Letter 64: In reply to Mu`awiyah

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

كتبه إلى معاوية، جواباً عن كتاب منه

Now then, certainly, we and you were on amiable terms as you say but difference arose between us and you the other day, when we accepted belief (iman) and you rejected it. Today the position is that we are steadfast (in the belief) but you are creating mischief. Those of you who accepted Islam did so reluctantly and that too when all the chief men had accepted Islam and joined the Messenger of Allah- (may Allah bless him and his descendants).

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّا كُنَّا نَحْنُ وَأَنْتُمْ عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنَ الاْلْفَةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ، فَفَرَّقَ بيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَمْسِ أَنَّا آمَنَّا وَكَفَرْتُمْ، وَالْيَوْمَ أَنَّا اسْتَقَمْنَا وَفُتِنْتُمْ، وَمَا أَسْلَمَ مُسْلِمُكُمْ إِلاَّ كَرْهاً، وَبَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ أَنْفُ الاْسْلاَمِ كُلُّهُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) حرباً

You have stated that I killed Talhah and az-Zubayr, forced `A'ishah out of her house and adopted residence between the two cities (Kufah and Basrah).1 These are matters with which you have no concern nor do they involve anything against you. Therefore, no explanation about them is due to you. You also state that you are coming to me with a party of Muhajirun and Ansar, but hijrah came to an end on the day your brother was taken prisoner. If you are in a hurry, then wait a bit as I may come to meet you and that would be more befitting as that would mean that Allah has appointed me to punish you. But if you come to me it would be as the poet of Banu Asad said:

They are advancing against summer winds which are hurling stones on them in the highlands and lowlands.

وَذَكَرْتَ أَنِّي قَتَلْتُ طَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ، وَشَرَّدْتُ بِعَائِشَةَ، وَنَزَلْتُ بَيْنَ الْمِصْرَيْنِ! وَذلِكَ أَمْرٌ غِبْتَ عَنْهُ، فَلاَ عَلَيْكَ، وَلاَ الْعُذْرُ فِيهِ إِلَيْكَ

وَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّكَ زَائِرِي فِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأنْصَارِ، وَقَدِ انْقَطَعَتِ الْهِجْرَةُ يَوْمَ أُسِرَ أَخُوكَ، فَإِنْ كَانَ فِيكَ عَجَلٌ فَاسْتَرْفِهْ، فَإِنِّي إِنْ أَزُرْكَ فَذلِكَ جَدِيرٌ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللهُ إِنَّمَا بَعَثَنِي لِلنِّقْمَةِ مِنْكَ! وَإِنْ تَزُرْنِي فَكَمَا قَالَ أَخُو بَنِي أَسَد :

مُسْتَقْبِلِينَ رِيَاحَ الصَّيْفِ تَضْرِبُهُمْ * بِحَاصِببَيْنَ أَغْوَار وَجُلْمُودِ

(Remember) I have still the sword with which I dispatched your grandfather, your mother's brother and your brother to one and the same place. By Allah, I know what you are. Your heart is sheathed and your intelligence is weak. It is better to say that you have ascended to where you view a bad scene which is against you, not in your favour, because you are searching a thing lost by someone else, you are tending someone else's cattle and you are hankering after a thing which is not yours, nor have you any attachment with it.

How remote are your words from your actions, and how closely you resemble your paternal and maternal uncles who were led by their wickedness and love for wrong to oppose Muhammad (may Allah bless him and his descendants) and in consequence they were killed as you know. They could not put up a defence against the calamity and could not protect their place of safety from the striking of swords which abound in the battle and which do not show weakness.

وَعِنْدِيَ السَّيْفُ الَّذِي أَعْضَضْتُهُ بِجَدِّكَ وَخَالِكَ وَأَخِيكَ فِي مَقَام وَاحِد، وَإِنَّكَ وَاللهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ الاْغْلَفُ الْقَلْبِ، الْمُقارِبُ الْعَقْلِ، وَالاْوْلَى أَنْ يُقَالَ لَكَ: إِنَّكَ رَقِيتَ سُلَّماً أَطْلَعَكَ مَطْلَعَ سُوء عَلَيْكَ لاَ لَكَ، لاِنَّكَ نَشَدْتَ غَيْرَ ضَالَّتِكَ، وَرَعَيْتَ غَيْرَ سَائِـمَتِكَ، وَطَلَبْتَ أَمْراً لَسْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَلاَ فِي مَعْدِنِهِ، فَمَا أَبْعَدَ قَوْلَكَ مِنْ فِعْلِكَ!! وَقَرِيبٌ مَا أَشْبَهْتَ مِنْ أَعْمَام وَأَخْوَال! حَمَلَتْهُمُ الشَّقَاوَةُ، وَتَمَنِّي الْبَاطِلِ، عَلَى الْجُحُودِ بِمُحَمَّد (صلى الله عليه وآله) فَصُرِعُوا مَصَارِعَهُمْ حَيْثُ عَلِمْتَ، لَمْ يَدْفَعُوا عَظِيماً، وَلَمْ يَمْنَعُوا حَرِيماً، بِوَقْعِ سُيُوف مَا خَلاَ مِنْهَا الْوَغَى، وَلَمْ تُمَاشِهَا الْهُوَيْنَى

You have said a lot about killing of `Uthman. You first join what the people have joined (i.e., allegiance) then seek a verdict about (the accused people) from me and I shall settle the matter between you and them according to the Book of Allah, the Sublime. But what you are aiming at is just the fake nipple given to a child in the first days of stopping of nursing. Peace be on those who deserve it.

وَقَدْ أَكْثَرْتَ فِي قَتَلَةِ عُثْمانَ، فَادْخُلْ فِيَما دَخَلَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ، ثُمَّ حَاكِمِ الْقُوْمَ إِلَيَّ، أَحْمِلْكَ وَإِيَّاهُمْ عَلَى كِتَابِ اللهِ. وَأَمَّا تِلْكَ الَّتِي تُرِيدُ فَإِنَّهَا خُدْعَةُ الصَّبِيِّ عَنِ اللَّبَنِ فِي أَوَّلِ الْفِصَالِ، وَالسَّلاَمُ لاِهْلِهِ

Notes

1. Mu`awiyah had written a letter to Amir al-mu'minin in which after recalling mutual unity and amicability he laid on him the blame of killing Talhah and az-Zubayr and ousting `A'ishah from her house and objected to his adopting Kufah as his seat of government in place of Medina. In the end, he gave a threat of war and said that he was about to come out with a force of muhajirun and ansar to fight. Amir al-mu'minin wrote this letter in reply to him, wherein commenting on Mu`awiyah's claim for unity he says that: "There might have been unity between you and us but with the advent of Islam such a gulf has developed between the two that it is not possible to bridge it, and such a separation has occurred which cannot be removed. This was because we responded to the call of the Prophet and hastened towards Islam but your position was that you were still in the state of unbelief and ignorance whereby we and you came to adopt separate ways. But when Islam secured stability and the chiefs of Arabs entered its fold you too were obliged to, and secured protection of your lives by putting the covering of Islam on your faces, but continued secretly to fan the mischief intended to shatter its foundations. Since we had accepted Islam of our own free will and pleasure we adhered to the right path and at no stage did any faltering occur in our steadfastness. Therefore, your acceptance of Islam too could not make us agree with your views."

As regards Nlu`awiyah's accusation that Amir al-mu'minin engineered the killing of Talhah and az-Zubayr; then even if this blame is admitted as true, is it not a fact that they had openly revolted against Amir al-mu'minin and had risen for war after breaking the allegiance. Therefore, if they were killed in connection with the revolt their blood would be wasted and no blame would lie on the killer, because the penalty for him who revolts against the rightful Imam is death, and fighting against him is permissible, without doubt. The fact however, is that this accusation has no reality because Talhah was killed by a man of his own party. Thus, the historians write:

Marwan ibn al-Hakam shot Talhah with an arrow and turning to Aban ibn `Uthman said: "We have killed a killer of your father and relieved you of revenge." (Ibn Sa`d, vol.3, part 1, p.159; Ibn al-Athir, vol.3, p.244; al-Isti`ab, vol.2, pp.766-769; Usd aI-ghabah, vol.3, pp.60,61; al-Isabah, vol.2, p.230; Tahdhib, at-tahdhib, vol.5, p.21).

As for az-Zubayr, he was killed by `Amr ibn Jurmuz on his way back from Basrah, and there was no prompting by Amir al-mu'minin in it. Similarly, `A'ishah herself came out of her house as the head of this rebellious group while Amir al-mu'minin counselled her several times to realize her position and not to step out of her bounds but these things had no effect on her.

Of the same type was his criticism that Amir al-mu'minin left Medina and adopted Kufah as the seat of his government because Medina turns out bad people from itself and throws away dirt. The reply to it is only this that Mu`awiyah himself too always retained Syria as his capital keeping away from Medina.

In this way, what right can he have to object to Amir al-mu'minin changing his seat. Amir al-mu'minin left Medina because of those rebellions which had cropped up from all sides. To suppress them only the selection of such a place as capital from where military assistance could be mobilized at any time could be useful. Thus, Amir al-mu'minin had seen on the occasion of the battle of Jamal that a great majority of the people of Kufah had supported him and that therefore by making it a base for the army, defence against the enemy could be easily managed, while Medina was not appropriate for military mobilization or for supplies.

Lastly, as for Mu'awiyah's threat that he would march with muhajirun and ansar, Amir al-mu'minin gave a reply to this point in a very subtle way, namely that, "How would you bring muhajirun now since the door for hijrah was closed the day when your brother Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan was taken prisoner." This man was taken prisoner on the day of the fall of Mecca and there is no question of hijrah after the fall of Mecca so as to enable any one to be called a muhajirun because of the Prophet's saying: "There is no hijrah after the victory over Mecca."

Letter 65: To Mu`awiyah

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إليه أيضاً

Now, this is the time1 that you should derive benefit by observing a clear view of the main matters, because you have been treading in the path of your forefathers in making wrong claims, spreading false and untrue notions, claiming for yourself what is far above you and demanding what is not meant for you, because you want to run away from right and to revolt against what is more fastened to your flesh and blood namely what has been heard by the depth of your ears and has filled your chest. And after forsaking right there remains nothing except clear misguidance, and after disregarding a (clear) statement there is nothing except confusion. You should therefore guard (yourself) against doubts and its ill-effects of confusion, because for a long time mischief has spread its veils and its gloom has blinded your eyes.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ آنَ لَكَ أَنْ تَنْتَفِعَ بِالَّلمْحِ الْبَاصِرِ مِنْ عِيَانِ الاْمُورِ، فَقَدْ سَلَكْتَ مَدَارِجَ أَسْلاَفِكَ بِادِّعَائِكَ الاْباطِيلَ، وَإقْحَامِكَ غُرُورَ الْمَيْنِ وَالاْكَاذِيبِ، وَبِانْتِحَالِكَ مَا قَدْ عَلاَ عَنْكَ، وَابْتِزَازِكَ لِمَا قَدِ اخْتُزِنَ دُونَكَ، فِرَاراً مِنَ الْحَقِّ، وَجُحُوداً لِمَا هُوَ أَلْزَمُ لَكَ مِنْ لَحْمِكَ وَدَمِكَ، مِمَّا قَدْ وَعَاهُ سَمْعُكَ، وَمُلِىءَ بِهِ صَدْرُكَ، فَمَاذَا بَعْدَ الْحَقِّ إِلاَّ الضَّلاَلُ، وَبَعْدَ الْبَيَانِ إِلاَّ الَّلبْسُ؟ فَاحْذَرِ الشُّبْهَةَ وَاشْتِمالَهَا عَلَى لَبْسَتِهَا، فَإِنَّ الْفِتْنَةَ طَالَمَا أَغْدَفَتْ جَلاَبِيبَهَا، وَأَغْشَتِ الاْبْصَارَ ظُلْمَتُهَا

I have received your letter which is full of uncouth utterances which weaken the cause of peace and nonsensical expressions which have not been prepared with knowledge and forbearance. By reason of these things you have become like one who is sinking in a marsh or groping in a dark place. You have raised yourself to a position which is difficult to approach and devoid of any signs (to guide). Even the royal kite cannot reach it. It is parallel to the `Ayyuq (the star Capella), in height.

وَقدْ أَتَانِي كِتَابٌ مِنْكَ ذُو أَفانِينَ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ ضَعُفَتْ قُوَاهَا عَنِ السِّلْمِ، وَأَسَاطِيرَ لَمْ يَحُكْهَا مِنْكَ عِلْمٌ وَلاَ حِلْمٌ، أَصْبَحْتَ مِنْهَا كَالْخَائِضِ فِي الدَّهَاسِ، وَالخَابِطِ فِي الدِّيمَاسِ، وَتَرَقَّيْتَ إِلَى مَرْقَبَة بَعِيدَةِ الْمَرَامِ، نَازِحَةِ الاْعْلاَمِ، تَقْصُرُ دوُنَهَا الاْنُوقُ، وَيُحَاذَى بَهَا الْعَيُّوقُ

May Allah forbid that you be in charge of people's affairs after my assuming authority as Caliph, or that I issue an edict or document granting you authority over any one of them. Therefore, from now onwards guard yourself and be watchful, because if you recalcitrate till the people of Allah (are forced to) rush upon you, then matters will be closed for you and whatever can be accepted from you today will not be accepted then; and that is an end to the matter.

