Hadith No. 4

Aban ibn Abi Ayyash has narrated from Sulaym ibn Qays. He (Sulaym) heard from Salman Farsi, who said: “After the Holy Prophet (SAW) passed away and people did what they did, Abu Bakr, Umar, Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah came to people and told the Ansar their argument. The Ansar told them the argument of Hadhrat Ali (AS). They (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubaydah) said: “O group of Ansar, the Quraysh are more deserving of the caliphate than you, because the Holy Prophet (SAW) was from Quraysh, and Muhajireen are better than you since Allah in His Book has spoken about them first, and has given them merits. The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: “Imam will be from Quraysh.”

Salman says: “I went to Hadhrat Ali (AS) when he was giving the ritual bath to the Holy Prophet (SAW) since the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said that none other than Ali (AS) must give him the ritual bath. When the Holy Prophet (SAW) said to Hadhrat Ali (AS) that none other than him should give him the ritual bath, Hadhrat Ali (AS) had asked: “O Prophet of Allah, who would help me in giving the bath?” The Holy Prophet (SAW) had replied “Archangel Jibra’eel will help.” So when giving the bath whenever Hadhrat Ali (AS) wanted to turn any part of the Holy Prophets (SAW) body, the part would turn itself.

After Ali (AS) had completed giving the ritual bath, hunut and shroud, he let me in, and he also let Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Lady Fatimah, Hasan and Husain (AS) in. Ali (AS) stood in front and we stood behind him and recited the prayer. And Ayeshah was in her room – she did not know anything. Allah had put a curtain over her eyes.

After that ten people from Muhajireen and ten people from Ansar – they were coming in and praying and going out until such time that there was no one left from the Muhajireen and Ansar who had not prayed.”

Salman said: “I told Hadhrat Ali (AS), when he was giving the bath to the Holy Prophet (SAW) what the community had done and I told him Abu Bakr is at this time on the pulpit of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and people are not happy to pay allegiance with one hand, but they are paying allegiance with both hands, left and right.”

Hadhrat Ali (AS) replied: “O Salman, do you know who was the first to pay allegiance to him on the pulpit of the Holy Prophets (SAW)?”

Salman: “No, but I can say that I saw him in the shade of Bani Sa’eedah at the time when the Ansar were quarrelling. The first one who paid allegiance was Mughirah ibn Sha’abah, after him Bashir ibn Sa’eed paid allegiance, then Abu Ubaydah Jarrah, then Umar ibn Khattab, then Saalim Mawla Abi Huzayifah and Ma’az ibn Jabal.”

Hadhrat Ali (AS) said: “I am not asking about these people, but do you know who was the first to pay allegiance when he first went on the pulpit?”

Salman said: “No, but I saw one very old man who supported himself with a stick and had a mark in between his two eyes; the mark was very dry. He went to the pulpit first of all and bowed and was crying and saying. “Praise is due to Allah who did not make me die until I saw you in this place. You stretch your hand.” So Abu Bakr stretched his hand and the old man paid allegiance. Then the old man said: “This religion is like the religion of Adam.” Then he got down from the pulpit and walked out of the Masjid.”

At that time Hadhrat Ali (AS) asked: “O Salman, do you know who this person was?” Salman said: “No, but I did not like his talk – it was like he was pleased with the sad demise of the Holy Prophet (SAW).”

Hadhrat Ali (AS) said: “This was Iblis – May Allah curse him. The Holy Prophet (SAW) had informed me that Iblis and his top companions were present when, by God’s command, the Holy Prophet (SAW) had declared me caliph in Ghadir Khum, and the Holy Prophet (SAW) had informed people that I was Mawla of everyone and he (the Prophet) had commanded people present that they should pass this message to those that were not present at Ghadir. So the companions of Iblis came and told him: “This community is blessed and is infallible. Now you and we have no power to manipulate them since they have been told who is their refuge and who is their leader after their Prophet.” At that time Iblis was saddened and he went away from there.”

