"HAD ALI NOT BEEN THERE, UMAR WOULD HAVE BEEN RUINED"

References from Sunni Books

Qazi Fazlullah Bin Ruzbahan, the fanatic, in his Ibtalu'l-Batil;

 Ibn Hajar Asqalani in his Tihdhibu'l-Tahdid, printed in Hyderabad Daccan, page 337; 

Ibn Hajar in Isaba, Volume II, printed in Egypt, page509; 

Ibn Qutayba Dinawari in Ta'wil-e-Mukhtalafu'l-Hadith, page 201-202, Ibn Hajar Makki in Sawa'iqe-

Muhriqa, page 78; 

Hajj Ahmad Afindi in Hidayatu'l-Murtab, page 146 and 152;

 Ibn Athir Jazari in Usudu'l-Ghaiba, Volume IV, page 22; 

Jalalu'd-Din Suyuti in Ta'rikhu'l-Khulafa, page 66;

 Ibn Abdu'l- Birr Qartabi in Isti'ab, Volume II, page 474; 

Seyyed Mu'min Shablanji in Nuru'l-Absar, page 73;

Shahabu'd-Din Ahmad bin Abdu'l-Qadir A'jili in Zakhiratu'l-Ma'al; Muhammad bin Ali As-Saban in

Is'afu'r-Raghibin, page 152; 

Nuru'd-Din bin Sabbagh Maliki in Fusulu'l-Muhimma, page 18; 

Nuru'd-Din Ali bin Abdullah Samhudi in Jawahiru'l-Iqdain; Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazili in Sharhe Nahju'l-Balagha, Volume I, page 6, Allama Qushachi in Sharh-e-Tarid, page 407, Khatib Khawarizmi in Manaqib, page 48, 60, Muhammad bin Talha Shafi'i in Matalibu's-Su'ul sub-Chapter 6, page 29,

 Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal in Faza'il as well as Musnad; 

Sibt Ibn Jauzi in Tadhkira, page 85, 87, 

Imam Tha'labi in Tafsir Kafshu'l-Bayan, Allama Ibn Qayyim Jauzi in Turuqi'l-Hakim, recording Ali's judgments from page 41 topage 53; 

Muhammad bin Yusuf Ganji Shafi'i in Kifayatu't-Talib, Chapter 57;

 Ibn Maja Qazwini in Sunan, Ibn Maghazili Shafi'i in Manaqib; 

Ibrahim bin Muhammad Hamwaini in Fara'id; Muhammad bin Ali bin Hasani'l-Hakim in Sharh-e-Fathi'l-Mubin, Dailami in Firdaus,

 Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in Yanabiu'l-Mawadda, Chapter 14, 

Hafiz Abu Nu'aim Ispahani in Hilyatu'l-Auliya as well as in Ma Nazala'l-Qur'an fi Ali, and a host of other great ulema of your sect, with slight variation in words, have narrated 

Umar's saying, "If there were no Ali, Umar would have been ruined."

The great theologian, Ganji Shafi'i, in Chapter 57, of his Kifayatu't-Talib Fi Manaqib Ali Bin Abu Talib, after narrating some authentic hadith, reports from Hudhaifa Bin Yaman that "one day Umar met him and asked him: 'What was your condition when you awoke in the morning?' Hudhaifa said, 'I rose in the morning hating the Truth, liking mischief, bearing witness to the thing unseen; learning by heart the uncreated, reciting salutations without being in the state of ritual purity, and knowing that, what is for me on the earth is not for Allah in the Sky.' Umar was infuriated by these remarks and intended to punish Hudhaifa when Ali came in. 

He noticed the signs of rage on Umar's face and asked why he was so angry. Umar told him, and Ali said: 'There is nothing serious about this remark: What Hudhaifa said was correct. Truth means death, which he detests; mischief means wealth and children, which he likes; and when he says he bears witness to what he has not seen, this means that he testifies to the oneness of Allah, death, the Day of Judgement, Paradise, Hell, the bridge over it named Sira, none of which he has seen. When he says he learns by heart what is uncreated, this refers to the Holy Qur'an; when he says that he recites salutations without ablution, this refers to reciting salutations on the Prophet of Allah, which is permissible without ablution; when he says he has for himself on earth what is not for Allah in the sky, this refers to his wife, as He has no wife or children.' 

Umar then said, 'Umar would have been lost had Ali not arrived.'" 

Ganji Shafi'i says that Umar's statement is verified according to reports of most of the narrators of hadith. The author of Manaqib says that Caliph Umar repeatedly said: "O Abu'l- Hasan! (Ali). I would not be a part of a community without you." He also said: "Women are unable to give birth to a child like Ali."

