The Great Injustices Committed Against the Ahlul Bayt

The period following the death of the Prophet Muhammad was far from the idealized version promoted by mainstream history books and scholars. What we’ve inherited today as “Islamic history” is, in truth, a carefully constructed narrative, engineered through political manipulation, fabricated reports, and narrations transmitted by those with vested interests. What began as distortion gradually took root as accepted history, while those who upheld the truth were killed, oppressed and written out of history altogether.

As a consequence, what we are left with today is an Islam devoid of its true essence - a lifeless shell of rituals without spirit and motion. without meaning. It was not outside forces that dismantled its core foundation, but those from within - men who bargained the light of divine guidance for the fleeting illusion of power. And so, the Ummah wanders in meaningless rituals, while the heart of Islam weeps, waiting to be unveiled.

Many of those who are honored and celebrated today were, in reality, the ones who turned their backs on the Prophet’s family, corrupting his message for the sake of power and control, thus misleading the muslim Ummah after it had been divinely guided. And indeed, the prophecy of Prophet Muhammad came to pass after his death, when he said:

‘’You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also.’’ (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 6448)

The Ahlul Bayt—beloved above all by the Prophet himself—were cruelly abandoned, relentlessly oppressed, and mercilessly martyred, while their oppressors were exalted as heroes. This article unveils the profound injustices inflicted upon the Ahlul Bayt after the Prophet’s passing. The truth may be bitter, but it is indispensable for grasping the truth of how Islam was shattered and betrayed - not by outside enemies, but from those within, wolves in sheep’s clothing.

The Caliphate Seized from Imam Ali

Mainstream narratives claim that the Prophet left behind a unified community, portraying a smooth transition of leadership. But our investigation tells another story - a story of deceit, force and betrayal of divine authority.

It is said that the Prophet did not leave a successor - that leadership of the Muslim Ummah was to be decided by the people. But this narrative stands in stark contrast to the divine tradition set by God Himself since the creation of Adam, when He said, ‘I am placing on the earth a Caliph’ (Quran 2:30), confirming that the power to appoint rulership is in His hands and not in the hands of the people. And if we refer back to the Quran, we see that it has always been Allah’s Sunnah to appoint a vicegerent on Earth. Whenever humanity takes leadership into its own hands, history shows the outcome has consistently been oppression, corruption and injustice. And if there wasn't a divinely appointed guide in every age, then - God forbid - the responsibility for our misguidance would fall on God Himself.

The truth is that Prophet Muhammad, just like the prophets before him, did not leave this world without appointing a successor. He made it unmistakably clear that Imam Ali was to lead the ummah after him. He didn’t just stop at Ali; he spoke of twelve successors from his lineage that would succeed one another.

One of the most significant and undeniable moments where this was declared was at Ghadir Khumm, in front of tens of thousands of Muslims. There, the Prophet raised the hand of Imam Ali and said, 

“Whoever I am his Mawla (master), then Ali is his Mawla.” (Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3713)

But despite this public declaration, barely had the Prophet been buried, when the masks began to fall, and the true enmity and hypocrisy of the so-called ‘closest companions’ of the Prophet began to surface. While Imam Ali was grieving, washing the Prophet’s blessed body, and preparing him for burial, others were busy gathering at Saqifah disputing over who would be the successor, completely disregarding divine appointment.

What unfolded at Saqifah was far more than a deep betrayal, it opened the door to decades of oppression and corruption, all carried out by leaders chosen by people rather than by God. Meanwhile, the true Doors to God—the divinely appointed Imams—were silenced, oppressed, and martyred one by one, and only a few followed them and stuck to the truth which was always obedience to God’s messenger of the time.

With each passing generation, the self-appointed rulers drifted further from truth into falsehood, debauchery, and oppression—dragging countless souls into misguidance alongside them. Their reigns grew darker, harsher, and more corrupt, fulfilling the Prophet’s forewarning that a time would come when the Ummah would turn back on its heels, leaving nothing of Islam except its name, and nothing of the Qur’an except its calligraphy. These so-called caliphs of Islam were, in truth, nothing but hypocrites who never truly believed in the Prophet or his message—using the sacred banner of Islam merely as a mask for power. Yet this cycle of tyranny and deception was always destined to end with the rise of the Mahdi who would establish God’s divine just kingdom, who would turn the earth into a paradise that it once used to be. And today, he is here among us—ushering in a new world by dismantling the old: exposing generations of lies and bringing to light the truths they so desperately tried to bury from the Ummah.

