Virtues of Muawiyah RA & Response to Objections by Shias

Virtues of Muawiyah (ra)

Article contents on virtues and defense of Muawiyah ra
I) Quran on Reward for Sahabas (which includes Muawiyah RA)
II) Aqeedah of Ahlus sunnah regarding haters of Sahaba
III) Consensus, Not to speak against sahaba because of the disputes among them

IV) Virtues of Muawiyah ra from ahadeeth and athaar
1) Prophet prayed to protect Muawiyah from the Punishment
2) Another route from Imam Ahmad: Prophet prayed to protect Muawiyah from the Punishment
3) Prophet prayed to make Muawiyah guided, a guider, and guide people through him
4) Muawiyah (ra) was a Faqih
5) Muawiyah (ra) was Katib Al Wahy
6) Muawiyah (ra) loved Prophet peace be upon him and practicing upon his ahadith
7) Ibn Abbas ra said Muawiyah more applicable for Ruling after khilafat of 4 Caliph
8) Ibn Umar ra said Muawiyah was the most generous person after Prophet
9) Mu’aawiyah is the maternal uncle of the believers
10) Aisha ra wished Allah increase the age of Muawiya by taking away her age
11) Saad bin Abi Waqas ra said No one ruled according to the truth better than Muawiya ra after Uthman ra
12) Abu Darda radid not see anyone who prayed like Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah
13) Imam Ibn Abbas understood Surah alIsraa verse 33 that Mu`awiyah should take power, because he was the heir of Uthman
14) Love of Muawiya ra and Aisha ra for Prophetic ahadith
15) Love of Prophet peace be upon him for the family of Muawiyah
16) Muawiyah (ra), The Barber of Rasool Allah peace be upon him
17) Muawiya ra. used to receive reply for his questions from Ali ra and other sahaba
18) Muawiya ra. knew Ali ra is better than him, and he was not arrogant.
19) Muawiya ra. the CONFIRMED Jannati
20) Abu Huraira ra the Faqeeh of Ummah, ORDERED the people to stick to the strategies of Muawiya ra
21) Muawiyah ra ordered Abdul Rahman bin Shibal ra to teach people ahadeeth
22) Muawiyah ra had an extremely good seerah
23) Ummul Momineen Umm Habiba praising Muawiyah ra
24) Abu Ishaq as-Sabiee the Tabiee did not see anyone like Muawiyah after him
25) Prophet peace be upon him advise to Muawiyah ra
26) Jafar as-Sadiq ra accepting the narrations in praise of Muawiya ra
27) List of scholars who wrote books on virtues of Muawiyah ra
28) Muawiya the most good looking man

V) Response to some objections against Muawiyah
1) Shias claim killer of Ammar ibn Yasir going to hell
2) Ishaaq Ibn Rahwiyh said: ‘There is not any Sahih hadith from the prophet (pbuh) about the merits of Muawiya’.
3) Prophet said May Allah not fill his (Muawiyah) belly
4) there are no ahadith on Virtues of Muawiya ra according to Nasai and Bukhari
5) Muawiyah ra speaking against Umar ibn al Khattab ra and Ibn Umar ra
6) quotation by Ibn Hajr al Asqalani in Fath ul Bari
7) Sa`d mentioned `Ali, and Mu`awiyah criticized him.
8) What prevents you from تَسُبَّ Abu Turab (Hadrat ‘Ali
9) Misunderstanding of Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Rabb al-Ka’ba (Tabiyee) due to which he criticised Muawiyah ra.
10) Al-Miqdam spoke to Muwaiya, how he permitted use of gold, silk and death of hasan
a. Muawiya ra said Punishment can not touch Hasan ibn Ali ra
b. Veneration of Muawiyah for Ahlul Bayt of Prophet peace be upon him and his respect for them
c. Muawiya ra forbade people to wear gold and silk.
11. Did Ibn Abbas RadhiAllahanho cursed Muawiyah RadhiAllahanho?
a. Ibn Abbas ra considered Muawiya ra a Sahabi.
b. Ibn Abbas radhiAllahanho himself praised Muawiyah ra.
c. IBN ABBAS RA DID TAWAF WITH MUAWIYAH RA AND HE DID NOT SEE ANY WRONG THING IN HIS TAWAF.
d. Beautiful response by Muawiya RadhiAllahanho on the PROPAGANDA against him.
e. Umar bin Abdul Aziz ra Lashing the haters of Muawiyah ra

VI) Recommended Readings
i. For Urdu Readers
ii. For English Readers
iii. For Arabic Readers

I) Quran on the best Reward (Jannah) for Sahabas (which includes Muawiyah RA)

First of all I would like to quote verse of Qur`an that Muawiyah RadhiAllahanho and all the other Sahaba are Jannati as Allah says

“And what cause have ye why ye should not spend in the cause of Allah?- For to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth. Not equal among you are those who spent (freely) and fought, before the Victory, (with those who did so later). Those are higher in rank than those who spent (freely) and fought afterwards. But TO ALL HAS ALLAH PROMISED A GOODLY (reward). And Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.” [57:10]

So they have ranks but ALL of them are Jannati.

Al Qurtubi said in its commentary
{ وَكُلاًّ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ } أي المتقدمون المتناهون السابقون، والمتأخرون اللاحقون، وعَدَهم الله جميعاً الجنة مع تفاوت الدرجات
Meaning the Mutaqaddimeen and Mutakhireen Allah has promised Jannah to ALL OF THEM, even though they vary in status. [Tafsir al Qurtubi under 57:10]

II) Aqeedah of Ahlus sunnah regarding haters of Sahaba

The aqeedah of Ahlus sunnah regarding haters of Sahaba (including Muawiya ra)

a) Al-Tahhaawi said, discussing the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah:
ونحب أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم ، ولا نفرط في حب أحد منهم ، ولا نتبرأ من أحد منهم ، ونبغض من يبغضهم ، وبغير الخير يذكرهم ، ولا نذكرهم إلا بخير ، وحبهم دين وإيمان وإحسان ، وبغضهم كفر ونفاق وطغيان .
We love the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and we do not neglect to love any one of them, nor do we disavow any one of them. We hate those who hate them and who criticize them, and we only mention them in good terms. Loving them is part of religious commitment, faith and ihsaan, and hating them is kufr, hypocrisy and wrongdoing. [Aqeedah al Tahawiyah]

b) al Utbi (Malaki Faqeeh) said: I asked Sahnoon (The Maliki Faqeeh 160 h to 240 h)
فإن شتم أحدا من أصحاب النبي – عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ – أبا بكر أو عمر أو عثمان أو عليا أو معاوية أو عمرو بن العاص؟ فقال: أما إذا شتمهم، وقال: إنهم كانوا على كفر وضلال قتل، وإن شتمهم بغير هذا كما يشتم الناس رأيت أن ينكل نكالا شديدا.
If someone says bad about the companions of Prophet peace be upon him like Abu Bakr or Umar or Uthman or Ali or Muawiya or Amr bin al Aas? He (Sahnon) said: If they say (any of them) did Kufr or deviated, then he will be killed, or if he say (they are not deviants but) criticize them like lay people then he should be punished severely. [Utba quoted in his book al Mustakhraj, Usul as-Sunnah by Ibn abi Zamneen page 309, Ibn Rushd quoted in his Sharah of “al Mustakhraj” by al Utba 16/420, the name of sharah is “Byan at-Tahseel wal Sharah wal Taujeeh wat-Ta`teel li Masail al Mustakhraj”, Qadhi Iyaad considered it the opinion of Imam Malik in ash-Shifa 2/600]

III) Consensus, Not to speak against sahaba because of the disputes among them (i.e. like dispute of Ali ra and Muawiya ra)

a) Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said:

وَاتَّفَقَ أَهْلُ السُّنَّةِ عَلَى وُجُوبِ مَنْعِ الطَّعْنِ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ بِسَبَبِ مَا وَقَعَ لَهُمْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَلَوْ عَرَفَ الْمُحِقَّ مِنْهُمْ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوا فِي تِلْكَ الْحُرُوبِ إِلَّا عَنِ اجْتِهَادٍ وَقَدْ عَفَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنِ الْمُخْطِئِ فِي الِاجْتِهَادِ بَلْ ثَبَتَ أَنَّهُ يُؤْجَرُ أَجْرًا وَاحِدًا وَأَنَّ الْمُصِيبَ يُؤْجَرُ أَجْرَيْنِ
Ahl as-Sunnah are unanimously agreed that it is obligatory not to slander (insult, object) any of the Sahaabah because of what happened between them because of disputes, even if ones knows which group among them was right, because they did not fight in those wars except on the basis of what they thought was right (ijtihaad), and Allah, may He be exalted, has forgiven the one who is mistaken in his ijtihaad. Indeed it is proven that he will be given one reward, and the one who gets it right will be given two rewards. [Fath al-Baari, 13/34]

b) Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab said:

” وأجمع أهل السنة على السكوت عما شجر بين الصحابة رضي الله عنهم ، ولا يقال فيهم إلا الحسنى ، فمن تكلم في معاوية أو غيره من الصحابة فقد خرج عن الإجماع ”
It is CONSENSUS of Ahlus sunnah to remain silent on disputes among the sahaba and only good should be said regarding them. If someone speak regarding Muawiyah or any other companion then he went out from the consensus. [(القسم الثالث/ مختصر سيرة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم/ص 322)]

c) Abu Muhammad Abdur Rahman Ibn Abi Ĥatim said: “I asked my father and Abu Zur`ah concerning the Madhhabs of the Ahlus Sunnah in regards to the Principles of the Religion, and what they found the scholars upon (in belief) in all the lands, and what they believe from that?

So they said:
“We have reached the Scholars in all the lands – The Hijaz, Iraq, Sham and Yemen –, and from their Madhhab was:

والترحم على جميع أصحاب محمد والكف عما شجر بينهم.
… And to ask for Allah’s Mercy upon ALL THE ASHAB OF MUHAMMAD PEACE BE UPON HIM, and to refrain from speaking about the arguments between them. [Usool al Aiteqaad Ahlus sunnah (321)]

d) Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him summed up the approach of Ahlus-Sunnah with the following precious words:

“They refrain from delving into the disputes that occurred between the Companions and say, ‘These narrations that have been reported concerning their faults have in them some that are false, some that have had things added to them, some that have had parts omitted from them, and the original indication of some has been altered. As for those narrations that are authentic (concerning their faults), then they (the Companions) are excused (and forgiven) – they practiced ijtihaad (personal reasoning) and were either correct or wrong. Furthermore, they do not believe that each of the Companions is infallible and free from committing major or minor sins. Rather, they may commit sins in general, however, they possess from precedence and virtues that which necessitates that they be forgiven for whatever (sins) they commit – if they did commit any. This is even to the point that they will be forgiven for evil deeds the likes of which those who come after them will not be forgiven for. This is because they possess good deeds that wipe out the evil deeds, the likes of which will not be for those after them.’

It is established that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, stated that they are the best of generations and that if one of them were to give a mudd (handful) of gold in charity, it would be better than if someone who came after them were to give the whole of Mount Uhud in gold. And if it was the case that one of them committed a sin, then either he repented from it, performed some good deed that wiped it out, or he will be forgiven for it due to the virtue of his precedence or because of the intercession of Muhammad, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, of which the Companions are more deserving. Perhaps he was tested by some affliction in this worldly life, by which it was expiated from him. So if this is with respect to the sins that were actualized (by them), then what about the matters in which they did ijtihaad? If they were correct, then they will have two rewards, and if they were incorrect, then they will have just one reward and their error will be forgiven. Furthermore, the few bad deeds committed by some of them are slight in comparison to their virtues and good qualities, such as their belief in Allaah and His Messenger, their jihaad for His Cause, their migration, their support (of the Religion), as well as their beneficial knowledge and good deeds.” [Al-‘Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah, taken from Islamweb Fatwa No : 308251]

IV) Virtues of Muawiyah from ahadeeth and athaar

Proof 1: Prophet peace be upon him prayed to protect Muawiyah from the Punishment
قال أبو مسهر عن سعيد بن عبد العزيز عن ربيعة بن يزيد عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي عميرة – وكان من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم – عن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – قال : ( اللهم علم معاوية الحساب وقِهِ العذاب ) .

Prophet Peace be upon him said ” O Allah ! Teach Muawya Math, and protect him from the Punishment ” [Ibne Asakir 16/684,686, Musnad Shameen 190]

a) Shaykh al-AlBani Said: “The Chain is Good.according to me Rout is Strong, Narrators are trustworthy and are those of Sahih Muslim except Ibne Abi Omair who is Companion(of Prophet peace be upon him) Some other routs say “”Allah, make him (Muawiya) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”. (Silsilah As Saheeha Vol 7 page no: 690 hadith no: 3227)

b) Ibn Asakir authenticated in [Tareekh madinatul dimashq (59/106), Shaykh Nasir ud din al-Albani Quoted in Silsilah as-Saheeha Vol 7 Page 694 hadeeth no: 3227]

c) Ibn Kathir He agreed with the authentication of Ibn Asakir and praised him for that. [al Bidaya wal Nihaya 8/160]

d) ad-Dahabi said:
هذا الحديث رواته ثقات، لكن اختلفوا في صحبة عبد الرحمن، والأظهر أنه صحابي،
This hadeeth has trustworthy narrators, but there is difference of opinion on companionship of Abdul Rahman, but is is more correct that he was a sahabi. [Tareekh al Islam 4/309]

e) Ibn Hajr himself authenticated the chain of narrators as he mentioned four ahadith in “al Isaba” to prove the companionship of the Sahabi Abdul Rahman bin Abi Umaira ra.
1. ” O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment ” and he mentioned its different routs as well
2. There will be bayh in bayt ul maqdas on hidayah
3. No one wants to come back in this world apart from shaheed, even if all the things of this world are given to him.
4. There is no safr (i.e. no bad omen in safr)…

Then he said وهذه الأحاديث وإن كان لا يخلو إسناد منها من مقال فمجموعها يثبت لعبد الرحمن الصحبة.
Even though there is problem in the chain of these ahadith but all of them proves that Abdul Rahman was a Sahabi. [ibid]

Then he said regarding the hadeeth where Prophet peace be upon him prayed for Muawiya:
مع أنه ليست للحديث الأول علّة الاضطراب، فإن رواته ثقات، فقد رواه الوليد بن مسلم، وعمر بن عبد الواحد، عن سعيد بن عبد العزيز، فخالفا أبا مسهر في شيخه، قالا : عن سعيد عن يونس بن ميسرة، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي عميرة. أخرجه ابن شاهين، من طريق محمود بن خالد عنهما. وكذا أخرجه ابن قانع من طريق زيد بن أبي الزرقاء، عن الوليد بن مسلم.
With that THERE IS NO FAULT OF IDHTERAAB IN FIRST HADEETH AND ITS NARRATORS ARE TRUSTWORTHY, so it is narrated by Waleed bin Muslim and Umar bin Abdul wahid from Saeed bin Abdul Aziz… [Al Isaba vol 4 page 288]

Proof 2: Another route from Imam Ahmad: Prophet prayed to protect Muawiyah from the Punishment

Imam Ahmad narrated in Fadail as-Sahaba no. 1748

عن معاوية عن يونس بن سيف عن الحارث بن زياد عن أبي رهم عن العرباض بن سارية – رضي الله عنه – قال سمعت رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – وهو يدعونا إلى السحور في شهر رمضان : ( هلموا إلى الغذاء المبارك ) ، ثم سمعته يقول : ( اللهم علم معاوية الكتاب والحساب وقه العذاب ) .
Al-Aarbad bin Sariyah as-Sulamee ra reported that he heard the Prophet Peace be upon him saying “I heard the Messenger of Allah inviting people to have Sahur in Ramadan. He said: ‘Come to the blessed breakfast.” and he heard Prophet peace be upon him saying as a du’aa : “O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment “. [Muhaqqiq of Fadail e Sahaba said Chain is Hasan Lighairihi, Hafiz ad-Dahabee said This hadeeth is Powerful shahid (of previous hadeeth) (see Syar Ailam al Nubala 3/124) Ibn Khuzaima narrated in his Sahih (Authentic) 3/214, Ibn Hibban narrated in Al Ihsan Kitab Manaqib as Sahaba Chapter Moawiya bin Abi Sufiyan May Allah be please with him Vol 16 page 191, Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said “the Chain is Hasan” His tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 128 and see Majallah al hadith no: 29 page 62), Shaykh Al-AlBani said Chain is Hasan with its routs (As-Saheeha Vol 7 Page 688)]

Mursal Shahid of this hadith
حدثنا أبو المغيرة ، ثنا صفوان قال : حدثني شريح بن عبيد أن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – دعا لمعاوية بن أبي سفيان : ( اللهم علمه الكتاب والحساب وقه العذاب ) .

Shareeh bin Obaid said ( O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment ) .[Fadail e Sahaba of Imam Ahmad hadeeth no: 1749 Muhaqqiq of The book said chain is weak because of Irsaal and Narrators are trustworthy, This is making previous hadith more powerful and strength makes it Hasan Laghirihi]

a) Imam Ahmad Narrated above ahadith in Fadail as-Sahaba Chapter “Fadail Muawiya bin Abi Sufiyan Radhi Allahanho”

al Khallal mentioned in his al Ilal 141

قَالَ مُهَنَّأٌ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ سَيْفٍ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي رُهْم، عَنِ الْعِرْبَاضِ بْنِ سَارِيَةَ، قَالَ: دَعَانَا النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ الْمُبَارَكِ، وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: “اللَّهُمَّ عِلِّمْهُ -يَعْنِي: مُعَاوِيَةَ -الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِسَابَ، وَقِهِ الْعَذَابَ”.
فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ؛ حَدَّثَنَاهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ.
قُلْتُ: إِنَّ الْكُوفِيِّينَ لا يَذْكُرُونَ هَذَا: “عَلِّمْهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِسَابَ، وَقِهِ الْعَذَابَ”، قَطَعُوا مِنْهُ؟
قَالَ: كَانَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ لا يَذْكُرُهُ، وَلَمْ يذكره إلا فيما بيني وبينه.
Muhanna said: Abu Abdullah (Ahmad bin Hanbal) was asked regarding hadeeth of Muawiyah bin Saleh from Yunas bin Sayf from al Harith bin Ziyad from Abi Rahum from al Arbaad bin Saariyah, who said:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah. He said: ‘Come to the blessed breakfast.” and he heard Prophet peace be upon him saying as a du’aa : “O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment “.
(Ahmad) said: Yes I heard it from Abdul Rahman bin Mahdi from Muawiyah bin Saleh.
The Kufis (who were Shias mostly) do not mention these words: “Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment” they used to cut these words, He said: Abdul Rahman did not mention these words neither the one who is in between me and him. [end quote]

This is a proof that Kufis did not mentioned this ziadah, and Imam Ahmad and his student Muhanna did not criticise this narration, that is why Imam Ahmad brought this narration in his book “Fadail as-Sahaba” under the chapter “Virtues of Muawiyah ra”

b) Ibraheem al Harbee (Student of Imam Ahmad)
Ibn Abi Yala said: Abul Hafs Akbaree said: I heard shaykh Ibn Batta, who heard from Abu Bakr bin Ayyub that Ibraheem al Harbee was asked a question regarding Halaf bil Talaq that If Muawiyah ra is in jannah then Talaq is wajib on you, to which he replied. Talaq will not happen and He (Abul Hafs Akbaree or Ibraheem al Harbi) said,

والدليل على ذلك ما روى العرباض بن سارية أنه سمع النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يقول لمعاوية بن أبي سفيان: ” اللهم علمه الكتاب والحساب وقه العذاب ” فالنبي مجاب الدعاء فإذا وقى العذاب فهو من أهل الجنة
The evidence regarding this is what has been narrated from al Irbaad bin Saariyah who heard Prophet peace be upon him said regarding Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan : “O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment” And the prayers of Prophet peace be upon him are answered, so He (Muawiyah) is saved from punishment and he is among the people of Jannah. (i.e. It is known that Muawiyah ra is jannah, so to say you are divorced if Muawiyah ra is jannah is false Halaf). [Tabqaat al Hanabilah 2/163]

This is a proof that scholars considered this hadeeth as an authentic one, and they used it as a proof that Muawiyah ra is in Jannah.

c) Ibn Khuzaima mentioned it in [Saheeh Ibn Khuzaima 3/214] which is a proof it is authentic according to him
d) ad-Dahabee said This hadeeth is Powerful shahid (see Syar Ailam al Nubala 3/124)
e) Ibn Hibban in Al Ihsan Kitab Manaqib as Sahaba Chapter Moawiya bin Abi Sufiyan May Allah be please with him Vol 16 page 191
f) Shaykh Muhammad Ameen al Shanqeeti said this full hadeeth is authenticated by Ibn Khuzaima and Ibn Hibban, and Shaykh Shanqeeti himself authenticated. [al Ahadeeth al Nabawiyah fe Fadail Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan page 30-31] g) Ibn al Qattan Fasi (562 h – 628 h) said: حديثه حسن.
This hadeeth is Hasan. [Ikmaal Tahdeeb al Kamal 3/290] h) Imam al Jorqani (d 543 h) said بَابٌ: فِي فَضَائِلِ طَلْحَةَ، وَالزُّبَيْرِ، وَمُعَاوِيَةَ، وَعَمْرٍو
Chapter: Virtues of Talha, Zubayr, Muawiya and Amr.
Then he mentioned the above hadeeth and said

هَذَا حَدِيثٌ مَشْهُورٌ، رَوَاهُ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمْ: بِشْرُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، وَاللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، وَأَسَدُ بْنُ مُوسَى، وَغَيْرُهُمْ
This is a famous hadeeth, and a group narrated it from Muawiyah bin Saleh, among them are Bishar bin Saree, Layth bin Sa`d, Abdullah bin Saleh, Asad bin Musa and others. [al Abateel wal Manakeer as-Sahah wal Mashaheer lil Jorqani 1/341 no. 181]

Then he mentioned a hadith “O Allah, make him (Muawiya ) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”
and said هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ
This hadith is Hasan. [al Abateel wal Manakeer as-Sahah wal Mashaheer lil Jorqani 1/343 no. 182]

i) Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said “the Chain is Hasan” His tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 128 and see Majallah al hadith no: 29 page 62),
j) Shaykh Al-AlBani said Chain is Hasan with its routs (As-Saheeha Vol 7 Page 688)

Note: Those haters of sahaba, who quote Ibn Adi said Muawiyah bin Abi Saleh is alone in narrating this hadeeth (even though he is not) then know that this is no use for them because Ibn Adi used to LOVE ALL THE SAHABA including Muawiyah ra as Ibn Adi said:
إن أصحابَ النبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِحَقِّ صُحبَتهم، وتقادُمِ قَدمهم في الإسلام، لكلِّ واحد منهم في نفسه حقٌ وحُرمةٌ للصُّحبة، فهُم أجلُّ من أن يتكلّم أحدٌ فيهم
It is the right and hurmah of Prophet peace be upon him because of the right of companionship and accepting Islam before us, so their rank is too high that we speak (ill) of them. [al Kamil Ibn Adi 3/1064]

Proof 3: Prophet prayed to make Muawiyah guided, a guider, and guide people through him

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُسْهِرٍ عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمِيرَةَ، وَكَانَ، مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ ‏”‏ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ هَادِيًا مَهْدِيًّا وَاهْدِ بِهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ ‏.‏
Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) said to Muawiyah (r.a): “O Allah, make him (Muawiya ) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”.[Imam Bukhari in Tareekh Al Kabeer 5/240, Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Shaykh Al-Albani Authenticated in (Sahih Tirmidhee 3/236)]

a) Imam Tirmidhee quoted this under the chapter “Manaqib Muawiya bin Abi Sufiyan RadhiAllahanho” Then he said “Hasan Ghareeb”

b) ad-Dahabee said:
حَسَّنَهُ: التِّرْمِذِيُّ.
“Tirmidhee said its Hasan” [Seray Ailam an-Nubala 3125]

ad-Dahabi refuted Ibn al Jawzi by saying:
(Ibn al Jawzi said) The rely of this narration is on Muhammad bin Ishaq Lu`luwi who was not trustworthy, (ad-Dahabi replied) this is ignorance, rather he is Muhammad bin Ishaq Abu Bakar as-Sughani a trustworthy, then (he is not alone in narrating rather) this hadeeth is narrated by Abu Mahsar, Marwan bin Muhammad and Waleed from Saeed.

