The prophet said:
"Loving Ali is the sign of belief, and hating Ali is the sign of
hypocrasy."
Sunni references:
– Sahih Muslim, v1, p48;
– Sahih Tirmidhi, v5, p643;
– Sunan Ibn Majah, v1, p142;
– Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal v1, pp 84,95,128
– Tarikh al-Kabir, by al-Bukhari (the author of Sahih), v1, part 1, p202
– Hilyatul Awliya', by Abu Nu'aym, v4, p185
– Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v14, p462
This tradition of Prophet was popular to the extent that some of the
companions used to say:
"We recognized the hypocrites by their hatred of Ali."
Sunni references:
– Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p639, Tradition #1086
– al-Istiab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, v3, p47
– al-Riyad al-Nadirah, by al-Muhib al-Tabari, v3, p242
– Dhakha'ir al-Uqba, by al-Muhib al-Tabari, p91
Also Muslim in his Sahih narrated on the authority of Zirr that:
Ali (RA) said: By him who split up the seed and created something
living, the Apostle (may peace and blessing be upon him) gave me a
promise that no one but a believer would love me, and none but a
hypocrite would nurse grudge against me.
– Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter XXXIV, p46, Tradition #141
Abu Huraira narrated:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) looked toward Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husain, and
Fatimah, and said: "I am in the state of war with those who will fight
you, and in the state of peace with those who are peaceful to you."
Sunni references:
(1) Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p699
(2) Sunan Ibn Majah, v1, p52
(3) Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p767, Tradition #1350
(4) al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p149
(5) Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p169
(6) al-Kabir, by Tabarani, v3, p30, also in al-Awsat
(7) Jamius Saghir, by al-Ibani, v2, p17
(8) Tarikh, by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi, v7, p137
(9) Sawai'q al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p221
(10) Talkhis, by al-Dhahabi, v3, p149
(11) Dhakha'ir al-Uqba, by al-Muhib al-Tabari, p25
(12) Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6145
(13) Others such as Ibn Habban, etc.
It is the well-known fact in the history that Muawiyah fought Imam Ali
(AS). And based on the above tradition of the Prophet(PBUH&HF) the
Prophet has declared war on Muawiyah. How can we still love a person whom
the Prophet has declared war on him?
The Messenger of Allah said:
"Whoever hurts Ali, has hurt me"
Sunni references:
– Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v3, p483
– Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p580, Tradition #981
– Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p129
– al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p263
– Ibn Habban, Ibn Abd al-Barr, etc.
The Messenger of Allah said:
"Whoever reviles/curses Ali, has reviled/cursed me"
Sunni reference:
– al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p121, who mentioned this tradition is
Authentic.
– Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v6, p323
– Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p594, Tradition #1011
– Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p130
– Mishkat al-Masabih, English version, Tradition #6092
– Tarikh al-Khulafa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p173
– and many others such as Tabarani, Abu Ya'la, etc.
Muawiyah Instituting the curse of Imam Ali (AS)
Muawiyah not only fought Imam Ali, he cursed Imam Ali as well. Furthermore,
he did force/make everybody to curse Ali (AS). To prove it, we begin with
Sahih Muslim:
Narrated Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas:
Muawiyah, the son of Abu Sufyan, give order to Sa'd, and told him:
"What prevents you that you are refraining from cursing Abu Turab
(nickname of Ali)?" Sa'd replied: "Don't you remember that the Prophet
said three things about (the virtue of) Ali? So I will never curse
Ali."
Sunni reference: Sahih Muslim, Chapter of Virtues of Companions, Section of
Virtues of Ali, Arabic, v4, p1871, Tradition #32.
The above tradition, by the way, indicates that Muawiyah was surprised why
Sa'd does not follow his order of cursing Ali, like others do. This shows
that cursing Ali was a habit (Sunnah) for people at that time. Who made
this Sunnah? Was it Ali, or those who fought him? Now, who fought against
Ali? Wasn't he Muawiyah (the beloved companion of Wahhabis)? So this
implies that Muawiyah did innovate that habit (cursing Ali as Sunnah).
Below is more references in Sahih Muslim about Sunnah cursing Imam Ali
(AS), to prove that people were urged/forced to curse Ali in public,
otherwise they would face a costly sentence. It is narrated on the
authority of Abu Hazim that:
The Governor of Medina who was one of the members of the house of
Marwan called Sahl Ibn Sa'd, and ordered him to curse Ali. But Sahl
refused to do so. The governor said: "If you don't want to curse Ali,
just say God curse Abu Turab (the nickname of Ali)." Sahl said: "Ali
did not like any name for himself better than Abu Turab, and Ali used
to become very happy when somebody would call him Abu Turab."
