5. The era of caliphate in the footsteps of prophethood

The Messenger of Allah stated that there would be a caliphate in the footsteps of prophethood, accompanied by mercy; then there would be kingship accompanied by mercy. 174 It is permissible to call those who came after the Rightly-Guided Caliphs 'caliphs', even though they were kings and not the caliphs, or successors, of the prophets. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (~)that: «The Messenger of Allah said: The children of Israel were led by the prophets, and every time a prophet died, another prophet succeeded him. But there is no prophet after me. There will be caliphs, of whom there will be many. From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death He was asked: What do you instruct us to do?

He said: Fulfil your covenants to the first one and then the next one, then give them their due, for Allah will question them concerning what He entrusted to them to take care of.» (Muslim) The words «there will be many» refer to caliphs other than the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, because the latter were few in number. Moreover, the phrase «Fulfil your covenants to the first one and then the next one» indicates that there will be disputes among them. There were no disputes among the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. The words «then give them their due, for Allah will question them concerning what He entrusted to them» point to the juristic school of thought of ahl as-Sunnah, which is to give rulers their share of wealth and booty. 175 Mu'awiyah was the best of the kings of this Ummah. Those who came before him were caliphs in the footsteps of prophethood, but his caliphate was a kingship accompanied by mercy.

There was mercy, forbearance and benefit for the Muslims; this indicates that his kingship was better than the others. 176 Although he was knowledgeable, pious and just, Mu'awiyah had a lower status than the four previous caliphs in terms of knowledge, piety and justice. We also see differences in status among the close friends of Allah (~) and indeed among the angels and prophets. Even though his rule was valid according to the consensus of the Companions and by virtue of al-f.lasan 's handing over the caliphate to him, it was not in the footsteps of the caliphs who came before him. He allowed himself to indulge in a wider range of permissible things, whereas the four previous caliphs had refrained from them. As for the four caliphs being superior to him in terms of acts of worship and the way they interacted with people, this is something that is quite obvious. 177 Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts 10.5 Did al-I:Iasan give up the caliphate to Mu' awiyah from a position of strength or weakness?

Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali(~) gave up the caliphate to Mu'awiyah (~) from a position of strength. The evidence for that includes the following: 10.5.1 The legitimacy of al-}:Iasan' s position Allegiance was sworn to al-l:fasan in Ramadan, 40 AH, after the martyrdom of Commander of the Faithful 'Ali. Al-l:fasan was elected as caliph on the basis of consultation, and he became the legitimate caliph of the Hejaz, Yemen, Iraq and all the places that had been under his father's rule. He continued as caliph for six months, a period which is included in the Rightly-Guided Caliphate which the Messenger of Allah (~) said would last for thirty years before becoming a kingship. Many Sunni scholars have discussed the legitimacy of all:fasan 's caliphate.

Their comments were mentioned in the preceding chapters of this book. If al-I:Iasan had wanted to cause trouble by claiming that the caliphate was legitimately his, he could have done so. He could have launched an organised propaganda campaign, targeting the people of Syria in order to earn their trust or at least undermine Mu 'awiyah 's position among them. He had power, high morale, and a spiritual authority that could not be taken lightly because he had a legitimate basis for his position and because he was the grandson of the Messenger of Allah(~). From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death 10.5.2 Al-I:Iasan' sown analysis of his position and leadership ability When Nufayr ibn al-I:Iac;lrami said to 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. (Recorded by lbn Katheer with a sound chain) This is testimony from al-I:Iasan himself that he had been in a position of strength and that his followers were prepared to either fight or make peace with whomever he wanted. He was also an eloquent and talented orator, with sincere emotions and the ability to influence people; in addition, he was related to the Messenger of Allah (~),which only strengthened his position. The evidence for that is the way he mobilised the people of Kufa to join his father after Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari (~) had dissuaded them from going out to fight or getting involved in the conflict. 10.5.3 On al-I:Iasan' s side were people known for their l,eadership skills His supporters included his brother al-I:Iusayn, his cousin 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far, Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah - who was one of the shrewdest Arabs - 'Adiyy ibn I:Iatim and others (may Allah be pleased with them). If he had wanted the caliphate, he would have given free rein to his commanders to move forward, mobilise fighters and start a war with Mu'awiyah.

At the very least, he would have ruled over his state as a caliph for a while. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts 10.5.4 Evaluation of al-Basan' s forces by 'Amr ibn al-' A$ and Mu' awiyah It is stated in accounts from Bukhari that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali faced 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? 178 He sent two men of Quraysh, from Banu 'Abd Shams ['AbdurRal;iman ibn Samurah and 'Abdullah ibn •Amir ibn Kurayz], instructing them: Go to this man and make him an offer; talk to him. They went to him and delivered the offer. 179 'Amr ibn al-'A~ (~), the famous commander and brilliant politician, who had a great deal of experience in war, said, "I can see troops who will not tum away until they kill their peers." Mu'awiyah estimated that in this military situation, no one could achieve a decisive military victory until both sides had incurred huge losses. Even ifhe were the victor, Mu'awiyah would not be able to deal with the legacy of war, namely a large number of widows and orphans, along with the killing of the best of the Muslims. This would lead to serious negative consequences in social, political, economic and ethical terms for the Muslim Ummah and others. Hence, Mu'awiyah chose to appoint two notable Companions of the Messenger of Allah(~).