Muhammad Bin Talha Shafi'i in his Matalibu's-Su'ul and Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in Yanabiu'l- Mawadda, Chapter 14, narrating from Tirmidhi, record a detailed report from Ibn Abbas at the end of which he says: "The companions of the Prophet used to seek religious judgments from Ali, and they accepted his decisions. 

Thus, Umar Bin Khattab said on various occasions, 'If it were not for Ali, Umar would have been ruined."

In religious matters and learned discussions Umar showed no vehemence. On the contrary, he admitted his own inability and acknowledged Ali as his refuge. Even Ibn Hajar Makki in Chapter III of Sawa'iq Muhriqa, reporting from Ibn Sa'd, quotes Umar as saying, "I seek Allah's help in deciding those difficult problems for which Abu-l-Hasan (Ali) is not available."

Umar embraced Islam after forty-five men and twenty-one women

Ali's declaring himself a Muslim even while he was still a boy establishes the excellence of his wisdom and merit, which no other Muslim can attain. Tabari in his Ta'rikh quotes from Muhammad Bin Sa'ad Bin Abi Waqqas, who said: 

"I asked my father whether Abu Bakr was the first of the Muslims. He said, 'No, more than fifty people embraced Islam before Abu Bakr; but he was superior to us as a Muslim.'"
He also writes that Umar Bin Khattab embraced Islam after forty-five men and twenty-one women. "
"As for the foremost one in the matter of Islam and faith, it was Ali Bin Abi Talib."

What is the incident of Fadak?

Fadak had been one of the villages around Medinah situated at a distance of 140 kilometres from Khaybar. In the year 7 AH when the forts of Khaybar fell one after another to the soldiers of Islam and the central power of the Jews was smashed, the inhabitants of Fadak approached the Noble Prophet in submission and handed over one half of their land and gardens to him retaining the other half for themselves. In addition, they also agreed to shoulder the responsibility of cultivating his share of the land and used to receive some benefits for this effort of theirs.

In view of the verse of booty , this land was specific to the Noble Prophet and he could utilize it for himself or use it in other instances, as stated in verse 7 of Surat-ul-Hashr and accordingly, he gifted it to his daughter Fatimah . This is a fact, which has been emphasized and stated by numerous Sunnite and Shi˜ite historians and commentators. 

In the commentary al-Durrul Manthur, it has been narrated from Ibne  Abbas that when the verse:

“Then give to the near of kin his due” was revealed, the Noble Prophet gifted Fadak to Fatimah 

In the chapter of Sila rahem (establishing bonds of consanguinity) of the book Kanz al-˜Ummal , written as annotations for the book Musnad of Ahmad ibne Hanbal, it has been reported from Abu Sa 'id Khudri that when the above verse was revealed, the Noble Prophet sought Fatimah and said to her:

“O’ Fatimah! Fadak is for you."

Hakim Nishaburi has also reported this same meaning in his book, which deals with history.

Ibne Abil  Hadid too, in his commentary of Nahjul Balghah, has mentioned the incident of Fadak in great detail and so too have numerous other books.

But after the Noble Prophet those, who perceived this economic power in the hands of  Ali’s spouse as a danger to their political power and were determined to isolate his supporters in every respect, confiscated it on the basis of a fabricated tradition:

And despite the fact that Fatimah was in official possession of the land - and one in possession of something is not asked to present witnesses - she was asked to present her witnesses (that Fadak belonged to her). She presented them, who testified that the Noble Prophet had personally gifted it to her, but they disregarded these witnesses. In later periods, those Caliphs who desired to express their inclinations towards the Ahlul Bayt , would return Fadak to them but soon after another would come up and confiscate it once again! This was repeated on numerous occasions during the time of the Umayyad and the Abbassid caliphs.

The incident of Fadak and the events associated with it during the initial stages of Islam and in the later eras are of the most painful, sorrowful but at the same time, the most admonitory portions of the history of Islam which ought to be placed under meticulous study so that it illuminates various other incidents of Islam.

Significantly, the Sunni narrator - Muslim ibne Hajjaj Nishaburi - has reported the incident of Fatimah’s demand for Fadak in detail in his book Sahih Muslim and reports from Aishah that after the first Caliph’s refusal to return Fadak to Fatimah , she was enraged with him and did not speak a word to him for as long as she was alive. 1

1. Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, pg. 1380, no. 52 of ‘The Book of Jihad’

Umar was the main culprit in instigating the first Caliph Abu Bakr. He was the person who tore the document of Fadak due to which Hazrat Fatima willed that these two persons should not come in his funeral.

