Sulaym ibn Qays says: “I heard Salman saying: (“The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) told Ali (a.s).
{“If some groups of my Ummah would not say what Nasara said for Isa ibn Maryam, then I would say such a matter about you that my Ummah would look for the signs of your footsteps on the earth and kiss it.”}”
Aban says: “I told this Hadith from Sulaym, who narrated it from Salman, to Hasan ibn Abul Hasan when he was in the house of Abu Khalifa. Hasan said: (“By God, I have heard two narrations about Ali, which I have not mentioned to anybody.”) Then he told the hadith about Angels saluted him (Ali), and the hadith about the Day of Ohad. I then found both these narrations in the book of Sulaym, which he narrated from Ali (a.s) and he heard them from him.”
Aban continues: “When I mentioned both these narrations in private, and except Abu Khalifa and myself, everybody had left and I spent the night with him, so Hasan said on that night: (“If that narration was not there which people narrate from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), then I would understand that every one will be destroyed when the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), except Ali and his Shias.”) So I said: “O Abu Sa’eed, Abu Bakr and Umar also?” He replied: (“Yes.”)
So I said: “O Abu Sa’eed, which is this narration?” He replied: (“Huzayfah’s saying that ‘one community will be saved and those who folloW them will be destroyed. People asked Huzayfah as to how is that possible. He replied that it is a community that has its merits. They invented new things so people followed the new things and have no merits. So those people will be saved due to their merits and the followers of new things will be destroyed. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said to Umar when he asked for permission to kill Hatib ibn Abi Balteah: [‘O Umar, what do you know? It is possible that Allah has looked on the family of the people of Badr, and declared His Angels as witnesses. I have forgiven them, so they can do what they like.” And the hadith of Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari, that the Holy Prophet (SAW) mentioned two reasons, so people asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what do you mean by two reasons?” So he replied: “Whoever meets Allah in a state where he has not done even a speck of shirk, he will go to Paradise, and whoever meets Him and has done even a tiny bit of shirk, will go to Hell.” So I am not hopeful for Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Talhah and Zubayr being saved and safe, but on the basis of this narration.”
So I said: “So do you make the new things of Abu Bakr and Umar the same as new things of Uthman, Talhah and Zubayr, if the caliphate was for Ali (AS) from Allah and His Prophet?”
He replied: “O stupid, do not say IF – it was his. By God, caliphate WAS Ali’s, it was not theirs. How cannot caliphate not be Ali’s apart from them, when there were four qualities in him, when I have been told so many narrations of the Holy Prophet (SAW) by authentic people that I cannot count them.”
So I asked: “What are those four qualities?”
He replied: “The Holy Prophet (SAW) saying and his appointing him in the Ghadir-e-Khum, and the Holy Prophet’s (SAW) saying on the event of Tabuk: “You have the same status with me that Haroon had to Musa, with the exception of Prophethood.” If there was anything else except Prophethood, then the Holy Prophet (SAW) would have made an exception of that as well. We definitely know that caliphate is different from Prophethood. When the Holy Prophet (SAW)gave his last sermon to people, then went home, he did not come out of the house until he passed away. “O people, I leave behind for you two things. Until you remain attached to them you will never deviate – Allah’s Book and my Ahlulbayt, because Allah has promised me that these two will not separate from each other until they reach me at the Fountain like this.” He joined his forefingers of his left and right hand, and not two fingers of the same hand and then he joined the two fingers of his same hand, and said: “Because one of these two is before the other. So keep attached to both of them, and do not deviate and turn away. Do not overtake them, lest you all get annihilated, and you do not teach them because they are more learned than you.” The Holy Prophet (SAW) ordered Abu Bakr and Umar, when they both were seventh, to salute Ali (AS) saying AMIRUL MUMINEEN.
