By Abu Sulaiman
Answering Al-Tijani's allegations against Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan

It is taken for granted that Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan, may Allah be pleased at him, was among the most prominent who fought Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased at him, about the murder of Uthman. Mu’awiyah represented the leadership of the opposing party against Ali at the battle of Saffeen. Therefore, Al-Tijani had nothing more than pouring his anger on Mu’awiyah and accusing him of oppression and aberration. I will represent Al-Tijani’s libels against this companion and I will refute these allegations against Mu’awiyah to defend the writer of the revelation whom the Prophet peace be upon him said about: “O’ Allah, make him guided, a guider, and guide people through him.” [Sunan Al-Turmidhi, Book of “Virtues,” Chapter of “Virtues of Mu’awiyah,” #3842, see also Saheeh Al-Turmidhi #3018]

Al-Tijani says: “Umar bin al-Khattab, who was well known for his strictness towards his governors whom used to dismiss them on mere suspicions, was quite gentle towards Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan and never disciplined him. Mu’awiyah was appointed by Abu Bakr and confirmed by Umar throughout his life, who never even rebuked him or blamed him, despite the fact that many people complained about Mu’awiyah and reported him for wearing silk and gold, which was prohibited to men by the Messenger of Allah. Umar used to answer these complaints by saying, "Let him be, he is the Kisra (king) of the Arabs." Mu’awiyah continued in the governship for more than twenty years without being touched or criticized, and when Uthman succeeded to the caliphate of the Muslims, he added to his authority further districts and regions, which enabled him to a mass great wealth from the Islamic nation and to raise armies to rebel against the Imam (Leader) of the nation and subsequently take the full power by force and intimidation. Thus he became the sole ruler of all Muslims, and later forced them to vote for his corrupt and alcohol drinking son Yazeed, as his heir and successor. This is a long story so I will not go into its details in this book.” [“Then I was Guided” p.93-94]
I say:

1. It seems that Al-Tijani, in his representations, cannot forsake some of his prominent characteristics that he enjoys; ignorance is one of these characteristics! Al-Tijani claims that Abu Bakr gave the governship of Al-Sham to Mu’awiyah and Omar confirmed it all of his life! It is widely known for anyone who read the biography of the four caliphs that Abu Bakr gave the governship of Al-Sham to Yazeed bin Abi Sufyan, and at the caliphate of Omar, Yazeed was still the governor of Al-Sham and Omar confirmed him. When Yazeed died, Omar gave Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, Yazeed’s brother, the governship of Al-Sham.

2) What does prove that Omar was lenient with Mu’awiyah, and never put Mu’awiyah accountable for anything? And from where does Al-Tijani get his allegations? Are not there any references he can guide us to? Otherwise, I would tell him as the poet said: If you did not prove your claims, then the owner of these claims is a claimant! But the fact is contrary to that. Ibn Al-Katheer says in Al-Bidayah: (Once, Mu’awiyah entered upon Omar and Mu’awiyah was wearing a green garment. The Companions looked at this garment. When Omar saw that, he jumped to Mu’awiyah with a stick beating him. It made Mu’awiyah saying: “O’ Commander of the faithful! Fear Allah for my sake!” Then Omar returned to his sitting. The people asked Omar: “Why did you beat him O’ Commander of the Faithful? And there is no one like him among your people?” He answered: “By Allah, I saw nothing but goodness from him, and I was told nothing about him but goodness. If I was told something other than that, then you would see something different to you (Mu’awiyah), but I saw him – he pointed by his hand – and wanted to put down what has gone up in himself.”) [Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah, vol.8 p.128]

3. Al-Tijani says: (Despite the fact that many people complained about Mu’awiyah and reported him for wearing silk and gold, which was prohibited to men by the Messenger of Allah. Umar used to answer these complaints by saying, "Let him be, he is the Kisra (king) of the Arabs.”) I say:

1. Reality and history belie Tijani’s saying that many people complained about Mu’awiyah. Mu’awiyah ruled Al-Sham for forty years, and his relationship with Al-Sham’s people was a relationship of love and loyalty to a degree that the people of Al-Sham agreed strongly with him when Mu’awiyah wanted to avenge Uthman’s murder.

2. I please the author to direct us to the reference he got the lie that Omar said that Mu’awiyah was the Kisra of the Arabs when Omar knew that Mu’awiyah wore gold and silk! It is so strange that Omar beats Mu’awiyah just because he wore a lawful green garment, but says nothing when Mu’awiyah wears the forbidden gold and silk?

