Ashura

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2

3

Notes

1. Al-Yafi'i's Mir'at al-Jinan 1: 132.

2. Sayyid Abdulrazzaq al-Muqarram's Maqtal al-Husayn (a.s.): 238.

3. Muthir al-Ahzan 56.

4. Tarikh al-Tabari 6: 341.

5. Tarikh al-Tabari 6: 223.

6. Qur'an, Ch: 9, Vs: 49.

7. Tarikh al-Tabari, 6: 243.

8. Qur'an, Ch: 111, VS: 1.

9. .Qur'an, Ch: 9, Vs: 119

10. Qur'an, Ch: 18, Vs: 28.

11. Qur'an, Ch: 4, Vs: 69.

12. Qur'an, Ch: 3, Vs: 183.

13. Bihar al-Anwar, 27: 63.

14. Bihar al-Anwar, 27:58.

15. Qur'an, Ch: 2, Vs:257.

16. Qur'an, Ch: 4, Vs:59.

17. Qur'an, Ch: 5, Vs:55.

18. Qur'an, Ch: 9, Vs:71.

19. Qur'an, Ch: 8, Vs:74.

20. Qur'an, Ch: 8, Vs:73.

21. Bihar al-Anwar, 68: 332.

22. Bihar al-Anwar 23: 105.

23. Tafsir al-Burhan 1:328.

24. Nahj al-Balaghah 2: 207.

25. Nahj al-Balaghah 3:191

26. Al-Hijrat wa al-Wila’ (by the author): 164 – 167.

27. Bihar al-Anwar 10:358

28. Qur’an Ch: 12, Vs: 40.

29. Qur’an, Ch: 12, Vsw: 67.

30. Qur’an, Ch: 5, Vs: 55.

31. Qur’an Ch: 42, Vs: 9.

32. There is no need to shift the intended meaning of al-wali since the verbal noun al-wilayah is univocal. Even if we consider it a homonym in its al-wali form [which, therefore, carries various meanings],the subsequent verses we cite adequately establish the concept of unity of loyalty.

33. Qur’an Ch: 6, Vs: 14.

34. Qur’an Ch: 29, Vs: 22.

35. Qur’an , Ch: 2, Vs: 107.

36. Al-Jurjani’s Dala’il al-I’jaz: 260.

37. Ibid, 268.

38. Qur'an, Ch: 6, Vs: 51.

39. Qur'an, Ch: 6, Vs: 70.

40. Qur'an, Ch: 9, Vs: 116.

41. Qur'an, Ch: 32, Vs: 7.

42. The Author's Al-Wailayah wa al-Bara'ah: 93-95.

43. Bihar al-Anwar, 24: 54.

44. Al-Saduq's Al-Amali: 8.

45. Al-Saduq's Al-Amali: 345.

46. Al-Saduq’s Al-Amali: 360.

47. Tuhaf al-Uqul: 479.

48. .Al-Mahasin: 263.

49. Usul al-Kafi 2: 125.

50. Usul al-Kafi 2: 125.

51. Usul al-Kafi, 2: 126.

52. Qur’an, Ch: 33, Vs: 4

53. As appears in some copies of Ziyarat al-Jami’ah.

54. Bihar al-Anwar 278:51, Hadith no 1.

55. Bihar al-Anwar, 27: 58.

56. Bihar al-Anwar 27: 64.

57. Qur’an Ch: 9, Vs: 119.

58. Qur’an, Ch: 4, Vs: 69.

59. Qur’an, Ch: 28, Vs: 57.

60. Qur’an, Ch: 11, Vs: 112.

61. Qur’an, Ch: 18, Vs: 28.

62. Qur’an, Ch: 49, Vs: 29.

63. Qur’an, Ch: 3, Vs: 146.

64. Qur’an, Ch: 3, Vs: 53.

65. Qur’an, Ch: 17, Vs: 79.

66. Tafsir al-Mizan 13: 176.

67. Ibid.

68. Qur’an Ch:6 vs:162

69. Qur’an Ch: 29, vs:2-3.

70. Qur’an Ch: 29, Vs: 214.

71. Qur’an, Ch: 3, Vs: 14-141.

72. Qur’an, Ch: 9, Vs: 16.

73. Qur’an, Ch: 2, Vs: 155-157.

74. Qur’an, Ch: 39, Vs: 10.

75. Qur’an, Ch: 2, Vs: 156-157.

76. Qur’an, Ch: 7, Vs: 156.

77. Qur’an, Ch: 40, Vs: 7.

Imam Husayn (As)’S Portrayal of Islamic Society During Umayyad Rule

Imam Husayn (as) delivered this speech in Karbala:

“The world has changed beyond recognition: its goodness has receded and nothing remains of it except for drops, like the drops of water that remain in a jar [when it is emptied of its contents] and a despicable sustenance like unwholesome pasture. Don’t you see that truth is not acted upon and falsehood is not refrained from? Let the believer earnestly desire meeting God, for I do not consider death to be anything but bliss and living with the oppressors anything but humiliation.”

Sayyid Ibn Tawus has recorded this speech of Husayn inAl-Luhuf , adding that he delivered it in Karbala. It is also reported by Ibn Abd Rabbih inAl-Iqd al-Farid (2: 312), Abu Nu’aym al-Isfahani inHilyat al-Awliya (3: 39), and Ibn Asakir (4: 333), all indicating that Husayn (as) gave it in Karbala, as did Sayyid ibn Tawus inAl-Luhuf . Al-Tabari has also related it in Al-Tarikh (6: 229) and said that the Imam (as) spoke those words along the way to Karbala at Dhu Husum. In whichever place Husayn (as) might have said those words, they portray for us an exact picture of the period Imam Husayn lived and the misfortunes and catastrophes that befell the Muslims in it. This speech comprises three points that deserve reflection:

1- The condition of the world at that time (the social, political and spiritual situation).

2- The people’s disregard of truth and inclination towards falsehood.

3- Need for aversion towards the world and desire to meet God.

1- The Condition of The World At That Time

Change takes place in two ways: a thing may change without losing its fundamental features or it may change beyond recognition. The change which the people and society underwent during the Umayyad affliction was of the second type, change beyond recognition from what it was during the time of the Messenger of God (S). The Muslims reverted to pre-Islamic (jahiliyah) customs and values although they did not renege on Islam. However pre-Islamic customs, values and ideas returned, and the Umayyads regained, in the new dispensation, the positions of influence which they occupied during the pre-Islamic period, based on the same values and concepts.

This awful deviation took place within only half a century after the demise of the Messenger of God (S). The palaces of the Umayyads and their governors bore no resemblance to what was prescribed in God’s Book or theSunnah of the Messenger of God (S), as demonstrated in his public and private life style. What is prescribed in the Book of God and communicated to us by His Messenger (S) and what also appeared in his way of conduct differs greatly from what we know of the luxury, dissipation and aggression of Umayyad palaces.

Anyone who considers the Book and theSunnah to be the standards for decent life will no doubt condemn the attitude of the Umayyads and find it impossible to reconcile the two. This is what the Martyr Grandson [of the

Prophet (S)] was telling us about when he said: “The world has changed beyond recognition.”

Then he added: “… and its goodness has receded”, which is the situation when a civilization experiences decline. When nations are on the ascent they uphold goodness which springs from them as water springs from the earth. This is the sign of a sound innate nature, intellect and conscience of the nation; it is the situation that is characterized by cultural, intellectual and human progress. The drying-up of this goodness in innate nature is an indication of the decline of civilization. There exists a constant relation between upholding goodness and cultural advancement and also between disregard for goodness and cultural decline. Cultural progress in human life invariably stems from the overflowing of goodness from man’s innate nature and all cultural decline results from its drying up.

To explain this point further, when human nature is unimpaired, qualities flow from it such as mercy, faith, sincerity, righteousness, affection, piety, decency, loyalty, gratitude, chastity, self-esteem, truthfulness, trustworthiness, knowledge and justice. The Qur’anic view is that these qualities constitute the normal situation in man’s life and the Qur’an calls it al-ma’ruf (the known thing) because man’s innate nature is acquainted with it.

On the other hand sound human nature disowns and avoids heresy, obstinacy, ingratitude, greed, perfidy, lying, oppression, dissipation, cowardice, despair, indecision and betrayal. The Qur’an calls them abominable deeds because human nature finds them reprehensible.

When man’s nature becomes impaired he no longer finds goodness attractive nor is disgusted by what is abominable, whereas a person with sound senses and taste is attracted towards wholesome things and disgusted by repulsive ones. When one is bereft of his sound innate nature and conscience, he not only loses the power to distinguish between the good and the bad, but abominable things really attract him and good ones repel him.

The soul and the innate nature seem to have undergone mutation. If one loses his untainted nature he must have already lost his conscience, for conscience is the sentinel that watches over nature. Conscience continues to act as the faithful guard of nature until all its power of resistance is exhausted.

Before we round off this discussion we must add this point from the Imam’s speech: Corruption of the nature and conscience of people does not occur involuntarily, although once it occurs the consequences are beyond man’s will power. However, God the Exalted has given man control over his conscience and innate nature and the two will only be corrupted through the abuse of his choice and volition. Whatever the case may be with regard to Imam Husayn’s (as) brief statement that described the condition of the nation, the question we should ask is what truly befell the Muslims?

