These individuals had endeavored to sow the seeds of...

These individuals had endeavored to sow the seeds of dispersion among the Muslims and had led many conspiracies and trickeries against the Holy Prophet; how is it then logic to trust their reports or to put in their hands the treasuries of the Holy Sunnah? It has been narrated that Bashir al-`Adawiy came to `Abdullah ibn `Abbas and reported many Hadiths one after another, while the latter neglected him totally.

Having found that very strange, he asked Ibn `Abbas, “What for are you paying no attention to my words. I am reporting to you from the Messenger of Allah and you are ignoring me!” `Abdullah ibn `Abbas answered, “In the past, we used to open our eyes and ears to listen to any word reported from the Messenger of Allah.

However, when people from all classes and levels broke into this field, we listened to none except those whom we know (as trustworthy).”[^8] Because the policy of the Umayyad rulers was based upon distortion and terrorism, the reporters of Hadith and the Prophetic traditions could not open their mouths with the facts, which were obviously apparent before everybody.

For instance, it has been narrated that Husham ibn `Abd al-Malik ordered Ibn Shihab al-Zuhriy to claim that the verse of the Holy Qur'an that reads, “And to him who took on himself the lead among them will be a penalty grievous,” (Holy Qur’an: 24/11) was revealed about `Ali!

On the other side, it has been also narrated that the same Ibn Shihab al-Zuhriy, having related to Mu`ammar a Hadith about the virtue and merits of Imam `Ali, asked him to conceal this Hadith as much as he could, for the Umayyad ruling authorities would never excuse anyone revealing one of the merits of Imam `Ali. Mu`ammar then wondered, “So long as you know this fact about them, why have you supported them and stood in their line against the other party?” Al-Zuhriy answered, “Stop this!

The Umayyad rulers have given us shares in their fortunes and thus we have had to accede to their fancies.”[^9] In his missive to Muhammad ibn Muslim al-Zuhriy, Imam `Ali ibn al-Husayn (Zayn al-`Ābidin) presented the actual manner of the man who had fallen in the trap of the ruling authorities bringing about many impasses to himself. This immortal missive reads, Allah save you and us from seditious matters and guard you against the Fire (of Hell) out of His mercy.

You have been enjoying a state due to which it is serving for anyone who knows you to show compassion to you.