Hadhrat Ali (AS) said: “After this I was informed by the Holy Prophet (SAW) when he said: “People will pay allegiance to Abu Bakr in the shade of Bani Sa’eedah, when they will quarrel through my right and authority. After that they will come to mosque and the first person that will pay allegiance to him on my pulpit will be Iblis who will come in the form of an old man and say so and so. After that he will go out and gather his companions, Shaytan and Iblis. They will all go into his prostration and say: Oh my Lord and my Almighty You are the One who made Adam come out of Heaven and said which community is it that which will not deviate after the death of their Prophet? Never – You thought that I will not be able to manipulate them (and I will have no ways) – Now how do you people find me with what I did with them when they left Allah’s obedience and the command of their Prophet, and ths is what Allah has said: And certainly the shaitan found true his conjecture concerning them, so they follow him, except a party of the believers. (Surah Saba 20)

Iblis made his thought a true action and people obeyed him except a few faithful ones.”

Salman said: “When it was night, Hadhrat Ali (AS) made Lady Fatimah (AS) ride and took hands of his sons Hasan and Husain (AS) and went to each and every house of those Muhajireen and Ansar who were of Badr, and reminded them of his rights called them to help him. But except 4 people nobody came forward to help. He asked the helpers to shave their heads and in the morning go to him with their weapons ready to help and pay allegiance to death. In the morning except 4, no one kept their promise.”

So I (Sulaym) asked: “Who were those 4?”

Salman replied: “Myself, Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Zubayr.

Then on the second night Hadhrat Ali (AS) returned to all those who did not come and reminded them to fulfil their promise. They all said they would turn up the next morning but except us no one turned up. On the third night Hadhrat Ali (AS) went again and again on the third day except us no one turned up.

When Hadhrat Ali (AS) saw their treachery and disloyalty, he remained inside his house and started compiling the Quran, and did not come out of his house until the whole Quran was compiled. At that time verses were written in wood, skin and pieces.

After he had collected all the verses and wrote with his own hands in the manner the verses were revealed, with their meanings, and wrote those verses that were revealed to replace previous verses, and also the verses that were those on which action was no longer required, then Abu Bakr sent people to his house to come out and pay allegiance to him. He (Ali) sent a message saying that he was busy and he had taken an oath that except for prayers he will not wear a cloak until he has collected and compiled the Quran. So for a few days they kept quiet. Ali (AS) compiled and completed the whole Quran in one piece of cloth and came to people when they were with Abu Bakr in Masjide Nabawi. He very loudly said: “O people, since the passing away of the Holy Prophet (SAW) I was busy giving him the ritual bath, and compiling the Quran, until it has been collected in one piece of cloth. There is not any verse that Allah T’Ala has revealed which is not in this compilation, and there is not a single verse that the Holy Prophet (SAW) did not make me read, and there is no verse of which the Holy Prophet (SAW) did not tell me the meaning.” The Ali (AS) said to those people: “So that you do not tell me surely we were heedless of this (Surah Araf 72)”

Then Hadhrat Ali (AS) said to them: “So that on the Day of Judgment you do not say that I did not call you to help me and did not remind you of my right, and I did not call you to the Book of Allah from beginning to end.”

Umar said: “You are calling us to you, but the Quran that we have is sufficient for us.” Then Hadhrat Ali (AS) went home.

Umar told Abu Bakr: “Send somebody to Hadhrat Ali (AS) to ask him to pay allegiance, since until such time he does not pay allegiance there is no value attached to the caliphate, and if he pays allegiance, we will give him amnesty.” Abu Bakr then sent a man to Hadhrat Ali (AS) to say: “The caliph of the Prophet of Allah is calling you.” The man came and said this to Hadhrat Ali (AS). Hadhrat Ali (AS) replied: “Glory be to Allah, how soon have you wrongly accused the Holy Prophet (SAW)! Abu Bakr knows it and those present near him also know it that Allah and His Prophet have not appointed any caliph except myself.” The man returned and told Abu Bakr what Hadhrat Ali (AS) had said.

