92. DISMISSAL OF QAIS IBNE SAAD
After the Battle of Jamal, Muawiya had the fear that Hazrat Ameer al Momineen (a.s) would remove him from the governorate of Syria. He was not willing to demit that office at any cost. This danger was there for him both from Iraq and Egypt. If Qais ibne Saad came with his armies from Egypt and from the other side Hazrat Ameer al Momineen (a.s) attacked with the Iraqi forces, he wouldn’t be able to face the two-edged onslaught. He was thinking of either winning over the loyalty of Qais or to cunningly get him removed from the governate of Egypt. Therefore he wrote a very cunning letter to him that“Ali (a.s) had committed a grave indiscretion by shedding the blood of Othman and your tribe too was involved in that act. If you want safety for yourself, you must join those who are claiming Qasas for the Blood of Othman. If you strengthen our hands you will be given the control of the region of Iraqain and anyone of your choice, from your family, will be made th governor of Hejaz. What ever else you need will also be granted to you. I shall await your earliest response.” Muawiya had thrown this bait, but Qais wasn’t an easy prey. He replied, but he neither committed to join hand with him nor totally turned down his offer. He thought it discreet to keep Muawiya expecting a positive response from him. Therefore he wrote,“I wasn’t involved in the assassination of Othman, although the people of my tribe were implicated in the act. You have termed Hazrat Ali (a.s.) as a party to this killing. That is not in my knowledge. As far as joining hands with you, the decision cannot be made in a hurry. However, I assure you that I shall not take any step that will not be to your liking. ” When Muawiya read this letter he was unable to decide whether Qais was pulling away his hand or extending his hand in cooperation to him. He wrote back again, “I couldn’t understand whether you are against me or in my favor! If you are trying to keep me in darkness, I am not the one to be eassliy carried away. The time is near when armies will be near me and the reins of the horses in my hands. Then no excuses will work with me! “When Qais read this letter, he understood that Muawiya cannot be brushed aside easily. Therefore he wrote to him in clear terms, “I am surprised that you haven’t been able to understand me. You tried to mislead me with offers of governance and power! Can you imagine that I move away from the emirate of the person who is most capable of leading the Muslims, and whose veracity, nobility and nearness to the Prophet (s.a) is unquestionable. Do you want me to put the yoke of your obedience in my neck when you don’t have anything to do with the emirate and leadership? You are deceitful and the son of a deceit and member of the group of the offspring of Iblis! In your letter you have talked about the armies. By Allah! If you save your life from my onslaught, you must count yourself lucky!“When Muawiya read this letter, he was very angry.. In the end Muawiya lost all hope of winning over Qais. When no subterfuge worked, he turned his mind to cunning. He forged a letter purported to be from Qais in which it was written, “From Qais ibne Saad to Muawiya, emir of Syria: I have decided after much thought that we should’nt side with those people at whose hand one pious and noble leader of Islam was klled. We repent from our sins and expect and pray to Allah for preserving our Faith. We assure you of our obedience and are ready to fight with the killers of the Oppressed Othman and shall soon forward our milatiry and monetary help.” Besides this forged letter, they had also started spreading the story through the word of mouth that Qais was Muawiya’s friend and well wisher. They said that he had already given all sorts of facilities to the residents of Kharbata and he treats all who go to him from there with kindness.
Muawiya not only publicized this letter in Syria, but through his agents he spread the story in Koofa as well to poison the environment there against Qais. Therefore the story was taking rounds in the streets of Koofa. The word also reached the ears of Ameer al Momineen (a.s) as well. He called some of his close persons and had a discussion with them.They said that Qais ibne Saad is unhappy with him and was conspiring with Muawiya and that it would be better to relieve him of his position. Ameer al Momineen (a.s.) was understanding that it should be the trick of Muawiya. Therefore he told to his advisers:
“By Allah! I cannot believe these talks about Qais!”
Ref: Tareeq e Tabari, Vol 3, Page 554
In this period Qais wrote a letter to the Imam (a.s.) wherein he wrote,“In these surroundings some Othmanis who want to be spared from taking the Bai-at. Their representatives have told me that till the circumstances don’t normalize, they should be left to their own scruples. I have thought it discreet for the time being we should not fight with them. It is possible that they might come to the right decision in some time.” When Abd Allah ibne Jafar was informed about this letter, he said,“Ya Ameer al Momineen (a.s)! I feel as if Qais is telling this to gain time. You must write to him that he should obtain the allegiance of those people. If they refuse, he must fight with them.” Other persons too agreed with this suggestion. Considering the opinion of the people at Koofa, the Imam (a.s) wrote to Qais, that the people of Egypt who had not as yet pledged their allegiance, seek their immediate Bai-at. If they refuse, fight with them. When Qais got this letter he wrote in the reply, “Ya Ameer al Momineen! If we fight with them, they will become stronger supporters of your enemies. Discretion requires that they are left to themselves for the time being. “This reply from Qais convinced people that he was going closer to Muawiya and Ashas ibne Qais, Abd Allah ibne Jafar, Mohammed ibne Hanafia and other important persons of Koofa insisted that he must be deposed forthwith. They suggested the name of Mohammed ibne Abu Bakr to replace him. Hazrat (a.s.) was not in favor of deposing him. But when the insistence increased, he issued orders for removing Qais ibne Saad and appointing Mohammed ibne Abu Bakr in his place.
