Part Three: The rule of Mu‘awiyah and allegiance for Yazid
Cautious treatment of enemies
Mu‘awiyah adopted the policy of compromise.
Mu‘awiyah managed by all possible means to assume the position of the ruler of the Islamic realm. With the martyrdom of Imam ‘Ali, and the truce of Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, all the major resistance against his influence and domination were removed. But there existed another problem for him for the solution of which he felt it necessary to carry out a new plan. The whole of the Islamic realm was shaken by the savage onslaughts and plunders of ash-Shami raiders who had been mobilized by his order, and people’s hearts were palpitat¬ing with rancor and enmity since Mu‘awiyah had killed thousands of Muslims in Siffin to be followed by other massacres in the name of avenging ‘Uthman’s blood, bereaving many families, mourning for their fathers, brothers and sons.
In these conditions Mu‘awiyah adopted a new policy which could be summed up in a brief phrase, namely“lenient and cautious treatment even towards the enemies.”
For, this danger was always present that the extensive Muslim lands of Iraq and Hejaz might start a revolt and thus nullify all the constant efforts of Mu‘awiyah and the Umayyad party which had been made for assuming the reign of affairs.
al-Ya‘qubi, the great history writer, writes: In the year 41 of the Hijrah, Mu‘awiyah returned to ash-Sham and there he heard an unpleasant news. A large unit of Roman army was proceeding towards the Islamic lands, and a great danger threatened the government of Damascus. What should he do in the face of this danger, in view of the difficulties with which he was involved and the dangers, which threatened him from within? He chose the simplest way Out of this difficulty by sending an envoy as representative of the caliph of the Muslims to the emperor of Rome offering one hundred thousand dinars of gold as a tribute to persuade him to recall his army from the frontiers of Islamic lands.
What a shame and disgrace!
A similar policy of caution and mildness formed the basis of Mu‘awiyah’s method of dealing with internal affairs, by which means he intended to reinforce the pillars of his newly- established government.
As for the story of ‘Uthman’s innocence, which had shaped the cover of his early activities, it was sent down to oblivion after his assumption of power, as if no such matter had ever existed in his life. Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, the great Andalusian scholar, writes: After his assumption of rule, Mu‘awiyah came to Medina, and visited ‘Uthman’s house. ‘Uthman’s daughter, named ‘A’ishah, on seeing Mu‘awiyah and remembering her father’s assassination began to weep and cried out: Alas for ‘Uthman!’, hoping that in this way she might remind Mu‘awiyah of his claim of avenging her father’s blood.
But against all the emotion and fervor, Mu‘awiyah remained cool and said:“O daughter of my brother! The people have entrusted us with the rein of affairs, and we have given them asylum. On the one hand we have concealed our rage under a cover of fortitude, and on the other hand they have hidden their rancor under a veil of abjectness. Each person has a sword with him and knows many friends and supporters. If we break our promise and change our conduct, they, too, will face us in a different manner. In such a case we would not know what our fate would be, and whether the riot and disobedience of the people would end in our favour, or in our loss. I think if our rule remains established and you are treated as the caliph’s cousin, it would be better than our losing the government, in which case you would be regarded as an ordinary woman.”
Crafty Arabs in the snare of Mu‘awiyah
I have bought from these people their religion.
Mu‘awiyah
The second plan which Mu‘awiyah adopted to reinforce the foundation of his government, was to get hold of crafty men from every corner of various cities, and buy them with money, rank and position or any other way possible, and engage them in a work in favour of his own rule.
It was in accordance with this policy that Mu‘awiyah tipped the treasures of public fund into the pockets of chiefs of tribes and dignitaries of cities to make them forget old rancours, and under a change of heart, since he knew of the people’s love of money and worldly goods.
at-Tabari says: A number of tribal chiefs including Hattat ibn Yazid Mujashi‘i visited Mu‘awiyah, who offered each of them one hundred thousand dinars, whereas he gave Hattat only seven thousand dinars. When these men left ash-Sham, each one declared the sum given to him by Mu‘awiyah. Hattat was so vexed at being given a smaller sum, that he returned from there to Damascus and went straight to Mu‘awiyah and said in reproach:“What was your reason for offering me less than others? Why were you so parsimonious to me?”
Mu‘awiyah said:“Yes, I bought their religion from them, and that is why I gave them that sum. But I left you to yourself because I know you are a true supporter of ‘Uthman.”
The mean Hattat retorted:“Buy my religion from me, too.”
So Mu‘awiyah ordered to pay him the remainder.
Among those who fell into the golden snare of Mu‘awiyah and worked for the newly established Umayyad government, were al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah and ‘Amr ibn al-‘As. Mu‘awiyah appointed al-Mughayrah who was one of the most notorious crafty Arabs, as governor of Kufah, and ‘Amr ibn al-‘As as governor of Egypt. He agreed also to leave him the governorship of that large and rich province for life and grant him the whole taxes of it.
Meanwhile there was left another clever and crafty man who had escaped the clutches of Mu‘awiyah and showed no liking to him. He could be a potential danger for the newly risen Umayyads, and thus Mu‘awiyah could not disregard him. This man was Ziyad who must be brought under Mu‘awiyah’s banner by every possible means, to benefit from his cunning and craftiness in the interest of his rule. Therefore, without bothering about religion and its injunctions and without fearing the alteration of divine verdicts, he tried to find a solution. In all aspects of his life what was predominant were worldly matters, deceits and transient joys of the world, and so in this course, too, no alternative remained for him but worldly methods.
Ziyad ibn Abihi had been the son of a slave named ‘Ubayd who had married a notorious prostitute named Sumayyah. Thus from a family viewpoint, Ziyad had no worth in the Arab society. His father was regarded as a low creature according to the Arab custom and tradition. He was a slave lacking Arab blood. Therefore he was scorned for having a slave father and for his own non-Arab blood. This was naturally intolerably painful for Ziyad who was gradually gaining a position for himself, and he longed to be delivered from these fetters.
