The manners of the Prophet and the qualities of the truthful...

The manners of the Prophet and the qualities of the truthful Imams appeared during them. They (the months) showed many facts about the people in both sides. During them the best reformatory acts were concluded. On their virtuous end, the interest of the world was connected with the interest of the sky. Suddenly, al-Hasan b. 'Ali became a great reformer.

He embodied the good news his grandfather the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, gave in the tradition which we have mentioned before: "Indeed this (grand) son of mine is a lord, and Allah will make peace between two great groups from the Muslims through him." Allah, the Exalted, has preserved the high honor of the members of this House in all fields: victory, holy martyrdom in the way of Allah and history, and peacemaking. Enough for honor is peacemaking.

Enough for victory is immortal honor. Immortal honor guarantees the lasting fame. The fame is a continuous motive that develops life and sovereignty. Now, it is easy for us to understand the motives that urged al-Hasan, peace be on him, to make peace with Mu'awiya. As for the motives that urged Mu'awiya to ask al-Hasan to make peace with him, they were quite different from those of al-Hasan.

They do not indicate that Mu'awiya was unable to fight against al Hasan, nor do they indicate that he had a religious viewpoint concerning reconciliation and preventing bloodshed. So neither peace nor preventing bloodshed were the motives of Mu'awiya. He vas indifferent to them. He wanted to achieve his ambitions through conquering the Muslim countries. The proofs for that are his attacks against Medina, Mecca, and the Yemen. Besides he adopted impudent attitudes at the Battle of Siffin.

Therefore the pure opportunist ambitions urged him to make his fable- like history through making peace with al-Hasan. Al-Hasan abdicated his right to authority before the public opinion. Thus Mu'awiya thought that he would abdicate his right to the succession. According to this idea he thought that he would be the legal successor over the Muslims![^2] Government was the sweet dream for which Mu'awiya sacrificed every dear thing.

He did not know that Islam refused unlawful ways and did not hand over government to the freed prisoners and their children. Moreover, we think that Mu'awiya had other motives. Thus he stretched out his hand for reconciliation. Then he took an oath, and underlined the covenants.