3. The story about Omar is the one that is narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya from Abi Abdulrahman Al-Madani who says: (If Omar bin Al-Khattab sees Mu’awiyah he used to say: “This is the Kisra of the Arabs.”) [Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah vol.8 p.128]

3. Then Al-Tijani says: “Mu’awiyah continued in the governship for more than twenty years without being touched or criticized, and when Uthman succeeded to the caliphate of the Muslims, he added to his authority further districts and regions, which enabled him to a mass great wealth from the Islamic nation,” I answer:

3. It is a plain lie when Al-Tijani says that Mu’awiyah forced the Muslims to vote for his impious and alcohol drinking son Yazeed. Mu’awiyah did not force people to give allegiance to his son Yazeed, but he intended to make Yazeed as a crown prince, and he succeeded. People gave allegiance to Yazeed as a crown prince, and only Al-Hussain bin Ali and Abdullah bin Al-Zubair refused. Mu’awiyah passed away and he did not force the last two to give the allegiance to Yazeed. It is also a lie that Yazeed was an alcohol drinking person. We will let Muhammad bin Ali bin Abi Talib to answer this claim because Muhammad knew Yazeed the best because he lived with him for a while. Ibn Katheer says in Al-Bidayah: (When the people of Al-Medina returned from Yazeed, Abdullah bin Mutee’a and his companions walked to Muhammad bin Al-Hanafiyah. They wanted Muhammad to agree to dismiss Yazeed, but Muhammad refused. Ibn Mutee’a said: “Yazeed drinks alcohol, does not pray, and ignores the rule of the Book.” Muhammad answered them: “I never saw what you are saying about him. I came to him, and stayed with him for a while and I saw him taking care of his prayers, looking for goodness, asking about jurisprudence, and clinging to the Sunnah.” They said: “He was acting like that!” Muhammad answered: “And what did he scare from me or please so that he shows piety to me? Did he show you what you saying about drinking alcohol? If he did, then you are his partners, but if he did not, then it is not lawful for you to testify what you do not know.” They said: “It is the truth for us even if we did not see it.” Muhammad said: “Allah refused that on the people of witness, Allah says: “Except for those who testified with truth and they know,” and I have nothing to do with you anymore.” They said: “Perhaps you did not like someone to take control rather than yourself, therefore, we give you our leadership.” He said: “I do not make this fight lawful for me, either as a leader or as a follower.” They said: “But you fought with your father!” He answered: “Give me someone like my father to fight the like of what my father fought.” They asked: “Then, order your sons Abu Al-Qassim and Al-Qassim to fight with us.” He answered: “I would have fight if I ordered them.” They said: “At least join us to urge people to fight.” He said: “Praise be the Lord! Do you want me to order the people to do what I do not do and do not accept? I would not then advised Allah’s slaves for the sake of Allah.” They replied: “Hence, we will force you.” He said: “Then I will order the people to fear Allah and do not make a creature happy at the expense of the Creator’s anger.” Then Muhammad left to Makkah.” [Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah for IbnKatheer,vol.8,p.236]

Second: Al-Tijani’s claim that Mu’awiyah ordered to insult Ali, and that Mu’awiyah is not a writer of the revelation and the answer to these claims:

Al-Tijani says: “I looked for the reasons which led those Companions to change the Sunnah [the tradition] of the Messenger of Allah (saw), and found that the Umayyads (and most of them were Companions of the Prophet) and Mu’awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (writer of the revelation, as he was called) in particular used to force people to swear at Ali ibn Abi Talib and curse him from the pulpits of the mosques, as most of the historians have mentioned in their books. Muslim, in his Sahih, wrote in a chapter entitled, "The virtues of Ali ibn Abi Talib", the following: Mu’awiyah ordered his governors everywhere to take the curse [of Ali ibn Abi Talib] as tradition, and that all the speakers must include it in their speeches.” [Then I was Guided, p106-107] He also says: “How could they judge him as a man who had worked hard to promote Islam and to reward him, after he forced the people to curse Ali and Ahl al- Bayt, the Family of the chosen Prophet.” [Then I was Guided, p.121] And: “He was the one who forced people to curse Ali and Ahl al-Bayt, the offspring of the Prophet, in every mosque, so that it became a followed tradition for sixty years.” [Then I was Guided, p.169] And: “And how could they call him "The writer of the Revelations" since the revelation came upon the Messenger of Allah (saw) for twenty-three years, and Mu’awiyah was a polytheist for the first eleven years of them, and later, when he was converted to Islam, did not live in Medina (for we could not find any historical reference to support that), whereas the Messenger of Allah (saw) did not live in Mecca after al-Fath [the conquer of Mecca by the Muslims]? So how could Mu'awiyah manage to write the Revelation?” [Then I was Guided, p.170]

