913. المناقب لابن شهر آشوب :
913. al-Manaqib, by Ibn Shahr Ashub relates:
نادى مُعاوِيَةُ : أن بَرِئَتِ الذِّمِّةُ مِمَّن رَوى حَديثا مِن مَناقِبِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام .
“Mu‘awiyah called out: ‘I dissociate myself from whoever relates a report about the excellences of ‘Ali‚’ [In other words‚ ‘I have stripped whoever relates ... of immunity from (criminal) prosecution.’ (Editor).]
حَتّى قالَ عَبدُ اللّهِ بنُ شَدّادٍ اللَّيثِيُّ :
so that even Abdullah ibn Shaddad al-Laythi said:
وَدِدتُ أنّي اُترَكُ أن اُحَدِّثَ بِفَضائِلِ عَلِيِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ يَوما إلَى اللَّيلِ ،
“I wished I had been left alone to speak about the merits of Ali ibn Abi Talib from the a day to the night
وأنَّ عُنُقي ضُرِبَت !
and my neck had been struck down!
فَكانَ المُحَدِّثُ يُحَدِّثُ بِحَديثٍ فِي الفِقهِ ،
The reporter would narrate a tradition in respect of the revealed law
أو يَأتي بِحَديثِ المُبارَزَةِ ، فَيَقولُ :
or make mention of his combat [in battle], saying:
قالَ رَجُلٌ مِن قُرَيشٍ .
A man of Quraysh related to me such and such.
وكانَ عَبدُ الرَّحمنِ بنُ أبي لَيلى يَقولُ :
Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Layla would say:
حَدَّثَني رَجُلٌ مِن أصحابِ رَسولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله .
‘One of the companions of the Messenger of God (SA) related to me such and such.’
وكانَ الحَسَنُ البَصرِيُّ يَقولُ : قالَ أبو زَينَبَ .
Al-Hasan al-Basri would say: ‘Abu Zaynab said such and such.’ [Editor’s note: Due to that dire circumstance they practiced dissimulation and thus referred to Imam ‘Ali implicitly. Abu Zaynab‚ for instance‚ implicitly refers to him (i.e. ‘Ali) whose daughter’s name was Zaynab.]
وسُئِلَ ابنُ جُبَيرٍ عَن حامِلِ اللِّواءِ ،
When Ibn Jubayr was asked about the standard bearer [of the Prophet (SA)],
فَقالَ : كَأَنَّكَ رَخِيُّ البالِ ! (هو رَخيّ البال : إذا كان ناعم الحال، تاج العروس : ج19 ص453) .
he replied: It is as if you are at ease!’ ” [In other words; "It is as if you have no idea of what is going on (Editor).]
المناقب لابن شهر آشوب : ج2 ص351 .
Al-Manaqib, by Ibn Shahr Ashub, vol. 2, p. 351.
914. الإرشاد :
914. Al-Irshad, relates:
فيمَا انتَهى إلَيهِ الأَمرُ في دَفنِ فَضائِلِ أميرِ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام
“The manner of suppressing the merits of the Commander of the Faithful (AS),
وَالحَيلولَةِ بَينَ العُلَماءِ
of the deception practised by the religious scholars
ونَشرِها ما لا شُبَهَة فيهِ عَلى عاقِلٍ ،
and of their spreading of what seemed authentic to the intelligent
حَتّى كانَ الرَّجُلُ إذا أرادَ أن يَرويَ عَن أميرِ المُؤمِنينَ
reached the extent that when a man wanted to narrate a tradition from the Commander of the Faithful,
رِوايَةً لَم يَستَطِع أن يُضيفَها إلَيهِ بِذِكرِ اسمِهِ ونَسَبِهِ ،
he was not able to refer to him either by mentioning his name or his lineage.
وتَدعوهُ الضَّرورَةُ إلى أن يَقولَ : حَدَّثَني رَجُلٌ مِن أصحابِ رَسولِ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله ،
Necessity required him to say: A man from the companions of the Messenger of God (SA) related to me
أو يَقولَ : حَدَّثَني رَجُلٌ مِن قُرَيشٍ ،
or he would say: A man from Quraysh related to me.
ومِنهُم مَن يَقولُ : حَدَّثَني أبو زَينَبَ .
Some of them would say: Abu Zaynab related to me.”
الإرشاد : ج1 ص310 .
Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 310.
915. الإرشاد
915. Al-Irshad, relates,
ـ في بَيانِ مَظلومِيَّةِ أميرِ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام ـ:
concerning the ill-treatment undergone by the Commander of the Faithful (AS):
وكانَتِ الوُلاةُ الجَوَرَةُ تَضرِبُ بِالسِّياطِ مَن ذَكَرَهُ بِخَيرٍ ،
“The tyrannical governors would flog anyone who mentioned him with good,
بَل تَضرِبُ الرِّقابَ عَلى ذلِكَ ،
or rather, their heads were cut off for doing that
وتَعتَرِضُ النّاسَ بِالبَراءَةِ مِنهُ .
and challenge the people to disassociate themselves from him.
