Dalil
العربية

Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2176

The caliphate of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān

الْبَيْعَةِ لِيَزِيدَ بِوِلَايَةِ الْعَهْدِ  وفي سنة ست وخمسين دَعَا النَّاسَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى بَيْعَةِ يَزِيدَ ابْنِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَجَعَلَهُ وَلِيَّ عَهْدِهِ   وكَانَ ابْتِدَاءُ ذَلِكَ وَأَوَّلُهُ مِنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ، فَإِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَعْزِلَهُ عَنِ الْكُوفَةِ وَيَسْتَعْمِلَ عِوَضَهُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْعَاصِ، فَبَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: الرَّأْيُ أَنْ أَشْخَصَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَأَسْتَعْفِيَهُ لِيَظْهَرَ لِلنَّاسِ كَرَاهَتِي لِلْوِلَايَةِ: فَسَارَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ حِينَ وَصَلَ إِلَيْهِ: إِنْ لَمْ أُكْسِبْكُمُ الْآنَ وِلَايَةً وَإِمَارَةً لَا أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ أَبَدًا: وَمَضَى حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى يَزِيدَ وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ أَعْيَانُ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَآلُهُ وَكُبَرَاءُ قُرَيْشٍ وَذَوُو أَسْنَانِهِمْ، وَإِنَّمَا بَقِيَ أَبْنَاؤُهُمْ وَأَنْتَ مِنْ أَفْضَلِهِمْ وَأَحْسَنِهِمْ رَأْيًا وَأَعْلَمِهِمْ ( بِالسُّنَّةِ ) وَالسِّيَاسَةِ، وَلَا أَدْرِي مَا يَمْنَعُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يَعْقِدَ لَكَ الْبَيْعَةَ: قَالَ: أَوَتَرَى ذَلِكَ يَتِمُّ ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ. فَدَخَلَ يَزِيدُ عَلَى أَبِيهِ وَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا قَالَ الْمُغِيرَةُ، فَأَحْضَرَ الْمُغِيرَةَ وَقَالَ لَهُ مَا يَقُولُ يَزِيدُ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ رَأَيْتَ مَا كَانَ مِنْ سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ وَالِاخْتِلَافِ بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ، وَفِي يَزِيدَ مِنْكَ خَلَفٌ، فَاعْقِدْ لَهُ، فَإِنْ حَدَثَ بِكَ حَادِثٌ كَانَ كَهْفًا لِلنَّاسِ وَخَلَفًا مِنْكَ، وَلَا تُسْفَكُ دِمَاءٌ وَلَا تَكُونُ فِتْنَةٌ: قَالَ: وَمَنْ لِي بِهَذَا ؟ قِيلَ: أَكْفِيكَ أَهْلَ الْكُوفَةِ وَيَكْفِيكَ زِيَادٌ أَهْلَ الْبَصْرَةِ وَلَيْسَ بَعْدَ هَذَيْنِ الْمِصْرَيْنِ أَحَدٌ يُخَالِفُكَ: قَالَ: فَارْجِعْ إِلَى عَمَلِكَ وَتَحَدَّثْ مَعَ مَنْ تَثِقُ إِلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِكَ وَتَرَى وَنَرَى: فَوَدَّعَهُ وَرَجَعَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ: فَقَالُوا: مَهْ ؟ قَالَ: لَقَدْ وَضَعْتَ رِجْلَ مُعَاوِيَةَ فِي غَرْزٍ بَعِيدِ الْغَايَةِ عَلَى أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَفَتَقْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَتْقًا لَا يُرْتَقُ أَبَدًا، وَتَمَثَّلَ: بِمِثْلِي شَاهِدِي النَّجْوَى وَغَالِي بِيَ الْأَعْدَاءَ وَالْخَصْمَ الْغِضَابَا وَسَارَ الْمُغِيرَةُ حَتَّى قَدِمَ الْكُوفَةَ وَذَاكَرَ مَنْ يَثِقُ إِلَيْهِ وَمَنْ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ شِيعَةٌ لِبَنِي أُمَيَّةَ أَمْرَ يَزِيدَ، فَأَجَابُوا إِلَى بَيْعَتِهِ، فَأَوْفَدَ مِنْهُمْ عَشَرَةً، وَيُقَالُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَشَرَةٍ، وَأَعْطَاهُمْ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ، وَجَعَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَهُ مُوسَى بْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ، وَقَدِمُوا عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَزَيَّنُوا لَهُ بَيْعَةَ يَزِيدَ وَدَعَوْهُ إِلَى عَقْدِهَا: فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لَا تُعَجِّلُوا بِإِظْهَارِ هَذَا وَكُونُوا عَلَى رَأْيِكُمْ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِمُوسَى: بِكَمِ اشْتَرَى أَبُوكَ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ دِينَهُمْ ؟ قَالَ: بِثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا: قَالَ: لَقَدْ هَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ دِينُهُمْ. وَقِيلَ: أَرْسَلَ أَرْبَعِينَ رَجُلًا وَجَعَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَهُ عُرْوَةَ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلُوا عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ قَامُوا خُطَبَاءَ فَقَالُوا: إِنَّمَا أَشْخَصَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ النَّظَرَ لِأُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ وَقَالُوا: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَبِرَتْ سِنُّكَ وَخِفْنَا انْتِشَارَ الْحَبْلِ، فَانْصِبْ لَنَا عَلَمًا وَحُدَّ لَنَا حَدًّا نَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ: فَقَالَ: أَشِيرُوا عَلِيَّ: فَقَالُوا: نُشِيرُ بِيَزِيدَ ابْنِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَالَ: أَوَقَدَ رَضِيتُمُوهُ ؟ قَالُوا: نَعَمْ: قَالَ: وَذَلِكَ رَأْيُكُمْ ؟ قَالُوا نَعَمْ، وَرَأْيُ مَنْ وَرَاءَنَا: فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِعُرْوَةَ سِرًّا عَنْهُمْ: بِكَمُ اشْتَرَى أَبُوكَ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ دِينَهُمْ ؟ قَالَ: بِأَرْبَعِمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ: قَالَ: لَقَدْ وَجَدَ دِينَهُمْ عِنْدَهُمْ رَخِيصًا: وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: نَنْظُرُ مَا قَدِمْتُمْ لَهُ، وَيَقْضِي اللَّهُ مَا أَرَادَ، وَالْأَنَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْعَجَلَةِ. فَرَجَعُوا. وَقَوِيَ عَزْمُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَى الْبَيْعَةِ لِيَزِيدَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى زِيَادٍ يَسْتَشِيرُهُ، فَأَحْضَرَ زِيَادٌ عُبَيْدَ بْنَ كَعْبٍ النُّمَيْرِيَّ وَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ لِكُلِّ مُسْتَشِيرٍ ثِقَةً، وَلِكُلِّ سِرٍّ مُسْتَوْدَعًا، وَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ أَبْدَعَ بِهِمْ خَصْلَتَانِ: إِذَاعَةُ السِّرِّ وَإِخْرَاجُ النَّصِيحَةِ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَهْلِهَا، وَلَيْسَ مَوْضِعُ السِّرِّ إِلَّا أَحَدَ رَجُلَيْنِ: رَجُلُ آخِرَةٍ يَرْجُو ثَوَابَهَا، وَرَجُلُ دُنْيَا لَهُ شَرَفٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَعَقْلٌ يَصُونُ حَسَبَهُ، وَقَدْ خَبِرْتُهُمَا مِنْكَ، وَقَدْ دَعَوْتُكَ لِأَمْرٍ اتَّهَمْتُ عَلَيْهِ بُطُونَ الصُّحُفِ، إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَتَبَ يَسْتَشِيرُنِي فِي كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَإِنَّهُ يَتَخَوَّفُ نَفْرَةَ النَّاسِ وَيَرْجُو طَاعَتَهُمْ، وَعَلَاقَةُ أَمْرِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَضَمَانُهُ عَظِيمٌ، وَيَزِيدُ صَاحِبُ رَسْلَةٍ وَتَهَاوُنٍ مَعَ مَا قَدْ أُولِعَ بِهِ مِنَ الصَّيْدِ، ( فَالْقَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَدِّ إِلَيْهِ فَعْلَاتِ يَزِيدَ وَقُلْ لَهُ رُوَيْدَكَ بِالْأَمْرِ، فَأَحْرَى أَنْ يَتِمَّ لَكَ [ مَا تُرِيدُ ]، لَا تَعْجَلْ فَإِنَّ دَرَكًا فِي تَأْخِيرٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ فَوْتٍ فِي عَجَلَةٍ ). فَقَالَ لَهُ عُبَيْدٌ: أَفَلَا غَيْرُ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: وَمَا هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: لَا تُفْسِدْ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ رَأْيَهُ، وَلَا تُبَغِّضْ إِلَيْهِ ابْنَهُ وَأَلْقَى أَنَا يَزِيدَ فَأُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَتَبَ إِلَيْكَ يَسْتَشِيرُكَ فِي الْبَيْعَةِ لَهُ، وَأَنَّكَ تَتَخَوَّفُ خِلَافَ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ لِهَنَاتٍ يَنْقِمُونَهَا عَلَيْهِ، وَأَنَّكَ تَرَى لَهُ تَرْكَ مَا يُنْقَمُ عَلَيْهِ لِتَسْتَحْكِمَ لَهُ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَتِمَّ مَا تُرِيدُ، فَتَكُونُ قَدْ نَصَحْتَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَلِمْتَ مِمَّا تَخَافُ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْأُمَّةِ فَقَالَ زِيَادٌ: لَقَدْ رَمَيْتَ الْأَمْرَ بِحَجَرِهِ، اشْخَصْ عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ أَصَبْتَ فَمَا لَا يُنْكَرُ، وَإِنْ يَكُنْ خَطَأً فَغَيْرُ مُسْتَغَشٍّ، وَتَقُولُ بِمَا تَرَى، وَيَقْضِي اللَّهُ بِغَيْبِ مَا يَعْلَمُ. فَقَدِمَ عَلَى يَزِيدَ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ، فَكَفَّ عَنْ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ، وَكَتَبَ زِيَادٌ مَعَهُ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ يُشِيرُ بِالتُّؤَدَةِ وَأَنْ لَا يَعْجَلَ، فَقَبِلَ مِنْهُ. عَزَمَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى الْبَيْعَةِ لِابْنِهِ يَزِيدَ بعد وفاة زياد فَلَمَّا مَاتَ زِيَادٌ عَزَمَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى الْبَيْعَةِ لِابْنِهِ يَزِيدَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَقَبِلَهَا، فَلَمَّا ذَكَرَ الْبَيْعَةَ لِيَزِيدَ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: هَذَا أَرَادَ أَنَّ دِينِي عِنْدِي إِذَنْ لَرَخِيصٌ. وَامْتَنَعَ. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ بْنِ الْحَكَمَ: إِنِّي قَدْ كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي، وَدَقَّ عَظْمِي، وَخَشِيتُ الِاخْتِلَافَ عَلَى الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدِي، وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أَتَخَيَّرَ لَهُمْ مَنْ يَقُومُ بَعْدِي، وَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَقْطَعَ أَمْرًا دُونَ مَشُورَةِ مَنْ عِنْدِكَ، فَاعْرِضْ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَعْلِمْنِي بِالَّذِي يَرُدُّونَ عَلَيْكَ: فَقَامَ مَرْوَانُ فِي النَّاسِ فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِهِ، فَقَالَ النَّاسُ: أَصَابَ وَوُفِّقَ، وَقَدْ أَحْبَبْنَا أَنْ يَتَخَيَّرَ لَنَا فَلَا يَأْلُو. فَكَتَبَ مَرْوَانُ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَعَادَ إِلَيْهِ الْجَوَابَ يَذْكُرُ يَزِيدَ، فَقَامَ مَرْوَانُ فِيهِمْ وَقَالَ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدِ اخْتَارَ لَكُمْ فَلَمْ يَأْلُ، وَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ ابْنَهُ يَزِيدَ بَعْدَهُ. فَقَامَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ وَاللَّهِ يَا مَرْوَانُ وَكَذَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ ! مَا الْخِيَارُ أَرَدْتُمَا لِأُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَلَكِنَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَجْعَلُوهَا هِرَقْلِيَّةً كُلَّمَا مَاتَ هِرَقْلُ قَامَ هِرَقْلُ: فَقَالَ مَرْوَانُ: هَذَا الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ: وَالَّذِي قَالَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَكُمَا الْآيَةَ. فَسَمِعَتْ عَائِشَةُ مَقَالَتَهُ فَقَامَتْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحِجَابِ وَقَالَتْ: يَا مَرْوَانُ يَا مَرْوَانُ ! فَأَنْصَتَ مَرْوَانُ وَأَقْبَلَ مَرْوَانَ بِوَجْهِهِ: فَقَالَتْ: أَنْتَ الْقَائِلُ لِعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنَّهُ نَزَلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ ؟ كَذَبْتَ ! وَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ بِهِ وَلَكِنَّهُ فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ، وَلَكِنَّكَ أَنْتَ فَضَضٌ مِنْ لَعْنَةِ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ. وَقَامَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ، وَفَعَلَ مِثْلَهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، فَكَتَبَ مَرْوَانُ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَكَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قَدْ كَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَّالِهِ بِتَقْرِيظِ يَزِيدَ وَوَصْفِهِ وَأَنْ يُوفِدُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوُفُودَ مِنَ الْأَمْصَارِ، فَكَانَ فِيمَنْ أَتَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَالْأَحْنَفُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ فِي وَفْدِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ، فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: إِنَّ كُلَّ رَاعٍ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، فَانْظُرْ مَنْ تُوَلِّي أَمْرَ أُمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ: فَأَخَذَ مُعَاوِيَةَ بُهْرٌ حَتَّى جَعَلَ يَتَنَفَّسُ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ ثُمَّ وَصَلَهُ وَصَرَفَهُ، وَأَمَرَ الْأَحْنَفَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ عَلَى يَزِيدَ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ قَالَ لَهُ: كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ ابْنَ أَخِيكَ ؟ قِيلَ: رَأَيْتُ شَبَابًا وَنَشَاطًا وَجَلَدًا وَمِزَاحًا. ثُمَّ إِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ لِلضَّحَّاكِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ الْفِهْرِيِّ، لَمَّا اجْتَمَعَ الْوُفُودُ عِنْدَهُ: إِنِّي مُتَكَلِّمٌ فَإِذَا سَكَتُّ فَكُنْ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَدْعُو إِلَى بَيْعَةِ يَزِيدَ وَتَحُثُّنِي عَلَيْهَا: فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِلنَّاسِ تَكَلَّمْ، فَعَظَّمَ أَمْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ وَحُرْمَةَ الْخِلَافَةِ وَحَقَّهَا وَمَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ طَاعَةِ وُلَاةِ الْأَمْرِ: ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ يَزِيدَ وَفَضْلَهُ وَعِلْمَهُ بِالسِّيَاسَةِ وَعَرَّضَ بِبَيْعَتِهِ، فَعَارَضَهُ الضَّحَّاكُ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قِيلَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ وَالٍ بَعْدَكَ، وَقَدْ بَلَوْنَا الْجَمَاعَةَ وَالْأُلْفَةَ، فَوَجَدْنَاهُمَا أَحْقَنَ لِلدِّمَاءِ، وَأَصْلَحَ لِلدَّهْمَاءِ، وَآمَنَ لِلسُّبُلِ، وَخَيْرًا فِي الْعَاقِبَةِ، وَالْأَيَّامُ عِوَجٌ رَوَاجِعٌ، وَاللَّهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ فِي شَأْنٍ، وَيَزِيدُ ابْنُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي حُسْنِ هَدْيِهِ وَقَصْدِ سِيرَتِهِ عَلَى مَا عَلِمْتُ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَفْضَلِنَا عِلْمًا وَحِلْمًا، وَأَبْعَدِنَا رَأْيًا، فَوَلِّهِ عَهْدَكَ وَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا عَلَمًا بَعْدَكَ وَمَفْزَعًا نَلْجَأُ إِلَيْهِ وَنَسْكُنُ فِي ظِلِّهِ. وَتَكَلَّمَ عَمْرُو بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْأَشْدَقُ بِنَحْوٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ: ثُمَّ قَامَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ الْمُقَنَّعِ الْعُذْرِيُّ فَقَالَ: هَذَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَأَشَارَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَإِنْ هَلَكَ فَهَذَا، وَأَشَارَ إِلَى يَزِيدَ، وَمَنْ أَبَى فَهَذَا، وَأَشَارَ إِلَى سَيْفِهِ: فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: اجْلِسْ فَأَنْتَ سَيِّدُ الْخُطَبَاءِ. وَتَكَلَّمَ مَنْ حَضَرَ مِنَ الْوُفُودِ. فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِلْأَحْنَفِ: مَا تَقُولُ يَا أَبَا بَحْرٍ ؟ فَقَالَ: نَخَافُكُمْ إِنْ صَدَقْنَا، وَنَخَافُ اللَّهَ إِنْ كَذَبْنَا، وَأَنْتَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعْلَمُ بِيَزِيدَ فِي لَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِهِ وَسِرِّهِ وَعَلَانِيَتِهِ وَمَدْخَلِهِ وَمَخْرَجِهِ، فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُهُ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى وَلِلْأُمَّةِ رِضًى فَلَا تُشَاوِرِ [ النَّاسَ ] فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ فِيهِ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا تُزَوِّدْهُ وَأَنْتَ صَائِرٌ إِلَى الْآخِرَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْنَا أَنْ نَقُولَ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا. وَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ فَقَالَ: مَا نَدْرِي مَا تَقُولُ هَذِهِ الْمَعَدِّيَةُ الْعِرَاقِيَّةُ وَإِنَّمَا عِنْدَنَا سَمْعٌ وَطَاعَةٌ وَضَرْبٌ وَازْدِلَافٌ. فَتَفَرَّقَ النَّاسُ يَحْكُونَ قَوْلَ الْأَحْنَفِ، وَكَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يُعْطِي الْمُقَارِبَ وَيُدَارِي الْمُبَاعِدَ وَيَلْطُفُ بِهِ حَتَّى اسْتَوْثَقَ لَهُ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَبَايَعَهُ. ذهاب معاوية إلى الحجاز بعد بيعة أهل العراق والشام بولاية العهد ليزيد فَلَمَّا بَايَعَهُ أَهْلُ الْعِرَاقِ وَالشَّامِ سَارَ إِلَى الْحِجَازِ فِي أَلْفِ فَارِسٍ، لَمَّا دَنَا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ لَقِيَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ أَوَّلَ النَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ: لَا مَرْحَبًا وَلَا أَهْلًا ! بَدَنَةٌ بِتَرَقْرُقِ دَمِهَا وَاللَّهُ مُهَرِيقُهُ ! قَالَ: مَهْلًا فَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَسْتُ بِأَهْلٍ لِهَذِهِ الْمَقَالَةِ ! قَالَ: بَلَى وَلَشَرٌّ مِنْهَا: وَلَقِيَهُ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ فَقَالَ: لَا مَرْحَبًا وَلَا أَهْلًا خَبَّ ضَبٌّ تَلْعَةٌ، يُدْخِلُ رَأْسَهُ وَيَضْرِبُ بِذَنَبِهِ، وَيُوشِكُ وَاللَّهِ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ بِذَنَبِهِ، وَيُدَقَّ ظَهْرُهُ، نَحِّيَاهُ عَنِّي، فَضُرِبَ وَجْهُ رَاحِلَتِهِ: ثُمَّ لَقِيَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لَا أَهْلًا وَلَا مَرْحَبًا ! شَيْخٌ قَدْ خَرِفَ وَذَهَبَ عَقْلُهُ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ فَضُرَبَ وَجْهَ رَاحِلَتِهِ: ثُمَّ فَعَلَ بِابْنِ عُمَرَ نَحْوَ ذَلِكَ، فَأَقْبَلُوا مَعَهُ لَا يَلْتَفِتُ إِلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَحَضَرُوا بَابَهُ، فَلَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لَهُمْ عَلَى مَنَازِلِهِمْ وَلَمْ يَرَوْا مِنْهُ مَا يُحِبُّونَ، فَخَرَجُوا إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَأَقَامُوا بِهَا، وَخَطَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَذَكَرَ يَزِيدَ فَمَدَحَهُ وَقَالَ: مَنْ أَحَقُّ مِنْهُ بِالْخِلَافَةِ فِي فَضْلِهِ وَعَقْلِهِ وَمَوْضِعِهِ ؟ وَمَا أَظُنُّ قَوْمًا بِمُنْتَهِينَ حَتَّى تُصِيبَهُمْ بَوَائِقُ تَجْتَثُّ أُصُولَهُمْ، وَقَدْ أَنْذَرْتُ إِنْ أَغْنَتِ النُّذُرُ، ثُمَّ أَنْشَدَ مُتَمَثِّلًا: قَدْ كُنْتُ حَذَّرْتُكَ آلَ الْمُصْطَلِقْ     وَقُلْتُ يَا عَمْرُو أَطِعْنِي وَانْطَلِقْ إِنَّكَ إِنْ كَلَّفْتَنِي مَا لَمْ أُطِقْ     سَاءَكَ مَا سَرَّكَ مِنِّي مِنْ خُلُقٍ دُونَكَ مَا اسْتَسْقَيْتَهُ فَاحْسُ وَذُقْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ، وَقَدْ بَلَغَهَا أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ الْحُسَيْنَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ، فَقَالَ: لَأَقْتُلَنَّهُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يُبَايِعُوا، فَشَكَاهُمْ إِلَيْهَا، فَوَعَظَتْهُ وَقَالَتْ لَهُ: بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ تَتَهَدُّهُمْ بِالْقَتْلِ، فَقَالَ: يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هُمْ أَعَزُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَلَكِنِّي بَايَعْتُ لِيَزِيدَ وَبَايَعَهُ غَيْرُهُمْ، أَفَتَرَيْنَ أَنْ أَنْقُضَ بَيْعَةً قَدْ تَمَّتْ ؟ قَالَتْ: فَارْفُقْ بِهِمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَصِيرُونَ إِلَى مَا تُحِبُّ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ: قَالَ: أَفْعَلُ. وَكَانَ فِي قَوْلِهَا لَهُ: مَا يُؤَمِّنُكَ أَنْ أُقْعِدَ لَكَ رَجُلًا يَقْتُلُكَ وَقَدْ فَعَلْتَ بِأَخِي مَا فَعَلْتَ ؟ تَعْنِي أَخَاهَا مُحَمَّدًا. فَقَالَ لَهَا: كَلَّا يَا أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنِّي فِي بَيْتِ أَمْنٍ. قَالَتْ: أَجَلْ. وَمَكَثَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَلَقِيَهُ النَّاسُ، فَقَالَ أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرُ: نَتَلَقَّاهُ فَلَعَلَّهُ قَدْ نَدِمَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ، فَلَقُوهُ بِبَطْنِ مَرَّ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ لَقِيَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: مَرْحَبًا وَأَهْلًا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَسَيِّدَ شَبَابِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِدَابَّةٍ فَرَكِبَ وَسَايَرَهُ، ثُمَّ فَعَلَ بِالْبَاقِينَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَأَقْبَلَ يُسَايِرُهُمْ لَا يَسِيرُ مَعَهُ غَيْرُهُمْ حَتَّى دَخَلَ مَكَّةَ، فَكَانُوا أَوَّلَ دَاخِلٍ وَآخَرَ خَارِجٍ، وَلَا يَمْضِي يَوْمٌ إِلَّا وَلَهُمْ صِلَةٌ وَلَا يَذْكُرُ لَهُمْ شَيْئًا، حَتَّى قَضَى نُسُكَهُ وَحَمَلَ أَثْقَالَهُ وَقَرُبَ مَسِيرُهُ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرِ لِبَعْضٍ: لَا تُخْدَعُوا فَمَا صَنَعَ بِكُمْ هَذَا لِحُبِّكُمْ وَمَا صَنَعَهُ إِلَّا لِمَا يُرِيدُ: فَأَعِدُّوا لَهُ جَوَابًا فَاتَّفَقُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمُخَاطِبُ لَهُ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ. فَأَحْضَرَهُمْ مُعَاوِيَةُ وَقَالَ: قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ سِيرَتِي وَصِلَتِي لِأَرْحَامِكُمْ وَحَمْلِي مَا كَانَ مِنْكُمْ، وَيَزِيدُ أَخُوكُمْ وَابْنُ عَمِّكُمْ وَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ تُقَدِّمُوهُ بِاسْمِ الْخِلَافَةِ وَتَكُونُوا أَنْتُمْ تَعْزِلُونَ وَتُؤَمِّرُونَ وَتَجْبُونَ الْمَالَ وَتَقْسِمُونَهُ لَا يُعَارِضُكُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. فَسَكَتُوا. فَقَالَ: أَلَا تُجِيبُونَ ؟ مَرَّتَيْنِ. ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، فَقَالَ: هَاتِ لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّكَ خَطِيبُهُمْ. فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، نُخَيِّرُكَ بَيْنَ ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ: قَالَ: اعْرِضْهُنَّ: قَالَ: تَصْنَعُ كَمَا صَنَعَ رَسُولُ ﷺ أَوْ كَمَا صَنَعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَوْ كَمَا صَنَعَ عُمَرُ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: مَا صَنَعُوا ؟ قَالَ: قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْ أَحَدًا فَارْتَضَى النَّاسُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ: قَالَ: لَيْسَ فِيكُمْ مِثْلُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَأَخَافُ الِاخْتِلَافَ: قَالُوا: صَدَقْتَ فَاصْنَعْ كَمَا صَنَعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَإِنَّهُ عَهِدَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ قَاصِيَةِ قُرَيْشٍ لَيْسَ مِنْ بَنِي أَبِيهِ فَاسْتَخْلَفَهُ، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَاصْنَعْ كَمَا صَنَعَ عُمَرُ، جَعَلَ الْأَمْرَ شُورَى فِي سِتَّةِ نَفَرٍ لَيْسَ فِيهِمْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ وَلَا مَنْ بَنِي أَبِيهِ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: هَلْ عِنْدَكَ غَيْرُ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: لَا. ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَأَنْتُمْ ؟ قَالُوا: قَوْلُنَا قَوْلُهُ. قَالَ: فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْكُمْ، إِنَّهُ قَدْ أَعْذَرَ مَنْ أَنْذَرَ، إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَخْطُبُ فِيكُمْ فَيَقُومُ إِلَيَّ الْقَائِمُ مِنْكُمْ فَيُكَذِّبُنِي عَلَى رُءُوسِ النَّاسِ فَأَحْمِلُ ذَلِكَ وَأَصْفَحُ، وَإِنِّي قَائِمٌ بِمَقَالَةٍ، فَأُقْسِمُ بِاللَّهِ لَئِنْ رَدَّ عَلَيَّ أَحَدُكُمْ كَلِمَةً فِي مَقَامِي هَذَا لَا تَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ كَلِمَةٌ غَيْرُهَا حَتَّى يَسْبِقَهَا السَّيْفُ إِلَى رَأْسِهِ، فَلَا يُبْقِيَنَّ رَجُلٌ إِلَّا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ. ثُمَّ دَعَا صَاحِبَ حَرَسِهِ بِحَضْرَتِهِمْ فَقَالَ: أَقِمْ عَلَى رَأْسِ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ رَجُلَيْنِ وَمَعَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ سَيْفٌ، فَإِنْ ذَهَبَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ يَرُدُّ عَلَيَّ كَلِمَةً بِتَصْدِيقٍ أَوْ تَكْذِيبٍ فَلْيَضْرِبَاهُ بِسَيْفَيْهِمَا. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ وَخَرَجُوا مَعَهُ حَتَّى رَقَى الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطَ سَادَةُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَخِيَارُهُمْ لَا يُبَتُّ أَمْرٌ دُونَهُمْ وَلَا يُقْضَى إِلَّا عَنْ مَشُورَتِهِمْ، وَإِنَّهُمْ قَدْ رَضُوا وَبَايَعُوا لِيَزِيدَ، فَبَايِعُوا عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ ! فَبَايَعَ النَّاسُ، وَكَانُوا يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بَيْعَةَ هَؤُلَاءِ النَّفَرِ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ رَوَاحِلَهُ وَانْصَرَفَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ، فَلَقِيَ النَّاسُ أُولَئِكَ النَّفَرَ فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ: زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ لَا تُبَايِعُونَ فَلِمَ ؟ أَرَضِيتُمْ وَأَعْطَيْتُمْ وَبَايَعْتُمْ ؟ قَالُوا: وَاللَّهِ مَا فَعَلْنَا: فَقَالُوا: مَا مَنَعَكُمْ أَنْ تَرُدُّوا عَلَى الرَّجُلِ ؟ قَالُوا: كَادَنَا وَخِفْنَا الْقَتْلَ. وَبَايَعَهُ أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ إِلَى الشَّامِ وَجَفَا بَنِي هَاشِمٍ، فَأَتَاهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا بَالُكَ جَفَوْتَنَا ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ لَمْ يُبَايِعْ لِيَزِيدَ فَلَمْ تُنْكِرُوا ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنِّي لَخَلِيقٌ أَنْ أَنْحَازَ إِلَى بَعْضِ السَّوَاحِلِ فَأُقِيمَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَنْطَلِقُ بِمَا تَعْلَمُ حَتَّى أَدَعَ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ خَوَارِجَ عَلَيْكَ: قَالَ: يَا أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ تُعْطَوْنَ وَتَرْضَوْنَ وَتُرَادُّونَ. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: أُبَايِعُكَ عَلَى أَنِّي أَدْخُلُ فِيمَا تَجْتَمِعُ عَلَيْهِ الْأُمَّةُ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَوِ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى حَبَشِيٍّ لَدَخَلْتُ مَعَهَا ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَأَغْلَقَ بَابَهُ وَلَمْ يَأْذَنْ لِأَحَدٍ. قُلْتُ: ذِكْرُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ لَا يَسْتَقِيمُ عَلَى قَوْلِ مَنْ يَجْعَلُ وَفَاتَهُ سَنَةَ ثَلَاثٍ وَخَمْسِينَ، وَإِنَّمَا يَصِحُّ عَلَى قَوْلِ مَنْ يَجْعَلُهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ. وَقَدْ عَاتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةَ فِي وِلَايَتِهِ يَزِيدَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ، وَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَهُ مَكَانَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَاللَّهِ لَوْ مُلِئَتِ الْغُوطَةُ رِجَالًا مِثْلَكَ لَكَانَ يَزِيدُ أَحَبَّ مِنْكُمْ كُلِّكُمْ. وَرُوِّينَا عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَوْمًا فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي وَلَّيْتُهُ لِأَنَّهُ فِيمَا أَرَاهُ أَهْلٌ لِذَلِكَ فَأَتْمِمْ لَهُ مَا وَلَّيْتُهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي إِنَّمَا وَلَّيْتُهُ لِأَنِّي أُحِبُّهُ فَلَا تُتْمِمْ لَهُ مَا وَلَّيْتُهُ. وَذَكَرَ الْحَافِظُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَانَ قَدْ سَمَرَ لَيْلَةً، فَتَكَلَّمَ أَصْحَابُهُ فِي الْمَرْأَةِ الَّتِي يَكُونُ وَلَدُهَا نَجِيبًا، فَذَكَرُوا صِفَةَ الْمَرْأَةِ الَّتِي يَكُونُ وَلَدُهَا نَجِيبًا  . فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: وَدِدْتُ لَوْ عُرِّفْتُ بِامْرَأَةٍ تَكُونُ بِهَذِهِ الْمَثَابَةِ. فَقَالَ أَحَدُ جُلَسَائِهِ: قَدْ وَجَدْتُ ذَلِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: وَمَنْ ؟ قَالَ: ابْنَتِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَتَزَوَّجَهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَوَلَدَتْ لَهُ يَزِيدَ بْنَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَجَاءَ نَجِيبًا ذَكِيًّا حَاذِقًا. ثُمَّ خَطَبَ امْرَأَةً أُخْرَى فَحَظِيَتْ عِنْدَهُ، وَوَلَدَتْ لَهُ غُلَامًا آخَرَ، وَهَجَرَ أُمَّ يَزِيدَ، فَكَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ فِي جَنْبِ دَارِهِ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَوْمًا فِي النَّظَّارَةِ، وَمَعَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ الْأُخْرَى، إِذْ نَظَرَ إِلَى أُمِّ يَزِيدَ وَهِيَ تُسَرِّحُهُ، فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ: قَبَّحَهَا اللَّهُ وَقَبَّحَ مَا تُسَرِّحُ. فَقَالَ: وَلِمَ ؟ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ وَلَدَهَا لَأَنْجَبُ مِنْ وَلَدِكِ، وَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتِ بَيَّنْتُ لَكِ ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ اسْتَدْعَى وَلَدَهَا، فَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ عَنَّ لَهُ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ لَكَ مَا تَتَمَنَّاهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَاطْلُبْ مِنِّي مَا شِئْتَ. فَقَالَ: أَسْأَلُ مِنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يُطْلِقَ لِي كِلَابًا لِلصَّيْدِ، وَخَيْلًا وَرِجَالًا يَكُونُونَ مَعِي فِي الصَّيْدِ. فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: قَدْ أَمَرْنَا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ اسْتَدْعَى يَزِيدَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ كَمَا قَالَ لِأَخِيهِ، فَقَالَ يَزِيدُ: أَوَيُعْفِينِي أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ عَنْ هَذَا ؟ فَقَالَ: لَا بُدَّ أَنْ تَسْأَلَ حَاجَتَكَ. فَقَالَ: أَسْأَلُ - وَأَطَالَ اللَّهُ عُمُرَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ - أَنْ أَكُونَ وَلِيَّ عَهْدِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ عَدْلَ يَوْمٍ فِي الرَّعِيَّةِ كَعِبَادَةِ خَمْسِمِائَةِ عَامٍ. فَقَالَ: قَدْ أَجَبْتُكَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ: كَيْفَ رَأَيْتِ ؟ فَعَلِمَتْ وَتَحَقَّقَتْ فَضْلَ يَزِيدَ عَلَى وَلَدِهَا.

