and a fetter!’
He then signalled to his companions. They appealed to him about the matter, so he relented.

Abū al-Mughīrah al-Khawlānī reported: Ṣafwān ibn ʿAmr narrated to us; Abū al-Ṣalt al-Ḥaḍramī told me:
‘We had cut the Iraqis off from the water. A horseman came toward us, then removed his helmet, and—lo—it was al-Ashʿath ibn Qays. He said,
“Fear Allah, Muʿāwiyah, with regard to the community of Muhammad ﷺ! Suppose you kill the people of Iraq—who will defend the frontiers and care for the children? Or suppose we kill you—who will defend the frontiers and care for the children? Allah says, ‘If two groups of believers fight, then make peace between them.’ (Qur’an 49:9).”
Muʿāwiyah asked, “What do you want?”
He replied, “Let us have access to the water.”
So Muʿāwiyah said to Abū al-Aʿwar, “Allow our brothers access to the water.” (1)’

Al-Shaybānī (2) related from Qays ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Ashʿath that al-Ashʿath had been ʿUthmān’s governor over Azerbaijan. On one occasion he swore an oath and expiated it with fifteen thousand.

Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid reported from al-Shaʿbī:
‘Al-Ashʿath once swore an oath, then said, “May Allah curse this money! By Allah, I swore only truthfully, yet it still has to be returned to its owner,” and it amounted to thirty thousand.’

Shurayk reported: Abū Isḥāq said,
‘I performed the dawn prayer in al-Ashʿath’s mosque. When the imam gave the salām, I found a purse and a pair of sandals in front of me. I looked around and saw that every man had a purse and a pair of sandals in front of him. I asked, “What is this?” They said, “Al-Ashʿath arrived last night and said, ‘See to it!’”’