11. Muhammad ibn al-I:Iasan al-Mahdi (d. 256AH)

12. al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali al-'Askari (d. 260AH) The origin of the belief in appointment (instructions given before death) lies with Ibn Saba', for whom the issue of appointment stopped with 'Ali. However, those who came later and propagated its extension included a number of his descendants. The Shiite cells were working quietly and secretly, but some of their claims still reached the members of Ahl al-Bayt, who denied them categorically, just as their forefather Commander of the Faithful 'Ali had done. Hence, those liars fabricated the concept of taqiyah (deception about one's religious beliefs), which they falsely ascribed to Ahl al-Bayt, so that it would be easy for them to spread their

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali ideas, making sure that their followers would not be affected by the sincere public statements of Ahl al-Bayt to the people.9 According to this fabricated idea, the Messenger of Allah (~) instructed that after his death, the caliphate should go directly to 'Ali, and that those who came before him usurped his rights. In fact, however, when studying the history of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, we find no mention of appointment during the caliphates of Abu Bakr and 'Umar. We only find this idea beginning to emerge during the last years of the caliphate of 'Uthman, when turmoil had begun to appear. The Companions - the most famous among whom were 'Ali ibnAbi Talib(~) and the Mother of the Believers 'A'ishah (.) - rejected this idea and proclaimed it to be false. We then see this idea crystallising in the form of a belief to which people were called and which was propagated during the caliphate of' Ali. This so-called appointment, which is promoted by the Rafic;lis and confirmed by their scholars, is the fabrication of 'Abdullah ibn Saba', as was mentioned by an-Nawbakhti and al-Kashshi, and as we have seen above. Sound reports from a number of the Companions, including 'Ali himself, are sufficient to refute their claim. There is a great deal of such evidence, including the following: «It was said in the presence of 'A'ishah (*) that the Prophet (~) appointed 'Ali by name as his successor, and she asked: Who said that? I saw the Prophet (~) as he was leaning on my chest. He called for a vessel of water, and then he fell to one side and died without my realising. So how could he have issued instructions that 'Ali should be his successor?» (al-Bukhari) This clear statement from 'A'ishah (.)that the Prophet(~) did not appoint 'Ali by name as his successor is the greatest eviAl-/f asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts dence that there was no appointment. The Prophet <•> died in her lap, so if there had been any appointment, she would have been more aware of it than anyone else. 10 It was narrated that lbn 'Abbas(~) said: «'Ali ibn Abi Talib came out of the Messenger of Allah's house during his terminal sickness, and the people asked: Abul-I;lasan, how is the Messenger of Allah <•> this morning? He replied: He is better this morning, praise be to Allah. Al-'Abbas ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib took his hand and said to him: By Allah, after three days you will be driven by the stick. [In other words, you will be under the authority of someone else]. By Allah, I think that the Messenger of Allah <•> will die of this sickness, for I know how the faces of Banu 'Abdul-Muttalib look when they are dying. Let us go to the Messenger of Allah and ask him who is to be in charge. If we are to be in charge, then we will know it; and if someone else is to be in charge, then we will know it, and he will advise him to be kind to us. 'Ali said: By Allah, if we ask the Messenger of Allah <•> for it (leadership) and he denies it to us, the people will never give it to us after that. By Allah, I will never ask the Messenger of Allah <•> for it.» (al-Bukhari) These words testify to the extent of the Companions' commitment to carrying out the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (.).If there had been any appointment, no one would have gone against it, and the An~ar would not have expressed their opinion at Saqeefah Bani Sa'idah so freely, bravely and honestly, saying, "A ruler from among us and a ruler from among you." (al-Bukhari) They would have sworn allegiance to the one whom the Prophet <•> had appointed to be his successor, or at least some

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali of them would have mentioned these instructions. If there had been some instruction to that effect beforehand, then what reason could Ibn 'Abbas <•> possibly have had for mentioning the issue to 'Ali <•) in the first place? The Messenger of Allah <•) died that same day; since there were no instructions of that nature, it is obvious that the claim that 'Ali had clear instructions has no sound basis. All the reports that they narrate concerning instructions that Ali should be the successor are to be rejected because they are contrary to this clear statement from 'Ali(.). All the texts they quote as evidence either do not refer to the man concerned ('Ali) or they do refer to him but are fabricated. 11 Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi narrated with his chain going back to Shaqeeq ibn Salamah that the latter said: It was said to 'Ali ibnAbi Talib: Why don't you appoint a successor to rule us? He answered: The Messenger of Allah <•> did not appoint a successor, so why should I appoint a successor? But if Allah wills good for the people, He will unite them after my death under the leadership of the best of them, as He united them after the death of their Prophet <•> under the leadership of the best of them. 12 From these definitive texts, it is clear that there is no basis for this so-called appointment and that what the Rafigis rely on is a fabrication of' Abdullah ibn Saba'. He was the first one to introduce this idea, after which chains and texts (of reports) were fabricated and falsely attributed to the Prophet<•) and to Ahl al-Bayt. The aim was to slander the Companions for allegedly agreeing to go against the command of the Messenger <•); this would provide a basis for undermining and rejecting what the Companions had narrated of the Quran and the Hadith to future generations of Muslims. 13 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts The idea oflimiting the imamate to a specific number of people was introduced in the second century by a group of people who claimed to have connections to Ahl al-Bayt. 14 It is a false and corrupt belief, of which Commander of the Faithful 'Ali (~) and his sons and grandsons are innocent. The appointment of 'Ali by name as an imam has also not been proven by any means. Prof. Al).mad al-Katib discussed the development of Shiite political thought. He spoke of Commander of the Faithful al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) and consultation. He explained clearly that when alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) called people to swear allegiance to him, he did not rely on any text concerning him from the Messenger(~) or from his father, Commander of the Faithful 'Ali. He spoke of al-I:Iasan's belief in the consultation system and the right of the Ummah to elect its ruler. This belief in consultation was manifested once more when al-I:Iasan gave up the caliphate to Mu'awiyah (~)and stipulated that he should return to the system of consultation among the Muslims. If the selection of a caliph were truly to be decided by a text from Allah (~) and appointment by the Messenger, as the Imami theory suggests, then it would not have been permissible for Imam al-I:Iasan to give it up to anyone, under any circumstances whatsoever. Nor would it have been permissible for him to swear allegiance to Mu'awiyah (~)and then call on his party and companions to do likewise. It would not have been permissible for him to overlook Imam al-I:Iusayn; he would have insisted on appointing al-I:Iusayn as imam after him. Yet Imam al-I:Iasan did not do any of that. Instead, he continued to adhere to the Muslims' right to choose their caliph by means of consultation. The martyr al-I:Iusayn (~)remained committed to his oath of allegiance to Mu'awiyah (~)until the last day of his life. He rejected an offer from the Shiites ofKufa to rebel against Mu' awiyah after the death of Commander of the Faithful al-I:Iasan. He stated

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali that there was a pledge and covenant between them that was not permissible for him to break. He did not call people to support him until after the death of Mu' awiyah, who had appointed his son Yazeed as caliph after him. Al-I:Iusayn then refused to swear allegiance to Yazeed and insisted on rebelling in Iraq, where he was martyred in Karbala in 61 AH.15 5.2 What the Twelver Shiites quote as evidence from the Sunni books for limiting the number of imams It was narrated that Jabir said: «I heard the Messenger of Allah (~) say: Islam will continue to prevail during the time of twelve caliphs. Then he said something that I did not understand, and I asked my father: What did he say? He said: All of them from Quraysh.» (Muslim) According to other versions, he said: «This religion will continue to prevail and be strong during the times of twelve caliphs.» (Muslim) «The peoples' affairs will continue to be prosperous during the reigns of twelve men.» (Muslim) «This religion will continue to prevail until you have had twelve caliphs, under all of whom the Ummah will be united.» (Abu Dawood) A similar report, via al-Aswad ibn Sa'eed from Jabir, says: «He added: When he returned to his house, the Quraysh came to him and asked: Then what will happen? He replied: Killing.» (Abu Dawood) Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts The Twelvers cling to this text and quote it as evidence against ahl as-Sunnah. This is not because they believe in what is mentioned in the books of the Sunnis; 16 they quote the hadiths they believe in as evidence against them. However, by examining the text with neutrality and objectivity, we find that it describes these twelve men as becoming caliphs. It also states that during their time, Islam will be strong and prevalent, people will be united behind them, and the Ummah will still be in a good state. None of these attributes is applicable to those whom the Twelvers claim as their imams. None of them became caliph except Commander of the Faithful 'Ali and after him, al-I:Iasan for a short time. According to the Shiites themselves, the Ummah was not prosperous or dominant during the time of any of these twelve imams. On the contrary, the Ummah "continued to deteriorate; it was ruled by evildoers and even by disbelievers," 17 and "the imams themselves concealed their religious affairs by means of taqiyah." 18 The era of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali, when he was in a position of power, was 'an era of taqiyah', as clearly stated by their Shaykh al-Mufeed. 19 He "could not bring out the Quran or rule in accordance with many Islamic rulings," as clearly stated by their Shaykh al-Jaza'iri.20 He was 'forced to go along with his companions and appease them at the expense of religion,' as stated by their Shaykh al-Murtaga.21 Thus, this hadith has nothing to do with their claims at all. Rather, it is a foretelling from the Prophet (~) that Islam would continue to prevail during the era of these people. The era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the Umayyads was an era of power and strength.22 Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali Islam and the rule of Islam were stronger and more far-reaching at the time of the Umayyads than after their time. He quoted as evidence the hadith: «This matter will continue to prevail during the time of twelve caliphs, all of whom are from Quraysh.» Then he said: This is how it was. The caliphs were Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali, then those who took over (under whom the people united and who had power and strength, namely Mu'awiyah and his son Yazeed), then 'Abdul-Malik and his four successors, among whom was 'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez. After that came the decline that has continued until today. Then he said concerning the hadith «all of them from Quraysh»: This means that they are not limited to 'Ali and his descendants. If they were limited to 'Ali and his descendants, he would have mentioned something to refer to that exclusivity. Don't you see that he did not say: all of them from among the descendants of Isma' eel or from among the Arabs? If they had been distinguished by the fact that they were all from Banu Hashim or from among the descendants of 'Ali, the hadith would have referred to that. However, since he said that they would all be from among Quraysh in general, it is known that they were from Quraysh, not from a particular clan. Rather, they are from Banu Taym, Banu 'Adiyy, Banu 'Abd Shams and Banu Hashim. The Rightly-Guided Caliphs were from these clans.23 So there is nothing left of the description to match the description that they want except the number alone, which means nothing. 24 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts 5.3 Duration of the caliphate of Commander of the Faithful al-I:Iasan and the view of ahl as-Sunnah concerning his caliphate After allegiance was sworn to Commander of the Faithful alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~), he remained the caliph of the Hejaz (the Western region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes Makk:ah and Madinah), Yemen, Iraq and other regions for approximately seven months (with some saying six or eight months). During that period, his caliphate was a Rightly-Guided Caliphate. This is because it was the completion of the era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphate, which the Prophet <•> had said would last for thirty years before turning into a kingship.25 Imam Al-Tirmidhi narrated, with a chain going back to Safeenah, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah(.), that he said: «The caliphate in my Ummah will last for thirty years; after that, it will become a kingship.» (A good hadith recorded by Al-Tirmidhi) lbn Katheer commented on this hadith: The thirty-year period was only completed with the caliphate of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali. He gave up the caliphate to Mu'awiyah in Rabee' I, 41 AH, and that was the completion of thirty years after the death of the Messenger of Allah(.), for he had died in Rabee' I, 11 AH. This is one of the signs of his prophethood, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.26 Thus, al-I:Iasan was the fifth Rightly-Guided Caliph.27 This was also narrated by Imam Al}mad from the hadith of Safeenah: «The caliphate will last for thirty years; after that, it will become a kingship.» (Recorded by Al}mad with a good chain of narrators)

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali Abu Dawood narrated it as follows: «The caliphate in the footsteps of prophethood will be thirty years; thenAllah will give power and authority to whomever He wills, or will give His power and authority to whomever He wills.» (Recorded by Abu Dawood)28 During the thirty years after his death, there were no rulers other than the four caliphs and al-I:Iasan for a brief period. A number of scholars commented on the Prophet's words «The caliphate in my Ummah will be for thirty years» that the few months during which al-I:Iasan ruled, following the death of his father, are included in 'the caliphate in the footsteps ofprophethood'. The following are some of those comments: 5.3.1 Abu Bakr ibn al-' Arabi (may Allah have mercy on him) Al-I:Iasan fulfilled the true promise of the Prophet (~), who said: «The caliphate in my Ummah will be thirty years, and then it will become a kingship.» That belonged to Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Othman and 'Ali, and alI:Iasan had eight months of it, no more and no less. Glory be to the All-Knowing, besides Whom there is no other Lord.29 5.3.2 AI-QaQ.i 'IyaQ. (may Allah have mercy on him) During the thirty years, there were no rulers other than the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the few months during which allegiance was sworn to al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali. The hadith about the caliphate lasting for thirty years refers to 'the caliphate in the footsteps of prophethood', as stated in some reports: Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts «The caliphate in the footsteps of prophethood after me will be thirty years, and then it will become a kingship.» (Muslim)30 5.3.3 Al-J:Iafidh Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) The evidence that he was one of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs is the hadith which we narrated in Dalli 'ii an-Nubuwwah31 via Safeenah, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (~), according to which he said: «The caliphate after me will be for thirty years.» The thirty years were only completed by the caliphate of alf.lasan ibn 'Ali. 32 5.3.4 Ibn Abil-'Izz al-J:Ianafi The caliphate of Abu Bakr lasted for two years and three months, the caliphate of 'Umar lasted for ten and a half years, the caliphate of 'Othman lasted for twelve years, the caliphate of' Ali lasted for four years and nine months, and the caliphate of al-f.lasan lasted for six months.33 5.3.5 Al-Mannawi He quoted the words of the Prophet(~): «This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps through him Allah will reconcile two great groups of Muslims.» (al-Bukhari) Then he said: That was when allegiance was sworn to him [al-f.lasan] after his father was gone, and he became the legitimate ruler for a period of six months, which completed the thirty years which

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali the Prophet(.) said would be the length of time the caliphate would last, after which it would become kingship.34 5.3.6 Ibn I:Iajar al-Haythami He is the last of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, according to the statement of his grandfather(.). He became the caliph after the murder of his father, with the oath of allegiance of the people ofKufa. He remained the caliph for six months and several days. He stayed in Kufa for six months and a few days as a legitimate caliph and a just and sincere ruler, fulfilling what his grandfather(.) had said: «The caliphate after me will be for thirty years.»35 Those six months were the completion of those thirty years. His caliphate is referred to in reports, and there is scholarly consensus concerning it, so there is no doubt about its legitimacy.36 Ahl as-Sunnah wal-jama'ah believe that the caliphate of all;Iasan was legitimate and that it was the final part of the caliphate of prophethood that the Prophet<•) had foretold would last for thirty years.37 5.4 Speeches that cannot be soundly attributed to al-I:lasan following the murder of his father We will quote this material so as to recognise falsehood and warn readers against it; as a poet said: I learned about evil not for the sake of evil, but to protect myself against it. Whoever cannot tell evil from good is bound to fall into it. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts The Imami Shiites have fabricated many speeches which they falsely attribute to al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~). The following are some examples: 0 people, whoever knows me knows me; whoever does not know me, I am al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali. I am the bringer of glad tidings; I am the son of the warner; I am the son of the one who called people to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, by His leave. I am the son of the bright lamp; I am one of Ahl al-Bayt from whom Allah removed rijs and purified them with a thorough purification (see Qur 'an 33: 33), those whom Allah has enjoined [the Muslims] to love in His Book, where He said: ~ ... And whoever earns a good righteous deed, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof. .. ~ (Qur 'an 42: 23) The righteous deed here means loving us, Ahl al-Bayt.38 They have also invented a sermon that they attribute to AbulAswad ad-Du' ali, claiming that he said: ... then he wept until his ribs interlocked, and said: He appointed an imam after him: the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (~), and his son and his descendants, the one who resembled him both physically and in attitude. I hope that through him, Allah will strengthen what is weakened, repair what is damaged, unite the Ummah and extinguish the fires of turmoil. So swear allegiance to him and you will be guided. All the Shiites swore allegiance, and some people held back who had the same views as the supporters of 'Uthman, and they fled to Mu'awiyah (~). They have also quoted lengthy letters supposedly written by al-I:Iasan to Mu'awiyah, asking him to swear allegiance to him and quoting evidence to prove his entitlement to the caliphate. These cannot be proven in terms of either the chain or the text. They are only mentioned in the books of the Rafi<)is, which are

Oath of allegiance to al-lf asan ibn 'Ali devoid of sound chains and which contradict what is proven from al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~)with regard to his caliphate.40 Sunni scholars have analysed such references and concluded that they are false and cannot be used as evidence. These references have originated in Maqatil at-Talibiyeen and al-Aghani by al-I~fahiini and in Nahj al-Balaghah. The following are some of the scholars' conclusions about those two texts: 5.4.1 Al-I~fahani, author of al-Aghani Al-Aghdni, by Abul-Faraj al-I~fahiini, is considered to be one of the books that have distorted the history of early Islam. It is a literary work that contains entertaining and promiscuous tales; it is not a book of knowledge, history or Islamic jurisprudence. It is very famous among those who study literature and history. Some of the early scholars commented about its author. • al-Khateeb al-Baghdadi said: Abul-Faraj al-I~fahiini was the worst of liars. He used to buy a lot of worthless books, and all that he wrote was based on them.41 • lbn al-Jawzi said: The reports of such a man cannot be trusted, and you will find in his books evidence to prove that he is an evildoer. He encourages the drinking of alcohol and may even attribute that to himself. The one who studies the book al-Aghani will see all kinds of evils.42 • Adh-Dhahabi said: I saw our Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah classifying him as weak, criticising him with regard to his reports and finding what was in his book to be outrageous.43 • Prof. Shawqi Abu Khaleel said, evaluating the sources of Philip Hitti in his book History of the Arabs: Al-lfasan :S caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Hitti relied on al-I~fahani's book al-Aghani, which is not a book of history that can be relied upon either. It is a book of literature. This does not mean that all books of literature are unreliable, but they may be relied upon only if their authors are trustworthy and known for honesty in transmission and reporting. Hitti regarded the book al-Aghani as a reliable historical reference even though its author is suspicious in terms of his honesty, literary ability and historical knowledge. In Meezan al-I 'tidal ft Naqd ar-Rijal, it says that in his book al-Aghani, alI~fahani narrated strange things with the words "[So-and-so] narrated to us and told us." Whoever reads al-Aghani will see the life of the Abbasids as entertainment, promiscuity, music and drinking. . .. this suits the author, his imagination and his life. However, the one who refers to sound books of history will find a completely different image which depicts knowledge, jihad and literature. Al-Aghdni is not a book of history that can be quoted as evidence.44 • Abu 'Ubaydah, who is known as Mash-hoor ibn al-I:Iasan AlSalman, said: It is essential to note an important matter that some researchers have noticed: the Shiite inclinations, whims and desires of Abu Faraj have played a prominent role that have manifested itself in what he has written in his book. • Dr. MuhammadAl,imad Khalaf-Allah said in his conclusion to his book Abu! Faraj al-I:f!ahani: We studied the inclinations and whims and desires of Abu Faraj, and we must warn against them every time we try to refer to the reports that this man has left behind. He may have been misguiding others or he may have had ulterior motives. It is no secret that whims and desires have an impact on the way one judges history, and this may be manifested not only when narrating reports but also when concealing facts. 45

