When he opened the package...

When he opened the package, it was having a small note saying, “From Mu`awiyah ibn Abi-Sufyan to `Ali ibn Abi-Talib.” The Imam (a.s) asked what the meaning of the note was. Qabisah put a glance around and asked, “Amongst you is there anyone belonging to the tribe of Banū-Abs?” The people replied, “Yes!” He said, “Now! Listen to me with care! And think over the consequences! I have left behind in the Masjid of Damascus 50,000 persons, sheikhs and elite, crying over the bloodied cloak of `Uthman.

Their beards are wet with tears and the sounds of wailing are emanating from the place. They have taken an oath that until they do not color their swords with the blood of the killers of `Uthman, they would not take rest! At this Khalid ibn Zufar al-`Abasei said: “By Allah! You are a very bad emissary of Syria! Do you want to frighten the Muhajirūn and Ansar with the army of Syria and the wailing over the cloak of `Uthman! By Allah!

`Uthman’s cloak is not Yūsuf’s raiment nor their wailing the cries and laments of Ya`qūb (a.s).”[1] When Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) saw this attitude of Mu`awiyah, he thought of going to Damascus to admonish the person. He got together an army to start on the campaign. He had not even commenced the journey when the news of the mischief of Talhah and al-Zubayr reached him. Instead of going to Syria he had to go to al-Basrah and crush the rebellion of the owners of the camel.

When he returned to al-Kūfah after that campaign, he decided to send another messenger to Mu`awiyah. The deposed governor of Yemen, Jarir ibn `Abdullah al-Bujali offered his services for the task and said that his long-standing relationship with Mu`awiyah will help him in convincing Mu`awiyah for the bay`ah .

Malik al-Ashtar opposed this idea and said that the person was secretly a friend of the Syrians He expressed his fear that instead of mending the fences, he might harm the interests of the Imam (a.s). The Imam (a.s) said that the person be allowed to go and see what results he achieves. Therefore, he was given a letter and sent to Syria. The contents were “The Muhajirūn and Ansar have owed their allegiance to me. Now you do not have any justification to refuse allegiance to me.

You must adopt the same attitude as was done by the people of al-Madinah. As far as the matter for the qisas of `Uthman is concerned, you can broach the subject with me after owing your allegiance to me.