Both were influential in Muslim society, held in high esteem by al-I:Iasan, and from the Quraysh. ~l From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death The commander,' Abdur-Ral)_man ibn Samurah ibn I:Iabeeb ibn Rabee' ah ibn 'Abd Shams ibn 'Abd Mana£, Abu Sa' eed al-Qurayshi al-' Abshami 'Abdur-Rab.man was a prominent man who had embraced Islam on the day of the conquest ofMakkah. He had settled in Basra and joined the campaign to Sijistan. 180 He is the one to whom the Messenger of Allah (~) said: «'Abdur-Rab.man, do not seek a position ofauthority. If you are given it without asking for it, you will be helped, but if you are given it because you asked for it, you will be left to your own devices.» (Muslim) There are fourteen hadiths narrated by him in the musnad of Baqiyy ibn Mukhallad. lbn 'Abbas, Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab, 'Abdur-Rab.man ibn Abi Layla, I;Iayyan ibn 'Umayr, lbn Sireen, al-I;Iasan and his brother Sa'eed ibnAbil-I;Iasan, and I;Iumayd ibn Hilal all narrated from him. It was said that his name was 'Abd Kalal until the Messenger of Allah (~) changed it to 'Abdur-Rabman. 181 He died in Basra in 50 or 51 AH. 182 'Abdur-Rab.man ibn Samurah was a noble Companion who fought for the sake of Allah and was held in high regard at that time. He took part in the conquests and was appointed as commander of the conquering armies at the time of 'Uthman.

He conquered Sijistan by means of a peace deal; afterwards, he conquered Bust and its neighbouring regions. He travelled to Kabul and Zabulstan and conquered both of them, sending the booty to lbn 'Amir Ur&). 183 Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir ibn Kurayz ibn Rabee' ah ibn 'Abd Shams ibn 'Abd Mana£ ibn Qu~ay al-Qurayshi al-' Abthami184 He was born at the time of the Messenger of Allah (~), in 4 AH. When the noble Messenger (~) entered Makkah in 7 AH to perform the minor pilgrimage, 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir was brought to him. lbn I:Iajar al-' Asqalani said: « ... He [the infant] smacked his lips and yawned, and the Messenger of Allah (~) spat in his mouth and said: Is this the son of as-Sulamiyah? They said: Yes.

He said: He looks like us. He spat in his mouth and sought refuge with Allah for him, and the child swallowed the saliva of the Prophet(~). He said: He will be given a lot of water. As it happened, whenever he would dig in a land, water would appear for him.»185 I have discussed his biography in my book about 'Uthman ibn 'Affan (~),in the discussion about governors during the time of 'Uthman. 186 He is a man whose good deeds and the people's love for him cannot be denied, as Ibn Taymiyah said. 187 Adh-Dhahabi said concerning him, "He was one of the most prominent, brave and generous of the Arabs; he was kind and forbearing." 188 He was one of those who refrained from fighting in the Battle of the Camel and Siffeen. The character of the two men whom Mu'awiyah sent indicates that he was eager for the peace deal with al-I:Iasan to succeed, no matter what the cost.

Al-I:Iasan and his supporters remained in control of the situation, and their military strength was formidaFrom his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death ble, as we have seen in reports narrated by Bukhari and others. The assassination attempts and attacks directed against him were due to the issue of fighting or making peace with Mu' awiyah. After those who were opposed to peace were defeated, and the man who had attacked him was killed, he went ahead and met Mu'awiyah. If al-f.lasan had not been a man to be reckoned with, Mu' awiyah would not have needed to negotiate with him or agree to the conditions and guarantees that he demanded. He would have been aware of al-f.lasan's weakness through his spies, and he would have entered Kufa without bothering to negotiate with anyone. 189 It was well within al-f.lasan's capability to fight Mu'awiyah with his supporters and helpers, but he was a man of good character who was inclined towards peace and who hated turmoil and division.

Hence, Allah enabled him to bridge the gap and unite the Ummah. 10.5.5 Al-Basan' slack of interest in worldly power Al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali (~) is an example of rising above worldly adornments and seeking reward from Allah. Al-f.lasan teaches us to give up positions of authority if we know that this action will please Allah and will be in the best interests of the Ummah. To help us take less interest in worldly gain, we should hope for a short life span, remember death often and visit graves. Al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali had written on his seal the following words: Send ahead whatever you can of righteous deeds, for death will inevitably come to you, young man. You look very happy, as if you cannot see your loved one in the grave, in a state of decay. 190 Al-f.lasan ibn 'Ali was one of the great ascetics of his era.

