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4 – Arbitration: The Deception of Those Who Made the Qur’an Two Pieces and Satan’s Influence
“The ones who made the Qur’an into two pieces” – Allah Almighty said: (“As We revealed to those who divided the Qur’an” [Al-Hijr 90–91]).
The sedition reached its peak, and defeat was about to befall the Umayyad army of apostates. The mind of the prime minister devised a plot to undermine the Muslim community, divide its ranks, and weaken it. Through this, he could achieve from within the Muslim ranks what he had failed to accomplish over nearly twenty years of armed confrontation with the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, before his claim to Islam. Let us return to the history of Al-Tabari:
(“When ‘Amr ibn al-‘As saw that the people of Iraq had strengthened and feared annihilation, he said to Mu’awiya: ‘Do you want me to propose something that will only bring us together and divide them?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Let us raise the Qur’ans and then say that what is in them is the ruling between us and you. If some of them refuse, there will be among them those who say: “Yes, we should accept,” and there will be division among them. If they agree, then we postpone this fighting and war for a time.’ They raised the Qur’ans on spears and said: ‘This is the Book of Allah Almighty between us and you. Who will attack the people of Sham after the people of Sham? Who will attack the people of Iraq after the people of Iraq?’ When the people saw the Qur’ans raised, they said: ‘We submit to the Book of Allah Almighty and entrust ourselves to it.’”) (1).
(1) Tarikh al-Umam wal-Muluk, Al-Tabari, 4/34.
Here, we must pause to consider the issue of arbitration, even though it is not a primary topic of this study. We present it within the context of examining the Umayyads’ perception of Islam, their actual stance toward the Book of Allah Almighty and its rulings, and consequently, the nature of the state that emerged from this worldview. We then discuss the position of the Imams of Truth from the family of Muhammad (peace be upon them) toward this state, through the uprising of the martyred Imam Al-Husayn (peace be upon him).
Amr ibn al-‘As revealed the true purpose behind those who called for arbitration. He said that proposing arbitration based on the Book of Allah Almighty was intended to divide the Muslim ranks, the legitimate entity of the nation gathered behind the Imam of the Ummah, Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and to consolidate the rebellious faction or the “Party of Satan.” What follows truth but misguidance?
Consider the stance of Abu Jahl or Abu Sufyan—the leaders of disbelief and misguidance—toward the unity of the Muslim ranks and the legitimate leadership of the Imams. Did any of them dream of achieving what Mu’awiya and ‘Amr accomplished? But this time, they fought Islam with the very weapon that Islam had used to defeat the forces of polytheism in the first confrontation—but now the Qur’an had been made “two pieces” by the sons of Abu Sufyan and ‘Amr, meaning it was torn and undermined. We then see and hear later on.
Those who claim that the Umayyad state represented a continuation of the legitimacy brought by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), or say that Al-Husayn (peace be upon him) was killed by the sword of his grandfather, the Prophet (peace be upon him), must ask: Was the Prophet on falsehood?
Did the Prophet come with a Qur’an to exploit it and sit atop the bodies of Muslims and enjoy their wealth? Or was he, as Allah Almighty said of him: (“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves; grievous to him is what you suffer; he is concerned for you and to the believers is kind and merciful” [At-Tawbah 128]) and (“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves, who recites to them His verses, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom” [Al-Jumu’ah 2])?
Returning to the history of Al-Tabari, we hear the response of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) to this deceptive proposal. If these people were followers of a religion, why did they not obey the Imam of Truth? And why did they permit fighting against those who should not be fought—women and children—even if they were polytheists? What credibility is there in their call for arbitration by the Book of Allah?
His reply (peace be upon him) was:
“Servants of Allah, proceed with your truth and sincerity and fight your enemy, for Mu’awiya, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, Ibn Abi Mayt, Habib ibn Maslama, Ibn Abi Sarh, and Al-Dhahhak ibn Qais are not people of religion or Qur’an. I know them from you, having accompanied them as children and as men; they were the worst of children and the worst of men. If they raise it, they will not truly raise it, nor do they know its content. They raised it for you only as a deception, flattery, and a plot.”
(1) Tarikh al-Umam wal-Muluk, Al-Tabari, 4/34.