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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Culture and Religious Studies Book - 3 Lesson 10 : the Public Treasury When Imam Ali (a.s.) was chosen as the leader of the Muslim Ummah, the problems faced by the society had reached its peak. The people eagerly turned towards him to sort out their troubles. When reading the Nahjul Balagha, we come across one of the most famous sermons of Imam Ali (a.s.) - Khutba Al-Shiqshiqiya - where he speaks of these troubles and of the Caliphate.

Part of the sermon is as follows: " Beware! By Allah! The son of Abu Quhaafah (Abu Bakr) dressed himself with it (the Caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill. The flood-water flows down from me and the bird cannot fly up to me. I put a curtain against the caliphate and kept myself detached from it.

" Then I began to think whether I should assault or endure calmly the blinding darkness of tribulations wherein the grownups are weak and the young grow old and the true Believer acts under strain till he meets Allah (on his death). (Then Imam Ali (a.s.) spoke of being Patient in absence of supporters) " I found that endurance thereon was wiser. So I adopted patience although there was pricking in the eye and suffocation in the throats.

I watched the plundering of my inheritance till the first one went his way but handed over the Caliphate to Ibn al-Khattab after himself." Then Imam (a.s.) quoted a verse from Al-A'sha's poem: " My days are now passed on the camel's back (in difficulty) while there were days (of ease) when I enjoyed the company of Jabir's brother, Hayyan. " It is strange that during his lifetime he wished to be released from the caliphate but he confirmed it for the other one after his death.

No doubt these two shared its udders strictly among themselves. This (next) one put the Caliphate in a tough enclosure where the utterance was haughty and the touch was rough. Mistakes were in plenty and so also the excuses therefore. One in contact with it was like the rider of an unruly camel. If he pulled up its rein the very nostril would be slit, but if he let it loose he would be thrown. Consequently, by Allah, people got involved in recklessness, wickedness, unsteadiness and deviation.