Lady Fatimah Al-Zahra Denied Her Inheritance

Why do you think Lady Fatima Al-Zahrah ‘died angry with Abu Bakr and Umar’? (Sahih Bukhari 4240). Well the full account of this can be found from narrations from those very few companions who stuck to the truth - obedience to God's chosen ruler who was Imam Ali, and not the devil's chosen ruler who was Abu Bakr.

After the death of Prophet Muhammad, his beloved daughter Fatimah al-Zahra came forward to claim her rightful inheritance, the land of Fadak, a land that had been gifted to her by the Prophet during his lifetime. Yet the new regime, led by Abu Bakr, brazenly rejected Lady Fatimah’s rightful inheritance, based on the claim that ‘prophets do not inherit, but instead donate as alms’ - but this is a baseless argument as this land was gifted to her before Prophet Muhammad’s death, this was just a mere excuse to deny her rights, justifying Abu Bakr’s acts with fabrications.

As if that were not grievous enough, Abu Bakr then demanded witnesses to the gift of Fadak, despite fully knowing her truthfulness, her infallibility, and the Prophet’s countless affirmations of her purity. In response, Lady Fatimah brought forth two of the most revered individuals: Imam Ali, the gate of knowledge, and Umm Ayman, whom the Prophet had declared ‘a woman of Paradise.’

But even these testimonies were dismissed. Imagine: the daughter of the Prophet, the one whom he called ‘the leader of the women of paradise’, a woman divinely purified by Qur’anic decree, was subjected to suspicion—as though her words were insufficient, as though she was capable of lying.

“Fatima is part of me, he who loves her, loves me, and he who angers her, angers me.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3714)

This fact alone can be enough to prove our claim that Abu Bakr and those with him were disbelieving hypocrites in disguise. They had deep animosity and envy towards the Ahlul Bayt, and did everything to demean, humiliate and oppress them and their followers - a prophecy fulfilled, in which the Prophet had a dream that he saw apes climbing up and down his minbar, taking the Ummah from the right path (The Book of Sulaym Ibn Al Qays, Hadith 25). And so Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, the radiant light of the prophets heart, the revered, honourable leader of all women, withdrew from the world with a heavy, broken heart, marked not by honour but by pain and grief.

This tragic event was the beginning of a systematic assault on the Ahlul Bayt that was to continue for centuries until the promised time - Yawm al-Qiyama - Judgment day; when the Qaim rises, and avenges all those who stood in the way on the path of truth and oppressed anyone who intended to tread this sacred path. He finally puts an end to the upper hand of Satan, for it is time for the ‘poor to inherit the earth’ (Quran 21:105) and for God's divine just kingdom to finally be established - the promised, long-awaited time that all the prophets and messengers dreamed of witnessing.

“And let not those who disbelieve ever think that because We extend their time of enjoyment it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them it is a humiliating punishment.” (Quran 3:178)

The Attack on the House of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra

One of the darkest and most painful episodes in early Islamic history is the violent attack on the house of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra. In the tense aftermath of the Prophet’s passing, Umar ibn al-Khattab—determined to consolidate power for Abu Bakr—arrived with armed men, intent on forcing Imam Ali to come out of his house and pledge allegiance.

Umar did not mince words. With cold resolve, he declared, “By Allah, I will burn down the house, even if Fatimah is inside” (Kitab Sulaym Ibn Al Qays, Hadith No. 4). True to this ruthless threat, the door was set on fire, then violently forced open, despite Lady Fatima Al-Zahra standing behind it. The door crushed her between its weight and the wall, breaking her rib and leading to the miscarriage of her unborn son, al-Muhsin. These brutal injuries would soon claim her life, making her the first martyr after the Prophet’s death.

They then tied a rope around the noble head of Imam Ali and brought him out, through the streets to the mosque—intent on forcing him to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr. This was the man whom the Prophet Muhammad had declared the gate of knowledge, the most beloved to him after his own soul—yet they demeaned him, treating him with a cruelty unfit even for the lowest of men. Still, Imam Ali stood unshaken. Despite the brutal oppression and humiliation, he held firm to his truth, rejecting allegiance not once, but three times. But the usurpers, deaf, dumb and blind, committed the ultimate insult: they seized his blessed hand by force and proclaimed it as a pledge. This act was not a sign of victory, but a reflection of their ignorance and utter moral depravity.

