Beliefs

Dear reader, do not be amazed at this heading as you are, thanks to God, treading the path of truth for attaining finally to God's pleasure. Do not let the Satan's whispers, nor self-conceit, nor from attaining the aspired target, and the missed truth and eternity paradise.

As said before, who are called "Ahl al-sunnah wal al-Jama'ah" admit the calipate of the Guided Caliphs (al-khulafa al-Rashidun): Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, This known by all people nowadays.

However the better fact is that Ali ibn Abi Talib has not been counted by Ahl al- sunnah among al- khulafa al-Rashidun, and they never admitted the legitimacy of his caliphate. But he was added to the three Caliphs only very lately, in the year 230 H, during the lifetime of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

Regarding the non-Shafi'i Companions, caliphs, kings and emirs (princes), who ruled Muslims from Abu Bakr's reign up to the era of the 'Abbasid Caliph Muhammad ibn al-Rashid al-Mu'tasim, they never recognized the caliphate of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib at all, rather some of them had been cursing him and never regarding him among Muslims even, otherwise how dare they slander and curse him on tribunals?! We came to know about the policy of Abu Bakr and 'Umar in removing and secluding him, as we said before, then came 'Uthman who exaggerated in humilating him more than the first two caliphs degrading him and rather he once threatened him with deportation, as he deported Abu Dharr al-Ghifari. When Mu'awiyah assumed power, he adopted the policy of Slandering and cursing him ('Ali), calling people to do the same, which led the Umayyad rulers to follow suit in every town and village, the act that lasted for eighty years.27

Rather the policy of cursing, defaming and disavowing him and his followers continued much longer, as in the case of the 'Abbasid Caliph, al-Mutawakkil, whose grudge pushed him to did out the tombs of 'Ali and al-Husayn ibn 'Ali in 240H.

Further, al-Walid ibn 'Abd al-Malik, Amir al-Mu'minin in his time, has given a Friday sermon addressing the people saying: "The tradition narrated from God's Messenger: 'You are to me at the same position as Aaron to Moses' is right (sahih), but is perverted (muharraf), since the Prophet said to him ('Ali): 'You are to me at the same position of Qaron to Moses' so it was mistakenly heard by the listen.28

During al-Mu'tasim's reign, a number of zanadiqah, athesis and mutakallim mulipled, and the the time of Guided Caliphate has passed away, and people have indulged in marginal problems, beside Ahmad ibn Hanbal's affliction due to his claim that the Qur'an has become ancient, and people began to follow the religion of their kings believing that the Qur'an being composed (by Muhammad).

When Ahmad ibn Hanbal withdrew his former word, fearing al-Mu'tasim, to find a way out of his affliction, after which he attended fame and became so renowned among narrators of hadith 29(tradition) during al-Mutawakkil's reign, only then 'Ali ibn Abi Talib's name has been added to the Three Caliphs.

Perhaps Ahmad ibn Hanbal was astonished by that number of authentic (sahih) traditions stating the merits of 'Ali (A) and the Prophet (S) which became appearance against the rulers' will, to the extent that he said: "The number of traditions indicating 'Ali's merits has exceeded all other traditions in regard of other people".

Only then 'Ali's caliphate was considered the fourth and acknowledged, after it was denied by them (Ahl al-Sunnah).

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27. All of them except 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'aziz (God's mercy be upon him).

28. Ta'rikh Baghdad, vol. viii, p.266.

29. Ahl al-Hadith are Ahl al-Sunnah wa Jama'ah themselves.

Adapted from the book: "The Shi'ah; The Real Followers of the Sunnah" by: "Dr. Muhamad al-Tijahi al-Samawi"