The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 54
54 H A D RAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMAD the son of that man who removed the disorder of apostasy and emerged victorious from great difficulties. I shall see whether you are able to talk to me in the manner that you spoke to Mu‘ a wiyah ra and Sa‘ i d ra. Listen here! If you utter a word of mischief to someone here, then I shall give you a punishment that you will never forget. ” Having said this, he confined them and ordered them to always remain with him. When he would go on journey, he would take them along with him on foot and he would inquire: “How do you feel now? Punishment is the remedy of a person who is not reformed by virtue. Why do you not speak now?” These people would express remorse and seek repentance for their mischief. After some time had elapsed, ‘ Abdur-Ra h m a n bin Kh a lid bin Wal i d thought that they had been reformed. As such, he sent a person from among them by the name of M a lik to Hadrat ‘ Uthm a n ra in order to beg for forgiveness. He came before Hadrat ‘Uthm a n ra and repented and expressed remorse and asked forgiveness for himself and his companions. Hadrat ‘Uthm a n ra forgave him and inquired as to where he desired to live. M a lik replied that now he wished to stay with ‘Abdur- Ra h m a n bin Kh a lid. Hadrat ‘Uthm a n ra granted him permission and he returned to ‘Abdur-Ra h m a n bin Kh a lid. 52 His desire to stay with ‘Abdur-Ra h m a n bin Kh a lid indicates that his heart had certainly been cleansed at the time. If not, he would not have desired to return to such a man, who 52. T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, pp. 135-136, Dhikru Tasy i ri Mann Sayyara Min Ahlil-K u fata Ilaih a , Published by D a rul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002 edition [Publishers]