Umar bin Abdul Wahid and al Waleed bin Muslim narrated from Saeed from Rabe`a from narrated from Ibi Idrees who heard from Abdul Rahman bin Abi Umairah. THIS CHAIN IS POWERFUL.

Tirmidhee narrated other than Abi Idrees, Ibn al Jawzi with the rout of Ismaeel bin Muhammad who heard Abbas bin Muhammad from Abu Mas`har. Darqutni said: Ismaeel bin Muhammad is a liar.

(ad-Dahabee replied) This is another misunderstanding, this Ismaeel (bin Muhammad) is as-Saffaar who is trustworthy, and the one to whom ad-Darqutni said, a liar, he is (Ismaeel bin Muhammad) al Muzni. Abi Nuyeem narrated from him. [Talkhees al Ilal al Mutanahiya by ad-Dahabee no. 225]

c) Sh Zubair Ali Zai said:
“Tirmidhee said this hadeeth is Hasan ghareeb (3842), Bukhari mentioned in Tareekh al Kabeer 5/240, Ibn Sa`ad in at-Tabqaat 7/457, al Ahaad wal Muthana Ibn Abi Asim 2/385 h 1129, Musnad Ahmad 4/216 h 17895. This hadeeth is Saheeh” [Tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 126]

d) Sheikh Shuayb Arnaoot said:

Narrators are Trustworthy and are those of Saheeh in [Tahqiq of “Musnad Ahmad” hadeeth no:17926] e) Imam al Jorqani (d 543 h) said: بَابٌ: فِي فَضَائِلِ طَلْحَةَ، وَالزُّبَيْرِ، وَمُعَاوِيَةَ، وَعَمْرٍو Chapter: Virtues of Talha, Zubayr, Muawiya and Amr.

Then he mentioned the above hadeeth and said هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ
This hadith is Hasan. [al Abateel wal Manakeer as-Sahah wal Mashaheer lil Jorqani 1/341 no. 182]

f) Al Ajury (d 360 h) mentioned in ash-Shariya under the chapter كِتَابُ فَضَائِلِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ

Kitab Virtues of Muawiya bin Abi Sufiyan Radhi Allahanho [ash-Shariya 5/2431]

g) Shaykh Muhammad Ameen Shinqiti said
أخرج الإمام البخاري بسند صحيح في التاريخ الكبير (5|240): عن أبي مسهر حدثنا سعيد بن عبد العزيز عن ربيعة بن يزيد عن (الصحابي عبد الرحمن) بن أبي عميرة قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لمعاوية: «اللهم اجعلهُ هادِياً مَهديّاً واهده واهدِ به».

“It was transmitted by Imam Bukhari in his “Tareekh al-kabir” (5/240) via authentic chain: From Abu Musakhar, it was reported to me by Sayed ibn Abdulaziz from Rabi`ee ibn Yazid from (companion Abdurrahman) ibn Abu Umeyrat, which said: Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) said about Muawiyah: “Allah, make him (Muawiya :ra: ) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”.[Ahadeth an-nabawiya fi fadhail Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan page no. 9]

h. Ibn Asakir authenticated in his tareekh

i. Ibn Kathir authenticated and mentioned under the heading “Biography of Muawiya and Tadhkirah of his rule, and his Fadail and Munaqib” [al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 8 page 155]

j) Imam Abul Qasim Lilkaai mentioned this under the chapter “What has been narrated from Prophet peace be upon him in Fadail of Abi Abdul Rahman Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan RadhiAllahanhuma” [Sharah Usul al Aiteqaad Lilkaai 8/1438]

k) Mahmud Shukri Al Alusi said: فإن لهذا الحديث شواهد كثيرة تؤكد صحته.
This hadeeth has many shawahid which makes it authentic. [صب العذاب على من سب الأصحاب page 427]

l) Ibn Hajar al Haytami said: “إن الحديث حسن”.
This hadith is Hasan الصواعق المحرقة (2/626)

Note: Even though al Alusi refuted Ibn Hajr Haytami in many issues but he praised his book in defence of Muawiyah ra by saying.
وقد ألف العلامة ابن حجر المكي كتابا جليلا في مناقبه (تطهير الجنان واللسان عن الخطور والتفوه بثلب معاوية بن أبي سفيان مع المدح الجلي وإثبات الحق العلي لمولانا أمير المؤمنين علي)
Allama Ibn Hajar Makki wrote a beautiful book in the virtues. (Tahteer al Janan wal Lisan an al Khatur wal Tafuh be Thalab Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan, Ma al Madah al Jalli wa Ithbaat al Haq al Ali al Molana Imeer ul Momineen Ali” [العذاب على من سب الأصحاب page 425]

 

Proof 4: Muawiyah (ra) was a Faqih
a) Narrated Ibn Abi Mulaika: Somebody said to Ibn ‘Abbas, “Can you speak to the chief of the believers Muwaiya, as he does not pray except one Rak’a as Witr?” Ibn ‘Abbas replied, “He is a faqih (i.e. a learned man who can give religious verdicts) .[Bukhari Book #57, Hadith #109]

Benefit: The debate between Muawiyah ra and Abu Dhar ra on a fiqhi issue.

Narrated Zaid bin Wahab:
I passed by a place called Ar-Rabadha and by chance I met Abu Dhar and asked him, “What has brought you to this place?” He said, “I was in Sham and differed with Muawiya on the meaning of (the following verses of the Qur’an): ‘They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah.’ (9.34). Muawiya said, ‘This verse is revealed regarding the people of the scriptures.” I said, It was revealed regarding us and also the people of the scriptures.” So we had a disagreement and Mu’awiya sent a complaint against me to `Uthman. `Uthman wrote to me to come to Medina, and I came to Medina. Many people came to me as if they had not seen me before. So I told this to `Uthman who said to me, “You may depart and live nearby if you wish.” That was the reason for my being here for even if an Ethiopian had been nominated as my ruler, I would have obeyed him .[Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1406]

Ibn Hajr al Asqalani deduced many rulings from this athar, He said:

وفي الحديث من الفوائد غير ما تقدم : أن الكفار مخاطبون بفروع الشريعة لاتفاق أبي ذر ، ومعاوية على أن الآية نزلت في أهل الكتاب . وفيه ملاطفة الأئمة للعلماء ، فإن معاوية لم يجسر على الإنكار عليه حتى كاتب من هو أعلى منه في أمره ، وعثمان لم يحنق على أبي ذر مع كونه كان مخالفا له في تأويله . وفيه التحذير من الشقاق والخروج على الأئمة ، والترغيب في الطاعة لأولي الأمر ، وأمر الأفضل بطاعة المفضول خشية المفسدة ، وجواز الاختلاف في الاجتهاد ، والأخذ بالشدة في الأمر بالمعروف وإن أدى ذلك إلى فراق الوطن ، وتقديم دفع المفسدة على جلب المصلحة لأن في بقاء أبي ذر بالمدينة مصلحة كبيرة من بث علمه في طالب العلم ، ومع ذلك فرجح عند عثمان دفع ما يتوقع من المفسدة من الأخذ بمذهبه الشديد في هذه المسألة ، ولم يأمره بعد ذلك بالرجوع عنه ، لأن كلا منهما كان مجتهدا .
This hadith has many fawaid like Kuffar are also mukhatib in furoo of shariya, as it was Ittefaq of Abu Dhar and Muawiyah that this verse is revealed for People of the book. This is a proof that those who were in authority used to respect the scholars. Muawiyah (who was governor) did not rejected Abu dhar rather he wrote to Ameer ul momineen Uthman, and Uthman (who was a caliph) did not used any strong words rather advised him to live nearby madeenah, In it there is evidence of accepting the order of those who are in authority.. and jawaz of difference of opinion in Ijtihaad.. Uthman did not ordered Abu dhar to leave his opinion as he was a Mujtahid. [Fath al Bari]

Proof 5: Muawiyah (ra) was Kaatib al Wahy
Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) reported that the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) told him : ” Go bring Muawya to Me “, because he wrote down Allah’s Revelation (Wahy) for the Prophet [Recorded by Imam Ahmad 2651 , Dalail Al Nabuwwah of Bayhaqi vol 6 page 243 and verified to be authentic by Albani in Silsilat as-Saheehah 1-164 and It is mentioned in al Hadith of Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai that “Chain is Hasan” see Majallah Al Hadith no: 29 page 5] The Fahm of Salaf on Muawiya ra was a Katib al Wahy

a) Riyah bin al Jarrah said A person asked Mu`aafaa bin Imran (d 185 h)
يا أبا مسعود أين عمر بن عبد العزيز من معاوية بن أبي سفيان ؟ فغضب من ذلك غضبا شديدا ، وقال : لا يقاس بأصحاب رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أحد ، معاوية صاحبه ، وصهره ، وكاتبه ، وأمينه على وحي الله ،
O Abu Masood “What is the role of Muawiyah compared to Umar bin Abdulaziz?”. Mu`aafaa bin Imran got furious and said “Nobody can be compared to the companions of Prophet peace be upon him. Muawiyah was companion of Prophet peace be upon him, Brother in law, scribe and his ameen regarding wahyy of Allah.” [Tareekh Baghdad 1/209 Authenticated by Sh Zubair Ali Zai in tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 129, see also الآجري 5/2466 واللالكائي 8/1445 وتاريخ بغداد 1/209 ومن طريقه الجورقاني 1/195]

b) al Ajury (d 360) said مُعَاوِيَةُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ كَاتَبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى وَحْيِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُوَ الْقُرْآنُ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

Muawiya Rahimaullah who wrote wahy of Allah for Prophet peace be upon him, (wahy) is order of Allah azzawajal. [ash-Shariya 5/2413]

c) Ibn Asakir said regarding him خال المومنين وكاتب وحى رب العالمين

Uncle of Momineen and he Wrote down the revelation of Rabb Al Alameen [Tareekh Damishq 62/38]

d) Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said in Majmuaa’ al-Fatawah 4-288 :

” It is confirmed by many that Muawya was a faithful companion of the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) who wrote down Allah’s Revelation, and the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) did not accuse him in his writing of the Revelation . Also, the khalifah Omar Bin al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) – who was the most experienced in knowing men – appointed Muawya as a ruler on the state of Sham (it includes Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan) until Omar’s death . The khalifah Othman (رضي الله عنه) also kept Muawya in his position during his state, and neither of them accused Muawya in his rule “[ Translated by Abu Muawya Byruty in Multaqa Forum]

Proof 6: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) He loved Prophet peace be upon him and practicing upon his ahadith
a) Narrated by Umm Alqamah that Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan Came to Madeenah and asked for Blanket and hair of Prophet Peace be upon him from Aisha RA then He (Muawiyah) covered himself with the blanket, dipped the hair in water, drank and put on his body. [Tareekh Damishq 62/106 and chain is Hasan as Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said in Majallah Al Hadith no: 29 page 60]

Note: this athar is proof that how much Muawiyah RA loved Prophet peace be upon him and is also proof for Seeking Blessings through the Holy Relics of Prophet Peace be upon him if they are really from Prophet.

b) Imam Ahmad narrated

ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻣﺮﻭﺍﻥ ﺑﻦ ﺷﺠﺎﻉ ﺣﺪﺛﻨﻲ ﺧﺼﻴﻒ ﻋﻦ ﻣﺠﺎﻫﺪ ﻋﻦ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ
ﺃﻧﻪ ﻃﺎﻑ ﻣﻊ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺒﻴﺖ ﻓﺠﻌﻞ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﻳﺴﺘﻠﻢ ﺍﻷﺭﻛﺎﻥ ﻛﻠﻬﺎ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻟﻪ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺴﺘﻠﻢ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﻛﻨﻴﻦ ﻭﻟﻢ ﻳﻜﻦ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ﻳﺴﺘﻠﻤﻬﻤﺎ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﻟﻴﺲ ﺷﻲﺀ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ ﻣﻬﺠﻮﺭﺍ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ ﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻟﻜﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺃﺳﻮﺓ ﺣﺴﻨﺔ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﺻﺪﻗﺖ
Ibn Abbas said he did tawaf of Baytullah with Muawiyah. Muawiyah kissed all the corners of the Kaba. Ibn Abbas said why are you kissing these corners when Prophet peace be upon him did not kissed? Muawiyah replied nothing in Baytullah should be left. Ibn Abbas replied The life of Prophet peace be upon him is moral for you. Muawiyah said: you are truthful”. [Musnad Ahmad 1877, Shaykh Shuyab al Arnaoot said: Hasan lighairihi, Khaseef has a Mutaab`e and other narrators are trustworthy] c) Narrated AbuMaryam al-Azdi:

When I entered upon Mu’awiyah, he said: How good your visit is to us, O father of so-and-so. (This is an idiom used by the Arabs on such occasions). I said: I tell you a tradition which I heard (from the Prophet). I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If Allah puts anyone in the position of authority over the affairs of the Muslims, and he secludes himself (from them), not fulfilling their needs, wants, and poverty, Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his need, want and poverty. He said: He (Mu’awiyah) appointed a man to fulfil the needs of the people. [Grade : Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 2948]

Meaning he immediately started practicing on the hadith.

d) Abu Mijlaz said:
قَالَ خَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ وَابْنِ عَامِرٍ فَقَامَ ابْنُ عَامِرٍ وَجَلَسَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ فَقَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لاِبْنِ عَامِرٍ اجْلِسْ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَمْثُلَ لَهُ الرِّجَالُ قِيَامًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏
Mu’awiyah went out to Ibn az-Zubayr and Ibn Amir. Ibn Amir got up and Ibn az-Zubayr remained sitting. Mu’awiyah said to Ibn Amir: Sit down, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: Let him who likes people to stand up before him prepare his place in Hell. [Grade : Sahih (Al-Albani) Sunan Abi Dawud 5229]

Shaykh al Albani said:
و هذا معنى دقيق دلنا عليه
راوي الحديث معاوية رضي الله عنه ، و ذلك بإنكاره على عبد الله بن عامر قيامه
له ، و احتج عليه بالحديث ، و ذلك من فقهه في الدين ، و علمه بقواعد الشريعة
This precise meaning of hadith is informed by the narrator of hadith Muawiyah May Allah be pleased with him. As he stopped Abdullah Ibn Amir to stand for him, and mentioned his evidence from the hadith. This is the faqahat of (Muawiyah ra) in the deen, and his knowledge on the rules of Shariyah. [Silsilah ahadeeth as-Saheeha 1/629] e) It is mentioned in Musnad al Humaydi
حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ قَالَ: ثنا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ: ثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ نَافِعِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ: اسْتَعْمَلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ جَرِيرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَى سَرِيَّةٍ، فَأَصَابَهُمْ بَرِدٌ شَدِيدٌ، فَأَقْفَلَهُمْ جَرِيرٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: لِمَ أَقْفَلْتَهُمْ؟ قَالَ جَرِيرٌ: إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ لَا يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ» ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ: أَنْتَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ.

Muawiya sent an army (towards rome) under the leadership of Jareer bin Abdullah, but the cold was unbearable and due to that they came back (on the order of Jareer). Muawiya asked: why did you come back without permission? He replied: I heard Prophet peace be upon him: “He who shows no mercy to the people, Allah shows him no mercy.”(Meaning the Mujahideen were in unbearable cold, thats why he ordered to come back) Muawiyah said: Did you hear this from Prophet peace be upon him? He said: yes. [Musnad al Humaydi 2/50 no. 822 the Muhaqqiq said the chain is authentic]

f) What happened to Muawiya ra when he heard a hadith about Showing Off And The Desire To Be Heard Of?
Al-Walid bin Abi Al-Wald abu ‘Utthman Al-Mada’ini narrated that ‘Uqbah bin Muslim narrated to him, that shufaiy Al-Asbahi narrated that he entered Al-Madinah and saw a man around whom the people had gathered. He asked:
” Who is this?” They said: “Abu Hurairah.” (He said):So I got close to him until I was sitting in front of him as he was narrating to the people. When he was silent and alone, I said to him: ” I ask you absolute truth if you would narrate to me a Hadith which you heard from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), That you understand and know.” So Abu Hurairah said: “You want me to narrate a Hadith to you which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) narrated to me that I understand and know.” Then Abu Hurairah began sobbing profusely. We sat for a while, then he recovered and said: “I shall narrate to you a Hadith which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) narrated in this House, while there was no one with us other than he and I.” Then, again, Abu Hurairah began sobbing severely. Then he recovered, and wiped his face, and said: “you want me to narrate to you a Hadith which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) narrated while he and I were sitting in this House, and no one was with us but he and I.” Then Abu Hurairah began sobbing severely. Then he bent, falling on his face, so I supported him for a long time. Then he recovered and said: “The Messenger of Allah narrated to me that on the Day of Judgement, Allah, Most High, will descend to His slaves t judge between them. Every nation shall be kneeling. The first of those who will be called before him will be a man who memorized the Qur’an, and a man who was killed in Allah’s cause, and a wealthy man. Allah will say to the reciter: ‘Did I not teach you what I revealed to My Messenger?” He says: ‘Of course O Lord!’ He says: ‘Then what did you do with what you learned?’ He said: ‘I would stand (in prayer reciting) with it during all hours of the night and all hours of the day.’ Then Allah would say to him: ‘You have lied.’ And the angels will say: ‘You have lied.’Allah will say to him: ‘Rather, you wanted it to be said that so-and-so is a reciter. And that was said.’ The person with the wealth will be brought, and Allah will say to him: ‘Was I not so generous with you, such that I did not leave you having any need from anyone?’ He will say: ‘Of course O Lord!’ He says: ‘Then what did you do with what I gave to you?’ He says: ‘I would nurture the ties of kinship and give charity.’ Then Allah will say to him: ‘You have lied.’ And the angels will say to him: ‘You have lied.’ Allah, Most High, will say: ‘Rather, you wanted it to be said that so-and-so is so generous, and that was said.’ Then the one who was killed in Allah’s cause shall be brought, and Allah will say to him : ‘For what were you killed?’ So he says: ‘I was commanded to fight in Your cause ,so I fought until I was killed.’ Allah [Most High] will say to him: ‘You have lied.’ And the angels will say to him: ‘You have lied.’ Allah [Most High] will say: ‘Rather, you wanted it be said that so-and-so is brave, and that was said.’ “Then the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)hit me on my knees and said: ‘O Abu Hurairah! These first three are the creatures of Allah with whom the fire will be enflamed on the Day of Judgement.'” Al-Walid Abu ‘Uthman Al-Mada’ini said: “So ‘Uqbah bin Muslim informed me that Shaufaiy, is the one who entered upon Mu’awiyah to inform him about this.” Abu Uthman said: ‘This has been done with these people, then how about with those who remain among the people?” Then Mu’awiyah begin weeping so intensely, that we thought that he will kill himself with excessive weeping. We said: “This man came to us to cause evil.” Then Mu’awiyah recovered, wiped off his face and said: “Allah and His Messenger told the truth: Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, then we shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they shall have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter Fire, and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2382]

g) Abu Sa’id Khudri reported that Mu’awiya went to a circle in the mosque and said:
What makes you sit here? They said: We are sitting here in order to remember Allah. He said: I adjure you by Allah (to tell me whether you are sitting here for this very purpose)? They said: By Allah, we are sitting here for this very purpose. Thereupon, he said: I have not demanded you to take an oath, because of any allegation against you and none of my rank in the eye of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) is the narrator of so few ahadith as I am. The fact is that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) went out to the circle of his Companions and said: What makes you sit? They said: We are sitting here in order to remember Allah and to praise Him for He guided us to the path of Islam and He conferred favours upon us. Thereupon he adjured by Allah and asked if that only was the purpose of their sitting there. They said: By Allah, we are not sitting here but for this very purpose, whereupon he (the Messenger) said: I am not asking you to take an oath because of any allegation against you but for the fact that Gabriel came to me and he informed me that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, was talking to the angels about your magnificence. [Sahih Muslim 2701]

h) Muawiya Loved Ansar
Imam Ahmad narrated, Muawiyah was with Ansar and he was asked regarding a hadith and He said, I heard Prophet peace be upon him.
” مَنْ أَحَبَّ الْأَنْصَارَ، أَحَبَّهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَ الْأَنْصَارَ، أَبْغَضَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ”
‘Whoever loves the Ansar, Allah will love him, and whoever hates the Ansar, Allah will hate him.’ ” [Musnad Ahmad 28/85, The Muhaqqiq said chain is authentic]

 

Proof 7: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra)
a) Ibn Abbas ra Said ما رأيت رجلا كان أخلق يعنى للملك من معاوية

I have not seen more applicable for Ruling (after khilafat of 4 Caliph) better than Muawiyah. [Tareekh Damishq 62/161 with authentic chain as Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said in his Tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 128 and Majallah Al Hadeeth no: 29 page 62,Musannif Abdul Razzaq vol 11 page 453 no: 20985]

 

Proof 8: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Ibn Umar ra said Muawiyah was the most generous person after Prophet
Ibn Umar ra said: ما رأيت بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أسود من معاوية

I have not seen Aswad after Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah.

