In the previous discussions, we saw that God, as per His Divinity, has fixed and decreed the life of all His creatures in conformity with their innate disposition and nature and has guided all His creatures so that in accordance with the same, they continue the fixed system of their living until they reach the level of perfection in existence. This guidance in some of the created beings is as invincible as the stars, planets or even the atom. With regards to some other creatures, He has guided through inspiration like animals whose guidance is called as 'animal instinct'. However with regards to the third type of created beings - which is the human-being - He has guided them by means of revelation through the Prophets and the Prophets in turn lead the people through their own sayings and actions.
But, after the demise of every Prophet, whenever the oppressors of that very nation of the Prophet saw that the divine canons of the Prophet are detrimental to their personal desires, they gradually concealed and distorted them to such extent that man could no longer have access to the divine system. In such a case, Almighty God would renew the divine laws by sending a new Prophet and this continued until the Prophethood of the last of the Prophets. Wisdom demanded that his divine canons should remain with mankind forever and should be the last of the divine laws not withstanding that man's nature is unchangeable and the Holy Prophet has said: «Whatever has taken place in the past nations will also occur for this nation so far so that if there had been anyone from the past nations who had gone to the mouth of an alligator, the same will occur for this nation too.»
Therefore, in this nation too, the powerful ones have embarked upon the distortion of their Prophet's divine canons and the concealment of the same.
Nevertheless, God has kept this «Shariat» (divine law) within man's reach forever such that:
In the previous nations, the details and explanations of the commandments were present in their heavenly books. Thus, whatever law which was present in their holy books was detrimental is the personal desires of the powerful ones would be altered and concealed by them and later nothing would remain in the hands of man.
Secondly, the Prophet's legatees would not remain amongst the people for a long time. After them, man could no longer have access to the divine laws of their Prophet. However, as far as this nation is concerned, God has not made clear the details of the commandments in His Book (Quran) and has said:
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Thus, the explanation and details of the Islamic commandments and their beliefs was the responsibility of the Prophet and he has explained them in his «seerah» (way of life) and hadith (his conduct and speech).
With this philosophy, God has protected the Quran from distortion and concealment and He says in the Quran as such:
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In this connection, the oppressors of this nation have esoterically interpreted as per their own desire, those parts of the Quranic texts which were against their personal interests and have engaged in distortion and concealment in the «seerah» and hadith of the Holy Prophet. However, in this nation, the Prophet's legatees are having the responsibility of safeguarding the «Shariat» (divine law) until the end of this world. No matter to what extent the oppressors distorted and concealed the Propeht's «seerah» and hadith, the legatees spread the true «seerah» and unaltered hadith of the Prophet amongst the people. In this way, God has placed the divine laws of the last of the Prophets within the reach of man forever and it was for this very reason that the Prophet (S.A.W.A.) said:-
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Whatever has occured for the past nations in connection with the distortion and concealment of the «Shariat» (divine canons) has occured for this nation (too) through three channels. We shall now explain each one of them respectively in three sections.
CONCEALMENT OF THE HOLY
PROPHET'S HADITH AND SEERAH:
It was mentioned in the introduction that in the «Shariat» (divine canons) of the last of the Prophets, the explanation and details of the Islamic commandments and belief s have been mentioned in the utterances and actions of the Holy Prophet. The first thing which the oppressors did was to debar the Prophet's companions from circulating the traditions. The manner of prevention of dissemination of the Holy Prophet's traditions:
(a) They said: Do not write all that the Prophet says since, like all other human-beings he too may get happy or angry and he may utter words in both these conditions.
(b) They disallowed the Holy Prophet from writing his will on the death-bed; a will which, according to him would have never allowed his nation to go astray.
(c) Some of the companions like Abu Zar, Abdullah-ibn-Masoud, Abdullah -ibn-Huzaifa, Abul-Dardah, Uqbah-ibn-Amer and others expressed their opposition and narrated the Holy Prophet's traditions outside Medina. The second Caliph ordered for their presence in Medina and kept them under strict surveillance.
