Distorting Historical Facts – Part 2
We
have already established in the first part of this series that some
historians have been unethical in recording early Islamic history,
misrepresenting historical facts. An example of such distortion from
Tarikh-e-Tabari has already been cited. We now present another example
of such forgery and criminal fabrication.
Although here it is important to note the views of the writer, the
publisher is no less guilty in suppressing the facts. In subsequent
editions, he has brazenly and unabashedly lied and distorted facts.
Regarding the last verse revealed upon the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Yaqoobi
writes:
اِنَّ آخِرَ مَا نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ: اَلْيَوْمَ اَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ
دِيْنُكُمْ وَ اَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَ رَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ
الْاِسْلاَمَ دِيْنًا وَ هِيَ الرِّوَايَةُ الصَّحِيْحَةُ الثَّابِتَةُ
الصَّرِيْحَةُ وَ كَانَ نُزُوْلُـهَا يَوْمَ النَّصُّ عَلِيٌّ اَمِيْرُ
الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلِيُّ بْنَ اَبِيْ طَالِبٍ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ
بِغَدِيْرِ خُمٍّ…
This is a well established, correct and a widely reported tradition.
This verse was revealed on the day when in Ghadir-e-Khum, Ali b. Abi
Talib (a.s.) was appointed as the Chief of the Believers (Ameerul
Momineen). [1]
In recent editions, this fact is distorted as follows:
وَكَانَ نُزُوْلَهَا يَوْمُ النَّفَرِ عَلِيٌّ اَمِيْرَ
الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ اَبِيْطَالِبٍ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ
بَعْدَ تَرَحُّمْ…
This verse was revealed on the day of hatred (نعوذ باللہ) for
Ameerul Momineen Ali b. Abi Talib (a.s.) after he was shown mercy!!![2]
The dishonest publisher has altered two words over here to avoid the
mention of Ghadir-e- Khum and change its entire meaning. The word “be ghadir”
(بغدیر) is replaced with “baade tarhama” (after he was shown mercy) and the
word “nass”[3] (نص) is replaced with “an-nafr’[4] (النفر). The word “nass”
(نص) in history indicates the clear mention of the matter of Mastership
in favour of Imam Ali (a.s.) by the Holy Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a.).
Though there are many other examples of such fraudulent distortions
of historical facts, over here we suffice with just two examples.
Unable to achieve their aims with even such vile tactics, these
shameless writers adopted another method in some of their other books.
This new approach was to bring down the position of the divinely
appointed Imams (a.s.) by citing references from books written by their
followers. Needless to say, they failed even in this approach.
In this tactic, they started narrating out of context traditions
from the divinely appointed Imams (a.s.) to portrait them negatively.
Consequently, the reader becomes sceptic believing that either the Imam
(a.s.) said something evidently wrong or the narrator has ascribed
falsehood to him or that the Shia faith per se is false. Even in the
first two cases (ascribing falsehood either to Imams (a.s.) or the
narrator) they ultimately aim to ascribe falsehood to the Shia faith.
It will not be out of place to say that when these dishonest people
found themselves deprived of real wisdom, they resorted to distortion
of facts from Shiite books. This was done with the sinister aim of
creating serious doubts in the minds of the true believers along with
the falsification of true incidents, thereby weakening the true beliefs.
The following are some examples of this approach:
The First Tradition
We have some narrations from the wealth of intellect and wisdom a
part of which are intended by Imams (a.s.) only for some specific
people but which have been purposely and wrongly generalized for all
believers.
In the beginning as well as at the end of this tradition Imam Jafar
Sadiq (a.s.) has cursed Mughairah b. Abi Saeed and Abul Khattab who
were ascribing divinity to Imam (a.s.) and spreading falsehood among
the people.
قَالَ اَبُوْ عَبْدِ اللهِ یَوْمًا لِاَصْحَابِهٖ لَعَنَ اللهِ الْمُغِیْرَةَ
بْنِ سَعِیْدٍ…
Imam (a.s.) disowned whatever falsehood they were ascribing to him
and said that Mughairah b. Saeed was the same person who used to
ascribe false things even to his (Imam’s) father – Imam Mohammad Baqir
(a.s.). At the end of the narration, he (a.s.) mentions thus:
“By Allah! If these people were to be examined through us and we
ordered them (to take us out of the realm of being servants and ascribe
divinity to us), then it was necessary for them not to accept it. Then
how are they (doing this) while they see us fearing Allah? I seek
Allah’s help in hating them and having enmity with them.”
Thereafter he (a.s.) addressed his followers: “I make you all
as witnesses that I am the son (descendent) of the Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) and if I worship Him (God), He showers His mercy upon me. If
I disobey Him, He will chastise me severely.”
This tradition is especially for the two people mentioned (and for
others like them) and not for all the Shias! Here, it is necessary that
before we finally conclude, we know something more about the characters
of Mughairah b. Abi Saeed and Abul Khattab in the light of the sayings
of Imams (a.s.). (The same narrations, which introduce a mischief-maker
like Abul Khattab also familiarize us with the character of Mughairah
b. Abi Saeed).
