Part One: A glance at the life of Mu‘awiyah
Mu‘awiyah was the son of Abu Sufyan and fiend and was nicknamed ‘Abd ar-Rahman. According to the most common historical narrations, he seemed to apparently embrace Islam after the capture of Mecca, and in the 12th year of the Hijrah when Abu Bakr dispatched an army to ash-Sham under the command of Yazid, the other son of Abu Sufyan, to fight the Romans, Mu‘awiyah accompanied his brother as a banner-bearer of the army.
Yazid, Abu Sufyan’s son, died of plague in the year 18 of the Hijrah; in ‘Amwas
, and appointed his brother, Mu‘awiyah, as commander of the army, a nomination that was accepted and signed by the caliph.
During the caliphate of ‘Uthman who was of the Umayyads and a cousin of Mu‘awiyah, many lands were annexed to the dominion governed by him, and ‘Uthman placed ash-Sham under his rule which to-day comprises Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan.
Thus for nineteen years Mu‘awiyah governed ash-Sham in peace and tranquility. But after this period when Imam ‘Ali assumed the position of caliph, Mu‘awiyah rebelled against and disobeyed him. He rose with the deceptive claim of avenging ‘Uthman’s blood, and entered the region of Siffin with a huge army. The Imam collected an army of the Emigrants, Ansar (helpers) and other Muslims to suppress him and proceeded to Siffin to confront him.
The two armies faced each other in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the year 36 of the Hijrah, and during one hundred and ten days ninety skirmishes took placed between them, and finally when the victory of the Imam’s army seemed certain, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As suggested to resort to trickery, which was carried out by the order of Mu‘awiyah. Soldiers were ordered to stick a copy of the Qur’an on their spearheads, inviting the Imam and his army to the arbitration of the Qur’an. This trick carried a considerable emotive effect on the army of ash-Sham and the simple-minded people of Kufah who faced the Imam to accept peace with their brothers-in-faith!
The war thus ended, and then the arm of Kufah, contrary to the view of the Imam, chose Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari as their arbitrator, while Mu‘awiyah nominated ‘Amr ibn al-‘As to act as arbitrator on behalf of himself and his army. These two arbitrators came together to the land of Dumat al-Jandal in the month of Ramadan of the year 38 of the Hijrah to negotiate. ‘Amr ibn al-‘As cunningly suggested that they should both reject ‘Ali and Mu‘awiyah as caliph so that the Muslims could then vote to choose anyone they wished as caliph.
Abu Musa accepted the proposal and was asked by ‘Amr ibn al-‘As to climb the pulpit and declare the denouncement. He did so. But when ‘Amr ibn al-‘As climbed the pulpit, contrary to their agreement, he denounced ‘Ali and nominated Mu‘awiyah as caliph. Abu Musa rose in anger of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As’s trickery and began to abuse him. ‘Amr ibn al-‘As was ready to retaliate. In this way Mu‘awiyah was chosen as caliph.
In Ramadan of the year 40 of the Hijrah, the sword of ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Muljam split the Imam’s forehead, who died after three days. The Emigrants, Ansar and other Muslims except the people of ash-Sham swore allegiance to Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, but eventually failed to support him against Mu‘awiyah, and showed such weakness that evil intentions of Mu‘awiyah were carried out without any serious confrontation.
In that year which was named“Am al-Jama‘ah”
Mu‘awiyah sat on the seat of caliph, and ruled some nineteen years. He died in Rajab of the year 60 and was buried in Damascus.
Abu Sufyan and Hind
Controversy over the true identity of Mu‘awiyah’s father
On his father’s side Mu‘awiyah is related to four persons.
az-Zamakhshari
Mu‘awiyah’s father was Abu Sufyan, Sakhr ibn Harb ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams, and his mother was Hind, daughter of ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah ibn ‘Abd Shams. Hind’s first marriage was with al-Fakah
, son of al-Mughayrah of the Banu Makhzum tribe, who was killed in the district of al-Ghamisa’
. After the death of al-Fakah, Hind married Hafs, another son of al-Mughayrah, who died sometime after. So for the third time she married Abu Sufyan.
Some historical texts have described her marriages at a greater length, and said that al-Fakah, Hind’s first husband, suspected her of adultery. So he separated from her since he could not tolerate the disgrace.
Other historians believe that Hind had won notoriety in Mecca for illegitimate acts and adultery.
But concerning Hind’s marriage with Abu Sufyan they write that Musafir ibn ‘Amr, who was of the Umayyads, was so deeply in love with Hind that everyone suspected an affair between them. Hind became pregnant from him and when people came to notice this, Musafir ibn ‘Amr fled from Mecca and went to an-Nu‘man ibn al-Mundhir, the well-known Arab king of Hira, to beg his aid. It was in his absence that Abu Sufyan married Hind.
Hisham ibn Muhammad al-Kalbi, well-known genealogist, in the book of al-Mathalib, and al-Asma‘i, famous scholar and man of letters, say: Mu‘awiyah was, in pagan times, related to four persons, namely:
a) ‘Amarah ibn al-Walid of the Banu Makhzum
b) Musafir ibn ‘Amr of the Umayyads
c) Abu Sufyan of the Umayyads
d) al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib of the Banu Hashim.
All these men were each other’s friends, and each of them was known to have had a love affair with Hind!
a) ‘Amarah ibn al-Walid was one of the handsomest men of the Quraysh. He accompanied ‘Amr ibn al-‘As in his journey to Abyssinia to bring back the Muslims who had emigrated to that country and request Negus the king of Abyssinia to aid them in this task. Owing to the attachment he showed to the wife of ‘Amr ibn al-‘As during this journey, he was involved with the vengeful slyness of her husband, who took preliminary steps to slander him before Negus and rouse the King’s anger against him. So by the king’s order he was given certain drugs that drove him mad, and he took to the desert to keep the company of wild beasts.
b) Concerning Musafir ibn ‘Amr, al-Kalbi, a great genealogist writes: During pagan times it was supposed that Mu‘awiyah is his son, since Musafir was more deeply attached to Hind then his rivals. When Hind became pregnant, Musafir, fearing exposure and being regarded as the begetter of the child, fled to the king of Hira and settled there.
