Day 4

The lesson

1. Mu'awiya refused to accept him and marched on Iraq (al-Irshad; al-Futuh of Ibn A'tham). At Sabat near al-Mada'in, when the Imam spoke of unity being better than division, some in his own camp called him an unbeliever, plundered his tent, and many deserted him (al-Irshad 2:11).
2. Mu'awiya wrote to Ubaydullah ibn Abbas, commander of the Imam's vanguard, promising him money and office, and Ubaydullah went over to Mu'awiya by night with two-thirds of the army; chiefs of the Iraqi tribes wrote to Mu'awiya offering their support (al-Irshad; Ansab al-Ashraf of al-Baladhuri). Al-Shaykh al-Mufid describes the Imam's army as a mixture of his and his father's Shia, Kharijites eager only to fight Mu'awiya, seekers of booty, doubters, and tribesmen who simply followed their chiefs (al-Irshad).
3. Mu'awiya sent a blank sheet sealed at the bottom for the Imam to write his terms. He wrote that he handed over rule on condition that Mu'awiya act by the Book of God and the conduct of the Prophet; appoint no successor, the matter after him to be decided by a council of the Muslims; leave the lives, property and children of the people safe everywhere; and neither plot against al-Hasan, openly or in secret, nor threaten any of his companions (Ansab al-Ashraf of al-Baladhuri; Tarikh-i Tahlili-yi Islam of Shahidi). It was signed in 41 AH, in Rabi al-Awwal according to al-Mas'udi (Muruj al-Dhahab) and in Jumada al-Thani according to al-Dhahabi (Tarikh al-Islam).

Questions

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