Mu‘awiyah was aware of all these conditions. So he resorted to a plan from which there was no escape for Ziyad. What he did was to place his finger on his Achilles heel, and by proposing to call him his brother, he won his agree¬ment to submit to the Umayyad rule and abstain from disobedience.
On his own part, Ziyad realized that from the viewpoint of lineage in being introduced as Mu‘awiyah’s brother, he was joining the most famous and strongest Arab tribe, and his father was no longer a slave named ‘Ubayd, but it was Abu Sufyan, chief of the Quraysh and father of his brother Mu‘awiyah. Until yesterday he was regarded as an ordinary man of an ordinary descent, but now he had become the brother of the caliph of the time.
al-Mas‘udi and Ibn al-Athir and other famous historians report this grafting of Ziyad with the Umayyad house as follows: Sumayyah, Ziyad’s mother, was a slave-girl of al-Harath ibn Kaldah ath-Thaqafi, a well-known Arab physician. This woman was one of the most notorious prostitutes who lived in the town of at-Ta’if in the prostitutes’ quarter where a red flag was hoisted indicating the residence of such women. As she was a slave of al-Harath, she had to hand over to him a part of her income as was the pagan customs, and al-Harath wedded her to his Roman slave, ‘Ubayd.
During pagan times Abu Sufyan visited at-Ta’if and stayed in the house of a wine-seller named Abu Maryam as-Saluli, and told him of his lustful desire, asking him to get a prostitute for him. Abu Maryam suggested Sumayyah, and Abu Sufyan agreed.
Abu Maryam brought Sumayyah to Abu Sufyan and went out himself. Sumayyah became pregnant, and Ziyad was born in the first year of the Hijrah. Later on when Imam ‘Ali became caliph, he appointed Ziyad as the governor of the vast province of Fars owing to his efficiency in governmental affairs, and his oratory and courage. Ziyad administered that province efficiently and effectively. Mu‘awiyah was greatly vexed at this matter, and he had repeatedly written threatening or promising letters to him in which he had even reminded him of his kinship with Abu Sufyan. But so long as the Alawite rule lasted, Ziyad showed resistance to Mu‘awiyah and paid no attention to his threat or allurement.
But Imam ‘Ali was martyred and Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba was compelled by various painful factors to accept truce, as a result of which most of the Islamic lands came under the control of Mu‘awiyah, and the only remaining part was Fars which was impenetrable under Ziyad and did not submit to the Umayyad rule.
Consequently Mu‘awiyah summoned al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah who had been friendly with Ziyad in the past
and said to him:“Ziyad is an intelligent and powerful man. He is now the ruler of Fars and with his great wealth he had closed the gate of his strong forts to our influence. I do not feel immune at all since he may show allegiance to someone of the Prophet’s household and thus pave the way for fresh wars and difficulties for us.”
Then he divulged his plan to al-Mughayrah for trapping Ziyad and sent him to meet Ziyad.
After learning of Mu‘awiyah’s cunning plot, al-Mughayrah departed to visit his old friend. After these two met and sat down to talk, al-Mughayrah said to Ziyad:“Conditions are now changed in the world of Islam as compared with the past. The only man who can now stretch his arm towards the position of caliphate, is al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, but he has concluded a truce with Mu‘awiyah. Before, any danger lifts its head, you had better obtain a safe asylum for yourself.”
Ziyad said:“Tell me your view. What do you think I should do?”
al-Mughayrah said:“I think it would be wise if you join your lineage with the Umayyad house, and create a kinship between yourself and Mu‘awiyah.”
Ziyad said:“Are your suggesting that I should place a branch in a spot other than its original home?”
The conversation of these two friends ended here, but Ziyad did not feel easy in his mind, thinking of Arab blood and the value, which the Arabs attached to blood and racial nobility. One can imagine the intense dilemma, which was stirred up in his heart and conscience by the words of his friend, especially as the question of the loss of position as well as life had been brought up. At last Ziyad felt vanquished and decided to accept the proposal of al-Mughayrah. Con¬sequently he left his headquarters and proceeded towards Damascus.
His long journey came to an end and he arrived at the Umayyad capital. On his arrival, Juwayriyah, Mu‘awiyah’s sister, by the order of her brother, sent for him and when they met she bared her head in his presence (thus considering him a member of the family), and said at once:“You are my brother. Therefore there is no need for me to cover my head in your presence. I have heard this fact from Abu Maryam Saluli.”
The planned meeting of Juwayriyah with Ziyad left its effects on Ziyad’s mind and heart. Following this meeting Mu‘awiyah ordered to form a gathering in the Jami‘ mosque of Damascus which Ziyad should attend. It was also arranged for witnesses to be present, one of whom was Abu Maryam Saluli. Mu‘awiyah turned to Abu Maryam and asked:“What is your testimony.”
Abu Maryam rose and said:“I testify that in pagan times when I was a wine-seller, one day Abu Sufyan came to at-Ta’if and asked me to provide him with a prostitute. I told him I knew only of Sumayyah the slave-girl of al-Harath ibn Kaldah. Abu Sufyan said: ‘All right, bring her though she is dirty and evil smelling!’ “
Ziyad became angry on hearing these words and said: “Be quiet, Abu Maryam! You have come here to testify, not to abuse!”
Abu Maryam said:“lam not pleased with acting as a witness, and I would be glad if you exempt me from this task. I have only repeated what I have seen and heard. Abu Sufyan got hold of Sumayyah’s sleeve and took her to a private room and shut the door. I sat outside, and soon after Abu Sufyan came out, his forehead covered with sweat. I asked him how he found the woman. He answered: ‘I have not seen a woman like her, though...’ “
Ziyad stood up and turning to the people, he said: “This man has given his testimony. I know nothing of the truth or falsehood of it, but what I know is that if ‘Ubayd was my father, he was a good father, and if he was my teacher and guardian and not my real father, he was a good teacher. I am indebted to him. Of course witnesses are more aware of the truth of the matter.”
