not at all feel ashamed in doing so. Purify\nthe hearts of others of enmity and grudge by purifying\nyour own hearts of these bad qualities in the first instance.\nIt is obligatory for every descendant of Adam, to\nwhatever religion or creed he may belong, that he should\nsympathise with his fellow beings. He should like that\nfor others which he likes for himself and should not like\nthat for them which he does not like for himself. He\nshould expect from others to the same extent to which\nhe meets th& expectations of others. A real believer is he\nwho endeavours to do good deeds. The best act is perfect\njustice which means that you should be absolutely impartial\nand should not discriminate between different persons. He\nwho follows the ways of Muhammad in leading his life is\nnot different from one who follows the ways of Jesus or\nother accomplished personalities. The object of the creation\nof man is this that he should acquire virtues and excellence\nand should acquire good attributes. He is free to achieve\nthis end by any means he likes. Ali says: \"It is necessary\nfor you to follow the prophet's actions when the world\nwas contracted from under his feet and he was kept away\nfrom its enjoyments and embellishments. And if you so\ndesire you may see Jesus Christ who used to recline on a\nstone, wore coarse dress and ate tasteless and insipid food.\nHunger was his bread, the moon was his lamp, east and\nwest were his shade, and the grass constituted his fruits\nand perfume. He had no wife who could allure him and no\nchildren for whom he might be worried. He had no wealth\nwhich might attract his attention nor any avarice which\nmight humiliate him. His feet were his means of transport\nand his hands were his servants\".\nAt another place Imam Ali says: \"These were the\npeople who made the earth their carpet and its dust their\nbed. They contented themselves with water instead of\nperfume and passed away from the world as Jesus did\".\nThe same reality which Muhammad had in view when\nhe said: \"The prophets are brothers of one another. Their\nmothers are different but their religion is one and the\nsame\". The same reality was before Ali when he said about\n\fMuhammad: \"The prophet spent his life in the same way\nin which the earlier prophets spent their lives\".\nIn these two statements it has been clearly admitted\nthat virtue is the thing which unites the people at one\npoint just as humanity is basically the point of unification.\nWhat has been stated above makes it abundantly\nclear that just as man possesses many other rights he has,\naccording to the laws enunciated by Ali, this right also that\nhe should be free in the matter of his beliefs and there\nshould be no restriction on his holding any belief he likes.\nFreedom cannot be divided. It is not possible that man\nshould be free in some respect and a captive in some other\nrespects. A Muslim is the brother of a Christian whether\nhe likes it or not, because a man is the brother of a man\nwhether he admits it or not. If in the eyes of Ali the main\nobject of creating man as a free being had not been this\nthat he should make efforts to acquire virtues and if,\naccording to him, freedom had not been a sacred right, he\nwould not have praised the followers of Jesus in the same\nmanner in which he praised the followers of Muhammad.\nIn the foregoing pages we have mentioned that a\nChristian stole the coat-of-mail of Ali and claimed that\nhe had purchased it. We have also mentioned how Ali\nbehaved with the Christian as a person equal to himself,\nrather in the manner in which a father behaves with his\nson. We have also stated how Ali lodged a complaint in\nthe court of the judge Shurayh and what its outcome was\nand how the Christian became one of his sincere disciples\nand vehemently helped him.\nThe history of Arabia is proud of the following\nsentence of Ali which adorns its pages: \"If a carpet is\nspread for me and I sit on it, I shall decide the cases of the\nJews according to their book `the Torah', of the Christians\naccording to their book `the Evangel' and of the Muslims\naccording to their Qur'an, in such a way that everyone of\nthese books will cry out: \"Ali has spoken the truth\".\nAli instructed Ma`qal son of Qais as under:-\n\"O Ma`qal! Fear God. Don't be unjust to the Muslims\nand don't oppress the Zimmis. Don't be proud, because\nGod doesn't like the proud\".\nIt shows that according to Ali `fear of God' means\nthis that a person should not oppress his fellow-beings and\nshould not in any way be unjust to them. Furthermore,\n\fhe places the Muslims and the non-Muslims at the same\nlevel and does not accord preference to anyone of them.\nThis equality of the Muslims and the non-Muslims can\nbe observed in each and every order of Ali. It would\nappear that he considered the protection of the people\nfrom injustice to be more important and necessary than\nacquiring other Islamic virtues. He says: \"If you follow\nthe path of truth, and the tenets of Islam become clear to\nyou, neither a Muslim nor a zimmi will be oppressed\".\nHe severely reprimanded the Muslims when Sufyan son of\nAuf Asadi, a commander of Mu`awiya's army invaded the\ncity of Anbar and committed atrocities on its residents but\nthey (the Muslims) did not side with the truth, and did\nnothing to prevent oppression. In the course of his speech\nhe said:- \"I have received information that, a member of\nthis group used to enter the houses of Muslims and Zimmi\nwomen and removed the anklets from their feet and the\nbangles from their hands as well as the necklace and\nearrings which they were wearing and they had no means\nof protection except that they should say: `We are from\nGod and we have to return to Him' and remain patient....\nNow if a Muslim dies of sorrow on account of these\ntragedies he cannot be blamed for it. In my opinion it\nought to be so\".\nAli censured and rebuked those people because they\nfailed to defend their brothers and sisters living in the city-\nwhether they were Muslims or Zimmis - against oppression.\nWhen he appointed Muhammad son of Abu Bakr as\nGovernor of Egypt he instructed him thus: \"I recommend\nto you to be equitable to the Zimmis, to do justice to an\noppressed person, to be severe upon the oppressor and to\nbe indulgent towards the people as far as possible and to\nbe kind to them. It is also necessary that in the matter of\ntruth the far and the near should be equal in your eyes\".\nThe following sentence also appeared in the pact\nwhich he concluded with the Christians of Najran: \"They\nwill not be subjected to injustice and oppression nor will\nany of their rights be reduced\".\nHe also fixed the same blood-money for a Christian,\nwhich is the blood-money for a Muslim.\nAccording to Ali every human being was entitled to\nrespect. It was for this reason that although the ignorant\nand brainless followers of all past religions were extremely\n\ffanatical and hated other religions, Ali was loved very much\nfor his justice by the knowledgeable Christians during his\nown time as well as afterward. All of them lauded and\npraised him. Allama Ibn Abi'l Hadid writes thus in sharh\nNahj al-Balaghah: \"What should I say about that man (Ali)\nwhom the Zimmis loved ardently although they did not\nacknowledge the prophethood (of Muhammad)\".\nAli had laid the very foundation of his treatment of\nthe non-Muslims on this principle \"Their property is like\nour property and their lives are like our lives\".\nThe facts narrated above show clearly that religious\nfanaticism was considered by Ali to be something very\nindecent and despicable. The freedom, which he believed\nin, in a wide sense, and measured with an extended\nmeasure was totally opposed to fanaticism.\nWhen we visualize the treatment meted out by Ali\nto the non-Muslims, and compare it with the treatment\nof the clergies of the Church in Europe of the Middle\nAges, especially those clergies who were responsible for\nthe `Inquisition', and when we contrast the kindness and\nforgiveness shown by Ali with the severity and harshness\nof the European religious leaders, we come to know how\nexalted Ali was and how low those people were.\nIn short there should be no doubt about it because\nAli's faith had sprung from the roots of humanity,\nfreedom and authority and it was according to the view\nand belief which Ali held about life. Ali's faith was based\non freedom and he considered freedom to be respectable\nwhereas the faith of the religious leaders of Europe was\nbased on habit and imitation of their ancestors and\nfreedom had nothing to do with it.\n\n\n********\nFanaticism\nNowadays we are at war against religious fanaticism\nand consider it to be indecent and despicable, although\nreligious fanaticism is not as dangerous as some other kinds\nof fanaticism. You will come across many persons who do\nnot at all possess religious fanaticism but they are involved\nin fanaticism of colour, race, nationality, political beliefs\netc. Indulgence and forgiveness is possible in the matter of\n\freligious fanaticism but it is not possible in the case of\nother kinds of fanaticism. Such fanaticism is based on\negotism, ignorance and profiteering and those who possess\nthis sort of fanaticism say that their view is correct and\nonly what they have concluded is right and their view\nabout man and life is indisputable. They do not consider\nthe view of anyone else as valid as theirs.\nEver since man has arrived on this earth fanaticism of\nevery kind has been inherent in him, and there has not\nbeen any time during which he has not displayed fanaticism.\nThe great leader of the world Ali fought not only against\nreligious fanaticism but against all kinds of fanaticism. He\nconsidered racial fanaticism to be equivalent to rebellion\nand mischief, and burning up the attractive face of life.\nAccording to Ali priding oneself on one's ancestry\nwas also a sort of fanaticism. He addressess the fanatics\nof his time in these words: \"Look here! You have opposed\nGod openly, have been extremely oppressive and have\ncreated disturbance on the face of the earth. Fear God in\nthe matter of priding yourselves on account of the self-\nconceit of the age of ignorance, because it is the source of\nenmity and grudge and the centre of Satan's enchantment\nwith which he allured the past nations. Look here! Fear\nfollowing your chiefs and elders who give themselves airs\nbecause of their position and pomp, and pride themselves\non account of their ancestry (i.e. those who consider\nothers humble and despicable, oppose Divine decrees and\ndeny God's kindness in order to sieze His blessings). These\nare the very persons who are the deep foundation of fana-\nticism and the pillars of the house of mischief.\nIn the first instance Ali likened family and racial\nfanaticism to rebellion and disfiguring life. Then he made\nhis view more general and declared every fanaticism\nwhether racial, political or religious, to be indentical with\nrebellion and mischief and established a general rule,\nwhose correctness will be established more and more as\ntime passess. He says: \"I have looked on all sides and have\nnot found even one man in the world who supports\nsomething but that he has a reason in view for it, which\nbecomes the cause of the mistake of the ignorant, or that\nhe has an argument which gets glued to the intellect of\nthe foolish\".\nYou may go through all that has been said regarding\n\ffanaticism and the explanations given about it, but you\nwill not find anything said by anyone which may be more\nthan what Ali has said. Fanatics indulge in fanaticism\neither on account of ignorance or folly and both of them\ncarry rebellion and mischief in their lap. Ali has drawn the\npicture of this fact in his two remarks reproduced above.\nIn short Ali considered fanaticism of every kind to be\nindecent and despicable. Of course if partiality is to be\nobserved it should be observed in the matter of virtue,\njustice and public rights. One should side with the oppressed\npersons who are deprived of their earnings and rights by\nthe oppressors. One should side with truth and conscience.\nOne should be partial for the sake of human freedom and\nhonour and for protecting the helpless from the fanatics.\nThe Commander of the Faithful says: \"If you wish to be\nfanatic and partial you should side with high morals, good\nmanners and praiseworthy qualities, for example to\nprotect the rights of your neighbour, to honour your\ncovenants, to obey the righteous, to oppose the rebellious,\nto behave well, to avoid injustice, to remain aloof from\nbloodshed, to administer justice and not to create mischief\non the earth\".\nHow much he hated fanaticism can be realized from\nthe recommendation which he made about the Kharijites,\nalthough they were his enemies. They fought a fierce\nbattle against him, but he says: \"Do not fight with the\nKharijites after me, because one who seeks truth but goes\nastray is not like one who seeks falsehood and acquires it\".\nThe Commander of the Faithful made the people\nrealize that as there was a possibility of their views and\nbeliefs being mistaken it was necessary that they should\nnot insist upon the correctness of their views and beliefs\nnor should they thrust them on others. He told them not\nto refrain from making consultations and not to hesitate\nin accepting the truth.\n\n\n\n\n1 Islam allows freedom of faith to the Jews, the Christians and\nthe Magi. They are called `Zimmis' which means non-Muslims living\nunder the protection of the Islamic government.\n2 The Egyptians about whom the Commander of the Faithful\ngave these instruction to Malik Ashtar were Christians.\n\f\f War and peace\nThere are many mutual rights enjoyed by the people.\nOne of them is that they should strengthen the ties of love\nand friendship. The ties should exist between the individuals\nas well as between the tribes and the nations, because the\ncitizens of all the countries are brother of one another.\nThey are the descendants of one father and their origin is\none. They have a common path and their aims and objects\nare also not different from one another.\nFreedom and affluence, prescribed laws and new\nefforts are all meant for mankind. These are however,\nuseless in the presence of warfare and bloodshed which\nmay destroy human race. All these things are for man.\nWhat is the use of all these (amenities and comforts)\nwhen human life is not safe?\nEvery statement which invites people to serve the\nhuman beings but does not invite them to peace is false\nand detestable.\nAll ideals regarding man and his life are useless\nunless they promote human brotherhood. How ridiculous\nthose words, acts and ideals appear when the canals are\nconverted into streams of blood, the gardens are destroyed\nand the palaces fall into ruins! How hopeless these words,\nacts and ideals seem to be when a man is hurled into the\nmouth of war and the beauty of his life, his hopes and\ndesires, and his very being are reduced to nothing.\nWar is the cause of death and destruction, whereas\npeace is the only means of escaping destruction. This is\nthe object which leads to many other aims and objects.\nIt is only during the time of peace that human beings can\nutilize all their talents and achieve their common desires\nby joint efforts.\nThe principles and methods of Ali apply to all fields\nin the same manner in which the branches which shoot\nfrom a common root spread on all sides He had realized\nthat peace is a high wall surrounding man and life which\nprotects both of them from every calamity. Addressing the\npeople he says: \"God has not created you in vain\".\nAs regards Ali's view regarding the purpose for which\nGod has created man he says: \"God has created you respect-\n\fable on His earth, and safe among His creation. His bounties\nhave spread the wings of their kindnesses on your heads\nand made the streams of comforts flow for your sake\".\nAccording to Ali love and friendship is the greatest\nblessing for mankind. He says: \"Almighty God has streng-\nthened the tie of love between the human beings. It is the\nlove under whose shadow the people walk about and in\nwhose lap they seek refuge. This love is an invaluable\nblessing because it is dearer than whatever price is fixed for\nit, and is greater than every great thing\".\nAli says that every person should establish friend-\nship and love with others so that peace may prevail,\nbecause during peace time the atmosphere of a city remains\ntranquil and the people do not feel any fear. One should\navoid war-fare, because war is oppression and it is highly\nindecent and improper to oppress God's creatures. Whether\nthe result of war is victory or retreat it is harmful in both\ncases. War is ruination and destruction for the victor as\nwell as for the vanquished. War destroys human honour.\nThe victor is considered to be an opponent of intellect and\nconscience, an enemy of love, who treats human life to be\nvalueless, and one who is defeated is humiliated and his life\nand property are also destroyed. Ali says: \"One who gains\nvictory by evil means is in fact defeated\". \"Nothing is\nworse than fighting and bloodshed\".\nAli has considered looting and plundering which were\nthe preliminaries of war between the tribes during the age\nof ignorance to be one of the most horrible acts. According\nto Ali looting and plundering, idol-worshipping, and\nburying the girls alive, were sins of the same kind and their\norigin is also one and the same. That origin is that man is\nnot aware of his own value nor that of life and there can\nbe no greater ignorance than this. He says: \"They had\nreached the abyss of ignorance. They buried their girls\nalive, worshipped the idols and robbed and plundered\none another\".\nHe detested fighting so much that he forbade it even\nduring the most difficult circumstances and did not permit\nthat one should challange another to combat. He says:\n\"Never challange another person to combat\".\nWhen we study the life and conduct of Ali it becomes\nabundantly clear that he condemned many characteristics\nof the people and considered many things in the world to\n\fbe abominable. As regards the characteristics of the people\nhe first of all condemned inclination towards mischief and\nbloodshed. As regards the abominable things there was\nnothing more hateful in his eyes than warfare. This\nsentence of his deserves to be kept in mind: \"This world is\nthe abode of war, plundering and bloodshed\".\nFighting is as much injurious for truth as it is the\nsource of refuge for falsehood. It is by means of truth that\nman is exalted, the society is strengthened and the world\nbecome prosperous. Falsehood is the collection of humilia-\ntion and disgrace. It is, therefore, evident that there can be\nnothing worse than war. It is the cradle of all absurdities,\nbecause doubt prevails war and falsehood flourishes, and\nthe voice of truth is subdued; whereas peace is truth itself,\nand whoever violates truth goes astray.\nThis was the basis of the view and belief held by Ali\nabout war, and this is not also surprising, because this\nbelief was compatible with his idea of freedom and the\nreliance which he had on the common man and the respect\nwhich he had for life as well as for those who were alive.\nIt was for this reason that at times, in order to put to end\nto trouble and to invite his friends to peace he said:\n\"For your enemies this loss is sufficient that they have\ngone astray\".\nImam Ali used to ask a sinner and a transgressor to\nexpress regret for his lapse so that fighting might not take\nplace. As regards the oppressed persons he used to ask him\nto accept the apology of the transgressor however big his\noffence might be. He says: \"Accept the apology of a\nperson who apologizes to you\".\nHe also says: \"Fight against your wordly desires by\nmeans of reason. If you do so the people will continue to\nlove you\". He, therefore, considered it the best quality for\nhis followers that they should desire peace, hate war and\nseek safety for themselves as well as for others. As to what\nqualities his followers should possess he says: \"When my\nfollowers are angry they do not commit injustice. They\nare a blessing for their neighbours and a source of security\nfor their companions\".\nHowever, hatred for war and unusual inclination\ntowards peace did not mean that Ali should have surren-\ndered before his opponent. Hatred for war and inclination\ntowards peace does not mean that one should shirk one's\n\fresponsibilities and leave the mischief-mongers free to do\nwhat they like, because war is not a detestable thing in\nitself, but becomes bad on account of the horrors and\ndestruction which it entails, and peace is not a good thing\nin itself, but becomes good, because it provides security to\nthe people, provides chances for improving the society,\nand opens the paths of life before those who are living.\nIn short, whether it be war or peace, neither of them\nis intrinsically good or bad. Their goodness or badness is\ndetermined with reference to other people. If war or peace\nhad any intrinsic value, the revolutionary efforts made by\nthe oppressed people of the world against the oppressive\nkings and rulers and the colonialists would have been evil\nand sin, and obedience to those tyrants would have been\na blessing, but infact it is not so. The real thing which\ncounts is the welfare of the masses. If they are living in\ncomfort and their property and honour are safe, peace is\nbetter for them. In case, however, they are leading a\nmiserable life and their rights are being violated, war is\na blessing for them until an atmosphere of real peace is\ncreated, a peace, which is based on human values and is\ntree from humiliation and helplessness, and subservience\nto tyranny and injustice. This was what Ali had in view.\nWhat he disliked was the war of Abu Lahab and Abu\nSufyan against Muhammad and not the war of Muhammad\nagainst Abu Lahab and Abu Sufyan. He disliked the war\nwhich was fought by the tyrants against the righteous, and\nnot the war which was fought by the pious and Godly\npersons against the tyrants and the hypocrites.\nAli wished the people not to become Changez Khan\nHalaku, Hitler or Mussolini, but he did not also like them\nto become like those who were enslaved by Changez,\nHalaku, Hitler and Mussolini.\nThere is nothing wrong with a war which is fought\nto get back the right of an oppressed person from the\noppressor, or to protect the honour of the people. In fact\nit is a social need and something which humanity demands.\nThe condition precedent to such a war is that before it is\nresorted to, all necessary efforts for peace and reconciliation\nshould be made.\nWhen the followers of Ali became impatient because\nof his having delayed permission at Siffin to perform\njihad he said to them: \"As regards your asking whether\n\fthis delay is due to the fact that I abhor death and wish to\nescape it, I swear by God that I do not care whether\nI proceed towards death or death proceeds towards me.\nAnd similarly as regards your asking whether I am doubtful\nregarding the lawfulness of jihad against the people of\nSyria, I swear by God that I have not delayed `the battle\neven for a day except with the idea that some persons\nfrom amongst them may possibly come and meet me and\nbe guided through me and may also see my light with their\ndazzled eyes. I like this more than to kill them while they\nare in a state of ignorance, although they themselves will in\nany case be responsible for their sins\".\nThe second condition for war is that its object should\nnot be only to gain victory. Furthermore, the victor should\nnot become vindictive. He should not torture the enemy\nand should not maltreat the captive and those who have\nsuffered on account of war. He should not pursue those\nwho fly away, and should not hurt the old men, the\nwomen and the children. If he who joins battle thinks that\nhe is on the right, and claims that he is fighting for the\nsake of justice, and his opponent is an oppressor, and it\nis necessary to take revenge from him, he should content\nhimself with restoring truth to its place. If this object is\nachieved after a brief fighting he should withhold his hand\nfrom continued warfare.\nIn all the battles fought by Ali the basic principle\nfollowed by him was that bloodshed should not be resorted\nto unless it was absolutely necessary and there was no\nalternative other than warfare. He always endeavoured to\nadvise the enemy and make him submit to reason. He used\nto say: \"By God I shall certainly do justice to the oppressed\nand render advice to the oppressor\".\nWhen advice and efforts for peace and reconciliation\nfailed he resorted to threats, because his real object was\nthat if possible not even one drop of blood might be shed.\nThreatening the people of Nahrawan he says: \"I warn you\nthat you will be killed and will fall on the ground on\nthe windings of the canal and its even slopes in such a\ncondition that you will have no sound argument or clear\nproof to put forth before God as an excuse. The position\nis this that you have become homeless and then the\nDivine decree has a firm grip on you. I had already pro-\nhibited you from agreeing to this arbitration but you\n\fdeclined to obey my orders like opposing violators, so\nmuch so that I was obliged to agree to what you wished.\nYou are a group whose heads are empty of understanding\nand intellect. Woe betide you! I have neither involved you\nin any trouble nor wished ill of you\".\nNow please read this wonderful supplication of Ali\nand visualize his sublime morality and the sympathy\nwhich he had in his heart for fell enemies. When the enemy\nforces in Siffin finally decided to fight and all efforts for\npeace and reconciliation failed he prayed to God in these\nwords: \"O God! Lord of the earth, which you have made\nthe abode of man, and the place of roaming about of the\nreptiles, the quardrupeds and other innumerable creatures\nwhich can or cannot be seen. O Lord of the strong\nmountains which you have made to serve as nails for the\nearth and means of livelihood for your creatures! If you\ngrant us victory over the enemies keep us immune from\ncommitting injustice and keep us on the straight path of\ntruth, and if You make our enemies victorious grant us\nmartyrdom and save us from the allurement of life\".\nThe keenness of the Commander of the Faithful for\npeace and his efforts for it even a short time before the\ncommencement of the battle is an undeniable fact which\nis acknowledged by his friends as well as enemies. During\nhis entire life he displayed love for peace and hatred for\nwar. He always tried his best that fighting might be\navoided and reconciliation might take place.\nWhen, at the time of the Battle of the Camel, Ayesha,\nTalha and Zubayr got ready to fight against him he arrayed\nhis companions and said to them: `Do not shoot an arrow\nand do not strike a spear or a sword so that it may be\nproved that you have discharged your responsibility\".\nHowever, Ali did not start fighting until the enemies\nhad pierced arrows into the bodies of three of his compa-\nnions and he had prayed to God thrice to bear witness to\ntheir act.\nHe reached before his enemies scores of times empty\nhanded and without any arms or coat of mail although\nthey were fully equipped with arms.\nIn reply to their harsh words stubbornness, and rough\ntone he spoke with extreme kindness and tendered them\nadvice in a friendly manner. Standing before him were his\nenemies who looked like a dark night as they were covered\n\fwith in coats of mail and shields, but his armour was\nrespect for mankind; his shield was his faith in his being\nright and in his mode of action being correct, and his\nsword was his compliance with the commandments of\nreason and conscience. In fact his kindness to the weak,\nhis support for truth and his peaceableness were as good\nas thousands of shields for him. It was he who said: \"If\nyou feel secure from vexation by someone try to make\nhim your brother\".\nImam Ali was one who disliked enmity and grudge\nbecause these two things give birth to discord and destroy\nindividual morals and national attributes. He said: \"Refrain\nfrom enmity and dispute, because these two things make\nthe heart sick and discord is generated from them\".\nMany times he reached before his enemies empty-\nhanded and without any coat of mail or shield. He did this\nto make them realize that he hated warfare and was keen\nto solve problems in a friendly and brotherly manner.\nHe said: \"Do good to your enemy because this victory\nis more agreeable and sweet\".\nAnother object of his approaching his opponents in\nthis manner was that he wanted to make it clear that war\nis something bad and the benefit which the victor acquires\nfrom it is a benefit which is acquired from evil and has no\nvalue. He says: \"The goodness of a goodness which is\nacquired through evil is futile and the affluence which is\nthe result of indigence and adversity has no value\".\nAli eliminated this evil (warfare) by all possible means\nand tried to improve the conditions of the people without\nbloodshed and strife. So much so that when the enemies\nwere bent upon waging war and had no aim other than\nshedding his blood as well as his righteous companions, he\nadvised them and endeavoured his best to obviate fighting.\nAnd when these efforts failed and no alternative was left\nexcept to join battle, he did not initiate fighting. Fighting\nwas started by the enemies and he only replied to their\nattacks. And when he took the sword in his hand he\nstepped forward and now he was Ali son of Abu Talib. If\ndeath did not proceed towards him he himself proceeded\ntowards death. He crushed the champions and made brave\nwarriors flee. Ali desired equity and justice, whereas his\nenemies craved for injustice and oppression. He wished\nthat mankind might prosper, whereas they wanted to\n\fcreate mischief. He wanted the people to enjoy freedom\nand comfort, whereas they were keen to keep them in\nbondage like slaves. He wished that the slaves of God\nshould be strong and respectable whereas his enemies\nwanted to enslave and humiliate them.\nThe things which must exist in the society and which\nare also considered by law of reason to be necessary were\nin danger. Now in these coditions remaining a silent specta-\ntor amounted to laziness, recklessness, and infidelity,\nand to protect them meant courage and bravery.\nAbout fighting against Mu`awiya he says:-\"I have\nweighed and assessed this matter very carefully and have\nconcluded that only two paths are open before me either\nI should wage war against Mu`awiya or I become an\napostate\".\nJust see how he has drawn a picture of the Battle\nof the Camel in a concise and precise manner and has also\nexplained his own position:\" Talha and Zubayr were the\nfirst to take oath of allegiance to me. Later they broke\nthat oath without just cause and took the Mother of the\nFaithful Ayesha to Basra. I was also obliged to take the\nMuhajirs and the Ansar with me and pursue them. I tried\nmy best that they might take once again the oath which\nthey had broken but they declined to do so. I counselled\nthem much and treated them well\".\nWhile Ali was still on his way and had not yet con-\nfronted them he sent his son Hasan and his cousin Abdullah\nbin Abbas as well as Ammar bin Yasir and Qais bin Sa'd\nbin Ubada to have talk with them (i.e. Talha and Zubayr)\nhoping that they might respond to the call of reason and\nbloodshed might be avoided. They, however, remained\nintransigent. The Commander of the Faithful says thus in\nthis regard: \"I proceeded along with the Muhajirs and the\nAnsar and stopped near Basra. I invited them to peace and\nreconciliation, overlooked their lapses and reminded them\nof the oath of allegiance which they had taken. They\nhowever, remained adamant and insisted upon fighting.\nI sought help from God and was obliged to get ready for\ndefence against their attacks. The result was that those\nwho were to be killed were killed and othersran away. Now\nthey requested me for the same peace which I had desired\nbefore the fighting took place, I accepted the peace pro-\nposal and spared them. I appointed Abdullah bin Abbas\n\ftheir governor and sent Zafar bin Qais to them as the\nmessenger Now you may approach these two persons to\ntell you whatever you want to know about us and them\".\nAli was victorious on account of his unusual bravery\nand perfect and deep faith. He was, however, as much\ngrieved over his victory as his enemies were over their\ndefeat. Tears trickled down from his eyes and he was\nextremely sad.\nEvery father loves his children very much. If a child\ndoes not conduct himself properly his father has to take\ncorrective measures and punish him although such action\nalso grieves him.\nSame was the case with Ali. He treated the Muslims\nlike his children. The prophet of Islam has said: \"I and Ali\nare the fathers of this nation\".\nAli loved these children very much. He was obliged\nto take corrective measures against them on account of\ntheir injustice and error but was very much grieved to\nobserve their sufferings.\nAli did not dislike anything more than bloodshed.\nHe was always afraid lest his governors and offices might\nindulge in unjustified bloodshed.\nHe, therefore, warned them again and again not to\nindulge in bloodshed. He took care from the moral as well\nas the political and administrative point of view that blood\nshould not be shed unnecessarily. He forbade it in both the\ncapacities, because he considered that as a consequence of\nsuch bloodshed the government might topple down and\nit was also opposed to the philosophy of government.\nHe did not forgive any officer for a lapse in this regard.\nIn a letter addressed to a governor he says: \"Do not try\nto strengthen your government by shedding blood without\njust cause because this will make your government still\nweaker, rather it will be taken away from you and will\nreach the hand of someone else. If you are guilty of inten-\ntional bloodshed God will not consider this crime of yours\npardonable and I, too, will not consider it so\".\nHas there been any other ruler in the world, who may\nhave issued emphatic instructions to his governors to\nappoint as military commander a person who is meek and\nforbearing, hates bloodshed and murder, can settle matters\nby mutual discussions, is not guilty of unjustified bloodshed,\nis kind and magnanimous, is not harsh in getting work\n\fdone by others and is not accustomed to severity and\nviolence? In the testament written by him for Malik Ashtar\nwhile appointing him as Governor of Egypt Ali says:\n\"Appoint that person as commander of your army whom\nyou consider to be most sincere and superior to others in\nthe matter of meekness and forbearance. He should not be\nshort-tempered and should accept an excuse. He should be\nkind to the weak and hard upon the powerful. He should\nnot become hot-tempered due to cruelty and should not\nbecome helpless due to weakness\".\nThus it is evident that Ali was a peace-loving person.\nHe always recommended peace. He extremely hated war\nand always prohibited it. He never stepped towards War\nunless war itself stepped towards him and even if he\nstepped towards it, it was when he had exhausted all\nefforts to stop it by means of friendship, love, goodness\nand kindness. If he was compelled to fight a battle he tried\nthat the least number of persons should be killed. And\nwhen he secured victory over his enemy he forgave him.\nHe was equally grieved in the event of victorv and defeat.\nWhenever his enemy requested for peace he acceded to his\nrequest cheerfully and wholeheartedly. He used to say:\n\"During peace time the soldiers are in comfort, the worries\nof the people are lesser and an atmosphere of security\nprevails in the cities.\nHe sent many orders to the governors and the officers\nin which he emphatically recommended to them inter alia\nthat they should follow his example and should not draw\ntheir swords on account of ordinary matters as was done\nby the people during the age of ignorance.\nImam Ali says: \"Do not put your hands and swords\nin motion like the tongue on account of trivial matters\".\n\"I do not punish anyone merely on account of\nsuspicion\".\n\"I shall not fight anyone until I invite him to peace\nand thus discharge my responsibility in this behalf. If he\nof his \"Return\" does not commit treachery. However, our\ntime is such that many persons have supposed treachery\nand deceit to mean intelligence and wisdom, and the\nignorant people have treated their ways and methods to\nbe prudence. May God destroy them! What has happened\nto them? When a person, who has seen the ups and downs\nof life and is aware of the vicissitudes of time, makes a\n\fplan for himself but finds the divine commandments in\nhis way, he abandons that plan, although he may be able\nto execute it. On the other hand one whose path is not\nobstructed by religious feelings avails of the opportunity.\nIn the testament which he wrote for Malik Ashtar while\nappointing him as the Governor of Egypt he says: \"If\nyou settle some conditions with your enemy or conclude\na pact with him you should relieve yourself of its burden\nby honouring it. You should discharge faithfully the res-\nponsibility undertaken by you and should make yourself\na shield for the protection of your promise. You should\nnot, therefore, abandon what you undertake to do nor\ndishonour the covenants You make and should not deceive\nyour enemy\".\nFurthermore, he did not content himself only with\nemphasizing that deception should not be practised on the\nenemy but also strictly prohibited making ambiguous\nagreements with the enemy which might be interpreted in\ndifferent ways, and it may provide a justification for\nthe violation of the agreement. He also directed that after\na covenant was concluded and authenticated, advantage of\nsome verbal error should not be taken to violate it.\nWhenever Ali formed an opinion or promulgated an\norder, he, in the first instance, examined and assessed all\nits aspects very carefully. As he firmly believed in the\nfulfilment of promise even the greatest impediments and\nhardships could not make him deviate from this principle.\none of the occasions on which he honoured his promise\ninspite of very difficult circumstances was that of Siffin.\nAt the time of the Battle of Siffin it was decided to refer\nthe dispute to arbitration.\nA pact was concluded between the Commander of\nthe Faithful and Mu`awiya to the effect that until the two\narbitrators gave their award the hostilities would remain\nsuspended. After fighting was Stopped and the pact was\nconcluded the adherents ot the Commandder of the\nFaithful realized that they had been duped. A man named\nMuhammad bin Harith then approached Ali and said:\n\"O Commander of the Faithful! Can we not ignore the\npact and start the war again? I am afraid that this pact will\nbe a source of great humiliation and disgrace for us\nThe Commander of the Faithful replied: \"Should we\nviolate the pact after executing it? No. This is not per-\n\fmissible\". And it was also Ali who said: \"Stick firmly to\nthe responsibilities which you have undertaken. I am res-\nponsible for my words and guarantee their correctness\".\nThe facts narrated above explain that Ali's efforts for\nthe maintenance of peace fully accorded with the wishes\nof the people on account of their far-reaching consequences.\nAll human beings crave for justice, equality and freedom\nand Ali's effort for peace was an expression of their desire.\nIn fact it was the heartfelt desire of Ali himself which he\nalso expressed in his orders and commands.\nIn the matter of his efforts to ensure that man should\nlove man Ali is on equal footing with the past prophets\nand benefactors of mankind. What a great resemblance\nAli's efforts for peace have with the kind voice of\nMuhammad who has said: \"O slaves of God! become\nbrothers of one another\".\nHow much his efforts also resembled the words of the\nprophet who, when asked as to which act is the noblest,\nreplied: \"The noblest act is that one should endeavour for\nthe welfare of the world\".\n\f Combat oppression\nIn all general matters Ali led a very consistent and\nharmonious life. His high morals, unusual sagacity, his\nactions relating to the administration of the state, command\nof the army and other personal characteristics and qualities\nwere all similar and inter-connected. He hated usury,\nhoarding and oppression very much. He was a fell enemy\nof the wealthy and powerful persons who oppressed\nothers, the ignorant considered themselves to be superior\nto others, and persisted in their stubborn views founded on\nignorance. He was extremely keen to help the weak and\nthe indigent, because they too were human beings and it is\nhighly unjustifiable to treat them to be mean and humble.\nHe desired the freedom of the creatures of God from the\ncore of his heart, because God has created them free and it\nis not at all proper that they should be subjected to\nhumiliation and abjectness. Their humiliation and abjectness\nis the humiliation and abjectness of humanity, and whoever\nhumiliates humanity deserves to be treated an enemy.\nIt can be realized by every one from what has been\nstated above how great a supporter and sympathizer of the\nhelpless and oppressed persons Ali was, how he fought\nagainst the enemies of virtue and goodness, and how much\nannoyance he expressed against those who acted against\nthe dictates of reason and conscience.\nHowever, what has been written by us on the subject\ndoes not appear to be sufficient. It appears necessary to\nallocate a separate and detailed chapter to the subject\nshowing how Ali behaved with the tyrants, and what his\nviews were about injustice and oppression.\nThere are many kinds of injustice. For example to\nusurp the property of a person is injustice of one kind and\nto hurt his honour and reputation is injustice of another\nkind. Sometimes injustice is patent whereas at other times\nit is latent. We shall discuss all these kinds of injustice\none by one.\nIt is not possible to find any sermon or testament\nof the Commander of the Faithful, in which he may not\nhave mentioned and condemned injustice severely. His\nentire life was spent in waging war against injustice and\n\foppression and against the oppressors and tyrants. He\nfought this war with his hands, tongue and orders and\ncommands as well as with his sword.\nWar against injustice and oppression is being fought\never since man arrived on earth. However, this war has\nbeen fought in different ways and in different conditions\nThose who undertook to campaign against the tyrants and\noppressors of their time were hundreds of thousands in\nnumber. These great heroes were a source of pride for\nhumanity whereas the tyrants stained the pages of history\nwith their misdeeds. Those heroes came in succession and\nevery one of them inherited this holy war from another.\nThey have also been some great souls amongst the\nhuman beings whose entire lives were spent in waging\nwar against injustice and oppression. The biographies\nof Abraham, Moses and Jesus consist of war against\noppression, usury and injustice. Muhammad's campaign\nagainst the polytheists was also in continuation of and\ncomplementary to the war waged by Jesus. He started\na great revolutionary movement to uproot injustice and\noppression and did not rest till the oppressed were emanci-\npated and their lives took a turn for the better.\nCruelty becomes the second nature of some persons.\nThey commit atrocities with perfect ease in the same way\nin which they perform other natural acts like eating,\ndrinking, walking and breathing. To this category belong\npersons like Nero, Changez Khan, European officers of the\n`Inquisition' during the Middle Ages, and many other kinds\nand rulers like Hajjaj bin Yusuf, Ziad bin Abih, Obaidullah\nbin Ziad, Muslim bin Aqba etc. And similarly history\ntells us about innumerable other persons in whom\nopposition to injustice was inherent and had become their\nsecond nature.\nThe reason for the tyrants of the past not being\nashamed of the atrocities commited by them was that they\nwere not pained by their cruel acts.They did not tyrannize\nor oppress others with any aim or object. They did so\nbecause it had become their habit.\nOnce Hajjaj bin Yusuf was having his meals along\nwith some friends of his. Before him was standing an inno-\ncent old man who was trembling with fear. Hajjaj raised his\nhead and looked at the old man. Then he ordered one of\nhis servants to behead him. The order was complied with\n\fimmediately and the old man was Beheaded. Hajjaj conti-\nnued to eat as if nothing had happened. He said to his slave\nloudly: \"Bring cold water\".\nNero set the city of Rome on fire. While Rome was\nburning Nero was busy in his merry-makings.\nThe firmness and steadfastness of those who\nconsistently campaigned against injustice and oppression\ncan also be explained in the same way. just as the persons\nmentioned above committed injustice because it was\ninherent in their nature, in the same way these benefactors\nof humanity fought against injustice and supported the\noppressed, because they were compelled by their nature\nto do so.\nSocrates drank the cup of poison as if it was a\nmedicine because his drinking it was a display of firmness\nand steadfastness against falsehood. Voltaire* waged war\nagainst the aristocrats and nobles of Europe. He was\ncompelled to wage this war by his nature just as a hungry\nperson is obliged to eat food or a thirsty person is compelled\nby his inner urge to get hold of water to quench his thirst.\nThe companions of Imam Husayn also sacrificed their lives\nin support of his mission, although they could see a huge\narmy of Bani Umayyah arrayed against them.\nThese people were the benefactors of mankind and\nthe great and magnanimous souls among human beings,\nwhose head and leader was Ali ibn Abi Talib. He had\ncome into the world to establish truth and to destroy\nfalsehood. He rose with this purpose and also accepted\nthe caliphate with this very object in view. However, the\nworld, with all its expanse could hardly accept the laws\nand principles of Ali. The unjust and cruel persons were\nlarge in numbers and possessed much strength. The task\nwhich Ali wished to accomplish was difficult as well\nas dangerous.\nAli told the people that they should neither be the\noppressors nor the oppressed ones. He wished that none\nshould oppress others and none should tolerate oppression.\nHowever, the people of the time were not prepared to accept\nAli's view and could not lend support to his intentions. So\nmuch so that even the oppressed persons did not side with\nhim, because they were over awed by the oppressors and\nwere afraid of their enmity and grudge.\nThey were so foolish that they took bribes from Ali's\n\fenemies and withdrew their support from him. Eventually\nonly a few God-fearing and brave persons were left with\nhim, and they did not desert him at any cost.\nHowever, was it proper that Ali should have shown\nfrailty and weakness at this juncture when the forces of\nevil had formed a front against him? Is it possible for a brave\nman to lose heart and give up effort because he is faced with\ncalamities and hardships with men like carnivores around\nhim, particularly when everybody is afraid of death also.\nShould Ali have been disheartened and become\nsluggish when the enemies were becoming more and more\nrebellious, when the men in authority had lost all sense of\nwisdom, were selling religion for the sake of the world,\nwere stupidly running after wealth and rank, had created\nchaos in the cities, were persisting in oppression, were full\nof pride and conceit, creating innovations and void things\nbefore the right things, praising the wrong and evil doing,\nand still hoping for a good reward, had annihilated justice\nand fair play, and had created rebellion, and chaos, and\ntheir tyranny and violence had no bounds. Could he\nbecome weak and languid when the condition of his\ncompanions was this: \"Whoever called them for help never\nsucceeded. Whoever met them did not acquire peace of\nmind. Whoever came in the battlefield accompanied by\nthem sustained loss. They were deaf inspite of having ears\nand were dumb although they possessed power of speech.\nThey neither showed steadfastness in the battlefield like\nnoble and zealous men nor could one depend upon their\nsympathy and support at the time of adversity\".\nOf course in such conditions and circumstances one\nshould become weak and feeble and must sit down\nlanguidly - but it is subject to the condition that he\nshould not be Ali ibn Abi Talib.\nThe deep love which Ali had in his heart for every\nhuman being obliged him not to show the least leniency to\none who did harm to the people even though he (i.e. Ali)\nhad to laydown his life in the campaign.\nOne who considers it love and kindness and a sign of\ngentleness to remain silent in the face of the oppressors\nis either a liar or is not acquainted with human nature,\nbecause the position is otherwise. True love and kindness\nfor mankind means that the oppressors should be dealt\nwith severely so that they may free the people from\n\fbondage. In certain circumstances kindness and gentleness\ncompel man to resort to extreme severity.\nMan likes beauty as much as he detests ugliness.\nHe hates injustice and oppression as much as he desires\njustice. He is as much afraid of the coldness of non-\nexistence as he is fond of the warmth of existence. A person\ncannot strike a sword on the necks of the rebels and the\noppressors unless he considers life to be a blessing. In short\none who does not hate cannot also love.\nThe best proof of the fact that Ali was as much as\nharsh upon the oppressors as he was kind towards others\nand was prepared to be extremely severe to eliminate\ninjustice is provided by the event of Saudah daughter of\nAmmarah Hamdaniyah.\nSaudah says: \"I saw the Commander of the Faithful\nto complain against an agent who had been appointed by\nhim to collect zakat. When I stood before him he said with\nmuch kindness: \"Do you want anything to be done?\"\nI complained to him against the agent. On hearing what\nI narrated he began to weep and said praying to God:\n\"O Lord! I have neither ordered these agents to oppress\nthe people nor asked them to abandon your right\". Then\nhe took out a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote on\nit as follows: -\n\"Weigh and measure properly and do not give lesser\nto the people nor spread mischief on the earth. When you\nreceive this letter keep the things in your charge in reserve\nso that another person may come and take over the same\nfrom you\".\nIt can well be observed from this incident how kind\nAli was to the oppressed woman, because he began to\nweep on hearing her tale. And it is also evident how this\nkindness was converted into harshness for the agents. This\naccords with the principles of extreme kindness for the\noppressed and extreme wrath towards the oppressor.\nAli never refrained from campaigning against refrac-\ntoriness and injustice. Whenever he saw a person being\noppressed by another he showed no weakness in relieving\nhim of the oppression. And how could he show any\nweakness or hesitation when gentleness and kindness had\nequipped him with unusual manliness and steadfastness\nand had made him very fond of fighting against falsehood\nand establishing truth. It was his firm belief that: \"The\n\fpresence of an Imam through whom the right of a weak\nperson may be realized from a strong person and that of\nan oppressed person from an oppressor is necessary so that\nthe righteous may live in comfort and feel secure from the\nmischief of the evil-doers\".\n\"God has provided protection to the people from\nbeing oppressed\". And when God has provided protection\nthere should be no occasion for oppression but \"God tests\nthe rulers by means of oppression\". Hence if the rulers are\noppressive their rule will come to an end because: \"Even if\nthe oppressor gets respite he cannot escape being captured\nby God. God Himself lies in ambush for him and his\nambushing will be very severe. The Day of Judgment will\nbe much severer for the oppressor than that on which he\noppressed another. The oppressed person must not have\nsuffered so much as the oppressor will suffer on the Day\nof Judgment''.\nThe following form part of those orders of Ali which\nmust always be complied with: \"I order you to behave\nharshly with the oppressor. Hold the foolish oppressor\nby the hand, and stop him from committing injustice\".\nNo doubt the kindness and affection which Ali had\nin his mind guaranteed his steadfastness in the battle\nbetween truth and falsehood. Whenever he reflected about\ntruth and falsehood he said: \"O Lord! Our sole endeavour\nis that peace and tranquillity may prevail in Your cities so\nthat Your slaves may remain safe\". And when he initiated\nthe campaign he used to say: \"I swear bv God that I shall\nrealize the right of the oppressed person from the oppressor.\nI shall put a cavessor in the nose of the oppressor and pull\nhim to the spring of the truth howmuchsoever he may\ndislike it''. Or said: \"It is necessary that the oppressor\nrefrains from committing injustice, behaves with the people\nequitably and does not spread mischief on the earth\".\nIf the fighting became turious and Ali noticed the\ndisparity between the numbers of his supporters and the\nenemy and compared his own condition with that of his\nopponents he said: \"I have not shown weakness or sluggish-\nness. I shall continue to fight against falsehood until\nI extract truth from its side''.\nAli saw death staring in his eyes but neither his hands\nwere tired of fighting nor did he entertain the least fear in\nhis heart. He would not have felt afraid even if the entire\n\fpopulation of Arabia had joined hands and encircled him.\nHe relied fully on his own justice and equity and\nfirmly believed that whatever he was doing was in accor-\ndance with the canons of equity and justice. He used to\nsay: \"A weak person is strong in my eyes until I get his\nright paid to him, and a strong person is weak in my eyes\nuntil I receive the right from him''. He also said: ``I swear\nby God that I am not worried whether death falls upon me\nor I fall upon death''.\nWhen he fought against a group of unjust persons and\ndefeated them but they still offered some resistance he\nsaid: \"some life is still left in the oppressors. If God wills\nwe shall uproot them. In case, however, some of them run\naway to various cities the matter would be different\".