وَالعادَةُ جارِيَةٌ فيمَنِ اتَّفَقَ لَهُ ذلِكَ ألّا يُذكَرَ عَلى وَجهٍ بِخَيرٍ ،
The normal course of events followed this pattern to the effect that he would not be mentioned in any manner with good,
فَضلاً عَن أن تُذكَرَ لَهُ فَضائِلُ ،
let alone his merits be mentioned
أو تُروى لَهُ مَناقِبُ ،
or his qualities be reported
أو تُثَبتَ لَهُ حُجَّةٌ بِحَقٍّ .
or proof be established for his right.”
الإرشاد : ج1 ص311 .
Al-Irshad, vol. 1, p. 311.
916. الكامل للمبرّد عن أبي العبّاس :
916. Al-Kamil, by al-Mubarrad, reporting from Abu al-Abbas, who said:
يُروى عَن عَلِيِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ رَحمَةُ اللّهِ عَلَيهِ
“It is reported from Ali ibn Abi Talib
أنَّهُ افتَقَدَ عَبدَ اللّهِ بنَ العَباسِ في وَقتِ صَلاةِ الظُّهرِ ،
that he missed Abdullah ibn Abbas at the midday prayer
فَقالَ لِأَصحابِهِ :
and said to his companions:
ما بالُ أبِي العَبّاسِ لَم يَحضُر ؟
What is wrong with Ibn Abbas that he did not attend?
فَقالوا :
They said:
وُلِدَ لَهُ مَولودٌ .
A child was born to him.
فَلَمّا صَلّى عَلِيٌّ رحمه الله قالَ : امضوا بِنا إلَيهِ .
After Ali (AS) had prayed, he said: Let us go to him.
فَأَتاهُ فَهَنّأَهُ ،
They came to him and congratulated him.
فَقالَ : شَكَرتُ الواهِبَ ، وبورِكَ لَكَ فِي المَوهوبِ ،
He [Ali (AS)] said: I have thanked the Giver and may you be blessed with the gift!
ما سَمَّيتَهُ ؟
What have you named him?
قالَ : أ وَيَجوزُ لي أن اُسَمِّيَهُ حَتّى تُسَمِّيَهُ ؟ !
He said: Is it permissible for me to name him before you have named him?
فَأَمَرَ بِهِ ، فَاُخرِجَ إلَيهِ ،
So he sent for him [i.e. the child],
فَأَخَذَهُ ، فَحَنَّكَهُ ، ودَعا لَهُ ،
and he was brought to him; he took the child,
ثُمَّ رَدَّهُ إلَيهِ ، وقالَ :
sweetened his palate and prayed for him, then returned him and said:
خُذهُ إلَيكَ أبَا الأَملاكِ ،
Take him O father of kings.
قَد سَمَّيتُهُ عَلِيّا ، وكَنَّيتُه أبَا الحَسَنِ .
I have named him Ali and his kunya is Abu al-Hasan.
فَلَمّا قامَ مُعاوِيَةُ ، قالَ لاِبنِ عَبّاسٍ :
When Muawiyah took power, he said to Ibn Abbas:
لَيسَ لَكُمُ اسمُهُ وكُنيَتُهُ ،
You have no right to call him by that name and kunya.
وقَد كَنَّيتُهُ : أبا مُحَمَّدٍ . فَجَرَت عَلَيهِ .
I have named him, by his kunya, Abu Muhammad and so it became a custom.”
الكامل للمبرّد : ج2 ص756 .
Al-Kamil, by al-Mubarrid, vol. 2, p. 756.
ب ـ وَضعُ الأَحاديثِ في ذَمِّهِ
Fabricating Traditions in Dispraise of Him
917. شرح نهج البلاغة :
917. Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, relates:
ذَكَرَ شَيخُنا أبو جَعفَرِ الإسكافِيُّ رَحِمَهُ اللّهُ تَعالى ـ
“Our scholar Abu Ja‘far al-Iskafi –
وكانَ مِنَ المُتَحَقِّقينَ بِمُوالاةِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ،
one of the true adherents to Ali
وَالمُبالِغينَ في تَفضيلِهِ وإن كانَ القَولُ بِالتَّفضيلِ عامّاً شائِعاً فِي البَغدادِيّينَ مِن أصحابِنا كافَّةً إلّا
and of those who were excessive in his preference, although it was prevailing among all of our co-religionists in Baghdad to prefer him (i.e. ‘Ali) to others‚
أنَّ أبا جَعفَرٍ أشَدُّهُم في ذلِكَ قَولاً ،
Abu Ja‘far was the most enthusiast of them in this regard‚
وأخلَصُهُم فيهِ اعتِقاداً ـ أنَّ مُعاوِيَةَ وَضَعَ قَوماً مِنَ الصَّحابَةِ ، وقَوماً مِنَ التّابِعينَ عَلى رِوايَةِ أخبارٍ قَبيحَةٍ في عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ،
and the sincerest of them in his belief in him - mentioned that Muawiyah appointed a group of the companions and a group of successors to narrate undesirable traditions concerning Ali
تَقتَضِي الطَّعنَ فيهِ ، وَالبَراءَةَ مِنهُ ،
that necessitates defamation and disassociation.
وجَعَلَ لَهَمُ عَلى ذلِكَ جُعلاً يُرغَبُ في مِثلِهِ ،
He assigned for them a stipend the like of which was desired,
فَاختَلَقوا ما أرضاهُ ،
so they fabricated what pleased him.
