Many abuses had crept in during the reign of Osman...

Many abuses had crept in during the reign of Osman, which called for immediate action, and most of the provincial governments were in the hands of persons of dubious antecedents and suspected faith. Having set his heart upon a thorough reform, he resolved to depose Moawiya and the other governors, who owed their appointments to his predecessor. Abdallah b.

Abbas, who had returned by now from his pilgrimage to Mecca, strongly opposed this measure, especially of the proposal to depose Moawiya and advised him to postpone the execution of the contemplated measure for a short while till at least he should find himself more firmly established in authority.

He argued : 'If thou deposest Moawiya, the Syrians, whom he hast firmly attached to himself by his munificence, will rise up against thee in a, body, will not recognise thee Caliph and worst of all, they will accuse thee of the murder of Osman.

It will be advisable, therefore, to let him continue in his place till he submits to thy authority, and when once he hast done that, it will be easy for thee to pull him out of his house by the ears whensoever thou dost desire it.' 'Besides,' he reminded Ali, 'Talha and Zubeir are not the persons to be relied upon; I have good reasons to suspect them of taking up arms against thee very soon, and perhaps they may join Moawiya' 'But the Divine Law,' said Ali, 'dost not allow of crafty deceptions.

I must strictly follow the true principles of religion and therefore should not willingly allow any ungodly man to retain his office. The reason why Ali did not listen to those who advised him not to dismiss Moawiya is given by Osborne (History of Islam) in the following words: "The Bayard of Islam, the hero without fear and without reproach refused to be guilty of any duplicity of compromise with injustice." 'Moawiya will have nothing but the sword from me.

I cannot retain him for a single day.' 'See,' continued he, 'I appoint thee, O Ibn Abbas ! Thou shalt go forth thyself to Syria to turn him out.' 'That', cried Ibn Abbas, 'is quite impracticable, Moawiya would not leave me alive because of my being akin to thee.' When these arrangements were in progress, Talha and Zubeir came to Ali and applied for their appointment to the governments of Kufa and Basra, respectively.

But Ali politely refused, observing that in the present emergency, he needed such able counsellors near at hand.