The Peaceful Union of Hasan & Muʿāwiyah – Why It Happened & Why Muʿāwiyah’s Honour Was Attacked
الحمدللہ:
In today’s series, we will read, Insha’Allah:
- Who became the Caliph after the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (RA)?
- Under what circumstances did the union of Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Muawiyah (RA) take place?
- What were its causes and what were its results?
- Did Muawiyah (RA) forcibly seize power?
- Why was the character assassination of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) done?
- What allegations were leveled against Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) and what are their answers?
- How did Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) deal with the rebel party of the killers of Uthman?
Who became the Caliph after the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (RA)?
After Hazrat Ali (RA), the Muslims, through mutual consultation, elected Hazrat Hasan (RA) as the Caliph. Before his martyrdom, Hazrat Ali (RA) was asked: “Shall we give bay’ah (allegiance) to Hasan after you?” He replied: “I neither command it nor forbid it.”
(Tabari 2/354/ H40)
When Hazrat Hasan (RA) became Caliph, after six months, he united with Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) and handed over the caliphate to him. From the will of Hazrat Ali (RA) that we mentioned in the last series, it seems that Hazrat Ali (RA) himself had instructed him to do so.
In this way, the Muslim Ummah was united again, and the hopes of the rebel movement were dashed. They thought that they would pressure Hazrat Hasan (RA) and get him to accept their demands, but he did the complete opposite. The rebel narrators also took their revenge on Hazrat Hasan (RA) for this and fabricated some narrations about him in which his character was assassinated. In this chapter, we will examine these same narrations.
What was the special status of Hazrat Hasan (RA)?
Hazrat Hasan (RA) is the most beloved grandson of the Messenger of Allah (SAW).1 When he became Caliph, he was only 38 years old. The rebels also gave him allegiance in the hope that he was inexperienced, and thus they could easily get their way with him. On the other hand, the people of Shaam (Syria) also respected him because he had protected Hazrat Uthman (RA) until his last breath and had also stayed away from the Battle of Siffin. For this reason, his personality was extremely suitable for this mission of unity. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) had also made a prophecy about him, which is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari.
Why did Hazrat Hasan (RA) unite?
It is clear that Hazrat Hasan (RA) united with Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) at the cost of his own government so that the sincere Muslims could be united and the hypocritical rebels could be suppressed. This was a sign of Hazrat Hasan’s (RA) extreme sincerity, that he prioritized the interest of the Muslim Ummah over his personal interest. The rebel narrators could not digest this union of his, and they inserted their own sentences into historical narrations and interpreted this union as (May Allah forbid) his greed, opportunism, cowardice, and weakness. This is completely far from the truth. Tabari himself has narrated some reports that reveal the true picture of the incident.
Hazrat Ali (RA) had prepared an army of the people of Iraq, which belonged to Azerbaijan and Isfahan. Besides this, there was a special army of Arabs, which had forty thousand warriors, and they had pledged allegiance to Hazrat Ali (RA) unto death. He had appointed Qais bin Saad (RA) over them, and Qais was delaying the campaign somewhat. In the meantime, Hazrat Ali (RA) was martyred, and the people of Iraq appointed Hasan bin Ali (RA) as the Caliph. …
When the people of Iraq gave their oath of allegiance for the caliphate to Hasan bin Ali (RA), Hasan made a condition with them that you will listen to me and obey me. You will make peace with whom I make peace, and you will wage war against whom I wage war. This condition created doubt in the hearts of the people of Iraq (i.e., the rebel party). They said: “This person is not useful for us; he does not seem to intend to fight.” Only a few days had passed since the allegiance to Hasan (RA) when a spear was thrown at him, which missed.
Now, hatred for these people grew in Hasan’s heart, and he became cautious of them. He corresponded with Muawiyah (RA) and sent his conditions in writing, stating that if you accept them, I will obey you, and it will be obligatory for you to fulfill this promise.
(Tabari. 41H/4/1-26)
This detail shows that Hazrat Hasan (RA) united with Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) not for personal interests, but for the interest of the Muslim Ummah. What fear could a person have who was accompanied by forty thousand warriors, and that too, those who had pledged allegiance unto death? It is clear that Hazrat Hasan (RA) detested the rebel party and wanted to oust them from power. On the other hand, the rebel party had also sensed that he was not their man. For this reason, they also made a murderous attack on him, looted his tent, and even pulled the carpet he was sitting on.
After this attack, Hazrat Hasan (RA) left Kufa and went to stay at Maqsurat al-Bayda’ near Mada’in. Here too, he was attacked. The one who attacked was Mukhtar al-Thaqafi, who, twenty-five years later, started his movement in the name of revenge for Hazrat Husain (RA) and then also claimed prophethood.