He turned away from this world and its worthless accumulation, foAl-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts cusing instead on seeking the pleasure of Allah. He was preoccupied with it to the extent that it distracted him from seeking status among people. Yet despite that, Allah gave him a high status in people's hearts; he was held in high esteem even though he neither sought nor wanted that. On the contrary, he fled from it out of fear that the people would distract him from Allah, Who has said: f{Verily, those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the Most Gracious will bestow love for them [in the hearts of the believers]. }t (Qur 'an 19: 96) Al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali (~) teaches us how to tum away from the pursuit of status, authority, power and fame, and to seek the pleasure of Allah(~) instead. Al-l;lasan's prominence and status increased when he gave up worldly power; he became a symbol of self-denial and selflessness, as well as a source of pride for the Ummah through the ages.

This is because he gave precedence to the interests of the Ummah, by uniting it and sparing its blood, over every other interest. Al-l;lasan ibn 'Ali (~)teaches us to rise above our hidden evil inclinations by adhering to principles and values. When he was subjected to a vicious attack by some of his followers who rejected a peace deal with Mu'awiyah, he responded to them in an appropriate way and tried to elevate them. He explained to them the motives that led him to yield to Mu' awiyah. He succeeded in leading the entire Ummah to fulfil his mission, and he was not affected by pressure from the masses or anything else.

This is how leaders who are devoted to Allah behave. Al-l;lasan followed the proper guidance in his reconciliation with Mu' awiyah. He did not feel any hesitation or regret; he was perfectly pleased and content about the matter. 191 He refuted his critics with extreme politeness and clear evidence. May Allah be pleased with him and make him pleased. From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death 10.6 Al-l:Iasan's life in Madinah after the peace deal After yielding the caliphate to Mu'awiyah, al-I;lasan left Kufa.

Accompanied by his companions and Bani Hashim, he went back and settled in Madinah. The Hashimis were held in high esteem and were greatly respected by Mu'awiyah. Their leader was alI:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~). At that time, Madinah was inhabited by numerous scholars among the Companions, in addition to large numbers of tabi'oon who had studied under knowledgeable Companions. These were a mixture of the Muhajireen, the An~ar and others.

The main concerns of these people were worshiping, teaching, and narrating the hadiths they had memorised from the Messenger of Allah (~). They would follow the Ummah in whatever direction it chose and would not separate from it. Among these people were: 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Sa'eed alKhudri and Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them all).192 The atmosphere of Madinah was good for academic life; the seekers of knowledge there devoted their time to narrating hadiths, interpreting the Quran, and deriving judicial rulings. It was a peaceful and tranquil place, central to the pursuit of knowledge and research. 193 10.6.1 The relationship between al-l:fasan and Mu' awiyah after the peace deal Al-I;lasan ibn 'Ali(~) used to visit Mu'awiyah (~)during the latter's caliphate. He went to him one day and Mu'awiyah said to A/-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts him, "I shall give you a gift that I have never given to anyone before you and I shall not give it to anyone after you." He gave him four hundred thousand dirhams, which al-I:Iasan accepted. 194 According to another report: Al-I;lasan ibn 'Ali used to come to Mu'awiyah every year, and the latter would give him one hundred thousand dirhams.

One year he did not come, and Mu'awiyah did not send him anything. Al-I:Iasan called for ink to write to him but then felt tired, so he took a nap before writing. In a dream, he saw the Prophet(~) saying: Al-I;lasan, are you writing to a created being to ask him to meet your need, instead of asking your Lord? Al-I;lasan said: What should I do, Messenger of Allah, when my debts are so many? He told him to say: 0 Allah, I am asking You for every matter that I could not achieve by means of my strength and power, that I did not aspire to achieve, that did not cross my mind, that I did not have any hope for, and that was not uttered by my tongue [as a result] of strong faith, that You grant to anyone of Your first creation or the Muhajireen and Arn~ar. [I ask You to] grant it to me, 0 Most merciful of those who show mercy.

Al-I;lasan said: I memorised these words and said them in my supplication. Soon Mu'awiyah mentioned me and was told: He did not come this year. So he ordered that I should be given two hundred thousand dirhams. 195 According to another report: The supplication that the Messenger of Alla,h (~)taught to alI;lasan in his dream was: From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death 0 Allah, instil in my heart hope of mercy, and stop me from pinning my hopes on anyone except You, so that I will have no hope in anyone except You. 0 Allah, whatever I could not achieve by means of my strength and deeds, that I did not want, or ask for, or utter on my lips, that you gave to any one of the earlier or later people of certainty of faith, then grant it to me, 0 Lord of the Worlds. Al-I:Iasan said: By Allah, I persisted in repeating it for only one week before Mu'awiyah sent me one million, five hundred thousand dirhams. Praise be to Allah, Who does not forget those who remember Him and does not let down those who call upon Him.

Later, I saw the Prophet (~) in a dream, and he said: AlI:Iasan, how are you? I said: I am well, Messenger of Allah. I told him what had happened, and he said: My son, this is the result of the one who puts his hope in the Creator and does not put his hope in created beings. 196 10.6.2 Mu' awiyah' s sending gifts to al-J:Iasan, al-J:Iusayn and Ibn az-Zubayr Mu'awiyah ordered that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali should be given one hundred thousand. He took it to him, and al-I:Iasan said to those who were around him: Whoever takes something, it is his. He ordered that al-I:Jusayn ibn 'Ali should be given one hundred thousand.