Abu Bakr asked the man to return to Hadhrat Ali (AS) and say: “Amirul Mumineen, Abu Bakr, is calling you.” The man returned to Ali (AS) house and said what Abu Bakr had told him. Ali (AS) replied: “Glory be to Allah, By God, it has not been long, when everything is forgotten. By God, he knows that this title is not appropriate for anyone except myself. The Holy Prophet (SAW) ordered him, and he was seventh in number who had saluted me saying AMIRUL MUMINEEN. So Abu Bakr and his companion Umar, from the seven people asked him: “Is this an order from Allah and His Prophet?” and the Holy Prophet (SAW) said to both of them: “Yes, surely, this is true from Allah and His Prophet. No doubt, he is Amirul Mumineen (Leader of Believers), Sayyidul Muslimeen (Leader of Muslims), Sahibu Liwail (the standard beared on the day of judgment), Ghuml Muhajileen (the one whose forehead shines). On the day of judgment Allah will make him sit on the path and he will make his friends go to Paradise and his enemies go to Hell.”

The man returned to tell Abu Bakr what Ali (AS) had told him. That day the man kept quiet.

At night Hadhrat Ali (AS) made Lady Fatimah (AS) ride, and held the hands of his two sons Hasan and Husain (AS) and there was no companion of the Holy Prophets (SAW) left to whose house he did not go, and bearing Allah as his witness, told of his rights and called them to help him, but except for us 4 no one agreed. We shaved our heads and offered our help to him. Amongst us the one who had most intelligently helped him was Zubayr.

When Hadhrat Ali (AS) saw that people had left him and did not help him, and all of them had joined Abu Bakr and showed him respect and obeyed him, he stayed at home.

Umar asked Abu Bakr: “What is it that has stopped you from sending somebody to Ali to ask him to pay allegiance because except him and them 4, there was nobody left who had not paid allegiance?” Abu Bakr was a little softer at heart, kinder, cleverer and more thoughtful. The other one was very short-tempered, hard-hearted and an oppressor.

Abu Bakr replied by asking whom he should send to Ali, to which Umar replied that he was sending Qunfuz, who was a very tough, short-tempered oppressor from Tulaqa, and was from the tribe of Adi ibn Ka’ab.

Abu Bakr sent him to hadhrat Ali (AS) and sent more men to help him.

He went and requested permission from Ali (AS). Hadhrat Ali (AS) refused permission. The helpers of Qunfuz returned to Abu Bakr and Umar. These two were sitting in the mosque with people gathered around them. They all told that they were not given permission by Hadhrat Ali (AS). Umar told them to go back to Ali (AS) and if he refuses, enter without permission. They went and asked permission. Lady Fatimah (AS) told them that she was not permitting them to enter. They returned, but Qunfuz, the cursed, remained. His companions told that Lady Fatimah had said such and such, and she was not permitting them to enter. Umar said angrily: “What do we have to do with women?”

Then Umar told those people who had gathered around him to collect wood. They all collected, and Umar himself lifted and went to the house of Hadhrat Ali (AS), Lady Fatimah (AS) and their two sons, and arranged wood all around the house and then said in a voice loud enough to make Hadhrat Ali (AS) and Lady Fatimah (AS) hear: “By God, O Ali, come out and pay allegiance to the caliph of the Holy Prophet of Allah, otherwise we will burn your house.”

Lady Fatimah (AS) said: “O Umar, what do you have to do with us?”

He replied: “Open the door, otherwise we will burn your house.”

Lady Fatimah (AS) said: “O Umar, are you not afraid of Allah and are you entering our house?”

