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God forbid that
I should lake the perverse as my aids.
'Ali ibn Abi_Talib
As we have
already seen (129) owing to the greed and crimes
of the relatives of 'Uthman who had the ruling
power behind them, riots and rebellions spread
over big Islamic cities, and dissatisfied Muslims
placed 'Uthman in straitened circumstances in
Medina. This third caliph wrote to Mu'awiyah in
the same way that he had written to other governors,
asking for help. He said in his letter: "The
people of Medina have resorted to infidelity and
disobedience and have violated their allegiance.
Let the warriors of ash-Sham mount any kind of
animal, and dispatch them to my aid."
Mu'awiyah received the letter. He was well aware
of the chaotic conditions, and was probably waiting
for the death of 'Uthman and his removal as a
powerful rival, in order to get one step nearer
to the seat of caliphate. Therefore, despite all
his debt to 'Uthman he showed no haste in sending
help, and accounted for his negligence by declaring:
"I have no wish to oppose all the friends
and companions of the Prophet." What a deception
and cunningness he displayed!
When he took so long in giving a positive response
to the caliph's letter, 'Uthman wrote to the people
of ash-Sham themselves, asking them to leave their
city and hasten to his aid.(130)
al-Baladhuri writes: When 'Uthman wrote to Mu'awiyah
asking for his help, Mu'awiyah sent Yazid ibn
Asad al-Qasri with a group of soldiers towards
Medina, but ordered that on-their arrival at Dhu
Khushub (131) they should set up a camp there
and proceed no further.
With such an order, the commander and his army
proceeded towards Medina, and when they reached
the zone of Dhu Khushub, they halted and lingered
there so long until 'Uthman was killed in the
hands of the people. When all the riot and tumult
subsided, Mu'awiyah recalled Yazid ibn Asad, and
the army returned to ash-Sham without having taken
a positive
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