Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Succession To an Apostle Of God

To know as to who is that, with whom rests the authority to appoint a successor to an Apostle of God, God or man? One should first know who actually is God's apostle. The first apostle Adam, is titled by God Himself as his 'KHALIF' or Vicegerent. Thus, it becomes clear that an apostle of God is a 'KHALIFATULLAH' i.e., the Vicegerent of God on earth.

WHO APPOINTS A 'KHALIFATULLAH'

To know as to who appoints a 'KHALIFATULLAH', i.e., the Vicegerent of God? God Himself or man? Or to know as to how the appointment is effected, by God's independent decree or by any election among men by themselves, or by the nomination of a man by another man, we need refer to any authority of any priest or consult any philosopher, for the holy QUR'AN is too plain and too aloud about the matter. In the very second chapter of the holy Book, is there that God did not consult even the sinless and the faithful specie of the angles, but only informed them of His decided will, to appoint Adam as His Vicegerent of earth:

"When said thy Lord unto the angels, Verily I am appointing a 'KHALIFA' (A Vicegerent) in the earth.." [2:30]. Hearing the announcement of the will of the Lord, the angels submitted their knowledge about the character and the conduct of the people who then inhabited the earth, saying:

"What! Wilt Thou appoint the one who maketh mischief in it and sheddeth blood? And we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness" [2:30]. The absolute independence of the Lord did not tolerate even the enquiry on the part of the angels who submitted only a truth, and immediately the Lord remarked:

"Verily I know what ye know not" [2:30]. The above one verse of the holy QUR'AN gives out many important factors about the Vicegerency of the Lord, the mode of the appointment of a Vicegerent, his duties, and his position among the creation as a whole. The verse gives out:

1- The 'KHALIFATULLAH', or the Vicegerent of God on earth, is appointed by God Himself.

2- The personal qualities of the 'KHALIFATULLAH' are inconceivable by, or unknown even to the angels.

3- The personal excellence of the 'KHALIFATULLAH' is known only to God, and God dies not deem even the angels as fit to bear the knowledge of it, hence He did not give it out to them. The angels were only told what God knoweth about his 'KHALIFA' even they knew out. 4- The term 'KHALIFA' suggests that the one appointed is to rule the kingdom of God on behalf of God, i.e., as God wills.

5- A 'KHALIFA' is he who is vested with all the powers and the authority of him whom he represents. Thus the 'KHALIFATULLAH' will be endowed with all the powers and the authority over the Kingdom of God. All creation of the Lord will be under the 'KHALIFATULLAH' and the 'KHALIFATULLAH' being under the absolute submission to the Lord.

6- The holy QUR'AN gives out another factor for our guidance that a 'KHALIF' or the vicegerent of God, is given the store of knowledge necessary for the office, by God Himself. Adam was given knowledge by God Himself and them the angels were asked to give out what was taught to Adam, which they failed to do.

"And He (God) taught Adam all the Names, then presented them to the angels; He (God) said (unto the Angels) 'Tell Me ye the names of those if ye be truthful'" [2:31].

"The Angels said that they knew nothing more than what they were taught" [2:32]. It means that what was taught to Adam was not taught to the Angels.

7- As the vicegerency will proceed further, according to the evolutionary progress of the human intellect with which the Vicegerent of the age and of the place will have to deal, so will the Lord, naturally gift His Vicegerent with higher intellect and an increased store of knowledge.

8- When it is the will of the Lord to sent to mankind His Last or the Chief Vicegerent, 33:40, the Vicegerent now sent, will naturally and necessarily be endowed with knowledge in its fullness and such a Vicegerent alone will have the right and courage to say: "I am the City of Knowledge? And only such a Vicegerent will naturally be the nearest one to the Lord 53:9, and His dearest one. Being the nearest one, he would not speak or act but what the Lord reveals to him and only about such a Deputy of His, the Lord declared:

"Nor doth he (The holy Prophet Muhammad) speaketh of his own inclination. It is naught but a revelation revealed" [53:3-4].

It is a natural and a simple inference that when the first of God's apostles, sent into the world in its primitive state, is called His 'KHALIF' or the Vicegerent, the Last one of His apostles sent to humanity with the maturity of intellect to bear the 'KHALIF' or the Vicegerent of God in the Highest Order of Grade. The holy QUR'AN gives out the fact that among the apostles of God, there are grades of superiority of one over the other: "These apostles, We have exalted some of them over the others. Of them are some unto whom God hath spoken" [20:11]. "And some He hath raise in degrees.." [2:253].