Sunni reference: Sahih Muslim, Chapter of Virtues of Companions, Section of
Virtues of Ali, Arabic version, v4, p1874, Tradition #38.
Cursing Imam Ali (AS) was an order from the beginning of Muawiyah's reign
for 65 years. He was Umar Ibn Abdil Aziz (may Allah be easy with him) who
canceled this order after more than half a century. Some historians even
believe that the Umayyah descendants themselves killed (poisoned) Umar Ibn
Abdil Aziz, because he changed their Sunnah, one of which was cursing Ali.
(See the Sunni book entitled "History of the Saracens," by Amir Ali,
Chapter X, pp 126-127).
One of the ugliest innovations that started during the reign of Muawiyah
was that Muawiyah himself, and through his order to his Governors, they
used to insult Imam Ali (AS) during the Sermons in the Mosques. This was
even done on the pulpit of the mosque of the Prophet in Medina in front of
the grave of the Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless him and his Progeny),
so that even the dearest Companions of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and Imam Ali
(AS), his family and his near relatives used to hear these swears with
their ears.
Sunni references :
– History of al-Tabari, v4, p188
– History of Ibn Kathir, v3, p234; v4, p154
– al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, v8, p259; v9, p80
On insulting Ali Ibn Abi Talib and cursing him during the Umayah period
starting in Muawiyah's reign, it is reported that:
"Ali Ibn Abi Talib (ra) was cursed on the pulpits (manabir) of the
east and west…", during the time of Muawiyah.
Sunni reference: Mu'jam al-Buldan, al-Hamawi, v5, p38
In her letter, Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) wrote to
Muawiyah: "…You are cursing Allah and His messenger on your minbar,
and that is because you are cursing Ali Ibn Abi Talib and whomever
loves him, and I am a witness that Allah and His messenger loved him."
But no one paid any attention to what she said.
Sunni reference: al-Aqd al-Fareed, v2, p300
"That it was in the days of Bani Umayyah, more than seventy thousand
minbar (in mosques) upon which they cursed Ali Ibn Abi-Talib, in some
of what Muawiyah made a Sunnah for them."
Sunni references:
– Rabeea' al-Abrar, al-Zamakhshari
– al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti
al-Shaikh Ahmad al-Hafdhi al-Shafi'i, composed 9 verses of poetry expanding
on what al-Suyuti has reported in the previous quote, I translated the
first three verses:
And Shaikh al-Suyuti told:
That it was what they made into a "Sunnah".
Seventy thousand mibar plus ten
from the top of which they cursed Haydara (Ali).
And next to this the greatest (sins) look small,
but blame ought to be directed.
Let us now see the opinion of the son of Yazid about his father and
his grandfather, who was the witness from within the royal family!
…When (Yazid) offered the kingdom (throne) to his son, Muawiyah the
second, in order that the flag of caliphate continues to wave in the
house of Abi Sufyan!!
After his death, Muawiyah the second, gathered the people on a well
known day, he stood in them preaching, he said:
"My grandfather Muawiyah stripped the command from those who deserved
it, and from one who is more justified of it, for his relation to the
Messenger of Allah and his being first in Islam, and that is Ali Ibn
Abi Talib, he (Muawiyah) took over it by your help as you are fully
aware."
"Then following it my father Yazid wore the command after him, and he
did not deserve it. He quarreled with the son of the daughter of the
Messenger of Allah, and by that he shortened his own life… He rode
his whim and hope left him behind." Then he cried and continued:
"Surely, the greatest problems of us is our knowledge of his bad
behavior and his awful ending, and that he killed the progeny (Itrah)
of the Messenger of Allah, and he permitted drinking alcohol, and he
fought in the sanctuary of Mecca, and destroyed the Ka'ba."
"And I am not the one who is dressing up for your command, nor the one
to be responsible for your followers… You choose for yourselves..!!"
Sunni references:
– Khulafaa al-Rasool, by Khalid Mohammed Khalid, p531 (The above quote
includes author's punctuation.)
– Sawaiq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, end of Ch. 11, pp 336
Muawiyah and Yazid murdering Imam al-Hasan Ibn Ali (AS) by poison,
reported by many, here are a few Sunni references:
1. Tathkarat al-Khawass, Sibt ibn al-Jawzi al-Hanafi, pp 191-194.
2. Ibn Abd al-Barr, in his "Seera"
3. al-Suddi
4. al-Sha'bi
5. Abu Nu'aym
No reference is required that Yazid and his gang murdered the other son of
Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): Imam al-
Husain (AS) along with 70+ of his family members and loyals.
