Sufferings of Imam Ali (a.s.) During His Own Caliphate

Although after the killing of the third caliph the people flocked to the door of Imam Ali (a.s.) and paid their allegiance to him, yet they did not submit truly to him and on many occasions opposed or tried to oppose his commands and instructions.

The Nation Was Not Obedient to Imam Ali (a.s.)

When His Eminence wanted to dismiss Qadi Shurai from his post of judge, people of Kufa approached and pleaded him not to dismiss him because Umar had appointed him.

 They said: We paid allegiance to you in the condition that you will not change anything that Abu Bakr and Umar had done.

When Imam Ali (a.s.) prohibited his soldiers from reciting Tarawih in the month of Ramazan, they did not obey him. Imam Ali (a.s.) himself said concerning this,

“Some of my soldiers who had fought under my command cried and shouted that the tradition of Umar is being changed. Ali is prohibiting us from Taraveeh! So I feared that they might revolt in the camp”.¹

In this same narration, Imam Ali (a.s.) also narrated his helplessness in the below words,

“By God, the Imams before me have done such big actions in which they have intentionally opposed the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) so if I prepare people to leave them (actions) and remove things from that place, and bring them to how it used to be during the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), then my army would separate from me until no one will remain in my army apart from myself and my these few Shias who know my merits and Imamah through Allah’s Book and the Tradition of His Prophet, not through anything else.”²

The Army of Imam Ali (a.s.) Did Not Submit to His Orders

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) reprimanded his army for not submitting to his order in the below words,

“How strange! How strange! By Allah! My heart sinks to see the unity of these people in their wrong-doings and your dispersion from the right. May woe and grief befall you. You have become the target at which arrows are shot. You are being killed and you do not kill. You are being attacked but you do not attack. Allah is being disobeyed and you remain agreeable to it. When I ask you to move against them in the summer you say it is hot weather, spare us until the heat subsides from us. When I order you to march in winter you say it is severely cold; give us time until the cold clears from us. These are just excuses of evading heat or cold because if you run away from heat and cold, you would be, by Allah, running away (in a greater degree) from the sword (war).”

He (a.s.) continues, “I wish I had not seen you nor known you. By Allah, this acquaintance has brought about shame and resulted in repentance. May Allah fight you! You have filled my heart with puss and loaded my bosom with rage. You made me drink mouthful after mouthful of grief. You shattered my counsel by disobeying and leaving me so much so that Quraish started saying that the son of Abu Talib is brave but does not know (tactics of) war. Allah bless them! Is anyone of them more fierce in war and more older in it than I am? I rose for it although yet within my twenties and here I am, have crossed over sixty, but one who is not obeyed can have no opinion.”³

It is narrated in Kitab Sulaim bin Qays, that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) complained about his army in the below words,

“… then he (a.s.) turned his face to those people who were his Ahlulbayt and his Shias, and said: “By God, the Imams before me have done such big actions in which they have intentionally opposed the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) so if I prepare people to leave them (actions) and remove things from that place, and bring them to how it used to be during the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), then my army would separate from me until no one will remain in my army apart from myself and my these few Shias who know my merits and Imamah through Allah’s Book and the Tradition of His Prophet, not through anything else.”

“Do you see that if I order that Makame Ibrahim (a.s.) is brought to that place where the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had kept it and Fadak is returned to the inheritors of Fatimah (a.s.) and bring the Saa and Mudd back to the weight that it was during the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and give those lands to the inheritors like the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had done and if I demolished the mosque and gave the house of Ja’afer ibn Abi Talib back to his inheritors and change the decisions that the ones before me made oppressingly and return the land of Khyber that was divided, and if I destroy the register of gifts and start giving in the manner that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to give, and if I do not let it wonder around the rich ones and imprison the children of Bani Taghlab and order people not to pray in congregation in Rhamadan except for obligatory prayers, then some people who are in the army, and with me fight, will speak loudly “Oh Ahle Islam.” and say “You have changed the Sunnah of Umar and have stopped us from praying for the pleasure of Allah during Ramadhan” , until I am scared some people from the army will start violent demonstrations.”

Objections to the Economic Justice of Imam Ali (a.s.)

One of the problems that Imam Ali (a.s.) faced was to follow economic justice. Umar set the criteria as per the Islamic records of people and tribal shape. Those of the companions who had embraced Islam sooner than others shared more. The same condition kept on during Uthman as well. He began his generosity leading to greater rich-poor distance in the community. All this property includes the fifth of booties and tributes that were annually received and came from the conquered territories belonging to all people. When Imam came to power, he raised equal sharing of this property. His reason rested upon what the Prophet(s) had done.