I say:
1) It is a lie that Mu’awiyah ordered to insult Ali from the pulpits. There is no rightful or clear evidence about that. Mu’awiya’s biography and manners refuses this accusation. What some of the historians mention about that has no value because when these historians presents these words about Mu’awiyah, they do not differentiate between true or false stories. In addition, most of these historians are Shia. But some of the Historians narrated in their books sound stories and false stories, but they are excused when they attributed these stories to their narrators so that we could judge these stories, whether to accept them or reject them. Among these historians is Al-Tabari, who lived in a time of Shia’s growing power. Al-Tabari says in the introduction to his history: “Let the person who reads through our book know that my reliance on whatever I recorded is on news and history with attribution to their narrators, without using intellect except in rare occasions. The knowledge of what had happened before, and what is going to happen at present time, is not reached to those who did not see and their time did not allow them for it without being told by people and without the interference of intellect. Therefore, whatever news you find in my book about history that the reader may deny it, or the listener may abhor it because he did not find it truthful according to him, then let him know that we did not present it ourselves, but it came from some of the people who narrated the story to us. We just presented what we have been told.” [Tareekh Al-Tabari, Introduction, p.13] Then, it is a must on Al-Tijani, when he takes the historians as an argument, to mention the story that shows that Mu’awiyah ordered to insult Ali from the pulpits. Then let him cry and shout as he wishes. 

1. It is a lie also what al-Tijani says that Muslim narrated in his Saheeh a similar incident in “Ali’s Virtues” Chapter. The story that Al-Tijani is meaning is the story which is narrated by A’amir bin Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas who narrated from his father who says: (Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan ordered Sa’ad and asked him: “What prevented you from insulting Abu Turab (Ali bin Abi Talib)?” Sa’ad answered: “The prophet peace be upon him said three things to him (Ali bin Abi Talib), so I would not insult him because to have one of these three things is more beloved to me than Humr Al-Nni’am (a kind of best camels). I heard the prophet peace be upon him saying to appoint Ali as a leader when the prophet used to go to Jihad (Holy War). Ali then would say to him: “O’ Messenger of Allah, you left me with the women and children?” The prophet peace be upon him answered him: “Would not you be pleased if you were for me as Haroon was for Mousa? Except there is no prophecy after me.” And I heard the prophet saying at the day of Khaybar: “I would give this banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and who Allah and His Messenger love him too.” He said: “Then we were looking for this honor.” Then the Prophet said: “Call Ali.” Ali was brought and he had sore eyes. So the prophet peace be upon him spitted in his eyes and gave him the banner. Then Allah granted victory to the Muslims by the hands of Ali. And when this verse revealed: “Come, let us gather together, our sons and your sons,” the messenger of Allah called Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Hussain and said: “O’ Allah, they are my family.”) [Saheeh Muslim with Explanation, Book of “The Companions,” Chapter of “Virtues of Ali,” #2404]

This hadeeth does not mean that Mu’awiyah ordered Sa’ad to insult Ali. But, as it is obvious, Mu’awiyah wanted to know the reason that prevented Sa’ad from insulting Ali. Therefore, Sa’ad gave him the reason, and we do not know that when Mu’awiyah heard Sa’ad’s answer got angry with him or punished him. Mu’awiya’s silence is a correction for Sa’ad’s opinion. If Mu’awiyah was despotic; forcing people to insult Ali as Al-Tijani claims, then Mu’awiyah would not be quiet and would force Sa’ad to insult Ali, but nothing of that happened. Hence, it is known that Mu’awiyah did not order to insult Ali nor was pleased by that. Al-Nawawi says: “Mu’awiyah’s saying does not declare that he ordered Sa’ad to insult Ali, but asked him for the reason that prevented him from insulting. As if Mu’awiyah was saying to him: “Have you refrained from insulting Ali as a result of piety, fear or anything like that? If it was as a result of piety and veneration to refrain from insulting, then you are rightful and if it were other than that, then there would be another answer.” Or it might be that Sa’ad was in a group of people who insults Ali and he did not insult Ali with them, and could not prevent them and controverted them so Mu’awiyah asked him this question. They said: “And it may have another explanation, that what prevented you from making Ali wrong in his thought and opinion, and to show to people our good opinion and thought and that Ali was wrong?” [Ibid. p250-252]

3) It is so strange that this Tijani objects on insulting Ali but he does not abstain from insulting the best of the Companions i.e. Abu Bakr, Omar and Uthman! Their (the Shias) books are full of that and among them is Al-Tijani’s book itself. Therefore, I have to say: “These Rafidites, who claim to be believers, have ignominy and lowness. Ignominy is fixed on them wherever they go except with a rope from Allah and a rope from the people.” [Minhaj Al-Sunnah, vol.4, p.498]

4) It is a firm thing that Mu’awiyah was among the writers of the revelation. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh from Ibn Abbas that Abu Sufyan asked the prophet peace be upon him for three things: (He (Abu Sufyan) said to the prophet: “O’ Prophet of Allah, give me three things.” The prophet said: “yes.” ... Abu Sufyan said: “Mu’awiyah, make him a writer (of the revelation) under your hands.” The prophet answered: “Alright.”) [Muslim with explanation. Book of “Virtues of the Companions,” Chapter of “Virtues of Abu Sufyan,” vol.17, p.2501] Ahmad narrated in his Musnad, and Muslim from Ibn Abbas who says: (Once I was a kid playing with other boys when I looked behind and I saw the prophet peace be upon him coming towards us. So I said: “The prophet did not come to anyone but to me.” So I went behind the door to hide. I did not feel until the prophet found me, grasped my neck, and pressed my shoulders gently. The prophet said: “Go and call Mu’awiyah for me.” And Mu’awiyah was his writer (of the revelation). So I went looking for Mu’awiyah and told him: “Go and answer the prophet of Allah peace be upon him because he needs you.”) [Musnad Ahmed, vol.1, Musnad Ibn Abbas #2651, and Muslim with explanation, Book of “Al-Birr wa Al-Silah,” #2604] These two hadeeths prove that Mu’awiyah was one of the writers of the revelation.

5) Al-Tijani says that revelation came down on the prophet peace be upon him for twenty-three years during which Mu’awiyah was a mushrik (disbeliever) for eleven years! I already said that Abu Sufyan asked the prophet peace be upon him to make Mu’awiyah as a writer of the revelation and the prophet peace be upon him accepted that and Mu’awiyah went on writing the revelation for the prophet peace be upon him for complete four years, is this something hard to believe? Then in delirium, Al-Tijani says: “When he (Mu’awiyah) was converted to Islam, did not live in Medina (for we could not find any historical reference to support that), whereas the Messenger of Allah (saw) did not live in Mecca after al-Fath [the conquer of Mecca by the Muslims]?.” I say: Is the preceding story does not prove that Mu’awiyah lived in Medina? Al-Turmithi narrated from Abu Majliz who says: (When Mu’awiyah was about to leave, Abdullah bin Al-Zubair and Ibn Safwan stood for him when they saw him. Mu’awiyah said to them: “Set down, I heard the messenger of Allah peace be upon him saying: “Whoever is pleased that men stand for him in respect, then let him take his seat in hell.”) [Al-Turmithi, Book of “Taking Permission,” #3755, see also Saheeh Al-Turmithi #2212] Does not this hadeeth prove it too? But it seems that the prophet peace be upon him ordered Ibn Abbas to call Mu’awiyah from Mecca!! I will not rebuke Al-Tijani for saying, “We could not find any historical reference to support that,” because if he sought it, he would have found it, but we ask Allah for a cure for his fairness complex!

Third: Al-Tijani’s claim that the reason Mu’awiyah killed Hijr bin Uday was because Hijr refused to insult Ali and the answer to this claim:
Al-Tijani says: “When some of the Companions protested very strongly against such a rule, Muawiah ordered their killing and burning. Among the famous Companions who were killed at the order of Muawiah were Hijr ibn Adi al-Kindi and his followers, because they protested and refused to curse Ali, and some of them were buried alive.” [Then I was Guided, p.107] He also says in another place: “How could they judge him as a promoter of Islam when he killed Hijr Ibn Adi and his companions and buried them in Marj Adhra in the Syrian desert because they refused to curse Ali ibn Abi Talib?” [Then I was Guided, p.121]

So I say: 

1) People disagreed on the companionship of Hijr bin Uday (the famous!). Al-Bukhari and others counted him as a follower (Tabe’ei), and some others as a companion.

2) Mu’awiyah did not kill Hijr because he refrained from insulting Ali, and this is calumniation. What the historians mentioned about the reason behind killing Hijr bin Uday was that Ziyad, the ruler of Al-Kufah appointed by Mu’awiyah, once gave a prolonged speech. So Hijr bin Uday called for the prayer, but Ziyad went along with his speech. So, Hijr and his group threw stones at Ziyad. Ziyad wrote Mu’awiyah telling him what Hijr did and Ziyad reckoned that as corruption on earth. Hijr used to do this with the governor of Al-Kufah who preceded Ziyad. Mu’awiyah ordered that Hijr be sent to him. When Hijr reached there, Mu’awiyah ordered to kill Hijr. Mu’awiyah’s severity in killing Hijr was because Hijr tried to transgress against the Islamic nation and to break the bond of the Muslims and Mu’awiyah considered it as an endeavor to corrupt the earth especially in Kufah where some groups of the affliction first appeared against Uthman. If Uthman were lenient in this matter, which ultimately lead to his death and lead the Islamic nation to the greatest affliction and caused blood to run like rivers, then Mu’awiyah wanted to cut this affliction from its roots by killing Hijr. Strange is this Al-Tijani when he cries and mourns for the death of Hijr and at the same time does not object on Ali when Ali fought the rebels against his caliphate at the battle of The Camel and Saffeen, which caused the death of the best Companions and in addition, the death of thousands of Muslims, although the reason was one i.e. rebelling against the ruling of the caliph!

Fourth: Tijani’s claim that Al-Hasan Al-Basri slandered Mu’awiyah and the answer to this claim:
Al-Tijani says: “Abu al-Aala al-Mawdudi wrote in his book "Caliphate and Kingdom": Abu al-Hasan al-Basri said: Muawiah had four features, and if he had only one of them, it would have been considered a great sin:

1.Making decisions without consulting the Companions, who were the light of virtues.
2.Designating his son as his successor. His son was a drunkard, corrupt and wore silk.
3.He claimed Ziyad [as his son], and the Messenger of Allah said, "There is offspring for the honorable woman, but there is nothing for the whore."
4.His killing of Hijr and his followers. Woe unto him from Hijr and the followers of Hijr.” [Then I was Guided, p.107]

I answer:

1. Abu Makhnaf narrates this story. Abu Makhnaf’s full name is Loot bin Yahaya Al-Azday Al-Koufay [Tareekh Al-Tabari, vol.3, p.232, and year of 51H]. Al-Thahabi and Ibn Hajar said about him: “Ekhbaray Talif” (This is a phrase for the Scholars of hadeeth. Ekhbaray is the person who narrates stories, and talif is the one who lies when he narrates stories) [ Meezan Al-E’tidal by Al-Thahabi, vol.3, p.419 #6992 and Lisan Al-Meezan by Ibn Hajar, vol.4, p.492] Abu Hatim and others did not take him, and Al-Darqutnay said: “He is weak,” Ibn Mu’een said: “Not a trustworthy,” Marrah said: “He is nothing,” and Ibn Uday said: “A burned Shia!”) [Meezan Al-E’tidal, vol.3, p.419-420] and Al-Aqeelay accounted him as a weak [Al-Du’afa by Al-Aqeelay, vol.4, p.18-19 #1572]. Therefore, this story is false and hence is not an argument. 

2. Even if we supposed that Al-Hasan really said that, then it would have no slander against Mu’awiyah. To claim that Mu’awiyah became the leader without consultant (Shoura) is false because Al-Hasan bin Ali abandoned the caliphate for Mu’awiyah and all the people gave the allegiance to Mu’awiyah and none of the companions refrained in giving him the allegiance! Making Yazeed as the successor to him was done by people’s allegiance and among them was Abdullah bin Omar and only Al-Hussain bin Ali and Abdullah bin Al-Zubair refrained. To refuse giving the allegiance does not cancel the allegiance itself and does not represent a slander against Mu’awiyah. Muhammad Al-Hanafiyah, the son of Ali, who adjourned at Yazeed, belied that Yazeed was a drunkard who wears gold and silk. Muhammad Al-Hanafiyah found Yazeed as the opposite of what they claim.

Fifth: Answering Tijani’s ill understanding of the happenings of the affliction between Mu’awiyah and Ali:
Al-Tijani says: “When we ask some of our scholars about Muawiah's war against Ali, who had been acknowledged by al-Muhajireen and al-Ansar, a war which led to the division of Islam into Sunnis and Shiites and left it scarred to this very day, they simply answer by saying, "Ali and Muawiah were both good Companions, and both of them interpreted Islam in his own way. However, Ali was right, therefore he deserves two rewards, but Muawiah got it wrong, therefore, he deserves one reward. It is not within our right to judge for them or against them, Allah- the Most High - said: "This is a people that have passed away, they shall have what they earned and you shall have what you earn, and you shall not be called upon to answer for what they did" (Holy Qur'an 2:134).

Regrettably, we provide such weak answers that neither a sensible mind nor a religion, nor indeed a law would accept. O Allah, I am innocent of idle talk and of deviant whims. I beg You to protect me from the devil's touch.

How could a sensible mind accept that Muawiah had worked hard to interpret Islam and give him one reward for his war against the leader of all Muslims, and for his killing of thousands of innocent believers, in addition to all the crimes that he committed? He was known among the historians for killing his opponents through feeding them poisoned honey, and he used to say, "Allah has soldiers made of honey."

How could these people judge him as a man who worked hard to promote Islam and give him a reward for that, when he was the leader of a wrong faction? There is a well known Hadith of the Prophet, and most of the scholars agree its authenticity, "Woe unto Ammar .. he will be killed by the wrong faction." And he was killed by Muawiah and his followers.

The question crops up over and over again. Which faction was right, and which faction was wrong? Either Ali and his followers were wrong, or Muawiah and his followers were wrong, and the Messenger of Allah (saw) explained everything. In both cases, the proposition of the righteousness of all the Companions does not hold ground and is incompatible with logic.” [Then I was Guided, p.120-121]

I say:
1) I said that Mu’awiyah did not fight Ali except for the matter of Uthman. Mu’awiyah saw himself as the guardian of Uthman’s blood, and Uthman was one of his relatives, and Mu’awiyah relied on some prophetic hadeeths that show and clear that Uthman would be killed as an innocent and describes the rebels as hypocrites. Al-Turmithi and Ibn Majah narrated from Aysha who says: (The prophet peace be upon him said: “O’ Uthman! If Allah one day gave you the leadership of this nation, and the hypocrites wanted you to remove your clothes which Allah had gave you, then do not do it.” The prophet said that three times.) [Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of “Virtues of the Companions of the Prophet peace be upon him,” #112. See also Saheeh Ibn Majah #90] Ka’ab bin Murrah testified for Uthman’s innocence once in front of Mu’awiyah’s army, and said: (If it were not for a hadeeth that I heard from the prophet peace be upon him, then I would not have taken a stand (did not support Mu’awiyah to punish Uthman’s murderers) and the prophet mentioned the afflictions and acknowledged them. Then a masked man passed by so the prophet peace be upon him said: “This guy at these (affliction) days is on guidance.” So I went to the masked man and he was Uthman bin Affan. I took Uthman to the prophet and asked him: “This one?” The prophet answered: “Yes.”) [Al-Turmithi, Book of “The Virtues,” #3704. See also Saheeh Al-Turmithi #2922] Also, Abdullah bin Shaqeeq bin Murrah says: (The prophet peace be upon him said: “Afflictions would agitate on earth as the horns of cows" Then a masked man passed by and the prophet peace be upon him said: “This guy and his companions at these (affliction) days would be on the right path.” So I went to this guy and unmasked him and took him to the messenger of Allah peace be upon him and I asked: “O’ Messenger of Allah, is he the one?” The prophet said: “He is.” He was Uthman bin Affan.) [Musnad Ahmad, Book of “Virtues of the Companions,” vol.1, p.449-450, #720. The Examiner of the book said that this hadeeth has a true attribution.] Mu’awiyah and his companions thought they were right according to this and that they were on guidance especially when we know that the hypocrite rebels against Uthman were in the army of Ali. Hence, Mu’awiyah and his companions thought them on astray and therefore they made it lawful for themselves to fight Ali and his faction. 

1) In addition, Mu’awiyah’s supporters would say: “We cannot give allegiance to anyone except the one who would act with justice and does not oppress us. If we gave allegiance to Ali, then we would act unjustly with his party as Uthman was oppressed. Besides, Ali is unable to act justly and we do not have to give allegiance to such a person. Uthman’s murders are in the army of Ali, and these murders are unjust. Uthman’s murders want to kill us as they killed Uthman, so we will fight them to defend ourselves. Therefore, it is lawful to fight them, and we did not start the fight, they did.”

2) Moreover, authentic traditions from the prophet peace be upon him says that to leave the fight was better for both parties. The fight was neither mandatory nor preferable. Although Ali was more deserving and closer to right than Mu’awiyah was, if Ali left the fight, a great goodness would happen and the shedding of the blood would be spared. Hence, Omran bin Haseen, may Allah be pleased at him, banned the selling of weapons at the time of afflictions. He says: “Weapons are not supposed to be sold in the affliction.” The same saying was shared by Sa’ad bin Abu Waqqas, Muhammad bin Muslimah, Abdullah bin Omar, Osamah bin Zayd, and many other of the first believers from the muhajireen and Al-Ansar who isolated themselves from the affliction and did not partake in the fight. Therefore, many Scholars from Ahl Al-Sunnah say: “It is not conditioned to start fighting the aggressor party. Allah did not order to start fighting them. Instead, He ordered that if two parties fought, then peace should be done between them. Then if one of the two parties transgresses on the other, then the transgressor should be fought.” [Minhaj Al-Sunnah, vol.4, p.391] It is plain lie Tijani’s claim that Mu’awiyah ordered to start the fight against Ali. 

1. It is not proven, nor there is a clear evidence that Mu’awiyah poisoned Al-Hasan. If Al-Tijani has an authentic narration narrated by just people, then let him guide us to it, otherwise he should not charge a Companion without giving a prove for his claim. 

2. At those days, people were in an affliction, and their desires leading their instincts, each sect attributing bad things to other sects. If a story was told about that, then we ought not to accept it unless just and trustworthy people narrated it. 

3. It is said that the person who poisoned Al-Hasan was not Mu’awiyah but Al-Hasan’s wife. It is also said her father, Al-Ash’ath bin Qays ordered her to do that. It is also said that it was Mu’awiyah who ordered her and some say it was Yazeed. These contradictory stories about who poisoned Al-Hasan weaken these stories because they lack the trustworthy narrators. Al-Tijani did not like anyone of them except Mu’awiyah although he was the furthermost of the rest from this charge! 

4. Intellect would accept Al-Tijani’s arguments in a situation where Al-Hasan refuses to make peace with Mu’awiyah and wanted to fight Mu’awiyah for the leadership. But the truth is that Al-Hasan made peace with Mu’awiyah, and gave him the leadership and the allegiance. Therefore, for what reason would Mu’awiyah poison Al-Hasan? For these reasons I say that Al-Tijani’s argument has no basis for truth.

Seventh: Al-Tijani’s claim that Mu’awiyah changed the caliphate from Shoura to a hereditary one, and the answer to this claim:
Al-Tijani says: “How could they judge him as being correct after he had forced the nation to acknowledge him as a caliph and to accept his corrupt son Yazid as his successor, and to change the Shurah [consultative] system to a hereditary one?” [Then I Was Guided, p.121]

 Also: “After Ali, Muawiya took over the caliphate and changed it to a hereditary system within Bani Umayya, and after them came Bani al- Abbas where the caliphs succeeded one after the other either by personal nomination [from the previous caliph] or by means of force and seizure of power. From the beginning of the Islamic era until Kamal Ataturk - who abolished the Islamic caliphate - there has been no correct acclamation except that for the Commander of the Believers Ali ibn Abi Talib.” [Then I Was Guided, p.145]

And: “How could they judge his Ijtihad, when he was the one who took the nation's acclamation for himself by force, then gave it to his son Yazid after him, and changed the Shura system to a hereditary one.” [Then I Was Guided, p.169]
I say:
1) Mu’awiyah did not take the caliphate by force, but it was given to him by Al-Hasan bin Ali after peace occurred between them. Al-Bukhari narrated in his Saheeh that Al-Hasan Al-Basri says: “Narrated Al-Hasan Al-Basri: (By Allah, Al-Hasan bin Ali led large battalions like mountains against Mu’awiyah. Amr bin Al-As said (to Mu’awiyah), "I surely see battalions which will not turn back before killing their opponents." Mu’awiyah who was really the best of the two men said to him, "O 'Amr! If these killed those and those killed these, who would be left with me for the jobs of the public, who would be left with me for their women, who would be left with me for their children?" Then Mu’awiyah sent two Quraishi men from the tribe of 'Abd-i-Shams called 'Abdur Rahman bin Sumura and Abdullah bin 'Amir bin Kuraiz to Al-Hasan saying to them, "Go to this man (i.e. Al-Hasan) and negotiate peace with him and talk and appeal to him." So, they went to Al-Hasan and talked and appealed to him to accept peace. Al-Hasan said, "We, the offspring of 'Abdul Muttalib, have got wealth and people have indulged in killing and corruption (and money only will appease them)." They said to Al-Hasan, "Mu’awiyah offers you so and so, and appeals to you and entreats you to accept peace." Al-Hasan said to them, "But who will be responsible for what you have said?" They said, "We will be responsible for it." So, whatever Al-Hasan asked they said, "We will be responsible for it for you." So, Al-Hasan concluded a peace treaty with Mu’awiyah. Al-Hasan (Al-Basri) said: I heard Abu Bakr saying, "I saw Allah's Apostle on the pulpit and Al-Hasan bin 'Ali was by his side. The Prophet was looking once at the people and once at Al-Hasan bin 'Ali saying, 'This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e. a noble) and may Allah make peace between two big groups of Muslims through him." [Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book of “Peacemaking,” vol.2, #2557]

2) Mu’awiyah was eager for people’s agreement to give allegiance to his son Yazeed. He resolved to take allegiance to Yazeed as a crown prince. So he consulted the grandest companions, the masters of the people and the district’s governors. They all accepted. Delegations from the districts came with acceptance to give allegiance to Yazeed. Many Companions gave him the allegiance as well. Al-Hafedh Abdulghani Al-Maqdisay says: “His (Yazeed’s) caliphate is rightful, sixty of the companions of the prophet peace be upon him gave him the allegiance. Ibn Omar was one of them.” [Qayd Al-Shareed min Akhbar Yazeed, by Ibn Khaldoun, p.70]

