Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

The Allegiance To Imam `ali

`Uthman assumed the reins of office at the age of seventy on the first of Muharram 24 H. Unfortunately his period, excepting the Umayyads, was not very good for the Muslims in general. The people were put to too much hardship. Even very senior, and octogenarian, Companions of the Prophet (a.s) were ill-treated. The ribs of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ūd were broken. `Ammar ibn Yasir was tortured. Abū-Dharr al-Ghifari was exiled. Cruelty and torture was rampant. Voices were raised against this attitude of `Uthman. There was unrest amongst the people. From amongst the members of the Shūra, `Ali (a.s) was already unhappy with the way the succession was effected. Talhah and al-Zubayr too turned openly hostile to the caliph. `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf who was instrumental in bringing `Uthman to the caliphate by playing the ruse of sirat al-shaykhayn was repentant and not very happy for promoting him. He was so angry that he did not talk to `Uthman until his death. Ibn `Abd-Rabbih writes:

“During the illness of `Abd al-Rahman, `Uthman went to inquire about his condition. Looking at him, `Abd al-Rahman turned his face towards the wall.”[1]

`Uthman was killed in his house on the eighteenth of Dhul-Hijjah 35 H because of the general unrest amongst the people owing to his nepotism with Banū-Umayyah and general maladministration.

These twelve years of misrule awakened the people about the wrong choice of the ruler. They realized that the control should be in capable hands and a person who had the welfare of the people at heart and not that the wealth of the nation got concentrated in one person and his cohorts hands. Therefore, as soon as the position of the caliphate was vacant, the leading Companions and the public looked towards `Ali (a.s). If `Uthman had died a natural death, the caliphate might not have come to the focal point where it ought to have been. If `Uthman had sufficient time, he might have put the mill of Saqifah and Shūra into operation as did his predecessors. But death was sudden and did


[1] Al-`Iqd al-Farīd, Vol 3, Page 79

not give him respite to organize the succession. The cohorts of `Uthman were the people who were using him in their personal interests. They too would not have tolerated to see a person in the position of the caliph who would put a stop to their activities of loot and pillage. It can be said with certainty that Mu`awiyah, `Amr ibn al-`As and the other functionaries appointed by `Uthman knew `Ali’s nature very well. They would have put all sorts of impediments that `Ali (a.s) was defeated in the race for the succession. They had also prepared `A’ishah to toe their line. She was, in fact, in the first lines of the opponents of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s). These persons would have advised `Uthman to set up a new Shūra and repeat the history again! They could have persuaded him to nominate someone using the subterfuge of the sirat al-shaykhayn to justify the decision. But the circumstances changed so fast that they did not get the opportunity to put their plans into operation. `Uthman paid with his own life for the maladministration that was perpetrated during his regime.

After the Prophet (a.s), `Ali (a.s) spent a long period with no concern for the governance and the life style that he lived attracted the attention of the people. They therefore reached a conclusion that there is no person better than `Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a.s) to be at the helm of affairs. Therefore, the important persons from the Muhajirūn and Ansar gathered at the al-Masjid al-Nabawi and decided unanimously that `Ali (a.s) be requested to take the reins of the caliphate in his hands. After this decision they sent a delegation to `Ali (a.s). In this delegation, Talhah and al-Zubayr too were there. The delegation made their request with `Ali ibn Abi-Talib (a.s). `Ali (a.s) hesitated in accepting their request and said that he did not like to interfere in their affairs and that they should look elsewhere for another person. He wanted them to leave him to his own scruples. Those people said:

“We do not consider anyone other than you deserving of the Caliphate, nor is anyone more eminent than you on the basis of the past services to the Faith. There is none near to you in the closeness with the Prophet (a.s).”[1]

`Ali (a.s) refused once again. But they pleaded with him very much. When they saw that `Ali (a.s) was not yielding to their requests they literally begged him:

“We request you in the name of Allah! You are seeing the condition we are in! Are not you seeing the state of Islam and

[1] Al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh, Vol 3, Page 98

the mischief that is rampant? Are you not concerned about the mischief?”[1]

