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 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
Si le conflit principal a l’interieur de l’Islam a paru au grand jour au cours du califat d’Ali, il acommence meme avant cela quand, durant la “collection” et copiage du Coran sous Othman, ali s’est plaint a propos de texte additionnel ajoute a la parole divine.
Le fait que trios sur les quatre califes “eclaires” ont ete assassines est un fait revelateur de la violence qui prevalait aux premiers temps de l’Islam, en depit du fait que c’est une religion qui appelle a une resolution pacifique des conflits.
- Abu Bakr, le premier calife, a mene la communaute Musulmane de 632 a 634, le seul qui soit mort de mort naturelle a l’age de 63 ans, le meme age auquel le prophete Mohammed est mort.
- Omar Ibn El-Khattab a ete le second calife, de 634 a 644, Il a ete assassine par un esclave Perse.
- Othman Ibn A’ffan a ete calife de 644 a 656. Au cours de la deuxieme moitie de son califat, qui a ete gachee par beaucoup de dissatisfaction et d’accusations de nepotisme et d’enrichissement “illegitime”, une revolution a pris place, revendiquant son abdication, ce qu’il a refuse defaire. Il a ete assassine chez lui par des Musulmans.
- Ali a tenu le califat pendant 5 ans (656 a 661), et fut assassin Durant sa priere dans la mosquee par Ibn El-Muljim, qui etait cense avoir ete dépêche par les Kharijites pour le tuer). Ainsi, les deux derniers califes ont ete tues par des Musulmans. Les roles joues par la politique et la religion demeurent discurables. Il semble que l’association d’Aicha, l’une des veuves du prophete Mohamme (et supposement sa favorite) avec les forces qui opposaient Ali, cousin et close du prophete, a precipire sa chute et a contribute a la division de la communaute Musulmane entre “chiah” (de son nom complet “chiites de Ali” ou ‘partisans d’Ali”) et ce qui vint a etre connu sous le nom de “sunnah” (les “sunnites” (ceux qui suivent “sunnat annabi”, ou la voie du prophete”).
Les evenements qui ont suivi l’assassinat d’Alipuis la decimation de sa famille et de celle du prophete (surtout Husain, l’un des fils d’Ali) a cree une situation d’hostilite qui perdure jusqu’a aujourd’hui. Deux visions majeures -et differentes- de la facon don’t la parole d’Allah doit etre appliqué, qui devrait etre le gardien de la religion confiee aux Musulmans, et qui devrait tenir les renes du pouvoir au sein de la communaute Musulmane ont oppose frère a frère, les deux se mettant contre le commandement d’Allah de se mettre ensemble pour la defense de la religion et de la voie d’Allah, et de laisser le jugement et destin de ceux qui ne croient pas a Lui. Allah est le juge ultime, et Sa parole est l’etalon de la conduit des Musulmans, mais les deux groupes veulent regler les affaires propres a Allah et leurs differences ici meme et maintenant.
Quran Perspective 