The trick that Muawiya played was succeeding. The result came about in the shape of removal of Qais from Egypt. At first Muawiya tried to tempt Qais to join hands with him. When he didn’t succeed in that, he forged the letter and through propaganda turned the people against Qais. Thus, through Hazrat Ameer al Momineen (a,s,)’s own companions he got rid of Qais. Ibne Hajr Asqalani writes:
“Hazrat Ali (a.s.) had appointed Qais as the governor of Egypt. Muawiya tried through several subterfuges to tempt him but he didn’t take the bait. Then he misguided the companions of Hazrat Ali (a.s) and they proposed appointment of Mohammed ibne Abu Bakr in such a manner that Hazrat (a.s) appointed him the emir of Egypt.”
Ref: Asaba, Vol 3, Page 239
Qais demitted his governorate of Egypt and came away to Madina and those people who weree scared of his skills at warfare and his exceptional valor took a sigh of relief. The enemy was pleased and those who wanted to rejoice at his deposition were rejoicing. Therefore, Hissan ibne Tabit, who was a person from the Othmani Group, came to Qais and said that he was given a raw deal that he was deposed.although you were not a part of the conspiracy to kill Othman. Qais said angrily:
“O person with no vision! Get away from here! If I hadn’t the fear that war would commence between my tribe and yours, I would have killed you now!”
Ref: Tareeq e Tabari, Vol 3, Page 555
Marwan ibne Hakam and Aswad ibn al Bakhtari too threatened him. When he felt that there was a danger of being made a captive, or even killed, he went to the Ameer al Momineen (a.s) in Koofa with Sahl ibne Hanif. When Muawiya learned about this, he wrote in anger to Marwan and Aswad:
“You have both made the way for Qais going away to Ali (a.s.). By Allah! If you helped Ali (a.s.) with a hundred thousand armed men, I wouldn’t feel so much as I am feeling for your sending Qaisto Koofa that with his opinion and suggestions made Ali (a.s) more strong!”
Ref: Tareeq e Tabari, Vol 3, Page 556
After deposition from Egypt, Hazrat Ameer al Momineen (a.s.) appointed Qais the governor of Azer Baijan. During his journey to Syria, Qais appointed Abd Allah ibne Shabeel Ahmasi his deputy and took part in the Battle of Siffin with great valor.
About the deposition of Qais ibne Saad generally people criticize the political aptitude of Hazrat Ali (a.s.). They say that the decision was contrary to the norms of discretion. He had moved away such a capable hand from the very important province of Egypt at a time when Muawiya was looking for a chance to start hostilities. The need was to make the administration in Egypt stronger. But by removing him from there, the position was handed over to Mohammed ibne Abu Bakr who was not capable of contending with Muawiya’s incursions nor save the province from the depradations of the enemy. Because of his poor political acumen, control over Egypt was lost and Muawiya had annexed it.
Superficially this objection sounds very reasonable, but to make a fair decision about it it is necessary to consider the circumstances obtainable during that period of time. That was the time when the means of communication were meager. Within the same realm, the happenings in one province were not known to the people in the other regions. Even if some messages got through, the event would assume an entirely different shape than what actually happened. According to the political situation obtainable in Egypt, however much the attitude of Qais ibne Saad was discreet, but the messages that were traveling from there, through word of mouth or otherwise, doubting his attitude was not unlikely. On reaching Egypt, he didn’t deal strictly with the Othmanian people of Kharbata. Normally such elements are treated as rebels. There could be justification of leaving such people to their scruples when the establishment had neither means nor power to control them. It cannot be said that Qais didn’t have the means and the strength to subdue those 10,000 Othmanians. Again when Muawiya tempted Qais to join his group, he neither accepted the offer nor rebuked it. This attitude provoked more doubts about him. When he ultimately rebuked Muawiya’s offer, what was the need for him to publicise about the rebuff. Instead, Muawiya went to the extent of forgery to create an impression in the minds of the people of Syria and Koofa that Qais was hand in glove with Muawiya! Notwithstanding all the pressures, Hazrat Ameer al Momineen (a.s) continued to put his trust in Qais ibne Saad. He never doubted his integrity at any stage. He didn’t order for any inquiries about the rumors taking rounds of Koofa about Qais. Despite this, it was difficult for the Imam (a.s) to continue with him as the governor of Egypt because the ineptitude of the natures of the people of Koofa is not a hidden thing. Otherwise, if hostilities had started in Egypt, they would have refused to mobilize men for the operation. In such an eventuality, Qais wouldn’t have been able to contend with the Syrians with the force available to him in Egypt. Therefore when the armies of Syria attacked Egypt, Mohammed kept pleading for men, but the Koofans didn’t come to his rescue. Muawiya was under the wrong impression that after being deposed from Egypt, Qais would prefer to sit at home and wouldn’t come back to active duty. That was the pettifogging of a mean mind. Qais was a person who followed the Truth. It was not his nature to go away from the Truth when he was deprived of a worldly position. In fact such occasions are the acid tests of the people of character. Although Muawiya succeeded in getting Qais removed from the governorate of Egypt, but the truth is that his remaining in position at Egypt was not so unpalatable to him than his participation with great valor in the Battle of Siffin. Muawiya was heard saying during the battle,“If the battle didn’t stop by the morrow, Qais will obliterate us from the face of the Earth!”