‘Abd Allah (S) and had done their best to extinguish the light of Islam.

‘Abd Allah (S) and had done their best to extinguish the light of Islam. This vile intention was most of all pursued by Mu‘awiya. To understand this we quote a hadith related in reliable sources: “... Mutrif b. Mughayra said: “My father and I were guests to Mu‘awiya in Sham. My father used to frequent Mu‘awiya's court. One night when he returned from Mu‘awiya's palace I found him very disappointed and upset. I asked him about the cause of his sadness.

He said: 'this man, i.e., Mu‘awiya is an evil-doer and the filthiest man of all times'. 'What has happened'? I asked him. He replied, 'I suggested Mu‘awiya now that his wishes had been fulfilled and he had taken over the Islamic caliphate, he had better treat the people with justice and not to mistreat the Bani Hashim so harshly, as they are also your kindred and nothing much is left with them to scare you of revolting against you.' Mu‘awiya replied: 'Alas!

Abu Bakr practiced caliphate and spread justice and nothing happened except that he died and his name also faded out as well as ‘Umar and ‘Uthman who died similarly, even though they were benevolent and well-behaved toward the people. However, they left but a name and passed away.

But the name of this Hashemite man (i.e., the Hoy Prophet (S) is called out five times a day from atop the minarets of the world of Islam: ‘ Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah ’ (I profess that Muhammd (S) is the Messenger of God).

Now that the caliphs' names have died and Muhammad's name lives on, nothing is left to be done but the name 'Muhammad' to be buried and obliterated.”[^1] Imam al-Husayn (as) and Mu‘awiya As long as his brother was alive, Imam al-Husayn (as) was not to oppose the decisions made by his brother who was a proof ( hujja ) of God and an Imam, to whom obedience was incumbent on every Muslim and obeying him was the same as obeying God.

On the other hand, Imam al-Husayn (as) was well aware of the reasons forcing Imam al-Hasan (as) to accept peace treaty. Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (as) never did anything opposed to wisdom and the expediency of the Muslims to which his brother would have disagreed. If Imam al-Husayn (as) had been in his brother's place, he would have done the same as what Imam al-Hasan (as) had done in his time.

The Imamate and leadership are, in any case, in the same line; but in different times they differ in tactics: a time is for peace, a time for war; a time is for supplication, a time for guidance and teaching.