ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Muawiya The Early Sahaba Fought Alongside Imam 'ali (as) In his attempt to play down the actions of Imam 'Ali (as), 'Abu Sulaiman had made this baseless claim: With regards to Abu Sulaiman's claim that "many other of the first believers from the muhajireen and Al-Ansar who isolated themselves from the affliction and did not partake in the fight" - he has no evidence to support this claims and fails to cite even a single source.

The fact is that the early converts the Muhajireen and Ansar WERE those that fought with Imam Ali (as) at Sifeen. This has even been admitted by the Sunni scholar Al Muhaddith Shah 'Abd al-'Aziz Dehlavi who in his book written against the Shi'a states: "The title Shi'a was first given to those Muhajireen and Ansar who gave allegiance (bay'ah) to Ali (may Allah enlighten his face). They were his steadfast faithful followers during his (Ali's) caliphate.

They remained close to him, they always fought his enemies, and kept on following Ali's commands and prohibitions. The true Shi'a are these who came in 37 Hijri" (NB 37 Hijri -the year Imam Ali (as) fought Mu'awiya at Sifeen). Tuhfa Ithna 'Ashariyyah, (Gift to the Twelvers) (Farsi edition p 18, publishers Sohail Academy, Lahore, Pakistan). The Muhajireen and Ansar (Sahaba) were the Shi'a of Ali (as). One wonders how Abu Sulaiman claims that MANY Muhajireen and Ansar did not participate.

Amongst those killed fighting alongside Imam 'Ali (as) were prominent companions including Khuzema bin Thabit (al Isti'ab Volume 1 page 437; Usdul Ghaba Volume 2 page 133 - Chapter Dhikr Khuzema), devotee of Rasulullah (s) Uways Qurni (Usdul Ghaba Volume 1 page 180; al Isti'ab Volume 1 page 123). One prominent Sahaba killed fighting under Maula 'Ali's banner was Hashim ibne Utbah.

We learn in Usdul Ghaba Volume 5 page 277 that when Hashim ibne Utbah was killed, Abu Tufail Amar ibne Waseela said: "you are a martyr because you fought an enemy of the Sunnah". Usdul Ghaba vol. 5 page 277 We read in al Istiab Volume 3 page 229 that: "Abdur Rahman Ibn Abdi narrates that eight hundred Sahaba who pledged allegiance at Ridwan fought alongside 'Ali at Sifeen". Al Isti'ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, Vol.

3, Page 229 This is a significat figure, particularly when one takes into account that the number of Sahaba who pledged allegiance at Ridhwan totalled 1400.