Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

Homage and Use of Coercion

The efforts of Abū-Bakr, `Umar and Abū-`Ubaydah bore fruits and they succeeded in getting the Caliphate in their favor. When this campaign was over, they started from the Saqifah towards the Mosque. On the way, some other persons joined them. On such occasions, generally people come getting influenced by curiosity or the position of power the person has attained. On the way the persons they met were asked to shake hands with Abū-Bakr. Thus taking bay`ah, and announcing about the bay`ah this small group proceeded on its way. Al-Barra’ ibn `azib says:

“Whosoever they met on the way, they forced him to come along and for the bay`ah touched his hand with that of Abū-Bakr, whether he wished to do it or not.”[1]

When they arrived at the Mosque, they sent some couriers to catch hold of people and bring them for the bay`ah. Therefore, people were assembled at the Mosque where in one of the rooms the Prophet (a.s) was being given his final bath before burial. The process of the bay`ah proceeded with the slogans of Takbir. Buladhari writes:

“Abū-Bakr was brought to the Mosque and the people did their bay`ah with him. `Abbas and `Ali (a.s) heard the sounds of Takbir from the Mosque when they had just completed the bath for the Prophet (a.s).”[2]

This is a very sad reflection of the unfaithfulness of the world that on the one side are the mortal remains of the Prophet of Islam (a.s) and on the other there is a crowd of persons come to take bay`ah at the hands of the new rulers. Only sometime ago the same people were sad in mourning. But now there is no tear in any eyes or any sign of mourning on their faces. This gives us an idea of the minds of the populace. In such a situation, they cannot be expected to think how the selection of the Caliph came about and whether it was

[1] Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah by Ibn Abil-Hadīd, Vol 1, Page 74
[2] Ansāb al-Ashrāf, Vol 1, Page 582

legitimate or not. Was it done with the consent of the people or done with the opinion of selected few? Who were these selected few? Were there any other persons involved than the three who managed to go to the conclave of the Ansar? Were `Abbas, `Ali (a.s), Salman al-Farisi, Abū-Dharr, al-Miqdad, `Ammar, al-Zubayr, Khalid ibn Sa`id and the important persons of the Banū-Hashim consulted before making the selection of the Caliph? People were just flooding in as if they were coming out of curiosity. If anyone raised a little objection, he was silenced either by force or through promises of material benefit. Those who had some power behind them were avoided for the time being. Therefore, clashing with Sa`d ibn `Abadah was not thought discreet before establishing themselves in the reins of power. When the disposition was consolidated with the bay`ah of `Uthman, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf, Sa`d ibn Abi-Waqqas, Banū-Umayyah and Banū-Zahrah, he was sent a message to come and owe his allegiance. His reply was:

“By Allah! I shall not owe my allegiance until I throw the arrows from my quiver on you and battle with you along with the men of my Tribe!”[1]

Hearing this reply Abū-Bakr kept quiet but `Umar was furious and said that he will not rest until he took the bay`ah from the person. Bashir ibn Sa`d said at this point that if he has refused to owe allegiance, he would rather give his life than condescend to the demand! His family members too will prefer to die with him and they will not die until the tribe of Khazraj totally perished and Khazraj will not perish until a single person of the Aws lived. The most far-sighted thing would be to leave Sa`d ibn `Abadah to his own scruples. Therefore, they did not approach him thereafter. During the rule of Abū-Bakr, he lived in al-Madinah but kept no contact with the ruling clique. He neither participated with them in the prayers nor went with them for the Hajj. When `Umar came to power, he once met Sa`d on the way and told him if he was the same Sa`d. He replied in the affirmative and added that his stand was the same and unaltered as before! He said that he hated `Umar’s company as much as he hated before! `Umar asked him why he then did not leave al-Madinah for good? Sa`d now felt that `Umar might make an attempt on his life any time. Therefore, he left al-Madinah and moved away to Syria and after sometime became the victim of someone’s arrows at a place called Hawran. Ibn `Abd-Rabbih al-Andalusi writes:

[1] Tabaqāt Ibn Sa`d, Vol 3, Page 616

“`Umar sent one person to Syria and asked him to demand bay`ah from Sa`d. If he refused, seek Allah’s help against him. The person reached Syria and met Sa`d within the four walls of a house and invited him for the bay`ah. He replied that he would never give bay`ah to any Qarashi. The person said that in the case he would battle with him. Sa`d replied that he did not mind battling. The man said that he wanted to be out of what the entire Ummah had accepted. He replied that he preferred to be out of the bay`ah. The man took out an arrow and shot him dead.”[1]

The person who killed him is said to be Muhammad Ibn Maslamah or Mughirah Ibn Shu`bah but a rumor was spread that a Jinn had shot him with an arrow.

