THE RISE OF THE UMAYYAHS
The most harmful feature for Islam was the resurgence of the Umayyahs and their return to a position of power. They were the same Umayyahs who were sworn enemies of Islam. This also materialized under the patronage of the caliphs. During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, the Umayyahs waged battle after battle against Islam, under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. At last their power was destroyed in 8 A.H. when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) conquered Mecca without any bloodshed or armed conflict. Now, since no other option remained, they changed their tactics. That is, now they donned the garb of Islam. However, Islam never reached their hearts and the blood of infidelity continued to flow in their veins. The Holy Quran has referred to them at least on six occasions, and in every place they are denounced in the most humiliating manner. In the view of Quran, these people are "the accursed tree or family."1Here it is worth quoting a tradition of Abdur Rahman bin Auf. He inquired from the second caliph regarding the following verse of the Holy Quran:
"Fight for Allah as is worthy of fighting."
The second caliph replied, "It shall be applicable to the time when the Banu Umayyah shall be the rulers and the Bani Mughaira shall be their ministers. At that time it would be the duty of Muslims to fight against them with all their might."2
How astonishing was the miracle of human
psychology! Who could believe that the same caliph who knew that it would be
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1 Tafsir Durre Manthur Suyuti (Surah 17) Vol. 4, Pg. 191, and other
books of Quranic exegesis and traditions. Also refer to the chapter,
"Bani Umayyah in the view of Quran."
2 Tafsir Durre Manthur Suyuti Vol. 4, Pg. 371
the duty of every Muslim to perform Jihad for the sake of Allah against the Banu Umayyah, should himself appoint them to the governorship of Syria (Shaam)? And that he should fashion the plot of the drama of Shura in such a way that an Umayyad becomes the absolute ruler of Muslims in the form of the third caliph! More surprising than this is that it is the same Abdur Rahman bin Auf who played a very important role in the appointment of the third caliph.
The Bani Umayyahs remained absolutely silent in the last period of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). However, after the passing away of the Messenger they got an opportunity to flex their muscles. Abu Sufyan first of all, called upon His Eminence, Ali (a.s), but he refused to have any sort of cooperation from this well-known foe of Islam. After that Abu Sufyan went to the first caliph. If he had also rebuffed the offer of Abu Sufyan like Ali (a.s) there would not have been any problem. But under the advice of the second caliph, he was given the offer of Syria. At that time Abu Sufyan had already reached old age, so his son Yazid was sent with an army to Syria and after the conquest of Syria he was appointed as the governor of the province.
Then after the demise of Yazid, his brother, Muawiyah succeeded to the governorship of Syria.1
How strange are the changing circumstances in
politics! Who could have anticipated
that the same Bani Umayyahs who during the lifetime of the Messenger
had continued to use all their power for
the destruction of Islam should one day become the absolute authority
of the Islamic kingdom? They could not harm Islam in any way when they
resorted to open enmity against it. However, through internal conspiracy
they nearly destroyed Islam. After the second caliph, Uthman
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1 Refer to my book of Islamic History
became the third caliph. When people gave allegiance at the hands of Uthman, Abu Sufyan came to him and gave the following advice, "0 sons of Umayyah! Now that you have obtained this kingdom, play with it like a child plays with a ball. And pass it among your family from one to another. Because this kingdom is a reality. As for Paradise and Hell, we don't know whether they exist or not."1
We do not know the response of the caliph to this statement but History indeed witnesses that this advice was put into effect in the best way possible.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) had banished Hakam bin Aas and his son, Marwan from Medina. He was the uncle of the third caliph and Marwan was his son-in-law. Therefore he ignored the command of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). Not only did he recall Marwan to Medina but also appointed him as his absolute vizier. Not only the Khums money of Africa (which amounted to millions) was entrusted to him, but Fadak was also gifted to him. (We have already mentioned Khums and Fadak in the foregone pages)2
Abdullah bin Abi Sarh was
a relative of the caliph. On the day of the conquest of Mecca the Holy
Prophet (s.a.w) had issued orders that he must be put to death even if he is
found in the Holy Ka'ba. However,
despite this fact, Uthman sheltered him in his house and obtained
pardon for him after much petitioning.