The narration is:
Saad bin Masood, who was Mukhtar’s uncle, and he (Mukhtar) was a young boy, was the governor of Mada’in (appointed by Hazrat Ali (RA)).2 When Hazrat Hasan (RA) came to Mada’in after becoming Caliph, he (Mukhtar) suggested to his uncle that he should tie up (Hasan) and hand him over to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) and ask for amnesty in return. His uncle rebuked him and said: “May Allah curse you. Should I attack the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and tie him up? What an evil man you are!” When Hasan (RA) saw that disunity had fallen in his affairs, he sent a message of peace to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). Muawiyah (RA) sent Abdullah bin Aamir and Abdur Rahman bin Samurah (RA) to him. Both men came to Hasan (RA) in Mada’in and accepted the demands that Hasan made.
(Tabari. 4/1-24)
The Role of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) in Peace
In the matter of peace, the role of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) is also extraordinary.
According to the narration, the thought occurred to him that if this series of wars and conflict continued, it would only harm the Muslims. For this reason, he initiated the peace movement, signed a blank piece of paper, affixed his seal, and sent it to Hazrat Hasan (RA).
A narration in Sahih Bukhari states:
Abu Musa Isra’il relates that Hazrat Hasan (RA) himself told him that when Hasan bin Ali (RA) marched with his army to face Muawiyah (RA), Amr bin Al-Aas said to Muawiyah: “The army I see with Hasan is not one to return until it has routed the opposing army.” Muawiyah said: “(If this war happens and many people from both sides are killed, then) who will take care of the Muslim children?” Amr said: “We will meet them and negotiate for peace.”
Hasan al-Basri says that I heard Hazrat Abu Bakrah (RA) say that the Prophet (SAW) once said: “This son of mine is a Sayyid (chief), and it is hoped that Allah will bring about reconciliation between two large groups of Muslims through him.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Fitan, Hadith 7109)
From this, one can gauge the sincerity of Hazrat Hasan, Muawiyah, and Amr bin Al-Aas (RA) for the Ummah. Many are found who will give their lives for their ego and honor, but few are those who sacrifice their ego for the betterment of their religion and Ummah. The great sacrifice of Hazrat Hasan (RA) is such that Muslims should feel joy over it until the Day of Judgment and should learn a lesson from his beautiful example (Uswa Hasana). But since it was against the interests of the rebel movement, they spread narrations of the sort that Hazrat Hasan (RA) was, (May Allah forbid), a weak man and made peace under pressure. From the Sahih Bukhari narration above, it becomes clear how powerful Hazrat Hasan (RA) was.
In this narration, the opinion of an extremely experienced commander like Hazrat Amr bin Al-Aas (RA) is quoted: that a large army was with Hazrat Hasan, and its morale was such that they would not retreat without victory. The army was commanded by experts in politics and warfare like Qais bin Saad (RA). In Tabari’s narration, the phrase “mountain-like armies” has been used for this army. Even after this, to say that Hazrat Hasan (RA) made peace under pressure can only be called prejudice.
After this, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) also made peace with Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas, Qais bin Saad, and Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan (RA). He wanted to avoid war to such an extent that he did not like it in any way.
A narration in Tabari states:
Muawiyah (RA) sent a messenger to Qais bin Saad to remind him of the fear of Allah and to ask under whose command they were ready to fight, seeing as the one they were subordinate to (Hasan) had already given him allegiance. Qais did not deem it appropriate to submit to Muawiyah. Muawiyah (RA) signed and sealed a paper and sent it to him, saying, “Whatever you wish, write it on this paper; it is all acceptable to me.” Amr (RA) said: “No concession should be made for Qais.” Muawiyah said: “Be sensible! We cannot kill so many people until an equal number of people from Shaam are also killed, after whom life would be joyless.
By Allah! As long as any other way is possible, I will not fight Qais.”
When Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) sent that sealed paper, Qais asked for amnesty for himself and for the group of Hazrat Ali (RA). This amnesty was regarding the killings that had happened at their hands or the spoils of war they had acquired (that they would not be held accountable for them). In this treaty, he made absolutely no desire for wealth from Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), and Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) accepted his every condition. All his companions entered the circle of Hazrat Muawiyah’s (RA) obedience.
During this time of fitna, five individuals were counted among the most sound-in-judgment and politically astute. These were Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan, Amr bin Al-Aas, Mughira bin Shu’bah, Qais bin Saad, and among the Muhajireen, Abdullah bin Budayl al-Khuzai (RA). Among them, Qais and Ibn Budayl were with Ali, while Mughira and Amr were with Muawiyah.
(Tabari. 4/1-27)
Did Hazrat Husain (RA) oppose the unification?
The rebel narrators have tried to give the impression that Hazrat Husain (RA) was an opponent of this union, in order to justify their rebellious activities. The reality was the complete opposite of this. It is based on extreme suspicion to think about a personality like Hazrat Husain (RA) that he would re-ignite the flames of fitna and fasad (mischief and corruption) upon seeing such a blessed union among Muslims. The conduct that Hazrat Husain (RA) maintained throughout the entire era of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) shows that he respected Hazrat Muawiyah from the bottom of his heart.
