3. Fulfilling the third Stipulation
Ibn al-Athir said: "Indeed when Mu'awiya perfomed the special prayers (qunut), he sursed Ali, b. Abbas, Al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and Uthman al-Jahiz has narrated; "Indeed Mu'wiya said at the end of his sermon: O Allah, indeed, Abu Turab (ie, Ali) disbelieved in your religion, and prevented (the people) from your way. Therefore curse Him very much, and torture him painfully,' Concerning that, he wrote to the cities. So these words were mentioned from on pulpits."
2
It was said to Marwan: "Why do you curse Him (Ali) on the pulpits? He said: "The authority will not continue for us but through that."
History and the biograhies are full of Mu'awiya's efforts concerning cursing Ali. According to this, Mu'awiya was the first to curse openly the Companions of the Prophet, and the first to open the door widely to those who came after Him. We think that there was no person before Mua'wiya had cursed the Companions of the Prophet except A'sha when she said: Kill N'thal (ie, Uthman), for he has desbelieved (in Allah)." Also we think that no one of the Muslims scholars had called A'isha an unbeliever and Mu'awiya an apostate from the religion, for they deemed it lawful to curse the Companions of the Prophet or for they cursed them to the extent that they intended to accuse them of unbelief. Without doubt the rule of the similar things is one, that does not change due to the time. For this reason we find no justification to judge those who defame Mu'awiya ro any other Companion of the Prophet but through the justification with which the Muslims scholars have judged Mu'awiya and A'sha when they defamed Ali and Uthman.
As for the claimed tradition that says: "If you follow anyone of them (the Muslims), you are guided, it had been limited to a certain
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1. Mohammed b. Aqil, al-Nasa'ih al-Kafiya, pp.19-20.
2. Ibid.
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group of the Companions, so its generality cannot be used as a proof. Other wise those who cursed the Companions of the Prophet would be more appropriate then the others in putting it into effect. Mu'awiya would prevent his tongue from cursing the brilliant figures from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless Him and his family, while it was incumbent on Him (Mu'awiya) to follow them to be guided. The people would prevent their tongue from cursing Mu'awiya and those people oppressive ones who were like Him. Religious fanaticism would die, and peace would occur through reforming the Muslims.
However, it was the evil seed which the man (ie,Mu'awiya) planted intentionally. Then he and his kindship watered it. So it has become the tree of the boxthorn in the history of Islam. With it the Umyyads made the simple people heedless and confused and minds of the ignorant. The Umayyads made cursing 'Ali a sunna (practice) in history. So the Muslims followed it, cerebrated it, and prostested against those who left it.
Mu'awiya had no hoped excuse in what he had rendered to himself from the these remaining acts nor had he glory for which he was envied or flattered in what he had delayed for his history. Moerover, if cleverness is the failure of the man in what he had advanced and delayed, then Mu'awiya was the cleverest of all the clever.!
Among the most wonderful aspects of the cleverness of Mu'awiya was his attitude towards peace which he made with Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. That is because this Peace Treaty brought upon Him spiritual and historical disasters during his lifetime and after his death.
In the opinion of the people, the meaning of peacemaking (I mean the peace on which Mu'awiya insisted) was that he had to break his spearhead, to muzzle his mouth, and to leave Al-Hasan alone, according to the items which the two sides decided when they singed the Peace Treaty. So the third item of their agreement was clear in refraining from cursing. Accordingly, Mu'awiya had to refrain from that if he had wanted real peace or if he had wanted to fulfill the stipulations that were obligatory due to the protection, the covenant, and the oath.
However, Mu'awiya insisted on making peace with Al-Hasan to
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disband his soldiers and to be safe from the disaster of his war against Al-Hasan, the grandson of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, as we have alread mentioned. He did not want to conform to the decisions of the Peace Treaty, nor did he pay attention to the agreements. He signed the Peace Treaty, but it was mere in vain. He went to Kufa, went to up on the pulpit, mentioned Ali and Al-Hasan and defamed them. al-Husayn rose to refute Him, so Al-Hasan took Him by the hind and made Him sit. Then Al-Hasan got up, and said wise words to summon Mu'awiya to the straight path, as we have said in chapter 18.
