الناس بعد وفاة محمد، والصلح بين معاوية وعمرو بن العاص

[1] Amīr al-mu’minīn had delivered a sermon before setting off for Nahrawān. These are three parts from it. In the first part he has described the condition of Arabia before Proclamation (of Prophethood); in the second he has referred to circumstances which forced him to keep quiet and in the third he has described the conversation and settlement between Mu‘āwiyah and ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ. The position of this mutual settlement was that when Amīr al-mu’minīn sent Jarīr ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Bajalī to Mu‘āwiyah to secure his allegiance he detained Jarīr under the excuse of giving a reply, and in the meantime he began exploring how far the people of Syria would support him. When he succeeded in making them his supporters by rousing them to avenge ‘Uthmān’s blood he consulted his brother ‘Utbah ibn Abī Sufyān. He suggested, “If in this matter ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ was associated he would solve most of the difficulties through his sagacity, but he would not be easily prepared to stabilise your authority unless he got the price he desired for it. If you are ready for this he would prove the best counsellor and helper.” Mu‘āwiyah liked this suggestion, sent for ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ and discussed with him, and eventually it was settled that he would avenge ‘Uthmān’s blood by holding Amīr al-mu’minīn liable for it in exchange for the governorship of Egypt, and by whatever means possible would not let Mu‘āwiyah’s authority in Syria suffer. Consequently, both of them fulfilled the agreement and kept their words fully.