This can be gauged from this narration in Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal. It should be noted that “Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal” is a book by an unknown Shia author and is incorrectly attributed to Abu Hanifa al-Dinawari:
(After the peace treaty) Hazrat Hasan bin Ali (RA) first met with Hajar bin Adi. He (Hajar) shamed Hazrat Hasan for this act (peace) and invited him to restart the war, saying: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! I wish I had died before seeing this event. You have taken us out of justice and thrown us into oppression. We have abandoned the truth we stood upon and entered the falsehood we were fleeing from. We have chosen humiliation ourselves and accepted this degradation which was not worthy of us.”
Hazrat Hasan (RA) found this statement by Hajar bin Adi unpleasant and said: “I see that people are inclined towards peace and detest war. Why do you wish for me to impose upon people what they dislike? I have made this peace specifically for the survival of my Shias. My opinion is to postpone this matter of wars until death. Indeed, Allah is in a new state of glory every day.”
Now Hajar went to Hazrat Husain (RA), accompanied by Ubaidah bin Amr. Both of them started saying: “Abu Abdullah! You have bought humiliation in exchange for honor. You have accepted the less, leaving the more. Listen to us today, and then don’t listen for the rest of your life. Leave Hasan to his peace treaty, and gather your Shias from the residents of Kufa and elsewhere. Entrust this matter to me and my companions. The son of Hind (Muawiyah) will only learn of us when we are waging war against him with swords.”
Hazrat Husain (RA) replied: “We have given the oath of allegiance and made a pact. Now there is no way to break it.”
(Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal. pp 233-234)
This same narration shows that Hazrat Husain (RA) also wanted peace. Afterwards, for twenty years, his relations with Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) remained very good.
When the caliphate of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) was established, Hazrat Husain (RA), along with his brother Hazrat Hasan (RA), used to visit Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). He would honor them greatly, welcome them, and give them gifts.3 In a single day, Hazrat Muawiyah gave them two million dirhams.
(Ibn Asakir. 59/193)
Hazrat Hasan bin Ali (RA) once came to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), who said: “I will give you a gift such as no one before me has given.” He then gave Hazrat Hasan (RA) forty lakh (four million) dirhams. Once, both Hasan and Husain (RA) came to him, and he gave them twenty lakh (two million) dirhams each.
(Ibn Asakir. 59/193)
The great Shia scholar and commentator of Nahj al-Balaghah, Ibn Abi al-Hadid, writes:
Muawiyah (RA) was the first person in the world to give gifts of ten lakh (one million) dirhams. His son Yazid was the first person to double these gifts. Both sons of Hazrat Ali, Hasan and Husain (RA), were given ten lakh dirhams every year. Similarly, Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas and Abdullah bin Ja’far (RA) were also given [such amounts].
(Ibn Abi al-Hadid. Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah. 11/265.) http://www.shiaonlinelibrary.com (ac 11 Aug 2012)
After the death of Hazrat Hasan (RA), Hazrat Husain (RA) continued to visit Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) every year. He would give him gifts and show him full respect.
(Ibn Kathir 11/477)
Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) sending gifts to Hazrat Hasan and Husain (RA) is such a well-known fact that even Abu Mikhnaf cannot deny it. The aforementioned author writes:
Muawiyah (RA) used to send one million dinars to Husain (RA) every year, in addition to all kinds of gifts.
(Abu Mikhnaf. Maqtal al-Husain. Qom: Matba’a Amir. www.al-mostafa.com)
It was the practice of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) to send two expeditions towards Turkey every year to keep the Caesar of Rome intimidated. These were called the winter and summer expeditions, and Tabari has detailed them in the chapter for each year. He sent one expedition under the leadership of his son Yazid towards the Caesar’s capital, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). Hazrat Husain (RA) was also part of this army.
(Ibn Kathir. 11/477)
The great Sahabi Hazrat Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA) was also part of this army, and he passed away in Constantinople, where his grave exists to this day.4
If Hazrat Husain (RA) did not consider Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) a legitimate ruler from his heart and soul, how would it be possible for him to be his guest every year and accept gifts given by him?
Here, we will analyze the narration that Tabari has transmitted concerning Hazrat Husain (RA):
قال زياد بن عبد الله، عن عوانة؛ وذكر نحو حديث المسروقي، عن عثمان بن عبد الرحمن هذا، وزاد فيه:
Hasan (RA) mentioned to Husain and Abdullah bin Ja’far (RA) that “I have written a peace treaty with Muawiyah and have accepted the amnesty given by him.” Hearing this, Husain (RA) said: “I implore you in the name of Allah, do not affirm the word of Muawiyah and deny the word of Ali.” Hasan (RA) replied: “Be quiet, I know this matter better than you.”
(Tabari. 4/1-25)
If you look at this chain of narration (sanad), it includes Awanah al-Kalbi (d. 147/765), who is the teacher of Hisham al-Kalbi.
The second person is Ziyad bin Abdullah (d. 183/799), who was da’if (weak).
