Whereas other cities normally had a tribal set up...

Whereas other cities normally had a tribal set up, Kufa, having been founded on conquest and strategic considerations, consisted of persons from different tribes and areas. Due to these conditions, S’ad b. Abi Waqas faced many problems in settling the persons of different colour and race under various tribal groups or to assimilate them in one social and cultural set up. After some time he divided them into seven groups.

It has been reported that during the period of the 2nd Caliph, some effort was made to spread Islamic culture in Kufa and to train the Muslim army on an Islamic pattern. For this purpose, Ammar Yasir was appointed the governor of Kufa. However, due to the fact that the caliph used to treat the Muslim soldiers better through the distribution of Bait ul Maal, and the number of slaves and maids had considerably increased due to extensive victories.

The values had changed and wealth, authority and such other considerations had taken the place of Islamic and moral values. As a result, the wealthy persons had acquired a much higher status in Kufa. Later, during the rule of the 3rd Caliph, with the appointment of Walid b. 'Aqaba as governor, the tribal aristocracy was revived and the Islamic values were even ridiculed.

During this period, the Umayyads had attained domination in the politics of Kufa but the religious and the faithful persons of Kufa could not bear the ridicule of religious values and stood against the rulers. Thus Kufa had become divided into different groups. On one side was the religious group who were devoted to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah, while on the other side was the ruling clique who wanted to strengthen its rule and the capitalistic system.

During the caliphate of Hazrat ‘Ali (as), the religious group had attained an upper hand in Kufa as many Muhajirin, Ansars and the of the Holy Prophet (saws) had immigrated there due to its becoming the capital. Apart from it, a large number of Shi'as had appeared in Kufa during the caliphate of Hazrat ‘Ali (as).

However, the influence of non-believers and tribal chiefs, who had been against the religious group from the beginning and had been intriguing against religion ever since, was not an insignificant one.