Chapter 4 — the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency
Conception At Shias
1. Shias' acceding to the Sahaba:
Seyid Murteza ArRazawi says: “Shias accede to Mohammed's companions who did their best for the sake of supporting this religion and strove with their souls and wealth. Accusing Shias of maligning and regarding the entire companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) as apostates, is null and void. It is to rule of such an incorrect accusal as an informing of an unforeseen matter. It is resulted from subjection to fanaticism and sectarian extremism. Finally, it is a matter stemmed from seeking illusions and falsities.”
2. for Shias, Who are the Sahaba?
All those who accompanied, saw or heard from the prophet (peace be upon him and his family) are included in the term of Sahaba. This is to mean that believers, hypocrites, the decent, the dishonest...etc., are included. The mere companionship of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is not a matter that protects against misguidance or indecency. Ranks and standings of the Prophet's companions are to be measured pursuant to individual acts and conduct. There are adequate evidences on our claim inferred from the Holy Quran and the Prophet's traditions. Besides, events are good witness of our trend of comprehensiveness of the Prophet's companionship and variant standings of such companions among whom there are the decent, who attested their covenant to God, fastened their feet in the Doctrine, made the belief flow in their arteries and acted sincerely to God. Such companions could attain the acme of perfection. They are described, by Allah, in the following Verse:
(Mohammed is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves — each other; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace
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from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Tavrat — Torah — and their description in the Injeel — Bible — like as seed produce that puts forth its sprout, then strengthens it, so it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem, delight on the sowers that He may enrage the unbelievers on account of them; Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great rewards.)
Surely they are the true believers; (The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Apostle then they doubt not and struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the truthful ones.)
God issued ordinance of following and pursuing such true believers; (O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and be with the true ones.)
It is those who are the decent companions of Mohammed (peace be upon him and his family), as Shias believe.
Shias push themselves in the midst of debate on conducts of the aberrant Sahaba by means of free conviction. Each is measured according to his deeds. Shias never respect those who oppose God and His messenger. They declare their repudiation from those who betook their oaths as a protection against their acts of occluding others from taking path of God. Adopting this style, Shias are not contradictory to the Holy Book of Allah, the Prophet's traditions and the virtuous predecessors, in matter of discriminating the Sahaba.
3. The Basic Difference Point
Sunnis rule of decency of the entire Sahaba, according to both terminological and lexical meaning of this word. Shias rule of decency of those who were described as decent from among the Prophet's companions.
4. Shias' Supplication for Mohammed's Companions
The most decisive evidence on Shias' sincere loyalty and allegiance to the Prophet's companions is their famous supplication they have inherited from their Imams. They supplicate God for the benefit of the entire followers of apostles of God, and for Mohammed's companions especially.
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The Most Well Memorized Supplication of the Shiite
In the well known AsSahifa AsSajjadiya, Imam ZainulAabidin renders this famous supplication:
Blessings upon the Followers of, and Attesters to, the Messengers: O God, as for the followers of the messengers and those of the people of the earth Who attested to them unseen (while the obstinate resisted them through crying lies). They yearned for the emissaries through the realities of faith, in every era and time in which Thou didn't send a messenger and set up for the people a director from the period of Adam down to Mohammed (God bless him and his Household) from among the Imams of guidance and the leaders of the Godfearing (upon them all be peace) remember them with forgiveness and good pleasure! O God, and as for the companions of Mohammed specifically, those who did well in companionship, who stood the good test in helping him, responded to him. When he made them hear his message's argument, separated from mates and children in manifesting his word, fought against fathers and sons in strengthening his word, fought against fathers and sons in strengthening his prophecy, and through him gained victory; those who were wrapped in affection for him, hoping for a commerce that comes not to naught in love for him; those who were left by their clans when they clung to his handhold and denied by their kinsfolk when they rested in the shadow of his kinship; forget not, O God, what they abandoned for Thee and in Thee, and make them pleased with they good pleasure for the sake of the creatures they drove to Thee while