In the reign of Uthman, such a person was appointed as the governor of Egypt.3
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1 Al-Istiab,Vol. 4, Pg. 76-77, Tarikh Abul Fida, Vol. 2, Pg. 61
2 Muruz az-Zahab, Vol. 2, Pg. 223, Kanzul Ummal, Vol. 6, Pg. 90,
Tadkeratul Khawaasul Ummah, Pg. 134, Fathul Bari, Shari, Sahib Bukhari, Vol.
3, Pg. 141, Rauzatul Manazir, (published with 11,11trujuz Zahab, Pg. 209).
3 Al-Istiab,
Pg. 393, Al-Isabah fi Marifatus Sahaba, Vol. 2, Pg. 316-317,
Tafsir Durre Manthur, Vol. 3, Pg. 30
Walid bin Uqbah was a cousin of the caliph. The Holy Quran refers to him as `transgressor'.1
He was a drunkard and a man of very bad character. But he was appointed as the governor of Kufa. One day he came to the Mosque intoxicated and began to lead the Morning Prayer. Instead of the prescribed two units he recited four. Then on top of that he turned to the people and asked, "If you like I can make you recite some more units."2
Not only the above three persons, everyone connected with the Banu Umayyah obtained an influential post.3 These people utilized their power and position to weaken the Islamic society, to distort the Islamic ethics, to dishonor the principles and laws of Islam, to ridicule the worship acts and in other words to destroy each and everything related to Islam.
Within a period of less than 25 years after the Prophet of
Islam (s.a.w), the standard of Islamic leadership became the
lowest in the long history of the religions of the world.
Generally, the Muslims instead of being the slaves of the
Almighty became the servants of gold and silver (riches and
wealth). The third caliph was murdered not because he was
making the Bani Umayyahs richer and richer and in this process
distorting the principles of equitable distribution of
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1 Al-Isabah published with Al-Istiab, Vol.
3, Pg. 632, Lubabun Nuqool
2 Tafsir Nishapuri, Vol. 21, Pg. 72, Tafsir Durre
Manthur, Vol. 5, Pg. 178, Tafsir Malimut Tanzil,
Baghavi, Pg. 702, Tafsir Kashaf, Zamakhshari, Tarikhul
Khulafa, Suyuti, P. 105, Tarikh Kamil, Ibne Athir, Vol.
3, Pg. 40, Tadkeratul Khawaasul Ummah Pg. 117, Sharh
Fiqh Akbar, Pg. 92, Muruj az-Zahab, Vol. 1, Pg. 303,
Sahib Muslim, Vol. 2, Pg. 72
3 Tarikhul Khulafa, Suyuti, Pg. 105, Tarikh Kamil, Ibne
Athir, Vol. 3, Pg. 40, Spirit of Islam, Sayyid Amir Ali, Pg. 417-437
wealth in Islam. And also not because he was making his kinsmen masters of the Muslim people, while in the view of the Quran they were from the accursed (family) tree. Rather it was due to the fact that all this was not liked by other great people of the Islamic world whom the caliph had ignored. They were of the view that they should also be accorded the opportunity to amass wealth. They would not have opposed the Bani Umayyahs if they had also been allowed some share in that wealth.
HIS EMINENCE, ALI (A.S) WANTED TO SAVE ISLAM
His Eminence, Ali (a.s) always endeavored to make the people realize what a terrible mistake they had committed by accepting others as their religious leaders. This mode of action was not for any selfish gain but for the sake of Islam which by being usurped by incapable characters was being necessarily becoming distorted. When after the second caliph, Ali (a.s) was offered the post of caliphate subject to the condition that he would continue the practice of the former caliphs, he rejected the offer immediately. Because accepting this condition would have implied his approval to the illegal caliphates of the former caliphs.
