Al-Hasan & al-Husayn praying behind Marwan, part 2
Why did Hasan and Husayn pray behind Marwan?
Ahadith from Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d
“Those who saw Husayn bin Ali told me:
Sa’id ibn Al-Aas came to pray over al-Hasan’s body and Husayn said: Were it not for the Sunnah, I would not have made you lead the prayer!”
159 - قال: أخبرنا محمد بن عبد الله الأسدي، قال: حدثنا سفيان الثوري، عن أبي الجحاف، عن إسماعيل بن رجاء، قال: أخبرني من رأىحسين بن علي قدم على الحسن بن علي سعيد بن العاص وقال: لولا أنها سنة ما قدمتك!
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Clarification:
The sunnah here refers making your opponent lead prayer - to diffuse tensions (and thus, protect the overall Muslim community from bloodshed as evident in ahadith that will be shared in this post - if a conflict occured with Marwan).
The following ahadith in Riyad al-Saliheen clarify (https://sunnah.com/riyadussalihin:249):
Umm Kulthum bint 'Uqbah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'The person who (lies) in order to conciliate between people is not a liar, when he conveys good or says (something) good".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
The narration in Muslim added: She said, "I never heard him (she meant the Prophet (ﷺ)) giving permission of lying in anything except in three (things): war, conciliating between people and the conversation of man with his wife and the conversation of a woman with her husband".
Thus, when Imam Hasan and Husayn did this with Marwan. It was to not make tensions escalate, per the sunnah of the Prophet, not taqiyya. To create peace among the Muslim community.
The tension was already high as per the Tabaqat ibn Sa’d hadith in which Imam al-Baqir cites al-Husayn praying behind Marwan, even after cussing him while he (Marwan) was on the minbar.
This indicates that Husayn did not recognize Marwan’s authority (as governor of Medina) - so praying behind him was not for the purpose of recognition of this authority.
And the Imams praying behind Marwan was not done in a jamaah fashion.
Just like Imam Ali praying behind Abu Bakr was done separately, and not in jamaah with Abu Bakr. To protect the overall community from bloodshed if Imam Ali did not pray behind him.
(Tafsir al-Qummi, vol 2, page 159)
“He (Imam Ali) got ready for prayer, went to the mosque, and stood behind Abu Bakr.
And he prayed individually (i.e, not jamaah) while Khalid ibn al-Walid is next to him holding a sword.”
ثم قام عليه السلام وتهيأ للصلاة وحضر المسجد ووقف خلف أبي بكر وصلّى "لنفسه"، وخالد بن الوليد إلى جنبه ومعه السيف“ (تفسيرالقمي ج2 ص159).
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From Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d
“Al-Hasan bin Muhammad said: I heard my father [Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya] say:
You saw me on that day and that I wanted to strike Marwan’s neck. What prevented me from doing that is that I heard my brother [al-Hasan] say: If you fear a great amount of blood will be spilled (if you bury me next to Rasul Allah), then bury me in Al-Baqi’.
قال الحسن بن محمد: سمعت أبي يقول: لقد رأيتني يومئذ وأني لأريد أن أضرب عنق مروان، ما حال بيني وبين ذلك أن لا أكون أراهمستوجبا لذلك إلا أني سمعت أخي يقول: إن خفتم أن يهراق في محجم من دم فادفنوني بالبقيع،
I heard Jabir ibn Abdillah say:
We witnessed Hassan bin Ali on the day he died, and a strife almost occurred between Husayn ibn Ali and Marwan ibn Al-Hakam.
Al-Hasan had entrusted his brother to be bury him with the Messenger of God - may God’s prayers and peace be upon him. However, if he feared that would result in a fight, so let him be buried in Al-Baqi’.
However - Marwan refused to allow that - and Marwan on that day was isolated, wanting to please Muawiyah with that, and Marwan remained an enemy of Banu Hashim until he died.
Jabir said: I spoke to Al-Husayn bin Ali on that day and said: O Aba Abdillah, fear God!
If your brother does not like what you see, then bury him in Al-Baqi’ with your mother”
157 - قال: أخبرنا محمد بن عمر، قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن الفضل، عن أبي عتيق، قال: سمعت جابر بن عبد الله يقول: شهدنا حسن بن علييوم مات، فكادت الفتنة تقع بين حسين بن علي ومروان بن الحكم، وكان الحسن قد عهد إلى أخيه أن يدفن مع رسول الله - صلى الله عليهوسلم - فإن خاف أن يكون في ذلك قتال فليدفن بالبقيع، فأبى مروان أن يدعه، ومروان يومئذ معزول يريد أن يرضي معاوية بذلك، فلم يزلمروان عدوا لبني هاشم حتى مات.
قال جابر: فكلمت يومئذ الحسين بن علي فقلت: يا با عبد الله، اتق الله!
فإن أخاك كان لا يحب ما ترى، فادفنه في البقيع مع أم
