CHAPTER III
KUFA DURING THE DAYS OF THE
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Sa'sa'a b. Sohan al-'Abdi1 described Kufa as: "the dome of Islam and top of speech. However, there were rude persons in Kufa. They prevented the people from obeying those who were in charge of authority (i.e. the Prophet's family). Also they prevented the people from meeting the. These were the manners of the possessors.
KUFA DURING THE DAYS OF THE
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Mulims inhabited Kufa in the year 17 A.H, namely directly after the conquest of Iraq.2
The early houses of Kufa were built of reed. However, they burned down. So they were built of adobes. The streets of Kufa were twenty cubits wide. Its lanes were seven cubits wide. The places of the buildings were among its streets. They were forty cubits wide. Also al-qatay, (plots of land) were among its streets. They were sixty cubits wide.
The Mosque was the firts thing to be built in Kufa. It was built in the Middle of the area which was chosen to build the city. A strong man threw arrows at all directions. Then the houses were built beyound the arrows. So the area before the arrows was allotted to build the Mosque and its yard. In front of the Mosque, They (the Muslims) built
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1. See chapter. The Leaders of the Shi'a, in this book. al-Mas'udi, Hamish b. al-Athir, vol. 6, p. 118.
2. al-Baladhiri, Futuh al-Budan. al-Buraqi, Tarikh al-Kufa. al-Hamawi, al-Mujam, However, al-Hamawi opposed Him when he said: "Basra was inhabited six months before Kufa in the year 14 A. H."
a poet on which they built pillars made of marble, which the followers of Kasra (a Persain king) brought from the ruins of al-Hira. They (the Muslims) dug a trench around the yard of the Mosque to prevent the people from building houses near it.
Suddenly, the buildings of Kufa increased. For the Commander of the faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin) emigrated to it. Then he regarded it as a headquaters after the Battle of the Camel on the twelfth of th month of Rajab, in the year 36.A.H
Among the motives of this initiative (the Emigration of Imam Ali to Kufa) was the the resources of Hijaz (Saudi Arabia) because so weak that this country depended on other resources from ther countries. The most country harmful thing for a certain country is that it depends on the resources of others countries. However, Kufa, and Iraq did not suffer from the paucity of resoueces. In other words their resources were more than their needs. Besides there were military factors. For example military rebels used Iraq as a base for their hostile acts.
Prominent Muslim figures came successively to Kufa, from various Muslim countries. For it was the capital of the Caliphate. The Arabs tribes from the Yemen and Hijaz, and the Persian communities from al-Mada'in and Iran inhabited Kufa. Trade markets became active in built around it. Glorious history, arts sciences lasted in it for a long time.
Shi'ism (tashyy) for Imam Ali and his sons, peace be on them, prevailed Kufa under the HasHimite ruling. This phenomenon has been in it since that time. Because of the mixed groups who inhabited the new city, other hostile desires appeared three beside Shi'ism. After a short time, such hostile desires became the reason for creating historical events in Kufa.
The pledge of allegiance to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, occurred when Kufa pledge allegiance to Him. Then all the people there agreed on his nomination though they rarely agreed on a certain idea.
Throughout his life time in this city, Al-Hasan, peace be on Him showed
the nobel qualities which the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless Him and his family, inherited. Those noble qualities were: goodness, good manners, noble feelings, gentle traits, wide patience, excellent mind, knowledge, religious devotion, worship and the like. So the hearts of the people inclined towards Him.
The Pulpit of the succession, though sad for the late Imam (Ali), smiled at the Prophetic qualities inherited by its new Successor. For he was the best person in piety, refraining from the life in this world, and collecting all good traits. For this reason he (Al-Hasan) was a unique figure. Thus all different person s agreed on Him willingly. Moreover, all the elemens of leadership neccessary for the leader of a nation or the Imam of people gathered in Al-Hasan.
