It is taken for granted for anyone who read something about the Imamiyah sect that they attribute kufr to Mu’awiyah because he fought Ali. However, the fact is that Al-Hasan ibn Ali – and he is one of the infallible Imams according to the Shia, therefore whatever he says is truth – made peace with Mu’awiyah…So, did the “infallible” Hasan made peace with a kafir and gave him the leadership? Or he made peace between two parties of Muslims as the Prophet peace be upon him says: “My son is a master, and Allah may use him to make peace between two parties of Muslims.” (1)
Even if someone calls Muawiyah a Kaafir, then that is no insult on Imam Hasan (as) for making peace treaty with him, since our infallible Prophet (s.a.w.a) negotiated peace with the kaafirs at Hudaibiya, contrary to the criticisms of `Umar. Is Abu Sulaiman also now going to criticize Rasulullah? Mu’awiya was professing that he was a Muslim (though his stance towards Ahlul-Bayt (as) has been contrary to his claim of being a Muslim), hence the agreement was indeed between two Muslim groups, but his subsequent conduct in breaching the conditions of the agreement bear testimony to the fact that he was a fasiq. Since Nawasib for centuries have been asking reasons on Imam Hassan’s stance of making peace with Muaiwyah, we shall now explain why Imam Hasan (as) made peace with Mu’awiya, and shall counter the claim that his making peace proves that Mu’awiya was the rightful khalifa.
Reply One
Why did the Prophet (s.a.w.a) make peace with the Kuffar of Makka at Hudaibya? The Makkan Kuffar were known for their bad character and evil nature, and yet the Prophet (s.a.w.a) made peace with such individuals. He made a binding covenant with the Kuffar, one which even meant (under the terms) that they would not perform Hajj rather only Umrah, and that any Kaafir that reverted had to be returned to his tribesman. On the written treaty the Prophet (s.a.w.a) even agreed to have his title ‘Prophet of Allah’ being removed. The treaty of Hudaibya was an act that even the brave lion Umar al Farooq vigorously opposed, so much so that he stated that he had ‘never doubted the Prophethood as much as he did on that day’. Why did the Prophet (s.a.w.a) enter into such an unjust pact which led to Umar doubting his Prophethood?
In the same way that the difficult situation meant that the Prophet (s.a.w.a) struck out his title from the document, it did not negate his truthful position, Imam Hasan (as) was likewise right for making peace with Mu’awiya. In the same way that the treaty of Hudaibaya did not change the station of the Kuffar as impure, the peace treaty with Mu’awiya, still maintained Imam Hasan’s position as on the right path, and further cemented Mu’awiya’s as a lying hypocrite. Imam Hasan entered into a peace treaty with Mu’awiya in the same way that Rasulullah (s.a.w.a) made one with the Kufffr of Makka. Whatever excuses these Nasibi offer for the Prophet (s.a.w.a) making peace with the Kuffar of Makka will also be advanced by us to explain the peace treaty Imam Hasan made with Mu’awiya.
Reply Two
The Prophet (s.a.w.a) saw the Banu Umayyah climbing his Pulpit and this saddened him (2). We read in Tirmidhi and Bidayah:
“When Hasan made peace with Mu’awiya, one individual stood up and said ‘You have blackened the face of the believers’. He replied: Do not get upset with me, the Prophet saw in a dream that the Banu Umayyah were climbing on to his pulpit. Upon seeing them on his pulpit the Prophet (s.a.w.a) was very saddened, so al-Kawthar descended- it means a river in the paradise – and then descended “We have descended it in the night of Qadr, a night better than thousand month” (3). It will be owned by Bani Umayyad after you O Muhammad.”
The Prophet (s.a.w.a) saw the Banu Umayya climbing onto his pulpit. Mu’awiya is from the Banu Ummaya. It was incumbent on the Prophet (s.a.w.a) to explain how this sad state of affairs could be prevented, so as to prevent the Banu Ummaya from attaining power and occupying his seat.
The Prophet (s.a.w.a) witnessed this dream and yet offered no remedial solution to prevent this sad state of affairs. We appeal to justice. In the same way that after seeing this dream the Prophet (s) remained silent, on account of specific problems, Imam Hasan likewise adopted silence on account of problems when making peace with Mu’awiya. In the same way that the Prophet’s silence does not legitimize the reign of the Ummaya, the silence of Imam Hasan does not legitimize the reign of Mu’awiya.
Reply Three
Imam Hasan deemed Mu’awiya an unjust thief (4). Shaykh Mufti Kamaluddin Ibn Talha Shafiyee recorded in Matalib al Seul:
When the battle came to an end Imam Hasan gave a sermon wherein he said’People of Allah! You know that Allah guided the people through my grandfather, and saved you from error and took you out of Jahiliyya. Mu’awiya has fought me over that matter which is my right not Mu’awiya’s. I was worried about protecting the Ummah, and you gave me bayya on the condition that you make peace with whoever I make peace with and fight whosever I fight. I looked at the problems and made peace with Mu’awiya and put an end to war.
