What is the opinion of His Eminence Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani about the Sahabah? Does he consider them just individuals, as Sunnis do, or apostates, as Shias do? Specifically, what does he think about Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Aisha? Please state his opinion of them without taqiyyah; because some of his opinions are close to those of Shias, and some to those of Sunnis, and it is not clear to us which of the two parties he belongs to!
His Eminence Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani belongs to the party of Allah and His Messenger, not to the party of Shias or Sunnis. Therefore, he strives to know the pure religion in the light of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, regardless of the opinions of madhhabs. This may make some of his opinions closer to those of Shias, and some to those of Sunnis; because some of the opinions of Shias may be closer to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger than those of Sunnis, and some of the opinions of Sunnis may be closer to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger than those of Shias. Therefore, he cannot be considered a Shia merely because some of his opinions are close to those of Shias, nor can he be considered a Sunni merely because some of his opinions are close to those of Sunnis. This is the intended meaning of his statement in the book Return to Islam, where he has said: “I am certainly neither a Shia nor a Sunni in the prevailing meaning, but I am an example of a true Muslim who invites toward Islam and in this regard follows in the footsteps of Ibrahim
about whom Allah has said: ﴿مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾[1]; ‘Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim, and he was not of the polytheists.’”[2] He is one of those whom Allah has described in His Book, saying: ﴿الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ ۚ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَاهُمُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمْ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ﴾[3]; “Those who listen to the word and follow the best of it. They are the ones whom Allah has guided, and they are the people of understanding.” Therefore, he listens to the opinions of all the madhhabs and follows the best of them without prejudice, and the best of them is clearly the one closest to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, not necessarily the one closest to the opinions of the majority of people; because the opinions of the majority of people can be incorrect, but rather they are mostly incorrect; as Allah has said: ﴿بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ﴾[4]; “Rather, most of them do not use the intellect,” and said: ﴿بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ ۖ فَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ﴾[5]; “Rather, most of them do not know the truth, so they turn away,” and said: ﴿وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ كَارِهُونَ﴾[6]; “And most of them hate the truth.” For this reason, He has warned against imitating the majority and said: ﴿وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ﴾[7]; “And if you follow the majority of people on Earth, they will mislead you from the path of Allah. They follow nothing but conjecture and do nothing but guess.”
This is the etiquette that every Muslim must follow, and His Eminence Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani has done so; as it was said to him about his opinion on the caliphate: «وَاللَّهِ لَمْ تَقُلْ شَيْئًا إِلَّا بِالْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، لَكِنَّهُ عِنْدَهُمْ رَفْضٌ»; “I swear to Allah, you did not say anything except with the Quran and the Sunnah, but that is rafd with them,” and he said: «لَا أُبَالِي مَا هُوَ عِنْدَهُمْ بَعْدَ أَنْ قُلْتُهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ»; “I do not care what it is with them after I said it with the Quran and the Sunnah!”[8] He also said in one of his sayings:
«بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ أَيُّوبَ السَّخْتِيَانِيَّ -وَهُوَ مِمَّنْ يُعَظِّمُونَهُ- كَانَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ فِيهِ أَعْرِابِيٌّ، فَقَالَ لِلْأَعْرَابِيِّ: ”لَعَلَّكَ قَدَرِيٌّ“! قَالَ: وَمَا الْقَدَرِيُّ؟! فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَحَاسِنِ قَوْلِهِمْ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا ذَاكَ! ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا يَعِيبُ النَّاسُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ، فَقَالَ: لَسْتُ بِذَاكَ! ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَهُ بِمَحَاسِنِ أَهْلِ الْحَدِيثِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا ذَاكَ! ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا يَعِيبُ النَّاسُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ، فَقَالَ: لَسْتُ بِذَاكَ! فَقَالَ أَيُّوبُ: ”هَكَذَا يَفْعَلُ الْعَاقِلُ، يَأْخُذُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَحْسَنَهُ!“»[9]; “I was informed that Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani -one of those whom they venerate- was in a gathering in which there was a Bedouin, then he said to the Bedouin: ‘Perhaps you are one of the Qadariyyah!’ He said: ‘What is the Qadariyyah?!’ So he informed him of the merits of their view, so he said: ‘I am that!’ Then he informed him of what people criticized them for, so he said: ‘I am not that!’ Then he informed him of the merits of people of Hadith, so he said: ‘I am that!’ Then he informed him of what people criticized them for, so he said: ‘I am not that!’ Then Ayyub said: ‘This is what an intellectual should do, taking the best part of everything.’”
This is the way of free individuals, and this righteous servant has adopted it as his way in all his opinions, and his opinion of the Sahabah is no exception. He sees the Sahabah as described by Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger have described them in a way that is between Sunni and Shia descriptions. The Sunni description is that the Sahabah were all just, but rather more than just; because just individuals may forget, go wrong, and commit sins, and some of them may commit evil after being just. However, the Sahabah wanted nothing but good, said nothing but the truth, and did nothing but what their striving to know the Quran and the Sunnah led them to. Therefore, one should follow them, and it is not permissible to criticize any of them. The Shia description is that many of the Sahabah, including the Muhajirin, the Ansar, and those who participated in the Battle of Badr, were hypocrites and conspirators, and they all abandoned their religion after the Prophet due to their refusal to pledge allegiance to Ali, except for three or four of them. Therefore, one should disavow them, but rather curse them! Undoubtedly, both descriptions are contrary to sound intellect and contrary to the Quran and the Sunnah; one goes to extremes, and the other falls into negligence.
The reasonable description that is in accordance with the Quran and the Sunnah is the moderate description; as it is said: «خَيْرُ الْأُمُورِ أَوْسَطُهَا»; “The best of things is the most moderate of them,” and that is to say that the Sahabah, in the sense of the Muslims who accompanied the Prophet since they were the first to believe in him, helped him with their wealth and lives, defended him in times of hardship, and received from him the Book of Allah and transmitted it to those who came after them, have a great right over the Ummah. Therefore, it is obligatory to respect them, think positively of them, and ask Allah to forgive them. However, since they were human beings who were not infallible, they were prone to forgetfulness, error, sin, and anything that the fallible are prone to. Therefore, it is not permissible to imitate them, and it is permissible to criticize them in a scholarly manner while respecting them, thinking positively of them, and asking Allah to forgive them. This is the “justice” that His Eminence Allamah
commands; as he has said in the book Return to Islam:
Their good records in Islam necessitate thinking positively of them… but rather thinking negatively of them may be a sin; because they are more deserving of being thought of positively due to their good records in Islam, and Allah has prohibited many negative thoughts and said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ﴾[10]; “O you who believed! Avoid many suspicions, for some suspicions are sins,” but rather He has commanded thinking positively of Muslims and said: ﴿لَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا وَقَالُوا هَذَا إِفْكٌ مُبِينٌ﴾[11]; “When you heard it, why did the faithful men and women not think positively of each other and say: ‘This is clearly a false accusation’?!”; as asking for forgiveness for previous Muslims is a righteous deed, and holding a grudge against them is an unrighteous deed; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾[12]; “And those who came after them say: ‘O Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any grudge against those who believed! O Lord! Undoubtedly, You are the Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’” Therefore, the deeds of the Sahabah of the Prophet must be thought of in the best possible way… Yes, thinking of their deeds as what is not possible is a lie and not permissible.[13]
He has also said elsewhere:
It appears that many Muslims are deliberately bent on this self-deception and think that they are obligated to absolve the first generations of any mistake even by using lies, while certainly, self-deception and lying have no place in Islam… Rather, the utmost obligation that can be deduced from the intellect and Sharia in this regard is to respect the first Muslims like respecting parents, not to absolve them of any mistake they have committed; because paying attention to the mistakes of parents does not necessitate disrespecting them, but rather they can be critiqued for their mistakes without being disrespected; like Ibrahim who critiqued his father because of his mistakes without disrespecting him; as Allah has informed about him in order to teach Muslims and said: ﴿إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ يَا أَبَتِ لِمَ تَعْبُدُ مَا لَا يَسْمَعُ وَلَا يُبْصِرُ وَلَا يُغْنِي عَنْكَ شَيْئًا﴾[14]; “When he said to his father: ‘O my father! Why do you worship something that can neither hear nor see nor benefit you in any way?!’”; as respecting a person does not necessitate blind obedience to him, and for this reason, Allah has authorized disobeying parents but has not authorized disrespecting them, and said: ﴿وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا﴾[15]; “And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge about, do not obey them and keep company with them in the world kindly.” It is hereby understood that the first Muslims can be respected, and at the same time, it is possible to point out their mistakes and not follow them in them.[16]
