The development of shiite political thought from shura to wilayat al-faqih

THE SECLUSION OF IMAM ZAYN AL-ABIDIN

Imam Ali bin Hussain did give his oath of allegiance to Yazid bin Mu’awiyah, after the incident (battle) of Harrah. (28) He refused to lead the Shiites, who were demanding revenge on the murder of his father Imam Hussain, who were getting ready for a revolt, nor did he claim the Imamate, or fight for it, as Sheikh Saduq has said, “he withdrew from the people and did not meet anyone, and on one meets him, except his closest companions. He devoted himself to the worship of Allah; only little knowledge has come from him. (29)

Sheikh Saduq exaggerated seriously, and in an irrational manner, when he narrated from Imam Sajjad: That he was exhorting Shiites to succumb to the ruler and obey him, and to keep not away from him, and to keep away from his wrath. He suspects the rebels of being responsible for the oppression meted out to them from the ruler. (30)

ELECTION OF SULAIMAN BIN SARD AL-KHUZA’I AS THE LEADER OF SHIITES

Thus, as a result of the leadership vacuum, Shiites in Kufah appointed Sulaiman bin Sard al-Khuza'i as their leader i.e., after the murder of Imam Hussain. That was when they gathered around five of their leaders, and Musayyib bin Najibah addressed them saying “ O people! Elect a man from among you as your leader; because so you cant do without a leader (Amir) to refer to, and a center to revolve around. Rifa'ah bin Shaddad then stood up and seconded his statement saying: “You said that choose a man from among you as your leader, you can refer to and revolve around his banner, we second that opinion, and if you are that man, then you will be acceptable to us, one who will advise us and love our group; but you are of the opinion, and the others also saw that this (leadership) should go to the Sheikh (leader) of Shiites, companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and a pioneer –Sulaiman bin Sard, who is firm and resolute” then Abdullah bin Wal and Abdullah bin Sa'ad spoke. They praised Allah and glorified Him… Musayyib bin Najibah then said, you are right and have attained success, I am of the same opinion as you all”. So they chose Sulaiman bin Sard as their leader. (31)

Sulaiman bin Sard al-Khuza'i led the movement towards revenging on the killers of Hussain. It became known as the movement of the Repenters (al-Tawwabin).

When Mukhtar bin Ubaidah al-Thaqafi established his movement in Kufah, he wrote to Ali bin Hussain calling him, so that he will give his oath of allegiance to him (Ali), and for him to proclaim Imamate, and to spread his call. He sent to him a lot of wealth. But (Ali) refused to accept all that from him, or even to reply his letter. When Mukhtar despaired of him he wrote to his uncle, Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah, demanding similar thing from him. He started proclaiming his Imamate. (32) Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah had actually taken the leadership of the Shiites, and had tendered the establishment of the state of Mukhtar bin Ubaidah al-Thaqafi in Kufah.

The Imams from Ahl al-Bayt (Household of the Prophet) believed in the right of the Muslim Ummah to choose their leaders. Just as they also believed in the necessity of exercising consultation (Shura), and in condemnation of coming to power by force. It is likely that we find in the Hadith that is reported by Saduq in (Uyun Akhar al-Rida) from Imam Rida from his father Kadhim, from his father, Ja'far Sadiq, from his father Muhammad Baqir from his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, where he says, “ Anyone who comes to you, with the intention of dividing the community, and snatching from the Ummah its right, and wants to become leader without consultation, kill him, Allah Almighty has permitted that’. (33)

We may discern from this Hadith, the best expression of the faith of the Imams of Ahl al-Bait in consultation (Shura) and their abiding by it. If they were calling people to follow and obey them, they were only doing that, because of their belief in being superior and more deserving of leadership (Khilafah) than the “Caliphs” who were not judging by the Quran, and were not establishing justice or truly practicing the religion.

Thus, going by the concept of Deservedness the earlier generations of Shiites, especially those of the first century (A.H) said:

“ Surely Ali was the most deserving of men after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), due to his virtues’ and his pioneering (roles in Islam) and his knowledge. He was the best of all men after the prophet (peace be upon him) the bravest, the most generous, the most ascetic of them. But they legalized despite that, the leadership of Abu Bakr and Umar and considered them, as qualified for that honorable position. They mentioned that Ali submitted the affairs to them, accepted that and voluntarily gave his oath of allegiance to them, without being coerced into that, he left his right to them, so we also accept what the Muslims have accepted of him, and whom he gave his allegiance to. Anything other than this is not permissible for us, and nothing will suffice anyone of us other than this. So the leadership of Abu Bakr has becomes right and acceptance because of Ali’s acceptance of it.” (34).

Another sect of the Shiites meanwhile said “Ali is the best of men, due to his close relationship to the Messenger of Allah, and his pioneering roles and his knowledge. But it was legal for people to choose other than him as their leader, if the leader that will be chosen is qualified, whether he likes it or dislikes it. The leadership of a leader appointed on them, with their acceptance, is right, guidance and obedience of Allah Almighty. His obedience is a compulsory duty (imposed) by Allah.’

