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Umar bin Abdul Aziz was from the tribe of Bani
Umayyah. He lived during the same period as our Holy Imam Mohammad
al-Baqir ('a) and at the age of 39 years, he left this world on
the 25th Rajab, 101AH. Bani Umayyah despotically
ruled through the usurped caliphate for 90 years from the time of
Mu'awiya ibn Abu Sufyan, son of Hind the liver eater and father of
Yazid murderer of Imam Hussayn ('a), until the time when Bani
Abbas fought for the rulership to become even more crueller than
their predecessors, marking the Abbasid period. Bani
Umayyah were very renowned for their cursing of Imam Ali ('a)
from the pulpits and the cruel annihilation of the descendants of
Imam Ali ('a). Each of the successive evil caliphs tried to be
even more sadistic and more cruel than their predecessors.
Umar bin Abdul Aziz was the only righteous religious
man from Bani Umayyah to achieve the Caliphate. He succeeded
Sulayman bin Abdul Malik in the year 99AH with his caliphate
lasting 2 years and 5 months. He is well known for the cessation
of the cursing of Imam Ali ('a) from the pulpits and returning Fadak
to the descendants of Lady Fatimah ('a). The
story of why bin Abdul Aziz stopped the cursing of Imam Ali ('a)
was because he took lessons in the Holy Qur'an from Ubaydullah bin
Abd bin Mas'ud who once heard him and the other children cursing
Imam Ali ('a) in the playground. His teacher became displeased
with him and inside the masjid his teacher is quoted as having
said: "From where have you come to know
that Ali is disfavoured by Allah? Are those who fought the Battle
of Badr and took the oath of Rizwan disfavoured by Allah? The
glory of Badr was for none except Ali." Umar
bin Abdul Aziz replied: "I shall not curse
Ali in the future." [Mughniyyah, 1985, p129] His
father, after having been questioned by his son as to why he
stammered during his Friday speech when he came to curse Imam Ali
('a) stated that "if the Syrians and others come to know
about the virtues of Ali they will not obey us and will walk over
towards the descendants of Ali." [Mughniyyah, 1985, p129] After
this time, bin Abdul Aziz made a promise to Almighty Allah that in
the case that he would attain the caliphate that he would stop the
cursing of Imam Ali ('a). He kept his
promise and prohibited the people from cursing Imam Ali ('a.).
During his period of caliphate, bin Abdul Aziz
returned the garden of Fadak to Imam Mohammad al-Baqir
('a).
After some criticism of his decision by the Quraish and some
Syrians, bin Abdul Aziz stated that: "The
claim of Lady Fatimah ('a) was reasonable and the garden was in
her possession. Being the chief of the women of Paradise she could
not impute anything false to the Holy Prophet Mohammad regarding
the gift bestowed by him. By this act I seek proximity to Allah
and His Prophet and hope for intercession by Lady Fatimah, Imam
Hassan and Imam Hussayn. If I had been in the place of Abu Bakr I
would have accepted the word of Lady Fatimah and would not have
ascribed falsehood to her" (Safinatul Bihar, vol. II,
p.272 cited in Mughniyyah, 1985, p131).
There was an occasion when a dispute arose amongst
the people regarding the issue of the superiority of Imam Ali ('a)
amongst all Muslims, where a woman, her husband and her father
approached the caliph for his judgement. The
woman's father stated that the husband of his daughter had vowed
that if Imam Ali ('a.) be not the most superior among the Muslims
and the nearest kinsmen of the Holy Prophet ('s) his wife stands
divorced. The father said that as Imam Ali is not the most
superior among the Muslims his daughter has been divorced and her
husband had no right to approach her. [Mughniyyah, 1985, p133]. The
woman's husband said, however, that as his claim of Imam Ali's
('a)
superiority was correct, although his father-in-law did not agree,
his wife was still his spouse and was therefore not divorced. The
people heard the dispute and gathered to hear the judgment on the
matter.
Umar bin Abdul Aziz called together Bani Hashim,
Bani Umayyah and other Quraysh. After both the husband and father
repeated their statements, he turned to the people and said: "What
do you say about this vow?" All
those present kept silent. He once again stated: "It
is strange. Say something!" One from
amongst the Bani Umayyah stated that as it was an issue upon which
they had nothing to say. Ibn Abdul Aziz then turned to a
descendant of Aqil bin Abu Talib and said: "What
do you have to say in the matter?" He
was replied: "I would like to speak if my
word is accepted and acted upon. If, however no value is attached
to what I say it will be better to keep silent and this will be
more effective for maintaining friendship." Ibn
Abdul Aziz said: "Your word will be
accepted and your judgment will be enforced." Bani
Umayyah then became angry as the word and decision was entrusted
to one who did not belong to Bani Umaayah. The Caliph then
retorted: "You should not speak, because
you must keep quiet either on account of reproach or on account of
inability. Just now I asked you as to who was prepared to give a
judgement and you kept quiet. So you know whom you
resemble?" They replied in the
negative. He went on: "This descendant of
Aqil knows it. Whom do they resemble?". The
descendant of Aqil then replied that a verse of a poet applies to
them. "You were invited to speak on a
matter. When you were vanquished another person who was not
vanquished intervened. When you saw this you manifested your
remorse, but fear provides no refuge." [Mughniyyah, 1985,
p135]
Ibn Abdul Aziz then said: "You
have said something true. Now give reply to my question." The
descendant of Aqil then replied: "The woman
has not been divorced." He then went
on to say that "the holy Prophet went to see Lady
Fatimah and enquired about her health. She replied that she
was unwell. The Holy Prophet asked her whether she desired to eat
something. She replied: "I
would like to eat grapes but I know this is not the season for
grapes." The Holy Prophet said: "Allah
has power to send it for us." He
then prayed to Allah: "O Lord! Send grapes
for us along with the best man of my followers." Immediately
Imam Ali knocked at the door and entered the house with a basket
(of grapes) under his cloak. The Holy Prophet said to Imam Ali: "What
have you got with you?" Imam Ali replied: "These
are grapes which I have brought for Lady Fatimah." The
Holy Prophet said: "Allahu Akbar! Allahu
Akbar! O lord! Just as you have specially granted my prayer for
Ali, grant health to my daughter by means of those grapes." Then
he turned to Lady Fatimah and said: "Eat
the grapes in the Name of Allah." She
ate the grapes and recovered from her illness before the holy
Prophet left her house."
Ibn Abdul Aziz then said to the descendent of Aqil: "Your
decision regarding the divorce being ineffective is correct. I
have heard your judgement and shall enforce it." Then
he turned to the woman's husband and said to him: "Hold
the hand of your wife and go. If her father prevents you from
taking her away strike his nose against the ground and break
it." [Mughniyyah, 1985, p136] Ibn Abdul
Aziz then turned to the people and said: "I
swear by Allah that we are not unaware of what others know and are
not blind to our religious matters. However, the following verses
of a poet apply to us:
'The world hunts men by means of it's snare, so they do not
perceive goodness and go after evil. Love for wealth makes the
people deaf and dumb and they do not get anything except loss and
sin.'" Umar bin Abdul Aziz tried to enjoin
the good and forbid the evil during his rule as caliph and was martyred
by means of poison for this same reason soon after this event.
Bani Umayyah wished to hide the virtues of the Shiah and continued
to persecute, subjugate and oppress the descendents of Imam Ali
('a.).
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