Reports on Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him)

Imam al-Tabarani said: He is Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) bin Abi Sufyan bin Harb bin Umayyah bin Abd Shams bin Abd Manaf; his kunyah is Abu Abd al-Rahman. His mother is Sayyidah Hind (may Allah be pleased with her) bint Utbah bin Rabi'ah bin Abd Shams bin Abd Manaf. The mother of Sayyidah Hind (may Allah be pleased with her) is Safiyyah bint Umayyah bin Harithah bin al-Awqas; she belonged to Banu Sulaym. That woman's mother is bint Nawfal bin Abd Manaf, and her mother is Fulanah bint Jabir bin Nasr bin Malik bin Hisl bin Amir bin Lu'ayy, and her mother is bint al-Harith bin Habib bin Khuzaymah bin Nasr bin Malik bin Hisl bin Amir, and her mother is bint Sa'id bin Sahm.

Ishaq bin Yasar narrated: I saw Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) at al-Abtah; the hair of his head and beard was white, as if it were snow.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its chain is hasan (good).

Khalid bin Ma'dan narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was a tall, fair-skinned man, and the hair at the sides of his head had receded.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Safwan bin Salih, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Aslam, the freed slave of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us, and he was the fairest of people and the most handsome of them.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Muslim bin Jundub, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Bakkar bin Muhammad bin Rafi' narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No Qurashi woman has ever borne to a Qurashi man a child who was better for her in her worldly affairs than me." Ma'd bin Yazid said: "No Qurashi woman has ever borne to a Qurashi man a child who was better for her in her religion than Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and no Qurashi woman has ever borne to a Qurashi man a child who was worse for her in her worldly affairs than you." Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Why is that?" He said: "The reason is that you have made it (the world) a habit, and it seems to me that people will seek it from someone other than you, and because of that they will lie slain on the roads." He said: "Woe to you! For such and such a length of time I have kept it hidden to myself."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain is munqati' (broken), and it contains a narrator named Muhammad bin Sallam al-Jumahi, who is da'if (weak).

Imam al-Sha'bi narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) set out from Syria intending to go to Makkah. He halted at a place between Makkah and Madinah called al-Abwa'. There he looked down into a well and was struck with facial palsy. He hastened his journey until he reached Makkah. The doorkeeper came to him and said: "O Commander of the Believers, people are at the door, and almost everyone is there." He said: "Spread something out for me." Then he called for a turban, wrapped it around his head and wrapped it over one side of his face. Then he came out, praised Allah Almighty and extolled Him, and then said: "To proceed: if I am granted well-being, then righteous people before me were also granted well-being, and I hope that I will be one of the righteous. If one of my limbs has fallen ill, I cannot count the healthy parts of me. If some of you hold something against me, I have been one who cares for your common people. What right do I have to wish from Allah Almighty for more than what He has given me? So may Allah Almighty have mercy on the man who prays for well-being for me." Then the voices of the people echoed with supplication, and Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) began to weep. Marwan asked him: "O Commander of the Believers! Why are you weeping?" He said: "I have returned to what I used to be averse to." He said: "My age has grown great, my bones have become weak, tears flow abundantly from my eyes, and I have been blamed for the best of what I have and for what appears from me. Were it not for my inclination towards Yazid, I would have seen my right course clearly."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Abi Yazid al-Hamdani, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sa'id bin Amr bin Sa'id bin al-As narrated: After Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) took the water vessel and used to accompany the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) had fallen ill. Once, while Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), during his ablution he raised his head and looked at Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) twice, and then said: "O Mu'awiyah! If you are put in charge of government, then keep fearing Allah and act with justice." Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: After that I continually expected that I would attain government, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had said so, until I was put to that test.
Ahmad recorded it, and this wording is his.
This report is mursal.
Abu Ya'la recorded it as a mawsul (connected) report, and in it he narrated these words: "Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Perform ablution!' He said: When the people had performed ablution, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) looked at me and said: 'O Mu'awiyah! If you are put in charge of government, then keep fearing Allah and act with justice.'" The rest of the report is as before.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat and al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat he narrated these words: "Accept the good of the good among them, and overlook the wrongdoing of the wrongdoer among them." He narrated it in abridged form. The narrators of Ahmad and Abu Ya'la are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyidah Aishah Siddiqah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: When the day of Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came, someone knocked at the door. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Look and see who it is." They said: "It is Mu'awiyah." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Give him permission to come in." He came in, and there was a pen on his ear with which he used to write. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Mu'awiyah! Why is there a pen on your ear?" He said: "It is a pen that I have kept ready for Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah Almighty reward you with good on behalf of your Prophet. By Allah! I did not appoint you as a scribe except by revelation from Allah, and whatever I do, small or great, is in accordance with the revelation of Allah. How will you be when Allah Almighty clothes you in a shirt?" The narrator said: Meaning, grants him the caliphate. Then Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) stood up and came and sat before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Will Allah Almighty clothe my brother in a shirt?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes! But there will be some shortcomings in it." Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Pray to Allah Almighty for him." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah! Grant him guidance, keep him away from evils, and forgive him in the Hereafter and in this world."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains al-Sari bin Asim, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Busr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sought the counsel of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about a matter. He said: "Advise me!" They both said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Advise me!" They both said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Call Mu'awiyah to me." Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Is there not in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and in two men from Quraysh that by which they can carry out their decision, such that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has sent for a boy?" When Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) came before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Include him in your affair (the narrator is unsure about one word here), for he is strong and trustworthy."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and al-Bazzar recorded it only in abridged form, mentioning that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) objected. The narrators of both are thiqat (trustworthy), though there is disagreement about some of its narrators. The shaykh of al-Bazzar is thiqah (trustworthy). As for the shaykh of al-Tabarani, al-Dhahabi declared him trustworthy in Mizan al-I'tidal, and no one other than him declared him trustworthy, but there is no explained criticism (jarh mufassar) of him; and besides that, this hadith is munkar (denounced). And Allah knows best.

