Any way...

Any way, he angrily went to the Imam and said to him: “I see that the people are pleased and delighted to respond to the people (of Sham) to what they have summoned them from among the legal decisions of the Qur’an! It would be better if you go and ask Mu’awiya what he wants, and reflect on what he requests!” Then he insisted on the Imam to delegate him to Mu’awiya, but he refrained from responding to him. However he strongly insisted on him, and the Imam (a.s) found no escape from responding.

He went carrying the signs of evil and unhappiness. He asked Mu’awiya: “Why have you raised copies of the Qur’an?” [^1] Waqi‘at Siffin, p. 153. Mu’awiya answered him with tricks and lies, saying: “That we and you may return to the Command of Allah, the Great and Almighty, in His Book. Send a man from among you with whom you are pleased. And we send a man from among us. Then we ask them to act according to what is in Allah’s Book and do not exceed it.

Then we follow that on which they will agree.” Al-Ash‘ath bin Qays believed Mu’awiya, saying: “This is the truth!” Most likely, Mu’awiya had made al-Ash’ath desire and bribed him, for he had come to know about his deviation from Imam Ali. Al-Ash‘ath responded to Mu’awiya and came back to the Imam. He demanded arbitration.

Imam Ali (a.s) said to him and to the like of him from among the stubborn who found no pleasure except in obstinacy and mutiny: “O Servants of Allah, I am the best of those who have responded to Allah’s Book. However, Mu’awiya, Amr bin al-Aas, Ibn Abi Ma’eet, Habeeb bin Muslima, and Ibn Abi Sarh are not men of religion and Qur’an. I am more aware of them than you. I accompanied them when they were children, and I accompanied them when they were men. They were the wickedest children and men.

It is word of truth that falsehood has been intended through it! They have known it but they do not act according to it. They have raised it to you just as a trick and plot. Lend me your arms and your skulls for one hour for the truth has reached its (last) part, and nothing has remained except that the root of the oppressive is to be cut off.” In his speech, the Imam (a.s) has expressed what Mu’awiya claimed such as yielding to Allah’s book.

He explained to them their error and mutiny against the religion, for he was more aware of them than others. However, that simple-minded society did not yield to the Imam’s speech and lent his speech deaf ears.