There is a relationship between the descending of God’s mercy on man and the flow or decline of goodness from his soul. God’s mercy flows unceasingly and is never cut off from man and creation even for a moment. However, this descending mercy has particular places of landing such as unimpaired souls and hearts, for they are receptacles of God’s mercy.

When souls and hearts become diseased and their goodness dwindles, their share of divine mercy and blessing decreases or is even stopped completely. God’s mercy is not niggardly, however, it is the souls and hearts that turn their backs on it when goodness in them recedes. God Most High says:“Indeed God does not change a people’s lot unless they change what is in their souls” 1

‘And nothing remains of it except for drops like the drops of water (subaba) that remain in a jar.’

Subabat al-ina’ means the drops of water which usually remain after the water in a container is poured out. These drops cannot quench the thirst of man or animal. Similarly, when goodness in man’s innate nature dries up except for drops like the drops remaining in a jar-nothing good can be expected from such a person.

Man’s innate nature is in fact the spring from which all goodness flows, so when this goodness dries its decay leads to the depravity of man and society. I have said before that when fairness and goodness emanate from innate nature God’s mercy and blessings descend on it and when it lacks them this descending mercy of God does not land there.

‘And a despicable sustenance like unwholesome pasture.’

Sustenance is not only for the body; there is sustenance for the heart, the mind and the soul as well. Just as bodies die when they lack what will sustain them, hearts, minds and souls also die when they lack their sustenance. The death of hearts, minds and consciences is more dangerous than bodily death. In his speech, the Imam is saying: What was left for the people during that time of trial by way of sustenance for their hearts, souls and minds was too meagre to save man from corruption, like unwholesome pasture, which, as a result of plant epidemic, becomes scorched and yellow with a few patches of green here and there.

Such was the condition of society when it was gripped by this tribulation [i.e. the Umayyad scourge], because all goodness that was in the people’s souls had been swept away and nothing was left of it except the drops that remain in a water container after its contents have been poured out, drops that cannot quench one’s thirst.

2- The Peoples Disregard For Truth And Their Inclination Towards Falsehood

The Imam (as) says: “Do you not see that the truth is not acted upon and falsehood is not refrained from?”

This is the second part of the Imam’s address which alludes to the sign of the dwindling of innate nature and weakening of the conscience. Don’t you see that the right thing is not being done? Had innate nature been flowing in their souls, the people would not have ceased to act on the truth, but when man’s nature becomes corrupted he loses the motive to act upon the truth. Conversely, a sound nature and conscience reject falsehood and consider it repulsive, just as normal feelings and tastes loath offensive food and drink. When one’s feelings become dysfunctional he no longer considers loathsome what normal people do.

Likewise, when one’s conscience and innate nature are sound and unimpaired he deems the truth to be truth and falsehood to be falsehood, acts on the former and refrains, and also prevents others, from the latter. But when his innate nature and conscience are corrupted he will not have the motive for working with the truth nor a deterrent from accepting falsehood.

The foregoing is a precise picture of the misfortune that struck the people in the wake of this Umayyad-caused tribulation. The Imam (as) painted this picture on the day of Ashura or in Dhu Husum.

3- Need For Aversion To The World And Desire To Meet God

The Imam (as) said “Let the believer desire to meet God, for I do not consider death to be anything but bliss, and living with oppressors anything but humiliation.”

This statement in the Imam’s speech contains two feelings:

(i) The world no longer had anything that the believer could desire; wares and pleasures could not attract or make him incline towards them. This feeling urges asceticism and aversion towards worldly pleasures.

(ii) A yearning to meet God is most pleasing thing to the believer. This is clearly stated by Husayn (as) in the above address. Death is a way to meet God and through it the veils over the believers’ hearts are removed, so that they may witness the grandeur and beauty of God which they could not witness in worldly life, and in this resides the believer’s bliss and joy in the hereafter. How can the joys and blessings of paradise be compared with the joy of meeting God in the hereafter?

Thus, to the believer, death constitutes nothing but bliss. There is nothing in the life of this world that may bind him to it except the company of the righteous and the best of people, or righteous deeds such as maintaining good, praying, glorifying God, upholding justice, trustworthiness, truth, and being prepared for sacrifice, martyrdom,. The believer may be tied to the world but when it is bereft of these values, the righteous become scarce and the faithful encounter nothing in this world except deception, rivalry, oppression, lies and perfidy which they become weary of and detest. They feel that the world is a prison.

Note

1. Qur’an, Ch: 13, Vs: 11.

The Four Unchangeable Aspects of Imam Husayn (as)’S Uprising

From Zurarah, from Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) who said: “Husayn ibn Ali wrote from Mecca to Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah: In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. From Husayn ibn Ali to Muhammad ibn Ali and the Hashimites who are with him. [Know that] anyone who joins me will be martyred and anyone who does not join me will not attain victory. Peace.”1

This brief letter comprises four fundamental issues that could be regarded as constants in the uprising of Imam Husayn (as). The four issues are:

1- Inevitability of getting martyred for anyone who accompanied Husayn (as) “Anyone who joins me will be martyred”

2- Certainty of victory for anyone who would be present in Karbala together with Husayn (as). This certainty is derived from the converse of these words: “Anyone who does not join [me] will not be victorious, which clearly implies that whoever joins Husayn (as) in this battle, would be victorious, keeping aside the question of the validity of the converse of the statement.

3- Relationship between victory and martyrdom. It was through martyrdom that those who went with Husayn (as) would attain victory.

4- This victory would never be repeated again “… and anyone who does not join me will not attain [this] victory.”

We shall talk about these four issues, God willing.

1- Inevitability Of Martyrdom

Among the salient features of Imam Husayn’s (as) uprising was the invitation to martyrdom and defying death, all for the sake of God. Since the time he left Mecca for Iraq until the day of Ashura, the Imam did not stop repeating to anyone who met or joined him that his path and theirs was that of martyrdom. Even if one entertains some doubts with regard to some aspects of this singular uprising one can never doubt that Husayn was in fact informing the people that he would die on his journey to Iraq. He also declared that the inevitable destination of those who were together with him was martyrdom. Martyrdom would not miss anyone who went with him.

A group of people, whom Husayn (as) did not doubt concerning their sincerity or understanding of the political condition of Iraq, warned him not to go there for death would be his end and that of his companions and family if he went. Husayn prayed for them for their sincere advice but he did not give up his resolve. We do not doubt the sincerity of those people, nor that Husayn (as) was suspecting sincerity in their advice, nor that the situation in Iraq was indeed what they expected. We also believe that the fickleness and perfidiousness of the Iraqis which they foresaw was not hidden from Husayn (as), but he was seeing what they saw not and knew what they knew not.

Husayn (as) was aware that the Umayyad-engendered state of tribulation which challenged the religion and the nation could not be rooted out except by being killed together with his family and companions. He knew this fact clearly and never doubted it. This is what was hidden to those people who

were warning Husayn (as) not to be deceived by the letters the Iraqis wrote to invite him. However, there was no way he could have informed them what he knew.

The last time Husayn (as) disclosed to his family and companions that their end would be martyrdom was on the night before the 10th of Muharram. He gathered his companions and gave a speech in which he relieved them of their duty of allegiance to him. He said: “Leave me with these people, they are only after me. Should they get hold of me and be able to kill me, they will not pursue you.”2

When he became confident that they had resolved to face martyrdom together with him he said to them: “You will be killed tomorrow and not a single man among you will escape.” Then they replied: “Praise be to God who blessed us with the honour of being killed along with you”3 Anyone who, without prejudice, studies Husayn’s conduct as he traveled from Medina to Karbala will have no doubt that he did not make that journey with an eye on power and authority, and that he was not expecting anything for himself and for his supporters but death and nothing but captivity for his womenfolk and children.

Besides his brother, Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya, the four men, Abdullah ibn Ja’far, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr who advised Husayn to avoid Iraq were not better informed than him about the situation of Iraq and its people during that period.

As I said before, this is the most prominent feature of Ashura, and to suppress this feature is tantamount to strip it of its great historical value. This is the first inevitable issue and Imam Husayn (as) had stated it in his letter to his brother Muhammad in these words: “Any one who joins me will be martyred.”

2- Certainty Of Victory

This is the second unchangeable aspect of the uprising led by Husayn (as) which he declared with the same decisiveness with which he declared the first. It is the converse of the second statement “and anyone who does not join me will not attain victory.” The direct meaning of this statement is obvious and the converse is: anyone who joins him attains victory, which is no less obvious than the direct meaning.

The Imam (as) declared this fact before he left al-Hijaz for Iraq, and it is very rare for a leader to firmly assert, even before the battle starts, that he would be victorious, except for a rash statement or where it is intended to boost the morale of the fighters. But certainly, Husayn (as) was not the type to make rash promises, and he was not intending to boost the people’s morale, in view of the known outcome of the battle.

In his movement, the Imam (as) was openly inviting the people to their death which was obviously incompatible with vain propaganda or a psychological boost for the fighters both in the theatre of battle and during preparations for it. So what was the sure guarantee which the Imam had for this matter? What did victory mean in the Imam’s political dictionary?

By victory, the Imam did not mean a military victory on the battlefield and it was impossible that he intended what military leaders seek in wars. We do not doubt this fact, nor do we consider his statement to have been

simply arbitrary; the Imam was too well informed of the political and psychological state of the people in Iraq to have expected a military victory or to have been deceived by the people.

The Imam had seen that the Umayyads had tried to revive, as part of Islam, thejahiliyyah (pre-Islamic) system along with its ideas and concepts. Even the political and social positions which Islam had liberated fromjahiliyyah influence had been re-incorporated into their sphere of influence. The Umayyad clan had now occupied the positions of power and influence, and the wealth and the propaganda machinery of the new Islamic society was in their hands exactly as their ancestors had occupied these positions in the small pre-Islamic Meccan society.

All this happened without any fundamental change having taken place in theirjahiliyyah stands and concepts. The only difference was that their former positions were limited and weak and their society was isolated in the heart of the desert. But now, thanks to Islam, their new positions made them control a wide part of the world with large regions that were once ruled by the Persian and Byzantine empires.

These positions, with all the influence they commanded had fallen into the hands of the Umayyads without any real change having taken place in their thoughts and positions. These were the bitter facts that were expressed in Imam Husayn’s outpourings on the day of Ashura before the battle: “You have drawn on us the swords which we placed in your right hands and poked against us the fire which we kindled [in the first place] against our enemy and yours. Then you became your enemies’ support against [those who are supposed to be] your friends, without their upholding neither any justice nor you having any hope in them.”4

Syria was then the prime political centre of the inhabited world, exercising its influence over large portions and feared worldwide. This was the power and influence which Islam created for the Arabs who, hitherto, had no experience of extensive power.

Islam produced this great power in order to establish monotheism and justice, and to bring an end to the arrogant enemies of humanity. Unfortunately, this power fell into the hands of the leaders of Arabjahiliyyah after Islam had liberated it from them and from other leaders of world unbelief. Thus, the Umayyads took back those important positions without any fundamental change in their thought, their stand, their luxurious living and love for power, their hostility, and arrogance towards the people.

Husayn (as) described this power which was created by Islam and wielded by the Arabs as ‘the sword’, and with much grief lamented: ‘The Messenger of God (S) placed this power in your hands so that you may fight our and your enemies (i.e. the leaders of polytheism) but the Umayyads took hold of the reins of power through counter revolution (apostasy) and the people paid allegiance to them on their terms and inclined in favour of the reactionary forces.

They had drawn their swords on the Family of Muhammad (as) the leaders of monotheism, inspite of the fact that the Umayyad had not altered theirjahiliyyah positions on behaviour, morality and civilization as a whole. The most dangerous of all was that they occupied that important position in

Islamic society based on a supposed Islamic legal point of view, i.e. as successors to the Messenger of God (S).

Husayn (as) confronted the real catastrophe that befell this religion and this nation. His intention at that critical juncture was to nullify the legality of Umayyad government, and this was his greatest achievement in this uprising. This was a complete success because, although the Umayyad dynasty continued for a long time after Husayn, they could not regain, after the battle of Al-Taff, their religious legitimacy as successors of the Messenger of God and Commander of the faithful (as) even though they addressed themselves by these titles.

The general Muslim public henceforth considered them mere temporal rulers who came to the helm by force, and no longer respected them as they respected the caliphs who preceded them. They were no longer regarded as religious authorities nor did the position of caliph retain its former sanctity.

The second message of Husayn’s uprising was the revival of the spirit ofjihad , responsibility and resistance in the people. The Umayyads had stripped the people, among other things, of the power of will so that they simply toed the line of the family of Umayyah.

What did the Umayyads do during that sterile period when Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan and his son Yazid ruled, that the head of Husayn, son of the daughter of the Messenger of God was brought in a public gathering before Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad in his palace and he poked his lips with a staff, and no one opposed him except Zayd ibn Arqam (may God have mercy on him)?

Then Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad assembled the people in the mosque of Kufa and abused and repudiated Ali and his son Husayn (as), and none among those present disapproved of it except Abdullah ibn ‘Afif (may God have mercy and be pleased with him) who, enraged by that, reviled Ibn Ziyad on his face, thereby annoying and humiliating him.5 History has not mentioned anyone who opposed Ibn Ziyad except those two people.

The terror that was unleashed during the reign of Mu’awiya and his son Yazid had dispossessed the people of the power to take a stand and to confront the oppressors, and no hope for good remains in a nation that slips into this level of impotence.

The second message of Imam Husayn (as)’s uprising was to give Muslim conscience a violent jolt so that it may revert to its prior power and position of leadership and control over the world which God Most High wanted for it. What Husayn (as) sought by this uprising would not have been achieved except by shedding much blood that was very dear, in an unparalleled tragic event in which he would sacrifice himself, his family members and his companions.

This is what Husayn (as) requested and it is what he meant by victory. Husayn (as) never intended victory in the military sense, a victory military leaders seek. This would be the last thing he would seek because he knew his times and the prevailing circumstances more than the people who were advising him against going out for the war and warning him that the people would desert him if he went. Any observer of Husayn (as)’s conduct on his journey between Medina and Karbala will not doubt that he was not after that kind of victory.

The victory which the Imam implied in his letter to Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and the Hashimites who were with him was the other type which we discussed above. The Imam was sure of victory in this journey and he believed that anyone who accompanied him would surely attain that victory and, he who stayed back was certain to miss it. What was the guarantee which made him so sure of victory?

The guarantee was God’s promise of support and victory to anyone who helped Him and God the Exalted does not go back on His word. He says:

“If you help God he will help you and make your feet steady.” 6

“Do not weaken or grieve: you shall have the upper hand, should you be faithful.” 7

“Indeed we shall help Our apostles and those who have faith in the life of the world…” 8

“God will surely help those who help Him. Indeed God is All-strong, All-mighty.” 9

The movement which Husayn (as) was about to embark on met all the conditions which God required of His servants before He granted them success. These conditions were: faith, sincerity, piety and striving (jihad) in God’s way.

Husayn (as) did not entertain a moment’s doubt that God Almighty would support him in his movement and that victory would be his. This is the second certainty of his movement. We have inferred this inevitability from the converse of his words which appeared in the letter: ‘and anyone who does not join us will not attain victory!’

3- Relationship Between Victory And Martyrdom

This is the third issue that Husayn’s letter dealt with, which can be inferred from the first and the second issues.

In the first, the Imam informed us that whoever accompanied him to Iraq would be martyred and in the second he declared that only those who would go with him would attain victory. From these two statements it can be inferred that martyrdom was the only way to attain victory. This is not easy to comprehend unless we explain victory the way we did while discussing the second issue. Then the relationship between victory and martyrdom will become clear.

This victory could not take place except by liberating people’s minds and souls from subjugation to the Umayyads and freeing Islam from the process of distortion which was being carried out in their palaces in the name of Islam, and exploiting the position of Successor to the Messenger of God (S). Such a victory could not be achieved unless this band of people who accompanied Husayn (as) liberated the peoples’ conscience, mind and heart from the grip of the Umayyads, annulled the legitimacy of their palace in Syria, and freed Islam from Umayyad control.

This project would not come to light except by offering valuable blood in order to give the people’s conscience a strong jolt which would bring them back to their senses and the position God wanted them to take. This is what the Imam declared in the letter which he wrote to Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah.

4- This Victory Will Not Be Repeated In History

This is the fourth thing that would surely happen as declared by Husayn (as): “And anyone who does not join me will not attain victory.” This statement explicitly supports our contention that the victory which God caused to happen at the hands of Husayn (as) and his helpers would not be repeated again in history.

There are two types of historical events: Those that repeat themselves such as war, peace, famine, weakness, strength, defeat and victory, and those that occur once. Islam has witnessed many bitter reverses, difficult times and adversity in its history but the crises of the battles of Badr and the Confederates will not be repeated. In those two cases the whole of Islam was gathered in a single spot and if unbelief had defeated Islam on those two occasions nothing would have remained of this religion. It is for this reason that the Messenger of God (S) accorded great value to Ali’s (as) stroke on the day of the confederates. Had it not been for Ali’s stroke on that day, had it not been for the defeat of the Confederates, nothing would have remained for Islam on the face of the earth. On the day of Badr, the Messenger of God (S) stood up in front of the Quraish multitudes beseeching God for succour: “O God, if you want not to be worshipped then You shall not be worshipped.”10

This statement precisely describes that critical condition which the whole of Islam was going through in the valley of Badr, not far from Medina. Thereafter, Islam went through many misfortunes and difficult situations such as when the Mongols invaded and destroyed Baghdad, the Abbasid capital, and wreaked havoc in the land. However, all these tribulations came to pass after Islam had come out of the straits of the battles of Badr, the Confederates and Al-Taff.

Events that do not repeat themselves through history are of two kinds: victories after which there is no defeat and defeats after which there is no victory. The victory of Ashura was a victory with no defeat after it… and this is what Husayn (as) stated in his letter which we are discussing. So what is that victory after which there will never be a fall? How can this be said when several drawback, defeats and tribulations visited the Muslims, and after them great conquests and successes came their way?

The answer is that these defeats and reverses affected Islam and the Muslims after Islam had emerged safely from straits and historical crises and spread all over the world. As such, those later events did not constitute a danger to the existence of Islam even though they brought widespread losses and great catastrophes like what happened during the Mongol invasion of Muslim lands. Badr and the Confederates were a different case altogether; they were unlike any other crises that the Muslims suffered.

The Umayyad-engendered tribulation was similar to those two. The Umayyads had extended their control over everything including the positions of power and influence in Islamic society.They achieved this through political legitimacy in the name of Successor to the Messenger of God (S). It was from this office that the people received the religious edicts regarding what is permissible and what is not, therefore, by relying on this very position, the Umayyads embarked on destroying the religion. If things

had gone their way nothing would have remained of Islam except its name, as Husayn (as) said to the governor of Medina when he invited him to pay allegiance to Yazid ibn Mu’awiya: “Then farewell to Islam if the Muslims are put to test through a ruler like Yazid.”11

On the day of Ashura, Husayn (as) was able to annul the legitimacy of the caliphates of the Umayyads and the Abbasids. Thereafter, their palaces, dissipation, luxury, oppression and aggression no longer constituted any danger to Islam, however destructive its effect was on Islamic society. The Muslims no longer considered the position of caliphate as hallowed and legitimate; henceforth, they deemed them no better than other kings and rulers who indulge in oppression and excess and injustice.

The Ummayds continued to rule and political leadership passed from them to the Abbasids, but the people did not consider them the authority on religious law as they considered the earlier caliphs who ruled after the Messenger of God (S).

Therefore, the battle at Karbala on the day of Ashura was a special victory which God exclusively granted to Husayn (as), his Hashimite kinsmen and companions who accompanied him. They attained this victory by being killed—all of them.

Notes

1. Bihar al-Anwar 45: 87, Basa’ir al-Darajat 481, Al-Luhuf 28, Ibn Shahr Ashub’s Al-Manaqib 4:76, Mathir al-Ahzan 39.

2. Ibn al-A’tham’s Al-Futuh 5:105; Al-Tabari 3:315; Al-Kamil 2:559.

3. Al-Kharaij wa al-Jara’ih, 2:847, Bihar al-Anwar 44: 298.

4. Al-Tabaraisi’s Al-Ihtijaj 2:24; Ibn Shahr Ashub’s Manaqib Al Abi Talib 3:257; Bihar al-Anwar 45:83; Ibn Abi al-Fath al-Arbili’s Kashf al-Ghummah 2:228.

5. Ibn Nama’ al-Hilli’s Muthir al-Ahzan 72; Bihar al-Anwar 45:119, Sheikh Abdulah al-Bahrani’s Al-Awalim: 386; Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin’s Lawa’ij al-Ashjan: 211.

6. Qur’an, Ch: 47, Vs: 7.

7. Qur’an, Ch: 3, Vs: 139

8. Qur’an, Ch: 40, Vs: 51.

9. Qur’an, Ch: 22, Vs: 40.

10. .Tafsir al-Mizan 12: 238.

11. Muthir al-Ahzan 15; Bihar al-Anwar 44:326; Al-Awalim: 175, Lawa’ij al-Ashjan: 27.

ف F

Fa'izeen or Fa'izùn فائزين أو فائزون

winners, those who earn the Pleasure of the Almighty and His rewards

Fajr فجر

Daybreak, obligatory pre-sunrise sala t, prayer rite

Faqih فقيه

jurist, one who is knowledgeable in Islamic jurisprudence (law), theShari`a

Farasikh فراسخ

plural offarsakh فرسخ , parasang (a loan Persian word), a measure of distance. According toLisan al-`Arab lexicon, it may be three to six miles. "It is called so," the author of the famous lexicon goes on, "because one who walks onefarsakh will have to sit to rest," suggesting that the original meaning of the word is to halt, to come to a standstill, to rest.

Fard فرض

something which is obligatory on a Muslim. It is sometimes used in reference to the obligatory part of salat .

Fasiq فاسق

one of corrupt moral character who engages in various sins without feeling any sense of shame or regret

Fatawa فتاوى

plural offatwa , a religious edict or decision

Fatiha (al-) الفاثحه

The Prophet (ص) has quoted the Almighty as saying, "The prayers have been divided between Me and My servant: one half for Me, and one for him;" so when one recites it and says, "Alhamdulillahi Rabbil-'Alameen ," the Almighty says, "My servant has praised Me." And when he says, ''Arrahmanir Raheem ," the Almighty says, "My servant has praised Me." And when he says, "Maaliki YawmidDeen ," Allah says, "My servant has exalted Me." And when he says, "Iyyaaka Na'budu wa iyyaaka nasta'een ," Allah will say, 'This is a covenant between Me and My servant, and My servant shall be granted the fulfillment of his pleas." Then if he finishes reciting the Fatiha to the end, Allah will again confirm His promise by saying, 'This is for [the benefit of] My servant, and My servant will be granted the answer to his wishes. The Messenger of Allah (ص) is quoted byAbu Ali al-Fadl ibn al-Hassan ibn al-Fadl al-Tibrisi الطبرسي, may Allah have mercy on his soul, saying that one who recites al-Fatiha will be regarded by the Almighty as though he recited two-thirds of the Holy Qur'an and as though he gave by way of charity to each and every believing man and woman. "By the One in Whose hand my soul is," the Prophet (ص) continues, "Allah Almighty did not reveal in the Torah, the Gospel, or the Psalms any chapter like it; it is the Mother of the Book andal- Sab' al-Mathani (the oft-repeated seven verses), and it is divided between Allah and His servant, and His servant shall get whatever he asks; it is the best Sura in the Book of the most Exalted One, and it is a healing from every ailment except poison, which is death." He (ص) is also quoted byal-Kaf'ami الكفعمي as saying, "He (Allah) bestowed it upon me as His blessing, making it equivalent to the Holy Qur'an, saying, 'And We have granted youal-Sab' al-Mathani and the Great Qur'an (Surat al-Hijr , verse 87).' lt is the most precious among the treasures of the 'Arsh ." Indeed, Allah, the most Sublime, has chosen Muhammed (ص) alone to be honored by it without doing so to any other Prophet or Messenger of His with the exception of Sulayman (Solomon) نبي سليمان, peace be upon him, who was granted the Basmala البسمله (see Qur'an, 27:30, i.e. verse 30 of Surat al-Naml, Chapter of the Ant). One who recites it, being fully convinced of his following in the footsteps of Muhammed (ص) and his Progeny (ع), adhering to its injunctions, believing in its outward and inward meanings, will be granted by Allah for each of its letters a blessing better than what all there is in the world of wealth and good things, and whoever listens to someone reciting it will receive one third of the rewards due to the one who recites it.

من بعض أسرار سورة الحمد (الفاتحة)

كتب قيصر الروم كتابا إلى خلفاء بني العباس وجاء فيه (( جاء في كتاب الإنجيل أنه من قرأ سورة خالية من سبعة أحرف ، حرم الله جسده من نار جهنم ، وهذه الأحرف عبارة عن :(ﻉ) ث ، ج ، خ ، ز ، ش ، ظ ، ف (ﻉ) وفحصنا كثيرا فلم نعثر على هكذا سورة في كتب التوراة والزبور والإنجيل ، فهل يوجد في كتابكم السماوي تلك السورة؟

فجمع الخليفة العباسي جميع العلماء وعرض عليهم السؤال فعجزوا عن الجواب وأخيرا طرحوا هذا السؤال على الإمام علي الهادي (ع) فأجاب عليه السلام قائلا : هذه السورة هي سورة الحمد التي تكون خالية من الأحرف السبعة

فسألوا الإمام ما فلسفة خلو هذه السورة من الأحرف السبعة ؟ فأجاب الإمام عليه السلام :

إن حرف ( ث) إشارة إلى الثبور ، وحرف ( ج ) إشارة إلى الجحيم ، وحرف ( خ ) إشارة إلى الخبث ، وحرف ( ز ) إشارة إلى الزقوم ، وحرف ( ش ) إشارة إلى الشقاوة، وحرف ( ظ ) إشارة إلى الظلمة ، وحرف ( ف ) إشارة إلى الآفة .

فأرسل الخليفة هذا الجواب لقيصر الروم ، وشعر القيصر بالفرح بعد حصوله على الجواب واعتنق الإسلام وخرج من الدنيا مسلما. فأكثروا من قراءة سورة الحمد. لا تقرأ سورة الحمد (الفاتحة) بسرعة انظر لماذا؟

كثير من الناس يقرؤون سورة الفاتحة في الصلاة بسرعة وكأن الذئاب تلاحقهم ولا يعلمون ما فيها. روي عن رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وآله وَسَلَّمَ أنه قالُ: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ: {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي وَإِذَا قَالَ: {الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَثْنَى عَلَيَّ عَبْدِي وَإِذَا قَالَ: {مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ} قَالَ: مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي وَقَالَ مَرَّةً: فَوَّضَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي فَإِذَا قَالَ: {إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ} قَالَ: هَذَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ فَإِذَا قَالَ: {اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ} قَالَ: هَذَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَل،،،،

Some mysteries about Surat al-Fatiha:

One of Rome's Caesars wrote a letter to an Abbasid "caliph" - to use the word loosely since none of the Umayyads or Abbasid rulers deserved to be called a caliph but a despotic ruler with the exception of only Caliph Omer ibn Abdul-Aziz, but we will use it here since it is quite commonly referred to those corrupt folks - saying, "It is written in the Bible that if anyone recites a chapter which does not contain seven letters, God will prohibit the Fire of Hell from consuming his body. These letters are: We have carefully examined in the Torah, Psalms and Bible but could not find such a chapter; so, is there in your divinely revealed Book such a Chapter?"

