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→The Caliphate of Uthman
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A group of Uthman’s detractors composed a letter criticising his “un-Islamic” policies, which was delivered by Ammar ibn Yasir, an early convert to Islam<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> who had fought at Badr.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 329.</ref> Uthman reacted to the criticism by ordering the octogenarian Ammar to be flogged. At this point, Aisha interrupted Friday prayers to address Uthman in public: “How soon indeed you have forgotten the ''sunna'' of your Prophet, when his hairs, a shirt and sandal have not yet perished!”<ref>Abbott, N. (1942, 1998). ''Aishah: the Beloved of Muhammad''. London: Saqi Books.</ref> When the Governor of Kufa (who was Uthman’s brother) turned up drunk to lead the prayers,<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 159</ref> Uthman overlooked it and withheld the customary punishment. Aisha complained to Uthman, who responded with a remark that she had no right to approach him since she had been “ordered to stay at home.”<ref>Abbott (1942, 1998).</ref> At this suggestion that a woman should not be involved in public affairs, some people “demanded to know who indeed had better right than Aisha in such matters.”<ref>Abbott (1942, 1998).</ref> Uthman belatedly sentenced his brother to 80 lashes, which Ali delivered.<ref>{{Bukhari|5|57|45}}; {{Bukhari|5|58|212}}.</ref> | A group of Uthman’s detractors composed a letter criticising his “un-Islamic” policies, which was delivered by Ammar ibn Yasir, an early convert to Islam<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> who had fought at Badr.<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 329.</ref> Uthman reacted to the criticism by ordering the octogenarian Ammar to be flogged. At this point, Aisha interrupted Friday prayers to address Uthman in public: “How soon indeed you have forgotten the ''sunna'' of your Prophet, when his hairs, a shirt and sandal have not yet perished!”<ref>Abbott, N. (1942, 1998). ''Aishah: the Beloved of Muhammad''. London: Saqi Books.</ref> When the Governor of Kufa (who was Uthman’s brother) turned up drunk to lead the prayers,<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 159</ref> Uthman overlooked it and withheld the customary punishment. Aisha complained to Uthman, who responded with a remark that she had no right to approach him since she had been “ordered to stay at home.”<ref>Abbott (1942, 1998).</ref> At this suggestion that a woman should not be involved in public affairs, some people “demanded to know who indeed had better right than Aisha in such matters.”<ref>Abbott (1942, 1998).</ref> Uthman belatedly sentenced his brother to 80 lashes, which Ali delivered.<ref>{{Bukhari|5|57|45}}; {{Bukhari|5|58|212}}.</ref> | ||
Matters came to a head when Uthman’s governor in Egypt committed a murder, and 700 Egyptians arrived in Medina to petition for a new incumbent. Aisha supported the delegation: “You have refused the request of Muhammad’s Companions to remove this man, yet he has killed one of their people. Therefore do them justice against your governor.” After similar urgings from Talha ibn Ubaydullah and Ali, Uthman promised to appoint Aisha’s brother Muhammad as the replacement governor. But on his journey to Egypt, Muhammad intercepted a letter bearing Uthman’s seal that ordered the old governor to kill him. He returned to Medina to show the letter (which Uthman then denied writing), “and there was not one of the people of Medina but was wroth against Othman, and it increased the wrath and anger of those who were enraged on account of Ibn Masa’ud, Abu Darr, and Ammar-b-Yasir.”< | Matters came to a head when Uthman’s governor in Egypt committed a murder, and 700 Egyptians arrived in Medina to petition for a new incumbent. Aisha supported the delegation: “You have refused the request of Muhammad’s Companions to remove this man, yet he has killed one of their people. Therefore do them justice against your governor.” After similar urgings from Talha ibn Ubaydullah and Ali, Uthman promised to appoint Aisha’s brother Muhammad as the replacement governor. But on his journey to Egypt, Muhammad intercepted a letter bearing Uthman’s seal that ordered the old governor to kill him. He returned to Medina to show the letter (which Uthman then denied writing), “and there was not one of the people of Medina but was wroth against Othman, and it increased the wrath and anger of those who were enraged on account of Ibn Masa’ud, Abu Darr, and Ammar-b-Yasir.”<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 163.</ref> Aisha was among many who now claimed that Uthman was a “dotard”<ref></ref> who had “become an unbeliever”.<ref>{{Tabari|16|pp. 52-53}}.</ref> Letters signed with her name called for his assassination, though she later claimed they had been forged:<ref>Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' vol. 3 p. 60; Baladhuri, ''Ansab al-Ashraf'' vol. 5 pp. 596-597.</ref> “No, by the One in whom believed the believers and disbelieved the disbelievers, I did not write to them with the black [ink] on the white [paper]!” Even if, as her friends chose to believe,<ref>Baladhuri, ''Ansab al-Ashraf'' vol. 5 p. 597.</ref> she was telling the truth – even if her real desire was only to depose Uthman and not to kill him – she did nothing to help him. | ||
In April 656 rebels from Syria, Mesopotamia and Egypt converged in Medina and demanded that Uthman abdicate.<ref>Muir (1924), pp. 224-227.</ref> They besieged him in his house and cut off his water supply</ref>Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 162-163.</ref> while the citizens of Medina watched. Leading Muslims like Ali, Talha and Al-Zubayr made only token efforts to assist their Caliph.<ref>Muir (1924), pp. 230-231.</ref> Seeing that the rebels were likely to prevail, Aisha departed in June for the annual ''Hajj'' in Mecca so that she would be far from the crime-scene. She urged her brother Muhammad to accompany her, but he declined.<ref>Muir (1924), p. 231.</ref> During her absence, he was the leader of the besiegers who broke through the roof of Uthman’s house and stabbed him to death.<ref>{{Tabari|15|pp. 165-185}}; Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 165-167.</ref> | In April 656 rebels from Syria, Mesopotamia and Egypt converged in Medina and demanded that Uthman abdicate.<ref>Muir (1924), pp. 224-227.</ref> They besieged him in his house and cut off his water supply</ref>Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 162-163.</ref> while the citizens of Medina watched. Leading Muslims like Ali, Talha and Al-Zubayr made only token efforts to assist their Caliph.<ref>Muir (1924), pp. 230-231.</ref> Seeing that the rebels were likely to prevail, Aisha departed in June for the annual ''Hajj'' in Mecca so that she would be far from the crime-scene. She urged her brother Muhammad to accompany her, but he declined.<ref>Muir (1924), p. 231.</ref> During her absence, he was the leader of the besiegers who broke through the roof of Uthman’s house and stabbed him to death.<ref>{{Tabari|15|pp. 165-185}}; Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 165-167.</ref> | ||