The Virtues of Mu'aawiyyah Ibn Abee Sufyaan (radiallaahu 'anhumaa), by Shaikh Rabee'

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba'd

The Virtues of Mu'aawiyyah Ibn Abee Sufyaan (radiallaahu 'anhumaa), by Shaikh Rabee' Bin Haadi (hafidhahullaah)


Indeed this illustrious companion of the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) has a high station and status in the sight of the people who follow the authentic Sunnah and truth. And even before this station and status of his in the sight of the people who follow the authentic Sunnah and truth, he has a high station in the sight of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallaam). And from those virtues is that he was a companion of the Messenger and a relative of his through marriage ties [i.e. the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) married Mu'aawiyah's (radiallaahu 'anhu) sister Umm Habeebah (radiallaahu 'anhaa)]; and he was also from the scribes who wrote down the revelation sent down to the believers through the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam). [Paraphrased]

Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallaam) made a great supplication for him; 'Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abee Umayra reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallaam, (invoked Allaah for Mu'aawiyyah): "O Allaah! Make him a guide, one guided (to the straight path), and guide (others) by way of him." [1]

'Irbaad Ibn Saariyah (radiallaahu 'anhu) said: I heard the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallaam) saying: "O Allaah! Teach Mu'aawiyyah the Book (i.e. the Qur`aan) and Al-Hisaab (i.e. knowledge of math, arithmetic, accounting, etc) and protect him from the punishment." [2]

Umm Haraam (radiallaahu 'anhaa) reported that she heard the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallaam) saying: "Paradise will be granted to the first batch of my followers who will undertake a naval expedition." (Umm Haraam added): I said: "O Messenger of Allaah! Will I be amongst them?" He replied: "You are amongst them." The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallaam) then said, "The first army amongst my followers who will invade Caesar’s city will be forgiven their sins." I asked, "Will I be one of them, O Messenger of Allaah?" He replied: "No." [3]

Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar (rahimahullaah) said: "Al-Muhallab (rahimahullaah) said: 'This hadeeth contains (an outstanding virtue) of Mu'aawiyyah, because he was the first to undertake a naval expedition.'" [4]

Mu'aawiyah has (virtues with regards to performance of) great Jihaad in making uppermost Allaah's statement (or command) لا إله إلا الله (None has the right to be worshiped except Allaah), conquests [(of lands) - i.e. in order that mankind may single out Allaah in worship and abandon everything worshiped besides Allaah], and other distinguished virtues. And (from those distinguished virtues of Mu'aawiyyah) are: Mutual tolerance, kindness, forbearance, patience and justice. And if he had nothing else other than the virtue of being a companion of the Messenger, it would have been sufficient for him.


Source: Part 1/ Part 2 , via Sahab.Net

References:
[1] Reported by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad 4/216; Imaam Tirmidhee No. 3842 and others...and declared authentic by Imaam Albaanee in Silsilah As-Saheehah, no. 1969.

[2] Reported by Imaam Ahmad in his musnad 4/127; Imaam Tabaraani in Mu’jam al-kabeer 18/251...and it is also in silsilah as-saheehah of Imaam Albaanee, no. 3227.

[3] Reported by Imaam Bukhaari in his saheeh no. 2924; Hasan Ibn Sufyaan in his Musnad and reported from him by Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah 2/62; and reported by Imaam Tabaraani in Musnad Ash-Shaamiyyeen 444.
[4] Al-Fath 6/102.

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Mu'aawiyah is the Veil (Screen, Covering, Guard) For the Sahaabah

Ibn Katheer brought the following statement of al-Rabee' bin Naafi' al-Halabi (d. 241H) in al-Bidaayah wal-Nihaayah (8/139):

معاوية ستر لأصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فإذا كشف الرجل الستر اجترأ على ما وراءه

Mu'aawiyah is the veil (covering) for the Companions of Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). So when a man removes the covering, he will be transgress against what lies beyond it (meaning the Companions).

And Ibn Katheer also brought in the same place, the statement of 'Abdullaah bin al-Mubaarak (d. 181H):

معاوية عندنا محنة ، فمن رأيناه ينظر إليه شزراً اتهمناه على القوم

Mu'aawiyah is a test (trial) for us. Whomever we see looking at him suspiciously then we suspect him in relation to those people (the Companions).

What we learn from these statements is that Mu'aawiyah (radiyallaahu anhu) has been made a fitnah (trial) and mihnah (test, examination). A person's attitude towards the Sahaabah and his intentions towards them is known from his intentions and attitude towards Mu'aawiyah (radiyallaahu anhu). For this reason the Salaf, when they saw a man being suspicious of Mu'aawiyah (radiyallaahu anhu), then they suspected him of harbouring ill-will and malice towards the Sahaabah as a whole. The Raafidah use the revilement of Mu'aawiyah as the waseelah (means) claim the obligation of reviling the Sahaabah as a whole. For when revilement of Mu'awiyah is justified, then it opens the door for revilement of Umar and Uthmaan (radiyallaahu anhumaa), and then through that revilement of the rest of the Companions.
This poison was carried by numerous 20th century misguided, ignoramus callers such as Sayyid Qutb, Abu A'laa Mawdudi and Taqi al-Din al-Nabahani. This is because they were all affected by Marxist, Communist ideas in their proposed methodologies of da'wah, which were simply regurgitations of Communist revolutions and party-politics, disguised with Islamic terminology. Through this poison, they began to evaluate the actions of the some of the Companions, such as Uthmaan (radiyallaahu anhu) and Mu'aawiyah (radiyallaahu anhu) and as a result, some of them denied Mu'aawiyah was a Companions, others reviled him and negated his Islaam...

Source: http://www.nabahani.com/articles/maediii-hizb-ut-tahrir-and-the-rafidah-shiah-enemies-of-the-sahaabah-part-2---concerning-muaawiyah.cfm ]