(d) Some of the companions had written down the Holy Prophet's traditions for themselves. The second Caliph went on the pulpit and promised those who had put down the Prophet's traditions in writing to safeguard and publish them but when they did so, he ordered all of those traditions to be put in the fire.
(e) Prohibition of dissemination of traditions was in force as long as time of the third Caliph. He declared on top of the pulpit: Any tradition which had not been narrated during the reign of Abu Bakr and Omar should not be narrated too.
(f) During the third Caliph's era, some people opposed him like: Abu-Zar who was exiled from Medina to Syria and later to Rabzah where he died.
(g) Ammar and Ibne-Masoud were subject to severe beatings and foul language.
(h) During Muawiya's era, they cut off Metham's tongue and severed Rashid Hujri's hands and legs.
(i) The prohibition for writing of traditions was in force right until the time of Omar-ibn-Abdul Aziz (last century of first of Hijri) who then ordered for the Prophet's traditions to be put down in writing.
This was a brief list of the actions of the powerful ones of this nation in connection with the concealment of the Holy Prophet's hadith and «seerah» (way of life).
IN EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND MEDIUM
In this regard, the powerful ones in the Caliphate school designed another medium and that is:
Exhibiting others to be more superior than the Holy Prophet and lowering the Prophet's position from the level of (even) one ordinary man.
Here, we shall set forth some of the traditions which wrongfully show the position of the Holy Prophet to be lower than the level of an ordinary man:
(a) It has been narrated from many narrators like Ayesha and Abu-Huraira that the Holy Prophet used to often curse the believers. But he would say: «I have requested God to set the curse which I send on any believer to become a blessing and mercy for him.
(b) It has been narrated from Anas the companion of the Prophet and Ayesha that once when the Holy Prophet was passing a palm grove he saw some men busy in the pollination and insemination of date trees. He told them: If you desist from this act, the dates will become much better. The Muslims followed the Prophet's instructions. But the result was that the dates of Medina got spoiled. When the Holy Prophet was informed about this, he said: «You are more knowledgeable than me in the wordly affairs.»
(c) It has been narrated from Ayesha and the famous companion Abu- Huraira that once, the Holy Prophet was in the mosque and he heard a Muslim reciting the Quran, he said: 'May Allah shower His Mercy upon him. He has reminded me of a verse which I had completely forgotten and which I had dropped from so and so sura (chapter) of the holy Quran.'
(d) It has been narrated from Abu-Huraira that the Holy Prophet once stood in the mosque for prayers in the state of «Janabat» (major ritual impurity). All of a sudden he remembered that he was in the state of impurity. He ordered those praying behind him to remain in their places and he went towards his house, performed the the ritual ablution and returned back to lead the prayers.
(e) It has been narrated that the Holy Prophet urinated against a wall in a standing position. A companion who was accompanying him wished to keep distant from him. The Holy Prophet called out to him to come and stand behind the Prophet until he finished urinating. 372
(f) It has been narrated from the daughter of Ma'uzben Ufrah who said: 'The Holy Prophet attended my wedding ceremony and sat in my special place besides me (God forbid) and listened to the songs of the girls who were playing on the drum!
One of them recited a poem in praise of the Prophet and the latter said: 'Recite the same poem which you were reciting before.'
In another tradition it is mentioned that in a marriage ceremony a bride offered a glass of drink to the Holy Prophet with her own hands! (God forbid)
(g) It has been narrated from Ayesha as such: I and the Prophet were underneath a blanket when Abu Bakr approached who conversed with the Prophet and then left. Similarly, Omar came and went. Thereafter Uthman wished to come. The Prophet stood up, wore his garment and gave him permission to enter. In another tradition she says: He ordered me to well- dress myself and then he gave him permission to enter. Later, I asked the Prophet the reason for his different behaviours. He replied: Shouldn't I have shame before a man whom the angels have shame before him?
(h) It has been narrated from Ayesha that the Jews cast a spell on the Prophet and it so much effected him that he imagined that he was in bed with one of his wives whereas such a thing had not actually occured.
Well, so far, we have read the traditions which brings the Prophet's position to a level much lower than the level of an ordinary person. From now on, we shall examine those traditions which are concerned with the Quran and divine revelation.
