L. the Rebellion and the Dissipation of the Preeminent Trend
Bed-ridden, Omar were engaged in planning for the future of Mohammed's nation. Evading no single face, he stated: "Had Abu-Ubeideh, Me'ath-bn-Jabal, Khalid-bn-Al-Waleed or Salim the slave of Abu-Hutheifeh been alive, I would have nominated as my successor.
Salim is a non-Arab slave whose lineage is unknown. Me'ath is one of the Ansar whom were impermitted to have the authority in the meeting of Saqeefa. Khalid is from Bani-Makhzum. He is a ten class companion since he immigrated in the period between the Hudeibiyeh peace treaty and the conquest of Mecca.
Once, in his reign, Omar argued bn-Abbas:
"O bn-Abbas! Do you realize the reason beyond your people's neglecting your nominating for managing the Islamic state?" Evading the anticipated consequences, bn-Abbas escaped from the answer. "Well, Amirul-Mu'minin! If I ignore the answer, you are definitely in full awareness of it." commented bn-Abbas. "Your people disliked the matter that you would have the prophesy and the authority altogether and then, you would have been unjust to them. People of Quraish selected for themselves. Indeed, they succeeded as they opted for the right one." expressed Omar. "O
( 288 )
Amirul-Mu'minin!" bn-Abbas worded, "May I speak provided that you shall not be irate?" "Yes, you may." permitted Omar. bn-Abbas signified: "Regarding your saying (People of Quraish selected for themselves. Indeed, they succeeded as they opted for the right one.), they would have been right absolutely and without litigant if only they had clung to what God had opted for. Regarding your saying: (Your people disliked the matter that you would have the prophesy and the authority altogether.), God, the Exalted, described a people who disliked; saying: (That is because they hated what Allah revealed, so he rendered their deeds null.)" "Far it is, bn-Abbas!" replied Omar, "I have been informed of some news about you, but I do not like to discipline you about so that your status would not be lessened." bn-Abbas answered: "O Amirul-Mu'minin! My status at you must not have been lessened in case these news were true, otherwise, I am one of those who obviated the ill deeds from approaching towards their entities." Omar said: "Well, I was informed of your claim that the general authority had been taken away from you, Mohammed's clan, due to envy, aggression and injustice." "Respecting the injustice," responded bn-Abbas, "it had been realized by the level-headed, as well as the ill-minded. Respecting envy, Adam was envied, and we are his envied sons." "Far it is. Far it is." expressed Omar, "Your hearts, sons of Hashim, are filled in with an immovable envy." bn-Abbas answered: "Slow down, Amirul-Mu'minin! Do you impute such a description to hearts that God has (kept away uncleanness from them and purified them a thorough purification?)"
143
The event recorded by Al-Mas'udi in his Muroujuz-Zahab, regarding the conversation of Omar and bn-Abbas, does reveal the intellectual rebellion and the disclosure of the preeminent trend which was hidden during the Prophet's lifetime before the foundation of the caliphate. The following is a literal quotation of this narrative:
The Literal Quotation Of This Narrative
bn-Abbas related: I responded Omar's summon. I was before him when he addressed at me: "O bn-Abbas! The governor of Hims has just died. He was one of the rare virtuous people. Except for the matter I have against you, I do regard you with those rare virtuous ones. Do you accept my offer to be
____________
143 Ibnul-Atheer's Al-Kamilu Fit-Tarikh, part. 3, page 24. bn-Abil-Hadid's Sharhu Nahjil-Belagheh, recorded by Ahmed Abul-Fadhl Bin Abit-Tahir. bn-Abil-Hadid's Sharhu Nahjil-Belagheh, vol. 2, page 97. An-Nidhamus-Siyasi Fil-Islam, page 141.
( 289 )
the governor of Hims?" "I will not work for you unless you tell of the matter you have against me." I said unto him. "What for are you asking so?" asked Omar. "I do desire to know it. I will be cautious if it is a real thing, and if not, I will realize that I do not have it. Then, I will accept your offer. I noticed you have hardly asked for a matter with respite." I answered. Omar expressed: "O bn-Abbas! I anticipate that I will face my fatal chance while you are keeping your position, then you may call people to select you as the new leader. I noticed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had neglected assigning you, his household, in any position." "Yes, by God. I noticed so, too. Do you realize the reason?" I wondered. "I do not know exactly. Was it for the reason that he had been too cautious to give you official positions to which you are certainly authorized, or was it for that he anticipated that you would be elected for the leadership because of your relation to him? Only then, blame would fall. Inevitably, blame shall fall. That is it. What do you see now?" commented Omar. "I see I should not accept this position." I said. "What for?" questioned Omar. "I shall be a permanent mote in your eyes as long as you bear this opinion..."
