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DISMISSAL OF FUNCTIONARIES AND REASONS THEREOF

When Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) assumed the caliphate, the functionaries appointed by the previous regimes were holding the positions in all the provinces. These governors had made the life difficult for the Muslims. They used to trouble the people as they wanted. They had no fear of getting questioned by the center. The Imam (a.s) decided to do away with these functionaries.

Mughirah ibn Shu`bah got wind of this plan and he came to the Imam (a.s)and said, “I am your well-wisher and feel that I must give you a suggestion that you do not immediately remove Mu`awiyah, `Abdullah ibn `Amir and other functionaries of the time of `Uthman. When they enter your bay`ah you might do as you wish!” The Imam (a.s) replied, “Your advice is very right from the worldly point of view, but:

“By Allah! I cannot be two sided in the matters of Faith nor will I tolerate dishonor and indignity in my reign.”[1]

Now Mughirah had no face to talk any more and went away. He was feeling for the turning down of his advice. The next morning he again went to the presence of the Imam (a.s) and said, “The suggestion that I gave yesterday was not good. After more thought I have come to the conclusion that it will be better to remove all the functionaries.” Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) was surprised at this change of heart when Ibn `Abbas came and inquired on what purpose Mughirah was there. The Imam (a.s) replied that he visited him the previous day and on that day to give advice. “Yesterday his suggestion was that I continue to retain the functionaries and do not effect any changes. Today he suggests that I must change all of them!” Ibn `Abbas said, “In yesterday’s advice there is an element of thoughtfulness and today’s suggestion smacks of his anger because of the turning down of yesterday’s suggestion. Today’s advice smells of his deceit. I endorse his first advice and suggest to you to continue with the functionaries until they give their allegiance to you. They may be removed thereafter.” said:

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“If I leave Mu`awiyah on his position, it will mean that I am making the misguided as my associates.”[1]

Similarly Ziyad Ibn Hanzalah al-Tamimi too gave a similar advice. But the Imam (a.s) did not give any cognizance to all these suggestions and depended on the veracity of his own decision. He stuck to his decision of deposing all the functionaries immediately.

In some peoples minds there is a thought that if the Imam (a.s) had accepted the suggestions he might not have faced the difficulties that were to follow. But the truth is that these functionaries did not turn rebellious because of their summary dismissal. They were the Imam’s enemies since long. Even if they were left in their positions, they would consider the Imam (a.s) an impediment to their worldly schemes and would continue to weave the web of intrigue all the same. When both the alternatives seemed like bringing about the same result, then the Shari`ah demanded that the step that was commensurate with the demands of the Faith must be taken. Therefore, the reasons for the deposition of the functionaries were:

Firstly, the first purpose of the Imam (a.s) was to establish a truly Islamic regime. To do this it was important to close the avenues of selfishness, opportunism, avarice and to take steps to cleanse the society of these ills. This was not possible only with the change of the caliph. It was very important to remove the functionaries who were taking shelter behind political subterfuges and playing the game of family relations with the previous incumbent. The history bears evidence that because of the activities of those functionaries, the Islamic way of life was falling behind. If those men were continued in their positions, it was not possible to constitute a truly Islamic establishment.

Secondly, the Muslims were demanding from `Uthman to remove those conceited and cruel functionaries and to place just and morally steadfast persons in their place. When these demands were turned down, they took revolutionary steps. If the Imam (a.s) had agreed with the suggestions not to disturb the set-up, then once again the tyranny of the functionaries would provoke the revolutionary tendencies in the people.

Thirdly, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) was personally doubtful of the honesty and integrity of those functionaries and had been expressing his opinion about them in the past as well. In fact he had advised `Uthman to do away with the functionaries. `Uthman made some excuse or other to continue with the status

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quo. About Mu`awiyah he made an excuse that he was appointed by `Umar as the governor of Syria. This excuse did not have any weight! If the Imam (a.s) continued with those functionaries after assuming the caliphate, the people would think that the demand for dismissal was not in public interest and was just to come to power. When that purpose was achieved, out of political expedient, Mu`awiyah and the functionaries were allowed to continue holding their positions.

Fourthly, if for the strength and continuity of his regime the Imam (a.s) continued to have Mu`awiyah and other functionaries in their positions, it would have been termed as political weakness and people would say that despite the difference in the thinking he had bowed down to the circumstances and had no courage to remove them because of their influence and clout. The result would be that others would deem this as a weakness and would start making unreasonable demands.

Fifthly, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) had accepted the Caliphate with total sense of responsibility and therefore he could not have closed his eyes to the tyranny of the functionaries against the people. Otherwise, the responsibility would fall on him that despite knowing the natures and the way of functioning of those functionaries, he continued them in office. Therefore, at the first instance he had declared that he would do away with those functionaries.