This brutal event was not just an act of violence against a house; it was an assault on the very heart of the Prophet’s family and the ideals they stood for. It symbolized the ruthless lengths to which those thirsting for power would go, even against the most sacred figures in Islam. For the Ahlul Bayt, this attack was part of a broader campaign of oppression, silencing, and suffering. But it also stood as a testament to their unwavering patience, dignity, and steadfastness in the face of injustice.

Imam Husayn Slaughtered at Karbala

Following the death of Caliph Muawiyah, his son Yazid succeeded him and demanded allegiance from Imam Husayn who was the third caliph mentioned in the will of the prophet - the rightful legitimate ruler. However, Imam Husayn refused. His conscience would not allow him to pledge loyalty to a tyrant who openly defied the principles of Islam and was clearly illegitimate in his claim to power. Yazid was known for his brazen acts of debauchery and was seen by the believers as an immoral, unjust tyrant who spread corruption.

Imam Husayn received countless letters from the people of Kufa expressing how fed up they were of the oppression of the Umayyads and begged him to come so they could make him the rightful ruler. Approximately 18,000 people pledged allegiance to Imam Husayn, but not a single one of them came to support him when he arrived, they all gave him empty promises and fled in fear in the end. As a consequence, Imam Husayn was left with his family and a small group of faithful believers on his side.

It stands as a powerful example of the timeless truth found in the scriptures: that only a rare few stick with the truth, while the majority follow misguidance, hence why the Prophet said that out of every 1000, only 1 will enter into paradise.

"The truth is heavy but wholesome, while falsehood is light but plagued." (Nahj Al-Balagha, Imam Ali, 376)

The army of Yazid committed acts so heartless and barbaric that they defy human decency. In a display of deliberate cruelty, they cut off access to water, preventing Imam Husayn, his companions and even his infants and women from drinking water under the scorching desert sun for three days. And one by one, they were mercilessly killed on the battlefield. They didn't even spare his six-month-old infant, piercing him in the neck with an arrow.

But the brutality did not end there, they had the audacity to behead the head of Imam Husayn and parade it on a spear across Kufa as if it were a great achievement, as if it were a great war trophy. They stripped the dignity and honour from the prophet's grandson, the leader of the youth of paradise, the one of whom, if you are an enemy, then you are an enemy of Allah Himself.

When the blessed head of Imam Husayn was brought into the court of Yazid, a Christian envoy from the Byzantine Empire happened to be present. Upon witnessing the horrifying scene and learning that this was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, he was overcome with shock and sorrow. He turned to Yazid and declared:

“Damn with you and your faith! My faith is better than yours since my father is from the descendants of David and from his race, and there is a lengthy time span between them and me. Yet the Christians respect me and pick up dust from beneath my footsteps, as an auspicious gift, only because I am a descendant of David (Prophet Dawood (as). But you are killing the son of the daughter of your Prophet; whereas, the distance between him and your Prophet is only of one mother. What kind of a religion do you follow?” (Lohoof, Event 5, p. 78)

Even a foreigner, a Christian, could see the magnitude of this crime and the sacredness of the man they had murdered. He had the clarity and moral courage to recognize the injustice and to speak out. And yet, what of the Muslim Ummah, the nation that claimed to follow the very Prophet whose flesh and blood lay before them, desecrated? Many stood silent. Others celebrated. The truth had been turned on its head once again, and the oppressors were hailed as victors.

And these are the people that led the Muslim nation for decades towards further misguidance and deviation. As a consequence, this is why Islam today is such that there's nothing of Islam but its name, and no Quran except its calligraphy, and the mosques devoid of guidance, and those regarded as scholars, are, in reality, the worst people under the heavens. And these are the very same corrupt tyrants that the Muslim nations protected, cherished, admired, supported and blindly obeyed for decades. It’s no surprise that the Muslim Ummah remains fractured and lost, as only the caliph appointed by God is able to truly guide and unite the people.