Imam Ahmad was asked the meaning of Aswad, He replied
It means generous [as-Sunnah by al Khallal 679,680,681, The Muhaqqiq of the book said the chain of saying of Ibn Umar is Hasan and the chain of the saying of Ahmad is saheeh] Proof 9: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Mu’aawiyah the maternal uncle of the believers
It was narrated from Abu Taalib that he asked Abu ‘Abd-Allaah – Ahmad ibn Hanbal – about saying “Mu’aawiyah the maternal uncle of the believers” or “Ibn ‘Umar the maternal uncle of the believers”. He said: Yes, Mu’aawiyah was the brother of Umm Habeebah bint Abi Sufyaan, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him and may Allaah have mercy on her), and Ibn ‘Umar was the brother of Hafsah the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him and may Allaah have mercy on her). I said: Can I say Mu’aawiyah the maternal uncle of the believers? He said: Yes.[Al-Sunnah by al-Khallaal (2/433), Dar al-Raayah edition.]

It was narrated from Haroon ibn ‘Abd-Allaah that he said to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah –Ahmad ibn Hanbal – : A letter came to me from al-Raqqah saying that some people say: We do not say that Mu’aawiyah was the maternal uncle of the believers. He got angry and said: Why are they objecting to this matter? They should be shunned until they repent.[Al-Sunnah by al-Khallaal (2/434 no. 658, Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said, the chain is authentic in al Hadith no. 26 page 27)]

It was narrated from Muhammad ibn Abi Haroon and Muhammad ibn Abi Ja’far that Abu’l-Haarith told them: We sent a note to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah – Ahmad ibn Hanbal – saying: What do you say, may Allaah have mercy on you, about that who say: I will not say that Mu’aawiyah was the scribe of the revelation and I will not say that he was the maternal uncle of the believers, because he took the caliphate by the sword and by force? Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said: These are bad words and these people should be avoided and shunned, and we should warn the people about them.[Al-Sunnah by al-Khallaal (2/434 no. 659), Sh Zubair Ali Zai said: “The chain is authentic” in al Haidth no 26 page 27]

It was narrated that Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi said: I said to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah – Ahmad ibn Hanbal – Who is better, Mu’aawiyah or ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez? He said: Mu’aawiyah is better; we do not compare the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to anyone. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of mankind are my generation among whom I was sent.”[Al-Sunnah by al-Khallaal (2/434 no 660). Authenticated by Sh Zubair Ali in al Hadith no 26 page 27]

Benefit: ad-Dahabi said regarding Abul Hasan Abdul Rahman al Jobri.
فما أحدثك، حتى أدري مذهبك في معاوية.
فقلت: صاحب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وترحمت عليه،
He would not narrate hadith to his students until he ask them, what is your Madhab on Muawiya? And (if) they would say: He is Companion of Prophet peace be upon him, and they would pray for him (Muawiya). (Then he would narrate ahadith). [Seyar A`lam an-Nubala 17/415]

 

Proof 10: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Aisha ra wished Allah increase the age of Muawiya by taking away her age
Aisha ra said
ما زال بي ما رأيت من امر الناس فى الفتنة حتى اني لأتمنى ان يزيد الله عزوجل معاوية من عمري في عمره
When i saw the matters of people at the time of fitna, I wished that May Allah increase the age of Muawiya with my age. [alTabqaat Ibn Arooba alHarraani page 41, taken from the article written by Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpoori which was printed by Risalah asSunnah]

Proof 11: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Saad bin Abi Waqas ra said No one ruled according to the truth better than Muawiya ra after Uthman ra
Saad bin Abi Waqas ra said: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَداً بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ أَقْضَى بِحَقٍّ مِنْ صَاحِبِ هَذَا البَابِ -يَعْنِي: مُعَاوِيَةَ
I Have not seen anyone who ruled according to the truth better than Muawiya ra after Uthman ra [Tareekh Damishq Ibn Asaakir 59/161 authenticated by Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpoori]

Shaykh Muhib ud din al Khateeb (d1374 h) Rahimaullah said in the tahqiq of al Awasim Minal qawasim1/81regarding this narration
. نقل الحافظ ابن كثير في البداية والنهاية ( 8 : 133 ) عن الليث بن سعد ( وهو إمام مصر وعالمها ورئيسها المتوفى سنة 175 ) قال : حدثنا بكير ( وهو ابن عبد الله الأشج المدني ثم المصري المتوفى سنة 127 قال عنه الإمام النسائي : ثقة ثبت ) عن بسر بن سعيد المدني ( المتوفى سنة 100 قال عنه ابن معين : ثقة ، وقال عنه الليث بن سعد : كان من العباد المنقطعين أهل الزهد في الدنيا والورع ) أن سعد بن أبي وقاص ( أحد العشرة المبشرين بالجنة ) قال : « ما رأيت أحدا بعد عثمان أقضى بحق من صاحب هذا الباب »

Proof 12: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Abu Darda radid not see anyone who prayed like Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah
Abu Darda ra said: مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، أَشْبَهَ صَلاةً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، مِنْ أَمِيرِكُمْ هَذَا ، يَعْنِي مُعَاوِيَةَ
I have not seen anyone who prayed like Prophet peace be upon him after Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah [الفوائد المنتقاة العوالي الحسان للسمرقندي hadith no: 67, Al Haythamee said in Majma az-Zawaid 4/285: “Narrated by at-Tabrani and its narrators are the narrators of Saheeh other than Qais bin al Harith al Munhaji, and he is trustworthy]

Proof 13: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Imam Ibn Abbas understood Surah alIsraa verse 33 that Mu`awiyah should take power, because he was the heir of Uthman
Allah says (And whoever is killed wrongfully, We have given his heir the authority.) Surah alIsraa verse 33

Ibn Katheer commented
The great scholar and Imam Ibn `Abbas understood from the general meaning of this Ayah that Mu`awiyah should take power, because he was the heir of `Uthman, who had been killed wrongfully, may Allah be pleased with him, and Mu`awiyah did event- ually take power, as Ibn `Abbas said on the basis of this Ayah. This is one of the stranger of matters.(end quote)

The saying of Ibn Abbas ra is mentioned in [Mojam al Kabeer Tabraani 10/320]

Proof 14: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Love of Muawiya ra and Aisha ra for Prophetic ahadith
Muawiya ra used to take advise from Aisha ra and she used to quote ahadith of Prophet peace be upon him
“Mu’awiyah wrote a letter to ‘Aishah, that: ‘Write a letter to advise me , and do not overburden me.'” He said: “So ‘Aishah [may Allah be pleased with her]wrote to Mu’awiyah: ‘Peace be upon you. As for what follows: Indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) saying: Whoever seeks Allah’s pleasure by the people’s wrath, Allah will suffice him from the people. And who ever seeks the people’s pleasure by Allah’s wrath, Allah will entrust him to the people. And Peace be upon you.'”[Sunan Tirmidhee no: 2414]

This is also a proof of Love of Muawiya ra and Aisha ra for Prophetic ahadith.

Proof 15: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra) Prophet peace be upon him loved his family.
Narrated ‘Aishah (ra): Hind bint ‘Utba came and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! (Before I embraced Islam) there was no family on the surface of the earth I wished to see in degradation more than I did your family, but today there is no family on the surface of the earth I wish to see honored more than I did yours.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I THOUGHT SIMILARLY, by Him in whose Hand my soul is!”. [Sahih al-Bukhari 3825]

 

Ibn Kathir said in al Bidaya wal Nihaya:
فالمدحة في قوله: «وأيضا والذي نفسي بيده»، وهو أنه كان يود أن هندا وأهلها وكل كافر يذلوا في حال كفرهم، فلما أسلموا كان يحب أن يعزوا فأعزهم الله – يعني: أهل خبائها -.
The saying “I THOUGHT SIMILARLY!”. has a praise (for Hind ra and her son Muawiya ra) because He peace be upon him wanted degradation of Hind, her household and all the others who were kuffar, but when they accepted Islam He peace be upon him wanted them (Her household i.e. Muawiya ra her son etc) to be honored, so Allah honored them i.e. household of Hind. [al Bidaya wal Nihaya 8/162]

There are other scholars as Ibn Hajr said that some scholars said this hadith should not be taken literally as there were many enemies of Islam who were more staunch than Hind bint Atba ra, and there were many who were better than Hind bint Atba ra after they accepted Islam. [Fath al Bari]

Whether the hadith should be taken as literally or not, there is virtue of Hind ra, Abu Sufiyan ra, Muawiya ra in it as Prophet peace be upon him wanted them to be honored.

Proof 16: Virtues of Muawiyah (ra), The Barber of Rasool Allah peace be upon him
Narrated Muawiya: I cut short the hair of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) with a long blade. [Sahih al-Bukhari 1730]

Ibn Abbas ra was asked regarding this hadith of Muawiya ra to which he replied: ” مَا كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُتَّهَمًا
Muawiyah can not lie upon Prophet peace be upon him. [Musnad Ahmad 16863, Sh Shoaib Arnaut said its saheeh]

 

Proof 17: Virtues of Muawiya ra. He used ask questions from Ali ra and other sahaba
a) Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said from Said ibn al-Musayyab that a Syrian man called Ibn Khaybari found a man with his wife and killed him, or killed them both. Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan found it difficult to make a decision and he wrote to Abu Musa al-Ashari to ask Ali ibn Abi Talib for him about that. So Abu Musa asked Ali ibn Abi Talib and AIi said to him, “Is this thing in my land? I adjure you, you must tell me.” Abu Musa explained to him how Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan had written him to ask Ali about it. Ali said, “I am Abu Hasan. If he does not bring four witnesses, then let him be completely handed over,” (to the relatives of the murdered man). [Muwatta Imam Malik Book 36, Hadith 18]

b) Muawiya ra asked Zayd ibn Thabit ra a question, to which He replied in a letter
“In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave of Allah , Mu’awiya, the Amir al-Mu’minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin, and the mercy of Allah. I praise Allah to you. There is no god but Him. Following on from that, you asked me about the inheritance of the grandfather and brothers (and he mentioned the letter). We ask Allah for guidance, preservation and firmness in all our affairs. We seek refuge with Allah from being misguided or ignorant or taking on what we have no knowledge of. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu’minin, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness. Wuhayb has written it on Thursday, the 20th Ramadan, 42 (AH).” [Grade : Hasan (Al-Albani) Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1131]

Proof 18: Virtues of Muawiya ra. He knew Ali ra is better than him, and he was not arrogant
a) Ibn Hajar al Asqalani said:
وقد ذكر يحيى بن سليمان الجعفي أحد شيوخ البخاري في ” كتاب صفين ” في تأليفه بسند جيد عن أبي مسلم الخولاني أنه قال لمعاوية : أنت تنازع عليا في الخلافة أو أنت مثله ؟ قال : لا ، وإني لأعلم أنه أفضل مني وأحق بالأمر ، ولكن ألستم تعلمون أن عثمان قتل مظلوما وأنا ابن عمه ووليه أطلب بدمه ؟ فأتوا عليا فقولوا له يدفع لنا قتلة عثمان ، فأتوه فكلموه فقال : يدخل في البيعة ويحاكمهم إلي ،
Yahya bin Sulaiman al Ja`afi who is one of the teachers of Imam al Bukhari mentioned in his book “Kitab Siffeen” with POWERFUL chain from Abu Muslim al kholani that He asked Muawiya ra “Do you dispute Ali regarding Caliphate or are you equal to him? Mu’awiyah answered: “By Allah no. I know he is better than I am, and he has the right to rule, but do not you know that Uthman was killed as an innocent? And I am his cousin and the seeker of his revenge. Therefore go to Ali and tell him to send me Uthman’s murderers then I will obey him.” They went to Ali and talked to him, Ali ra said: First take my pledge and then ask about this ) [Fath al Bari (13/ 92)] b) Imam ad-dahabi also quoted this in Seyar A’alam Al-Nubala’a, with the following chain from the teacher of Imam al Bukhari.

قَالَ الجُعْفِيُّ: حَدَّثَنَا يَعْلَى بنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيْهِ، قَالَ:
جَاءَ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ الخَوْلاَنِيُّ وَأُنَاسٌ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَقَالُوا: أَنْتَ تُنَازِعُ عَلِيّاً، أَمْ أَنْتَ مِثْلُهُ؟
فَقَالَ: لاَ وَاللهِ، إِنِّيْ لأَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ مِنِّي، وَأَحَقُّ بِالأَمْرِ مِنِّي، وَلَكِنْ أَلَسْتُم تَعْلَمُوْنَ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ قُتِلَ مَظْلُوْماً، وَأَنَا ابْنُ عَمِّهِ، وَالطَّالِبُ بِدَمِهِ، فَائْتُوْهُ، فَقُوْلُوا لَهُ، فَلْيَدْفَعْ إِلَيَّ قَتَلَةَ عُثْمَانَ، وَأُسْلِمَ لَهُ.
فَأَتَوْا عَلِيّاً، فَكَلَّمُوْهُ، فَلَمْ يَدْفَعْهُم إِلَيْهِ
Abu Muslim Al-Khulani and some others went to Mu’awiyah and asked him: “Do you dispute Ali or are you equal to him? Mu’awiyah answered: “By Allah no. I know he is better than I am, and he has the right to rule, but do not you know that Uthman was killed as an innocent? And I am his cousin and the seeker of his revenge. Therefore go to Ali and tell him to send me Uthman’s murderers then I will obey him.” They went to Ali and talked to him, but Ali refused to hand in Uthman’s murderers to Mu’awiyah. [Seyar A’alam Al-Nubala’a, vol.3, p.140, the Muhaqqiq of the book said:
رجاله ثقات، وانظر ” البداية ” 8 / 129.
that its narrators are trustworthy, and see also Al Bidaya 8/129]

c) Ibn Asakir narrated it with another chain
ونا إبراهيم نا يحيى قال حدثني يعلى بن عبيد الحنفي نا أبي قال جاء أبو مسلم الخولاني وأناس معه إلى معاوية فقالوا له أنت تنازع عليا أم أنت مثله فقال معاوية لا والله إني لأعلم أن عليا أفضل مني وأنه لأحق بالأمر مني ولكن ألستم تعلمون أن عثمان قتل مظلوما وأنا ابن عمه وإنما أطلب بدم عثمان فائتوه فقولوا له فليدفع إلي قتلة عثمان وأسلم له فأتوا عليا فكلموه بذلك فلم يدفعهم إليه
Abu Muslim Al-Khulani and some others went to Mu’awiyah and asked him: “Do you dispute Ali or are you equal to him? Mu’awiyah answered: “By Allah no. I know he is better than I am, and he has the right to rule, but do not you know that Uthman was killed as an innocent? And I am his cousin and the seeker of his revenge. Therefore go to Ali and tell him to send me Uthman’s murderers then I will obey him.” They went to Ali and talked to him, but Ali refused to hand in Uthman’s murderers to Mu’awiyah.
[Tareekh Damishq 59/132 under the Tarjuma of Muawiya bin Abi Sufiyan ra]

d) Imam Ahmad narrated in his Kitab az-Zuhd
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو شِبْلٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ حَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ وَاقِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ضَمْرَةُ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْلَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ بِدِمَشْقَ يَخْطُبُ النَّاسَ وَعَلَيْهِ قَمِيصٌ مَرْقُوعٌ ”
Abi Hamlah said: I saw Muawiyah on the Minbar in Damishq giving Khutbah to people, and his shirt was patched with other cloth. [az-Zuhad no. 965]

شحاتة محمد صقر said:
روى الإمام أحمد في (الزهد) وابن أبي عاصم بسند صحيح عن أبي حملة
“Narrated by Imam Ahmad in Zuhad and Ibn Abi Asim with authentic chain from Abi Hamlah” [Kashf ash-Shubhaat wal Muftariaat 1/144]

e) Ibn Asakir narrated
عن ثابت مولى سفيان قال سمعت معاوية وهو يقول إني
لست بخيركم وإن فيكم من هو خير مني عبد الله بن عمر وعبد الله بن عمرو وغيرهما من الأفاضل ولكني عسيت أن أكون أنكاكم في عدوكم وأنعمكم
I am not better then you, and among you there are people who are better than me like Abdullah bin Umar and Abdullah bin Amr and others who are virtuous, It is maybe I am better for you in killing your enemies.. [Tareekh Damishq Ibn Asakir 59/163, الآحاد والمثاني لابن أبي عاصم 1/377 no. 40, Tabqaat al Kubra Ibn Sa`d 1/116]

Proof 19: He is a CONFIRMED Jannati
Narrated Khalid bin Madan: That ‘Umair bin Al-Aswad Al-Anasi told him that he went to ‘Ubada bin As-Samit while he was staying in his house at the sea-shore of Hims with (his wife) Um Haram. ‘Umair said. Um Haram informed us that she heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “Paradise is granted to the first batch of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition.” Sahih al-Bukhari 2924

 

The proof that Muawiya ra was the FIRST one. Umm Haram said
فَقَالَتْ : ادْع اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنْهُمْ ، فَقَالَ : أَنْتِ مِنْ الْأَوَّلِينَ ؛ فَخَرَجَت مَعَ زَوْجِهَا عُبَادَة بْنِ الصَّامِتِ غَازِيًا أَوَّل مَا رَكِبَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ الْبَحْرَ مَعَ مُعَاوِيَةَ
“Invoke Allah to make me one of them.” He said, “You are among the first batch.” Later on it happened that she went out in the company of her husband ‘Ubada bin As-Samit who went for Jihad and it was the FIRST TIME the Muslims undertook a naval expedition LED BY MUAWIYA [ Sahih al-Bukhari 2799]

Ibn Hajr al asqalani said: وقوله : قد أوجبوا ” أي فعلوا فعلا وجبت لهم به الجنة .
The saying (Paradise is) “granted” .. Paradise is WAJIB ON THEM. [Fath al Bari under the commentary of hadith discussed]

Ibn Abdul Barr said: ” ﻭﻓﻴﻪ ﻓﻀﻞ ﻟﻤﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﺭﺣﻤﻪ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺇﺫ ﺟﻌﻞ ﻣﻦ ﻏﺰﺍ ﺗﺤﺖ ﺭﺍﻳﺘﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻷ‌ﻭﻟﻴﻦ ﻭﺭﺅﻳﺎ ﺍﻷ‌ﻧﺒﻴﺎﺀ ﺻﻠﻮﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﻭﺣﻲ “.
There is a proof in this hadith, virtues of Muawiya May Allah have mercy on him.. [at-Tamheed 1/235]

Note: Ibn Abdul Bar said: Muhammad bin Abdul Hakam the great Malaki faqeeh said
من سب أبا بكر وعمر أو واحدا من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلا يُصَلَّى خلفه، ومن صلى خلفه أعاد أبدا
If someone criticise Abu Bakr or Umar or any of the companions of the Rasool Allah peace be upon him, then do not pray behind him, and if someone prays then repeat the prayer. (Ikhtilaf Aqwaal Malik wa Ashabuhu, prayeing behing innovators 1/113, Ibn Abdul Barr did not go against his fatwa )

Proof 20: Abu Huraira ra the Faqeeh of Ummah, ORDERED the people to stick to the strategies of Muawiya ra
Abu Huraira ra used visit the Market of Madina and say
اللهم لا تدركني سنة الستين ويحكم تمسكوا بصدغي معاوية اللهم لا تدركني إمارة الصبيان
O Allah do not let mee see the year sixty and ordered (people) to stick to the Strategies of Muawiyah, O Allah do not let me see the rule of Youngsters [Dalail al Nabuwwah 6/466, Ibn Abi Shayba, Tareekh Abu Zura page 261, authenticated by Sh Zubair Ali Zai in his tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 122]

Proof 21: Muawiyah ra ordered Abdul Rahman bin Shibal ra to teach people ahadeeth.
كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ شِبْلٍ أَنْ عَلِّمِ النَّاسَ مَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَجَمَعَهُمْ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ” تَعَلَّمُوا الْقُرْآنَ، فَإِذَا عَلِمْتُمُوهُ، فَلَا تَغْلُوا فِيهِ ، وَلَا تَجْفُوا عَنْهُ، وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا بِهِ، وَلَا تَسْتَكْثِرُوا بِهِ ”
Muawiyah ra wrote to Abdul Rahman bin Shbal, teach people which you heard from Prophet peace be upon him, so he said: I heard Prophet peace be upon him saying: ‘Learn the Qur’an, recognize it.. [Musnad Imam Ahmad 24/437, Authenticated by Shaykh Shuayb Arnaoot in his tahqiq of Musnad, The Muhaqiqeen of Seyar A`laam an-Nubala 7/15 said: The chain is powerful as al Hafidh said in “al Fath”]

Proof 22: Muawiyah ra had an extremely good seerah
Narrated Mu’awiyah:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If you search for the faults of the people, you will corrupt them, or will nearly corrupt them. [Sunan Abi Dawud 4888]

Abu Darda’ said: These are the words which Mu’awiyah himself heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), AND ALLAH BENEFITED HIM BY THEM. [Sunan Abi Dawud 4888]

Ibn Katheer commented:
يعني: أنه كان جيد السيرة، حسن التجاوز، جميل العفو، كثير الستر رحمه الله تعالى
Meaning: He had a good seerah, who used to excuse (people) in a good way, who used to pardon in a nice way and Who used to hide (people’s sins), May Allah have mercy on him. [Al Bidaya wal Nihaya 8/166]

Proof 23: Ummul Momineen Umm Habiba praising Muawiyah ra
Umm Habiba, the wife of Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ), said:
0 Allah, enable me to derive benefit from my husband, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and from my father Abu Sufyan and from my brother Mu’awiya. [Sahih Muslim Hadith 6438]

Prophet peace be upon him did not say why are you asking for benefit from Me, Abu Sufiyan and Muawiyah. Rather He peace be upon him said:

“You have asked from Allah about durations of life already set, and the length of days already allotted and the sustenances the share of which has been fixed. Allah would not do anything earlier before its due time, or He would not delay anything beyond its due time. And if you were to ask Allah to provide you refuge from the torment of the HellFire, or from the torment of the grave, it would have good in store for you and better for you also.” [Ibid]

