Chapter Three: Hadith and History
In an enquiry into the question of the Caliphate, too much emphasis cannot be laid on the very important fact that the collection and compilation of HADITH and History, the only two sources of our information on the point, was under the complete control of the opposition party, whose very existence depended on the suppression their views. And they made thorough use of their power in stopping spurious HADITH to substantiate their Theory and establish a position for their leaders, who had ousted Imam Ali. In those days the only position that a companion of the Prophet could enjoy in the eyes of the public was that created by the Prophet (P), and his appreciation of their merits was the only source whence could be derived their prestige and prerogative. How this was done in the story told in this chapter.
The period of the Caliphate began when ABU BAKR succeeded the Prophet (P) as his Caliph in June A.C. 1258. This period falls into three well-defined divisions, viz.
1. That of the first four Caliphs (632-661).
2. That of the OMAYYADE Caliphs (661-749); Mr. Browne calls this the "period of Arabian Imperialism and Pagan Reaction".
3. That of the ABBASSID Caliphs (749-1258).
With the exception of the short rule of Imam Ali (June 656 AC-January 661 AC), the whole of this long period of the Caliphate is characterized by fierce hostility to Imam Ali and his children, who are referred to in history collectively as "The ALIDS". Violence and hostility against them was an article of faith with the rulers; it is the one principle on which all are agreed, the one motive which underlies all their actions. It is the basic policy on which their state is run. Any fault may be overlooked, but not the love of Imam Ali; every virtue may pass unnoticed, but not the "virtue" of hating Imam Ali. The reason is not hard to find. Two facts must be borne in mind for a correct appreciation of the history and policy of this Caliphate, taking all the three divisions together. The first is that the lifeblood of this Caliphate is the theory that the Prophet (P) did not designate anyone as his successor, for in the contrary case his nominee, and not ABU BAKR, would have been the rightful Caliph, and the whole edifice of the Caliphate erected at the SAQIFA would tumble. They therefore took care to ensure that the people were fed on this theory, and their children nursed and brought up in its atmosphere.
And to make it still stronger, it was consecrated as a part of Religion. The second fact is that their firm conviction that Imam Ali was the rightful claimant to the caliphate, which they had deprived him of by intrigue and clever moves, naturally made them see in him a most formidable rival who must be carefully watched and strictly kept down if they were to breathe easily in their usurped power. This caliphate owed its life to the opposition to the Prophet's scheme in which Ali was to be the first caliph. For reasons, which will become apparent as we proceed, this opposition succeeded, and Imam Ali was brushed aside after the death of the Prophet (P).
But the position which the Prophet (P) had created for Imam Ali, coupled with the deeds of heroism which Imam Ali had performed to save Islam, and the sacrifices which he had made at the risk of his life to establish the Islamic state, made him a formidable ri8val in the eyes of the rulers who never forgot that what they had obtained by a coup d'état was not theirs by right. They therefore regarded Imam Ali with that dread mingled with hatred and enmity which is generally the hallmark of a precarious position obtained by fraud and held up by force, and they used those devices and stratagems which are generally resorted to by persons similarly holding office without legitimacy, employing all the available means in their power, which will become apparent as we proceed. They tried to keep Imam Ali down and erected enormous barriers between him and the Caliphate. One of these, which in the end proved insurmountable, was the push to prominence given by the first two caliphs to BANU OMAYYA the hereditary rivals and inveterate foes of BANU HASHIM, with the result that when Imam Ali's precarious rule began, he found himself surrounded by hostile elements with an independent and antagonistic kingdom in Syria confronting him. Eventually this kingdom expanded into the fully-fledged Caliphate. BANU OMAYYA inherited the policy as well as the Government of the first three Caliphs, and the circumstances under which they wrested power from BANU HASHIM added even more venom to the already poisoned sting.
The barbarities and cruelties perpetrated against the children of the Prophet (P) by BANU OMAYYA especially the unparalleled atrocities committed on the field of KERBALA'A at least opened the eyes of a section of the people, and as one man they rose to avenge those wrongs. The children of the uncle of the Prophet (P) saw their opportunity in this swing of the people's feelings towards the children of the daughter, and at first posed as the avengers of the wrongs done to them. It was in their name that they rose; but once success was attained, deceit, treachery and fraud came into play, and BANU ABBAS, passing over BANU FATIMA, occupied the throne.
And they ill repaid those in whose name they had obtained the empire. The pages of history tell a long and continuously mournful tale of horrible atrocities, unparallel barbarities and unspeakable cruelties against the children of the prophet (P), for example, burying the ALIDS alive in the foundations and walls of the palaces those same palaces which are now held up as evidence of a glorious age of Islam. The jugular vein of this dynasty was also the same theory of Non-appointment, and the basis of its policy was similarly the persecution and oppression of the children of the Prophet (P).
Having cleared the ground so far, I will now proceed to describe by whom and under what circumstances and influences the HADITH and the Historical Records were collected and compiled.
The power of the HADITH was recognized by the Government from the very beginning. They also knew that the sayings of the Prophet (P) were full of praise for Imam Ali. They therefore, in the first instance, passed orders prohibiting people from mentioning or circulating the HADITH. Although they were asked not to mention the HADITH at all, they soon realized the impossibility of completely avoiding doing so. It was much too natural for the people to relate among themselves what their Prophet (P) had said.
