One of the most important issues of the early period of Islam, especially that which immediately followed the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him), is that of Ali’s position. The Shiites in particular maintain that he was more entitled to be the Prophet’s successor, rather than Abu Bakr and Umar. Because the issue has been subject to much controversy, leading to abuse being hurled on some of the Prophet’s companions, Justice Ibn Al-Arabi sums up the arguments advanced before refuting them. In his summary, he says:
“Some people say that the issue should have been settled without argument, because the Prophet had stated that Ali was to be his successor, saying to him: ‘With me, you are in the same relation as Aaron was to Moses, except that there is no prophet after me.’ (Related by Al-Bukahri and Muslim)
“The Prophet also said in reference to Ali: ‘My Lord! Befriend those who befriend him and oppose those who oppose him. Support whoever supports him and abandon whoever abandons him.’ (Related by Ahmad). This settles the matter once and for all.
“Nevertheless, Abu Bakr usurped his position and placed himself where he did not belong. Then Umar did likewise. It was hoped that Umar would put matters back to right, but he confused the issue and left the matter to be settled by consultation, because of what he had heard from the Prophet. Then Abd Al-Rahman ibn Awf schemed to deprive him of it, assigning it to Uthman. Then Uthman was killed because of his usurpation of the caliphate and his transgression against Islamic law.
“Then Ali became caliph by the divine right stated by the Prophet. Nevertheless, those who pledged loyalty to him rebelled, disputing his authority. The Syrians took an attitude leading to transgression against the faith, and indeed to rejecting it.
“This is in truth the nature of their school: they consider all others unbelievers, because their beliefs are based on making every sinner an unbeliever. This Imamiyyah group makes anyone who is guilty of a cardinal sin an unbeliever. In this they are like the Qadariyah. To them, those three caliphs, i.e. Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman and their supporters were guilty of the worst sins. They further label the Prophet’s companions as most covetous of worldly things, and least committed to Islam, ready to abandon its rules and laws.”
So hostile are some of the extremist Shiites that they would level such accusations against the closest to the Prophet of all his companions, and also describe the rest of them as being ready to violate its beliefs and laws. They only exclude a few of them and accuse the rest of collaborating with injustice and deviation from the teachings of Islam. Ibn Al-Arabi writes at length refuting all these arguments, making clear that it was 500 years to the day since these accusations were first advanced, and yet they were still repeated by those people. We can say that it is now over fourteen centuries, and some still repeat such accusations. However, this applies only to ignorant people who repeat them like parrots without ever pausing to understand the meaning of what they say. On the other hand, the Shiites who are well educated in Islamic matters do not involve themselves in such falsehood. We will look at what Ibn Al-Arabi writes in reply, which will take us a couple of weeks to complete.
He says: “Neither the Christians nor the Jews would say about the disciples of Jesus and Moses what those extremists allege about the Prophet’s companions, claiming that they all collaborated in falsehood that contradicts faith. What can be expected from such people? God says in the Qur’an: ‘God has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that, of a certainty, He will cause them to accede to power on earth, in the same way as He caused those who lived before them to accede to it; and that, of a certainty, He will firmly establish for them the religion which He has chosen for them; and that, of a certainty, He will cause their erstwhile state of fear to be replaced by a state of security.’ (24: 55) This is certainly a true promise that never fails. Yet their time on earth has lapsed without them ever acceding to power on earth, enjoying security and peace. On the contrary, they are always in a state of injustice, aggression, chaos and lack of security.
“The Muslim community unanimously agrees that the Prophet did not name anyone to succeed him as ruler. Abdullah ibn Abbas reports: “Ali came out of the Prophet’s home during his last illness, and people asked him how the Prophet was that morning. Ali said: ‘By God’s grace, he seems this morning well on the way to recovery.’ Al-Abbas ibn Abd Al-Muttalib (an uncle of both the Prophet and Ali) took Ali by the hand and said to him: ‘By God, you will be in grief in three days. I think that God’s messenger will die in this illness of his. I recognize something in the faces of Abd Al-Muttalib’s descendants at the point of death. Let us go to the Prophet and ask him who would be ruling after him. If this is left to us, we would know that, and if it is left to others, he could put a good word for us.’ Ali said: ‘If we ask the Prophet to give it to us and he declines, people would never give it to us in future. I will never ask the Prophet to give it to us.’
“In my view, Al-Abbas’ view is more correct and closer to the truth. It shows the fallacy of the claim that the Prophet hinted, let alone stated, that Ali should be chosen as caliph after him. On the contrary, a woman came to the Prophet for something, and he told her to come back later. She said: ‘What if I do not find you, (implying that he might die)’. The Prophet said to her: ‘You will find Abu Bakr.’ (Related by Al-Bukahri).
“On some occasion there was some friction between Abu Bakr and Umar. The Prophet was upset and that was clear in his face, to the extent that Abu Bakr got worried. The Prophet said to Umar: “Are you going to leave my friend alone? (He said this twice). I was sent to you all, but you said to me that I was lying while Abu Bakr said that I am stating the truth. I disclaim every friendship and rely on God alone.” (Related by Al-Bukahri).”
We will continue with Ibn Al-Arabi’s clarification next week, God willing.