In numerous traditions and in the authentic books of hadith, tafseer, (exegesis) seerah (biography) and tarikh (history) of the Caliphate school, it has been narrated from Ayesha and others as follows:
«At the time of the first revelation in the cave of 'Hira', Gibra'eel told the Prophet: 'Read'. The Holy Prophet replied: 'I cannot read'. Gibra'eel pressed the Prophet so much so that he sensed death. Gibra'eel said for the second time: 'Read'. The Prophet replied: 'I cannot read'. Again he pressed him and said: 'Read'.
This continued until the Prophet feared that lest he has become a soothsayer and Gibra'eel is a Satan who converses with him and wishes to cast him down from the mountain and cause him to die. Khadija consoled him and she along with a Christian man by the name of Warqah-ibn-Nufail gave the news of revelation to him. Warqah assured him and gave him glad tiding that this was Prophethood and not soothsaying.
372- Previously, we had spoken about the prevarication of these traditions and here we add the tradition of Ibn-Ishaaq in refutation of this tradition. He says: «Before his appointment to the position of Prophethood, the Holy Prophet used to go far away from the houses and take refuge in the mountain-valleys for the purpose of easing nature.» Refer to «Seerah»-e-Ibn-Hisham (253/2).
Worst than the above is the Gharaniq fable which has come down in numerous traditions in the reliable books of exegesis, biography and history of the Caliphate school and it goes as such: «The Holy Prophet was put to harassment by the opposition of the Quraish and longed for a verse to be revealed to him which would cause them to come on the path of guidance and hence become intimate with him. While sura «Najm» was revealed to him and he was reciting it, he came to the verse:
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Satan inspired him with these two sentences:
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and the Prophet while reciting the verses of the afore-said Sura also recited these two sentences.
Thereafter, he prostrated and the Muslims prostrated for the sake of Allah's name and the polythesists prostrated for the sake of their idol's name. News reached the Muslims migrating towards Habasha that the polytheists had become Muslims. Some of them turned back to Mecca. Gibra'eel descended upon the Prophet and informed him of the event. The Holy Prophet became sad. God consoled him with the noble verse of:
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Whatever we have narrated so far have been those traditions which if a person were to believe in their authenticity would shatter the very personality of the Holy Prophet.
Now, we shall examine those traditions which while diminishing the Holy Prophet's personality raised the status of others:
They narrate from Ayesha as such: Two girls were singing and the Prophet was lying on his bed when Abu-Bakr entered and said: Satanic song and music in the presence of the Holy Prophet? The Prophet replied: Do not bother them for today is their «eid» (festival).
Moreover, they narrate that on the day of «eid», some of the «Habashis» were dancing in the Prophet's mosque. The Prophet told me: Do you wish to see their dance? He carried me on his shoulders and I placed my cheek over Prophet's cheek. The Prophet told them to be busy with their dance. This continued so long that I became tired.
In another tradition she says: The Holy Prophet had become tired and changed his position and asked me: Are you not yet satisfied, Ayesha? I would say: 'No'. I wanted to know my own worth and position before the Prophet. At that moment Omar entered the mosque. The Habashis fled out to every corner out of fear from Omar.
In another tradition she says: As they were fleeing, the Prophet said: I saw the devils of men and jinn fleeing from Omar.
They have narrated that during the period of ignorance, the Holy Prophet once spread the tablecloth which had meat on it as the meal and invited Zaid-ibn-Nufail (Omar's relative) for eating. Zaid said:
I do not eat the meat which you sacrifice for the idols.
Amongst the traditions which reduces the Prophet's status and considers the position of others to be more superior than the Prophet's position are the traditions related to «Caliph Omar's agreement with God» or «the consensus of the Caliph with God in opinion».
The Caliph says:
I agreed with my Lord in many instances.
(a) The Holy Prophet prayed over the dead-body of Ibne-Abi Munafiq. I stood before him and said: Was he not the same person who on so and so a day, said so and so a thing? I swear by God that moments later, the verse: [Arabic text] 373 was revealed to him.
