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→The Caliphate of Uthman
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Aisha still needed permission to leave Medina. Uthman eventually agreed to escort Muhammad's widows on a second ''Hajj'', and once again, “we were kept well out of sight.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:147.</ref> It is not recorded that Aisha left Medina again until 656. Uthman expanded the mosque at Medina to a size of about 67m x 71m by buying up most of the adjoining buildings, though not the houses of Muhammad’s widows. Aisha therefore exchanged her old neighbours for carved stone walls, stone pillars and a teakwood roof.<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 159-160.</ref> | Aisha still needed permission to leave Medina. Uthman eventually agreed to escort Muhammad's widows on a second ''Hajj'', and once again, “we were kept well out of sight.”<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:147.</ref> It is not recorded that Aisha left Medina again until 656. Uthman expanded the mosque at Medina to a size of about 67m x 71m by buying up most of the adjoining buildings, though not the houses of Muhammad’s widows. Aisha therefore exchanged her old neighbours for carved stone walls, stone pillars and a teakwood roof.<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 159-160.</ref> | ||
But Uthman was elderly,<ref>Estimates of his exact age at death in {{Tabari|15|p. 252}} range from 75 to 90 lunar years. (There is also one vote for the “magic number” of 63, but we can ignore this.) Hence he was at least 60 solar years, and perhaps 75, when he became Caliph.</ref> and his competence declined with his age. After 650 the people became disillusioned by his nepotism and his embezzling of the state treasury.<ref>{{Tabari|16|p. 100}}: “We became angry at Uthman on your behalf for three things he | But Uthman was elderly,<ref>Estimates of his exact age at death in {{Tabari|15|p. 252}} range from 75 to 90 lunar years. (There is also one vote for the “magic number” of 63, but we can ignore this.) Hence he was at least 60 solar years, and perhaps 75, when he became Caliph.</ref> and his competence declined with his age. After 650 the people became disillusioned by his nepotism and his embezzling of the state treasury.<ref>{{Tabari|16|p. 100}}: “We became angry at Uthman on your behalf for three things he did: giving command to youths, expropriating common property and beating with whip and stick.” See also Jarrett/Suyuti p. 161.</ref> The residents of Medina were angry when he appropriated the common pastures around the city for the Umayya clan and forbade anyone else to graze their animals there. Restatement of the History of Islam.<ref></ref> Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, a man of humble birth who had been one of the earliest converts to Islam,<ref>{{Tabari|6|pp. 85, 87}}.</ref> preached against Uthman’s opulent lifestyle: “Your gold and silver shall burn red-hot in Hellfire and brand your foreheads!”<ref>{{Tabari|15|p. 65}}.</ref> Unable to take the criticism, Uthman exiled Abu Dharr to the desert, where he died in penury.<ref> Guillaume/Ishaq 606; {{Tabari|15|pp. 100-101}}.</ref> The Caliph’s only economy was to reduce Aisha’s pension to the same sum allowed to Muhammad’s other widows.<ref></ref> Aisha went to ask Uthman to restore her “inheritance,” but he refused, reminding her that she had actively supported Abu Bakr’s decision not to pay any inheritance to Muhammad’s family as “prophets have no heirs.” After this interview, Aisha invoked the penalty for [[Islam and Apostasy|apostasy]], exclaiming, “Kill this old fool, for he is an unbeliever!”<ref>Ibn Athir, ''History'' vol. 3 p. 206.</ref> Abdullah ibn Masood criticised Uthman for his embezzlements and for exiling Abu Dharr. The Caliph broke off his Friday sermon to call Abdullah “a foul and despicable beast,” at which Aisha (whose front door was directly opposite the pulpit<ref>Bewley/Saad 8:121.</ref>) protested from behind her curtain: “Is this the way to speak of a companion of Allah’s Apostle?” Uthman ordered Abdullah out of the mosque and sentenced him to lifelong house arrest and loss of pension, at which the Caliph’s henchmen ejected him so violently that his ribs were broken.<ref>Ahmad ibn Hanbal, ''Musnad'' vol. 5 p. 197.</ref> | ||
Ammar ibn Yasir, an early convert to Islam<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> who had fought at Badr,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 329.</ref> also challenged Uthman for embezzling the public treasury. Uthman ordered him to be thrown out of the mosque; the octogenarian Ammar was beaten up to unconsciousness. Baladhuri, ''Ansab al-Ashraf'' vol. 5 pp. 48, 54, 88. Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' vol. 3 part 1 p. 185.<ref></ref> At the next Friday’s prayers Aisha emerged from her house carrying an old shirt and sandal of Muhammad’s and interrupted prayers to address Uthman: “How soon indeed you have forgotten the ''sunna'' of your Prophet, when his hair, shirt and sandal have not yet perished!” Abbott, N. (1942, 1998). ''Aishah: the Beloved of Muhammad''. London: Saqi Books.<ref></ref> When the Governor of Kufa (who was Uthman’s brother) turned up to prayers so drunk that he recited the liturgy wrongly,<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 159</ref> Uthman overlooked it and withheld the customary punishment. A delegation from Iraq arrived in Medina to ask that the drunken Governor be replaced, and the Caliph threatened to punish them for making the request. The Iraqis appealed to Aisha, drawing from Uthman the remark, “Can the rebels and scoundrels of Iraq find no other refuge than the home of Aisha?”<ref></ref> When Aisha brought their complaint back to Uthman, he responded that she had no right to approach him since she had been “ordered to stay at home.” Abbott (1942, 1998).<ref></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.” Abbott (1942, 1998).<ref></ref> Uthman belatedly sentenced his brother to 80 lashes, which Ali delivered.<ref>{{Bukhari|5|57|45}}; {{Bukhari|5|58|212}}.</ref> | Ammar ibn Yasir, an early convert to Islam<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 117.</ref> who had fought at Badr,<ref>Guillaume/Ishaq 329.</ref> also challenged Uthman for embezzling the public treasury. Uthman ordered him to be thrown out of the mosque; the octogenarian Ammar was beaten up to unconsciousness. Baladhuri, ''Ansab al-Ashraf'' vol. 5 pp. 48, 54, 88. Ibn Saad, ''Tabaqat'' vol. 3 part 1 p. 185.<ref></ref> At the next Friday’s prayers Aisha emerged from her house carrying an old shirt and sandal of Muhammad’s and interrupted prayers to address Uthman: “How soon indeed you have forgotten the ''sunna'' of your Prophet, when his hair, shirt and sandal have not yet perished!” Abbott, N. (1942, 1998). ''Aishah: the Beloved of Muhammad''. London: Saqi Books.<ref></ref> When the Governor of Kufa (who was Uthman’s brother) turned up to prayers so drunk that he recited the liturgy wrongly,<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 159</ref> Uthman overlooked it and withheld the customary punishment. A delegation from Iraq arrived in Medina to ask that the drunken Governor be replaced, and the Caliph threatened to punish them for making the request. The Iraqis appealed to Aisha, drawing from Uthman the remark, “Can the rebels and scoundrels of Iraq find no other refuge than the home of Aisha?”<ref></ref> When Aisha brought their complaint back to Uthman, he responded that she had no right to approach him since she had been “ordered to stay at home.” Abbott (1942, 1998).<ref></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.” Abbott (1942, 1998).<ref></ref> Uthman belatedly sentenced his brother to 80 lashes, which Ali delivered.<ref>{{Bukhari|5|57|45}}; {{Bukhari|5|58|212}}.</ref> | ||