Another faction of them said;” The Imamate (leadership) of Ali was established at the time he called people (to accept him as Imam) and when he revealed his affair.” (36)

It has been said to Hassan bin Hassan bin Ali, who was the eldest of the Talibites in his time, and was the one to whom his father gave his will, and the custodian of the trust of his grandfather, “Didn’t the Messenger of Allah say, “Any one to whom I am master Ali is to him also a master”? He replied, “Yes, but by Allah, the Messenger of Allah did not mean Imamate and power, if he willed that he would have been explicit on it…” (37)

His son, Abdullah, used to say “We do not have in this affair, what others do not have, and the none of the household of the Prophet is Imam whose obedience is made compulsory by Allah’.

He used to dispute the statement that the Imamate of Amir al- Muminin (Ali) was from Allah. (38)

This means that the theory of a text (appointing the Imam) and the hereditary leadership among the members of the Prophets household only has no existence in the first generation Shiites.

Thus, their view of the two great companions, Abu Bakr and Umar, was positive, as they did not consider them as usurpers of the caliphate, left by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as a matter to be resolved by consultation (Shura) among the Muslims. And that he did not appoint anyone specifically by means of a text or injunction. This explains the order of Imam Sadiq to his followers to accept their leadership.

 REFERENCES

2-     2-     Kulayni: Al-Kafi, vol 1 p. 236 from Muhammad bin Hussain and Ali bin Muhammad from Sahl bin Ziyad from Muhammad bin Walid, al-Sirafi from Iban bin Uthman from Abu Abdullah.

3-     3-     See: Amali al-Mufid, p. 220, Majlisi, and Mufid: Al-Irshad, p. 188

4-     4-     Murtada: al-Shafi, vol 3 p. 237 and 252 vol. 2. p. 149

5-     5-     Murtada: al-Shafi, vol. 3 p- 252 and 237 and Ibn Abi al-Hadid: Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. 1, p. 222

6-     6-     Nahj al-Balaghah, p. 98

7-     7-     Ibid, p. 336, Sermon-217

8-     8-     Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol. 3 p. 242

9-     9-     Kulayni: Rawdah al-Kafi, p. 231 sermon 162, Saduq: 'Ilal- al-Shara’i' vol. 1 p. 146

10- 10- Nahj al-Balaghah p. 48, Sermon - 3

11- 11- Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol 3 p. 110

12- 12-  Kulayni: Rawdah al-Kafi. P. 246

13- 13- Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol 2 p. 128

14- 14- Tabari, vol. 3 p. 450

15- 15- Kitab Salim bin Qays Al-Hilali, p. 182, Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 8 p. 555 (old edition)

16- 16- Kulayni: Rawdah al-Kafi, pp. 292-293 Majlisi: op. cit, vol. 74. p. 309

17- 17- Murtada: Al-Shafi, vol. 3 p. 295, Tathbit Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, vol.1 p. 212

18- 18- Tathbit Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, p. 43

19- 19- Majlisi: op.cit. Vol. 7 chapter on “ Tradition attributed to Salim, not available in his book.”

20- 20- Mufid: Al-Irshad, p. 187

21- 21- Hafidh Abu Bakr bin Abi al-Dunya: Maqtal al-Imam Amir al-Muminin, pp. 41-42 (ed. Mustapha Murtada al-Qazwini, published- Markaz Al- Dirasat wa al- Buhuth al-Ilmiyya, Beirut.)

22- 22- Ibn Abi al-Hadid: Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah vol. 4 p. 8, p. 13 and Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 2 p. 44

23- 23- Majlisi: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 44 p. 65 chapter on How to reconcile the History of Imam Hassan Mujtabah and the Great Trial (Fitnah), vol. 2, p. 183

24- 24- Mufid: Al-Irshad. P. 199

25- 25- ibid. p. 200

26- 26- ibid. p. 204

27- 27- Saduq Ali bin Babawaih: Al-Imamah wa al-Tabsirah Min al-Hayrah, p. 198 Al-Saffar: Basair al-Darajat, p. 148 and 198

28- 28- Kulayni: Al-Kafi, al-Rawdah, p. 196

29- 29- Saduq: Ikmal al-Din, p. 91

30- 30- Saduq: Al-Amali, p. 396 Majlisi, p. 59

31- 31- Tarikh al-Tabari: vol. 7 p. 48

32- 32- Masudi: Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 3, p. 84

33- 33- Ibid. vol. 2 p. 62

34- 34-  Nukhbati: Firaq al-Shiah p. 21 Ashari: Al-Maqalat wa al-Firaq. P. 18

35- 35-  Nukhbati: Firaq al-Shiah p. 421 Ashari: Al-Maqalat wa al-Firaq p. 18

36- 36- Nukhbati, ibid. p. 54

37- 37- Ibn Asakir: Al-Tahdihib, vol. 4 p. 162

38- 38- Al- Saffar: Basair al-Darajat, p. 153 and 156.