Virtues of Mu'awiyah Part 1: Why was al-Nasa'i killed?

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Mu’awiya's followers often claim that he possessed righteous virtues. However, upon closer examination, both Sunni and Shia researchers conclude that no reliable virtues exist for him. While some Sunnis cite various hadiths to argue otherwise, the general view among Sunni scholars is that Mu’awiya has no authentic virtues. This is supported by the testimony of their own scholars.

In this article, we will examine the views of Sunni scholars regarding the virtues of Mu’awiyah, and in the next coming articles we will discuss Mu’awiyahs virtues in Hadith and in History. 

Mu’awiyah has no authentic virtues

Ibn Rahwayh and al-Nasa’i

The most notable scholar denying authentic virtues for Muawiya is Ishaq b. Rahwayh, a famous and major 3rd century Sunni scholar, who stated that no authentic traditions exist in praise of Mu’awiyah. Ibn al-Jawzi mentions this in his Kitab Al-Mawdhu’at, vol. 2 pg. 24 and al-Dhahabi quotes it in Siyar A'lam Al Nubala, vol. 3 pg. 132:

سمعتُ ابن راهويه يقول: لا يصحّ عن النبي ﷺ في فضل معاوية شيء.

I heard Ibn Rahwayh say: There is nothing authentic from the Prophet ﷺ regarding the virtue of Mu’awiya.

Many scholars came to agree with Ishaq on this view, such as his student al-Nasa’i who was attacked because he would refuse to deny this matter. Al-Dhahabi records in his Tarikh al-Islam, Vol. 23 pg. 107:

سمعه الوزير ابن حنزابة، من محمد بن موسى المأمونيّ صاحب النِّسائيّ، وفيه: فسمعتُ قومًا ينكرون عليه كتاب «الخصائص» لعليّ رضى الله عنه وتَرْكَه تصْنيف فضائل الشّيخين. فذكرت له ذلك فقال: دخلت إلى دمشق والمُنْحَرِف عن عليّ بها كثير، فصنَّفتُ كتاب «الخصائص» رجاء أن يهديهم الله. ثُمَّ صَنَّفَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ «فَضَائِلَ الصَّحَابَةِ» ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ: أَلَا تُخَرِّجُ «فَضَائِلَ مُعَاوِيَةَ» . فَقَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أُخَرِّجُ؟ «اللَّهمّ لَا تُشْبِعْ بَطْنَهُ»

Ibn Hanzaba heard from Muhammad b. Musa Al-Ma'muni, a companion of Al-Nasa'i, that some people objected to him regarding his book Al-Khasa’is on the virtues of Ali and his omission of a book on the virtues of Abu Bakr and Umar.

He mentioned this to Al-Nasa’i, who replied, "I entered Damascus and found that hostility toward Ali was widespread there, so I compiled Al-Khasa’is in hopes that Allah would guide them." After that, he compiled Fada’il Al-Sahaba. 

Then, while he was present, someone asked him, "Will you not compile a book on the virtues of Mu'awiyah?" He responded, "What should I narrate? That the Prophet saw said, 'O Allah, do not fill his stomach'?"

What al-Nasa’i is essentially saying here is that ‘there are no virtues of Muawiyah so I can compile them, the best he has is the Prophet’s dua against him!’. This is an admission that no authentic hadiths exist in praise of Muawiyah, but people had to fabricate them for him to continue their hate towards Ali (as).

Al-Nasa’i’s commitment to the truth cost him his life. People grew furious with him and, in the end, killed him. He was beaten and thrown out of the mosque simply because he refused to attribute virtues to Mu’awiya when no reliable evidence existed to support such claims.

Ibn Khallikan mentions the above incidents in his Wafiyyat al-A'yan, Vol. 1, pg. 98:

قال محمد بن إسحاق الأصبهاني: سمعت مشايخنا بمصر يقولون: إن أبا عبد الرحمن فارق مصر في آخر عمره، وخرج إلى دمشق، فسئل عن معاوية وما روي من فضائله، فقال: أما يرضى معاوية أن يخرج رأساً برأس حى يُفَضّل؟ وفي رواية أخرى: ما أعرف له فضيلة إلا ولا أشبع الله بطنك. وكان يتشيع، فما زالوا يدفعون في حضنه حتى أخرجوه من المسجد. 

Muhammad b. Ishaq al-Isbahani said: "I heard our elders in Egypt say that Abu 'Abd al-Rahman left Egypt in the last part of his life and went to Damascus. He was asked about Mu'awiya and what was narrated regarding his virtues."

