Marwan b. al-Hakam: Difference between revisions

'''Marwān b. Ḥakam b. Abī l-ʿĀs b. Umayya''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|مروان بن حکم بن أبی العاص بن أمیه}}) was the fourth [[Umayyad]] caliph and the head of Marwanids. In his childhood, Marwan and his father were exiled to [[Ta'if]] and were returned 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 [[Battle of Siffin|Siffin]], he stood against [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. Later he opposed burying the body of [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]] beside the grave of the [[Holy Prophet (s)]] who was his grandfather. He also later had an argument with [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] as he (a) did not give [[allegiance]] to [[Yazid]]. After withdrawal of [[Mu'awiya b. Yazid]] from caliphate, Marwan took the caliphate and after about ten months, was poisoned by his wife and died in [[65]]/685.

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

The father of Marwan, Hakam b. Abi al-'As b. Umayya was cursed and exiled by the Holy Prophet (s) because of exposing the Prophet’s (s) secrets before the chiefs of [[Quraysh]] and thus [[Sunni]] scholars did not count him among the [[companion]]s of the Prophet (s). Some reports have mentioned Ta’if as the birth place of Marwan. He settled in Ta’if together with his father and at the time of [[Abu Bakr]] and [['Umar]] stayed in exile.

Following the caliphate of 'Uthman, Marwan and his father returned to Medina and became a writer and among the favorites of 'Uthman’s government and later became his son-in-law. It is reported that Imam 'Ali (a) told him, “woe be on you and on the people of Muhammad (a) from what you do.”

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

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.

He was among the people who provoked Talha and Zubayr to revolt and make a government and asked them to force people to give allegiance to them. In the [[Battle of Jamal]], he was in the army of Talha and Zubayr and sought the vengeance for the blood of 'Uthman. However, according to some historians, it was because Talha wanted to withdraw from war.

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 al-'As, but Imam 'Ali (a) forgave them. However, according to some sources, Marwan escaped to [[Sham]] after the escape of his companions towards the end of the battle.

In the [[Battle of Siffin]], Marwan, in Umayyad army, stood against Imam 'Ali (a). In this battle, [[Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan|Mu'awiya]] asked Marwan to stand against [[Malik al-Ashtar]] and fight with him but Marwan refused and excused. According to a report, after the battle, Imam (a) gave him safe conduct and Marwan gave allegiance to Imam (a) and returned to Medina and settled there.

In 41/661, after Mu'awiya reached the caliphate, Marwan was appointed as the governor of Medina. After a while, Mu'awiya appended Mecca and Medina to the government of Marwan. Later, Mu'awiya dismissed Marwan and replaced him with Sa’id b. Abi al-'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.

In 54/674, Marwan was again appointed as the governor of Medina and later was dismissed again and was replaced with Walid b. 'Ataba. In that period as well, Marwan continued to oppose and act against Imams (a). In the [[burial]] of the body of [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]], Marwan prevented from burying his body beside the grave of the Holy Prophet (s). Also, after [[Yazid b. Mu'awiya|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 Walid b. 'Ataba, the governor of Medina.

One of the important actions he did during his short rule was minting Dinar coins of Sham, on which the verse “Qul Hu-wa Allah-u Ahad” ([[Sura al-Ikhlas|“Say, He is Allah, the One”]]) was inscribed.