The heretical cult of Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz

The heretical cult of Wahhabism, which was created by the British over two centuries ago in the Arabian Peninsula to divide Muslim ranks, and which is currently the root cause of all acts of terrorism in Muslim countries and the world.
Today, the country called Saudi Arabia, which is named after a tribal family and was created by the British in 1932, serves as the base of Wahhabism, and has led to the sprouting of such terrorist Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis outfits as al-Qa’eda, Taleban, Sepah-e Sahaba, Jubhat an-Nusra, Lashkar Jhangavi, and like minded groups that wantonly shed Muslim blood, and call themself Takfiri Salafis. A look, however, at the history of Islam shows that these Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis outfits are neither the followers of Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) nor do they adhere to the path of the righteous companions of the Holy Prophet (SAWA). In fact, these outfits, as is clear by their barbaric ways, follow the pagan pre-Islamic Arabs, who were notorious for their inhuman savagery, even though most of them became Muslims reluctantly, but never followed the letter and spirit of the holy Qur’an. Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) spared no efforts for guiding the people and forewarned of the dangers ahead with his God-given knowledge and insight. He stressed the unity of the Ummah, and on the commandment of God Almighty told his companions as well as Muslims for all generations to come, to adhere to the Saqalayn, that is, the Book of God, the holy Qur’an, and his progeny the Immaculate Ahl al-Bayt. He made it clear that the Muslims will never go astray as long as they hold fast to the Saqalayn. In this regard, God says in ayah 105 of Surah Aal-e Imran of the holy Qur’an: “Do not be like those who became divided [into sects] and differed after manifest signs had come to them”
God has decreed laws and regulations for mankind to enable them to strive towards perfection through unity and solidarity. The Creator has forbidden oppression and aggression. The Messenger of Mercy, who was sent to complete the best morals, said in a sermon during his last Hajj pilgrimage: Try to understand the teachings of Islam, and after me, do not treat each other like the infidels or behead each other. Sadly, the words of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) have been ignored as is evident by the treatment of all Muslims like infidels, by the Wahhabi cult that treats fellow Muslims like infidels, and mercilessly behead both Shi’ite Muslims and Sunnis.
The great Iranian scholar and Source of Emulation Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani has for years done extensive research on the nonsensical cultist ideas of the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis, writing books and articles to refute their claims. Recently, a prominent religious personality, in an article, raised some basic questions on the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis, their ideas, and their attitude towards Islam, but the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis failed to answer these questions concerning their weird believes. The first question and criticism of Ayatollah Sobhani is regarding their claim to follow the Sahaba or companions of the Holy Prophet, and the Tabe’een or the second generation of Muslims that had not seen the Holy Prophet but had seen the Sahaba and followed them, as well as the Tab-e Tabe’een or the third generation of Muslims that had neither seen the Holy Prophet nor the Sahaba, but had kept company with the Tabe’een. They attribute a statement to the Holy Prophet saying: The best people are those who belong to my times, followed by the people who come after them, and then those that come after this second group. The Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis wrongfully consider these three periods to which the Prophet allegedly referred is equal to three centuries.
Ayatollah Sobhani says: how can one consider the first century of Hijra as the most purely Islamic century, when the fact of the matter is that most of the innovations that cropped up after the passing away of the Holy Prophet could be traced to this very century? He also pointed out that deviant groups such as the Khwarej, the Murji’a, the Mu’tazila and other sects emerged late in the first century and early in the second century. The Holy Qur’an is the best reference in this regard. It is interesting to note that in the Holy Qur’an, the word “qarn” occurs seven times but it does mean a century or hundred years as alleged. In Arabic terminology, qarn also refers to a generation. Another criticism of Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis beliefs is that how can one consider the words and deeds of Sahaba, the Tabe’een and the Tab-e Tabe’een as the criterion for virtue and vice, while all these people had different behaviors and frequently contradicted the words and deeds of each other, in addition to their paradoxical statements.
For instance, during the signing of the Peace Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) on the objection of the pagan Arabs of Mecca that the word “Prophet of God” should be removed agreed erase it, a wave of differences broke out among his Sahaba. A group of them termed the peace treaty as a sign of humiliation, thus tacitly admitting their lack of belief in the Prophet of God. Thus, in view of this glaring objection and almost behavior of apostasy by a group of Sahaba, how could we consider the ways and practices of the Sahaba and the Tabe’een as a criterion for understanding the holy Qur’an and Sunnah? History also bears testimony that the caliphate was founded on the base of divisions and discord among the Holy Prophet’s companions. So what answers do the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis have in this regard.
The third question which Ayatollah Sobhani posed was the attitude of the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis towards the Prophet’s Ahl ul-Bayt, in view of the fact that the Holy Prophet explicitly told Muslims in the famous Hadith Saqalayn that his progeny was on par with God’s Revealed Word, the holy Qur’an. So why shouldn’t the Ahl ul-Bayt, whose pristine purity is beyond an iota of doubt, as is evident by ayah 33 of Surah Ahzab, be followed by all Muslims?
Ayatollah Sobhani added: Why do the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis ignore all these statements of the Prophet about his daughter Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA), whose impeccability is beyond any doubt? Why do the Salafis not follow the Immaculate Ahl al-Bayt, whom Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) had likened to the Ark of Salvation of Prophet Noah?
Thus the most important criticism of Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis cultist ideas is that their beliefs are actually the ideas of Mohammad bin Abdul-Wahhab and Ibn Taimiyyah, rather than that of the Holy Prophet. They also attach more importance to the Sahaba rather to the Prophethood.
Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis are thus a cult far removed from the worthy teachings of Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). This distorted cult has brought nothing for Muslims except discord and violation.

Agenda of Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis
The heretical cult of Wahhabism, which was created by the British over two centuries ago in the Arabian Peninsula to divide Muslim ranks, and which is currently the root cause of all acts of terrorism in Muslim countries and the world.
According to a hadith, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) has said that it is the duty of ulema to confront “bid’ah” or innovation in matters of religion. After the passing away of the Holy Prophet his righteous companions rallied behind his divinely-designated successor, Imam Ali (AS), to confront attempts at innovation in religious matters that were against the spirit and letter of the holy Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah. The same trend continued in the subsequent generations, and whenever the self-styled caliphs resorted to distortion, the Infallible Imams and their disciples, held aloft the torch of genuine Islamic teachings.
In fact, in every age and era, the conscientious ulema have striven to confront any attempt at innovations, which unfortunately did creep in. In the 13th century Syrian scholar, Ibn Taimiyyah, was so confused in properly identifying these innovations that he himself indulged in an unpardonable “bid’ah” by considering the visit to the holy shrine of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) as innovation. Ibn Taimiyya was strongly criticized by his contemporary Sunni Ulama for coining a dangerous “bid’ah” by pretending to confront innovations. He gave rise to another dangerous “bid’ah” by not just coining the word “Salaf” to refer to the Prophet’s companions, the “Sahaba”, their followers in the next generation the “Tabe’een”, and the followers of their followers in the third generation, the “Tab-e Tabe’een”, but he considered them correct models for all Muslims, in spite of the fact that they included oppressors, deviationists, and enemies of the Holy Prophet’s family, the Ahl al-Bayt. Ibn Taimiyya was imprisoned for long periods on charges of heresy and many of his students left him for his weird innovations.
Some five centuries later, the British cleverly used Shaykh Mohammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab of Najd in Arabia to propagate, with the support of the Aal-e Saud clan of desert brigands, the weird innovations of Ibn Taimiyya to launch a new deviated cult called Wahhabism, which today is sponsoring Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis terrorists all over the Muslim world. The false Wahhabi Takfiri Salafi ideology is opposed by both Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims. Iran’s prominent Islamic scholar and researcher, Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani has raised certain questions concerning the claim of the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis to be reformers or puritans. He asks them as to who are the pious Salaf when they cannot present any criteria to distinguish the pious from the impious, since among the first three generations of Muslims, that is, the “Sahaba”, the “Tabe’een” and “Tab-e Tabe’een”, there were many whose claim to be Muslim is under a big question mark.
Ayatollah Sobhani asks whether the Godless Omayyud rulers who shed the blood of the Holy Prophet\'s household and thousands of innocent people, could be considered pious Salaf? And what about the bloodthirsty Abbasid caliphs that followed, could also be considered models of emulation? The Wahhabi Takfiri Salafi cult leaders leave these important questions unanswered and do not permit their followers to conduct research and analyze irrefutable historical events.
Ayatollah Sobhani refers to another important point and says: If the Salafis regard the deeds and words of all “Sahaba” and “Tabe’een” as criteria and consider all of them pious Salaf, how could they justify or condemn the killing of the third caliph, Othman Ibn Affan by a group of “Sahaba” and “Tabe’een”?
The point to note is that Othman, who was a senior companion of the Holy Prophet, was reviled by other senior companions of the Prophet because of his rule, and was even called apostate by Ayesha, the daughter of the first caliph and one of the wives of the Holy Prophet. So why do the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis keep silent on all these irrefutable facts of Islamic history by blindly claiming that the first three generations of Muslims are the role model for all?
In answer to these questions, they simply tell their cult followers not to talk about the events of that time. In other words, they take their religion from the “Sahaba” and the “Tabe’een”, but keep silent about their evil behaviors and follow their false deeds. This comes as the holy Qur’an has explicitly called for thinking, pondering and contemplation in all matter, so as to learn lessons from the fate of predecessors and what transpired in history, in order to distinguish between right and wrong.
Islam is not a religion of rigid customs of the past, but at the same time, it does not permit innovations on the basis of “qiyas”, analogy or guesswork to which some of the jurisprudents of the past resorted, because of their inability to learn the genuine principles of Islam from the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. Thus what makes Islam dynamic are the injunctions of the learned and pious mujtaheds, whose reasoning on the basis of the Word of God, that is the holy Qur’an, and the practice and behaviour of the Holy Prophet, prevents innovations and at the same time preserves the pure originality of the faith. The Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis do not believe in the traditional Sunni jurisprudence schools of Hanafi, Hanbali, Shafaee and Maliki and they insist on their false views of the alleged right conduct of the Salaf in all issues. This is in fact a pagan outlook, unrelated to Islam, but connected to the customs of the Arabs of Jahiliyya, which the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis follow and which has deprived them of reason and scientific progresses.
Ayatollah Sobhani asks the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis: How can one suffice to the opinion of Salaf while there are thousands of issues of the modern world that ought to be reasonably and satisfactory resolved on the basis of the Qur’an and the Hadith. It is noteworthy that the narrow-minded cultist scholars of the Wahhabi Takfiri Salafis have even considered the use of cell phone to be haram.

