The Nusayri Position on the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum

Like other extremist Shia sects, the Nusayriyyah harbour animosity toward the Companions of the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. They believe:

أن كل من آمن منهم بعد الهجرة لا يعتبر إيمانه كاملا لأنه من قبيل إيمان اليأس حتى ولو كان فيهم العباس عم الرسول

Whoever among them (the Companions) believed after the Hijrah did so out of desperation, and thus their faith is incomplete, even if they include al ‘Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle.^[1]

They claim:

العباس والباقون من قريش وخصوصاً الأمويون فإنهم لم يهاجروا ولم يؤمنوا حقاً والعباس أيضاً لم يؤمن إلا بعد أن أسره المسلمون وهو الذي أنقذ أبا سفيان من الأسر والوقوع في أيدي المسلمين وظل صديقاً له حتى الموت

Al ‘Abbas and the rest of the Quraysh,^[2] particularly the Umayyads,^[3] did not truly migrate or believe. Al ‘Abbas only professed faith after being captured by Muslims. He saved Abu Sufyan from capture by the Muslims and remained his ally until death.^[4]

They believe that some Muslims:

من ظل يعبد الأصنام سراً ويتظاهر بالإسلام خشية من سطوة علي ومن هؤلاء أبو سفيان وابنه معاوية اللذان أسلما قبل فتح مكة بقليل

… continued to secretly worship idols while feigning Islam out of fear of ‘Ali’s authority. Among these were Abu Sufyan and his son Muawiyah, who converted shortly before the Conquest of Makkah.^[5]

Thus, the Nusayriyyah consider vilifying the Sahabah—whom they view as usurpers of the Ahlul Bayt’s rights—a religious obligation. The author of Tarikh al ‘Alawiyyin (History of the ‘Alawiyyah) states:

وهكذا اتخذ العلويون المسبة لمن خالفوا أهل البيت فريضة إلى يوم الدين وهم يشملون بالمسبة كل من عادى الرسول وكل من عادى فاطمة ولو كان صاحب علي وكل من عادى الحسنين ولو صاحب آباءهم وكل من عادى بقية الأئمة الإثنى عشر وسبب ذلك في اعتقاد العلويين أن الأئمة الإثنى عشر وآباءهم معصومون فالمخالفة لأحدهم تكون مخالفة للعصمة ويقولون بأن من أسلم من قريش بعد التحاق علي بالنبي لم يكن كامل الإيمان ولو كان ممن لم يعادوا أهل البيت

The ‘Alawiyyah have made cursing those who opposed the Ahlul Bayt an eternal duty. Their curses encompass all who opposed the Prophet, Fatimah (even if they were Companions of ‘Ali), al Hassan and al Hussain (even if they were their fathers’ contemporaries), and the rest of the Twelve Imams. This stems from their belief in the ‘ismah (infallibility) of the Twelve Imams and their forebears. Opposing any of them is tantamount to opposing infallibility itself. They further claim that those of the Quraysh who embraced Islam after ‘Ali joined the Prophet lacked complete faith, even if they did not oppose the Ahlul Bayt.^[6]

Despite their general hatred of the Companions, the Nusayriyyah reserve particular loathing for certain figures, such as Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhum.

The Nusayriyyah adopt Islamic and Christian names, although, as Philip Hitti notes in his Tarikh al ‘Arab:

إلا أنهم لا يتسمون مطلقاً بهذه الأسماء الثلاثة السالفة الذكر

They categorically avoid the names Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and Muawiyah.^[7]

This is due to their blind hatred for those who extinguished the fires of Zoroastrianism, demolished the paganism of Christians and Jews under the hooves of Muslim warriors’ steeds, and solidified the pillars of the Islamic state, a role these three figures undeniably played, as detailed in historical chronicles. Their hatred escalates to the absurd:

إلى أن يأخذ أحدهم البغل أو الحمار فيعذبه ويضربه ويعطشه ويجيعه على أن روح أبي بكر وعمر رضى الله عنهما تحل فيه فاعجبوا لهذا الحمق الذي لا نظير له وما الذي خص هذا البغل الشقي أو الحمار المسكين بنقله الروح إليه دون سائر البغال والحمير وكذلك يفعلون بالعنز الماعز على أن روح أم المؤمنين عائشة رضى الله عنها فيها