The festivals of the pledge of allegiance of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him in Kufa ended in the hoped manner. They resulted it strength, activity, and mobilization. However, the fate has reles that do not occur according the measures of minds, nor do they occur according to the desires for selves. So the political atmosphere in the city of (Kufa), that celebrated the appoinment of the Successor for the first time in its history, was still stagnant,, clouded, and mingled with much suspicious disturbances. That was what Kufa, suffered from because of the effects of the violent battles that happened in the neighboring places, namely in Basra, Nahrwan, and Siffin. In Kufa, at that time, there were many supporters for the martyrs and victims of these battles from both parties. Those supporters were very eager to avenge the blood of their martyrs. So they spared no effort to carry out their purposes. Some of these purposes were good, while some of them were evil. The evil purposes were the reason for creating disagreement in the Muslim community.
Though Al-Hasan was in the beginning of his succession, all the hearts inclined towards Him. For he was the son of the daughter of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family. To love Him was among the condtions of belief. To obey Him was among the conditions of the pledge of allegiance to Him.
Ibn Kuthayr said: "They (the Kufans) loved Him (i,e, Al-Hasan) more than they loved his father."1
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, was still safe from all parties, That is because he did not react to destroy the purposes of some people or to injure the sensitive cord of the stuborn ideas of some people. That is because the ways through which Islam lived at that time were sometimes subjected, in such Muslims, to personal aims and were sometimes to fanatic opinions.
Many of those people were selfish and ambitious. Their selfishness and ambitions exceeded the limits of Islam. Thus they thought that they would achieve their ambitions through pledging allegiance to Al-Hasan. Al-Hasan's good manners made them pledge allegiance to Al-Hasan. Al-Hasan's good manners made them pledge allgiance to Him. For his manners reminded them of the manners of his grandfather, may Allah bless Him Him and his family. Also they memorized a tradition from the Companions of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless Him and his family. The traditions said that Al-Hasan was the most similar person to Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless Him and his family, in form and nobility.
In fact, they (the Kufans) understood Al-Hasan's great manners as they were.
Many of those who were opposed to Al-Hasan's ideas and thoughts competed with each other for the above mentioned ambitions. So they pledged allegiance to Him of their own accord as the loyal believers did. then they, after a short time, were the quickest of all the people in escaping from his camps. That is because they thought that they would obtain their ambitions through the leniency of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. However, they found it difficult for them to get their ambitions when Al-Hasan assumed the succession. For he was very strict in enforcing the Islamic law even with his close relatives such as his brother and cousin.
For this reasn, it was natural for the leaders in Kufa to oppose Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, as they had opposed the late Imam (i, e.,
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1. Ibn Kuthayr, al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 8, p.41
Imam Ali) who said to them: "you have filled my heart with puss and loaded my bosom with rage. you made me drink mouthfuls of grief one after the other." In this manner, that corrupt group of people clung to their angry partisanship. Meanwhle they found a strong supporter abroad (ie, Mu'awiya in Synria). Also in this manner, various kinds of propbles began to appear because of the abominable partisanship.
Groups of the opportunists took advantage of that critical stage. They were able to communicate with the people of Kufa to provake them to mutiny against the obligatory successor, to violate morals, and to break the pledge of Allegiance to Him, peace be on Him. This kind of people, who were like men, resorted riot, boycott, and disobedience when the Islamic Succession was moved to the new city (Kufa) in Iraq. For the Islamic Succession there was clear in carrying out the Islamic laws and was severe in enforceing justice. They were restless because they were hopeless of the world of the succeesion. For such a kind of succession was religious, not worldly. Also they knew that the succession would not allow them to achieve their worldly ambitions.
So they (the rebels in Kufa) took advantage of the disagreement between the new Successor in Kufa and Mu'awiya in sham (Syria). They found that disagreement appropriate for them to renew their activities to get possibe urgent interests through deceiving the two parties (i,e. Al-Hasan and Mu'awiay). Thus they were before two choices: either they get their ambitions through the new succession or they co-operate with each other to corrupt and destroy it. In the meantime, Mu'awiya promises to achieve their ambitions. Accordingly, money and promises were the strongest weapons the rulers in Sham used to destroy the new succession in Kufa throughout that time.