He took it to him and there were ten people with him, so he shared it out among them, ten thousand for each of them. And he ordered that 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far be given one hundred thousand. 197 Al-l:f asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Whenever Mu'awiyah met al-l:fasan ibn 'Ali, he would say to him: Welcome to the son of the Messenger of Allah(~). Whenever he met 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, he would tell him: Welcome to the son of the Messenger of Allah's paternal aunt. He ordered that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali be given three hundred thousand dirhams and 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr one hundred thousand.198 Some reports, narrated with sound chains, stated that Mu'awiyah always upheld ties with al-l:fusayn, hastened to meet his requests and needs, and gave generously to him. 199 The Shiites themselves acknowledge that Mu'awiyah gave gifts to al-l;lasan, al-l:fusayn and 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far.200 It seems that al-l:fusayn's relationship with Mu'awiyah was a good one as well, and it continued on the basis of complete respect on both sides. The people of Kufa did not sever their ties with all;lasan and al-l;lusayn after they left Kufa and settled in Madinah.

The relationship continued between the two sides through the letters that were sent constantly by the people of Kufa. In these letters, it seems, they called for opposing the existing authorities and they affirmed the right ofal-l;lasan and al-l;lusayn to the caliphate, in an attempt to motivate them to demand it. This did not have the desired effect on al-l;lasan. Rather, it gave him a clear impression of the Shiites in Kufa, demonstrating that they were troublemakers who did not want the Ummah to be united.201 Yazeed ibn al-A~amm said: A bunch of letters came to al-l:fasan from Kufa, and he said: 0 slave girl, bring a vessel, put some water in it and put these letters in the water. He did not open or look at any of them.

I said: Abu Muhammad, who are these letters from? From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death He said: From the people oflraq, some people who do not support the truth and will not refrain from supporting falsehood. I do not fear them for myself, but I fear them with regard to that one. He pointed to al-ijusayn.202 When al-ijasan ibn 'Ali died, the Shiites met in the house of Sulayman ibn Sard. They wrote a letter to al-ijusayn, offering condolences on the death of his brother and saying: Allah has made in you a greater creation than those who have passed away.

We are your supporters (Shiites); your calamity is our calamity, your grief is our grief, and your joy is our joy. We are awaiting your instructions.203 Al-ijusayn replied: I want my opinion to be the same as that of my brother, may Allah have mercy on him, with regard to upholding the peace deal. My brother's opinion on striving against the wrongdoers was correct. So keep quiet, keep a low profile, conceal your real feelings and be careful as long as the son of Hind (Mu'awiyah) is still alive. If anything happens to him while I am still alive, I shall tell you what I think you should do, if Allah wills.204 Al-ijusayn's status among the Muslims after the death of alijasan was undoubtedly high.

There were strong feelings that he would be the only candidate for the caliphate after the death of Mu'awiyah. The prominent people of the Hejaz and the leaders of Kufa would come and visit him; they did not doubt that he would become caliph after Mu'awiyah.205 Not only did the people of Kufa continue asking al-ijusayn to come to them, but they also asked Muhammad ibn al-ijanafiyah to come. However, he was aware of the danger posed to him and to the family of' Ali ibn Abi Talib by the people of Kufa. He startAl-If asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts ed warning al-I:Iusayn against being deceived by them and believing their claims. Among the things that he said to al-I:Iusayn was, "The people want to use us and kill us for their own gain."206 The letters exchanged between al-I:Iusayn and the people of Kufa stirred up fear among the Umayyads in Madinah.

They wrote to Mu'awiyah, asking what to do about al-I:Iusayn, and he responded that they should not bother him at all. 207 It is impossible that Mu'awiyah did not know of the correspondence and strong ties between al-I:Iusayn and the people of Kufa. Mu'awiyah asked al-I:Iusayn to fear Allah(~) and not cause division among the Muslims; he reminded him to remember Allah with regard to the Muslims' affairs.208 Al-I:Iasan and al-I:Iusayn adhered to the terms of their deal with Mu' awiyah; they remained loyal to their oath of allegiance to him. Al-I:Iusayn thought that the peace deal was binding upon him as long as either al-I:Iasan or Mu'awiyah was still alive. 10.6.3 Did Mu' awiyah poison al-Basan? Some reports state that al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) died after being poisoned. The finger of suspicion is pointed at al-I:Iasan's wife, Ja'dah bint al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, the leader ofKindah.