Part of instructions to his marshal

Part of instructions to his marshal when
Imam Ali (a) sent him to a battle.

"When you approach an enemy or when he approaches you, make it a point to keep your army on a hilltop or at the foot of a mountain or on the side of a river so that you easily watch the movements of your enemy. Do not involve the whole army in the encounter, allow only a few units to take part in the engagements. If your army is not on a hilltop then post your scouts and guards on high vantage points and along the line of fortification so that the enemy may not take you unawares.
Remember that the commanders of an army are its guardians and the eyes of these commanders are the scouts.
Try to avoid dissensions and do not cause superiority or inferiority complexes to take root among your officers and in your ranks. Wherever and whenever you camp, make it a point that all of your officers and soldiers camp in the same locality and are provided with the same comforts and conveniences and whenever you march, always march in company formation. If you want to rest during the night draw a circular formation of your lancers round your army and do not let sound sleep overpower you."

Brief Life Account of the founder of the heretical cult \'Wahhabism\'

The sons and grandsons of the Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab are still living in the Arabia, some of whom are known by the family name, “Al ash-Shaykh”. The children of Muhammad Al as-Sa\'ud holding the reins of government in Arabia are known as “al Sa\'ud”. The country had been known before as “Hijaz Muqaddas (Holy Hijaz)”, but it was changed into the “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” {al-Mamlakah al-\'Arabiyyah Sa\'udiyyah} during the reign of King \'Abd al-\'Aziz.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn \'Abd al-Wahhab came from the region of Najd who was born in 1114 AH in one of the cities of Najd named as ”\'Ayniyyah”. His father, Shaykh \'Abd al-Wahhab, was a scholar {\'alim} and the judge {qadi} of that region. As such, the creed of Shaykh Muhammad had been ascribed to his father. After learning the basics of religion from his father, Shaykh Muhammad went to Medina and learned from the \'ulama\' of that region.
Due to his personal interpretations of some issues regarding belief and his opposition to the \'ulama\' of Medina, he was expelled from the city. He then went to Iraq where he stayed in Basrah. In that city he got acquainted with a person named Shaykh Muhammad Majmu\'i and adopted his ideas. Finally, the two believed in a certain creed.
The other \'ulama\' of Basrah and the Muslims of the region including Sunni and Shia had opposed him and ousted him from Basrah.
When Shaykh Muhammad was driven out of Basrah, he proceeded to Damascus, which had a pleasant climate, but because of his unusual belief and difficulties in life he was unable to remain there. Since he could not return to Medina or Mecca, he went back to the Najd of his father, Shaykh \'Abd al-Wahhab, who was then still the \'alim of the region.
The Shaykh had a brother named Shaykh Sulayman ibn \'Abd al-Wahhab who was at loggerheads with him in terms of belief. His brother was the first person to write a book refuting the false and heretical cult doctrines of Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab. His father also opposed him and sided with Shaykh Sulayman. In addition to the opposition of his father and brother, he also faced the opposition of \'ulama\' in Najd, and this dispute continued until the death of his father.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab after the death of his father
After the death of his father, Shaykh Muhammad enjoyed great freedom in Najd in propagating his doctrines and views. As such, he went to other places and become acquainted with \'Uthman ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad, who was then the emir of \'Ayniyyah, and married his daughter Jawharah. Although it is said that the people there accepted some of his beliefs, because he went to extremes in opposing their customs, they expelled him from the region. For instance, he had ordered the destruction of a dome belonging to Zayd ibn al-Khattab, brother of Second Caliph \'Umar ibn al-Khattab.
In sum, on account of his peculiar doctrines, among which was his disregard for the leaders of the Ahl as-Sunnah, the Shaykh lost his esteem in the people\'s sight and earned their wrath. From there he went to the region of Dar\'iyyah.
Nowadays, pilgrims—Iranian and non-Iranian—can still see the relics related to the rule of Ottoman Caliphate in Hijaz such as the holy shrine of the Holy Prophet (s) and the graves surrounding it, the lanterns of Masjid an-Nabi, and the inscriptions on that sacred mosque.

The children and students of Shaykh Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab
Shaykh Muhammad had a number of sons and daughters and married one of his daughters to Muhammad ibn Sa\'ud, the tribal chief. His sons, Husayn, \'Abd Allah and Ibrahim, became judges after their father. Even now, his sons, one after another, hold religious positions in Saudi Arabia.
During his lifetime, apart from training students, the Shaykh wrote some books which nowadays have caught the attention of \'ulama\' and students of the region. These books are as follows:
1. Kitab at-Tawhid; a collection of his doctrines;
2. Kitab Kashf ash-Shubahat, which is written in defense of his doctrines vis-à-vis Sunni \'ulama\';
3. The merits and issues of some stories in the Qur\'an;
4. Kitab al-Kaba\'ir, which has been written about the major sins;
5. Masa\'il al-Jahiliyyah, in which he compares the pre-Islamic period of ignorance of Arabia with his own time;
6. Fawa\'id as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah, which is well-known as Sirat ar-Rasul. This book examines the entire course of the lives of some Companions of the Prophet (s), his battles and the prevalent beliefs during that time;
7. Ikhtisar ash-Sharh al-Kabir; and
8. Adab al-Mashyi ila\'s-Salah (These two books have been written about issues related to jurisprudence and the branches of religion).
These books are still available at the present.

The Death of Shaykh Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab
After engaging in religious and political debates with ulama of the Ahl as-Sunnah, successive travels to a number of cities in the Muslim world, and enduring the wrath and anger of the \'ulama\' of the Ahl as-Sunnah, Shaykh Muhammad was able to find his own supporters and votaries, who are nowadays known as the Wahhabbis.
According to historical sources which have been written in his praise and appreciation and also negating the deviant nature of his doctrines, the Shaykh passed away in 1206 AH at the age of 92 in Dar\'iyyah.
In short, after the death of the Shaykh, his heretical cult beliefs and views were promoted and propagated with the support and blessing of British Empire and their domestic political brokers in the Muslim world and Wahhabism is the official religion of the ruling tribal monarchy of Al-Saud Family. The Wahhabis with the help of petrodollars are spreading this innovative deviating false creed in the various countries in Europe, America and Asia by building mosques and libraries, printing copies of the Holy Qur\'an, dispatching religious missionaries, and the like.
This heretical cult previously supported by British Empire and now by USA is called Wahhabism derived from the name of the Shaykh\'s father. Although the Shaykh Abdul Wahhab was a follower of the Hanbali school of thought. Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab regarded himself as free to think, choose and formulate his own innovative beliefs pertaining to religion. Since he considered himself an initiator of a new set of heretical cult beliefs, he expressed his beliefs in the following points:
1. He treated all Muslims as infidels (Kafir) and polytheists (Mushrik) while thinking of himself as the only true Muslim;
2. He declared visiting the graves and constructing domes and courtyards around the cemetery of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his Companions and his descendants as unlawful {haram};
3. He regarded making vows, requests and offering sacrificial animals beside the shrine of saints {awliya\'} as unlawful;
4. He used to reckon as haram entreating {istighathah} and resorting to the inter mediation {tawassul} of the saints of God;
5. He considered it obligatory to wage jihad against those Muslims who opposed his innovative creed, saying: “Wage war against the Muslims who are infidels and polytheists.
This is the summary of the life account and beliefs of Shaykh Muhammad ibn \'Abd al-Wahhab as taken from Kitab At-Tawhid written by him.

To whom was Shaykh Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab indebted
During the period of his stay in Mecca and Medina, Shaykh Muhammad came across books that had a role in the formation of his thought. Among them are the books of Ibn Taymiyyah. Contrary to other \'ulama\' of the Ahl as-Sunnah, Ibn Taymiyyah expressed new beliefs and opinions which can be extracted from his books on jurisprudence and history.
Ibn Taymiyyah lived during the 8th century AH. Ibn Taymiyyah believed in anthropomorphism concerning God maintaining that God has a hand, foot, eye, tongue and mouth, and occupies a space! In order to prove his case, he resorted to the literal text of Qur\'anic verses, maintaining that God is sitting on a throne in heaven.
Ibn Taymiyyah is the epithet and title of Abu\'l-\'Abbas Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn \'Abd al-Halim. He was born in the territory of Harran in present-day Turkey. He then migrated with his father to Damascus, Syria, and there he acquired learning in religion and jurisprudence. In many ideological and intellectual issues, he held extreme and radical views.
In addition to his anthropomorphic beliefs concerning God, he prohibited visitation of the graves and seeking the intermediation {tawassul} of the Prophet (s) while deeming it permissible to abuse Imam \'Ali ibn Abi Talib (\'a). On issues in jurisprudence, he opposed the predecessors of the four Sunni schools. From the above points, it can be understood that the Shaykh Muhammad ibn \'Abd al-Wahhab was not the first person to have expressed such beliefs, for individuals such as Ibn Taymiyyah had advanced similar ideas prior to him.
Like Shaykh Muhammad, Ibn Taymiyyah earned the wrath and stern criticism of the Sunni \'ulama\' of his time and for a time he was exiled to Egypt. But through the help of the government of the time, he returned to Damascus. During the last period of his life, he was imprisoned for his opposition to the Sunni \'ulama\' of Damascus and finally expired in the prison of Damascus and was buried there.