The Abbasid caliph gathered all scholars and presented the question to them, but they could not provide an answer. Finally, they submitted this question to Imam Ali al-Hadi (ﻉ) who answered saying that such a chapter is Surat al-Hamd, the Fatiha, which does not contain these alphabetical letters. The Imam (ﻉ) explained the philosophy behind the exclusion of these alphabetical letters in the Fatiha Chapter as stated below, so the "caliph" sent this answer to Rome's Caesar who was very happy for having obtained it and immediately embraced Islam, departing from this world as a Muslim.

You, therefore, should recite Surat al-Hamd (Fatiha) quite often, but do not do so. Why? Many people recite the Fatiha in their prayers quickly as if the wolves are chasing them, not knowing what it really contains:

It has been narrated about the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be with him and his Progeny, has said, "Allah Almighty has said: 'I have divided the prayer (supplication) between Myself and My servant into two halves: Whenever the servant saysالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds , I say that My servant has praised Me. When he saysالرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful , I say that My servant has lauded me. When he saysمَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ Master of the Day of Judgment , I say that My servant has exulted me. In another narration of this tradition, the Almighty says, 'My servant has entrusted his (Hereafter) affairs to me'. When he saysإِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ You do we worship, and Your aid do we seek , I say: 'This is between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have what he pleads for'. And when he saysاهدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ Guide us the Straight way, the way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who do not stray , I say: 'This (too) is for My servant, and My servant shall be granted what he pleads for'."

Imam Ali al-Hadi (ﻉ) was asked about the philosophy behind the Fatiha containing none of these seven alphabetical letters, so the Imam (ﻉ) said: "The letter( ث) refers toثبور destruction." The Almighty refers to it in the Holy Qur'an in places such as these: 25:13 and 14, 84:11 and to one who is really ruined, Pharaoh, in 17:102. "The letter (ج )," the Imam (ﻉ) went on, "refers toجحيم , hell." Numerous Qur'anic verses refer to hell, warning those who heed the call about its torment. Some such verses are: 2:119, 5:10, 5:86, 9:113, 22:51, 26:91, 37:23, 37:55, 37:64, 37:68, 37:97, 37:163, 40:7, 44:47, 44:56, 52:18, 57:19, 69:31, 79:36, 81:12, 82:14, 83:16, 102:6, 73:12, to name few. The Imam (ﻉ) added saying, "The letter( خ ) refers toخبث " which is any bad thing, deed, person, thought, etc. to which references in the Holy Qur'an exist in verses such as these: 7:58, 2:267, 3:179, 4:2, 5:100, 8:37, 24:26, 14:26, 7:157 and 21:74. The Imam (ﻉ) went on to say, "The letter( ز ) refers toزقوم Zaqqoom )" which is a tree in hell of which the sinners eat and to which references in the Holy Qur'an exist in verses such as these: 37:62, 44:43 and 56:52. "The letter( ش ) ," went on the Imam (ﻉ), "refers toشقاوة ", pain or suffering, a reference to the suffering of people, good or bad: The good people suffer in this life because of others unfairly and unjustifiably harming, hurting, oppressing belying them. They also suffer as they see things taking place and people behaving in an ungodly way and feel sorry for them. Some ordinary persons may suffer also during the period of thebarzakh برزخ so the Almighty may punish them in the grave and forgive them later, while bad persons may suffer in this life and in the hereafter as well for their bad deeds. Its derivations exist in many verses such as these: 20:2, 20:117, 20:123, 11:105, 19:4, 19:32. 19:48, 87:11, 92:15, 91:12 and 23:106. The Imam (ﻉ) went on in stating why these letters do not exist in the Fatiha and said, "The letter( ظ ) refers toظلمة ", darkness, either physical, material, tangible, as is the darkness in the grave or in hell, or non-physical, immaterial, such as darkness of one's outlooks, attitudes, etc. Notice that the wordظلم which means oppression or injustice is associated with this same wordظلمة because people do not oppress others unless their mentality is dark. Hundreds of references in the Book of Islam, the Holy Qur'an, refer to both types of such darkness and to people who oppress others or wrong them: These references are only few for you to check if you wish: 4:153, 13:6, 16:61, 4:75, 18:35, 25:27, 35:32, 37:113. This is just a drop in the bucket. Explaining the last letter, the Imam (ﻉ) said, "The letterف ) ) refers toآفة lesion, something which consumes, devours, spreads quickly like cancer cells, fire or a rash of bad deed in which many people are involved: This word fits many descriptions and applications, and it needs no further explanation.

The inquisitive reader may wonder who this Imam Ali al-Hadi (ﻉ) is; after all, not many are familiar with the immediate family of the Prophet of Islam (ﺹ); therefore, we have included his biography in this Glossary under "Hadi, al-" to which you may refer.

Festivities

Other than the two major Islamic feasts or `Īds, there are few festivities which Muslims enjoy. These are related to different activities or special occasions. Some of these special occasions are:

Aqiqa : It is a dinner reception held after a child is born. Relatives, friends, and neighbors are invited for such an occasion.

Walima: It is a dinner reception during or after marriage is consummated. It is offered by the parents and/or the married couple. Friends, relatives, and neighbors are also invited.

Fiqh فقه

knowledge of the science of Islamic jurisprudence, theShari`a شريعة . The literal meaning of the wordfiqh is: understanding, comprehension, knowledge and familiarity with Islam's jurisprudence. A jurist is calledfaqih , one who is an expert in Islamic legal matters. Afaqih فقيه issues verdicts within the rules of the Islamic Law, theShari`a الشريعه. Any action or step in Islam falls within the following five categories offiqh :

Fardh فرض (must, obligatory, mandatory): This category is a must for the Muslim to undertake such as the performance of the five daily prayers. Performing thefardh counts as a good deed, and not doing it is considered as a bad deed, a sin. It is also calledwajib .

Mandub مندوب (recommended, commendable): This category is recommended for the Muslim to do such as additional prayers after the performance of the daily prayers. Doing what ismandub counts as a good deed, while not doing it does not count as a bad deed or a sin.

Mubah مباح (allowed, permissible): This category is optional and is left for the individual to decide such as partaking of food, etc. Doing or not doing themubah does not count as a good or bad deed. One's intention can changemubah into afardh ,mandub ,makruh orharam . Other things can also change the status of themubah . For example, anymubah becomesharam if it is proven to be harmful, whether physically or spiritually, and any necessary thing to fulfill afardh is afardh , too.

Makruh مكروه (hated, not commendable): This category includes acts that are detested, hated, things which one must stay away from such as letting his fingernails grow or sleeping on the stomach, etc. Not doing what ismakruh counts as a good deed while doing it does not count as a bad deed.

Haram حرام (prohibited, banned): This category includes things a Muslim is prohibited from doing such as stealing and lying. Doing what isharam counts as a sin, a bad deed, while not doing it counts as a good deed. Views of Islamic scholars about all the above vary.

Firdaws فردوس

Paradise, heaven, abode of the blessed, place of eternal peace and happiness, the garden of bliss. Some linguists think this word is Persian, whether others think it is Babylonian in origin, that is, a loan word.

Fitna or Fitnah فتنه

sedition, something which creates division, discord, disagreement, dispute, etc. among people. Numerous references exist in the Holy Qur'an aboutfitna , warning the believers about falling into its traps. One such verse is this:الفتنة أشد من القتل Sedition is harder than killing (Qur'an, 2:191), a warning which apparently was not heeded even when Islam was still in its infancy: Some "Muslims" went as far as plotting to assassinate the Prophet of Islam (ﺹ) as he was returning from his last pilgrimage known as Hijjat al-Wadaa', Farewell Pilgrimage, as he himself points out in his Ghadir sermon narrated for you in this Glossary. During the lifetime of the Prophet (ﺹ), Muslims divided themselves into two communities: one following Ali (ﻉ) whom they saw as the embodiment of everything Islam stands for, and one followed a handful of very affluent and influential companions of the Prophet (ﺹ) in order to benefit from their money and prestige. As soon as the Prophet (ﺹ) passed away, this division became much more evident: The first camp preferred to keep their pledge, which was made to the Prophet on Thul-Hijja 18, 10 A.H./March 19, 632 A.D., to obey Ali (ﻉ) as the Commander of the Faithfulأمير المؤمنين as granted this title by the Prophet of Islam (ﺹ) who appointed him on that day at Ghadir Khumm as his successor as ordered by the Almighty. Details of this subject are recorded in this Glossary under the "Ghadir" item below. That was one of the earliestfitnas that divided the Muslims of the world and its effects can still be seen in our time and will continue to be so till the end of time.

