Nasb-and-the-Nawasib

Probably the reason why these exhortations of Rasūl Allah H have come
forth in these forms, regarding the Ahl al-Bayt in general and regarding ʿAlī I
in specific, is that he knew of the virulence and contempt that many of them
were to suffer after him. But because the share of ʿAlī I in all of that was going
to be much more than anyone else of the Ahl al-Bayt, the ḥadīths stressing upon
his rights and stature were more. This is because he was tested with a people who
loved him to such an extent that in endeavouring to extoll him they denigrated
him, and a people who hated him to an extent that they tried to harm him in
every way possible. This is clear from the following statement of ʿAlī I:
ليحبني قوم حتى يدخلوا النار في حبي،‏ وليبغضني قوم حتى يدخلوا النار في بغضي
A people will love me to an extent that they will enter Hell-fire due to
loving me, and a people will hate me to an extent that they will enter Hellfire
due to hating me. 1
There is no doubt as to the fact that no one amongst the Ṣaḥābah M
encountered what ʿAlī I encountered; he was accused when he was innocent
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It should be noted that just as Nabī H hinted to ʿĀʾishah I regarding what was to happen in
the future with one of his wives, i.e. that her life will be spared in a Fitnah in which many people will
be killed around her, similarly Nabī H ordered ʿAlī I to be good to her when this very fitnah
arises. The following ḥadīth of Abū Rāfiʿ I, which appears in Musnad Aḥmad 6/393 and al-Muʿjam
al-Kabīr 1/333, is an attestation to this:
أن رسول اهلل صل اهلل عليه وسلم قال لعيل بن أيب طالب:‏ إنه سيكون بينك وبني عائشة أمر.‏ قال:‏ فأنا أشقاهم يا رسول اهلل؟ قال:‏ ل،‏
ولكن إذا كان ذلك فارددها إىل مأمنها
Rasūl Allah H said to ʿAlī, “There will be a matter between you and ʿĀʾishah.” He said, “I
will be the most wretched of them then O Rasūl of Allah?” “No, but when that happens, then
return ʿĀʾishah to her safety.”
Ibn Ḥajr has deemed the transmission to be Ḥasan (a grade below Ṣaḥīḥ) in Fatḥ al-Bārī 13/55.
Ḥawʾab refers to an oasis between Makkah and Basrah. See: Muʿjam al-Buldān 2/314; Lisān al-ʿArab
1/289.
1 Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: chapter of merits: sub-chapter regarding the merits of ʿAlī I: ḥadīth
no. 32133.
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