Umar refused to return. He asked fire to be brought and he set the door on fire, then he pushed it and entered. Lady Fatimah (AS) came in front and screamed loudly: “O Father, O Prophet of Allah.”

Umar raised his sword with the shield and hit her on the side. She screamed:

“O Father” He then lifted a whip and hit her on the hand and she cried: “O Prophet of Allah, Abu Bakr and Umar behaved very badly after you.”

Hadhrat Ali (AS) rushed, held him by the neck and pushed him away and Umar fell down and hurt his neck and nose. Hadhrat Ali (AS) intended to kill him. He remembered what the Holy Prophet (SAW) had said, and he said: “By Him, who gave Muhammad the status of Prophethood, O son of Sahak, if the Book from Allah had not been revealed and if the Holy Prophet (SAW) had not taken a promise from me before, then you would have known that you could have never entered my house.”

Umar, complaining, sent somebody, and some people came and entered the house. Hadhrat Ali (AS) went forward to lift his sword, so Qunfuz returned to Abu Bakr and Abu Bakr was frightened that Hadhrat Ali (AS) with his sword, would go to him, since he knew Hadhrat Ali’s bravery and determination.

Abu Bakr said to Qunfuz: “Return to Ali’s house and if he comes out then fine, otherwise enter his house. If he refuses then set the house on fire.” Qunfuz, the cursed, returned and entered the house, without permission, with his companions. Hadhrat Ali (AS) went forward to pick his sword – these people, who were so many went forward against him, got hold of him, raised their swords, arrested him and tied a rope in his neck.

Lady Fatimah (AS) came in between Hadhrat Ali (AS) and those people near the door of the house, so Qunfuz hit her with a whip. When she passed away, the mark of the wound was still on her shoulder. May Allah curse Qunfuz and the one who sent him.

Then they pulled Ali (AS) by force until they brought him to Abu Bakr. when Umar was standing with a sword behind Abu Bakr Khalid ibn Walid, Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah and Salim Mawla Abu Huzayfah, Mughirah ibn Sha’aba and others were sitting near Abu Bakr with weapons in their hands.”

Sulaym says: “I asked Salman: “Did these people evter the house of Lady Fatimah (AS) without permission?” He replied: “Yes, by God, when she did not even have a chaddar over her. So she screamed: “O Father, O Prophet of Allah, Abu Bakr and Umar behaved so badly after you, while your eyes have not even closed in the grave” and she was saying this loudly.”

Salman said: “I saw Abu Bakr and those sitting near him crying with tears and whoever was there was crying except Umar, Khalid ibn Walid, and Mughirah ibn Sha’aba. Umar was saying: “We have nothing to do with women and their opinion.”

Salman said: “Hadhrat Ali (AS) was taken to Abu Bakr and he was saying: “By God, if I had my sword in my hand, then you would see that you would have never reached this stage. By God, I do not consider myself bad in doing jihad with you. If I had even forty people then I would disperse your community. May God curse that community who paid allegiance to me and then became disloyal.”

When Abu Bakr saw Ali (AS) he screamed and loudly said: “Release him.”

Hadhrat Ali (AS) said: “O Abu Bakr, how soon did you act against the Holy Prophet (SAW)! And with what rights and reasons you called people to pay you allegiance? Did you not pay allegiance to me (yesterday) by the command of Allah and His Prophet?”

Qunfuz the cursed, had hit Lady Fatimah (AS) with a whip when she came in between Ali (AS) and the people and Umar had sent him saying: “If Fatimah comes in between you and her husband, hit her.” so Qunfuz, the cursed, forced her to take refuge behind the door and he pushed the door so her rib near the side got broken and she had a miscarriage. So she was continuously ill until she attained martyrdom in this.