Thefitna of the succession to the Prophet (ﺹ) almost led to Muslims killing each other, but Ali (ﻉ) preferred to submit his will to the Almighty rather than go out to demand the implementation of the Ghadir wasiyya (will) of the Prophet (ﺹ). Abu Bakr, Omer ibn al-Khattab then Othman succeeded each other in ruling the Muslims, and during their governments many innovations found their way to Islam. The deliberate reluctance to follow the Prophet's will delivered in his Ghadir sermon below, in which he appointed Imam Ali (ﻉ) as his successor in response to a command which he had received from the Almighty, was later regretted as we know from the following text:

On pp. 428-9, Vol. 1/8 of the latest edition ofBihar al-Anwar , we read the following:

قال أبو الصلاح قدس الله روحه في تقريب المعارف: لما طعن عمر جمع بني عبد المطلب و قال: يا بني عبد المطلب، أراضون أنتم عني؟ فقال رجل من أصحابه: و من ذا الذي يسخط عليك؟ فأعاد اكلام ثلاث مرات، فأجابه رجل بمثل جوابه، فانتهره عمر و قال: نحن أعلم بما أشعرنا قلوبنا، انا و الله أشعرنا قلوبنا ما نسأل الله أن يكفينا شره، و ان بيعة أبي بكركانت فلتة نسأل الله أن يكفينا شرها.

و قال لابنه عبد الله و هو مسنده الى صدره: ويحك ضع رأسي بالأرض. فأخذته الغشية، قال: فوجدت من ذلك. فقال: ويحك ضع رأسي بالأرض. فأخذته الغشية، قال: فوجدت من ذلك. فقال: ويحك ضع رأسي بالأرض. فوضعت رأسه بالأرض فعفر التراب، ثم قال: ويل لعمر و ويل لأمه ان لم يغفر الله له.

و قال أيضا حين حضره الموت: أتوب الى الله من ثلاث: من اغتصابي هذا الأمر أنا و أبو بكر من دون الناس، و من استخلافي عليهم و من تفضيلي المسلمين بعضهم على بعض.

و قال أيضا: أتوب الى الله من ثلاث: من ردي رقيق اليمن، و من رجوعي عن جيش أسامة بعد أن أمره رسول الله (ص) علينا، و من تعاقدنا على أهل البيت ان قبض رسول الله أن لا نولي منهم أحدا.

Abul-Salah (man of righteousness), may Allah sanctify his soul, has said inTaqreeb al-Ma'arif the following: "When Omer [ibn al-Khattab] was stabbed, he gathered the descendants of Abdul-Muttalib and said, 'O sons of Abdul-Muttalib! Are you pleased with me?' A man from among his fellows said, 'Who would be angry with you?' He (Omer) repeated his statement three times, getting the same response from the same man whom Omer rebuked and to whom he said, 'We know best how we made our hearts feel. We, by Allah, made our hearts feel… what we plead to Allah to spare us its evil. Allegiance to Abu Bakr was a slip [from the Right Path] the evil of which we plead to Allah to spare us.'

"He (Omer) said to his son Abdullah, who was helping his father recline on his chest, 'Woe on you! Put my head on the ground.' He was overtaken by a swoon. He (Abdullah ibn Omer) said, 'I felt quite worried about it.' He (Omer) said, 'Woe on you! Put my head on the ground.' He was again overtaken by a swoon. He (Abdullah ibn Omer) said, 'I felt quite worried about it.' He (Omer) said [for the third time], 'Woe on you! Put my head on the ground.' He (Abdullah ibn Omer) said, 'I put his head on the ground. Then he (Omer) said, 'Woe unto Omer, and woe unto his mother if Allah does not forgive him.'

"He (Omer) also said at the time of his death: 'I repent to Allah three things: my sending the slaves of Yemen back, my abandonment of Usamah's army after the Messenger of Allah (ﺹ) had placed him in charge over us, and our agreement against Ahl al-Bayt (ﻉ) that if the Messenger of Allah died, we would not let any of them take charge.'"

Yet the most serious innovations, actually deviations from the right path of Islam, were practices by the government during Othman's time, so much so that Othman gradually lost all respect he had among the local Muslims and throughout the Islamic world. Among those who resented him was Mother of the Believers Aisha daughter of Abu Bakr and wife of the Prophet (ﺹ).

On p. 794, Vol. 1/8 of the latest edition of Bihar al-Anwar, we read the following:

علي بن محمد الكاتب، عن الزعفراني، عن الثقفي، عن الحسن بن الحسين الأنصاري، عن سفيان، عن فضيل بن الزبير، عن فروة بن مجاشع، عن أبي جعفر (ع) قال: جاءت عائشة الى عثمان فقالت له: اعطني ما كان يعطيني أبي و عمر بن الخطاب. فقال: لم أجد لك موضعا في الكتاب و لا في السنة، و انما كان أبوك و عمر بن الخطاب يعطيانك بطيبة من أنفسهما، و أنا لا أفعل. قالت: فاعطني ميراثي من رسول الله (ص). فقال لها: أو لم تحسبي أنت و مالك بن أوس النضري فشهدتما أن رسول الله (ص) لا يورث حتى منعتما فاطمه (بنت النبي) ميراثها؟ أبطلتما حقها، فكيف تطلبين اليوم ميراثا من النبي (ص)؟ فتركته و انصرفت، و كان عثمان اذا خرج الى الصلاة أخذت قميص رسول الله (ص) على قصبة فرفعته عليها، ثم قالت ان عثمان قد خالف صاحب هذا القميص و ترك سنته.

Ali ibn Muhammed the scribe quotes al-Zaafarani quoting al-Thaqafi quoting al-Hassan ibn al-Hussain al-Ansari quoting Sufyan quoting Fudayl ibn al-Zubair quoting Farwah ibn Mujashi` from Imam [al-Baqir] Abu Ja'fer (ﻉ) saying: "Aisha went to Othman and said to him: 'Give me what my father [Abu Bakr] and Omer ibn al-Khattab used to give me.' Othman said: 'I found no place for you in the Book of Allah (Qur'an) or in the Sunna [that you should get paid frombaytul-mal ]. Rather, your father and Omer ibn al-Khattab used to give you out of the goodness of their hearts, and I do not do that.' She said: 'Then give me my inheritance from the Messenger of Allah (ﺹ).' Othman said to her: 'Did you not think about it when you and Malik ibn Aws al-Nadari testified saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﺹ) does not leave any inheritance, so much so that you prevented [through your testimony] Fatima (daughter of the Prophet (ﺹ)) from getting her inheritance? You voided what was her legitimate right; so, how can you now demand any inheritance from the Prophet (ﺹ)?' So she left him. Whenever Othman went out to pray, Aisha used to hand the shirt of the Messenger of Allah (ﺹ) on a reed and raise it high, then she would say: 'Othman has violated the owner of this shirt and has abandoned his Sunna'."

And on the same page we also read the following:

روى في كشف الغمة أن عائشة قالت لعثمان: يا نعثل يا عدو الله، انما سماك رسول الله (ص) باسم نعثل اليهودي الذي باليمن، فلاعنته و لاعنها، و حلفت أن لا تساكنه بمصر أبدا، خرجت الى مكة.

ثم قال: قد نقل ابن أعثم صاحب الفتوح أنها (عائشة) قالت: اقتلوا نعثلا، قتل الله نعثلا، فلقد أبلى سنة رسول الله (ص): هذه ثيابه لم تبل، و خرجت الى مكة.

It has been narrated inKashf al-Ghumma that Aisha said to Othman, "O Na'thal! O enemy of Allah! The Messenger of Allah called you 'Na'thal' after the Jew in Yemen.' She cursed him and he cursed her, and she swore never to stay in the same city where he was staying at all; she went out [of Medina] to Mecca."

The narrator went on to say: "Ibn A'tham, author ofAl-Fitooh [conquests], has transmitted saying that she (Aisha) said, 'Kill Na'thal, may Allah kill Na'thal, for he has worn out the Sunna of the Messenger of Allah (ﺹ): Here are his clothes yet to wear out.' She went out for Mecca."

In the 1426 A.H./2005 A.D. edition ofتأريخ الأمم و الملوك (History of nations and kings) by imam Abu Ja'far Muhammed ibn Jarir al-Tabari, which is more famous as Tabari'sTarikh , Vol. 3, p. 135:

قال محمد بن عمر: و حدثني محمد بن صالح، عن عبيد الله بن رافع بن نقاخة، عن عثمان بن الشريد، قال: مر عثمان على جبلة بن عمرو الساعدي و هو بفناء داره و معه جامعة فقال: يا نعثل، و الله لأقتلنك، و لأحملنك على قلوص جرباء، و لأخرجنك الى حرة النار، ثم جاءه مرة أخرى و عثمان على المنبر فأنزله عنه.

حدثني محمد قال: حدثني أبو بكر بن اسماعيل عن أبيه عن عامر بن سعد قال: كان أول من اجترأ على عثمان بالمنطق السيء جبلة بن عمرو الساعدي، مر به عثمان و هو جالس في ندي قومه و في يد جبلة بن عمرو جامعة، فلما مر عثمان سلم، فرد القوم، فقال جبلة: لم تردون على رجل فعل كذا و كذا؟! قال: ثم أقبل على عثمان فقال: و الله لأطرحن هذه الجامعة في عنقك أو لتتركن بطانتك هذه. قال عثمان: أي بطانة؟! فو الله اني لأتخير الناس. فقال جبلة: مروان تخيرته! و معاوية تخيرته! و عبد الله بن سعد تخيرته! منهم من نزل القرآن بدمه، و أباح رسول الله دمه.

قال: فانصرف عثمان، فما زال الناس مجترئين عليه (يعني على عثمان) الى هذا اليوم.