Proof 24: Abu Ishaq as-Sabiee the Tabiee did not see anyone like Muawiyah after him
كان معاوية، وما رأينا بعده مثله
I have not seen anyone like Muawiyah after him.
رواه ابن سعد (1/122 السلومي) والأثرم (منهاج السنة 6/234) والخلال في السنة (2/438) وابن عساكر (59/171)

The Muhaqqiq of as-Sunnah al Khallal said: The chain is Saheeh, الشيخ محمد زياد بن عمر التكلة said: “This chain is kufi authentic” in his article من فضائل وأخبار معاوية بن أبي سفيان رضي الله عنه

Proof 25: Prophet peace be upon him and his advise to Muawiyah ra.
Imam Ahmad narrated
حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ عَمْرُو بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ جَدِّي يُحَدِّثُ ، أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَخَذَ الْإِدَاوَةَ بَعْدَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ يَتْبَعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِهَا ، وَاشْتَكَى أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ، فَبَيْنَا هُوَ يُوَضِّئُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ مَرَّةً ، أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَهُو يَتَوَضَأ ، فَقَالَ : ” يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ إِنْ وُلِّيتَ أَمْرًا فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ، وَاعْدِلْ ” ، قَالَ : فَمَا زِلْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنِّي مُبْتَلًى بِعَمَلٍ لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى ابْتُلِيتُ .
Muawiya took water in container after Abu Huraira (so that Prophet peace be upon him would make ablution), and followed Prophet peace be upon him and Abu Huraira was ill, When Prophet peace be upon him was doing wudu, He saw Muawiya once or twice, and said: O Muawiya if you become leader then fear Allah and be Just. Muawiya said: Because of this saying of Prophet peace be upon him, I always thought, i will be tested, until i was tested. (i.e. became a ruler and I was tested). [Musnad Ahmad]

a) al Haythami said:
رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ، وَهُوَ مُرْسَلٌ، وَرَوَاهُ أَبُو يَعْلَى فَوَصَلَهُ فَقَالَ فِيهِ: عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -: «تَوَضَّؤُوا “. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا تَوَضَّؤُوا نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ: ” يَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، إِنْ وُلِّيتَ أَمْرًا فَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَاعْدِلْ». وَالْبَاقِي بِنَحْوِهِ. وَرَوَاهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْأَوْسَطِ وَالْكَبِيرِ، وَقَالَ فِي الْأَوْسَطِ: ” فَاقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ “. بِاخْتِصَارٍ. وَرِجَالُ أَحْمَدَ وَأَبِي يَعْلَى رِجَالُ الصَّحِيحِ.
Narrated by Ahmad which is Mursal, And Abu Ya`la narrated it through a linked chain i.e. mosul… The narrators of Ahmad and Abi Ya`la are the narrators of Sahih. [Majma az-Zawaid (9/356)]

b) ad-Dahabi said: ولهذا طرق مقاربة
It has many Muqarib (i.e. acceptable) routs. [Seyar A`lam an-Nubala 3/131]

c) The Muhaqqiq of Seyar said: رجاله ثقات، وهو في ” المسند ” 4 / 101، وانظر ” البداية ” 8 / 123.
“Narrators are trustworthy, see al Musnad 4/101 and al Bidaya 8/123 [Ibid]

d) al Bayhaqi said regarding the chain he mentioned:
Ismaeel bin Ibraheem is weak but it has other shawahid. (like in Musnad Ahmad and Musnad Abu Yala) [Dalail an-Nabuwah 2/446, Ibn Kathir endorsed al Bayhaqi`s verdicts in al Bidaya wal Nihaya 8/123] Above narration proves many things like,
1. Muawiya ra used to help Prophet peace be upon him in making wudu.
2. Muawiya ra loved Prophet peace be upon him.
3. Prophet peace be upon him advised him and Muawiya’s Iman was that good that he knew he will be tested because Prophet peace be upon him advised him.

Proof 26 Jafar as-Sadiq ra accepting the narrations in praise of Muawiya ra
Ibn Asakir narrated from the chain of al Bayhaqi:
أخبرنا أبو محمد بن إسماعيل أنا أبو بكر البيهقي أنا أبو طاهر الفقيه أنا أبو بكر القطان نا أحمد بن يوسف السلمي نا خالد بن مخلد القطواني حدثني سليمان بن بلال حدثني جعفر بن محمد قال سمعت القاسم بن محمد يقول قال معاوية بن أبي سفيان قال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وسلم) إذا صلى الأمير جالسا فصلوا جلوسا قال القاسم فتعجب الناس من صدق معاوية قال البيهقي فهذا جعفر بن محمد الصادق يرويه ويصدق القاسم بن محمد بن أبي بكر الصديق فيما يحكيه من تصديق الناس معاوية والناس إذ ذاك من بقي من الصحابة ثم أكابر التابعين
That Jafar bin Muhammad (as-Sadiq) narrated from Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abi Bakar as-Siddique said: That Muawiyah bin abi Sufiyan said: Prophet peace be upon him said: “if the imam lead prayer by sitting down, the people behind him should also start prayer sitting down”. Qasim said: People (Sahaba and Tabiyeen) were amazed by the truthfulness of Muawiyah.
al Bayhaqi said: He is Jafar bin Muhammad as-Sadiq (from ahlul bayt) who narrated from Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abi bakar as-Siddique and affirmed what he (Qasim) narrated the affirmation of Muawiya’s (truthfulness) from the people. And those people were the remaining sahaba and Kubaar Tabiyeen.
[Tareekh Damishq 59/166, This hadith of Muawiya ra and saying of Qasim is also mentioned in Ibn abi Shayba and at-Tabrani, authenticated by al Albani in as-Sahiha 1363, and Sh Zubair Ali Zai also mentioned this from Tarikh Damishq in “Fadail as-Sahaba under Muawiya bin Abi Sufiyan” and authenticated]

27: List of scholars who wrote books on virtues of Muawiyah ra
1. Ibn Abi Duniya (208 h to 281 h) wrote a book on Patience of Muawiyah ra الكتاب: حلم معاوية لابن أبي الدنيا the book is published and Ibn Asakir quoted from this book in his tareekh.
2. Ibn Abi Asim (206 h to d 287 h) wrote a (separate) Juzz in his (Muawiyah`s ra) Manaqib. [Fath al Bari under the chapter “Dhikar al Muawiyah”] 3. Abu Umar Ghulam Tha`lab (d 345 h) [Fath al Bari under the chapter “Dhikar al Muawiyah”]

ad-Dahabi said:
جمع فيه فضائل معاوية، فكان لا يترك واحدا منهم يقرأ عليه شيئا حتى يبتدئ بقراءة ذلك الجزء
He (Abu Umar Ghulam Tha`lab) wrote a book in virtues of Muawiyah, he would not teach his students until they read this book. [Seyar A`lam an-Nubala 15/510, Tareekh Baghdad 2/356-357]

4. Abu Bakar Naqqash wrote a juzz in his Manaqib [Fath al Bari under the chapter “Dhikar al Muawiyah”] 5. Abul Fattah bin Abi al Fawaris (d 412 h) wrote a book.[ Minhaj as-Sunnah4.84] 6. Ali bin al Hasan al Qazweeni wrote “Fadail al Muawiya”. [see al Tadween fe Akhbar al Qazween by Abul Qasim ar-Rafiee al Qazweeni (d 623 h) 3/352] 7. Obaidullah al-Saqatee al Baghdadi (d 406 h), wrote “Fadail Ameer ul Momineen Muawiyah” this book is also available but he filled it with fabrications.
8. Abu Ali al Husayn al Ahwazi (362 h to 446 h) wrote “Shrah Uqad Ahlul Eeman fe Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan, wa Zakar Ma Warad fil Akhbar min Fadail wa Munaqib RadhiAllahanho”
9. Abul Fath Yousuf al Qawwas wrote virtues of Muawiya r.a. [Tareekh Baghdad 16/476] 10. Imam Abu Ya`la wrote a book which is published by the name:
“نزيه خال المؤمنين معاوية بن أبي سفيان من الظلم والفسق في مطالبته بدم أمير المؤمنين عثمان”

There are many other books which we are not aware of, these are only classical scholars, and if we talk about the contemporary scholars, then the list will reach 100s.

28. Muawiya the most good looking Man

Muawiya may Allah be pleased with him was the most handsome man among the people.

Ibn al Mubarak Narrated
: أخبرنا ابن أبي ذئب، عن مسلم بن جندب، عن أسلم مولى عمر، قال: قدم علينا معاوية وهو أبض الناس وأجملهم، فخرج إلى الحج مع عمر بن الخطاب،

A Lateefa: Khateeb Baghdadi said
حدَّثَنِي تَمام بْن مُحَمَّد الهاشمي، وَمُحَمَّد بْن عَلِيّ بْن الفتح وغيرهما، أنهم سمعوا أَبَا الفتح يوسف القواس يذكر أَنَّهُ وجد فِي كتبه جزءًا لَهُ فِيهِ فضائل مُعَاويَة قد قرضته الفأرة، فدعا الله تعالى عَلَى الفأرة التي قَرَضته، فسقطت من السقف، ولَم تزل تضطرب حتى ماتت،
Tamam bin Muhammad al Haashmi and Muhammad bin Ali bin Fath and others narrated to me, that They heard Abul Fath Yousuf al Qawwas mentioning that he saw in his books a section which had virtues of Muawiya r.a and it was nibbled by a rat, So he prayed to Allah against the rat, and the rat fell from the roof and he was in the state of disarray until he died. [Tareekh Baghdad 16/476]

Response to some objections against Muawiyah (ra)

1) Shias quote the hadeeth of Bukhari
Sahih Bukhari : Volume 1, Book 8, Number 438:
Narrated ‘Ikrima:Ibn ‘Abbas said to me and to his son ‘Ali “Go to Abu Sa’id and listen to what he narrates.” So we went and found him in a garden looking after it. He picked up his Rida’, wore it and sat down and started narrating till the topic of the construction of the mosque reached. He said, “We were carrying one adobe at a time while ‘Ammar was carrying two. The Prophet saw him and started removing the dust from his body and said, “May Allah be Merciful to ‘Ammar. He will be inviting them (i.e. his murderers) to Paradise and they will invite him to Hell-fire.” ‘Ammar said, “I seek refuge with Allah from affliction.”

Argument of Shias: This Hadith sates they will invite him to hellfire, this mean “they” will be in hell or “they” will be cursing him to hell fire

Response:

a) It is mentioned in Fath ul Bari
“He (i.e. Ammar) was calling the other group to Jannah in the meaning he was calling them to the reason that lead to Jannah. He was calling to obey the ruler while the other group was not. Yet, they are excused as they thought they were calling for Jannah as well and had an Ijtihaad about the matter”.(translated by Shaykh Ayman of Multaqa Forum)

b) Allah says in Surat Al-Hujurat, verse 9, “If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other, then fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the Command of Allah; but if it complies, then make peace between them with justice, and be fair: for Allah loves those who are fair (and just).”

Comment: So Allah never declared kafir then who are shias? transgresses never means kafir people but yes we can say they were on mistake with wrong Ijtehad, Plus we already provided sufficient ahadeeth and sayings of Sahaba who were the best of the best, they knew about this hadeeth more then shias.

c) Narrated Al-hasan Al-Basri: By Allah, Al-hasan bin Ali led large battalions like mountains against Muawiya. Amr bin Al-As said (to Muawiya), “I surely see battalions which will not turn back before killing their opponents.” Muawiya who was really the best of the two men said to him, “O ‘Amr! If these killed those and those killed these, who would be left with me for the jobs of the public, who would be left with me for their women, who would be left with me for their children?” Then Muawiya sent two Quraishi men from the tribe of ‘Abd-i-Shams called ‘Abdur Rahman bin Sumura and Abdullah bin ‘Amir bin Kuraiz to Al-hasan saying to them, “Go to this man (i.e. Al-hasan) and negotiate peace with him and talk and appeal to him.” So, they went to Al-hasan and talked and appealed to him to accept peace. Al-hasan said, “We, the offspring of ‘Abdul Muttalib, have got wealth and people have indulged in killing and corruption.” They said to Al-hasan, “Muawiya offers you so and so, and appeals to you and entreats you to accept peace.” Al-hasan said to them, “But who will be responsible for what you have said?” They said, “We will be responsible for it.” So, what-ever Al-hasan asked they said, “We will be responsible for it for you.” So, Al-hasan concluded a peace treaty with Muawiya. Al-hasan (Al-Basri) said: I heard Abu Bakr saying, “I saw Allah’s Apostle on the pulpit and Al-hasan bin ‘Ali was by his side. The Prophet was looking once at the people and once at Al-hasan bin ‘Ali saying, ‘This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e. a noble) and may Allah make peace between two big groups of muslims through him.” (Bukhari Book #49, Hadith #867)

Imam al Bayhaqi commented after narrating the above hadith
قَالَ سُفْيَانُ: قَوْلُهُ «فِئَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ» يُعْجِبُنَا جِدًّا، قَالَ الشَّيْخُ: وَإِنَّمَا أَعْجَبَهُمْ لِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَمَّاهُمَا جَمِيعًا مُسْلِمِينَ، وَهَذَا خَبَرٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ بَعْدَ وَفَاةِ عَلِيٍّ فِي تَسْلِيمِهِ الْأَمْرَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ،
Sufiyan said regarding the saying “reconciliation between two Muslim groups”: I love this too much, (al Bayhaqi said): He loved it because Prophet peace be upon him said “Muslimeen” to ALL OF THEM, this khabr became true after the death of Ali ra when al Hasan bin Ali ra accepted the caliphate of Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan ra. [al Aiteqaat al Bayhaqi 1/376]

Ibn Hajar commented
قال ابن بطال : هذا يدل على أن معاوية كان هو الراغب في الصلح وأنه عرض على الحسن المال ورغبه فيه وحثه على رفع السيف وذكره ما وعده به جده صلى الله عليه وسلم من سيادته في الإصلاح به
Ibn Battal said: This is the evidence that Muawiyah ra wanted peace and he was the one who offered Hasan ra this, and draw his intention towards it, and not to raise swords, AND HE MADE HIM REMEMBER THAT PROPHET PEACE BE UPON HIM MADE A PROPHECY REGARDING YOU (AL HASAN I.E. ‘This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e. a noble) and may Allah make peace between two big groups of muslims through him.”) [Fath al Bari Kitab al Fitan]

Then Ibn Hajr said
وفي هذه القصة من الفوائد علم من أعلام النبوة ، ومنقبة للحسن بن علي فإنه ترك الملك لا لقلة ولا لذلة ولا لعلة بل لرغبته فيما عند الله لما رآه من حقن دماء المسلمين ، فراعى أمر الدين ومصلحة الأمة . وفيها رد على الخوارج الذين كانوا يكفرون عليا ومن معه ومعاوية ومن معه بشهادة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم للطائفتين بأنهم من المسلمين ، ومن ثم كان سفيان بن عيينة يقول عقب هذا الحديث : قوله ” من المسلمين ” يعجبنا جدا أخرجه يعقوب بن سفيان في تاريخه عن الحميدي وسعيد بن منصور عنه . وفيه فضيلة الإصلاح بين الناس ولا سيما في حقن دماء المسلمين ، ودلالة على رأفة معاوية بالرعية ، وشفقته على المسلمين ، وقوة نظره في تدبير الملك ، ونظره في العواقب
In this story there are many benefits like
1. This is one of the prophecy among the prophecies of Prophet peace be upon him,
2. AND PRAISE OF AL HASAN BIN ALI that he left the authority even though he had no shortage of army, neither he did this out of shame, neither any other fault rather he did this to please Allah and to save the blood of Muslims, He saw the order of deen and the interest of Ummah,
3. In it there is a refutation of Khawarij who used to do takfeer of Ali ra, Muawiya ra and there companions because Prophet peace be upon him testified for both of the parties that they are “Muslims” That is why Sufoyan bin Uyanah said regarding the saying of the hadith ” two Muslim groups” that I like it too much, this is narrated by Yaqub bin Sufiyan in his “tareekh” from al Humaidi and Saeed bin Mansoor narrated from him.
4. In it there is virtues of making peace between the people especially when the blood of Muslims is saved.
5. IT IS EVIDENCE THAT MUAWIYAH WAS MERCIFUL TOWARDS PEOPLE, HE HAD COMPASSION TOWARDS MUSLIMS, HIS POWERFUL THINKING TOWARDS MANAGEMENT OF RULING, AND HIS THINKING TOWARDS Consequences. [Fath al Bari kitab al Fitan]

Comment: This is also a proof that Muawiyah ra and al Hasan ra were great Muslim leaders.
See also:Is the killer of Ammar ibn Yasir going to hell?
http://www.umm-ul-qura.org/info/user_pages/page.asp?art_id=152

 

2)Shias quote Ishaq bin Rahwiyh
Imam Dhahabi records in his esteemed work ‘Siyar alam al Nubla’ Volume 3 page 132:
الأصم حدثنا أبي سمعت ابن راهويه يقول لا يصح عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في فضل معاوية شيء
Ishaaq Ibn Rahwiyh said: ‘There is not any Sahih hadith from the prophet (pbuh) about the merits of Muawiya’.

Response:

a) This is not proven

Shaykh Muhammad Ameen Shanqeeti said
This saying is Batil and unproven from Ishaq ibn Rahwy
It is narrated by al Hakim as it is mentioned in “Seyar” of ad-Dahabi 3/132, “al Fawaid al Majmooa” of ash-Shawkani page 408 from al Asm, Abul Abbas Muhammad bin Yaqoob al Asm from his Father, who said I heard Ishaq bin Rahwy.. In al Fawaid “haddathana Abi” is not mentioned. (i.e. al Asm directly narrated from Ishaq in al Fawaid)

1. Al Asm
He was born in 247 h, He did not hear Ishaq bin Rahwy who died in 238 h. So this athar is Munqata, hence it is not proven.

2. Yaqub bin Yusaf bin Mu`aqal Abul Fadal an-Neysaburi.
He is father of al Asm, he has not been declared trustworthy by anyone! al Khateeb mentioned his biography in his “Tareekh” 14/286 no. 7582:
“Yaqub bin Yusaf bin Mua`qal abul Fadal an-Naysaburi who came to Baghdad and narrated from Ishaq bin Rahwy and Muhammad bin Makhlad narrated from him” He did not mentioned any criticism or praise for him.

He is mentioned in his son’s biography in “Seyar” 15/453 and ad-Dahabee also did not mentioned any criticism or praise over him…..

So this saying is not proven, and is weak from Ishaq bin Rahwy Rahimaullah, How can Imam Ishaq say this saying?
[al Ahadeeth al Nabawiyah fe Fadail Muawiyah bin abi Sufiyan page 45-46] b) Ibn Asakir he said
وأصح ما رُوي في فضل معاوية حديث أبي حمزة عن ابن عباس أنه كاتِبُ النبيِّ منذ أسلم، أخرجه مسلم في صحيحه. وبعده حديث العرباض: اللهم علمه الكتاب. وبعد حديث ابن أبي عَميرة: اللهم اجعله هاديا مهديا”
“And most authentic that was narrated in merits of Muawiya is the narration of Abu Hamza from ibn Abbas that he was scribe of prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) after he embraced Islam,it was reported by Muslim in his Sahih, and after that narration of al-Irbad: O Allah teach him the book, and after that narration of ibn Abu Umeyrah: O Allah make him guided, a guider”.[Tareekh madinatul dimashq (59/106), Shaykh Nasir ud din al-Albani Quoted in Silsilah as-Saheeha Vol 7 Page 694 hadeeth no: 3227]

c) Ibn Kathir He mentioned the following hadith
“O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment “.