they were with Thy Messenger, summoners to Thee for Thee. Show gratitude to them for leaving the abodes of their people for Thy sake and going out from a plentiful livelihood to a narrow one, and [show gratitude to] those of them who became objects of wrongdoing and whom Thou multiplied in exalting Thy religion. O God, and give to those who have done well in following the companions, Who say, Our lord, forgive us and our brothers who went before us in faith, Thy best reward; Those who went straight to the companions road sought out their course, and proceeded in their manner. No doubt concerning their sure insight diverted them and no uncertainty shook them from following in their tracks and being led by the guidance of their light. As their assistants and supporters, they professed their religion, gained guidance through their guidance, came to agreement with them, and never accused them in what they passed on to them. O God, and bless the Followers, from this day of ours to the Day of Doom, their wives, their offspring, and those among them who obey Thee, with a blessing through
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which Thou wilt preserve them from disobeying Thee, make room for them in the plots of Thy Garden, defend them from the trickery of Satan, help them in the piety in which they seek help from Thee, protect them from sudden events that come by night and day except the events which come with good, and incite then to tie firmly the knot of good hope in Thee, what is with Thee, and refrain from ill thoughts [toward Thee] because of what the hands of Thy servants' hold. Thus Thou mayest restore them to beseeching Thee and fearing Thee, induce them to renounce the plenty of the immediate, make them love to work for the sake of the deferred and prepare for what comes after death, make easy for them every distress that comes on the day when souls take leave from bodies, release them from that which brings about the perils of temptation and being thrown down in the Fire and staying forever within it, and take them to security, the resting place of the God-fearing.
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Chapter 5 — Grounds of Consideration of Sahaba
BnAbbas describes the Sahaba before Muawiya
After he had asked bnAbbas about various matters, Muawiya asked about the real Sahaba: bnAbbas answered:
“O Muawiya! God, the Almighty, granted His Prophet, Mohammed (peace be upon him and his family) exclusively, with companions who gave priority to him upon themselves and their riches. They sacrificed themselves for him in every situation. In His Book, God described them: (Mohammed is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves — each other; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Tavrat — Torah — and their description in the Injeel — Bible; like as seed produce that puts forth its sprout, then strengthens it, so it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the unbelievers on account of them; Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward.)
They secured traces of the religion and advised for Muslims to excess till paths of the religion became neat, and its pillars became rigid, and God's graces became manifest, and His religion became stable, and His signs became evident. By those persons, God humiliated polytheism, beheaded it, erased its signs and, hence, God's word became the most elevated, while the disbelievers' is the most downcast.
God's peace, mercy and blessings be on these immaculate souls and elevated pure spirits. In their lives, they were favorite to God, and after their death, they have been alive. They were the advisors of God's slaves. Before they
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attain the other life, they migrated to it. While they were still it this world, they fled it..” “O bnAbbas! Change the subject!” Muawiya interrupted.
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The Will of HutheifehbnAlYeman, the Sahabi
While he was ill in Kufa, in 36A.H., Hutheifeh was informed of Othman's having been killed and Ali's having been elected for caliphate. He asked the attendants to take him out and gather people in the mosque.
After he had been reached to the pulpit, Hutheifeh orated:
“Praised and thanked be Allah. Blessed be Mohammed and his household.
O people of Kufa! Ali has been elected for caliphate. I call you for being wary of God and acceding and supporting Ali. By God I swear, he is the bearer of truth from the beginning to the end. He is definitely the ever best personality after the Prophet.”
Hutheifeh, then, put his right palm over the left and went on saying: “O Allah! Be the witness that I do declare fealty to Ali.” He, soon afterward, asked his two sons, Safwan and Sa'd, to take him back. He asked them to be always in the line of Ali. He foretold them that there would be a number of wars broken out during which a many people would be perished. “Waste no single opportunity for sacrificing yourselves for Ali in these wars. He is, by God, the right. They are the wrong those who will oppose him.” Hutheifeh advised his sons.
Seven days, or forty according to some reports, later, Hutheifeh was deceased. His two amenable sons did implement his will. They were martyred in battle of Siffine while they were fighting in the line of Ali (peace be upon him).
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49 Al-Mas'udi's Muroujut-Theheb, vol. 3, page 65-6 and 425-6.