The British agent, Ibn Sa‘ud
In the territory of Dar\'iyyah in the region of Najd, which is a mountainous territory, a person named Muhammad ibn Sa\'ud who was a British paid agent assumed the chieftainship of his tribe. Shaykh Muhammad ibn \'Abd al-Wahhab became acquainted with Ibn Sa\'ud, the British agent and relayed to him his new doctrines, and Ibn Sa\'ud in turn accepted them with the help and mediation of the agents and spies of the British Empire who wanted to create dissention in the Ottoman Caliphate because Najd was part of the Ottoman Caliphate. They agreed together to set up a heretical cult Wahhabi government in Najd where religious and judicial affairs, issues concerning propagation, and the leadership of the Friday prayers would be assumed by the Shaykh Muhammad ibn \'Abd al-Wahhab while the political, social, military, and security affairs would be under Ibn Sa\'ud.
The government in Hijaz and Najd like many Muslim countries, was under Ottoman Caliphate whose capital was present-day Turkey. With Al Sa\'ud\'s ascension to power, Najd seceded from Ottoman Caliphate with financial and military help of British Empire and in the course of time, it fell under the complete control of the British rule. But the army of the Ottoman Caliphate destroyed the town of Dar\'iyyah and arrested Muhammad ibn Sa\'ud, who was taken as a captive to Istanbul, capital of Ottoman Caliphate and was hanged on the orders of the Grand Sunni Ulama of Ottoman Caliphate in the public square in Istanbul before the general public after the Friday prayers.
After World War I, the British Empire and France divided the Ottoman caliphate between themselves and the British brought into power Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, the grandson of Muhammad ibn Sa\'ud as the King of Najd. Abdul Aziz ibn Saud and the surviving family members of Muhammad ibn Sa\'ud were kept under the protection of the British Empire and after the fall of Ottoman Caliphate Abdul Aziz ibn Saud with the help of British army captured Hijaz and in 1932 established the Kingdom of the family of Saud in Holy Hijaz and changed its name as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with heretical cult \'Wahhabism\' as their official religion. Since then till today the rulers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia fully implemented the agenda of the British Empire and are now under the full command of USA and their Zionists masters.

To Mu'awiya (4)

A letter to Mu'awiya, on receiving letters from him based on hypocritical advice and false accusations.

"After praising Allah and invoking His Blessings and Peace on the Holy Prophet (s), I write to inform you that I am in receipt of many of your letters which appear to consist of various pieces of advice to me. You have very cunningly tried to couch them in flowery words and phrases. You have done this because of your natural evil-mindedness and because of the envy, enmity and malice you bear against me.
(These kinds of letters show that they have been written from a person who has no inner-light and no benevolent guide to show him the true path. Avarice, self-aggrandizement and lust of power prompted him to do so and he jumped at the suggestion. It is a letter from a person, whom selfishness has led astray and who has lost his sense of proportion and therefore, it contains no sense and no real worth. Some commentators consider the following passage as a part of the letter above.)
Remember that the allegiance and fidelity sworn to me is such that it does not require reconsideration on the part of those who have sworn it nor are they at liberty (from a religious point of view) to go back upon it. Therefore, those who belittle it, scoff at it, or go back upon it are hypocrites and traitors."

Turning Points in the History of Iran

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
“Ad-Da’i as-Sagheer”, the Alawid Emir of Tabaristan
On 27th of the Islamic month of Zil-Qa’dah in 900 AD, the Alawid Emir of Tabaristan, Mohammad Ibn Zayd, known as “ad-Da’i as-Sagheer” (the Younger Missionary), attained martyrdom, a day after he was mortally wounded in battle near Gorgan, while defending his realm of the Caspian Sea coast of Iran against the Samanid invaders.
He was 6th in line of descent from Imam Hasan Mojtaba (AS), the elder grandson and 2nd Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). The Samanid army decapitated his corpse and took his head to Bukhara, while the body was buried at the gate of Gorgan and soon became a centre of pilgrimage.
His death ended the 36-year rule of the First Alawid state established in what are now the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan by his elder brother Hassan Ibn Zayd, known as “ad-Da’i al-Kabeer” (the Elder Missionary), who was invited by the people of northern Iran to lead them against the Abbasid regime. Mohammad, who ruled for 16 years, had served as governor and commander during the 20-year rule of his elder brother when the Alawid realm was constantly invaded by the Abbasids and their local agents.
A cultured figure, who appreciated good poetry and composed poems of his own, his welfare policies increased popularity of his rule amongst the Iranians, whom he enlightened with the teachings of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. He rebuilt the holy shrines of Najaf and Karbala – of Imam Ali (AS) and Imam Husain (AS) – that were destroyed some forty years earlier by the Godless Abbasid tyrant Mutawakkel.
In 914 AD, the Alawid state of Tabaristan was revived by Seyyed Hassan al-Utrush (5th in line of descent from Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS), the Prophet’s 4th Infallible Heir), who inflicted a crushing defeat upon the Samanid occupiers at Burdidah on the River Burroud, west of Chalous. He had survived Mohammad Ibn Zayd’s defeat and martyrdom in the Battle of Gorgan 14 years earlier. Although he passed away three years later in 917, the Alawid State lasted till 931 AD.

\"Majma\' al-Bayan\", the monumental exegesis of the Holy Qur’an
On 10th of the Islamic month of Zil-Hijjah in 548 AH, the prominent Iranian scholar, Amin od-Din Abu Ali Fazl bin Hassan Tabarsi, passed away in the city of Sabzevar, Khorasan, where he had settled in the last years of his life to complete his monumental exegesis of the holy Qur’an, titled \"Majma\' al-Bayan\". His body was taken to the holy city of Mashhad for burial near the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Infallible Successor of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).
In the preface to this work, he gives the reasons for his writing it and for his choice of title. He also describes the methodology used in his exegesis on every ayah of the holy Qur’an. He divides his exegesis on every passage into five sections: introductory discourse, reading guide, language discourse, revelation and circumstances surrounding it, and meaning.
When a passage relates to a theological, jurisprudential or philosophical issue, he gives the views of all sides, whether Sunni or Shi’ite, and then his own judgement. The originality of his exegesis is that he gives the readers an opportunity to see the varying opinions on different issues mentioned in the Qur\'an before discussing these views and declaring his own stand. “Majma’ al-Bayan” covers historical facts, as well as the opinions of philologists, traditionists, exegetes, and poets. Tabarsi’s exegesis focuses on many theological issues, including the divinely-decreed Imamate of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), the infallibility of the Imams, God\'s Justice, etc.
He also discusses the issue of Imam Mahdi (AS), his advent in the end times, the purpose of his coming and his global rule. Tabarsi\'s son and grandson were also noted scholars and author of books.

Mohaqqeq Karaki, the Great Jurispudent during Shah Tahmasp Safavi\'s reign
On 12th of the Islamic month of Zil-Hijjah in 940 AH, the great religious scholar, Shaikh Ali ibn Abdul-Aal al-Ameli, known as Mohaqqeq Karaki, passed away. He was born in the Jabal Amel region of Lebanon, where after completing studies, he moved to the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf in Iraq for higher studies.
He was invited to Iran for his wisdom and erudite knowledge, and handed over affairs of state by Shah Tahmasp Safavi. He, however, declined to assume direct political authority and asked the Shah to carry on state affairs as his representative, while he himself handled all jurisprudential and theological matters.
He established seminaries in the then Iranian capital, Qazvin, and other cities of Iran, earning the title of Mohaqqeq, which means authoritative researcher. He groomed many great scholars both in Iran and his homeland Lebanon, including the celebrated Zain ad-Din al-Ameli, who was persecuted and cruelly killed, thereby earning the title of Shaheed Thani (Second Martyr). Mohaqqeq Karaki played a leading role in enlightening Iranians with the legacy of the Prophet\'s Ahl al-Bayt, and wrote several books that are taught to this day, including “Jame\' al-Maqased”, and “Resala-e Edalat”.

Shah Abbas I the great ruler of Safavid dynasty in Iran
On October 1, 1587 AD, Shah Abbas I was crowned the 5th Safavid Emperor of Iran at the age of 16 years in Qazvin by a faction of the powerful Qizilbash guards led by Murshid Qoli Khan who deposed his father, the weak-willed and almost blind Mohammad Khodabandah after a reign of 9 years.
He became ruler during troubled times, when discord was rife between factions of the Qizilbash army that had earlier killed his elder brother Hamza Mirza and mother Queen Khair un-Nisa Begum. Meanwhile, the Ottomans and the Uzbeks, exploiting the political chaos, had seized Iranian territory in the west and northeast respectively. Abbas soon reduced the influence of the Qizilbash in the administrative and military affairs, executed the killers of his mother and brother, and reformed the army, enabling him to fight the Ottomans and Uzbeks and retake Iran\'s lost provinces.
He decisively defeated the Ottomans in several battles in the Caucasus, in Anatolia and in Iraq, where he rebuilt on a grand scale the shrines of the Infallible Imams in Najaf, Karbala, and Kazemain. He drove back the Uzbeks from Khorasan and rebuilt the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).
During his 42-year reign, he also liberated Iranian territories from the Portuguese invaders in the Persian Gulf and from the Mughals of India in what is now Afghanistan. Shah Abbas I was a great builder and moved his capital to Isfahan, which he adorned with beautiful mosques, palaces, bazaars, caravanserais, gardens, and the famous Naqsh-e Jahan Square, to the extent that Isfahan came to be known as Nisf-e Jahan (Half the World).
He patronized poets and painters, resulting in the birth of the Isfahan School that created some of the finest arts in Iranian history. He respected religious figures, and during his era some of the greatest ulema and philosophers, such as Shaikh Baha od-Din Ameli, Mir Baqer Damad and Mullah Sadra Shirazi flourished.
Shah Abbas also promoted commerce, trade and diplomacy, establishing relations with European powers to keep the Ottomans in check, and strengthening ties with the Shi\'ite Muslim sultanates of Haiderabad-Deccan and Bijapur in Southern India, where the name of the Safavid Emperor was recited in the Friday Prayer sermons. At the same time he maintained friendly relations with the Mughal Emperor Jahangir of Northern India.

