When he did not pay any heed to Muhammad’s repeated appeals...

When he did not pay any heed to Muhammad’s repeated appeals, he openly started preparing people to rise against `Abdullah. He also reported about the conditions in Egypt to `Uthman and told him that he had imposed such an evil person over the people in Egypt whom the Prophet (a.s) declared a persona non grata. They people of Egypt were impressed with the piety of Muhammad ibn Hudhayfah. They gathered around him.

When he saw the situation worsening, `Abdullah ibn Sa`d wrote to `Uthman that his ward ibn Abi-Hudhayfah has spoiled the environment in Egypt and was instigating the people to rebel. If immediate arrangements are not made, things might go out of control. `Uthman could not think of any other strategy than controlling the situation through the use of wealth. He therefore sent some expensive garments and thirty thousand dirhams to Muhammad ibn Abi-Hudhayfah. This strategy did not work on Muhammad.

He took the garments and the money to the people and said: “O group of Muslims! You do not see this act of `Uthman that he wants to trick me in the matter of the Faith and has sent to me this wealth as a gratification.”[1] The result of this episode was that the opposition further increased. And the feelings of rebellion came up in the minds of the people. People openly started talking against `Abdullah ibn Sa`d.

When `Uthman heard about this situation, he wrote to Muhammad that he did not expect such behavior from him. But Muhammad Ibn Abi-Hudhayfah was not impressed with the fans of `Uthman appeals and he continued his campaign against `Abdullah ibn Sa`d. At last one group of Egyptians went as a delegation to al-Madinah to plead with the caliph for removal of `Abdullah ibn Sa`d.

In this group, there was Muhammad ibn Abi-Bakr too was there who was associated with the movement of Muhammad ibn Abi-Hudhayfah. Following this delegation, `Abdullah ibn Sa`d too proceeded towards al-Madinah. Now the administration of Egypt came to the hands of Muhammad ibn Abi-Hudhayfah. When `Abdullah reached Aylah road to al-Madinah he learnt that `Uthman had been besieged in his own house and that going there would be fraught with danger. He returned to Egypt from there.

But Muhammad ibn Abi-Hudhayfah did not allow him entry into the city. When he found no place of succor, he proceeded towards Palestine and halted at the border between Egypt and Palestine. He waited there to see what turn the [1] Al-Kāmil fit-Tārīkh, Vol 3, Page 135 events took.