A.H. 30–34.
by the partisans of the ʿAbbāsid dynasty as an unpardonable offence committed by the ungodly Caliph. The accusation thus trumped up was really without foundation. Indeed, it was scouted by ʿAlī himself. When, several years after, as Caliph, he found the citizens of Al-Kūfa still blaming his ill-starred predecessor for the act;—"Silence!" he cried; "ʿOthmān acted with the advice of the leading men amongst us; and had I been ruler at the time, I should myself have done the same."[1]
Many Ḳoreish migrate to ʿIrāḳ.A great body of the nobility from Mecca and Medīna about this time transferred their residence to Al-Kūfa and Al-Baṣra. These had no right to share in the endowments of Al-ʿIrāḳ, the special privileges of which, in virtue of conquest, were reserved for the original settlers. They were allowed, however, now to do so on condition that they surrendered their properties in the Ḥijāz. The concession afforded fresh ground for discontent at the extravagant pretensions of Ḳoreish.
Abu Dharr Al-Ghifāri.The story of Abu Dharr is singularly illustrative of the times, and his treatment formed one of the grounds of complaint against the Caliph.[2] He was an early convert to the Faith; and is said even to have anticipated Moḥammad in some of the observances of Islām. An ascetic in habit, he inveighed against the riches and indulgences of the day as altogether alien from the Faith, and as evils which, rushing in like a flood, were now demoralising the people. Gorgeous palaces, crowds of slaves, horses and camels, flocks and herds, costly garments, sumptuous fare, and splendid equipage were the fashion, not only in Syria and Al-ʿIrāḳ, but even now within the Holy Cities.[3] The protest of Abu Dharr was
- ↑ On this recension, see Excursus on the "Sources for the Biography of Moḥammad," in the Life of Moḥammad. The manner in which the ʿAbbāsid faction perverted the facts and turned the charge to malignant purpose against the Umeiyad house, is well illustrated in the Apology of Al Kindy, pp. 25 et seq. The charge against Al-Ḥajjāj is equally groundless.—Ibid. p. xi.
- ↑ Ibn-Ḳoteiba, p. 130.
- ↑ Al-Masʿūdi dwells on this as one of the causes of demoralisation and disloyalty now setting in so rapidly, and he gives some remarkable instances. Az-Zubeir had 1000 slaves, male and female, and 1000 horses. At all the great cities he had palaces, and the one at Al-Baṣra
