You people professed Islam for self interest but remained infidels at heart.

You people professed Islam for self interest but remained infidels at heart. The Prophet of Islam cursed you twice and damned you so that you may never be satiated. I have heard from the Prophet of Allah that his ummah should remain on guard against the mischief of the man with big eyes and wide gullet, who is never satiated with food although he eats too much, when he becomes the ruler of his ummah. Hearing this Mu'awiyah said, "I am not that man spoken of by the Messenger of Allah".

Abu Dharr said, "O Mu'awiyah! It is no use denying that you are definitely the same man and listen! The Prophet has informed me that by that man he meant you and you alone. O Mu'awiyah! One day when you were passing in front of the Prophet, I heard him say: O Allah! Damn him, and do not fill his stomach except with dust. O Mu'awiyah! I have heard him also say that Mu'awiyah's flank is in Hell-fire".

Hearing this Mu'awiyah laughed shamefully, ordered him to be arrested, sent him to prison and wrote to Uthman about the whole affair"[^4]. Having sent Abu Dharr to prison Mu'awiyah in his letter to Uthman complained against Abu Dharr which meant that he should be called back from Syria. Accordingly Uthman called him from Syria to Medina.

The contents of the letter according to the translation of Tarikh A'tham Kufi Shafi'i [^5] are as follows: "After due respect Mu'awiyah ibn Sakhr humbly states that Abu Dharr has provoked the Syrians against you. He is removing love for you from the hearts of the people. He remembers Umar and Abu Bakr all the time, and reminds their good conduct and virtues. He mentions you with bad words and calls your words and deeds faulty and mistaken.

It is inexpedient to keep him in Syria, Egypt and Iraq-Arab because the people of these places are mischief- mongers, and join the seditious people soon and create disturbance. I have informed you of what has come to light. Now whatever the Caliph decides will be better. Wassalam". A camel rider started with the Mu'awiyah's letter and presented it before Uthman at Medina.

As soon as Uthman received the letter he at once wrote back to Mu'awiyah: "Your letter to hand; I came to know what you wrote about Abu Dharr. As soon as you receive this letter send Abu Dharr to Medina on the back of a rash camel with a hard-hearted rider who keeps the camel running day and night in order to send Abu Dharr to sleep so that he forgets to speak of you and me both".