The comments of Imam Hasan (as) prove that Mu’awiya was not entitled to the Khilafath, rather he deemed him an unjust thief, and he made peace due to difficulties, and made peace like the Prophet (s) did with the Kufafr of Makka. In the same way objections and wrong interpretations cannot be brought for the Prophet (s) making peace with the Kuffar of Makka, the same is the case with Imam Hasan (as) making peace with Mu’awiya.
Reply Four
Imam Hasan (as) deemed the Khilafath to be his own right (5). We read in ‘Maqtal Hussain’ and ‘Asadul Ghaba’ that Imam Hasan (as) said:
“Verily, the matter in which I and Muawiya disputed, either this is my right, and I left this in Muawiyah’s favor in order to protect the Ummah, or this is the right of a person who is more deserving for this post, hence I left this on account of that person”.
The words of Imam Hasan (as) prove that he (as) deemed caliphate to be his own right and did not deem Muawiyah to be eligible for that responsibility but since Muawiyah was a terrorist and wasnt hesitant in sheding the blood of innocents thus Imam Hassan (as) accepted the treaty which doesnt mean he accepted the caliphate of Muawiyah.
A Nasibi excuse and its reply: Here Nawasib may argue that Imam Hassan (as) mentioned ‘right’ (haq) through the words ‘Imma’ and ‘Aw’ which shows the possibility that he deemed the ‘right’ (haq) belonged to Muawiyah. To those Nawasib, we would like to remind them the verse of Holy Quran (6) which also contained the words ‘Imma’ and ‘Aw’.
Say: “Who gives you sustenance, from the heavens and the earth?” Say: “It is Allah; and certain it is that either we or ye are on right guidance or in manifest error!”(7)
If we look at this verse, apparently this shows that (God forbid) Prophet [s.a.w.a] was not sure about Him (as) being on guidance but that was certainly not the required meaning. Sometimes the aspect of eloquence and rhetorical demands that the addressee is addressed in a manner that may show dual meanings/possibilities. The manner in which the Prophet [s.a.w.a] adopted an either-or question in his statement, Imam Hassan (as) likewise adopted the manner in his statement. The Prophet [s.a.w.a] was tactically taunting the misguidance of the infdels similarly Imam Hassan (as) was actually taunting the misguidance of Muawiyah.
Continue in the next article: ( The peace treaty with Imam Hassan (as) 2 )
NOTES:
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1. Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book of “Afflictions,” #6629, vol.6
2. This will be evidenced from the following Sunni works:
- Sunan Tirmidhi, Volume 2 page 169 Bab Tafseer al Qur’an
- al Bidayah wa al Nihaya, Volume 8 page 21, Dhkir Khilafah Hasan
- Asadul Ghaba, Volume 2 page 14, Dhikr Hasan
- Al Istiab, Volume 1 page 372
- Tarikh Ibn Asakir, Volume 4 page 228 Dhikr Hasan
- Maqatil al Husayn, Volume 1 page 135
- Mustadrak al Hakim, Volume 3 page 170 (al-Hakim said that the chain is Sahih)
- Tarikh Kamil, Volume 3 page 207 Dhikr Hasan
- Quruth al Ainayn, page 147
3. The Quran: 97:1-3.
4. We will prove this from the following Sunni works:
- Matalib al Seul, Volume 2 page 17, Dhikr Hasan
- Nazal al Abrar, page 81 Dhikr Hasan by Allamah Badkashani al-Harithi
- Tadhkirathul Khawwas al Ummah, page 113
- Nasa al Kifaya, page 58
- Sawaiqh al Muhriqa, page 81 Chapter 10, Part 1
- al Istiab, page 372 Dhikr Hasan
- Fusl al Muhimma, page 146 Dhikr Hasan
5. We will prove this from the following Sunni works:
- al Istiab, Volume 1 page 343 Dhikr Hasan
- Asad’ul Ghaba, Volume 2 page 15 Dhikr Hasan
- Tareekh Ibn Asakir, Volume 4 page 228 Dhikr Hasan
- Tadhkiratul Khawas al Ummah, page 113 Dhikr Imam Hasan
- Maqatil Husayn, page 134
- Dhakayr al Uqba, page 140
- Tahdeeb al Tahdeeb, Volume 2 page 300 Dhikr Imam Hasan
- Seerat al Halbeeya, Volume 3 page 352
6. The Quran: 34:24.
7. The Quran: 34:24.