The Ruling Regarding Objecting To Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyahرَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the honourable scholars of Islam say regarding the following: what is the ruling regarding objecting to Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   Objecting to Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه or holding ill beliefs concerning him is deviancy, heresy and makes one deserving of Hell, because Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه is a Prophetic companion, and all the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ are people of goodness, righteousness and integrity. Whenever they are spoken of, it is obligatory to only mention them in a positive way. This is because Allah Almighty has promised all the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ Paradise, and the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has commanded that they are to be spoken of in a positive way. Furthermore, Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه is from amongst the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ whom the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم mentioned by name when supplicating for them. Also, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم forbade criticising the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ.

   Allah Almighty has mentioned in the noble Quran:

وَ مَا  لَکُمۡ   اَلَّا تُنۡفِقُوۡا فِیۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللّٰہِ وَ لِلّٰہِ مِیۡرَاثُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ لَا یَسۡتَوِیۡ  مِنۡکُمۡ مَّنۡ  اَنۡفَقَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ الۡفَتۡحِ وَ قٰتَلَ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ  اَعۡظَمُ  دَرَجَۃً مِّنَ الَّذِیۡنَ اَنۡفَقُوۡا مِنۡۢ  بَعۡدُ وَ قٰتَلُوۡا ؕ وَ کُلًّا وَّعَدَ اللّٰہُ  الۡحُسۡنٰی ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ  بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِیۡرٌ ﴿٪۱۰﴾

   Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: And what is the matter with you that you do not spend in the way of Allah? Whereas, only Allah is the Inheritor (i.e. Owner) of all that is in the heavens and in the earth. Those (i.e. the Companions of the Beloved Prophet) amongst you who spent and fought before the conquest of Makkah are not equal to others, they are greater in rank than those who spent and fought after the conquest of Makkah. And Allah has promised Paradise to all of them; and Allah is Aware of your deeds.

   It is mentioned in Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī in the commentary of this verse: [1]

فِيهِ خَمْسُ مَسَائِلَ:۔۔۔ الخامسة- قوله تعالى: (وكلا وعد اللہ الحسنى) أي المتقدمون المتناهون السابقون، والمتأخرون اللاحقون، وعدهم اللہ جميعا الجنة مع تفاوت الدرجات

   Translation: “There are five matters mentioned here…The fifth is the statement of Allah Almighty: (وكلا وعد اللہ الحسنى) , i.e. the forerunners and those that joined after; Allah Almighty has promised all of them Jannah with differing ranks.” [2]

   It is mentioned in Tafsīr al-Maẓharī:

وَكُلًّا ۔۔۔اى كل واحد من الفريقين من الصحابة الذين أنفقوا قبل الفتح والذين أنفقوا بعده وَعَدَ اللہ الْحُسْنى ، لا يحل الطعن فى أحد منهم ولا بد حمل مشاجراتهم على محامل حسنة واغراض صحيحۃ او خطأ فى الاجتهاد ۔۔۔وَاللہ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ  عالم بالبواطن كعلمه بالظواهر فيجازى كلا على حسبه

   Translation: “All of them”: Allah Almighty has promised good to every individual from both groups of the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ: those that spent their wealth before the conquest of Makkah and those that spent their wealth after the conquest of Makkah. It is not permitted to criticise any of them. Additionally, it is necessary to interpret their differences in a good light and upon [them having] sound intentions or as an error in juristic exertion (ijtihād). “And Allah is aware of your deeds:” He is aware of the inner states as He is aware of the outward states, and He will requite everyone accordingly. [3]

   It is narrated from Sayyidunā ibn ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said,

لا تذکروا مساوی  اصحابی  فتختلف  قلوبکم   علیھم   و   اذکرو  ا محاسن   اصحابی  حتی   تاتلف   قلو      بکم علیھم

   “Do not mention bad about my companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ so that your hearts turn against them. Mention the virtues of my companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ so that your hearts become harmonious towards them.” [4]

   It is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim and other collections that the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said,

لا تسبوا أصحابي، فلو أن أحدكم أنفق مثل أحد ذهبا ما بلغ مد أحدهم،ولا نصيفه

    “Do not insult my companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ. If one of you spent gold in charity equal to the Mount of Uhud, he would not reach the mudd [a measure] of any of them nor half a mudd." [5]

   Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh ibn Mughaffal رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه narrates that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Fear Allah concerning my companions! Fear Allah concerning my companions. After me, do not make them a target [to insult].”