Mu'awiya was dissatisfied when the people hailed the speech which Al-Hasan made before Him. At that time Mu'awiya was pleased with his imaginary victory. So he thought that it was better for Him to resort to cursing and defaming the people. Noteworthy, the Islamic ideal manners oppose such a kind of behaviour, prevent the people from adopting it, and order them to have mercy on each other, to love each other, and to associate as brothers in the religion. For example, some of the Islamic ideal manners are: "The believer does not abuse, does not say obscene words, does not defame, and does not curse."
"In his book al-Ahdath, Abu Al-Hasan Ali b. Mohammed b. Abu yousif al-Mada'ini said: "After the Year of al-Jama'a (a unified group of people), Mu'awiya wrote a letter. In the letter he said: "I am innocent of Him who narrates something concerning the outstanding qualities of Abu Turab (ie, Ali, peace be on Him and his family). So in every district and on every pulpit, the orators cursed Ali, renounced Him, and defamed Him and his household. At that time, the tribulation of Kufa was more difficult than that of the other (cities), for it had many Shi'a of Ali, peace be on Him."'
1
After the Peace Treaty, Mu'awiya decided to appoint al-Mughira b. Shu'ba as a governor over Kufa. So he summoned Him and said to Him: "Now then before this day, the stick had not been beat for the clement one. The clement ones does not replace you without teaching. I
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1. Ibn Abu al-Haddid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 3, p. 15.
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had wanted to recommend you many things. I will leave them to depend on your idea. However, I will not leave recommending you one quality. Do not leave cursing the dispraising Ali."
1
Then Zyyad became the governor over Kufa after al-Mughira: "Zyyad gathered the people at the gate of is palace and provoked them to curse Ali. Whoever refused (to do that), he (ie, Zyyad) exposed Him to the sword."
2
As for Basra, Mu'awiya appointed Bisr b. Artat over it. So he made speeches on its pulpit and cursed Ali, saying "I will make every man swear by Allah to believe me when I am truthful and to accuse me of lying when I am a liar." In his book 'Tarikh al-Tabari said: "So Abu Bakra said to Zyyad: 'By Allah, we do not know you but a liar. He (ie, al-Tabari) said: Zyyad ordered Him to be brought, so he strangled Him, then they (ie, the people) saved Abu Bakra from Him."
3
As for Medina, Mu'awiya appointed Marwan b. al-Hakam as a governor over it. So the latter cursed Ali on the pulpit every Friday. Ibn Hajar al-Maliki said: "Al-Hasan knew of that. So he did not enter the mosque except during the establishment of the regular prayers (iqama). Marwan refused to accept that. For this reason, he sent (some men) to Al-Hasan's house to curse his father and Him strongly."
After the Peace Treaty, Mu'awiya went to Mecca to perfom the hajj. he circumambulated the Kaaba. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas with Him. When he ended that, he went to the House of the Council (dar al-nadwa). Mu'awiya seated Sa'd beside Him on his bed and began to curse and defame Ali. So Sa'd moved aside, and then he said: you have seated me by you on your bed and began cursing Ali! By Allah, if I had a quality of Ali's qualities, it would be better for me than
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1. Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol.3, p.187.
Al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol.6, p.141.
2. Al-Mas'udi, Hamish b. al-Athir, vol.6, p.99.
3. Al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol.6, p.96. Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol.3, p.105.
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what the sun rises over! By Allah, if I was the the son in law of the prophet, may Allah bless Him and his family, and had sons as Ali had, it would be better for me than what the sun rises over! By Allah, if the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, had said to me what he said at the compaign agaisnt Khaybar: "Indeed, tomorrow, I will give the standard to a man whom Allah and His Apostle love, and who loves Allah and His Apostle. He does not escape. Allah will make a conquest through Him," it would have been better for me than what the sun rises over! By Allah, if the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, had said to me what he said at the Campaign of Tabuk: "you are in the same position with respect to me as Aaron (Harun) was to Moses (Musa) except that there is no Prophet after me," it would have been better for me than what the sun rises over. By Allah, I will not enter a house belongs to you as long as you are living."
