Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

22 Translator'sforeword
he was preoccupied with confronting the raging mest and conflicts.
The positive outcome of this situation was that 'Ali (&) set an
example of the ideal way of dealing with Muslim opponents and with
extreme Muslim elements in times of discord. He demonstrated that
the way to deal with Muslim adversaries is not by labelling them
disbelievers; throughout the conflict, he insisted that his opponents
were Muslims, and that the rules of engagement with a Muslim
adversary were different from those that apply when fighting the
disbelievers. If they are Muslims, their wounded are not to be killed,
their fighters who flee the battlefield are not to be pursued, their
womenfolk and children are not to be taken captive, and their wealth
and property are not to be seized.
In the course of researching this book, Dr. Salliibi read through
an enormous number of hadiths and reports referring to the time of
turmoil, exposing the many false reports that were fabricated by the
Rsfidi Shia and their ilk in an attempt to distort the image of senior
Companions such as 'kishah, Tabah, az-Zubayr, Mu'iiwiyah and
'Amr ibn al-'.&$ (may AUah be pleased with them all). These false
reports depicted those noble figures as petty-minded individuals
whose main concern was the acquisition of power and wealth. On the
basis of sound, authentic reports, the author proves that the dispute
between these groups of Companions was due to genuine
misunderstanding and the fact that they held different views, which
each of them sincerely believed were right and proper.
A major portion of the book is devoted to a discussion of the
views and beliefs of the RZfiPi Shia, confirming that these positions
are contrary to the views of 'Ali ibn Abi rtlb (&) himself. The
members of Ah1 al-Bayt rejected these views and regarded them as
heresy and extremism.
This book comes at a time when the RZfidi Shia are striving to
propagate their misguided beliefs and ideas throughout the world,