Sunni Feedback on The Issues of Infallibility and Ahulbayt [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

More On Muawiyah
Here is more evidence on Muawiyah from the History and Hadith:
On his Character al-Hasan al-Basri said:
Muawiyah had four flaws, and any one
of them would have been a serious
offense:

1. His appointment of trouble makers
for this community so that he
stole its rule
without consultation with its members, while there
was a remnant of
the Companions and possessors of virtue among
them.

2. His appointment of his son as his
successor after him, a drunkard
and a winebibber
who wears silk and plays tunburs.

3. His claim about Ziyad (as his
son), while the Messenger of God
(PBUH&HF) has
said: 'The child belongs to the bed, and the
adulterer should
be stoned.' 4. His killing of Hujr and his
companions. Woe unto him twice for Hujr
and his
companions.

Sunni references :

- History of al-Tabari, English version, The Events of Year
51 AH, v8, p154 - History of Ibn al-Athir, v3, p242 - al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, by Ibn Kathir, v8, p130 who
mentions the first crime as: His fighting Ali.

- History of Ibn Kathir, v3, p242 - Khilafat Mulukiyat, Syed Abul Ala Maududi, pp 165-166 Here is some background on the Tragedy of Hujr:
Who was Hujr Ibn 'Adi?

In an effort to eradicate freedom of expression, Muawiyah
started off with
the killing of Hujr, who was a famous Tabi'i and the
respected Sahabi of
Imam Ali (AS). During the time of Muawiyah when Imam Ali (AS)
was being
cursed from the pulpits of the mosques, it caused a lot of
pain and grief
to the Muslims, but people were patient. However Hujr in
Kufah could not
further bear this and in resistance Hujr used to praise Imam
Ali (AS) and
curse Muawiyah. Mughairah who was the Governor of Kufah at
that time was
considerate towards Hujr. However, during the Governership of
Ziyad, when
Basra was also included with Kufah, differences emerged
between Ziyad and
Hujr. Ziyad used to swear (say bad words) and Hujr used to
reply to Ziyad.

During this period Hujr also corrected Ziyad when he delayed
the Friday
Prayer. Eventually Hujr along with his twelve companions were
arrested on
the following charges
- Hujr had organized a group and he
used to swear at Muawiyah - He instigates people to fight
against Muawiyah - He claims that the Caliphate
belongs to Imam Ali and his
progeny (AS) - He supports Abu Turab (nickname of
Imam Ali (AS)) - He sends his blessings on Imam Ali
(AS) So under these charges, these personalities were sent to
Muawiyah, and
Muawiyah ordered their killing. Before their execution, the
executors said
to them:

We have been ordered that if you
show negative feelings towards Ali
and curse him you shall be free to
go, otherwise you shall have to die
(shall be killed).

Upon hearing this Hujr and his companions refused to do what
they were
asked to do, and Hujr replied:
I can't utter those words from my
tongue that would anger my Lord!
Following this they were killed, with the exception of
Abdurrahman Ibn Hassaan who was sent by Muawiyah to Ziyad with the order that
Ziyad himself
should brutally kill him, and thereby, he was buried alive.

Sunni references :

- Histroy of al-Tabari, v4, pp 190-206 - al-Isti'ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, v1, p135 - History of Ibn Kathir, v3, pp 234-242 - al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, v8, pp 50-55 - History of Ibn Khaldoon, v3
Reviving the Customs of the Jahiliyyah Amputations of the head and moving the heads from one place
to another,
the mistreatment of the dead bodies out of sheer passion of
revenge, that
was prevalent during the days of ignorance (al-Jahiliyyah),
started again
among the Muslims during this era.

Case 1:

The very first head that was
amputated from the body during the Islamic period was of Ammar Ibn
Yasir (RA), the famous companion of
the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF).
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in his Musnad
narrates a tradition as follows,
that has also been mentioned in the Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'd that:

In the
Battle of Siffin, when the head of Ammar Yasir (RA) was
cut
off and was taken to Muawiyah, two people were arguing over
it,
each one claiming that he had killed Ammar.