Imam Ali (a.s.) in one of his speeches mentioned,

“…But in this world, anyone who accepts call of God and His Messenger(s) and becomes a Muslim and pray before Qibla, he will benefit from all rights and Islamic rules. You are servants of God, Imam added, and property is Allah’s that will equally be divided among you”.

When Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) distributed the share equally amongst the Muslims, there were many who objected to him. Amongst them was Zubair, who said,

“This is our reward? We acted in this way for him! … he today puts people over us whom we were over.”

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) in response to companions who objected to his method and referred to ‘Umar’s manner said, “Does obeying the Prophet’s tradition stand first or that of ‘Umar’s.”

Serious disapproval of this manner induced some companions of Imam to go to Imam to ask him to prefer Arab and Quraysh noblemen than and non-Arabs.

He (a.s.) rejected them and said, “Are you telling me that I gain victory through cruelty.”

Later, Ibn Abbas wrote to Imam Hasan (a.s.), “People left your father alone and went to Muawiya because he equally shared the property among them and they never endured this act of your father.

Imam Ali (a.s.) Fought Three Battles in Four Years

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was compelled to fight three big battles in the short duration of four odd years of his apparent caliphate.

Needless to say, preparing for these three battles, mobilizing the resources, diverting one’s resources and energy towards these battles were an impediment towards other important tasks such as reformation of the society and bringing out the society from the moral decay which it was in.

People Did Not Recognise the Position of Imam Ali (a.s.)

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was the standard of guidance, door of knowledge, the Divinely elected representative of Allah, the Almighty on earth. Yet, there were only a few who actually recognized his position and merits and the majority was averse to it.

Imam Baqir (a.s.) says concerning this, when Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was in Iraq, battling with his enemies, he had few companions around him. Imam Baqir (a.s.) says, that amongst those who were with him, there were not even fifty people, who recognized him as was his right to be recognized or had recognition of the right of his Imamat.⁴

One of the esteemed companions and ardent follower of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) draws our attention to this fact that he (a.s.) was the one whose value, worth and rank remained hidden from the people.

It is narrated in Irshaad al Quloob, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) came out from Masjid e Kufa in the night. More than one fourth of the night had passed and with him was Kumail bin Zayd. And he was from the best of his Shias and his lovers then they were on the street when the passed away from a door of a man who was reciting the Holy Quran, and he recited the verse

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قانِتٌ آناءَ اللَّيْلِ ساجِداً وَ قائِماً يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَ يَرْجُوا رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَ الَّذِينَ لا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّما يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُوا الْأَلْبابِ

“is he who worships devotedly during the hour in the night prostrating himself or standing (in adoration) who takes heed of the Hereafter and places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord like who does not say “are those equal those who know wand those who do not know? It is those who are enduded with understanding that receive admonition”.

He recited the above verse in a sorrowful tone. Kumail was pleased by this recitation and got awed by it.

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) said to Kumail – do not be astonished by his chanting, surely, he is from people of fire.

Then a lot of time passed (after this incident), till it reached the time of Khawarij and they fought Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) turned towards Kumail bin Ziyad while he was standing near him and the sword in the hand of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was dripping blood, and the severed heads of those disbelievers and transgressors were spread on the ground. Then he raised one of the heads from the heads scattered there on the tip of his sword, and he (a.s.) said, O Kumayl,

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قانِتٌ آناءَ اللَّيْلِ ساجِداً وَ قائِماً

Is he not that person who was reciting the Holy Quran that night and you got awed by his condition?

Then Janabe Kumail (a.s.) fell to feet of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), kissed his feet, sought forgiveness from Allah and saluted Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) thus

صَلَّى عَلَى مَجْهُولِ الْقَدْرِ

“Peace be upon the one, whose value is hidden”.

The Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s.) in the Mosque of Kufa

The last Ramadan of the life of Imam Ali (a.s.) had restlessness in it as was apparent from the behaviour of the Imam (a.s.). This month was different from all the months of Ramadan of previous years. It was clearly felt by the family members of Imam (a.s.).

During this Ramadan month he used to conclude his fast at one of his children’s house. Every night he used to be the guest of one of them. He ate at Imam Hasan’s (a.s.) house one night and then Imam Husain’s (a.s.) house on the next and then Lady Zainab’s(s.a.) house and so on. But he ate very little.⁵

The Imam’s children used to become sad on this condition of Imam. They used to cry out of sadness. Once, one of them asked: “O father! Why do you eat so less?” The Imam replied: “I want to meet the Almighty
Allah with an empty stomach.”⁶ (His children used to understand that His Eminence, Ali was waiting). Sometimes he used to look at the sky and say: “My beloved one, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has informed me and what he had told me is absolutely true. He cannot be wrong. The time is near.”

