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→The Caliphate of Uthman
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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 once again took a stand against Uthman: “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.”<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 162.</ref> 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. {{Tabari|15|pp. 168-185}}.</ref> Letters signed with Aisha's name called for Uthman’s 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 active desire was only to depose Uthman yet keep him alive – she very obviously did not care what his other enemies might do to him. She even said, “I wish I had him in my baggage so that I could throw him into the sea!”<ref>Baladhuri, ''Ansab al-Ashraf'' part 1 vol. 4 p. 75.</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 once again took a stand against Uthman: “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.”<ref>Jarrett/Suyuti p. 162.</ref> 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. {{Tabari|15|pp. 168-185}}.</ref> Letters signed with Aisha's name called for Uthman’s 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 active desire was only to depose Uthman yet keep him alive – she very obviously did not care what his other enemies might do to him. She even said, “I wish I had him in my baggage so that I could throw him into the sea!”<ref>Baladhuri, ''Ansab al-Ashraf'' part 1 vol. 4 p. 75.</ref> | ||
The disaffected in Medina negotiated with those in the provinces. In April 656 rebels from Syria, Mesopotamia and Egypt converged in Medina and demanded that Uthman abdicate.<ref>{{Tabari|15|p. 184}}, citing Ibn Ishaq; 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>{{Tabari|15|pp. 180-181, 235}}; 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. | The disaffected in Medina negotiated with those in the provinces. In April 656 rebels from Syria, Mesopotamia and Egypt converged in Medina and demanded that Uthman abdicate.<ref>{{Tabari|15|p. 184}}, citing Ibn Ishaq; 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>{{Tabari|15|pp. 180-181, 235}}; 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 was 42, and it was the first time she had left Medina without asking anyone’s permission, a strong indication of Uthman’s loss of control. She urged her brother Muhammad to accompany her, but he declined.<ref>{{Tabari|15|pp. 208-209}}.</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, 220}}; Jarrett/Suyuti pp. 165-167.</ref> | ||
===The Caliphate of Ali=== | ===The Caliphate of Ali=== | ||