Even after his decease, Omar, the excessively careful for the Muslims' interests, must be sure that the Hashemites shall never be having dominion over people, and shall never be ruling Mohammed's nation.
In general, the saying of the abomination of the Hashemites' joining headship to prophesy was changed into a preeminent trend. This trend could find a ground to show and impose itself as a common conception adopted by the authorities and the priority of people. It is considered as the ultimate way against the Hashemite injustice and the apt course that enables the Quraishi clans to enjoy headship respectively as a compensation to be undergone by the authorities of the Hashemite prophesy. As Al-Faruq describes: "This conception is one of the appearances of the divine discrimination of Quraish. By inducing Abu-Sufian to the ruling regime, giving him the right to dispose in the alms he had levied, nominating Yazeed, his son, as the commander of the army of Syria and nominating Muawiya, his other son, as a commander and, then, as the governor of Syria; all these procedures resulted in the formation of a factual alliance between the ruling regime and the 'released.' Both parties have the same access to intercept the Hashemites from joining headship to prophesy. This alliance eradicated the opposition and worked seriously for rehearsing the conception of the impermissibility of the Hashemites' joining headship to prophesy.
( 290 )
Thus, the Prophet's immaculate household, besides their having been completely deposed and blocked, lost every thing including the privilege of honorability granted by the political form according to which Mecca was ruled before Islam. This seems clear in Al-Faruq's saying to bn-Abbas: "By God, we did not refer to you due to need, but we disliked you to object against the matter on which people agreed unanimously. That would cause them, as well as you, suffer catastrophic consequences."
The degree of humiliating the Prophet's progeny attained such a great level that even Abdullah-bn-Az-Zubeir menaced to put the Hashemites' houses on fire with their inhabitants. Without the intercession of some virtuous individuals, this would have happened.
This proposes that every clan among those who imposed a blockade on the Hashemites in the Cols of Abu-Talib for three continuous years, and participated in the congregational cabal of assassination against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), became in a state better than that enjoyed by the Hashemites themselves. Likewise, every individual of such clans became more rightful in coming to power than the Hashemites. Headship and authority is practically licit for every one except the Hashemites. All these procedures were taken for one goal only; occluding the Hashemites from joining headship to prophesy. Is the reward of goodness ought but goodness?!
M. the Statutory Ground of the Conception of Intercepting the
Hashemites from Joining Headship to Prophesy
Totally, the conception is uncivilized. It is completely contradictory to the divine texts and the political regulations derived from the divine beliefs. The Prophet David, was inherited by Solomon, his son. Both joined headship to prophesy. None objected against the prophets and their progenies who had been gifted judiciary, prophesy and divine manuscripts. Privilege is in God's hand. Caliphate is a religious and, in the first place, mundane position. A Caliph is the prophet's representative. Stating arguments and setting forth rules that are completely methodological processes, are the main missions of prophets.
It is effortlessly probationary for the aware of the basic components of the Islamic political strategy, to recognize that the conception of intercepting the Hashemites from joining headship to prophesy has entirely blasted that strategy, as being divine, and has totally extricated its constituents. It is also
( 291)
proved that the conception involved has practically changed it into an ordinary positive strategy that is different from others in the political form only. Moreover, the leadership of the state became a prey obtained exclusively by the prevailing whoever he was. After achieving prevalence, that one occupies the Prophet's chair (reed mat, in fact), attires the cloak of Islam and, hence, becomes the new caliph. In case any one of the 'released' who fought against Islam as much as possible till he was surrounded and had to show his being Muslim to save his soul, prevails, he will openly impose his orders upon the Muhajir who participated in every battle supporting the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Similarly, God's representative who is, according to divine regulations and texts, the president of the Islamic state will become an ordinary citizen under the authority of such a 'released'. Thus, for the sake of seeking justice of the other clans and intercepting the Hashemites from joining headship to prophesy or, in other words, reviving the old political form of distributing missions in a new dress, the illiterate ruled and the learned's mouth was shut up.
As the old political form distributed missions among the clans, the new one, when applied, ranted such clans to come to power in turn and, in the same time, to share positions of headship. Regarding the divine regulations appertained to the Islamic political strategy, they were reckoned with other irrelevant topics since they were unfitting the political form established before Islam.
