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

To resolve the mystery of the martyrdom of Imam Ali (a.s.), one needs to review the characters and the background of this murder. There are three persons involved in this investigation; Imam Ali (a.s.), Muawiya bin Abu Sufiyan, and Amr bin A’s.

Muawiya bin Abu Sufiyan: He was the son of Abu Sufiyan, an archenemy of Islam and his mother was Hind, who had extracted the liver of Hazrat Hamza from his dead body and chewed it! Muawiya refused to offer allegiance to the fourth caliph of Muslims and revolted against him and fought in the Battle of Siffin with Imam Ali, ordered to curse Imam Ali from the mosques throughout the country. He sent a plain piece of paper to offer treaty of peace with Imam Hasan (a.s.) and soon publicly tore off the treaty and behaved utterly against the treaty. The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “It would be too much if Muawiya could escape Hell Fire, how can there be any good in him” (Tarikh ibn Khallikan) He (s.a.w.a.s.) also said, “I dreamt that Bani Umayyad were jumping on my pulpit like monkeys” (Tafsir Nishapuri, Tafsir Bidhawi, and Tafsir Kabir of Razi)

Amr bin A’s: He was a close adviser of Muawiya. He played a role in the rise of Muawiya. As an arbitrator in the Battle of Siffin, he had made a deal with Muawiya that if he succeeds, he should be appointed governor of Egypt, which was agreed to by Muawiya. The mislead people in Imam Ali (a.s.)’s camp forced him to appoint Abu Musa Ash’ari as an arbitrator. The shrewd Amr bin A’s trapped Abu Musa and agreed with him to remove both Muawiya and Imam Ali (a.s.). Amr bin A’s persuaded Abu Musa to go on the pulpit first, and he went up the pulpit and announced his verdict to remove Imam Ali (a.s.). Then Amr bin A’s went up the pulpit and gave his verdict to keep Muawiya as the caliph! (WIKIPEDIA)

In Syria, under the direction of Muawiya, factories of producing fake ahadiths of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) worked and the writes were profusely rewarded from the wealth of Muslim Ummah. The history was written over the years by the vested interests making Abdul Rahman bin Muljim, a scape goat and making him completely and solely responsible for the assassination of the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.). The generally accepted account of the martyrdom has many “circumstantial evidences” and “coincidences”

In the prevalent circumstances, no one was more interested in the assassination of Imam Ali (a.s.) than Muawiya. The plot to kill Imam Ali (a.s.), the skill displayed in its execution, and its success, show the touch of consummate subtlety and a high degree of professionalism, which were characteristics of Muawiya alone. He employed the same skill in removing from the scene, fancied threats to his own security and power.

Muawiya’s spies informed him that Imam Ali (a.s.) was preparing for invasion of Syria. For his own security and future, he used his trusted techniques of treachery and intrigue. He made the act of assassination spontaneous and convincing by making himself and his crony Amr bin A’s, the potential and intended victims of the conspiracy and the fanaticism of the Kharaji anarchists. Both “escaped” the assassination by a “rare stroke of good luck” One of them fell sick and did not go to the mosque and the other went to the mosque wearing his armor under his cloak.

               Sources: WIKIPEDIA, Restatement of history of Islam and Muslims by Sayyid Ali Asghar                                 Razwy,  Misbah-uz-zulam, roots of Karbala tragedy by Sayyid Imdad Imam