The Prophet said: “A time will come when there will be nothing left of Islam except its name, and nothing will remain of the Qur'an except its letters. Their mosques will be full of people, but they will be empty of guidance. Their scholars will be the worst people under the heavens; strife (fitnah) will come from them and return to them.” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 190-191)

The Ahlul Bayt Humiliated, and Dragged in Chains Across Kufa and Damascus

The cruelty did not end with the bloodshed of Karbala. What followed was a display of unimaginable humiliation and inhumanity. The surviving members of the Prophet’s family, mostly women and children, were taken in chains, with the head of Imam Husayn at the forefront, and paraded as prisoners through the burning deserts and hostile towns. They were dragged over 700 miles from Karbala to Kufa, the very city whose people had pledged loyalty to Imam Husayn only to betray him when it mattered most. Among these captives were Lady Zaynab bint Ali, Umm Kulthum bint Ali, Fatimah, the younger sister of Imam Husayn; and Imam Zayn al-Abidin, the sole adult male survivor.

The women's veils, head coverings and jewellery were torn from them, their dignity completely violated. They were forced to ride on unsaddled camels, causing them extreme pain. The women of the Prophet’s house, once revered and honored, were now forced to walk through crowds that mocked and gawked at them, treating them as spoils of war.

Shackled and exposed, they passed through towns enduring mockery and abuse, though in some towns, people recognized them and wept. They addressed the people of Kufa with piercing words that cut through the crowd. Many in Kufa were struck with shame and guilt, but it was too late.

From Karbala to Kufa, and now to Damascus, shackled and shattered, they were ruthlessly paraded to be presented before the tyrant Yazid. Yazid sat arrogantly on his throne, with the head of Imam Husayn placed in front of him, hitting his sacred lips with a rod saying, “A day for a day: this day is [in revenge] for Badr”(Ibn Shahr Ashub, Al-Manaqib, Vol. 2, p. 226). This open boast was an admission that Yazid saw Karbala as revenge against the Prophet's family, a clear enemy of Islam.

Yet, even in this state of forced humiliation, though physically shackled, Lady Zaynab’s spirit was never chained. She stood composed and dignified, bravely condemning the oppressors, and turned Yazid's court from a palace of boastful arrogance to a court of shame and humiliation. Lady Zaynab, poised and tall, rose in Yazid’s court and delivered one of the most powerful sermons in Islamic history. The following is an excerpt:

“Do you, O Yazid, think that when you blocked all the avenues before us, so we were driven as captives, that we are light in the sight of Allah and that you are superior to us? Or is it because you enjoy with Him a great status, so you look down at us and become arrogant, elated, when you see the world submissive to you and things are done as you want them, and when our authority and power became all yours? But wait! Have you forgotten that Allah has said, Do not regard those who disbelieved that We grant them good for themselves? We only give them a respite so that they may increase their sins, and for them there is a humiliating torment”? (Qur’an, 3:178).

Is it fair, O son of taliqs, that you keep your free and slave women in their chambers and at the same time drive the daughters of the Messenger of Allah (S) as captives with their veils removed and faces exposed, taken by their enemies from one land to another, being viewed by those at watering places as well as those who man your forts, with their faces exposed to the looks of everyone near or distant, lowly or honourable, having none of their protectors with them nor any of their men? But what can be expected from one [descended from those] whose mouths chewed the livers of the purified ones and whose flesh grows out of the blood of the martyrs? How can it be expected that one who looks at us with grudge and animosity, with hatred and malice, would not hate us, we Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)?

You have cut only your own flesh! You shall come face to face with the Messenger of Allah, peace of Allah be upon him and his Progeny, bearing the burdens of the blood which you have shed, the blood of his offspring, and of his sanctities which you violated, the sanctities of his women, his kinsfolk, his flesh and blood, when Allah gathers them together and seeks equity on their behalf. Allah suffices you as your Judge and Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny, as your opponent, and Gabriel as your foe. All those who instigated you to do what you did and who put you in charge so that you might play havoc with the lives of the Muslims: how evil the end of the oppressors is and which of you shall have the worst place and will be the least protected?

Although calamities have forced me to speak to you, I nevertheless see you small in my eyes and find your verbal attacks great, and I regard your rebuke too much to bear, but these eyes are tearful, and the chests are filled with depression. What is even stranger is that the honoured Party of Allah is being killed by the taleeq party of Satan. Such hands are dripping with our blood; such mouths are feeding on our flesh, while those sacred and pure corpses are offered as food to the wild beasts of the desert and are dirtied by the brutes. If you regard us as your booty, you shall soon find us as your opponents, that will be when you find nothing but what your hands had committed, and your Lord never treats His servants unjustly. To Allah is my complaint, and upon Him do I rely.

