If the main conflict within Islam came into the open during Ali’s caliphate, it started even earlier when, during the “collection” and copying of Quran under Othman, Ali complained about additional text being added to Allah’s word.
The fact that three out of the four “Rightly-guided caliphs” were assassinated is a telling fact about the violence prevailing in the early times of Islam, despite the fact that it is a religion calling for a peaceful resolution of conflicts.
- Abu Bakr, the first caliph, led the Moslem community from 632 to 634, the only one to die a natural death at the age of 63, the same as the prophet Mohammed.
- Omar Ibn Al-Khattab was the second caliph, from 634 to 644. He was assassinated by a Persian slave.
- Othman Ibn A’ffan was caliph from 644 to 656. During the second half of his caliphate, which was marred by much dissatisfaction and accusations of nepotism and “abnormal” enrichment, a rebellion started, asking for his abdication, which he refused to do. He was assassinated in his house by Moslems.
- Ali held the caliphate for five years (656 to 661), and was assassinated while praying in a mosque by Ibn El-Muljim (who was supposedly dispatched by the Kharijites to kill him). So, the two last caliphs were killed by Moslems. What were the roles played by politics and by religion in the assassinations remain debatable. It seems undeniable that the association of Aisha, the youngest widow of the prophet Mohammed, with the forces opposing Ali precipitated his downfall, and contributed to the splitting of the Moslem community into the “shia” (by its full name the “shia of Ali”, or the “supporters of Ali”, and what has come to be known by the “sunnis” (those who follow “sunnat an-nabi”, or “the way of the prophet”).
The events that followed the murder of Ali, then the decimation of his and the prophet’s family (most of all the murder of Husain, one of Ali’s sons) created a situation of enmity which endures until today. Two major –and differing- views of how the word of Allah should be applied, who should be the guardian of the religion entrusted to Moslems, and who should hold the reins of power in the Moslem community have been setting brother against brother, both standing in disregard of Allah’s commandments to be together in defense of religion and the way of Allah, and to leave up to Him the fate of those who disbelieve. Allah is the ultimate judge, and His word is the standard of Moslems’ conduct, but both groups want to settle Allah’s own business, and their differences, here and now.
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La Grande Division Islamique
Quran Perspective 