وَحَاشَ لله أَنْ تَلِيَ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ بَعْدِي صَدْراً أَوْ وِرْداً، أَوْ أُجْرِيَ لَكَ عَلَى أَحَد مِنْهُمْ عَقْداً أَوْ عَهْداً!! فَمِنَ الاْنَ فَتَدَارَكْ نَفْسَكَ، وَانْظُرْ لَهَا، فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ فَرَّطْتَ حَتَّى يَنْهَدَ إِلَيْكَ عِبَادُ اللهِ أُرْتِجَتْ عَلَيْكَ الاْمُورُ،مُنِعْتَ أَمْراً هُوَ مِنْكَ الْيَوْمَ مَقْبُولٌ

Notes

1. At the end of the battle of the Kharijites, Mu`awiyah wrote a letter to Amir al-mu'minin wherein, as usual, he indulged in mud-throwing. In reply, Amir al-mu'minin wrote this letter in which he has tried to draw Mu`awiyah's attention to the clear facts about this very battle of the Kharijites, because this battle took place in accordance with the prophecy of the Prophet while Amir al-mu'minin himself too had said before the battle that besides the people of Jamal and Siffin he had to fight against one more group and they were the "deviators" from the religion, namely the Kharijites. The occurrence of this battle and the killing of the man with breasts (Dhu'th- thudayyah) was a clear proof of Amir al-mu'minin being in the right. If Mu'awiyah had not been obsessed with self-advertisement and lust for conquests, and had not shut his eyes against the right like his forefathers Abu Sufyan and his brother `Utbah he would have seen right and come on its path. But compelled by his natural inclination he always evaded right and truth and kept himself blind to those sayings of the Prophet which threw light on Amir al-mu'minin's Imamate and vicegerency. Because of being with the Prophet in the farewell pilgrimage the Prophet's saying: "Of whomsoever I am the master, `Ali is his master" was not hidden from him, and neither was the Prophet's saying that: "O' `Ali you are to me as Harun was to Musa", because of his presence on the occasion of the battle of Tabuk. In spite of all this, he passed his life in concealing right and encouraging wrong. This was not due to any misunderstanding but it was his lust for power that kept prompting him to suppress and trample truth and justice.

Letter 66: To `Abdullah ibn al-`Abbas

(This letter has already been included with a different version)

ومن كتاب كتبه (عليه السلام)

إلى عبدالله بن العباس رحمه الله

وقد مضى هذا الكتاب فيما تقدّم بخلاف هذه الرواية

And then, sometimes a person feels joyful about a thing which he was not to miss in any case and feels grieved for a thing which was not to come to him at all. Therefore, you should not regard the attainment of pleasure and the satisfaction of the desire for revenge as the best favour of this world, but it should be the putting off of the (flame of) wrong and the revival of right. Your pleasure should be for what (good acts) you have sent forward; your grief should be for what you are leaving behind; and your worry should be about what is to befall after death.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فإِنَّ العَبْدَ لَيَفْرَحُ بِالشَّيْءِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَفُوتَهُ، وَيَحْزَنُ عَلَى الشَّيْءِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَهُ، فَلاَ يَكُنْ أَفْضَلَ مَا نِلْتَ في نَفْسِكَ مِنْ دُنْيَاكَ بُلُوغُ لَذَّة أَوْ شِفَاءُ غَيْظ، وَلكِنْ إطْفَاءُ بِاطِل أَوْ إِحْيَاءُ حَقٍّ. وَلْيَكُنْ سُرورُكَ بِمَا قَدَّمْتَ، وَأَسَفُكَ عَلَى مَا خَلَّفْتَ، وَهَمُّكَ فِيَما بَعْدَ الْموْتِ

Letter 67: To Qutham ibn al-`Abbas, his Governor of Mecca

ومن كتاب كتبه (عليه السلام)

إلى قُثَمِ بن العباس (رحمه الله) وهو عامله على مكة

Now, make arrangements for Hajj by the people, remind them of the days (to be devoted to) Allah. Sit for giving them audience morning and evening. Explain the law to the seeker, teach the ignorant and discuss with the learned. There should be no intermediary between you and the people except your tongue, and no guard save your own face. Do not prevent any needy person from meeting you, because if the needy is returned unsatisfied from your door in the first instance then even doing it thereafter will not bring you praise.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَأَقِمْ لِلنَّاسِ الْحَجَّ، وَذَكِّرْهُمْ بِأَيَّامِ اللهِ، وَاجْلِسْ لَهُمُ الْعَصْرَيْنِ، فَأَفْتِ الْمُسْتَفْتِيَ، وَعَلِّمِ الْجَاهِلَ، وَذَاكِرِ الْعَالِمَ، وَلاَ يَكُنْ لَكَ إِلَى النَّاسِ سَفِيرٌ إِلاَّ لِسَانُكَ، وَلاَ حَاجِبٌ إِلاَّ وَجْهُكَ، وَلاَ تَحْجُبَنَّ ذَا حَاجَة عَنْ لِقَائِكَ بِهَا، فَإِنَّهَا إِنْ ذِيدَتْ عَنْ أَبْوَابِكَ في أَوَّلِ وِرْدِهَا لَمْ تُحْمَدْ فيِما بَعْدُ عَلَى قَضَائِهَا

See what has been collected with you of the funds of Allah (in the public treasury) and spend it over the persons with families, the distressed, the starving and the naked, at your end. Then, send the remaining to us for distribution to those who are on this side.

وَانْظُرْ إِلَى مَا اجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَكَ مِنْ مَالِ اللهِ فَاصْرِفْهُ إِلَى مَنْ قِبَلَكَ مِنْ ذَوِي الْعِيَالِ وَالْـمَجَاعَةِ، مُصِيباً بِهِ مَوَاضِعَ المَفَاقِرِ وَالْخَلاَّتِ، وَمَا فَضَلَ عَنْ ذلِكَ فَاحْمِلْهُ إِلَيْنَا لِنَقْسِمَهُ فِيمَنْ قِبَلَنَا

Ask the people of Mecca not to charge rent from lodgers, because Allah, the Glorified, says that:

"alike; for the dweller therein as well as the stranger" (Qur'an, 22:25).

"al-`akif" (the dweller) here means he who is living there while "al-badi" (the stranger) means he who is not among the people of Mecca, comes for Hajj from outside. May Allah grant us and you promptitude for seeking His love (by doing good acts); and that is an end to the matter.

وَمُرْ أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ أَلاَّ يَأْخُذُوا مِنْ سَاكِن أَجْراً، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ يَقُولُ: (سَوَاءً الْعَاكِفُ فِيهِ وَالْبَادِ) فَالْعَاكِفُ: الْمُقيِمُ بِهِ، وَالْبَادِي: الَّذِي يَحُجُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ. وَفَّقَنَا اللهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ لِمحَابِّهِ، وَالسَّلاَمُ

Letter 68: To Salman al-Farisi before Amir al-mu'minin's caliphate

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى سلمان الفارسي (رحمه الله) قبل أيام خلافته

Now, the example of the world is like that of a snake which is soft in touch but whose poison is fatal. Therefore, keep yourself aloof from whatever appears good to you because of its short stay with you. Do not worry for it because of your conviction that it will leave you and that its circumstances are vicissitudes. When you feel most attracted towards it, shun it most, because whenever someone is assured of happiness in it, it throws him into danger; or when he feels secure in it, the world alters his security into fear; and that is an end to the matter.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فإِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الدُّنْيَا مَثَلُ الْحَيَّةِ: لَيِّنٌ مَسُّهَا، قَاتِلٌ سُمُّهَا، فَأَعْرِضْ عَمَّا يُعْجِبُكَ فِيهَا، لِقِلَّةِ مَا يَصْحَبُكَ مِنْهَا، وَضَعْ عَنْكَ هُمُومَهَا، لِمَا أَيْقَنْتَ بِهِ مِنْ فِرَاقِهَا، وَكُنْ آنَسَ مَا تَكُونُ بِهَا، أَحْذَرَ مَا تَكُونَ مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّ صَاحِبَهَا كُلَّمَا اطْمأَنَّ فِيهَا إِلَى سُرُور أشْخْصَتْهُ عَنْهُ إِلىَ مَحْذُور، أوْ إِلَى إِينَاس أَزالَهُ عَنْهُ إِيحَاشٌ !

Letter 69: To al-Harith (ibn `Abdillah, al-A`war) al-Hamdani

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى الحارث الهَمْدَاني

Adhere to the rope of the Qur'an and seek instructions from it. Regard its lawful as lawful and its unlawful as unlawful. Testify the right that has been in the past. Take lessons for the present condition of this world from the past (condition), because its one phase resembles the other, its end is to meet its beginning, and the whole of it is to change and depart. Regard the name of Allah as too great to mention Him, save in the matter of right. Remember death frequently and (what is to come) after death. Do not long for death except on a reliable condition.

وَتَمَسَّكْ بِحَبْلِ الْقُرآنِ، وَانْتَصِحْهُ، وَأَحِلَّ حَلاَلَهُ، وَحَرِّمْ حَرَامَهُ، وَصَدِّقْ بِمَا سَلَفَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ، وَاعْتَبِرْ بِمَا مَضَى مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لِـ مَا بَقِي مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّ بَعْضَهَا يُشْبِهُ بَعْضاً، وَآخِرَهَا لاَحِقٌ بِأَوَّلِهَا! وَكُلُّهَا حَائِلٌ مُفَارِقٌ

وَعَظِّمِ اسْمَ اللهِ أَنْ تَذْكُرَهُ إِلاَّ عَلَى حَقّ وَأَكْثِرْ ذِكْرَ الْمَوْتِ وَمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوتِ، وَلاَ تَتَمَنَّ الْمَوْتَ إِلاَّ بِشَرْط وَثِيق

Avoid every action which the doer likes for his own self but dislikes for the Muslims in general. Avoid every such action which is performed in secret and from which shame is felt in the open. Also avoid that action about which if the doer is questioned he himself regards it bad or offers excuses for it. Do not expose your honour to be treated as the subject of people's discussions. Do not relate to the people all that you hear, for that would amount to falsehood.

Do not contest all that the people relate to you for that would mean ignorance. Kill your anger and forgive when you have power (to punish). Show forbearance in the moment of rage, and pardon in spite of authority; the eventual end will then be in your favour. Seek good out of every favour that Allah has bestowed on you, and do not waste any favour of Allah over you. The effect of Allah's favours over you should be visible on you.

وَاحْذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَل يَرْضَاهُ صَاحِبُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَيُكْرَهُ لِعَامَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَاحْذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَلِ يُعْمَلُ بِهِ فِي السِّرِّ، وَيُسْتَحَى مِنْهُ فِي الْعَلاَنِيَةِ، واحْذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَل إِذَا سُئِلَ عَنْهُ صَاحِبُهُ أَنْكَرَهُ أَوِ اعتَذَرَ مِنْهُ. وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ عِرْضَكَ غَرَضاً لِنِبَالِ الْقَوْلِ، وَلاَ تُحَدِّثِ النَّاسَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعْتَ بِهِ، فَكَفَى بِذلِكَ كَذِباً، وَلاَ تَرُدَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ كُلَّ مَا حَدَّثُوكَ بِهِ، فَكَفَى بِذلِكَ جَهْلاً. وَاكْظِمِ الْغَيْظَ، وَاحْلُمْ عِنْدَ الْغَضَبِ، وَتَجاوَزْ عِنْدَ المَقْدِرَةِ، وَاصْفَحْ مَعَ الدَّوْلَةِ، تَكُنْ لَكَ الْعَاقِبَةُ. وَاسْتَصْلِحْ كُلَّ نِعْمَة أَنْعَمَهَا اللهُ عَلَيْكَ، وَلاَ تُضَيِّعَنَّ نِعْمَةً مِنْ نِعَمِ اللهِ عِنْدَكَ، وَلْيُرَ عَلَيْكَ أَثَرُ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللهُ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ

Know that the most distinguished among the believers is he who is the most forward of them in spending from himself, his family and his property, because whatever good you send forward Will remain in store for you and the benefit of whatever you keep behind will be derived by others. Avoid the company of the person whose opinion is unsound and whose action is detestable, because a man is judged after his companion.

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَفْضَلُهُمْ تَقْدِمَةً مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ، فَإِنَّكَ مَا تُقَدِّمْ مِنْ خَيْر يَبْقَ لَكَ ذُخْرُهُ، وَمَا تُؤخِّرْهُ يَكُنْ لِغَيْرِكَ خَيْرُهُ. وَاحْذَرْ صَحَابَةَ مَنْ يَفِيلُ رَأْيهُ، وَيُنْكَرُ عَمَلُهُ، فَإِنَّ الصَّاحِبَ َعْتَبَرٌ ِصَاحِبِهِ

Live in big cities because they are collective centres of the Muslims. Avoid places of neglectfulness and wickedness and places where there are paucity of supporters for the obedience of Allah. Confine your thinking to matters which are helpful to you. Do not sit in the marketing centres because they are the meeting-places of Satan, and targets of mischiefs. Frequently look at those over whom you enjoy superiority because this is a way of giving thanks.