It served as a legal digest, and was useful as a guide in deciding legal cases. The first order was therefore amended to the extant that the QADIS (judges) were authorized to refer to the HADITH in deciding cases where they could not find in the QUR'AN any express orders applicable to the case in hand. The third stage in the control of the HADITH was reached when orders were passed that those HADITH in favor of imam Ali or in his appreciation should not be permitted currency. The fourth stage was when the people were ordered to coin HADITH in favor of the first three caliphs and the Companions, and to circulate them freely. A short account of these four stages is given below.
The First and Second Stages:
ADH-DHAHABI, in his "TADHKIRAT AL-HUFFAZ" under the section of ABU BAKR, says that ABU BAKR summoned the people after the death of the Prophet (P) and said to the, "Do not relate among yourselves the HADITH of the Prophet (P); the HADITH are liable to differ. The variation will be much greater among the people who come after us. I warn you not to narrate the sayings of the Prophet (P). If anyone makes any enquiry regarding them, tell them that the Book of God is sufficient for all purposes", but that one day during his caliphate, he took all of them her and threw them into the fire. Similarly, UMAR passed orders requiring the people not to relate the sayings of the Prophet among themselves, lest the people leave the QUR'AN and stick to the HADITH. People asked Abu HURAIRA whether he used to relate the Prophet's HADITH in the time of UMAR. He replied that had he done so, UMAR would have beaten him mercilessly.
QURAIZA IBN KA'B says that when UMAR sent the armies to Iraq, he accompanied them for some distance, QURAIZA also being in the army. UMAR enquired of them whether they knew why he had accompanied them. They replied that it was in order to honor them. UMAR said, "That might be one reason, but the chief reason is that now you are going to foreign lands where they recite the QUR'AN in a buzzing voice like the bees, I wanted to tell you not to mention the prophet's HADITH to them, lest their recital of the QUR'AN might be interrupted. Stop at the QUR'AN; abstain from relating the HADITH of the Prophet (P). I am with you in this matter". When QURAIZA arrived in Iraq, people requested him to narrate to them the HADITH to the Prophet (P). He replied that UMAR had prohibited him from doing so.
Consider what a keep policy this was, and of what far-reaching consequences. The limits of the Islamic State were expanding far and wide. UMAR took care that the HADITH in favor of Ali or in his appreciation did not spread with it. Notice also the insult to the Prophet that is implied in the order. Was it that those sayings went against the QUR'AN, so that the people's interest in them would make them deviate from it? What was there in them that was injurious to Islam or against the QUR'AN? UMAR'S anxiety shows that there was something he found unpalatable in them, and this could have been nothing other than the appreciation of Ali.
UMAR sent to prison three of the Prophet's companions, viz. IBN MAS'UD, Abu AD-DARDA and AABU MAS'UD Al-ANSARI of violating this prohibition. An Egyptian writer of repute says that AS-SYYUTI has related an incident in his book called "TANWIR AL-HAWALIK" (being a commentary on Imam MALIK'S "MOTA"), the narration of which is related back to URWA IBN AZ-ZUBAIR, namely that UMAR once intended to have the HADITH reduced to writing. However, he hesitated for a period of one month while considering the matter. Finally he formulated his opinion and told the people that he had come to the conclusion that the HADITH should not be reduced to writing, as "before you many of the peoples of the Book wrote other books along with the Book of God, and eventually abandoned the Book of God and followed those other books". He therefore gave up the idea. IBN S'A'AD has related this incident in his "TABAQAT"
The same writer says: "MU'AWIYA used to exhort the people to adopt the same attitude towards the HADITH of the Prophet (P) as had been adopted by UMAR, who threatened the people not to narrate them. This conclusively proves, among other things, my contention that MU'AWIYA followed the policy of UMAR in all matters, including the control of the HADITH.
Now let us consider UMAR'S own explanation of his conduct, and also the justification of it invented by SHIBLI.
The explanation given by SHIBLI is that UMAR'S object was that false and spurious HADITH should not get currency.
The explanation given by UMAR is that had the HADITH been reduced to writing, the Muslims would have given up the QUR'AN.
Side by side with these explanations, it may be argued that as the orders were general, it is not proven that the prohibition was limited only to the HADITH in favor of Ali. I will proceed to clarify these points.
Let us consider the first explanation. If the intermingling of the spurious with the genuine HADITH caused any misgivings, it could have been very easily provided against. The companions of the Prophet (P) were still alive: a committee of some of the reliable and pious companions could have been formed and entrusted with the task of collecting the authentic sayings of the Prophet (P). A very useful work would have been accomplished, and all the trouble that was taken later in testing the veracity of persons who had not heard the sayings from the lips of the Prophet himself, and in tracing the traditions through the various authorities up to the man who had heard it himself form the Prophet (P), would have been avoided.
Imagine the huge amount of time and labor now spent on this stupendous task that would have been saved. And in spite of all that trouble there is still a large number of fake HADITH mixed with the genuine ones. All this uncertainty would have been avoided. It is impossible to believe that such men of genius as UMAR and ABU BAKR were ignorant of the value and usefulness of the HADITH, for after all, they themselves had recognized its utility when they ordered that the HADITH should be resorted to wherever the provisions of the QUR'AN were not clear. Indeed the whole of the QUR'AN was compiled in this fashion. It is said that the idea of collecting the QUR'AN and reducing it to writing originated with UMAR when he saw that many of the HUFFAZ (that is, persons who had committed the QUR'AN to memory) had fallen in the battle of YAMAMA.
He came to ABU BAKR and urged that unless the QUR'AN was reduced to writing, a major portion of it would be lost when all the HUFFAZ were dead. ZAID IBN THABIT, to whom this duty was entrusted, says that he collected the major portion of the QUR'AN from the chests (i.e. memories) of the HUFFAZ. The HADITH could have been collected in the same manner. But it appeared to them a dangerous thing, as many of the well-known Companions who would have insisted on the inclusion of the genuine traditions in favor of Ali were still living. There were no grounds or excuse, which could have formed a basis for those traditions alone to be avoided.
