Page 31 - The Revolution of Imam Hussein

The Revolution of Imam Hussein

to be bound by their love of worldly matters would be

met with strong opposition.
Shortly after the oath of allegiance was sworn to al-
Imam Ali (as) a number of prominent leaders broke their
oath of allegiance when they realised that he would not
appoint them as governors (3). Al-Imam Ali (as) held
that he did not find any justification for them to violate
their oath of allegiance (4), and considered their actions
in coming out against him as an act of disobedience to
Allah and to his Messenger (5).

On the other hand, Mu‘awiya (602 -680) who was the
governor of Syria under the caliph ‘Uthman, realised
that with the caliphate of al-Imam Ali (as) the Umayyads
would loose their power which they had established and
enjoyed during the caliphate of ‘Uthman (6).Therefore,
he refused to give obedience to al-Imam Ali (as), and
gave no religious or political justification except that the

killers of the caliph ‘Uthman should be punished. Most
historians considered Mu‘awiya’s opposition to al-Imam
Ali (as) as a means of promoting himself.
In order to maintain his position Mu‘awiya exploited
the killing of the caliph ‘Uthman as a means to incite
people against al-Imam Ali (as) (7). Al-Imam Ali (as)
declared to his followers that fighting against Mu‘awiya
and his followers was incumbent upon them because
Mu‘awiya violated the (bay‘a), acted against religion,

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