\nAccording to Ali the learned persons are the leaders\nof the nation and for this very reason a number of\nresponsibilities devolve upon them. Their greatest res-\nponsibility is that they should oppose the oppressor and\nassist the oppressed person. He says: \"God has made it\nmandatory for the ulema that they should not remain\nsilent spectators of injustice of the oppressor and the grief\nand helplessness of the oppressed person.\nIn order that the oppressors should be eliminated\nfrom the society, and that there should also be none who\nmay assist in the perpetration of oppression or may\ntolerate it willingly, Ali has divided the sins of the people\ninto different categories. There are certain sins which may\nbe forgiven but injustice and oppression cannot be\nforgiven in any circumstances. He says: ``And the sin\nwhich will not be forgiven is that one person may oppress\nanother\". He held the view that: \"Oppressing a weak\nperson is the worst type of oppression''.\nThus he endeavoured by all means to eliminate injus-\ntice and this remained his basic policy in the matter of\ntreatment with the people. He fought against the oppressors\nwith his tongue as well as with his sword and remained\nsteadfast in his struggle. He continued to fight against\ninjustice and the unjust till he met martyrdom. If the\nvicissitudes of time had not hampered his program and the\nconditions had not been unfavourable, he would have\nbrought about a change in a number of things.\n\f1 Voltaire, a famous French writer and a renowned figure of\nhis time was born in Paris in 1694 A.D. and died in 1778 A.D.\nHe spent a large part of life in England, Russia and Switzerland.\nHe severely, criticized the rulers and religious leaders of his time.\nIt was he who paved the path for the great French Revolution of\n1789 A.D. He is the author of many valuable books.\n\f Administration of Ali\nAfter having come to know that the behaviour of the\nCommander of the Faithful with the human society was\nabsolutely just and he adopted a very correct policy\nto establish mutual relations of the human beings on the\nbasis of equity and justice, it appears necessary to repro-\nduce here the testament which he wrote for Malik Ashtar\nwhile appointing him as Governor of Egypt. This testament\nof his is more detailed than all others and is very important\nfrom the point of view of its grandeur and elaborateness.\nWhile writing about the character of the Commander\nof the Faithful we have made use of many of his letters,\norders and testaments, because in almost all of them he has\nmentioned the rights of the individuals as well as of the\nsociety. However, the testament written by him for Malik\nAshtar is very comprehensive and embraces all his views\nand beliefs on the subject of public administration. It\nreads as follows:\nIn the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful\nBe it known to you, O Malik, that I am sending you\nas Governor to a country which in the past has experienced\nboth just and unjust rule. Men will scrutinize your actions\nwith a searching eye, even as you used to scrutinize the\nactions of those before you, and speak of you even as you\ndid speak of them. The fact is that the public speak well of\nonly those who do good. It is they who furnish the proof\nof your actions. Hence the richest treasure that you may\ncovet, should be the treasure of good deeds. Keep your\ndesires under control and deny yourself that which you\nhave been warned against. By such abstinence alone, you\nwill be able to distinguish between good and bad.\nDevelop in your heart the feeling of love for your\npeople and let it be the source of kindliness and blessing\nto them. Do not behave with them like a barbarian, and do\nnot appropriate to yourself that which belongs to them.\nRemember that the citizens of the state are of two\ncategories. They are either your brothers in religion or\nyour brothers as human beings. They are subject to infirmi-\nties and liable to commit mistakes. Some indeed do\ncommit mistakes, but forgive them as you would like God\n\fto forgive you. Bear in mind that you are placed over\nthem, as I am placed over you. And then there is God even\nabove him who has given you the position of a Governor in\norder that you may look after those under you and to be\nsufficient for them. Remember! You will be judged by\nwhat you do for them.\nDo not set yourself against God, for neither do you\npossess the strength to shield yourself against His displea-\nsure, nor can you place yourself outside the pale of His\nmercy and forgiveness. Do not feel sorry over any act\nof forgiveness, nor rejoice over any punishment that you\nmay mete out to anyone. Do not rouse yourself to anger,\nfor no good will come out of it.\nDo not say, \"I am your overlord and dictator, and\nthat you should therefore, bow to my commands,\" as that\nwill corrupt your heart, weaken your faith in religion and\ncreate disorder in the state. Should you be elated by\npower, or let in your mind creap the slightest feeling of\npride and arrogance, then look at the power and majesty\nof the divine governance of the universe over which you\nhave absolutely no control. It will restore the sense of\nbalance to your wayward intelligence and give you the\nsense of balance to your wayward intelligence and give you\nthe sense of calmness and affability. Beware! Never put\nyourself against the majesty and grandeur of God and\nnever imitate His Omnipotence, for God has brought low\nevery rebel of His and every tyrant of man.\nLet your mind respect through your actions the rights\nof God and the rights of man, and likewise, persuade your\ncompanions and relations to do the same. For, otherwise,\nyou will be doing injustice to yourself and to humanity.\nThus, both man and God will become your enemies.\nThere is no hearing anywhere for one who makes himself\nan enemy of God. He will be regarded as one at war with\nGod until he repents and seeks forgiveness. Nothing deprives\nman of divine blessings nor excites divine wrath against him\nmore easily than oppression. Hence it is that God listens to\nthe voice of the oppressed and overpowers the oppressor.\nThe Common Man\nMaintain justice in administration and impose it on\nyour own self and seek the consent of the people, for, the\ndiscontent of the masses sterilises the contentment of the\nprivileged few and the discontent of the few, loses itself in\n\fthe contentment of the many. Remember! the privileged\nfew will not rally round you in moments of difficulty.\nThey will try to side-track justice. They will ask for more\nthan what they deserve and will show no gratitude for\nfavours done to them. They will feel restive in the face of\ntrials and will offer no regret for their shortcomings. It is\nthe common man who fights the enemy. So live in close\ncontact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare.\nKeep at a distance one who exposes the weakness of\nothers. After all, the masses are not free from weaknesses.\nIt is the duty of the ruler to shield them. Do not bring to\nlight that which is hidden, but try to remove those weak-\nnesses which have been brought to light. God is watchful\nof everything that is hidden from you, and He alone will\ndeal with it. Cover up the faults of the public to the best\nof your ability so that God may cover up your faults\nwhich you want to keep hidden from the public eye. Untie\nevery knot of hatred for the people and cut asunder every\nstring of enmity between them. Protect yourself from\nevery such act as may not be quite correct for you. Do not\nmake haste in seeking confirmation of tale-telling, for the\ntale-teller is a deceitful person, appearing in the garb\nof a friend.\nThe Counsellors\nNever take counsel of a miser, for, he will vitiate your\nmagnanimity and frighten you of poverty. Do not seek\nadvice from a coward too, for, he will weaken your resolu-\ntions. Do not take counsel of a greedy person, for, he will\ninstil greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. Miserliness,\ncowardice and greed deprive man of his trust in God.\nThe worst counsellor is he who has served as a coun-\nsellor to unjust rulers and shared their crimes. So, never let\nmen who have been companions of the tyrants or have\nshared their crimes, be your counsellors. You can get\nbetter men than these, men gifted with intelligence and\nforesight, but unpolluted by sin, men who have never\naided a tyrant in his tyranny nor a criminal in his crime.\nSuch men will never be a burden to you. On the other\nhand, they will be a source of help and strength to you at\nall times. They will be friends to you and strangers to your\nenemies. Choose such men alone for companionship both\nin private and in public. Even among these, show preference\nto those who have a habitual regard for truth, however\n\ftrying to you at times their truth may prove to be, and who\noffer you no encouragement in the display of tendencies\nwhich God does not like His friends to develop.\nKeep close to you the upright and the godfearing and\nmake clear to them that they are never to flatter you and\nnever to give you credit for any good that you may not\nhave done, for the tolerance of flattery and unhealthy\npraise stimulates pride in man and makes him arrogant.\nDo not treat the good and the bad alike. That will\ndeter the good, and encourage the bad in their bad pursuits.\nRecompense everyone according to his deserts. Remember\nthat mutual trust and goodwill between the\nruler and the ruled are bred only through benevolence,\njustice and service. So, cultivate goodwill among the people,\nfor their goodwill alone will save you from troubles. Your\nbenevolence to them will be repaid by their trust in you,\nand your ill-treatment by their ill-will.\nDo not disregard the noble traditions set by our\nforbearers which have promoted harmony and progress\namong the people, and do not initiate anything which\nmight minimise their usefulness. The men who had estab-\nlished those noble traditions have had their reward; but\nresponsibility will be yours if they are discarded. Try\nalways to learn something from the experience of the\nlearned and wise, and frequently consult them in state\nmatters so that you might maintain the peace and goodwill\nwhich your predecessors had established in the land.\nThe Different Classes of People\nRemember that the people are composed of different\nclasses. The progress of one is dependant on the progress\nof every other, and none can afford to be independent of\nthe other.We have the army formed of the soldiers of God.\nWe have our civil officers and their establishments, our\njudiciary, our revenue collectors and our public relation\nofficers. The general public itself consists of Muslims and\nZimmi and among them are merchants and craftsmen, the\nunemployed and the indigent. God has prescribed for\nthem their several rights, duties and obligations. They are\nall defined and preserved in the Qur'an and in the Hadith\nof the prophet.\nThe army, by the grace of God, is like a fortress to\nthe people and lends dignity to the state. It upholds the\nprestige of the faith and maintains the peace of the\n\fcountry. Without it, the state cannot stand. In its turn, it\ncannot stand without the support of the state. Our soldiers\nhave proved strong before the enemy because of the\nprivilege God has given them to fight for Him, but they\nhave their material needs to fulfil and have therefore to\ndepend upon the income provided for them from the state\nrevenue. The military and the civil population which pays\nthe revenue, needs the co-operation of others - the\njudiciary, civil officers and their establishment. The judge\nadministers civil and criminal law; the civil officers collect\nrevenue and attend to civil administration with the assis-\ntance of their establishment. And then there- are the\ntradesmen and the merchants who add to the revenue of\nthe state. It is they who run the markets and are in a better\nposition than others to discharge social obligations. Then\nthere is the class of the poor and the needy whose\nmaintenance is an obligation on the other classes. God has\ngiven appropriate opportunity of service to one and all;\nthen there are the rights of all these classes over the\nadministration which the administrator has to meet with\nan eye for the good of the entire population - a duty\nwhich he cannot fulfil properly unless he takes personal\ninterest in its execution and seeks help from God. Indeed,\nit is obligatory on him to impose this duty on himself and\nto bear with patience the inconveniences and difficulties\nincidental to his task.\nThe Army\nBe particularly mindful of the welfare of those in the\narmy, who in your opinion, are staunchly faithful to their\nGod and the prophet and loyal to their chief, and who in\nthe hour of passion can restrain themselves and listen\ncoolly to sensible remonstrance, and who can succour the\nweak and smite the strong, whom violent provocation will\nnot throw into violent temper and who will not falter at\nany stage.\nKeep yourself in close contact with the families of\nestablished reputation and integrity and with a glorious\npast, and draw to yourself men brave and upright in\ncharacter, generous and benevolent in disposition, for such\nare the elite of the society.\nCare for them with the tenderness with which you\ncare for your children and do not talk before them of any\ngood that you miglit have done to them nor disregard any\n\fexpression of affection which they show in return for,\nsuch conduct inspires loyalty, devotion and goodwill.\nAttend to every little want of theirs not resting content\nwith what general help that you might have given to them,\nfor sometimes, timely attention to a little want of theirs\nbrings them immense relief. Surely these people will not\nforget you in your own hour of need.\nIt behoves you to select for your Commander-in-Chief\none who imposes on himself, as a duty, the task of render-\ning help to his men and who can excel in kindness every\nother officer who has to attend to the needs of the men\nunder him and look after their families when they are\naway from their homes; so much so, that the entire army\nshould feel united in their joys and in their sorrows. This\nunity of purpose will give them added strength against the\nenemy. Continue to maintain a kindly attitude towards\nthem so that they might feel ever attached to you. The\nfact is that the real happiness of the administrators and\ntheir most pleasant comfort lies in establishing justice in\nthe state and maintaining affectionate relations with the\npeople. Their sincerity of feeling is expressed in the love\nand regard they show to you, on which alone depends the\nsafety of the administrators.\nYour advice to the army will be of no avail, unless\nand until you show affection for both men and officers,\nin order that they might not regard the Government as an\noppressive burden or contribute to its downfall.\nContinue to satisfy their needs and praise them over\nand over again for what services they have rendered. Such\nan attitude, God willing, will inspire the brave to braver\nactions and induce the timid to deeds of bravery.\nTry to enter into the feelings of others and do not\nfoist the mistake of one on another and do not grudge dis-\npensing appropriate regards. See to it, you do not show\nfavours to one who has achieved nothing but merely\ncounts on his family position, and do not withold proper\nreward from one who has done great deeds simply because\nhe holds a low position in life.\nThe Real Guidance\nTurn to God and to His prophet for guidance when-\never you feel uncertain regarding your actions. There\nis the commandment of God delivered to those people\nwhom He wishes to guide aright: \"O people of the Faith!\n\fObey God and obey His prophet and obey those from\namong you who hold authority over you. And refer to\nGod and His prophet whenever there is a difference of\nopinion among you\". To turn to God is in reality to\nconsult the Book of God; and to turn to the prophet is to\nfollow his universally accepted traditions.\nChief Justice\nSelect as your Chief Justice from the people, one who\nis by far the best among them - one who is not obsessed\nwith domestic worries, one who cannot be intimidated,\none who does not err too often, one who does not turn\nback from the right path once he finds it, one who is not\nself-centered or avaricious, one who will not decide before\nknowing the full facts, one who will weigh with care every\nattendant doubt and pronounce a clear verdict after taking\neverything into full consideration, one who will not grow\nrestive over the arguments of advocates and who will\nexamine with patience every new disclosure of fact and\nwho will be strictly impartial in his decision, one whom\nflattery cannot mislead, one who does not exult over his\nposition. But such people are scarce.\nOnce you have selected the right man for the office,\npay him handsomely enough, to let him live in comfort\nand in keeping with his position, enough to keep him\nabove temptations. Give him a position in your court so\nhigh that none can even dream of coveting it and so high\nthat neither back-biting nor intrigue can touch him.\nSubordinate Judiciary\nBeware! The utmost carefulness is to be exercised in\nits selection, for it is this high office which adventurous\nself-seekers aspire to secure and exploit in their selfish\ninterests. After the selection of your Chief justice, give\ncareful consideration to the selection of other officers.\nConfirm them in their appointments after approved pro-\nbation. Never select men for responsible posts either out of\nany regard for personal connections or under any influence,\nfor that might lead to injustice and corruption.\nOf these, select for higher posts, men of experience,\nmen firm in faith and belonging to good families. Such\nmen will not fall an easy prey to temptations and will\ndischarge their duties with an eye on the abiding good of\nothers. Increase their salaries to give them a contented life.\nA contented living is a help to self-purification. They will\n\fnot feel the urge to tax the earnings of their subordinates\nfor their own upkeep. They will then have no excuse to go\nagainst your instructions or misappropriate state funds.\nKeep a watch over them without their knowledge. Perchance\nthey may develop true honesty and true concern for the\npublic welfare. But whenever any of them is accused of\ndishonesty, and the guilt is confirmed by the report of\nyour secret service, then regard this as sufficient to convict\nhim. Let the punishment be corporal and let that be dealt\nwith in public at an appointed place of degradation.\nRevenue Administration\nGreat care is to be exercised in revenue administra-\ntion, to ensure the prosperity of those who pay the revenue\nto the state for, on their prosperity depends the prosperity\nof others, particularly of the masses. Indeed, the state\nexists on its revenue. You should regard the proper upkeep\nof the land in cultivation as of greater importance than the\ncollection of revenue, for revenue cannot be derived\nexcept by making the land productive. He who demands\nrevenue without helping the cultivator and ruins the state.\nThe rule of such a person does not last long. If the cultiva-\ntors ask for reduction of their land cess for having suffered\nfrom epidemics or drought or excess of rains or the barren-\nness of the soil or floods damaging their crops, then reduce\nthe cess accordingly, so that their condition might improve.\nDo not mind the loss of revenue on that account for that\nwill return to you one day manifold in the hour of greater\nprosperity of the land and enable you to improve the con-\ndition of your towns and raise the prestige of your state.\nYou will be the object of universal praise. The people will\nbelieve in your sense of justice. The confidence which they\nwill place in you in consequence will prove your strength,\nas they will be found ready to share your burdens.\nYou may settle down on the land any number of\npeople, but discontent will overtake them if the land is not\nimproved. The cause of the cultivators' ruin is the rulers\nwho are bent feverishly on accumulating wealth at all costs,\nout of the fear that their rule might not last long. Such are\nthe people who do not learn from examples or precedents.\nClerical Establishment\nKeep an eye on your establishment and your scribes\nand select the best among them for your confidential\ncorrespodence; such among these, as possess high character\n\fand deserve your full confidence - men, who may not\nexploit their privileged position to go against you, and who\nmay not grow neglectful of their duties, and who in\ndrafting of treaties may not succumb to temptation and\nharm your interests or fail to render you proper assistance\nand save you from trouble, and who, in carrying out their\nduties, can realise their serious responsibilities, for he who\ndoes not realise his own responsibilities can hardly appraise\nthe responsibilities of others. Do not select men for such\nwork merely on the strength of your first impressions of\naffection or good faith for as a matter of fact, the preten-\nsions of a good many who are really devoid of honesty and\ngood breeding, may cheat even the intelligence of the\nrulers. Selection should be made after due probation -\nprobation which should be the test of righteousness. In\nmaking direct appointments from people and who enjoy\nthe reputation of being honest for such selection is agreeable\nboth to God and the ruler. For every department of\nadministration, let there be a head, whom no trying task\nmight cause worry and no pressure of work annoy.\nAnd remember that each and every lapse of scribes,\nwhich you may overlook, will be written down against you\nin your scroll of deeds.\nTrade and Industry\nYou are advised to treat well businessmen and\nartisans and direct others to do likewise. Some of them live\nin towns and some move from place to place with their\nware and tools and earn their living by manual labour.\nThey are the real source of profit to the state and provider\nof consumer goods.\nWhile the general public are not inclined to bear the\nstrain, those engaged in these professions take the trouble\nto collect commodities from far and near, from land and\nfrom across the sea, and from mountains and forests and\nnaturally derive benefits.\nIt is this class of peace-loving people from whom no\ndisturbance need be feared. They love peace and order.\nIndeed they are incapable of creating discord protect them\nwhether they are transacting business at your place or in\nother towns. But bear in mind that a good many of them\nare intensely greedy and are immured to bad dealings.\nThey hoard grain and try to sell it at a high price and this\nis most harmful to the public. It is a blot on the name of\n\fthe ruler not to fight this evil. Prevent them from hoarding;\nfor the prophet of God had prohibited it. See to it that\ntrade is carried on with the utmost ease, that the scales are\nevenly held and that prices are so fixed that neither the\nseller nor the buyer is put to a loss. And if, in spite of your\nwarning, should anyone go against your commands and\ncommit the crime of hoarding, then inflict upon him a\nsevere punishment.\nThe Poor\nBeware! Fear God when dealing with the problem of\nthe poor who have none to patronise them, who are forlorn,\nindigent, helpless and are greatly torn in mind - victims of\nthe vicissitudes of time. Among them there are some who\ndo not question their lot in life and who, notwithstanding\ntheir misery, do not go about seeking alms. For God's\nsake, safeguard their rights for on you rests the responsibility\nof protecting their interests. Assign for their uplift a\nportion of the state exchequer (Bayt al Mal), wherever\nthey may be, whether close at hand or far from you. The\nrights of the two should be equal in your eye. Do not let\nany preoccupations slip them from your mind for no\nexcuse whatsoever for the disregard of their rights will be\nacceptable to God. Do not treat their interests as of less\nimportance than your own and never keep them outside\nthe purview of your important cosiderations and mark the\npersons who look down upon them and of whose condition\nthey keep you in ignorance.\nSelect from among. your officers such men as are\nupright and god-fearing and who can keep you properly\ninformed of the condition of the poor.\nMake such provision for these poor people as shall\nnot oblige you to offer an excuse before God on the Day\nof Judgement for, it is this section of the people which,\nmore than any other, deserves benevolent treatment. Seek\nyour reward from God by giving to each of them what is\ndue to him and enjoin on yourself as a sacred duty the task\nof meeting the needs of such aged among them as have no\nindependent means of livelihood and are averse to seeking\nalms. It is the discharge of this duty that usually proves\nvery trying to rulers, but is very welcome to societies\nwhich are gifted with foresight. It is only such societies or\nnations that truly carry out with equanimity their covenant\nwith God to discharge their duty to the poor.\n\fOpen Confrences\nMeet the oppressed and the lowly periodically in an\nopen conference and conscious of the Divine presence\nthere, have a heart-to-heart talk with them and let none\nfrom your armed guard or civil officers or members of the\nPolice Department or the Intelligence Department be by\nyour side, so that the representatives of the poor might\nstate their grievances fearlessly and without reserve. For\nI have heard the prophet of God say that no nation or\nsociety, in which the strong do not discharge their duty to\nthe weak, will occupy a high position. Bear with composure\nany strong language which they may use, and do not get\nannoyed if they cannot state their case lucidly. Even so,\nGod will open for you His door of blessings and rewards.\nWhatever you can give to them, give it ungrudgingly and\nwhatever you cannot afford to give, make clear to them\nwith the utmost condescension.\nThere are certain things which call for prompt action.\nOne of them is correspondence regarding the redress of\ngrievances which your heedless staff has been unable to\ntackle. See to it that petitions or applications submitted\nfor your consideration are brought to your notice without\nany delay, however much your officers might try to inter-\ncept them. Dispose of the day's work that very day for\nthe coming day will entail its own task.\nCommunion with God\nDo not forget to set apart the best of your time for\ncommunion with God, although every moment of yours is\nfor Him only, provided it is spent sincerely in the service\nof your people. The obligation which you directly owe to\nGod, should be included in your over-all duties. Therefore,\ndevote some of your time each day and night to prayer so\nas to be in communion with God. Let your prayer be as\nperfect as free from blemish as possible, notwithstanding\nthe physical discomfort it may involve.\nAnd when you lead a congregational prayer, do not\nbore people by a needlessly long prayer, nor spoil it by\nunwarranted shortness.\nWhen, on receiving an order to proceed to Yemen,\nI asked the prophet of God, how I should lead the congre-\ngation there, he said, \"Perform your prayers even as the\nweakest among you would offer and set an example of\nconsiderateness to the faithful\".\n\fAloofness not Desireable\nWith regard to the observance of all that I have said,\nbear one thing in mind. Never, for any length of time, keep\nyourself aloof from the people, for to do so is to keep\noneself ignorant of their affairs. It develops in the ruler\na wrong perspective and renders him unable to distinguish\nbetween what is important and what is unimportant,\nbetween right and wrong, and between truth and falsehood.\nThe ruler is after all a human being; and he cannot form a\ncorrect view of anything which is out of sight.\nThere is no distinctive sign attached to truth which\nmay enable one to distinguish between the different varieties\nof truth and falsehood. The fact is that you must be one of\nthe two things. Either you are just or unjust. If you are\njust, then you will not keep aloof from the people, but will\nlisten to them and meet their requirements.\nBut if you are unjust, the people themselves will keep\naway from you. What virtue is there in your keeping aloof?\nAt all events aloofness is not desirable, especially when it is\nyour duty to attend to the needs of the people. Complaints\nof oppression by your officers or petitions tor justice\nshould not prove irksome to you.\nNepotism\nMake this clear to yourself that those immediately\nabout and around you, will like to exploit their position to\ncovet what belongs to others and commit acts of injustice.\nSuppress such a tendency in them. Make a rule of your\nconduct never to give even a small piece of land to any of\nyour relations. That will prevent them from causing harm\nto the interests of others and save you from courting the\ndisapprobation of both God and man.\nDeal justice squarely regardless of the fact whether\none is a relation or not. If any of your relations or com-\npanions violates the law, mete out the punishment pres-\ncribed by law, however painful it might be to you personally\nfor it will be all to the good of the state. If at any time\npeople suspect that you have been unjust to them in any\nrespect, disclose to them and remove their suspicions. In\nthis way, your mind will become attuned to the sense of\njustice and people will begin to love you. It will also fulfil\nyour wish that you should enjoy their confidence.\nPeace and Treaties\nBear in mind that you do not throw away the offer of\n\fpeace which your enemy may himself make. Accept it,\nfor that will please God. Peace is a source of comfort to\nthe army. It reduces your worries and promotes order in\nthe state. But beware! Be on your guard when the peace is-\nsigned for, certain types of enemies propose terms of peace\njust to lull you into a sense of security only to attack you\nagain when you are off your guard. So you should exercise\nthe utmost vigilance on your part and place no undue faith\nin their protestations. But, if under the peace treaty you\nhave accepted any obligations, discharge those obligations\nscrupulously. It is a trust and must be faithfully upheld\nand whenever you have promised anything, keep it with all\nthe strength that you command, for whatever difference of\nopinion might exist on other matters, there is nothing so\nnoble as the fulfilment of a promise. This is recognized\neven among the non-Muslims, for they know the dire\nconsequences which follow from the breaking of\ncovenants. So never make excuses in discharging your\nresponsibilities and never break a promise, nor cheat your\nenemy, for breach of promise is an act against God and\nnone except the positively wicked acts against God.\nIndeed Divne promises are a blessing spread over all\nmankind. The promise of God is a refuge sought after,\neven by the most powerful on earth for there is no risk of\nbeing cheated. So, do not make any such promise which\nyou cannot fulfil, nor attack your enemy without ultima-\ntum because none, except a wretched ignorant being,\nwould dare defy God who, in His infinite mercy, has made\npacts and treaties as tools of utmost sanctity for His\ncreatures; in fact, peace provides shelter under the lively\nshade of which all seek asylum and in the vicinity of\nwhich all listen for a sojourn. A treaty should, therefore,\nbe free from fraud, duplicity and deception.\nNever execute a pact open to interpretations, but\nonce it is executed, don't exploit equivocation, if any;\nnor repudiate any treaty concluded in the light of Divine\ninjunctions, even in the face of grievous difficulties. As there\nis reward in life Hereafter, it is better to face difficulties\nrather than violate the treaty with a traumatic sense of\naccountability on the Day of Judgement.\nBeware! Abstain from shedding blood without a valid\ncause, as it invites the wrath of Almighty, exposes one to,\nHis severest punishment, deprives one of His blessings and\n\fshorten's one's span of life. On the Day of Judgement it is\nthis crime for which one will have to answer first. So,\nbeware! Do not wish to build the strength of your state on\nblood for, it is this blood which ultimately weakens the\npower and undermines the authority and shakes its very\nfoundations; power then slips to other hands.\nA murder is a crime which is punishable by death.\nIf, on any account the corporal punishment dealt by the\nstate for any lesser crime results in the death of the guilty,\nlet not the prestige of the state stand in the way of the\ndeceased's relations claiming blood-money.\nLast Instructions\nShun self-adoration; do not indulge in self-praise nor\nencourage others to extol you, because of all the ruses to\nundo good deeds of pious men, Satan relies most upon\npraise and flattery.\nNeither over-rate nor indulge in tall talks about the\nfavours you have showered on people. Breach of promise\nannoys God and man alike. God, the Most Exalted, says\nin the Qur'an: \"God is much displeased if you do not\nact upon what you say\".\nDo not make haste to do a thing before its time, nor\nput it off when the right moment arrives. Do not insist on\ndoing a wrong thing, nor show slackness in rectifying a\nwrong thing. Perform everything at its proper time and let\neverything occupy its proper place. When the people as a\nwhole agree upon a thing, do not impose your own view\non them and do not neglect to discharge the responsibility\nthat rests on you in consequence. For the eyes of the\npeople will be on you and you are answerable for whatever\nyou do to them. The slightest dereliction of duty will bring\nits own retribution. Keep your anger under control and\nkeep your hands and tongue in check. The best way to\nrestrain your rage is to defer punishment till you are\ncalmed and restored to your self. You cannot achieve it\nunless you remember that you have ultimately to return to\nyour Sustainer.\nIt is imperative that you carefully study the precepts\nwhich have inspired just and good rulers who have preceded\nyou. Give close thought to the example of our prophet, his\ntraditions, and the commandments of the Qur'an and\nwhatever you might have assimilated from my own way of\ndealing with things. Endeavour to the best of your ability\n\fto carry out the instructions which I have given here and\nyou have solemnly undertaken to follow. By means of this\norder, I enjoin on you not to succumb to the promptings\nof your own heart, nor to turn away from the discharge of\nduties entrusted to you.\nI seek refuge in the Almighty and His unlimited\nsphere of blessings, and invite you to pray with me that He\nmay give us together the grace to surrender willingly our\nwill to His will, and to enable us to acquit ourselves well\nbefore Him and His creation, so that mankind cherishes\nour memory and our work survives. I beseech God for His\nblessings and pray that He may grant you and me His grace\nand the honour of martyrdom in His cause. Verily, we\nhave to return to Him. I invoke His blessings on the\nprophet of God and his blessed progeny.\n\f U.N. Charter of human rights\nThe rules laid down by Ali regarding human rights\nappear to be better and more useful as compared with the\ndeclaration made by the U.N. on the subject.\nThe readers have now fully grasped the human rights\nas enunciated by Ali. It, however, appears necessary to\nrecapitulate them in this chapter and to study their\ndifferent aspects keeping their gist in view.\nWe have endeavoured to understand properly Ali's\nviews and ideas regarding special and common rights in the\nlight of his various testaments, letters and orders sent by\nhim to his governors and other officers and have dealt with\nthem in separate chapters and have tried our best to\nexplain them as clearly as possible. Hence it should be\nquite easy for a reader to get fully acquainted with rules\nand regulations set forth by Ali regarding human rights by\nreferring to the relevant chapters.\nIn order to present the views and beliefs of Ali in a\nmore prominent manner and to find out in a better and\nclearer way with what celestial power these instructions\nwere issued by him, we propose to mention here some\nimportant contents of the charter of the U.N. and the\ndeclaration of human rights which have been endorsed by\nthe representatives of all nations. If there is any difference\nbetween the rules laid down by Ali and the U.N. charter\nit will be possible for the readers to realize it and also to\nfind out the reason why it is so.\nWe may say briefly that from the point of view of\ntheir purport there is no difference between the rules laid\ndown by Ali regarding human rights and the charter of the\nUnited Nations. If any minor difference is observed,\napparently it is due to changes which have taken place in\nthe terminology during the course of time, and is not basic\nor in principle.\nThere is no chapter in the charter of the U.N. which\nis not running parallel to the rules laid down by Ali. In fact\nbetter and more useful things are found in the instructions\ngiven by him.\nIn my opinion the difference between the two sets of\nrules is due to the following four reasons:\n\fFirstly the charter of the United Nations was drafted\nby thousands of intellectuals belonging to almost all the\ncountries of the world whereas the Alavi rules were\nenunciated by only one person viz. Ali son of Abu Talib.\nSecondly Ali arrived in this world fourteen hundred\nyears ago.\nThirdly those who drafted the U.N. charter or in fact\ncollected the requisite material for it indulged in too much\nextravagant talk and self-praise and boasted that world was\nindebted to them on this account. On the contrrary Ali\nshowed humility before God and was modest before the\npeople. He did not seek greatness or superiority. He always\nprayed to God and also wished the people that his acts\nof commissions and ommisions might be overlooked.\nThe fourth reason for the difference which is more\nimportant than the three enumerated above is that many\nnations, out of those which participated in the U.N.\nDeclaration of Human Rights and endorsed it, violated this\ndeclaration and started armed conflicts to nullify and\ndestroy it, but wherever Ali placed his foot, and whenever\nhe said anything, or unsheathed his sword, he did so to\ndestroy tyranny and oppression and levelled the ground to\nmarch forward on the path of truth and justice. So much\nso that he met his martyrdom in defence of human rights\nalthough during his lifetime he had already been martyred\nthousands of times.\nWe now give below the contents of the largest chapter\nof the U.N. charter which deals with human rights:\nIt has been compiled by a French writer Barbabech,\nand translted by Muhammad Mandoor in Arabic and\npublished by the U.A.R (United Arab Republic).\n1. Human beings are equal to one another in the matter\nof honour and rights. They have been created with the\npower of reflection and competence to distinguish between\ngood and evil. Hence all of them should behave with one\nanother like brothers.\n2. Every human being should enjoy all his rights and the\nliberties provided for in this charter. No discrimination\nshould be made between them on account of difference in\nrace, colour, tongue, faith, political views, country, social\nprinciples, affluence, indigence, pedigree and family.\n3. The rights mentioned in this charter are also available\nto the citizens of those countries as well as to the citizens\n\fof the countries whose governments are subordinate to\nother governments. Hence the citizens of these regions are\nequal to the residents of independent countries.\n4. Every person is entitled to possess means of living\nand to lead his life in security and peace.\n5. Slavery is not permissible for mankind. Slavery and\ndealing in slaves is prohibited in all circumstances.\n6. It is not permissible to hurt or oppress human beings.\nIt is unlawful to coerce them unnecessarily. Anything\nwhich amounts to aspersion on another's character or\nreputation is prohibited.\n7. Every person has a right that his legal position should\nbe acknowledged in whichever country he may be.\n8. All human beings are equal before law. Every person\nis entitled to seek assistance of law. There is no difference\nbetween human beings. Everyone has a right to oppose the\ndiscrimination which infringes the contents of this charter.\n9. Every person has right to lodge a complaint before\na regular court which is established to take decisions about\nrights and violations of the law in force.\n10. None can be arrested, imprisoned and exiled from\nhis town.\n11. It is not permissible that any one should interfere\nwith the personal or family life or correspondence of\nanother person without being entitled to do so. None is\npermitted to attack the honour or reputation of another,\nand every person has a right to approach the law-enforcing\nauthorities in the event of oppression and interference. 1\n12. Every person has a right to travel freely in his country\nand to settle down wherever he likes. Moreover, every\nperson is entitled to migrate from any town and also to\nreturn to it when he likes.\n13. Every person has a right to seek refuge in another\ncountry when he is subjected to tyranny and oppression.\n14. Every person has possessive rights in his personal\ncapacity or as a partner and none can be deprived of the\nownership of his property under coercion.\n15. Every person is entitled to reflect freely and the\ngovernments are not entitled to interfere with the religious\nbeliefs and actions of the people.\n16. Every person is entitled to hold an independent\nopinion and to express it, and by implication none can\nhurt him on account of his opinions. 2\n\f17. Every person is entitled to intervene in the activities\nof the Department of Public Affairs of the country either\ndirectly or through a freely elected representative. Every\nperson has a right to take part in public activities on equal\nconditions, and self-determination of the people is the\norigin and basis of the authority of government.\n18. Every person is entitled to benefit from the natural\nresponsibilities of the members of the society which they\nowe to one another. The economic, social and educational\nrights, which are necessary for a person according to his\nstatus, are guaranteed for him and the entire nation with\n19. Every person is entitled to select the profession he\nlikes and to demand sufficient conditions for it which\nare compatible with justice. He is also entitled to be helped\nto get rid of unemployment. All persons are entitled,\nwithout any exception, to demand appropriate wages for\nthe work done by them. Every worker has a right to\ndemand wages, which are sufficient for his and his family's\nsustenance and with which he may build his life in accor-\ndance with human dignity. If at any time the usual wages\nare insufficient to support him he should be compensated\nby some collective means. 3\n20. It is every person's right that he and his family should\nlead their lives with means of welfare and security,\nespecially in the matter of food, dress, lodging, health\nand social affairs. Futhermore, he/she should be assisted in\nthe event of unemployment, weakness, old age, and\nwidowhood, and in all such circumstances as make it\nimpossible for him/her to earn.\n21. Every person has a right to acquire knowledge.\nEducation should be free and primary education should\nbe compulsory. The object of education should be the\nnurture of human personality and respect for rights and\npolitical freedom. It is also necessary that education\nshould be means of strengthening mutual reconciliation,\nforgiveness and friendship between the nations and should\nassist the United Nations in its mission of peace.\n22. The individuals owe some duties to the society which\nmust be fulfilled by them, because the personality of the\nindividuals is built under the auspices of the society.\n23. The individuals cannot be prevented from demanding\ntheir rights and enjoying freedom except in matter for\nwhich laws have been enacted to protect and respect the\n\frights and freedom of others, or rules have been prescribed\nby society for the protection of good morals, administra-\ntion of government and public welfare.\nThese rights and freedom should not in any circum-\nstances interfere with the aims and objects of the United\nNations.\n24. The sentences and language of this charter should not\nbe interpreted in such a way that any government, party\nor individual may become entitled to react and nullify\npractically the freedoms provided for in this charter.\nThese are the most important points which are\nrecorded in the charter of the U.N. regarding the rights and\nfreedom of man. These are the very rights which are often\nviolated by the signatory governments.\nI think that the readers must have realized the suffi-\nciency of these instructions with the help of the rules\nenunciated by Imam Ali and must also have recognized\ntheir similarity, with the exception of the terminology\nwhich has changed with the passage of time and the ideas\nwhich have appeared on account of the developments,\nwhich have taken place during the present age. However,\nthe affection and kindness, which is seen in the rules\nframed by the Imam, is missing from the charter of the\nUnited Nations.\nIn the following chapter we shall mention the high\nmorals and virtues of Ali and how he kept in view the\nrelationship of life which exists between the living beings\nand how he respected it in his words and deeds.\nIn another chapter we shall review in detail the\nconditions of the Arab world during the periods of Bani\nUmayyah, Bani Abbas and other rulers, and shall explain\nhow they violated these rules, so that, by a comparative\nstudy of Ali's conduct and theirs, the value of the rules\nenunciated by him may become known in a better way.\nWhile giving in detail the rules prescribed by Imam\nAli in previous chapters we have already shown their worth\nand value, and in these two chapters we conclude our\ndiscussion regarding Ali and human rights, so that we may\nturn our attention to other matters.\n\n\n\n\n1 A large part of the contents of this charter is not compatible\n\fwith the objects of socialism, because in the socialist countries\ncomplete freedom of the individuals is considered to be opposed\nto the interests of the State.\n2 The opinions which interfere with law and order, or create\ndisturbance or are injurious to the independence and integrity of the\nState are offences according to law, and the laws of every country\ntake such offences into account.\nthe co-operation of the governments is responsible to pay\nthese rights.\n3 Freedom of action, strikes, complaints by the workers and\nother similar things are not permissible in accordance with the\nsocialistic ideology, because whatever is connected with action and\neconomy is controlled by the despotic government and opposition\nto government is treated to be a revolt against it.\n\f Value of life and Ali\nWe have learnt that Ali was grieved on account of the\nprivations of the oppressed. He helped them to acquire\ntheir rights and made them recognize what was due to\nthem. He also shared hardships with the indigent and the\ndeprived, so that the value of justice might be known and\nit's standard might be elevated.\nWe have studied his method of eliminating oppression,\nand the principles which he followed in the capacity of a\nruler and it has become known that his principles and laws\nenjoy a very high position amongst the principles ennun-\nciated by the great sages of the East and the West. We have\nalready mentioned his contributions to the language,\nphilosophy, and science and have explained that he was\nthe base and origin of these branches of knowledge. We\nhave hinted at the extraordinary power which he possessed\nto activate the natural inclinations and morality for the\npeople and the wonderful eloquence with which he des-\ncribed their qualities and desires. His inherent powers and\npersonal virtues were intermingled and with their help he\nplanted, on every occasion, a new tree and provided it with\nleaves and flowers to perfect the knowledge of mankind.\nHe laid a new foundation through his literary and\nother works on which Arabic language, jurisprudence, and\nsocial sciences, are based, and the fact is that the theories\nexpounded by others are the offshoots of the same know-\nledge which he has handed down to us.\nThis voluminous book about the cognition of man\ncannot be compiled unless the author describes the nature\nof human beings, finds out the effects of the vicissitudes of\ntime on their nature, directs his intellect and natural\ninclinations towards their welfare and then takes a decision\naccording to their individual and collective nature and the\nspirit of the time. Imam Ali adopted this method in his\nsayings and precepts, which are unmatched after the sayings\nand precepts of the prophet.\nIn some of his precepts Ali has addressed theoretical\nlogic. In others he has addressed practical logic. And in\nmany of them he has addresed both. The precepts referring\nto theoretical logic mean as to how a fact should be found\n\fout and those which relate to practical logic mean as to\nwhat should be done to acquire prosperity.\nAs regards the first kind of precepts it may be said\nthat Ali found out the true nature of facts. With a subtle\nintellect he observed the good and evil of the time, arrived\nat correct conclusions after making necessary experiments,\nand made those conclusions known to the people. 1\nHis precepts are so judicious and exact that it may be\nsaid that they have been deduced by means of geometrical\ncalculations. They have been stated in such a beautiful\nmanner that from the point of view of their meanings as\nwell as their interpretation they form the foundation of\nthe Arabic literature. All the thoughts and opinions of the\nImam collected in Nahj al-Balaghah are of this standard.\nIn the precepts in which the Commander of the\nFaithful has addressed theoretical logic, he has left the\npeople free in the matter of their reason and views so that\nthey may find out the factual position and act according\nto their understanding and comprehension.\nSuch precepts are not in the form of orders, prohibi-\ntions or desires. On the contrary they are philosophical\nremarks in which the nature and habits of the friends and\nthe enemies, the righteous and the wicked, the wise and\nthe foolish, the generous and the miserly, the oppressor\nand the oppressed etc. have been fully explained. He has\nalso explained many scientific laws with logical reasoning.\nSome of them will be mentioned later.\nAs regards his precepts which relate to practical logic,\nor both practical logic and theoretical logic, it may be\nstated as follows:\nThose who think that only the laws, rules, regulations\nand system of government are sufficient for the adminis-\ntration of public affairs are mistaken, because one should\ntake responsibility for the protection and observance of\nthese principles and laws after due explanation of human\nrights. Just as it is necessary that one who enacts these\nlaws should be wise, experienced and righteous, it is also\nnecessary that one who implements them should possess\nthese qualities and should obtain tbe desired results. This\nis so because the administration of public affairs depends\nvery much on the good and bad qualities of those who\npromulgate the laws and is also related to the wisdom\nand attention of the people for whom those laws have\n\fbeen enacted. In spite of all this it has to be admitted that\nthe various new rules and laws which have been formulated\nare mostly different from one another. Owing to the\ndifferences which exist between the countries it is not\npossible to enforce all these laws without force and\ncoercion and the law-enforcing authorities are permitted\nto avoid enforcing them to some extent. The rules and\nlaws of the old governments were mostly compatible with\nthe habits and morals of those who enforced them. This\nwas for reasons which are beyond the scope of our present\ndiscussion. 2\nLet us suppose that it is possible for human beings to\nenact useful laws and to compel the people to act according\nto them However, if the responsibilities are not carried\nout according to the dictates of conscience and faith, they\ndo not carry much value. We believe that any act which is\nnot performed by man with the confirmation of practical\nlogic, personal desire, and firm determination, and without\ncoercion, cannot be treated to be a human act. The greatest\nand the most precious human action is that which is\nprompted by one's conscience.\nThe rules and laws formulated by a government are\nnot at all sufficient to improve human relations unless\nthe theoretical and practical wisdom makes man contented\nwith them.\nIn that event the determination and good deeds of\nthe people will harmonize with each other and make the\nindividuals and the groups reach their destination through\nthe path of civilization, because such persons do not desire\nanything except good deeds.\nWhatever we have said about the individuals and\ngroups is very well known to the intellectuals and the\nphilosophers as well as to the past ulema and research\nscholars, and we believe that conscience and faith obliged\nthem to serve.\nWhen we study carefully the history of those who\nserved mankind and civilization, we come to know that\nthough wisdom alone was their guide for understanding\nevery matter, yet it was not alone in the history of their\nlives. The power of theoretical knowledge is stagnant and\ndry. By itself it can do nothing. It must have companions\nand friends of different kinds along with their quantities\nand numbers. This power shows you the path but not\n\fthe speed and does not compel you to walk on the path.\nThe thing which brings you to the stage of action is\nenthusiasm and inclination.\nMarconi (an Italian scientist who invented wireless)\nliked it, on account of his enthusiasm and inclination, not\nto enjoy the amusements of the world and to remain in\nseclusion to serve mankind and civilization, for otherwise\nwhy did he choose seclusion for himself, if practical\nwisdom and enthusiasm did not prompt him to serve\nhumanity? The same thing could be said about some other\ngreat men. Thus the noble-minded servants of mankind did\ngood deeds with great enthusiasm and devotion.