Mughairah is among those who used to ascribe false things to Imam
Baqir (a.s.) and the Imams (a.s.) have consistently cursed him.
That is why he even used to claim that Mohr b. Abdullah b. Hasan
(who had expired) is still alive and is the Imam after Imam Mohammad
Baqir (a.s.). Hence “Kashi” in his book of “Rejaal” has narrated many
traditions about the cursing of Mughairah b. Abi Saeed. We have
mentioned some of them below:
The First Narration
One of the companions of Imam Sadiq (a.s.) had heard a ruling in
relation to ablutions (Wuzu) from Mughairah b. Abi Saeed and he asked
Imam (a.s.) about it. Imam (a.s.) said:
فَقَالَ وَمَا تَصْنَعُ بِهٰذَا فَهٰذَا قَوْلُ الْمُغِيْرَةَ بْنَ سَعِيْدٍ
لَعَنَ اللهُ الْمُغِيْرَةَ…
“What have you got to do with this tradition? This is the saying of Mughairah
b. Saeed, may Allah curse him!”[5]
The Second Narration
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) says:
…فَاِنَّ الْمُغِيْرَةَ ابْنَ سَعِيْدٍ كَذَبَ عَلٰى اَبِيْ وَ اَذَاعَ
سِرَّهٗ فَاَذَاقَهُ اللهُ حَرَّ الْحَدِيْدِ وَ اِنَّ اَبَا الْخَطَّابَ
كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ وَ اَذَاعَ سِرِّيْ فَاَذَاقَهُ اللهُ حَرَّ الْحَدِيْدِ.
“Certainly, Mughairah b. Saeed has ascribed lies to my father
and has bared his secrets. May Allah burn him in the fire of Hell! And
surely Abul Khattab has accused me of lying and has revealed my
secrets. May Allah punish him in the fire of Hell.”[6]
The Third Narration
قَالَ اَبُوْ الْحَسَنَ الرِّضَا: كَانَ الْمُغِيْرَةَ بْنَ سَعِيْدٍ
يُكَذِّبُ عَلٰي اَبِيْ جَعْفَرٍ فَاَذَاقَهُ اللهُ حَرَّ الْحَدِيْدَ…
Imam Reza(a.s.) says:
“Mughairah b. Saeed used to ascribe falsely to my ancestor (Imam
Muhammad Baqir (a.s.). Hence Allah has punished him in the fire of Hell.”[7]
Mentioning all the traditions narrated by the divine Imams (a.s.)
concerning Mughairah b. Saeed and Abul Khattab will lengthen this
article.
The traditions which mention their names are:
“They are the example of this verse:”
هَلْ اُنَبِّئُكُمْ عَلٰي مَنْ تَنَزَّلُ الشَّيَاطِيْنُ. تَنَزَّلُ عَلٰي كُلِّ
اَفَّاكٍ اَثِيْمٍ.[8]
Imam (a.s.) said, “Abul Khattab and Mughairah b. Saeed are among those who
purposely used to ascribe falsely to my father.”
The character of these two was such that all the companions of Imam
(a.s.) knew them well. They were notorious to such an extent that
whatever the Shias used to hear from them, (even if it was true) they
used to narrate it before Imam (a.s.) and get it verified.
Their lies and mischief had fallen to such pits that the Shias even
refrained from narrating any tradition or explanation of a Quranic
verse or any other matter, which they heard from the infallible Imams
(a.s.) in front of Mughairah. This was because if Mughairah heard it,
he was sure to distort it.
Conclusions:
1. Such liars were well known to the companions of immaculate
Imams (a.s.).
2. Imams (a.s.) appropriately introduced these liars to their
followers.
3. Despite such a categorical approach of the Imams (a.s.), dishonest
historians aimed to ascribe to a majority of Imams’ (a.s.) followers
(what was meant for these two) and thus distort the sayings of Imams
(a.s.). Few select persons formed themselves into a group and made
themselves near the followers of Imams (a.s.) so as to contaminate
their beliefs and indulge in mischief.
4. The Shias and the followers of Imams (a.s.) had learnt that if
anything was narrated before them about which they were in doubt
whether it was narrated from Imam (a.s.) or not, they used to patiently
wait and verify it from Imam (a.s.) at the first available opportunity.
If it was not possible for them to contact Imam (a.s.), they used to
evaluate such doubtful narrations in the light of the Holy Quran and
other reliable narrations. This methodology based on the teachings of
Imams (a.s.) is prevalent till date among the Shias. During the major
occultation of Imam-e-Zamaana (a.t.f.s.), the traditionalists rely on
this method.
________________________________
[1] Tarikh-e-Yaqoobi, vol .2, pg. 37, printed in Najaf, 1358A.H.
[2] Tarikh-e-Yaqoobi, vol .2, pg. 43, printed in Najaf, 1379A.H
[3] It means highlighting the intended meaning leaving no room for doubt.
[4] Which means hatred
[5] Tahzeeb al-Ahkam, vol.1, pg. 349, Chap.14
[6] Mustadrak al-Wasail,vol.9, pg.191 and 121
[7] The book of Rejaal by Kashi regarding Mughairah b. Saeed, pg. 223
[8] Surah Shura: 221-222.
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