Mu’awiya And the death of Imam Hasan (a.s) - Al-Shia The Scientific and Cultural Website of Shia belief Mu’awiya And the death of Imam Hasan (a.s) 2021-06-22 4930 Views Mu’awiyah, Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba It is documented in the historical sources that Mu’awiya was instrumental to the martyrdom of the beloved grandson of the Prophet; Imam Hasan (a.s). Besides, he was so pleased and relaxed upon receiving the news of his death. Even if Abu Sulaiman refuses to accept this evidence, one thing is for certain – Mu’awiya’s reaction upon hearing the death of Imam Hasan (as) proves his evil nature (1) Allamah Zamakshari notes: “Upon receiving news of Imam Hasan’s death, Mu’awiya paid a prostration of thanks” (2). In al Imama wa al Siyasa: “Upon receiving news of Imam Hasan’s death, Mu’awiya displayed such signs of pleasure that he made a prostration of thanks as did those with him” Allamah Abu Hanifa Ahmed bin Dawud Dinori records in ‘Akhbar al Tawaal’: “ Muawiyah (ra) got the news of Imam Hasan’s (ra) death, Muawiyah was informed about this by the Marwan the ruler of Madina”. Thus, Mu’awiyah called on Ibn Abbas [ra] who was there in Syria during those days. When he came, Mu’awiyah expressed condolence as well as pleasure over the death of Imam Hasan. Therefore Ibn Abbas [ra] said: “Don’t be happy over the death of Hasan” (3). Nuzul Al-Abrar: “Upon receiving news of Imam Hasan’s death, Mu’awiya recited Takbeer in a loud voice as did the people of Syria”. Fakhra bint Qulaya asked “Why are you reciting Takbeer so loudly? Mu’awiya said: “Hasan has died”. Fakhra then said: “You are reciting a Takbeer of joy at the death of the son of Fatima?”. To which Mu’awiyah said: “Not on account of joy, rather comfort and ease has reached my heart”. Mu’awiya’s denial that he was happy is a pure lie, you only have comfort in your heart when you are happy, and a closed heart is on account of sadness. Allamah Kamaluddin Muhammad bin Musa Damiri (d. 808 H) in ‘Hayaat al Haywaan’ and Allamah Diyar Bakri al-Maliki in ‘Tareekh Khamees’ recorded this narration: Ibn Abbas approached Mu’awiyah, and Mu’awiya said: ‘Do you know what happened to your household?’ Ibn Abbas said: ‘I am unaware of any thing, all I know is that you are happy, and I heard that you recited a loud Takbeer’. Mu’awiya said: ‘Hasan has died’ (4). Allamah Ibn Abd Rabih in his esteemed book ‘Aqd al Fareed’ records the following incident: ولما بلغ معاويةَ موتُ الحسن بن علي خر ساجداً لله ثم أرسل إلى ابن عباس وكان معه في الشام فعزاه وهو مُستبشر “Upon receiving news of Imam Hasan’s death, Mu’awiya became happy made a prostration of thanks. He then sent a message to Ibn Abbas and summoned him. When Ibn Abbas came, although Muawiyah advanced his condolence for Imam Hasan but he was happy over the death”. Maqatil al Husayn: “Mu’awiya said: ‘News has reached me of the death of Hasan’, and he displayed signs of happiness” We read in Tareekh Abul Fida: ولما بلغ معاوية موت الحسن خر ساجداً. “When Muawiyah came to know about the death of al-Hasan, he performed a prostration of thanks”. Ibn Khalakan records: ولما كتب مروان إلى معاوية بشكاته كتب إليه أن أقبل المطي إلى بخبر الحسن ولما بلغه موته سمع تكبيرا من الحضر فكبر أهل الشام لذلك التكبير فقالت فاختة زوجة معاوية أقر الله عينك يا أمير المؤمنين ما الذي كبرت له ؟ قال مات الحسن When Marwan wrote a complaint to Muawyia, he mentioned that he has been informed that Hassan had passed away. When Muawiya heard the news, he did Takbir and the people of Khadra area performed Takbir too and so did the people Shaam. Thus Fathkita, Muwayia’s wife said: ‘O commander of believers, may Allah please you, for what you did Takbir?’ He replied: ‘Hassan has died’. Is this type of love, Allah (swt) commands his faithful to bestow on the Ahl ul-Bayt expressing joy upon their deaths? Those that are happy at the tragedy that befalls the Ahl ul-Bayt (as), adhere to the Sunnah of Mu’awiya. Mu’awiya’s not considering the death of Imam Hasan (as) as a calamity and the Sunni scholars’ acknowledgement that this demonstrated his hatred towards the family of Ali (a.s). We read in Sunan Abu Daud: Narrated Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib: “Khalid said: Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib and a man of Banu Asad from the people of Qinnisrin went to Mu’awiyah ibn Abu-Sufyan. Mu’awiyah said to al-Miqdam: Do you know that al-Hasan ibn Ali has died? Al-Miqdam recited the Qur’anic verse “We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.” A man asked him: Do you think it a calamity? He replied: Why should I not consider it a calamity when it is a fact that the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) used to take him on his lap, saying: This belongs to me and Husayn belongs to Ali? The man of Banu Asad said: (He was) a live coal which Allah has extinguished. Al-Miqdam said: Today I shall continue to make you angry and make you hear what you dislike. He then said: Mu’awiyah, if I speak the truth, declare me true, and if I tell a lie, declare me false (5). Allamah Shams ul Haq Azeem Abadi in his famed commentary on Sunan Abu Dawood commonly known as ‘Awn-ul-Mabood’ revealed the following about “a man” mentioned in the cited tradition of Sunan Abu Dawood. Allamah Shams ul Haq records: فقال له فلان، وفي بعض النسخ وقع رجل مكان فلان والمراد بفلان هو معاوية بن أبي سفيان رضي الله تعالى عنه والمؤلف لم يصرح باسمه وهذا دأبه في مثل ذلك وقد أخرج أحمد في مسنده من طريق حيوة بن شريح حدثنا بقية حدثنا بحير بن سعد عن خالد بن معدان قال وفد المقدام بن معد يكرب وفيه فقال له معاوية أيراها مصيبة الحديث ( أتعدها ) وفي بعض النسخ أتراها أي أنعد يا أيها المقدام حادثة موت الحسن رضي الله تعالى عنه مصيبة والعجب كل العجب من معاوية فإنه ما عرف قدر أهل البيت حتى قال ما قال فإن موت الحسن بن علي رضي الله عنه من أعظم المصائب وجزى الله المقدام ورضي عنه فإنه ما سكت عن تكلم الحق حتى أظهره وهكذا شأن المؤمن الكامل المخلص “… And so-and-so said to him. In some texts, the word “Rajul”(a man) occurs in the place of “Fulan”(so-and-so), and what is intended by “Fulan”is Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan. The author (i.e. Imam Abu Dawood) did not let it be known, as this was his practise. Ahmad (ibn Hanbal) has reported in his Musnad through Haiwah ibn Shareeh, Baqiyyah, Baheer ibn Sa’d, from Khalid ibn Ma’dan who said: “And Muawiyah asked him whether he thought it was a calamity…”(the rest of the above hadeeth). “…A-Ta’adaha…” (Do you consider this…?) In some versions, it is “A-Taraaha”(Do you see this…?), that is to consider. This means: Do you regard, oh Miqdam, this event of the death of Al-Hasan as a calamity?’ Astonishment upon astonishment to Muawiya. Surely he never recognized the status of the Ahlul-Bayt, (Muawiya) saying what he said. For surely, the death of Al-Hasan ibn Ali (r.a) is the greatest of tragedies. May Allah reward Miqdam, and may He be pleased with him, for he did not stay silent from speaking the truth, until he proclaimed it. And this is the sign of a genuine and pious believer (6). Late Salafi scholar, Maulana Waheed uz Zaman Khan HyderAbadi in his commentary of this Hadeeth said: “Muawiya’s saying about the death of Imam Hasan (r.a) that it was not a calamity was based on biasness against Ali and his progeny. May Allah keep us along with Ahl ul-Bayt on the day of judgement, and may Allah raise us with them. Amin” (7). Despite this, Nasibies are still blind when it comes to the behaviour of Mu’awiya. Paksitani Hanafi scholar, Allamah Khalil Ahmad Chisti in his book Maula aur Mu’awiya citing Tayseer al Bari Sharh Bukhari states that it was actually Mu’awiya who said “He (Imam Hasan) was a live coal which Allah has extinguished”. Another Deobandi Hanafi scholar Malik Ghulam ‘Ali in his book “Khiafaat aur Mulukiyat par Aitrazaat ka Tajziya” [Analysis of criticism of the book Khilafat aur Mulukiyat] (8) cites Waheed uz Zaman’s text Tayseer al-Bari in his discussion of this episode that: “Ameer Mu’awiya’s heart was not pure with regards to the Ahl’ul bayt”. Malik Ghulam Ali also in “Khiafaat aur Mulukiyat par