Imam's Letter to Muawiya and Amr-ibn-As
Letter 5
To al-Ash'ath ibn Qays (al.Kindi), the Governor of
Azarbâyjan
Certainly, your assignment (1) is not a morsel for you, but it is a trust round
your neck, and you have been charged with the protection (of the people) on
behalf of your superiors. It is not for you to be oppressive towards the ruled,
nor to risk yourself save on strong grounds. You have in your hands the funds
which is the property of Allah, to Whom belongs Might and Majesty, and you hold
its charge till you pass it on to me. Probably, I will not be one of the bad
rulers for you, and that is an end to the matter.
1. When Amir al-mu'minin was free from the
battle of Jamal he wrote to al-Ash'ath ibn Qays (al-Kindi) who had been the
Governor of Azatbayjan from the days of Uthman, to send the revenue and levies
of his province. But since he had fears about the future of his position and
assignment, he intended to swallow all this money like other officers of
Uthmân. Therefore, when this letter reached him he sent for his chief
associates and after mentioning this letter to them said: "I fear that
this money will be taken away from me; I therefore intend to join Mu'awiyah.
Whereupon those people said that it was a matter of shame to leave kith and kin
and seek refuge with Mu'awiyah. Consequently, on the advice of thesç people he
postponed his idea to run away but did not agree to part with the money. On
getting this information Amir al-mu`minin sent Hujr ibn 'Adi al-Kindi to bring
him to Küfah. He persuaded him and brought him to Küfah. On reaching there his
kit was found to contain four hundred thousand Dirhams out of which Amir
al-mu'minin left thirty thousand for him and deposited the rest in the public
treasury.
LETTER 6
To Mu'âwiyah (ibn Abi Sufyân)
Verily, those who swore allegiance to Abü
Bakr, Umar and Uthman have sworn allegiance (1)
to me on the same basis on which they swore allegiance to them. (On this basis)
he who was present has no choice (to consider), and he who was absent has no
right to reject; and consultation is confined to the muhajiriun and the ansar.
If they agree on an individual and take him to be Caliph it will be deemed to
mean Allah's pleasure. If any one keeps -away by way of objection or innovation
they will return him to the position from where he kept away. If he refuses
they will fight him for following a course other than that of the believers and
Allah will put him back from where he had run away. By my life, O' Mu'awiyah,
if you see with your brain without any passion you will find me the most innocent
of all in respect of Uthman s blood and you will surely know that I was in
seclusion from him, unless you conceal what is quite open to you. Then you may
commit an outrage (on me) as you like and that is an end to the matter.
1. When all the people of Medina unanimously
swore allegiance to Amir al-mu'minin, Mu'awiyah Fefused to acquiesce
apprehending danger for his own power, and in order to contest Amir al-mu`minin's
caliphate he concocted the excuse that it had not been agreed to unanimously
and that therefore after canceling it there should be another general election,
although the caliphate from which (the process of) election was started was the
result of a timely situation. There was no question of the common vote therein
so that it could be called the result of the people's election. However, it was
imposed on the people and assumed to be their verdict. From then it became a
principle that whomever the nobles of Medina elected would be deemed to
represent the entire world of Islam and no person would be allowed to question
it, whether he was present at the time of election or not. in any case, after
the establishment of the principle, Mu'awivah had no right to propose a
re-election nor to refuse allegiance when he had in practice recognized these
caliphates which, it was alleged, had been settled by the important people of
Medina. That is why when he held this election to be invalid and refused allegiance;
Amir al-mu'minin pointed out to him the (recognized) way of election and
demolished his argument. It was a method known as arguing with the adversary on
the basis of his wrong premises so as to demolish his argument, since Amir
al-mu`minin never at any state regarded consultation (with chiefs) or the
common vote to be the criterion of validity of the caliphate. Otherwise, in
connection with the caliphate about which it is alleged that they were based on
the unanimity of the muhajirün and the ansar, he would have regarded that
unanimity of vote as a good authority and held them as valid; but his refusal
for allegiance in the very first period, which cannot be denied by anyone, is a
proof of the fact that he did not regard these self-concocted methods as the
criterion of (validity of) the caliphate. That is why at all times he continued
pressing his own case for the caliphate, which was also established on the
basis of the Prophet's saying and deeds. However, to place it before Mu'awiyah
meant opening the door to questions and answers. He therefore attempted to
convince him with his own premises and beliefs so that there could be no scope
for interpretation or for confusing the matter, in fact Mu'awiyah s real aim
was to prolong the matter so that at some point his own authority might get
support.
