FATIMA TOLD ABU BAKR AND UMAR THAT SHE CURSED THEM BOTH IN EVERY PRAYER
After narrating this affair in detail, Abu Muhammad Abdullah Bin
Qutayba says that Ali did not swear allegiance and returned home.
Later Abu Bakr and Umar went to Fatima's house to placate her
and to seek her pardon. She said: "Allah be my witness that
you two have offended me. In every prayer I curse you and will
continue cursing you until I see my father and complain against
you."
(7) Ahmad Bin Abdu'l-Aziz is one of your ulema. Ibn Abi'l-Hadid
writes about him in the following words: "He was a man of
learning, a traditionist, a great literary figure." He writes
in his Kitab-e-Saqifa and Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazali also quotes
from him in his Sharhe Nahju'l-Balagha, Volume I, page 9, on the
authority of Abi'l-Aswad, who said: "A group of the companions
and prominent Muhajirin expressed their indignation at Abu Bakr's
caliphate and asked why they were not consulted. Also Ali and
Zubair expressed their anger, refused to swear allegiance, and
retired to Fatima's house. Fatima cried aloud and made solemn
entreaties, but to no effect. They took away Ali's and Zubair's
swords and hurled them against the wall, breaking them. Then they
dragged them to the mosque to force them to swear allegiance."
(8) Jauhari reports from Salma Bin Abdu'r-Rahman that when Abu
Bakr heard that Ali, Zubair, and a party of the Bani Hashim were
assembled in Fatima's house, he sent Umar for them. Umar went
to the door of Fatima's house and shouted, "Come out, otherwise,
I swear I will set your house on fire!"
(9) Jauhari, according to Ibn Abi'l-Hadid in his Sharhe Nahju'l-Balagha,
Volume II, page 19, narrates on the authority of Sha'bi: "When
Abu Bakr heard about the gathering of the Bani Hashim in Ali's
house, he said to Umar: 'Both you and Khalid go and bring Ali
and Zubair to me so that they can take the oath of allegiance.'
So Umar entered Fatima's house and Khalid stayed outside. Umar
said to Zubair 'What is this sword?' He replied, 'I have acquired
it for allegiance to Ali.'
Umar snatched the sword and hurled it at the stone inside the
house and broke it. Then he brought him out to Khalid. He came
back into the house, where there were many people, including Miqdad,
and all the Bani Hashim. Addressing Ali, he said: 'Get up! I'm
taking you to Abu Bakr. You must pay allegiance to him.'
Ali refused. Umar dragged him to Khalid. Khalid and Umar forced
him along the road which was packed to capacity with men who witnessed
this scene. When Fatima saw Umar's behavior, she, along with many
women of the Bani Hashim (who had come to console her), came out.
They were lamenting and wailing with high-pitched cries. Fatima
went to the mosque where she said to Abu Bakr: 'How soon have
you sacked the Ahle Bait of the Prophet of Allah. I swear by Allah,
I will not talk with Umar until I see Allah.' Fatima showed her
extreme disapproval of Abu Bakr and did not speak to him for the
rest of her life." (See Sahih Bukhari, Part V and VII).
(10) Abu Walid Muhibu'd-Din Muhammad Bin Muhammad Bin Ash-Shahna
Al-Hanafi (died 815 A.H.), one of your leading ulema writes in
his Rauzatu'l-Manazir Fi Khabaru'l-Awa'il wa'l-Awakhir, in connection
with the Saqifa affair: "Umar came to Ali's house prepared
to set it on fire with all its inmates. Umar said: 'Enter into
what the community has entered.'"
(11) Tabari, in his Ta'rikh Volume II, page 443, reports from
Ziyad Bin Kalbi that "Talha, Zubair, and some of the Muhajirin
were at Ali's house. Umar Bin Khattab went there and demanded
that they come out. If they did not, he said, he would set the
house on fire."
(12) Ibn Shahna, in Hashiyya-e-Kamil of Ibn Athir, Volume XI,
page 112, writes in connection with the Saqifa that: "Some
of the Prophet's companions, and the Bani Hashim, Zubair, Atba
Bin Abi Lahab, Khalid Bin Sa'id Bin As, Miqdad Bin Aswad Kindi,
Salman Farsi, Abu Dharr Ghifari, Ammar Bin Yasir, Bara'a Bin Azib,
and Ubai Bin Ka'b refused to swear allegiance to Abu Bakr. They
assembled in Ali's house. Umar Bin Khattab went there intending
to burn down the house. Fatima protested to him. Umar said: 'Enter
where all others have entered.'"
