So Mu'awiya reinforced his weak front with this stupid group of
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the people. That was when he fought against Ali, peace be on Him.
In this manner Mu'awiya showed his militaty deeds in history.
Mu'awiya was not a military man in the full sense of the word. He did not take care of drawing plans and leading the battles. He was not a military man at the time of bravery and horsemanship. Namely, he did not show these two qualities when he was summoned to fight against a brave man or to clash with a horsemen.
The Commander of the faithful (ie, Imam Ali), peace be hin Him, summoned Mu'awiya to fight against, Him but the latter refused as the cowardly one did.1
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1. In his book (al-Mahasin wa al-Masawi, vol. 1, p. 37), al-Bayqahi said: "When the Battel of Siffin occurred, the Commander of the faithful ( Imam Ali) wrote to Mu'awiya b. Abu sufyan: Why are the people killed between us? Duel with me. If you killed me then you would get rid of me. If I killed you, then I would get of you So Amru b. Al Assaid to Mu'awiya: the man (ie the Cmmander of the faithful) has treated you with justice, duel with Him, Mu'awiya said: No, b. al-As, your want me to diel with Him to kill me, and you take the reins of the Caliphate after me! Quraysh have known that b. Abu Talib is their master and their lion."
Also al-Bayqahi (p. 38) said: "On the authority of al-Sha'bi who said that Amru b. al-As came to Mu'awiya when there were some people sitting with Him. when Mu'awiya saw Amru b. al-As coming forward Him, he smiled. So Amru said to Him: Commander of the faithful, may Allah make your tooth smile and make you happy, what has made you smile? So Mu'awiya replied: The Battle of Siffin has come to mind. I have remembered the day when you fought against the Iraqis, then Ali b. Abu Talib attacked you. When he was about to kill you, you threw yourself off your camel and showed your genitals! How did that come to your mind at that time indeed, by Allah you fought against a Hashimite Manafi (person). If he had willed to kill you, he would have done that. Then Amru said Mu'awiya, if my affair has made you laugh, then laugh at yourself. Indeed, by Allah, if a part of your face had appeared, he would have hurt your eye, orphaned your family, made your property plunder, and seperated your authority. However, you guarded gainst Him with the men in whose hands were spears. Surely, I saw you on the day when he (Ali) summonded you to duel with hi, so you became cross- eyed, the corner of your mouth foamed, your nostills spreas out, your forehead oozed sweat, and some of your lower part, which I hate to mention, appeared, Then Mu'awiya said: That is enough! We do not want all this."
Al-Mas'udi as narrated this tradition. (See, Hamish b. al-Athir, vol. 6. p. 91). He started this traditions with the following words of Amru, b. al-As to Mu'awiya: "Were it not for Egypt and her authrity, I would escape from her, for I have known that Ali b. Abu Talib was right, and I have opposed Him. Then Mu'awiya said: "By Allah Egypt has made you blind. Were it not for Egypt, I would find you endowed with eyesight. Then Mu'awiya laughted very much. Amru b. al-As said: Why are you laughing? I am laughing at the presence of your mind on the day when you dueled with Ali."
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Yes, Mu'awiya had a talent, but it was at a limited place. He had generosity but it was of a unique kind. He had a hobby that had a powerful control over his life.
As for his talent, it helped Him seize the opportunites during the critical situations of the people. As for his hobby, it helped Him usurp authority, As for his generosity, it did not help Him take the hereafter into consideration.
Perhaps Mu'awiya knew that he was unlike the military man who fought bravely for Islam. For this reason, he chose to fight against the Iraqis according his talent that orderted Him to prefer the war of discords to the war of weapons.
The experiences Mu'awiya got during the Battle of Siffin convinced Him very much to adopt this choice (of discords).
At that battle, Mu'awiya got ready to ran away on the back of his horse, but he adopted the early idea which his great adviser, Amru b. al-As, suggested. Accordingly, the wide- range discord befell the Muslims and caused various kinds of hardships and disaster for them.
In Mu'awiya's opinion, the discord was the best way to achieve success. It was, according to Mu'awiya's experiences, stronger than the weapon. So he depend on the whenever he faced critical situations he created on various occasions.
Through the discord, Mu'awiya succeeded in founding a great peerless organ of government. He created that discord through the great wealth with which Sham supplied Him throughout two full decades of year, and through his wicked companions such as al-Mughira b. Shu'ba and Amru b. al-As. Worth mentioning, Amru b.
