From the Oppression of Imam Ali, a segment from his sermon which we gave to a few of his elite Shi’a: “Indeed, the rulers before me committed acts that opposed the Messenger of Allah, to deliberately to oppose him, breaking his covenant and altering his Sunnah. If I were to compel the people to abandon those practices and restore things to their original places—as they were during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)—my army would scatter from me until I would be left alone or with only a few of my Shi’a who recognize my virtue and the obligation of my leadership from the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family).” “Do you not see—if I had commanded that the Station of Ibrahim be returned to the place where the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had positioned it... if I had returned Fadak to the heirs of Fatima (peace be upon her)... if I had restored the Prophet’s measure (Sā‘) as it was... and upheld the land grants that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) gave to individuals which were later canceled and not enforced... if I had returned the house of Ja‘far to his heirs and removed it from the mosque’s expansion... if I had reversed unjust judgments that had been made... if I had separated women from men they were unlawfully married to and returned them to their rightful husbands, reintroducing rulings regarding private parts and wombs……. By Allah, I commanded the people not to gather in the month of Ramadan except for the obligatory prayers, and I informed them that gathering for optional (nafil) prayers during this month is a bid‘ah (innovation). Then some of those in my army—those fighting alongside me—began calling out: ‘O people of Islam! He is changing the Sunnah of Umar! He forbids us from praying voluntary prayers in Ramadan?!’ I feared that they might rise up in part of my army’s camp. What hardship have I faced from this nation's division, and from their obedience to the leaders of misguidance and the callers to the Fire.” [Al-Kafi] فقال: قد عملت الولاة قبلي أعمالا خالفوا فيها رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) متعمدين لخلافه، ناقضين لعهده مغيرين لسنته ولو حملت الناس على تركها وحولتها إلى مواضعها وإلى ما كانت في عهد رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) لتفرق عني جندي حتى أبقى وحدي أو قليل من شيعتي الذين عرفوا فضلي وفرض إمامتي من كتاب الله عز وجل وسنة رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله)، أرأيتم لو أمرت بمقام إبراهيم (عليه السلام) (٥) فرددته إلى الموضع الذي وضعه فيه رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله)، ورددت فدك إلى ورثة فاطمة (عليها السلام) (٦) و رددت صاع رسول (صلى الله عليه وآله) كما كان (٧)، وأمضيت قطائع أقطعها رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) لأقوام لم تمض لهم ولم تنفذ (١)، ورددت دار جعفر إلى ورثته وهدمتها من المسجد (٢) ورددت قضايا من الجور قضي بها (٣)، ونزعت نساءا تحت رجال بغير حق فرددتهن إلى أزواجهن (٤) واستقبلت بهن الحكم في الفروج والأرحام، وسبيت ذراري بني تغلب (٥)، ورددت ما قسم من أرض خيبر، ومحوت دواوين العطايا (٦) وأعطيت كما كان رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) (٧) والله لقد أمرت الناس أن لا يجتمعوا في شهر رمضان إلا في فريضة وأعلمتهم أن اجتماعهم في النوافل بدعة فتنادى بعض أهل عسكري ممن يقاتل معي: يا أهل الاسلام غيرت سنة عمر ينهانا عن الصلاة في شهر رمضان تطوعا ولقد خفت أن يثوروا في ناحية جانب عسكري (١) ما لقيت من هذه الأمة من الفرقة وطاعة أئمة الضلالة والدعاة إلى النار