Sunni references:

- Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal,
Traditions #6538, #6929 Printed in Dar al-
Maarif, Egypt 1952 - al-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa'd, v3,
p253 Case 2:

The second head that was amputated
from the body was for Umro Ibn al-
Hamaq, who was among the companions
of the prophet (Allah's blessings
on him and his cleansed progeny).

Muawiyah alleged that he has
participated in the assassination of
Uthman. When efforts were carried
out for his arrest, he hid in a
cave, where a snake bit him. The
people who were in his pursuit cut
off the head from the dead body and
took it to Ziyad. He then sent it to
Muawiyah in Damascus, where the
head was roamed around the city and
was finally presented to his wife
in her lap.

Sunni references:

- al-Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa'd, v6, p25 - al-Isti'ab, v2, p440 - al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, v8, p48 - Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, v8, p24 Case 3:

The same atrocity was committed
against Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr (RA) who
was the Governor for Imam Ali (AS)
in Egypt. When Muawiyah captured
Egypt, he was arrested and was
killed. His dead body was placed in a
belly of a dead donkey and then was
brutally burnt.

Sunni references:

- al-Isti'ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr,
v1, p235 - History of al-Tabari, v4, p79 - History of Ibn Kathir, v3, p180 - History of Ibn Khaldoon, v2, p182 Case 4:

After this, it became a tradition
for people who sought vengeance
after their enemies were killed.

Imam Husain's (AS) head was
amputated, and was taken from
Karbala to Kufah and from Kufah to
Damascus. The body of Imam Husain
(AS) was brutally ruined by the
running of horses.

Sunni references - History of al-Tabari, v4, pp
349-351,356 - History of Ibn Kathir, v3, pp
296-298 - al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, v8, pp
189-192
On Some of his Accounts Jalaluddin al-Suyuti worte:
Ibn Asakir records on the authority
of Hamid-b Hilal, that Akil the
son of Abu Talib begged of Ali
and said , ' I am poor and needy,
therefore give unto me. ' He
replied, ' wait untill my stipend cometh
with that of the other Muslims, and
I will give unto thee with them,' but he was importunate and Ali said
to a man, ' take him by the hand
and go with him to the shops of the
people of the market and say, ' break these locks and take what is
in these shops, ' Akil said, ' dost
thou wish to make me a thief ?, '
Ali retorted, ' and dost thou wish
to make me a thief that I should
take the property of the Muslims and
give it to thee, and not to them ?.
' He answered, ' I shall assuredly
go to Muawiya. ' He replied,' that
as thou wilest, ' and he went to
Muawiya and begged of him, and he
gave him a hundred thousand dirhams
and said, ' get up on the pulpit and
mention what Ali hath given to
thee and what I have fiven
thee.' Then he mounted, and praised God
and glorified him, and said,
O people I tell ye, verily I tempted Ali in regard to his
religion and he preferred his religion, and verily I tempted
Muawiyah in regard to his religion and he preferred me to his
religion.

Sunni refernce:

History of the Caliphs, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti,
English
version, p208
al-Suyuti also recorded:
al-Sha'abi said that the first who
preached seated to the people was
Muawiyah and that was when his flesh
had increased and his stomach had
grown large. (Recorded by Ibn Abi
Shaybah). Az Zuhri states that
Muawiya was the first who introduced
the discourse before prayers on
the Eid. (Abdur Razzaq in his
Musannaf). And Said-b-ul Musayyab says
that he was the first who introduced
the call to prayers on the Eid,
(Ibn Abi Shaybah), and he who
diminished the number of Takbirs.

