Therefore...

Therefore, when I stood up amidst the sweeping surge of innovations and schism the dark clouds of heresy dispersed, falsehood and schism were crushed and the religion was saved.[^3] Imam al-Hasan ( ‘a ) also writes in a letter to Mu‘awiyah: “Since we were afraid that the hypocrites and the other Arab parties could render a blow to Islam, we ignored our right.”[^4] Even a number of those in whose heart faith had not entered, as testified by the Qur’an, and had accepted Islam out of compulsion, as demanded by their inner hypocrisy, they did not accept the guardianship { wilayah } of the Commander of the Faithful ( ‘a ).

They even complained about this guardianship during the Prophet’s (S) lifetime. On the commentary of the Qur’anic verse, “An asker asked for a punishment bound to befall,” [^5] Tabarsi has thus narrated from Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ): After the event of Ghadir Khumm, a nomadic Arab by the name of Nu‘man ibn al-Harith al-Fihri came to the Prophet (S) and said: “You commanded us to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.

You ordered us to perform jihad , fast, pray, and pay zakah and we obeyed. But you are not satisfied with all this and you raised your cousin by your hand and imposed him upon us as our master by saying ‘‘Ali is the master { mawla } of whom I am mawla .’ Is this imposition from Allah or from you?” The Messenger of Allah (S) said: “By Allah who is the only deity!

This is from Allah, the Mighty and the Glorious.” On hearing this reply Nu‘man ibn al-Harith turned back and proceeded toward his she-camel saying: “O Allah! If what Muhammad said is correct then fling on us a stone from the sky and subject us to severe pain and torture.” He had not reached his she-camel when Allah flung at him a stone which struck him on his head, penetrated his body and left him dead.

It was on this occasion that Allah, the Exalted, caused to descend this verse.[^6] In the event of Saqifah, these people were also siding with the Quraysh.

As narrated by Abu Mikhnaf, a number of nomadic Arabs, who had to the vicinity of Medina for transactions and were present in Medina during the demise of the Prophet (S), had actual physical role in urging the people to pay allegiance to Abubakr.[^7] The Safety of the Progeny of the Prophet (S) The original inheritors of the Prophet (S) and the upright adherents of the religion are the members of the Prophet’s (S) family.