50 Al-Mas'udi's Muroujut-Theheb, vol. 3, page 65-6 and pages 425-6.
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AzZubeir and the End Result
Bearing no piece of arms and putting nothing on his head, Imam Ali himself came to the battle field, riding on the pack animal of the Prophet; “O Zubeir! Come out before me.”
Heavy armed, AzZubeir came before Imam Ali. As she was told of this situation, A'isheh cried: “O Asma! Ready for wailing for your husband!” She was relaxed only when she was told of Ali's having been bareheaded.
The two had hanged each other. Ali said: “Woe is you, Zubeir! What has made you come out against me?” “It is Othman's revenge.” answered AzZubeir. “God may kill the nearer to Othman's murder.” Imam Ali said, “Do you remember the day when you were accompanying the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) on his pack animal in quarters of BanuBeyadha. It is when he, as well as you, smiled in my face as I met you both. It is then when you said: ‘Ali will never give up his elation!’ The Prophet answered you: ‘No, he does not enjoy any elation. O Zubeir! Do you cherish him?’ ‘Yes, I do cherish him, by God.’ you answered. The Prophet, then, foretold: ‘It is indeed that you shall be wronging him on that day when you shall fight him!’” AzZubeir, here, said: “I do seek my God's forgiveness. I would have never come out for this conflict only had I remembered this foregoing situation!”
Imam Ali, then, asked him to return back to his homeland. “How come should I withdraw now, while the two opposing bows are to be forming ring of the war. This shall certainly be the unacceptable shame!” AzZubeir expressed his embarrassing situation. “O Zubeir! Withdraw before you will be having the hellfire besides the shame!” advised Imam Ali.
Concisely, AzZubeir withdrew from that sinful assemblage. AmrbnJurmuz killed him few hours later.
Talha and the End Result
After AzZubeir's withdrawal, Ali (peace be upon him) shouted at Talha: “O AbuMohammed! What for have you mutinied against me?” “It is for Othman's revenge.” answered Talha. “May God kill the nearer to his killing.” said Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and went on, “O Talha! Have you not heard the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: ‘O
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Allah! Accede to whomever accedes to Ali, and oppose whomever opposes him.’ O Talha! You were the foremost in declaring fealty to me, and the foremost in breaking that fealty. God says: (..Therefore whoever breaks his faith, he breaks it only to the injury of his own soul.)”
Talha sought God's forgiveness and withdrew.
Confederates Kill Each Other
Having been shocked by withdrawal of AzZubeir and Talha, MarwanbnAlHakambnAlAas threw his spear and hit Talha's capillary, saying: “I do not care whether I hit this or that man.” While he was dying, Talha showed his great remorse for his past misdeeds.
Some mentioned that AbdulMelik had injured Talha in the forehead, and MarwanbnAlHakam hit his capillary due to which he was killed.
AmmarbnYasir's Satisfactory End Result
In battle of Siffine, AmmarbnYasir said: “I can obviously see faces of brave people who will fight against falsehood, until its followers will fall in doubt. By God, we are the right and they are the wrong even if they may defeat us and take us back to Hajr.”
After he had fought in the heart of the battle field, Ammar went back to a certain place for drinking some water. A woman from the Sheiban offered him a honey mixed with milk. He shouted: “Allah is the greatest! Allah is the greatest! It is the day I am to see my lovers under these sharp spears. He had said but the truth; that honest who foretold me of this day.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had foretold Ammar of his being killed by the tyrant faction, and that his last drink in this world would be milk with honey. “O people!” cried Ammar, “Any one to direct to the Paradise under these dragging spears? By He, the Prevailing of my soul I swear, we shall be fighting them for the interpretation of the Quran just like that when we fought them for its revelation.”
Both AbulAdiyeh and bnJawn AsSaksaki killed Ammar. As they litigated about whose rightfulness in Ammar's spoils, the two nominated
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AbdullahbnAmrbnAlAas, the Sahabi, as arbiter.
