Did Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) accept Islam before The Conquest of Makkah or after?
Answer
There is a difference of opinion among the Historians as to when did Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) accept Islam.
Imam Waqidi has stated that he accepted Islam after Hudaybiyyah [approximately 7 A.H]. He concealed his Islam until The Conquest of Makkah in 8 A.H. Other Historians were of the opinion that Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah, his father and brother (radiyallahu ‘anhum) accepted Islam upon the Conquest of Makkah.
(Refer: Siyaru A’alamin Nubala, vol. 3 pg. 120, Al Isti’ab, vol. 3 pg. 470, Usdul Ghabah, vol. 5 pg. 201 and Al Isabah, vol. 10 pg. 227)
Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) has recorded a narration which indicates that Mu’awiyah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) accepted Islam before The Conquest of Makkah. Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says, ‘I trimmed the hair of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) at Marwah‘.
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 4 pg. 97)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) states that this would have occurred during ‘Umrah (i.e. ‘Umratul Qada in 7 A.H) for during the farewell Hajj, Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) shaved his head in Mina (and not at Marwah) as proven in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
(Al Isabah, vol. 10 pg. 227-228)
Therefore, it can be deduced that Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) was already a Muslim by this time (‘Umratul Qada in 7 A.H), or else he would not have come near Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar