Islam Guidance

letter28 - In Reply to Mu`awiyah, One of His Most Elegant Writings

Now, your letter has reached me wherein you recall that Allah chose Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) for His religion and helped him through those companions who assisted him. Strange things about you have remained concealed (by the irony of fate) from us, since you have started telling us of Allah’s trials for us and His bounties through [the kinship to] our Prophet (p.b.u.h.). In this regard, you are like one who carries dates to Hajar, or who challenges his own master to a duel in archery.
You think that so-and-so are the most distinguished persons in Islam. You have said such a thing with which, were it true, you have nothing to do, but if it is not so, then the defect in it will not affect you. And what are you going to do with the question of who is better and who is worse, or who is the ruler and who is the ruled? What do the freed ones and their sons have to do with distinguishing between the first Muhajiran and determining their status or defining their ranks? What a pity! The sound of an arrow is being produced by what is not a real arrow, and he against whom the Judgment is to be passed is seated to judge! O mankind! Why do you not see your own lameness and thus remain within the bounds, and why do you not realize the shortness of your measure and stay back where destiny has placed you?! You have no concern with the defeat of the defeated or with the victory of the victor.
You are wandering in bewilderment, straying from the right path. Do you not realize it? I am not giving you any news: I am just recounting Allah’s bounty, namely that a number of people from among the Muhajiran (immigrants from Mecca) and the Ansar (helpers) fell as martyrs in the way of Allah the Sublime and that each of them is distinguished (on that account). But when one of us secures martyrdom, he is named the chief of martyrs, and the Messenger of Allah grants him the special honor of saying seventy takbir (Allahu Akbar) during his funeral prayer. Do you not know that a number of people lost their hands in the way of Allah and that everyone is distinguished (on that account)? But when the same thing takes place to one of us [such as Ja’fer al-Tayyar], he is given the title “the flier in Paradise” and “the two-winged one”? Had not Allah forbidden self-praise, the writer would have mentioned numerous distinctions which the believer knows fully well and which the ears of the listeners do not wish to forget.
Better leave those whose arrows miss the mark. We [Ahl al-Bayt (p.b.u.t)] are the direct recipients of our Lord’s favors while others receive favors from us after that. In spite of our established honor and well-known superiority over people, we did not stay away from mingling with you, intermarrying with you like equals although you are not so. And how could you be so when (our status is that) among us is the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) while among you is his opponent, among us is the lion of Allah while among you is the lion of the opposing groups, among us are the two masters of the youths of Paradise while among you are the children of Hell, among us is the choicest of all the women of the worlds while among you is the bearer of firewood, any many more distinctions on our side while shortcomings [abound] on yours?!
Our Islam is well-known and our (greatness in the) pre-Islamic period too cannot be denied. Whatever remains has been mentioned in the words of Allah, the most Glorified One, the Sublime: “... blood relatives have the better claim with regard to one another according to the Book of Allah” (Holy Qur’an, 33: 6).
He (Allah) the Sublime, also says the following: “Verily, of men the nearest to Abraham are surely those who followed him and this Prophet (Muhammad [p.b.u.h.]) and those who believe, and verily, Allah, is the Guardian of the faithful” (Holy Qur’an, 3: 68).
Thus, we are superior firstly because of kinship and, secondly, because of obedience [of the Almighty]. At the saqifa (of Banu Sa’idah), the Muhajiran contended kinship with the Messenger of Allah against the Ansar, scoring over them. If that success was based on kinship, then the right will be ours better than yours; otherwise, the Ansar’s contention stands. You think that I have been jealous of every caliph and have revolted against them all. Even if this is so, it is not an offence against you and, therefore, I owe you no explanation. This is a matter for which no blame comes to you.
You have said that I was dragged like a camel with a nose string to swear the oath of allegiance (to Aba Bakr). By the Eternal One (Allah), you had intended to revile me, but you have instead praised me, and you intended to humiliate me but have your own selves been humiliated. What humiliation does it mean for a Muslim to be the victim of oppression so long as he does not entertain any doubt in his religion, nor any misgiving in his firm belief?! This argument of mine is intended for others, but I have stated it to you only in so far as it is appropriate.
Then you recalled my status vis-a-vis `Othman. In this regard, an answer is due to you because of your own kinship to him. So (now tell me), which of us was more inimical to `Othman and who did more to bring about his killing?! Who offered him his support and made him sit down, stopping him? Whose help was solicited but turned his face away from the solicitor, drawing his [Othman’s] death near till his fate overtook him? No, no; by Allah. “Indeed, Allah knows those who hinder others from among you and those who say to their brethren: ‘Come here to us’ and they do not go to fight but a little” (Holy Qur’an, 33: 18).
I am not going to offer my excuse for reproaching him [Othman] for (some of) his innovations, for if my good counsel and guidance to him was [considered by you as] a sin, then very often a person who is blamed is no sinner at all, and sometimes the only reward a counselor reaps is suspicion (of being an evildoer). I desired naught but reform whatever I am able to (reform). “My guidance is only with Allah; On Him (alone) do I rely and to Him (alone) do I turn” (Holy Qur’an, 11: 88).
You have mentioned that for me and for my followers you have only the sword... This makes even a weeping person laugh. Did you ever see the descendants of `Abdul-Muttalib running away from battle, or being frightened by swords?! “Wait a little till Hamal joins the battle shortly.” And my sword appeased me by killing Hudhayfah. Then whoever you are seeking will seek you, and whoever you think to be far away will approach you. I am (shortly) speeding towards you with a force of Muhajiran and Ansar and those who follow them in virtue. Their number will be great and their dust will spread all around. They will be wearing their shrouds, and their most coveted desire is to meet Allah. They will be accompanied by the descendants of those who took part in the battle of Badr. They will have Hashemite swords whose splitting you have already seen in the case of your brother, maternal uncle, grandfather and kinsmen. “... nor are they far distant from the unjust ones” (Holy Qur’an, 11: 83).

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