The third person is Uthman bin Abdur Rahman al-Harrani (d. 203/819), who, although truthful himself, used to accept many narrations from weak people.
(Dhahabi. Siyar A’lam al-Nubala. Personality No. 2143, 3714, 4372)
Therefore, none of them is a narrator who was an eyewitness to the unification of Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Muawiyah (RA) (41/662); rather, they are all people from a hundred years later. For this reason, it is highly probable that one of the unknown narrators in the chain is a rebel narrator who has tried to put his own words into the mouth of Hazrat Husain (RA) to justify his rebellion.
Did Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) not fulfill the conditions of the treaty?
While narrating the peace treaty between Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Muawiyah (RA), Tabari has transmitted a narration according to which Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) did not fulfill the conditions of the treaty with Hazrat Hasan (RA).
According to the narration, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) sent a blank paper to Hazrat Hasan (RA) with his signature and said, “Write whatever you wish.”
On the other hand, Hazrat Hasan (RA) had already written his conditions and sent them to him.When he received the blank paper, he wrote additional conditions on it and kept it with him, and later demanded them, but Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) did not fulfill these later-written conditions. If this did happen, no objection can be raised against Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), because he was only bound to fulfill those conditions which Hazrat Hasan (RA) had sent to him and upon which both parties had agreed. However, keeping in mind the forbearance (hilm), prudence, magnanimity, and large-heartedness of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), this incident also appears baseless.
This incident is narrated with a chain of narration that we have commented on several times before.
The chain is: حدثني عبد الله بن أحمد المروزي، قال: أخبرني أبي، قال: حدثنا سليمان، قال: حدثني عبد الله، عن يونس، عن الزهري۔
This chain starts with Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (58-124/58-124), who was born seventeen years after this event. It is not known from whom he heard this. It is quite possible that the unknown person was a member of the rebel movement. Then, this narration is narrated from Zuhri by Yunus bin Yazid Aili, who is unreliable and narrates things from Zuhri that no one else does.
How did the rebels take revenge on Hazrat Hasan (RA)?
Since Hazrat Hasan (RA), by uniting with Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), had sunk the ship of the rebel movement, they held intense malice in their hearts for Hazrat Hasan (RA). On this occasion, they called out to him, “Ya Mudhil al-Mu’minin” (O humiliator of the believers). Later, his character was assassinated in various ways, and an attempt was made to portray him as a character like (May Allah forbid) Rasputin. It was said that Hazrat Hasan (RA) contracted more than a hundred marriages. He would marry a woman and, after a few days, divorce her, and then marry another. This is such a heinous slander that it should be rejected immediately upon hearing, in accordance with the command of the Holy Quran.
Allah (SWT) says:
لَوْلا إِذْ سَمِعْتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ خَيْراً وَقَالُوا هَذَا إِفْكٌ مُبِينٌ.
“Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another and say, ‘This is an obvious falsehood’?” (An-Nur 24:12)
It is regrettable that due to ‘narration-worship’ (rawayat-parasti), some people believe this slander. Therefore, it is appropriate to examine these narrations as well.
All the narrations related to Sayyiduna Hasan (RA) being a ‘frequent marrier’ are narrated from these same individuals: Waqidi, Hisham al-Kalbi, and Ibn Ja’dabah.
(For further research, see: Ali Muhammad Muhammad al-Sallabi. Amir al-Mu’minin al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Talib: Shakhsiyatuhu wa ‘Asruh.6 pp 27-28. Cairo: Dar al-Tawzi’. www.waqfeya.com)
These narrations are also not in any authentic book of Hadith or history but are transmitted by Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Abu Talib al-Makki, etc. The Arab scholar Dr. Sallabi has analyzed these narrations in great detail and exposed their weakness. We are listing the chains (asanid) here:
- روى المدائني عن أبن جعدبة عن ابن أبي مليكة
- عن محمد بن عمر (الواقدي) أنبأنا عبد الرحمن بن أبي الموال
- عن محمد بن عمر حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر، عن عبد الله بن حسن قال
- حدثني عباس بن هشام الكلبي عن أبيه عن جده عن أبي صالح
You can see for yourself who the people narrating these reports are. Just as they assassinated the character of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), they left no stone unturned in the character assassination of Hazrat Hasan (RA) as well. If Hazrat Hasan (RA) had indeed married more than a hundred times, the number of his children should also have been in the hundreds, whereas this is not the case. Even in a relationship of a few days, pregnancy can occur.
Why was the character assassination of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) done?
All the activists of the rebel movement held intense malice against Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). The fundamental reason for this was that he became the biggest obstacle in the path of their ambitions, and right from the beginning of the rebel movement, he took such measures that this movement could not flourish. If Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) had not built a dam against this movement, it is quite possible that in the later centuries, Muslims would have been divided into countless sects. In the time of Hazrat Uthman (RA), Ali (RA), and in his own time, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) thoroughly suppressed the rebels and did not allow their ambitions to succeed. This is why the rebels unleashed a barrage of false narrations against him to their hearts’ content and portrayed him, (we seek refuge in Allah), in the guise of a cunning politician.
