Sunni Scholars and Sunni-Side Authorities Who Criticized Muawiya
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This is not Shia propaganda.
From early Tabi‘in, Sunni hadith narrators, Hanafi jurists, Shafi‘i commentators, historians, and modern Sunni-side thinkers, serious criticism of Muawiya is recorded in Sunni and Sunni-side sources.
Important note:
Not every quote below is a Prophetic hadith. Some are historical reports, some are rijal statements, some are legal comments, and some are later scholarly analysis. But together they prove one thing clearly:
Criticizing Muawiya is not something invented by Shias.
1. Masruq ibn al-Ajda‘
Died: 63 AH
Major Tabi‘i
Arabic:
والله ما أدري أي الرجلين معاوية: أرجل قد يئس من الآخرة فهو يتمتع من الدنيا؟ أم رجل زين له سوء عمله؟
English:
“By Allah, I do not know which of the two men Muawiya is: a man who has despaired of the Hereafter and enjoys the world, or a man whose evil deed has been made attractive to him?”
Reference:
Al-Baladhuri, Ansab al-Ashraf.
Comment:
This is an early historical criticism from a major Tabi‘i figure. It shows that criticism of Muawiya existed very early, not centuries later.
2. Al-Hasan al-Basri
Died: 110 AH
Major Tabi‘i
Arabic:
أربع خصال كنّ في معاوية لو لم يكن فيه منهنّ إلا واحدة لكانت موبقة: انتزاؤهُ على هذه الأمة بالسفهاء حتى ابتزها أمرها بغير مشورة منهم، وفيهم بقايا الصحابة وذوو الفضيلة، واستخلافه ابنه بعده سكيراً خميراً يلبس الحرير ويضرب بالطنابير، وادعاؤهُ زياداً وقد قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: الولد للفراش وللعاهر الحجر، وقتله حجراً، ويلاً له من حجر وأصحاب حجر.
English:
“Four traits were in Muawiya; if he had only one of them, it would have been destructive: his seizing authority over this Ummah through foolish people until he took its affair without consultation, while remnants of the Companions and people of virtue were present; his appointing after him his son, a drunkard and wine-drinker who wore silk and played musical instruments; his claiming Ziyad, while the Messenger of Allah said: ‘The child belongs to the bed and for the adulterer is the stone’; and his killing of Hujr. Woe to him because of Hujr and the companions of Hujr.”
Reference:
Reported in historical sources such as Tarikh al-Tabari, al-Kamil of Ibn al-Athir, Ibn al-Jawzi, Abu al-Fida, and quoted by Ibn Kathir in meaning.
Comment:
This is one of the strongest early Sunni-side historical criticisms of Muawiya. Hasan al-Basri criticized four matters: taking power by force, appointing Yazid, claiming Ziyad, and killing Hujr ibn Adi.
3. Sulayman al-A‘mash
Died: 148 AH
Sunni hadith narrator
Arabic:
كيف يكون حليماً وقد قاتل علياً وطلب، زعم، بدم عثمان من لم يقتله؟ وما هو ودم عثمان، وغيره كان أولى بعثمان منه؟
English:
“How can he be forbearing when he fought Ali and claimed to seek the blood of Uthman from one who did not kill him? What does he have to do with the blood of Uthman, when others were closer to Uthman than him?”
Reference:
Al-Baladhuri, Ansab al-Ashraf.
Comment:
This directly attacks the common excuse that Muawiya only fought Imam Ali for revenge of Uthman. Al-A‘mash asks: what did Muawiya have to do with Uthman’s blood when others were closer to Uthman than him?
4. Sharik ibn Abdullah al-Nakha‘i
Died: 177 AH
Sunni judge and narrator
Arabic:
ليس بحليم من سفه الحق وقاتل علياً.
English:
“He is not forbearing, the one who treated the truth foolishly and fought Ali.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Mizan al-I‘tidal; also quoted by Ibn Kathir.