So scheme whatever you wish to scheme, and carry out your plots, and intensify your efforts, for by Allah, you shall never be able to obliterate our mention, nor will you ever be able to kill our inspiration, nor will your shame ever be washed away. Your view shall be proven futile, your days numbered, and your wealth wasted on the Day when the caller calls out, “The curse of Allah be upon the oppressors.” All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, Who sealed the life of our early ones with happiness and forgiveness, and that of our last with martyrdom and mercy. We plead to Allah to complete His rewards for them and grant them an increase and make succession good for us; He is the most Merciful, the most Compassionate. Allah suffices us, and how great He is!” (Tarikh Al-Tabari, Vol. 6, p. 266; Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidaya, Vol. 8, p. 195)

Yazid was shaken. Public opinion began to shift, and some began questioning the legitimacy of his rule. Eventually, Yazid — under public pressure and possibly fearing an uprising — ordered that the captives be returned to Medina.

Yazid was clearly not a believer, he was actually the enemy of the Prophet and his family, yet here he was leading, guiding, executing orders, upholding Islamic jurisprudence, judging and presenting himself as a guardian of the very faith he sought to hollow from within. Yet the majority of the Muslims, pledged their whole lives to serving, protecting and obeying the tyrannical rule of Yazid and all the caliphs that came after him.

Imam Hassan Poisoned by His Wife on Muawiyah’s Orders

Following the passing of Imam Ali, his son, Imam Al-Hassan was the next successor as outlined in the will of the prophet. Though he was the rightful caliph, the Muslim world remained fractured—its unity undermined by the ambition of Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, who had seized power by his own accord, without prophetic endorsement or divine authority.

To prevent bloodshed and preserve the fragile unity of the Muslim nation, Imam Al-Hassan entered into a peace treaty with Muawiyah. This accord was not a sign of weakness but of prophetic foresight and divine wisdom. This treaty contained conditions that were favorable both to the Ahlul Bayt and their Shia - conditions which Muawiyah accepted publicly but never intended to honor.

No sooner had the ink dried on the treaty, Muawiyah began scheming against Imam Al-Hassan. His aim was to eliminate the Prophet’s household as a spiritual and moral authority. His ambition was dynastic: to hand the caliphate over to his son, Yazid, and establish a monarchy from his own progeny, under the guise of Islamic leadership.

To execute this scheme, he bribed Ja’dah, the Imam’s wife, offering her one hundred thousand dirhams and the promise of marriage to his son, Yazid, if she would poison Imam Al-Hassan. He deemed Ja'dah best suited for this task because she was disposed to respond to material motives.

“And it is reported from Mugheira. He said, ‘Muawiya sent a message to the daughter of Al Ash’as, ‘I shall get you married to my son Yazid based upon that you poison Al-Hassan Bin Ali. And he sent one hundred thousand Dirhams. He did send her the wealth but did not get her married to him.” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Chapter 44, p. 160)

When she went to request marriage to Yazid, Muawiyah humiliated her saying “Go away! If a woman cannot be correct for Al-Hassan-asws Bin Ali-asws, she is not correct for my son Yazid.’’ (Bihar Al-Anwar, Chapter 44, p. 162)

The poison was administered in some milk as Imam Al-Hassan broke his fast. It tore through his intestines, causing unbearable agony. Over several days, he endured excruciating internal pain and vomiting blood and pieces of his liver. He condemned Ja’dah:

“Enemy of Allah! You have killed me, may Allah Kill you! By Allah! You will not achieve any replacement from me, and he has deceived you and has mocked you, and Allah will Disgrace you and Disgrace him!” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Chapter 44, p. 167)

And so it was, not only did Muawiya betray and mock her, but she endured severe humiliation and dishonour for the remainder of her life. She endured loss of reputation and trust even among the Umayyads and she brought shame on her progeny. When an argument occurred between them and the clans of Quraysh, they would revile them, saying: “O clan of the one who poisons the husbands.” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Chapter 44, p. 161)

After the martyrdom of Imam Al-Hassan, the Hashemite family intended to fulfill his will by burying him beside his grandfather. But the Umayyads, driven by envy and hatred, mobilized to prevent this noble burial. Marwan ibn al-Hakam led a group armed with weapons, and the funeral procession was violently attacked with stones and arrows. They shouted obscenities at the mourners, denying even the basic decency due to the Prophet’s own flesh and blood.