'Ali's concubine Umm Moosa accused Ja'dah of poisoning al-I:Iasan and causing him to become sick. A large vessel would be placed underneath him, only to be taken away immediately and replaced with another, and this continued for forty days.209 The chain of this report is not sound, though; in fact, it is weak.210 Some narrators have tried to establish a connection between the swearing of allegiance to Yazeed and the death of al-I:Iasan. They claim that Yazeed ibn Mu'awiyah sent a message to Ja'dah, promising, "If you poison al-I:Iasan, I will marry you." From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death According to this report, she did that, but after al-I;Iasan died and Ja'dah sent word to Yazeed asking him to fulfil his promise, he said, "By Allah, we did not like you as a wife for him, so why would we like you as a wife for us?"211 Its chain includes Yazeed ibn 'IyaQ, the son of Ja'diyah, who was regarded as a liar by Malik and others.212 A similar report was narrated in the book Maqatil at-Talibiyeen with a chain from Al)mad ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Ammar, one of the leaders of the Shiites.213 Its chains include 'Eesa ibn Mahran, who was a Rafi9i. Al-Khateeb said concerning him, "He is one of the devils of the Rafi9is."214 Al-Baladhuri215 narrated, with a chain from al-Haytham ibn 'Adiyy, that the one to whom Mu'awiyah sent one hundred thousand was al-I;Iasan's wife, Hind hint Suhayl ibn 'Amr. However, al-Haytham ibn 'Adiyy is a liar.216 These reports were narrated in the books of ahl as-Sunnah without any examination, and it should be noted that the chains of these reports are weak.217 As for the books of the Imami Shiites, there are many reports that accuse Mu'awiyah of poisoning al-I;Iasan, but none of them is sound or good.

These people have levelled false accusations to undermine the Companions, especially Mu'awiyah. Scholars have discussed this false accusation; the following are some of their statements: Ibn al-' Arabi If it is said that al-I;lasan was poisoned, this is impossible for two reasons: there was no worry about al-I;Iasan after he had handed over authority; and it is something secret that no one knows except Allah. So how could you attribute this action to any man without clear proof after an interval of time? There is Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts no trustworthy narrator who narrated such a thing. The narrators of such reports are people of whims and desires, and these reports appeared at a time of turmoil and tribalism in which everyone attributed to others things that are not appropriate.

So we should not accept reports from that time, except for those that are proven, and no narrator should be accepted except one who is definitely known to be honest and trustworthy.218 Ibn Taymiyah As for his saying that Mu'awiyah poisoned al-I:Iasan, this is something that was mentioned by some people, but it is not proven with any Shariah-compliant evidence or reliable reports, and no definitive evidence has been narrated concerning it. This is something that cannot be known, so speaking of it is speaking without knowledge.219 Ibn Taymiyah's refutation of the accusation that Mu'awiyah poisoned al-I:Iasan and ordered al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, whose daughter was married to al-I:Iasan, to carry out this crime highlights his skill in examining historical reports in an academic, critical manner. He said: The statement that Mu'awiyah ordered her father [to commit this crime] is pure speculation, and the Prophet said: «Beware of speculation, for speculation is the falsest of speech ... » Moreover, al-Ash'ath ibn Qays died in 30 or 31 AH. Hence, he is not mentioned in the peace deal that was drawn up between Mu'awiyah and al-I:Iasan in the year 41 AH, the year of unity. Al-Ash'ath was the father-in-law of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali.

If he had been present, he would have been mentioned. Since he died ten years before al-I:Iasan did, how can he have been the one who instructed his daughter [to kill al-I:Iasan]?220 From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death Adh-Dhahabi "I say: this is not sound. How could anyone find out [about this secret deal]?"221 IbnKatheer Some of them narrated that Yazeed ibn Mu'awiyah sent word to Ja'dah hint al-Ash'ath saying: Poison al-I:Iasan, and I will marry you after he dies, so she did that. When al-I:Iasan died, she sent word to him, but he said: By Allah, we did not like you as a wife for al-I:Iasan, so why should we like you as a wife for us? In my view, this is not sound, and it is more unlikely that this accusation can be soundly attributed to Yazeed's father, Mu'awiyah.222 Ibn Khaldoon The reports which say that Mu'awiyah poisoned al-I:Iasan through al-I:Iasan's wife, Ja'dah hint al-Ash'ath, are among the hadiths of the Shiites.

Mu'awiyah was above doing such a thing.223 Dr. Jameel al-Mi~ri The story of al-I:Iasan being poisoned by Mu'awiyah or Yazeed was fabricated ... It seems that the fabrication of the story was not widely known at that time, because we find no trace of it with regard to al-I:Iusayn's rebellion. Moreover, there is no report of al-I:Iusayn rebuking Mu'awiyah at all.224 In his book Marwiyat Mu'awiyahfee Tareekh at-Tabari, Dr. Khalid al-Ghayth has discussed from a medical point of view the reports about al-I:Iasan's death.

The following are some texts that highlight the medical aspects of this issue. Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts Ibn Sa'd narrated with his chain that al-I:Iasan entered his outhouse and said when he came out: By Allah, I just released a part of my liver and turned it over with a stick that I had with me. I have been poisoned many times, but never with a poison like this.225 Ibn Sa'd narrated with his chain that al-I:Iasan said, "I have been poisoned more than once, but never with a poison like this. My liver was just coming out of me."116 Ibn Sa'd also narrated with his chain that al-I:Iasan was poisoned several times but survived each time. The final attempt, which led to his death, caused some of his liver to come out every time he went to the outhouse. 227 Dr.