Comment:
Sharik rejected the praise of Muawiya’s “forbearance” because Muawiya fought Imam Ali.
5. Jarir ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Dabbi
Died: 188 AH
Sunni hadith narrator
Arabic:
حدثنا جرير الحافظ المقدم، لكني سمعته يشتم معاوية علانية.
English:
“Jarir, the leading hafiz, narrated to us; however, I heard him openly insulting Muawiya.”
Reference:
Al-Khalili, al-Irshad fi Ma‘rifat ‘Ulama’ al-Hadith.
Comment:
This is a rijal/historical report showing that severe criticism of Muawiya existed among hadith transmitters.
6. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani
Died: 189 AH
Hanafi Imam, student of Imam Abu Hanifah
Arabic:
لو لم يقاتل معاوية علياً ظالماً له متعدياً باغياً، كنا لا نهتدي لقتال أهل البغي.
English:
“If Muawiya had not fought Ali while being unjust to him, transgressing against him, and rebelling, we would not have known the ruling of fighting the people of rebellion.”
Reference:
Al-Jawahir al-Mudiyyah fi Tabaqat al-Hanafiyyah, vol. 2, p. 26.
Comment:
This is extremely important. A major Hanafi authority describes Muawiya’s fighting against Imam Ali with three words:
ظالماً
Unjust
متعدياً
Transgressing
باغياً
Rebellious
7. Sufyan ibn Uyaynah
Died: 198 AH
Major Sunni hadith scholar
Arabic:
ما كانت في علي خصلة تقصر به عن الخلافة، ولم يكن في معاوية خصلة ينازع علياً بها.
English:
“There was no quality in Ali that made him fall short of the caliphate, and there was no quality in Muawiya by which he could dispute Ali over it.”
Reference:
Quoted by Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah.
Comment:
According to Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, Muawiya had no valid quality by which he could dispute Imam Ali’s right to leadership.
8. Ubaydullah ibn Musa al-‘Absi
Died: 213 AH
Sunni hadith narrator
Arabic:
وقد كان أبو نعيم وعبيد الله معظّمين لأبي بكر وعمر، وإنما كانا ينالان من معاوية وذويه.
English:
“Abu Nu‘aym and Ubaydullah used to greatly respect Abu Bakr and Umar; they only criticized Muawiya and his relatives.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala.
Comment:
This is important because it proves a key point: criticism of Muawiya did not always mean rejection of Abu Bakr and Umar. Some Sunni narrators respected Abu Bakr and Umar but still criticized Muawiya.
9. Abd al-Razzaq al-San‘ani
Died: 211 AH
Author of al-Musannaf
Arabic:
وكان عبد الرزاق يعرِّض بمعاوية.
English:
“Abd al-Razzaq used to make critical allusions against Muawiya.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Tahdhib al-Tahdhib.
Another reported wording:
Arabic:
لا تقذر مجلسنا بذكر ولد أبي سفيان.
English:
“Do not dirty our gathering by mentioning the son of Abu Sufyan.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Mizan al-I‘tidal.
Comment:
The second wording is very harsh, so use it carefully. But the basic criticism of Muawiya from Abd al-Razzaq is known in Sunni rijal discussions.
10. Abu Nu‘aym al-Fadl ibn Dukayn
Died: 219 AH
Sunni hadith narrator
Arabic:
وقد كان أبو نعيم وعبيد الله معظّمين لأبي بكر وعمر، وإنما كانا ينالان من معاوية وذويه.
English:
“Abu Nu‘aym and Ubaydullah used to greatly respect Abu Bakr and Umar; they only criticized Muawiya and his relatives.”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala.
Comment:
Again, this shows that criticizing Muawiya was not automatically “Rafdh” in early Sunni rijal discussions.
11. Ishaq ibn Rahwayh
Died: 238 AH
Major Sunni hadith Imam
Arabic:
لا يصح عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في فضل معاوية شيء.
English:
“Nothing authentic is established from the Prophet about the virtue of Muawiya.”