He has also said elsewhere:
Despite their companionship with the Messenger of Allah they were ordinary human beings and exposed to error and forgetfulness, and their infallibility is not proven by any part of Sharia, but rather their lack of infallibility is obvious considering their disagreement with each other, and apparently, there is no disagreement among Muslims about it either. As for the justice of all of them, when it means that none of them is a sinner, it is rejected with the emergence of sins from some of them due to their committing obvious major sins that cannot be interpreted, such as murder, transgression, adultery, theft, defamation, drinking, fleeing from jihad, and attributing lies to Allah and His Messenger; to the extent that insisting on it is considered obstinacy against the perceptible; as it is denying Allah’s words about them and defaming Him; because although He has praised many of them for their good deeds, He has never considered all of them equal forever and unconditionally and is purified from such an unreasonable act and a great lie, but rather He has obviously reproached and punished some of them for their evil deeds; as He has considered some of them sinful, ﴿اعْتَرَفُوا بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا﴾[17]; “who have confessed their sins and mixed a good deed with an evil (deed),” and He has informed about missteps of a group of them, ﴿اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُوا﴾[18]; “who Satan caused them to slip for some of what they earned,” and He has declared that some of them only desired the world[19] and informed that some of them converted to Islam, but faith did not enter their hearts[20], and He has exposed the friendly and secret relationship that some of them had with the enemies of Islam and considered them as those who went astray because of it[21], and He has informed that a group of them ﴿يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍ ۖ إِنْ يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارًا﴾[22]; “said: ‘Our houses are defenseless,’ while they were not defenseless; they wished nothing but to flee (from battle),” and a group of them criticized the Prophet concerning the alms, ﴿فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا مِنْهَا رَضُوا وَإِنْ لَمْ يُعْطَوْا مِنْهَا إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ﴾[23]; “if they were given from them, they would be pleased, and if they were not given from them, they would be angry,” and a group of them ﴿يُؤْذُونَ النَّبِيَّ﴾[24]; “hurt the Prophet,” and a group of them ﴿مَرَدُوا عَلَى النِّفَاقِ﴾; “persisted in hypocrisy,” Allah knew them, and even the Prophet did not know them[25], and He has informed that some of them might abandon Islam after him[26] and that there were adulterers and thieves among them[27], and that a group of them ﴿جَاءُوا بِالْإِفْكِ﴾; “came forward with the slander” against some of the wives of the Prophet, and He has declared that ﴿لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ مَا اكْتَسَبَ مِنَ الْإِثْمِ ۚ وَالَّذِي تَوَلَّى كِبْرَهُ مِنْهُمْ لَهُ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾[28]; “every one of them shall bear the sin that he has earned, and he who has taken the greatest part in it will have a painful punishment,” and He has declared that some of them did not use the intellect[29] and that there were sinners among them[30], and He has condemned some others who were his wives for disobeying him and disclosing his secret[31] and perhaps even for conspiracy against him[32], and He has likened them to the wives of Nuh and Lut
[33], and considered their punishment doubled if they committed a manifest vile deed[34]. It is clear that knowing the Sahabah of the Messenger of Allah
without paying attention to this part of Allah’s words about them and only with paying attention to the other part that is in their praise is imperfect and misleading; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ ۚ فَمَا جَزَاءُ مَنْ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا خِزْيٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَى أَشَدِّ الْعَذَابِ﴾[35]; “Do you then believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in another part?! What is the punishment for one among you who does so other than humiliation in the life of the world, and that they will be returned to the severest punishment on the Day of Judgment?!” It is hereby understood that respecting the Sahabah of the Messenger of Allah
even though it is a good deed in view of their services to him, never means ignoring a part of the words of Allah and lying about them, and it is clear that acknowledging their mistakes based on the intellect and Sharia is not considered disrespecting them, but rather it is respecting the intellect and Sharia, and disrespecting them is only defaming them, which is intellectually and religiously an abhorrent and impermissible deed.”[36]
Therefore, Sunnis must fear Allah, refrain from extremism regarding the Sahabah, not take them as lords besides Allah, not imitate them as they imitate the Prophet and not be biased toward them. Rather, they must follow their good deeds and not follow their mistakes; as Allah has commanded them to do so, saying: ﴿وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ﴾[37]; “And the first forerunners from the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those who followed them in goodness, Allah is well pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them Heavens beneath which rivers flow, where they will live forever. That is the great triumph”; considering that He has restricted the commendable following of the Sahabah with two restrictions: the first is ﴿السَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ﴾; “the first forerunners from the Muhajirin and the Ansar,” who are a group of the Sahabah, not all of them. This means that it is not good to follow all of the Sahabah, but only a group of them who believed and migrated or provided help in the early period when Islam was weak and lonely, Muslims were in fear and hardship, and no one would believe, migrate, or provide help except for every patient, sincere person; as Allah has explained this and said: ﴿لَقَدْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِهِمْ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾[38]; “Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet and to the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship, after the hearts of a party of them almost deviated. Then He turned to them in mercy. Indeed, He is to them Most Kind, Most Merciful,” and His Eminence Allamah
believes that they are a group of the Muhajirin and the Ansar who believed before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah; as one of his companions informed us, he said:
«سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿السَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ﴾، فَقَالَ: هُمُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَبْلَ الْحُدَيْبِيَّةِ، وَكَانَ الْحُدَيْبِيَّةُ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ ۚ أُولَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا﴾[39]»; “I asked him about the word of Allah Almighty: ‘The first forerunners from the Muhajirin and the Ansar.’ So he said: ‘They are those who believed before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, and the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was a clear victory.’ Then he recited His word: ‘Not equal are those of you who spend and fight before the victory; they are of a higher rank than those who spend and fight after it.’”
This means that Allah did not make all the Sahabah equal in virtue, nor did He consider all of them qualified to be followed. Rather, he considered following only the first forerunners from the Muhajirin and the Ansar as good. This excludes those who believed among them after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, such as Mu‘awiyah, Amr ibn al-Aas, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Abdullah ibn Amr, Abu Hurairah, and Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari; because they were not among the first forerunners and believed after the peace treaty, and faith after the peace treaty may be tainted with impurities. Rather, it appears from the Quran and the Sunnah that they were in the position of the Tabi‘un, and the term “Sahabah” is applied to them only in a broader sense; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ الصَّحَابَةُ وَالتَّابِعُونَ، فَقَالَ: مَنِ الصَّحَابَةُ وَالتَّابِعُونَ عِنْدَكُمْ؟ قُلْتُ: الصَّحَابَةُ عِنْدَنَا مَنْ صَاحَبَ النَّبِيَّ، وَالتَّابِعُونَ عِنْدَنَا مَنْ صَاحَبَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَلَمْ يُصَاحِبِ النَّبِيَّ، فَقَالَ: لَكِنَّ الصَّحَابَةَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ هُمُ الَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا أَوْ نَصَرُوا قَبْلَ الْفَتْحِ، وَالَّذِينَ جَاؤُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ هُمُ التَّابِعُونَ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿السَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ﴾»[40]; “The Companions[41] and the Followers[42] were mentioned in the presence of Mansoor, so he said: ‘Who are the Companions and the Followers in your opinion?’ I said: “The Companions in our opinion are those who accompanied the Prophet, and the Followers in our opinion are those who accompanied a man from among the Companions and did not accompany the Prophet.’ So he said: ‘But the Companions in the Book of Allah are those who migrated or provided help before the victory, and those who came after them were the Followers.’ Then he recited the words of Allah Almighty Who says: ‘And the first forerunners from the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those who followed them.’”