Khalid al-Ghayth further writes: I showed the texts about the medical aspect of this matter to Prof. Dr. Kamal ad-Deen al-IJusayn at-Tahir, and he responded: The patient [IJasan ibn 'Ali]228 did not suffer from any fluid bleeding, which makes it more likely that he was not given any chemical substance [or poison] that could have prevented the blood from coagulating or clotting. It is well-known that some chemical substances or poisons lead to bleeding or haemorrhage because they prevent the liver from producing certain factors that help the blood to clot or because they make it produce anti-coagulant substances. Hence, administering this substance causes many parts of the body to bleed, such as the eyes, nose, mouth and digestive system.

Blood also comes out of the anus, either on its own or mixed with stool; it does not appear in solid form or as blood clots, whether solid or spongy, or looking like pieces ofliver. Hence, it is unlikely that this patient was given a chemical substance or poison that was able to cause bleeding.229 From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death 34 7 With regard to the pieces of clotted blood, which the reports referred to as being like pieces ofliver, Prof. Dr. Kamal ad-Deen al-I:Iusayn at-Tahir says: There are some types of cancer or tumours of the digestive system that either are fixed or move through the intestines, and some cancers of the mucous lining of the digestive system that lead to bleeding with clots, mixed with cells, which may cause the mucous lining of the digestive system to be expelled in the form of clots - like pieces of liver, as it says in the reports. Hence, I think it most likely that this patient had some form of cancer or tumours in the intestines.230 This medical analysis is based on weak reports, so it is difficult to accept its conclusion.

As we have seen above, there is no proof to back up the accusation against Mu'awiyah and his son. With regard to the texts, was Ja'dah bint al-Ash'ath ibn Qays so eager for prominence or wealth that she would hasten to do what Yazeed wanted in the hope of becoming his wife? Wasn't it sufficient for her to be the daughter of the chief of the tribe of Kindah, namely al-Ash'ath ibn Qays? Wasn't her husband al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) indisputably one of the best people in terms of honour and prominence? Weren't his relatives, namely his mother Fatimah and his grandfather Messenger(~), a sufficient source of pride?

Moreover, his father was 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (~), one of the ten Companions who were given the glad tidings of paradise; he was also the fourth Rightly-Guided Caliph. What was Ja'dah trying to attain that would make her do such an abhorrent deed?231 There were many who were opposed to Islamic unity, and what al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) achieved only made them angrier. They were strongly convinced that his remaining alive presented a safety valve for the Ummah because he had brought about harmony Al-lf asan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts and unity. They thought that in order for troubles and turmoil to resume, it was essential to eliminate him. Thus, the primary suspects, in my opinion, are the Saba'is (the followers of 'Abdullah ibn Saba'), to whom al-I:Iasan had dealt a severe blow when he yielded the caliphate to Mu'awiyah and ended the conflict.

The next most likely suspects are the Kharijites, who had killed Commander of the Faithful 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (~) and also stabbed al-I:Iasan in his thigh. Perhaps they wanted to seek vengeance for their slain at Nahrawan and elsewhere.232 10.7 Al-J:Iasan's dream and the approach of his death It was narrated that 'Imran ibn 'Abdullah ibn Tall.iah said: Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali dreamt that the following words were written between his eyes: ({Say: He is Allah, [the] One.}t (Quran 112: 1) He took that as a good sign for himself and his family. When they told Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab about this, he said, "If his dream is true, he does not have much time left. He only has a few days more."233 10.7.1 The last days of al-I:Iasan' s life During his years in Madinah, al-I:Iasan was poisoned several times. The last time it happened, the doctor came and said, "This man's intestines have been destroyed by poison."234 'Umayr ibn Is-Q.aq said: A man of Quraysh and I went to see al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali.

From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death He got up and went to the outhouse; when he returned, he said: I have excreted a piece of my liver. I turned it over with this stick. I have been poisoned more than once, but I have never had anything worse than this. He said to that man: Ask me before you cannot ask me for anything. The man said: I will not ask you for anything, may Allah give you good health.

We went out and left him; when we came back to him the next day, he was on the brink of death. Al-ijusayn came and sat by his head and said: My brother, who did this to you? He asked: Do you want to kill him? Al-ijusayn replied: Yes. He said: If the one who did this is whom I think it is, Allah's vengeance will be stronger.

If it is not him, I would not want an innocent person to be killed on my account. 235 10.7.2 Al-I:Iasan' s advice to al-J:Iusayn lbn 'Abdul-Barr narrated that when al-ijasan ibn 'Ali was dying, he said to his brother al-ijusayn: My brother, when the Messenger of Allah died, our father had high hopes of taking this position and hoped to become caliph, but Allah diverted it from him and Abu Bakr was appointed. When Abu Bakr was dying, he hoped for it again, but it was diverted from him to 'Umar. When 'Umar was dying, he made it a matter of consultation among six men, of whom he ['Ali] was one. He was certain that it would not go to anyone but him, but it was diverted from him to 'Uthman. Al-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts When 'Uthman died, allegiance was sworn to him ['Ali], but then his rule was challenged, so he unsheathed the sword to defend it, and he was never in full control of it.

