“Among the faithful are men who fulfill what they have pledged to Allah. Of them are some who have fulfilled their pledge, and of them are some who still wait, and they have not changed in the least” (33:23). On the 21st night of the holy month of Ramadan, the followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and his successors experienced another great suffering after the prophet’s death. When the first Imam, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) was martyred after he received the fatal injury over his head on the 19th of Ramadan.
But what was the reason behind deep oppositions against this pious and god-fearing man and the true successor of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP)? Why would anyone intentionally decide to deprive him of his rights, spread lies against him, harm him, or take his life? Who was Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS)?
He was the first male person who heard our dear Prophet’s recitation of the revealed words of Allah on the 27th of Rajab, known as Mab’ath Day, and accepted him as the Almighty’s true last and greatest messenger wholeheartedly when he was only ten years old.
When the Prophet (PBUH&HP) gathered the Quraish tribe to announce his message of monotheism publicly, it was the young Ali (AS) who openly testified to the Oneness of God and the mission of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), when all the others remained silent and did nothing but giving blank looks. This sowed the first seeds of evil sentiments in the hearts of polytheist Arabs against the Commander of the Faithful. They would hatch any plot against the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HP) including the bid to assassinate him in Mecca.
Again, there was no one but Ali (AS) who saved his leader’s life by sleeping on his bed that very night so that the ones who had surrounded them would think that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was lying in bed; as a result, the Prophet safely left Mecca. The Arab infidels also imposed several wars upon the Prophet at Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Hunayn, and Khaybar. Thanks to the flashing blade of Imam Ali (AS), the Zu’l-Feqar, all these plots were aborted as well.
Not only did Imam Ali (AS) excel on the battlefields, but he also displayed other merits, such as knowledge, prudence, wisdom, piety, courage, and generosity. It was Ali (AS) who gave his ring as alms (Zakat) while in genuflection during the ritual prayer, which brought divine approval for the Imam as the 55th verse of Maedah chapter bears testimony:
“Your guardian is only Allah, His Apostle, and the faithful who maintain the prayer and give the zakat while bowing down.” (5:55)
The feelings of hostility towards the Most Virtuous Believer, Ali (AS), reached its climax among his enemies when on God’s express command Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) publicly proclaimed Imam Ali (AS) as his successor at the historic assembly of Ghadir Khum on 18th Dhu al-Hijjah 10 AH.
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam as your religion.” (5:3)
But Imam Ali (AS) was deprived of his true right of political leadership for a quarter of a century. In 35 AH, when Ali (AS) took up the political rule at the desperate Muslims’ insistence, he only abode by the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s teachings (Sunnah). However, for his very insistence on spreading justice and observing the true rights of each individual, his enemies, the seditions, the pledge-breakers, and the Renegades (Khawarij) declared hostility and war against him, which later on became known as The Battle of Jamal.
The renegades, just as ISIS in our time, were appeared to be devoted to God to the extent that from their long and incessant prostrations their foreheads were covered with calluses, while they were ignorant of Islam’s truth and were unable to distinguish between right and wrong.
Finally, the Supreme emblem of Justice was struck on the head on the 19th of Ramadan, the first of the three grand nights of Qadr (Laylat al-Qadr) in prayer and worship, in the Grand Mosque of Kufa by the poisoned sword of the renegade, Ibn Muljam al-Moradi.
Despite the severity of the wound, the first phrase that came to the lips of the Commander of the Faithful was: “Fuzto wa Rabb-il-Kaaba.” It means by the Lord of the Kaaba I have succeeded.
So, the pledge made to God by Imam Ali (AS) decades ago was fulfilled in the early hours of the 21st of Ramadan as his soul flew towards the ethereal heavens. After he embraced martyrdom, the poor and homeless never again saw the man who in the middle of the night, bring food and water for them.
The orphans of Kufa could not find anyone who would kindly listen to and sympathize with their pain. When he left this earthly life behind, no ruler ever came to power who could surpass him in justice and in observing the rights of all the people, rich or poor, equally. No man ever set foot on earth who, like him, was endowed with the infinite and divine knowledge of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Prophet once said “I am the city of knowledge and Ali (AS) is the gate to this city. Anyone who is willing to enter this city must first pass the gate.” Such was the man whom we lost on the second night of Qadr.
Reference:
Imam Ridha (AS) is the eighth Shiite Imam. His original name was Ali, and his father’s name was Musa (AS). He was also known the Ra’uf Imam, which means a kind-hearted person. He was born on Dhu al-Qa’da 11th 148 H (765 AC).
Imam Ridha (AS) was the successor of his father, Imam Musa al-Kazim (AS). After Imam Kazim (AS), the Shia community faced several problems:
Firstly, a new deviated branch of the Shias emerged, called “Waghifiah”. Waghfiah believed that Imam Musa al-Kazim (AS) hadn’t died and he was still alive. They said that Imam Kazim (AS) was the promised Mahdi (AS) in Occultation and he would return one day. This rumor spread among the Shias, and many of them struggled with this test, denying the Imamate of Imam Ridha (AS).
Secondly, the situation worsened due to the belief that Imam Ridha (AS) had no living son which implied he had no successor. Those who denied the Imamate of Imam Ridha (AS) considered this as a sign that he was not a legitimate Imam. This was one of the most dangerous tests the Shias faced.
Thirdly, during Imam Ridha (AS) time, the Shia population had significantly increased, and many Shias were engaging in conflicts with the contemporary Abbasid Dynasty government. Abbasid dynasty was consistently hostile towards the Shias, subjecting them to severe oppression, especially during time of Harun ar-Rashid, one of the Abbasid kings in the time of Imam Ridha (AS). To ensure the survival of the Abbasid dynasty, Ma’mun, the successor of Harun, attempted to gain favor with the Shias by falsely declaring Imam Ridha (AS) as his successor. This led many people to believe that Imam Ridha (AS) had a good relationship with the cruel Abbasid dynasty, causing them to deny his Imamate.
Imam Ridha (AS) successfully resolved all these three problems during his time as Imam.
The beliefs of the Waghifiah were actually against the hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP).
They believed that Imam Kazim (AS) was the last Shiite Imam and the promised Mahdi (AS).
However, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) had foretold that there would be twelve successors (Imams) after him:
Indeed, this religion will not end until twelve successors [of me] rise among the people. (1)
Based on this and similar hadiths, Imam Ridha (AS) refuted the beliefs of the Waghifiah.
After a while, Imam Jawad (AS), the son of Imam Ridha (AS) was born. Now people could see that Imam Ridha (AS) have a legitimate successor, and their doubts were unfounded. About Imam Javad (AS), Imam Ridha (AS) said:
No more blessed child than this boy has been born for the Shias. (2)
The birth of Imam Javad (AS) served as a proof of Imam Ridha’s (AS) Imamate.
Ma’muns’ policy concerning Imam Ridha (AS) aimed to deceive the Shias, and it did deceive some of them. However, Imam Ridha (AS) had his own strategy. Initially, he refused Ma’mun’s proposal to become his successor. Still, Ma’mun forced Imam Ridha (AS) to accept it, threatening to kill him otherwise.(3) Therefore, Imam Ridha (AS) accepted under conditions. Imam Ridha (AS) said:
I accept your proposal under the condition that I can’t command or prohibit anyone, I won’t be the Judge, I won’t appoint anyone to be a ruler or to depose one. I won’t change anything. (4)
Ma’mun accepted these conditions, but he didn’t realize that this demonstrated would Imam Ridha’s (AS) disagreement with his plan. By making this condition, accepting Ma’mun’s proposal was no different from rejecting it. After a while, Ma’mun understood that he couldn’t use Imam Ridha (AS) to deceive the Shias, so he decided to kill Imam Ridha (AS), and he did.
Imam Ridha (AS) was poisoned by Ma’mun on Safar 30th, 203 H (818 AC).
