أَلاَ وَإِنَّ الْقَوْمَ اخْتَارُوا لاِنْفُسِهِمْ أَقْرَبَ الْقَوْمِ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ، وَاخْتَرْتُمْ لاِنْفُسِكُمْ أَقْرَبَ الْقَوْمِ مِمَّا تَكْرَهُونَ، وَإِنَّمَا عَهْدُكُمْ بَعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ قَيْس بِالاْمْسِ يَقُولُ: إِنَّهَا فِتْنَةٌ فَقَطِّعُوا أَوْتَارَكُمْ وَشِيمُوا سُيُوفَكُمْ، فَإِنْ كَانَ صَادِقاً فَقَدْ أَخْطَأَ بِمَسِيرِهِ غَيْرَ مُسْتَكْرَه، وَإِنْ كَانَ كَاذِباً فَقَدْ لَزِمَتْهُ التُّهَمَهُ. فَادْفَعُوا فِي صَدْرِ عَمْرِوبْنِ الْعَاصِ بِعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ، وَخُذُوا مَهَلَ الاْيَّامِ، وَحُوطُوا قَوَاصِيَ الاْسْلاَمِ، أَلاَ تَرَوْنَ إِلَى بَلاَدِكُمْ تُغْزَى، وَإِلَى صَفَاتِكُمْ تُرْمَى؟
Look! They have chosen for themselves one who is nearest of all of them to what they desire, while you have chosen one who is nearest to what you dislike. You may certainly recall that the other day ‘Abdullāh ibn Qays (Abū Mūsā) was saying: “It is a mischief, therefore, cut away your bow-string and sheathe your swords.” If he was right (in what he said) then he was wrong in marching (with us) without being forced, but if he was lying then he should be viewed with suspicion. Therefore, send ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās to face ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ. Make use of these days and surround the borders of Islam. Do you not see that your cities are being attacked and your prowess is being aimed at?