By Allah, I do not think that Allah will combine for us, Ahl al-Bayt, both prophethood and caliphate. I hope you do not let the foolish people of Kufa mislead you and make you go out to them.236 lbn 'Abdul-Barr did not mention his chain for this report, but its text seems odd, and it contradicts the fact that 'Ali gave precedence to Abu Bakr and 'Umar with regard to the caliphate. I have discussed this in detail in my books on Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). 10.7.3 Al-I:Iasan's final acts of worship When al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) was dying, he said, "Take me out to the courtyard so that I can look at the dominion of heaven [to ponder over the signs and creation of Allah]." His bed was taken out. He raised his head to look, and he said, "O Allah, I hope for a reward from You for offering myself, for my soul is the dearest to me." Allah accepted his supplication and took his soul to Him.237 According to one report, he said: 0 Allah, I seek a reward from You for offering myself, for I have never suffered the loss of anything like it [my soul], except the loss of the Messenger of Allah.238 In this moving scene, we see al-I:Iasan's sincerity towards Allah (~), Who alone has pride, greatness and might. These words indicate complete submission and humility before Allah, mixed with perfect hope and attachment to Him alone.

Indeed, our hearts should not be attached to anything but Him. From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death 3 51 As he was departing from this world, he did not forget to contemplate the dominion of heaven and the various creatures who dwell in it. Such pondering is an act of worship, for Allah has said: f{Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.~ (Quran 3: 190) He thought of himself and his soul, which was the dearest to him after the Messenger of Allah (~); he hoped for a reward from Allah (~) for offering his soul for His sake: f{And on the earth are signs for those who have faith with certainty, and [the signs are] also in your own selves. Will you not then see?~ (Quran 51: 20-21) Al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali 0~) perfected this type of worship and contemplation in the last moments of his life in this world. He taught us the concept of worship when he asked his Lord to reward him for offering himself for His sake.

He bade farewell to this world with acts of worship such as pondering and seeking reward for calamities. He was an embodiment of the words of Allah: f{Say [O Muhammad]: Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. Of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.~ (Quran 6: 162-163) 10.7.4 Al-l:fasan's final moments Abu Nu'aym [whose name was al-Fa From his peace deal with Mu 'awiyah until his death to change his mind. Al-I:Iasan was buried in Baqee' Cemetery241 next to his mother, Fatimah az-Zahra' .242 There are numerous weak reports about the burial of al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali U~).

People with ulterior motives took any opportunity to fabricate and distort the reports. Some of them claim that 'A'ishah refused to let al-I:Iasan be buried near the Messenger of Allah(~), Abu Bakr(~) and 'Umar (~).They allege that she said, "He will never be the fourth one; this is my house that the Messenger of Allah gave to me when he was alive." However, this is not proven and its chain is weak. 243 lbn Taymiyah has proven that 'A'ishah gave permission for al-I:Iasan to be buried in her room, but that others objected. They argued that since 'Uthman had not been buried there, no one else should be buried there either, and turmoil almost broke out.244 Some history books claim that Aban ibn 'Uthman ibn 'Affiin said: It is the strangest thing ever for the son of 'Uthman's killer to be buried with the Messenger of Allah (~), Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and for the wronged martyr, Commander of the Faithful ['Uthman], to be buried in Baqee' Cemetery.245 This is based on a report that has a very weak chain; furthermore, its text is odd.246 There are also reports which state that Marwan ibn al-I:Iakam objected to burying al-I:Iasan beside the Prophet (~), but their chains are also weak. They were quoted by Dr. Muhammad asSulami in his annotation of at-Tabaqat.247 A sound report concerning this matter has been narrated by Abu I:Iazim, who said: When al-I:Iasan was dying, he said to al-I:Iusayn: Bury me with my father [the Prophet] unless you fear bloodshed.

Ify~u fear Al-lfasan :S caliphate and his reconciliation efforts bloodshed, then do not shed blood on my account; bury me in the graveyard of the Muslims. When he died, al-I:Iusayn took up arms and gathered his freed slaves, but Abu Hurayrah said to him: I urge you by Allah, remember your brother's instructions, for the people will never let you off until there is bloodshed among you. He insisted until al-I:Iusayn recanted. Al-I:Iasan was buried in Baqee' Cemetery. Abu Hurayrah said: If the son of Moosa was brought to be buried with his father but that was prevented, would that be unjust?248 They said: Yes.