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The Islamic Legacy of Timbuktu

By: Tahir Shah

The Caravan of Sultan Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali Empire, snaked its way through the scorching heat of the central Sahara on its long return from the 1324 pilgrimage to Makkah. Eight thousand soldiers, courtiers and servants - some say as many as 60,000 - drove 15,000 camels laden with gold, perfume, salt and stores of food in a procession of unrivaled size.
Their destination was, first, the newly conquered city of Gao, on the Niger River. From there, they turned toward another metropolis just added to the Mali Empire, one surrounded by unrelenting dunes, a fabled oasis city on which Mansa Musa had longed to make his mark: Timbuktu. Thirsty and flagging under the searing sun, the caravan entered Timbuktu's ochre walls in the year 1325.
No word in English connotes remoteness more than Timbuktu. Thanks to the astonishing wealth that Mansa Musa had displayed on his visits to Cairo and Makkah, it also connoted riches. For eight centuries, Timbuktu captured the imaginations of both East and West, albeit for very different reasons. In 1620, the English explorer Richard Jobson wrote:
The most flattering reports had reached Europe of the gold trade carried on at Timbuktu. The roofs of its houses were represented to be covered with plates of gold, the bottoms of the rivers to glisten with the precious metals, and the mountains had only to be excavated to yield a profusion of the metallic treasure.
Other reports said that rosewater flowed in the city's fountains and that the sultan showered each visitor with priceless gifts. Europe's greatest explorers set out to risk their lives in search of the riches of Timbuktu. Exploration and travel societies sponsored competitions, with prize for the man who reached there by the most difficult route. In fact, most European travelers perished before they ever saw the city rise above the desert horizon, and those who did get there found that the tales they had heard had missed the point.
Muslim travelers - Most notably Ibn Battuta and Hasan al-Wazan, also called Leo Africanus - were no less eager to visit the city, but for them and a host of rulers, dignitaries and scholars from Morocco to Persia, the remote city held riches of another sort: Timbuktu was the starting point for African pilgrims going on the Hajj, and a center of some of the finest - and most generously available - Islamic scholarship of the Middle Ages.
Located in today's Mali, Some 12 kilometers (eight miles) north of the Niger flood-plain along the southern edge of the Sahara, Timbuktu today is little more than a sleepy, sweltering stop on the adventure-tourism trail. Most visitors fly in and out in a single afternoon; the city's days as a caravanserai and desert entrepot are long past.
A more purposeful visit, however, has its rewards. There is much to see as one strolls about the stark streets, lingers, looks beyond the soft-drink stalls and engages in casual conversation here and there. Although Timbuktu has been conquered many times by many powers, absorbed into one empire after another, none ever sacked or looted it. As a result, traces of its Islamic legacy appear at almost every turn. Qur'anic inscriptions decorate doorways. The tombs of hundreds of famous scholars and revered teachers dot the town - some unremembered, some within the knowledge of local guides. Most noticeably, a handful of fabulous mosques reel upward into the brilliant African sky and constitute the anchor points of the city's plan.
Set on the Islamic world's southwestern edge, Timbuktu was the product of an eclectic mixture of West African and Arab influences that found in Islam a common denominator. Its peoples often saw themselves as the faithful pitted against the pagans lurking beyond the city's walls. Tuareg, Fulani, Berbers, Soninke and Songhoi lived side by side, in peace, bound together by their belief in God [Allah], their acceptance of the Qur'an, and their familiarity with Arabic.
Because the city lay on the periphery of the kingdoms that ruled it - and was left to its own devices by most of them - the community of Timbuktu was forced through isolation to look inward. This introspective attitude influenced all aspects of Timbuktu's society, and nowhere did this become more apparent than in its pious pursuits.
Barely two centuries after being founded as a small Tuareg settlement around 1100, Timbuktu had earned its reputation as the most important Islamic center in West Africa. Its quiet rise to high regard - against enormous odds of geography and climate - is remarkable. Equally astonishing is that Timbuktu also prospered economically, seemingly beyond reason, as if to spite the adversity of its surroundings.
At its height during the mid-16th century, the city had a population of about 60,000. A prime caravan stop and center of manufacturing, it dominated West Africa in trade and exports. Al-Wazan wrote that:
the rich king of Tombuto...keeps a magnificent and well furnished court. The coin of Tombuto is gold.... There is a most stately temple [mosque] to be seen, the walls of which are made of mortared stone; and a princely palace also built by a most excellent workman of Granada. Here are many shops of craftsmen and merchants, and especially of such as weave linen and cotton cloth.
Though undergirded by its economic success, Timbuktu's key role was cultural, as a crucible of learning. The difficulty of the journey to or from Timbuktu induced pilgrims and traders alike, once they got there, to spend months, even years, in the city before moving on...
A rich account of Timbuktu's history and Islamic heritage has come to us through a series of chronicles, known as tarikhs, written from the mid-17th through the mid-l8th centuries. These texts - some plain and undeviating, others embroidered with ornate rhetoric - help us slip into the world of Timbuktu in the Middle Ages. Here we learn of its great mosques, of its ruling families, of the eminent schools of literature and learning, and of its "golden age."
Of these chronicles, none is more detailed or intricate than the Tarikh al-Sudan, or History of the Sudan. Written in 1653 by the city's most eminent scholar, 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi, the Tarikh traces the history and society of Timbuktu from its founding until the time of writing. Al-Sadi's work is so reliable, and his descriptions so exact, that 250 years after it was written the French journalist Felix Dubois used it as his guidebook. "The author displays an unusual conscientiousness, never hesitating to give both versions of a doubtful event," wrote Dubois in 1897.
The two major tarikhs that followed al-Sadi's were essentially less ambitious updates. The first, Mahmoud Kati's Tarikh al-Fattash, supplements al-Sadi's work up to the early 18th century. Kati lacks the astute insight of his predecessor, but his book does contain important information on the legal and administrative heritage of Timbuktu. The anonymous Tadhkirat al-Nisyan, or 'A Reminder to the Oblivious,' is similarly thin in detail, and it in turn brings the history up through the mid-l8th century. The two latter chronicles frequently lapse into nostalgia and lament the decline of Timbuktu's fortunes.
Since its earliest beginnings, when the Tuareg would move down to the plateau each summer from the pastures of Arawan, Timbuktu has been dominated by its mosques. It is to them that the old city, with its triangular layout, owes its specific quarters - each with its unique character. Built literally of the desert itself, the adobe mosques of Timbuktu became famous throughout the Islamic world. They towered high above the sandy streets and afforded the city an impressive skyline.
The northern quarter, at the apex of the triangular city, takes its name from the Sankore Mosque. A great, tawny, pyramidal structure laced with protruding wooden support beams, the Sankore Mosque was the bastion of learning in Timbuktu. Its imams were regarded with unequaled respect; its school attracted the noble and the rich as students. Indeed, mentors and scholars alike are said to have flocked to Sankore's jam'iyyah, or university, from as far afield as the Arabian Peninsula. Here, surrounded by the Sahara's windswept dunes, students could concentrate their minds as nowhere else. And, as Timbuktu's fame grew in the Islamic world, Sankore became the most important center of Islamic scholarship in Africa [after al-Azhar].
The eastern corner of the city was home to the much smaller Jami' al-Suq, the Market Mosque. Like many of the less grand mosques of Timbuktu, it has fallen into disrepair, been enlarged or been rebuilt many times. The adobe construction, characteristic of sub-Saharan buildings (See Aramco World, November-December 1990), weakens when it rains. Each year, after the winter downpours - if they occur - many of the city's major buildings must be patched up and reinforced, but it is unexpected thunderstorms that are the dread of Timbuktu. The noted mosque Jami' al-Hana collapsed in a storm in 1771 and killed 40 people...
When the grand caravan of Mansa Musa arrived on that scorching day in 1325, the sultan ordered the Granadan architect and poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, who had traveled with him from Makkah, to build a magnificent mosque - one far larger than any the region had known - in the western corner of the city. Its name, Jingerebir, is a corruption of the Arabic Jami' al-kabir, or "the great mosque." Five hundred years later, in 1858, the British traveler Henry Barth wrote that the mosque "by its stately appearnace made a deep impression on my mind. [It]...includes nine naves, of different dimensions and structure."
Giant and rambling, and one of the first mosques in Africa to be built with fired-brick walls, Jingerebir at once became the central mosque of the city, and it dominates Timbuktu to this day. In times of crisis, in years when rains failed and the Niger River had risen insufficiently or not at all in its annual, life-giving flood, the people of Timbuktu gathered at Jingerebir. Within the cool shade of its walls, the imam - who often doubled as the town's ruler - would lead his congregants in prayer.
According to the tarikhs, Timbuktu's religious leaders, judges and officials all tended to be graduates of the city's illustrious schools. In the city where the study of Islamic principles was regarded as of supreme importance, al-Wazan found "a great store of doctors, judges, priests [Imams, religous scholars], and other learned men." This scholastic elite was underwritten largely by the city's business class, who themselves formed a considerable part of the student body. Especially at Sankore, it was also these scholars who provided energy and direction to civil administration, commercial regulation, legislation, town planning and architectural projects - in addition to maintaining a number of superb libraries. The ranks of the city's elite were limited, however: Six families have provided two-thirds of Timbuktu's qadis, or judges, during the last 500 years.
By the mid-16th century - the so-called golden age of Timbuktu - the city boasted well over 150 schools, and the curricula were rigorous. The Islamic sciences formed the core of the academic syllabus, including Qur'anic interpretation (tafsir), the traditions of the Prophet (hadith); jurisprudence (Fiqh), sources of the law (usul), and doctrinal theology (tawhid). Apart from the religious courses, students were also required to study grammar (nahw), literary style and rhetoric (balaghah), and logic (mantiq). Scholars focused on the way that a person should behave within the context of Islamic society.
Only when religious and linguistic literacy had been achieved was a student assigned to a particular mentor. The relationship between pupil and master often grew to be a strong one, and favored students might work as mulazama, or private secretaries, to their teachers. As the community grew, an intellectual genealogy developed, similar to those acknowledged elsewhere in the Islamic world, that linked masters to pupils and those pupils to their own students. Strong academic and religious ties with other scholastic centers of the Middle East and North Africa linked Timbuktu to the rest of the Islamic world.
As the number of students increased, so did the fields of study available. Subjects such as history, mathematics, astronomy and cartography in time joined the wealth of courses available.
Although Timbuktu prided itself on the rigor of its teaching for even the youngest of pupils, visiting traders or travelers were encouraged to enroll while they stayed in the city. Thus many itinerant non-Muslim merchants were led to conversion in Timbuktu through encounters with Muslim scholars. Even older visitors could be assured that the city's scholastic community would educate them. Indeed, the people of Timbuktu were reputed to be so philanthropic that they would afford any visitor an education regardless of his means - maintaining that any - one who had endured the journey to their desert metropolis had earned himself a scholarship.
Likewise, those born in Timbuktu to humble families were also guaranteed their education. So great was the fervor for Islamic learning that even the tailors of Timbuktu, among other craft guilds, founded their own centers of learning where instructors oversaw both the workshop and its college. In this environment, students worked as apprentice tailors while they were also instructed in the foundations of Islamic scholarship. By the 16th century, Timbuktu is said to have had more than 26 establishments for tailor-scholars alone, many employing more than 100. Thus these institutes also reinforced the city's role as a significant manufacturer of cloth.
At the height of the city's golden age, Timbuktu boasted not only the impressive libraries of Sankore and the other mosques, but also a wealth of private ones. One of the greatest, containing more than 700 volumes, was left by the master scholar Hajji Ahmad bin 'Umar. His library was said to have included many of the rarest books ever written in Arabic, and he copied and annotated a considerable number of the volumes himself.
The libraries of Timbuktu grew through a regular process of hand-copying manuscripts. Scholars would visit the caravanserais and appeal to learned travelers to permit their precious volumes to be reproduced. Alternatively, they duplicated texts borrowed from their mentors' collections, studying the material as they did so.
Al-Wazan commented that "hither are brought divers manuscripts or written books, which are sold for more money than any other merchandise." As late as the close of the l9th century, Felix Dubois purchased a number of antique books in Timbuktu, including a copy of the Divan of Kings, a chronology of the rulers and events of the Sudan between 1656 and 1747.
Timbuktu's position as a principal staging point along the pilgrimage route to Makkah may partly explain why so many books were available. Even so, modern scholars are staggered by the sheer quantity and rarity of Arabic texts and poems proffered and composed in the city. Of the books written in Timbuktu, a number are surprising in their scope. Ahmed Baba's biographical dictionary, for example, included the lives of notables from Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and Central Asia, as well as Timbuktu itself. Of the city's scholars, none is more lionized today than Muhammad Askia, called "Muhammad the Great," who reigned over Timbuktu for more than three decades in the late l5th and early 16th centuries. Regarded as the city's savior, it was he who wrested Timbuktu from the infamous Songhoi ruler Sunni Ali in 1493. Ali was despised as one who undermined Islam by persecuting the scholastic class, efforts that earned him uncomplimentary entries in the tarikhs. Under Askia, however, scholarship and Islam were again revered and supported, and a new era of stability began that led to Timbuktu's 16th-century golden age.
Like any frontier town, Timbuktu also gained strength from the melting-pot of peoples who sought to make their lives within its walls. A mixture of North and West African tribes wove their unique ways into the framework of Timbuktu's culture. The influence of the Songhoi people, for example, extended to the calendar, where Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, was popularly known by the Songhoi word haome, which translates, literally, as "closed mouth." The end of the Ramadan fast was known similarly as ferme, or "open mouth." Observance of the Ramadan fast has never been easy in Timbuktu, where the desert climate much resembles that of central Arabia, but the holy month has always been taken very seriously in the city.
Like Muslims everywhere, the people of Timbuktu were united by Ramadan. As the sun scorched down, or as the flour-fine Sahara sand squalled through the streets, the faithful would gather in the mosques, protected from the desert and enveloped in the simplicity of the adobe architecture, in order to renew their faith.
With desert dunes surrounding it in all directions, and flapped in a severe and perfidious climate, the fact that fabled Timbuktu rose and prospered for 800 years is remarkable. That it also became a center of scholarship so fertile that it advanced the worldwide community of Islamic learning is astonishing. But more surprising still is that Timbuktu's intellectual tradition remained largely intact generation after generation. Even during times of economic depression, caused by shifting caravan routes or spoiled crops, the community ensured that the Qur'anic academies survived.
Early in the 19th century, the young French explorer Rene Caille remarked that all the population of Timbuktu was apparently "able to read the Qur'an and even know it by heart." Some 66 years later, when the French colonized the region, they recorded that some two dozen key scholastic centers still flourished in Timbuktu. Continuing to teach Arabic, Qur'anic doctrine and traditional lore, the schools had altered little in 500 years.
Now, as the desert creeps slowly southward all across sub-Saharan Africa, Timbuktu stands more isolated by sand and heat than ever. At the same time, in the city that captivated both West and East, some of the richest parts of the legacy of Islam lie only just beneath the city's baked-mud surface, waiting silently to be rediscovered, and perhaps reawakened.

Conquest of Khyber

Hayat Al-Qulub Vol. 1,
By: Allamah Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi
Shaykh Mufeed, Shaykh Tabarsi, Qutub Rawandi, Ibn Shahr Ashob and all tradition scholars of Shia and Sunni have narrated through different chains that the Messenger of Allah (S) returned from Hudaibiyah and stayed for 20 days in Medina.
Then he set out to conquer the forts of Khyber, a strong and celebrated Jew town. On approaching it, he ordered a halt and offered the following prayer: O Lord, O supporter of the seven heaven and all they overshadow and who supported the seven earths, and Lord of the devils, and everything that casts a shade; we entreat You to deliver us this town and its people and shield us from all harm it may offer us He then ordered his men to advance in the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful and besiege the town.
When they reached over there the Holy Prophet (S) sat down under a tree and a day and a half passed at that place. Then he called the people and when they came, they saw a man seated with the Holy Prophet (S). The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “I was sleeping when this man came and took my sword. When I awoke, I saw him standing over my head and saying: “Who can save you from me?” I said: “The Almighty Allah can.”
So he threw away the sword and is sitting here like this and he cannot move by the power of God. After that the Holy Prophet (S) forgave and released him. The siege lasted more than twenty days. In this period Ali suffered a violent attack of ophthalmia (sore eyes), which deprived him of sight. The Jews defended themselves with vigor being protected by walls and dry ditch.
One day they threw open a gate. and a distinguished champion, named Marhab at the head of a heavy column made a furious sortie on Muslims. The Prophet sent a detachment of Muhajireen and Ansaris under Abu Bakr to attack the Jews, but the Muslims were repulsed. The next day another sortie was made and Umar was defeated in an attempt to drive back the enemy. The Prophet now said, “Tomorrow I will give the banner to one who loves Allah and the Prophet, and whom Allah and the Prophet love.
He will not flee nor return till Allah by him conquers the foe. This declaration led every Muslim to hope that he should be honored with command the next day. However when they waited on the Prophet the next morning he inquired where Ali was. They replied that he could not attend because he was suffering so severely from sore eyes.
The Prophet ordered him to be brought and when he was led to the place, he said, “O Messenger of Allah (S), my eyes are so inflamed that I cannot see, and the pain in my head is extreme.” The Prophet caused him to lie down and put his head in his lap when he rubbed saliva from his blessed mouth on Ali’s eyes and head, saying, “O Lord protect him from the harm of heat and cold.”
Ali was then instantly cured, and the Prophet gave him the white standard assuring him that “Jibraeel attends you right Mikaeel on your left, Israel in your front, and Israfeel in your rear. Victory advances before you and fear already fills the hearts of your enemies whose books forewarn them that their destroyer will be Ilyas, and when you announce yourself Ali they will be overcome Insha Allah! Advance deliberately and before joining battle summon them to embrace Islam.
Verify if Allah should give religious guidance to a single individual of them through your instrumentally, it will be a more glorious conquest than if you should capture all the red camels.” Ali, at the head of the Muslims then made an attack on the town, which Marhab came out to defend. He wore a coat of mail and a helmet upon which was a large stone ring.
Marhab recited the following Rajaz: “The Jews of Khyber know that I am Marhab. I dive into my weapons and I attack in a daring way.” Imam Ali (a.s.) said in reply: “I am one whose mother has named him Haider. I step into the battlefield like a ferocious lion, I will throw you away like a grain.” The two champions each chanting a boastful ode, engaged furiously, their first blows being mutually parried.
Ali’s second blow cleft the stone ring helmet and head of his adversary, who reeled and fell from his horse. In another report it is mentioned in that he said: I am Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). Upon this, a Rabbi said: “Now you Jews are defeated by the Book that the Almighty Allah sent for Prophet Musa (a.s.).
Then awe appeared in their hearts. When Imam Ali (a.s.) killed Marhab, the surviving Jews immediately sought shelter behind their walls barring after them the gate, which was so massive as to require twenty men, or according to another tradition forty men to open and shut it. Aided by divine power, Ali seized the outer ring of the gate and shook it so violently that the whole fortress trembled The gate broke away and Ali using it as a shield rushed into the town which he soon overcome.
He then hurled the gate forty cubits distance which seventy men to satisfy their curiosity tried in vain to lift. Abu Rafe says: I went with six men to move the gate, but we could not do so. Ahle Sunnat scholars have narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari says: On the day of the Battle of Khyber Amirul Momineen (a.s.) held the gate and made it a bridge on the moat which all Muslims crossed and after that when he threw it away forty persons and according to another report, 70 persons could not lift it.
Abdullah Abu Abdul Jadli says that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said to me: I broke the gate of Khyber and using it as a shield fought and drove them away by the grace of Almighty. After that I made it into a bridge which Muslims crossed. Then I threw it forty cubits away. A man said: “O Amirul Momineen (a.s.), what a tremendous load you had lifted!” He replied: “It was like the weight of this shield of mine.” Marhab had a nurse who was a soothsayer and who liked and admired Marhab and often used to say that he should fight whoever he likes but one whose name is Haider would be victorious on him. Marhab would be killed if he confronts him.
He fought and defeated many Muslims; at last people complained to the Prophet to sent Amirul Momineen (a.s.) to confront him. So the Holy Prophet (S) summoned Imam Ali (a.s.) and asked him to get rid of Marhab. Amirul Momineen (a.s.) turned to the fort of Jews, recited the name of God and came out to confront Marhab. Marhab returned frightened and then came again and said: “I am one whose mother has named him Marhab.”
Imam Ali (a.s.) rushed upon him saying: “I am the one whose mother has named him Haider.” As soon as Marhab heard this name, he recalled the advice of the nurse and he fled from there. At that moment Shaitan appeared in the form of a Rabbi, who came in his way and asked: “Where are you running away?” He said: “This youth says that he is Haider.” Shaitan said: “So what?” He said: “I have head from my nurse many times that one who is named thus would kill me.”
Shaitan said: “May you be disgraced, is there only one person by the name of Haider? In spite of such a huge body you are running away from this youth on the words of a woman, while most of what women say is wrong. Even if she was right, there are many Haiders in the world.
Go back, perhaps you will be able to slay him and earn prestige among your people, and I will support the Jews to encourage you.” Thus Marhab was deceived by this and he returned to fight. Imam Ali (a.s.) attacked him on his head and he fell down on his face. Other Jews started to run, screaming that Marhab has been killed.
Shaykh Tusi has narrated that on the day of the Battle of Khyber, a tall man with a large head came out of the front. He was named Marhab and the Jews considered him as their leader due to his physical prowess and material wealth. Whoever from the companions confronted him was told that he was Marhab and then he attacked, which used to make him run away from there.
Sunni scholars have narrated through many channels from Saad bin Waqqas that Ali is having three such merits, that if I had even one of them, I would have preferred to owning red camels. First: the Holy Prophet (S) left him as his representative in Medina during the Battle of Tabuk and he said: “O Messenger of Allah (S) you are leaving me with women and children?”
The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “O Ali, are you not satisfied that you are to me as Harun was to Musa? Except that there will be no prophet after me.” Second: I heard that on the day of the Battle of Khyber, the Holy Prophet (S) said: I will give the standard to one who loves Allah and His messenger and they love him. So we craned our necks that perhaps we will be honored by this. But he called for Imam Ali (a.s.). At that time he was having sore eyes.
The Holy Prophet (S) applied his saliva and gave him the standard and the Almighty Allah conquered Khyber at his hands. Thirdly: The verse of Mubahila was revealed and the Holy Prophet (S) called from Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain (a.s.) and said: “O Lord these are my Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).”
It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) in Ihtijaj that the Holy Prophet (S) on the day of Khyber, gave the flag of Ansar to Saad bin Ubadah who went to confront the Jews, but returned defeated and injured. Then he gave the flag of Muhajireen to Umar, who did not engage in fighting. He ran along with his companions.
The Holy Prophet (S) said thrice: “Do Muhajireen and Ansar act like this?” At last he said: “Now I will give the standard to one who does not flee. Who loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him.”
Ibn Shahr Ashob has narrated that on the day of the Battle of Khyber, the Holy Prophet (S) tied the turban to Ali (a.s.), dressed him up in his garments and mounted him on his pony. And said: “O Ali, go Jibraeel attends you right Mikaeel on your left, Israel in your front, and Israfeel in your rear. And my prayers are with you.” So Amirul Momineen (a.s.) conquered the fort, broke its gate and threw it forty cubits away.
Sunni and Shia scholars have narrated through many channels that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) presented many arguments to prove his superiority and also mentioned: Who among you is such that when on the day of Khyber, Umar returned unsuccessful with the flag of the Prophet blaming his companions of cowardice and the companions accused him similarly. He came running to the Prophet.
At that time the Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Tomorrow I will gave the standard to one who is He-man and who does not flee. Allah and His Messenger love him. He will not return till the Almighty Allah gives him victory. In the morning the Holy Prophet (S) called me and people said that Ali is having sore eyes. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “Bring him here.”
When I came to him, he applied his saliva to my eyes and said: “O Allah, protect him from heat and cold. And till date heat and cold have not bothered me. So I took the standard and drove the infidels away. Which of you is having this excellence?” “No one,” they said. Then he said: “I adjure you, except me which of you went to confront Marhab reciting the Rajaz.
Marhab was having such a huge head that instead of a helmet, he had kept a huge stone on his head. I landed a blow on his head which cut through the stone and put him to death. Who else from you has performed such a feat? “No one,” they said. Then he said: “I adjure you, except me which of you is such that has uprooted the gate of Khyber and carried it a hundred steps? After that forty men failed to move it. “No one,” they said.
Ibn Babawayh has narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that in the letter Amirul Momineen (a.s.) sent to Sahal bin Hunaif Ansari, he mentioned: “By Allah, when I uprooted the gate of Khyber and threw it behind me to a distance of forty cubits; it was not my physical strength.
I was supported by heavenly power and my self was illuminated by the light of my Lord. I was like a lamp lit from another. By Allah, if all the Arabs had joined together to fight me, I would have neither turned back nor fled. If I get an opportunity I will strike off the heads of hypocrites and one who is careless of death is ever desirous of death. How can he be scared of fighting?”
Also, it is narrated from authentic chains that in reply to a Jew who asked about the tests Allah has taken from successors of the prophets, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said: “In the sixth year of Hijra, we confronted your co-religionists at Khyber. When we reached there they came with their huge horses and innumerable weapons and they were lodged in heavily equipped fortresses and their numbers were uncountable.
They issued challenges and routed anyone who came to face them. All the companions became helpless and no one was prepared to confront them. They all clamored that Abul Hasan should be sent. At last the Holy Prophet (S) sent me to them. When I stepped into the battlefield, whoever came to confront me was dispatched to Hell with humiliation.
Till no one could dare to come before me. Then I attacked them like a hungry lion and drove them away. They hid in the fort, closing the door behind. I uprooted the gate and entered the fort alone and killed each of their men and I took their women as prisoners. Thus I conquered the fort alone and except for Allah, no one helped me.
Qutub Rawandi and Shaykh Tabarsi have narrated that the conquest of Khyber was in the month of Zilhajj, the sixth year of the Hijrat, others maintain that it was in the beginning of the seventh year. The Holy Prophet (S) besieged them for more than twenty days. There were fourteen thousand Jews in Khyber when it was taken. All their forts were captured.
Their strongest fort was called Qamus. The Holy Prophet (S) gave the standard to Abu Bakr to take it over but he came back running. Then he gave it to Umar and he also came back running. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “Tomorrow I will give the standard to one who does not flee. Who loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him.
He does not flee. He is an attacker.” Hypocritical companions said: “We are sure of that the Prophet cannot imply Ali, because due to his sore eyes he cannot see his own feet.” When Amirul Momineen (a.s.) heard this, he said: “O Lord, no one can bestow that which You stop. And when You give to anyone no one can stop it.”
The next morning the Holy Prophet (S) came out of the tent and placed the standard in the front. All the people were vying for it. So much so Umar, in spite of the fact that he has tried himself, used to say: I never wished for it, except on that day. But the Holy Prophet (S) called for Ali (a.s.). People began to clamor: “His eyes are so sore that he cannot see what is before him.” The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “Call him here.”
When Amirul Momineen (a.s.) arrived, his eyes were cured by the saliva of the Prophet and the Prophet gave the standard to him saying: Put three options before them. Firstly: that they accept Islam and Islamic laws. They will retain their property. Second: that they agree to pay Jizya. In that case also their life and property will be assured.
Thirdly: That they fight with us. When Imam Ali (a.s.) came to them, they did not accept any of the options other than fighting. Marhab came to confront him. He slashed at him severing his legs. He fell down and the remaining fighters ran into the safety of the fort closing the gate behind them.
According to Qutub Rawandi there was a huge stone in which they had made a cavity. Amirul Momineen (a.s.) threw the bow from his left hand as he was holding the sword in his right hand. Then he pulled the stone with his left hand and pulled out the gate. Then he entered the fort carrying it like a shield.
When he chased the Jews away he threw the gate behind him with such a force that it fell at the end of the army. When the distance was measured it was found to be forty cubits. Then forty men together failed to move it.[421]
Shaykh Tabarsi has through trustworthy chains narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that when Imam Ali (a.s.) reached the Jewish fort, they closed the gates of the fortress. Amirul Momineen (a.s.) uprooted it and used it as a shield.
Then he placed it on his back and made it to serve as a bridge over the moat and all the people crossed over it, but he did not feel any weight. Then he threw the gate away. When the Holy Prophet (S) was given the glad tidings that Amirul Momineen (a.s.) has conquered the fort, he came to the fort.
Amirul Momineen (a.s.) came out to welcome the Prophet, who said: “I was informed about your appreciable efforts and bravery. Allah is pleased with you and I am satisfied.” Tears appeared in the eyes of Imam Ali (a.s.). “Why do you weep?” asked the Prophet. “These are tears of joy, because you gave the glad tidings that Allah and His Messenger are pleased with me.”
Among the captives was Safiya, the daughter of Huyy. Ali sent her to the Prophet but Bilal led her past her slaughtered kindred which awful sight so overpowered her as almost to deprive her of life and the Prophet reproached him saying, “Perhaps mercy is eradicated from your heart that you drag a woman by her slain relatives!”
The Prophet emancipated and married Safiya. A few days before she had been married to a Jew, named Kinanah bin Rabi Abil Haqiq and subsequently she dreamed that the moon fell into her lap. On relating this dream to her husband he slapped her on face saying. “Do you want Muhammad, king of Hijaz to take you!” And it is narrated in Mashriqul Anwar that when Safiya was brought to the Prophet, she was a beautiful woman.
The Prophet noticed the mark on her face and inquired the cause of it, when she told him that it was caused by her falling from her seat when Ali shook the castle, the Holy Prophet (S) said: “Safiya, Ali is having a great position with Allah. When he shook the gate of the fort not only was there a quake in the fort, there was a quake in the heavens and the earth; till the High Arsh also shook by the fury of that chosen one of Allah.” And when that lion hearted hero slashed Marhab into two, Jibraeel appeared before the Prophet in great amazement.
The Prophet inquired the cause. He replied, “The angels of heaven shout, there is no hero but Ali and no sword but Zulfiqar; but my wonder is this: I was once ordered to destroy the people of Lut and shook up seven of their cities from the foundation in the seventh earth, and carried them on one of my wings so high that the inhabitants of heaven heard their cocks crowing and their children crying.
I held them there till morning, awaiting the next order of the Almighty Allah and the weight of the seven cities was not even perceptible to me. But today when Ali shouted Allah Akbar! and gave Marhab that Hashemite blow. I was commanded by Allah to sustain the excess of it lest it should split the earth, the ox, and the fish into two. The blow fell vastly heavier on my wing than the weight of the seven cities, notwithstanding Mikaeel and Israfeel both caught Ali’s arm in the air to check its force.
Shaykh Tabarsi has narrated that Ibn Abil Haqiq sent a proposal of peace to the Holy Prophet (S), which was accepted. He came, met the Prophet and sued for peace on condition that they take all their belongings except the clothes on their bodies. This was accepted by the Prophet. When people of Fadak learnt about it, they also sent a similar proposal, which was also approved.
The captives of Khyber represented to the Prophet that they understood the cultivation of their fields better than any other people and begged to remain promising to give half the produce of their lands to the Prophet. He granted their petition with the proviso that he should dispossess them whenever he thought proper.
The same terms were bestowed on the people of Fadak. Thus Khyber became general booty since it was obtained through fighting and Fadak became the exclusive property of the Prophet, since it was gained without battle. It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that when the Holy Prophet (S) became free from the conquest of Khyber, he wanted to send someone on the forts of Khyber. So he took the standard of victory and said: “Who is it that can carry this as it deserves. Zubair came forward to accept it, but the Prophet told him to keep away.
Then Saad came forward and was similarly told by the Prophet to go away. Then he called Ali (a.s.) saying: O Ali, this is your right.” Imam Ali (a.s.) took the standard and set out to Fadak with the condition that their lives will be secure and their properties will belong to the Prophet. That is why all the forts, orchards and properties became the exclusive properties of the Prophet in which Muslims did not have any share.
Jibraeel came down and said: “The Almighty Allah commands you to give the rights of your close relatives. The Holy Prophet (S) asked: “Who are they and what are the rights?’ Jibraeel said: “Your relative is Fatima and Fadak is her right.” The Holy Prophet (S) called Fatima and wrote a document transferring the ownership of Fadak to Fatima. When the Holy Prophet (S) passed away, Abu Bakr and Umar seized Fadak from her.
Ibn Shahr Ashob has narrated that the Holy Prophet (S) turned to Fadak and the people of Fadak took shelter in a strong fortress. The Prophet called them and said: “If I leave this fort and seize all the other forts and other properties, what will you do?” We have appointed guards on those forts and we have the keys in our possession. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “The Almighty Allah has given the keys to us.” Then he showed the keys to them.
They scolded the one they had entrusted the keys to. He swore that he was having the keys. “I placed them in a bag and closed them in a box and hid the box in a strong house and locked the door.” Then the man went to that house and saw that the locks were in place but the keys were missing. He returned from there and said: “Now I have understood that he is a Prophet because I had kept the keys so secure. And since I used to think that he is a magician. I had recited some verses of Taurat to remove the effect of sorcery.
Now I saw that all the locks are intact but the keys are missing so I understood that he is not a magician.” The Jews came to the Prophet and asked: “Who has given you the keys?” The Holy Prophet (S) said: “The one who gave the tablets to Prophet Musa (a.s.), and Jibraeel has brought them to me. So they opened the gates of the fortress and came to the Prophet. Some embraced Islam. The Holy Prophet (S) took one fifth of their wealth and gave the remaining to them and all the property was seized of one who did not embrace Islam. At that time the following verse was revealed:
وَآتِ ذَا الْقُرْبَى حَقَّهٗ

“And give to the near of kin his due…”[422]
The Holy Prophet (S) asked: “Who are close relatives and what is their right?” He replied: “Give Fadak to Fatima, which is an inheritance from her mother, Lady Khadija (s.a.) and her sister, Hind Abi Hala.” When the Holy Prophet (S) returned to Medina, he called for Lady Fatima (s.a.) and handed Fadak to her reciting the mentioned verses. Lady Fatima (s.a.) said: “O Messenger of Allah (S), I leave all my property to you.”
He said: “After me, people will dispute with you.” Then he summoned the companions and in their presence transferred the Fadak property to Fatima. Lady Fatima (s.a.) distributed all the wealth among Muslims with its income; she retained rations for herself and gave the rest to Muslims. After the passing away of the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar seized Fadak from Fatima.[423]
It is mentioned in Ikhtisas through authentic traditions from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that Umm Ayman testified before Abu Bakr and Umar that one day she was at Lady Fatima’s (s.a.) house when Jibraeel came down and said: “O Muhammad, the Almighty Allah has ordered me to draw a line on the sketch of Fadak.
The Holy Prophet (S) went along with Jibraeel and returned after some time. Fatima asked where he had been, to which he replied that Jibraeel has drawn lines with his wings on the boundaries of Fadak “and ordered me to give Fadak to you.” After that the Prophet gave Fadak to her making me and Ali as witnesses.[424]
Kulaini and Shaykh Mufeed have narrated through good and trustworthy chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that when the Holy Prophet (S) conquered Khyber, he returned it to the Jews on the condition that they will surrender half the agricultural produce to him. When the time of harvest arrived, the Holy Prophet (S) sent Abdullah bin Rawaha and he divided the fruits and crop into two equal estimates and then told them to make their own estimations if they did not consider it right. They accepted it observing that this was true justice.
Qutub Rawandi has narrated that when the Holy Prophet (S) besieged the Jews of Khyber, they called 1400 riders from Bani Ghitfan who were in alliance with them for help. Someone announced among them that they should go back as enemies have attacked their people, but when they returned they found no one there; so they understood that it was a warning from heavens.
The Holy Prophet (S) gained victory on the Jews and Imam Ali (a.s.) conquered their strongest fortress. Only one fortress remained, in which they had stored their wealth and rations. There was no way through which it could be attacked. The Holy Prophet (S) besieged it. After some days, a Jew approached the Prophet and on condition of safety to his life and wealth offered to inform him about the point through which that fort can be attacked.
The Holy Prophet (S) agreed and the Jew marked a spot where a hole can be made in the wall to penetrate into the fort into the passage which led to the source of their water supply. If their water supply was taken, they would soon surrender the fort. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “It is possible that the Almighty Allah may open up a better way. But the security I guaranteed you is as it is.
The following day, the Prophet mounted his beast and asked the Muslims to follow him to the fort. The disbelievers were throwing stones and arrows which fell to the left and right of the Muslim group without hurting anyone till he signed to the walls and they instantly sunk till the top was level with the earth and the Muslims marched over and took the place.
Qutub Rawandi has narrated from Amirul Momineen (a.s.) that: On our return from Khyber we reached to a river which was 14 fathoms deep and the enemies were in our pursuit. The Prophet whipped the water and prayed to Allah. Then all crossed the water body following the Holy Prophet (S) and even the hooves of our beast did not become wet.
Shaykh Tabarsi has narrated that the Holy Prophet (S), soon after the conquest of Khyber when the Prophet was quietly seated in the enjoyment of victory, Zainab binte Harith bin Salam, a niece of Marhab, the champion brought a roasted mutton shoulder strongly imbued with poison to the Prophet as a friendly offering.
The Prophet ate a morsel of it and Bashar bin Baraa bin Marur did the same. The Prophet withdrew his hand saying, “Touch it not for the shoulder tells me it has been imbued with poison.” The woman was summoned and she acknowledged the fact but excused herself by saying that she concluded if Muhammad were a Prophet he would know the mutton was poisoned but if he were only a king, they should get rid of him in that way. Such was the benevolence of the Prophet that he forgave her, although Bashar presently died of the poison.
When the Prophet was in his terminal sickness and the mother of Bashar visited him, he said to her: “Every year I feel more the effects of the morsel I ate with your son at Khyber.” And at length the Prophet died a martyr by that poison.
Through trustworthy chains, Shaykh Tabarsi has narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that before proceeding to Khyber, the Prophet sent Amr bin Umayyah Zumri with a letter to Najjashi king of Habasha, inviting him to Islam and summoned Ja’far and his companions. When he received the letter, he embraced Islam and dressed Ja’far and his companions in robes of honor and prepared their provisions of the journey in the best way and sent them to Medina.
Ja’far returned to the Prophet on the day Khyber was taken. Kulaini, Shaykh Tabarsi and Ibn Babawayh have narrated through good, true and reliable chains from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) and some traditional reports are mentioned in Tafsir Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.), that on the day of the conquest of Khyber, the Holy Prophet (S) was informed of Ja’far’s return and he remarked: “I don’t know on which blessing I should rejoice; the conquest of Khyber or the return of Ja’far?” Meanwhile Ja’far arrived.
According to the report of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) the Holy Prophet (S) advanced twelve paces to meet Ja’far, embraced him wept and kissed him and asked: O Ja’far, do you want me to give you something? Curiosity of the people was aroused. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “I will teach you a prayer entitled the prayer of Ja’far Tayyar a repetition of which ensured full forgiveness of sin. If you recite it everyday it would be better for you than the world and all that there is in it. You will also have a share in the reward of one all those who performs it.”
Shaykh Tusi has narrated from Huzaifa bin Yaman in his Amali that when Ja’far came to Medina, the Prophet was camping at Khyber. Ja’far had brought gifts, including perfumes and garments for the Prophet; from which he picked a cover and said that I will give this to one who loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him. Companions craned their necks in curiosity.
The Messenger of Allah (S) asked: “Where is Ali?” and he was soon summoned by Ammar Yasir and the Prophet gave that sheet to him. Since it was made of gold threads, Imam Ali (a.s.) gave it to a goldsmith in Baqi market to remove the threads and it yielded 1000 mithqal gold, which was sold and the proceeds distributed to beggars and poor people from Muhajireen and Ansar and then he came home without a particle of that gold.
The following day the Holy Prophet (S) met him when companions, including Ammar and Huzaifa had accompanied the Prophet. The Holy Prophet (S) said: “You have received 1000 mithqal gold; this group of companions will dine at your place today.” That day, there was nothing to eat in the house of Ali (a.s.) but he felt ashamed to refuse to the Prophet.
Huzaifa says: We were five persons including Ammar, Salman, Abu Zar and Miqdad. Imam Ali (a.s.) asked Fatima to provide something. When we entered, we saw a bowl of steaming Tharid[425] placed in the center and it smelt of musk. Ali (a.s.) brought it to the Holy Prophet (S) and we all ate to satiation but there was no decrease in it.
The Prophet asked Lady Fatima (s.a.) from where she got it, to which she replied that it was from the Almighty Allah and He gives unlimited sustenance to whoever He likes. The Messenger of Allah (S) returned to us with tearful eyes he said: “Thanks be to Allah, I witnessed the honor for my daughter that Prophet Zakariya had seen about his daughter, Maryam.”
Shaykh Tabarsi has narrated from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila that sometimes Amirul Momineen (a.s.) wore two pieces of woolen garments in summer and light clothes during winter without caring for it. My friends asked me about it and I expressed ignorance. So they asked me to tell my father to inquire from Amirul Momineen (a.s.) as he often visited the Imam.
When my father asked Imam Ali (a.s.) about it, the Imam asked: “Were you not present at Khyber with us? Did you not hear when Abu Bakr and Umar brought the Prophet’s standard back from the battlefield the Prophet said: Tomorrow I will give the flag to one who loves the Almighty Allah and His Messenger and the Almighty Allah and His Messenger love him and the Almighty Allah will grant victory over the fort at his hands.
He is a ferocious attacker and he does not flee from the battlefield. Then he called me and handed the standard to me saying: O Lord, protect it from heat and cold. After that I never felt heat or cold.” This tradition is mentioned by Baihaqi, a well known Sunni scholar in Dalailun Nubuwwah.
Notes:
[421] The author says: The flight of Abu Bakr and Umar and the statement of the Prophet that he would give the standard to one who loved Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him are from the continuously related traditions, which is recorded in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and all Sunni tradition scholars have narrated in their books. Most merits of Imam Ali (a.s.) are mentioned in Sunni books. And this much is sufficient for one that has sense to prove the rightfulness of his Caliphate and the absence of such a right for Abu Bakr and Umar because every sensible person knows that after their flight, when the Holy Prophet (S) said: “Tomorrow, I will give the standard to one who is having those qualities,” it became clear that those who have run away lack these qualities. And one who does not love Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger do not love him, how can they have the right to become the Caliph of Allah and leader of religion and the world?
[422] Surah Bani Israel 17:26
[423] The author says: Other reports are mentioned in the chapters of miracles to support this verse regarding the conquest of Fadak.
[424] The author says: The incident of Fadak and its usurpation will be described shortly.
[425] A dish of sopped bread, meat and broth.