He said, “Is Mu‘awiyah not satisfied that he is being equated head to head with someone who is superior?” In another narration, he said, “I do not know of any virtue he possesses except [the supplication]: ‘May Allah never fill your stomach.’”

He was inclined toward Shi‘ism, so they kept pushing him until they expelled him from the mosque. In another narration, they pushed against his testicles and trampled him, then he was carried to al-Zumla, where he died.

وفي رواية أخرى يدفعون في خُصيَيْهِ وداسوه، ثم حمل إلى الزملة فمات بها. وقال الحافظ أبو نعيم الأصبهاني: لما داسوه بدمشق مات بسبب ذلك الدوس وهو منقول. وقال الدارقطني: امتحن بدمشق، فأدرك الشهادة، رحمه الله تعالى

In another narration, they struck his testicles and trampled on him, then he was carried to Zamila, where he died. Al-Hafiz Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani said: When they trampled on him in Damascus, he died because of that trampling. Al-Daraqutni said: "He was put to trial in Damascus and attained martyrdom. May Allah have mercy on him."

Imam al-Subki had commented the same and said Tabaqat al-Shafiyea al-Kubra, Vol. 3 pg. 16:

وَقد اخْتلفُوا فى مَكَان موت النسائى فَالصَّحِيح أَنه أخرج من دمشق لما ذكر فَضَائِل على قيل مَا زَالُوا يدافعون فى خصيتية حَتَّى أخرج من الْمَسْجِد ثمَّ حمل إِلَى الرملة فتوفى بهَا

There is a difference of opinion regarding the place of al-Nasa'i's death. The correct view is that he was expelled from Damascus when he mentioned the virtues of Ali. It was said that they kept striking his testicles until he was removed from the mosque, then he was carried to Ramla, where he passed away.

Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Hajar and al-’Ayni

People were angry at the fact that the hadiths praising Muawiyah have been proven as fabrications or atleast unreliable, despite the fact that this was a common occurrence amongst his followers (to fabricate virtues). 

Ibn Taymiyyah mentions this in Minhaj al-Sunnah, vol. 4, pg. 399 - 400:

 نعم مع معاوية طائفة كثيرة من المروانية وغيرهم ، كالذين قاتلوا معه وأتباعهم بعدهم ، يقولون : إنه كان في قتاله على الحق مجتهداً مصيبا، وأن علياً ومن معه كانوا إما ظالمين وإما مجتهدين مخطئين . وقد صنف لهم في ذلك مصنفات مثل كتاب «المروانية» الذي صنفه الجاحظ، وطائفة وضعوا لمعاوية فضائل ورووا أحاديث عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في ذلك كلها كذب، ولهم في ذلك حجج طويلة ليس هذا موضعها.

Yes, with Mu’awiya, there was a large group of Marwanids and others, such as those who fought alongside him and their followers after them. They say that he was rightfully engaged in battle based on his independent reasoning, and that Ali and his supporters were either oppressors or mistaken in their independent reasoning.

Books were written for them on this matter, such as Al-Marwaniyyah, authored by Al-Jahiz. A group even fabricated virtues for Mu’awiya and narrated hadiths from the Prophet (saw) about it, all of which are false. They have lengthy arguments on this matter, but this is not the place to discuss them.

Ibn Hajar al-’Asqalani reinforced this view by stating in his Fath al-Bari, vol. 7 pg. 129:

وأخرج ابن الجوزى أيضا من طريق عبد الله بن أحمد بن حنبل : سألت أبي ماتقول في على ومعاوية ؟ فأطرق ثم قال : اعلم أن عليا كان كثير الأعداء ففتش أعداءه له عيباً فلم يجدوا ، فعمدوا إلى رجل قد حاربه فأطروه كياداً منهم لعلى ، فأشار بهذا إلى ما اختلقوه لمعاوية من الفضائل مما لا أصل له . وقد ورد في فضائل معاوية أحاديث كثيرة لكن ليس فيها مايصح من طريق الإسناد ، وبذلك جزم إسحق بن راهويه والنسائي وغيرهما ، والله أعلم .

Ibn Al-Jawzi also narrated through Abdullah b. Ahmad b. Hanbal: "I asked my father, ‘What do you say about Ali and Mu'awiyah?’ He remained silent for a while, then said: ‘Know that Ali had many enemies who searched for faults in him but found none. So they resorted to praising the man who fought him as a way of undermining Ali.’" 

This refers to the virtues fabricated for Mu'awiyah, which have no basis. Many hadiths have been narrated regarding Mu'awiyah’s virtues, but none of them are authentic in terms of their chain of transmission. This was affirmed by Ishaq b. Rahwayh, Al-Nasa'i, and others. Allah knows best.

