In Rabyi’-l-awwal, A.H. 35,* discontented persons of every town arrived in Madinah to lodge complaints against their governors. The people of Madinah asked those men why they had assembled, and they replied: ‘We have come to request O’thmân either to put a stop to the wickedness of our tyrannical governors, or to appoint righteous men in their stead.’ The insurgents having uttered these and stronger words of discontent, O’thmân became desirous to know whether any of the inhabitants of Madinah agreed with them in these sentiments or not. He therefore sent two of his confidential men to enter into friendly relations with those people, to associate much with them, and to bring information; whereon they conveyed the news to O’thmân that A’mmâr B. Yâser and Warqâ B. Râfi’, the Anssâry, had made common cause with the malcontents. Having received this information, O’thmân ordered the prominent Mohâjer, chief Anssâr, great followers [Tâbi’yn], and other sections of Musalmâns, to assemble in the mosque. He then offered thanks and praises to the Lord of glory, and harangued the congregation as follows: ‘People have arrived from various provinces, and the essence of their words is this: “Unless O’thmân abdicates the Khalifate we shall kill him.”’ The chiefs of the Mohâjer and the Anssâr replied: ‘They themselves are worthy of death, because we have heard his lordship the apostle say: “If any man, setting forth his own claims, opposes the Emâm of the period, let the curse of God be on him; you must kill him.”’ O’thmân said: ‘One of the crimes attributed to me is that I have held the full prayers at Menâ, whereas the apostle and Abu Bakr shortened them in that locality, but my reply is that I had my family with me, and they had not theirs. I am also accused of having burned Qurâns, but by this proceeding I aimed at the extinction of differences among the people with regard to the word of God.’ Having thus disposed of the grievances of his opponents, he said: ‘I shall not defile my hands with their blood at present, but if they openly manifest their opposition I shall know how to deal with them.’ In that meeting it appeared plainly that O’thmân had justified himself against those aspersions, and he returned to his house. The insurgents then said to each other: ‘O’thmân has many friends and well-wishers in Madinah, whereas we have come without any preparations. It will be proper for us now to depart, and to return with a display of forces in order to attain our object.’ After the malcontents had departed, his true friends advised him to issue orders for the removal of his officials, but he demurred in spite of all their efforts, and this obstinacy augmented their dismay and sorrow.