Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/237

 208 careful now to turn them to account. Nevertheless, Al-Welīd was popular; and as he commanded successive campaigns in the East with gallantry and vigour, he managed for a time to divert the restless spirits from discontent at home. But in the end, the unruly populace was too strong for him. A murder took place, and sentence of death was executed at the City gate against the culprits. Their relatives resented the act of justice, and watched for ground of accusation against the Governor, whose habits gave them ready opportunity. Charges of intemperance were repeatedly dismissed by ʿOthmān for want of legal proof. At last his enemies succeeded in detaching from his hand the signet ring of office while he slept from the effects of a debauch, and carried it off in triumph to Medīna. But still worse, it was established that Al-Welīd had conducted the morning Prayers in such a state that, having come to the proper end of the service, he went on, without stopping, to commence another. The scandal was great; and the majesty of Islām must be vindicated. Al-Welīd was recalled to Medīna, scourged according to law, and deposed.

At Al-Baṣra, too, things were going from bad to worse. Abu Mūsa had now been many years Governor, when the restless citizens became impatient of his rule. He had been preaching to the pampered soldiery the virtue of enduring hardness, and going forth on foot to war. When the next expedition was ready, they watched to see whether he would himself set the example. As his ample baggage issued forth, winding from the castle on a long string of mules, they set upon him, crying, "Give us of these beasts to ride upon, and walk thou on foot, a pattern of the hardness thou preachest unto us." Then they repaired to Medīna, and complained that he had drained the land of its wealth, pampered Ḳoreish, and tyrannised over the Arab tribes. Instead of checking their petulance with promptitude, ʿOthmān gave it new life by deposing Abu Mūsa, and appointing a certain obscure citizen whom they desired, to be their Governor. Found unequal to the post, this man was deposed, and a youthful cousin of the Caliph, Ibn ʿĀmir, promoted in his room. When tidings of his nomination reached Al-Baṣra, Abu Mūsa said: "Now ye shall have a tax-gatherer to your hearts' content, rich in cousins, aunts, and uncles, who will