The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

A.H. 24.
'Othman
elected.
1st Moharram
24 A.H.
Nov. 7,
644 A.D.
His
inaugural
address.
'All's party
discontented.
196 'OTHMAN [chap. XXVII.
with scorn, said: "And pray, 'Ammar, how long hast thou
been counsellor to the Muslims? Let the l^eni llashim and
the Beni Umeiya speak for themselves."
But 'Ammar would
not be silent; whereupon one cried angrily, " Thou passest
beyond thy bounds, O son of Sumeiya ;
who art thou, thus
to counsel Koreish?"^ Sa'd, seeing the strife wax warm,
said to 'Abd ar-Rahmfm "
: Finish thy work forthwith, or
flames of discord will burst forth." " Silence, ye people !
cried 'Abd ar-Rahman. " Be quiet, or ye will bring evil on
yourselves. The determination of this matter rests with
me." So saying, he called 'All to the front ;— " Dost thou
bind thyself by the covenant of the Lord to do all according
to the Book of the Lord, the example of the Prophet,
and the precedent of his Successors ? " "I hope," responded
'All, " that I should do so ; I will act according to the best
of my knowledge and ability." Then he put the same
question to 'Othman, who answered unconditionally,— " Yea,
I will." Whereupon, either dissatisfied with 'All's hesitating
answer, or having already decided in his mind against him,
'Abd ar-Rahman raised his face toward heaven, and taking
'Othman by the hand, prayed thus aloud :— " O Lord, do
Thou hearken now and bear me witness. Verily the burden
that is around my neck, the same do I place round the neck
of 'Othman." So saying, he saluted him as Caliph, and the
people followed his example.
It was the first day of the New year, the 24th of the
Hijra. After two or three days spent in receiving the
homage of the people, 'Othman ascended the pulpit, and
made a brief and modest speech. "The, first attempt," he
said, "was always difficult, for he was unused to speak in
public. It would be his duty in the future to address them,
and the Lord would teach him how."
Though 'All, like the rest, took the oath of allegiance,
yet his partisans were much displeased, and he himself
upbraided 'Abd ar-Rahman bitterly with the desire to keep
the supreme power out of the Prophet's house and brotherhood.
" Beware," said 'Abd ar-Rahman, with prophetic
1 To understand the taunts here bandied, it must be remembered
that Ibn abi Sarh was the foster-brother of 'Othman, and bore a bad
repute, as we shall see further on; and that 'Ammar was son of a bondmaid
called Sumeiya.
"