Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

212 The Battles of the Camel and Siffeen, and the issue of arbitration
wisest of people; you are what is left of the righteous Muslims.'
"Al-Mugheerah left without asking him about anything else. Then he
met with the wise people of Quraysh, to whom he had spoken earlier,
and said: 'These two will never agree on anything.'
"The two arbitrators met and talked. 'Amr ihn al-'As said: '0 Abu
Moosa, I think the first thing we should decide about is to rule in
favour of those who fulfilled their promise and against those who
betrayed, because of their betrayal.' Abu Moosa said: 'What do you
mean?' He said: 'Don't you know that Mu'iwiyah and the people of
Syria fulfilled their promise and came to the appointment that we
made with them?' He said: 'Yes.' 'Amr said: 'Write it down." So
Abu Moosa wrote it down. 'Amr said: '0 Abu Moosa, would you
like to suggest a man to be in charge of this Ummah? Tell me his
name. If I agree with it, I will follow you in that; otherwise I will
suggest a name and you should follow me.' Abu Moosa said: 'Do
you want me to suggest MuC2wiyah ibn Abi Sufyin to you?' They
did not end their meeting before trading insults; then they went out to
the people, and Abu Moosa said: 'I found the likeness of 'Amr to be
the likeness of the one of whom Allah (s) says: (And recite [0
Muhammad] to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayrit
[proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.], but he
threw them away# (Qur'an 7: 175).
"Then when Abu Moosa fell silent, 'Amr spoke, saying: '0 people, I
found the likeness of Abu Moosa to be the likeness of those of whom
Allah says: (The likeness of those who were entrusted with the
[obligation of the] Tawrit [Torah] [i.e. to obey its commandments
and to practise its laws], but who subsequently failed in those
[obligations], is as the likeness of a donkey which carries huge
burdens of books [but understands nothing from them]# (Qur'an 62:
5).' Each of them wrote a letter explaining his opinion to the various
regions."753