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Abu Musa al-Ash'ari
nameAbdullah ibn Qays ibn Sulaym ibn Hadar ibn Harb
Personal details
religionIslam

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari was among the Companions of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), who gained particular fame due to his role in the arbitration following the Battle of Siffin and the transfer of the Caliphate to the Banu Umayya. He was highly skilled in judicial matters.

He was counted among the jurists during the era of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and was one of the companions authorized to issue legal opinions during the caliphates of Umar and Uthman. Abu Musa, being a naive individual, was chosen as an arbitrator in the Battle of Siffin and, through the deceit of Amr ibn al-As, contributed to the removal of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) from the Caliphate. He served as one of the commanders in Umar's army during the conquest of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria.


Lineage of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

Abu Musa, whose full name was Abdullah ibn Qays ibn Sulaym ibn Hadar ibn Harb ibn Amir ibn Atr ibn Bakr ibn Amir ibn Udhra ibn Wa'il ibn Najiya ibn Hamahmar ibn al-Ash'ar al-Ash'ari, commonly known as Abdullah ibn Qays al-Ash'ari, was among the narrators of hadith. His name is listed among the Companions of the Messenger of God. He lived in Damascus, Basra, Aden, and Kufa[1].


Introduction to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

Abu Musa, whose name was Abdullah, son of Qays ibn Sulaym ibn Hadar, was from the village of Rama', one of the villages of Yemen, and belonged to the Ash'ari tribe of that region[2]. He was born in Yemen in the twenty-first year before the Hijra[3]. His mother was Zabiya, daughter of Wahb from the Banu Uk tribe, who embraced Islam and passed away in Medina[4].

Abu Musa was a short, slender, and beardless man. He was married to four women from the Quraysh, including Umm Kulthum, daughter of Abu al-Fadl ibn Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib[5]. Abu Musa's first child was born in Medina. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) named him Ibrahim and softened his palate with dates[6].


Family of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

His son, Abu Burda, served as a judge under Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in Kufa, and Bilal, the son of Abu Burda, also held a judicial position in Basra[7]. The most prominent figure from his family is Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari, the famous theologian, whose lineage reportedly traces back to Abu Musa through eight intermediaries[8].

The Battle of Siffin and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

The Reason for Selecting Abu Musa al-Ash'ari as Representative of Imam Ali

According to reliable historical documents, Ali (peace be upon him) did not accept arbitration voluntarily; rather, it was imposed upon him. When Mu'awiya realized that he could not withstand the army of the Imam (peace be upon him) and that the Imam's victory was certain if the war continued, he adopted two dangerous satanic tricks at the suggestion of Amr ibn al-As:

  • To cease fire and temporarily halt the war;
  • To disintegrate or weaken the forces of Ali (peace be upon him).

Both of his deceptions succeeded with the help of infiltrators within the Imam's army.

  1. The first trick was raising the Quran on spears and inviting the Imam (peace be upon him) to arbitration based on the Quran, which halted the war.
  2. The second trick was arbitration itself, which was executed in a far more complex manner, ultimately turning some of the Imam's most effective forces against him. This is precisely why the Imam was later compelled to fight his own followers in the Event of Nahrawan. During the Event of Siffin, he had no choice but to yield to their pressure and accept arbitration. The Imam's famous statement upon accepting arbitration—Yesterday I was a commander, and today I have become a subordinate; yesterday I was the one who forbade, and today I am the one being forbidden[9]—reflects this bitter reality. Accordingly, the principle of arbitration was imposed upon the Imam[10].

After the arbitration agreement was signed, during the period allotted for examination by the two arbitrators, Amr ibn al-As, with his characteristic cunning, convinced Abu Musa that Ali (peace be upon him) was unfit for leadership because he had sheltered the killers of Uthman and initiated war. Abu Musa also criticized Mu'awiya, deeming him unworthy of governance. Then both decided to depose their respective leaders from the Caliphate and entrust the matter of the Caliphate to the Muslim community, so that they might choose whomever they wished as Caliph. It was agreed that both would announce this opinion. The appointed day arrived.

Everyone gathered at Dumat al-Jandal for the two arbitrators to declare their views. Abu Musa told Amr ibn al-As to ascend the pulpit and announce the agreed-upon position. However, Amr ibn al-As cunningly urged Abu Musa to go first, saying: "You are a Companion of the Messenger of God. I will never precede you!" Ibn Abbas, who was present in the assembly, said to Abu Musa: "Let Amr ibn al-As state his opinion first. He is deceiving you."