9- If the first 'KHALIF' or the Vicegerent of God, was superior to the angels in his personal excellence as to entitle him to the 'SIJDAH' or the prostration of the angels (20:116) the Last or the Chief of the Apostles will naturally be a superior- most excellence. His purity physical and spiritual, will be matchlessly divine among the creation as a whole. Naturally such a super-fine personality can never be succeeded but by those of the same purity. Referring to the purity of the Last Apostle and the people of his holy House, the AHLUL-BAIT, God had declared:

"God only willeth that He keepeth away un-cleanliness from you, O; AHLUL-BAIT, and purify you a thorough purification" [33:33]. God could have purified only the holy Prophet, if the divine guidance to mankind had to end with him. The equal purification of his 'AHLUL-BAIT' along with him can never be purposeless for God is the All-Wise Lord. The act of the All-Wise can never be purposeless or vain. Thus the equal purification of the 'AHLUL-BAIT' along with the holy Prophet, clearly indicates that the 'AHLUL-BAIT' have also to serve one and the same identical purpose along with holy Prophet and after him, not as apostles but as the 'Imams' OR THE Vicegerents of the Lord on earth. It is only a matter of simple common sense to know that the place of the pure can be taken only by the pure and no impurity can ever fit in, in the place o purity, perfect and supreme.

10- Every apostle of God was a 'KHALIFATULLAH' or the vicegerent of God, some were for themselves, some for a particular people and some for a particular place and age with particular assignment and jurisdiction: Noah was sent to a particular people 23:23, Moses to the people of Pharaoh 20:24, SALEH to THAMUD 7:73, Lot to his people 7:80 and similarly the others.

11- The Last Apostle or the Chief Vicegerent of God, was sent not to any one people or time, but to mankind as a whole i.e., as long as mankind is there on earth 7:158, 4:79, 34:28. And he was declared not only a 'NAZEER' or a Warner or a 'RASOOL' i.e., a Messenger but as 'SIRAJUN MUNEER' an Ever Lighted Lamp 33:46 and more than any other status or position he has been given an exclusive distinction as the 'Mercy unto the Worlds' 21:107. 12- The position of the Last Apostle of God is clearly stated to be over and above all the other apostles as a witness over them of the Day of Judgment, which declaration also clearly hints that in the realm of spirit or in the order of existence, the Last one of the apostles, must necessarily have existed even prior to Adam as the holy Prophet said: "AWWALO MA KHALAQALLAH NOORI' i.e., What God first created is my 'NOOR', Light. It is evident that he was ever vigilant over the ministries of all the apostles of God, preceding him in the apostolic service on earth. Otherwise he could not be witness on all his predecessors:

"And on that Day We shall raise up in evert people a sitness on them from among themselves, and bring thee (O' Our Apostle Muhammad) as a witness on them (all)…" [16:89].

It is a well-known fact that a doctor alone can take the place of a doctor an Engineer only can take place of a Engineer. It is quite natural that a successor to a 'KHALIFATULLAH' can never be but a 'KHALIFATULLAH' and he could be none else other than of those purified by God Himself 33:33 of the same caliber and of the same excellence and purity. It is referring to this fact identifying the personal excellence of his successors the holy Imam (The KHALIFATULLAH), that the holy Prophet, has said: "I and Ali are of one and the same Light".

And about the Twelve Imams who will succeed him, the holy Prophet declared: AWWALONA MUHAMMAD (The First of us is Muhammad) AUSATONA MUHAMMAD (The Middle one of us is Muhammad) AAKHIRANA MUHAMMAD (The Last one of us is Muhammad) KOLLONA MUHAMMAD (Every one of us is Muhammad)

i.e., Like the holy Prophet Muhammad, all the Imams succeeding him, though not as apostles of God, are identical in their being the vicegerents of the Lord, on the earth with the same purity and the excellence, physical and spiritual gifted to them by their Lord Himself. It is necessary for the readers to know that 'KHALIFAT' means here 'IMAMAT' and 'IMAMAT' actually means 'VILAYAT' or the divine guardianship or mastery.

The holy Prophet Muhammad was an 'Imam' as well as a 'RASOOL' (apostle) or 'NABI' (The Prophet of God). The 'IMAMAT' or the 'VILAYAT' of the holy Prophet is superior or higher to his 'RISALAT', i.e., apostleship, or his 'NUBOWWAT' i.e., prophet-hood, and his 'RISALAT' and his 'NUBOWWAT' end 'with the conveyance of the message or the conclusion of his ministry as a Prophet but his 'Imamate' i.e., leadership of Guidance, or his 'VILAYAT' i.e., his Guardianship or Mastery remains with him and his successors 'Imams' or the 'VALIES' , for ever, until the end of the world. It is in the light of these guiding factors given out by the holy QUR'AN the Final Word of God, that one has to view the position of the holy Prophet Muhammad or the holy Imams, particularly of HUSSAIN, connected with the subject of this brief work.

THE IMAMAT, PROMISED TO ABRAHAM

The Imamate or the Guidance or the Leadership first bestowed upon Abraham, and promised by the Lord to be continued in his seed, was fulfilled in the immediate succession to the holy Prophet: "And when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said "Verily I make thee an Imam (Guide) for mankind". Said: (Abraham) 'And of my offspring?' Said He (God) "And my covenant reacheth not 'ZALIMEEM'" (i.e., the iniquitous)" [2:124]. The wording of the reply to Abraham in the above verse is clear that the Imamate conferred on him will reach the off-springs of Abraham who are not ZALIMS (iniquitous).

