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Allah Ta’ala made ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu a defender on all fronts. Not only did he help Allah’s Ta’ala religion, he aided Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and defended his brothers, the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum from anybody who attempted to denigrate their lofty rank and provoke civil strife. He detested disunity (among the believers); thereby completely shutting the door on Shaitan and his army, and cutting the possibility of them slipping in (and causing disunity). He was the epitome of all good qualities for the simple reason that he always kept the community’s interests at heart, over and above everything else. He expended all his efforts to maintain unity and reunite people (whenever the need arose); his position in defending ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu is but one example that clearly illustrates this point. Al Sayed ‘Alawi Balfaqih mentions in his book, Min A’qab Bid’ah al Muhammadiyyah al Tahirah:
Abu Jafar al Ansari rahimahu Llah says: “I entered upon ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu together with the adamant and obstinate others. When they killed him, I immediately exited and found myself extremely frustrated, so much so that my entire insides became full of hatred and anger (towards the killers of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu). I entered the masjid and found a man sitting with a group of people around him. He was wearing a black turban. He said to me: “Woe unto you! What is with you?” I said: “By Allah, they have just finished killing him (i.e. ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu).” He immediately remarked: “May destruction be their lot right until the end!” When I took a closer look at the man I realised it was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu. When the news had reached him, in a stupor, he grabbed his son, Muhammad, by the waist, exited the masjid, and headed straight for ‘Uthman’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu house. He told his son: “Leave! You are not safe here!” Upon entering ‘Uthman’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu house, he found his body slain radiya Llahu ‘anhu. After reading “To Allah do we belong and unto Him shall we return,” he exclaimed to his two sons, Hassan and Hussain: “How could he have possibly been killed when you two were right by the door? Return to the door and stand guard with your swords. Do not allow anyone to enter!” A group of Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum also sent their children to stand guard by the door of ‘Uthman’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu house preventing anyone from entering and requesting from ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu to bring Marwan out of the house. Upset and annoyed with the people around him, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu decided to go home. Upon entering his house, he closed the doors behind him and locked the doors shut (to be alone and not entertain anyone).”[1]
In the same book, Shaddad ibn Aws radiya Llahu ‘anhu is reported to have said:
When the siege around the house of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu precipitated, I saw ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu outside of the house. He was wearing Nabi’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam turban and his sword was unsheathed. In front of him were a group of Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum (both Muhajirun and Ansar), namely: Hassan, Hussain, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhum, they were all trying to break up the people and curb the chaos. They (the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum) entered the house and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu said to ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu: “Al Salam ‘alaykum, O Amir al Mu’minin! Verily, Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not undertake this matter except that he encountered hostility and aggression from all angles. What I see is these people will (eventually) try to kill you; will you not allow us then, to confront them (first)?” ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu replied: “By the rights that Allah Ta’ala has over you and by the authority I have been vested with (over you), I beg of you not to spill any blood for my sake or in my name!” ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu repeated his request and ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu responded to him in the same manner (as the first time). Thereafter, I saw ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu outside the house and he was saying: “O Allah! You know very-well that we tried our utmost best (to persuade ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu).” After uttering this statement he returned back to the masjid.[2]
When ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu entered Kufah, a man approached him and began rebuking ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu for the (simple) reason that he ordered for everyone to follow one mushaf (Qur’an). ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu retorted:
Keep quiet! He only did so after consulting us! If I were in his position, I would have treaded the same path![3]
It has been narrated that Muhammad ibn Hatib radiya Llahu ‘anhu, a Sahabi of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “The people will ask us about ‘Uthman tomorrow what shall we say (to them)?” ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu told him:
‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu was from those people who “…believed in Allah Ta’ala and carried-out virtuous actions; thereafter had fear in Allah Ta’ala and believed; thereafter he feared Allah Ta’ala further and did good.”[4][5]
In another place, Muhammad ibn Hatib radiya Llahu ‘anhu said:
I heard ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu saying: “‘Uthman was from those (people) whom Allah Ta’ala says about them in the Qur’an:
وَّاٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوْا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَّاٰمَنُوْا ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَّأَحْسَنُوْاؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ
(they) believe and do righteous deeds, and then fear Allah and believe, and then fear Allah and do good; and Allah loves the doers of good.”[6]
NEXT⇒ ‘Ali’s Respect for Umm al Mu’minin, Sayyidah Aisha
[1] Al Sayed ‘Alawi Balfaqih: Min A’qab Bid’ah al Muhammadiyyah al Tahirah 1/190
[2] Ibid, 1:194.
[3] Ibn al Athir. Al Kamil fi al Tarikh, 2:482.
[4] ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu referred to ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu by quoting verse 93 of Surah al Ma’idah.