After some time Abu Sufyan traveled to Hira and there he met his old friend. At this Musafir had fallen ill owing to his love for and separation from his beloved. After talking for some time about the people of Mecca, Abu Sufyan mentioned that after Musafir’s flight from Mecca, he himself had married Hind.
This news was a great shock to Musafir, whose condition deteriorated and he died soon after.
A historian considers Musafir a victim of love in pagan times.
az-Zamakhshari, the well-known scholar and commentator, in his book of“Rabi‘ al-abrar”
mentions the four people to whom Mu‘awiyah was related, as follows: Musafir ibn ‘Amr, ‘Amarah ibn al-Walid, al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and lastly as-Sabbah, the minstrel slave of ‘Amarah.
az-Zamakhshari says: Abu Sufyan was short of stature and ugly looking, whereas as-Sabbah who was his slave, possessed the freshness of youth, and Hind was attracted to him. Finally she could not conceal her love for him, and invited him to sleep with her and thus a secret love affair started between them. Some historians go even so far as to say that in addition to Mu‘awiyah, ‘Utbah, the other so-called son of Abu Sufyan, too, was really begotten by as-Sabbah. They say also that Hind had no inclination to give birth to this child at her home, so she went out to the desert and gave birth to him there.
Hassan ibn Thabit, a great poet of Islam, before the capture of Mecca and at a time when a cold war raged between the Muslims and infidels, composed a poem about this incident, satirizing and criticizing Hind:
“Whose is that child who lies in the corner of that sandy desert of al-Batha’, Mecca?
A child, lying on the earth and out of cradle.
He is born by a young and beautiful woman of the Banu Umayyah tribe!”
Hisham ibn Muhammad al-Kalbi writes as follows in his book of al-Mathalib: Hind was one of the women who was greatly attracted by black men, and whenever she gave birth to a black baby, she killed it. He adds: One day a heavy quarrel took up between Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah and Ishaq ibn Tabah in the presence of Mu‘awiyah and during his caliphate. Yazid said ironically to Ishaq:“It is to your interest that all the children of Harb ibn Umayyah should enter heaven”
, meaning that Ishaq was an illegitimate son of that house and a bastard, since his mother had secret relations with the Umayyads.
Ishaq retorted sarcastically:“O Yazid! It is to your interest that all the children of Banu ‘Abbas should go to heaven!”
Yazid did not get the meaning of Ishaq’s sharp remark, but his father, Mu‘awiyah, did. So when Ishaq left the gathering, Mu‘awiyah said to Yazid:“Why do you open your mouth to abuse when you do not understand what they say about you?”
Yazid said:“My intention was to show his defects.”
Mu‘awiyah said:“He, too, had the same intention about you.”
Yazid asked:“How?”
Mu‘awiyah said:“Don’t you know that some of the Quraysh of pagan times considered me a son of Banu ‘Abbas?”
It was then that Yazid realized what an insult he had received.
Indeed, Hind’s bad reputation was so obvious and certain that on the day of capture of Mecca the Prophet made some reference to it. When Hind came to his presence to show allegiance, the Prophet pardoned her, even though he had declared Hind’s blood worthless owing to her great anti-Islamic crimes, and accepted her allegiance, and showed indulgence towards her unworthy deeds.
She asked the Prophet:“On what ground should we show allegiance to you?”
The Prophet answered:“On the ground of abstaining from adultery.”
Hind said:“Is it possible that a free woman would commit adultery and thus contaminate herself?”
Though the Prophet was aware of her character, he said nothing and only smiled.
The Umayyads in pagan times
Abu Sufyan was one of those who had joined hands to combat the Prophet.
Ibn Hisham
As we saw Hind, Mu‘awiyah’s mother, was regarded as belonging to the Umayyads. Her father was called ‘Utbah and her uncle Shaybah, both of whom were considered as nobles of the Quraysh in pagan times. At the advent of Islam, ‘Utbah and Shaybah did not abstain from hostility to the Prophet, and in the battle of Badr they co-operated with other members of the Quraysh. It was in the same battle that in the early hours of the day these two came forward in the battlefield to challenge warriors in the other army, but their lot was to face the valiant and true warriors of Islam, namely Imam ‘Ali and Hamzah, had to be killed soon after.
Abu Sufyan, Mu‘awiyah’s father was a stout, well-set and short man, and bore the name of Hanzalah, like his eldest son, and his nickname was Abu Hanzalah. He was one those who was killed by Imam ‘Ali in the battle of Badr.
In pagan times Abu Sufyan was considered as a great man of the Quraysh, and after the battle of Badr in which the Quraysh leaders were killed, he assumed the position of the sole chief of Mecca and his own tribe. Thenceforth all the Arab wars and hostilities against Islam were conducted by him. Jewish and primitive tribes were mobilized against Islam at his instigation, and the battles of Uhud and al-Khandaq, which were considered the greatest anti-Islam line ups, were fought under his leadership.
Muhammad ibn Habib, great historian, has regarded Abu Sufyan as one of the eight Quraysh atheists.
According to Ibn Hisham, during the life of the Prophet, Abu Sufyan was one of the leaders of the groups opposed to the Prophet, and he spared no effort to destroy him.
He is also one of those who seeked to attach himself to Abu Talib, the great defender of Islam, seeking to prevent him from supporting the Prophet.
Moreover, there were some who got together in Dar an-Nudwah the meeting center of the Quraysh tribe, to discuss the elimination of the Prophet, and ended by concluding in agreement of collaboration to carry out this great crime.
Gradually the Quraysh and their chiefs such as Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan, Abu Lahab and others put such a pressure on the Muslims in Mecca that life became intolerable for them, and thus the decree was issued by the Prophet for emigration to Medina. So the hard-pressed and suffering Muslims departed from their city and land and cut off their ties with their home, property and relations, and proceeded towards Medina by the order of God in order to be delivered from the oppressors. Emigration was continued until with the exception of the Prophet and a few others, no Muslims remained in Mecca. In the last few years of their stay, suppression was so tense and hostile that the Prophet abstained from public propagation in Mecca and confined his activity to inviting desert dwellers and pilgrims towards God during the pilgrimage ceremonies only. As during these ceremonies fighting and dispute were forbidden, and since, owing to the Quraysh’s social prestige, they could not molest the Prophet, they tried to render his propagation ineffective. Thus Abu Lahab would walk a few steps behind him and prevent the people from having contact with the Prophet or listen to his words. He kept on abusing and accusing him in order to check his mission. At last, revelation descended ordering the emigration, thus delivering the Prophet from the clutches of the Quraysh. He left Mecca, to be followed soon by Imam ‘Ali and only a few of the Muslims remained in captivity and prison in that city. Now Abu Sufyan resorted to a fresh crime by meanly usurping the houses vacated by the Muslims and putting them up for sale.