Muawiya's Argument
Muawiya mutinied against the legal ruler. He demanded the Imam with penalizing killers of Othman, the previous caliph. “Submit to obedience of this legal leadership so that I will issue a judgment against those people who killed Othman.” Imam Ali suggested to Muawiya who rejected and betook the case of Othman's assassination as bridge to royalty. He, however, could achieve his goal. He was crowned as the Muslim's king. The whole souls were submissive to his monarchy whether by terrorism or pleasure.
Muawiya Penalizes Othman's Assassinators
In AlMadina, Muawiya entered Othman's house where he was received by a groan from A'isheh, Othman's daughter.
“O my brother's daughter!” he addressed at her, “People gave us their submission, and we gave them our secure. We showed them a tranquillity stuffed with range. They showed us a compliance stuffed with abhorrence. Each man has his sword and realizes his supporter's place. They will break their allegiance if we break our promises. Then, we cannot guarantee the consequence. Being AmirulMu'minin's cousin will be certainly better than being an ordinary lady.”
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AlHassan AlBasri's Impression on Muawiya
AtTabari mentions that AlHassan AlBasri used to say: “Four ill deeds, any of which is sufficiently periling, are Muawiya's. They are his using the illminded ones, with the existence of the Prophet's companions and virtuous individuals, as rulers of this nation till he could dominate and cancel principal of consultancy. His nominating Yazeed, his son, the drunkard who dresses silky clothes and plays on drums, as his successor. His avowing Ziyad as his brother, whereas the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had said: ‘Babies are for the bed, and the prostitutes' share is the stones.’ His killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing
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51 Al-Jahiz's Al-Beyanu Wet-Tebyin, vol. 3, page 300, and Mahmud Abu-Rayyeh's Sheikhul-Madhira, page 182.
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Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions.”
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Muawiya's Zenith of Glories
As if this (decent) Sahabi was not convinced of these previous acts, he attained the acme by cursing Imam Ali, the favorite of God. He led his people to this act. He issued orders of cursing AlibnAbiTalib from the pulpits.
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Muawiya's Officials Revile At Ali
Seeking Muawiya's satisfaction, officials were reviling at Ali (peace be upon him).
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52 At-Tabari's-the events of 51. Ibnul-Atheer's, page 202-9. bn-Asakir's, vol. 2, page 379. Mahmud Abu-Rayyeh's Sheikhul-Madhira, page 184-5.
53 bn-Abd Rebbihi's Al-Iqdul-Farid, vol. 4, page 366. bn-Abil-Hadid's Sherhu Nahjil-Belagheh, vol. 1, page 356, vol. 3, page 258, and vol. 4, page 56. Muslim's, part 2, page 360. At-Tirmithi's part 5, page 301-80. Al-Hakim's Al-Mustedrak, part 3, page 109. bn-Asakir's Tarikhu Dimeshq, Chapter; Imam Ali. Ashafi'i's part. 1, page 206. An-Nisa'i's Khessa'issu Ameeril-Mu'mineen, page 84-6. Al-Khawarzmi's Al-Menaqib, page 59. Ibnul-Atheer's usdul-Ghabeh, part. 1, page 134, part. 4, page 25-6. bn-Hajar Al-Asqalani's Al-Isabeh, part. 2, page 509. Al-Amini's Al-Ghadeer, part. 1, page 257, part. 3, page 300. Nasr Bin Muzahim's Waq'atu Siffine, page 82-92. Al-Jawzi's Tethkiratul-Khawas, page 63. Al-Amili's Al-Muraja'at.
54 At-Tabari's part. 5, page 167-8. Ibnul-Atheer's Al-Kamilu Fit-Tarikh, part. 3, page 413. Al-Hakim's Al-Mustedrak, part. 1, page 385, part. 2, page 358. bn-Abil-Hadid's Sherhu Nahjil-Belagheh, vol. 1, page, 356 61. As-Suyouti's tarikhul-Khulefa, page 190. Al-Iqdul-Farid, part. 4, page 365. Al-Amini's Al-Ghadeer, part. 1, page 264. Al-Qastalani's Sharhul-Bukhari, part. 4, page 368. Al-Ansari's Sharhul-Bukhari, part. 4, page 368. Al-Amili's Al-Muraja'at, page 218.
