“Indeed, He has sent down a Book for the guidance of mankind and explained the good and the bad in it. So, take the good and leave the bad! Allah has forbidden things that are not known and has made insulting Muslims more forbidden than all of them. He has limited the protection of Muslim rights to sincerity and monotheism. A Muslim is someone who is safe from the harm of his tongue and hands, except in cases where it is right to act otherwise.” It is not permissible for any Muslim to harass another Muslim, except in the case that it is necessary according to Sharia law. Hurry up to fulfill the rights of different classes of people and know that men have left the world before you and the resurrection will also lead you to the eternal house from behind, so join them lightly! As for Allah’s servants on earth, fear Him; Because you will be asked even from the animals and the creatures of the earth, obey Allah and do not disobey His command.
Then at the end, he recited verse 26 of Surah Anfal, which Allah (S.W.T) says: “Remember when you were a small group on earth, few and weak, you were so afraid that your people, but Allah gave you shelter, and He made you benefit from clean days so that you can be thankful for his blessings.
With all wisdom and eloquence, he expressed the program and poetry of the new caliphate period in this sentence:
“If you see good, take it and if you see evil, leave it.”
Then he ended his sermon with a verse from the Qur’an that they needed to recall at that time, in order to compare the conditions before Islam and the beginning of Islam with the current situation, to remember the time when they were very weak and disillusioned until Where they were like a piece of meat that is on the palm of the hand and the birds steal it and now they have power, wealth, health and security, the world has opened an account for them and has submitted to them and Allah has given them many blessings, so it is necessary to remember and do not forget Allah by having these blessings.
Pledge of Allegiance to Ali
After the tragic martyrdom of Hazrat Usman (MAPH) while Ghafqi bin Harb was in control of the city of Salt, the people of Madinah waited for a few days to see who would step forward to take the reins of affairs. The Egyptians insisted that Ali (A.S) take this responsibility, but he often hid himself from the eyes of the people. People were stunned and did not know how to solve this problem. They came to Hazrat Ali (A.S) and insisted. He accepted their allegiance after several visits. They all said: No one but Ali (A.S) is worthy of this job. In fact, in the Islamic society of that day, after Abu Bakr, Umar and Usman (A.S), there was no one who was more worthy and competent than Ali.
Hazrat Ali (RA) wearing a pashmina dress and turban, leaning on his bow and holding his shoes, entered the mosque and then went to the top of the pulpit, then the public pledged allegiance to him. This oath was taken on the 24th of Zul-Hijjah in the year 35 Hijri, and this is the most correct statement. Because if the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (A.S) took place on the 18th of Zu al-Hijjah, and the pledge of allegiance to Hazrat Ali was made after five days (as stated in some traditions), then the first pledge of allegiance with him should be on the 24th, because the Prophet arrived on Friday. Ali (A.S) sat on the pulpit and those who had not pledged allegiance (again) pledged allegiance to him. This took place on the 25th day of Zu al-Hijjah. This is how he delivered his first sermon after Hamd wa Sana.
The period of Caliphate of Ali (A.S) and the problems of that period
The selection of Hazrat Ali (A.S) for the caliphate took place in one of the most sensitive and complicated stages of history, at a time when the duty of the head of government and the leader of the community or the caliph of Muslims was considered the biggest test. At a time when the tragedy of the martyrdom of the Muslim caliph, Usman bin Affan (A.S), took place in the worst and most brutal way and with complete cruelty and callousness. In this incident, on the one hand, the factors of hatred and disgust towards the perpetrators of this disaster and on the other hand, the arousing of emotions and feelings had become comprehensive, rumors and speculations had gained strength, countless questions and doubts had arisen, and many demands and criticisms had been found. The martyrdom of Usman (A.S) was the topic of special and public circles and talk; And even some desert dwellers and people from Egypt and Iraq cried out for blood, who did not touch black and white when this unfortunate incident happened and did not shed a single drop of sweat, let alone a drop of blood of the venerable teacher Abbas Mahmoud Akkad, whose image is clear from this He has drawn a difficult crisis and test, and the test that Hazrat Ali (A.S) faced as the caliph and guardian of Muslims, while he was innocent and purer than anyone else from the consequences and responsibility of this incident. Because Ali (A.S) and his son Hassan (A.S) played a greater role in defending Usman (A.S) than the other elders of the Companions and their young children.
Akkad says: Ali had the duty to prevent his horse from rebelling on the one hand, and on the other hand, to remove obstacles from its path so that it could continue its journey.
The second problem was that the murders of Usman (A.S) were not completely known, and even the wife of Hazrat Usman (A.S) could not identify them clearly. In fact, there was more than one problem.
Akkad adds: Hazrat Ali (A.S) used to say to those who wanted to punish the murderers of Usman (A.S): Brothers! What you know, I am also aware of it, but what can I do with the congregation that currently dominates us and we do not dominate them? Also, your slaves and Bedouin people have also revolted with them, and now, the same people are among you, and they will do whatever they want to you.
If the bloodthirsty of Usman (A.S) chose the closest way to reach their destination, they should have first approved the guardian and helped him to gain power to establish the sharia limits, then they would have rightly and justly asked him to follow the sharia ruling.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar says in “Al-Asaba”: Hazrat Ali (A.S) ruled that first, they should obey the governor, then the parents of Uthman’s blood (A.S) should claim blood, and then he would do what is the ruling of pure Sharia against the murderers. Yes, but the opposing group said that you should arrest and kill the murderers first, but Hazrat Ali believed that revenge is not possible without a lawsuit and without establishing evidence, and both groups were mujtahids.
There was a group among the Companions who maintained their neutrality and did not enter the battlefield from any of the sides. Ahl-Sunnah agree that Hazrat Ali’s opinion was correct.