One month's thoughtful consideration convinced UMAR that there was no way out of the difficulty, and so the idea was given up. Let it be said to the credit of UMAR that he did conceive this magnificent idea, though eventually political considerations prevailed and it had to be given up.
Let us turn now to the second of the above explanations. UMAR refers to certain other peoples of the past who had abandoned the Book of God and taken to other writings. He does not mention expressly what those writings were or who those peoples. The writings could not be the sayings of their prophets, as no prophet would say anything in contradiction to the Book of God. I am unable to find any nation of the past who would answer to the description given by UMAR. He names neither the Prophet (P) not the Book, not the collection of writings that displaced that Book of God. The sayings of the Prophet (P) interpret and explain the complex portions of the Book of God, and are a useful rather than a harmful thing, and indeed come within the scope of the necessary duty of the Prophet (P).
The Prophet (P) said that any saying that was alleged to be from him, but conflicted with the Book of God, must be rejected as spurious. As there could thus be no conflict, the question of a danger of one being followed to the exclusion of the other did not arise. Also, the suggestion of contradictions would imply an insult to Prophet (P).
In objection to these two explanations we repeat the allegation that the orders of the first two Caliphs prohibiting the circulation of the HADITH were intended to apply only to the HADITH that were in favor of Ali or in his appreciation. We will proceed now to prove it. The mode of their deciding legal cases was that if in their opinion there was no rule or principle in the QUR'AN applicable to the case in hand, they referred to the HADITH of the Prophet (P), and made enquiries from the people in the mosque whether they were aware of any HADITH of the Prophet (P) applicable to the facts of the case, and they decided in accordance with the ruling thus obtained. MAWLAWI SHIBLI says, "Many occasions necessitating the ascertaining of such HADITH arose in the time of ABU BAKR, and therefore there were frequent opportunities for electing numerous HADITH from the Companions; thus rules of drawing the conclusions from and of determining the authenticity of the HADITH were framed. In the time of UMAR, the expansion of the State and the influx of the converts gave rise to hundreds of novel problems. For this reason he made greater efforts to collect the sayings of the prophet (P), so that the problems might be decided in accordance with those sayings. It often happened that a new problem cropped up for UMAR to deal with. He would then convene an assembly of the Companions and enquire whether anyone knew any HADITH applicable to it. In this way he came to know many HADITH of the Prophet (P). There were many such problems, for example, "TAKBIR" at funerals, ablutions after "JINABAH" (coition), and the "JIZYA" of the MAJUS, in respect of which UMAR thus ascertained the HADITH".
It appeared that during the lifetime of the Prophet (P), UMAR was too preoccupied with other matters to be aware of the HADITH, for such ordinary things as TAKBIR at a funeral or ablution after JINABAH were not new, and occasions for them must have arisen during the lifetime of the Prophet (P). After all, other people knew the HADITH pertaining to these matters. Anyhow, it is evident that the two Caliphs took great pains to ascertain, trace and collect the sayings of the Prophet (P) regarding the problems that arose in deciding cases of all kinds", that is, FIQH (Theology), FARA'ID (Inheritance) etc…. JIZYA, KHARAJ and matters relating to DHIMMIS and converts, and compiled the HADITH covering these. It should also be borne in mind that when UMAR was fatally wounded, and A'ISHA and other people exhorted him to nominate his successor, UMAR mentioned many dead companions of the Prophet (P), e.g. MA'ADH IBN JABAL, KHALID IBN Al-WALID, Abu UBAIDA IBN Al-JARRAH and SALIM, adding that had any one of them been alive he would have nominated his as his successor, because there were sayings of the Prophet (P) in praise of them. He then mentioned those sayings. Now consider what other kinds of sayings remain to which the orders of prohibition could be taken to apply; obviously the only class of sayings that are outside this circle are those in favor of Ali. Note another thing: when mentioning the HADITH in favor of those persons, he omitted to mention even a single HADITH in favor of Ali, showing by this conduct that the prohibition related only to the HADITH in favor of Ali and to no other HADITH, Speaking of the KHAWARIJ, MAWLAWI ABDAS-SALAM Al-NADAWI writes:
"The KHARJIS accepted only the plain meaning of the QUR'AN; as to the HADITH, these people accepted only those HADITH which had been related and accepted by their own men and friends. Accordingly, they accepted and relied upon only those HADITH, which had been current during the Caliphate of ABU BAKR and UMAR.
This clarifies the situation. It is well known that the KHARJIS were the inveterate foes of Ali. Of course they did not and could not accept or rely upon the HADITH in favor of Ali or in his appreciation; yet they accepted and relied upon all those HADITH, which had been current during the Caliphate of ABU BAKR and UMAR. The obvious conclusion is that the HADITH in favor of Ali were not allowed currency during the Caliphate of ABU BAKR and UMAR, and that they had been expressly prohibited by those Caliphs. From the writing quoted above, it is proven that the KHAWARIJ, who were the bitterest enemies of Ali, were the friends of the first two Caliphs. The friend of one's foe is never one's friend, and therefore it is proven that the first two Caliphs were the opponents of Ali.
