Accordingly, Qays wrote back to him once he had made up his mind: “I stand with ʿAlī, for he has a greater right to this affair than you.” When Muʿāwiyah received this, he abandoned all hope of winning Qays over and let the matter drop. Some of the Syrians then spread the rumour that Qays ibn Saʿd (1) was secretly corresponding with them and colluding with them against the people of Iraq.

Ibn Jarīr (2) relates that a forged letter surfaced, purportedly showing Qays pledging allegiance to Muʿāwiyah—Allah knows best how authentic it was. When this reached ʿAlī, he grew suspicious of Qays and wrote instructing him to attack the people of Khirbita (3) who had refused to give the pledge. Qays replied with an apology, explaining that they were many in number and counted among the leading men of the land.

He wrote again: “If you have only ordered me to do this in order to test me, because you suspect my obedience, then appoint someone other than me to your post in Egypt.” ʿAlī therefore named Mālik al-Ashter al-Nakhaʿī governor of Egypt. Al-Ashter set out, but when he reached al-Qulzum he drank a draught of honey in which lay his death. When the Syrians heard of it they said, “Allah indeed has an army made of honey!”

On learning of al-Ashter’s demise, ʿAlī appointed Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr as governor of Egypt. The sounder view, however, is that ʿAlī had already placed Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr (4) in charge after Qays ibn Saʿd. Qays then departed for Medina, and he and Sahl ibn Ḥunayyf rode on to meet ʿAlī. Qays offered his apology, which ʿAlī accepted, and both men fought alongside him at Ṣiffīn, as we shall relate.

Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr remained in Egypt, firmly in control and held in awe throughout the country, until the battle of Ṣiffīn occurred. When the Egyptians heard that Muʿāwiyah and the Syrians were fighting the Iraqis and had proceeded to arbitration, they turned their ambitions toward Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr. Emboldened, they displayed open hostility toward him, and what befell him will be recounted in due course.

As for ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, he had pledged allegiance to Muʿāwiyah to champion the pursuit of ʿUthmān’s blood. He had left Medina when the people sought to besiege ʿUthmān, wishing not to witness his death. Moreover, he bore a grievance against ʿUthmān (5) for removing him from the governorship of Egypt and appointing (6) ʿAbd Allāh ibn Saʿd ibn Abī Sarḥ in his stead. Thus he departed Medina in anger (7) and settled near the Jordan. When ʿUthmān was killed (may Allah be pleased with him), he went to Muʿāwiyah and pledged allegiance to him for the purpose we have mentioned—avenging ʿUthmān’s blood.

Section: The Battle of Ṣiffīn between the Iraqis (the followers of ʿAlī) and the Syrians (the followers of Muʿāwiyah)

We have already cited the narration transmitted by Imām Aḥmad, from Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUlayyah, from Ayyūb, from Muḥammad ibn Sīrīn, that he