The above saying agrees with the declaration in the Old Testament. When Abraham prayed for ISMAEL, the Lord said: "And as for ISMAEL, I have heard thee. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; Twelve Princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation" TO., (Gen. 88:20). The greatest 'ZULM' or iniquity according to the holy QUR'AN is 'SHIRK' i.e., polytheism or idolatry: "…Verily 'SHIRK' (ascribing partners to God) is the greatest 'ZULM' (iniquity)" [31:13].

It is a hard fact of history that besides the holy Prophet Muhammad, in the lineage of Abraham through ISMAEL, there is only one and that is ALI IBNE ABI TALEB whom the 'ZULM' the iniquity of 'SHIRK' polytheism (i.e., idolatry) never touched, who never bowed before any one besides God. It is for this fact the general Muslim World mention the name of Ali with the suffix 'DARRAMALLAHO WAJHAHO' (i.e., he whose face God has graced not to bow to any one besides Him). All the others of the companions of the holy Prophet had once been idolaters. The members of his House and his lineage including ABU TALEB (the father of Ali, the first holy Imam), all had been free from this most abhorrent abominable pollution.

About ABU TALEB, suffice it to say that if ABU TALEB had not adopted 'TAQIAH' so successfully as he did, he would not have been able to give the asylum of safety and security to the holy Prophet and Islam, against the hostile pagan world in Mecca. The very wordings of his sermon on the occasion of the wedding of the holy Prophet with Lady KHADIJA, his commanding his son Ali to abide by the holy Prophet's Faith, and his suffering the historic privation known as the SHEB-E-ABU TALEB for the sake of the holy Prophet and his faith and the holy Prophet declaring the year of ABU TALEB'S death as the 'AAMUL HUZN' i.e., the Year of Grief, is sufficient to indicate as to what ABU TALEB was, at heart. The similitude of ABU TALEB is the similitude of 'EZKEIL' the MOMINE AALE FIRAUN' 'MOMINE QOREISH' the Believer among the QUREISH.

The Logical Identification Of an Imam

The All-Merciful Lord has not spared any point of guidance, necessary to lead man to the right path. The Gracious Lord has mercifully promised guidance to every one who sincerely seeds it:

"(What!) Is he then who leadeth to the Truth more worthy to be followed, or he who findeth not the way unless he is guided (by some one else) What is the matter with you? How do ye judge?" [10:35].

"(What!) Is then, he who goeth prone upon his face, better guided or he who walketh upright on the straight path?" [67:22]. The above verses of the holy QUR'AN give the clearest indication that only the holy Prophet and his 'AHLUL-BAIT', who never had any education from any mortal in the world and yet were the fountainheads of learning and knowledge, are those who could be the 'Imams' or guides or the leaders for mankind.

Only about Ali, the holy Prophet had said:

"I am the City of Knowledge, and Ali is its Gate". "I am the City of 'HIKMAT' (wisdom) and Ali is its Gate". "The Truth is with Ali and Ali is with Truth". It is needless to stress much upon the position of Ali in the divinely gifted knowledge, for the Muslim World as a whole knows it that there is none to match Ali in this regard besides the holy Prophet. There are innumerable sayings of the holy Prophet about Ali's unique as the 'Imam' immediately succeeding him.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHOICE OF THE RIGHT IMAM

According to the declaration of the holy QUR'AN every individual man and woman, is individually charged with the responsibility of choosing an 'Imam' or guide for himself or herself in this life for it had been clearly announced that every people will be called on the Day of Judgment along with his or her 'Imam':

"On the day (of resurrection), We shall call every people with their (respective) 'Imam' (guide)…" [17:71]. Confirming the above announcement and warning mankind particularly the Muslims against any failure in this regard, the holy Prophet had said: "He who died and did not know the Imam of his age, had died the death of ignorance". The above apostolic saying, besides giving out the importance of the significance of knowing by every one, the 'Imam' of his age, discloses the fact that in every ate there will be an 'Imam' and no age until the end of the world can be without an 'Imam' in it.

EVERY INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN CHOICE.

Having shown man the right course and giving him additional guiding notes directing him to the right path, man has been left to be gratefully guided aright or ungratefully get astray, rejecting all the divine guidance:

"Verily We have shown man the Way, be he thankful or be he unthankful" [76:3]. Since the truth ahs been made clearly manifest against falsehood, it has been declared that there shall be no compulsion in faith: "There is no compulsion in religions, the right way has been made clearly manifest from the error…" [2:256]. Man has also been repeatedly warned against the unwarranted undertaking by the false leaders of the faith, to bear the burden of the sins of their followers:

"No bearer shall bear the burden of the other" [2:48, 6:164, 53:38, 39:7, 52:38]. Every individual has been warned that the least vice will be punished and the least virtue will be rewarded: "So he who doeth atom weight of good shall see it. and he who doeth an atom weight of evil shall see it" [99:7-8].

THE DOOR OF PARDON FOR SINCERE REPENTANCE OPEN

Having harnessed the brute or the self in man with the heavy responsibilities, and the individual accounting for the choice of the right course and faithfully following it, the All-Merciful let the door of His Merciful Pardon, open for those who sincerely repent and amend their mistaken conduct: "Say (O' Our Apostle Muhammad) O' My servants who have been prodigal to their own selves, despair ye not of the mercy of God. Verily God frogiveth sins altogether. Verily He is Forgiving Merciful" [39:53].