وَاسْكُنِ الاْمْصَارَ الْعِظَامَ فَإِنَّهَا جِمَاعُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَاحْذَرْ مَنَازِلَ الْغَفْلَةِ وَالْجَفَاءِ وَقِلَّةَ الاْعْوَانِ عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللهِ، وَاقْصُرْ رَأْيَكَ عَلَى مَا يَعْنِيكَ، وَإِيَّاكَ وَمَقَاعِدَ الاْسْوَاقِ، فَإِنَّهَا مَحَاضِرُ الشَّيْطَانِ وَمَعَارِيضُ الْفِتَنِ. وَأَكْثِرْ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَى مَنْ فُضِّلْتَ عَلَيْهِ، فإِنَّ ذلِكَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الشُّكْرِ

Do not undertake a journey on Friday until you have attended the prayers, except when you are going in the way of Allah, or in an excusable matter. Obey Allah in all your affairs because Allah's obedience has precedence over all other things. Deceive your heart into worshipping, persuade it and do not force it. Engage it (in worshipping) when it is free and merry, except as regards the obligations enjoined upon you, for they should not be neglected and must be performed at the five times. Be on guard lest death comes down upon you while you have fled away from your Lord in search of worldly pleasure. Avoid the company of the wicked because vice adjoins vice. Regard Allah as great, and love His lovers. Keep off anger because it is one large army from Satan's armies; and that is an end to the matter.

وَلاَ تُسَافِرْ فِي يَوْمِ جُمُعَة حَتّى تَشْهَدَ الصَّلاَةَ إِلاَّ فَاصِلاً فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، أَوْ فِي أَمْر تُعْذَرُ بِهِ. وَأَطِعِ اللهَ فِي جُمَلِ أُمُورِكَ، فَإِنَّ طَاعَةَ اللهِ فَاضِلَةٌ عَلَى مَا سِوَاهَا. وَخَادِعْ نَفْسَكَ فِي الْعِبَادَةِ، وَارْفُقْ بِهَا وَلاَ تَقْهَرْهَا، وَخُذْ عَفْوَهَا وَنَشَاطَهَا، إِلاَّ مَا كَانَ مَكْتُوباً عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الْفَرِيضَةِ، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ بُدَّ مِنْ قَضَائِهَا وتَعَاهُدِهَا عِنْدَ مَحَلِّها. وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ بِكَ الْمَوْتُ وَأَنْتَ آبِقٌ(1) مِنْ رَبِّكَ فِي طَلَبِ الدُّنْيَا، وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَاحَبَةَ الْفُسَّاقِ، فَإِنَّ الشَّرَّ بِالشَّرِّ مُلْحَقٌ. وَوَقِّرِ اللهَ، وَأَحْبِبْ أَحِبَّاءَهُ، وَاحْذَرِ الْغَضَبَ، فَإِنَّهُ جُنْدٌ عَظِيمٌ مِنْ جُنُودِ إِبْلِيسَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ

Letter 70: To Sahl ibn Hunayf al-Ansari

To Sahl ibn Hunayf al-Ansari, his Governor of Medina about certain persons in Medina who had gone over to Mu`awiyah

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى سهل بن حُنَيف الانصاري

وهو عامله على المدينه، في معنى قوم من أهلها لحقوا بمعاوية

Now, I have come to know that certain persons from your side are stealthily going over to Mu`awiyah. Do not feel sorry for their numbers so lost to you or for their help of which you are deprived. It is enough that they have gone into misguidance and you have been relieved of them. They are running away from guidance and truth and advancing towards blindness and ignorance. They are seekers of this world and are proceeding to it and are leaping towards it. They have known justice, seen it, heard it and appreciated it. They have realized that here, to us, all men are equal in the matter of right. Therefore, they ran away to selfishness and partiality. Let them remain remote and far away.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رِجَالاً مِمَّنْ قِبَلَكَ يَتَسَلَّلُونَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَلاَ تَأْسَفْ عَلَى مَا يَفُوتُكَ مِنْ عَدَدِهِمْ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنْكَ مِنْ مَدَدِهِمْ، فَكَفى لَهُمْ غَيّاً، وَلَكَ مِنْهُمْ شَافِياً، فِرَارُهُمْ مِنَ الْهُدَى والْحَقِّ، وَإِيضَاعُهُمْ إِلَى الْعَمَى وَالْجَهْلِ، وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ أَهْلُ دُنْيَا مُقْبِلُونَ عَلَيْهَا، وَمُهْطِعُونَ إِلَيْهَا، قَدْ عَرَفُوا الْعَدْلَ وَرَأَوْهُ، وَسَمِعُوهُ وَ وَعَوْهُ، وَعَلِمُوا أَنَّ النَّاسَ عِنْدَنَا فِي الْحَقِّ أُسْوَةٌ، فَهَرَبُوا إِلَى الاْثَرَةِ، فَبُعْداً لَهُمْ وَسُحْقاً !

By Allah, surely they have not gone away from oppression and joined justice. In this matter, we only desire Allah to resolve for us its hardships and to level for us its uneveness, if Allah wills; and that is an end to the matter.

إِنَّهُمْ ـ وَاللهِ ـ لَمْ يَنْفِرُوا مِنْ جَوْر، وَلَمْ يَلْحَقُوا بِعَدْل، وَإِنَّا لَنَطْمَعُ فِي هذَا الاْمْرِ أَنْ يُذَلِّلَ اللهُ لَنَا صَعْبَهُ،يُسَهِّلَ لَنَا حَزْنَهُ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ، وَالسَّلاَمُ علَيْكَ

Letter 71: To al-Mundhir ibn Jarud al-`Abdi

To al-Mundhir ibn Jarud al-`Abdi who had misappropriated certain things given into his administrative charge

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى المنذر بن الجارود العَبْدي

وقد خان في بعض ما ولاّه من أعماله

Now, the good behaviour of your father deceived me about you and I thought that you would follow his way and tread in his path. But according to what has reached me about you, you are not giving up following your passions and are not retaining any provision for the next world. You are making this world by ruining your next life, and doing good to your kinsmen by cutting yourself off from religion.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّ صَلاَحَ أَبِيكَ غَرَّنِي مِنْكَ، وَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ تَتَّبِعُ هَدْيَهُ، وَتَسْلُكُ سَبِيلَهُ، فَإِذَا أَنْتَ فِيَما رُقِّيَ إِلَيَّ عَنْكَ لاَتَدَعُ لِهَوَاكَ انْقِيَاداً، وَلاَ تُبْقِي لاِخِرَتِكَ عَتَاداً، تَعْمُرُ دُنْيَاكَ بَخَرَابِ آخِرَتِكَ، وَتَصِلُ عَشِيرَتَكَ بِقَطِيعَةِ دِينِكَ

If what has reached me about you is correct, then the camel of your family and the strap of your shoe is better than yourself. A man with qualities like yours is not fit to close a hole in the ground, nor for performing any deed, nor for increasing his position, nor for taking him as a partner in any trust, nor for trusting him against misappropriation. Therefore, proceed to me as soon as this letter of mine reaches you if Allah so wills.

وَلَئِنْ كَانَ مَا بَلَغَنِي عَنْكَ حَقّاً، لَجَمَلُ أَهْلِكَ وَشِسْعُ نَعْلِكَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ، وَمَنْ كَانَ بِصِفَتِكَ فَلَيْسَ بِأَهْل أَنْ يُسَدَّ بِهِ ثَغْرٌ، أَوْ يُنْفَذَ بِهِ أَمْرٌ، أَوْ يُعْلَى لَهُ قَدْرٌ، أَوْ يُشْرَكَ فِي أَمَانَة، أَوْ يُؤْمَنَ عَلَى خِيَانَة. فَأقْبِلْ إِلَيَّ حِينَ يَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ كِتَابِي هذَا إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ

As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: al-Mundhir ibn Jarud al-`Abdi is he about whom Amir al-mu'minin (peace be upon him) said that:

He looks very often at his shoulders, feels proud in his garments (appearance) and frequently blows away (dust) from his shoes.

قال السيد الرضي: وَالمنذر هذا هو الذي قال فيه أميرالمؤمنين (عليه السلام): إنه لنظّارٌ في عِطْفَيْهِ، مُختالٌ في بُرْدَيْه، تَفّالٌ في شِرَاكَيْهِ

Letter 72: To `Abdullah ibn al-`Abbas

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى عبدالله بن العباس

Now, you cannot go farther than the limit of your life, nor can you be given a livelihood which is not for you. Remember that this life consists of two days - a day for you and a day against you, and that the world is a house (changing) authorities. Whatever in it is for you will come to you despite your weakness; and whatever in it turns against you cannot be brought back despite your strength.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّكَ لَسْتَ بِسَابِق أَجَلَكَ، وَلاَ مَرْزوُق مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ. وَاعْلَمْ بِأنَّ الدَّهْرَ يَوْمَانِ: يَوْمٌ لَكَ وَيَوْمٌ عَلَيْكَ، وَأَنَّ الدُّنْيَا دَارُ دُوَل، فَمَا كَانَ مِنْهَا لَكَ أَتَاكَ عَلَى ضَعْفِكَ، وَمَا كَانَ مِنْهَا عَلَيْكَ لَمْ تَدْفَعْهُ بقُوَّتِكَ

Letter 73: To Mu'awiyah

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى معاوية

Now, (in) exchanging replies and listening to your letters my view has been weak and my perception has been mistaken. When you refer your demands to me and expect me to send you written replies, you are like one who is in deep slumber while his dreams contradict him, or one who stands perplexed and overwhelmed, not knowing whether whatever comes to him is for him or against him.

You are not such a man but he is (to some extent) like you (as you are worse than him). I swear by Allah that, had it not been for (my) giving you time, you would have faced from me catastrophe that would have crushed the bones and removed the flesh. Know that Satan has prevented you from turning to good actions and listening to the words of counsels. Peace be upon those who deserve it.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي عَلَى التَّرَدُّدِ فِي جَوَابِكَ، وَالاسْتِماعِ إِلَى كِتَابِكَ، لَمُوَهِّنٌ رَأْيِي، وَمُخَطِّىءٌ فِرَاسَتي. وَإِنَّكَ إِذْ تُحَاوِلُنِي الاْمُورَ وَتُرَاجِعُنِي السُّطُورَ، كَالْمُسْتَثْقِلِ النَّائِمِ تَكْذِبُهُ أَحَلاَمُهُ، وَالْمُتَحَيِّرِ الْقَائِمِ يَبْهَظُهُ مَقَامُهُ، لاَ يَدْرِي أَلَهُ مَا يَأَتِي أَمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَسْتَ بِهِ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ بِكَ شَبِيهٌ. وَأُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ لَوْ لاَ بَعْضُ الاْسْتِبْقَاءِ لَوَصَلَتْ إِلَيْكَ مِنِّي قَوَارِعُ، تَقْرَعُ الْعَظْم، وَتَهْلِسُ اللَّحْمَ! وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ ثَبَّطَكَ عَنْ أَنْ تُرَاجِعَ أَحْسَنَ أُمُورِكَ، وَتَأْذَنَ لِمَقَالِ نَصِيحَتِكَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ لاِهْلِهِ

Letter 74: A treaty which Imam Ali (a) has worded for the Bani Rabi'a tribe and the Yemenites to agree upon

Written by Amir al-mu'minin as a protocol between the tribes of Rabi`ah and the people of Yemen. Taken from the writing of Hisham ibn (Muhammad) al-Kalbi

وَمن حلْف كتبه (عليه السلام)

بين اليمن وربيعة

نُقل من خط هشام بن الكلبي

This indenture contains what the people of Yemen, including the townsmen and nomads, and the tribes of Rabi`ah, including the townsmen and nomads, have agreed upon: that they will adhere to the Book of Allah, will call to it and order according to it and will respond to whoever calls to it and orders according to it. They will not sell it for any price nor accept any alternative for it. They will join hands against anyone who opposes it and abandons it. They will help one another. Their voice will be one. They will not break their pledge on account of the rebuke of a rebuker, the wrath of an angry person, the humiliating treatment of one group to the other, or the use of abusive terms by one party against the other.

هذَا مَا اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْل الْـيَمَنِ حَاضِرُهَا وَبَادِيهَا، وَرَبِيعَةُ حَاضِرُهَا وَبَادِيهَا: أَنَّهُمْ عَلَى كِتَابِ اللهِ يَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ، وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِهِ، وَيُجِيبُونَ مَنْ دَعَا إِلَيْهِ وَأَمَرَ بِهِ، لاَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَناً، وَلاَ يَرْضَوْنَ بِهِ بَدَلاً، وَأَنَّهُمْ يَدٌ وَاحِدَةٌ عَلَى مَنْ خَالَفَ ذَلِكَ وَتَرَكَهُ، أَنْصَارٌ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْض، دَعْوَتُهُمْ وَاحِدَةٌ، لاَيَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ لِمَعْتَبَةِ عَاتِب، وَلاَ لِغَضَبِ غَاضِب، وَلاَ لاِسْتِذْلاَلِ قَوْم قَوْماً، وَلاَ لِمَسَبَّة ِ قَوْم قَوْماً !