Salman said: “When Ali (AS) was taken to Abu Bakr, Umar very rudely told Ali (AS): “Pay allegiance to Abu Bakr and leave your useless talks.” Ali (AS) asked: “If I do not pay allegiance what will you people do?” People said: “We will kill you with humiliation and degradation.” Ali (AS) said: “That will mean that you killed Abdullah and the brother of Prophet of Allah.” Abu Bakr said: “As far as Abdullah is concerned it is correct but we do not accept you the brother of the Prophet of Allah.” Ali (AS) said: “Do you deny that the Holy Prophet (SAW) had declared brotherhood between him and myself?” Abu Bakr said: “Yes.” Ali (AS) repeated this thrice.

Then Ali (AS) turned towards those people who had gathered around Abu Bakr and said: “O group of Muslims, Muhajireen and Ansar, I am asking you to swear By Allah that you have heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) say such and such in Gadhir Khum and say such and such in the Battle of Tabuk.”

He did not leave anything that the Holy Prophet (SAW) had said, until he reminded them absolutely everything.

Everyone replied: “Indeed, Yes.”

When Abu Bakr heard this he got frightened that people might help Ali (AS) to stop what was being done. He quickly said: “What you have said is true and I have heard it with my own ears, I knew and my heart remembered it but I also heard after that the Holy Prophet (SAW) say: “We Ahlulbayt are those whom Allah has chosen and gave us status and has chosen the hereafter against this world for us. And Allah has not decreed that Prophethood and caliphate be the same.”

Ali (AS) asked: “Is there any one among the companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) who can be a witness to what you have said?” Umar said: “The caliph of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is saying truth. I have heard the Prophet of Allah saying this.” Abu Ubaydah, Salim Mawla Abu Huzayfah and Ma’az ibn Jabal said: “He has told the truth. We have heard it from the Prophet of Allah.”

Ali (AS) said to him: “You have completed your cursed Sahifah which you agreed in Ka’abah (I.e if Muhammad is killed of dies you people will take away this caliphate from Ahlulbayt)

Abu Bakr asked: “How did you know about this? We did not tell you.”

Ali (AS) said: “O Zubayr you, and Salman you, and Abu Dhar and Miqdad you – I am asking you for the sake of Allah and for the said of Islam, did you not hear the Holy Prophet (SAW) say when you were listening: “This one and that one – until he counted upto five – they have made between them a written agreement and have vowed to keep it if I am killed or I die?” They replied: “Indeed, yes we heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) say that to you. Yes we heard that these people had made an agreement and vowed to keep it if he is killed of dies. They will overpower you and O Ali, they will remove you from this caliphate.”

Ali (AS) said: “When the Holy Prophet (SAW) said this I asked: “O Prophet of Allah may my parents be sacrificed for you, when this happens what do you instruct me to do?” Salman, Abu Dhar, Miqdad and Zubayr said: “He instructed you that if you find helpers then you fight against them and get

your rights, if you do not get helpers then you pay allegiance and save your blood.” Ali (AS) said: “By God, if those forty people who paid allegiance to me had been loyal to me then I would have fought against you in the way of Allah. But remember, By God, until the Day of Judgment your generational not get it (caliphate). And what makes your talks a lie – which you have attributed to the Holy Prophet (SAW) is Allah’s saying: Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His grace? But indeed We have given to Ibrahim’s children the Book and Wisdom and We have given them a grand kingdom. (Surah Nisa: 54)

What is meant by Book here is Prophethood, wisdom is tradition and grand kingdom is caliphate and we are Ibrahim’s children.”

Miqdad stood up and said: “O Ali, what is your command for me? By God, if you command me I will fight with this sword and if you command me I will stop.” Ali (AS) replied: “O Miqdad, STOP, and remember what promise the Holy Prophet (SAW) took from you and his will.”

Then I stood up and said: “By Him in whose Hands in my life, if I knew that I will be able to remove any oppression and the religion of Allah will attain status, then I would put my sword on my neck and would fight at each and every step.” Then, addressing people, I said: “What! Are you attacking the one who is the brother of the Prophet of Allah, his wasi, caliph of his community and the father of his sons? Then I am giving you good news that trouble will come to you and do not hope for any type of ease.”