The Third and Fourth Stages:
In his commentary on NAHJ AL-BALAGHA, IBN ABI AL-HADID writes:
"ABU AL-HASSAN ALI IBN ABI SAIF ED-DINE (Al-MADA'INI') writes in his "KITAB AL-HADITH" that MU'AWIYA circulated a letter to all his governors after the year of the JAMA'A (that is, after the peace with Al-HASSAN saying that he was withdrawing his protection from everyone who related anything or any HADITH in praise of Ali or his children. The result was that in every town and from every pulpit, the speakers began to curse Ali and his children, to speak ill of them and show enmity towards them. The people of KUFA suffered the greatest harassment in this connection, for there were many SHI'AS of Ali in that town. For this reason MU'AWIYA appointed ZIYAD son of SUMMYYA to the governorship of that town, also adding Basra to it.
ZIYAD knew each and every SHI'A because he had been one of them during the time of Ali. He therefore turned them up from under every stone and in every corner and killed them. He cut off their hands and feet, blinded them, and crucified them on the branches of trees. He banished them from Iraq. The result was that not a single SHI'A survived. MU'AWIYA then wrote to all his governors telling them not to accept the evidence of any SHI'A of Ali or his children. He asked them to shower their favors on the friends and followers of UTHMAN, and to bestow rewards and positions of distinction on those who related HADITH in praise of UTHMAN, adding "write for me the HADITH which they thus relate in praise of UTHMAN, together with the particulars of the name and address of the narrators of those HADITH, and also the names of their parents and relatives". The governors all obeyed these orders with the result that the people fabricated numerous HADITH in praise of UTHMAN, knowing that MU'AWIYA would give rewards for this in the shape of money, dresses and JAGIRS, as incentive used to circulate these false HADITH among the people. Every town became full of such men and their HADITH, and the people inclined towards worldly things. Any mean or lowly person who went to MU'AWIYA and related false HADITH in favor of UTHMAN was handsomely rewarded. MU'AWIYA would note down his name, and give him a position of importance. A long period passed in this manner.
Then MU'AWIYA wrote a letter to his governors saying "Verily, numerous HADITH have sprung up in every town and place in favor of UTHMAN, and have been publicized in every corner of the land. Now, when this letter of mine reaches you, you should induce the people to relate the HADITH in praise of the first two Caliphs and the Companions. If you hear any HADITH in praise of Ali, you should coin a similar HADITH in favor of the first two Caliphs and the Companions, and send it to me, as this is very pleasing to me and cooling to my eyes, and it will break the arguments of the SHI'A. This will be more bitter to them than the HADITH in favor of UTHMAN". These letters of MU'AWIYA were read out to the people.
The result was that many false HADITH without foundation were fabricated in praise of the first two Caliphs and the Companions. The people acted to diffuse these false HADITH, which were read from the pulpits. They were given to the schoolmasters to teach to their pulpits and boys, and they were learnt by heart as the QUR'AN was learnt. These teachers also taught these spurious H HADITH to their wives, daughters and servants. These things went on, as people passed their lives, for a long time. After that, MU'AWIYA wrote a letter to his governors and AMILS in all the towns to the effect that if it were proved by evidence against any person that he loved Ali and his children, they were to remove his name at once from the registers of the Office, withhold his maintenance, and stop anything that was being paid to him. To emphasize these orders he sent another letter to them, saying that "If the offence of loving Ali and his children is proved against any person, then ruin him and demolish his house, and do the same to those who love him". This misfortune chiefly befell Iraq, and especially KUFA. Things came to such a pass that when a SHI'A of Ali came to the house of one in whom he had full confidence, and opened his heart to him; he still had to fear his servants and slaves. And he did not talk even to him until he had put him under solemn oath to keep it secret. Consequently, numerous false HADITH in favor of the first two Caliphs and the Companions came into existence, and many HADITH were coined to injure the reputation of Ali. All the QADIS, theologians and officials followed the same path. The persons who most readily and frequently busied themselves in fabricating false HADITH were the recites of the QUR'AN, those who professed piety for show, and those poor people who paraded their piety in prayers and worship for appearance. Having succeeded in impressing the people with their piety, prayers and professions of faith, they got down to forging false HADITH, so that by means of those HADITH they might reap the benefit from their rulers and gain influence and position by associating with them, and on account of this association, accumulate riches and acquire lands and house. Time rolled on in this matter, till at last these HADITH came to the knowledge of genuinely pious men who abhorred falsehood, but who accepted these HADITH in the belief that they were genuine. Had they known them to the false, they would never have accepted them and would never have related them. Matters remained in this condition until Imam Ali AL-HASSAN son of Imam Ali died. After his death, this calamity increased in intensity and extent until there was no SHI'A who did not go in fear of being killed or banished…. (The author goes on to say that this calamity increased still more after the martyrdom of Imam AL-HUSSAIN in the time of ABD AL-MALIK and AL-HAJJAJ IBN YUSUF) … Indeed, IBN URFA alias NAFTAWAYH, who is a very learned man in HADITH, records similar events in his "History". IBN URFA says that many false HADITH were fabricated in the time of BANU OMAYYA in favor of the first three Caliphs and the Companions, for the purpose of acquiring influence with the OMAYYAD rulers, who thought that by means of these false HADITH they were humbling to dust the BANU HASHIM.
Now the reason becomes all the more clear why the first rulers to succeed the Prophet (P) tried to elevate BANU OMAYYA and create a high position for them. Syria was permanently given to them as a stepping-stone to the Caliphate, which eventually came to them. The policy of those who had ousted Ali was carried through by the OMAYYAD to its logical conclusion, and this policy is clearly discernible in the orders of BANU OMAYYA. We have already learnt that MU'AWIYA used to say to his people that they should adopt the same attitude to the HADITH as had been adopted by UMAR. It is thus beyond all doubt that MU'AWIYA adopted the policy of UMAR with regard to the HADITH.