Reference:
Quoted by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari, Bab Dhikr Muawiya.
Comment:
This is one of the most powerful points. A major Sunni hadith Imam said no authentic special virtue of Muawiya is proven from the Prophet.
12. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Died: 241 AH
Sunni Imam
Arabic:
الخلفاء أبو بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي. فقيل له: فمعاوية؟ قال: لم يكن أحد أحق بالخلافة في زمان علي من علي.
English:
“The caliphs are Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. He was asked: ‘What about Muawiya?’ He said: No one was more entitled to the caliphate in the time of Ali than Ali.”
Reference:
Quoted by Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah from al-Bayhaqi.
Comment:
Imam Ahmad did not place Muawiya beside Imam Ali in rightful caliphate. Ali was the rightful Imam of that time.
13. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Died: 241 AH
Arabic:
اعلم أن علياً كان كثير الأعداء، ففتش أعداؤه له عيباً فلم يجدوا، فعمدوا إلى رجل قد حاربه فأطروه كياداً منهم لعلي.
English:
“Know that Ali had many enemies. His enemies searched for a fault in him but found none, so they turned to a man who had fought him and praised him out of spite against Ali.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Bab Dhikr Muawiya.
Ibn Hajar explains:
Arabic:
فأشار بهذا إلى ما اختلقوه لمعاوية من الفضائل مما لا أصل له.
English:
“By this he indicated the virtues they fabricated for Muawiya, which have no basis.”
Comment:
This means that some praises of Muawiya were created as anti-Ali propaganda.
14. Imam al-Nasa’i
Died: 303 AH
Author of Sunan al-Nasa’i
Arabic:
ألا تخرج فضائل معاوية؟ فقال: أي شيء أخرج؟ حديث: اللهم لا تشبع بطنه؟
English:
“He was asked: ‘Will you not bring out the virtues of Muawiya?’ He replied: ‘What should I bring out? The hadith: O Allah, do not fill his belly?’”
Reference:
Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala, biography of al-Nasa’i.
Comment:
Al-Nasa’i wrote virtues of Imam Ali, but when asked about Muawiya, he did not produce authentic virtues for him.
15. Imam al-Nasa’i
Died: 303 AH
Arabic:
أما يرضى معاوية أن يخرج رأساً برأس حتى يفضل؟
English:
“Is Muawiya not satisfied to come out head-for-head, until he must be preferred?”
Reference:
Reported in Sunni biographical discussions about al-Nasa’i’s trial in Damascus.
Comment:
This shows that al-Nasa’i rejected the attempt to artificially elevate Muawiya.
16. Ibn Khuzaymah
Died: 311 AH
Sunni hadith Imam
Arabic:
وكل من نازع أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب في إمارته فهو باغ.
English:
“Everyone who disputed Amir al-Mu’minin Ali ibn Abi Talib in his leadership is a rebel.”
Reference:
Quoted by al-Bayhaqi in al-I‘tiqad.
Comment:
This principle directly includes Muawiya’s dispute against Imam Ali’s rightful leadership.
17. Al-Jassas al-Hanafi
Died: 370 AH
Hanafi jurist and mufassir
Arabic:
قاتل علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه الفئة الباغية بالسيف... وكان محقاً في قتاله لهم، لم يخالف فيه أحد إلا الفئة الباغية التي قابلته وأتباعها.
English:
“Ali ibn Abi Talib fought the rebellious group with the sword... and he was right in fighting them. No one opposed him in that except the rebellious group that faced him and their followers.”
Reference:
Al-Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur’an, under Qur’an 49:9.
Comment:
A major Hanafi mufassir confirms that Imam Ali was right and the opposing side was the rebellious group.