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al-As was the most dengerous person in sowing discords. It was he who "scretched an ulcer and ripped it open."
Apart from these two persons, Mu'awiya added Zyyad b. 'Ubayd al-Rumi1 to Him. He took Him from the Camp of Al-Hasan, peace be
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1. Zyyad was the governor of Al-Hasan b. Ali peace be on them, over a district from persian (Iran). He ruled the district from the time of Al-Hasan's father. Abd Allah b. Abbas sent Him there when the former was the governor of Basra.
Mu'awiya wrote to Zyyad to threaten Him. At the place of his work, in Persia, Zyyad delivered a speech in which he abused Mu'awiya and described Him as "the son of the woman who at the livers, the cave of hypocrisy, and the rest of the allies (ahzab)." Zyyad threatened Mu'awiya with the two grandsons of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family. At that time he was among their followers (Shi'a) and their Muslim soldiers. you will find the text of the speech in chapter the Number of the Army in this book.
As for the matter of the additions of Zyyad to Him, it s in brief: Abu Sufyan (Mu'awiya's father) committed adultery with an adulteress called Sumayya, who belonged to the great figures in Ta'if. She was paying the taxt to al-Harth b. Kilida al-Thaqafi. So she gave birth to Zyyad. Mu'awiya accepted the testimony of both b. Asma al-Harmazi and Abu Mariyam al-Khammar al-siluli, the two procurers of this adulteress. Accordingly, Mu'awiya added Zyyad as legal brother to Him, though Abd Allah b. Amir (Mu'awiya's son in law) intended to bring some persons to swear by Allah that Abu Sufyan had not seen Sumayya. Then Juwayriya, the daughter of Abu Sufyan, showed her hair to Zyyad and said to Him "you are my brother. Abu Maryam has told me about that. Concerning his first father on whose bed he was born, whom he exchange for Abu Sufyan, Zyyad said: "'Ubayd was not but a thanked father, then he came down. That was in the year 41 A.H, according to the most correct narrations Zyyad's father was a Roman slave called 'Ubayd. al-Harth b. Kilidda al-Thaqafi possessed Him.
The people regarded the events of the additions of Zyyad to Mu'awiya as the greatest profligacy that took place openly in Islam.
Ibn al-Athir said: "The addition of Zyyad (to Abu Sufyan) was the first thing with which the Islamic law was openly violated, for the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him had his family, decided that the child was for bed and stoning was for the prostitute. However, Mu'awiya decided contrary to that, according to the pre- Islamic laws. Allah, the Exalted, says: 'Is it then the judgement of the pre-Islamic times that they desire? And who is better than Allah to judge for a people who are sure?
Zyyad knew that the Arabs did not recognize that lineage, for they knew his real lineage and the reasons for his addition (to Abu Sufyan). Accordingly, he wrote a book and called it al-Mathalib. In the book, he attributed all defects to the Arabs to show his reckless racism.
It was predestined to Zyyad to rule over Kufa after the death of its first Umayyad governor(al-Mughira b. Shu'ba al-Tahqafi.), so he turned it into a burning fire and lasting convulsion.
In his book (Tarikh, vol.6, p.123.), al-Tabari said: "When Zyyad came to Kufa, he said (to the Kufans); I have come to you carrying an order which I had not asked but for you". The Kufans said: Summon us to whatever you want. He said: Add my lineage to Mu'awiya. It is impossible for us to bear a false witness said the Kufans. He was the first to rule both Kufa and Basra. He was the first person before whom the soldiers walked carrying bayonets and spear. He was the first to appoint guards. When he was away from Kufa and Basra, he appointed Samra b. Jundub as his successor over Basra and Amru b. Hurayth over Kufa. When he came back to Basra after six months he found that Samra had killed eight thousand persons. (All of them gathered the Koran)."
Zyyad died in the year 53 A.H. The abbasid Muhdi took the reins of authority in the year 15 A.H. then he ordered ths addition (of Zyyad to Abu Sufyan) to be abolished, and orderd the family of Zyyad to be taken out of the Divan of Quraysh and of the Arabs. In this way Zyyad was again attributed to his father, the Roman slave."
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on Him, in the exposed way in history. These were the three fearful person of Mu'awiya. It was the they who caused discords among the people, shook the world, and confused Islam At last, the discord, in its general, sense, was the talent of Mu'awiya, for which no brilliant person competed with Him.
According to this rule, Mu'awiya developed his war against Al-Hasan by using discords.
