Shaykh as-Saduq relates through his chain of transmitters from Ibn ‘Abbas that, “Once I was in the company of Imam ‘Ali (during the days of his caliphate) when a discussion arose between us regarding the caliphate (after the Prophet). Imam ‘Ali replied in detail [as has been quoted in Nahjul Balaghah):
“By Allah! The son of Abu Quhafah (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. He knew that the stream of wisdom and perfection that comes forth from the highlands flows through me and the birds of high flight even do not have the strength to reach the peak of my intelligence. Thus I released the mantle of caliphate and kept myself detached from it.
Then I began to think whether I should stand up alone to defend my right or endure calmly the events of censorship and oppression that have taken place, wherein the grown up are made feeble and the young grow old and the true believer acts under strain until he meets Allah (upon his death). I found that patience and endurance thereon was wiser, so I followed the path of patience and endurance, although my state was similar to the one whom there was pricking in the eye and suffocation in the throat. I watched the plundering of my inheritance until the first one passed away but handed over the caliphate to the second one (‘Umar) after himself.
Then, Imam ‘Ali recited the verses of al-A’sha: ‘My days are now passed on the camel’s back in hardship, while there were days (of ease) when I enjoyed the company of Jabir’s brother, al-Hayyan.’
It is strange that during his (Abu Bakr) lifetime he wished to be released from the caliphate, but then he wed the caliphate to the other one (‘Umar) after his death. No doubt these two shared the caliphate among themselves similar to the two udders of a camel. Thus he put the caliphate in the hands of a man who was very rude, hot-tempered, one stuffed with errors and who always made excuses.
Then the one assumed the leadership who was similar to a rider of an unruly camel, if its reins are pulled and not let loose, the nostrils (of the camel) would tear, but if it be let loose it would fall in the precipice of perdition. Consequently, by Allah, during his (‘Umar’s) days, people got involved in misconceptions, failed to strive for the truth and walked the path of deviation.
During this period I remained patient until he too passed away. But during his last days, he handed over the caliphate to a group of council and regarded me to be one of them. Verily, we seek refuge in Allah from this council! Was there any doubt about me with regard to the first of them that I was now considered akin to these ones? But I remained low when they were low and flew high when they flew high. One of them (Sa’ad b. Abi al-Waqqas) turned against me because of his envy towards me, and the other one (‘Abdul Rahman b. ‘Awf) inclined the other way due to his relationship, while the third one (Uthman b. al-Affan) emerged a winner and took the reins of caliphate into his hands.
He, similar to a camel that is satiated and with a swollen belly, resolved nothing but to accumulate the public property (for himself) and usurp it, while the adherers of his father (Umayyah) also stood up, similar to the starving camels that rush to eat the foliage of spring and gulp with such greed, to swallow the wealth of Allah. Ultimately his rope broke and his unworthy actions destroyed his tasks.”
The Period of the Caliphate of Imam ‘Ali
“After him (‘Uthman), a crowd of people rushed towards me from every side like the mane of a hyena so much so that it was near that the two lights of my eyes and the remembrance of the Prophet of Allah, Hasan and Husayn, would have been crushed and both ends of my clothing would have been ripped.
They collected around me like a herd of sheep that seek refuge from a wolf and when I took up the reins of caliphate, a group (consisting of Talhah and Zubair) broke their allegiance and another group (the Kharijites) turned disobedient and left the religion. Another group (consisting of Mu’awiyah and his adherents) disobeyed with regards to following the right with an intention of acquiring dominion and power as if they had not heard the word of Allah saying,
‘That abode in the hereafter, We assign it for those who intend not to exult themselves in the earth, nor (to make) mischief (therein); and the end is (best) for the pious ones.’
Yes, they had heard it very well and understood it too, however the glitter of the world blinded their eyes and its embellishments seduced them. Behold, by Him who split the grain (to grow) and created living beings! If people had not come to me from all sides and stood up to support me and in this way the argument was established, and if there had not been the pledge of Allah with the learned to the effect that they should not sbumit in the gluttony of the oppressor and the hunger of the oppressed, I would have cast away the reins of the caliphate, and would have given the last one the same treatment as to the first one. Then you would have seen that in my view this world of yours is no better than the sneezing of a goat.”
When Imam ‘Ali reached this point in his speech, an ‘Iraqi arose and handed him a letter. Imam looked at the letter and read its entire contents then remained silent. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “O Commander of the Faithful! It would be better if you continued where you had left off.” Imam ‘Ali replied, “Alas! O Ibn ‘Abbas! It was like foam of a camel that gushed out and subsided.”
Ibn ‘Abbas says that by Allah, I never grieved over any utterance as I did over this one because Imam could not finish it (his sermon) as he wished to.
House of Sorrows Translation of Baytul AhzanShaikh Abbas Al – Qummi