If 'Umar used to harass the holy Prophet's companions and...

If 'Umar used to harass the holy Prophet's companions and detain them in Medina and burn up their writings, 'Usman in order to stop the narrations of the holy Prophet's statements and descriptions of his ways of life, tortured or exiled some of the well-known companions of the holy Prophet (P). For instance, he exiled Abu Dharr from Medina and thence to Rabzah, until this notable comrade of the holy Prophet died on the burning sands of a strange land!

Another companion of the holy Prophet, 'Ammar bin Yasir, was beaten so hard that he fell unconscious on the ground![^10] For twenty-five years during the rule of the first three Caliphs, the comrades of the holy Prophet and other sons of Islam passed their lives in tremendous frustration, until at last as a result of a general uprising, the Caliphate of 'Usman was overthrown and the Caliph was killed.

After this the people turned to Imam Ali (P) and chose him as their next Caliph.[^11] Imam Ali succeeded to the Caliphate at the time when Muslims, having passed a quarter of a century under the previous Caliphs, had become used to their ways of life, Imam Ali (P) has him­ self-described the situation prevailing at that time as follows[^12] "The Caliphs before me did things wherein they consciously went against (the dictates) of the holy Prophet of Allah (P).

They broke their covenant with him and changed his 'Sunnah '. Now if I force the people to give up those things and restore the affairs as they had been in the days of the holy Prophet, my army men will be scattered away from me, leaving me alone and helpless. At the most I shall have a small number of my adherents left at my side, these adherents who recognize my Imamat through the Book of Allah and the 'Sunnah 'of the holy Prophet.

"What do you think will be the result if I take the following measures? : (a) Replace "Maqam lbrahim" (the standing place of Abraham) to where it had been ordered by the holy Prophet. (b) Restore 'Fadak' to the next of kin of Fatima (daughter of the holy Prophet). (c) Restore weights and measures as they were in vogue in the time of the holy Prophet. (d) Restore the lands to those whom the holy Prophet had given. (e) Cancel the cruel laws enforced by the Caliphs.

(f) Re-adjust Zakat on the original basis. (g) Reformulate rules regarding ablutions and prayers. (h) Restore the women who have been illegally separated from their husbands and given away to others, to their rightful husbands.