Foreword

The Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away without formally appointing anyone to succeed him. If he had issued a command on this, it would not have been hidden, since the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was always frank in conveying the message and feared no-one. Otherwise, he would not have conveyed his message. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had no need to subtly hint at something or insinuate anything. If he wanted something, he would announce it from his pulpit at the time of communal prayers, explicitly and clearly, and with all due sternness, power, and seriousness. He would impose obligations on the Muslims, which would be heard by all, far and near. Then, riders would travel with the news, word of mouth would pass it on further, and it would be on everyone’s lips. It is not conceivable that the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum would disobey a matter that the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam desired, urged, and recommended, and that they would all conspire to conceal it.^[1]

The dispute over the Caliphate was the first dispute to arise among the sons of this Islamic Ummah in the earliest of days. The Muhajirun and the Ansar disputed on the Day of al Saqifah, the Ansar said, “From us (there will be) an Amir and from you (there will be) an Amir.” So, the Muhajirun mentioned the hadith of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in which he said, “The leaders are from Quraysh.” So, the people obeyed, the commotion died down, and Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala protected the Muslims from the evil of sedition. They all pledged allegiance to the first Khalifah by consensus, except for a few from the Banu Hashim and Abu Sufyan from the Banu Umayyah. They delayed their pledge for a while, then pledged allegiance later. Then the Muslims were concerned when Sayyidina Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu appointed Sayyidina ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu to be the Khalifah at the time of his death. However, this concern soon dissipated with the words of Abu Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhu, “If my Lord asks me on the Day of Qiyamah, I will say that I appointed the best of the people over them.” So, all the seditious feelings among the people started to settle and they all pledged allegiance to the second Khalifah by consensus. Meanwhile, the non-Arabs living in Madinah who were Jews, Magians and Christians, began to conspire against the Khalifah who conquered their land, humiliated their kings, and had their thrones to show for it.

One might indeed say, “The Arab leaders of the Muslims were the likes of al Muthanna ibn Harithah, Khalid ibn al Walid, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, Abu ‘Ubaidah ‘Amir ibn al Jarrah, ‘Amr ibn al ‘As, Hudhayfah ibn al Yaman, Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, and others. And it is they who demolished the kingdom of Kisra^[2], it is they who shook the throne of Caesar, and it is they who in a matter of 10 years established a massive empire, administering the Jazirah^[3], ‘Iraq, Persia, Syria, and Egypt!”

However, let us not forget that these brilliant conquests would never have happened, the paths of these daring heroes to their crowning victories would never have crossed, and they would have never performed all of their great feats of bravery, had it not been for the spirit driving their forward charge, a great intellect governing over them, his brilliance and determination directing them; and that spirit was ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu.^[4]

Perhaps it would not be an exaggeration if I said that they were no more than assistants and soldiers being employed by ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu in a terrific game of strategy against Kisra and Caesar, and that in reality it was indeed he who conquered kingdoms, subdued countries, and established the Arab Muslim state as a powerful structure built on firm foundations. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala truly protected the poet, Abu Tayyib al Mutanabbi, so that he may say:

الرَأيُ قَبلَ شَجاعَةِ الشُجعانِ هُوَ أَوَّلٌ وَهِيَ المَحَلُّ الثاني

وَلَرُبَّما طَعَنَ الفَتى أَقرانَهُ بِالرَأيِ قَبلَ تَطاعُنِ الأَقرانِ

Reason precedes the courage of the brave,

It is foremost, while bravery comes second.

Perhaps a young man could strike his peers,

with reason, before the clashing of spears.

Before assuming the Caliphate, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was not particularly distinguished as a soldier, while the leaders we mentioned previously had all excelled. The explanation for that is not difficult. During the pre-Islamic era, he was simply too young to be allowed on military campaigns. As for the time of the prophethood and the first Caliphate, his sound judgment and his moral courage were more important to the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu than his bravery on the battlefield. He was more beneficial to them in the position of an advisor and consultant than in the scenes of execution.

