Sufferings of Imam Ali (a.s.) Immediately After the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)

Although the hypocrites harboured jealousy for Imam Ali (a.s.) during the life of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), they could not exhibit it openly or show enmity to Imam Ali (a.s.) in front of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). As a result, the flames of hatred which were burning in their hearts for a long time, grew leaps and bounds and after the passing away of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) they got a chance to openly exhibit their hatred for the best of creations after the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

As we will see, in only a few days, after the passing away of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Hazrat Imam Ali (a.s.) witnessed many heart-breaking incidents immediately one after the other. He (a.s.) in his own words was already heart broken, lonely, sad due to the passing away of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and all incidents after that only intensified his sufferings.

No Condolence Offered to the Heartbroken Imam Ali (a.s.)

There existed a special bond, love and relationship between Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). It would be natural for Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to love Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) since Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was his brother (cousin) and later also became his son in-law. But the love of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) for Imam Ali (a.s.) was beyond the love for a brother or for a son in-law. Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was to be the successor of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and furthermore both were from the same Noor.

Imam Ali (a.s.) describes the mutual love and affection between him and the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) in the below words.

“In this world I had no one to associate with, be friends with, trust, rely upon or make any pledges with amongst the Muslims, but the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). The Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was my only shelter. He fostered me since my childhood and supported me in my adulthood. He (s.a.w.a.) did not let me grow up like an orphan. He (s.a.w.a.) alleviated my worries; made me needless of working to seek my share of daily bread; prevented me from engaging in business by providing for my family and me. These were only his worldly aids to me. However, my spiritual gains and benefits from him through which I attained high ranks near the Honorable the Exalted God are much greater than this.

When the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) died I became so sad that I do not suppose all the mountains could withstand. All the members of my household became very impatient. They had lost their control. They could not tolerate this heavy burden of grief because it had made them impatient and put them out of their minds.

They neither understood anything nor demanded anything. They could neither hear or speak. Other people were all influenced by this horrible situation. Some expressed condolences and sympathized with us, while others were impatient and mourned for us. I was the only one who did not lose my patience. I controlled myself and carried out the orders of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). I lifted his body; performed the ritual ablutions (wuzu) for the dead; performed the embalmment; shrouded the corpse; performed the prayer for the deceased; placed his body in the grave; and compiled the Quran and God’s decrees regarding the people. A lot of weeping, heart-aching mourning and the greatness of the calamity could not prevent me from performing my duty. I fulfilled my duties towards the Honorable the Exalted God and the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and completely performed whatever he (s.a.w.a.) had ordered me to do. I was patient and I persevered.’¹

Such was the severity of grief of Ameerul Momineen (a.s) after the passing away of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), but as history as recorded, he was alone in this grief, none except a handful of loyal followers were with Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) to share his grief or to console him or to soothe his aching heart.

And then, as described by Hazrat Imam Mahdi (a.s.) in Dua e Nudba, the complete nation came together, joined hands in oppressing Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), the people insisted on detesting him and agreed unanimously on rupturing their relations with him and moving away from his descendants, except for a few who fulfilled their duty of observing their rights (towards him).²

With the passing away of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a), a sea of calamities befell upon Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), his right was snatched, his wife, the leader of the women of Paradise was mercilessly injured as a result of which she also passed away from this world shortly. Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) himself was belittled, tortured, falsified, rejected, oppressed, he was secluded and isolated from the society to such an extent that the Muslims even stopped saluting him or even worse, they stopped replying to his salutations!

We present here few instances of the oppressions on Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) immediately after the passing away of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). We should remember while reading these, that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) was already heart broken and in severe grief due to the loss of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) and each of these incidents immediately one by one would have aggrieved him more and injured his broken heart even more!

Saqifa: The Right of Successorship Snatched from Imam Ali (a.s.)

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) for more than twenty years, right from the day Dawat e Zul Ashira till his last breath, time and again introduced Imam Ali (a.s.) as his rightful successor and instructed the Muslim nation to pay obeisance to Imam Ali (a.s.) after him.

The fact that Allah, the Almighty had chosen Imam Ali (a.s.) as the successor of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was declared by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and known to the Muslims. On the Day of Ghadeer, more than one hundred thousand Muslims had even pledged their allegiance to Imam Ali (a.s.) on the instructions of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

The right to successorship of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) undoubtedly belonged to Imam Ali (a.s.). But unfortunately, this right of successorship was snatched from him, when Muslims gathered together at Saqifa to choose the successor of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

It was at Saqifa that his right to successorship was first snatched.

