Muawiyah I: Encyclopedia II - Muawiyah I - Early Life

Muawiyah I - Early Life

Muawiyah(معاوية) was born (c. 602) into a powerful clan, (Banu Abd Shams), of the tribe of the Quraysh. The Quraysh controlled the city of Mecca, in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia, and the Banu Abd Shams were among the most influential of its citizens. Mu'awiyah's father was Abu Sufiyan ibn Harb and mother was Hind bint Utbah.

Many of the Abd Shams opposed and persecuted the Islamic prophet Muhammad when he was preaching his new faith in Mecca, and joined in the armed battles that followed the flight of Muhammad and his followers to Medina. Mu'awiyah is said to have accepted Islam in defiance of his relatives, but hid his conversion and stayed in Mecca rather than immigrate to Medina. (The Shi'a dispute this.) In 630 CE, Muhammad and his followers conquered Mecca, and most of the Meccans, including the Abd Shams, formally submitted to Muhammad and to Islam.

Muhammad was merciful to his former opponents, letting them join his armies and hold important posts in the expanding Islamic empire. Mu'awiyah became one of Muhammad's scribes. After Muhammad's death in 632, he served in the Islamic army sent against the Byzantine forces in present-day Syria. He served with his brother Yazid, who was appointed governor of the newly conquered province.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Early Life", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki