When the Commander of the Faithful set out to fight the people of Basra, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas says that when he came to serve him at the place of Dhi Qar, he saw him mending his sandal. (When he saw me, he said: O Ibn 'Abbas, what would be the price of this sandal?) I said it would have no value now. Then he said: If establishing truth and erasing falsehood were not before me, this sandal would be more dear to me than ruling over you people. Then he came out and delivered this sermon to the people: Allah sent Muhammad (ﷺ) at a time when there was no reader of the (heavenly) Book among the Arabs, nor any claimant to prophethood. He brought these people to their (proper) place and guided them to the abode of salvation, until all their crookedness was straightened and circumstances became firm and established. By Allah, I was also among those who were bringing about this revolution in this situation, until the revolution was complete. I showed no weakness nor acted with cowardice (in this work). And now too my action is for the same purpose—that I may tear falsehood and extract truth from its side. What else is my dispute with the Quraysh? By Allah, I fought them when they were unbelievers, and I will fight them now when they have fallen into the deception of falsehood, and I will prove today just as I was their match yesterday.