Causes of Enmity with Imam Ali (A.S.)In the Light of Nahj al-Balaghah
Much has been said and written about the virtues of the Commander of the
Faithful, Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.). Throughout history, scholars,
researchers, poets and others have focused through different angles in their
efforts to fathom the multi-sided personality of the cousin, son-in-law and
vicegerent of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). The different aspects presented by
different writers speaks of the dynamic characteristics of the man who
continues to shine like the resplendent sun despite the elaborate efforts made
by his enemies, both in his lifetime and after his martyrdom, to belittle his
merits and even to slander him.
In this article an attempt has been made to probe the current of enmity with
Imam 'Ali (A.S.) and the different causes and motives behind it, by referring
to the words of the Imam himself in the book Nahj al-Balaghah. The article will
try to answer the questions as to what were the causes and the motivation for the
opposition to and enmity with Imam 'Ali (A.S.) especially during his caliphate.
The writer states that he has approached the subject without any religious or
sectarian bias to the best of his ability as readers might judge, in order to
have a clear and impartial picture of the reasons of enmity with Imam 'Ali
(A.S.).
Although from the viewpoint of religious belief it could be summed up in one
sentence that the reason for enmity with Imam 'Ali (A.S.) was because of the
divine authority entrusted to him by the Prophet which some refused to
acknowledge, this answer would discourage certain questions from being raised
and might leave some people unsatisfied. Therefore, in order to probe the
various causes behind the current of enmity, we intend to broadly focus on the
following two points:
The motives for enmity with Imam 'Ali (A.S.): Here we will discuss what
motivated certain people to become the enemies of Imam 'Ali (A.S.).
The various kinds of enmity with him: Here the types and degrees of enmity with
Imam 'Ali (A.S.) and the methods used by the enemies will be scrutinized.
The Motives for Enmity with Imam 'Ali (A.S.)
Enmity towards Imam 'Ali (A.S.) started with the advent of Islam itself and
lasted throughout his life. This sorrowful trend did not end with his martyrdom
and continued even after that. By focusing on the events of the early period of
Islam we will see what elements played the role in this enmity, especially
during the brief caliphate of the Imam.
Tribal and Ethnic Motives
Although enmity based on tribal and ethnic motives might appear natural to some
extent, it should be admitted that this trend neither camouflages the evilness
of those who harbour rancour nor does it diminish in any way the greatness of
Imam 'Ali (A.S.).
Imam 'Ali (A.S.) was a scion of the Bani Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe. The
Qurayshites were considered noble and enjoyed a special esteem and privileged
status among the Arab tribes. The day the Ishmaelite leader Qusayy bin Kilab,
the 5th ancestor of Imam 'Ali (A.S.), became custodian of the holy Ka'bah and
took charge of the administration of Makkah, his family came to enjoy a central
and eminent position among not only the Quraysh but other Arab tribes as well.
The nobility of the Quraysh was now concentrated in the House of Qusayy and the
Bani Qusayy became a privileged group. Their prestige was further enhanced
among the Arabs because of the custodianship of Abraham's ancient edifice of
monotheism, the Ka 'bah.
The sanctity of the Ka'bah, which since the beginning exercised a profound
influence on public minds, gradually bestowed a halo on its custodians who came
to be considered holy themselves. The wisdom and valour of Qusayy further
increased the position of the custodian. Among the Arabs, blood and genealogy
counted as marks of distinction and carried social prestige since members of
each tribe felt proud of their descent from one chieftain and stood beside each
other. Thus any member who in addition to a perfect pedigree and impeccable
blood bond could boast of personal traits of nobility was undoubtedly regarded
as the chieftain, whose authority was binding on the whole tribe. Any
disobedience to his commands or instructions was tantamount to insubordination
and challenge to the tribal system, and swiftly brought down the displeasure on
the rebel who was excommunicated and expelled by the whole clan.
With the death of Qusayy, his elder son 'Abd-Manaf succeeded to his post and
was followed by his own son 'Amr or Hashim as the next custodian of the holy Ka
'bah and the chief administrator of Makkah. It was during this time that a
certain Umayyah claiming to be a son of Hashim's younger brother 'Abd Shams,
made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the custodianship of the Ka 'bah. This
vain bid by Umayyah split the clan into two broad segments, the Bani Hashim and
the Bani Umayyah.