[5] Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq 475
Imam Ahmed: Fada’il al Sahabah 1/474
[6] Surah al Ma’idah: 93
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Allah Ta’ala made ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu a defender on all fronts. Not only did he help Allah’s Ta’ala religion, he aided Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and defended his brothers, the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum from anybody who attempted to denigrate their lofty rank and provoke civil strife. He detested disunity (among the believers); thereby completely shutting the door on Shaitan and his army, and cutting the possibility of them slipping in (and causing disunity). He was the epitome of all good qualities for the simple reason that he always kept the community’s interests at heart, over and above everything else. He expended all his efforts to maintain unity and reunite people (whenever the need arose); his position in defending ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu is but one example that clearly illustrates this point. Al Sayed ‘Alawi Balfaqih mentions in his book, Min A’qab Bid’ah al Muhammadiyyah al Tahirah:
Abu Jafar al Ansari rahimahu Llah says: “I entered upon ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu together with the adamant and obstinate others. When they killed him, I immediately exited and found myself extremely frustrated, so much so that my entire insides became full of hatred and anger (towards the killers of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu). I entered the masjid and found a man sitting with a group of people around him. He was wearing a black turban. He said to me: “Woe unto you! What is with you?” I said: “By Allah, they have just finished killing him (i.e. ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu).” He immediately remarked: “May destruction be their lot right until the end!” When I took a closer look at the man I realised it was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu. When the news had reached him, in a stupor, he grabbed his son, Muhammad, by the waist, exited the masjid, and headed straight for ‘Uthman’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu house. He told his son: “Leave! You are not safe here!” Upon entering ‘Uthman’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu house, he found his body slain radiya Llahu ‘anhu. After reading “To Allah do we belong and unto Him shall we return,” he exclaimed to his two sons, Hassan and Hussain: “How could he have possibly been killed when you two were right by the door? Return to the door and stand guard with your swords. Do not allow anyone to enter!” A group of Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum also sent their children to stand guard by the door of ‘Uthman’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu house preventing anyone from entering and requesting from ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu to bring Marwan out of the house. Upset and annoyed with the people around him, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu decided to go home. Upon entering his house, he closed the doors behind him and locked the doors shut (to be alone and not entertain anyone).”[1]
In the same book, Shaddad ibn Aws radiya Llahu ‘anhu is reported to have said:
When the siege around the house of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu precipitated, I saw ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu outside of the house. He was wearing Nabi’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam turban and his sword was unsheathed. In front of him were a group of Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum (both Muhajirun and Ansar), namely: Hassan, Hussain, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhum, they were all trying to break up the people and curb the chaos. They (the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum) entered the house and ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu said to ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu: “Al Salam ‘alaykum, O Amir al Mu’minin! Verily, Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not undertake this matter except that he encountered hostility and aggression from all angles. What I see is these people will (eventually) try to kill you; will you not allow us then, to confront them (first)?” ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu replied: “By the rights that Allah Ta’ala has over you and by the authority I have been vested with (over you), I beg of you not to spill any blood for my sake or in my name!” ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu repeated his request and ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu responded to him in the same manner (as the first time). Thereafter, I saw ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu outside the house and he was saying: “O Allah! You know very-well that we tried our utmost best (to persuade ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu).” After uttering this statement he returned back to the masjid.[2]
When ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu entered Kufah, a man approached him and began rebuking ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu for the (simple) reason that he ordered for everyone to follow one mushaf (Qur’an). ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu retorted:
Keep quiet! He only did so after consulting us! If I were in his position, I would have treaded the same path![3]
It has been narrated that Muhammad ibn Hatib radiya Llahu ‘anhu, a Sahabi of Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “The people will ask us about ‘Uthman tomorrow what shall we say (to them)?” ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu told him:
‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu was from those people who “…believed in Allah Ta’ala and carried-out virtuous actions; thereafter had fear in Allah Ta’ala and believed; thereafter he feared Allah Ta’ala further and did good.”[4][5]
In another place, Muhammad ibn Hatib radiya Llahu ‘anhu said:
I heard ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu saying: “‘Uthman was from those (people) whom Allah Ta’ala says about them in the Qur’an:
وَّاٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوْا الصّٰلِحٰتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَّاٰمَنُوْا ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَّأَحْسَنُوْاؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ
(they) believe and do righteous deeds, and then fear Allah and believe, and then fear Allah and do good; and Allah loves the doers of good.”[6]
NEXT⇒ ‘Ali’s Respect for Umm al Mu’minin, Sayyidah Aisha
[1] Al Sayed ‘Alawi Balfaqih: Min A’qab Bid’ah al Muhammadiyyah al Tahirah 1/190
[2] Ibid, 1:194.
[3] Ibn al Athir. Al Kamil fi al Tarikh, 2:482.
[4] ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu referred to ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu by quoting verse 93 of Surah al Ma’idah.
[5] Ibn ‘Asakir: Tarikh Dimashq 475
Imam Ahmed: Fada’il al Sahabah 1/474
[6] Surah al Ma’idah: 93