Oath of allegiance to al-lfasan ibn 'Ali If the readers are wondering why such extensive evidence has been quoted against this particular author, it is because: a. This book is very famous and widely known. b. Many people who encourage Westernisation rely greatly on it. c. It contains reports that impugn Islam, the Companions, the caliphs and the righteous and just rulers. d. Many contemporary writers are very keen to authenticate its contents. This was written about and encouraged by Shafeeq Jabri in his bookDirasat al-Aghani, which he wrote· with the encouragement ofTaha Hussein. In brief, despite this book's literary merit and its strong and attractive style, its reports and content need critical examination. 46 5.4.2 Nahj al-Balaghah Another book that has played a role in distorting the history of the Companions is Nahj al-Balaghah (which is presented as a collection of the words of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib). The chains of narrations as well as the content of this book are subject to criticism. It was compiled, without any chain, three and a half centuries after Commander of the Faithful 'Ali(~) was martyred. The Shiites attribute Nahj al-Balaghah to ash-Shareef ar-Ra<;liy, who is not accepted by the scholars of Hadith. They refuse to accept any of his transmissions, even if he provides a chain and especially if it supports his undesirable innovations in religion. So how can they accept his work without any chain, as in the case of Nahj alBalaghah? The brother of ash-Shareef ar-Ra<;liy, whose name was 'Ali, has been accused of fabricating this book.47 Scholars have discussed him, and the following are some of their opinions: lbn Khallikan said in Tmjamat ash-Shareef al-Murtafiiy: Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Scholars differed concerning the book Nahj al-Balaghah, which is a compilation of the words of Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, as to whether it was compiled by 'Ali or his brother arRa9iy. It was said that it was not the words of 'Ali, but those of the one who compiled it and attributed it to him. He was the one who fabricated it. And Allah knows best.48 Adh-Dhahabi said: The one who studies Nahj al-Balaghah will be certain that it is falsely attributed to Commander of the Faithful 'Ali. It blatantly insults and criticises Abu Bakr and 'Umar. It also contains contradictions and is written in a weak and pallid style. Anyone who knows anything about the Qurayshi Companions and those who came after them, and their way of thinking, will be certain that most of it is false. 49 Ibn Taymiyah said: Moreover, most of the speeches transmitted by the author of Nahj al-Balaghah are of that nature. They fabricated lies and thought that they were praising him, but that was not true, and they were not words of praise. The one who says that the words of' Ali and some others are superior to the words of any other people is mistaken. The words of the Prophet(~) are superior to his words, and both of them are created beings ... Moreover, some of the sound ideas that are found in the words of' Ali may be found in the words of others, but the author of Nahj al-Balaghah and his ilk took many sayings of other people and attributed them to 'Ali. Some of what is narrated as being from 'Ali is good, which would be appropriate for him to say, but at the same time, these are the words of others. Hence, you find in al-Bayan wat-Tabyeen by al-Jiil;tidh and other books, words that are narrated from people other than 'Ali, although the author of Nahj al-Balaghah attributes them to

Oath of allegiance to al-lfasan ibn 'Ali 'Ali. If the speeches that are transmitted in Nahj al-Balaghah were all the words of' Ali, they would have been known before this book was written and would have been transmitted from 'Ali, with or without chains. Those who have knowledge of the reports will realise that many, if not most, of them were not known before this; thus it will be clear that this is a lie. Otherwise, let the one who narrated them say in what book they are mentioned, who transmitted them from 'Ali and what their chains were. Merely making a claim is something that anyone can do. Whoever has some knowledge of the way of the people ofHadith and knows something about reports with chains and how to distinguish between true and false reports will realise that those who narrated such reports from 'Ali are among the people with the least knowledge of reports, who are the least able to distinguish between true and false. 50 We may note some of the most important reasons why the early and modem scholars doubted the attribution of Nahj al-Balaghah to Imam 'Ali(~): • It is devoid of documented chains of narration that would support the attribution of its words to 'Ali. • It contains numerous lengthy speeches, which would have been difficult to memorise before the era of compiling and writing things down. Even the speeches of the Messenger (~) have not reached us in their entirety, despite the great deal of attention given to them. • Many of the statements and speeches, according to trustworthy sources, have been attributed to someone other than 'Ali(~); however, the author of Nahj al-Balaghah has attributed them to him. • It includes words of criticism for the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who preceded 'Ali, in a manner that does not befit Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts them or him; this contradicts sound reports about 'Ali's respect for them. • It contains rhymed prose. A number ofliterary critics think that so much rhymed prose is not in accordance with the spirit of' Ali's era, which sought to avoid overdoing things, even though the kind of rhymed prose that comes without much effort was not far removed from the spirit of that time. • The writing is in a very ornate manner, which is a demonstration of literary ability. This is a feature of the Abbasid era with its love of flowery speech. • There is a philosophical style scattered throughout that was unknown to the Muslims until the third century AH, when Greek, Persian and Indian books were translated. This is more akin to the words of the philosophers and debaters than to the words of the Companions and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. 51 We should beware of this book when talking about the Companions and what happened between them and Commander of the Faithful 'Ali. We should measure its texts against the Quran and the Sunnah. We can accept whatever is in accordance with the Qur' an and Sunnah, but whatever is contrary to them should be discarded and ignored. The author of the book al-Watha 'iq as-Siydsiyah wal-Idariyah al- 'A 'idah lil- 'A~r al-Umawi [Political and administrative documents going back to the Umayyad era] has quoted speeches, letters and dialogues between al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib 0~) and Mu'awiyah <•)related to his caliphate and his reign. Most of these cannot be soundly attributed to him. 52 He relied on weak and worthless sources, such as al-Aghdni, Nahj al-Baldghah and other books that should be discarded by a true seeker of knowledge.

His characteristics and social life 6.1 His most important characteristics c..7'(1-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (~) was characterised by charisma and devotion to his Lord. Some of his most important attributes were his true faith in Allah and belief in the last day, knowledge of Shariah, trust in Allah, exemplary conduct, honesty, capability, courage, dignity, asceticism, love of sacrifice, humility, willingness to accept advice, forbearance, patience, high ambition, resolve, strength of will, sense of justice, and many others. Because Allah had instilled in him the qualities of a true leader who was devoted to his Lord, he was able to implement his reconciliation venture. He also had the ability to overcome obstacles along the way. These unique efforts were crowned with the achievement of unity for the Ummah. The following is a discussion of some of his most important characteristics. 6.1.1 His knowledge Al-I:Iasan grew up in the household of the Prophet(~). He was influenced by his grandfather(~) and his mother, Fatimah(.,), throughout his childhood. He also benefited from his noble father's abundant knowledge and wisdom, which was poured upon him. Commander of the Faithful 'Ali(~) spent a great deal of time and effort in teaching the Book of Allah to his sons. They learned from him how to understand and derive Shariah-based rulmgs. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts For al-I:Iasan's generation, the noble Quran was the curriculum with which they were raised, alongside the teachings of the Prophet(.). The Qur'anic verses that he heard from his father had a deep and lasting impact on his knowledge and the formation of his character; they purified his heart and cleansed his soul. Among the shaykhs from whom he learned the noble Quran was 'Abdullah ibn I:Iabeeb ibn Rabee 'ah Abu 'Abdur-RaJ:nnan asSulami, the reciter ofKufa, whose father was a Companion of the Prophet(.). He narrated from 'Ali, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood and 'Uthman ibn 'Affiln (may Allah be pleased with them), and he was a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence. 'A~im, 'Ata', al-I:Iasan and al-I:Iusayn learned the Quran from him; he used to teach twenty verses in the morning and twenty verses in the evening. He died in Kufa during the caliphate of 'Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan. He was trustworthy and narrated a large number of hadiths. 1 The methodology of Abu 'Abdur-Ral)man as-Sulami in teaching the noble Quran was the methodology of the noble Companions. It was narrated that he said: Those who used to teach us Quran - such as 'Uthman ibn 'Affiln, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood and others-told us that when they learned ten verses from the Prophet(.), they would not move on from them until they learned what they contained of knowledge and deeds. They said: So we learned the Quran and knowledge and deeds all together. Hence, they would take a while to memorise a surah.2 Abu 'Abdur-Ral)man as-Sulami, shaykh of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~),was one of the most famous students of'Uthman ibn 'Affiln (~). 3 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) followed the same path in memorising, understanding and acting upon the noble Quran.

His characteristics and social life Al-I:Iasan's view of Allah, the universe, life, paradise and hell Al-I:Iasan knew, from the Quran and from his upbringing by his father Commander of the Faithful 'Ali, Who the true God is and Who is worthy of worship. Hence, al-I:Iasan's views of Allah, the universe, life, paradise, hell, the divine will, the reality of man and his conflict with Satan were derived from the noble Quran and the guidance of the Prophet(~). Al-I:Iasan's view of the universe was based on the words of Allah: ff Say [O Muhammad]: Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two days, and you set up rivals [in worship] with Him? That is the Lord of the worlds. He placed therein [the earth] firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance [for its dwellers] in four days equal for all those who ask [about its creation]. Then He rose over towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: Come both of you willingly or unwillingly. They both said: We come willingly. Then He completed and finished from their creation [as] seven heavens in two days, and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest [lowest] heaven with lamps [stars] to be an adornment as well as to guard [from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils]. Such is the Decree of Him, the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.~ (Quran 41: 9-12) This life, no matter how long it lasts, will inevitably come to an end. Its conveniences and luxuries are highly insignificant. ti.Verily, the likeness of [this] worldly life is as the water [rain] which We send down from the sky; so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat - until when the earth is clad in its adornments and is beautified, and its people think that they have all the powers of disposal over it, Our command reaches it by night or by day and We make it like a cleanA/-lf asan :S caliphate and his reconciliation efforts mown harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday! Thus do We explain our signs in detail for the people who reflect.It (Qur 'an JO: 24) His view of paradise was also derived from the noble Quran and was the focal point of his life. Anyone who studies the biography of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~)will see how deeply he understood the concept of preparing to meet Allah(~) and how he feared His wrath and punishment. His concept of the divine will and decree was derived from the Book of Allah and the teachings of the Messenger of Allah (.). This concept was firmly entrenched in his heart, as Allah says: «{Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Lord. And in Allah let the believers put theirtrust.}t (Qur'an9:51) Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) understood the true nature of the struggle between human beings and Satan. He knew that this enemy comes to individuals from ahead and behind, from their right and from their left. He whispers to them, tempts them to commit sin, and stirs up their desires. Al-I:Iasan used to seek the help of Allah against his enemy, Satan. Indeed, al-I:Iasan prevailed over him throughout his life, as we shall see as we study his biography. From the story of Adam's sin, he learned the necessity of trusting in Allah, the importance of repentance and praying for forgiveness, the necessity of keeping away from envy and arrogance, and the importance of speaking in the best manner to one's companions. This is because Allah says: «{And say to My servants that they should say those words that are the best. [Because] Satan, verily, sows a state of conflict and disagreements among them. Surely, Satan is to humankind a plain enemy. }t (Qur 'an 17: 53)

His characteristics and social life Allah honoured al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) with the blessing of living with the noble Quran. He learned its fundamentals and other issues, along with the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (~).He became one of the imams of guidance who, through his excellent example in both word and deed, charted a course for the people to follow in this life. Al-I:Iasan was one of the people of the Qur' an; hence he quoted it in all his speeches. It was narrated from him that he gave a sermon one Friday and recited from the pulpit the entire surah called Ibraheem (Abraham).4 That was the practice of the Messenger(~), who used to recite the entire surah Qaf (named after the Arabic letter that it begins with). It was narrated that Umm Salamah bint al-I:Ifuithah said: «I only learned Qaf ~By the Glorious Quran ... ~ from the lips of the Messenger of Allah (~), who would recite it every Friday on the pulpit when he addressed the people.» (Muslim) Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~)addressed the people by reciting the verses of the Quran to them. In line with the Prophet's practice, he would recite properly and in a beautiful voice, focusing mindfully and pondering over the meanings. People's hearts were moved, and their eyes shed tears. When al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) went to bed, he would recite Soorat al-Kalif(The Cave), pondering over it and focusing on its meaning. This had an impact on his heart and on his life. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) also paid special attention to the biography of the Prophet(~). Isma'eel ibn Muhammad ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqa~ said: My father used to teach us about the events in the life of the Messenger of Allah (~); he used to narrate to us and say: This Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts is the legacy of your forefathers, so never forget it. (Recorded by Ibn Katheer with a sound chain) 'Ali ibn al-I:Iasan said, "We used to learn the events of the life of the Messenger of Allah (~)just as we used to learn a surah of the Quran." (Recorded by Ibn Katheer with a sound chain) With regard to the Sunnah, al-I:Iasan's father, Commander of the Faithful' Ali(~), was the one of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who narrated the largest number of hadiths of the Messenger of Allah(~). This is because he died later than the other caliphs, and many people narrated from him. Hence, his son al-I:Iasan benefited greatly from him. Although his grandfather (~) died while al-I:Iasan was still young, he learned from him many hadiths and more, which he mentioned and attributed to the Messenger of Allah(~), as has been discussed above. Al-I:Iasan used to encourage his children to seek knowledge. Once he called his children and his brother's children and said: 0 my children and children of my brother, you are young people and soon you will become senior to others, so acquire knowledge. Whoever among you cannot narrate or memorise, let him write it down and keep it in his house. (Recorded by Ibn Sa'd with a sound chain) Al-I:Iasan was eloquent and well-spoken. Commander of the Faithful 'Ali (~) said to him one day, "Get up and address the people, al-I:Iasan." He said, "I feel too shy to address the people when I can see you." 'Ali hid himself where he could hear what al-I:Iasan was saying but could not be seen by him. Al-I:Iasan stood up, praised and glorified Allah, and spoke.5 When he came down, 'Ali recited:

His characteristics and social life ~Offspring, one of the other, and Allah is All-Hearer, AllKnower. ~ (Qur 'an 3: 34) Al-I:Iasan inherited from his grandfather (~) and his father U~) oratory skills, eloquence and the ability to explain clearly. History books state that 'Ali asked his son al-ijasan about some matters of dignity. He asked: My son, what is proper conduct? He replied: My father, proper conduct is warding off evil by means of kindness. 'Ali queried: What is honour? Al-I:Iasan answered: Making friends and putting up with offence. 'Ali inquired: What is dignity? Al-I:Iasan said: Restraint and taking care of one's financial affairs. 'Ali asked: What is baseness? Al-I:Iasan said: Concerning oneself with the trivial matters and withholding little. 'Ali queried: What is meanness? Al-I:Iasan answered: Protecting oneself at the expense of one's womenfolk. 'Ali inquired: What is generosity? Al-I:Iasan said: Giving during times of hardship and of ease. 'Ali said: What is stinginess? Al-I:Iasan replied: To believe that what you possess is honour and what you spend is waste. 'Ali asked: What is brotherhood? Al-I:Iasan replied: Sincerity during times of hardship and of ease. 'Ali inquired: What is cowardice? Al-Jjasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Al-l;Iasan answered: Being audacious with a friend and showing restraint with the enemy. 'Ali queried: What is gain? Al-l;Iasan said: Desire for piety and lack of interest in worldly gain is booty acquired without effort. 'Ali questioned: What is forbearance? Al-l;Iasan replied: Restraining anger and controlling oneself. 'Ali asked: What is richness? Al-l;Iasan stated: Being content with what Allah has decreed even if it is little, because true richness is a sense of independence. 'Ali inquired: What is poverty? Al-l;Iasan answered: Avarice for everything. 'Ali queried: What is humiliation? Al-l;Iasan said: Panic when meeting the enemy. 'Ali questioned: What is courage? Al-l;Iasan replied: Meeting an enemy who is an equal. 'Ali asked: What is nosiness? Al-l;Iasan stated: Talking about something which does not concern you. 'Ali inquired: What is glory? Al-l;Iasan answered: Forgiving people for debts and offences. 'Ali questioned: What is reason? Al-l;Iasan said: Being mindful of everything you care about. 'Ali queried: What is foolishness? Al-l;Iasan replied: Opposing the leader and raising your voice over his. 'Ali asked: What brings good praise?

His characteristics and social life Al-I:Iasan stated: Doing kind deeds and refraining from bad conduct. 'Ali inquired: What is resolve? Al-I:Iasan answered: Deliberation, showing kindness to those who are close to you, and being careful with people by thinking negatively. 'Ali queried: What is honour? Al-I:Iasan said: Being agreeable with one's brothers and taking care of one's neighbours. 'Ali questioned: What is foolishness? Al-I:Iasan replied: Following base people and accompanying evildoers. 'Ali asked: What is negligence? Al-I:Iasan stated: Forsaking the mosque and obeying wrongdoers. 'Ali inquired: What is deprivation? Al-I:Iasan answered: Forsaking your share when it is offered to you. 'Ali questioned: Who is a leader? Al-I:Iasan said: The one who cares about his people's affairs. Then 'Ali said: My son, I heard the Messenger of Allah(~) say: There is no poverty worse than ignorance, nothing more lasting than reason, no alienation worse than self-admiration, no support stronger than consultation, no reason like proper management of one's affairs, no lineage like good character, no piety like restraint, no worship like pondering, and no faith like modesty. The pinnacle of faith is patience, the problem with speaking is lying, the problem with knowledge is forgetting, the problem with forbearance is foolishness, the problem with Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts worship is getting bored, the problem with pretence is arrogance, the problem with courage is transgression, the problem with tolerance towards others is a reminder of one's favours, the problem with beauty is looking down upon people, and the problem of love is pride. My son, never think little of any man. If he is older than you, regard him as a father; if he is near to you, regard him as a brother; and if he is younger than you, regard him as a son. This was the discussion between 'Ali and his son regarding matters of dignity. Al-Qac;li Abul-Faraj said: In this report, there is wisdom and a great deal of benefit for the one who ponders over it, learns it, understands it, acts upon it and disciplines himself to put it into practice. There is a great deal of benefit in reading these reports narrated from al-I:Iasan, and in the reports that were narrated by Commander of the Faithful 'Ali from the Prophet(~). There is a great deal that no smart or wise man could do without learning and pondering. The fortunate man is the one who is guided to accept it, and the more fortunate one is the one who is enabled to comply with it and accept it.6 Ibn Katheer commented on this report by stating: But this report and the hadith in it that is attributed to the Prophet (~) are weak. The way in which it is worded shows that it is away from the usual style. This only proves that the report is not sound. 7 And Allah knows best. 8 It was reported that: Commander of the Faithful 'Ali asked his son al-I:Iasan: How much space is there between faith and certainty? Al-I:Iasan answered: Four fingers. Commander of the Faithful 'Ali inquired: How come?

His characteristics and social life Al-I:Iasan replied: Faith means to believe what you hear and believe. Certainty means to believe what you see and believe. Between the eye and the ear, the space is only that of four fingers. 9 Another of his sayings was, "Asking the right questions is half of knowledge. " 10 He was asked about silence and said, "It is the concealment of faults or the adornment of honour; the one who practices it is at peace and his companion is safe." 11 Part of his knowledge was emphasising the importance of learning Arabic. 12 His emphasis on learning Arabic led to emphasising the necessity of applying academic rules in reading, especially when reciting the verses of the Quran. This is because Arabic is the language in which Allah revealed the Quran and the language through which He conveyed the laws of His religion and the obligations of the Ummah. It was in Arabic that the Messenger (~) conveyed his message and taught his Sunnah; it was in Arabic that religious books and books of knowledge and wisdom were written. Thus, it is essential for the youth to learn Arabic; otherwise, they will be ignorant of their religion and lack knowledge. One of the things which confirm that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali was well versed in the knowledge of the Arabic language is the fact that he is regarded as one of the most eloquent Arabs. 'Amr ibn al-'AHi' said, "I have never seen anyone more eloquent than alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali."13 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <•> had a number of bright students, including his son al-I:Iasan, al-Musayyab ibn Najubah, Suwayd ibn Ghaflah, al-'Ala' ibn 'Abdur-RaQ.man, ash-Sha'bi, Hubayrah ibn Yareem, al-A~bagh ibn Nabatah, Jabir ibn Khalid, Abul-Hawra' and 'Eesa ibn Ma'moon ibn Zurarah. It was said that his other stuAl-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts dents included Ibn al-Ma'moom, Abu Yal).ya 'Umayr ibn Sa'eed an-Nakha'i, Abu Maryam Qays ath-Thaqafi, Tal;rrub al-'Ajali, Is1).aq ibn Yasar (father of Muhammad ibn Is-1).aq), Sufyan ibn alLayl and 'Umar ibn Qays. All were people of Kufa. 14 His abundant knowledge, subtle understanding of pros and cons (in Shariah), and deep knowledge of the aims of Shariah were manifested when he handed the caliphate over to Mu' awiyah (~),giving precedence to the unity of the Ummah and avoiding bloodshed over personal interests in worldly power. 6.1.2 His worship Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) strove hard in worship and implemented the concept of comprehensive worship in his own life. His knowledge of worship came directly from the Prophet (~) and from Fatimah az-Zahra' (.). When she went to her father(~) to ask for a servant, he informed her about something better than that, namely repeating subl;an Allah (glory be to Allah), al/:lamdulillah (all praise is for Allah), la ilaha ilia Allah (there is none worthy of worship other than Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest). He also said to her and her husband at night when they were in bed: «Why don't you get up and pray?» Al-I:Iasan was raised in a house of asceticism, worship, piety, fear of Allah, forbearance and patience. He immersed himself in these concepts and principles until he himself became one of their symbols and their sublime example. His contemporaries among the Companions and those good people who mixed with him testified to that. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) based his worship on knowledge. He turned to Allah with certain faith; moreover, he turned away from this world and its distractions with contentment and pleasure.