The custodianship then passed on to Hashim's son 'Abd al- Mutallib and after
him to his son Abi Talib the father of Imam 'Ali (A.S.). It was during the time
of Abi Talib that the Hashimites were faced with an internal crisis. Abi Talib
lacked wealth which chieftains normally possess,3 and this made two of his
brothers, 'Abbas and Abi Lahab, challenge his leadership. The descendants of
Umayyah who nursed a deep hatred towards the House of Hashim, saw it as their
chance to renew a bid for leadership, especially since they regarded themselves
as the military class of Makkah.
The emergence of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) from the Hashimite clan made other
Makkans jealous and they thought prophethood to be a trick by the Bani Hashim
to exalt them and continue their leadership. The following words of Abi Jahl to
Akhnas bin Shurayq speaks of the inability of the infidel mind to understand
God's revelations:
We and the sons of 'Abd Manaf vied with each other in nobility and greatness.
Whatever they did we also did, so as to be their equals. Now suddenly they are
saying that from us is a Prophet who receives revelation from heaven.4
Decades later in 61 AH when after the tragedy of Karbala the severed head of
the Prophet's grandson Imam Husayn (A.S.) was placed before the Umayyud scion
Yazid who now ruled as caliph of Muslims, he recited the following couplet
which are identical to Abi Jahl's words to Akhnas in the days of Jahiliyyah:
La 'ibat Hashim bi al-mulk fala; Khabar ja'a wa la wahy nazal.5
(The Hashimites played the game of kingdom; Neither any message came from
heaven nor revelation.)
This is how retarded minds viewed the divine mission of Prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W.). For them the growth and spread of Islam was the victory of the Bani
Hashim over the other Arab tribes and clans. Although these short-sighted
people may not have said this explicitly and with frequency - for the obvious
fact they now called themselves Muslims and ruled over Muslims - deep down in their
hearts and minds they harboured these thoughts which would at times come to
their lips as is clear from Yazid's recitation of the above couplet. 6
In view of these facts, when the question of Imam 'Ali's (A.S.) caliphate was
raised after the passing away of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), some pretending to
be religious and claiming to be near to the Prophet, said: "Prophethood
and caliphate cannot be combined in one family."7 These words are
indicative of the mindset of most Qurayshites who were jealous of the Bani
Hashim.
This is the first open indication of enmity towards Imam 'Ali (A.S.), who was a
Hashimite, and for this reason those who had paled into insignificance against
the glory of the Bani Hashim and harboured rancour against them out of an inherent
inferiority complex, were not ready to see him as their leader and ruler. Thus
enmity towards Imam 'Ali (A.S.) was clear and deep rooted even at this stage
and continued in the subsequent periods.8
Mu'awiyah's letter to the Imam during the War of Siffin claiming equality with
the Hashimites on the basis of what he boasted as his genealogy, was given a
fitting reply by Imam 'Ali (A.S.):9
...As for your saying that we are descendants of 'Abd Manaf it is true, but
neither Umayyah was equal to Hashim nor Harb could be likened to 'Abd
al-Mutallib or for that matter Abi Sufyan to Abi Talib. The muhajir (one who
migrated to Madinah with the Prophet) is superior to the taliq (freed slave - a
reference to the Prophet's declaration of amnesty and emancipation of Abi
Sufyan, his family and other Makkan infidels at the time of the surrender of
Makkah in 8 AH). The one of clean descent cannot be compared to the one who is
of doubtful lineage.'" There is no similarity between the pursuer of truth
and the adherent of the wrong or a believer and a hypocrite. How bad are the
successors who go on following the predecessors who have fallen into hell...
This statement of Imam 'Ali (A.S.) has completely exposed Mu'awiyah in his true
heathen colours till eternity.
