Note
In spite of the fact that the merits and distinctions of Ahle Bayt (a.s.) are numerous; and friends and enemies confess to them, and on the other hand, history has recorded innumerable condemnations and ridicules of enemies and opponents of Ahle Bayt (a.s.), it is surprising that some books are full of condemnation for opponents of Ahle Bayt (a.s.) but illogical merits are narrated for them as well. More extraordinary is the fact that since they lacked all merits some of their defects are shown as points of excellence!
In this way, the tyrant Caliphs, on one hand began to fabricate merits for themselves and on the other hand cursed and abused Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and went to the extent of reporting his defects and reducing his rank and that of the family of prophethood.
Yaqut Hamuyi has said in Mojamul Buldan: 1
“They cursed Imam Ali (a.s.) in every land from the pulpits of the east and west.”
It was made a practice to curse Imam Ali (a.s.) and during the period of Bani Umayyah this was carried out from seventy thousand pulpits. They regarded cursing Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) as a definite principle of belief or an obligatory duty of Sunnah on which they acted upon with full enthusiasm. So much so that when Umar bin Abdul Aziz, for some exigency or political expediency prohibited it, they reacted in such a way as if he had brought a severe calamity upon them or that he had committed a deadly sin.
Leave aside the rank of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) with regard to the great divine Caliphate, and his precedence in defense of Islam and in making it established and in spreading justice and equity, strengthening the bases of obligatory and recommended in religion!
Also, his merits and excellence of manners and the verses of Quran revealed in his favor and the traditional reports of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in his excellence!
But was he beyond the circle of Muslims, to curse and abuse whom is prohibited in widely narrated traditions and which is unlawful according to the verdict of Islamic law? Only one tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is sufficient for illustration:
“Abusing a Muslim is transgression.”2
In addition to that even if we overlook the pure and chaste birth, sacred lineage and origin, noble descent; and personal and acquired merits and noble capacities of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), but according to their own beliefs, His Eminence is one of the ten persons, regarding whom Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) has guaranteed Paradise!
Or at least he was one of the companions of the Prophet, all of whom are regarded as just; and through whose words and deeds the Ahle Sunnat argue, and whose condemnation is not regarded lawful, for which they vehemently denounce the Shia and think that Shia talk ill of some companions. They have also prescribed laws of dealing with them.
To all this, add the fact that: Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s.), in view of Ahle Sunnat and consensus of all sects of Islam, is one of the ‘Rightly Guided Caliphs’, to abuse whom is severely condemned.
Come, let us ask them what is the justification for Muawiyah and Umayyads and their followers that they should commit this infamy?
And ask them: why they remain silent at those, who expelled Imam Ali (a.s.) from Caliphate and companionship and even put him beyond the pale of Islam. Why they regarded talking ill of him permissible?
So much they devalued the position of the Imam that they divested him from all the three ranks of: Caliphate, companionship of Prophet and Islam; and they do not accord any value to him and do not honor any of his rights?
Yes, the matter is such that Aamir bin Abdullah said to Zubair, to his son, who spoke ill of Ali (a.s.):
“My son, abstain from talking ill of Ali (a.s.); because Bani Umayyah abused him for sixty years and tried to bring down his rank, but the Almighty Allah raised his position.”3
They did not remain content only with abusing and cursing Ahle Bayt (a.s.) and ridiculing and censuring their Shia, and writers like the four ‘Ibn’s’: Ibne Hazm, Ibne Jauzi, Ibne Taymiyyah and Ibne Kathir, who bore the filthy spirit of Umayyads, in their books, denied the excellence of Ahle Bayt (a.s.) and fabricated false merits for the three Caliphs; and spread ridicule and allegations against the Shia.
For example, with regard to the tradition of the roasted fowl, which is authentic and widely narrated and scholars of traditions have accepted its authenticity and wide narration, Ibne Kathir has quoted this report and then given vent to his true feelings, saying:
“Although this tradition is narrated through numerous channels, but my heart does not accept that it is authentic.”
Yes, this is a heart, which Almighty Allah has sealed. Were it healthy and perfect, he would not have expressed such opinion?
Yes, as if foolishness and ignorance is yet alive, although Abu Jahl is dead since long. Still the tongues of the fire of ignorance are not extinguished, although Abu Lahab is in hell. As if the world has turned on its heels and has not benefited from the sun of Islam to the extent of getting warmth (and has not benefited from it sufficiently).
In spite of numerous merits of Ali (a.s.), they sidelined him from Caliphate on the pretext that he was young of age and partial to the descendants of Abdul Muttalib. And they followed persons, for whom ignorance testifies that they are its folks, and gave them power over the people, and the consequence of these deadly crimes was that fellows lacking every positive quality and transgressors like Muawiyah and Yazid came to control the life and property of people, instead of Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husain (a.s.)!
And there is contradiction between the element of prophethood and divinity transferred from loins of pure ancestors and from wombs of chaste mothers, from prophets to successors, from successors to guardians (Wali), and from guardians (Wali) to wise ones, and from wise ones to elders and from elders to nobles, and from nobles to the seal of the messengership and his successor, the owner of the great mastership (Wilayat) and between the Umayyad, ‘Abshami’ elements.4
How profound was the difference between these two family trees: The Nabawi (of the Prophet) and Alawite (of Ali), the pure tree, whose roots are firm and whose branches and leaves are in heavens; whereas the accursed Umayyad family tree – the evil tree, whose roots grow into the earth and which has no stability.
How remote these two family trees are from each other: One is the blessed olive tree, which shades you and the other is the accursed tree of the Holy Quran.5