By my life, if it was permissible for me, O brother of Abdul Qays, to repent for Uthman, Zubayr and Talhah, when their innovations reached a stage which is obvious for us, then it would be possible for us to repent for them, but Talhah and Zubayr were both who had paid allegiance to Ali (AS) and, I bear witness, that they both willingly did it without any force. Then both of them broke the allegiance, and shaded that blood that Allah declared unlawful, in pursuance of this world and greed for kingdom. There is no sin greater, except shirk, than shedding that blood that Allah has declared unlawful, Uthman – he made the senseless people near him, and made the pious ones get far and called back and gave shelter to those whom the Holy
Prophet (SAW) had deported. He deported the friends of Allah – Abu Dhar and other good people. He circulated the wealth among the rich ones and ordered in opposition to Allah’s command. His innovations increased so immensely that they are uncountable. And more important thing that these two, is that he burnt the Book of Allah and worse than that is that he recited four units in Mina in opposition to the Holy Prophet (SAW).”
So I said: “May Allah make you good, your praying for mercy for them, and giving them merits?”
He replied: “I do this so that his evil, disobedient, forceful and tyrant friends – Hajjaj ibn Ziyad, and before him his father, hear it. Do you not know that these are those people who accuse some one of bearing enmity towards Uthman, and befriending Ali (AS) and his ahlulbayt, and they deport him and cut him to pieces, and kill him, when the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) has said: [“It is not right for one to humiliate one’s self.”]”).
I asked: “How can a Mumin humiliate his own self?” He replied: (“To confront such a difficulty that one has no strength and cannot bear it. And I have heard Ali (a.s) narrating from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) when Uthman got killed. He said: (“The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said: [“Taqayah is Allah’s religion, and he who does not practice Taqayah (dissimulation) has no religion. By God, if there was no Taqayah, then Allah would not be worshipped on earth in the rule of Iblis (shaytan)”.] So one person asked him: ((“What is meant by the rule of Iblis?”) He replied: {“When the Governor of people becomes such an Imam who is misguiding, then this is the rule of Iblis on Adam. And when the governor of people is an Imam of Guidance, then this is the Government of Adam on Iblis.”}
Then he said something to Ammar and Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr in a very low voice and I was listening. He said: {“Since the passing away of your Prophet, you people were continuously under the Government of Iblis because you all left me and followed other instead of me.”} Then he went away from people for three days, so people looked for him, and went to a small house of Bani Najjar. All said: “We discussed this matter for three days, and we did not find anyone more deserving than you for this. So we beg you, for the sake of Allah, do not let the Ummah of Muhammad (S.A.W) get destroyed, and nobody, except you, should be the Wali
(guardian) of this Amr (caliphate).” They paid allegiance to him and those who paid allegiance first of all were Talhah and Zubayr. Then both came to Basra and both said they were forced to pay allegiance. Of course, they both told a lie. After that person from MAHRA (a place) came to him and Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr was next to him. Ali (a.s) said to him and I was listening: {“O brother of Mahra, have you come to pay allegiance?”) He replied: “Yes.” He said: (“Will you pay allegiance to me on the understanding that when the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) passed away, the Amr was mine and ibn Abu Kahafa took it away from me forcefully and oppressively. Then after him Umar took it away forcefully.” He said: “Yes.” Then he paid allegiance willingly without any pressure, on this understanding.”
He (Aban) says: “I then said to Hasan: “So did everyone pay allegiance on this understanding?” He replied: “No, whoever had faith and trusted him paid allegiance like that.
O brother of Abdul Qays, if it is permissible for us to repent for Uthman, although he commited great sins that he wanted, and did bad things, then it would also be permissible for us to repent for those two also, when they two were such that they did not shed blood, and during the time of their caliphate, they both forgave and abstained from bad things. Both chose good habits and they did not oppress or do bad things like Uthman, and they did not break allegiance and shed blood for this world and government like Talhah and Zubayr, although they had both heard that the Holy Prophet (SAW) had stopped them from what they had chosed, and done, but both left the command of Allah and His Prophet when the authority and argument had already been established. They left the command of Allah and His Prophet thinking it to be less important.
