Chapter 10 — Objective Analysis, and Denial of
Serendipity
Among Sunnis' historians, there is a sort of unanimity on the fact that it was Omar who first knew of the Ansar’s meeting.
178 According to another narrative, it was AbuBakr who informed him of this news.
179 A third narrative related by bnHusham, however, tells that a man came to Omar and AbuBakr and told of the news.
180 No single historian could realize the name of that man who carried the news to AbuBakr and Omar!! The loss of this man's name should have never be an accidental matter. It seems that he was one of the celebrities in that society since he had acquaintance of secret matters of such a degree of sensitivity. Then, how should AbuBakr and Omar have listened and believed him if he had not been a noble character? The name of such a noble individual that carried such an important news, should have never been lost. This matters throws shades of suspicion whether this man had been actually existed or had he been a mere legend!!
As a matter of fact, it cannot be an accidental matter that Omar would be the only individual who had been fully acquainted of the meeting held secretly by the Ansar, the majority of the Prophet's capital. What was the reason beyond Omar's having called AbuBakr lonelily for informing of this news? Why did he not call the entire Muhajirs who were taking the final look at their prophet and Imam, and participating the honorable household in their disastrous misadventure? This matter should not be considered as an accidental event. Moreover, at which location was AlFaruq who lost his physical capability as soon as he had been informed of the Prophet's decease, and menaced to kill and amputate the limbs of those who claimed of the Prophet's decease? Normally, he should have gone to the Prophet's house when he was convinced of the his decease, for taking the final look and participating in people's misfortune? Supposing he did direct towards the Prophet's house, how could he exclusively realize the news of the
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178 At-Tabari's book of history, part. 3, page 219.
179 At-Tabari's book of history, part. 3, page 201.
180 bn-Husham's book of history, part. 2, page 656.
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Ansar’s meeting? Who carried this news to him particularly? How should that carrier of news have found Omar among thousands of people crowding there? Indisputably, it was not an accidental matter!
It is most surely that the meeting was not attended by the entire Ansar. Among this group, there were the warriors of the battle of Badr. They are the most virtuous, as described by categorical doctrinal texts. It is impracticable that those most virtuous men were absent from a meeting held by the Ansar. The two men who met AbuBakr, Omar and AbuUbeideh were among the warriors of Badr. How should it be conceivable that a meeting held for electing a leader is not attended by two virtuous people? They, at least, should have been in the meeting on these moments principally. It is irrational that the Ansar left the Prophet's body in his house without taking a final look at him while his immaculate household were arranging for his funeral. This matter is unbelievable unless partisan imitation is pronounced.
Supposing the entire Ansar were meeting in that Saqeefa — shed — for electing the new leader, how should they act so while they had full awareness of the doctrinal rulings among which is that Imams should be from people of Quraish? They did accurately recognize the rulings appertained to the Prophet's household. They witnessed the recent ceremonies of nominating the coming leader and the Prophet's successor held in Ghadeer Khum. Recurrently, the Prophet commended them of favoring Ali and his household. Once, he (peace be upon him and his family) addressed at the Ansar: “O the Ansar! Should I guide you to what shall protect you against deviation for good if only you adhere to?” “Yes, you should, Allah's Apostle!” answered they. “It is this Ali. You should love him for your loving me. And you should honor him for your honoring me. It was most surely Gabriel, the Angel, who conveyed to me this God's mandate I have just ordered you of.” the Prophet expressed.
181 How should they all disremember this address? How should they neglect the issue of nominating Ali for heir apparentship? Besides, they have no relation with the slogan of the impracticability of the Hashemites' joining leadership and prophesy, importunately carried by the Quraishis? They are not from Quraish. They
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181 bn-Abil-Hadid's Sharhu Nahjil-Belagha, part. 9, page 170. Abu-Na'eem's Hilyetul-Awliya, part. 1, page 63. Majma'uzzawa'id, part. 9, page 132. Al-Kinji's Kifayetut-Talib, page 210. Al-Qanduzi's Yenabi'ul-Mawadda, page 313. Kenzul-Ummal, part. 15, page 126. Ar-Riyadhun-Nedhira, part. 2, page 233. Fedha'ilul-Khamseh Mines-Sihahis-Sitteh, part. 2, page 98. bn-Talha's mettalibus-Sa'ul, part. 1, page 60. Fera'idus-Simtein, part. 1, page 197, hadith 154.