After the third caliph when people petitioned him to accept the caliphate he agreed only with the condition that he would re-establish the Islam of the Prophet's time. He thought that he would have the opportunity to purify Islam from the innovations that had crept into it and distorted the pristine principles of faith.1
However the justice and equity of His Eminence, Ali (a.s)
tasted bitter to the transformed Muslim leaders. They had
become accustomed to preferential treatment. And they
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1 Refer to Nahjul Balagha and its various commentaries
disliked that anybody should change the unjust system. If it were not true, what was the reason that Talha, Zubair and Ayesha raised the banner of revolt against His Eminence, Ali (a.s)? While during his brief reign he only tried to establish the system that existed in the Prophet's lifetime.
The view of the Muslims regarding the social principle had undergone such a change that they could not bear these corrective measures that he, Ali (a.s) had taken to reestablish them.1
Battle after battle was waged against him. And ultimately he was martyred in the Kufa mosque while he was praying. And in this way the Muslims lost the sole opportunity through which their society could have been reestablished on the ethical, social and economical justice of the Islamic principles.
IMAM HASAN (A.S) STEPPED FORWARD TO HELP
Imam Hasan (a.s) (who was the divine representative after the martyrdom of his respected father), realized that the ailment of the Muslims has reached such a stage that no hope of cure remained. Dishonesty had become their faith, treason was their loyalty, and wealth their sole beloved and selfish gain their only aim. Now it was almost impossible that a divine government could be established among them.
Now the most important question before Imam Hasan (a.s)
was how Islamic principles could be safeguarded? The former rulers
had changed the faith in the superior authority of the Prophet into
faith in the supreme authority of the rulers. They had gained from
this wrong belief and departed from the world, but they left behind
Islam fraught with utter
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1 Nabjul Balagha, Al-Istiab (Published with AI-Isabah)
Vol. 3, Pg. 47, Tarikh Tamaddun Islami, Vol. 4, Pg. 37
confusion and perplexity. To allow this wrong notion to continue was the greatest danger to Islam. Now, when it was no more possible to establish a divine government, the only option was to tell the people that worldly rulership and religious leadership were not same but different things. And that the responsibility of the defense of religion and its leadership is entrusted by Allah. It is not rulership, that is bestowed by people. The aim was that people should realize that religion is not tied to a crown and throne (kingship).
RELIGION IS SEPARATED FROM LEADERSHIP
After His Eminence, Ali (a.s), only Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (a.s) could perform this function. They were having innumerable merits, not from the people and army but from the Almighty Allah. According to the statement of the Holy Quran, both of them were sons of the Messenger. Love and affection towards them was obligatory on the Muslims. They were purified of all defects and no error was possible from them. They were the chiefs of the youths of Paradise. Their obedience was incumbent upon the people because they were Imams, whether they be sitting or standing; that is whether they make peace or war.
The gist of the matter is that their authority was absolute in every circumstance, because their Imamate was not based on political power. Therefore, depending n the exigency they could reject rulership and also oppose the rulership of that time.
That is why the beloved sons of Ali and Fatima (a.s), with the absolute authority bestowed on them by Allah and the Messenger, chose such a way that the religion was forever emancipated from the terrible clutches of the despotic rulers. Firstly, Imam Hasan (a.s) abandoned political power and showed that his religious position and post was not needful
of and dependent on temporal rulership. The greatest benefit of this step of Imam Hasan (a.s) was that the point of view of the Muslim community regarding the connection between rulership and religious rulership began to undergo a change, as would become clear later on. Muawiyah tried his best to change many principles of Islam but he failed in his endeavor. If the same changes and innovations had taken place during the time of the first three caliphs, the Muslim community would have accepted them as they accepted some other innovations. However, now Imam Hasan (a.s) had entered the picture. And this wrong notion was destroyed that religion is the handiwork of rulership. That is why Muawiyah could not succeed much. Rather, today there are even some Sunni people who are not prepared to accept him as a caliph.