Sayyiduna al-Irbad bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated: "O Allah! Teach Mu'awiyah the Book and reckoning, and protect him from punishment."
Al-Bazzar recorded it, Ahmad recorded it within a long hadith, and al-Tabarani also recorded it. Its chain contains al-Harith bin Ziyad; I have not found anyone who declared him trustworthy, and no one other than Yunus bin Sayf narrated from him. The remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy), though there is disagreement about some of its narrators.

Sayyiduna Maslamah bin Mukhallad (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said for Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him): "O Allah! Teach him the Book and reckoning, and grant him authority in the lands."

In one report the words are: "And protect him from the evil punishment."
Al-Tabarani recorded it via Jabalah bin Atiyyah from Maslamah bin Mukhallad, and Jabalah did not hear from Maslamah, so
this report is mursal. Its narrators have been declared trustworthy, though there is disagreement about them.

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: After the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I have not seen anyone who performed the prayer more closely in accordance with the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) than this commander of yours. The narrator said: He meant Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Qays bin al-Harith al-Madhhiji, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: After the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I have not seen anyone who was a greater leader than Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and there is disagreement about its narrators.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated: Sayyiduna Jibril (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Accept my counsel to treat Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) well, for he is trustworthy (amin) with the Book of Allah, and how excellent a trustee he is."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains a narrator Muhammad bin Fitr, whom I do not know, and a narrator Ali bin Sa'id al-Razi, in whom there is weakness. The remaining narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her). At that time the head of Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was in her lap, and Sayyidah Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with her) was kissing him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked her: "Do you love him?" She said: "Why should I not love my brother?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) also love him."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its chain contains narrators whom I do not know.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to write in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) (or: for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)).
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Awf bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I was resting in a church at Ariha (Jericho); at that time it had become a mosque in which prayer was performed. The narrator said: Sayyiduna Awf bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) woke from his sleep, and there in the house with him was a lion walking towards him. He got up to go for his weapon, but the lion said to him: "Stop! I have been sent to you with a message so that you may convey it." I asked: "Who sent you?" It said: "Allah Almighty has sent me to you so that you may tell Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he is one of the people of Paradise." I asked: "Which Mu'awiyah?" It said: "The son of Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him)."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains Abu Bakr bin Abi Maryam, who had become confused (ikhtalata) in his memory.

Al-A'mash narrated: If you had seen Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), you would have said: "This is the Mahdi."
Al-Tabarani recorded it as a mursal report; its chain contains Yahya al-Himmani, who is da'if (weak).

Yazid bin al-Asamm narrated: Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Those killed on my side and those killed on Mu'awiyah's side will go to Paradise."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its narrators have been declared trustworthy, though there is disagreement about some of its narrators.

Thabit, the freed slave of Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated: I took part in a campaign with Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) in the land of the Romans. A thilb fell into a saddle (in one manuscript the words are: a man fell into a river), and he called out: "O Muslim servants of Allah! (Help me.)" The first to respond to him was Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). He dismounted, and the people dismounted too. They said: "O Commander! We will suffice in your place." Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It has reached me
that the first one to come to his aid was Sayyiduna Jibril, so I would like to be the second."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains Sa'id bin Abd al-Jabbar al-Zubaydi, who is da'if (weak).

Mujalid bin Sa'id narrated: May Allah Almighty have mercy on Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him); how intensely he loved the Arabs!
Al-Tabarani recorded it as a mursal report, and its narrators up to Mujahid are thiqat (trustworthy).

Qays bin Abi Hazim narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his brother: "Ride behind me!" But he refused. Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have been badly brought up." Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Leave your brother alone."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Abu Nu'aym narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away in 60 AH.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Al-Layth bin Sa'd narrated: Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away on 4 Rajab, 60 AH; at that time his age was between 70 and 80 years.
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).