\nAs the wicked and unlucky persons were devoid of\ntrue practical wisdom and good intentions they could not\ndo any service to humanity in spite of their theorectical\nwisdom. To this category belong Adolf Hitler, Hajjaj bin\nYusuf, Changez Khan, Alexander of Macedonia and many\ngreat scientists of our own age who utilized their experi-\nments in respect of man. All of them possessed power of\nintellect like the servants of mankind but in spite of this\ntheir performance was nothing but bloodshed, lack of\nregard for human life, destruction of the achievements of\nhuman civilization, and death and annihilation of innumer-\nable innocent men and women. This was due to the fact\nhat their theoretical wisdom and thoughts were not linked\nwith practical wisdom and good sentiments. If these two\nthings (viz. practical wisdom and good sentiments) are\nnot present theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact\nvery harmful.\nI do not mean to say that the different powers\npossessed by man viz. theoretical wisdom, practical wisdom,\nand inclination, are separate from one another. In fact\nthese powers assist and influence one another. What I\nmean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comprehends\nthe things themselves, connects causes and effects with\neach other and provides unalterable limits and rules which\ndo not change on account of changes which take place in\nthe morals and the nations, but the practical wisdom\nand sentiments are different according to differences\nin the people.\n\nTheoretical wisdom is present in every person and\ncomprehends a matter correctly. It is necessary that it\n\fshould contain inclination and the practical wisdom should\nmake it proceed on the path of goodness and prosperity.\nFailing this the person concerned will spend his wisdom on\nmaking discoveries which will become the cause of destruc-\ntion of the human beings as well as of his own bad luck.\nThis is as true in the case of the law-giver as for those\nfor whom the law has been enacted. Their conscience and\ninclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based\non equity and justice and mere intellectual admission\nof their goodness is not sufficient. Their hearts should\nbe free from impurities to ensure the perfection of human\nprosperity so that they may make efforts with enthusiasm\nfor the welfare of the nation. Furthermore, it is necessary\nthat they should possess moral virtues, because the merits\nof a man protect the laws and orders from the evil-doers\nand the sinners like a fortress.\nIt was for this reason that Imam Ali awakened good\ninclinations in the hearts of the people and delivered\nsermons to promote good morals. In his sermons, testa-\nments and conversations he always addressed the conscience\nof the people, because he knew that for the administration\nof the affairs of the people and their good relations it is\nnecessary that they should possess good morals. Self-\npurification ensures human perfection and also supports\njustice, and protects its frontiers. Furthermore, it leads\ntowards the sentiments and desires of the people which\nculminate prosperity and happiness.\nAli possessed unusual competence to counsel and\nrefine the people and his words deeply impressed everyone.\nHe knew their nature and their way and manners. He\ncompared their good and bad qualities and embodied their\nrealities in his statements. He explained their different\nkinds. He ordered the people to do certain things and\nforbade them from doing evil things.\nHe had a very favourable opinion about the conscience\nof the people being able to make distinction between good\nand evil. This favourable opinion of Ali about the conscience\n\nof human beings resembled a similar opinion held by other\ngreat benefactors of humanity (like Christ) and Muhammad\nwho had enlightened minds and kind and affectionate\nhearts, and whose love for mankind knew no bounds.\nEvery light became insignificant before that which was\n\fkindled in their hearts. Ali has based his precepts on\nthis very favourable opinion and his addressing human\nconscience in his counsels and sermons is also on account\nof the good opinion which he held about human nature.\nAs Ali held a favourable opinion about the people,\nin spite of all the hardships which he had to suffer at their\nhands, he always endeavoured to inculcate good morals in\ntheir hearts. He knew that both goodness and evil are\npresent in the nature of man. However, it behoves a for-\nbearing person to turn his heart towards goodness and\nnourish it. He educated the people through examples as\nwell as by his good conduct, because this method of educa-\ntion is more effective.\nImam Ali stressed the people time and again to hold a\ngood opinion about human conscience. He has said: \"If a\nperson holds a good opinion about you try to prove his\nopinion to be correct\". He has also said: \"If someone does\nsomething do not hold a bad opinion about it so long as it\nis possible to draw a good conclusion from it\".\nIf he has criticized some actions of treacherous and\nunjust persons it was because he considered their reforma-\ntion possible by means of censure and advice, although it\nmight necessitate a good deal of effort and time.\nA righteous person rewards those who do good deeds,\nbut punishes the evil-doers because he hopes that by this\nmeans it will be possible to correct them. If Imam Ali had\nnot expected this he would not have tolerated the unbear-\nable hardships caused by the wicked persons.\nAli said about the world and the worldly people:\n\"The worldly persons growl at one another like dogs and\nferocious animals. Their strong ones devour the weak and\nthe big ones humiliate the small ones\". He said this because\nhe had suffered much on account of the usurpation and\ndisobedience of the corrupt persons, and was very much\n\nvexed on account of the trouble caused by them. By\nsaying these things he fought against the unjust, the cruel\nand the tyrants in the same way in which a physician fights\nagainst the germs for the welfare and health of a patient.\nHe preferred death to life and hoped for the salvation\nof mankind.\nAli respected life, because it is a great blessing of God.\nHe considered living beings to be respectable so that a\n\fspecimen of the traces of creation might remain secure in\ntheir existence. He had a very favourable opinion about\nthe conscience and the purity of nature of man and was\nvery hopeful for the prosperity of mankind. He wished\nthat men might remain as free as he ought to be.\nIn the absence of this favourable opinion and hope he\nwould not have behaved so well with the people and would\nnot have said: \"If you hear something from someone do\nnot hold a bad opinion about it so long as it is possible to\ndraw a good conclusion from it\". In that event he would\nnot also have addressed the conscience of the people\nkindly like the prophets, and would not have guided them\nwith a heavy heart, to goodness with his sermons and\nadmonitions. He wished to protect the morals of the\npeople with his sermons and precepts, and to rear up\nhuman enthusiasm in them so that they might do good\ndeeds with the assistance of their own wisdom and intellect.\nIn every work Imam Ali appointed certain spies from\namong the people themselves to keep an eye on them and\ndeclared that the limbs of their body were sitting in\nambush for them. As he had faith in their own assessment\nhe said: \"O people! Remember that your own self is sitting\nin ambush for you and your limbs are your spies who keep\nan account of your deeds and even your breathing\".\nOn account of his faith in the conscience of man and\nrespect for his life he told the people of his time that\nhuman life cannot be kept in bondage, and cannot be\nkept in the cradle of childhood for long. It should not be\nkept in imprisonment lest it should become impure and be\nconsequently annihilated.\nIn another chapter we shall quote some unique\nsayings of Ali which will remain alive so long as righteous\npersons live on the earth. Those sayings will last forever.\nWe have selected these sayings from Nahj al-Balaghah and\nthey relate to the acquisition of excellent morals and good\ncharacter and to the purity of man.\n\n\n\n\n1 According to Shiite belief whatever the Imam said was based\non inspiration and celestial power i.e. the spirit of Imamate and it is\nnot possible to acquire all the knowledge possessed by him by means\nof intellect and experience.\n\f2 The author has proved here that it is the duty of the people to\nconsider law to be a bounty for themselves. They should have faith\nin it and should hold themselves responsible to obey it, instead of\nthe government being wholly responsible to enforce it and the\npeople obeying it for fear of punishment.\nThe Muslim scholars have explained this point in their books\nat length and all the Muslims know that man-made laws are not\nsufficient to ensure happiness in this world and salvation in the\nworld hereafter.\nAs regards the celestial law it is necessary that the prophet\nshould enforce it through inspiration and the people should obey it\nas an article of faith.\n\f Conditions prevailing after Ali\nThese calamities and social and moral evils began to\nappear in the Arab world, and gained strength in the East\nfrom the day on which the sinful hand of Ibn Muljim was\nstretched towards the specimen of justice and the embodi-\nment of virtue viz. Ali son of Abu Talib.\nIt appears necessary to mention briefly the conditions\nof the Arab nation after the martyrdom of Imam Ali and\nto explain what shape the things assumed during the periods\nof Bani Umayyah and Bani Abbas, what the activities of\nthese rulers, who deviated from the principles laid down\nby Ali, were, and how the common man became very\ncheap and was transferred like inheritance from one\ngroup to another.\nThe caliphate of Imam Ali was an interval between\nthe period of Uthman and that of Mu`awiya and his\nsuccessors. During this interval truth and justice enjoyed\na very high position. However, during the period preceding\nit the rights of the people were violated. The people\nbelonging to the upper class did not submit to the\nauthority of government. The result was that injustice and\noppression was rampant. The chiefs of the nation, the\nofficers and the governors had become a cause of affliction\nfor the people and were devouring their property. The\nadvisers and associates of Uthman were perfect despots.\nIt will be better to explain here the condition of the\nrulers and the subjects during the periods of Bani Umayyah\nand Bani Abbas so that the value of the rules and principles\nlaid down by Ali may be clearly understood and the\nreaders may realize how sublime his wisdom and thinking\n\nwas. His sword nipped selfishness in the bud and his\nrighteous hand annihilated falsehood.\nAs soon as Ali was martyred at the hands of the\naccursed Ibn Muljim Mu`awiya son of Abu Sufyan began\nplanning against the opponents of his caliphate. He severely\npunished every person who declined to acknowledge him\nas the caliph of God. He had not yet completed his task\nwhen he began levelling the ground for the succession of\nhis son, the notorious Yazid as caliph. He adopted all\npossible means which could be useful for the kingship of\n\fhis son. He bestowed honours on some persons and deprived\nothers of position and authority. Out of the numerous\nplans which Mu`awiya contrived for taking the oath of\nallegiance from the people for Yazid we make a mention\nof one which will go to show the foundation on which the\ncaliphate of Yazid and his successors was established.\nMu`awiya arranged a gathering so that the people\nfrom different provinces should collectively take oath of\nallegiance to his son Yazid during his own lifetime. When\nthe poeple assembled, Mu`awiya and Yazid were also\npresent. At that moment a flatterer named Yazid son of\nMuqanna rose and said pointing to Mu`awiya: \"This is the\nCommander of the Faithful\" Then he pointed to Yazid\nand said: \"If Mu`awiya passes away it will be he\". Then\nhe pointed to his sword and said: \"If any person does not\nagree to this his punishment will be this\". Mu`awiya said:\n\"Sit down for you are the chief of the orators\".\nThe people of the Hijaz did not agree to take oath of\nallegiance to Yazid. They could neither be allured by\nwealth nor were they afraid of the military power.\nMu`awiya's behaviour with those people is surprising.\nOnce he threatened them saying: \"I swear by God that if\nany person utters even one word here against me he will\nbe beheaded before he utters the second word. You people\nshould, therefore, take care of your lives and should not\nseek death\". He posted two observers for each person\nbelonging to the Hijaz and said to the police-officer:\n\"Whoever from amongst these persons opens his lips to\nrefute or to affirm, his head should be chopped off\".\n\nIt was in this manner that Yazid son of Mu`awiya\nattained to the caliphate.\nAbdullah son of Hanzala said: \"We were afraid that\nif we did not oppose Yazid stones will rain on our heads\nfrom the heavens and all of us would be annihilated\nbecause of the divine wrath. It was for this reason that\nwe opposed him\".\nIt was the same Yazid who martyred Imam Husayn\nin a very tragic manner, beseiged the Ka`abah and stoned\nit with the help of the catapult, made the blood and the\nproperty of the people of Madina lawful for his soldiers,\nand lived a life of sensuality and pleasure. He used to play\nwith dogs and monkeys till he died and was succeeded by\n\fother members of the Umayyad family. They distributed\nthe property of the public treasury among their relatives\nand associates. The place of justice which was founded by\nAli was destroyed by them and an unjust group assumed\nthe reins of government. One group of persons became\nvery rich and the other was reduced to extreme poverty.\nWhen thousands were starving, the Umayyad caliph gave\ntwelve thousand dinars to the singer named Ma`abad,\nbecause he had amused the caliph with his music. The\nnobles possessed innumerable slaves and slave-girls. Seventy\nthousand of them were set free by Sulaiman son of Abdul\nMalik alone. Partiality and bias on account of race, family\nor party, was very common during the Umayyad rule\nalthough Islam had destroyed such bias and Imam Ali had\nnot permitted it.\nDuring that age discrimination was made between the\npeople of Yemen and Bani Qais. The Arabs claimed supe-\nriority over the non-Arabs and similarly the Qurayshites\nclaimed to be superior to others. Their courts were full of\npleasure-loving persons who got large funds from the\npublic treasury without doing any public service. History\ntells that Walid bin Abdul Malik disallowed the stipends of\nmore than twenty thousand stipendiaries. These were the\nways and manners of all Umayyads except Umar ibn\nAbdul Aziz. They gained mastery over various regions by\nmeans of oppression, and performed the task of Mu`awiya\n\nand Yazid. Abdul Malik bin Marwan used to issue orders\naccording to his own wish and did not attach any impor-\ntance to the lives and property of the people. He ordered\nthe wells and the springs of Bahrain to be filled with dust\nso that the residents of that area might become indigent,\nand obey the government. He appointed a cruel and\nbloodthirsty person like Hajjaj bin Yusuf as Governor\nof Iraq.\nAmin Rayhani says thus about Bani Umayyah: \"The\nUmayyad rulers had reversed justice which should necessa-\nrily be observed by a monarch. This was a group of mean\nand incompetent persons. If one of them was a fool the\nother was despicable. If one was humble and devoid of\nhonour the other was a drunkard and an oppressor. At\nleast one cannot overlook the abominable and wicked\npractice of theirs that they abused Ali and his sons from\n\fthe pulpits\".\nAmongst Bani Umayyah there was only one just\ncaliph and he was Umar ibn Abdul Aziz. He started his\nrule with doing away with injustice. He wanted to get the\nlooted property of the public treasury restored to it and\nto adopt a sensible policy for his caliphate. However, some\npeople were not happy with this attitude of his and\nassassinated him.\nBani Umayyah attained to the caliphate by deceit,\nand converted it into kingship by coercion, and established\na kingdom in which there was not a trace of equity and\njustice. At last the palace of their government became\nshaky and fell on their own heads.\nAfter them came Bani Abbas and the impartial persons\npraised Bani Umayyah as compared with them.\nAmin Rayhani says: \"Bani Abbas gained control over\nthe country by means of bloodshed. There were horrible\nscenes of massacres and bloodshed in Syria, Palestine, and\nIraq and after which other chiefs also followed the example\nof Abu'l Abbas Saffah in killing and bloodshedding.\nA man named Ameetar invited people to himself in\nSyria. The Yemenites obeyed him but Bani Qais rose\nagainst him. Ameetar launched a night attack on them and\nburnt their property and houses.Another person named Ibn Bahees fought against\nAmeetar, gained control over Damascus and punished the\nresidents of that city.\nDuring the time of Bani Abbas revolts and distur-\nbances were rampant and the party spirit was gaining\nstrength. And it was not only the cruel and blood thirsty\nrebels who were suffering, but the poor subjects who paid\nrevenue and were always ready to partake in jihad were\nalso involved in troubles\".\nThereafter, referring to the big and small principali-\nties of the last days of Bani Abbas Amin Rayhani says:\n\"The people who lived in that dark age were very unlucky.\nEvery ruler vied with another in bloodshed and warfare\nand was proud of his atrocities. He told his soldiers:\n\"I hereby make it lawful for you to do anything you like\nwith this city for three days\". With these words they\npermitted the plundering of a city and shedding of the\nblood of its residents. Mutanabbi says: \"The women who\nbefriended them were to be made prisoners, their children\nwere to be killed, the wealth accumulated by them was to\n\fbe looted and their crops were to be burnt\".\nFie upon that time, and upon the fear of the people\nof that time. May God bless those helpless people and may\nthose rulers and soldiers be accursed! Does man who is\nGod's best creation get metamorphosed at one time into\na ferocious animal? Do these savages deserve that fifty\npages of history should be allocated to them? No; their\nacts should be summarized only in one line; they became\nfell enemies of one another, fought, killed, looted and\nburnt, and were guilty of atrocities or in other words they\nconsidered the lives, property and honour of others to be\nlawful for themselves.\nThese are the remarks of Amin Rayhani about the\nperiod of Bani Abbas and the plundering and bloodshed\nof the small principalities during the last days of their\ncaliphate i.e. when the caliphs were only in name and\nreal authority and gone out of their hands.\nNow we shall speak briefly about the period of Bani\nAbbas. It has been mentioned earlier, that Bani Umayyah\n\nopposing the system of government which the Commander\nof the Faithful wished to introduce, and abandoning the\njust policy adopted by him, had treated the government to\nbe their family property. They did not permit anyone to\nshare their authority. They adopted Fascist policies as if\nthe government and its revenues belonged to them only\nand none else had even the smallest share in them.\nWhen Bani Abbas came at the helm of affairs after\nBani Umayyah, they also based their administration on\nthe same ideas.\nThey also held the view that the king was God's\nvicegerent on earth and it was his inherent right to rule.\nNone else was entitled to bring about any change in this\narrangement. It was on account of this very view that\nMansur, the second Abbasid caliph, said while speaking\nbefore a public gathering: \"O People! I am the king of the\nearth appointed by God. I rule over you with His blessing\nand help. I am the custodian of God's property. I utilize\nthe public treasury with His will. Whatever I give to anyone\nis given with His permission, because He has made me the\nlock of His treasury. If He wants to give you something He\nwill open that lock and if He does not like to give you\nanything He will keep it closed\".\n\fThe same policy was followed by other caliphs of the\nAbbasid family. Every one of them was the vicegerent of\nGod on earth.\nThis goes to show very clearly that cruelty was the\nfoundation of the government of Bani Abbas and their\nsubordinate princes and rulers. According to them\nsovereignty was a divine gift. God bestowed this gift upon\nthose whom He liked and when He willed the welfare\nof the people He provided them with a kind, wise and\ngenerous ruler.\nThe result of this way of thinking and this idea and\nbelief was that the people remained obedient to the\nAbbasid rulers and patiently bore whatever befell them\nconsidering it to be from God.\nBaghdad, the capital of Bani Abbas, was overflowing\nwith wealth, but this entire wealth was meant only for the\n\ncaliph and his relatives and associates. Others, however\ncompetent they might be and whatever services they might\nhave rendered to the nation had no share in the wealth,\nand were doomed to poverty and abjectness unless they\nflattered the caliph and humiliated themselves before him.\nAs a consequence of this two classes of people came\ninto being. There was a vast difference between these two\nclasses. People belonging to one class rolled in wealth\nwhereas those belonging to the other class, however skilled\nand efficient they might be, remained indigent and poor,\nand led very miserable lives. The revenues and income of\nthe government were spent by the caliph, his relatives and\ncourtiers, to lead lives of pleasure. They spent millions on\ntheir associates, flatterers, slave-girls and eunuchs.\nFrom the point of view of wealth the caliph, the\nprinces, the nobles and government officers belonged to\nthe highest class. The tradesmen came next. Although\ntheir lives and property, too, were in constant danger on\naccount of the high-ups, but as regards wealth they\nenjoyed a position next to the nobility. The only things\nwhich fell to the share of the common man were, however,\nabjectness, helplessness, hunger and death. In Baghdad the\nlofty palaces of the rich and the dilapidated huts of the\npoor stood side by side. It might be said that they presented\na scene of paradise and hell. A poet of that time says about\nBaghdad:\n\f\"This Baghdad is fit for only rich people to live in,\nand not for the poor and the indigent.\nIf a rich man like Korah happens to come to Baghdad\nhe too would be filled with sadness and perplexity.\nBaghdad is the very paradise which has been promised\nus, but it has come prematurely into the hands of those\nwho possess sufficient to eat and to wear.\nIn Baghdad there are houris and young servants and\nthere is everything which you may desire. The thing which\nis not found here is human being\".\nA pleasure-loving rich man says: \"Have you ever seen\na city like Baghdad in the whole world? This Baghdad is\nthe paradise on earth.\n\nIn Baghdad the fountain of enjoyment is pure and the\ntree of pleasure is green. At other places, however, life\nis neither pure nor happy.\nOne enjoys longer life in Baghdad. Its food and water\nis delicious and dainty. There is no doubt about the fact\nthat the food and water of some lands is better than that\nof others\".\nIt is not objectionable that Baghdad had been a\nparadise on earth during the Abbasid period or for that\nmatter during all periods. It is also not something wrong\nthat the fountain of pleasure in that city had been pure\nand the tree of happiness had been green. There is also no\nharm in the lives of the residents of that city being long.\nNothing out of these things is wrong, man always seeks\nto live a life in a paradise, where there are all means of\ncomforts - fruits and flowers and every good thing.\nBut all these things can be good only if they have not been\nacquired by exploiting the poor and the helpless or by\nsnatching away from the orphans and the widows. Where\ndid these means of pleasure come from when there were\nthousands of indigent persons who did not eat to their\nfill even once throughout their lives in that city?\nThe famous poet Abu'l Atahiya addresses the caliph\nof his time thus expressing the sentiments of the people:\n\"Is there anyone who should convey my frequent counsels\nto the caliph? I see that the cost of living of the people\nis very high and their incomes are very low. Their needs are\ninnumerable and they are attacked in the morning and in\nthe evening by calamities and hardships.\n\fThe orphans and the widows are sitting empty-\nhanded in their lonely homes. The men as well as the\nwomen are stretching their hands towards you so that you\nmay do them some favour.\nAll complain of the hardships of life, and are raising\ncries in low tones. They hope for your kindness so that\nthey may get rid of difficulties and see the face of comfort.\nMothers, with children in their laps, go without meals during\nnight and fast during day time. Who is there who should\nfill their empty bellies and dress their naked bodies? I am\n\ninforming you about true facts on behalf of your subjects\".\nA man came to see the caliph Wathiq Billah. He draws\na picture of the pomp of the caliph and the magnificence\nand grandeur of his palace in these words. (It should be\nremembered that this is about the magnificence of one\npalace only):\n\"One servant entrusted me to another and the second\nentrusted me to a third one. Having passed in this manner\nthrough the hands of many servants I arrived in a building,\nwhose courtyard and walls were covered with painted\nbrocade. Then I arrived in the royal court. Its ground and\nwalls were also covered with brocade. In the middle of the\nhall Wathiq was sitting on his throne. The throne was\nbedecked with pearls. His slave-girl Farida was sitting with\na guitar in her hand. Wathiq as well as the slave-girl were\nwearing costly brocade dresses.\nThis luxurious life and capitalistic pomp was a con-\ntagious disease from which all including the caliph, his\nrelatives and courtiers as well as some businessmen were\nsuffering. As regards other indecent acts which were done\nin the royal palace it is better not to mention them.\nThe purchase and sale of slaves and slave-girls for\nmoney which was not permitted either by the prophet or\nby Imam Ali 1 was so much in progress that in every city\nthere used to be separate bazar for this particular trade.\nIn Baghdad, which was the capital of the Abbasides\nDar-al-Raqiq road is a well-known place which was used\nfor this purpose. The dealers in slaves had slaves and slave-\ngirls of every race and colour. Black coloured slaves were\nbrought from the south to the Abbasid Cities and sold at\ntwo hundred dirhams (about fifty to fifty-five rupees)\nper head. White coloured slaves and slave-girls were\n\fbrought from Samarkand which was a big market for the\nslaves of this type. There were many kinds of slave-girls.\nSome of them belonged to Kandhar and Sind. They were\nslim and had black eyes and long hair, Some of them were\nthose who had been trained in Madina. They were coquettish\nand adept musical performers. Those brought up in Mecca\nwere matchless in their elegance and bewitching looks.\nSome slave-girls also came from the western countries.\nThe middleman Abu Uthman who possessed full\ninformation about the attributes of the slaves and slave-\ngirls of that time says: \"A slave-girl should be born in\nBarbary and should quit her country at the age of nine\nyears. She should spend three years in Madina and three\nyears in Mecca. At the age of sixteen years she should go\nto Iraq and learn social manners there. She should be sold\nwhen she attains the age of twenty five years. Such a slave-\ngirl will combine in herself her inherent charm, the coquetry\nof Madina, the elegance of Mecca and the decency and\nmanners of Iraq.\nUnfortunately Abu Uthman has failed to mention as\nto how much price such a slave-girl would have fetched.\nBesides the slave-girls who belonged to Barbary\nthere were also Ethiopian, Turkish, Cypriot, Roman and\nArmenian slave-girls whose attributes need not be men-\ntioned here. The slave-girls belonging to each country\nhad their particular qualities and characteristics which have\nbeen mentioned in detail by the experts of that time.\nNot to speak of the poor people in the Abbasid\nperiod even the rich did not feel that their lives and\nproperty were secure. The lives of the people were in the\nhands of the monarch and they were afraid that they\nmight lose their property or lives at any moment. Hence,\nif on the one hand the generosity of the caliph and his\nnobles knew no limits there was also no limit of the\nexploitation of the people by them. If at one time the\ncaliph gave thousands of dinars to a person for his having\nuttered a beautiful verse, at another time he ordered that\na person might be beheaded immediately and his property\nmight be confiscated.\nAttabi has drawn a very realistic picture of the\n\nconditions prevailing in his time. He was asked as to why\nhe did not try to seek some position in the royal court\n\fwhen he was a man of letters. He replied: \"I see that at\none time the caliph gives thousands of dinars to a person\nwithout any justification and without his having deserved\nit, and at another time he orders that an innocent man\nmay be thrown on the ground from the roof of his palace.\nIf I join the royal court I do not know which of these two\nfates I shall meet\".\nOnce the caliph Mehdi summoned Mufazzal Zabi\nto his court. When the caliph's messenger approached him\nhe feared that possibly some one had spoken ill of him\nbefore the caliph. He, therefore, wore a shroud under his\nclothes and reached the royal court fully prepared for his\ndeath. He saluted the caliph and the latter replied to his\nsalutation. Then he stood quietly. After sometime he\nrealized that the caliph had no intention of killing him\nand, therefore, became calm, Mehdi asked him: \"Which\nArab poet has composed the best verse on the subject of\ntaking pride and glorying?\" He also asked him some other\nquestions and Mufazzal gave appropriate replies. Mehdi\nwas pleased with his replies and questioned him about his\npersonal affairs. Mufazzal told the caliph that he was\nindebted and thereupon the caliph ordered that he might\nbe given thirty thousand dirhams.\nMamun executed his minister Fazal bin Sehl and\nthen offered the ministership to Ahmad ibn Abi Khalid,\nbut he declined to accept the post. On having been asked\nas to why he rejected the offer Ahmad replied: \"My\nexperience is that whoever has held this office has\neventually lost his life\".\nThe result of affluence was that revelry knew no\nbounds and had spread like a contagious disease. In every\nhouse there were innumerable slave-girls who were experts\nin singing, dancing and coquetry. 2When the rich persons\ngot tired of one means of enjoyment they invented\nanother. At times when they were overjoyed on hearing\na good song and did not know how to express their\npleasure they were beside themselves and struck and\nwounded their own heads with anything they could lay\ntheir hands on. Abu'l Faraj Isfahani in his `Aghani' and\nmany other historians have narrated numerous such\nincidents. The reason of their becoming beside themselves\nwas that they did not know to express their mirth and joy;\nhence they invented new devices everyday.\n\fOn the other side there were innumerable indigent\npersons, who living in misery and abjectness, were fed\nup with their lives. One group was leading an extremely\nluxurious life, while the people of the other group were\nfed up with their very existence. They despised their life as\nwell as their society and culture. They had no hope of the\ncondition of the society being better off. Abu'l Atahiya\nexpresses the feelings of those people in these words:\n\"The dry bread which you eat sitting in a corner and\nthe narrow house in which you spend your days; or the\ncorner of a Masjid in which you can live in seclusion are\nbetter than the moments which are spent under the shade\nof lofty palaces. This is a counsel from one who knows the\nreal position fully well. Happy is he who hears my advice.\nI swear by my life that this piece of advice is sufficient for\nhim. Lend your ears to this advice of your well-wisher who\nis called Abu'l Atahiya\".\nBoth the conditions of committing suicide by drown-\ning oneself in joy and mirth or by abandoning the world\nare opposed to human nature. The Almighty God has not\ncreated man either for this mode of life or for that,\nhowever, during the Abbasid period these two evils were\nvery common.\n\n\n*****\nWhat has been stated above is a glimpse of the condi-\ntions of the people during early days of the Abbasid\nrule.Later their lives became so miserable that it is not\n\npossible to imagine their abjectness. The rich became\nricher and the poor became much poorer. The rich were\nsmall in number but the indigent were innumerable.\nHowever, the lives and property of neither of them were\nsecure. Only a few persons viz. the monarch and his\nrelatives and associates felt secure and satisfied. None of\nthe other rich persons enjoyed peace of mind. They were\nconstantly afraid that the caliph might get annoyed with\nthem at any time and this might result in confiscation of\ntheir property and loss of their life. This type of cruelty\nbegan during the time of Mutawakkil - the man who\nconstructed hell side by side with paradise.\n\fThe rich had become absolutely shameless. They\ndrank wine and became devoid of their senses. They\narranged feasting and drinking in their palaces and became\nriotously festive. They at times tore their clothes and\nrolled on the ground. They lost all sense of decency and\nindulged in all sorts of evil deeds. While intoxicated some\nof them thought that they had made the earth tremble by\nstriking their feet on it. Many such stories have been\nnarrated by Abu Hayyan Tauhidi in his book entitled\n`Al-Mata`a wa al-Mawanisah'.\nThe number of the slave-girls in those times was\nunprecedented. Mutawakkil, who insulted the wise and\nzealous persons as much as possible, tried his best to\ndrown Imam Husayn's grave in water and allowed the\nruffians in his court to ridicule and insult Imam Ali, had\nthousands of slave-girls in his palace. Some Abbasid\ncaliphs had as many as ten thousand slave-girls. Besides\nthe slave-girls there were innumerable eunuchs in their\npalaces.Wealthy persons and those belonging to the aristo-\ncratic class kept eunuchs in their houses for the protection\nof their females. During the days of Amin the number of\nthe eunuchs increased very much. The caliph Muqtadir had\nas many as eleven thousand eunuchs. The middle class also\npossessed many slaves who were very immodest. The\nmasters took shameful services from their slaves.\nThe root cause of all these evils was that the nobility\nand the rich persons had ignored the principles laid down\n\nby the prophet and Imam Ali. They did not consider\nhuman being equal to one another. The rich and the\npersons in high positions considered themselves to be\nsuperior to the ordinary people and led luxurious lives by\nexploiting the poor.\nWe would like to talk once again about the habits and\nmorals of the people during the Abbasid period to throw\nlight on the luxurious and voluptuous life led by the\nnobles and the rich, and the indigence and helplessness\nto which the poor were subjected. The fact is that in a\nsociety whose members are usually indigent there two\nthings viz. affluence and indigence are bound to occur. We\nmay notice this fact in the light of what Imam Ali said:\n\"I have not seen excessive wealth with anyone except when\nside by side therewith I have seen a right being violated\".\n\fMagnificent palaces were constructed and on them\nenormous amount of money was spent. Mutawakkil got\nconstructed many palaces, whose beauty and splendour\nwas beyond description. In one of these palaces a big\nswimming pool was constructed for the ladies and the\nslave-girls. When the famous poet Behtri saw that palace he\nwas so much impressed by its grandeur that he thought\nthat it had been constructed by the fiends and the genii.\nDescribing the palace he says:\n\"It appears as if the genii subordinate to prophet\nSuleiman had constructed this palace and worked hard\non every detail.\nIf Bilquis, the queen of Sheba were to pass through\nthis palace she would have mistaken it for Suleiman's\npalace on account of great resemblance of the two.\nWhen you look at this pool at night and see the\nreflection of the stars in it you will think that the pool is\nthe sky and the stars are studded in it. The fish cannot\nreach the bank of the pool, because there is a great\ndistance between its beginning and end\".\nYaqut Hamavi writes in Mu`jam al-Buldan: \"None\nof the other caliphs built such magnificent buildings in\nSamarrah as were built by Mutawakkil. Besides other\nbuildings there were a number of palaces namely Qasr\n\nal-`Arus which cost thirty million dirhams, Qasr al-Ja`fari,\nQasr al-Gharib, Qasr al-Shaidan, Qasr al-Burj and Qasr\nal-Bustan Aitakhyah which cost ten million dirhams each,\nand Qasr al-Maleeh and Qasr al-Subh which cost five\nmillion dirhams each\".\nAfter giving a long list of the palaces Yaqut Hamavi\nsays that a sum of three hundred million dirhams was\nspent on them.\nPraising Mutawakkil's Qasr al-Ja`fari the poet Ali son\nof Jehm says: \"There are such masterpieces of art in this\npalace as must not have been seen by the Roman and\nIranian emperors during their long rule.\nThere are such spacious court-yards in it that the\neyes must travel long to see their rarities and curiosities.\nAnd there are such high domes that it might be said\nthat they are chatting with the stars.\nIbn Mu`tiz got built a palace, whose roof was cons-\ntructed with bricks of gold, and trees were planted around\n\fit. Bahtri praises the palace in these words:\n\"Its roof was made of gold and was bright and\nluminous. Its light prevailed everywhere.\nThe breeze loitered in it and the fruitless trees and\nfruit trees were always swinging.\nThey were like delicate maidens who come out for\na walk - some of them having ornaments and others being\nwithout them\".\nOne of the palaces got built by the caliph Mu`tazid\nwas called Qasr al-Surayya. It was very spacious and was\nvery finely decorated, so much so that Ibn Mu`tiz, who\nhad built this palace himself, considered it to be the\nworkmanship of the genii.\nThe historian Khatib Baghdadi has drawn a compre-\nhensive picture of this palace while describing the meeting\nof the Roman ambassador with the caliph. He says:\n\"Muqtadir had eleven thousand eunuchs and thousands\nof Sicilian, Roman and Ethiopian slaves. This was one\naspect of the palace. There were also other innumerable\nitems which contributed to its beauty and elegance.\nMuqtadir had ordered that the ambassador should be taken\n\nround the entire palace and should also be shown the\nstore-houses wherein very valuable articles had been\nstored in a very beautiful manner. Costly pearls had been\nset in cases which were covered with black-painted silken\ncloth. The ambassador was brought in a hall wherein stood\na tree made of pure silver which weighed five hundred\nthousand dirhams. There were also many birds made of\nsilver which were fixed to the branches of the tree and as\nand when the wind blew they began to whistle. The\nambassador was wonder-struck to see all this.\nThe curtains suspended on the walls of this palace\nnumbered thirty eight thousand. All these curtains were\nmade of silk and brocade. They were painted in various\nways and contained pictures of animals and boats. The big\ncurtains were the best specimens of the workmanship of\nthe Armenians and the Venetians. Some of them were\nplain and others were painted.\nThereafter the ambassador was taken to the stable.\nThe porch of this building rested on marble pillars. In the\nright half of the stable there were five hundred horses fully\nequipped with bridles and saddles but without saddle-\n\fcovers and in the left half there were also five hundred\nhorses which were equipped with bridles, saddles and\nsilken saddle-covers. For every horse there was a servant\nclad in a costly uniform.\nThen the ambassador was taken to the building\nwherein tamed wild animals were kept. They used to come\nto the visitors and smell them, and also ate things from\ntheir hands.\nThen the ambassador was brought to another building\nwherein he saw four elephants covered with painted silken\nsheets. Many servants were posted there to look after the\nelephants. When the ambassador saw the elephants he was\nstruck with terror.\nThereafter the ambassador was taken to a building\nwhere one hundred ferocious animals were kept. Fifty of\nthem were kept in one portion of the building and fifty\nin another.\nThen he was brought to a place called `Josaq'. This\n\nplace was surrounded by gardens and in the middle of it\na pool made of pewter had been built. A canal which\nwas also made of pewter had been built around this pool.\nThis pool, which was thirty cubits long and twenty cubits\nwide was more beautiful than one made of silver. It\ncontained four boats in which golden chairs had been\nplaced to sit in. There were four hundred trees in the\ngarden situated around the pool and each of those trees\nwas five cubits in height. Every tree was covered from top\nto bottom with painted ebony wherein bronze rings were\nfixed. On the right bank of the pool there were fifteen\nstatues of mounted soldiers, clad in silk, who held spears in\ntheir hands as if they were going to attack an enemy.\nFifteen more statues had been installed on the left bank.\nAfter the ambassador had been taken round twenty\nthree magnificent palaces he was brought in a court-yard\nwhich was called \"Tas`eeni\". In this court-yard young\nslaves were standing and all of them were fully armed.\nThen he was brought before the caliph Muqtadir in Qasr\nal-Taj which was situated on the bank of the river Tigris.\nHe was wearing a crown which was called Taweela and\nwas dressed in silk and brocade from head to feet. His\nthrone was made of ebony and its carpet was made of\npainted silk and brocade. Nine strings of very precious\n\fpearls were suspended on the right side of the throne\nand as many on its left side\". (Sakhi al-Islam, vol. 1,\npage 100 - 102).\nThe Abbasid caliphs continued to spend large sums of\nmoney in this manner. Every caliph who ascended the\nthrone tried to excel his predecessors in the matter of\nextravagance till the turn of Muhtada came. He was a\ndevout person, but he was not destined to live long, for he\nwas killed by his own kinsmen.\nThe ministers too did not lag behind in the matter\nof extravagance. Mutawakkil's minister Fateh bin Khaqan\nbuilt such lofty palaces that their minarets appeared to\ntouch the sky. The poet Behtri says: \"The minarets which\nare as lofty as the sky appear like the plumage of white\npigeons flying in the space\".\n\nThe minister lbn Maqla had collected so many wild\nanimals and birds in his palace that it is not possible for a\ngovernment treasury to bear their expenses.\nThe minister Ibn Furat owned vast tracts of land and\npossessed enormous wealth. He took his meals with\ncrystal spoons. He used one such spoon for one morsel and\ndid not use it again. More than thirty spoons were placed\non his dining-table.\nThe minister Mohlabi was fond of flowers. A person\nwho had seen him says: \"Red roses worth one thousand\ndinars were purchased for Mohlabi in three days. The same\nwere strewm in his assembly and in the spacious pool of\nhis palace. Strange fountains had been built in the pool.\nThe flowers were thrown into the pool and the fountains\nscattered them in the assembly of Mohlabi where they fell\non the heads of those present. When the assembly dispersed\nthe flowers were looted by the people\".\nA thick silken cloth called Thiyab al-Na`al used to\nbe purchased for the shoes of the mother of the caliph\nMuqtadir. Same silk was used for the upper part and\nthe sole of the shoes, and they were joined by means\nof melted musk and ambergris. The queen-mother did not\nuse these shoes for more than ten days. Thereafter the\nservants appropriated them, extracted the musk and\nambergris and utilized them.\nThe ministers and high officials also endeavoured not\nto lag behind the caliph in the matter of pomp and wealth.\n\fAli bin Ahmad Razi the Governor of Jundishapur,\nSus, and Mazaria left behind, on his death, gold, silver,\npearls, precious stones and other articles which were so\ncostly that if they had been distributed among the poor all\nof them would have become rich. Moreover, he left behind\nso many eunuchs and black and white slaves that if they\nhad been sent in the capacity of an army to some country\nthey would have conquered it.\nThe quantity of wealth possessed by other governors\ncan be guessed from what has been stated above about the\nwealth of Ali bin Ahmad Razi. The rich merchants also\nlived a luxurious life. The lives of poor people depended\n\non the will of the caliph, his chamberlains and ministers.\nThey were safe and secure only so long as the persons at\nthe helm of affairs were not displeased with them.\nWhere did the affluent persons get all this wealth\nfrom? What reply can be given to this question except that\nthey accumulated all these riches by exploiting the\ncommon people, who were reduced to penury and help-\nlessness? A most cruel system was adopted to realize\ngovernment taxes and to collect wealth. The caliph and his\nministers and agents sold the entire land revenue and\nother taxes to a single person. That person paid a few\nmillions of dirhams or dinars into the government treasury\nand then realised as much money from the people on\naccount of taxes as he liked. This was like the system\nintroduced by the Turkish Sultans in the Islamic countries\nwhich were ruled by them.\nThe Justice Department, too, was topsyturvy. The\ndignitaries of the state constantly interfered with the\nworking of the courts and no judge could dare give a\njudgement against the wishes of the rulers.\nBribery was rampant. The indigence of the people\nwas on the increase and their difficulties and afflictions\nwere multiplying. So much so that if a person died he\ndeserved congratulations rather than condolances.\nlbn Luknak of Barah says: We are witnessing strange\nvicissitudes. If we were to see in a dream what we see while\nawake we would wake up in a state of distress\".\nHe prays to God that He may grant Job's patience to\nthe people. He himself cries for them like Jacob and says:\n\"The people are so much afflicted that when one of them\n\fdies he deserves to be congratulated\".\nHe adds: \"By God we are caught in the clutches of\ncruel and oppressive time and pray to the Almighty to\ngrant us Job's patience. The world has become devoid of\nits beauty. So cry like Jacob\".\nThe wise, learned and distinguished persons about\nwhom Ali had made recommendations to his sons Hasan\nand Husayn (for the guidance of the people) that they\nshould associate with them, hear their words carefully\n\nand recognise their status. He had also instructed the\ngovernors to consult and honour them as they are light\namongst the Muslims and shall remain till the world lasts.\nThey were in an enviable condition during the Abbasid\nperiod, except those who had sold themselves to the rulers.\nAbu Hayyan who was a great scholar and author of\nmany valuable books says in his book entitled Al-Amta`\nwal Mawanisah: \"I have been obliged to sell my faith and\ncompassion and to resort to hypocrisy and to do such\nindecent deeds that no gentleman may like to record them\".\nHe got so much fed up with the world during the last\ndays of his life and was so disappointed with the govern-\nment of the time that he burned up all his books.\nAbu Ali Qali was also compelled to sell his books\nwhich were his dearest capital. He says: \"For twenty years\nthese books were a source of solace for me and I was\nimmensely grieved when I had to sell them. I had never\nthought of selling them even though I might have had to\nremain in prison continuously on account of my being in\ndebt. However, owing to indigence and with a view to feed\nmy small children I was obliged to sell these books\".\nKhateeb Tabrizi had a copy of Azhar's book entitled\n`Tehzib-al-lughat' which was in many volumes. He wished\nto hear its contents from an expert and to investigate them.\nThe people advised him to contact Abu'l `Ala Muarri.\nHe put the book in a sack and proceeded to Muarratu'l\nNo`man on foot carrying the sack on his back as he did not\nhave enough money to hire a conveyance. During the\njourney he perspired so much that all the volumes of the\nbook were spoiled. Complaining against adversity he says:\n\"Others may get tired of journeying but I am tired of\nstanding. In Iraq I had to live among people who are mean\nand the descendants of mean persons\".\n\fComplaining against the unsound judgement of time\nand its maltreatment of noble-minded person Ibn Lunak\nof Basrah says: \"O time! you have made the noble persons\nwear the dress of humiliation and abjectness. I do not\nconsider you to be `time'. You are paralysis. How can any\none expect anything good from you when you consider\n\nability and perfection to be a shame. What is the reality of\nyour condition as we see it? Is it insanity, shamelessness\nor impudence?\"\nDuring the entire period of the Abbasids 2 the people\nremained divided in two groups. One of them was that of\nthe rich and the other of the poor. Both the groups\nsuffered from numerous moral evils according to their\nrespective environments. Moral degradation prevailed to\nthe same extent during the last days of their rule as in the\nbeginning. Rather it was at a higher level.\nThe rich led a life of luxury and pleasure and indulged\nin unlimited debauchery. As regards the poor enmity,\nenvy, falsehood and deceit were rampant among them.\nOwing to indigence the people resorted too much to asceti-\ncism and mysticism. It was not, however, the mysticism,\nwhich emanates from good morals and from considering\nthe world to be transient. It was the mysticism which is\nthe consequence of helplessness, failure and despair.\nOwing to indigence many other bad habits like love\nfor magic, jugglery, and superstition, developed in the\npeople. This was because when a person fails to earn his\nlivelihood by honest means he resorts to foul means.\nThe governments which were established after the\ndecline of the Abbasid empire had more class differences\nand their moral degradation was more dreadful.\nFrom the time when the hand of the oppressor\n(Ibn Muljim) was stretched towards Imam Ali son of Abu\nTalib and that supporter and defender of human rights was\nmartyred, these calamities became the fate of the Arabs\nand befell them constantly in new forms.\nIn short the people of the East were permanently\nsubjected to these sufferings and hardship.\n\n\n\n\n1 Islam permits enslaving of only infidels deserving to be fought\n\fwith, or prisoners who are captured as a consequence of jihad.\nDuring the period of the caliphs and thereafter, however, the condi-\ntions became such that whenever the ruffians found any unprotected\nperson in an Islamic city they caught and sold him.\n2 Islam does not permit enslaving a Muslim or a Zimmi or\na non-believer with whom a pact has been concluded. It so\nhappened, however, that during this period most of the slaves and\nslave-girls belonged to these categories.\n2 No doubt, most of the Abbasid caliphs led lives of luxury and\npleasure and were ill reputed on account of their having oppressed\ntheir subjects. However, there were a few amongst them who were\njust. Some of them promoted literature and industry and worked for\npublic welfare in many ways. They constructed many observatories\nthe like of which were not known to the Romans and the Greeks.\nThey also established big hospitals and trained doctors and scholars.\nAll these facts are recorded in the pages of history.\n\f The two families of Quraysh\nThe prophet had said very correctly: \"My followers\nwill meet destruction at the hands of the youngsters of\nQuraysh\". These youngsters mentioned by the prophet\nwho were to create trouble and to conspire, were born at a\nplace which served as a cradle for the shameless persons\nlike Yazid son of Mu`awiya.\nThe prophet could see that this party was waging war\nat one time to safeguard its chiefdom and authority, and\nwas surrendering and making a show of Islam at another\ntime to acquire chiefdom and authority. When he glanced\nat different parts and saw these people he said with much\ngrief and anxiety: \"My followers will meet destruction at\nthe hands of the youngsters of Quraysh\".\nThe readers are requested to keep before their eyes\nthe history of the Quraysh, which I am going to narrate, so\nthat it may be possible to identify each of them.\nThe enmity between Bani Umayyah and Bani Hashim\nwas very old. They were opposed to each other, before\nstruggle for rulership and authority had cropped up between\nthem and even before Islam had gained predominance.\nTheir enmity with each other was based on various\nreasons. In fact all the strong internal and external reasons\nfor opposition had combined. Among them were included\ntribal party spirit, superiority complex, old grudge, desire\nfor vengeance of the murder of kinsmen, political views,\npersonal sentiments, difference in ways of life and manner\nof thinking etc. Bani Umayyah and Bani Hashim were the\nchiefs of Mecca and held high offices even during the age\nof ignorance. However, the chiefdom of Bani Hashim was\nspiritual 1 whereas that enjoyed by Bani Umayyah was\npolitical and they were also tradesmen and possessed\nenormous wealth.\nAll the Muslim historians and European Orientalists\nagree that before the advent of Islam Bani Hashim were\nnot habituated to cunning and deceit like the idolatrous\npriests. They did not deceive the simple-minded people\non the pretext of their religious and spiritual leadership.\nThey neither exploited others nor kept their personal\nbenefit in view. They had faith in the Lord of the Ka`abah\n\fand sincerely believed in what had been permitted or\ndisallowed by the Almighty God. Accordigng to their code\nhelping the oppressed, sympathising with the helpless,\nwarding off injustice, and meeting the needs of the\nindigent, was compulsory. They were sincere in their\nbelief. They did not deceive anyone and did not consider\nhypocrisy to be permissible. For example, it was possible\nthat Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the prophet and\nAli might have slaughtered one of his sons in the path of\nGod because he had firm faith in his Lord and had vowed\nthat if his ten sons survived he would slaughter one of\nthem for the sake of God on the threshold of the Ka`abah.\nHe was not satisfied about the fulfilment of his vow until\nhe was convinced in the light of his faith that killing his\nson would not be a means of pleasing God.