Muhammed ibn Omer has said: "Muhammed ibn Salih has narrated to me citing Ubaydullah ibn Raafi` ibn Naqakhah from Othman ibn al-Sharid who said: "Othman passed by Jiblah ibn Amr al-Saa'idi as he was in the courtyard of his home, and he had chains, so he said, 'O Na'thal! By Allah I shall kill you, and I shall carry you on a scabby she-camel (not yet trained to carry anyone or anything), and I shall get you out to the heat of the Fire.' Jiblah ibn Amr al-Saa'idi also went once and saw Othman on the pulpit (preaching), so he pulled him down it.

I [the author, al-Tabari, goes on to add] have been told by Muhammed who said: I have been told by Abu Bakr ibn Isma'eel who quotes his father citing Aamir ibn Sa'd saying: "The first person to verbally abuse Othman was Jiblah ibn Amr al-Saa'idi: Othman passed by him once as he was sitting in his folk's meeting place. Jiblah ibn Amr al-Saa'idi had a chain in his hand. When Othman passed by, he greeted [those present at the meeting place]. The folks responded [to the greeting], whereupon Jiblah said: 'Why do you respond to a man who has done such and such?!' Then he went to Othman and said: 'By Allah, I shall place this chain round your neck unless you abandon your train.' Othman said, 'What train?! By Allah, I choose from among people [for my close companions].' Jiblah said: 'You chose Marwan [ibn al-Hakam, Othman's young cousin and bearer of his seal]! And you chose Mu'awiyah! And you chose Abdullah ibn Sa'd! Some of these have been condemned to death by the Qur'an, and some of them were condemned to die by the Messenger of Allah (ﺹ)!' He went on to say: 'Othman left, and people kept verbally abusing Othman till this day."

Why did the third caliph cause matters to deteriorate so badly? There is no room here to provide you with the detailed answer to this question, but we can refer you to a book written by one of Egypt's best intellectuals and scholars of the century, namely Dr. Taha Hussein, who worteالفتنة الكبرى The Greater Sedition. In it, you will find out that one of Othman's serious mistakes was giving his seal to his young and wreckless cousin Marwan ibn al-Hakam, as you will read under the item "Hadi, al-" below, who greatly abused the power that seal gave him. Taha Hussein details how the public funds deposited at the State Treasury known then as baytul-malبيت المال were plundered and distributed among Othman's family, relatives and supporters, so much so that Othman had three mansions built for him each of each cost more than three million dinars. Arabs do not have the word "million" in their language; instead, they use the term "a thousand thousands" to describe the gold dinars and the silver dirhams spent on building mansions for Othman and for his wife, Naila daughter of al-Qarafisa, who had so much jewelry, her jingle could be heard from a distance.

Anotherfitna was the falsification ofahadith أحاديث , traditions, which make up one of the main sources of the Sunna which every Muslim must follow, the other being the Holy Qur'an. Abu Bakr prohibited the writing ofhadith and most traditions were collected and burnt, so very few survived. Later, the Umayyad dynasty that ruled the Islamic world from 655 to 1031 A.D. was characterized by the flourishing of manufactures for making custom-designed traditions tailored to please various Umayyad rulers the first of whom was Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. On pp. 332-3 of the 1426 A.H./2005 A.D. edition ofتأريخ الأمم و الملوك (History of nations and kings) by imam Abu Ja'far Muhammed ibn Jarir al-Tabari, which is more famous as Tabari'sTarikh , we read the following:

و كانوا يعدون دهاة الناس حين ثارت الفتنة خمسة رهط، فقالوا: ذوو رأي العرب و مكيدتهم: معاوية بن أبي سفيان، و عمرو بن العاص، و المغيرة بن شعبة، و قيس بن سعد، و من المهاجرين عبد الله بن بديل الخزاعي.

Five men used to be regarded as the most cunning of all people when sedition erupted. People said that they were people of opinions and of scheming, and these are: Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, Amr ibn al-Aas, al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah and Qais ibn Sa'd, all from the Ansar, in addition to Abdullah ibn Budayl al-Khuza'i from the Muhajirun.

Who is this man, Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan ibn Harb?

On the 10th of Hijra/630 A.D., the date of the Conquest of Mecca, Abu Sufyan, father of this Mu'awiyah, had to choose either to accept Islam or be beheaded, so he pretended to accept Islam while all his actions and those of his family members proved that they never really did. Abu Sufyan was a wealthy and influential man who belonged to the Banu Umayyah clan of the once pagan tribe of Quraish of Mecca, Hijaz, that fought the spread of Islam relentlessly during the time of the Prophet of Islam (ﻉ). He was contemporary to the Prophet of Islam (ﻉ) whom he fought vigorously. His date of birth is unknown, but he died in 31 A.H./652 A.D. “Abu Sufyan” is his kunya, surname; his name is Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayyah. He is father of Mu`awiyah and grandfather of Yazid.

Abu Sufyan led pagan Quraish in its many wars against Prophet Muhammed (ﺹ) and his small band of supporters, making alliances with other pagan tribes and with the Jews of Medina against the new rising power of Islam. He kept leading one battle after another till the fall of Mecca to the Muslims in 630 A.D. It was then that he had to either accept the Islamic faith or face a sure death for all the mischief he had committed against the Muslims, so he preferred to live in hypocrisy as a "Muslim," though only in name, rather than accept death. He was the most cunning man in all of Arabia and one of its aristocrats and men of might and means. He saw Islam as the harbinger of the waning of his own personal power and prestige and those of his tribe, Quraish, not to mention the decline of his faith, paganism, and the pre-Islamic way of life to which he and his likes were very much accustomed, the life of promiscuity, lewdness and debauchery, with all the wine, women and wealth aristocrats like him very much enjoyed. His likes are present throughout the Islamic lands in our time and in every time and clime... This has always been so, and it shall unfortunately remain so...

Mu`awiyah son of Abu Sufyan was born out of wedlock in 602 A.D. during thejahiliyya , the time of ignorance, the period that preceded Islam. His mother, Maysun, was one of his father’s slave-girls. Maysun had a sexual intercourse with one of Mu`awiyah’s slaves and conceived Yazid by him. Mu`awiyah, in total disregard for Islamic or traditional Arab traditions, claimed Yazid as his son. A testimony to this fact is the well-documented tradition of the Prophet (ﻉ) wherein he said, “The murderer of my [grand]son al-Husain is a bastard.” This tradition is quoted on p. 156, Vol. 1, ofKanz al-`Ummal of al-Muttaqi al-Hindi. The stigma of being a bastard applies actually not only to Yazid but also to both Shimr ibn Thul-Jawshan and `Ubaydullah ibn Sa`d, the accomplices about whom the reader can read a great deal in my book titledKerbala and Beyond .

One glaring proof about the fact that Mu'awiyah never really accepted Islam is the following famous verse of poetry which Mu'awiyah composed:

لعبت هاشم بالملك فلا

خبر جاء و لا وحي نزل

Hashim (clan) played with power:

Neither news came nor revelation descended.

Mu`awiyah played a major role in distorting the Islamic creed by paying writers to tailor design "traditions" to serve his interests and support his deviated views. He installed himself as ruler of Syria in 40 A.H./661 A.D. and ruled for twenty long years till his death at the age of seventy-eight. Shortly before his death, which took place in the month of Rajab of 60 A.H./May of 680 A.D., he managed to secure the oath of allegiance to his corrupt and immoral son Yazid as his successor. He did so by intimidation once and once by buying loyalty and favours, spending in the process huge sums of money that belonged to the Muslims. The weak-minded majority of the Muslims of his time swore allegiance to him. This proves that the majority does not necessarily have to be right. Imam al-Husain (ﻉ), together with a small band of devotees to the cause of truth, refused to bow their heads to the oppressive forces, hence this tale of heroism.

Mu`awiyah declared himself "caliph" in Syria when he was 59 years old and assumed authority by sheer force. He was not elected, nor was he requested to take charge. He did not hide this fact; rather, he bragged about it once when he addressed the Kafians saying, "O people of Kufa! Do you think that I fought you in order that you may establish prayers or givezakat or perform the pilgrimage?! I know that you do pray, pay zakat and perform the pilgrimage. Indeed, I fought you in order to take command over you with contempt, and Allah has given me that against your wishes. Rest assured that whoever killed any of us will himself be killed. And the treaty between us of amnesty is under my feet."

Mu`awiyah’s rule was terror in the whole Muslim land. Such terrorism was spread by many convoys sent to various regions. Historians have narrated that Mu`awiyh summoned Sufyan ibn Awf al-Ghamidi, one of the commanders of his army, and said to him, "This army is under your command. Proceed along the Euphrates River till you reach Heet. Any resistance you meet on your way should be crushed, and then you should proceed to invade Anbar. After that, penetrate deeply into Mada’in. O Sufyan! These invasions will frighten the Iraqis and please those who like us. Such campaigns will attract frightened people to our side. Kill whoever holds different views from ours; loot their villages and demolish their homes. Indeed, fighting them against their livelihood and taking their wealth away is similar to killing them but is more painful to their hearts."

Another of his commanders, namely Bishr ibn Arta’ah, was summoned and ordered to proceed to Hijaz and Yemen with these instructions issued by Mu`awiyah: "Proceed to Medina and expel its people. Meanwhile, people in your way, who are not from our camp, should be terrorized. When you enter Medina, let it appear as if you are going to kill them. Make it appear that your aim is to exterminate them. Then pardon them. Terrorize the people around Mecca and Medina and scatter them around."

