When the crisis deepened, Ali saw Uthman and talked to him in diplomatic terms. He said:

"I have been sent by the people to you. Many things are being said against you, but I do not know how I should tell you what they say. I cannot think of any matter about which I can advise you, nor do I know of anything more than what you know. You are aware of all this. How should I give you any information, for I am not better informed than you, nor anything has been said in secret, about which I know but you do not. We are all nothing in front of you. You have seen the Holy Prophet; heard him; and lived in close companionship with him. Neither Abu Bakr, nor Umar were superior to you in any way. In relationship to the Holy Prophet you were closer to him than all of us. The position attained by you was gained by none else. Under your caliphate the community has come to be faced with some problems. O Caliph, invoke God's help in solving these problems. I need offer you no' advice. Take heed and remember that the nearest to God is a Caliph who is just and upholds the covenant of Allah as revealed to the Holy Prophet and discards all that was discarded by him. The worst man on earth is the Imam who is cruel and one who has gone astray himself, and makes others go astray, who revives the discarded vices and discards virtues. All these things are clear to you. Right and wrong are far apart. I have myself heard the Holy Prophet say that on the Day of Judgment, a tyrant Imam will be friendless and sent down to hell. He would revolve around it like a grinder and then be plunged into the bottomless pit. I want to remind you of God's powers, and His revenge. His punishment is severe and powerful. Be careful that you do not become the murdered Imam for the flock for it is said that one of the Imams would be killed who would open door to dissension within the community. Things would come to such a pass that the Muslims would be divided into various sections. Falsehood would gain such ascendancy that people would forget what is right."