EGYPTIANS AND OPPONENTS ARRIVE IN MADINAH, AND
ACCOUNT OF VARIOUS DISTURBANCES.

There is a tradition that in those times the Bani Hozayl, the Bani Mahzûm, and the Bani Ghufâr felt aggrieved on account of the want of consideration displayed by O’thmân towards A’bdullah B. Musu’d, the Hozayly, and Abu Dhar Ghuffâry, and A’mmâr Yâser, and that therefore many of them came from Egypt to Madinah, where they lodged complaints against their governor A’bdullah B. Sa’d Abu Sarj, whereon O’thmân wrote a letter to Abu Sarj, in which he admonished and threatened him, ordering him to make efforts and to quell the discontent of the oppressed. A’bdullah, however, killed some of them, punishing others by scourging and torture. These blamable proceedings of Abu Sarj so incensed the people of Egypt that a number of their great men, such as O’lqamah, and A’bdu-r-rahman B. A’dys Alsalwy, and Kenânah B. Bashr Allythy, and Sûdân B. Hamrân Alsakûny departed to Madinah with one thousand valiant men and troopers for the pur­pose of putting an end to the tyranny of A’bdullah B. Sa’d Abu Sarj. They were accompanied also by Muhammad B. Abu Bakr and Muhammad B. Hudhayfah, and were joined likewise, for the sake of convenience, by people from Kûfah, such as Mâlek Ashtar Nahaghy, and Zyâd B. Nassar Alhârethy, and Abdullah B. Alhashym, and Zaid B. Ssuhân Ala’bdy, as well as by a company from Bossrah, with Hakym B. Hylah Ala’bdy and Bashyr B. Shirakh B. Hukum B. A’bûdu-l-a’bdy and Ebn Mahras B. A’mru Alhanafy. After they had traversed the necessary distance they encamped in the vicinity of Madinah. The favourite of the people of Bossrah was Ttolhah; of those of Kûfah, Zobeyr; and of the Egyptians, A’li. The insurgents having interviewed the companions of the apostles—u. w. bl.— complained of the plenipotentiaries of O’thmân and their tyrannical behaviour, saying: ‘Of a number of unjust acts perpetrated by A’bdullah B. Sa’d, one was that he slew some of the complainants who had brought him the admonitory letter of O’thmân, and caused grief to their tribe.’ When the noble companions had heard this news, they opened their mouths in reprobation against O’thmân, and Ttolhah, rising to his feet in that assembly, severely blamed O’thmân and averred that something must be done for those people. A´ayshah, who felt at that time aggrieved for some reason towards O’thmân, and was bent on injuring him, appointed some men to oppose him, and said: ‘The robes of the apostle—u. w. bl.—are yet new, while his ordinances have become worn out.’ She also sent angry messages to O’thmân.—Murtadza A’li entered with some notable Mohâjer and Anssâr the assembly of O’thmân, and said: ‘The chiefs of Egypt feel aggrieved on account of the tyranny and bloodshed perpetrated by their governor; wherefore it will now be proper to remove him and to appoint another man in his place.’