Contrary to the aforementioned contention, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was extremely competent in military matters, a competence acquired from attending the scene of battle with the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and from his management of the war against the apostates with Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Abu Bakr recognized his competence and wished that he had benefited from it more directly. It is narrated that he said on his deathbed, “I wish that when I sent Khalid ibn al Walid to Sham^[5], I had sent ‘Umar ibn al Khattab to Iraq. In that way, I would have stretched out both my hands in the way of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.” Abu Bakr considered him to be the counterpart of Khalid—the Sword of Allah—and his equal; and that is enough evidence of his firm footing in the art of war and his competence in the affairs of combat. When ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu took over, that competence became undeniably evident and bore the greatest of fruit for the Caliphate.

‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu competence was of such high standard because it was based on the power of imagination, sound perception, and comprehension of human nature, both as individuals or groups. He selected his close confidants, mobilized armies, created positions, drew up plans, and sent a purposely selected person to Iraq, another to Syria, and a third to Egypt. He ordered to advance at times and to retreat at other times. He transferred supplies from East to West and from West to East. When he had perfected the plan and completed the preparations, he said to his companions with the calm of one confident of the success of his endeavour, “We have thrown the kings of the Persians at the kings of the Arabs, so let us see what happens now.”^[6] When his endeavour was successful, his plants bore fruit and the news of the conquest and victory came to him. He received it with humility, submission, and modesty, all the more testimony to his magnanimity and greatness.

It would take us a long time to completely prove the validity of the above claim^[7] at the hand of all the battles that broke out during the days of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu between the Arabs, Persians, and Romans, and frankly it would be sufficient proof to focus on one single event, which is the Battle of al Qadisiyyah in the year 14 AH, which is considered one of the greatest battles between the Muslim Arabs and the Persians.

When the situation became difficult for the Arabs in Iraq after the Battle of al Jisr (the Bridge) in the year 13 AH—which led to the death of the Arab commander, Abu ‘Ubaid al Thaqafi—and the Persians were determined to expel the Arabs from their country, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu rose to the occasion and paid great attention to it. So, he wrote to his appointees over the Arab tribes and their districts, saying:

ولا تدعوا أحداً له سلاح أو فرس أو نجدة أو رأى إلا انتخبتموه ثم وجهتموه إلي والعجل

Do not leave anyone who has a weapon or a mount, courage or intellect, except that you appoint him and send him to me. Make haste!^[8]

When reinforcements arrived, he was at a loss regarding whom he would appoint to lead it. His first thought was that he should go to Iraq himself! But those close to him dissuaded him from doing so. Then he found a man in whom he saw originality, complete courage, and respected leadership skill, so he ordered him to lead it.

Al Tabari narrates in his historical work: “Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas had a surplus of men at Hawazin, so in his good will, he volunteered to send a thousand horsemen to ‘Umar along with a letter declaring his assistance.

This letter reached the mushurah (advisory council) of ‘Umar, and they said, “We have found him!”

‘Umar asked, “Who?”

They said, “The one with the nature of a lion.”

He asked again, “Who?”

They said, “Sa’d!”

So, he agreed with what they said and he sent for him and placed him in command over the war in Iraq. He appointed him over a party of four thousand with their children and women. ‘Umar met them at their encampment and commanded them all to head for Iraq. However, they refused, wanting to go nowhere except for Sham, while he insisted that they go nowhere except Iraq. Eventually, he allowed half of them to head to Sham and he sent the rest to Iraq.^[9] When Sa’d arrived in Sharaf, he wrote to ‘Umar, informing him of his position and the position of the people between Ghada and the cemetery. ‘Umar wrote to him:

إذا جاءك كتابي هذا أمر على أجنادهم وعبهم وواعدهم القادسية واضمم إليك المغيرة بن شعبة في خيله واكتب إلي بالذي يستقر عليه رأيهم

