Marwan b. al-Hakam: Difference between revisions

'''Marwān b. al-Ḥakam b. Abī l-ʿĀs b. Umayya''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|مروان بن الحکم بن أبي العاص بن أمیة}}) 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.

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]]<ref>Ibn al-Athīr al-Jazarī, ''Usd al-ghāba'', vol. 4, p. 368.</ref> and thus [[Sunni]] scholars did not count him among the [[Sahaba|companion]]s of the Prophet (s).<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 3, p. 1387.</ref> 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.<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 1, p. 359, 360.</ref>

Following the caliphate of 'Uthman, Marwan and his father returned to Medina <ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 1, p. 360.</ref>and became a writer and among the favorites of 'Uthman's government <ref>Ziriklī, ''al-Aʿlām'', vol. 7, p. 207.</ref>and later became his son-in-law<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 4, p. 379.</ref>. It is reported that Imam Ali (a) told him, "woe be on you and on the people of Muhammad (s) from what you do."<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 3, p. 1388.</ref>

In the [[Battle of Siffin]], Marwan, in Umayyad army, stood against Imam Ali (a).<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 6, p. 204.</ref> 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.<ref>Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, ''al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa'', vol. 1, p. 132.</ref> 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.<ref>Ziriklī, ''al-Aʿlām'', vol. 7, p. 207.</ref>

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.<ref>Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, ''al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa'', vol. 1, p. 230, 231.</ref> Then, Marwan went to Syria and stayed there until the death of [[Mu'awiya b. Yazid b. Mu'awiya]].<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 4, p. 204.</ref> 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.<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 6, p. 204.</ref>

After Mu'waya b. Yazid withdrew from caliphate, Umayyads gave allegiance to Marwan for caliphate.<ref>Ziriklī, ''al-Aʿlām'', vol. 7, p. 207.</ref> 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.<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''al-Iṣāba'', vol. 6, p. 204.</ref>

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.<ref>Maqdisī, ''al-Badʾ wa l-tārīkh'', vol. 6, p. 57.</ref> 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.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 5, p. 31; Ibn al-Jawzī, ''al-Muntaẓam'', vol. 6, p. 49.</ref>

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.<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ''al-Istīʿāb'', vol. 3, p. 1389.</ref> 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.<ref>Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, ''al-Imāma wa l-sīyāsa'', vol. 2, p. 23.</ref>