Translation

✧ The pledge of allegiance to Yazīd as heir apparent In the year fifty-six, Muʿāwiyah called upon the people to pledge allegiance to his son Yazīd as his successor and made him his heir apparent. The beginning and origin of that came from al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah, for Muʿāwiyah intended to dismiss him from Kufa and appoint Saʿīd b. al-ʿĀṣ in his place. When that reached him, he said: “The right course is for me to travel to Muʿāwiyah and ask him to excuse me so that my dislike of the office becomes evident to the people.” So he traveled to Muʿāwiyah and said to his companions when he reached him: “If I do not secure for you now a governorship and command, I shall never do so again.” He went on until he entered upon Yazīd and said to him: “The leading men among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and his family and the elders of Quraysh and those of their age have gone, and only their sons remain. You are among the best of them, the finest in judgment, and the most learned in the Sunnah and in statecraft. I do not know what prevents the Commander of the Faithful from binding the pledge of allegiance to you.” He said: “Do you think that will be accomplished?” He said: “Yes.” So Yazīd went in to his father and told him what al-Mughīrah had said. He summoned al-Mughīrah and said to him what Yazīd had said. Al-Mughīrah replied: “O Commander of the Faithful, you have seen what came after ʿUthmān of bloodshed and dissension. In Yazīd you have a successor. Bind the pledge to him, so that if anything befalls you, he will be a refuge for the people and a successor from you, and no blood will be shed and there will be no tribulation.” He said: “Who will guarantee me this?” It was said: “I will suffice you against the people of Kufa, and Ziyād will suffice you against the people of Basra. After these two garrison cities, no one will oppose you.” He said: “Return to your post and discuss the matter with those you trust, and consider it, and we shall consider it.” He bade him farewell and went back to his companions. They said: “What happened?” He said: “I have placed Muʿāwiyah’s foot in a stirrup whose goal is far off for the community of Muḥammad, and I have opened for them a breach that will never be closed.” Then he recited: “With one like me as witness to the secret counsel, my foes and angry adversaries have made the price high.” Al-Mughīrah traveled until he reached Kufa, and he discussed the matter of Yazīd with those he trusted and those he knew to be partisans of the Umayyads. They agreed to pledge allegiance to him. So he dispatched a delegation of ten of them—and it is said more than ten—and gave them thirty thousand dirhams, placing over them his son Mūsā b. al-Mughīrah. They came to Muʿāwiyah and made the pledge of allegiance to Yazīd seem attractive to him and urged him to ratify it. Muʿāwiyah said: “Do not hasten to make this public; keep to your opinion.” Then he said to Mūsā: “For how much did your father buy these men’s religion?” He said: “For thirty thousand.” He said: “Their religion has become cheap to them.” It is also said: He sent forty men, placing over them his son ʿUrwah. When they entered upon Muʿāwiyah, they stood up as orators and said: “Nothing brought them to him except concern for the community of Muḥammad ﷺ.” They said: “O Commander of the Faithful, your age has advanced, and we fear the rope will unravel. Set up for us a standard and set for us a limit to which we can turn.” He said: “Advise me.” They said: “We advise Yazīd son of the Commander of the Faithful.” He said: “Are you pleased with him?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “Is that your opinion?” They said: “Yes, and the opinion of those behind us.” Then Muʿāwiyah said to ʿUrwah privately, apart from them: “For how much did your father buy these men’s religion?” He said: “For four hundred dinars.” He said: “He has found their religion to be cheap among them.” Then he said to them: “We shall consider what you have come for, and God will accomplish what He wills, and deliberation is better than haste.” So they returned. Muʿāwiyah’s resolve to pledge allegiance to Yazīd grew stronger, and he sent to Ziyād to consult him. Ziyād summoned ʿUbayd b. Kaʿb al-Numayrī and said to him: “Every man who seeks counsel has someone he trusts, and every secret has a depository. The people have been afflicted by two traits: divulging secrets and giving counsel to those unworthy of it. The place for a secret is only one of two men: a man of the Hereafter who hopes for its reward, and a man of this world who has honor in himself and intelligence that protects his standing. I have tested both of them in you. I have called you for a matter about which I distrust the hidden recesses of scrolls. The Commander of the Faithful has written asking my advice about such and such, and he fears the people’s aversion and hopes for their obedience. The bond and guarantee of the Islamic order is weighty, and Yazīd is a man of indulgence and negligence, along with his infatuation with hunting. So meet the Commander of the Faithful and convey to him the misdeeds of Yazīd, and say to him: Be deliberate in the matter, for it is more likely that what you desire will be accomplished for you. Do not hasten, for attainment through delay is better than loss through haste.” ʿUbayd said to him: “Will there not be something other than this?” He said: “What is it?” He said: “Do not corrupt Muʿāwiyah’s judgment against his son or make his son hateful to him. I will meet Yazīd and tell him that the Commander of the Faithful has written to you asking your advice about the pledge of allegiance to him, and that you fear the people’s opposition to him because of faults they hold against him. You think it best for him to abandon what is held against him so that the argument for him over the people is firmly established and what you desire is accomplished. Thus you will have advised the Commander of the Faithful and be safe from what you fear in the matter of the community.” Ziyād said: “You have cast the matter with its own stone. Go forth with God’s blessing. If you are right, it is not to be denied; if it is a mistake, you are not suspected of deceit. Speak as you see fit, and God will decree through His unseen knowledge.” So he went to Yazīd and mentioned this to him, and he refrained from much of what he had been doing. Ziyād wrote with him to Muʿāwiyah advising deliberation and not to hurry, and he accepted it from him. Muʿāwiyah resolved to pledge allegiance to his son Yazīd after Ziyād’s death. When Ziyād died, Muʿāwiyah resolved to pledge allegiance to his son Yazīd. He sent one hundred thousand dirhams to ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar, and he accepted it. When he mentioned the pledge of allegiance to Yazīd, Ibn ʿUmar said: “This means my religion is then cheap to me.” And he refused. Then Muʿāwiyah wrote after that to Marwān b. al-Ḥakam: “I have grown old in years, my bones have become thin, and I fear division among the community after me. I have decided to choose for them someone to stand after me, but I dislike to settle a matter without consulting those with you. So present this to them and inform me of what they answer you.” Marwān stood before the people and told them of this. The people said: “He has acted rightly and been guided, and we would like him to choose for us and not fail.” Marwān wrote to Muʿāwiyah with that, and he sent back the answer mentioning Yazīd. Marwān stood before them and said: “The Commander of the Faithful has chosen for you and has not failed. He has made his son Yazīd his successor after him.” ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Bakr stood up and said: “You have lied, by God, O Marwān, and Muʿāwiyah has lied! You two did not intend the good choice for the community of Muḥammad. Rather you want to make it a Heraclian monarchy: whenever a Heraclius dies, a Heraclius rises.” Marwān said: “This is the one about whom God revealed: ‘And he who says to his parents, uff to you...’ the verse.” ʿĀʾishah heard his words, and she rose from behind the screen and said: “O Marwān! O Marwān!” Marwān fell silent and turned his face toward her. She said: “Are you the one who says about ʿAbd al-Raḥmān that the Qurʾān was revealed concerning him? You have lied! By God, it is not about him, but about so-and-so son of so-and-so. But you are a fragment of the curse of God’s Prophet.” Al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī stood up and denounced that, and Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn al-Zubayr did likewise. Marwān wrote to Muʿāwiyah about that. Muʿāwiyah had already written to his governors praising Yazīd and describing him, and commanding them to send delegations to him from the garrison cities. Among those who came to him were Muḥammad b. ʿAmr b. Ḥazm from Madinah and al-Aḥnaf b. Qays in the delegation of the people of Basra. Muḥammad b. ʿAmr said to Muʿāwiyah: “Every shepherd is responsible for his flock. So consider whom you appoint over the community of Muḥammad.” Muʿāwiyah was seized with shortness of breath until he panted on a cold day. Then he gave him a gift and sent him away. He commanded al-Aḥnaf to enter upon Yazīd, and he did so. When he came out from his presence, he said to him: “How did you find your nephew?” It is said: “I found youth, vigor, strength, and jesting.” Then, when the delegations gathered before him, Muʿāwiyah said to al-Ḍaḥḥāk b. Qays al-Fihrī: “I shall speak, and when I fall silent, you be the one who calls for the pledge of allegiance to Yazīd and urges me to it.” When Muʿāwiyah sat before the people, he spoke and magnified the matter of Islam, the sanctity of the caliphate and its rights, and what God had commanded regarding obedience to those in authority. Then he mentioned Yazīd, his merit, and his knowledge of statecraft, and he alluded to the pledge of allegiance to him. Al-Ḍaḥḥāk responded to him, praised God, and extolled Him, then said: “O Commander of the Faithful, the people must have a ruler after you. We have experienced unity and harmony and found them more effective in sparing blood, more beneficial for the common weal, safer for the roads, and better in the final outcome. Days are crooked and recurring, and God is every day engaged in some affair. Yazīd son of the Commander of the Faithful, in the excellence of his conduct and the moderation of his way of life, is as I have known him. He is among us the most excellent in knowledge and forbearance, and the furthest-sighted in judgment. So make him your heir and set him for us as a standard after you and a refuge to which we may turn and in whose shade we may dwell.” ʿAmr b. Saʿīd al-Ashdaq spoke in a similar vein. Then Yazīd b. al-Muqannaʿ al-ʿUdhrī stood and said: “This is the Commander of the Faithful,” and he pointed to Muʿāwiyah, “and if he perishes, then this one,” and he pointed to Yazīd, “and whoever refuses, then this,” and he pointed to his sword. Muʿāwiyah said: “Sit down, for you are the chief of orators.” And those of the delegations who were present spoke. Muʿāwiyah said to al-Aḥnaf: “What do you say, O Abū Baḥr?” He replied: “We fear you if we speak truthfully, and we fear God if we lie. You, O Commander of the Faithful, know Yazīd best in his night and day, his secret and open conduct, his coming in and going out. If you know him to be pleasing to God Almighty and to the community, then do not consult the people about him. But if you know otherwise about him, then do not send him forth while you are bound for the Hereafter. It is only for us to say: We hear and we obey.” A man from the people of Syria stood and said: “We do not know what these Maʿaddī Iraqīs are saying. With us there is only hearing and obeying, striking and drawing near.” The people dispersed, recounting al-Aḥnaf’s words. Muʿāwiyah gave to those who were close and conciliated those who were distant and was gracious to them until most of the people were won over to him and pledged allegiance to him. Muʿāwiyah’s departure to the Hijaz after the people of Iraq and Syria pledged allegiance to Yazīd as heir apparent When the people of Iraq and Syria pledged allegiance to him, he traveled to the Hijaz with a thousand horsemen. As he drew near to Madinah, al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī met him first of the people. When he saw him, he said: “No welcome and no greetings! A fat camel whose blood is about to flow—by God, it will be shed!” He said: “Gently, for by God, I am not deserving of such words!” He said: “Indeed, and worse than them.” Ibn al-Zubayr met him and said: “No welcome and no greetings! A cunning lizard at a stream bed: he puts in his head and lashes with his tail. By God, he is about to be seized by his tail and have his back broken. Turn him away from me.” So the face of his riding camel was struck. Then ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Bakr met him, and Muʿāwiyah said to him: “No greetings and no welcome! An old man who has become senile and lost his mind.” Then he ordered that the face of his riding camel be struck. Then he did something similar to Ibn ʿUmar. They went along with him, and he paid no attention to them until he entered Madinah. They attended at his door, but they were not granted permission to enter their dwellings, and they did not see from him what they liked. So they left for Makkah and stayed there. Muʿāwiyah gave a sermon in Madinah and mentioned Yazīd and praised him, saying: “Who is more entitled than he to the caliphate in his merit, intelligence, and standing? I do not think a people will stop until calamities befall them that uproot them. I have warned, if warnings avail.” Then he recited: “I had warned you, O people of al-Muṣṭaliq, and said: O ʿAmr, obey me and depart. If you burden me with what I cannot bear, what pleases you from my character will grieve you. Take what you asked to drink, so sip and taste.” Then he entered upon ʿĀʾishah, and it had reached her that he had mentioned al-Ḥusayn and his companions and said: “I will certainly kill them if they do not pledge allegiance.” He complained of them to her, and she admonished him and said: “It has reached me that you are threatening them with death.” He said: “O Mother of the Believers, they are too honored for that, but I have pledged allegiance to Yazīd and others have pledged to him. Do you think I should break a pledge that has been completed?” She said: “Be gentle with them, for they will come to what you desire, God willing.” He said: “I shall do so.” In her words to him was: “What makes you safe from my setting a man against you to kill you, when you did to my brother what you did?” She meant her brother Muḥammad. He said to her: “By no means, O Mother of the Believers. I am in the house of security.” She said: “Indeed.” He stayed in Madinah as long as God willed, then went out to Makkah and met the people. Those men said: “Let us meet him, perhaps