will suffer, and so shall we; you will claim the caliphate even though you are no caliph, whereas I find that the caliph is Yazid.’
Al-Hasan related that al-Mughira ibn Shuʿba advised Muʿawiya to secure the oath of allegiance for his son, and Muʿawiya did so. Someone asked him, “What have you accomplished?” He replied, “I have planted Muʿawiya’s foot in the stirrup of misguidance; he will remain there until the Day of Resurrection.”
Al-Hasan continued: “Because of that, these men later pledged allegiance to their own sons; had it not been for this, the matter would have been decided by shura (consultation).”
It is reported that Muʿawiya used to give ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar one million every year. When ʿAbd Allah visited Yazid, Yazid granted him two million and said, “By Allah, I would not combine the two for anyone but you.” (1)
Al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated—through al-Awzaʿi, from Makḥul, from Abu ʿUbayda, traced back to the Prophet—“The affair of my community will remain sound until it is damaged by a man from the Umayyads whose name is Yazid.” (2)
Abu Yaʿla recorded this ḥadith in his Musnad.
It is also transmitted by Ṣadaqa al-Samīn—who is not a reliable authority—from Hisham, from Makḥul, from Abu Thaʿlaba al-Khushani, from Abu ʿUbayda, traced back to the Prophet.
The author also cites this report in his biography of Uthman ibn Affan, 2/147, up to the statement: “...he was killed unjustly.” This is the correct reading, for Abd Allah ibn Amr, the transmitter of the report, did not live long enough to meet al-Saffah or the caliphs who followed him.
He further records, at 2/143, a similar but shorter narration transmitted through al-Jariri, from Abd Allah ibn Shiqiq, from al-Aqraʿ, the muʾadhdhin of Umar: Umar summoned the bishop and asked, “Do you find us mentioned in your books?” He replied, “We find your description and your deeds, but not your names.” Umar said, “How do you find me?” He answered, “A horn of iron.” Umar asked, “And what is a horn of iron?” The bishop replied, “A severe ruler.” Umar exclaimed, “Allahu akbar!” He continued, “What of the one after me?” The bishop said, “A righteous man who shows favour to his kinsfolk.” Umar remarked, “May Allah show mercy to Ibn Affan. And the one after him?” The bishop answered, “A fissure”—Hammad ibn Salama used to say “rust”—“of iron.” Umar cried, “Woe to him, woe to him!” The bishop said, “Calm down, Commander of the Believers. He will be a righteous man, but his caliphate will see much bloodshed.”
Its transmitters are reliable, yet the report is munkar (irregular).
(1) The wording given by the author in Tarikh al-Islam, 3/92, reads: “...When he visited Yazid, Yazid gave him one million. Abd Allah said, ‘May my father and mother be ransomed for you,’ so Yazid ordered that he be given another million. Abd Allah then said, ‘By Allah, I shall never combine such a sum for anyone after you.’”
(2) Al-Walid ibn Muslim is a mudallis and has used the formula ʿanʿana. There is also a break—or even a severe gap—between Mak-hul and Abu Ubayda. In Abu Yaʿla’s version the chain contains Sadaqa ibn Abd Allah al-Samin, who is weak, and there is another break between Abu Naʿlaba (?) and Abu Ubayda. Consequently, the report is not sound.