Marwan b. al-Hakam: Difference between revisions

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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 al-Batil" (deviated lanky). He was the first person from among the children of Hakam b. Abi l-'As who reached caliphate and Banu Marwan are called after him.

The father of Marwan, 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]] and thus [[Sunni]] scholars did not count him among the [[Sahaba|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 (s) 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 l-'As, but Imam Ali (a) forgave them. However, according to some sources, Marwan escaped to [[Syria]] 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 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.

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.

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 asked the same request from Imam al-Sajjad (a) and he (a) accepted his request and followed it up. Then, Marwan went to Syria and stayed there until the death of [[Mu'awiya b. Yazid b. Mu'awiya]]. 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.

After Mu'waya b. Yazid withdrew from caliphate, Umayyads gave allegiance to Marwan for caliphate. To strengthen his government, Marwan first went to Jabiya (north of Hawran) and called people to himself and in 64/683-684, 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. Zubayr]] and this led to his battle with Marwan, when Dahhak was defeated and killed.

To expand his rule, Marwan sent an army to [[Egypt]] and brought the people there who wanted to give allegiance to 'Abd Allah b. Zubayr under his own control. He then appointed his son, [['Abd al-Malik b. Marwan|'Abd al-Malik]] to the government there. Then, he returned to Syria and died soon.

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

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

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

Caliphate of Marwan lasted nine or ten months. He died at the beginning of the month of [[Ramadan]], 65/685 at the age of 64. 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.