This pledge is binding on those of them who are present and those of them who are absent; those of them who are forbearing and those of them who are foolish; those of them who are learned and those of them who are ignorant. Along with this the pledge of Allah is also binding on them, and the pledge of Allah is to be accounted for.

عَلَى ذلِكَ شَاهِدُهُمْ وَغَائِبُهُمْ، وَسَفِيهُهُمْ وَعَالِمُهُمْ، وَحَلِيمُهُمْ وَجَاهِلُهُمْ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِذلِكَ عَهْدَ اللهِ وَمِيثَاقَهُ، إنَّ عَهْدَ اللهِ كَانَ مسْؤولاً

Written by: `Ali ibn Abi Talib.

و كتب: علي بن أبي طالب

Letter 75: To Mu`awiyah, soon after Amir al-mu'minin was sworn in

After the Muslims took oath of allegiance to Imam Ali (a), he wrote the following letter to Mu'awiya. (Muhammad ibn `Umar) al-Waqidi has mentioned this in his "Kitab al-Jamal"

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى معاوية في أول ما بويع له بالخلافه

ذكره الواقدي في كتاب الجمل

From the servant of Allah, `Ali Amir al-mu'minin to Mu`awiyah son of Abu Sufyan:

مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَلِيّ أَمِيرِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ :

Now, you are aware of my excuses before you people and my shunning you till that happened which was inevitable and which could not be prevented. The stroy is long and much is to be said. What was to pass has passed and what was to come has come. Therefore, secure (my) allegiance from those who are with you and come in a deputation of your people to me; and that is an end to the matter.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ إِعْذَارِي فِيكُمْ، وَإِعْرَاضِي عَنْكُمْ، حَتَّى كَانَ مَا لاَ بُدَّ مِنْهُ وَلاَ دَفْعَ لَهُ، وَالْحَدِيثُ طَوِيلٌ، وَالْكَلاَمُ كَثِيرٌ، وَقَدْ أَدْبَرَ مَا أَدْبَرَ، وَأَقْبَلَ مَا أَقْبَلَ، فَبَايِعْ مَنْ قِبَلَكَ، وَأَقْبِلْ إِلَيَّ فِي وَفْد مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ، وَالسَّلاَمُ

Letter 76: Instructions to Abdullah b. Abbas when he sent him as his representative to Basra

Given to `Abdullah ibn al-`Abbas at the time of his appoint ment as his Governor of Basrah

ومن وصية له (عليه السلام)

لعبد الله بن العباس عند استخلافه إياه على البصرة

Meet people with a broad face, allow them free audience and pass generous orders. Avoid anger because it is a augury of Satan. Remember that whatever takes you near Allah takes you away from the Fire (of Hell), and whatever takes you away from Allah takes you near the Fire.

سَعِ النَّاسَ بِوَجْهِكَ وَمَجْلِسِكَ وَحُكْمِكَ، وإِيَّاكَ وَالْغَضَبَ فَإِنَّهُ طَيْرَةٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَا قَرَّبَكَ مِنَ اللهِ يُبَاعِدُكَ مِنْ النَّارِ، وَمَا بَاعَدَكَ مِنَ اللهِ يُقَرِّبُكَ مِنَ النَّارِ

Letter 77: Instructions to Abdullah b. Abbas

Instructions given to `Abdullah ibn al-`Abbas, at the time of his being deputed to confront the Kharijites

ومن وصيته (عليه السلام) لَهُ

لما بعثه للا حتجاج على الخوارج

Do not argue with them by the Qur'an because the Qur'an has many faces. You would say your own and they would say their own; but argue with them by the sunnah, because they cannot find escape from it.

لاَ تُخَاصِمْهُمْ بِالْقُرْآنِ، فَإِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ حَمَّالٌ ذُو وُجُوه، تَقُولُ وَيَقُولُونَ، وَلكِنْ حاجّهُمْ بالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَحِيصاً

Chapter 2 - Political Roots of the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

Islamic political system

A. Contradiction Between Idealism and Reality

There is a complete difference between the Islamic political system adopted since the Prophet's decease till the period of the last Ottoman caliph, and the divine political system constituted by God's revelation to Mohammed, His slave, for managing Muslims' affairs in every time.

Insisting on the factual existence of such a difference, we, hereby, are to prove that there is a diversity among persons and reigns regarding size of this difference. It is trivial to assert on existence of this difference since it is a matter facilely realized by every sane provided that partisan imitation is abandoned. If the Islamic political system, with its divine form and contents, had been literally applied after the Prophet's decease, the Islamic state would not have collapsed; those seditious matters and massacres would not have occurred; the Islamic nation would not have been engaged in discrepancies; the glorious Islamic extension would not have stopped at this mass and, finally, Islam would have prevailed this whole globe causing a radical changing in the mankind history. In his An Experiment In The General History, the English Philosopher, Wales, one of the most notable thinkers of modern history, says that Islam would have conquered the whole world if only it had been kept on its first procession and the seditious matters avoided.[14] While the Arab scholars - as far as they could conceive - misthink of caliphate system as the factual Islamic political system and, hence, they demand with re applying it. It is proved that the factual Islamic political system is only that applied in the Prophet's reign. This occurred before the formation of the caliphate system, since it means succeeding the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Considering the Islamic system is caliphate; what was, then, the system applied in the Prophet's reign? Certainly, the political system applied in the Prophet's reign was the actual divine Islamic political system. This was utterly applied before the formation of caliphate. It is the origin and the ideal. Other strategies are not more than branches or forms of that ideal, which can be extended or acclimatized according to remoteness or closeness to the original.

B. the Islamic Political System

The Islamic political system is that applied by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) during his divine solicitation for organizing relations with his followers. As this solicitation was developed into a government, the Prophet applied the same system during his leadership which lasted for ten years.

God perfected the religion and completed His grace upon people and explicated absolutely everything before the Prophet's decease. By extrapolating this system, it is believable to describe it as a divine system that is prepared and formulated to be the ideal international system leading to an ideal world. It is indeed divine in its ideal form and ultimate composition.

C. Pillars of the Islamic Political System

The Islamic political system is based upon four pillars connected to each other in such a way that any is impossibly separated from the others. In case any separation occurs, the system entirely loses its Islamic characteristics. This is by the reason that these pillars are the distinguishing feature of the system. Perfection of such pillars is the only method by which fruits of application of the system are given.

1st Pillar - Political Leadership

As a matter of fact, political leadership in every divine doctrine, among which is Islam, is nominated or elected directly by God. Applied to this fact is the prophets David, Solomon and Mohammed. It was none but God, the Elevated, who selected them as prophets and presidents of states of God's oneness. This divine decision is notified directly or indirectly. An instance on the indirect notification of God's selection is Saul, when elected as the Israelites’ political leader. One of the Israelite prophets declared God's decision of electing Saul as the assigned king. They protested claiming that Saul had not been fit enough for such a position. God revealed the many reasons owing to which this man was elected. Among these was Saul's superlative objective and physical competence. In addition, preference is God's concern; he, the Elevated, does know to whom He should give. Another example - on the indirect notification of God's selection - is God's nominating Ali­bn­Abi­Talib as the successor of Mohammed, the leader of the nation. This preference had been widespreadly declared by Mohammed in the sight and hearing of one hundred thousand Muslims. That was in the Prophet's last ritual pilgrimage; the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Purpose Of The Divine Election For Political Leadership

As regard to the question of leadership, the pure impeccable necessity of ordinary people is having the most learned, the most favorable and the fittest in positions of authority. Realizing such an individual with such qualifications, that are hidden for everybody, is an impracticable matter. Hence, God, as a sort of His mercy to His believing creatures, has shown them the very intended individual provided that they are honest in their searching for the most qualified. Leadership, as a matter of fact, is a technical process of specialization. In most cases, it is succession of prophesy. Guidance, advocacy, solicitation, wide­heartedness and decisive judgments parallel to the exact divine purpose beyond the entire rules of the divine juristic policy, are considerable qualifications of prophesy. It is not pertinent to commit these affairs to people's various fancies and tempers.

This pillar, in truth, is the only practical factor that demarcates the Islamic political system among other positive ones. Allowing conjecture and guess, positive strategies decide according to people's intents and humors in matter of electing the fittest for political leadership. This election will not be resulted from perfect precision that is exclusively gained by following the divine approach.

2nd Pillar - Organic Relationship Between Divine Doctrine And Selected Leaders

Thoroughly every divine manuscript is revealed to an individual, every divine guidance is committed to a director and every divine missive is revealed to selected messenger. Depending on so, relation between the divine manuscripts, guidance and missives, from one side, and the individuals, directors and messengers, from the other side, is organic in such a way that it cannot be incoherent.

It is inevitable to substantiate divine manuscript, explicate guidance and display missive for enabling followers to pursue, as well as altering the space between the beginning and the end result into a calling of interpretation and a field of application of the texts contents. By this operations, a fertile probation that betters and demonstrates the divine missive, manuscript and guidance will be progressed. Unless process of prophesy is technical and specialized, God may convey a copy for each individual. Mohammed, none else, is the qualified skilled in this field. He is the unique expert in field of calling for Islam in such a way that is fully concurrent to the divine intendment of the whole texts. He is the most learned of the divine missive, script and guidance, the superior follower and the fittest political leader who directs his followers pursuant to policies of the divine revelation. He whom is nominated by the Prophet, according to God's divine order, is the unshared authorized for keeping perpetuity of the organic relation between the divine doctrine and its political leadership.

3rd Pillar - The Divine Jurisprudential Formulation

According to the Islamic political system, the Imam - political leader - is restricted to the divine jurisprudential formulation. Hence, he does not enjoy any sort of self-determination in the field of issuing judgments. The Imam's judgment, however, must be fully and identically concurrent to the divine will in both characterization and components. The jurisprudential formulation is God's making. It is the operative law to which every individual under leadership of the Imam - political leader - is submitted. Repeatedly, the jurisprudential formulation is not the constituting of the Imam or the mandate people, it is God's making. As a matter of facts, Mohammed's sayings are not more than forms of explicating and expounding upon the divine revelation. This is regarded as another difference between the Islamic political system and positive ones which are issued and organized by some individuals and imposed upon followers. The jurisprudential formulation of the Islamic political system, on the other hand, is made by Allah, and imposed upon both leaders and followers in the same degree under the supervision of the Maker, Allah. Those submitted to, implementing and judging the Islamic system are, on even terms, slaves of God, the Maker. Both are imposed to the system. Both are to submit to God only.

4th Pillar - The Commonalty's Contentment

The public, usually, count on having an ideal jurisprudential formulation that is capable of determining general, as well as private, goals, and capable of delving into the apropos means for attaining such goals. They, as well, look forward to having the most favorable and fittest political leader that is most knowledgeable of constituents of the jurisprudential formulation. In favor of saving people from this grievance, the Divine Care provided the solution by explicating the most agreeing jurisprudential formulation. The solution was Islam with all its components; the Holy Quran and the Prophet's traditions; words, deeds and signature. The leader who is most familiar with that jurisprudential formulation, as well as the most favorable and the fittest, was Mohammed. After Mohammed's decease, the succeeding leader must be the one nominated by Mohammed according to God's command through revelation. The same is repeated after the decease of the current divinely assigned leader.

The public's contentment to this divine characterization of the jurisprudential formulation, as well as the political leadership, shall lead to sublime welfare and guidance to the right path. This result is attained only by accepting the divine characterization which means applying the formulation and acceding to the leadership. In adversary conditions, God shall certainly leave the public for undergoing and suffering penalty of disobedience if they reject the divine mandate, formulation and leadership by opting for one not assigned and decided by Allah.

Simplicity of the Islamic System

How can one realize that he is on the divine right path? It is an undiscussible rule that he whoever accedes to political leadership assigned by Allah is with Allah. In a like manner, it is logic that those who supported Mohammed are forming the party of Allah, while those antagonizing are the party of the Satan even if they continuously adhere themselves to performing the duties God has imposed. This is by reason that acceding and following the divine leadership is the criterion with respect to which is membership of any of the two previous parties is determined. The very same thing is said about those who pursue or antagonize the divine successor of Mohammed.

Following Mohammed was the exact distinction between the truthful and the liar. There was a great deal of people who performed ritual prayers, established mosques, gave alms and could find excuses for their failing to appear in fields of battles led by the Prophet. Yet, they were decided, by Allah, as hypocrites. This was for nothing other than the fact that their following Mohammed had been incorrect.

Political Circumstances of Inventing the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

Othman­bn­Affan held leadership of the Islamic nation after the assassination of Al­Faruq. Othman, as a nature, was fond of caring for his relatives. The Umayids began their journey to throne consecutively. The caliph himself accredited their being his men and consults; so, he gathered them around him. Practically, the entire affairs of the state became in the hands of Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam who, later on, issued the orders of assassinating Mohammed­bn­Abi­Bakr and his associates, using the caliph's seal without seeking permission or authorization. This situation is precisely described in Ali's saying: “After his being old­aged, Othman, the previous companion of the Prophet, handed his sword to Marwan directing it as he liked.”

