Some of the provinces that were subjected to oppressive...

Some of the provinces that were subjected to oppressive fiscal policies were as follows: Yathrib Muawiyah initiated the weakening of Yathrib and he did not spend anything on the people of this province because it was an area inhabited with persons opposed to his regime and many of the personalities who were critics of the Umayyads or who were aspirants for power and rulership resided therein. Historians say: He compelled them to sell off their properties and he purchased them at a meager price.

He sent his tax collectors to tax their profits but they refused and came to their governor, Uthman bin Muhammad and said: “All this money belongs to us. Muawiyah in their profits has acted with discrimination. He did not give us a single dirham or more than that till we fell to hard times and hunger has befallen us. At that time he bought over our properties at one-hundredth the value.” The governor of Medina replied in an acerbic and a nasty tone.

The respected companion, Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari went to Muawiyah but he in order to humiliate him did not accord permission to meet him. Jabir returned from there. At that time Muawiyah sent 600 dirhams for Jabir but Jabir returned them and he wrote to him: “I select contentment over wealth when the two of them come together. Just as I select the cool drinking water. Whenever I become needless I shall consider myself the ruler while there are many who are ruled but themselves are never rulers.

I shall wear the dress of modesty while I see the position of wealth and would not dishonor my respect for it.” And he told Muawiyah’s messenger: “Tell him that by Allah, O son of Hind, the liver-eater, you shall not find any good thing in your scroll of deeds as I shall be the cause of it.” Poverty spread into the homes of Ansar and they were involved in such bad circumstances that none of them were able to even purchase a camel to utilize it for their needs.

When Muawiyah was going to Hajj some of the Ansar went to meet him while most of them were on foot.