During Mu`awiyah’s reign, basic human rights were denied, not simply violated. No one was free to express his views. Government spies were paid to terrorize the public, assisting the army and the police in sparing no opportunity to crush the people and to silence their dissent. There are some documents which reveal Mu`awiyah’s instructions to his governors to do just that. For instance, the following letter was addressed to all judges: "Do not accept the testimony of Ali’s followers (Shiites) or of his descendants in (your) courts." Another letter stated: "If you have evidence that someone likes `Ali and his family, omit his name from the recipients of rations stipulated from thezakat funds." Another letter said, "Punish whoever is suspected of following `Ali and demolish his house." Such was the situation during the government of Mu`awiyah, Yazid’s infamous father. Historians who were recording these waves of terror described them as unprecedented in history. People were so frightened, they did not mind being called atheists, thieves, etc., but not followers of Imam `Ali ibn Abu Talib (ﻉ), Prophet Muhammed ((ﺹ's right hand, confidant and son-in-law.

Another aspect of the government of Mu`awiyah was the racist discrimination between Arabs and non-Arabs. Although they were supposed to have embraced Islam which tolerates no racism in its teachings, non-Arabs were forced to pay khiraj and jizya taxes that are levied from non-Muslims living under the protection of Muslims and enjoying certain privileges, including the exemption from the military service. A non-Arab soldier fighting in the state’s army used to receive bare subsistence from the rations. Once, a dispute flared up between an Arab and a non-Arab and both were brought to court. The judge, namely Abdullah ibn `amir, heard the non-Arab saying to his Arab opponent, "May Allah not permit people of your kind (i.e. Arabs) to multiply." The Arab answered him by saying, "O Allah! I invoke You to multiply their (non-Arabs’) population among us!" People present there and then were bewildered to hear such a plea, so they asked him, "How do you pray for this man’s people to multiply while he prays for yours to be diminished?!" The Arab opponent said, "Yes, indeed, I do so! They clean our streets and make shoes for our animals, and they weave our clothes!"

Imam al-Husain’s older brother, Imam al-Hasan (ﻉ), was elected in Medina on the 21st of the month of Ramadan, 40 A.H./January 28, 661 A.D. as the caliph, but his caliphate did not last long due to the terrorism promoted by Mu`awiyah who either intimidated, killed, or bribed the most distinguished men upon whom Imam al-Hasan (ﻉ) depended to run the affairs of the government. Finally, Mu`awiyah pushed Imam al-Hasan (ﻉ) out of power after signing a treaty with him the terms of which were, indeed, honourable and fair, had they only been implemented. Finding his men too weak or too reluctant to fight Mu`awiyah, Imam al-Hasan (ﻉ) had no alternative except to sign the said treaty with a man whom he knew very well to be the most hypocritical of all and the most untrustworthy.

This is the father. The mother is Maysun, Hind Having seen how his father, Abu Sufyan, became a "Muslim" - but never a Mu'min - , Mu'awiyah fled away to Bahrain where he sent his father a very nasty letter reprimanding him for accepting Islam.

Mu'awiyah son of Abu Sufyan was born out of wedlock in 602 A.D. during thejahiliyya , the time of ignorance, the period that preceded Islam. His mother, Maysun, was one of his father’s slave-girls. Maysun had a sexual intercourse with one of Mu`awiyah’s slaves and conceived Yazid by him. Mu`awiyah, in total disregard for Islamic or traditional Arab traditions, claimed Yazid as his son. A testimony to this fact is the well-documented tradition of the Prophet (a) wherein he said, “The murderer of my [grand]son al-Husain is a bastard.” This tradition is quoted on p. 156, Vol. 1, ofKanz al-`Ummal of al-Muttaqi al-Hindi. The stigma of being a bastard applies actually not only to Yazid but also to both Shimr ibn Thul-Jawshan and `Ubaydullah ibn Sa`d, the accomplices about whom the reader will read later; all of these men were born out of wedlock.

Mu`awiyah played a major role in distorting the Islamic creed. He installed himself as ruler of Syria in 40 A.H./661 A.D. and ruled for twenty long years till his death at the age of seventy-eight. Shortly before his death, which took place in the month of Rajab of 60 A.H./May of 680 A.D., he managed to secure the oath of allegiance to his corrupt and immoral son Yazid as his successor. He did so by intimidation once and once by buying loyalty and favours, spending in the process huge sums of money that belonged to the Muslims. The weak-minded majority of the Muslims of his time swore allegiance to him. This proves that the majority does not necessarily have to be right. Imam al-Husain (a), together with a small band of devotees to the cause of truth, refused to bow their heads to the oppressive forces, hence this tale of heroism.

The greatest damage Mu'awiyah caused to the Islamic creed is through falsification, fabrication and manufacturing of hadith. He found in Abu Hurayra al-Dawsi his best tool to achieve this goal. Who is this Abu Hurayra, and why did he manufacture as many as three thousand traditions during the three year period when he was in the Suffa, a shelter for indigent Muslims, close to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina?

In the year 7 A.H./629 A.D., a young and very poor man from the Daws tribe of southern Arabia (Yemen), met the Prophet immediately after the battle of Khaybar and embraced Islam. He is well known in history as “Abu Hurayra,” the fellow of the kitten, after a kitten to which he was very much attached. His name shone neither during the lifetime of the Prophet nor of the four “righteous caliphs” but during the un-Islamic reign of terror of the Umayyads which lasted from 655, when Mu'awiyah seized power in Damascus, 750 A.D., when Marwan II, the last Umayyad ruler in Damascus, died. It was during that period that the Islamic world witnessed an astronomical number of “traditions” which were attributed, through this same Abu Hurayra, to the Prophet of Islam (ﺹ). Since these traditions, known collectively ashadith , constitute one of the two sources of the Islamic legislative system, the Shari`a, it is very important to shed a light on the life and character of this man even if some readers may consider this chapter as a digression from the main topic.

It is of utmost importance to expose the facts relevant to Abu Hurayra so that Muslims may be cautious whenever they come across a tradition narrated by him or attributed to him which, all in all, reached the astronomical figure of 5,374 “traditions,” although he spent no more than three years in the company of the Prophet, a fact supported by the renown compiler al-Bukhari, whenever such company did not involve any danger to his life, and despite the fact that Abu Hurayra did not know how to read and write... The reader can easily conclude that this figure is unrealistic when he comes to know that Abu Bakr, friend of the Prophet and one of the earliest converts to Islam, narrated no more than 142 traditions. Omer ibn al-Khattab, the story of whose conversion to Islam is narrated earlier in this book, narrated no more than 537 traditions. Othman ibn Affan narrated no more than 146 traditions. And Ali, the man who was raised by the Prophet and who was always with him, following him like his shadow, and whose memory and integrity nobody at all can question, narrated no more than 586 traditions. All these men, especially Ali and Abu Bakr, spent many years of their lives in the company of the Prophet and did not hide when their lives were in jeopardy, as is the case with Abu Hurayrah, yet they did not narrate except a tiny fraction of the number of “traditions,” many of which cannot be accepted by logic and commonsense, narrated by or attributed to Abu Hurayra. This is why it is so important to discuss this man and expose the factories of falsification ofhadith established by his benefactors, the Umayyads, descendants and supporters of Abu Sufyan, then his son Mu`awiyah, then his son Yazid, all of whom were outright hypocrites and had absolutely nothing to do with Islam.

Abu Hurayra's name is said to be `Omayr ibn Aamir ibn `Abd Thish-Shari ibn Tareef, of the Yemenite tribe of Daws ibn `Adnan1 . His mother's name is Umaima daughter of Safeeh ibn al-Harith ibn Shabi ibn Abu Sa`b, also of the Daws tribe. His date of birth is unknown, but he is said to have died in 57, 58, or 59 A.H., and that he had lived to be 78. This would put the date of his birth at 677, 678 or 679 A.D.

When he came to the Prophet (ﺹ), he was young and healthy and, hence, capable of enlisting in the Prophet's army. But he preferred to be lodged together with destitute Muslims at the Suffa referred to above. Most of the time which Abu Hurayra spent with the Prophet was during the lunches or dinners the Prophet hosted for those destitute. Abu Hurayra himself admitted more than once that he remained close to the Prophet so that he could get a meal to eat. Another person who used to shower the destitute of the Suffa with his generosity was Ja`fer ibn Abu Talib (588 - 629 A.D.), the Prophet's cousin and a brother of Ali ibn Abu Talib. He was, for this reason, called “Abul Masakeen,” father of the destitute. This is why, Abu Hurayra used to regard Ja`fer as the most generous person next only to the Prophet. When the Prophet mandated military service for all able men in the Mu'ta expedition, Ja`fer ibn Abu Talib did not hesitate from responding to the Prophet's call, but Abu Hurayra, who considered Ja`fer as his patron, preferred not to participate, thus violating the order of the Prophet. History records the names of those who did likewise.

In 21 A.H./642 A.D., during the caliphate of Omer ibn al-Khattab, Abu Hurayra was made governor of Bahrain. After two years, he was deposed because of a scandal. The details of that scandal are recorded in the books of Ibn `Abd Rabbih, the Mu`tazilite writer, and in Ibn al-Atheer's famous classic bookAl-Iqd al-Fareed . A summary of that incident runs as follows: