By R. Stephen Humphreys
During this available research, Stephen Humphreys introduces the main elusive of the early caliphs, Mu'awiya ibn abi Sufyan (602-680). all through background, a few have accused him of being the 1st caliph to diverge from Muhammed's version of excellent Muslim management when others credits him with uniting an empire in disarray and reworking the Caliphate right into a potential kind of executive. In gentle of this, Humphreys significantly analyses his resources, and seeks to get as shut as attainable to a old account of the good guy.
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Additional resources for Mu'awiya ibn abi Sufyan: From Arabia to Empire (Makers of the Muslim World)
Example text
In this context, we can appreciate Mu'awiya's decision to keep the pressure on the Byzantines but to forgo decisive battles or permanent conquests. When he became governor, Syria was by no means fully secure; the coast was vulnerable to naval attack and the northern frontiers were ragged. Moreover, at first he did not control the whole of geographical Syria. Syria and Palestine were divided into/four provinces: Syria proper, whose capital was Damascus; Jordan, whose capital was Tiberias and principal port Acre; Palestine; and the northern frontier province of Hims.
They belonged to the innermost circle of the Prophet's Companions: 'A'isha was the daughter of Abu Bakr and had been the Prophet's favorite wife, and Talha and al-Zubayr were early and enthusiastic converts who had fought hard and courageously for the victory of Islam. Though all three had been severe critics of 'Uthman, they claimed to be shocked by his murder (but admittedly had done precious little to prevent it). On the basis of their early conversion and their standing in Islam, Talha and al-Zubayr could claim that their right to succeed 'Uthman was equal to 'Ali's and they had the benefit of rejecting any involvement with his murderers.
How then can I bring the troops to this troublesome and infidel being? By God, one Muslim is dearer to me than all the Byzantines possess. Take care not to disobey me, for I have given you a command'. [Tabari, XV; 26-27] This anecdote seems odd if not comic to our eyes butTabari has chosen it for a reason: even its puzzles and contradictions are revealing. He uses it to set the stage for Mu'awiya's invasion of Cyprus in 649 even though the story clearly refers not to distant Cyprus but to the isle of Arwad (Aradus), just off the coast from the modern city of Tartus.