Karbala: A "Bloody" Consipracy and the Secrets Behind It

Fighting for the Khalifah, an issue of Ijtihad

Fighting for the Caliphate, an issue of Ijtihad

A deeper study of Historical narrations shall clearly show that Hadhrat Hussain's (radhiyallahu anhu) displeasure with the Ummayyad government was not born during the era of Yazid, but rather from the very beginning, when his brother, Hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu), decided to hand over the Caliphate to Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu).

As mentioned earlier, the issue of handing over the caliphate was one of ijtihad. Hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu) understood well that, as the Ahadith had predicted, the issue of caliphate would no longer be judged on the basis of mutual consultation (mashwara), but rather wars would now decide on who the next caliph will be.

Fighting for the caliphate was no sin, but hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu) did not want to see any more blood spillied over this issue. He thus decided to hand over the caliphate to Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu), and through this action of his, the in-fighting amongst the Muslim came to an abrupt halt. Had Hadhrat Hasan (radhoyallahu anhu) wished, he could have fought for the caliphate, and this was exactly what many hypocrite fractions of Iraq were desirous of seeing.

Fighting for the caliphate would also have been a meritorius deed, since when one makes ijtihad, Almighty Allah has promised that reward shall be given upon his efforts, and not in accordance to whether the decision was the best for that moment or not.

The ijtihad of Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu) on the other hand was that as long as the caliphate remained in Iraq, the hypocrites of that area would continue utilizing their influence in stirring trouble, chaos and anarchy throughout the Muslim world. Hadhrat Mu'awiyah's view was that if the caliphate moves over to Sham, such an act would greatly weaken the plots of shaitaani elements who had already spread throughout the Muslim Lands, but whose base had always been Iraq.

In the twenty years of peace and stability that thereafter followed, ample evidence was provided to show that Hadhrat Hasan's (radhiyallahu anhu) decision to hand over the caliphate was indeed one of the great wisdom and practicality, and at the same time, the decision of Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu) to be prepared to fight for the caliphate, that division too was straight on target.

Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu), on the other hand, from the very beginning, held onto the view upon which he had found his illustrious father, Hadhrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu), i.e. to keep the seat of the caliphate in Kufa. When Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu) came to know of his brother's intention to hand over the caliphate, he clearly made known to his brother his feelings. The books of history provide numerous statements of his, in which he expressed his unhappiness with regards to the decision taken. The following passage of Al-Bidayah highlights this point more clearly:

When Hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu) intended handing over the caliphate to Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu) through a peace treaty, Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu) disapproved the decision, and insisted instead that the war against the people of Sham continue. Hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu) finally threatened to have him placed under house arrest until the peace-treaty gets finalized. Realizing his brother's determination to proceed ahead with the treaty, Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu) fell silent and accepted.

Afterwards, Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu) would accompany his brother, Hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu) on his regular visits to Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu), during which Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu) would honour them greatly, and shower them with gifts.

Even after the death of Hadhrat Hasan (radhiyallahu anhu), Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu) would continue paying regular visits to Hadhrat Mu'awiyah (radhiyallahu anhu) and would receive the same honours as before. In fact, Hadhrat Hussain (radhiyallahu anhu) even participated in the Battle of Constantinople, fighting under the leadership of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah, which occurred in the 51st year of Hijrah!