Badr. In short, to impugn someone on such grounds is to impugn the believers generally. Is it lawful for anyone to impugn Alī because his uncle Abū Lahab was fiercely hostile to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace? Or to impugn al-Abbās—may Allah be pleased with him—because his brother was hostile to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace? (1) Or to reproach Alī for Abū Tālib’s unbelief—or al-Abbās for the same? Can such words come from anyone but a non-Muslim? (2)

Moreover, the poem cited does not resemble ancient poetry (3); rather, it is poor verse.

As for his statement:

“The conquest took place in Ramadan, eight years after the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—arrived in Medina,”

this is correct (4).

As for his statement:

“Muāwiya persisted in polytheism while fleeing from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—because the Prophet had declared his life forfeit. He therefore fled to Mecca. When he found no refuge, he went (5) to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—under compulsion and outwardly professed Islam. His profession of Islam occurred five months before the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—died.”

This is among the most manifest of lies. Muāwiya embraced Islam in the year of the conquest, by universal agreement. His earlier statement has already been cited:

“He was one of those whose hearts were to be reconciled.”

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—gave those whose hearts were to be reconciled a share of the spoils taken from Hawāzin in the year of Hunayn, and Muāwiya was among those to whom he gave [a share thereof,