When Mu'awiya gathered his fighters on the Iraqi borders, he did not want to fight against them; rather he was afraid that his opponents would surprise Him. Moreover, he wanted to fight against them in fields other then those of war.
Mu'awiya did not reveal this secret of his but for flatter and whitewash. Through these two qualities he tried to denote that he inclined to the public interests and to fear for the affairs of the people. So when he looked at the armies of the two parties during his attitude
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towards Al-Hasan, he said: Indeed, if these and those are killed, then who will take care of the affairs of the people."1 Also he said: "The small affair turns away the big affair.2
We think that Mu'awiya ussed this or that means to avoid the results of war of weapons. For he thought that if the Iraqis had been truthful in fighting. He, according the this possibility, had no knowledge of the attitude of the Kufans during their readiness to fight alongside Al-Hasan. In other words, he imagined the unreal results of the Shi'ite summons to fighting.
Mu'awiya hesitated about whether to start war. For he thought that he had to avoid creating a scandal in the Islamic world through fighting against the two lords of the youth of Paradise, the two sons of the daughter of the Apostle of Allah bless Him and his family.
The letters of the traitors from the leaders of the Kufans and from the chiefs of their trives urged Mu'awiya to adopt the war of discords in stead of the war of the weapons. That is because such traitorous leaders and chiefs wrote to Him. In their letters they underlined that they would listen and obey. Moreover, they made appointements with Him. They guaranteed to hand over Al-Hasan or to kill Him treacherously when they got to his camp.3
Among the most skillful methods of the discord was the Mu'awiya gathered all the letters of the traitorous leaders. He summoned al-Mughira b. Shu'ba, Abd Allah b. Amir b. Kurayz, and Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hakam. He orderd them to send all the letters to Al-Hasan4 Himself to read them and to know the intentions of their owners from volunteers of his army. Besides, through this discord of the letters, Mu'awiya tried to find a way for peace and mutual
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1. Ibn Kuthayr, al-Bidaiya wa al-Nahaiya, vol. 8, p. 17.
2. Al-Mas'udi, Hamish b. al-Athir, vol.6, p.67.
3. See the footnote in chapter 3.
4. Al-Ya' qubi, Tairkh, vol. 2, p. 191.
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understanding for halving authority. Thus he orderd the above mentioned persons to negotiate with Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, about that.
Al-Hasan considered carefully the Kufans' letters and signatures. For he was aware of their writing and signatures. Then he was sure that the letters belonged to the owners of the signatures. However, the letters did not increase Al-Hasan's knowledge of his followers. Also he found nothing new in the letters, for he had known the inclinations and desires of such persons. Moreover, he had known their moral irregularity through which they caused many tragedies and disasters throughout Al-Hasan's life. Then their inclinations and desires became very clear on the day when he summoned them to take part in jihad (holy war).
Then Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, began addressing the Syrian delegation using accurate words. He did not decide a thing, nor did he reveal a secret. Moreover, he advised al-Mughira and his companions to support Allah, the Great and Almighty, and to leave aggression against Him. Also he reminded them to the things for which they would be responsible before Allah and His Apostle, especially concerning his (ie, Al-Hasan's) right (in succession to authority).
We do not know whether Al-Hasan accepted the idea of peace with Mu'awiya or not.
However, we have known that al-Mughira and his companions entered the Camp of al-Mada'in when they were permitted to submit the letters to Imam Al-Hasan. They did not leave the camp till they created the greatest discord in it. The hostle delegation left Al-Hasan and began looking at the situations of the camp were looking at them and trying to hear their words. For some members of the delegation began talking loudly with each other to make the people there hear them. Among their words are: "Indeed, Allah has revented bloodshed through the grandson of the Apostle of Allah. He has calmed the discord when He made Him (ie Al-Hasan) ready to make peace
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(with Mu'awiya).1
These words of them created nothing but the discord iteslf, namely they used these words and the like to impose peace on Al-Hasan.
So the coming of the delegations was a dangerous trick during those critical conditions of al-Mada'in, for the people there were quickly confused by those who created the sorrowful events at the Camp of Maskan.
Worth mentioning, the majority of the people in al-Mada'in insisted on fighting against Mu'awiya, for they were indifferent to making peace with Him. Besides they thought that the rest of the fighters at the Camp of Maskan would help them to go on resisting when their resistance would be weak. Maybe, they or some of them did not think about that, but they insisted on war, for they chose to fight against Mu'awiya with every means (possible)2 That was the idea of the Kharijites in the army of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. In this connetion al-Mughira and his companions said: "He (Al-Hasan) has agreed to make peace (with Mu'awiya)." They regarded these words as unbearable unblieving ones.