These are but a sample of the many historical facts recorded by
your own historians. This affair was so commonly known that the
poets of old mentioned it. One of your poets, Hafiz Ibrahim of
Egypt, says in a poem in praise of Umar: "No other person
but Abu Hafsa (father of Umar) could have the courage of addressing
the chief of the Adnan Clan (Ali) and his comrades, saying: 'If
you fail to pay allegiance, I will set your house on fire and
will not leave any inmate of the house alive, even Fatima herself.'"
Hafiz: These narrations show
only that they brought torches to frighten and disperse the opponents
of the caliphate. It is a concocted Shia version to say that Ali's
house was set on fire, and that Fatima miscarried as a result.
NARRATIONS ABOUT FATIMA'S MISCARRIAGE
Well-Wisher: You should read
Kitab-e-Isbatu'l-Wasiyya, compiled by Abi'l-Hasan Ali Bin Husain
Mas'udi, author of Muruju'dh-Dhahab. He wrote in great detail
about the events of that day: "They surrounded Ali and burned
the door of his house. They dragged him out of the house and pressed
the best of the women, Fatima, between the door and the wall so
forcefully that Muhsin, her unborn son, died of miscarriage."
The Shias have not concocted these things. What occurred has been
preserved in the pages of history. The miscarriage is a fact.
You may also refer to Sharhe Nahju'l-Balagha, Volume III, page
351. Ibn Abi'l-Hadid wrote that he told his teacher, Abu Ja'far
Naqib, that when the Prophet was told that Hubbar Bin Aswad had
attacked his daughter Zainab's litter with a lance, because of
which Zainab suffered a miscarriage, the Prophet allowed him to
be put to death. Abu Ja'far said: 'Had the Prophet of Allah been
alive, he would have surely ordered the death penalty for him
also who had frightened Fatima so much that her child, Muhsin,
died in miscarriage.'
Hafiz: I don't understand what
useful purpose it serves to narrate such stories. This kind of
thing leads to mutual discord.
Well-Wisher: You object to my
relating these facts. But I do so to reject the attacks of malicious
authors who mislead our uninformed brothers, calling Shias infidels
and saying that these facts were the fabrications of the Shias.
We do not say anything about Ali beyond what the Prophet said
about him. We told you on previous nights that we regard Ali as
a devoted servant of Allah, a divinely appointed vicegerent and
successor to the Prophet. You claim that it is of no use to relate
these facts. If you wouldn't bring up these points, we would not
discuss them. If you hadn't said tonight that these are Shia beliefs
with no substance to them, I would not have been obliged to tell
the audience that these are the beliefs of unbiased Sunni ulema.
Nawab: Respected Sir, we believe
that Husain, the martyr, was rightly guided and that he was murdered
unjustly by the officers of the Bani Umayya. But there are some
people, particularly among our young people, who say that the
Battle of Karbala was strictly a military, and not a religious,
event. It is said that Husain Bin Ali proceeded to Kufa in quest
of power, and it is the duty of every government to curb such
dangers. Accordingly, Yazid resisted this threat. They requested
the revered Imam to pay unconditional allegiance to Caliph Yazid,
to whom obedience was obligatory. They wanted him to go to Syria
to live there with the Caliph honorably or to go back to his native
place. But he did not follow their advice, and consequently he
was killed. They conclude that any mourning for such a worldly
man, who was killed because of his love of power, is not only
meaningless, but is an innovation. Do you have a reply to this
point? How do you disprove the idea that the Battle of Karbala
was not the culmination of a political struggle?
IMAM HUSAIN WAS NEVER DESIROUS OF POLITICAL POWER
Well-Wisher: Every good or bad
action is based on our knowledge of Allah. The objectors should
first recognize Allah, and then they should acknowledge the divine
book, the Qur'an. From that acknowledgement it follows that we
recognize that whatever is in that book is praise. Anyone who
believes that Husain Ibn Ali was motivated by worldly goals denies
the truth of the Holy Qur'an. Allah Almighty has given evidence
of Husain's purity in the Holy Qur'an. He says: "Allah desires
only to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the house!
