Muawiyah’s talk with Ibn Abbas regarding four characteristics he liked and four he disliked

I was with Muawiyah and a group of the people from the Quraysh tribe were there. Some of the Hashemites were among them. Muawiyah said, “O Hashemites! Why do you think you are better than us while we both come from the same father and mother, and we both come from the same family and country?”Ibn Abbas said, “We say we are better than you for the same reason that you say you are better than the Quraysh, and the Quraysh say they are better than the Helpers (Ansar), and the Helpers (Ansar) say they are better than the Arabs, and the Arabs say they are better than the non-Arabs. That is we are proud because of God’s Prophet (MGB). You can neither deny this nor escape from this fact.”Muawiyah said, “O Ibn Abbas! You have been granted such a convincing tongue with which you press your false accusations over the truth.”Ibn Abbas said, “Shut up! Indeed falsehood can never overcome the truth. Quit being jealous as jealousy is bad.”Muawiyah said, “You spoke the truth. I swear by God that I like you for four characteristics and I forgive you for four deeds. The four reasons I like you for are: First of all I like you because of your close relationship to God’s Prophet (MGB). The second reason is that you are a man from my family and from the pure race of Abd Manaf. The third reason is that my father was friends with your father. The fourth reason is that you are the speaker for the Quraysh tribe and you are their learned man. And your four deeds which I forgive you for are: your taking part in the Battle of Siffin along with those who attacked me; your ugly act being not assisting Uthman against the rebels who attacked him, and your attempts against Ayesha , plus your rejection of Zyad being my step-brother.When I considered your wicked deeds in detail, I found an excuse for your deeds from the Book of the Honorable the Exalted God and one from Arab poems. Your excuse based on the Book (Quran) comes from the following verse, ‘Others (there are who) have acknowledged their wrong-doings: they have mixed an act that was good with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them (in Mercy): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ Your excuse based on Arab poems comes from the words of the Zebyan tribe who said, ‘Which of your brothers can you find free of faults. You will be left without any friends if you cut off relations for small faults.’ You should know that I have recognized your four good characteristics and have forgiven your four deeds as the poet said, ‘I accept good deeds from my loved ones. I forgive them for whatever else they may have done.’”When he finished, Ibn Abbas started to respond by first reciting God’s praises and glorifications. Then he said, ‘You mentioned that you like me because I am close to God’s Prophet (MGB). This is incumbent upon you and all Muslims who believe in God and His Prophet (MGB), since this love is the reward which God’s Prophet (MGB) asked for in return for what he brought you in terms of illumination and clear reasoning. The Honorable the Exalted God says, ‘…Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin.’ Whoever doesn’t follow this verse and doesn’t love his near of kin is going to be hopeless, without honor and in Hell.You mentioned that you like me because I am a man from your family. Well, that is right. You wanted to perform your duty and visit your relations of kin. You seem to be doing a lot of that these days. You are not to be blamed today for your past mistakes.You mentioned that you like me because my father was friends with your father. That is right and it is certified by what the poet said about it:I will strive to be loyal to my friend for as long as he is aliveAnd shall do so with his relatives should he die and I stay aliveWhoever honors not his pledge, I shall not trustSince then he shall not pacify my swollen heart.You mentioned that you like me because I am the speaker for the Quraysh tribe and I am their learned man. You likewise have a similar rank. However, you are so noble as to mention me to be of such a rank. This is also supported by what the poet said about it:Noble ones set other ones up higher than themselvesThey honor others though they are nobler themselvesYou mentioned my animosity with you, since I attacked you at Siffin. By God, I would have been amongst the worst creatures in the world had I not done so. O Muawiyah! How could you even imagine that I would abandon my cousin Ali - the Commander of the Faithful and the Master of the Muslims - who was supported by the Emigrants (Muhajerin), the Helpers (Ansar), and the cream of the crop of the freedom-lovers, and join you! O Muawiyah! Then I would have serious doubts about my faith in my religion, my moral constitution and myself.You mentioned that I abandoned Uthman. Well, even those who were much closer to him abandoned him and left. I followed his close associates and those who were not so close to him. I never assisted the rebels who revolted against him. I just abandoned him. You mentioned my effort made against Ayesha . You know that she had been ordered by the Sublime God’s Prophet (MGB) to stay behind the veil at home, but she tore the veil, left her house and opposed the Prophet (MGB). The way we treated with her was appropriate.You mentioned my rejection of your step-brotherhood with Zyad. However, this was not my denial but the Prophet’s denial since he (MGB) has said, ‘the offspring belongs to the owner of the bed and the fornicatress gets stoned.’ Now I like to do what would please you, whatever it may be.’Then Amr Ibn Al-A’as started to talk and said, ‘O commander of the faithful (referring to Muawiyah!) By God, he doesn’t like you and just wants to fool you into thinking that he agrees with you using his sharp tongue. He cited the poems to support this.’Then Ibn Abbas said, ‘Indeed Amr put himself to great trouble. He should now know that he is facing a strong opponent.’Then Ibn Abbas added, ‘O Amr! I swear by God that I am opposed to you for the sake of God and I shall not apologize for that. You had said, ‘I hate Muhammad.’ The Honorable the Exalted God revealed, ‘For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off (from Future Hope).’You have been cut off from the religion and the world. You even hated Muhammad in the Age of Ignorance!Indeed the Blessed the Sublime God says, ‘Thou wilt not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger…’ Indeed you have always resisted God and God’s Prophet (MGB). You did whatever you could against the Prophet of God (MGB). You gathered all your forces - on foot or riding - against the Prophet (MGB) until God defeated you, hanged up your sign of deception around your neck, reduced your strength and rejected your way. That is why you turned around and changed your approach and re-directed your plans of animosity with the members of the Holy Household of the Prophet (MGB). Therefore, you united with Muawiyah for this goal. However, you should know that love for the household of Muawiyah and no others is nothing but animosity with the Honorable the Exalted God and His Prophet (MGB). You still have your old animosity with and jealousy of the progeny of Abd Manaf as the poet says,Amr blamed me but he himself was debasedNear a male lion he turned into a weak hyenaHe doesn’t equal me so I shall not fight himHe is not my servant so I can’t punish him!Amr Ibn Al-A’as wanted to reply but Muawiyah stopped him and said, ‘O Amr! I swear by God that you cannot match him. It would be best for you to stop it.’Amr Ibn Al-A’as used this opportunity and became silent. Ibn Abbas said, ‘O Muawiyah! Please I beseech by God! Please let him start talking. Then I shall debase him so much that the masters and the slaves cite his case and restate his story in meetings and parties up until the Resurrection Day.’Then Ibn Abbas started to speak and said, ‘O Amr!’ However, Muawiyah put his hand on Ibn Abbas’s mouth and said, ‘O Ibn Abbas! I swear to you to finish this since I do not like the Syrians to hear this speech.’ Then Ibn Abbas told Amr, ‘O blameworthy servant! Get lost.’ Then they left.”