Download PDF: [S] Hadrt Ameer Mu’awiyah’s Forbearance (Islamic story)

It is mentioned that Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – had such immense forbearance and patience that it became a symbol of that period. In fact, when we discuss the issue of forbearance, it would be incomplete if we do not mention his name and some examples from his life.

 

When certain of his distractors used to come in his court, they used to display immense rudeness and utter words of insults directly to him, but Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – used to ignore these words by brushing them aside with his jovial and smiling face.

 

This was his amazing character which later made people bow down to his greatness. Hadrat Sayyiduna Qubaisah bin Jabir – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates, “I have never seen anyone more forbearing than Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him.”’ (Sayr ‘Alaamu Nublah, Al Ihaad Al Mathaani)

 

Ibn Aun mentions that during the time of Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – an ordinary person stood up in his court and said to him, “O Mu’wiyah, you better straighten yourself or else I will straighten you.” Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – asked him, “How will you straighten me?” The person replied that he will straighten him with a stick. When he heard this, he replied, “Then in that case I will straighten myself.” (Taarikh Al Islaam, Haafiz Zehbi)

 

The story of Hadrat Musawwar – may Allah be pleased with him – is very famous. At first, he was a great opponent of Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him. One day, he approached him because he had a great need. Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – fulfilled the need and then called him again and asked, “O Musawwar! What words do you use to insult me with?”

 

Hadrat Musawwar – may Allah be pleased with him – replied, “O Ameerul Mo’mineen, what is in the past is in the past let us forget this.”

 

However, Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – said, “No, whatever you used to say about me, please repeat those words.”

 

Hadrat Musawwar – may Allah be pleased with him – then repeated whatever he used to say about him. He remained silent while he heard all of these accusations and then gave an explanation for each accusation.

 

The result of this amazing behaviour was that later on, when Hadrat Musawwar – may Allah be pleased with him – used to speak about Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him, he always used kind and respectful words to describe him. He used to also make constant Du’a for him.” (Khateeb Baghdadi, Taarikh Baghdadi)

 

There are plenty examples of his forbearance and kindness which are found in many historical records. Whenever people approached Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – and presented their complaint, he immediately solved the problem. With the result that when he used to leave his court, a large group of people followed him outside. He used to also say, “The amount of joy I receive in swallowing my anger, this is not found in anything else.” (Taarikh At Tabari)

 

However, all of this was based on his outlook in life. If a person opposed religion and was in the act of creating problems in his government, then at that time, he was very strict and severe. He used to admit that he never restricted the tongue of anyone even if they spoke against him personally, but he would never tolerate anyone creating problems in state issues.

 

Explaining the method of how Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – used to run his government, he once stated, “If a whip is able to do its job, then at that time, the sword does not appear. If the tongue is able to do its job, then at that time, the whip is not used. If there is a slightest connection between me and anyone, I never allow this connection to be severed. When people pull it, I give it slack and when they give it slack, I pull it.” (Yaqubi)

 

These were also some of his amazing qualities. We have already explained that when people used to approach him and behaved rudely, Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – never reacted in that manner. With the result that many people used to leave his court highly impressed with him. The following story will give an idea of his immense patience and forbearance.

 

It is mentioned that once, in the period of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, Hadrat Sayyiduna Waa’il bin Hajr – may Allah be pleased with him, who the son of the King of Hadramaut, approached Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – to accept Islam. After accepting Islam, he remained with Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – for few days. As he was returning to Hadramaut, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – sent Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – with him on some special task.

 

Hadrat Waa’il – may Allah be pleased with him – was on a camel and Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – was walking. Bear in mind that the former was a prince and he had just accepted Islam. Hence, the decorum required for another Muslim was something which he was just learning. In fact, during this long and arduous journey, he did not allow Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – to climb on the back of the camel with him.

 

Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – walked on the hot burning sand for a few miles without complaining. Soon, the pain of walking on the hot desert had become unbearable. Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – again requested the prince to allow him to sit on the camel with him, but again he was refused permission. In fact, the prince mentioned to him, “How can I allow you to sit with people of royal blood and you are not among those who can ride on the same camel as a person of royal blood.”

 

Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – then asked him, “At least give me your shoes so that I can protect my feet from the scorching hot sand.” But, he refused to even give this. He said that Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – was allowed to walk under the shadow of his camel and that was the best he could do. In brief, he did not allow Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – to sit with him on the camel, he refused to give him shoes and Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – spent the entire journey in this fashion.

 

Bear in mind that Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – was also not someone lessor in status. After all, he himself was one of the princes of the Quraish. However, since he was on a mission to fulfil a task of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, he did not utter a word of complain.

 

Yet, look at the Divine Decree of the Allah Almighty. This same person used to visit Hadrat Sayyiduna Ameer – may Allah be pleased with him – later in life when the eminent companion was himself a king and his capital was Damascus. Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – recognized him but did not remind him of his past behaviour. In fact, Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – went out of his way to entertain the person and also made sure that when he leaves the palace of Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – fully rewarded. This should be a lesson of how the Allah Almighty has the power to change the circumstances of people in the world and also how He can change the circumstances of people in the Hereafter because of something small which they have done in this world. (At Tabqaat Al Kubra)

 

Shia writes on Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him

 

Another amazing fact is that even his enemies have written glowingly about him. A famous Shia writer in the 7th century named ibn Tabataba wrote a book entitled “Al Fakhri”. The importance of this book is because it was written by a Shia who belonged to Ithna Ash’ari sect. Even though there are few areas of the book which are completely unfounded, yet, in general, most of the material seems to be well founded. He writes:

 

“Hadrat Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was well schooled in material issues. He was scholar with deep insight. He was fore-bearing and brave. He was well educated in politics and had a great quality of solving many complex issues. He was also well learned in classical science and language. He was also forbearing and kind to those who were kind and when he needed to be strong and severe, he displayed these qualities. However, his most outstanding qualities was his power of forbearance and patience. He was also extremely generous and loved leadership.

“He used to also reward those who were considered as eminent people in the community. This is the reason that many of the eminent of their era used to visit him. These included such luminaries as Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abdullah bin Jafer Tayyar, Abdullah bin ‘Umar, Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr, Abaan bin ‘Uthman Ghani, etc. – may Allah be pleased with them. He used to warmly welcome these eminent sons of Islam and the Quraish. At times, they were also very severe on him and even scolded him for certain actions, but he used to remain quiet and still continued to entertain them and reward them before they left.

 

“It is mentioned that one day, he sent five hundred Dinaars to a certain Ansari. However, it is mentioned that the Ansari did not think much of it and said to his son that he should return with this and throw it on the face of Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him. The son then reached the court of Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – and apologised and mentioned that his father was at times too hasty. However, he also mentioned that his father had made him take an oath that he will definitely complete this task and therefore, he had to fulfil this oath. Hadrat Ameer Mu’awiyah – may Allah be pleased with him – mentioned to him that he must fulfil his oath and allowed him to softly throw these coins on his face.

 

“In fact, the court was so amazed by the action of this eminent companion that some of them merely looked on as if they could not believe what they had seen. It is said that after this incident, his own son, Yazeed, came forward angrily and told him that what he had done was incorrect. He mentioned that through these types of actions, the people in the country would think that his government was weak. However, he mentioned that there was no weakness when a person displayed forbearance and tolerance for another. In this way, at the end, many of the Ansaar and Muhaajireen accepted that indeed he was the right person to lead the Muslim nation at that period. He was certainly a great thinker and tactician.

 

“It is mentioned that one day, Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – mentioned to those around him, ‘You people praise the political tactics and strategies of Khusroe and the Emperor of Rome, without realizing that in your midst, there is someone like Mu’awiyah.’”