His characteristics and social life Because of this, whenever he would perform ablution and finish it, the colour of his face would change. He was once asked about that, and he replied, "It is only appropriate for the one who wants to go to the Lord of the Throne that the colour of his face should change."15 lbn Sa' d said: I have never seen anyone more filled with fear than al-I:I:asan ibn 'Ali and 'Umar ibn 'Abdul-' Azeez; it was as if the fire was created only for them. 16 The closer people become to their Lord, and the more they learn about His names, attributes and perfect description, the greater their fear and awe of Allah. When al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <•> prayed the dawn prayer in the Prophet's Mosque, he would sit in the place where he had prayed, remembering Allah until the sun rose; some prominent people would sit with him. After that, he would get up and go to greet the Mothers of the Believers; sometimes they would give him gifts. Then he would go back to his house. 17 Through his life of devotion, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <•> taught us the importance of remembering Allah early in the morning; he encouraged us to forego sleep at that time. He used to say when the sun rose: Let the one who hears us convey our praise of Allah, the Almighty; He has no partner or associate. His is the sovereignty, and to Him belongs the praise. He is able to do all things. Let the one who hears us convey our praise of Allah, the Most Majestic. He has no partner or associate. His is the Sovereignty. To Him belongs all praise, and He is able to do all things. 18 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali<•> consistently recited the various supplications and words ofremembrance (of Allah) that were proven Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts from the Messenger of Allah(~). He used to encourage people to pray in the mosques. He would say: Whoever frequents the mosques regularly, Allah will grant him one of these blessings: a brother from whom he may benefit, a mercy that is hidden from him, knowledge that is useful, a word that may show guidance, or giving up a sin because of shyness. 19 Al-I:Iasan was one of those who stood in voluntary prayer during the night. He used to pray at the beginning of the night, and al-I:Iusayn <•>used to pray at the end of the night. 2° From the life of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <• ), we learn the significance of these voluntary night prayers. Performing them is one of the most important means of reviving one's faith and one of the most important forms of gratitude that he practised. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali<•> also performed hajj often. 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas<•> said: I do not regret anything I missed out on during my youth except that I did not perform the hajj walking. When al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali went for hajj, he walked twenty-five times, and the camels were led with him. He divided his wealth between himself and Allah three times, to such an extent that he would give the boots and keep the sandals. (Recorded by adh-Dhahabi with a sound chain) This is an example of making a commitment to something that is not obligatory according to the Shariah. This indicates the virtue of walking during hajj and is further supported by the fact that Ibn 'Abbas <•>regretted not doing that when he was young. The fact that al-I:Iasan persisted in doing it despite the hardship involved is indicative of the strength of his faith and his sincere desire to do more righteous deeds. (Walking in hajj means walking from Makkah to 'Arafah, then from 'Arafah to Makkah; it does not mean that the pilgrim walks from his own land to Mak-

His characteristics and social life kah or 'Arafah.)21 Hence, from the life of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~), we learn the importance of travelling to the House of Allah whenever circumstances allow. The Prophet (~) was reported to have said: «I feel hesitant about meeting my Lord after not having walked to His House.»22 6.1.3 His asceticism and lack of interest in worldly gain By studying the noble Quran, keeping close to his father, Commander of the Faithful 'Ali, and thinking about this life, al-I:Iasan understood that this world is a place of trials and tests. He grew up with the Book of Allah and understood the verses describing this world as lowly and brief, something which will soon come to an end. Al-I:Iasan would read Soorat al-Kahf every day and contemplate the verses in which Allah has said: ~And put forward to them the example of the life of this world: it is like the water [rain] which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and becomes fresh and green. But [later] it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything. Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world, but the good righteous deeds that last are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.~ (Quran 18: 45-46) Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) grew up imbibing the way of his grandfather(~), who was the most knowledgeable about this world and its worth and who said: «This world, in comparison to the hereafter, is like one of you dipping his finger in the sea; let him see how much he brings back.» (Muslim) A/-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Commander of the Faithful al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali(~) was influenced by this upbringing that was based on the Qur' an and the way of the Prophet(~). He was one of the most sincere and brilliant examples of Islamic asceticism. Al-f.lasan once said, "If you see a man competing with you in worldly matters, then compete with him in matters of the hereafter." Wuhayb ibn al-Ward said, "If you can manage not to let anyone be ahead of you in the race towards Allah, then do so."23 This great and deep understanding is what we learn from the life of al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali (~),who gave up power and authority, seeking whatever is with Allah and sparing Muslim blood. He gave it up when he was in a position of power and strength; as he said: The skulls of the Arabs were in my hand; they would grant peace to whomever I granted peace to, and they would declare war on whomever I declared war on. I have given it up, seeking the countenance of Allah. (Recorded by Ibn Katheer with a sound chain) According to another report, he said: I was afraid that on the Day of Resurrection, seventy or eighty thousand (more or less) would come, with their veins gushing blood, seeking vengeance from Allah and asking why their blood was shed.24 Ninety thousand men had sworn allegiance to al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali ( ~) after his father's martyrdom, 25 but he turned away from the caliphate and yielded it to Mu'awiyah (~).He said, "Not one drop of blood should be shed on my account."26 According to another report, he said: I would not want to be appointed to a position of authority over a mustard seed's worth of the Ummah of Muhammad and

His characteristics and social life a drop of blood be shed because of that. I know what is good for me and what is bad for me. Disperse and go back home.27 6.1.4 His generosity One of the Qur' anic attitudes that were embodied in the character of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) was generosity and spending a great deal for the sake of Allah (~). Reports clearly indicate that this trait was deeply rooted in his character. How could it be otherwise when he was raised in the household of the most generous of the generous, the Messenger of Allah(.), who used to give like one who does not fear poverty? This sublime quality permeated his grandson's soul and became part and parcel of his character, right from childhood. The reports of al-I:Iasan's kindness and generosity became proverbial and served as an example for other noble individuals. 28 Muhammad ibn Sireen said, "Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali might give one man one hundred thousand. "29 Sa'eed ibn 'Abdul-Azeez said: Al-I:Iasan heard a man beside him calling upon Allah and asking Him to grant him ten thousand dirhams. He went to his house and sent it to him. (Recorded by adh-Dhahabi with a sound chain) There is a report that: Al-I:Iasan saw a slave in one of the gardens ofMadinah eating a piece of bread and giving a piece to a dog that was present there. He asked: What made you do this? The slave replied: I feel that it is not right for me to eat without feeding him. Al-I:Iasan said to him: Stay where you are until I come back. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He went to the [slave's] master and bought him; he also bought the garden where he was. He then freed him and gave him the garden. The slave said to him: My master, I give this garden in charity for the sake of the One for Whose sake you freed me. (Recorded by Ibn Katheer with a sound chain) Abu Haroon al-' Abdi said: We went for hajj and arrived in Madinah, where we went to alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali and told him about our journey and our situation. When we left, he sent four hundred to each one of us. We went back and told him that we were well off, but he said: Do not return my gift to me. IfI were in a different situation, what I sent would be nothing. But I shall give you some beneficial advice: Allah boasts to His angels about His servants on the day of 'Arafah. (Recorded by adh-Dhahabi with a sound chain) Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) gave the money to those pilgrims even though they seemed to be well off. Imagine what might have happened if they had been in need. When they explained to him that they were not in need, he asked them not to return the wealth; this indicates that he had a strong motivation to be generous. He also gave them something better than money - in the form of useful advice - when he reminded them about the virtue of the day of 'Arafah when Allah(~) boasts to His angels.30 It was narrated that 'Abdullah ibn 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Umayr said: Ibn 'Abbas narrated that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali shared his wealth with Allah three times, to such an extent that he gave the leather slippers and kept the sandals. (Recorded by adh-Dhahabi with a sound chain) This is a beautiful example of generosity. On three different occasions, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) divided his wealth in two, giv-

His characteristics and social life ing half of it for charity. He was very careful in taking stock of himself, as if he were performing an obligatory duty by giving away the leather slippers and keeping the sandals, even though one is not good without the other. In so doing, he made himself an example for the Muslims in terms of excelling while doing good deeds.31 Al-I:Iasan was one of the most generous people of his time32 and was regarded as one of the most open-handed.33 One of the reports of his generosity states that Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (.)sent one hundred thousand dirhams to him, and he distributed it among the people who were with him, each of whom got ten thousand. 34 According to another report of his generosity: He visited Usamah ibn Zayd (.)when he was dying. U samah was saying: What a great distress, what a great sorrow! Al-I:Iasan asked: What is making you sad, Uncle? He replied: Son of the Messenger of Allah, I owe a debt of sixty thousand dirhams that I cannot repay. Al-I:Iasan said: I will pay it off for you. Usamah said to him: May Allah save you [from hell], son of the Prophet. c{Allah knows best with whom to place His message.~ (Qur 'an 6: 124)35 People testified to al-I:Iasan's generosity. The evidence for that is the report about a Bedouin who came to Madinah and asked people to give to him. He was told, "You should go to al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib(.), 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far, or Sa'eed ibn a1-·A~." Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He met Sa' eed ibn al-' A~, who honoured him and gave him what he wanted. 36 Another example of al-I:Iasan's generosity can be seen from this report: Al-I:Iasan was asked: Who is the happiest of people? He replied: The one who shares what he has with others. He was asked: Who is the worst of people? He answered: The one who does not share (with others) what he has.37 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali 0~) was once asked, "Why is it that you do not turn away anyone who asks for money, even when you are going through a hard time?" He replied: I ask Allah and put my hope in Him. Allah, may He be exalted, has a habit with me. His habit is to bestow His blessings generously upon me, and my habit with Him is to bestow His blessings on people. I am afraid that ifl stop my habit, He will stop His habit. 38 Al-I:Iasan was selfless in his generosity. He did not distinguish between rich and poor, young and old, relatives and strangers. This is because the naturally generous soul finds joy in giving; it seeks pleasure from making people happy39 in pursuit of Allah's reward. It was narrated from 'Ali ibnAbi Talib(~) that he addressed the people saying, "The son of your brother, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali, has accumulated some money and wants to divide it among you." When people came forward, al-I:Iasan stood up and said, "I have only collected it for the poor." Half of the people left. The first one who took from him was al-Ash'ath ibn Qays. (Recorded by Ibn Sa'd with a sound chain)

His characteristics and social life From the life ofal-l;lasan ibn 'Ali(~), we learn thatthe starting point for seeking the pleasure of Allah and ridding oneself of negative inclinations and stinginess is continually spending for the sake of Allah, until it becomes second nature and one loses interest in wealth. At that point, one does not rejoice when it increases and is not saddened when it decreases. We have a good example of generosity and spending in all;lasan ibn 'Ali ( ~). Spending for the sake of Allah is one of the greatest doors to paradise, and this door is more open to those who are well off than to others. Through this door, the leaders of the Ummahsuch as 'Uthman, 'Abdur-Rab.man ibn 'Awf, al-l;lasan and others - will enter paradise, if Allah wills. 6.1.5 His forbearance Once al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali and Marwan ibn al-l;lakam exchanged a few words. Marwan turned and spoke harshly to him, but all;lasan kept quiet. Marwan then blew his nose, using his left hand. Al-l;lasan said, "Woe to you! Don't you know that the right hand is for the face and the left hand is for the private parts? Woe to you!" Marwan fell silent. 40 Al-l;lasan initially kept quiet because he did not want to stand up for himself; however, when Marwan did something that was contrary to the Sunnah, al-l;lasan got angry for the sake of Allah and the Sunnah. He spoke up and explained to him the proper way.4' When al-l;lasan died, Marwan ibn al-l;lakam wept at his funeral. Al-l;lusayn said to him, "Are you weeping for him when you used to give him a hard time?" Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He replied, "I used to do that with the one who was more patient than this," and he pointed to the mountain.42 lbn 'A'ishah narrated that a man from Syria said: I entered Madinah, may the best of blessings and peace be upon its occupant, and I saw a man riding on a mule. I have never seen anyone more handsome, wearing a better garment, or riding a better mount. My heart was inclined toward him. I asked about him and was told: This is al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib. My heart filled with resentment, and I felt bad that 'Ali should have a son like him. I went to him and asked: Are you the son of' Ali ibn Abi Talib? He replied: I am his son. I said: May you and your father ... (I reviled them both.) When I finished speaking, he said to me: I think you are a stranger. I answered: Yes. He offered: If you need a place to stay, come to us and we can help you. If you need money, we will help you. If you have any need, we will help you. When I left him, no person on earth was dearer to me than him. Every time I think of what he did and what I did, I think highly of him and poorly of myself.43 From these events, we learn that forbearance was part of the character of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~). We also discover how to win over opponents by treating them kindly, putting up with their annoyance and letting them know that we only want good for them. This should be the case even if they are inclined towards ignorance, because Allah has said:

His characteristics and social life 4{Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and tum away from the foolish.~ (Qur 'an 7: 199) Al-I:Iasan followed the example of his grandfather (~), who reached the pinnacle of forbearance, tolerance and self-control while facing the lies and fabrications attributed to him. This was in addition to the annoyance caused by the polytheist Arabs such as Abu Lahab 's wife, Abu Jahl, Ubayy ibn Khalaf and other foolish people ofMakkah.44 'A'ishah (.,)described the attitude of the Messenger of Allah (~): «He did not repay bad with bad. Instead, he would pardon and forgive.» (Recorded by Al-Tirmidhi with a sound chain) 6.1.6 His humility Once al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) passed a group of poor people. On the ground were some pieces of bread that they had picked up from the road, and they were eating them. They called him to join them, and he responded, "Allah does not love the arrogant." When he had finished eating their food, he invited them to his house, where he fed them, clothed them and bestowed gifts on them out of generosity.45 Another time, he passed some boys who were eating, and they invited him to join them. He accepted their invitation. Later, he took them to his house, where he treated them kindly and generously, saying, "They are better than me because they did not have anything to eat but what they gave me, whereas we have more than what we gave them. "46 Humility is one of the characteristics of the servants of the Most Merciful. Allah has said: Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts ~And the [faithful] slaves of the Most Gracious [Allah] are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness ... ~ (Qur 'an 25: 63) 6.1.7 His leadership The Messenger of Allah (~) announced the status of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali 0~) and explained it to the people on more than one occasion. There are mutawatir reports narrating that he said about al-I:Iasan: «This son of mine is a sayyid.» Ibn 'Abdul-Barr said: There are mutawatir, sound reports from the Prophet(~) according to which he said concerning al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~): «This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps Allah will keep him alive until he reconciles two great groups of Muslims.» (al-Bukhari) According to the hadith of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah, the Messenger of Allah(~) said about al-I:Iasan: «This son of mine is a sayyid, and through him Allah will certainly bring about reconciliation between two groups of Muslims.» (Recorded by at-Tabarani with a sound chain) It was narrated that Sa'eed ibn Abi Sa'eed said: We were sitting with Abu Hurayrah when al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib came in and greeted us with the Islamic greeting of peace, and we returned his greeting. Abu Hurayrah, however, did not realise who it was and carried on. He said: Abu Hurayrah, here is al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali, and he has greeted us.

His characteristics and social life 23 7 He went and caught up with him and said: 0 my sayyid. I asked him: Did you say 'O my sayyid'? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah <•) say: «Verily, he is a sayyid.» (Recorded by al-I:Iakim) It was narrated from Jabir ibn 'Abdullah(~) that the Prophet (~)said: «Whoever would like to look at the sayyid of the youth of paradise, let him look at al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali.» (Recorded by al-Haythami with a sound chain) It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (~) said that the Messenger of Allah <•) said: «Al-I:Iasan and al-I:Iusayn will be the sayyids of the young people of paradise.» (A sound hadith recorded by al-I:Iakim) Reports stating that al-I:lasan and al-I:Iusayn will be sayyids in paradise have been narrated from many Companions because the Messenger of Allah <•) declared it time after time, sometimes in large gatherings.47 With the passage of time, it became clear that leadership qualities were deeply rooted in al-I:Iasan. These reached their high point when Allah enabled him to draw up the peace deal with Mu'awiyah (~)and unite the Ummah on common ground. Al-I:Iasan was a prominent leader who taught us that leadership is not attained through oppression and bloodshed or by squandering wealth and transgressing sacred limits. On the contrary, leadership is attained by protecting those limits and by eliminating grudges and hatred. His peace deal, which spared the blood of the Muslims, took him to the pinnacle of leadership. That kind of leadership cannot be attained by those who think of power the minute they catch a whiff of it.

23 8 A/-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Al-I:Iasan reconciled with Mu'awiyah (~)at a time when he was surrounded by thousands of people. There were many people among them who harboured lofty ambitions, but there were also those who were sincere and loyal. Al-I:Iasan did not want a single drop of blood to be shed because of him, or for any Muslim for that matter. Leadership over people should be aimed at protecting them and helping them to develop. To act otherwise is to engage in a kind of blind tyranny and foolish risk-taking through reckless adventures and gambles that result in destruction, ruin and humiliation while they incur the curse of history and the wrath of AllMighty Allah. Consider the waves of human blood that were shed throughout the ages - were they anything other than the result of eagerness to attain leadership and power and compete in worldly gains?48 6.2 His physical characteristics Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) was a handsome leader with a reddishwhite complexion and wide black eyes. He had fiat cheeks and a thick beard; his neck resembled a silver jug. He had large joints and broad shoulders, and was neither tall nor short. He was one of the most handsome people, with curly hair and a handsome body.49 One of the blessings that Allah bestowed upon al-l:Iasan was that he most resembled his grandfather (.).50

His behaviour in the society cA1-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) left a legacy that shows us the distinct impact he had on the Muslim society during the time of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. He was keen to correct misconceptions and to help people, showing kindness when mingling with them and guiding them with exhortations and precious words of wisdom. 7.1 His refutation of the belief in raj' ah Raj 'ah is the Shiite belief that some people will be brought back to this life from the dead, in their original forms, before the Day of Resurrection. It was narrated from 'Amr ibn al-A~amm: I said to al-I:Iasan: The Shiites are saying that 'Ali will be brought back to life before the Day of Resurrection. He said: They are lying, by Allah. These people are not the Shiites. If we had known that he would be brought back to life, we would not have permitted his wives to remarry or divided his wealth among ourselves. (Recorded by adh-Dhahabi with a sound chain) The first one to speak of it was lbn Saba', who said that 'Ali had gone into occultation and would return to this world. He did not believe that he had truly died. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts According to the Saba'is, Kaysanis and others, the belief in raj'ah only applied to the imams, but according to the Twelvers, it applies to the imams and many others. Al-Aloosi indicates that the Shiite belief in the return of the Imams only emerged in the third century AH. 1 The idea of returning to this world after death is contrary to the clear text of the noble Quran. It is invalid based on the evidence of numerous texts of the Book of Allah, including this verse: ~Until when death comes to one of them [those who join partners with Allah], he says: My Lord! Send me back so that I may do good in that which I have left behind! No! It is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is a barrier until the day when they will be resurrected.)< (Quran 23: 99-100) The words ~ ... and behind them is a barrier until the day when they will be resurrected)< clearly indicate that there is no coming back at all.2 We have seen the attitude of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali towards this idea in the report of' Amr ibn al-A~amm. The idea is clearly false. Never before in the entire history of humankind has Allah brought the dead back to life in order to bring them to account in this world. 7.2 His meeting people's needs It was reported that: A man came to al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali 0~) and told him of his need, and al-I:Iasan went out to help him. The man said: I did not want to bother you by asking you to help me. I started with al-I:Iusayn, and he said: Were it not for the fact that I am observing i 'tikdf (seclusion in the mosque for the purpose of worship), I would have come out with you.