Yunus ibn ‘Ubayd ath-Thaqafi, whose sister was the lady mistress of Sumayyah, rose and said:“O Mu‘awiyah! The verdict of the Prophet of God is that the bond between a father and son is due to a legitimate marriage, and the punishment for adultery is stoning. But despite such a law you issue a verdict on the testimony of Abu Maryam about the adultery of Abu Sufyan to make his illegitimate child related to him, and instead of stoning, you make an offspring a legitimate child of marriage, whereas such a verdict is quite contrary to the Book of God and the Prophet’s tradition!”
Mu‘awiyah, realizing the danger of such an argument, contrary to his usual policy, began to speak threateningly and said:“O Yunus! Shut your mouth, otherwise I shall throw you up so high that it will take you sometime to fall down!”
Yunus said:“In that case, would I go towards anyone but God?”
Then he sat down and realizing the truth of Mu‘awiyah’s threat, he said:“Yes! I beg God to forgive me.”
This incident caused much noise in the world of Islam and filled Arab literature with sharp satires, one of which is a poem composed by ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn-Hakam as follows:
“Say from me as a man of Yemen
To Mu‘awiyah, the son of Harb,
Would you be angry if they say:
Your father is virtuous and chaste?
Your father has committed adultery?
I testify that your kinship with Ziyad
Is like the kinship of an elephant with a foal.”
Ibn al-Athir, the well-known scholar and historian writes: The story of grafting Ziyad to Abu Sufyan was the first verdict issued openly contrary to the sacred canon law of Islam. The holy Prophet has declared:“An offspring is related to a legitimate and lawful bed, while the punishment of an adulterer is stoning to death.”
Heavy taxes
Mu‘awiyah ordered his governors to collect gold and silver for me.
Historians
As we have already seen, Mu‘awiyah bought the favour of crafty men of his own time by every possible trick. He deceived some with the offer of rank and position, others with money and property, and a third group under the pretext of kinship, and joined them to the Umayyad party who were guardians of paganism and infidelity. On the other hand he persuaded to cooperation and friendship or at least to silence such individuals as the chief of tribes and men of power and even the enemies by means of moderation, cajolery, offers of wealth, pretending toleration, and conniving at their hostilities. He tried in every possible way to make them act in harmony with his government.
This sly and un-Islamic policy had, of course, been adopted since the beginning of his rule. But when his power was established and strengthened, he revealed his inner rancor and envy, and then showed his true self from behind his calm appearance. This was followed by the issue of a decree by the caliph for the collection of revenue from every part of the wide Islamic land. Now gold and silver were no longer divided among chiefs of tribes and powerful individuals.
Mu‘awiyah’s greed knew no bounds, and every day he found a fresh excuse to seize people’s property. One day he ordered to confiscate the crown properties of the Sasanid kings around Kufah. Then these domains were placed among his personal property. The revenue from these lands amounted to five million drachmas a year. Another day, a new decree added Basra and the flourishing lands around it to his own possessions, and ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr was appointed to execute his wishes.
A third decree of Mu‘awiyah was related to another matter. From that day onward the gifts, which were offered by Iranian subjects to their kings on festival days of the New Year and Mehrgan, were to be delivered to the caliph’s organization. In this way Mu‘awiyah had modelled himself on the kings and emperors of pre-Islamic periods and pagan times. He had completely fulfilled the will of his father, Abu Sufyan, who had told him to change the caliphate into a monarchy. The worth of the gifts, which the people of Iran and Iraq were to offer on those festival days, amounted to millions of drachmas.
The usurpation of the flourishing Islamic lands was not confined to Kufah and Basra alone. Mu‘awiyah also encroached on the domains of Yemen, ash-Sham and Mesopotamia, and took possession of all the lands which had formerly been fiefs and public domains. In this way most of the wealth of the world of Islam was concentrated in the hands of the Umayyad house, namely Mu‘awiyah and his kith and kin. He was the first man in the world of Islam to take possession of so much land. His impudence reached such a point that he did not even spare the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and every year a large amount of date and wheat were brought for him from these two cities.
It was at this time, too, that Fadak
was given by Mu‘awiyah as a fief to Marwan ibn al-Hakam.
With the establishment of the Umayyads’ rule, the policy of Mu‘awiyah underwent a change. Hitherto he had treated his enemies with toleration, a policy which he attributed to Abu Sufyan. But now that he had tamed the unruly with money and rank, and had brought the cities and other parts of the country under his complete control, he could reveal his old hostility and rancor. So when he visited Medina and the Banu Hashim came to him to speak of their affairs, he said to them:“What are you saying and what are your expectations? Is it not enough for you that I respect your blood even though you have shed ‘Uthman’s blood? By God, shedding your blood is more legitimate than anyone else’s!”
He continued to speak more sharply and rudely, as if he had forgotten his own open and secret crimes, and had thrown into oblivion his own negligence in the story of ‘Uthman. He went so far in his onslaught, that Ibn ‘Abbas, the spokesman of the ummah and pupil of Imam ‘Ali, rose to speak, and said:“O Mu‘awiyah! What you said and what you attributed to us show nothing but your inner maliciousness and wickedness. I swear to God that you deserve those charges more than anyone else! It was you who carried the guilt of ‘Uthman’s blood on your neck, and yet you pretend that you are endeavoring to avenge ‘Uthman’s blood!”
He spoke so long that Mu‘awiyah felt vanquished. Then the Ansar began to speak, but Mu‘awiyah answered them rudely and sharply, and in reproaching them he said:“What has happened to your water-drawing camels?”
