The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

302 MU'AWIVA [chap xlvi.
A.H. 5fi.
Yezkl
decliired
heirapparent,
56 A.H.
G76 A.n.
Mecca and
Medina
forced to
swear
alle^iancp.
wise was favourable to the project. But it was not till both
these counsellors had passed away that Mu'awiya found
himself in a position to proceed with the design.
So soon as Mu';iwiya felt sure of adequate support, and
especially that Medina would not resent the invasion of her
elective privilege,^ deputations from all the provinces and
chief cities presented themselves at Damascus. These,
received in state, affected to press the nomination ; and
accordingly, without further ceremony, the oath of allegiance
was taken by all present to Yezld as the next successor.
Syria and Al-'Irak having without demur tendered homage,
Mu'awiya set out for Mecca with a retinue of 1000 horse,
ostensibly to perform the lesser pilgrimage, but in reality to
obtain the assent of the two Holy Cities to the succession
of Yezld. The leading dissentients at Medina were Al-
Hosein, son of 'All, 'Abd ar-Rahman, son of Abu Bekr, and
the two 'Abdallahs, sons of 'Omar and Az-Zubeir, Mu'awiya
on entering the city received them roughly, and so, to avoid
further mortification, these left at once for Mecca. The
remainder of the citizens consented to the nomination of
Yezld, and took the oath accordingly. Continuing his
journey to Mecca, the Caliph carried himself blandly towards
its people for the first few days, which were occupied with
the rights of the lesser pilgrimage. But as his time of
departure drew nigh, he stood up to address them on his
errand, and though his speech was gilded with assurances
that the rights and privileges of the city would be respected,
there was at the first no response. Then 'Abdallah, son of
Az-Zubeir, stood up, and declared that the recognition of
an heir-apparent would run counter to all the precedents of
Islam. On this the Caliph urged the risks to which Islam was
*
When Merwan, governor of the City, placed the matter before the
men of Medina, he was at first violently opposed. Amongst others, 'Abd
ar-Rahman, son of Abu Bekr, said, "This thing is
naught but fraud and
deception. In place of election, the right to which vestelh in this City,
ye will now make the succession like unto that of the Greeks and
Romans — where one Heraclius succeedeth another Heraclius," On
this, Merwan quoted from the Kor'an : "Say not unto your parents.
Fie onyoii I neither reproach them " (Sura xvii. 24) ;
signifying, it may be,
that the very practice of nomination, now opposed, had been introduced
by Abu Bekr himself in appointing 'Omar, 'Abdallah, son of 'Omar, is
said to have been gained over by the gift of ten thousand golden pieces.