Religious Factors
The advent of Islam gradually shifted the power balance in Makkah to the other
side and whatever was hitherto regarded as meritorious yielded its place to
factors which were beyond the comprehension of the Arabs. The boastfulness of
the days of jahiliyyah, which was part of tribal life, was shattered and people
were freed from the claws of idolatry. Now there were new life styles. Those
who were of sincere heart and searched for truth and reality stepped into the
vale of the faith of Islam and joined Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
The dividing line between the Hashimites and the Umayyads was redefined, and
the barometers of genealogy and tribalism gave way to Islam and Kufr. There
were new values of assessment. In this changed circumstances we find the young
son of Abi Talib a frontrunner. Imam 'Ali (A.S.), a boy of not more than ten
years, emerges as the first Muslim' and stands peerless above all and everybody
else in characteristics which define a human being and are considered
humanitarian. To quote his own words:
0 Allah I am the first to come towards You by hearing Your call and responding
to it. No one has precedence over me in performing the prayer except the
Messenger of Allah.)12
He stands head and shoulders above all other Muslims and could rightly be
called the personification of Islam and its values:
I discharged duties when others lost courage (to do so), and I came forward
when others hid themselves. I spoke when others remained mum. I strode with
Divine Light when others remained standing. I was the quietest of them in voice
but the highest in going forward. I cleaved to its rein and applied myself
solely to its pledge like the mountain which neither sweeping wind could move
nor storm could shake... By God, I am surely the First to testify him (the
Prophet)..."13
The seeds of enmity towards Imam 'Ali (A.S.) were actually sowed on the day he
stood up at the gathering of Dhu al-'Ashirah to testify to the divine mission
of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) when the rest of the gathering mocked at the Messenger.'"44
This hatred among the Makkan infidels grew when they found the young lad always
at the side of the Prophet ready to frustrate their sinister designs. The night
Imam 'Ali (A.S.) slept on the Prophet's bed" to allow him to migrate undetected
to Madinah, was the high point of frustration for the infidels who had planned
to murder the Prophet. In Madinah they found him an impregnable barrier to
their military assaults which were always beaten back soundly with heavy
losses. Imam 'Ali (A.S.) says in this regard:
By Allah, I was among their rear-guard till they turned back on their sides and
were flocked in their rope. I never showed weakness or lack of courage, nor did
I betray and become languid. By Allah, I shall split the wrong till I extract
right from its wrongs.'"16
Never for a moment did he neglect the commands of God and His Prophet and when
others fled the field of battle he stood firm like a mountain and shielded the
Prophet with his life. 17 No one was so close to the Prophet as he. His life
started with a glance at the countenance of the Prophet'" and the two were
not separated until the passing away of the Messenger of God.19 So firm was the
bond between the two cousins that the Prophet said: 'Aliyun minni wa ana min
'Ali ('Ali is from me and I am from 'Ali)20 The affinity between the two, if it
was a great blessing for Islam, it aroused jealousy and hatred among those
whose hearts overflowed with malice. In the lifetime of the Prophet these
persons could not succeed in their malicious designs against Imam 'Ali (A.S.),
but after his passing away they exploited every opportunity and used different
pretexts to undermine his position and display their enmity towards him. The
ignoring of his claims for the caliphate on three occasions are indicative of
the enmity towards him. To quote his own words:
By Allah the son of Abi Quhafah (Abi Bakr) dressed himself with it (the
caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the
same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand mill. The flood water
flows down from me and the bird cannot fly up to me...... 21
The first ruler passed on the ball of caliphate to the person who had procured
the vote for him at Saqifah Bani Sa'idah. Imam 'Ali (A.S.) says in this regard:
I watched the plundering of my inheritance till the first one went his way but
handed over the caliphate to Ibn al-Khattab after himself. It is strange that
during lifetime he wished to get rid of the caliphate but eased its way for the
other after his death... This one put the caliphate in a tough enclosure where
the utterance was haughty and the touch was rough. Mistakes were in plenty and
so also the excuses. One in contact with it was like the rider of an unruly
camel. If he pulled up its rein the very nostril would be slit, but if he let
it loose he would be thrown.22
This state of steady deterioration continued for almost a decade and when the
second stage of caliphate neared its end, it was again enmity which prevented
the Prophet's cousin and heir from taking over his usurped right of political
authority. He remained patient and turned down the conditional offer after
finding himself named against his will in a strange council of five persons of
whom the majority was against him such as Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, Talhah ibn
'Abdullah and 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf. The Imam says in this regard:
Nevertheless I remained patient despite the length of period of stiffness of
trial, till when he went his way (of death) he put the matter (of caliphate) in
a group and regarded me to be one of them. But good heavens! What had I to do
with this shura (consultative council)? Where was any doubt about me with