The Ansar answered angrily:“We lost them on the day of the Battle of Badr when we were engaged in killing your father, brother and grandfather! To your face we are resolved to act upon what God and His Prophet have commanded us.”
Mu‘awiyah asked:“What are those commands?”
They said:“We have been advised to show patience and fortitude.”
Mu‘awiyah said:“Then keep on being patient!”
Then Mu‘awiyah returned from Medina to ash-Sham without meeting any of their lawful demands.
At this time Mu‘awiyah ordered to carry the Prophet’s pulpit from Medina to ash-Sham, declaring that the Prophet’s pulpit and stick should not remain in Medina whose people are ‘Uthman’s assassins. So his men went round in search of the Prophet’s stick, while another group removed the pulpit from its place. Historians say that with the removal of the pulpit, there occurred the eclipse of the sun and a great uproar rose from the people, so carrying it away was abandoned. Some other historians say that the remaining friends of the Prophet prevented its removal,
and thus the plan of Mu‘awiyah was not carried Out.
In this period when Mu‘awiyah had altered his policy and revealed his true desires, the Shi‘ah and friends of Imam ‘Ali suffered discomfort and pressure more than any other groups since Mu‘awiyah had ordered the governors of various cities to curse the Imam in speaking on their pulpits. Consequently there were two alternatives left for the supporters of the Imam to choose; either to resort to combat and retaliation which would mean imprisonment, torture, exile or even death, or keep silent and bear the whole of that deep suffering.
When al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah was departing as governor of Kufah, Mu‘awiyah said to him:“I intended to speak to you about various matters, but I abstained from it since I trust your intelligence and understanding. But I must mention one point, namely that I commission you not to forget abusing ‘Ali at all times, and not to abandon begging God’s grace and blessing for ‘Uthman. In addition to these two matters, remember to find fault at all moments with ‘Ali’s friends, and treat them very harshly, while you must show favor to supporters of ‘Uthman and bring them close to yourself.”
This evil order of Mu‘awiyah produced many blood-spilling events in the history of Islam, the examples of which you will read in the coming chapters.
The Shi‘ah in torture and molestation
Do not remove the chain from my hands, and do wash away blood from my body, for, I wish to face Mu‘awiyah in this condition in the presence of Divine Justice.
Hujr ibn ‘Adi
We have already said that Mu‘awiyah, in his order to the governors of the land under his rule, the example of which was his recommendations to al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah, had insisted that torture and molestation should be implemented towards the supporters of Imam ‘Ali and their beloved Imam and leader should be openly abused and cursed. This order was carried out and in its execution the whole administration of the caliphate was busy at work.
al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah, who was the governor of a large and flourishing province, never neglected this wicked policy, and during the whole period of his office he persisted in his abuse, falsehood and calumny towards Imam ‘Ali. Of course Hujr ibn ‘Adi, a great Shi‘ah devotee, on these occasions rose courageously and confronted him. After al-Mughayrah’s death, Ziyad ibn Abihi was appointed as governor of Kufah, and he continued the same evil conduct according to the same pre-arranged plan, and Hujr continued bravely to answer his abuses.
Historians say: One day the sermon of Ziyad ibn Abihi became very lengthy. Hujr, fearing that the time for prayer could pass, cried out:“Prayer time!”
But Ziyad paid no attention and went on with his speech. Hujr rose once more and reminded Ziyad of the time of prayer. Ziyad ignored the reminder again. This incident was repeated for the third time, but it produced no result. At last Hujr took a handful of pebbles and threw it at Ziyad, and stood up himself for prayer. The people, too, followed his example and stood up. Thus Ziyad was compelled to abandon speaking and to join the people for prayer. When the prayer was over, Ziyad ordered the guards to bring Hujr to him, but the relatives of Hujr (of the Kanda tribe) defended and concealed him, and thus Ziyad’s agents were unable to find him.
Ziyad then resorted to a trick, and in his talks with the chiefs of the Kindah tribe, he declared that he would give asylum to Hujr and send him to Mu‘awiyah to reach a decision about him. They agreed, and then Ziyad imprisoned Hujr and eleven of his friends. Then he arranged to prepare a written testimony signed by some well-known and self-sold men of the city to the effect that Hujr and his friends had abused the caliph Mu‘awiyah, and have invited the people to fight him and expel his appointed governor. Among the signatures under his attestation could be seen the name of Shurayh ibn Hani’, judge of the city, too. Ziyad then sent Hujr and the others to Mu‘awiyah. When Shurayh learnt that his signature had been forged under the letter, he left the city and caught up with the guarded group, and wrote a letter to Mu‘awiyah and sent it with them to him. When Hujr and his friends were brought to Mu‘awiyah, he read the testimony as well as Shurayh’s letter in which he had written:“I have been told that Ziyad has recorded my testimony under his letter. My real testimony is as follow: Hujr performed his prayer, pay his tithe, and perform his pilgrimage every year. He enjoins unto good and forbids wrongdoing. He is a man that violation to whose life and property must be forbidden to others. Now, you are free to punish him or let him free.”
Mu‘awiyah, after reading Shurayh’s letter, said:“ This man has retired from the group who have given testimony in your letter.”
Then he ordered to imprison all those five and virtue men in Maraj ‘Adhra’, a spot near Damascus. The imprisonment of Hujr’s friends was not long, and some of Mu‘awiyah’s courtiers on the intercession of others took steps to set some of them free. But Mu‘awiyah made a decision about the rest of them, namely to give them the choice of death or cursing Imam ‘Ali and declaring their immunity from him.
These remaining people were divided into two groups; those who were steadfast in their friendship to the Imam and feared God, said:“No! We will never submit to such a disgrace!”
The agents of Mu‘awiyah dug graves in their presence and prepared shrouds for them. But Hujr and his friend without any sign of agitation stood up and spend their whole life in the name and remembrance of God Whom they regard ad their greatest beloved and their first and last Worshipped One.
