Such was his guidance that he introduced the disgraceful...

Such was his guidance that he introduced the disgraceful practice of cursing Imam Ali (as) throughout his Kingdom and ordered his Governors to enforce this practice - was this a form of guidance that was leading people to the right path? He led an army against the rightful Imam becoming a baghi in the process. During his reign he killed Imam Hasan (as) and adherents of Imam 'Ali such as Hujr bin Adi. Are these actions of a Hadi?

Not only is this hadith contrary to logic and historical facts The narrator of this 'Hadi' hadith is not a reliable authority The narrator of the tradition in which Rasulullah (s) allegedly called Mu'awiya a Hadi is Abdul Rahman Abi Ameera Qurshee. About him we read in al Istiab Volume 3 page 399: "Abdul Rahman Abi Ameera Qurshee is not proven to be a Sahabi.

He was a Qurshee and a Syrian, his hadith are not deemed as authority and some have rejected this hadith" Sadly for the advocates of Mu'awiya the embarrassment does not just end there Not a single hadith in praise of Mu'awiya is Sahih The leading 'Ulama of Ahl al-Sunnah have declared all hadith praising Mu'awiya as fabricated.

Al Hafidh Jalaluddeen Suyuti in "La'ali al-Masnuaa fi ahadith al-Mauduaa" Volume 1 page 424 states: "Imam Hakim claims that he never came across a single hadith in praise of Mu'awiya that was Sahih". La'ali al-Masnuaa fi ahadith al-Mauduaa Volume 1 page 424 Muhammad bin Ali bin Shawkani in "Fawa'id al Mujmua fi bayan al-hadith al-maudua", page 147 states that: "Ibn Hibban commented that all ahadith in praise of Mu'awiya are fabricated".

Fawa'id al Mujmua fi bayan al-hadith al-maudua page 147 Al Muhaddith Shaykh Abdul Haqq Dehlavi in "Sharh Mishkat Shareef" - Volume 4 page 716 (published in 1873) after citing the hadith in praise of Mu'awiya including the "guidance hadith" Abu Sulaiman cited from Tirmidhi comments: "It is recorded in Jami al-'Usul that many muhaddith scholars have concluded that there exists not even a single hadith in praise of Mu'awiya that is Sahih". Sharh Mishkat Shareef Vol.

4 page 716 Abu'l Hasan Quinani in "Thunziyaa as Shari'a al Murfoo'a", Volume 2, Chapter 8 page 7 comments "Imam Hakim cites from a chain used by Sibt Ibne Jauzi who cites Isaan bin Ruhiyaa that 'there exists nothing in praise of Mu'awiya that is Sahih". Thunziyaa as Shari'a al Murfoo'a Vol.