EVIL DEEDS OF MUAWIYAH
Now we should turn our attention towards Damascus. It was the time when Muawiyah was the accepted ruler of the Muslim populace. Not through selection or nomination but through force and armed conflict. We have already seen the atmosphere preceding it that every un-Islamic imagination or method was accepted as a part of Islam. The only condition was that the ruler in power must present it. Muawiyah tried by all means to take advantage of this view. The power of money reached to the zenith. Poison, sword and gold were made use of to the optimum level to achieve the unjust aims of the tyrannical rulers. It became very common to kill the opponents, to martyr the opposite party by poison and treason, to imprison those whose loyalty was doubtful and to burn down their houses and property. Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s) was martyred through poison. Hujr bin Adi and his companions were accorded security in the name of God but martyred in the most cruel manner. Malik Ibn Ashtar was martyred through poison. Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr (son ofthe first caliph) was put inside a donkey's skin and burnt to death. Ayesha (daughter of the first caliph and the wife of the Prophet) was killed by being pushed into a trench, which was later filled up with lime and she was left to perish in that hole. Khalid bin Walid's (whom the Sunnis call the sword of Allah) son, was killed by poison. Amr bin Hamaq, the respectable companion of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) was killed in an atrocious manner.
We have already discussed the beliefs of Abu Sufyan, and Muawiyah was not better than his father.
It is worth narrating the report of the trusted governor of Muawiyah here. Once he was having a conversation with Muawiyah. During the talk, Muawiyah said, "Why should I do good to the people? Even if I do good how can I hope that I would be remembered with a good name? See, a person from Bani Teem (that is the first caliph) ruled over the people, and did many great things for them. But when he died his name also died with him. Today people refer to him only as "Abu Bakr" and that's all. After that came a person from Bani Adi (that is the second caliph) and he ruled with absolute authority for ten years. But his name also ended with him. And now people refer to him most of the time as "Umar", and that's all. But look at Ibn Abi Kabasha.1 His name is called out five times every day and the Muezzin2 screams from every mosque, "I witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Now after his success what else remains to be done and what good deed could be remembered?
Except for this open insult of the Messenger and Azan what
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1 The infidels of Quraish used to refer to the Prophet with this
derogatory title and Muawiyah is also using this epithet
2 Caller of Azan
else could be expected from an offspring of Abu Sufyan? In addition to political intrigue, misappropriation of trusts, dishonesty, barbarity and murder, he also tried to change the method of worship.
Examples of innovations are also found in the previous
regimes. Caliph number two added:
"As-Salaato Khairum min an-Nawm"1
in the Morning Azan.2
He also removed "Hayya
Alaa Khairil Amal"3
from the Azan. He started conducting Tarawih prayers in
congregation. Caliph number three added one more Azan before
the Friday Prayer. And he also started the custom of sermon
before the Eid Prayers. He initiated the ritual of performing
full prayer while on a journey though it was an established
practice to recite two units instead of four during the time of
the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). But Muawiyah went most
ahead of his predecessors. He omitted the recitation of
Bismillah (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the
Merciful.) from the chapters of Quran recited in the ritual
prayers. Similar was the case with the utterance of `Allaho Akbar' (Allah
is the Greatest) before every action in prayer. He stopped
this custom. He recited the sermon of the Friday Prayer in
seated position on the pulpit. When he was going to confront His
Eminence, Ali (a.s), the caliph of the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w) he ordered his soldiers to recite the Friday Prayer on
Wednesday itself. It is needless to say that people acted upon his
instructions. During the Hajj, instead of jogging between the
Safa and Marwah mountains, he rode on a horse. Even though no
excuse existed for him to do so. He removed the "talbiyah"
(Labbaik, Allahumma Labbaik4)
from the rituals of Hajj.
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1 Prayer is better than sleeping
2 Call for Prayer
3 Prayer is the best of deeds
4 Here I am, 0 Lord. Here I am.
However the most significant of these innovations is the joining of hands during Prayer. There are many historical proofs that show that it was only Muawiyah who had started this custom. Imam Malik (the founder of the Maliki sect) has commanded his followers to keep their hands open and straight during prayers. (As the Shias do). And he stated its reason was that the people of Medina used to keep their hands loose in prayers and the people of Medina had seen the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) praying. Hence the method of the people of Medina must indeed be based on the emulation of the Messenger. Imam Malik died in 179 AH. In addition to his logic, we have the traditional reports of Abdullah bin Zubair, Ibn Sireen and other scholars of Islamic jurisprudence that prove that at least until the 2' century of the Hijrah Calendar, the people of Medina did not join their hands during Prayer. On the other hand Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Ahmad Hanbal (who were educated in Iraq and Syria where the influence of Banu Umayyah was more) have advised their followers to join their hands. And more interesting is the verdict of Imam Shafei (who initially lived in Mecca and Medina and later resided in Iraq and Egypt), who says that both options are permitted in Prayers.