منهم : أبو هُرَيرَةُ ، وعَمروُ بنُ العاصِ ، وَالمُغيرَةُ بنُ شُعبَةَ ، ومِنَ التّابِعينَ : عُروَةُ بنُ الزُّبَيرِ .
Amongst them were Abu Hurayra, Amr ibn al-As, al-Mughira ibn Shu‘ba and amongst the successors were Urwa ibn al-Zubayr.”
شرح نهج البلاغة : ج 4 ص 63 .
Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 4, p. 63.
ج ـ إشاعَةُ سَبِّهِ
Spreading the Act of Abusing Him
918. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في وَصفِ مُعاوِيَةَ ـ:
918. Imam Ali (AS) said, describing Muawiyah:
أما إنَّهُ سَيَظهَرُ عَلَيكُم بَعدي رَجُلٌ رَحبُ البُلعومِ ، مُندَحِقُ البَطنِ ،
“Know that soon after me a man with a large throat and a fat stomach will dominate you.
يَأكُلُ ما يَجِدُ ،
He will eat whatever he finds
ويَطلُبُ ما لا يَجِدُ ،
and demand that which he does not find;
فَاقتُلوهُ ، ولَن تَقتُلوهُ !
so kill him, but you will never kill him!
ألا وإنَّهُ سَيَأمُرُكُم بِسَبّي ، وَالبَراءَةِ مِنّي !
Behold, he will command you to abuse me and to disassociate yourselves from me.
فَأَمَّا السَّبُّ فَسُبّوني ؛
As for abusing, you do abuse me,
فَإِنَّهُ لي زَكاةٌ ، ولَكُم نَجاةٌ ،
for indeed it is a source of purity for me and a means of salvation for you.
وأمَّا البرَاءَةُ فَلا تَتَبَرَّؤوا مِنّي ؛
As for disassociation, however, you should not disassociate yourselves from me.
فَإِنّي وُلِدتُ عَلَى الفِطرَةِ ،
For indeed I was born on the instinctive nature [of Islam]
وسَبَقتُ إلَى الإيمانِ وَالهِجرَةِ .
and I have taken the lead in respect of faith and emigration.”
نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 57 .
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 57.
919. المناقب لابن شهر آشوب :
919. Al-Manaqib, by Ibn Shahr Ashub:
وَالأَصلُ في سَبِّهِ ]عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام [ ما صَحَّ عِندَ أهلِ العِلمِ أنَّ مُعاوِيَةَ أمَرَ بِلَعنِهِ عَلَى المَنابِرِ ،
“The root of the abusing according to what has been established by people of knowledge is that Muawiyah commanded he be cursed from the pulpits.
فَتَكَلَّمَ فيهِ ابنُ عَبّاسٍ ، فَقالَ :
When Ibn Abbas spoke in this regard, he said:
هَيهاتَ ،
Far be it!
هذَا أمرُ دِينٍ ،
This is a religious issue,
لَيسَ إلى تَركِهِ سَبيلٌ ،
and there is no way for its abandonment.
أ لَيسَ الغاشَّ لِرَسولِ اللّهِ ،
Was he not the betrayer of the Messenger of God,
الشَّتّامَ لِأَبي بَكرٍ ،
the reviler of Abu Bakr,
المُعَيِّر عُمَرَ ،
the humilater of Umar
الخاذِلَ عُثمانَ !
and the abandoner of Uthman!
قالَ : أ تَسُبُّهُ عَلَى المَنابِرِ ،
Ibn Abbas said: will you revile him on the pulpits
وهُوَ بَناها بِسَيفِهِ !
when he had erected it with his sword?
قالَ : لا أدَعُ ذلِكَ حَتّى يَموتَ فيهِ الكَبيرُ ،
He said: I will not leave that until the old die with it
ويَشِبّ عَلَيهِ الصَّغيرُ .
and the juvenile grow up with it.”
المناقب لابن شهر آشوب : ج3 ص222 .
Al-Manaqib by Ibn Shahr Ashub, vol. 3, p. 222.
920. المناقب لابن المغازلي عن أبي معاوية هشيم بن بشير الواسطي:
920. Al-Manaqib, by ibn al-Maghazili, reporting from Abi Muawiyah Hashim ibn Bashir al-Wasiti, who said:
أدَركتُ خُطباءَ أهلِ الشّامِ بِواسِطٍ (واسِط : مدينة بناها الحجّاج ، وهي متوسّطة بين البصرة والكوفة عن كلٍّ منهما خمسون فرسخا، معجم البلدان : ج5 ص347) .
“During the the era of the Umayyads, I caught up with Syrian preachers in Wasit. [A city built by al-Hajjaj, it is situated between Basra and Kufah. See: Mu‘jam al-Buldan, vol. 5, p. 347. ]
في زَمَنِ بَني اُمَيَّةَ ،
كانَ إذا ماتَ لَهُم مَيِّتٌ
When a person died amongst them,
قامَ خَطيبُهُم
their preacher would stand up among them,
فَحَمِدَ اللّهَ وأثنى عَلَيهِ ،
praise God and laud Him,
ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ عَلِيَّ بنَ أبي طالِبٍ فَسَبَّهُ .
and then he [would] speak ill of Ali ibn Abi Talib and revile him.
