A.H. 35.
Moḥammad son of Abu Bekr, in his hate and rage had no such scruples. Running in, he seized him by the beard, and cried, "The Lord abase thee, thou old dotard!" "Let my beard go," said ʿOthmān, calmly; "I am no dotard, but the Caliph, whom they call ʿOthmān." Then, in answer to a further torrent of abuse, the aged man went on,—"Son of my brother! Thy father would not have served me so. The Lord help me! To him I flee for refuge from thee." The appeal touched even the unworthy son of Abu Bekr, and he too retired. The insurgent leaders, now impatient, crowded in, smote the Caliph with their swords, and trampled on the Ḳorʾān which he had been reading. He yet had strength enough to gather up the leaves and press them to his bosom, while the blood flowed forth upon the sacred text.[1] Thus attacked, the faithful Nāʾila cast herself upon her wounded lord, and as she shielded him with her arm, a sword-cut severed several of her fingers, which fell upon the ground. The band of slaves attempted his defence. One of them slew the leader, but was immediately himself cut down.and ʿOthmān slain. Further effort was in vain. The insurgents plunged their weapons into the Caliph's body, and he fell lifeless to the ground. The infuriated mob now had their way. A scene of riot followed. They stabbed the corpse, leaped savagely on it, and were proceeding to cut off the head, when the women screamed, beating their breasts and faces, and the savage crew desisted. The palace was gutted; and even Nāʾila, all wounded and bloody, was stripped of her veil. Just then the cry was raised, "To the Treasury!" and suddenly all departed.
- ↑ The blood, we are told, flowed down to the words:—"If they turn their backs, they are only schismatics ; thy Lord will deal with them for you" (Sūra ii. v. 131). The appropriateness of the text, however, may of itself have suggested the story.
When the insurgents first rushed in, he was reading the passage in Sūra iii. 167, which refers to Medīna being attacked at the battle of Oḥod. The disaffected citizens are there represented as taunting Moḥammad and his followers in these words:—"Verily, the men (of Mecca) have gathered forces against you; wherefore, be afraid of the same. But it only increased their faith, and they said:—The Lord sufficeth for us; He is the best Protector." This was a favourite text of ʿOthmān's, and he may perhaps have turned to it for comfort now that vain was the help of man.
