Besides them...

Besides them, there were `Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi-Bakr, Sa`d ibn Abi-Waqqas and Mughirah ibn Shu`bah Mughirah met Abū-Mūsa and `Amr separately before the meeting commenced, took their opinion and returned to Mu`awiyah in Damascus. Mu`awiyah asked Mughirah that he must have studied the circumstances and might have made his own assessment as to whose favor the verdict would go.

He said, “I had met Abū-Mūsa and `Amr separately I feel from Abū-Mūsa’s talk that he wants to remove `Ali (a.s) from the caliphate and hand over to such a person who have kept away from fights. His ideal is that only those persons will be beneficial for the people who had not sided with any of the two contending groups nor their hands were red with the blood of the Muslims. I think his leaning is more towards `Abdullah ibn `Umar and you know the bent of mind of `Amr ibn al-`As.

His point of view is diametrically opposite to that of Abū-Mūsa. He thinks that remaining neutral at the time of war id not justified. He himself wants to be the caliph or promote his son, `Abdullah, to the position. He considers none else capable of holding the position than himself or his son!” Mu`awiyah was worried when he heard this. When he established contact with `Amr he removed the doubts from the mind of Mu`awiyah.

Before declaring the verdict, the referees had to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution. Therefore, they sat at a predetermined place and the discussion started. `Amr ibn al-`As told Abū-Mūsa, “What is your opinion about `Uthman? Was he killed as an oppressed person? “Abū-Mūsa said, “Yes!

(17/33)” `Amr added, “Besides this, the superior pedigree that Mu`awiyah has is not hidden from you. He was a Companion of the Prophet (a.s) and the writer in the Court of the Prophet (a.s) and the brother of Umm al-Mu’minin Ummu- Habibah. We should keep these points in mind when we arrive at a decision about the verdict.