Sa'sa'a b. Sawhan: Difference between revisions

Ṣa'ṣa'a b. Ṣawḥān was a companion of Imam 'Ali (a) who was present in battles of Jamal, Siffin, and Nahrawan. Sa'sa'a was a skilled orator. He deployed his skill to defend Imam 'Ali (a) and criticize Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan. Imam 'Ali (a) has characterized Sa'sa'a as a great companion of his. Imam al-Sadiq (a) referred to him as one of the few people who rightfully knew Imam 'Ali (a).  

Sa'sa'a b. Sawhan was from 'Abd al-Qays tribe. He was born near Qatif and then he moved to Kufa. Thus, he came to be known as “Kufi” as well. Sa'sa'a’s kunya was Abu Talha. Zayd and Sayhan were his brothers and both were Shi'as of Imam 'Ali (a).

Sa'sa'a converted to Islam in the period of the Prophet (s), but he never saw the Prophet. In the period of 'Umar b. Khattab, the second caliph, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari sent some money to the caliph, and the caliph distributed it among people, but some amount of the money remained after the distribution. He enquired the views of Muslims about the remaining money. Sa'sa'a said:

“Consult with people about things God has said nothing about in the Qur'an. But when God has issued a ruling about something, then act upon the ruling.”

Sa'sa'a was an opponent of 'Uthman b. 'Affan, the third caliph, in Kufa. He and some other people, including his brother Zayd b. Sawhan as well as Malik al-Ashtar, were banished to al-Sham at the caliph’s command. A critical conversation between him and 'Uthman is cited in historical sources.

==Imam 'Ali’s Companion==

According to al-Shaykh al-Mufid, Sa'sa'a was a great companion of Imam 'Ali (a). Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari, the scholar of the 3rd/9th century, has mentioned Sa'sa'a as a well-known Shi'a. According to al-Mas'udi in Muruj al-dhahab, Imam 'Ali (a) has characterized Sa'sa'a as a great Arab figure and a head of his companions. According to a hadith cited by al-Kulayni, Imam 'Ali (a) asked Sa'sa'a to be a witness on his will.

Sa'sa'a was present in the funeral of Imam 'Ali (a). After the burial, he went to the Imam’s grave, and while he was throwing soil on his head and sobbing, he described Imam 'Ali’s virtues, and asked God to make him a friend of Imam 'Ali (a) and help him remain steadfast on his path.

Sa'sa'a referred to Imam 'Ali (a) as the adornment of caliphate, believing that Imam 'Ali (a) gave value to the position of caliphate and that caliphate needed Imam 'Ali (a) more than he needed caliphate.

Imam al-Sadiq (a) said, “there was no one with Imam 'Ali (a) who knew him deservedly except Sa'sa'a and his friends.”

Sa'sa'a was present in battles that took place in the period of Imam 'Ali’s government. In the Battle of Jamal, his brother Sayhan was the flag-holder of 'Abd al-Qays tribe. After Sayhan’s martyrdom, his other brother, Zayd, became the flag-holder, and after Zayd’s death, Sa'sa'a himself held the flag.

In the Battle of Siffin, Sa'sa'a was the commander of 'Abd al-Qays tribe in Kufa. Prior to the commence of the war, Mu'awiya’s army gained dominion over water and blocked Imam 'Ali’s army from any access to it. Imam 'Ali (a) sent Sa'sa'a to Mu'awiya for negotiations.

Also, before the commence of the Battle of Nahrawan, Imam 'Ali (a) sent Sa'sa'a to Khawarij for negotiations and advice. In these talks, he emphasized on following Imam 'Ali (a). His talks with Khawarij appear in al-Ikhtisas by al-Shaykh al-Mufid.

According to Bihar al-anwar, Mundhir b. Jarud was appointed as the head of an area by Imam 'Ali (a), but he illegally took out money from Bayt al-Mal (the treasury). So he was imprisoned by Imam 'Ali, but after Sa'sa'a’s intercession, he was released. According to al-Gharat, Sa'sa'a told Imam 'Ali: “Mundhir b. Jarud’s sister cries for him every day. Release him and I will warrantee what he has taken from Bayt al-Mal.” Imam 'Ali (a) replied, “there is no need for the warrantee. If he takes an oath to the effect that he did not take the money, I will release him.”

According to al-Kashshi in Ma'rifat al-rijal, in the story of Imam al-Hasan’s compromise with Mu'awiya, Sa'sa'a was one of the people for whom the Imam received a safe conduct from Mu'awiya. After the compromise, Mu'awiya met Sa'sa'a in Kufa and told him, “I swear to God that I did not like to give you a safe conduct.” Sa'sa'a said, “I swear to God that I did not like to call you like this,” and then he called Mu'awiya “the Caliph.” Mu'awiya said, “if you are honest in my recognition as the caliph, then climb the minbar and then curse 'Ali.” Sa'sa'a climbed the minbar and after praising God, said the following structurally ambiguous sentence: “O people! I have just met a man (i.e. Mu'awiya) who has commanded me to curse 'Ali. So, curse him.”

According to a report by ibn A'tham al-Kufi, Mu'awiya told prominent figures of Kufa: “why do you think I have given you amnesty despite your follies, and despite the fact that you deserved to be punished? May God bless Abu Sufyan who was tolerant, and if all people were his children, they would become tolerant too.” Sa'sa'a said, “O Mu'awiya! I swear to God that these people are children of people better than Abu Sufyan, and the number of foolish people from Abu Sufyan’s progeny is greater than the tolerant ones.”

Sa'sa'a was a skillful orator. In sources of history and hadiths, he is described as an eloquent person. Imam 'Ali (a) characterized Sa'sa'a as “al-khatib al-shahshah” (the skillful orator). Mu'awiya and Mughira b. Shu'ba have also talked about his eloquence. Mu'awia referred to Sa'sa'a as having an iron tongue.

According to al-Kashshi, he deployed his oratorical skill to introduce and defend Imam 'Ali (a).

Sa'sa'a allegedly died in Kufa in the period of Mu'awiya’s caliphate. However, according to some sources, at the command of Mu'awiya, Mughira banished Sa'sa'a to an island in Bahrain, where he eventually died in about 70/689.

In the city of Askar in Bahrain, there is a grave attributed to Sa'sa'a, known as the Mosque of Sa'sa'a b Sawhan. Also, near the Mosque of Sahla in Kufa there is a mosque known as the Mosque of Sa'sa'a, which was his place of worship.