William Muir

“ Al-Kufa, and Mu'awiya, his point for the present gained, to Damascus. As 'Ali entered Al-Kufa, he heard wailing on every side. A chief man, whom he bade to pacify the mourners, answered: "O Caliph, it is not as if but two or three had been slain; of this clan alone hard by, an hundred and four score lie buried at Siffin. There is not a house but the women are weeping in it for their dead." ”

“ Mohammad had once been heard to say to him: "By a godless and rebellious race, O 'Ammar, thou shalt one day be slain": in other words, that 'Ammar would be killed fighting on the side of right. Thus his death, as it were, condemned the ranks against whom he fought, and spread dismay in Mu'awiya's host. But 'Amr answered readily: "And who is it that hath killed 'Ammar, but 'Ali and the ‘rebellious race’ that have brought him hither?" The clever repartee ran through the Syrian host, and did much to efface the evil omen. ”

“ It was no time for continuing grim pleasantry like this; and so 'Amr bethought him of a stratagem. "Raise the leaves of the Koran," he cried; "if any refuse to abide thereby, it will sow discord amongst them; if they accept the hallowed symbol it will be a reprieve from cruel slaughter." ”