Abu Sufyan in the battle of Badr
“Infidels freely offer their property to prevent people from joining the way of God.”
The Holy Qur’an
When the Muslims migrated to Medina, they were laxed from the molestation’s of the Quraysh, but they were faced with the deadly hardship of poverty and indigence, for, the emigrants had left behind all their property, houses and relatives and had taken refuge in the city of Islam that is Medina. Of course, the people of Medina, named Ansar (helpers), so far as they were able, assisted these emigrants, but the people of those days were not so well off as to provide themselves with a comfortable life, especially as a group of them had no dwellings or financial means to support themselves. Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings and deficiencies the number of the followers of Islam increased every day, and gradually they were able to present themselves as a new force in the Arabian Peninsula, and show their strength.
In the second year of the Hijrah an event took place which produced the first great battle of Islamic era. For many long years the Quraysh had been engaged in trade travels and transport of goods to foreign lands, and every year they regularly visited Yemen and once a year they took their merchandise to ash-Sham. In the second year of the Hijrah, as usual a big caravan headed by Abu Sufyan, father of Mu‘awiyah, had left for ash-Sham. On their return, the Prophet and a group of three hundred confronted the caravan demanding the lost property of the Muslims in Mecca.
When Abu Sufyan heard the news, he asked Mecca for help, and then tried to choose another route to return. To help Abu Sufyan, the Quraysh summoned a force of one thousand soldiers to fight the Prophet’s army who were small in number. Thus, started the battle of Badr, in an area called the same. Occult aid and the self-sacrifice of Islamic warriors brought them victory, while the other side lost seventy men and another seventy were taken captive.
Of the sons of Abd Shams of the Umayyads eight men were killed in this battle among them were Hanzalah, Abu Sufyan’s son, ‘Utbah and Rabi‘ah, father and uncle of his wife Hind, and al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, uncle of Mu‘awiyah. Six members of the Hulafa’ and their confederates, too, lost their lives. Among the captives, too, were seven of the Umayyads including ‘Amr, another son of Abu Sufyan.
In retaliation for his son’s captivity, Abu Sufyan without any feasible excuse seized one of the great men of Ansar who was on his way to Mecca for pilgrimage, and imprisoned him, whereas before this battle, the Quraysh never molested a pilgrim. Consequently the Muslims were com¬pelled to set their POW’s free.
After the battle of Badr in which the first-rank leaders of the Quraysh lost their lives, Abu Sufyan was able to seize the position of the absolute master of Mecca and the leadership of the Quraysh in war and peace. It was at this time that he vowed not to wash his head until he took revenge from the Prophet.
After some time, Abu Sufyan, in order to fulfil his indecent vow, proceeded to Medina accompanied by two hundred Quraysh horsemen and stayed with the Jewish tribe of Banu an-Nadir. Then he began to make inquiries about the city’s conditions, and sent a number of his men to set fire to the date palms of the people. These raiders, after carrying out their mission, killed two innocent men of the city who were near by, and then they all returned to Mecca.
Hind, mother of Mu‘awiyah, was greatly enraged after the battle of Badr for the death of her father and uncle and other relatives of hers, and spent her time mourning for them, and did her worst to rouse the Quraysh to avenge their blood.
After the battle of Badr and the death of seventy men and captivity of another seventy the Quraysh who were greatly distressed at the outcome of that battle, earmarked their enormous trade profits of ash-Sham and the goods carried by one thousand camels and valued at fifty thousand dinars
to a fresh war with the Muslims. It was then that the following verse of the Qur’an descended and reproached the infidels in a sharp tone:
“Surely those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder people from the way of Allah; so they shall spend it, then it shall be to them an intense regret, then they shall be overcome; and those who disbelieve shall be driven together to hell.”
Abu Sufyan in the battle of Uhud
We possess such a god as the al-‘Uzza idol, whereas you have no al-‘Uzza.
Abu Sufyan
Following the offensive raids of Abu Sufyan and the decision of the Quraysh traders to supply money, for the war the infidels prepared themselves for a war with the Prophet. Abu Sufyan held the command of this army and took with him his wife and a number of Quraysh women. Along the way between Mecca and Medina wherever Hind came across Wahshi, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mat‘am, she cried out:“O Wahshi! Take my revenge from the Prophet and heal my wounds if you wish to be set free!”
In this way Abu Sufyan and Hind, parents of Mu‘awiyah, started the bloody and longed-for battle of Uhud, causing the bloodshed of many true and striving devotees of Islam. On the day of the battle, Abu Sufyan addressed the Quraysh banner-bearers who were of the Banu ‘Abd ad-Dar, and said:“O sons of ‘Abd ad-Dar! In the battle of Badr you carried our banners of war and we suffered so many disasters and calamities. The matter of the military banner is so important that it leads either to victory or defeat. Therefore, either protect the banner or abandon it so that we ourselves may undertake this task.”
They responded:“Do you expect us to hand over the banner to you? This is impossible. When the fire of the combat is aflame tomorrow, you will witness our courage and self-sacrifice!”
This was what Abu Sufyan heartily desired, namely the defeat of Islam and annihilation of the Prophet. The following day when the sun came up, the two armies fell upon each other. Hind and other women, who had come to encourage their men, emerged from their tents, and while they beat their tambourine they chanted slogans to encourage their soldiers.
Hind started singing the following words:
“Forward, O sons of ‘Abd ad-Dar!
Endeavour O protectors and vanguards of the army!
Deal blows with your sharp swords!
We girls are morning stars!
If you advance victoriously,
We open our arms to you and spread beds for you!