And after quoting various routs of above hadith, Ibn Kathir said
وقد اعتنى ابن عساكر بهذا الحديث وأطنب فيه، وأطيب وأطرب، وأفاد وأجاد، وأحسن الانتقاد، فرحمه الله، كم له من موطن قد تبرز فيه على غيره من الحفاظ والنقاد.
Ibn Asakir mentioned this hadith with organized manner, and in great detail, and in best and good way, May Allah have mercy on him. He went ahead in many feilds from many Huffaz and Nuqaad. [al Bidaya wal Nihaya 8/160]

Then he went on and quoted other ahadith and said
ثم ساق ابن عساكر أحاديث كثيرة موضوعة بلا شك في فضل معاوية، أضربنا عنها صفحا، واكتفينا بما أوردناه من الأحاديث الصحاح والحسان والمستجادات عما سواها من الموضعات والمنكرات.
ثم قال ابن عساكر: وأصح ما روي في فضل معاوية حديث أبي جمرة، عن ابن عباس: أنه كان كاتب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم منذ أسلم.
أخرجه مسلم في صحيحه.
وبعده حديث العرباض: «اللهم علم معاوية الكتاب».
وبعده حديث ابن أبي عمير: «اللهم اجعله هاديا مهديا».
Then Ibn Asakir mentioned many fabrications without a doubt on virtues of Muawiyah, I have not mentioned them, Against these fabrications I have mentioned authentic, good and powerful ahadith.
Ibn Asakir said: “And most authentic that was narrated in merits of Muawiya is the narration of Abu Hamza from ibn Abbas that he was scribe of prophet (sallalahu alaihi wa ala alihi wa sallam) after he embraced Islam,it was reported by Muslim in his Sahih, and after that narration of al-Irbad: O Allah teach him the book, and after that narration of ibn Abu Umeyrah: O Allah make him guided, a guider”. [Al Bidaya wal Nihaya 8/161] Then he went on and mentioned various other proofs other than these on virtues of Muawiyah ra, among them are:
1. Praises of Ibn Abbas ra
2. Hadith of Hind bint Atba where Prophet peace be upon him praised her house hold i.e. her son Muawiya ra and others who accepted Islam.
3. He mentioned various ahadith, athaar and aqwaal after that in many pages, some of which are authentic and others are weak as well.

d) ad-Dahabi said:

وذكر المفضل الغلابي: أن زيد بن ثابت كان كاتب وحي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وكان معاوية كاتبه فيما بينه وبين العرب. كذا قال. وقد صح عن ابن عباس قال: كنت ألعب، فدعاني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال: ادع لي معاوية وكان يكتب الوحي. وقال معاوية بن صالح، عن يونس بن سيف، عن الحارث بن زياد، عن أبي رهم السماعي، عن العرباض بن سارية: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو يدعونا إلى السحور: هلم إلى الغداء المبارك. ثم سمعته يقول: اللهم علم معاوية الكتاب والحساب، وقه العذاب. رواه أحمد في مسنده، وقد وهم فيه قتيبة، وأسقط منه أبا رهم والعرباض. وقيل أبو مسهر: ثنا سعيد بن عبد العزيز، عن ربيعة بن يزيد، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي عميرة المزني وكان من أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لمعاوية: اللهم علمه الكتاب والحساب، وقه العذاب. هذا الحديث رواته ثقات، لكن اختلفوا في صحبة عبد الرحمن، والأظهر أنه صحابي،
روي نحوه من وجوه أخر. وقال مروان الطاطري: ثنا سعيد بن عبد العزيز، حدثني ربيعة بن يزيد، سمعت عبد الرحمن بن أبي عميرة يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول
لمعاوية: اللهم اجعله هادياً مهدياً، واهده واهد به. رواه الوليد بن مسلم، وأبو مسهر، عن سعيد، نحوه، رواه الترمذي، عن الذهلي، عن أبي مسهر، وقال: حسن غريب.

al Mufdal al Ghlabi mentioned: Zaid bin Thabit was Katib al Wahy for Rasool Allah peace be upon him, and Muawiyah used to write letters, BUT THIS IS AUTHENTICALLY proven from Ibn Abbas thatIbn Abbas that he said “I was playing when the Prophet called upon me and said to me ‘Go and call Muawiyah’ and he was a scribe of revelation”.. Al-Aarbad bin Sariyah as-Sulamee ra reported that he heard the Prophet Peace be upon him saying : “O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment “. (ad-dahabi said “This hadeeth is Powerful shahid” in Syar Ailam al Nubala 3/124)… Abdul Rahman bin Abi Umaira said that Prophet Peace be upon him said ” O Allah ! Teach Muawya Math, and protect him from the Punishment ” THIS HADITH (of Ibn abi Umairah) HAS TRUSTWORTHY NARRATORS but there is difference of opinion on companionship of Abdul Rahman, but is is more correct that he was a sahabi… Abdul Rahman bin abi Umaira ra said “O Allah, make him (Muawiya ) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”… Tirmidhi said Its Hasan Ghareeb. [Tareekh al Islam 4/309-310]

3) Haters of Muawiyah ra quote a hadith from sahih Muslim which states
Ibn abbas reported: I was playing with children that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by (us). I hid myself behind the door. He (the Holy Prophet) came and he patted upon my shoulders and said: Go and call Mu’awiya. I returned and said: He is busy in taking food. He again asked me to go and call Mu’swiya to him. I went (and came back) and said that he was busy in taking food, whereupon he said: May Allah not fill his belly! ibn Muthanna, said: I asked Umm Umayya what he meant by the word Hatani. He said: It means” he patted my shoulders”. (Muslim Book #032, Hadith #6298)

Response:
They claim that see Prophet peace be upon him supplicated against Muawiyah ra, but they failed to see another rout of this hadith which states
رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ يَكْتُبُ لَهُ
Messenger of Allah peace be upon him sent a message to Muawiyah ra to write for him [Musnad at-Tiyalsi hadeeth no: 2869]

And the narration of Al Bayhaqi says:
اذْهَبْ فَادْعُ لِي مُعَاوِيَةَ ، وَكَانَ يَكْتُبُ الْوَحْيَ
Go and call Mu’awiya, He used to write wahyy [Dalail al Nabuwwah 6/243]

Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said:
The chain of this hadith is authentic, Abu Hamza al Qassaab Imran bin abi Ata al Asdi is the narrator of Saheeh Muslim, and trustworthy and truthful according to Majority of the Muhadditheen. see Noor al Aynayn page 147

The words of this narration “He used to write wahyy” proves that SAYYEDUNA Muawiyah ra was Katib al Wahyy. Walhumdulillah” [Fatawa Ilmiya 2/260]

Shaykh al Albani said
وقد يستغل بعض الفرق هذا الحديث ليتخذوا منه مطعنا في معاوية رضي الله عنه،
وليس فيه ما يساعدهم على ذلك، كيف وفيه أنه كان كاتب النبي صلى الله عليه
وسلم؟ ! ولذلك قال الحافظ ابن عساكر (16 / 349 / 2) ” إنه أصح ما ورد في
فضل معاوية ”
Some sects use this hadith in a wrong way and try to accuse Muawiya RadhiAllahanho, even though there is nothing in this hadeeth which proves there point. How can it be used against him (Muawiyah) when it says he was Katib for Prophet peace be upon him? As Hafidh Ibn Asakir said: This is the most authentic narration on virtues of Muawiyah [Silsilah ahadeeth as-Saheeha 1/165]

Muawiyah a Katib ul Wahy and Katib of letters of Prophet peace be upon him, proven from Salaf as well

a) Riyah bin al Jarrah said A person asked Mu`aafaa bin Imran (d 185 h)
يا أبا مسعود أين عمر بن عبد العزيز من معاوية بن أبي سفيان ؟ فغضب من ذلك غضبا شديدا ، وقال : لا يقاس بأصحاب رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أحد ، معاوية صاحبه ، وصهره ، وكاتبه ، وأمينه على وحي الله ،
O Abu Masood “What is the role of Muawiyah compared to Umar bin Abdulaziz?”. Mu`aafaa bin Imran got furious and said “Nobody can be compared to the companions of Prophet peace be upon him. Muawiyah was companion of Prophet peace be upon him, Brother in law, scribe and his ameen regarding wahyy of Allah.” [Tareekh Baghdad 1/209 Authenticated by Sh Zubair Ali Zai in tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 129, see also الآجري 5/2466 واللالكائي 8/1445 وتاريخ بغداد 1/209 ومن طريقه الجورقاني 1/195]

b) al Ajury (d 360) said
مُعَاوِيَةُ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ كَاتَبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى وَحْيِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُوَ الْقُرْآنُ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
Muawiya Rahimaullah who wrote wahy of Allah for Prophet peace be upon him, (wahy) is order of Allah azzawajal. [ash-Shariya 5/2413]

c) Ibn Asakir said regarding him خال المومنين وكاتب وحى رب العالمين
Uncle of Momineen and he Wrote down the revelation of Rabb Al Alameen [Tareekh Damishq 62/38]

This hadith and Faham of Salaf is a proof that Muawiyah ra was a Kaatib al Wahyy but it is strange that haters of Muawiyah ra use this against him. And even from the hadeeth of Sahih Muslim their argument is baseless because Imam Muslim used this hadeeth on virtues of Muawiyah ra because the previous hadith of saheeh Muslim states:
Anas b. Malik reported that there was an orphan girl with umm sulaim (who was the mother of anas). Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw that orphan girl and said: O, it is you; you have grown young. May you not advance in years! That slave-girl returned to umm sulaim weeping. umm sulaim said: O daughter, what is the matter with you? She said: Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) has invoked curse upon me that I should not grow in age and thus I would never grow in age, or she said, in my (length) of life. umm sulaim went out wrapping her head-dress hurriedly until she met Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him). He said to her: umm sulaim, what is the matter with you? She said: Allah’s Apostle, you invoked curse upon my orphan girl. He said: umm sulaim, what is that? She said: She (the orphan girl) states you have cursed her saying that she might not grow in age or grow in life. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) smiled and then said: umm sulaim, don’t you know that I have made this term with my Lord. And the term with my Lord is that I said to Him: I am a human being and I am pleased just as a human being is pleased and I lose temper just as a human being loses temper, so for any person from amongst my ummah whom I curse and he in no way deserves it, let that, O Lord, be made a source of purification and purity and nearness to (Allah) on the Day of Resurrection. (Muslim Book #032, Hadith #6297)
Imam Ibn Kathir said
فركب مسلم من الحديث الأول وهذا الحديث فضيلة لمعاوية
Muslim quoted this hadeeth (of May Allah not fill his belly) right after previous hadith (of making the supplication source of purification). So this hadeeth has virtues of Muawiyah [Albidaya wal Nihaya 8/120]

Imam an-Nawawi said:
Apart from Imam Muslim other people of knowledge have also quoted this hadith on virtues of Muawiyah because these words of Prophet peace be upon him were dua for Muawiyah ra in reality [Sharah Saheeh Muslim 16/156]

ad-Dahabee said:
قلت: لعل هذه منقبة معاوية لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: اللهم من لعنته أو شتمته فاجعل ذلك له زكاة ورحمة.
I Say: This is praise for Muawiyah because the Prophet peace be upon him said: O Allah, whom I invoke curse or or whom I scold make it a source of purity and mercy. [Tadhkirahtul Huffaz 2/195]

see another hadith mentioned by Ibn Kathir
Imam Ahmad recorded that ‘Amr bin Abi Qurrah Al-Kindi said: “Hudhayfah was in Al-Mada’in and he was mentioning things that the Messenger of Allah had said. Hudhayfah came to Salman and Salman said: ‘O Hudhayfah, the Messenger of Allah ﴿would sometimes be angry and would speak accordingly, and would sometimes be pleased and would speak accordingly. I know that the Messenger of Allah ﴾ addressed us and said: (Any man of my Ummah whom I have insulted or cursed when I was angry — for I am a man from among the sons of Adam, and I get angry just as you do. But Allah has sent me as a Mercy to the Worlds, so I will make that my anger﴾ into blessings for him on the Day of Resurrection.”) This was also recorded by Abu Dawud from Ahmad bin Yunus from Za’idah.(end quote from Tafsir Ibn Katheer 21: 107)

4) Haters of Muawiyah ra claim Nasai and Bukhari says there are no ahadith on Virtues of Muawiya ra
They quote Imam Bukhari made a chapter باب ذِكْرُ مُعَاوِيَةَ رضى الله عنه
Ibn Hajr said under this chapter
وقد ورد في فضائل معاوية أحاديث كثيرة لكن ليس فيها ما يصح من طريق الإسناد ، وبذلك جزم إسحاق ابن راهويه والنسائي وغيرهما ، والله أعلم .
There are many Ahadiths narrated in the Virtues of Muawiya r.a which are not Sahih with Isnaad. And Upon this opinion stood Ishaq bin Ruhawaie and Nasai etc. [Fath al Bari] that is why haters of Muawiya ra said see there are no Manaqib of Muawiyah ra.

Response:
1. The citicism of an-Nasai
As for an-Nasai, There are few narrations narrated from him.

a) It is mentioned in Seyar A`lam an-Nubala: that al Haakim narrated from ad-Daraqutni:
That Nasa`i was asked regarding virtues of Muawiya ra, so he remanined silent, people started beating him in the Jam`e mosque, he said take me to Makkah, they took him to Makkah and he died there. [Seyar 14/133]

Sh Zubair Ali Zai said:
IF this narration is proven from al Hakim or ad-Daraqutni with an authentic chain of narrators then I say: ad-Daraqutni was born in 305 or 306 h, and an-Nasaee died in 303 h, so this narration is Munqata and Mardood. [Tahqiqi Islahi aur Ilmi Maqalaat page 273]

So, this is not proven from ad-Daraqutni, and even if it is proven then it is Munqata.

b) This is also mentioned by al Hakim in “Muarifat Uloom al Hadeeth” no 182, from Muhammad bin Ishaq (bin Muhammad bin Yahya bin Mandah) as-Bahani who said my teachers said (and the story)
Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai responded: All these teachers were unknown, so this narration is weak. [Tahqiqi Islahi aur Ilmi Maqalaat” page 273] ad-Dahabee quoted this narration from Ibn Mandah from Hamzah al Aqbi al Misree [Seyar 14/132] Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said this is without chain. [Tahqiqi Islahi aur Ilmi Maqalaat” page 273]

c) Ibn Adeem narrated a story where Imam Nasai wrote weak ahadeeth in praise of Muawiyah ra, and Abu Mansur said, you are a bad teacher, you don’t have the right to be my neighbour. [بغیة الطلب فی تاریخ حؒلب 2-785]

Hafidh Sakhawi responded by saying:
لا یصح
This is not authentic. (بغية الراغب المتمني في ختم النسائي رواية ابن السني ص۔130)

Because the trustworthiness of the nrrators “أبو عبد الله محمد بن الحسن بن عمر الصيرفي” and”أبو اسحاق ابراهيم بن نصر البزاز” can not be found.
Praise of an-Nasai for Muawiyah ra

a) There is another narration from Imam an-Nasai as Imam ad-Dahabee quoted:

Nasai said to his student: When i entered damascus, i saw there are many, who are against Ali ra, so I wrote “Khasais of Ali ra” I had a hope that this Allah will give them hidayah through this book, Then He wrote a book on “Fadail as-Sahaba” (in which Muawiyah ra is included), then an-Nasa`i was asked, why don’t you write on the virtues of Muawiyah ra (Specifically, as he already wrote general ahadith in praise of Sahaba, including Muawiyah ra), to which he replied. What should i write for him? Should I write The hadith which states: May Allah not fill his (Muawiya`s) belly”? [Tadhkirahtul Huffaz 2/194, Sh Zubair Ali Zai said its weak, for detailed response see his book Tahqiqi Islahi aur Ilmi Maqalaat” vol 6 272-275] ad-Dahabee said right after quoting:
قلت: لعل هذه منقبة معاوية لقول النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: اللهم من لعنته أو شتمته فاجعل ذلك له زكاة ورحمة.
I Say: This is praise for Muawiyah because the Prophet peace be upon him said: O Allah, whom I invoke curse or or whom I scold make it a source of purity and mercy. [Tadhkirahtul Huffaz 2/195]

Even though this narration is also not proven but when they quote other narrations, why don’t they quote this one along with the carification of ad-Dahabi? In this narration Nasai praised Sahaba including Muawiyah ra generally, and regarding specific hadith on Muawiyah ra, he quoted a hadith which is in praise of Muawiya ra as ad-Dahabi said its praise,

b) If they accept those weak narrations against Muawiyah ra, then what about the following? al Mizzi said:

قال الْحَافِظ أبو القاسم : وهذه الحكاية لاتدل على سوء اعتقاد أَبِي عَبْد الرَّحْمَنِ فِي معاوية بْن أَبي سفيان، وإنما تدل على الكف فِي ذكره بكل حال.
ثم روى بإسناده عَن أَبِي الْحَسَن علي بْن مُحَمَّد القابسي، قال: سمعت أَبَا علي الْحَسَن بْن أَبي هلال يَقُول: سئل أَبُو عَبْد الرَّحْمَنِ النَّسَائي عَنْ معاوية بْن أَبي سفيان صاحب رَسُول اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ: إنما الإسلام كدار لها باب، فباب الإسلام الصحابة، فمن آذى الصحابة إنما أراد الإسلام، كمن نقر الباب إنما يريد دخول الدار، قال: فمن أراد معاوية فإنما أراد الصحابة.

Hafidh Abul Qasim (Ibn Asakir) said: this narration (of an-Nasa`i where he remained silent, when he ws asked about virtues of Muawiyah ra) is not a proof that Nasai had a wrong creed regarding Muawiyah bin Abi Sufiyan ra, rather it just proves that according to Nasai, when Muawiyah ra is mentioned, (we) should remain silent.

Then he (Ibn Asakir) narrated with his chain from Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad al Qabisi, who said I heard Abu Ali Hasan bin Abi Hilal, who said: Abu Abdul Rahman an-Nasai was asked regarding Muawiyah ra, to which he replied:

“Islam is like a house with a door. The door of Islam is the Sahaba. Whoever speaks ill of the Sahaba seeks but to harm Islam, just like one who knocks a door to enter a house. As for Mu’awiyah, whoever speaks ill of him seeks to find a way to speak ill of the Sahaba.” [Tareekh Damishq 71-174, Tahdhib al-Kamal, vol. 1 p. 339-340, the chain of narrators are mentioned in Tahdib al Kamal, but that is not complete chain, Allahualam)

c) Nasai himself narrated many sunnah of Prophet peace be upon him from Muawiyah ra for example

It was narrated from Sa’eed bin Al-Musayyab that Mu’awiyah said:
“The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] forbade giving a false impression. [Sunan an-Nasa’i 5095]

It was narrated that Mujammi’ bin Yahya Al-Ansari said:
“I was sitting with Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif when the Mu’adhdhin called the Adhan. He said: ‘Allahu akbar; Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest),’ and he (also) pronounced the takbir twice. Then he said: ‘Ashhadu an la ialaha ill-Allah (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah),’ and he also sent the testimony twice. Then he said: ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasul-Allah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah),’ and he (also) sent the testimony twice. Then he said: ‘This is what Mu’awiyah bin Abi Sufyan told me, narrating from statement of the Messenger of Allah.'” [Sunan Nasa`i 683]

It was narrated from Mu’awiyah bin Sufyan that the Messenger of Allah said:
“A man may come and ask for something, and I refuse until you intercede, so that you will be rewarded.” And the Messenger of Allah said: “Intercede and you will be rewarded.”[Sunan Nasai 2558]

That is why Shaykh Tahaa Karaan said:
Mu’awiyah is credited with having narrated about 50 ahadith (roughly 10 repetitions included) in the Sihah Sittah. At least 29 of these ahadith are included by Imam an-Nasa’i into his works. At least 13 of these are narrated only by Imam an-Nasa’i, to the exclusion of the rest of the authors of the Sihah Sittah. (See al-Mizzi: Tuhfat al-Ashraf, vol. 8 p. 434-455) Had Imam an-Nasa’i been possessed of anti-Mu’awiyah sentiments he would have avoided the inclusion of any ahadith narrated by Mu’awiyah at all costs. (end quote, albalagh.net)

Against these stories let us see what his (Nasai`s) own student said regarding his death.

d) The student of Imam an-Nasaee, Ibn Yunas al Misree said:
وكان خروجه من مصر فى ذى القعدة سنة اثنتين وثلاثمائة، وتوفى بفلسطين يوم الاثنين لثلاث عشرة خلت من صفر سنة ثلاث وثلاثمائة
He went from Egypt in Ze Qad`a 302 h and died in Palestine on Monday the 13th of Safar [Tareekh Ibn Yunas 2/24 no. 55]

Hafidh ad-Dahabee also quoted above in Seyar 14/133 and said
قُلْتُ: هَذَا أَصحُّ، فَإِنَّ ابْنَ يُوْنُسَ حَافِظٌ يَقِظٌ وَقَدْ أَخَذَ عَنِ النَّسَائِيِّ، وَهُوَ بِهِ عَارِفٌ
I say this is more authentic, Ibn Yunas is Hafidh and student of an-Nasai and he was Arif. (end quote)

Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said:
IF this incident really happened then why Nasai`s own student did not mention this very important incident of his death? [Tahqiqi Islahi aur Ilmi Maqalaat” vol 6 275]

Dr Bashar al Awad said:
ورجع الذهبي قول الطحاوي وابن يونس وصححه كما في تاريخ الاسلام (الورقة: 13 أحمد الثالث 2917 / 9) وتابعه في ذلك تلميذه الصلاح الصفدي في الوافي (6 / 417) .
as-Dahabee mentioned the saying of at-Tahawi and Ibn Yunas (student of an-Nasai regarding his death), and authenticated as it is mentioned in “Tareekh al Islam” 9/2917, and his student Salah as-Safadi followed him in “al wafi” 6/417. [Tahqiq of Tahdeeb al Kamal 1328] In short

– Weak narration states he died in Makkah after he was beaten by people. And his own student says he died in Palestine.

– Student of an-Nasai, at-Tahawi, ad-Dahabee, Salah as-Safadi and sh Zubair Ali Zai rejected the saying where it states an-Nasai was beaten because he did not mentioned any Fadail of Muawiya ra and died in Makkah, as it was not proven from him.

– Nasai accepted ahadeeth of Muawiyah ra, and in two weak narrations he even praised Muawiyah ra.

2. The chapter made by Bukhari “Dhakar al Muawiyah ra”

As for Imam al Bukhari Imam Bukhari brought this chapter in the book

كتاب فضائل أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
“The book containing Fadhaail of Companions of Prophet peace be upon him”

Which itself means Imam Bukhari quotes the Fadhaail of Sahaba including Muawiyah ra, if for the sake of argument we agree with the claim, then Imam Bukhari made many chapters like this for example:

بَابُ ذِكْرِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ
He was Uncle of Prophet peace be upon him.

 

ذِكْرُ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ
He is among Ashra Mubashara.

ذِكْرُ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ

ذكر مُصعب بن عُمَيْر
He did not narrate any hadith in this chapter.

باب ذِكْرُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضى الله عنه

بَابُ ذِكْرِ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ البَجلِيّ

بَابُ ذِكْرِ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ الْعَبْسِيِّ
Now can any one say there are no virtues of Abbas bin Abdul Mutlib ra, Ibn Abbas ra, Talha bin Obaidullah ra, Osama bin Zaid and Mus`ab bin Umair ra and others? No.

This is a proof that this is the asloob of Imam al Bukhari ra that he mentioned some chapters with “dhikr”, some with “Manaqib” etc. But ALL of them are in “The book containing Fadhaail of Companions of Prophet peace be upon him”

Which is a proof that according to Imam al Bukhari, the Manqibat and Fadail of these sahaba are proven according to him. as Allama Ayni Hanafi in his Commentary of Bukhari Explains:
إنما لم يقل مناقب ابن عباس مثل غيره لأنه قد عقد له بابا في كتاب العلم حيث قال باب قول النبي أللهم علمه الكتاب ثم ذكر عنه أنه قال ضمني رسول الله وقال أللهم علمه الكتاب وهذا منقبة عظيمة واكتفى به عن ذكر لفظ مناقب هنا
And He (Bukhari) didn’t say The Virtues of Ibn Abbas as he said for the other Companions Because he already made a Chapter in Book of Knowledge that “Chapter about Saying of Prophet O Allah Teach him the Book” and then under it he narrated from him (Ibn Abbas) that he said Prophet embraced me and said O Allah teach him the Book, (i Ayni Say) this is a great Virtue and Imam Bukhari be settled with not discussing the Word Virtue Over Here. (Ummdatul Qari 23/393).

Same way Imam Bukhari quoted a Marfu hadith in praise of Muawiyah ra i.e. the hadith of naval expedition. [Sahih al-Bukhari 2924], another Marfu hadith in praise of the family of Muawiya ra in the chapter of “Hind bint Atba ra” and Moquf hadith of Ibn Abbas ra in “Dhikar Muawiyah”.