Tabari has quoted these words of Abu Mikhnaf, one of the rebels’ associates, in which he has attributed his words to some “Hasan.” We do not know who this Hasan is.
“Muawiyah (RA) had four traits, any one of which would have been fatal:
- Forcing ignoramuses upon this Ummah and seizing the caliphate without consulting the Ummah, even though some of the Sahaba and virtuous people were still present.
- Appointing his son as caliph after him, who was a drunkard, perpetually intoxicated, wore silk, and played the tanbur (lute).
- Claiming kinship with Ziyad (bin Abi Sufyan), even though the Messenger of Allah (SAW) had decreed that the child belongs to the one on whose bed he was born, and for the adulterer is the stone.
- Killing Hajar bin Adi. Curses be upon him from Hajar and the companions of Hajar. Curses be upon him from Hajar and the companions of Hajar.”(Tabari. 4/1-102)
From every single word of this narration by Abu Mikhnaf, the malice he held in his heart for a great Sahabi and scribe of the revelation like Hazrat Muawiyah (RA)—whose caliphate was accepted wholeheartedly by Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Husain (RA)—is dripping. Now we will take each allegation mentioned in this narration one by one and investigate it.
Did Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) forcibly seize the caliphate?
Some people have raised this question: was the caliphate of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) legitimate and constitutional? They say that all the Rightly Guided Caliphs’ caliphates were established through the mutual consultation of the Muslims, whereas this was not the case for Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). For this reason, his caliphate cannot be considered legitimate.
The answer to this is that the caliphate of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) was an absolutely legitimate and constitutional caliphate. After the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (RA), the Muslims were divided into three groups:
- One group had accepted Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) as the legitimate ruler. These were the people of Shaam (Syria), and after the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali (RA), they began calling Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) “Amir al-Mu’minin” (Commander of the Faithful).
- The second group was the one that, through mutual consultation, had given allegiance (bay’ah) to Hazrat Hasan (RA) on the condition that they would fight whom he fought and make peace with whom he made peace. After this agreement, when Hazrat Hasan (RA) made peace with Muawiyah (RA), this entire group also gave allegiance to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA).
- The third group had remained neutral in this dispute. When the union of Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Muawiyah (RA) took place, they all became very happy and they also gave allegiance to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA).
In this way, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) became the Caliph with the consensus (Ijma) of all three groups of Muslims. After this, what doubt can there be about his caliphate being legitimate and constitutional? The Muslims of that time also viewed it in this capacity and named that year, 41/660, the “Aam al-Jama’ah” (The Year of Community/Unification). This means that this was the year in which all Muslims agreed on one thing and collectively took the form of one “Jama’ah” (community). If anyone objected to the caliphate of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), it was only this rebel party that had martyred Hazrat Uthman (RA), but even they, at least externally, accepted the caliphate of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). In this way, his caliphate took the form of such a consensus (Ijma) that was previously only attained by Hazrat Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (RA).
Even if, hypothetically, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) had made some mistake before this, when Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Husain (RA), and all other Sahaba, reached a consensus on his caliphate, then only that person can cast aspersions on him in this matter who holds no value for Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Husain (RA).
Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) and the Rebel Parties
After becoming Caliph, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) faced two rebel parties: the Kharijites and the remaining killers of Uthman. Of these, the Kharijites were more organized and violent. The important leaders of the remaining rebels had been killed, and all of them had accepted the obedience of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). For this reason, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) first focused on eradicating the Kharijites. This war was also started by the Kharijites, and they attacked Kufa. They tried to get the people of Kufa to join them, but failed. After this, a series of battles began in which Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) inflicted successive defeats on the Kharijites and established peace in Iraq.
The Basra branch of the second group of rebels had already been finished off when Hazrat Talha (RA) and Zubair (RA) suppressed them. In Egypt, their party was eliminated by Hazrat Amr bin Al-Aas (RA) and Muawiyah bin Khudaij (RA). Thus, they had now shrunk from all sides and gathered in Kufa, making it their center. They kept their activities secret and began organizing their party internally. They also tried to win Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Husain (RA) over to their side but failed in this. In this regard, we have already presented a narration from Al-Akhbar al-Tiwal above, according to which Hajar bin Adi of the rebel party tried to persuade both these gentlemen, but they did not accept his words and gave preference to the unity and accord of the Muslims.
