After referring and reconciling all what is written in history about the
conduct, ups and downs of the life of Amr Aas, we conclude that he did not at all
accept Islam with sincerity. On the contrary, he only pretended to have accepted
Islam, and this was also due to an incident, which confronted him in Abyssinia.
He was sent along with Ammaara bin Walid in order to apprehend Ja’far and
his companions, who had been sent there by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). He went and heard about the prophethood of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), its progress and
spread. On the other hand, Najjashi, the ruler of Abyssinia said in rejection of his
requests: “Do you want me to hand over to you the messenger of one, on whom
the great angel (Jibraeel) descends like he descended on Moosa, and agree to
your plea to have him executed?”
Amr had asked: “O king, is he really as such?” He was told: “Woe be on you
O Amr, accept my statement and obey him. By God, he is really on truth and
definitely he would gain dominance over all his opponents, just as Moosa (a.s.)
emerged over Firon and his army men.”1
All this impelled Amr to gain proximity to the Prophet. In other words, his
whole life passed in a show of Islam, his own security and intrigues. He
condemned the Prophet in seventy couplets and for each couplet the Prophet
cursed him.
Imam Ali (a.s.) composed a couplet regarding him:
“When did Amr not live in the lap of sinners and enemies of Islam. Is it
possible that he should not be like his mother?”2
The view of His Eminence (a.s.) was absolutely correct.
He was the implication of the statement of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that:
“By the God, who split the seed and created the creatures, he (Amr) has only
embraced apparent Islam and concealed his disbelief, so that when he meets his
companions, he may display his true views.”3
Ibne Abil Hadeed says in Sharh Nahjul Balagha4 that:
My teacher, Abul Qasim Balkhi has narrated a dialogue between Muawiyah
and Amr. Muawiyah said: “O Abu Abdullah, I don’t like people saying that you
embraced Islam for vested interests.”
Amr said: “Never mind; let the matter rest.”
My teacher says: This statement clearly shows that Amr was an apostate and
a disbeliever. ‘Never mind’ shows that he had no faith in Judgment Day;
Muawiyah was also like that.
Ibne Abil Hadeed says in another place that:
Our teacher, Abu Abdullah says: The first of those, who believe in the
theory of ‘absolute forgiveness’ (Rajaa Mahez) were Muawiyah and Amr. They
believed that after accepting Islam, no matter how many sins a person may
commit, he shall be forgiven.
That is why when Muawiyah was told by a person: “You know well with whom you have fought and what sins you have committed.”
He replied: “I have confidence in the statement of God:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا
“Surely Allah forgives the faults altogether.”5
In the same way, Ibne Abi Hadeed says elsewhere:
“As for Muawiyah: He was a sinful man, with scant regard to religion and
his deviation for Islam was well known. His friend and supporter, Amr Aas was
also like that. Same is the story of all the people, who were lowly, debased, rude
and unruly from the folks of Shaam and the ignorant of Arabs, who followed
these two. About whom all know that fighting against them was allowed and their
killing was lawful.”
Regarding this matter numerous statements are found in reliable books. That
the life, soul and reality of this man (Amr Aas) should be made so clear for
readers and that he may emerge as a ‘respectable person’ and all his defects also
become clear.6
Below we present a sample of these statements:
1. Statement of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
One day Zaid bin Arqam came to Muawiyah and saw Amr Aas seated
beside him on a throne. When he observed this, he placed himself between them.
Amr Aas asked: “Did you not find any other place?.”
Zaid replied: “In one of the battles, in which you two were accompanied
with Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), when His Eminence saw you two together, he
looked at you with anger. On the second and the third day, when he saw you two
together again, he continued to stare at you for a long time. On the third day, he
said: Whenever you see Muawiyah and Amr Aas together, you should cause
separation between them as they will never unite on anything good.”
In Waqatus Siffeen,7 Ibne Muzahim has also explained the incident in the
above manner. You may also refer to Iqdul Fareed of Ibne Abde Rabb.8