After quoting authentic ahadith in virtues of Muawiyah ra in Sahih al Bukhari, let us see what Imam Bukhari ra did with virtues of Muawiya ra in his great book “Tarikh al Kabeer”

1. First he mentioned the athar of Ibn Abbas ra for Muawiyah ra where he said: “I have not seen more applicable for Ruling (after khilafat of 4 Caliph) better than Muawiyah.”
2. Then he quoted the marfu hadith P where Prophet Peace be upon him said ” O Allah ! Teach Muawya Math, and protect him from the Punishment ”
3. Then he quoted a Prayer of Prophet peace be upon him “O Allah, make him (Muawiya ) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”
4. Then he quoted a narration of Muawiyah ra that he said: he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: A group of people from my Umma will continue to obey Allah’s Command, and those who desert or oppose them shall not be able to do them any harm. They will be dominating the peeple until Allah’s Command is executed (i. e. Resurrection is established).
5. Then mentioned the saying of Umair bin Saeed ra that he said: ‘Do not mentioned Mu’awiyah except with good, for indeed, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: “O Allah guide (others) by him.”
6. Then he mentioned a hadith narrated by Mu’awiyah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do not ride on silk stuff and panther skins.
7. And then he mentioned the saying of Ibn Sireen that: Muawiya ra did not lie upon Prophet peace be upon him in narrating ahadith. [see Tareekh al Kabeer no. 1405]

All of this proves Bukhari agreed with his fadheelah and he did not mentioned anything which goes against Muawiyah ra.

3. The criticism of Ibn Hajr al Asqalani

See the quote by Ibn Hajr which they don’t want to share.
Ibn Hajr al Asqalani said in its commentary of “Baab dhikar Muawiya ra”
عبر البخاري في هذه الترجمة بقوله : ذكر ولم يقل فضيلة ولا منقبة لكون الفضيلة لا تؤخذ من حديث الباب ؛ لأن ظاهر شهادة ابن عباس له بالفقه والصحبة دالة على الفضل الكثير ، وقد صنف ابن أبي عاصم جزءا في مناقبه ، وكذلك أبو عمر غلام ثعلب ، وأبو بكر النقاش
Bukhari mentioned “dhikar” rather than Manaqib or Fadheelah because there is no fadheelah in this (specific) hadith (quoted by Bukhari) but the apparent testimony of Ibn Abbas are evidence of his great virtue (i.e. the words Ibn Abbas ra used for Muawiyah ra) he is faqeeh and he was sahabi of Prophet peace be upon him. Ibn Abi Asim wrote a (separate) Juzz in his (Muawiyah`s ra) Manaqib, Abu Umar Ghulam Tha`lab and Abu Bakar Naqqash also (wrote juzz in Manaqib) [Fath al Bari under the chapter “Dhikar al Muawiyah”]

He also said:
لَكِنْ بدقيق نظره استنبط مَا يدْفع بِهِ رُؤُوس الرَّوَافِضِ
But with his (Bukhari’s) deep understanding, He deduced the ruling (from the athar of Ibn Abbas ra where he said Muawia ra was a sahabi and faqeeh), due to which the heads of Rawafidh gets down. [Fath al Bari, Ibid]

Ibn Hajr himself authenticated the chain of narrators as he mentioned four ahadith in “al Isaba” to prove the companionship of the Sahabi Abdul Rahman bin Abi Umaira ra.

1. ” O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment ” and he mentioned its different routs as well
2. There will be bayh in bayt ul maqdas on hidayah
3. No one wants to come back in this world apart from shaheed, even if all the things of this world are given to him.
4. There is no safr (i.e. no bad omen in safr)…
Then he said
وهذه الأحاديث وإن كان لا يخلو إسناد منها من مقال فمجموعها يثبت لعبد الرحمن الصحبة.
Even though there is problem in the chain of these ahadith but all of them proves that Abdul Rahman was a Sahabi. [ibid]

Then he said regarding the hadeeth where Prophet peace be upon him prayed for Muawiya:

مع أنه ليست للحديث الأول علّة الاضطراب، فإن رواته ثقات، فقد رواه الوليد بن مسلم، وعمر بن عبد الواحد، عن سعيد بن عبد العزيز، فخالفا أبا مسهر في شيخه، قالا : عن سعيد عن يونس بن ميسرة، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي عميرة. أخرجه ابن شاهين، من طريق محمود بن خالد عنهما. وكذا أخرجه ابن قانع من طريق زيد بن أبي الزرقاء، عن الوليد بن مسلم.
With that THERE IS NO FAULT OF IDHTERAAB IN FIRST HADEETH AND ITS NARRATORS ARE TRUSTWORTHY, so it is narrated by Waleed bin Muslim and Umar bin Abdul wahid from Saeed bin Abdul Aziz… [Al Isaba vol 4 page 288] So this proves according to Ibn Hajr and Imam Bukhari, not all the ahdeeth related to Muawiya ra are weak.

5) Haters of Muawiyah ra says Muawiyah ra said regarding Umar ibn al Khattab ra and Ibn Umar ra

“‘If anybody wants to say anything in this matter of the Caliphate, he should show up and not conceal himself, for we are more rightful to be a Caliph than he and his father.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 4108]

Response:

This is false interpretation that above words are for Umar ibn al Khattab ra, because Muawiya ra Loved the era of Umar ra and Umar ra himself.

Ibn Hajr commented:
قيل : أراد عليا وعرض بالحسن والحسين ، وقيل : أراد عمر وعرض بابنه عبد الله ، وفيه بعد لأن معاوية كان يبالغ في تعظيم عمر
It is said (Qeela, seegha Tamreed i.e. mostly used for weak opinions):He meant Umar and his son Abdullah. (Ibn Hajar responded) It has a problem because Muawiyah had EXTREME LOVE FOR UMAR. [Fath al Bari the commentary of hadith no. 4108]

az-Zuhri (the Tabiyee) said:
«عَمِلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بِسِيرَةِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ سِنِينَ لَا يَخْرِمُ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا»
The practice of Muawiyah ra was on the way of Umar bin al Khattab, and he did not reduced anything from it. [as-Sunnah by al Khallal no. 683, the Muhaqqiq said: The chain is saheeh”]

one of the examples among the many, Where Muawiya ra showed his love for Umar ibn al Khattab and his era.

Mu’awiya ra himself said:
Be cautious about ahadith except those which were current during the reign of Umar, for he exhorted people to fear Allah, the Exalted and Majestic… [Sahih Muslim 1037]

an-Nawawi commented:
ومراد معاوية : النهي عن الإكثار من الأحاديث بغير تثبت لما شاع في زمنه من التحدث عن أهل الكتاب وما وجد في كتبهم حين فتحت بلدانهم ، وأمرهم بالرجوع في الأحاديث إلى ما كان في زمن عمر رضي الله عنه لضبطه الأمر وشدته فيه وخوف الناس من سطوته ، ومنعه الناس من المسارعة إلى الأحاديث ، وطلبه الشهادة على ذلك حتى استقرت الأحاديث واشتهرت السنن
i.e. In the era of Muawiya, many of the lands of Ahlul Kitab were in control and there narrations were wide spread among the people. So He ordered to follow Ahadith which were preserved in the era of Umar ra.. [Sharh Sahih Muslim]

So, the question is to whom Muawiya ra said this? The answer of this rely on which occasion Muawiya ra said this. Ibn Hajr mentioned following opinions

1. It is regarding the last gathering which Muawiya ra and Hasan ra did (i.e. when they both reconciled)

2. Muawiya ra said this on the place of Dawma tul Jandal

and some other opinions as well, whenever he said this, The thing is He did not say it regarding Umar a and his son.

Now what about the reply Ibn Umar ra thought to give Muawiya ra? i.e.

“On that, Habib bin Maslama said (to Ibn Umar), “Why don’t you reply to him?” Abdullah bin Umar said, “I untied my garment that was going round my back and legs while I was sitting, and was about to say, ‘He who fought against you and against your father for the sake of Islam, is more rightful to be a Khalifah,’ but I was afraid that my statement might produce differences amongst the people and cause bloodshed, and my statement might be interpreted not as I intended. (So I kept quiet) remembering what Allah has prepared in the Gardens of Paradise.” Habib said, “You did what kept you safe and secure.” [Sahih Al Bukhari : 4108]

Fath al Bari has an explanation that
ووقع في رواية حبيب بن أبي ثابت أيضا ” قال ابن عمر : فما حدثت نفسي بالدنيا قبل يومئذ ، أردت أن أقول له : يطمع فيه من قاتلك وأباك على الإسلام حتى أدخلكما فيه فذكرت الجنة فأعرضت عنه ” وكان رأي معاوية في الخلافة تقديم الفاضل في القوة والرأي والمعرفة على الفاضل في السبق إلى الإسلام والدين والعبادة ، فلهذا أطلق أنه أحق ، ورأي ابن عمر بخلاف ذلك ، وأنه لا يبايع المفضول إلا إذا خشي الفتنة
Ibn Umar talked about himself (not Ali ra) but he kept quiet due to the fitnah and that he never thought about duniya before this day when he wanted to reply Muawiya ra, the opinion of Muawiya ra was that the right of Caliphate is for the one who has more knowledge and powerful opinions, rather than for the one who accepted Islam earlier and better in deen. The Opinion of Ibn Umar ra was different, that he did not agree on the Caliphate of the mafdhool unless there is the danger of fitnah.[Ibid]

As Ibn Hajr mentioned Ibn Umar ra had different opinion then Muawiyah ra, he wanted him to tell Muawiyah ra his opinion that the one who is faadil and accepted Islam before him is more capable. Muawiya ra had opinion that this is not the case rather the one who has strong opinion should be the one. Ibn Umar ra himself said:
ما رأيت بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أسود من معاوية
I have not seen Aswad after Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah.

Imam Ahmad was asked the meaning of Aswad, He replied
It means Sakhi [as-Sunnah by al Khallal 679,680,681, The Muhaqqiq of the book said the chain of saying of Ibn Umar is Hasan and the chain of the saying of Ahmad is saheeh] And Muawiyah ra himself praised Umar ibn al Khattab ra as mentioned above from saheeh Muslim, and he also praised Ibn Umar ra that he is better than me.

And It should be cleared that whether he was talking about “right of Caliphate” or “right of Taking Qisas”? Shaykh Kifaya tullah said (as Translated by brother Omar ibn Saleem)

“It is true that the word “Amr” used in the hadeeth is also used to denote Khilafah , however here in this scenario it seems that Mu`awiyah (r.a) is using it for the issue of claiming the qisas against the killers of `Uthman (r.a) and thus he said that i am more worthy of this claim than he and his father.

Imam al-`Ayni (rahimahullah) said :
فإنه ولي عثمان بن عفان والمطالب بدمه وهو أحق الناس
Verily he (mu`awiyah) was the guardian (relative) of `Uthman ibn `Affan and was seeking the blood (of the killers of Uthman) and he had the most right among the people (for this claim ) [Ref: `Umdatul Qaari sharh saheeh Bukhaari 17/185]

The proof that Mu`awiyah (r.a) was not behind the caliphate but behind qisas is the following narration wherein Yahya ibn Sulayman al-Ju`fi (D 238 A.H) narrated from

حدثنا يعلى بن عبيد، عن أبيه، قال: جاء أبو مسلم الخولاني وأناس إلى معاوية، وقالوا: أنت تنازع عليا، أم أنت مثله؟ فقال: لا والله، إني لأعلم أنه أفضل مني، وأحق بالأمر مني، ولكن ألستم تعلمون أن عثمان قتل مظلوما، وأنا ابن عمه، والطالب بدمه، فائتوه، فقولوا له، فليدفع إلي قتلة عثمان، وأسلم له. فأتوا عليا، فكلموه، فلم يدفعهم إليه .
Ya`la Ibn Ubaid, from his father: Abu Muslim Al-Khawlani and a group of people entered upon Mu`awiyah, and they asked, “Do you dispute `Ali? Are you his equal?” He replied, “No, I am not, and I know that he is better than me, and deserves this (khilafa) more than me, but don’t you know that `Uthman was killed unjustly, and that I am his cousin, and that I ask for his blood? So go to him (`Ali), and tell him to bring forth the killers of `Uthman, and I will submit to him.” So, they went to Ali, and spoke to him, but he didn’t hand them (the killers because of the chaos and deceptive unity of the khawarij that made it almost impossible for `Ali to make out who exactly is guilty among the lot ) [Ref: Kitaab as-sifeen of Ju`fi via the source of Siyar al-`Alam 3/140; Sanad Saheeh by shaykh Kifayatullah]

This shows that Ameer Mu`awiyah (r.a) didn’t even contest `Ali (r.a) in caliphate , who is a smaller khalifah or the 4th khalifah then how can it be even thought of that Mu`aiywah (r.a) would contest the second and the most powerful of Khulafah the Muslim Ummah had i.e `Umar Farooq (r.a)?!!!” (end quote of Shaykh Kifayatullah)

6) Haters of Muawiyah ra quote the following against Muawiya ra from Ibn Hajr al Asqalani

وأخرج ابن الجوزي أيضا من طريق عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل : سألت أبي ما تقول في علي ومعاوية ؟ فأطرق ثم قال : اعلم أن عليا كان كثير الأعداء ففتش أعداؤه له عيبا فلم يجدوا ، فعمدوا إلى رجل قد حاربه فأطروه كيادا منهم لعلي ،
Ibn al Jawzi mentioned from Abdullah bin Ahmad asked from his father what do you say regarding Muawiya ra and Ali ra? He remained silent and then said, There were many enemies of Ali ra who used to criticize him, and they used to find any criticism over him. When they did not find any, then they started showing extravagance against Ali for a man who had some fights with him. [Fath al Bari]

Response:

Yes there are many fabricated ahadith for Muawiya ra and there are many fabricated ahadith against Muawiya ra, Ibn Kathir mentioned Many of them and criticised the chain of narrators in al Bidaya wal Nihaya under the biography of Muawiyah ra.

Shaykh Muhammad Ameen shanqeeti said:
“This narration is ajeeb, I am not able to find its chain… Khallal said in as-Sunnah 2/60 “Imam Ahmad also said, after it was said to him: What do you say about what happened between ‘Ali and Mu‘aawiyah (May Allaah be pleased with them)? He said: I do not say anything about them except what is best. May Allah have mercy on all of them. The Chain is saheeh” [al Ahadeeth al Nabawiyah fe Fadail Muawiyah bin abi Sufiyan by shaykh Shanqeeti page 51]

Imam Ahmad mentioned authentic ahadith in praise of Muawiya ra, He wrote a book Fadail as-Sahaba in which he made a Chapter “Fadaail al Muawiyah” and quoted three ahadith, so, to say according to Imam Ahmad there is no authentic hadith on virtues of Muawiya ra is wrong.

Following are the two out of three narrations quoted by Imam Ahmad in Fadail al Muawiyah ra

Fadail e Sahaba of Imam Ahmad no: 1748
عن معاوية عن يونس بن سيف عن الحارث بن زياد عن أبي رهم عن العرباض بن سارية – رضي الله عنه – قال سمعت رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – وهو يدعونا إلى السحور في شهر رمضان : ( هلموا إلى الغذاء المبارك ) ، ثم سمعته يقول : ( اللهم علم معاوية الكتاب والحساب وقه العذاب ) .
Al-Aarbad bin Sariyah as-Sulamee ra reported that he heard the Prophet Peace be upon him saying as a du’aa : “O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment “. [Muhaqqiq of Fadail e Sahaba said Chain is Hasan Lighairihi]

Mursal Shahid of this hadith
حدثنا أبو المغيرة ، ثنا صفوان قال : حدثني شريح بن عبيد أن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – دعا لمعاوية بن أبي سفيان : ( اللهم علمه الكتاب والحساب وقه العذاب ) .
Shareeh bin Obaid said ( O Allah ! Teach Muawya the Book and Math, and protect him from the Punishment ) .[Fadail e Sahaba of Imam Ahmad hadeeth no: 1749 Muhaqqiq of The book said chain is weak because of Irsaal and Narrators are trustworthy, This is making previous hadith more powerful and strength makes it Hasan Laghirihi]

Imam Ahmad also quoted some athaar including praise of Ibn Abbas ra in Musnad Ahmad as well see Musnad Ahmad.

Imam Ahmad narrated in his Kitab az-Zuhd
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو شِبْلٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ حَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ وَاقِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ضَمْرَةُ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْلَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ بِدِمَشْقَ يَخْطُبُ النَّاسَ وَعَلَيْهِ قَمِيصٌ مَرْقُوعٌ ”
Abi Hamlah said: I saw Muawiyah on the Minbar in Damishq giving Khutbah to people, and his shirt was patched with other cloth. [az-Zuhad no. 965]

Now see two Fatawa of Imam Ahmad against these haters of Muawiyah ra

a) Imam Ahmad was asked
الذي يشتم معاوية نصلي خلفه قَالَ: لا ولا كرامة.
Should we pray behind a person who is shatim al Muawiyah?
He replied: NO. There is no respect for him. [Masail Imam Ahmad li Ibn Haani page 160]

b) It was narrated that Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi said: I said to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah – Ahmad ibn Hanbal – Who is better, Mu’aawiyah or ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez? He said: Mu’aawiyah is better; we do not compare the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to anyone. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of mankind are my generation among whom I was sent.”[Al-Sunnah by al-Khallaal (2/434).]

c) al Khallal mentioned
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا بَكْرِ بْنَ سِنْدِيٍّ قَرَابَةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَرْبِيِّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ، أَوْ حَضَرْتُ، أَوْ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَسَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، لِي خَالٌ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ يَنْتَقِصُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَرُبَّمَا أَكَلْتُ مَعَهُ، فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُبَادِرًا: «لَا تَأْكُلْ مَعَهُ»
Ibraheem al Harbee said: a person asked Abu Abdullah (Ahmad), My uncle criticize Muawiya and sometimes i eat with him, He replied immediately, do not eat with him. [as-Sunnah al Khallal 693, The Muhaqqiq of the book said the chain is authentic.]

7) Haters of Muawiyah ra quote Ibn Maja narrated from Sa`d bin Waqqas said:
“Mu`awiyah came on one of his pilgrimages and Sa`d entered upon him. They mentioned `Ali, and Mu`awiyah criticized him. Sa`d became angry and said: ‘Are you saying this of a man of whom I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “If I am a person’s close friend, `Ali is also his close friend.” And I heard him say: “You are to me like Harun was to Musa, except that there will be no Prophet after me.” And I heard him say: “I will give the banner today to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger.”
English reference : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 121

Response:

a) Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said:

اسناد ضعيف

عبد الرحمن بن سابط لم يسمع من سعد رضى الله عنه (انظر تحفة التحصيل ص 197) و حديث البخاري (3706, 4416) و مسلم (2404) يغني عنه
The chain is Da`if
Abdul Rahman bin Sabit did not hear from S`ad May Allah be pleased with him (see Tohfatul Tahseel page 197).. [Anwar as-Saheefa by sh Zubair under Daif Ibn Maja hadith no. 121, page 380]

Note: Dar us salam mentioned under this hadith its saheeh, but Shaykh did bara`at from his gradings printed by dar us salam.

b) Shaykh Muqbil bin Hadee al Wad`ee said
هذا الحديث إذا نظرت إلى سنده وجدتهم ثقات، ولكن يحيى ابن معين يقول: إن عبد الرحمن بن سابط لم يسمع من سعد بن أبي وقاص كما في “جامع التحصيل”.
When we see the chain of this hadeeth, it looks (it has) trustworthy (narrators), but Yahya bin Maeen said: Abdul Rahman bin Sabit did not hear from Sad bin abi waqas as it is mentioned in “Jame at-Tahseel” [Ahadeeth al Muallah 1/146 shamela]

c) Shaykh Abdul Rahman Damashqi said

والرواية معلولة بالإرسال. فإن فيها عبد الرحمن بن سابط وهو ثقة لكنه كثير الإرسال عن جماعة من الصحابة. وأشار الحافظ المزي إلى ذلك كما في (تهذيب الكمال17/124) وجزم يحيى بن معين بأن ابن سابط لم يسمع من سعد بن أبي وقاص (أنظر جامع التحصيل1/222).

قال الحافظ في التهذيب « قيل ليحيى بن معين: سمع عبد الرحمن من سعد بن أبي وقاص؟ قال: لا. قيل: من أبي أمامة؟ قال: لا. قيل: من جابر؟ قال: لا؛ هو مرسل» (تهذيب التهذيب6/180 ترجمة رقم361).
وقال عنه في التقريب « ثقة كثير الإرسال» (تقريب التهذيب ترجمة رقم3867 ص340 الإصابة5/228).
بل حكى الحافظ أنه « لا يصح له سماع من صحابي» (الإصابة5/228).
The narration is faulty because of Irsaal, because Abdul rahman bin Sabit is trustworthy but he makes katheer Irsaal from a group of Sahaba, This is what Hafidh al Mizzi pointed out in (Tahdeeb al Kamal 17/124)
and Yahya bin Maeen said it with certainity that Ibn Sabit did not hear from Sad bin abi Waqas (see Jame at-Tahseel 1/222).
Hafidh said in Tahdeeb “It was asked to Yahya bin Maeen: Did Abdul rahman hear from Sad bin abi waqas? He replied: No, he was asked, Abu Umama? he said no, he was asked: what about Jabir? he said no, its Mursal. [Tahdeeb at-Tahdeeb 6/180 no 261] He mentioned in at-Taqreeb: “Trustworthy katheer al-Irsaal” [Taqreeb at-Tahdeeb no. 3867 page 340, al Isaba 5/228] Rather Hafidh mentioned from him “It is not proven that he heard from a sahabi” [al Isaba 5/228] [From the book of Shaykh Damashiqya “Ahadeeth Yahtaj biha alShiya” 1/343]

If this hadeeth is authentic then why Sad bin Abi Waqas ra praised Muawiyah ra? He said:

مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَداً بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ أَقْضَى بِحَقٍّ مِنْ صَاحِبِ هَذَا البَابِ -يَعْنِي: مُعَاوِيَةَ
“I Have not seen anyone who ruled according to the truth better than Muawiya ra after Uthman ra” [Tareekh Damishq Ibn Asaakir 59/161 authenticated by Hafiz Abu Yahya Noorpoori]

 

Now even if we say for an argument this athar is Saheeh then what was the criticism of Muawiya ra? He used to say:

“I know he is better than I am, and he has the right to rule, but do not you know that Uthman was killed as an innocent? And I am his cousin and the seeker of his revenge.” [Reference quoted above]

Comment: This is the only thing he had against Ali ra which is not cursing or Abusing naudhubillah, How can he abuse Ali ra when he himself used to ask questions from him? [the athar is quoted above from “Muwatta Imam Malik Book 36, Hadith 18″

Now take the response from Sad bin Abi waqas ra himself:
Imam Ahmad narrated
وَكَانَ بَيْنَ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ ، وَبَيْنِ سَعْدٍ كَلامٌ ، وَقَالَ : فَتَنَاوَلَ رَجُلٌ خَالِدًا ، قَالَ : عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ عِنْدَ سَعْدٍ ، قَالَ : فَقَالَ سَعْدٌ : إِنَّ مَا بَيْنَنَا لَمْ يَبْلُغْ دِينَنَا ” .
Tariq bin Shihab said: There was a dispute between Khalid ibn waleed and Sad bin abi waqas, a person spoke against Khalid (in favor of Sad), Sad said (to the one who was speaking against Khalid): Whatever is in between us (Sahaba) that does not affect our deen. [Fadail as-Sahaba by Ahmad no. 1311, The Muhaqqiq said: “The chain is saheeh”]

Meaning is clear, STOP do not speak against Sahaba even if we have disputes, that does not have any impact on our deen, we will still be in jannah inshaAllah.