Now, the leaders of the rebel party began to reorganize it, and they worked secretly for about ten to twelve years. The details of this have been narrated by Hisham al-Kalbi and Abu Mikhnaf themselves, and since this is ‘testimony from within the house,’ it can be considered reliable. It is possible that Abu Mikhnaf narrated these details to incite the rebel party of his own time, and Tabari transmitted them. In 41/660, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) appointed Hazrat Mughira bin Shu’bah (RA) as the governor of Kufa, and he remained in this post for ten years.7 He adopted a soft approach towards the rebel party and did not treat them with much harshness. His aim was to deal with these people gently so that they would not start any rebellion. Hazrat Mughira’s (RA) method was that he had obliged the well-known leaders of the rebel party to pray every Salah in the mosque with him. In this way, he kept an eye on them. In the final days of his governorship, while giving a sermon, Hazrat Mughira (RA) once said:
“O Allah! Have mercy on Uthman bin Affan (RA). Forgive him and reward him for his good deeds. He acted upon Your Book and followed the Sunnah of Your Prophet (SAW). 8He established unity among us, prevented bloodshed among us, and was martyred unjustly. 9O Allah! Have mercy on his helpers, his friends, those who love him, and those who seek justice for his blood.” After this, he supplicated (made du’a) against the killers of Hazrat Uthman.
Hearing this, Hajar bin Adi stood up and, looking at Mughira (RA), shouted a slogan that was heard by everyone sitting in the mosque and those outside. Hajar said: “By whom have you been deceived? Can you not understand that old age has taken his intellect? O man! Give the order to release our salaries and stipends. You have withheld our sustenance; what authority do you have for this? The rulers who came before you never coveted it. You have adopted the practice of condemning the Amir al-Mu’minin (Hazrat Ali RA) and praising the criminals.” Hearing this, more than two-thirds of the men in the mosque stood up and said: “By Allah! Hajar has spoken the truth and done a good deed. Order the release of our salaries and stipends.”
(Tabari. 4/1-83)
Hazrat Mughira (RA) did not confront them further and descended from the minbar (pulpit). When he passed away in 51/670, Kufa came under the jurisdiction of Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan (RA). When Ziyad came to Kufa, in the first sermon he gave, he also sent curses upon the killers of Hazrat Uthman (RA). Hajar bin Adi treated him the same way he had treated Hazrat Mughira before. Ziyad appointed Amr bin Hurayth as the governor of Kufa and left for Basra. It was later found that a crowd from the rebel party frequently gathered at Hajar bin Adi’s place, and these people openly cursed Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). They also threw pebbles and stones at Amr bin Hurayth in the mosque. Ziyad now went to Kufa himself and first tried to reason with Hajar through the esteemed Sahaba Hazrat Adi bin Hatim, Jarir bin Abdullah al-Bajali, and Khalid bin Arfatah (RA), but Hajar misbehaved badly with them.
According to other narrations in Tabari, Hajar bin Adi staged an open rebellion and clashed with the police. Most of his companions abandoned him, and he fled and hid in the house of Malik al-Ashtar’s brother, Abdullah bin Harith. Here, a slave girl informed on him. Hajar set a condition for his arrest: that he be sent to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) in Shaam (Syria). Ziyad accepted this condition and arrested him. Two rebels, Amr bin Hamiq and Rifa’a bin Shaddad, fled Kufa and reached near Mosul in northern Iraq, hiding in a mountain cave. When the people of a nearby village learned of them, they were captured and presented to the governor of Mosul. Both of them were killed. Many other rebels also fled and scattered. Ziyad had them pursued and arrested. He then had the entire incident investigated and gathered testimonies from people. Abu Mikhnaf has also recorded the names of all these witnesses, and they include esteemed Sahaba like Hazrat Wa’il bin Hajar and Khalid bin Arfatah (RA), and esteemed Tabi’in like Musa bin Talha and Abu Burda (rahmatullahi alayhim).
Ziyad arrested these rebels and sent them to Shaam (Syria), and along with them, he wrote and sent all the details, including the testimonies, to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA). Now, intercessors began to intercede for them, demanding that Hajar and his companions be forgiven. Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) reviewed all the investigations and then sentenced Hajar and seven of his companions to death, while pardoning his other seven companions. In this way, the leaders of this rebellion met their end, and this [rebellion] withered before it could bloom.
The associates of the rebels presented this incident with much exaggeration and declared the killing of Hajar bin Adi and his companions an oppression. They wrote elegies and incited the next generations of rebels.
The question arises: if in any country today, someone organizes a rebel movement, tries to run a campaign against the government, and spreads fitna and fasad (mischief and corruption), will the government adorn them with garlands of flowers? Obviously, they will be punished, and this will be appropriate to the crime. Usually, governments give the death penalty to the top leaders of rebels and give lesser sentences to minor workers or pardon them, so that the rebel movement does not flourish further. Therefore, no objection can be raised against the decision of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), neither from a Shari’ah perspective nor from a logical one.
Some people raise the question that according to a narration in Tabari, Sayyidah Aisha (RA) criticized this killing and said: “O Muawiyah! Did you not fear God when killing Hajar?” This narration is from Abu Mikhnaf, and as usual, he has attributed his own words to the Sayyidah.
(Tabari 4/1-101)
Obviously, what sympathy could the Sayyidah (Aisha) have for these rebels over the government, some of whom were directly or indirectly involved in the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (RA), and against whom the Sayyidah herself had taken action in the Battle of Jamal?
