Muawiyah had once lectured Abu al-Tufayl and said...

Muawiyah had once lectured Abu al-Tufayl and said: “I feel pity for you that you did not help Uthman.” Abu al-Tufayl said: “At that time, I remained quiet like other Emigrants and Helpers but you had a province like Syria.

Why didn’t you help him in spite of it?” Muawiyah replied: “I am helping him by raising the slogan of the revenge of his death.” Upon this, Abu al-Tufayl laughed and said: “Your case can be compared to the couplet which says: I see you crying for me after my death while you did not help me in any way when I was alive.” Muawiyah had appointed the opponents of Uthman to key posts.

We have already discussed in previous pages that Uthman had dismissed Amr ibn al-Aas, so after that Amr instigated people against Uthman, and said that if he met even a shepherd, he used to incite him against Uthman. After Uthman was killed, he addressed his son, Abdullah: “O Abdullah! I am your father. You should draw blood from the wound I have scratched till date.”[^3] This enemy of Uthman was befriended by Muawiyah and he became Muawiyah’s chief advisor.

Appointing such a great enemy of Uthman to this important post is a clear proof that Muawiyah had no interest in avenging Uthman’s death. He only desired to come to power and he made Uthman’s murder a pretext to fulfill his ambition. Ibn Hajar Asqalani narrates the stand of Imam ‘Ali (a) in his own words thus: “First of all, Muawiyah and his followers should leave the wrong path and pay allegiance to me. After that, the heir of Uthman ibn Affan should file a case in my court.

Then I will proceed with legal rulings and give a proper judgment.”[^4] A letter sent by Imam ‘Ali (a) to the people of various provinces, giving them the causes of the Battle of Siffeen said: “It began in this way: We and the Syrians faced each other, while we had common faith in one Allah, in the same Prophet (S) and on the same principles and canons of religion.

So far as faith in Allah and the Prophet (S) was concerned we never wanted them (the Syrians) to believe in anything over and above or other than what they believed in, and they did not want us to change our faith. Both of us were united on these principles. The point of contention between us was the question of Uthman’s murder and it had created the split. They wanted to lay the murder at my door while I am actually innocent of it. I advised them that this problem cannot be solved by excitement.