Sunni refernce:

History of the Caliphs, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti,
English
version, p204
Raising Quran on Spear In addition to the atrocities commited by Muawiyah, perhaps
his act of
raising the Quran on the spear against Imam Ali (AS) in the
Battle of
Siffin undoubtedly reflects on his character as a ruler, a
person that
would resort to any means to make his plan a success. He
played with the
book of Allah in order to deceive the naive people. As a
result of this
trick, al-Khawarij (those who believed Imam Ali is politheist
and
unbeliever) emerged in the history of Islam.
Ibn Sa'd reports a tradition from al-Zuhri that:
At the eve of the Battle of Siffin
when fight was at it's peak and
people had started to loose hope, Amr Ibn al-Aas said to Muawiyah:

Accept my proposal and order the
people (i.e., army of Muawiyah) to
open the Quran (i.e., raise the
Quran on spears) and say, O people of
Iraq, we call you towards the Quran,
and we decide by virtue of what
is contained in it from al-Hamd to
al-Naas.

This act will create dissension in
the ranks and file of the Iraqis
and will create hopes for the people
of Shaam. Thereby Muawiyah accpeted his proposal. (to do as he
said).

Sunni references:

- Tabaqat of Ibn Sa'd, v4, p255 as per - Khilafat Mulikiyat, Abul Ala Maududi, p345
The same fact has been mentioned in great detail by al-Tabari,
Ibn Kathir, Ibn al-Athir, and Ibn Khaldoon. The purpose behind the
propsal was to create dissension in the ranks and file of Imam Ali's (as)
army, and even if they accept the proposal (of calling towards the Quran),
Muawiya's army would manage to buy time to delay the battle.

Sunni references:

- History of al-Tabari, v4, p34 - al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, by Ibn Katir, v7, p272 - Histoty of Ibn al-Athir, v3, p160 - History of Ibn Khaldoon, v2, p174 - Khilafat Mulukiyat, Maududi, p345
Muawiyah and the Origin of the word al-Jama'ah al-Tabari recorded that:
Sajah remained with Banu Taghlib
untill Muawiya transferred them in his days on the year of the
union (al-Jama'ah). When the people of
Iraq agreed [to recognize] Muawiyah
[as caliph] after Ali, Muawiyah
took to expelling from al-Kufa those
who had been vehement in the
cause of Ali, and to settle in their
homes those people of Syrai and
al-Basrah and the Jazirah who were
most vehement in his own cause; it
was they who were called the
transfers in the garrison towns.
[ The translator of the work writes
in reference to the year of the
union as follows: ] Aam al-Jama'ah the year 40 A.H/A.D
660-661, so called because the Muslim Community came together in
recognizing Muawiyah, ending the political division of the first
civil war. Pace Caetani, 648; see Abu Zahrah al-Dimashqi, Tarikh, 188 (no.
101) and 190 (no. 105)
Sunni reference: History of al-Tabari, English version, v10,
p97 Jalaluddin al-Suyuti mentions this very fact, with the utmost
clarity in
his work, History of the Caliphs (Tarikhul Khulafa) with the
following
words:

al-Dhahabi says that Ka'ab died
before Muawiyah was made caliph, and
that Ka'ab was right in what he
said, for Muawiyah continued for
twenty years, and none of the
princess of the earth contended with
him, unlike others who came after
him, for they had opponents and
portions of their dominions passed
out of their sway. Muawiyah went
forth against Ali as has preceded,
and assumed the title of Caliph.

Then he marched against al-Hasan,
who abdicted in his favor. He
therefore became firmly eshtablished
in his Caliphate from Rabi'iul
Akhir or Jumadal Awwal 41 AH. The
year was therefore called the Year
of the Union (al-Jama'ah), on
account of the gathering of the people
under one Caliph. During this year
Muawiyah appointed Marwan Ibn al-
Hakam over Medina.
Sunni refernce: History of the Caliphs, by Jalaluddin
al-Suyuti, English
version, p204 (Chapter of Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan)
The Scribe of Revelation A a pro-Umayad mentioned that:

Muawiyah was a scribe of the
revelation. Is your character judgement better then that of the Prophet?
In the previous parts, I have given the opinion of the
Prophet (PBUH&HF)
about those who will fight Ahlul-Bayt based of the most
authentic Sunni
collections of the traditions. According to the opinion of
the Prophet,
such people were hypocrites and infidels.
Muawiyah and his father Abu Sufyan were among those who
fought the Prophet
till last minutes and when they found that Mecca will be
captured shortly
and their turn is over, they decided to go under the guise of
Islam to save
their life and to destroy Islam from inside. This is what Abu
Sufyan, his
son Muawiyah and his grandson Yazid were trying to achieve
every day and
night. Now they suddenly became the Scribe of Revelation!

