During the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), despite the existence of concealed animosities, the profound affection, constant attention, and comprehensive, sincere support shown by the Messenger of God toward Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) created circumstances in which the open manifestation of hostility was rendered entirely impossible.
Motives Behind Enmity toward Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)
Deep-seated resentments toward Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) remained alive in the hearts of certain individuals, gradually awaiting an opportunity to emerge from concealment and reveal themselves. Various factors contributed to the formation of these hostilities.
Many relatives and close associates of the opponents were killed by Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) in the early battles of Islam prior to the Conquest of Makkah, which occurred in the final years of the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Numerous individuals who later embraced Islam had previously fought in the ranks of disbelief against the Muslims. In those battles, a considerable number of the slain among the disbelievers fell by the hand of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
The caliphs preceding Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), in their efforts to consolidate the foundations of their rule and diminish his role and standing within society, sought to marginalize him and portray him as insignificant in the eyes of the public.
When Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) assumed the caliphate, his uncompromising justice in the distribution of the public treasury aimed to revive the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Among his measures was the removal of unjust discriminations that had penetrated the structures of governance and society, particularly during the period of Uthman.
The Insistence of the Seal of the Prophets on Disavowal of the Opponents of the Master of the Godfearing
In numerous narrations and on various occasions, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) described the attributes of those who opposed Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) in a manner that clearly revealed his superiority over all others.
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said regarding Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him):
“God the Exalted says, ‘Whoever shows enmity toward Ali has shown enmity toward Me; whoever follows Ali has followed Me; whoever stands against him has stood against Me; whoever opposes him has opposed Me; whoever disobeys him has disobeyed Me; whoever harms him has harmed Me; whoever harbors resentment toward him has harbored resentment toward Me; whoever loves him has loved Me; whoever attacks him has attacked Me; whoever schemes against him has schemed against Me; and whoever supports him has supported Me.’”
The closeness and companionship of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) with the Seal of the Prophets extended from the beginning of his life until the end of the Prophet’s earthly mission. In the eyes of misguided world seekers, this invaluable bond was regarded as an unforgivable offense and became a cause for hostility toward Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) addressed Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), saying:
“Blessed are those who love you and affirm you, and woe to those who oppose you and fabricate lies against you. O Ali, you are the guide and the banner of guidance for this community. Whoever loves you shall attain salvation, and whoever harbors enmity toward you shall perish.”
Divine Wrath upon the Deniers of the Guardianship of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)
At its core, enmity toward Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) is rooted in a single fundamental issue: the refusal to accept his divinely ordained station of Imamate, a position entrusted to him by the will of God and explicitly proclaimed by the Seal of the Prophets.
In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said:
“Know that Gabriel informed me on behalf of God the Exalted that He says, ‘Whoever shows enmity toward Ali and does not follow him, My curse and My wrath are upon him.’”
The Messenger of God openly declared his disavowal of the opponents of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and repeatedly emphasized his position as his executor and successor on numerous occasions.
The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said in a narration:
“O people, whoever loves Ali, I love him; whoever shows enmity toward him, I show enmity toward him. I align myself with whoever aligns himself with Ali, and I disassociate myself from whoever disassociates from him. I turn away from whoever turns away from him, I support whoever supports Ali, and I oppose whoever opposes Ali.”
In another narration addressed to Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), he said:
“May God destroy whoever fights against you and shows enmity toward you.”
The Messenger of God also said to Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him):
“Whoever harms you has harmed me, and whoever harms me has harmed God.”
