Even if the doers were their brothers and offspring...

Even if the doers were their brothers and offspring, they would still confront them with the same violence, for love for authority and the seriousness of what they wanted to carry out would put them in a fateful dilemma which would act as a catalyst for deciding the matter by force. The matter for them was much more serious; it was stronger than and ignoring such a respect.

Status of al-Zahra’ (sa) with the Ansar and with Her Assailants Someone claims that those who assaulted the house of al-Zahra’ (sa) loved and respected her, and that those brought by ‘’Umar had hearts full of love for her; so, how could they have assaulted her?! Then he seeks evidence from the following: According to Bihar al-Anwar and many other references, Ali (as) used to take al-Zahra’ (sa) around the houses of the Muhajirun and the Ansar so that she might defend his right.

She, then, wanted to take advantage of her status and of the respect awarded to her to win their support; so, how could anyone dare to assault her?! Obviously, such talk is derived from al-Fadl ibn Roozbahan who used to rebut ‘allama al-Hilli by saying, “The chiefs of the Ansar and senior sahabis were Muslims who were led by their love for the Messenger of Allah S; so, could it be possible that they remained silent and did not speak to Abu Bakr in this regard?

Surely burning the house of the family of the Prophet S is not permissible or commendable.”[^1] The answer is as follows: FIRST: There were three parties in Medina: A party which nothing could deter, be it religion or ethics or civil feelings, from harming (as), even burning their houses or killing them and those who seek refuge with them with the fire.

Another party which sympathized a little with the oppressed group which faced all these great calamities, but it preferred to remain safe and was not ready to sacrifice anything for the oppressed, not even for righteousness or for the religion to which they were invited. All these elements combined, the love, respect, religion, oppression, humanity, could not move it to take a decisive stand against the assailing party aiming at forcing Ali (as) to swear the oath of allegiance to him.

Both Ali and al-Zahra’ (as) tried to stir this particular party to action, but they could not; thus was the will of the Messenger of Allah S lost.