Did Imam Ali (as) Condemn his Shia for Killing Uthman?

Did Imam Ali (as) Condemn his Shia for Killing Uthman?

Ibn al Hashimi states:

Ali’s Caliphate (رضّى الله عنه)

After Uthman’s death (رضّى الله عنه), the Shia’t Ali asked Ali (رضّى الله عنه) to declare himself Caliph. Ali (رضّى الله عنه) refused, namely out of anger at his own Shia who murdered Uthman (رضّى الله عنه). Ali (رضّى الله عنه) did not want to be associated with these trouble-makers. This is recorded in Nahjul Balagha, which the Shia consider very authentic. [It should be noted that the Ahlus Sunnah believe the Nahjul Balagha to contain many forgeries.] The Nahjul Balagha contains the sermons and letters of Ali (رضّى الله عنه) and in it we find sermon after sermon in which Ali (رضّى الله عنه) condems his Shia–particularly the Saba’ites–for their extremist actions.

Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 191

Ali says to his Shia:

“You should know that you have again reverted to the position of the [pagan] Bedouin Arabs after immigration to Islam, and have become different Shias after having been once united. You do not possess anything of Islam except its name, and know nothing of belief save its show. You would throw down Islam on its face in order to defame its honor and break its pledge for brotherhood which Allah gave you as a sacred trust on His earth and a source of peace among the people…You have broken the shackles of Islam, have transgressed its limits, and have destroyed its commands!”

[source: http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/191.htm]

[source: http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/91.htm]

Reply – Imam Ali (as) was condemning the division of the Ummah into parties not attacking his specific Shia perse

Look at the dishonesty used by Ibn al Hashimi, he claims to quote it verbatim under the heading ‘Ali says to his Shia’: but when we look at very online version that has quoted from he says Condemning his people. Having sought to suggest that the sermon was referring to his Shia, he then again used the term Shia in the text, whereas the English says parties he writes ‘and have become different Shias after having been once united ‘ – so as to suggest that the entire sermon is a condemnation of his Shia adherents. When Imam Ali (as) was the Khalifa over the Islamic State then all of its citizens were ‘his people’ whether they accepted him willingly or grudgingly, so that included those that:

• Deemed him the rightful Khalifa after the Prophet (s)
• Deemed him the rightful fourth khalifa (political Shias)
• Were prepared to give bayya subject to Imam Ali (as) apprehending Uthman’s killers
• Hated him and refused to recognize him as the Khalifa (Uthmani Shias)

This sermon was Imam Ali (as)’s criticism of the conditions at the time. It was a severe condemnation of the state of the Muslim Ummah, that had divided into groups with differing agendas and this was contrary to the spirit of brotherhood and unity dictated by the Quran and Sunnah. This sermon was therefore a wakeup call by our Imam (as) to all his subjects, making it clear that this atmosphere of division and hostility ran contrary to Islam, and was in effect a mirror reflection of conditions during the time of jahilyya. What is wrong in a leader assessing the situation in this way? It is common place for a leader to galvanize public opinion and call for unity by striking fear into the hearts of his subjects making it clear that anarchy is harmful to a functioning society. This sermon was an accurate description of the conditions that Khalifa Ali (as) faced at the time, it was not a sermon (as Ibn al Hashimi would suggest) addressed to the Sabaites in his party. If it was, could Ibn al Hashimi kindly point us to that part of the sermon or for that part any sermon in Nahjul Balagha wherein Imam Ali (as) mentions the word Ibn Saba or Sabaites or condemns his Shia for killing Uthman? If you can’t then you have no right to interpret this clear cut sermon in this manner!