\nHis faith was so firm and he was so keen to assist the\npoor and the needy that he concluded a pact with some\nfamilies of Quraysh to achieve this end. (Bani Umayyah\ndid not become signatories to this pact). One of the special\nconditions of this pact was that they would side with the\noppressed person and make the oppressor restore his right,\nhelp one another in financial matters and restrain the\npowerful persons from molesting the weak. The incident\nwhich led to the conclusion of this pact was as follows:-\nA Qurayshite purchased some articles from a person\nbelonging to another place and promised to pay the price\nafter a fixed time. He did not, however, make payment on\nthe due date. He was confident that on account of his\nfamily dignity and the support of his kinsmen none would\ncompel him to make payment. Furthermore, the person\nfrom whom he had purchased the articles was a non-Meccan\nand belonged to an ordinary family, and did not enjoy\nsupport from anyone. However, Bani Hashim decided to\nassist him. They made a mutual pact whereby they decided\nto realize the price of the articles purchased by the\nQurayshite and to enforce justice. However, as this pact\ndid not accord with the nature of Bani Umayyah they\nopposed it vehemently.\nThe religious and spiritual leadership inherited by\nBani Hashim from their ancestors generation after genera-\ntion, accorded with their nature. They had inherited pure\ndisposition and nobleness from their ancestors. Every\ngeneration of theirs displayed the virtues inherited by it\n\fand Bani Hashim continued to maintain dignity and ex-\ncellence till Almighty God appointed Muhammad to the\nprophetic mission and also created Ali son of Abu Talib as\nrespresentatives of the morality and perfection of the\nHashimite Family.\nHave a look at the history of Bani Hashim (i.e. the\ndescendants of Abu Talib) after the passing away of the\nprophet, and you will find that, whether that history\ncovers one hundred years or two hundred years or five\nhundred years, they have always been a specimen of the\nnoble qualities and virtues. The manliness, bravery, piety\nand truthfulness which was possessed by their forefathers\ncan also be observed in their sons and grandsons. History\ncontinued to turn its leaves, but whoever from amongst\nthem came was a specimen of his forefathers.\nIf this family had not been virtuous and noble by\nnature it would not have become a specimen of piety and\npurity, because in those times egotism, selfishness, flattery\nand ambitiousness were so rampant that all were morally\ndegraded and these vices were very common among them.\nIt is much easier to go down into an abyss as compared\nwith ascending or standing firm at one's place. However,\nnotwithstanding the fact that the atmosphere was unfavour-\nable and corruption was prevalent everywhere Bani Hashim\nwere not affected by these things and their noble qualities\nand virtues remained intact.\nHowever, Bani Umayyah were quite the reverse of\nthis. During the age of ignorance they were traders and\npoliticians; and it is evident that whoever is engaged in\ntrade and politics possesses wealth and authority and\nendeavours to continue to possess these things and make\nthem remain within his family. No intelligent person can\ndeny the reality that when a person is engaged in trade and\nhis near ones are also tradesmen he can do anything which\nserves his interests. He can at least defraud his customers,\nhoard wealth, indulge in deception, and dilly-dally in the\nperformance of his duties.\nBani Umayyah chose these things for themselves as\nthey accorded with their nature. It was just as Bani Hashim\nchose purity of nature, honesty and chastity for them-\nselves as they accorded with their nature and disposition.\nBani Umayyah were addicted to these abominable acts,\nbecause they had been engaged in their habits for long and\n\fthey had become their second nature. They did not assist\nthe oppressed because this did not bring them any profit\nand in fact entailed great expenditure. They did not join\nthe said pact (which - condemned the oppressors) because\nthis meant involving themselves in trouble.\nUmayyah, the ancestor of Bani Umayyah was not as\nnoble-minded and chaste as Hashim so he could not\ndesist from molesting gentle women. When a dispute took\nplace between Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of Ali and\nHarb son of Umayyah, the grandfather of Mu`awiyya,\nthey referred the matter to Nafeel bin Adi. Nafeel decided\nthe matter in favour of Abdul Muttalib and praised him.\nAddressing Harb he also recited a verse wherein he drew a\ncomplete picture of Umayyah and Hashim. The verse is as\nfollows: \"Your father was an adulterer and his father was\nchaste. He (Abdul Muttalib) compelled the army of\nAbraha to go back from Mecca\".\nIn this verse Nafeel referred to the event of Abraha\nwho, mounted on an elephant and accompanied by a large\narmy, had come to demolish the Ka`abah. He also de-\nnounced the vices of Umayyah, the father of Harb and\nthe ancestor of Bani Umayyah, who had earned an ill\nfame in the matter of women. Once, owing to this evil\nhabit of his, he escaped death. He outraged the modesty of\na woman belonging to the tribe of Zohra. The people of\nthat tribe attacked him with swords but the injury sustained\nby him was not very effective. Many surprising stories have\nbeen narrated about his voluptuousness.\nWhen Muhammad, the distinguished son of the\nHashimite Family was appointed to the prophetic mission\nhe met opposition from most of the people. However,\nforemost among his opponents was Abu Sufyan, who was\nat that time the chief of the Umayyah Family. He instigated\nall the polytheists against him. He was the central figure in\nall the conspiracies and the mobilization of forces against\nthe prophet. It was he who invented different kinds of\ntorture for the prophet and his companions and supporters.\nIf Abu Sufyan's opposition to the prophet had been\non account of religious faith and if he had done all that he\ncould to defend his old principles and beliefs, there could\nbe some justification for it, because when one sincerely\nbelieves in something, whether it be right or wrong, he\nis justified in defending his belief. However, that was\n\fnot the case with Abu Sufyan. He never considered himself\njustified in opposing the prophet nor did he make any such\nclaim with his tongue. His opposition to the prophet was\nnot on account of any religious sentiments. What he really\nwanted was that the predominance and authority of\nBani Umayyah should not be affected - the same predo-\nminance and authority which was based on monopolizing\ntrade, profiteering, personal interests and enslaving the\nweak. He decided to oppose the prophet when he saw that\nthe power and authority of his family which had already\nbeen weakened and become shaky was going to be des-\ntroyed by the prophet.\nOn account of his profiteering nature, which it will\nbe right to call Umayyad nature, Abu Sufyan did not\nbelieve in Islam sincerely even after he had embraced it.\nHe always weighed it in the scale of wealth and power and\nthought that Islam was nothing except that authority had\nbeen transferred from Bani Umayyah to Bani Hashim.\nHe could not appreciate the character of the prophet\nand his companions and the sacrifices made by them, and\nhad never even thought of the human values for the pro-\nmotion of which the prophet had come in this world.\nWhen at the time of the conquest of Mecca he saw a\nlarge army consisting of the devotees of the prophet he\nsaid to Abbas, the uncle of the prophet: \"O Abul Fazal!\nyour nephew has acquried a very great kingdom\". He\nuttered these words because he could not even imagine the\nsublime objects and the spiritual teachings for which the\nprophet had come. It was those very sublime objects and\nspiritual teachings which Bani Hashim had understood very\nwell and in propagating them they even sacrificed their lives.\nAfter the conquest of Mecca the Family of Abu\nSufyan did embrace Islam but it was a very bitter pill for\nthem to swallow. In the eyes of Abu Sufyan and his wife\nHind Islam meant their own humiliation. For a long time\nafter embracing Islam Abu Sufyan continued considering\nthe predominance of this religion as his personal defeat.\nHe did not consider the success of Islam to be the result of\nits being a true faith. He thought that it was due to the\nweakness of his own people. One day he glanced at the\nprophet in the masjid like a perplexed man and said within\nhimself: \"O that I could know on what account Muhammad\nhas gained victory over me\".\n\fThe propet perceived the meaning of Abu Sufyan's\nlook. He touched his shoulder with his hand and said:\n\"O Abu Sufyan! It has been on account of God that I have\ngained victory over you\".\nThe prophet tried to console Abu Sufyan before\nthe conquest of Mecca as well as thereafter. Before the\nconquest of Mecca he married his daughter Umm Habibah,\nand after Mecca was conquered he declared his house to be\na place of refuge by saying that whoever entered his house\nwould remain unmolested. The prophet placed his name at\nthe top of `muallefa-tul-qulub' (those persons who were\ngiven a larger share of the booty as compared with other\nMuslims, so that they might be consoled and the hatred\nwhich they entertained in their hearts for Islam might\nvanish) and granted him many concessions. In spite of all\nthis the Muslims did not rely upon him. They were careful\nin dealing with him and refrained from associating with\nhim. Abu Sufyan was worried on this account and wished\nthat the Muslims might have a soft corner for him and his\nfmaily in their hearts. He, therefore, requested the prophet\nto appoint Mu`awiya as his scribe. When the prophet\nbreathed his last and differences arose about the caliphate\nbetween the Muhajirs and the Ansar and later between the\nMuhajirs themselves Abu Sufyan considered it a good\nopportunity to exploit these differences and acquire the\nchiefship of Quraysh himself. He thought that after this\nachievement it would not be difficult for him to become\nthe head of the entire Muslim nation. He, therefore,\napproached Abbas and Ali instigating them to oppose the\ncaliph by assuring them of his own support. He said: \"O\nAli and O Abbas! How has the caliphate been assumed by\na family (i.e. the Family of Abu Bakr) which is the meanest\nas well as small in number? I swear by God that if I so\ndesire I can fill the streets of Madina with horsemen and\nfoot-soldiers''.\nAbu Sufyan had not realized that he was talking to\nthat Ali who would not be reluctant to give away the\nentire world to comply with one true order, and who was\nnot unaware of the fact that his (i.e. Abu Sufyan's)\nannoyance was not on account of Bani Hashim having\nbeen deprived of the caliphate, because if it had remained\nwith Bani Hashim he would have been annoyed all the\nmore, and might have made his family, his tribe, and the\n\fentire world, against them.\nAli reproached Abu Sufyan and said to him! \"O\nAbu Sufyan! The believers are the well-wishers of one\nanother and as regards the hypocrites they are deceitful\nand insincere, although their houses are adjoined and their\nbodies are connected with one another. Abu Sufyan\nbelonged to the aristocratic class - the class which considers\nitself to be superior to others and the common people to\nbe its slaves. He looked at Islam from this point of view.\nAccording to him the prophet's invitation to Islam was\nonly a means of attaining to authority and power. Accord-\ning to him there was no difference between the principles\nand fundamentals of Islam and the idols, and both of them\nwere sources of profit. He considered the principles of\nIslam to be a source of income for the founders of that\nreligion in the same way in which the idols were the source\nof income for the idolatrous priests. He could not think on\nany line except that the people were to obey their elders\nand chiefs - whether they be the priests of the Ka`abah or\nthe dignitaries of Islam.\nAccording to Abu Sufyan the only difference between\nIslam and idolatry was that Islam was more profitable and\nin it there was a greater possibility of the people belonging\nto the lower class submitting to the nobility and the aris-\ntocratic class. In case, however, the common people were\nnot submissive to the aristocrats in Islam this system,\naccording to him, was worthless and deserved to be replaced\nby a more useful and profitable one.\nWhen after Abu Bakr and Umar the caliphate was\nassumed by Uthman who was an Umayyad, Abu Sufyan\nthought that the power and authority which belonged to\nBani Umayyah previously had returned to them. The grudge\nand rancour which he had in his heart for Hamzah made\nhim go to his grave. He kicked the grave of Hamzah with\nhis foot and said; \"O Hamzah! Rise and see that the\nrulership for which we had been fihgting with each other\nhas once again returned to our family\". The bitterness and\nanimosity which this sentance contains is self-eivdent. This\nis how he expressed his sentiments.\nSo long as the caliphate remained with Abu Bakr and\nUmar, Bani Umayyah could not disclose what was hidden\nin their hearts and the plan according to which they had\nmade a show of the embracement of Islam viz. that as soon\n\fas they got an opportunity they would convert the Islamic\ngovernment into a kingdom. They got this opportunity\nwhen Uthman attained to the caliphate.\nNobody can believe that Bani Umayyah were aware\nof the true concept of caliphate. According to their view-\npoint there was no difference between caliphate and\nkingship and they could not visualize the good points of\nIslamic caliphate. Their faith in Islam was extremely\nsuperficial and they had embraced it reluctantly. Their\nparty-spirit of the age of ignorance instigated them to\nreadopt the ways and practices of that age. They could not\nforget that the prophet did not belong to their family but\nwas a member of Bani Hashim and they had always been\ninimical to that family. They were, therefore, looking for\nan opportunity to grab the rulership. The caliphate of\nUthman opened the way for the fulfilment of their desires.\nAs soon as he became caliph all the Umayyads gathered\nround him and secluded him from the public. None could,\ntherefore, see him and acquaint him with his problems.\nThe Islamic government now became the Umayyad govern-\nment. Only Bani Umayyah could benefit from it. It was\nonly Bani Umayyah and their friends who could aspire to\nbecome governors and to hold other key posts. Marwan\nson of Hakam headed them. He was the first person who\ninstigated the Muslims against the Muslims and incited the\npeople to rise against the caliph. He was the first person\nwho declared that kingship was better than caliphate, and\nonly Bani Umayyah were entitled to become kings. He\ncompelled Uthman to dismiss the governors who were\nholding offices since the days of Abu Bakr and Umar and\nto replace them by the Umayyads. Wealth and sovereignty\nbecame the exclusive property of Bani Umayyah. None\nelse could hope to benefit from it or to hold property\nand position.\nWe shall mention in the next chapter how vicious and\nill-natured Marwan was, what malpractices he committed\nwhen he was in power, and how many innocent persons he\nslaughtered to satisfy his personal desires. It was the same\nMarwan bin Hakam who had suggested to the governor of\nMadina to kill Imam Husayn and had reproached him\nfor not complying with his wishes when he (the governor)\nfailed to take that heinous step.\nMarwan coveted power, sovereignty and luxuries,\n\fjust as his ancestors had coveted them during the age of\nignorance, and was keen that even if he did not possess\nauthority himself it should remain with any other\nUmayyad, but should not go out of their family. The\nmethods which he adopted to acquire authority and\nrulership go to show that he did not possess even one\nquality which might create least love for him in the hearts\nof the people.\n\n\n\n\n1 Shamsu'l Ulema Shibli No`mani writes thus in the twelfth\nvolume of his book entitled Seerat al-Nabi. \"He had vowed that if\nhe saw his ten sons fully grown up he would slaughter one of them\nin the path of God. The Almighty God granted this wish of his. He\nthen brought all his sons in the Ka`abah and asked the worshipper to\ndraw lots. It so happened that the lot fell upon Abdullah. He then\nproceeded along with Abdullah to the place of sacrifice. Abdullah's\nsisters who were present began to cry and suggested that ten camels\nmight be sacrificed instead of Abdullah.\nAbdul Muttalib asked the worshipper to draw lots to find out\nwhether the lot fell on Abdullah or on the camels. By chance the lot\nfell on Abdullah. Abdul Muttalib increased the number of the camels\nto twenty but the lot again fell on Abdullah. He continued to\nincrease the number of the camels and the lot fell on them only\nwhen their number reached one hundred. Abdul Muttalib then\nslaughtered one hundred camels and the life of Abdullah was saved.\nHistorians say that Abdul Muttalib was not satisfied even when the\nlot fell on the camels and said: \"I swear by God that I shall not agree\n(to one hundred camels being slaughtered instead of Abdullah)\nunless the lots are drawn thrice and everv time they fall on the\ncamels\". This was done and Abdul Muttalib was satisfied only when\nthe lot fell on the camels thrice.\n\f Mu`awiya and his successors\nMu`awiya son of Abu Sufyan was a perfect specimen\nof the qualities and characteristics of Bani Umayyah.\nWhen we study the characteristics of Mu`awiya carefully\nwe come to know that he did not possess even an atom of\nIslamic human values and did not have any quality of the\nMuslims of that neat and clean age. If we consider Islam to\nbe a revolt against the ways and manners of the Arabs of\nthe age of ignorance (for example acting with personal\ninterests in view and treating common people to be\nanimals and a source of income for the nobility and\naristocracy) it can be said with certainty that, as we shall\nexplain later, Mu`awiya had nothing to do with Islam.\nAnd alternatively if Islam is the name of the religion\nwhose orders apply to evey individual it is quite clear that\nMu`awiya had also no connection with Islam of this type.\nThis was admitted by Mu`awiya himself. He used to wear\nsilken dress and eat his food in gold and silver vessels.\nAbu Darda, a companion of the prophet objected to this\nand said: \"I have heard the prophet saying that hell-fire\nwill be poured into the belly of one who takes his meals\nin gold and silver utensils\". Mu`awiya, however, replied\nunconcernedly: \"I do not consider it to be objectionable\".\nWhen we find that the early Muslims were very strict in\nreligious matters, paid due respect to what was ordered or\nprohibited by the prophet, and sacrified even their lives\nfor the sake of their faith, and then look at the impudent\nreply which Mu`awiya gave to Abu Darda in clear defiance\nof the prophet we are convinced that Mu`awiya never\njoined the group of those Muslims who sincerely believed\nin the moral and spiritual teachings of Islam.\nThe conduct of Mu`awiya after embracing Islam was\nidentical with that of his father Abu Sufyan during the age\nof ignorance viz. that of an aristocrat who took forced\nlabour from the people and treated them like slaves. He\nbecame a Muslim reluctantly and also continued to remain\na Muslim reluctantly.\nWho can be more aware of the mentality of Mu`awiya\nand the worth of his faith in Islam than his contemporaries\nwho had seen him with their own eyes. Did all his contem-\n\fporaries not accuse him of the things which we shall\nmention later? Did Ali not know him more than anyone\nelse and did he not draw a true picture of his when he said\nin his letter: \"You are imitating your forefathers in making\nfalse claims, deceiving the people, claiming to enjoy a\nposition higher than that which you possess and grabbing\nthings which are prohibited?\"\nWas there even one among the Muslims of the days of\nthe prophet or the orthodox caliphs who was a false\npretender or a liar and was called a Muslim? Was there a\nMuslim during that pure period of the Muslims about\nwhom Ali had said? \"All those members of your family\nwho embraced Islam embraced it reluctantly\".\nAs regards some qualities of Mu`awiya like forbearance,\nsoftness, and generosity, it may be said that they were all\nmeans to achieve his selfish ends. He had realized it on\naccount of his intelligence that to realize his objects and to\nattain to kingship these things would be very useful for him.\nI think that Mu`awiya had understood it very well\nthat the people did not like the characteristics and\nchracter of his forefathers and those of the Umayyads of\nhis own time, and the power and authority, which his\nancestors once wielded, had ceased to be of any value.\nHe endeavoured to beguile the people by making a show of\nforbearance and generosity so that the people might not\nknow the facts and get enamoured of his farbearanc\nand generosity, because if competence magnanimity and\nnobility of birth had been treated to be the criterion for\nrulership Bani Umayyah could not at all compete with\nBani Hashim. He showed forbearance in order to gain\nsupport of the people, and thus acquire powers and what\ncould be a more effective plan to win the people and hide\nthe evils of his family than to bestow gifts on them?\nThe supporters of Mu`awiya praised him much for his\nforbearance and generority but in fact his policy was the\none adopted by the oppressor with the oppressed it was\nthe policy of cruelty, oppression, tyranny and looting\nwhich he left as a legacy for the Umayyad rulers who\nsucceeded him.\nWhat sort of forbearance and generosity of Mu`awiya\nis praised by his supporters when he sent Busr bin Artat\nwith instructions to loot the people telling him: \"Go on\nplundering and pass through Madina, and put the people to\n\fflight. loot on your way every habitation whose people\nare supporters of Ali''.\nWhat kind of courtesy and forbearance was that when\nhe sent Abu Sufyan son of Ghamadi to Iraq on a plundering\nexpedition and gave him these instructions: \"March on by\nthe bank of the Euphrates and reach Hait. If you meet\nthere the troops of Ali attack them, otherwise move on\nand reach Anbar and plunder its citizens. If you do not\nmeet any resistence even there then march on till you\nreach Ctesiphon (Mada'en). You should know that attack-\ning Ctesiphon and Anbar is as good as attacking Kufa\nitself. O Sufyan! these attacks will terrify the people of\nIraq and those among them who are our supporters will\nbecome happy. Invite people to us and put those people\nwho do not agree with you to sword. Loot every village\nyou pass through, and snatch away every property that\nyou can by your hands and plundering the property is like\nmurder, rather more heart-rendering\". (Commentary on\nNahj al-Balaghah by Ibn Abi'l Hadid, p.144).\nZuhhak bin Qais Fehri was sent by Mu`awiya to\nattack some cities, which were under the control of Imam\nAli and was given these instructions: \"Proceed and reach\nKufa. Attack on your way all those Arabs who are suppor-\nters of Ali and loot their arsenals, if any\".\nZuhhak carried out Mu`awiya's orders in the same\nway in which Busr bin Artat and Sufyan bin Ghamadi had\ncarried them out. He massacred and plundered the people\nand treated them with extreme brutality.\nMu`awiya made a strange display of his forbearance\nand kindness when he expressed his views about millions\nof non-Arabs. He said about them. \"I find that the non-\nArab Muslims are going to outnumber us, and if this\nstate of affairs continues I am afraid that the day is not far\noff when they will obliterate the names of our forefathers.\nI feel like letting only half of them to live so that the\nbazars and the highways may remain in tact\". If Akhnaf\nbin Qais had not dissuaded him from acting on his program\nin this behalf, Mu`awiya would have killed thousands of\ninnocent persons whose only offence was that they were\nnon-Arabs.\nMu`awiya was kind and forbearing only when he had\nto face a powerful person who, he feared, might curb his\npower and topple down his government. He tolerated\n\fwhatever such a person said, flattered him and agreed to\nwhatever be suggested.\nWhenever he was sitting among his friends and\nassociates and some distinguished person rebuked him he\nimmediately showed meekness and forbearance lest the\nother person might attack him. He also asked his scribes to\nwrite down the words of rebuke saying; \"It is a piece\nof wisdom\". However, if the other party was not powerful\nand influential, Mu`awiya did not show any meekness.\nAnd even if that person had not said anything harsh he\nwished to kill him in a most ruthless manner.\nMu`awiya became meek, kind and forbearing when he\nexpected some benefit from the other party. He agreed to\nwhatever the other person said, even though he might\nbe oppressive and unjust, provided that he assisted in\nmaking his rule stable. To such a person be could present\nEgypt and the inhabitants of Egypt as he did in the case of\n`Amr bin `Aas.\nOn the one hand Mu`awiya's kindness was so\nextensive that he bestowed Egypt and its inhabitants upon\nAmr bin Aas and on the other hand it was so limited that\nhe took away the right of Egypt and the Egyptians to live\nand made a gift of them to one person. If this is what is\ncalled kindness and forbearance Nero. Genghiz (Changez)\nRawan and Halagri (Halaku) were also very kind and\nforbearing.\nWhen a person studies Mu`awiya's policy carefully\nhe is stunned to find what means he employed to win the\npeople. The duplicity practised by him in statecraft was\ncent per cent Machiavellian. Murder, plunder and terrorism\nformed his basic policy and making attractive promises and\nadministering threats were also parts of it. It also included\nmurder of good and innocent persons, holding rogues\nand vagabonds in esteem, false propaganda and seeking\nassistance of cruel and characterless persons.\nMu`awiya admitted several times that his politics was\ndevoid of equity and justice and he did not on any occasion\nlend support to truth. The incident narrated below throws\nlight on his politics and explains his views about equity\nand justice. Mutraf bin Mughira bin Sho`ba says:\n\"I accompanied my father Mughira to see Mu`awiya.\nMy father visited him every day and praised him very\nmuch on his return. When he came back one night he was\n\fvery sad and he did not even take his dinner. On my having\nenquired about the reason for his sadness he said: My son!\nTonight I have come after meeting the most evil person.\nOn my having enquired as to who he was he said: \"I told\nMu`awiya in seclusion: You have achieved all your desires.\nIt will now be in the fitness of things if you behave with\nthe people kindly. You have grown old now. You should\nbehave well with Bani Hashim who are your kith and kin.\nThere is no reason for you to be afraid of them now!\nMu`awiya replied: `Never! Never! The man belonging to\nthe Family of Taym (Abu Bakr) became caliph. When he\ndied he was no longer talked about. Now he is called only\n`Abu Bakr' by the people. After him Umar became caliph\nand ruled promptly for ten years. With his death he also\nceased to be talked about and people now call him `Umar'.\nThen our brother Uthman became the caliph. He belonged\nto the noblest family. He ruled justly but when he died\nhe too ceased to be talked about. However, the name of\nthe son of Bani Hashim (i.e. Muhammad) is announced\nfive times during the day and night (i.e. everyone says:\nI acknowledge that Muhammad is the prophet of God).\nNow what else can be done with his name except that\nI should destroy it Completely''. (Murooj al-Zahab, vol. 2,\npage 241).\nMu`awiya was brought up in an atmosphere of people\nwho denied prophethood. He belonged to a family which\nhated religion. From his very childhood he had seen his\nfather preparing to fight against the Muslims, leading big\narmies against them, and planning to kill the companions\nof the prophet as well as the prophet himself, in order to\nsafeguard his chiefship, authority and material gains. He\nhad seen that his father wanted to remain a chief even\nthough this might result in the annihilation of the spirit of\njustice created by the prophet and the death of the prophet\nand his companions, and the misfortune of entire Arabia.\nIn all these matters Mu`awiya had inherited the spirit\nof his great grandfather Umayyah son of Abd al-Shams.\nJust as Abu Sufyan's nature had a great influence on\nthe character of Mu`awiya, who was a true picture of his\nfather in the matter of selfishness and greed for power,\nin the same way his mother Hind, the liver-eater, made\na strong impression on his disposition. Both of them\ngreatly influenced his nature and habits.\n\fIn the entire history of Arabia it is not possible to\nfind another woman who may equal Hind in egotism,\nharshness, savagery and villainy. She was so hard-hearted\nthat even the most blood-thirsty person cannot equal her.\nThe polytheists of Quraysh had come fully prepared\nto fight against the prophet at Badr and a severe battle\nwas fought. Many polytheists were killed. The women of\nMecca mourned the death of their relatives for one month.\nThen they came to Hind, mother of Mu`awiya and said to\nher \"Why don't you mourn like us?\" She said in a tone full\nof grudge and rancour not found in any other woman:\n\"Why should I weep? Should I weep so that the news may\nreach Muhammad and his friends, and they may feel happy\nand the women of the Ansar may also be happy? By God I\nshall not weep until I have taken revenge on Muhammad\nand his companions and I shall not oil my hair unless a\nbattle has been fought against them\". Thereafter she\ncontinued to instigate the polytheists against the Muslims\nand eventually the Battle of Uhad took place. The sentences\nquoted above show how cruel and hard-hearted she was.\nShe did not believe in relieving herself of grief by weeping\nand mourning. Women are tender-hearted by nature, but\nshe was of a different disposition. She saw things with the\neyes of a man. She believed that chiefship and sovereignty\nmeant enduring hardships of warfare to keep the standard\nof one's superiority and dignity high.\nWhen the polytheists of Mecca proceeded to Madina\nmaking full preparations to fight the Battle of Uhad,\nHind also prepared a detachment of women and reached\nthe battlefield accompanied by them to instigate men to\nfight bravely, so that she might satisfy her desire of\nvengeance by looking at the flowing blood and the dead\nbodies of those who were killed.\nA man objected to the women going to the warfront.\nHowever, Hind shouted in reply: \"We will certainly go and\nsee the fighting with our own eyes\".\nHind stuck to her decision and went to the battle-\nfield along with other women. She did all she could to\nsatisfy her desire of taking revenge. When severe fighting\nbegan she along with other women went to each row of\nthe army of the polytheists. They played on tambourines\nand sang the following verses:\n\"O descendants of Abd al-Dar! make haste there are\n\fat your back those persons (i.e. women) whom you must\ndefend; unsheathe your swords\".\n\"If you move to the battlefield we shall embrace you\nand shall place soft pillows under your heads. But if you\nfly away from the battlefield we shall forsake you, because\nin that case we cannot love you\".\nHind had made many promises of reward with the\nEthiopian slave named Wehshi if he killed some Muslim\nespecially the prophet's uncle Hamzah for whom she\nnursed an extreme grudge. In this battle the polytheists\nfared better and the Muslims had to sustain severe losses.\nHind was very much pleased. One of those martyred at\nUhad was Hamzah who was killed by Wehshi. When he was\nkilled Abu Sufyan shouted: \"Today we have taken the\nrevenge of the Battle of Badr. We shall meet again next\nyear\". His wife Hind was not however, satisfied that a\nvaliant man like Hamzah had been killed. She approached\nthe dead bodies of martyrs along with other women of\nQuraysh. They cut off the hands, feet, noses and ears of\nthose killed and made necklaces out of them and thus\nmanifested brutality, which even the most cruel tyrants\ncould not think of. Then she tore off the belly of Hamzah\nlike a butcher, and pulled out his liver. She wanted to\nmunch and swallow it but could not do so. This act of hers\nwas so abominable that even her husband Abu Sufyan\nexpressed disgust at it. He said to a Muslim: \"The dead\nbodies of your men, who were killed, were amputated. By\nGod I was neither pleased nor displeased on this account.\nI neither ordered that this thing might be done nor forbade\nit\". On account of this incident Hind began to be called\nthe liver-eater.\nWhen Abu Sufyan embraced Islam reluctantly at the\ntime of the conquest of Mecca his wife Hind addressed\nQuraysh loudly in these words: \"O Quraysh! Kill this evil\nand dirty man who does not possess any virtue. I have\nnever seen a worse defence force than you people. Why\nhave you not defended your city and your lives?\"\nHind was not at all impressed by the kind treatment\nwhich the prophet meted out to her husband and her\nchildren. It was the same Abu Sufyan and the same Hind\nwho brought up Mu`awiya. Furthermore, he possessed the\nspecial traits of his forefathers by birth (viz. love for power\nand authority, use of all fair and foul means to achieve\n\fone's purpose, which is called `diplomacy' in modern\nterminology, bribery, simulation, oppression etc.) In short\nhe was a perfect specimen of his forefathers. He had been\nbrought up by, and had imbibed the ideas of the people\nabout whom Ali the Commander of the Faithful said:\n\"They are corrupt and treacherous persons who lead a life\nof debauchery at the expense of others. If they are allowed\nto rule the people they would oppress them, consider\nthemselves superior to others, display domination, indulge\nin violence and create trouble on the face of the earth\".\nThe Umayyads continued their nefarious activities to\npromote their family interests as in the age of ignorance\neven during the life time of caliph Umar but they did all\nthis secretly and with great dexterity under the cover of\nflattery. However, when Uthman, who belonged to their\nfamily assumed the caliphate their machinations became\napparent. From that time onwards they endeavoured their\nbest to ensure that the government should become their\nfamily government and should be inherited by their sons\nand grandsons. They had no regard either for the caliphate\nor for Islam. They grabbed as much wealth as possible.\nThey also recruited a large army. They treated the public\ntreasury, which belonged to all the Muslims, to be their\npersonal property. They bribed the influential persons\nwith public money and won their support. They were\nawaiting an opportunity to secure rulership for themselves\nand their descendants. They were waiting to establish a\nkingdom for the family in the sense in which their ancestor\nAbu Sufyan had interpreted `prophethood' when he said\nto the prophet's uncle Abbas: \"Your nephew has\nestablished a grand kingdom\". He considered the prophet-\nhood of the prophet to be kingship, while he (the prophet)\nhad never even thought of establishing such an institution.\nThe murder of Uthman provided another opportunity to\nthe Umayyads. We shall show in the following pages that\nMu`awiya himself had a hand in the killing of Uthman.\nFrom that time onwards the Mu`awiya's cunning, deceit,\nand conspiracy, was known to all, and from that time\nonwards contention started between two natures which\nwere opposed to each other. On the one side there was\nvirtue, steadfastness and purity of nature and on the other\nside there was greed for authority, egoitism, fascism,\ncorruption and other vices Ali represented the first set of\n\fqualities and Mu`awiya and his kith and kin the second\none. Ali's mottoes were: \"I shall not deceive anyone nor shall I do any ignoble\nor improper act.\nLike for others the same thing which you like for\nyourself.\nDo not like for others what you do not like for\nyourself.\nDo not oppress others just as you do not like to be\noppressed by others.\nIn comparison with the maltreatment ofyour brother,\nyou should be competent enough to do good to him\".\nOn the other hand Mu`awiya used to say: \"The army\nof God is in honey\". By `honey' he meant the poisonous\nhoney with which he used to do away with his enemies, so\nthat the path might be cleared for his attaining to rulership.\nMu`awiya treated all those good and pious persons to be\nhis enemies who stood in the path of his achieving ne-\nfarious ends.\nAs and when Mu`awiya feared that a person could\nbecome an obstacle in the achievement of his desires he\nfinished him, even though he might have been a virtuous\nand pious man. So much so that he did not spare even his\nfast friends who had been his supporters. He killed Imam\nHasan with the same honey. He purchased friends and\nbribed influential persons with the money of public\ntreasury which ought to have been spent for purposes of\npublic welfare.\nWhen he went to Mecca to compel the people to take\noath of allegiance to Yazid he kept a strong army on one\nside and stocks of gold and silver on the other and said to\nthe Meccans: \"I only want that Yazid should be a caliph\nonly in name. Authority to appoint or to dismiss the\nofficers or to incur expenditure will remain with you\".\nHowever, when the people did not agree to accept\nYazid as their caliph he (i.e. Mu`awiya) said to them\nthreateningly. \"I have informed you of the consequences\nfor which I take no responsibility. I am going to address\nyou. If any person stands up to refute me his neck will be\nsevered before he utters a word. So you should take care\nof your lives\".\nWhen Mu`awiya was reproached for squandering away\nthe money of the public treasury - the same money which\nAli used to spend for purposes of public welfare - he\n\f(Mu`awiya) used to utter this Umayyad sentence: \"The\nearth is God's property and I am His representative.\nWhatever I take is mine and I am also entitled to take that\nwhich I do not take\".\nWhen he was asked to allow freedom of opinion and\nbeliefs to the people he used to reply: \"So long as a persor.\ndoes not stand between me and my sovereignty I have\nnothing to do with him\".\nIn his book entitled `Islam and Political Dictatorship'\nProf. Muhammad Ghazal while commenting on the dicta-\ntorial policy of Mu`awiya says: \"It is the greatest offence\nto be selfish and obstinate. If a person attains to rulership\nhe should hold that office and the people should lend him\nsupport only till such time that he fulfils the needs of the\npeople and works according to their wishes.....\"\nAt another place he writes: \"Obstinacy and fascism\nof the kings is disliked by God and his prophets as well as\nby the people. It is an undeniable fact that in all ages the\nway of thinking of the kings has remained the same. These\nkings do not forsake their egotism even if their supporters\nand well-wishers may love them beyond measure\".\nMu`awiya grabbed sovereignty by means of his\nMachiavellian policy. He converted the caliphate into\nkingship and left it as a legacy for his descendants.\nIn this regard Mu`awiya was a perfect specimen of the\nselfish nature of Bani Umayyah-the same Bani Umayyah\nwho were ill-natured during the age of ignorance and\nremained so even after embracing Islam. After Ali met\nmartyrdom at the hands of Ibn Muljim, Mu`awiya began\nplanning to do away with any person who was not prepared\nto accept him as the caliph of God. He said openly: \"We\nshall leave the people to themselves only when we have\nenslaved them\". He also said: \"We have nothing to do with\na person unless he stands between us and our sovereignty.\nHe told the people in clear terms: \"Sovereignty belongs to\nme and after me it will belong to Bani Umayyah. People\nare free so long as they do not become an obstacle between\nBani Umayyah and their rulership\". He began arresting and\npunishing people on mere suspicion, although this had\nnever happened during the period of the former caliphs.\nHe began killing relentlessly the companions of the\nprophet, the companions of the companions and other\nbelievers, who represented public opinion and pursued the\n\fright path.\nAs soon as he gained control over the state he began\nregistering the wealth and property of the people as\ninheritance for his wicked son. He used thousands of\nmeans to obtain oath of allegiance for Yazid by force.\nWe narrate below an incident which will go to show on\nwhat bases the governments of Yazid and some other\nUmayyad caliphs were founded.\nMu`awiya decided to remove Mughira son of Sh`oba\nfrom the governorship of Kufa and to appoint Sa`id bin Aas\nin his place. When Mughira came to know about it he went\nto see Mu`awiya and suggested to him that he should\nnominate Yazid to be the caliph after him. Mu`awiya was\npleased to hear this suggestion and said to Mughira:\n\"I allow you to continue as Governor of Kuta. You should\ngo back and put this proposal before the persons whom\nyou consider reliable. Mughira came back to Kufa and\nplaced the proposal before some such persons. They con-\ncurred; Mughira selected ten persons out of them and sent\nthem to Mu`awiya in the form of a deputation. He also\ngave them thirty thousand dirhams and appointed his son\nMusa as their leader. These persons saw Mu`awiya and\nhighly praised the proposal regarding Yazid's succession.\nMu`awiya asked Musa: \"What, has your father paid these\npersons to purchase their religion?\" Musa told him that\nMughira had paid thirty thousand dirhams for the purpose.\nMu`awiya said: \"It is a good bargain\".\nMu`awiya then sent the proposal to all the governors\nand directed them to send deputations to him from every\ntown and district. Many deputations came and exchanged\nviews on the subject. Then Yazid son of Muqanna stood\nup and said pointing to Mu`awiya: \"He is the Commander\nof the Faithful\". Then pointing to Yazid he said: \"When\nhe (i.e. Mu`awiya) passes away he (i.e. Yazid) will be the\nCommander of the Faithful\". Then he pointed to his own\nsword and said: \"This is for him who does not agree\nwith us\". Then Mu`awiya said, \"Come, sit down you are\nthe chief of the orators\".\nThe compulsion and force, which Mu`awiya used\nto obtain the oath of allegiance for Yazid from the people\nof the Hijaz is surprising as well as astonishing. In order to\nobtain their concurrence he went to them with an army\nas well as with many bags of dirhams and dinars. However,\n\fwhen they were not intimidated by the army and were not\nensured by wealth, Mu`awiya said: \"I have done my duty.\nSo far the practice has been that whenever I delivered\na speech and some one from among you rose and refuted\nme I tolerated it and forgave him. However, I am going to\ndeliver a speech now and I swear by God that, if anyone of\nyou utters a sentence against what I say, a sword will reach\nhis head before he utters the second sentence. You should,\ntherefore, take care of your lives\". Then he ordered his\npolice-officer to post two persons by the side of each one\nof the audience and ordered that if any person spoke\nanything in support of or against what he (i.e. Mu`awiya)\nsaid they should sever his head.\nMu`awiya and other members of the Umayyad Family\nput into practice the fascist authority of the age of\nignorance. They were despots who owned everything, and\nthe Muslims were as good as their slaves, who were not\nexpected to raise any objection. They beheaded those who\ndeclined to take the oath of allegiance to Yazid. As regards\nthose who took the oath their hands were tattooed, as it\nwas a special sign of the person concerned being a slave.\nThe successors of Mu`awiya were even more crooked\nand perverted. Some of them excelled him in matters of\ncrimes and perverseness, but did not possess in the least\nthe apparent qualities which were possessed by him. The\npeople therefore, suffered much during their time. They\nwere compelled to place their wealth as well as their necks\nat the disposal of the rulers. Their agents and employees\nwere cruel and corrupt. They oppressed the people wher-\never they were deputed. They humiliated the non-Arabs\nwho had embraced Islam. They also maltreated the Zimmis\nwith whom good and kind behaviour has been enjoined\nby Islam. They did not spare even the Arabs and killed\nthose who declined to feed them with their flesh and\nblood. They appointed as their rulers the persons who\nimposed heavy taxes on them and realized the same with\nextreme high-handedness and in a very shameful manner.\nThat is why Sa`id bin Aas who was appointed by Uthman\nas the Governor of Iraq used to say: \"Iraq is the garden of\nQuraysh, we shall take from it what we desire and leave\nwhat we do not desire\". And when a Zimmi enquired from\nAmr bin Aas as to how much tax they had to pay he\nreplied: \"You are our treasure\" (i.e. we shall realize from\n\fyou whatever we wish).\nThe Umayyad caliphs were keen to appropriate the\npublic treasury to themselves and to make their friends\nand associates as wealthy as they could. The officers\nappointed in Islamic territories grabbed whatever they\ncould and also realized large sums of money from the\npeople as a proof of their faithfulness to the rulers. For\nexample, Khalid son of Abdullah Qasra, who was one of\nthe governors of Hisham son of Abdul Malik, used to take\none million dirhams from the public treasury every year.\nHe also took millions of dirhams besides this amount.\nThe edifice of justice erected by Islam and Imam Ali\nwas pulled down by the Umayyads. Two classes viz. the\nrich and the poor appeared among the people. Consequently\nsome of them were rolling in wealth whereas others could\nnot make both ends meet. One of the Umayyad caliphs\ngave twelve thousand dinars to a singer named M`abad,\nbecause he liked his performance, while there were innu-\nmerable persons who longed to live as free men. Before\nSulaiman bin Abdul Malik became caliph the number of\nslaves had reached hundreds of thousands. This is proved\nby the fact that seventy thousand slaves and slave-girls\nwere set free by him.\nDuring the period of Bani Umayyah party-spirit had\nbecome acute to an extent which was not at all sanctioned\nby Islam, the prophet and Ali. An inhabitant of Yemen\ndid not enjoy the rights which were enjoyed by a member\nof the tribe of Qais, and a non-Arab did not have the\nprivileges available to an Arab.\nIt was during the Umayyad period that the number\nof pleasure-loving courtiers had increased by leaps and\nbounds. They did not do any work but got huge stipends\nfrom the public treasury as is the practice even now in\nsome Arab countries. History tells us that Walid son of\nAbdul Malik stopped payment of stipends which were\nbeing given to as many as twenty thousand persons.\nThe Umayyad rulers also committed grave atrocities\nto keep their hold on various cities. Abdul Malik was an\nabsolute despot who ruled in a very shameful manner.\nHe got the wells and springs of Bahrain filled with dust so\nthat the people might become helpless and indigent and\nconsequently submissive to the rulers (Vide Ibn Rayhani's\nbooks entiteld `Muluk al-Arab' vol. 2, p. 206) and\n\fal-Nukabat p.64. He entrusted the government of Iraq and\nthe Hijaz to the despicable and bloodthirsty person known\nas Hajjaj bin Yusuf.\nIt would be sufficient to quote one example (that of\nYazid son of Abdul Malik) to show what value the\nUmayyad kings attached to the common man and how\nthey descreated the caliphate as well as looked down upon\nthe people. One day he drank too much wine and became\nover-intoxicated. His favourite slave-girl Hubaba was sitting\nby his side. He said to her, \"Let me fly away\" she asked,\n\"And to whom are you entrusting the Muslims?\" \"To\nyou\" was his reply.\nWriting about Bani Umayyah Amin Rayhani says:\n\"Administration of justice to the subjects is the foundation\nof a government. Those who occupied the throne, however,\nthought otherwise. As you have come to know there were\namong the Umayyad rulers worthless persons, drunkards\nand tyrants\". (al-Nukabat page 70).\nIt should also be not forgotten that the Umayyad\nrulers introduced the shameful practice of abusing Ali and\nhis descendants. However, the noblest among them was\nUmar son of Abdul Aziz who gave dignity to the rulers of\nthe East as well as to mankind. As soon as he ascended the\nthrone he relieved the people of oppression, restored their\nrights, appointed just officers, and instructed the governors\nto deal with the people justly and leniently. He introduced\nreal equality between the Arabs and the non-Arabs and the\nMuslims and the non-Muslims. As a mark of respect to\nhuman dignity he stopped further conquests. He abolished\nall taxes except those which were paid by the people\nwillingly. He also stopped the abusing of Ali which had\ncontinued for long. He took back from the nobles and the\naristocrats the property and wealth, which had been\ngrabbed by them illegally, and advised them to work for\ntheir living. The rule of this great man did not continue\nfor long and he fell a victim to the conspiracies of the\nUmayyads themselves and lost his life. They killed him just\nas they had killed Mu`awiya son of Yazid earlier - his only\noffence being that he had mentioned their evil doings,\nexpressed displeasure over their violating the rights of the\npeople, admitted that his father and grandfather had been\nat fault and preferred secluded life to rulership.\nIt is very surprising that some modern writers are very\n\factive in justifying the acts of the tyrannical and obstinate\nUmayyad rulers and their agents. They say things with\nwhich they themselves must not be satisfied. They do so\nonly to support their ancestors and, therefore, put forth\nvery funny and meaningless defence on their behalf.\nWere the contemporaries of Bani Umayyah who were\neye-witnesses of their rule not more true? Do their state-\nments not belie those of the modern writers and provide\na true picture of the conditions during the Umayyad rule?\nWhat will these modern writers say after reading the\nfollowing narration?\nOne day Ubaydah bin Hilal Yashkari met Abu Harabah\nTamimi, Ubaydah said to Abu Harabah: \"I want to ask\nyou some questions. Will you give me correct replies?\"\nAbu Harabah replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the\nfollowing conversation took place between them:\nUbaydah: What do you say about your Umayyad caliphs?\nAbu Harabah: They used to shed blood without any\njustification.\nUbaydah: How did they utilize wealth?\nAbu Harabah: They obtained it illegally and spent it\nillegally.\nUbaydah: How did they behave with the orphans?\nAbu Harabah: They grabbed the property of the orphans,\ndeprived them of their rights and outraged the modesty\nof their mothers.\nUbaydah: Woe betide you O Abu Harabah! Are such\npersons fit to be followed and obeyed?\nAbu Harabah: I have told you what you enquired about.\nNow you should not censure me.\nAbu Harabah's words \"you should not censure me\"\ngo to explain incidentally that during the rule of Bani\nUmayyah and their agents it was not possible for any\nperson to form an opinion of his own and express it.\nHow will the modern defenders of Bani Umayyah\nexplain the views of the people of Madina which they\nexpressed before the Kharijite Abu Hamzah? After expell-\ning the Umayyads from Madina Abu Hamzah enquired\nfrom the residents of that city as to what hardships they\nhad to bear at the hands of the Syrian caliphs and their\nagents. They said in clear terms that they used to kill them\non mere suspicion, and considered those things to be\nlawful which had been declared to be unlawful by Islam,\n\fand which are also unlawful in the eyes of reason, con-\nscience, and human dignity. In the speech delivered by\nAbu Hamzah on this occasion he also said these words:\n\"Don't you see what has happened to the divine\ncaliphate and the Imamate of the Muslims? So much so\nthat Bani Marwan have been playing with it like a ball.\nThey devoured God's property and played with His religion.\nThey enslaved God's creatures. Every elder of theirs made\nthe younger ones his successors for this purpose. They\ngrabbed rulership and stuck to it like self-made gods. Their\nhold was the hold of the tyrants. They took decisions\naccording to their whims and caprices. If they got annoyed\nthey killed the people. They arrested the people on mere\nsuspicion and suspended punishment on recommendations.\nThey made dishonest persons the trustees and disobeyed\nthose who were honest. They realized revenue from the\npeople even if it was not due from them and spent it for\nunlawful purposes\".\nHow will these defenders of Bani Umayyah explain\nthe verse of Bakhtari in which he has expressed the thoughts\nof the people of that age and drawn a true picture thereof:\n\"We consider that group of Bani Umayyah to be infidels\nwho acquired the caliphate through fraud and deceit.\nThe evil doings, oppressive administration, and nefa-\nrious designs of Bani Umayyah which were certainly known\nto the earlier people were also known to those who came\nlater, and the non-Arab writers have mentioned their atro-\ncities and crimes in the same manner in which they have\nbeen described by the Arab writers. It is a reality which is\nadmitted even by the Egyptian and other writers who\nactively support Bani Umayyah. They say: \"Most of the\neastern and western historians vehemently attack and\nunsure Bani Umayyah only the attitude of Polios Wilharzan\nis moderate to some extent\".\nIt will be observed that the attitude of the single\norientalist who is not in agreement with others is also not\n`moderate' but we can call it `moderate to some extent'.\nThis remark of the Egyptian writer is a clear acknow-\nledgement of the fact that this solitary orientalist could\nnot lay hands on sufficient evidence on the basis of which\nhe could support Bani Umayyah more openly and his\nattitude towards them should have been moderate rather\nthan moderate to some extent. However, we would like to\n\ftell the Egyptian writer that there is also another orientalist,\nwho has supported Bani Umayyah fully. He is the French\nhistorian La Mius who has lent complete support to that\nfamily for some special motive. We shall comment on the\nwritings of this historian later. With the exception of these\ntwo orientalists most of them have drawn a picture of the\nson of Abu Sufyan and the descendants of Marwan, which\nwill not be liked by their supporters. Among these orien-\ntalists the most prominent is Kazanofa who says:\n\"The nature of Bani Umayyah was composed of two\nthings: Firstly love for wealth to the extent of avari\nciousness; and secondly love for victory to plunder and for\nchiefship to enjoy worldly pleasures\".