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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Victim Lost in Saqifah 1-4 Discourse Fivepublicized Analyses About the Relation of Amirul Momineen (a.s.) With Caliphs A) Ali’s criticism of Caliphs The sermon of Shiqshiqya and his other stands prove Caliphs’ deviations and perversions from the right path.

“Whenever Ali witnessed any wrong from Caliphs or any of their colleagues, he openly criticized them.” [1] Here it must be asked how they can claim: “History does not mention that His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) uttered a sentence or a word against the other Caliphs.”! [2] That which is worth noting in this debate are the social conditions so blindly and ignorantly prevailing on the people in those days that made totally impossible for any voice of criticism to rise against Caliphs.

So to criticize was neither easy nor tolerable to the people. Such an environment gave a free hand to Caliphs without fearing any opposition. As a result, the silence of Imam Ali (a.s.) was due to the conditions prevailing then. It should not be attributed to fear; or seeing eye-to-eye from the side of Imam Ali (a.s.). Ibne Abil Hadeed writes in this regard: “Ali had very painful matters at heart as regards the Caliphate.

But the tyranny of Umar restrained him from expression to his feelings during the periods of Abu Bakr and Umar.” [3] This was the reason for Ali’s silence, which was too hard and heavy to him. He saw the Caliphs going astray and deviated from the right path but the conditions forced him to keep quiet. [1] Ali Muhammad Meer Jalili: Imam Ali (a.s.) wa Zamaamdaaraan (Imam Ali and the Rulers), Pg. 101 [2] Farooq Safizaada: Article quoted in Kayhan Farhangi, Issue 170, Azar 79, Pg.

80 [3] Yusuf Gholami: Pas az Ghuroob (After Sunset), Pg. 193, quoting from Sharh Nahjul Balagha, Vol. 9, Pg. 25 In any case: “To oppose the government was not easy for Imam Ali (a.s.). In the early years, it was very hard to Ali. So he tried to take refuge in isolation to avoid face-to-face situation. The fate of Saad bin Ubadah was a very painful example. He did not give Bay’at to Abu Bakr. In the period of Abu Bakr or Umar news came that Jinns have killed him in Damascus.

Some sources**[1]** indicate that his murder was political.” [2] In the same way: “Opinion of Imam about Caliphate of the three Caliphs remained confined to himself. The stringent conditions deprived him of any freedom of expression. Caliphate of the first two (Abu Bakr and Umar) receded into the annals of history.