Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

92 ihe Battles of the Camel and Siffeen, and the issue ofarbitration
1.6.11. "Shouldn't we leave them alone
when they are Muslim women?"
Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) came to the house where the
Mother of the Believers 'A'ishah (I&,) was staying, and he asked for
permission to enter. He greeted hei'with salh, and she welcomed
him. The women in the house of Banu Khalaf were weeping for those
who had been killed, including Abdullah and 'Uthmh, the sons of
Khalaf. Abdullah had been killed fighting on 'kishah's side, and
'Uthmh had been kiUed fighting on 'Ali's side. When 'Ali (&)
entered, Safiyyah, the wife of Abdullah, Umm Talhah, said to him:
"May Allah make your children orphans as you have made my
children orphans!" 'Ali (&) did not respond. When he left, she
repeated her words, and he again kept quiet. A man said to him: "0
Amir al-Mu'mineen, are you going to keep quiet when this woman is
saying what you can hear?" 'Ali (&) ..
said: 'Woe to you. We were
commanded to leave women alone when they were polytheists, so
shouldn't we leave them alone when they are ~ uslims?"~~~
1.6.12. Abu Bakrah ath-Thaqafi's request to
not be appointed as governor of Basra
'Abdur-R&mk ibn Abi Bakrah ath-Thaqafi came to Amir al-
Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) and swore allegiance to him. 'Ali asked about
his father, saying: "Where is the one who is sick?" 'Abdur-Ramh
said: "By Allah, he is indeed sick, 0 Amir al-Mu'mineen, but he is
very keen to please you." 'Ali (&) said: "Walk in front of me." He
went and visited him, and he offered him the position of governor of
Basra, but Abu Bakrah refused and said: "How about a man from
among your relatives whom the people trust?" He suggested Ibn
'Abbh, so 'Ali appointed Ibn 'AbbL as governor of Basra, and he
appointed Ziyid ibn Abeehi to be in charge of the land tax and the
public treasury; then he ordered Ibn 'AbbL to listen to ~ i ~ 2 d .