LETTER 7
To Mu'awiyah
I have received from you the packet of unconnected
advices and the embellished letter. You have written it because of your
misguidance, and despatched it because of lack of wisdom. This is the letter of
a man who has neither light to show him the way nor a leader to guide him on
the right path. Passion prompted him and he responded to it. Misguidance led
him and he followed it. Consequently, he began to speak nonsense and became
recklessly astray.
A part of the same letter
Because
allegiance is once and for all. It is not open to reconsidered nor is there any
scope for fresh proceedings of election. He who remains out of it is deemed to
be critical of Islam while he who prevaricates upon it is a hypocrite.
LETTER 8
To Jarir ibn Abdillah al-Bajali when Amir al-mu`minin
sent him to Mu'âwiyah (and there was
delay in his return)
Now then,
when you receive this letter of mine ask Mu'awiyah to take a final decision and
to follow a determined course. Then ask him to choose either war that exiles
him from home or ignoble peace. If he chooses war leave him alone, but if he
chooses peace secure his allegiance; and that is an end to the matter.
LETTER 9
To Mu'awiyah
Our people' (1)
(the Quraysh) decided to kill our Prophet and to annihilate our root. They
created worries for us, behaved with us harshly, denied us ease of life,
exposed us to fear, forced us to take refuge in a rugged mountain and ignited
for us the flames of war.
Allah then gave us determination to protect
His religion and defend His honour. The believers among us expected (heavenly)
reward from it, and the unbelievers among us gave their support because of
kinship. Those who accepted Islam from among the Quraysh were away from the
distresses in which we were involved either because of a pledge that protected
them or because of the tribe that would rise to support them. They were
therefore safe from killing. The way with the Prophet (may Allah bless him and
his descendants) was that when fighting became fierce and people began to loose
ground he would send forward members of his family and through them protect his
companions from the attacks of swords and spears. In this way Ubaydah ibn al-Harith
was killed on the day of Badr, Hamzah (ibn Abd al-Mutalib) on the day of Uhud
and Ja'far (ibn Abi Talib) on the day of Mu'tah. One more person, whom I can
name if I wish, desired to seek martyrdom as they did; but their deaths
approached, while his death had not yet approached.
How strange it is that I am being grouped
with him who never evinced briskness of pace like me nor had he to his credit
any achievement like mine unless he claims something of which I do not know and
which I think Allah too does not know. In any case, all praise belongs to
Allah.
As regards your request to hand over to you
the murderers of Uthman, I have thought over this matter and I do not find
their handing over to you or to someone else possible for me. By my life, if
you do not give up your wrong ways and disruptive acts you will surely know
them. They will shortly be seeking you and will not give you the trouble of
seeking them in land, sea, mountains or plain. But this search will be painful
for you and their visit will not give you happiness. Peace be on those who
deserve it.
