Taoos e Yamani, a tabe’ee , was summoned, henceforth.

Taoos e Yamani, a tabe’ee , was summoned, henceforth. Taoos entered the room where the caliph was sitting, and greeting him with ‘Assalam o Alaikum’, took his shoes off and sat down. Everything he did, from the moment he entered, was against the monarchical culture of the Umayyads. Finally, he looked at the caliph and said, ‘Hisham, how are you?’ That acted as the last slash of the chips on Hisham’s shoulder.

He flew into a rage and said, ‘Do you not know how to behave in the presence of a caliph?’ ‘What do you mean?’ enquired Taoos. ‘Why did you take your shoes off in front of me, greet me without saying Ameer ul Momineen, sit down without my permission, and audaciously ask after my welfare as my equal?’ Taoos replied. ‘Everyday, I take my shoes off five times in front of the Almighty, yet He is never enraged with me.

I did not address you as Ameer ul Momineen, because quite a few believers are disgruntled with your caliphate and rule, so you are certainly not the Ameer of all believers. I called you by your name, because the Almighty, while recalling the events of His Prophets, calls them by their names, thus: Ya Daood, Ya Yahya, Ya Eesa. On the contrary, He mentions Abu Lahb by his title in the Holy Quran.

Why I sat down without seeking permission is because I heard Imam Ali (‘a) affirm, ‘If you wish to see an inhabitant of hell, then look at that person who, while he himself is seated, everyone around him is standing.’ Hisham was visibly shaken by Taoos’ reply. He urged him to advise him further.

‘Ameer ul Momineen, Imam Ali ibn e Abi Talib (‘a) said that there are monstrous snakes and scorpions in hell, whose only duty is to bite and sting those rulers who do not treat others with justice and fair play.’ Saying this, Taoos stood up, put his shoes on and left the room. Hisham looked vacantly into space. Probably his soul had been stirred, even if, temporarily.

In Allah’s Protection A group of Muslims migrated to Abyssinia, on the advice of the Holy Prophet (s) , to save themselves from being persecuted by the polytheistic Quraysh of Mecca. They always had their ears open for any news confirming the end of persecution and polytheism in Mecca, but in vain. After some years, a rumour was heard that all the Quraysh of Mecca had given up their ignorant ways and beliefs and accepted Islam. The Muslims tried to confirm those rumours, but could not.

However, some of them who were more homesick than the others, decided to go home to learn the truth.