فَحَضَرتُهُم يَوما وقَد ماتَ لَهُم مَيِّتٌ ،
One day I attended when somebody had died amongst them,
فَقامَ خَطيبُهُم ،
their preacher stood up,
فَحَمِدَ اللّهَ وأثنى عَلَيهِ ،
praised God and lauded Him;
وذَكَرَ عَلِيّا عليه السلام فَسَبَّهُ ،
he then spoke ill of Ali ibn Abi Talib and reviled him.
فَجاءَ ثَورٌ فَوَضَع قَرنَيهِ في ثَديَيهِ وألزَقَهُ بِالحائِطِ ،
A bull came and thrust both its horns at his chest and stuck him against the wall,
فَعَصَرَهُ حَتّى قَتَلَهُ ،
pressing him until it killed him.
ثُمَّ رَجَعَ يَشُقُّ النّاسَ يَمينا وشِمالاً
It then returned passing its way through the people to the right and the left
لا يَهيجُ أحَدا ولايُؤذيهِ .
without agitating or harming anyone.”
المناقب لابن المغازلي : ص391 ح445 .
Al-Manaqib, by ibn al-Maghazili, p. 391, h. 445.
د ـ تَعذيبُ مُحِبّيهِ وتَشريدُهُم وقَتلُهُم
The Persecution‚ Banishment and Killing of Those Who Loved Him
921. شرح نهج البلاغة:
921.Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, relates:
رُوِيَ أنَّ أبا جَعفَرٍ مَحمَّدَ بنَ عَلِيٍّ الباقِرَ عليه السلام قالَ لِبَعضِ أصحابِهِ :
“It is reported that Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (AS) said to some of his companions:
يا فُلانُ ، ما لَقينا مِن ظُلمِ قُرَيشٍ إيّانا وتَظاهُرِهِم عَلَينا ،
‘O so and so! What oppression of Quraysh and their supporting one another against us we have encountered
وما لَقِيَ شيعَتُنا ومُحِبّونا مِنَ النّاسِ !
and what ill-treatment of the people to our supporters and lovers we have encountered!
إنَّ رَسولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله قُبِضَ وَقد أخبَرَ أنّا أولَى النّاسِ بِالنّاسِ ،
Indeed, the Messenger of God (SA) passed away after he had informed that we had better right to people than their own selves.
فَتَمالَأَت عَلَينا قُرَيشٌ حَتّى أخرَجَتِ الأَمرَ عَن مَعدِنِهِ ،
However, Quraysh supported one another against us until the affair was removed from its rightful place.
واحتَجَّت عَلَى الأَنصارِ بِحَقِّنا وحُجَّتِنا ،
They argued against the al-Ansar with our right and with our proofs.
ثُمَّ تَداوَلَتها قُرَيشٌ واحِدٍ بَعدَ واحِدٍ ، حَتّى رَجَعَت إلَينا ،
Then Quraysh exchanged it one after another until it returned to us,
فَنَكَثَت بَيعَتَنا ونَصَبَتِ الحَربَ لَنا ،
but they broke our allegiance and declared war against us.
ولَم يَزَل صاحِبُ الأَمرِ في صَعودٍ كَؤودٍ حَتّى قُتِلَ .
The holder of authority (i.e. ‘Ali) never ceased to undergo difficulties until he was killed.
فبويِعَ الحَسَنُ ابنُهُ ، وعوهِدَ ،
When allegiance was pledged to his son Hasan,
ثُمَّ غُدِرَ بِهِ ، واُسلِمَ ،
they betrayed him and surrendered him.
ووَثَبَ عَلَيهِ أهلُ العِراقِ حَتّى طُعِنَ بِخَنجَرٍ في جَنبِهِ ،
The people of Iraq pressed on him such that they stabbed with a dagger his side,
ونُهِبَت عَسكَرُهُ ، وعولِجَت خَلاليلُ اُمَّهاتِ أولادِهِ ،
plundered his camps and pursued the anklets of his bondswomen‚
فَوادَعَ مُعاوِيَةَ ، وحَقَنَ دَمَهُ ودِماءَ أهلِ بَيتِهِ وهُم قَليلٌ حَقَّ قَليلٍ .
so he made peace with Muawiyah, and protected thereby his blood and the blood of his household, who were very few in number.
ثُمَّ بايَعَ الحُسَينَ عليه السلام مِن أهلِ العِراقِ عِشرونَ ألفاً ،
Thereafter twenty thousand men among the people of Iraq paid allegiance to Husain,
ثُمَّ غَدَروا بِهِ ، وخَرَجوا عَلَيهِ
and then they betrayed him and rebelled against him
وبَيعَتُهُ في أعناقِهِم ، وقَتَلوهُ ،
when his allegiance was still on their necks and killed him.
ثُمَّ لَم نَزَل ـ أهلَ البَيتِ ـ نُستَذَلُّ ونُستَضامُ ونُقصى ونُمتَهَنُ ونُحرَمُ ونُقتَلُ ونُخافُ
Then we the household of the Prophet never ceased to be humiliated, wronged, excluded, despised, denied, killed, feared,
ولا نَأمَنُ عَلى دِمائِنا ودِماءِ أولِيائِنا .
having no security over our blood or the blood of our adherents.
