What a selection! And how did it came about? And why? And through what?
Do you know what impelled Ibne Umar to issue such a funny statement? By
attributing this fabricated statement to companions and attributing this destructive
selection to them, and that they after those three persons stopped giving
precedence to anyone and said:
After those three, we will leave companions of Prophet and would give no
precedence to anyone and they said: When Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman went
away, people are equal and the Prophet heard this statement and did not
contradict it?
Do you know how giving precedence and selection should be imagined?
And how is it completed? And how it becomes correct? After the proofs available
in Sahih and Musnad books, it is narrated without chains of narrators that Ali is
the most superior companion from the aspect of forbearance, and one having the
best nature among them and the most knowledgeable among them about Quran
and traditions and who embraced Islam before all.
He was the first of those, who prayed with Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and was
most loyal to the covenant made to God, and who was rose up with the command
of Allah the most; most angry of them for the sake of God, most equitable of
them in distribution, most just of them to the subjects, most perceptive of them
about the consequences; most senior of them with regard to excellence; most
superior of them in adjudication; the first among them who would arrive at the
Cistern to the Prophet; most senior of them in needlessness; most loved of them
near God and His Messenger, most special of them from the aspect of rank; most
proximate of them from the aspect of relationship; most eligible of them as Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was to them; and most proximate of them regarding covenant
to Prophet.1
And one regarding whom Jibraeel called out that there is no brave youth, except Ali and there is no sword, except Zufiqar,2 whether after all this, does
there remain any scope for fabrications regarding giving precedence to others
over Ali (a.s.), till the discretion of selection is given to that child, that is Ibne
Umar or anyone else? And that they choose someone other than Ali (a.s.)? O
God, we pray for forgiveness and success is from You only.
Jahiz writes: Whenever precedence in Islam is mentioned and when valor,
daring and defense of Islam is mentioned, when jurisprudence and foresight in
religion is mentioned, and when piety and abstemiousness for which people battle
each other is mentioned, and when charitable nature in important issues of life are
mentioned, no man is recognized, who should be named with these qualities as
Ali (a.s.).3
I don’t know how those selection makers left the companions of Muhammad
after those three persons and did not give precedence to anyone? And how can
the people be equal whereas among them were ten such persons, who had been
given the glad tidings of Paradise? And among them was someone whom the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) had in his Ummah from the aspect of good nature,
righteousness, worship, piety, truthfulness and initiative, nature and habits to be
like Isa (a.s.).4
Among them was someone, whom Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) declared to be the
skin between his eyes and nose and the purified one, whose marrow was full of
faith, and who turns wherever the truth turns.5
Among them was someone, whom Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) considered to be
heavier in the pan of balance than Mt Uhad, and the companion from the aspect
of good nature, dignity and righteousness most resembling to Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.).6
Among them was someone, whom Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) made proximate
and taught wisdom of the past and the future.7
Among them was someone, regarding whom it is narrated from Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that: “One, who wants to look at a man, whose heart is
illuminated, should glance at Salman.”
And he said: “Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime likes four persons
from my companions; and ordered me to love them: Ali, Abu Zar, Salman and
Miqdad.”
And said in an authentic tradition that: “Salman is from us, Ahle Bayt (a.s.).”
Ali Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) said: “Salman is a man from us, Ahle Bayt
(a.s.); he has obtained wisdom of formers and latters, who among you is like
Luqman, the wise? He is the limitless sea.”8
Other people, who are in the first row of elders, who are regarded as holders
of excellence in the Ummah of Muhammad, then does Ibne Umar know the ranks
of these persons and estimation of their greatness; and then showed equality
between them and between the son of Hind and wanton woman?
“Then if he did not know, this is a calamity and if he knows, it is a great
calamity.” [Persian couplet]
Yes, Ibne Umar was not pleased that Ali Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), even
after Uthman, son of Bani Umayyah and the one, who was killed and disgraced
by just companions, should be more superior to anyone from the companions of
Prophet and he was not pleased to judge between Ali (a.s.) and son of Hind with
regard to superiority.
Although the son of Hind sought precedence and committed excess. One,
who when verses of Quran were recited to him, he turned away in arrogance, as if
he had not heard them, as if his ears were heavy.9 And neither between Ali and
the son of the wanton woman, who was a ruin son of a ruin and between Ali and
Mughira bin Shoba that most adulterous person from Thaqif tribe and between
Ali and sons of Umayyah, those fruits of accursed tree in Quran.
From the lizard driven out and cursed like him, till the wayward
transgressor, till the abusive ill talker, and between Ali (a.s.) and the imbibers of
liquor, those alcoholics and profligates during period of Ignorance or Islam, like:
Abu Ubaidah Jarrah,10 Ubayy bin Kaab,11 Anas bin Malik,12 Hassan bin Thabit,13
Saad Ibne Abi Waqqas,14 Zarar bin Khattab,15 Abdur Rahman bin Umar,16 Amr bin
Aas,17 Maaz bin Jabal,18 Naeem bin Masud Ashjai,19 Walid bin Uqbah, maternal
brother of Uthman.20