Clearly this is not logical and the Sharia prescribes clear...

Clearly this is not logical and the Sharia prescribes clear punishment for offences, particularly crimes against fellow human beings. Interesting is the fact that Mu'awiya never sought forgiveness for his practice of cursing Ali (as), rather he introduced it throughout his Kingdom a tradition that did not end until it was repealed byUmar bin Abdul Aziz.

On the issue of cursing, Rasulullah (s) said, "Abusing a Muslim is Fusuq (evil doing) and killing him is Kufr (disbelief)." [Sahih al-Bukhari Volume 9, Book 88, Number 197]. Abusing a momin is fisq; perhaps Abu Sulaiman should think about the momin that he was cursing. Now let us see the verdict on one who hates and curses Ali (as) and decide on where the truth lies. Was Mu'awiya a Momin or Munafiq?

We have already presented to our objective readers the wonderful deeds of Mu'awiya, what should we say of his Iman? The sign of a Munafiq is hatred of Hadhrath 'Ali (as) As a starting pointing let us consider the words of Hadhrath 'Ali (as): "By him who split up the seed and created something living, the Apostle (may peace and blessing be upon him) gave me a promise that no one but a believer would love me, and none but a hypocrite would nurse grudge against me.

●Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter XXXIV, p46, Tradition #141" Its is little wonder that we have the testimony of Abu Said al Khudri: "We recognized the hypocrites by their hatred of Ali." (Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p639, Tradition 1086 - al-Isti'ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, v3, p47 - al-Riyad al-Nadirah, by al-Muhibb al-Tabari, v3, p242) One wonders how Abu Sulaiman and his Nasibi brethren can prove that Mu'awiya loved Hadhrath 'Ali (as).

Let us look at some other traditions before concluding on Mu'awiya: The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever hurts Ali, has hurt me" Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v3, p483; al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch.

11, section 1, p263 The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever curses Ali, cursed me" al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p121, who mentioned this tradition is Authentic Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v6, p323 Mishkat al-Masabih, English version, Tradition 6092 Tarikh al-Khulafa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p173 Rasulullah (s) said: "Whoever leaves Ali, leaves me, whoever leaves me, leaves Allah" [Kanz ul Ummal, hadith numbers 32974 - 32976, narrated by Abdullah ibneUmar {through two chains} and Abu Dharr Ghaffari (ra).

al Mustadrak al Hakim, Vol.

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