A sinner when assured of some else having paid the price of the sins of the world, as is preached by the Christian church get freely licentious with the surety that his sins have been paid for. But man with the individual responsibility of being good, and being assured of pardon against any unintentional failures, remains cautious and at the same time attached to the Lord for the mercy he hopes for from Him. When one is totally disappointed against his sins not being pardoned at all, gets desperate and when he is assured of the pardon against a sincere repentance, naturally one some time or the other gets mindful of giving up the wrong course in the hope of the promised pardon for his past and return to the right path.

REDEMPTION OR INTERCESSION THROUGH THE RIGHT MEANS POSSIBLE

If the holy QUR'AN has said that neither intercession will be accepted nor any ransom, it does not mean that redemption or intercession is totally ruled out. It needs only a proper and intelligent recital of the Word of God. Intercession or ransom which will not be accepted is that of the man's own fancied false leaders of the faith whom man unwarrantedly followed, and the false god the disbeliever wrongly worshipped with the false hope of having any intercession on his behalf for his sins. Otherwise man has been clearly informed of the intercession through the right course accepted by God or through those permitted by him:

"…Who is he that can intercede with Him (God) but by His permission.." [2:255]. "…There is no intercessor except after His (God's) permission.." [10:3].

"On the day when no intercession avails except of him whom the Beneficent (God) allows, and whose word He is pleased with" [20:109]. The above verses of the holy QUR'AN clearly declare the availability of intercession but only through those permitted by God and those whose word God is pleased with. Mere common sense is sufficient to say that those permitted or those words God is pleased with, can be no others than those whom God Himself purified [33:33] i.e., 'AHLUL-BAIT'. Those who are impure to any degree, less or more, can never even be imagined to be of any use at all for they themselves will be held up in accounting for their own pollutions.

WHAT IS IMAMAT?

'IMAMAT' is the 'KHILAFATE-ILAHIAH' or the vicegerency of God on earth. 'IMAMAT' is the heart and soul of 'RISALAT' Prophet-hood, or 'NUBOWWAT', i.e., Apostleship. The holy Prophet Muhammad was a 'RASOOL', Prophet, 'NABI' (Apostle) as well as an 'Imam' (the Guide or the Leader) i.e., 'KHILAFATULLAH', i.e., Vicegerent of God on earth. 'IMAMAT' or the 'KHILAFATE-ILAHIAH', i.e., vicegerency of God is not a thing for men jointly or severally to award it to or bestow it on any one. It is an office which is not given to any one after his getting qualified there in this world, but to the one who is already chosen by God Himself for the purpose and is sent into the world duly conditioned for it.

The demonstrative instance of Abraham's being given the 'IMAMAT' after the trial and the verse of the reply to Abraham's prayer for his off-spring about the 'IMAMAT' awarded to him, if studied intelligently, gives the important factors about the significance of IMAMAT and as to what actually it is. "And when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words, he fulfilled them. He (God) said: "Verily I make thee an Imam for mankind. Said (Abraham) 'And my off-springs? Said He (God) 'My Covenant reacheth not the 'ZALIMEEN' (the Iniquitous)" [2:124]. The following is the verbal and meaningful analysis of the above verse:

1- 'IMAMAT': Even to an apostle of God, like Abraham is given only after a trial and his passing it successfully.

2- 'IMAMAT': Is not an automatic product of any success in any trial, until it is awarded by the divine will.

3- 'IMAMAT': Is a awarded by none but God Himself.

4- 'IMAMAT': Is a Covenant of the Lord.

5- 'IMAMAT': Does not automatically pass on as a hereditary quitous.

6- 'IMAMAT': Is awarded only to the equitous.

7- 'IMAMAT': Is a gracious award only to Abraham and to the equitous ones in the seed of Abraham and not to any one or every one, even if he be equitous.

8- 'IMAMAT': Is an independent award of the Lord only to His Chosen ones.

It may be asked, if an apostle or an 'Imam' is sent into the world already purified and conditioned by God Himself, what is meant by putting him once again to trial in his earthly life? The answer is that the trial is not for God to know the mettle or the caliber or the native endowment in his which He Himself has effected, but it is to show to the world the degree of his personal excellence and his devotion and absolute submission to will of his Lord.

THE START OF THE IMAMAT OF ALI

The Apostolic declaration at the historic assembly at 'GHADEER-E-KHUM' in compliance with the will of the Lord, declared through the verse 6:67 by which the holy Prophet declared Ali as the 'MAULA' or the Lord or the Master of the Faithful, in his own place, Ali became the 'MAULA' of the Faithful. And it must also be remembered that while felicitating Ali as the 'AMEERUL-MOMINEEN', i.e., the Commander or the ruler of the Faithful and it was only at the declaration of Ali as the 'MAULA' in the place of the holy Prophet, by the verse 6:3 the religion Islam was declared to be complete and to be the creed accepted by God.