\nHowever, whether they are the Arab historians or the\norientalists none of them has drawn as true a picture of\nBani Umayyah as has been drawn by the Umayyad caliph\nWalid bin Yazid in the verses translated below.\n\"Do not mention the people of Sa`di's Family. We are\nsuperior to them in the matter of numbers as well as\nwealth. We wield power over the people and humiliate\nthem in every manner and torture them in various ways.\nWe humiliate them and bring them on the brink of\nruination and destruction and there too they meet with\nonly humiliation and annihilation\".\nEven if the supporters of the Umayyads reject all that\nhas been said by the old and modern historians and orien-\ntalists about Umayyad mentality, can they reject what has\nbeen said by Walid son of Yazid?\n\f Husayn and Yazid\nAll those events which Husayn had to go through\nprove that from the point of view of morality he occupied\nthe highest place of glory and all the events through\nwhich Yazid passed are an evidence of the fact that he\nwas at the lowest ebb of ignominy. The tragedy of Karbala\nis a sufficient proof for it. This event speaks volumes for\nhis stark wickedness.\nYazid was a drunkard. He used to wear silken clothes\nand played on a tambourine.\nHusayn son of Ali and Yazid son of Mu`awiya were\nthe persons who came in the world as perfect specimens of\nthe qualities of the two families viz. the Hashimites and\nUmayyads. Husayn was a perfect Hashim of his time as\nYazid was Abd al-Shams. If the special qualities of a man\ncan be the true picture of the environments in which he is\nbrought up there is no doubt about the fact that Husayn\nand Yazid were the true models of their families. Husayn\nrepresented the Hashimites and Yazid the Umayyads. The\nonly difference was that Husayn was the best specimen of\nthe Hashimite virtues and excellences whereas Yazid was\ndevoid of even the good qualities which were possessed by\nBani Umayyah.\nHusayn was the son of the prophet's daughter Fatima\nand Ali son of Abu Talib. When he was born the prophet\ntook him in his lap and pronounced `Azan' in his ears so as\nto infuse his own spirit into the spirit of his grandson,\nmake him a part and parcel of his own being, and to\nimpress upon him that he was born to perform a special\nmission, and that purpose of life had been fixed for him.\nOn the seventh day of his birth the prophet said with\ngreat happiness: \"I have named this son of mine Husayn\".\nThe child grew up day after day in such a condition\nthat he had in him the soul of his grandfather, the beatings\nof the heart of his father, and a deep impression of\nprophethood on his mind. All the virtues and excellences\nof his forefathers had combined in his person. And as he\ncontinued to grow up these virtues and qualities of his also\ncontinued to become more apparent.\nTransmission of the qualities of forefathers to their\n\fchildren is a law of nature about which there cannot be\nany doubt whatsoever. Just as the children inherit the\ncolours, facial appearances, material qualities etc. from\ntheir ancestors they also inherit their characteristic virtues.\nHusayn remained under the supervision of his grand-\nfather till the age of seven years. After the prophet's\ndemise his companions continued to imitate him in the\nmatter of love for Husayn. A special reason for their\ndisplaying love for him was that his features very much\nresembled those of the prophet. This is borne out by the\nstatements of those persons who had seen the prophet\nas well as Husayn.\nThe great names of the ancestors and their achieve-\nments have a great deal to do with the development of\ntheir children and the making of their future bright. When\nthe child hears about the achievements of his ancestors\nfrom his very early age a picture of theirs is drawn on his\nbrain, and consequently he acquires the qualities of his\nancestors. A child naturally inherits the qualities of his\nforefathers, but his living with them at the same place\ncasts a great influence on them.\nBesides the prophet Husayn also saw his revered\nfather. He saw his perseverance, steadfastness, justice,\nsympathy, help for the oppressed and anger for the\noppressors as well as good treatment and kindness shown\nto the enemies. He accompanied his father in the Battles of\nCamel, Siffin and Nahrawan, and saw his astonishing\nbravery, and learnt from him the ways of fighting for the\nsake of goodness, and also knew from him how to sacrifice\none's life to protect the oppressed and helpless from\ntyranny.\nHusayn's revered mother was a very tender-hearted\nand kind lady. On account of this very tender-heartedness\nshe was always grieved to see the hardships to which her\nfather, the prophet, and his companions were subjected by\nthe Quraysh. She was extremely sad on the day of the\nBattle of Uhad when many Muslims were killed at the\nhands of the polytheist Quraysh and their dead bodies\nwere cut to pieces. It was a very depressing scene for her to\nsee her father weeping for his uncle Hamzah.\nIt is said that after the death of the prophet, Anas bin\nMalik went one day to see lady Fatima and requested her\nto control her grief in the interest of her own health.\n\fShe said only this reply: \"O Anas! How did you tolerate\nto entrust the pure body of the prophet to the grave?\"\nThen she burst into tears, and Anas too began to\nweep. He came back with a heart, which was shattered by\nthe grief of Fatima.\nHusayn used to see his grief-stricten younger sister\nZainab and felt extremely sad for her.\nHusayn looked at his mother and sister and then\nimagined the sufferings and hardships which time had in\nstore for himself, his sister and their descendants. He felt\nthat very soon he and his sister would have to shed tears\non the death of their mother and then to mourn the\nmartyrdom of their father, and their descendants would\nhave to face great hardships.\nA few days later Husayn heard his mother making\nthe following recommendations to his sister Zainab: \"Do\nnot leave Hasan and Husayn. Take complete care of them.\nAfter me perform the duties of their mother\".\nHis mother breathed her last after three months of\nthe death of her father. Husayn was standing by her side\nand saying goodbye to her. At times he glanced at his sister\nwho was stunned with grief. Then he looked at his father\nand brother who were crying bitterly on the passing away\nof lady Fatima.\nHusayn spent his childhood in such an atmosphere of\nsorrow and grief. When he grew up he saw the people\ncontending with, and blocking the way of his revered\nfather at every step. The attitude of the mother of the\nFaithful Ayesha and her supporters made him all the more\nsad. He also saw the treachery committed by Mu`awiya,\nAmr bin Aas, and their henchmen with his father. This\nincreased his grief all the more and he felt that unless evil\nwas suppressed with that bravery and force with which his\nfather endeavoured to suppress it, life would be meaningless.\nThe most grievous day was that on which the hand\nof a criminal and a sinner wounded the forehead of his\nillustrious father when he was offering his prayers in the\nMasjid Kufa. Imam Ali could not survive this injury and\nbreathed his last after two days. Thus the impediment in\nthe path of the oppressors and tyrants to establish their\nauthority was removed.\nAfter some time his brother Hasan met martyrdom\ndue to poisoning. And his grief and wonder knew no\n\fbounds when he saw that Bani Umayyah and their suppor-\nters were shooting arrows on the funeral bier ofhis brother.\nHe also came to know that Mu`awiya had ordered that\nHusayn's father and brother should be abused from the\npulpits. In fact he heard Mu`awiya doing so himself. In\nshort new causes for his grief continued to appear. These\nwere the very causes which culminated in the tragedy of\nKarbala-the place where the most heinous crime was\ncommitted with the co-operation of mean Soldiers of\nYazid and his wicked officers. They committed atrocities\non Husayn and a small group of his companions and\nmembers of his family which one shudders to imagine.\nThis was how Husayn was reared from the point of\nview of inheritance and training and these were the causes\nof his grief which he had to experience from the very time\nof his birth. As he had observed the sufferings of his grand-\nfather, father and mother, grief and sorrow were ingrained\nin his nature.\nIt was on account of the qualities inherited and\nacquired by Husayn that he used to say: Forbearance is\na ladder, fidelity is manliness, pride is folly and weakness\nand association with the wicked is something which makes\none doubt and waver.\nTry to acquire that thing which you deserve. It is\nhumiliation and abasement to live with the oppressors.\nTruth is dignity and falsehood is helplessness.\nWho was Yazid?\nYazid was a man who had inherited all the bad\nqualities of the Umayyad Family. His disposition, beliefs,\nway of thinking and the manner of looking at various\nmatters were exactly the same as those of Bani Umayyah\nin general. Besides the evils inherited by him from his\nancestors he had other mischievous tendencies and satanic\nqualities as well. He did not possess the apparent qualities\nof his father which are considered to be his (i.e. Mu`awiya's)\nmerits although they were only tools to strengthen his\nrule. In fact it may be said that whereas all the bad\nqualities of his family had combined in him he did not at\nall possess any good quality. There has been no other\nreveller amongst Bani Umayyah like Yazid and it was on\naccount of his being wildly festive that he lost his life.\nIt is said that one day, while mounted on a horse, he was\ntrying to out-pace a monkey. During this competition,\n\fhowever, he fell down from the horse and died. His\ncontemporaries have drawn a very precise and concise\npicture of his in these words: \"He was a drunkard. He used\nto wear silken clothes and played on a tambourine\".\nIf Husayn proved to be a model of virtue and good\nmorals Yazid proved to be the worst specimen of his\nancestral vices. If Husayn was sympathetic towards others\nas magnanimous persons usually are, Yazid had no human\nsentiments and was absolutely shameless.\nYazid had been brought up in a family which consi-\ndered Islam to be a political movement. According to Bani\nUmayyah the prophethood of the prophet was only a\npretext to acquire power and authority and Islam meant\ntransfer of power from the hands of Bani Umayyah to the\nhands of Bani Hashim. Yazid considered his countrymen\nto be only an army whose duty it was to remain faithful to\nthe ruler. In his eyes the object of the existence of his\ncountrymen was that they should pay land revenue and\ntaxes and increase the wealth of the treasury which was to\nbe spent according to the sweet will of the ruler.\nAs Yazid was born and brought up in such a family it\nwas necessary that he, too, should adopt the ways which\nwere adopted by his forefathers and other members of his\nfamily during the age of ignorance and after the advent of\nIslam. Furthermore, he was brought up in the house of a\nfather who spent large sums of money of the public\ntreasury at his pleasure. When wealth and ignorance are\ncombined the result can be nothing else except profligacy\nand debauchery.\nIt was for this reason that like every ignorant person\nwho possesses wealth Yazid was a drunkard and was fond\nof a life of pleasure and played with dogs. As soon as he\nascended the throne he began spending money lavishly\nto lead a life of debauchery and sensual pleasure. He gave\nenormous sums to his asociates, slaves, slave-girls, singers\netc. He had a large number of dogs who slept by his side\nand were made to wear ornaments of gold and silver and\nsilken dresses, while the poor people, from whom taxes\nwere realized under coercion, starved and suffered hard-\nships. He ruled for three and a half years only but during\nthis short period he combined in him all the disgrace,\nabsurdity and impudence which were the result of\nUmayyad politics.\n\fBesides the above-mentioned revelry and debauchery\nwhich Yazid inherited from his ancestors he also committed\nother most heinous crimes. During the first year of his\nreign he murdered Imam Husayn and his companions and\nmade the people of his family captives. During the second\nyear he plundered Madina without caring in the least for\nits sanctity. He permitted his soldiers to do whatever they\nliked with the people of the city for a period of three days.\nConsequently eleven thousand persons including seven\nhundred companions of the prophet from amongst the\nMuhajirs and Ansar were killed and the modesty of more\nthan one thousand virgins was outraged.\nIt was the natural disposition of Imam Husayn that\nhe should fight against injustice and oppression following\nthe example set by his grandfather and father. He used to\nsay: \"It is humiliation and disgrace to live with the\noppressors\". On the contrary Yazid always bestowed\nhonours on cruel and wicked persons and gave them large\npresents for committing heinous crimes. He also asked\nothers to respect and honour such persons. For example,\none day when he was engaged in feasting and drinking\nalong with his friends and Ubaidullah Ibn Zaid, the chief\nactor of the tragedy of Karbala, was sitting on his right\nhand side he addressed the cup-bearer as under:\n\"Give me such a wine that it should make my heart\ncool. Then give the same wine to Ibn Ziad who is my\nconfidant and trustee and the source of my acquiring war\nbooty and winning the battles\".\n(This incident took place only a few days after the\nmartyrdom of Imam Husayn).\nThe honouring of Ibn Ziad by Yazid resembles the\nhonouring of the greatest tyrant and criminal, Hajjaj.\nIn short if during the time of Mu`awiya `divine army'\nconsisted of poisoned honey the `divine army' during the\ndays of Yazid was only poison without the admixture of\nhoney. During the reign of Yazid the Umayyad party-spirit\nof the days of ignorance was fully revived. None of the\nevents of history can produce a man more ignorable than\nYazid - the same Yazid who was the author of the tragedy\nof Karbala. And similarly none of the events of history can\nproduce a person who should possess as lofty a character\nas Husayn - the same Husayn who was the martyr of\nKarbala. The pages relating to Yazid are absolutely black\n\fwhereas those relating to Husayn are replete with dignity\nand honour. On the one side there were the trade and\nchiefship of Umayyah and his slaves and executioners; and\non the other side there were the lofty character and bravery\nof the Family of Abu Talib and their free and zealous\npersons and martyrs in the path of truth and justice.\nLogic and reasoning are not so successful to prove a\nreality as are the events which are related to it. As events\ncontain conclusive arguments within themselves there is no\ndoubt about the fact that all those events which Husayn\nhad to go through prove that from the point of view of\nmoral character he occupied the loftiest rank, all the\nevents through which Yazid passed are an evidence of the\nfact that he was at the lowest layer of degradation. The\ntragedy of Karbala is a sufficient proof for this fact. This\nevent speaks volumes for, and shall always be pointing to\nthe most noble character of Husayn, and the wickedness of\nthe vilest of the vile Yazid.\nBefore the tragedy of Karbala there occurred another\nevent, in which there was on one side Husayn the model of\nsincerity and human sympathy, and on the other there was\nYazid who was an embodiment of debauchery and licen-\ntiousness. This event, besides bringing to light the respective\ncharacters of Husayn and Yazid, also reminds one of the\npact made by Bani Hashim, which was called `Hilfal-Fuzul'.\nThis pact was made by them with the co-operation of some\nArab tribes. One of its items purported to say that the\nsignatories of the pact would support the oppressed, and\nrealize their rights from the oppressors, and would restrain\nthe powerful persons from doing injustice to the weak and\nhelpless. The ancestors of Yazid had opposed this pact and\nthose of Husayn had lent it whole-hearted support.\nOf course, one character of this event is Husayn and\nthe other is Yazid. Yazid son of Mu`awiya came to know\nabout the beauty of Urainab daughter of Ishaq who was\nthe wife of the Qurayshite Abdullah bin Salam. Urainab\nwas the most beautiful and accomplished woman of her\ntime and possessed enormous wealth. Yazid fell in love\nwith her without having seen her. He lost all patience\nand mentioned the matter to Mu`awiya's favourite slave\nnamed Rafiq. The slave informed Mu`awiya about this love\nand told him that his son was very keen to marry Urainab.\nMu`awiya called Yazid and enquired from him about the\n\fmatter. Yazid admitted that whatever Mu`awiya had been\ntold was correct. Mu`awiya said: \"Be calm and patient.\nSomething will be done in this behalf\". Yazid said: It is no\nuse consoling me now because the matter is already\nfinished. She has already been married. Mu`awiya said: My\ndear son! Keep the secret to yourself, because if it is\ndivulged it will do you no good. God completes what He\nordains and what has already happened cannot be helped.\nMu`awiya began thinking of solving the problem and\nmeeting the wish of Yazid to marry Urainab. Abdullah son\nof Salam, the husband of Urainab was at that time the\nGovernor of Iraq. Mu`awiya wrote a letter to him saying:\n\"I have an urgent business with you. Please come and see\nme as early as possible. The matter is beneficial to you\"\nOn receiving Mu`awiya's letter Abdullah proceeded to\nSyria at once and met Mu`awiya. The latter received him\nwith great honour and respect. At that time Abu Darda\nand Abu Huraira, two companions of the prophet were\nalso available in Damacus. Mu`awiya called for them and\nsaid to them: \"Such and such daughter of mine is now of\nage and I am anxious to give away her hand in marriage.\nI think Abdullah son of Salam is a good man and I wish\nthat she may marry him\".\nBoth of them praised Mu`awiya for his intelligence\nand devoutness and said that whatever he had thought of\nwas absolutely proper.\nMu`awiya said to them: \"Both of you should meet\nAbdullah and mention the matter to him and find out his\nopinion about it. Although I have authorised my daughter\nto marry a man of her choice, but I am sure that she will\nlike Abdullah bin Salam and will not refuse to marry him\"\nAbu Darda and Abu Huraira went to see Abdullah.\nIn the meantime Mu`awiya went into his palace and said to\nhis daughter: \"Dear daughter! Just hear what I have to say.\nWhen Abu Darda and Abu Huraira come to you and tell\nyou that I want to get you married to Abdullah bin Salam,\nyou should say: \"Of course, Abdullah is a good man and a\nnear relative and of equal status with us. However, he has\nalready married Urainab daughter of Ishaq and I am afraid\nthat if I marry him I may also become jealous of her like\nall other women. If, in that event, I say something un-\nbecoming about Abdullah I am afraid that I may invite\nthe wrath of God by doing so. However, if Abdullah\n\fdivorces Urainab I am agreeable to marry him\".\nWhen Abu Darda and Abu Huraira conveyed the\nMessage of Mu`awiya to Abdullah bin Salam he was over\njoyed and told them to inform Mu`awiya that the proposal\nwas acceptable to him. When they informed Mu`awiya of\nthe developments he said to them: \"As I have already told\nyou I would like this marriage. However, I have authorised\nmy daughter to marry a man of her own choice. You\nshould, therefore, go to her and ask her whether she is\nready to marry Abdullah bin Salam\".\nWhen they approached the girl she gave them the\nsame reply which Mu`awiya had taught her to give. They\nthen conveyed her reply to Abdullah.\nWhen Abdullah son of Salam came to know that it\nwas not possible to marry Mu`awiya's daughter unless he\ndevorced his wife he was overpowered by avarice and\ndivorced Urainab. He said to Abu Darda and Abu Huraira:\n\"Bear witness to the fact that I have divorced Urainab.\nYou should inform Mu`awiya about this and also convey\nmy proposal to him\".\nWhen they came to Mu`awiya and told him what had\nhappened he said: \"Oh! What has Abdullah done? Why has\nhe divorced his wife? He should not have been so hasty.\nHad he waited for a few days I might have arranged his\nmarriage with my daughter without allowing things to\ncome to such a pass. Anyhow, you should go now and ask\nmy daughter whether she is agreeable to this marriage\".\nAbu Darda and Abu Huraira approached Mu`awiya's\ndaughter once again and told her that Abdullah had\ndivorced his wife. They also stated that Abdullah was a\nvery noble-minded and competent person and enquired\nfrom her whether she was prepared to marry him.\nMu`awiya's daughter replied: \"Abdullah no doubt\nenjoys a high position amongst the Quraysh. However, as\nyou are aware marriage is not something trivial so that\none may agree to it without seriously pondering over the\nmatter. It is a contract for one's whole life. You gentlemen\nmay, therefore go now. I shall think over the matter and\ngive you a reply later\".\nBoth of them blessed her and departed. They then\nwent to Abdullah bin Salam and informed him about\nwhat the girl had said. Abdullah said: \"All right. Let us\nwait. If it is not settled today, it will be settled tomorrow'.\n\fIt was the talk of the town that Abdullah bin Salam\nhad divorced his wife and had proposed to Mu`awiya's\ndaughter. As all were aware of the cunning of Mu`awiya\nand the loose character of Yazid they blamed and censured\nAbdullah for having divorced his wife without first winning\nthe consent of Mu`awiya's daughter.\nAfter a few days Abdullah sent Abu Darda and Abu\nHuraira again to the daughter of Mu`awiya. They advised\nher to give a final reply whereupon she said: \"I am sure God\nhas decided well for me, because He does not forsake one\nwho relies upon Him. I have pondered over the matter and\nhave come to the conclusion that my marrying Abdullah\nbin Salam will not be a successful one. I have also consulted\nmy well-wishers in the matter. Some of them have approved\nthe marriage but others have opposed it\".\nWhen Abdullah came to know about the reply which\nhad been given by Mu`awiya's daughter he became sure\nthat he had been duped. This grieved him very much. The\nnews spread was the talk of the town. The people blamed\nMu`awiya for having defrauded Abdullah and making him\ndivorce his wife so that she might later marry Yazid.\nMu`awiya was successful at the first stage of his\nscheme to fulfil the desire of his son but eventually the\ndivine will frustrated his program. His plan failed owing\nto the interference by Husayn who had grown up on the\npattern of life of his illustrious father. Helping the oppressed\nhad become his second nature.\nWhen the waiting period (Idda) of. Urainab expired\nMu`awiya sent Abu Darda to her to convey to her proposal\nfor marriage on behalf of Yazid. Abu Darda left Damascus\nand reached Kufa. It so happened that Husayn son of Ali\nwas also in Kufa at that time. Abu Darda considered it\nproper to pay his respects to the son of the prophet in\nthe first instance. He, therefore, presented himself before\nthe Imam. Imam Husayn enquired from him the reason for\nhis visiting Kufa. Abu Darda informed him that he had\nbeen sent by Mu`awiya to propose to Urainab daughter of\nIshaq on behalf of his son Yazid. He then related to the\nImam in detail the events which had already taken place.\nImam Husayn said: \"I also thought that Urainab would\nmarry some other person and intended to propose to her\nafter her \"Idda\" ended. Now that you have arrived here it\nwill be better if you convey my proposal to her. She may\n\fchoose whomsoever she likes. However, I am prepared to\ngive her dower equal to that which Yazid has promised her\"\nAbu Darda promised to convey the Imam's message\nto Urainab. Then he took leave of Imam Husayn and\nreached her house. He said to her: \"Madam! It was destined\nthat Abdullah son of Salam should divorce you. You are\nnot going to be a loser on this account. Yazid son of\nMu`awiya and Husayn son of Ali wish to marry you.\nBoth of them have conveyed their proposals to you\nthrough me. You may choose whomever you like\".\nUrainab kept quiet for some time and then said:\n\"If some other person had brought these two proposals to\nme I would have called you for consultation and would\nhave acted according to your suggestion. Now that you\nyourself have brought these proposals I leave the final\ndecision to you\".\nAbu Darda replied: \"It was my duty to convey the\nproposals to you, but you are yourself the best judge in\nthe matter\". Urainab said: \"No; that is not so. I am your\nniece and cannot act in this matter without your advice\".\nWhen Abu Darda saw that she was bent upon\nobtaining his opinion he said: \"I feel that the son of the\nprophet is a better choice\". Urainab said: \"I agree with\nyou. Also I like him\".\nImam Husayn then married Urainab and paid her the\nstipulated amount of dower.\nWhen Mu`awiya came to know what had happened he\nwas very angry and abused Abu Darda. Then he said to\nhimself: \"Abu Darda has not been at fault. It was my own\nmistake. If a person entrusts such a difficult task to a\nsimpleton he must fail\".\nAt the time of his departure for Damascus Abdullah\nbin Salam had entrusted a large sum of money to Urainab.\nLater when he divorced her and Mu`awiya's daughter also\nrefused to marry him it became known to the people that\nAbdullah had been deceived by Mu`awiya and made to\ndivorce his wife. This was a matter of disgrace for Mu`awiya\nand he held Abdullah responsible for it. He, therefore,\ndismissed him from service and stopped his stipend.\nAbdullah became penniless. He, therefore, returned to Iraq\nwith the hope that he might get back from Urainab the\nmoney which he had left with her. He was, however, afraid\nthat she might decline to return the money on account of\n\fhis misbehaviour and for his divorcing her without a\njust cause.\nAfter his return to Iraq he met Imam Husayn and\nsaid: \"As you must be aware I was duped and made to\ndivorce Urainab. While leaving for Damascus I left some\nmoney with her as a trust\".\nThen he praised Urainab much and said: \"I shall be\ngrateful if you speak to her and ask her to return that\nmoney to me. It is possible that with that amount in hand\nI may be saved from indigence\".\nImam Husayn went to Urainab and said: \"Abdullah\nbin Salam came to see me. He praised you very much for\nyour honesty which pleased me much. He also told me\nthat he entrusted some money to you at the time of his\ndeparture for Damascus. It will be only proper that you\nshould return that money to him because I think that what\nhe has stated is correct\".\nUrainab replied: \"It is true that he left some bags\nwith me, but I don't know what they contain. They are\nstill lying sealed, as they were. I shall bring them to you\nand you may return the same to him\".\nImam Husayn praised Urainab on hearing this and\nsaid: \"Will it not be better if I call him here so that you\nmay return the bags to him yourself?\".\nThen he met Abdullah bin Salam and said to him:\nI have conveyed your message to Urainab. She admits\nyour having left some bags with her; they are still lying\nsealed, as they were. It will be better if you come to\nUrainab and take back the bags from her\".\nAbdullah felt very much ashamed and said: \"I would\nrequest you to make arrangements for the return of\nmoney to me\". (i.e. I feel ashamed to face Urainab). Imam\nHusayn replied: \"No. That cannot be. You should take\nback the money from her in the same manner in which\nyou gave it to her\".\nHe, therefore, brought Abdullah to his house and\nthen said to Urainab: \"Abdullah son of Salam has come\nand demands the things which he entrusted to you. Return\nthe same to him in the same manner in which you took\nthem from him\".\nUrainab brought the bags and placing them outside\nthe curtain said to him: \"Here it is what you entrusted to\nme\". Abdullah thanked Urainab and praised her for her\n\fhonesty. Imam Husayn then left the place leaving them\nalone. Abdullah broke the seal of the bag, took out some\ndinars from it and presented them to her requesting her to\naccept the same from him. Thereupon tears trickled from\ntheir eyes and they began to cry loudly. Imam Husayn\nheard the sound of their crying. He then re-entered the\nroom and said with great kindness: \"Just hear me. I call\nGod to witness that I have divorced Urainab just now. I\ncall God to witness that I did not marry her for the sake of\nher beauty or wealth.What I had desired was that it might\nbecome lawful for her to re-marry her first husband.\nThus Urainab became the wife of Abdullah bin Salam\nonce again and Mu`awiya's scheme failed.\nAfter re-marrying Urainab Abdullah said to her:\n\"You should return the amount of dower which Imam\ngave you\".\nShe brought the money and gave it to Abdullah to\ngive it to the Imam. However, Imam Husayn declined to\naccept the mnoey and said: \"The spiritual reward which\nI shall get in the Hereafter for this good deed is much\nbetter than worldly wealth\".\nThe Hashimite Ali son of Abu Talib said: \"I swear by\nGod that I have not accumulated a treasure from your\nworld like others and have not collected wealth and\nproperty. I have not used any dress other than this worn\nout cloak. If I had desired I could have eaten honey\nand wheat and could also wear silken dress. However, it\nis impossible that passions may overpower me and greed\nmay make me eat dainty food. It is possible that there\nmay be a person in the Hijaz and Yamama who may not\nhope for even one morsel of food and may not have eaten\nhis fill throughout his life. Should I satiate myself with\nfood and sleep a sound sleep when there may be around\nme many persons who may be starving? Should I be the\nCommander of the Faithful only in name and should not\nshare the difficulties and sorrows of the people.\nHe wrote to the Governor of Ahwaz: \"I swear by\nGod that if I come to know that you have misappropriated\nanything big or small which belongs to the Muslims I shall\naward you such a severe punishment as will make you\nindigent, burdened and disgraced\".\nOn the contrary Mu`awiya son of Abu Sufyan used\nto say: \"The earth belongs to God and I am His caliph.\n\fI may take whatever I like out of the property of God and\nam also entitled to what I leave\".\nMu`awiya, Yazid, Marwan son of Hakam and other\nUmayyad rulers spent public money on their supporters\nand friends in order to strengthen their government and\nperpetuate their authority. They cut off the heads of the\npeople. They had an army of honey mixed with poison\nand also of poison without honey. Both the parties i.e.\nAli and his descendants as well as Mu`awiya, Yazid and\nother Bani Umayyah had their respective supporters.\n\f Supporters of the two parties\nThe chief characteristic or the best attribute of the\nsupporters of the Family of Abu Talib was their magnani-\nmity. The object of their lives was that they should always\nhelp the oppressed, promote true beliefs and sacrifice their\nlives in the path of truth. Their number was no doubt\nsmall. This did not, however, constitute a shortcoming,\nbecause magnanimous and noble-minded persons are\nalways small in number, but the deep impressions which\nthey leave behind are never obliterated and the result of\ntheir efforts is always far-reaching. The smallness of their\nnumber is a proof positive of the greatness of their object,\nand the loftiness of their aim. At times it so happens that a\nsingle person performs a feat which cannot be performed\nby thousands combined together. The supporters of the\ndescendants of Abu Talib too were firm in their beliefs,\nand steadfast in promoting them, although their number\nwas small.\nThese very friends of Imam Ali were offered wealth\nand positions by Mu`awiya so that they might abuse Ali\nand his descendants, but they declined to do so. He then\nthreatened them with torture. They however, preferred to\nbear all hardships rather than abuse Imam Ali.\nOne day Mu`awiya was sitting with his associates and\nAhnaf bin Qais was also present. In the meantime a Syrian\ncame and began delivering a speech. At the end of his\nspeech he abused Ali. Thereupon Ahnaf said to Mu`awiya:\n\"Sir! If this man comes to know that you are pleased if the\nprophets are cursed, he will curse them also. Fear God and\ndon't bother about Ali any longer. He has since met his\nLord. He is now alone in his grave and only his acts are\nwith him. I swear by God that his sword was very pure and\nhis dress too was very clean and neat. His tragedy is great\".\nThe following conversation then took place between him\nand Mu`awiya:\nMu`awiya: O Ahnaf! You have thrown dust in my eyes and\nhave said whatever you liked. By God you will have to\nmount the pulpit and curse Ali. If you do not curse him\nwillingly you will be compelled to do so.\nAhnaf: It will be better for you to excuse me from doing\n\fthis. However, even if you compel me I will not utter any\nsuch words.\nMu`awiya: Get up and mount the pulpit.\nAhnaf: When I mount the pulpit I shall act justly.\nMu`awiya: If you act justly what will you say?\nAhnaf: After mounting the pulpit I shall praise the Almighty\nGod and shall then say this:\n\"O People! Mu`awiya has ordered me to curse Ali. No\ndoubt Ali and Mu`awiya fought with each other. Each\none of them claimed that he and his party had been\nwronged. Hence, when I pray to God all of you should say\n`Amen'. Then I shall say: O God! curse him who, out of\nthese two is a rebel and let Your angels and prophets and\nall other creatures curse him. O God! shower Your curses\non the rebellious group. O People! say `Amen'. O Mu`awiya\nI shall not say anything more or less than this even if\nI have to lose my life.\nMu`awiya: In that case I excuse you (from mounting\nthe pulpit and cursing). (`Iqd-al-Farid, vol.2 p.144 and\nMustatraf, vol.1, p.54).\nAt times it so happened that Mu`awiya, in order to\nexpress his hatred against Ali, persecuted his supporters.\nThose persons could not tolerate this (i.e. cursing of Ali)\nand abused Mu`awiya and his descendants. They did so\nin spite of the fact that at that time Ali was in his grave,\nand no benefit could be expected from him, and the cruel\nand despotic Mu`awiya was the ruler of the time.\nHistory has recorded many incidents which go to\nshow that the people hated very much this attitude of\nMu`awiya. He executed Hujr ibn Adi, a distinguished\ncompanion of the prophet and his friends for the only\nreason that they refused to curse Ali and his descendants\nfrom the pulpit. We shall give details of this incident later.\nThe followers of Ali zealously kept on looking after\nthe high morality and good qualities which were planted\nby him in their hearts till they bore fruit. All of them,\nwhether men or women, big or small, were alike.\nDuring his rule Mu`awiya once came to Mecca to\nperform Hajj. He enquired about a woman named Darmiyah\nHajuniyah who belonged to the tribe of Kananab and was\ninformed that she was alive. Darmiyah was a black-coloured\nwell-built woman. He called her and on her arrival the\nfollowing conversation took place between them:\n\fMu`awiya: O daughter of Ham! 1 How have you come here?\nDarmiyah: If you are calling me `daughter of Ham' by way\nof ridicule I may tell you that I am not a descendant of\nHam. I belong to the tribe of Kananah.\nMu`awiya: You are right, however, do you know why\nI have summoned you?\nDarmiyah: Only God knows the hidden things.\nMu`awiya: I have called you so that you may tell me why\nyou loved Ali so much and were inimical towards me.\nDarmiyah: I would request you to excuse me from answer-\ning this question.\nMu`awiya: No; that cannot be. You must give me a reply.\nDarmiyah: If you insist on having a reply then hear what\nI say. I loved Ali because he was a just ruler and gave\nevery person what was his due. And I was against you\nbecause you contended with a person who was more\ndeserving than yourself to be ruler, and you desired a thing\nwhich you did not deserve. I obeyed Ali because the\nprophet had appointed him as our Amir and ruler. He\nloved the poor and the needy and respected the true\nbelievers. And I despised you because you shed the blood\nof the Muslims without a just cause, give unjust judgements\nand decide matters arbitrarily.\nMu`awiya: Is it on this account that your belly is swollen,\nyour breast is protruding and your buttocks have grown\nso fat.\nDarmiyah: I swear by God that these things are said\nproverbially about your mother and not about me.\nMu`awiya: Just wait. I have said something good. When the\nbelly of a woman is big she gives birth to a healthy child.\nWhen her breast is big she can suckle her child properly.\nAnd when her buttocks are fat she looks beautiful while\nsitting. Well, tell me: Did you ever see Ali?\nDarmiyah: Yes, by God, I saw him.\nMu`awiya: How did you find him?\nDarmiyah: I swear by God that I saw him in such a condi-\ntion that sovereignty had not made him proud like you\nand the office of the caliphate had not made him proud\nlike you.\nMu`awiya: Did you hear him talk?\nDarmiyah: Yes, by God I did, with his words he used to\nremove the darkness of the hearts and brighten them in the\nsame manner in which gilding brightens a utensil.\n\fMu`awiya: That is true. Now tell me what can Ido for you?\nDarmiyah told him of her requirement. Thereupon\nMu`awiya asked her: \"If I meet your need will you treat\nme at par with Ali?\" Darmiyah retorted: \"You stand no\ncomparison with him\". Mu`awiya met her need and said:\n\"By God, if Ali had been alive he would not have given\nyou so much wealth\". Darmiyah replied: \"You are right.\nHe never gave even a penny out of the property of the\nMuslims to any one unless he was entitled to it\". (Balaghat\nal-Nisa, p.72 and `Iqd-al-Farid, vol.1, p.216).\nOnce Adi son of Hatim came to see Mu`awiya during\nthe period of his rule. Mu`awiya asked him ironically:\nWhat has happened to `Tarafat?' 2 Adi replied: \"They were\nkilled supporting Ali. Mu`awiya said: \"Ali has not been just\nto you. Your sons were killed but his own sons remained\nalive\". Adi replied: \"I, too, have not been just. Ali has\nalready been martyred but I am still alive. Mu`awiya was\ncut to the heart on observing this love and devotion of\nAdi for Ali. He said in a threatening manner: \"One drop\nof Uthman's blood still remains. It can be washed away\nonly with the blood of one of the nobles of Yemen.\n(i.e. Adi).\nAdi did not care for Mu`awiya's threat and said:\n\"I swear by God that the hearts with which we remained\nyour enemies still exist in our bosoms, and the swords with\nwhich we fought against you are still on our shoulders. If\nyou step forward towards us treacherously even to the\nextent of a finger we shall proceed towards you to the\nextent of a span. It is easier for us that our heads are cut\noff and our chests are trampled upon as compared with\nour hearing even a word against Ali. Give the sword to the\nexecutioner (so that he may sever my head)\".\nMu`awiya then resorted to flattery as was usual with\nhim. Addressing those present he said: \"These are words of\nwisdom. Write them down\". (Murooj-al-Zahab v.2, p.309).\nMu`awiya once proceeded to Mecca to perform Hajj.\nWhen he reached Madina and met Sa'd son of Abi Waqas\nhe asked him to accompany him. Sa'd agreed. After per-\nforming the ceremonies of Hajj both of them went to\nDar-al-Nadwa and conversed there for a long time. As Sa'd\nhad come to perform Hajj on the suggestion of Mu`awiya\nthe latter thought that Sa'd supported him. In order to\nfind out as to how far Sa'd supported his attitude towards\n\fAli he began cursing and abusing Ali and asked Sa'd flatter-\ningly: \"Why don't you curse and abuse Ali?\" Sa'd got\nannoyed and said: \"You have made me sit on your carpet\nand then you began abusing Ali. I swear by God that if\nI had possessed even one of the many attributes possessed\nby Ali it would have been dearer to me than anything else\non earth. I swear by God that I shall not come to see you\nso long as I live\". Then he left that place in a state of\nextreme anger\". (Murooj-al-Zahab, vol.2, p.317).\nAmr bin Humq was also one of the staunch supporters\nof the Family of Abu Talib. Ziad bin Abih killed him for\nthe only offence that he loved Ali. After killing him he\nsevered his head and sent it to Mu`awiya. In the history of\nIslam it was the first head which was sent to any one\nas a present.\nAnother sincere supporter of Ali was Maitham\nTammar. He was a close companion of Ali and was aware\nof the dignity and high position of the Imam. He remained\nassociated with Ali for quite a long time. It has been said\nthat Ali usually frequented his shop and if he went on\nsome business leaving Ali in the shop he (Ali) even sold\ndates on his behalf.\nWhen the Comannder of the Faithful Ali and Husayn\nwere martyred and Ibn Ziad had nothing to fear any longer\nin Kufa he threatened Maitham saying that if he continued\nto love Ali and praise him for his equity and justice he\nwould kill him. He tried to coax him by saying that if he\nbecame a supporter of the Umayyad regime his name\nwould be recommended to the king for his being awarded\nalarge amount of money and other presents.\nThis happened at a time when lbn Ziad heard Maitham\ndelivering a speech and was very much impressed by his\neloquence and sagacious reasoning. Amr son of Haris, a\nflatterer of Ibn Ziad's court asked him whether he knew\nwho the man was; and upon his expressing ignorance about\nhim he (Amr) said: \"He is the liar Maitham, supporter of\nthe liar Ali son of Abu Talib\". Ibn Ziad became attentive\nand said to Maitham: \"Do you hear what Amr says?\"\nMaitham replied: \"He is telling a lie. My Imam Ali was a\ntruthful man and the true caliph and I, too, am truthful\".\nIbn Ziad became angry and said: \"Dissociate yourself from\nAli and abuse him and express love for Uthman and praise\nhim, or else I shall amputate your hands and feet and hang\n\fyou\". Maitham replied to this threat by narrating publicly\nthe virtues of Ali and began crying recalling his justice and\nkindness, and then censured and blamed Ibn Ziad and\nBani Umayyah for their rebellion and opposition.\nIbn Ziad flew into a rage and said to Maitham:\n\"I swear by God that I shall cut off your hands and feet\nbut shall spare your tongue so that I may prove that you\nare a liar and your Imam Ali was also a liar\".\nThe hands and feet of Maitham were cut off and he\nwas sent to the gallows. Even then he said loudly: O people!\nWhoever desires to hear the prophet's Hadith about Ali\nshould come to me\".\nThe people gathered round him and he began to\nnarrate the superior merits and virtues of Ali. In the mean-\ntime Amr bin Haris passed that way and enquired as to\nwhy the people had gathered there. On having been\ninformed that they were listening to the traditions of Ali\nbeing narrated by Maitham he hurried to inform Ibn Ziad\nabout the matter and said: \"Please send some one imme-\ndiately to cut off the tongue of Maitham, for I am afraid\nthat if he continues to narrate the virtues of Ali the people\nof Kufa will turn against you and revolt\".\nIbn Ziad sent a man to cut off the tongue of Maitham.\nHe arrived at the place and asked Maitham to take out his\ntongue so that it might be cut off in compliance with the\norders of the governor. Maitham said: \"Did not that son of\na whore say that he would prove me and my Imam to be\nliars? Now you may cut off my tongue\". The executioner\ncut off his tongue and the blood flowed from it so pro-\nfusely that Maitham passed away. Ibn Ziad then crucified\nhis dead body.\nAnother devotee of Imam Ali and martyr in the path\nof God was Rashid Hujari who was a close companion of\nhis. His story also resembles that of Maitham. Ibn Ziad\ntold him that his life would be spared if he dissociated\nhimself from Ali. He flatly refused to do so. Ibn Ziad\nenquired of him as to how he would like to die. Thereafter\nhe got his hands and feet amputated.\nThe greatness and sincerity of the friends of Ali\ncan be assessed from the fact that they loved him whole-\nheartedly and held him in great reverence without any\npressure or coercion. They did not seek any reward or\npraise for doing so. Their only wish was that they should\n\flive and die supporting truth. Their love for Ali was similar\nto that the early Muhajirs and the Ansar for the prophet.\nAmmar Yasir, a zealous supporter of Ali, on seeing the\nlarge army of Mu`awiya in the Battle of Siffin truly men-\ntioned the sentiments of the Shias of Ali in these words:\n\"I swear by God that even if they fight with their arms\nand push us back upto a far off place we shall remain\nconvinced that we are following truth and they are follow-\ning falsehood\".\nThe companions and supporters of Imam Husayn\nwere also like those of his father Ali. They had before\nthem the same lofty object which the devotees of Ali\nhad in view.\nDuring the night of `Asbura when the only alternative\nleft before Husayn was to fight and meet martyrdom and\nwhen only a few hours were left before this was to happen\nhe addressed the small group of his friends and said to\nthem: \"These people want only my head. It is not, there\nfore, necessary for you to lose your lives. You may depart\nin the darkness of night so that nobody can see you\". It is\npossible that he had suggested to them to depart at night,\nso that they might not feel ashamed of leaving him alone\nin the broad day light, or that they might not be located\nand arrested. This was a manifestation of Imam Husayn's\nsublime character. However, his companions said with one\nvoice: \"We shall lay down our lives at your feet\".\nMuslim bin Awsajah Asadi said: \"Should we desert\nyou? Why should we not make our excuse clear before\nGod tomorrow by doing our duty to you? I swear by God\nthat I shall not leave you till I break my lance in the\nbreasts of the enemies. So long as the sword is in my hand\nand I possess strength I shall go on striking them. If I do\nnot have any arms I will stone them and will continue to\nfight till I lay down my life before your very eyes\".\nMuslim proved what he had said. He laid down his\nlife bravely before the Imam.\nWhen Muslim, having been wounded grievously, fell\ndown from his horse Habib ibn Mazahir came by his\nside and said: \"If I had not known that very shortly I am\ngoing to join you I would have asked you to make a will\".\nThereupon Muslim replied and those were his last words:\n\"The only will I have to make is that you should sacrifice\nyour life for the sake of this Imam\". When Hoor bin Yazid\n\fal-Riyahi saw the evil deeds and malpractices of Yazid and\nhis supporters and observed the lofty character of Imam\nHusayn and the faith and steadfastness of his companions\nhis conscience was awakened and he forsook worldly gains\nand offices.\nThis Hoor was one of those commanders of the army\nof Bani Umayyah who had been promised great rewards\nfor fighting against Imam Husayn and killing him and his\nsupporters. Ubaidullah son of Ziad, the Governor of Kufa\nhad specially entrusted this task to Hoor. However, when\nhe approached the camp of Imam Husayn he showed such\nperplexity and anxiety that his companions became doubt-\nful (of his fidelity to the Umayyah regime). Eventually he\ngalloped his horse, reached in the presence of Imam\nHusayn and said: \"O son of the prophet of God! I am very\nmuch ashamed for what I have done and pray to God to\nforgive me. I shall fight for you till I lay down my life\nat your feet\".\nHoor achieved his martyrdom before Imam Husayn.\nAll the supporters and companions of Imam Husayn were\nof the same calibre. Their number was very small but they\nfaced the enemies who were thousands and thousands in\nnumber. They were overpowered by thirst and were in\nperil of their lives but the only thing they were fond of\nwas the death of a martyr. These valiant persons laid down\ntheir lives at the feet of Imam Husayn. Everyone of them\nlonged to achieve martyrdom. They considered this death\nto be a great honour for themselves.\nHusayn son of Ali was martyred and the government\nof Yazid and his associates became an established fact.\nThere was now no hope that the caliphate would return\nto the Family of Abu Talib. Their supporters became\nsure that the bounties of the earth would no longer be\ndistributed among the people through them. However, the\nFamily of Abu Talib and their helpers and supporters\nneither sat still nor was their spirit curbed. In fact it got\nmore awakened that before, and they became more active.\nFor example, when the news of the martyrdom of Imam\nHusayn and his companions reached Kufa Ibn Ziad collected\nthe people for congregational prayers. In a speech after\noffering prayers he said: \"Praised be God who has mani-\nfested truth and granted victory to the truthful people. He\nhelped the Commander of the Faithful Yazid and his\n\fpeople and killed the liar son of the liar father - Husayn\nson of Ali and his associates\".\nHe had not yet completed his sentence when an old\nman named Abdullah son of Afif Azadi, who was a com-\npanion of Ali and had fought valiantly along with him\nin the Battles of the Camel and Siffin, got on his feet and\nsaid loudly: \"O son of Marjana! You kill the descendants\nof the prophets and then dare stand on the pulpit, which is\nthe place meant for the truthfulness! You are a liar and\nyour father was a liar and he too is a liar who conferred\nrulership on you and your father\". Although as a result of\nthis the old man was hanged the following day in the\nground of Kufa, this incident goes to prove that the\ncruelty and oppression of Bani Umayyah did not curb the\nspirit of the supporters of Ali. Rather their will and\ndetermination gained momentum all the more.\nThe well-known poet Farazdaq recited openly and in\nthe very presence of Bani Umayyah, the qasidab (panegyric)\nwhich he had composed in paise of Imam Zain-al-Abedin.\nAt the time the rule of Bani Umayyah was at its zenith and\nnone could dare utter even a word against them. However,\nFarazdaq did not care for his life. He did not praise the\nImam to get a reward or to win favour. It was only a\nmanifestation of love and an ardent desire for obedience to\nhim, which roused him to compose the panegyric. The\nstory runs as follows:\nThe Umayyad caliph Hisham son of Abdul Malik\nwent to Mecca to perform Hajj when he was a prince.\nAfter circumambulation of the Ka`abah he wished to kiss\nthe Black stone but could not reach it. Partly it was due\nto the hatred which the people had in their hearts for\nBani Umayyah that they did not make a way for Hisham,\nand partly it was because the number of the Hajis (pilgrims)\nwas so large that he could not reach there. Hisham had,\ntherefore, no alternative but to go back and sit in a chair.\nIn the meantime Imam Sajjad son of Husayn came and\nproceeded towards the Black stone. The people immediately\nstepped back and made way for him and he kissed the\nBlack stone without any inconvenience. Those who had\ncome with Hisham from Syria asked him as to who that\nrespectable person was. Who was he for whom all the Hajis\nhad stepped back? Hisham knew who he was, but fearing\nthat the Syrians might be influenced by the Imam he said:\n\f\"I don't know who that man is\". Farazdaq could not\ntolerate this disrespect for the Imam by Hisham. He,\ntherefore, stood up and said: \"I know him\". Then he\noccupied an elevated place and recited with great zeal and\ncourage the entire qasida which will for ever remain a\nlasting monument in the literary history of Arabia. Its first\nverse says: \"He is that great personality whose foot-prints\nare known to Mecca, the Ka`abah, the Harem and its\nsurroundings\".\nHisham was very much annoyed to hear the qasida\nand imprisoned Farazdaq. While in prison Farazdaq wrote\na satire against Hisham and Bani Umayyah without caring\nfor the atrocities they might let loose on him. In that satire\nhe said about Hisham: \"He turns the head which is not\nthe head of a chief. He is squint-eyed and his defects\nare evident\".\nWe have mentioned only a few instances which throw\nlight on the conduct of the supporters of the Family of\nAbu Talib. They, however, show very clearly that they\nwere steadfast in their love and reverence for that\nillustrious family and were prepared to lay down their\nlives for the sake of Ali.\n\n\n*********\nHowever, as regards the supporters of Bani Umayyah\nthey could be divided into two groups. To the first group\nbelonged those whose consience had been purchased by\nthe Umayyads through bribes. And the second group\nconsisted of those who were born criminals. Mean persons\nare by their very nature inimical towards those who are\nnoble-minded and magnanimous. As they lack good qualities\nthey nurse a grudge against those who are virtuous and\nbefriend and support those who are base and ill-natured\nlike themselves.\nThe persons who became the adherents of Bani\nUmayyah by means of bribes were the helpers and suppor-\nters of Abu Sufyan. The concept of bribe is different in\nrespect of each individual. Each person is bribed in accor-\ndance with his position and status. Abu Sufyan bribed\nsome persons by means of wealth and others by promising\nthem freedom. For example, he promised Wahshi, an\n\fEthiopian slave (the murderer of Hamzah) that he would\nbe granted freedom if he killed anyone of Muhammad, Ali,\nand Hamzah.\nSome persons were offered high position as bribe.\nThere were many who sided with Bani Umayyah and\nfought against the prophet and his companions with the\nhope that the offices and position held by them during\nthe age of ignorance would remain in tact.\nOne of the supporters of Mu`awiya was Amr son of\nAas who was his right hand. We shall speak about him in\ndetail later.\nThe Syrian soldiers whom Mu`awiya sent to Siffin to\nfight against Ali also belonged to this group. Their object\nwas to serve the man who paid them their wages and made\nattractive promises of wealth and position in the event\nof victory.\nTo this group also belonged the army of Yazid. These\npersons had been bribed heavily by Yazid and his courtiers,\nwho had promised them security of life in case they sided\nwith them. Many of these soldiers had come to fight\nagainst the Family of Ali because they feared that if they\ndeclined to do so they would be subjected to harassment\nand torture. Evidently every person does not possess the\nspirit of sacrifice.