1
Al-Mas'udi has narrated Mu'awiya's answer to Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas. However, we think that it is not appropriate for us to mention his answer, for it is ugly. Still it is new proof for Mu'awiya's lowliness in morals, decencies, and compliments.
4. Fulfilling the forth Stipulation
In his book 'Tarikh, vol.6, p.95.' al-Tabari said: "The people of Basra prevented Him (ie, Al-Hasan) from receiving the land tax of Dar Abjard, and they said: 'It is our booty (fayy)."
In his book al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol. 3, p. 162.,' b. al-Athir said: Their prevention (ie, the prevention of the people of Basra) was according to Mu'awiya's order, too.
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1. Al-Mas'udi, Hamish b. al-Athir, vol. 6, pp. 81-2.
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5. Fulfilling the fifth Stipulation
As you have known, this condition was concerning the covenant of security for people in general, and the Shi'a of Ali, in particular, and concerning that Mu'awiya had to aviod doing any disaster secretly and openly towards Al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and their household.
The historians have many texts concerning the matter of this condition: some of thise texts concern the evil disasters which the Umayyad rulers committed against the Shi'a during the time of Mu'awiya; some of them concern the disasters which Mu'awiya Himself committed against the excellent figures from the Companions of the Commander of the faithful; some of them concern Mu'awiya's treason towards Al-Hasan and al-Husayn in particular. For this reason, we will present these texts according to this order, too.
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CHAPTER VII
MU'AWIYA AND THE SHI'A OF
'ALI, PEACE BE ON HIM
Mu'awiya designed an Umayyad policy. The Umayyad rules after Him followed that policy. They (ie, the Umayyads) wanted to make themselves lords. They wanted to show the people that they had all laudable qualities, so they generosity, clemency, cleverness, bravery, and eloquence belonged to them, not to the people. In other words the Umayyads wanted to denote that these qualities were some of their special talents. The Umayyads did their best to fix this intentional policy. Thus they made a false history that was full of a series of babricated traditions, made up stories, various lies, and baseless calims. Moreover, they ordered the hireling preachers and the teachers of the schools in all Muslim countries to study the Umayyad hopes including false praise or fake slander. The Umayyads did their best to make the Syrian youth love the obey them absolutely. So the Syrian youth were ready to sacrifice their innocent lives to serve the aims of Umayyads. Also they were ready to dye the areas of the earth with their own blood to be servants and hirelings in the land of the vitorious lords
The Umayyads had no aim other than government, wealth, and wordly cheap disires. This disturbed those who took care of their religion, namely those who were from the progeny of Mohammed, may Allah bless Him and his family, and from the Muslims who were loyal to Islam to please Allah. From here the continuous disagreement between the Umayyad Muslims and those who were loyal to Islam stated.
In his book (Tarikh, vol. 7, p. 104), al-Tabari has mentioned the following brief tradition on the authority of Zayd b. Anas concerning the general condition when the Shi'ite groups lived during
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Mu'awiya's lifetime. A shi'ite addressed the Shi'ites; "you were killed. your hands and your legs were cut off. your eyes were knocked out. you were raised on the trunks of the date palms. (you suffered from all these persecutions) for the love of the household of your Prophet. Nevertheless you were staying in your houses and obeying your enemy."!
Though this tradition is brief, it contains strange details and terrible presentation. However, al-Mas'udi has not mentioned it in detail.
