Muawiyah asked Sa’d: What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab
Muawiyah asked Sa’d: What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab
عن عامر بن سعد بن أبي وقاص قال أمر معاوية سعدا فقال ما منعك أن تسب أبا تراب قال أما ما ذكرت ثلاثا قالهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم فلن أسبه لأن تكون لي واحدة منهن أحب إلي من حمر النعم سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول له وقد خلفه في بعض مغازيه فقال له علي يا رسول الله تخلفني مع النساء و الصبيان فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم أما ترضى أن تكون مني بمنزلة هرون من موسى إلا أنه لا نبوة بعدي و سمعته يقول في يوم خيبر لأعطين الراية رجلا يحب الله و رسوله و يحبه الله و رسوله
‘Amir ibn Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas relates:
Muawiyah asked Sa’d, “What prevents you from abusing Abu Turab?”
Sa’d replied, “As regards to what you say, owing to three statements of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, I will never abuse him. Having one of them in my favour would be more beloved to me than red camels. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam instructed him to remain behind from one battle so ‘Ali asked him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, are you leaving me behind with the women and children?’
Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam explained, ‘Are you not pleased to be to me like Harun was to Musa except that there is no nubuwwah after me?’
And I heard him saying on the Day of Khaybar, ‘I will most certainly give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and who is loved by Allah and His Messenger.’”[1]
This hadith debunks the claim of the Rawafid that the Umayyad Dynasty had control over all the books of hadith to the extent that they removed all virtues of Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu from the primary hadith books. In this narration, Sayyidina Sa’d enumerates some virtues of Sayyidina ‘Ali in the presence of Sayyidina Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhum.
Moreover, the hadith does not have the command to insult. Al Nawawi states:
Muawiyah’s statement does not clearly state that he commanded Sa’d to insult ‘Ali. He simply asked him the reason that prevents him from insulting. As if he said: Have you abstained out of caution or fear? If it is out of caution and honour for him, then you have acted correctly and perfectly. And if it was for some other reason, he would have replied differently. Probably Sa’d was amongst a group who would abuse ‘Ali but he did not and was unable to prevent them or did prevent them, hence Muawiyah asked him this question.[2]
Furthermore, intensification in insulting the opposition is the practice of the Rawafid. The books of the Shia have narrated that Nabi salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
إذا رأيتم أهل البدع و الريب من بعدي فأظهروا البراءة منهم و أكثروا من سبهم و القول فيهم و الوقيعة و باهتوهم كي لا يطعموا في الفساد في الإسلام و يحذرهم الناس
When you see men of innovation and suspicion after me, then express your dissociation from them, and increase in insulting, offending, and attacking them. Defame them so that they will not aspire to create discord in Islam and so that people become wary of them.[3]
The books of the Rawafid elucidate on this:
هذا محمول على اتهامهم و سوء الظن بهم بما يحرم اتهام المؤمن به بأن يقال لعله زان أو سارق و يحتمل إبقاؤه على ظاهره بتجويز الكذب عليهم لأجل المصلحة
This applies to accusing them and having evil thoughts about them of things impermissible to accuse a believer of. For example it is said: Probably he is an adulterer or thief.
It is possible to leave it on its apparent meaning, i.e. inventing lies about them for maslahah (that which is beneficial).[4]
It is reported on the authority of Abu Hamzah al Thumali that he said to Abu Jafar:
إن بعض أصحابنا يفترون و يقذفون من خالفهم فقال الكف عنهم أجمل
“Some of our people fabricate lies and accuse those who oppose them.”
Abu Jafar rahimahu Llah replied, “Abstaining from them is better.”
Al Ansari elucidates on the narration by saying, “There is indication in this narration for the permissibility of lying, i.e. accusing, with karahah (reprehensibility).”[5]
[1] Sahih Muslim Hadith: 2404.
[2] Al Nawawi: Sharh Muslim vol. 15 pg. 175, 176; or vol. 15 pg. 184, 185 (al mays print).
[3] Al Fusul al Muhimmah fi Usul al A’immah vol. 2 pg. 232; Majma’ al Fa’idah vol. 13 pg. 163; Minhaj al Faqahah vol. 1 pg. 378.
[4] Al Ansari: Kitab al Manasik vol. 2 pg. 118; Minhaj al Faqahah vol. 2 pg. 228.
[5] Kitab al Manasik vol. 2 pg. 119.