Ruling on Criticizing Banu Umayyah in Light of Hadith

Criticizing Banu Umayyah – What is the Ruling?​

Source: Fatawa Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri

❀ Question:​

Some people criticize Banu Umayyah. What is the ruling regarding such an action?

❀ Answer:​

This is absolutely incorrect. Among Banu Umayyah were good people as well as bad ones, just like in any other nation. Criticizing them in general is a Rafidi tactic aimed at causing division within the Ummah. Indeed, many of the Companions, the righteous, and the saints were from Banu Umayyah.


❀ Narration:
Sayyiduna ʿAli (RA) said:


ستكون فتنة يحصل الناس منها كما يحصل الذهب فى المعدن، فلا تسبوا أهل الشام، وسبوا ظلمتهم، فإن فيهم الأبدال، وسيرسل الله إليهم سيبا من السماء فيغرقهم حتى لو قاتلتهم التعالب غلبتهم، ثم يبعث الله عند ذلك رجلا من عترة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم فى اثني عشر ألفا إن قلوا، وخمسة عشر ألفا إن كثروا ، أمارتهم أو علامتهم أمت أمت على ثلاث رايات يقاتلهم أهل سبع رايات ليس من صاحب راية إلا وهو يطمع بالملك، فيقتتلون ويهزمون، ثم يظهر الهاشمي فيرد الله إلى الناس إلفتهم ونعمتهم، فيكونون على ذلك حتى يخرج الدجال .


"A tribulation will soon occur. People will emerge from it purified like gold refined in fire. Do not revile the people of Sham; rather, criticize their oppressors, for among them will be the Abdal (righteous ones). Allah will send down rain upon them from the sky and drown them. Even if cunning fox-like people fight them, they will prevail. Then Allah will send a man from the family of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with twelve thousand people if few, or fifteen thousand if many. Their sign will be ‘Ummat Ummat.’ They will be under three banners, fighting against seven banners. Every banner holder will aspire to kingship. They will fight and be defeated, after which the Hashimi (Mahdi) will appear, and Allah will restore love and unity among the people, and they will remain so until the Dajjal emerges."


Reference: [المستدرك للحاكم: 596/4 ، ح 8658] – Imam al-Hakim declared it Sahih al-Isnad, and Hafiz al-Dhahabi also graded it Sahih.