Praise from Umar to Imam Ali?

Question:

Someone among the people of the innovation mentioned a report in which Umar referred to Imam Ali (a.) as his ruler and the master of every believer and claimed that this would be a proof of his own virtuousness. He cited as his source the 40th volume of Bihar-ul-Anwar on page 124.

Answer:

Let us first consider the report and then answer the question of whether such a statement is a proof of the internalization of faith.

Ali Ibn Isa reported that Salim said: “Someone said to Umar: ‘You behave towards Ali in a way that you do not behave towards anyone among the companions of the Prophet (s.).” He replied: “He is my master.” Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.) said: “Two disputing desert Arabs came to Umar. He said: “O father of Al-Hasan, judge between them!” So he judged between them and the condemned one said: “O commander of the believers, this one judges between us?” Umar jumped to him, grabbed him by the collar and then said: “Woe to you, do you not know who this is? This is my commander and the commander of every believer, and none is a believer who does not recognize him as his commander.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, volume 40 page 124 – 125 Hadith 14]

عن علي بن عيسى رضي الله عنه قال: الآثار عن سالم قيل لعمر نراك تصنع بعلي شيئا لا تصنعه بأحد من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وآله، قال: إنه مولاي وعن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: جاء أعرابيان إلى عمر يختصمان، فقال عمر يا أبا الحسن اقض بينهما، فقضى على أحدهما، فقال المقضي عليه: يا أمير المؤمنين هذا يقضي بيننا؟ فوثب إليه عمر فأخذ بتلبيبه ولببه ثم قال: ويحك ما تدري من هذا؟ هذا مولاي ومولى كل مؤمن، ومن لم يكن مولاه فليس بمؤمن

No doubt Umar said a true word outwardly when he testified that Imam Ali (a.) is the master of every believer, but does this prove his inner faith? The hypocrites also expressed a truthful word outwardly when they testified that Muhammad (s.) is the Messenger of God, but what good are words if the inner faith does not correspond to it?

“When the hypocrites come to you, they say: ‘We testify that you are the messenger of God.” God knows well that you are His messenger. And God testifies that the hypocrites lie after all. They take their oaths as a shield and thus turn (men) away from the way of God. Evil is that which they are accustomed to do.” [Al-Munafiqun 63:1-2]

إذا جاءك المنافقون قالوا نشهد إنك لرسول الله والله يعلم إنك لرسوله والله يشهد إن المنافقين لكاذبون اتخذوا أيمانهم جنة فصدوا عن سبيل الله إنهم ساء ما كانوا يعملون

“The hypocrites try to deceive God; but it is He who deceives them. And when they stand up for prayer, they stand up carelessly, wanting to be seen by men, and they remember God only a little.” [An-Nisa’ 4:142]

إن المنافقين يخادعون الله وهو خادعهم وإذا قاموا إلى الصلاة قاموا كسالى يراءون الناس ولا يذكرون الله إلا قليلا

When Imam Musa Al-Kazim (a.) was asked about Abu Bakr and Umar, he said: “Both are disbelievers, God, the angels and every human being curses them! By God, nothing of faith penetrated into their hearts. They were deceivers, doubters and hypocrites until they removed the angels of punishment to the place of disgrace, in the dwelling place of their stay.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 8 Page 125]

وقال الإمام موسى بن جعفر الكاظم عليهما السلام لمّا سُئل عن أبي بكر وعمر: هما الكافران عليهما لعنة الله والملائكة والناس أجمعين. والله ما دخل قلب أحد منهما شيء من الإيمان. كانا خدّاعين مرتابين منافقين حتى توفتهما ملائكة العذاب إلى محل الخزي في دار المقام

Sa’d Al-Khaffaf reported that Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.) said: “One day, while the commander of the believers (a.) was sitting in the house of prayer, surrounded by his companions, a man from his followers came to him and said: “Stretch out your hand that I may take the oath of allegiance to you!” He said: “To what will you swear allegiance with me?” The man replied: “Regarding the schemes of Abu Bakr and Umar.” So he stretched out his hand and said: “Give me your hand! May God curse them.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 41 Page 294 – 295 Hadith 17]

عباد بن سليمان، عن محمد بن سليمان، عن أبيه، عن هارون بن الجهم، عن سعد الخفاف، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: بينا أمير المؤمنين يوما جالس في المسجد وأصحابه حوله فأتاه رجل من شيعته، فقال: ابسط يديك أبايعك، قال: على ماذا؟ قال: على ما عمل أبو بكر وعمر! قال: فمد يده وقال له: أصفق لعن الله الاثنين

Ahmad Ibn Ali reported that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab used to preach his sermon in the pulpit of the Prophet Muhammad (s.) and mentioned in his speech that he has more claim to the believers than to himself. Therefore Imam Al-Husain (a.) said to him while standing at the side of the prayer house: “Come down from the pulpit of my father, the messenger (s.), O liar! It is not the pulpit of your father.” Umar said to him: “It is the pulpit of your father, on my life, O Husain! It is not the pulpit of my father. Who taught you that? Did your father, Ali Ibn Abi Talib teach you that?” Imam Al-Husain (a.) said: “My father taught what he told me. By my life, he is entitled to it and I profess my faith in him. He had the right to take the oath of allegiance of the people already during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (s.) and Gabriel (a.) was sent down from God for this. No one rejects this except a denier of the Book of God. Men acknowledged it with their words and denied it with their tongues, and woe to those who reject the right of us, the people of the house (a.). What Muhammad, the Messenger of God (s.), promised them contains eternal wrath and the severest punishment.” Umar said: “O Husain, whoever rejects the right of your father, God curse him! We gave it to men and to ourselves, and if they had given it to your father, we would have obeyed.” Imam Al-Husain (a.) said: “O son of Khattab, which man assigned it to you for himself before Abu Bakr assigned it to you for yourself, that it may be assigned to you for the people? Without any proof of a prophet nor of a benevolent imam from the family of Muhammad (s).” [Al-Ihtijaj of Abu Mansur At-Tabarsi, Volume 2 Page 13]

عن أحمد بن علي رضي الله عنه أن عمر بن الخطاب كان يخطب الناس على منبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، فذكر في خطبته أنه أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم، فقال له الحسين عليه السلام – من ناحية المسجد – إنزل أيها الكذاب عن منبر أبي رسول الله لا منبر أبيك! فقال له عمر: فمنبر أبيك لعمري يا حسين لا منبر أبي من علمك هذا أبوك علي بن أبي طالب؟ فقال له الحسين عليه السلام: إن أطع أبي فيما أمرني فلعمري أنه لها وأنا مهتد به، وله في رقاب الناس البيعة على عهد رسول الله، نزل بها جبرئيل من عند الله تعالى لا ينكرها إلا جاحد بالكتاب، قد عرفها الناس بقلوبهم وأنكروها بألسنتهم وويل للمنكرين حقنا أهل البيت، ماذا يلقاهم به محمد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله من إدامة الغضب وشدة العذاب!! فقال عمر: يا حسين من أنكر حق أبيك فعليه لعنة الله، أمرنا لناس فتأمرنا ولو أمروا أباك لأطعنا فقال له الحسين: يا بن الخطاب فأي الناس أمرك على نفسه قبل أن تؤمر أبا بكر على نفسك ليؤمرك على الناس، بلا حجة من نبي ولا رضا من آل محمد