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have no interests to be achieved only by taking Mohammed's household far away from leadership. They should have never disdained the Prophet's saying about Ali: “He is your leader after me. He is the master of every male and female believer…” What is the advantage the Ansar may gain from neglecting such decisive doctrinal texts? The meeting held by the Ansar was not aimed at electing a leader from them. This is, however, a matter arduously believable on the total criteria. They did realize the real religious and political leader. This fact is evidenced by the event that as soon as they lost any hope of having leadership, they nominated Ali, who was absent, as the only person they might elect for leadership. Another narrative relates the same matter: “…the Ansar shouted: ‘We shall declare fealty to none other than Ali.’…”
182 Regarding the authenticity of this narrative, it indicated that others had been intending to elect another name. Yet, one of these two narratives is definitely true. After they had been overthrown, they answered Fatima AzZahra, who passed by their sessions asking for support, with the following words: “O daughter of God's messenger! We have already declared loyalty to that man. We would not have elected other than your husband and cousin had he come to us before AbuBakr.” Ali answered them: “Should I have left the Prophet's body in his house without burying him and gone out for contesting people in his government?” Fatima commented: “AbuHassan did exactly what was required from him. They did what Allah shall penalize and amerce for.”
183
When he listened to Ali's argument, BashirbnSa'd, the first man who had declared loyalty to AbuBakr as a leader, said: “The Ansar would have referred to you totally if they had listened to your words before they swore allegiance to AbuBakr.”
184
On that account, it is unreasonable for such men with such a conception to hold a meeting for electing the next leader while the divinely elected one was absent after he had been nominated by the Prophet so declamatorily that they all comprehended the question. Besides, they heard the Prophet more than once say: “He is your leader after me. He is the master of every male and female believer…”
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182 bn-Quteibeh's Al-Imametu Wes-Siyaseh, page 8 and bn-Abil-Hadid's Sharhu Nahjil-Belagha, part. 2, page 266.
183 Al-Imametu Wes-Siyaseh, page 12.
184 Al-Imametu Wes-Siyaseh, page 12.
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It is to add that Sa'dbnEbadeh, the principal Sahabi, the master of the AlKhazraj and the man of inflexible situations, was too exalted to admit being the Prophet's successor in the presence of the divinely nominated leader, the Prophet's household and masters of the Muhajirs. Besides, he was so ill that he could not even stand erect. Had this man been able to stand up, he would have never left his master and prophet without taking a final look at him. According to bnQuteibeh's narrative, Sa'd, after the conclusion of the meeting, was shouldered and taken home. This assured the fact that Sa'd's house was next to the Saqeefa — shed — in which the meeting had been held. Possibly, the group of the Ansar were visiting Sa'd to convey him the misfortune of the Prophet's decease. Similarly, it is not unacceptable to say that a tranquil dispute had actually occurred between the two groups respecting the next stage.
The Entering of the Three Muhajirs
By the joining of these three Muhajirs, the meeting was straightly colored with a special paint. Naturally, silence covered the place and the conversation was ceased. Who opened the door to the question involved? Who arose the dispute after their entering? The one fully aware of that person is totally nonexistent. AlFaruq conceived that those individuals had been planning for “eradicating the Quraishis' origins and usurping their rights.” He himself expected new groups' joining that meeting. The Aslem attended with all their groups. They were too many to have locations in that place. They all swore allegiance to AbuBakr. About that event, Omar was wont to say: “I believed in our victory as soon as I saw the Aslem.” This affirmed that he had previous knowledge of his supporters.
The Aslem were one of the Ansar’s clans. Although they were very numerous, as it seemed, the Aslem did not participate in that meeting. This asserts that the meeting was not political at all. Who was the party against whom AlFaruq was seeking victory? What sort of victory was that? All these matters support the Ansar’s mission of preponderance we have previously referred to.