On 13th of the month, he stated something, which increased the trouble. It was Friday and the Imam was delivering a sermon.

During the sermon he asked Imam Husain (a.s.): “Son, how many days are left in this month?”

He replied: “Seventeen days are left, father.”

Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Yes, very soon my beard will be dyed with my blood. The time for this beard to be dyed with blood is near.”

Imam Ali’s (a.s.) Dream on the Eve of the Attack

He visited the house of his younger daughter, Umme Kulsum, on the eve of the nineteenth. The signs of awaiting were more apparent in him as compared to the previous nights. When everybody retired for the night, the Imam went to his prayer-mat and began to pray.

Imam Ali (a.s.) was on his prayer-mat and it was not yet dawn. Imam Hasan (a.s.) arrived and sat down near him. Either it was because of restlessness or it was his usual habit.

He told Imam Hasan (a.s.): “I was sitting when I dozed for some moments. I saw the Prophet of Allah appear before me, and I said. ‘Your Ummah has made me cry tears of blood.” Really, it is strange that people opposed His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) and did not walk on the path shown by him. People had troubled him no end.

Even a mountain does not have the power to bear so many calamities as he did. To whom can Ali (a.s.) tell about his sufferings? When he saw the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in his dream, Imam Ali (a.s.) opened his heart to him and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Your Ummah has troubled me a lot. Tell me, what I should do about it?” Then he told Imam Hasan (a.s.): “Father’s dearest! Your grandfather ordered me, ‘O Ali! Curse this Ummah’ And in the dream I said, ‘O Lord! Take me from this world at the soonest and appoint over them in my place someone who is worse than me.”⁷ You can estimate the trouble and restlessness from this statement.

The Commander of the faithful (a.s.), spent that night awake and he frequently went out and looked up to the sky, saying: “By God, I have not lied nor have I been lied to. It is the night which I was promised.”

When dawn rose, he put on his waistcloth and went out saying: Stiffen your breast for death. Indeed, death will meet you. Do not show grief at death when it arrives in your valley.

The Ducks That Wailed Before the Martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s.)

When the Imam started to set out for the mosque, the ducks began to quack loudly. Imam said: ““Leave them, they are those who wail (for my death).”

The Last Azaan (Call to Prayer) of Imam Ali (a.s.)

Imam used to call out the Azaan of the Morning Prayer. Dawn was approaching when the Imam went to the place of Azaan and recited it. After that he bid farewell to whiteness of dawn and said: “O whiteness of dawn! Have you ever witnessed a day when Ali (a.s.) was sleeping when you appeared in the sky since the time Ali has opened his eyes?” It means that it has not happen prior to this but now the eyes of Ali were going to be closed forever. After returning from the place of Azaan. the Imam recited the following couplets:

“Make way for the believer warrior fghting in the way of Allah. He is a believer who follows the divine commandments. And steps into the battlefeld of martyrdom willingly One who does not worship anyone except God and enjoins people to offer Prayer regularly.

Abdur Rahman Ibne Muljim and his evil companions were awaiting the arrival of Imam Ali (a.s.) impatiently. Their plan was not known to anyone except Quttam and Ashath bin Qais, who had a wicked mentality
and was conniving with Muawiyah as he disliked the equitable behaviour of Imam Ali (a.s.).

Ashath came running to lbne Muljim and said: “Very little time is left before daylight. If it is light you will be disgraced. So, finish this job as early as possible.”

Hujr bin Adi, who was a close companion of Imam Ali (a.s.) overheard the conversation and sensed that they had a dangerous plan. Hujr had returned a little while ago after completing an official chore and his horse was outside the mosque. It seems that he wanted to report this to the Commander of the Faithful.

When Hujr heard the words of Ashath, he rushed to Imam Ali (a.s.) to caution him of the danger. However, he reached the house of Imam Ali (a.s.) only to find that the latter has gone to the mosque from another route.

Ibn Muljam al-Muradi, may God curse him, killed him at the mosque of Kufa, which he had come out to in order to wake the people for the dawn prayer on the night of the nineteenth of the month of Ramadan. He had been lying in wait for him from the beginning of the night. When he (the Commander of the faithful) passed by him while the latter was hiding his design by feigning sleep amid a group of people who were asleep, he (Ibn Muljam) sprang out and struck him on the top of his head with his sword which was poisoned.