In the morning they were brought out to face death. Hujr said to Mu‘awiyah officials:“Give me time to perform ablution and prayer; for, I have never performed ablution without following it by prayer.”
They allowed him to do so, and his prayer did not take long. Then he stood up and said:“By God! I have never during my whole life performed a briefer and lighter prayer than this. If it was not for your wrong assumption that I may fear death, my prayer would undoubtedly have lasted longer!”
Then he spent a few moment of convocation with God, saying:“O God! I complain to you of the Muslims ummah! I swear to God that if you killed me in this land, you would be killing the first Muslim who has uttered words of testimony to the Uniqueness of God and the first Muslims warrior who has stepped on this land!”
Then the executioner approached him with drawn sword, and Hujr trembled slightly. The man said:“You thought that you did not fear death. Declare your immunity from your friend, and thereby save your life!”
Hujr said:“Why should I fear death? A grave is dug, a shroud is prepared, and I see a drawn sword before me! But even if I were to fear death, I would never utter a word that might rouse the wrath of my God!”
They killed that steadfast and Godly man and six of his friends. But two of them asked the official to take them back to Mu‘awiyah and said:“We are of the same opinion as Mu‘awiyah about this man (meaning Imam ‘Ali).”
They were taken back to Mu‘awiyah who said to one of them:“Do you declare your immunity from the religion in which ‘Ali worshipped God?”
The man remained silent, and some of his relatives interceded for him. Mu‘awiyah set him free and ordered to exile him to the city of Mosul (in the north of Iraq). Then he addressed the other man and said:“O brother Rabi‘i!
What do you say about ‘Ali?”
The man said:“Let me be, and forego this question since it will be to your interest!”
Mu‘awiyah said:“By God! I won’t let you be!”
The Kufi man said courageously:“I testify that ‘Ali was a man who always remembered God. He enjoined right and did justice, and showed indulgence towards people’s blunders.”
Mu‘awiyah said:“What do you say about ‘Uthman?”
The man said:“He was the first man to open the doors of oppression and block the ways of right.”
Mu‘awiyah said:“So you are killing yourself.”
The brave man of Kufah said:“No! I have killed you!”
Then he added:“In this land there are none of the Rabi‘ah tribe to come to my aid.”
Mu‘awiyah ordered to send the man back to Ziyad ibn Abihi, telling him to kill the man in the worst possible manner. The mean and cruel governor obeyed the order, and on the charge of loving and supporting Imam ‘Ali, he buried him alive.
May God bless the soul of these devotees!
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr writes in his famous book of al-Isti‘ab: Hujr said to his kinsmen who were present at his execution:“Do not remove these chains from my hands and do not wash away the blood from my body and wounds so that I may face Mu‘awiyah by the heavenly bridge and plead for justice at the Divine Presence.”
Mu‘awiyah put to death many of the Imam’s friends and supporters like Hujr and his followers, on the one hand owing to the rancor he felt towards them, and on the other hand because he wanted to reinforce the basis of his rule, since they were likely to rebel soon against the paganism which was being revived, thus creating a serious danger for his government. So we see that Mu‘awiyah was not averse to any forbidden act in order to strengthen the pillars of his rule, since the basis of his thought were pagan ideas and values. Where paganism is a supreme ruler, there exists nothing to bind people, and no true principle has any worth, and no human virtue and no quality wins respect.
He spent the first part of his twenty years of caliphate in the firm establishment of his rule, and the last part of it in making it hereditary for his sons. You will read more about this subject in the forthcoming chapters.
Government becomes hereditary (imperial)
I tore up the affair of this ummah to such an extent that it can never be repaired.
al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah
Their religion has indeed been worthless in their mind.
Mu‘awiyah
When the rule of Mu‘awiyah was established and its pillars became firm, and no danger threatened his position any more, he had a new idea. Perhaps it would be more correct to say that this idea had always existed in his mind, since, as we have already seen, this was a part of the counsels given to him by his father, Abu Sufyan. This idea was nothing but making the Umayyad government hereditary. So he started making his idea an actual fact. In this task he made use of every existing factor in the country, and employed every trick and scheme and crime that is possible.
Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, well known Andalusian writer, says: Mu‘awiyah spent seven successive years trying to pave the way for the people’s allegiance to Yazid. He consulted crafty politicians, and deceived those around him with money, and brought near him those who were more remote by means of all kinds of tricks.
In this connection, too, he adopted the same method he had used in strengthening his own rule, using money, position etc., and when he found these weapons weak or ineffective, he had no fear of even killing his uncom¬promising enemies. He knew no bounds in his cunning and unmanly deeds.
A group of historians depict the origin of the idea of making the government hereditary in a special way. Ibn al-Athir writes: The first move for securing allegiance to Yazid was made by al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah. Mu‘awiyah had intended to dismiss him as governor of Kufah and replace him by Sa‘id ibn al-‘As who was of the Umayyads.
When crafty al-Mughayrah learnt of this, he departed for ash-Sham with a group of his friends. When he reached Damascus, he said to his supporters:“If I do not succeed in this visit to consolidate my position as governor, a success from which you, too, will benefit, then I shall never be able to get such a chance.”
Then he proceeded to meet Yazid, and said to him:“All the great friends and companions of the Prophet and the chiefs and elders of the Quraysh have departed this life. Only their descendants are left, of whom you are more superior and enlightened and better familiar with the Prophet’s tradition and the manner of ruling. I do not know what obstacle exists in the way of Amir al-Mu’minin (Mu‘awiyah) that he does not take a step in securing allegiance to you from all people.”
