Participation of Ahlelbayt in the Muslim army in the era of the Caliphs

03/12/2013 02:13
In this article, we will shed some light on the participation of the members of ahlelbayt in the Muslim army, under the first three caliphs, and afterwards in the caliphate of Ameer Muawiya. Their participation in the Muslim army clearly shows that they considered the Muslim army to be the army of an Islamic government, struggling for a righteous cause. Otherwise, they wouldn't have joined the Muslim army if they considered it to be an army working for the Taghoot.  

 

 

خرج شاهرا سيفه إلى ذي القصة ، فجاءه علي وأخذ بزمام راحلته وقال له : أين يا خليفة رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – ! أقول لك ما قال لك رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يوم أحد : شم سيفك ، لا تفجعنا بنفسك ، فوالله لئن أصبنا بك لا يكون للإسلام نظام . فرجع وأمضى الجيش

He (i.e Abu Bakr) went towards Dhil Qissa with his sword than Ali came and stopped him and said “O Caliph of Prophet (s), where are you going?” I want to say the same thing to you which the Prophet (s) said to you on the day of Uhud. Put your sword in its sheath and don’t put us in trouble regarding yourself. By God, if we got trouble regarding you, than the system of Islam will not stay correct, so Abu Bakr returned and sent an armed group.

Tarikh ibn Kamil
Al bidaya wa al nihaya, Vol. 6, p. 315

Similarly we read in Nahjul balagha, that Ali said:
فنهضت في تلك الأحداث حتى زاح الباطل و زهق و اطمأن الدين و تنهنه

than I stood up during those difficult times till the falsehood was finished and the “deen” became safe.

Bihar al anwar
Nahjul Balagha

Similarly we read in Trikh Tibri and Sharah Nahjul balagha

وجعل أبو بكر بعد ما أخرج الوفد على أنقاب المدنية نفرا عليا والزبير وطلحة وعبدالله بن مسعود


Tarikh Tabari, Vol. 3, p. 223
Sharah nahjul balagha, ibn abil hadeed, Vol. 4, p. 228

and in Al bidaya wa al nihaya and Tarikh ibn Khaldun,

فجعل الصديق على أنقاب المدينة حراسا يبيتون بالجيوش حولها، فمن أمراء الحرس علي بن أبي طالب، والزبير بن العوام، وطلحة بن عبد الله، وسعد بن أبي وقاص، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف، وعبد الله بن مسعود

Al bidaya wa alnihaya, Vol. 6, p. 311
Tarikh ibn Khaldun, Vol. 2, p. 858

Hence, it is confirmed that Abu Bakr sent armed groups to guard the roads of Madinah, under the commad of Ali ibn Abi Talib , Zubair bin al awwam, Talha bin abdullah , Saad bin Abi Waqas , Abdur Rahman bin Auf and Abdullah ibn Masud.

From this we also come to know that Ali did take part in the battles.

ان عبد الله بن أبى سرح استأذن عثمان في ذلك واستمده فاستشار عثمان الصحابة فأشاروا به فجهز العساكر من المدينة وفيهم جماعة من الصحابة منهم ابن عباس وابن عمر وابن عمرو بن العاص وابن جعفر والحسن والحسين ابن الزبير

In 26 H. , Abdullah ibn Sarah asked the permission of Caliph Uthman for the compaign in Africa, so Uthman consulted the Sahaba regarding it, than an army was prepared and in that were many Sahaba, amongst whom were Ibn Abbas , Ibn Umar, Ibn Umru al-Aas, Ibn Jafar, Hasan , Hussain , and Ibn Zubair.

Tarikh Ibn Khaldun Vol. 2, p. 1003

قال غزا سعيد بن العاص من الكوفة سنة ثلاثين يريد خراسان ومعه حذيفة بن اليمان وناس من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ومعه الحسن والحسين وعبدالله بن عباس وعبدالله بن عمر وعبدالله بن عمرو بن العاص وعبدالله بن الزبير

In 30 H. , Saeed ibn Aas went from Kufah to conquer Khurasan and alongwith him were Huzaifa , and many amongst the sahaba of the Prophet [s] , Hasan , Hussain, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Umru ibn al-Aas and Abdullah ibn Zubair.

Tarikh Tibri , Vol. 5, p. 57
Tarikh ibn Athir, Vol. 3, p. 54

In 32 H. , in another comaign was sent on Jurjan and Jilan and the suburbs, under the leadership of Saeed ibn al-Aas, intially the Muslims were defeated temporarily, than the Muslims divided into two groups, one group went towards Bilad Khazr,
وفرقة سلكوا ناحية جيلان وجرجان، وفي هؤلاء أبو هريرة وسلمان الفارسي
and the other group went towards Jilan and Jurjan etc, and in that second group were Abu Huraira and Salman al-Farsi.

Al-bidaya wa al nihaya, Vol. 7, p. 16
Tarikh Tibri, Vol. 5, p. 78

ولما توفي الحسن كان الحسين يفد إلى معاوية في كل عام فيعطيه ويكرمه ، وقد كان في الجيش الذين غزوا القسطنطينية

When Hasan [r.a] died, Hussain would visit Muawiyah [r.a] every year, who would give him lots of gifts and respect. And he participated in the battle of Constantinople (And that happened during the era of Muawiyah [r.a])

Al bidaya, Vol. 8, p. 150

Mubad ibn Abbas, and Qasam ibn Abbas, the two brothers of Abdullah ibn Abbas.
Mubad ibn Abbas was martyred in Africa during the era of Uthman.

معبد بن العباس بن عبد المطلب بن هاشم القرشي الهاشمي، يكنى أبا العباس. ولد على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولم يحفظ عنه. قتل بإفريقية شهيداً سنة خمس وثلاثين في زمن عثمان

Istiab , Vol. 3, p. 436
Isaba , Vol. 3, p. 457
Asad ul Ghaba, Vol. 4 , p. 392

And Qasm ibn Abbas was martyred in Samarqand while fighting under the Muslim army in the era of Muawiyah.
سار قثم أيام معاوية مع سعيد بن عثمان إلى سمرقند ، فاستشهد بها

Siyyar alam al nubla , Vol. 3, p. 292
Tabaqat ibn Saad , Vol. 7, p. 101
Asad ul Ghaba Vol. 4, p. 197

 

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