If the Imam (a.

If the Imam (a.s) continued with those functionaries after assuming the caliphate, the people would think that the demand for dismissal was not in public interest and was just to come to power. When that purpose was achieved, out of political expedient, Mu`awiyah and the functionaries were allowed to continue holding their positions.

Fourthly , if for the strength and continuity of his regime the Imam (a.s) continued to have Mu`awiyah and other functionaries in their positions, it would have been termed as political weakness and people would say that despite the difference in the thinking he had bowed down to the circumstances and had no courage to remove them because of their influence and clout. The result would be that others would deem this as a weakness and would start making unreasonable demands.

Fifthly , Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) had accepted the Caliphate with total sense of responsibility and therefore he could not have closed his eyes to the tyranny of the functionaries against the people. Otherwise, the responsibility would fall on him that despite knowing the natures and the way of functioning of those functionaries, he continued them in office. Therefore, at the first instance he had declared that he would do away with those functionaries.

Sixthly , `Ali (a.s) and Mu`awiyah belonged to two diametrically opposite groups. Mu`awiyah was from the group which was free of any binding of the Faith and were opportunists. Against this, `Ali’s politics was not under the debris of opportunism. Nor was there any element of cunning and subterfuge in his political stand. Because of this diametrically opposite nature, it was not possible for Mu`awiyah to remain quiet even if he was allowed to continue with his position.

He knew that `Ali (a.s) would get rid of him one day or the other. Therefore, if he were allowed to remain the governor for some more time, he would not have quietly spent those days. But he would try to enhance his power of wealth and recruit more men to side with him. He could even have entered into an agreement with the neighboring Roman Empire. Considering all this, was not it discreet to depose him immediately without giving him any more time to continue with his machinations.

Seventhly , Mu`awiyah was not only having the ambition of preserving and conserving his position of the governorate of Syria. He had set sights on taking his standard to the entire Realm.