8) Haters of Muawiyah ra quote Amir b. Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan appointed Sa’d as the Governor and said:
What prevents you from تَسُبَّ Abu Turab (Hadrat ‘Ali), whereupon be said: It is because of three things which I remember Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) having said about him that I would not أَسُبَّهُ him and even if I find one of those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camels. I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) say about ‘Ali as he left him behind in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). ‘Ali said to him: Allah’s Messenger, you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Aren’t you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger, and Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We had been anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call ‘Ali. He was called and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed: “Let us summon our children and your children.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) called ‘Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2404

Response:

Here these people translate the word “سُبَّ” into “curse”, But the scholars mentioned “سُبَّ” means “to denounce the opinion of other” or to “criticize” as mentioned by an-Nawawi ra.

a) Imam an-Nawawi answered in three ways:
فقول معاوية هذا ليس فيه تصريح بأنه أمر سعدا بسبه ، وإنما سأله عن السبب المانع له من السب ، كأنه يقول : هل امتنعت تورعا ، أو خوفا ، أو غير ذلك . فإن كان تورعا وإجلالا له عن السب فأنت مصيب محسن
، وإن كان غير ذلك فله جواب آخر ، ولعل سعدا قد كان في طائفة يسبون فلم يسب معهم ، وعجز عن الإنكار ، وأنكر عليهم ، فسأله هذا السؤال .
قالوا : ويحتمل تأويلا آخر أن معناه ما منعك أن تخطئه في رأيه واجتهاده ، وتظهر للناس حسن رأينا واجتهادنا ، وأنه أخطأ ؟ .
(The meaning of it is)
1. (First Answer) Muawiyah did not order Sad to criticize Ali, rather he was inquiring him about this, i.e. He asked Sad, whether you don’t criticize Ali due to any shariee evidence or his fear or is there any other thing? (then Sad mentioned ahadith that because of shar`iee evidence I don’t criticize not because i fear him) If you do not criticize him due to evidence then you are doing the right thing and if you are doing it because of other thing then the answer is different.
2, (Second answer) It might have been that Sa’d was among a group who used to criticize Ali, but he was not doing it with them, That is why Muawiyah asked him, you live among those who criticize him but i see you are different then them, i.e. you don’t criticize him even when you are living among them?
3. (Third answer) Criticizing means why don’t you mention his mistake in Ijtihad? i.e. why don’t you mention that his Ijtihad is wrong regarding not giving the killers of Uthman to Muawiyah? [Sahih Muslim under the Commentary of the hadith in discussion]

Before going further I want to clarify one thing, these Raafidah lied against an-Nawawi rahimahullah that he said after mentioning the above answers:

“But the falsehood of this interpretation is clear, and a very unlikely interpretation. What is clear, is that Mu’awiyah ordered to insult Alee (a.s), and he (i.e. Mu’awiyah) was not infallible, so he could make mistakes. But we should refrain from abusing any of the companions of the Prophet (saw), and insulting Alee (a.s) in the reign of Mu’awiyah is clear in our ninth narration.

Source: Saheeh Muslim Sharh Al-Nawawi. Vol. 2, Pg. # 322.

Screen shot:

 

Comment: I was shocked how these Rafidah are using Imam an-Nawawis name and his sharah? LIARS.

No where Imam an-Nawawi said this rather it is said by موسى شاهين لاشين in his Sharah of Saheeh Muslim with the name of “Fath al Mun`im be sharah Saheeh Muslim” and The joke is after attributing abive quote to an-Nawawi and his Sharah they gave scan of Fath al Mun`im be sharah Saheeh Muslim.
How ignorant are they? Now who is موسى شاهين لاشين, He is Man who lived 1920-2009 , he is not among our Salaf, WALLAH RAFIDAH ARE LIARS.

 

Coming back to the answer, In Saheeh Muslim no 706, Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم commanded people during ghazwa of tabook that tomorrow you’ll reach fountain of tabook and no one should touch water until i touched it. But two men reached that fountain first and when prophet asked them did you touch water, they said yes. (Then the wordings are)
فسبهما النبي
Now if we go by the translation of HATERS, we should translate it as, Prophet “cursed” them. Naudhubillah, And No sane Muslim would ever translate like that.

b) Abul Abbas al Qurtubi’s commentary on the hadith of Sad bin Abi Waqas and Muawiyah.

al Qurtubi mentioned

Muawiyah ra said to Dhiraar ra when he mentioned good qualities of Ali ra in front of Muawiyah ra.

“May Allah have mercy on the father of Al-Hasan (Ali bin Abu Talib ra), for he was, by Allah, just as you described him to be”

al Qurtubi said
وهذا الحديث يدل على معرفة معاوية بفضل علي رضي الله عنه ومنزلته ، وعظم حقه ومكانته ، وعند ذلك يبعد على معاوية أن يصرح بلعنه وسبه ، لما كان معاوية موصوفاً به من العقل والدين والحلم وكرم الأخلاق وما يروى عنه من ذلك فأكثره كذب لا يصح. وأصح ما فيها قوله لسعد بن أبي وقاص: ما يمنعك أن تسب أبا تراب ؟ وهذا ليس بتصريح بالسب ، وإنما هو سؤال عن سبب امتناعه ليستخرج من عنده من ذلك ، أو من نقيضه ، كما قد ظهر من جوابه ، ولما سمع ذلك معاوية سكت وأذعن ، وعرف الحق لمستحقه. ولو سلمنا : أن ذلك من معاولة حمل على السَّب ، فإنَّه يحتمل أن يكون طلب منه أن يسبَّه بتقصير في اجتهاد ، في إسلام عثمان لقاتليه ، أو في إقدامه على الحرب والقتال للمسلمين ، وما أشبه ذلك مما يمكن أن يقصر بمثله من أهل الفضل ، وأما التصريح باللعن ، وركيك القول ، كما قد اقتحمه جهَّال بني أمية وسفلتهم ، فحاشا معاوية منه ، ومن كان على مثل حاله من الصحبة ، والدين ، والفضل ، والحلم ، والعلم ، والله تعالى أعلم
Rough translation
“This hadith is a proof that Muawiya ra knew the virtues of Ali ra and his status, great right and position… Muawiyah ra was the man of intellect, religion, tolerance, generosity, Morality and what has been narrated from him regarding this issue is a lie and not proven mostly. The most authentic narration used is his saying to Sa’d bin Abi Waqas ra: What prevented you from criticizing Abu Turab?
And this is not a declaration that he asked him to criticize [him], rather it just was an inquiry about the reason why he didn’t or it is opposite as it is apparent from his answer than after hearing his answer Muawiyah ra remained silent and accepted the truth. We agree that the criticism of asking to provide the killers of Uthman ra was based on his ijtihad, or fighting among the Muslimeen and the like which happened to the people of virtues. as for cursing? then its a weak saying.. Muawiyah ra was far from cursing as he remained in companionship, he knew the religion, He had virtues, patience and knowledge. And Allah knows best.” [al Mufhim 6/278-279]

c) Sad bin Abi Waqas ra himself praised Muawiya ra

If we take their meaning that above hadith means Muawiyah ra ordered Sad ra to CURSE Ali ra, naudhubillah then why Sad bin abi waqas ra praised Muawiyah ra? as He himself said
مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَداً بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ أَقْضَى بِحَقٍّ مِنْ صَاحِبِ هَذَا البَابِ -يَعْنِي: مُعَاوِيَةَ
“I Have not seen anyone who ruled according to the truth better than Muawiya ra after Uthman ra” [Tareekh Damishq Ibn Asaakir 59/161]

It clearly shows the meaning taken from this athar by these haters of Sahaba is SELF MADE, Muawiyah ra himself praised Ali ra.

Some of the examples where Muawiyah ra praised Ali ra

a) He used ask questions from Ali ra and other sahaba.
Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said from Said ibn al-Musayyab that a Syrian man called Ibn Khaybari found a man with his wife and killed him, or killed them both. Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan found it difficult to make a decision and he wrote to Abu Musa al-Ashari to ask Ali ibn Abi Talib for him about that. So Abu Musa asked Ali ibn Abi Talib and AIi said to him, “Is this thing in my land? I adjure you, you must tell me.” Abu Musa explained to him how Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan had written him to ask Ali about it. Ali said, “I am Abu Hasan. If he does not bring four witnesses, then let him be completely handed over,” (to the relatives of the murdered man). [Muwatta Imam Malik Book 36, Hadith 18]

b) Muawiyah ra himself said Ali ra is better then me

He said
“I know he is better than I am, and he has the right to rule, but do not you know that Uthman was killed as an innocent? And I am his cousin and the seeker of his revenge.” [Authenticated by Ibn Hajr in Fath al Bari (13/ 92)]

c) When the news of ‘Ali’s death reached Mu`awiya

It is mentioned by Ibn Abi Duniyah with his chain
حدثنا الحسين نا عبد الله نا يوسف بن موسى نا جرير عن مغيرة قال لما جيء معاوية بنعي علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام وهو قائل مع امرأته ابنة قرظة في يوم صائف فقال إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون ماذا فقدوا من العلم والخير والفضل والفقه قالت امرأته بالأمس تطعن في عينيه وتسترجع اليوم عليه قال ويلك لا تدرين ما فقدنا من علمه وفضله وسوابقه.
Muawiyah said “To Allah we belong and to him we shall return. They have lost a great amount of wisdom and knowledge and virtue.”
His wife said: “yesterday you were criticizing him (i.e. his criticism was only that Ali ra should hand over the killers of Uthman to him and nothing else) and now you praise him?”
He said: “Woe to you! you have no idea what they’ve lost from his knowledge and virtue and early accomplishments (In Islam).” [Maqtal Ali ibn Abi Talib by Ibn Abi Duniya no. 106, The chain is Ibn Abi Duniya the author who was trustworthy, Yusaf bin Musa al Qattan who was teacher of Bukhari and trustworthy, Jareer Abdul Hameed ad-Dabbi who was trustworthy]

There are other examples as well.

9) Haters of Muawiyah ra quoteIt has been narrated on the authority of ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Rabb al-Ka’ba said that Abdullah bin Amr bin al Aas said:

The Prophet peace be upon him said… He who swears allegiance to a Caliph should give him the piedge of his hand and the sincerity of his heart (i. e. submit to him both outwardly as well as inwardly). He should obey him to the best of his capacity. It another man comes forward (as a claimant to Caliphate), disputing his authority, they (the Muslims) should behead the latter. The narrator says: I came close to him (‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As) and said to him: Can you say on oath that you heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? He pointed with his hands to his ears and his heart and said: My ears heard it and my mind retained it. I said to him: This cousin of yours, Mu’awiya, orders us to unjustly consume our wealth among ourselves and to kill one another, while Allah says:” O ye who believe, do not consume your wealth among yourselves unjustly, unless it be trade based on mutual agreement, and do not kill yourselves. Verily, God is Merciful to you” (iv. 29). The narrator says that (hearing this) Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-As kept quiet for a while and then said: Obey him in so far as he is obedient to God; and diqobey him in matters involving disobedience to God.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1844

Response:

First of all When Abdul Rahman (Tabiyee) heard a hadith of Following a Caliph and if another man comes forward (as a claimant to Caliphate), disputing his authority, they (the Muslims) should behead the latter.

The tabiyee wrongly understood the meaning of hadith because Muawiya ra was not claiming the Caliphate rather he was just claiming the Killers of Uthman ra to hand over to him, as he himself said:

“I know that Ali is better than me, and deserves this (khilafa) more than me”[Authenticated by Ibn Hajr in Fath al Bari (13/ 92)]

Imam Nawawi writes in his commentary:
المقصود بهذا الكلام أن القائل لما سمع كلام عبد الله بن عمرو، وذكر الحديث في تحريم منازعة الخليفة الأول، وأن الثاني يقتل، فاعتقد هذا القائل هذا الوصف في معاوية لمنازعته علياً رضي الله عنه، وكانت قد سبقت بيعة علي فرأى هذا أن نفقة معاوية على أجناده وأتباعه في حرب علي ومنازعته ومقاتلته إياه من أكل المال بالباطل، ومن قتل النفس، لأنه قتال بغير حق، فلا يستحق أحد مالا في مقاتلته.
The meaning of this saying is that when the listener (The Tabiyee) heard the words of Abdullah bin Amr bin al Aas regarding the prohibition of fighting for the Caliphate of the current Caliph and that the one who fights the Caliph and claims it for himself is to be killed,

– He thought that this would apply to Muawiya in his conflict with `Ali (ra) because the latter received his Bay`ah first,

– so he saw that the money that Mu`awiyah spent on his troops and followers during the war is like unjustly consuming the wealth and their fighting is like killing one another because they were not upon truth, so none of them deserve money for fighting. [Sharah Saheeh Muslim under the athar discussed]

It is not strange that a Tabiyee could understand the meaning of hadith wrong, as it is mentioned in Saheeh al Bukhari when Adi bin Hatim accepted Islam, even he concluded the meaning of hadith wrongly.

Narrated `Adi bin Hatim:
When the above verses were revealed: ‘Until the white thread appears to you, distinct from the black thread,’ I took two (hair) strings, one black and the other white, and kept them under my pillow and went on looking at them throughout the night but could not make anything out of it. So, the next morning I went to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and told him the whole story. He explained to me, “That verse means the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn.” [Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1916]

Now see what Sahaba and Tabiyeen said regarding Muawiyah ra

1.Umm ul Momineen Aisha ra said
ما زال بي ما رأيت من امر الناس فى الفتنة حتى اني لأتمنى ان يزيد الله عزوجل معاوية من عمري في عمره
When i saw the matters of people at the time of fitna, I wished that May Allah increase the age of Muawiya with my age. [alTabqaat Ibn Arooba alHarraani page 41]

2. Ibn Abbas ra Said
ما رأيت رجلا كان أخلق يعنى للملك من معاوية
I have not seen more applicable for Ruling (after khilafat of 4 Caliph) better than Muawiyah. [Tareekh Damishq 62/161 with authentic chain as Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said in Majallah Al Hadeeth no: 29 page 62,Musannif Abdul Razzaq vol 11 page 453 no: 20985]

3. Ibn Umar ra said:
ما رأيت بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أسود من معاوية
I have not seen Aswad after Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah.
Imam Ahmad was asked the meaning of Aswad, He replied
It means Sakhi [as-Sunnah by al Khallal 679,680,681, The Muhaqqiq of the book said the chain of saying of Ibn Umar is Hasan and the chain of the saying of Ahmad is saheeh]

4. Saad bin Abi Waqas ra said:
مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَداً بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ أَقْضَى بِحَقٍّ مِنْ صَاحِبِ هَذَا البَابِ -يَعْنِي: مُعَاوِيَةَ
I Have not seen anyone who ruled according to the truth better than Muawiya ra after Uthman ra [Tareekh Damishq Ibn Asaakir 59/161]

5. Abu Darda ra said:
مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، أَشْبَهَ صَلاةً بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، مِنْ أَمِيرِكُمْ هَذَا ، يَعْنِي مُعَاوِيَةَ
I have not seen anyone who prayed like Prophet peace be upon him after Prophet peace be upon him other than Muawiyah [الفوائد المنتقاة العوالي الحسان للسمرقندي hadith no: 67, Al Haythamee said in Majma az-Zawaid 4/285: “Narrated by at-Tabrani and its narrators are the narrators of Saheeh other than Qaus bin al Hars al Munhaji, and he is trustworthy]

And there are Many other evidences where Sahaba and Tabiyeen Praised Muawiya ra who knew Muawiyah ra is ruling according to Quran and Sunnah.

Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai said commenting on other narration

“If for the sake of argument it is proven than Abdullah bin Mutee`s saying that Yazeed used to leave salah and he was a drinker is more correct as he was a sahabi. And against sahabi Muhammad bin Hanafiya is a tabiyee. So the saying of Sahabi is Muqaddam on Tabiyee. But according to him this narration is not proven so these accusations are also not correct.” [see Majallah al Hadith no: 107]

And in this narration again, a Tabiyee is not hujjah against the sayings of Sahaba.

10. Haters of Muawiya ra quote
“It was narrated that Khalid said: “Al-Miqdam bin Ma’dikarib, ‘Amr bin Al-Aswad, and a man from Banu Asad came from QinnasrIn to Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan. Muawiyah said to Al-Miqdam: ‘Do you know that Al-Hasan bin Ali has died?’ Al-Miqdam said: ‘Indeed we are Allah’s, and to Him we shall return. (Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon)’Someone (In Ahmad’s narration: Muawiyah) said to him: ‘Do you regard it as a calamity?’ He said: ‘Why shouldn’t I regard it as a calamity, when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to take him in his lap and say: “He is from me, and Husain is from Ali.” The Asadi man said: ‘A live coal that has been extinguished by Allah.’ Al-Miqdam said: ‘As for me, I will not move today, until I say something to annoy you, and make you hear what you dislike.’ Then he said: ‘O Muawiyah, if I tell the truth, then confirm it, and if I tell lies, then tell me I am lying.’ He said: ‘Go ahead.’ He said: ‘I adjure you by Allah, did you hear the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbid wearing gold?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘I adjure you by Allah, do you know that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade wearing silk?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘I adjure you by Allah, do you know that the Messenger of Allah forbade wearing and riding on the skins of predators?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘By Allah, I have seen all of that in your house, O Muawiyah! Muawiyah said: ‘I knew that I could not be safe from you, O Miqdam.”
Khalid said: “Muawiyah ordered that he be given something that he did not order for his two companions, and he allocated a stipend of two hundred to his son. Al-Miqdam divided it among his companions, but the Asadi man did not give anyone anything of what he took. News of that reached Muawiyah, and he said: ‘As for Al-Miqdam, he is a generous man who gives freely, and as for the Asadi man he is a man who holds on well to his possessions.” [SUNAN ABU DAWUD: 4131, MUSNAD AHMAD: 17288]””

Response:

There is a dispute on the authenticity of this narration,

The chain of the narration

a) al Munzari said:
وَأَخْرَجَهُ النَّسَائِيُّ مُخْتَصَرًا وَفِي إِسْنَادِهِ بَقِيَّةُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ وَفِيهِ مَقَالٌ انْتَهَى
Nisaai narrated it with short words, and in the chain the narrator Baqiyat bin al Waleed has a problem. [Awn al Mabood]

b) Shaykh Shuaib al Aranoot said:
“The chain is weak due to weakness of Baqiyat [Tahqeeq of Sunan Abu Dawood under 4131]

He said in the Tahqiq of Musnad al Imam Ahmad:
إسناده ضعيف بقية – وهو ابن الوليد – مدلس ويسوي وقد عنعن
The chain is weak, Baqiyat ibn Waleed used to do Tadlees Taswiyat, and this narration has his (AnAn). [Tahqeeq of al
Musnad (4/132)]

In short, according to these scholars Baqiyat is weak and he used to do Tadlees Taswiyat (Worst type of Tadlees). And he MUST narrate his sama from his teacher, and all the narrators in the chain must narrate sama from there teachers to the end of the chain, its unlike other tadlees where, a Mudallis have to narrate his hearing from his teacher.

Note: There is another group of scholars who said Baqiyat is Mudallis and it is proven but he is Baree from Tadlees Taswiya, This is the opinion of al Albani Rahimaullah and Zubair Ali Zai Rahimaullah. [see al Fath al Mubeen fe Tahqeeq Tabqaat al Mudalliseen fourth Tabqa of Mudalliseen, That is why they have authenticated the chain as well]

Note 2: He is same Baqiyat who narrated the following words from Prophet peace be upon him
طُوبَى لِمَنْ رَآنِي وَطُوبَى لِمَنْ رَأَى مَنْ رَآنِي طُوبَى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

Tooba is for the one who saw me (in the state of eeman), and Tooba is for the one who saw the companions, Tooba and the best place is for them. [al Ahadeeth al Mukhtara 9/99, Shaykh Zubair said the chain is hasan in his tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba page 134, as he did not considered him the one who did Tadlees Taswiyah]

In short, they don’t take Baqiyat in his one narration, and accept him in other one. We the Ahlus sunnah say, whatever happened between sahaba does not concern us, as the hadeeth says “Tooba is for the one who saw me”, and Muawiya ra is a sahabi according to consensus. Now let us see the text of the narration in Abu Dawud.