Here is the
reason behind it:

From the time the Caliphate fell into the hands of the
Umayad, they strove
to distort the truth and turn everything head over heels.
They, thus,
elevated to the zenith of power people who were, during the
life of the
Prophet (PBUH&HF), ordinary, with no special standing,
while they ignored
others who were at the peak of honor and nobility during the
lifetime of
the Prophet (PBUH&HF).
Their sole criterion in for honor and dishonor, was their
intense enmity
and excessive hatred for Muhammad (PBUH&HF) and the
members of his
household, Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husain, peace be
upon them. The
Umayad elevated the status, and fabricated false traditions,
on the merits
of every person who opposed the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and his
Ahlul-Bayt whom
Allah has purified and from whom He removed all abomination
in Quran. They
sought nearness to those who opposed the Prophet, accorded
them high
positions and grants so that they enjoyed favors and respect
among the
populace. They sought to denigrate, fabricate defects,
falsify reports that
denied the superiority and merits of anyone who used to love
the Prophet
(PBUH&HF) and would defend him.
Thus Umar Ibn al-Khattab, who used to dispute every command
of the Prophet
of Allah (PBUH&HF), even accusing the latter of
hallucination in his last
days, became the hero of Islam amongst the Muslims during the
time of the
Umayad dynasty.
On the other hand, Ali Ibn Abi Talib who was, to him, what
Aaron was to
Moses, and who loved him, and who was loved by Allah and His
Prophet, he
who was the guardian of every believer, was cursed from the
pulpits for
eighty years. The effect of false propaganda reached to the
point that when
the news of assassination of Imam Ali (AS) during the Fajr
prayer in Mosque
reached to the people of Syria, they were surprised and asked
if Ali used
to pray!
Similarly Aisha, who caused the Prophet of Allah
(PBUH&HF) much torment and
disobeyed his instructions and the instructions of her Lord,
rose against
the successor of the Messenger of Allah and caused the worst
strife known
to the Muslims, a strife which resulted in the death of
thousands of
Muslims, became the most famous lady in Islam, with religious
rulings being
accepted from her. But Fatimah al-Zahra, the leader of the
women of this
world and the world after, she for whom the Lord gets angry
if she becomes
angry, and she for whom the Lord is happy when she is happy,
became a
forgotten woman, and was buried in the secrecy of the night,
after they had
threatened to burn her, and after they forced the door of her
house against
her stomach, causing her to lose her child. You can hardly
find one amongs
Sunnis who knows a single Hadith which she reported from her
father. This
is while their books are replete with the traditions of Aisha
simply
because she was the only woman who fought Imam Ali (AS).
Similarly, Yazid Ibn Muawiyah, Ziyad, the son of his father,
Ibn Marjanah,
Marwan, al-Hajjaj, Ibn al-Aas, and others from the accursed
tree mentioned
in Quran, and who were cursed by the tongue of the Prophet
(PBUH&HF), they
became the commanders of the believers and the guardians of
their affairs.