But if you turn your back to the combat
And submit to defeat,
We, too, turn our backs to you!
Then you will suffer such a separation
In which you will see no sign of love and loyalty.”
During the battle one of the Ansar fighters noticed Hind inciting the infidel army to fight. So he attacked her with his drawn sword, but when he was about to deal the blow, he realized that she was not a warrior, but a woman. So he abstained from killing her and returned in chivalry.
As we said, this battle was a heavy blow for the newly founded Islam in which about seventy of the best and devoutest sons of Islam lost their lives. One of the most distinguished martyrs of this battle, who was killed through the efforts of Abu Sufyan and Hind, was Hamzah, the noble uncle of the Prophet, whose killer was Wahshi, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mat‘am.
The combat ended and the dead lay down in the battlefield covered with blood. But the beastly spirit of savagery would not leave alone these godless people of Mecca, and Hind leading a number of women entered the field, each carrying a knife or other, and each looked for a dead warrior to cut off his ear, nose or other parts of his body. The number of the severed parts of the Muslims was so great that Hind was able to make a necklace and bracelet of them for herself, and in return for Wahshi’s service in killing Hamzah, she offered her own gold ornaments. Then she searched for the body of Hamzah, and tore open the side of that lion of God, and cruelly pulling out his liver, took it to her mouth to eat, but failing in it, she threw it down.
The nickname of“Liver-eating Hind”
had its origin in this savage and vengeful act. Then she climbed on a rock and loudly sang the following lines:
“We made square for the battle of Badr!
War after war kindles a fire,
I was never tranquil at ‘Utbah’s death,
Nor for my brother and his uncle Shaybah,
Nor for my son Hanzalah.
Now I have remedied the pain of my heart
And have fulfilled my vow.
Wahshi brought tranquility to my burning breast
And I shall ever be grateful to Wahshi
Until my bones decay in the grave and turn into dust.”
A woman of Banu Hashim, named Hind, too daughter of Athathah ibn ‘Ibad ibn al-Muttalib composed the following lines in response to Hind, wife of Abu Sufyan:
“In both the battle of Badr and the next one,
You were sunk in the cesspool of meanness!
O offspring of vilenesses and great infidelities!
May God bring you a day when you will face
The strong arms of Banu Hashim and their sharp swords.
Hamzah was our courageous lion,
And ‘Ali is our sharp-clawed hawk.
When your father and uncle intended to kill us,
Their throats were covered with blood!
What a wicked vow was that evil vow of yours!”
After the battle of Uhud, Hulays who was the chief of an ally tribe of the Quraysh, saw Abu Sufyan in the battlefield standing over the dead body of Hamzah and toying its face with the end of his spear saying:“Now taste the bitterness of death for breaking your bond of kinship!”
By this remark he meant that Hamzah, by embracing Islam, had abandoned the Quraysh and had risen to fight them. When Hulays
observed this mean act of Abu Sufyan, he cried out:“O men of Kananah tribes! Look at this chief of the Quraysh! See what he is doing with the lifeless body of the son of his uncle spread on the earth!”
Abu Sufyan answered:“Woe upon you! Don’t say a word about what you saw me doing! It was a mistake.”
Then he stood on the hillside and cried out loudly:“How well we have done! War always has two sides. Today as a response to the battle of Badr!”
Then he said:“High and exalted be the idol Hubal!”
The Prophet ordered to respond him:“God is greater and higher.”
Against this Godly words of the Muslims, Abu Sufyan shouted:“We possess such a god as the al-‘Uzza idol, whereas you have no al-‘Uzza!”
The Prophet ordered to give him this answer:“Great God, Allah, is our Lord and Master, but you have no such lord!”
Abu Sufyan walked off while exclaiming:“Our next meeting by the wells of Badr, next year!”
The Prophet ordered one of his friends to answer:“Yes, Allah’s army will meet you then and there.”
Abu Sufyan together with the Quraysh army left the battle-scene. But after a few days marching towards Mecca and thinking over the comparatively weak position of the army and the Muslims he decided to return and destroy the half- vanquished Muslims. But when he heard that the Prophet had left the city with a number of Muslim warriors and was ready to fight, he and his supporters were overcome with fear, and were thus compelled to return to Mecca.
Hind in the battle of Uhud
When I ripped open the belly of Hamzah and pulled out his liver!
Hind
Hind, like her husband, had a great role in the battle of Uhud. She had much influence in inciting this war and constantly fanning up the flame of war. She even brought a number of Quraysh women with her to the field of battle in order to boost up the Arab ardor of the Quraysh, thereby, bring about the attainment of victory. And as we saw, when the combat ended, she pulled out the liver of that valiant warrior of Islam, Hamzah, by ripping open his side, and wanted to eat it. Her epic words about this war show her old and biting rancor. We have already mentioned examples of her epical verses and there are some more:
“In Uhud I soothed the pain of my heart
And felt tranquil and free from the pains,
Which the action of Hamzah had caused,
When I ripped open his belly
And pulled out his liver.
This quenched the pain that lived with me,
And the intense injury which burnt me with its fire.
The war; like a hailstorm, poured its fire on you,
And we rushed upon you like roaring lions.”
After the battle, one of the Muslims said to Hassan ibn Thabit, a great Ansar poet
:“I wish you could have heard Hind, standing on a rock and, reciting a bravado verse in which she spoke of her crimes towards the martyr of God’s way, Hamzah, in a boastful tone.”
Hassan asked:“Can you repeat her words? Then I will supply the response.”
That man quoted Hind’s words for Hassan and the latter composed a fine epic verse about Hind and her wickedness and crimes, which begin with the following lines:
“What show of meanness did that base woman exhibit,
For her conduct was always mean
And her meanness was combined with infidelity”
Ibn Hisham, well-known biographer, after quoting these lines, does not repeat the rest of the verse and says: I have abstained from quoting the whole of Hassan’s poem since abuses her with biter words.
But at-Tabari follows the above lines with eleven other rhymed lines, which go like this:
“May God deprive Hind of His blessing,
And involve her husband, too, with damnation.
