Imam al-Sadiq (as) met the prominent figures and masters of the followers of Mutazilah at large scale in Mecca. Among those were Amr ibn Ubayd, Wasil ibn Aza, Hafs ibn Salim and others from their well-known characters. This happened after the murder of al-Walid and the conflicts of the people of Sham.
The majority of the followers of al-Mutazilah agreed upon having Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hasan as the Islamic caliph. Then, they talked to the Imam (as) and he told them: “You have been too much for me and took most of my time, so base your idea on one of the men among yourselves to talk on behalf of you all to give your reasons and to make the discussion brief.”
So they all agreed upon granting their affairs to their spiritual leader Amr ibn Ubayd and he in turn delivered an eloquent and excellent lecture. Among what he had said, was the following: “The people of Sham have already murdered their caliph, al-Walid, and Allah punished each group with another and made their affairs harder than ever. We saw and found a man with religion, mind and chivalry and as a mine for leadership.
“He is Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hasan. We want to unite with him and to recognize him as our caliph and then we will clarify our affairs with him and call for people to join us. We are with those who recognize him as a caliph and they are with us. And we will leave those who are with us. We will fight those who declare war on us and will fight with them because of their infidelity and will have them back to the truth and its people.”
Then he turned to the Imam (as) and said: “We’d like to discuss this case with you. Your idea is of much value for us, because of your superiority and the large number of your followers.”
Amr ibn Ubayd finished his targeted lecture at presenting Muhammad to be the caliph and requesting the Imam (as) to agree upon what they are intended to do. He turned to the al-Mutazilah and told them: “Do you all have the same idea as the one mentioned by Amr?”
“Yes,” they replied.
Imam (as) thanked Allah (SwT) and praised Him and glorified the Prophet (S) and then addressed Amr and said: “O Amr! If the nation followed your opinions, you would own them without fighting or fatigue. In that situation, if you were asked to direct it wherever you’d like to take, whom would you choose?”
“I will make it based on consultation,” Amr set forth answering. Imam (as) said: “Among all of them?”
“Among those who are jurisprudents and exalted,” he replied.
“Well, what about the Quraysh tribe and others?” Imam (as) said.
“Yes.”
“What about the Arabs and non-Arabs?” The Imam (as) asked.
“Yes.”
“Inform me Amr, whether you will follow the instructions of Abu Bakr and Umar or not?” The Imam (as) asked.
He replied: “I will follow their instructions.”
The Imam (as) said: “O Amr! If you acquit them, you will actually do against them and if you follow them, you will also do something against them. So Umar suggested Abu Bakr and assigned him as caliph without ever consulting anyone. Then Abu Bakr gave the caliphate back to Umar without ever consulting anyone either. Afterwards, Umar prepared a consultation among six men and prevented the Ansar from being in this consultation and recommended these six to the people, whom they were elected by Umar, to what I do not think you and your followers are satisfied with.”
The Imam (as), with this speech, abolished the claims of Amr ibn Ubayd, who said that he called on all people to participate in assigning the caliph and to make the election comprehensive for all parts of the nation. If he does this, he will be against the line of conduct of the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar) who did not base their foundation in using the ideas of the nation.
Abu Bakr restricted in his caliphate on just a few number of people whom Umar forced them with his power, which is a fact that all the historians agreed upon. Regarding the caliphate of Umar, it was just based on the suggestion of Abu Bakr and no one else. After the assassination of Umar, he formed a consultation committee from six of the Muhajiroun and avoided Ansar, who were the arms of Islam and its immune power, to participate there. Amr continued his questions, asking about what else Umar did, and said: “What did he do?”
Imam (as) gave the detailed description, saying: “He ordered Suhayb to pray in front of the people for three days and let those six ones to start their consultation without any others except the son of Umar and to consult him while he has no significant thing in the case.
Umar ordered those surrounding him, between Muhajiroun and Ansar, to wait three days and if those six could not reach a conclusion and could not assign a caliph, those six should all be beheaded. If four out of the six united before the end of the third day, and two disagreed, those two should be beheaded. Do you think this is a true kind of consultation among the Muslims?”