`Ali (a.s) refused to accept their request, but when their insistence increased very much, he felt that for Fulfillment of the Condition, despite unfavorable circumstances, he could not any more resist the call of duty, he said:

“I accept! But remember one thing that this acceptance is on condition that I shall take you on the path that I think is better for you!”[2]

It was the charisma of the changing circumstances that after `Umar the condition of sirat al-shaykhayn was imposed along with the offer of the Caliphate, that was rejected by `Ali (a.s). Now the same Caliphate was offered to him and he was putting forth his own conditions before he accepted it that he would use his own discretion in performing the task rather than depending on others advice.

After `Ali (a.s) accepted the Caliphate, the general bay`ah was organized on Friday, the twenty-fifth of Dhul-Hijjah 35 H. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) emerged from Bayt al-Sharaf and came to the al-Masjid al-Nabawi where a huge gathering was already there. In his simplicity `Ali (a.s) was wearing an ordinary turban on his head, carrying the footwear in one hand and, instead of the staff, a bow in the other, entered the precincts of the Mosque. When he arrived, there was a movement in the crowd. He went past the crowd towards the pulpit of the Mosque and sat at the place where the Prophet (a.s) used to sit. He rested his arm on the bow and the process of the bay`ah was commenced. Talhah and al-Zubayr were the first to extend their hands to owe their allegiance to him. Husayn Diyarbakri writes:

“First Talhah and al-Zubayr did the bay`at and then the others followed.”[3]

Talhah had lost one of his hands in the Battle of Badr When Habib ibn Dhu’ayb saw him doing the bay`ah, he said:

“A person with the useless hand has done the bay`ah. It will not be successful!”[4]

[1] Al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh, Vol 3, Page 99
[2] Al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh, Vol 3, Page 99
[3] Tārīkh al-Khamīs, Vol 2, Page 276
[4] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 3, Page 451

After this men came forward for the bay`ah in hordes as the thirsty come to quench their thirst. None from the participants in the Battle of Badr who was living had missed the bay`ah of `Ali (a.s). Ibn Hajar al-Makki writes:

“None from the people of Badr was missed. All of them came to `Ali (a.s) and said that they considered none more deserving of the Caliphate than him. They asked him to extend his hand in bay`ah. Thus the allegiance was accomplished.”[1]

Among the people who did the bay`ah not only there were the people of al-Madinah, but also there were men from Yemen, Egypt and Iraq as well. Everyone owed his allegiance to the Imam (a.s) happily and pledged to be faithful to him. Thus, unanimously his Caliphate was established.

After the accomplishment of the bay`ah, the representative of the Ansar, Thabit ibn Qays, said on behalf of his group:

“By Allah! O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s)! Although they had taken precedence over you in assuming the reins of the governance, they did not have precedence over you in embracing the Faith! Then they went ahead of you, but now you are at that place! With them around neither your status was hidden nor your position unknown! They were dependent on you for the matters about which they were ignorant, and you, with your knowledge did not have to depend on anyone!”[2]

The Ansar, in general, took very active part in the bay`ah. But some of them who were affiliated to the `Uthmanite coterie abstained from the bay`ah. Therefore, Hassan ibn Thabit, Ka`b ibn Malik, Maslamah ibn Muqallid, Abū-Sa`id al-Khidri, Muhammad ibn Maslamah, al-Nu`man ibn Bashir, Zayd ibn Thabit, Rafi` ibn Khudayj, al-Fadl ibn `Ubayd and Ka`b ibn Hajar did not do the bay`ah. These men remained at their respective homes.