God had commanded the holy Prophet to appoint the one already nominated by Him, in his place, before he leaves the world and then only to return unto his Lord, and the holy Prophet acted accordingly in response to verse 6:67:

"So when thou (O' Our Apostle Muhammad) hast finished (completed the ministry) appoint and unto thy Lord incline" [94:7-8]. Thus in pursuance of the declared will of the will of the Lord, with the departure of the holy Prophet from this world, started the 'IMAMAT' of Ali or the 'KHALIFATE-ILAHIAH' or the vicegerency of God on earth.

The KALIFATE started at the 'SAQEEFA-E-BANI SA'ADA', with the dispute for it, between the MOHAJIRS (the Emigrants) and the ANSARS (the Helpers) was the KALIFATE or the ruler-ship of the people and not the 'KHILAFAT-E-RASSOL' or the succession to the holy Prophet in his apostolic office. It was only the succession to the Prophet as the ruler of the state. It could not be the spiritual leadership in the place of the holy Prophet for it passed through characters like YAZID IBNE MU'AVIAH and the several others of the OMAYYIDS and the ABBASIDES whose personal qualities, history has already reported to the world. Thus the KALIFATE should not be confused with the 'IMAMAT' for the Imam, the Vicegerent of God on earth, cannot be but one like Abraham and the holy Prophet which the physical and the spiritual or the external and the internal excellence possessed by these Chosen Ones of God. God's Vicegerent can never be the debauchees, the drunkards, the assassins and the murderers even of their own kith and kin. The 'IMAMAT', i.e., the 'Imam' has to remain until the end of the world, but the world, but the world knows the historic fact that the man-made KALIFATE started by man in the 'SAQEEF' could not survive along; it was annihilated or dismissed by another man the ATATURK at Constantinople. The 'KHILAFAT-E-ILAHIAH' or the Vicegerent which is bestowed by God Himself on His apostles or through His apostles remains and is to remain as long as lasts the world.

ALI AS THE IMAM

Ali was neglected and ignored by the people as any apostle of God suffered at the hands of his people but it never affected the divine or the heavenly position of the apostle and the apostle always played his role as assigned to him by His Lord. If the people got benefited by his ministry it was for themselves and if not, it was also against them:

"If they reject thee, already did reject before them, the people of Noah and 'AD and THAMOOD did reject (the prophets)" [22:42]. "If ye do good, ye do good unto your own selves. And if ye do evil, then it shall be for the self (itself)" [17:7]. Similarly did Ali act.

THE POSITION OF AN IMAM

The position of an Imam an the duty assigned to Imamate is to act as the Vicegerent of God for the guidance of those who seek it towards the already revealed course of life and not to go on canvassing support for him. The conveyance of any message, is the duty of a Messenger or an Apostle, and Imam has no new message to convey but he is the custodian and the Guardian of the already delivered message and a Guide towards it. for those who seek a way towards the truth. The position of Imam is the position of the 'KA'BA, the HAJIES go to it and it does not go to any one requesting him to be its HAJI. It was the lookout of the people to seek a way to the Imam and get duly guided, if they desired to have the correct guidance.

TENURE OF THE KALIFATE STARTED AT THE SAQEEFA

ABU BAKR ruled as KALIF for about two years, i.e., from 11 A.H. to 13 A.H. and handed over the charge of the KALIFATE without any election or nomination from the public or from any one else. OMAR ruled from 13 A.H. to 24 A.H., about 11 years. OMAR nominated a committee with ABDUR RAHMAN IBNE AUF as its chairman with a veto, and OTHMAN became the third ruler or the third KALIF. OTHMAN ruled from 24 A.H. to 35 A.H., i.e., about 11 years.

What was the lot of the 'AHLUL-BAIT' during this period, is a matter which could better be had in its details from history. Any sincere seeker of the truth about the lot of the godly ones of the House of the holy Prophet, may better refer to history and then shed tears for the sufferings of the holy souls at the hands of the people for whose guidance they had been sent into the world, and know the lot they suffered at the hands of those who called themselves Muslims.

ALI RESEMBLES THE HOLY PROPHET

Having lost the paternal love of the holy Prophet and the godly partnership in life, of Lady FATEMA, Ali resembled exactly the same as was the holy Prophet after losing the paternal protection of ABU TALEB and the faithful partner in life, Lady KHADIJA. As the holy Prophet was surrounded with the enemies from all sides in Mecca, after the demise of the Great Protector ABU TALEB, Ali was also left all alone deserted, ignored, neglected and pushed to seclusion by the atmosphere which had turned treacherous and immediately following the departure of the holy Prophet from the midst of the people.

It is a historic fact that Ali was the greatest protector of the holy Prophet and Islam. It was Ali's sword which, defending the faith and faithful against the unprovoked aggression from the pagans of Mecca, that had killed many of the heathen veterans who aimed at killing the holy Prophet and annihilating the faith for ever, particularly at BADR, and KHANDAQ. Most of the pagan MECCANS had yielded only to the fast rising power of Islam and just to fall in line with the march of time, and had embraced Islam without any conviction of the truth at heart. This fact is borne out by the QUR'ANIC declaration:

"The dwellers of the desert say: "We believe, Say thou (O' Our Apostle Muhammad) 'Ye believe not, but say ye 'We submit'; and faith hath not yet entered into your hearts" [49:14].