What affirms this is that Mujashi‘ bin Mas‘ud came to the Prophet with his brother’s son to pledge allegiance to him on the migration. Then the Prophet
said: «لَا، بَلْ يُبَايِعُ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ الْفَتْحِ، وَيَكُونُ مِنَ التَّابِعِينَ بِإِحْسَانٍ»[43]; “No, but he pledges allegiance on Islam, for there is no migration after the victory, and he will be one of the Tabi‘un (meaning followers) in goodness.” He explicitly stated that whoever pledged allegiance to him after the victory would be one of the Tabi‘un, and what is more explicit than that is what has been narrated that there was a dispute between Khalid ibn al-Walid and Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf. Khalid reviled him. The Prophet
then said: «لَا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي، فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَوْ أَنْفَقَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا أَدْرَكَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلَا نَصِيفَهُ»[44]; “Do not revile my companions, for if any one of you were to spend the equivalent of (Mount) Uhud in gold, it would not equal a mudd spent by anyone of them, nor even half of it.” This indicates that he did not consider Khalid one of his companions; because he believed after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, while he considered Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf one of his companions; because he believed before entering the house of Arqam in Mecca. This is one of the two restrictions with which Allah has restricted following the Sahabah. The second is following them ﴿بِإِحْسَانٍ﴾; “in goodness,” which is following them in their good deeds, not in their bad deeds. Clearly, their bad deeds are what they said or did contrary to the Quran and the Sunnah, and this necessitates looking at their words and actions with a critical eye to distinguish those that align with the Quran and the Sunnah from those that contradict them; as there is a narration from the Prophet
that explicitly indicates this; he said: «تَكُونُ لِأَصْحَابِي بَعْدِي زَلَّةٌ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ لِسَابِقَتِهِمْ، إِنِ اقْتَدَى بِهِمْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ أَكَبَّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ»[45]; “There will be a slip for my companions after me. Allah will forgive them, for they preceded (in faith). If a people after them follow them, Allah will cast them into the fire of Hell on their noses.” Therefore, those who consider the Sahabah equal in terms of justice, approve of all their words, justify all their actions, deem all their narrations authentic without examination, while disregarding their disagreements in them, and claim that any examination of their words, actions, narrations, or disagreements is reprehensible, contradicts respect for them, and leads to rafd and misguidance, have gone astray, while Allah has explicitly commanded the examination of the conditions of past people and has not exempted the Sahabah from them; as His Eminence Allamah
has explained this in the book Return to Islam, where he has said:
They must observe the condition of their fathers after the Messenger of Allah so far and learn from their neglects and mistakes that led to the failure to establish Islam in their time so that in this way, they can establish it, which has not been possible to be established so far, and return to it after a long-lasting period; as Allah has commanded it and said: ﴿قُلْ سِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ﴾[46]; “Say: Travel through the Earth, then see how was the end of those who were before,” and said: ﴿أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾[47]; “So did they not travel through the Earth to see how was the end of those who were before them”; contrary to those who, out of foolishness and imperiousness, consider that observing the condition of the past people is not good and think of it as a cause of disrespect to them and Muslims’ deviation, in order to stop them from knowing the truth and keep them in illusion and ignorance by this guile.[48]
He has also said in explaining the “causes of ignorance about Islam”:
One of them is that they avoid looking at the history of Islam and stop each other from doing so, but rather they conceal or distort some of its facts deliberately lest they go astray by learning about them, whereas they will not be guided unless by learning about them.[49]
This is what Sunnis must do. As for Shias, they must fear Allah, refrain from negligence regarding the Sahabah, and not disregard their services to Islam during those critical days, which led to the victory of faith over disbelief, monotheism over polytheism, and the spread of the Quran and the Sunnah throughout the world. They must seek forgiveness for those of them who went wrong, instead of cursing and disavowing them; as Allah has commanded them to do so, saying: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾[50]; “And those who came after them say: ‘O Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any grudge against those who believed! O Lord! Undoubtedly, You are the Compassionate, the Most Merciful’”; considering that He has commanded those who would come after them to seek forgiveness for them and not to carry any grudge in their hearts toward them, while it is clear that disavowal represents the ultimate form of grudge, and cursing is the opposite of seeking forgiveness. Therefore, it is not permissible to curse or disavow any of the Muhajirin or the Ansar, even if they were among those who went wrong after the Prophet ; because Allah has commanded seeking forgiveness for them, and He knows what they did after the Prophet
. If He had wanted, He would have explicitly specified His word, but He did not do so, and it is not permissible to specify His word with narrations, as explained by His Eminence Allamah
in the book Return to Islam[51]. This is what ibn Abbas explicitly stated when he said: «لَا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ أَمَرَ بِالْإِسْتِغْفَارِ لَهُمْ، وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَقْتَتِلُونَ وَيُحْدِثُونَ»[52]; “Do not revile the companions of Muhammad, for Allah the Exalted, the Majestic has commanded seeking forgiveness for them, and He knows that they will fight and make innovations.” Therefore, it is obligatory to seek forgiveness for those who were among the Muhajirin and the Ansar, even if they went wrong in some of their words and actions; as we were informed that a man asked His Eminence Allamah
about a man from the Sahabah who made innovations after the Prophet
. He replied: «أَلَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ؟»; “Was he not one of the people of Badr?” The man said: “Yes.” He said: «اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُ»; “Ask for forgiveness for him.” The man said: “How can I ask for forgiveness for him while he did what he did after the Prophet
?!” He said: «وَهَلْ يُسْتَغْفَرُ إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَذْنَبَ؟!»; “And is forgiveness asked except for those who did wrong?!”[53]
This is the approach of His Eminence Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani which he has adopted from the manner of the Prophet
in the case of Hatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah; as it has been narrated from Ali who said: «بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَا وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَالْمِقْدَادَ، فَقَالَ: انْطَلِقُوا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا رَوْضَةَ خَاخٍ، فَإِنَّ بِهَا ظَعِينَةً مَعَهَا كِتَابٌ، فَخَرَجْنَا تَعَادَى بِنَا خَيْلُنَا، فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِظَعِينَةٍ، فَقُلْنَا: أَخْرِجِي الْكِتَابَ، فَقَالَتْ: مَا مَعِي كِتَابٌ، فَقُلْنَا لَهَا: لَتُخْرِجِنَّ الْكِتَابَ أَوْ لَنُلْقِيَنَّ الثِّيَابَ، فَأَخْرَجَتْهُ مِنْ عِقَاصِهَا، فَأَتَيْنَا بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: مِنْ حَاطِبِ بْنِ أَبِي بَلْتَعَةَ إِلَى نَاسٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِمَّنْ بِمَكَّةَ، يُخْبِرُ بِبَعْضِ أَمْرِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا هَذَا يَا حَاطِبُ؟! قَالَ: لَا تَعْجَلْ عَلَيَّ، إِنِّي كُنْتُ امْرَأً مُلْصَقًا فِي قُرَيْشٍ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهَا، وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ لَهُمْ قَرَابَاتٌ يَحْمُونَ بِهَا قَرَابَاتِهِمْ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِي بِمَكَّةَ قَرَابَةٌ، فَأَحْبَبْتُ إِذْ فَاتَنِي ذَلِكَ أَنْ أَتَّخِذَ عِنْدَهُمْ يَدًا، وَوَاللَّهِ مَا فَعَلْتُهُ كُفْرًا، وَلَا ارْتِدَادًا عَنْ دِينِي، وَلَا رِضًا بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ صَدَقَ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، دَعْنِي أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَ هَذَا الْمُنَافِقِ! فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ، لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ اطَّلَعَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ: اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ، فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ»[54]; “The Messenger of Allah
sent me, Zubair, and Miqdad and said: ‘Go until you reach the meadow of Khakh. There is a woman there travelling on a camel who has a letter.’ We went off racing one another on our horses until we reached the meadow. When we found the woman, we said: ‘Bring out the letter.’ She said: ‘I have no letter.’ We said to her: ‘You must bring out the letter or we will strip off your clothes.’ She then brought it out from her tresses. Then we took it to the Messenger of Allah
. It was written in it: ‘From Hatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah to some of the polytheists in Mecca.’ informing them of some of the affairs of the Prophet
. So the Prophet
said: ‘What is this, O Hatib?!’ He said: ‘Do not be hasty with me. I was a man attached as an ally to the Quraish, but I was not one of them, while those who were with you from the Muhajirin and the Ansar have relatives with them by whom they protect their relatives in Mecca, but I did not have any relatives in Mecca. So, since I missed out on that, I wanted to get help from them. By Allah, I did not do that out of disbelief, abandoning my religion, or accepting disbelief after Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah
said: ‘He has spoken the truth.’ Umar said: ‘Let me strike the neck of this hypocrite!’ The Messenger of Allah
said: ‘He was present at (the battle of) Badr, and what do you know?! Perhaps Allah looks at the people of Badr and says: Do what you want, for I have forgiven you.’”