Badruddin Al-’Ayni makes the same remarks in Umdat al-Qari, Vol. 16 pg. 343:

فإن قلت قدر ورد في فضيلته أحاديث كثيرة. قلت نعم ولكن ليس فيها حديث يصح من طريق الإسناد نص عليه إسحاق بن راهويه والنسائي وغيرهما ، فلذلك قال باب ذكر معاوية ولم يقل فضيلة ولا منقبة

If you say that many hadiths have been narrated regarding his virtue, I say yes, but none of them are authentically transmitted through the chain of narration, as stated by Ishaq b. Rahwayh, Al-Nasa'i, and others. For this reason, he said "Chapter on mentioning Mu'awiyah" and did not say "his virtue" or "his merit."

Al-Bukhari and al-Hakim

What both al-’Ayni (and so does Ibn Hajar) mention here is that in the chapter of Mu’awiyah in Sahih al-Bukhari’s ‘Book on the virtues of Companions’ is named ‘Dhikr Muawiyah’ instead of ‘Manqib Muawiyah’ or ‘Fadhilat Muawiyah’ which means his virtues / merits. Bukhari often named the chapters for companions as a book on merit or virtue, as he’d include virtues for them therein, but for Muawiyah he named it dhikr. The reason is that Bukhari himself believed that no authentic hadith existed for the virtues of Mu’awiyah, hence could not name the chapter as virtues. The first hadith of the chapter is in Sahih al-Bukhari 3764, chapter 28 called:

باب ذِكْرُ مُعَاوِيَةَ رضى الله عنه

Chapter of Dhikr Muawiya

Imam al-Qastalani followed this view alongside Ibn Hajar and al-’Ayni in Irshad al-Sari, vol. 8 pg. 244:

ومناسبة هذه الأحاديث لما ترجم له ما فيها من ذكر الصحبة المقتضية للشرف العالي على أنه قد ورد في فضل السيد معاوية رضي الله عنه أحاديث لكنها ليست على شرط المؤلف، فمن ثم لم يقل باب مناقب معاوية أو فضائله إذ أنه لا تصريح بذلك فيما ساقه في الباب على ما لا يخفى

The relevance of these hadiths to the chapter heading lies in their mention of companionship, which implies a high status. However, although there are narrations about the virtues of Sayyid Mu‘awiyah, they do not meet the criteria set by the author. For this reason, he did not title the chapter as “The Merits of Mu‘awiyah” or “His Virtues,” as there is no explicit mention of that in the hadiths included in the chapter, as is evident.

Another major scholar who followed this view was al-Hakim, who did not mention any virtues of Mu’awiyah in his al-Mustadrak even though his life was in danger! Refer to Al-Bidaya wa al-Niyhaya, Vol. 15 pg. 561 - 562 by Ibn Kathir:

وقال أبو عبدالرحمن السلمي : دخلت على الحاكم وهو مختف من الكرامية لا يستطيع يخرج منهم ، فقلت له : لو خرجت حديثا في فضائل معاوية لأسترحت مما أنت فيه ، فقال: لا يجئ من قبلي لا يجيء من قبلي

Abu Abdul Rahman al-Salami said: ‘I visited al-Hakim when he was hiding from the Karamya and he could not get out because of them, thus I said to him: ‘If you narrate a tradition regarding Mu’awiya's virtues, you will get rid of this situation’. He replied: ‘I won't do it, I won't do it’

Other scholars

Many scholars have followed this opinion, such as the following scholars:

• Sheikh Mahmud Abu Rayah in Adhwa ‘ala al-Sunnah, pg. 101, where he claims there is no proof (asl) for Mu’awiyahs virtues.

• Sheikh Ismail b. Muhammad al-Ajluni (d. 1162) in Kashful Khafa, Vol. 2 pg. 420, where he says no authentic hadith exists for Mu’awiyah.

• Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Al-Siddiqi Al-Fatni (d. 986) in his work Tadkirat al-Mawdhu’at, pg. 100, where he says the same. 

The conclusion is that the Sunni scholars have admitted and expressed that no authentic hadith exists in praise of Mu’awiyah after researching this matter, and these include Ishaq b. Rahwayh, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Hajar, al-’Ayni, al-Bukhari and many others.