In the same narration, it is also mentioned that the Sayyidah had sent Abdur Rahman bin Harith with a message to Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), but by the time he arrived, Hajar and his companions had been executed. Abdur Rahman said:
“When did you abandon the forbearance (hilm) of Abu Sufyan that was in you?” Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) replied: “Ever since people of forbearance like you abandoned me.”
It is possible that this part is correct. Perhaps Sayyidah Aisha (RA) thought that punishing Hajar bin Adi was against political wisdom, as his execution might further ignite the rebellion, so she advised Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) to adopt forbearance.
Ibn Abd al-Barr has quoted these words from the Sayyidah:
“Where was your forbearance (hilm) of Abu Sufyan regarding Hajar and his companions? Why did you not just lock them in prisons and let them fall prey to the plague?”
(Ibn Abd al-Barr. 1/198. Bab Hajar bin Adi)
From these words, it is clear that the Sayyidah wanted the blame for Hajar’s killing not to fall on Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) so that a rebellion would not flare up against him. This may have been political advice, but from a Shari’ah perspective, Hajar’s execution was an absolutely correct matter. What could be the obstacle to punishing a person according to the law who had organized a rebellious movement and spread fitna and fasad?
Some rebels, in an attempt to elevate the status of Hajar bin Adi, have tried to grant him the rank of Sahabi (Companion), although this is not correct. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (773-852/1371-1448), in his famous encyclopedia of the Sahaba Karam, “Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah,” did not count Hajar among the Sahaba. Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari (555-630/1160-1233) did so in his book “Usd al-Ghabah,” but he did not present any chain of narration (sanad) for the claim that Hajar was among the Sahaba.
The Slander of Corruption in the Bayt al-Mal (Treasury)
This is a slander that rebel narrators have leveled against Sayyiduna Muawiyah (RA) by fabricating a few narrations. In the books of history, the number of such narrations—in which there is anything on the basis of which this slander is leveled against Hazrat Muawiyah (RA)—is like salt in flour. And when we examine these narrations, every single one of them has some narrator in its chain who belongs to that same rebel movement. During the era of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), many esteemed Sahaba were still alive. Hazrat Hasan (RA) and Husain (RA) were also present during his era. If Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), (May Allah forbid), had committed any corruption, these gentlemen would have stopped him or at least warned him. But no such narration exists. Now we will examine all these narrations one by one.
In Tarikh al-Tabari, we could only find one such incident, which we are presenting here:
(After the Battle of Ashal, which took place in the region of northwestern Iran) Hakam diverted from his path and came towards Herat (modern-day Afghanistan). Then from here, he turned towards Merv (modern-day Iran). News of the spoils of war reached Ziyad (bin Abi Sufyan, governor of Iran), so he wrote to Hakam: “The Amir al-Mu’minin has written to me that the gold, silver, and all rare items should be extracted for him. Do not, under any circumstances, touch the spoils of war until these things are extracted.” Hakam wrote in reply: “I received your letter. You said that the Amir al-Mu’minin has written to you that the gold, silver, and all rare items should be extracted for him. Do not, under any circumstances, touch the spoils of war until these things are extracted. The command of Allah (SWT) has come before the command of the Amir al-Mu’minin. By Allah! Even if the paths of the heavens and the earth were closed to one who fears Allah, the Almighty (SWT) would still make a way out for him.” Then he said to the people, “Take your shares of the spoils.” Everyone came. Hakam separated the 1/5th portion (Khums) and distributed all the spoils among the people. Upon this, Ziyad wrote to him: “If I remain alive, I will tear you to pieces.” Hakam prayed: “O Lord! If coming to You is better for me, then call me.” After this, he passed away.
(Tabari. 4/1-82)
By narrating this incident, some people give the impression that Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) used to separate the gold, silver, and rarities from the spoils of war for himself, whereas this impression is completely wrong. In this regard, a few points are worth considering:
- The chain of narration (sanad) for this incident in Tabari is stated as: حدثني عمر، قال: حدثني حاتم بن قبيصة، قال: حدثنا غالب ابن سليمان، عن عبد الرحمن بن صبح۔The conditions of all three narrators, Hatim bin Qubaysa, Ghalib bin Sulaiman, and Abdur Rahman bin Subh, are unknown (majhul). There is no information about them in the encyclopedias of ‘Ilm al-Rijal (biographical evaluation) from which one could gauge who they were, to what extent they were reliable, and whether they had any connection to the rebel movement.
- This is the only such incident in the books of history, and no other incident is found in which such an order was given.
- Ibn Kathir has clarified that the order to separate this gold and silver was not for Hazrat Muawiyah’s (RA) personal self, but for the Bayt al-Mal (Treasury), so that it could be spent on the welfare of the common people. (Ibn Kathir. 11/169)
- The reason for this was that the nation in Jabal Ashal with whom the jihad was fought had gold in such abundance that even their utensils were made of gold. The Shari’ah rule is that 1/5th (Khums) of the spoils of war obtained during battle is deposited in the Bayt al-Mal, and 4/5ths are distributed among the army. Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) might have estimated that this gold and silver would equal the 1/5th portion. It is quite possible that at that time, there was a shortage of gold and silver in the Bayt al-Mal, which is why this order was given.
