Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Chapter Seven: After The Announcement

The expected had happened; Imam Ali had been announced as the future ruler of the Islamic State. What next? The commonality in the camp could not control their feelings of anguish and despair, and openly accused the prophet of sinister motives. The leaders of the opposition party took the announcement as a phase of the struggle they had expected. But they were very worried about the prophet's next move, and realized the need for a closer watch over his movements. Would he follow up the announcement by any act, which might tend to undermine their strength or upset their plans? This was the fear, which was uppermost in their minds. They had no way of knowing what the next move of the prophet would be, and this uncertainty made them very nervous. However, they kept themselves in readiness for any emergency that might arise.

I would be doing an injustice to the faithful few if I did not in turn describe the state of their minds. They had complete faith in God and Muhammad (P). To them it was the highest kind of irreverence and impiety to entertain even a passing thought that the prophet (p) could be unjust or have any but the purest of motives. They knew that it was the same Muhammad who had spurned the riches and honor of the world, which the Arabs had been prepared to lay at his feet if only he would refrain from preaching the glory of God. Still ringing in their ears were his memorable words: "If you place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left, I will not move one inch from the stand that I have taken". The memory of the hardships he had borne and the insults he had to put up with, all for the sake of Islam and for the preaching of his mission, was still fresh in their minds.

His picture was still vividly before them, that of a forlorn and weary wanderer from place to place, preaching his mission and derision and scorn. Would such a man destroy the edifice of his own making, and that too towards the close of his life when he had already become aware of his approaching end? Their faith was reinforced by the fact that there was no man abler or fitter than Imam Ali to take the place of the prophet (p). In the announcement of Imam Ali as the prophet's successor, they saw justice being done to a deserving man, and the Muslim nation being given the ablest and fittest leader.

The prophet (p), on his side, was not unmindful of their doings; he knew perfectly well that they did not relish the idea of Imam Ali succeeding him, and that they had their own designs against the State. After the announcement, these designs became doubly clear. As a feeler, he adopted certain measures to gauge the extent of their feelings. Their result convinced him that they were bent upon capturing power at any cost, and were prepared to go to any extremes in achieving their object.

He knew that they would go to the extent of openly opposing him, if it came to that. For his part he was not prepared to face that eventuality, as it was sure to destroy the labors of more than two decades. Islam could not survive an open struggle between him and his people on this question, and it would defeat the very object for which this selection of his successor had been made. He therefore resigned himself to the inevitable, and advised Imam Ali to remain calm and quiet, and content himself with the good of the next world when he saw others running after this one. What follows is intended to illustrate the above observations.

It is thus related in AS-SIRA-AL-HALABIYYA:

"When the proclamation made by the prophet "Of whomsoever I have been the MAWLA, then Ali is his MAWLA" went round among the people and became known far and wide in the towns and provinces, it also reached AL-HARITH IBN AL-NU'MAN AL-FHRI who, on learning of this, came to Medina, and tethering his camel at the door of the mosque, entered it and came to the prophet where he was sitting among his companions AL-HARITH came right up to the prophet and sat in front of him, and then said, "O Muhammad, you ordered us to say that there is no god but God and that you are His Prophet. We accepted this from you. You ordered us to say prayers five times a day and keep the fast during the whole of the month of Ramadan, to pay the ZAKAT out of our property, and to perform the Hajj; we accepted all this from you.

But not being content with all this, you have now raised the son of your uncle and placed him over our heads, and have declared that "Or whomsoever I have been the MAWLA, then Ali is his MAWLA". Was this also from God, or is it the creation of your own desire"? The eyes of the prophet became red with rage, and he replied, "By God beside whom there is no god, this was also from God and not from me".

The prophet said this thrice. AL-HARITH got up and started towards his camel, saying, "O God, if what Muhammad says is true and this is from Thee, then let a stone fall on me from the heavens and send some other very bitter calamity…." The following AYA of the QUR'AN was revealed on this occasion: "An enquirer demanded and called for a penalty to fall on the unbelievers; there shall be none to avert the same from being inflicted by God, Lord of the Ways of Ascent". (SURA LXX, 2).

There are other authorities to the same effect in proof of this event.

Three possible questions may arise in this connection. Firstly, in many authorities it is stated that -AL-HARITH came to the prophet in the valley of "ABTAH" which is generally known to be near MAKKA, whereas after this Last Hajj the prophet did not go again to MAKKA. Secondly, SURAT AL-M'A'ARIJ, in which this AYA occurs, was revealed at MAKKA, while the event is said to have happened at Medina. Thirdly, the last AYA of the QUR'AN is "Today I have completed for you your religion", which at this time had already been revealed at KHUM, so the AYA under discussion must have come before it, not after it. I proceed to clarify the position.

Concerning the first question, "ABTAH" is not restricted in meaning to the valley of MEKKA alone. It is a generic term embracing all the valleys through which water passes and which are full of small pebbles, wherever they may be situated, as seen from Arabic dictionaries. As an example, let us see the use to which IBN KHALLAKAN puts this word. In his "WAFIYYAT-AL-A'YAN" on the life of IBN-SAIFI, he copies his couplets referring to the conduct of BANU OMAYYA in shedding blood when they came to power. One of the couplets, contrasting them with BANU HASHIM who always protected the weak and refrained from shedding innocent blood, runs as follows:

"When we were in power, To forgive people was in our nature:

But when you came to wield power, Blood flowed in ABTAH".

He is referring here to the shedding of the blood of the children of the prophet at KARBALA in the valley of the Euphrates, and has applied the word "ABTAH" to this valley. Lastly, we may mention that even in Medina there is an "ABTAH", or "BAT-HA" which is the same things.

Concerning the second question, every student of the QUR'AN knows that many verses have been repeated, one AYA being revealed at MAKKA and then the same AYA being revealed again at Medina, the repetition of an event of the same nature necessitating the repetition of the verse. It is also to be admitted that there are many instances in the QUR'AN where AYA revealed at both MAKKA and Medina have been put together in one SURA, and the labeling of a whole SURA as "MAKKI" or "MADANI" is made according to where the majority of the AYAT in it were revealed. Many SURAS were revealed repeatedly, SURAT AL-FATIHA being one of them. This latter point is pertinent to the third question. As the AYA under discussion was only being repeated, it does not contradict the correctness of saying that the last AYAT of the QUR'AN with which the revelation was closed is "Today I have completed for you your religion".

