JEALOUSY ON THE AHLUL-BAYT (AS)

[Mohammad]

Imam Ameerul-Mumineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (as) has said A jealous person becomes happy with ill (that befalls on others) and grieves upon happiness (of others)”. (Ghurar al-Hikam)

JEALOUSY ON THE AHLUL-BAYT (AS)

Allah (SWT) says: “Or are they JEALOUS of the people for what Allah has given them out of His grace? We have certainly given the progeny of Ibrahim the Book and wisdom, and we have given them a great kingdom”. (4:54)


According to the Tafseer of the Shia’hs, the MAHSUDEEN (People upon whom others are jealous) are the progeny of the Holy Prophet (saww). And why are people jealous of them? It is because Allah (SWT), out of His grace, gave them MULKAN ‘ADHEEMAN meaning ‘great kingdom’ and this kingdom is in reference to the ‘Imamate’ (Divine Leadership) of our Aimma (as) – who are from the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim (as). Imam Ja’ffar as-Sadiq (as) was asked, “Who are these people who are the victims of jealousy?” Imam (as) said, “We are those upon whom people are jealous”. (Tafseer-e-Burhaan). Indeed our 9th Imam, Imam Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Jawad (as) is also among those who were blessed with divine leadership; and on account of his Imamate, people were jealous of him including the rulers of his time! Indeed people were jealous of Imam al-Jawad (as) and it is their jealousy that killed our Imam (as). Abu Laylah was a chief justice in the court of Mu'tasim, the Abbasid caliph. One day, he came to his friend Zarqa in state of extreme anger and when asked the purpose of anger, Abu Laylah said, [O Zarqa! Today I was put to a very big test in which I failed. A thief, whose crime was established, was presented before Mu'tasim. So Mu'tasim asked, 'Quran says that I should cut the hands of this thief. You tell me from which part shall his hand be cut-off'. I said, ' Quran states that chop-off the hand of a thief and in the verse of wudhoo, it is mentioned that wash your hands till your elbow. So from elbow downwards is considered as hand therefore cut his hand from his elbow'. Mu'tasim then asked other learned people in his court for their opinion. Someone said, 'In the verse of Tayammum, hand has been mentioned till the wrist so cut the thief's hand from his wrist'. After a lot of discussion and debate, Mu'tasim then put the same question to the Imam of the Shia’hs, Muhammad ibn Ali, who happened to be present at the time. At first, he refused to comment but when Mu'tasim insisted, he said, "You will only cut-off the fingers of the thief because Quran says: The places of prostration are for Allah meaning parts of the body placed on the ground during Sajdah. Since the thief is also a Muslim who offers prayers, he will need his palms during Sajdah. So you have to leave that and cut only his fingers". O Zarqa! Mu'tasim was so pleased with this answer that he praised the Imam of the Shia'hs and we felt discredited. O Zarqa! I am aware that whoever harms this young man will burn in the hell-fire but I will not rest till I have taken my revenge against him. Having said this, Zarqa returned to Mu'tasim to provoke him against the Imam (as). He said to him, "What have you done? People, as it is believe in him as the true Imam and do not believe in you. Why did you give him preference over us? Now you have confirmed to the people through your action that indeed he is on truth and you are on falsehood". Mu'tasim was so affected by this, that shortly after this incident, he poisoned the Imam (as). ] (Bikhre Moti)