O Hind! You arrived in Uhud merry-making among men,
While you had tied a litter on your camel,
An overloaded camel that a cry or whip could not make it rise,
Avenging the blood of you father and son
Who were killed in Badr, brought you to the battlefield,
And the vengeance for your uncle who
In the said battle had fallen naked, and his garment
Had been taken away and in vengeance for
Your brother who had fallen with the others
Face down in a pit and covered with blood.
Fie! You have forgotten that evil deed of yours!
Woe to you, an evil which will ever remain in time.
And finally you returned in abjectness
And failed in your vengeance and gained no victory!
Midwives say that Hind gave birth to a bastard son.”
Other poems have been composed with a different rhyme on this subject, and they are quoted in his poetical work as follows:
“Whose is this child who has fallen on a corner of the earth in the land of al-Batha’?
A child who is abandoned without a cradle in the dust?
A young beautiful and free woman gave birth to him.
She went wailing to her lover; as-Sabbah.
O Hind! How enraged you are!
A respectable woman who used the best perfume of India to make herself sweet-smelling!
How like his mother is this child!
But the likeness to a black father with curly hair; as-Sabbah, is much greater.
That vile woman showed unruliness,
For, rebellion was a constant habit with her,
As well as taking a bone between her teeth and biting it.”
In another biting and satirical poem, Hisham describes Hind in the following manner:
“Whose are those children that have fallen in the desert,
Rubbing their feet on the desert of Ajyad?
Fangs of labor overcame her,
And then she gave birth to her child,
While she had no midwife,
But beasts of the wild and jinn of the desert!
Among the abandoned babies fallen in the desert
There is one whose mother is of high lineage.
That woman said weekly in her travail:
O, that I had been a camel-driver,
And would not be involved with this condition!
They abandoned this child in the dust and went away,
While that woman’s father and uncle
Were the Sheikhs and chiefs of the tribe.”
Ibn Hisham, the well-known biographer, quotes about thirty and a few more odes from the Muslims and infidels about the battle of Uhud in which the savage acts of Hind and Abu Sufyan are recorded.
Abu Sufyan as leader in the battle of al-Khandaq
The Quraysh proceed towards the battle of al-Khandaq while Abu Sufyan was their leader.
In the month of Sha‘ban of the fourth year of the Hijrah, the Prophet and his friends came to the land of Badr as they had agreed the year before. Abu Sufyan and the people of Mecca, too, left their city but after going some distance, they changed their minds and returned, but before doing so Abu Sufyan said to his supporters:“O men of Quraysh! This war would have been possible for you in the years of greenness and freshness of the desert. But nothing can be done. This year we are faced with a drought. So I will go back and you can follow my example.”
They obeyed him and returned to their city wondering when to start another war against Islam. Time passed and the fifth year of the Hijrah began. Then the Quraysh tribe headed by Abu Sufyan started their preparation of a war. Many groups gathered, and the confederation of the Quraysh including the Jews organized a large army under the command of Abu Sufyan in order to uproot Islam and Muslims.
The Muslims sat in consultation, and on the suggestion of Salman al-Farisi, a wise man of Iranian nationality it was decided to dig a ditch round Medina.
The invaders reached Medina shortly after the defensive ditch was dug and the city was ready to face the enemy.
Abu Sufyan and his army besieged Medina for a month, but as the Arabs did not know how to overcome the barrier of the ditch in war, there occurred few clashes. Occasionally a warrior from the army of infidels found an opportunity to cross the ditch to attack the Muslim ranks. One of these was ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd Wud who had a fame as an Arab warrior. He leapt over the ditch with his horse and stood before the army of Islam and boastfully challenged them to fight.
No one dared to say a word and step forth for fear of death. Eventually no one but Imam ‘Ali was prepared to take up the challenge, and in a heroic and valiant combat he killed ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd Wud.
The death of ‘Amr and the lengthy ineffectiveness of the siege especially the tactics deployed by the Prophet made the Jews retire from the combat. The weather, too, became severely cold and a violent wind started blowing so that it shook the tents of the Quraysh army violently, extinguished their fires and caused their horses and camels to flee to the desert, and thus complete chaos and disorder reigned over the whole army of the enemy.
Abu Sufyan, who was furious with this state of affairs, summoned the army commanders for consultation and said to them:“O men of Quraysh! I swear to your god that you are in a land where one cannot live or stay longer. Our horses and camels have run away. The Jews of Banu Qurayzah who were our allies have abandoned their pact and left us. Moreover, as you see we are confronted with cold and bad weather, which has even put out our fires and has left no tent standing. Therefore, I think we had better return. I am ready to move back.”
In the same dark night the large army of the Quraysh and their allies departed for Mecca and their own tribes.
Abu Sufyan was in such a hurry to flee that he forgot to untie the foot-fetters of his camel and leapt on its back to move off!
Thus the big battle of al-Khandaq (or al-Ahzab) ended without any result for Abu Sufyan, and the big army of the infidels despite their large number failed to do anything against Islam, the religion of God.
Feeling of weakness and proposal of peace
O people! I have concluded a pact between the Quraysh and the Muslims.
Abu Sufyan
The weakness of the parties opposed to Islam, despite their greater number greatly asserted the power, dignity and glory of Islamic front, and the Muslims were now recognized as a power in the Arabian Peninsula and perfectly counted upon. Every day the number of Muslims and their economic and military power improved.
In the seventh year of the Hijrah the Prophet accompanied by a group of 1,500 departed for Mecca for a pilgrimage to the House of God. The arrival of the Muslims in the land of Mecca was very displeasing for the Quraysh, for, allowing this pilgrimage to take place meant a formal recognition of Islam and its power. Consequently with a great effort they checked the entry of the Muslims to the city. So the Prophet wisely considered it enough to conclude a pact of non-aggression with them and issued the order for a return to Medina. Although this pact seemed to be more in the interest of the Meccan side and was protested against by those who judged by appearances, yet the infidels’ acceptance of the pact which meant an unconscious recognition of Islam as an official power in Arabia, was wholly in the interest of Islam especially as on its account the Prophet was able to confront his other enemies. The battle of Khaybar was one such case when the Muslims succeeded in uprooting that powerful anti-Islamic king and were delivered from the dangers and hindrances created by the Jews.