18. Ibn Abi al-Hadid al-Mu‘tazili
Died: 656 AH
Mu‘tazili, Shafi‘i background, commentator of Nahj al-Balaghah
Arabic:
فقد علمت أنه استولى بنو أمية على سلطان الإسلام في شرق الأرض وغربها، واجتهدوا بكل حيلة في إطفاء نوره، والتحريض عليه، ووضع المعايب والمثالب له، ولعنوه على جميع المنابر، وتوعدوا مادحيه، بل حبسوهم وقتلوهم، ومنعوا من رواية حديث يتضمن له فضيلة، أو يرفع له ذكرا.
English:
“You know that Banu Umayyah took control of Islamic authority in the East and West, and they tried with every trick to extinguish his light, incite against him, invent defects and faults against him, and curse him on all pulpits. They threatened those who praised him; rather, they imprisoned and killed them, and they prevented narration of any hadith containing his virtue or raising his mention.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah.
Comment:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid is not a Twelver Shia scholar. He is usually described as a Mu‘tazili with Shafi‘i background. Use him as Sunni-side/Mu‘tazili historical support, not as a Sunni hadith Imam.
19. Ibn Abi al-Hadid al-Mu‘tazili
Died: 656 AH
Arabic:
كتب معاوية نسخة واحدة إلى عماله بعد أن برئت الذمة ممن روى شيئاً من فضل أبي تراب وأهل بيته، فقامت الخطباء في كل كورة وعلى كل منبر يلعنون علياً ويبرءون منه ويقعون فيه وفي أهل بيته.
English:
“Muawiya wrote one circular letter to his governors: protection is removed from anyone who narrates anything about the virtue of Abu Turab and his Ahl al-Bayt. Then the preachers stood in every district and on every pulpit cursing Ali, disavowing him, and attacking him and his Ahl al-Bayt.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, quoting Abu al-Hasan al-Mada’ini’s Kitab al-Ahdath.
Comment:
This is one of the strongest historical descriptions of the Umayyad anti-Ali campaign.
20. Imam al-Nawawi
Died: 676 AH
Shafi‘i scholar, commentator of Sahih Muslim
Arabic:
هذا الحديث حجة ظاهرة في أن علياً رضي الله عنه كان محقاً مصيباً، والطائفة الأخرى بغاة.
English:
“This hadith is a clear proof that Ali was upon the truth and correct, and the other party were rebels.”
Reference:
Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim, commentary on the hadith of Ammar: “تقتله الفئة الباغية.”
Comment:
This is decisive Sunni commentary. In the killing of Ammar, Ali’s side was the correct side and Muawiya’s side was the rebellious side.
21. Imam al-Nawawi
Died: 676 AH
Arabic:
وفيه معجزة ظاهرة لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من أوجه: منها أن عماراً يموت قتيلاً، وأنه يقتله مسلمون، وأنهم بغاة.
English:
“In it is a clear miracle of the Messenger of Allah from several angles: that Ammar would die killed, that Muslims would kill him, and that they would be rebels.”
Reference:
Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim.
Comment:
Al-Nawawi openly says the killers of Ammar were Muslims but rebels.
22. Ibn Taymiyyah
Died: 728 AH
Arabic:
فمعاوية رضي الله عنه لما تمكن وأجمع الناس عليه لم يقتل قتلة عثمان. فإن كان قتلهم واجباً، وهو مقدور له، كان فعله بدون قتال المسلمين أولى من أن يقاتل علياً وأصحابه لأجل ذلك.
English:
“When Muawiya gained power and the people united under him, he did not kill the killers of Uthman. If killing them was obligatory and within his ability, then doing that without fighting Muslims would have been more appropriate than fighting Ali and his companions for that reason.”
Reference:
Ibn Taymiyyah, Minhaj al-Sunnah.
Comment:
Even Ibn Taymiyyah weakens the excuse of “avenging Uthman.” If that was the real aim, why did Muawiya not do it after gaining power?
23. Ibn Taymiyyah
Died: 728 AH
Arabic:
فإن الأربعة قبله كانوا خلفاء نبوة، وهو أول الملوك.
English:
“The four before him were caliphs of Prophethood, and he was the first of the kings.”