The Purpose Beyond The Three Muhajirs' Participation
The exact purpose beyond the three Muhajirs' joining the Ansar’s meeting was nothing but constituting the new leader. Since the entire Quraishis' opinion was as same as that of those three Muhajirs, especially Omar who
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believed in the idea of preventing the Hashemites from joining leadership to prophesy as intensely as possible, the existence of any other Quraishi was unimportant. They also purposed for another matter; holding the ceremonies of designating the new leader in the absence of the Prophet's household or their head, AlibnAbiTalib. They believed in the fact that the results should have been definitely changed in case the head or any of the Prophet's household had attended there. That head of the Prophet's household would have opposed the expected results, provided inescapable evidences and convinced the Ansar had he only been present in that meeting. In the absence of the Prophet's household and their head, climate should be so quiet and pleasant for that group to achieve their purpose of designating a new leader actually. They aimed at making a party of the Ansar declare fealty to the leader they are to nominate. Achieving so, the other clans of the Ansar should be following one another in swearing in order that they would have the honor of acting so. Only then, the Prophet's household and their head should be faced by an authority backed by the Ansar who should never break their covenants. Hence, the expected confrontation Ali should be one of its parties, would not be against AbuBakr, Omar or any other person alone. The confrontation would be between the head of ruling authority and one of his people, or a vizier and one of the public. Such a sort of confrontation is of wellknown results. AlFaruq lacks the ability of facing the divinely elected leader, who is the door of the heavenly wisdom, in cases of equal confrontations. On levels of physical abilities even, the divinely elected leader should most surely be having the entire situation for him in case of any bodily confrontation against AlFaruq. The fighting skills of AlFaruq are very remote from those of Ali, the divinely nominated leader. For instance, in the battle of AlKhandaq, AmrbnWudd's voice of challenging the Muslims had vanished before he was responded by any, including AlFaruq whose ears were filled in with these words. Saving the divinely nominated leader, none had the courage to challenge that hero. Nevertheless, when AlFaruq is being the caliph's vizier, he will not be having to be face to face with the divinely elected leader. He may enlist an abundant phalanx for this purpose. Hence, they will pull that divinely elected leader before AlFaruq. This very procedure was actually taken, and this process of pulling had actually occurred.
The time picked up for holding the ceremonies of electing the new leader was precisely suitable. It coincided the very hours of holding the ceremonies of the Prophet's funeral. It was the ideal time for guaranteeing the absence of the Prophet's immaculate household and their head. These individuals were
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totally engaged in their misfortune and were inattentive to what was going around them. The entire Muslims, in fact, were living in shocking reflection. Accordingly, this was the most suitable time the Quraishi clans had ever dreamt of for achieving their purpose. In addition, choosing the Ansar as the preponderant entity was greatly appropriate and accurate. Since the Quraishi clans' purpose was only preventing the Hashemites from joining leadership to prophesy disregarding the race of the surrogate party, they would not object if the Ansar dominated that leadership. They were sure that any Quraishi, other than the Hashemites, would never object this leadership. Hence, Othman, the Umayid, and his clan were the foremost in declaring their fealty to the new caliph. This group was followed by Sa'dbnAbiWaqqas, AbdorRahmanbnAwf and their relatives, the BaniZuhra. Declaration of allegiance would be valueless indeed if the entire Quraishi people uttered it and no single man from the Ansar supported them. Besides, the divinely nominated Imam would overcome them by the Ansar’s aid. From this point, the attendance of the Quraishi people was ineffective since those three individuals represented them and were to achieve the very purpose they were aiming at.
The three individuals had the ability of comprising the Ansar exclusively, expressing the Quraishi clans’ hiddens and banishing the Hashemites totally out of the field of leadership. Accordingly, the Prophet's household and the Hashemites generally were lacking, for the ever first time, any actual preponderant that might guarantee their victory against the other Quraishi clans.
