Qays was among those who witnessed these tragedies and suffered from them...

Qays was among those who witnessed these tragedies and suffered from them, for he lived during Mu'awiya's lifetime and died ten years after him. No witness is like the eyewitness. For this reason we have chosen his words that are similar to al-Mada'ini's. Sulaym b. Qays said: "Mu'awiya came (to perform) the hajj during his Caliphate. That was after the killing of the Commander of the faithful (i.e., Imam 'Ali), and (after) the Peace Treaty with al-Hasan. The Medinans received him.

Among them was Qays b. Sa'd, who was the chief of the Ansar (helpers) and the son of their chief. So a talk took next between them (i.e., Qays b. Sa'd and Mu'awiya). So Qays said: "By my life, no one of the Ansar, of Quraysh, of the Arabs, and of non- Arabs has the right to the succession to authority (Khilafa) except 'Ali and his sons after him (i.e., 'Ali). Mu'awiya became angry.

Thus he wrote one copy (letter) concerning that to all his governors: "Indeed I will not give security to him who narrates a tradition concerning the laudable deeds of 'Ali and his household." At every town and next, the orators cursed 'Ali b. Abu Talib, renounced him, and backbit his household. Then Mu'awiya passed by a group from Quraysh. When they saw him they stood for him except b. 'Abbas.

So Mu'awiya said: 'Bin 'Abbas, nothing has prevented you from standing for me but that I fought against you at the Battle of Siffin. Bin 'Abbas, my cousin 'Uthman was unjustly killed.' Ibn 'Abbas said: 'Also 'Umar b. al-Khattab was unjustly killed, but he handed over the authority to his son, and this is his son.' 'Indeed a polytheist killed 'Umar,' said Mu'awiya. 'Who killed 'Uthman?' asked b. 'Abbas. 'The Muslims killed him', replied Mu'awiya. 'Then that refutes your proof.

If the Muslims killed and abandoned him, then they killed him justly,' answered b. 'Abbas.. Mu'awiya said: 'Surely we have written to the distant regions to prevent the people from mentioning the laudable deeds of 'Ali and of his household. Then stop your tongue, b. 'Abbas.' 'Do you prevent us from reading the Qur'an?' asked b. 'Abbas. 'No,' Mu'awiya replied. 'Do you prevent us from explaining it?' asked b. 'Abbas. 'Yes,' answered Mu'awiya.

'Do we read it and do not ask about what Allah has meant in it?' asked b. 'Abbas. 'Yes,' replied Mu'awiya. 'Which is incumbent on us, to read it or to act according to it?' asked b. 'Abbas. 'To act according to it,' answered Mu'awiya.