Was Imam Hasan’s (AS) Peace Treaty Intended to Protect the Lives of the Shia?

To compare our deeds with those of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is sheer presumption. The Imam’s words and actions are carried out by God’s command, while our words and actions reflect the limits of our understanding.

The conflict between Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) and Mu‘awiya was a conflict between two Muslim camps: the camp of truth and the camp of falsehood (Mu‘awiya’s)—not a war between Islam and unbelief. The circumstances were such that many Muslims were confused about which camp stood for the truth. But there is no such uncertainty in the present circumstances.

If we must make a comparison, we should at least do so logically and rationally.

Is it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood? It is not: the camp of truth is entirely distinct from that of falsehood.

Are there no volunteers today to defend religion and homeland? That is not the case. There are more than enough steadfast, bold and courageous people who yearn for jihad.

Is peace in the people’s interest? No. Not only is any retreating compromise against their interests; it will lead to their complete destruction.

Surrender will not preserve the lives of the Shi‘a; in a sense, it is a step towards their destruction. The enemy’s strategic plans in this regard are plain to see.

The peace made by Imam Hasan (peace be upon him), the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), and the Ahl al-Bayt’s (peace be upon them) intellectual, rational and practical struggle were all intended to ensure that we would not surrender to the enemy. They were all steps towards, and means of, our victory! Today is an age of great triumph, not surrender.

All those who urge believers to surrender are agents of the enemy’s infiltration!

كَمَا رَوَاهُ عَنْهُ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ عَقِيصَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لِلْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لِمَ دَاهَنْتَ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَ صَالَحْتَهُ وَ قَدْ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الْحَقَّ لَكَ دُونَهُ وَ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ ضَالٌّ بَاغٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ أَ لَسْتُ حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ وَ إِمَاماً عَلَيْهِمْ بَعْدَ أَبِي ع قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ أَ لَسْتُ الَّذِي قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِي وَ لِأَخِي هَذَانِ وَلَدَايَ إِمَامَانِ قَامَا أَوْ قَعَدَا قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَأَنَا إِذَنْ إِمَامٌ لَوْ قُمْتُ وَ أَنَا إِمَامٌ لَوْ قَعَدْتُ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ عِلَّةُ مُصَالَحَتِي لِمُعَاوِيَةَ عِلَّةُ مُصَالَحَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لِبَنِي ضَمْرَةَ وَ بَنِي أَشْجَعَ وَ لِأَهْلِ مَكَّةَ حِينَ انْصَرَفَ مِنَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ أُولَئِكَ كُفَّارٌ بِالتَّنْزِيلِ وَ مُعَاوِيَةُ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ كُفَّارٌ بِالتَّأْوِيلِ يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ إِذَا كُنْتُ إِمَاماً مِنْ قِبَلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَجُزْ أَنْ يُسَفَّهَ رَأْيِي فِيمَا أَتَيْتُهُ مِنْ مُهَادَنَةٍ أَوْ مُحَارَبَةٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ وَجْهُ الْحِكْمَةِ فِيمَا أَتَيْتُهُ مُلْتَبِساً أَ لَا تَرَى الْخَضِرَ ع لَمَّا خَرَقَ السَّفِينَةَ وَ قَتَلَ الْغُلَامَ وَ أَقَامَ الْجِدَارَ سَخِطَ مُوسَى ع فِعْلَهُ لِاشْتِبَاهِ وَجْهِ الْحِكْمَةِ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى أَخْبَرَهُ فَرَضِيَ هَكَذَا أَنَا سَخِطْتُمْ عَلَيَّ بِجَهْلِكُمْ بِوَجْهِ الْحِكْمَةِ وَ لَوْ لَا مَا أَتَيْتُ لَمَا تُرِكَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا قُتِل‏
الطرائف في معرفة مذاهب الطوائف، ج‏1، ص: 196

Just as Abu Sa‘id al-‘Aqisa related from him, saying: I said to Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), “O son of the Messenger of God, why did you make peace and act conciliatorily towards Mu‘awiya, when you know that the right is yours, not his, and that Mu‘awiya is misguided and unjust?”

He replied, “O Abu Sa‘id, am I not God’s proof to His creatures and the Imam over them after my father (peace be upon him)?”

I said, “Indeed.”

He said, “Am I not the one of whom the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) said, of my brother and me: ‘These two are my sons; they are Imams, whether they rise up or remain seated [that is, their Imamate holds in every circumstance]’?”

I said, “Indeed.”

He said, “Then I am the Imam whether I rise up or remain seated [and do not rise up].”

“O Abu Sa‘id, the reason I made peace with Mu‘awiya is the same reason that led the Messenger of God (may God bless him and his family) to make peace with Banu Damra, Banu Ashja‘ and the people of Mecca when he returned from Hudaybiyyah. They were unbelievers by virtue of revelation, while Mu‘awiya and his followers are unbelievers by virtue of interpretation.”

“O Abu Sa‘id, since I am an Imam appointed by God, the Exalted, it is not permissible to fault or belittle my judgement in what I do—whether it be peace and conciliation or war—even if the wisdom and reason behind my action are hidden from you.

