Did Muawiya Also Have a Role in the Event of Karbala?

Muawiya’s crimes are beyond counting. Violating the honor of Muslims, killing innocent Muslims, and even his innovations in religion are among his smallest deeds. Acts and crimes such as plotting to kill the Commander of the Faithful, martyring Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, and laying plans for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn are the greatest crimes of this offspring of Saqifa; yet some, with complete audacity, seek to exonerate Muawiya’s vile and impure face.

Figures such as Ibn Khaldun write concerning Muawiya: “Beware of thinking ill of Muawiya that he knew this about Yazid, for he is more just and of higher rank than that.”(1) And Abd al-Mughith al-Hanbali al-Baghdadi—about whom Sunni biographers wrote, “He was righteous, devout, truthful, trustworthy...” — despite all his piety and truthfulness, attributes a great lie to the Prophet and cites a fabricated report praising Muawiya: “O God, make him a guide and guide people through him.”(2) He then issues a ruling, on the basis of this report, that Yazid’s authority must be accepted and that no objection or criticism should be made against it. In truth, such people exemplify this report: “The slip of a scholar is like the breaking of a ship: it drowns and causes others to drown.”(3)

Without doubt, Muawiya was among the principal killers of the Master of the Martyrs, for he chose Yazid as his successor and consolidated his authority and rule. Therefore, from legal, customary, and juridical perspectives, all of Yazid’s deeds and actions can readily be attributed to Muawiya. Yazid’s succession and the establishment of his designation as heir were extremely difficult matters, which Muawiya achieved only with great effort while facing obstacles.

First obstacle: leading Companions who enjoyed great public acceptance and popularity. So long as they were present, Muawiya did not dare even announce Yazid’s succession, much less seek people’s allegiance to his authority and caliphate.

Second obstacle: people who had prepared themselves for the caliphate and claimed a right to rule after Muawiya. It is very clear that they too would have opposed Yazid’s succession.

Third obstacle, and a very important one: the signing of the peace treaty with Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba and Muawiya’s undertaking that, after his death, he had no right to choose a successor for himself; after his death the caliphate would return to Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, or, should Imam Hasan not be present, to Imam Husayn. He had pledged not to appoint his son Yazid as successor.

Muawiya spared no measure to bring Yazid to the throne. He killed, through various stratagems, prominent Companions who for whatever reason did not join him.

Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba obstructed Muawiya’s vile policy in two respects: first, the Imam’s high standing among the people of Medina and Muslims, his social position, and the fact that he was the son of the Messenger of God and the Prophet’s grandson; second, Muawiya’s agreement with Imam Hasan, mentioned above.

Muawiya had accepted Imam Hasan’s caliphate, a fact explicitly stated by leading opponents. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani transmits with a firm and strong chain that Imam Hasan said: “I stipulated to Muawiya that the caliphate should return to me after him.”(4) In Muawiya’s presence, the Imam said that he had taken from him a covenant that the caliphate would return to him after Muawiya. Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr al-Qurtubi says: “Scholars agree that Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba handed rule over only to Muawiya—during Muawiya’s lifetime—and that it should return to him after Muawiya; according to this provision, a pact and agreement were concluded between them.”(5)

Naturally, Muawiya had made this covenant; moreover, the man he wished to select for the caliphate was a wine-drinker, monkey-player, and openly immoral person, not at all comparable even to one of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba’s companions. Not merely the Imam’s noble Companions and followers, but even an ordinary Muslim was far more virtuous and superior to Yazid. Thus, even if Imam Hasan had not been in Medina, the leaders and notables of society would not have accepted Yazid’s authority—let alone when a great and exalted figure such as Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba stood before Muawiya. Fabricating merits and hadiths could not repair Yazid’s case. Naturally, Muawiya’s only solution was to martyr the Prophet’s grandson, Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba.

Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, one of the most distinguished figures of Muawiya’s time, told Muawiya in this situation: “The people of the Hijaz and Iraq will not accept this and will not pledge allegiance to Yazid as long as Hasan is alive.”(6) So long as Hasan ibn Ali lived, the people of the Hijaz and Iraq would not consent to Yazid’s succession or submit to allegiance to him. Not only the people of the Hijaz, but even the people of Syria—who had lived for years in the Umayyad atmosphere and were distant from the Household of Prophethood—would not pledge allegiance to Yazid while Imam Hasan was alive.

Muawiya saw no way before him except martyring Imam Hasan. Al-Zamakhshari says: “Muawiya set one hundred thousand for Ja‘da daughter of al-Ash‘ath, the wife of Hasan, until she poisoned him.”(7) Muawiya offered one hundred thousand dirhams to Ja‘da, Hasan ibn Ali’s wife, to poison him. Al-Mas‘udi also writes: “Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba’s wife was Ja‘da, daughter of al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays. She poisoned the Imam, and this was done through Muawiya’s deception. He promised Ja‘da that, if she did this, one hundred thousand dirhams along with marriage to Yazid would be the payment and reward for the act.”(8)

The account of Imam Mujtaba’s martyrdom through Muawiya’s plot and poison is among the recurrently transmitted reports of history and among the recurrently transmitted reports accepted by Sunnis, leaving no room for doubt. Yet some, out of blind fanaticism, in defense of a creature like Muawiya and to deceive ordinary people, say: “Muawiya never committed this crime through Imam Hasan’s wife, Ja‘da bint al-Ash‘ath. Muawiya would not do such a thing; these are stories fabricated by Shi‘a!”(9) Without doubt, Muawiya was Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba’s killer. When news of the Imam’s martyrdom reached him: “He displayed joy and happiness, until he prostrated, and those with him prostrated too.”(10) Muawiya rejoiced so greatly that he fell in prostration, and those around him also prostrated. By this act, he removed the greatest obstacle to Yazid’s caliphate.

After Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, other people who had for years been partners with Muawiya in his crimes were killed because of their opposition to Yazid. These included Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas; Aisha, who alongside Muawiya had fought the Commander of the Faithful in seeking vengeance for Uthman; and Abd al-Rahman Khalid, who was highly respected by the people of Syria. Although Khalid was a longstanding enemy of the Household, one of his sons, Muhajir, fought beside the Commander of the Faithful at Siffin, while his other son, Abd al-Rahman, was among the greatest standard-bearers of Muawiya’s army. It is said of him that at Siffin he was “the bearer of the greatest banner,” and the Syrians had particular affection for him. Muawiya had a Jewish physician give him poison in place of medicine and killed him as well; many others were also killed for Yazid’s succession.

Muawiya’s motive for killing Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba is entirely logical, and according to these arguments, he had to martyr Imam Hasan to attain his sinister aim. A very important point that must not be overlooked is that all these arguments also apply to Imam Husayn, and the motives present in killing Imam Hasan were also present in killing Imam Husayn. Hence Muawiya’s essential role in the event of Karbala must be noted—a matter that itself requires an independent investigation.

1. Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, vol. 1, p. 212
2. Shadharat al-Dhahab, vol. 4, p. 275
3. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 58, ch. 11: Attributes and Categories of Scholars...
4. Fath al-Bari, vol. 13, p. 55: “...on condition that he make the covenant for Hasan after him”; the meaning of the treaty was: “After Muawiya, no one but Hasan shall be caliph.”
5. Al-Isti‘ab, vol. 1, p. 387
6. Al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, vol. 1, p. 191
7. Rabi‘ al-Abrar, vol. 4, pp. 208–209
8. Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 1, pp. 713–714
9. Tarikh Ibn Khaldun, vol. 2, p. 187
10. Al-Imama wa al-Siyasa, vol. 1, pp. 196–197