And to purify you with a thorough purifying." (33:33)
Most of your ulema, like Muslim, Tirmidhi Tha'labi, Sijistani,
Abu Nu'aim Isfahani, Abu Bakr Shirazi, Suyuti, Hamwaini, Ahmad
Bin Hanbal, Zamakhshari, Baidhawi, Ibn Athir, and others have
held that this verse was revealed in praise of the holy five,
the Ahle Bait (people of the House): Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan
and Husain. This verse is the greatest proof for the infallibility
and purity of these holy people. The greatest impurity is love
for worldly power. There are many hadith from the Prophet and
the Imams condemning aspiration for worldly power and the fulfillment
of our carnal desires. The Prophet said, "Love and friendship
with the world is the root of all evil." Abu Abdullah Husain
had no love for worldly power. He certainly did not risk his life
and the lives of his family in order to attain transitory rule
in this world.
If Imam Husain's stand against Yazid were merely for worldly power,
the Prophet would not have ordered people to help him. Your own
ulema confirm this point. Sheikh Sulayman Balkhi Hanafi in his
Yanabiu'l-Mawadda from the histories of Bukhari, Baghawi, and
Ibnu's-Sikkin from Zakha'iru'l-Uqba of Imamu'l-Haram Shafi'i,
and Sirat-e-Mulla narrate from Anas Bin Harith Bin Bayya, who
said that he heard the Holy Prophet say: "Verily, my son
Husain will be killed on the soil of Karbala. Every one of you
who is present at that time must help him."
The report continues: "Anas Bin Harith reached Karbala and,
in obedience to the command of the Prophet, was martyred along
with Imam Husain." It follows, therefore, that at Karbala
Imam Husain stood for the cause of truth and not for love of this
world. Imam Husain's undertaking the journey with a small group,
including his women and small children, is another indication
that he left his home not for the purpose of gaining rule. If
that had been his intention, he would have gone to Yemen, where
he had widespread support. Yemen would have been the logical base
for launching military operations. In fact his friends repeatedly
encouraged him to go to Yemen, but they were not aware of his
purpose. But Imam Husain knew that there was no means of attaining
apparent success. His journey, begun with 84 people, including
women and children, aimed at a basic good. The holy tree - la
ilaha ill'allah (there is no god except Allah) - was grown by
his grandfather, nourished with his blood and the blood of the
martyrs of Badr, Uhud, and Hunain. The tree was entrusted to an
excellent gardener, Ali Bin Abu Talib, who was held back by threats
of murder and arson. The result was that the spring of Tawhid
(oneness of Allah) and prophethood had taken on an autumnal change.
Gradually the administration of the garden fell into the hands
of the malicious Bani Umayya.
Since the caliphate of Uthman Bin Affan, the Bani Umayya controlled
the administration of the empire. Abu Sufyan, old and blind, but
his appetite for power as keen as ever, cried out to the Umayyad
Court: "O Bani Umayya! Keep the caliphate in your own family.
Paradise and hell are myths. O Bani Umayya! Take hold of the caliphate
like a ball. I swear that by which I swear, that I always wished
such rule for you. Take care of it so that your descendants may
be its heirs."
These unbelievers ejected the rightful gardeners from the garden.
The life-water was stopped and the holy tree shrivelled until
the reign of Yazid, when it appeared to be destined to die. Imam
Husain undertook the journey to Karbala to water the garden of
Prophethood and to strengthen the holy tree of la ilaha ill'Allah.
Some people ask why Imam Husain did not raise the flag of opposition
in Medina. They do not understand that if he had remained in Medina,
his objective would have remained unclear. Imam Husain went to
Mecca in the month of Rajab and addressed thousands of people,
telling them that Yazid was uprooting the tree of tawhid. He said
that Yazid, who claimed to be the Caliph
of the Muslims, was destroying the foundation of Islam. Addicted
to wine and gambling, Yazid amused himself with dogs and monkeys.
Imam Husain considered the sacrifice of his life necessary for
the preservation of Islam.
IMAM HUSAIN REFUSED ADVICE TO ABANDON HIS MISSION
Imam Husain's friends and relatives tried to dissuade him from
going to Kufa, saying that the Kufans who had asked him to come
were notoriously unreliable. Many people flocked to the Bani Umayya
and received money and political favors in return for their support.
Therefore, according to many of his supporters, Imam Husain had
no chance to subdue them. They asked him to abandon the journey.
They urged him to go to Yemen where he had many followers, and
where he could live in peace. But Husain could not explain the
reality of his situation. However, he satisfied each of them with
a brief reply. He told close companions and relatives, like his
brother, Muhammad Bin Hanafiyya: "You are saying the correct
thing. I also know that I shall not achieve any apparent domination,
but I am not going for worldly conquest. I am going in order to
be killed. I wish that through the strength of my suffering tyranny,
I may root out the very foundation of oppression and cruelty.
