Pathology of the Performance of the Three Caliphs in the Early Conquests and the Reaction of Imam ʿAlī (AS) toward Them

Abstract

Conquests refer to the opening of non-Islamic lands with the purpose of spreading Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula, which began in 634 CE during the caliphate of the first caliph and continued until the period of the ʿUthmānid rule. By “early conquests,” the study refers to the conquests during the era of the first three Islamic caliphs. Islam is known as a religion of justice, equality, compassion, and kindness—not as a religion of killing, looting, racial superiority, ethnic or tribal prejudice, and other such matters that were among the damages of the early conquests. This is while true Islam stemmed from the words of Imam ʿAlī (AS); therefore, analyzing the shortcomings of the three caliphs’ performance in the early conquests and Imam ʿAlī’s (AS) stance toward these conquests is significant for clarifying the authentic Islamic view of conquest. The present study, conducted using a descriptive–analytical method, seeks to answer questions such as: “What was the performance of the three caliphs in the early conquests and what was Imam ʿAlī’s (AS) position regarding them?” Imam ʿAlī (AS) agreed with the principle of offensive jihād and the expansion of Islam around the phrase lā ilāha illā Allāh, Muḥammad rasūl Allāh; however, he did not accept the legitimacy of the caliphs’ authority, rejected the actions undertaken by them, and, since he was practicing taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation) during that period, he could not openly express his explicit views. Ultimately, during his own caliphate, he was confronted with the fait accompli and, in order to implement true Islam and to reduce corruption, he had no choice but to administer the conquered territories.