He said: This is the son of the Prophet of Allah who has been brought to be buried next to his father. 249 The funeral prayer for al-I:Iasan ibn 'Ali (~) was led by Sa'eed ibn al-'A~, who wept during it. The illness from which he died had lasted for forty days.250 Al-I:Iusayn asked Sa'eed ibn al- • A~ to lead the funeral prayer for al-I:Iasan because Sa'eed was Mu'awiyah's governor of Madinah, although he had kept out of the conflict and had not fought alongside him. He had also been the governor of Kufa for 'Uthman ibn 'Affiin. Sa'eed ibn al-'Ai:; had been one of those appointed by 'Uthman to write out the script of the Quran because of his eloquence and also because his style of speaking resembled the Prophet's.251 Abu Hurayrah stood outside the door of the Prophet's mosque, weeping and calling at the top of his voice, "O people, today the beloved of the Messenger of Allah has died, so weep."252 People gathered for his funeral until Baqee' Cemetery could not hold even one more person because of the crowd.253 If a needle were thrown, it would land nowhere except on a person's head.254 From his peace deal with Mu 'dwiyah until his death Al-ijasan was forbearing, pious and virtuous. His piety led him to forsake power and worldly gain, seeking Allah's pleasure and reward.

Adh-Dhahabi said concerning him, "This imam was a sayyid - handsome, wise, dignified, praiseworthy, religiously committed, pious, modest and of high status."255 May Allah have mercy on this noble sayyid and be pleased with him. May Allah join us with him and the prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the righteous. His life offers great lessons and insight for those who seek to learn. 10.7.6 The year in which he died and the age at which he died According to most opinions, al-ijasan ibn 'Ali (~) died in 49 AH,256 although it was also said that he died in 50257 or 51 AH.258 Dr. Khalid al-Ghayth thinks it most likely that al-ijasan ibn 'Ali (~)died in 51 AH.259 This is also the view oflmam al-Bukhari,260 and it is the view I am inclined to favour. Ja'far ibn a~-Sadiq said, "Al-ijasan lived for 47 years,"261 but adh-Dhahabi commented, "He made a mistake in narrating from Ja'far that his age was 58 years."262 Dr.

Khalid al-Ghayth said, "When he died, he was 48 years old."263 He supported his view by quoting the words of lbn 'Abdul-Barr, "Al-ijasan ibn 'Ali was born in the middle of Ramadan, 3 AH, and this is the soundest view concerning that."264 Ibn ijajar was certain about that.265 Hence, we say that al-ijasan's age when he died was 48 years, and he died in 51 AH. And Allah knows best. 266 Al-ijasan departed this world as a martyr, killed by treachery and betrayal after achieving a great deed with his unique venture of reconciliation, which united the Ummah and helped it regain its leading role in building civilization and spreading the religion of Allah throughout the world. The Muslim Ummah will remain forAl-lfasan s caliphate and his reconciliation efforts ever indebted to this great sayyid who carried the banner of unity and harmony, avoiding bloodshed and playing a role in bringing about reconciliation among the people. By means of his brilliant jihad and wonderful patience, he set an example to be followed throughout the ages. His sublime attitude and ability to rise above worldly accumulation has been preserved for us by history and has not been lost with the passage of time. • = CONCLUSION • • ~is book was completed on 21Safar,1425 AH (11April,2004 CE) at 9:45 p.m.

All thanks are for Allah, from the first to the last. I ask Him, may He be glorified and exalted, to accept this humble work and open people's hearts to benefit from it. May He bless it by His grace and bounty. «{Whatever of mercy Allah may grant to humankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.~ (Qur 'an 35: 2) With the conclusion of this book, I pray to Allah and beseech Him with a humble heart, turning towards Him and acknowledging His blessings, bounty, kindness, generosity and help. I ask Him by His beautiful names and sublime attributes to make this work of mine sincerely for His sake alone and beneficial to His servants, to reward me for every word I have written, and to include it on the scale of my good deeds.

I ask Him to reward my brothers who helped me with everything that they could to complete this humble effort. I hope that the readers will not forget this humble servant in their supplication: «{ ... My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability, that I may be grateful for Your favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your mercy among Your righteous servants.~ (Quran 27: 19) Al-lfasan ibn 'Ali May Allah send blessings and peace upon Prophet Muhammad (~),his family and his Companions. Glory and praise be to You, Allah.

I bear witness that there is no God except You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You. The end of all our supplications is: all praise is for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. From the one who needs the forgiveness, mercy and good pleasure of his Lord, Ali Muhammad Sallabi • = NOTES • • Introduction 1 The translations of the meanings of the verses of the Quran in this book have been taken (with some changes to the text) from: Khan and al-Hilali, The Noble Qur 'an. 2 Ibn Katheer, al-Bidayah wan-Nihdyah, I I: I34. 3 Qalqashandi, Ma 'athir al-Inafah fee Ma 'alim al-Khilafah, I: I 05; alGhayth, Marwiyat Khilafat Mu'awiyahfee Tdreekh at-Tabari, I55. 4 al-Adhra'i, Sharl) al- 'Aqeedat af-Tabbawiyah [Commentary on its hadith by Muhammad Nii~ir ad-Deen al-Albani], 545. 5 Ibn Katheer, al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, I I: I34. 6 ash-Shaykh, 'Aqeedat Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama 'ah fis-Sababat al-Kiram, 2:748. 7 ash-Shaykh, 'Aqeedat Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama 'ahfis-SabQbat al-Kiram, 2:748. PARTl