This settlement
created even more trouble for the umma.
A group of Muslims known as the Kharajis, who were former Abu Talib
supporters revolted against him believing that he should not have given in to
the unjust settlement. They viewed that
Uthman’s death was not unjust since he did not live a good Islamic life and
that it would be unjust to settle with any party that demanded justice for an
unjust man. The Kharajis rebelled
against Abu Talib for settling with Muawiyyah and the Umayyads who they viewed
as being unjust. The Kharajis withdrew
from the umma on the belief that the head of the umma should be the most
committed Muslim not the most powerful and that this committed Muslim would
bring to justice those who did not follow the true path of Islam. Abu Talib ruthlessly tried to suppress the
Kharajite rebellion but for every follower he killed two more took their
place. Abu Talib was killed in 661 by a
Kharajite follower.
Muawiyyah was a
powerful but not a well-liked caliph.
He shifted the capital from Mecca to Damascus and was not considered to
be a very devout Muslim. Many Muslims
did not support the rule of Muawiyyah but felt that it was better to follow him
rather than further tear apart the umma by joining the Kharajites. Although Muawiyyah was not a well-liked
ruler he was however an excellent leader. The Umayyads ended the tradition of
the Caliph being appointed by being elected to office and the Caliph’s rule was
on longer based on Koranic law. Under the Umayyids the Caliph’s successor was
usually a relative and the Caliph’s power no longer came from any religious
authority but from their own authority.
Muawiyyah did not
encourage converting conquered people to Islam, the Umayyids believed that
there had to be a distinction between Muslims and other people. Non-Muslims were taxed and Muslims benefited
from the taxation, if too many people were allowed to convert to Islam and then
did not have to pay taxes the Umayyids would be less powerful. Muawiyyah set up a strong central authority
with him at the center of government.
He let the dhimmi’s run the local governments but he and those caliphs
after him eventually gave those important positions the dhimmi occupied to
Muslims. He gave the dhimis religious
and personal rights and encouraged Muslims to live in peace with one
another. There were strict rules that
separated Muslims and dhimmi that Muawiyyah set up in order to make sure that
Muslims gained and stayed in control of key positions of power. Muawiyyah died in 680 and was replaced with
his son Yazid I.
Written by Alex Boyce, 2003