It has reached us from some traditions that when the insurgents had encamped near Madinah, they sent during the night a messenger to A’li the Commander of the Faith­ful, to Ttolhah, and to A’mmâr Yâser, to inform them of their intentions.—O’thmân, who feared his enemies, went to the house of A’li, and said to that lord who was the receptacle of Vicarship: ‘We are closely related to each other, and I am under many obligations to thee. Thou hast great power and influence with these people who are bent on killing me, and I request thee to do thy best to pacify them, and not to allow them to enter my residence, because, in the contrary case, they and other rebels would only be encouraged in their temerity.’ The Amir of the Faithful replied: ‘I have advised thee many times, and pointed out the way in which this rebellion may be quelled. While I was present in the assembly thou hast appeared to agree with me, but after I had departed thou hast, in consequence of the speeches of men who bear no love towards me, considered it proper to disregard my advice.’ O’thmân replied: ‘O father of Hasan, I shall now listen with a sincere heart to what thou sayest, and shall pay no attention to the suggestions of interested men, whom I shall avoid.’ The lord and receptacle of the Vicariate assented to the request of O’thmân, and proceeded with a number of great Mohâjer and Anssâr to the camp of the Egyptian chiefs, whom he succeeded, by sweet words and heart-ravishing compliments, in persuading to desist from obstinacy and opposition, recommending to them concilia­tion and union. When this transaction had been reported to the third Khalifah, O’thmân summoned the various classes of the community, ascended the pulpit, apologized, complimented, and wept, whereby the people also felt much touched. When his lordship had returned to his house, the people gathered around his door from goodwill and sincerity, desirous of meeting him again, and to open their mouths in praise and gratitude to him. On that occasion Merwân B. Hukum reproached O’thmân, saying: ‘Thy opponents had not much power to resist thee, and it weighed but little when tried on the balance of intellect; but the son of Abu Ttâleb [i.e., A’li] has magnified this affair to place thee under obligations to him, and to increase his reputation among the people; this ought to be brought to their cognizance and promulged, because it entails many advantages.’ Having said these words, Merwân came out from the house, insulted the people, and dispersed them with many rude ejaculations. The various classes of Musalmâns of the city, as well as from abroad, took these insults to heart, but waited for an opportunity to avenge themselves.—There is a tradition that the people of Egypt and of Kûfah having agreed to resist O’thmân, came to Madinah, whereon O’thmân privately called Murtadza A’li, Ttolhah and Zobeyr, saying: ‘The position of the Khalifate has been imperilled; if I have for some reason or other offended you, tell me, so that I may endeavour to make amends. I trust you will not allow my foes and opponents to excite a rebellion in this town, hoping that the administration of the Khalifate will devolve upon one of yourselves. You must not fail to aid me, because possibly the object of those who attempt to instigate and to direct you will not be attained, and it may be supposed that submission to any of you will not be permanent.’ Ali Murtadza replied: ‘What is that to thee? mayest thou be motherless!’ O’thmân rejoined: ‘Do not open thy mouth to insult my mother!’ The lord and receptacle of the Vicariate continued: ‘Thou hast, contrary to Abu Bakr and to O’mar, stretched forth thy hand to rob the public treasury, and hast bestowed enormous sums upon thy near friends and relatives.’ O’thmân replied: ‘They have disregarded their own kindred who were destitute, but I have given them, namely, to my poor relatives, something from the public treasure, so that whilst reserving it for meritorious persons they might also receive a share.’ The Amir of the Faithful retorted: ‘To each person not more than one thousand [dirhems] ought to have been given, whereas enormous sums have, by thy orders, been paid from the public treasury to A’bdullah, to Khâled, and to Merwân B. Alhukum.’ O’thmân said: ‘If this be against your con­sent, I shall repay those sums from my private property to the administrator of the public treasury.’ They said: ‘If thou wilt do so, thou mayest rely on our aid all thy life.’ The next day O’thmân summoned the companions to his presence, and said: ‘A number of persons have come to this town to depose me, saying that if I demur they will slay me. What is your opinion in this matter, and how am I to deal with the people?’ Those who were present replied: ‘All ought to be killed, because it is licit to shed their blood!’ O’thmân continued: ‘I shall not kill them for this reason, but will do so if they wage war against me. I have called you here to enumerate the aspersions cast upon me by my foes, and to note your replies.’ They, however, repeated: ‘To shed the blood of rebels is licit! Be not remiss in this affair.’ When the opponents were informed of the unanimity of the com­panions, they said: ‘We have not the strength to fight with the people of Madinah; let us now return to our habitations, and come again fully prepared on a favourable occasion, when we shall not abandon O’thmân until we have annihilated him.’ After holding a consultation they returned to their countries, but arrived at an agreement to assemble again in Madinah the next year, namely, in the month Showâl, A.H. 35.*

