THE ASSASSINATION OF THE COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL, IMAM ALI (A.S.)

After the battle of Neh’ravan, Imam Ali (a.s.) was preparing to tackle the Syrian menace once and for all, when he was assassinated. Although Ibne Muljam (l.a.) was the apparent assassin, but the prevailing environment points in a different direction.

As the established principle says that the person who will be benefitted by the assassination, should be considered as a suspect. Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan was the enemy of Imam Ali (a.s.). He had married Maysam, a Christian woman for political reasons and Yazid (l.a.) was born. He apparently converted to Islam on the eve of the Victory of Makkah. He was the son of Abu Sufyan, who had led many battles against Islam. His mother Hinda, had chewed the lever of Hazrat Hamza, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)’s uncle in the battle of Uhad. After the assassination of the third caliph, he spear-headed the propaganda for his revenge, which was directed towards Imam Ali (a.s.) who had refused to accept the khilapha but when the streets of Madinah were inundated by the Muslims requesting him to accept the khilapha for the sake of Islam, then reluctantly he accepted it. He was responsible for the poisoning of Imam Ali (a.s.)’s governor, Malik al-Ashtar, when he was proceeding to Egypt. He was also responsible for the murders of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr and Hujr ibn Adi, to name a few. Muawiya used every armament at his disposal including bribe, murder and deceit. His ruthlessness may be gauged by the fact that at the Battle of Siffin, his forces captured the river front and refused to allow the basic need of water to the forces of Imam Ali (a.s.) and wanted to let the enemy die of thirst. When Imam Ali (a.s.)’s forces recaptured the river, Imam Ali (a.s.)  allowed free access of water to the enemy forces; what a difference! Muawiya secretly offered the hand of his son Yazid (l.a.) and One thousand red dinar and fifty Egyptian garments to Ja’dah bint Ash’ath, wife of Imam Hasan (a.s.). She did poison the Imam which caused his martyrdom. When she asked for the reward, Muawiya said that when she was unfaithful to the grandson of Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) how she can be faithful to Yazid (l.a.) and drowned her in the river. He ordered that Imam Ali (a.s.) should be cursed from the pulpits of mosques throughout his empire.

The recorded history as planned by the Umayyad tried to accuse only Abdul Rahman bin Muljam (l.a.) for the assassination of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) and to give it an air of authenticity, they concocted that two other Kharijites also vowed to assassinate Muawiya, but he was safe as he was wearing armor and Amar bin A’as was also a target, but he did not show up in the mosque and he was also saved. It is a drama of “coincidences” and circumstantial evidences. As Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy said in “A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims”, “The plot to kill Ali, the skill displayed in its execution, and its success, show the touch of consummate subtlety and a high degree of professionalism which were characteristic of Muawiya alone, where as Ibn Muljam was nothing more than a bumpkin. Muawiya employed the same “skill” in removing from the scene, real or fancied threats to his own security and power, on numerous other occasions at later times, with the same results.”

According to WIKIPEDIA, al-Ashath bin Qays was the host to Ibn Muljam for a month before Imam Ali (a.s.)’s assassination (al-Yaqubi). Wilfred Madelung said that during the last days of Ali’s reign al-Ashath bin Qays had tendency towards Muawiya and received letter including offers of money from him to show reluctance about Ali’s campaign against Muawiya. Most sources narrate an ambiguous phrase from al-Ash’ath:” the dawn has risen for thee”. After assassination, Hujr bin Adi accused him of Ali’s murder.

Sources: Fourteen Masoomen by Allama Sayyid Najmul Hasan, A Restatement of Islam and Muslims by Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy, WIKIPEDIA