Before proceeding further we must introduce our readers to the above-quoted persons through whom we have received this very important and pertinent information relating to the enquiry in hand, namely IBN ABI AL-HADID along with those whom he in turn quotes, IBN URFA ALIAS NAFTAWAYH, and SH. ABUL HASAN MADAINI.
IBN ABI AL-HADID: by religion he was a Sunni, being a MO'TAZILI. The MO'TAZILAS are a branch of the Sunnis from whom they differ only in minor points of theology. But they are at one with the Sunnis on the question of the Caliphate. (On this subject the reader is referred to page 3 of the book entitled "AQA'ID AL-ISLAM" by the famous Sunni writer SH. ABDU MOHAMMAD ABD AL-HAQ of DELHI, who has written a commentary on the QUR'AN; he says that the SHI'AS and the MO'TAZILAS differ on the question of IMAMA and Caliphate). The famous Muslim historian of India, SAYYID AMIR ALI, was also a MO'TAZILAS. The best evidence of their beliefs is their own books. On page 3 of the first volume of his "Commentary", IBN ABI AL-HADID describes the religion of the MO'TAZILAS. He says: "In the matter of the Caliphate, we MO'TAZILAS maintain that ABU BAKR was the rightful Caliph, that his election was valid, that the Prophet (P) did not designate anyone as his Caliph, and that the UMMA has the right and title to choose their own Caliph". He goes on to say that all the sects of the MO'TAZILAS are unanimous on this point. I need not mention the other details, which he relates of their religion. (On pages 46 and 52 of the same book he reiterates his beliefs and defends them by argument). Similarly SAYYID AMIR ALI, who is a MO'TAZILAS, upholds the election of ABU BAKR and the nomination of UMAR and regards them both as the rightful Caliphs.
(See his "History of Saracens"). That he was a MO'TAZILA is evident from his book entitled "The Spirit of Islam". KAMALUDDIN RAZZAQ BIN AHMAD BIN MOHAMMAD BIN ABI AL-MOGHAZILI has greatly extolled the theological learning of IBN ABI AL-HADID in his book entitled "MAJAMI AL-ADAB"; and FAZAL BIN ROZBAHAH cites him in support of his arguments against the SHI'AS. It is accepted beyond doubt that the MO'TAZILAS are included among the Sunnis. After all, IBN ABI AL-HADID copies extracts from two writers. He would not copy them incorrectly; it was an age of learning, and for the sake of his own reputation he could not have done that.
IBN URFA alias NAFTAWAYH: JALALUDIN AS-SAYYUTI says, "IBRAHIM BIN MUHAMMAD BIN URFA BIN SULAIMAN bin MOGHIRA BIN HABIB, called NAFTAWAYH on account of his color resembling "NAFT", a black substance, was learned in Arabic language and grammar and HADITH, which he learnt from THALIB and MUBRAD. He was very courteous, and of good morals and manners. He was very truthful in relating the HADITH, remembered the QUR'AN well and was well versed in its interpretation; he was a good theologian, reliable in HADITH and TARIKH, and knew the biographies of great and learned men. He taught the QUR'AN or fifty years".
ABU AL-HASSAN AL-MADA'INI ABU SAI'D AL-SAMAMI writes, "ABU AL-HASSAN AL-MADA'INI, MAWLA of ABD AL-RAHMAN IBN SUMRA AL-QARASHI, was a resident of BASRAH. He then came to reside at Medina, and thence went to Baghdad where he lived until his death. He wrote many books. ZUBAIR BIN BAKR, AHMAD BIN KHSIMA and HARITH BIN ABI UTHMAN accepted the HADITH from him. YAHYA BIN MU'IN says that he took extracts from the books of AL-MADAINI many a time. ABU ABBAS used to say that whoever wished to learn History of Islam must study the book of AL-MADA'INI. HARITH BIN ABI UTHMAN says that ABU AL-HASSAN kept fast every day continuously for the last thirty years of his life. He lived for about a hundred years, and died in the month of DHUL QI'DA in the year 224 A.H. He was well versed in the history of men in general and of Arabia in particular. He knew their pedigrees, was well versed in the knowledge of wars and victories, and was truthful in relating the HADITH.
We now look at another source. Abu UTHMAN AL-JAHIZ, who was one of the bitterest enemies of Ali, wrote a book called "KITAB AL-UTHMANIYA". It was written with the solitary object of vilifying Ali. A Sunni learned man, ABU JA'FAR AL-ASKARI, wrote a book in its refutation called "NAQD Al-UTHMANIYA", in which he says:
"Had not ignorance and a love of blindly following their forefathers taken possession of the people, we would not have felt the necessity of confuting book called UTHMANIYA. Everybody knows that the persons having views and beliefs similar to those of the author of UTHMANIYA were in power and authority, and everybody has a knowledge of the great influence exercised so easily, so they have no need to conceal their opinions. Everybody who related HADITH in praise of Abu BAKR used to be rewarded and honored: these were the orders of BANU OMAYYA. The traditions, therefore, fabricated all sorts of HADITH in praise of the first three Caliphs and the Companions and concealed the HADITH in favor of Ali and his children so that they might receive rewards and honors. Pressure was put on the people to curse Ali and his children from the pulpits. The ALIDS were small in number and their enemies were legions, yet always the blood of the ALIDS kept dripping form the swords of their enemies. They were killed and imprisoned; they fled hither and thither for fear of their enemies; they were dishonored and lived in constant dread of their enemies. By means of rewards and threats of severe punishment the theologians, traditionalists, historians and public lecturers were prevented from relating any of the virtues or praises of Ali and his children; no one was allowed to visit them.