Who was Marwan? He is one of the ‘released’ and classified with the inclined­hearted group. Those are individuals given a share of the alms for making their hearts attached to Islam. His father, Al­Hakam­bn­Al­Aas, was deported out of Al­Madina all over the reigns of the Prophet, Abu­Bakr and Omar. When Othman came to power, Al­Hakam was permitted to return to Al­Madina with full respect and dignity. Besides, he was gifted one hundred thousand dirhams as a compensation.

Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh was one of those who played a considerable role in establishing the Umayid state. He was the governor of Egypt; that rich province. Who was Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh? He was the very one who had forged lies against God. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) sentenced him to death penalty in absence. It was fully legally to kill that man whenever found even if he hangs to the Ka'ba's curtains. (This is recorded in As­Seeretul­Halabiyya, Section: Mecca Conquest.) On the day of conquest of Mecca, Othman accompanied the man as he was seeking the Prophet's canceling the death penalty. For a considerable period, the Prophet kept silence hoping that the man would be killed by any. None could implement the Prophet's will; thus, he had to secure him. It is not unacceptable to say that the seed; Muawiya, that had been planted by Abu­Bakr - by assigning him as the governor of Syria - had been rooted in the land firmly. For twenty years, Muawiya kept the position of governing Syria. He had full authority to do anything in that valuable land. So, he levied and gifted without supervision.

Marwan, Muawiya, Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh and Al­Waleed­bn­Aqaba, the governor of Kufa who performed the Fajr prayer with four Rak'as - units of prayer; those four released’ persons were the best students of Abu­Sufian's school. Even Othman, the caliph, was about to be given a graduating certificate from that school.

Al­Jawhari records the following: When Othman was named for caliphate, Abu­Sufian addressed at him: “This affair - authority - was Taim's. They were originally unfitting. Then, it became in the hands of the Edi's. They were more unfitting than the previous. Only then it returned to its proper place and settled for its original people. Yes, like a ball, receive it and hand it to one another.”

On another occasion, Abu­Sufian addressed at Othman: “My father and mother I do sacrifice for you! Spend over and do not be the like of Abu­Hajar. O sons of Umaya! Hand it one another, just like children's handing a ball one another. By God I swear, there is no Paradise and no Hell.” Az­Zubeir was attendant in this situation; therefore, Othman had to rebuke Abu­Sufian. “Is any body else here, my son?” wondered Abu­Sufian. Az­Zubeir shouted: “Yes, there is. By God I swear, I will never keep it secret!!”

Precisely, In his Al­Kamil Fit­Tarikh, part3, Chapter: Events Preceding Othman's Assassination, Ibnul­Atheer records: (Once, Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam shouted: “Deformed be your faces! Do you intend to strip our sovereignty?”)

In the last quarter of Othman's caliphate, authoritarian affairs became absolutely in the hands of the Umayids. It became hardly to see a province ruled by other than the Umayids, if not the ‘released’. Thus, it became reasoning that any who would succeed Othman should certainly be an instrument operated by the Umayids, lest he should engage himself in a lightless night and an uneven mined land.

As a result of large expansion of the Islamic state, owing to the conquests, numbers of the fresh Muslims and pocket beneficiaries of the state became greatly large. In a like manner, number of the honorable Sahaba on whose shoulders the Mohammedan government was established was in continuous deficiency. Thus, the foremost Sahaba became as sparse as a single white hair in a black bull's skin. As Imam Sharafuddin Al­Amili expresses: “Sahaba, in that period, became the like of alarmed sheep in a winter night.” This was because of the abundant catastrophic misfortunes they had to encounter sooner or later. Muawiya, the crafty, had full acquaintance of these matters. Before assassination of Othman, he menaced the Sahaba: “You are as scanty as a black spot in a white bull's skin.”

The situation became in this form; the whole provinces were loyal to or governed by the Umayids. Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian, son of the previous leader of the parties conflicting the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and the one suckled by Hind bnt­Utbeh, became the only leader. He was governor of Syria, center of the circle and guardian of the Umayids. Besides, he granted himself the right of avenging Othman. In fact, demanding with taking vengeance of Othman was not more than a game plan aimed at guaranteeing continuity of the Umayids' rule. It was certainly a case of continuity of the Umayids' rule which, actually and practically, began on the day when Abu­Bakr assigned Yazeed­bn­Abi­Sufian as a governor. All matters went well after assassination of Omar, and none demanded with taking vengeance. This rule became firmer and firmer till it attained climax in the last of Othman's reign. It was turned into a decided sovereignty. This is the very meaning intended by Marwan's saying: “Deformed be your faces! Do you intend to strip our sovereignty?”

It became proved that Othman's assassination was forming no crux at all. So, insistence on condemning the assassinators was not pivot of the case. This is confirmed by the fact that Muawiya, when became the authoritative caliph, did not demand with condemning Othman's assassinator. As a matter of fact, it was a case of domination! For the Umayids, killing blameless people is not that incompatible matter. Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam issued a decision of sentencing Mohammed­bn­Abi­Bakr and his group to death penalty without being condemned to anything. Muawiya did kill Al­Hadrami whom was accused, by bn­Ziyad, of acceding to Ali. It was Muawiya who killed Amr­bn­Al­Hamq whose face was distorted due to his distinctive worship. It was Muawiya who killed Hijr­bn­Edi and his associates; those godly pious groups who enjoined good and forbade evil. It was Muawiya who gave authority to bn­Ziyad in massacring people and crucified them on trunks of date palm trees. Hence, Muawiya's most important concern is sovereignty and taking revenge for killing his grandfather, maternal uncle, cousin and his brother.

Seizing the opportunity of Al­Jamal battle, Muawiya goaded Talha, Az­Zubeir and A'isheh. He promised Talha and Az­Zubeir to be assigned as rulers of Basra and Kufa. When they were defeated in this conflict, Muawiya enlisted for breaking a war against Ali.[15]

In his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan, Abbas Mahmud Al­Aqqad says: “A certain trickery by which wonderful achievements were attained, was frequently practiced by Muawiya against Muslim, as well as non Muslim, rivals. This trickery was mainly depending upon ceaseless work of creating discrepancies and despondency among the adversary party. This was carried out by throwing seditious matters and arising malice in the lines of the adversary party. The same trickery was actually used against people of his family and relatives. He could not tolerate noticing any concord between any two individuals. The natural competition between his most remarkable enemies could support him in accomplishing the trickery of throwing animosity among them.”[16]

Muawiya went on practicing this easygoing plan. He would spare no effort for creating as much as possible variant trends and parties. He would be surely described as the sower of discord if he was accurately balanced historically. The authentic signification of men and deeds is determined by the straight readers of history especially in matters like some historians’ accounting the year of Muawiya's full domination of the Islamic state as ‘year of congruity’. This was because he had been the direct and main reason beyond Muslim's discrepancies and discord. Owing to so and the like, it is so unfamiliar to constitute forms of agreement with the existence of such claims. Being not sufficed by seeding discrepancies, Muawiya left people in plenteous discrepancies; each follows a definite norm.[17]

He used Bishr­bn­Arta'a and sent him to Al­Madina where he terrified and humiliated the Sahaba.[18]

Precisely, by means of killing, destroying, firing, creating discrepancies and reviling at the Prophet's supporters and companions, Muawiya could gain people's swear of allegiance. He used the wealth he had illegally levied and expended in Syria for twenty years, for solidifying his dominion. One of his strategies was naming a definite salary to be given to the military officials of the state at nominating the new caliph.

Disregarding the Announced Goal for Dissenting the Legality

Muawiya and A'isheh, Ummul­Mu'minin, mutinied against the legitimate caliph demanding with condemning Othman's assassinators. When Muawiya came to power by force, neither Ummul­Mu'minin nor did he practice or demand with this affair.

Renaissance After Inadvertence

Although his father and he were among the ‘released’ and they led conflicts against Islam with an unexampled enthusiasm till they had to profess Islam for saving their souls, Muawiya, the son of Abu­Sufian, became the authoritative leader, the representative and the successor of Mohammed on people.

How had such a revolution occurred? How had the right been defeated? How had the right become retarded while the wrong advanced? How had the ‘released’ become preferred to the Muhajir? How had those who restricted Islam become favored to those on whom this restriction fell, for the sake of Islam?

The most astonishing matter is that the year in which strength defeated legality has been named ‘year of congruity.’ Thus and so, the virtuous people failed. They were heavily depressed as they felt of deep sorrow and nonsuccess. Anyhow, it was too late to repent. They had matters within their hands. As is they were living in an inadvertence, they wake up on effects of a horrible nightmare. When they opened their eyes and minds, they found the nightmare a reality.

Hypotheses Serving the Factuality

People were engaged in analyzing what had been occurring. A great deal of variant hypotheses and conception were come forth. For instance, Sufism, the conception of imputing matters - good and evil - to Allah, fatalism and the Sahaba's ultimate decency; these faiths were originated. The Umayids, together with their supporters, were the main incentive beyond emanation of such conceptions. They were used as a high quality weapons for defending the Umayid royalty. Besides, they were used for dispersing the rivals' efforts for the sake of establishing pillars of the Umayid royalty and substantiating its false legality.

Chapter 3 - Purpose of Inventing the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

1. Substantiation

1. Substantiating the process of the wrongful seizure of power: Muawiya, the ‘released’, the son of the ‘released’ and one of the inclined­hearted category, found himself the president, or the king, of the Islamic state, the representative and, officially, the successor of God's messenger. This is incredible and unbelievable! It is unacceptable according to the entire intellectual, doctrinal and positive criteria. The father, Abu­Sufian, was the head of the parties opposing Islam and the director of polytheism during the entire battles. His sons, supporters and he exerted all efforts and used all weapons for resisting Islam. They had to confess Islam only when they had been completely surrounded. Here is his son, Muawiya. He is preceding all those who had preceded him to Islam and whose shoulders were the pillars on which Islam was established.

There should be a justification of this revolution. The best way selected was ruling of decency of all of the Prophet's companions. As long as Muawiya and his faction are reckoned with Sahaba, according to terminological and the lexical meaning of this idiom, who are entirely decent, and shall be in the Paradise, and none of them shall be in the Hell, and there is no difference between them because of the total qualifications they, indistinctly, enjoy, then what should prevent Muawiya from being the caliph and the Muslims' juristic leader? What, in the same manner, should prevent his faction, who are Sahaba terminologically and lexically, from being his close entourage? They are so decent that all of them shall be in the Paradise and none shall be in hell­fire. The far-reaching conception of the Sahaba's ultimate decency is the most ideal substantiation of Muawiya's royalty. This wide­spreadingness shows evidently a real view of Muawiya’s artfulness and evil cunning.

2. Substantiating deeds of Muawiya and his faction: The most catastrophic misfortunes Islam and Muslims had faced were on the hands of Muawiya and his faction. Bishr­bn­Arta'a and Muslim­bn­Aqaba, for instance, committed the most terrible crimes from which even the heavens complained and the most hard hearts bled. In the Harra collision, the whole warriors of Badr were killed. Seven hundred men of Quraish and the Ansar were killed. From ordinary people, about ten thousand souls were killed in that collision. Nothing intercepted those commanders from killing the children. This crime was perpetrated by Bishr­bn­Arta'a when he killed the babies of Ubeidullah­bn­Abbas. In addition, battles against Imam Ali prove the criminal conduct of Muawiya and his faction. The most offensive matter, however, was Muawiya's planning for terminating Mohammed's progeny inclusively. In executing so, his faction and he used several devious devices for murdering. He poisoned Al­Hassan­bn­Ali (peace be upon him), Abdor­Rahman­bn­Khalid­bn­Al­Waleed, as bn­Abdil­Berr records in his Alisti'ab, and Abdor­Rahman­bn­Abi­Bakr As­Siddiq. Malik Al­Ashtar was also poisoned by Muawiya. For this, Amr­bn­Al­Aas said: “Allah does have soldiers of honey!” Furthermore, Muawiya made Muslims engaged in various discrepancies and discord. Al­Aqqad says that Mohammed's nation had been absolutely incapable of achieving unanimity whatever they attempted. Certainly, the Islamic jurisprudence was deformed on the hands of Muawiya. (The truth is that the Umayid reign was not Islamic..,), Dr. Ahmed Amin says.

Is there any way of substantiating these ill deeds other than the invention of the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception? As the entire Sahaba are so decent that they shall be in the Paradise, Muawiya and his faction, then, had not committed any mistake. Had they been mistaken, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), the indisputably authentic and true­tongued who does never speak out of desire, would not have declared the entire Sahaba’s being in the Paradise. Considering him as an elicitor Sahabi, Muawiya is rewarded in all cases. He shall be double rewarded if he kills rightfully, otherwise, he shall be once rewarded. Muawiya is the right, whether he fights or opts for peace, attacks or absconds, takes or gives. This is because he is a Sahabi; and Sahaba are entirely decent.

2. Immunity Against Criticism, Maligning, Reviling and Imputing Dishonor

Accompanying substantiation of Muawiya's usurpation of leadership, the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception verifies crimes and offenses committed by his faction and him. Likewise, the conception grants immunity against any sort of criticism, including the constructive, railing, maligning and detracting from the estimate of such individuals since they are Sahaba and, consequently, decent. He whoever criticizes, maligns or rails at any of the Sahaba, especially those who are presidents of the state, is reckoned with the miscreants whom are to be not shared in food and drink and to neglect offering their dead bodies the ritual funeral prayer. This (juristic) rule is recorded in At­Thehbi's Al­Mizan. There is no other conception or plan that can immunize Muawiya such as this Sahaba's ultimate decency conception.

