Saqifa (final version)

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful Praise to God, the Lord of the worlds, and prayer and peace be upon Muḥammad and his family This book was originally a collection of speeches given at the Muharram and Ṣafar mourning ceremonies in 1419 AH/ 1998 CE, and after typing down the lectures from the recorded cassette tapes by two Shi’as of the Ahl al-Bayt who did not want to be introduced, Dr. Mahdi Dashti took the trouble to compile and edit and do research of the authenticity, and now it is ready for publication. Saqīfa, in ‘Arabic, means a canopy considered as a guest house in which the tribesmen would gather and discuss all the affairs of the tribe. The Anṣār of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) were from the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj, both of which were originally from Yemen, and their ancestors had come to Medina to be at the company of the Prophet (pbuh) and help him out in his prophecy. The famous Saqīfa in history was the meeting place of Banū Khazraj of Anṣār in Medina, and its leader was Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah, for whose allegiance they had gathered after the death of the Prophet (pbuh); while his blessed body laid among his family and they were busy in giving it Ġusl (ablution). When the news of the Saqīfa gathering reached the group of followers of Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, they too, quickly joined the gathering of Saqīfa. Social Impacts of Saqīfa Due to that gathering under that canopy in Saqīfa, the Shari’a of Islām was completely changed after the Holy Prophet (pbuh)! Due to Saqīfa, the history of Islām was altered. Due to Saqīfa, the door of Fāṭimat az-Zahrā’s house was set on fire and what should have not, took place. Due to Saqīfa, Ibn Muljam's sword cut open ‘Alī ‘Amīr al-Mu’minīn’s head. Due to Saqīfa, Imam Ḥasan (as) was martyred by poison. Due to Saqīfa, Imam Ḥusayn (as) was martyred and Zaynab (sa) and other ladies from the Prophet’s family were taken captive. Due to Saqīfa, the course of human history was changed. The effect of Saqīfa continues from that day until now and until the advent of Imam Mahdī (May God hasten his reappearance)! And today, all the followers and lovers of Imam ‘Alī (as) and the other Imams wish that with his advent, Imam Mahdī (May God hasten his reappearance) would reveal the truth about Saqīfa and take revenge of his immaculate ancestors on the organizers and executives of that community. Amen! Sayyid Murtaza Askari Dū al-Qa’dah 1421 AH/ 2000 CE Contents Translator’s Note 7 Foreword 9 Social Impacts of Saqīfa 9 Introduction 11 Chapter 1 The Establishment of Saqīfah during Prophet Muḥammad’s Life 17 The Reason behind Revelation of these Verses 17 In the Matter of Qurʼān, Two Kinds of Revelations Were Revealed to the Prophet 18 Chapter 2 How Did the Event of Saqīfah Take Place? 27 A: The Illness and Death of the Prophet 27 What Happened in the Dawn that Led to That Day? 29 B: Ġusl and the Preparing the Prophet for Burial 30 C: The Prophet’s Will to ‘Alī 32 D: The Candidates of the Caliphate after the Death of the Prophet on the Day of Saqīfah 41 E: The Mottos of the Congregators in Saqīfah 43 F: The Saqīfah Coup D’état and Allegiance to Abū Bakr 43 G: Saqīfah in the Words of the Second Caliph 44 H: Saqīfah as Narrated by Tārīkh al-Ṭabarī 45 I: The Role of Banū Aslam in the Allegiance to Abū Bakr 51 J: The Reasons of Selecting Abū Bakr to Caliphate 52 K: The General Pledge of Allegiance 53 Chapter 3 The Prophet’s Companions’s Opinion and Judgment about Allegiance to Abū Bakr 57 1. Faḍl ibn Abbas 57 2. ‘Utbah ibn Abū Lahab 57 3. Salmān 58 4. Abū Ḏarr 58 5. Miqdād ibn ‘Amr 59 6. Nu’man ibn ‘Ajlan 59 7. Umm Mistah ibn al-Uthātha 59 8. A Woman from Banī Najjar 60 9. Abū Sufyān 60 10. Khālid ibn Sa’īd 63 11. ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb 63 12. Mu’awiya 64 13. Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah 64 Chapter 4 Caliphate’s Way of Dealing with the Opponents out of Medina 67 The Murder of Malik ibn Nuwayrah 67 Another Example 69 Chapter 5 Caliphate’s Encounter with the Opponents out of Medina 73 A. Killing Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah 73 B. Enticing ‘Abbās, the Prophet’s Uncle 75 C. Caliphate’s Encounter with Fāṭimah 78 1. The Assembly in Fāṭimah’s House 78 2. The Attack to Fāṭimat az-Zahrā’s House 79 1. Abū Bakr on His Deathbed 82 2. ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb’s Speech to ‘Alī ‘Amīr al-Mu’minīn 83 3. The Encounter with ‘Alī 84 D. Ahl al-Bayt’s Reaction after Saqīfah 86 E. The Prophet’s Enlightenment 88 Chapter 6 The Economic War Against Ahl al-Bayt 91 Confiscation of the Prophet’s Property and its Ownership 91 First of the Properties: 91 Second of the Properties: 93 Third, Forth & Fifth of the Properties: 93 Sixth of the Properties: 94 Seventh of the Properties: 95 Eighth of the Properties: 95 The Cause of Revelation of the Verse “And Give the Relative His Right” 96 The Caliphs’ Behavior Regarding Fadak 96 The Usurpation of the Prophet’s Heritage 97 Fāṭimah’s Sermon in the Mosque 98 Fāṭimah’s Conversation with ‘Alī 104 Chapter 7 Fāṭimah on Bed Rest 107 Fāṭimah (sa) got ill 107 Fāṭimah’s Eagerness to Hearing Bilāl’s Aḏān 107 The Women of the Muhājirūn and the Anṣār Visiting Fāṭimah 108 Abū Bakr and ‘Umar Visiting Fāṭimah 110 Fāṭimah’s Will and Her Overnight Burial 111 The Situation in Medina after Fāṭimah’s Martyrdom and the Fulfillment of Her Prophecies 113 ‘Alī’s Allegiance after Fāṭimah’s Martyrdom and its Reason 115 Chapter 8 The Situation in Islāmic Lands and Imams’ Policies 119 Chapter 9 Abū Bakr’s Will and ‘Umar’s Caliphate 121 Chapter 10 The Government Status in ‘Umar’s Time 123 Ibn ‘Abbās’s Conversation with ‘Umar 124 Mu’awiya in ‘Umar’s Time 127 ‘Umar’s Confessions, the Council and Allegiance to ‘Uthmān 128 How ‘Uthmān was Elected for Caliphate 133 ‘Alī’s Reason for Participating in ‘Umar’s Council 135 Chapter 11 ‘Uthmān’s Caliphate Era 137 Abū Sufyān’s Words 137 Walīd, the Governor Assigned to Kūfah by ‘Uthmān 138 The Story of Walīd Drinking while he was Ruling Kūfah 139 Dismissing Walīd 142 The Situation in Kūfah during ‘Uthmān’s Caliphate Era 143 Ibn Mas’ud’s Story 144 Walīd Getting Drunk with Abū Zubayd Naṣrānī 147 Jundab al-Khayr’s Story 148 ‘Abdullāh ibn Sa’d ibn Abī al-Sarḥ’s Story 149 The Story of Ḥakam ibn Abī al-’Āṣ, the Caliph’s Uncle 151 The Story of Sa’īd ibn Ḥakam ibn Abī al-’Āṣ and Mālik al-Ashtar 152 ‘Abdullāh ibn Āmir, Governor of Baṣrah 155 Mu’awiyah’s Biography in ‘Uthmān’s Caliphate Era 156 ‘Uthmān’s Behavior towards ‘Ammār 157 ‘Uthmān’s Performance Regarding the Treasury Money 158 Chapter 12 People’s Insurrection against ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī’s Role in Reconciling the Two Parties 161 The Egyptian Revolt 161 Marwān’s Sabotage 163 People Taking their Complaint to ‘Alī and his Ceding 164 Groups that Had Come from Other Cities 165 The Caliph’s Trick 167 Ā’ishah Sentencing ‘Uthmān to Death 168 The Words of Jahjāh Ġifārī 169 Sieging ‘Uthmān’s House 170 Ṭalḥa Having the Treasury Keys 171 Ṭalḥa Deprives ‘Uthmān’s Access to Water and ‘Alī Delivers Water to Him 173 ‘Uthmān’s Assassination and ‘Alī’s Reaction 174 People’s Allegiance to ‘Alī and ‘Uthmān Burial 176 The End of Saqīfa 176 ‘Alī’s Sermon also known as Shaqshaqiya 179 The Battle of Ḥarrah 183 Envoys of the People of Medina in Yazīd’s Palace 183 The Uprising of the Companions and their Followers 184 The Uprising of People of Medina and their Allegiance to ‘Abdullāh ibn Ḥanẓala 184 The Umayyads’s Families under the Protection of Imam Sajjād 185 The Umayyads Seeking Help from Yazīd 186 The Caliph’s Orders to the Commander of the Army 188 The Caliph of the Muslims’ Poem 189 Caliphate Troops on the Way to Mecca and Medina 189 Caliphate Troops Plundering the Prophet’s Shrine 192 Allegiance Based on the Servitude of the Caliph! 194 Severed Heads Before Caliph Yazīd! 196 Letter Equivalence 199 List of Names 201 Bibliography 209 Index 223