ووَجَدَ الكاذِبونَ الجاحِدونَ ؛ ـ لِكذِبِهِم وجُحودِهِم ـ مَوضِعاً يَتَقَرَّبونَ بِهِ إلى أولِيائِهِم وقُضاةِ السَّوءِ وعُمّالِ السَّوءِ في كُلِّ بَلدَةٍ ،
The liars and deniers found – for their lies and denial – a place to gain favour with their masters, oppressive judges and evil governors in every city,
فَحَدَّثوهُمِ بِالأَحاديثِ المَوضوعَةِ المَكذوبَةِ ،
thus they reported to them fabricated and false traditions.
ورَوَوا عَنّا ما لَم نَقُلهُ وما لَم نَفعَلهُ ؛
They reported from us what we did not say and what we did not do,
لِيُبَغِّضونا إلَى النّاسِ .
so we may be disliked by the people.
وكانَ عِظَمُ ذلِكَ وكِبَرُهُ زَمَنَ مُعاوِيَةَ بَعدَ مَوتِ الحَسَنِ عليه السلام ؛
The most miserable instance of this (tribulation) was during the lifetime of Muawiyah, after the death of al-Hasan (AS),
فَقُتِلَت شيعَتُنا بِكُلِّ بَلدَةٍ ،
when our supporters in every city were killed;
وقُطِعَتِ الأَيدي وَالأَرجُلِ عَلَى الظِّنَّةِ ،
hands and legs were chopped off by mere suspicion.
وكانَ مَن يُذكَرُ بِحُبِّنا وَالاِنقِطاعِ إلَينا سُجِنَ ،
Whoever was known to be a friend of us or to be one giving all his time to us‚ was imprisoned,
أو نُهِبَ مالُهُ ،
his wealth plundered
أو هُدِمَت دارُهُ ،
and his houses destroyed.
ثُمَّ لَم يَزَل البَلاءُ يَشتَدُّ ويَزدادُ إلى زَمانِ عُبَيدِ اللّهِ بن زِيادٍ قَاتِلِ الحُسَينِ عليه السلام .
The tribulation continued to intensify and increase until the era of Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, the killer of al-Husain (AS).
ثُمَّ جَاءَ الحَجّاجُ فَقَتَلَهُم كُلَّ قِتلَةٍ ،
Thereafter came al-Hajjaj who massacred them
وأخَذَهُم بِكُلِّ ظِنّةٍ وتُهمَةٍ ،
and punished them for every suspicion and accusation,
حَتّى إنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُقالُ لَهُ : «زِنديقٌ» أو «كافِرٌ» أحَبُّ إلَيهِ مِن أن يُقالَ : «شيعَةُ عَلِيٍّ» ،
such that a man would prefer to be called an atheist or disbeliever rather than to be a ‘partisan of Ali’.
وحَتّى صارَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذي يُذكَرُ بِالخَيرِ ـ
This continued such that a man of whom men spoke well –
ولَعَلَّهُ يَكونُ وَرِعاً صَدوقاً ـ يُحَدِّثُ بِأَحاديثَ عَظيمَةٍ عَجيبَةٍ مِن تَفضيلِ بَعضِ مَن قَد سَلَفَ مِنَ الوُلاةِ
it may be that he was pious and truthful – would narrate amazing and strange traditions about the merits of some of the past rulers,
ولَم يَخلُقِ اللّهُ تَعالى شَيئا مِنها ، ولا كانَت ، ولا وقَعَت ،
even though they had no base, nor did they occur,
وهُوَ يَحسَبُ أنَّها حَقٌّ ؛
yet he would consider them to be true,
لِكَثرَةِ مَن قَد رَواها مِمَّن لَم يُعرَف بِكَذِبٍ ولا بِقِلَّةٍ وَرَعٍ .
because of the numerous reports transmitted by those who were not known for lying or paucity of piety.
ورَوى أبُو الحَسَنٍ عَلِيُّ بنُ مُحَمَّدِ بنِ أبي سَيفٍ المَدائِنِيُّ في كِتابِ الأَحداثِ قالَ :
Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Sayf al-Mada’ini in his book al-Ahdath reported:
كَتَبَ مُعاوِيَةُ نُسخَةً واحِدَةً إلى عُمّالِهِ بَعدَ عامِ الجَماعَةِ :
“Muawiyah wrote a single copy to his governors after the year of Unity to the effect:
أن بَرِئَتِ الذِّمّةُ مِمَّن رَوى شَيئا مِن فَضلِ أبي تُرابٍ وأهلِ بَيتِهِ .
I dissociate myself from anyone who relates anything about the merits of Abu Turab and his progeny.
فَقامَتِ الخُطَباءُ في كُلِّ كورَةٍ وعَلى كُلِّ مِنبَرٍ يَلعَنونَ عَلِيّا ،
So preachers set out in every village and on every pulpit to curse Ali,
ويَبرَؤونَ مِنهُ ، ويَقَعونَ فيهِ وفي أهلِ بَيتِهِ .
disassociate themselves from him and slander him and his progeny.
وكانَ أشَدَّ النّاسِ بَلاءً حينَئِذٍ أهلُ الكوفَةِ ؛
The people of Kufah suffered the worst tribulation at that time
لِكَثرَةِ مِن بِها مِن شيعَةِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ،
and it was because of the big population of the partisans of ‘Ali there.
