Selfishness and Fidelity

Ibn Abi al-Hadid in his “Sharhe Nahjal Balagha”‌ says: “many of our followers doubted the religious beliefs of Moawia and did not stop calling him profligate but also believed him to be infidel.

He narrates: “the son of Moqaira Bin Shaaba recalls: I went to Moawia and asked him to change his behaviour because he was getting old.

But he said: Omar became the ruler of Muslims and worked to expand Islam for ten years but after his death he was forgotten and people only say “Omar was so and so!”‌ but about Ibn Abi Kabshe[1] (the Prophet (BUH)) people call out “I testify that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah[2]”‌ five times a day and always remember him with great regards. So how would deeds or name of me be remembered in history? I swear to Allah! There is no way but to bury and forget this name (name of the Prophet (PBUH))[3]!

These words made Moqaira Ben Shaaba to call Moawia as the most infidel person!

Elaborating on this story, Ibn Abi al-Hadid goes on to describe the royal life of Moawia as well as recalling his wrongdoings one by one so that no just reader may doubt the ethical and religious corruption of Moawia  which would be a clear reason for Imam’s argument regarding fighting Moawia if he could.

Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi

Notes:

[1] About why Moavia called the Prophet (PBUH) as Ebn Abi Kabshe, Allama Majlesi in his Bahar al-Anvar says, this was how Arab infidels call the Prophet as they compared him to Ebn Abi Kabshe who was a member of Khazaa tribe that disagreed with Quraish over idolatry. Bahar al-Anvar, vol. 18, p. 213 

[2] Ashhado Anna Muhammadan Rasul Allah

[3] Sharhe Nahjol Balaqa, Ebn Abi al- Hadid, vol. 5, p. 129