   It is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī that Sayyidunā ꜤAbdullāh ibn ꜤAbbās رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه said the following about Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه, دعہ فانہ قد صحب رسول اللہ  “Do not say anything against him, for indeed he is a companion of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.”

   The following authentic narration is related in Sunan al-Tirmidhī, Musnad Imām Aḥmad and al-Tārīkh al-Kabīr of Imām Bukhārī. (The following text is according to Imām Bukhārī):

قال ابو مسھرحدثنا سعید بن عبد العزیز عن ربیعۃ بن یزید عن ابن ابی عمیرۃ قال النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم  اللھم اجعلہ ھادیا مھدیا واھدہ واھدبہ

   Sayyidunā ibn Abī ꜤUmayrah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه said, “The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said [about Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه], ‘O Allah, make him one who guides and is rightly guided, guide him and guide [others] through him.” [6]

   Imām Shihāb al-Dīn, Abū al-ꜤAbbās, Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī al-ShāfiꜤī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes regarding this Ḥadīth:

فتامل ھذاالدعاء من الصادق المصدوق وان ادعیتہ لامتہ لا سیما اصحابہ مقبولۃ غیر مردودۃ، تعلم ان اللہ سبحانہ استجاب لرسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم  بھذا الدعاء لمعاویۃ فجعلہ ھادیا للناس مھدیا فی نفسہ ومن جمع اللہ لہ بین ھاتین المرتبتین کیف یتخیل فیہ ماتقولہ علیہ المبطلون ووصمہ بہ المعاندون معاذ اللہ لایدعو رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم  ھذاالدعاء الجامع لمعالی الدنیا والاخرۃ المانع لکل نقص نسبتہ الیہ الطائفۃ المارقۃ الفاجرۃ الا لمن علم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم  انہ اھل لذلک حقیق بما ھنالک

   Translation: Reflect how this supplication is from the one who is truthful and whose truth is attested to. Indeed, his supplications for his ummah, and in particular for his companions, are answered and not rejected. Know that Allah answered this supplication of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in favour of [Sayyidunā] Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه and made him a guide for the people, rightly guided in himself. Whoever Allah Almighty gathered these two virtues in, how is it possible to think of him according to what the people of falsehood have uttered concerning him and what the obstinate have ascribed to him? مَعاذَ الـلّٰـه. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would only have supplicated with such a supplication (which comprises the loftiness of this world and the next and prevents every blemish which the heretical immoral sect ascribes to Muāwiyah) for the one who he (صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم) knew was worthy of it. [7]

   It is related in Musnad Imām Aḥmad, Musnad al-Bazzār, Ṣaḥīh ibn Ḥibbān and al-Tārikh al-Kabīr (the wording is that of Imam al-Bukhārī):

أبو مسهر عن سعيد بن عبد العزيز عن ربيعة بن يزيد عن عبد الرحمن بن عميرة عن النبي صلى اللہ عليه وسلم قال اللهم علم معاوية الحساب وقه العذاب

   “ꜤAbd al-Raḥman ibn ꜤUmayrah narrates that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘O Allah, teach Muawiyah math and save him from punishment.’” [8]

   It is mentioned in al-Musāmarah:

(واعتقاد أھل السنۃ) والجماعۃ (تزکیۃ جمیع الصحابۃ) رضي اللہ عنھم وجوباً بإثبات العدالۃ لکل منھم والکف عن الطعن فیھم، (والثناء علیھم کما أثنی اللہ سبحانہ وتعالی علیھم)

   Translation: “(The belief of the Ahl al-Sunnah) wa al-JamāꜤah (is extolling the purity of all the companions) as an obligation by affirming integrity for all of them, refraining from criticising them (and to praise them the way Allah Almighty praised them.)” [9]

It is stated in Nasīm al-Riyāḍ:

ومن یکن یطعن فی معاویۃفذاک کلب من کلاب الھاویۃ

“Whoever criticises Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه is a dog from the dogs of Hell.” [10]

   It is cited in al-Nibrās:

سبہ رجل عند خلیفۃ الراشد عمر بن عبد العزیز فجلدہ

“A man reviled Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه before the rightly guided Caliph ꜤUmar ibn ꜤAbd al-ꜤAzīz رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه, so he flogged him.” [11]

   Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states:

ای للامیر معاویۃ رضی اللہ عنہ اما عند اھل الحق فاستقامۃ الخلافۃ لہ رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ من یوم صلح السید المجتبی صلی اللہ تعالی علی جدہ الکریم وابیہ وعلیہ وعلی امہ واخیہ وسلم

“The rulership of the Caliphate was established for Amīr Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه from the day of reconciliation with al-Sayyid al-Mujtabā [Imam Ḥasan] رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه.”

