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Muawiyah - Islam Guidance

  • Prevent the killing of Imam Hussein (A.S)

    There is no doubt that the universe is the creation of Allah and operates according to his commands and the traditions he has determined. Allah is the cause of all causes (the ultimate cause) therefore He's the one, who, through His never-ending wisdom, has assigned every cause its particular effect, hence, furthermore he's capable to take away that effect. Like when God removed the natural effect of fire – which was to burn and provide heat – right before the idol worshipers through Prophet Ibrahim into it, in order to save him. Or when Allah prevented the sharp knife in Prophet Ibrahim's hand from penetrating that saved Ismail from being sacrificed by his father. Of course, we believe that God was able to dull the swords and daggers of Yazidi’s Army and miraculously save Imam Hussein and his companions, but this did not happen because not everything is supposed to happen by miracles. Actually in contrast to that, Allah's divine custom is to allow things to happen through their own natural and ordinary causes.
    In addition to such, there were many other purposes intended in the incident of Ashura which were only possible if it were carried out by natural means. Some are as follows:
    1. When regarding the complicated political condition that Muawiyah and Yazid had created, justifying the wrong they would do by doing whatsoever they desired and merely labeling it with Islam and also the fact that distinguishing wrong from right had become very difficult, we can come to the conclusion that the only way to stop this situation and revive Islam was for the Imam to become martyred along with his children and companions.
    2. The hadiths regarding this matter indicate that the Imam was destined to be martyred so he could achieve his ultimate purpose which was awakening the ummah (Muslim nation) and saving them from ignorance. [Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 44, pg. 329]
    3. Imam Hussein believed that martyrdom was the most beautiful and honorable death possible. This can be seen in the sermon that he gave on his departure from Mecca to Iraq: "The beauty of death for mankind is like the beauty of a necklace on the neck of maidens.” [Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 44, pg. 366; Muhaddith Ardebili, Kashful-Ghummah fi Ma’rifatil-A’immah, vol. 2, pg. 29; Luhuf, pp. 110-111] Meaning that death isn’t a restriction imposed onto one, but rather like the beauty of a necklace, a blessing granted to him. So, why would anyone refuse to wear this necklace, especially when it is for Allah's sake?! And for Imam Hussein (A.S), dying for the sake of his religion was very pleasant and like honey. Martyrdom isn’t a flaw or deficiency, rather, it is of high and great value and Imam Hussein would have missed out on it if his martyrdom was to be prevented.
    4. Meeting Allah and his Prophets meant much more to Imam Hussein than remaining in this world - especially with the governing circumstances at that time - as he mentioned in his sermon in Mecca: "My eagerness to meet my ancestors is like the eagerness of Jacob to meet Joseph." [Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 44, pg. 366; Kashful-Ghummah fi Ma’rifatil-A’immah, vol. 2, pg. 29; Luhuf, pp. 110-111]
    5. The Imam wasn’t willing to use miracles, because he was obliged to conform to ordinary circumstances all humans must consent and adapt to. In addition to that, one of the main reasons why Imam Hussein has had such a great impact upon the lives of Muslims and all seekers of justice and freedom is the fact that he carried out his acts without using supernatural means but rather conducted based on common and standard circumstances. Leading his household to an unfair battle, those being taken as prisoners and all the disrespect they saw were reasons to why Imam Hussein's uprising became monumental and lasted. True, the imam could have overthrown Yazid using miracles, but the effect of such would be very much less than what he did on Ashura and wouldn’t reveal the sinister intentions of the Umayyad.
    6. The event of Ashura and the way Imam Hussein (A.S) fought oppression is an act of standing before deviation from Allah's commands, something that might happen at any period of time for any Muslim and a true Muslim must follow the path of the Imam and fight for it. If Imam Hussein (A.S) wanted to perform this vital duty by miracles and his authority in cosmic guardianship he would not have been able to be a role model for all humans of all times. Thus Prophets and Imams were bound to act according to the ordinary standards of knowledge and power in their day to day lives and merely do things like miracles only when God desired and when it was for the sake of the community and nation’s (ummah) guidance. God Almighty has appointed the prophets and imams to be the role models and teachers of mankind so we can pick up the right lifestyle by observing their lives and codes of conduct, thus if Imam Hussein (A.S) had saved himself from martyrdom by using miracles, he and his household would no longer play the role of being an example of resistance, fighting oppression, and patience when facing difficulties and making sacrifices for greater values.

    This article borrowed from Shia Studies.

  • The Meaning of Muawiyah's Name

    Hafez ibn Asaker has written in his historical book: 'Jaryat ibn Ghodameh Saedi was with Muawiyah. Muawiyah asked him: 'Who are you?' He said: 'Jaryat ibn Ghodameh.' Muawiyah said: 'Are you more than a bee?' Jaryeh said: 'You compared me with a sweet mouth, but I swear to God that Muawiyah does not mean anything except a bitch (a female dog) which barks and calls the male dogs toward itself, and Omye (Muawiyah's ancestor) is the extended of Omeh (female slave).
    (Ibn Asaker's Short History of Damascus v.5, p.365/ Suyuti's Caliphs' History p.133/ Al-Aghad-ol-Farid v.2, p.143/ Al-Mostatref v.1, p. 73/ and Lesan-ol-Arab [has the same meaning for Muawiyah] v.15, p.108)
    Sharik ibn Aevar went to Muawiyah's court and said: 'You are Muawiyah, and Muawiyah is a bitch that barks and calls male dogs toward itself.'
    (Al-Mostatref v.1, p. 72)
    Muawiyah heard all of the sarcasm and pungency and he did not have any chance to proscribe his name because of his mother named him Muawiyah. So he thought a trick and gave one million dirhams to Abdollah ibn Jaefar for naming his son Muawiyah, and he was hopeful to decrease this shame by having a person with the same name in one of the honorable and well-known clan, Bani Hashem.
    (Taj-ol-Arus, v.10, p. 260)

    Source: Sonnat.net

  • What enemy says about Imam Ali (A.S)?

    Abu Sa'id Mansur bin Hussein Abi (422 A.H.) writes thus in his book entitled Nathrud Durar that Ahnaf bin Qays says: "One day I went to see Muawiyah. He had on a wonderful dinner carpet. He brought all sorts of hot, cold, sweet, and sour foods for me. I was wonderstruck. Later, as ordered by him, another dish of a different kind of food was brought in.
    I tried my best to find out what it was but did not succeed. I, therefore, enquired about it from Muawiyah. He replied that it consisted of the intestines of a duck which had been filled with the marrow of the sheep and had then been fried in pistachio oil and finally sugar had been sprinkled on it.
    I began to weep. He asked me: "Why are you weeping?"
    I replied: "I have been reminded of the life of Ali (A.S). I remember that one day I was with him. When the time for dinner and breaking the fast drew near, he asked me to remain with him. A sealed leather case was brought to him.
    I asked him what it contained and he told me that there was barley flour in it.
    I asked him: "Why have you sealed it? Are you afraid that others may take some of it or do you not wish that anyone else should eat it?"
    He replied: "Who else? As a matter of fact I am afraid that my sons Hassan and Hussein may not taint it with butter or olive oil."
    I said: "O Commander of the Faithful! Is it prohibited?"
    He replied: "No. It is not prohibited. However, it is necessary for the true administrators and rulers to consider themselves to be the most deprived persons so that poverty and distress may not press and squeeze the indigent".
    When I had said this, Muawiyah interrupted and said: "You have mentioned a man whose excellence cannot be denied by anyone".

    Taken from: Islam Portal.Net

  • Who was Yazid?

    In order to learn more clearly as to how far the views expressed by Imam Hussain (A.S) about Yazid are indisputable according to the history of Islam, one should refer to the following remarks of Mas'udi in respect of Yazid.
    "Yazid was a pleasure-seeking person. He was a man, who kept beasts of prey. He had dogs, monkeys and panthers. He always arranged wine-drinking parties. One day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S) while he was sitting in such a party, Ibn Ziyad was seated on his right side; Yazid turned to the cupbearer and recited two couplets which are translated below:
    "Give me a cup of wine which should satiate my bones. Then give another such cup to Ibn Ziyad, the man who is my confidant and who has strengthened my position and the foundation of my caliphate".
    Yazid meant to say that Ibn Ziyad by killing Imam Hussain (A.S) had strengthened the foundation of his caliphate.
    Thereafter Mas'udi writes about the injustice and oppressions committed by Yazid and then say: "In the Muslim community Yazid was like Pharaoh amongst his subjects" and then writes: "It is not so, because Pharaoh was more just to his subjects".
    He adds: "The injustice, intrepidity and impiety of Yazid also penetrated into the Muslim community". The sins committed by Yazid were also committed by his favorites and they adopted his ways and manners.
    During the period of his caliphate music became current in Makkah and Medina, and all sorts of amusements and funs began to be used. The people began to drink wine openly. It is also the more surprising that the man, who claimed to be the successor to the Holy Prophet and occupied the seat of the caliphate, had a pet monkey, which was named Abu Qays. Yazid used to bring it in his drinking parties and he spread a mattress for it. He also mounted it on the back of a horse, and made it participate in the horse-race. One day Abu Qays won the race. The monkey was then dressed in red and yellow silken clothes and cloak, and an embroidered cap was placed on its head".
    This was the import of the sentence that Imam Hussain (A.S) wrote to Muawiyah about Yazid.
    However, this person attained to the Islamic Caliphate and pressed Imam Hussain (A.S) to take the oath of allegiance i.e. to acknowledge him to be the lawful successor of his (i.e. Imam Hussain’s (A.S)) grandfather, the Prophet of Allah.

    Taken from: A Probe into the History of Ashura
    By: Dr. Ibrahim Ayati

  • Yazid Ibn Muawiyah

    How on earth can these traditions apply for a beast like Yazid Ibn Muawiyah, who Fought against and mercilessly martyred Imam Husain (A.S), his family and friends Was a transgressor who committed sins publicly and announced his disbelief freely becoming a part of the renowned poems of Ibn al-Zabari, which he (Yazid) recited in joy when the severed head of Imam Husain (A.S) was brought to him.
    He was the one who ordered Muslim Ibn Aqabah to kill and plunder the people of Madinah on three occasions. During these attacks, he killed a number of companions and the city of Madinah was totally ransacked. It was during these attacks that more than 1000 Muslim virgins were raped and whenever a Muslim from Madinah offered his daughter in marriage, he did not guarantee her virginity saying, perhaps, she has lost her virginity during the Tragedy of Haraa. It is said that four thousand illegitimate children were born after this incident. Muslim, in his Saheeh, reports that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H&H.P) warned, whoever frightens the people of Madinah, Allah will frighten him and upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind. [Murooj al-Zahab, vol. 3, pg. 69.]
    Waaqedi narrates on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Hanzalah, By Allah! We did not visit Yazid but that we feared a stone falling on our heads from the sky (as a divine punishment) because he was a man who married his mothers, daughters and sisters, drank wine, did not pray [Taarikh al-Khulafaa, pg. 209] and he is the one who had ordered the attack on the Holy Kaaba.
    Suyuti and others report on the authority of Nawfil Ibn Abi al-Furaat, I was with Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz, when a person while mentioning Yazid, said, the chief of the faithful, Yazid Ibn Muawiyyah. On hearing this, Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz (became angry) and asked, you call Yazid as Ameerul Momineen? And ordered that he be whipped 20 lashes. [Al-Sawaaeq al-Mohreqah, pg. 219, printed at Cairo; Taarikh al-Khulafaa, pg. 209, printed at Egypt.]
    It is mentioned in Al-Sawaaeq that it was said to Saad Ibn Hassan, The Bani Umayyad claim that the caliphate is among them. He retorted, the sons of the blue-eyed (referring to Hind the wife of Abu Sufiyan) are lying. They are mere kings; nay, the worst of kings.

    Taken From: Serat Online

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