Yazid said:“Do you think this matter will eventually be settled success-fully?”
al-Mughayrah answered in the affirmative. The meeting came to an end and the conversation was reported by Yazid to Mu‘awiyah. Mu‘awiyah summoned al-Mughayrah and made inquiries about the subject. Cunning al-Mughayrah said:“You yourself have witnessed all those wars and bloodsheds which occurred after ‘Uthman about the question of government. Yazid is competent to succeed you. Why delay it, then? Secure allegiance for him, so that if anything happens to you, there will be your successor and people’s support to prevent bloodshed and mischief.”
Mu‘awiyah asked:“Who can undertake this task?”
al-Mughayrah answered:“I accept the responsibility for Kufah, and Ziyad can for Basra, and next to these two cities there is no one left to oppose you.”
Mu‘awiyah said:“You had better return to your own seat and consult your trusty friends until we see what course the events take.”
al-Mughayrah returned to his friends and said to them:“I have placed Mu‘awiyah’s feet in a stirrup where his drilling- ground over the ummah is far and wide, and I have torn up the affair of this ummah in such a way that it can never be repaired.”
Then al-Mughayrah returned to Kufah and prepared ten of the supporters of the Umayyads together with his own son, Musa, to depart for a journey to ash-Sham. He divided three hundred thousand dinars among them to go to Mu‘awiyah and give the question of the allegiance a new gloss and attraction. In his meeting with this group, Mu‘awiyah said:“Do not be hasty in this matter, and of course you should not forget your view, either.”
Then he secretly summoned Musa, son of al-Mughayrah, and asked him:“At what price has your father bought these men’s religion?”
Musa said:“For three hundred thousand dinars!”
Mu‘awiyah said:“How trifling their religion seems to be to them!”
Allegiance to Yazid in Basra
Yazid is a dog fancier; a monkey-fancier and a wine- bibber! How can I invite people to allegiance to him?
Ziyad ibn Abihi
At the time that al-Mughayrah was preparing the people of Kufah for allegiance to Yazid, Mu‘awiyah wrote a letter to Ziyad ibn Abihi, governor of Basra, as follows:
“al-Mughayrah ibn Shu‘bah has invited the people of Kufah for allegiance to Yazid and his succession as caliph. Without a doubt in connection with the son of your brother, al-Mughayrah is not worthier than you. Therefore, on receiving my letter, invite the people of your city to the same thing that al-Mughayrah has invited the people of Kufah, and receive allegiance from them for Yazid.”
Ziyad received the letter and, on learning of its content, summoned one of his friends whose wit and intelligence he trusted and said to him:“I want to entrust you with a secret; for, one cannot be sure that letters and written things can keep it. Go to Mu‘awiyah and say to him: O commander of the faithful! I have received your letter. What will the people say when I invite them for allegiance to Yazid, while he is a dog fancier and a monkey-fancier? He wears a garment of a different color every day, and is always drunk with wine. He does not abstain from music. Opposite him there are such men as al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali, ‘Abd Allah ibn al-‘Abbas, ‘Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr and ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar. There is only one alternative left, namely that you order him for a year or two to conduct himself in the manner of his rivals and adopt their behaviour. It is then that we might succeed in deceiving people.”
The messenger went to Mu‘awiyah and delivered his message. Mu‘awiyah said:“Woe upon the son of ‘Ubayd! By God! I have heard that a minstrel has composed this line for him: ‘After me Ziyad will be Emir!’ By God I will send him back in his lineage to mother Sumayyah and his slave father, ‘Ubayd!”
at-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir narrates this story at a greater length but with a slight difference. They say: Ziyad’s envoy said to Ziyad:“My opinion is that you do not charge Mu‘awiyah’s view with error in such a way, and do not rouse his anger against his son. I will go to Yazid and inform him that the caliph has consulted Ziyad about the question of allegiance to him, and Ziyad fears people’s opposi¬tion, since they have observed unseemly deeds from Yazid. Ziyad’s opinion is that Yazid should abandon his improper conduct in order to make allegiance and caliphate possible for himself.”
Ziyad agreed to his envoy’s suggestion. The envoy left Basra and reached ash-Sham, and on meeting Yazid, informed him of Ziyad’s view. Yazid, on his part, accepted that suggestion and thenceforth temporarily gave up some of his unworthy deeds. Then the envoy delivered Ziyad’s letter to Mu‘awiyah.
In this letter Ziyad had dissuaded Mu‘awiyah from haste in this matter, and Mu‘awiyah, on reading the letter, approved of his suggestion. But when Ziyad died, Mu‘awiyah became more determined to follow up the question of allegiance to Yazid, and at first sent one hundred thousand drachmas to ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar who was a so-called devout ascetic. ‘Umar accepted the money, and then Mu‘awiyah’s messenger brought up the question of allegiance to Yazid.
‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar said:“So this is what Mu‘awiyah wants! If I were to show allegiance in return for this money, it would be clear that I consider my religion as trifling and worthless.”
Allegiance to Yazid in ash-Sham
Mu‘awiyah ordered his Jewish physician to poison and kill ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Khalid.
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, the great biographer, writes: When Mu‘awiyah became determined to win allegiance for Yazid, he delivered a sermon to the people of ash-Sham, saying:“I have lived too long and my death is near. I wish to secure allegiance for a man, but as I am one of you, I wish to hear your view without which no decision will be taken!”
The people unanimously said:“We approve of the caliphate of ‘Abd ar-¬Rahman ibn Khalid.”
But this view was not pleasing to Mu‘awiyah, for, he supposed that they would surely nominate Yazid for this position. He saw now that they had paid no attention to Yazid, and were bringing up the name of ‘Abd ar-Rahman, son of Khalid ibn al-Walid. He was greatly enraged, but he could not reveal it. The people of ash-Sham were the same people who had tolerated his rule for forty years and had supported him in all the dangerous events of the time. So he had to control his anger, and secretly take steps for the removal of this obstacle.
