Qur’anic prophecies

regarding the Umayyad dynasty

The subject of the predictions made by Allah in the Holy Quran regarding the Umayyad rule, in order to make the people aware of the whereabouts of their government, their non-Islamic behavior and character, is a great lesson for all the Sunnis and specially their youngsters; so that they understand that the Umayyad dynasty and all the other enemies of the Holy Progeny (a.s.) do not have any right in the Divine rule. Moreover, they are the usurpers of the rule and they not only don’t possess the qualities of the divine rule, but have usurped the Divine rule from its true owners by their devious plots and strategies, and have unlawfully introduced themselves as the Divine caliphs. They have strived to put off the Divine light and destroy the religion and its laws to every possible extent. Even then, the predictions made by the Quran and the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), were able to awake a large group of people from their ignorant dreams and guide them to the right path.

          Just like the Quran and the sayings of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) helped in awaking a large group of people that time and prohibited them from their age old beliefs, similarly, in this age, it is possible for us to carefully study the Qur’anic verses and the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) in order to find the right path and walk towards it.

          To attain awareness regarding such verses and narrations, it is necessary to pay attention to the following points:

1. This narration has been mentioned by Tirmizi with reference to the Chapter Qadr (section 85) from Yusuf bin Sa’ad:

After the pledge made by the people with Mu’awiyah, a person came and stood near Imam Hasan (a.s.) and said: You blackened the faces of the believers; or said: O blackener of the believers’ faces! His holiness said to him:

“Don’t denounce me; May God have mercy on you. As the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saw the Umayyad rulers on his pulpit, he became extremely saddened by this incident, then this verse revealed:

(اِنّٰا أَعْطَیْنٰاکَ الْکَوْثَرَ )[1] i.e. a river in the heaven.

(انَّا أَنْزَلْنَاہُ فِیْ لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ، وَمَا أَدْرَاکَ مَا لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ،، لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْر مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَہْرٍ ،، تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِکَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِیْہَا بِاِذْنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن کُلِّ أَمْرٍ ،، سَلَام ہِیَ حَتَّی مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ )[2]

“Indeed We sent it down on the Night of Ordainment. What will show you what is the Night of Ordainment. The Night of Ordainment is better than a thousand months. In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, with every command. It is peaceful until the rising of the dawn.”

It will be possessed by the Umayyad dynasty, O Muhammad!

Qasim says: I calculated the duration of Umayyad rule; it was thousand months, neither more nor less.[3]

2. Suyooti has said: Khateeb has narrated from Ibn e Abbas in his history that he said:

The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saw the Umayyad rulers on his pulpit and became extremely saddened by this incident. Hence, Allah (s.w.t.) sent down a verse on him that they will attain a government, and this verse revealed:

(انَّا أَنْزَلْنَاہُ فِیْ لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ،،وَمَا أَدْرَاکَ مَا لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ،، لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْر مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَہْرٍ ،، تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِکَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِیْہَا بِاِذْنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن کُلِّ أَمْرٍ ،، سَلَام ہِیَ حَتَّی مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ )۔

          And Khateeb has narrated from Ibn e Musayyab that he said: The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:

          I saw the Umayyad rulers ascending my pulpit and I was aggrieved by this incident. This verse was revealed on me by Allah (s.w.t.): انَّا أَنْزَلْنَاہُ فِیْ لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ [4]

3. Ibn e Atheer says: When (Imam) Hasan (a.s.) returned to Kufa, a person said to him: O blackener of the believers’ faces.

(Imam) Hasan (a.s.) said to him:

          ‘Don’t question me; as the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) dreamt that the Umayyad rulers are ascending his pulpit, he became saddened by this incident. Allah (s.w.t.) revealed this verse:

(اِنّٰا أَعْطَیْنٰاکَ الْکَوْثَرَ )–‘We have given you abundance’; and it is a river in the heaven.

And He revealed:

انَّا أَنْزَلْنَاہُ فِیْ لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ،، وَمَا أَدْرَاکَ مَا لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ،، لَیْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَیْر مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَہْرٍ ،، تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِکَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِیْہَا بِاِذْنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن کُلِّ أَمْرٍ ،، سَلَام ہِیَ حَتَّی مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ )

 The Umayyad dynasty will attain power after you.

          Tabari has mentioned this narration in his book ‘Tareekh e Tabari: 10/58), and Suyooti has narrated it from Tirmizi in the book ‘Tareekh ul Khulafa:25’. Hakim has mentioned it in his ‘Mustadrak’and Ibn e Jarir has mentioned it in his commentary.[5]