When this letter of mine reaches you, take command of their armies and their forces, mobilize them toward al Qadisiyyah, and take al Mughirah ibn Shu’bah along with his cavalry into your ranks. Then, write back to me informing me of the final decision they settle upon.^[10]

Then ‘Umar wrote to Sa’d about the places he would stay, the war plan, and the time of his move, saying:

أما بعد فسر من شراف نحو فارس بمن معك من المسلمين فإذا انتهيت إلى القادسية وهو منزل رغيب خصيب حصين دونه قناطر وأنهار ممتنعة فتكون مسار لحك على أنقابها ويكون الناس بين الحجر والمدر ثم الزم مكانك لا تبرحه فإنهم إذا أحسوك أنغصتهم رموك بجمعهم الذي يأتي على خيلهم ورجلهم وحدهم وجدهم فإن أنتم صبرتم لعدوكم واحتسبتم لقتاله ونويتم الأمانة رجوت أن تنصروا عليهم ثم لا يجتمع لكم مثلهم أبداً إلا أن يجتمعوا وليست معهم قلوبهم وإن تكن الأخرى كان الحجر في أدباركم فانصرفتم من أدنى مدرة في أرضهم إلى أدنى حجر من أرضكم ثم كنتم عليهم أجراً وبها أعلم وكانوا عنها أجبن كان وبها أجهل حتى يأتى الله بالفتح فإذا يوم كذا وكذا فارتحل بالناس حتى تنزل فيما بين عذيب الهجانات و عذيب القوادس وشرق بالناس وغرب بهم

Now then, march with those Muslims under your command from Sharaf toward the highlands of Persia. When you reach al Qadisiyyah—a spacious, fertile, and fortified position shielded by bridges, rivers, and impregnable defenses—make it your base. Secure its narrow passes and position your forces between the rocky terrain and the clay plains. Hold your ground firmly; do not abandon it. For if the enemy senses your resolve faltering, they will assault you with their full force—their cavalry, infantry, spears, and resolve. But if you remain steadfast against your enemy, fighting with sincere intent and trusting in Allah’s reward, I have hope that He subhanahu wa ta ‘ala will grant you victory. Thereafter, they will never muster such unity against you again, unless they regroup with hearts devoid of true courage. However, if the tide turns against you, retreating from even the nearest clay plain of their land to the nearest rocky ground of ours would leave you exposed as easy prey. They would grow bolder in their ignorance, while you would tire in unfamiliar terrain—until Allah decrees His victory. On the appointed day, mobilize the troops to encamp between ’Udhayb al Hajanat and ’Udhayb al Qawadis. Spread your forces wide, positioning them strategically to the east and west.^[11]

Then ‘Umar wrote to Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, asking him to describe the houses and the places and to inquire from him about the writers and the conditions of the enemy:

واكتب إلى أين بلغك جمعهم ومن رأسهم الذى يلى مصادمتكم فإنه منعني من بعض ما أردت الكتاب به قلة علمي بما هجمتم عليه والذي استقر عليه أمر عدوكم فصف لي منازل المسلمين والبلد الذي بينكم وبين المدائن صفة كأني أنظر إليها واجعلني من أمركم على الجلية

Write to me detailing where their forces have gathered and who their commander confronting you is, for my lack of knowledge about your situation has hindered me from advising you fully. Describe to me the positions of the Muslims and the terrain between you and al Mada’in (Ctesiphon, the Persian capital) as vividly as if I were seeing it myself. Keep me fully informed of your affairs.^[12]

Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhu wrote back to him saying:

القادسية بين الخندق والعتيق إلى أن يقول وإن الذي أعدوا لمصادمتنا رستم في أمثال له منهم فهم يحاولون إنغاصنا وإقحامنا ونحن نحاول إنخاصهم وإبرازهم وأمر الله بعد ماض وقضاؤه مسلم إلى ما قدر لنا