regard to the first of them that I was now considered akin to these ones... One
of them turned against me because of his hatred and the other got inclined the
other way due to his in-law relationship and this thing and that thing, till
the third man of these people stood up with heaving breasts between his dung
and fodder. With him his cousins also stood up swallowing up Allah's wealth
like a camel devouring the foliage of spring, till his rope broke down, his
actions finished him and his gluttony brought him down prostate."23
With the death of the third caliph matters stood at a chaotic stage and the
people fed up with the anarchy and looting of the public resources, pleaded
Imam 'Ali (A.S.) to take over the caliphate. He asked them to leave him alone
and seek someone else since the matter was more complicated than it appeared.24
When I took up the reins of government, one party broke away and another turned
disobedient while the rest began acting wrongfully as if they had not heard the
word of Allah saying: That abode in the Hereafter We assign for it those who
intend not to exult themselves in the earth, nor (to make) mischief (therein);
and the end (best) for the pious ones (28:83). Yes by Allah they had heard it
and understood it but the world appeared glittering in their eyes and its
embellishments seduced them...If people had not come to me and supporters had
not exhausted the argument and if there had been no pledge of Allah with the
learned to the effect that they should not acquiesce in the gluttony of the
oppressor and the hunger of oppressed I would have cast the rope of caliphate
on its own shoulders, and would have given the last one the same treatment as
to the First one.25
This turn of events was not unexpected for him since the Prophet had already
told him all that would transpire. The main factor of enmity towards Imam 'Ali
(A.S.) him was actually enmity with the laws and principles of Islam and lack
of steadfast belief in his opponents, as is clear from his reply to his
archenemy Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan:
Certainly, we and you were on amiable terms as you say but difference arose
between us and you the other day when we accepted the Belief and you rejected
it. Today the position is that we are steadfast (in the Belief) but you are
creating mischief. Those of you who accepted Islam did so reluctantly and that
too when all the chief men had accepted Islam and joined the Prophet of Allah
(S.A.W.).26
Political and Social Factors
Other causes of hatred towards Imam 'Ali (A.S.) was the political and social
factors. Islam had unified the Arab tribes and in addition to making them a
political power granted them a social status not imagined before. Although
faith did bestow a selfless and egalitarian outlook to the faithful, wherever
profound belief was found lacking, political and social ambitions raised their
heads to the detriment of the greater interests of Islam. The criteria for
authority were precedence in Islam as well as proximity to the Prophet and
confirmation by him. But except for Imam 'Ali (A.S.) no one else was worthy of
the caliphate on the basis of these barometers despite the fact that certain
companions of the Prophet had managed to seize the political power of the
Islamic state on this contention. When Mu'awiyah, in view of the impression of
these factors on public minds, tried to cause mischief by referring to the
political and social role of certain companions of the Prophet, the Imam gave
him a fitting reply that would remove many doubts. Part of the answer of Imam
'Ali (A.S.) to Mu'awiyah reads:
...Our Islam is well known and our (greatness of) pre-Islamic period too cannot
be denied. Whatever remains has been mentioned in the Qur'an It is: "And
blood relations have better claims in respect of one to the other according to
the Book of God." (33:6) "And verily of men the nearest to Abraham
are surely those who followed him and this (Our) Prophet (Muhammad) and those
who belief; and verily God is the Guardian of the faithful." (3:68)
Thus firstly we are superior because of kinship and secondly because of
obedience. When at Saqifah the Muhajirs contended kinship with the Prophet of
Allah (S.A.W.) they scored over them. If that success was based on kinship then
the right would be ours better than yours otherwise the Ansar's contention
stands... "27
The position of Imam 'Ali (A.S.) was well known to all, whether the muhajir or
the ansar. However the pull of the mortal world was so strong that it made even
people like Talhah and Zubayr make a bid for power against him. Enmity to him
made them blind of the realities including their own fate. The Imam has said in
this regard:
Both of these two (Talhah and Zubayr) wishes the caliphate for himself, and is
drawing it towards himself as against the other fellow. They do not employ any
connection for getting access to Allah nor proceed towards Him through any
means. Both of them bear malice against each other. Shortly his veil over it
will be uncovered. By Allah if they achieve what they aim at, one of them would
kill the other and one will finish the other.. 28
His keen insight laid bare the hidden intentions of Talhah and Zubayr by
drawing attention to their real ambitions, which meant that they were ready to
betray each other, let alone their disobedience to the Imam and the interests
of the Muslims. Imam 'Ali's (A.S.) analysis of the people and what social and
political factors are influential in moulding their personal traits, are worthy
to note:
O people we have reached the stage of such a wrongful and thankless period
wherein the virtuous is deemed vicious and the oppressor goes on advancing in
his excesses. We do not make use of what we know and do not discover what we do
no not know. We do not fear calamity till it befalls. People are of four
categories.