Some proofs of innovation in Prayer are also found through two companions of the Prophet. Anas bin Malik (an aged companion of the Prophet) went to Damascus. He wept incessantly on whatever he witnessed there. He said, I don't see anything among you that I had witnessed in the time of the Prophet except this prayer and that is also transmogrified.
Another companion of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), Abu Darda said, "I don't find anything here in accordance with the religious law, except that they perform the ritual prayers in congregation. Apart from this, everything has been
abandoned." When His Eminence, Ali (a.s) was engaged in battle against Muawiyah, he said, "We are fighting them so that the prayer may be established anew."
Here it would be most appropriate to mention that when His Eminence, Ali (a.s) led the prayers in his caliphate, people became joyous and automatically exclaimed, "This is how theProphet prayed. We have witnessed this prayer after a long rime." Among those who expressed such views are the notable names of Umar bin Hussayn, Abu Musa Ashari and Abu Huraira.
Muawiyah was the first person in Islam who not only took usury in trade, but he also made it permissible according to religious law. He openly indulged in wine, singing, music and dance, while all these things are clearly prohibited in Islam.
He initiated the cursing of the Prophet's cousin and his caliph, His Eminence, Ali (a.s), and this shameful practice continued among the Muslims until the end of the first century of the Hijrah. Here it is necessary to remind that His Eminence, Ali (a.s) is the one, love and respect towards whom is made obligatory on all Muslims through the command of the Quran and the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). Love for Ali is love for the Messenger, and enmity towards Ali is construed as enmity towards the Prophet. Peace and harmony with Ali (a.s) is peace and harmony with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). And discord with him is same as discord with the Prophet. Also, cursing Ali (a.s) is like cursing the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w).
Openly opposing the established principles of Quran and Islam, Muawiyah announced in the Friday sermon that all the income of the Islamic kingdom was his personal property and to distribute it among the Muslims or not rested upon his
personal discretion. If he likes he may give something from it to whomsoever he likes, but if he does not, no one had any right to question him because it was his personal property.
These examples clearly show that Muawiyah not only tried to change the worship acts, he endeavored to make changes in every field of the Islamic law. If he was not able to succeed it was only because of the divine diplomacy of Imam Hasan (a.s).
Let me also mention that the diplomacy of Imam Hasan (a.s) also proved successful in the fact that through it, it became sufficiently easy to distinguish between a true believer and a hypocrite. During the lifetime of the respected father of Imam Hasan (a.s), in the last four years, all Muslims used to consider him as the ruler of the Muslim dominions. Among them were some who believed him to have been divinely appointed and the majority considered him to be the consensual caliph. The faith did not have any benefit from this milling crowd of people harboring different views as circumstances have shown clearly. The treaty of Imam Hasan (a.s) with Muawiyah removed all the misconceptions and only those true believers remained with Imam Hasan (a.s) whose faith could not change with the changing political scenario.
If one studies this much history of Muawiyah one would begin to wonder if more destruction of Islam was possible. But to say this would be premature because the curtain had not yet risen on the last act of this drama. The worst of Muawiyah's plots was appointing his son, Yazid as his successor. He tried all means to make his plan successful, through bribes as well as intimidation. By intrigue and by deception, by poisoning and by blatant murder.
A few years after this evil nomination, the ruler of Muslims,
who called himself the Prophet's successor, departed from the world with the crucifix around his neck. Now Yazid was the absolute ruler of complete Islamic territories that spread upto Azerbaijan in the east to Yemen in the south and to Egypt in the west and Iran in the east.
