Note 494 — Chapter XXXV · THE ELECTION OF ALY. End of A.H. XXXV. June, A.D. 656.

Thus Sád, the conqueror of Irâc, refused to swear till all else had done so; whereupon, Ashtar, head of the conspirators from Kûfa, threatened to behead him; but Aly said, ‘Leave him alone; I will be surety for him.’ Moghîra, also, and a company of the late Caliph’s adherents, declined to swear, and were left unmolested. Amongst them was Hassân, the poet, and his brother Zeid (collector of the Corân), whom Othmân had appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Of the latter, it is said that when Othmân was first attacked, he cried to his fellow-citizens, ‘Ye men of Medîna, be ye Ansârs (Helpers) of the Lord for the second time, even as ye were Ansârs of His Prophet at the first.’ But Abu Ayûb, another of the citizens, made answer and said, ‘Verily, he shall get no help from us. Let the multitude of his train-band slaves be his Ansârs!’