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In the Footsteps of Al-Husayn (peace be upon him)
Dr. Ahmad Rassem Al-Nafis
The one who said: “I am Abu ‘Abdullah; I killed him in Wadi al-Siba‘,” and who openly admitted that his joining the son of the “liver-eater” was merely for worldly gain.
As for Mu‘awiyah — the man of the “shirt” that became proverbial for false claims — we cite a passage from the sermon with which he inaugurated his ominous rule. Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani narrated in Maqatil al-Talibiyyin:
“When authority finally came to Mu‘awiyah, he proceeded until he camped at al-Nukhaylah. He gathered the people there and delivered a lengthy sermon before entering Kufa.”
Among the excerpts reported from it are:
“No nation differed after its Prophet except that the people of falsehood prevailed over the people of truth.”
Then he regretted saying this and added:
“Except this nation, for indeed it is… it is…”
And he said:
“Indeed, everything I promised al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali beneath these two feet of mine, I will not fulfill.”
And he declared:
“By Allah, I did not fight you so that you may pray, fast, perform pilgrimage, or give zakat — for indeed you already do so. Rather, I fought you to gain authority over you, and Allah has granted me that while you were unwilling.” (1)
Were the “son of the liver-eater” and his chief minister, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, truly demanding retribution for the blood of ‘Uthman, or was power their true objective? Can there remain any doubt, after reading the speeches of both men, about the nature of the claims raised by the rebellious faction and the true image of the apostate movement — which could not have achieved its aim had it not been for the negligence of some Muslims and the weakness of others?
(1) Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, pp. 76–77, Al-A‘lami Foundation, Beirut, 1408 AH / 1987 CE.
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These were the real objectives: seizing power and “humiliating the believers.” They differed greatly from the propagandistic slogans: “avenging the killers of ‘Uthman.”
B – The Methods of Conspiracy Against the People
As for the means employed by the “son of the liver-eater” to achieve his satanic goal (namely, establishing a government of those who appeared in the Prophet’s vision as “monkeys,” in opposition to the government of divine justice), they were of the same nature. Among the examples are the following:
First: Bribery and the lure of positions
Consider the following example:
Mu‘awiyah attempted to bribe Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, the governor of Egypt appointed by Imam ‘Ali. He wrote to him:
“…If you are able, O Qays, to be among those who seek vengeance for the blood of ‘Uthman, then do so. Join us in our cause, and you shall have authority over the two Iraqs once victory is achieved, so long as you live. And for whomever you wish among your household, there shall be authority over the Hijaz for as long as my rule endures. Ask me for anything else you desire, for you shall not ask me for anything except that it will be granted to you.” (1)
As for the response of Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah — may Allah be pleased with him — to the “son of the liver-eater,” it was a silencing reply. He wrote:
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
From Qays ibn Sa‘d to Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan.
As for what follows: Indeed, it is astonishing…”
(1) Tarikh al-Tabari, Al-A‘lami Foundation, Beirut, n.d.
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