فَاستَعمَلَ عَلَيهِم زِيادَ بنَ سُمَيَّةَ ،
Moreover, he appointed Ziyad ibn Sumayya over them
وضَمَّ إلَيهِ البَصرَةَ ،
and added Basra to (realm of) his authority.”
فَكانَ يَتَتَبَّعُ الشّيعَةَ ـ وهُوَ بِهِم عارِفٌ ؛
He followed the Shi’a – as he knew them
لِأَ نَّهُ كانَ مِنهُم أيّامَ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ
because he was of them in the days of Ali (AS) –
فَقَتَلَهُم تَحتَ كُلِّ حَجَرٍ ومَدَرٍ ، وأخافَهُم ،
(found) and killed them in every nook and cranny and instilled fear into them.
وقَطَعَ الأَيدِيَ وَالأَرجُلَ ،
He cut hands and legs,
وسَمَلَ العُيونَ ،
gouged out their eyes,
وصَلَبَهُم عَلى جذوع النّخلِ ،
crucified them on the trunks of palm trees,
وطَرَدَهُم ،
expelled them
وَشَرَّدَهُم عَنِ العِراقِ ،
and chased them away from Iraq,
فَلَم يِبَقَ بِها مَعروفٌ مِنهُم .
so no prominent person from among them remained there.
وكَتَبَ مُعاوِيَةُ إلى عُمّالِهِ في جَميعِ الآفاقِ ألّا يُجيزوا لأِحَدٍ مِن شيعَةِ عَلِيٍّ وأهلِ بَيتِهِ شَهادَةً ،
Muawiyah wrote to his governors in all places that they should not take into account the testimony of any of the partisans of Ali or his progeny.
وكتب إلَيهِم : أنِ انظُروا مَن قِبَلَكُم مِن شيعَةِ عُثمانَ ومُحِبّيهِ وأهلِ وَلايَتِهِ
He wrote to them: ‘Look for those around you of the partisans of Uthman, his lovers, adherents
وَالَّذين يَروونَ فَضائِلَهُ ومَناقِبَهُ
and those who narrate his qualities and merits,
فَأَدنوا مَجالِسَهُم ، وقَرِّبوهُم ، وَأكرموهُم ،
bring close their congregations, bring them close, honour them
وَاكتُبوا لي بِكُلِّ ما يَروي كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنهُم ،
and write to me everything each one of them relates,
وَاسمَهُ ، وَاسمَ أبيهِ وعَشيرَتِهِ .
his name, his father’s name and the name of his tribe.’
فَفَعلوا ذلِكَ ،
They undertook as required such
حَتّى أكثَروا في فَضائِلِ عُثمانَ ، ومَناقِبِهِ ؛
that they transmitted the qualities and merits of Uthman abundantly
لِما كانَ يَبعَثُهُ إلَيهِم مُعاوِيَةُ مِنَ الصِّلاتِ وَالكِساءِ وَالحِباءِ وَالقَطائِعِ ،
because of the grants, clothes, presents and plots of land Mu‘awiya would allocate.
ويُفيضُهُ فِي العَرَبِ مِنهُم وَالمَوالي ،
That was given to the Arabs and the non-Arabs.
فَكَثُرَ ذلِكَ في كُلِّ مِصرٍ ،
This increased in every city
وتَنافَسوا فِي المَنازِلِ وَالدُّنيا ،
and they competed with one another over positions and (other) earthly things.
فَلَيسَ يَجيءُ أحَدٌ مَردودٌ مِنَ النّاسِ عامِلاً مِن عُمّالِ مُعاوِيَةَ فَيَروي في عُثمانَ فَضيلَةً أو مَنقَبَةً
Everyone who went to any of the governors of Mu‘awiyah and related a virtue or merit about ‘Uthman (to him)‚
إلّا كَتَبَ اسمَهُ ، وقَرَّبَهُ ، وشَفّعَهُ .
they would be admitted to be near‚ and interceded‚ and their name would be registered.
فَلَبِثوا بِذلِكَ حيناً .
These conditions persisted in this manner for a period of time.
ثُمَّ كَتَبَ إلى عُمّالِهِ : إنَّ الحَديثَ في عُثمانَ قَد كَثُرَ وفَشا في كُلِّ مِصرٍ ،
He then wrote to his governers: ‘ Indeed, the traditions about Uthman have increased and spread in every city,
وفي كُلِّ وَجهٍ وناحِيَةٍ ،
in every direction and region.
فَإِذا جاءَكُم كِتابي هذَا فَادعُوا النّاسَ إلَى الرِّوايَةِ في فَضائِلِ الصَّحابَةِ وَالخُلَفاءِ الأَوَّلينَ ،
If you receive this letter of mine, request people to narrate the qualities of the companions and the first two Caliphs.
ولا تَتُركوا خَبَراً يَرويهِ أحَدٌ مِنَ الُمسلِمين في أبي تُرابٍ إلّا وتَأتوني بِمُناقِضٍ لَهُ فِي الصَّحابَةِ ؛
Do not leave a tradition reported by one of the Muslims concerning Abu Turab except that you come to me with one that resembles it concerning the companions.
