6. Conversation between Muawiyah and Amr Aas
When Muawiyah realized that if Amr Aas does not pay allegiance to him,
his rule will not be stable. So he told him:
“O Amr, remain with me and follow me.”
Amr replied: “Why should I remain under your command? For the
hereafter? By God, you are away from the hereafter! Or for the sake of the
world? And that also by God, will not fall into your share till you don’t make me
your partner.”
He said: “I do that. Be my partner in the world.”
Amr said: “Then write for me the command of Egypt and neighboring
areas.”
Muawiyah did that and at the end added: “In return of this, Amr will obey
me absolutely.”
Amr said: “Also mention that this obedience of Amr will in no way reduce
his power in Egypt.”
Muawiyah said: “People do not pay attention to this point.”
Amr replied: “Never mind that. Just mention it.”
So Muawiyah wrote it down and by God, he had no option, except to write
what Amr wanted.
One day Muawiyah and Amr were talking about Egypt. Amr said: “I sold
my religion to you only for the rulership of Egypt.”
At that moment Utbah bin Abu Sufyan entered and said: “Rely on this man
for the sake of your religion, because he is a companion of Prophet.”
And Amr wrote in a letter to Muawiyah: “Muawiyah, till I don’t get
anything in return of my religion, I will not hand it over to you. You can do
whatever you like. Religion and the world are not equal and I have covered my
head. I will take what you give me. If you give Egypt to me, it is a transaction of
usury as against it you will get the counsel of an a old man expert in intrigue.”1
‘Valor’ of Amr Aas
I didn’t find any trace of valor or feat from the son of the wanton woman,
whether during the period of Ignorance or during prophethood of Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.); but during the Battle of Siffeen, only two of his antics are memorable.
One of them was while fearing for his life, he exposed his genitals to Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.). Another was that he fled from the attack of Malik Ashtar. The
humiliation of his first act remained with him for a long time in such a way that it
became proverbial and people used to taunt him. Utbah bin Abu Sufyan in his
couplets says regarding his degradation:
“Except for Amr that the testicles protected his life. He was saved while his
heart was terrified of that situation.”2
Muawiyah also, in his couplets reminded Amr of his true status.
“Amr bin Aas bin Wael (Waelli) faced Abul Hasan, Ali in the battlefield and
he returned humiliated. If he had not exposed his genitals, the valiant one would
have apprehended him as he humiliated every fighter.”
In his couplet, Amir Abu Faras has mentioned:
“There is nothing good in that a person should fend off death through
humiliation as one day Amr escaped death by exposing his genitals.”
And this act was committed by this person many a times.
On the basis of this, the statement of Ibne Hajar in Isabah3 is of no value when he says:
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) made Amr Aas proximate to himself due to his
divine recognition and valor.
Glancing through history, we conclude that Amr Aas was not the first, who
due to the fear of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), committed this act. He only imitated
Talha bin Abi Talha in this. He also, during the Battle of Uhad, when Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.) attacked in his direction, had became certain that he would be
slain by him, so he exposed his genitals. For more detail one can refer to Tarikh
of Ibne Kathir.4
Halabi has also mentioned this incident in his Seeratul Halabiyya.5 After
that he says:
“This incident occurred with our master, Imam Ali (a.s.) twice during the
Battle of Siffeen. The first time, it involved Busr bin Artat and the second time,
Amr bin Aas. When he saw that he would be slain, he exposed his genitals and
Ali (a.s.) turned his face away.”
Lesson in religion and morals
It is clear for researchers that all evils and corruptions mentioned in
authentic history regarding Amr Aas and the negative qualities and acts included:
Cheapness, deviation, deceit, trickery, fraud, cheating, wantonness, breaking
oaths, lying, going back on ones word, breaking off relations, malice,
shamelessness, jealousy, show off, miserliness, abusing, foolishness, injustice,
quarrelling, flattery, greed, enmity to Muslims, shamelessness regarding his wife
and other defects of character and immoral traits.
All this shows that he was a hypocrite and lacked steadfastness on Islam,
faith in God and commands of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.); because the self of
man should be imbued with morals and positive traits; so that excellences may
gather in him. Islam truly is the basis of every positive quality and human
nobility. When faith flows from the capital of the human body, that is from heart
or soul to other organs and occupies that organ, reformation of selves occurs
through Islamic laws.