Attempt on the Life of the Prophet (P):

Certain persons planned to take the life of the prophet (p) when he was due to pass through the valley of UQBA on his return to Medina. The prophet (p) got an inkling of the plot, and had it announced that no-one should ascend the UQBA until he had passed on. HUDHAIFA was driving the prophet's camel from behind, while AMMAR was in front leading it by its reins, when HUDHAIFA espied a party of twelve or fourteen persons, all with masked faces, coming towards the prophet with sinister intent. He informed the prophet (p), the alarm was raised, and the would-be assailants fled, AMMAR pursuing them for some distance.

The prophet (p) informed HUDHAIFA of the names of these persons, and for this reason, HUDHAIFA was thereafter known as "the keeper of the secret of the prophet (p)". Some say that it was on his return journey from TABUK, others say that it was on his return journey from GHADIR KHUM; but this is immaterial from our point of view, as on the earlier occasion too the prophet had already clearly indicated his intention as to his successor (by announcing that Imam Ali was to him as Aaron was to Moses), and knowledge of the fact was in any case already well established.

It was for obvious reasons that the prophet (p) asked HUDHAIFA not to disclose their names to anyone; they were connected with, and included, many influential people, and the broadcasting of their names would have driven all of them to desperation- and a desperate party of men is always very dangerous. Moreover, the disclosure would have compelled the prophet (p) to take some action against them, and this would have produced many complications.

The Prophet's Arrangement on the Eve of his Death to Send the Opponents out of Medina with the Army of 'USAMA:

As a device to protect Imam Ali from the machinations of the opposition party, the prophet (p) ordered the preparation of an army under 'USAMA to go out towards MU'TA to avenge the death of his father ZAID and the defeat of the Muslims which had taken place there about two years earlier in A.H.8. The idea was that at the time of his death, these persons would be away from Medina and thus Imam Ali would be able to succeed without opposition. We read from AT-TABARI:

"One night, the prophet got up, and taking his servant RAFI, went to the Muslims graveyard, where for a long time he invoked blessings on those who were buried there. This he was commanded to do by God. He was also commanded to invoke blessings for the martyrs of 'UHUD. So he went to UHUD, and did the same there. In the morning, he felt a severe pain in his head; the last illness had begun". SHAIKH ABD AL-HAQ of Delhi says:

The last illness of the prophet began on Wednesday, the 28th of the month of SAFAR. On the following day, in spite of his illness, the prophet (p) prepared the flag with his own hands, and asked 'USAMA to depart at once. USAMA went out, gave the flag to BURAIDA, and stayed near the town of Medina where the army was to join him. The prophet (p) passed peremptory orders that all the leading MUHAJIRIN and ANSAR, like ABU BAKR, UMAR, UTHMAN, SA'D IBN ABI WAQQAS, ABU UBAIDA IBN AL-JARRAH and others, excepting Imam Ali, should join the army under USAMA at once. This order was disagreeable to certain persons, who criticized it, saying that senior MUHAJIRIN and ANSAR like ABU BAKR and UMAR had been placed under a boy…. Now people began to come, bade farewell to the prophet and joined the army of USAMA, who had encamped outside Medina.

On the 10th of RABI' AL-AWWAL, the illness of the prophet became very severe; the prophet kept repeating, "Let USAMA depart at once". On the 11th, USAMA came to the prophet from the army. The prophet was too ill to speak, but raised his hands towards the heavens and then placed them on the head of USAMA. USAMA went out. On the following day again USAMA came to the prophet, and on that day the severity of the illness had subsided. The prophet again urged USAMA to make haste and depart at once. USAMA went back to his army and ordered it to start out. As he was about to ride, a messenger came from his mother 'UM-AIMAN saying that the prophet was dying. He and the companions of the prophet returned, and came to the house of the prophet. ABU BAKR had already been in Medina.

IBN ABI AL-HADID AL-MO'TAZILI says:

(Having admonished the people for their objection to USAMA'S being placed at the head of the army, and having declared that he was much better than those over whom he had been placed, the prophet went into his house). The people began coming to the prophet to bid him farewell, and then went to the army of USAMA encamped at JURF outside the city. Then the illness of the prophet became severe, and some of his wives sent word to USAMA to come back. Some of the men who were with USAMA exaggerated this message. Leaving his army there, USAMA came to the prophet, who could not speak on account of the severity of his illness: The prophet kissed USAMA, raised his hands towards the heavens and then placed them on USAMA as if to invoke blessings on him. The prophet then made a sign to him to depart on the journey at once. USAMA went back to the army.

Again the wives of the prophet sent orders to him to come back, as the prophet was better. USAMA a came and found the prophet better. The prophet again ordered him to make haste and start. The prophet repeated his order many times, and kept on saying this. USAMA went out; ABU BAKR and UMAR were with him. When he arrived at JURF, a message from his mother UM-AIMAN came to him, telling him that the prophet was dying. USAMA returned to Medina, accompanied by ABU BAKR, UMAR and ABU UBAIDA. They found the prophet dead: Ali and BANU HASHIM were engaged on his last rites.

In another place, IBN ABI AL-HADID quotes ABU BAKR JOHRI thus:

During his last illness, the prophet placed USAMA at the head of an army consisting of leading MUHAJIRIN and ANSAR like ABU BAKR, UMAR, ABU UBAIDA IBN AL-JARRAH, ABD AL-RAHMAN IBN AWF, TALHA, and AZ-ZUBAIR, and ordered USAMA to go to MU'TA where his father had been killed and fight the infidels there. USAMA delayed, and his army also delayed. The illness of the prophet was rising and abating, and the prophet kept repeating his order that the army of USAMA must depart at once. Finally, USAMA said to him, "Permit me to stay until God restores you to health". But the prophet said: "you must start at once". USAMA said, "O prophet of God, if I depart leaving you in this condition I will go away with a wound in my heart". Again the prophet said, "No. Go, relying on God's help".