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had already apprised Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) about the hatred in the heart of the Muslim nation with regards to him and said to him,

“O Ali! You are the oppressed one after me. Woe be to whoever oppresses you! Blessed be whoever follows you and does not prefer anyone else over you. O Ali! You are the one with whom others will fight with after me. Woe be to whoever fights against you and blessed be whoever fights along with you. O Ali! You are the one who will speak using my words and will talk using my tongue. Woe be to whoever rejects your words and blessed be whoever accepts your words. O Ali! You are the Master of this nation after me. You are their Divine Leader. You are their Caliph. Whoever leaves you will leave me on the Resurrection Day. Whoever stays with you will stay with me on the Resurrection Day. O Ali! You are the first man who believed in and acknowledged me. You are the first man who assisted me in my affairs and fought along with me against my enemies. You are the first man who prayed with me in the days when the people were ignorant.”³

The Compilation of the Holy Quran by Imam Ali (a.s.) Was Rejected

As per the will of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) busied himself in compiling the Holy Quran for the benefit of Muslims. But again, rather unfortunately his compilation of the Holy Quran was rejected by the caliph.

When Hazrat Ali (a.s.) saw their treachery and disloyalty, he remained inside his house and started compiling the Quran, and did not come out of his house until the whole Quran was compiled. At that time verses were written in wood, skin and pieces.

After he had collected all the verses and wrote with his own hands in the manner the verses were revealed, with their meanings, and wrote those verses that were revealed to replace previous verses, and also the verses that were those on which action was no longer required, then Abu Bakr sent people to his house to come out and pay allegiance to him. He (Ali) sent a message saying that he was busy and he had taken an oath that except for prayers he will not wear a cloak until he has collected and compiled the Quran. So, for a few days they kept quiet. Ali (a.s.) compiled and completed the whole Quran in one piece of cloth and came to people when they were with Abu Bakr in Masjide Nabawi. He very loudly said: “O people, since the passing away of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), I was busy giving him the ritual bath, and compiling the Quran, until it has been collected in one piece of cloth. There is not any verse that Allah has revealed which is not in this compilation, and there is not a single verse that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) did not make me read, and there is no verse of which the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) did not tell me the meaning.” Then Ali (a.s.) said to those people: “So that you do not tell me surely we were heedless of this (Surah Araf 172)” Then Hazrat Ali (a.s.) said to them: “So that on the Day of Judgment you do not say that I did not call you to help me and did not remind you of my right, and I did not call you to the Book of Allah from beginning to end.” Umar said: “You are calling us to you, but the Quran that we have is sufficient for us.” Then Hazrat Ali (a.s.) went home.

Imam Ali (a.s.) Going from Door to Door to Claim His Right

When the right of successorship was snatched from Ameerul Momineen (a.s), he along with his virtuous wife, the beloved daughter of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his two children, the leaders of the youth of Paradise, went door to door in Medina, to remind the Muslims about the right of Imam Ali (a.s.) and the Ahlul Bayt.

These unparalleled exalted personalities, whose reverence extended up to the seven heavens and even beyond, were compelled to go to the houses of ordinary Muslims to ask for their right, isn’t this itself not enough to make someone grievous.

It is narrated in Kitab Sulaym bin Qays,

Salman said: “When it was night, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) made Lady Fatimah (a.s.) ride and took hands of his sons Hasan and Husain (a.s.) and went to each and every house of those Muhajireen and Ansar who were of Badr, and reminded them of his rights called them to help him. But except 4 people nobody came forward to help. He asked the helpers to shave their heads and in the morning go to him with their weapons ready to help and pay allegiance to death. In the morning except 4, no one kept their promise.”

So I (Sulaym) asked: “Who were those 4?”

Salman replied: “Myself, Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Zubayr. Then on the second night Hazrat Ali (a.s.) returned to all those who did not come and reminded them to fulfill their promise. They all said they would turn up the next morning but except us no one turned up. On the third night Hazrat Ali (a.s.) went again and again on the third day except us no one turned up.