This is clear evidence that the good track records of the Muhajirin and the Ansar are not forgotten because of their bad deeds, even if they are as heinous as the deeds of hypocrites. This is the truth that the Ahl al-Bayt held, following the Sunnah of the Prophet and His Eminence Allamah
also holds it; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ رَجُلٌ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مِنْ أَيِّ الْبِلَادِ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: مِنْ إِيرَانَ، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ شِيعَةُ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: اجْلِسْ، فَسَأُجِيبُكَ عَمَّا سَأَلْتَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، فَجَلَسَ الرَّجُلُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ النَّاسُ وَازْدَحَمُوا فِي الْبَيْتِ، فَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَنْصُورُ فِيمَا يَشَاءُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ، فَجَلَسُوا إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، فَذَكَرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، فَمَسُّوا مِنْهُمَا، ثُمَّ ابْتَرَكُوا فِي عُثْمَانَ ابْتِرَاكًا، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ: أَخْبِرُونِي أَنْتُمْ مِنَ ﴿الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا وَيَنْصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ﴾[55]؟! قَالُوا: لَسْنَا مِنْهُمْ، قَالَ: فَأَنْتُمْ مِنَ ﴿الَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ﴾[56]؟! قَالُوا: لَسْنَا مِنْهُمْ، قَالَ: أَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَقَدْ تَبَرَّأْتُمْ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ أَنْ تَكُونُوا مِنْهُمْ، وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكُمْ لَسْتُمْ مِنَ الْفِرْقَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ، ﴿الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾[57]، ثُمَّ قَالَ: قُومُوا عَنِّي، لَا قَرَّبَ اللَّهُ دُورَكُمْ!»[58]; “A man came to Mansoor, then he asked him about Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, so he said to him: ‘Which region are you from?’ He said: ‘From Iran.’ He said: ‘Are you one of these people who assume they are the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt[59]?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Sit down, I will answer your question Insha’Allah.’ Then the man sat down until people entered and crowded into the house, then Mansoor spoke to them about what he wanted and then said: ‘A group of people from Iraq came to Medina, so they sat with Ali ibn al-Husain, then they mentioned Abu Bakr and Umar and spoke ill of them and then rebuked Uthman, so Ali ibn al-Husain said to them: “Tell me, are you from the Muhajirin who ‘were driven out of their homes and their possessions and seek Allah’s grace and pleasure and support Allah and His Prophet, and they are indeed the truthful’?!” They said: “We are not from them.” He said: “Then are you from those who ‘before them prepared the house and faith and love those who migrated toward them and do not find any need in their hearts for what they were given, even if they themselves are in poverty’?!” They said: “We are not from them.” He said: “So you denied being from these two groups, and I bear witness that you are not from the third group either; ‘those who came after them say: O Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any grudge against those who believed! O Lord! You are indeed the Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’” Then he said: Get up and leave, may Allah not bring close your homes!’”
Also, it has reached us that he was asked about the rafidah, “When were they called the rafidah?” He said:
«كَانَ زَيْدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ يُفَضِّلُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَى سَائِرِ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَا يَقُولُ فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، كَسَبِيلِ آبَائِهِ، فَلَمَّا ظَهَرَ بِالْكُوفَةِ فِي أَصَحَابِهِ الَّذِينَ بَايَعُوهُ، سَمِعَ مِنْ بَعْضِهِمُ الطَّعْنَ عَلَيْهِمَا، فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَكَفُّوا عَنْ نُصْرَتِهِ وَقَالُوا: لَا نَنْصُرُكَ حَتَّى تُخْبِرَنَا بِرَأْيِكَ فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ اللَّذَيْنِ ظَلَمَا جَدَّكَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ! فَقَالَ زَيْدٌ: لَا أَقُولُ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَقُولُ فِيهِمَا إِلَّا خَيْرًا، فَرَفَضُوهُ، فَحِينَئِذٍ قِيلَ لَهُمُ الرَّافِضَةُ»[60]; “Zayd ibn Ali ibn al-Husain would consider Ali ibn Abi Talib to be better than the rest of the Sahabah of the Messenger of Allah but he would say nothing but good about Abu Bakr and Umar, like the manner of his fathers, then, when he appeared in Kufa among his companions who had pledged allegiance to him, he heard some of them speaking ill of them, so he denied them to do so, so they stopped helping him and said: ‘We do not help you until you tell us your opinion of Abu Bakr and Umar who oppressed your ancestor, Ali ibn Abi Talib!’ So Zayd said: ‘I say nothing but good about them, and I did not hear my father (Ali ibn al-Husain) saying anything but good about them.’ So they rejected him, and it was then that they were called the rafidah.”
From here, it is understood that insulting the Sahabah, even if they were among those who hastened in the matter of the caliphate and forgot the right of the Ahl al-Bayt to it, not only contradicts the Book of Allah but also contradicts the approach of the Ahl al-Bayt, and this is natural; because the Prophet informed in the Hadith al-Thaqalayn that the Ahl al-Bayt will not separate from the Book of Allah until they come to him by the Pond[61]. Therefore, they unanimously agreed to respect the Sahabah, including Abu Bakr and Umar; as it has been narrated from Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir who said: «أَجْمَعَ بَنُو فَاطِمَةَ عَلَى أَنْ يَقُولُوا فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ أَحْسَنَ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ»[62]; “The children of Fatimah unanimously agreed to say about Abu Bakr and Umar the best that can be said,” and one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمَا، فَإِنِّي أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا، وَمَا كَانَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا وَهُوَ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا، فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ هَذَا مِنْكُمْ تَقِيَّةٌ! فَقَالَ: لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّقِيًا أَحَدًا لَاتَّقَيْتُ هَذِهِ الْجَبَابِرَةَ، وَأَنَا أَلْعَنُهُمْ عَلَى رُؤُوسِ الْأَشْهَادِ!»[63]; “I asked Mansoor about Abu Bakr and Umar, so he said: ‘Ask for forgiveness for them; because I ask for forgiveness for them, and there was no one from the Ahl al-Bayt unless he would ask for forgiveness for them.’ Then I said: ‘They think that you are practicing taqiyya!’ So he said: ‘If I wanted to practice taqiyya against anyone, I would practice taqiyya against these tyrants (i.e., the current rulers), while I damn them in front of witnesses!’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ لِأَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، فَوَجَدْتُ عِنْدَهُ قَوْمًا، فَصَبَرْتُ حَتَّى خَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ، مَا تَقُولُ فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ؟ فَقَالَ: خَيْرًا، قُلْتُ: إِنِّي أَلْعَنُهُمَا، قَالَ: لِمَاذَا؟ قُلْتُ: لِأَنَّهُمَا ظَلَمَاكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ، قَالَ: وَلَكِنَّا نَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا»[64]; “I went to Mansoor to ask him about Abu Bakr and Umar, then I found a group with him, so I waited until they left, then I said to him: ‘May I be sacrificed for you, what do you say about Abu Bakr and Umar?’ So he said: ‘Good.’ I said: ‘I curse them.’ He said: ‘Why?’ I said: ‘Because they wronged you the Ahl al-Bayt.’ He said: ‘But we ask for forgiveness for them.’”
Also, one of our companions informed us, he said:
«وَجَدْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ فِي غَارٍ، وَقَدْ هَرَبَ مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِ، وَالْعَرَقُ يَسِيلُ مِنْهُ كَالْمِيزَابِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ بَكَيْتُ، فَقُلْتُ: فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِرَجُلَيْنِ أَقَامَاكَ هَذَا الْمَقَامَ! فَقَالَ لِي: يَا بُنَيَّ، لَا تَقُلْ هَذَا، فَإِنَّهُمَا مَا عَلِمَا أَنَّ الْأَمْرَ يَبْلُغُ هَذَا الْمَبْلَغَ، وَلَكِنْ قُلْ: غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمَا، فَإِنَّهُ خَيْرٌ لَكَ وَلِي وَلِجَمِيعِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ»[65]; “I found Mansoor in a cave while he was running away from his enemies and sweat was pouring from him like a gutter, so when I saw him, I cried, then I said: ‘May Allah deal with those two men who put you in this situation!’ So he said to me: ‘O my son! Do not say this; because they did not know that it would come to this, but say: “May Allah forgive them”; because this is better for you and for me and for all Muslims.’”