فَإِنَّ هذَا أحَبُّ إلَيَّ ، وأقَرُّ لِعَيني ،
For indeed this is more beloved to me, more pleasing to my eye
وأدحَضُ لِحُجَّةِ أبي تُرابٍ وشيعَتِهِ ،
and help refute the evidence of Abu Turab and his partisans
وأشَدُّ عَلَيهِم مِن مَناقِبِ عُثمانَ وفَضلِهِ .
and it is more intense to them than the merits of Uthman and his qualities.’
فَقُرِئَت كُتُبُهُ عَلَى النّاسِ ، فَرُوِيَت أخبارٌ كَثيرَةٌ ـ في مَناقِبِ الصَّحابَةِ ـ مُفتَعَلَةٌ لا حَقيقَةَ لَها ،
His letters were read to the people, so many fabricated traditions concerning the merits of the companions were reported.
وجدّ النّاسُ في رِوايَةِ ما يَجري هذَا المَجرى ،
People worked hard to narrate in this manner such that they celebrated them (i.e. the Caliphs and companions)
حَتّى أشادوا بِذِكرِ ذلِكَ عَلَى المَنابِرِ ،
by spreading them (i.e. traditions) from the pulpits.
واُلقِي إلى مُعَلِّمي الكَتاتيبِ فَعَلَّموا صِبيانَهُم وغِلمانَهُم مِن ذلِكَ الكَثيرَ الواسِعَ ،
[These traditions] were given to the teachers so they taught their children and youths a lot of that
حَتّى رَوَوهُ وتَعَلّموهُ كَما يَتَعَلَّمونَ القُرآنَ ،
until that they reported and learnt them as they learnt the Qur’an.
وحَتّى عَلَّموهُ بِناتِهِم ونِساءَهُم وخَدَمَهُم وحَشَمَهُم .
They even taught their daughters, women, servants and attendants.
فَلَبِثوا بِذلِكَ ما شاءَ اللّهُ .
The affair continued for quite a long while.
ثُمَّ كَتَبَ إلى عُمّالِهِ نُسخَةً واحِدَةً إلى جَميعِ البُلدانِ :
He then wrote a letter to his governors in all cities:
اُنظرُوا مَن قامَت عَلَيهِ البَيِّنَةُ أنَّهُ يُحِبُّ عَلِيّا وأهلَ بَيتِهِ
Look for him against whom two men give testimony to the effect that he loves Ali and his progeny,
فَامحوهُ مِنَ الدّيوانِ ،
so erase him from the register
وأسقِطوا عَطاءَهُ ورِزقَهُ .
and cancel his share and sustenance [from the treasury].
وشَفَعَ ذلِكَ بِنُسخَةٍ اُخرى :
He added another letter to the effect that:
مَنِ اتّهَمتُموهُ بِمُوالاةِ هؤُلاءِ القَومِ فَنَكِّلوا به ،
‘Whomever you accused of adhering to those people, make an example of him
وَاهدِموا دارَهُ .
and destroy his house.’
فَلَم يَكُنِ البَلاءُ أشَدَّ ولا أكثَرَ مِنهُ بِالعِراقِ ،
In no place was the tribulation as severe and as much as in Iraq,
ولا سِيَّما بِالكوفَةِ ،
especially in Kufah,
حَتّى إنَّ الرَّجُلَ مِن شيعَةِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام لَيَأتيهِ مَن يَثِقُ بِهِ
to the extent that a man from the partisans of Ali would be visited by someone whom he trusted,
فَيدخُلُ بَيتَهُ فَيُلقي إلَيهِ سِرَّهُ ، ويَخافُ مِن خادِمِهِ ومَملوكِهِ ،
so he would, reveal his secret far away from his servant and slave.
ولا يُحَدِّثُهُ حَتّى يأخُذَ عَلَيهِ الأَيمانَ الغَليظَةَ لَيكتُمَنَّ عَلَيهِ .
He would not speak until he took a solemn oath that he would certainly conceal it.
فَظَهَرَ حَديثٌ كَثيرٌ مَوضوعٌ ،
Hence, many fabricated traditions appeared,
وبُهتانٌ مُنتَشِرٌ ،
slander spread
ومَضى عَلى ذلِكَ الفُقَهاءُ والقُضاةُ وَالوُلاةُ .
and the jurists, judges and governors followed on this path.
وكانَ أعظَمَ النّاسِ في ذلِكَ بَلِيَّةً القُرّاءُ المُراؤونَ ،
The people who had the biggest part in this misfortune were the insincere reciters
وَالمُستَضعَفونَ الَّذينَ يُظهِرونَ الخُشوعَ وَالنُّسُكَ ،
and those men who were deemed weak and displayed their devoutness and rituals,
فَيَفتَعِلونَ الأَحاديثَ ؛
so they would invent traditions
لِيَحظَوا بِذلِكَ عِندَ وُلاتِهِم ،
to gain favour with their governors,
ويُقَرِّبوا مَجالِسَهُم ،
get closer to their gatherings
ويُصيبوا بِهِ الأَموالَ وَالضِّياعَ وَالمَنازِلَ .
and acquire money, etc.
حَتّى انتَقَلَت تِلكَ الأَخبارُ وَالأَحاديثُ إلى أيدِي الدَّيّانينَ الَّذين لا يَستَحِلّونَ الكَذِبَ والبُهتانَ ، فَقَبِلوها ، ورَوَوها وهُم يَظُنّونَ أنَّها حَقٌّ ، ولَو عَلِموا أنَّها باطِلَةٌ لَما رَوَوها ، ولا تَدَيَّنوا بِها .
فَلَم يَزَلِ الأَمرُ كَذلِكَ حَتّى ماتَ الحَسَنُ بنُ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ، فَازدادَ البَلاءُ وَالفِتنَةُ ، فَلَم يَبقَ أحَدٌ مِن هذَا القَبيلِ إلّا وهُوَ خائِفٌ عَلى دَمِهِ ، أو طَريدٌ فِي الأَرضِ .
The affairs continued this way until Hasan ibn Ali died, so dissension and turmoil increased, and everybody was fearful of his blood or exile in the land.
ثُمَّ تَفاقَمَ الأمَرُ بَعدَ قَتلِ الحُسَينِ عليه السلام ،
Then the affair got further aggravated after Husain (AS) was Slain.
ووَلِيَ عَبدُ المَلِكِ بنُ مَروانَ فَاشتَدَّ عَلَى الشّيعَةِ ،
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan became the Caliph and he was violent towards the Shi’ah.
ووَلّى عَلَيهِمُ الحَجّاجَ بنَ يوسُفَ ،
He appointed al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf over them.
فَتَقَرَّبَ إليَهِ أهلُ النُّسُكِ وَالصَّلاحِ وَالدّينِ بِبُغضِ عَليٍّ ومُوالاةِ أعدائِهِ ،
The people of rituals, righteousness and religion, through hatred of Ali and adherence to his enemies,
ومُوالاةِ مَن يَدّعي مِنَ النّاسِ أنَّهُم أيضاً أعداؤُهُ ،
as well as adherence to those who claimed to be his enemies would gain favour with him.
فَأَكثَروا فِي الرِّوايَةِ في فَضلِهِم وسَوابِقِهِم ومَناقِبِهِم ،
They transmitted abundantly reports of their qualities, precedence and merits,
وأكثَروا مِنَ الغَضِّ مِن عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ، وعَيبِهِ ، وَالطَّعنِ فيه ، وَالشَّنَآنِ لَهُ ،
even as they set out to belittle Ali, slander him and show enmity towards him.
حَتّى إنَّ إنساناً وقَفَ لِلحَجّاجِ ـ ويُقالُ : إنَّهُ جَدُّ الأَصمَعِيِّ عَبد المَلِكِ بنِ قَريبٍ ـ فَصاحَ بِهِ :
So that even a person stood up before al-Hajjaj and said to him:
أيُّهَا الأَميرُ إنَّ أهلي عَقّوني فَسَمَّوني عَلِيّا ،
‘O Commander, my family has done wrong to me so they named me Ali.
وإنّي فَقيرٌ بائس ، وأنَا إلى صِلَةِ الأَميرِ مُحتاجٌ .
Indeed, I am poor, wretched and I am in need of the grant of the Commander.’
فَتَضاحَكَ لَهُ الحَجّاجُ ، وقالَ :
Al- Hajjaj laughed at him and said:
لِلُطفِ ما تَوَسَّلتَ بِهِ قَد وَلَّيتُكَ مَوضِعَ كَذا .
‘Due to your gracefulness I have appointed you over a certain area.’
وقَد رَوَى ابنُ عَرَفَةَ ـ المَعروفُ بِنِفطَوَيهِ ،
Indeed, Ibn Arafa known as Niftawayh,
وهُوَ مِن أكابِرِ المُحَدِّثِينَ وأعلامِهِم ـ في تاريخِهِ ما يُناسِبُ هذَا الخَبَرَ ،
one of their great and prominent reporters related in his account of history,
وقالَ : إنَّ أكثَرَ الأحاديثِ المَوضوعَةِ في فَضائِلِ الصَّحابَةِ افتُعِلَت في أيّامِ بَني اُمَيَّةَ ؛
saying: ‘Most of the fabricated reports concerning the excellences and virtues of the companions were invented during the era of the Umayyads
تَقَرُّباً إلَيهِم بِما يَظُنّونَ أنَّهُم يُرغِمونَ بِهِ اُنوفَ بَني هاشِمٍ .
to gain favour with them just to spite the Hashimites.”
شرح نهج البلاغة : ج11 ص43 .
Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 11, p. 43.
ه ـ الدّافِعُ السِّياسِيُّ في كَيدِ أعدائِهِ
The Political Motives behind the Enemies’ Stratagem
922. الإمام زين العابدين عليه السلام :
922. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said:
قالَ مَروانُ بنُ الحَكَمِ : ما كانَ فِي القَومِ أحَدٌ أدفَعَ عَن صاحِبِنا مِن صاحِبِكُم ـ
“Marwan ibn al-Hakam said: ‘Nobody defended our companion as much as your companion.’
يَعني عَلِيّا عَن عُثمانَ ـ
That is Ali in defence of Uthman.
قالَ : قُلتُ : فَما لَكُم تَسُبّونَهُ عَلَى المِنبَرِ ؟ !
He said: I said: Then why do you revile him from the pulpit?
قالَ : لا يَستَقيمُ الأمرُ إلّا بِذلِكَ .
He said: ‘The affair will never be in order except through that.’”
تاريخ دمشق : ج42 ص438 .
Tarikh Dimashq, vol 42, p. 438