Umar made lot of noise and prevented Holy Prophet from writing a will

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) was in his death bed. These were the last moments of mankinds contact with the Divine before this connection would be severed and the era of revelation would end. A few of the Prophets companions were gathered at his bedside. The wives of the Prophet, naturally his daughter Fatimah (a.s) among them, were there behind a curtain. The narrator of this occurance is Umar Ibn Khattab who narrates it for Ibn Abbas, saying: We were there with the Prophet. Between us and the women a curtain was drawn. 

The Messenger of God (s.a.w) began to speak saying: Rinse me with seven skins of water, (in those days cold water was used to bring down some types of fever) after you have done this bring me a piece of paper and some ink so I may write you something with which you will never go astray. [the expression used was which means so you will never go astray. because means 'never'] The Prophets wives said from behind the curtain: Do as the Prophet wishes. I (Umar) said: Be quiet. You are like the women who gathered around Joseph wanting him. If the Prophet is sick you cry and if he regains his health you seize him by the collar wanting your spending money. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) said: They are better than you. 167 

Jabir narrates as such: At the time of the Prophets death and during his last hours he asked for a piece of paper in order to write his nation a letter, so that they would never go astray nor lead others astray. Those who were around his bed made so much noise and spoke such idle nonsense that the Prophet refrained form doing so. 168

Ibn Abbas said: The Holy Prophet said at the time of his death; Bring me a piece of paper and ink so that I may write something so that afterwards you will never go astray. Umar Ibn Khattab began talking and making a lot of noise saying: All of these cities remain and haven't been conquered, who should conquer them!? Zainab binte Jahsh the Prophet's wife said: Do as the Prophet ordered don't you hear that he wishes to make his last will?! Once again the noise began. It was then that the Prophet said: get up and leave. When they stood and left the room the Holy Prophet passed away. 169
 

Judging from the differences which exist in these Hadiths and the ones that will be related later, I presume that the Prophet repeated his directions several times each time the opposition group saying something to sabotage it. The Prophet insisted because of the love and avidity he had for his guidance, and they in turn prevented the progress of his speech by creating noise.
 

I think that the first time the Prophet asked them to bring him paper and ink so that he could write his last will, those around him who knew what he would write, said: No, it's not necessary, we have the Quran and that enough for us. The second time the Prophet repeated his desire they said: Sickness has overcome the Prophet, the Quran is all we need. The third time his orders were repeated they said: This man is talking in delirium. The Quran is enough, for us.

In Bukhari's book "Sahih", there is a Hadith regarding this event from Saeed Ibn Jobair. He quotes from Ibn Abbas who witnessed the occurance. (Ibn Abbas said: "Thursday, what a thursday!" Then he began to cry and he shed so much tears that the pebbles on the ground in front of him were soaked. Then he said that the Prophet's illness gained severity on that day, and he said: Bring me a piece of paper so that I may write you a letter and after this you will never be led astray. Those present differed, one group said: Do as the Prophet commands, while another group said: No, don't bring the paper!)
 

If in these circumstances someone wished nothing to be done its possible that he would create confusion in some way, bringing up words and remarks that would defeat the original matter at hand, and prevent it being carried out. It was such at that time. (Those around him began to argue even though it wasn't right for them to create such noise and dispute in the Holy Prophets presence). The Holy Quran has told us: Do not speak louder than the Prophet. 170

 
Ibn Abbas then adds: (the bystanders said: The Prophet speaks in delirium - and the Prophet, just like a kind and sympathetic father who has been confronted by his child's impolite, rebellious, disobedient words said: 

Leave me alone. This pain and suffering is more agreeable to me than your degrading statements).171
 

In the Hadith of this same narrator in Muslims books "Sahih" we read such: (Thursday! what a sinister Thursday!? Then tears fell from Ibn Abbas's eyes and I saw them as streams on his cheeks, then he said: Bring me the shoulder-blade bone of a sheep and ink (or a clay slate and ink) so I may write you a writing that will prevent you from ever going astray. They said: The Prophet speaks irrelevantly) 172
 

Another narrative is related in Bukhari's book "Sahih" in which Ibn Abbas says: [At the time when the Prophet's death was near there were certain men present in his home and room, amongst them Umar Ibn Khattab. The Prophet said: Bring me something so I may write you a letter that will keep you from ever going astray. At this Umar said: The Prophets' illness has prevailed over him and his words are not based on sufficient health and mind we have the Quran, Gods scripture being enough for us]. (Those who were present began to argue and they divided in two groups. One group agreeing with Umar and the other opposing him. The Prophet said: Get up from my side. 173  This noise and dispute in my presence is not allowed).
 