This is what Allah has commanded concerning gracious forgiveness, pardoning people, and repelling evil with good. He has considered it ﴿مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ﴾[66]; “determination in affairs,” which none is granted but ﴿ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ﴾[67]; “one who owns great fortune.” This is the etiquette that Allah has instructed His servants to follow, where He has said: ﴿وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا﴾[68]; “And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan sows discord among them. Indeed, Satan is to the human being an open enemy,” and said: ﴿وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا﴾[69]; “And speak kindly to people,” and said: ﴿فَاصْفَحْ عَنْهُمْ وَقُلْ سَلَامٌ ۚ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾[70]; “So forgive them and say, ‘Peace.’ For they will know.” Ali ibn Abi Talib has also ordered his children and followers to follow this; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: لَوْ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا ظَفِرَ بِمُعَاوِيَةَ يَوْمَ الصِّفِّينِ لَمَلَأَ الْأَرْضَ قِسْطًا وَعَدْلًا كَمَا مُلِئَتْ ظُلْمًا وَجَوْرًا، وَلَكِنْ مَنَعَهُ الْخَوَارِجُ، فَأَخَّرَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ، فَسَيَخْرُجُ، فَيُحَارِبُ رَجُلًا مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَيَظْفَرُ بِهِ، فَيَمْلَأُ الْأَرْضَ قِسْطًا وَعَدْلًا كَمَا مُلِئَتْ ظُلْمًا وَجَوْرًا! ثُمَّ أَخَذَ الْمَنْصُورُ فِي ذِكْرِ يَوْمِ الصِّفِّينِ، فَقَالَ: لَمَّا اخْتَلَفَتِ الْأَسِنَّةُ، وَمَاجَتْ لُبُودُ الْخَيْلِ، خَرَجَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فِي جَمْعَيْنِ عَظِيمَيْنِ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا كَأَشَدِّ الْقِتَالِ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ أَنِ اخْرُجْ إِلَىَّ أُبَارِزُكَ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ يَمْشِي، فَبَصُرَ بِهِ عَلِيٌّ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذَانِ الْمُتَبَارِزَانِ؟ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: ابْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ وَابْنُ عُمَرَ، فَحَرَّكَ عَلِيٌّ دَابَّتَهُ، ثُمَّ دَعَا مُحَمَّدًا، فَوَقَفَ لَهُ، فَقَالَ: أَمْسِكْ دَابَّتِي، فَأَمْسَكَهَا لَهُ، ثُمَّ مَشَى إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: أَنَا أُبَارِزُكَ، فَهَلُمَّ إِلَيَّ، فَقَالَ: لَيْسَ لِي فِي مُبَارَزَتِكَ حَاجَةٌ، فَرَجَعَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ، وَأَخَذَ ابْنُ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ يَقُولُ لِأَبِيهِ: مَنَعْتَنِي مِنْ مُبَارَزَتِهِ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ تَرَكْتَنِي لَرَجَوْتُ أَنْ أَقْتُلَهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، لَوْ بَارَزْتُهُ أَنَا لَقَتَلْتُهُ، وَلَوْ بَارَزْتَهُ أَنْتَ لَرَجَوْتَ أَنْ تَقْتُلَهُ، وَمَا كُنْتُ آمَنُ أَنْ يَقْتُلَكَ، فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: يَا أَبَهْ، أَتَبْرُزُ بِنَفْسِكَ إِلَى هَذَا الْفَاسِقِ اللَّئِيمِ عَدُوِّ اللَّهِ؟ وَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَبُوهُ يَسْأَلُكَ الْمُبَارَزَةَ لَرَغِبْتُ بِكَ عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ، لَا تَذْكُرْ أَبَاهُ، وَلَا تَقُلْ فِيهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ أَبَاهُ»[71]; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘If Ali had defeated Mu‘awiya on the day of Siffin, he would have surely filled the earth with justice and fairness as it had been filled with oppression and cruelty, but the Kharijites prevented him, so Allah deferred it until a man from his offspring, who is called Mahdi, so he will rise soon, then he will fight against a man from the offspring of Mu‘awiya, so he will defeat him, then he will fill the earth with justice and fairness as it has been filled with oppression and cruelty!’ Then Mansoor described the day of Siffin and said: When the spears clashed and the saddles of the horses were tilted, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib came out and Ubaydullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab came out toward him in two huge groups, so they fought against each other so violently, then Ubaydullah ibn Umar sent (someone) to Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah that, ‘Come to me so that I fight against you,’ then (Muhammad) went to him on foot, then Ali saw him, so he said: ‘Who are these two fighters?’ It was said: ‘Ibn Hanafiyyah and Ibn Umar.’ So Ali moved his horse and then called Muhammad, so he came to him, then he said: ‘Hold my horse.’ So he held his horse, then he went to ibn Umar on foot and said: ‘I will fight against you, so come to me!’ So he said: ‘I do not need to fight against you!’ So ibn Umar returned and ibn Hanafiyyah turned toward his father and said: ‘You stopped me from fighting against him, while I swear to Allah, I had hoped to kill him if you had let me go.’ So he said: ‘My son! If I had fought against him, I would have killed him, and if you had fought against him, you had hoped to kill him, and I was not free from worry that he would kill you.’ So Muhammad said: ‘Father! Would you face this lowly sinner and enemy of Allah?! I Swear to Allah, if his father (Umar) had asked you to fight, I would have considered you better than him (to fight against him).’ So he said: ‘My son! Do not mention his father and say nothing but good about him, may Allah forgive his father!’”
This is the great character that the Ahl al-Bayt possessed; because they followed the etiquette of the Quran and the Sunnah, but unfortunately, most of those who claim to be their followers have abandoned this. They openly curse many of the Sahabah and seek to draw near to Allah by reviling them, thus stirring up enmity and hatred among Muslims, while Allah has not permitted them to revile any Muslim; as He has said: ﴿وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ﴾[72]; “And do not find fault with one another, nor call one another by offensive nicknames.” He has even prohibited them from reviling idols, saying: ﴿وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ﴾[73]; “And do not revile those whom they call upon other than Allah, lest they revile Allah without knowledge.” Therefore, only the most foolish people would consider it permissible to revile the Sahabah. What is clearer than that is the prohibition of reviling Aisha, the wife of the Prophet which some of their wretched ones engage in; because she is in the position of a mother to believers; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ﴾[74]; “And his wives are their mothers,” and no one is allowed to revile his own mother, even if she has committed the greatest injustice and sin; as Allah has said: ﴿وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا﴾[75]; “And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge about, do not obey them and keep company with them in the world kindly.” Therefore, it is not permissible to obey Aisha in her mistakes, but it is obligatory to respect her as one respects his mother; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمَنْصُورِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ إِيرَانَ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ، فَأَجَابَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: أَوْصِنِي، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَنْصُورُ: لَا تَسُبَّ أُمَّكَ! فَتَغَيَّرَ الرَّجُلُ وَقَالَ: وَهَلْ يَسُبُّ أَحَدٌ أُمَّهُ؟! فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: نَعَمْ، يَسُبُّ بَعْضَ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَيَسُبُّ أُمَّهُ! قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ لَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا سَمَّاهُنَّ اللَّهُ أُمَّهَاتٍ لِتَحْرِيمِ نِكَاحِهِنَّ، فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: كَذَبُوا، لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ لَسَمَّاهُنَّ أَخَوَاتٍ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّ الَّتِي تَذْكُرُهَا حَارَبَتْ عَلِيًّا، وَفَعَلَتْ وَفَعَلَتْ، فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: وَهَلْ جَاهَدَتِ النَّاسَ عَلَى أَنْ يُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ؟! قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: لَا، فَقَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: أَلَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْ جَاهَدَتِ النَّاسَ عَلَى أَنْ يُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُمْ بِهِ عِلْمٌ لَكَانَ وَاجِبًا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُصَاحِبُوهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا، أَتَدْرِي لِمَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: لِمَكَانِ الْآيَةِ؟ قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ: لِأَنَّ سَبَّهَا كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ، كَمَا يُؤْذِيكُمْ سَبُّ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ»[76]; “A man from Iran came to Mansoor and asked him about some things, so he answered, the man then said: ‘Advise me.’ So Mansoor said to him: ‘Do not revile your mother!’ So the man paled and said: ‘Does anyone revile his mother?!’ Mansoor said: ‘Yes, he reviles some of the wives of the Prophet so he reviles his mother!’ The man said: ‘They say Allah called them mothers only to forbid their marriage.’ Mansoor said: ‘They are lying, if it were as they say, He would call them sisters, (not mothers).’ The man said: ‘The woman you mention fought against Ali and did this and that.’ So Mansoor said: ‘And did she strive with people to associate with Allah that of which they have no knowledge?!’ The man said: ‘No.’ Mansoor said: ‘Be aware, I swear to Allah that if she had strived with people to associate with Allah that of which they have no knowledge, it would still be obligatory for them to treat her kindly in the world, do you know why?’ The man said: ‘Because of the verse?’ Mansoor said: ‘Because reviling her would annoy the Prophet as reviling your wives annoys you.’”
Especially considering what has been narrated from her about expressing repentance and regret before death; as one of our companions informed us, he said:
«سُئِلَ الْمَنْصُورُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ عِيسَى بْنَ دِينَارٍ سَأَلَ عَنْهَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ، فَقَالَ: اسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ لَهَا، أَمَا بَلَغَكَ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَقُولُ: يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ شَجَرَةً، يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ حَجَرًا، يَا لَيْتَنِي كُنْتُ مَدَرَةً؟ قَالَ: وَمَا ذَاكَ مِنْهَا؟ قَالَ: تَوْبَةٌ»[77]; “Mansoor was asked about Aisha, so he said: Isa ibn Dinar asked Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) about her, so he said: ‘Ask for forgiveness from Allah for her. Has it not reached you that she said: “I wish I were a tree! I wish I were a stone! I wish I were a mud clod”?’ (Isa ibn Dinar) said: ‘What was this word from her?’ He said: ‘Repentance.’”
