Like drunken people who have lost their minds...

Like drunken people who have lost their minds, you are bewildered and disoriented…”[^4] We understand from these statements that Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) was displeased with the contravention of his soldiers and followers. These are the same people who would later pay allegiance to Imam al-Hasan (as) and choose him to be the one in charge of their affairs. We will now summarize some of the negative circumstances and conditions that existed at the time: a.

A spirit of despotism, mutiny and freedom-seeking existed among the people. b. Both Imam ‘Ali (as) and his soldiers were tired and impatient of each other. c. Some of Imam ‘Ali’s soldiers were inclined towards the government of Sham (the government of Mu‘awiyah ibn Abu Sufiyan) because of hatred and animosity that they held against Imam ‘Ali (as). d.

The presence of the Khawarij among Imam ‘Ali’s (as) soldiers was another negative factor because they had taken steps that were to the detriment of the Islamic army. Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (as) inherited such an army; an army that had behaved treacherously with his father. In such sensitive times, what else could Imam al-Hasan (as) have done? How was he supposed to handle both the irresolution of his own soldiers and the open enemy under the leadership of Mu‘awiyah ibn Abu Sufiyan?

Under such circumstances, can it be said that Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (as) accepted truce and signed an armistice because of negligence of duty or was it because of lack of loyal and obedient followers? It is clear that Imam al-Hasan (as) was compelled by the circumstances which prevailed at the time to make peace.

Imam al-Hasan’s (as) army Imam al-Hasan (as) ascended to the leadership of Kufah at a time when Mu‘awiyah was planning to mount a decisive war against the Imam and bring about a final conquest of Kufah.

In some of his letters to his governors and appointed stooges, Mu‘awiyah wrote, “Some of the people of Kufah have written to me asking me for their protection and the protection of their near ones.”[^5] At the same time, Imam al-Hasan (as) was calling on the people of Kufah to go to war and confront the army of Sham. However, Imam al-Hasan’s (as) soldiers and followers consisted of people with various beliefs that can be divided into a number of groups: 1.

The Khawarij They were the same people who mutinied against Imam ‘Ali (as) and went to war with him. 2.