But Abu Musa refused and ascended the pulpit, addressing the people as follows: "After consultation and deliberation, we have concluded that both Ali and Mu'awiya should be removed from the Caliphate, and the selection of the Caliph should be left to the Muslim community. Therefore, I hereby depose Ali from the Caliphate, just as I remove this ring from my finger!" Immediately after Abu Musa, Amr ibn al-As ascended the pulpit and said: "He has deposed Ali from the Caliphate; I too depose him, and I appoint Mu'awiya as Caliph, just as I place this ring on my finger!" Deceived, Abu Musa cried out: "May God curse you! You are like a dog!" As Amr ibn al-As triumphantly descended from the pulpit, he replied: "And you are like a donkey laden with books"[11].

The Selection of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

According to numerous historical reports, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not agree to the selection of Abu Musa, as he was aware of his naivety[12]. Therefore, he proposed Abdullah ibn Abbas, stating: "I choose Ibn Abbas for arbitration." However, the Imam's companions said: "Choose someone who is neutral toward both you and Mu'awiya. Both arbitrators cannot be from the same tribe." Al-Ash'ath remarked that both Amr ibn al-As and Abdullah ibn Abbas belonged to the tribe of Mudar, and two individuals from Mudar should not sit together as arbitrators. If one is from Mudar (for example, Amr ibn al-As), the other must necessarily be from Yemen (i.e., Abu Musa al-Ash'ari).

Thus, Al-Ash'ath said: "By God, I swear that if one of the two arbitrators is Yemeni, it is better for us, even if he rules against our wishes. But if both are from Mudar, it is displeasing to us, even if they rule in our favor." The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Since you insist on Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, so be it; do as you wish"[13]. Accordingly, the Imam's companions insisted that one of the arbitrators be Yemeni, hence they selected Abu Musa. Moreover, the Imam's companions insisted that the arbitrator be someone who did not have good relations with Imam Ali (peace be upon him).

Therefore, they opposed the selection of Malik al-Ashtar and Abdullah ibn Abbas. Jafar Shahidi writes: "Why did the companions of Ali (peace be upon him) choose such an arbitrator for themselves? Why did Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays insist so strongly on selecting Abu Musa? Besides Al-Ash'ath's dissatisfaction with Ali (peace be upon him), the reason must be sought in the revival of tribal traditions and mentality"[14]. Yet, Abu Musa should not have been chosen, as he was among those who believed that Uthman had been unjustly killed, and since Uthman was unjustly killed, his killers must be subjected to retribution.

These killers were now surrounding Ali. Ali ought to hand them over to Mu'awiya[15]. This situation arose because the Imam's companions, due to tribalism, dissatisfaction with the Imam, and misunderstanding of Abu Musa, selected him, thereby committing the same mistake they had made in originally imposing arbitration upon the Imam. Most of the Imam's companions lacked political maturity and growth; thus, they struggled to distinguish between right and wrong. The selection of Abu Musa is one such example.

Characteristics and Attributes of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari possessed a remarkably pleasant and impactful voice. Buraydah reported: "One night, I left my home and was walking through Medina until I reached the Prophet's Mosque. I saw the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) standing outside the mosque, listening to a voice. He took my hand, and we entered the mosque. There, I saw a man engaged in prayer, raising his hands toward the sky and saying: O Allah, I beseech You by the fact that I bear witness that You are Allah, there is no god but You, the One, the Eternal, who neither begets nor is born, and none is comparable to Him. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: "By Him in whose hand my soul rests, [that man] has supplicated using the Greatest Name of God; the supplication through which every request is granted and every need fulfilled." Suddenly, I saw that man begin reciting the Qur'an. His voice was truly melodious and filled the heart with awe. The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny) remarked: "He has inherited this beautiful voice from the family of David; this is a grace bestowed upon him by God." I asked: "O Messenger of God! Shall I convey this glad tidings to him?" He replied: "Yes." I conveyed this good news to him, and this event led him to become my close friend forever[16].

Abu Musa attained such proficiency in jurisprudence and knowledge of religious rulings that he addressed the most complex issues with the most eloquent expressions and simplest explanations. He reached such a high status in issuing fatwas that Safwan ibn Sulaym stated: "During the time of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his progeny), no one issued fatwas in the Prophet's Mosque except these individuals: Umar, Ali, Mu'adh, and Abu Musa"[17].

