Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2199
The caliphate of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān
وَهَذِهِ تَرْجَمَةُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، ؓ ، وَذِكْرُ شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَيَّامِهِ، وَدَوْلَتِهِ، وَمَا وَرَدَ فِي مَنَاقِبِهِ وَفَضَائِلِهِ هُوَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ صَخْرِ بْنِ حَرْبِ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافِ بْنِ قُصَيٍّ الْقُرَشِيُّ الْأُمَوِيُّ، أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، خَالُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَكَاتِبُ وَحْيِ رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ. وَأُمُّهُ هِنْدُ بِنْتُ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ شَمْسٍ. أَسْلَمَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ، وَرُوِيَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أَسْلَمْتُ يَوْمَ الْقَضِيَّةِ، وَلَكِنْ كَتَمْتُ إِسْلَامِي مِنْ أَبِي، ثُمَّ عَلِمَ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لِي: هَذَا أَخُوكَ يَزِيدُ، وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ عَلَى دِينِ قَوْمِهِ. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: لَمْ آلُ نَفْسِي جُهْدًا. قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: وَلَقَدْ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَكَّةَ فِي عُمْرَةِ الْقَضَاءِ وَإِنِّي لَمُصَدِّقٌ بِهِ، ثُمَّ لَمَّا دَخَلَ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ أَظْهَرْتُ إِسْلَامِي، فَجِئْتُهُ فَرَحَّبَ بِي، وَكَتَبْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ. قَالَ الْوَاقِدِيُّ: وَشَهِدَ مَعَهُ حُنَيْنًا، وَأَعْطَاهُ مِائَةً مِنَ الْإِبِلِ، وَأَرْبَعِينَ أُوقِيَّةً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَزَنَهَا لَهُ بِلَالٌ. وَشَهِدَ الْيَمَامَةَ، وَزَعَمَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَنَّهُ هُوَ الَّذِي قَتَلَ مُسَيْلِمَةَ الْكَذَّابَ، حَكَاهُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ. وَقَدْ يَكُونُ لَهُ شِرْكٌ فِي قَتْلِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا الَّذِي طَعَنَهُ وَحْشِيٌّ، وَجَلَّلَهُ أَبُو دُجَانَةَ سِمَاكُ بْنُ خَرَشَةَ بِالسَّيْفِ. وَكَانَ أَبُوهُ مِنْ سَادَاتِ قُرَيْشٍ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وَتَفَرَّدَ فِيهِمْ بِالسُّؤْدَدِ بَعْدَ يَوْمِ بَدْرٍ، ثُمَّ لَمَّا أَسْلَمَ حَسُنَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِسْلَامُهُ، وَكَانَ لَهُ مَوَاقِفُ شَرِيفَةٌ، وَآثَارٌ مَحْمُودَةٌ فِي يَوْمِ الْيَرْمُوكِ وَمَا قَبْلَهُ وَمَا بَعْدَهُ. وَصَحِبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَكَتَبَ الْوَحْيَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مَعَ الْكُتَّابِ، وَرَوَى عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحَادِيثَ كَثِيرَةً فِي " الصَّحِيحَيْنِ "، وَغَيْرَهُمَا مِنَ " السُّنَنِ " وَ " الْمَسَانِيدِ "، وَرَوَى عَنْهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ وَالتَّابِعَينِ. صفات معاوية بن أبي سفيان قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي الدُّنْيَا: كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ طَوِيلًا أَبْيَضَ جَمِيلًا، إِذَا ضَحِكَ انْقَلَبَتْ شَفَتُهُ الْعُلْيَا، وَكَانَ يُخَضِّبُ. فعَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ رَبٍّ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ يُصَفِّرُ لِحْيَتَهُ كَأَنَّهَا الذَّهَبُ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: كَانَ أَبْيَضَ طَوِيلًا، أَجْلَحَ أَبْيَضَ الرَّأْسِ وَاللِّحْيَةِ، يُخَضِّبُهُمَا بِالْحِنَّاءِ وَالْكَتَمِ، وَقَدْ أَصَابَتْهُ لَقْوَةٌ فِي آخِرِ عُمْرِهِ، فَكَانَ يَسْتُرُ وَجْهَهُ، وَيَقُولُ: رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا دَعَا لِي بِالْعَافِيَةِ، فَقَدْ رُمِيتُ فِي أَحْسَنِي وَمَا يَبْدُو مِنِّي، وَلَوْلَا هَوَايَ فِي يَزِيدَ لَأَبْصَرْتُ رُشْدِي. وَكَانَ حَلِيمًا وَقُورًا رَئِيسًا سَيِّدًا فِي النَّاسِ، كَرِيمًا عَادِلًا شَهْمًا. وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: رَأَيْتُ هِنْدَ بِمَكَّةَ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهَا فِلْقَةُ قَمَرٍ، وَخَلْفَهَا مِنْ عَجِيزَتِهَا مِثْلُ الرَّجُلِ الْجَالِسِ، وَمَعَهَا صَبِيٌّ يَلْعَبُ، فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَرَى غُلَامًا إِنْ عَاشَ لَيَسُودَنَّ قَوْمَهُ. فَقَالَتْ هِنْدُ: إِنْ لَمْ يَسُدْ إِلَّا قَوْمَهُ فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ. وَهُوَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ. وعن عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي سَيْفٍ قَالَ: نَظَرَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ يَوْمًا إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَهُوَ غُلَامٌ، فَقَالَ لِهِنْدَ: إِنَّ ابَنِي هَذَا لَعَظِيمُ الرَّأْسِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَخَلِيقٌ أَنْ يَسُودَ قَوْمَهُ. فَقَالَتْ هِنْدُ: قَوْمَهُ فَقَطْ ؟ ! ثَكِلْتُهُ إِنْ لَمْ يَسُدِ الْعَرَبَ قَاطِبَةً. وَكَانَتْ هِنْدُ تَحْمِلُهُ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ، وَتَقُولُ: إِنَّ بُنَيَّ مُعْرِقٌ كَرِيمُ مُحَبَّبٌ فِي أَهْلِهِ حَلِيمُ لَيْسَ بِفَحَّاشٍ وَلَا لَئِيمُ وَلَا بِطُخْرُورٍ وَلَا سَئُومُ صَخْرُ بَنِي فَهْرٍ بِهِ زَعِيمُ لَا يُخْلِفُ الظَّنَّ وَلَا يَخِيمُ قَالَ: فَلَمَّا وَلَّى عُمَرُ يَزِيدَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ مَا وَلَّاهُ مِنَ الشَّامِ، خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ لِهِنْدَ: كَيْفَ رَأَيْتِ صَارَ ابْنُكِ تَابِعًا لِابْنِي ؟ فَقَالَتْ: إِنِ اضْطَرَبَ حَبْلُ الْعَرَبِ فَسَتَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ يَقَعُ ابْنُكَ مِمَّا يَكُونُ فِيهِ ابْنِي. تولية معاوية الشام فَلَمَّا مَاتَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ سَنَةَ بِضْعَ عَشْرَةَ، وَجَاءَ الْبَرِيدُ إِلَى عُمَرَ بِمَوْتِهِ، رَدَّ عُمَرُ الْبَرِيدَ إِلَى الشَّامِ بِوِلَايَةِ مُعَاوِيَةَ مَكَانَ أَخِيهِ يَزِيدَ، ثُمَّ عَزَّى أَبَا سُفْيَانَ فِي ابْنِهِ يَزِيدَ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَنْ وَلَّيْتَ مَكَانَهُ ؟ قَالَ: أَخَاهُ مُعَاوِيَةَ. قَالَ: وَصَلَتْكَ رَحِمٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. وَقَالَتْ هِنْدُ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ فِيمَا كَتَبَتْ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ: وَاللَّهِ يَا بُنَيَّ، إِنَّهُ قَلَّ أَنْ تَلِدَ حُرَّةٌ مِثْلَكَ، وَإِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ قَدِ اسْتَنْهَضَكَ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ، فَاعْمَلْ بِطَاعَتِهِ فِيمَا أَحْبَبْتَ وَكَرِهْتَ. وَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُوهُ: يَا بُنَيَّ، إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ سَبَقُونَا وَتَأَخَّرْنَا، فَرَفَعَهُمْ سَبْقُهُمْ، وَقَصَّرَ بِنَا تَأَخُّرُنَا، فَصَارُوا قَادَةً، وَصِرْنَا أَتْبَاعًا، وَقَدْ وَلَّوْكَ جَسِيمًا مِنْ أُمُورِهِمْ فَلَا تُخَالِفْهُمْ، فَإِنَّكَ تَجْرِي إِلَى أَمَدٍ فَنَافِسْ فِيهِ، فَإِنْ بَلَغْتَهُ أَوْرَثَتْهُ عَقِبَكَ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ مُعَاوِيَةُ نَائِبًا عَلَى الشَّامِ فِي الدَّوْلَةِ الْعُمَرِيَّةِ وَالْعُثْمَانِيَّةِ مُدَّةَ خِلَافَةِ عُثْمَانَ، وَافْتَتَحَ فِي سَنَةِ سَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ جَزِيرَةَ قُبْرُسَ، وَسَكَنَهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ قَرِيبًا مِنْ سِتِّينَ سَنَةً فِي أَيَّامِهِ وَمِنْ بَعْدِهِ، وَلَمْ تَزَلِ الْفُتُوحَاتُ وَالْجِهَادُ قَائِمًا عَلَى سَاقِهِ فِي أَيَّامِهِ فِي بِلَادِ الرُّومِ وَالْفِرِنْجِ وَغَيْرِهَا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَأَمْرِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيٍّ مَا كَانَ، لَمْ يَقَعْ فِي تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ فَتْحٌ بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ، لَا عَلَى يَدَيْهِ وَلَا عَلَى يَدَيْ عَلِيٍّ، وَطَمِعَ فِي مُعَاوِيَةَ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ قَدْ أَخْسَأَهُ وَأَذَلَّهُ، وَقَهَرَ جُنْدَهُ وَدَحَاهُمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَلِكُ الرُّومِ اشْتِغَالَ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِحَرْبِ عَلِيٍّ تَدَانَى إِلَى بَعْضِ الْبِلَادِ فِي جُنُودٍ عَظِيمَةٍ، وَطَمِعَ فِيهِ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ: وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهِ وَتَرْجِعْ إِلَى بِلَادِكَ يَا لَعِينُ لَأَصْطَلِحَنَّ أَنَا وَابْنُ عَمِّي عَلَيْكَ وَلَأُخْرِجَنَّكَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ بِلَادِكَ، وَلَأُضَيِّقَنَّ عَلَيْكَ الْأَرْضَ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ. فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ خَافَ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ وَانْكَفَّ، وَبَعَثَ يَطْلُبُ الْهُدْنَةَ. ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ التَّحْكِيمِ مَا كَانَ، وَكَذَلِكَ مَا بَعْدَهُ إِلَى وَقْتِ اصْطِلَاحِهِ مَعَ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ، فَانْعَقَدَتِ الْكَلِمَةُ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَاجْتَمَعَتِ الرَّعَايَا عَلَى بَيْعَتِهِ فِي سَنَةِ إِحْدَى وَأَرْبَعِينَ كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ مُسْتَقِلًّا بِالْأَمْرِ فِي هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ إِلَى هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ فِيهَا وَفَاتُهُ، وَالْجِهَادُ فِي بِلَادِ الْعَدُوِّ قَائِمٌ، وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ عَالِيَةٌ، وَالْغَنَائِمُ تَرِدُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَطْرَافِ الْأَرْضِ، وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَهُ فِي رَاحَةٍ وَعَدْلٍ وَصَفْحٍ وَعَفْوٍ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، ثَلَاثٌ أَعْطِنِيهِنَّ. قَالَ: " نَعَمْ " . قَالَ: تُؤَمِّرُنِي حَتَّى أُقَاتِلَ الْكُفَّارَ كَمَا كُنْتُ أُقَاتِلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. قَالَ: " نَعَمْ ". قَالَ: وَمُعَاوِيَةُ تَجْعَلُهُ كَاتِبًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ. قَالَ: " نَعَمْ ". وَذَكَرَ الثَّالِثَةَ، وَهُوَ أَنَّهُ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُزَوِّجَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِابْنَتِهِ الْأُخْرَى عَزَّةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ. وَاسْتَعَانَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بِأُخْتِهَا أُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ، فَقَالَ: " إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَحِلُّ لِي ". معاوية كاتب وحي رسول الله وَالْمَقْصُودُ مِنْهُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَانَ مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الْكُتَّابِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْوَحْيَ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَلْعَبُ مَعَ الْغِلْمَانِ، فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ جَاءَ فَقُلْتُ: مَا جَاءَ إِلَّا إِلَيَّ. فَاخْتَبَأْتُ عَلَى بَابٍ، فَجَاءَنِي فَحَطَأَنِي حَطْأَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ: " اذْهَبْ فَادْعُ لِي مُعَاوِيَةَ ". وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الْوَحْيَ. قَالَ: فَذَهَبْتُ فَدَعَوْتُهُ لَهُ، فَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ يَأْكُلُ. فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّهُ يَأْكُلُ. فَقَالَ: " اذْهَبْ فَادْعُهُ ". فَأَتَيْتُهُ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ يَأْكُلُ. فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، فَقَالَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ: " لَا أَشْبَعَ اللَّهُ بَطْنَهُ ". قَالَ: فَمَا شَبِعَ بَعْدَهَا. وَقَدِ انْتَفَعَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بِهَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ فِي دُنْيَاهُ وَأُخْرَاهُ. أَمَّا فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّهُ لَمَّا صَارَ فِي الشَّامِ أَمِيرًا، كَانَ يَأْكُلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ، يُجَاءُ بِقَصْعَةٍ فِيهَا لَحْمٌ كَثِيرٌ وَبَصَلٌ فَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا، وَيَأْكُلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ سَبْعَ أَكَلَاتٍ بِلَحْمٍ، وَمِنَ الْحَلْوَى وَالْفَاكِهَةِ شَيْئًا كَثِيرًا، وَيَقُولُ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَشْبَعُ، وَإِنَّمَا أَعْيَى. وَهَذِهِ نِعْمَةٌ وَمَعِدَةٌ يَرْغَبُ فِيهَا كُلُّ الْمُلُوكِ. وَأَمَّا فِي الْآخِرَةِ فَقَدِ أَتْبَعَ مُسْلِمٌ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ بِالْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي رَوَاهُ هُوَ وَالْبُخَارِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُمَا، مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: " اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ، فَأَيُّمَا عَبْدٍ سَبَبْتُهُ أَوْ جَلَدْتُهُ أَوْ دَعَوْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَيْسَ لِذَلِكَ أَهْلًا، فَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةً وَقُرْبَةً تُقَرِّبُهُ بِهَا عِنْدَكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ". فَرَكَّبَ مُسْلِمٌ مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الْأَوَّلِ وَهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَضِيلَةً لِمُعَاوِيَةَ، وَلَمْ يُورِدْ لَهُ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: أَتَى جِبْرِيلُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَقْرِئْ مُعَاوِيَةَ السَّلَامَ، وَاسْتَوْصِ بِهِ خَيْرًا ; فَإِنَّهُ أَمِينُ اللَّهِ عَلَى كِتَابِهِ وَوَحْيِهِ، وَنِعْمَ الْأَمِينُ. وعَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ أُمِّ حَبِيبَةَ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ دَقَّ الْبَابَ دَاقٌّ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: " انْظُرُوا مَنْ هَذَا ". قَالُوا: مُعَاوِيَةُ. قَالَ: " ائْذَنُوا لَهُ ". فَدَخَلَ وَعَلَى أُذُنِهِ قَلَمٌ لَمْ يُخَطَّ بِهِ، فَقَالَ: " مَا هَذَا الْقَلَمُ عَلَى أُذُنِكَ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ ؟ " قَالَ: قَلَمٌ أَعْدَدْتُهُ لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ. فَقَالَ: " جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ عَنْ نَبِيِّكَ خَيْرًا، وَاللَّهِ مَا اسْتَكْتَبْتُكَ إِلَّا بِوَحْيٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ، وَمَا أَفْعَلُ مِنْ صَغِيرَةٍ وَلَا كَبِيرَةٍ إِلَّا بِوَحْيٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ، كَيْفَ بِكَ لَوْ قَمَّصَكَ اللَّهُ قَمِيصًا ؟ ". يَعْنِي الْخِلَافَةَ. فَقَامَتْ أُمُّ حَبِيبَةَ، فَجَلَسَتْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ مُقَمِّصُهُ قَمِيصًا ؟ ! قَالَ: " نَعَمْ، وَلَكِنْ فِيهِ هَنَاتٌ وَهَنَاتٌ وَهَنَاتٌ ". فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُ. فَقَالَ: " اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِهِ بِالْهُدَى، وَجَنِّبْهُ الرَّدَى، وَاغْفِرْ لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَالْأُولَى ". وعَنِ الْعِرْبَاضِ بْنِ سَارِيَةَ السُّلَمِيِّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدْعُونَا إِلَى السَّحُورِ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ: " هَلُمَّ إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ الْمُبَارَكِ ". ثُمَّ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: " اللَّهُمَّ عَلِّمْ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِسَابَ، وَقِهِ الْعَذَابَ ". وعَنْ أَبِي إِدْرِيسَ الْخَوْلَانِيِّ قَالَ: لَمَّا عَزَلَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ عُمَيْرَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ عَنِ الشَّامِ، وَوَلَّى مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ النَّاسُ: عَزَلَ عُمَيْرًا وَوَلَّى مُعَاوِيَةَ. فَقَالَ عُمَيْرٌ: لَا تَذْكُرُوا مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: " اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ بِهِ ". تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ التِّرْمِذِيُّ، وَقَالَ: غَرِيبٌ فضل معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَأَصَحُّ مَا رُوِيَ فِي فَضْلِ مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدِيثُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ كَاتِبَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مُنْذُ أَسْلَمَ. أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي " صَحِيحِهِ ". وعَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ: أَوْتَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بَعْدَ الْعَشَاءِ بِرَكْعَةٍ، وَعِنْدَهُ مَوْلًى لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، فَأَتَى ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، فَقَالَ: دَعْهُ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ صَحِبَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ. وعن ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ: قِيلَ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: هَلْ لَكَ فِي أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُعَاوِيَةَ ؟ مَا أَوْتَرَ إِلَّا بِوَاحِدَةٍ ! قَالَ: أَصَابَ، إِنَّهُ فَقِيهٌ. وعَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ: إِنَّكُمْ لَتُصَلُّونَ صَلَاةً لَقَدْ صَحِبْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَا رَأَيْنَاهُ يُصَلِّيهِمَا، وَلَقَدْ نَهَى عَنْهُمَا. يَعْنِي الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ. وعن عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: جَاءَتْ هِنْدُ بِنْتُ عُتْبَةَ فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَا كَانَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ أَهْلِ خِبَاءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ يَذِلُّوا مِنْ أَهْلِ خِبَائِكَ، ثُمَّ مَا أَصْبَحَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ أَهْلُ خِبَاءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ يَعِزُّوا مِنْ أَهْلِ خِبَائِكَ. فَقَالَ: " وَأَيْضًا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ ". فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ رَجُلٌ مِسِّيكٌ ، فَهَلْ عَلَيَّ حَرَجٌ أَنْ أُطْعِمَ مِنَ الَّذِي لَهُ عِيَالَنَا ؟ قَالَ: " لَا، بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ". فَالْمِدْحَةُ فِي قَوْلِهِ: " وَأَيْضًا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ ". وَهُوَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَوَدُّ أَنَّ هِنْدَ وَأَهْلَهَا وَكُلَّ كَافِرٍ يَذِلُّوا فِي حَالِ كُفْرِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمُوا كَانَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعِزُّوا، فَأَعَزَّهُمُ اللَّهُ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ خِبَائِهَا. وعن أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ جَدِّي يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَخَذَ الْإِدَاوَةَ بَعْدَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، فَتَبِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِهَا - وَكَانَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قَدِ اشْتَكَى - فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يُوَضِّئُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذْ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ مَرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَهُوَ يَتَوَضَّأُ، فَقَالَ: " يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، إِنْ وُلِّيتَ أَمْرًا فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَاعْدِلْ ". قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: فَمَا زِلْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنِّي سَأُبْتَلَى بِعَمَلٍ ; لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ حَتَّى ابْتُلِيتُ. تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ أَحْمَدُ. وعَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْأَشْجَعِيِّ قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا أَنَا رَاقَدٌ فِي كَنِيسَةِ يُوحَنَّا - وَهِيَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مَسْجِدٌ يُصَلَّى فِيهَا - إِذِ انْتَبَهْتُ مِنْ نَوْمِي، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِأَسَدٍ يَمْشِي بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ، فَوَثَبْتُ إِلَى سِلَاحِي، فَقَالَ الْأَسَدُ: مَهْ، إِنَّمَا أُرْسِلْ?ُ إِلَيْكَ بِرِسَالَةٍ لِتُبَلِّغَهَا. قُلْتُ: وَمَنْ أَرْسَلَكَ ؟ قَالَ: اللَّهُ أَرْسَلَنِي إِلَيْكَ لِتُبَلِّغَ مُعَاوِيَةَ السَّلَامَ، وَتُعْلِمَهُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: وَمَنْ مُعَاوِيَةُ ؟ قَالَ: مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: لَمَّا عُزِّيَتْ هِنْدُ فِي يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ - وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْهَا - قِيلَ لَهَا: إِنَّهُ قَدْ جَعَلَ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَمِيرًا مَكَانَهُ. فَقَالَتْ: أَوَ مِثْلُ مُعَاوِيَةَ يُجْعَلُ خَلَفًا مِنْ أَحَدٍ ؟ ! فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ أَنَّ الْعَرَبَ اجْتَمَعَتْ مُتَوَافِرَةً، ثُمَّ رُمِيَ بِهِ فِيهَا لَخَرَجَ مِنْ أَيِّ أَعْرَاضِهَا شَاءَ. وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ: ذُكِرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عِنْدَ عُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: دَعُوا فَتَى قُرَيْشٍ وَابْنَ سَيِّدِهَا، إِنَّهُ لَمَنْ يَضْحَكُ فِي الْغَضَبِ وَلَا يُنَالُ مِنْهُ إِلَّا عَلَى الرِّضَا، وَمَنْ لَا يَأْخُذُ مِنْ فَوْقِ رَأْسِهِ إِلَّا مِنْ تَحْتِ قَدْمَيْهِ. وعن عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ بَحْرٍ، عَنْ شَيْخٍ لَهُ قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ الشَّامَ تَلَقَّاهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ فِي مَوْكِبٍ عَظِيمٍ، فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنْ عُمَرَ قَالَ لَهُ: أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ الْمَوْكِبِ الْعَظِيمِ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: مَعَ مَا بَلَغَنِي مِنْ طُولِ وُقُوفِ ذَوِي الْحَاجَاتِ بِبَابِكَ ؟ قَالَ: مَعَ مَا بَلَغَكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: وَلِمَ تَفْعَلُ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّا بِأَرْضٍ جَوَاسِيسُ الْعَدُوِّ فِيهَا كَثِيرَةٌ، فَيَجِبُ أَنْ يَظْهَرَ مَنْ عِزِّ السُّلْطَانِ مَا يُرْهِبُهُمْ بِهِ، فَإِنْ أَمَرْتَنِي فَعَلْتُ، وَإِنْ نَهَيْتَنِي انْتَهَيْتُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ: يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، مَا سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا تَرَكْتَنِي فِي مِثْلِ رَوَاجِبِ الضِّرْسِ، لَئِنْ كَانَ مَا قُلْتَ حَقًّا، إِنَّهُ لَرَأْيُ أَرِيبٍ، وَلَئِنْ كَانَ بَاطِلًا إِنَّهُ لَخَدِيعَةُ أَدِيبٍ. قَالَ: فَمُرْنِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: لَا آمُرُكَ وَلَا أَنْهَاكَ. فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا أَحْسَنَ مَا صَدَرَ الْفَتَى عَمَّا أَوْرَدْتَهُ فِيهِ ! فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: لِحُسْنِ مَصَادِرِهِ وَمَوَارِدِهِ جَشَّمْنَاهُ مَا جَشَّمْنَاهُ. وعَنْ أَسْلَمَ مَوْلَى عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، وَهُوَ أَبْيَضُ أَوْ أَبَضُّ النَّاسِ وَأَجْمَلُهُمْ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَى الْحَجِّ مَعَ عُمَرَ، فَكَانَ عُمَرُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ فَيُعْجَبُ لَهُ، ثُمَّ يَضَعُ أُصْبُعَهُ عَلَى مَتْنِهِ، ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا عَنْ مِثْلِ الشِّرَاكِ، فَيَقُولُ: بَخٍ بَخٍ، نَحْنُ إِذًا خَيْرُ النَّاسِ ; أَنْ جُمِعَ لَنَا خَيْرُ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ. فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، سَأُحَدِّثُكَ ; إِنَّا بِأَرْضِ الْحَمَّامَاتِ وَالرِّيفِ. فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: سَأُحَدِّثُكَ ; مَا بِكَ إِلْطَافُكَ نَفْسَكَ بِأَطْيَبِ الطَّعَامِ وَتَصَبُّحُكَ حَتَّى تَضْرِبَ الشَّمْسُ مَتْنَيْكَ، وَذَوُو الْحَاجَاتِ وَرَاءَ الْبَابِ. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا جِئْنَا ذَا طَوًى أَخْرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ حُلَّةً فَلَبِسَهَا، فَوَجَدَ عُمَرُ مِنْهَا رِيحًا كَأَنَّهُ رِيحُ طِيبٍ، فَقَالَ: يَعْمِدُ أَحَدُكُمْ فَيَخْرُجُ حَاجًّا تَفِلًا، حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَعْظَمَ بُلْدَانَ اللَّهِ حُرْمَةً أَخْرَجَ ثَوْبَيْهِ كَأَنَّهُمَا كَانَا فِي الطِّيبِ فَلَبِسَهُمَا ! فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: إِنَّمَا لَبِسْتُهُمَا لِأَدْخُلَ فِيهِمَا عَلَى عَشِيرَتِي أَوْ قَوْمِي. وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي أَذَاكَ هَاهُنَا وَبِالشَّامِ، وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَنِّي لَقَدْ عَرَفْتُ الْحَيَاءَ فِيهِ. ثُمَّ نَزَعَ مُعَاوِيَةُ ثَوْبَيْهِ، وَلَبِسَ ثَوْبَيْهِ اللَّذَيْنِ أَحْرَمَ فِيهِمَا. وعَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمَدَنِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ إِذَا رَأَى مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ: هَذَا كِسْرَى الْعَرَبِ. وَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْأُمَوِيُّ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ: دَخَلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى عُمَرَ وَعَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ خَضْرَاءُ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا الصَّحَابَةُ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ عُمَرُ وَثَبَ إِلَيْهِ بِالدِّرَّةِ، فَجَعَلَ يَضْرِبُهُ بِهَا، وَجَعَلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَقُولُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، اللَّهَ اللَّهَ فِيَّ. فَرَجَعَ عُمَرُ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْقَوْمُ: لِمَ ضَرَبْتَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَمَا فِي قَوْمِكَ مِثْلُهُ ؟ ! فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ إِلَّا خَيْرًا، وَمَا بَلَغَنِي إِلَّا خَيْرٌ، وَلَكِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ - وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ - فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَضَعَ مِنْهُ. بعض من مرويات معاوية بن أبي سفيان رُوِيَ لَهُ عَنِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مِائَةُ حَدِيثٍ وَثَلَاثَةٌ وَسِتُّونَ حَدِيثًا. رَوَى عَنْهُ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ: ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَابْنُ عُمَرَ وَابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَأَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ، وَجَرِيرٌ الْبَجَلِيُّ، وَالنُّعْمَانُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ. وَمِنَ التَّابِعِينَ: ابْنُ الْمُسَيِّبِ، وَحُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَغَيْرُهُمَا. وعن أَبَا مَرْيَمَ الْأَزْدِيَّ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: مَا أَنْعَمَنَا بِكَ أَبَا فَلَانٍ ؟ - وَهِيَ كَلِمَةٌ تَقُولُهَا الْعَرَبُ - فَقُلْتُ: حَدِيثٌ سَمِعْتُهُ أُخْبِرُكَ بِهِ، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: " مَنْ وَلَّاهُ اللَّهُ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - شَيْئًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَاحْتَجَبَ دُونَ حَاجَتِهِمْ وَخَلَّتِهِمْ وَفَقْرِهِمْ، احْتَجَبَ اللَّهُ دُونَ حَاجَتِهِ وَخَلَّتِهِ وَفَقْرِهِ ". قَالَ: فَجَعَلَ رَجُلًا عَلَى حَوَائِجِ النَّاسِ. وعَنْ أَبِي مِجْلَزٍ قَالَ: خَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، فَقَامُوا لَهُ فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: " مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَتَمَثَّلَ لَهُ الرِّجَالُ قِيَامًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ". وعَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَتَبَّعْتَ عَوْرَاتِ النَّاسِ أَفْسَدْتَهُمْ. أَوْ: كِدْتَ أَنْ تُفْسِدَهُمْ ". قَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ: كَلِمَةٌ سَمِعَهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ نَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا. تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ أَبُو دَاوُدَ. يَعْنِي أَنَّهُ كَانَ جَيِّدَ السِّيرَةِ، حَسَنَ التَّجَاوُزِ، جَمِيلَ الْعَفْوِ، كَثِيرَ السِّتْرِ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. وَثَبَتَ فِي " الصَّحِيحَيْنِ " مِنْ حَدِيثِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بسنده عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: " مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهُهُ فِي الدِّينِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا قَاسِمٌ وَاللَّهُ يُعْطِي، وَلَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلَا مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ ظَاهِرُونَ ". وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: " وَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ". فتوحات معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ فَتَحَ مُعَاوِيَةُ قَيْسَارِيَّةَ سَنَةَ تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ فِي دَوْلَةِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: وَفَتَحَ قُبْرُسَ سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ. وَقِيلَ: سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ. وَقِيلَ: ثَمَانٍ وَعِشْرِينَ. فِي أَيَّامِ عُثْمَانَ. قَالُوا: وَكَانَ عَامَ غَزْوَةِ الْمَضِيقِ - يَعْنِي مَضِيقَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ - فِي سَنَةِ ثِنْتَيْنِ وَثَلَاثِينَ الْأَمِيرُ عَلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، ؓ، وَجَمَعَ عُثْمَانُ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ جَمِيعَ الشَّامِ، وَقَدِ اسْتَقْضَى مُعَاوِيَةُ فَضَالَةَ بْنَ عُبَيْدٍ بَعْدَ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، ما كان بين علي ومعاوية ؓ ثُمَّ كَانَ مَا كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ عَلِيٍّ بَعْدَ قَتَلِ عُثْمَانَ، عَلَى سَبِيلِ الِاجْتِهَادِ وَالرَّأْيِ، فَجَرَى بَيْنَهُمَا قِتَالٌ عَظِيمٌ، كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا، وَكَانَ الْحَقُّ وَالصَّوَابُ مَعَ عَلِيٍّ، وَمُعَاوِيَةُ مَعْذُورٌ عِنْدَ جُمْهُورِ الْعُلَمَاءِ سَلَفًا وَخَلَفًا ، وَقَدْ شَهِدَتِ الْأَحَادِيثُ الصَّحِيحَةُ بِالْإِسْلَامِ لِلْفَرِيقَيْنِ مِنَ الطَّرَفَيْنِ ; أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَأَهْلِ الشَّامِ. كَمَا ثَبَتَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ " الصَّحِيحِ ": " تَمْرُقُ مَارِقَةٌ عَلَى حِينِ فُرْقَةٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَيَقْتُلُهَا أَدْنَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ إِلَى الْحَقِّ ". فَكَانَتِ الْمَارِقَةُ الْخَوَارِجَ، وَقَتَلَهُمْ عَلِيٌّ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، ثُمَّ قُتِلَ عَلِيٌّ، فَاسْتَقَلَّ مُعَاوِيَةُ بِالْأَمْرِ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَأَرْبَعِينَ، وَكَانَ يَغْزُو الرُّومَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ ; مَرَّةً فِي الصَّيْفِ، وَمَرَّةً فِي الشِّتَاءِ، وَيَأْمُرُ رَجُلًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ فَيَحُجُّ بِالنَّاسِ. وَحَجَّ بِالنَّاسِ مُعَاوِيَةُ سَنَةَ خَمْسِينَ، وَحَجَّ ابْنُهُ يَزِيدُ سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَخَمْسِينَ، وَفِيهَا أَوْ فِي الَّتِي بَعْدَهَا أَغْزَاهُ بِلَادَ الرُّومِ، فَسَارَ مَعَهُ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ كُبَرَاءِ الصَّحَابَةِ حَتَّى حَاصَرَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةَ، وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي " الصَّحِيحِ ": " أَوَّلُ جَيْشٍ يَغْزُو الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةَ مَغْفُورٌ لَهُمْ ". وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ هَذَا كُلُّهُ. وعَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ قَالَ: كَانَ الْحَادِي يَحْدُو بِعُثْمَانَ فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْأَمِيرَ بَعْدَهُ عَلِيُّ وَفِي الزُّبَيْرِ خَلَفٌ مَرْضِيُّ فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ: بَلْ هُوَ صَاحِبُ الْبَغْلَةِ الشَّهْبَاءِ. يَعْنِي مُعَاوِيَةَ. فَأَتَاهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا إِسْحَاقَ، تَقُولُ هَذَا، وَهَاهُنَا عَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَأَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ صَاحِبُهَا. وعَنْ عَامِرٍ الشَّعْبِيِّ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا حِينَ بَعَثَ جَرِيرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَجَلِيَّ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ قَبْلَ وَقْعَةِ صِفِّينَ - وَذَلِكَ حِينَ عَزَمَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَى قَصْدِ الشَّامِ، وَجَمَعَ الْجُيُوشَ لِذَلِكَ - وَكَتَبَ مَعَهُ كِتَابًا إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ يَذْكُرُ لَهُ فِيهِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ لَزِمَتْهُ بَيْعَتُهُ ; لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ بَايَعَهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالْأَنْصَارُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تُبَايِعِ اسْتَعَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَقَاتَلْتُكَ. وَقَدْ أَكْثَرْتَ الْقَوْلَ فِي قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ، فَادْخُلْ فِيمَا دَخَلَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ، ثُمَّ حَاكِمِ الْقَوْمَ إِلَيَّ أَحْمِلْكَ وَإِيَّاهُمْ عَلَى كِتَابِ اللَّهِ. فِي كَلَامٍ طَوِيلٍ، فَقَرَأَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَقَامَ جَرِيرٌ فَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ، وَأَمَرَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ، وَحَذَّرَهُ مِنَ الْمُخَالَفَةِ وَالْمُعَانَدَةِ، وَنَهَاهُ عَنْ إِيقَاعِ الْفِتْنَةِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ، وَأَنْ يَضْرِبَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا بِالسُّيُوفِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: انْتَظِرْ حَتَّى آخُذَ رَأْيَ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَمَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ مُنَادِيًا، فَنَادَى فِي النَّاسِ: الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً. فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ، فَخَطَبَ فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الدَّعَائِمَ لِلْإِسْلَامِ أَرْكَانًا، وَالشَّرَائِعَ لِلْإِيمَانِ بُرْهَانًا، يَتَوَقَّدُ مِصْبَاحُهُ بِالسَّنَةِ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ الَّتِي جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ مَحِلَّ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، فَأَحَلَّهَا أَهْلَ الشَّامِ وَرَضِيَهُمْ لَهَا، وَرَضِيَهَا لَهُمْ ; لِمَا سَبَقَ مِنْ مَكْنُونِ عِلْمِهِ مِنْ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَمُنَاصَحَتِهِمْ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ فِيهَا، وَالْقُوَّامَ بِأَمْرِهِ، الذَّابِّينَ عَنْ دِينِهِ وَحُرُمَاتِهِ، ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُمْ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ نِظَامًا، وَفِي أَعْلَامِ الْخَيْرِ عِظَامًا، يَرْدَعُ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ النَّاكِثِينَ، وَيَجْمَعُ بِهِمْ أُلْفَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَاللَّهَ نَسْتَعِينُ عَلَى مَا تَشَعَّثَ مِنْ أُمُورِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَتَبَاعَدَ بَيْنَهُمْ بَعْدَ الْقُرْبِ وَالْأُلْفَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ انْصُرْنَا عَلَى قَوْمٍ يُوقِظُونَ نَائِمًا، وَيُخِيفُونَ آمِنَنًا، وَيُرِيدُونَ هِرَاقَةَ دِمَائِنَا، وَإِخَافَةَ سَبِيلِنَا، وَقَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ أَنَّا لَا نُرِيدُ لَهُمْ عِقَابًا، وَلَا نَهْتِكُ لَهُمْ حِجَابًا، غَيْرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الْحَمِيدَ كَسَانَا مِنَ الْكَرَامَةِ ثَوْبًا لَنْ نَنْزِعَهُ طَوْعًا مَا جَاوَبَ الصَّدَى، وَسَقَطَ النَّدَى، وَعُرِفَ الْهُدَى، وَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا أَنَّ الَّذِي حَمَلَهُمْ عَلَى خِلَافِنَا الْبَغْيُ وَالْحَسَدُ لَنَا، فَاللَّهَ نَسْتَعِينُ عَلَيْهِمْ، أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، قَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي خَلِيفَةُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، وَأَنِّي خَلِيفَةُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عُثْمَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَأَنِّي لَمْ أُقِمْ رَجُلًا مِنْكُمْ عَلَى خِزَايَةٍ قَطُّ، وَأَنِّي وَلِيُّ عُثْمَانَ وَابْنُ عَمِّهِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ: وَمَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا [ الْإِسْرَاءِ: 33 ]. وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّهُ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا، وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تُعْلِمُونِي ذَاتَ أَنْفُسِكُمْ فِي قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ. فَقَالَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ: بَلْ نَطْلُبُ بِدَمِهِ. فَأَجَابُوهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَبَايَعُوهُ، وَوَثَّقُوا لَهُ أَنْ يَبْذُلُوا فِي ذَلِكَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ، أَوْ يُدْرِكُوا بِثَأْرِهِ، أَوْ يُفْنِيَ اللَّهُ أَرْوَاحَهُمْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى جَرِيرٌ مِنْ طَاعَةِ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ مَا رَأَى، أَفْزَعَهُ ذَلِكَ، وَعَجِبَ مِنْهُ. وَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِجَرِيرٍ: إِنْ وَلَّانِي عَلَى الشَّامِ وَمِصْرَ بَايَعْتُهُ عَلَى أَلَّا يَكُونَ لِأَحَدٍ بَعْدَهُ عَلَيَّ بَيْعَةٌ. فَقَالَ: اكْتُبْ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ بِمَا شِئْتَ، وَأَنَا أَكْتُبُ مَعَكَ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ عَلِيًّا الْكِتَابُ قَالَ: هَذِهِ خَدِيعَةٌ، وَقَدْ سَأَلَنِي الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ أَنْ أُوَلِّيَ مُعَاوِيَةَ الشَّامَ وَأَنَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَأَبَيْتُ ذَلِكَ وَمَا كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ إِلَى جَرِيرٍ بِالْقُدُومِ عَلَيْهِ، فَمَا قَدِمَ إِلَّا وَقَدِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْعَسَاكِرُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ، وَكَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ - وَكَانَ مُعْتَزِلًا بِفِلَسْطِينَ حِينَ قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ - وَكَانَ عُثْمَانُ قَدْ عَزَلَهُ عَنْ مِصْرَ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَسْتَدْعِيهِ لِيَسْتَشِيرَهُ فِي أُمُورِهِ، فَرَكِبَ إِلَيْهِ، فَاجْتَمَعَا عَلَى حَرْبِ عَلِيٍّ. وَقَدْ قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ أَبِي مُعَيْطٍ، فِي كِتَابِ مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ حِينَ سَأَلَهُ نِيَابَةَ الشَّامِ وَمِصْرَ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ يُؤَنِّبُهُ وَيَلُومُهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَيُعَرِّضُ بِأَشْيَاءَ فِيهِ: مُعَاوِيَ إِنَّ الشَّامَ شَامُكَ فَاعْتَصِمْ بِشَامِكَ لَا تُدْخِلْ عَلَيْكَ الْأَفَاعِيَا وَحَامِ عَلَيْهَا بِالْقَبَائِلِ وَالْقَنَا وَلَا تَكُ مَخْشُوشَ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ وَانِيَا فَإِنَّ عَلِيًّا نَاظِرٌ مَا تُجِيبُهُ فَأَهْدِ لَهُ حَرْبًا تُشِيبُ النَّوَاصِيَا وَإِلَّا فَسَلِّمْ إِنَّ فِي الْأَمْنِ رَاحَةً لِمَنْ لَا يُرِيدُ الْحَرْبَ فَاخْتَرْ مُعَاوِيَا وَإِنَّ كِتَابًا يَا ابْنَ حَرْبٍ كَتَبْتَهُ عَلَى طَمَعٍ جَانٍ عَلَيْكَ الدَّوَاهِيَا سَأَلْتَ عَلِيًّا فِيهِ مَا لَا تَنَالُهُ وَلَوْ نِلْتَهُ لَمْ يَبْقَ إِلَّا لَيَالِيَا إِلَى أَنْ تَرَى مِنْهُ الَّتِي لَيْسَ بَعْدَهَا بَقَاءٌ فَلَا تُكْثِرْ عَلَيْكَ الْأَمَانِيَا وَمِثْلُ عَلِيٍّ تَغْتَرِرْهُ بِخَدْعَةٍ وَقَدْ كَانَ مَا جَرَّبْتَ مِنْ قَبْلُ كَافِيَا وَلَوْ نَشِبَتْ أَظْفَارُهُ فِيكَ مَرَّةً حَذَاكَ ابْنَ هِنْدَ بَعْدَ مَا كُنْتَ حَاذَيَا وَقَدْ وَرَدَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ أَنَّ أَبَا مُسْلِمٍ الْخَوْلَانِيَّ وَجَمَاعَةً مَعَهُ دَخَلُوا عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: أَنْتَ تُنَازِعُ عَلِيًّا أَمْ أَنْتَ مِثْلُهُ ؟ فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي وَأَفْضَلُ، وَأَحَقُّ بِالْأَمْرِ مِنِّي، وَلَكِنْ أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا، وَأَنَا ابْنُ عَمِّهِ، وَأَنَا أَطْلُبُ بِدَمِهِ، وَأَمْرُهُ إِلَيَّ ؟ فَقُولُوا لَهُ فَلْيُسَلِّمْ إِلَيَّ قَتَلَةَ عُثْمَانَ، وَأَنَا أُسَلِّمُ لَهُ أَمْرَهُ. فَأَتَوْا عَلِيًّا، فَكَلَّمُوهُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَلَمْ يَدْفَعْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَحَدًا، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ صَمَّمَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ مَعَ مُعَاوِيَةَ. وعَنْ عَامِرٍ الشَّعْبِيِّ أَوْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْبَاقِرِ، قَالَ: بَعَثَ عَلِيٌّ رَجُلًا إِلَى دِمَشْقَ يُنْذِرُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا قَدْ نَهَدَ فِي أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ إِلَيْكُمْ ; لِيَسْتَعْلِمَ طَاعَتَهُمْ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ، أَمَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَنُودِيَ فِي النَّاسِ: الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً. فَمَلَئُوا الْمَسْجِدَ، ثُمَّ صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ، فَقَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: إِنَّ عَلِيًّا قَدْ نَهَدَ إِلَيْكُمْ فِي أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ، فَمَا الرَّأْيُ ؟ فَضَرَبَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ، وَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَا رَفَعُوا إِلَيْهِ أَبْصَارَهُمْ، وَقَامَ ذُو الْكَلَاعِ فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، عَلَيْكَ الرَّأْيُ وَعَلَيْنَا امْفِعَالٌ. يَعْنِي: الْفِعَالَ. ثُمَّ نَادَى مُعَاوِيَةُ فِي النَّاسِ أَنِ اخْرُجُوا إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِكُمْ فِي ثَلَاثٍ، فَمَنْ تَخَلَّفَ فَقَدْ أَحَلَّ بْنَفْسِهِ. فَاجْتَمَعُوا كُلُّهُمْ، فَرَكِبَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَأَمَرَ عَلِيٌّ مُنَادِيًا فَنَادَى: الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً. فَاجْتَمَعُوا، فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَدْ جَمَعَ النَّاسَ لِحَرْبِكُمْ، فَمَا الرَّأْيُ ؟ فَقَالَ كُلُّ فَرِيقٍ مِنْهُمْ مَقَالَةً، وَاخْتَلَطَ كَلَامُ بَعْضِهِمْ فِي بَعْضٍ، فَلَمْ يَدِرِ عَلِيٌّ مِمَّا قَالُوا شَيْئًا، فَنَزَلَ عَنِ الْمِنْبَرِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، ذَهَبَ وَاللَّهِ بِهَا ابْنُ آكِلَةِ الْأَكْبَادِ. ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ بِصِفِّينَ مَا كَانَ. وعَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لَقَدْ وَضَعْتُ رِجْلِي فِي الرِّكَابِ، وَهَمَمْتُ يَوْمَ صِفِّينَ بِالْهَزِيمَةِ، فَمَا مَنَعَنِي إِلَّا قَوْلُ ابْنِ الْإِطْنَابَةِ حَيْثُ يَقُولُ: أَبَتْ لِي عِفَّتِي وَأَبَى بَلَائِي وَأَخْذِي الْحَمْدَ بِالثَّمَنِ الرَّبِيحِ وَإِكْرَاهِي عَلَى الْمَكْرُوهِ نَفْسِي وَضَرْبِي هَامَةَ الْبَطَلِ الْمُشِيحِ وَقَوْلِي كُلَّمَا جَشَأَتْ وَجَاشَتْ مَكَانَكِ تُحْمَدِي أَوْ تَسْتَرِيحِي وعَنِ الْإِمَامِ أَحْمَدَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: الْخُلَفَاءُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ وَعَلِيٌّ. فَقِيلَ لَهُ: فَمُعَاوِيَةُ ؟ قَالَ: لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَحَقَّ بِالْخِلَافَةِ فِي زَمَانِ عَلِيٍّ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ، وَرَحِمَ اللَّهُ مُعَاوِيَةَ. وَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْمَدِينِيِّ: سَمِعْتُ سُفْيَانَ بْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ يَقُولُ: مَا كَانَتْ فِي عَلِيٍّ خَصْلَةٌ تَقْصُرُ بِهِ عَنِ الْخِلَافَةِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي مُعَاوِيَةَ خَصْلَةٌ يُنَازِعُ عَلِيًّا بِهَا. وَقِيلَ لِشَرِيكٍ الْقَاضِي: كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ حَلِيمًا ؟ فَقَالَ: لَيْسَ بِحَلِيمٍ مَنْ سَفِهَ الْحَقَّ وَقَاتَلَ عَلِيًّا. رَوَاهُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ. وَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ حَبِيبٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَأَنَّهُ لَبَّى عَشِيَّةَ عَرَفَةَ، فَقَالَ فِيهِ قَوْلًا شَدِيدًا، ثُمَّ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا لَبَّى عَشِيَّةَ عَرَفَةَ، فَتَرَكَهُ. وعَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْمَنَامِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ جَالِسَانِ عِنْدَهُ، فَسَلَّمْتُ وَجَلَسْتُ، فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ إِذْ أُتِيَ بَعَلِيٍّ وَمُعَاوِيَةَ، فَأُدْخِلَا بَيْتًا وَأُجِيفَ الْبَابُ وَأَنَا أَنْظُرُ، فَمَا كَانَ بِأَسْرَعَ مِنْ أَنْ خَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: قُضِيَ لِي وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ. ثُمَّ مَا كَانَ بِأَسْرَعَ مِنْ أَنْ خَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: غُفِرَ لِي وَرَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ الرَّازِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ: إِنِّي أُبْغِضُ مُعَاوِيَةَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَلِمَ ؟ قَالَ: لِأَنَّهُ قَاتَلَ عَلِيًّا. فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو زُرْعَةَ: وَيْحَكَ ! إِنَّ رَبَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ رَبٌّ رَحِيمٌ، وَخَصْمُ مُعَاوِيَةَ خَصْمٌ كَرِيمٌ، فَأَيْشِ دُخُولُكَ أَنْتَ بَيْنَهُمَا ؟ ! ؓ. وَسُئِلَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ عَمَّا جَرَى بَيْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَمُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَرَأَ: تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُمْ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَلَا تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ [ الْبَقَرَةِ: 134 ]. وَكَذَا قَالَ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ السَّلَفِ. وَقَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ: سُئِلَ الْحَسَنُ عَمَّا جَرَى بَيْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَعُثْمَانَ فَقَالَ: كَانَتْ لِهَذَا سَابِقَةٌ وَلِهَذَا سَابِقَةٌ، وَلِهَذَا قَرَابَةٌ وَلِهَذَا قَرَابَةٌ، فَابْتُلِيَ هَذَا وَعُوفِيَ هَذَا. وَسُئِلَ عَمَّا جَرَى بَيْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَمُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: كَانَتْ لِهَذَا قَرَابَةٌ وَلِهَذَا قَرَابَةٌ، وَلِهَذَا سَابِقَةٌ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِهَذَا سَابِقَةٌ، فَابْتُلِيَا جَمِيعًا. المفاضلة علي ومعاوية وَقَالَ كُلْثُومُ بْنُ جَوْشَنٍ: سَأَلَ النَّضْرُ أَبُو عُمَرَ الْحَسَنَ الْبَصْرِيَّ فَقَالَ: أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ عَلِيٌّ ؟ فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ! وَلَا سَوَاءَ، سَبَقَتْ لِعَلِيٍّ سَوَابِقُ شَرِكَهُ فِيهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَأَحْدَثَ عَلِيٌّ أ?حْدَاثًا لَمْ يُشْرِكْهُ فِيهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَفْضَلُ. فَقَالَ: فَعُمَرُ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ عَلِيٌّ ؟ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِ الْأَوَّلِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: عُمَرُ أَفْضَلُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ: عُثْمَانُ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ عَلِيٌّ ؟ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِ الْأَوَّلِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: عُثْمَانُ أَفْضَلُ. قَالَ: فِعَلِيٌّ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ مُعَاوِيَةُ ؟ فَقَالَ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ! وَلَا سَوَاءَ، سَبَقَتْ لِعَلِيٍّ سَوَابِقُ لَمْ يُشْرِكْهُ فِيهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، وَأَحْدَثَ عَلِيٌّ أَحْدَاثًا شَرِكَهُ فِيهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، عَلِيٌّ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْقِمُ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْيَاءَ ; قِتَالَهُ عَلِيًّا، وَقَتْلَهُ حُجْرَ بْنَ عَدِيٍّ وَاسْتِلْحَاقَهُ زِيَادَ بْنَ أَبِيهِ، وَمُبَايَعَتَهُ لِيَزِيدَ ابْنِهِ. وقع قتل علي بن أبي طالب على معاوية وَقَالَ جَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ، عَنْ مُغِيرَةَ قَالَ: لَمَّا جَاءَ خَبَرُ قَتْلِ عَلِيٍّ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ جَعَلَ يَبْكِي، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ: أَتَبْكِيهِ وَقَدْ قَاتَلْتَهُ ؟ فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكِ ! إِنَّكِ لَا تَدْرِينَ مَا فَقَدَ النَّاسُ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ وَالْفِقْهِ وَالْعِلْمِ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ لَهُ: بِالْأَمْسِ تُقَاتِلُهُ وَالْيَوْمَ تَبْكِيهِ ؟ ! قُلْتُ: وَقَدْ كَانَ مَقْتَلُ عَلِيٍّ فِي رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعِينَ كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا. تولي معاوية بن أبي سفيان الخلافة وَلِهَذَا قَالَ اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ: إِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بُويِعَ لَهُ بِإِيلِيَاءَ بَيْعَةَ الْجَمَاعَةِ، وَدَخَلَ الْكُوفَةَ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعِينَ. وَالصَّحِيحُ الَّذِي قَالَهُ ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ وَالْجُمْهُورُ ; أَنَّهُ بُويِعَ لَهُ بِإِيلِيَاءَ فِي رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعِينَ، حِينَ بَلَغَ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ مَقْتَلُ عَلِيٍّ، وَلَكِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا دَخَلَ الْكُوفَةَ بَعْدَ مُصَالَحَةِ الْحَسَنِ لَهُ فِي شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ، سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَأَرْبَعِينَ، وَهُوَ عَامُ الْجَمَاعَةِ، وَذَلِكَ بِمَكَانٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ: أَذْرُحُ. وَقِيلَ: بِمَسْكِنَ. مِنْ أَرْضِ سَوَادِ الْعِرَاقِ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْأَنْبَارِ، فَاسْتَقَلَّ مُعَاوِيَةُ بِالْأَمْرِ إِلَى أَنْ مَاتَ سَنَةَ سِتِّينَ. وَقَدْ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: كَانَ نَقْشُ خَاتَمِ مُعَاوِيَةَ: لِكُلِّ عَمَلٍ ثَوَابٌ. وَقِيلَ: بَلْ كَانَ: لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ. وعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ قَالَ: صَلَّى بِنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بِالنُّخَيْلَةِ - يَعْنِي خَارِجَ الْكُوفَةِ - الْجُمُعَةِ فِي الضُّحَى، ثُمَّ خَطَبَنَا فَقَالَ: مَا قَاتَلْتُكُمْ لِتَصُومُوا، وَلَا لِتُصَلُّوا، وَلَا لِتَحُجُّوا، وَلَا لِتُزَكُّوا، قَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّكُمْ تَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنْ إِنَّمَا قَاتَلْتُكُمْ لِأَتَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْكُمْ، فَقَدْ أَعْطَانِي اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ وَأَنْتُمْ كَارِهُونَ. وعَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَمِلَ سَنَتَيْنِ عَمَلَ عُمَرَ مَا يَخْرِمُ فِيهِ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ بَعِدَ. وعن سُفْيَانُ بْنُ اللَّيْلِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ لَمَّا قَدِمَ مِنَ الْكُوفَةِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ: يَا مُذِلَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: لَا تَقُلْ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يَقُولُ: لَا تَذْهَبُ الْأَيَّامُ وَاللَّيَالِي حَتَّى يَمْلِكَ مُعَاوِيَةُ. فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ وَاقِعٌ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ تُهْرَاقَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُ دِمَاءُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ. وعَنِ الْحَارِثِ الْأَعْوَرِ قَالَ: قَالَ عَلِيٌّ بَعْدَ مَا رَجَعَ مِنْ صِفِّينَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، لَا تَكْرَهُوا إِمَارَةَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَإِنَّكُمْ لَوْ فَقَدْتُمُوهُ رَأَيْتُمُ الرُّءُوسَ تَنْدُرُ عَنْ كَوَاهِلِهَا كَأَنَّهَا الْحَنْظَلُ. وعَنِ الْأَسْوَدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ: أَلَا تَعْجَبِينَ لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الطُّلَقَاءِ يُنَازِعُ أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فِي الْخِلَافَةِ ؟ فَقَالَتْ: وَمَا تَعْجَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ؟ هُوَ سُلْطَانُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيَهُ الْبَرَّ وَالْفَاجِرَ، وَقَدْ مَلَكَ فِرْعَوْنُ أَهْلَ مِصْرَ أَرْبَعَمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ. وعن الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ حِينَ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ يُرِيدُ الْحَجَّ دَخَلَ عَلَى عَائِشَةَ، فَكَلَّمَهَا خَالِيَيْنِ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ كَلَامَهُمَا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا ذَكْوَانُ أَبُو عَمْرٍو مَوْلَى عَائِشَةَ، فَقَالَتْ: أَمِنْتَ أَنْ أُخَبِّئَ لَكَ رَجُلًا يَقْتُلُكَ بِقَتْلِكَ أَخِي مُحَمَّدًا ؟ فَقَالَ: صَدَقْتِ. فَكَلَّمَهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى كَلَامَهُ مَعَهَا تَشَهَّدَتْ عَائِشَةُ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَتْ مَا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ بِهِ نَبِيَّهُ ﷺ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ، وَالَّذِي سَنَّ الْخُلَفَاءُ بَعْدَهُ، وَحَضَّتْ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَى اتِّبَاعِ أَمْرِهِمْ، فَقَالَتْ فِي ذَلِكَ فَلَمْ تَتَّرِكْ، فَلَمَّا قَضَتْ مَقَالَتَهَا قَالَ لَهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَنْتِ وَاللَّهِ الْعَالِمَةُ بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، النَّاصِحَةُ الْمُشْفِقَةُ الْبَلِيغَةُ الْمَوْعِظَةِ، حَضَضْتِ عَلَى الْخَيْرِ وَأَمَرْتِ بِهِ، وَلَمْ تَأْمُرِينَا إِلَّا بِالَّذِي هُوَ لَنَا، وَأَنْتِ أَهْلٌ أَنْ تُطَاعِي. وَتَكَلَّمَتْ هِيَ وَمُعَاوِيَةُ كَلَامًا كَثِيرًا. فَلَمَّا قَامَ مُعَاوِيَةُ اتَّكَأَ عَلَى ذَكْوَانَ وَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ خَطِيبًا لَيْسَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ عَائِشَةَ. وعن عَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ أَبِي عَلْقَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّهِ قَالَتْ: قَدِمَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ أَنْ أَرْسِلِي إِلَيَّ بِأَنْبِجَانِيَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَشَعْرِهِ، فَأَرْسَلَتْ بِهِ مَعِي أَحْمِلُهُ، حَتَّى دَخَلْتُ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذَ الْأَنْبِجَانِيَّةَ، فَلَبِسَهَا، وَأَخَذَ شَعْرَهُ فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ، فَغَسَلَهُ وَشَرِبَهُ، وَأَفَاضَ عَلَى جِلْدِهِ. وعَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ مُعَاوِيَةُ الْمَدِينَةَ عَامَ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَلَقَّتْهُ رِجَالٌ مِنْ وُجُوهِ قُرَيْشٍ فَقَالُوا: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَعَزَّ نَصْرَكَ، وَأَعْلَى أَمْرَكَ. فَمَا رَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ جَوَابًا حَتَّى دَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَقَصَدَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَعَلَا الْمِنْبَرَ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ مَا وَلِيتُ أَمْرَكُمْ حِينَ وَلِيتُهُ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكُمْ لَا تُسَرُّونَ بِوِلَايَتِي وَلَا تُحِبُّونَهَا، وَإِنِّي لَعَالِمٌ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ، وَلَكِنِّي خَالَسْتُكُمْ بِسَيْفِي هَذَا مُخَالَسَةً، وَلَقَدْ رُمْتُ نَفْسِي عَلَى عَمَلِ ابْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ فَلَمْ أَجِدْهَا تَقُومُ بِذَلِكَ، وَأَرَدْتُهَا عَلَى عَمَلِ ابْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، فَكَانَتْ أَشَدَّ نُفُورًا، وَحَاوَلْتُهَا عَلَى مِثْلِ سُنَيَّاتِ عُثْمَانَ، فَأَبَتْ عَلَيَّ، وَأَيْنَ مِثْلُ هَؤُلَاءِ ؟ ! هَيْهَاتَ أَنْ يُدْرِكَ فَضْلَهُمْ أَحَدٌ مِمَّنْ بَعْدَهُمْ، رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، غَيْرَ أَنِّي سَلَكْتُ بِهَا طَرِيقًا لِي فِيهِ مَنْفَعَةٌ، وَلَكُمْ فِيهِ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ، وَلِكُلٍّ فِيهِ مُؤَاكَلَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ، وَمُشَارَبَةٌ جَمِيلَةٌ، مَا اسْتَقَامَتِ السِّيرَةُ وَحَسُنَتِ الطَّاعَةُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُونِي خَيْرَكُمْ فَأَنَا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ، وَاللَّهِ لَا أَحْمِلُ السَّيْفَ عَلَى مَنْ لَا سَيْفَ مَعَهُ، وَمَهْمَا تَقَدَّمَ مِمَّا قَدْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُ فَقَدْ جَعَلْتُهُ دَبْرَ أُذُنِي، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُونِي أَقُومُ بِحَقِّكُمْ كُلِّهِ فَارْضَوْا مِنِّي بِبَعْضِهِ، فَإِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِقَائِبَةِ قُوبِهَا، وَإِنَّ السَّيْلَ إِذَا جَاءَ تَتْرَى - وَإِنْ قَلَّ - أَغْنَى، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالْفِتْنَةَ فَلَا تَهُمُّوا بِهَا، فَإِنَّهَا تُفْسِدُ الْمَعِيشَةَ، وَتُكَدِّرُ النِّعْمَةَ، وَتُورِثُ الِاسْتِئْصَالَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ. ثُمَّ نَزَلَ. قَالَ أَهْلُ اللُّغَةِ: الْقَائِبَةُ: الْبَيْضَةُ، وَالْقُوبُ: الْفَرْخُ، قَابَتِ الْبَيْضَةُ تَقُوبُ إِذَا انْفَلَقَتْ عَنِ الْفَرْخِ. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْخُطْبَةَ كَانَتْ عَامَ حَجَّ فِي سَنَةِ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ، أَوْ فِي سَنَةِ خَمْسِينَ، لَا فِي عَامِ الْجَمَاعَةِ. أول حجة حجها معاوية بعد اجتماع الناس عليه وعَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ أَوَّلَ حَجَّةٍ حَجَّهَا بَعْدَ اجْتِمَاعِ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ، فَلَقِيَهُ الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ وَرِجَالٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، فَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَى دَارِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ، فَلَمَّا دَنَا إِلَى بَابِ الدَّارِ صَاحَتْ عَائِشَةُ بِنْتُ عُثْمَانَ، وَنَدَبَتْ أَبَاهَا، فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِمَنْ مَعَهُ: انْصَرِفُوا إِلَى مَنَازِلِكُمْ فَإِنَّ لِي حَاجَةً فِي هَذِهِ الدَّارِ. فَانْصَرَفُوا وَدَخَلَ، فَسَكَّنَ عَائِشَةَ، وَأَمَرَهَا بِالْكَفِّ، وَقَالَ لَهَا: يَا بِنْتَ أَخِي، إِنَّ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْنَا سُلْطَانًا فَأَظْهَرْنَا لَهُمْ حِلْمًا تَحْتَهُ غَضَبٌ، وَأَظْهَرُوا لَنَا طَاعَةً تَحْتَهَا حِقْدٌ، فَبِعْنَاهُمْ هَذَا، وَبَاعُونَا هَذَا، فَإِنْ أَعْطَيْنَاهُمْ غَيْرَ مَا اشْتَرَوْا شَحُّوا عَلَى حَقِّهِمْ، وَمَعَ كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ شِيعَةٌ، وَهُوَ يَرَى مَكَانَ شِيعَتِهِمْ، فَإِنْ نَكَثْنَاهُمْ نَكَثُوا بِنَا، ثُمَّ لَا نَدْرِي أَتَكُونُ لَنَا الدَّائِرَةُ أَمْ عَلَيْنَا ؟ وَأَنْ تَكُونِي ابْنَةَ عُثْمَانَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونِي أَمَةً مِنْ إِمَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَنِعْمَ الْخَلَفُ أَنَا لَكِ بَعْدَ أَبِيكِ. وعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ: لَمَّا قُتِلَ عُثْمَانُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِلنَّاسِ غَازِيَةٌ تَغْزُو، حَتَّى كَانَ عَامُ الْجَمَاعَةِ فَأَغْزَا مُعَاوِيَةُ أَرْضَ الرُّومِ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ غَزْوَةً، تَذْهَبُ سَرِيَّةٌ فِي الصَّيْفِ وَتَشْتُو بِأَرْضِ الرُّومِ، ثُمَّ تَقْفِلُ وَتَعْقُبُهَا أُخْرَى، وَكَانَ فِي جُمْلَةِ مَنْ أَغَزَا ابْنُهُ يَزِيدُ، وَمَعَهُ خَلْقٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، فَجَازَ بِهِمُ الْخَلِيجَ، وَقَاتَلُوا أَهْلَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ عَلَى بَابِهَا، ثُمَّ قَفَلَ بِهِمْ. آخر ما أوصى به معاوية وَكَانَ آخِرَ مَا أَوْصَى بِهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ أَنْ قَالَ: شُدُّوا خِنَاقَ الرُّومِ. ، وعَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ: حَجَّ بِالنَّاسِ مُعَاوِيَةُ فِي أَيَّامِ خِلَافَتِهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ، وَكَانَتْ أَيَّامُهُ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً إِلَّا شَهْرًا. وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ: حَجَّ بِالنَّاسِ مُعَاوِيَةُ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ، وَسَنَةَ خَمْسِينَ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: سَنَةَ إِحْدَى وَخَمْسِينَ. فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وعَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ أَقْضَى بِحَقٍّ مِنْ صَاحِبِ هَذَا الْبَابِ. يَعْنِي مُعَاوِيَةَ. وعن الْمِسْوَرُ بْنُ مَخْرَمَةَ أَنَّهُ وَفَدَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ: فَلَمَّا دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ - حَسِبْتُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ - فَقَالَ: مَا فَعَلَ طَعْنُكَ عَلَى الْأَئِمَّةِ يَا مِسْوَرُ ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: ارْفُضْنَا مِنْ هَذَا وَأَحْسِنْ فِيمَا قَدِمْنَا لَهُ. فَقَالَ: لَتُكَلِّمَنِّي بِذَاتِ نَفْسِكَ. قَالَ: فَلَمْ أَدَعْ شَيْئًا أَعِيبُهُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا أَخْبَرْتُهُ بِهِ. فَقَالَ: لَا بَرَاءَ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ، فَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ ذُنُوبٍ تَخَافُ أَنْ تُهْلِكَكَ إِنْ لَمْ يَغْفِرْهَا اللَّهُ لَكَ ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَمَا يَجْعَلُكَ أَحَقَّ بِأَنْ تَرْجُوَ الْمَغْفِرَةَ مِنِّي، فَوَاللَّهِ لَمَا أَلِيَ مِنَ الْإِصْلَاحِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَإِقَامَةِ الْحُدُودِ وَالْجِهَادِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْأُمُورِ الْعِظَامِ الَّتِي نُحْصِيهَا وَالَّتِي لَا نُحْصِيهَا أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا تَلِي، وَإِنِّي لَعَلَى دِينٍ يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ، وَوَاللَّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَا كُنْتُ لِأُخَيَّرَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَغَيْرِهِ إِلَّا اخْتَرْتُ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا سِوَاهُ. قَالَ: فَفَكَّرْتُ حِينَ قَالَ لِي مَا قَالَ، فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ خَصَمَنِي. قَالَ: فَكَانَ الْمِسْوَرُ إِذَا ذَكَرَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَعَا لَهُ بِخَيْرٍ. وعَنِ الْعُتْبِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، مَا أَنَا بِخَيْرِكُمْ، وَإِنَّ مِنْكُمْ لَمَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي ; عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، وَغَيْرُهُمَا مَنَ الْأَفَاضِلِ، وَلَكِنْ عَسَى أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنْفَعَكُمْ وِلَايَةً، وَأَنْكَاكُمْ فِي عَدُوِّكُمْ، وَأَدَرَّكُمْ حَلْبًا. من خطب معاوية بن أبي سفيان وعن يُونُسُ بْنُ حَلْبَسٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَى مِنْبَرِ دِمَشْقَ يَوْمَ جُمُعَةٍ يَقُولُ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، اعْقِلُوا قَوْلِي، فَلَنْ تَجِدُوا أَعْلَمَ بِأُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ مِنِّي، أَقِيمُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَصُفُوفَكُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، فَلَتُقِيمُنَّ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَصُفُوفَكُمْ، أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ، خُذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِي سُفَهَائِكُمْ، أَوْ لَيُسَلِّطُنَّهُمُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلْيَسُومُنَّكُمْ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ، تَصَدَّقُوا وَلَا يَقُولُنَّ الرَّجُلُ: إِنِّي مُقِلٌّ. فَإِنَّ صَدَقَةَ الْمُقِلِّ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَدَقَةِ الْغَنِيِّ، وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَقَذْفَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ ، وَأَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ: سَمِعْتُ. وَ: بَلَغَنِي. فَلَوْ قَذَفَ أَحَدُكُمُ امْرَأَةً عَلَى عَهْدِ نُوحٍ لَسُئِلَ عَنْهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ. تواضع معاوية بن أبي سفيان كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ مُتَوَاضِعًا، لَيْسَ لَهُ مَجَالِدُ إِلَّا كَمَجَالِدِ الصِّبْيَانِ الَّتِي يُسَمُّونَهَا الْمَخَارِيقَ، فَيَضْرِبُ بِهَا النَّاسَ. عَنْ وعن يُونُسَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ بْنِ حَلْبَسٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ فِي سُوقِ دِمَشْقَ وَهُوَ مُرْدِفٌ وَرَاءَهُ وَصِيفًا، عَلَيْهِ قَمِيصٌ مَرْقُوعُ الْجَيْبِ، وَهُوَ يَسِيرُ فِي أَسْوَاقِ دِمَشْقَ. وَقَالَ الْأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَوْ رَأَيْتُمْ مُعَاوِيَةَ لَقُلْتُمْ: هَذَا الْمَهْدِيُّ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَسْوَدَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ. قَالَ: قُلْتُ: وَلَا عُمَرَ ؟ قَالَ: كَانَ عُمَرُ خَيْرًا مِنْهُ، وَكَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ أَسْوَدَ مِنْهُ. معاوية أول الملوك وعن ابْنُ أَبِي عُتْبَةَ، عَنْ شَيْخٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُلُوكِ . وعَنِ ابْنِ شَوْذَبٍ قَالَ: كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَقُولُ: أَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُلُوكِ وَآخِرُ خَلِيفَةٍ. قُلْتُ: وَالسُّنَّةُ أَنْ يُقَالَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: مَلِكٌ. وَلَا يُقَالُ لَهُ: خَلِيفَةٌ . لِحَدِيثِ سَفِينَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: " الْخِلَافَةُ بَعْدِي ثَلَاثُونَ سَنَةً، ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا عَضُوضًا ". حلم معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ يَوْمًا، وَذَكَرَ مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَهُ فِي حِلْمِهِ وَاحْتِمَالِهِ وَكَرَمِهِ. وَقَالَ قَبِيصَةُ بْنُ جَابِرٍ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَعْظَمَ حِلْمًا، وَلَا أَكْثَرَ سُؤْدُدًا، وَلَا أَبَعْدَ أَنَاةً، وَلَا أَلْيَنَ مَخْرَجًا، وَلَا أَرْحَبَ بَاعًا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: أَسْمَعَ رَجُلٌ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَلَامًا شَدِيدًا، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: لَوْ سَطَوْتَ عَلَيْهِ ! فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضِيقَ حِلْمِي عَنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رَعِيَّتِي. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا أَحْلَمَكَ ! فَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَكُونَ جُرْمُ رَجُلٍ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ حِلْمِي. وَقَالَ الْأَصْمَعِيُّ، عَنِ الثَّوْرِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: إِنِّي لَأَسْتَحِي أَنْ يَكُونَ ذَنْبٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ عَفْوِي، أَوْ جَهْلٌ أَكْبَرَ مِنْ حِلْمِي، أَوْ تَكُونَ عَوْرَةٌ لَا أُوَارِيهَا بِسَتْرِي. وَقَالَ الشَّعْبِيُّ - وَالْأَصْمَعِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ - قَالَا: جَرَى بَيْنَ رَجُلٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ: أَبُو الْجَهْمِ. وَبَيْنَ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَلَامٌ، فَتَكَلَّمَ أَبُو الْجَهْمِ بِكَلَامٍ فِيهِ غَمٌّ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ، فَأَطْرَقَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ: يَا أَبَا الْجَهْمِ، إِيَّاكَ وَالسُّلْطَانَ، فَإِنَّهُ يَغْضَبُ غَضَبَ الصِّبْيَانِ، وَيَأْخُذُ أَخْذَ الْأَسَدِ، وَإِنَّ قَلِيلَهُ يَغْلِبُ كَثِيرَ النَّاسِ. ثُمَّ أَمَرَ لَهُ بِمَالٍ، فَقَالَ أَبُو الْجَهْمِ فِي ذَلِكَ يَمْدَحُ مُعَاوِيَةَ: نَمِيلُ عَلَى جَوَانِبِهِ كَأَنَّا إِذَا مِلْنَا نَمِيلُ عَلَى أَبِينَا نُقَلِّبُهُ لِنُخْبِرَ حَالَتَيْهِ فَنُخْبَرُ مِنْهُمَا كَرَمًا وَلِينًا وَقَالَ الْأَعْمَشُ: طَافَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ مَعَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَكَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَمْشِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ: مَا أَشْبَهَ أَلْيَتَيْهِ بِأَلْيَتَيْ هِنْدَ. فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَقَالَ: أَمَا إِنَّهُ كَانَ يُعْجِبُ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ أُخْتِهِ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أُمِّ الْحَكَمِ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: إِنَّ فُلَانًا يَشْتُمُنِي. فَقَالَ لَهُ: تَطَأْطَأْ لَهَا تَمُرَّ فَتُجَاوِزَكَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَنْذَلَ مِنْكَ. فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: بَلَى، مَنْ وَاجَهَ الرِّجَالَ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا. وَقَالَ أَبُو عَمْرِو بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: مَا يَسُرُّنِي بَدَلَ الْكَرَمِ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: يَا بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، قَارِبُوا قُرَيْشًا بِالْحِلْمِ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَلْقَى الرَّجُلَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَيُوسِعُنِي شَتْمًا وَأَوْسِعُهُ حِلْمًا، فَأَرْجِعُ وَهُوَ لِي صَدِيقٌ، أَسْتَنْجِدُهُ فَيُنْجِدُنِي، وَأَثُورُ بِهِ فَيَثُورُ مَعِي، وَمَا رَفَعَ الْحِلْمُ عَنْ شَرِيفٍ شَرَفَهُ، وَلَا زَادَهُ إِلَّا كَرَمًا. وَقَالَ: آفَةُ الْحِلْمِ الذُّلُّ. وَقَالَ أَيْضًا: لَا يَبْلُغُ الرَّجُلُ مَبْلَغَ الرَّأْيِ حَتَّى يَغْلِبَ حِلْمُهُ جَهْلَهُ، وَصَبْرُهُ شَهْوَتَهُ، وَلَا يَبْلُغُ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا بِقُوَّةِ الْحِلْمِ. وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ: لِلَّهِ دَرُّ ابْنِ هِنْدَ، وَاللَّهِ إِنْ كُنَّا لَنُفْرِقُهُ - وَمَا اللَّيْثُ عَلَى بَرَاثِنِهِ بِأَجْرَأَ مِنْهُ - فَيَتَفَارَقُ لَنَا، وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَنَخْدَعُهُ - وَمَا ابْنُ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِأَدْهَى مِنْهُ - فَيَتَخَادَعُ لَنَا، وَاللَّهِ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّا مُتِّعْنَا بِهِ مَا دَامَ فِي هَذَا الْجَبَلِ حَجَرٌ. وَأَشَارَ إِلَى أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ. وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: مَنْ أَسْوَدُ النَّاسِ ؟ فَقَالَ: أَسْخَاهُمْ نَفْسًا حِينَ يُسْأَلُ، وَأَحْسَنُهُمْ فِي الْمَجَالِسِ خُلُقًا، وَأَحْلَمُهُمْ حِينَ يُسْتَجْهَلُ. وَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ مَعْمَرُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى: كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَتَمَثَّلُ بِهَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتِ كَثِيرًا: فَمَا قَتَلَ السَّفَاهَةَ مِثْلُ حِلْمٍ يَعُودُ بِهِ عَلَى الْجَهْلِ الْحَلِيمُ فَلَا تَسْفَهْ وَإِنْ مُلِّئْتَ غَيْظًا عَلَى أَحَدٍ فَإِنَّ الْفُحْشَ لَوْمُ وَلَا تَقْطَعْ أَخًا لَكَ عِنْدَ ذَنْبٍ فَإِنَّ الذَّنْبَ يَغْفِرُهُ الْكَرِيمُ وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: قَدْ عَلِمْتُ بِمَ غَلَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ النَّاسَ، كَانُوا إِذَا طَارُوا وَقَعَ، وَإِذَا وَقَعُوا طَارَ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى نَائِبِهِ زِيَادٍ: إِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ نَسُوسَ النَّاسَ سِيَاسَةً وَاحِدَةً ; بِاللِّينِ فَيَمْرَحُوا، وَلَا بِالشِّدَّةِ فَنَحْمِلَ النَّاسَ عَلَى الْمَهَالِكِ، وَلَكِنْ كُنْ أَنْتَ لِلشِّدَّةِ وَالْفَظَاظَةِ وَالْغِلْظَةِ، أَكُونُ أَنَا لِلِّينِ وَالْأُلْفَةِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ، فَإِذَا خَافَ خَائِفٌ وَجَدَ بَابًا يَدْخُلُهُ. عطاء معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَقَالَ أَبُو مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ قَالَ: قَضَى مُعَاوِيَةُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهَا. وَقَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: بَعَثَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَائِشَةَ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَفَرَّقَتْهَا مِنْ يَوْمِهَا، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهَا دِرْهَمٌ، فَقَالَتْ لَهَا خَادِمَتُهَا: هَلَّا أَبْقَيْتِ لَنَا دِرْهَمًا نَشْتَرِي بِهِ لَحْمًا. فَقَالَتْ: لَوْ أَذْكَرْتِنِي لَفَعَلْتُ. وَقَالَ عَطَاءٌ: بَعَثَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ - وَهِيَ بِمَكَّةَ - بِطَوْقٍ قِيمَتُهُ مِائَةُ أَلْفٍ، فَقَبِلَتْهُ. وعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قَدِمَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: لَأُجِيزَنَّكَ بِجَائِزَةٍ لَمْ يُجِزْ بِهَا أَحَدٌ كَانَ قَبْلِي. فَأَعْطَاهُ أَرْبَعَمِائَةِ أَلْفِ أَلْفٍ. وَوَفَدَ إِلَيْهِ مَرَّةً الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ فَأَجَازَهُمَا عَلَى الْفَوْرِ بِمِائَتَيْ أَلْفٍ، وَقَالَ لَهُمَا: مَا أَجَازَ بِهَا أَحَدٌ قَبْلِي. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ: وَلَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا أَفْضَلَ مِنَّا. وَقَالَ أَبُو مَرْوَانَ الْمَرْوَانِيُّ: بَعَثَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَقَالَ: لِجُلَسَائِهِ: مَنْ أَخَذَ شَيْئًا فَهُوَ لَهُ. وَبَعَثَ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَقَسَمَهَا عَلَى جُلَسَائِهِ، وَكَانُوا عَشَرَةً، فَأَصَابَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ عَشَرَةَ آلَافٍ. وَبَعَثَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَاسْتَوْهَبَتْهَا مِنْهُ امْرَأَتُهُ، فَأَطْلَقَهَا لَهَا. وَبَعَثَ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَقَسَمَ مِنْهَا خَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا، وَحَبَسَ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَفَرَّقَ مِنْهَا تِسْعِينَ أَلْفًا، وَاسْتَبْقَى عَشَرَةَ آلَافٍ. فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: إِنَّهُ لَمُقْتَصِدٌ يُحِبُّ الِاقْتِصَادَ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ فَقَالَ لِلرَّسُولِ: لِمَ جِئْتَ بِهَا بِالنَّهَارِ ؟ هَلَّا جِئْتَ بِهَا بِاللَّيْلِ. ثُمَّ حَبَسَهَا عِنْدَهُ، وَلَمْ يُعْطِ مِنْهَا أَحَدًا شَيْئًا، فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: إِنَّهُ لَخِبٌّ ضَبٌّ، كَأَنَّكَ بِهِ قَدْ رَفَعَ ذَنَبَهُ وَقُطِعَ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ دَابٍّ: كَانَ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ أَلْفُ أَلْفٍ، وَيَقْضِي لَهُ مَعَهَا مِائَةَ حَاجَةٍ، فَقَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ عَامًا، فَأَعْطَاهُ الْمَالَ، وَقَضَى لَهُ الْحَاجَاتِ، وَبَقِيَتْ مِنْهَا حَاجَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ عِنْدَهُ إِذْ قَدِمَ أَصْبَهْبَذُ سِجِسْتَانَ يَطْلُبُ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَنْ يُمَلِّكَهُ تِلْكَ الْبِلَادَ، وَوَعَدَ مَنْ قَضَى لَهُ هَذِهِ الْحَاجَةَ مِنْ مَالِهِ أَلْفَ أَلْفٍ، فَطَافَ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْأُمَرَاءِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ وَأُمَرَاءِ الْعِرَاقِ، مِمَّنْ قَدِمَ مَعَ الْأَحْنَفِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ فَكُلُّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ لَهُ: عَلَيْكَ بِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ. فَقَصَدَهُ الدِّهْقَانُ، فَكَلَّمَ فِيهِ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ تَكْمِلَةَ الْمِائَةِ حَاجَةٍ، وَأَمَرَ الْكَاتِبَ فَكَتَبَ لَهُ عَهْدَهُ، وَخَرَجَ بِهِ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ إِلَى الدِّهْقَانِ، فَسَجَدَ لَهُ وَحَمَلَ إِلَيْهِ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ: اسْجُدْ لِلَّهِ، وَاحْمِلْ مَالَكَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِكَ، فَإِنَّا أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ لَا نُتْبِعُ الْمَعْرُوفَ بِالْمَنِّ. فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: لَأَنْ يَكُونَ يَزِيدُ قَالَهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَرَاجِ الْعِرَاقِ، أَبَتْ بَنُو هَاشِمٍ إِلَّا كَرَمًا. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: كَانَ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ أَلْفُ أَلْفٍ، فَاجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَوْقَاتِ دَيْنٌ خَمْسُمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ غُرَمَاؤُهُ، فَاسْتَنْظَرَهُمْ حَتَّى يَقْدَمَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَنْ يُسْلِفَهُ شَيْئًا مِنَ الْعَطَاءِ، فَرَكِبَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا أَقْدَمَكَ يَا ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ ؟ فَقَالَ: دَيْنٌ أَلَحَّ عَلِيَّ غُرَمَاؤُهُ. فَقَالَ: وَكَمْ هُوَ: قَالَ: خَمْسُمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ. فَقَضَاهَا عَنْهُ. وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ الْأَلْفَ أَلْفٍ سَتَأْتِيكَ فِي وَقْتِهَا. وعَنْ قَتَادَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: يَا عَجَبًا لِلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ! شَرِبَ شَرْبَةَ عَسَلٍ يَمَانِيَّةً بِمَاءِ رُومَةَ فَقَضَى نَحْبَهُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: لَا يَسُوءُكَ اللَّهُ وَلَا يُخْزِيكَ فِي الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ. فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: لَا يُخْزِينِي اللَّهُ وَلَا يَسُوءُنِي مَا أَبْقَى اللَّهُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: فَأَعْطَاهُ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ وَعُرُوضًا وَأَشْيَاءَ، وَقَالَ: خُذْهَا فَاقْسِمْهَا فِي أَهْلِكَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْمَدَائِنِيُّ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ مُحَارِبٍ قَالَ: قِيلَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: أَيُّكُمْ كَانَ أَشْرَفَ ; أَنْتُمْ أَوْ بَنُو هَاشِمٍ ؟ قَالَ: كُنَّا أَكْثَرَ أَشْرَافًا وَكَانُوا أَشْرَفَ وَاحِدًا ; لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ مِثْلُ هَاشِمٍ، فَلَمَّا هَلَكَ كُنَّا أَكْثَرَ عَدَدًا وَأَكْثَرَ أَشْرَافًا، وَكَانَ فِيهِمْ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِينَا مِثْلُهُمْ، فَصِرْنَا أَكْثَرَ عَدَدًا وَأَكْثَرَ أَشْرَافًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِمْ وَاحِدٌ كَوَاحِدِنَا، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ إِلَّا كَقَرَارِ الْعَيْنِ حَتَّى جَاءَ شَيْءٌ لَمْ يَسْمَعِ الْأَوَّلُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ، وَلَا يَسْمَعُ الْآخِرُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ ; مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ. وعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ قَصَّ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ مَنَامًا رَأَى فِيهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ، وَهُمْ يُحَاسَبُونَ عَلَى مَا وُلُّوهُ فِي أَيَّامِهِمْ، وَرَأَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَهُوَ مُوَكَّلٌ بِهِ رَجُلَانِ يُحَاسِبَانِهِ عَلَى مَا عَمِلَ فِي أَيَّامِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: مَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ دَنَانِيرَ مِصْرَ ؟ ! وعَنِ الْعُتْبِيِّ قَالَ: دَخَلَ عَمْرٌو عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَقَدْ وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَعْزِيَةٌ لَهُ فِي بَعْضِ الصَّحَابَةِ، فَاسْتَرْجَعَ مُعَاوِيَةُ، فَقَالَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ: يَمُوتُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَأَنْتَ حَيٌّ تَخَطَّاكَ الْمَنَايَا لَا تَمُوتُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَتَرْجُو أَنْ أَمُوتَ وَأَنْتَ حَيٌّ فَلَسْتُ بِمَيِّتٍ حَتَّى تَمُوتَ وَقَالَ ابْنُ السَّمَّاكِ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: كُلُّ النَّاسِ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أُرْضِيَهُ إِلَّا حَاسِدَ نِعْمَةٍ ; فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُرْضِيَهُ إِلَّا زَوَالُهَا. وعَنْ أَبِي بَحْرِيَّةَ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: الْمُرُوءَةُ فِي أَرْبَعٍ ; الْعَفَافِ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، وَاسْتِصْلَاحِ الْمَالِ، وَحِفْظِ الْإِخْوَانِ، وَحِفْظِ الْجَارِ . من شعر معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْهُذَلِيُّ: كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَقُولُ الشِّعْرَ، فَلَمَّا وَلِيَ الْخِلَافَةَ قَالَ لَهُ أَهْلُهُ: قَدْ بَلَغْتَ الْغَايَةَ، فَمَاذَا تَصْنَعُ بِالشِّعْرِ ؟ فَارْتَاحَ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ سَرَحْتُ سَفَاهَتِي وَأَرَحْتُ حِلْمِي وَفِيَّ عَلَى تَحَلُّمِيَ اعْتِرَاضُ عَلَى أَنِّي أُجِيبُ إِذَا دَعَتْنِي إِلَى حَاجَاتِهَا الْحَدَقُ الْمِرَاضُ أوليات معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَقَالَ مُغِيرَةُ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ: أَوَّلُ مَنْ خَطَبَ جَالِسًا مُعَاوِيَةُ حِينَ كَثُرَ شَحْمُهُ وَعَظُمَ بَطْنُهُ. وَكَذَا رَوَى مُغِيرَةُ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أَوَّلُ مَنْ خَطَبَ جَالِسًا يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ مُعَاوِيَةُ. وَقَالَ أَبُو الْمَلِيحِ، عَنْ مَيْمُونٍ: أَوَّلُ مَنْ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ مُعَاوِيَةُ، وَاسْتَأْذَنَ النَّاسَ فِي الْجُلُوسِ. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ: أَوَّلُ مَنْ أَذَّنَ وَأَقَامَ يَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ وَالنَّحْرِ مُعَاوِيَةُ. وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْبَاقِرُ: كَانَتْ أَبْوَابُ مَكَّةَ لَا أَغْلَاقَ لَهَا، وَأَوَّلُ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ لَهَا الْأَبْوَابَ مُعَاوِيَةُ. وعَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ: مَضَتِ السُّنَّةُ أَنْ لَا يَرِثَ الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِمَ، وَلَا الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ ، وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ وَرَّثَ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِ مُعَاوِيَةُ، وَقَضَى بِذَلِكَ بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ بَعْدَهُ، حَتَّى كَانَ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ فَرَاجَعَ السُّنَّةَ، وَأَعَادَ هِشَامٌ مَا قَضَى بِهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ وَبَنُو أُمَيَّةَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ. وَبِهِ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: وَمَضَتِ السُّنَّةُ أَنَّ دِيَةَ الْمُعَاهَدِ كَدِيَةِ الْمُسْلِمِ ، وَكَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ قَصَرَهَا إِلَى النِّصْفِ، وَأَخَذَ النِّصْفَ لِنَفْسِهِ. أقوال السلف في معاوية بن أبي سفيان وعَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لِي: اسْمَعْ يَا زُهْرِيُّ، مَنْ مَاتَ مُحِبًّا لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وَشَهِدَ لِلْعَشَرَةِ بِالْجَنَّةِ، وَتَرَحَّمَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، كَانَ حَقِيقًا عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ لَا يُنَاقِشَهُ الْحِسَابَ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ: سُئِلَ ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: مَا أَقُولُ فِي رَجُلٍ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمْدَهُ ". فَقَالَ خَلْفَهُ: رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ؟ ! فَقِيلَ لَهُ: أَيُّمَا أَفْضَلُ ؟ هُوَ أَمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ؟ فَقَالَ: لَتُرَابٌ فِي مَنْخَرَيْ مُعَاوِيَةَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَيْرٌ وَأَفْضَلُ مِنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ قَالَ: مُعَاوِيَةُ عِنْدَنَا مِحْنَةٌ فَمَنْ رَأَيْنَاهُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ شَزْرًا اتَّهَمْنَاهُ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ. يَعْنِي الصَّحَابَةَ. وسُئِلَ الْمُعَافَى بْنُ عِمْرَانَ أَيُّمَا أَفْضَلُ مُعَاوِيَةُ أَمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ؟ فَغَضِبَ وَقَالَ لِلسَّائِلِ: تَجْعَلُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ مِثْلَ رَجُلٍ مِنَ التَّابِعِينِ ؟ ! مُعَاوِيَةُ صَاحِبُهُ وَصِهْرُهُ وَكَاتِبُهُ وَأَمِينُهُ عَلَى وَحْيِ اللَّهِ، وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " دَعَوْا لِي أَصْحَابِي وَأَصْهَارِي، فَمَنْ سَبَّهُمْ فَعَلَيْهِ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ". وَكَذَا قَالَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ عَنْبَسَةَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو تَوْبَةَ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ الْحَلَبِيُّ: مُعَاوِيَةُ سِتْرٌ لِأَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَإِذَا كَشَفَ الرَّجُلُ السِّتْرَ اجْتَرَأَ عَلَى مَا وَرَاءَهُ. وَقَالَ الْمَيْمُونِيُّ: قَالَ لِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ: يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ، إِذَا رَأَيْتَ رَجُلًا يَذْكُرُ أَحَدًا مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ بِسُوءٍ فَاتَّهِمْهُ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ. وَقَالَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ تَنَقَّصَ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَعَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ: أَيُقَالُ لَهُ رَافِضِيٌّ ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَجْتَرِ عَلَيْهِمَا إِلَّا وَلَهُ خَبِيئَةُ سُوءٍ، مَا انْتَقَصَ أَحَدٌ أَحَدًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَّا وَلَهُ دَاخِلَةُ سُوءٍ. وعَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ قَالَ: مَا رَأَيْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ضَرَبَ إِنْسَانًا قَطُّ إِلَّا إِنْسَانًا شَتَمَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَإِنَّهُ ضَرَبَهُ أَسْوَاطًا. وَقَالَ بَعْضُ السَّلَفِ: بَيْنَا أَنَا عَلَى جَبَلٍ بِالشَّامِ إِذْ سَمِعْتُ هَاتِفًا يَقُولُ: مَنْ أَبْغَضَ الصِّدِّيقَ فَذَاكَ زِنْدِيقٌ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَ عُمَرَ فَإِلَى جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرَ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَ عُثْمَانَ فَذَاكَ خَصْمُهُ الرَّحْمَنُ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَ عَلِيَّ فَذَاكَ خَصْمُهُ النَّبِيُّ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَ مُعَاوِيَهْ، سَحَبَتْهُ الزَّبَانِيَهْ، إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ الْحَامِيَهْ، وَيُرْمَى بِهِ فِي الْهَاوِيَهْ. وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي الْمَنَامِ وَعِنْدَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ وَعَلِيٌّ وَمُعَاوِيَةُ، إِذْ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَذَا يَنْتَقِصُنَا. فَكَأَنَّهُ انْتَهَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي لَا أَنْتَقِصُ هَؤُلَاءِ، وَلَكِنْ أَنْتَقِصُ هَذَا. يَعْنِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: وَيْلَكَ ! أَوَ لَيْسَ هُوَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي ؟ ! قَالَهَا ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَرْبَةً، فَنَاوَلَهَا مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ: جَأْ بِهَا فِي لَبَّتِهِ. فَضَرَبَهُ بِهَا، وَانْتَبَهْتُ فَبَكَّرْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، فَإِذَا ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ قَدْ أَصَابَتْهُ الذَّبْحَةُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَمَاتَ. وَهُوَ رَاشِدٌ الْكِنْدِيُّ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ عِيَاضٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ: مُعَاوِيَةُ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ الْكِبَارِ، وَلَكِنِ ابْتُلِيَ بِحُبِّ الدُّنْيَا. بعض من سيرة وأخبار معاوية بن أبي سفيان وَقَالَ الْعُتْبِيُّ: قِيلَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ: أَسْرَعَ إِلَيْكَ الشَّيْبُ. فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ لَا وَلَا أَزَالُ أَرَى رَجُلًا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ قَائِمًا عَلَى رَأْسِي يُلْقِحُ لِي كَلَامًا يُلْزِمُنِي جَوَابَهُ، فَإِنْ أَصَبْتُ لَمْ أُحْمَدْ، وَإِنْ أَخْطَأْتُ سَارَتْ بِهَا الْبُرُدُ. وَذَكَرَ ابْنَ جَرِيرٍ أَنَّ عَمْرَو بْنَ الْعَاصِ قَدِمَ فِي وَفْدِ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ فِي الطَّرِيقِ: إِذَا دَخَلْتُمْ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَلَا تُسَلِّمُوا عَلَيْهِ بِالْخِلَافَةِ ; فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ عَمْرٌو قَبْلَهُمْ قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِحَاجِبِهِ: أَدْخِلْهُمْ. وَأَوْعَزَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يُخَوِّفَهُمْ فِي الدُّخُولِ وَيُرْعِبَهُمْ، وَقَالَ: إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّ عَمْرًا قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي شَيْءٍ. فَلَمَّا أَدْخَلُوهُمْ عَلَيْهِ - وَقَدْ أَهَانُوهُمْ - جَعَلَ أَحَدُهُمْ إِذَا دَخَلَ يَقُولُ: السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَلَمَّا نَهَضَ عَمْرٌو مِنْ عِنْدِهِ قَالَ: قَبَّحَكُمُ اللَّهُ ! نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْ أَنْ تُسَلِّمُوا عَلَيْهِ بِالْخِلَافَةِ فَسَلَّمْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ ! وَذَكَرَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَنْ يُسَاعِدَهُ فِي بْناءِ دَارٍ بِاثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ جِذْعٍ مِنَ الْخَشَبِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَيْنَ دَارُكَ ؟ قَالَ: بِالْبَصْرَةِ. وَكَمِ اتِّسَاعُهَا ؟ قَالَ: فَرْسَخَانِ فِي فَرْسَخَيْنِ. قَالَ: لَا تَقُلْ دَارِي بِالْبَصْرَةِ، وَلَكِنْ قُلِ الْبَصْرَةُ فِي دَارِي. وَذَكَرَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا دَخَلَ بِابْنٍ مَعَهُ، فَجَلَسَا عَلَى سِمَاطِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَجَعَلَ وَلَدُهُ يَأْكُلُ أَكْلًا ذَرِيعًا، فَجَعَلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يُلَاحِظُهُ، وَجَعَلَ أَبُوهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْهَاهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَلَا يَفْطِنُ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا لَامَهُ أَبُوهُ، وَقَطَعَهُ عَنِ الدُّخُولِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَيْنَ ابْنُكَ التِّلْقَامَةُ ؟ قَالَ: اشْتَكَى. قَالَ: قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ أَكْلَهُ سَيُورِثُهُ دَاءً. قَالَ: وَنَظَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى رَجُلٍ وَقَفَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يُخَاطِبُهُ وَعَلَيْهِ عَبَاءَةٌ، فَجَعَلَ يَزْدَرِيهِ. فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّكَ لَا تُخَاطِبُ الْعَبَاءَةَ، إِنَّمَا يُخَاطِبُكَ مَنْ فِيهَا. وَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَفْضَلُ النَّاسِ مَنْ عَقَلَ وَحَلُمَ ; مَنْ إِذَا أُعْطِيَ شَكَرَ، وَإِذَا ابْتُلِيَ صَبَرَ، وَإِذَا غَضِبَ كَظَمَ، وَإِذَا قَدَرَ غَفَرَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَنْجَزَ، وَإِذَا أَسَاءَ اسْتَغْفَرَ. [مُحَاوَرَةُ جَارِيَةَ بْنِ قُدَامَةَ لِسَيِّدِنَا مُعَاوِيَةَ ؓ ] وَأَخْرَجَ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ: (قَدِمَ جَارِيَةُ بْنُ قَدَامَةَ السَّعْدِيُّ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ: جَارِيَةُ بْنُ قَدَامَةَ، قَالَ: وَمَا عَسَيْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ؟ هَلْ أَنْتَ إِلَّا نَحْلَةٌ؟ قَالَ: لَا تَفْعَلْ؛ فَقَدْ شَبَّهْتَنِي بِهَا حَامِيَةَ اللَّسْعَةِ، حُلْوَةَ الْبُسَاقِ، وَاللَّهِ مَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَّا كَلْبَةٌ تُعَاوِي الْكِلَابَ، وَمَا أُمَيَّةُ إِلَّا تَصْغِيرُ أَمَةٍ). وَأُخْرِجَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ قَالَ: (وَفَدَ جَارِيَةُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَنْتَ السَّاعِي مَعَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَالْمُوقِدُ النَّارَ فِي شُعَلِكَ، تَجُوسُ قُرًى عَرَبِيَّةً تَسْفِكُ دِمَاءَهُمْ؟. قَالَ جَارِيَةُ: يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ؛ دَعْ عَنْكَ عَلِيًّا، فَمَا أَبْغَضْنَا عَلِيًّا مُنْذُ أَحْبَبْنَاهُ، وَلَا غَشَشْنَاهُ مُنْذُ نَصَحْنَاهُ. قَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا جَارِيَةُ!! مَا كَانَ أَهْوَنَكَ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ إِذْ سَمَّوْكَ جَارِيَةَ. قَالَ: أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ كَنْتَ أَهْوَنَ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ؛ إِذْ سَمَّوْكَ مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ: لَا أُمَّ لَكَ. قَالَ: أُمٌّ مَا وَلَدَتْنِي، إِنَّ قَوَائِمَ السُّيُوفِ الَّتِي لَقِينَاكَ بِهَا بِصَفِّينَ فِي أَيْدِينَا!! قَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَتُهَدِّدُنِي؟! قَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَمْ تَمْلِكْنَا قَسْرَةً، وَلَمْ تَفْتَحْنَا عَنْوَةً، وَلَكِنْ أَعْطَيْتَنَا عُهُودًا وَمَوَاثِيقَ، فَإِنْ وَفَيْتَ لَنَا... وَفَيْنَا لَكَ، وَإِنْ تَرْغَبْ إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ.. فَقَدْ تَرَكْنَا وَرَاءَنَا رَجُلًا مِدَادًا، وَأَذْرُعًا شِدَادًا، وَأَسِنَّةً حِدَادًا، فَإِنْ بَسَطْتَ إِلَيْنَا فَتْرًا مِنْ غَدْرٍ.. دَلَفْنَا إِلَيْكَ بِبَاعٍ مِنْ خُتَرٍ. قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لَا أَكْثَرَ اللَّهُ فِي النَّاسِ أَمْثَالَكَ). وَأُخْرِجَ عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ الصَّحَابِيِّ: أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَلَسْتَ مِنْ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمَانَ؟ قَالَ: لَا، وَلَكِنِّي مِمَّنْ حَضَرَهُ فَلَمْ يَنْصُرْهُ، قَالَ: وَمَا مَنَعَكَ مِنْ نَصْرِهِ؟ قَالَ: لَمْ يَنْصُرْهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالْأَنْصَارُ، فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَمَا لَقَدْ كَانَ حَقُّهُ وَاجِبًا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَنْصُرُوهُ، قَالَ: فَمَا مَنَعَكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ نَصْرِهِ وَمَعَكَ أَهْلُ الشَّامِ؟ فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَمَا طَلَبِي بِدَمِهِ نُصْرَةً لَهُ؟! فَضَحِكَ أَبُو الطُّفَيْلِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَنْتَ وَعُثْمَانُ كَمَا قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ: لَا أُلْفِيَنَّكَ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ تَنْدُبُنِي وَفِي حَيَاتِيَ مَا زَوَّدْتَنِي زَادِي
Translation
✧ This is the biography of Muʿāwiyah, ؓ, and an account of some of his days, his rule, and what has been narrated regarding his virtues and excellences. He is Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Ṣakhr b. Ḥarb b. Umayyah b. ʿAbd Shams b. ʿAbd Manāf b. Quṣayy, the Qurashī, the Umawī, Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, the maternal uncle of the believers, and the scribe of the revelation of the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds. His mother was Hind bt. ʿUtbah b. Rabīʿah b. ʿAbd Shams. Muʿāwiyah embraced Islam in the year of the conquest, and it is narrated from him that he said: I embraced Islam on the day of al-Ḥudaybiyah (the treaty), but I concealed my Islam from my father. Then he learned of that and said to me: This is your brother Yazīd, and he is better than you, following the religion of his people. I said to him: I did not spare myself any effort. Muʿāwiyah said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Makkah in the ʿumrah of al-qaḍāʾ (the compensatory pilgrimage), and I indeed believed in him. Then when he entered in the year of the conquest, I made my Islam public, so I came to him and he welcomed me, and I wrote before him. Al-Wāqidī said: He took part with him in Ḥunayn, and he gave him a hundred camels and forty ūqiyyahs of gold, whose weight Bilāl weighed for him. He took part in al-Yamāmah, and some of them claimed that he was the one who killed Musaylimah the liar, as Ibn ʿAsākir related. It may be that he had a share in his killing; the one who stabbed him was Waḥshī, and Abū Dujānah Simāk b. Kharashah finished him off with the sword. His father was among the chiefs of Quraysh in the pre-Islamic era and held sole leadership among them after the day of Badr. Then when he embraced Islam, his Islam became excellent after that, and he had noble stances and praiseworthy contributions on the day of al-Yarmūk and before it and after it. Muʿāwiyah accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, wrote the revelation before him along with the scribes, and narrated many ḥadīths from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the two Ṣaḥīḥs and others from the Sunan and the Musnads. A group of the Companions and the Successors narrated from him. Attributes of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Abū Bakr b. Abī al-Dunyā said: Muʿāwiyah was tall, fair-skinned, handsome. When he laughed, his upper lip turned over, and he used to dye his hair. From Abū ʿAbd Rabbih who said: I saw Muʿāwiyah dyeing his beard yellow as if it were gold. Others said: He was fair-skinned, tall, with a receding hairline and white head and beard, dyeing them with henna and katam. He suffered facial paralysis at the end of his life, so he would cover his face and say: May Allah have mercy on a servant who prays for my well-being, for I have been struck in my best features and in what appears of me; were it not for my desire for Yazīd, I would have seen my right course. He was forbearing, dignified, a leader, a chief among the people, generous, just, and astute. Al-Shāfiʿī said: Abū Hurayrah said: I saw Hind in Makkah as if her face were a slice of the moon, and behind her her hindquarter was like that of a seated man. With her was a boy playing. A man passed by, looked at him, and said: I see a boy who, if he lives, will surely lead his people. Hind said: If he leads only his people, may Allah cause him to die. He is Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān. From ʿAlī b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Abī Sayf who said: One day Abū Sufyān looked at Muʿāwiyah while he was a boy and said to Hind: This son of mine has a large head, and he is worthy to lead his people. Hind said: His people only?! May I be bereaved of him if he does not lead all the Arabs. Hind used to carry him when he was small and say: Indeed my little son is noble-bred and generous, Beloved among his people, forbearing, Not foul-mouthed nor base, Nor weak-minded nor weary, The Ṣakhr of Banū Fihr, a leader through him, He does not belie expectation nor fail. He said: When ʿUmar appointed Yazīd b. Abī Sufyān to what he appointed him in Syria, Muʿāwiyah went out to him. Abū Sufyān said to Hind: How do you see it? Your son has become a follower of my son. She said: If the rope of the Arabs becomes tangled, you will learn where your son will fall compared to where my son will be. Muʿāwiyah's appointment over Syria When Yazīd b. Abī Sufyān died in the year 18 AH, and the messenger came to ʿUmar with news of his death, ʿUmar sent the messenger back to Syria with the appointment of Muʿāwiyah in place of his brother Yazīd. Then he consoled Abū Sufyān for his son Yazīd. Abū Sufyān said: O Commander of the Faithful, whom have you appointed in his place? He said: His brother Muʿāwiyah. He said: May your kinship be maintained, O Commander of the Faithful. Hind wrote to Muʿāwiyah in what she wrote to him: By Allah, O my son, seldom has a free woman given birth to one like you. This man has commissioned you for this matter, so act in obedience to him in what you like and dislike. His father said to him: O my son, these people of the Emigrants preceded us and we came later. Their precedence raised them, and our delay caused us to fall short. They became leaders and we became followers. They have appointed you over a significant part of their affairs, so do not oppose them, for you are running toward a goal, so strive for it. If you reach it, you will bequeath it to your descendants. Muʿāwiyah remained deputy over Syria during the caliphates of ʿUmar and ʿUthmān throughout the caliphate of ʿUthmān. In the year 27 AH he conquered the island of Cyprus, and the Muslims inhabited it for nearly sixty years during his time and after him. Conquests and jihad continued vigorously during his days in the lands of the Byzantines, the Franks, and others. When what happened between him and the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī happened, no conquest took place at all in those days, neither at his hands nor at ʿAlī's. The king of the Byzantines coveted Muʿāwiyah after he had humiliated and subdued him and overwhelmed and scattered his army. When the king of the Byzantines saw Muʿāwiyah occupied with the war against ʿAlī, he approached some of the lands with great armies and coveted him. Muʿāwiyah wrote to him: By Allah, if you do not desist and return to your lands, O accursed one, I will make peace with my cousin against you and will expel you from all your lands and will make the earth, vast as it is, narrow for you. At that the king of the Byzantines feared and withdrew, and sent seeking a truce. Then what happened regarding the arbitration happened, and likewise what followed until the time of his reconciliation with al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī as previously mentioned. The word was united upon Muʿāwiyah, and the subjects gathered to pledge allegiance to him in the year 41 AH as we have stated. He remained independent in authority during this period until this year in which his death occurred, while jihad in the lands of the enemy continued, the word of Allah was supreme, spoils came to him from the ends of the earth, and the Muslims were with him in comfort, justice, forbearance, and pardon. From Ibn ʿAbbās who said: Abū Sufyān said: O Messenger of Allah, three things grant them to me. He said: "Yes." He said: Appoint me as a commander so that I fight the disbelievers as I used to fight the Muslims. He said: "Yes." He said: And make Muʿāwiyah a scribe before you. He said: "Yes." And he mentioned the third, which was that he wanted to marry the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to his other daughter ʿAzzah bt. Abī Sufyān. He sought help in that from her sister Umm Ḥabībah. He said: "That is not lawful for me." Muʿāwiyah as scribe of the revelation of the Messenger of Allah The point is that Muʿāwiyah was among the scribes before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who wrote the revelation. From Ibn ʿAbbās who said: I was playing with the boys when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came. I said: He has come only for me. So I hid behind a door. He came to me and gave me a light push, then said: "Go and call Muʿāwiyah for me." He was writing the revelation. He said: I went and called him for him, and it was said: He is eating. I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: He is eating. He said: "Go and call him." I went to him a second time and it was said: He is eating. I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and informed him. The third time he said: "May Allah never fill his belly." He said: He was never full after that. Muʿāwiyah benefited from this supplication in his worldly life and his hereafter. As for the worldly life, when he became governor of Syria, he used to eat seven times a day. A large bowl with much meat and onions would be brought, and he would eat from it. He ate seven meals a day with meat and a great deal of sweets and fruit, and he would say: By Allah, I am not full, but I am tired. This is a blessing and a stomach that all kings desire. As for the hereafter, Muslim followed this ḥadīth with the ḥadīth that he, al-Bukhārī, and others narrated through multiple paths from a group of Companions, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "O Allah, I am only a human being, so any servant whom I have cursed or flogged or supplicated against, and he is not deserving of that, make it an expiation and a means of nearness by which You bring him near on the Day of Resurrection." Thus Muslim combined the first ḥadīth and this ḥadīth to form a virtue for Muʿāwiyah, and did not cite anything else for him. From Ibn ʿAbbās who said: Jibrīl came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: O Muḥammad, convey greetings of peace to Muʿāwiyah and enjoin good treatment of him, for he is the trustworthy one of Allah over His Book and His revelation, and what an excellent trustee. From Hishām b. ʿUrwah, from his father, from ʿĀʾishah who said: When it was the day of Umm Ḥabībah with the Prophet ﷺ, someone knocked at the door. The Prophet ﷺ said: "See who this is." They said: Muʿāwiyah. He said: "Give him permission." He entered with a pen on his ear that he had not used for writing. He said: "What is this pen on your ear, O Muʿāwiyah?" He said: A pen I have prepared for Allah and His Messenger. He said: "May Allah reward you well on behalf of your Prophet. By Allah, I did not appoint you as a scribe except through revelation from Allah, and I do nothing, small or great, except through revelation from Allah. How will it be with you if Allah clothes you with a shirt?" meaning the caliphate. Umm Ḥabībah stood up, sat before him, and said: O Messenger of Allah, will Allah clothe him with a shirt? He said: "Yes, but in it there are defects, defects, defects." She said: O Messenger of Allah, then supplicate to Allah for him. He said: "O Allah, guide him with guidance, keep him away from destruction, and forgive him in the hereafter and in this world." From al-ʿIrbāḍ b. Sāriyah al-Sulamī who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ calling us to the pre-dawn meal in the month of Ramadan: "Come to the blessed meal." Then I heard him say: "O Allah, teach Muʿāwiyah the Book and reckoning, and protect him from the punishment." From Abū Idrīs al-Khawlānī who said: When ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb dismissed ʿUmayr b. Saʿd from Syria and appointed Muʿāwiyah, the people said: He dismissed ʿUmayr and appointed Muʿāwiyah. ʿUmayr said: Do not mention Muʿāwiyah except with good, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "O Allah, guide through him." Al-Tirmidhī alone narrated it, and he said: It is gharīb. The virtue of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān The most authentic thing narrated regarding the virtue of Muʿāwiyah is the ḥadīth of Abū Ḥamzah, from Ibn ʿAbbās, that he was the scribe of the Prophet ﷺ since he embraced Islam. Muslim transmitted it in his Ṣaḥīḥ. From Ibn Abī Mulaykah who said: Muʿāwiyah performed witr after the evening prayer with one rakʿah, and with him was a freedman of Ibn ʿAbbās. He went to Ibn ʿAbbās and said: Leave him, for he accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. From Ibn Abī Mulaykah who said: It was said to Ibn ʿAbbās: Will you go to the Commander of the Faithful Muʿāwiyah? He did not perform witr except with one rakʿah! He said: He is correct; he is a jurist. From Muʿāwiyah who said: You pray a prayer that we accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and never saw him pray, and he forbade them. He meant the two rakʿahs after the afternoon prayer. From ʿUrwah, that ʿĀʾishah said: Hind bt. ʿUtbah came and said: O Messenger of Allah, there was no family on the face of the earth whose humiliation I loved more than your family, but today there is no family on the face of the earth whose honor I love more than your family. He said: "And also, by the One in whose hand is my soul." She said: O Messenger of Allah, Abū Sufyān is a stingy man. Is there any sin upon me if I feed our dependents from what belongs to him? He said: "No, according to what is reasonable." The praise is in his saying: "And also, by the One in whose hand is my soul." That is because he would love that Hind and her family and every disbeliever be humbled during their disbelief, but when they embraced Islam, he loved that they be honored, so Allah honored them, meaning her family. From Abū Umayyah ʿAmr b. Yaḥyā b. Saʿīd who said: I heard my grandfather narrate that Muʿāwiyah took the water vessel after Abū Hurayrah and followed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with it—Abū Hurayrah had been ill. While he was pouring water for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to perform ablution, he raised his head to him once or twice while performing ablution and said: "O Muʿāwiyah, if you are given authority over a matter, fear Allah and be just." Muʿāwiyah said: I continued to think that I would be tested with a task because of the Prophet's ﷺ words, until I was tested. Aḥmad alone narrated it. From ʿAwf b. Mālik al-Ashjaʿī who said: While I was sleeping in the church of John—which at that time was a mosque in which prayers were performed—I woke from my sleep and saw a lion walking before me. I jumped to my weapon, and the lion said: Wait, I was only sent to you with a message for you to convey. I said: Who sent you? He said: Allah sent me to you to convey greetings of peace to Muʿāwiyah and to inform him that he is among the people of Paradise. I said to him: Who is Muʿāwiyah? He said: Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān. Some of them said: When Hind was consoled for Yazīd b. Abī Sufyān—and he was not from her—it was said to her: He has made Muʿāwiyah governor in his place. She said: Would one like Muʿāwiyah be made a successor to anyone? By Allah, if all the Arabs gathered in full force and he were thrown among them, he would emerge from whichever side he wished. Others said: Muʿāwiyah was mentioned before ʿUmar, and he said: Leave the young man of Quraysh and the son of its chief. He is one who laughs in anger and is only reached through satisfaction, and one who does not take from above his head except from beneath his feet. From ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Baḥr, from a shaykh of his who said: When ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb came to Syria, Muʿāwiyah met him in a great procession. When he drew near to ʿUmar, he said to him: Are you the one with the great procession? He said: Yes, O Commander of the Faithful. He said: Despite what has reached me about the long waiting of those with needs at your door? He said: Despite what has reached you of that. He said: Why do you do this? He said: O Commander of the Faithful, we are in a land where the spies of the enemy are many, so it is necessary that the glory of authority appear in a way that frightens them. If you command me, I will do it, and if you forbid me, I will desist. ʿUmar said to him: O Muʿāwiyah, I have not asked you about anything except that you have left me like the roots of a molar. If what you said is true, it is the opinion of a shrewd man, and if it is false, it is the trick of a cultured man. He said: Then command me, O Commander of the Faithful. He said: I neither command you nor forbid you. A man said: O Commander of the Faithful, how well the young man emerged from what you presented to him! ʿUmar said: Because of the excellence of his sources and his references, we burdened him with what we burdened him. And from Aslam, the freedman of ʿUmar, who said: Muʿāwiyah came to us, and he was the whitest or most fair-skinned of people and the most handsome of them. He went out for the Pilgrimage with ʿUmar, and ʿUmar would look at him and admire him. Then he would place his finger on his back, then lift it up, and there would be something like the strap of a sandal [i.e., a mark], and he would say: 'Excellent! Excellent! We are, then, the best of people, since the best of this world and the Hereafter has been combined for us.' Muʿāwiyah said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, I shall tell you: we are in the land of baths and fertile countryside.' ʿUmar said: 'I shall tell you: what is the matter with your pampering yourself with the finest food and your sleeping in until the sun strikes your back, while those with needs are behind the door?' He said: When we came to Dhū Ṭuwā, Muʿāwiyah brought out a fine garment and put it on. ʿUmar detected from it a scent like perfume, and he said: 'One of you intends to go out for the Pilgrimage unkempt, until when he reaches the greatest of Allah's lands in sanctity, he brings out his two garments as if they had been in perfume and puts them on!' Muʿāwiyah said: 'I only wore them in order to enter among my clan or my people in them. By Allah, I have heard of your annoyance here and in Syria, and Allah knows that I have recognized modesty in it.' Then Muʿāwiyah took off the two garments and put on the two garments in which he had entered the state of iḥrām. And from Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Madanī, who said: ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, whenever he saw Muʿāwiyah, would say: 'This is the Chosroes of the Arabs.' And ʿAmr b. Yaḥyā b. Saʿīd al-Umawī said, on the authority of his grandfather, who said: Muʿāwiyah entered upon ʿUmar wearing a green fine garment, and the Companions looked at it. When ʿUmar saw that, he leapt at him with the whip and began striking him with it, while Muʿāwiyah said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, Allah! Allah! [Have mercy] on me.' ʿUmar returned to his seat, and the people said to him: 'Why did you strike him, O Commander of the Faithful, when there is none like him among your people?!' He said: 'By Allah, I have seen nothing but good, and nothing but good has reached me about him, but I saw him—and he gestured with his hand—so I wished to humble him.' Some of the narrations of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān: One hundred and sixty-three ḥadīths are narrated on his authority from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Narrated from him among the Companions: Ibn ʿAbbās, Ibn ʿUmar, Ibn al-Zubayr, Abū al-Dardāʾ, Jarīr al-Bajalī, al-Nuʿmān b. Bashīr, and others. And among the Successors: Ibn al-Musayyib, Ḥumayd b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, and others. And from Abū Maryam al-Azdī, who said: I entered upon Muʿāwiyah, and he said: 'How nice of you to come, Abū Fulān?'—which is a phrase the Arabs say—so I said: 'A ḥadīth I heard, I shall tell you of it. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "Whoever Allah, Mighty and Majestic, appoints over any affair of the Muslims and then hides himself from their need, their destitution, and their poverty, Allah will hide Himself from his need, his destitution, and his poverty."' He said: So he appointed a man over the people's needs. And from Abū Mijlaz, who said: Muʿāwiyah went out to the people, and they stood up for him, so he said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "Whoever loves that men stand up for him, let him take his seat in the Fire."' And from Muʿāwiyah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'If you pursue the faults of people, you will corrupt them—or: you will almost corrupt them.' Abū al-Dardāʾ said: 'A word that Muʿāwiyah heard and Allah benefited him by it.' It is unique to Abū Dāwūd. That is, he was of excellent conduct, good in overlooking, beautiful in pardon, abundant in concealment, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him. And it is established in the Two Ṣaḥīḥs from the ḥadīth of al-Zuhrī, with his chain, on the authority of Muʿāwiyah, that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: 'Whomever Allah wills good for, He gives him understanding in the religion. I am only a distributor, and Allah gives. A group of my community will continue to be manifest upon the truth, not harmed by those who forsake them or those who oppose them, until the command of Allah comes, and they are manifest.' And in a narration: 'And they are upon that.' The conquests of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān: Al-Layth b. Saʿd said: Muʿāwiyah conquered Caesarea in the year nineteen during the caliphate of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb. Others said: And he conquered Cyprus in the year five. And it is said: in the year seven. And it is said: twenty-eight, during the days of ʿUthmān. They said: And in the year of the expedition of the strait—meaning the strait of Constantinople—in the year thirty-two, the commander over the people that day was Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān, ؓ. And ʿUthmān united all of Syria under Muʿāwiyah, and Muʿāwiyah appointed Faḍālah b. ʿUbayd as judge after Abū al-Dardāʾ. What occurred between ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah, ؓ: Then there occurred what occurred between him and ʿAlī after the killing of ʿUthmān, on the basis of individual reasoning and opinion, and there took place between them a great battle, as we have mentioned before. The truth and correctness were with ʿAlī, and Muʿāwiyah is excused according to the majority of scholars, early and late. The authentic ḥadīths have testified to the Islam of both parties from the two sides: the people of Iraq and the people of Syria. As is established in the authentic ḥadīth: 'A deviant group will secede at a time of division among the Muslims, and the nearer of the two parties to the truth will kill them.' The deviant group was the Kharijites, and ʿAlī and his companions killed them. Then ʿAlī was killed, and Muʿāwiyah assumed sole authority over the affair in the year forty-one. He would campaign against the Byzantines twice every year: once in summer and once in winter, and he would command a man from his people to lead the people in the Pilgrimage. Muʿāwiyah led the people in the Pilgrimage in the year fifty, and his son Yazīd led the Pilgrimage in the year fifty-one. In that year, or the one after it, he sent him on a campaign to the lands of the Byzantines, and a great host of the leading Companions marched with him until he besieged Constantinople. It is established in the authentic ḥadīth: 'The first army that campaigns against Constantinople will be forgiven.' All of this has been mentioned before. And from al-Aʿmash, from Abū Ṣāliḥ, who said: The camel-driver would chant for ʿUthmān, saying: 'Indeed the commander after him is ʿAlī / and in al-Zubayr there is an approved successor.' Kaʿb said: 'Rather, it is the rider of the gray mule,' meaning Muʿāwiyah. Muʿāwiyah came to him and said: 'O Abū Isḥāq, do you say this, while here are ʿAlī and al-Zubayr and the companions of Muḥammad ﷺ?' He said: 'You are its rider.' And from ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī, that when ʿAlī sent Jarīr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Bajalī to Muʿāwiyah before the Battle of Ṣiffīn—and that was when ʿAlī resolved to march against Syria and gathered armies for that—he wrote with him a letter to Muʿāwiyah, mentioning that his allegiance was incumbent upon him, because the Emigrants and the Helpers had pledged allegiance to him. 'If you do not pledge allegiance, I will seek Allah's help against you and fight you. You have spoken much about the killers of ʿUthmān, so enter into what the people have entered, then bring the people to me for judgment, and I will hold you and them to the Book of Allah.' And so on, in a long discourse. Muʿāwiyah read it to the people, and Jarīr stood up and addressed the people. In his address, he commanded Muʿāwiyah to hear and obey, warned him against opposition and obstinacy, and forbade him from stirring up discord among the people and from striking one another with swords. Muʿāwiyah said to him: 'Wait until I take the opinion of the people of Syria.' After that, Muʿāwiyah ordered a crier, who called among the people: 'The congregational prayer!' When the people gathered, he ascended the pulpit and delivered a speech, saying: 'Praise be to Allah, who made the pillars of Islam as supports and the laws of faith as proof. Its lamp blazes with the Sunnah in the Holy Land, which Allah made the abode of the prophets and the righteous among His servants. He settled its people, the people of Syria, in it, and He approved them for it and approved it for them, because of what preceded in His hidden knowledge of their obedience and their sincere counsel to His friends therein, and their standing for His command, defending His religion and His sanctities. Then He made them a system for this community and great in the banners of goodness. Through them Allah repels the breakers of oaths and unites the affection of the believers. In Allah we seek help for what has become disordered of the affairs of the Muslims and for the distance that has come between them after closeness and affection. O Allah, grant us victory over a people who awaken the sleeping, frighten the secure, and desire the shedding of our blood and the terrifying of our path. Allah knows that we do not desire punishment for them, nor do we tear their veil. But Allah, the Praiseworthy, has clothed us in a garment of honor that we will not willingly remove as long as the echo answers, the dew falls, and guidance is known. We know that what has driven them to oppose us is transgression and envy toward us, so in Allah we seek help against them. O people, you know that I am the deputy of the Commander of the Faithful ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, and that I am the deputy of the Commander of the Faithful ʿUthmān over you, and that I have never appointed a man from among you to a disgrace. I am the heir of ʿUthmān and his paternal cousin. Allah Almighty said in His Book: "And whoever is killed unjustly, We have given his heir authority" [Sūrat al-Isrāʾ 17:33]. You know that he was killed unjustly, and I would like you to inform me of your own selves regarding the killing of ʿUthmān.' The people of Syria, all of them, said: 'Rather, we seek retribution for his blood.' They answered him to that and pledged allegiance to him, and they solemnly promised him to expend their lives and wealth in that matter, either to attain his vengeance or for Allah to extinguish their souls before that. When Jarīr saw the obedience of the people of Syria to Muʿāwiyah, it alarmed him and he was astonished at it. Muʿāwiyah said to Jarīr: 'If he appoints me over Syria and Egypt, I will pledge allegiance to him on condition that no one after him has allegiance over me.' Jarīr said: 'Write to ʿAlī whatever you wish, and I will write with you.' When the letter reached ʿAlī, he said: 'This is a deception. Al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah had asked me to appoint Muʿāwiyah over Syria while I was in Madinah, and I refused that, and I would not take those who lead astray as helpers.' Then he wrote to Jarīr to come to him, and he only arrived after the armies had gathered to ʿAlī. Muʿāwiyah wrote to ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ—who had withdrawn to Palestine when ʿUthmān was killed, and ʿUthmān had dismissed him from Egypt—summoning him to consult him about his affairs. He rode to him, and the two of them agreed upon war against ʿAlī. Al-Walīd b. ʿUqbah b. Abī Muʿayṭ said, regarding Muʿāwiyah's letter to ʿAlī when he asked him for the deputyship of Syria and Egypt, and he wrote to Muʿāwiyah censuring him and blaming him for that, alluding to matters regarding him: 'Muʿāwī, Syria is your Syria, so hold fast / to your Syria; do not let vipers enter upon you. And defend it with tribes and spears, / and be not slack-armed and weak. For ʿAlī is watching how you answer him, / so present to him a war that turns forelocks white. Otherwise, submit; for in safety there is rest / for one who does not desire war, so choose, Muʿāwī. Indeed, a letter, O son of Ḥarb, that you wrote / out of greed brings calamities upon you. You asked ʿAlī for what you cannot attain, / and even if you attained it, only nights would remain, Until you see from him that after which there is / no survival; so do not multiply hopes upon yourself. Would one like ʿAlī be deceived by a trick? / What you have already experienced is enough. If his claws once clung to you, / he would shave you, O son of Hind, after you were shod.' And it has been reported from more than one source that Abū Muslim al-Khawlānī and a group with him entered upon Muʿāwiyah and said to him: 'Do you dispute with ʿAlī, or are you like him?' He said: 'By Allah, I know that he is better than me and more virtuous and more entitled to the affair than I. But do you not know that ʿUthmān was killed unjustly, and I am his paternal cousin, and I seek his blood, and his affair is referred to me? So say to him: let him hand over to me the killers of ʿUthmān, and I will hand over his affair to him.' They went to ʿAlī and spoke to him about that, but he did not hand over anyone to them. At that, the people of Syria resolved to fight with Muʿāwiyah. And from ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī or Abū Jaʿfar al-Bāqir, who said: ʿAlī sent a man to Damascus to warn them that ʿAlī had marched against them with the people of Iraq, in order to ascertain their obedience to Muʿāwiyah. When he arrived, Muʿāwiyah ordered a crier, and it was announced among the people: 'The congregational prayer!' They filled the mosque, and then he ascended the pulpit and said in his address: 'ʿAlī has marched against you with the people of Iraq. What is your opinion?' Each of them struck his chest, and not one of them spoke or raised their eyes to him. Dhū al-Kalāʿ stood up and said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, yours is the opinion, and ours is the action.' Then Muʿāwiyah announced among the people: 'Go out to your camp in three days, and whoever lags behind has brought peril upon himself.' They all gathered, and that man rode back to ʿAlī and informed him. ʿAlī ordered a crier, who called: 'The congregational prayer!' They gathered, and he ascended the pulpit and said: 'Muʿāwiyah has gathered the people to fight you. What is your opinion?' Each group among them spoke, and their words became confused with one another, so ʿAlī did not understand anything of what they said. He descended from the pulpit saying: 'Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we return. By Allah, the son of the eater of livers has taken it.' Then there occurred between the two parties at Ṣiffīn what occurred. And from Abū ʿUbaydah, who said: Muʿāwiyah said: 'I had placed my foot in the stirrup and was on the point of fleeing on the day of Ṣiffīn, but nothing prevented me except the saying of Ibn al-Iṭnābah when he said: 'My chastity forbade me, and my tribulation forbade, / and my taking praise at a profitable price, And my forcing myself upon what is disliked, / and my striking the head of the frowning hero, And my saying, whenever it heaved and surged: / "Stay where you are; you will be praised or find rest."' And from Imām Aḥmad, that he said: 'The caliphs are Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī.' It was said to him: 'And Muʿāwiyah?' He said: 'No one was more entitled to the caliphate in the time of ʿAlī than ʿAlī, and may Allah have mercy on Muʿāwiyah.' And ʿAlī b. al-Madīnī said: I heard Sufyān b. ʿUyaynah say: 'There was no quality in ʿAlī that disqualified him from the caliphate, and there was no quality in Muʿāwiyah with which he could contend against ʿAlī.' It was said to Sharīk al-Qāḍī: 'Was Muʿāwiyah forbearing?' He said: 'He is not forbearing who treated the truth foolishly and fought ʿAlī.' Ibn ʿAsākir narrated it. And Sufyān al-Thawrī said, from Ḥabīb, from Saʿīd b. Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbās, that he mentioned Muʿāwiyah and that he made the talbiyah on the evening of ʿArafah, and he spoke harshly about him concerning that. Then he learned that ʿAlī made the talbiyah on the evening of ʿArafah, so he left it. And from ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, who said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a dream, with Abū Bakr and ʿUmar sitting beside him. I greeted and sat down. While I was sitting, ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah were brought, and they were both admitted into a house, and the door was shut while I watched. It was not quicker than that ʿAlī came out saying: 'It has been judged in my favor, by the Lord of the Kaʿbah!' Then it was not quicker than that Muʿāwiyah came out saying: 'I have been forgiven, by the Lord of the Kaʿbah!' Ibn ʿAsākir narrated from Abū Zurʿah al-Rāzī that a man said to him: “I detest Muʿāwiyah.” He asked him: “Why?” He said: “Because he fought ʿAlī.” Abū Zurʿah said to him: “Woe to you! The Lord of Muʿāwiyah is a merciful Lord, and the opponent of Muʿāwiyah is a noble opponent, so what business do you have getting between the two of them?!” ؓ Imām Aḥmad was asked about what occurred between ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah, and he recited: “That was a nation which has passed on. It will have what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do” [al-Baqarah: 134]. And more than one of the Salaf said likewise. Al-Awzāʿī said: Al-Ḥasan was asked about what occurred between ʿAlī and ʿUthmān, and he said: “This one had a precedence, and this one had a precedence; this one had kinship, and this one had kinship. This one was tested, and this one was spared.” And he was asked about what occurred between ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah, and he said: “This one had kinship, and this one had kinship; this one had a precedence, and this one had no precedence, so both were tested.” The comparison between ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah Kulthūm b. Jawshan said: Al-Naḍr Abū ʿUmar asked al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī: “Is Abū Bakr more virtuous or ʿAlī?” He said: “Glory be to God! They are not equal. ʿAlī had precedences in which Abū Bakr shared, and ʿAlī brought about matters in which Abū Bakr did not share; Abū Bakr is more virtuous.” He said: “Is ʿUmar more virtuous or ʿAlī?” He said the like of his first statement, then said: “ʿUmar is more virtuous.” Then he said: “Is ʿUthmān more virtuous or ʿAlī?” He said the like of his first statement, then said: “ʿUthmān is more virtuous.” He said: “Is ʿAlī more virtuous or Muʿāwiyah?” He said: “Glory be to God! They are not equal. ʿAlī had precedences in which Muʿāwiyah did not share, and ʿAlī brought about matters in which Muʿāwiyah shared; ʿAlī is more virtuous than Muʿāwiyah.” It has been narrated from al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī that he criticized Muʿāwiyah for four things: his fighting ʿAlī, his killing of Ḥujr b. ʿAdī, his attaching Ziyād b. Abīhi, and his pledging allegiance to his son Yazīd. The news of the killing of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib reached Muʿāwiyah Jarīr b. ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd said, from Mughīrah: When the news of the killing of ʿAlī reached Muʿāwiyah, he began to weep. His wife said to him: “Do you weep for him when you fought him?” He said: “Woe to you! You do not know what the people have lost of excellence, understanding, and knowledge.” In another narration, she said to him: “Yesterday you fought him, and today you weep for him?!” I say: The killing of ʿAlī was in Ramaḍān of the year forty, as we have previously stated. Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān assumed the caliphate For this reason al-Layth b. Saʿd said: Muʿāwiyah received the pledge of allegiance of the community in Jerusalem, and he entered Kufa in the year forty. The correct view, stated by Ibn Isḥāq and the majority, is that he received the pledge in Jerusalem in Ramaḍān of the year forty, when the people of Syria learned of the killing of ʿAlī, but he entered Kufa only after al-Ḥasan made peace with him in Rabīʿ al-Awwal of the year forty-one, which is the Year of the Community, at a place called Adhruḥ. It is also said: at Maskin, in the land of the Sawād of Iraq, near al-Anbār. Muʿāwiyah then held sole authority until he died in the year sixty. Some said: The inscription on Muʿāwiyah's signet ring was: “For every deed there is a reward.” Others said: Rather it was: “There is no strength except through God.” From Saʿīd b. Suwayd, who said: Muʿāwiyah led us in the Friday prayer at al-Nukhaylah—that is, outside Kufa—in the forenoon, then he delivered a sermon to us and said: “I did not fight you so that you would fast, or pray, or perform pilgrimage, or pay zakāt. I knew that you would do that. But I fought you only to rule over you, and God has given me that while you are unwilling.” From al-Zuhrī: Muʿāwiyah followed the practice of ʿUmar for two years without deviating from it, then he fell short. From Sufyān b. al-Layl, who said: I said to al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī when he came from Kufa to Madinah: “O humiliator of the believers.” He said: “Do not say that, for I heard my father say: ‘The days and nights will not pass until Muʿāwiyah reigns.’ So I knew that God's decree would occur, and I disliked that the blood of Muslims be shed between me and him.” From al-Ḥārith al-Aʿwar, who said: ʿAlī said after returning from Ṣiffīn: “O people, do not dislike the rule of Muʿāwiyah, for if you lost him, you would see heads fall from their shoulders like colocynths.” From al-Aswad b. Yazīd, who said: I said to ʿĀʾishah: “Are you not amazed at a man from the ṭulaqāʾ who disputes with the Companions of Muḥammad ﷺ over the caliphate?” She said: “What is amazing about that? It is God's authority, which He gives to the righteous and the wicked. Pharaoh ruled the people of Egypt for four hundred years.” From al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad: When Muʿāwiyah came to Madinah intending to perform the pilgrimage, he entered upon ʿĀʾishah. They spoke privately, and no one witnessed their conversation except Dhakwān Abū ʿAmr, the freedman of ʿĀʾishah. She said: “Do you feel safe that I might hide a man for you who would kill you for your killing of my brother Muḥammad?” He said: “You have spoken the truth.” Muʿāwiyah then spoke with her. When he finished his conversation with her, ʿĀʾishah pronounced the testimony of faith, then she mentioned what God had sent His Prophet ﷺ with of guidance and the religion of truth, and what the caliphs after him had established as sunnah, and she urged Muʿāwiyah to follow their command. She spoke about that and did not hold back. When she finished her speech, Muʿāwiyah said to her: “By God, you are the one knowledgeable in the affair of the Messenger of God ﷺ, the sincere counselor, the compassionate, the eloquent in admonition. You have urged toward good and commanded it, and you have not commanded us except what is for us, and you are worthy of being obeyed.” She and Muʿāwiyah spoke at length. When Muʿāwiyah rose, he leaned on Dhakwān and said: “By God, I have never heard an orator, other than the Messenger of God ﷺ, more eloquent than ʿĀʾishah.” From ʿAlqamah b. Abī ʿAlqamah, from his mother, who said: Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān came to Madinah and sent to ʿĀʾishah: “Send me the woolen cloak of the Messenger of God ﷺ and his hair.” She sent them with me, and I carried them until I entered upon him with them. He took the cloak and put it on, and he took the hair and called for water, then he washed it and drank the water, and poured the rest over his skin. From al-Shaʿbī, who said: When Muʿāwiyah came to Madinah in the Year of the Community, men from the notables of Quraysh met him and said: “Praise be to God who has made your victory mighty and exalted your affair.” He did not answer them until he entered Madinah. He made for the mosque, ascended the pulpit, praised God and extolled Him, then said: “Now then, by God, I did not take charge of your affairs when I took them while knowing that you are not pleased with my rule and do not love it, and I am aware of what is in your hearts. But I wrested it from you with this sword of mine, a wresting. I tried to force myself to follow the practice of Ibn Abī Quḥāfah, but I did not find myself able to do that. I tried it on the practice of Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, but it was even more averse. I attempted it on the model of the ways of ʿUthmān, but it refused me. And where is the like of those men? Far be it that anyone after them should reach their excellence; may God's mercy and good pleasure be upon them. However, I have taken a path in which there is benefit for me and the like of that for you, and for each there is good eating and fine drinking as long as conduct is upright and obedience is good. If you do not find me the best of you, then I am best for you. By God, I will not raise the sword against one who has no sword with him. And whatever has gone before of what you know, I have put it behind my ear. If you do not find me fulfilling all of your rights, then be content with some of them from me, for it is not a matter of an egg and its chick. A flood, when it comes continuously—even if little—suffices. Beware of discord, and do not aspire to it, for it corrupts livelihood, muddies blessing, and brings about extermination. I ask God's forgiveness for me and for you.” Then he descended. The lexicographers said: “al-qāʾibah” is the egg, and “al-qūb” is the chick; the egg “qābat taqūbu” when it cracks open to reveal the chick. The apparent meaning is that this sermon was delivered in the year of the pilgrimage in the year forty-four, or in the year fifty, not in the Year of the Community. The first pilgrimage Muʿāwiyah performed after the people united behind him From Ṣāliḥ b. Kaysān: Muʿāwiyah came to Madinah for the first pilgrimage he performed after the people united behind him. Al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn and men from Quraysh met him. He made his way to the house of ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān. When he drew near to the door of the house, ʿĀʾishah bt. ʿUthmān cried out and lamented her father. Muʿāwiyah said to those with him: “Return to your homes, for I have a need in this house.” They departed, and he entered. He calmed ʿĀʾishah and told her to refrain, saying to her: “O daughter of my brother, the people have given us authority, and we have shown them forbearance under which there is anger, and they have shown us obedience under which there is rancor. We have sold them this, and they have sold us that. If we give them other than what they purchased, they will be stingy with their rights. With every one of them there is a faction, and he sees the position of his faction. If we break faith with them, they will break faith with us, and then we will not know whether the turn of fortune will be for us or against us. For you to be the daughter of ʿUthmān, the Commander of the Believers, is better than being a slave woman among the slave women of the Muslims. And what a fine successor I am for you after your father.” From Saʿīd b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, who said: When ʿUthmān was killed, the people had no expedition to send out, until the Year of the Community, when Muʿāwiyah sent out sixteen expeditions against the land of the Byzantines. A raiding party would go out in the summer and winter in the land of the Byzantines, then return and be followed by another. Among those he sent was his son Yazīd, with a host of Companions. He crossed the strait with them, and they fought the people of Constantinople at its gate, then he returned with them. The last thing Muʿāwiyah enjoined The last thing Muʿāwiyah enjoined was that he said: “Tighten the noose on the Byzantines.” From al-Zuhrī, who said: Muʿāwiyah led the people in the pilgrimage twice during the days of his caliphate, and his days were twenty years less a month. Abū Bakr b. ʿAyyāsh said: Muʿāwiyah led the people in the pilgrimage in the year forty-four and the year fifty. Others said: in the year fifty-one. God knows best. From Busr b. Saʿīd, that Saʿd b. Abī Waqqāṣ said: “I have not seen anyone after ʿUthmān more just in upholding truth than the owner of this door”—meaning Muʿāwiyah. From al-Miswar b. Makhramah, that he visited Muʿāwiyah as a delegate. He said: When I entered upon him—I think he said: I greeted him—he said: “What has become of your criticism of the imams, O Miswar?” He said: I said: “Leave off this with us, and be good in what we have come for.” He said: “You must speak to me from your own soul.” He said: I did not leave anything for which I found fault with him but I told him about it. He said: “No one is free of sins. Do you have sins that you fear will destroy you if God does not forgive you?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “What makes you more deserving to hope for forgiveness than me? By God, what I undertake of setting things right among the people, establishing the prescribed punishments, striving in the path of God, and the great matters that we enumerate and that we do not enumerate is more than what you undertake. And I follow a religion in which God accepts good deeds and pardons evil deeds. By God, if I were given the choice between God and other than Him, I would choose God over all else.” He said: I reflected when he said what he said, and I knew that he had defeated me. He said: After that, when al-Miswar mentioned him, he would pray for good for him. From al-ʿUtbī, who said: Muʿāwiyah said: “O people, I am not the best of you, and among you there are those who are better than me: ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar, ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmr, and others among the virtuous. But perhaps I may be more beneficial to you in governance, more destructive to your enemy, and more abundant in provision for you.” From the sermons of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān From Yūnus b. Ḥalbis, who said: I heard Muʿāwiyah on the pulpit of Damascus on a Friday saying: “O people, understand my words, for you will not find anyone more knowledgeable in the affairs of this world and the hereafter than me. Straighten your faces and your rows in prayer. You will straighten your faces and your rows, or God will surely put discord between your hearts. Restrain the hands of your foolish ones, or God will surely set them over you, and they will make you taste evil torment. Give charity, and let not a man say: ‘I am of little means,’ for the charity of one of little means is more excellent than the charity of the rich. Beware of slandering chaste women, and of a man's saying: ‘I heard’ and ‘It reached me.’ For if one of you slandered a woman in the time of Noah, he would be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection.” The humility of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Muʿāwiyah was humble. He had no whips except like the children's whips they call makhārīq, with which he would strike people. From Yūnus b. Maysarah b. Ḥalbis, who said: I saw Muʿāwiyah in the market of Damascus, with a servant riding behind him, wearing a shirt patched at the collar, moving through the markets of Damascus. Al-Aʿmash said, from Mujāhid, that he said: “If you had seen Muʿāwiyah, you would have said: ‘This is the Mahdī.’” From Ibn ʿUmar, who said: “I have not seen anyone more dark-skinned than Muʿāwiyah.” He said: I said: “Not even ʿUmar?” He said: “ʿUmar was better than him, but Muʿāwiyah was darker than him.” Muʿāwiyah, the first of the kings From Ibn Abī ʿUtbah, from a shaykh of the people of Madinah, who said: Muʿāwiyah said: “I am the first of the kings.” From Ibn Shawdhab, who said: Muʿāwiyah used to say: “I am the first of the kings and the last of the caliphs.” I say: The Sunnah is that Muʿāwiyah should be called “king” and not “caliph,” because of the ḥadīth of Safīnah, that the Messenger of God ﷺ said: “The caliphate after me is thirty years, then it will be a biting kingship.” The forbearance of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān ʿAbd al-Malik b. Marwān said one day, mentioning Muʿāwiyah: “I have not seen the like of him in his forbearance, his endurance, and his generosity.” Qabīṣah b. Jābir said: “I have not seen anyone greater in forbearance, more abundant in nobility, more deliberate in patience, gentler in manner, or more open-handed in kindness than Muʿāwiyah.” Some said: A man made Muʿāwiyah hear harsh words. It was said to him: “Why do you not pounce upon him?” He said: “I would be ashamed that my forbearance should be too narrow for any one of my subjects.” In another narration: A man said to him: “O Commander of the Believers, how forbearing you are!” He said: “I would be ashamed that a man's offense should be greater than my forbearance.” Al-Aṣmaʿī said, from al-Thawrī, who said: Muʿāwiyah said: “I would be ashamed that a sin should be greater than my pardon, or an ignorance greater than my forbearance, or a fault that I do not cover with my concealment.” Al-Shaʿbī and al-Aṣmaʿī, from his father, both said: Words passed between a man called Abū al-Jahm and Muʿāwiyah. Abū al-Jahm spoke words that distressed Muʿāwiyah. He lowered his head, then raised it and said: “O Abū al-Jahm, beware of the sultan, for he becomes angry with the anger of children and seizes with the seizing of a lion. A little of him overcomes much of the people.” Then he ordered that money be given to him. Abū al-Jahm said about that, praising Muʿāwiyah: We lean upon its sides as if, when we lean, we lean upon our father. We turn him over to test his two states, and we are informed from them of generosity and gentleness. Al-Aʿmash said: Al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī circumambulated with Muʿāwiyah, and Muʿāwiyah walked in front of him. Al-Ḥasan said: How much his buttocks resemble the buttocks of Hind. Muʿāwiyah turned to him and said: Indeed, that used to please Abū Sufyān. His sister's son ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Umm al-Ḥakam said to Muʿāwiyah: So-and-so reviles me. He said to him: Lower yourself so that it passes and leaves you behind. Ibn al-Aʿrābī said: A man said to Muʿāwiyah: I have never seen anyone more despicable than you. Muʿāwiyah said: Nay, one who confronts men with the like of this. Abū ʿAmr b. al-ʿAlāʾ said: Muʿāwiyah said: Nothing would please me in place of generosity except red camels. Some of them said: Muʿāwiyah said: O Banū Umayyah, draw near to Quraysh with forbearance, for by Allah, in the Jāhiliyyah I would meet a man and he would heap insults upon me while I would heap forbearance upon him, and I would return with him as my friend, seeking his aid and he would aid me, and rousing him and he would rise with me. Forbearance has never diminished the honor of a noble, nor added to him anything but generosity. He said: The bane of forbearance is abasement. He also said: A man does not attain the full measure of judgment until his forbearance overcomes his ignorance and his patience overcomes his desire, and he does not attain that except through the strength of forbearance. ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr said: May Allah reward the son of Hind well! By Allah, we would frighten him—and the lion upon its paws is not bolder than him—and he would feign fear for us. And we would try to deceive him—and no night-born creature among the people of the earth is more cunning than him—and he would pretend to be deceived for us. By Allah, I wish we could enjoy him as long as there is a stone in this mountain, and he pointed to Abū Qubays. A man said to Muʿāwiyah: Who is the noblest of people? He said: The most generous of them in soul when asked, the best of them in character in gatherings, and the most forbearing of them when provoked to ignorance. Abū ʿUbaydah Maʿmar b. al-Muthannā said: Muʿāwiyah often quoted these verses: Nothing kills foolishness like forbearance by which the forbearing man returns upon ignorance. Do not act foolishly, even if you are filled with anger against anyone, for obscenity is blame. And do not cut off a brother of yours for a sin, for the sin is forgiven by the generous. From Ibn ʿAbbās that he said: I have learned how Muʿāwiyah overcame the people: they, when they flew, he landed; and when they landed, he flew. Someone else said: Muʿāwiyah wrote to his deputy Ziyād: It is not proper that we govern the people with a single policy: with leniency, lest they become insolent, nor with harshness, lest we drive the people to destruction. But be you for harshness, roughness, and severity, while I will be for leniency, intimacy, and mercy. Thus, when anyone fears, he will find a door through which to enter. The Gifts of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Abū Mushir said, from Saʿīd b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, he said: Muʿāwiyah paid on behalf of ʿĀʾishah, the Mother of the Believers, eighteen thousand dinars that she owed. Hishām b. ʿUrwah said, from his father, he said: Muʿāwiyah sent to the Mother of the Believers ʿĀʾishah one hundred thousand, and she distributed it all on that same day, so not a dirham remained of it. Her maidservant said to her: Why did you not keep a dirham for us to buy meat with? She said: Had you reminded me, I would have done so. ʿAṭāʾ said: Muʿāwiyah sent to ʿĀʾishah—while she was in Makkah—a necklace worth one hundred thousand, and she accepted it. From ʿAbd Allāh b. Buraydah, he said: Al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī came to Muʿāwiyah, and he said: I will reward you with a gift with which no one before me has been rewarded. He gave him four hundred thousand thousand. Once al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn came to him as a delegation, and he immediately rewarded them with two hundred thousand, saying to them: No one before me has been rewarded with this. Al-Ḥusayn said to him: And you have not given anyone better than us. Abū Marwān al-Marwānī said: Muʿāwiyah sent to al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī one hundred thousand, and he said to his sitting companions: Whoever takes something, it is his. And he sent to al-Ḥusayn one hundred thousand, and he divided it among his sitting companions, who were ten, so each one received ten thousand. And he sent to ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar one hundred thousand, and his wife asked him for it as a gift, so he gave it all to her. And he sent to Marwān b. al-Ḥakam one hundred thousand, and he distributed fifty thousand of it and kept fifty thousand. And he sent to ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar one hundred thousand, and he distributed ninety thousand of it and kept ten thousand. Muʿāwiyah said: He is indeed moderate, loving moderation. And he sent to ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr one hundred thousand, and he said to the messenger: Why did you bring it by day? Would that you had brought it by night. Then he kept it with him and gave nothing of it to anyone. Muʿāwiyah said: He is indeed a cunning lizard; it is as if he has raised his tail and is cut off. Ibn Dābb said: ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar had from Muʿāwiyah every year one million, and along with it he fulfilled for him one hundred needs. He came to him one year, and he gave him the money and fulfilled the needs, but one need remained. While he was with him, the governor of Sijistān arrived asking Muʿāwiyah to grant him that land as his kingdom, and he promised whoever fulfilled this need for him one million from his own wealth. He went around to the chiefs of the commanders from the people of Syria and the commanders of Iraq, those who had come with al-Aḥnaf b. Qays, and all of them said to him: Go to ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar. The dihqān went to him, and Ibn Jaʿfar spoke to Muʿāwiyah about it, and he fulfilled his need, completing the hundred needs. He ordered the scribe, who wrote his covenant, and Ibn Jaʿfar took it out to the dihqān. He prostrated to him and carried to him one million dirhams. Ibn Jaʿfar said to him: Prostrate to Allah, and carry your wealth to your house, for we are a household that does not follow a good deed with reproach. That reached Muʿāwiyah, and he said: That Yazīd had said it would be dearer to me than the land tax of Iraq. The Banū Hāshim refuse anything but generosity. Someone else said: ʿAbd Allāh b. Jaʿfar had from Muʿāwiyah every year one million, and at some time a debt of five hundred thousand accumulated upon him. His creditors pressed him, and he asked them to wait until he went to Muʿāwiyah to ask him to advance him something from the grant. He rode to him, and he said to him: What has brought you, O Ibn Jaʿfar? He said: A debt whose creditors press me. He said: How much is it? He said: Five hundred thousand. He paid it on his behalf, and said to him: The one million will come to you at its time. From Qatādah, he said: Muʿāwiyah said: How strange is al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī! He drank a drink of Yemeni honey with water of Rūmah and fulfilled his term. Then he said to Ibn ʿAbbās: May Allah not grieve you nor disgrace you concerning al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī. Ibn ʿAbbās said to Muʿāwiyah: Allah will not disgrace me nor grieve me as long as Allah keeps the Commander of the Faithful. He said: So he gave him one million dirhams and goods and other things, and said: Take it and divide it among your family. Abū al-Ḥasan al-Madāʾinī said, from Salamah b. Muḥārib, he said: It was said to Muʿāwiyah: Which of you was nobler, you or the Banū Hāshim? He said: We were more numerous in nobles, and they had the noblest single one; there was no one like Hāshim in ʿAbd Manāf. When he perished, we were more in number and more in nobles, and among them was ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, and there was no one among us like them. Then we became more in number and more in nobles, and there was no single one among them like a single one of us. It was only like the settling of the eye until a thing came the like of which the first ones had not heard and the last ones will not hear: Muḥammad ﷺ. From Ibn ʿAbbās, that ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ related to Muʿāwiyah a dream in which he saw Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān being called to account for what they had been given authority over in their days, and he saw Muʿāwiyah with two men assigned to him calling him to account for what he had done in his days. Muʿāwiyah said to him: Did you not see there the dinars of Egypt?! From al-ʿUtbī, he said: ʿAmr entered upon Muʿāwiyah when a letter had come to him containing condolences for one of the Companions. Muʿāwiyah said "Indeed we belong to Allah," and ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ said: The righteous die while you are alive; deaths pass you by; you do not die. Muʿāwiyah said to him: Do you hope that I die while you are alive? I will not die until you die. Ibn al-Sammāk said: Muʿāwiyah said: I can satisfy all people except the envier of a blessing, for nothing satisfies him except its removal. From Abū Baḥriyyah, he said: Muʿāwiyah said: Manliness consists in four things: chastity in Islam, improvement of wealth, guarding of brothers, and guarding of the neighbor. From the Poetry of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Abū Bakr al-Hudhalī said: Muʿāwiyah used to compose poetry, but when he assumed the caliphate his family said to him: You have reached the pinnacle, so what will you do with poetry? One day he felt inspired and said: I released my foolishness and rested my forbearance, though in my feigned forbearance there is objection. Yet I respond when they call me to their needs, the languid eyes. The Firsts of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Mughīrah said, from al-Shaʿbī: The first to deliver a sermon sitting was Muʿāwiyah, when his fat increased and his belly grew large. Likewise Mughīrah narrated from Ibrāhīm that he said: The first to deliver a sermon sitting on Friday was Muʿāwiyah. Abū al-Malīḥ said, from Maymūn: The first to sit on the pulpit was Muʿāwiyah, and he sought the people's permission to sit. Qatādah said, from Saʿīd b. al-Musayyab: The first to call the adhān and iqāmah on the day of Fiṭr and the day of Sacrifice was Muʿāwiyah. Abū Jaʿfar al-Bāqir said: The doors of Makkah had no locks, and the first to make doors for them was Muʿāwiyah. From al-Zuhrī: The established practice was that a disbeliever does not inherit from a Muslim, nor a Muslim from a disbeliever. The first to make a Muslim inherit from a disbeliever was Muʿāwiyah, and the Banū Umayyah ruled accordingly after him, until ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz came and restored the practice, then Hishām reinstated what Muʿāwiyah and the Banū Umayyah after him had ruled. And he said: The established practice was that the blood money of a covenanted person is like the blood money of a Muslim, and Muʿāwiyah was the first to reduce it to half and take the half for himself. Statements of the Predecessors about Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān From al-Zuhrī, he said: I asked Saʿīd b. al-Musayyab about the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said to me: Listen, O Zuhrī: whoever dies loving Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī, and testifies that the ten are in Paradise, and asks mercy for Muʿāwiyah, it is incumbent upon Allah not to scrutinize his account. Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā b. Saʿīd said: Ibn al-Mubārak was asked about Muʿāwiyah, and he said: What can I say about a man to whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "May Allah hear the one who praises Him," and he said behind him: "Our Lord, and to You be praise"? It was said to him: Which is better, he or ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz? He said: Dust in the nostrils of Muʿāwiyah with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is better and more excellent than ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz. Someone else said, from Ibn al-Mubārak, he said: Muʿāwiyah is for us a test; whoever we see looking at him askance, we suspect him regarding the people—meaning the Companions. Al-Muʿāfā b. ʿImrān was asked: Which is better, Muʿāwiyah or ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz? He became angry and said to the questioner: Do you put a man from the Companions on the same level as a man from the Successors?! Muʿāwiyah was his companion, his in-law, his scribe, and his trustee over the revelation of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Leave my Companions and my in-laws alone, for whoever reviles them, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people." Likewise al-Faḍl b. ʿAnbasah said. Abū Tawbah al-Rabīʿ b. Nāfiʿ al-Ḥalabī said: Muʿāwiyah is a curtain over the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; if a man removes the curtain, he will be emboldened against what is behind it. Al-Maymūnī said: Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal said to me: O Abū al-Ḥasan, if you see a man mentioning any of the Companions with evil, suspect him regarding Islam. Al-Faḍl b. Ziyād said: I heard Abū ʿAbd Allāh being asked about a man who disparaged Muʿāwiyah and ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ: Is he to be called a Rāfiḍī? He said: He has not dared against them except that he harbors a hidden evil. No one disparages any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ except that he has an evil inner motive. From Ibrāhīm b. Maysarah, he said: I never saw ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz strike anyone at all except a man who reviled Muʿāwiyah; he struck him with lashes. Some of the early scholars said: While I was on a mountain in Syria, I heard a caller saying: Whoever hates al-Ṣiddīq is a heretic; whoever hates ʿUmar, to Hell in crowds; whoever hates ʿUthmān, his opponent is the Most Merciful; whoever hates ʿAlī, his opponent is the Prophet; and whoever hates Muʿāwiyah, the guardians of Hell will drag him to the scorching Hell and cast him into the abyss. Some of them said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a dream, with him Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, and Muʿāwiyah, when a man came. ʿUmar said: O Messenger of Allah, this one disparages us. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ seemed to rebuke him, and he said: O Messenger of Allah, I do not disparage these, but I disparage this one—meaning Muʿāwiyah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Woe to you! Is he not one of my Companions?! He said it three times. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took a spear and handed it to Muʿāwiyah, saying: Strike him with it in his throat. He struck him with it, and I woke up and went early to his house, and behold, that man had been struck with quinsy during the night and died. He was Rāshid al-Kindī. Ibn ʿAsākir narrated from al-Fuḍayl b. ʿIyāḍ that he used to say: Muʿāwiyah is one of the Companions, one of the great scholars, but he was tested with love of this world. Some of the Biography and Reports of Muʿāwiyah b. Abī Sufyān Al-ʿUtbī said: It was said to Muʿāwiyah: Gray hair has come upon you quickly. He said: How could it not, when I never cease to see a man of the Arabs standing at my head, crafting words for me that oblige me to answer; if I am correct, I am not praised, and if I err, the mounted messengers carry it far and wide. Ibn Jarīr mentioned that ʿAmr b. al-ʿĀṣ came in the delegation of the people of Egypt to Muʿāwiyah, and he said to them on the way: When you enter upon Muʿāwiyah, do not greet him with the caliphate, for he does not like that. When ʿAmr entered upon him before them, Muʿāwiyah said to his chamberlain: Admit them, and he instructed him to frighten them upon entering and terrify them, saying: I suspect that ʿAmr has already said something to them. When they admitted them—after they had humiliated them—one of them, upon entering, began to say: Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. When ʿAmr rose from his presence, he said: May Allah make you ugly! I forbade you from greeting him with the caliphate, and you greeted him with prophethood! He mentioned that a man asked Muʿāwiyah to help him build a house with twelve thousand wooden beams. Muʿāwiyah said to him: Where is your house? He said: In Baṣrah. And how wide is it? He said: Two parasangs by two parasangs. He said: Do not say "my house is in Baṣrah," but say "Baṣrah is in my house." He mentioned that a man entered with his son, and they sat at Muʿāwiyah's table. His son began to eat voraciously, and Muʿāwiyah kept glancing at him, while his father tried to stop him but he did not notice. When they left, his father rebuked him and prevented him from entering again. Then Muʿāwiyah said to him: "Where is your son, the devourer?" He replied: "He is ill." Muʿāwiyah said: "I knew that his eating would bring him illness." He said: Muʿāwiyah looked at a man who stood before him addressing him while wearing a cloak, and he began to disdain him. The man said: "O Commander of the Faithful, you are not addressing the cloak; it is the one inside it who addresses you." Muʿāwiyah said: "The best of people is one who is intelligent and forbearing; when given, he is grateful; when afflicted, he is patient; when angry, he suppresses his anger; when able, he forgives; when he promises, he fulfills; and when he does wrong, he seeks forgiveness." [The exchange of Jāriyah b. Qudāmah with our master Muʿāwiyah ؓ] Ibn ʿAsākir reported from ʿAbd al-Malik b. ʿUmayr that he said: (Jāriyah b. Qudāmah al-Saʿdī came to Muʿāwiyah, who asked: "Who are you?" He replied: "Jāriyah b. Qudāmah." Muʿāwiyah said: "And what can you be? Are you not but a bee?" He said: "Do not say that; you have likened me to it—a hot sting, sweet saliva. By Allah, Muʿāwiyah is nothing but a bitch that yelps at other dogs, and Umayyah is but a diminutive of amah [slave woman].") And it was reported from al-Faḍl b. Suwayd that he said: (Jāriyah b. Qudāmah came as a delegate to Muʿāwiyah, and Muʿāwiyah said to him: "Are you the one who strove with ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, and who kindled fire in your torch, roving through Arab villages shedding their blood?" Jāriyah said: "O Muʿāwiyah, leave aside ʿAlī; we have not hated ʿAlī since we loved him, nor have we deceived him since we gave him sincere counsel." He said: "Woe to you, O Jāriyah! How insignificant you were to your family when they named you Jāriyah [female slave]." He said: "You, O Muʿāwiyah, were more insignificant to your family when they named you Muʿāwiyah [bitch]?" He said: "May you have no mother." He said: "A mother who bore me! The hilts of the swords with which we met you at Ṣiffīn are in our hands!" He said: "Do you threaten me?" He said: "You did not possess us by force, nor did you conquer us by might, but you gave us covenants and pacts. If you fulfill them for us, we will fulfill them for you; and if you turn to something else, we have left behind us a man of great strength, strong arms, and sharp spearheads. If you extend to us a span of treachery, we will advance upon you with an arm of deception." Muʿāwiyah said: "May Allah not increase the likes of you among the people.") And it was reported from Abū al-Ṭufayl ʿĀmir b. Wāthilah, the Companion, that he entered upon Muʿāwiyah, who said to him: "Are you not one of the killers of ʿUthmān?" He replied: "No, but I was one of those who were present and did not help him." He said: "What prevented you from helping him?" He said: "The Muhājirūn and the Anṣār did not help him." Muʿāwiyah said: "Indeed, it was their duty to help him." He said: "What prevented you, O Commander of the Faithful, from helping him, when you had the people of Syria with you?" Muʿāwiyah said: "Is not my seeking his blood a form of helping him?" Abū al-Ṭufayl laughed, then said: "You and ʿUthmān are as the poet said: Lā ulfiyannaka baʿda al-mawti tandubunī wa-fī ḥayātī mā zawwadtanī zādī"
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