Now in the desert land of Arabia, with the exception of the Quraysh, there existed no strong enemy to pose a threat to the Muslims, and owing to the pact concluded the Quraysh, too, had to abstain from dangerous moves. Consequently Islam was able to conquer Arabia rapidly. But no more than a year had passed of the al-Hudaybiyah peace when one of the terms of this pact was violated by the infidels of Mecca.
The Prophet thus decided to smash the last great stronghold of paganism and infidelity. The conquest of Mecca was about to be achieved. Abu Sufyan who had observed the increasing power of Islam, came to Medina to renew the pact, but the Prophet refused to meet this old enemy of Islam who pretended friendship and all due to his fear.
So Abu Sufyan met Imam ‘Ali and said to him:“O Abu al-Hasan! I am badly involved with great difficulties! Please help me out and guide me.”
The Imam said:“I swear to God that I see no way of salvation for you. You are the chief of the Quraysh and their allies.
Get up and go amidst the people and announce your friendship with them and then return to your homeland.”
Abu Sufyan said:“Do you think it is of any avail?”
The Imam said:“Not really! But I know of no other way for you.”
Abu Sufyan left and went to the mosque, and stood amidst the Muslims and cried out:“I pledge a pact of non-aggression and peace with you.”
Then he came out and embarked on his mount and proceeded towards Mecca.
Mecca is captured
Go your way, for, you are all free!
The Prophet
At a time when paganism was having its last days, Abu Sufyan was considered the most outstanding person of the Arab infidel front. Not only was he the chief and leader of the Quraysh, but also he was considered as the head of the tribes of Banu Kananah, Quraysh and their allies. He had roused Banu Kananah, Quraysh and their allies. He had roused them all to fight the Muslims, made plans for it, and collected forces. Similarly in case of need he compelled them to retreat or make peace. The death of the great chiefs of the Quraysh in the battle of Badr had paved the way for his sole leadership.
He continued to hold this position until the day the warriors of Islam entered Mecca and freed it from the hands of infidels. On that day the supremacy of Abu Sufyan was broken for ever at the hands of the Prophet, in the same way that many idols were broken and destroyed by the order of the Prophet and at the hands of Imam ‘Ali.
In the event of the capture of Mecca, Abu Sufyan played a particular role, which shows his cunning and deceitful nature. We will describe this incident by reference to the writings of Ibn Hisham and other historians.
At the time when the Prophet and his ten thousand Muslim combatants were approaching Mecca under God’s banner, al-‘Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, mounted his camel and went forward to find someone and send him as an envoy to the Meccans in order to warn them of any resistance, and persuade them to send an envoy to the Prophet to seek asylum. On his way al-‘Abbas came across three men of the Quraysh including Abu Sufyan. They had come Out of the city to inspect the area and find out the more about the advancing Muslims.
al-‘Abbas said to Abu Sufyan:“I swear to God that if our men find you, they will kill you right away. Then he allowed him to mount behind on the Prophet’s camel and proceeded towards the Prophet. al-‘Abbas managed to somehow take Abu Sufyan safe to the Prophet. Abu Sufyan got permission to the presence of the Prophet. He saluted. The Prophet said: Woe upon you, Abu Sufyan! Has the time not arrived for you to know and admit that there is no god but Allah?”
Abu Sufyan said:“Bless your holiness! How noble and tolerant you are! And how kindly you treat your kith and kin! By God, I think if there existed a god but Allah, he would have granted me some benefit by now!”
The Prophet said:“Woe upon you, Abu Sufyan! Has the time not come yet for you to know that I am the Prophet of God?”
Abu Sufyan repeated what he had already said and added:“I am still doubtful about this matter.”
al-‘Abbas who had sensed danger, said:“Woe upon you, Abu Sufyan! Embrace Islam and submit to God. Do not be stubborn in welcoming death.”
Fearful Abu Sufyan had no alternative but to utter the divine words pretending to testify to the truth of the existence of God and His Prophet, and thus apparently converted to Islam.
Following Abu Sufyan’s embracement of Islam, al-‘Abbas begged the Prophet for a privilege for him, and after the capture of Mecca and entry of the army of Islam to the city, declare that anyone who takes asylum in Abu Sufyan’s house, would be spared his life. He stated that as Abu Sufyan loves honour and reputation, such a consolation in the first moments of this conver¬sion would serve a good purpose.
The holy Prophet with his usual nobility and generosity declared the house of his old enemy who had apparently shown submission now, a safe place for all who took refuge there, and said:“Indeed, he who enters Abu Sufyan’s house, is secure, and anyone who shuts himself in his house is safe. Anyone who enters the House of God, will be immune, and anyone who lays down his arm will be secure against every danger.”
The army of Islam proceeded towards Mecca in a bid to transform that center of Arab polytheism into an eternal seat of monotheism and worship of God. The Prophet ordered al-‘Abbas to keep Abu Sufyan at the entrance of a gorge on the way to Mecca so that he could observe God’s army and its great size.
The Prophet’s order was carried out, and many tribes and groups of well-armed Muslim warriors carrying their particular banners marched by in good order and discipline. Every time a tribe passed, Abu Sufyan asked the name of the tribe, and al-‘Abbas answered. al-‘Abbas responded to his question:“This is the Banu Sulaym tribe.”
Abu Sufyan said annoyedly:“What do I have to do with Banu Sulaym?”
He meant: Why have these tribes come to fight us, since the Quraysh had no quarrel with them? In this way all the tribes passed by until the Prophet and his closest friends, namely the Emigrants and Ansar, passed by. The warriors were so fully armed and in battle dress that only their eyes could be seen. Abu Sufyan asked their names. al-‘Abbas said:“This is the Prophet of God surrounded by the Emigrants and Ansar.”
Abu Sufyan said:“No one could have bore in front of such an army. The kingdom of your cousin has become very great!”
al-‘Abbas said:“O Abu Sufyan! This is a divine Prophet and mission, not a kingship!”
Abu Sufyan said:“Yes, it is so.”
Then al-‘Abbas left him to himself and joined the army. Abu Sufyan hurriedly went to Mecca, and on reaching it he went straight to its center, Masjid al-Haram, and loudly exclaimed:“O men of the Quraysh! This is Muhammad who is coming to you with a massive army. Remember that anyone who enters the house of Abu Sufyan, will be secure.”
