And how attributing this statement to Ali (a.s.) is correct, whereas it is
narrated from him through a number of channels that he said: The Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.a.) said while I was having his head against my chest: O Ali, did you not hear the statement of Allah, the Mighty and the High:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَتِ أُولَبِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ
“(As for) those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men.”1
The verse implies you and your Shia.
And it is narrated from Jabir that: “Indeed, when Ali arrived, companions of
Prophet said: The best of creatures has arrived.”2
If Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) believed that Abu Bakr was the best of men,
then why till the passing away of the chief of ladies, Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.), he
did not pledge allegiance to him? As Bukhari has himself narrated:3
During the lifetime of Fatima, Ali was respected among people, and Bani
Hashim and others from the important people of Ummah and companions of
Prophet supported him, was there no one among them who knew this rank of Ali
(a.s.)?
How Ali Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) mounted Lady Fatima Zahra (s.a.) on
mount during the nights and took her to gatherings of Ansar and Lady Fatima
Zahra (s.a.) sought help from them for the best of men?4 And why in the
statement of one, who on the day of Saqifah and after those people invited
towards Abu Bakr, why it was not hinted that he is the best of men?
On the contrary, what they continued to chant was that he was one, who took
precedence, the most aged of them and one of the two from the cave and all this
was accompanied with threats and warnings.
أَفَلَمْ يَدَّبَّرُوا الْقَوْلَ أَمْ جَاءَهُمْ مَّا لَمْ يَأْتِ أَبَاءَهُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
“Is it then that they do not ponder over what is said, or is it that
there has come to them that which did not come to their fathers
of old?”5
Just suppose the companions on that day were not aware of the rank of this
man, then why Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) did not remind them and did not order
that they should pledge allegiance to the best of men?
Whereas among them was one, who with relation to his companion was
more obedient to him and with this sources and roots of mischief may be
removed and dispel dispute from among Muslims and not make them fall into
dark times of social unrest, which made a large number of them deviated?
Maula Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) is away from all this. But he was unaware of that tradition of the best of people and in a wink of the eye did not confess to
its subject matter. On the contrary, from the top of pulpits and in public
gatherings he (a.s.) raised his voice against this statement as was mentioned in
past discussions.
At this point we would try to prove that Ali (a.s.), after his purified brother
(Prophet) – peace be on them both and their progeny – is the best of human
beings, definitely we would do this!
And we can never compare him with those, who managed to occupy the seat
of Caliphate.
O Allah we seek your forgiveness and out salvation is in Your hands.
How nice it would have been if Ahle Sunnat has really accepted what was
attributed to His Eminence: “I am not but a man from Muslims.”
Or the statement of His Eminence to his son:
“My son, your father is a man from Muslims, what is beneficial for him is
for his benefit and what is harmful to them is harmful to him.”
If they had testified to this and considered him a man from Muslims and
applied to him rules of one, who believes in God and had embraced Islam.
On the contrary, they followed the viewpoint of Uthman and regarded
Marwan bin Hakam, who was accursed son of accursed by tongue of Prophet to
be superior to him!
Alas, if they had only regarded him at base levels of Bedouins and low level
of companions. But did this happen? I adjure you by Almighty Allah, tell me
which Muslim is there, who is cursed from seventy thousand pulpits and no one
utters a single word in his defense?
I adjure you by Almighty Allah, tell me that other than Ali (a.s.), which
Muslim noble or subject is such that cursing him was Sunnat in all Islamic
gatherings and Friday congregations? And speeches and lectures concluded on
cursing him; and whoever forbid it, was driven out from his house and banished?
Junaid bin Abdur Rahman bin Amr says: I came to Damascus from Hauran
to collect my stipend. So, I prayed the Friday Prayer and came out of Baabud
Daraj, where an old man stood; he was Abu Saibah, the story teller. He
entertained us for some time and then said: “Conclude your gatherings on cursing
Abu Turab.” So the people cursed Abu Turab.
I asked a person to my right: “Who is Abu Turab?”
He replied: “Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.), cousin of Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.) and his son-in-law; who embraced Islam before all; the father of Hasan
and Husain…” till the end of what is mentioned in Tarikh Ibne Asakir.6
It is mentioned there: Junaid deemed this to be an evil act. He slapped that man. He complained to Hisham bin Abdul Malik and he banished Junaid to Sanad and he remained there till he died.