1. When the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and his descendants) was commanded (by Allah) to
call people to (believe in) the Unity of Allah, the powers of unbelief and
disobedience stood up to block the way of Truthfulness and the tribes of
Quraysh decided to quell this voice through pressure and force. The love of
their idols was so staunch in the hearts of these unbeievers that they were not
prepared to hear a single word against them. The idea of one God was enough to
rouse their passions. In addition, they were made to hear such epithets about
their gods that gave them no better position than lifeless stones. When they
saw their principles and beliefs in danger they prepared themselves to trouble
the Prophet and got ready to try every means to that end. They adopted such
pain-inflicting devices (against the Prophet) that it was impossible for him to
step out of his house. Those who had accepted Islam in this period too had to
face continuous tribulations. For example, these adherents of belief were often
laid prostrate on the ground under the sun and beaten with straps and stones
till they lost their senses. When the atrocities of the Quraysh rose to this
extent the Prophet permitted them to leave Mecca and immigrate towards
Abyssinia, in the fifth year of his call to Prophethood. The Quraysh followed
them there as well, but the ruler of Abyssinia refused to hand them over to
them, and by his fairness and justice did not allow any trouble to befall them.
On the other side the Prophet's
preaching was continuing and the magnetism and influence of Truth was producing
its effect. People were impressed by his teachings and personality and coming
into his fold as a result of which the Quraysh felt much perturbed and tried to
stop this increasing influence and power. When they could not do anything they
decided to sever all connections with Banü Hashim and Banü ¶Abd al-Muttalib, to
have no social contacts with them and to have no transactions with them, so
that they might be forced to give up supporting the Prophet and then they would
deal with him as they wished. Consequently, they concluded a mutual agreement
about it and a document was written on the subject and kept in deposit. After
this agreement, although the locality was the same and the inhabitants too were
the same yet for Banü Hashim every nook and corner became strange and well-known
faces turned as if they had never known each other. All of them turned their
faces and stopped mutual meeting and contacts. In these circumstances, there
was also apprehension that the Prophet might be attacked suddenly in a valley
outside the city. For this reason, they were forced to take refuge in a place called
"shi'ab (quarter) of Abi Talib. At this stage those Banü Hashim who had
not yet accepted Islam shared these privations on account of lineal unity and
offered defence at the hour of need, while those who had accepted Islam like
Hamzah and Abü Talib, were active in protecting the Prophet by way of a
religious obligation. In particular, Abü Talib had given up all his personal
ease and comfort. He spent his days in consoling the Prophet and his nights in
changing his bed, in this way, that if the Prophet used a bed one night the
next night Mi was made to sleep in it, so that in case someone attacked, then
All should suffer the brunt.
This was a period of great privation
and trouble for Banü Hashim. If they could get leaves of trees to eat that was
enough, otherwise they had to starve. After the lapse of three years in these
hardships Zuhayr ibn Abi Umayyah (whose mother was Atikah bint Abd al-Muttalib),
Hisham ibn Amr ibn Rabi'ah (who had family relationship with Banü Hashim
through his mother), al-Mut'im ibn Adi ibn Nawfal ibn abd Manaf, Abu'l-Bakhtari
al-'Aas ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughirah and Zama'ah ibn al-Aswad ibn al-Muttalib
proposed that this agreement should be abrogated. For a discussion of this
issue, the Chiefs among the Quraysh assembled in the Ka'bah. No decision has
yet been taken when Abu Talib also came out of the Valley and joined them. He
said to them, "My nephew Muhammad has told me that the paper on which this
agreement was written has been eaten by white-ants and nothing in it has
remained save the name of Allah. So, you should send for the document and see
it. If he is correct then you should give up animosity to him; and if he is
wrong I am ready to hand him over to you. Consequently, the document was sent
for and seen. It was a fact that except the words "with Your name, O' my
Allah which was written on the top of all documents in those days the rest of
it had been eaten away by white-ants. Seeing this al-Mut'im ibn Adi tore off
the writing and thus this agreement was abrogated. At last Banu Hashim got rid
of the life of oppression and helplessness; but even after this there was no
change in the unbelievers' behaviour towards the Prophet; rather they were so
keen in their enmity and malice against him that they started thinking of
taking his life, as a consequence of which the great event of hijrah
(immigration of the Holy Prophet from Mecca to Medina) took place. Although on
this occasion Abü Talib was no longer alive, All represented him by lying down
on the Prophet's bed, because it was the lesson taught by Abu Talib through
which he managed to protect the Holy Prophet's life.