The riot of a big group such as the Kharijites was the reason for shaking the ideas of many groups of fighters. The ideas of the Kharijites affected the weak person who hesitated between obedience and disobedience made by any person and at any time.
The three Syrian persons designed a plan to create a violent discord in Mada'in.
Now, it is easy for us to understand the answers Al-Hasan gave to the delegation. We are sure that they have nothing concerning peace with Mu'awiya. Meanwhile they indicate that Al-Hasan was not ready to make peace with Him. That is because if Al-Hasan had agreed to make peace with Mu'awiya as the delegation declared, then everything would have ended and the attitude between Iraq and Sham
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1. al-Ya'qubi, Tarikh, vol.191.
2. al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 10 p. 110. al-Mufid, al-Irshad.
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(Syria) would have been settled. Therefore, why did this discord occur? Why was this discord used as a weapon during peace? Doesn't peace mean disarmament?
Accordingly, Al-Hasan declared nothing concerning making peace with Mu'awiya.
Indeed, this discord was the most dangerous weapon the Serians used.
Mu'awiya mastered this weapon(the discord) through a very awful manner, he created it through various kinds of lies. He chose accurately the senses of these lies, and considered carefully the ways to achieve them. then he spread them about the Camps of Al-Hasan.
"So he went some persons to Camp of Al-Hasan in al-Mada'in to say: Qays b. Sa'd, who was the successor of b. Abbas, has made peace with Mu'awiya and joined his camp1
He (Mu'awiay) sent some persons to the Camp of Qays at Maskan to say: "Al-Hasan has made peace with Mu'awiya and answered Him.2
Then Mu'awiya spread a rumor at the Camp of al-Mada'in: Qays b. Sa'd has been killed, so desert (the camp)"3
Do you not think that these rumors affected the army in al-Mada'in? Do you not think that it heard of the treason of the previous commander who was not worthy of treason? Do you not think that such an army believed the treason of the second commander and the news about his death?
Maskan, like al-Mada'in, had tragedies, and spites. It had mixed groups of people who inclimed to desert (Al-Hasan). Moreover, it has agents who went on creating discords and spreading the worst news.
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1. Al-Ya'qubi, Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 191.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 161. al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol, 6,p. 96. Ibn al-Athir al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vo, 8, p.14. al-Dimyari, Hayat al-Hayawan, p.57.
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In this way Mu'awiya obtained what he wanted through the discords he made, Besides the two armies( ie,the Army of Maskan and that of al-Mada'in.) were liable to disturbances and sorrowful events that were not appropriate for the battle field.
From the day when it ruled over the Arab Peninsula, Islam was not afflicted by such an ugle disaster. For it made the situations of the Caliphate stagger among the slowness of the soldiers, the weakness of the leaders, the treason of the commander, and the discords of the enemy.
The critical conditions warned Al-Hasan against numerous hardships and disasters. For those hardships and disasters ended his short successon that was the whitest and most wonderful page in the history of Islam, and most of all pages in glory and honor.
It was the disaster that forshadowed the unlucky moment in the history of Islam. The moment which was based on the operations of the history between the periods, the period of Caliphate with excellent qualities, and the period of the biting (terrorist) authority"1 with imposed predestined tribulation.
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him was the most knowledgeable person in those feeble moral, the most desirous Muslim for protecting Islam, and the most patient man in bearing those disasters. All those misfortunes and disasters did not increase Him but brilliance in loyalty, glow in idea, death defiance in carring to the obligation, and sacrifice for the doctrine.
Al-Hasan was not confused though the situation was full of
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1. After al-Himyari (Hayat al-Hayawan, vol.1, p.58) had mentioned th succession of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, and counted its days, he said: "The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, said: The succession to authority will be trrorism. Then it will be omnipotence and corruption in the earth. All that occurred as the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, said.
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confusion. There was no narrowness in his heart,1 nor reprimand, nor regret. However, he stood up to choose the idea, to draw the plan, and to take measures.
It was necessary for Al-Hasan to study all these ideas to choose the most appropriate one of them.
This is what we want to call the Attitude towards Confusion.'
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1. Ibn Kuthayr (al-Badaiya wa al-Nahaiya, vol. 8, p. 19) said; "And he (ie, Al-Hasan, peace be on Him,) was pious, wise, and laudable during that attitude. In his heart there was no narrowness, nor reprimand, nor regret. Rather he was happy and satisfied with that.