N. Effects of Practicing the Conception of Intercepting the
Hashemites from Joining Headship to Prophesy
1st Effect: The Total Disappearance Of The Discrimination Between
Those Who Fought Against Islam And Those Who Fought For Its
Sake Till Triumph Was Achieved
From the political side, the two categories are Muslims of the same credit. Consequently, the all shall be in the same Paradise. The Hashemite individual, in a like manner, who was occluded in Cols of Abu-Talib for three years, is not different from that previously polytheist who imposed this blockade upon him since he declared his being Muslim!! Islam does erase what precedes it! Had Hamzeh been alive again, he should have been as same as Wahshi — his killer. This is from the practical political side. The killer and his victim are enjoying the very same rank. The Muhajir and the 'released' are enjoying the very same rank, too. The same is said about the
( 292 )
illiterate and the most learned. Supposing this illiterate predominates, it shall be politically obligatory upon that most learned to obey and comply to. This is not regularly; on the assumption there is a most learned Hashemite, like Ali-bn-Abi-Talib, to compete with an Ansari with a less degree of knowledge, the latter will certainly be preferred. This is evident from Al-Faruq's following saying: "Had Me'ath-bn-Jabal or Khalid-bn-Al-Waleed been alive, I would have nominated as the caliph." This was said with the presence of Ali-bn-Abi-Talib! Besides the battle of Uhud, Khalid fought against Islam in many positions, while Ali fought for the sake of Islam in all of its positions. Nonetheless, Khalid is preferred. Al-Faruq, also would have opted for Salim, the slave of Abu-Hutheifeh, if only he had been alive. He would have made this non-Arab slave the chief of Ali-bn-Abi-Talib who is "the master of Omar, Abu-Ubeideh and every male and female believer," as Al-Faruq himself had declaratorily confessed.
2nd Effect: Seeding And Sheltering The Unceasing Discrepancy
As long as there is no discrimination between the Muhajir and the 'released' or the killer and his victim, and it is rightful for every one to take in Islam according to his idiosyncratic elucidation, this will result in the existence of various sources of jurisconsultance, notions and independent impressions. Hence, every party claims of being the right, and takes a path not taken by others. With the absence of a leading jurisconsult, whose judgments are followed by the all considering it as juristic doubtless evidences, the seed of discrepancies was planted in a fertile land. Supposing Ali and one of the 'released' judge in a certain issue, the receiver of these two judgments will be having the full prerogative to opt for any. This is by the reason that practically they, Ali and the 'released', are indiscriminately Muslims of the same rank. They both shall be in the same Paradise. So, both are Sahaba. Practically also, there is no statutory preference for Ali's judgment; how, then, is it to make preference between the equal, or how is it to make a distinction between the completely alike? In the same manner, to take any of the two pieces of gold that are having the very same size, shape, amount and value, is practically acceptable. Making any discrimination is a cautioned matter. The harmony involved is external, while the discrepancy is developing under that exterior. Sooner or later, this discrepancy will certainly be grown into a fatal malignancy that shall tear the unification of this nation and pull them out of their frame into mystery and the unknown.
( 293 )
3rd Effect: Excluding The Hashemites Particularly From Coming To
Power
This meant that there was no obstacle at all against any Muslim to have the leadership of the Islamic state, provided that this position could be attained by any means including the illegal. This gives the opportunity to come to power using any methods if it becomes liable to subject people. A condition that forms an obstruction against this process is the belongness to the Hashemites, whom were exclusively granted with prophesy. So, they are fully sufficed with prophesy.
This general privilege turned the avarice for authority into a horrible nightmare and an irksome approach that made the nation lose their decision and settlement, and an experimental program for all those who looked forward to coming to power. Owing to such a privilege, the constitutional political strategy of the Islamic state became off. Regarding discerning this new ruler's lineage, knowledgeability, beliefs or preference to Islam; these matters became a second class affairs that are practically valueless and no-good since the predominating ruler has already prevailed, and the prevailed's satisfaction is a matter of an idiosyncratic interest.
Thus, what should prevent Yazeed, the notorious lascivious, from being the head of the state since he is the son of Muawiya, the former chief? What should prevent Al-Hussein-bn-Ali-bn-Abi-Talib who is, according to categorical divine texts, (the master of the youth of the Paradise,) (the dweller of the Paradise,) (the Prophet's basil) and (the constitutional Imam of this nation), from being an ordinary citizen in Yazeed's state? Both, Al-Hussein and Yazeed are Muslims of the same rank that shall be in the Paradise. Yazeed, the murderer, and Al-Hussein, the victim, will both be in the same Paradise. Both are Sahabi!! Those who criticize this notion are miscreants whom should be neither shared in food or drink nor offered the Funeral's Prayer when they perish!!
4th Effect: Confusedness
The good has been confused with the bad, the right with the wrong, the sweet with the bitter. The precedent became as same rank as the tardy, the attacker as same rank as the absconder, the killer as same rank as his victim and the supporter of Islam as same rank as the antagonist. They all embraced Islam and saw or were seen by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his
( 294 )
family); therefore, the all are Sahaba, the all are in the Paradise.
The virtuous ones hid themselves in the numerous provinces of the state and became "the like of a single white hair in a black bull's skin", as Muawiya describes. The Islamic political strategy collapsed. The preferred became tardy and the tardy preferred. (And Allah's is the end of affairs.)