Reference:
Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmu‘ al-Fatawa / Minhaj al-Sunnah meaning.
Comment:
Muawiya’s rule was not Khilafat-e-Nubuwwah. It was the beginning of kingship.
24. Ibn Taymiyyah
Died: 728 AH
Arabic:
ومن روى لمعاوية وأصحابه من الفضائل ما يوجب تقديمه على علي وأصحابه كان كاذباً مبطلاً مسفسطاً.
English:
“Whoever narrates virtues for Muawiya and his companions that require preferring him over Ali and his companions is a liar, false, and sophistic.”
Reference:
Ibn Taymiyyah, Minhaj al-Sunnah.
Comment:
Even Ibn Taymiyyah rejects fabricated virtues that try to place Muawiya above Ali and Ali’s companions.
25. Al-Tibi
Died: 743 AH
Sunni hadith commentator
Arabic:
ترحم عليه بسبب الشدة التي يقع فيها عمار من قبل الفئة الباغية، يريد به معاوية وقومه، فإنه قتل يوم صفين.
English:
“The Prophet had mercy on Ammar because of the hardship that would befall him from the rebellious group, meaning Muawiya and his people, for he was killed at Siffin.”
Reference:
Quoted by Mulla Ali al-Qari in Mirqat al-Mafatih.
Comment:
Al-Tibi clearly identifies the rebellious group as Muawiya and his people.
26. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
Died: 852 AH
Sunni hadith master
Arabic:
وفي هذا الحديث علم من أعلام النبوة، وفضيلة ظاهرة لعلي ولعمار، ورد على النواصب الزاعمين أن علياً لم يكن مصيباً في حروبه.
English:
“In this hadith is a sign from the signs of Prophethood, a clear virtue for Ali and Ammar, and a refutation against the Nasibis who claimed that Ali was not correct in his wars.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, commentary on the hadith of Ammar.
Comment:
Ibn Hajar says denying that Imam Ali was correct in his wars is the claim of Nasibis.
27. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
Died: 852 AH
Arabic:
وقد ورد في فضائل معاوية أحاديث كثيرة، لكن ليس فيها ما يصح من طريق الإسناد، وبذلك جزم إسحاق بن راهويه والنسائي وغيرهما.
English:
“Many hadiths have been narrated regarding the virtues of Muawiya, but none of them is authentic through the chain of transmission. Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, al-Nasa’i and others were decisive upon this.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Bab Dhikr Muawiya.
Comment:
The claim that Muawiya has no authentic special virtue hadith is not Shia propaganda. Ibn Hajar quotes major Sunni hadith authorities on it.
28. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
Died: 852 AH
Arabic:
فأشار بهذا إلى ما اختلقوه لمعاوية من الفضائل مما لا أصل له.
English:
“By this he indicated the virtues they fabricated for Muawiya, which have no basis.”
Reference:
Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, Bab Dhikr Muawiya.
Comment:
This is Ibn Hajar’s explanation of Imam Ahmad’s point: some virtues of Muawiya were fabricated as anti-Ali propaganda.
29. Ibn al-Malak
Died: around 801 AH
Sunni commentator
Arabic:
اعلم أن عماراً قتله معاوية وفئته، فكانوا طاغين باغين بهذا الحديث، لأن عماراً كان في عسكر علي، وهو المستحق للإمامة، فامتنعوا عن بيعته.
English:
“Know that Ammar was killed by Muawiya and his group; therefore they were transgressors and rebels by this hadith, because Ammar was in Ali’s army, and Ali was the one entitled to the Imamate, while they refused to give him bay‘ah.”
Reference:
Quoted by Mulla Ali al-Qari in Mirqat al-Mafatih.
Comment:
This is extremely clear: Muawiya and his group were rebels, and Imam Ali was the one entitled to Imamate.
30. Mulla Ali al-Qari
Died: 1014 AH
Hanafi scholar
Arabic:
قال الطيبي: ترحم عليه بسبب الشدة التي يقع فيها عمار من قبل الفئة الباغية يريد به معاوية وقومه.
