Being a relative of Muhammad ('s) only means that your responsibility is greater. That is why it is reported that when someone saw Ali bin Al-Hussain ('a) crying in prayer despite the fact that his grandfather was the Messenger ('s) and Imam Ali ('a), while his grandmother was Fatima ('a) and Al-Hussain ('a) was his father, he told him that Allah created heaven for those who obey him even if they were slaves and he created hell for those who disobey him even if they were from the nobility of Quraish (the most noble Arabian tribe).
Islam is God’s Trust
Having reviewed some of the events and the general atmosphere around the Prophet in his last days, we turn our attention to the following verse: "Muhammad is but a messenger, (The like of whom) have passed away before him .Will it be that, when he dies or is slain, ye will turn back on your heels He who turned back does no hurt to Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful" [21/34]
Each prophet lives for a certain time only and then he is bound to die. Our commitment to Islam should not end with the death of the Prophet. Islam is Allah’s trust which we should keep by learning it and by adhering to its teachings and commands in our individual and social affairs, as well as teaching it to our children, so as to make the new generation a Muslim one.
We have to learn Islam, each according to his abilities, so that we will become propagators to it. We ought to make our visits, social occasions and all our affairs full of Islam, so as to deeply root it in our lives. The call for Islam is not the duty of the religious scholars only, but rather that of every Muslim. Moreover, we have to shoulder the responsibility of Islam as it was held by Imam Ali ('a), the role model and the great champion of Islamic unity, when he gave up his legitimate right of caliphate to prevent any division and strife among Muslims. We have to uphold the unity and strength of Islam to be able to face all challenges.
Amir al-Momenin (AS) bade farewell to the holy body of Prophet Muhammad (S) with these words. During the 23 years of preaching his mission, Prophet Muhammad (S) suffered a lot, did not give up, and even offered his life in the way of guiding the people. Then, even though his soul has flown to the heavens, his eyes are still anxious about the nation...
Amir al-Momenin (AS) has described the anxiety of Prophet Muhammad (S) as such, “Prophet Muhammad (S) said to me, ‘I do fear neither the believers nor the pagans for my nation. As for the believers, God will protect them due to their belief. As for the pagans, God will ruin them for their paganism. However, I fear the hypocrite whose tongues contradict their hearts. They say what pleases you and act what you disregard.”
The Holy Quran absolutely approves this concern of Prophet Muhammad (S) to the extent that it thoroughly discusses about the hypocrites and refers to them in numerous verses. The Holy Quran has revealed the moral vices, lies, deceits, and seditions of the hypocrites; it has described the seditions they provoked against Prophet Muhammad (S) and the Muslims.
Moreover, in some verses of the Holy Quran, God has severely threatened the hypocrites to seal their hearts, cover their ears and eyes, deprive them from His light of guidance, let them alone in darkness, so that they would not find the way to salvation, and place them in the lowest levels of the Hell in the Hereafter. This punishment is for nothing but the harms they do against Islam and the Muslims, and the animosity they have towards them.
The intrigues and conspiracies of the hypocrites became apparent soon after Prophet Muhammad (S) had migrated to Madinah. That is why the Holy Quran has referred to their plots and conspiracies in various Chapters. Examples of such conspiracies include their refusal to join the army of Muslims in the battle of Uhud (they were almost one third of the army), signing a treaty with the Jews , building the mosque of Dirar , spreading the story of Ifk (6), planning to assassinate Prophet Muhammad (S) , and etc. They made so much corruption and disorganized the affairs of Prophet Muhammad (S) that God threatened them in the following verse:
“If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and those who spread false news among the people in Madinah, cease not, We shall certainly let you overpower them, then they will not be able to stay in it as your neighbours but a little while. Accursed, wherever found, they shall be seized and murdered, a (horrible) murdering .”
An important and crucial question rises here: How is it that after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S), there is no mention of the hypocrites and their conspiracies in the history? Did they get rid of their hypocrisy after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S)? Or did those who welcomed the difficulties of the Muslims and constantly prevented the progresses of Islamic community change their viewpoints suddenly after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S) and gave up their hypocrisy?
Was the cease of the signs of hypocrisy after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S) because all the hypocrites converted to true Islam, gained a genuine belief, and were moved by the demise of Prophet Muhammad (S) in a sense they were not moved during his life? Or was it because after the demise of Prophet or even before that, they reached a deal (gave something and earned another) with those in power?
Perhaps if we look carefully into the incidents which happened towards the end of Prophet Muhammad’s (S) life and after his demise, we may come up with the answers to these questions...
The Tomb of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him and his chosen descendants) is in Medina.