O brother of Abdul Qays, if you say that Abu Bakr and Umar had heard what the Holy Prophet (SAW) had said about Ali (AS) then Uthman, Talhah and Zubayr also heard it. Even after that they did what they wanted – fought, shed blood, and those two did not do that.
You say that these two are the first ones who opened this door and paved the way, and the two instated discord and difficulties on the Ummah, by taking away what they surely knew, although they had no right over it, and Allah had declared this Amr for the other instead of them, and they had both saluted Ali (AS) saying AMIRUL MUMINEEN. They both asked the Holy Prophet (SAW), when he asked them to salute him: “Is this the command of Allah and His Prophet?” He replied: “Yes, from Allah and His Prophet.”
So there are many things. Abu Dhar told me when he mentioned that they had greeted him saying Amirul Mumineen. He (Abu Dhar), Miqdad and Salman said: ((“We have heard the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) saying: [“No Ummah will elect as their Ruler a person, when there is a person within them who is more knowledgeable than the elected one, but their affairs will deteriorate until they come back to where they had left.”]))
O brother of Abdul Qays, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Talhah and Zubayr and all the companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) had no doubt, nor disagree, and there was no dispute that Ali (a.s) was the first to accept Islam and he was more knowledgeable than all of them. He tolerated more difficulties fighting in the way of Allah and defending from enemies and saving the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) at the cost of his own life. No difficulties befell the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), no problems arose for the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) defending against bravery, conquering any fort, but Ali was always sent in forefront, trusting him and knowing his virtues. And Ali is the most knowledgeable in the Book of Allah, the tradition of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). He was most loved by the Holy Prophet, he was the trustee of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and he met the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) privately day and night. He went to him and when he asked, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) gave him, and when he kept quiet, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) himself mentioned. Ali was never dependent on anyone after the passing away of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) in knowledge and jurisprudence. They all were dependent on Ali, but Ali was never reliant on any one. He had many merits and virtues and what has been revealed for him in the Quran has not been revealed for any of the others. Ali was the most generous of them all, and was ever ready to sacrifice his life, and bravest in wars and there is no one whose habits can be like his best habits relating to abstinence in worldly matters, and relating to his efforts. In matters for which Allah specialized him was that in comparison to other he had first priority with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), so no one went forward for a good deed before him. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) did not appoint anyone leader over him. No one over went in front of him in prayer.”)
Aban says: “I said “O Abu Sa’eed, did not the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) ask Abu Bakr to lead the prayer?”
He replied: “(O Aban, where are you going? Surely, Ali (a.s) was not among those people for whom Abu Bakr was asked to lead the prayer. Surely, he was with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) looking after him, and the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) was telling him his will and he was reciting his own prayer. Then even this matter was not completed by Abu Bakr. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) came out, put Abu Bakr behind and lead the prayer. By God, I have heard Ali (a.s) saying: {“The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) in his illness opened one thousand doors of knowledge for me, and with each door a thousand doors opened.”)
Then Ali acquired the second merit that he was patient with oppressors, and when he found helpers he put the hidden meanings of Quran in front and fought just like he had fought keeping the visible meanings. He did Amr Bil Ma’aruf and Nahiy Anil Munkar and fought in the way of Allah until he acquired martyrdom, and met Allah, clean, pure and fortunate, in state of a martyr and pure. He fought against those people with whom Allah and His Apostle had commanded – i.e. those who broke allegiance, deviated and left the religion.”)
Aban says: “Hasan had said this in the beginning period of his life when Hajjaj’s rule had started and he was hiding in the house of Abu Khalifa, and he was a Shia at that time. When he got older and famous, then I heard that he said what he said concerning Ali (a.s), so I met him alone and reminded him what I had heard from him.
He said: (“You hide what i had said. I have done what i have done to save my blood. Had it not been for that, then I would be lifted be lifted by a stick (i.e. hanged)”).