\nHistory records that while going from Mecca to Kufa\nImam Husayn met the poet Farazdaq and enquired from\nhim about the attitude of the people of Kufa. Farazdaq\nreplied: \"The hearts of those people are with you but they\nwill draw their swords against you tomorrow\".\nHusayn made a similar enquiry from Majm`a son of\nUbaid Aamari, Majm`a replied: \"The distinguished and\ninfluential persons have been bribed heavily. They are your\nfell enemies. As regards others they are your supporters in\nthe heart but their swords will be drawn against you\ntomorrow\".\nAs regards the other group of the supporters of Bani\nUmayyah i.e. those persons who sided with them on\naccount of their inherent meanness their number was very\nlarge. Had these sinners and criminals been the enemies of\nthe descendants of Abu Talib for the only sake of pleasing\ntheir chiefs they could be excused to some extent, and it\ncould he said that these were worldy-minded persons who\nfought against the descendants of Abu Talib for wordly\n\fgains. Their enmity with this family was not, however, on\naccount of wealth or position which they wanted to acquire.\nTheir enmity was basic and natural just as darkness is\nopposed to light, deviation is opposed to guidance and\nfalsehood is opposed to truth, and oppression and tyranny\nis opposed to justice and equity. They were more hard-\nhearted and cruel than the ferocious animals. They were\nthe deadly enemies of every virtuous person on account of\ntheir inherent wickedness. Only such mean persons can\namputate the bodies of the dead, slaughter the children\nand harass the helpless women.\nOne of these tyrants was Busr son of Artat who has\nbeen given the name of executioner by the historians.\nWhen one studies his character the mentality of the second\ngroup of the supporters of Bani Umayyah can very well be\nrealized. He was the right hand of Mu`awiya in the matter\nof tyranny and oppression. He committed atrocities which\none shudders even to imagine. He killed old men whose\nbacks were bent. He pulled out children from the laps of\ntheir mothers and slaughtered them. And all this was done\nby him to strengthen Mu`awiya's rule. When Mu`awiya\nsent him to Yemen with an army to loot and plunder he\ndisplayed such tyranny and cruelty as is unparalleled in\nhistory. Before his departure Mu`awiya called him and\nsaid: \"Adopt the Hijaz route and reach Yemen passing\nthrough Mecca and Madina. If you pass through a place\nwhose residents are supporters of Ali threaten them so\nmuch that they may become convinced that their lives are\nnot going to be spared. Then compel them to take oath of\nallegiance to me. Kill those who decline to do so. Kill\nthe supporters of Ali wherever you find them\".\nHaving obtained these instructions Busr departed and\nreached Madina. The Governor of Madina was Abu Ayyub\nAnsari, the first host of the prophet in that city. Finding it\ndifficult to oppose Busr he left Madina. Busr entered the\ncity and delivered a speech. He hurled abuses on the\npeople and said: \"May your faces become black! \" Then he\naddressed the Ansar in particular and said: \"O Jews and\ndescendants of slaves! I shall torture you in such a way\nthat the believers will come to their senses. He then\nput many houses to fire. Thereafter he reached Mecca.\nQasham bin Abbas, the Governor of Mecca, ran away.\nThere also Busr abused and threatened the people.\n\fKalbi says that on his way from Madina to Mecca\nBusr killed and plundered a large number of people. When\nthe people of Mecca came to know about it they flew\naway from the city. Two sons of Ubaidullah bin Abbas\nalso left the city. Busr caught them and put them to death.\nSome women of the tribe of Kanana also came out. One of\nthem said: \"I can understand the killing of men but I do\nnot know what offence the children have committed. The\nchildren have never been killed either during the age of\nignorance or after the advent of Islam\".\nThen, passing through Taif, Busr reached Najran\nwhere he killed Abdullah bin Abdul Madan and his son\nMalik. This Abdullah belonged to the family of the in-laws\nof Ubaidullah bin Abbas. Then he assembled together the\npeople of Najran and addressed them thus: \"O Christians!\nO brothers of apes! If I am informed of any such act of\nyours as I do not like I shall mete out such a treatment to\nyou that your race will become extinct, your fields will be\ndestroyed and your houses will become desolate\".\nThereafter he reached San`a and killed a large number\nof people in the city. A deputation of Ma'arib waited on\nhim but he killed all its members. On departing from\nSan`a he again killed thousands of the inhabitants of the\ncity. He again came to San'a and killed some aged persons\nwho belonged to Persia. (Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Ibn\nAbi'l Hadid vol. 1, p.271).\nHistorians say that Busr killed as many as thirty\nthousand persons. They do not include those whom he\nburnt alive. (Ibn Abi'l Hadid vol. 1 , p. 30). The poets\ncomposed many verses about the atrocities committed by\nthis hard-hearted criminal. Yazid son of Muzr`a says:\n\"To whichever place Busr goes he plunders it and sets\nit on fire. His entire life history is full of such crimes\".\nAnother criminal belonging to this group was Ziad\nbin Abih who massacred and plundered the people of Iraq\nin a very dreadful manner. In the first instance Mu`awiya\nacknowledged him to be his brother and gave him the\nname of Ziad son of Abu Sufyan to win his support. Then\nhe appointed him as the Governor of Basra. On reaching\nBasra he delivered his well-known speech called `Khutbah-\nal-Batra'. Then he busied himself in strengthening the\nUmayyad rule. He killed some and awarded punishments\nto others on mere suspicion and doubt.\n\fThere was nothing easier for the supporters and\nagents of Bani Umayyah than to amputate the hands and\nfeet of their opponents, to hang or imprison them, to\nplunder their property, burn them alive, and to humiliate\nthem during their life and also after their death. During\nthe rule of Ziad people suffered untold miseries and\nhardships. None excelled him in cruelty and tyranny from\namong the deputies and agents of Bani Umayyah except\nHajjaj who was even a greater criminal than he.\nCommenting on his own policies and modus operandi\nZiad said thus in the above-mentioned Khutbah-al-Batra.\n\"I swear by God that I shall arrest the master in lien of his\nslave, the person available instead of one who has run\naway, the obedient one instead of the disobedient, and the\nhealthy one instead of the invalid till one of you will say\nto the other: \"O Sa`d! Run away for Sa`id has been killed.\nI shall not eat or drink anything till I set you right and\ndestroy Basra and burn and pull down its houses. Beware!\nNone of you should come out of his house during night.\nWhoever does so shall be beheaded. I swear by God that\nmany of you will be killed at my hands. Everyone should\ntake care that his blood is not shed by me\".\nAfter Basra he became the Governor of Kufa. On the\nvery first day sitting at the gate of the Masjid and got the\nhands of eighty persons cut off. He followed the policy\nof oppression and terrorism to please Mu`awiya. Madaini\nwrites: \"He kept searching the Shi`a of Ali and, as he had\nbeen one of them during the time of Ali, it was easy for\nhim to find them out. He found them out from everywhere.\nHe harassed and intimidated them, amputated their hands\nand feet, made them blind, hanged them on date-palm\ntrees and expelled them from Iraq. The result was that no\ndistinguished Shi`a remained there. We shall shortly narrate\nthe story of Ziad and Hujr Adi, who was one of the\nsupporters of Ali\".\nTo this very group of criminals belonged Ubaidullah\nson of Ziad, the founder of the tragedy of Karbala and\nmurderer of Amr son of Hamq, Maitham Tammar, the\naged Abdullah son of Afif Azdi and thousands of other\ninnocent persons. It was the most ordinary thing for him\nto arbitrarily hang, kill and amputate others. Muslim son\nof Aqil said about him: \"Merely on account of anger,\nenmity and suspicion he kills those whose killing has been\n\fforbidden by God. And this does not affect his merry-\nmaking and enjoyment. He feels as if he had done nothing.\nThe worst type of cruelty and hard-heartedness manifested\nitself on the day on which he martyred Imam Husain.\nEven after the holy Imam's martyrdom Ibn Ziad's shame-\nlessness, wickedness and meanness knew no bounds\".\nShimr son of Zil Jaushan, too, was as nasty in his\nmeanness and wickedness as his master lbn Ziad. He had\na distinguishing quality of nursing grudge and enmity\nagainst all noble and magnanimous person. He made many\nsmall children of Husayn die of thirst, although the\nEuphrates was flowing just in front of them. He ordered\nhis soldiers to trample the body of Imam Husayn with\nthe hooves of their horses as a consequence of which his\nback and many of his ribs were broken to pieces. His dress,\nwhich was torn on account of arrow shots and strokes of\nthe swords, had already been looted. If the small children\nof the Imam's family had come out of the tents, the\nSyrian soldiers would have cut them also to pieces.\nAnother such criminal was Hasin ibn Numayr. Imam\nHusayn had been deprived of water since the seventh day\nof Muharram. On the tenth of Muharram he reached the\nbank of the Euphrates after fighting with the enemies\nand took some water in the palm of his hand to drink and\nquench his thirst. This despicable person suddenly shot\nan arrow which struck the Imam's mouth and as a conse-\nquence of this his mouth and palms were filled with blood.\nOn observing this the wicked person laughed shamelessly\nand went back.\nAnother such sinner was Amr Sa`d. He obeyed his\nwicked master Ubaidullah bin Ziad and made his best\nefforts to carry out his orders, although he could choose\nnot to participate in the tragedy of Karbala (because\nUbaidullah had not compelled him to assume the command\nof the Umayyad forces but had told him that he was pre-\npared to entrust the expedition to some other commander).\nAfter the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his com-\npanions Amr Sa`d made the ladies of the prophet's family\ncaptives and made them pass by the dead bodies of the\nmartyrs whose heads had been severed.\nAmr Sa`d was the first to shoot an arrow on Imam\nHusayn's forces and initiate the battle. He then said\nto the soldiers: \"Bear witness to the fact that the first\n\farrow has been shot by me\".\nAmongst these criminals was also a Syrian who\npointed towards Fatima daughter of Husayn and said:\n\"This slave-girl may please be given to me\".\nAnother supporter of Bani Umayyah was Muslim bin\nUqbah who committed the most dreadful and abominable\natrocities. Yazid sent him to Hijaz in the capacity of\nthe commander of an army. He displayed extreme savagery\nthere. In Madina he killed so many persons that blood\nbegan to flow in the streets of the city. He made it lawful\nfor his soldiers to commit any unlawful act in Madina for\nthree days.\nAs a consequence of this men and women were\nkilled indiscriminately and their property was looted. The\nmodesty of the women was outraged. Children were pulled\naway from the laps of their mothers and thrown on the\nwalls so that their bones cracked and they died. Houses\nwere razed to the ground. The descendants of the Muhajirs\nand the Ansar of the prophet were not spared. During\nthese three days seventeen hundred Muhajirs and Ansar\nwere killed besides ten thousand other men and women.\nHere we reproduce some sentences of the letter which\nMuslim bin Uqbah wrote to Yazid after this event. In this\nletter he has indulged in self-glorification on account of\nhis achievements and has surprisingly enough associated\nall his crimes and atrocities to the will and determination\nof God. He says: \"I have to inform the Commander of the\nFaithful - may God preserve him - that I left Damascus.\nThe preparations which we made before departure were\nseen by you. Marwan bin Hakam also returned from\nDamascus and accompanied me. He proved to be very\nuseful for combating our enemies. May God accord dignity\nto the Commander of the Faithful. Marwan behaved\nexcellently and was so harsh with our enemies that I hope\nthat his services will not remain unrewarded by the Imam\nof the Muslims and the vicegerent of God.\nMay God keep the supporters of the Commander of\nthe Faithful hale and hearty! None of them was inconve-\nnienced and none of the enemies faced them during day\ntime. I did not offer my prayers in the Masjid of Madina\nuntil thousands of persons had been killed and their\nproperty had been freely looted. Every person who came\nbefore us was put to sword. Whoever tried to escape was\n\fpursued. He who was dying of wounds was done away\nwith. As the Commander of the Faithful had ordered we\nplundered Madina for three days. I thank God who cured\nme of my worry when I killed the old opponents and\nhypocrites. Their stubbornness had exceeded all bounds\nand they were old rebels\".\nThe greatest criminal amongst the supporters of Bani\nUmayya was Hajjaj bin Yusuf Saqafi.\nIn compliance with the orders of the Umayyad\ncaliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan, Hajjaj proceeded to the\nHijaz to fight against Abdullah bin Zubayr. He besieged\nMecca where Abdullah had taken refuge. He threw stones\nand fire on Mecca by means of catapults and consequently\na part of the Ka`abah was burnt. When he achieved victory\nhe cut off the heads of many opponents of Bani Umayyah\nand sent them to Abdul Malik at Damascus. He severed\nAbdullah's head and then sent him to the gallows. Not\nonly this but he allowed the dead body to remain on the\ngallows for many days. Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr,\nwho was the mother of Abdullah was very old at that time\nand her son's death had grieved her much. Her eyesight\nhad also grown weak. She came to the place where the\ndead body of Abdullah was hanging and said: \"Has the\ntime not yet come when this rider should dismount?\".\nThis displeased Hajjaj much and he insulted and rebuked\nthe poor old woman.\nAs a reward for this achievement Abdul Malik\nappointed Hajjaj as Governor of Hijaz. He then killed\ninnumerable persons and inflicted very harsh punishments\nupon others. Hajjaj praised himself in these words: \"I am\nvery quarrelsome, extremely revengeful and highly jealous\".\nIt is not possible to asses how much this man hated\nmankind.\nAfter some time Abdul Malik appointed him as\nGovernor of Iraq to suppress disturbances in that region\nand restore law and order. Hajjaj reached Kufa accom-\npanied by only twelve soldiers. However, he sent one man\nin advance so that the people might become aware of his\nimpendingarrival. Everyone began waiting for him in the\nmasjid. It was the month of Ramazan. While the people\nwere expressing their displeasure and hatred on his\nappointment as the governor, he arrived on the scene. He\nwas wearing a red silken turban on his head with which\n\fa large part of his face was covered, and was holding a\nsword and a bow in his hand. He walked on step by step\nsilently. The gathering was also silent. Eventually he\nmounted the pulpit and ordered the people to be called.\nThe people of Kufa came into the masjid.\nHajjaj kept sitting silently on the pulpit for quite\nsome time. The people got tired of waiting and began\nabusing him in low tones. Some of them even picked up\npebbles to throw on him. Suddenly, however, he began\nspeaking and the pebbles fell down from the hands of the\npeople on account of fear.\nRemoving his turban from his head Hajjaj said: \"I am\nthe son of a very brave and terrible person who plunged\nhimself into dangers with closed eyes. When I remove the\nturban from my face you will come to know who I am.\n\"By God I am observing the raised looks, and stubborn\nnecks, and the heads the time for whose chopping off has\narrived, and it is I who will chop them off. I can see only\nblood between the heads and the beards. Look here! The\nCommander of the Faithful (Abdul Malik bin Marwan)\nspread his quiver and examined its wood. Then he found\nme to be the most solid wood and has sent me to you.\n\"O people of Iraq! I swear by God that you are the sources\nof rebellion and treachery; you are the people of most\nimmoral character. I shall peel you in the same manner in\nwhich a wood is peeled and shall beat you as the alien\ncamels are beaten. You are like the people of a village\nwhose inhabitants were leading comfortable lives and had\nenough to eat and drink, and when they showed ingratitude\nin respect of God's bounties, He subjected them to fear and\nhunger. O people of Iraq! O slaves of sticks and sons of\nslave-girls! I am Hajjaj bin Yusuf. I swear by God that\nwhen I swear to do something I do it. Now these groups\nare before me. You should follow the right path for I\nswear by Him who controls my life that I shall make you\nsuch that everyone of you will remain busy with his own\nbody (i.e. I shall give you such a beating that it will take\nyou sufficient time to recover from its effects). You\nshould, therefore, accept justice and forsake injustice\nbefore I mete out such a treatment to you that your\nwomen should become widows and your children orphans.\nI swear by God that if all of you do not go and join\nMohlab's army within three days I shall kill those who are\n\ffound here and shall confiscate their property and demolish\ntheir houses\". These were not empty threats. He treated\nthe people of Kufa more harshly than what he had threa-\ntened them with.\nHajjaj was an equal partner in all the heinous crimes\ncommitted by Bani Umayyah as detailed above. He killed\ninnumerable innocent persons. He himself used to say:\n\"The thing which I enjoyed most was bloodshed, and\ndoing things which none else can pick up courage to do,\nand which have not been done by anyone earlier. (Murooj-\nal-Zahab Mas`udi, Vol.3, p.67).\nAs soon as his name is mentioned one automatically\nis reminded of cruelty and oppression. It appears that\nHajjaj and injustice are concomitants of each other.\nThe historians say: After Ubaidullah ibn Ziad, - the\nmurderer of Imam Husayn, came Hajjaj bin Yusuf. He\nkilled the supporters of Ali one by one on mere suspicion\nand groundless charges. He liked it more that a person\nmight be called an infidel and an atheist in his presence\nrather than a supporter of Ali. In fact in his view the\ninfidels and atheists deserved indulgence and even presents\nand prizes, but the supporters of Ali were fit to be killed.\nHajjaj began his rule in this oppressive manner and\nwas never satiated with the horrible atrocities which he\nindulged in.\nIn Kufa he conscripted the people into the army for\nthree days and sent everyone of them to the theatre of\noperations. There was none who did not go to the battle-\nfield. So much so that children who had not yet come of\nage were also recruited and sent to fight. In the meantime\nUmayr bin Zabi Hanzali came to him and said: \"May God\nbless the Amir! I am an old man. My son is young and\nquite strong\". Hajjaj said: \"This son will prove to be\nbetter than his father\". Then he asked: \"Who are you?\"\nUmayr replied: \"I am Umayr bin Zabi Harzali\". Hajjaj\nsaid: \"Are you not the same man who fought against\nUthman bin Affan?\" Umayr said: \"Yes. I am that man\".\nHajjaj said: \"O enemy of God! Why did you do so?\"\nUmayr replied: \"I did so because Uthman had imprisoned\nmy father who was old and weak. He did not release him\ntill he died in the prison\". Hajjaj said: \"Did you not\ncompose this verse: \"I wished to kill him but I did not.\nO that I had done so, so that Uthman's wives might have\n\fmourned his death\". Then he added: \"I think the two\ncities namely Basra and Kufa will benefit, if you are killed.\nYour excuse is quite clear and your senility is evident.\nHowever, I am afraid that if I spare you others may also\nhave the courage of disobeying my orders\".\nHe was then beheaded in accordance with the orders\nof Hajjaj, his property was looted and his house was razed\nto the ground.\nHajjaj appointed Abdur Rahman bin Ubayd Tamimi,\nwho was a very harsh person, to serve as his deputy in\nKufa. When he was satisfied with the conditions prevailing\nin Kufa he proceeded to Basra. At Basra great opposition\nprevailed against Bani Umayyad dynasty and the city was\nin a riotous condition. There he delivered a speech and\nabused the people of Basra very much. He also threatened\nthem in the same manner in which he had threatened the\npeople of Kufa. He told them that if they did not join\nMohlab's army within three days they would be punished\nseverely. When he descended the pulpit it so happened that\nan old man named Sharik bin Amr Yashkari who was\none-eyed and was suffering from hernia came to him and\nsaid: \"May God bless the Amir! I am a patient of hernia.\nBushr bin Marwan, the brother of the caliph and the\nformer Governor of Basra, had also excused me from\nmilitary service\". Hajjaj said: \"I think you are speaking\nthe truth\". However, immediately after saying this he\nordered his head to be chopped off. The result was that\nevery young and old man of Basra joined Mohlab's army.\nOne day this very Hajjaj was taking his meals and\nsome associates of his were also present at his dinning\ntable. In the meantime the police-men brought a man and\nsaid that he was disobedient. The man was trembling with\nfear. He said to Hajjaj: \"For God's sake do not take my\nlife. I swear by God that I have never borrowed money\nfrom anyone nor have I joined any army. I am a weaver\nand I was arrested and brought here while I was at my\nloom\". Hajjaj ordered the man to be beheaded at once.\nWhen the poor man saw the sword he prostrated himself\nand his head was severed while he was in that posture.\nHajjaj continued eating as if nothing had happened.\nHowever, his associates stopped eating. They were asto-\nnished to see this cruelty. Hajjaj got annoyed and said.\n\"What has happened to yon? Why has the colour of your\n\ffaces changed and why have the morsels of food fallen\nfrom your hands? Is it because one single person has been\nkilled? A disobedient person sets an example for others to\ndisobey. The ruler is entitled to kill him or spare him''.\nAccording to Hajjaj the people of Kufa and Basra\ncould be brought to their senses only when they were\nsubjected to tyranny and cruelty of this kind.\nWhat we have mentioned here is only a very brief\naccount of the atrocities committed by him, otherwise a\nvoluminous book is needed to record his cruel acts and the\nmurders which he committed in different ways.\nIbn Jarood revolted against the cruelty and oppression\nof Hajjaj but the revolt did not succeed and Hajjaj was\nvictorious. He cut off the heads of a large number of the\nrebels and sent them to Mohlab asking him to display them\nextensively so that those who might be thinking of rebellion\nmight ponder over the consequence of such an act.\nThen he conscripted hundreds of thousands of the\npeople of Kufa and Basra to fight against the enemies of\nBani Ummayyah. By doing so he wanted to take revenge\non the followers of Ali, and at the same times he used\nthose soldiers to serve his own interests. As a consequence\nof this there was not a single young man left in those two\ncities who was not compelled to meet death. They were\nkilled either at the hands of Hajjaj or with the swords of\nhis enemies.\nThe people of Iraq revolted against Hajjaj time and\nagain but these revolts were weak and the rebels were soon\noverpowered by Hajjaj and became target of his indignation.\nMost of them were killed, their houses were set on fire,\nand their properties were confiscated. I Hndereds of people\nwere put to death evcrvday. The men and women who\nwere imprisoned in the prisons of Iraq were subjected to\nextreme torture and awaited their turn to be killed. If\nHajjaj or his soldiers did not find time to do away with\nthem they died of hunger.The people were spending\ntheir days in great distress.Their condition became worse\nwhen Hajjaj was victorious in the Battles of Zawiah and\nDayr Jamajam. As a consequence of the Battle of Zawiah\nin which Hajjaj was victorious and Muhammad bin Ash'ath\nwas defeated he captured eleven thousand Iraqis. In the\nfirst instance he promised that their lives would be spared,\nbut, when thev surrendered their arms, he beheaded all\n\fof them. As a result of the Battle of Dayr Jamajam the\nIraqis were completely vanquished. Besides there being\nshortage of food plague also broke out. All the rebels were\ncaptured by Hajjaj and he did not spare even one of them.\nEven after all this widespread destruction, havoc,\nand loot, Kufa and Basra did not enjoy peace. Hajiaj\ncontinued to harass them and the number of those killed\nincreased day after day. Before killing them he wildly\ninsulted and humiliated them and ridiculed their views and\nbeliefs. Just as his slaughtering the people knew no bounds,\nhis insulting and humiliating them also was at its extreme,\nso much so that whenever people met in the masjids and\nbazars they did not talk of anything except that such and\nsuch person was killed the other day, such and such\nwould be sent to gallows that day, and how someone was\nmaltreated before his being put to death.The well-known\nsentence of Hajjaj: \"Soldier! chop off his head\" was\ncommon talk of the town in Iraq.\nHe had such a spite against the Shi'a of Ali that he\nkilled those persons who bore the names of anv of the\nmembers of the Family of Abdu Talib) (e.g. Ali, Husayn)\nMany persons came and offered excuse for their names.\nIt is said that a man came before him and said: \"O Amir!\nMy parents have been very unjust to me. They named me\nAli, although I am a poor and helpless man and need your\nkindness and assisstance\".\nIn short the cruelty of Hajjaj had become proverbial\nand the supporters of Ali were his special target. When\nthose who were killed in compliance with his orders were\ncounted, it transpired that they numbered 120 thousand.\nAt the time of his death fifty thousand men and thirty\nthousand women were in prisons.\nHowever, the Umayyad caliph - Abdul Malik bin\nMarwan made this recommendation to his sons: \"Honour\nHajjaj, because it is he who has trampled upon the pulpits,\ndestroyed the cities and subjugated the enemies for your\nsake\". This recommendation was fully acted upon. After\nAbdul Malik's death his son Walid allowed Hajjaj to continue\nas Governor of Kufa, Basra and the eastern regions.\nBefore ending this chapter it seems necessary to\nmention an extremely tragic event. This event shows appa-\nrently the traits and characteristics of Bani Umayyah and\nthe descendants of Abu Talib and of their respective\n\fsupporters. If on the one hand it displays the greatness and\ndignity of the supporters of Ali it manifests on the other\nhand the meanness and wickedness of Bani Umayyah.\nBriefly the story is this: Hujr bin Adi Kandi was a\nsincere devotee of Ali. When Imam Hasan was obliged to\nmake peace with Mu`awiya Hujr also along with others\ntook oath of allegiance. But this did not make him forsake\nhis love for Ali, and express hatred for him. Rather he\nwished to follow in the footsteps of Ali. He wanted his\ncharacter to be a specimen of Ali's character.\nHujr was was a very sincere and upright person. He\nliked peace and hated fighting and conflict. He whole-\nheartedly supported social justice. He did not consider\nauthority to be anything other than a source of public\nservice. In all these matters his views were the same as\nthose of Ali. If a ruler helped the people he supported him,\nbut otherwise he was his sworn enemy. Hence it was\nnatural that he should not like Bani Umayyah abusing Ali\nfrom the pulpits and should openly express his resentment\nagainst this practice even though he might have to suffer\nhardships at the hands of the ruler of the day.\nHistory says that once Mughayrah bin Sho`ba, the\nGovernor of Kufa abused Ali from the pulpit. Hujr bin Adi\nrose to his feet and said loudly: \"What is all this extra-\nvagant talk. Pay us the stipends which you are withhold-\ning. The money is not for you, and the previous governors\nnever coveted it. You abuse the Commander of the\nFaithful and praise and eulogize the criminals. Many other\npersons supported Hujr and consequently Mughira had to\ndescend the pulpit without finishing his speech. Hujr\ncontinued to criticize Bani Umayyah and did not sit quiet\nas and when he saw the religious laws being infringed.\nIn the meantime Mughayrah died and was succeeded\nby Ziad bin Sumayyah. At one time Ziad and Hujr were\nfriends, but their friendship came to an end on account\nof an incident. It so happened that a Muslim Arab killed a\nZimmi unbeliever. The case came before Ziad who decided\nthat the Muslim need not be punished for the crime but\nshould pay blood-money. The heirs of the Zimmi declined\nto take blood money. Their stand was that:\nIn Islam all the people are the family of God.\nEvery human being is the brother of another human\nbeing whether he likes it or not.\n\fNo Arab is superior to a non-Arab. It is only piety\nand doing good which can make one superior to others.\nHujr believed in the justice which Imam Ali had made\nhis motto and for the sake of which he laid down his life.\nHe, therefore, disliked Ziad's decision. He could not keep\nsilent. He insisted that in the matter of retaliation the\nMuslims and the non-Muslims were equal. Many other\nMuslims lent support to Hujr. Ziad and his men feared that\na disturbance might take place. Ziad, therefore, ordered\nreluctantly that the criminal might be awarded punish-\nment. Thereafter he wrote to Mu`awiya complaining about\nthe conduct of Hujr and his companions. Mu`awiya advised\nZiad to watch the activities of Hujr and his companions\nso that he might find something done by them which\nmight serve as a proof against them. From that time\nonwards the differences between the two parties increased.\nZiad sent some residents of Kufa to Hujr so that they\nmight advise him to refrain from his activities. They came\nback after meeting Hujr and said that he was adamant in\nhis views. Ziad then summoned Hujr but he declined to\ncome. Eventually Ziad deputed a police-officer to arrest\nHujr. A fight however took place between Hujr and the\npolice-party, and Hujr went underground.\nZiad was very much annoyed. He called Muhammad\nbin Ash`ath bin Qais who was a supporter of Hujr and a\ndistinguished personality of the Kandi tribe and threatened\nhim that if he did not introduce Hujr he would put him\ninto prison, and his hands and feet would be cut off and he\nwould be executed. Hujr did not like that another person\nshould suffer on account of him. He, therefore, came\nbefore Ziad but before doing so he obtained an undertaking\nfrom him that he would not molest him but would instead\nsend him to Mu`awiya with whom he would settle the\naffair himself.\nhowever, as soon as Hujr came he was arrested and\nthrown into the prison. Thereafter a search was made for\nhis supporters. After some bloodshed some of them were\narrested and also put into the prison.\nZiad then called the people of Kufa and asked them\nto give evidence against these persons and threatened\nthem. Some of them however deposed that Hujr and his\nfriends loved Ali and none else, and they criticized\nUthman and abused Mu`awiyah. Ziad was not satisfied\n\fwith what they said because he required some decisive\nevidence. In the meantime Abu Burdah bin Abu Musa\nAsh`ari prepared an evidence deed against Hujr: \"This is\nthe evidence which Abu burdah son of Abu Musa Ash`ari\nhas given for the sake of God. He deposes that Hujr and his\ncompanions have ceased to be obedient and have left the\npaty. They have ceased to have any affinity with the\ncaliphate of Mu`awiya and have decided to start fighting\nonce again\".\nWhen Abu Burdah finished writing the deed, Ziadasked\nthe people of Kufa to affix their signatures on it.\nAbout seventy persons signed it. Ziad fraudulently wrote\non it the names of some such persons who were neither\npresent at that time nor had affixed their signatures. One\nof them was the Judge Shurayh. He at once sent a message\nto Mu`awiya dissociating himself from the evidence deed\nand said in clear terms: \"I testify that Hujr is a pious person\nand is one of the distinguished personalities of the age\".\nHujr and his friends were then taken to Mu`awiya.\nZiad's letter and the evidence deed also reached him. He\nread out the two documents before the people. Thereupon\nsome persons advised him to imprison the persons con-\ncerned. Others suggested that they might be kept in\ndifferent cities of Syria and might not be allowed to go\nback to Iraq. Mu`awiya corresponded with Ziad on the\nsubject. He replied: \"If you want to keep Iraq in your\nhands you should not let them come back here\".\nAfter a few days Mu`awiya sent a man to Hujr and his\ncompanions and offered that if they dissociated themselves\nfrom Ali and abused him and praised Uthman, their lives\nWould be spared, but those who declined to do so would\nbe killed\".\nHujr and his friends turned down the offer and were\nconsequently put to death. This tragic story is also recorded\nin all the history books. It shows the loftiness of character,\nthe steadfastness ot these brave men, for they could see\ntheir graves with their own eyes and the swords hanging on\ntheir heads and yet they could not for a moment forsake\ntheir love for Ali.0 What Mu`awiya and his men had done in\ntheir case was that they had dug a grave in front of each of\nthem so that whoever declined to show disgust against Ali\nmight be beheaded and thrown down into the grave.\nSome historians have also stated with regard to these\n\fpersons that two of Hujr's companions were terrified when\nthey saw the swords and the graves and asked Mu`awiya's\nguards to take them to the caliph, saying that they had no\ndifference with Mu`awiya about Ali and Uthman. They\nwere, therefore, taken to Mu`awiya. One of them expressed\nhatred against Ali outwardly, but the other praised Ali and\nhis companions, abused Mu`awiya and his supporters and\nsaid extremely harsh words about Uthman,which Mu`awiya\ncould not tolerate. He ordered the man to be sent back to\nZiad with instructions that he should be killed in a manner\nin which none had ever been killed in the Muslim world till\nthat time. Ziad buried him alive.\nIt is said that when Hujr was going to be killed he\nuttered only this sentence: \"There is God between us and\nthese Muslims. The Iraqis gave evidence against us and the\nSyrians killed us\".\nThere is no doubt about the fact that the example of\ndespotic and dictatorial rule set by the Umayyads dynasty\nand the atrocities committed by them were unparalleled\nand the lives of Ali and his descendants were on the other\nhand the best specimens of purity of intellect and action,\nand of democracy. They did not exploit the people like\nthe Umayyads but considered the produce of the land to\nbe the right of common men rather than that of the rich\nand the influential persons.\nThe nature of the followers and supporters of Bani\nUmayyah had a sharp contrast with that of the descendants\nand followers of Ali. The worldly-minded influential\npersons, therefore, inclined towards Bani Umayyah for the\nsake of material gains and the common people also became\ntheir adherents in large numbers. This happened because at\nthat time the people did not assess the moral values and\ndid not understand what would be beneficial for them in\nfuture and what would be harmful to them. They, therefore,\nthought of immediate gains and did not realize what sort\nof people they were supporting. And when they did realize\nit the time had already passed and it was too late.\nOn the other hand the persons whose nature, morals\nand ways and manners resembled those of Ali and his\ndescendants, inclined towards them, and remained stead-\nfast on the path of truth. They were subjected to severe\npersecution and torture by Bani Umayyah and their\nsupporters but they never wavered or faltered. Following\n\fthe example of their Imam, the Commander of the Faithful\nAli, they laid down their lives but did not tolerate the\nextinction of social justice.\nJust as the supporters and friends of Ali and his des-\ncendants became virtuous and acquired the high qualities\nof magnanimity, mercy and piety, in the same manner the\nfollowers of Bani Umayyah became the victims of vices\nlike egotism, obstinacy, oppression and exploitation.\n\n\n*********\nIt will be better if we mention once again the views\nexpressed by some Arab writers without commenting on\nthem because what we have said in this chapter completely\nrefutes their idle talk. Out of these Arab writers we may\ntake Muhammad Kurd Ali and what has been stated by\nhim about the importance and greatness of Bani Umayyah\nmay be treated as a specimen of the praises showered upon\nthem by others.\nPraising Mu`awiya and his blood thirsty army officers\nwho committed innumerable atrocities as detailed in the\nforegoing pages Muhammad Kurd Ali says in his book\nentitled \"Al-Islam wa al-Hazarat al-Arabiyah \": \"The most\nimportant action which Mu`awiya took was that he\nincreased the salaries of the army and due to his good luck\nhe also acquired the support of some very efficient persons\nlike Ziad bin Abih, Mughira bin Sho`ba, Zuhhak bin\nQais, Muslim bin Uqbah, Busr bin Artat etc\".\nPraising these blood thirsty persons Kurd said that\nthey were very efficient and great personalities of the\ncountry although it was necessary for him to explain that\nIslam has nothing to do with such tyrants and oppressors\nand all civilized people, whether Arabs or non-Arabs, hate\nsuch cruel persons.\nIt is very surprising that Muhammad Kurd Ali does\nnot feel the prick of conscience while writing such things,\nnor does he do justice with those living in the 20th century\nby falsifying historical facts. He also fails to remember\nthat earlier he himself has written in his book: \"During the\ndays of Mu`awiya a pious person was asked: \"In what\ncondition have you left the people?\" He replied: \"I have\nleft them in two conditions - the oppressed who do not\n\fget justice and the oppressors who are not tired of\ninjustice\".\n\n\n\n\n1 Prophet Noah had three sons named Ham, Sam, and Japheth.\nThe black-coloured races are the descendants of Ham. Mu`awiya\ncalled her `daughter of Ham' by way of ridicule on account of her\nblack colour.\n2 Tareef, Tarif and Turfa, the sons of Adi.\n\f Murderers of Uthman\nThe brief account which we have given of the nature\nand habits of Bani Umayyah and the descendants of Ali\nand their respective supporters shows clearly that love for\nauthority and sovereignty, and egotism and selfishness\nhad taken deep roots in the hearts of Bani Umayyah, and\ntheir followers, who possessed habits and nature similar to\ntheir masters were also as ambitious as they.\nAs we have stated earlier Bani Umayyah and their\nsupporters opposed the prophet and Islam, because they\npossessed the mentality of the chiefs of Quraysh who\ncould not tolerate that Islam should restrain them from\ntheir evil acts and destroy their social laws which were no\ndoubt beneficial for the traders and the rich persons, but\nwere death warrants for the poor and the helpless.\nFrom the day on which the prophet announced his\nappointment to the prophetic mission till the conquest\nof Mecca the chiefs and dignitaries among Quraysh had\nembraced Islam but the hopes and objects of each of them\nwere different. The events show that these persons can be\ndivided into three categories as detailed below:\nFirstly there were persons who considered Islam to be\na true religion and embraced it willingly. Their number\namongst the chiefs of Quraysh was the smallest.\nSecondly there were those who were watching as to\nwhich of the two parties - the Muslims and Quraysh was\ngoing to succeed. They wanted to join the successful party.\nTo this category belonged Amr Aas. We shall explain later\nthe circumstances in which he embraced Islam.\nThirdly there were persons who embraced Islam\nreluctantly. They had lost their dignity and honourable\nposition and had joined the ranks of the Muslims with the\nintention of replacing Islam by ignorance as soon as an\nopportunity arose. To this category of the chiefs and\nelders of Quraysh belonged Mu`awiya's father Abu Sufyan\nbin Harb and those tribal chiefs who became apostates\nimmediately after the death of the prophet.\nThe chiefs and elders of Quraysh who belonged to the\nfirst category remained steadfast in their faith but their\nIslam was unconsciously mixed up with their sentiment of\n\fbelonging to high families.\nAs regards the persons belonging to the other two\ncategories the pivot of their politics was only the economic\naspect and its social aggression. The chiefs of Quraysh\nbelonging to these categories united for their personal\nadvantages. If their interests were common they helped\none another but if they were divergent they worked\nseparately.\nThe responsibility for corruption and mischief devolves\non the chiefs belonging to all the three categories although\nthe chiefs belonging to the last two categories had a larger\nhand in it. They did not wish to miss any opportunity of\ngaining wealth and money and did not care as to how\nmany responsibilities rested in those days on the shoulders\nof the Muslims in connection with the promotion of Islam.\nSigns of love for wealth and profit had begun appearing\nfrom beginning of the period of the caliphate of Abu Bakr.\nAn evidence of this is the incident of Khalid bin Walid and\nthe harsh words exchanged in that connection by Abu\nBakr and Umar. The story in short is that Khalid killed\nMalik bin Nuwaira cruelly and unjustly to acquire booty,\nand outraged the modesty of his wife, who was very\nbeautiful. When the news reached Abu Bakr he was asto-\nnished and also felt grieved and uttered this well-known\nsentence. \"War booty has made the Arabs greedy and\nKhalid has disobeyed my orders\".\nWhen Khalid came to see Abu Bakr he had three arrows\nin his turban. When Umar saw him he said: \"O enemy of\nGod! All these acts of yours are hypocritical. By God if I\ngain control over you I shall stone you to death. He then\npulled the arrows from Khalid's turban and broke them.\nKhalid could not pick up courage to say anything as he\nwas under the impression that Umar was acting in accor-\ndance with the instructions of Abu Bakr.\nLater Khalid saw Abu Bakr and put up excuses before\nhim. Abu Bakr believed him and accepted his excuses.\nWhen Umar came to know about this he incited Abu Bakr\nagainst Khalid and suggested that Khalid must be punished\nfor killing Malik. Abu Bakr said: \"O Umar! You had better\nkeep quiet. Khalid is not the first person who has committed\na mistake in the matter of interpretation (of law)\".\nDuring the days of Umar the distinguished persons of\nQuraysh also coveted worldly gains and there are innumer-\n\fable instances which go to prove this fact. The best proof\nof it are the verses which a poet composed and sent to\nUmar. In those verses it had been said that in some cities\nand provinces the distinguished persons and dignitaries\nmisappropriated public property and took care that he\n(Umar) should not come to know about it. It was added\nthat the people were very much distressed owing to this\nexploitation.\nThe poet says: \"When they determine we also deter-\nmine. When they perform jihad we also perform jihad.\nThen where have they acquired wealth from, while we are\nempty-handed?\nWhen an Indian trader brings musk it is found flowing\nin the heads of these dignitaries. Obtain God's property\nfrom whomever you can. These persons will remain\nsatisfied even if you let them retain half of their wealth\".\nUmar ordered some of these persons not to leave\ntheir places or residences and dismissed others from their\nposts. He also made some of them render accounts of their\nearnings and confiscated their wealth.\nUthman gave complete freedom to the dignitaries and\nthe curbs which had been imposed by Umar on their greed\nwere removed. These dignitaries became victorious under\nthe leadership of Bani Umayyah which appeared at one\ntime and disappeared at another. The result was that the\npeople had to suffer great hardships and the dignitaries\nindulged in such nefarious activities as had never been\nobserved during the time of prophet or during that of Abu\nBakr and Umar It will not be out of place to mention here\nwhat Ali said about Uthman and Bani Umayyah before\nUthman became caliph. He had said to his uncle Abbas:\n\"I am sure the Quraysh will make Uthman occupy the\ncaliphate, and Uthman will introduce innovations. If he\nlives I shall remind you of these words of mine and if he is\nkilled or dies Bani Umayyah will keep the rulership revolve\naround themselves\". How true the prediction of Imam Ali\nproved in the matter of Uthman!\nWhen Uthman occupied the caliphate he had to face\nproblems which were very intricate. Bani Umayyah,\ninstead of assisting Uthman in solving them, made them\nmore complicated. Furthermore, they took as much\nadvantage of Uthman's mildness as they could, and based\ntheir policies on family bias, personal influence and\n\fauthority and disregard for public welfare. Utilizing all\nresources of governmental authority they reserved all posts\nand positions for themselves and converted the Islamic\nsystem of government into a pure capitalistic system and\nthe caliphate into kingship. All resources of the State\nbecame the monopoly of their friends and slaves.\nImmediatelty on assuming the caliphate Uthman\nbegan making the people subservient to Bani Umayyah.\nHe made Bani Umayyah rulers of all Islamic cities and\nprovinces and gave them large tracts of land. He made the\nproperty of the Muslims a plaything for the wealthy, and\nopenly supported the capitalist class which had been\ncrushed by Islam earlier. The result was that the dignitaries\nand powerful persons grew much richer and the common\nmen became their slaves.\nWe narrate below a few instances which will go to\nshow what position Bani Umayyah enjoyed during the\ndays of Uthman and how the state had become a plaything\nin their hands.\nUthman gave one-fifth of the war booty received\nfrom the conquest of African countries to his cousin\nMarwan bin Hakam. This innovation was resented very\nmuch by the people! Abdur Rahman bin Hanbal represent-\ning the views of the public says: \"I swear by God that God\nhas not left anything in vain, but you O Uthman have\ncreated a mischief for us. It is a test for you or maybe\na test for us\".\nFadak, which had in fact been inherited by Fatima,\nwas given by Uthman to Marwan. Uthman also gave him\none hundred thousand dirhams out of the public treasury.\nThe Umayyad - Abdullah bin Khalid bin Usayd requested\nhim for assistance and he gave him one hundred thousand\ndirhams, although there was no justification for such extra-\nvagance. He was specially kind to Hakam bin Aas who was\na sworn enemy of Islam, and the prophet had expelled him\nfrom Madina. Uthman gave him one hundred thousand\ndirhams.\nThere was a bazar named Mehzool in Madina which\nwas endowed by the prophet upon the Muslims. Uthman\ngave it away to Harth bin Hakam.\nThere were around Madina pasturages, which had\nbeen declared by the prophet to be the common land for\ngrazing the animals belonging to all Muslims. Uthman\n\fsnatched away those pasturages from the Muslims and\nreserved them exclusively for Bani Umayyah. From then\nonwards only the camels belonging to Bani Umayyah\ncould graze there. The entire amount of taxes received\nfrom the African region i.e. from Egypt to Tangiers was\ngiven by him to Abdullah Bani Sarah. The day on which\nhe gave one hundred thousand dirhams to Marwan bin\nHakam, he also gave two hundred thousand dirhams to\nAbu Sufyan bin Harb. Upon this Zaid bin Arqam, the\ntreasurer, came to Uthman and, with tears in his eyes,\nthrew the keys of the Public Treasury before him. Uthman\nsaid: \"Why are you weeping? I have shown regard to these\npersons on account of our kinship\". Zaid said: \"Even if\nyou had given one hundred dirhams to Marwan it would\nhave been too much, but you have given him one hundred\nthousand dirhams!\" Uthman said: \"Let the keys remain\nhere. It will be possible for me to find many treasurers\".\nA large quantity of wealth was received from Iraq.\nThe whole amount was distributed by Uthman amongst\nBani Umayyah. When he gave his daughter Ayesha in\nmarriage to Harth bin Hakam he gave him one hundred\nthousand dirhams besides what he had already given him.\nHe also gave Harth a large number of camels which were\nreceived from various Islamic countries. He also deputed\nhim to collect zakat from the tribe of Qaza`ah and gave\nhim the entire amount collected by him. It was three\nmillion dirhams. (Sharh Nehjul-Balaghah, Vol. 1, p.98).\nOnce some distinguished companions who were headed\nby Ali met Uthman and had a talk with him about Harth.\nUthman said: \"He is my near relative\". The companions\nsaid; \"Did Abu Bakr and Umar not have near relatives?\nWhy didn't they bestow favours on them?\" Uthman\nreplied: \"Abu Bakr and Umar sought recompense from\nGod by keeping their relatives deprived, whereas I seek\nrecompense from God by bestowing favours on them\".\nThe companions said: \"We prefer their conduct to yours\".\nUthman did many such things as encouraged the\npersons in position to accumulate wealth by unlawful\nmeans. He left the influential persons free to do whatever\nthey liked; rather he made matters easy for them so that\nthey might become participants in the crimes of Bani\nUmayyah and might not get any occasion to criticize\ntheir activities.\n\fTalha bin Abdullah erected a lofty palace in Kufa\nwhich became known amongst the Arabs, after three\ncenturies, as Dar al-Talhatain. As regards his income\nMas`udi has said in Murooj al-Zahab that only from Iraq he\nreceived daily grains worth a thousand gold coins, rather\nmore than that. An equivalent amount was received from\nKanas. The income from Sirat and its suburbs was even\nlarger. In Madina he built a magnificent palace which\nresembled that of Uthman.\nAbdur Rahman bin Auf erected many large and\nspacious palaces and buildings. He had many stables and in\neveryone of them one hundred horses were kept. He also\nowned one thousand camels and ten thousand goats.\nBesides all this wealth he had three million gold coins.\nZaid bin Thabit left behind so much gold that it had\nto be cut into pieces with an axe to be distributed among\nhis heirs. Besides this he left behind a large quantity of\nother properties.\nLaila bin Umayyah left behind half a million gold\ncoins. Mas`udi writes about Zubayr bin Awam that during\nthe time of Uthman he owned one thousand slaves and\none thousand slave-girls. He built splendid palaces at\nvarious places like Basra, Kufa and Alexandria and owned\nfifty thousand gold coins in cash and one thousand horses.\nAfter writing all this Mas`udi says: \"It needs volumes\nto narrate how the wealth of the rich increased during the\nperiod of Uthman. This was not the position during the\ndays of Umar.\nThe wealth of a person with whom Uthman and other\nUmayyads were pleased knew no bounds. The common\npeople starved while the relatives and friends of Uthman\nrolled in wealth. They collected so much wealth that the\npeople had never seen or heard of it. He himself was also\nvery rich. At the time of his assassination his treasurer had\none hundred and fifty thousand gold coins and thousands\nof dirhams. He had property worth about one hundred\nthousand dirhams in the valley of Qura' and Hunayn.\nHe also possessed innumerable camels and horses (vide the\nbook entitled `Uthman' written by Sadiq Arjun, printed\nin Egypt).\nJewels and ornaments of the Iranian emperors which\nwere acquired as war booty during the time of Umar were\nkept in the Public Treasury. During the time of Uthman,\n\fhowever, they were seen shining on the bodies of the\ndaughters of Uthman. The people saw with their own eyes\ntheir rights being trampled upon. The persons in authority\nridiculed the poor subjects who could not dare say any-\nthing in reply.\nMas`udi says about Uthman in Murooj al-Zahab:\n\"Uthman was very prodigal. His governors and other\npersons also followed his example. Uthman built in Madina,\na palace, whose doors were of teak wood. He also acquired\nlarge properties, gardens and springs in Madina.\nUthman gave an open licence to Bani Umayyah to\nappoint or remove the officers. They accumulated wealth\nand created zones of influence and authority for perpe-\ntuation of their rule. The source of all these evils was\nMarwan bin Hakam who was appointed by Uthman as his\nminister. Uthman followed his advice in all matters.\nSimilary Uthman divided the people financially into\ntwo classes. One class consisted of the officers and relatives\nof Uthman who rolled in wealth and committed all sorts of\natrocities, and the other class belonged to the common\npeople who were deprived and helpless.\nPreviously the practice was that the revenue which\nwas collected from a certain city or province was spent in\nthe first instance to assist the needy persons belonging to\nthose very places and the surplus amount was sent to the\ncapital, so that the caliph might spend it on the needy\npersons there. Uthman ordered that the entire amount\nshould be sent to the capital. The self-seekers took much\nadvantage of this change in policy\".\nDr. Taha Husayn says: \"The first trouble which arose\non account of this practice was that capitalism spread in\nIraq and other provinces on a large scale. This practice\nbenefited those who were big capitalists and could purchase\nthe property of the persons belonging to less priviledged\nclass. Thus Talha and Marwan bin Hakam purchased large\nproperties. From then onwards began the practice of\npurchase and sale, mortgage, lease etc. not only in Hijaz\nand Iraq but also in other Arab countries and conquered\nareas, and the large estates came into existence. In the\ncircumstances all sorts of people got engaged in making\nmoney as a result of which a class of rich rulers came into\nexistence. It was more distinguished than the class which\npossessed ancestral estates.\n\fThe second trouble which arose was that the persons\nwho purchased properties in the Arab cities in general\nand in Hijaz in particular endeavoured to gain maximum\nprofit from their lands. They purchased a large number of\nslaves. Very soon Hijaz was like a paradise. Thus a class\nof landlords came into existence in cities like Madina and\nTa'if. They did not work themselves, and spent their time\nin merry-making, and the entire work was done by their\nslaves. All the affairs of these masters were managed by\ntheir servants. These masters were in fact the slaves and the\nslaves were the real masters. On the other side there were\nthe bedouin who were deprived of all amenities of life.