Upon entering the mosque, Imam Ali (a.s.) called out: “O people! The Prayer! The Prayer!” He had walked a few steps towards the prayer-mat after reciting the Azaan when two swords flashed in the darkness and the people were shocked to hear the shouts of: Al-Hukmu Lillaah Ya Aliyyu laa lak. The first blow was given by Shabib bin Bajura, the accursed one, but the sword hit the wall and it was unsuccessful. The second blow was given by Ibne Muljim, which hit the holy head of Imam Ali (a.s.).

When Ibne Muljim, the accursed one hit Imam Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) on his head with the sword, a slash was made in the skull till his eyebrows.

As per another narration, that on the night of 19^th of Mahe Ramazan, Ibn Muljim spent the night in Masjid e Kufa and with him were Shabib bin Bajura and Wardaan bin Mujalid to help him in the assassination of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). Then after reciting the Azaan, Imam Ali (a.s.) came down from the place of reciting the Azaan and it was his practice that he would awaken those who were sleeping in the mosque. He did the same thing, till we woke up the accursed who was feigning to sleep on his face. Then Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) proceeded towards the prayer niche and stood there for reciting prayers. When Ibn Muljim saw this, he got up, came walking and stood behind the pillar where the Imam was praying and waited till the Imam recited the first unit (Rakat), performed bowing (Ruku), the first prostration (sajdah) and then raised his head. That is when the accursed removed his sword, swung it and hit the blessed and noble head of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). The sword struck the Imam exactly at the same place where Amr ibn Abdawud had hit him in the battle of Khandaq. The strike extent was from the top of his blessed head up to the place of prostration.⁸

Abdur Rahman, Shabib and Wardan tried to run away. Wardan had not come forward in this attack and was not recognized. As soon as Shabib tried to run away, a companion of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) caught him and snatched the sword from his hands. He threw Shabib on the ground and mounted his chest with the intention of killing him. However, when he saw people coming towards them, he feared that they might mistake him to be the real killer. Hence, he climbed down from his chest. Shabib ran away and hid himself in a house.

When Shabib’s cousin came to know that he was involved in the martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s.), he went to his house and killed him with his sword.

Abdur Rahman Ibne Muljim was caught by the people and brought to the mosque with his hands tied behind him. The people were so enraged that they would have lynched him.

Lady Zainab (s.a.), Lady Umme Kulsum (s.a.) and other family members were awake and restless. Their hearts were beating fast with anxiety because they didn’t know what catastrophe would occur before the darkness of this night disappears. Suddenly a voice caught the attention of everyone:

“By Allah, the pillars of guidance have been demolished. By Allah, signs of piety have been erased. The strong rope of truth is broken. The cousin of Mustafa is martyred. The successor of the chosen prophet of Allah is martyred. Ali al-Murtaza is martyred. The worst person from the formers and the latter has martyred him.”

The Doctor of Kufa Examines Imam Ali (a.s.)

Imam Ali (a.s.) was brought to his house from the mosque after being attacked. He was made to lie on a bed. An Arab named Athir bin Amr who had studied medicine in Jundi Shahpur was practicing in Kufa. He was brought to treat The Commander of the Faithful. He began diagnosing the Imam’s condition. He understood that the poison had already entered the veins of Imam (a.s.) and said that no treatment would be effective. So, he told him: “O Commander of the Faithful! If you want to make a will, do it now.”

Janabe Umme Kulsum (s.a.) Speaks to Ibne Muljim

When Lady Umme Kulthum came to know about this accursed one from first to last, she told him hatefully: “What wrong did my father do to you? Why did you attack him?” Then she said, “God willing, my father will be well, and you will have to suffer deprivation and failure.”

At this, the accursed one told her: “Do not hope that your father will get well, because I bought this sword for one thousand dirhams and spent one thousand dirhams more to smear it with poison. I have smeared it with such a poison, that this sword is enough to kill the entire population of Kufa.”

The Deteriorating Health of Imam Ali (a.s.) After the Poisoned Sword

Imam was on his deathbed. His health was, deteriorating with the passage of time. The poison had spread to his entire body. His companions were aggrieved. All of them had surrounded him and were crying. However, the Imam was calm and was smiling patiently. Expressing his joy at the turn of these events he said: “By Allah, whatever has happened to me is certainly not disliked by me because it was my old wish to get martyred in the way of Allah. What can be better for me than getting martyred whiles in worship…?”

