This will be preferable for me and will please me more...

This will be preferable for me and will please me more, since this is a better means of refuting the arguments of Abu Turab and his Shi'ites, and more smashing and harder to digest for them than the traditions cited about the excellence of 'Uthman." The decree of Mu'awiyah was proclaimed to the people, and immediately false narrations about the virtues of the companions became very abundant without having a trace of truth.

Simple people heartily accepted these traditions, and they spread so quickly that they were quoted on every pulpit, and were distributed among teachers to instruct children according to them. Young people became so accustomed to them, that parallel with the Qur'an, they memorized these false traditions. Then they penetrated the circles of full- grown adult men, and reached the instruction sessions of women where teachers were engaged in teaching them to women and girls.

These traditions were also propagated among servants and slaves. In this way the Islamic society spent many long years of its life, and thus many false and forged traditions remained for future generations, and they were learnt by Jurisprudents, judges, men of learning, governors etc. and also believed in.347 Ibn 'Arafah Naftuyah, who is a great scholar in the field of tradition, mentions certain points in his history which are in agreement with the statements of al-Mada'ini.

He writes: Most of the false traditions concerning the qualities of the companions, have been fabricated in the time of the Umayyads, so that their forgers may find their way into the caliph's organization and be favored by the Umayyads, thereby humiliating the Banu Hashim.348 It was not, of course, only in this period that Mu'awiyah had resorted to forging traditions. He had long been engaged in this task before this time, too.

at-Tabari writes: when Mu'awiyah met with disappointment at the refusal of Qays ibn Sa'd, the valiant and wise governor of the Imam in Egypt, to collaborate with and assist him, he was worried about this matter and was seeking a solution. At last he resorted to a cunning plan, namely to spread the rumor that Qays had agreed to co-operate with him, and Mu'awiyah asked the people to pray for Qays.

Then he read a false letter on behalf of Qays to the people, which said: "In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a letter to Emir Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan from Qays ibn Sa'd. Greetings to you. The assassination of 'Uthman has been a very great event in Islam.