Tawaqquf and the Shaykhayn

wa alaykum as salaam wa rahma!

Thank you for your question! In reply, allow me to quote one of our contemporary scholars, the late Allama Abdur-Rahman ash-Shaayim, may Allah have mercy on him, from his book Ar-Radd al-Jali:

The reports that came about them are contradictory: some bear praise, some imply the justice of the two Sheikhs upon the people after they assumed the caliphate, some imply their good stances with the Messenger before his death, and some imply by what has been reported in narrations of their repentance (and by such, we specify the people of the battle of the Camel). And another factor, which is important and the most important, is that it has not been proven for us that our elders among the Ahl al-Bayt used to verbally abuse them or ascribe disobedience (fisq) to them from the time of Ali, upon him be peace, to the time al-Hujjat Majiddīn al-Mu’ayyadi, upon him be peace. Therefore, we prefer the paths of safety over the corridors of regret, so we adhere to the consensus of the Ahl al-Bayt that is concurrent with the Book of Allah forever. Therefore, we adopt the policy of reservation regarding their condition and entrust their affairs to Allah, the Exalted. If He punishes them, He is the Most Just who does not tyrannise; and if He has mercy and forgives them, He is the Most Compassionate and Most Merciful.

So, basically our policy of reservation is the policy of the consensus of Ahl al-Bayt (as). If the crimes of the aforementioned Companions merited abuse and open condemnation, our imams would have demonstrated this to us collectively.

As for the specific examples you mentioned, the Zaydis do hold to the oppression of az-Zahraa (as) by Abu Bakr in depriving her of Fadak. However, similar to what Allama Abdur-Rahmaan said earlier, we can't say whether such action was due to any inherent ill intent towards the Ahl al-Bayt or if it was just simply a mistake in judgement. By the way, the hadith that was quoted by Abu Bakr ((We the Prophets do not leave inheritance...)) actually exists in the Musnad Imam Zayd (as). The wording is a bit different though, as it says in the Musnad: ((The Prophets did not leave behind dinar or dirham; rather, they only left behind knowledge as an inheritance among the scholars)). So, we don't say that the hadith Abu Bakr quoted was fabricated; rather, it was misapplied. It was misapplied because we say that Fadak was not an inheritance; rather, it was a gift. As for whether this misapplication of the hadith was intentional or based on a misunderstanding, we can't say for sure. So, this takes us back to reservation of judgement.

As for the other things you mentioned, the fact remains that our imams--both past and present--did not use these narrated events regarding the Sheikhayn to curse or malign them. Some imams may have harshly criticised the two; but the basis of the Zaydi madhhab is consensus of the imams of Ahl al-Bayt. When the consensus is silent, we are silent. The attempt to assassinate Ali and threat to burn the house of Fatima are narrated in our books; however, their mention does not seem to necessitate anything but reservation from our imams as per the statement of the Allama above. Imam Mansūr Billah Abdullah b. Hamza, upon him be peace, said in Al-Majmu’ al-Mansūri:

We have imams that we refer to regarding the affairs of our religion. We go where they went, and we refrain when they refrained; they are Ali and his sons. May the best of peace be upon them!

And Allah knows best!

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