Continued from part 4........
The earlier discussions in this treatise clearly demonstrate that Siddiqah-e-Kubra, Janabe Fatima Zahra (s.a.) did not pledge her allegiance to Abu Bakr and when she departed from this world, she was extremely angry with both – Abu Bakr& Umar. Also as per the tradition of Bukhari, till the time that J. Zahra (s.a.) was alive, H. Ali (a.s.) too had not sworn allegiance to Abu Bakr.
Almost all the authentic books of traditions of the Shias & the AhleSunnah, mention an oft quoted tradition that anyone who dies without recognising and submitting to the Imam of the time, has died as an infidel. The famous tradition of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) states,
(1)
مَنْ مَاتَ بِغَیْرِ اِمَامٍ مَاتَ مِیْتَۃً جَاہِلِیَّۃ.
“The one who dies without an Imam dies the death of (the era of) ignorance” [1]
(Era of ignorance implies the period before the advent of Islam. The people living at time were idolaters and polytheists)
(2)
مَنْ مَاتَ وَ لَیْسَ فِیْ عُنُقِہٖ بَیْعَۃٌ مَاتَ مِیْتَۃً جَاہِلِیَّۃً.
“The one dies without pledging his allegiance to an Imam, dies the death of (the era of) ignorance” [2]
(3)
مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنَ الطَّاعَةِ وَ فَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ فَمَاتَ مَاتَ مِيْتَةً جَاهِلِيَّة.
“The one who forsakes an Imam, leaves the society and dies later, then he has died the death of (the era of) ignorance [3]
The above traditions emphatically state that it is obligatory for every Muslim to swear his allegiance to the Imam of the time. Anyone who fails to do so will not die as a Muslim.
The previous pages make it amply clear that J. Fatima Zahra (s.a.) did not pledge her allegiance to Abu Bakr in her entire life. In fact she departed from this world without acknowledging and endorsing the caliphate of Abu Bakr. On the other hand, there are traditions that unequivocally state that J. Zahra (s.a.) is the leader of the women of Paradise and she was the beloved of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Analysing the two sets of traditions, we are confronted with three questions.
(a) All the traditions that speak about the recognition, allegiance& obedience of Imam are false & fabricated
(b) God forbid, god forbid, the leader of all the women of Paradise will herself not go to Paradise since her death is of ignorance (god forbid)
(c) The caliphate of Abu Bakr is unfair and unjust while the Imamate of H. Ali (a.s.) is valid and lawful. And J. Zahra (s.a.) was subscribing to the Imamate of H. Ali (a.s.).
It is obvious that no sane and god fearing Muslim will ever accept the first two views. The same three points are also applicable to H. Ali (a.s.). If a person dies without submitting to the Imam of the time then he has died as a polytheist. Now, if a person’s death is on ignorance, then obviously his life too is of disobedience and ignorance. On the other hand, in the light of Hadees-e-Saqlain, H. Ali (a.s.) has been equated with the Holy Quran.
The following traditions of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) too speak about the greatness of H. Ali (a.s.)
عَلِيٌّ مَعَ الْحَقِّ وَ الْحَقُّ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ وَ لَنْ يَّفْتَرِقَا حَتّٰى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.
“Ali is with the truth and the truth is with Ali. They will not separate from each other till they meet me at the Hauz (of Kausar) in Qiyamat” [4]
عَلِيٌّ مَعَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ الْقُرْآنُ مَعَهٗ لَا يَفْتَرِقَانِ حَتّٰى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
“Ali is with the Quran and the Quran is with him. Both of them will not separate from each other till they meet me at the Hauz” [5]
عَلِيٌّ مَعَالْحَقِّ وَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ الْحَقُّ وَ الْقُرْآنُ مَعَ عَلِيٌّ وَ لَنْ يَّفْتَرِقَا حَتّٰى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
“Ali is with the truth and the Quran while the truth and Quran are with Ali. They will not separate from each other till they meet me at the Hauz” [6]
عَلِيٌّ مِنِّيْ بِمَنْزِلَةِ رَاسِيْ مِنْ بَدَنِيْ.
“Ali’s relation to me is like the relation of my head with my body.” [7]
According to some traditions of SahihBukhari, H. Ali (a.s.) did not pledge his allegiance to Abu Bakr for at least six months. Does it mean that – God forbid – those days of the life of H. Ali (a.s.) were the days of ignorance?
Also, the above traditions clearly state that life without an Imam is the life of ignorance. Does it mean that all the esteemed companions had become polytheists in the days immediately after the death of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and before the appointment of Abu Bakr as the caliph of the Muslim nation? At that time the entire Muslim nation was without an Imam.
Is it not clear from traditions that Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had categorically announced the successorship of H. Ali ibn Abu Talib(a.s.) in his (s.a.w.a.) own life time by the order of Allah? Did he (s.a.w.a.) not emphasis and elaborate about the mastership (wilayat) of H. Ali (a.s.)?
This is the only scenario that will protect the entire Muslim nation from dying the death of the era of ignorance.
Hence the one who wants to save himself from dying a death of ignorance should accept and submit to the Imamate of AmeerulMomineen Ali ibn Abu Talib(a.s.).
[1] Musnad Abu Dawood, p.359; Musnad Imam Ahmed, vol. 4, p.96
[2] Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p. 136 published by Mua’sis Azzuddin 1407 AH; As—Sunan-ul-Kubra, published by MajlisDairatulMaa’rif Seminary, vol. 8, p. 156 Hyderabad 1354 AH
[3] Sahih Muslim, vol. 4 p. 124; As—Sunan-ul-Kubra, vol. 8, p. 156
[4] Tareekh Baghdadi, vol. 14 p. 322, published by Daarul Kitab Arabi, Beirut
[5] As-SawaequlMoharreqah, p. 123
[6] Rabi-ul-Abraar, vol. 1, pg,828, published by Matba’a Amir, Qum 1410 AH;
[7] Tareekh Baghdadi, vol. 7 p. 12; As-SawaequlMoharreqah, p. 75
