And he replied: ‘O Ali, my nation shall be tried after me.

And he replied: ‘O Ali, my nation shall be tried after me.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, on the day of Uhud, when Muslims had fallen martyrs and I was not among them, and this had been very annoying to me, did you not say to me: ‘Cheer up, for you shall be killed (martyred) later on!’ The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ‘Yes, it is so, but what about your endurance at receiving martyrdom?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, this is not a matter of endurance, but it is a matter of delight and gratefulness.’ Then he said: ‘O Ali, Muslims shall soon fall into sedition because of their properties their wealth, put Allah under obligation that they have faith, expect Allah’s mercy, and wish to be safe from His wrath, and because of false doubts and desires, they take His unlawful things as lawful.

So, they will then consider wine as just a juice of grapes and dates, bribe as gift, and usury as selling and buying, and thus consider them lawful.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how should I deal with them at the time? Shall I consider them as apostates and disbelievers or ones involved in sedition?’ He said: ‘Sedition and trial.’” [^9] What mischief is worse than this!

After the Messenger of Allah (SAW) the Ummah was divided into seventy-three sects as the Holy Prophet (SAW) had said: “The Jews will become seventy-one sects, the Christians seventy-two and my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects (after me).” [^10] Ibn al-Maghazeli has reported: “The Holy Prophet(SAW) said to Ali ibn Abi Talib: ‘The Ummah after me will soon hatch plots against you.’” [^11] Imam Ali (AS) has been reported by many narrators as having said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to me: ‘Surely God has made Jihad against mischief-makers incumbent upon you as He made Jihad against the atheists incumbent upon me.’ I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah!

What is this mischief that has made Jihad incumbent?’ The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: ‘There are some who bear witness to the Oneness of God and my mission but they challenge the Sunnah.’ I asked the Holy Prophet: ‘What should I fight them for while they bear witness to what I testify?’ The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: ‘For the heresy in religion and challenging Imamate.’ I said: ‘You promised that I would be martyred.