Again USAMA said, "O prophet of God, I do not wish to have to request you to supply me with messengers (to bring me information daily about you health)". The prophet said, "Go at once, as I have ordered you". (On account of this exertion and worry) the prophet lost consciousness, and USAMA got up to make preparations for departure. They informed him that the people were making preparations. The prophet kept repeating, "Let the army of USAMA Start at once; may God curse those who stay away from the army of USAMA, though ordered to join it". Now USAMA went out as far as JURF, and ABU BAKR, UMAR, BASHIR IBN SA'D and USAID IBN HUSAIR were with him. He got down at JURF, where the messenger of his mother UM-AIMAN arrived and informed him that the prophet was dying. He turned back, and came to Medina, and arrived at the door of the house of the prophet, who had just then died.

This event requires very thoughtful consideration. The following points are worth noting:

1. Once again the prophet (p) demonstrated the principle of his SHARIA and the constitution of his State, that age is not the deciding factor in giving preference to a man in the selection for leadership. USAMA was barely eighteen years of age, and yet he was declared by the prophet (p) to be superior to all those who had been placed under him. He was born a Muslim, while the elderly men under him had passed the major portion of their lives in idolatry.

2. The prophet did not place Imam Ali under USAMA.

3. None of BANU HASHIM were ordered to go out with the army.

4. The order of the prophet (p) was for immediate departure from Medina. USAMA, perhaps incited by others, raised all sorts of excuses for not leaving Medina, but none of them were accepted by the prophet, who remained unyieldingly adamant, and rejected every request for delay. No reason or argument could shake his determination to send these people away from Median at once. The matter of avenging the defeat of MU'TA had hung fire for over two years, and at that present moment no apparent emergency had suddenly arisen to call for this haste.

5. The opposition was also very determined to cause delay, and was most anxious that USAMA should not move out. At first they objected to USAMA'S leadership, hoping that he might be replaced by someone of their own party. Failing in that attempt, they took advantage of his inexperience, and prevailed upon him to delay the departure. He was caught in the net, and sent again and again to the prophet, ostensibly to request him to postpone the expedition, but in reality to gain time.

6. What is very significant, and must be noted for future reference, is that some of the wives of the prophet played a very prominent and important part in the matter, and helped the opposition from behind the scenes. They sent requests, they sent orders, they sent messenger after messenger to USAMA not to move on, but why this anxiety? The only point that USAMA had been canvassed to come up with was that their love for the prophet did not allow them to depart.

Yet when the prophet himself desired that they leave, the rationale of this consideration was gone. They could not be of any use to the prophet during his illness. At best their anxiety was only sentimental. But then, what became of their love when the prophet died? We hear of no wailing, no cries from them; that much talked-of love vanished into thin air. One and all, they left the bedside of the prophet, not caring even to perform his last rites, and instead were seen scrambling for power. The only conclusion that can sensibly be drawn is that they wanted to stay in Medina to bring to fruition their scheme of installing their own man as the Caliph in opposition to the prophet's nominee Imam Ali.

The Fiction of ABU BAKR'S "Appointment" by the prophet to Lead the Prayers during his illness:

This was one of those devices of the opposition party intended to bolster their own man's claim to the Caliphate. But they were not sure of their ground, and have finally been compelled to take their stand on the basis that the prophet (p) did not designate anyone as his successor. Some of the historians have been unwary enough to be inconsistent by urging contradictory pleas. They urge the Non-appointment Theory as a matter of religion; but their intelligence and common sense not being satisfied with that marvelously clumsy attempt at duping both themselves and the world, they seek some other support to lean on.

They find this matter of leading the prayers near at hand as if placed there for that purpose, and put it forward as an "indication". One wonders why the prophet (p) stopped at an indication, and did not announce it openly? He would have found a ready response in a very large section of his UMMA. Anyhow, the use that is sometimes made of this event furnishes us with good grounds to scan and scrutinize it in order to clear the ground for further enquiry.

We meet the first mention of this event in the earliest history of the prophet (p), "SIRAT-AN-NABI" by MUHAMMAD IBN ISHAQ, the original book is not extant, but its edition by ABD AL-MALIK IBN HISHAM is available. The following is the literal translation of the relevant passage occurring in that book:

IBN ISHAQ says: IBN SHAHAB told me that he had been told by ABD AL-MALIK, who had heard it from his father ABU BAKR, who had been told by ABDALLAH IBN ZAM'A IBN AL-ASWAD, that ABDALLAH IBN ZAM'A says that he, with other persons, had been at the side of the prophet when his illness had taken a serious turn. Just then, BILAL had come and announced that it was the time of the prayers. The prophet (p) told them to ask anyone to lead the prayers. ABDALLAH IBN ZAM'A says that on hearing this, he came out, and saw that UMAR was among those who were present. ABU BAKER was not present. "I asked UMAR to get up and lead the prayers. UMAR got up and proclaimed the "TAKBIR".

The prophet (p) heard his voice, as his voice was very loud. The prophet (p) said, "Where is ABU BAKR? God and the Muslims refuse that UMAR should lead the prayers". ABU BAKR was then sent for. But the time he came, UMAR had finished the prayers. UMAR said to me, "What hast thou done with me"? By God, when I complied with the order, I thought that it was from the prophet. If it had not been so, I would never had led the prayers". I replied, "the order was not from the prophet, but when I did not find ABU BAKR there, I thought you to be the most suitable to lead the prayers".

This is one version, which I would call IBN ZAM'A'S version. A fuller version is that of Imam AHMAD IBN HANBAL. He says:

It is narrated through ABDALLAH IBN ABBAS that during his last illness, in which he died, the prophet was in the house of AISHA. One day, he said "send Ali to me at once". AISHA said, "no, we are sending for ABU BAKR for you". The prophet (p) said, "very well". Then HAFSA (wife of the prophet and daughter of UMAR) said, "no, why should we not call UMAR for you"? The prophet (p) said, "very well". Then 'UMAL-FADL, wife of ABBAS said, "we will call ABBAS for you". The prophet (p) said "very well". When all these persons had congregated, the prophet raised his head, and not finding Ali there, kept silent. UMAR understood his object, and said, "Let us move away".

