The Milch-Camel Exchange: Amr's and Ibn Abi Sarh's Kharaj

اللقاح وأولادها: خراج عمرو وعبد الله بن سعد

c. 25 AH

In al-Baladhuri on Yazid ibn Abi Habib's report: Amr ibn al-As gathered Egypt's kharaj and jizya at two thousand thousand, while Abdallah ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Sarh gathered it at four thousand thousand — whereupon Uthman said to Amr 'the milch-camels of Egypt have milked fuller since you', and Amr answered 'that is because you have starved their calves'. And Umar ibn al-Khattab would record his governors' wealth when appointing them, then share with them whatever grew beyond it, sometimes taking it from them outright — so he wrote to Amr ibn al-As that goods, slaves, vessels and beasts had flourished for him beyond what he held when given Egypt.

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Amr's Dismissal and Ibn Abi Sarh's Sole Charge of Egypt

In al-Baladhuri: when Amr set his mawla Wardan over Alexandria and returned to al-Fustat, his dismissal came shortly after — Uthman appointing Abdallah ibn Sa'd, his milk-brother, in year 25; or, some say, Abdallah already held Egypt's kharaj and a quarrel ran between him and Amr, so on his complaint Uthman dismissed Amr, joined both offices to Abdallah, and wrote telling him Alexandria had been opened once by force and had twice revolted — ordering a ribat that never leaves it, provisions dealt out to them, and rotation every six months; in a third account, when the Romans descended on Alexandria Egypt's people begged Uthman to keep Amr until the fighting ended, for his war-knowledge and dread in the enemy's souls — he did till they were routed — then Uthman wished to put Amr over the war and Abdallah over the kharaj, which Amr refused saying 'I am like one holding the cow's horns while the amir milks her', so Uthman gave Ibn Sa'd Egypt. And the Abyssinians of al-Bayma kept fighting seven years after Egypt's conquest, uncatchable, never stirring from the waters amid the thickets.

The Milch-Camel Exchange: Amr's and Ibn Abi Sarh's Kharaj

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Amr's Dismissal and Ibn Abi Sarh's Sole Charge of Egypt