SHAFAQNA- After Muawiyah’s return to Syria, the darkest days for the Shia began; whenever Muawiyah’s government located a leader of the Shia, they would either be martyred, or their house would be burned to the ground. The crimes of Muawiyah during the twenty years of his government were so many that they compelled Imam Hussain (AS) to write a letter rebuking him for his conduct.
‘Are you not the murderer of Hujr ibn Adi’ and his pious companions, who opposed injustice and considered innovations to be evil? They did not pay heed to any accusations in the way of Allah (SWT). Had you not made promises and oaths to them? Had you not assured them that you will not arrest them? And that you will not trouble them? Despite such oaths and promises, have you not put them to death?
Are you not the killer of the righteous companions of the Prophet of Allah (SWT), ʿAmr bin Humq? One who had become physically frail and pale in complexion due to incessant worship? Had you not promised them safety? Had such an assurance been given to a bird, it would have come down from the mountain peak. But you did not even care to respect his oath of peace. You trampled upon your oath and did not fear Allah (SWT). You had him killed as well.
Are you not the one who certified Ziyad the son of his father to be the off-spring of Abu Sufyan although he was born on the bed of a slave from Banu Thaqif? You attributed him to your father and opposed the explicit order of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH): “A son belongs to his father and the adulterer is to be stoned.” Have you not obeyed your evil desires? After this you imposed him upon the people of Iraq and Khorasan. You amputated their hands and feet, gouged out their eyes and crucified them on date palms. You behaved as if you are not from the Islamic Ummah and have nothing to do with it. (Al-Imama wal-Siyasa, 1/164; Jumhur Al-Rasaʾil, 2/67; Rijal Al-Kashshi, 68–69)
The content of this letter alone is enough to illustrate the grievous hardships the Shia were forced to endure during the 20 years of Muawiyah’s reign. In a letter to his companions, Imam Al-Baqir (AS) describes the terrible condition of the Shia Muslims during the reign of the Sunyanis and Marwanids. We will mention some of its contents here:
‘We, the Household of the Prophet (PBUH), have ever been abused, treated unjustly, and deprived of our rights and security. In addition to this, liars and deceivers have appeared amongst the people who through have colluded with corrupt judges and officials to spread false traditions amongst the people which have never been uttered by us and, as a result, fostered distrust towards us. Almost all of these injustices were perpetrated after the martyrdom of Imam Hasan during the reign of Muawiyah. Our Shias were killed no matter where they were. Anyone even suspected of being Shia would lose their hands or legs. Even those who sympathised with us and were devoted to us would be imprisoned and their properties taken. These offences continued until the time of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom by Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad.
After Muawiyah, came the turn of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, who put people to death on the merest suspicion of being Shia. In those days it was better to be called a heretic than a Shia.’ (Sharh Nahj al-Balagha 11/44–43). In another one of his letters, Imam Al-Baqir (AS) enumerates the crimes of Umayyad dynasty. However, their crimes are so numerous that a single book dedicated to them would hardly suffice. Some of the key passages in this letter are as follows:
Saʿid bin Sarh was one of Imam Ali’s (AS) followers. When Ziyad ibn Abih was appointed by Muawiyah as governor of Kufa, he asked to bring Saʿid to him. Saʿid, fearing the governor, set off for Medina to be with Hass(AS) an ibn Ali and seek sanctuary. When Ziyad heard that Sa’id has fled to Medina, he arrested his brother and his family, confiscated his properties and destroyed his house. the Imam (AS) was informed of Ziyad’s deed and wrote the following letter to the governor of Kufa:
‘This is a letter from Hassan ibn Ali to Ziyad. You went after a person who has a share in the fortunes of the Muslims. You destroyed his house, confiscated his properties and imprisoned his family. When you receive this letter, rebuild his house, free his family and grant him safety, for I have interceded for him with you.’
When Ziyad received this letter, in contravention of Islamic laws, brazenly asserted his identity as the son of Abu Sufyan in his response: ‘This is a letter from Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan to Hassan, the son of Fatimah. I received your letter. In that letter you have mentioned your name prior to mine, this is while you are the one in need of me, for I am the ruler and you are a common man. You, as if in power, have ordered me to grant safety to a wrongdoer… If I spare him, it is not because of your intercession; if I decide to kill him, it would be only due to his love and devotion for your wicked father.’
Ziyad ibn Abih gathered the people of Kufa and asked them to curse Ali (AS) and revile him. The Mosque of Kufa was filled with people and whoever refused to comply with the order would be killed. (Sharh Nahjul-Balagha, 16/194; Muruj Al-Dhahab, 3/126)
Ibn Al-Jawzi reports: ‘The Kufans pelted Ziyad ibn Abih with stones while he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit. He cut off the hands of eighty people and burnt their houses and date palms. Then he gathered them in a vast place and urged them to curse Ali (AS). He did this in order to provide a pretext for his previous evil deeds, since he knew he could not persuade people to curse or revile Ali (AS).’ (Al-Muntazam, 5/263)
Source: Shia Islam: History and Doctrines, Ayatullah Jaʿfar Subhani, Chapter 10
Challenges of Shia Muslims after martyrdom of Imam Ali (A.S)