Just then BILAL came, and reminded the prophet of the prayers". AISHA said, "ABU BAKR is a man of emotion, and when the people do not see you, they will weep. It will be better if you order UMAR to lead the prayers". But ABU BAKR went to lead the prayers. Then the prophet, finding in himself a slight change for the better, had himself dragged to the mosque with the help of two persons, his legs being trailed on the ground. When the people saw him, they informed ABU BAKR of it.

ABU BAKR tried to step back; but the prophet asked him to remain where he was. The prophet was sitting and ABU BAKR was standing at his side. IBN ABBAS says that the prophet took up the prayers from the stage, which ABU BAKR had reached. The prophet was leading the prayers, with ABU BAKR following him, and the people were in turn repeating what ABU BAKR took up from the prophet. "WAKKI" also says the same thing.

HABIB AS-SAYYAR has this version:

During the period of his illness, the prophet used to go out to the mosque to say prayers only once a day (instead of five times daily). But during the last three days of the illness, he could not come out. During those three days, according to the hint ("ISHARA") given by him, ABU BAKR used to lead the prayers.

This version shows that the prophet made only a hint; he did not name any person. The hint might have been interpreted differently by different persons. Quite a different picture is given by AL-BUKHARI and Muslim; it is traced to A'ISHA. They say:

AISHA says that when the illness of the prophet took a serious turn, BILAL came and asked permission to call out the ADHAN. The prophet said, "Go and order ABU BAKR to lead the prayers". AISHA said, "O prophet of God, ABU BAKR is a soft man, and when he stands in your place, he will not be able to control himself. If will be better if you order UMAR to lead the prayers". But the prophet insisted that ABU BAKR should be told to lead the prayers. AISHA says that she then asked HAFSA to tell the prophet that ABU BAKR was a man of a soft nature, and that UMAR should lead the prayers. HAFSA then told the prophet what she had been asked to tell him. Thereupon the prophet said, "you are (deceitful and cunning) like the women of YUSUF'S story. Order ABU BAKR to lead the prayers". AISHA says that just then the prophet, feeling some abatement in the severity of the disease, got up, and had himself dragged on the shoulders of two persons, his legs being dragged on the ground. She says that when he entered the mosque, ABU BAKR, sensing his presence, stepped back, but then the prophet made a sign to him that he should stay at his place. The prophet began leading the prayers sitting, ABU BAKR was following him, and the people were taking their cue from ABU BAKR.

HUSSAIN DIYAR BAKRI saw the defect in the version of IBN ZAM'A in that it did not mention the name of ABU BAKR as coming from the prophet's mouth. He thus amends that version:

During the prophet's illness, BILAL sought the prophet's orders regarding the prayers when he called out the ADHAN. The prophet asked ABDALLAH IBN ZAM'A to go and ask ABU BAKR to lead the prayers. He went out, but did not find ABU BAKR. IBN ZAM'A saw UMAR there at the gate among the people, and asked UMAR to lead the prayers. UMAR began the prayers, saying the "TAKBIR". When the prophet heard his voice, he said, "God and the Muslims refuse everyone except ABU BAKR". This he said three times. UMAR said to IBN ZAM'A, "what a bad thing you have done. I thought the prophet had asked you to tell me to lead the prayers". IBN ZAM'A said, "No, by God, the prophet did not specify anyone to whom I was to convey this order".

The chief point to note in this version is that here, despite his partial amendment, BAKRI still quotes IBN ZAM'A as expressly admitting that the prophet did not name any person to lead the prayers. This cuts the ground from under the feet of the theory that ABU BAKR was appointed. AT-TABARI has yet another version. He says:

The prophet said, "It is perhaps the time for prayers". He was answered in the affirmative. The prophet then said, "Order ABU BAKR to lead the prayers". A'ISHA said, "ABU BAKR is a soft man". The prophet said, "tell UMAR to lead the prayers". UMAR said, "I am not going to lead the prayers when ABU BAKR is present". Therefore ABU BAKR led the prayers.

These are the various versions relating to the matter of the last prayers. If a mere recital of them has not convinced the reader of the contrived-for-the-occasion nature of the whole affair, I would invite his attention to the following points:

1. There is obvious conflict between these versions, and according to the rules prescribed for judging the authenticity of HADITH; this fact alone is sufficient for its rejection. (SEE TABLE)

2. Another point which strikes even the casual observer is that a gradual but definite improvement is discernible as one progresses through these versions, suggesting a deliberate intent to enhance the effect of the event and to mould it into a shape that would give immunity from adverse criticism to those making use of it. A glaring illustration of this appears in the version of AT-TABARI, who tries to shield UMAR against the obvious aspersion cast upon him by the version of IBN ZAM'A, which represents the prophet as exclaiming with force that "God and the Muslims" refuse the leadership of UMAR in the prayers.

AT-TABARI comes to UMAR'S rescue and invents a quite new story; he makes the prophet agree to the suggestion of A'ISHA that UMAR should lead the prayers. Whether the order is conveyed to him, or whether he himself was present on the spot when this order was given, is not made clear. Anyhow, it is now UMAR who refuses to lead the prayers, as ABU BAKR was present. The prophet's insistence that ABU BAKR should lead the prayers, IBN ZAM'A'S going to UMAR, UMAR'S "TAKBIR", their conversation after the prophet's rejection of UMAR, all are brushed aside.

This is how these historians; even those of established fame like AT-TABARI, have amended, molded and shaped the events to suit beliefs which they have inherited from their ancestors, who were forced to adopt them for political reasons. The conflict, or rather contradiction, is so obvious that according to the established canons of checking the authenticity of HADITH laid down by all learned men, the whole story of ABU BAKR 'S leading the prayers at the instance of the prophet must be rejected.