Following this, the Imam رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه relates the Ḥadīth of Sahīh al-Bukhārī concerning the reconciliation between Imam Ḥasan and Amīr Muawiyah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا and states:

وبہ ظھر ان الطعن علی الامیر معاویۃ طعن علی الامام المجتبی بل علی جدہ الکریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم،  بل علی ربہ عزوجل

“This demonstrates that criticism of Amīr Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه is criticism of Imām [Ḥasan]al-Mujtabā; rather it is criticism of his noble grandfather: the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; in fact, it is criticism of Allah Almighty.”

   Following this, explaining the reason, he says:

Handing over the care of the affairs of the Muslims into the hands of the wrong person is treachery with Islam and the Muslims. If Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه was wrong as the criticisers claim, then the perpetrator of this treachery مَعاذَ الـلّٰـه would be Imam Ḥasan al-Mujtabā رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْه, and this would necessitate the Prophet’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم acceptance of this treachery, and he is that noble personality regarding whom it is mentioned

وَ مَا یَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوٰىؕ(۳) اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا وَحْیٌ یُّوْحٰىۙ(۴)

   Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: And he does not say anything of his own desire. It is not but revelation which is sent down upon him. [12]

   These words will benefit the one whom Allah has willed guidance for. 

   It is stated in Fatāwā Razawiyyah:

   It is not permitted to exceed the limits of the lofty purposes for which biographical texts exist. The narrations mentioned in them cannot be accepted in matters like menstruation and post-natal bleeding, let alone مَعاذَ الـلّٰـه using flimsy, problematic and baseless reports for stirring criticism against the Prophet’s noble companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ, objecting to them and casting aspersions on their lofty status. No one would perpetrate this except a misguided heretic that opposes the clear truth.

   Mufti Amjad ꜤAlī AꜤẓamī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states:

   All the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ are people of uprightness, virtue and integrity. Whenever they are spoken of, it is obligatory to do so in a positive way. To hold evil beliefs about any companion is heresy, deviancy and deserving of Hell as it is hatred of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Such a person is a Rāfiḍī, even if he accepts the four Caliphs and professes to be a Sunnī. For example, [someone who insults] Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah, his noble father Sayyidunā Abū Sufyān and his noble mother Sayyidah Hind رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُم.

   However great in rank a saint is, he can never reach the station of a companion عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ. To delve into the incidents that occurred between the companions is strictly haram. Muslims should consider how they were loyal servants of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. All the companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ, the most eminent of them and those of a lesser rank (and none of them is insignificant), are people of Jannah. They will not even hear a low distant sound of Hell. They will always remain in comfort and bliss. The great terror on the day of reckoning will not cause them sadness. The angels will welcome them, giving them glad tidings that this was the day that has been promised to them. All these meanings are found in the statements of the noble Qur'ān.

   The noble companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ were neither Prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام, nor were they angels that they be infallible. Some of them had certain mishaps, but to hold this against them is against the command of Allah and the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. When addressing the companions in Sūrah al-Ḥadīd, Allah Almighty addressed them as two categories, the believers before the conquest of Makkah and those after the conquest of Makkah, giving superiority to the former over the latter. Moreover, He stated:

وَ کُلًّا وَّعَدَ اللّٰہُ الۡحُسۡنٰی ؕ

   Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: And Allah has promised goodness (i.e. Paradise) to all (the companions of the Prophet. [13]

   Along with this, He stated:

وَ اللّٰہُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِیۡرٌ ﴿۱۸۰﴾

   Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: And Allah is Aware of your actions. [14]

   So, when Allah Almighty has given His ruling of promising them all Paradise without punishment, but with nobility and reward, then what right does anyone else have to criticise any affair of theirs? Do those who speak against the companions want to establish an order independent of Allah?

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered By: Mufti Muḥammad Hāshim Khān ꜤAṭṭārī

Ref No: Lar-8646

Date: 7th Ramaḍān al-Mubārak 1440 AH/13th May 2019 CE