11. Tradition of Malik bin Harith Ashtar1
In Ansab, Balazari has written that:2 Uthman wrote a letter to Ashtar and his
friends, Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr and Miswar bin Makhrama and called
them to obedience and he announced that they are the first, who have created
discord, and ordered them to have fear of God, return to truth and write to him
whatever they wanted.
So Ashtar wrote a letter to him: From Malik Harith to the Caliph, who is
surrounded by calamities, who has given up following the practice of Prophet and
disregarded the command of Quran: So to say: Indeed, I read your letter. Thus,
stop yourself and your agents from injustice, transgression and banishment of
righteous persons. And you said that we have been unjust over ourselves and this
is the same thought, which has destroyed you and shown to you oppression as
justice and falsehood as truth.
12. Tradition of Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan the Umayyad
1. It is mentioned in the latter, which Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) wrote to
Muawiyah that:
“Allahu Akbar! How hopelessly you are engulfed in your inordinate and
sinful desires, how mercilessly you are swept by such vicious and unholy
cravings which misguide you in this life and will bring you to a sad end. You
have forsaken the cause of truth and justice and have arrogantly spurned the
arguments, which are agreeable to Allah and were unacceptable to man. What do
you mean by creating this faction and revolt with pretence of taking revenge from
murderers of Uthman? The real facts of the case are that during the life of Caliph
Uthman, you only went to his help when this action in the end was profitable to
you and you could get something out of him, and you refused to help him when
he was really in need of you and your support and for which he had frequently
requested you.”3
It is mentioned in a letter which Imam (a.s.) wrote to Muawiyah that:
“By God, no one other than you has killed your cousin.”4
3. It is mentioned in a letter, which Ibne Abbas wrote to Muawiyah:
“And as for what you say that: I spoke ill of Uthman and did not assist him, and shed his blood and between me and you there is no proximity that should
prevent you from apprehending me, thus by God, you were waiting for his murder, and you wanted him to be killed…”5
4. When the news of Uthman’s murder and allegiance to Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.) was received, he (Muawiyah) was sad at what he had done and
he expressed regret at not having helped Uthman.6
13. Letter of Muhajireen to people of Egypt
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
From the Muhajireen of the early period of Islam and survivors of Shura
committee to the companions and companions of companions, who are in Egypt:
So to say: Come to us before successorship of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) is
snatched from its folks and take it. Indeed, the Book of Allah has changed and
the Sunnah of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) is distorted and the laws of previous
two Caliphs are changed and interpolated…and Caliphate after our Prophet, was
the Caliphate of prophethood and mercy, but today it has changed into tyrannical
rulership and anyone, who comes to control something, he usurps it.7