The Question of Imāmah

Since the Persian people had been wounded at the hand of Umar (ra), they displayed their revenge under the guise of love for Ali (ra). Likewise, the rebellion of Amr ibn al-Ās against Ali (ra), and the tragic battle of Umar ibn Sad against Husayn (ra), stirred among the Shī‘a an intense hatred and resentment toward the name of ‘Umar.

The Shī‘a of walāyah have no right at all to criticize the Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah, for the Sunnis do not disparage Ali (ra); rather, they love him sincerely. They avoid, however, an excessive love that is regarded as dangerous according to the narrations of the Prophet (saw). The praise of the Prophet (saw) for the followers of Ali (ra) in the narrations refers to the Sunnis. For the true followers of Ali (ra) are the Sunnis, who love him in a balanced manner and are correct in their views. Indeed, it is clearly stated in a reliable narration that just as excessive love for Īsā (as) is dangerous for Christians, so too is this kind of excessive love for Ali (ra) dangerous.

The claim of the Shī‘a of walāyah: after acknowledging the extraordinary perfections of Ali (ra), it is impossible to prefer Abū Bakr as-Siddīq (ra) over him for the caliphate.

The answer: if the personal perfections of Abū Bakr as-Siddīq and Umar al-Fārūq (ra), together with their achievements in leading the Muslim community after the Prophet, were placed on one side of a scale, and the personal, extraordinary perfections of Ali (ra), together with the internal conflicts during his caliphate—arising from difficult circumstances and making him the target of criticism—were placed on the other side, then naturally the scale of Abū Bakr, Umar, or Dhu’n-Nūrayn would weigh heavier. Since the Sunnis saw this truth, they gave them preference.

Moreover, as is proved in The Twelfth and Twenty-Fourth Words, the rank of prophethood, compared with walāyah, is so exalted that a minute manifestation of prophethood outshines a great manifestation of walāyah. From this perspective, Allah granted Abū Bakr as-Siddīq and Umar al-Fārūq a greater share in the inheritance of prophethood and in implementing the laws of prophethood. The successes they achieved during their caliphates serve as evidence of this according to the Sunnis. Since the personal perfections of Ali (ra) did not set aside that greater share of the inheritance of prophethood, he served as Shaykh al-Islām for Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, the two honoured elders, during their caliphates, and he respected them. How, then, could the Sunnis, who love and honour Ali (ra), not love and honour Abū Bakr and Umar, whom Ali himself sincerely loved and respected?

Let us clarify this truth by means of an example:

One of the children of a very wealthy man inherits twenty measures of silver and four measures of gold from his father, while another receives five measures of silver and five measures of gold. The third receives three measures of silver and five measures of gold. Although the last two children receive less in quantity, they clearly receive more in quality.

As this example illustrates, the modest superiority of the two caliphs’ share in the golden truth of aqrabiyyat-i ilāhiyyah, which arises from the inheritance of prophethood and the implementation of the prophetic laws, outweighs the abundance of qurbiyyat-i ilāhiyyah and walāyah that arise from personal perfection. These points must be taken into account when weighing the matter. If, however, they are assessed only on the basis of personal courage, knowledge, and walāyah, the truth takes on another aspect.