Masruq also narrated: "Judicial authority among the Companions rested with six individuals: Umar, Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, Ubayy, Zayd, and Abu Musa"; meaning judicial matters among the Companions were entrusted to six persons: Umar, Ali, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Zayd, Ubayy ibn Ka'b, and Abu Musa[18].

Anas narrated: "Al-Ash'ari sent me to Umar, who asked me: 'In what condition did you leave al-Ash'ari?' I replied: 'I left him while he was teaching the Qur'an to the people.' Umar said: 'Indeed, he is a shrewd man! But do not convey this statement to him.'" This refers to Abu Musa al-Ash'ari sending Anas to report on his activities during his governorship of Basra to Umar. Umar inquired about Abu Musa's condition, and upon learning he was teaching the Qur'an, praised his intelligence but advised against informing him of this praise[19].


Death of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari

Historians differ regarding the year and location of Abu Musa's death. Some state he died in Mecca, while others mention Thawiyyah, a location near Kufa[20]. The years 42[21], 44, 45, 49, 52, and 53 AH have also been cited as the time of his death, reflecting discrepancies among historians[22].


See Also


Notes

  1. ↑ Mawsu'at al-Hadith.
  2. ↑ Al-Hamawi, Shihab al-Din Abu Abdullah Yaqut ibn Abdullah, Mu'jam al-Buldan, Beirut, Dar Sadir, 2nd edition, 1995 CE, Vol. 3, p. 68.
  3. ↑ Ibn Sa'd al-Katib al-Waqidi, Muhammad, Al-Tabaqat, translated by Mahmoud Mahdavi Damghani, Tehran, Farhang va Andisheh Publications, 1374 SH, footnote, Vol. 2, p. 330.
  4. ↑ Ibn al-Athir al-Jazari, Izz al-Din Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad, Usd al-Ghaba fi Ma'rifat al-Sahaba, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1409/1989, Vol. 3, p. 263.
  5. ↑ Al-Baladhuri, Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Jabir, Ansab al-Ashraf, edited by Suhayl Zakkar and Riyad Zirikli, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1st edition, 1417/1996, Vol. 4, p. 26.
  6. ↑ Ibn Sa'd, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, edited by Muhammad Abd al-Qadir Atta, Beirut, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1st edition, 1410/1990, Vol. 4, p. 80.
  7. ↑ Ibn Habib, p. 378; Ibn Qutayba, Al-Ma'arif, p. 589.
  8. ↑ Al-Sam'ani, Vol. 1, pp. 266–267.
  9. ↑ Abu Ja'far al-Iskafi, al-Mi'yar wa al-Muwazana, translated by Damghani, publisher: Nashr-e Ney, p. 154.
  10. ↑ Jafar Subhani, Furugh-e Wilayat, Sahifeh Publications, p. 591.
  11. ↑ Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Cairo, Matba'at al-Istiqama bi-l-Qahira, 1358 AH–1939 CE, vol. 4, p. 5 ff.; see also: Abu Hanifa al-Dinawari, al-Akhbar al-Tiwal, Qom, publisher: Razi, 1368 SH, p. 200.
  12. ↑ Jafar Shahidi, Ali az Zaban-e Ali (peace be upon him), Tehran, Daftar-e Nashr-e Farhang-e Islami, 1378 SH, 9th edition, p. 124.
  13. ↑ Jafar Subhani, op. cit., p. 587 ff.
  14. ↑ Jafar Shahidi, Ali az Zaban-e Ali (peace be upon him), Tehran, Daftar-e Nashr-e Farhang-e Islami, 1378 SH, 9th edition, p. 129.
  15. ↑ Jafar Shahidi, Ali az Zaban-e Ali (peace be upon him), Tehran, Daftar-e Nashr-e Farhang-e Islami, 1378 SH, 9th edition, p. 128.
  16. ↑ Musnad Ahmad: Hadith 22952. Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A'lam al-Nubala': 2/386.
  17. ↑ Siyar A'lam al-Nubala': 2/389.
  18. ↑ Al-Misri, Ashab al-Rasul: 2/202.
  19. ↑ Ibid.: 2/203. Quoted from Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd: 4/108.
  20. ↑ Al-Futuh/Translation of the Text, previously cited, p. 968.
  21. ↑ Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, previously cited, Vol. 6, p. 95.
  22. ↑ Usd al-Ghabah, previously cited, Vol. 3, p. 265.
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