We see that in the Prophets' presence, in front of him, at the moment he wished to write down his last message, in order to leave as a heritage his last and most important words of guidance for the people, what they said and did. How do you think the Prophet felt at that time and what suffering did his dear ones Ali, Fatimah, Hassan and Hussein endure? At the most sensitive moments of ones life, the time of death and that of a great, learned man, not allowing him to speak or deliver his last will, this brings great grief and suffering. If also the guidance of one nation, the guidance of millions of human beings and even all human beings until eternity is at stake, what then is the enormity of this suffering?
 

In another place we find these words: When the noise and dispute heightened and the Prophet became upset at their actions he said: "Get up" and in some other narratives Ibn Abbas adds this sentence: The tragedy, the whole tragedy was that they didn't allow the Prophet to write his will". 174
 

It is completely clear that the great tragedy and suffering o f the Prophets and their executors was not their being killed, because martyrdom in the way of God was their honour. The true tragedy and suffering was when a prophet in his last hours wished to write for his nation his final message; (a message which would be their sure way to salvation and would prevent their possible fundamental differences) and his closest followers didn't allow it and prevented it. Meaning that they obstructed guidance and were a barrier to salvation. We understand the depth of the Prophets' inner suffering when he said: "No Prophet was tormented as they tormented me. Indeed, which prophets' companions treated their prophet in such a way?
 

Alright, lets see why they didn't allow him? In one narrative, after Umars last remark (This man speaks in delirium) we read: They said to the Holy Prophet: Should we bring the tablet and pen? He answered: After that remark what do you want to bring! What did the Prophet mean by that remark? A person who after years of claiming to follow him stands before him and looking him in the eye says: This man speaks in delirium.

This very person, especially if he obtains a group of supporters - which he will later be able to prove that the Prophet wrote this letter when he was "not of sound mind", and that his words in this letter are based on delirium and nothing else! Maybe he would even add something like: - - in such a state the Prophet couldn't write his will. Even if he had written it, he (Umar) would have said: We had said that at that time the Prophet was speaking in delirium. This will is as such based on delirium. Then persons such as Abu Ubaydah Ibn Jarrah, and Amr-e-Aas would also back him up (their good friend) saying: Yes we were witnesses to the fact that the Prophet was not well and his mind was not clear, and in that state the will was written. If remarks made in delirium had been proved regarding the Prophet, his words would have lost their credibility and his prophethood would have been harmed bringing about doubt in the minds of some.
 

Later this would become an unabolishable point of disgrace in Islams' pure being. They certainly would have every means to prove their point and further their aim.
Now we will return to our original discussion.
Did Umar and his friends prevent the Prophet from writing his will because they were afraid the Prophets will would be confused or mixed with the Quran? Was it for this reason they told Abdullah the son of Amr-e-Aas not to write down the Prophets words? 

Or is the matter something else and the reason elsewise. We see that it is clearly proved that they were afraid
some remark would remain from the Prophet which would become a barrier to their own interests and desires, and destroy the hopes and aims they had nurtured for many long years.
 

This powerful group prevented the recording of the Prophets words during his lifetime, and after the Prophet they tried to prevent the words memorized by his companions from being recorded and related. Weren't those who gained the governorship and leadership after the Prophet all from Quraish, and all of the Immigrants (Muhajerin)? Weren't the Prophets words in reproach of and damnation for them and their descendants?

167) Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, 2/243-244 (Beirut).
168) Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, 2/243.
169) Al-Tabaqat, 2/244-245.
170) Hujarat verse 2.
171) "Sahih" by Bukhari, Chapter: The sickness and death of the Prophet, 6/11.
172) "Muslim" ch: Tarkul Wasiyat 3/1259.
173) "Bukhari" ch: Qoul ul-mareez qad mara'ani, Ketab al-Teb, 7/156.
174) "Bukhari" 6/11-12 ch: Marzon-nabi.

Umar imprisoned three of the Prophet's Campanions

"Umar imprisoned three of the Prophets companions; Ibn Massoud, Abu Darda, and Abu Massoud Ansary in Medina and proclaimed that their crime was narrating the Prophets Hadith too frequently. 

He said to them: You have excessively related the hadiths of the Holy prophet.1

1.Dhahaby "Tazkerat ul-Hifaz" 1/7.