(b) I advised the Prophet as such: Order your wives to wear the veil. Later the verse:
[Arabic text] 374 was revealed
(c) I told the Prophet: [Arabic text] and the verse: [Arabic text] 375 was revealed.
(d) I told the Prophet's wives:
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and the verse:
[Arabic text] 376 was revealed.
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The previous verses indicate that whenever a difference would arise between the Holy Prophet and Omar, Almighty God would reveal a verse and charge the Prophet to act upon Omar's opinion. Then, the very opinion of Omar would become the divine decree. Some of these traditions merely possess the aspect of propagation of Omar's virtues like the tradition which they narrate from Omar as such:
«When this verse:
[Arabic text] 377
from sura Mu'mineen was revealed, I said: [Arabic text] 378
A revelation descended and added this sentence to the previous verse.
On the whole, numerous traditions exist in connection to the virtues of the Caliphs. Amongst them, they have narrated as follows:-
(a) God has set the truth on Omar's tongue and he speaks the truth.
(b) The people have not uttered anything about a matter which Omar too would utter about the same except that the Quran was revealed in the same form in which Omar had uttered.
Or that whenever Omar would give his view and opinion, the Quranic verses would be revealed according to his opinion.
These traditions have come down in tens of traditions from Abu-Bakr, Abu -Zar, Abu S'aeed Khudri, Abu-Huraira and other companions and in particular they have narrated from Amir-ul-Mumineen Ali (A.S.) as such:
«In the Quran, you will find the views and opinions of Omar.
Moreover he said: «Tranquility and faith flow out from Omar's tongue» - and as per another tradition he says: «Tranquility and faith have descended on Omar's tongue» or that he said: We, the companions of the Prophet never denied with all our greatness that tranquility flows out from Omar's tongue.»
Some of these traditions have come down in the authentic books of the Caliphate school. Amongst them, they have narrated from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) as saying:
«In the past nations, there existed such people with whom the Angels conversed. In this nation if there is any such person, he is sure to be Omar.»
And he said: «If I had not been appointed amongst you as the Messenger, then Omar would have been appointed.» And he said: «If there was to come any Prophet after me, he would have been Omar-ibn-Khattab.»
And he said: «The sun has not risen on any man better than Omar.»
This tradition has introduced Omar to be superior than all the Prophets.
Why have these traditions been fabricated?
In the year 40 A.H. when Muawiya came to power and gradually established the pillars of his government, he thought of fixing the Caliphate as a hereditary right amongst his descendants. In this regard, the first person whom he had in mind was his darling son, Yazid. He was anxious enough to take allegiance for him from the Muslims. The only obstacle in the way of achieving this aim was Yazid's defame in anti-Islamic behaviour. In this connction, Hazrat Abu Abdullah Hussein (A.S.) says:- «We are the household of the Holy Prophet and Yazid is a winebibber.
[Arabic text] 379
Other renowned Muslims of that time like Abdul Rahman-ibn-Abi Bakr, Abdullah-ibn-Omar, Abdullah-ibn-Aziz and Sa'ad Waqqas possessed the same views. Thus, in overcoming this problem, Muawiya prepared a well- calculated plan and it was this that traditions should be forged in connection with every matter in which the Muslims were taking an opposite stance against Yazid or Muawiya himself and the same deeds should be proved in the case of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) so long that with the help of these traditions, there would no longer remain any place of criticism against Yazid or Muawiya.
Muawiya in collaboration with his self-appointed governors like Amro-Aas, Zujad-ibn-Abih, Mughaira-ibn-Sho'ba, Marwan-ibn-Hakam, Walid and other Bani-Umayyid governors (who more or less were afflicted with the same anti-Islamic behaviour as Yazid-ibn-Muawiya) employed all the governmental power and mobilized a group so that they could fabricate and narrate those traditions. They employed all their capabilities, tricks and stratagem and propagated these traditions in all the Islamic countries right from the farthest point of the Muslims living in Iran to the farthest point in Africa, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. This affair progressed smoothly because during the rule of the Caliphs, the Holy Prophet's traditions had been disallowed from being propagated - except if they were to the interest of the governmental policies and during Muawiya's reign, things had become worst because the fabricated traditions were filling this strange vacuum in the Islamic countries.