From this cause, we can perceive Omar's approach of seizing the fealty of the Muhajirs, the Prophet's immaculate household and their head to the new caliph. That occurred after their departing the Saqeefa:
People were gathering in the grand mosque when AbuBakr and AbuUbeideh advanced towards them after the Ansar had declared their fealty to AbuBakr. Omar spoke: “What for are you grouping yourselves in scattered crowds? Come on and swear allegiance to AbuBakr. The Ansar and I have just declared!!” Immediately, Othman and the Umayids rose up and declared fealty. Sa'd, AbdorRahman and their relatives did so, too. Ali, AlAbbasbnAbdilMuttelib, the Hashemites and AzZubeirbnAlAwwam left that place directing towards their pack animals. Omar led a band and went to them. “Go now for declaring your allegiance to AbuBakr!” shouted the band. The group, however, declined…
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AlFaruq's accent and style of seizing people's fealty to AbuBakr needs a deep view…
In the Saqeefa
Neither the entire Ansar were attendant at the Saqeefa, nor were their half, quarter or onetenth even. They were forming the majority of AlMadina people. Reasonably, the greater number of them was encompassing the Prophet's house at these hours. The two virtuous men (Asim — according to AtTabari's narrative — or Ma'an
185 — according to another — Bin Edi or UweimbnSa'ideh, who were reckoned with the warriors of Badr, did not join the three Muhajirs after they had met in their way. They would have never been absent if there had been a meeting of considerable significance for the Ansar. Moreover, the Aslem, who were too numerous to have enough locations to stop at, came afterwards. Omar obviously had previous knowledge of these men's eminent arrival. This is evidenced by his later saying: “I believed in our victory as soon as I saw the Aslem.” Besides, these individuals arrived directly after the declaration of fealty to AbuBakr. Consequently, those three Muhajirs were the originators and the imposers of the question of electing a man succeeding the Prophet. The conveyor of the news of the Ansar’s meeting is still unknown. Similarly the one who provided the subject of electing the new leader after the three Muhajirs’ arrival is still unknown either. Naturally, after they had greeted the attendants, they spoke. Who was the spokesperson that indicated to the affair involved? Like the conveyor of the news of the Ansar’s meeting, that person is still unknown! This matter is contrasting the facts that the names of those who had played a very ignoble role in the events involved were accurately written down and recognized. All the above assert that there were remarkable sections intentionally excerpted from the whole story in spite of variety of reports and reporters!
It is provable that the whole story of the Ansar’s meeting was rewritten and revised under the supervision of the party of AsSiddiq and AlFaruq. So, events were amended in such a way that rulers would neither be enraged nor would their fellows be provoked. By this new reprogrammed narration, those three Muhajirs had been depicted as heroes of a historical tradition. This is obviously seeable through the variety, contents and occasionally contrast of the narratives. For instance, the utterance of the two virtuous
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185 At-Tabari's book of history, part. 3, page 205-6.
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warriors of Badr was reported in two different ways.
186 A narrative describes Sa'dbnEbadeh as one of the most striking seekers of leadership and a contumacious opponent to the three Muhajirs that was about to be attacked by the groups he had enraged to excess. In addition, some suggested that he should be killed; “Kill him. May God kill him.”
187 While another report describes him as that man whom had been overcome by arguments provided by AlFaruq. After all, he had to swear allegiance to AbuBakr since he had been persuaded.
188 Hence, no signals of rebellion had been shown by AlHabbab or others since affairs were correctly settled.
The Greatest Humanitarian Wealth
Let us picture the following:
The three Muhajirs participated in the Prophet's funeral beside the immaculate household and the other Muslims. Having accomplished the Prophet's burial ceremony, the consolers went to the mosque for performing the obligatory prayer led by the Imam of those three Muhajirs and every male and female believer, according to these three Muhajirs’ recognition. Immediately after accomplishing their prayers, any one of the three might have provided his conception and adduced his apprehension so freely. Hence, each was granted equal opportunities to demonstrate his own opinion. Finally, the divinely nominated leader would render his opinion and the legal judgment of every opinion recently provided considering him as the guide, in accordance to doctrinal texts, and the explicator of every discrepancy after the Prophet, by doctrinal texts, too. Meanwhile, the Ansar and the Muslims, as a whole, would listen and comprehended his speech. They would play the role of the preponderant factor. They would, soon, swear allegiance to the Imam previously elected by God.
