THE STORY OF KARBALA - PART 1/03

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Umar appointed the elder son of Abu Sufyan, Yazeed, as the governor of Syria. Yazeed did not live very long and soon after his death the Khaleefa appointed his younger brother Mu'awiyah to that same post. Mu'awiyah turned out to be a shrewd politician who would use any means to get what he wanted. He used terror to subdue those who were foolhardy enough to raise a voice of dissention and money to buy those off who were greedy.

Husayn attained manhood during Umar's reign. Umar remained as Khaleefa for ten years. During this period Mu'awiyah had really become a monarch. When Umar visited Damascus, he saw all this. But he also saw that Mu'awiyah had become so strong militarily as well politically that if he was checked now, he would revolt.

After Umar's assassination, Uthman, a prominent member of the clan Banu Umayya, became Khaleefa. This removed all obstacles from Mu'awiyah's path. Uthman himself had no scruples when it came to favours for his relatives. He misused the treasury. He had two prominent Companions of the Prophet beaten up when they questioned him. This was sufficient evidence for Mu'awiyah to persue his own ambitious plans, which he did.(Read, Taha Husaain's Al-Fitnatul Kubra, for details. Also see:Madelung, Succession to Muhammad, Cambridge University Press)

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