Description
Book SynopsisIn this accessible study, Stephen Humphreys introduces the most elusive of the early caliphs, Mu'awiya ibn abi Sufyan (602-680). Notoriously guarded about his thoughts, motives and emotions, Mu’awiya was universally known as a figure of immense political acumen. Beyond this, opinions are deeply divided. Throughout history, some have accused him of being the first caliph to diverge from Muhammed’s model of ideal Muslim leadership whilst others credit him with uniting an empire in disarray and transforming the Caliphate into a practicable form of government. In light of this, Humphreys critically analyses his sources, and seeks to get as close as possible to a historical account of the great man.
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments
1 THE PROBLEM OF MU‘AWIYA
Mu‘awiya in the eyes of later Muslims
How do we know what we claim to know: the sources for Mu‘awiya’s life
Mu‘awiya’s career: a chronological sketch
2 THE FIRST THREE DECADES (600–632)
The Meccan milieu
The politics of genealogy: why Mu‘awiya’s ancestry is important
The lineage of Mu‘awiya
The Banu Umayya
The descendants of ‘Abd Manaf: the clans of ‘Abd Shams and Hashim
3 LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS OF POWER: MU‘AWIYA AS MASTER OF SYRIA (632–656)
Mu‘awiya and the conquest of Syria
Mu‘awiya becomes Governor
The war against Byzantium
The war at sea: creating the Muslim navy
The war in Anatolia and Armenia
Mu‘awiya and the Arab tribes in Syria
4 THE FIRST CIVIL WAR AND MU‘AWIYA’S RISE TO POWER (656–661)
The revolt against ‘Uthman
The aftermath: who can claim the right to rule?
The confrontation between ‘Ali and Mu‘awiya
5 COMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL (661–680)
The war against Byzantium renewed
6 THE PRINCE OF OUR DISORDER: MU‘AWIYA AS A SYMBOL OF CULTURAL TENSION
Bibliography
Index