“Did you not see that when Khidr (peace be upon him) damaged the boat, killed the young boy and rebuilt the wall, Moses (peace be upon him) was angered by what he had done because the wisdom behind those acts was hidden from him—until Khidr made it known to him, and Moses was satisfied? My case was the same: you were angered with me because you did not understand the wisdom behind [my action]. Had I not done this [made peace], not one of our Shi‘a would have remained on earth; they would all have been killed.”

قَامَ الْحَسَنُ ع بَعْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ بَعْدَ حَمْدِ اللّه تَعَالَى إِنَّا مَا بِنَا لِأَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ شَكٌّ وَ لَا نَدَمٌ وَ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نُقَاتِلُ أَهْلَ الشَّامِ بِالسَّلَامَةِ وَ الصَّبْرِ فَشُتِّتَ السَّلَامَةُ بِالْعَدَاوَةِ وَ الصَّبْرُ بِالْجَزَعِ وَ كُنْتُمْ فِي مَبْدَئِكُمْ إِلَى الصِّفِّينِ دِينُكُمْ أَمَامُ دُنْيَاكُمْ وَ قَدْ أَصْبَحْتُمُ الْيَوْمَ دُنْيَاكُمْ أَمَامُ دِينِكُمْ أَلَا وَ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ وَ لَسْتُمْ لَنَا ثُمَّ أَصْبَحْتُمْ بَيْنَ Two Tribes [قَتِيلَيْنِ‏] قَتِيلٍ بِصِفِّينَ يَبْكُونَ لَهُ وَ قَتِيلٍ بِالنَّهْرَوَانِ يَطْلُبُونَ بِثَارِهِ وَ أَمَّا الْبَاكِي فَخَاذِلٌ وَ أَمَّا الثَّائِرُ فَبَاغٍ وَ إِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَدْ دَعَا إِلَى أَمْرٍ لَيْسَ فِيهِ عِزٌّ وَ لَا نَصَفَةٌ فَإِذَا أَرَدْتُمُ الْمَوْتَ رَدَدْنَاهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ حُكْمُنَا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ إِنْ أَرَدْتُمُ الْحَيَاةَ قَبِلْنَا وَ أَخَذْنَا لَكُمُ الرِّضَا فَنَادَاهُ الْقَوْمُ التَّقِيَّةَ التَّقِيَّة
*Al-Ṭarāʾif fī maʿrifat madhāhib al-ṭawāʾif*, vol. 1, p. 197

After the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) rose and, after praising and glorifying the Almighty Lord, said:

“We, the people of Islam, have no doubt or regret about the truth of our path. We fought the people of Syria—the army of Muʿāwiya—peacefully and with patience alone. But now our peaceful approach has turned to hostility and division, and our patience to impatience and restlessness.

When you first set out for Ṣiffīn, you put your religion before your worldly interests. But today you have come to put your worldly interests before your religion.

Know this: we have always stood by you and supported you, but you have not stood by us or supported us.

Then things came to such a pass that you found yourselves caught between two groups—or two slain men: one killed at Ṣiffīn, whom you mourn, and one killed at Nahrawān, whose blood you seek to avenge. Yet the one who mourns the man killed at Ṣiffīn now abandons him and keeps his distance, while the one who seeks vengeance for the man killed at Nahrawān is himself a transgressor and an oppressor.

Muʿāwiya has called me to something that offers neither honour nor fairness. If you want death, we shall send it back to him and fight him; our final judgment rests with Almighty God. But if you want life and survival, we shall accept this peace and secure your welfare and contentment.”

At this, the people cried out, “Taqiyya! Taqiyya! Accept the peace!”

وَ قَالَ ع عِنْدَ صُلْحِهِ لِمُعَاوِيَةَ إِنَّا وَ اَللَّهِ مَا ثَنَانَا عَنْ أَهْلِ اَلشَّامِ شَكٌّ وَ لاَ نَدَمٌ وَ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نُقَاتِلُ أَهْلَ اَلشَّامِ بِالسَّلاَمَةِ وَ اَلصَّبْرِ فَسُلِبَتِ اَلسَّلاَمَةُ بِالْعَدَاوَةِ وَ اَلصَّبْرُ بِالْجَزَعِ وَ كُنْتُمْ فِي مُنْتَدَبِكُمْ إِلَى صِفِّينَ وَ دِينُكُمْ أَمَامَ دُنْيَاكُمْ وَ قَدْ أَصْبَحْتُمُ اَلْيَوْمَ وَ دُنْيَاكُمْ أَمَامَ دِينِكُمْ .
*Biḥār al-anwār* (Beirut edition), vol. 75, p. 106

When Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) made peace with Muʿāwiya, he said to his supporters: “By God, we did not withdraw from fighting the people of Syria out of doubt or regret. We fought them with hearts at peace and with steadfastness alone. But a peaceful heart has turned to hostility, and steadfastness to impatience. People of Kufa, when you first went to war against the Syrians, you preferred your religion to your worldly interests. Do you now prefer your worldly interests to your religion?”