Amir Muawiyah’s (ra) Response to the Byzantine King

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states in another place:

“When a Byzantine king learnt of the war between Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat Muawiyah (ra), he wished to launch an attack against the Islamic states. Hazrat Muawiyah (ra) wrote to him and said, ‘Beware! Do not be deceived by our internal dispute. If you launch an attack, I will be the first general to march against you and fight under the army of Hazrat Ali (ra).’”

(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 4, p. 430)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) has mentioned this in more detail in another place:

“There was a time when seeing the conflict between Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat Amir Muawiyah (ra), a Byzantine king wished to send an army to attack the Muslims. At the time, the Byzantine Empire wielded the same power that USA holds today. Upon learning of his intentions to launch an attack, a Christian priest, who was very intelligent, said, ‘Your Majesty, take my advice and refrain from launching an attack. Even though they have disagreements amongst themselves; however, they will all unite against you, leaving aside all their differences.’”

He then gave an example; either he did it in a contemptuous manner or perhaps he felt that this was a better example to give; in any case, he said:

“‘If you bring some dogs and starve them for a while and then place some meat before them, they will begin to fight one another. However, if you were to set a lion against the same dogs, they both will set aside their differences and launch a joint attack on the lion.’ Through this example, he conveyed [to the king] that he wanted to take advantage of the disagreement between Hazrat Ali (ra) and Muawiyah (ra); however, he should know that if ever there was a question of an external attack, they both would cast their differences aside and will unite against the enemy. And this is precisely what happened.

When Hazrat Muawiyah (ra) learnt of the Byzantine King’s intentions, he sent him a message, stating, ‘You seek to take advantage of the disagreements between us and attack the Muslims; however, let it be known that even though there is discord between me and Hazrat Ali (ra), but if your army launches an attack, then I will be the first general to set out against your army from Hazrat Ali’s (ra) side.’”

(Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Markaziyyah ke Jalsa Salana Ijtima 1956 mein Khitabat, Anwar al-Ulum, Vol. 25, p. 416-417)