Even as Ali (as) was poised to win the battle...

Even as Ali (as) was poised to win the battle, Muawiya played a trick by inciting the soldiers to abandon battle and accept arbitration of the Quran. Consequently, some of Imam’s soldiers compelled Imam to accept the appointment of Abu Musa Ash.’ari as an arbitrator. Muawiya, on his part, appointed Amr Aas as the arbitrator. These two arbitrators reached an agreement. Abu-Musa was outsmarted by Amr Aas.’ deception and decreed that Ali (as) and Muawiya both be deposed from the seat of caliphate.

However, Amr Aas concurred with Ashari as far as deposition of Ali (as) was concerned but he insisted that Ali (as) be replaced, and Muawiya should be appointed as caliph. Consequently, a group from Imam’s army from Kufa who believed in caliphate ideology and maintained that caliphate is by selection, separated from the mainstream and branded Muslims as infidels. This group revolted against Ali (as).

Another battle was foisted on Imam who fought with them in Naherwan and killed the majority of them. A minuscule minority had survived including the assassin of Imam Ali who later fatally assaulted him in the mosque of Kufa. Thereafter, the Muslims swore allegiance to the Prophet’s grandson, Hasan-ibn-Ali. When Muawiya prepared himself for a battle against him, the people of Kufa betrayed Imam Hasan. Consequently, in 40 A.H., Imam Hasan (as) forcibly signed a peace treaty with Muawiya.

The caliphate school named that year as " عام الجماعة " (Year of reunion) because Muawiya was unanimously accepted as caliph. * * * Muawiya ruled for twenty years. During this period, Muawiya ensured that numerous traditions in support of the caliphate system were forged and attributed to the Prophet (S). The caliphate school mistook these fabricated traditions (which were mentioned in the last lessons) as the Prophet’s Sunnah .

These fabricated traditions are divided into four categories: a) Traditions that were genuinely narrated by the Prophet but over a period of time, while being narrated by one narrator to another got distorted. Naturally, several of the Prophet’s sayings lost its originality.

b) Traditions, which were originally opinions of the Ahle- Sunnah scholars or their students but were so mingled and merged with the Prophet’s traditions that it became impossible to distinguish them from the genuine traditions. The belief in the physicality of God and His resemblance with creatures is the fallout of such traditions.