How strange it is that I am being grouped with him who never...

How strange it is that I am being grouped with him who never evinced briskness of pace like me nor had he to his credit any achievement like mine unless he claims something of which I do not know and which I think Allah too does not know. In any case, all praise belongs to Allah. فَيَاعَجَباً لِلدَّهْرِ!

إِذْ صِرْتُ يُقْرَنُ بِي مَنْ لَمْ يَسْعَ بِقَدَمِي، وَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ كَسَابِقَتِي الَّتِي لاَ يُدْلِي أحَدٌ بِمِثْلِهَا، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَدَّعِيَ مُدَّع مَا لاَ أَعْرِفُهُ، وَلاَ أَظُنُّ اللهَ يَعْرِفُهُ، وَالْحَمْدُ لله عَلَى كُلِّ حَال. As regards your request to hand over to you the murderers of `Uthman, I have thought over this matter and I do not find their handing over to you or to someone else possible for me.

By my life, if you do not give up your wrong ways and disruptive acts you will surely know them. They will shortly be seeking you and will not give you the trouble of seeking them in land, sea, mountains or plain. But this search will be painful for you and their visit will not give you happiness. Peace be on those who deserve it.

وَأَمَّا مَا سَأَلْتَ مِنْ دَفْعِ قَتَلَةِ عُثْمانَ إِلَيْكَ، فَإِنِّي نَظَرْتُ فِي هذَا الاْمْرِ، فَلَمْ أَرَهُ يَسَعُنِي دَفْعُهُمْ إِلَيْكَ وَلاَ إِلَى غَيْرِكَ، وَلَعَمْرِي لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْزِعْ عَنْ غَيِّكَ وَشِقَاقِكَ لَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ عَنْ قَلِيل يَطلُبُونَكَ، لاَ يُكَلِّفُونَكَ طَلَبَهُمْ فِي بَرّ وَلاَ بَحْر، وَلاَ جَبَللاَ سَهْل، إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ طَلَبٌ يَسُوءُكَ وِجْدَانُهُ، وَزَوْرٌ لاَ يَسُرُّكَ لُقْيَانُهُ، وَالسَّلاَمُ لاِهْلِهِ.

[^1]: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his descendants) was commanded (by Allah) to call people to (believe in) the Unity of Allah, the powers of unbelief and disobedience stood up to block the way of Truthfulness and the tribes of Quraysh decided to quell this voice through pressure and force. The love of their idols was so staunch in the hearts of these unbelievers that they were not prepared to hear a single word against them.

The idea of one God was enough to rouse their passions. In addition, they were made to hear such epithets about their gods that gave them no better position than lifeless stones. When they saw their principles and beliefs in danger they prepared themselves to trouble the Prophet and got ready to try every means to that end. They adopted such pain-inflicting devices (against the Prophet) that it was impossible for him to step out of his house.

Those who had accepted Islam in this period too had to face continuous tribulations.

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