The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 67
67 ‘Uthman ra has now fallen very weak. Disorder is escalating. Please do look after him. ” 60 After saying this, Mu‘ a wiyah ra set off for Syria. The absence of provincial governors from their respective regions, was not an opportunity that ‘ Abdull a h bin Sab a would simply allow to slip away. He immediately relayed a message in all directions saying: “Now is the perfect time for us to act. Let us choose one day and launch a sudden attack upon the governors of our respective provinces. ” However, they were still consulting one other when the governors happened to return. The Sab a ’ i s (i. e. supporters of ‘Abdull a h bin Sab a ) in other areas were left in despair, but as for those in Kufah, who were already habitual in being at the forefront of practical disorder, did not let this opportunity slip away. A person by the name of Yaz i d bin Qais held a gathering in the Kufah mosque and announced that Hadrat ‘ Uthm a n ra should now be removed from the office of Khilafat. When Qa‘q a ‘ bin ‘Amr ra , who was the officer of the military post there, heard of this, he came to arrest him. Yaz i d bin Qais made a plea before him stating: “I am not acting disobediently. We have only gathered to hold a meeting about Sa‘ i d bin Al-‘ As ra so that we can request his return from here and the appointment of a new officer in his stead. ” The officer replied: 60. T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, p. 150, Dhikru Mas i ri Mann S a ra Il a Dh i Khashabin Min Ahli Mi s ra. . . . . , Published by D a rul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002 edition [Publishers]