Abu Dhar stood up and said: “O that community, who after the death of its Prophet is puzzled, and whom Allah has stopped helping due to their sins, surely Allah says: Surely Allah chose Adam and Nuh and the descendants of Ibrahim and the descendants of Imran above the nations. Offspring, one of the other, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. (Surah Ale Imran: 33 & 34)

And the children of Muhammad are the descendants of Nuh and they are children of Ibrahim from Ibrahim, and they are chosen ones from Isma’eel and they are progeny of Prophet Muhammad and are household of Prophethood, are place for Messengers and are those to whom angels descend and ascend. And they are like high skies and are like those mountains that are firm, and they are like that Ka’abah over which the veil hangs, and are those springs which are clear and stars who guide people, and a tree like a blessed tree that produces light and its oil is blessed. And

Muhammad (SAW) is the seal of Prophets and is the Leader of Bani-Adam and Ali is Wasi of Awsiya and Imam of Muttaqeen (pious) and is the leader of those whose forehead shines and he is the one who never tells a lie, the one who differentiates between truth and falsehood and is Wasi of Muhammad (SAW), the inheritor of his knowledge, and has more rights than anyone over the faithfuls. Like Allah has said “The Prophet has a greater claim on the faithfuls than they have on themselves, and his wives are (AS) their mother; and the possessors of relationship have the better claim in the ordinance of Allah to inheritance, one with respect to another, that (other believers, and (than) those who have fled their homes), except that you do some good to your friends; this is written in the Book. (Surah Ahzab: 6)

So you also bring forward whom Allah has brought forward and put behind him whom Allah has left behind and give Wilayat and inheritance to the one to whom Allah has given.” Umar stood up and said to Abu Bakr who was sitting on the pulpit: “You are sitting on the pulpit and this man is sitting and is prepared for war – he is not getting up to pay you allegiance. Give us order to cut his neck off.”

At this time Hasan and Husain (AS) were standing and when they heard what Umar said they started crying. Ali (AS) hugged both of them and told them: “Do not cry, By God, these people are not able to kill your father.”

Umme Ayman, who had brought up the Holy Prophet (SAW) came forward and said: “O Abu Bakr, how soon have you all revealed your hypocrisy and jealousy!” Umar gave order and she was removed from the mosque. He said: “What do we have to do with women?”

Buraydah Aslami stood up and said: “O Umar, are you attacking the brother and the father of the children of the Holy Prophet (SAW)? And you are that very person whose reputation in Quraysh is known to us. Are you two not the ones to whom the Holy Prophet (SAW) had told to go to Ali (AS) and greet him saying ‘Amirul Mumineen’? And you two had asked if this was in accordance with Allah and His Prophet’s command, and the Prophet (SAW) had said YES.

Abu Bakr said: “Yes it was like that but the Prophet of Allah had after that said: “For us Prophethood and caliphate cannot be combined together.” Buraydah said: “The Holy Prophet (SAW) had not said that. By God will not remain in a city in which you stay as Amir.”

Umar gave order and he was beaten and thrown out of the mosque.

Then he (Umar) said: “O ibn Abi Talib, stand up and pay allegiance.” Ali (AS) asked: “If I do not do it then?” He said: “At that time we will cut your neck.” Ali (AS) said it three times. Then he without opening his palm, stretched his hand and Abu Bakr put his hand on his (Ali’s) hand and was happy with that. Before allegiance Ali (AS), when a rope was tied to his neck, said loudly: “Son of my mother! Surely the people reckoned me weak and had well nigh slain me. (Surah Araf: 50)

Zubayr was told to pay allegiance – he refused. Umar, Khalid ibn Walid and Mighirah ibn Sha’aba with a few people rushed to him, took away his sword from his hand, threw it on the floor and broke it, and held him by the neck. Zubayr said, when Umar was on his chest: “O son of Sahhak, By God, if my sword was in my hand, then you would not have got away from me.” He then paid allegiance.

Salman says: “Then they held me, and twisted my neck until it became like a piece of flesh, then took my hand and twisted it, and then forcefully I paid the allegiance. The Abu Dhar and Miqdad also paid allegiance forcefully. And among us there was nobody as outspoken as Zubayr because when he paid allegiance he said: “O son of Sahhak, By God, if these evil people who supported you were not present then you would not able to come to me, and my sword would be with me, because I know your cowardice and disgrace, but you have got a few evil people from whom you gained strength and are attaching.”

Umar became very angry and said: “Are you talking about Sahhak?” Zubayr asked: “Sahhak who? And can you stop me talking about Sahhak when Sahhak was a prostitute. Do you deny that? Was she no an Ethiopian slave of my grandfather Abdul Muttalib? Your granddfather Nufail committed adultery with her so your father Khattab was born. After adultery that slave girl was given to your grandfather by Abdul Muttalib, then your father was born, so he was my father’s slave who was born by adultery.” Then Abu Bakr made peace between these two (Zubayr and Umar) and then both of them stopped quarrelling.”

Sulaym ibn Qays says: “I said to Salman: “O Salman, you paid allegiance to

Abu Bakr and you did not say anything?” Salman replied: “After allegiance I said to all “Forever and forever may you be destroyed. Do you know what you have done to yourselves? You have done good and you did bad – it is good because you chose the tradition of those who passed away before- that is fighting and disuniting. And it is bad because you left the tradition of your Prophet until you removed caliphate from its mines and from him whose right it was.”

Umar said: “O Salman, now that your companion has paid allegiance, and you have paid too, say what you like and do what you like, and your companion can say what he wants.”

Salman said: “I said to Umar: “I have heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) say that until the day of judgment the sins of the entire community will be on you (Umar) and your companion whom you have paid allegiance and the punishment of that will be equal to the punishment of the entire community.”

So Umar said: “Say what you like. What! Have you not paid allegiance? And God has not made your eyes calm in a way that your companion gets caliphate.”

Salman said he said: “I bear witness that I have read in various Books of Allah that you, with your names, ancestors and attributes, are one of the doors of Hell.” Umar said to me: “Say what you like Has Allah not taken away the caliphate from the Ahlulbayt whom you had made your God, apart from Allah?” So I said to him: “I bear witness that I have heard from the Holy Prophet (SAW). He said it when I asked him about the verse: But on that day shall no one chastise with (anything like) His chastisement. And no one shall bind with (anything like) his binding. (Surah Fajr: 25,26)

He told me that it meant YOU (Umar).”

Umar said: “Shut up – May Allah make you die – O slave, O the son of evil tongued.”

Ali (AS) said: “O Salman I hold you by oath – keep quiet.” Salman said: “By God, if Ali (AS) had not ordered me to keep quiet, I would have told him all that has been revealed relating to him, and I would have told him also all that I have heard from the Holy Prophet (SAW) concerning him and his companion.” When Umar say that I was quiet, he told me “No doubt, you are very obedient to him and listen to what he says.”

When Abu Dhar and Miqdad paid allegiance they did not say anything. Umar said: “O Salman, why did you not keep quiet like your two companions kept quiet? By God, you do not love Ahlulbayt any more than these two and you do not respect their rights more than these two. You saw them pay allegiance quietly.” Abu Dhar said: “O Umar, are you taunting me about the love of Ale-Muhammad and the respect of their rights? May Allah curse, and he did curse those people who held enmity with them, accused them and took away their rights, and made people ride over their necks and reversed the community to their previous beliefs.” Umar said: “Amen – May Allah curse those who took their rights. By God, Ale-Muhammad are equal in this.”

Abu Dhar said: “So why did you challenge Ansar through Ale-Muhammad and their rights?” Ali (AS) said to Umar: “O son of Sahhak, if we do not have any right in this, then is it yours and the son of a woman who eats flies (Abu Bakr)?”

Umar said: “O Abul Hasan, now that you have paid allegiance, keep quiet because people were happy with my companion and were not happy with you – what is my fault in this?” Ali (AS) said: “But God and His Prophet are not happy with anyone except myself so you, your companion and those who obeyed you, and those who supported you, and good news be for you on Allah’s anger with you, and His Punishment and His degradation of you.

O ibn Khattab, may evil befall you, if only you knew how you have erred! If you knew of what you have come out in what you have entered and what evil you have done for yourself and your companion!”

Abu Bakr said: “O Umar, now that he has paid allegiance to us and we have been saved from any harm from him, leave him to say what he wants to say.”

Ali (AS) said: “Except one thing, I do not say anything. O four people (Salman, Zubayr, Abu Dhar and Miqdad) I am reminding you I have heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) say: “No doubt, there will be one coffin of fire in which there will be twelve people – six from the beginning) and six from the end, that will be in a well which is in the bottom level of the Hell. And this coffin will be the one that will be locked. There will be a stone kept on the well. When Allah wishes the Hell fire to be lighted, He will remove that stone from the top of the well. At that time the Hell will set alight with the flames and heat of the well.”

Ali (AS) continued: “I asked the Holy Prophet (SAW) and you were present, who are the ones from the beginning? He (SAW) replied that from the beginning there will be Adam’s son who killed his brother, and Pharaoh of Pharaohs, and the one who argued with the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) concerning God and two people of Bani Israel who changed their Book and their Tradition – one of these two is the one that made Yahudi, a Yahudi, and the other made Nasrani a Nasrani. And the the sixth one is Iblis. And from the end is Dajjal, and these five who are Shifah, and Kitab, and JIBT and TAGUT, O my brother who made an agreement and contract of enmity towards you. And after me, they will overpower you. This one and this one, until he gave names and counted also.”

Salman says he said: “You have told truth – we bear witness that we heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) say that.”

Uthman said: “O Abul Hassan, have you or your companions not got any hadith concerning me?”

Ali (AS) said: “Yes, why not? I have heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) saying that he has cursed you twice, and then he did not even repent when he cursed you.”

Uthman got angry at that and said: “What do I have to do with you? You never leave me, neither during the time of the Prophet not after him.”

Ali (AS) said: “Yes, May Allah humiliate you.” Uthman said: “By God, I have heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) saying: “Zubayr will be killed when he becomes an apostate of Islam.”

Salman says: “Ali (AS) told me, and this was between him and myself: “Uthman has said truth, and this will be when after Uthman is killed. He will pay allegiance to me and then will break it and be killed an apostate.”

Salman says: “Then Ali (AS) said: “Except four, after the Holy Prophet (SAW) everyone has become an apostate. After the Holy Prophet (SAW) people became like Haroon and those who followed him and like the cow and those who followed it.” So Ali (AS) is like Haroon and Atiq (Abu Bakr) like the cow, and Umar like Samiri.”

I heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) saying: “No doubt, a community of my companions will come who will have a high status with me so that they pass the sirat and when they will see me and I will see them, they will recognise me and I will recognise them. They will come very near to me. I will say: “O God, these are my companions, my companions.” It will be said: “Do not you know what they did after you? Indeed they reverted when you parted from them.” I will say: “Go away and get destroyed.”

And I have heard the Holy Prophet (SAW) say: “My community will choose the tradition of Bani Israel in exactly the same manner that one foot falls on the other foot, one span equal to another span, one hand like the other, one distance like the other distance, until they enter a hole then these people will also enter that hole. Surely, Torah and the Quran were written by one Angel, on one skin, and with one pen, and all examples with tradition became like one.”

*When Makkah was conquered the Holy Prophet (SAW) had release him – hence Tulaqa.