This is the moderate way; those who are behind reach it and those who are ahead return to it, and His Eminence Allamah has raised its flag in our time, ﴿وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ﴾[78]; “but it is, of course, difficult except for those whom Allah has guided,” ﴿وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ﴾[79]; “and it is indeed difficult except for the humble.”
What does His Eminence Mansoor say about disavowing the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His Messenger? Is it possible to have affection for the Ahl al-Bayt and not disavow their enemies?! By what evidence is it permissible for us to seek forgiveness for the people of Saqifah who usurped the right of Ali to the caliphate?! Do you have evidence that is hidden from us?! If so, then mention it to us, as we have not found any evidence in what you have presented.
Much evidence has been presented in the answer above, as well as in the section “Necessity of respecting the companions of the Prophet” from the book Return to Islam, and in the words of His Eminence Mansoor (may Allah Almighty support him). Some of that may suffice for those whom Allah has given sound intellect, but the fanatics from Shias do not find anything in it; because fanaticism has deafened them and blinded their eyes; like those whom Allah has described in His Book, saying: ﴿إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِنْ تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا﴾[1]; “We have placed veils over their hearts, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness, and if you invite them to guidance, even then they will never be guided.” However, this does not prevent us from providing more explanation. Therefore, we say:
Firstly, there is no need to discuss the obligation to disavow the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His Messenger; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ﴾[2]; “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for one who is hostile toward Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their relatives.” However, the discussion is about knowing who the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His Messenger are, which constitutes a minor premise in the terminology of logicians. Therefore, were the companions of His Messenger, who believed in him in the hour of hardship, protected him from the harm of polytheists, migrated with him from their homes and children, and fought with him against the enemies of Islam in Badr, Uhud, and other battles, the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His Messenger?! While Allah has described them in His Book in a manner that He has not described His enemies and the enemies of His Messenger, saying: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوْا وَنَصَرُوا أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا ۚ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ﴾[3]; “And those who believed and migrated and strived in the way of Allah and those who sheltered and helped (them), they are true believers. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.” Yes, there is no doubt that many of them caused innovations after the Messenger of Allah and made a great mistake; since they forgot the covenant he made with them regarding his Ahl al-Bayt, and they turned away from the most knowledgeable and best of them, Ali ibn Abi Talib, to others. However, considering their good track records and the verses that were revealed in their praise, they did not do that out of enmity toward Allah and His Messenger; because they believed in Allah and His Messenger, performed prayer, gave Zakat, fasted in the month of Ramadan, made the pilgrimage to the Sacred House, and fought against disbelievers. However, Satan made their actions fair-seeming to them and hindered them from the right way. Therefore, they cannot be considered “the enemies of Allah and the enemies of His Messenger.” They can only be considered as Muslims who were misguided and did wrong, and clearly, repentance has been originally legislated for individuals such as them, not for Muslims who are guided and do right; as the brothers of Yusuf said to their father: ﴿اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ﴾[4]; “Seek forgiveness of our sins for us. Indeed, we did wrong,” while they envied Allah’s friend, plotted against him, intended to kill him, threw him into the depth of a well, ﴿وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَاهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ وَكَانُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الزَّاهِدِينَ﴾[5]; “sold him for a low price, a few silver coins, considered him of little value,” and accused him of theft, but their father said to them: ﴿سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ﴾[6]; “I will surely ask my Lord to forgive you, for He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful,” and what the companions of the Messenger of Allah
did to Ali was something of this sort. Therefore, it is permissible to seek forgiveness for them, especially considering the word of Allah Almighty about those who would come after them: ﴿يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ﴾[7]; “They say: ‘O Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any grudge against those who believed! O Lord! Undoubtedly, You are the Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’” He said this while knowing that they would do what they did, and if He had wanted, He would not have said that or would have qualified His word with a clear restriction. Therefore, if Shias cite what they narrate from the Ahl al-Bayt that contradicts His word, then they should know that it is not true from them. The Ahl al-Bayt would never say anything that contradicts the word of Allah; as the Messenger of Allah
explicitly stated that they will not separate from the Quran until they return to him by the Pond[8], and they themselves said: «مَا أَتَاكُمْ عَنَّا مِنْ حَدِيثٍ لَا يُصَدِّقُهُ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ»[9]; “Whatever hadith comes to you from us that is not confirmed by the Book of Allah is false.”
Secondly, it is only forbidden to seek forgiveness for stubborn polytheists; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ وَمَا كَانَ اسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَنْ مَوْعِدَةٍ وَعَدَهَا إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ لِلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَأَوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ﴾[10]; “It is not for the Prophet and those who believed to seek forgiveness for polytheists, even if they are close relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are the people of Hellfire. And Ibrahim’s seeking forgiveness for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he disowned him. Indeed, Ibrahim was most tender-hearted, forbearing.” The intended meaning of a stubborn polytheist in His word is one who takes gods besides Allah, or disbelieves in Allah and His Messenger, or denies what is known from the religion based on the explicit text of the Book of Allah, and when he is invited to embrace Islam, he refuses and acts arrogantly. This is the one for whom it is not permissible to seek forgiveness until he expresses repentance. Clearly, individuals such as Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Talha, and Aisha from the Muhajirin and the Ansar who disliked the caliphate of Ali and refused to pledge allegiance to him were not of this character. Therefore, Allah’s prohibition on seeking forgiveness for stubborn polytheists does not include them, nor does it include other Muslims who have followed them in that matter until today, without denying Ali’s virtue; because they are all Muslims, and it is not forbidden to seek forgiveness for Muslims, even if they are misguided or sinful.
Thirdly, Shias believe that the people of Saqifah refused to pledge allegiance to Ali while they knew that the Messenger of Allah commanded them to do so, thus refusing out of neither ignorance nor forgetfulness. We do not rule out the possibility of that, and perhaps it was as they say. However, it is also not considered as abandoning Islam, but rather a deliberate sin that they committed out of their desires and love for the world, like most of the sins of Muslims; they engage in fornication, theft, and drinking alcohol and introduce new wrong actions while they know that Allah has forbidden them from doing so, yet they do not abandon Islam by that, but rather they are considered as sinners, except in the opinion of the Kharijites who charge the people of Qiblah with disbelief for committing sins. It is clearly permissible to seek forgiveness for sinful Muslims, especially if they have good track records; as it has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah
that he said: «أَقِيلُوا ذَوِي الْهَيْئَاتِ عَثَرَاتِهِمْ»[11]; “Forgive the people of good character for their mistakes,” and his word in the case of Hatib ibn Abi Balta‘ah has been mentioned previously.
Fourthly, the rawafid from Shias believe that Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Aisha, and others who refused to pledge allegiance to Ali were hypocrites from the very beginning, and that is why they did what they did. This is a great claim that cannot be accepted; because these individuals embraced Islam in Mecca when Islam was lonely, Muslims were weak on Earth, and there was no motive for them to engage in hypocrisy. It appears that there were no hypocrites among the Muhajirin, and the hypocrites were among the people of Medina and those around them from the Bedouins; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ مُنَافِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ﴾[12]; “And among those Bedouins who are around you there are hypocrites, and among the people of Medina as well.” It is certain that the Messenger of Allah migrated and hid in a cave with Abu Bakr when disbelievers wanted to kill him. Therefore, if he had known of any hypocrisy in Abu Bakr, he would not have done so; because that would have been enabling Abu Bakr to kill him. It is foolish for a man to flee from his enemies with one of them, and even worse than that, to enter a cave with him, while Allah Almighty has said: ﴿لَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ﴾[13]; “Do not cast yourselves into destruction with your own hands.” This indicates that the Messenger of Allah
trusted Abu Bakr and did not fear hypocrisy from him. Allah has informed about their story and said: ﴿إِلَّا تَنْصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا﴾[14]; “If you do not help him, Allah has already helped him when those who disbelieved expelled him, he being the second of two, when they were in the cave, when he said to his companion: ‘Do not grieve. Indeed, Allah is with us.’” Therefore, He has informed of the faith of Abu Bakr; because the Messenger of Allah
would not say to a hypocrite: ﴿لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا﴾; “Do not grieve. Indeed, Allah is with us,” and it is clear ﴿أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾[15]; “that Allah is with believers,” not with hypocrites, and to say that He is ﴿مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَى مِنَ الْقَوْلِ﴾[16]; “with them when they plot by night in words that He does not approve,” and in this sense He was with Abu Bakr, is obvious arbitrariness; because the description in His word: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا﴾; “Indeed, Allah is with us,” is shared between him and the Messenger of Allah
and there is no appropriateness between Allah being with them when they plot by night and the absence of grief. Therefore, there should be no doubt that Abu Bakr was not a hypocrite, while he was the first to dispute with Ali over the matter of the caliphate. Accordingly, the rest of the people are more deserving of not being considered as hypocrites. The Messenger of Allah
married Aisha, and Uthman married his daughters twice, while if he had known of any hypocrisy in them, he would not have done so; because a hypocrite is a disbeliever or a polytheist, and Allah Almighty has said: ﴿لَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ﴾[17]; “Do not hold to the ties of marriage with disbelieving women” and said: ﴿لَا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُولَئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ﴾[18]; “Do not marry polytheist women until they believe, And a believing bondwoman is better than a polytheist woman, even if she pleases you, and do not marry polytheist men until they believe, and a believing bondman is better than a polytheist man, even if he pleases you. They invite to the fire.” If they say that the Messenger of Allah
did not know of their hypocrisy and they know it, then they have fallen into disbelief; because they believe that they are more knowledgeable than the Messenger of Allah
and if they say that he knew of their hypocrisy, then they have fallen into disbelief; because they believe that he disobeyed Allah Almighty and deliberately separated from His Book. Therefore, they are between two clear forms of disbelief, and they can choose for themselves which one they want!
