Al-Layth said: Al-Mughīrah led the people in the pilgrimage of the year 40 AH.
Jarīr ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd related—on the authority of Mughīrah—that al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah said to ʿAlī when ʿUthmān was killed, “Stay in your house and do not call people to pledge allegiance to yourself; even if you were hiding in some crevice in Mecca they would pledge allegiance to no one but you.”
He also told ʿAlī, “If you will not heed me on this fourth point, I shall certainly separate myself from you: send Muʿāwiyah his written appointment, and afterwards depose him.” When ʿAlī did not do so, al-Mughīrah withdrew to Yemen.
Later, when ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah were pre-occupied and sent no one to oversee the pilgrimage season, al-Mughīrah came, led the people in prayer, and prayed for Muʿāwiyah (1).
Saʿīd ibn Dāwūd al-Zanbarī reported: Mālik narrated to us from his uncle Abū Suhayl, from his father, who said:
“Ammār met al-Mughīrah in one of Medina’s alleyways while the latter was girded with his sword. He called out, ‘O Mughīrah!’
“Al-Mughīrah replied, ‘What do you want?’
“Ammār said, ‘Will you not seek what is with Allah?’
“Al-Mughīrah answered, ‘By Allah, I would love to know that. By Allah, I never thought ʿUthmān was in the right, nor had I seen the right path before him. So, Abū al-Yaqẓān, would you not rather go into your house and lay down your sword until this darkness clears and its moon rises, and then we walk in the light?’
“Ammār responded, ‘I seek refuge in Allah from becoming blind after I have been sighted.’
“Al-Mughīrah said, ‘Abū al-Yaqẓān, when you see a flood, keep clear of its current.’ (2)
Ḥajjāj ibn Abī Manīʿ said: My grandfather narrated to us from al-Zuhrī, who said:
“Muʿāwiyah summoned ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ in Kūfah and said, ‘Help me with respect to Kūfah.’
“ʿAmr asked, ‘What about Egypt?’
“Muʿāwiyah replied, ‘I shall appoint your son ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr over it.’
“ʿAmr said, ‘Very well.’
“While they were on that, al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah—who had been living in seclusion at al-Ṭāʾif—arrived, and Muʿāwiyah spoke with him privately.
“Al-Mughīrah said, ‘You would make ʿAmr governor of Kūfah and his son governor of Egypt, leaving yourself like a man sitting between a lion’s jaws!’
“Muʿāwiyah asked, ‘What do you suggest?’
“Al-Mughīrah replied, ‘Leave Kūfah to me; I will take care of it for you.’
“Muʿāwiyah said, ‘Then do so.’
“And he said—”}