The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

A.D. 644] 'O^IAR ASSASSINATED 189
of partiality towards his own clan and family. " O 'Ah, A.H. 23.
if the choice fall upon thee, see that thou exalt not the
house of Hashim above their fellows. And thou, 'Othman,
if thou art elected, or Sa'd, beware thou set not thy kinsmen
over the necks of men. Arise, go forth, deliberate, and then
decide. Meanwhile Soheib shall lead the prayers." When
they had departed, he called Abu Talha, a warrior of note,
to him, saying :— " Go, stand before the door, and suffer no
man to enter in upon them." After a pause he spoke
solemnly to those around him :— " Tell it to him who shall
succeed, as my last bequest, that he be kind to the Men of
the City which gave to us and to the Faith a home that
;
he
make much of their virtues, and pass lightly by their faults.
Bid him treat well the Arab tribes ; verily they are the
backbone of Islam ;
the tithe that he taketh from them, let
him give it back unto the same for nourishment of their
poor. And the Jews and Christians, let him faithful!)' fulfil
the covenant of the Prophet with them. O Lord, I have
finished my course. And now to him that cometh after me
I leave the kingdom firmly established and at peace." Then
he lay down quietly and rested for a time.
After a while he bade his son 'Abdallah go forth and sec Desires to be
who it was that wounded him. Told that it was Abu Lu'lu'a,
'
he exclaimed " Praise be to the Lord that it was not one
Ik^'^p^'^
the Prophet. f^.
who had ever bowed down before Him, even once, in
prayer ! Now 'Abdallah, my son, go in unto 'Aisha and
ask her leave that I be buried in her chamber by the
side of the Prophet, and by the side of Abu Bekr. If she
refuse, then bury me by the other Muslims, in the graveyard
of Al-Baki'.^ And list thee, 'Abdallah, if the Electors
disagree " (for he was to have a casting voice) " be thou
with the majority ; or, if the votes be equal, choose the
side on which is 'Abd ar-Rahman. Now let the people
come in." Crowds had assembled at the door; and,
permission given, they approached to make obeisance.
As they passed in and out, 'Omar asked whether any leading
man had joined with Abu Lu'lu'a in conspiracy against him.
" The Lord forbid ! " was the loud response, in horror at the
very thought.
p. 199.
'
Kor this burying-grouiul outside tlic city, see Life of Mo/jdininaii,