وقال ابن الملك: اعلم أن عماراً قتله معاوية وفئته، فكانوا طاغين باغين بهذا الحديث، لأن عماراً كان في عسكر علي، وهو المستحق للإمامة، فامتنعوا عن بيعته.
English:
“Al-Tibi said: The Prophet had mercy on Ammar because of the hardship that would befall him from the rebellious group, meaning Muawiya and his people.
Ibn al-Malak said: Know that Ammar was killed by Muawiya and his group; therefore they were transgressors and rebels by this hadith, because Ammar was in Ali’s army, and Ali was the one entitled to the Imamate, while they refused to give him bay‘ah.”
Reference:
Mulla Ali al-Qari, Mirqat al-Mafatih, commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih.
Comment:
Mulla Ali al-Qari preserved these Sunni explanations in his famous Hanafi commentary.
31. Rashid Rida
Died: 1354 AH
Modern Salafi reformist
Arabic:
إن سيرة معاوية تفيد بجملتها وتفصيلها أنه كان طالباً للملك ومحبّاً للرياسة، وإني لأعتقد أنه قد وثب على هذا الأمر مفتئتاً وأنه لم يكن له أن يحجم عن مبايعة علي بعد أن بايعه أولو الأمر أهل الحل والعقد.
English:
“The life of Muawiya, in its generality and details, shows that he was seeking kingship and loving leadership. I believe he jumped upon this matter unlawfully, and he had no right to refrain from giving bay‘ah to Ali after the people of authority had given bay‘ah to him.”
Reference:
Rashid Rida, Majallat al-Manar, vol. 9.
Comment:
This is a modern Salafi-linked reformist clearly saying Muawiya sought kingship and had no right to refuse bay‘ah to Imam Ali.
32. Rashid Rida
Died: 1354 AH
Arabic:
وبه صارت الخلافة ملكاً عضوضاً، ثم إنه جعلها وراثة في قومه الذين حولوا أمر المسلمين عن القرآن بإضعاف الشورى بل بإبطالها واستبدال الاستبداد بها.
English:
“Through him, the caliphate became biting kingship; then he made it hereditary among his people, who turned the Muslims’ affair away from the Qur’an by weakening consultation, rather abolishing it, and replacing it with despotism.”
Reference:
Rashid Rida, Majallat al-Manar.
Comment:
Muawiya changed the system from shura-based caliphate into hereditary monarchy.
33. Rashid Rida
Died: 1354 AH
Arabic:
ولا خلاف في كون خروج معاوية على أمير المؤمنين هو الصدمة الأولى التي أصابت الإسلام، فكانت علة العلل لكل ما جاء بعدها من أسباب الضعف.
English:
“There is no disagreement that Muawiya’s rebellion against Amir al-Mu’minin was the first shock that struck Islam, and it became the root cause of all weakness that came after it.”
Reference:
Rashid Rida, Majallat al-Manar.
Comment:
This is a very strong modern Sunni-side statement: Muawiya’s rebellion was the first major shock to Islam.
34. Ahmad al-Ghumari
Died: 1380 AH approximately
Moroccan Sunni/Maliki hadith scholar
Arabic:
وفي الصحيح، صحيح مسلم عن علي عليه السلام قال: والذي فلق الحبة وبرأ النسمة إنه لعهد عهده إلي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أنه لا يحبني إلا مؤمن ولا يبغضني إلا منافق، وفي صحيح الحاكم وغيره: من سب علياً فقد سبني، ومن سبني فقد سب الله، ومن سب الله فقد كفر.
English:
“In the authentic hadith, Sahih Muslim from Ali: ‘By the One who split the seed and created the soul, it is a covenant of the Messenger of Allah to me that none loves me except a believer and none hates me except a hypocrite.’ And in the authentic report of al-Hakim and others: ‘Whoever curses Ali has cursed me, and whoever curses me has cursed Allah, and whoever curses Allah has disbelieved.’”