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History of Bahrain

On May 11 in 1970, as per UN Security Council Resolution 278, Bahrain was declared an independent state, following a so-called 'opinion poll' conducted among tribal leaders and selective groups in the 33-island archipelago by Vittorio Winspeare-Giucciardi, Manager of the United Nations office in Geneva. This 'opinion poll' was orchestrated by Britain and Bahrain's ruler, in order to avoid Tehran's demand for a referendum to determine the Bahraini people's views for return to Iran's sovereignty.
Throughout history, dating from pre-Islamic times, Bahrain has been an integral part of Iran. After the advent of Islam and weakening of the Abbasid caliphate, Bahrain was part of the Baghdad-based Iranian Bouyid Empire, followed by the sovereignty over it of Seljuqid Iran, Ilkhanid Iran, Safavid Iran, Qajarid Iran, as well as the brief rules in between by Nader Shah Afshar and Karim Khan Zand.
It was in the early 1800s, during a period of weakening of Qajarid rule that Bahrain was seized by pirates of the tribe of Aal-e Khalifa who were driven from their area of operation in the Khor Abdullah waterway between Kuwait and Iraq by the Ottoman Turkish governor of Basra. The Aal-e Khalifa brutally subdued the Shi'ite Muslim majority of Bahrain, both Arabs and Iranians, and sought British protection to prevent Iran from retaking it.
Iran, however, continued to protest to Britain for its occupation of what Tehran considered a part of its soil. After World War 2 and in view of Britain's plan to withdraw from all its colonial possessions in the Persian Gulf, Iran pressed hard for a referendum that unnerved the Aal-e Khalifa minority regime and made it further repress the aspirations of the Bahraini people. Iran's parliament passed a bill in November 1957 declaring Bahrain to be the 14th province of Iran, with two empty seats allocated for its representatives.
At this time, Britain set out to change the demographics of Bahrain through its policy of “de-Iranisation” which included importing a large number of different Arabs and others from British colonies as labourers and giving them citizenship. Demonstrations in 1956 forced the Aal-e Khalifa rulers to temporarily leave Manama (the capital) for the village of Refae al-Gharbi where only the Sunni Arab minority resides.
Mass demonstrations against the detested rule of the Aal-e Khalifa regime have continued periodically in Bahrain, despite its sellout by the British-installed and American-supported Pahlavi Shah following the so-called opinion poll of 1970 by the UN. With the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran has followed a policy of peace and dialogue, but with firm insistence on the aspirations of the people of Bahrain, who like all other nations of the world want to determine their own destiny.
Today Bahrain is again the scene of mass rallies for independence, while the ruling minority regime, along with mercenaries hired from abroad, and with the help of the Saudi invasion troops, is shedding innocent blood and even desecrating mosques and burning copies of the holy Qur'an.

To Mu'awiya (3)

 A letter to Mu'awiiya:

"Quraysh was our tribe, but they wanted to kill the Holy Prophet (s) and to exterminate our family. They conspired against us and made plots after plots to harm us. They tried their best to frighten and injure us. They forced us to leave our homes and to retire to the cave of Shi'b Abi Taalib. It was a very rough and hard place to live in, and we were forced to lead a very harsh life. Their instigated their tribe as well as other clans to fight against us. The Merciful Allah came to our help. He protected and defended us. From amongst us those who had faith in the Holy Prophet (s) and Islam stood up to defend him and his cause; their desire was to achieve the favour of the Lord; and those of Bani Hashim who had not embraced Islam as yet like Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib also came to our help because we belonged to them and they to us. From amongst the Quraysh, the condition of those who had embraced Islam, was not as bad as ours.
Either they had defensive alliance with the non-believers or some tribes decided to defend them despite their differences in religion. While it was the practice of the Holy Prophet (s) that whenever a battle was raged and his companions behaved cowardly or ran away from the battlefield (as in Badr, Uhud and Hunayn) which was usually the case or started making the Muslims nervous (as in Khandaq), he sent members of his family (Bani Hashim) to fight out the battle to protect his companions. These members of Bani Hashim often fought single handed and some even met martyrdom as for instance, Ubayda bin Haarith was killed in the Battle of Badr, Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib in Uhud and Ja'far bin Abu Taalib in the Battle of Mu'tah. Besides these three, there was another person (here Imam Ali (a) meant himself) who also tried his best to meet martyrdom. I could name him but the date of his death had not yet approached and he passed through these terrible ordeals alive.
O time! O world! How could I wonder at your vagaries? People have started considering such a person (Mu'awiya) equal to me! He in his whole lifetime never exerted himself in the service of Islam and Allah as I have done at every moment of my life. In Islam there is no rank, no honour, no position and no merit for him as there is for me. No one can pretend to claim any superiority and excellence over me but a pretender. I do not know of anyone who served Islam and the Holy Prophet (s) as sincerely and as constantly as I have. The Almighty Lord knows that I am not wrong in claiming what I have said and no one can be compared to me in this respect. All Glory, Praise and Greatness belongs to Him and to nobody else.
You have requested me to send to you all those people who were responsible for the murder of Uthman. I pondered over your request and found that it was not in my power to send them to you or to anybody else.
I swear by my life that if you do not leave your hypocrisy, avarice and your rebellious activities they will make themselves known to you. Instead of your demanding them they will demand for you. On the sea and land and in the plains and on the hills they will make their presence known to you and you will not find it easy or pleasant to face them and will curse the day when you demanded to see them. "

The battle of “Zaat as-Salasel”

On 26th of the Islamic month of Jamadi as-Sani in 8th AH, the Muslims led by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) achieved a great victory in the battle of “Zaat as-Salasel” which was fought against the pagan Arab tribes north of Medina on the road to Syria. The event occurred in the aftermath of the Battle of Mu'tah (in what is now Jordan) against a joint force of Christian Arabs and Romans that ended inconclusively, and which encouraged pagan Arab tribes to plan raids on Medina to wipe out Islam.
When Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) learned about the plans of the Arab infidels he dispatched a force under the newly converted Amr bin Aas to Wadi al-Qura where the enemies were amassing; in order to invite them to Islam or disperse them. Amr was overawed by the numbers and requested the Prophet for reinforcements that were sent under Abu Bakr, who after a skirmish and loss of men returned to Medina.
Another force was dispatched under Omar ibn Khattab and suffered the same fate. The Prophet then decided to entrust the command to his dear cousin and son-in-law, Imam Ali (AS), who duly invited the pagan Arabs to Islam. The infidels refused and prepared for battle. The Imam, despite the mountainous terrain and steep valleys, ably organized the defence. Then after several bouts of individual combat during which he made short work of the arrogant Arabs who challenged him, including their fearsome warlord, Hareth bin Makida, he launched a swift attack to soundly defeat them.
The Muslims lost only two persons, while the pagan Arabs suffered huge casualties and completely surrendered to the Muslims along with their women, children and possessions. In Medina, the Prophet informed the people that in honour of Imam Ali's victory, God has revealed “Surah Adiyaat”.
On his return to Medina, the Imam was greeted outside the city by the Prophet, who wiped the dust off the face of his dear cousin, kissed his forehead and with tears of joy, said: O Ali, I thank Allah, Who strengthened me through you. O Ali, like Moses, who prayed to Allah, to strengthen his arms by his brother (Aaron) and make him share his Prophethood, I also asked the same from Almighty Allah (for you) and He approved it.
Then the Prophet turned to the companions and said: I love him by the command of Allah. O Ali, the one who befriends you has befriended me, and the one who loves me, loves Almighty Allah, and the one who loves Almighty Allah is loved by Him and Paradise is his abode. O Ali, the one who is inimical to you, is inimical to me, and the one who is inimical to me, is inimical to the Almighty Allah. And He will not accept any deed of the enemies of Ali (AS).

To Jarir bin Abdullah Bajali

Jarir bin Abdullah Bajali was sent to Damascus. He was carrying a letter for Mu'awiya. Some delay occurred in his return. Imam Ali (a) felt anxious about his safety and wrote the following letter to him:

"After praising Allah and the Holy Prophet (s) I want to advise you that as soon as you receive this letter of mine, force Mu'awiya for a reply to my letter written to him. Compel him to come to a decision and to give a final reply. He must decide between two things. Either war or obedience. If it is going to be a war then I shall get ready to fight against him, and if it is going to be peace then you must make him swear the oath of allegiance to me and then you must return. "