3. Confronting Rivals of Muawiya and His Faction

Adopting the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception secures victory, or tie at least, of Muawiya and his faction in any conflict against rivals. For example, if Mohammed's progeny affirm that they are those from whom God has removed - mental and physical - uncleanness and purified them a thorough purification, Muawiya and his faction will immediately submit that simultaneous answer of considering Mohammed's companions - Sahaba - as decent that they do never lie, since they all shall be in the Paradise and none of them shall be sent to the hell­fire. If Mohammed's progeny assert that those who cause harm to them should be reckoned with those who cause harm to God, Muawiya and his faction shall provide that immediate answer that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) say: “They are harming me those who harm any of my companions..” In such a manner, the right is mixed with the wrong, the obedient with the disobedient and the virtuous with the sinful.

4. Engaging Muslims in Discrepancies

In case Muawiya obtains the ability of emanating and broadcasting of the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception with its wide­spreading features, a party of Muslims will adopt, and another will contravene. Controversy, accompanied by fanaticism, will arise in each party's convictions. This will lead to discrepancy and that each party record convictions that shall certainly be followed by a great deal of successors pursuing partisan imitation, claiming of defending the right and their own viewpoints. Regarding the conception involved, those who support such a conception are not necessarily supporting Muawiya. They claim of supporting the Prophet's companions. Those who disagree to the conception, on the other hand, are acquitting themselves from the view of dissenting the Prophet's companions, indicating that their aim is divulging trickeries and political cabals hidden for the other party. Practically, each party has actually stood in the face of the other shunning Muawiya who, in that case, is watching the two cheerfully, preparing himself to be the arbiter whenever necessary. This is the very artfulness intended by Al­Aqqad in his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan.

Grounds of the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

bn­Arafa­Naftawayih, one of the most notable hadithists - records that most of narratives appertained to merits of the Prophet's companions were forged in the Umayid reign, as the forgers intended attaining the rulers' satisfaction since they conceived that such falsity would submit the Hashemites. These false narratives were formed in such a way that every Sahabi, lexically or terminologically, would be the most virtuous guide in this world and that curses are continuously thrown on those who malign or accuse any of the Sahaba of any matters.[19]

Unanimously, historians assert that the origination of forging lies against the Prophet was in the last of Othman's reign and after occurrence of the revolution that prejudiced the caliph's soul. This falsity was extended and spread after people's swearing allegiance to Ali as he became the legitimate caliph. As soon as Muslims selectively declared their fealty to Ali, the Umayid's devil moved its horn for usurping the affair from its rightful owner. At any rate, events went on and some of declarants of fealty broke their allegiance to the fourth Rashidite caliph. The consequence of such a repeal was a good many battles and conflicts between Muslims, that were ended by the Umayids' dominating power. Due to so, in fact, structure of Muslims' conformity was seceded, ring of the their unification was ruptured, many contradictory sects were originated. besides, the many irreconcilable parties went on advocating their ideas by words and deeds on the account of the other party. Ground of founding the false hadiths and exegesis of the Holy Quran was quite proper. So, each party exaggerated in defending its ideology that discrepancy, in its highest rank, occurred. Nothing was more catastrophic to Islam than forging false sayings and imputing erroneous and heretic matters to its doctrine. These were the elements that spoiled Muslim's intellects and caused others to mistrust fundamentals of Islam. Misfortunes and detriments of such false narratives were chiefly undergone by those who lived under dominion of the Umayids. In that reign, the number of hadithists had recorded a great typical progress, while the number of authentic people had been in gradual retardation. Majority of the moral Sahaba ceased reporting the Prophet's narratives unless they had full acquaintance of decency of the one they were to report to.[20]

Imam Mohammed Abduh referred to the procedures taken by Muawiya for himself. He asserted that Muawiya had used a mass of the Sahaba and their successors for fabricating ill news against Ali (peace be upon him). The composition of such mendacious sayings falsely imputed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), was referring to maligning and repudiating Ali. As Muawiya set a considerable remunerative prize for forging such lies, those individuals did their best for seeking his satisfaction. Abu­Hureira was one of those narrators.

In His Dhuhal­Islam, Dr. Ahmed Amin says: “It is to mention that the Umayids did actually forge or employ people to forge lies against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) that flow in the service of their policies from various sides.[21] Muawiya gifted Abu­Samara­bn­Jundub, the Sahabi, with five hundred thousand dirhams for inventing the lie of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) stating that Ali­bn­Abi­Talib had been the one intended in the Verse: (And among men is he whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries.) In a like manner, Abu­Samara forged the lie of the Prophet’s having saying that Abdor­Rahman­bn­Muljim, the assassinator of Ali (peace be upon him), had been the one intended in God's saying: (And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is affectionate to the servants.)”[22]

Ahaadeeths Narrators

Abu­Hureira Ad­Dusi, is one of Muawiya's associates and followers. He imputed 5374 sayings to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Only 446 sayings of them are recorded by Al­Bukhari. Abu­Hureira accompanied the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) for less than 18 months. The Prophet's grand companions who had adhered to him from the first moment of his divine envoy till his being transmitted to the Elevated Associate, reported less than one hundred hadiths - narratives. The grand Sahaba are Abu­Bakr, Omar, Othman, Ali, Abdor­Rahman­bn­Awf, Talha­bn­Ubeidillah, Me'ath­bn­Jabal, Selman, Zaid­bn­Thabit and Ubey­bn­Ka'b. This is an evident example.

Muawiya's Merits

In his Al­Fawa'idul­Majmu'a Fil­Ahadithil­Mawdu'a, Ashawkani, who proves falsity and unauthenticity of the entire (hadiths) regarding praising or mentioning Muawiya's credits, says: “Having reckoned hadiths appertained to Muawiya's virtues with the forged ones, Ibnul­Jawzi excused that Isaaq­bn­Rahawayih, Al­Bukhari's most authentic narrator, confessed of the fact that none of the hadiths respecting Muawiya's virtues had been authentic at all.”

An­Nisa'i had that famous story pertaining Muawiya's virtues. Ad­Darqutni relates: An­Nisa'i's companions asked him about Muawiya's preference. He answered: “How come is it not sufficient for him to be equated with any, that he seeks preference?” For this reason, he was pushed out of the mosque..[23]

Ashafi'i's Impression on Muawiya

Abul­Fida relates that Ashafi'i informed Ar­Rabee, secretly, of the fact that testimonies of four individuals from among the Prophet's companions should not be admitted. Those four are Muawiya, Amr­bn­Al­Aas, Al­Mugheera and Ziyad.[24]

This might have been the incentive that made bn­Muin ruled of dishonesty of Ashafi'i in narrating hadiths.

Al­Hassan Al­Basri's Saying

At­Tabari mentions that Al­Hassan Al­Basri used to say:

“Four ill deeds, any of which is sufficiently periling, are Muawiya's. They are his using the ill­minded ones - with the existence of the Prophet's companions and virtuous individuals - as rulers of this nation till he could dominate and cancel principal of advisory. His nominating Yazeed, his son, the drunkard who dresses silky clothes and plays on drums, as his successor. His avowing Ziyad as his brother, whereas the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had said: 'Babies are for the bed, and the prostitutes' share is stones.' His killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions.”

The Entire Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception is Having Umayid Flavor

According to the content of the entire Sahaba's ultimate decency conception, Mohammed's progeny must have been reckoned with the decent. This should definitely make the Umayids stop their maligning and reviling at them.

Nonetheless, it is noticeable that regarding to his situations towards Imam Ali, Muawiya, the chief of the despotic party, adopted the very situation his father had against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Yazeed, the son, made no difference in his situation against Al­Hussein­bn­Ali. As soon as he came to power, the first procedure Muawiya took was writing missives to his governors and officials, ordering them of declaring cursing Ali during prayers and from pulpits. Furthermore, sessions of sermons, in Syria, were programmatically ended with reviling at Ali. Testimonies of those who accede to Ali or any of his progeny were inadmissible. Names of such individuals, who showed loyalty to Ali or any of his sons, were erased from the general record of the province. Hence, they were discriminated and intercepted from receiving any of the governmental salaries everybody joined.[25]

In his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan, Al­Aqqad records: “Even if only the preponderant reports regarding Muawiya's orders of cursing Ali from pulpits of the Umayid state, are accepted, this will be acceptably sufficient to prove authenticity of the other reports involved in the same topic.”[26]

Chapter 2 - Political Roots of the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

Islamic political system

A. Contradiction Between Idealism and Reality

There is a complete difference between the Islamic political system adopted since the Prophet's decease till the period of the last Ottoman caliph, and the divine political system constituted by God's revelation to Mohammed, His slave, for managing Muslims' affairs in every time.

Insisting on the factual existence of such a difference, we, hereby, are to prove that there is a diversity among persons and reigns regarding size of this difference. It is trivial to assert on existence of this difference since it is a matter facilely realized by every sane provided that partisan imitation is abandoned. If the Islamic political system, with its divine form and contents, had been literally applied after the Prophet's decease, the Islamic state would not have collapsed; those seditious matters and massacres would not have occurred; the Islamic nation would not have been engaged in discrepancies; the glorious Islamic extension would not have stopped at this mass and, finally, Islam would have prevailed this whole globe causing a radical changing in the mankind history. In his An Experiment In The General History, the English Philosopher, Wales, one of the most notable thinkers of modern history, says that Islam would have conquered the whole world if only it had been kept on its first procession and the seditious matters avoided.[14] While the Arab scholars - as far as they could conceive - misthink of caliphate system as the factual Islamic political system and, hence, they demand with re applying it. It is proved that the factual Islamic political system is only that applied in the Prophet's reign. This occurred before the formation of the caliphate system, since it means succeeding the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Considering the Islamic system is caliphate; what was, then, the system applied in the Prophet's reign? Certainly, the political system applied in the Prophet's reign was the actual divine Islamic political system. This was utterly applied before the formation of caliphate. It is the origin and the ideal. Other strategies are not more than branches or forms of that ideal, which can be extended or acclimatized according to remoteness or closeness to the original.

B. the Islamic Political System

The Islamic political system is that applied by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) during his divine solicitation for organizing relations with his followers. As this solicitation was developed into a government, the Prophet applied the same system during his leadership which lasted for ten years.

God perfected the religion and completed His grace upon people and explicated absolutely everything before the Prophet's decease. By extrapolating this system, it is believable to describe it as a divine system that is prepared and formulated to be the ideal international system leading to an ideal world. It is indeed divine in its ideal form and ultimate composition.

C. Pillars of the Islamic Political System

The Islamic political system is based upon four pillars connected to each other in such a way that any is impossibly separated from the others. In case any separation occurs, the system entirely loses its Islamic characteristics. This is by the reason that these pillars are the distinguishing feature of the system. Perfection of such pillars is the only method by which fruits of application of the system are given.

1st Pillar - Political Leadership

As a matter of fact, political leadership in every divine doctrine, among which is Islam, is nominated or elected directly by God. Applied to this fact is the prophets David, Solomon and Mohammed. It was none but God, the Elevated, who selected them as prophets and presidents of states of God's oneness. This divine decision is notified directly or indirectly. An instance on the indirect notification of God's selection is Saul, when elected as the Israelites’ political leader. One of the Israelite prophets declared God's decision of electing Saul as the assigned king. They protested claiming that Saul had not been fit enough for such a position. God revealed the many reasons owing to which this man was elected. Among these was Saul's superlative objective and physical competence. In addition, preference is God's concern; he, the Elevated, does know to whom He should give. Another example - on the indirect notification of God's selection - is God's nominating Ali­bn­Abi­Talib as the successor of Mohammed, the leader of the nation. This preference had been widespreadly declared by Mohammed in the sight and hearing of one hundred thousand Muslims. That was in the Prophet's last ritual pilgrimage; the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Purpose Of The Divine Election For Political Leadership

As regard to the question of leadership, the pure impeccable necessity of ordinary people is having the most learned, the most favorable and the fittest in positions of authority. Realizing such an individual with such qualifications, that are hidden for everybody, is an impracticable matter. Hence, God, as a sort of His mercy to His believing creatures, has shown them the very intended individual provided that they are honest in their searching for the most qualified. Leadership, as a matter of fact, is a technical process of specialization. In most cases, it is succession of prophesy. Guidance, advocacy, solicitation, wide­heartedness and decisive judgments parallel to the exact divine purpose beyond the entire rules of the divine juristic policy, are considerable qualifications of prophesy. It is not pertinent to commit these affairs to people's various fancies and tempers.

This pillar, in truth, is the only practical factor that demarcates the Islamic political system among other positive ones. Allowing conjecture and guess, positive strategies decide according to people's intents and humors in matter of electing the fittest for political leadership. This election will not be resulted from perfect precision that is exclusively gained by following the divine approach.

2nd Pillar - Organic Relationship Between Divine Doctrine And Selected Leaders

Thoroughly every divine manuscript is revealed to an individual, every divine guidance is committed to a director and every divine missive is revealed to selected messenger. Depending on so, relation between the divine manuscripts, guidance and missives, from one side, and the individuals, directors and messengers, from the other side, is organic in such a way that it cannot be incoherent.

