Will you explain the hadith of the Prophet about Allah’s filling the stomach of Muawiya?

- Will you explain the hadith of the Prophet about Allah’s filling the stomach of Muawiya?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Ibn Abbas narrates:

"I was playing with children when (pbuh) came. I hid myself behind the door. He found me there and patted my nape. He said,
"Go and call Muawiya." I went immediately and returned. I said,
"He is eating." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to me again,
"Go and call Muawiya." I went immediately and returned. I said,
"He is eating." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to me again,
"Go and call Muawiya." I went immediately and returned. I said,
"He is eating." Thereupon, he said,  
"May Allah not fill his stomach!" (Muslim, Birr 96, (2604)

The Prophet (pbuh) sent Ibn Abbas, who was a child, to call Muawiya. Ibn Abbas went and found him eating. He returned and said, "He is eating." The Prophet (pbuh) sent Ibn Abbas for the second and third time. When he returned, he said Muawiya was eating. Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) said, "May Allah not fill his stomach!" Imam Muslim includes this hadith in a chapter stating that the curse of the Messenger of Allah upon a person who does not deserve it will be a mercy for him. In this chapter, he recorded some examples concerning the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) “supplications” that outwardly appear as curses (beddua) but, in reality, carry meanings of mercy, blessing, and reward. Therefore, according to Imam Muslim, the “curse” made regarding Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) is of the same nature. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"I have made condition with my Lord saying, ‘O Allah! I am a human being. I become pleased like a human being and get angry like a human being. If I invoke curse upon anyone from my ummah or hurl malediction, make it a source of purity and a means of approaching Allah on the Day of Judgment."

Abu Idris al-Hawlani narrates: "When Umar Ibnul-Hattab removed Umayr Ibn Sa'd from the duty of the governor of Hums and appointed Muawiya. People said, 

"Did he remove Umayr and appoint Muawiya?" Umayr said,  
"'Do not mention Muawiyah except with good. For, I heard the Messenger of Allah the Messenger of Allah saying: "O Allah guide people by him!" (Tirmidhi, Manaqib)

In another narration in Tirmidhi recorded with the number 4480, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed for Muawiya as follows:  

"O Allah! Make him guide people and guide him. Make people find the true path through him!"

Muawiya is Abu Sufyan's son. His mother is Hind Bint Utba. Muawiyah, his father, his brother Yazid and his mother embraced Islam when Makkah was conquered. He said he had embraced Islam before, in the year of Umratul-Qada, that he concealed it from his parents and that he met the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as a Muslim in the year of conquest.  
 
Muawiya took part in the Battle of Hunayn with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He was regarded as a person of muallafa al-qulub and was given 100 camels and 40 uqiyyas like his father. He was always loyal to Islam and was one of the scribes of the Prophet (pbuh).
 
When Hz. Abu Bakr sent an army to Syria, Muawiya joined the army with his brother Yazid. When Yazid was about to die, he left the governorship of Damascus to his brother Muawiya. Hz. Umar confirmed it. When Hz. Uthman became the caliph, he became the general governor of Syria along with Damascus. After the death of Hz. Uthman, he did not pay allegiance to Hz. Ali. Thus, he became the independent ruler of Syria. He demanded the blood of Hz. Uthman (his murderers to be found and executed). He had many followers. The Battle of Siffin took place between Hz. Ali and Muawiya.

When Hz. Ali was martyred and his son Hasan became the caliph, Muawiya proceeded to Iraq. However, when Hz. Hasan saw that mischief would occur and blood would be shed, he left the caliphate to Muawiya and returned to Madinah. Muawiya went to Kufa and accepted the allegiance of people. That year was called Am al-Jama’ah (Year of Congregation).
 
Muawiya served as a governor for twenty years and as the caliph for twenty years.
 
When Muawiya became ill, he wanted the shirt that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) clothed him to be placed under his shroud and the nails of the Messenger of Allah he had kept to be ground and placed in his eyes and mouth. When he was about to die, he said, "I wish I were an ordinary Qurayshi living in Zu-Tuva neighborhood of Makkah. I wish I had never been an administrator."
 
Muawiya died in 60 H when he was 78 years old. It is also stated that he died in 59 H at the age of 86.
 
It is also stated that Muawiya was the most generous person after the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).

Muawiya was criticized because he transformed the caliphate system of Islam based on election into sultanate handed down from father to son. Today, there are some people who go to extremes in criticism, having bad thoughts about this Companion and accusing him. We do not agree with those extreme views. It is necessary not to forget about qadar (destiny) while evaluating the incidents in the past. We should always consider the basic principles we have mentioned related to several occasions while evaluating the issues related to the Companions and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). We should not forget that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) acquitted all Companions without any discrimination and cursed those who defamed them. All Ah as-Sunnah scholars regard it as an important principle.  
 
We will quote a speech Dahhak Ibn Qays made by ascending the pulpit when Muawiya died without entering any details regarding the issue. He mentions the services of Muawiya in that speech:

"Muawiya, the leader of the believers, was the power and genius of Arabs. Allah prevented mischief through him and made him dominant over His slaves. He made the armies proceed on land and in sea. He was a slave who worshipped a lot. He prayed and Allah accepted his prayer. He died. Here is his shroud. We will enshroud him and put him in the grave. He has his deeds between him and Allah. Allah will show mercy on him if He wishes or will punish him."

The Era of Muawiya was an era when Islamic conquests continued.

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