To such an extent had the traditionalists been subjected to the intimidation of the enemies of Ali and his children that whenever they had to relate a HADITH, one of the narrators of which was Ali, they dared not mention his name explicitly, but merely spoke in hints, using such expressions as "one of the QURAISH said that…"; they would never mention Ali by name. The result of all this is that all parties has combined together to conceal or explain away the virtues of Ali. This is the reason why the KHAWARIJ and the partisans of UTHMAN managed to get the opportunity to vilify Ali. But persons having the knowledge know the real facts.
The opponents of Ali deny the HADITH, which extol his virtues. But those HADITH which are so well known and so frequently recited that they cannot deny them, they try instead to explain away. Sometimes they give such an absurd interpretation that it is at once seen through; sometimes they try to minimize those virtues. But in spite of all these efforts, the virtues of Ali still get currency, and like Divine light they are diffused throughout the world. All of us know that MU'AWIYA and YAZID, and BANU MARWAN after them in this long period of eighty years, spared no pains to forcibly make the people curse Ali from the pulpits and conceal his virtues. As is known, when any king started a new religion or set down any novel theory, he would put all possible pressure and use every form of compulsion to make the people accept no religion or theory other than his own.
For instance, HAJJAJ IBN YUSUF compelled people to adopt the QUR'AN collected by UTHMAN and abandon the reading (QIRA'AH) of ABDALLAH IBN MAS'UD and UBBAY IBN KA'AB. In the same way one can imagine the barbarities that were committed by him and the tyrants of BANU MARWAN and BANU OMAYYA on the SHI'AS of Ali and his children. His rule continued for about twenty years, and by the time he died the people of Iraq had all agreed on the QUR'AN of UTHMAN. This is because their forefathers had known only the version that their teachers had taught them. Now they know of no other (QIRA'AH) than that of UTHMAN. The result is that if the (QIRA'AH) of IBN MAS'UD or UBBAY were to be read out to them, they would be quite strangers to it. This is due to the fact that they developed an attachment to this QUR'AN, and did not know the others.
Similarly in the matter of ignoring the worth and lowering the position and dignity of Ali and his children and cursing them, terror, tyranny, force and compulsion had complete control of the people, and fear and horror took complete possession of them during the long period of this rule. As time passed on they all lost sight of the virtues of Ali, and their respect for him in their hearts entirely ebbed away, with the result that the cursing of Ali came to have the authority of a SNNA with them, which they were under an obligation to follow. The fact is that HAJJAJ and those who had appointed him, ABD AL-MALIK and AL-WALID, and those of the OMAAYAD tyrants who had preceded them, were all diabolically determined to suppress the HADITH which were in favor of Ali, his children and his SHI'AS, and to conceal their virtues and deprive them of the influence and respect which they had acquired. Their zeal in this respect was greater than their zeal in the matter of the QUR'AN, as no danger to their State could be apprehended from the variation in the QIRA'AT. Any circulation of the HADITH in favor of Ali and his children, and any public knowledge of their virtues, tended to ruin their kingdom. They therefore made strenuous efforts to throw a veil over the rights and virtues of Ali and his children, and compelled the people to conceal the HADITH in praise of them. But God wished that the light of Ali and his children should cover the world, and that their love should take root in the hearts of the people, and their name and fame reach the four corners of the world, and that their rights, virtues, and the HADITH in their favor should be made known to all, so that all should know their real worth and value. Thus, BANU OMAYYAD tried to lower their dignity; but it only heightened. They wanted to suppress their name; but it expanded and filled the whole world with its fragrance. The means by which they wanted to condemn them to lasting damnation became the cause of their celebrity. The result was that the reputation and virtues of Ali and his children and the HADITH in their praise, have reached us. Imam Ali's merits and virtues are of such a high order that they are beyond the capacity of any who would seek to emulate him. So strong and drastic were the measures that had been taken to suppress them that had they not been of such a very high order, and had their reputation not spread far and wide in the Prophet's time, not a single virtue of Imam Ali would have been known to us".
ABU JA'FA AL-ASKARI was a very famous MO'TAZILA of Baghdad noted for his learning, uprightness and truthfulness, and he wrote many books, IBN ABI AL-HADID greatly extols him, and ABD AL-JABIR AL-MOTAZILI, who is the leader of the SUNNIS in their polemical battle with the SHI'AS, speaks very highly of him.
There are numerous SHI'A writers who describe, in the most pathetic terms, the pitiable condition in which the SHI'AS passed their lives during the OMAYYAD rule and a major portion of the ABBASSID period. I would refer to one of them only, ABU BAKR AL-KHAWARIZMI. But I will not give any extract from his writing, as I have made it a point to base my arguments on the writings of the Sunnis only. It is therefore evident that under these circumstances, when even genuine HADITH in favor of Ali and his children had been proscribed and were certain to bring untold misery in their train, no one would think of fabricating false HADITH in his favor or singing his praises. But it is a well-known fact that many HADITH were forged at that time. The only conclusion is that they must have been fabricated in favor of the first three Caliphs and the Companions. If any doubt still lurks in the mind of anyone, it should be removed by the following writing of MAWLAWI SHIBLI:
"Imagine ABU NA'IM, AL-KHATAB AL-BAGHDADI, IBN ASAKRI, HAFIZ ABD AL-GHANI and others are considered Imams in the art of compiling HADITH. But even they rely on forged HADITH in favor of the Caliph and the Companions without any hesitation… Among the outside influences, which affect the compilation of History and HADITH, the greatest is that of the State. The HADITH were collected and compiled in the time of BANU OMAYYA who, for full ninety years from SINDH to Asia Minor and Spain, disgraced the children of FATIMA and on every Friday in the principle mosques caused curses on Ali to be uttered publicly from the pulpits. But it will always be a matter of pride to the Muslims that their pen never bowed to the State.