he has regretted what he did.” They met him at Baṭn Marr. The first to meet him was al-Ḥusayn, and Muʿāwiyah said to him: “Welcome and greetings, O son of the Messenger of God and lord of the youth of the Muslims.” He ordered a mount for him, and he rode and kept him company. Then he did the like with the others and proceeded to converse with them, no one else traveling with him until he entered Makkah. They were the first to enter and the last to leave, and not a day passed without them receiving gifts, and he did not mention anything to them until he completed his rites, loaded his baggage, and his departure drew near. Some of those men said to others: “Do not be deceived. He has not done this to you out of love for you; he has done it only for what he wants.” So prepare an answer for him. They agreed that the one to address him would be Ibn al-Zubayr. Muʿāwiyah summoned them and said: “You know my conduct, my generous treatment of your kin, and my bearing with what came from you. Yazīd is your brother and your cousin. I want you to put him forward with the name of the caliphate, and you will be the ones who depose and appoint, collect the revenue and distribute it, and he will not oppose you in any of that.” They were silent. He said: “Will you not answer?” Twice. Then he turned to Ibn al-Zubayr and said: “Speak, by your life, for you are their orator.” He said: “Yes. We offer you a choice among three options.” He said: “Present them.” He said: “Do as the Messenger ﷺ did, or as Abū Bakr did, or as ʿUmar did.” Muʿāwiyah said: “What did they do?” He said: “The Messenger of God ﷺ passed away and did not appoint anyone as successor, and the people were content with Abū Bakr.” He said: “There is no one like Abū Bakr among you, and I fear dissension.” They said: “You have spoken truth. Then do as Abū Bakr did, for he entrusted the matter to a man from a distant branch of Quraysh, not from his father’s clan, and appointed him as successor. Or if you wish, do as ʿUmar did: he made the matter a consultation among six men, none of whom was from his own descendants or from his father’s clan.” Muʿāwiyah said: “Do you have anything other than this?” He said: “No.” Then he said: “And you?” They said: “Our statement is his statement.” He said: I have wished to address you in advance; indeed, he who warns has discharged his duty. I used to address you, and a man among you would stand up to me and give me the lie before the people, and I would bear that and overlook it. And now I am about to make a statement, and I swear by God, if any one of you answers me back with a word in this place of mine, no other word will return to him until the sword precedes it to his head. So let no man concern himself with anything but his own self. Then he summoned the commander of his guard in their presence and said: Place at the head of every man among these two men, each with a sword, and if any of them goes to answer me with a word, whether affirming or denying, let them strike him with their two swords. Then he went out, and they went out with him until he ascended the pulpit. He praised God and extolled Him, then said: These men are the leaders of the Muslims and their best; no matter is settled without them, and nothing is decided except by their counsel. They have approved and pledged allegiance to Yazīd, so pledge allegiance in the name of God! So the people pledged allegiance, for they had been waiting for the allegiance of these persons. Then he mounted his riding camels and departed to Madinah. The people met those persons and said to them: You claimed that you would not pledge allegiance, so why? Did you approve and give and pledge allegiance? They said: By God, we did not. They said: What prevented you from answering the man back? They said: He outwitted us, and we feared being killed. The people of Madinah pledged allegiance to him, then he departed to Syria and treated the Banū Hāshim coldly. Ibn ʿAbbās came to him and said to him: What is the matter that you have treated us coldly? He said: Your companion did not pledge allegiance to Yazīd, and you did not disapprove of that. He said: O Muʿāwiyah, I am indeed fit to withdraw to one of the coasts and stay there, then go off with what you know, until I leave all the people as rebels against you. He said: O Abu al-ʿAbbās, you will be given, and you will approve, and you will be answered with kind words. It was said that Ibn ʿUmar said to Muʿāwiyah: I pledge allegiance to you on the condition that I enter into whatever the community unites upon; for by God, if it united upon an Abyssinian, I would enter with it. Then he returned to his house and shut his door and gave permission to no one. I say: the mention of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Abī Bakr is not sound according to the opinion of those who place his death in the year 53, but it is sound according to the opinion of those who place it after that time. Saʿīd b. ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān also reproached Muʿāwiyah for appointing Yazīd as his successor and asked him to appoint him in his place. He said to him: By God, if the Ghūṭah were filled with men like you, Yazīd would be dearer to me than all of you. It has been related to us from Muʿāwiyah that he said one day in his sermon: O God, if You know that I appointed him because in my view he is worthy of that, then complete for him what I have entrusted to him; and if You know that I appointed him only because I love him, then do not complete for him what I have entrusted to him. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned that Muʿāwiyah once spent a night in conversation, and his companions spoke about the woman whose child would be noble. They mentioned the description of the woman whose child would be noble. Muʿāwiyah said: I wish I knew of a woman who is of this rank. One of his companions said: I have found that, O Commander of the Faithful. He said: Who? He said: My daughter, O Commander of the Faithful. So Muʿāwiyah married her, and she bore him Yazīd b. Muʿāwiyah, and he came out noble, intelligent, and skilled. Then he proposed to another woman, and she found favor with him, and she bore him another boy, and he abandoned the mother of Yazīd, and she was with him in a house adjoining his. One day while he was looking on, with his other wife with him, he saw the mother of Yazīd combing his hair. His wife said: May God make her ugly and ugly what she combs. He said: Why? For by God, her son is nobler than your son, and if you wish, I will make that clear to you. Then he summoned her son and said to him: The Commander of the Faithful has decided to grant you whatever you wish from him, so ask me for whatever you want. He said: I ask the Commander of the Faithful to grant me hunting dogs, horses, and men to be with me in the hunt. Muʿāwiyah said: We have ordered that for you. Then he summoned Yazīd and said to him the same as he had said to his half-brother. Yazīd said: Will the Commander of the Faithful excuse me at this time from this? He said: You must ask for your need. He said: I ask—may God prolong the life of the Commander of the Faithful—that I be the heir apparent after him, for it has reached me that one day of justice among the subjects is like the worship of five hundred years. He said: I have granted you that. Then he said to his wife: How do you see it? So she knew and became certain of Yazīd's superiority over her son.

Grades by grader

No grade is recorded for this wording.