When Hazrat Ali (a.s.) saw their treachery and disloyalty, he remained inside his house and started compiling the Quran, and did not come out of his house until the whole Quran was compiled. At that time verses were written in wood, skin and pieces.⁴

The best creation after Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), the one who was created from the same noor as that of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), the distributor of Paradise and Hell, the distributor of Hauz e Kausar was compelled to go door to door to the house of Muhajireen and Ansar in itself is loneliness of Ali (a.s.).

The enemies of Ahle Bait (a.s.) even scoffed Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) later for this.

It is narrated by Ibn Abil Hadeed that that Mu’awiyah, while scoffing at Ali (a.s.), told him, “I cannot help to forget the days when you seated your wife upon a ride, while clasping the hands of your Hasan and Husain, and that day people had sworn allegiance to Abu Bakr. You went in pursuit of the people of Badr and the former Muslims and invited them towards yourself. You, alongwith your wife and sons, requested them to assist one another in defending your rights and told the men to come and take allegiance at the hands of the defender of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.a.), but none, except four or five, accepted your call…”.⁵

The Burning of the Door of the House of Imam Ali (a.s.) and Janabe Zahra (s.a.)

Perhaps the greatest suffering or calamity which befell on Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) would be witnessing the gathering of the Muslims with fire at his door. And the most painful sight would undoubtedly be the one, when the accursed forced open the burning door, while Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was behind it, which resulted in the breaking of her ribs, miscarriage of her child, and which eventually resulted in her martyrdom. She lived for only seventy-five or ninety days after the passing away of her beloved father – the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a.). But she cried so much in these few days, that she is enumerated amongst the most crying ones along with Hazrat Adam (a.s.), Hazrat Yaqoob (a.s.) and Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s.). Needless to say, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) witnessed her grief everyday till her passing away sorrowful, sad, aggrieved and wounded from this world. We cannot even imagine how heart broken, lonely and hurt this would have made Ameerul Momineen (a.s.).

A Rope Tied Around the Neck of Imam Ali (a.s.)

Muslims would have perished long back had Allah, the Almighty not given them victory in the battles of Badr, Uhod, Khandaq, Khaiber and others through the hands of Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). These Muslims who owed their very existence to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) became so dissolute that they put a rope around the neck of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), the strong rope of Allah was arrested like a criminal!

The Snatching Away of Fadak from Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.)

Fadak, the garden which was gifted to Janabe Zahra (s.a.) by Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to Janabe Zahra (s.a.) was also usurped from her.

Janabe Sulaym narrates in this regard,

“And he and his companion took away the Fadak, when it was in control of Janabe Fatimah (s.a.) and during the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) she ate the food from it. So, he asked an evidence from her when it was in her hand. Neither did they accept her to be true nor Umme Ayman, although he surely knew, like we know, that it was in her hand. It was not right for him to ask her to produce evidence that was in her hand, and it was not right for him to accuse her. Then people thought of him as good, praised him and said that he did that because he had fear of Allah and this is his merit”.⁶

Letter of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) to the caliph on usurpation of Fadak

It is quoted in Al Ehtijaj of Shaikh Tabarsi that when Imam Ali (a.s.) was informed that Abu Bakr had snatched away Fadak from Fatemah (s.a.) and that he had thrown out her labourers from there, he (a.s.) wrote a pounding letter to him as follows : Steer through the waves of mischief by boats of deliverance, put off the crowns of pride and turn away from the conceit of egoistic men.

You should turn alone towards the fountainhead of grace and light. You have taken for yourself the inheritance left by the ‘Pure Souls’, then come out from the circle of ignorance, negligence and perplexity. It is as if I see with my eyes that you, similar to a blindfolded Camel, are circumambulation around destruction and walking in bewilderment and distress.

By Allah! If I had been ordered, I would have blown your heads off similar to ripping of the ready harvest with a sharp iron sickle. And I would sever the heads of your brave ones with such ferocity, that your eyes would be wounded and each one of you would be frightful and perplexed. I am the one who has scattered the abundant crowd (of enemies), and have destroyed armies. I could strike at your group and your customs, I was busy in the battlefield fighting (the enemies), while you had retired in your homes. Just yesterday I was busy in serving the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and all of you were aware of all my deeds and acknowledged my status. I swear by the life of my father!

You never did consent that Prophethood and Caliphate would both be combined in our family. You have still not forgotten the envy of the battles of Badr and Uhud. By Allah! If we reveal to you what Almighty Allah (s.w.t.) has decreed regarding you, certainly the bones of your ribs would enter your bodies similar to the points of the compass. If I speak out, they would call me greedy towards power, but if I keep quiet they would say that Ali bin Abi Talib is afraid of death.

Alas ! Alas ! I am more desirous of death than an infant is with the breast of its mother. I am the one who has made the enemies taste death and have greeted death with open arms in the battlefield. I do not have the slightest fear or terror of death. I am the one who has turned away the flags of the enemies in pitch-black darkness of the nights. I am the one who warded off blockade and sorrow for the sake of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). And I am authorized to tell you what Allah (s.w.t.) has revealed regarding you and I know it, then you will tremble like ropes in deep wells and would wander in the desert in bewilderment. But I forbore and have lead a simple and easy life, so that I may meet the Lord of the Universe with hands empty of the pleasures of life and heart vacant of darkness. Then know that the reality of this world of yours is similar to the cloud that hangs in the air and looks wide and thick upon the heads of men, then it (suddenly) disappears and scatters away. Then very soon will the dust set from in front of your eyes and you shall witness the results of your evil deeds.

Then you shall reap the bitter seeds of poison & perdition that you have sown. Then know that Allah (s.w.t.) is the Best Judge and His beloved Prophet (s.a.w.a.) shall be your greatest enemy, while the ground of Qiyamah will be your place of return.

Allah (s.w.t.) will keep you away from His Mercy and engulf you in His severe wrath. And peace will be unto him who follows the guidance”⁷.

No Reply Given to the Salutations of Imam Ali (a.s.)

In the sermon of Ghadeer, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) warned the Muslim nation that they should not be jealous or envious of Hazrat Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) lest their actions be nullified.

Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said on the Day of Ghadeer,

مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ، إِنَّ إِبْليسَ أَخْرَجَ آدَمَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ بِالْحَسَدِ، فَلاتَحْسُدُوهُ فَتَحْبِطَ أَعْمالُكُمْ وَتَزِلَّ أَقْدامُكُمْ، فَإِنَّ آدَمَ أُهْبِطَ إِلَى‏الْأَرضِ بِخَطيئَةٍ واحِدَةٍ، وَهُوَ صَفْوَةُ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ، وَكَيْفَ بِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ أَنْتُمْ وَ مِنْكُمْ أَعْداءُاللَّهِ 

O people! Iblis caused Adam to be dismissed from the garden through envy; so, do not envy him (Imam Ali (a.s.)) lest your deeds should be voided and lest your feet should slip away, for Adam was sent down to earth after having committed only one sin, and he was among the elite of Allah’s creation. How, then, will be your case, and you being who you are, and among you are enemies of Allah?

Inspite of this and other such exhortations of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) the Muslims after the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) became envious of the holy household of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to the extent that they even stopped saying salutations to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). Not only this if Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) saluted them, they did not even reply to him.

The one about whom Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said,

Whoever desires he sees the awe of Israfeel, position of Mikayeel, splendour of Jibrael, peace of Adam, goodness of Nuh (a.s.), grief of Yaqoob (a.s.), beauty of Yusuf (a.s.), munajaat of Musa (a.s.), patience of Ayyub (a.s.), abstinence of Yahya (a.s.), traditions of Isa (a.s.), piety of Yunus (a.s.), appearance and habits of Mohammed (s.a.w.a.), then he should see towards Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), then surely in him are seventy characteristics from the characteristics of Prophets (a.s.) which Allah has gathered in him and has not gathered them in anyone except him.

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), the possessor of perfect characteristics of the Prophets (a.s.), it was the duty of the nation to cling on to him and gather around him and seek counsel, advice, guidance and knowledge from him, but instead this great personality was not spoken to, isolated in the society, the people confined him to his home.

Imam Ali (a.s.) Witnessing the Sufferings of Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.)

We will never be able to understand or imagine the condition of the heart of Ameerul Momineen (a.s) with which he witnessed the sorrows and sufferings of his wife – the beloved daughter of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and chief of the ladies of Paradise.

How he endured her being falsified, how she returned home dejected when Fadak was denied to her, how he would have endured her wails of pain due to the broken ribs and lashes of the oppressor, with which heart he would have listened of the complains of the people of Medina that they are not able to sleep due to her crying, wailing and mourning, how with a dejected and sorrowful heart he would have created the house of sorrows for her, we will never be able to understand the sorrow, gloom and loneliness of the heart of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) while witnessing the sufferings of Janabe Zahra (s.a.)!