One of them might take a mule or donkey, torment it, beat it, starve it, and deprive it of water, believing the souls of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma reside within it. Why single out this wretched mule or pitiful donkey for such ‘honour’ over others? They do the same with goats, claiming the soul of Umm al Mu’minin ‘Aishah radiya Llahu ‘anha dwells within.^[8]

Al Biruni says:

وهم متأثرون في الأخذ بهذا الأصل بالديانة البرهمية وكانت أصولها شائعة معروفة لدى الفرس

They are influenced in this by Brahmanism, whose principles were widespread among the Persians.^[9]

This sect’s hatred for Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu stems from resentment towards the one who crushed the apostates threatening the nascent Islamic state and initiated the dismantling of the two great empires of the time: the Persian and Roman. As for ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu, he completed what Abu Bakr began (refer to the introduction of this study for the roots of their hatred toward ‘Umar). It is well-known that ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu married Umm Kulthum, the daughter of ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, a testament to the profound bonds among these men, nurtured in the school of Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Yet the Nusayriyyah—may Allah disgrace them—hold a contrary view. We cite Chapter 23 of al Haft al Sharif, titled On the Esoteric Meaning of Umm Kulthum’s Marriage, which exposes their deep-seated hatred for those who extinguished their fires:

قال المفضل قلت سيدي أريد أن أسألك في شيء يتحدثون عنه أهل الكوفة وإني يا مولاي أستحي أن أسألك عنه قال يا مفضل قد علمت ما قد هممت به وتريد أن تسألني عن تزويج أم كلثوم قلت نعم يا مولاي فقال اسمع يا مفضل ما أقول وافهم إن أصل ذلك كان في الأظلة والأشباح على حسب ما أنا مفسره لك فقد كان هابيل يومئذ أمير المؤمنين وكان قابيل زافير وهو إبليس الأبالسة فأتى قابيل إلى هابيل فقال له زوجني ابنتك فامتنع عن تزويجه إياها فقال عندئذ قابيل والله لأقتلنك إن لم تزوجني بها فلما هم بقتله زوجه جريرة بنت إبليس فظن قابيل أنها ابنة هابيل والله أجل وأعظم من أن يفعل بأوليائه ذلك فلما كان في تكرير السادس حسب عقيدة النصيريين في التناسخ وولى زاخر أي عمر أرسل إلى أمير المؤمنين علي يقول زوجني ابنتك فأرسل إليه أمير المؤمنين علي سلمان الفارسي وقال له قل له يا سلمان إنك عدت إلى ضلالك القديم فأتى سلمان إلى زافر وأخبره بذلك فلما علم أن سلمان قد اطلع على أمره اغتاظ