3. Before proceeding further in the examination of these versions, we must point out one fact. As we will show in its proper place, there were two parties among the wives of the prophet, and this division was over the question of the Caliphate. One party, headed by A'ISHA, was against Imam Ali's succession. SAWDA, a wife of the prophet, was in this party. She was the sister of this ABDALLAH IBN ZAM'A, and it was she and A'ISHA who originated this story. As is obvious from the version of AHMAD IBN HANBAL and other historical books, A'ISHA and other ladies of this party had been diligently besieging the bed of the prophet, solely for the purpose of watching the interests of their relatives. The absence of any mention of FATIMA in the version of Imam Ahmad IBN HANBAL, who mentions the names of other ladies, is very significant. Examine that RIWAYA very carefully: the prophet (p) of his own free expressed a desire that Imam Ali should be sent for; these ladies recommended their own men; Imam Ali was not sent for; as Imam Ali was not there, the prophet (p) remained silent. Had FATIMA been there she would certainly have complied with the wishes of her father, and it was thus clearly in these other ladies interests that she should be absent.

4. Now let us examine story as told by IBN ZAM'A. There is no mention of ABU BAKR in the order of the prophet given to IBN ZAM'A, who expressly says that the prophet (p) did not specify any particular person to lead the prayers. Towards the close of his statement, IBN ZAM'A says that as he did not find ABU BAKR, he asked UMAR to lead the prayers. That was his own selection, in view of the general nature of the prophet's order; it was IBN ZAM'A'S own wish to convey the message to ABU BAKR in the first instance, and only on not finding him there did he deliver it to UMAR.

Then again, there is no mention in IBN ZAM'A'S story of A'ISHA pleading the softness of ABU BAKR, of her recommending UMAR in his place, and of the prophet rejecting that plea. Had that altercation taken place and resulted in the prophet rejecting that plea, IBN ZAM'A would never have made the mistake of conveying the order to UMAR. Anyhow, this controversy is set at rest by the express admission of IBN ZAM'A, as mentioned in "TAKBIRA-AL-KHAMIS", that the prophet (p) did not name any particular person to lead the prayers.

5. Now we refer to the RIWAYA as told by AHMAD IBN HANBAL. It goes to the root of the whole case, and lays bare the whole plan. When the prophet (p) asked that Imam Ali be sent for, it was the time of the prayer, as is evident from the fact of BILAL coming just then to announce it. The prophet (p) selected Imam Ali for the purpose. These ladies also guessed the prophet's intentions, so they did not send for Imam Ali, but began to urge their own men. Their men were sent for, and Imam Ali remained absent. The prophet (p), on raising his head and not finding Imam Ali there, dept silent. So far as the prophet was concerned, the matter ended there.

But these ladies did not lose heart, as they wanted to make capital out of the whole affair, and hence the incorporation of additional material. Let us consider that addition, that is, A'ISHA'S plea about ABU BAKR'S softness. According to some versions, ABU BAKR must have been present when the "order" to lead the prayers was made, as they state that he came out of the prophet's house and went to lead the prayers. Yet at the time the order was given, ABU BAKR remained silent; we do not hear of him pleading his softness. Thus doubt is cast on A'ISHA'S having raised that plea. One version has the prophet making no reply to A'ISHA'S plea; but other versions make him overrule her. One version represents UMAR as being present, though not asking to be excused from leading the prayers owing to the presence ABU BAKR; yet other versions show that he could not entertain this idea while ABU BAKR was present.

6. The most obvious pointer to the truth is the prophet's anxiety to go to the mosque just at that time. Why did he go out in this precarious state of health? He could not walk; he had to be carried there with great difficulty and pain. According to these versions, only a few second before this, he had asked ABU BAKR to go and lead the prayers, and in compliance ABU BAKR had gone out to do so. Where then was the necessity of taking all this trouble of going to the mosque in this condition? The irresistible conclusion is that the prophet (p) came to know of this conspiracy, and, not wanting ABU BAKR to lead the prayers, went out to lead them himself.

7. From HABIB-AS-SAYYAR we learn that during the period of his illness, with the exception of the last three days, the prophet (p) used to come to the mosque once a day to lead the prayers, but that on those last three days when he could not come out even once, ABU BAKR, in accordance with a hint from the prophet, led the prayers. This confirms that the prophet did not give any express or verbal order for ABU BAKR to lead the prayers; some hint of his had merely been construed into that meaning. It was to remove this misunderstanding about the hint that the prophet, in that painful condition, went to the mosque to lead the prayers himself. Thus these other arrangements for leading the prayers must have been contrived by someone else.

There is another point. It is apparent from these versions that the order to ABU BAKR was given when the disease had taken a serious turn, namely the last three days. From HABIB-AS-SAYYAR we learn that before that the prophet used to go out to lead the prayers, but only once a day. Who then was leading the other four prayers during those days? It was certainly not ABU BAKR, as he is said to have been appointed only three days before the prophet's death. It could not have been. UMAR, as "God and the Muslims" had refused his leadership in prayers. That unknown person, sacrificed for the sake of this new story, was Imam Ali. There had been no need for the prophet to make any fresh order when he found that he could not longer make it to the mosque even once a day; the old arrangement was to continue ipso facto. But as this new story was to be cast in the mould, that unknown person had to remain unmentioned.

It is also to be noted that fiction of the prayers was started only when the prophet (p) came to stay at the house of A'ISHA during the early stages of the disease he was going to his wives' houses according to their turns.

In the version given by Muslim and Al-BUKHARI, we find that the prophet (p), in addressing these ladies, likened them to the cunning and deceitful ZULAIKHA who, by her tricks and snares, had first tried to draw YUSUF to herself, and then after failing in the attempt, had got him imprisoned by her lies and deceit. The prophet (p) used this similitude for those ladies who, as we have seen, tried to persuade the prophet to send for their own men instead of Imam Ali, and thus to dissuade him from the right course.

