Sectarians Launch Offensive Against Muslim Unity
Attacks Against Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) by persons Claiming to follow Ali (r.a.)

"And those who came after them say: ‘Our Lord! Forgive us, and our brethren who came before us into the Faith and leave not, in our hearts, rancor (or sense of injury) against those who have believed. Our Lord! Thou art indeed Full of Kindness, Most Merciful." (The Qur'an 59:10)

During the last couple of months, I have been receiving emails full of abuse, insults, attacks, out-of-context conclusions and misuse of holy texts of Islam, all aimed at denigration of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I wonder why this moment in history was chosen by the writers of these emails to attack Islam. Do these persons sense that the Muslims are so involved in battle against the oppressors that the attacks on the people who made Islam possible will be ignored? More importantly, do these persons think that mainstream Islam has been so bloodied and wounded that this is the time to take advantage of the suffering of the ummah?

The names of the attackers (or the names they use) in these emails are as follow: Zahra Cox, Abouthar, Masood Zaidi and Naquvi. The names indicate that these persons belong to a certain sect, i.e. the followers of Ali (r.a.). However, it is quite possible that these persons are not real followers of Ali ibn Abi Talib (r.a.), the 4th Caliph of Islam. They either do not know what were the teachings of Ali (r.a.) or are deliberately pretending that they don't know. The Imams who took their wisdom from Ali (r.a.) did not ever denigrate and insult the Sahaba or Companions of the Prophet (pbuh).

The verse I have quoted above, 59:10, not only blesses those who came into Islam late, such as Khalid ibn al-Waleed (r.a.) but also indicates that attacks on the first generation of Islam are unacceptable.

Ali ibn Abi Talib (r.a.) worked very closely with the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and openly and generously accepted the leadership of the Abu Bakr (r.a.), ‘Umar (r.a.), ‘Usman (r.a.) the first three rightly guided caliphs of the Islamic community. After Ali (r.a.) passed away, certain individuals worked hard to divide the Muslim community. They tried to convey the impression that:
1. Ali was superior to Abu Bakr, Umar and Usman and
2. That he held them in contempt. That abusive viewpoint seems to be the viewpoint of Ms. Cox, Abouthar, Masood Zaidi and Naquvi.

However the imams who got their wisdom from Ali (r.a.) made it very clear that such attacks on the Sahaba (companions) of the Prophet (pbuh) did not have their support. Here is the evidence:

"Imam Jafar Sadiq narrates from his father Imam Baqir Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain, bin Ali (r.a.): A person came to my father (Zayn ul-Abidin) and said:
Tell me about the situation of Abu Bakr. He (Imam Zayn ul-Abidin) said:
Which Abu Bakr are you asking about? Are you asking about Abu Bakr Siddiq? He said:
O Imam, do you call that person Siddiq! He (the imam) said: O good for nothing person, the messenger of Allah, peace be on him, gave him the title of Siddiq and the entire (Islamic) community, the muhajerin and the ansar called him Siddiq. Whoever does not call him Siddiq, may Allah reveal as false all that such a one says in this world and in the Hereafter. Now go and learn to love Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, Allah be pleased with them." ( Narration in the classical collection of Abu Hasan al-Darqutni.)"

Saalim narrates: I went to care for (Imam) Jafar bin Muhammad Baqir when he was not well. He said (to let me know): O Allah! I love Abu Bakr and ‘Umar with all my heart. (According to another chain of narration) Imam Jafar said: O Saalim, can a person do tabarah (send curses) on his own grandfather? O Saalim, Abu Bakr is my grandfather. If I do not love Abu Bakr and ‘Umar with all my heart and if I am not totally alienated with their enemies, may I not receive the shafaat of Muhammad, peace be on him." (Collected by al-Darqutni)

The people who would not respect Abu Bakr (r.a.) and ‘Umar (r.a.), are the people who are rejected by the imams who got their wisdom from Ali ibn Abi Talib (r.a.). What an irony that these fitna-mongers trying to divide the ummah of Muhammad (pbuh) by abusing the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) claim to be following Ali (r.a.)! May Allah make their words of no effect. [To be continued, inshallah]
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2002-08-30 Thu 09:57ct