When they saw that this was not happening...

When they saw that this was not happening, they planned to turn the administration tipsy turvy. They impressed the people with their revolutionary slogans and stooped down to create intrigue and discord. The third reason was that the Imam (a.s) was strictly following his principle of equitable distribution and not discriminating between people on the basis of race or geographical origin of persons.

Although the commoners were happy with this attitude, but those who were used to getting preference over others on account of their origins were unhappy with the new regime. They first protested. But when they were unable to create impression with their voices, they went towards Syria where the base for intrigues against the Imam (a.s) was established.

Al-Fudayl ibn Ju`dah says: “The main reason for opposition of Amir al-Mu’minin(a.s) was wealth and that he was not giving any preference to the Arab over the non-Arab, nor was he receiving the rich and the chiefs of tribes with any pomp and he also did not try to attract anyone towards himself. Mu`awiyah’s attitude was exactly opposite of this.

Therefore, they left `Ali (a.s) and joined hands with Mu`awiyah.”[1] When Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) was told that those who were expected to create intrigue or were having the notion to join Mu`awiyah, could be won over with gifts and concessions, he said: “Do you want me to take help of some people through foul means? Then, By Allah! Until the day when the sun keeps rising and the stars shining in the sky, I shall not be willing to do that.

Even if the wealth of the Muslims was my own, even then I would have distributed equitably, more so, the wealth belongs to them (the Muslims)!”[2] Opposite this character and attitude of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) was Mu`awiyah’s attitude that for political ends he distributed huge amounts as gratification and was buying the Faith of some people. Once Jariyah ibn Qudamah, al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, Jawn ibn Qutadah and al-Hattat al-Mujashi`i came to Mu`awiyah.

Mu`awiyah gave seventy thousand dirhams to al-Hattat [1] Bihār al-Anwār, Vol 9, Page 539 [2] Al-Manāqib, Vol 2, Page 33 and one hundred thousand to each of the others. When al-Hattat learnt of this differentiation, he told Mu`awiyah that he had insulted him in his tribe by giving one hundred thousand to others and only seventy thousand to him. Mu`awiyah said: “I have bought their Faith from them!”[1] Al-Hattat said, “Then!