(1) Among them is he who is prevented from mischief only by his low position,
lack of means and paucity of wealth. (2) Then there is he who has drawn his
sword, openly commits mischief, has collected his horsemen and footmen and has
devoted him to securing wealth, leading troops, rising on the pulpit and has
allowed his faith to perish. How bad is the transaction that you allow
(enjoyment of) this world to be a price of yourself as an alternative for what
there is with Allah for you. (3) And among them is he who seeks (benefits of)
this world through actions meant for the next world, but does not seek (good
of) next world through actions of this world. He keeps his body calm (in
dignity) raises small steps, holds up his clothes, embellishes his body for
appearance of trust-worthiness and uses the position of Allah's connivance as a
means of committing sins. (4) Then there is the one whose weakness and lack of
means have held him back from conquest of lands. This keeps down his position
and he has named it contentment and clothes himself with the robe of
denunciation although he has never had any connection with these qualities.
Then there remain a few people in whose case the remembrance of their return
(to God on Doomsday) keeps their eyes bent, and the fear of resurrection moves
their tears. Some of them are scared away (from the world) and dispersed, some
are frightened and subdued, some are quiet as if muzzled, some are praying
sincerely, some are grief-stricken and pain-ridden whom fear has confined to
namelessness and disgrace has shrouded them, so they are in (the sea of) bitter
water, their mouths are closed and their hearts are bruised....29
Ethical Factors and Transcendental Values
It is in the nature of man to incline towards virtue and try to acquire values
that are deemed lofty and transcendental. Not all are equal in this quest for
moral perfection since abilities vary from person to person. However, when we
look at Imam 'Ali (A.S.) we see him stand out as the model par excellence of
all such ethical values. He strove selflessly and embodied the merits which
rarely accumulate in one person. These matchless traits, if they earned
admiration and praise from God and his Prophet, appeared unpleasant to some and
were another cause of breeding enmity in sick and jealous hearts. Some of these
dynamic qualities which aroused animosity towards him are as follows:
1. Worship of God and Obedience to the Prophet's
Sunnah
Anyone who attempts to write something about Imam 'Ali (A.S.) will admit
that he was a perfect man of God, obedient to the Creator in all aspects of
life to the extent that he would not even entertain the idea of committing the
most minute act of disobedience.
...By Allah even if I am given all the domains of the seven (stars) with all
that exists under the skies in order that I may disobey Allah to the extent of
snatching one grain of barley from an ant I would not do it. For me the world
is lighter than the leaf in the mouth of a locust that is chewing it...30
He was a paradigm of piety and excelled all others in the worship of God, as he
himself says:
"O people I do not impel you to any obedience unless I practise it before
you and do not refrain you from any disobedience unless I desist from it before
,,31
He lived according to the commandments of God and in accordance with the Sunnah
of the Prophet and because of his commitment to these factors he refused to
accept the caliphate after the death of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab when the condition
spelled by the 6-man shura was that the new caliph should be bound to the
behaviour and patterns set by the Shaykhayn (first two caliphs). 32
2. Love for Justice & Practicing of Justice
Although justice is regarded as a much-cherished humanitarian principle
there are very few who really adhere to justice and practice justice. History
bears witness that persons in power show respect for justice and implement
justice as long as it is in their interests. Justice in the lexicon of such
persons has definite limits. But for Imam 'Ali (A.S.) justice had a
transcendental meaning where self-interests cease to exist. He was the epitome
of the just ruler and spared no effort for the implementation of justice. When
he heard that the agents of the rebel Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan had plundered
the city of Anbar and snatched the jewelry from the women including those
non-Muslims living under the protection of Islam, he said:
"If any Muslim dies of grief after all this he is not to be blamed but
rather there is justification for him before ,,33
In another place the Imam says:
By Allah, I would rather like to pass the night in wakefulness on the thorns of
Sa'dan or to be driven in chains as a prisoner than meet Allah and His Prophet
on the Day of Judgement as an oppressor over any person or a usurper of
anything out of the worldly wealth. And how can I oppress anyone for (the sake
of a life) what is fast moving towards destruction and is to remain under the
earth for a long time. 34
This lofty sense of justice for restoring people their denied rights, if it
endeared him to the oppressed masses it made the oppressors his open enemies.
