Muhammad (Pbh) and Shia

Muhammad (Pbh) and Shia

History (from Wikipedia)

Prophet Muhammad (Pbh) began preaching Islam at Meca before migrating to Medina, from where he united the tribes of Arabia into a singular Arab Muslim religion.  With the death of Prophet Muhammad (Pbh) in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community.  While Ali ibn Abi Talib, his cousin and son-in-law, the tribal leaders of Mecca and Medina held a secret gathering at Saqifah to decide who would succeed Muhammad as head of the Muslim state, disregarding what the earliest Muslims, the Muhajirun, regarded as Muhammad's appointment of Ali as his successor at Ghadir Khumm.  Umar ibn al-Khattab, a companion of Muhammad, nominated Abu Bakar.  Others, aftter initial refusal and bickering, settled on Abu Bakar who was made the first caliph.  This choice was disputed by Muhammad's (pbh) earliest companions, who held that Ali had been designated his successor.

According to Sunni accounts, Muhammad died without having appointed a successor, and with a need of leadership, they gathered and voted for the position of caliph.  Shia accounts differ by asserting that Muhammad had designated Ali as his successor on a number of occasions, including his death bed.

Prophet Muhammad's Enemy

According to Sahih Muslim: The Book pertaining to the Turmoil and Portents of the Last Hour, number 7000.  Prophet (pbh), "There is no prophet who has not warned his people against the dajjal.  Even Noah warned (against dajjal), but I am going to tell you a thing which no prophet told his people.  You must know that he (dajjal) is one eyed and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, is not one eyed.

Prophet Muhammad's (pbh) biggest enemy is the dajjal (false prophet), because prophet had given a clear description of the evil dajjal (false prophet), the look, the size, the shape, the duration of dajjal life and the sign.  If all the Muslims are observant enough, the dajjal can never possibly lie and fabricate false evidence to the Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad (pbh) also mentioned the role of  Ahlul Bait, the descendant and family of the Propphet in uniting the Muslims and fighting the dajjal (false prophet).  In Abu Dawud Book 31, Hadith 4267. Prophet said, "This religion will continue to be strong till the time of the 12 caliphs.  All of them will belong to Quraish..

So, the 12 caliphs, all of them belong to Quraish, will also be the biggest enemy to dajjal.  The 12 caliphs will be equally hated and be the target of assassination by the dajjal (false prophet).  The dajjal will use all kinds of lies, tricks and even fabricate evidence to eliminate the 12 caliphs that belong to Quraish, that are from the Ahlul Bait.

Ahlul Bait, the Tragedies

Dajjal (false prophet) will do anything and everything within their might to eliminate Prophet Muhammad (pbh) and the Ahlul Bait.  However, since Prophet (pbh) was guided by God, dajjal had a tough time trying to kill Muhammad (pbh).

The Ahlul Bait were easier target, because they were mere human being and can easily be tricked into anger, fear and many other human emotions.  The tragedies started with Ali ibn Abi.

1. Ali ibn Abi, killed by poison sword.

2. Hasan ibn Ali, poison by wife.

3. Husayn ibn Ali, martyrdom in the battle of Karbala.

4. Ali ibn Husayn, die naturally.

5. Muhammad Ali al-Baqir, poison by Umayyad government.

6. Ja'far al-Sadiq, poisoned by al-Mansur.

7. Musa al-Kadhim, poisoned by Sindi.

8. Ali ar-Ridha, poisoned by Al-Ma'mun.

9. Muhammad al-Taqi, die naturally.

10. Ali al-Hadi, poisoned by al-Mutawakkil.

11. Hasan al-Askari, rumoured to be poisoned while in prison.

12. The twelve imam??????

Shia, the Ahlul Bait supporters

With the love of the Shia for the Ahlul Bait, it was no wonder why they had turned emotional, and became extremely angry, when all their Ahlul Bait Imam were murdered or poisoned.  The last caliph, the twelve imam, was the biggest secret by the Shia and was rumoured to had gone into a well and hid there until the right time to reappear.

The Shia risks their lives and put in a lot of efforts to ensure the descendants of Prophet Muhammad can stay alive and unite all Muslims.  The fact that other Muslims were killing the Prophet's descendants one by one, without any mercy, had really made the Shia angry and became emotional.  So, the Shia was very careful when they were expecting the twelve Imam. From courtship to pregnancy, and to the birth of the twelve Imam, everything was kept a secret.

The Shia were most careful when the son of Imam Hasan al-Askari, the twelve Imam, was born.  The Shia had taken the following precautions:
1. Hide the mother away from the child.
2. Let the Shia woman feed and take care the child.
3. Let the child had no contact with others.
4. Never call the child by his real name, and kept the conversation minimum.
5. Always move the child from one house to another house, to avoid detection.

The child was safe, and no one other than the Shia knew about him.  Until one day, when Imam Hasan al-Askari, the father of the twelve Imam, was released from the prison for a short while, the Shia let their guard down and had a banquet.  The Abbasid government heard about the banquet, and things began to change.  The Abbasid government had:
1. Put soldiers and detectives around the house.
2. 24 hours surveillance.
3. Watching over the house, everyday.
4. Determined to catch and kill the twelve Imam.

The Well, The Occultation

The Shia knew that the Abbasid government had discovered the twelve Imam, but they were willing to fight on.  They moved the twelve Imam to many different houses everyday. Example, house A in the morning, house B after breakfast, and house C in the evening. 

One day (about 7 years later) the twelve Imam suddenly wanted to go back to his house and spend time near the well.  It was a dangerous move, but the Shia loved the boy more than their own lives, so they made arrangement.  They waited till the soldiers were no more around the house, then, they brought the boy back to his house.  The twelve Imam went to his own house and wandered around, before he stopped and looked at the well.  The well had became a dry well, because no one had been using it for a long time. 

Suddenly, the soldiers appeared and started rushing into the house and killed everyone at sight.  At least five Shia were killed, for trying to delay the movement of the soldiers, and to warn the boy.  It was too late,  the twelve Imam looked back, after hearing the commotion.  He tried to run, but was:

1. Pierced on the chest by a soldier with a spear.

2. The soldier pushed the boy into the well, with the spear on the boy's chest.

3. The boy was injured, but not dead.

4. The boy broke his neck landing head down on the bottom of the well.

5. The boy was in the well for at least 45 minutes, before he passed away.

6. The boy was dead, but he will return, one day.

7. To unite everyone, against all evils.

The Twelve Imam

According to Abu Dawud Book 035, Hadith number 4645, Prophet (pbh) said  to al-Hassan ibn Ali.  This son of mine is Sayyid (chief), and I hope Allah may reconcile two parties of my community by means of him.  Hammad's version has, And perhaps Allah may reconcile two large parties of Muslims by means of  him.

Prophet Muhammad (pbh) already knew that Muslims will split into two big group, and maybe even 73 sects (Abu Dawud, Hadith number 4579).  He also knew that his descendants will be poisoned and slaughtered by his own communities because of lies and fabricated evidence by dajjal (false prophet).  But he did nothing trying to stop the killings and the animosity, because it was the will of God, the almighty.  Without the dajjal on the winning side, the awaited Imam will not be able to analyze the stregnth and the weakness of dajjal (false prophet).

It is important for all to be patient, and be merciful to one anothers.  The twelve Imams will be back, as promised by Prophet Muhammad (pbh).  Please try to stay alive and stop killing or torturing one another, Sunni, Shia or anyone else.