The Last Narration of Imam Ali (a.s.) to Asbagh bin Nubata

Asbagh bin Nubata says: When Ibn Muljim hit the fatal blow to Amirul Mo’mineen, Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be upon him, we passed by him in the morning, myself and al-Harith and Swaid b. Ghaflah and other friends. We stopped at the door and just as we heard the weeping, we wept also. So al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be upon him, came to us and said: “Amirul Mo’mineen requests you to return to your homes.” So, all except myself, departed. Again, there was intense wailing from inside the house, and I wept also. Hasan, peace be upon him, came out again and said: “Did I not ask you to leave?” I said: “By Allah, O son of the Prophet of Allah, my heart does not allow me to go, and my feet refuse to carry me, till I see Amirul Mo’mineen, may Allah bless him.”

He said: Then he (i.e. al-Hasan) paused and entered. And soon after, he came out allowing me to enter. As I entered, I saw Amirul Mo’mineen sitting with support, with a yellow headband tied round his head, drained of blood and his face pale. I could not discern which one was more yellow, his face or the headband. So, I fell over him, kissed him and kept on crying. He said: “Do not cry, O Asbagh, for it is my way to Paradise.” So, I said to him: “May I be your ransom, I know very well that you are proceeding to Paradise. I weep because I will terribly miss you.

O Amirul Mo’mineen! May I be your ransom, please narrate to me a tradition which you heard from the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, for I fear that I might never chance to hear from you anything after this day.” He said: “Yes, O Asbagh. Once the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, called me and said: ‘O Ali, go to my mosque, climb the pulpit and summon the people to gather before you.

Then, after praising Allah, Most High, and lauding Him, and invoking abundant blessing upon me, say: ‘O People! I am a messenger from the messenger of Allah to you. And he says: Curse from Allah, His honoured angels and His Prophets, and from me befall him who attributes himself to anyone other than his father, or who acts against his masters, or who unjustly usurps the right of his employee (or a person he has hired for work).’ So I went to his mosque, climbed upon the pulpit, when the Quraish and others present in the mosque saw me, they drew closer to me. I praised Allah and glorified him, invoked abundant blessings upon the Prophet and then said: “O people! I am a messenger from the messenger of Allah, to you. And he says to you: ‘Curse from Allah, His honoured angels and His Prophets and from me befall him who attributes himself to anyone other than his father, or who acts against his masters, or who unjustly usurps the right of his employee (or a person he has hired for work).”

He said: No one from the people spoke anything, except Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: “O Abul Hasan, you have indeed conveyed, but you have come up with a statement which is not clear.” I said: “I will convey your response to the Prophet.” So I returned and informed the Prophet. He said: Go back to my mosque, climb my pulpit, praise and glorify Allah and invoke His blessings upon me and then say: “O people! We do not come to you with anything unless we have its explanation. So be it known, I am the father, and I am your master, and I am the one employed (by Allah) for you.”

The Final Moments and Passing Away of Imam Ali (a.s.)

During his last moments, when the spectacle of death was before him and people surrounded his bed, the effects of poison had spread in his entire body. Sometimes he writhed in pain and sometimes lost consciousness. Whenever he used to regain consciousness, pearls of advices full of wisdom came out from him.

He was struck on 19th Ramadan a few minutes after dawn and his soul departed at midnight of 21st Ramadan.

Imam Ali (a.s.) was martyred in a city like Kufa where all people except the Khawarij of Nahrawan wanted to attend his funeral and mourn for him. People had no information of Imam Ali’s (a.s.) martyrdom till the morning of the twenty-first of Ramadan because he passed away after midnight.

Imam Ali’s (a.s.) sons, Imams Hasan (a.s.) and Husain (a.s.), Muhammad bin Hanafyyah and Hazrat Abbas (a.s.) and some of his close companions who numbered six or seven performed his funeral bath, shrouded him and buried him secretly at the place as willed by Imam Ali (a.s.). He was taken to the place where he is buried today in the darkness of the night and no one was informed about this.

According to traditions, it is the place where some of the great prophets are buried. The place of Imam’s grave was kept confidential and no one was informed about it.

Next day, the people came to know that Ali (a.s.) was buried the previous night. When they asked about the place of his burial, they were told that it was not necessary for them to know it. It is also mentioned in some books that Imam Hasan (a.s.) prepared a bier and sent it to Medina so that the people may believe that Ali’s (a.s.) bier has been sent to Medina for burial.

Footnotes

1. Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, page 63 ↩

2. Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, page 59 ↩

3. Nahjul Balagha, Sermon No. 27 ↩

4. Behar al-Anwaar, Vol. 42, page 152 ↩

5. Muntahai al-Amaal, Vol. 1, Pg. 329 ↩

6. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 42, Pg. 224 ↩

7. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 42, Pg. 226 ↩

8. Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 42, page 281 ↩