Al Qadisiyyah lies between the trench and the ancient river. The Persians, under their commander Rustam and his peers, seek to provoke and entrap us, while we aim to isolate and expose them. The decree of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala is final and His judgment will prevail as He has ordained for us.^[13]

‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu replied to Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhu, saying:

وقد جاءني كتابك وفهمته فأقم بمكانك حتى ينغص الله لك عدوك واعلم أن لها ما بعدها فإن منحك الله أدبارهم فلا تنزع عنهم حتى تقتحم عليهم المدائن

Your letter has reached me, and I understand its contents. Hold your position until Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala weakens your enemy. Know that beyond this battle lies greater stakes. If Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala grants you their retreat, do not relent until you storm al Mada’in itself.^[14]

Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhu dispatched spies to gather intelligence on the Persians. They returned with news that King Yazdegerd III had appointed Rustam, son of Farrukhzad, an Armenian noble, to command the Persian army. ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu wrote to him with advice:

لا يكربنك ما يأتيك عنهم ولا ما يأتونك به وابعث إليه رجالا من أهل المناظرة والرأى والجلد يدعونه فإن الله جاعل دعاءهم توهيناً لهم وفلجاً عليهم واكتب إلي في كل يوم

Do not let their numbers or tactics unsettle you. Send them envoys skilled in debate, wisdom, and endurance—men who will invite them to Islam. For Allah will turn their call into a means to humiliate the enemy and a surprise for them. Keep writing to me every day.^[15]

When ‘Umar’s letter reached Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, he assembled a delegation of dignified, sharp-minded men with commanding presence and sent them to the Persian king.^[16] As narrated by al Tabari and Ibn al Athir,^[17] the delegation first negotiated with Rustam and later with Yazdegerd III, though these talks were merely formal. The negotiations collapsed, and Rustam marched from Sabat to al Qadisiyyah to confront Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhu in Muharram 14 AH.

The Persians dominated the first two days of battle. Then, by Allah’s will and ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu shrewd planning, reinforcements arrived from Sham on the second day, after the Arabs had suffered significant losses. The reinforcements revitalized the Muslims’ resolve. On the third day—known as Yawm ‘Amas (Day of Slaughter)—the Muslims were in the midst of the Persians. Al Tabari writes:

وكان يوم عماس من أوله إلى آخره شديداً العرب والعجم فيه على السواء

Yawm ‘Amas was fierce from start to finish. Arabs and Persians fought as equals.^[18]

The fighting continued into the fourth night, known as Laylat al Harir (Night of Howling), and by dawn, the Muslims had achieved a decisive victory.

Al Tabari writes:

وكتب سعد بالفتح إلى عمر بقوله أما بعد فإن الله نصرنا على فارس وقد لقوا المسلمين بعدة لم ير الراءون مثل زهانها فلم ينفعهم الله بذلك بل سلبهموه ونقله منهم إلى المسلمين وأصيب من المسلمين سعد بن عبيد القاري ورجال من المسلمين لا نعلمهم الله بهم عالم كانوا يدوون بالقرآن إذا جن عليهم الليل دوى النحل وهم آساد الناس لم يفضل من مضى منهم من بقى إلا بفضل الشهادة

Sa’d wrote to ‘Umar, “Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has granted us victory over Persia. They met us with unmatched numbers and weaponry, but Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala stripped these advantages from them and transferred them to us. Among our martyrs was Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaid al Qari and other unnamed heroes known only to Allah—men who recited the Qur’an at night like buzzing bees, lions among men. Those who passed are not superior to those who remained, save for the honour of martyrdom.”^[19]

Al Tabari continues:

ولما أتى عمر بن الخطاب نزول رستم القادسية كان يستخبر الركبان عن أهل القادسية فلما أتى البشير سأله من أين قال البشير هزم الله العدو وعمر يجب معه ويستخبره والآخر يسير على ناقته ولا يعرفه حتى وصل إلى المدينة فإذا الناس يسلمون عليه بإمرة المؤمنين فقال الرجل فهلا وجعل عمر يقول لا عليك يا أخي

When news of Rustam’s advance reached ‘Umar, he anxiously questioned travellers about al Qadisiyyah. When the victory messenger arrived, ‘Umar—while concealing his identity—asked him, “From where do you come?” The messenger replied, “Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has defeated the enemy!” ‘Umar conversed with him without revealing his identity. He did not realise he was speaking to the Commander of the Faithful until he reached Madīnah, where people were greeting him as the Commander of the faithful. ’Umar then gently dismissed his shock by saying, “Do not worry, my brother.”^[20]

The reader should be able to grasp ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu monumental role in this pivotal battle. He was its true architect and hero. Even the Persians recognized this: Rustam himself attributed his downfall to ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu unmatched leadership. Rustam, as the war’s fangs gripped him, cried out:

أتاني صوت عند الغداة وأنه هو عمر الذي يكلم الكلاب فيعلمهم العقل أكل عمر كبدي أحرق الله كبده

At dawn, I heard a voice—it was ‘Umar! The one who speaks to dogs and teaches them wisdom. May Allah burn his liver as he has consumed mine!^[21]

When the non-Arabs residing in Madinah sought revenge against those who conquered their lands, they did not target Khalid or Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. Instead, they conspired against ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu and assassinated him.

The conspirators were a mix of Persians, among whom was Hurmuzan al A’jami; Christians, among whom was Jufaynah; and the criminal Jews who infiltrated Muslim circles by feigning Islam on their tongues in order to trick the Muslims at every opportunity, among whom was Ka’b al Ahbar. As for the Zoroastrians, who are fire worshippers, they included the likes of Abu Lu’lu’ah the Persian, who was a slave of al Mughirah ibn Shu’bah.

It is known that Hurmuzan was a Persian general who was defeated and imprisoned by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He feigned Islam in order to avoid being killed and pledged allegiance to the leadership of the Muslims with regards to their religion and governance, but he broke his pledge numerous times. He tried to incite his countrymen against the Muslims, but when he failed, he returned to the fold of Islam while still harboring a deep-seated resentment towards them.

As for the Christian Jufaynah, he was a Christian scholar brought from Najran by Sa’d radiya Llahu ‘anhu to teach literacy in Madinah. He remained a Christian, but he looked at the Muslim victories with an eye of resentment. When he saw the Roman Christian armies retreat in front of the Muslims, his rancour was stirred and he joined this evil plot against the Muslims.

As for Ka’b al Ahbar radiya Llahu ‘anhu, he was one of the cunning Jews who saw the banner of Islam being raised over the fortresses and strongholds of the Jews and saw the armies of ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu sweeping away religions and countries. He was certain that ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was determined to carry out the command of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to expel the Jews from the Arabian Peninsula. He pretended to embrace Islam, following the habitual action of Jews throughout history—whenever they perceive themselves in a position of weakness in society—they mix with the Muslims and pollute the minds and the beliefs of those weak in faith with narrations that they ascribe to their corrupted and fabricated Torah. I have no doubt that it was Jews like this who introduced fabricated fairy-tales and Isra’iliyyat narrations in order to taint the purity of Islam and to destroy the beliefs of the Muslims.

These three representatives of their religions and sects found in the Zoroastrian—Abu Lu’lu’ah—a suitable tool to exact revenge for Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism against the Khalifah who had extinguished the fading fires of Zoroastrianism before the radiant light of Islam and who threatened the corrupted Judaism and paganized Christianity with annihilation from existence.

Historians have cited narrations that stand as evidence that our master ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu fell victim to a conspiracy woven by these enemies of Islam. Al Tabari mentioned that ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Abi Bakr al Siddiq radiya Llahu ‘anhuma testified on the day of ‘Umar’s assassination that while he was on his way home on the evening of the calamity, he saw Hurmuzan, Jufaynah, and Abu Lu’lu’ah whispering and conferring secretly. When he approached them, they became agitated, and a double-edged dagger fell from the hand of one of them—the same dagger with which Abu Lu’lu’ah stabbed the Commander of the Faithful.

‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma verified the authenticity of this account and became convinced of its truth. He took up his sword and avenged his father by killing Jufaynah, Hurmuzan, and Abu Lu’lu’ah’s daughter. He swore to kill everyone who participated in the crime, whether by incitement or planning.

In the book Usd al Ghabah fi Ma’rifat al Sahabah, it is reported that Ka’b al Ahbar informed our master ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu of what would befall him three days before it occurred. Ka’b went to him and said, “O Commander of the Faithful, make your will, for you will die in three days.” ‘Umar asked him, “How do you know this?” He replied, “I found it in the Torah!”

When the second day arrived, Ka’b went to him again and said, “O Commander of the Faithful, one day has passed, and two remain—make your will.” On the third day, he went to him once more and said, “O Commander of the Faithful, only one day of your life remains—and this day includes its night… until dawn!” But our master ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu refused to believe him, either out of disdain for taking precautions or out of faith in Allah’s words:

ﮆ ﮇ ﮈ ﮉﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ

Say: Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us.^[22]

This account gives us the distinct perception that the Jew—Ka’b al Ahbar—had full knowledge of what was being plotted against our master ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Thus, ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu perished at the hands of infiltrators and those who harboured hatred for Islam, so that the path might be cleared for their conspiracies—conspiracies from which we still suffer to this day.

Then the Muslims pledged allegiance to the third Khalifah, ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan radiya Llahu ‘anhu, as Commander of the Faithful. The conquests continued, and the Islamic state expanded vastly under his rule, by land and sea, and the treasury overflowed. However, the discord that had reared its head in the latter days of ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu reign began to move swiftly and vigorously, inciting individuals and groups against ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu.

The mastermind of this sedition was the Jew ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’. After traveling through Basrah, Kufah, and Syria, he settled in Egypt, where he established secret loyalist organizations in the regions he visited. He incited and persuaded them to revolt against ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu, claiming that ‘Uthman had usurped the Caliphate unjustly from our master ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and alleging that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had appointed ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. He declared, “Every prophet has a successor, and ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib is the successor of Muhammad! Who is more unjust than one who does not honour Muhammad’s will, which designated ‘Ali as his successor over his nation?”

Then he told his followers, “‘Uthman has seized the Caliphate unlawfully. Rise up, expose this matter, and restore rule to its rightful place!”

Indeed, these loyalist organizations from Egypt, Basrah, and Kufah mobilized under the pretext of performing Hajj. They agreed to meet three days’ distance from Madinah and then march toward the Khalifah’s headquarters to execute their plan and achieve their malicious goals—aimed at destroying the Muslims religiously and politically. Their conspiracy succeeded, as they managed to assassinate ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu. The conquests halted, and bloody internal wars erupted among the Muslims.^[23]

With the killing of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu, the Muslims split into two main factions: the faction of ‘Ali and the faction of Muawiyah. In Arabic, the term Shia (sect/partisans) is also applied to such factions. Thus, there were the Shia of ‘Ali versus the Shia of Muawiyah. However, when Muawiyah assumed kingship and ceased to be merely a faction leader, the use of the term ‘Shia’ became restricted to the followers of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu.^[24]

‘Ali’s faction was not spared from division and discord. They fragmented into several sects: some were moderate, while others were extremist political factions of Persians and Jewish scholars. These extremist sects (Ghulat) established their own foundations and principles to serve their own ends. They followed their whims, exaggerated in their love for the Ahlul Bayt, and coated their ancient ideas and beliefs with an Islamic veneer—a veneer from which the pure Islamic religion is free.

