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A Biography of Those Who Refused to Swear Allegiance
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`Abdullah ibn `Umar ibn al-Khattāb
`Abdullah was born two years after the Bi`tha [beginning of Prophethood] of the Prophet (s.a.w.).1 He embraced Islam together
with his father in Mecca in his childhood2, and migrated to Madina prior to his father3 or along with him.4 He did not participate in the battles of Badr and Uhud5 due to his young age,6 but from the battle of Khandaq onward he accompanied the troops of Islam.7 Many reports mentioned in Sunni books of traditions have been narrated from him.8
When `Umar was on his deathbed, he was consulted to allocate his son as one of the members of the electoral council, but `Umar objected to the proposal, saying: “He does not deserve caliphate. He is not even able to divorce his own wife.”9
It is mentioned in some narrations that `Abdullah became a member of the council by the order of `Umar on the condition that he would not have the right to be elected [as a caliph].10
During the reign of `Uthmān, he kept away from political issues and did not partake in the ruling political trends. In the caliphate of Imām Ali (a.s.), he also isolated himself and did not participate in any of them rather he chose this isolation as the cornerstone of his social policy.
In the battles during the government of Ali (a.s.), `Abdullah ibn `Umar also secluded himself from politics and kept withdrawn, not participating in any of the Imām’s battles during his caliphate.
It is evident that such a kind of an attitude throughout the life of `Abdullah ibn `Umar was based on weak foundations, and this is why he did not act so during the time of the previous caliphs nor did he do so in the time of rulers after Ali (a.s.). He swore allegiance to Mu`āwiya11 and Yazid12 (whom a great number of eminent figures among the nation and the companions, including Husain ibn Ali (a.s.) refused to pledge allegiance to). He also swore allegiance to `Abd al-Malik.13 Moreover, when Muhammad ibn Hanifa refused to swear allegiance to `Abd al-Malik, saying that he would swear allegiance only on the condition that all people do the same,14 `Abdullah Ibn `Umar pledged allegiance to `Abd al-Malik and encouraged Muhammad to follow in doing so.
It is indeed strange that it was during the night that `Abdullah went to Hajjāj Ibn Yusuf to give his hand for allegiance to `Abd al-Malik lest he might not remain without allegiance even for a single night, as he had heard that the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) has been quoted as saying: “He who dies while having no leader (imām) dies the death of the period of ignorance.” He was humiliated by Hajjāj [the arrogant tyrannical ruler] who stretched out his foot from his bed for `Abdullah to swear his allegiance to, because he knew that the reason for this allegiance was based on fear, weakness and incompetence.15
Even though he did not partake with the Imām in any of his battles during his caliphate, 16 he was not one of the Imām’s enemies either. He was described by Imām Ali (a.s.) as one of those who:
خذلوا الحق و لم ينصر و الباطل.“They abandoned the truth and did not support the falsehood.”17
Some historical documents indicate that towards the end of his life, `Abdullah deeply regretted his negligence and failing to help Ali (a.s.), saying:
ما آسي علي شیء الا اني لم اقاتل مع علي الفئه البا غيه .I do not regret anything except that I did not fight along with Ali (a.s.) against the ‘rebel group’.18
Of course, some sources have interpreted ‘the rebel group’ in his words as the Khārijis,19 or Hajjāj20 or Ibn Zubair.21 If we consider the expression ‘with Ali’ in the statement, then there would be no room for other possibilities (Mu`āwiya is meant).
He used to say: “Whoever calls me to prayer, I will follow him whosoever he may be, but I do not follow the one who calls me to war.”22
Similarly, he believed that the government and obedience to the ruler are based on the foundation of ‘the law of dominance’. He used to say: “The right is for him who overcomes and has power over the people and dominates them.”23
That was why when Ali (a.s.) stressed on the people’s freedom and their choice in the pledge of allegiance, saying, “I do not compel anyone to obey me”, `Abdullah refused to obey him, but he did not refuse to pledge allegiance to Yazid ibn Mu`āwiya.
When the corruption, debauchery and crimes of Yazid who did not refrain from committing any forbidden act were disclosed -- following the murder of Imām Husain – (a.s), he called the uprising of the people of Madina as a betrayal to the allegiance and therefore prevented his family from participating in it.24 Finally, even though `Abdullah narrated many traditions and is regarded as one of the great narrators of the Sunni School, but he was weak in knowledge, short sighted and dogmatic, not able to give a strong analysis of the political and social currents existing during that time. This weak personality and desire for a worldly life helped him to take such a vile position. `Abdullah died in 74 AH/ 703 CE at the age of eighty four.25
1.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۳, Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۵, p. ۳۴۰, h. ۳۴۴۱,Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۷۲, h. ۱۳.
2.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۲, Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۵,p. ۳۳۳, h. ۳۴۴۱, Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۷۱, h. ۱۳.
3.. al-Isti`āb, vol. ۳, p. ۸۱, h. ۱۶۳۰, Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۳, p. ۳۳۷, h. ۳۰۸۲.
4.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۲. Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۵, p. ۳۳۳, h. ۳۴۴۱,Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۷۱, h. ۱۳.
5.. al- Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۳, Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۵, p. ۳۳۳, h. ۳۴۴۱, Tārikh Baghdād, vol. ۱, p. ۱۷۱, h. ۱۳.
6.. al- Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۶۴۴, h. ۶۳۶۲, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۳.
7.. Tahdhib al-Kamāl, vol. ۱۵, p. ۳۳۳. h. ۳۴۴۱, al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۶۴۴, h. ۶۳۶۲.
8.. Siyar A`lām al-Nubalā, vol. ۳, p. ۲۰۴, h. ۴۵, Tārikh al-Islām, vol. ۵, p. ۴۵۵, h. ۱۹۹.
9.. Tārikh al-Ya`qubi, vol. ۲, p. ۱۶۰, Tārikh al-Tabari, vol. ۴, p. ۲۲۸, al-Kāmil Fil Tarikh, vol. ۲, p. ۲۱۹.
10.. Tārikh al-Tabari, vol. ۴, p. ۲۲۹, al-Kāmil Fi al-Tarikh, vol. ۲, p. ۲۲۰, Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۳۱, p. ۱۷۹.
11.. al-Isti`āb, vol. ۳, p. ۴۷۲, h. ۲۴۶۴.
12.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۸۲, Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. ۲, p. ۳۶۱.
13.. Sahih al-Bukhāri, vol. ۶, p. ۲۶۳۴, h. ۶۷۷۷ ۶۷۷۹, al-Muwatta', vol, ۲, p. ۹۸۳, h. ۳.
14.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۵, p. ۱۱۱, Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۸, p. ۳۶.
15.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۱۳, p. ۲۴۲, al-Fusul al-Mukhtāra, p. ۲۴۵, al-Idāh, p.۷۳.
16.. al-Isti`āb, vol. ۳, p. ۸۳, h. ۱۶۳۰, Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۳, p. ۳۳۹, h. ۳۰۸۲.
17.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Aphorism ۱۸, al-Isti’āb, vol. ۲, p. ۱۷۳, h. ۹۶۸.
18.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۶۴۳, h. ۶۳۶۰, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p.۱۴۳.
19.. Fath al-Bāri, vol. ۱۲, p. ۲۸۶.
20.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۸۵ ۱۸۷, Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۳۱, p. ۱۹۷, Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۳, p. ۲۳۲, h. ۴۵.
21.. al-Sunan al-Kubrā, vol. ۸, p. ۲۹۸, h. ۱۶۷۰۶, Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۳۱, p. ۱۹۳, Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۳, p. ۲۲۹, h. ۴۵.
22.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۶۹, Tārikh Dimashq, vol. ۳۱, p. ۱۹۱, Siyar A`alām al-Nubalā, vol. ۳, p. ۲۲۸, h.۴۵
23.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۴۹, al-Isti`āb, vol. ۳, p. ۴۷۲, h. ۲۴۶۴.
24.. Musnad Ibn Hanbal, vol. ۲, p. ۴۱۲, h. ۵۷۱۳, Ibid. p. ۳۰۴, h. ۵۰۸۸, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۸۳.
25.. al-Mustadrak `alā al-Sahihayn, vol. ۳, p. ۶۴۲, h. ۶۳۵۵ ۶۳۵۸, al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۴, p. ۱۸۷.