Scholars that appraise Mu’awiyah

Now that we have mentioned the scholars that testify for Mu’awiyah having no authentic virtues, we shall mention the numerous scholars that appraised Mu’awiyah to illustrate the different opinions amongst Sunnis regarding Mu’awiyahs status. The fact is, that Mu’awiyah was not beloved by all the Sunnis especially the earlier ones, and this was attested to Hasan b. Farhan al-Maliki in his Qir’at fi Kutub al-Aqa’id, pg. 153:

وأصبح نقد معاوية بن أبي سفيان (وهو من الطلقاء) غير مقبول عند السنة بعد أن كان متقدموهم يذمون ظلم معاوية وانتزاؤه على هذه بالسيف وجعله الخلافة ملكا عضوضا واستئثاره ببيت المال وما إلى ذلك من المفاسد التي أحدثها

Criticizing Muawiyah b. Abi Sufyan (who was from the Tulaqa) is unacceptable to the Sunnis (today), whereas the former Sunnis would criticize Mu'awiya for his oppression, taking power via by sword, turning the Caliphate into a monarchy, seizing public money and (their citing) the numerous corruptions that he perpetrated.

In fact, even during Mu’awiyahs own life time there were proto-Sunnis who disliked him per his own testimony. This was during a sermon he narrated, where a part of it has him saying the following recorded in Ibn Asakir’s Tarikh Dimashq Vol 59, pg. 154:

أما بعد فإني والله ما وليت أمركم حين وليته وأنا أعلم أنكم لا تُسرون بولايتي ولا تحبونها، وإني لعالم بما في نفوسكم، ولكني خالستكم بسيفي هذا مخالسة.

He headed to the mosque, ascended the pulpit, praised God and extolled Him, then said: “As for what follows, by God, I did not assume authority over you when I did so because I thought you would rejoice in my leadership or love it. Indeed, I know what is in your hearts. But I took control over you by stealth with this sword of mine.

Even later Sunni caliphs would hate Mu’awiyah, such as Al-Ma’mun Al-Abbasi who’d curse him! Al-Mas’udi records the following in Muruj al-Dhahab, vol. 4, pg. 34 - 35:

This account was also reported by al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar in his book al-Muwafaqiyyat. He said: I heard al-Mada’ini say: Mutarrif b. al-Mughira b. Shu‘ba said:

I traveled with my father, al-Mughira, to Mu‘awiya. My father would visit him, converse with him, and then return to me. One night I saw him distressed, and he said: O my son, I have just come from the most wicked of people.

I asked: What is it? He said: I was alone with him and said: You have gained power over us, O Commander of the Faithful. If only you would show justice and spread goodness, for you have grown old. If only you would look upon your brothers from Banu Hashim and maintain ties with them. By Allah, they have nothing today that should worry you. 

He replied: Far, far from it! The brother of Taym ruled and was just, did what he did, and by Allah, no sooner did he die than his mention perished—except that someone might say ‘Abu Bakr’. Then the brother of ‘Adi ruled, strove, and labored for ten years, and by Allah, no sooner did he die than his mention perished—except that someone might say ‘‘Umar’. Then our brother ‘Uthman ruled—a man with unmatched lineage—he did what he did and it was done to him. By Allah, no sooner did he die than his mention perished, and people speak of what was done to him. 

But the brother of Hashim—his name is proclaimed five times every day: Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah. What deed could ever compare to that? May your mother be bereaved of you! By Allah, nothing remains but to bury, and bury well! 

When al-Ma’mun heard this story, it provoked him to issue the proclamation as described. Letters were sent to the provinces instructing his curse on the pulpits. The people were greatly disturbed and offended by it, and public unrest followed. He was advised to abandon the matter, and so he withdrew from what he had intended.

Al-Tabari

Al-Tabari is the famous scholar who authored the Tafsir and Tarikh al-Tabari. He cursed Mu’awiyah, and wrote this in Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 39, pg. 62 - 63 (Arabic):

Ja'far died in the middle of the Caliphate of Mu'awiyah- may God curse him.

Ibn al-Mubarak

Al-Baladhuri records in Ansab al Ashraf, vol. 5 pg. 137:

وحدثني الحسين بن علي بن الأسود عن يحيى عن عبد الله بن المبارك قال: ها هنا قوم يسألون عن فضائل معاوية، وبحسب معاوية أن يترك كفافاً.

Al-Husayn b. Ali b. al-Aswad narrated to me from Yahya, from Abdullah b. al-Mubarak, who said: 

"Here, there are people asking about the virtues of Mu'awiya, and it is sufficient for Mu'awiya to be left alone without praise or blame."

To those who seek to highlight the virtues of Mu'awiya, Abdullah b. al-Mubarak, a Sunni scholar who lived during the Umayyad era, indicated that the only merit he could ascribe to Mu'awiya was that he narrowly escaped Hellfire.

