Mu‘āwīyah ibn Abī Sufyān ‎ (602-680) was the founder of the Umayyad dynasty of caliphs. He engaged in a civil war against the fourth Rightly Guided caliph, Ali (Muhammad's son-in-law) and met with considerable military success, including the seizure of Egypt. He assumed the caliphate after Ali's assassination in 661 and reigned until 680. Because he opposed Ali, whom the Shia Muslims believe was Muhammad's true successor (see Succession to Muhammad), … Wikipedia
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