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Mu 'awiyah adopted
the policy of compromise.
Mu'awiyah managed
by all possible means to assume the position of the
ruler of the Islamic realm. With the martyrdom of Imam
'Ali, and the truce of Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, all
the major resistance against his influence and domination
were removed. But there existed another problem for
him for the solution of which he felt it necessary to
carry out a new plan. The whole of the Islamic realm
was shaken by the savage onslaughts and plunders of
ash-Shami raiders who had been mobilized by his order,
and people's hearts were palpitating with rancor and
enmity since Mu'awiyah had killed thousands of Muslims
in Siffin to be followed by other massacres in the name
of avenging 'Uthman's blood, bereaving many families,
mourning for their fathers, brothers and sons.
In these conditions Mu'awiyah adopted a new policy which
could be summed up in a brief phrase, namely "lenient
and cautious treatment even towards the enemies."
For, this danger was always present that the extensive
Muslim lands of Iraq and Hejaz might start a revolt
and thus nullify all the constant efforts of Mu'awiyah
and the Umayyad party which had been made for assuming
the reign of affairs.
al-Ya'qubi, the great history writer, writes: In the
year 41 of the Hijrah, Mu'awiyah returned to ash-Sham
and there he heard an unpleasant news. A large unit
of Roman army was proceeding towards the Islamic lands,
and a great danger threatened the government of Damascus.
What should he do in
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