Marwan b. al-Hakam

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Marwan b. al-Hakam
4th Umayyad Caliph
Personal Information
TeknonymAbu 'Abd al-Malik
Birth2/623-4
Death65/685
Fatheral-Hakam b. Abi l-'As
Children'Abd al-Malik, Mu'awiya, 'Abd al-'Aziz, ...
Spouse(s)Umm Aban, 'A'isha, Umm Khalid, ...
Burial PlaceDamascus
Rule
DynastyUmayyad
Reign64/683-65/685
Contemporary withImam al-Sajjad (a)
ActivitiesParticipating in battles of Jamal and Siffin, ...
PredecessorMu'awiya b. Yazid
Successor'Abd al-Malik b. Marwan


Marwān b. al-Ḥakam b. Abī l-ʿĀs b. Umayya (Arabic: مروان بن الحکم بن أبي العاص بن أمیة) was the fourth Umayyad caliph and the head of Marwanids. The Prophet (s) exiled Marwan and his father, to Ta'if. He was taken back to Medina by the third caliph, 'Uthman b. 'Affan, where he received a position in the administration of the caliphate. In the battles of Jamal and Siffin, he stood against Imam Ali (a). Later he opposed burying the body of Imam al-Hasan (a) beside the grave of his grandfather, the Prophet (s). He later had an argument with Imam al-Husayn (a) as the latter (a) did not give allegiance to Yazid. After the withdrawal of Mu'awiya b. Yazid from caliphate, Marwan took the caliphate and after about ten months, he was killed by his wife in 65/685.

Birth and Lineage

Marwan b. al-Hakam b. Abi l-'As b. Umayya b. 'Abd Shams b. 'Abd Manaf was born in 2/623-4. His teknonym was Abu 'Abd al-Malik[1] and since he was tall while he had an unbalanced body, he became famous as "Khayt al-Batil" (deviated lanky).[2] He was the first person from among the children of al-Hakam b. Abi l-'As who reached caliphate and Banu Marwan are called after him.[3]

The father of Marwan, al-Hakam b. Abi l-'As b. Umayya was cursed and exiled by the Prophet (s) because of exposing the Prophet's (s) secrets before the chiefs of Quraysh[4] and thus he is not counted among the companions of the Prophet (s).[5] Some reports have mentioned Ta'if as the birthplace of Marwan. He settled in Ta'if together with his father and at the time of Abu Bakr and 'Umar remained in exile.[6]

Following the caliphate of 'Uthman, Marwan and his father returned to Medina[7] and became a scribe and favored by 'Uthman's government[8] and later became his son-in-law[9] It is reported that Imam Ali (a) told him, "woe be on you and on the people of Muhammad (s) from what you do."[10]

Historical sources have mentioned his actions among the major causes of the uprising against 'Uthman and his killing.[11] One of his actions was his report about inviting people to an uprising by 'Ammar b. Yasir which led to 'Uthman's order to assault and beat 'Ammar so much that 'Ammar dropped unconscious.[12]

Opposing Imam Ali (a)

After Imam Ali (a) became the caliph in 35/656, Marwan did not give allegiance to him and escaped to Mecca and joined 'A'isha.[13]

He was among the people who provoked Talha and al-Zubayr to revolt and make a government and asked them to force people to give allegiance to them.[14] In the Battle of Jamal, he was in the army of Talha and al-Zubayr[15] and sought the vengeance of 'Uthman[16] He killed Talha and mentioned vengeance of 'Uthman as his reason. However, according to some historians, it was because Talha wanted to withdraw from war.[17]

In the Battle of Jamal, Marwan was taken captive together with 'A'isha, 'Amr b. 'Uthman, Musa b. Talha, and 'Amr b. Sa'id b. Abi l-'As, but Imam Ali (a) granted amnesty to them.[18] However, according to some sources, Marwan escaped to Syria after the escape of his companions towards the end of the battle.[19]

In the Battle of Siffin, Marwan stood against Imam Ali (a) in Umayyad army.[20] In this battle, Mu'awiya asked Marwan to stand against Malik al-Ashtar and fight with him but Marwan refused and brought an excuse.[21] According to a report, after the battle, Imam (a) granted amnesty to them. Marwan gave allegiance to Imam (a), returned to Medina and settled there.[22]

Government of Medina

In 41/661-2, after Mu'awiya reached the caliphate, Marwan was appointed as the governor of Medina.[23] After a while, Mu'awiya appended Mecca and Medina to the government of Marwan.[24] Later, Mu'awiya dismissed Marwan and replaced him with Sa'id b. Abi l-'As. Some reports referred to Marwan's refusal of taking allegiance of people for Yazid, son of Mu'awiya as the cause of this dismissal.[25]