Aisha supported the Umayyads just as she supported them in the battle against Imam Ali. She stood in the way of the burial acting irrational and ignorant as per usual.

When she was near from the grave of Rasool-Allah-azwj, and the bier of Al-Hassan had arrived, she threw herself from the mule and said, “By Allah-azwj! Al-Hassan will not be buried over here, ever, or this to be allowed!’ And she gestured by her hand to her hair.” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Chapter 44, p. 153)

Thus ended the life of Imam Al-Hassan — not with the honor owed to the beloved grandson of the Prophet, but with betrayal, poison, and arrows hurled at his funeral. His blood was spilled not by foreign hands, but by those who claimed to uphold Islam and professed love of the Prophet.

Imam Ali Cursed on the Pulpits for 70 Years

Imam Ali was not simply the cousin of Prophet Muhammad, nor just his son-in-law. He was his companion in truth, his partner in revelation, and his equal in virtue. The Prophet of Islam did not withhold his love or praise for Imam Ali. He spoke of him in a way that he spoke of no other. Imam Ali was the one whose virtues could not be numbered, whose light could not be dimmed, and whose path led directly to the truth. “He was the one whom only a believer could love—and only a hypocrite could hate” (Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal v1, pp 84).

When his so-called ‘companions’ tried to put blame on Imam Ali, The Prophet said, “Ali is from me and I am from Ali” (Tirmidhi 3712), meaning that just like the infallible Prophet, he was not capable of any mistakes or blame. Their connection went beyond family; it was metaphysical, “Ali to me is like my head to my body” (Dhakha’ir Al-Uqba, p. 63).

The Prophet said “If one desires to see the wisdom of Adam, the piety of Noah, the majesty of Abraham, the greatness of Moses, and the veneration of Jesus, should look to Ali.” (Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 39, p. 39)

Yet, despite all this, despite the fact that being an enemy to Imam Ali, is being an enemy to Allah, Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan—the very man who opposed the Prophet for much of his life and only accepted Islam under conquest—rose to power and institutionalized the public cursing of Imam Ali.

The prophet said,  “Whoever loved Ali, loved me, and whoever loved me, loved Allah. And whoever hated Ali, hated me, and whoever hated me, hated Allah Almighty.” (Manaqib Al Abi Taleb, Vol. 2, p. 217)

Hence Muawiyah was never a sincere believer as the majority like to say, anyone can recognise his hypocrisy by his animosity towards Imam Ali. His acceptance of Islam was merely political, a facade to consolidate power. By doing so, he deliberately led the Muslim community astray from the true path, which is obedience to the Imam of the time.

From the mosques of Damascus to the farthest corners of the Umayyad Empire, it became a religious ritual to curse the man whom the Prophet loved more than he loved himself. Governors were instructed to make Ali the target of their sermons. Preachers were ordered to revile his name during Friday prayers. Those who refused were punished, removed from office, imprisoned, or worse.

The areas where Muawiyah was ruling was far from the centres of Islam - Mecca and Madina, and the population under Muawiyah's domain were unaware of the true Islam, hence they believed only what was taught to them. The public had no idea who were the relatives of the Prophet or who were his companions. Muawiya took advantage of their heedlessness and brainwashed them to believe that he alone was the heir of the Prophet, that Imam Ali was a dacoit and Imam Husayn, a rebel. In 50 years of his decadent rule, he managed to brainwash the population that anyone who praised Imam Ali or his family was low in morality and astray.

“One of the ugliest innovations that started during the reign of Muawiyah was that Muawiyah himself, and through his order to his Governors, they used to insult Imam Ali during the sermons in the Mosques. This was even done on the pulpit of the mosque of the Prophet in Medina in front of the grave of Prophet Muhammad.” (History of Al-Tabari, Vol. 4, p. 188)

This abhorrent tradition continued for nearly seventy years. Entire generations of Muslims were born into a culture where the name of Imam Ali was slandered weekly in God's houses. Pulpits, once meant for glorifying the divine, were desecrated with political hatred and lies. Mosques, built for prayer and praise, echoed instead with curses and slanders.

“Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, wrote to Muawiyah: "...You are cursing Allah and His messenger on your minbar, and that is because you are cursing Ali Ibn Abi Talib and whomever loves him, and I am a witness that Allah and His messenger loved him.” But no one paid any attention to what she said." (Al-Aqd Al-Fareed, Vol. 2, p. 300)

“It is reported from Abdullah, son of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal saying: I asked my father about Ali and Muawiyah. He answered: "Know that Ali had a lot of enemies who tried hard to find a fault in him, but they found it not. As such, they joined a man (Muawiyah) who verily fought him, battled him, and they praised him (Muawiyah) extravagantly setting a snare for themselves for him.” (Al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar, Chapter 9, Section 4, p. 197)

“Abi Abdillah narrates, 'Um Salama said to me, "Is the Prophet being cursed from the pulpits?!", I said "Subhan Allah, what makes you say that the Prophet is being cursed from the pulpits?", and she said to me "Is Ali ibn Abi Talib and the ones who love him [his Shia] not being cursed from the pulpits? The Prophet himself loved him” (Silsilat Al-Ahadith Al-Sahiha', Vol. 7, Hadith 3332)

The Imams and Their Shia Persecuted for Generations

"The Prophet said: I am like the sun and ‘Ali is like the Moon. [The Imams from] My progeny is like the stars, from any one of whom you may seek guidance." (‘Awali al-Li‘ali, Vol. 4, p. 86)

Imagine inheriting the Prophet’s mantle only to find that your very existence becomes a crime. For the Imams of the Ahlul Bayt, this was no metaphor—it was the reality for centuries. One after another, these beacons of light were targeted, poisoned, exiled, oppressed, slandered, cursed and their holy shrines demolished by illegitimate regimes. The persecution they faced was not a single event but a cruel legacy passed from dynasty to dynasty, a relentless attempt to extinguish the light of divine guidance.

After the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, every Imam from his progeny became a target — not only of slander and harassment but of unfair persecution. The Ahlul Bayt and their Shia were denied land, jobs, and any positions of influence within the state. They were socially marginalized and politically suppressed. In stark contrast, those who publicly cursed Imam Ali were rewarded generously with lands, gold, and other privileges by the ruling powers. This official endorsement of cursing the Ahlul Bayt is well-documented in both Sunni and Shia historical texts.

The Abbasid and Umayyad caliphates viewed the Imams not as spiritual guides but as political threats. Each Imam, revered for his knowledge, piety, and loyalty to the Qur’an and Sunnah, was placed under strict surveillance. The movements of the Imams were monitored, spied upon, interrogated and soon escalated into imprisonment and assasination.

The persecution was not limited to physical violence. The spiritual and moral characters of the Imams were attacked publicly. Just as Imam Ali was cursed from pulpits for seventy years, his descendants were regularly vilified in the same way by government scholars who twisted religion into a tool of oppression. Shia graves were desecrated. The shrines of the Imams were destroyed and they poured water over them to erase their location. 

The state tried not only to kill the bodies of the Imams, but to erase their legacy from history. Their names were removed from public record. Their sayings were suppressed. Scholars who narrated hadiths from the Ahlul Bayt were blacklisted or executed. Even in hadith compilations like Sahih Al-Bukhari, the names of the Imams are glaringly absent, despite their monumental status.

And what of their Shia? They even faced harsh treatment. Historical records show that people were killed for as little as saying, ‘I love Ali,’ or narrating a hadith in favour of the Ahlul Bayt or even refusing to curse Imam Ali on command.

The brutality of the persecution was deeply staggering. Ziyad ibn Abih and his son Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, who played a central role in the murder of Imam Husayn, were notorious for their ruthlessness. Historical records note some of the methods used. They would burn the Shia alive, cut their tongues off, amputate their hands and feet, stone them in public and even hang them from date palms.