It is proven in Saheeh Bukhari that Ibn Omar gave allegiance to Yazeed and when the rebellion against Yazeed happened in Al-Medina, Ibn Omar gathered his family and warned them from revolting against Yazeed. Narrated Nafi': (When the people of Medina dethroned Yazid bin Muawiya, Ibn 'Umar gathered his special friends and children and said, "I heard the Prophet saying, 'A flag will be fixed for every betrayer on the Day of Resurrection,' and we have given the oath of allegiance to this person (Yazid) in accordance with the conditions enjoined by Allah and His Apostle and I do not know of anything more faithless than fighting a person who has been given the oath of allegiance in accordance with the conditions enjoined by Allah and His Apostle , and if ever I learn that any person among you has agreed to dethrone Yazid, by giving the oath of allegiance (to somebody else) then there will be separation between him and me.") [Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Book of “Afflictions”, vol.7, #6694]

Ibn Al-Zubair and Al-Hussain disagreed on this allegiance but it does not defame this allegiance because it must have some objectors. From this we know that Mu’awiyah was eager to have the acceptance of the Ummah in giving the allegiance to Yazeed. If Mu’awiyah wanted to oppress and take the allegiance to Yazeed by force and coercion, as Al-Tijani claims, then Mu’awiyah would be sufficed by one allegiance and impose it forcibly on people. This Mu’awiyah did not do. Whoever wanted to refuse objected and Mu’awiyah did not force them to give the allegiance.

1. Perhaps the reason that pushed Mu’awiyah to take allegiance to Yazeed was to push away the disagreement and to be one in this crucial time at which the Ummah lived and where a lot of people claimed the caliphate. Hence, Mu’awiyah thought that by giving the leadership to Yazeed would be a good thing for the Ummah and it would prevent another affliction of happening by the agreement of Ahl Al-Hil wa Al-A’qd (A group of people with a degree in religion, manners, and knowledge of people’s situations. They are also called the people of Choosing, people of Shoura, People of Decision, and they are responsible for choosing a leader for the Ummah instead of the common people. Islamic Scholars put some certain conditions to be eligible for this position) on Yazeed. 

2. Mu’awiyah did not invent a new system for the caliphate by inheriting the leadership to his son Yazeed. Abu Bakr was the first to do it when he gave the leadership to Omar bin Al-Khattab and Omar did the same when he limited the leadership in six Companions. If Al-Tijani disputed that leadership was not to sons at the time of Abu Bakr and Omar i.e. hereditary Kingdome, then I would say that the first person to do it was Ali when he gave the leadership to his son Al-Hasan. Al-Kulayni mentioned in his book “Usool Al-Kafi” from Saleem bin Qays who says: “I eye-witnessed the will of the Commander of the Faithful peace be upon him when he gave the leadership to his son Al-Hasan peace be upon him. As witnesses, Ali took Al-Hussain and Muhammad (Al-Hanafiyah) peace be upon both of them and all of this sons, leaders of his party and his household. Then Ali gave Al-Hasan the Book and the weapon…” [Usool Al-Kafi, vol.1, p.236, bab “Al-Esharah wa Al-Nas ala Al-Hasan bin Ali alayhima Al-salam”] 

3. The Imamiyah Shia originally refuses the idea of Shoura, and claim that the leadership should be stated by the prophet peace be upon him with a clear declaration. Al-Tijani himself repudiated the caliphate of Abu Bakr, Omar, and Uthman. Therefore, why is he crying on the system of Al-Shoura which he himself rejects, and disputes what Mu’awiyah did by giving the leadership to son Yazeed? If Mu’awiyah made the leadership a Shoura, would Al-Tijani and his Rafidites brothers accept it? Or it does not matter? The answer is that they will not accept it even if it was a Shoura from all the Muslims. So why this uproar and the fabricated piety from Al-Tijani on the principle of Al-Shoura? The strangest thing in this matter is that Al-Tijani refuses Mu’awiyah giving the leadership as an inheritance to his son Yazeed yet the greatest doctrine of the Imamiyah Rafidites is their belief that the leadership is a hereditary in the sons of Ali bin Abi Talib by the father giving the leadership as an inheritance to his son! Is it allowed for them and forbidden on others?

Eighth: Al-Tijani claims that there had never been a correct allegiance in the history of Islam from the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs until the era of Kamal Atatork who ended the Islamic Caliphate except the Caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful Ali Bin Abi Talib: