#12000 And from Abu Sa'id, the freed slave of Abu Usayd, who said: It reached Uthman that a delegation of the people of Egypt had approached. He met them in a village of his outside Medina, as he disliked for them to enter upon him—or as the narrator said. When they learned of his location, they approached him and said, "Call for the Mushaf (the Quran) for us." So he called for it—meaning he brought it—and said, "Open it." He read until he reached this verse: "Say, 'Have you seen what Allah has sent down to you of provision, and you have made of it lawful and unlawful?' Say, 'Has Allah permitted you, or are you inventing [lies] against Allah?'" [Yunus: 59]. They said, "The protected pasture (Al-Hima) of Allah, did He permit you for it, or are you inventing [lies] against Allah?" He said, "Move on [continue reading]; it was revealed concerning such and such. As for the protected pasture, indeed Umar protected the pasture for the camels of charity (Sadaqah). When I was given authority, I did what he did, and I did not increase upon what he increased." And the narrator thought he said: "And I was on that day such and such years old." He [Abu Sa'id] said: Then they asked him about things, to which he began saying, "Move past it, it was revealed regarding such and such." Then they asked him about things he recognized for which he had no excuse, so he said, "I seek forgiveness from Allah." Then he said, "What do you want?" They said, "We want the people of Medina not to take the stipend (Al-Ata'), for this wealth is for those who fought for it and for these elders from the Companions of Muhammad (pbuh)." He said: So he agreed, and they agreed. He said: And they took a pledge from him. He said: And they wrote a document against him, and he took a pledge from them that they would not break the staff (cause division) nor separate from the community. He said: So he was satisfied, and they were satisfied. He said: They then approached Medina with him, and he praised Allah and extolled Him, then said, "By Allah, I have not seen a delegation better than this delegation. Behold, whoever has crops, let him join his crops; and whoever has livestock, let him milk them. Behold, there is no wealth for you with us; rather, this wealth is for those who fought for it and for these elders from the Companions of Muhammad (pbuh)." He said: The people became angry and said, "This is the deception of the Umayyads." The delegation returned satisfied, but when they were partway on the road, a rider began to intercept them, then leave them, then return to them and insult them. They seized him and said, "What is the matter with you? You surely have a purpose." He said, "I am the messenger of the Commander of the Faithful to his governor in Egypt." They searched him and found a letter attributed to Uthman bearing his seal: that he should crucify them, or strike their necks, or cut off their hands and feet. He said: So they returned and said, "He has broken the covenant, and Allah has made his blood lawful." They arrived in Medina and went to Ali and said, "Have you not seen the enemy of Allah? He wrote concerning us such and such. Stand with us against him." He said, "By Allah, I will not stand with you." They said, "Then why did he write to us?" He said, "By Allah, he never wrote a letter to you at all." They looked at one another, then some said, "Is it for this that you fight, or for this that you are angry?" Ali went out and stayed in a village outside Medina. They went to Uthman and said, "Did you write concerning us such and such?" He said, "There are only two options: either you produce two witnesses, or an oath by Allah that I did not write, nor dictate, nor did I know. And you know that a letter can be written in a man's name and a seal can be engraved upon a seal." He said: So they besieged him. One day he looked out at them and said, "Peace be upon you," but I did not hear anyone return the greeting except for a man returning it to himself. He said, "I adjure you by Allah, do you know that I bought the well of Rumah from my own wealth to make it sweet, and I made my bucket in it like the bucket of any man among the Muslims?" It was said, "Yes." He said, "Then why do you prevent me from drinking from its water until I must break my fast with sea water?" He said, "I adjure you by Allah, do you know that I bought such and such from my wealth and added it to the Mosque?" They said, "Yes." He said, "Do you know of anyone being prevented from praying in it before me?" Then he mentioned something that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to him. The narrator said: And I believe he mentioned his writing of the Mufassal with his own hand. He said: Then the news spread, and it was said, "Go easy on the Commander of the Faithful."