وقال له نعم قد عدت إلى ما ذكرت فإما أن يزوجني وإما أن أغور ماء بئر زمزم وأرفع عن البيت الحرام رسم المقام أو أقتله فانصرف سلمان إلى أمير المؤمنين وأخبره فقال علي احمل إليه هذا الكتاب فحمل سلمان إليه الكتاب فلما نظره حبتر وأدلم أي علم أنه أقبل في سبب فقال ما وراءك فقال سلمان أخبرني أمير المؤمنين أن أعرض عليك هذا الكتاب قال زافر وما هو فأخرج الكتاب وسلمه إياه فلما فتحه وجد فيه صورة هابيل ونظر إلى نفسه يعنى هو قابيل فقال مخاطباً سلمان إنما خطبت إليه ابنته لأنه يزعم أنني من نسل الشيطان ولكن لابد له أن يزوجني ابنته حتى يظهر كذبه عند الخلق ولا ينجيه إلا التزويج أو القتل فقال سلمان سأخبره بذلك وأقبل على أمير المؤمنين وأخبره بكل ما جرى قال علي قد علمت بكل ما قال وأنا الآن أزوجه ابنته جريرة كما زوجته قديماً واشتبه عليه ثم إن سلمان انصرف إليه وأخبره بأن أمير المؤمنين قد أجابك إلى كل ما تريد فجمع أصحابه وعاهدهم على ذلك ثم أمر أمير المؤمنين سلمان أن يحمل إليه ابنته جريرة فأتى بها سلمان إليه فأعمى الله بصره وجعل عليه غشاوة فلم يفهم وتداخله السرور والفرح لذلك ثم قال لسلمان إلى سأشكرك في قيامك في هذا الأمر ولا أقدر على مكافأتك قال ثم دخل فيها فوجدها على صورة أم كلثوم فلما أصبح أرسل إلى أصحابه وشياطينه ليحتج بذلك عندهم فلما اجتمعوا إليه هنأوه بتزويجه فقال زافر كفانا أمر علي وأصحابه فإنهم لو كانوا بني أبى كبشة على حق ونحن على باطل ما زوجونا كريمتهم قالوا صدقت قال والله إنهم سحرة كهنة كذابون وهذه حيلة بينهم قال سلمان وبينما هم كذلك دخلت عليهم فقالوا بأجمعهم نحن على باطل وصاحبك على حق ونحن عنده شياطين خونة فلم زوجنا ابنته أم كلثوم فقال لهم سلمان هذه الآية شياطين الإنس والجن يوحى بعضهم إلى بعض زخرف القول غروراً فلما سمعوا ذلك من سلمان غضبوا عليه وغضب الثاني غضباً شديداً وهموا بي فقلت لهم أتقتلوني في مجلسكم هذا ثم قال سلمان لما هموا بي قال بعضهم لبعض فما نصنع بهذا العجمي وقد نلت حاجتك فافترقوا وبلغ ما تحدثوا به أمير المؤمنين علي عليه السلام فأمر سلمان أن يسير إليهم ويحدثهم بالحقيقة وما لبس عليه من أمر ابنته حتى يكف عن فجوره و تبجحه أخزاهم الله فيصغر في نفسه ويقل قدره ويموت من العار والحزن قال سلمان فأتيت في منزله ولم يكن أحد عنده فقلت له كيف وجدت زوجتك فقال إنها موافقة لي تتجنب مخالفتي في السر والعلانية وهى كأنها منا وفينا فقال سلمان نعم إنها منك وإليك وهى ابنتك جريرة فادخل عليها لعلك تعرفها الآن فلما سمع هذا لم يتمالك عقله فدخل عليها ونظر فيها فإذا هي ابنته جريرة لم ينكر منها شيئاً فصاح صيحة رجت لها الدار واغتاظ غيظاً شديداً وقال قد فعلها الساحر ابن أبي طالب ليست هذه بأول أفعاله والله لأفعلن وأفعلن قال له سلمان لا تكشف عورتك وتبدى سيرتك وتنفضح في عشيرتك ومن رأيي ومشورتي لك أن تكتم ذلك فإن كتمت قال الناس زوجه ابنته وإن أبديت انكشف للناس أمرك فقال كفاني يا سلمان أنى من غيظاً وسأقبل منك ما تقول وليقل هذا الساحر ما يقول فلا طاقة لي ولأصحابي بسحره وكتم عن أصحابه قصته خوفاً من العار ومات حنقاً وغيظاً لا رحمه الله ولا رضى عنه رب العالمين تم

Al Mufaddal said, ‘Master, I wish to ask about something the people of Kufah discuss^[10], though I am ashamed to mention it.’

The Imam replied, “Al Mufaddal, I know what you intend! You wish to ask about Umm Kulthum’s marriage.”

I said, “Yes, my Master.”

He said, “Listen, al Mufaddal, and understand. The origin of this lies in the shadows and forms. Habil was then the Commander of the Faithful (‘Ali), and Qabil was Zafir (Satan of Satans). Qabil approached Habil and demanded to marry his daughter. When Habil refused, Qabil threatened, ‘By God, I will kill you unless you wed her to me!’ Fearing death, Habil wed him to Jarirah, the daughter of Satan, though Qabil believed her to be Habil’s daughter. [Allah is exalted above such an act toward His allies!] In the sixth cycle (per Nusayri reincarnation doctrine), when Zakhir (i.e., ‘Umar) assumed power, he sent a message to the Commander of the Faithful (‘Ali), ‘Marry your daughter to me.’

‘Ali dispatched Salman al Farisi to respond, ‘You have reverted to your ancient misguidance.’

When Zafir (‘Umar) learned Salman had uncovered his plot, he raged, ‘Yes, I have returned to what you say! Either marry her to me, or I will drain the Well of Zam-Zam, erase the Maqam Ibrahim, or kill him!’

Salman relayed this to ‘Ali, who instructed, ‘Deliver this letter to him.’

When Zafir (now called Habtar and Adlam)^[11] read it, he saw his true identity as Qabil and exclaimed, ‘He claims I am of Satan’s lineage? He must wed me his daughter to expose his lies. Only marriage or death will save him!’

Salman returned to ‘Ali, who conceded, ‘I will marry him to my daughter Jarirah, as was done before, to deceive him.’

Salman informed Zafir of ‘Ali’s consent. Zafir gathered his allies, swearing them to secrecy. ‘Ali ordered Salman to deliver Jarirah. When presented, God blinded Zafir’s sight, veiling him from the truth. Overjoyed, Zafir told Salman, ‘I will reward you for this!’ He consummated the marriage, believing her to be Umm Kulthum. The next day, he boasted to his followers, ‘If ‘Ali and his companions were truly right, they would never wed their noble daughter to us! They are sorcerers and liars!’

Salman retorted:

ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷﭸ

Devilish humans and jinn—whispering to one another with elegant words of deception.^[12]

Enraged, they threatened Salman, who protested, ‘Would you kill me in your own assembly?’

‘Ali,^[13] informed of their plot, ordered Salman to reveal the truth. Salman confronted Zafir, ‘How is your bride?’

Zafir replied, ‘She obeys me utterly, as if she were one of us!’

Salman declared, ‘She is your daughter Jarirah!’

Zafir entered her chamber, recognized her, and shrieked, ‘The sorcerer son of Abu Talib has done this! By Allah, I will have vengeance!’

Salman warned, ‘Conceal this, lest you be exposed.’

Zafir grudgingly complied, dying later of rage and shame, may Allah never grant him mercy!”^[14]

May Allah curse and disgrace them endlessly! This chapter from their absurd book, al Haft al Sharif, written in vulgar, colloquial language akin to the forged Gospels and corrupted Torahs, suggests Jewish influence, especially given the early Nusayriyyah’s Jewish roots. Tarikh al ‘Alawiyyin explicitly states:

ترك إبراهيم بن أدهم وهو من رجال الصوفية وله منزلة رفيعة ومقدسة بين النصيريين مقر الإمارة لأبيه ليلا وسار فوصل إلى حلب وأنطاكية ومكث مدة طويلة في طرسوس التي كان معظم أهلها علويين ويهود وقد أسلم على يده العدد الأغلب من اليهود

Ibrahim ibn Adham (a revered Sufi figure among the Nusayriyyah) abandoned his father’s emirate, journeyed to Aleppo and Antioch, and settled in Tarsus, then populated mostly by ‘Alawiyyah and Jews. The majority of the Jews there converted to Nusayriyyah through his effort.^[15]

The Nusayriyyah’s hatred for Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu and the Umayyads stems from the latter’s purely Arab state, which excluded mawali (non-Arabs) politically, unlike the Abbasids. Detractors have been trying to portray the vices of the Umayyads since classical times, and modern detractors like the Masonic Christian writer George Zaidan^[16] perpetuate this bias in works like The History of Islamic Civilization, and most of the books that criticize the Umayyads borrow from him. However, is it possible that the Ummayads didn’t achieve anything memorable, or any virtue worthy of transmitting, or any good policy that was beneficial to their realms?

