Nasb-and-the-Nawasib

and he was fought and opposed without any legitimate reason, starting with
those who fought him based on Ijtihād (their analyses of the situation and how
best to resolve the issue) and ending with those who killed him deeming him a
disbeliever. Not only that, but even after his demise for years on end he remained
a victim of contempt, so much so that he was openly cursed from the pulpits and
his followers and partisans were forced to curse him. Rather the matter reached
such sensitivity that some scholars would be afraid to even mention his name in
the presence of the rulers and would suffice on referring to him through hints. 1
His progeny likewise was victim of much contempt after him, that also for no
valid reason. 2
But when we return to the era of the Rightly Guided Khulafāʾ M who preceded
ʿAlī I, we will find that he was treated as a prominent person and enjoyed a
very privileged position. 3 Hence Abū Bakr I would honour him and consult
with him, so would ʿUmar who did not hesitate at multiple occasions to go with the
opinion of ʿAlī I 4 and also appointed him as a member of the Shūrā (council) of
six people who were to elect a ruler from amongst themselves.
And when ʿUthmān I assumed the Khilāfah, ʿAlī I remained, as was his
wont, adherent, obedient, and a well-wisher, as he said:
لوسيرني عثمان إلى صرار لسمعت وأطعت
If ʿUthmān were to send me to Ṣirār I would listen and obey. 5
1 Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah 9/238.
2 Jawāhir al-ʿIqdayn p. 251.
3 Minhāj al-Sunnah 6/176.
4 Al-Ṭarāʾiq al-Ḥukmiyyah p. 69.
5 Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: chapter of Fitan: sub-chapter regarding what is mentioned regarding
ʿUthmān I: ḥadīth no. 37699; Ibn Shaybah: Akhbār al-Madīnah: ḥadīth no. 2091; Nuʿaym ibn
Ḥammād: al-Fitan: ḥadīth no. 208.
Ṣirār, according to the famous view, is a well three miles away from Madīnah on the way to Iraq. See:
Muʿjam mā Istaʾjam 3/830; al-Zamakhsharī: al-Fāʾiq 1/37; Muʿjam al-Buldān 3/398.
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