I saw my grandfather, the Prophet, in a dream telling me: 'Make
a journey to Iraq. Allah Almighty wants to see you murdered.'"
Muhammad Bin Hanifiyya and Ibn Abbas said: "If this is so,
why are you taking women with you?" He replied: "My
grandfather said that Allah wants to see them captives. So, according
to the command of the Holy Prophet, I am taking them with me."
The captivity of the women would be the conclusive part of his
martyrdom. They would demonstrate to the world the Umayyad cruelty
to the Prophet's descendants. Bibi Zainab, the daughter of Ali
and Fatima, made an eloquent protest in Yazid's crowded court,
where hundreds of people, including the nobility, the great men
of the Bani Umayya, and foreign ambassadors celebrated their victory.
The fourth Imam, Zainu'l-Abidin Ali Ibn Husain, also made an eloquent
appeal for justice from the pulpit of the Umayyad mosque, in Yazid's
presence. After extolling the merits and attributes of Allah,
Zainu'l-Abidin said: "O people! We, the descendants of Muhammad,
have been endowed by Allah with six qualities and have been made
superior to the whole creation by being granted seven virtues.
We have been given knowledge, forbearance, valor, beautiful appearance,
eloquence, bravery, and are loved by the believers. We are superior
to every man in that the Prophet Muhammad is from us; the Siddiq
Ali Bin Abu Talib is from us; Ja'far-e-Tayyar is from us; Hamza
is from us, two grandsons of the Prophet, Hasan and Husain, are
from us; and the Mahdi (the guided one) of this People (Imam-e-Hujjat
Bin Hasan) is from us. One who does not know me should know about
my family and family status; I am the son of the most exalted
and virtuous Prophet of Allah, Muhammad Mustafa!"
Then from the same pulpit from which Mu'awiya and Yazid had cursed
Ali, the Imam praised his illustrious grandfather, Ali, before
Yazid and the chiefs of the Bani Umayyad. Many Syrians had never
before heard Ali's qualities and virtues. The Imam said: "I
am the son of the man who fought in the presence of the holy Prophet;
who fought the infidels at Badr and Hunain; who never for a moment
lost faith in Allah. I am the son of the most pious of the believers,
the heir of the prophets, the slayer of the unbelievers, the ruler
of the Muslims, the grace of the worshipers, the crown of those
who weep in awe of Allah, the most patient of the patient, the
best of the performers of prayer. I am the son of the man who
was helped by Gabriel and Michael. I am the son of the man who
was the protector of the honor of the Muslims and the slayer of
the disbelievers. I am the son of the man who fought holy war
against the enemy, who was the pride of the Quraish, the foremost
of those who accepted the message of Allah and His Prophet, the
first of those who embraced Islam, the tongue of the wisdom of
Allah, the helper of the religion of Allah, the guardian of the
commandments of Allah, the garden of Allah's wisdom, the repository
of His knowledge. I am the son of the chief of the patient ones,
the breaker of barriers, whose heart was more steadfast, whose
resolution more firm, whose disposition more steady than anyone's.
He was a fierce lion on the battlefield, who cut down the enemy
with his sword and scattered them as a violent storm scatters
straw. He was the bravest among the people of the Hijaz, the most
valiant among the Iraqis, the purest Muslim, he who swore allegiance
at Aqaba, the hero of Badr and Hunain, the courageous man on the
occasion of allegiance under the tree, the unique sacrificer during
the Holy Prophet's migration, the chief of the Arab world, the
guardian of the Holy Ka'ba, the father of two grandsons of the
Holy Prophet. These are the virtues of my grandfather, Ali Bin
Abu Talib. I am also the son of Khadija-e-Kubra; I am the son
of Fatima Zahra; I am the son of one who was murdered by a blow
to the back of the neck; I am the son of one who left this world
thirsty; I am the son of one who was deprived of water while water
was allowed to the rest of creation. I am the son of one whose
body was neither bathed nor shrouded; I am the son of one whose
sacred head was raised on the point of the sword; I am the son
of one whose women were affronted on the soil of Karbala and taken
captive. I am the son of one whose women were brought to Syria
as captives." Then the holy Imam wept with a loud cry, and
continued: "I am.... I am...." that is, he went on narrating
the virtues of his forefathers and the victimization of his holy
father and the Ahle Bait. As a result of his address, people wept.
