Upon my life...

Upon my life, if you are fighting us and causing mischief to day, your father, too, had acted in the same way in the past!"(330) What Qays meant by the allies of 'Aqabah were men of Ansar who concluded a pact with the Prophet at 'Aqabah(331) and embraced Islam, and what he meant by the opposition and combat of an-Nu'man's father, was his taking the lead in as-Saqjfah for allegiance to Abu Bakr. This action of an-Nu'man's father helped to consolidate the caliphate of Abu Bakr.

In the statements that we have quoted from old and reliable historians, you have noted that the devout and true supporters of the Prophet who were trained by Islam, served under the banner of the Alawite government, whereas Mu'awiyah had only two of the Prophet's companions with him neither of whom had a record in Islam, nor had they shown any self- sacrifice, nor did they possess a good reputation.

Now after the martyrdom of Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib all those friends were scattered in various lands of Islam. Of course wherever these men went, loyal Muslims gathered around them, and heard and sometimes wrote down the traditions that these companions quoted from the Prophet, and thus they became familiar with the teachings of their faith.

It can, of course, be easily imagined that the hot topics of those days were related to the battles of Siffin and al-Jamal, the revolt of 'Uthman's time and such events, in all of which reference was made to the defects, treason's and black deeds of the Umayyads. Sometimes, too, they talked of the time of the first two caliphs and the victories gained in that period when no virtue or excellence could be attributed to the Umayyad house.

Similarly there was an occasional talk of the Prophet's time and the wars and battles of that period, and of the tortures inflicted upon devout Muslims by the Quraysh, impressing the hearts with the greatness and glory of the time, and rousing a feeling of humility in the listeners. Obviously in these conversations there was always a mention of the virtue and fine qualities of the Banu Hashim, and the reproach and berating the conduct and deeds of the Umayyads.

They narrated the story of Badr for interested Muslims and showed how Mu'awiyah's grandfather, uncle, brother and other members of his house were killed, and how seventy or more of the Quraysh and kins and friends of the Umayyads were taken captive.