\nThey0 did not possess any land in Hijaz which they might\nsell to purchase land in Iraq and they did not also have any\nland in Iraq which they might sell to purchase land in Hijaz.\nThese actions, resorted to by Uthman of his own,\nor on the suggestion of his advisers, produced very evil\npolitical and social results.\nThe political result was that only a few persons\nbecame the owners of enormous wealth. Every capitalist\ndrew the people towards himself by means of his wealth,\norganized a group of his adherents and began thinking of\nbecoming a ruler. Such persons endeavoured to take advan-\ntage of the disunity of the people.\nFrom the social point of view the people got divided\ninto various classes.To one class belonged the persons who\nwere wealthy and enjoyed influence and authority and to\nthe other class belonged the poor and the helpless. Persons\nbelonging to the former class had big estates and slaves\nand servants who worked for them on their lands and\nrendered other services. In between these two classes was\nthe middle class. Those who belonged to this class lived in\nfar offcities. They attacked the enemies and defended the\nfrontiers. The lives and property of the people were safe\nbecause of this class.\nThe rich persons made these middle class people their\ntools. They created dissensions among them and divided\nthem into various groups. The history of the Muslims shows\nthat dissensions first appeared among the affluent persons.\nIn the first instance the capitalists opposed one another,\nand later differences appeared between the middle class\npeople and the rich people. As regards the third class those\nbelonging to it served the rich and worked on their lands.\n\fApparently they did not wield any influence in the\nsociety and did not take part in the dissensions of others.\nTheir differences appeared at a later stage. (AI-Fitnatu'l\nKubra, Vol.1, `Uthman'p. 105 - 109).\nTill that time the Arabs were not accustomed to class\ndistinctions and none had been seen enjoying a distinctive\nposition or receiving special gifts without proper justifica-\ntion. It had also not happened till that time that the welfare\nof particular persons should have been given priority over\nthe welfare of the masses. The character of the prophet,\nhis justice and generosity were deeply imprinted on their\nminds. They were habituated to the government which was\nthe government of the people and not of a few persons,\nthe government of justice and not of tyranny - the\ngovernment which shared the woes of the people and not\nthe one which created disorder and chaos.\nWhen Uthman succeeded Umar as caliph and adopted\nthe policies mentioned above the people were greatly\nperturbed. They complained against these policies to\nUthman time and again and also expressed disgust against\nthe Umayyad governors and officers who followed those\npolicies. At times it so happened that Uthman felt\nashamed on account of the malpractices of the Umayyad\nrulers, heard the complainants patiently and promised to\nremove the corrupt officers. Soon afterwards, however,\nthose officers prevailed upon Uthman and continued to\noccupy their positions, indulged in greater malpractices\nand ruthlessly took revenge on their opponents.\nVery often the Arabs approached Uthman in the\nform of deputations and complained against the Umayyad\nofficers. Uthman promised them that their grievances\nwould be redressed. However, when they returned to their\nhome-towns, the governors and officers concerned put\ntheir leaders to death. Those who escaped punishment\nwent to Madina again and complained to the distinguished\ncompanions of the prophet. The companions approached\nUthman and supported the cause of the complainants.\nUthman issued orders dismissing the oppressive ruler and\nappointing a new one in his place. However, before the\nnew nominee proceeded to his place of duty a messenger\nwas sent to the dismissed ruler with a letter containing\ninstructions that the new appointee as well as the persons\nwho had approached the caliph in the form of adeputation\n\fshould be put to death as soon as they arrived. Conse\nquently the old ruler remained at his post and carried out\nthe orders of the caliph meticulously and bec!e more\nviolent in his oppression.\nThese were the policies which Uthman adopted on\nthe advice of influential persons to ensure their welfare and\nsafeguard their interests. The common people were subjec\nted to great oppression during his period. Some times they\nremained silent and at other times they opposed and criti\ncized the regime openly. Some poets have drawn very true\npictures of the capitalists of that time.\nThere were some magnanimous persons also in the\nsociety, who possessed enlightened minds and speaking\ntongues and enjoyed great respect among the Muslims.\nThey were also extremely frightened like other persons on\naccount of the prevailing conditions. However, they strongly\nopposed the plutocracy of Bani Umayyah and the policies\nadopted by Uthman and his associates. Their opposition\nwas, nevertheless, based on principles and without any bad\nintentions whatsoever. Their objections were quite sensible\nand free from personal bias.\nWe shall see later how cruelly these well-intentioned,\ntruthful and pious critics were dealt with.\n\f The volley of criticism\nAs we have explained above, Bani Umayyah and their\nsupporters and the wealthy and influential persons of the\ntime were responsible for the shortcomings in the adminis-\ntrative, political and financial policies of Uthman which\nresulted in great evils, disturbances, and chaos. Uthman\nhimself was responsible for this state of affairs in no lesser\na degree because he relied on Bani Umayyah and favoured\nthem, ordered whatever they desired and forbade what\nthey disliked. In fact they were the real rulers and Uthman\nwas their obedient servant. Imam Ali has drawn a very true\npicture of the caliph by saying: \"He is like a man who is\nchoked by drinking water\" (because the remedy for being\nchoked is drinking water, but if a person is choked owing\nto drinking water there can be no remedy for him). He\nfurther says: \"A person whose favourites and confidants\nare corrupt is like one who is choked by drinking water\".\nJust as Uthman had given complete freedom to Bani\nUmayyah to acquire influence and authority and allowed\nthe dignitaries to accumulate and hoard wealth by exploiting\nthe common people, he had also permitted his advisers to\ncurb the freedom of the distinguished companions of the\nprophet if they raised any objection, and asked them to do\njustice to the public. It so happened very often that only\nplacing restrictions on the truthful and justice-loving\nbelievers was not considered sufficient but Uthman awarded\nthem severe punishment either of his own accord or on the\nsuggestion of Marwan. He considered them to be his\nenemies as if they wanted to deprive him of the goodness\nof Marwan and his brother Harth. Uthman in all matters,\nwhether big or small followed the advice of Bani Umayyah\nwho were his chief advisers and had eventually lost his life\non account of them. They took all powers in their own\nhands, whether with or without Uthman's willingness, and\nmade him helpless. They really wanted his death, and\nsecretly revolted against him, so that another Umayyad\nmight become the caliph. All their supporters helped them\nin this matter and when Uthman got encircled by his\nenemies they (i.e. Bani Umayyah) flew away leaving him in\nthe lurch just as his other supporters had slipped away.\n\fUthman kept away from himself all those well-\nwishers of his with whose help the conditions could\nimprove, and made Bani Umayyah his confidants and\nadvisers. They advised him to keep at arm's length all\nthose persons who were considered to be his enemies\nalthough in fact they were not his enemies.\nA mischievous and ill-natured person, Marwan, was\nhis chief adviser, but he did not consider Ali fit to be\ntrusted, although if his views had been accorded weight he\nwould have given Uthman sincere and far-sighted advice\nand would have stopped him from nepotism and showing\nspecial favour to his friends. He would have set the govern-\nment on a stable and profitable path, and preference\nwould have been given to welfare of common people, who\nhave been protected from oppression and tyranny.\nMarwan enjoyed such an influence on Uthman that\nhe never acted then, went up to Uthman and told him that\nAli and other distinguished companions were conspiring\nagainst him. He used to say: These people are instigating\nthe public against you. The only way to maintain law and\norder and to save the caliphate is that you should kill\nAli and all other distinguished companions of the prophet\nso that the affairs of the State should be set up according\nto the advice of Bani Umayyah. It is they who are your\nrelatives and real well-wishers who would like your rule\nto continue.\nWhen general revolt against Uthman took place in all\nthe cities he called a conference to consider ways and\nmeans to restore law and order. Only Bani Umayyah and\ntheir supporters were invited to attend this conference.\nIt was these very Bani Umayyah against whom the\ncompanions of the prophet and the public had complaints\nand it was on account of them that the people had\nrevolted. However, instead of calling the companions of\nthe prophet and holding consultations with them to\nimprove the situation Uthman called those, who were the\nroot-cause of all troubles, and because of whom the people\nhad became the enemies of Uthman.\nAll those who participated in the conference expressed\ntheir views and suggested ways and means of tackling the\nsituation. It would appear that some of them wanted\ndisturbances to continue because their interests could be\nserved better by this. Others wanted the trouble to flare\n\fup for the same reason. Still others wanted improvement\nof the situation provided that their own influence and\nauthority did not suffer.\nAll those who participated in the conference were\ninimical towards Ali. They were afraid that his justice,\ntruthfulness and piety might spoil their own game and\nrepress their oppressive activities, and his policy of equity\nand equality might make their capitalist government fall\nto the ground. The most active members of the conference\nwere Mu`awiya, Marwan and Amr Aas. It can, therefore,\nwell be imagined what the result of those consultations\nshould have been.\nAli did not care if Uthman did not consult him in\nthose difficult circumstances. He was anxious that the\nconditions of the Muslims should improve and justice and\nequity should be established, even though Uthman and his\nsupporters might become his enemies. He continued to\nadvise Uthman till the last moment to redress the grievances\nof the people and compensate them for the oppression\nsuffered by them so that his caliphate might not be endan-\ngered. Once when the people became furious and wanted to\nattack Uthman he pacified them, and also advised Uthman\nin these words: 1 \"People are waiting for me outside and\nthey have sent me to you to settle the differences between\nyou and them. I swear by God that I cannot understand\nwhat to tell you when I do not know anything of which\nyou are not aware, and have not to communicate to you\nany news which has not already reached you. I know what\nyou know. I did not know anything which I might tell you\nnor have I heard anything in private of which I might\ninform you. You saw as I saw and you heard as I heard.\nYou have been in the company of the prophet as we have\nbeen. The responsibility to act rightly did not rest more on\nthe sons of Abi Quhafa and Khattab than it rests on you.\nIn fact you are nearer to the prophet on account of\nkinship than they were, and you are in a way the son-in-law\nof the prophet, while they were not so. You must feat\nGod, I swear by God that I am not tendering you this\nadvice because you cannot see anything and I am not\ntelling you all this because you do not know it. And there\nis no question ot your ignorance because the path of\nreligious law is quite evident and clear. Take it to your\nheart that out of His slaves God likes most the just ruler,\n\fwho is a guided person himself and guides others also,\nstrengthens known practices and destroys unknown\ninnovations. And the most despicable of the people before\nGod is that unjust ruler who remains misguided and others\ntoo are misguided on account of him. I have heard the\nprophet saying that on the Day of Judgment an oppressor\nwill be brought in such a manner that there will be none\nwho will help him or intercede for him and he will be\nthrown into the Hell straightaway\".(Nahj al-Balaghah)\nUthman was nonplused when he heard logical remarks\nof Ali. He only said: \"I have done nothing wrong. I have\nbeen only kind and benevolent to my kith and kin\".\nTruth was intermingled with falsehood and good with\nevil. The malpractices of Bani Umayyah went on increasing.\nUthman gave them plenty of rope and himself became\nhelpless before them. Ali has drawn a concise and precise\npicture of the caliphate of Uthman in these words: \"He\nsupported his kinsmen in the most absurd manner\".\nAbout his Umayyad Kinsmen he says: \"With him\nstood up Bani Umayyah, the descendants of his father, and\nthey began to munch God's property just as a camel\ngrazes spring grass\".\nThus Bani Umayyah and their supporters brought\nUthman on a path which was the path of annihilation and\nruin. It was for his nepotism that he lost his life. His wife\nNa`ela also knew to what direction Bani Umayyah were\ncarrying him. She also knew that Ali was the most sincere\nand truthful person and the real well-wisher of Uthman.\nShe, therefore, insisted upon him persistently that he\nshould consult Ali. However, the wicked and mischievous\nadvisers who were constantly hovering around Uthman\nopposed Na`ela's suggestion and said that she was an\nimprudent woman and he should not lend ears to what\nshe suggested.\nOnce Marwan said to Uthman: \"I swear by God that\nit is better to stick to your sins and apologize to God, than\nthat you should repent with fear\".\nIt means that Marwan admitted that Uthman's policy\nwas wrong and his methods were the methods of wrong-\ndoers, but according to him (i.e. Marwan) it was better to\nstick to one's sin and evil-doing than to feel ashamed and\nrepent of it.\nNo advice could reach the ears of Uthman except that\n\fwhich was uttered by Marwan. Uthman agreed imme-\ndiatley to what Marwan said but did not listen to what was\nsaid by others.\nMarwan spoke to the people in the name of the\ncaliph and what he said consisted of nothing except\ncensure, threats and obstinacy, and was sufficient to create\nan uproar against Uthman. Once he said, addressing the\ninsurgents who had besieged Uthman's house: ``What has\nhappened to you people? Why have you gathered here?\nDo you want to take away the government from us?''\nThis sentence of Marwan is sufficient to indicate the way\nof thinking of all the Umayyads, according to them all\nthose oppressed persons who had come to get their\ngrievances redressed had come only to loot and plunder.\nDemand for the restoration of usurped rights and a\njust government, and stopping oppression and taking\naction against those, who had violated the rights of the\npeople, and similar other things in connection with which\nthe people had come to lodge their complaints, were things\nwhich, according to Marwan, did not deserve any attention.\nAccording to him the caliphate, sovereignty and rulership\nwere the means of displaying power and authority and had\nnothing to do with the protection of the rights of the\npeople or the safeguarding of the faith and the religious\nlaw. According to him it was the kingship of Bani Umayyah\nwhich they had been waiting for a long time to sieze, and\nthus re-establish their power and authority which had been\ndestroyed by Islam. And that being so he could not\nunderstand why the people should endeavour to deprive\nBani Umayyah of their hereditary government.\nAll those persons who disliked the financial and\nadministrative policies of Bani Umayyah and criticized\nthem sincerely became the target of Uthman's wrath on\nthe suggestion of Marwan and his other associates and\nadvisers. One of those persons who opposed these policies\nand methods was Abdullah bin Mas`ud, a distinguished\ncompanion of the prophet. In order to explain how much\nthe people were grieved on account of the oppression to\nwhich this companion of the prophet was subjected, it\nappears necessary to give a brief account of his life history.\nAbdullah bin Mas`ud was one of those persons who\nembraced Islam first of all. It is said that his number was\nsixth on the list. He had the honour of migrating twice\n\fin the first instance to Ethiopia and then to Madina. He\nalways remained in the company of the prophet. He was\none of those whom the prophet loved and respected for\ntheir truthfulness, honesty and piety.\nThe Muslims of the early era considered Ibn Mas`ud\nto be one of the greatest scholars. It was on account of his\nprofound knowledge that Umar sent him to Kufa to guide\nand educate the people of that city, although he himself\nneeded his advice in Madina. While sending him to Kufa\nUmar sent a letter to the citizens of Kufa. He wrote:\n\"I am sending Abdullah bin Mas`ud to educate you. By\nsending him to Kufa I have given you preference over\nmyself. You should acquire knoweldge from him\".\nMany Kufans benefited from Ibn Mas`ud. The number\nof his pupils increased day after day and they became\nrenowned scholars. The famous Tabe`i (companion of the\ncompanions of the prophet) Sa`id bin Jaybar used to say:\n\"The pupils of Abdullah bin Mas`ud were the lamps of this\ncity\". (i.e. Kufa).\nAll the Muslims acknowledged Abdullah bin Mas`ud\nto be an erudite scholar. So much so that during the time\nof Umar it was he to whom the Kufans referred their\nreligious problems and only his judgments were accepted\nby them.\nIn the matter of exegesis also he was one of the top-\nmost authorities, and his rank was almost equal to that of\nAbdullah bin Abbas. He had many pupils who distinguished\nthemselves in this branch of learning, such as Qatada and\nMasrooq ibn Ajda`.\nIn short Abdullah bin Mas`ud was the most respectable\npersonality of his time. He was honoured in all Islamic\ncities more than every other companion of the prophet.\nHow did Uthman behave towards this distinguished\ncompanion? Ibn Mas`ud was one of those distinguished\ncompanions who openly disapproved and fearlessly criti-\ncized the policies and the modus operandi of Bani Umayyah.\nOn every Friday he used to say in Kufa: \"The most correct\nword is the Book of God and the best guidance is that\nprovided by prophet Muhammad and the worst things are\ninnovations. Every innovation is deviation and every\ndeviation leads one to Hell\".\nThe above statement of lbn Mas`ud contained clear\ncriticism of Uthman and the actions which he took for the\n\fbenefit of only Bani Umayyah and the wealthy and\ninfluential persons ignoring the welfare of the common\nman.\nHe said many things criticizing Uthman, for example,\nhe said: \"In the eyes of God Uthman does not have even\nas much value as the feather of a fly\".\nWalid bin Uqbah, the Governor of Kufa, resented\nvery much the remarks of Ibn Mas`ud about Uthman.\nThis Walid was a brother of Uthman from his mother's\nside and was a great drunkard and a licentious person.\nUthman had appointed him as the Governor of Kufa not-\nwithstanding the displeasure of the residents of that city.\nWalid wrote to Uthman informing him that Ibn\nMas`ud criticized and abused him (Uthman). Uthman\nasked him to send Abdullah to him. It has been narrated\nthat when Abdullah left Kufa for Madina many persons\ncame to bid him farewell. Everyone of them requested him\nnot to leave Kufa and assured him that they could not let\nhim suffer any harm. He, however, replied: \"There is\nsomething which must happen soon\".\nAbdullah bin Mas`ud reached Madina on Friday night.\nWhen Uthman came to know about his arrival he made\nthe people gather in the masjid and said to them: \"Just\nsee a mean animal is coming towards you who tramples\non his food, vomits and excretes\". lbn Mas`ud said: \"I am\nnot like that. Of course, I am a companion of the prophet.\nI was with him in the Battle of Badr and also participated\nin Bai`at al-Rizwan (the oath of allegiance taken under a\ntree at Hudaibiya).\nAyesha said loudly from her house: \"Uthman! You\nare saying these words about a companion of the prophet!\"\nOthers also disliked these remarks and expressed their\nresentment. As ordered by Uthman his officials and slaves\nturned Ibn Mas`ud out from the masjid in a very rude\nmanner. They dragged him to the gate of the masjid and\nthere they threw him down on the ground. Then they beat\nhim so mercilessly that he broke his bones and from there\nhe was carried home like a dead body.\nUthman was not satisfied with the beating and\ninsulting to which this great companion of the prophet\nwas subjected. He stopped the stipend which he used to\nget from the Public Treasury and deprived him of all his\nsources of livelihood. He also ordered the people not to\n\fvisit him to enquire about his health. Eventually Ibn\nMas`ud passed away and Ammar Yasir offered his funeral\nprayers and buried him secretly. When Uthman was\ninformed about it he became very furious.\nAnother respectable person who became the target of\nUthman's wrath was Ammar Yasir. He was one those great\npersonalities of Islam who are well-known for their virtues,\nhigh morals and piety. His worth and value was best\nknown to the prophet and he knew what great merits he\npossessed. That is why he paid him glowing tributes which\nhe amply deserved. For example he said about him: \"When\ndissensions take place between the people the son of\nSumayyah (i.e. Ammar) will be on the side of right\"\nMany differences arose between the Muslims during\nthe early days of Islam and Ammar always sided with Ali.\nIt was on account of these qualities and virtues that the\nMuslims loved him and Bani Umayyah and their supporters\nwere his sworn enemies.\n\nThe first action of Uthman which Ammar disliked\nwas that he made wealth a plaything in the hands of the\naffluent persons. As explained by Ammar himself he used\nto meet Uthman very often and advised him to administer\njustice, avoid nepotism and refrain from making Bani\nUmayyah the overlords of the people. Consequently\nUthman got annoyed with him as he was annoyed with\nother virtuous people. It has been narrated that there was\na casket in the Public Treasury which contained ornaments\nand gems. Uthman removed this jewellery from the treasury\nand gave it to one of his wives to wear. The people objected\nto this and criticized him severely which made him furious.\nSpeaking in a public gathering he said: \"I shall take what-\never I like out of the war booty, and damn care if some\none dislikes it\". Thereupon Ali said: \"In that event you\nwill be restrained from doing so and a wall will be raised\nbetween you and the Public Treasury\". Ammar said: \"I call\nGod to witness that I am the first person to dislike this\nmisappropriation\". Thereupon Uthman said: \"O Ammar!\nHow dare you speak against me? Arrest him\".\nSuddenly Marwan got up and said to Uthman:\n\"O Commander of the Faithful! This slave (Ammar) has\ninstigated the people against you. If you kill him others\nwill learn alesson\".\n\fUthman got ready immediately to act on Marwan's\nsuggestion. He picked up his stick and beat Ammar\nmercilessly. His slaves and other members of the Umayyad\nFamily also helped him. Uthman also kicked him in a very\ninsulting manner and inflicted him so many kicks on his\nbelly below the navel that he developed hernia. Thereafter\nhe was thrown on the road while it was raining and\nthundering, and he became almost dead.\nThe third distinguished companion of the prophet\nwho was subjected to dreadful torture by Uthman and\nother members of the Umayyad Family was the great\nreformer Abu Zar Ghifari. It was the same Abu Zar who\nis renowned for his philanthropy and love for justice.\nHe was a supporter and most devoted follower of Ali.\nIn order to explain the true position of the opponents\nof Uthman's policies and the conduct of Bani Umayyah we\ngive below a brief account of the life history of Abu Zar\nwho was one of the greatest men of his time.\nDuring the age of ignorance Abu Zar was an indigent\nperson but in spite of that he was the chief of his tribe.\nWhen he heard about the prophet he came to Mecca in\nsuch a condition that he was wearing a worn out and\ntattered cloak. On reaching Mecca he began roaming about\non the streets. At last when he got tired he lay down on\nthe ground near the Ka`abah, placing his cloak under his\nhead. In the meantime Ali chanced to pass by him and\ntook much pity on him, because it appeared that he was\na poverty-stricken stranger, who was not acquainted with\nanyone in the city. They got themselves introduced to\neach other and Ali took Abu Zar to his house. Later he\ntook him to the prophet. On meeting the prophet Abu Zar\nimmediately embraced Islam. He was the fifth to adopt\nthis religion.\nAbu Zar was so sincere and brave that after\nembracing Islam he stood near the Ka`abah where a large\nnumber of Quraysh - the fell enemies of Islam - were\nassembled. There he ridiculed the idols and invited those\npresent to Islam. Till then none had been able to show\nsuch a valour. Quraysh assaulted him and beat him so\nmuch that he was almost dead.\nAbu Zar was the most favourite and dear companion\nof the prophet on account of his foresight, prudence,\nwisdom, zeal for reform, and love for the poor. The people\n\falso relied upon him and respected him very much. All the\ncompanions held him in great respect. Ali has said about\nhim: \"Abu Zar has such vast knowledge that none has\nbeen able to equal him\".\nWhen Uthman attained to the caliphate Abu Zar's\nastonishment knew no bounds. He could not understand\nwhy Uthman had been made caliph in the presence of a\nlearned and pious person like Ali. However, he did not\nopen his lips against this selection because Ali did not\nwant that any disturbance should take place for his sake.\nSoon afterwards, however, Abu Zar saw that whereas the\ncommon people were leading very miserable lives Bani\nUmayyah were amassing wealth and living in luxury. He\nfelt that Uthman showering wealth upon his relatives by\ndepriving the common people of their rights, and this\ndisturbed him very much. He openly criticized this policy\nwhich had divided the people into two groups - the\naffluent and the indigent. Abu Zar often addressed the\npeople in these words: \"Such things are taking place as\nwere never seen or heard of previously. I swear by God\nthat such actions are neither sanctioned by Qur'an - the\nBook of God nor supported by the Sunnah of the prophet.\nI swear by God that I see that truth is being suppressed\nand falsehood is being encouraged. Things which are right\nand true are being refuted and impious persons are being\npreferred. Almighty God says: \"Tell those who hoard gold\nand silver and do not spend their wealth in the path of\nGod that their foreheads, flanks and backs will be branded\nwith fire\".\nHe added: \"You have adopted silken curtains and\nseats and have become habituated to lying in azrabi silk\nwhereas the prophet used to sleep on a mat. You eat food\nof various kinds whereas the prophet did not eat even\nbarley bread to his fill\".\nAbu Zar demanded from the party in authority to do\njustice to the poor people who had been deprived of their\nrights. He encouraged the people to wrest their rights by\nforce and to put an end to indigence which is the source of\nhumiliation and an enemy of virtue. He used to utter the\nfollowing sentences often:\n* \"I wonder as to why a person who has nothing in\nhis house to eat, does not draw a sword and attack the\npeople\".\n\f* \"When poverty proceeds towards a town infidelity\nasks it to take it with itself\".\nHe was so much disgusted with the egotism and\nprofiteering of Bani Umayyah that he left Hijaz and went\naway to Syria, so that he might not see the extravagance of\nUthman and Marwan with his own eyes. However, on\nreaching there he found that the activities of Mu`awiya\nwere even more objectionable than those of Uthman and\nMarwan. (The fact is that Abu Zar did not go to Syria of\nhis own free will. He was exiled there by Uthman). There\nhe said that Mu`awiya's extravagance had far exceeded that\nof Uthman and Marwan. He saw that Mu`awiyah had\nbecome the master of the Public Treasury as well as of the\nlives and property of the people. He observed that he\nsquandered away the property of the Public Treasury,\ngrabbed the earnings of the Muslims and killed whomsoever\nhe wished to. All this made him too furious. When\nMu`awiya constructed the Green Palace Abu Zar sent him\na message saying: \"If you have built this palace by spending\nthe property of God you have been guilty of misappropria-\ntion and if you have spent the money from your own\npocket you have been very extravagant\".\nBani Umayyah could not tolerate such a truthful,\nfreedom loving and out-spoken person, nor could they\npermit him to mix up with the people. Marwan instigated\nUthman every now and then to get rid of him. Uthman\nasked Mu`awiya to take repressive measures againt Abu Zar.\nMu`awiya turned Abu Zar out of his court and issued\norders that none should associate with him. It was at\nUthman's behest that Mu`awiya said to that distinguished\ncompanion of the prophet: \"O enemy of God! You\ninstigate people to be against me and do whatever you like.\nIf I had killed any companion of the prophet without the\nprior permission of the ruling caliph it would have been\nyou\". Abu Zar replied: \"I am not an enemy of God or of\nHis prophet. Rather it is you and your father who have\nbeen the enemies of God. Both of you embraced Islam\nonly outwardly and infidelity still lies hidden in your\nheart\".\nAbu Zar did not attach any importance to Mu`awiya's\nthreats, and continued reforming the Syrian society\nwith so great a zeal and enthusiasm, that Mu`awiya was\nout of his wits. The rich people of Syria were as scared of\n\fhis reformative activities as the people of Madina were.\nThey feared that the common people might attack them.\nThey, therefore, considered it necessary that Abu Zar\nshould be turned out of Syria as early as possible, and\nshould also be restrained from making any speeches so\nthat he might not bring their malpractices to light. In the\nmeantime a man named Jundab bin Fehri came to\nMu`awiya and said as a sincere adviser and in a meek tone:\n\"Abu Zar will create trouble for you in Syria. If you need\nSyria, you should take care of it immediately\".\nMu`awiya thought of killing Abu Zar but feared that\nthe people might revolt. As said by Hasan Basri:\n\"Mu`awiya did not refrain from killing a distinguished\ncompanion like Abu Zar, because he feared Uthman's\ndispleasure. He did not kill him, because he was afraid of\nthe displeasure of the public. He therefore, wrote to\nUthman and sought his advice. Uthman replied: \"Send\nAbu Zar to me mounted on a vicious animal along with\na man who should subject him to as much trouble as\npossible on the way\".\nMu`awiya did as he was advised by Uthman. He made\nAbu Zar mount a camel with a saddle on which there was\nno cover. By the time he reached Madina pieces of flesh\nwere cut off from his thighs and owing to the long journey\nhe had broken his back. From Damascus to Madina he was\naccompanied by cruel and savage soldiers who did not care\neither for the hot weather or for his fatigue. He was very\nmuch tired and had become lean and weak when he reached\nbefore Uthman.\nImmediately on seeing Abu Zar Uthman protested\nagainst his activities. Abu Zar replied: \"I wished you well\nbut you decieved me. Similarly I wished your friend\n(Mu`awiya) well but he also deceived me\".\nUthman said: \"You are a liar. You want to create\ntrouble. You have turned the entire country of Syria\nagainst us\".\nAbu Zar said with great confidence and composure:\n\"You should follow in the footsteps of Abu Bakr and\nUmar. If you do so none will say anything against you\".\nUthman said: \"May your mother die! What have you\nto do with this matter?\"\nAbu Zar replied: \"So far as I am concerned I had no\nalternative but to order the people to do good and to\n\frestrain them from evil\".\nIte contention between Abu Zar and Uthman\nbecame much more serious. Abu Zar accused Uthman of\nbeing subservient to his wishes was disobedient to God,\nand unkind to His creatures. Uthman got very much\nannoyed and cried out: \"0 people! Tell me how to deal\nwith this aged liar. Should I beat him or kill him or banish\nhim from the Islamic territories? He has created a split\namong the Muslims\".\nAt that time Ah was also there. He was very much\ngrieved to see the treatment meted out by Uthman to a\ngreat reformer and distinguished companion like Abu Zar.\nHe turned towards Uthman and said: \"I heard the prophet\nsaying that between the earth and the heavens there is\nnone more truthful than Abu Zar\".\nUthman continued harassing Abu Zar. He ordered the\npeople not to associate with him. Then he thought of\nbecoming reconciled with Abu Zar. He, therefore, sent him\ntwo hundred gold coins to meet his needs. Abu Zar asked\nthe man who had brought the money to him: \"Has Uthman\ngiven the same amount to every Muslim?\" The man replied\nin the negative. Abu Zar returned the money to Uthman\nand said, \"I am a member of the Muslim society and\nshould, therefore, get only as much as others get\". When\nhe returned the gold coins there was nothing in his house\nto eat except a stale loaf of barley bread!\nIn the first instance Uthman handed over Abu Zar to\nthe executioners. On reconsideration, however, he decided\nto banish him to Rabazah. It was a barren region where\nneither man, nor animal nor vagetation could sun'i!e.\nWhen the time of Abu Zar's departure drew neat\nUthman prohibited the people, in order to grieve, insult\nand humiliate him, to see him off. None except five\npersons, therefore, picked up courage to see him off. Itese\nfive persons were Ah, his brother Aqil, Hasan, Husayn ind\nAmmar Yasir.\nThe responsibility to supen7ise the departure of\nAbu Zar rested with Marwan who was the source of\n367\nall evils. It was he who had enforced Uthman's order that\nnone should converse with Abu Zar and the members of\nhis family or see them off. He was so bold as to prevent\nAli and his companions from seeing off Abu Zar. Ali\n\frebuked him, struck him with his stick and shouted:\n\"Be off from here! May God throw you into the Hell\".\nThen he bade farewell to Abu Zar in these words: \"O Abu\nZar! You were annoyed with these people for the sake of\nGod. So you should expect your recompense also from\nHim only. They feared you because on account of your\nactivities they might lose the world (i.e. worldly gains)\nand you were afraid of them because you wanted to safe-\nguard your faith. So leave to them that thing on account\nof which they feared you (i.e. worldly gains) and keep\naloof from them along with your faith. See how much\nthey need that faith on which you did not permit them to\ngain control, and see how much independent you are of\nthe world of which they have deprived you! You will\ncome to know tomorrow (i.e. on the Day of Judgment)\nwho has been the winner and who has displayed envy.\nEven if a person is precluded from the earth as well as\nfrom the heavens but he fears God, the Almighty certainly\nopens a path for him. You will always remain in love with\ntruth and will shun falsehood. If you, too, had accepted\ntheir world they would have liked you and if you had\nborrowed from this world they would have provided you\nasylum\".(Nahj al-Balaghah).\nThen Ali asked Aqil and Ammar to bid farewell to\ntheir brother and also asked Hasan and Husayn to say\ngoodbye to their uncle.\nWhen Uthman came to know about this incident he\nwas very much annoyed with Ali.\nOne may ask as to how it happened that Ali saw\nAbu Zar being subjected to torture and oppression but\ntook no steps to save him from the tyranny of the caliph\nof the time? Abu Zar was a distinguished companion of\nthe prophet and a great supporter of Ali and was opposing\nthe caliph not for any personal gain but to ensure the\nwelfare of the people. Then why did Ali remain quiet?\nIf he had so desired he could restrain Uthman from\nbanishing Abu Zar and could use all his resources to make\nthe people stand up in opposition to Bani Umayyah.\nAnd there is no doubt about the fact that the Muslims\nwould have supported Ali whole-heartedly. Then what was\nthe reason for this silence of Ali?\nJust as this question occurs to everybody's mind, it\noccurred to my mind also. I thought that whereas one\n\faspect of Ali's remaining quiet on this occasion is quite\nclear and evident and the other is very intricate and not\nunderstandable by everyone.\nThe intricate aspect is that Ali's time was not the\npresent one. He lived more than 1300 years ago. Circum-\nstances and conditions which existed at that time cannot\nbe assessed properly in the present twentieth century\nnor can we understand all their aspects. Probing the real\ncauses has not been possible in spite of deep investigations\nconducted by many researchers. Ali knew and understood\nmany subtleties of his own time which were not visible\nto others, and his line of action was based on the\nexigencies of the time which were known to him only.\nHowever, the aspect of his quietness which is quite\nevident is that the spirit of sacrifice was present in the very\nnature of Ali and he was prepared to suffer any hardship\nfor the sake of the welfare of the people. He was so\nmindful of the safety of Islam that he did not care for\nanything except that. The more deeply we study the\nconduct and character of Ali, and examine all aspects of\nhis life, the more we are convinced of this reality. He could\nnot tolerate that the advancement and propagation of\nIslam should slacken in the least. He knew very well the\nmentality of Bani Umayyah before and after their embrace-\nment of Islam, but he was afraid that if the Muslims\narrayed themselves against them dissensions would take\nplace among the followers of Islam and they would be\nharmful for this religion.\nAli knew that Bani Umayyah wanted to kill all the\ntrue believers who constituted the real support for Islam so\nthat they might free themselves from the restrictions\nimposed by Islamic law and there should be none left to\nobject to their activities.\nIs it not a fact that Marwan bin Hakam instigated\nUthman to kill Ali and other distinguished companions\nlike Abu Zar and Ammar? His object in making this\nsuggestion was that with the removal of these persons from\nthe scene Bani Umayyah should be free to do what they\nliked, because while these pious and dauntless companions\nof the prophet were present Bani Umayyah could not\ncreate mischief and act as despotic ruler.\nHad Marwan's desire been fulfilled it cannot be\nassessed how much trouble Bani Umayyah would have\n\fcreated. It was, therefore, the height of Ali's foresight and\nprudence that he expressed only so much resentment in\nthe matter of injustice done to Abu Zar as he used to\nexpress in connection with the oppression to which he\nhimself was subjected.\nHe did this so that the Muslims might not become the\nenemies of one another.\nThis had happened earlier also on the occasion of\nSaqifa. Umar came to Ali's house and dragged him at the\npoint of sword to take oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr.\nThe Muslims were gathered round Ali at that time. Some\nof them were astonished whereas others were beside them\nselves with rage. All were expecting a hint from him so that\nThey might fight for his defence. No doubt Ali, who was\nrhe pillar of Islam, the citadel of justice, and the Imam of\nall the people, but what did he do for himself?\nWhen the people saw Umar taking Ali before the\ncaliph at the point of the sword, they were much surprised.\nHowever when they looked at his face they did not find\nany sign of anger on it. He neither incited the people nor\nraised his voice, nor allowed them to draw their swords.\nThe people were surprised all the more when a few moments\nlater they saw Ali standing before them (i.e. Abu Bakr,\nUmar etc.) very calmly and arguing his case with a view to\nconvincing them about his right. None dared to open his\nmouth in reply. He was establishing his right with solid\narguments but tolerated the usurpation of his right in\nthe interest of the people. Ali was justified in proving his\nright through protests and arguments, and was also justified\nin showing patience, calmness, forbearance and forgiveness.\nHe knew himself very well.\nThe supporters of Ali were surprised at the attitude\nadopted by him. But there was one thing which Ali knew\nbut others did not know. And that was the thing which Ali\naimed at and which was the source of his peace of mind.\nThis refers to the fact that he had worked with the\nprophet to lay the foundation of Islam. He equally shared\nthe responsibility of propagation of Islam. How could he\ntolerate that this religion should suffer destruction?\nThat was the reason why he sacrificed his own rights,\nand he acted in the case of Abu Zar in the same manner in\nwhich he had acted in his own case.\n\f*********\nWhat happened to Abu Zar after his banishment?\nThe aged and great companion of the prophet died of\nhunger. He and the members of his family lived in\nextremely hard conditions and had to suffer unprece-\ndented miseries. Their children also passed away due to\nlack of food.\nIt has been narrated that after the death of their\nchildren Abu Zar and his wife grew very weak on account\nof hunger. One day Abu Zar said to his wife: \"Let us go\nupto that mound. It is possible that we may find some\nwild fruits there\". They went upto the mound. Inclement\nwinds were blowing and they could not find anything to\neat. Abu Zar began to faint. Although very cold wind was\nblowing but Abu Zar was perspiring and wiped his sweat\nagain and again. When his wife looked at him she realized\nthat he was going to die. She began to weep. Abu Zar\nasked her why she was weeping. She replied: \"Why should\nI not weep? You are breathing your last on this barren\nland, and I don't have even a piece of cloth which maybe\nused as a shroud for you and me\". Her words grieved Abu\nZar very very much. He said to her: \"Go and stand by the\nside of the road. It is possible that you may meet a believer\nwho may be passing that way\". She replied: \"Who will\npass this way now? The caravan of the pilgrims has already\npassed and the road is deserted\".\nAbu Zar recalled the words which the prophet had\nuttered about him. He said to his wife: \"Go and see\ncarefully. If you find someone coming you will be relieved\nof your worry. And if you don't find anyone you should\ncover my dead body and place it by the side of the road.\nAs and when you chance to meet the first rider tell him:\n\"Abu Zar the companion of the prophet has died. Now\nassist in bathing and shrouding him\".\nAbu Zar's wife ascended the mound time and again\nbut could not find any human being. After some time,\nhowever, she saw some riders at a distance and beckoned\nthem by moving her cloth. They came up to her and said:\n\"O bondwoman of God! What is the matter?\" She replied:\n\"Here is a Muslim who is dying;please arrange for his\nbathing, shrouding and burial. God will recompense you\n\ffo this\". They asked: \"Who is the man?\" She replied:\n\"His name is Abu Zar Ghifari\".\nThe men could not believe that such a distinguished\ncompanion of the prophet could die in the desert. They,\ntherefore, asked her: \"Who is this Abu Zar? Is he the\ncompanion of the prophet?\" She said \"Yes\". They said:\n\"May our parents be his ransom! God has granted us a\ngreat honour\". They then hurried to the place where\nAbu Zar was lying. Abu Zar was feeling the pangs of death.\nHe fixed his eyes on their faces for some time trying to\nrecognise their faces, and then said: \"By God I have not\ntold a lie. By God if I had sufficient cloth for my and my\nwife's shroud I would certainly have been shrouded in that\ncloth. I ask you in the name of God that if anyone of you\nhas been a ruler or a government employee or a messenger\nor a chief at any time he should not shroud me\".\nThose present were bewildered to hear these words\nbecause almost all of them had held these offices at one\ntime or another. Suddenly a young man from amongst the\nAnsar stepped forward and said: \"O uncle! I shall shroud\nyou with this mantle which I had purchased with the\nmoney that I had earned through hard work. I will shroud\nyou with this cloth whose thread was spun by my mother\nso that I might use it as Ehram (pilgrims garb)\".\nHe said to the young man: \"Shroud me with these\npieces of cloth, for they are pure\". Now he was happy and\nsatisfied. Then he cast a glance at them again and passed\naway peacefully. Then the dark and thick clouds covered\nthe sky. Strong and severe winds began to blow and the\ndesert sand sprang up and darkened the atmosphere. It\nmight be said that the desert of Rabazah got converted\ninto a roaring ocean.\nThe Ansari young man stood by the grave of Abu Zar\nand prayed in these words (The historians have attributed\nthem to Malik Ashtar): \"O God! This Abu Zar is one of\nthe companions of Your prophet. He worshipped You\namongst the worshippers. He performed jihad against the\nidol-worshippers. He did not alter any Sunnab (practice)\nof the prophet nor did he tamper with any law. He saw\nbad and indecent things being done and expressed his\ndisgust at them with his heart and tongue. As a result of\nthis people oppressed and insulted him and turned him out\nof his house. They deprived him of his rights and humiliated\n\fhim and eventually he passed away in a helpless condition.\nMay God break the feet of the person who deprived him\n(of the amenities of life) and banished him from the sacred\ncity of Madina to which he had migrated\".\nAll those who were present said \"Amen!\" very\nsincerely. Blessed be Abu Zar who rose and endeavoured,\nto establish truth till he breathed his last. He had faith in\nthe greatness of man and his rights. He was a magnanimous\nand kind man. He was never afraid of death, nor was he\nnever enamoured by life.\nThe tragic events of Abu Zar and his wife and\nchildren stirred the blood of the people and everyone of\nthem sympathised with the oppressed family. While many\nother actions of Uthman had raised the people against him\nthis one incident added to their resentment against him\nand Bani Umayyah. It was considered to be a very wicked\npolicy that anyone who objected to nepotism and family\nbias should be treated savagely as was done in the case of\nAbdullah bin Mas`ud, Ammar Yasir and Abu Zar. They\nwere insulted and beaten and their pensions and stipends\nwere stopped. On the contrary, Bani Umayyah were\nshowered with all the benefits, wealth, and ranks. Uthman\nbestowed honours on them and gave them enormous\nwealth, although it was necessary for him that he should\nhave ousted them from important positions on account of\ntheir nefarious activities.\nAnother action of Uthman which aroused the anger\nof the people was his maltreatment of the persons who\nwent to him to complain against Walid bin `Uqba. The\ndetails of this incident are as follows:\nUthman dismissed sa`d bin Abi Waqas from the\ngovernorship of Kufa and replaced him by Walid bin `Uqba,\nwho was Uthman's brother from the side of his mother.\nThe people of Kufa were very much displeased on account\nof this appointment. It is said that when Walid arrived in\nKufa and passed by the house of Umar ibn Zararah Nakh`i\nUmar stood up and said: \"O Bani Asad! Uthman has\ntreated us very badly. Was it just on his part to remove\nfrom amongst us Sa`d bin Abi Waqas, who is a mild and\nwell-behaved person, and to oppoint in his place his\nbrother Walid who is an idiot, a madman and an old\ndebauchee. After the appointment of Walid it was\ncommonly said by the people of Kufa that Uthman had\n\fhumiliated the followers of prophet Muhammad and had\ntried to honour his brother.\nMany complaints were lodged with Uthman against\nWalid but he did not remove him from the governship,\nalthough most of the complainants were the companions\nof the prophet. Uthman's conduct in respect of Walid was\nthe same as it was with regard to his kinsfolk. Just as he\ndid not accept any suggestions, or entertained any\ncomplaint against his near relations, he never paid any\nheed to the complaints against Walid as well.\nAllama Bin Abd Rabbih quotes Sa`id bin Musayyab\nin his book entitled `Iqd al-Farid as saying that the\ncompanions of the prophet disliked the caliphate of\nUthman very much because most of the officers appointed\nby him belonged to Bani Umayyah and they did things\nwhich were abhorred by the companions. Complaints\nwere lodged against these officers with Uthman but he\ndid not remove those officers.\nThe poet Hati'ah says about Walid:\n\"Hati'ah will give evidence on the Day of Judgment that\nWalid is innocent\".\n\"When the prayers was finished he asked the people in\na loud voice: \"If you say, I may increase it\".\n\"He wanted to make an increase upon something\ngood. If the people had agreed he would have led the dawn\nprayers which would have exceeded ten rak`ats (units)\".\n\"But O Abu Wahab, the people refused to agree. If\nthey had accepted your suggestion you would have\ncombined Shaf` with Witr\".\n\"You moved on, but the people held your bridle.\nIf they had released it you would have walked on and on\".\nA number of men came from Kufa and complained\nto Uthman against Walid. Uthman, however, rebuked and\nthreatened them instead of paying any heed to their\ncomplaints and flogged those who gave evidence against his\nmalpractices, although their only offence was that they\nbrought the evil deeds of Walid to the notice of Uthman.\nThe most severe treatment meted out by Bani\nUmayyah to their opponents or to those whom they\nconsidered to be in the category of their opponents\n(because they desired that the masses should have a right\nin caliphate, and it should not become property of Bani\nUmayyah) was seen in their treatment with Muhammad\n\fbin Abi Bakr and the Egyptians who were going to Egypt.\nAs this incident has a very close connection with the\nmurder of Uthman we shall discuss it in detail in the\nfollowing chapter.\n\n\n\n\n1 In order to Make the bitterness of advice palatable Imam Ali\nspoke at the outset in such a way that instead of getting irritated\nUthman should feel his duties and responsibilities. Ali wanted to\ndraw his attention towards his obligations, and with that purpose in\nview he mentioned his (Uthman's) companionship of the prophet as\nwell as his importance and proximity to the prophet on account of\nkinship. Otherwise this was evidently no occasion to praise him and\nthese words should not be treated to be a panegyric ignoring the\nlatter part of the remarks of Ali. The opening words simply go to\nshow that whatever Uthman did was done by him intentionally.\nIt was not that he committed unintentionally mistakes, which might\nbe overlooked. If it be a virtue that even after remaining in the\ncompanionship of the prophet and knowing all the rules and regula-\ntions of Islam a man should act in such a way that the entire world\nof Islam should begin to cry on account of his oppression, these\nremarks may be treated to be a praise. If it is not a merit, then its\nbeing mentioned cannot be termed as praise. In fact the words that\nhave been used as praise are a proof of the seriousness of his\noffences. An offence committed intentionally is much more serious\nthan the one committed inadvertently.\nIt is said that Uthman is entitled to great honour in the\ncapacity of the son-in-law of the prophet as the prophet married\nto him, his two daughters named Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum\none after the other. Before considering these matrimonial alliances\na source of honour, however, the nature of this son-in-lawship\nshould be looked into. History tells us that Uthman did not enjoy\nprecedence in the matter. Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum were\npreviously married to Atba and Ateeba, the son of Abu Lahab.\nIn spite of this these two persons were not treated to be entitled to\nany honour or respect even before the advent of Islam. In the\ncircumstances how can this relationship be treated to be a source\nof honour for Uthman without taking into account his personal\nqualities?.\nFurthermore, it is also not an established fact that the two\nladies were the real daughters of the prophet. There are some who\ndo not admit them to be his real daughters but say that they were\n\fthe daughters of lady Khadijah's sister named Hala or her own\ndaughters from her former husband.\nAlkuti (died 352 A.H.) says: \"A short time after lady Khadijah\ngetting married to the prophet her sister Hala died and left behind\ntwo daughters named Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum. They were\nbrought up by Khadijah and the prophet. It was customary before\nthe advent of Islam that if an orphan was brought up by someone it\nwas called his son or daughter\". (Kitab al-Istighatha, p.69).\n\"Before marrying the prophet lady Khadija was married to\nAbi Hala bin Malik and had one son named Hind and one daughter\nnamed Zainab from him. Earlier than that she was married to\n`Atiq bin `Aa'ez and had one son and one daughter from him\".\n(Seerah lbn Hisham, Vol.4, p.293).\nThis shows that lady Khadijah had two daughters before she\nmarried the prophet. As mentioned above, according to the custom\nthen prevailing, they were to be called the prophet's daughters and\ntheir husband was to be called his son-in-law. However, his position\nas son-in-law would be commensurate with the position of the\ndaughters. Hence, before treating these marriages to be a source of\nhonour the actual position of the daughters (i.e. their real parentage)\nmust be kept in view.