For, the Egyptians were the followers of Imam Ali (a.

For, the Egyptians were the followers of Imam Ali (a.s.) and his children, and therefore considered them to be worthier of caliphate and leadership than the Abbasids, whose misdeeds, bloodshed and misappropriation of public wealth, despite their non-eligibility for caliphate and leadership of the Muslims, were witnessed by one and all. Lais strove to weaken the love of the Egyptians for the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).

The Egyptians used to disparage and detest Usman because of his misdeeds and the unrest against Usman had arisen from Egypt. Now, Lais began to mention the virtues and merits of Usman to the Egyptians. Naturally, a scholar like him in a place like Egypt was a great political hope of the government for the negation of the love of the Ahle Bait (a.s.). Hence, we see that as per the demands of political contingencies, no matter was decided in Egypt but with his counsel.

Thus, key affairs like the appointment of governors and judges were decided only after consultations with him. Thus, Lais did not belong to the category of people like Abdullah Ibn Saaleh who fabricated traditions or someone else used to interpolate traditions in his writings. We do not like to accuse Lais of fabricating traditions or deliberately narrating false ones but he was not from those who stopped at the traditions, which they disregarded.

Nay, he believed that the Divine Text did not carry merely an apparent meaning which could suffice. They were not only words; rather they also had a spiritual aspect embracing proofs, imports and reasons. Perhaps, he considered that the threat of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) for the one who attributed a lie to him (s.a.w.a.), like in the famous tradition, ‘Whoever attributes a lie to me deliberately, his seat will be surrounded with hell fire’, its esoteric is more limited than its apparent.

For, these lies do not include the narration of a fabricated tradition attributed to him (s.a.w.a.), if done due to political and governmental demands and general welfare. It seems quite likely that this addition in the tradition is the fabrication of Abdullah Ibn Saaleh and the other narrators of this tradition. But what leads to a negative perception of Lais for a researcher is the pompous and luxurious way in which he led his life.

It is said that he built a palatial mansion which had twenty doors. He developed a garden in it, full of trees and flowers, whose fragrance spread far and wide.