Al-Shafi’i

Allamah Abul Fida records in Tarikh Abul Fida Vol 1, pg. 259:

وروي عن الشافعي رحمة الله عليه، أنه أسرّ إِلى الربيع، أنّه لا يقبل شهادة أربعة من الصحابة، وهم معاوية، وعمرو بن العاص، ‌والمغيرة، وزياد

It is narrated from Imam al-Shafi'i that he privately told al-Rabi' that he would not accept the testimony of four companions: Mu'awiya, Amr b. al-As, al-Mughira, and Ziyad.

Why would he reject the testimonies of these companions unless he saw them as corrupt fasiqeen?

Ali b. Ja’ad

Ali b. Ja’ad (d. 230 H) is a narrator of Sahih al-Bukhari, an early reliable scholar amongst the Sunnis. He has been praised by Ibn Ma’in, Ibn Hanbal and others. He says the following about Mu’awiyah in Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, Vol. 10 pg. 464:

 قال أحمد بن إبراهيم الدورقي قلت لعلي بن الجعد بلغني أنك قلت ابن عمر ذاك الصبي قال لم أقل ولكن معاوية ما أكره أن يعذبه الله 

Ahmad b. Ibrahim al-Dawraqi said: I said to Ali b. al-Ja'd, "I heard that you said, 'Ibn Umar, that boy.'" He replied, "I did not say that, but as for Mu'awiya, I would not mind if Allah punishes him."

Similarly we read in Ibn Hani’s Masa’il Ahmad b. Hanbal, vol. 2, pg. 408:

وسمعت أبا عبدالله وقال له دلويه : سمعت علي بن الجعد يقول: مات والله معاوية على غير الإسلام

I heard Abu Abdullah, and Dulwayh said to him: "I heard Ali b. al-Ja'd say: By Allah, Mu'awiya died not upon Islam."

Ubaydullah b. Musa

One of the teachers of Muhammad b. Isma’il al-Bukhari is Ubaydullah b. Musa (authenticated by al-Dhahabi, Ibn Hajar, Abu Hatim and others). When he was asked about Mu’awiya, we read his reaction in Kitab al-Sunnah by Al-Khallal, pg. 505, Hadith # 808: 

سمعت محمد بن عبيد الله بن يزيد المنادي ، يقول : كنا بمكة في سنة تسع ، وكان معنا عبيد الله بن موسى ، فحدث في الطريق فمر حديث لمعاوية ، فلعن معاوية ، ولعن من لا يلعنه ، قال ابن المنادي : فأخبرت أحمد بن حنبل ، فقال : متعدي يا أبا جعفر ، فأخبرني محمد بن أبي هارون ، أن حبيش بن سندي ، حدثهم ، أن أبا عبد الله ، ذكر له حديث عبيد الله بن موسى ، فقال : ما أحسب هو بأهل أن يحدث عنه ، وضع الطعن على أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ ، ولقد حدثني منذ أيام رجل من أصحابنا أرجو أن يكون صدوقا ، أنه كان معه في طريق مكة ، فحدث بحديث لعن فيه معاوية ، فقال : نعم لعنه الله ، ولعن من لا يلعنه ، فهذا أهل يحدث عنه ؟ على الإنكار من أبي عبد الله ، أي إنه ليس بأهل يحدث عنه

I heard Muhammad b. Ubaidullah b. Yazid al-Munadi said: "We were in Mecca in the year 9 (AH), and with us was Ubaidullah b. Musa. While we were on the way, a hadith was narrated to us that involved cursing Muawiya and those who do not curse him." Ibn al-Munadi said, "So I informed Ahmad b. Hanbal about it, and he said, 'This is an excessive statement, O Abu Ja'far.' 

Then Muhammad b. Abi Harun informed me that Habish b. Sindi had told him that Abu Abdullah (i.e., Ahmad b. Hanbal) mentioned the hadith of Ubaidullah b. Musa to him and said, 'I do not think that he (i.e., Ubaidullah bin Musa) is worthy of being narrated from. He cast aspersion upon the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). 

Recently, a man from our companions, whom I hope is truthful, told me that he was with him (i.e., Ubaidullah b. Musa) on a journey to Mecca. He narrated a hadith in which he cursed Muawiya, and said, 'May Allah curse him and those who do not curse him.' Is this the kind of person whose hadith should be narrated from?'. Abu Abdullah denied it, indicating he is not worthy of being narrated from.

Next Part: The Innovations of Mu'awiyah >