The Commander of the Faithful was determined to restore to the public treasury
the wealth of the Muslim that the third caliph 'Uthman bin 'Affan had
distributed among his supporters who were now the wealthiest people. He says in
this regard:
By Allah, even if I had found that by such money women have been married or
slave-maids purchased I would have resumed it because there is wide scope in
dispensation of justice and he who finds it hard to act justly should find it
harder to deal with injustice.35
This is how Imam 'Ali (A.S.) spelt out his state policy, but those who had
prospered in earlier reigns due to rampant favoritism, nepotism and other forms
of corruption, felt alarmed and became obstacles to the implementation of
justice in the Islamic society.
3. Piety and Abstinence
It is in the nature of man to covet worldly positions and possessions. It would
not be wrong to say that many people desire fame and publicity more than
anything else and would resort to any method to achieve this since in their
eyes the life of the mortal world is the ultimate goal. But Imam 'Ali (A.S.)
considered the world like the intestines of a swine in the hands of a
leper'"36 or even worse than that. Addressing the world he says:
"O World! O World! Get away from me. Why do you present yourself to me? Or
are you eager for me? You may not get that opportunity to impress me. Deceive
some other person. I have no concern with you..."37
Despite being the ruler of a realm extending from Central Asia to North Africa
he never forsook the company of the poor and the destitute and would even join
them for meals at times. When he appointed governors and other officials for
the far flung provinces, his first and foremost instruction was to cater to the
needs of the masses of common people38 and to respect their rights. He reminded
his officials:
"Certainly your assignment is not a morsel for you but it is a trust round
you neck."39
He served as the model of emulation for his friends and urged them to acquire
the qualities he possessed:
In the past I had a brother-in-faith and he was prestigious in my view because
the world was humble in his eyes, the needs of the stomach did not have sway
over him, he did not long for what he did not get. If he got a thing he would
not ask for more. Most of his time he was silent but if he spoke he silenced
the other speakers and he quenched the thirst of questioners. He was weak and
feeble but at the time of fighting he was like the lion of the forest or the
serpent of the valley. He would not put forth an argument unless it was
decisive. He would not abuse anyone in an excusable matter unless he would have
heard the excuse. He would not speak of any trouble except after its
disappearance. He would say what he would do and would not say what he would
not do. Even if he could not be exceeded in speaking he could be excelled in
silence He was more eager for keeping quiet than speaking and if two things
confronted him he would see which was more akin to the longing of the heart and
he would oppose it. These qualities are incumbent upon you. So you should
acquire them and excel each other in them. Even if you cannot acquire them you
should know that acquiring a part is better than giving up the whole.40
The Commander of the Faithful strove to build persons who will determine their
own destiny and will not be influenced by anyone even if it means that they
will be boycotted by those trapped in the material life of the world.
Elsewhere, while describing the qualities of the faithful, he says:
Their countenance is the countenance of the truthful and their speech is the
speech of the virtuous. They are wakeful during nights (in devotion to Allah)
and are minarets of guidance during the day. They hold fast to the rope of the
Qur'an, and revive the traditions of Allah and His Prophet. They do not boast
nor indulge in self-conceit, nor misappropriate, nor create mischief. Their
hearts are in paradise while their bodies (on earth) are busy in (good) acts.
Those captivated by the glamour of world and greed for worldly possessions not
even disliked the Imam but became his enemies.
4. Valour and Awe
It is normally seen that persons who possess sublime qualities and morals are
not familiar with valour and hardships. Persons could either be polite or
courteous or tough and hardened. It is said that piety and firm determination
for solving the affairs of the material world, or tenderness of heart and
courage in the battlefield are poles apart and do not combine in one person.
