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In the Footsteps of al-Husayn (peace be upon him)
Dr. Ahmad Rasm al-Nafis
On the pulpit, letters were written to the garrisons; people rallied to him and wept for a year while he stood upon the pulpit, with the fingers hanging from it (the fingers of Nā’ila, the wife of ʿUthmān). The men of Syria swore not to approach women nor sleep on beds until they had killed the murderers of ʿUthmān—or until they themselves perished. They remained around the shirt for a year; each day it was placed upon the pulpit, and at times he would drape himself in it, with Nā’ila’s fingers attached to its sleeves. Then Muʿāwiyah went on spreading among the people the claim that ʿAlī (peace be upon him) had killed ʿUthmān (1).
This was the declared slogan—but did it represent the truth? Let us first read in the history of ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ.
A – The Declared Slogan and Its Reality: Seizing Power
Al-Ṭabarī also narrates:
“When news of ʿUthmān’s killing reached ʿAmr—may Allah be pleased with him—he said: ‘I am Abū ʿAbd Allāh; I killed him (meaning ʿUthmān), while I was in Wādī al-Sibāʿ. Who will assume authority after him? If Ṭalḥah takes it, he is the generous youth of the Arabs; but if Ibn Abī Ṭālib takes it, I see him as one who will compel the truth to speak, and he is the one I most dislike to see take charge.’”
It then reached him that allegiance had been pledged to ʿAlī, and this distressed him. He waited a few days to see what the people would do. Then he learned of the march of Ṭalḥah, al-Zubayr, and ʿĀ’ishah. He said, “I will wait and see what they do.” Soon news came that Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr had been killed, and the matter became confused for him. Someone said to him: “Muʿāwiyah in Syria does not wish to pledge allegiance to ʿAlī. If you were to approach Muʿāwiyah…” Muʿāwiyah was more beloved to him than ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
He was told: “Muʿāwiyah is magnifying the matter of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān’s killing and inciting people to demand vengeance for his blood.” ʿAmr said: “Summon for me Muḥammad and ʿAbd Allāh.” When they came, he said: “You know what has occurred—ʿUthmān has been killed, the people have pledged allegiance to ʿAlī, and Muʿāwiyah is preparing to oppose ʿAlī. What do you think?”
“As for ʿAlī,” he said, “there is nothing good for us with him. He is a man who prides himself on his precedence (in Islam), and I share nothing with him in his affair.”
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr said:
“I advise you to withhold your hand and remain in your home until the people unite under an imam; then give him your allegiance.”
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr said:
“You are one of the sharp fangs of the Arabs; I do not think this matter should be decided without your voice or mention.”
ʿAmr replied:
“As for you, ʿAbd Allāh, you advised me with what is better for my Hereafter and safer for my religion. But you, Muḥammad, advised me with what is more beneficial for my worldly life and worse for my Hereafter.”
Then ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ set out with his two sons and went to Muʿāwiyah. He found the people of Syria urging Muʿāwiyah to demand vengeance for ʿUthmān’s blood.
ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ said:
“You are upon the truth; seek vengeance for the blood of the wronged caliph.”
But Muʿāwiyah paid no attention to his words.
ʿAmr’s two sons said to him:
“Do you not see that Muʿāwiyah does not heed your words? Turn to someone else.”
So ʿAmr entered upon Muʿāwiyah and said:
“By Allah, it is astonishing that I support you as I do while you turn away from me. By Allah, if we fight alongside you to seek vengeance for the caliph’s blood, there is something within us about that—since we would be fighting one whose precedence, virtue, and kinship you know well. But in truth, we only seek this worldly life.”
Thereupon Muʿāwiyah made peace with him and drew him close (1).
This was the condition of the chief minister: he himself had been among those who incited against ʿUthmān, and yet…
(1) History of Nations and Kings by al-Ṭabarī, 3/561, al-Aʿlamī Foundation, Beirut, n.d.
Also: al-Ṭabarī, 3/559–560.