Umayyad Dynasty - Shiites Trials and How They Were Affected

Islam and its followers had a rocky start in the beginning. As the religion grew many rejected its teaching but many also received it freely. Of course, there were differences in beliefs and views, but in the end, Muhammad could guide the umma. It was not until the rise of the Umayyad Dynasty that Islam had very evident splits. Even though the first caliphal Dynasty rose to power through deception and years of finagling, they had a revolutionary and profound historical effect on Islam.

When the Prophet Muhammad died in 632 CE, he left behind an immense number of followers who were not prepared to deal with the next step within their convention. The biggest qualm out of all their uncertainties was, who was going to lead the believers from then. It was at this point that it was decided that the father in law of the Prophet who was also called Abu Bakr, would assume the position as the first caliph. This decision caused a slight rift and rise in internal atrocities. There was a group of Muslims known as the Shiat Ali or Alis Party, that believed Ali, the Prophets closest companion, and son-in-law, was the only rightful successor as directed to them by Muhammad himself. They also believed that he was the one true Imam of the time. Nevertheless, Abu Bakr assumed the position, and after himself he appointed Umar. Umar was caliph from 634 to 644 CE. Consequently, he appointed leaders of the community to select the next caliph upon his death. Uthman, the first Umayyad caliph, was then appointed in 644 CE.

Caliph Uthman was not popular, and some even detested him. His style of leadership resembled that of an aristocrat with his lavish lifestyle and frequent indulgences with money that did not belong to him. He was also guilty of nepotism. Within a few years of his reign, the Umayyads oversaw governing the major provinces of Kufa, Basra, Syria and Egypt thus giving them an abundance of power. In 656 CE, qurra' rebels from Kufa, Basra, and Egypt marched on Medina and killed Uthman. Ali arrived at the scene first and immediately upon hearing what happened, he hit both al-Hasan and al-Husayn and chastised them for not saving the caliph. As disdain grew for Uthman, support grew for Ali. It was evident then that Ali was the favored next in line caliph.

Ali had the full support of the Shia. The Shia believed that they had finally had their rightful leader. After all, for them the only possible successor was Ali. He is not to be confused with a caliph though. For the Shias he is much more than that. He is their imam, the infallible leader chosen by Muhammad through God himself. The Shias believe that only certain people can be Imams due their inheriting abilities to interpret the Koran correctly, being able to lead the people closer to Allah such as the Prophet did, as well a natural divine ability they possessed. This divine ability is not to be confused with the prophet who is a divine guide that has revelations from God himself.

The Shias put a lot of power into their support of Ali as Imam because he was the Prophet's choice. On Muhammads last pilgrimage, he and his followers stopped at Ghadir Khum, situated on the road to Mecca from Medina. He prayed with his disciples, and after that, he gathered their attention and asked them if they thought Ali was superior as compared to the average person. They replied, It is so, O Apostle of God. Muhammad then told him that he is the mawla, Ali is also the mawla. This solidifies the clear expectation of the Prophet in declaring Ali as his successor as Imam of the believers. Ali was in accordance with truth and guidance, this made all else illicit.

The Koran is also used to prove the Shias truth that it should have been Ali all along, not Abu Bakr. In Sura 19:58, the Koran is interpreted by the Shia as saying that the Prophet is a direct descendant of Abraham. It says in the verse that these are who God has blessed among the seed of Abraham. In Sura 4:54, it is clear that God gives Abraham's people the Book, the Wisdom, and the mighty Kingdom. Shi'as claims this past verse refers to Sura 19:58. There are several other verses used to make their point, but in the end, Muhammad is a descendant of Abraham, Abraham's seed is blessed, therefore so is Muhammad's. This, in turn, includes and supports his choice of Ali.

Ali was hesitant to take on the role of the caliph. He realized that the acceptance of the position might incriminate him regarding Uthman's death and he did not want to cause unrest either. Ali would become the first Imam of the Shia and the fourth caliph of the believers in 656 CE. The new Caliph made it clear that he would rule by the Koran, the Sunna, or customs, of the Prophet and that he would be a fair and just ruler no matter the situation. From the very beginning, he encountered situations that far outweighed the detrimental effect of the former caliphs troubles. As he suspected, there was much strife concerning the death of Syrian Governor Muawiyas uncle. From his position, Muawiya demanded that Ali disciplines the assassins for his uncle's vengeance. Ali tried to remain calm in the situation and find a peaceful solution. He made Muawiya and everyone else aware that Uthmans murderers had escaped and that he thought they had acted as careless pre-Islam Arabs. If they returned, Ali told Muawiya that he would deal with them justly. That was not enough for Muawiya and seeing the conditions under which Ali came to power; he was prepared to use that against him. Muawiya accused Ali of being inferior for the caliphate. Upon Alis legitimacy being publicly questioned and denounced, he realized that there was going to be no such peaceful remedy for the situation.

It soon became evident that there was some opposition to Ali. Even Muhammads widow, Aisha, had turned against Ali which is ironic considering she was among the people who detested Uthman. At this point, Muawiya made it clear that he was going to use his military as a tool of influence. It was common knowledge that he was readying his troops. So, Aisha, along with some other defectors, had rallied together in Iraq to try to cut Ali off. He returned with enough forces from Kufa to defeat her in the Battle of the Camel in 656 CE. Aisha was captured and sent back to Medina. Ali had to carry on meeting Muawiyas forces in Syria. It was in the Battle of Siffin in 657 CE when Muawiya convinced Ali to call stalemate and discuss a peaceful resolution. Ali agreed even though it appeared as if he was about to gain the victory. This angered some of Alis followers. In 661 CE, a fatal piercing from a poisonous sword struck Ali by a radical inside the mosque of Kufa and murdered him. This closed one era and opened another. At the death of Ali, there came not only political changes but prominent social, cultural and religious ones that caused permanent divides among the believers.

When news of Ali's death made it to Muawiya, he knew just what he needed to do to procure his future, get to al-Hasan, Alis son, quickly. Upon Alis death, around forty-thousand people in Kufa had already pledged allegiance to his son, who is Muhammads grandson. Qays ibn Sad, one of Alis closest companions, was the first person to render allegiance to al-Hasan. Qays ibn Sad said to al-Hasan, Hold out your hand, and I will pledge allegiance to you on condition [that you follow] the Book of God, Almighty and Great, and the example (Sunnah) of His Prophet, and fight the violators." Then al-Hasan replied, "on condition [that I follow] the Book of God and the example of His Prophet, for that includes every stipulation." Those present then affirmed their allegiance. Qays ibn Sad attempted to get al-Hasan to agree to the third condition of war but he deflected it. Qays ibn Sad and the Iraqis had uncertainties about al-Hasan not proclaiming outright that he would war if needed. They even got so offended as to say that al-Hasan was no master for them because he does not want to fight. He was attacked and wounded from being stabbed shortly thereafter.

Muawiya had already declared publicly in both letters and speeches that he would not acknowledge al-Hasan as caliph. Immediately he started sending out proxies to push others in provinces to not recognize al-Hasan as caliph and to even incite the opposition. He called upon the commanders of forces in Palestine, Syria, and Transjordan and by the time they joined Muawiya, there were sixty thousand men at his side, all against al-Hasan. Al-Hasan sent Qays ibn Sad out on the front lines ahead of him with twelve thousand men. Unfortunate to al-Hasan, while he was still in Medina, someone circulated that Qays ibn Sad has been killed and to run. This caused some troops to scatter, and others even plundered al-Hasan and his possessions in his tent. A particularly frustrated al-Hasan finally realized that this conflict was out of his control and his disdain grew for the people he headed.

Muawiya and al-Hasan had been communicating during this period by letter. Al-Hasan had gotten to the point where he had had quite enough and sent correspondence to Muawiya requesting peace on a few conditions that he stated. The conditions were that he would get five million dirhams, monetary units, from the Kufa treasury, that he would get an annual payment from the coffers of the Persian district of Darabjird and that the cursing of Ali would be banned. Unbeknownst to al-Hasan, Muawiya had sent him correspondence simultaneously. What Muawiya sent could be equated to as a blank check. The letter said to write any conditions on this sealed scroll and that he would grant them in turn for the caliphate. Al-Hasan was pleased and wrote down his conditions. Upon meeting Muawiya, he asked him to honor his word, and he refused. He told al-Hasan that he would only grant the requests that were on the first letter, not the blank scroll that was received.

Al-Hasan ordered Qays ibn Sad and the vanguard to stand down to Muawiya. Upon surrendering, Muawiya had al-Hasan address the people. Al-Hasan told the people that he was glad to be rid of them. He could not stand them for the killing of his father, his stabbing and the plundering of his possessions. Peace was established and after al-Hasans wound was healed, both al-Hasan and al-Husayn left and made their trek to Medina to retire in luxury. In this year of 661 CE, Muawiya received allegiance in Jerusalem. Now, instead of being referred to as the Commander of Syria, Muawaiya was officially the Commander of the Faithful after five long years of trying to reach this position.

Muawiya was the son of Abu Sufyan. His father was one of the leaders of the Umayyad clan as well as the leader of Muhammad's biggest resistance group. Abu Sufyan, Muawiya, and Yazid, Muawiyas older brother, did not yield to Muhammad nor convert to Islam until Mecca fell. Some followers believe their conversion was purely out of opportuneness, not conviction. Following Muhammad conquering Mecca, Muawiya served in the army that conquered Syria and later became its governor. After that success, Muawiya turned the military into a well-rounded machine that resembled the discipline of the Byzantines. He also was successful in building the first navy thus earning the title of Amir al-Bahr, commander of the sea. Lastly, after working for five years behind the scenes and in public, he could call himself caliph in 661.

Muawiya would forever change the face of the caliphate and the governance of Islam. He moved the capital of the Islamic State to Damascus. He established the first dynasty and declared himself the first Malik, which is a king. This was an abhorrence to Arabs. No matter because they were not the only ones who did not care for the new caliph. All the S...