His behaviour in the society Al-f.lasan said: To help a brother of mine for the sake of Allah is dearer to me than observing i'tikaf for a month.3 According to another report, he interrupted his circumambulation of the Kaaba (as part of the pilgrimage) to help a man who needed something from a specific person.4 It was also narrated that al-f.lasan (or al-f.lusayn, according to some writers) said: The people's need for you is one of Allah's blessings upon you, so do not tire of blessings lest they turn into trouble. You should realise that doing favours brings praise and results in reward. If you could see your doing favours personified, you would see a handsome man who brings joy to those who see him and who looks better than all others. If you were to see meanness personified, you would see one who is ugly and disfigured, repugnant to hearts and eyes. 5 The author of ash-Shuhub al-Lami 'ah .fis-Siyasah an-Na.ft 'ah said: A man gave something in writing to al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali, who said: I have read it, and your needs will be met. It was said to him: Son of the Prophet's daughter, why did you not look at it to check it and see what is in it? He said: I am afraid that I will be questioned [on the Day of Resurrection] about putting him in a humiliating position in front of me while I read it.6 These incidents indicate his good attitude and his greatness combined with humility. It comes as no surprise that al-f.lasan is the one who said: Good characteristics are ten: honest speech, steadfastness, giving to one who asks us, a good attitude, doing acts of kindness, upholding ties of kinship, showing kindness to neighbours, Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts recognising the rights of one's companions, offering hospitality, and modesty - and chief among them is modesty. 7 He also said, "What is worse than calamity is a bad attitude."8 This noble conduct on the part of al-I:Iasan is a direct application of the teachings of the Messenger of Allah(~). It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn Dinar that one of the Prophet's Companions said: «It was said: Messenger of Allah, who is the most beloved to Allah? He replied: The one who is most helpful to people. And the most beloved of deeds to Allah is the joy that you bring to a believer, relieving him of distress or paying off his debt or dispelling his hunger. To walk with a Muslim brother in order to help him is dearer to me than observing i 'tikiif for two months in a mosque. If a person walks with his Muslim brother to help him and persists until his need is met, Allah will make his feet steadfast on the day when feet slip. A bad attitude may spoil one's good deeds just as vinegar spoils honey.»9 7.3 His marriage to the daughter of Tall)ah ibn 'Ubaydullah It was narrated from Shu'ayb ibn Yasiir that: Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <•> came to [Is-Q.iiq ibn Tall).ah,] a son of TalQ.ah ibn 'Ubaydulliih, and said: I have come to you for something, and you cannot tum me away. He asked: What is it? Al-I:Iasan requested: Give me your sister [Umm Is-Q.iiq] in marriage.

His behaviour in the society He said: Mu'awiyah has written to me, proposing to her on behalf of Yazeed. Al-I;Iasan said: You cannot tum me away after I have come to you; give her to me in marriage. He said: Go to your wife. Al-l;lasan sent a garment to her and visited her. News of that reached Mu'awiyah, who wrote to Marwan, telling him to give her the choice. She chose al-I;Iasan, and Mu'awiyah approved of that. After al-l;lasan died, al-I;Iusayn married her. 10 7.4 His marriage to Khawlah hint Mandhoor It was narrated that lbn Abi Mulaykah said: Al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali married Khawlah bint Mandhoor and spent the night on a roof that had no surrounding wall. 11 She tied one end of her head cover to his foot and the other end to her ankle. When he got up at night and saw this, he asked: What is this? She replied: I was afraid that you might get up and walk in your sleep and fall; I would be the worst woman in the eyes of the Arabs. He loved her for her attitude and stayed with her for seven days. 12 lbn 'Umar said: We have not seen Abu Muhammad for a few days; let us go and see him. They came to him, and Khawlah said to him: Will you keep them here until we prepare some lunch for them? Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He said: Yes. Ibn 'Umar said: Al-I:Iasan began talking to us to distract us until the food was ready. 13 7.5 He did not see the Mothers of the Believers without their veils Al-I:Iasan and al-I:Iusayn (may Allah be pleased with them) did not see the Mothers of the Believers without their veils. Ibn 'Abbas said, "Seeing them was permissible for them." Adh-Dhahabi commented, "It was certainly permissible."14 This indicates that al-I:Iasan was very shy and modest. 7.6 His great care to refrain from abusing his connection to the Prophet<•) Once al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (.) entered the marketplace to buy something he needed. He asked a shopkeeper about an item and was quoted the regular price. The shopkeeper realised that he was al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(.), grandson of the Messenger of Allah(.), so he reduced the price as a token of honour and respect. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <•) did not accept that, though; he gave up his errand, saying, "I do not like to benefit from my connection with the Messenger of Allah in trivial ways."15 The same attitude was exhibited by other members of Ahl al-Bayt who adhered to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger(.), such as Zayn al-'Abideen ibn 'Ali ibn alI:Iusayn. They did not take advantage of this lineage for worldly gain. This is in contrast to the children ofreligious leaders in some

His behaviour in the society other religions, who acquire extra sanctity in all situations and are treated by their followers as super-humans. 7.7 He offered the funeral prayer for al-Ash' ath ibn Qays Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays died forty days after the murder of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali, and al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali(~) offered the funeral prayer for him. 16 Al-f.lasan was married to his daughter.17 Some weak reports suggest that al-Ash'ath ibn Qays was involved in the murder of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali, but there is no evidence for that. When studying the role played by al-Ash'ath during the caliphate of' Ali, we find that he was loyal and sincere. He was also keen to strengthen his relationship with him and his family, so he married his daughter to al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali(~). On the wedding day, the tribe of Kindah took their cloaks and spread them from al-f.lasan's door to the door of al-Ash'ath. 18 There is no report from 'Ali's family to suggest that they made accusations against al-Ash'ath or found that any of his family were involved. 7.8 How he treated those who mistreated him Ibn 'Asakir reports that: A man came from Madinah who hated 'Ali. He had no provisions and no mount. He complained about his situation to one of the people ofMadinah, who said to him: Go to al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali. Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts The man said to him: I only have this problem because of alI:Iasan and his father. It was said to him: You will not find anyone who can help you except him. Thus, he went and complained to him. Al-I:Iasan ordered for him to be given provisions and a mount. The man recited: ff Allah knows best with whom to place His message. Jt (Qur 'an 6: 124) It was said to al-I:Iasan: A man came to you who hates you and hates your father, and you ordered for him to be given provision and a mount? He said: Should I not protect my honour from him with provisions and a mount?19 7.9 His etiquette in gatherings One day he was sitting in a place and wanted to leave, but a poor man came to him. He welcomed and showed kindness to him, saying, "You came in when I was about to leave; will you give me permission to leave?" He said, "Yes, 0 son of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (.)."20 7.10 His good attitude with the people It was narrated that 'Umayr ibn Is-1).aq said: The only one who spoke in my presence who was dearer to me when he started to speak, and whom I would not want to stop

His behaviour in the society 24 7 speaking, was al-I;Iasan ibn 'Ali. I never heard him say a bad word except once. There was a dispute between al-l;Iusayn ibn 'Ali and 'Amr ibn 'Uthman, and al-I;Iasan said: We have nothing to give him except what makes his nose rub in the dust. These are the worst words I ever heard from him. (Recorded by lbn Katheer with a sound chain) 7.11 His playing with stones Sulayman ibn Shadeed said: I used to play games with al-I;Iasan and al-I;Iusayn using stones.21 If I hit his stones, he would say to me: You are allowed to ride on the one who is descended from the Messenger of Allah (~). If he hit my stone, he would say: Will you not praise your Lord that the one who is descended from the Messenger of Allah (~) is going to ride on you?22 7.12 His avoidance of excessive speech Al-I;Iasan ibn 'Ali (~)was silent most of the time, but when he spoke, he did so more eloquently than anyone else. He taught us to avoid speaking too much. This was also the practice of the Prophet (~), who said: «A person's faith will not be sound unless his heart is sound, and his heart will not be sound unless his tongue is sound.»23 Al-Awza'i said that 'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez wrote a message to them saying: Whoever remembers death a great deal will be content with little in this world, and whoever regards his words as part of his deeds will not say much except that which benefits him.24 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) regarded his speech as part of his deeds; that was why he was silent much of the time. 7.13 His honouring Usamah ibn Zayd It was narrated that I:Iirmalah, the freed slave ofUsamah, said: lbn Zayd sent me to' Ali ibnAbi Talib and told me: He will ask you why your companion stayed behind. Tell him: He says to you: If you were in the jaws of a lion, I would like to be there with you, but this is a matter that I do not agree with. I went to 'Ali, but he did not give me anything. Then I went to al-I:Iasan, al-I:Iusayn and 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far, and they loaded my mount for me.25 7.14 His explanation to the poor Jew It was said that: One day al-I:Iasan took a ritual bath and went out of his house wearing a fine suit, looking well-off and handsome. On his way, he was met by a poor Jew who was wearing animal skin and was very sick; he appeared to be in a state of want and humiliation. The midday sun had burned him, and he was carrying a bucket of water on his back. He stopped al-I:Iasan and said: Son of the Messenger of Allah, a question. Al-I:Iasan asked: What is it? He said: Your grandfather said: «This world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the disbeliever.» (Muslim and lbn Majah) You are a believer and I am a disbeliever, but from what I can see, this world is a paradise for you to enjoy, and it is a prison

His behaviour in the society that is giving me a great deal of hardship, suffering and poverty. When al-I:Iasan heard this, he said: Listen to me. If you knew what Allah has prepared for me in the hereafter, you would understand that my situation here, in comparison, is like a prison. And if you knew what punishment Allah has prepared for you in the hereafter, you would understand that the situation you are in now is an abundant paradise. 26 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) was quick-witted; he gave a convincing answer in which he explained that what this man was complaining about was like paradise in comparison to the punishment of the hereafter that has been prepared for the disbelievers. On the other hand, the situation of al-I:Iasan, which this man thought was so good, was in fact like a prison in comparison to the delights of paradise that have been prepared for the pious.27 7.15 Ibn 'Abbas' respect for al-Ijasan and al-Ijusayn Mudrik Abu Ziyad said: We were in the garden of lbn 'Abbas when he, al-I:Iasan and al-I:Iusayn came. They walked around the garden looking at it; then they came to a stream and sat down on its bank. Al-I:Iasan said to me: Mudrik, do you have lunch? He said: We have baked bread. He said: Bring it. So I brought him some bread, a little coarsely ground salt and two bunches of herbs. He ate and said: Mudrik, how good this is! His lunch was brought, and there was plenty of good food. Al-If asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He said: Mudrik, call the workers of the garden for me. He offered the food to them and they ate, but he did not eat. I said: Why don't you eat? He said: That was a more delicious meal for me than this. Then they got up and performed ablution, and al-I;lasan's mount was brought. Ibn 'Abbas held the stirrup and adjusted the saddle for him. Al-I;Iusayn's mount was brought, and Ibn 'Abbas held the stirrup and adjusted the saddle for him. When they left, I said: You are older than them, but you held the stirrups and adjusted the saddles for them? He said: 0 ignorant one, don't you know who these two are? These two are the grandsons of the Messenger of Allah(~). This is a blessing from Allah to me, that I should hold the stirrups and adjust the saddles for them.28 The respect Ibn 'Abbas showed to al-I;lasan and al-I;lusayn was an indication of his love for them and an acknowledgement of their virtues. Moreover, it was indicative of his virtue, since the only ones who acknowledge the virtue of virtuous people are those who are themselves virtuous. 7.16 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr's praise for al-I:Iasan 'Abdullah ibn 'Urwah said: I saw 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr sitting with al-I;lasan ibn 'Ali on a cold winter morning; by Allah, he did not get up and leave before his forehead was sweating. That annoyed me, so I went to him and said: Uncle. He asked: What do you want?

His behaviour in the society I replied: I saw you sitting with al-Basan ibn 'Ali, and you kept talking to him until your forehead started sweating. He explained: Son of my brother, he is the son of Fatimah. By Allah, women have never given birth to anyone like him. 29 7.17 The relationship between al-l:fasan and al-l:fusayn Ibn Khallikan mentioned, while doubting the authenticity of the report, that: There was an argument between al-Basan and al-Busayn, and they stopped speaking to one another. It was said to al-Busayn: Why don't you go to your brother, since he is older than you? He said: The one who initiates reconciliation is more virtuous, and I would not like to be more virtuous than my brother. News of that reached al-Basan, and he came to him.30 7.18 The one with the noblest parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles Ibn 'Asakir reported that: Mu'awiyah (~)asked, when 'Amr ibn al-'A~ and a number of prominent people were with him: Who is the noblest of people in terms of his father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, maternal uncle, maternal aunt, paternal uncle and paternal aunt? An-Nu'man ibn al-'Ajlan al-Zurqani stood up, took al-Basan by the hand and said: This one. His father is 'Ali, his mother Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts is Fatimah, his grandfather is the Messenger of Allah(.), his grandmother is Khadeejah, his paternal uncle is Ja'far, his paternal aunt is Umm Hani', his maternal uncle is al-Qasim, and his maternal aunt is Zaynab.31 7.19 People's love for him and his brother al-Busayn, and how they crowded around them at the Kaaba Abu Sa'eed said: I saw al-I:Iasan and al-I:Iusayn praying the mid-afternoon prayer with the imam; then they went to the black stone and touched it. Thereafter, they circumambulated the Kaaba seven times and prayed two units of prayer. The people said: These are the two sons of the Messenger of Allah's daughter. The people crowded around them until they could not move on. They had with them a man who was one of the descendants of Rukanah. Al-I:Iusayn took the hand of that Rukani32 and pushed the people back from al-I:Iasan, whom he respected a great deal. I never saw them pass by the comer that comes after the black stone, on the same side as the stone, without touching it. I ['Ammarah ibn Mu'awiyah al-Duhni] said to Abu Sa'eed: Perhaps some of their seven circuits were left and they were interrupted by the prayer? He replied: No, they did seven complete circuits.33

His words, speeches and exhortations 8.1 His warning against spiritual diseases c.t{l-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali 0~) said: People's doom lies in three things: arrogance, greed and envy. Arrogance dooms one's religious commitment, and Satan was cursed because ofit. Eagerness (for wealth and prominence) is the enemy of oneself, and Adam was expelled from paradise because of it. Envy leads to evil, and Cain killed Abel because of it. 1 In this speech, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~)warned people about specific diseases of the heart, or spiritual diseases, such as: (a) Arrogance Al-I:Iasan said, "Arrogance dooms one's religious commitment, and Satan was cursed because of it." Arrogance is the opposite of humility. It means thinking highly of oneself while looking down upon others and regarding them with scorn. It is one of the most serious problems, from which other troubles stem~ It may lead to a swift punishment from Allah and incur His wrath, because pride is only appropriate for Him. It Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts does not befit anyone other than Him, because everyone and everything belongs to Him. (b) Eagerness [for wealth and prominence] Al-I:Iasan said, "Greed is the enemy of oneself, and Adam was expelled from paradise because of it." The Messenger of Allah <•) said: «Two hungry wolves sent against a flock of sheep cause less damage to them than a man's eagerness for wealth and prominence causes to his religious commitment.» (A sound hadith recorded by Ibn I:Iibban) This is a great similitude cited by the Prophet <•) to show how a Muslim's religious commitment may be corrupted by eagerness to acquire wealth and prominence in this world. (c) Envy Al-I:Iasan said, "Envy leads to evil, and Cain killed Abel because of it." Envy is the opposite ofloving good for others. It means to wish that a blessing be taken away from the object of one's envy. It is a destructive, blameworthy and abhorrent disease of the heart. Allah commanded His Prophet (~)to seek refuge with Him from the evil of the one who envies, just as He commanded him to seek refuge with Him from Satan: f{And from the evil of the envier when he envies.!+ (Qur 'an 113: 5) The Prophet <•) said: «Do not envy one another, do not forsake one another, do not bear grudges against one another, and do not tum away from one another. 0 servants of Allah, be brothers.» (al-Bukhari)

His words, speeches and exhortations 8.2 The concept of contentment as understood by al-I:Iasan and Abu Dharr Abul-'Abbas Muhammad ibn Yazeed al-Mubarrad said: Al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali was told that Abu Dharr was saying: Poverty is dearer to me than affluence, and sickness is dearer to me than good health. Al-l;lasan said: May Allah have mercy on Abu Dharr. As for me, what I say is: Whoever believes that what Allah chooses for him is best for him would not choose to be in any state other than that which Allah has chosen for him. That is the proper definition of contentment, which is based on the acceptance of the divine decree. (Recorded by Ibn Katheer with a sound chain) In this report, al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali(~) has described to us one of the precious deeds of the heart, which indicates that he was wellacquainted with it. Contentment is one of the deeds of the heart, as opposed to jihad, which is a physical action. They both represent the pinnacle of faith. 2 Contentment is one of the 'fruits' that result from loving Allah (~).It is the highest position of those who are close to Him. The true essence of contentment is a mystery to most people, but it is the greatest path to Allah and brings comfort to those who know Him. Indeed, it is the paradise of this world. 8.3 Sublime character and attitude Commander of the Faithful al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali(~) said: I shall tell you about a brother I used to have, the one whom I respected the most. The reason I respected him most was that Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts he had no respect for worldly matters. He was free of the dominance of his stomach's desire, he did not desire what he did not find, and he did not eat too much when he did find something. He was free of the dominance of sexual desire, so it did not undermine his reason or thinking. He was free of the dominance of ignorance, so he did not do anything unless he was sure that he was doing the right thing. He was not discontent, and he did not compromise. Ifhe met knowledgeable people, he was keener to listen than to speak. Although others might overwhelm him with their talk, he would not be defeated with regard to silence. He was silent most of the time, but when he spoke, he was more eloquent than anyone else. He never got involved in any court case or any argument, and he never gave evidence except in front of the judge. He said what he did, and he did what he did not say, out of generosity and kindness. He did not neglect his brothers, and he did not keep anything to himself without giving it to them too. He did not blame anyone if there could be an excuse for the person. Ifhe was faced with two matters and did not know which was closer to the truth, he would see which was closer to his whims and desires and then go against that one. 3 This speech contains plenty of guidance and an explanation of a sublime character and attitude. We should train ourselves and our children to adhere to this sublime code of conduct so that it becomes a reality in our lives. We may learn a number of lessons from this report, including the following:

His words, speeches and exhortations "The reason I respected him most was that he had no respect for worldly matters." This world is insignificant only for those who know its true nature; who have developed a sound understanding of Allah, life, the universe, paradise, hell, and the divine will and decree; and who have a profound understanding of how to prepare themselves to meet Allah (~). They strive for the eternal and discard the temporary. They are certain that this world is the abode of trial and preparation for the fruits of the hereafter. Thus, they have liberated themselves from the allurements of this world, submitting themselves instead to their Lord, both outwardly and inwardly. "He was free of the dominance of his stomach's desire ... "4 This is a call to forego excessive eating, which leads to many evil consequences. It energises one to engage in sins, while making one feel sluggish when wanting to do good deeds. These two reasons are sufficient. "He was free of the dominance of sexual desire ••. "5 Al-I:Iasan called for a control of sexual desire, which should not be fulfilled except in the ways prescribed by Allah(~). This is because giving it free rein leads to serious consequences such as hard-heartedness and weakness of faith. "If he met knowledgeable people, he was keener to listen than to speak. "6 This indicates respect for scholars and willingness to learn from them. Respecting and honouring them is part of the Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (~) said: «He is not one of us who does not show compassion to our young ones and respect our old ones, enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and acknowledge the rights of our knowledgeable ones.» (Al-Tirmidhi) Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts "He was silent most of the time, but when he spoke, he was more eloquent than anyone else."7 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) advocated that one should speak less and avoid arguments. The Prophet (~) said: «When a person wakes up, all his physical faculties submit to his tongue and say: Fear Allah concerning us, for we are dependent on you. If you remain straight, we will be straight, but if you go crooked, we will also go crooked.» (A good hadith recorded by Al-Tirmidhi) "If he was faced with two matters and did not know which was closer to the truth, he would see which was closer to his whims and desires and then go against that one."8 Al-I:Iasan encouraged people to go against their whims and desires (their inclination to enjoy what they desire, without the approval of Shariah).9 Following whims and desires is regarded as one of the reasons why many nations went against their prophets, rejecting the truth, guidance and light that they brought. Allah has said: f.{Verily, We took the covenant of the children of Israel and sent messengers to them. Whenever there came to them a messenger with what they themselves desired not - a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed.~ (Qur 'an 5: 70) 8.4 A voiding conjecture Al-I:Iasan said: It is permissible to think negatively about someone who is known to be evil when there is evidence for that; however, you should not think negatively about a person on the basis of mere conjecture because conjecture is often wrong. 10

