The Biography of Hazrat Ali, “May Allah be pleased with him” (Part 26)
Arbitration in the Balance of Criticism
One of the important, sensitive, and thought-provoking events of the Caliphate era that occurred during the time of Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, is the flow of wisdom that transpired in the Battle of Safin, aimed at ending this bloody conflict in the history of Islam. Many writers and historians are confused about the truth of this event and, relying on weak and unreliable narrations, have depicted an unfavorable portrayal of the honorable companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, especially Abu Musa Ash’ari and Amr bin As, may Allah be pleased with them. Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, has been accused of having a weak vote and being naive, while Hazrat Amr bin As has been labeled as clever and deceitful. Such narrations are fabricated and propagated by opponents and enemies of the Companions, and some writers have accepted them without careful evaluation and scientific scrutiny.
These two noble Companions were free from these accusations; they were among the elders of the Companions and were trusted by the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, as well as by the rightly guided caliphs and other Companions. They also made every effort to resolve the conflict and bring it to an end. However, the opponents of the Companions forged a substantial number of false traditions in this regard, invalidating the truth and mischaracterizing the wisdom of the Qur’an, which was raised to prevent further bloodshed among Muslims, as a conspiracy, deception, and crime. In this context, they attributed statements to Amir al-Mu’minin Hazrat Ali that contradict established narrations. The scope of false and misleading propaganda against Hazrat Amr bin As is so extensive that it is rare to find a historical book that does not accuse him of deception based on those fabricated narrations.
To clarify the issue of wisdom, we examine it in light of authentic traditions accepted by prominent scholars of Islamic history and the Sunnis.
Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) as the Arbiter
When the two opposing parties agreed to resolve the matter in Safin by choosing an arbitrator and accepted the rulings in the Book of Allah, Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and the people of Kufa were satisfied with the arbitration of Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him). Among the companions of Hazrat Ali, no one opposed this choice (except for a few of the Sabaeans), who resisted the principle of peace. Therefore, no substantial arrangements were made regarding their opposition, as it conflicted with the interests of Muslims and would only prolong the sedition and conflict.
Abu Musa was a pious, understanding jurist and scholar. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sent him along with Hazrat Mu’adh to preach the rules of Islam in Yemen. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) honored him, recognizing his understanding and tact. He was one of the trusted agents, victorious commanders, and just judges, who valued peace and harmony among Muslims and was committed to unity and compassion. However, he became the target of rumors and attacks. The tactics of the Saba’i Khawarij and their accomplices were such that today, one can find few books discussing the issue of consolidation that do not insult or attack Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him), despite the fact that he diligently carried out his mission and played a crucial role in saving the nation from a new phase of civil wars, thereby extinguishing the fires of sedition fueled by the Khawarij of Saba.
Therefore, all the narrations and writings produced by the Sabaeans regarding the issue of arbitration contradict the justice, honesty, and trustworthiness of the Companions. They are all fabrications, devoid of reality, created by heretics and court historians, and subsequently repeated by those who openly commit sins and heresy.
These fabricated narrations were authored by Abu Makhnaf Lut bin Yahya, Abu Janab Kalbi Yahya bin Abi Hayya, and others who were enemies of the Companions.
Amr bin As (may Allah be pleased with him) as Judge of the People of Sham
The people of Sham chose Hazrat Amr (R.A) as their arbiter. The Khawarij’s hostility towards Amr has long been established, and he was among the first targets of destructive attacks and rumors in the Islamic Caliphate. This same group was responsible for his dismissal from the governorship of Egypt, and they were more hostile towards him than towards Abu Musa. Therefore, it is natural that Amr’s actions would be criticized and slandered by this group.
However, Amr’s sense of justice and his selection by the Prophet (peace be upon him), as well as by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Usman (may Allah be pleased with him) for the governorship, prevent us from accepting any negative narrations about him.
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