Sixthly, `Ali (a.s) and Mu`awiyah belonged to two diametrically opposite groups. Mu`awiyah was from the group which was free of any binding of the Faith and were opportunists. Against this, `Ali’s politics was not under the debris of opportunism. Nor was there any element of cunning and subterfuge in his political stand. Because of this diametrically opposite nature, it was not possible for Mu`awiyah to remain quiet even if he was allowed to continue with his position. He knew that `Ali (a.s) would get rid of him one day or the other. Therefore, if he were allowed to remain the governor for some more time, he would not have quietly spent those days. But he would try to enhance his power of wealth and recruit more men to side with him. He could even have entered into an agreement with the neighboring Roman Empire. Considering all this, was not it discreet to depose him immediately without giving him any more time to continue with his machinations.

Seventhly, Mu`awiyah was not only having the ambition of preserving and conserving his position of the governorate of Syria. He had set sights on taking his standard to the entire Realm. Therefore, during the time of `Uthman he gathered around him a coterie of the Umayyad who would back

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him to the hilt. He was looking for an opportunity, with their backing, to declare himself the king. Therefore, when he felt that the tide had turned against `Uthman, he thought of taking advantage of that by asking him to move to Syria under his protection and in al-Madinah he had the danger from the disgruntled lot. The purpose of Mu`awiyah was to remove `Uthman from the center and take the reins of the administration in his own hands. This way he could have easily converted the temporary control into permanent hegemony. But `Uthman refused to move to Syria and this subterfuge of Mu`awiyah failed. When `Uthman was assassinated, Mu`awiyah used the event as a tool to further his interests. And started demanding qisas for `Uthman’s blood. If `Ali (a.s) had continued with retaining Mu`awiyah as the governor of Syria, he would have redoubled his activities to foment intrigue and trouble. If nothing, he would have spread the canard that `Ali (a.s) was responsible for the killing of `Uthman. If `Ali (a.s) gave evidence of his non-involvement in the assassination of `Uthman they would have said that without the allegiance of the people of Syria the caliphate of `Ali (a.s) was not valid. Thus Mu`awiyah would have continued with his intrigues whether he was in the governorate or not.

Eighthly, the functionaries were not selected on merit or their sympathies for the welfare of the people. They were the recipients of the favor from their relative. Therefore, `Uthman removed `Ammar ibn Yasir from al-Kūfah and appointed his own cousin al-Walid ibn `Uqbah. Removed Abū-Mūsa from al-Basrah and placed his uncle’s son `Abdullah ibn `Amir. `Uthman removed `Amr ibn al-`As from Egypt and placed `Abdullah ibn Sa`d. In this manner, he exhibited his nepotism by placing all his relations in positions of importance. Sa`id ibn Musayyab writes:

“`Uthman mostly nominated only those persons from Banū-Umayyah for the positions of governor who had not the privilege of companionship with the Prophet (a.s) and there used to be such talk about them that was not liked by the Prophet’s Companions.”[1]

When this selection was purely on the basis of partisanship and nepotism, maintaining them on the positions was not at all proper. It would have been tantamount to supporting the wrong step of the predecessor. It could never be expected that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) would ever approve of a wrong step and perpetuate it.

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Ninthly, Amir al-Mu’minin had been observing that the past regimes had neglected the Ansar and the Hashemites. It went to the extent that the Shūra that was instrumental in bringing `Uthman to the caliphate too had no representation of the Ansar. `Uthman had adopted the yardstick of selecting the Umayyads for positions of importance. On account of this, the Hashemites and the Ansar were deprived of their rights and the group rivalries had started raising their head. If merit was made the yardstick, there was no reason why none of the Hashemite and Ansar could be selected for important assignments. This injustice could only be rectified by deposing the existing functionaries and making the fresh selection purely on the basis of merit.

Tenthly, although the functionaries were the product of `Uthman’s nepotism, during the period of his virtual siege in his home at al-Madinah, none of them came to his rescue during that period of one month although they had with them the army and all the materials of war at their disposal. When they had failed their benefactor and guardian, how could `Ali (a.s) expect any faithfulness from them. However, when `Uthman was killed, some of his sycophants started raising noises about qisas for his blood. They must have rushed from their provinces for the succor of their master while there was time for them to reach and save him! They had no reasonable excuse for this lethargy. Mu`awiyah, who was an expert at fabricating excuses, and knew the art of face saving, was not also able to make any plausible excuse for his inaction. Therefore, once Abul-tufayl al-Kittani came to him. Mu`awiyah asked him where he was when `Uthman was assassinated? He replied that he was in al-Madinah but he could not do anything for `Uthman. Mu`awiyah said that it was binding on him to help and provide succor to `Uthman. Abul-tufayl said:

“What came in your way came in my way too! You kept sitting in Syria and the dark clouds of calamity kept hovering over his head!”[1]

Mu`awiyah replied that what else he could do than fight for the retaliation for the blood of `Uthman. Abul-tufayl said that Mu`awiyah’s and `Uthman’s matter was the same as was mentioned by al-Ju`di, “When I died the world remembered me much, in life none came to my rescue!”

Now we give the individual profiles of the functionaries to highlight our position further.