“Allama Abdur Rabbah reports, “When al-Mansur sat in his court, the executioners would bring row upon row of people and behead them so much so that the blood used to flow in the court and splatter on to al-Mansur’s cloak. Al-Mansur then ordered his chaplain to preach to him. When the chaplain preached, al-Mansur used to sit with his head bowed down as if he were ashamed, but in no time another group of persons would be brought and beheaded as before.” (Masa’ibush Shia, Vol. 5, p. 93)

“In addition, Al-Mansur ordered that the Shia should be gathered in one place. He got them chained and threw them into a dark cell. As they could not make out day from night, and the times for prayers, the prisoners divided the Qur’an into five parts in order to approximate the time of prayer and after finishing each part they offered prayers. There was no sanitation due to which they fell sick. When one died, the corpse was left to rot. Soon all of them died.” (Masa’ibush Shia, Vol. 5, p.101-102)

“His evil had no bounds or limits. It was recorded that Al-Mansur had a house specifically to hold Imam Al-Saadiq's ‘most revered treasures’. He gave the keys to this house to his wife and son and instructed that the house should only be opened after his death. When they accessed the house, they saw rows upon rows of bodies with tags in their ears showing the branch of Fatima and Imam Ali to which they belonged.” (Masa’ibush Shia, Vol. 5, p. 125-127)

The persecution of the Shia was not a random act of tyranny. It was a systematic effort to erase the legacy of the Prophet’s family from the hearts of the believers. But no sword, no fire, no tyrant could ever extinguish the truth God ordained to prevail. The tongues they cut became rivers of narration. The bodies they burned became beacons on the road of resistance. And the name of Ali — the name they tried to erase — is now proclaimed proudly and openly. 

“And say: The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to perish.” (Quran, 17:81)

And so we end this article with the attestation that history repeats itself and the same archetypal characters that are mentioned in the holy scriptures have once again played out in the history of Islam. Just as the children of Israel at the time of Moses abandoned the truth, despite the numerous miracles and blessings they witnessed and instead took the cow as their God, likewise the Ummah today has also abandoned the truth which has always been obeying the messenger of the time, instead they obey scholars and rulers who are appointed by man - who lead them into destruction and falsehood.

Had we as a nation given victory to God’s chosen ruler, we would all have lived in peace and harmony and would have eaten ‘from above and below our feet’ (Quran 5:66). For it is God who rules through His appointed messenger, and it is through them that His will is carried out on earth. 

"Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah; and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah. And whoever obeys the leader I appoint, obeys me..." (Sahih Muslim Book 33, Hadith 146)

Yet time and again, as the pages of revelation and history attest, whenever God sends a messenger, he is belied, rejected and persecuted. Hence why we live in such a cruel world where the top 1% elite always thrive whilst making the rest of the population suffer and where wars, poverty and oppression have become so commonplace that hearts no longer flinch at their mention - we’ve been desensitised to satan's rule.

But worse than satan himself are the end times scholars whom the Prophet said are the ‘worst creatures under the heavens’ (Musnad Ahmed, Hadith 22723). ‘They will issue fatwas in the light of their own ideas and desires and will both deviate themselves and lead others into deviation’ (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Tajrid Al-Sarih, Hadith 2174). And indeed we see this take place today where every scholar differs in their religious rulings, where there are four major schools of thought in Sunni Islam and they are ‘all correct.’ and where there are 72 different sects, they are all certain of being upon the ultimate truth. Only the man who carries the holy spirit of God is able to issue religious rulings and is able to guide humanity.

The ‘saved sect’ which is upon truth, is that way which only a rare few decide to tread - and that is obedience to God's chosen messenger. If the Quran alone was enough for guidance, then why did the prophet say ‘I'm leaving behind two weighty things, the Quran and my Ahlul Bayt’ (Sahih Muslim 2408a)? That is because if we were left to our own devices, we would all deviate from the truth as we would have our own interpretations and ideas, whereas the Caliph who’s enforced by the Holy Spirit is able to truly lead and guide the people. (This article outlines how to decipher whether someone is divinely appointed or not.) 

And so this horrific cycle of messenger after messenger slain and belied, one after another, repeated itself for millennia, but an end to this is here as the awaited Riser of truth, the Qaim, has arrived and his army is gathering. These are not soldiers of armour and physical strength, rather they are those who have hearts of steel - the returned prophets, saints and pure ones - who are unshaken by anything and stand by the Qaim through thick and thin. Together, their revolutionary, epic transformation of our culture starts with exposing decades of lies and falsehood and bringing to the surface deep buried truths that have long been buried.