As for al-Mada'ini (died 225 A,H) and Salim b. Qays (died 70 A.H), they have displayed a full picture about these terrible and sorrowful tragedies. Salim b. Qays was among those who witnessed these tragedies and suffered from them for he lived during Mu'awiya's lifetime and died ten years after Him. No witness is like the eyewitness. For this reason we have chosen his words that are similar to al-Mada'ini's. Salim b. Qays said Mu'wiya came (to perform) the hajj during his Caliphate. That was after the killing of the Commander of the faithful (ie, Imam Ali), and (after) the Peace Treaty with Al-Hasan. The Medinians received Him. Among them was Qays b. Sa'd, who was the chief of the Ansar (helpers) and the son of their chief. So a talk took place between them (ie,Qays b. Sa'd and Mu'awiya). So Qays said: "By my life, no one of the Ansar, of Quraysh, of the Arabs, and of non Arabs has the right to the succession to authority (Khilafa) except Ali and his sons after Him (ie, Ali) Mu'awiya became angry. Thus he wrote one copy (letter) concerning that to all his governors: "Indeed I will not give security to Him who narrates a tradition concerning the laudable deeds of Ali and his household. At every town and place, the orators cursed Ali b. Abu Talib, rnounced Him, and backbited his household. Then Mu'awiya passed by a group from Quraysh. when they saw Him they stood for Him except b. Abbas. So Mua'wiya said: Bin Abbas, nothing has prevented you from standing for me but that I fought against you at the Battle of Siffin. Bin Abbas, my cousin Uthman was unjustly killed. Ibn Abbas said: Also Umar b. al-Khattab was unjustly killed, but he handed over the authority to his son, and this is his son. Indeed a polytheist killed Umar, said Mu'wiya. Who killed Uthman? asked b. Abbas. The Muslims killed Him, replied
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Mu'awiya. Then that refutes your proof. If Muslims killed and abandoned Him, then they killed Him justly, answered b. Abbas. Mu'awiya said Surely we have written to the distant regions to prevent the people from mentioning the laudable deeds of Ali and of his household. Then stop your tongue, b. Abbas, Do you prevent us from reading the Koran? asked b. Abbas, No, Mu'awiya replied. Do you prevent us from explaining it? asked b. Abbas. Yes,' answered Mu'awiya. Do we read it and do not asked about what Allah has meant in it? asked b. Abbas. Yes, replied Mu'awiya. Which is incumbent on us to read it or to act according to it? asked b. Abbas. To act according to it, answered Mu'awiya. How do we act according to it while we do not know what Allah has meant in what He has sent down to us? asked b. Abbas. About that, ask Him who explains it other than what you and your household explain, replied Mu'awiya. Indeed the Koran was sent down to my household shall we ask the family of Abu Sufyan or the family ofAbu Mi'yat about it? asked b. Abbas. Read the Koran and do not narrate what Allah has revealed and what the Apostle of Allah said concerning you, answered Mu'awiya, and narrate other than that. Ibn Abbas said: 'Allah, the Exlted, said: They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mounths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the unbelievers are averse. Mu'awiya said: Bin Abbas, that is enough! Hold back your tongue! If it is necessary for you to do that, then that should be secret. Do not make anyone hear it openly. Then Mu'awiya came back home. In all cities the tribulation became intense against Ali's Shi'a and his household. Kufa was liable to intense persecutions, for it had many Shi'a. He appointed Zyyad as a governor over it. He (Mu'awiya) gathered the Iraqis for Him (Zyyad). He (Zyyad) followed the Shi'a. He was acquinted with their condition, for he was among them. So he killed them everywhere. He Whipped and frightened them, cut off their hands and legs, hanged them on the trunks of the date palms, knock out their eyes, dismissed them, and the made them homeless. Mu'awiya wrote to ihs judges and his governors in the cities of prevent them from accepting the witness of those Shi'a who narrated his (Ali's) outstanding merits and spread his laufable deeds. He (Mu'awiya) wrote to is governors: Look for the Shi'a
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of Uthman, who narrate his qualities and talk about his laudable deeds, so honor them. Write to me the full name of the person who narrates about Uthman. Then he sent them gifts and clothes. He gave the Arabs and the non Arab supporters many country estates. So they became many and competed with each other for the houses and the country estates. For this reason they became rich. Then he (ie, Mu'awiya) wrote to is governors: Indeed the traditions concerning Uthman have become numerous. So when this letter of mine cones to you, then summon them (ie, the Arabs and non, Arab supporters) to report traditions about Abu Bakr and Umar. So every judge or emir read Mu'awiya's letter to the peole.