After the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the first majlis (assembly
for mourning) for the brutal sufferings of Imam Husain was held
in this central mosque of the Umayyads. Imam Zainu'l-Abidin, after
narrating Ali's virtues in the presence of the enemies, gave such
a moving account of the sufferings of his revered father that
agonized weeping rose from the Syrians in the presence of Yazid.
He became frightened and left the mosque.
It was from this mosque, due to the Imam's address, that people
rose against Yazid. Because of popular outcry, Yazid was forced
to curse Ubaidullah Bin Marjana for his vicious deed. Eventually,
the castle of the Bani Umayya's tyranny was destroyed. Today we
do not find in all of Syria a single tomb of the Bani Umayya.
To return to your question, Imam Husain frequently foretold his
martyrdom. He once spoke in Mecca, on Tarwia day (8th day of Dhu'l-Hijja,
60 A.H.), saying: "Death is attached to every member of the
progeny of Adam as a necklace is attached to a young woman. I
am as eager to meet my ancestors as Jacob was to meet Joseph.
The place where I shall fall has already been selected for me,
and I must go to that place. I see wild leopards killing me, tearing
apart my body, between Nawawi's and Karbala."
Imam Husain knew that he would not reach Kufa, the capital of
Syria. He knew that he would be killed by men who were like ferocious
beasts, cutting his body to pieces. He undertook the journey for
the purpose of martyrdom and not for political reasons. Along
the way he told people of his impending death. He told his companions
and relatives that one instance was sufficient to prove the worthlessness
of this world. He said that after the beheading of the Prophet
John, the head was presented to an adulteress. He said that his
own head would soon be taken to the drunkard, Yazid.
Consider the matter for a moment. Hurr Bin Yazid Riyahi with a
cavalry of 1,000 soldiers obstructed Husain's way. Kufa was only
thirty miles away. Hur had been appointed by Ubaidullah Ibn Ziyad
to detain Imam Husain. Hur would neither let him proceed to Kufa,
nor leave his company without further orders. Why did the Imam
surrender himself to Hur? If Husain had sought political power,
he certainly would never have been stopped by Hur, who had not
more than 1,000 soldiers. The Imam had 1,300 soldiers. Having
defeated them, the Imam could have reached Kufa, where he had
widespread support. From there, being reinforced, he could have
confronted the enemy and gained domination. But he accepted Hur's
order, stopped there in the desert surrounded by the enemy. After
four days enemy reinforcements arrived there, and the Prophet's
son was forced to endure cruel suffering.
The best evidence in support of my view is the Imam's address
on the night before The Day of Ashura. Until that night 1,300
soldiers were ready to fight for him. Husain gathered the people
together and told them: "Those who have come here for worldly
gain should know that tomorrow whoever remains on this soil will
be killed. The enemy is after me alone; I lift the binding force
of allegiance from your necks. It is night, and you can depart
in the darkness." Many accepted his proposal and departed.
Only 42 people remained, 18 Bani Hashim and 24 companions. After
midnight, 30 enemy soldiers moved toward the Imam's camp for a
night attack, but when they heard Husain reciting the Holy Qur'an,
they were filled with emotion and joined the Imam. These were
the 72 people who sacrificed their lives on the Day of Ashura.
Most of them were pious people, and many were reciters of the
Holy Qur'an.
Husain's noble sacrifices are acknowledged today by friend and
foe alike. Even those alien to our religion are impressed by his
heroism. In the French Da'iratu'l-Ma'arif, there is a lengthy
article entitled "Three Martyrs" written by a learned
British woman. Her theme is that in all of history there have
been three martyrs who, by sacrificing their lives, have been
most influential in advancing the cause of truth. The first was
Socrates, and the second was Jesus (the writer was a Christian).
We Muslims, of course, believe that Jesus was not crucified. The
Holy Qur'an clearly says: "And they did not kill him nor
did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Jesus)
and most surely those who differ therein are only in doubt about
it. They have no knowledge concerning it, but only follow conjecture.
They did not kill him for certain. Nay! Allah took him up to Himself."
(4:157-158)
The third martyr she writes, was Husain, the grandson of Muhammad.
She writes: "When we take stock of historical events and
assess the circumstances under which these three persons offered
their lives, we acknowledge that the sacrifices of Husain excelled
those two. The fact was that Socrates and Christ offered only
their own lives for sacrifice in the way of God, but Husain left
his home for a distant desert land to be surrounded by the enemy.
He and his entire family were martyred for the cause of truth.