When they had arrived in their respective countries they engaged in enlisting troops, whereon they again departed, and arrived in Madinah during the month Showâl of the just-mentioned year. The forces of Egypt, of Bossrah, and of Kûfah consisted each of four battalions, each being in command of one of the grandees. These forces encamped in three localities near Madinah, all being bent on remov­ing O’thmân and appointing another Khalifah in his stead. After obtaining cognizance of what was taking place, the denizens of Madinah prepared and armed them­selves, and the rebels, hearing this, sent two envoys with the message: ‘Our coming is fraught with kindness and abstinence from evil, and nothing more.’ The people of Madinah having thus been quieted, some of the strangers said to them: ‘The object of this invasion is to compel O’thmân to remove the evil of tyranny from the heads of the people, and to appoint good men to govern the country.’ Then fifty of the men from Egypt waited privately on the Commander of the Faithful [i.e., A’li], and said: ‘Thou art the Emâm by right; if O’thmân refuses to abdicate the Khalifate, we shall abase him.’ The lord and receptacle of the Vicarship thereon opened his mouth to reprove them, saying: ‘What have you to do with removing or appointing a Khalifah?’ The Bossrah people then made the same proposal to Ttolhah and Zobeyr, but received similar answers, so that all were disappointed in their expectations. On this occasion A’mru B. A´ass went to O’thmân, and said: ‘Repent of the faults of which the Musalmâns are accusing thee.’ O’thmân blamed him, and considered himself free from errors, whereon A’mru B. A´ass said: ‘One of thy faults is that thou hast given an appointment to the apostate A’bdullah B. Abu Sarj, and hast removed me, although I have been a favourite of the lord of apostleship, of Abu Bakr and of O’mar.’ A con­tention having ensued between O’thmân and A’mru, the latter departed aggrieved from the meeting and openly instigated persons to kill O’thmân, saying: ‘It is licit to shed his blood.’ During the night, O’thmân paid a visit to A’li and requested him to make efforts to extinguish the flame of the rebellion, and his lordship walked, the next day, with the companions of the apostle to the assembly of the opponents, and dissuaded them from their purpose. On that occasion, Merwân said to O’thmân: ‘On account of thy sending A’li to the opponents, they imagine thee to be extremely weak and abased, and that the right is on their side. It is now time to let them know that thou canst ward them off, and that they have unjustly rebelled against thee.’ O’thmân, having been deceived by the words of Merwân, said to some people of Madinah: ‘As the opponents had no proper reasons, they have stopped their proceedings and have repented.’ A’mru B. A´ass, who was among them, rejoined: ‘O’thmân, fear God, and flee to the asylum of repentance, because we have quieted these people with fair promises.’ O’thmân retorted: ‘A’mru, restrain thyself, and do not talk nonsense! Who art thou to command me to repent?’ On this occasion he heard from all sides of the mosque the shout: ‘O’thmân, repent of thy doings, and take hold of the jugular vein of penitence!’ Then stones were thrown at him, he was taken down from the pulpit, his staff was broken, he lost consciousness, and some persons, taking him on their shoulders, carried him to his house. Then A’li the Commander of the Faithful paid a visit to O’thmân, and said: ‘O father of A’mru, what business hadst thou to deliver this address, since the people are aware that we have with much trouble succeeded in quieting the rebels?’ O’thmân replied: ‘The past cannot be recalled, and now I shall do whatever thou advisest.’ A’li Murtadza, who appeared to be divinely inspired, said: ‘Thou must con­voke a meeting, apologize for thy sayings and doings, begging also pardon of the Musalmâns so as to make them all pleased.’ O’thmân accordingly summoned the people to the mosque, ascended the pulpit, and said: ‘O people, it is not hidden from you that the sons of Adam have committed and are committing mistakes, nor do I pretend to be infallible. If I have done something wrong, it is no matter of astonishment, and the apostle has said that he who repents of a sin will be absolved therefrom. Now, I repent of whatever is displeasing to God and to yourselves, and as my life is drawing to a close, there is nothing better for me than penitence. Let anyone who has a request to make proffer it, that it may meet with the best consideration.’ Having uttered these words and made abundant apologies, O’thmân departed from the mosque and went to his house. When O’thmân had gone away, A’li Murtadza said in the same meeting: ‘This man has done what was incumbent on him; may the grace of God accompany him!’ Encouraged by this utterance, the people of Madinah hastened to the abode of the Khalifate, but Merwân stopped them at the door, and himself entered to O’thmân, and being seconded by Sa’d B. Ala´ass, they said to him: ‘Thou hast this day committed a great mistake by con­fessing thy sins, and hast endeavoured to impair thy own authority. The advice given to thee by the son of Abu Ttâleb was aimed only at the destruction of thy honour, and at the establishment of thy guilt in the sight of all men. It will now be proper not to meet those persons who have assembled at thy door, because they are in a state of excitement, and may raise a tumult which could not be quelled.’ O’thmân then said to Merwân: ‘Send the people away, because shame hinders me from conversing with them.’ Merwân then went out and darkened their pure and sincere intentions with rude words calculated to raise angry feelings. They then went to A’li the Amir of the Faithful, and represented to him that they had gone to the residence of O’thmân for the purpose of strengthening the bonds of harmony and love, but that Merwân had come out and insulted them. The lord and receptacle of the Vicarship, being displeased with this news, betook himself to O’thmân, and, reproaching him, said: ‘How much so ever we may be endeavouring to ameliorate thy affairs, thou nullifiest all our efforts through the interference of Merwân. How could Merwân, who is puzzled how to arrange his own affairs, ameliorate and arrange thine? He will soon throw thee into a well from which thou wilt be unable to come out. I am determined to come to thee no more, and no longer to meddle with thy affairs.’ When A’li left O’thmân, his wife, Nâylah, the daughter of Alqurâdzah, said to him: ‘O’thmân, do not withdraw thy hand from the skirt of union with A’li B. Abu Ttâleb, and be not beguiled by the deceitful words of Merwân, because the former adheres to rectitude and safety, while the latter follows his evil and wicked impulses.’

There is another tradition to the effect that after the people had become bold, had thrown stones at O’thmân, and he was carried to his domicile, A’li the Commander of the Faithful went to his house. When the eyes of O’thmân alighted on A’li, he closed them, and the Bani Ommyah, having given vent to rebellious expressions towards his lordship the receptacle of the Vicariate, he departed in anger, and never returned to the house of O’thmân until he had been killed. It is recorded in some traditions of the U’lamâ of histories, that when the people of various provinces and towns, bent on the murder and abdication of O’thmân, had assembled in Madinah, he closed the gate of his residence, and conversing with them from a window, asked: ‘For what reason have you excited this rebellion and confusion, making it your business to be antagonistic and disloyal?’ The crowd then reproached him for his acts, but he replied in appropriate terms of conciliation, and also said: ‘I have heard the apostle say with his wonderfully eloquent tongue: “It is not licit to shed the blood of a Musalmân Amir except for one of three reasons: Infidelity after professing the Faith, adultery after good behaviour, and killing a person unjustly.” I swear by God that from the time Divine guidance and favour had become the com­panions of my path, and the blessing of direction has been vouchsafed to me, it never entered my mind to change the brilliant religion for another, nor have I ever killed anyone unjustly. I swear by the majesty of the Sage to whom in all things the truth is patent, that I have not committed adultery either before nor after the promulgation of Islâm. I respected the person of the favourite of the Divine Majesty to such an extent that my right hand, which had come in contact with his blessed hand, never touched a sexual organ, and I have never stepped out from the circle of good manners.’ The cavillers, whose wrath had subsided at these words, agreed to make peace, except Kenânah B. Bashr and some of his relatives, who were bent on augmenting the dissension. On this occasion O’thmân consulted A’bdullah B. O’mar, and asked: ‘What is the proper opinion in this matter?’ Ebn O’mar, however, also queried: ‘What is the intention of the opponents with reference to thee?’ He replied: ‘They aspire to deprive me of the administration in such a manner that I shall never regain it.’ A’bdullah continued: ‘Wilt thou, after abdicating the Khalifate, remain alive till the day of the resurrection?’ He replied: ‘No.’ Ebn O’mar continued: ‘My opinion is that thou shouldst not remove the yoke of the Khalifate from thy neck, and not be afraid of being murdered; unless thou actest thus, such a movement will become a precedent, so that whenever some people become wearied of the Emâm and Khalifah of the period, they will attempt to remove him. The apostle of God has said to thee: “Surrender not thy shirt except to Allah.” This shirt is no other thing but the robe of the Khalifate. On the contrary, thou must refer thy opponents to the book of Allah the Most High and Glorious, and to the Sonna of the prophet. If they assent, all will be well, but if not, thou wilt be excused.’ Then O’thmân sent Moghyrah B. Sha’bah, according to the advice of A’bdullah B. O’mar, to the people, to invite them to the book of Allah and to the Sonna of the apostle. Moghyrah, having met the rebels, opened the mouth of admonition towards them, but they replied: ‘O profligate, lascivious and adulterous fellow, what business hast thou to admonish and to direct us?’—The reason for these epithets to Moghyrah was, that he had during the Khalifate of O’mar been accused of adultery. On that occasion, three respectable men bore testimony that he had committed the wicked act, while a fourth, desiring to be conciliatory, stated that he knew not whether it had been licit or illicit to him. After Moghyrah had returned, O’thmân despatched A’bdullah B. Salâm as an envoy to those people, who said to them when he arrived: ‘O men, make no attempt to slay the Khalifah of the period! When the apostle was sent, you were delivered from the calamities of the sword, and this state will continue among you as long as you agree to remain loyal to your Emâm; but if you slay the Khalifah of the apostle of God, and the sword has been drawn from its scabbard, it will not be returned to it till the end of all time. Moreover, from the time when the apostle of God chose to go into exile and arrived in Madinah, great angels are protecting this locality; if, how­ever (which Allah forbid) you slay the Khalifah, they will cease to protect you, whereon you will have to contend with enemies. Furthermore, you are under various obliga­tions to O’thmân, in consequence whereof you ought not to awaken him when you find him asleep. Moreover, his end is so near that he will be received into the proximity of Divine mercy before the expiration of the month Dhu-l-hejjah, which is not far off.’ When A’bdullah B. Salâm had terminated his allocution, Mâlek Ashtar, and Ghâfaqy, and Harfûdz B. Zobeyr, and all the rebels, began to insult A’bdullah, saying: ‘O Jew, who art thou, after all, to intrude among the magnates of Islâm and the great men of the nation!’ Then they expelled him with ignominy from the assembly.—After A’bdullah B. Salâm, A’mru B. A´ass was sent as an envoy, but met with a similar reception, the rebels reminding him of the hypocrisy he had manifested in the time of ignorance [i.e., before Islâm] towards the lord of apostleship, on several occasions. — When A’mru had returned stricken with shame, A’bdullah B. O’mar said: ‘The opening of the door of the seraglio of our aspira­tions, and the attainment of our object, depend upon the world-adorning intellect and the difficulty-solving mind of A’li B. Abu Ttâleb.’ He therefore waited on the lord and receptacle of Vicarship, requesting him to quench with the water of advice the fire burning in the ovens of the entrails of the advocates of opposition. A’li replied that O’thmân ought to promise to follow his advice in any arrangement he might propose for the quelling of the disturbance, and O’thmân having assented, A’li proceeded to the meeting of the rebels, the fire-sparks of whose wickedness he attempted to extinguish with refreshing showers from the clouds of his magnanimity, and the innate abundance of the costly pearls of his eloquence, giving them also hopes that they would become recipients of great favours from O’thmân, and pledging himself to their fulfilment. He therefore went with the leaders of the people to the abode of the Khalifate, and said to O’thmân: ‘The notables of the country of Egypt are complaining of the tyranny of A’bdullah B. Sa’d Abu Sarj, and entertain hopes that, having removed him, thou wilt appoint over them Muham­mad B. Abu Bakr, who is decorated with the ornaments of piety and honesty.’ O’thmân assented, complied with the request of the people, issued letters patent to Muhammad B. Abu Bakr appointing him Governor of Egypt, and the Egyptians, having obtained leave to depart, returned with him to their own country. The people of Kûfah and of Bossrah, having likewise obtained concessions and favours, also departed to their homes.