In the year 30 A.H.,* a dispute and contention arose for some reason between Sa’d B. Abu Woqqâss, the Governor of Kûfah, and between Mâlek Ashtar Nahaghy, in consequence of which the latter was so beaten during an assembly that he lost consciousness:
Now thou strikest me with a stone, and now with a fist;
Thou playest a game, but wilt kill me.
When Mâlek had recovered his senses, he returned sorrowful and dismayed to his house. This event displeased the notables of Kûfah and augmented their previous discontent. The explanation of this state of affairs is that the inhabitants of Kûfah had conceived affection for Wolyd B. O’tbah B. Abu Mo’ytt, and that on account of his politeness the notables of that locality had treated him lovingly. After his removal, Sa’d arrived in Kûfah, and ordered the pulpit of Wolyd to be destroyed, so as to get rid of his impure memory. His orders having necessarily been executed, he appointed a man to restrain the amusements of the people of Kûfah. As he was very ascetic, he refrained from all politeness in the transaction of affairs, and the people hated him. When Sa’d had degraded Mâlek Ashtar as has been narrated above, the aversion of the chiefs of Kûfah increased so that his equals, such as Thâbet B. Qays Nahaghy and Zaid B. Ssûhânu-l-a’bdy, and Jund B. Ka’b Alazdy and U’rwah B. Alja’d, and A’mru B. Alhamaq Alkhozaa’y, discussed in their meetings the character of Sa’d as wicked and despicable; they also abased him in the sight of the population, and calumniated O’thmân likewise. They held nightly meetings in a certain place, and Sa’d, having become aware of the fact, sent an officer to disperse the assembly, but as soon as he entered the notables of Kûfah said to him: ‘Who art thou to enter this house without permission?’ They then ordered their servants to punish him, and he was beaten till he lost consciousness. When he recovered his senses, he waited on Sa’d and informed him of what had taken place. Sa’d then despatched a letter to Madinah, representing the case to O’thmân, who ordered the names of the culprits to be registered in the army of Syria, and those men to be forwarded to that country whether they were willing or not. Sa’d obeyed the behest, and sent the grandees of Kûfah to Moa’wiah in Syria, but they disagreed also with him and quarrelled, whereon Moa’wiah sent the following message to O’thmân: ‘The men of Kûfah possess neither religion nor humanity, but let the Amir judge.’ O’thmân sent in reply the following injunction: ‘Those headstrong persons are to be sent to A’bdu-r-rahman B. Wolyd at Hamss, that he may soften their necks in the proper manner.’ Moa’wiah then sent the notables of Kûfah to Hamss, which they reached in due course of time, and where A’bdu-r-rahman kept them one month unemployed and without speaking a kind word to them. After that he wrote to Othmân: ‘Whom good will not reform, evil will not reform:
‘If where punishment ought to be inflicted
Thou appliest kindness, it will be of no use.
If the Amir consents, I shall deal with the Kûfah people according to their deserts.’ O’thmân having given him leave to act as he thought proper, A’bdu-r-rahman admitted the chiefs of Kûfah after the expiration of a month to his audience, but neither allowed them to sit down nor spoke to them. After Mâlek Ashtar had with his friends been standing awhile in front of A’bdu-r-rahman, they returned, and every day their attendance in this manner was insisted upon. When their weariness had thus reached its utmost limits, they craved permission from A’bdu-r-rahman to depart from Hamss, and having obtained it, they returned to Kûfah, except Mâlek Ashtar, who remained in that country.