This way, Umar’s Consultation Group decided to behead all members of the group if they could not reach an agreement upon choosing some one to be granted the caliphate. Furthermore, if four of them had agreed upon choosing someone, the other two would be beheaded. This instruction is not accepted in the Islamic jurisprudence, which does not allow the shedding of the blood of the Muslims unless it is reasonable.
Amr ibn Ubayd rejected that kind of consultation and the Imam (as) addressed him saying: “Leave that out! What do you think in the case that you recognize him as caliph, the nation gathered around you and no one is ever having complained, then you are asking those polytheists who are neither Muslims nor paying tribute? You and your companion have enough knowledge to get the affairs through according to the way of life of the Holy Prophet (S). Then what would you do with those polytheists and the tribute?”
Later, after this powerful preface, the Imam (as) turned to them, saying: “What would you do?”
They all replied: “I invite them to Islam. If they do not accept, we will ask for tribute.”
Imam (as) expressed his uncertainty about the issue and said: “What if they were Magi? As you know the worshipers of fire and beasts are not the People of the Book.”
They started saying: “They are the same.”
The Imam (as) complained saying: “Inform me whether you have read the Quran?”
“Yes,” they replied.
“Have you read the following from the Almighty: ‘Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the tribute with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued’ (9:29). So, Allah, the Almighty, had excepted the People of the Book. Therefore, how come you take those People of the Book with the others, the same?”
They insisted on taking the two groups the same in that instruction. So, the Imam (as) told Amr ibn Ubayd: “From whom did you take this?”
He replied with something, which was not based on a scientific background, saying: “I have heard the people saying so.”
The sayings of people are not considered from the religious instructions. The Imam (as) presented the next question, saying: “Leave that out! So, if they denied giving the tribute and you fight with them and won, what would you do with the gains?”
“I will take out fifth and divide the rest of the four fifth among those who participated in the fight.”
“Do you divide them among all of those who have participated in the fight?” asked the Imam (as).
“Yes,” he answered.
Then Imam (as) said: “You’ve disagreed with the Holy Prophet (S) in his way of life. You can set the jurisprudents of the people and their old men of Medina between us. They are not contradicting or disagreeing on the fact that the Prophet (S) was the one who united the Arabs on settling them in their locations and to help them if they were raided, and not to grant them anything from the gains, while you stated to divide the gain among all of them. So, you have contradicted the Holy Prophet (S) in the case of polytheists. Well! Leave that out! What do you think about charity?”
Amr ibn Ubayd read the following verse: ‘Aims are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds)’ (9:60).
The Imam (as) told Amr: “How do you divide that among them?”
“I will divide them in eight and will give one, out of the eight, to each group,” he replied.
The Imam (as) complained about this idea and said: “What if one group was ten thousands, the next group was a man, two men or three men? Do you give this one the same as you give those ten thousand?”
“Yes,” he said.
“You have disagreed with the Prophet (S) in all that he came for. The Prophet (S) was always dividing the charity of the people of the deserts within the people of the deserts, and the charity of the people of the cities, among the people of the cities and they were not the same at all. He was dividing according to what was received from them and the amount gathered. If there is any question remained, you may know that the jurisprudents of the people of Medina and their old scholars are all not contradicting in what the Holy Prophet (S) was doing.”
Then he addressed Amr and started scolding him, advising him and his companions to fear Allah and to return to the Imams (as) of Guidance whom The Holy Prophet (S) assigned as prominent figures for his nation. Then he added: “O Amr! Fear Allah! You and your group! My father, who was the best creature in the earth and the most knowledgeable one in the Book of Allah and the customs of His Prophet, narrated the following from the Holy Prophet(S): ‘The one who hit the people with his sword, and called them towards himself, while there was one more knowledgeable in the Muslims than him, he would be artificially darkened.’”
Amr ibn Ubayd kept silent and could not find anything to use to protect his idea. Afterwards, he and the rest of the leaders of al-Mutazilah stood up while carrying the sign of failure and disappointment. They were deviated from the path and lost the destination. But the Imam (as) clarified the fact that their path should be followed behind an Imam who knows the instructions of Allah (SwT) and is familiar with what the nation should be referring to in all their affairs.
THE LIFE OF IMAM JAF’AR AL-SADIQ (AS) – BAQIR SHARIF AL-QURASHI