Every lowly individual who went to any governors of Mu'awiya...

Every lowly individual who went to any governors of Mu'awiya and related about 'Uthman a merit or a virtue was received kindly, his name was taken down and he was given preferential treatment.[^4] Regular public cursing of 'Ali, identified as the soul of the Prophet,[^5] in the congregational prayers thus remained a vital institution, which was not abolished until sixty years later by 'Umar II ('Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz).

Marwan clearly recognized the importance of the cursing as a tool of government. He told 'Ali b. al-Husayn ”No one was more temperate ( akaff ) towards our master than your master.” 'Ali b.

al-Husayn asked him, “Why do you curse him then from the pulpits?” He answered, “Our reign would not be sound without that.” ( La yastaqimu lana hadha illa bi hadha ).[^6] Particularly useful for Mu'awiya's purposes was the public cursing of 'Ali in Kufa where, he hoped, it would bring out into the open the latent opposition to Umayyad rule, thus facilitating his measures of repression. When he appointed al-Mughira b.

Shu'ba governor of Kufa, he instructed him, “Never desist from abusing and censuring 'Ali, from praying for God's mercy and forgiveness for 'Uthman, from disgracing the followers of 'Ali, from removing them and refusing to listen to them. Moreover, never cease praising the partisans of 'Uthman, bringing them close to you, and listening to them.[^7] Hujr b. 'Adi acted as the representative for the partisans of 'Ali.

Whenever he heard that the government abusing 'Ali and praying for 'Uthman in the mosque, he stood up, quoting ﴾O you who have faith, be maintainers of justice and witnesses for the sake of Allah.﴿ ( Q: 4 / 135) . Then he gave witness that the one whom they censured and blamed was more worthy of excellence and the one whom they vindicated and extolled was more worthy of censure. Al-Mughira would warn him of the wrath of the ruler but then left him alone.

He did not wish to lose the other world by shedding the blood of the best men of the city for the sake securing Mu'awiya's power in this world.[^8] Al-Mughira vainly attempted to persuade Mu'awiya to change his policy. He pleaded that the caliph had now reached an advanced age.

If he were to make a show of justice and spread goodness by displaying concern for his Hashimite kin and by strengthening his bonds with them, since he had no longer anything to fear from them, he would gain from that lasting fame and reward. Mu'awiya answered, “Far from it, would it be so.