Literary CornerThe Zeidi Sect (II) [Archives:2007/1066/Culture]
Abu Al-Kalima Al-Tayybah
Subject Book: The Zeidi Sect/Zeidis
Author: Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Subhi
Part I of Volume II in the Science of Theology Series
Publisher: Arab Writer's Press
Year Published: 1991 AD
No. of Pages: 768
As the author rightfully suggests the issues that separate Sunnis from Shafe'i center around the succession to the rulership of the Islamic Nation. An important thing to remember is that when the Prophet Mohammed rose to lead the Arabs to world leadership, most of the Arabian Peninsula did not fall under an established regime of formal stature. In fact most of the Peninsula was enmeshed in petty tribal wars some of which lasted for decades. Yemen had of course experienced statehood but even Yemen then (Sixth Century AD) was left to be the battleground for the Persian and Byzantine vie for influence in the region and often one would find Yemen divided into vassal states for the archrivals of the Post Christian era and early Middle Ages. With Islam having settled down as the absolute dogma of the Peninsula by the time the Prophet Mohammed (PBAUH ) had become buried, Islam faced its first crucial crisis, which was the rise of false prophets and insurrections that rose to dispute the authority of the newly founded City-State of Medina. Also, immediately after the Prophet's death the issue of succession of the head of the embryonic state became a paramount issue that was to beset Islam to the present time. With a highly sensitive and emotional tribal society such as existed in the Arabian Peninsula, it was obvious that the cult of the personality was to continue to play a dominant role in the social ads well as the political arena, which still prevalent to these modern times.
The leading personalities in the State that had formed in Medina was spearheaded by a handful of men, known for their great fealty to the Prophet Mohammed (PBAUH) and their sacrifice and contribution to the rise of Islam and the battle against the infidels and polygamists. These men all had their stature and respect among the newly found constituency: Ali, Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Al-Zubair, Talha etc. Of all, the first was the youngest and most controversial and astutely puritanical, especially in terms of adherence to the social elements that were in essence the cause d''tre that brought about the rise of Islam, especially in an aura that hardly had any social order to speak of.
Most of the leaders of the leading followers of the Prophet met right after his death met in Al-Saquifah near Medina. Except for Ali Bin Abu Talib, the Prophet's cousin and son in law, most of those mentioned met there along with the prominent leaders of Medina (the Ansars, or supporters of the Prophet, who welcomed the Prophet and most of his early followers ,after all of them have undergone und many years of persecution in his own hometown in Mecca. Arguments raged as to who should lead the new Nation after the Prophet. The Emigrants or Muhajiroon all said the leader should be from amongst them or should hail from the tribe of the Prophet Mohammed, Quraish. The Ansars said that the leader should come from them since they were the ones who saved the religion from being exterminated by the Infidels of Mecca just when they were about to assassinate the Prophet. Finally by a twist of astute political maneuvering by Omar and Abu Bakr and the leadership of Quraish, it was decided that Abu Bakr would take over the new state. Obviously, Ali did not out rightly approve the new decision, as it took place without his participation and did not rest on sound legislative or legal grounds. The Ansars or the people of Medina supported the argument of the Banu Hashim Clan of Quraish, who said that if the leaders of Quraish are insisting that Banu Hashim are the natural source of this leadership since they are the spiritual and accepted leaders of Quraish accepted by all the Arabs since time immemorial. Ali hails from the Banu Hashim Clan. There are of course many who argue that on more than one occasion, the Prophet Mohammed did make nominal indications that Ali should indeed be entrusted with the leadership of the nation after he passes away. But, the fact is that for reasons that only God knows, there is no explicit ruling as to how the leaders of the Moslem Nation should be chosen after he passes away.
In any case, as Islam was already beset by many challenges in its early days, Ali did not make a serious challenge to the decision made at Al-Saquifah, although he never relented from declaring that the meeting in Al-Saquifah was a conspiracy against his right to the leadership.
The followers of Ali, or the Shiva argue that Ali's right to the leadership was based on the following:
– His closeness to the Prophet and the personal reeling enjoyed by the latter in the house of the Prophet.
– The undisputed heroic deeds of the young and brave Ali, and his role in the battlefield as the greatest single fighter for cause of Islam .
– His knowledge of the Quran and his astute sense of judgment on major issues of jurisprudence.
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