Another reason for the easy propagation of these traditions was that the opposition to the ruling power were all placed in Medina and had no access to the cities of the Islamic countries. It was only the ruling elite which was implementing its plans in all the cities and villages of the Islamic countries with no challenge from any side.
It was for this reason that the ruling power succeeded in achieving much higher aims than the above-mentioned aims such as:-
(a) Exhibiting the position of Caliphate to be higher than the position of Messengership.
(b) The Muslims reckoning religion to be obedience of the Caliph.
The ruling power during Muawiya's era, succeeded in achieving these two bizarre aims. It was after Muawiya's that the government of Yazid could fire the holy Ka'aba with catapult by the hands of those very Muslims who used to face it in their prayers; permit his soldiers to loot and plunder whatever they wanted in the Holy Prophet's Medina for three days; massacre the Holy Prophet's household in Karbala and take the Holy Prophet's daughters as captives along with the severed heads of the Prophet's sons around the Muslim cities and display them to the Muslims.
They performed all these evil acts because they reckoned the Caliph's command and the obedience of the Caliph to be the religion. For achieving these two objectives, the Umayyids had no alternative but to start the proceedings from the first and second Caliph and then to execute this reflection amongst the coming Caliphs - i.e. exhibiting the status and deeds of the first and second Caliph to be more superior than the Holy Prophet's status and deeds and showing that the (true) religion is nothing but acting upon their sayings. Their problem in this affair was the government of Amir- ul-Mumineen (A.S.) where Muawiya and his companions found its remedy in this to propagate that his government was against the government of the Caliphs and he himself was the killer of Uthman and so cannot be the true Caliph of the Muslims. Thus Ayesha and Caliph Muawiya revolted against him and the Holy Prophet's companions like Talha and Zubair too cooperated with them. In this regard too, they forged numerous traditions and spread them amongst the Muslims.
Finally, this matter has become clear that during Muawiya's era, they achieved all their objectives through fabrication of traditions. Therefore, we reckon fabrication of traditions to be the third factor in the alteration of Islamic beliefs and commandments.
379- A person like me will never give allegiance to a person like him.
IN EXPLANATION OF THE THIRD MEDIUM
The third medium is the matter of fabrication of traditions.
Previously, it was mentioned that most of the interpolated traditions had been fabricated during Muawiya's reign. This statement is not based on guess or conjecture. Rather, it has been recorded and registered in the books. Here, «Mada'eni» has recorded some proofs in his book «Al- Ehdath» which are as follows:
Firstly, in the first year of Muawiya's Caliphate (which they named as 'the year of congregation') he himself issued a command to all his officials in the entire Islamic territories that if anyone narrates anything about the virtues of Abu-Turab and his household they would be dismissed from government protection and his killing will become allowed and the confescation of his wealth permissible.
Secondly, for the second time he issued a command to all his officials that they should not accept the testimonies of the Shias of Ali (A.S.) and that they should recognize, attract towards themselves and honour Uthman's friends and those who narrate traditions about his virtues and live in places under their rule and that they should write to him all that they narrate about Uthman's virtues and they register the narrator's name along with the name of his father and household members. For this reason, the traditions narrated by anyone from the Holy Prophet in connection with Uthman's virtues would come out in the form of an official document and would be sent to the Ummayid court. This command was so implemented that Uthman's so called virtues and the traditions which contained Uthman's virtues gained abundance because Muawiya liberally donated money, gifts, robe of honour, land and property and whatever he had in possession in this way and distributed these among the Arabs and kinsfolk. Thus, fabrication of traditions escalated and those seeking the worldly pleasures engaged in competition with each other in order to derive a greater share. There was no rejected or wretched person who would approach the official agent or Muawiya's governor and narrate a tradition about Uthman's virtue and excellency except that his name would be written down; his relation with the ruling power would become firm; his intercession with respect to others would be accepted and his social value and prestige would rise. Some time passed in this manner.