In this manner, the changeable desires, the different ideas, the bad manners, and the impudent quarrels were able to weaken the attitude of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, in Kufa.
Thus the during the pledge of allegiance to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, were many parites. We may classify them as follows:
The Umayyad Party
The greastest person who belonged to this party were: 'Amru b. Hurath, Ammaria b. al-Walid b. Aqaba, Hajar b. Umar b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas, Abu Burda b. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, Isma'il and Ishaq the two sons of Talhab. 'Ubayd Allah, and the like. Strong elements with followers and influence blonged to this party. They played a dangerous role in destroying the succession of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, through their riot, plots, and disobedience.
"So they wrote secretly to Mu'awiya to listen and obey Him. They urged Him to come quickly to them. They guaranteed to hand over Al-Hasan when they got to his camp, or to kill Him treacherously."1
In his book Tarikh, al-Mas'udi told us2: "Many of them (the Kufans wrote secretely to Him (Mu'awiya). They became hasty in promises for Him and asked Him for powers."
"Mu'awiya plotted against Amru b. Hurayth, al-Ash'ath b. Qays, Hajjar b. Abjar, and Shibth b. Rib'i through his spies. In the meantime he said to one of his spies: "If you kill al-Al-Hasan. I will give you one hundred thousand dirhams, an army of the armiese of Sham (Syria), and a daughter of my daughters." Al-Hasan peace be on Him, heard of that. So he wore his breastplate. He guarded gainst them and did not head them in prayer. So one of them (the above mentioned
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1. al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 170. al-Tubrisi, A'lam al-Wara.
2. al-Mas'udi, Hamish b. al-Athir, vol. 6. 42. I (the author) say: I think that many people from 'sham might wrote to Al-Hasan peace be on Him, at that time as the kufans wrote to Mu'awiya. We have known that the two parties (the Kufans and the Syrias) were ready to break their promises whenever worldly desires tempted them. you have to see al-Mahasin wa al-Masawi. vol. 2. p. 2oo. by al-Bayqahi, to know that the followers of Mu'awiya wrote to Imam Ali peace be on Him. Also try to see Tarikh, vol. 3. p 12. by al-Ya'qubi, to know that all followers of Abd al-Malik b. Marwan wrote to Mas'ab b. al-Zubayr and asked Him for safety and gifts. So we must understand that the Syrians wrote to Al-Hasan, but their letters have remained secret for us, for Al-Hasan did not reveal the secret as Mu'awiya did, or the historians have intentionally ignored this matter as they have ignored many matters
person) threw an arrow at Him. However, the arrow did not hit Him because if his breastplate.1
One of these texts is enough to explain Mu'awiya's intensions. In this manner, they (the Kufans) did evil intentionally. They did the deeds of the traitor who waited for an opportunity. Their mean attempts were clear even under the clouds of deception and hypocrisy. In other words their attempts seemed exposed and blatant at the hour of the summons to the obligation.
Also in this manner, they (the Kufans) were throughout that time the leaders of riot, helpers of plots, and fingers of the enemy in the city of (Kufa).
The Kharijites co-operated with them (the Kufans) to overthrow the HasHimite Caliphate duringf its two holy times. That is because the Kharijites and the Kufans shared the same Plan. The evidence for this is what has been in the last text concerning the participation of al-Ash'ath b. Qays and Shibth b. Rib'i, who were among the leaders of the Kharijites in Kufa.
The Kharijites
They were the enemies of Imam Ali, peace be on Him, from the day when the event of the arbitration (al-tahkim) took place. Also they were the enemies of Mu'awiya.
The leaders of the Kharijites in Kufa were: Abd Allah b. Wahab al-Rasibi, Shibth b. Rib'i, al-Ash'ath b. Qays, and SHimir b. Dhi al-Jawshan.