Fifthly, if there are two possibilities, one that the people refused to pledge allegiance to Ali out of ignorance or heedlessness, and the other that they refused to do so out of hypocrisy, then it is clear that the better possibility must be accepted; because what is apparent from the people is faith, and Allah has forbidden thinking negatively of believers, saying: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ﴾[19]; “O you who believed! Avoid many of the suspicions, for some suspicions are sins,” and He has commanded thinking positively of believers, saying: ﴿لَوْلَا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ خَيْرًا وَقَالُوا هَذَا إِفْكٌ مُبِينٌ﴾[20]; “When you heard it, why did the believing men and women not think positively of each other and say: ‘This is clearly a false accusation’?!” Also, it has been narrated from Ali that he said: «ضَعْ أَمْرَ أَخِيكَ عَلَى أَحْسَنِهِ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ مِنْهُ مَا يَغْلِبُكَ، وَلَا تَظُنَّنَ بِكَلِمَةٍ خَرَجَتْ مِنْ أَخِيكَ سُوءًا وَأَنْتَ تَجِدُ لَهَا فِي الْخَيْرِ مَحْمَلًا»[21]; “Interpret the actions of your brother in the best possible way unless he does something that prevents you (from doing so), and do not think negatively of a word you hear from your brother if there is a way to justify it,” and said: «اطْلُبْ لِأَخِيكَ عُذْرًا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ لَهُ عُذْرًا فَالْتَمِسْ لَهُ عُذْرًا»[22]; “Seek an excuse for your brother (when he makes a mistake), and if you do not find an excuse for him, then make an excuse for him.” Who is more deserving of that than a people who preceded them in faith, migration, and jihad with the Messenger of Allah ?! For this reason, His Eminence Mansoor
said when he was asked about those who take part in the battle of Jamal: «أَمَّا عَائِشَةُ فَقَدْ تَابَتْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَأَمَّا الزُّبَيْرُ فَقَدْ هَرَبَ وَلَمْ يُحَارِبْ، وَأَمَّا طَلْحَةُ فَوَاللَّهِ لَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ فِيهِ»; “As for Aisha, she repented, Insha’Allah, and as for Zubayr, he fled and did not fight, and as for Talha, by Allah, I do not know what to say about him!” He remained silent about Talha, as he did not find a real excuse for him. Then he made an excuse for him, saying in one of his lessons: «يُقَالُ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ عَلِيٍّ مَرَّ بِطَلْحَةَ وَهُوَ صَرِيعٌ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ فِي آخِرِ رَمَقٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: مِنْ أَصْحَابِ عَلِيٍّ، فَقَالَ: ابْسُطْ يَدَكَ أُبَايِعْكَ لَهُ، فَبَايَعَ، ثُمَّ فَاضَتْ نَفْسُهُ، فَأَتَى الرَّجُلُ عَلِيًّا فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، صَدَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَلَوْ صَحَّ هَذَا لَكَانَ تَوْبَةً، لَوْلَا قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿لَيْسَتِ التَّوْبَةُ لِلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ حَتَّى إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ إِنِّي تُبْتُ الْآنَ﴾[23]، وَاللَّهُ يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ»; “It has been said that a man from the companions of Ali passed by Talha while he was wounded on the Day of Jamal at his last breath. He said to the man: ‘Who are you?’ The man said: ‘I am one the companions of Ali.’ He said: ‘Extend your hand so that I pledge allegiance to you for him.’ So he pledged allegiance and then passed away. Then the man came to Ali and informed him. So Ali said: ‘Allahu Akbar! The Messenger of Allah
spoke the truth.’ If this is true, then it was repentance, except that Allah Almighty has said: ‘Repentance is not for those who do bad deeds until death comes to one of them, he says: Indeed, I have repented now,’ and Allah forgives whomever He wills.”
Sixthly, if Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Aisha, and the rest of the Sahabah who refused to pledge allegiance to Ali were hypocrites, as the rawafid claim, it would also be permissible for us to seek forgiveness for them to soften the hearts of Muslims; as it has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah sought forgiveness for Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, the head of the hypocrites, and when asked about it, he said: «لَقَدْ خَيَّرَنِي رَبِّي، فَقَالَ: ﴿اسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ أَوْ لَا تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ إِنْ تَسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً فَلَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ﴾[24]، وَلَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي لَوْ زِدْتُ عَلَى السَّبْعِينَ غُفِرَ لَهُ لَزِدْتُ»[25]; “My Lord has given me a choice and said: ‘Seek forgiveness for them or do not seek forgiveness for them. Even if you seek forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them,’ and if I knew that adding to seventy would result in him being forgiven, I would have added to it.” It appears that he did that to soften the hearts of the people of Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul; as it has been narrated that he said to the objectors: «وَمَا يُدْرِيكُمْ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ بَنِي الْخَزْرَجِ كَذَا وَكَذَا عِدَّةً كَثِيرَةً»[26]; “And what do you know?! Perhaps Allah will bring such and such a large number of Banu Khazraj into Islam.” This is clear evidence that it is permissible to seek forgiveness for Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Aisha, and the rest of the Sahabah, even if they were hypocrites; because seeking forgiveness for them softens the hearts of Muslims, “and what do you know?! Perhaps Allah will bring such and such a large number of Sunnis into the affection and help of the Ahl al-Bayt!”
