Photo-Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky Speaks on Events Leading to Karbala

After normal salutation, the Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky spoke further on events which culminated into Karbala tragedy . He said the number of people who went to to Madina and joined Islam for self interest became large in number to the extent that they outnumbered the Ansar (the people of Madina).
They were so much involved in gossips and were after war loot and leadership.
It was in this situationn the event of Ghadeer occurred. So, those who believe out of fear and selfish interest got opportnuty to carry out what they wanted-getting to the position of leaderhip. Not lon ago, the propeht fell sick, so understading the situation, the prophet asked them to Join the army of Usamah to fight Rum. The Prophet even declared” May God’s course be on whom refuse to follow Usamah”. The Prophet included all of them in the army of Usamah to avoid any fitnah after his eventual demise.
However, they camped outside of Madina because they heard that the health conditon of the Prophet worsen. hey later returned to madina and when the Prophet saw them while he was seriously ill, he was upset and ordered for an ink and paper to be brought to him to write somehting which they would never go astray after him. Confusions arose among the companions- some of them were with the Prophet while others were with the view of the person who denied the paper to be brought. The man utterred a a word of disrespect which can not be said. The word is an insult, though some historians tried to give it a soft meaning. The Prophet of God who never spoke out of his of whims was addressed in such language! Abbas bn Abdulmutallib called the day the ‘tragedy of thursday’ because of its bad implications.

The Prophet departed this world on Monday. Immediately after his departure, opportunity presented itself to those who were after worldly positions. Anyone who wants find out about reality of the history, should go and find out as books by historians are available. They are of two collections: The collection of true hisotroy and that of distortions.
Prophet(SAWA) departed this world in the presence of Ali and Sayyidah (Fatimah) alone, his head was laying on the lap of Imam Ali (AS) not in the presence of anybody. He was washed and enshrouded by Imam Ali with help of Jibril. Qussam help too in pouring of water.
immediately after the demise of the prophet, Ansar gathered at Thaqeefa to appoint Khalifah even though the Prophet was yet to be buried. They were dragging on the issue of Khaleefah. This was the palce where Imam Husain was killed. he as killed at Thaqeefa, because the foundation of Karbala was raised there; Imam Husain(AS) has said so. When Khalifa was elected at Thaqeefah none of the members of Ahlulbayt(AS) was rightful people were present. They appointed Khalifah before burial, amid tenstions and comfusions. None of the other tribes had agreed. The tribal sentiment came back again with each of the tribes and clans having its candidate. The pre-islamic period resurfaced.

Ever since, some people opposed the appointement of the first Khalifah for fear of returning of Jahiliyyah way of life of revenge. And this what what exactly happenned. Answar opposed among them was Saad bn Ubadah who refused to pay allegiance out of fear of revenge against Ali(AS) because they saw Ali as the one who killed their fathers. He said if other than Imam Ali (AS) became leader, there would be revenge from Arabs against the Muhajir. Saad bn Ubadah was true lover and helper of the Prophet in Madina and upto his death.
And predictions of Saad was correct as the three years of Yazid were catastrophic- the first year he killed Husain(AS) , the second year he attacked Madina and killed all companions of the Prophet and thier children and his men raped over 1000 women; in the third year he desacred the ka’aba and destroyed it.
So, after the demise of the propeht each house had its candidate. Ansar went to Imam Al(AS) to pay allegiance day by day. So, those who installed the Khalifah expressed fear over the development. If they allow people keep going to Imam Ali, Ansar will be strong. So, they decided to pay general allegiance to the Khalifah. Still people trooped to Ali’s house. Not satisfied with all thier effort to stop people from going to Ali they finally planned to burn his house, a where the daugter of the Prophet was living, desipte their knowledge of that. They set the house on fire and dragged Ali(AS) to pay allegiance. They got re-enforcemnt form Banu Sulaim tribe who filled the streets of Madina forcing people to pay allegiance.

Having the gut and power to do what they did to Sayyidah fatimah allowed them to commit the murder in Karbala, as Imam Husain attessted.
Why all this to Ali? They said because it was Ali who killed their parents. well, Ali never killed or commit a murder. Ali killed in battle fields and its not a murder. He killed them in Badar because they came to with aim of killing Prophet; in Uhud they came out to kill Hamzah, and in Handak to kill the Prophet too . In all the cases Ali dealt with them in the defence of the Propeht and Islam, not out of interest. This is the offence commited by Ali, according thier views!
They did all they could to stop ALi from leadership. They did so to ensure that leadership rotate among thier tribes as llowing Ali to be the first Khalifa will mean leaderhip will remain with Banu Hashim. They revived what religion came to wipe out of pre-islamic arrogance. They were only after leadership.
Imam Ali left the matter, only to intervence when Islam was in danger especially threats from outside. So, Imam kept quite for the protection of Islam so that external enemies would not know about the situation in Muslims and attack Madina. He never participated in all the battles they led. But he helped in correcting issues regarding Islamic rullings when they made blunders.

For 23 years Imam Ali was in this difficult situation while being persereve. He indulged in farming activities like plantiing of date trees and digging of wells. He planted 200,000 date trees and he dug many wells. The areadeveloped by Imam Ali still exist and is now part of Madina. The wells he dug are still in use.
When Usman became Khalifah, he returned Marwan to Madina, being his kinsmen and whom the Prophet dismissed from Madina. Umayyads were put in stategitc positions by usman. Abu Suyan was happy with develpoment and even warned his tribe to never allow the affair (leaderhsip) to part them. Tribal competiton became strong. They all gathered against Imam Ali(AS). It led to the battle of Jamal, Siffin and Nahrawan with the same motive as that of Badr, Uhud and Handak. The aim of Jamal was to kill Ai and his children, just as they wanted to kill the Propeht in Badr and Uhud. The issue of Karbala will be discussed in the next lesson.