`Ali (a.s) did not deprive any person of his right of choice. He did not bring about any pressure on any one nor forced people to come to owe their allegiance. Those who came willingly, he did bay`ah with them. But he did ask Sa`d ibn Abi-Waqqas and `Abdullah ibn `Umar to come for the bay`ah because their appearances indicated that they might try to prevent others from coming for the bay`ah. Therefore, Sa`d ibn Abi-Waqqas and `Abdullah ibn `Umar were particularly sent for and their allegiance was demanded. Sa`d said


[1] Al-Sawā`iq al-Muhriqah, Page 118
[2] Tārīkh al-Ya`qūbī, Vol 2, Page 118

that when the others owe their allegiance, he too would do it. He added that even if he did not do the bay`ah, he would not openly oppose `Ali (a.s). When `Abdullah ibn `Umar refused to do the bay`ah, he was asked to commit that he would not try to disrupt the peace and tranquility of the realm. He refused to give any such guarantee. At this Malik al-Ashtar was angry and asked `Ali’s permission to cut away `Abdullah’s head. `Ali (a.s) said, “You need not do anything to him! I take the responsibility on his behalf! He had been stubborn in his childhood and is the same even now!”

There were several persons who did bay`ah at the hands of Amir al-Mu’minin, who were very active at that time but went back on their promise later on and became rebellious. Among such persons were Talhah and al-Zubayr who did the bay`ah in front of a crowd. But when their expectations of undue benefits were not fulfilled, they said that they had owed their allegiance under duress and not willingly! The manner in which Amir al-Mu’minin’s bay`ah was conducted, any fair person would not accept the canard of Talhah and al-Zubayr. After much persuasion by the Muslims the Imam (a.s) conceded to their demand for taking over the Caliphate and there was no element of coercion in the conduct of the bay`ah. There were several persons who refused to owe their allegiance and they were happily going around without any fear. What was the importance of the insignificant Talhah and al-Zubayr that their bay`ah, willing or unwilling, was thought absolutely necessary and under the shadow of the sword, as alleged by them, they were forced to owe allegiance! Then this process could also have been followed for Sa`d and `Abdullah ibn `Umar. Why they were left to their own scruples and the twin of Talhah-al-Zubayr were coerced to give their allegiance!

With the bay`ah of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) both worldly and spiritual power was vested in him. Caliphate, in fact, is from Allah for enforcing His Commands and running the society according to the norms of the Shari`ah. The caliphate is through Nass and not the prerogative of the people or a small coterie of persons who manipulate the circumstances to acquire power for personal gains and aggrandizement. The caliphate that was offered to `Ali (a.s) was just a worldly position that he accepted under much persuasion from the people and he had made it clear to them that all his actions would be in consonance with the Shari`ah. Therefore, in one of his sermons he says,

“If the presence of those who came for the bay`ah and those who supported me, had not persuaded me, and the pledge that Allah has taken from the Ulema that they should not remain
quiet at the tyranny of the cruel and the penury of the poor, I would have left the caliphate on others shoulders.”

Although he remained away from the power after the demise of the Prophet (a.s), he was not away from the divinely commissioned caliphate for a single moment. Whether he had worldly power or not, he was to be obeyed as the Holy Prophet’s successor and a Divinely commissioned Imam. Even those who considered obedience to him was not necessary ultimately came round and owed their allegiance to him for the worldly caliphate. Although obedience was the common factor in both the groups -one group owed total allegiance, both worldly and spiritual, to the Imam (a.s) and the other group only the worldly allegiance!

The worldly power is the height of achievement for the mundane creatures, but Amir al-Mu’minin’s status is much more elevated. Before this worldly caliphate there was no shortcoming in him nor did, the caliphate enhanced his status in any way. Sa`sa`ah ibn Sawhan al-`Abdi told `Ali (a.s) at the time of the bay`ah:

“By Allah! O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s)! You have enhanced the status of the caliphate. The caliphate has not elevated you in any way! You have taken it to greater heights by accepting it. You did not need it, the caliphate needed you!”[1]

Once a discussion was started about the caliphate in the presence of Ahmad ibn Hanbal when he said:

“O people! Why are you talking so much about `Ali (a.s) and the caliphate, and the caliphate and `Ali (a.s)? Caliphate had not enhanced `Ali’s status in any way. It was `Ali (a.s) who gave the status to caliphate!”[2]

[1] Tārīkh al-Ya`qūbī, Vol 1, Page 135 [2] Tārīkh Baghdād, Vol 1, Page 135