It is also to be remembered that the prophet (p) had already ordered that Abu BAKR, UMAR, UTHMAN, ABD Al-RAHMAN and other, excepting Imam Ali, should join the army of USAMA, and go out of Medina. He could not, therefore, now order ABU BAKR to lead the prayers during his illness. It is now clear that the fiction of the prophet asking Abu BAKR to lead the prayers was only a show made up by this party to achieve a political end.

(TABLE HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTRADICTIONS IN THE ACCOUNTS)???

Source Name of Name of Whether Whether Whether Person person prophet's Aisha's prophet's Asked by who led initial plea of going to Prophet prayers request Abu Bakr mosque to To lead actually to bring softness take over Prayers Ali is mentioned prayers Mentioned mentioned IBN ISHAQ Anyone Umar No No No (through ibn Zam'a) Ahmad Abu Bakr Abu Bakr Yes Yes Yes Ibn Hanbal (through ibn Abbas) Haibb-as- Abu Bakr Abu Bakr No No No Sayyar (hinted only) Al-Bukhari Abu Bakr Abu Bakr No Yes Yes Muslim (through Aisha H.DIYAR Abu Bakr Umar No No No BAKRI not anyone (through specified ibn Zam'a) At-Tabari Abu Bakr Abu Bakr No Yes No Then UMAR The Frustration by the Opposition of the Prophet's Last Wish to Write out his Will Regarding his Successor:

This was the final attempt by the prophet to prevent his flock from going astray and having to wander in the wilderness in search of a true leader. Both explicitly and implicitly, by word and by deed, by proclamations, exhortations and announcements, in fact by every means available to him, he had tried to make his UMMA see which quarter they should look to for true leadership. But ambition and avarice blinded them, and they failed to heed his advice. The punishment for this has come in the shape of thirteen centuries of bloodshed, massacres, misery, unrest, ruin, disgrace, disruption and disunity, with still no end in sight. They reply that is often given to this contention is that those who claim to have heeded this advice of the prophet cannot demonstrate to have evolved a better world for themselves. However, this reply fails to take note of the immutable law that the fate of nations is determined by their majorities; the minorities always go unheeded, and are eventually influenced by, and merged in with majorities as far as character, mental outlook and way of living go, even though in matters of belief and principles they may go on claiming a separate identity for themselves. Mere belief and principles, though, unaccompanied by action and un-translated into conduct, never affect the life of an individual, let alone the fate of a nation. Moreover, minorities are in no position to influence those decisions, which make or break a nation.

To continue the thread of our narration, the recent moves of the opposition in delaying the departure of USAMA'S army and setting up ABU BAKR to lead the prayers against the prophet's wishes, had thoroughly convinced him that they would not submit to the rule of Imam Ali. But the prophet rightly thought the installation of his successor to be a part of his mission, as on this successor's personality and powers, both mental and physical, depended the future shape and fate of Islam. He therefore considered it his duty, enjoined by God for the propagation of true and pure Islam, to make every possible effort in this direction, so that if they were to select the wrong person as their ruler and thereby defile the purity of Islam, it could not subsequently be said that it was his own failure to adopt a certain method that was to blame for the right man not having taken his place.

According to the tenets of Islam, it is the bounden duty of a dying man to make a will, and to have it attested by witnesses. Similarly, it is the duty of those hearing it or having a knowledge of it to see that it is executed. Moreover, to respect the wishes of a dying man has been held, in every age and clime, by law, custom, and the dictates of reason and conscience, to be the sacred duty of those among whom he dies who are in a position to fulfill them. Also, the disregard of a dying man's wishes by his son or other beneficiary is considered to be the most abominable of features in a man's character.

As a last resort, the Prophet (P) resolved to take advantage of this practice, and so when his companions were gathered round him, he demanded writing materials for the writing down of his will. How the Companions behaved on this occasion is told in the following pages. In "Al-BUKHARI", this incident is repeated in seven places under different headings, one of these being "Al-WASIYYA". In "Muslim" it is also mentioned in several places under the heading "Al-WASIYYA". The incident is a well established fact, and I relate it here from Al-BUKHARI and Muslim"

IBN ABBAS mentioned Thursday and wept profusely, and said that it was on Thursday that the prophet asked them to bring an ink-pot and writing parchment, so that he might write the will which would save them till eternity from going astray. But they said that the prophet was talking nonsense (YAHJUR). IBN ABBAS says that during his last illness near his death, when many companions including UMAR were in the house around him, the prophet said, "Come, I will write for you a document which will protect you till eternity from going astray". But UMAR said, "The prophet is under the influence of the disease, and you have the QUR'AN.

The Book of God is all-Sufficient for us". Those present became divided into two factions; one party was for supplying the writing materials to the prophet, and the other supported UMAR and said what UMAR had said. When the unseemly disorder and uproar increased, the prophet said, "Get you gone". IBN ABBAS used to say that it was the greatest misfortune, which intervened between him and his writing the will, this being on account of their turbulent conduct.

ZIRANI has it from UMAR, who says:

When the prophet fell ill, he asked us to supply him with parchment so that he might write a document, which would save us till eternity from going astray. His wives said from behind the BURDAH, "Do you not hear what the Prophet says"? I said, "You are like the deceitful women of YUSUF; when the Prophet is ill, you weep, and when he is healthy you sit on his neck". The Prophet said, "Leave them, they are better than you". It is proved beyond all doubt that the word "YAHJUR" ("He is talking nonsense") was used by UMAR in respect of the Prophet. I proceed now to explore this incident more fully under the following five sub-headings.