It is inevitable to substantiate divine manuscript, explicate guidance and display missive for enabling followers to pursue, as well as altering the space between the beginning and the end result into a calling of interpretation and a field of application of the texts contents. By this operations, a fertile probation that betters and demonstrates the divine missive, manuscript and guidance will be progressed. Unless process of prophesy is technical and specialized, God may convey a copy for each individual. Mohammed, none else, is the qualified skilled in this field. He is the unique expert in field of calling for Islam in such a way that is fully concurrent to the divine intendment of the whole texts. He is the most learned of the divine missive, script and guidance, the superior follower and the fittest political leader who directs his followers pursuant to policies of the divine revelation. He whom is nominated by the Prophet, according to God's divine order, is the unshared authorized for keeping perpetuity of the organic relation between the divine doctrine and its political leadership.

3rd Pillar - The Divine Jurisprudential Formulation

According to the Islamic political system, the Imam - political leader - is restricted to the divine jurisprudential formulation. Hence, he does not enjoy any sort of self-determination in the field of issuing judgments. The Imam's judgment, however, must be fully and identically concurrent to the divine will in both characterization and components. The jurisprudential formulation is God's making. It is the operative law to which every individual under leadership of the Imam - political leader - is submitted. Repeatedly, the jurisprudential formulation is not the constituting of the Imam or the mandate people, it is God's making. As a matter of facts, Mohammed's sayings are not more than forms of explicating and expounding upon the divine revelation. This is regarded as another difference between the Islamic political system and positive ones which are issued and organized by some individuals and imposed upon followers. The jurisprudential formulation of the Islamic political system, on the other hand, is made by Allah, and imposed upon both leaders and followers in the same degree under the supervision of the Maker, Allah. Those submitted to, implementing and judging the Islamic system are, on even terms, slaves of God, the Maker. Both are imposed to the system. Both are to submit to God only.

4th Pillar - The Commonalty's Contentment

The public, usually, count on having an ideal jurisprudential formulation that is capable of determining general, as well as private, goals, and capable of delving into the apropos means for attaining such goals. They, as well, look forward to having the most favorable and fittest political leader that is most knowledgeable of constituents of the jurisprudential formulation. In favor of saving people from this grievance, the Divine Care provided the solution by explicating the most agreeing jurisprudential formulation. The solution was Islam with all its components; the Holy Quran and the Prophet's traditions; words, deeds and signature. The leader who is most familiar with that jurisprudential formulation, as well as the most favorable and the fittest, was Mohammed. After Mohammed's decease, the succeeding leader must be the one nominated by Mohammed according to God's command through revelation. The same is repeated after the decease of the current divinely assigned leader.

The public's contentment to this divine characterization of the jurisprudential formulation, as well as the political leadership, shall lead to sublime welfare and guidance to the right path. This result is attained only by accepting the divine characterization which means applying the formulation and acceding to the leadership. In adversary conditions, God shall certainly leave the public for undergoing and suffering penalty of disobedience if they reject the divine mandate, formulation and leadership by opting for one not assigned and decided by Allah.

Simplicity of the Islamic System

How can one realize that he is on the divine right path? It is an undiscussible rule that he whoever accedes to political leadership assigned by Allah is with Allah. In a like manner, it is logic that those who supported Mohammed are forming the party of Allah, while those antagonizing are the party of the Satan even if they continuously adhere themselves to performing the duties God has imposed. This is by reason that acceding and following the divine leadership is the criterion with respect to which is membership of any of the two previous parties is determined. The very same thing is said about those who pursue or antagonize the divine successor of Mohammed.

Following Mohammed was the exact distinction between the truthful and the liar. There was a great deal of people who performed ritual prayers, established mosques, gave alms and could find excuses for their failing to appear in fields of battles led by the Prophet. Yet, they were decided, by Allah, as hypocrites. This was for nothing other than the fact that their following Mohammed had been incorrect.

Political Circumstances of Inventing the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

Othman­bn­Affan held leadership of the Islamic nation after the assassination of Al­Faruq. Othman, as a nature, was fond of caring for his relatives. The Umayids began their journey to throne consecutively. The caliph himself accredited their being his men and consults; so, he gathered them around him. Practically, the entire affairs of the state became in the hands of Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam who, later on, issued the orders of assassinating Mohammed­bn­Abi­Bakr and his associates, using the caliph's seal without seeking permission or authorization. This situation is precisely described in Ali's saying: “After his being old­aged, Othman, the previous companion of the Prophet, handed his sword to Marwan directing it as he liked.”

Who was Marwan? He is one of the ‘released’ and classified with the inclined­hearted group. Those are individuals given a share of the alms for making their hearts attached to Islam. His father, Al­Hakam­bn­Al­Aas, was deported out of Al­Madina all over the reigns of the Prophet, Abu­Bakr and Omar. When Othman came to power, Al­Hakam was permitted to return to Al­Madina with full respect and dignity. Besides, he was gifted one hundred thousand dirhams as a compensation.

Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh was one of those who played a considerable role in establishing the Umayid state. He was the governor of Egypt; that rich province. Who was Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh? He was the very one who had forged lies against God. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) sentenced him to death penalty in absence. It was fully legally to kill that man whenever found even if he hangs to the Ka'ba's curtains. (This is recorded in As­Seeretul­Halabiyya, Section: Mecca Conquest.) On the day of conquest of Mecca, Othman accompanied the man as he was seeking the Prophet's canceling the death penalty. For a considerable period, the Prophet kept silence hoping that the man would be killed by any. None could implement the Prophet's will; thus, he had to secure him. It is not unacceptable to say that the seed; Muawiya, that had been planted by Abu­Bakr - by assigning him as the governor of Syria - had been rooted in the land firmly. For twenty years, Muawiya kept the position of governing Syria. He had full authority to do anything in that valuable land. So, he levied and gifted without supervision.

Marwan, Muawiya, Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh and Al­Waleed­bn­Aqaba, the governor of Kufa who performed the Fajr prayer with four Rak'as - units of prayer; those four released’ persons were the best students of Abu­Sufian's school. Even Othman, the caliph, was about to be given a graduating certificate from that school.

Al­Jawhari records the following: When Othman was named for caliphate, Abu­Sufian addressed at him: “This affair - authority - was Taim's. They were originally unfitting. Then, it became in the hands of the Edi's. They were more unfitting than the previous. Only then it returned to its proper place and settled for its original people. Yes, like a ball, receive it and hand it to one another.”

On another occasion, Abu­Sufian addressed at Othman: “My father and mother I do sacrifice for you! Spend over and do not be the like of Abu­Hajar. O sons of Umaya! Hand it one another, just like children's handing a ball one another. By God I swear, there is no Paradise and no Hell.” Az­Zubeir was attendant in this situation; therefore, Othman had to rebuke Abu­Sufian. “Is any body else here, my son?” wondered Abu­Sufian. Az­Zubeir shouted: “Yes, there is. By God I swear, I will never keep it secret!!”

Precisely, In his Al­Kamil Fit­Tarikh, part3, Chapter: Events Preceding Othman's Assassination, Ibnul­Atheer records: (Once, Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam shouted: “Deformed be your faces! Do you intend to strip our sovereignty?”)

In the last quarter of Othman's caliphate, authoritarian affairs became absolutely in the hands of the Umayids. It became hardly to see a province ruled by other than the Umayids, if not the ‘released’. Thus, it became reasoning that any who would succeed Othman should certainly be an instrument operated by the Umayids, lest he should engage himself in a lightless night and an uneven mined land.

As a result of large expansion of the Islamic state, owing to the conquests, numbers of the fresh Muslims and pocket beneficiaries of the state became greatly large. In a like manner, number of the honorable Sahaba on whose shoulders the Mohammedan government was established was in continuous deficiency. Thus, the foremost Sahaba became as sparse as a single white hair in a black bull's skin. As Imam Sharafuddin Al­Amili expresses: “Sahaba, in that period, became the like of alarmed sheep in a winter night.” This was because of the abundant catastrophic misfortunes they had to encounter sooner or later. Muawiya, the crafty, had full acquaintance of these matters. Before assassination of Othman, he menaced the Sahaba: “You are as scanty as a black spot in a white bull's skin.”

The situation became in this form; the whole provinces were loyal to or governed by the Umayids. Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian, son of the previous leader of the parties conflicting the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and the one suckled by Hind bnt­Utbeh, became the only leader. He was governor of Syria, center of the circle and guardian of the Umayids. Besides, he granted himself the right of avenging Othman. In fact, demanding with taking vengeance of Othman was not more than a game plan aimed at guaranteeing continuity of the Umayids' rule. It was certainly a case of continuity of the Umayids' rule which, actually and practically, began on the day when Abu­Bakr assigned Yazeed­bn­Abi­Sufian as a governor. All matters went well after assassination of Omar, and none demanded with taking vengeance. This rule became firmer and firmer till it attained climax in the last of Othman's reign. It was turned into a decided sovereignty. This is the very meaning intended by Marwan's saying: “Deformed be your faces! Do you intend to strip our sovereignty?”

It became proved that Othman's assassination was forming no crux at all. So, insistence on condemning the assassinators was not pivot of the case. This is confirmed by the fact that Muawiya, when became the authoritative caliph, did not demand with condemning Othman's assassinator. As a matter of fact, it was a case of domination! For the Umayids, killing blameless people is not that incompatible matter. Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam issued a decision of sentencing Mohammed­bn­Abi­Bakr and his group to death penalty without being condemned to anything. Muawiya did kill Al­Hadrami whom was accused, by bn­Ziyad, of acceding to Ali. It was Muawiya who killed Amr­bn­Al­Hamq whose face was distorted due to his distinctive worship. It was Muawiya who killed Hijr­bn­Edi and his associates; those godly pious groups who enjoined good and forbade evil. It was Muawiya who gave authority to bn­Ziyad in massacring people and crucified them on trunks of date palm trees. Hence, Muawiya's most important concern is sovereignty and taking revenge for killing his grandfather, maternal uncle, cousin and his brother.

Seizing the opportunity of Al­Jamal battle, Muawiya goaded Talha, Az­Zubeir and A'isheh. He promised Talha and Az­Zubeir to be assigned as rulers of Basra and Kufa. When they were defeated in this conflict, Muawiya enlisted for breaking a war against Ali.[15]

In his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan, Abbas Mahmud Al­Aqqad says: “A certain trickery by which wonderful achievements were attained, was frequently practiced by Muawiya against Muslim, as well as non Muslim, rivals. This trickery was mainly depending upon ceaseless work of creating discrepancies and despondency among the adversary party. This was carried out by throwing seditious matters and arising malice in the lines of the adversary party. The same trickery was actually used against people of his family and relatives. He could not tolerate noticing any concord between any two individuals. The natural competition between his most remarkable enemies could support him in accomplishing the trickery of throwing animosity among them.”[16]

Muawiya went on practicing this easygoing plan. He would spare no effort for creating as much as possible variant trends and parties. He would be surely described as the sower of discord if he was accurately balanced historically. The authentic signification of men and deeds is determined by the straight readers of history especially in matters like some historians’ accounting the year of Muawiya's full domination of the Islamic state as ‘year of congruity’. This was because he had been the direct and main reason beyond Muslim's discrepancies and discord. Owing to so and the like, it is so unfamiliar to constitute forms of agreement with the existence of such claims. Being not sufficed by seeding discrepancies, Muawiya left people in plenteous discrepancies; each follows a definite norm.[17]

He used Bishr­bn­Arta'a and sent him to Al­Madina where he terrified and humiliated the Sahaba.[18]

Precisely, by means of killing, destroying, firing, creating discrepancies and reviling at the Prophet's supporters and companions, Muawiya could gain people's swear of allegiance. He used the wealth he had illegally levied and expended in Syria for twenty years, for solidifying his dominion. One of his strategies was naming a definite salary to be given to the military officials of the state at nominating the new caliph.

Disregarding the Announced Goal for Dissenting the Legality

Muawiya and A'isheh, Ummul­Mu'minin, mutinied against the legitimate caliph demanding with condemning Othman's assassinators. When Muawiya came to power by force, neither Ummul­Mu'minin nor did he practice or demand with this affair.

Renaissance After Inadvertence

Although his father and he were among the ‘released’ and they led conflicts against Islam with an unexampled enthusiasm till they had to profess Islam for saving their souls, Muawiya, the son of Abu­Sufian, became the authoritative leader, the representative and the successor of Mohammed on people.

How had such a revolution occurred? How had the right been defeated? How had the right become retarded while the wrong advanced? How had the ‘released’ become preferred to the Muhajir? How had those who restricted Islam become favored to those on whom this restriction fell, for the sake of Islam?

The most astonishing matter is that the year in which strength defeated legality has been named ‘year of congruity.’ Thus and so, the virtuous people failed. They were heavily depressed as they felt of deep sorrow and nonsuccess. Anyhow, it was too late to repent. They had matters within their hands. As is they were living in an inadvertence, they wake up on effects of a horrible nightmare. When they opened their eyes and minds, they found the nightmare a reality.

