A Caliphate...

A Caliphate, which has trespassed on Quranic verses and trampled the command of God? A Caliphate, which came into being by overrunning clear instructions of the Prophet himself. So how can Ali accept such a Caliphate? An acceptance that originates from the heart! Yet, Ali did. This shows his foresight and how dear the interests of Islam were at his heart. In this respect, it is written thus: “Abu Bakr takes oath to the effect that loves the Prophet’s Ahle Bayt more than his own relatives.

Further, he commits himself to follow the Prophet’s policy and his works. Then Ali tells him: The place to give allegiance is the Mosque tomorrow.”! [2] “He sees that one who has occupied the chair of power will exert efforts to make it stronger and extensive. Therefore he will try to extend the geography of Islam. So he paid the allegiance.”!

[3] In other words to believe in this type of Bay’at is in contradiction to principles of Shia faith due to the following reason: Imamate, Wilayat and Caliphate are divine offices bestowed by God. They are inseparable from each other. Likewise, they cannot be transferred or delegated to others. Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) did in every befitting opportunity was to establish truth and prove the injustice done to him.

By his campaign, he declared to people the illegitimacy, unlawfulness and invalidity of their Caliphate, which was his right and snatched away from him. Likewise, the unique and unparalleled campaign of Zahra, the only daughter of the Prophet, demonstrates that they usurped the right of Ali to succeed the Prophet and Caliphate which was a legitimate right of Ali. On the other hand the tyrants did know that rulership and Caliphate is an absolute right of Ali vested to him by the Prophet [1] Ibid.

5 Raahi Bi Soo-e-Wahdat-e-Islami (Way to Islamic Unity), Pg. 163 [2] Abdul Kareem Bi-Aazaar Shirazi: Seemai Imam-e-Muttaqeen, (Portrait of the Imam of the Pious), Vol. 5, Pg. 22 [3] Ibid. Paara-e-Payambar (Portion of the Prophet), Vol. 6, Pg. 14-15 at the commandment of God. So if Ali (a.s.) did not pay allegiance, their Caliphate would not attain legitimacy and will forever remain usurped. Therefore they persisted with all force, tricks and tyranny they could.

What history openly shows is this: When Ali did not answer positively to their call to pay allegiance to their authority they set fire to the door of Zahra’s house and threatened to burn alive the dwellers – the progeny, the kith and kin of Prophet.