The position of Muslims on religious symbols insulting Imam Ali, peace be upon him, in the Umayyad era

Abstract

The issue of insulting Imam Ali, peace be upon him, was established by Muawiyah, who ordered his governors and followers to follow his approach in their sermons and speeches. They were not satisfied with that, but rather ordered the general Muslims to do the same. The Umayyad government continued officially and from the pulpits even after the death of Muawiyah, who established this phenomenon. They showed the hatred and malice in their hearts for Imam Ali, peace be upon him, through cursing, and whoever refused faced severe punishment, which might reach the point of killing in some cases. Among the governors who were known for their hatred of the Imam was Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf Al-Taqfi and his brother Yusuf. This phenomenon in the Levant became a social phenomenon in addition to being a political and governmental phenomenon. Despite all that the Umayyad authority did, this did not continue, as the Umayyad Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz, who ruled from 99 AH to 101 AH, tried to confront and prevent the phenomenon of cursing and insulting the Commander of the Faithful from the official pulpits of the Umayyad state in all the capitals of the Islamic state at that time, until this step was considered one of his virtues and deeds, which is mentioned by everyone who wrote a biography of Omar bin Abdul Aziz and listed the works he did.