Although
these events were not unknown to Mu'awiyah yet by recounting to him the deeds
of his precedessors, the intention was to awaken his malicious spirit.
Therefore, his attention has been drawn to the hardships inflicted (on the Holy
Prophet and his adherents) by the Quraysh and especially Banü Abd Shams so that
he might see the conduct of each of the followers of truth and the followers of
wrong and realize whether he himself was treading on the right path or just
following his forefathers.
LETTER 10
To Mu'àwiyah
What will you do when the coverings of this
world in which you are wrapped are removed from you. The world attracted you
with its embellishment and deceived you with its pleasure. It called you and
you responded to it. It led you and you followed it. It commanded you and you
obeyed it. Shortly an informer will inform you of things against which there
will be no shield (to protect you). Therefore, keep off from this affair, take
heed of the accounting (on the Day of Judgement), get ready for death that will
soon overtake you and do not give your ears to those who have gone astray. If
you do not do so I shall recall to you whatever you have forgotten, because you
are a man living in ease and luxury. (1) Satan
has taken you in his clutches, has secured his wishes in you and has taken
complete control of you like your soul and blood.
O' Mu'awiyah, when were you all protectors of
the ruled and guardians of the affairs of the people? Without any forward step
or conspicuous distinction? We seek Allah's protection against the befalling of
previous misfortunes, and I warn you lest you continue being deceived by
desires and your appearance becomes different from your innerself.
You have called me to war. Better to leave
the people on one side, come out to me and spare both the parties from fighting
so that it may be known who of us has a rusted heart, and covered eyes. I am
Abu'l-Hasan who killed your grandfather (2)
your brother (3) and your uncle (4) by cutting them to pieces on the day of Badr. The
same sword is with me and I meet my adversary with the same heart. I have not
altered the religion nor put up any new prophet. I am surely (treading) on that
very highway which YOU had willingly foresaken (in the beginning) and then
adopted per force. You think you have come out seeking to revenge Uthman's blood.
Certainly, you know how Uthman's blood was shed. If you want to avenge it,
avenge it there. It is as though I see that when war is cutting you with its
teeth you cry like camels crying under a heavy load. And it is as though I see
your party bewildered by the incessant striking of swords, occurrence of death
and falling of bodies after bodies, calling me towards the Qur'an (5) although they would themselves be either
unbelievers. deniers of truth or breakers of allegiance after swearing it.
1. This is in reference to
the verse: "We
sent no warner into any city except its man who lived at ease said, "We
disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with." (Qur'an, 34:34)
2. Utbah ibn Rabi'ah.
3. Hanzalah ibn Abi Sufyan.
4. al-Walid ihn Utbah.
5. This prophecy of Amir
al-mu'minin is about the battle of Siffin. Herein he has depicted the whole
picture in very few words. Thus, on one side Mu'مwiyah was bewildered on
account of the attacks of the Iraqis and was thinking to run away, and on the
other, his army was crying under the constant onslaught of death, and,
eventually, when there was no way of escape, they raised the Qur'an on spears
and shouted for peace. By this device, the remaining persons saved their lives.
This prophecy as Ibn Abi'l-Hadid
al-Mu'tazili says, "is either true prophetic keen eye of Amir al-mu'minin
which is really a significant power, or it is an information through knowledge
of the unknown ( ilmul-ghayb) which is too most significant and wonderful.
However, both cases are in the state of extreme significance and wonderfulness.
Ibn Abi'l-Hadid has further quoted
the same prophecy from other letters of Amir al-mu`minin to Mu'awiyah. (Sharh
Nahj al- balaghah, vol.15, pp.83-85)
This prophecy cannot be attributed
to imagination, guessing or the drawing of inference from events, nor can these
details be ascertained by wit or far-reaching intelligence. Only he can
disclose them whose source of information is either the Prophet's own
revelation-bearing tongue or Divine inspiration.
Nahj al-balaghah
|