ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Kitab Al-irshad 1 Supplement /2 [A group of traditionists (ahl al-naql) report by a variety of chains of authority (turuq) on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, who said:]20 I (i.e. Ibn 'Abbas) was with the Commander of the faithful at al-Rahaba. I mentioned the caliphate and those who had preceded him He breathed heavily and said: "By God, Ibn Abi Quhafa (i.e.

Abu Bakr) took on its clothes although he was aware that my position with regard to it was like the position of the axle of a mill. The stream (of knowledge) flows from me and the birds cannot rise to (the exaltedness of) my position. I allowed myself to let another robe cover me instead of it and I turned aside from it.

I began to consider whether I should attempt to attack (when I would be like a man) with a hand cut off or I should endure the blind darkness (of oppression), in which the old man would grow feeble and the young become white-haired, while 'a believer' would toil until he meets his Lord. "I realised that endurance in this was most appropriate. So I endured while all the time there was a mote in my eye and an obstruction in my throat.

I could see my inheritance plundered until the time of his death came to him (i.e. Abu Bakr) and he handed it down to 'Umar. How amazing that, while he used to offer to give it up during his life, he should make a bequest ('aqd) of it after his death! How eagerly the two divided its two udders between them: How different was my time in its saddle and the time of a man of wickedness, my brother Jabir. "By God, he (i.e.

Abu Bakr) directed it towards a coarse direction (i.e.'Umar) whose touch was harsh, who was wounding in his roughness. The man in control of it was like the rider of an obstinate camel. If he pulled its reins, he choked it. If he held its reins loosely, he caused it to go at random so that it stumbled frequently and its excuses were few. In the name of God, the people were afflicted with disorderliness, with refractoriness, with constant changes and with obstruction until death came to him.

Yet even then he made it (the decision of) a consultative committee consisting of a group among whom he claimed that I was merely one. O God! O what a consultative-committee it was when doubt was stirred up against me through (being put alongside) the leading members among them so that I now come to be regarded (as merely an equal) with these men as my equals.