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Introduction of Fatalism

The Umma was greatly agitated by the fact that Ali (a.s) was cunningly sidestepped. There were unending discussions about the acumen of the first caliph. The conspirators were aware that if an element of Divine will was introduced, it would silence the common man. For this, the next step was to introduce a sense of fatalism of the maxim ‘Man proposes, God disposes’. Thus, it is that Umar introduced ‘Divine Providence’ when he told Abdullah ibn Abbas:“It is true that the Prophet (s) intended and wished that Ali should attain the Caliphate. But the wish of the Prophet can carry no weight, as God did not will it so. The Prophet wished that Ali should attain the Caliphate, but God wished it otherwise. The will of God prevailed, thus the Prophet’s desire could not be fulfilled. …The Prophet wished to write a will giving the Caliphate to Ali, but I prevented him from doing so in the interest of Islam. The Prophet also came to know what was in my heart, and refrained from writing the will. The will of God prevailed.”[1]

The uncanny introduction of fatalism brought out a mix that was easily consumable for the Umma that was ever ready to resign to its ‘fate’. To this day, Muslims are under the impression that what had happened at Saqifa in the matter of Caliphate might have been due to the Decree of God and we the Umma, including the Prophet and his progeny are powerless on-lookers. In this view, are concealed and condoned all the contrivances employed by the Banu Umayya and some greedy men of Quraysh, to usurp the Caliphate and keep it successfully beyond the reach of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s).

In one swipe all those traditions regarding Imam Ali’s nomination to the Caliphate, were done away with. But there remained those traditions that spoke of the excellence and supremacy of Imam Ali (a.s)  

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over all other Muslims in matters of faith, and his indispensability to Islam. However, not much could be done as long as the Prophet (s) lived, for he would have reiterated whenever they made any attempt to falsify a tradition, thereby enhancing the number of narrators of traditions. Yet, during the Prophet’s lifetime itself false sayings were attributed to him so much so the Prophet (s) said, “Whoever attributes false traditions in my name shall surely be cast into hell.”[1] The appropriate time for action, therefore, was immediately after the death of the Prophet (s). However, political expediency demanded that the foundation be laid when the Prophet (s) was in the last moments of his life. Consummate politician that he was, Umar superbly carried out this part of the conspiracy.