Khalifa Uthman bin Affan - Disturbances in Kufa

In spite of Saeed's efforts to maintain peace and win over the mischief makers to the cause of law and order, things soon came to head culminating in disturbances. One night when Saeed held his usual meeting with these persons, a reference was made to the liberality and generosity of Talha bin Ubaidullah. It was said that Talha was very liberal in cir,~rity, and he distributed thousands of dirhams among the poor every week. Saeed said that Talha b Ubaidullah owned a very large estate "Nashsta;", which brought him very large income and as such he could indulge in manifestations of charity. Saeed added that if he were an estate holder, his generosity would surpass the generosity of Talha. Thereupon one of the persons in the gathering, Khanis b Falan Asadi said, "I wish you owned the royal Persian estate in Iraq '`Maltat", so that you could give us the manifestation of your generosity. There was some further talk on the subject, and thereafter the tempers flared up. These people felt that Khanis was inciting Saeed to acquire the estate of Maltat. Their view was that this estate should be distributed among the people. That led to an altercation, and Khanis was given a good beating.

On another occasion Saeed in an unwary moment said that Sawad (the area between the Tigris and the Euphrates) was the garden of the Quraish. These people protested in strong terms. They said that this area in Iraq belonged to Iraq anu the (2uraisll had no right to dominate over the people of lraq in that way. That led to a rift between Saeed and the people whom he usually invited to his night sittings.

These people included Ashtar; Ibr. Zi Alhabka; Jandab; Sasama; lbn al Kawa, Kameel; and Aamar b Zaabi,

Saeed discontinued his nightly meetings. Now these persons held their own meetings, and at such meetings they carried on poisonous propaganda against Saeed and Uthman. Some poets wrote verses vilifying Saeed. One of the poets said:

"Escaping from Walid I took Shelter with Saeed. But it was like a person who took shelter in a cave and was killed. Tlle Quraish put us every year to a trouble. Every now anu then a new Amir is imposed on us. A burr ng fire is before us from which we apprehend danger. There is no fire before the Ouraish. As such there is nothing to withhold the Quraish from their tyrannies. May God save us from them."

It appears that in order to carry out their subversive designs the conspirators raised the bogey of the tyranny of the Quraish. This poisonous, propaganda slowly spread among the people of Kufa, and the people began to harbor imaginary grievances against the Quraish. Saeed and Uthman became the target of criticism.

Saeed reported this unsatisfactory state of affairs to Otlunan. Uthman directed that the ring-leaders of the conspirators be sent to Syria.