More Sunni references on the mischief of Muawiyah:
It is reported from Abdullah, son of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal saying:
I asked my father about Ali and Muawiyah. He (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)
answered: "Know that Ali had a lot of enemies who tried hard to find a
fault in him, but they found it not. As such, they joined a man (i.e.,
Muawiyah, as given in the footnotes) who verily fought him battled
him, and they praised him (Muawiyah) extravagantly setting a snare for
themselves for him.
Sunni references:
– al-Toyuriyyat, by al-Salafi, from Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Hanbal
– al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar, Ch. 9, section 4, p197
– History of the Caliphs, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, English version, p202
al-Tabari reported:
When Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan put al-Mughairah Ibn Shubah in charge of
Kufah in Jumada 41 (September 2- October 30, 661), he summoned him.
After praising and glorifying God, he said:
"Now then, indeed a forbearing person has been admonished in the
past… The wise might do what you want without instruction. Although
I have wanted to advise you about many things, I left them alone,
trusting in your discernment of what pleases me, what helps my regime
and what sets my subjects raiyya on the right path. I would
continue to advise you about a quality of yours- do not refrain from
abusing Ali and criticizing him, not from asking God's mercy upon
Uthman and His forgiveness for him. Continue to shame the companions
of Ali, keep at a distance, and don't listen to them. Praise the
faction of Uthman, bring them near, and listen to them."
Sunni reference: History of Tabari, English version, events of year 51 AH,
Execution of Hujr Ibn Adi, v18, pp 122-123
Also:
The Messenger of Muawiyah then came to them with orders to release six
and to kill eight, telling them:
We have been ordered to let you disavow Ali and curse him. If you do
so, we shall release you, and if you refuse, we shall kill you.
Sunni reference: History of Tabari, English version, events of year 51 AH,
v18, p149
More from Sahih Muslim:
Allah's messenger (PBUH) said to Ammar: "A group of rebels would kill
you."
– Sahih Muslim, English version, v4, chapter MCCV, Tradition #6968
Also:
Umm Salama narrated that Allah's messenger (may peace be upon him)
said: "A band of rebels would kill Ammar."
– Sahih Muslim, English version, v4, chapter MCCV, Tradition #6970
Do you know that Ammar, the great companion of the Prophet was martyred in
the battle of Siffin by Muawiyah soldiers, at the age of ninety-three? Is
it clear, now, that The gang of Muawiyah were rebels? Do you know what is
the sentence of rebels (Taghee) mentioned in Quran?
It is interesting to see that the English translator of Sahih Muslim (Abdul
Hamid Siddiqui) has written in the footnote of the above traditions that:
This narration is clearly indicative of the fact that in the conflict
between Hadrat Ali and his opponents, Hadrat Ali was on the right as
Ammar Ibn Yasir was killed in the Battle of Siffin fighting in the
camp of Hadrat Ali. (Footnote of Sahih Muslim, English version, v4,
p1508).
Do I need to comment?!
The very first head that was amputated from the body during the Islamic
period was of Ammar Ibn Yasir (RA). Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in his Musnad
narrates a tradition which has also been mentioned in the
Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'd, and is as follows:
"In the Battle of Sifin, when the head of Ammar Yasir (RA) was cut
off and taken to Muawiyya, two people were arguing over it, each one
claimed that he had killed Ammar."
Sunni references:
– Musnad Ahmad (Pub. in Dar al-Maarif, Egypt 1952), Tradition #6538, #6929
– Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa'd, v3, p253
Finally, I would like to finish this article by the following two
traditions:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: If one while praying between
the Rukn and Maqam (near Ka'bah) and fasting, dies but with the hate
of the family of Muhammad, he will enter the Fire. And he who abuses
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
my Ahlul-Bayt is verily an apostate and is driven out of Islam. And he
who inflicts pain on my progeny upon him is the curse of Allah. And he
who hurts me by hurting my progeny has verily hurt/angered Allah.
Certainly Allah has made Paradise forbidden to he who does injustice
to my Ahlul-Bayt, or kills them, or assists against them, or abuses
them.
Sunni reference: al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11,
p357 who said this tradition is authentic.
Also:
The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever curses (or verbally abuses) Ali,
he has, in fact, cursed me, and whoever has cursed me, he has cursed
Allah, and whoever has cursed Allah, then Allah will throw him into
the Hell-fire."
Sunni reference: Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v6, p33
Thus Muawiyah and his associates were, in fact, cursing the Prophet
(PBUH&HF), and by cursing the Prophet, they were cursing Allah (SWT), and
by cursing Allah, they shall enter the hellfire! By Allah, they will be
asked to account for what they've said! That is a promise by Allah (SWT)
which He shall not break!
"And do not think Allah to be heedless of what the unjust do; He only
respites them up to a day on which the eyes will be fixedly open."
(Quran 14:42)