Some time passed and ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Khalid, fell ill. Mu‘awiyah sent his personal physician, who was a Jew, to visit and treat him. This man was a trusty secret keeper of Mu‘awiyah, so he was ordered to poison ‘Abd ar-Rahman in any way he knew. This dishonest and self-sold physician carried out Mu‘awiyah’s order to the letter, poisoning his innocent patient, and the poison was so strong that it split ‘Abd ar-Rahman’s belly and he died very quickly.
at-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir narrate this story in a different way, and say: Mu‘awiyah ordered his personal physician who was a Christian named Ibn Athal to kill ‘Abd ar-Rahman by any trick that he considered efficacious, and in return for this service he would be exempted from the payment of tribute all his life, and would be appointed as a collector of taxes for the town of Hims, as a reward. The wicked physician poisoned ‘Abd ar-Rahman and carried out the evil order of Mu‘awiyah. In return for this service, Mu‘awiyah fulfilled his promise.
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr adds: After the death of ‘Abd ar-Rahman, his brother, Muhajir, secretly travelled to Damascus and in the company of his slave waited in ambush for the Jewish physician. One night when the physician was returning from Mu‘awiyah’s house, they attacked him and after putting his companions to flight, they killed him.
After quoting the above incident, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr writes: This story is rumored by scholars.
Allegiance to Yazid in Medina
O Mu‘awiyah! Your relatives refuse to carry out your order concerning the allegiance to Yazid.
Marwan ibn al-Hakam
It is reported in the book of al-Imamah wa as-siyasah of Ibn Qutaybah: Mu‘awiyah wrote a letter to Marwan who was his governor at Medina, asking him to propose the allegiance to Yazid to the people of that city. This was an unpleasant task for Marwan, and also the Quraysh chiefs of Medina were by no means willing to show allegiance to Yazid. So Marwan wrote to Mu‘awiyah, saying:“Your relatives refuse to carry out your order concerning the allegiance to Yazid. Write your view to me.”
Mu‘awiyah was annoyed at the conduct of Marwan and at his negative answer, and dismissed him from the governorship of Medina, replacing him by Sa‘id ibn al-‘As. Marwan departed for ash-Sham with a group of the Umayyads, being full of rage the whole time.
He visited Mu‘awiyah and spoke harshly in his presence. But cunning Mu‘awiyah did not think it expedient to be sharp then. So he treated him calmly and mildly, and after increasing his salary, he sent him back to Medina.
After this incident he thought of a new plan. He thought that the best way of carrying out the question of Yazid’s succession, was to create a division among the chiefs of his own tribe, the Umayyads. Consequently he wrote a decree and sent it to Sa‘id ibn al-‘As, governor of Medina, ordering him to demolish the house of Marwan ibn al-Hakam, and confiscate all his property including Fadak.
Ibn al-Athir writes: In the year 54 of the Hijrah, Mu‘awiyah dismissed Sa‘id ibn al-‘As as governor of Medina and replaced him by Marwan. The reason for his dismissal was that Mu‘awiyah had written to Sa‘id during his governor-ship ordering him to demolish Marwan’s house and confiscate all his property and even Fadak which he had granted to him in the past. But Sa‘id had ignored his order and had failed to act upon it.
Mu‘awiyah sent Sa‘id another letter reminding him of this order, but again Sa‘id disregarded it and only kept the two letters. After dismissing him and replacing him by Marwan, Mu‘awiyah wrote to Marwan, ordering him to demolish Sa‘id’s house and confiscate his property. Marwan, accompanied by several officials went to Sa‘id’s house to carry out the order. Sa‘id came out and said:“O ‘Abd al-Malik! Do you intend to demolish my house?”
Marwan answered:“Yes, the caliph has written a letter ordering me to demolish your house. If you were given such an order to demolish mine, you would carry it out immediately!”
Sa‘id said:“But I would not do so!”
Marwan said:“By God! You would have done so!”
Sa‘id said again:“No! I would never do so!”
Then he showed Marwan the two letters of Mu‘awiyah and said:“Mu‘awiyah intends to create division and differences between us.
When Marwan saw the contents of the letters and observed Sa‘id’s reaction to Mu‘awiyah’s order, he said: “By God! You are better than me!”
Then he desisted from demolishing Sa‘id’s house and returned. Following this incident Sa‘id wrote a letter to Mu‘awiyah, saying:“How strange is the conduct of the caliph! And how incompatible it is with kinship! He has decided to create enmity and rancor between us and divide us into hostile groups! The caliph, with all his tolerance and fortitude, despite his disapproval of hastiness and anger, and with all his inclination to indulgence and forgive-ness, tries to produce enmity and separation between his kins, so that their descendants would inherit these rancours. Even if we did not share the same father with the caliph and did not possess such a close bond, it would have been proper for the caliph Mu‘awiyah to have a consideration for our right, in view of the goal for which he gathered us together, making us claim vengeance for the innocent and martyred caliph, ‘Uthman’s blood!”
Mu‘awiyah was greatly vexed that this plan bad failed, but he wrote to Sa‘id pretending to apologize for his treatment.
Allegiance to Yazid demands victims
For the matter of allegiance to Yazid, Mu‘awiyah secretly killed Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba and Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas.
The question of Yazid’s caliphate had occupied the mind of Mu‘awiyah and he saw certain obstacles in it which he could not overcome. But he used all his efforts to remove the last obstacles. On the one hand there was Imam al-Mujtaba, the grandson of the Prophet who was the greatest social and spiritual personality of the day, and on the other hand there was Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, a great general and a member of the council of six appointed by ‘Umar, and popular with a number of Muslims.
Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, famous historian, writes:“Mu‘awiyah desired people’s allegiance for his son, Yazid. But in this course no obstacles were greater than al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas. In order to remove these two great obstacles, he secretly poisoned them both, and they died.”
The reason why Imam al-Hasan and Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas were at that time regarded as obstacles in the way of Mu‘awiyah’s objective, was that Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas was the last remaining member of the council of six appointed by ‘Umar to decide the choice of the successor to him as caliph.