- According to Tabari’s narration, this order was not given by Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), but by the governor of Iran, Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan. The narration does not contain the words of his letter; rather, the narrator has conveyed the matter in his own words and has stated the matter in a very vague manner, providing no additional details.
After this analysis, only that person can harbor suspicion about Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) who is accustomed to doing so. Obviously, a person who considers suspicion a permissible act will make a mountain out of a molehill from a minor point, but a person who has even a little fear of God in his heart will not give place to suspicion based on just this one narration.
On the contrary, in Tabari itself, we find the advice of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) that he used to give to his governors. This shows his policy. Its words are:
After hearing Ubaidullah’s words, Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) appointed him as the governor of Khorasan and then said: “For you, I have the same commands as for other officials. In addition, due to our kinship, I advise you that you have a special relationship with me.
- Never leave the greater good for the lesser.
- Hold your own self accountable.
- In the matter between you and your enemy, adhere to your promise, because this will lessen the burden on you and, through you, on us.
- Always keep your door open for the people so that you remain aware of their conditions. They and you are equal.
- When you intend a campaign, make it known to the people, but do not let any self-interested person interfere in it. When it is possible for you to carry out that campaign, then no (self-interested person) should be able to reject your word.
- In war, even if the enemy gains an advantage over you above the ground, understand that they cannot gain an advantage over you below the ground. If such a time befalls your companions that you have to help them with your own life, then do so. Even if a blunt sword cannot cut, do not separate it from its hilt (i.e., continue the fight in every situation).
- Fear Allah and do not consider anything greater than that, for indeed there is reward in the fear of God.
- Protect your honor from stains, and when you make a promise to someone, fulfill it.
- Do not reveal any of your plans before they are firm, but when it is revealed, do not let anyone oppose it.
- When war breaks out with the enemy, arrange for more troops than you have (i.e., keep reserve forces).
- Distribute the spoils of war according to the Quran, and do not tempt anyone with something he does not deserve, nor disappoint anyone of his due right.”(Tabari. 41-/112)
It is clear from the narration’s words that the policy of Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) was no different from the Rightly Guided Caliphs before him. Other narrations should be viewed in this light, and any narration in which rebel narrators have expressed their malice against him should be rejected.
While leveling accusations against Hazrat Muawiyah (RA), another narration is presented: that Hazrat Ali (RA) was told that Hazrat Muawiyah (RA) was winning people over by spending vast amounts of wealth, and that he should do the same. He refused and said, “Do you want me to achieve success through such unjust methods?”
The falsehood of this narration becomes clear from the fact that these words are narrated from Hazrat Ali (RA) himself in Nahj al-Balaghah:
“Is it not strange that Muawiyah invites harsh, cruel people, and they follow him without any stipend or gift? I give you, in addition to your designated stipends, further money, yet you desert me.”
(Sayyid Sharif Radi. Nahj al-Balaghah. Sermon 180)
It is in Tabari:
When Hazrat Ali (RA) finished taking the oath of allegiance from the people of Basra, he inspected the Bayt al-Mal. There were more than sixty lakh (six million) dirhams in it, which he distributed among those who participated in the battle with him. Each person’s share came to five hundred. Then he said to them: “If Allah (SWT) grants you victory in Shaam (Syria), you will receive the same amount in addition to your stipends.”
(Tabari. 3/2-160)
This shows that the sentiments of the people against the killers of Hazrat Uthman (RA) were so strong that they were joining Hazrat Muawiyah’s (RA) army in droves, without the lure of any compensation. On the other hand, since the objective of the people of the rebel movement was merely to collect wealth, they would receive stipends from Hazrat Ali (RA) but would not join him (in battle). Neither Hazrat Ali (RA) nor Muawiyah (RA) committed any breach of trust (khiyanat) in the Bayt al-Mal. Whatever stipends both these gentlemen gave to anyone, it was in exact accordance with the principle that had been in place since the blessed life of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). We have stated above that the purpose of the Islamic economic system was the distribution of wealth so that the needs of every single person could be met. It was the practice of all the Rightly Guided Caliphs to distribute the wealth of the Bayt al-Mal as much as possible so that the wealth could reach every single person. The mention of tribal chiefs in the histories, that they received so many lakhs or so many thousand dirhams, this money was not for their personal selves but was given to be distributed among the people of their tribe. For this, they used to make entries in official registers, and it was audited by the government. Hazrat Uthman (RA), Ali (RA), and Muawiyah (RA), in their respective eras, continued this same practice. Along with the regular army and civil service, reserve forces were maintained, and it was for them that tribal chiefs and heads of families were given stipends in the millions.
(And Allah Ta’ala knows best what is correct.)
Reference: https://alfurqan.info/problems/724
