Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/257

 228 secured what they desired, a footing in the City. They joined in the ranks of worshippers at the daily prayers in the Mosque, cast dust in the face of ʿOthmān as he stood up to speak, and thrust aside his loyal helpers. The fatal crisis was hurrying on.

Upon the Friday following, when the prayers were over, ʿOthmān ascended the pulpit. He first appealed to the better sense of the citizens, who, although overawed by the rebels, condemned their lawless attitude. Then turning to the conspirators, he continued,—"Ye are aware that the men of Medīna hold you accursed at the mouth of the Prophet, for that ye have risen up against his Caliph and Vicegerent. Wherefore wipe out now your evil deeds by repentance, and by good deeds make atonement for the past." One and another of the Citizens arose earnestly confirming the Caliph's words and pleading his cause; but they were silenced and violently set down. A tumult arose. The men of Medīna were driven from the Mosque by showers of stones. One of these struck ʿOthmān, who fell from the pulpit, and was carried to his house adjoining, in a swoon. He soon recovered, and for some days was still able to preside at the daily prayers. At last the insolence and violence of the insurgents forced him to keep to his house, and a virtual blockade ensued. But a bodyguard of armed retainers, supported by loyal citizens, succeeded for a time in keeping the entrance safe.

From the first day of the tumult, ʿAlī, Az-Zubeir, and Ṭalḥa (the three named by the rebels as candidates for the Caliphate) each sent a son to join the loyal and gallant band planted at the palace door. But they did little more; and, in fact, throughout the painful episode, kept themselves altogether in the background. After the uproar and ʿOthmān's swoon, they came along with others to inquire how he fared. No sooner did they enter, than Merwān and other kinsmen attending the Caliph cried out against ʿAlī as the prime author of the disaster, which would recoil, they said (and said truly), upon his own head. Thereupon ʿAlī arose in wrath, and, with the rest, retired home. It was, in truth, a cruel and dastardly desertion, and in the end bore bitter fruit for one and all. Alarm at the defiance of constituted authority and loyalty to the Throne