The most valiant man of the Arabs, the ferocious lion of Allah was exhibiting the pinnacle of patience only for the sake of the religion of Allah and the promise he made to the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a.).

It was not that Janabe Zahra (s.a.) was unaware of the condition of the heart of her beloved husband. She was weeping incessantly at her deathbed, when Imam Ali (a.s.) asked her, “Why do you weep”? And she said caringly, “I weep upon the sufferings that would befall you after my death”. Imam (a.s.) calmed her by saying, “Do not weep. I swear by Allah (s.w.t.), that if these calamities befall me in the way of Allah (s.w.t.), I consider them to be minute & naught”.

Only Allah, the Almighty and His Messenger (s.a.w.a.) know the extent of loneliness of Ali (a.s.) in these last days of Janabe Zahra (s.a.)

The Passing Away of Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) and the Grief of Imam Ali (a.s.)

Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) himself described the strong bond and love that he had for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and his loneliness and grief when he departed from this world. Fatema Zahra (s.a.) was a part of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), indeed he would have had similar bond and affection for her as well, just as he had for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.). His grief, sorrow and loneliness would have intensified again when the chief of the women of Paradise breathed her last! The already broken heart of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) would have shattered even more.

Our salutations to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and his broken heart. May the Almighty burn those who oppressed him, left him and were a cause of his loneliness in the deepest pits of Hell till eternity.

The Night Burial of Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) by Imam Ali (a.s.)

In the darkness of the jet-black night, when eyes were asleep and voices were silent, a Heavenly procession left Ali’s (a.s.) house while carrying the Messenger of Allah’s daughter to her final abode.

This was on the night of the third (3rd) of Jamadi al-Thani (the second), 11 A.H.

The heart-breaking procession moved towards an unknown location followed by a small number of devoted ones. They were Ali (a.s.), Hasan (a.s.), Husayn (a.s.), Zainab and Um Kulthum. Abu Dharr, Ammar, Miqdad, and Salman were following them.

Where are the thousands who inhabited Medina?! One asks, and the answer came: Fatima az-Zahra (sa) requested that they may not be present at her funeral!!

The family and their friends hurry to bury Fatima az-Zahra (sa). Then they rushed back to their own homes so that no one would know where Fatima az-Zahra (sa) was buried!

In such a matter, the first star from Ahlul-Bayt set after the sun (the Prophet (S), and left everyone with the only light of Imamate!!

While burying Janabe Zahra (s.a.), Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) described the pain in his heart to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) in the below words,

“O Prophet of Allah, peace be upon you from me and from your daughter who has come to you and who has hastened to meet you. O Prophet of Allah! My patience about your chosen (daughter) has been exhausted and my power of endurance has weakened, except that I have ground for consolation in having endured the great hardship and heart-rending event of your separation. I laid you down in your grave while your last breath had passed (when your head) `Verily we are Allah’s and verily unto Him shall we return (2:56) between my neck, and the chest.

Now, the trust has been returned and what had been given has been taken back. My grief knows no bounds, and my nights will remain sleepless till Allah chooses for me the house in which you are now residing. Certainly, your daughter would apprise you of the joining together of your Ummah (people) for oppressing her. You ask her in detail and get all the news about the position. This happened when a long time had not elapsed, and your remembrance had not disappeared. My salaam be on you both, the salaam of a grief stricken not of a disgusted or a hateful person; for if I go away, it is not because I am weary (of you); and if I stay, it is not due to lack of belief in what Allah has promised the endurers.”

Footnotes

1. Al-Khisaal, Vol. 2, pg 412, Persian ↩

2. Extract from Dua e Nudba ↩

3. Uyoon e Akhbar e Reza (a.s.), Vol. 1, Chp 38 ↩

4. Kitab Sulaym bin Qays, Tradition No. 2 ↩

5. Sibt Ibn Jawzi, “Tazkiratul Khawas” Pg 13-14; Shaikh Sulayman Hanafi Qanduzi, “Yanabiul Mawaddah”, Chap 9 & 17; Ibn Jareer Tabari, “Tareekh al Umam wal Muluk”; Tahawi, “Mushkilal Asar” ↩

6. Kitab Sulaym bin Qais, pg 77 ↩

7. Surah Taha : Verse 47 ↩