Osama Sharshar 
I had not intended to discuss the series “Muawiyah,” written by my colleague, brother, and friend Khaled Salah, which touched on a very important and sensitive topic. We agree with him that there is a difference between Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, the man, politician, and wily mastermind, and Muawiyah, the founder of the succession project in Islamic rule, following the principle of consultation (shura) established by all caliphs, from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq to Ali ibn Abi Talib.
The series “Muawiyah” tells the story of Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, one of the scribes of the revelation. From his youth, he was a bright and promising figure, and we do not disagree with him as a human being and a noble companion. However, there are serious objections to it, the most serious of which concerns the fourth of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him), about whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “May God have mercy on Ali. O God, make the truth follow him wherever he goes.”
Muawiyah refused to pledge allegiance to Ali, dividing the Muslim ranks at a crucial and sensitive time. His cunning and intelligence even led him to seek the help of Amr ibn al-As, who placed copies of the Qur’an on the tips of spears, halting the war between the two sides. He succeeded in causing a major rift within the ranks of Ali ibn Abi Talib, especially since most of them were companions who had accepted the arbitration of the Book of God at the Battle of Siffin. This was the great deception that led to the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Matters even reached the point where al-Hasan ibn Ali pledged allegiance to Muawiyah, on the condition that the caliphate after him would be based on consultation. However, he killed al-Hasan ibn Ali, ending consultation in the Islamic caliphate, and bequeathing the caliphate to his son, Yazid ibn Muawiyah, who was unfit for the caliphate and was corrupt to the core. Yazid even went so far as to kill al-Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala. The Umayyad dynasty, whether Muawiyah or Yazid, killed Ali ibn Abi Talib, Hassan and Hussein, the last lamp of oil in the House of Prophethood. The greatest catastrophe was that they displaced the family of the Prophet throughout all Islamic countries. Lady Zainab and Lady Nafisa took refuge in Egypt, and the people of Egypt welcomed them with great enthusiasm. The point of greatest disagreement with Muawiyah is that he created, for the first time in Islamic history, a serious problem: the division of Muslims into Shiites, followers of Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Sunnis, followers of Muawiyah. The two camps, which were supposed to be a single entity, were in constant disagreement over power at that time, leading to fighting between them and a widening gap through sedition, plots, and disagreements among Muslims, which continues to this day. In addition, he emphasized the project of inheritance, which was the greatest disaster, destroying the hierarchy of successions after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and a clear violation of the command of God Almighty (and their affairs are decided by consultation among them). Thus, Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan and his son Yazid succeeded in causing division among Muslims, and this is what the Umayyad state inherited for 90 years, until the Abbasid state came along and what happened happened, and the disagreement, discord, divisions, and sects continued, and the Shiite project became the opposite of the Sunni project, and this is what we reap to this day between the Sunni states, led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and the Shiite sect, led by Iran. Thus, we created a religious conflict without a real conflict, because the religion is one, the Lord is one, and the Prophet is one. I wanted to reveal that Muawiyah, who some called the sixth of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, was the one who caused the great strife to split the ranks of Islam and kill Ali ibn Abi Talib, the last of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. He was also the scribe of the revelation and a noble companion. Therefore, when we stop at Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, we must say his pros and cons.
to all.. 