As for al-Hasan and al-Husain, the masters of the youths of
paradise, the
delights of the Prophet of this nation, the Imams from the
progeny of the
Prophet (PBUH&HF), the custodians of this Ummah, they
were banished,
imprisoned, murdered, and poisoned. In this way, Abu Sufyan
the hypocrite,
the leader in every battle that was waged against the
Prophet, came to be
praised and thanked. As for Abu Talib, the protector and
defender of the
Prophet (PBUH&HF) with all that he had, who passed his
life in hostility
with his people and relatives for the sake of his nephew's
call, so much so
that he spent three years in the enclave with the Prophet in
the valley of
Mecca, keeping his belief secret, for the benefit of Islam,
that some
bridges remained still open with the Quraish and so that they
would not
persecute the Muslims as they wished (he was like the
believer from the
family of Pharaoh who hid his belief; see Quran 40:28), Abu
Talib's alleged
reward turns out to be a pair of slippers in the hellfire,
his feet placed
into it and his brain is popping out from the pain!!!
In this way, Mu'awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan, who was the freed man,
son of the
freed man, the accursed one, and the son of an accursed one,
he who used to
play with the injunctions of Allah and His Prophet, not
attaching any
importance to it, he who used to murder the upright and
innocent ones so as
to pursue his vile goals and would revile the Prophet of
Allah (PBUH&HF)
while the Muslims would see and hear, became known as the
scribe of
revelation!!!

They say that Allah entrusted His revelation to
Gabriel, Muhammad and Muawiyah. He also came to be described as a man
of wisdom, political acumen and reflection.
As for Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, the earth did not carry nor the
sky did put
its shadow on anyone more truthful in speech than him; he was
treated as
a mischief monger. He was beaten, exiled and banished to
Rabdha. Salman,
Miqdad, Ammar and Hudaifah and all the sincere companions who
took Imam Ali
as their leader and followed him, they met with punishment,
banishment and
murder.

Similarly, those who followed the school of the Caliphs, the
followers of
Muawiyah and the companions of the schools founded by the
tyrannical
rulers, they turned out to be Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'a and
they represented
Islam. Whoever opposed them was judged to be a disbeliever.

As for those who followed the school of the Ahlul-Bayt and
followed the
gate to the city of knowledge and the first one to accept
Islam, he whom
the truth revolved around wherever he was, those who followed
the Ahlul- Bayt and the infallible Imams came to be considered as the
people of
innovation and misguidance, and whoever opposed and fought
against them
came to be seen as a Muslim.
Surely there is no power and no strength except with Allah,
the Highest,
and the most Powerful. Allah surely spoke the truth when He
said:

If it is said to them; 'Make
not any mischief on earth', they say:
'We are the righteous ones'.

Certainly they are indeed the corrupt
ones but they do not realize it. And
if it is said to them: 'Believe
as other people have believed' they
say: 'Shall we believe as the
stupid ones believe'? They are the
stupid ones, though they know it
not.' (Quran 2:13) A Side Comment A brother mentioned that one may kill another with good
intention and with
love towrd each other and both (the killer and the killed
one) would go to
Paradise. We have the example of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim)
who recieved
commandment to kill his son, Ismail, though it was just a
test and Allah
wanted to test both of them, and finally they slaughtered a
ship by Allah's
command.

The above incedent is true. However, there is a falacy hiden
in the above
argument. Abraham (AS) was a prophet and the order (to
sacrifice his
son) was given by God through revelation. Also he did not
FIGHT with
Isma'il, nor Ismail FOUGHT back. It was the order of Allah,
and both father
and son were SUBMESSIVE to that. There was NO dispute between
them.

But let me ask you this question: Did Talha and Zubair
received revelation
from God to kill people? Did Quran tell them to fight
against their
legitimate Caliph? If so, why not against the first three
Caliphs?

Did Muawiyah and Marwan received revelation of ordering
people to curse
Imam Ali (AS) and make it a popular habit of people? ... And
finally, they
slaughtered the whole household of Prophet (PBUH&HF)
including his beloved
son (grandson) in the same way. Do You believe when somebody
is ready to
kill the whole house-hold of prophet, he refrains or is
afraid of cursing
them? LA WALLAH ...
- Is cursing Imam Ali a sign of love and good intention?

- Is shedding the blood of thousands of innocent Muslims a
sign of affection and obedience to Allah?

- Is erdicating the houshold of the Prophet a sign of love
toward them?