The apparent cause of this hatred and opposition was that...

The apparent cause of this hatred and opposition was that `Uthman had reduced the pension that she was getting from the previous regime. Therefore, the historian al-Ya`qūbi writes: “There was a gulf of hatred standing between `A’ishah and `Uthman. He had reduced the pension that `Umar had fixed for her.

He started giving her an amount equal to that which was fixed for the other consorts of the Prophet (a.s).”[2] Because of the dictatorial attitude of `Uthman and his functionaries, the atmosphere was already bad when the provocative talk of Umm al-Mu’minin added fuel to the fire. This antagonism became more furious and people started scheming against him. Particularly Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah, and the people of Banū-taym, were in the forefront of the agitation.

Talhah left no stone unturned in instigating the people against him. Buladhari writes: “Among the of the Prophet (a.s) none was as aggressive against `Uthman as was Talhah.”[3] Therefore, it was he who asked people not to supply water to `Uthman’s house during the siege. It was he who rained the arrows on the house in the darkness of the night.

He instigated people against him and asked their chief, `Abd al-Rahman ibn `Udays, who was one of the attendants at the bay`at al-ridwan , not to allow `Uthman to come out of the house and prevent others from going in and coming out. When `Uthman heard about this, he said: “O Allah! Save me from the mischief of Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah. He has instigated people against me and got me besieged!”[4] Talhah had this attitude not only during the life of `Uthman.

After his death, there was no change in the attitude. He got stones hurled at the bier and [1] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 3, Page 434 [2] Tārīkh al-Ya`qūbī, Vol 2, Page 132 [3] Ansāb al-Ashrāf, Vol 1, Page 113 [4] Tārīkh al-Tabarī, Vol 3, Page 411 obstructed his burial in Jannat al-Baqi`. Similarly al-Zubayr, whose wife was `A’ishah’s sister, was heard telling to the besiegers: “Kill `Uthman. He has changed your very faith.”[1] Only these people established the cause of `Uthman’s killing.

They created such an environment that resulted in his assassination. If killing of `Uthman was a crime, then these persons cannot be absolved of their involvement in the act. Because abetting a crime too is a crime. Although Umm al-Mu’minin was not in al-Madinah at the time of his killing, she had left the place only 20 days prior to the event. When she was sure that the sapling she had planted would soon bear fruit.