During the First Caliphate, Sa`d ibn `Abadah was neither troubled nor was treated with cruelty. But the operatives of the Caliphate immediately started efforts to obtain allegiance from `Ali (a.s) and did not abstain from any harsh method to obtain their objective. Therefore, he was spending the life of a recluse at home. A message inviting for the bay`ah came from the rulers. `Ali (a.s) and others who were at his house refused to abide by the invitation. `Umar, in a rage of anger came threatening to burn down the house of `Ali (a.s). Buladhari writes:

“Abū-Bakr sent a message to `Ali (a.s) seeking his bay`ah. But `Ali refused to comply, at which `Umar brought burning fire. Fatimah (a.s) saw `Umar and said, ‘O son of al-Khattab! Will you burn down the door along with me?’ `Umar replied, ‘Yes” ” [2]

Al-Zubayr ibn al-`Awwam was present in the house of `Ali (a.s) at that time. Although he was Abū-Bakr’s son-in-law from the side of his mother Safiyyah bint `Abd al-Muttalib, he was related to the Banū-Hashim as well. When he saw `Umar trying to burn down the house in a rage, he came out angrily with his sword unsheathed. But Salamah ibn Ashyam snatched away the sword from his hand and arrested him disarmed. The historian al-Tabari writes:

“`Umar ibn al-Khattab came to the house of `Ali (a.s). At the house there were Talhah, al-Zubayr and a few Muhajirūn. `Umar called for them to come out for bay`ah. He swore by

[1] Al-`Iqd al-Farīd, Vol 3, Page 65
[2] Ansāb al-Ashrāf, Vol 1, Page 580

Allah that he would set fire to burn all of them down. Al-Zubayr took out his sword and came out to fight. But he stumbled, the sword fell off his hand, the men overwhelmed him and he was arrested.”[1]

`Umar and his men somehow succeeded in taking `Ali (a.s) to Abū-Bakr for the bay`ah. Protesting against the demand, `Ali (a.s) said:

“I am more entitled to caliphate than you! I shall not do the bay`ah with you but you must owe allegiance to me! You snatched the caliphate from the Ansar with the plea that you were close relations of the Prophet (a.s). And now you are bent on snatching away the caliphate from the Ahl al-Bayt. Did not you make a claim with the Ansar that you were more deserving of the Caliphate than them on which basis they entrusted the leadership and Emirate to you? The reason that you gave to the Ansar for establishing your right, for the same reason I prove my right to you. We are more important for the Prophet (a.s) in his like and his death. If you have embraced the Faith, be just to us. Otherwise you are not unaware that you are committing an injustice!”[2]

Abū-Bakr sat quietly but `Umar threatened that until he agreed for the bay`ah he would not be released. `Ali (a.s) replied that he was neither going to give any cognizance to his talk nor owe allegiance to any one Then bringing out the hidden secret, `Ali (a.s) said:

“Milk (the cow that is) the caliphate! You too have an equal share in that! By Allah! You are killing yourself for the caliphate of Abū-Bakr that tomorrow he leaves it behind for you!”[3]

On Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) refusing to owe allegiance to Abū-Bakr they went to great lengths to force him into acquiescence. They threatened to burn down his house; they dragged him with a rope round his neck and threatened to assassinate him. The treatment meted out to `Ali (a.s) was so harsh that Mu`awiyah ibn Abi-Sufyan wrote a letter to Muhammad ibn Abi-Bakr in a very sarcastic manner:

[1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 3, Page 443
[2] Al-Imāmah wal-Siyāsah, Vol 1, Page 11
[3] Ansāb al-Ashrāf, Vol 1, Page 587

“Those who were first to usurp `Ali’s right were your father, Abū-Bakr and al-Farūq. They demanded bay`ah from `Ali (a.s) but `Ali (a.s) delayed his acquiescence. On account of it the two inflicted on him mountains of difficulties and torture!”[1]

The procedure adopted for obtaining the bay`ah was absolutely illegitimate and unwarranted. In no law, it is permitted to force one’s will on others. If they had evidence that `Ali (a.s) was preparing from the time of the Prophet (a.s) to acquire a position of power, and if he had organized a group for such a purpose, there could have been some justification in adopting harsh measure to protect their own interests. But when there was no such evidence, it is surprising why Abū-Bakr and `Umar adopted very harsh measures to extract bay`ah from `Ali (a.s). How such measures could be called just and legitimate from no lesser persons than the first and the second Caliphs of Islam!

`Ali’s refusal to give bay`ah was not just for sentimental reasons. But his denial was purely on principles. Even if the aggression had gone to the maximum extent, he would not have bowed down to the injustice inflicted in the name of democracy. There was no justification from the Shari`ah for such hegemony. Therefore, he bore with great courage all the hardships inflicted on him. He never accepted the Democratic Caliphate and therefore no question arises of his ever acquiescing to owe bay`ah to those Caliphs!

[1] Murūj al-Dhahab, Vol 2, Page 60