Page:Baladhuri-Hitti1916.djvu/374

 I heard it said that Mûsa ibn-Nuṣair sent Busr, who was then 82 years old, to this castle; and the latter reduced it. This Busr was born two years before the Prophet's death. Others than al-Wâḳidi claim that Busr was one of those who transmitted traditions from the Prophet; but Allah knows better.

. It was stated by al-Wâḳidi that ʿAbdallâh ibn-Saʿd held the governorship until Muḥammad ibn-abi-Ḥudhaifah assumed authority over Egypt, which he had made to rise in rebellion against ʿUthmân. Later on, ʿAli assigned Ḳais ibn-Saʿd ibn-ʿUbâdah-l-Anṣâri as governor of Egypt, after which he dismissed him and chose Muḥammad ibn-abi-Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddîḳ. The latter he also dismissed and assigned Mâlik al-Ashtar, who was taken sick at al-Ḳulzum [Suez]. ʿAli once more assigned Muḥammad ibn-abi-Bakr, who was later killed by Muʿâwiyah ibn-Ḥudaij and burned in a donkey's belly.

ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi ruled in the name of Muʿâwiyah ibn-abi-Sufyân. He died in Egypt on the feast of the breaking of the fast of Ramaḍân [al-fiṭr] in the year 42 (others say 43), and was succeeded by his son ʿAbdallâh whom Muʿâwiyah dismissed. Muʿâwiyah assigned ibn-Ḥudaij, who spent four years in Egypt; at the close of which he made a razzia and plundered. After that he returned to Egypt and sent there ʿUḳbah ibn-Nâfiʿ al-Fihri. Others say that ʿUḳbah was appointed by Muʿâwiyah over al-Maghrib; and so he invaded Ifrîḳiyah at the head of 10,000 Moslems and reduced it. He parceled out its Ḳairawân in lots among the Moslems, the site being a thicket covered with tamarisk and other trees and which nobody could attempt because of