إنَّ هذَا الاْمْرَ أَمْرُ جَاهِلِيَّة، وَإِنَّ لِهؤُلاَءِ الْقَوْمِ مَادَّةً. إنَّ النَّاسَ مِنْ هذَا الاْمْرِ ـ إذَا حُرِّكَ ـ عَلَى أُمُور: فِرْقَةٌ تَرَى مَا تَرَوْنَ، وَفِرقْةٌ تَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ، وَفِرْقَةٌ لاَ تَرَى لا هذَا وَلاَ هذَا، فَاصْبِرُوا حَتَّى يَهْدَأَ النَّاسُ، وَتَقَعَ الْقُلُوبُ مَوَاقِعَهَا، وَتُؤْخَذَ الْحُقُوقُ مُسْمَحَةً; فَاهْدَأُوا عَنِّي، وَانْظُرُوا مَاذَا يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ أَمْرِي، وَلاَ تَفْعَلُوا فَعْلَةً تُضَعْضِعُ قُوَّةً، وَتُسْقِطُ مُنَّةً، وَتُورِثُ وَهْناً وَذِلَّةً. وَسَأُمْسِكُ الاْمْرَ مَا اسْتَمْسَكَ، وَإذَا لَمْ أَجِدْ بُدّاً فَآخِرُ الدَّواءِ الْكَيُّ
This demand is certainly that of the pre-Islamic (al jāhiliyyah) period and these people have support behind them. When the matter is taken up, people will have different views about it. One group will think as you do, but another will not think as you think, and there will be still another group who will be neither this way nor that way. Be patient till people quieten down and hearts settle in their places so that rights can be achieved for people easily. Rest assured from me, and see what is given to you by me. Do not do anything which shatters your power, weakens your strength and engenders feebleness and disgrace. I shall control this affair as far as possible, but if I find it necessary the last treatment will, of course, be branding with a hot iron (through fighting).
