The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 62
62 H A D RAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMAD his words. Instead of carrying out an unbiased investigation, he did not even approach the governor of Egypt, nor did he carry out an ordinary investigation. On the contrary, he went along with this group of rebels and began to raise objections with them. 56 ‘ Amm a r bin Y a sir is the only person from among the companions about whom it is categorically proven that he became entrapped in the snare of rebels. Aside from him, no other prominent Companion participated in such an act. If anyone from among them has been implicated, such a notion has been refuted by other narrations. There was a particular reason for ‘Amm a r bin Y a sir ra being deceived. As soon as he arrived in Egypt, he happened to meet a group of eloquent and well-spoken people who appeared to be reliable; they began to complain to him about the governor of Egypt with great skill. Coincidently, the governor of Egypt was a man who had once been a bitter enemy of the Holy Prophet sa. At the victory of Makkah the Holy Prophet sa had commanded that he should be killed even if he was to be found in the vicinity of the Ka ‘ bah. Even though the Holy Prophet sa later forgave him, his former opposition had left traces of dislike upon the hearts of certain companions, which included ‘Amm a r ra. Therefore, upon hearing complaints against such a person, ‘Amm a r ra was very quickly influenced and accepted all the allegations that would be levelled against him as being true. Whilst capitalising on natural sentiment, the Sab a ’ i s, i. e. , the supporters of ‘Abdull a h 56. T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, p. 148, 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]