At this moment Hind, Abu Sufyan’s wife, rose and plucked at her husband’s hair and cried out angrily:“Kill this fat, stupid man. Curse be upon such a leader of tribe as you!”
Abu Sufyan paid no attention to her abuses, and exclaimed again:“Let not this woman deceive you. Muhammad is coming towards you with an army that has no end. Anyone who enters Abu Sufyan’s house will be immune.”
The people shouted:“May God destroy you! How can your house accommodate all of us?”
Abu Sufyan continued to say:“Whoever shuts the door on himself in his house, will be secure. Whoever enters the mosque, will be secure.”
Then the people went to their own houses, or towards the mosque of al-Haram.
Not long afterwards, the Prophet whom God may bless, entered Mecca with his well-organized army and neared the House of Ka‘bah. Then he stopped there and delivered a detailed speech, ending with an address to the Quraysh, saying:“What do you think I will do to you?”
They said:“We expect nothing but goodness from you. You are a noble brother and a noble cousin.”
The Prophet said:“Go your way! For, you are all free!”
On such a day, such a word showed only the deep nobility of the character and the great decency of the Prophet. At the height of his power the Prophet pardoned his bitterest enemies, who had for so many years abused, tortured and molested him and had even killed his friends, and for long years they had fought him in many ways.
The generous pardon granted by the Prophet, in later years was interpreted as a disgrace for the Quraysh and their children. The word“at-Tulaqa’”
means“those who were set free”
, and so some used it to decide the Quraysh as salves set free.
Abu Sufyan and his position in the Islamic community
If I could, I would once more rouse the people against this man!
Abu Sufyan
After his speech the Prophet circumambulated the House of Ka‘bah. Abu Sufyan was standing in a corner watching the scene. When he noticed with what love and devotion the Muslims were circling round the House of God behind their Prophet, a wicked idea occurred to him, thinking how find it would be if he could once more rouse the people against Muhammad!
The Prophet, reading his thought, turned to him and knocking on Abu Sufyan’s chest with his finger, said:“On any such day God will abuse you!”
Abu Sufyan said:“I turn to God again and beg His forgiveness. I did not give tongue to my thought!”
Then he murmured to himself:“I do not understand how Muhammad overcame us.”
At the same moment the Prophet patting his back said:“I overcame you at the Will of God!”
It was then Abu Sufyan had to utter these words:“I confess that you are the messenger of God.”
After the capture of Mecca, the Prophet departed towards Hunayn to stop the aggression of the Hawazin, and he was accompanied by a group of the Quraysh.
al-Miqrizi, a well-known historian, writes: A group of Meccans who had apparently embraced Islam, accompanied the Prophet. They did not take part in the battle but waited to see which side would be victorious so that they could seize some spoils of war from the defeated side. Among this group was Abu Sufyan ibn Harb who had taken his son Mu‘awiyah with him. Abu Sufyan moved in the rear of the army. In his quiver he carried“al-Azlam”
, a kind of wooden arrows. He collected for himself what the soldiers happened leave on the battle field, such as shield, spear or anything else, so that the sack on the back of his camel as gradually filled with such objects so much so that the poor camel could hardly carry so much weight.
According to al-Waqidi, Hunayn is a land within three days’ journey from Mecca
. In this land there lived a strong tribe of ‘Adnani Arabs called Hawazin.
In spite of its strength, the army of Islam, did not primarily gain any success in the clash. They had to advance through a narrow valley towards the center of the tribe that they were suddenly raided by the enemy. The majority of the men fled, and only a few including Imam ‘Ali and al-‘Abbas remained with the Prophet.
In the midst of this situation some of the newly-converted Quraysh chiefs uttered some words which are recorded by Ibn Hisham in his biography.
He says: When the Muslims were fiercely under attack the hypocrites who had accompanied the Prophet, observing the run of the war against the Muslims, began to show their old rancor. For instance Abu Sufyan had remarked:“This rout and fight will stretch as far as the Red Sea.”
He had also brought with him some symbols of infidelity belonging to pagan times, namely al-Azlam which were wooden arrows used by the infidels on special occasions for drawing lots, and the Qur’an speaks of them in reproach in conjunction with pagan idols.
Another chief of Quraysh had remarked:“Look, the witchcraft is new counteracted!”
On the order of the Prophet and the gallantry of al-‘Abbas the Muslim army pulled together after the shock of the sudden and unexpected raid. Soon after, the enemy forces were defeated and the army of Islam came out victorious.
Most of the spoils seized in this clash were divided among the new converts who in the words of the Qur’an are called“Those whose hearts are made to incline to truth”
.
God and His prophet wished to provide them with their material expectations and thereby soften their hearts towards Islam as God’s true religion. Therefore each man of this group was given one hundred camels. Abu Sufyan and his son Mu‘awiyah, too, received one hundred camels each as well as a large amount of silver. Then Abu Sufyan said the Prophet:“By God, you are a noble man. May my parents’ life be offered for you! When I fought you, I found you to be the best fighter, and now that I am at peace with you, you are the best of peace-makers.”
The group of Ansar, who received a small share of the spoils, feel that they had been treated with discrimination and favoritism towards the kith and kin. Consequently they were very vexed and expressed their dissatisfaction. The Prophet summoned all the Ansar and after some preliminary remarks, said:“The matter is not as you think. The reason for my action was to incline them more towards Islam, whereas I left you to your true faith in Islam.”
With the capture of Mecca, Abu Sufyan had apparently embraced Islam and had joined the Muslim society, but the Muslims found it hard to forget his past deeds against Islam and his constant opposition and enmity. Consequently they could not look upon him with kindness or welcome him in their gatherings.
Muslim ibn Hajjaj, the great Sunni traditionist, describes the attitude and conduct of the Muslims as follows in his book of Sahih:
“One day Abu Sufyan was passing by a group of good and virtuous early Muslims such as Salman, Bilal and Suhayb.
They were talking together when they noticed Abu Sufyan, and said: “By God, the swords of God did not fall upon the neck of this great enemy of God.”