The Kharijites insisted on waging war against Mu'awiya more than the other people in Kufa did. It was they who pedged allegiance to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, on the conditions that he should fight against those who went astray (i,e, the Syrians). However, Al-Hasan refused their pledge of allegiance according to this condition. He wanted them to pledge allegiance to Him to conform to "listening and obeying.
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1. Ilal al-Sharai, p. 82.
Moreover, he asked them to fight against Him whom he fought against and to make peace with Him whom he made peace with. So the Kharijites went to his brother al-Husayn, peace be on Him. They said to Him: "Stretch out your hand to pledge allegiance to you as we had pledged allegiance to your father to fight those who went astray (i,e, the Syrians)". So al-Hasayn, peace be on Him, said to them: "I seek protection with 'Allah, I cannot accept your pledge of allegiance as long as Al-Hasan is living." So they (the Khaarijites) went to Al-Hasan again and pledged their allegiance to Him as he had stipulated before.1
I (the author) think that there was no aspect of enmity when the Kharijites wanted to pledge allegiance to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. Besides there was no aspect of enmity when insisted on fighting those who went astray from the Syrians. In the meantime, some followers of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, supported the Kharijites to declare war. However, when you read the stages of the matter of Al-Hasan, you will understand that the Kharijites were the reason for creating critical conditons from which Al-Hasan suffered. you have read in the foregoing text that two leaders of the Kharijites took part in the ugliest Umayyad plot in Kufa.
The Kharijites used effective, fearful methods when they provoked the people against the Umayyads. Their methods undermind the belief of many people with doubts. That was the reason for the spreading of the Kharijites after their decisive defeat at the Battle of al-Nahrwan.
Concerning the methods of the Kharijites, Zyyad b. Abih said: "Indeed, the words of these( Kharijites) goes quicker to the hearts than the fire goes to the reeds." In this connection, al-Mughira b. Shu'ba said: "When they (the Kharijites) stayed at a place for two days, they corrupted those whom they associated."2
The Kharijites told lies and thought that they told truth. They did evil deeds and thought that they did good deeds. They relied on
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1. al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, p. 150.
2. al-Tabari, Tarikh, vol. 6, p. 109.
Allah, but there was no religious relation between Him and them.
We will mention the Kharijites again when we discuss the members of the Aumy in the following chapter.
The Doubters
We have read something about the doubters what al-Mufid, may Allah have mercy on Him, has mentioned concerning the members of the Army of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. We think that they have been called the doubters because they were affected by the ideas of the Kharijhites while they did not belong to them. They were hesitating. Namely they did not belong to a certain party.
I (the author) have known that al-Murtada have mentioned the doubters at a great lenth and regarded them as unbelievers in his book al-Amal, vol. 3. p. 93. It is as if that he understood that the doubters had doubts about the origin of the religion.
The doubters were a group of the people of Kufa. They were from the defeated rabble there. They had no intention to do good, nor had they an ability to do evil. However, their existence in its self was evil. It was a help for corruption, and a tool in the hands of the wrongdoers.
Al-Hamra'
They belonged to the armed men in Kufa. Their number was twenty- thousand men, as al-Tabari said in his book Tarikh,. When Kufa had been divided into one sevenths, they lived in the one seventh which was allotted to their allies who belonged to the Banu (sons of) Abd al-Qays. The (the Hamra) did not belong to the Banu of Abd al-Qays . nor did they belong to the Arabs. Rather they were a mixed band from the friends and the slaves. May be, most of them were from the sons of the persion women who were taken prisoners at the Battle of Ayn al-Tamr and Jalawla in the years 12-17 A.H., and in the crisis of al-Husayn in the year 61 A.H.
The Hamra were the police men of Zyyad who killed the Shi'a in the year 51 A.H. They were from those who carried out their duties well when the evil tempted them. More likely, they were the soldiers of the victoriuos tyrants.
The Hamra, became poweful because they helped Zyyad suppress the events and the disturbances took place in Kufa during the first century, A,H. Moreover, they became more poweful in Kufa when they ascribed it to themselves. So Kufa was called the Kufa of the Hamra (Kufat al-Hamra).
Basrah, like Kufa, had mixed groups of the people (Hamra). Zyyad, who was the governor of Basra then, was afraid of their power there, so he tried to destroy them. However, al-Ahanaf b. Qays prevented Him form doing that.
Some modern writers have attributed the Hamra to the Shi'a, while they were far away from them. For they spared no effort to destroy the Shi'a and their Imams. We do not deny that there might be some of them who adopted the beliefs of the Shi'a. However, the Shi'a are not judged by the few persons. The followers of Al-Hasan peace be on Him, lived in Kufa beside these hostile people. The followers of al Hasan were greater in number than the Hamra in the capital of Imam Ali, peace be on hi,. Among Al-Hasan's followere was a number of the Emigrants (muhajrin) and the supporters (ansar). They follwed Ali to Kufa, They had a high social rank. The people respected them because they were the Companions of the Apostle, may Allah bless Him and his family.
The great figures of the Shi'a in Kufa proved their loyalty to the members of the house (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. Thus he (Al-Hasan) summoned them to jihad (holy war) after his succession during the critical situations. If those Shi'a had been safe from the plots of the other citizens, they would have defended Kufa against te dangers of the Syrians. No one can deny the ability and the activity of that blessed group of people. By the activity we mean the abilities that helped that Shi'ite group to bear and understand the hardship. Also they help them find solutions to these hardships.
Among that blessed Shi'ite group were: Qays b. Sa'd b. Abbada al-Ansari, Hijr b. Abu al-Kindi, Amru, al-Hamq al-Khiza'i, Sa'd b. Qays al-Hamadani, Habib b. Murzahir, al-Asadi, Adi b. Hatam, al-Ta'i, al-Musayyab b. Nujayya, Zyyad b. Sa'sa'a, and the like.
As for the reckless, opposing foreigners, and the mercenaries, they did their best to overcome those abilities and to change that power.
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, was aware of that atmosphere full of various inclination, disturbances, and opinions. It was neccessary for Him, at the beginning of his succession, to tell the people frankly about his plan and his attitude which he had concluded from his real conditions both in Kufa and abroad.
It was Mu'awiya who was the enemy abroad. Thus he disturbed Kufa through his various plots. Also he had taken the reins of authority. Moreover, his own country Sham (Syria) was stable. It was not permitted for Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, to overlook Mu'awiya. That is because the latter ws not an easy enemy. Meanwhile Al-Hasan would have not been safe from his plots if he had overlooked Him. Indeed Al-Hasan had been the most ready person to destroy Mu'awiya if he had found available means to achieve that during his conditions.
As for Kufa, it had a dangerous opposition. The opposition was near to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, in place. However, it war away from Him in spirit, meaning, and aims. So this kind of opposition engaged the Imam and help his attention.
It was sorrowful Al-Hasan, peace be on Him to see such a kind of people in his capital (i.e.Kufa). for their desires and ambitions had controlled them, and their opinions divided them. Besides, they did not kow the meaning of loyalty, the sageguard of the religion, and the rights of the neighbor. They abandoned their moral, so they became an exploited tool for opposition, treason, and corruption. They followed every crower and rambled in every valley. So they were not appropriate for a political field, nor were they appropriate for a war field. It is enough for you to know that they were the reason for creating disturbances, riots, and fear.
In this way, since the ancient times, the Iraqis have the ability to understand opinions and violent revolts on various occasions.
Through his tested attitude, Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, showed his talents that were always the good news of a bright victory. However, he suffered from awful adversities came down on his attitude as the decree came down from the sky.
Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, had predicted many eventss before they occurred. However the precaustionary procedures prevented Him from saying those events openly. So he made hints for them. For this reason he said the following vague words which he quoted from the Koran."I see what you do not see."
I (the author) wonder: at that time Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, saw those active festival which the Muslim community made to express their loyalty to their new Successor. However, why did the new Succeesor see what they did not see?
It was the insight that was among the qualities of al Hasan, peace be on Him. He used such an insight in war and peace, and in all his steps towards his enemies and hs friends.
Unfortunately, the historical encyclopedias have not paid attention to many examples. That is because they are neccessary for us to indicate the historical policy of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, especially during the first period of his short time. Nemely the period that preceded the declaration of holy war (jihad) in Kufa. So we have collected some extracts from here and there to show his skillful policy that is far above doubts. So he led that shaky community wisely.
The following are some examples about al Hasan's wise leadership:
1. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, made a certain form for those who wanted to pledge allegiance to Him, and he refained from accepting the conditions which the others made to pledge allegiance to Him. He was ready to accept that pledge of allegiance from the people provided that they should listen and obey Him, fight those whom he fought against, and make peace with those whom he made peace with. Thus the people admired his ability to run war and peace at the same time.
In this way he was able to please the two parties in Kufa, namely those who wanted war and those who wanted peace. That is because the general situatins of Kufa forced Him to take such wise precautions for a certain time.
2. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, raised the salaries of the fighters to 100%. That was the first step he took when he became a successor. Then the successors after Him followed his example1.
This step Al-Hasan peace be on Him, adopted to promote the salaries refreshed the morale of his army and made a large number of people ready to render their sevices for jihad (holy war).
Also this step means that Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, was ready to declare war. However it does not show us clearly that he was resolute to wage war as long as it was a step of refreshement at that new time. Besides this step was among his wise acts that led the Muslims to unity, not to discord. In the meantime it was wise readiness for the future that would force Him to wage an exptected war.
3. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, ordered the two men to be killed, for they spied for his enemies. Also he threatened those who mercy on Him, said: "When Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan learned of the death of the Commender of the faitful (Amir Mu'minin), peace be on Him, and people's pledge of allegaince to his son, Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, he sent a man from Himyar secretly to Kufa and a man from Banu al-Qayn to Basra. They were to write reports to Him to undermine affairs for Al-Hasan, peace be on Him. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, learned of that. He ordered the Himyari to be brought out and excuted. (Al-Hasan) wrote to Basra, ordering the Qayni to be brought from the Banu Salaym. He was brought out and excuted."2
Abu al-Faraj al-Asfahani has mentioned a report similar to what
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1. Ibn Abu al-Haddid, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vo. 4, p. 12.
2. Al-Mufid, al-Irshad, p. 168. al-Anwar. Kashf al-Gumma.
al-Mufid has mentioned: "you sent men to use deception and to carry out assassinations and you sent out spies as if you want to meet (in battle). That is somthing that will soon happen, so wait for it, if Allah wills. I have learned that you have come haughty in a way that no wise man would become haughty. In that you are just as al-Awwal described: Say to Him who desires the contrary of the one who has died:
Prepare for another like Him, ad if (from the same) root.
I and the one among us how has died are like the one who
goes in the evening so that (the other) may come in he morning.
Many people urged Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, to wage war against Mu'awiya from the day when he took the reins of authority in Kufa, However, he considered their viewpoints carefully.
In Chapter 5, which you will read soon, we will analize the political attitude at that time. you will know that this deliberation was the only measures at that time of Al-Hasan, peace be on Him.
5. Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, made Mu'awiya forget his shaky, baseless attitude through exchaging letters. Through Mu'awiya's answers full if insults to Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, the people were able to know the former's character which unknown for them. Besides the letters paved the way to Al-Hasan to show the reasons for his war against Mu'awiya. Suddenly, Mu'awiya became the defeated party according to te logical viewpoint of the wise though he was victorious, after that, according to the logical viewpoint of those who depend on force.
One of these skifull measures which Al-Hasan, peace be on Him, used to carry out his political plan during his short time, between the death of his father (peace be on Him) and his determination to wage war, is enough to explain Al-Hasan's wise policy.