He sent his friends and relations to confront the enemy and to
sacrifice their lives for the religion of Allah. This was in fact
harder than giving up his own life."
The most glaring example of the tyranny suffered by Husain was
the brutal murder of his six-month old son. He brought the baby
in his hands asking for water for him (which was in abundance),
but the ruthless enemy, instead of giving him water, killed the
child with an arrow. The enemy's barbarism proves that Imam Husain
was a victim of tyranny. His incredible forbearance completely
ruined the power of the Bani Umayya and condemned them before
the world. It was due to his, and his respected Ahle Bait's, sacrifices
that the religion of Muhammad received new life.
Nawab SAHIB: We are really much
indebted to you. We have been very impressed by your explanation
of the facts concerning Imam Husain. Until now, we have followed
other people and have been deprived of the blessings of ziarat
(pilgrimage to the holy tomb of the Imam). We were told that to
visit Imam Husain's shrine was bidat "innovation." Of
course, what a good innovation it is, since it inspires man and
helps him understand the truth about the descendants of the Prophet.
REAL MEANING OF BIDAT (INNOVATION))
Well-Wisher: The word "bidat,"
"innovation," has its origin in the sect of the Sunni
ulema and of the Nasibis and Kharijis, who were confirmed enemies
of Ali. They have called Ziarat "innovation" without
considering the fact that bidat refers to something concerning
the Prophet or his Ahle Bait, which has not been enjoined by Allah.
However, concerning the question of visiting Husain's tomb, there
are many hadith in the books of your own ulema. I confine myself
to one famous hadith recorded in all books of maqatil and collections
of hadith.
"One day the Prophet was in A'yesha's apartment when Husain
came in. The Prophet took him in his arms, kissed him and smelt
him. A'yesha asked: 'May my father's and mother's lives be sacrificed
to you! How much you love Husain!' The Prophet said, 'Don't you
know that this child is a part of my liver and my flower?' After
that the Prophet began to weep. A'yesha asked the cause of his
weeping. The Prophet replied that he kissed the places where the
Bani Umayya would wound Husain. A'yesha asked if they would kill
him. He said, 'Yes, he will be murdered. They will never have
my support (in the hereafter). Blessed is he who goes on a pilgrimage
to his tomb after his martyrdom.' A'yesha asked the Prophet what
would be the reward for the pilgrim. The Prophet said, 'It will
be equal to one Hajj of mine.' A'yesha said, 'One Hajj of yours!'
He said, 'Nay, two,' When A'yesha again expressed astonishment,
he said 'Nay, four Hajj.' The more astonished she became the higher
was the reward, until at last he said, 'A'yesha! If a person goes
on a pilgrimage to Husain's tomb, Allah will give him the reward
equivalent to 90 Hajj and 90 Umra performed by me.' Then A'yesha
fell silent."
Now I ask you, is such a pilgrimage an innovation?
EFFECTS OF VISITING SHRINES OF THE HOLY IMAMS
There are other benefits to be gained from visiting the tombs
of the Imams. The inner precincts of the shrine, called the haram,
remain open for visitors day and night. The haram and the mosques
near it are usually found packed to capacity with pilgrims and
worshipers. Those accustomed to offering no more than the obligatory
prayers often make special devotional efforts while visiting holy
shrines. They invoke Allah sincerely and recite the Qur'an. Is
such devotion an innovation?
Nawab: Of course we have no
one to blame but ourselves if we have not examined these matters
more closely. A few years ago I went to Baghdad to visit the tombs
of Imam A'zam Abu Hanifa and Abdu'l-Qadir Jilani. One day I went
to visit nearby Kazimain (the burial place of the seventh Imam,
Musa Ibn Ja'far Al-Kazim and the ninth Imam, Muhammad Ibn Ali
At-Taqi). When I returned, my companions were harsh in their criticism
of me. I'm surprised that a visit to the tombs of Imam A'zam in
Mu'azam, Sheikh Abdu'l-Qadir in Baghdad, of Khwaja Nizamu'd-Din
in India, of Sheikh Akbar Muhyi'd-din Ibn Arabi in Egypt may be
considered worth rewarding. Every year many people from among
the Sunnis visit these places although the Prophet never recommended
it. How can it be that a visit to the tomb of the great martyr,
the grandson of the Prophet, which the Prophet recommended, be
considered bidat? I firmly resolve that, Allah willing, I will
go this year to visit the tomb of the beloved grandson of the
Prophet, Husain. I will ask Allah to forgive me for my past faults.