The Role of Aisha in the History of Islam (volume 3)

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 has 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!217 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. 218 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 217. It means "a man of the Rabi'ah tribe".

218. at-Tabari 6/155-160 briefly on the events of the year 51 of the Hijrah, and Ibn al-Athir 3/202- 209, and al-Aghani 16/10: and Ibn 'Asakir 2/379.

219. al-Isti'ab biography 547, and Usd al-ghabah 11385-386. This man was a great companion. He went to the Prophet to embrace Islam in the last years of the Prophet's life. He took part in the Presence."219,220

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 win 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 battle of al-Qadisiyah, and was nicknamed Hujr al-Khayr.

220. The story of Hujr and his friends has been told in detail in Volume Two of 'Abd Allah ibn Saba'.

kinds of tricks.221 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

221. al-'Iqd al-farid 3/129 on the life of the caliphs, published by Jamaliyah. 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!"222 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 him in the manner of his rivals and adopt their behaviour. It is then that we might succeed in deceiving people."

222. Ibn al-Athir 3/214-215 on the events of the year 56 of the Hijrah, and at-Tabari 6/169-170. 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!"223 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 opposition, 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." 224,225

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 223. al-Ya'qubi 2/161-162, printed Europe. 224. at-Tabari 6/169-170, and Ibn al-Athir 3/214-215, and Ibn Kathir 9/5 quoting 'Abd Allah's acceptance, and Hilyat al-awliya' 1/296. The writer does not mention the time of sending the money. 225. Of course he was too ready to sell his religion than to show resistance against one hundred thousand drachmas. But in this case as he was a candidate for the caliphate, he could hardly meet the wish of Mu'awiyah. The money, which was offered, was in fact the price of his retirement from his candidacy and his probable election.

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. 226

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.227

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.

226. al-Isti'ab 2/396 biography No. 1697, and Usd al-ghabah 3/289. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr gives an account of 'Abd ar-Rahman.

227. at-Tabari 6/128, and Ibn al-Athir 3/195, and al- Mughtalun min al-ashraf 47: and Ibn Kathir 8/31, and al-Aghani 14/13 and Ibn Shahnah 11/133 on Ibn al-Athir.

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.228 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

228. al-Imamah wa as-siyasah 1/144-146, and al-Mas'udi 3/37 briefly and with a slight change, published by Muhammad Muhyi ad-Din 'Abd al-Hamid.

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.229

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."230 The reason why Imam al-Hasan and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas were at that time 229. Ibn al-Athir 3/212-213, and at-Tabari 6/164-165.

230. Maqatil at-Talibiyin 43, and Ansab al-ashraf 1/404, and Ibn Abi al-Hadid 4/11 and 17.

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.231 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,232 and Mu'awiyah was not allowed to nominate any other successor for himself.233

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.234 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.

231. Refer to 'Abd Allah ibn Saba' 1/118-126 on the story of the council.

232. Ibn Kathir 8/41: as-Suyuti in the History of the Caliphs 138, and al-Isabah on the life of Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, and Ibn Qutaybah 150, and Ibn Abi al-Hadid 4/13.

233. Ibn Abi al-Hadid 4/8 quoted from al-Mada'ini and as-Sawa'iq al-muhriqah 81.

234. Muruj adh-dhahab 6/55 on Ibn al-Athir, and Maqatil at-Talibiyin 73, and al-Ya'qubi 2/225, and Ibn 'Asakir 4/226, and Asma' al-mughtalin 44, and al-Isti'ab on the life of Imam al-Hasan al- Mujtaba and Tadhkirat al-khawas on the same subject, and Ibn al-Athir 2/197, and Ibn Shahnah 11/132 on Ibn al-Athir, and Ibn Kathir 8/43: and Ibn Abi al-Hadid 4/4, al-Ya'qubi and Ibn al-Athir do not mention the principal agent of poisoning.

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,235 and sometimes by giving them high positions and ranks.236

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 235. Refer to al-'Iqd al-farid 3/129-130, and Ibn al-Athir 3/216. 236.Like Sa'id ibn 'Uthman who was sent to Khurasan. Refer to Tahdhib of Ibn 'Asakir 6/155 and at-Tabari 6/171, and Ibn al-Athir 3/218, and Ibn Kathir 8/79-80.

his successor,237 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.238 *** We have made a deep inquiry into the events of Mu'awiyah's life, since 237. From Abu Bakr's time it had become customary to propagate this view that (God forbid) the Prophet had acted unwisely in not appointing a successor for himself. This is quoted from 'Abd Allah ibn az-Zubayr who was Abu Bakr's grandson and was known to be very hostile to the Prophet's household (Vol. Two, Arabic source, pages 285-292) on the same basis as the above custom. For further information on this subject refer to the book of 'Abd Allah ibn Saba', Volume One, by the author of this book.

238. Ibn al-Athir 3/216-218, and al-'Iqd al-farid 3/130-131 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.