Ali’s Antagonisation

We will confine our discussion to four years and a few months of Ali’s Caliphate. Ali has always been a personality with two faculties. Ali has always had attraction as well as repulsion. Especially from the beginning of Islamic era we have been seeing a class of people circumambulating Ali. The other group has had no love last for him; they would rather feel annoyed with him.

However, the period of his caliphate and the times after his death, i.e., the periods of his historical reassertion have been the main periods of his attraction and repulsion, as his public contacts prior to his caliphate were lesser, therefore, his attraction and repulsion found lesser manifestation.

Ali antagonises and offends. This is yet one among many of his great distinctions. Every man of conviction and principles and particularly a combatant revolutionary, who is after accomplishing his goals in conformity with these words of Allah: "They struggle in Divine Path and are not subdued by threats", rightly antagonises and offends.

The Prophet sent Ali in Command of an army to Yemen. On his way back, in order to see the Prophet, he decided to go to Mecca. Near Mecca, on making one of his men in-charge of the affairs, he himself hurriedly proceeded towards Mecca. The Second-in-Command distributed amongst the soldiers the robes, Ali had brought along, so that they may enter Mecca in new clothes. On his return, Ali objected to it. He considered it to be an act of indiscipline, because it was not desirable to distribute the robes before seeking the approval of the Prophet. In fact, in Ali’s estimation spending from National Treasury without the sanction of the head of the Muslims would be an act of criminal misappropriation. In these circumstances, Ali ordered that the robes should be removed from their persons and be entrusted to the Prophet at an appropriate juncture. The Prophet himself might deal with them. The men of Ali’s army got offended by his action. As soon as they reached the Prophet, he enquired about their welfare. They started complaining against Ali’s displeasure over the distribution of the robes. Addressing them, the Prophet said: "O Men! Do not complain against Ali! By God, he is stricter in way of Allah than anyone who might complain against him".

Ali never showed any latitude to anyone in the way of Allah. If he ever showed favor to anyone, it was for God’s sake. Naturally, such a policy is antagonising and offends the greedy and selfish at heart.

He himself was aware of such a situation. He had anticipated it. He, therefore, made the will that his grave should be kept secret from all except his sons. So much so that after the passage of one century, i.e., after the downfall of Omeyyades, extinction and liquidation of Kharijites, and after animosities and vengeance had subsided, his sacred grave was made known to public by Imam Sadiq.