Later on these six men gained such a high reputation that each of them was considered worthy of being chosen as caliph. But Imam al-Hasan, in addition to his particularly great virtue and fine qualities, had stipulated in his truce with Mu‘awiyah that after the latter’s death he should be caliph,
and Mu‘awiyah was not allowed to nominate any other successor for himself.
Historians have not described how Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas was killed. They only state that his death was due to poisoning. But in connection with the martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan, there exists several pieces of evidence, which clarify this tragic matter.
al-Mas‘udi writes: Ju‘dah, daughter of al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays al-Kindi poisoned Imam al-Hasan with a poison sent secretly to her by Mu‘awiyah. He had sent her a message that if she could kill Imam al-Hasan through an effective plan, he would reward her with one hundred thousand drachmas, and would wed her to his son, Yazid. Thus Ju‘dah was persuaded to commit that criminal act.
When the Imam died, Mu‘awiyah fulfilled that part of his promise about the money, and sent it to her, but concerning the question of marriage with Yazid, he sent a message to her, saying:“We love our son’s life, and if it were not 50, we would fulfill our second promise, namely your marriage with him, too!”
He meant that as she had poisoned her husband, the grandson of the Prophet for the sake of promises, she was also capable of repeating it in the case of his son. Therefore he abstains from fulfilling his second promise.
Mu‘awiyah’s plot removed Imam al-Hasan and Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, to open the way for the caliphate of Yazid. As Mu‘awiyah had already killed ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Khalid, he is also likely to have killed ‘Abd ar-Rahman, son of Abu Bakr. We will deal with this subject in future chapters.
Ceremonies of allegiance to Yazid
Rise and in the Name of God show allegiance to Yazid.
Mu‘awiyah
Mu‘awiyah was engaged in a great attempt, and was inviting great men of influence to Damascus from every part of the country, and persuading them to show allegiance to Yazid. He threatened those who opposed the plan, and satisfied those who agreed by granting them huge sums of money,
and sometimes by giving them high positions and ranks.
Several years passed in this way and many parts of the country were brought under the Umayyad yoke. But Hejaz, with its two great cities of Mecca and Medina, still refused to submit to allegiance to Yazid. Mu‘awiyah decided to visit Hejaz and those cities, and departed with a number of sup-porters to secure allegiance from the people of Mecca and Medina, who owing to their greater familiarity with Islam, and also because of the influence of such personalities as Imam al-Husayn, ‘Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar and ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, refused to agree to that allegiance for Yazid.
Ibn al-Athir writes: To carry out his wishes, Mu‘awiyah made use of enormous gifts granted to his intimates, mildness with those who stayed away, and kindness to chiefs of tribes. He was so successful in this scheme that the people began to trust him and showed allegiance to Yazid. When the allegiance of the people of ash-Sham and Iraq was carried out, he left for Hejaz with one thousand horsemen, and in Medina Imam al-Husayn was the first person to meet him.
Ibn al-Athir then describes this meeting at length and quotes the words exchanged between Imam al-Husayn and three other dignitaries of the city and Mu‘awiyah, and the rude and sharp answers given by Mu‘awiyah. He adds that Mu‘awiyah refused to meet these four persons in Medina, and then went to visit ‘A’ishah. As he had heard that she had spoken of Imam al-Husayn and those men, he said to her:“If they do not show allegiance, I will kill them.”
He complained of them to ‘A’ishah, and she gave him advice and counsel. Ibn al-Athir describes Mu‘awiyah’s travel to Mecca as follows: In that city the people went out to welcome him, and those four persons were among the Muslims there. He treated them gently and then brought up the subject of allegiance. The son of az-Zubayr said to him:“You may accept one of our three proposals, either act in the manner of the Prophet who did not choose anyone as his successor,
and the people themselves showed allegiance to Abu Bakr, or act in the manner of Abu Bakr who nominated a man of the Quraysh as caliph, and did not allow any of his house to assume this position, or act in the manner of ‘Umar who entrusted the choice of the caliph to a council of six, to which his son did not belong.
Mu‘awiyah said: “Have you any other proposal or suggestion?”
They said:“No.”
Mu‘awiyah said:“I have given you a warning, and he who warns others of their fate, is excusable. Now, it is my turn to speak, and I swear to God that if any of you here says something contrary to my words, he will lose his head before he concludes his words. Therefore every person should think of his own life and try to preserve it.”
Then he ordered to place two men with drawn; swords by each of those objectors so that if they uttered a word of protest, they would be beheaded without delay.
Then he proceeded with these men to the mosque of al-Haram, climbed the pulpit and, after praising God, he said:“These are the leaders and dignitaries of Islam, and the best of them, and no one should perform a task without consulting them. They have voluntarily shown allegiance to Yazid! Now you people rise and in the Name of God, show allegiance.”
The people on every side rose and showed allegiance, and when the ceremony was concluded, he ordered to prepare the mounts and then proceeded towards Medina. He seized allegiance from the people of this city in the same way he had done with the people of Mecca, and then he returned to ash-Sham.
As for the allegiance falsely attributed to Imam al-Husayn and those few men, the matter did not remain hidden, and after the departure of Mu‘awiyah the people said to those four men:
“How did you, who had no intention of ever showing allegiance, submit so easily and voluntarily to this allegiance to Yazid?”
In answer they described the unmanly and cunning plan of Mu‘awiyah and the danger that threatened their lives.
* * *
We have made a deep inquiry into the events of Mu‘awiyah’s life, since there was no other alternative for discovering the reasons and factors for the fabrication of traditions in the time of Mu‘awiyah, we wished to re-discover his complex personality in order to find out the nature of his connection with and interest in Umm al-Mu’minin ‘A’ishah in this particular field. This is a subject, which will be dealt with in the forthcoming pages.
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Author: Allamah Sayyid Murtadha Askari