Abu Bakr, hearing their words vexedly said:“Are you speaking thus about the chief and Sheikh of the Quraysh?”
Then fearing that his words might produce an unfavorable reaction in the Islamic community, he went hastily to the Prophet and narrated what had occurred. The Prophet said:“May be you have annoyed and angered your Muslim brethren. If they are enraged with you, God, too, will surely be enraged with you.”
Abu Bakr returned to Salman and his friends and excused himself by saying:“Brothers! Have I annoyed you?”
They said:“No, brother! May God bless you!”
Such an attitude was not confined to the time of the Prophet. After him, too, as we shall see in the next chapter, the Muslim’s attitude towards Abu Sufyan had undergone no change whatever.
Abu Sufyan in the time of two caliphs
May God kill them for not abandoning their rancor against the Muslims.
az-Zubayr
Ibn ‘Asakir, the great historian of Damascus, writes: One day Abu Bakr, during the period of his rule, spoke harshly to Abu Sufyan. His father, Abu Quhafah, said:“O Abu Bakr! Why did you speak in such a tone to Abu Sufyan?”
Abu Bakr answered:“O father! For the sake of Islam, God has granted eminence to some families and abased others. My house is one of those which found eminence, and his is one with debasement!”
At the time when ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab had visited Mecca on pilgrimage, he was informed that Abu Sufyan was building a house, and the stones he had heaped for it on the water-course had exposed the city to the danger of a torrent. ‘Umar accompanied the complainants to Abu Sufyan’s house and ordered he himself to carry the stones back to where they belonged. Then he raised his arms heavenward and said:“O God! I praise you for enabling me to issue a command to Abu Sufyan, chief of the Quraysh in the middle of the city of Mecca, and making him obey me!”
Historians have written: One day ‘Umar, as caliph, was passing along one of the streets of Mecca, and noticed that it was filthy. He ordered the people to clean the front part of their houses. A few days later again he found the streets dirty. He picked up his whip in anger, and hit Abu Sufyan on the head. The incident of the whipping of Abu Sufyan, chief of the Quraysh, was reported to his wife, Hind. This heiress of pagan times, remembering the time of material power and magnificence, said:“O ‘Umar! By God, if you were to whip him in former times, the city of Mecca would have trembled under your feet!”
‘Umar answered:“You are right. But for the sake of Islam God has given dignity to one group and has abased another.”
We saw how Islam had given eminence to one group and abjectness to Abu Sufyan. Consequently in his heart much rancor and hostility were nested towards Islam and the Muslims; a rancor which revealed itself in his words from time to time.
‘Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr says:“I was present with my father in the battle of al-Yarmuk, but I was too small to fight. During the battle I noticed a group on a hill not participating in the combat. I went towards them and saw Abu Sufyan and some Quraysh chiefs assembled here. They were the men who had embraced Islam after the capture of Mecca. When I reached them they were in the middle of their conversation. As they looked upon me as a child, they did not think I would understand their words. So they continued their talk and spoke as openly as possible. The moment the Muslims happened to make a slight retreat giving the Romans a slight advantage, this group shouted gladly: “Oh! Long live the Romans!”
But as soon as the Romans were driven back and the Islamic army gained the advantage, they cried with a great regret:“O, pity for you Romans!”
When the battle ended and the Muslims defeated the Romans, I told the story to my father az-Zubayr. He laughed and said:“May God destroy them, for not abandoning their rancor! For, we are better than the Romans for them.”
The above incident is narrated differently elsewhere, namely: Whenever the Romans drove back the Muslims, Abu Sufyan shouted:“Long live the Romans!”
But when the Muslims gained some advantage, Abu Sufyan cried out:“It seems that no living personality has remained from the Roman nobility.”
When the warriors of Islam won the final victory, and I told my father the story, he held my hand and took me among various groups of Muslims, saying to each group:“My son! Repeat the story for them!”
I repeated all I had heard, and they were amazed at all that hypocrisy and hostility to Islam.
Abu Sufyan in the time of ‘Uthman
By God! There exists neither a heaven, nor a hell!
Abu Sufyan
Time passed and with the assassination of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman became caliph, and Abu Sufyan, owing to his kinship with ‘Uthman, found new respect, and he was no longer humiliated. One day when he went to ‘Uthman’s presence and said:“O sons of Umayyah! Since the time the caliphate had fallen into the hands of the men of the Taym and ‘Adi tribes (meaning Abu Bakr and ‘Umar) I coveted that position. Now that it has fallen into your hands, you should take turns in seizing it, in the same way that children pass a ball to one another. I swear to God that there exists neither a heaven nor a hell!”
Another narration says that Abu Sufyan declared:“O Banu Umayyah! Pass the caliphate like a ball to each other. I swear in the name of him to whom Abu Sufyan takes an oath that I have been hoping for a long time to see the caliphate in your hands. Now you should let your children inherit it.”
‘Uthman rebuked him for this remark and was very displeased.
Another narration says: In his old age and when he had lost his eyesight, Abu Sufyan went to ‘Uthman’s presence and after settling down, he said:“Is there no stranger present who might report our words to others?”
‘Uthman said:“No, no one.”
Abu Sufyan said:“This matter of caliphate is a worldly one, and this government is of the same kind as that of pagan times. Therefore, it is up to you to make our tribe of Banu Umayyah the administrators of the wide realm of Islam.”
It was in the same period that Abu Sufyan one day passing by the tomb of Hamzah, the martyr of Islam, started kicking the tomb, and said:“Abu ‘Amarah, the thing for which we drew our swords yesterday, has fallen into the hands of our children today, and they are playing with it now.”
Thus we see that Abu Sufyan secured his evil wishes with the caliphate of ‘Uthman, such wishes for the fulfillment of which he had made so much effort, and for which many leaders of the Quraysh had been killed, without producing any success, owing to the valor of the Muslims. But now in ‘Uthman’s time and after his death, the rule of the Umayyads fulfilled all those wishes.
Abu Sufyan died in ‘Uthman’s time in one of the years between 31 and 34 of the Hijrah, and according to various reports he was between 80 and 90 years of age. But his wife, Hind, had died before him during ‘Umar’s caliphate.
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Author: Allamah Sayyid Murtadha Askari
