The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 7
7 other Companions without exception, deviated to such an extent in merely a few years that all of them fell into conflict due to personal interests, not due to religious reasons, and this misfortune shook the very core of Islam. It is unfortunate that although Muslims do not explicitly state that the companions created disorder in order to destroy and ruin Islam, but they have accepted the narrations of such people as being true, who had not fully accepted Islam and had only made a verbal declaration of faith. Then, they have relied on the research of bitter enemies of Islam who were in pursuit of its destruction. Ultimately, therefore, such people concede that the community of the companions was, God forbid, completely devoid of virtue and honesty. 5 In my exposition, I shall bear in mind not to mention dates so that it is not difficult to understand and the subject does not become confusing. The real objective of this lecture is to familiarise college students with certain events of early Islam. For this reason, I shall also abstain from quoting Arabic quotations insofar as possible and shall describe events in the form of a narrative. 5. Whilst reviewing this article a second time for publication, I have given various references of historical importance as footnotes and in order to make the book less burdensome for those who study it, I have sufficed with the use of references from T a r i khu t-T abar i only, with a few exceptions.