Dubai — ‘Muawiyah’ TV serial to be released by Saudi-owned MBC group, to explore the life of the 7th-century Ummayad King Muawiyah Bin Abi-Sufiyan, who is hailed and praised for his just and upright reign during the critical times of sedition and civil-strife.
According to Arab media sources, the series’ production cost was estimated to be $75 million, making it one of the most expensive and ambitious works in Arab drama history.
In the Tunisian city of Hammamet, which is situated on the Mediterranean coast, production started in July 2022. Moreover, several sequences were shot inside and outside the Uqba bin Nafie Mosque in Kairouan, Tunisia.
The show was written by Egyptian journalist Khaled Salah and directed by Palestinian-American Tarek Al-Arian.
With the withdrawal of Palestinian artist Ali Suleiman from the part, Syrian actor Loujain Ismail takes on the character of Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan.
Asma Jalal, Aisha bin Ahmed, Jamila Chihi, and Iyad Nassar are additional performers in the play. Iyad Nassar is slated to play Imam Ali bin Abi Talib.
Meanwhile, in a statement released on Wednesday, the MBC Group warned anyone who promotes, whether intentionally or otherwise, fraudulent statements attributed to MBC Group’s channels about the TV series could face legal action.
This happened after fake content bearing MBC logos was published on social media by a number of news organizations.
Who was Muawiyah?
Muawiyah was the first Muslim King after the assassination of the fourth caliph of Islam Imam Ali Bin AbiTalib, who was chosen by the majority of the companions of the Prophet Mohammed.
According to the Christian historian Hugh Kennedy in his book The Great Arab Conquests, during Muawiyah’s time “the peace throughout the world was such that we have never heard, either from our fathers or from our grandparents, or seen that there had ever been any like it”.
The first major library was formed by Muawiyah.
According to Lesley Wilkins, “Muawiyah had a personal library collection (bayt al-hikmah) that was enlarged by his successors “throughout the Umayyad period.… This first major library outside of a mosque was known to include works on astrology, medicine, chemistry, military science, and various practical arts and applied sciences in addition to religion”.
According to the Muslim historians, under Muawiyah’s governance the Syrian army became a major military force. He picked out the best leaders from various tribes where as elsewhere in the state the military units were still based along tribal lines. He personally saw to the comfort and the equipment of the troops, increased their pay and paid them on a regular basis when they were on duty.
Muawiyah kept the troops in training by an annual expedition against the Byzantines and therefore kept the Byzantines in a constant state of unease and therefore kept his northern border safe. He encouraged innovations in military technology.
Muawiyah’s armies used “Minjenique” machines to propel large stones onto enemy ramparts. He modernized the army, introducing specialized units for desert combat and snowy terrains. New forts were also built during his time.
Muawiyah left the Byzantine and Persian administrative structures intact, being sure not to give his largely non-Muslims subjects any incentive to revolt.
Muawiyah built up a professional and disciplined army where people were promoted on their abilities not along tribal lines. Additionally the army units were not based along tribal lines, but along the disciplines and the type of warfare they specialized in.
While on expeditions, Muawiyah provided for their families. In the early days, before the battle of Saffin, Muawiyah and the Syrians also served under Imam Ali.
According to Imam Ali, “Sometimes they would even set out without provisions, without asking for pay. At the call of Muawiyah, they put themselves on campaigns for two, even three times a year, not caring where he wanted to take them”.