His words, speeches and exhortations From these wise words of al-I:Iasan, we may understand that it is permissible for a smart and alert believer to be wary of and think negatively about the one whose situation, behaviour, attitude or words indicate that he or she is an evil person. A person's true character is often revealed through facial expressions and slips of the tongue. Al-I:Iasan's words imply the importance of caution and protecting oneself from people of that nature, so that the Muslims will not fall into calamity as a result of thinking positively about and trusting an evil person. On the other hand, it is not appropriate to think negatively about a person without any evidence or good reason. 8.5 Consultation and discussion Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) said: By Allah, when people discuss an issue (in order to reach a decision on the basis of consultation), Allah will guide them to the best view that is presented among them. II Here, al-I:Iasan has urged people to discuss all matters among themselves and has emphasised the importance of doing so. The early generation practised consultation, a practice that they had learned from the Messenger (~) and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Al-I:Iasan discussed with his brother, al-I:Iusayn, his cousin 'Abdullah ibn J a' far, and other leading figures in his state, the idea of making peace with Mu'awiyah (~),as we shall see below. Consultation is regarded as one of the foundations of Shariah and one of the best ways to reach a decision. If a ruler does not consult people of knowledge and religious commitment, he must be dismissed. This is a matter on which there is no difference of scholarly opinion. 12 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts 8.6 Important principles enjoined by al-I:Iasan Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) said in one of his exhortations to the Muslims: Son of Adam, refrain from what Allah has forbidden, and you will be a true worshipper. Be content with what Allah has given you, and you will be truly rich (of independent means). Be kind to your neighbour, and you will be a true Muslim. Treat people as you would like them to treat you, and you will be fair. Among you in the past, there were people who accumulated a great deal of wealth, built lofty structures, and hoped for a long life; but their wealth ended up in ruin, their deeds were of no benefit, and their dwellings became graves. Son of Adam, you have continued to ruin your life since you emerged from your mother's womb. Strive hard with regard to what is left of your life and for what you will encounter in the hereafter, for the believer strives to acquire provision (for the hereafter), while the disbeliever spends his time in pursuit of physical pleasure. 13 Then he recited the verse: f{ ... And take a provision [with you] for the journey, but the best provision is righteousness ... lt (Qur 'an 2: 197) The following is a brief discussion of al-I:Iasan's words: "O son of Adam, refrain from what Allah has forbidden, and you will be a true worshipper." Here, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) is instructing people to keep away from things that are prohibited in Islamic law; he regarded the one who does that as a true worshipper. Falling into forbidden habits makes a person negligent in obeying Allah (~) and

His words, speeches and exhortations exposes him to His wrath, punishment and anger. Furthermore, these two matters lead to many other evils and cause serious harm in this world and in the hereafter. "Be content with what Allah has given you, and you will be truly rich (of independent means )."14 Al-I:Iasan is speaking of contentment and acceptance of Allah's decree. He states that this contentment leads to a sense of being independent through trust in Allah (~). Being content with Allah means refraining from disliking what happens by His decree. 15 The highest level of this contentment is joy, peace of mind, and acceptance of whatever Allah wills, whether it is good or bad. Belief in the divine will and decree is one of the six pillars of faith. Al-I:Iasan's grandfather G~) was the best example of this. One of his supplications was: «I ask You for contentment after the decree, a life of ease after death, the joy of looking upon Your countenance and longing to meet You. I seek refuge with You from harmful calamity and misguiding turmoil. 0 Allah our Lord, adorn us with faith and make us the guides and the guided.» (anNasa'i) "Be kind to your neighbour, and you will be a true Muslim."16 The neighbour's rights are among the greatest of rights, so alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) urged people, in his sermons and exhortations, to treat their neighbours well. "Treat people as you would like them to treat you, and you will be fair." Al-I:Iasan is encouraging Muslims to be fair with others, to treat them justly, and to refrain from wronging them. Fairness is a noble characteristic that indicates a soul at ease with itself; it also implies farsightedness. It entails giving people their dues on the basis of justice and proper conduct. 17 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts "Among you in the past, there were people who accumulated a great deal of wealth ... " From here until the very end of his speech, al-I:Iasan describes a person whose main focus is this world, who is preoccupied with the accumulation of worldly goods and is afflicted with the disease of hoping for a long life. This is how most people are, except those on whom their Lord has mercy. Death comes suddenly, and they do not benefit from what they have accumulated; their efforts are wasted and their dwellings left empty. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali <•) warned people lest they be deceived by this world, and he urged them to take no interest in it. A lack of interest in worldly gain is the product of having faith that there is a great difference between this world and the hereafter. Al-I:Iasan encouraged Muslims to fear Allah, in the hope that they would reap benefits in this world and in the hereafter.

Prominent figures during his caliphate ezhie situation following the death of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali ibn Abi Talib<•) was difficult and complicated because the war with Mu'awiyah ibnAbi Sufyan <•)was ongoing. In these circumstances, allegiance was sworn in Kufa to alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali(.) as caliph, in 40AH1660 CE. Al-I:Iasan did not have much time to make administrative changes or to change governors, so he approved the governors who had been appointed by his father and left them in their posts. The only exception was in Kufa, where he appointed al-Mugheerah ibn Nawfal' to replace Hani ibn an-Nakha'i, who subsequently joined Mu'awiyah (.).2 Sa'd ibn Mas'ood ath-Thaqafi remained the governor of alMada'in.3 He had been 'Ali's governor there.4 Al-I:Iasan left him in place, and he continued in his administrative role until the caliphate was yielded to Mu'awiyah (.). According to some reports, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas had been appointed as the governor of Basra by Caliph 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (.). He remained in that post until the peace deal was drawn up with Mu'awiyah ibnAbi Sufyan (.).After that, he retired from political life and left Basra, heading for Makkah,5 where he devoted his time to seeking knowledge and teaching. The province of Faris was under the governorship of Ziyad ibn Sufyan.6 'Ali<•) had sent him to Faris to discipline the rebels there, which he did successfully; 7 he served as its governor from A/-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts that time until the peace deal with Mu'awiyah (~) was drawn up.s Al-I:Iasan also left in posit~on other people who had worked for his father, namely 'Ubaydullah ibn Abi Rafi' as a scribe,9 Shurayl). ibn al-I:Iarith as the jitdge ofKufa, 10 and Ma'qil ibn Qays ar-Riyal).i as head of the police force. 11 Among the most prominent figures during al-I:Iasan's caliphate were his brother al-I:Iusayn ibn 'Ali, Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah al-Khazraji, 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib alHashimi, and 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibnAbi Talib al-Hashimi (may Allah be pleased with them). The following are brief biographies of the last three: 9 .1 Qays ibn Sa' d ibn 'Ubadah His full name was Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah ibn Dulaym ibn I:Iarithah ibn Abi Khuzaymah ibn Tha'labah ibn Tareef ibn alKhazraj ibn Sa'idah ibn Ka'b, commander of Muslim soldiers, Abu 'Abdullah, chief of al-Khazraj and son of their chief, Abu Thabit al-An~ari al-Khazraji. He was a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (~) and the son of a Companion. 12 He was one of the prominent Companions, a shrewd and noble Arab, one of the wisest people, skilled in war, chivalrous and courageous. He was the uncontested leader of his people, from the family of their chief. 13 His position with the Messenger of Allah (~) was as the chief of police for a governor. He carried the banner of the Prophet(.) on some of his campaigns and was put in charge of the zakah. 14 He was present with the Messenger of Allah (~) at several events, 15 and he took part in a number of campaigns During his caliphate, 'Ali (~) appointed Qays ibn Sa'd as governor of Egypt, 16 and he managed the affairs of Egypt wisely.

Prominent figures during his caliphate Later, when he was replaced, he joined 'Ali(~) in Kufa. After 'Ali's martyrdom, he joined al-I:Iasan and marched in his vanguard to meet Mu'awiyah (~).When al-I:Iasan swore allegiance to Mu'awiyah, Qays followed suit. He then went back to Madinah17 and devoted himself to worship. 18 9.2 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib al-Hashimi: Abu Muhammad His name was 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib alHashimi, the paternal cousin of the Messenger of Allah (~). His mother was Umm al-Fac;ll Lubabah the Elder hint al-I:Iarith ibn I:Iazan ibn Bujayr al-Huzam ibn Ruwaybah ibn 'Abdullah ibn Hilal ibn •Amir ibn Sa'~a'ah. 20 He was the brother of 'Abdullah, Katheer, al-Fac;ll, Qutham, Ma'bad and Tammam.21 Commander of the Faithful 'Ali ibnAbi Talib(~) appointed 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas as governor of Yemen and put him in charge of hajj, so he led the people in hajj in 36 AH and 37 AH. Abul-'Abbas at-Tabari al-Makki, in his book on the biographies of members of the Prophet's family, Dhakha 'ir al- 'Uqbdfee Manaqib Dhawil-Qurba, said: .. .It was said: whoever wanted to see handsomeness, understanding of Islam and generosity, let him go to the household of al-' Abbas, because handsomeness belonged to al-Fac;ll, knowledge belonged to 'Abdullah, and generosity belonged to 'Ubaydullah. 22 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas was called the wise one who possessed the wisdom to deal with difficult issues. 'Ubaydullah was the one whose generosity was like the flow of the Euphrates, for he used to feed people every day. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts His father asked him, "My son, why do you offer food in the morning and not in the evening? You offer food in the morning, so offer it in the evening too." 'Ubaydullah said to a slave of his, "My son, slaughter (prepare and serve meat) in the morning and slaughter in the evening."23 There are several different opinions concerning the year in which he died. Bukhari24 and al-Fasawi25 said that he died during the time of Mu'awiyah (~). 26 Khaleefah27 and others have asserted that he died in 5 8 AH. 28 Abu 'Ubayd and Abu I:Iassan azZiyadi believed that he died in 87 AH.29 It was also said that he died during the time ofYazeed, and this is most likely. He died in Madinah; some said Yemen, but the former is more likely to be correct.30 9.3 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib al-Hashimi His full name was 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibnAbi Talib ibn 'AbdulMuttalib ibn Hashim, the son of the sayyid and the scholar, Abu Ja'far al-Qurayshi al-Hashimi. He was born in Abyssinia and lived in Madinah. He was also known as 'the generous one, son of the two-winged generous one' .31 His mother was Asma' hint 'Umays al-Kha th' amiyah, half-sister of Maymoonah hint al-I:Iarith through her mother. She gave birth to 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far in Abyssinia, where she was the first Muslim to bear a child.32 After Ja' far was martyred, Asma' married Abu Bakr a~-Siddeeq and bore him a son called Muhammad. She later married 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and bore him a son called Yal)ya (may Allah be pleased with them all). 33 Hence, 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far was the half-broth-

Prominent.figures during his caliphate er of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr a~-Siddeeq and Yal).ya ibn 'Ali, through their mother. 34 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far is regarded as the last of Banu Hashim to see the Messenger of Allah(~) before he died.35 It was narrated that 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far (~)said: «When the Messenger of Allah (~) arrived from a journey, he would be met by the children of his household. He arrived from a journey, and I was taken to meet him first, and he seated me on his mount in front of him. One ofFatimah's two sons came, and he seated him behind him; we entered Madinah with the three of us on one mount.» (Muslim) Keenness of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali (~) to teach 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn Shaddad that 'Ali said to 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far (~): Shall I not teach you some words that I did not teach to alI:Iasan or al-I:Iusayn? If you ask Allah for something to which you want a response, say: There is no God but Allah alone, with no partner or associate, the Most High, the Almighty. There is no God but Allah alone, with no partner or associate, the Forbearing, the Most Generous. 36 'Abdullah ibn Ja 'far accompanied his paternal uncle 'Ali(~) and was one of his commanders on the day of Siffeen.37 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far was gentle, forbearing, dignified and generous. He was called 'the ocean of generosity' 38 and 'the centre of generosity' .39 It is said that there was no one more generous than him in Islam during his time. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts It was narrated from 'Ali ibn al-I:Iusayn that al-I:Iusayn (~) said," 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far taught us generosity."40 This is an example of al-I:Iusayn 's humility, because in reality, he and his brother al-I:Iasan set the highest example of generosity, kindness and spending. The debt of az-Zubayr and the dispute between 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr and 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with them) 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far lent az-Zubayr one million dirhams. When az-Zubayr died, his son said to 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far: I found in my father's records that you owe him one million dirhams. He said: That must be correct; take it if you want. Later on, az-Zubayr's son met 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far and told him: I was confused about it; he owes you the money. He said: It is his. [He let it go.] He said: We do not want that.41 Adh-Dhahabi said, "This is one of the most eloquent kinds of generosity that we have heard of. "42 In the report of lbn 'Asakir, it is said that: When 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said to 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far: We do not want that, lbn Ja'far said: Then choose: if you want, it is yours, but if you do not want that, then you decide what you want. If you do not want it, then sell me whatever you want of his property. He said: I will sell to you, but I have to evaluate it first.

Prominent figures during his caliphate He evaluated the property, came to him and said: I want no one present except me and you. Ibn Ja'far said: Al-I;Iasan and al-l;Iusayn should be present as witnesses for you. He said: I do not want anyone to be present with us. He said: Let's go. So he went with him, and he gave him some desolate land and salty ground that was undeveloped and uncultivated. He evaluated it and gave him what the land was worth. When they were done, 'Abdullah said to his slave: Spread a mat for me to pray. He spread a mat in the driest and roughest area, then he prayed two units and prostrated for a long time, offering supplication. When he finished offering whatever supplication he wanted, he said to his slave: Dig in the place where I have prostrated. He dug, and a spring began to flow. lbn az-Zubayr said to him: Can I have it back? He said: It is my supplication and Allah responded to my supplication, so I cannot return it to you. Thus, what he took from him flourished more than what remained in the hands oflbn az-Zubayr.43 'Abdullah ibn Ja' far died in 80 AH, the year of the great flood in Makkah44 that swept away everything in its path, carrying pilgrims from the valley of Makkah along with camels and all their luggage. None of them could be saved. It was also said that he died in 84 or 85 AH, at the age of eighty. Ibn 'Abdul-Barr thought it most likely that he died in 80 AH. The funeral prayer was offered for him by Aban ibn 'Uthman, who at that time was the governor of Madinah,45 during the reign of' Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan.

From his peace deal with Mu' awiyah until his death tPublic allegiance was sworn to al-I:Iasan. The governors who had been with his father swore allegiance to him, as did all the people who had sworn allegiance to Commander of the Faithful 'Ali(.). He began his role as caliph; he organised government workers, appointed commanders, recruited troops and distributed stipends. He increased the salary of the troops, adding one hundred for each, which won their approval. 1 With his outstanding character in political, military, moral and religious matters, al-I:Iasan (.) could have launched an uncompromising war against Mu'awiyah (.).He would have been assisted by the presence of Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah, I:Iatim ibn 'Adiyy at-Ta'i and other highly capable Muslim leaders. However, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali<•) was inclined towards peace and reconciliation. He wanted to avoid bloodshed and unite the Ummah. He sought what was with Allah and expressed his lack of interest in worldly power. He had other reasons for this course of action, which will be discussed in detail below. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(.) led the reconciliation venture, which resulted in the unity of the Ummah. One must understand that the situation was fully under his control as well as in his favour; he was also strong militarily. A/-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts 'Amr ibn al-'A~ <•)stated as much when he said, "I could see the brigades, which would not turn away until they had killed their counterparts." (al-Bukhari) Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (.) said, "The skulls of the Arabs were in my hand, fighting whomever I fought and making peace with whomever I made peace with." (Recorded by al-I:Iakim with a sound chain) If al-I:Iasan had not been so powerful, and ifhe was not feared, Mu'awiyah <•)would not have needed to negotiate with him or agree to his conditions and guarantees. He would have learned from his spies about the weaknesses of al-I:Iasan and the decline of his power. He would have entered Kufa without bothering to negotiate or to give in to his conditions and demands. Still, Mu'awiyah's superiority over al-I:Iasan in terms of military strength cannot be doubted. Would al-I:Iasan have made a deal with Mu'awiyah <•)for this reason?2 lbn Taymiyah said in Minhaj as-Sunnah: Al-I:Iasan could have fought Mu'awiyah with the support of those who were with him, even if they were fewer than those who were with Mu'awiyah, like any group who fought their opponents despite the small numbers of their helpers and supporters. However, al-I:Iasan was a man of high calibre who was inclined towards peace and who hated turmoil and division. Allah made him a means to put an end to internal fighting and to unite the Ummah.3 Al-I:Iasan had a clear vision for reconciliation, comprising many stages and motives. He also had the means to overcome obstacles, stipulate conditions and hope for results. This reconciliation was one of the brilliant achievements of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (.), and it has stood the test of time to such an extent that Dr. Khalid al-Ghayth (may Allah preserve him) said:

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death Al-I:Iasan 's reconciliation with Mu' awiyah, and his sparing the blood of the Muslims, is like 'Uthman's collecting the Quran and Abu Bakr's fighting apostasy.4 Nothing is more indicative of that than the fact that this action of al-I:Iasan is regarded as one of the signs of prophethood. It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said: «I heard the Prophet (~) when he was on the pulpit with al-I:Iasan. He said: This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps through him Allah will reconcile two groups of Muslims.» (al-Bukhari) Al-I:Iasan's peace deal with Mu'awiyah (~) is one of the most significant events in the history of the Muslim Ummah. A number of factors contributed to its great importance, including: a. It was foretold by the Prophet(~) and hence was one of the signs of his prophethood. b. One of the outcomes of this peace deal is that it spared the Muslims' blood and united them behind one leader after years of division. c. Al-I:Iasan was the first caliph to give up his post and resign voluntarily, without any pressure, from a position of strength not weakness, only for the sake of reconciling between the Muslims. d. Al-I:Iasan was the last of the caliphs of the Prophet's era. Books of creed, Sunnah, history, literature and other sources are filled with reports of al-I:Iasan's reconciliation with Mu'awiyah. Anyone who reads these sources-including Tdreekh af-Tabariwill notice a large number of reports about this reconciliation, the contradictions among them, the mixing of weak and sound reports and the similarity of some of the events described therein. In addition to that, the sources pay no attention to the chronological order Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts of events, even though the chronological sequence is regarded as very important in order to understand what happened. 5 Dr. Khalid al-Ghayth has put a great deal of effort into studying those sources and extracting sound reports from them. He used these reports to put all the events surrounding the peace deal into a chronological order. He also used some weak reports that are in accordance with the sound ones, according to the methodology that he described in his essay entitled Marwiyat Khilafat Mu 'awiyah fee Tareekh af-Tabari, in order to construct a complete picture of the details of this event. 6 I have benefited a great deal from his brilliant effort to understand the order of the events surrounding this peace deal. 10.1 The most important stages of the peace deal 10.1.1 The first stage The Messenger (.) had foretold and prayed that Allah would bring about reconciliation through al-I:Iasan between two great groups of Muslims. This blessed prayer motivated al-I:Iasan to go ahead with the peace deal with full confidence and determination. 7 It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said: «I heard the Prophet (.) when he was on the pulpit with al-I:Iasan. He said: This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps through him Allah will reconcile two groups of Muslims.» (al-Bukhari) These words of the Messenger of Allah<•) about al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) did not just foretell that Allah would bring about reconciliation through him between two great groups of Mus-

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death lims. These words also served as guidelines for al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) to follow in terms of his decisions, behaviour and attitude throughout his life. It was inevitable that the words of the Prophet (~) would take root in his heart and dominate his feelings. It comes as no surprise that he regarded them as instructions from the Messenger(~). The impact of this prophecy could be seen in all his actions, even in his discussions with his illustrious father, whom he loved. It enabled him to imbibe the qualities of true leadership, which involves protecting one's people and dealing with hatred and grudges. Thus, his peace deal and his sparing the blood of the Muslims reached the pinnacle of leadership, a position that cannot be reached by one who wants to usurp power by any and all means. Al-I:fasan reconciled with Mu'awiyah at a time when he was surrounded by thousands of sincere and loyal supporters, yet there were those among them who had their own evil agendas. He did not want a single drop of blood to be shed, or for any Muslim to be even slightly hurt, because of him. Al-I:Iasan had no interest in worldly gain, power or leadership. If he had wanted that, he could have launched a very destructive war that would have lasted for years and years. However, he was looking towards the hereafter and wanted to protect the blood of the Ummah of Muhammad(~). Al-I:fasan al-Ba~ri said, "When al-I:fasan became caliph, not even the slightest amount of blood was shed because of him. "8 He used to state that clearly, and he was proud of it. He proudly carried out the Prophet's instructions and conducted his affairs in accordance with Islamic teachings.9 Through al-I:fasan, Allah reconciled the people oflraq and the entire Ummah. The Prophet (~) had described this reconciliation as one of the virtues of alI:fasan, although the latter yielded power to Mu'awiyah (~). A/-/Jasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Thus, it is known that what al-I:Iasan did was in accordance with the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger. 10 10.1.2 The second stage The condition that al-I:Iasan stipulated before accepting the oath of allegiance from the Iraqi people was that they should make peace with whomever he made peace with and fight whomever he fought." It was narrated that Maymoon ibn Mahran said: After 'Ali died, al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib accepted the allegiance of the Iraqi people on the basis of two pledges. He agreed to be their leader on the condition that they enter into whatever [agreements] he entered into and be pleased with whatever he was pleased with. 12 According to another report, it was narrated that Khalid ibn Mu~arrab said: I heard al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali say: By Allah, I will not accept your oath of allegiance unless you agree to what I say to you. They asked: What is it? He said: That you make peace with those whom I make peace with and you fight those whom I fight. 13 It may be understood from these two reports that al-I:Iasan had the idea of reconciliation in his mind from the outset, even before he was appointed as caliph. This was his fulfilment of the prophecy of the Prophet (~). By stipulating this condition, al-I:Iasan enabled the Iraqis to realise that the option of peace was up for discussion and examination. There is nothing to suggest a preference for peace over war. In fact, this stipulation included both, even though this condition may give an indication of desiring peace. This only indicates his brilliant leadership and his understanding of the situation. He had