NEXT⇒ Sects of the Shia

^[1] The Shia claim that the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam recommended our master ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu to become the Khalifah after him. If that were true, the Ansar (who at that time accounted for half of the Muslims or more, in addition to their trustworthiness in the din of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and their knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah) would not have said upon the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “(choose) from us a leader and from you a leader.” If the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had preceded in this matter (i.e. in naming ‘Ali as his successor), no one would have been more knowledgeable about it than them, nor more deserving, especially after what they had exhibited in terms of the burdens they carried for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala, the Jihad they had waged for His sake, their support of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam with shelter, self-sacrifice and charity, and their fighting against the near and far enemies, including the united Arabs and the Quraysh in particular. With the love of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who said about them, “By Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala, we did not teach you except to shy away from moments of greed and to show up (i.e. to help) in times of fear and consternation.” In addition to this, the statement, “from us an amir and from you an amir,” did not come from the lips of a fool, nor a man who loves worldly fame and sedition, nor someone who arrogantly prefers his lineage and ancestry over the religion of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and obedience to His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Rather, this came from a revered leader among his own people, one of the foremost and favourite people of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who took his counsel, respected him and his insights. This person of course is Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah radiya Llahu ‘anhu. So, if this supposed recommendation of the Caliphate to ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu truly came from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, how would the Ansar, given their status, end up in this situation and make a statement like this? As for their (i.e. the Shia) reliance on the words of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to our master ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu, “You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except that there is no other prophet after me”, believing it to be a proclamation of his right to the Caliphate. Actually, this was said as a consolation to ‘Ali, to ease his heart after he wasn’t able to participate in the campaign of Tabuk while all of the Muslims partook in this except him, since the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam left him in Madinah. When ‘Ali was emotionally affected by this fact, this statement was said to him to console him, since if he hadn’t been there, nobody would have remained there except for women, children, the elderly, and non-Muslims, together with the Munafiqin. [See Sharh ‘Aqidah al Tahawiyyah, p. 485, third edition. Atal Khan: Al Khatr al Muhit bi al Islam, 47. Jahiz: Istihqaq al Imamah, in the margins of part two of Al Mubrad: Kitab al Kamil, 269]

^[2] Chosroes II, the ruler of the Sassanid Empire at the time the Muslims conquered Persia.

^[3] Present day Algeria.

^[4] See the article ‘Umar al Fatih, in Al Hilal Magazine, November 1937 issue, by Professor ‘Abdul Hamid al ‘Abbadi.

^[5] The entire levant region, including modern-day Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and parts of Jordan and Turkey.

^[6] See p. 43 of Al Hilal magazine, November 1937 issue.

^[7] i.e. that ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu is the rightful recipient of praise for the victories of the Islamic Ummah in his time.

^[8] Tarikh al Tabari, 4/82.

^[9] Ibid., pg. 85.

^[10] Ibid., pg. 87.

^[11] Tarikh al Tabari, 4/89-89.

^[12] Ibid., pg. 89-90.

^[13] Tarikh al Tabari, 4/91-100.

^[14] Ibid.

^[15] Ibid.

^[16] Ibid., pg. 99.

^[17] Ibid., pg. 99-100; Ibn al Athir: Al Kamil fi al Tarikh, pg. 41-42.

^[18] Tarikh al Tabari, 4/126.

^[19] Ibid., pg. 144.

^[20] Tarikh al Tabari, pg. 144.

^[21] Ibid., pg. 114-115.

^[22] Surah al Tawbah: 51.

^[23] Al Damluji: Al Uluhiyyah fi Mu’taqidat al Islamiyyah, 42-54; Atal Khan: Al Khatr al Muhit bi al Islam, 46-55; Al Shabi: Mabahith fi ‘Ilm al Kalam wa al Falsafah, 39-62.

^[24] Al Badawi: Al Khawarij wa al Shia, pg. 112.

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