The rustle was that hundreds of false HADITH were coined in praise of MU'AWIYA and others. In the time of the ABBASSIDS, prophecies foretelling the future of every king by name were entered in the books of HADITH, but what was the result? During that very period, the traditionalists openly declared that they were all false HADITH. Today the books of HADITH do not contain that rubbish; and BANU OMAYYA and BANU ABBAS who were considered the "shadows of God on earth" and the successors of the Prophet (P), are seen in their proper position and true proportions.
From this testimony the following facts are proved:
The HADITH and the History were collected and complied in the time and under the direct influence of BANU OMAYYA and BANU ABBAS kings. These kings used their influence to have false HADITH forged in praise of the first three Caliphs and Companions, and also in their own favor. These ruling dynasties were the enemies of Imam Ali and his children.
They used their influence on the collection and compilation of History and HADITH.
The obvious conclusion is that they were so framed as to be against Imam Ali on all the points of controversy between them.
In the writing quoted above, MAWLAWI SHIBLI, who is more of a religious writer than a historian trying to mould history to fit in with his religious dogmas, anticipates the objection as to the authenticity of the HADITH and the History, as the same were compiled under the instructions and influence of the OMAYYAD and ABBASSID kings who were the enemies of Ali and his progeny, and meets it by adding his parenthesis extolling the courage of the Muslim writers. We shall soon have the occasion to examine this courage more closely, but even this writing exposes it by observing studied silence with regard to the disputed points. Being fully aware of the fact that no instances of this courage are available with regard to the HADITH in favor of the first three Caliphs and the Companions, he adopts a convenient silence on this point, and goes on to mention the HADITH on the other subjects, for example prophecies, "shadow of God", and the OMAYYAD and ABBASSID kings, and with them his parenthesis ends. There is no doubt that the genuineness of the HADITH relating to these and other matters, for example the created nature of the QUR'AN, freedom of the will etc.
has been disputed by many traditionalists. But the HADITH relating to matters that go to the root of their case against the SHI'AS were never questioned, and have been accepted by all the SUNNIS as formed and shaped by the OMAYYAS excepting of course those that went to the extent of offending against common sense. But the criticism of even these HADITH was not undertaken in he time of the OMAYYAS it came long after that. Those HADITH which went to the root of major events on which the edifice of their religion stands, were never questioned. As to the HADITH in praise of MU'AWIYA and other OMAYYAD and ABBASSID kings, there are two sets of writers, one of which regards them as genuine, and the other as forged.
(See "TARIKH AL-KHULAFA by AS-SAYYUTI and "TARIKH AL-FIQH" by ABD AL-SALAM AL-NADAWI). The former class of writers have adopted all the rubbish that has been collected or spoken by anyone in favor of these kings and the first three Caliphs. And what about the suppression of the HADITH in favor of Ali and his children? MAWLAWI SHIBLI observes a convenient silence on this point. These AHADITH were allowed to remain hidden from the public view. Only such of them as, on account of their wide publicity, could not be suppressed have found their way into the books of the SUNNI writers.
We have the authority of MAWLAWI SHIBLI on the very important point that the History and HADITH were collected and compiled for the first time under the instructions of MU'AWIYA. But the matter is so important and of such far-reaching consequences that we think it proper to mention it in detail. The sources of information on all questions in Islam are three viz. The QUR'AN, HADITH, and History. These is no dispute about the provisions of the Holy QUR'AN; the dispute arises only in respect of its interpretation, and it is to the interpretation of the Holy QUR'AN alone that all the numerous sects, said to be seventy-three in number, appeal as the basis of their cult.
All interpretations are, of course, traced to the Prophet (P), and the interpretation put on the different verses of the QUR'AN by the Prophet are known only through the HADITH. Thus, so far as disputed questions in Islam are concerned, the sources of their solution or information are two, viz. HADITH and History. It is also an undoubted fact that from the very beginning, the Islamic Nation has been divided into two factions, SUNNIS and SHI'AS, and that the division is on the question of the succession to Prophet (P). The other undoubted fact which we have just mentioned is that many HADITH were coined under threat of punishment and promise of reward from the State. As in an enquiry into which of these two parties to favor and support there is likelihood, nay certainty, of the HADITH being forged, the following questions are relevant:
At what time in the history of the nation and under whose order and influence the collection and compilation of HADITH and History was undertaken. For or against which of the two parties of that age those domineering personages were.
To which party the compilers belonged.
The following quotations from SHIBLI (in English translation) will clarify all these points. He says:
"Though HADITH and FIQH were promulgated to a considerable extent in the time of (AL-KHULAFA' AR-RASHIDIN) and the Companions, and many centers of learning and been established, yet all of its was by word of mouth only. But the OMAYYAD kings ordered the 'ULAMA' to reduce it to writing. In "JAMA'BAYAN- AL-ILM", QADI ABDAL BAR has quoted Imam ZAHRI' as saying "we loathed to confine learning within the pen, until the rulers compelled us to do so".
First of all, MU'AWIYA sent for UBAID IBN SHARRIYA from YEMEN, and got him to prepare the history of the ancients. Its name was "AKHBAR AL-MAHDI". After him, ABDAL MALIK IBN MARWAN, who ascended the throne in A.H. 65 (684 A.C.), ordered the ULAMA to write books on every art. He commanded SA'ID IBN JUBAIR, who was the most learned man of the age, to write a commentary on the QUR'AN. He therefore wrote the commentary as ordered and sent it to the king, who kept it in the Royal Library, in fact the commentary thought to be by ATA' IBN DINAR is really that commentary; ATA' had got it from the Royal Library, and published it in his own name".
The heading under which this extract appears runs as follows:
"The Collection and Compilation of Learning Commenced at the Instigation of the Rulers". MAWLAWI SHIBLI goes on to say:
"During this time, Imam ZAHRI wrote a voluminous book on the wars of the Prophet (P). As Imam SUHELI says in "RAWD-AL-ANF", this was the first book on the subject. Imam ZAHRI was the most learned man of the time. No one equaled him in FIQH and HADITH. He was the SHAIKH of IMAM BUKHARI. In collecting the HADITH he took great pains. He would go to the house of all the ANSAR in Medina and would interrogate young and old, men and women, anyone who was available for eliciting the sayings of the life of the Prophet (P), and then write them down. He was a QURAISHI, and was born in A.H. 50 (670 A.C.). He had met many Companions. He became attached to the DARBAR of ABDAL MALIK IBN MARWAN who honored him greatly. It must be particularly remembered that the said Imam was connected with the DARBAR of the kings, and was among their closest friends; the education of MARWAN'S children was entrusted to him. He died in A.H. 124.
From among the pupils of ZAHRI, two persons have attained a high reputation in the art of writing history, and it is with these two persons that this art ends. They are MUSA IBN UQBA and MUHAMMAD IBN ISHAQ. MUSA IBN UQBA was a slave of the family of ZUBAIR. He had known ABDALLAH IBN AMR; Imam MALIK was his pupil in this art. Imam MALIK was full of praise for him. MUSA'S book is not extant today but it had been in circulation a long time, and is frequently referred to in the books of History.
MUHAMMAD IBN ISHAQ acquired great renown in the art of writing history. He is popularly known as TABE'I. He had known many of the companions of the Prophet and attained the highest pinnacle of learning in HADITH. There was a DARBAN sentinel at the door of Imam ZAHRI so that no one should come in without permission; but MUHAMMAD IBN ISHAQ had full permission to enter at any time he wished.
The book of MUHAMMAD IBN ISHAQ became very popular, and many famous traditionalists copied it. IBN HISHAM prepared an abridged edition of this book; it is known as the "SIRAT IBN HISHAM". IBN HISHAM'S name is ABDAL MALIK. He was a very pious and famous historian and traditionalist. He belonged to the tribe of HIMYAR. He died in A.H. 213 (828 A.C.). In his biography of ABU HANIFA, named "SURAT AL-NO'MAN", MAWLAWI SHIBLI says:
"First of all, imam ZAHRI prepared a collection of HADITH under the orders of the OMAYYAD ruler of the time. Copies of this collection were sent by the ruler to all the Islamic countries.
From that time on, this collection of HADITH became common".
This imam ZAHRI was among the enemies of Ali. Note the manner in which he collected the HADITH. He went to the house of every ANSAR in Medina for this purpose, but he studiously avoided the children of the Prophet (P). From these extracts, the following points are proved without doubt: The interpretations of the QUR'AN, HADITH and History were written, collected and compiled under the orders of the OMAYYAD kings. All those books were written in accordance with the policy of the State and were kept in the State Library. Imam ZAHRI was connected with the Royal DARBARS and was their trusted companion.
Imam ZAHRI was the father of HADITH, History and the art of the interpretation of the QUR'AN. He lived with royal pomp and show.
HISHAM IBN ABDAL MALIK, the OMAYYAD king, entrusted the education of his sons to Imam ZAHRI Imam ZAHRI, therefore, could not write anything, which would offend or be displeasing to his royal patrons. Clearly Imam ZAHRI was not among those courageous ULAMA who, in the opinion of SHIBLI, could resist the illegal, unlawful and unjust orders of the kings, for the obvious reason that if he had been plucky enough in the matter, the OMAYYAD kings would not have placed their confidence in him and would not have entrusted their children's education to him.
It is an admitted fact, even by SHIBLI himself, that MU'AWIYA and his successors ordered the fabrication of false HADITH in praise of the first three caliphs and the companions, and against Ali and his children. 10. The writings of Imam ZAHRI were in accordance with the taste of these OMAYYAD tyrants, and it therefore follows that Imam ZAHRI fabricated false HADITH or connived in and supported their fabrication.
11. Imam ZAHRI was the SHAIKH, and therefore the model, of IMAM BUKHARI, to be copied and followed.
12. BUKHARI'S "SAHIH" is therefore a political composition full of false HADITH against the SHI'AS of Ali.
13. Imam ZAHRI and his pupils, MUHAMMAD IBN MUSA, are the fathers of Islamic History and HADITH, and the models for those who came after them; the kind of "offspring" these "fathers" must have begotten can well be imagined, as also the ensuing generations. It is certain that their books are the source of all books of HADITH and History that came after them.
14. All the books of HADITH and History written by the SUNNIS must, therefore, be rejected as unreliable so far as the moot and controversial points between the SUNNIS and the SHI'AS are concerned.
15. It is therefore no wonder that in these books there is not to be found any statement showing that the Prophet (P) designated Imam Ali as his successor.
16. This omission must, therefore, be entirely ignored.
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Author: Agha Muhammad Sultan Mirza