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death accepted the post of caliph because of what he believed; through this position, he could serve the interests of Islam and the Muslims. 10.1.3 The third stage The first attempt to assassinate al-I:Iasan came after he disclosed his intention to seek a peace deal with Mu'awiyah Of&). The following reports indicate that this attempt took place shortly after he was appointed caliph. Ibn Sa'd narrated in his at-Tabaqat, via Abu Jameelah, 15 that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) was appointed caliph after' Ali was killed. He was praying when a man jumped on him and stabbed him with a dagger while he was prostrating. Hu~ayn ibn 'Abdur-Ral).man as-Sulami claimed to have heard that the one who stabbed him was a man from Banu Asad. He said that his paternal uncle, who was present when that happened, said: They claimed that the wound was in his hip, and as a result, he was sick for a few months before he recovered. Later, he sat on the pulpit and said: People of Iraq, fear Allah concerning us, for we are your leaders and guests, the members of the Prophet's family, of whom Allah said: ~Allah wishes only to remove rijs from you, Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you with a thorough purification.~ (Qur 'an 33: 33) He kept saying that until there was no one in the mosque who was not sobbing and weeping. 16 Moreover, Ibn Sa'd narrated in his at-Tabaqat via Hilal ibn Yasaf, 17 who said: I heard al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali delivering a speech in which he said: People of Kufa, fear Allah concerning us, for we are your leadAl-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts ers and guests, the members of the Prophet's family, of whom Allah said: ~Allah wishes only to remove rijs from you, Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you with a thorough purification.~ (Qur 'an 33: 33) I had never seen people weep so much as they did upon hearing those words. 18 10.1.4 The fourth stage This stage includes al-I:Iasan's expedition from Kufa with the army oflraq, heading towards al-Mada'in, and his sending out a striking force, known as the Khamees Police, to Maskan under the leadership ofQays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah. 19 Ibn Sa' d referred to that in his at-T abaqdt, in the report that he narrated via ash-Shu'bi, who said: After the death of' Ali ibn Abi Talib, the people of Iraq swore allegiance to al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali. They said to him: Go to these people who have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger(~) and have transgressed greatly, seizing people's property by force; we hope that Allah will help us to prevail over them. Thus, al-I:Iasan went to the people of Syria and appointed Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah as the commander of his vanguard, with twelve thousand men who were called the Khamees Police.20 From the report quoted above, it becomes clear that the people oflraq were the ones who pushed al-I:Iasan to go out and fight the people of Syria, against his wishes. This idea was also suggested by Ibn Katheer when he said: Al-I:Iasan had no intention of fighting anyone, but they forced him. Thus, a huge number of men were assembled, the like of which had never been heard of before. Al-}:Iasan ibn 'Ali appointed Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah as the commander of the

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death vanguard, in charge of twelve thousand men, and he followed behind with the army, heading towards Syria. When they came to al-Mada'in, he halted there and sent the vanguard on ahead ofhim.21 Al-I:Iasan demonstrated great intelligence and skill, which indicates his farsightedness, genius and deep insight. He did not want to confront the people of Iraq in the beginning, especially with his inclination towards reconciling with Mu'awiyah (~) and handing over power to him. This is because he knew that they were impulsive and reckless, and he wanted to prove to them that what he wanted to do was right. Thus, he agreed to march with them to fight Mu'awiyah, and he mobilised his army.22 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali's march from Kufa to al-Mada'in took place - according to what Dr. Khalid al-Ghayth thinks is most likely - in Safar 41 AH. 23 10.1.5 The fifth stage Mu'awiyah set out from Syria, heading towards Iraq, after receiving news that al-I:Iasan and his army had left Kufa for al-Mada'in. lbn Sa'd says, "Mu'awiyah (~)came with the people of Syria, seeking al-I:Iasan, and camped at Jasr Munay.b. (a village in Mesopotamia)."24 He adds, "Then he came from Jasr Munay.b. to Maskan in five days, when the sixth day had begun."25 Mu'awiyah's departure had been delayed after he heard that al-I:Iasan had set out with his army. Mu'awiyah (~) had been injured in an assassination attempt by the Kharijite al-Barak ibn 'Abdullah at-Tameemi, when he had gone out to pray the dawn prayer. This attempt had been made on the same day as 'Ali was assassinated, at dawn on 17 Ramadan 10 AH, according to the well-known and correct opinion.26 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Al-Khallal indicated that Mu'awiyah (~) was seriously injured, according to the report that he narrated via Jundub, who said: We were with Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqa~ in a caravan. Sa'd dismounted, so I did too, taking advantage of the fact that he had dismounted, to talk to him. I started walking beside him; I praised and glorified Allah and said: Mu'awiyah has been stabbed and seriously wounded, and I think that he will die, and the people (the Kharijites) will kill the rest of the consultative committee and the rest of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah(~). If you are appointed in charge of them, I urge you by Allah to cause division among them and scatter them, or call them to do something that will bring about their ruin. Sa' d praised and glorified Allah and said: By Allah, I shall not cause division among them or scatter them or call them to do something that will bring about their ruin until they bring me a sword that says: Sa'd, this man is a believer, so leave him alone, and this man is a disbeliever, so kill him.27 While al-I:Iasan was in al-Mada'in, someone called out among the people oflraq that Qays had been killed. Chaos erupted in the army, and the people oflraq went back to their old, undisciplined ways. They attacked the tent ofal-I:Iasan and stole his belongings; they even pulled out the rug from beneath him and stabbed him. At this point, an incident of great significance took place. 'Ali's governor in al-Mada'in was Sa'd ibn Mas'ood athThaqafi. His young nephew al-Mukhtar ibn Abi 'Ubayd ibn Mas'ood came to him and asked: Do you want to become rich and prominent? He inquired: How? He answered: Tie up al-I:Iasan and hand him over to Mu' awiyah after getting yourself a guarantee of security from him.

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death His paternal uncle said to him: May the curse of Allah be upon you! Should I pounce on the son of the Prophet's daughter and tie him up? What a bad man you are! 28 When al-I:Iasan saw what his companions had done, he became more certain that they were up to no good and that he could not count on them for support. He had been convinced of that from the outset.29 This prompted him to take further steps and move closer toward reconciliation. 10.1.6 The sixth stage At this stage, there was an exchange of messengers between alI:Iasan and Mu'awiyah; soon afterwards, the peace deal was concluded between them (may Allah be pleased with them both). Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded those critical moments in the history of the Ummah, when the two groups - the people of Syria and the people of Iraq - met. The report that he narrated via al-I:Iasan al-Ba$ri says: Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali met Mu'awiyah with huge brigades of men. 'Amr ibn al-'A$ said: I can see troops who will not tum away until they kill their peers. Mu'awiyah, who by Allah was the better of the two men, said to him: 'Amr, if these kill those and vice versa, who will take charge of the people? Who will look after their women? Who will look after their children and weak ones?30 He sent two men of Quraysh from Banu 'Abd Shams ('AbdurRal;tman ibn Samurah and 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir ibn Kurayz) and said: Go to this man; make him an offer and stipulate our conditions. They went to him and delivered the offer. Al-Ifasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali said: We are the descendants of 'AbdulMuttalib, and we have acquired some of this wealth.31 This Ummah is swimming in its blood. They said: He is offering you such-and-such and asking you for conditions. He asked: Who can guarantee that for me?32 They said: We will. 33 He did not ask them for anything, but they said: We will guarantee it for you. So he accepted the peace deal. (al-Bukhari) Al-I:Iasan al-Ba~ri said that he heard Abu Bakrah say that he heard the Prophet (~) say, when he was on the pulpit with alI:Iasan: «This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps through him Allah will reconcile two groups of Muslims.» (al-Bukhari) Ibn l:lajar al-' Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke of the lessons to be learned from the aforementioned report about this reconciliation. He said: a. This story is one of the signs of prophethood, since the Prophet (~) had foretold these events. b. It shows a virtue of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~). He gave up power not because his followers were few or because of humiliation or weakness. Rather, it was because of his desire to seek reward from Allah, and because he wanted to prevent bloodshed. Thus, he paid attention to what was in the best interests of the faith and the Ummah. c. It is a refutation of the Kharijites who regarded both sides- ' Ali and his followers and Mu' awiyah and his followers - as disbelievers. The Prophet (~)has testified that both groups were Muslims.

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death d. It demonstrates the virtue of reconciling people, especially when it spares the blood of Muslims. e. It is indicative of Mu'awiyah's kindness toward the people, his compassion towards the Muslims and his deep insight and farsightedness in running the people's affairs, for he was thinking of the consequences. f. It indicates that it is permissible for someone to become the caliph even though there is a better candidate than him. AlI:Iasan and Mu'awiyah both became caliphs while Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqa~ and Sa'eed ibn Zayd, both of whom had been present at Badr, were still alive. g. It shows that it is permissible for a caliph to resign if he feels it is in the best interests of the Muslims. It is also permissible to give up religious and worldly positions in return for money after fulfilling certain conditions. (For example, the one to whom it is given should be more qualified than the one who gives it up, and what is given should be the property of the giver.) If it has to do with a position of public authority, and what is given comes from the public treasury, it is stipulated that it must be in the public interest.34 Ibn Sa' d also narrated a report that is no less important than Imam Bukhari 's report about the peace deal. In fact, it is regarded as its conclusion. He narrated via 'Amr ibn Dinar35 that Mu'awiyah (~) knew that al-I:Iasan hated turmoil more than anyone else. When 'Ali died, he sent word to al-I:Iasan and reconciled with him in secret. Mu'awiyah gave him a pledge that if anything happened to him while al-I:Iasan was still alive, he would nominate al-I:Iasan as his successor36 and put him in charge. When al-I:Iasan was reassured on that score, 'Abdullah Ibn Ja'far said: Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts By Allah, while I was sitting with al-I:Iasan, I wanted to get up, but he pulled on my garment and said: Sit down, man. I sat down. He said: I have decided something, and I want you to join me in it. I asked: What is it? He said: I have decided to go to Madinah and stay there, and let Mu'awiyah take charge. This turmoil has gone on for too long, and too much blood has been shed. Ties of kinship have been broken, roads have become unsafe, and borders have been neglected. I [Ibn Ja'far] said: May Allah reward you with good on behalf of the Ummah of Muhammad. I am with you in this matter. Al-I:Iasan said: Call al-I:Iusayn for me. Al-I:Iusayn was sent for, and he came. He [al-I:Iasan] said: 0 my brother, I have decided something, and I would like you to join me in it. He asked: What is it? He told him what he had said to Ibn Ja'far. Al-I:Iusayn said: Allah forbid that you should reject 'Ali in his grave and accept Mu'awiyah! Al-I:Iasan said: By Allah, I never decided anything but you differed from me. By Allah, I thought of throwing you in a house and locking the door until I finish what I want to do. When al-I:Iusayn saw how angry he was, he said: You are the oldest son of 'Ali and you are his successor, so we will follow you. Do as you see fit. 37 It may be noted with regard to the reports oflmam Bukhari and Ibn Sa'd that they agree that Mu'awiyah took the initiative in contacting al-I:Iasan and offering a peace deal to him.38

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death Who made the first move towards a peace deal, al-Hasan or Mu' awiyah (~)? At this point, one may wonder: who was the first one to make a move towards the peace deal? Was it al-I:Iasan - concerning whom the hadith said that he would bring about reconciliation, and who was almost killed by the Iraqi people when they learned that he intended to make peace after they had sworn allegiance to him-or was it Mu'awiyah? The answer is that the desire for reconciliation was present on both sides. Al-I:Iasan strove for a peace deal and planned it from the first moment he accepted the people's oath of allegiance. Mu'awiyah came and completed what al-I:Iasan had started. The actions of each complemented those of the other, may Allah be pleased with them both.39 However, it was al-I:Iasan who played the greater role in the success of the peace deal. 10.1.7 The seventh stage Another attempt to assassinate al-Hasan After the successful negotiations between al-I:Iasan and Mu'awiyah, al-I:Iasan began to prepare his followers to accept the peace deal that had been concluded. He stood up to address them and to explain what he and Mu'awiyah had agreed upon. While he was speaking, some of his troops attacked him and tried to kill him; however, Allah saved him as He had done before. Al-Baladhuri has narrated the speech that al-I:Iasan gave to his followers and the attempt on his life: He said: I hope that Allah has made me the most sincere of His creation to His creation. I bear no grudges or hatred toward anyone, nor do I want to harm anyone. Indeed, what you dislike about reuniting may be better for you than what you Al-If asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts love of division. Indeed, what I choose for you is better than what you have chosen for yourselves. So do not go against these instructions and do not oppose me. May Allah forgive me and you. People looked at one another and said: By Allah, he has decided to reconcile with Mu'awiyah. He has weakened and has lost his resolve. They attacked his tent and intruded upon him; they pulled his prayer rug from beneath him and took his garment. Then 'Abdur-Rab.man ibn 'Abdullah ibnAbi Ja'al al-Azdi attacked him and took his cloak from his shoulders. He remained with his sword at his side, in a state of shock. Then he got up and mounted his horse, and people started coming to him. Some of them blamed him and accused him of being weak, while others tried to push the aggressors away from him. A man from Banu Asad ibn Khuzaymah, from Banu Na<;lr ibn Qa'een ibn al-I:Iarith ibn Tha'labah ibn Doodan ibn Asad, whose name was al-Jarral). ibn Sinan,40 who held Kharijite views, went to Madhlam Sabat [on the west bank of the Tigris] and lay in wait for him there.41 When al-I:Iasan came past, al-Jarral). drew close to his mount and grabbed hold of its reins. He took out a pickaxe and said: You have associated partners with Allah, al-I:Iasan, as your father did before you. He stabbed al-I:Iasan in the upper thigh with the pickaxe, making a gash that went almost to the bone. Al-I:Iasan struck him in the face. They wrestled and fell to the ground. 'Abdullah ibn al-Kha<;ll at-Ta'i42 leapt up and took the pickaxe from al-Jarral).'s hand, and Dhabyan ibn 'Amarah at-Tamee-

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death mi43 took hold of his nose and cut it off; he grabbed a piece of stone and struck him in the face and head with it until he died. Al-I:Iasan was carried to al-Mada'in, and Sa'd ibn Mas'ood brought a doctor who took care of him until he recovered. He then transferred him to the 'White Palace' on the eastern bank of the Tigris.44 Some may doubt the speech of al-I:Iasan and say that it was narrated by al-Baladhuri and Abu I:Ianeefah ad-Daynoori before the peace deal between al-I:Iasan and Mu'awiyah. The response to that is Imam Bukhari 's report, which described al-I:Iasan's army as being strong and cohesive. The army of Iraq confronted the army of Syria when it was in the best shape in terms of both material and moral strength. However, the army of Iraq became unstable after al-I:Iasan's speech, which means that it did not face the army of Syria after that speech. Hence, what is most likely to be the case is that al-I:Iasan's speech to his troops came after the two armies had met and after the peace deal had been concluded.45 Moreover, this speech of al-I:Iasan's served as an introduction to his followers about the peace deal, as explained in the following reports: lbn Sa'd narrated via Riyal) ibn al-I:Iarith46 that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali stood up (to deliver a speech] after the death of 'Ali. He praised and glorified Allah, and then he said: Everything that is meant to happen is close, and the decree of Allah will come to pass even if people dislike it. By Allah, I never wanted in the slightest to be appointed in charge of the Ummah of Muhammad ifit meant that even a small amount of blood would be shed. I know what is bad for me and what is good for me. Go back to your land.47 Someone might say that these words were spoken in Kufa and not in al-Mada' in. Al)mad ibn I:Ianbal narrates the same report, via Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Riyali ibn al-I:Jarith with a sound chain;48 it says, " ... the people gathered around al-I:Jasan in al-Mada'in."49 Then he has quoted the rest of Ibn Sa'd's report. Since this speech was given in alMada'in, it is most likely that it was given after the peace deal between al-I:Jasan and Mu'awiyah was drawn up, as is stated with regard to the speech of al-I:)asan that is narrated by al-Baladhuri. Indeed, it may have been a part ofal-I:Jasan's speech that was narrated by al-Baladhuri and which caused chaos in al-I:Jasan's camp. It remains for us to discuss al-I:Jasan's attitude about what happened to him in his camp. This was narrated by lbn Sa'd via Hilal ibn Khabbab, so who said: Al-I:Jasan ibn 'Ali 0~) gathered together the prominent figures among his companions in the palace of al-Mada'in. He said: People of Iraq, if I did not give up on you except for three things, those would be sufficient for me to give up on you: your killing my father, your stabbing my mule and your robbing my belongings [or he said: your stealing my cloak from my shoulders]. You swore allegiance to me, pledging to make peace with whomever I make peace with and to fight whomever I fight. I have sworn allegiance to Mu'awiyah, so listen to him and obey. Then he came down and went into the palace.51 The attitude of the Khamees Police toward the peace deal The attitude of the Khamees Policethe vanguard of the army of Iraq, who went ahead to Maskan - towards the peace deal was described by al-I:Jakim, who narrated that Abul-Ghareef52 said: We were in the vanguard of the army of al-I:Jasan ibn 'Ali, twelve thousand men who were eager to fight the army of Syria. Our commander was Abul-'Ummartah. 53

From his peace deal with Mu 'iiwiyah until his death When news of the peace deal between al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali and Mu' awiyah reached us, it was as if our backs were broken with anger and resentment. When al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali came to Kufa, one of our men, whose name was Abu 'Amir Sufyan ibn al-Lay1,s4 ~tood up and said: Peace be upon you, you who humiliated the believers! Al-I:Iasan said: Don't say that, Abu •Amir, for I did not humiliate the believers; I just did not want to expose them to mortal danger in pursuit of power.ss It seems that Abul-'Ummartah was the commander of some of the forces of the Khamees Police, among whom was Abul-Ghareef. This is because it is proven that the Khamees troops were led by Qays ibn Sa'd (~).Moreover, the sound reports do not mention 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas as being the commander of the Khamees troops, which makes us doubt that 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas was in Iraq during this period. s6 No attention should be paid to the fabricated reports claiming that 'Ubaydullah betrayed al-I:Iasan in return for bribes given by Mu'awiyah (~). Qays ibn Sa'd was hesitant to join the peace deal; hence, he withdrew with those who had obeyed him. Then Allah opened his heart; he entered into the peace deal and swore allegiance to Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with them all). The following report describes Qays' attitude when news of the peace deal reached him. lbn I:Iajar al-' Asqalani narrated via I:Iabeeb ibn Abi Thabits7 that he said: Al-I:Iasan sent word of his swearing allegiance to Mu'awiyah, and he wrote to Qays ibn Sa' d to inform him of that. Qays ibn Sa'd stood up and addressed his companions, saying: People, there are two choices, and you must choose one of them: becoming involved in turmoil or fighting without a leader. People asked: What is this? Al-Jjasan :S caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He replied: al-I;Iasan ibn 'Ali has given allegiance to Mu'awiyah. People changed their minds and swore allegiance to Mu' awiyah. 58 This report indicates that a large number of the vanguard approved of the peace deal as soon as they heard the news of the agreement between al-I;lasan and Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with them both). However, it does not say whether their commander, Qays ibn Sa' d, approved of it. lbn Katheer indicated that when he said: Al-I;Iasan ibn 'Ali sent word to the leader of his vanguard, Qays ibn Sa'd, telling him to listen and obey. However, Qays ibn Sa'd refused to accept that; he did not want to obey either of them. He withdrew, along with those who obeyed him. However, he re-thought the whole matter and swore allegiance to Mu'awiyah.59 lbn Abi Shaybah also narrated a report about Qays ibn Sa'd's attitude towards the peace deal along with those of the Khamees Police who obeyed him. He said that it was narrated from Hisham ibn 'Urwah that his father said: Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah was with al-I;lasan ibn 'Ali, in charge of his vanguard; he was accompanied by five thousand men who had shaved their heads following the death of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and had sworn allegiance unto death. When al-I;lasan swore allegiance to Mu'awiyah, Qays refused to accept it and said to his companions: It is up to you. If you want, I will lead you in fighting (Mu'awiyah) until one of us is killed, or if you want me to seek safety for you, I will do that. They said: Seek safety for us. So Qays made a deal, stipulating certain conditions and stating that they were not to be punished for anything and that he was to be treated like one of them. He did not stipulate any special conditions for himself. When he headed for Madinah with his