1. Was it Delirium?

The order of the Prophet came so suddenly that the opposition party did not have enough time to prepare to meet it with a well-orchestrated plan or to express the refusal in silken words. They were taken aback, and all that they could come up with on the spur of the moment was this clumsy assertion of delirium. But delirium does not confine itself to one sentence. Had it been delirium, the Prophet (P) would have uttered some meaningless sentences before and after this order, but we find no such thing. The Prophet (P) was quite in his senses; he realized their intentions; he asked them to get out; when UMAR rebuked the Prophet's wives, he scolded him very suitably, thereby indicating at the same time that the wives in asking UMAR to supply the parchment were in the right, while he in refusing to obey the order was in the wrong. Are these the signs of delirium? Had it been delirium, and then logically the writing itself would have indicated this. It would have been incoherent, meaningless, or without any reasonable underlying purpose. Unless they expected something damaging to their plans, they ought to have remained silent, for the writing could always have been thrown away had delirium been suspected. Not only would their Prophet have been saved the bitterness of realizing on his deathbed in what scant regard some of his prominent companions held him, but they too would have escaped the odium of having embittered their Prophet's last moments. This was not the Prophet's first illness; he must have fallen ill many a time prior to that occasion. Were he liable to delirium like ordinary people, then it would be difficult to distinguish which parts of the QUR'AN might result from that delirium. Those who talk like this do not appear to have fully realized and comprehended the lofty and exalted position that Prophet-hood occupies in the affairs of men. Perhaps it is their misunderstanding of the oft-quoted verse of the QUR'AN "Tell them, I am a man like you, except that God sends His WAHI (revelation) to me".

This AYA refers to physical attributes only, such as having a body susceptible to the infirmities any human being experiences. Without giving the exception mentioned in the AYA its due importance, they argue in a way that implies that the Prophet (P) also had all the weaknesses of the flesh. If their argument is accepted, then a Prophet can also be a thief, an adulterer, a drunkard and so on, and may still be selected by God as the recipient of His revelation. But the fact of the matter is that not every man is fit for this. For this, God selects the highest specimen of humanity, someone in whom are embodied ass the human virtues to their highest degree, and all that is best and noblest in human nature. In this particular case, however, we need not resort to the finer arguments about the nature, power and potentialities of NUBUWWA.

Even among ordinary men are found those who are of such strong nerve that their brain does not yield to delirium, however high the fever or other excitement may be, while there are people of a lower type who take leave of their senses at the slightest excitement. There are no grounds to suppose that the Prophet of Islam belonged to this latter category. If it is not to be ruled out as irrelevant, I might point out that ABU BAKR wrote his last will bequeathing the Caliphate to UMAR during his last illness. He had only just begun to dictate the will when he fell unconscious. His condition was so critical that UTHMAN, who was writing the will, thought that he might not survive the swoon, and therefore, of his own will, added the name of UMAR as the successor. ABU BAKR only ratified it when consciousness returned to him. No charge of delirium was leveled against him, even though the circumstances of this case were far more conducive to such a charge. It would seem that such a remark was reserved only for the Prophet- but not with consistency; the Prophet (P) had supposedly passed another order during this very same illness, and at its critical stage too; the order to lead prayers. Yet no delirium was diagnosed on that occasion.

2. Book of God:

The other reason put forward for disobeying the Prophet was that the Book of God was sufficient, and no further guidance was called for. This presupposes that what the Prophet intended to write would be in conflict with, or contrary to, the principles laid down in the QUR'AN. For that matter it could also have been imagined possible that he intended to clarify the obscure, explain the ambiguous, simplify the difficult, or illustrate the abstruse, in which case there could have been no objection to the writing.

One striding aspect of this sentence of UMAR'S is that it is in clear conflict with, even an open challenge to, the Prophet's declaration on the occasion of the GHADIR KHUM, and on other occasions, that the QUR'AN and his children were two precious legacies of his which would never leave each other up till the Day of Judgment. And that the Muslims would never go astray if they followed them both. The Prophet required his UMMA to follow both of them; but UMAR says no, we do not alone is enough for us. That the QUR'AN alone did not prove adequate, the coming events clearly demonstrated.

In fact, the Book of God is enough for all times and all climes, but only if rightly understood and properly expounded so as to supply the principles of action in every age and for every problem that might arise. For this reason, the QUR'AN itself says that many persons are guided to the straight path by this QUR'AN and that many persons are led astray by it. Again, it says, "But no one knows its hidden meanings except God and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge". This presupposes the existence of persons who know the hidden meanings of the QUR'AN correctly. People are asked to refer to them for a true knowledge of the QUR'AN. Those who do not know the correct meanings of the QUR'AN and do not refer to those who know them are led astray by it. For this reason, the Prophet (P) pointed to his children as the persons who knew this correct interpretation of the QUR'AN, and exhorted his UMMA to follow them.

In asserting that the Book of God was sufficient, let us see whether they really meant it when it came to following it on important occasions.

1. The QUR'AN enjoins obedience to the Prophet upon every Muslim; but they did not obey him, for they did not supply him with the writing materials.

2. The QUR'AN says that you should not raise your voice in the presence of the Prophet; but they created an uproar around his deathbed, and the nuisance was so great that he was compelled to turn them out.

3. The QUR'AN says that Muhammad will die; yet on his death, they said no, he has been raised up to heaven and will be coming back shortly to chastise those who say that he has died. This was in spite of the fact that the dead body was lying before them. This assertion was made according to a plan, for as soon as ABU BAKR came and they were thus ready to act, the revelation came to them that Muhammad had died.

4. At the SAQIFA, when the coup d'état was being enacted, they put aside the Book of God and did not refer to it. If they honestly believed that the Book of God was sufficient for all purposes, they ought to have looked in it to find out who was or could be the rightful successor of the Prophet (P). But the QUR'AN was not even mentioned there.

5. At the DARBAR, where the daughter of the Prophet advanced her claim to her father's inheritance, the Book of God was conveniently forgotten, as it would have given its verdict in favor of the claimant. On the contrary, authority from another quarter was sought, namely a "saying" of the Prophet that was coined to the effect that the Prophets neither inherit nor are inherited from- a strange disadvantage to attach to Prophet-hood. 6. As I have already remarked, the Book of God was forgotten when ABU BAKR wrote his will in favor of UMAR.

7. At the time of appointing the SHURA, UMAR gave all sorts of directions to the members, and eventually directed them to give their verdict in favor of the candidate on whose side they were to find ABD AL-RAHMAN IBN AWF. Curiously enough he does not tell them to refer to the Book of God and take the side directed by the QUR'AN.

8. The whole edifice of their standpoint is based on a contradiction; by saying that there is nothing in the Book of God relating to the succession to Muhammad (P), they cut at the root of their own assertion that the Book of God was sufficient for them.

3. What the Prophet Intended to Write:

I have already stated what the Prophet intended to write. In "FATH-AL-BARI" IBN HIJR AL-ASQALANI, under the commentary on the statement "I will write a document", says that, that writing was to designate the successor after him. At another place he writes. "The Prophet (P) intended to declare the names of the Caliphs after him, so that there might not be any dispute between them on this point". In his commentary on SAHIH MUSLIM, IMAM MAWAWI writes: "The ULAMA' have differed as to what the Prophet intended to write. It is said that he intended to declare and designate a particular person as his successor, so that dissention and disputes might not arise on this point after him".

All the circumstances of the case point in the same direction. What is more, all controversy is set at rest by UMAR'S clear statement on this point during his conversation with ABDALLAH IBN ABBAS (see chapter two) when he says that the Prophet intended to designate Imam Ali as his successor and write a will to that effect, and that he (UMAR) prevented him from doing so.

4. Oral Declaration on his Deathbed:

It is said that after this incident, the Prophet made an oral will giving three directions, viz. (a) To expel the Jews from the Arabian peninsula. (b) To accord to the foreign deputations the same treatment which he used to. (c) This third direction the RAWI (narrator) forgets. There are many narrators of this tradition, but in the case of each of them it is recorded that he forgot the third direction. There is a method in this forgetfulness, and some writers have rightly guessed the reason.

They say that the writer did not think it politic to disclose the third direction UMAR obeyed the first direction to the very letter, and expelled the Jews from Arabia when he ascended the throne. One wonders why he did not trace that direction to the same source, delirium, which according to him had been responsible for the wish to write the will. The second direction was merely a continuation of the same policy. It is obvious that the third direction, which every narrator has thought it prudent to forget, was the declaration and exhortation regarding Imam Ali that he was to be the Prophet's successor and that his rule was to be submitted to. IBN HIJR AL-MAKKI says"

On his deathbed, the Prophet said; "O people, I will shortly accompany the Angel of Death to the heavens. I have already declared, and I declare again, that I am leaving among you the Book of God and my Children". Then he caught hold of the arm of Ali, and lifting it up, said, "This Ali is with the QUR'AN and the QUR'AN with Ali. They shall never separate until they both arrive at the HAWD. Therefore you are to keep enquiring from both of them Islam and my teaching are".

Puerile objections that are met with in certain books may be summarily dismissed. One such objection is that if there was anything more to be written, why did not Imam Ali, when present, supply the writing materials? Why did the Prophet not try again? Obviously these objections do not deserve serious consideration. The religion had in any case already been completed. Once they had shown their hostile determination to thwart the writing of his will, there was no use repeating the attempt.

There is no mention of Imam Ali being present there on that occasion, but even if he had been, no useful purpose would have been served by his supplying the writing materials, when those for whom the exercise was intended were not in a mood to obey him. They would not have allowed the scribe to write it out, or, if written, the parchment would doubtless have been snatched away and torn up. Even more serious disturbances and disorderly scenes would have ensued. The truth is that what the Prophet intended to write had been repeated by him on many a previous occasion. His task now was to reduce it to writing in the form of a will. A will carries a special sanctity, and its execution is safeguarded by the provision of serious sanctions in the event of its non-compliance. These sanctions are elaborately detailed in the QUR'AN. It should be noted that when ABU BAKR came to die, everybody knew that UMAR would succeed him, but still a will was written.

5. History Made Unintelligible:

This incident has not been given the weight and consideration it deserves. The time honored custom of accepting, without discrimination or examination, everything that comes from the majority, has led the later historians into strange errors. Through taking as absolutely correct the version of this incident given by the majority, they have had scope to give it a shape and meaning of their own liking. For instance, one writer when speaking of this incident says:

At another time, he called for pen and paper, saying that he would write a book that would preserve his followers from error. There seems to be an indication that the Prophet wished to revise the QUR'AN to make it fitting to be a guide for his people when their numbers would be increased in different portions of the world. In ingenuity and invention, this surpasses the delirium fable. MARGOLIOUTH says:

At one period, he is said to have asked for parchment or for a "blade bone" and ink that he might write a body of rules for the guidance of Muslims, a request which was attributed to delirium and therefore refused. This anecdote appears to be genuine, because it is difficult to conceive any motive, which can have led to its invention; but we know not why the request should have been refused.

Both these writers reject the delirium fable. Gilman, taking his cue from UMAR'S famous exclamation that the Book of God was sufficient, comes up with the amusing explanation that the QUR'AN was unfit for large communities and so the Prophet wanted to write out a new one which would suit his expanding community- an explanation which no one can for a moment take seriously. MARGOLIOUTH, like the wise man that he was, pleads his ignorance frankly and closes the matter. It seems that they are writing history in a hurry, and have neither the time nor inclination to stop and think out the sequence of events. Even by just paying attention to the ordinary rules of causation as applied to human conduct, one cannot but be aware of the following:

1. From the words and deeds of the Prophet it had become known to all that he intended Imam Ali to succeed him.

2. In particular at KHUM, he had announced Imam Ali's succession to all, and in so doing used the words "if you follow Ali you will never go astray".

3. On this occasion of the will too, he used similar words, viz. "to protect you from going astray".

4. All present there knew that he was going to write a will designating Imam Ali as his successor.

5. Even if the events that had preceded this incident are not clear enough for a foreigner to enable him to read the history of that period aright, the events which followed the death of the Prophet (see following chapters) should make it clear that (a) there was a strong party among the companions of the Prophet who were opposed to Ali's succession. (b) that party had been devising its plans to oust Ali, and (c) that party therefore did not want the Prophet's wish to designate Ali as his successor to be formulated in writing.

6. Now it is plain why that wish of the Prophet (P) was attributed to delirium, and why it was not complied with, or, to use the phraseology of MARGOLIOUTH, why "the request was rejected".