"Then he (i.e., Mu'awiya) wrote a letter in which he collected all what was reported sconcerning Abu Bakr and Uthman. Then he sent the letter to his governors and ordered them to read it on the pulpits, in every city, and at every mosque. Also he ordered them to send the letter to the teachers of the schools to each it to their boys to narrate it and learn it as they learned the Koran. Moreover, they taught the letter to their daughters, their wives, and their servants. Then Mu'awiya wrote one copy (ie a letter) (to is governors): When you prove that some one love Ali and his household, then omit Him from the register. Then he wrote another letter: Whomever you accuse and do not prove (his innocences), then kill Him. So they killed the Shi'a of Ali, everywhere because of accusation, doubt, and suspicion to the extent that the men (of them) was beheaded because of a certain word. Mu'awiya made the stituation every dangerous. The followers of the Umyyads increased in number. They fabricated many tradtions. So the people followed them and learned tradtions from them only. The most dangerous of all people in that were the hupocrite readers (of the Koran) who affected sadness, piety, and ascerticism while they told lies to find (an important postion) with their rulers and to obtain, through that, traditions were true, so they learned them narrated them and taught them (to the people). Also the religious persons who thought that falsehood was learned (ther traditions). They accepted the traditions and thought that they were true. If they had known that the traditions were false, they would have not narrated them, nor would
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have they adopted them. When Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on Him, died, the discord and the tribulation became greater and more intense."
I (ie, the author) say: Abu Al-Hasan al-Mada'ini has narrated a full text similar to the above mentioned one. Ibn Abu al-Haddid has reported the account on his authority in his book called (sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 3, pp. 15- 16), He (ie, Abu Al-Hasan al-Mada'ini) has said at the end of the account: "The situation went on that manner till Al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be on Him, died. So the tribulation and the discord increased so that everybody of this kind (ie, of Ali's Shi'a and his household) were afraid of killing or homelessness in the earth."
The companion between the conditions of the two sides (ie, Al-Hasan and Mu'awiya) accepts this method of the events, and the historical coordination in the succession of the events confirmes it. The things the other historians omitted to do not harm this method, for they, and we forgive them, wrote for the standing policy or at least for what did not harm it.
We have already mentioned that al-Tabari and al-Mas'udi have briefly referred to that. According to this, the sources of this matter are: S'Alim b. Qays, al-Mada'ini, b. Abu al-Haddid, al-Tabari, and al-Mas'udi.
In the way of Allah, there were bloody remaining bodily parts, scattered families, and the ruins of the houses whose dwellers were driven to the iceland as the cattles were driven. So some of them died, some of them waited (for their death), but they never changed (their doctrine).
This was mobilization of Mu'awiya who wanted to take the succession to authority in Islam for his own self and for his own children!
This was his early method in fullfilling the pledges of Allah and His covenants!
After that, S'Alim b. Qays added: "One year before the death of Mu'awiya, al-Husayn b. 'Ali, Abd Allah b. Abbas, and Abd Allah b. Ja'far performed the hajj. Then al-Husayn gathered the banu (sons)
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of Hashim, their menfolk, their womenfolk, and thier supporters. Besides he gathered the Ansar whom he, peace be on Him and his family, knew. Then he summoned messengers (and said to them): Gather to me the righteous Companions of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah Bless Him and his family. So more than seven hundred men met Him at Mina. Most of them were later (Companions of the Prophet) About two hundred men from the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless Him and his family, (met Him there, too). Then al-Husayn addressed them.
"He praised Allah and lauded Him, and then he said: Now then, indeed this tyrant (ie, Mu'awiya) has done towards us and towards our Shi'a what you have seen, known, and borne witness for. Indeed I want to ask you about a thing. So indeed, if I say the truth, then believe me. If I tell lies, them accuse me of lying. Hear my words and write down my speech. Then you return to your homelands and your tribes. Summon those from the people whom you trust to what you know of our right. That is because I am afraid that this matter will be oblierated, and the truth will be removed and overcome. (Still) Allah shall complete His Light even if the unbelievers hate (that).'
"He left nothing of what Allah has revealed in the Koran concerning them but he read it and explained it, nor did he leave a thing of what the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family, said concerning his father, his brother, his mother, Himself, and his household but he narrated it. Moreover, his compaions said: "O Allah, yes. Indeed we have heard and seen (that). The later Companion say: O Allah, he whom I believe and trust from the Companions of (the Prophet) told me about it.'
"Then he (i.e., al-Husayn) said: I implore Allah for you to tell Him whose religion you trust."