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death companions, he slaughtered a camel for them each day until he reached Madinah. (Recorded by lbn Katheer with a sound chain) The report quoted above - even though the sequence of events mentioned in it is not quite correct - indicates that the number of those who were in the vanguard of the Khamees Police and followed Qays was twelve thousand. 60 The attitude of' Ali's commanders to the peace deal The attitudes of 'Ali's commanders towards the peace deal differed; some accepted it and others rejected it. The following is a discussion of these attitudes: a. Acceptance and approval. Foremost among those who accepted and approved of it was 'Abdullah ibn J a' far ibn Abi Talib(~). b. Initial rejection, then approval. Foremost among those who initially rejected it but then approved of it were Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah and Ziyad ibn Abeehi. c. Reluctant acceptance. This group may be divided into two categories: • Those who thought that the peace deal was binding during al-I:Iasan's lifetime only, such as I:Iajar ibn 'Adiyy. • Those who thought that the peace deal was binding during al-I:Iasan and Mu'awiyah's lifetimes, until both of them died, such as al-I:Iusayn ibn 'Ali. 10.1.8 The eighth stage Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) yielded the caliphate and handed the reins of power to Mu'awiyah (~). After Allah (~) saved al-I:Iasan Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts ibn 'Ali from the turmoil that arose in his camp, al-I:Iasan left alMada'in and went to Kufa. Al-Baladhuri wrote of his march to Kufa: They said: When al-I:Iasan wanted to leave al-Mada'in and go to Kufa - after ['Abdullah] Ibn 'Amir and ['Abdur-Ral).man] Ibn Samurah brought to him the document of the peace deal, in which Mu'awiyah granted the terms he had stipulatedhe gave a speech in which he recited: t{ ... It may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good.}) (Qur 'an 4: 19) He then left for Kufa. 61 After that, Mu'awiyah left Maskan and headed for an-Nakheelah (a place near Kufa, on the road to Syria).62 Al-Baladhuri says: They said: Mu'awiyah left Maskan, heading towards Kufa, and camped between an-Nakheelah and Dar ar-Rizq.63 Al-I:Iasan left Kufa, heading toward an-Nakheelah to meet Mu'awiyah (~)and hand over the reins of power to him. It was narrated from Mujalid64 that ash-Sha'bi said: I saw al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali in an-Nakheelah when Mu'awiyah made the peace deal with him. Mu'awiyah said: Since we have agreed to a peace deal, get up and tell the people that you are handing over authority to me. (Or perhaps Mu'awiyah said: Tell people of this matter that you have left for me.) So he stood up on the pulpit and praised and glorified Allah. While I was listening, he said: The highest level of wisdom is piety, and the lowest level of stupidity is immorality. As for this matter concerning which Mu'awiyah and I differed, either it was my right that I have given up to Mu'awiyah for the wellbeing of this Ummah so as

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death to spare their blood, or it was a right to which someone other than me was more entitled, so I did that. 65 f!And I know not, perhaps it may be a trial for you and an enjoyment for a while.}) (Quran 21: 111) This report was also narrated by Ibn Sa'd,66 al-I:Iakim,67 Abu Nu'aym al-A~bahani, 68 al-Bayhaqi69 and Ibn 'Abdul-Barr.70 All the reports are similar to the report of at-Tabarani via ash-Sha'bi. The report of this swearing of allegiance was also narrated by Al)mad ibn I:Ianbal via Anas ibn Sireen, who said that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali said on the day he spoke to Mu'awiyah: There is no man between the east and the west whose grandfather is a prophet except me, and I have decided to bring about reconciliation among the Ummah of Muhammad (~). I am the most qualified among them to do that, and indeed I have sworn allegiance to Mu'awiyah. f!And I know not, perhaps it may be a trial for you, and an enjoyment for a while.}) (Quran 21: 111)71 It was also narrated in the report oflbn Sa'd, via 'Amr ibn Dinar, that al-I:Iasan said: 0 people, I was most reluctant to take up this position. Now I am trying to bring about reconciliation by giving it up to one who may be more entitled to it than me, or I may be more entitled to it; however, I am giving it up for the wellbeing of the Ummah of Muhammad. Allah has appointed you to this position, Mu'awiyah, for something good that He knows is in you or for something bad that He knows is in you. Then he stepped down from the pulpit. According to the report of al-Baladhuri, al-I:Iasan took Qays to Mu'awiyah so that he could swear allegiance to him. It was narrated that Jareer ibn I:Iazim said that he heard Muhammad ibn Sireen say: Al-/f asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts After al-I:Iasan had sworn allegiance to Mu'awiyah, he rode to his camp with Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah seated behind him on his mount. When they entered the camp, people said: Qays has come, Qays has come. When they saw Mu'awiyah, al-I:Iasan swore allegiance to him and said to Qays: Swear allegiance. Qays gestured like this with his hand, then kept it in his lap and did not raise it towards Mu'awiyah, who was seated on a chair. Mu' awiyah knelt down and stretched out his hand to touch the hand of Qays, which was in his lap. Jareer ibn I:Iazim said, "Muhammad ibn Sireen told us what he did, and he smiled; and Qays was a big man."72 Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali gave up the caliphate and swore allegiance to Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with them both), thus bringing an end to the period of the caliphate in the footsteps of prophethood, which lasted for thirty years. 10.2 The most important causes and motives for the peace deal Many factors and causes contributed to Commander of the Faithful al-I:Iasan's decision to make peace with Mu'awiyah (~),in­ cluding the following: 10.2.1 Seeking what is with Allah and desiring reconciliation in the Ummah When Nufayr ibn al-I:la<;lrami said to al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali: People are saying that you want to be a caliph, al-I:Iasan replied:

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death The skulls of the Arabs were in my hand; they would grant peace to whomever I granted peace to, and they would declare war on whomever I declared war on. I have given it up, seeking the countenance of Allah. (Recorded by Ibn Katheer with a sound chain) He said in his speech after yielding the caliphate to Mu 'awiyah, " ... or it was something to which I was entitled that I have given up to Mu'awiyah, seeking reconciliation among this Ummah." (Recorded by at-Tabarani with a sound chain) Al-I:Iasan sought the countenance of Allah; this is why he was keen to bring about reconciliation. Reconciliation is very important in Islam; it is one of the most sublime social activities. Through it, differences and disputes that may arise between two parties dealing with one another in financial or social terms are resolved. Through reconciliation, brotherhood and love may be restored between two disputing parties. Hence, reconciliation is one of the most sublime principles of Shariah, by means of which the brotherhood that Islam desires for them is achieved, as Allah (~) has said: f!The believers are nothing else but brothers [in Islamic religion]. So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy. )i (Qur 'an 49: 10) This noble Qur'anic objective motivated al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali U~) to pursue reconciliation, following the footsteps of his grandfather (~) in seeking peace. The Prophet (~) strove for reconciliation as much as he could. This hadith points out the great reward that reconciliation brings: «The Prophet (~) said: Shall I not tell you of something better than fasting, praying and giving charity? They said: Yes, Messenger of Allah. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts He said: Reconciling between people, because division and dispute is the shaver (of religious commitment).» (Al-Tirmidhi) Hence, it was his great 3:nd heartfelt hope that through his blessed offspring al-I:Iasan, Allah would bring about the reconciliation which Allah had told him would happen after he died. Al-I:Iasan's desire for this reward, and for bringing about reconciliation, motivated him to seek this blessed peace deal. 10.2.2 «This son of mine is a sayyid, and perhaps through him Allah will reconcile two groups of Muslims.» The Prophet's hope that his grandson would reconcile two great groups of Muslims motivated al-I:Iasan to plan and prepare himself psychologically to make peace and to overcome any obstacles on the way. This hadith offered the guidelines that al-I:Iasan followed in making his choices, in the attitude that he developed and in the way he lived his life. It became deeply entrenched in his soul, dominating his feelings and becoming part and parcel of his being. This hadith of the Prophet <•> was a basic motive for al-I:Iasan's move to bring about reconciliation. 10.2.3 Protecting Muslims from bloodshed Al-I:Iasan said: I was afraid that on the Day of Resurrection, seventy or eighty thousand (more or less) would come, with their veins gushing blood, seeking vengeance from Allah and asking why their blood was shed. (Recorded by lbn Katheer with a sound chain) He also said:

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death The decree of Allah will inevitably come to pass even though the people dislike it. I would not want to be appointed to a position of authority over a mustard seed's worth of the Ummah of Muhammad if a drop of blood were shed because of that. I know what is good for me and what is bad for me. Disperse and go back home. 73 He said in the speech in which he yielded the caliphate to Mu'awiyah <•>: .. .it is my right, but I have given it up to Mu'awiyah, seeking reconciliation among this Ummah and to spare them from bloodshed. (Recorded by at-Tabarani with a sound chain) It may be noted from the words of al-l;Iasan that he feared Allah (~) greatly, and this motivated him to seek a peace deal. Al-l;Iasan ibn 'Ali <•> chose to protect the Muslims from bloodshed - even if it meant giving up the caliphate - out of a desire to draw close to Allah, and out of fear that he might be called to account by Allah on the Day of Resurrection with regard to that bloodshed. Al-l;Iasan ibn 'Ali <•> understood the seriousness of shedding blood among the Muslims; it is one of the gravest matters and poses a danger to humanity. It is forbidden and warned against, and the punishment for it is described in many texts of the Quran and Sunnah. Killing is the first matter that will be settled among people on the Day of Resurrection. This indicates what a great sin it is. Narrated 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood <•> that the Prophet <•> said: «The first matter that will be settled among the people will be bloodshed.» (al-Bukhari) Hence, al-l;Iasan was very keen to achieve reconciliation in order to spare Muslims from any bloodshed. The Shariah, which al-l;Iasan understood very well, cares a great deal about human Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts life. Its laws and rulings are intended to ward off harm and damage by taking extra care to preserve and protect life. If people are exposed to danger and loss of life, we may lose a person who is worshipping Allah(~); this, in tum, will lead to a loss ofreligion. The souls that the Shariah seeks to preserve are those who are protected by virtue of their being Muslim, those people of the Scriptures who pay the tax levied when they are under the protection of a Muslim government (in lieu of the alms tax paid by Muslims), and those who have been granted security.74 When one of those who had objected to the peace deal said to al-I:Iasan, "O shame of the believers", he responded, "Shame is better than flames [of hell]."75 (According to the report of lbn Sa' d, he said, "I have chosen shame over flames.") 76 We may note that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) discussed his motives with his followers, trying to win them over. He was not one of those who are led by their followers or whose aim is merely to do whatever their followers want. He chose his own path according to his understanding of the facts. He did not let people's pressures affect him, as long as the steps he wanted to take were pleasing to Allah and in the best interests of the Muslims. This is a great lesson for Muslim leaders on how a true leader directs the people, helps them and sets them on the course to achieving their goals. Leaders like al-I:Iasan are usually left with several options: a. Doing what the people want; b. Not caring and not answering to anyone; c. Doing the right thing and improving the situation of the masses. We can see that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) chose the third option, which was doing what is right and improving the situation of the

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death masses, seeking the noble goals that he had set. Hence, he presented a clear vision and practical steps for the stages of preparation. He stipulated conditions, overcame obstacles, and paid attention to convincing those who were opposed to his point of view. This is the correct approach, and Allah knows best. 10.2.4 His keenness to unite the Ummah Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) said, addressing the people during one of the stages of the peace deal: People, I have decided not to bear grudges against any Muslim. I care for you as I care for myself, and I have taken a decision. Do not reject my decision, for what you dislike about reconciliation and unity is better than what you like of division. 77 Al-I:Iasan strove to unite the Ummah. He decided to give up the caliphate to spare the Muslims from bloodshed and to avoid the negative consequences that would have affected the entire Ummah in the long term ifhe had insisted on his stance, such as: ongoing turmoil and bloodshed, severing ties of kinship, danger on the roads, neglect of the borders, and so on. Praise be to Allah that the unity of the Ummah was achieved by his renouncing transient worldly gains. That year was called 'the year of unity' ,78 which indicates al-I:Iasan's farsightedness. Al-I:Iasan's foresight and attention to consequences was a natural result of his having grown up with the noble Quran and the Sunnah of the leader of the messengers. He understood the aims of Shariah very well and was able to take steps within the guidelines of Shariah and in light of the circumstances he was going through. The conclusions he reached were unique in the field of Shariacompliant politics; they opened a new horizon for the Muslims to achieve the unity of the Ummah, reunite, become strong and resume their role in building the civilization. This precise and deep Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts understanding is something that we greatly need to understand and act upon in our modem life. Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali 0~) teaches us one of the important principles oflslam, which is to preserve unity by holding fast to the rope of Allah and not being divided. This is one of the great principles of Islam, and it is highly emphasised by Allah in His Book. The Messenger of Allah (~) emphasised it strongly, both in public and in private.79 Al-I:Iasan fought against division and disputes and followed Qur'anic teaching, which is aimed at uniting the Ummah, as this verse has said: f{Andholdfastall of you together to the rope of Allah [this Quran], and be not divided among yourselves. Remember Allah's favour on you, for you were enemies one to another, but He joined your hearts together so that by His grace, you became brethren. You were on the brink of a pit of fire, and He saved you from it ... Jt 10.2.5 The murder of Commander of the Faithful' Ali(~) (Quran 3: 103) One of the factors that motivated Commander of the Faithful alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) to seek a peace deal was the shock caused by his father's murder. This had left a huge void in the Iraqi front. This great leader was killed unlawfully. The Kharijites had paid no attention to his seniority in Islam, his great virtues or the tremendous services that he had rendered to Islam. His life was resplendent with sublime values and principles, and he strove to implement and reinforce the rulings of Shariah at the state and community levels.

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death 'Ali(.) was one of the leaders of guidance and was a criterion between truth and falsehood, so it was natural that his loss would have a significant impact on the Muslims. His murder was one of the main reasons why al-I:Iasan lost interest in the people of Iraq, who had had the honour of accompanying 'Ali and being blessed by his noble attitude. They had indulged in turmoil and ambitions and deviated from the straight path, with the exception of those who were sincere to their faith and loyal to their departed caliph. His murder was a severe blow against the Rightly-Guided Caliphate and was one of the reasons why it subsequently disappeared. 10.2.6 The character of Mu' awiyah <•) Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali<•) handed the caliphate over to Mu'awiyah even though he had with him more than forty thousand men who had sworn allegiance to him unto death. IfMu'awiyah <•)had not been qualified for it, the grandson of the Prophet (~) would not have yielded it to him. He would have fought him instead. 80 Mu' awiyah 's leadership of the people of Syria was not based on a vacuum. Biographers have discussed many virtues of this great Companion, of which we will mention a few: From the noble Qur' an Mu'awiyah took part in the campaign of I:Iunayn, and Allah (~)said: ~Then Allah did send down His sakeenah [calmness, tranquillity and reassurance] on the Messenger and on the believers, and sent down forces [angels] which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers.~ (Qur 'an 9: 26) Mu'awiyah <•)was one of the believers upon whom Allah sent His tranquillity, alongside the Prophet (~). 81 Al-}jasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts From the Sunnah The Messenger(~) prayed for Mu'awiyah when he said: «0 Allah, make him the guide and the guided, and guide others through him.» (Recorded by Al-Tirmidhi with a sound chain) He also said: «0 Allah, teach Mu'awiyah the Book and numeracy, and protect him from punishment.»82 Umm I:Iaram narrated: «The Messenger of Allah (~) said: The first army of my Ummah that campaigns by sea is guaranteed (paradise).83 I said: Messenger of Allah, will I be among them? He said: Yes, you will be among them. The Prophet (~) said: The first army of my Ummah that attacks the city of Caesar (Constantinople, now Istanbul) will be forgiven. I said: Will I be among them, Messenger of Allah? He said: No.» (al-Bukhari) Al-Muhallab said: This hadith demonstrates the virtue of Mu' awiyah, because he was the first one to campaign by sea. 84 Opinions of scholars regarding Mu' awiyah (~) a) 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (~) It was said to Ibn 'Abbas (6), "What do you think about Commander of the Faithful Mu'awiyah? He prays witr with only one unit of prayer." He replied, "He is a man ofknowledge."85

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death b) 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak(~) 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak(~) said, "Mu'awiyah is a means of testing for us: whoever we see looking down on him, we suspect he has a problem with the Companions."86 c) Imam Al).mad ibn I:Ianbal Imam Al.imad was asked: What do you think of the one who says: I would not say that Mu'awiyah was a scribe who wrote down the revelation, and I would not say that he is the maternal uncle of the believers, because he took it by the sword unlawfully? Abu 'Abdullah (Imam Al.imad) said: These are the words of the one who has the incorrect and negative opinion; avoid these people. No one should sit with them, and you should warn people against them. 87 d) Al-Qa<;ii Ibn al-' Arabi lbn al-' Arabi said of the qualities that were combined in Mu'awiyah (~), "He protected the Ummah, guarded the borders, strengthened the troops, prevailed over the enemy and ran the people's affairs well."88 Mul.iibb ad-Deen al-Khateeb commented on this text: His resolve [against the enemy] and his strong message to the King of Byzantium, while Mu'awiyah was in the midst of his fight with 'Ali at Siffeen. That was when the news reached him that the King of Byzantium was approaching the border with a huge army. 89 Concerning that, lbn Katheer said: The King of Byzantium thought that he had a chance of defeating Mu' awiyah after the latter had instilled fear in him, humiliated him, defeated his troops and caused them to flee. When Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts the King of Byzantium saw that Mu'awiyah was preoccupied with fighting 'Ali, he drew near to some of his territory with his army, hoping for a chance to prevail. Mu' awiyah 's response came in the form of a letter in which he wrote: By Allah, if you do not stop and go back to your country, you accursed one, my cousin and I will reconcile and unite against you; we will drive you out of all your land, and I will make the earth constrained for you despite its vastness. At that point, the King of Byzantium became scared and sent word seeking a truce. 90 e) Ibn Taymiyah Ibn Taymiyah said concerning him: It is proven by mutawatir reports that the Prophet (~) appointed Mu'awiyah as an army commander, just as he appointed others, and he strove injihad alongside him. He also entrusted him with writing down the revelation, and the Prophet (~) did not make any accusation against him with regard to writing down the revelation. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, who was one of the most experienced in assessing people, appointed him as a governor. Allah instilled truth on 'Umar's lips and in his heart, and he never accused Mu'awiyah of any wrongdoing while he was his governor in Syria.91 f) Ibn Katheer lbn Katheer said concerning Mu'awiyah (~): All the Muslims agreed to swear allegiance to him in 41 AH, and he remained the undisputed caliph during this period until the year in which he died. Jihad in enemy territory was ongoing, the word of Allah was supreme, booty was coming in from all ends of the earth, and the Muslims during his reign had a life of ease, enjoying justice and tolerance.

