Second
Day of the Caliphate
Next day Talhah and Zubair called on
Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and said that they
had pledged their support to him on the condition that retaliation measures
would be taken against the murderers of Uthmân. If he failed to take Qisâs,
their Bai'ah would stand as null and void. Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "I shall take the necessary Qisâs from the
murderers of Uthmân, and do full justice to one and all. But until now the
rioters are too strong and the state of caliphate has not yet been
consolidated, I can only pay attention to this after the return to normalcy.
Nothing can be done at present." Both of them went back home. But
whispering and murmuring started. The rioters and the murderers of Uthmân grew
anxious of their safety while others were dissatisfied with Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) over his lack of
action. Thus opposition to the caliphate of Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) began to build up. The new Caliph was rendered helpless by the
circumstances.
Disobedience
of the Rioters
Three days after assuming charge of
the caliphate, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
asked the people from Kufah, Basrah and Egypt to go back to their respective
places, but Abdullah bin Saba refused to obey his orders and most of the
rioters sided with him. It was, in truth, the greatest ill omen for the
caliphate of Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
that those refused to obey his orders who were apparently the strongest
supporters and followers of the new Caliph. Again Talhah and Zubair called on
Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and requested him to
send them to Basrah and Kufah to put the people right as they had large
followings among them. But Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
grew suspicious and did not allow it.
Useful
Counsel of Mughirah and Ibn Abbâs
On the third or fourth day after
being installed as Caliph, Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
issued orders deposing all the governors appointed by Uthmân bin Affân and
replaced them with his own. Knowing this Mughirah bin Shu'bah, a farsighted man
and close relative of Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
called on him and said that his decision to hold Talhah and Zubair back from
going out of Al-Madinah would have an adverse effect on the Quraish, and he
would lose much of their sympathy. Moreover, he (Ali) had deposed the governors
of Uthmân's period too hastily. He advised Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to leave those governors in their places and simply seek their
obedience. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
rejected the advice of Mughirah outright.
The next day Mughirah came again to
Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in the presence of
Abdullah bin Abbâs. During the conversation, he advised Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to depose the governors of Uthmân's period
without delay. Since he said that in clear contradiction of his previous
advice, Abdullah bin Abbâs remarked when he (Mughirah) left, "Mughirah had
given a wise counsel yesterday but he has deceived you today." When Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sought his opinion
he said, "It was better for you to leave Al-Madinah at the time of
Uthmân's martyrdom. But now it is the demand of reason that you keep the
governors of Uthmân intact until your caliphate gains stability. If you act too
quickly in deposing the governors, Banu Umayyah will create doubt in the minds
of people that they were being deposed for demanding Qisâs."
Hearing this Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "I shall straighten out
Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with my sword and
make no concessions." Ibn Abbâs said, "You are a brave man no doubt
but the Prophet has said: 'War is deceit.' (Bukhari:3030) So, if you act on my
advice, I shall suggest to you such a device that, if you put it into practice,
Banu Umayyah are sure to be left wondering without finding any way out."
Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "I
possess traits of characters neither like you nor like Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)." Ibn Abbâs
said, "As for my opinion, it is better for you to leave for Yanbu and stay
there with your doors shut. In such a case the Arabs will go from place to
place without finding a worthy man like you. But if you go about with the
slayers of Uthmân, they will accuse you of being an accomplice to this heinous
act." Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
said, "I don't consider it proper to act upon your advice; you should
rather follow what I say." Ibn Abbâs said, "It is undoubtedly proper for
me to carry your orders." Thereupon Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said, "I want to send you as the governor of Syria in
place of Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)."
Ibn Abbâs said, "Mu'âwiyah is an ancestral brother of Uthmân bin Affân,
while I am related to you. So they will kill or arrest me with my entry into
Syria. It is better that you first enter into correspondence with Mu’âwiyah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and take Bai'ah from
him." But Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
rejected the proposal. Mughirah bin Shu'bah witnessed that Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) neither acted upon
the advice of Ibn Abbâs nor of his own and so Mughirah left Al-Madinah for
Makkah.
Deposition
and Installation of Governors
Ali appointed Uthmân bin Hunaif for
Basrah, Umârah bin Shihâb for Kufah, Ubaidullah bin Abbâs for Yemen, Qais bin Saad
for Egypt and Sahl bin Hunaif for Syria. When Uthmân bin Hunaif reached Basrah,
some people accepted him right away and showed their obedience but some others
kept quiet to follow the people of Al-Madinah.
Umârah bin Shihâb appointed for
Kufah was on his way to Kufah when Tulaihah bin Khuwailid came across and
advised him to return because the people of Basrah wanted no replacement for
Abu Musa Ash’ari (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
And if he rejected his advice he would kill him then and there. Following this
advice he came back.
Ya'la bin Munyah, the governor of
Yemen had left for Makkah before the new governor Ubaidullah bin Abbâs reached
there to take charge peacefully.
When Qais bin Saad reached Egypt,
some people pledged their allegiance while others delayed it; still others
pleaded that they wanted to do nothing before the arrival to Egypt of their
fellows from Al-Madinah.
Sahl bin Hunaif on the way to Syria
met in Tabuk several horsemen who inquired about him. On the disclosure that he
was going as the governor of Syria, they said to him in a firm tone, "If
you are going to Syria appointed by somebody other than Uthmân, then it is
better for you to go back." Sahl returned from there. By the time he
arrived in Al-Madinah, other governors had also reached the capital of Islam.
Jarir bin Abdullah Al-Bajali was
governor of Hamadân at the time of the martyrdom of Uthmân. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) wrote him to come to
him in Al-Madinah after taking the oath of allegiance of the people of his
province, and he reached Al-Madinah accordingly.
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