Reference:
Ahmad al-Ghumari, al-Jawab al-Mufid.
Comment:
Ahmad al-Ghumari builds his criticism on Sahih Muslim’s principle: love of Ali is iman and hatred of Ali is nifaq.
35. Ahmad al-Ghumari
Died: 1380 AH approximately
Arabic:
والمقصود من هذه الأحاديث الصحيحة المتفق عليها مع ما تواتر من لعن معاوية لعلي على المنبر طول حياته، وحياة دولته إلى عمر بن عبد العزيز وقتاله وبغضه، يطلع منه أنه منافق كافر.
English:
“The meaning of these agreed authentic hadiths, together with what is mass-transmitted about Muawiya cursing Ali on the pulpit throughout his life and the life of his state until Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, and his fighting and hatred, leads to the conclusion that he was a hypocrite and disbeliever.”
Reference:
Ahmad al-Ghumari, al-Jawab al-Mufid.
Comment:
This is very harsh. Use it only to show that some Sunni hadith scholars went extremely far in criticizing Muawiya. Do not make it your first proof.
36. Sayyid Qutb
Died: 1386 AH
Modern Sunni thinker
Arabic:
فلما جاء معاوية وصيّر الخلافة الإسلامية ملكاً عضوضاً في بني أمية، لم يكن ذلك من وحي الإسلام، إنما كان من وحي الجاهلية.
English:
“When Muawiya came and turned the Islamic caliphate into biting kingship among Banu Umayyah, that was not from the inspiration of Islam; it was from the inspiration of Jahiliyyah.”
Reference:
Sayyid Qutb, al-‘Adalah al-Ijtima‘iyyah fi al-Islam.
Comment:
Sayyid Qutb openly says Muawiya’s hereditary monarchy was from Jahiliyyah, not Islam.
37. Sayyid Qutb
Died: 1386 AH
Arabic:
حين يركن معاوية وزميله إلى الكذب والغش والخديعة والنفاق والرشوة وشراء الذمم، لا يملك علي أن يتدلى إلى هذا الدرك الأسفل، فلا عجب ينجحان ويفشل، وإنه لفشل أشرف من كل نجاح.
English:
“When Muawiya and his companion resort to lying, fraud, deception, hypocrisy, bribery and buying loyalties, Ali cannot descend to this lowest level. So it is no wonder that they succeed and he fails; and it is a failure more honorable than every success.”
Reference:
Sayyid Qutb, Kutub wa Shakhsiyyat.
Comment:
This is one of the harshest modern Sunni-side criticisms of Muawiya’s political methods.
38. Maulana Aamir Usmani
Died: 1395 AH
Deobandi scholar and editor
Urdu:
خلافت معاویہ و یزید کی حمایت ہم نے ازراہ جہل کی تھی، سچائی وہ نہیں جس کی صورت گیری اس کتاب میں کی گئی ہے، بلکہ سچائی وہی ہے جو مولانا مودودی خلافت و ملوکیت میں منقح کر رہے ہیں۔
English:
“Our support for the caliphate of Muawiya and Yazid was due to ignorance. The truth is not what was presented in that book; rather, the truth is what Maulana Maududi clarified in Khilafat o Malookiyat.”
Reference:
Quoted in discussions on Maulana Syed Maududi, Maulana Aamir Usmani and Khilafat o Malookiyat.
Comment:
This is important for Indo-Pak debate because Aamir Usmani was from the Deobandi scholarly environment and admitted that defending the caliphate of Muawiya and Yazid was ignorance.
39. Abul A‘la Maududi
Died: 1399 AH
Author of Khilafat o Malookiyat
Urdu meaning:
معاویہ کی حکومت مسلمانوں کی آزادانہ رضا مندی سے قائم نہیں ہوئی، بلکہ طاقت اور تلوار کے زور سے قائم ہوئی، اور اسی سے خلافت کا راستہ ملوکیت کی طرف مڑ گیا۔
English:
“Muawiya’s rule was not established through the free consent of the Muslims; rather, it was established through power and the sword, and through this the path of caliphate turned toward monarchy.”