Yes, the Umayyads cannot be equated with the Khulafa’ al Rashidun. Yet this is no disgrace upon them, nor does it diminish their status. For reaching the stature of the Rashidun or matching their legacy lies beyond the capacity of most people; it is not an aspiration one can realistically attain, nor a hope even the most diligent can achieve. The Umayyads were kings, among them were the virtuous and the sinful, the just and the unjust, the devout and the libertine, the astute and the negligent. Even the most upright of them in conduct, the most exemplary in method, and the most faithful to their obligations were not free from undeniable missteps and unmentionable flaws. Justice and fairness demand that we acknowledge the good deeds of the virtuous and the misdeeds of the sinful—not to judge them all by a single standard or issue a blanket judgment against them. In this brief discourse, I do not aim to detail the reign of every Umayyad caliph, for that would require lengthy elaboration. Historians such as Ibn al Athir in al Kamil, and al Tabari in his Tarikh have provided ample material for those seeking further study. However, I contend that the hatred of the Shu’ubiyyah (anti-Arab factions) toward the Umayyads stems solely from the fact that the Umayyads expanded the Islamic state’s territories, solidified its foundations, and extinguished the hopes of its enemies forever. A cursory glance at reliable historical texts reveals that when the Umayyads ascended to the caliphate, Islam’s conquests multiplied, its domains broadened, its authority prevailed, its power stretched far, and distant lands fell under its rule. They ruled a dominion unmatched by any Islamic rulers before or after them!

They conquered Tripoli, Tangier, all of the Maghreb and Andalusia, the lands of the Daylam, Turks, Mongols, Sindh, Cyprus, Crete, Sicily, Rhodes, and other Mediterranean islands. They penetrated Byzantine territories until they reached the walls of Constantinople, striking their swords at its gates. Sindh was conquered by Muhammad ibn al Qasim al Thaqafi, a 17-year-old son of one of their commanders. Their armies marched to the frontiers of China, the capital of the Roman lands, and the borders of India. Their realm stretched longitudinally from Sindh to the frontiers of Europe and latitudinally from the Red Sea to the lands of the Khazars. Under their rule fell the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Andalusia, Armenia, Khorasan, Persia, Daylam, Arran, Tabaristan, Gurgan, Sijistan, Khwarazm, Transoxiana, Khazar lands, Afghanistan, Sindh, and parts of India. Which king can rival their vast sovereignty? Who can compete with their multitude of conquests?

The Umayyads were the first to establish a dar al darb (minting press) in Islam, elevating the stature of the faith and liberating it from reliance on Roman and Persian currencies. Meanwhile, most modern Arab and Islamic states remain tethered to the dollar or pound sterling!

They translated dafatir and diwan (administrative correspondences and records) from Persian, Greek, and Coptic into Arabic, amplifying the spread and influence of the Arabic language. Within a short span, these regions became Arab in both inclination and tongue.

They built the first hospital in Islam in Damascus in 88 AH, staffed it with physicians, quarantined lepers, and provided them stipends. They established the first shelter for the blind, the first dar al diyafah (guesthouse) after ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, and the first system to care for orphans and the working class. Much more can be found in the books of historians from which we gleam our history.^[17]

NEXT⇒ The Treachery of the Nusayriyyah Against the Muslims in the Past and Present

^[1] Al Tawil: Tarikh ‘Alawiyyin, pg. 65.

^[2] The Arabic grammar in the original text seems to be incorrect, and the term الباقون should read الباقين.

^[3] The Arabic grammar in the original text seems to be incorrect, and the term الأمويون should read الأمويين.

^[4] Al Tawil: Tarikh ‘Alawiyyin, pg. 66.

^[5] Ibid., pg. 68.

^[6] Al Tawil: Tarikh ‘Alawiyyin, pg. 116.

^[7] Hitti: Tarikh al ‘Arab al Mutawwal, 2/539.

^[8] Ibn Hazm: Al Fasl fi al Milal wa al Ahwa wa al Nihal, 4/182.

^[9] Al Biruni: Tahqiq ma li al Hind min Maqulah, pg. 38-44.

^[10] Grammatical error in the original text, يتحدثون should read يتحدث.

^[11] Habtar: a derogatory name the Nusayriyyah give to Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Adlam: a derogatory name the Nusayriyyah give to ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu. See Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 127.

^[12] Surah al An’am: 112.

^[13] Grammatical error in the original text; علي should read عليا.

^[14] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 84-88.

^[15] Al Tawil: Tarikh ‘Alawiyyin, pg. 234.

^[16] See his work, Common Masonic History.

^[17] Adapted from a treatise by the Indian historian Shibli Nu’mani in response to Jurji Zaidan, p. 36. For further study, consult Futuh al Buldan by al Baladhuri, Tarikh al Khulafa’ by al Suyuti, Ibn al Athir’s al Kamil (under events of the year 88 AH), and others.

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