About 1400 year ago...

About 1400 year ago, at the plains of Ghadeer a declaration was made clarifying the Mastership of Imam Ali (a.s.), by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). (Of whomsoever I am the Master, Ali is his Master) Celebrations broke out after this announcement and the people began congratulating themselves over this and hugging each other, that since the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) is definitely our Master, therefore Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) is now declared to be the Master in the same sense.

Allegiances were paid by the notables and everything seemed hunky dory. Their sinister hidden desires only came to the fore later on, as soon as the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) passed away, at the conspiratorial gathering which took place at the tent of Bani Sa'da where they declared someone else as the ruler. Since then, until today, there have been numerous governors and rulers with political aspirations as well as having desires to control other people in whichever way they can.

This situation has become so ridiculous these days that any one with a turban on his head (or even a hat sometimes) gets referred to as 'Our Master', and is happy with this reference. Now, if the people are doing this due to their ignorance, then surely these Mawlanas should have corrected them. But they seem to like basking in their glory of being masters and have let this situation carry on.

The shameful thing about this is that even the first three Caliphs, who were very eager to adorn themselves with as many exclusive titles of Imam Ali (a.s.) as they possibly could, did not have the courage to use the term Mawlana for themselves. Neither their historians of old nor the contemporary ones have ever referred to them as such. From among the Shiites, Sheykh Kulayni, Syed Razi, Sheykh Sadouq etc. none of them ever used the term Mawlana for anyone other than the Holy Infallibles (a.s.).

These days however, every other turbanite is being referred to as a Mawlana. Let us take a look at what happens in the Mosques and Hussaynias during the Holy month of Ramadhan. The Shiites recite Du'a E Tawassul in great numbers during which they pronounce the fourteen Holy Infallibles (a.s.) as their Masters, after which they duly go back to referring to the priest with the same reference as their fifteenth.

O Abul Hasan, O Commander of the Faithful, O 'Ali, son of Abu Talib, O decisive argument of Allah over mankind, O our chief, O our Master . . .