Reference:
Abul A‘la Maududi, Khilafat o Malookiyat.
Comment:
This is exactly why Maududi’s book shook the Indo-Pak Sunni world. He showed that Muawiya’s rule was the turning point from caliphate to monarchy.
40. Abul A‘la Maududi
Died: 1399 AH
English summary of his criticism:
Muawiya acted unconstitutionally. He refused to submit to the central authority of Imam Ali. He used his position as governor for personal political power. He changed the Islamic political system from shura-based caliphate into hereditary monarchy.
Reference:
Abul A‘la Maududi, Khilafat o Malookiyat.
Comment:
This is not Shia language. This is from the author of Khilafat o Malookiyat, a major Indo-Pak Sunni thinker.
41. Ahmad Khayri al-Kawthari
Modern Hanafi-Maturidi scholar
Arabic poetry:
فأول المعدود في الطغام
والجالب السوء إلى الإسلام
أعني طليق السيف أي معاوية
فالبغي حكم قاتليه قطعاً
واللعن حكم البغي ذاك شرعاً
English:
“The first counted among the riffraff, the bringer of evil into Islam...
I mean the freed captive of the sword, Muawiya...
The ruling of rebellion upon his killers is definite, and the ruling of curse upon rebellion is legally established.”
Reference:
Ahmad Khayri al-Kawthari, al-Urjuzah al-Latifah.
Comment:
This is polemical poetry, but it shows strong anti-Muawiya sentiment among some later Hanafi-Maturidi scholars.
Final point:
So when someone says, “Only Shias criticize Muawiya,” show them this list.
Masruq criticized him.
Hasan al-Basri criticized him.
Al-A‘mash criticized him.
Sharik criticized him.
Jarir ibn Abd al-Hamid criticized him.
Muhammad al-Shaybani called his fight against Ali unjust, transgressive and rebellious.
Sufyan ibn Uyaynah said Muawiya had no quality by which he could dispute Ali.
Abd al-Razzaq criticized him.
Abu Nu‘aym and Ubaydullah ibn Musa criticized him.
Ishaq ibn Rahwayh said no authentic virtue hadith is proven for him.
Imam Ahmad said Ali was the rightful caliph in his time.
Imam Ahmad’s statement also shows that some virtues of Muawiya were fabricated as anti-Ali propaganda.
Al-Nasa’i refused to produce virtues for him.
Ibn Khuzaymah said whoever disputed Ali’s Imamate was a rebel.
Al-Jassas said Ali was right against the rebellious group.
Ibn Abi al-Hadid recorded the Umayyad campaign of cursing Imam Ali on pulpits.
Al-Nawawi said Ali was correct and the other side was rebellious.
Ibn Taymiyyah said Muawiya was the first king and that he did not even kill Uthman’s killers after gaining power.
Al-Tibi identified the rebellious group as Muawiya and his people.
Ibn Hajar said denying Ali’s correctness in his wars is the claim of Nasibis.
Ibn al-Malak said Ammar was killed by Muawiya and his group, and they were rebels.
Mulla Ali al-Qari preserved these Sunni explanations.
Rashid Rida said Muawiya sought kingship and changed caliphate into monarchy.
Ahmad al-Ghumari went extremely harsh against Muawiya based on the hadiths of Ali’s love and hatred.
Sayyid Qutb said Muawiya turned caliphate into Jahili-style monarchy.
Aamir Usmani admitted that defending the caliphate of Muawiya and Yazid was ignorance.
Maududi wrote Khilafat o Malookiyat and showed how Muawiya’s rule became the bridge from caliphate to monarchy.
Ahmad Khayri al-Kawthari attacked him in harsh Hanafi polemical poetry.
This is not Rafzi propaganda.
This is Sunni history speaking against Umayyad whitewashing.
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