786.92.110 *Chain of Events: Short Summary*
*How Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan one of the staunchest enemies of Prophet Mohammad (P) and of Islam came to power?* ** ** *Muawiya was a staunch follower of the pre-Islamic polytheism like his known as be father Abu Sufyan.* He was after the Battle of Badr the heir-apparent to the pagan throne of Mecca which was occupied in effect by his father Abu Sofyan and mother Hind. After the defeat of his family following the fall of Mecca in 8 AH Muawiya, and most of the Meccans, including the Abd-Shams, formally submitted to Prophet Muhammad (P) and accepted Islam. General consensus among early Islamic historians is that Muawiyah, along with his father Abu Sufyan, became Muslims at the conquest of Mecca when further resistance to Muslims became an impossibility. *In the year 640, Umar ibn al-Khattab appointed Muawiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan as governor of Syria* when his brother died in an outbreak of plague. Muawiyah gradually gained mastery over the other areas of Syria, building wealth and politically instilling personal loyalty among his troops and the people of the region. (Link: Muawyia bin Hind<http://www.answering-ansar.org/answers/muawiya/en/chap1.php> ) All these campaigns came to a halt with the accession of Imam Ali (AS) to the caliphate and removed Muawiyah's governorship of Syria. This resulted in *Muawiyah refusing to acknowledge Imam Ali's caliphate and engaged him at the Battle of Siffin.* Muawiyah proposed a cease-fire which Imam agreed to and it was decided to end the conflict through peaceful talks. *After Imam Ali (as) was assassinated in 661, Muawiyah signed a truce with Imam Ali's son Imam Hasan ibn Ali(as) and took over as the commander of the largest force in the Muslim Empire.* *Muawiyah died May 6, 680, from a stroke brought on by his weight. He was succeeded by his son Yazid (la).* Muawiyah had held the expanding empire together through personal allegiances, in the style of a traditional Arab sheikh. However Muawiyah's attempt to start a dynasty failed because both Yazid (la) and then his grandson Muawiya II died young. (Link: Muawiya's appointment of Yazeed as his successor<http://www.answering-ansar.org/answers/muawiya/en/chap3.php> ) One of Muawiyah's most controversial and enduring legacies was his decision to designate his son Yazid(la) as his successor. This was a clear violation of the treaty he made with Imam Hasan ibn Ali (as) , in which Muawiyah said he would not make his son his successor. *Yazid ibn Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan was regarded by many Muslims of the time as a moral degenerate, a sadist and a hedonist, and in many accounts his beliefs hovered between polytheism and atheism.* His ruthlessness in pursuing Imam Hussain (as), and his rather weak rule has made him the most despised person in Islamic History. *When Yazid was opposed by the people of Madinah,* He sent an army to Madinah comprised of 60,000 horsemen and 15,000 foot soldiers. For three days they shed blood freely, 1000 women were raped and 700 named Quraysh and Ansar were killed. Ten thousand women and children were made slaves. Muslim bin Uqba forced people to give allegiance to Yazid in such a manner that people were enslaved and Yazid could sell them as he pleased, no Sahaba who were [with the Prophet] at Hudaibiya were spared. (ref book: Au Khanar al Masalik vol.3 pg.450). *Yazid tried to assassinate Imam Hussain (as) the grandson of Holy Prophet Mohammad (P), after he refused to give bayyah to Yazid and opposed him. * *Yazid then sent forces to fight and kill Imam Hussain (AS). On the 10th of Moharram at Karbala, Iraq, Imam Hussain (as) along with 72 of his family and companions including his 6 months old baby was martyred, and the women were taken prisoners to Syria. (May Allah curse Yazid, his supporters and his helpers)* *Link: **Start of Azadari-e-Hussain<http://www.answering-ansar.org/answers/azadari/azadari_flyer.pdf> * Yazid made a statement that there was no message from God and that Prophet had made up the whole story (nauzubillah). Yazis also made a comment that he has now taken revenge for his family members who had died fighting against Islam in early battles, by killing the family of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Yazid Laeen ibn accursed Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan Laeen was then opposed by Abdullah bin Zubayr who claimed to be the true caliph. When the people of the Hejaz began giving allegiance to Abdullah, *Yazid sent armies to subdue the province, and Mecca was besieged. During the siege, the Kaba was damaged, but the siege was ended with Yazid's sudden death in 683. (May Allah's curse be upon Yazeed and his followers)* After Yazid's death, his son Muawiyah II was made to be the caliph, he stated the following in his inaugural address with regards to his father and his grandfather (Muawiyah I), as recorded by Ibn Hajr al-Haythami another scholar of the Ahl us-Sunnah: *When Yazid's son came to power he gave the following speech: * Khilafat is from Allah. My grand father fought for khilafat against an individual who was more entitled to it, that being Ali. He (Muawiya I) performed actions that you are all aware of, and he is suffering in his grave for that. Then my father Yazid became the khalifah even though he was not deserving of khilafat. He fought the grandson of Rasulullah ( Imam Hussain (as)) and is suffering in the grave on account of his sins. *Muawiya bin Yazid (Muawiyah II) then proceeded to cry, It is a terrible thing that we are fully aware of Yazid's bad deeds: he slaughtered the family of the Prophet, he deemed Haram as Halal, and set fire to the Holy Kaaba.* *Please see attachment for a letter written to Muawiyah by Umar ibn al-Khattab.* It is in Urdu. Please do translate it in English for anyone not able to understand or read Urdu. Thanks. Wasalaam, Abbas *Pasban-e-Ahlul Bayt* . Attachment(s) from Azadar 1 of 1 File(s) umars letter to mavia.pdf<http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/19636349/391984398/name/umars%20letter%20to%20mavia.pdf> . __,_._,___ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "shiagroup" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. 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