Besides, the above disclosure of the hypocrisy of the people, there is the Chapter as a whole on the hypocrites of the time (Chapter 63). Thus those who had joined the ranks of Islam only succumbing to the circumstances, having professed the faith, got busy in all sorts of subversive activities mentioned in the holy QUR'AN of teasing the believers and obstructing others joining the faith. They worked as the fifth-columnists against the progress of the faith and its power. Remaining in the ranks, the hypocrites tried the wont possible for them, by deserting the holy Prophet and running away from the battlefields,

creating the possibility and the opportunities of defeat for Islam so that the field may be open to them and to the others to return to their original faith and power. But God had not allowed them to succeed in their plots. And now having joined the faith and the faith having been strongly established and the opposition to it having been crushed and annihilated for ever, their interest of the leadership and power lay in their posing as the staunchest of the believers so that they may be the leaders of the faithful though they may not actually like it. There is a Persian couplet:

GAR GANAAHI BAKONI DAR SHAB-E-AADEENA BAKON TAAKE AZ SADR NASHEENAANE JAHANNM BAASHI

If thou commit any sin, commit it on the 'SHAB-E-JUMA' (the Thursday night). So that even in Hell you may be of the Chiefs of it.

Thus all the opportunists who had joined the ranks of Islam and who were the relatives of the pagan veterans killed by Ali at BADR and OHOD and KHANDAQ, and who now had gained power, had decided to wreak vengeance on Ali and his issues, revenging their pagan elders and relatives killed by him in the onslaughts against Islam. The fact about this attitude of the people was leaked out by YAZID son of MU'AVIAH, so of ABU SOFYAN, while seated fully drunk on his throne at Damascus, with the heads of HUSSAIN and his devotees, placed under his throne, before him, and the ladies and the children of the holy Family of the holy Prophet, including the ailing son, Ali son of HUSSAIN, standing fettered in heavy chains, sang the verses in Arabic saying:

"Had my elders who died at BADR and OHOD been alive they would have been how well have I revenged their blood?". Thus the 'AHLUL-BAIT', particularly Ali, was now in an atmosphere wholly hostile and treacherous with avowed enemies determined to wreak vengeance on the House of the holy Prophet.

ALI DURING THE AGE OF THE THREE KALIFATES

Unconcerned with the matters of the state with no aspiration to own any political power, fully contented with his resignation to the will of the Lord, Ali was busy releasing the streams of knowledge through his sermons to those few who, mindful of God and the life hereafter, had gathered around him and remained attached to him. Those sermons of Ali, put together, are today called the 'NAHJUL-BALAGHA', i.e., the Course of Eloquence, which is nothing but a Treasury of the Highest knowledge of the QUR'ANIC Truth and the Highest treatise of the spirit of Islamic Philosophy. Ali has supplied to the world of devout faith many beautifully and masterly worded supplications (prayers); firstly, they have been found cent per cent effective in invoking the divine mercy, in getting the prayers of the sincere supplicants readily heard and secondly, they are such pieces of divinely worded literature that even the greatest master minds since then till today, could only say that the matter is 'Below the Word of God and above the word of man'.

Ali is unanimously recognized by all the mystic schools in Islam, as their First Leader of Guide of the Generator of Mystic Knowledge. All the various schools of mysticism revert only to Ali for their origin. Whenever any problematic difficulty arose even the courts of the KALIFATE sought Ali's help and Ali always helped every seeker of knowledge, irrespective of the seeker being his friend or a foe.

There is a famous saying of OMAR:

"LAU LA ALLYYIN LAHALAKA OMAR". Had Ali not been there, OMAR would have been lost.

THE RELIGIOUS LANDMARKS OF THE AGE: ALI WITNESSED

1- FATIMA'S House was set on fire.

2- ALI was arrested and carried as a captive.

3- FATEMA'S property was confiscated.

4- FATEMA was killed.

5- The two MUTA'S, the MUTA-E-NISA and the MUTA-E-HAJ ordained by the holy QUR'AN and valid the lifetime of the holy Prophet and during the time of the first KALIF, and even for years during OMAR'S time, were abolished by OMAR.

6- The use of 'HAIYA ALA KHAIRIL AMAL' was removed from 'AZAN' by OMAR and instead of it, the use of 'ASSALLATO KHAIRON MINAN NAUM' was inserted by him.

7- OMAR started the 'TARAWEH'.

8- MU'AVIAH was given the governorship of Syria, by OMAR.

9- The banishment by OTHMAN of the aged faithful Companion of the holy Prophet ABU-ZARE GHAFFARI to wilderness, in the desert, he died a miserable death.

What all passed on during the long period of the rule of the three KALIFS, is not concerned with the subject of this work, and nor can all that happened affecting the interest of the 'AHLUL-BAIT' be accommodated in this brief work. Only some relevant incidents which show, through what kinds of channels passed the holy soul of HUSSAIN the King of Martyrs, the significance of the Imamate and the circumstances under which it worked, had necessarily to be given for without the prerequisite knowledge of the men and the matters concerned, a mere narration of the isolated event of KARBALA, will not serve any purpose of giving out its significance of importance to human life on earth.

In short, the life of Ali, after the holy Prophet, was that of an apostle though he was not an apostle, for apostleship had concluded and ended with the holy Prophet and not other apostle or prophet was to come.

To speak of any aspiration on the part of Ali for any political power or authority, will be sheer foolishness or the betrayal of one's bankruptcy of the knowledge about Ali's godly personality Ali's aspiring for any temporal power on earth will be equal to owning the kingdom of the whole of a vast dominion and to yet aspire for a petty land-lordship of a small strip of barren useless land, in it. As the Vicegerent of God on earth, what is the other power or authority lift over, for Ali to aspire. Ali was he who could pluck out the huge iron gate of the fortress of KAIBER by his one hand and make it the bridge over the ditch, holding the huge heavy iron doorframe on his palm and making the whole of the Muslims army pass over it.

crossing the ditch and entering the fortress captured by him, Ali was the one who could be present at several places at one and the same time and he could by God's given power to him, do and undo things for which he is even today popularly called both by his friends and foes alike as the 'MASHARUL-AJAIB' and he who, when in power, as the 'KALIF' in charge of the Treasury, stood in the treasury room and addressing the heaps of gold and silver, said 'O yellow, O' white, go! Beguile, and prouder any one else other than me! Ali has divorced ye two thrice.

There can be not return for you unto me! It is said that once when he was the KALIF, Ali was mending his own shoes which were totally worn out and SALMAN the faithful devotee of the 'AHLUL-BAIT' remarked 'O' AMEERUL MOMINEEN! What is left in them that this torn or worn out shoe worth's? SALMAN replied. 'O' AMEERUL MOMINEEN' Only God and thou knowest it'. Ali smiled and said 'SALMAN! Know thou that this torn away and worn out shoe is to me of more worth and value than the KALIFATE'. Aspiration for any worldly power on the part of such a divine, is unimaginable. And if Ali had ever accepted to rule, it was in the interest of the welfare of the people themselves, to give them their blessings of a godly kingdom on earth. If the world had accepted Ali, at the very first instance, it would have saved itself of all the chaos and confusion which ended the life of the Third KALIF. The opinion of a non-Muslim writer on the history of the Muslims, Mr. Justice AMEER ALI in his famous work 'the Spirit of Islam' will give out the truth in the above statement which, a dispassionate and unprejudiced mind of even a non-Muslim scholar realized:

"Had", says SEDDILOT: "the principles of hereditary succession in favor of Ali been recognized at the outset, it would have prevented the rise of those disastrous pretentions which engulfed Islam in the blood of Muslims. The husband of FATEMA, united in his person the right of succession as the lawful heir of the Prophet as well as the right by election. It might have been thought that all would submit themselves before his glory, so pure and so grand". (SI by AA).

ALI WEDS LADY UMMOL-BANEEN

The world around the holy Prophet witnessed and history has vouched the fact that the gap in the domestic life and the happiness of the Prophet, created by the demise of Lady KHADIJA doubtlessly proved as irreparable for no other woman fittingly filled it up to give the Apostle of God the happiness at home or the harmony in his domestic life, and it is only about the good Lady OMME SALAMA that the holy Prophet said:

"ANTI ALAL KHAIR", i.e., Thou art on goodness, which the good Lady proved true by not leaving the house of the holy Prophet even after his departure from this world, and remaining as attached to his AHLUL-BAIT as she was during his lifetime. The same was the case with Ali the First Imam, the Vicegerent of God on earth, succeeding the holy Prophet. After the martyrdom of the Lady FATEMA, there was none in the world to take her holy place in the house of Ali and the good Lady OMMOL BANEEN served Ali after holy Lady FATEMA as did OMME SALAMA to the holy Prophet after the demise of Lady KHADIJA.

THE ALLIANCE FOR A HOLY CAUSE

The prophecy from the holy Prophet about the impending 'ZIBHE AZEEM' or the Great Martyrdom of HUSSAIN, had gained so much currency and had become a matter of such a conviction and concern to the AHLUL-BAIT that after the departure of Lady FATEMA, Ali called his brother AQEEL, who was known for his knowledge about the tribal genealogies and told him to find out a respectable lady of a noble family, known for its bravery, for him to wed for he wanted to have a brave son from her to be his own representative there at KARBALA to serve HUSSAIN the son of the holy Prophet and help him in the calamitous situation against his enemies and lay his life defending HUSSAIN on his own behalf, for HUSSAN and HUSSAIN were hailed as the sons of the holy Prophet and each one was addressed as 'IBNE RASOOLULLAH' (son of the holy Prophet).

Ali expressly and particularly stressed when he told AQEEL for the selection of a lady, that he wanted the determined issue from the lady to be the bravest one in the world, to serve HUSSAIN at KARBALA on his own behalf AQEEL said:

"Marry thou, OMMOL BANEEN-E-KALBI, the daughter of HAZM BIN KHALID-E-KALBI, for braver than her father, there was none in the tribes".

ABBAS THE STANDARD-BEARER OF HUSSAIN ARRIVES

The desire of Ali was readily granted by the Lord. Ali wanted one issue, to serve on his behalf at KARBALA, God gave him three more with the one desired by him and the Lady OMMOL BANEEN gave four sons to Ali:

1- ABBAS.

2- JAFFAR.

3- OTHMAN.

4- ABDULLAH.

The birth of ABBAS has been given by God, certain similarities with the birth of his father Ali. When Ali was born, he did not open his eyes until came to him the holy Prophet and took him in his lap and on the apostolic hands Ali opened his eyes for the first time in the world and looked first at the holy face of the Apostle of God and smiled. Similarly did ABBAS for he opened his eyes first when HUSSAIN came and took him in his lap and ABBAS opened his eyes and looked first at the holy face of HUSSAIN and smiled.

When Ali was born, he was given to the holy Prophet who adopted him as his son and Ali remained with the Apostle of God and was brought up by him. Similarly, ABBAS was given to HUSSAIN and remained closely attached to HUSSAIN, and ABBAS prided treating himself as the salve of HUSSAIN addressing HUSSAIN not as brother, though he was a brother, but as 'SYED WA MAULA' My Chief and my Master. In short, if the holy Prophet had come into the world to present Islam and if Ali was given to him as an assistant and helper in the apostolic mission, HUSSAIN, had been sent by the Lord to save Islam and re-establish it at KARBALA and ABBAS was given to HUSSAIN to assist him and to help him in the godly mission of apostolic nature.

In response to the desire of Ali the First holy Imam or the Vicegerent of God on earth, God had sent ABBAS for HUSSAIN, as was sent Ali for the holy Prophet, to exhibit exactly the same matchless bravery, wonderful valor, irresistible prowess and the amazing and the inimitable and ideal faithfulness to defend HUSSAIN and the truth at KARBALA.

For the marked resemblance with his father, ABBAS was popularly known as 'HAIDAR-E-THANI' i.e., HAIDAR (Ali) the Second; and for his extraordinary handsome features, he was fittingly called the 'QAMAR-E-BANI HASHIM' i.e., The Moon of the HASHIMITES.

ABBAS is reported to be of such a well built and a tall stature that historians report that when he mounted a horse, his knees touched the ears of the steed and that the animal would proudly bear the commanding personality of its majestic rider. All his life, right from his infancy, ABBAS moved most closely with HUSSAIN, practically as a faithful slave to his loving master, or a dutiful son to a respectable father, exactly as Ali moved with the holy Prophet.

The ways of heaven are obvious but to the awakened minds of those who believe in Him, His Might, His Wisdom and His Ever-Fulfilled Will. When God wants His will to be fulfilled on earth, He sends down His own agencies, by they angels or men, duly fitted by Himself to serve His purpose. Apostles of God when assigned any task-full allotment of any mission, were given the help by another one like them to assist them. Moses was commanded to proceed against pharaoh and he was given an assistant in his brother Aaron. The holy Prophet Muhammad was to deal with the pagan and the heathen world and he was given an assistant in his brother Ali and HUSSAIN now having been sent to face the devils in human frames and to re-establish God's Religion, offering the Greatest Sacrifice ('the 'ZIBHE AZEEM') ever offered on earth, he was given ABBAS his brother duly fitted with all the qualities necessary to fulfill the divine purpose at KARBALA.

THE KALIFATE THRUST UPON ALI

The third KALIFATE ended in chaos, turmoil and the murder of the KALIF OTHMAN. There was unrest among the people all over the empire. MU'AVIAH the governor of Syria appointed by OMAR 30 A.H., took full advantage of the patronage of the OMAYYIDS by the third KALIF and had established himself strongly at Damascus and had made the place a stronghold of his own.

An amazing situation was created that the KALIFATE after which people ran and for which there was so much of dispute and tension now wan running after Ali imploring him to accept it. There was no question of any election, nomination or co-optation now; the whole nation was now at Ali's door, imploring him to be gracious enough to accept their KALIFATE. Ali repeatedly refused but the public as a whole would not accept any excuse from him. The great historian OAKLEY in his famous work the History of the Saracens and other historians too, say that Ali said:

"If you excuse me and elect another, whomsoever you may think fit to choose, I shall most submissively yield obedience to him if not, and I must comply with your wish to accept the offer, I must say frankly at the outset that I shall conduct the administration quite independently and I shall deal with all of you according to the holy Book of the Lord and to the best of knowledge and judgment. (OK. HS. P. 289).

The people unhesitatingly and unanimously assented to the condition and gladly extended their hands in token of their featly to Ali, but he refused to accept their assent unless it be in public, in order that none might have any doubt about the offer being from the people and none might have any cause to grumble thereafter.

The next day, the Mosque of the holy Prophet was so fully packed that none cold cross through the crowd and the multitude of those who could not get into the Mosque were thronging around the holy edifice to hear about Ali's consent to their offer and last of them all, arrived the Vicegerent of the holy Prophet and mounting the pulpit making plain and clear to every one, his condition for accepting the offer, assented to it. people, who on the previous occasions were running away form paying their fealty to the KALIFATE and who had to be forced, coerced, threatened, encouraged and purchased to pay it, now were rushing to have the honor of kissing the holy hand of Ali.