Some people think that the Hashmite pride, courage and valor was better displayed by Imam Husayn (a) than his elder brother, Imam Hasan (a). Some also think that there was a difference in temperaments between the two brothers, which resulted in one making peace with their enemy, while the other resorting to battle. Some even go to the lengths of discrediting the struggles that the second Imam went through in order to bring victory to the movement of truth, only shedding light on the work that his successor did.

However, if we want to understand historical facts for what they are, we must dig a bit deeper.

Before we jump on generalized ideas like the ones mentioned above, we must examine history for what it was than what was relayed to us. We must accommodate in our calculations the fact that both the Imams made peace, and both of them fought at different points as well. Before the peace treaty, Imam Hasan (a) was actually engaging in a fierce battle, and had taken his army through to Madai’n and Sabaath before circumstances — focus on the word — circumstances, and not anything else, made him arrive at a treaty. On the other hand, Imam Husayn (a), before going to war with Yazid, did actually abide by the peace treaty that he fully supported the signing of during the time of Imam Hasan’s Imamate.

Of course, the Prophet (s) had anticipated this. He is reported to have said:

“Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn are two Imams, whether they stand (against the enemies) or sit (and make tactical peace with them).” (Manaqib Aal-i Abi Talib, v. 3, p. 1394)

Meaning that believers are supposed to follow and help their Imams, both when they’re fighting and when they’re making peace.

With that cleared, let’s explore some of the other reasons why this treaty was not only inevitable, but also a big win for the pure Islam for generations to come:

Political atmosphere: Unlike his son, who openly consumed wine, engaged in un-Islamic behavior and announced his disbelief in the fact that the Qur’an was revealed or that the message of the Prophet (s) was a Divine one, Mua’wiyah played smart. Even when his views were not much different from those of his son based on historical facts, he was good at hiding them and pretending like a good, observant Muslim, even a saint better off than others. He made sure that his reign was seen as a religious one, and one meant to uphold Islam. In this situation, if someone waged a war against Mu’awiyah and was martyred in the process, they wouldn’t have been considered a martyr at all, and the message would have been lost somewhere in the hypocritical environment created by Muawiyah. However, in Yazid’s time, it had become evident for everyone whom the Imam was against, and even though most didn’t support him in armed struggle, it was at least because of the fear created by the government and not really because they didn’t know what the truth was.

The Imams’ supporters: Imam Husayn (a), like his brother, faced treason at the hands of his Kufan companions but it took place before the Imam (a) had started the war. Thus, his little army was empty of any traitors on the day when he stood to fight against his enemies to achieve his ideal objectives. This is highlighted by the fact that when on the night of Ashura, Imam Husayn (a) put out the lamp and asked those of his companions who were afraid or wanted to leave for any other reason to quietly leave without having to face the embarrassment of everyone watching them leave the Imam alone, not one of them left.

However, the treason from which Imam Hasan (a) suffered at the camp of Madain was quite different. Imam Hasan (a) had already declared war, and was in the middle of the operation when the enemy used psychological warfare to disperse the Imam’s companions. Chaos, plots and treason spread all over. His companions left him with entire troops in greed for life and riches, and the Imam was left with a tired group of demotivated people, except a few.

Both our Imams had a special Jihad each. Any Imam (a) who had been in place of Imam Hasan (a) would have done the same, because Imamate is not a succession of people with different temperaments, rather, Divinely-guided people with a single, unified goal of bringing justice and truth to light and hence, guide the humankind to salvation. This is evident by the clauses of the treaty that Imam Hasan (a) had made his enemies arrived at. Had Mua’wiyah kept what he promised as a part of the treaty, Imam Husayn (a) would have become the next caliph of the Islamic government, and it wouldn’t have come to such a regrettable state as it did.

Imam Husayn (a) himself participated in the conciliation of Imam Hasan, because it was the best thing to do in the moment. Had Imam Hasan (a) been in place of Imam Husayn (a) on the Day of Ashura, he would have done exactly what his successor did.

Indeed, when we study history of our Imams in an analytical manner, it will be easy for us to deduce that all the Imams were following one single mission, as they are all but from one light.

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