 Complete the following phrase:  Accordiing to Poonawala Ali had a restraining influence on Uthman at this time without directly opposing him. He conveyed criticisms of the Companions to Uthman, and negotiated on behalf of Uthman with the opposition who had come to Medina; which seems to have caused suspicion between Ali and Uthman s relatives. Later, when the rebels besieged Uthmans house, Ali tried to mitigate the severity of 