Seventhly, it has been proven that the Ahl al-Bayt prayed for mercy for Abu Bakr and Umar and spoke well of them; as it has been narrated from Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husain that he said: «أَجْمَعَ بَنُو فَاطِمَةَ عَلَى أَنْ يَقُولُوا فِي أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ أَحْسَنَ مَا يَكُونُ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ»[27]; “The children of Fatimah unanimously agreed to say about Abu Bakr and Umar the best that can be said.” The narrations with this meaning are mutawatir, and it is clear that they did so either because they took into consideration the Sahabah’s precedence in Islam and Allah’s command to seek forgiveness for them and avoid holding grudges against them, or out of consideration for Muslims and to soften their hearts. Whichever it was, their followers must follow them in that. It has been narrated that the Ahl al-Bayt said to their followers: «لَا تَذْكُرُوا سِرَّنَا بِخِلَافِ عَلَانِيَتِنَا، وَلَا عَلَانِيَتَنَا بِخِلَافِ سِرِّنَا، حَسْبُكُمْ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا نَقُولُ، وَتَصْمُتُوا عَمَّا نَصْمُتُ»[28]; “Do not mention our secret in opposition to our public statement, nor our public statement in opposition to our secret. It is enough for you to say what we say, and be silent about what we are silent about.” This is a very important statement if they understand it; because some of them say that the Ahl al-Bayt cursed Abu Bakr and Umar in secret and sought forgiveness for them in public out of taqiyyah. The Ahl al-Bayt responded to them with this statement and forbade them from doing that; they said: «لَا تَذْكُرُوا سِرَّنَا بِخِلَافِ عَلَانِيَتِنَا، وَلَا عَلَانِيَتَنَا بِخِلَافِ سِرِّنَا»; “Do not mention our secret in opposition to our public statement, nor our public statement in opposition to our secret,” and then commanded them to follow them in speech and silence. They also said: «أَيَكْتَفِي مَنْ يَنْتَحِلُ التَّشَيُّعَ أَنْ يَقُولَ بِحُبِّنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ؟!... حَسْبُ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَقُولَ أُحِبُّ عَلِيًّا وَأَتَوَلَّاهُ، ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونَ مَعَ ذَلِكَ فَعَّالًا؟! فَلَوْ قَالَ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ، ثُمَّ لَا يَتَّبِعُ سِيرَتَهُ وَلَا يَعْمَلُ بِسُنَّتِهِ، مَا نَفَعَهُ حُبُّهُ إِيَّاهُ شَيْئًا»[29]; “Is it enough for one who claims to be a Shia to say that he loves us, the Ahl al-Bayt?!... Is it sufficient for a man to say, ‘I love Ali and believe in his guardianship,’ but then not act accordingly?! If he says, ‘I love the Messenger of Allah,’ while the Messenger of Allah is better than Ali, but then does not follow his way or act according to his Sunnah, his love for him does not benefit him in any way,” and said: «لَيْسَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا مَنْ قَالَ بِلِسَانِهِ وَخَالَفَنَا فِي أَعْمَالِنَا»[30]; “One who agrees (with us) in his words but opposes us in our deeds is not from our Shias,” and said: «إِنَّمَا شِيعَتُنَا مَنْ تَابَعَنَا وَلَمْ يُخَالِفْنَا»[31]; “Our Shia is one who follows us and does not oppose us,” and said to their companions: «كُونُوا لَنَا زَيْنًا، وَلَا تَكُونُوا لَنَا شَيْنًا، حَبِّبُونَا إِلَى النَّاسِ، وَلَا تُبَغِّضُونَا إِلَيْهِمْ، جَرُّوا إِلَيْنَا كُلَّ مَوَدَّةٍ، وَادْفَعُوا عَنَّا كُلَّ شَرٍّ»[32]; “Be an adornment for us, not a disgrace to us. Make us beloved to people, and do not make us hated to them. Draw all affection toward us, and repel from us all evil.” There are many narrations from them on this subject, but these people who claim to be Shias do not act on any of them, and if they find a man who acts on them completely, they reproach him and accuse him of all kinds of evil. The man who acts on these narrations completely is His Eminence Mansoor
. They have criticized him to the point where he has delivered a sermon and said:
«إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَفَاعِي يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ مِنْ شِيعَةِ عَلِيٍّ وَأَنِّي لَسْتُ مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ! فَقَدْ جَاؤُوا ظُلْمًا وَزُورًا! إِنَّمَا شِيعَةُ عَلِيٍّ مَنْ يَحْذُو حَذْوَهُ وَيَتَخَلَّقُ بِأَخْلَاقِهِ، وَكَانَ عَلِيٌّ لَا يَكْذِبُ، وَلَا يَبْهَتُ، وَلَا يَقْذِفُ، وَلَا يَسُبُّ، وَلَا يُثِيرُ الْفِتْنَةَ، وَلَا يُغْرِي الْعَدَاوَةَ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَلَا يَلْعَنُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ، وَلَا يَرْمِي عَائِشَةَ بِالْقَبِيحِ، وَلَا يُكَفِّرُ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارَ، وَلَا يَنْسِبُ أَهْلَ بَدْرٍ إِلَى النِّفَاقِ، وَلَا يَرْضَى بِالْغُلُوِّ فِي نَفْسِهِ، وَلَا يَقُولُ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ، وَلَا يَقُولُ أَنَّ الْخَلْقَ مُفَوَّضٌ إِلَيَّ أَتَصَرَّفُ فِيهِ بِمَا أَشَاءُ، وَلَا يَلْطِمُ نَفْسَهُ عِنْدَ مُصِيبَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَوْ مُصِيبَةِ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ، وَلَا يَدْعُوهُمَا بِالْغَيْبِ لِيَقْضِيَا حَوَائِجَهُ، وَلَا يَأْمُرُ بِتَقْلِيدِ النَّاسِ، وَلَا يَجْعَلُ لَهُمْ وِلَايَةً كَوِلَايَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَلَا يَقُولُ أَنَّ حِفْظَ مُلْكِهِ أَوْلَى مِنْ حِفْظِ الْإِسْلَامِ، بَلْ تَرَكَ الْمُلْكَ لِيَحْفَظَ الْإِسْلَامَ، وَلَا يَسْتَحِلُّ مُخَالَفَةَ الْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّنَّةِ لِمَصْلَحَةِ دُنْيَاهُ، وَلَا يَرْضَى بِالذُّلِّ، وَلَا يَسْتَعِينُ بِالْكَافِرِينَ، وَلَا يُعِينُ الظَّالِمِينَ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ، وَلَا يُصَانِعُهُمْ طَمَعًا فِي دُنْيَاهُمْ أَوْ خَوْفًا مِنْ قَلِيلِ الْأَذَى يُسَمِّي ذَلِكَ تَقِيَّةً، وَلَا يَأْخُذُ بِخَبَرٍ يَرْوِيهِ وَاحِدٌ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْتَحْلِفَهُ فَيَحْلِفَ لَهُ، وَلَا يَفْعَلُ كَثِيرًا غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يَفْعَلُ هَؤُلَاءِ وَأَنَا خِلْوٌ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ، فَلْيَرْجِعُوا الْآنَ إِلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلْيَقْضُوا مَنْ أَشْبَهُنَا بِعَلِيٍّ؟! هُمْ أَمْ أَنَا؟! فَإِنْ شَهِدَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَاعْتَرَفَتْ ضَمَائِرُهُمْ بِأَنِّي أَشْبَهُ مِنْهُمْ بِعَلِيٍّ، فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْيَكُفُّوا عَنْ سَبِّي وَظُلْمِي وَعَدَاوَتِي وَتَحْرِيضِ النَّاسِ عَلَيَّ وَأَخْذِ أَصْحَابِي وَذَوِي مَوَدَّتِي وَحَبْسِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ، فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى إِمَامٍ عَادِلٍ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ عَلِيٍّ -يَعْنِي الْمَهْدِيَّ-، وَهُمْ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِجَابَةِ دَعْوَتِي وَالْمُسَارَعَةِ فِي نُصْرَتِي إِنْ كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ مَجْبُولُونَ عَلَى الْكِذْبِ وَالتَّعَصُّبِ وَالْكِبْرِ، وَيُشَاقُّونَنِي ﴿حَسَدًا مِنْ عِنْدِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْحَقُّ ۖ فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾[33]»[34]; “These snakes claim that they are from the Shias of Ali and I am not one of the Shias of Ali! Truly, they have turned to oppression and falsehood! Indeed, a Shia of Ali is one who follows his example and is imbued with his morals, and indeed, Ali would not tell lies nor slander nor accuse nor revile nor provoke fitnah nor arouse hostility among Muslims nor curse Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman nor accuse Aisha of being immoral nor charge the Muhajirin and the Ansar with disbelief nor consider the people of Badr as hypocrites nor be satisfied with exaggeration about himself nor say, ‘I have knowledge of the unseen,’ nor say, ‘Created beings have been entrusted to me, and I can possess them as I please,’[35] nor strike himself in the demise of the Prophet or the demise of Fatimah
[36] nor call upon them in their absence to fulfill his needs nor command imitating people nor set guardianship like that of the Prophet
for them[37] nor say that preserving his dominion is worthier than preserving Islam, but rather would leave the dominion to preserve Islam, nor consider it lawful to oppose the Quran and the Sunnah for the benefit of his world nor accept ignominy nor seek the help of disbelievers nor help oppressors in their oppression nor get along with them out of greed for their world or fear of little harm, which he would call it taqiyyah, nor act on a report narrated by one person from the Prophet
unless he would make him swear and he would swear for him, nor do many other things that they do, and I am free of all of that. So now they shall refer to themselves and judge, which one of us is more like Ali?! They or me?! So if their hearts bear witness and their consciences admit that I am more like Ali than them, they shall fear Allah and stop reviling me, oppressing me, being hostile toward me, provoking people against me, arresting and imprisoning my companions and those who love me unrightfully; because I invite them toward a just Imam from the offspring of Ali[38], and they are the most deserving of people to accept my invitation and rush to help me if they are truthful, but they are naturally inclined to lies, fanaticism, and arrogance and oppose me ‘out of envy in their selves after the truth became clear to them, so forgive and overlook until Allah brings His command. Indeed, Allah has power over all things.’”
We have explained the matter sufficiently and clearly, ﴿وَاللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ﴾[39]; “and Allah guides whomever He wills to the straight path.”