Hypotheses Serving the Factuality

People were engaged in analyzing what had been occurring. A great deal of variant hypotheses and conception were come forth. For instance, Sufism, the conception of imputing matters - good and evil - to Allah, fatalism and the Sahaba's ultimate decency; these faiths were originated. The Umayids, together with their supporters, were the main incentive beyond emanation of such conceptions. They were used as a high quality weapons for defending the Umayid royalty. Besides, they were used for dispersing the rivals' efforts for the sake of establishing pillars of the Umayid royalty and substantiating its false legality.

Chapter 3 - Purpose of Inventing the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

1. Substantiation

1. Substantiating the process of the wrongful seizure of power: Muawiya, the ‘released’, the son of the ‘released’ and one of the inclined­hearted category, found himself the president, or the king, of the Islamic state, the representative and, officially, the successor of God's messenger. This is incredible and unbelievable! It is unacceptable according to the entire intellectual, doctrinal and positive criteria. The father, Abu­Sufian, was the head of the parties opposing Islam and the director of polytheism during the entire battles. His sons, supporters and he exerted all efforts and used all weapons for resisting Islam. They had to confess Islam only when they had been completely surrounded. Here is his son, Muawiya. He is preceding all those who had preceded him to Islam and whose shoulders were the pillars on which Islam was established.

There should be a justification of this revolution. The best way selected was ruling of decency of all of the Prophet's companions. As long as Muawiya and his faction are reckoned with Sahaba, according to terminological and the lexical meaning of this idiom, who are entirely decent, and shall be in the Paradise, and none of them shall be in the Hell, and there is no difference between them because of the total qualifications they, indistinctly, enjoy, then what should prevent Muawiya from being the caliph and the Muslims' juristic leader? What, in the same manner, should prevent his faction, who are Sahaba terminologically and lexically, from being his close entourage? They are so decent that all of them shall be in the Paradise and none shall be in hell­fire. The far-reaching conception of the Sahaba's ultimate decency is the most ideal substantiation of Muawiya's royalty. This wide­spreadingness shows evidently a real view of Muawiya’s artfulness and evil cunning.

2. Substantiating deeds of Muawiya and his faction: The most catastrophic misfortunes Islam and Muslims had faced were on the hands of Muawiya and his faction. Bishr­bn­Arta'a and Muslim­bn­Aqaba, for instance, committed the most terrible crimes from which even the heavens complained and the most hard hearts bled. In the Harra collision, the whole warriors of Badr were killed. Seven hundred men of Quraish and the Ansar were killed. From ordinary people, about ten thousand souls were killed in that collision. Nothing intercepted those commanders from killing the children. This crime was perpetrated by Bishr­bn­Arta'a when he killed the babies of Ubeidullah­bn­Abbas. In addition, battles against Imam Ali prove the criminal conduct of Muawiya and his faction. The most offensive matter, however, was Muawiya's planning for terminating Mohammed's progeny inclusively. In executing so, his faction and he used several devious devices for murdering. He poisoned Al­Hassan­bn­Ali (peace be upon him), Abdor­Rahman­bn­Khalid­bn­Al­Waleed, as bn­Abdil­Berr records in his Alisti'ab, and Abdor­Rahman­bn­Abi­Bakr As­Siddiq. Malik Al­Ashtar was also poisoned by Muawiya. For this, Amr­bn­Al­Aas said: “Allah does have soldiers of honey!” Furthermore, Muawiya made Muslims engaged in various discrepancies and discord. Al­Aqqad says that Mohammed's nation had been absolutely incapable of achieving unanimity whatever they attempted. Certainly, the Islamic jurisprudence was deformed on the hands of Muawiya. (The truth is that the Umayid reign was not Islamic..,), Dr. Ahmed Amin says.

Is there any way of substantiating these ill deeds other than the invention of the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception? As the entire Sahaba are so decent that they shall be in the Paradise, Muawiya and his faction, then, had not committed any mistake. Had they been mistaken, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), the indisputably authentic and true­tongued who does never speak out of desire, would not have declared the entire Sahaba’s being in the Paradise. Considering him as an elicitor Sahabi, Muawiya is rewarded in all cases. He shall be double rewarded if he kills rightfully, otherwise, he shall be once rewarded. Muawiya is the right, whether he fights or opts for peace, attacks or absconds, takes or gives. This is because he is a Sahabi; and Sahaba are entirely decent.

2. Immunity Against Criticism, Maligning, Reviling and Imputing Dishonor

Accompanying substantiation of Muawiya's usurpation of leadership, the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception verifies crimes and offenses committed by his faction and him. Likewise, the conception grants immunity against any sort of criticism, including the constructive, railing, maligning and detracting from the estimate of such individuals since they are Sahaba and, consequently, decent. He whoever criticizes, maligns or rails at any of the Sahaba, especially those who are presidents of the state, is reckoned with the miscreants whom are to be not shared in food and drink and to neglect offering their dead bodies the ritual funeral prayer. This (juristic) rule is recorded in At­Thehbi's Al­Mizan. There is no other conception or plan that can immunize Muawiya such as this Sahaba's ultimate decency conception.

3. Confronting Rivals of Muawiya and His Faction

Adopting the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception secures victory, or tie at least, of Muawiya and his faction in any conflict against rivals. For example, if Mohammed's progeny affirm that they are those from whom God has removed - mental and physical - uncleanness and purified them a thorough purification, Muawiya and his faction will immediately submit that simultaneous answer of considering Mohammed's companions - Sahaba - as decent that they do never lie, since they all shall be in the Paradise and none of them shall be sent to the hell­fire. If Mohammed's progeny assert that those who cause harm to them should be reckoned with those who cause harm to God, Muawiya and his faction shall provide that immediate answer that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) say: “They are harming me those who harm any of my companions..” In such a manner, the right is mixed with the wrong, the obedient with the disobedient and the virtuous with the sinful.

4. Engaging Muslims in Discrepancies

In case Muawiya obtains the ability of emanating and broadcasting of the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception with its wide­spreading features, a party of Muslims will adopt, and another will contravene. Controversy, accompanied by fanaticism, will arise in each party's convictions. This will lead to discrepancy and that each party record convictions that shall certainly be followed by a great deal of successors pursuing partisan imitation, claiming of defending the right and their own viewpoints. Regarding the conception involved, those who support such a conception are not necessarily supporting Muawiya. They claim of supporting the Prophet's companions. Those who disagree to the conception, on the other hand, are acquitting themselves from the view of dissenting the Prophet's companions, indicating that their aim is divulging trickeries and political cabals hidden for the other party. Practically, each party has actually stood in the face of the other shunning Muawiya who, in that case, is watching the two cheerfully, preparing himself to be the arbiter whenever necessary. This is the very artfulness intended by Al­Aqqad in his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan.

Grounds of the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

bn­Arafa­Naftawayih, one of the most notable hadithists - records that most of narratives appertained to merits of the Prophet's companions were forged in the Umayid reign, as the forgers intended attaining the rulers' satisfaction since they conceived that such falsity would submit the Hashemites. These false narratives were formed in such a way that every Sahabi, lexically or terminologically, would be the most virtuous guide in this world and that curses are continuously thrown on those who malign or accuse any of the Sahaba of any matters.[19]

Unanimously, historians assert that the origination of forging lies against the Prophet was in the last of Othman's reign and after occurrence of the revolution that prejudiced the caliph's soul. This falsity was extended and spread after people's swearing allegiance to Ali as he became the legitimate caliph. As soon as Muslims selectively declared their fealty to Ali, the Umayid's devil moved its horn for usurping the affair from its rightful owner. At any rate, events went on and some of declarants of fealty broke their allegiance to the fourth Rashidite caliph. The consequence of such a repeal was a good many battles and conflicts between Muslims, that were ended by the Umayids' dominating power. Due to so, in fact, structure of Muslims' conformity was seceded, ring of the their unification was ruptured, many contradictory sects were originated. besides, the many irreconcilable parties went on advocating their ideas by words and deeds on the account of the other party. Ground of founding the false hadiths and exegesis of the Holy Quran was quite proper. So, each party exaggerated in defending its ideology that discrepancy, in its highest rank, occurred. Nothing was more catastrophic to Islam than forging false sayings and imputing erroneous and heretic matters to its doctrine. These were the elements that spoiled Muslim's intellects and caused others to mistrust fundamentals of Islam. Misfortunes and detriments of such false narratives were chiefly undergone by those who lived under dominion of the Umayids. In that reign, the number of hadithists had recorded a great typical progress, while the number of authentic people had been in gradual retardation. Majority of the moral Sahaba ceased reporting the Prophet's narratives unless they had full acquaintance of decency of the one they were to report to.[20]

Imam Mohammed Abduh referred to the procedures taken by Muawiya for himself. He asserted that Muawiya had used a mass of the Sahaba and their successors for fabricating ill news against Ali (peace be upon him). The composition of such mendacious sayings falsely imputed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), was referring to maligning and repudiating Ali. As Muawiya set a considerable remunerative prize for forging such lies, those individuals did their best for seeking his satisfaction. Abu­Hureira was one of those narrators.

In His Dhuhal­Islam, Dr. Ahmed Amin says: “It is to mention that the Umayids did actually forge or employ people to forge lies against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) that flow in the service of their policies from various sides.[21] Muawiya gifted Abu­Samara­bn­Jundub, the Sahabi, with five hundred thousand dirhams for inventing the lie of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) stating that Ali­bn­Abi­Talib had been the one intended in the Verse: (And among men is he whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries.) In a like manner, Abu­Samara forged the lie of the Prophet’s having saying that Abdor­Rahman­bn­Muljim, the assassinator of Ali (peace be upon him), had been the one intended in God's saying: (And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is affectionate to the servants.)”[22]

Ahaadeeths Narrators

Abu­Hureira Ad­Dusi, is one of Muawiya's associates and followers. He imputed 5374 sayings to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Only 446 sayings of them are recorded by Al­Bukhari. Abu­Hureira accompanied the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) for less than 18 months. The Prophet's grand companions who had adhered to him from the first moment of his divine envoy till his being transmitted to the Elevated Associate, reported less than one hundred hadiths - narratives. The grand Sahaba are Abu­Bakr, Omar, Othman, Ali, Abdor­Rahman­bn­Awf, Talha­bn­Ubeidillah, Me'ath­bn­Jabal, Selman, Zaid­bn­Thabit and Ubey­bn­Ka'b. This is an evident example.

Muawiya's Merits

In his Al­Fawa'idul­Majmu'a Fil­Ahadithil­Mawdu'a, Ashawkani, who proves falsity and unauthenticity of the entire (hadiths) regarding praising or mentioning Muawiya's credits, says: “Having reckoned hadiths appertained to Muawiya's virtues with the forged ones, Ibnul­Jawzi excused that Isaaq­bn­Rahawayih, Al­Bukhari's most authentic narrator, confessed of the fact that none of the hadiths respecting Muawiya's virtues had been authentic at all.”

An­Nisa'i had that famous story pertaining Muawiya's virtues. Ad­Darqutni relates: An­Nisa'i's companions asked him about Muawiya's preference. He answered: “How come is it not sufficient for him to be equated with any, that he seeks preference?” For this reason, he was pushed out of the mosque..[23]

Ashafi'i's Impression on Muawiya

Abul­Fida relates that Ashafi'i informed Ar­Rabee, secretly, of the fact that testimonies of four individuals from among the Prophet's companions should not be admitted. Those four are Muawiya, Amr­bn­Al­Aas, Al­Mugheera and Ziyad.[24]

This might have been the incentive that made bn­Muin ruled of dishonesty of Ashafi'i in narrating hadiths.

Al­Hassan Al­Basri's Saying

At­Tabari mentions that Al­Hassan Al­Basri used to say:

“Four ill deeds, any of which is sufficiently periling, are Muawiya's. They are his using the ill­minded ones - with the existence of the Prophet's companions and virtuous individuals - as rulers of this nation till he could dominate and cancel principal of advisory. His nominating Yazeed, his son, the drunkard who dresses silky clothes and plays on drums, as his successor. His avowing Ziyad as his brother, whereas the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had said: 'Babies are for the bed, and the prostitutes' share is stones.' His killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions.”

The Entire Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception is Having Umayid Flavor

According to the content of the entire Sahaba's ultimate decency conception, Mohammed's progeny must have been reckoned with the decent. This should definitely make the Umayids stop their maligning and reviling at them.

Nonetheless, it is noticeable that regarding to his situations towards Imam Ali, Muawiya, the chief of the despotic party, adopted the very situation his father had against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Yazeed, the son, made no difference in his situation against Al­Hussein­bn­Ali. As soon as he came to power, the first procedure Muawiya took was writing missives to his governors and officials, ordering them of declaring cursing Ali during prayers and from pulpits. Furthermore, sessions of sermons, in Syria, were programmatically ended with reviling at Ali. Testimonies of those who accede to Ali or any of his progeny were inadmissible. Names of such individuals, who showed loyalty to Ali or any of his sons, were erased from the general record of the province. Hence, they were discriminated and intercepted from receiving any of the governmental salaries everybody joined.[25]

In his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan, Al­Aqqad records: “Even if only the preponderant reports regarding Muawiya's orders of cursing Ali from pulpits of the Umayid state, are accepted, this will be acceptably sufficient to prove authenticity of the other reports involved in the same topic.”[26]