I had intended to send ...

When Amir al-Mu’minin appointed Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr1Governor of Egypt and he was overpowered and killed, Amir al-Mu’minin said: I had intended to send Hashim ibn ‘Utbah to Egypt and had l done so he would not have made way for the opponents nor given them time (to get hold of him). This is without reproach to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr as I loved him and had brought him up.

ومن كلام له (عليه السلام) لمّا قلد محمّد بن أبي بكر مصر فملكت عليه وقتل وَقَدْ أَرَدْتُ تَوْلِيَةَ مِصْرَ هَاشِمَ بْنَ عُتْبَةَ، وَلَوْ وَلَّيْتُهُ إِيَّاهَا لَما خَلَّى لَهُمُ الْعَرْصَةَ، وَلاَ أَنْهَزَهُمُ الْفُرْصَةَ، بَلاَ ذَمٍّ لِمحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي بَكْر، فَلَقَدْ كَانَ إِلَيَّ حَبِيباً، وَكَانَ لي رَبِيباً.