In 54/673-4, Marwan was again appointed as the governor of Medina and later was dismissed again and was replaced with al-Walid b. 'Utba.[26] In that period as well, Marwan continued to oppose and act against Imams (a). Marwan prevented the body of Imam al-Hasan (a) to be buried beside the grave of the Holy Prophet (s). Also, after Yazid reached caliphate, Marwan made a great effort to take allegiance of Imam al-Husayn (a), so much that he had an argument with him before al-Walid b. 'Utba, the governor of Medina.[27]

After the revolt of the people of Medina against Yazid, Marwan was exiled from the city and then asked 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar to protect his family, but Ibn 'Umar refused it and so Marwan had the same request from Imam al-Sajjad (a) and he (a) accepted his request and followed it up.[28] Then, Marwan went to Syria and stayed there until the death of Mu'awiya b. Yazid b. Mu'awiya.[29] According to some historical reports, the Event of Harra happened after the exile of Marwan and other Umayyads and their request for help from Yazid, when he sent an army to Medina.[30]

Caliphate

After Mu'awiya b. Yazid withdrew from caliphate (64/683-4), Umayyads gave allegiance to Marwan for caliphate.[31] To strengthen his government, Marwan first went to Jabiya (north of Hawran) and called people to himself and in 64/683-4, people of Jordan gave allegiance to him. He then went to Syria and tried to correct affairs. In Syria, Dahhak b. Qays al-Fihri was calling people to give allegiance to 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr and this led to his battle with Marwan when Dahhak was defeated and killed.[32]

To expand his rule, Marwan sent an army to Egypt and brought the people there who wanted to give allegiance to 'Abd Allah b. al-Zubayr under his own control. He then appointed his son, 'Abd al-Malik to the government there. Then, he returned to Syria and died soon.[33] One of the important actions he did during his short rule was minting Dinar coins of Syria, on which the first verse of the Qur'an 112 (Sura al-Ikhlas) was inscribed.[34]

Death

After Yazid died, Marwan married Umm Khalid bt. Hashim b. 'Utba b. Rabi'a (wife of Yazid and mother of Khalid b. Yazid) so that Umm Khalid bear a child for him.[35] One day, in a gathering, he swore at the mother of Khalid b. Yazid which made the latter angry. Khalid b. Yazid complained to his mother, but she asked him to keep silent and promised him that he would never hear a bad word from Marwan again. After this incident, Umm Khalid poisoned Marwan and killed him.[36]

According to historical reports, Umm Khalid suffocated him with a pillow when he was sleeping.[37] According to another report, Marwan was struck by plague and it killed him.[38]

Marwan's caliphate lasted nine or ten months. He died at the beginning of the month of Ramadan, 65/April 685 at the age of 64.[39] Before his death, he had made his son, 'Abd al-Malik, as the crown prince and appointed his other son, 'Abd al-'Aziz, as the second crown prince; so, after the death of Marwan, 'Abd al-Malik became the caliph and people of Syria gave allegiance to him.[40]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  2. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 3, p. 1388; Ibn al-Athīr al-Jazarī, Usd al-ghāba, vol. 4, p. 369.
  3. ↑ Samʿānī, al-Ansāb, vol. 12, p. 205.
  4. ↑ Ibn al-Athīr al-Jazarī, Usd al-ghāba, vol. 4, p. 368.
  5. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 3, p. 1387.
  6. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 1, p. 359, 360.
  7. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 1, p. 360.
  8. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  9. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 4, p. 379.
  10. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 3, p. 1388.
  11. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 6, p. 204.
  12. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 51.
  13. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 73.
  14. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 78, 79.
  15. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 6, p. 204.
  16. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  17. ↑ Dīnawarī, Akhbār al-ṭiwāl, p. 148.
  18. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 97.
  19. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  20. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 6, p. 204.
  21. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 132.
  22. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  23. ↑ Dīnawarī, Akhbār al-ṭiwāl, p. 224.
  24. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 3, p. 1388; Ibn al-Athīr al-Jazarī, Usd al-ghāba, vol. 4, p. 369.
  25. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 197, 198.
  26. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 3, p. 1388.
  27. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 227.
  28. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 1, p. 230, 231.
  29. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 4, p. 204.
  30. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 6, p. 204.
  31. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  32. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 6, p. 204.
  33. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  34. ↑ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, al-Iṣāba, vol. 4, p. 204.
  35. ↑ Maqdisī, al-Badʾ wa l-tārīkh, vol. 6, p. 57.
  36. ↑ Ibn Saʿd, al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, vol. 5, p. 31; Ibn al-Jawzī, al-Muntaẓam, vol. 6, p. 49.
  37. ↑ Ibn al-ʿImrānī, al-Inbāʾ, p. 49.
  38. ↑ Ziriklī, al-Aʿlām, vol. 7, p. 207.
  39. ↑ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, al-Istīʿāb, vol. 3, p. 1389.
  40. ↑ Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa, vol. 2, p. 23.

References

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