In the event that the previous program had actually occurred, the flout of such an argumentation would have been the greatest humanitarian wealth. Similarly, the total tide of history would have been completely changed. The application of the Islamic political system, God had revealed to His servant, would have been literally actualized. As a result of such an application, mankind would have been entirely saved and the international divinely
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186 Ibid.
187 Al-Imametu Wes-Siyaseh, page 10.
188 At-Tabari's book of history, part. 3, page 203.
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regulated government would have been established. This was a mere expectation. Just because we had overlooked the divine texts and worked in reliance on our personal illation, we lacked capability of achieving that hope. Categorically, collapse is the fatal destiny of any nation that overlook the doctrinal texts and cling to their own inference. Such a nation shall definitely taste bitterness of defeat and relapse as a penalty for misrepresenting and substituting God's grace and guidance, presented through explicit texts, for claimed caprice and whims.
The Legal Arguments of People of Saqeefa
Sooner or later, the researchists will certainly observe that the Ansar met Sa'dbnEbadeh for a fully natural reason which was not political at all. Any political talk occurred there was not more than unintentional viewpoints said during visiting a diseased.
The arrival of those three Muhajirs colored that interview with dark paints of policy and an aimed origination of an election of the next political leader. As long the subject of that simple visit became totally political and establishmentarian, what sorts of legal arguments were to be provided for attaining triumph?
The Argument of the Present Ansar
Unlike the representation concentratively asserted by historians, the Ansar were not aiming at inducting one of them in position of leadership. They totally had already understood that they should never enjoy any position of leadership. The idea that all of them had virtually broken the covenant of Allah and His Apostle is rationally unacceptable, especially when the Prophet had not been buried yet. They also had already witnessed the ceremonies of the Prophet’s nominating his successor, and the congratulations had been immediately offered. Correspondingly, every Muslim, including those three Muhajirs, had full awareness of Ali’s being the believers’ master and the religious and political leader, congregationally, after the Prophet. They also had full acquaintance of Ali’s being the leader and the master of each male and female believer, individually. The present Ansar were purposeless. They were showing no avidity for occupying the position of leadership. Besides, the question of leadership had not originally discussed before the arrival of those three Muhajirs. For the above factors, the nonexistence of any argument provided by the Ansar was a spontaneous question. Regarding the arguments imputed to them, it seemed that they had
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either provided them for creating a spirit of suitability and equality, or they — the arguments — were visualized as a main element serving the direction of the story, the crowning of its stars and the semblance of those stars’ acts. Under the superintendence of the stars themselves, this story was conveyed to one another in the same fashion admitted and used by the formal mass media. Contrary narratives, however, were neglected. The next generations dealt with that tale as a formally and popularly maintained fact. Thus, refusal and denial were the share of any wrong might have been seen on that tale since it was adjudged as rebellion against this nation’s congruity.
The Purpose of the Three Muhajirs
The purposes of those three Muhajirs were:
1. Installing a man in the position of the Prophet’s succession at the very time of the absence of the Prophet’s immaculate household and everybody’s being engaged in the Prophet’s funeral.
2. Attaining the attendants’ support and swearing allegiance to the nominated man. If the Aws’s declaration of fealty would be gained, the others should necessarily swear their allegiance so that the Aws would not enjoy that honor alone. Hence, it should be for the swearers’ good that the new man elected for leadership was to be having his new position. As a result of that equation, the man to whom fealty had been presently declared should be the formal and actual caliph — the Prophet’s successor, and the two others should be the formal viziers. The swearers, likewise, should be the army following the steps of their new commanders. Regarding the objectors of such a declaration of fealty, they should be opposing the Prophet’s successor and mutinying against their leader. The caliph, however, should be lawful to kill such mutineers who should be seen as dissidents and illegal seekers of power. The legal answer for such a practice is evident; (The position of leadership is not to be held to its seekers…) This had exactly occurred.
The Legal Arguments of the Three Muhajirs
What were the arguments provided by those three men that submitted the Ansar? Were their arguments actually legal?
AbuBakr and Omar provided their kinship to the Prophet as their arguments. They indicated to the rule that the relatives are more meritorious
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of their kinsman’s heritage.