\n\f Facts about Uthman's murder\nEleven years and many months passed. The resent-\nment of the people against the policies of Uthman went on\nincreasing day after day. The citizens of all Islamic\nterritories were deadly against Uthman, so much so that\nthere was tension all round. The thing which frightened\nthe Muslims most was that during Uthman's rule all the\nways and practices prevalent in the days of the prophet\nand Abu Bakr and Umar which they liked most, were\nmade topsy-turvy and nothing of the past period remained\nintact. They were used to see that the caliph protected\ntheir rights and promoted their interests. As and when the\ngovernors and the officers oppressed someone or mis-\nbehaved, the caliph dismissed them and redressed the\ngrievances of the people. However, as soon as Uthman\nbecame caliph he ignored the rules and regulations based\non justice, and founded his government on the policy of\nnepotism, which the people had never previously seen,\nand which they could not tolerate.\nThe thing which disgusted the people most was that\nUthman's relatives usurped their rights and became richer\nday by day and the common man was deprived even of\nthe necessities of life. They also resented the treatment\nmeted out by the caliph to their deputations which\napproached him to complain against the governors and\nother officers.\nThe people were also very much annoyed on account\nof the insults and humiliation to which the distinguished\ncompanions of the prophet like Abu Zar, Ammar, and\nIbn Mas`ud, were subjected. They also disliked his policy\nof removing reliable and popular governors and officers\nand replacing them by the persons who were unjust\nand oppressive.\nThe pious Muslims did not also like that the rulers\nshould oppress the Zimmis, because, after all, they too\nwere human beings. They did not wish that the society\nshould be poisoned with discrimination and egotism, and\nincompetent persons should be given preference over\nhonest and competent ones.\nDuring the last days of the caliphate of Uthman the\n\fpeople became so impatient that they revolted against him.\nThis was quite natural because the seeds of revolt were\npresent in his own policies. It is said that one day Uthman\nchanced to pass by the house of a man named Jabala bin\nAmr Sa`di. Jabala was sitting amongst the people of his\ntribe and held a chain in his hand. Uthman saluted them\nand those present replied to his salutation, with the excep-\ntion of Jabala. He said to his tribesmen: \"Why have you\nreplied to the salutation of a man who has done such and\nsuch thing\". Then he addressed Uthman saying: \"I swear\nby God that unless you turn away your wicked favourites\nlike Marwan, Ibn Aamir and Abi bin Sarah, I will put this\nchain round your neck\".\nAllama Ibn Abi'l Hadid says that the people had\nbecome so daring that one day when Uthman was address-\ning the people holding in his hand the stick which was held\nby prophet and Abu Bakr and Umar while delivering\nsermons, a person named Jehjah Ghifari snatched the stick\nfrom his hand, pressed it on his knee and broke it.\nIn the beginning the people did not pick up enough\ncourage to misbehave towards Uthman. However, when\nthe malpractices of Marwan and others continued to\nincrease and Uthman, instead of restraining them from\ntheir evil deeds showed indulgence to them the disturbances\nand rebellion also became widespread. Till then only the\npeople individually opposed and criticized Uthman and\nonly one or two persons misbehaved towards him. However,\nas time passed on the entire Muslim nation became his\nenemy. The people of Madina wrote letters to the Muslims\nof other cities on these lines: \"If you are desirous of\nundertaking jihad you should come here, because the\nreligion of Muhammad is being made corrupt by your\ncaliph. Come and remove him from the caliphate\".\nThe residents of all the cities turned against Uthman.\nBy the year 35 A.H. the events took such a turn that the\ninhabitants of various cities wrote letters to one another\nsuggesting that something should be done to get rid of\nBani Umayyah and Uthman and all his governors and\nofficers should be removed from their offices. The news\nabout these activities reached Uthman also. He wrote\nletters to the residents of different cities and tried to\nreconcile them. Then he called his governors and senior\nofficers and held consultations with them. Some of them\n\fsuggested to Uthman that he should rule justly and adopt\nthe policies of Abu Bakr and Umar. Others minced their\nwords and did not give any clear-cut advice. One of those\nbelonging to the latter group was Mu`awiya ibn Abi Sufyan.\nThere were still others who were not fit to tender any\nsincere advice because their suggestions were always based\non selfishness. One such person was Sa`id bin Aas who said\nthat the state of affairs then prevailing was only transitory\nand the only remedy for them is the unsheathing of\nthe sword.\nThe conference ended without taking any unanimous\ndecision to tackle with the situation. The reason for this\nwas that all the governors and officers of Uthman liked\nhis policy through which they could encroach upon the\npeople's rights and make as much money as they could.\nThey did not, therefore, give any sincere advice. There\nwere some amongst them however, who thought that their\ninterests would be best served if they could get rid of\nUthman and were, therefore, endeavouring secretly, and\nsome of them even openly, to achive this end. Reasons for\nthis attitude of the persons concerned will be explained\nlater. And the most important thing about the conference\nwas that Marwan was keeping a very close watch on all\nthe participants. Hence, even if some of them had made\ngood suggestions they would have been of no use because\nthe last word on the subject was to be that of Marwan.\nUthman always acted on his advice.\nEventually rebellion broke out. The Muslims of all\nthe countries and provinces had turned against Uthman's\nadministration, policy, and caliphate, which were virtually\nin the hands of Marwan and his associates.\nIn the meantime some persons from Egypt approached\nUthman to complain against lbn Abi Sarah, the Governor\nof Egypt. Uthman heard them attentively, reproached Ibn\nAbi Sarah for his malpractices and promised those people\nthat their grievances would be redressed. Then he wrote a\nletter to Ibn Abi Sarah asking him to mend his ways and\nthreatened him that if he disobeyed his orders he would\nbe punished. Marwan did not like these developments.\nWhen the complainants came out of the caliph's palace he\ntoo came out and rebuked them. Then he insisted that the\ncaliph should ignore the promises made by him to those\npersons and should not take any notice of their complaints.\n\fThe Egyptians returned with the letter and handed it\nover to Ibn Abi Sarah. He was very much displeased on\nreading it and declined to obey the caliph's orders. He\nbecame so furious that he killed one of the members of\nthe deputation. This arrogance of Ibn Abi Sarah was due\nto the fact that he was the foster-brother of Uthman and it\nwas on account of this relationship that he had appointed\nhim the Governor of Egypt.\nThe people of Egypt resented the treatment meted\nout to them by lbn Abi Sarah. They decided to send\nanother deputation to Madina consisting of one thousand\npersons. They stayed in the masjid of the prophet and\nproclaimed that they would not interfere with those who\nremained within doors and did not take up arms against\nthem. Thereafter some of their distinguished persons met\nthe companions of the prophet. They explained to them\nthe atrocities committed by Ibn Abi Sarah including the\nmurder of an innocent person whose only offence was\nthat he was a member of the deputation which had waited\non Uthman earlier. Some companions saw Uthman and\ndiscussed with him the state of affairs prevailing in Egypt.\nThereafter many other persons headed by Ali met Uthman\nin this behalf. They spoke to him in a very rational and\nlogical manner and said: \"These people only want that you\nshould remove Ibn Abi Sarah from governorship and\nappoint some other person in his place. Earlier also they\nhad complained about the murder of an innocent person.\nYou should remove Ibn Abi Sarah from office and also\ntake a decision on their complaint. If lbn Abi Sarah proves\nto be guilty you should punish him and thus provide\njustice to these people\".\nUthman swore before the people and assured them\nthat he would try his best for the good of the people. He\nalso asked them to suggest the name of a person who\nmight be appointed Governor of Egypt in the place of Ibn\nAbi Sarah. The Egyptians after due deliberations suggested\nthe name of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr. Uthman appointed\nhim as governor and sent with him a party consisting of\nthe Muhajirs and the Ansar to investigate the malpractices\nof lbn Abi Sarah.\nThree days after their departure from Madina\nMuhammad bin Abi Bakr and his companions saw on the\nway an Ethiopian slave who was driving his camel hastily\n\ftowards Egypt. These people felt surprised. They, there-\nfore, stopped him and enquired of him why he was\nrunning so fast and what was the purpose of his journey.\nAfter some questioning he said: \"I am the slave of the\nCommander of the Faithful Uthman and have been sent to\ngo and see the Governor of Egypt\". The people said to\nhim: \"The Governor of Egypt is here with us\". The slave\nreplied: \"I don't mean him\". When Muhammad bin Abi\nBakr was informed of the matter he called for the slave\nand asked him as to who he was. He said: \"I am a slave of\nthe Commander of the Faithful\". Then contradicting\nhimself he said: \"No, no. I am a slave of Marwan\". He thus\nwent on saying contradictory things. Then Muhammad\nasked him: \"Where are you going?\" He replied: \"I am\ngoing to Egypt to see the governor\". \"What for?\" asked\nMuhammad. The slave replied: \"I have to convey a message\nto him\".\nUpon Muhammad asking the slave whether he was\ncarrying a letter he replied in the negative. Thereupon\nMuhammad ordered his person to be searched. After a very\nminute search a letter was found with him which was\naddressed by Uthman to Abdullah lbn Abi Sarah.\nMuhammad opened the letter in the presence of the\nMuhajirs and the Ansar who were accompanying him. It\nread as follows: \"When Muhammad son of Abu Bakr and\nother such and such persons arrive in Egypt you should kill\nthem on one pretext or another. Consider the letter which\nMuhammad is bringing to you as cancelled and continue\nto occupy your office until further orders. Imprison any\nperson who approaches you with a complaint and then\nawait instructions from me\".\nWhen the letter was read out all those present were\nbewildered and complete silence prevailed. No one could\nimagine that the caliph could make such a wicked plan\nto take the lives of his subjects including the Muhajirs\nand the Ansar.\nMuhammad bin Abi Bakr closed the envelope again\nand affixed on it the seals of the Muhajirs and the Ansar.\nThe party then decided to return to Madina and to show\nthe letter to the companions of the prophet. When the\nletter was read out in Madina before the companions,\nincluding Imam Ali all of them were deeply grieved. This\nconspiracy against the Muslims and Islam which was unpre-\n\fcedented made them furious. The wrath of the people who\nwere already annoyed on account of the treatment meted\nout to Abu Zar, Ammar Yasir, etc. knew no bounds. A\ndeputation headed by Ali which included Sa`d bin Abi\nWaqas and Ammar Yasir was formed and they went to see\nUthman. They also took with them the letter, the slave\nand the camel on which he was mounted. The following\nconversation took place between Ali and Uthman:\nAli: Is this your slave?\nUthman: Yes\nAli: Is this camel also yours?\nUthman: Yes\nAli: Is the seal affixed on the letter also Yours?\nUthman: Yes\nAli: Then does it mean that this letter was sent by you?\nUthman: No. I swear by God that I neither wrote this\nletter myself nor ordered anyone else to write it, nor sent\nthis slave to Egypt.\nThe companions got the impression that Uthman was\ntelling the truth. On further scrutiny they realized that the\nletter was in the hand-writing of Marwan. They, therefore,\nasked Uthman to call Marwan before them so that they\nmight inquire into the matter, and ask him as to why he\nwrote the letter. Uthman declined to summon Marwan.\nAlthough Marwan was then present with him in the capital\nhe did not have the moral courage to appear before those\npersons, admit his fault, and thus prove the innocence of\nUthman. The companions, therefore, returned to their\nhouse in consternation. They believed that Uthman could\nnot swear falsely, but some of them said that they would\nconsider him to be innocent only when he handed over\nMarwan to them so that they might question him and\ninvestigate the matter, and find out the real facts about the\nletter. They also said that if the letter had been written by\nUthman they would depose him, but if it had been written\nat his behest by Marwan they would ponder over the\nmatter and decide as to how Marwan should be dealt with.\nHowever, Uthman did not agree to surrender Marwan.\nThe insurgents now began insisting all the more vehemently\nthat Marwan should be handed over to them, so that they\nmight question him and inquire into his activities. Uthman,\nhowever, flatly refused to agree to this demand.\nThereafter many developments which are recorded in\n\fthe books of history took place. Imam Ali tried his level\nbest to bring about reconciliation between the insurgents\nand Uthman so that bloodshed might be avoided. He saw\nUthman again and suggested to him that he should come\nbefore the public and deliver a speech which should be\nheard by all, and in that speech he should confirm the\npromises made by him with the people so that they might\nbe satisfied. He also said to Uthman: \"I swear by God that\nall the Islamic territories have turned against you. I am\nafraid the people of Kufa and Basra may also come to\nMadina like the Egyptians and you may be obliged to ask\nme to cool them down\".\nUthman came out of his house and delivered a speech\nbefore the gathering. He expressed his regret for his past\nlapses and promised that such things would not happen in\nfuture. He also promised that their demands would be met\nand Marwan and his associates would be cast aside.\nUthman's speech had a salutary effect. While he was\nspeaking tears trickled from his eyes. Others also began\nto weep and their beards became wet with tears. When he\ndismounted from the pulpit of the masjid and went home,\nhe saw Marwan, Sa`id bin Aas, and some other members\nof the Umayyad Family waiting for him. They had not\nbeen present when Uthman was speaking but had become\naware of what he had said. When Uthman sat down\nMarwan asked him: \"O my chief! Should I say something\nor keep quiet?\" Uthman said: \"Say what you want to\nsay\". Marwan then said in a reproaching manner: \"You\nhave only encouraged these people and done nothing else\".\nUthman replied somewhat regretfully: \"I have said what\nI have said. I cannot take back my words\". Marwan said:\n\"The people are crowded before the gate of your house\nlike a mountain and this is so because you have encouraged\nthem. If one of them complains of oppression the other\ndemands the dismissal of a governor. You have been very\ncruel to your caliphate. It would have been better for you\nif you had remained patient and quiet\".\nUthman said: \"I feel ashamed of going back on my\nwords. You may, however, go and talk to them\".\nHaving got the permission Marwan came at the gate\nof the house and said to those who were gathered there:\n\"What is all this crowd? It appears that you have come to\nplunder the house. May your faces be blackened! Have you\n\fcome to wrest the government from us? By God, if you\nintend doing harm to us we shall deal with you in a\nmanner that you will never forget. Go to your houses.\nWe cannot tolerate interference with our authority by\nanyone\".\nThe people went away in despair, abusing and\nthreatening the rulers. Some one informed Ali about the\nnew development. As Uthman had ignored his suggestion\nand acted on the advice of Marwan, Ali could very well\nrefrain from going to Uthman again and tendering him any\nadvice. However, pity for the aged caliph, heart-felt desire\nfor reconciliation among the Muslims, and a slight hope\nthat Uthman might follow the path of prudence compelled\nhim to advise Uthman once again. When night fell and\nUthman came to see Ali for consultations on the suggest-\ntion of his wife Na`ela, Ali said to him: \"After making\na speech from the prophet's pulpit you went home and\nthen Marwan came out and abused the people. Thereafter\nwhat is left to be done and what can I do for you?\"\nUthman cursed himself much for his lapse. Ali then\nsaid to him: \"I swear by God that I have endeavoured\nmore than anyone else to keep the people away from you.\nHowever, whenever I suggest to you something which\nI hope will please you Marwan intervenes. And unfortu-\nnately you accept what he says and ignore what I suggest\".\nAli was quite correct in saying this because this time also\nMarwan had spoiled the case.\nThe insurgents began insisting on their demands once\nagain. They wanted the fulfilment of all the promises made\nwith them. They also demanded that Marwan, who was the\nroot-cause of all the mischief, should be surrendered to\nthem so that they might take revenge on him. However,\nUthman's attitude hardened and he sternly refused to hand\nover Marwan to them. The insurgents also became adamant.\nThe disturbance and rebellion became acute and the\ninsurgents besieged the house of Uthman.\nIn fact the insurgents did not want to harm Uthman.\nAll they desired was that he should repent for his lapses\nand abdicate. This is proved by the fact that a man named\nNayyar bin Ayaz who was one of the companions of the\nprophet took his place in the first row of the insurgents\nand said to Uthman loudly: \"You should abdicate and\nI assure you that you will remain unhurt\". While he was\n\fsaying this Kathir bin Salat Kandi, who was a supporter\nof Uthman and was in his house at that time shot an arrow\nand killed Nayyar bin Ayaz. The insurgents cried: \"Hand\nover the murderer of Ibn Ayaz to us\". Uthman replied:\n\"How can I surrender to you a man who is defending me?\"\nThe insurgents attacked the gate of the house which\nwas closed immediately. They then put it on fire and their\narchers began to shower arrows on the caliph's palace.\nEventually Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr and his two\ncompanions entered the house from the side of the house\nof Muhammad ibn Abi Khurram Ansari. When they\nreached near him they found his wife Na`ela with him.\nThe two companions of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr attacked\nhim with a sharp weapon and put him to death. 1 Then\nthey escaped through the way they had entered the house.\nNa`ela cried: \"The people have assassinated the Commander\nof the Faithful!\"\nUthman met his death in this manner. The people\nwho were responsible for his murder were of two kinds.\nTo one group belonged those who became furious for the\nsake of truth. They asked Uthman to repent of his lapses\nand when he declined to do so they besieged his house and\nkilled him. Amongst them were included the people of the\nHijaz, Egypt and Iraq and all the Islamic cities. To the\nsecond group belonged those who were mad after the war\nbooty. With them there was a leader who was obeyed\nand these people left Uthman in the lurch. We have already\nwritten about the persons belonging to the first group.\nAs regards the second group we shall speak about them in\nthe chapter entitled. \"The greatest conspiracy\" because\nthese people are closely concerned with the treatment\nwhich was meted out to Ali and the fraud and deception\nto which he was subjected.\n\n\n\n\n1 Although it is said that Ali tried to save Uthman and sent his\ntwo sons Hasan and Husayn to guard the gate of his house but the\nfactual position is that Ali was not present in Madina when Uthman\nwas killed and the assertions made in this behalf are not correct.\nRefuting a similar narration Allama Haithmi says: \"It is quite clear\nthat this narration is not authentic. Ali was not present in Madina\neither when Uthman's house was besieged or when he was killed.\n\f(Majma` al-Zawaid, Vol.7, p.63).\nUthman had himself asked Ali to go to his estate at Yanb`a\nso that people might not suggest his name for the caliphate. Such\na request had already been made many times as has been mentioned\nby Ali in Nahj al-Balaghah: \"Uthman treats me like a camel which\ncarries water to and fro. At times he tells me that I should go to\nYanb`a. When I go there he calls me back to solve some problems.\nAnd when I have relieved him of his difficulties he again asks me to\ngo back to Yanb`a\".\n\f Some false statements\nThere are some writers in the world who do not care\neither for the historical facts or for the conditions and\nenvironments of life. They mention strange causes for the\nrevolt which the oppressed persons made agaist Uthman\nand insist that the events of that time were the result of\nthe will and desire of a particular person who had toured\nall the Islamic territories and instigated the people to\nrise against Uthman and his government.\nThe explanations put forth by these writers will no\ndoubt make you laugh, because their only object is that\nthe persons who were actually responsible for the murder\nof Uthman should not be censured, or else the people\nwould begin to doubt the very faith of these writers. These\nwriters are like those who try to reverse the direction of\nthe water falling from above. They consider their readers\nto be simpletons and ignorant.\nOne of these writers is Sa`id al-Afghani, the author of\n\"Ayesha wa al-Siyasah\". He has tried his best to make his\nreaders believe that the events which took place in the\nlslamic territory leading to the murder of Uthman and\nthereafter were due to the activities of only one man\nnamely Abdullah bin Saba. 1 This claim and accusation\nleads one to the conclusion that the government of\nUthman and his minister Marwan was an ideal one and\nBani Umayyah and their governors and officers were the\nstandard-bearers of human brotherhood and social justice\nin Arabia, but unfortunately one single person named\nAbdullah bin Saba brought all their capabilities and good\ndeeds to nought. He toured all the districts and provinces\nand instigated the people to rise against the governors and\nofficers who were very pious as well as great reformers.\nBut for this man (Abdullah bin Saba) the people would\nhave led happy and peaceful lives under the auspices of the\nbounties of Marwan, the justice of Walid and the for-\nbearance of Mu`awiya.\nSuch a claim amounts to distortion of facts, injsutice\nto the people and an indecent attempt to support certain\npoints of view. It also amounts to misguiding the people in\nrespect of the basic truths on which history is based,\n\fbecause the object of such a futile attempt is that the\nresponsibility for the events of a period, rather many\nperiods, should be placed on the shoulders of one man\nwho roamed about from area to area and the people of all\nthose areas rose against the government owing to his\nvicious propaganda and not on account of anything else.\nAs regards the policies of the government, the deplor-\nable condition of the economic and social system, the\nrefractoriness of those associated with the government,\nmisappropriation of public funds and adoption of dictato-\nrial methods by Bani Umayyah and maltreatment of\nrespectable personalities like Abu Zar and Ammar Yasir,\nthe author does not attach any importance to them and\ndoes not think that these things were the cause of general\nrevolt of the people. According to him all the uproar\nagainst Uthman was due to the activities of Abdullah bin\nSaba who restrained the Muslims from obeying the religious\nleaders of Islam and created disturbances and dissensions.\nWhat a dangerous mentality it is that important events\nwhich were continuos and correlated with one another and\nhad a great bearing on the society and the economic and\nsocial system of that time should be explained away by\nsaying that the root-cause of all these things was the\nconspiracies of one man who according to Sa`id Afghani,\nroamed about from town to town and sowed the seeds of\ndissension and mischief in a pure society. And by pure\nsociety he evidently means the society which was headed\nby Marwan bin Hakam.\nIt deserves notice that Sa`id Afghani attaches such a\ngreat importance to Abdullah bin Saba or Ibn al-Sawda in\nhis above mentioned book and he elevates Mu`awiya un-\nconsciously and degrades Abu Zar, though Mu`awiya was\nMu`awiya and Abu Zar was Abu Zar. Afgani writes:\n\"Abdullah bin Saba toured the Islamic territories and\nvisited every place. He commenced his nefarious activities\nin Hijaz and then went to Syria. At that time Syria was\nruled by an experienced and far-sighted person namely\nMu`awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, who sensed the danger imme-\ndiately and expelled him from there. However, his mischief\ndid cast some effect on him. Ibn Saba assessed the situation\nand sowed the seeds of mischief. He instigated a distin-\nguished companion of the prophet to rise against Mu`awiya.\nAbu Zar was a man whose words were believed\n\fby the Syrians. Mu`awiya, who was a forbearing person as\nwell as a diplomat, was very much upset. He, therefore,\nrequested Uthman to remove that man from Syria, that\ndistinguished companion was Abu Zar whose story is well\nknown (Ayesha wa al-Siyasah).\nWhat this author purports to say may be summarised\nthus: During the caliphate of Uthman the people in various\nprovinces were leading very happy and prosperous lives.\nThe province of Syria, in particular, was then governed by\na very farsighted and experienced person namely Mu`awiya.\nAs regards the great reformer Abu Zar he was a nonentity\nand would have remained so if Abdullah bin Saba had not\ncontacted and awakened him. And when he awakened him\nhe did so to make him create mischief, because, according\nto the author he (i.e. Abdullah bin Saba) was the source\nof all troublesand his object in touring the Islamic terri-\ntories was to create mischief. The result was that Abu Zar\ndid what Abdullah bin Saba desired i.e.he created mischief,\nmisguided the people and made them rebel against the\nleaders.\nAccording to the said author the activities of Abu Zar\nwere dangerous for the Arabs, Islam and history, because\nhe incited the poor to rise against the rich. For this very\nreason Mu`awiya got fed up with him and he showed\nkindness to the newly-converted Muslims as well as to\nhistory by expelling Abu Zar from Syria.\nAs is evident the logic of Sa`id Afghani reminds one\nof the logic of those rulers who declare all truth-loving\npersons to be rebels and mischief-monagers. Is it not\nsomething odd that whereas the old historians should\nbe aware of the reasons of the disturbance, the modern\nhistorians should not be able to know it although the\nsources of information of the latter are much larger. The\nauthor of \"Ayesha wa al-Siyasah\" attributes the revolu-\ntionary movement against Uthman to the activities of\nAbdullah bin Saba, whereas Tabari and the historians\nof the earlier and the later period explained the events\ncorrectly and give their causes which are quite convincing.\nWhile enumerating the causes of the movement\nTabari says: \"Those persons who did not enjoy precedence\nin the embracing Islam, nor had any position in Islam,\ncould not be equal to those who embraced Islam at its\nearly stage and enjoyed great dignity and importance.\n\fThese very early Muslims found fault with the bestowal\nof large gifts and considered it to be injustice, as their own\nshare used to be very small. When new converts to Islam\nor the bedouin Arabs or freed slaves met them they were\nvery much impressed by what they said. The result was\nthat the number of the opponents of Uthman went on\nincreasing. So much so that those who opposed Uthman\nbecame larger in number than those who were pleased\nwith him. The result was that the disturbances prevailed.\nIt is surprising that other contemporary writers have\nalso committed the same mistake. Among others was\nAhmad Amin, the author of \"Fajr al-Islam\". He thinks\nthat Abu Zar Ghifari was a simpleton who was enticed by\nAbdullah bin Saba into believing in Mazdakite (communist)\nideas so that he might prove useful for spoiling the\natmosphere of various cities.\nAnd even more surprising is the fact that in order to\nprove that Abu Zar was influenced by Mazdakite ideas he\nhas mentioned his (Abu Zar's) remark which is quoted by\nTabari. Abu Zar is reported to have said, addressing the\npeople of Damascus: \"O wealthy people! Sympathise with\nthe poor. Those who hoard gold and silver announce to\nthem a painful chastisement\" (Fajr al-Islam p. 110).\nAhmad Amin may very well be asked whether sympa-\nthetic treatment with the poor by the rich is only a Mazda-\nkite theory and not a pure Islamic injuction and whether\nAbu Zar's remark \"O wealthy people! Behave sympatheti-\ncally with the poor\" is not closely related with the Quranic\nverse: \"Those who hold up gold and silver and do not spend\nin God's way, announce to them a painful chastisement\".\nAt another place in Fajr al-Islam Ahmad Amin\ntreating Abdullah bin Saba to be the root cause of mischief\nsays: \"This man prompted Abu Zar Ghifari to propagate\ncommunism, and he was the ring-leader of the insurgents\nwho came from different places to attack Uthman. It was\nhe who endeavoured to corrupt the faith of the Muslims.\nHe toured Hijaz, Basra, Kufa, Syria and Egypt extensively.\nHence it is possible that he might have acquired the\nMazdakite ideas from the Mazdakites of Iraq or Yemen\nand Abu Zar too might have liked these ideas and adopted\nthem\".\nIt is very unfortunate that the author of Fajr al-Islam\ndoes not ponder as to what new thing appeared in the\n\fIslamic beliefs of Abu Zar. Does Islam itself not announce\nthat the poor enjoy certain rights over the rich and all\nMuslims are equal and does the Qur'an not say that the\nforeheads, flanks and backs of those who hoard gold and\nsilver will be branded in the Hell with the same gold and\nsilver? Then what are those Mazdakite ideas in which Abu\nZar began to believe? The fact is that Abu Zar was fighting\nagainst those persons with whom Islam itself fought and\npromised them the fire of Hell.\nThe question also arises as to whether Abu Zar, who\nwas a distinguished companion of the prophet, foremost\namong the Shi`ah of Ali, and the fifth person to embrace\nIslam, did not know himself that all the Muslims were\nentitled to share the wealth of the nation and not that a\nfew one should hoard it. And could he not realize that\nduring the caliphate of Uthman the public property had\nbeen appropriated by a few persons and the people were\nbeing subjected to tyranny and oppression and as these\nthings are opposed to the teachings of Islam it was the\nduty of the Muslims to rise against them?\nAnd then the question is: Was Abu Zar such a\nsimpleton that he had to depend on Abdullah bin Saba\nto tell him that Uthman was practising nepotism and going\nthe ways of Kaiser and Kisra? Did Abu Zar and the people\ncome to know only on Abdullah bin Saba telling them\nthat the rulers had gone astray and the people had been\ndeprived of their rights and consequently Abu Zar and\nothers expressed resentment?\nThese writers have understood Abdullah bin Saba\nand Mazdak's creed but they have not understood Abu Zar\nand Islam! They have found the rebellious movement of\nAbdullah bin Saba and his instigating the people to rise\nagainst the caliph to be dreadful. But they have not found\nto be dreadful those acts of Uthman which annoyed the\nMuslims - acts which annoy all nations during all ages viz.\nnepotism, favouritism and adopting a discriminating policy.\nResearchers differ about the causes which led to the\nmurder of Uthman. The most prominent event about\nwhich there is difference of opinion between them is the\nletter written from Madina to Ibn Abi Sarah, the Governor\nof Egypt, who was directed to kill the governor-designate-\nMuhammad ibn Abi Bakr on his arrival in Egypt. This\nevent has been mentioned in detail earlier.\n\fAs regards those who do not consider it to be a true\nincident it appears necessary to mention the views of one\nof them namely Dr. Taha Husayn, because he enjoys great\nrespect as a research scholar of the history of Islam and the\nArab world. He says thus in the first volume (entitled\nUthman) of his book Al-Fitnatu'l Kubra:\n\"Here the story of the letter is related. The tradi-\ntionists say that when the Egyptians were returning after\nhaving been satisfied with the promises of Uthman they\nwere able to lay their hands on the way on a slave who was\ncarrying a letter to Ibn Abi Sarah. I think this story is\nfabricated. The greatest proof of this is that the compa-\nnions of the prophet contended with the Egyptians on this\npoint and asked them: \"When you and the people of Kufa\nas well as those of Basra were going your respective ways\nhow did the people of Kufa and Basra come to know that\nyou had found such a letter?\" To this the Egyptians could\nnot give any reply and they said: \"Whatever you may be\nthinking we do not need this man (Uthman). We shall\ncertainly remove him from his office and appoint a new\ncaliph in his place\".\n\"It cannot be believed that Uthman could deceive the\nMuslims by removing the Governor of Egypt and replacing\nhim by another and then writing a secret letter to the\ngovernor to kill them on their arrival\".\n\"It cannot also be believed that Marwan could dare\nwrite a letter purporting to be from Uthman and affix his\nseal on it and then send it through his slave mounted on\nhis camel\".\n\"The matter is, however, quite simple. Uthman might\nhave promised to accept the demands of the insurgents of\nKufa, Basra and Egypt and they believed in him. Later\nthey came to know that he had not fulfilled his promises.\nThey, therefore, became furious and returned with great\nanger to finish the matter and not to return to their homes\nuntil they had removed Uthman from his office or killed\nhim and made some other arrangement for the caliphate.\nWhen they reached Madina they found that the companions\nof the prophet were ready to fight with them. They,\nhowever, refrained from fighting with the companions and\nreturned from Madina deceitfully. When they became sure\nthat the companions had laid their arms aside and were\nresting in their houses they (the insurgents) returned and\n\fassumed the control of Madina without any bloodshed\".\n(Al-Fitna tu'l-Kubra, Vol.1, `Uthman').\nIt is time that the historical events about which the\nwriters differ deserve to be doubted, especially those events\nwhich serve sectarian interests or support any particular\ncreed. This doubt cannot be removed unless history itself\nprovides a conclusive proof or it is analysed and interpreted\nin a way which by itself serves as a sufficient proof. The\nincident of the letter in question is no doubt such that it\nshould make Dr. Taha Husayn doubt its authenticity and\nthe reasons for his treating it as doubtful may also be\naccepted, provided that certain facts which stand in the\nway of accepting those reasons as sufficient do not exist.\nDr. Taha Husayn says that when the companions of\nthe prophet asked the people of Kufa and Basra as to how\nthey came to know that the Egyptians had acquired such\na letter when each party was going its own way they could\nnot give a reply. This is not, however, something which\nmay make one deny the incident of the letter outright.\nAccording to the narrations as well as the sequence of\nevents it is an established fact that Uthman had appointed\nMuhammad bin Abi Bakr as the Governor of Egypt and\nhad also sent a party of the Muhajirs and the Ansar with\nhim. Muhammad and his companions had complete reliance\non the letter which Uthman had given them and they,\ntherefore, left Madina for Egypt. However, before reaching\ntheir destination they returned to Madina. Now the\nquestion arises as to why those people returned very much\nannoyed? And why did they await an opportunity to enter\nthe city without bloodshed? Neither history nor those who\ndeny the existence of any such letter mention any cause\nfor the return of Muhammad and his companions to\nMadina. Only one cause is mentioned and that is the letter\nin question.\nFurthermore, the Muhajirs and the Ansar who were\nsent with Muhammad to Egypt to investigate the activities\nof Ibn Abi Sarah and to make the atmosphere favourable\nfor the governorship of Muhammad were all obedient to\nUthman and some of them, if not all, enjoyed the position\nof Uthman's supporters and associates. How can one\nimagine that these persons who were the well-wishers of\nUthman, could forge a letter signed by him? And if it is\nsaid that the letter was not forged by the Muhajirs and the\n\fAnsar but it was signed by someone else, then the question\narises as to how these people accepted it as having been\nwritten by Uthman. And if it is said that no such letter\nwas found then it must also be admitted that Muhammad\nbin Abi Bakr and his companions did not return to Madina\non account of any letter and the story of the letter was\nfabricated by the enemies of Uthman after his murder.\nIn that case the question arises as to why Dr. Taha Husayn\nand other historians and narrators admit the existence\nof such a letter and say that the companions of the prophet\ncontended with the insurgents on account of the letter and\nenquired as to how the people of Kufa and Basra came to\nknow about the Egyptians having located the letter when\neach of the three parties was going its own way?\nIn the circumstances the existence of the letter cannot\nbe denied. The question, therefore, remains as to who\nwrote that letter and engineered a plot to kill Muhammad\nbin Abi Bakr, the Muhajirs and the Ansar accompanying\nhim, and the opponents of Ibn Abi Sarah?\nAs mentioned above Dr. Taha Husayn does not\nbelieve that Uthman could write such a letter and deceive\nthe Muslims. This view of Dr. Taha Husayn is correct.\nUthman could not practise such a deception. Itis,however,\na fact that Uthman was of a very mild nature. This very\nmildness occasionally made him surrender to the wishes of\nBani Umayyah and deceit and cunningness of Bani Umayyah\nis too well known. We learn from the life history of Uthman\nthat at a certain time he issued some orders, later withdrew\nthem, expressed regret for having issued them, and began\nweeping.\nThe treatment meted out by Uthman to Abu Zar is a\nclear example of the way in which Bani Umayyah prevailed\nupon him to do things opposed to justice and good\nconscience and then he had to express regret. He subjected\nAbu Zar to extreme humiliation and torture and then did\nhis best to reconcile him. Soon afterwards, however,\nhe got annoyed with Abu Zar again and banished him\nas a result of which he and the members of his family died\nof starvation.\nAnother such instance was the insult to which\nUthman subjected the distinguished companion of the\nprophet namely Abdullah ibn Mas`ud. In compliance\nwith his orders a man picked up Abdullah and threw him\n\fon the ground as a result of which his bones got broken.\nHe also stopped his stipend. Soon afterwards, however,\nhe felt ashamed and apologized to Abdullah.\nUthman's biography also shows that he asked Ali\nto leave Madina and then sent messengers asking him to\nreturn. This happened many times. So much so that Ali\nhad to say: \"Uthman wants to make me a camel which\ncarries water so that I may continue to come and go.\nHe asked me to leave Madina and then called me back.\nNow he again wants me to go away from here\".\nUthman gives general licence to Abdullah Ibn Abi\nSarah to deal with the people of Egypt as he liked. Ibn Abi\nSarah subjects the Egyptians to severe oppression. The\nEgyptians come to Madina and complain to Uthman.\nUthman addresses them. He praises them, expresses regret,\nand repents for the past deeds. So much so that he begins\nto weep and promises that he would replace Ibn Abi\nSarah by a governor of their choice. Then he returns to\nhis palace where he meets Marwan. Marwan makes him\ngo back on his word and he does not keep any promise\nmade to the Egyptians!\nFor Uthman the matter of Abu Zar and Ibn Mas`ud\nwas not easier than that of Muhammad bin Abi Bakr or\nthe Egyptians. The admonitions made by both of them to\nhis kinsmen were more painful to him than the Egyptian's\nattack once on the capital of Madina and once on the\nGovernor of Egypt. When he could misbehave with Abu\nZar and Ibn Mas`ud to comply with the wishes of his own\nkinsmen, Muhammad and Fgyptians were evidently of no\nconsequence in his eyes. Furthermore, it is an established\nfact that Muhammad bin Abi Bakr was an opponent of\nUthman's politics whereas Ibn Abi Sarah was one of his\nconfidants and liked very much his policies and methods\nof Government. In the light of these facts it is possible\nthat Uthman might have regretted the appointment of\nMuhammad bin Abi Bakr instead of Ibn Abi Sarah as well\nas the promises made by him with the Egyptians and might\nhave decided to go back upon his word under the pressure\nof Marwan and other Umayyads.\nBy mentioning the incident of the letter we do not\nmean to support those who claim that the letter was\nwritten by Uthman himself. What we mean to say is that\nUthman had such a mild nature that Marwan and the\n\fdescendants of Hakam who were all in all in Uthman's\nadministration could prevail upon him and dupe him very\neasily to achieve their own ends. Hence if it cannot be\naccepted that Uthman could deceive the Muslims it can\nvery well be accepted that Marwan could exert pressure\non Uthman to get things done according to his desire.\nNow we turn to Dr. Taha Husayn once again. He\nthinks that for two reasons which we have mentioned\nearlier the story of the letter is fabricated and baseless.\nThen he advances another reason in support of his claim\nwhich, in our opinion, is very weak. He says. \"It is not\nsomething rational and acceptable that Marwan might dare\nto write a letter as if it was written by Uthman, affix his\nseal thereon, and send it through his (Uthman's) slave\".\nWe say in reply that it is not surprising that Marwan\nshould have taken such a step. What suprises us is that\nDr. Taha Husayn considers Marwan's action to be beyond\nreason. He holds this view notwithstanding the fact that\nit was the same Marwan who considered himself to be the\nmaster and the people to be his servants and slaves, whom\nhe could allow to live or put to death at his own free will.\nNow we should like to comment on Dr. Taha's\nview that these narrations do not stand to reason. There\nare narrations which tell that the letter was written by\nMarwan and the entire plot was the outcome of his policies\nand methods of administration, because he was the de\nfacto ruler of the Islamic territories.\nIn this connection it is necessary to keep some points\nin view.\nFirstly all the narrations unitedly say that a depu-\ntation headed by Ali waited on Uthman. It included\nAmmar, Talha, Zubayr and Sa`d bin Abi Waqas. Ali held\nthe letter in question in his hand. He also took with him\nthe slave and the camel. He had a talk with Uthman about\nthe letter and then the companions came to know that the\nletter had been written by Marwan. They then asked\nUthman to call Marwan before them so that they might\nquestion him. Uthman did not agree to this and the com-\npanions went away very much annoyed. We have already\nquoted this narration at length in the foregoing pages.\nSecondly Marwan's opinion about Uthman's caliphate\nmust also be kept in view. In this connection the question\narises whether, in his eyes Uthman was a caliph like Abu\n\fBakr and Umar or an Umayyad through whom Bani\nUmayyah were to regain the power and authroty which\nhad been destroyed by Islam.\nMarwan was a perfect model of Umayyad opportu-\nnism. According to him the Caliphate had nothing to do\nwith the fact that Uthman was a Qurayshite, a Muhajir, a\ncompanion of the prophet and a believer in his prophethood.\nRather he only considered Uthman to be a member of the\nUmayyad Family.\nAccording to Marwan the caliphate was not something\nwhich meant a just government based on the principles of\npublic welfare and which was expected to follow the\nSunnah of the prophet and the conduct of the previous\ncaliphs. It was a kingship which slipped away from the\nhands of Abu Bakr and Umar because they did not nominate\ntheir children as their successors. It was, however, incum-\nbent upon Uthman, who was an Umayyad, not to repeat\nthis mistake so that the people might imagine that the\ncaliphate belonged to Bani Umayyah only. It was therefore\nnecessary for Uthman that he should behave towards the\npeople in the same manner in which a careful monarch\nbehaves towards his subjects. If Uthman was not able to\nrule in this way there was Marwan to guide him. The\nsentences uttered by Marwan while addressing the insurgents\nwhich have been reproduced earlier, depict a true picture\nof his mentality. He had said: \"Why have you people\ngathered here? Do you want to snatch our kingdom?\"\nDuring those days the caliphate was in fact the king-\ndom of Marwan. The subjects were not entitled to raise\ntheir voice and claim their sustenance and freedom from\nthe king. Marwan was a king belonging to the Umayyad\nFamily and people were his slaves.\nHow could a person, who viewed the caliph and the\ncaliphate in the manner explained above and issued orders\naccording to that conception, be expected to tolerate that\nthe people should put up their demands before the govern-\nment of his relative Uthman (which was as good as Marwan's\nown government) and the king should surrender before\ntheir wishes and dismiss the governor who was an impor-\ntant member of the Umayyad regime and appoint in his\nplace Muhammad bin Abi Bakr who was an opponent\nof Uthman's government and a staunch supporter of\nImam Ali?\n\fWe cannot also ignore the fact that it was the\ninsurgents and the companions of the prophet who were\nannoyed with Uthman and had recommended the name of\nMuhammad for appointment as governor and Marwan had\nnot been consulted in the matter. Of course, Marwan\ncould not tolerate that his authority should be violated\nin this manner.\nWhen Marwan's views about the caliphate are known\nit becomes evident that he could not ignore the superiority\nwhich had returned once again to the Umayyad Family.\nAnd when it is realized that instead of considering Uthman\nto be the caliph of the Muslims Marwan treated him to be\nmember of the Umayyad Family and a representative of\nUmayyad Government it should not be difficult to under-\nstand that he could be presumptuous vis-a-vis Uthman.\nHowever, if he was presumptuous he was so from our\nview-point. So far as Marwan himself was concerned he\nwas only acting for protection of his rights.\nDr. Taha Husayn's saying that Marwan could not dare\nwrite a letter in the name of Uthman and affix his seal on\nit, does not stand to reason. History tells us of many ins-\ntances in which he showed presumption and boldness. For\nexample, he suggested to Uthman to kill those companions\nof the prophet who criticized his government (viz. Ali,\nAmmar, Abu Zar etc).\nHe suggested to Uthman that he should not give\na chance to lbn Mas`ud to turn Syria against him as he had\nalready made the people of Kufa his opponents. Uthman\nreadily accepted his suggestion.\nHe tried to obstruct Ali, his sons, and Aqil and Abbas\nfrom saying good bye to Abu Zar, and did not desist from\ndoing so until Ali struck his animal of riding and was about\nto strike him also.\nHe was presumptuous on very delicate occasions.\nHe abused and turned out of the capital members of\nvarious deputations which had come from other places.\nUthman heard and saw what he did but said nothing.\nHe openly suggested to Uthman to kill Ammar.\nIn many other matters also Marwan was much more\npresumptuous. He spoke impudently to Na`ela, Uthman's\nwife, in the presence of her husband, but Uthman kept\nsilent. This incident was as follows:\nNa`ela was a wise woman. She disliked Marwan's\n\fpolicies very much and repeatedly suggested to her husband\nto act on the advice of Ali. When Uthman delivered a\nspeech before the representatives of Egypt, Basra and Kufa\nhe promised them to accede to their demands and then\nreturned to his house, Marwan said to him: \"O Commander\nof the Faithful: \"Should I speak or keep quiet?\" Thereupon\nUthman's wife said: \"You better keep quiet. I swear by\nGod that you people will kill Uthman and make his\nchildren orphans. It is not proper that Uthman should go\nback on and violate the promises made by him\". Marwan\nsaid to her: \"What have you to do with these matters. By\nGod, your father who is now dead did not know how to\nperform ablution correctly\".\nEvidently when Marwan could speak in such an\nimpudent manner to the caliph's wife in his presence one\nshould not be suprised on his having written a letter with\nthe name of the caliph without his knowledge.\nDuring the period of Uthman's caliphate also people\nknew how Marwan misbehaved towards him and how\npresumtuous he was in dealing with the caliph. The people\ndid not conceal his presumptuousness but reprimanded\nhim and also warned Uthman against him. Even then\nUthman did not disregard the suggestions made by Marwan.\nRepresenting the views of the public Imam Ali had said to\nUthman: \"You will be pleased with Marwan and he will be\nsatisfied with you only when he deprives you of your faith\nand reason and drives you to any place he likes like a tame\nand weak camel\".\nMarwan's presumptuousness also encouraged others\nto misbehave towards Uthman. We have already narrated\nin the foregoing pages the story of Jabalah ibn Umrah\nSa`edi. It was the presumptuousness of Marwan which\nencouraged Jabalah to tell Uthman: \"I swear by God that\nI shall put this chain round your neck unless you turn\naway your wicked kinsmen from around you\".\nDr. Taha Husayn may well be asked whether this\npresumptuousness of Jabalah is more against reason or that\nof Marwan who wrote a letter as if it was written by\nUthman when he was a favourite son-in-law of Uthman\nand enjoyed great influence on him!\n\f1 In the book cntitled \"Abdullah bin Saba\" (in three volumes)\nwritten recently by an erudite scholar namely Allama Murtaza\nal-Askari (which has fortunately been translated into Urdu, English\nand Persian as well) justice has been done to the subject in a very\ncompetent manner and the veil has been removed from the\nambiguous face of this mythical person who has been the real hero\nof the concocted stories written against the Shia during the span\nof the last thirteen centuries.\nIn this book Allama al-Askari has, as a true researcher adopted\na correct method for showing the real face ofthis mythical personality.\nHe has commenced his study with the well-known documents like\nKamil Ibn Athir, Tarikh lbn Khaldun, Tarikh Tabari, Ibn Kathir,\nIbn Asakir and Zahabi and has endeavoured to find out the source of\nthis story. After complete research and study he has found that it is\nnow more than a thousand years that the historians have quoted the\nstory of Abdullah bin Saba and his activities from a person named\nSaif bin Umar. Many of them like Tabari have quoted from directly\nand other writes of recent, past and present have quoted this story\nfrom Tabari and other historians mentioned above.\nThereafter he has directed his research to the identification\nof Saif bin Umar because all talks about Abdullah bin Saba\nculminate in him. As a result of this research he has introduced\nSaif bin Umar to us in the following terms in the light of clear\ndocumentary proof.\nHe was a person who died after 170 A.H. and handed down\ntwo books namely \"al-Futuh-wal-Raddah\" and \"al-Jamal-wa-Masiru\nAyesha-wa Ali\".\nThe study of the particulars of Saif in books on biographies\nand of what has been written about him by scholars from 3rd\ncentury upto 10th century Higira shows that he was a forger, a\nwriter of mythical stories and a coiner of Hadith who was sometimes\nreferred to as \"Saif bin Umar Zindiq\" (Atheist or Dualist) as well.\nStudy of his two books also confirms the fact that he\npossessed those qualities, because most of his narrations do not\ntally with any historical documents and have a perfect air of fiction.\nAll the documentary evidence collected in this behalf goes to\nshow that Saif bin Umar created a number figures and it is also\nnot improbable that he was commissioned to do so. One of these\nfictitious figures is this very Abdullah bin Saba.\nIn this manner we find with the deepest regret that this man\n(Abdullah bin Saba) who has, for more than one thousand years,\nserved as a pretext for propaganda against the Shia and has been\nintroduced as a Jew and the founder of Shi'ite Islam has had in fact\n\fno real existence and was the creation of the brain of a forger and a\nvisionary person named Saif bin Umar!\nWe invite the enlightened conscience of the Muslim sages for\narbitration and ask: Is it proper that a religion whose root has been\nwatered by the purest sources of inspiration viz. the Family of the\nholy Prophet should be subjected to such calumnies and unholy\nremarks may be passed against it on the authority of fictitious\nstories without any research or study? Is this the justice to which the\nholy Qur'an invites us to adhere? And is this the meaning of the\ncommandment which we have been given regarding acceptance of\nstatements? \"O faithful! whenever a sinner or a libertine brings you\na news, verify it, lest you may subject a community to adversity on\naccount of ignorance and repent thereafter.\" (Sura al-Hujurat:6)\nFurther details on the subject may be a reference made to\nAllama Murtaza Askari's masterpiece research work \"Abdullah\nbin Saba\".\n\f", "span": null, "lang": "en", "meta": {"fallback": "pdftotext"}} diff --git a/backend/libraries/punk/library.json b/backend/libraries/punk/library.json index dfc8489..6147823 100644 --- a/backend/libraries/punk/library.json +++ b/backend/libraries/punk/library.json @@ -11,12 +11,15 @@ "name": "GeorgeJordac-TheVoiceOfHumanJustice.pdf", "size": 849816, "added_at": "2026-03-19T21:17:22Z", - "sync_status": "pending", - "enrich_enabled": false + "sync_status": "failed", + "enrich_enabled": false, + "sync_error": "HTTPError: 500 Server Error: Internal Server Error for url: http://localhost:11434/api/embeddings" } ], "pipeline": { "pending_prepare_signature": "3eb68db8cef2a242639047a877498e175b2de01652f1617bf54e22ab1847176c", - "pending_prepare_updated_at": "2026-03-19T21:17:22Z" + "pending_prepare_updated_at": "2026-03-19T21:17:22Z", + "corpus_signature": "4ee63713a76f8fb419918759fc04071848fb669a0e7b5b12c15727224c3838d2", + "corpus_updated_at": "2026-03-19T21:17:25Z" } } \ No newline at end of file