But Imam 'Ali (A.S.) was the rare exception and combined himself these
seemingly contrasting qualities to the extent that he is regarded as the
perfect role model not only in the niche of prayer for the pious but in the
battlefield for the warriors. He wielded the sword so gallantly in the way of
truth following the Prophet's migration to Madinah that the enemies were filled
with awe and fear of his valour. In his letter to Mu'awiyah, the Commander of
the Faithful reminds:
I am Abu al-Hasan who killed your (maternal) grandfather, your (maternal) uncle
and your brother by cutting them to pieces on the Day of Badr. The same sword
is with me and I will meet my adversary with the same heart. I have not altered
the religion nor put up any new Prophet. I am surely (treading) on that very
highway which you had willingly forsaken (in the beginning) and adopted
perforce.42
His bravery and feats of valour during the battles fought in the time of the
Prophet were crucial for Islam. At the same time his proverbial strength
inspired awe among his adversaries, an awe that lingered on in their hearts
even after renouncing idolatry and at times burst into open opposition to him
albeit under the cover of Islam.43
5. Knowledge and Cognizance
Throughout history the element of ignorance has always opposed knowledge and
the ignorant person has been at war with the learned. Sheer ignorance of
knowledge and the refusal to open up the windows of the mind to the light of
learning, was one of the factors of the enmity of certain people towards Imam
'Ali (A.S.). The Imam classifying the types of people says:
O Kumayl .... People are of three types. (1) One is the God- wary scholar. (2)
Then the seeker of knowledge who is also on the path of salvation. (3) Then the
common rot who run after every caller and bend in the direction of every wind.
They seek no light from the effulgence of knowledge and do not take protection
of any reliable support.44
He then explained to Kumayl in a lengthy discourse that knowledge is superior
to wealth and that the hoarders of wealth in contrast to the seekers of
knowledge are dead persons even though they may be physically alive for the
moment. Parts of the Imam's words are:
"O Kumayl knowledge guards you while you have to guard the wealth. Wealth
decreases by spending while knowledge multiplies by spending..."45
What he advocated was knowledge with proper cognizance of God. As the divine
scholar, Imam 'Ali (A.S.) enlightened all those who came to learn and
encouraged them to ask questions with his famous words: Saluni qabla 'an
tafqiduni (ask me before you lose me). He knew the passages of the skies more
than the passages of the earth46 and to him the world of esoteric reality was as
familiar as the world of physical appearance. How can such a person be loved
and respected by the arrogantly ignorant who were sunk in disbelief and whose
minds were unable to comprehend beyond what could fill their stomachs?
6. Truthfulness and Straightforwardness of Imam 'Ali
(A.S.)
The world of politics is the world of deceit and ruse. Although we do not
interpret politics in such negative terms, throughout history politicians and
statesmen have stuck to lies, deceit and fraud to pursue their objectives. In
contrast, Imam 'Ali (A.S.) in his administration of the state and society,
followed a straightforward and honest policy and abhorred the very idea of lies
and craftiness during his caliphate. It was obvious that he neither pursued
worldly possessions nor power. He says in this regard:
"I have neither spoken a lie nor have been told a lie. I have neither
deviated nor have I been made to deviate."47
Some naive or crooked-minded persons think that he was not a diplomat. But they
fail to understand that in the lexicon of Imam 'Ali (A.S.) who was brought up
by the Prophet, words such as lies and fraud did not exist. What he did was to
lay the foundations of politics and state administration based on lofty
humanitarian values.
By Allah, Mu'awiyah is not more clever than I am but he deceives and commits
evil deeds. Had I not been hateful of deceit I would have the most clever of
all men. But the fact is that every deceit is a sin and every sin is
disobedience (of Allah) and every deceitful person would have a banner by which
he would be recognized on the Day of Judgement. By Allah, I cannot be made
forgetful by strategy nor can I be overpowered by hardships.48
In the light of these words it is crystal clear that the one who deemed the
world devoid of any value and whose entire existence was devoted to God and
administration of mankind's affairs, will neither speak against truth and
reality nor will resort to dubious and contradictory methods. However, for the
evil-minded and those unable to properly comprehend the law of God, such a
person would appear weak. This was another reason why some people turned into
his enemies.
To quote the words of the Imam:
Certainly these people are agreed in disliking my authority. I would endure
till I apprehend disunity among you; because if in spite of the unsoundness of
their view they succeed, the whole system would be shattered. They are
hankering after this world out of jealousy against him on whom Allah has
bestowed it.49
These were some of the various reasons why certain people became his enemies
and started the current of enmity towards the person who personified the
virtues and merits of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).