A.H. 56.
ever and anon exposed from a contested succession. Others then spoke thus:—"We consent," they said, "to any one of these three things. FIrst, do as the Prophet did, and leave the election to the citizens of Medīna. Or, secondly, do as Abu Bekr did, and nominate a successor from amongst Ḳoreish.[1] Or, thirdly, like ʿOmar, appoint electors who shall, from amongst themselves, choose a candidate to succeed thee. Only, like them, thou must exclude thine own sons and thy father's sons." "As for the first course," replied Muʿāwiya, "there is none now left like unto Abu Bekr, that the people might choose him. And for the rest, verily I fear the contention and bloodshed that would follow if the succession be not fixed aforehand." Then finding his arguments of no effect, he called out the bodyguard, and at the point of the sword caused the city to take the oath.
Muʿāwiya's action becomes the received precedent of Islām.The example of Syria, Al-ʿIrāḳ, and the Holy Cities was followed throughout the Empire without reserve. And ever after, the precedent more or less prevailed. The fiction of an elective right vested in the whole body of the Faithful, though still observed more or less in form, ceased now to have reality, and the oath of allegiance was without hesitation enforced by the sword against recusants. The reigning Caliph thus proclaimed as his successor the fittest of his sons, the one born of the noblest mother, or otherwise most favoured, or (in default of issue) the best qualified amongst his kinsmen. To him, as heir-apparent, an anticipatory oath of fealty was taken, first at the seat of government and then throughout the Empire, and the succession followed as a rule the choice. Sometimes a double nomination was made, anticipating at once thus two successions: but such attempt to forestall the distant future too often provoked, instead of preventing, civil war. The practice thus begun by the Umeiyads was followed equally by the ʿAbbāsids, and proved a precedent even for later times.
Yezīd and his mother.Muʿāwiya had other sons, but Yezīd's mother, Meisūn,
- ↑ That the Caliph must be of Ḳoreish stock was axiomatic, excepting with the Khawārij, who denounced all privilege. The stricter Khawārij held that there should be no Caliph, but only a Council of State. If there were a Caliph, they were indifferent as to what stock he came from.