The text of the narration

a) Ibn Katheer said regarding same chain and the hadeeth
وقال بقية: عن بجير بن سعيد، عن خالد بن معدان، عن المقدام بن معدي كرب، قال: سمعت رسول الله يقول: «الحسن مني والحسين من علي». فيه نكارة لفظا ومعنى.
Baqiyat said from Baheer bin Saeed from Khalid bin M`adan from Al-Miqdam bin Ma’dikarib, He said I heard from Prophet peace be upon him “al Hasan is from me, and Husain is from Ali.” There is Nakarat in these words and the meaning. [al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 8 under “The death of al Hasan”]

Note: These words (i.e. “al Hasan is from me, and Husain is from Ali.”) are against the authentic hadeeth as well which states: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Husayn is part of me and I am part of him. May Allaah love those who love Husayn. Husayn is one of my grandsons.” al-Tirmidhi (3775), Ibn Maajah (144) and Ahmad (17111)

Muawiya ra said Punishment can not touch Hasan ibn Ali ra

And the words “‘Do you regard it as a calamity?” are the words or Muawiyah ra or not? there is a problem in it as well because Muawiya ra himself said regarding al Hasan ra
وَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يُعَذَّبَ لِسَانٌ أَوْ شَفَتَانِ مَصَّهُمَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ”
Punishment will not touch the tongue or lips of the one which were kissed by Prophet peace be upon him. [Musnad Ahmad 28/62, Authenticated by Shoaib Arnaoot in his tahqiq, Al Haythamee said in Majma az-Zawaid 9/177 Narrators are the narrators of Saheeh except Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Awf who was trustworthy]

Veneration of Muawiyah for Ahlul Bayt of Prophet peace be upon him and his respect for them

 

Authentic narrations from Ash-Shariya al Ajurry “Chapter “Tazeem of Muawiyah ra for Ahlul Bayt” according to the Muhaqqiq of the book “Dr. Abdullah bin Umar bin Suleman ad-Dameeji”

No. 1959
مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ: كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ إِذَا لَقِيَ الْحُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا , قَالَ: مَرْحَبًا بِابْنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَهْلًا , وَيَأْمُرُ لَهُ بِثَلَاثِمِائَةِ أَلْفٍ
Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Yaqub said: When Muawiyah ra met al Hasan bin Ali ra, He said: Marhaba, O son of Messenger of Allah peace be upon him welcome, and he ordered to give 3 lakh dirham as a gift. [The Muhaqqiq of the book said the chain is authentic, رواه الأصمعي (البداية والنهاية) والبغوي في المعجم (5/370) وابن عساكر (59/194) . وانظر حلم معاوية لابن أبي الدنيا (35)]

no. 1961
، عن الزهري قال : لما قتل علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه وجاء الحسن بن علي رضي الله عنهما إلى معاوية فقال له معاوية : لو لم يكن لك فضل على يزيد إلا أن أمك امرأة من قريش وأمه امرأة من كلب لكان لك عليه فضل ، فكيف وأمك فاطمة بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
Zuhri said: After the Shahadah of Ali ibn Abi Talib ra, al Hasan bin Ali Ra met Muawiyah and Muawiyah said to him: It was sufficient for you to be better than Yazeed that your mother is a woman from Quraysh and his mother is a woman from [the tribe of] Kalb, But here your mother is (Quraishi as well as) Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (Salah Allah ‘Alaihi wa Salam). (i.e. You (Hasan) are far better than my son (yazeed).) [The Muhaqqiq said: The chain is hasan]

no. 1963
عن جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه أن الحسن والحسين رضي الله عنهما كانا يقبلان جوائز معاوية رضي الله عنه
Hasan and Husayn RadhiAllahanhuma used to accept the gifts from Muawiyah RadhiAllahanho. [The Muhaqqiq said: Chain is Hasan”]

There are many other narrations where Muawiya ra praised Hasan ibn Ali ra but these are from the chapter made by al Ajurry in ash-Shariya.

Muawiya ra forbade people to wear gold and silk.

And the narration states “‘By Allah, I have seen all of that (i.e. wearing silk and gold) in your (Muawiyah’s) house”

Having these things in the HOUSE is no Sin at all!! First two are even allowed for the women. Most importantly, he did not say that you wear these things! He said, you have them in your HOUSE!!

If these people who accuse Muawiyah ra say he used to wear it? then This is problematic because Muawiyah ra used to FORBID these things, as it is mentioned in the books of hadith, for example

a) Imam Ahmad Narrated
، عَنْ أَبِي حَرِيزٍ، مَوْلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ: خَطَبَ النَّاسَ مُعَاوِيَةُ، بِحِمْصَ، فَذَكَرَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ” حَرَّمَ سَبْعَةَ أَشْيَاءَ، وَإِنِّي أُبْلِغُكُمْ ذَلِكَ وَأَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ، مِنْهُنَّ: النَّوْحُ، وَالشِّعْرُ، وَالتَّصَاوِيرُ، وَالتَّبَرُّجُ، وَجُلُودُ السِّبَاعِ، وَالذَّهَبُ، وَالْحَرِيرُ ”
Once Muawiyah did Khitab at the place of Hamas and said: I see these things among you, and I forbid you from this because Prophet peace be upon him forbade: .. the wearing of the skins of beasts of prey.. wearing of silk [Musnad Ahmad 28/131, The Muhaqqiq Shuaib al Arnaoot said: Saheeh Lighayrihee]

b) Abu Shaikh Al-Huna’i said:
“I heard Mu’awiyah say to a group of Muhajirun and Ansar who were around him: ‘Do you know that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] forbade wearing silk?’ They said: ‘By Allah, yes.’ He said ‘And (he forbade) wearing gold unless it was broken (into smaller pieces)?’ They said: ‘Yes.'” Sunan an-Nasa’i 5159

Imam Nasai mentioned above saying in “Chapter: Prohibition of Gold for Men”

This is a proof that Muawiyah ra himself forbade people from these things and he used to quote hadith of Prophet peace be upon him.

In short,

1. This hadeeth is disputed among the ahlul ilm.
2. Even if we consider the chain to be authentic, there are lots of problems in the text as Imam Ibn Katheer pointed out.
3. Muawiya ra said Punishment can not touch Hasan ra.
4. Muawiyah ra used to forbid people from wearing gold and other things which are forbidden in Islam.

11. Did Ibn Abbas RadhiAllahanho cursed Muawiyah RadhiAllahanho?
Haters of Muawiyah says It is mentioned in Sunan al Kubra al Bayhaqi that Ibn Abbas ra said ““Thus ibn Abbas went out from his tent saying: “Labyak Allah huma Labayk” in defiance of Mu’awyiah, may Allah curse them, they abandon the Sunnah due to their hatred of Ali”.

Response:

The chain of narrators

Cursing is not narrated by anyone other than al Bayhaqi, The narrator is Khalid ibn Mukhlid al-Qatwani who was trustworthy but a ghali shia [Ibn Sa`ad page 283, Vol. 6]

According to some scholars He is trustworthy Mutlaqan, while others states if he is ALONE in narrating then he is not authority, and he narrated many manakeer for example

Imam Ahmad said:
له أحاديث مناكير.
He narrated manakeer
(العلل رواية عبد الله 2: 18 /رقم 1403)

Ibn Abi Hatim said
سألت أبي عن خالد بن مخلد فقال له أحاديث مناكير
His father was asked regarding Khalid bin Makhlad, he said he narrated munkir ahadeeth العلل (2/18)

It is mentioned in Sawalaat al Ajury 1/103
سئل أبو داود عن خالد بن مخلد القطواني ، فقال : صدوق ولكنه يتشيع ”
Abu Dawud mentions him saying: “He is truthful; but he follows Shi`ism.”

In short he is trustworthy but he was shia and narrated manakeer, Especially when this narration supports his innovation.

The text of the narration

We should see the text of this narration as well.

1. Athar no. 1 Ibn Abbas ra going against cursing sahaba,
عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا رَجُلٌ ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ : ” لا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَمَرَنَا بِالاسْتِغْفَارِ لَهُمْ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ سَيَقْتَتِلُونَ ” .
Abu Muawiyah narrated from a person (Rajul) from Mujahid that Ibn Abbas ra said: “”Do not criticize the companions of Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), for indeed Allaah (azza wa jall) has commanded us to seek forgiveness for them and He (the Supreme) knew that there will be fighting amongst them”..

[Fadail as-Sahaba Ahmad no. 18, The Muhaqqiq Waseeullah Abbas said: “The chain is weak due to the teacher of Abu Muawiya is Mubham and other narrators are trustworthy.. Ibn Taymiyah said in Minhaj as-Sunnah, Narrated by Ibn Batta with authentic chain from Abdullah bin Ahmad from Abu Muawiyah from Reja (rather than rajul) from Mujahid from Ibn Abbas, (sh Waseeullah Abbas said) If this is Reja rather then Rajul then the chain is Authentic.. Reja is Ibn Hewat who was trustworthy]

Athar no. 2
Abu Muawiya narrated from his another teacher Hisham bin Urwa who narrated from ‘Urwa and he reported on the authority of his father that ‘A’isha said to him:
O, the son of my sister, the Muslims were commanded to seek forgiveness for the Companions of Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) but they reviled them.[Sahih Muslim 3022]

Athar no. 3
Ibn Umar ra said
‘Do not revile the Companions of Muhammed, for the stay of anyone of them for a brief period (with the Prophet) is better than all the good deeds that anyone of you does in his lifetime.'” [Ibn Maja Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 162 authenticated by sh Zubair Ali Zai, he used to consider it weak but he did ruju in Anwar as-Saheefa where he mentioned this saying “Numbers of ahadeeth which are saheeh or hasan after research” and he mentioned hadeeth no. 162. This is also authenticated by sh Wasee ullah Abbas in Tahqiq of Fadail as-Sahaba no. 15]

Here it is very important to note that Ibn Abbas ra considered Muawiya ra a Sahabi.

Narrated Ibn Abu Mulaika:
Muawiya offered one rak`a witr prayer after the `Isha prayer, and at that time a freed slave of Ibn `Abbas was present. He (i.e. the slave) went to Ibn `Abbas (and told him that Muawiya offered one rak`a witr prayer). Ibn `Abbas said, “Leave him, for he was in the company of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ).”

When it is proven that Ibn Abbas ra himself and other sahaba said Do not revile the companions of Prophet peace be upon him, and it is also proven that Ibn Abbas ra himself considered him a Sahabi, then how can Ibn Abbas ra curse Muawiyah ra?

Especially when it is proven that Ibn Abbas radhiAllahanho himself praised Muawiyah ra.

1. Ibn ‘Abbas said, “He (Muawiyah) is a faqih (i.e. a learned man who can give religious verdicts) .[Bukhari Book #57, Hadith #109]

2. Imam ash-Shafiee narrated
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَجِيدِ عَنْ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي عُتْبَةُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ أَنَّ كُرَيْبًا مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ رَأَى مُعَاوِيَةَ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ أَوْتَرَ بِرَكْعَةٍ لَمْ يَزِدْ عَلَيْهَا فَأَخْبَرَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ: أَصَابَ أَيْ بَنَى لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنَّا أَعْلَمَ مِنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ
Kurayb saw Muawiya ra praying Isha and he prayed one witr, he told Ibn Abbas, and he replied: O my son he did a right thing, no one among us was more knowledgable (in this issue) than Muawiyah. [al Umm 1/330]

3. Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) reported that the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وسلّم) told him : ” Go bring Muawya to Me “, because he wrote down Allah’s Revelation (Wahy) for the Prophet [Recorded by Imam Ahmad 2651 , Dalail Al Nabuwwah of Behaqi vol 6 page 243 and verified to be authentic by Albani in Silsilat as-Saheehah 1-164 and It is mentioned in al Hadith of Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai that “Chain is Hasan” see Majallah Al Hadith no: 29 page 5]

4. Ibn Abbas ra Said
ما رأيت رجلا كان أخلق يعنى للملك من معاوية
I have not seen more applicable for Ruling (after khilafat of 4 Caliph) better than Muawiyah. [Tareekh Damishq 62/161 with authentic chain as mentioned inMajallah Al Hadeeth of Shaykh Zubair Ali zai no: 29 page 62,Musannif Abdul Razzaq vol 11 page 453 no: 20985] 5. Ibn Abbas ra said:
” مَا كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُتَّهَمًا
Muawiyah can not lie upon Prophet peace be upon him. [Musnad Ahmad 16863, Sh Shoaib Arnaut said its saheeh]

IBN ABBAS RA DID TAWAF WITH MUAWIYAH RA AND HE DID NOT SEE ANY WRONG THING IN HIS TAWAF.

Imam Ahmad narrated
ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻣﺮﻭﺍﻥ ﺑﻦ ﺷﺠﺎﻉ ﺣﺪﺛﻨﻲ ﺧﺼﻴﻒ ﻋﻦ ﻣﺠﺎﻫﺪ ﻋﻦ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ
ﺃﻧﻪ ﻃﺎﻑ ﻣﻊ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺒﻴﺖ ﻓﺠﻌﻞ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﻳﺴﺘﻠﻢ ﺍﻷﺭﻛﺎﻥ ﻛﻠﻬﺎ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻟﻪ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺴﺘﻠﻢ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﻛﻨﻴﻦ ﻭﻟﻢ ﻳﻜﻦ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ﻳﺴﺘﻠﻤﻬﻤﺎ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﻟﻴﺲ ﺷﻲﺀ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺖ ﻣﻬﺠﻮﺭﺍ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﺍﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺱ ﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻟﻜﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺃﺳﻮﺓ ﺣﺴﻨﺔ ﻓﻘﺎﻝ ﻣﻌﺎﻭﻳﺔ ﺻﺪﻗﺖ
Ibn Abbas said he did tawaf of Baytullah with Muawiyah. Muawiyah kissed all the corners of the Kaba. Ibn Abbas said why are you kissing these corners when Prophet peace be upon him did not kissed? Muawiyah replied nothing in Baytullah should be left. Ibn Abbas replied The life of Prophet peace be upon him is moral for you. Muawiyah said: you are truthful”. [MUSNAD AHMAD HADITH 1880]

Above narration proves Ibn Abbas ra did not see any wrong thing in tawaf of Muawiyah other then his kissing, Muawiyah ra would accept what Ibn Abbas ra narrated regarding TAWAF, then how can Ibn Abbas radhiAllahanho curse Muawiyah ra?

In short,

1. The words of Cursing are odd.
2. Ibn Abbas ra and other sahaba himself said do not revile sahaba.
3. He himself said Muawiyah ra is faqqeh and a Sahabi.
4. Then how can he curse Muawiyah ra?
5. Ibn Abbas praised Muawiyah and his Hakoomat.
6. Muawiyah ra and Ibn Abbas ra did tawaf together and Ibn Abbas ra did not see any wrong thing apart from his kissing, which Muawiyah ra accepted that Ibn Abbas ra is saying right thing.

Beautiful response by Muawiya RadhiAllahanho on the PROPAGANDA against him.

Urwa said
عَقِيْلٌ، وَمَعْمَرٌ: عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ: أَنَّ المِسْوَرَ بنَ مَخْرَمَةَ أَخْبَرَهُ: أَنَّهُ وَفَدَ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ، فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ، ثُمَّ خَلاَ بِهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا مِسْوَرُ! مَا فَعَلَ طَعْنُكَ عَلَى الأَئِمَّةِ؟
قَالَ: دَعْنَا مِنْ هَذَا وَأَحْسِنْ.
قَالَ: لاَ وَاللهِ، لَتُكَلِّمَنِّي بِذَاتِ نَفْسِكَ بِالَّذِي تَعِيْبُ عَلَيَّ.
قَالَ مِسْوَرٌ: فَلَمْ أَتْرُكْ شَيْئاً أَعِيْبُهُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ بَيَّنْتُ لَهُ.
فَقَالَ: لاَ أَبْرَأُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ، فَهَلْ تَعُدُّ لَنَا يَا مِسْوَرُ مَا نَلِي مِنَ الإِصْلاَحِ فِي أَمْرِ العَامَّةِ، فَإِنَّ الحَسَنَةَ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا، أَمْ تَعُدُّ الذُّنُوْبَ، وَتَتْرُكُ الإِحْسَانَ؟
قَالَ: مَا تُذْكَرُ إِلاَّ الذُّنُوْبُ.
قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ: فَإِنَّا نَعْتَرِفُ للهِ بِكُلِّ ذَنْبٍ أَذْنَبْنَاهُ، فَهَلْ لَكَ يَا مِسْوَرُ ذُنُوْبٌ فِي خَاصَّتِكَ تَخْشَى أَنْ تُهْلِكَكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُغْفَرْ؟
قَالَ: نَعَمْ.
قَالَ: فَمَا يَجْعَلُكَ اللهُ بِرَجَاءِ المَغْفِرَةِ أَحَقَّ مِنِّي، فَوَاللهِ مَا أَلِي مِنَ الإِصْلاَحِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا تَلِي، وَلَكِنْ -وَاللهِ – لاَ أُخَيَّرُ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ بَيْنَ اللهِ وَبَيْنَ غَيْرِهِ، إِلاَّ اخْتَرْتُ اللهَ عَلَى مَا سِوَاهُ، وَإِنِّي لَعَلَى دِيْنٍ يُقْبَلُ فِيْهِ العَمَلُ وَيُجْزَى فِيْهِ بِالحَسَنَاتِ، وَيُجْزَى فِيْهِ بِالذُّنُوْبِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَعْفُوَ اللهُ عَنْهَا.
قَالَ: فَخَصَمَنِي.
قَالَ عُرْوَةُ: فَلَمْ أَسْمَعِ المِسْوَرَ ذَكَرَ مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلاَّ صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ
Miswar bin Makhrama ra went to Muawiyah ra in a delegation, and He (Muawiyah) helped him in his (Miswar`s) need, then met him alone and asked him,

What is your issue with criticizing the rulers? (i.e. Muawiyah ra)

Miswar said: Leave it, and do good.

Muawiya said: No By Allah you have to tell me about yourself, why do you criticize me?

Miswar said: Then i mentioned all the problematic issues.

Muawiyah replied: No one is free from sins, O Miswar do you know how i tried to do Islah of people? ONE GOOD DEED WILL BE REWARDED (MINIMUM AS) TEN GOOD DEEDS, OR YOU JUST SEE THE WRONG THINGS AND LEAVE THE GOOD THINGS?

Miswar said: No. we just mention those sins which we see.

Muawiyah replied: We accept our shortcomings before Allah, O Miswar do you have any sins which you fear, If Allah will not forgive then you will be doomed?

Miswar said: yes:

Muawiyah replied: Then what is the matter with you? do you think you will be forgiven and I Will not be forgiven? By Allah i am trying my best to do islah even more than you, but I choose one thing between the two.
I CHOOSE ALLAH AGAINST GHAYR ALLAH, I AM ON THAT DEEN WHERE ALLAH ACCEPTS THE AMAL, ALLAH GIVES REWARD OF GOOD AND PUNISH THE SINS APART FROM THOSE WHICH HE FORGIVE. I HOPE THAT ALLAH WILL REWARD ABUNDANTLY AGAINST A SINGLE GOOD DEED, I AM FACING THOSE GREAT PROBLEMS WHICH YOU AND ME CAN NOT EVEN COUNT. I HAVE ESTABLISHED THE SYSTEM OF IQAMAT AL SALAH, JIHAD FI SABEELALLAH AND THE AHKAM WHICH ALLAH REVEALED. AND THERE ARE OTHER WORKS WHICH IF I TELL YOU THEN YOU CAN NOT EVEN COUNT, think something about it.

Miswar said: I came to know Muawiyah won the discussion, Urwa said after that it was NEVER heard that Miswar said something against Muawiyah, he always prayed for him.

[Tareekh Baghdad 1/208, It is mentioned in Majallah al Hadith 29 page 61 that its chain is authentic, Seyar Ailam an Nubala 3/151 and the Muhaqqiqeen said the narrators are trustworthy]

Umar bin Abdul Aziz ra Lashing the haters of Muawiyah ra

These are the reasons, If you (Haters) were at the time of Umar bin Abdul Aziz or If he comes today, he would lash you because you speak against Muawiya ra that he started innovation.

أخبرتنا أم البهاء فاطمة بنت محمد قالت أنا أبو الفضل الرازي أنا جعفر بن عبد الله نا محمد بن هارون نا أبو كريب نا ابن المبارك عن محمد بن مسلم عن إبراهيم بن ميسرة قال ما رأيت عمر بن عبد العزيز ضرب إنسانا قط إلا إنسانا شتم معاوية فإنه ضربه أسواطا
Ibraheem bin Maysara said I have never seen Umar bin abdul Aziz beating anyone with the exception of the one who insulted Muawiyah RadhiAllahanho, He would hit him many lashes [Tareekh Damishq 39/211, Chain is authentic according to Shaykh Zubair Ali Zai in Fadaail al Sahaba according to authentic ahadeeth page 129]

Recommended Readings

1. For Urdu Readers.

a) Majallah Al Hadith of Shaykh Al Muhaddith Zubair Ali Zai no: 26 page no 27 to 28 and Majallah Al Hadith no: 29 page no 59 to 63(a must see article)

download from here: http://ircpk.com/mujallat_2.html

b) And a book of Mufti Taqi Uthmani in defense of Muawiyah RA download from here: http://www.4shared.com/file/47715420/32939165/Ameer_Muawiyah_Aur_Tareekhi_Haqaiq_-_Mufti_M_Taqi_Usmani.html?s=1&showComments=true

 

2. For English Readers

a) as-Sunnah by al Khallal, Chapter Muawiyah ra

https://systemoflife.com/articles/refutation/2000115-as-sunnah-by-al-khallal-chapter-muawiyah-ra#axzz3oeL90z5b
b) Sahih hadith in praise of Muawiyah
http://gift2shias.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/sahih-hadith-in-praise-of-muawiyah-2/

c) The Virtues of The Great Sahabee Muawya Bin Abee Sufyan (رضي الله عنهما) http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=2721

d) Accusation that Imam Nisaee went against Muawiyah ra http://www.albalagh.net/qa/amir_muawiyah_muhaditheen.shtml

e) THE ISSUES OF MUAWIYAH VS IBN UMAR DURING THE ARBITRATION OF SIFEEN

http://fahmalhadeeth.com/2015/09/08/the-issues-of-muawiyah-vs-ibn-umar-during-the-arbitration-of-sifeen/

f) Necessity of refraining from discussion of the disagreements that occurred among the Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)

http://islamqa.info/en/127028

g) Refuting Arguments Made by Shias Against Muawiya http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=3481

 

3. For Arabic Readers

a) http://www.mutair.ws/vb/showthread.php?t=620

b) extract from the Article by Shaykh Muhammad Ameen Shanqiti (a Must see, it has reply of all the objections on the hadith “Allah, make him (Muawiya ) guided, a guider, and guide people through him”.) http://www.sahab.net/forums/showthread.php?t=344255

c) http://www.saaid.net/Doat/Althahabi/7.htm#(1)

 

d). ” شبهات وأباطيل حول معاوية بن أبي سفيان رضي الله عنهما ” .
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12255

e) ” سل السِّنان في الذب عن معاوية بن أبي سفيان رضي الله عنه ” .
http://vb.islam2all.com/showthread.php?t=11502

f) ” من فضائل وأخبار معاوية بن أبي سفيان رضي الله عنه ” .
http://www.almeshkat.net/books/open.php?cat=32&book=2249

g) ” الأحاديث النبوية في فضائل معاوية بن أبي سفيان ” .
http://www.almeshkat.net/books/open.php?cat=12&book=2157