Resources
- Sahih al-Muslim, Muslim an-Neishaburi, vol.3, pg.1452
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.321
- I’lal ash-Shara’I, Sheikh Saduq, pg.238
- I’lam al-Vara, Sheikh Tabarsi, vol.2, pg.72
The word “hijab” mostly reminds people, especially the non-Muslims, of some women who wear special clothes which cover all of their body parts to hide from leer and pervert men.
Wearing hijab is indeed a way to protect women and keep them safe from different dangers that threaten them during their life in society, but it should be mentioned that it is not the only reason. In fact, wearing scarves and the like shows men that they should keep their distance and behave properly with the woman wearing it, but it’s not the only thing that Hijab denotes.
As you may know, the culture of a nation is one of the most important things that binds the members together. Beliefs, traditions, language, and even the costumes of a nation keep that nation alive and strong by preserving the identity of its people. It can be said that changing this identity will lead to catastrophic consequences for the nation. For example, if people of a nation try to get culturally more similar to the people of another nation, they gradually would start to change in thoughts and make their country an easy target to be invaded. This might happen as people of the nation do not feel enough animosity against them. Actually, people might become alienated from the cultural traditions and heritage of their country.
For the Islamic nation, the hijab is one of the most significant signs of this religion alive in the community. Imagine that every Muslim woman starts to withdraw her hijab. It will clearly change the identity of the Muslims to the non-Muslims because their clothing has got so similar to non-Muslims’ style. In this regard, Imam Sadiq (AS) says
Once Allah almighty told one of His prophets to tell the faithful people:
“DO NOT WEAR THE CLOTHES OF MY ENEMIES, and do not eat their food and do not follow their ways because in this way you turn into my enemies as well.” (1)
As you see, if the enemies of the Muslims succeed in changing Muslims’ culture and convincing them to wear, eat and live as they do, it would be so much easier to influence their way of thinking and finally submit to the enemies. Perhaps this is the reason why Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) said
The downfall of my nation’s women is the effect of two things: Gold (Jewelry) and bodycon clothing. (2)
History always gives us good lessons if we scrutinize them. Between 1954 and 1962, Algerians fought with French colonizers and tried to become independent. As you may know, the revolution of Algeria like the revolutions of France and Russia, is one of the most important revolutions in the 20th century. The French Army won the war, but the efforts of the Algerians made their country independent.
During the Algerian revolution, a French Poster was distributed with this message, “Aren’t you pretty, remove your veil.”
During wartime, French military officers’ wives unveiled some Algerian Muslim women in many ceremonies who covered their faces. This was done to show that they support their oppressed Algerian SISTERS and that they side with them.
It was the strategy of the French government to make the Algerian Muslims submit and they started by deceiving women. Frantz Fanon, one of the contributors to the post-colonial theory discusses the strategy of the French colonizers:
“If we want to destroy the structure of Algerian society and its capacity for resistance, we must first conquer the women; we must go and find them behind the veil where they hide themselves and, in the houses, where the men keep them out of sight.” (3)
The French put this idea into the Muslim women’s heads that they are oppressed by men and wearing hijab, while surprisingly, the French can save them. This was all a plan to weaken the Islamic society so that they would accept the false civilization of the French colonizers and submit to them. As you see, the change of thoughts and cultures can destroy a nation forever.
The enemies of Muslims always try to convince Muslim women that wearing a hijab prevents them from being fruitful and becoming active members of society. They hypocritically say to Muslim women that they are so talented and yet oppressed and confined by the tough laws and traditions of Islam, especially the hijab. It could be observed that they are pursuing the old strategy they implemented in their colonized countries.
The best way to resist their cultural invasion is for Muslim women to prove them wrong by being active just like a standard Muslim woman in society and by progressing in different fields while they accomplish their Islamic duties, as well.
Resources
- Man la Yahzurohu al-Faqih, Sheikh Saduq, vol.1, pg.252
- Irshad al-Qulub, Hassan ibn Muhammad ad-Dailami, vol.1, pg.346
- https://www.amaliah.com/post/61394/ibrahim-frantz-fanon-french-muslim-women-colonial-reign