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death lbn Katheer also said, "He was forbearing,92 dignified, a leader, prominent among the people, generous, just and chivalrous. "93 He also said concerning him, "He was a man of good conduct, tolerant, forgiving and generous in overlooking mistakes, may Allah have mercy on him."94 His narration of hadiths Mu'awiyah (~,)is regarded as one of those who had the honour of narrating hadiths from the Messenger of Allah(~). He had stayed close to the Messenger of Allah (~) after the conquest of Makkah; he was also his brother-in-law and his scribe. Mu' awiyah narrated 163 hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, of which Bukhari and Muslim agreed on four. Imam Bukhari narrated four on his own, while Imam Muslim narrated five. 95 Mu'awiyah's conduct with the people during his governorship was of the best type, which made his people love him. The Prophet (~) said: «The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, upon whom you invoke blessings and who invoke blessings upon you. The worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you, upon whom you invoke curses and who invoke curses upon you.» (Muslim) What Commander of the Faithful 'Ali (~) said about Mu' awiyah' s rule It was narrated that Sufyan ibn al-Layl said, "I said to al-J:Iasan ibn 'Ali when he came to Kufa from Madinah, 'You who humiliated the believers!'" Al-J:Iasan told him: Don't say that, for I heard my father say: Days and nights will not end before Mu'awiyah seizes power. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts I realised that the decree of Allah was going to be fulfilled, and I did not want the blood of the Muslims to be shed because of war between him and me. 96 According to a report from 'Ali <•), he said, "Do not hate the rule ofMu'awiyah, for by Allah, if you lose him you will find heads coming off shoulders as if they were melons."97 These reports show Mu'awiyah's capability as a ruler. Moreover, his style of negotiation and how he dealt with al-f.lasan created common ground for reaching a peace deal. The true architect of the peace deal was al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali(.), but Mu'awiyah's character, vision, patience and flexibility ensured that this endeavour was completed. Mu'awiyah was very polite towards al-f,lasan, honouring him and speaking of the virtues of Ahl al-Bayt; this indicates that he gave precedence to the truth despite the disputes and arguments that had arisen in the past.98 It was narrated that Mu'awiyah <•>said: «The Messenger of Allah would kiss al-f.lasan on the lips.» Allah will never punish the lips of the one who was kissed by the Messenger of Allah. (Recorded by Abmad with a sound chain) Mu'awiyah <•>was very honest with himself, admitting his sins and seeking forgiveness from his Lord, hoping for His mercy and clemency. Ibn Shihab narrated from 'Urwah that al-Miswar told him that: Al-Miswar went to Mu'awiyah, who said: Al-Miswar, what happened to your criticism of the rulers? He said: Forget about that and help us with what we have come for. Mu'awiyah said: I insist that you tell me your criticism against me. Al-Miswar mentioned it all to him without omitting anything.

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death Then Mu'awiyah said: I am not free of shortcomings. Tell us the positive things with regard to how we are dealing with people's affairs, or do you just list faults and not mention the good qualities? I said: Yes. [I agree it is good.] Mu'awiyah said: We admit every sin to Allah. Do you have any sins yourself that you are worried about? Al-Miswar said: Yes. Mu'awiyah said: What makes you more entitled to hope of forgiveness than me? By Allah, what I have achieved with regard to putting the affairs of the Ummah in order is more than what you have achieved. I choose Allah whenever I am given a choice between Allah and anything else. I am following a religion that accepts righteous deeds and rewards good deeds. Al-Miswar said: I realised that he had defeated me in the argument. 'Urwah said, "I never heard al-Miswar mention Mu'awiyah without supplicating for him."99 We will discuss Mu'awiyah (~)in more detail when we discuss the Umayyad state, if Allah enables us to do so by His grace. However, we would like to share a story that demonstrates his fear of Allah (~). He saw Abu Hurayrah (~)in his gathering, narrating a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (~) which said that the first ones among the Ummah of Muhammad for whom the fire will be lit on the Day of Resurrection will be the ones who read the Quran in order to show off, the ones who give charity in order to show off, and the ones who participate in jihad in order to show off. He said that the Messenger of Allah (~) had stated that and had said: Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts «Abu Hurayrah, these three are the first of Allah's creation for whom the fire will be lit on the Day of Resurrection.»100 Mu'awiyah (;~)said when he heard this hadith: That is what will be done to these people; how about the rest of the people? The narrator said: After that, Mu'awiyah (~)wept bitterly until we thought that he was dying. Then he recovered, wiped his face and said: Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth: ~Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We shall pay in full [the wages of] their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the hereafter but fire, and vain are the deeds they did therein. Of no effect is that which they used to do.~ (Quran 11: 15-16) Mu'awiyah's character and track record of service for Islam were two of the important factors in the successful conclusion of the peace deal. We are not claiming that he was at the same level as the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, but he was one of the just kings, and his biography reflects deep political, administrative, military, economic and social insight. A careful study of his era is required, and we hope that Allah will enable us to do that. 10.2.7 Trouble in the Iraqi army and among the people of Kufa The rebellion of the Kharijites had weakened the army of Commander of the Faithful' Ali(~). The battles of the Camel, Siffeen and Nahrawan had also led to the people oflraq growing tired of war. They became reluctant and started hating war, especially after the battle with the Syrians at Siffeen, for fighting them was not the same as fighting anyone else. The battle of Siffeen was fierce

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death and unforgettable to those involved. Many women and children were widowed and orphaned, without any goals being achieved. Were it not for the peace deal or arbitration, which was welcomed by Commander of the Faithful 'Ali and many of his companions, disaster would have struck the Muslim world with terrible consequences. The people of Iraq were very reluctant to march with 'Ali 0~) to Syria, even though they knew that he was right. 101 Al-I:Iasan became caliph at a time when there was a great deal of turmoil in the army oflraq. Moreover, the people ofKufa were confused and hesitant concerning which direction they should choose. Ibn Durayd writes in al-Mujtabd that al-I:Iasan stood up after the death of his father and said: By Allah, neither doubt nor regret deterred us from fighting the people of Syria. Rather, we fought them with purity of heart and patience, but purity of heart began to tum into enmity and patience into panic. When you were marching to Siffeen, your religious affairs were more important to you than your worldly affairs, but now your worldly affairs have become more important to you than your religious affairs. We are to you as we were before, but you are not to us as you used to be. Now you are grieving for the two types of slain: the slain of Siffeen, for whom you are weeping, and the slain ofNahrawan, for whom you are seeking vengeance. As for those who survived, they are reluctant, and those who are weeping are angry. Mu'awiyah has offered us something in which there is no glory or fairness for us. If you are prepared for death, we will reject his offer, but if you prefer life, we will accept it. People called out from all sides: Peace, peace [or: safety, safety]. When they said that, al-I:Iasan went ahead with the peace deal. 102 Although it is doubtful that this speech can be soundly attributed to al-I:Iasan, it nevertheless gives us an idea of his way of Al-lfasan :S caliphate and his reconciliation efforts thinking and the reason he pressed ahead with the peace deal with Mu'awiyah 0~). Al-l;[asan spoke of the ill treatment he received from some of the people oflraq and how they humiliated and offended him. He said clearly and openly: I think, by Allah, that Mu'awiyah is better for me than these people, who claimed to be my supporters but then took my property and wanted to kill me. By Allah, making a covenant with Mu' awiyah to protect my life and grant safety and security to my family is better than letting them kill me and exposing the members of my household and my family to danger. By Allah, if I fight Mu' awiyah, they will grab me by the neck and hand me over to him without any effort on his part. On the other hand, by Allah, if I make peace with him when I am still strong, that will be better than letting him execute me after capturing me, or letting him set me free, which would give him a favour to remind Banu Hashim of until the end of time. Mu' awiyah would continue to remind me of it, and his children would remind those of us who are alive and those who are dead. 104 He also said: I know the people of Kufa and have tested them, and none of the corrupt ones among them is good for me. They are dishonest and do not adhere to any covenant in word or deed. They are divided (among themselves); they tell us that their hearts are with us, but their swords are unsheathed against us. 105 Al-l;[asan stopped trusting the people of Kufa after what they did to his father and after they tried to kill him and stole his belongings. He expressed that when he said:

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death People of Iraq, if I did not give up on you except for three things, those would be sufficient for me to give up on you: your killing my father, your stabbing my mule and your robbing my belongings [or he said: your stealing my cloak from my shoulders]. 106 When al-ij.asan was asked, "What made you do what you did?", he replied: I came to hate this world, and I realised that if the people of Kufa were trusted, we would be defeated and lost. Not one of them agrees with my opinion or inclination. They are divided and have not resolved to do either good or evil. My father suffered a great deal because of them, and I wonder whether there will be any good for anyone who comes after me. 107 This was not the case with all his followers, though. It was possible to strengthen al-ijasan's army, and there were also some sections of his army who were prepared to fight, foremost among whom were Qays ibn Sa'd al-Khazraji and other commanders. 10.2.8 The strength of Mu' awiyah' s army During the life of Caliph 'Ali, Mu'awiyah <•)had attempted by all possible means - both secretly and openlyto weaken 'Ali's camp, taking full advantage of the division and the troubles in 'Ali's army. He had sent an army to Egypt, led by 'Amr ibn al-' A~, <•)and brought it under his control. Mu'awiyah had also tried to win over some prominent tribes and some of' Ali's governors. He remained in contact with the prominent figures and leaders in Iraq even after the murder of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali. A number of factors combined to help him strengthen his position, such as: the army's loyalty and obedience to him; the unity and support of the Syrians; his administrative experience as the governor of Syria; and his steady sources of income, which he Al-/f asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts was eager to spend in order to achieve his aims because he believed them to be in the best interests of the Ummah. 10.3 The conditions of the peace treaty History books and modem sources indicate that the peace deal was reached according to conditions set by both sides. I have found these conditions scattered among various writers of history. Some scholars have tried to compile them and put them in order. In light of the conclusions they reached, we will try to put them in the correct order, with comments on each condition as appropriate: 10.3.1 Acting in accordance with the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Prophet and the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs The report of Bukhari states that the delegation comprising 'Abdur-Ra:bman ibn Samurah and 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir accepted every condition stipulated by al-I:Iasan. They said to him, "We will grant you that." The reminder to Mu' awiyah to act in accordance with the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Prophet and the way of the RightlyGuided Caliphs was very appropriate to the environment in which the peace deal was concluded. We do not agree with the view of some historians, such as my professor and shaykh, Dr. Muhammad al-Batayanah, which suggests that the inclusion of this condition in the peace treaty was a way of undermining Mu'awiyah (~)and accusing him of not doing that. That would suggest that this condition was not one of the conditions of the peace deal between the two sides. 108

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death This condition was mentioned by a number of scholars, such as lbn ijajar al-Haythami, who quoted some of the wording of the peace deal between al-ijasan and Mu'awiyah: Al-ijasan made peace with him on the basis that he would hand over to Mu'awiyah the position of authority over the Muslims and that Mu'awiyah should run their affairs in accordance with the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Prophet and the way of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. 109 Certain Shiite books mention this as well, affirming al-ijasan ibn 'Ali's respect for Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all) and the way they ran the affairs of the Ummah. (In other manuscripts it says: the righteous caliphs. 110) This condition set out the guidelines for Mu'awiyah's state with regard to its reference points and its direction. 10.3.2 Financial considerations It was narrated that al-ijasan said to Mu'awiyah's delegates, 'Abdur-RaQ.man ibn Samurah and 'Abdullah ibn •Amir ibn Kurayz, "We, Banu 'Abdul-Muttalib, acquired some of this wealth ... who can help me with it?" They said, "We will help you with it." (al-Bukhari) Al-ijasan was referring to some wealth that he and others of Banu 'Abdul-Muttalib had previously acquired; he did not want Mu'awiyah to ask them to pay it back. He was not referring to money that he wanted Mu' awiyah to pay to him in the future. 111 lbn A'tham stated that al-ijasan said, "As for the money, Mu'awiyah has no right to pay me anything from the treasury of the Muslims."112 Abu Ja'far at-Tabari narrated from the report of 'Awanah ibn al-ijakam that the people of Basra stood between al-ijasan and Al-/jasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts the land tax collected from Darabajrad, saying, "It is our income (money acquired from the disbelievers without fighting)." 113 It is well known that collecting taxes is the role of the state, and there was no direct connection between al-ijasan and the people of Basra in that regard. The report indicates that the taxes of Darabajrad were not among the wealth that was given to al-ijasan. 114 It was narrated that al-ijasan said to Mu'awiyah, "I owe promises and debts." Mu'awiyah released four hundred thousand or more to him from the public treasury. 115 Ibn 'Asakir said: He handed control of the public treasury to him so that he could pay off his debts and promises from it, and so that he and the dependents of his father's household - the children and his own household - could take from it. 116 Some historians contend that the five million dirhams that he kept from the public treasury was for the fighters who were with him, and that he intended to distribute it among them and to pay living expenses for himself, his family members and his companions.117 No doubt, distributing wealth to some of the troops would help reduce tension. I am inclined towards the report of Imam Bukhari - that the matter was no more than asking Mu' awiyah to overlook the wealth that he and his family had acquired in the past. 118 Some reports indicate that it was stipulated that Mu'awiyah send one million dirhams to al-ijasan every year, send another two million a year to his brother al-ijusayn (~), and give precedence to Banu Hashim over Banu 'Abd Shams when giving stipends and gifts. 119 This suggests that al-ijasan sold the caliphate to Mu' awiyah. These reports, and the research and analysis supporting them, are not acceptable and cannot be relied upon because they depict al-ijasan as being focused on his own interests rather than those of the Muslim Ummah. 120

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death With regard to his right to a stipend, al-I:Iasan was no different than any other Muslim. It is possible that his share was greater than that of others, but it was no more than one percent of the amount that is mentioned in some reports. 121 10.3.3 Protection The peace deal between the two sides guaranteed that all the people would be safe and that no one would be brought to account for any mistake or offence. According to the report of al-Bukhari, al-I:Iasan said to Mu 'awiyah 's delegation, "This Ummah has indulged in its blood." The delegation guaranteed al-I:Iasan that everyone would be pardoned with regard to the blood that had been shed. 122 A report from az-Zuhri states that 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas, commander of al-I:Iasan's army, found out what al-I:Iasan wanted from Mu'awiyah. He sent word to Mu'awiyah, asking him for safety and stipulating that he be allowed to keep the wealth that he had acquired. He then went out to them at night and joined them. Qays ibn Sa'd, whom he had left behind in charge of the army, vowed, along with his army, to fight Mu'awiyah unless he guaranteed that 'Ali's supporters and followers would be safe with regard to their wealth and blood. 123 The historical facts, however, are that the commander of the army was al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali U~), while the commander of the vanguard was Qays ibn Sa'd. There is no mention of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas or his brother 'Ubaydullah in this regard, 124 except in weak reports on which no evidence can be based. Moreover, the reports narrated by Abu I:Ianeefah ad-Daynoori in al-Akhbar atTiwal, 125 Ibn I:Iajar al-'Asqalani in al-Matalib al- 'Aliyah 126 and Ibn A 'tham in al-Futoob, 127 state that the main figures in the army Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts were al-I;Iasan ibn 'Ali (J.~) and Qays ibn Sa'd; there is no mention of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas or 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas. 128 Regardless of whether the commander of the army was 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, 'Ubaydullah ibn 'Abbas or anyone else, the motive for the commander of al-I;lasan's army to contact Mu'awiyah and ask him for safety was non-existent. Al-I;Iasan's army was strong and powerful, as confirmed by the report oflmam al-Bukhari, and means of communication between him and his commanders were readily available. Al-I;lasan was the ruler and head of the Ummah. Through negotiations between him and Mu'awiyah's delegation, he had obtained a guarantee of safety for his followers and those who were on his side, as well as for Banu al-' Abbas and others of Banu al-Muttalib, with regard to their blood and wealth. Al-I;Iasan informed his commanders about the peace deal. He told them he was giving up the caliphate to Mu'awiyah, and he instructed them to join the main body of Muslims and swear allegiance to Mu'awiyah. When Qays and his followers realized that they were no longer with a leader whom they had to obey, they gave up the fight and swore allegiance to Mu'awiyah, thus joining the main body of Muslims. 129 In the report of az-Zuhri, there is praise for Qays but not for al-I;Iasan and the two sons of al- ' Abbas. This exclusion is unnecessary. 130 Al-I;lasan ibn 'Ali (~) stipulated that Mu'awiyah (~) should not hold any of the people of Madinah, the Hejaz or Iraq accountable for anything. 131 Historians may note that from that time, the quest for vengeance for the murder of 'Uthman (~)was abandoned, 132 and there was an agreement not to bring anyone to account for anything that had taken place during the time of 'Ali(~). This is a very important principle that prevents looking to the past; it focuses on opening a new page, looking to the present and future. 133 The agreement was based on the commitment and legitimacy of both

From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death sides, and it was drawn up with the intent to pardon everything that took place between the two sides. Indeed, Mu'awiyah <•)did not punish anyone for any previous offence. Thus, al-I:Iasan's peace deal was made in kindness and forgiveness, and it softened the hearts of all, particularly since it was done voluntarily. This was a great act that brought harmony back to the Ummah, spread security and prevented bloodshed to a large extent during the time of Mu'awiyah. He had his own views, based on what he thought best, which we will discuss in detail below. 10.3.4 Who should succeed Mu' awiyah? It was said that one of the conditions on which both sides agreed was that after Mu'awiyah's death, he should be succeeded by alI:Iasan.134 Mu'awiyah supposedly promised that if anything happened to him while al-I:Iasan was still alive, he would name him as his successor and pass authority to him. 135 However, Ibn A'tham narrated that al-I:Iasan said, "As to the question of who should become caliph after he dies, I do not want that. If I had wanted it, I would not have made a peace deal with him."136 In the text of the peace deal that was quoted by Ibn I:lajar alHaythami, it says, "Who is to become caliph after he dies is to be decided by consultation among the Muslims."137 When examining the reports about al-I:Iasan's demand to become caliph after Mu'awiyah's death, we find that they are contrary to the character, dignity and pride of al-I:Iasan. How could he give up the caliphate in order to prevent the Muslim blood from being shed, seeking the pleasure of Allah and agreeing to be a follower, and at the same time look for worldly position and hope to become caliph once again? The evidence that this is untrue is in Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts the report of Jubayr ibn Nu9ayr. When he told al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali, "People are saying that you want to be a caliph," al-I:Iasan replied: The skulls of the Arabs were in my hand; they would grant peace to whomever I granted peace to, and they would declare war on whomever I declared war on. I have given it up, seeking the countenance of Allah. 138 It may be noted that none of the Companions or their sons mentioned anything regarding that when they swore allegiance to Yazeed. If the matter had been as the reports say, that al-I:Iasan was to succeed Mu'awiyah as caliph, then al-I:Iusayn ibn 'Ali (~) would have cited that as proof. In fact, we have not heard anything to that effect at all, which confirms that the idea of an agreement for al-I:Iasan to succeed Mu'awiyah as caliph has no basis in truth. Moreover, if al-I:Iasan's appointment to the position of successor had been stipulated as a condition, he would have been close to Mu'awiyah in running the affairs of the state, or he would have been appointed as a governor of a major region. He would not have gone to Madinah and withdrawn from running the affairs of the Ummah. In any case, selecting the ruler through consultation among the Muslims was the basic principle at that time. 10.3.5 The issue of reviling Commander of the Faithful 'Ali Certain history books state that al-I:Iasan stipulated a condition upon Mu'awiyah that 'Ali should not be reviled within his hearing. This would imply that al-I:Iasan tolerated the reviling of' Ali when he was not listening. Hence, my professor and shaykh, Dr. Muhammad al-Batayanah said, "This issue may never have been discussed between al-I:Iasan and Mu'awiyah." 139 The Shiites accused Mu'awiyah of making people revile and curse 'Ali on the pulpits of the mosques, but this claim is not true.

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death What causes a great deal of annoyance is the fact that researchers picked up this fabrication, even though it is worthless, without subjecting it to critical analysis. Later historians accepted it as fact, seeing no need to discuss it, although there is no proof at all in any sound report. We cannot rely on what is narrated in the books ofad-Dumayri, al-Ya'qoobi andAbul-Faraj al-l~fahani. Moreover, it should be noted that the accurate history confirms something other than what these writers say, 140 which is that Mu'awiyah respected 'Ali and his noble family and held them in high esteem. The story about 'Ali being cursed on the pulpits of the Umayyads is not in accordance with the nature of events or the nature of the disputing parties. If we refer to books of history that were written at the time of the Umayyads, we do not find any such mention. We only find it in the books of later historians who wrote their histories during the time of the Abbasids with the aim of giving a bad image to the Umayyads in the eyes of the Muslim masses. That was written by al-Mas'ood in Murooj adh-Dhahab and by other Rafigi, Shiite writers. These lies crept into the history books of ahl as-Sunnah without a single sound report. The seriousness of such claims is known to scholars and researchers, especially when the claim comes from the Rafigis. Mu'awiyah is far above such accusations because of his well-known virtues. His conduct was good, and he was praised by some of the Companions and the best of the tabi'oon, who testified to his religious commitment, knowledge, justice, forbearance and other positive characteristics. 141