A SCHOLARLY REVIEW OF THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES OF AMIR MUAWIYAH (RA) AND THE OBJECTIONS AGAINST HIM

Abstract

This paper gives a detailed discussion of how Amir Muawiya (R.A.) contributed to the Islamic history and his contributions to the Islamic world in terms of religious, academic, and administrative services, as well as his response to the criticisms directed to him. Being a friend of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as well as a scribe of the divine revelation, Muawiya was instrumental in the preservation of the Quran and the narration of genuine Hadith. Formation of religious institutions, the encouragement of Islamic education and the regulation of Sharia law in Sham (Syria) were reinforcers of the Islamic structure. His rule was characterized by fairness, moral behavior and tolerance to non-muslims promoting peace and stability. Strategy of Islam leadership through jihad, maritime conquests, enlarging of the Islamic territories, and ameliorating of the post-Siffin divisions were due to the achievements of Muawiya as a strategic ruler and warrior. But his rule is not without controversy as he was criticized because he turned the caliphate into a monarchy, he went into conflict with Ali (R.A.) and the nomination of Yazid. Such accusations are acutely analyzed with the help of historical facts and the ethos of Jarh wa Ta’dil, which demonstrate that most of them were political, not necessarily religious in nature. It also contrasts Sunni and Shia sources and identifies biases and confirms the high regard of Muawiya among Sunni scholars. It criticizes the Orientalist discourses based on their historical inaccuracies. The results highlight the well-rounded history of Muawiya both as a religious and political figure who promoted objective research, incorporation of balanced material in schools, and the use of the original Arabic sources to create a balanced interpretation of his contributions to the history of Islam. The importance of this work is to help foster unity and eliminate sectarian tendencies through an objective assessment of his work.

Keywords: Amir Muawiya, Islamic history, Quran preservation, Hadith narration, Sharia enforcement, religious institutions, justice, jihad, political leadership, Sunni-Shia perspectives, historical criticisms, Orientalist narratives, Ummah unity, ethical governance, primary Arabic sources.