Yes, their fighting was for obtaining God's pleasure, and...

Yes, their fighting was for obtaining God's pleasure, and for prospering in the other world.1 But the opportunists and the wish-worshipper who saw a danger to their worldly [material] profits with the ever-increasing advance of Islam, tried, by every means, to remove this heavenly Shariat [Code] from their community. In the beginning, they tired to prevent progress. Thereafter, they resorted to threatening and . The Role of the Imams in the Revival of Religion, Allamah Askari intimidation.

They used temptation and force to prevent the message from the masses. But the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) stood fast and firm against all those troubles and continued to fight against the devil and his servants. But the world-seekers who saw their interests in danger, looked for an opportunity for revenge and for staging a revolt. Yet the holy Prophet took proper remedial steps. By God's help and his sharp planning, he defeated all those mischief and uprisings.

The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), during his last illness, thought a plan for defeating the coup de etat of the rioter companions, so that all of them could be sent out of Medina along with the army of Usamah. He selected Usamah, an 18-year-old, son of martyr Zaid bin Haritha for the command of that army and ordered that all young and old men must leave Medina with him.

In that battalion, people like Abu Bakr, Umar, Abu Ubaidah Jarrah, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas, Sa'ad bin Ubaldah, and many other famous companions were put under the command of Usamah. In the beginning they began to criticize, and said: "He made us subordinate to a boy of 18 years!" They refrained from proceeding. The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) delivered a sermon for them and said; "God's Curse be on the one who opposes the Usamah's army.

God's curse be on the one who does not join the army of Usamah." The army of Usamah moved and camped at Joraf, a few kilometers from Medina. At the same time the illness of the holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) increased and its news reached the camps. The elders of the community returned to Medina. The next morning Bilal came home and cried: Prayer! Prayer! O Messenger of God!

Since the holy Prophet had slept with his head on the thigh of Ali (p.b.u.h.), Aysha thought it a good occasion and told Bilal: "The Holy Prophet asked you to call Abu Bakr to lead the Prayer in his place." Abu Bakr stood for prayer in place of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.).