The Khulafa- ur- Rashiduun
The Third Caliph, Uthman (644-656 A.C.)
"Every Prophet has an
assistant, and my assistant will be Uthman."(Hadith)
Uthman's Election
When Umar was stabbed,the Muslims
asked him to appoint a successor for him but he refused. They insisted,
so he mentioned six of the Sahabah. After his death, the nominees appointed
one of them as a representative who was Abdul Rahman Ibn Auf. He referred
to the opinion of the Muslims and consulted them. Then he declared the
bay'ah to Uthman. The Muslims stood up and gave their pledge to Uthman,
and theirby he became a Khalif by the pledge of the Muslims and not by
the announcement of Abdul Rahman. In the following two Hadiths Umar first
does not appoint anyone and in the next Hadith Umar mentioned the name
of the six people. In Muslim he reported the same thing in a different
Hadith. But from both, Al-Bukhari and Muslim, we find that Umar appointed
the six people after the Sahabah insisted on him to do so.
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority
of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: It was said to 'Umar, "Will you appoint your successor?"
Umar said, "If I appoint a Caliph (as my successor) it is true that somebody
who was better than I (i.e., Abu Bakr) did so, and if I leave the matter
undecided, it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Allah's
Apostle) did so." On this, the people praised him. 'Umar said, "People
are of two kinds: Either one who is keen to take over the Caliphate or
one who is afraid of assuming such a responsibility. I wish I could be
free from its responsibility in that I would receive neither reward nor
retribution I won't bear the burden of the caliphate in my death as I do
in my life."
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority
of Amr bin Maimun when Umar was stabbed to death: "The people realized
that he would die... The people said (to 'Umar), "O chief of the believers!
Appoint a successor." Umar said, "I do not find anyone more suitable for
the job than the following persons or group whom Allah's Apostle had been
pleased with before he died." Then 'Umar mentioned 'Ali, 'Uthman AzZubair,
Talha, Sad and 'Abdur-Rahman (bin Auf) and said,"Abdullah bin 'Umar will
be a witness to you, but he will have no share in the rule.
His being a witness will compensate
him for not sharing the right of ruling. If Sad becomes the ruler, it will
be alright: otherwise, whoever becomes the ruler should seek his help,
as I have not dismissed him because of disability or dishonesty." 'Umar
added, "I recommend that my successor takes care of the early emigrants;
to know their rights and protect their honour and sacred things. I also
recommend that he be kind to the Ansar who had lived in Medina before the
emigrants and Belief had entered their hearts before them.
I recommend that the (ruler) should
accept the good of the righteous among them and excuse their wrong-doers,
and I recommend that he should do good to all the people of the towns (Al-Ansar),
as they are the protectors of Islam and the source of wealth and the source
of annoyance to the enemy. I also recommend that nothing be taken from
them except from their surplus with their consent. I also recommend that
he do good to the 'Arab bedouin, as they are the origin of the 'Arabs and
the material of Islam.
He should take from what is inferior,
amongst their properties and distribute that to the poor amongst them.
I also recommend him concerning Allah's and His Apostle's protectees (i.e.
Dhimmis) to fulfil their contracts and to fight for them and not to overburden
them with what is beyond their ability." So when 'Umar expired, we carried
him out and set out walking. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar greeted ('Aisha) and said,"'Umar
bin Al-Khattab asks for the permission." 'Aisha said, "Bring him in." He
was brought in and buried beside his two companions.
When he was buried, the group (recommended
by 'Umar) held a meeting. Then 'Abdur-Rahman said, " Reduce the candidates
for rulership to three of you." Az-Zubair said, "I give up my right to
Ali." Talha said, "I give up my right to 'Uthman," Sad, 'I give up my right
to 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf." Abdur-Rahman thensaid (to 'Uthman and 'Ali),
"Now which of you is willing to give up his right of candidacy to that
he may choose the better of the (remaining) two, bearing in mind that Allah
and Islam will be his witnesses." So both the sheiks (i.e. 'Uthman and
'Ali) kept silent.
'Abdur-Rahman said,"Will you both
leave this matter to me, and I take Allah as my Witness that I will not
choose but the better of you?" They said, "Yes." So 'Abdur-Rahman took
the hand of one of them (i.e. 'Ali) and said, "You are related to Allah's
Apostle and one of the earliest Muslims as you know well. So I ask you
by Allah to promise that if I select you as a ruler you will do justice,
and if I select 'Uthman as a ruler you will listen to him and obey him."
Then he took the other (i.e. 'Uthman) aside and said the same to him. When
'Abdur-Rahman secured (their agreement to) this covenant, he said, "O 'Uthman!
Raise your hand." So he (i.e. 'Abdur-Rahman) gave him (i.e. 'Uthman) the
solemn pledge, and then 'Ali gave him the pledge of allegiance and then
all the (Medina) people gave him the pledge of allegiance.
The details of what Abdul Rahman
did is clear in the next narration. Al-Bukhari reported on the authority
of Al-Miswar bin Makhrama: The group of people whom 'Umar had selected
as candidatesfor the Caliphate gathered and consulted each other. Abdur-Rahman
said to them, "I am not going to compete with you in this matter, but if
you wish, I would select for you a caliph from among you."
So all of them agreed to let 'Abdur-Rahman
decide the case. So when the candidates placed the case in the hands of
'Abdur-Rahman, the people went towards him and nobody followed the rest
of the group nor obeyed any after him. So the people followed 'Abdur-Rahman
and consulted him all those nights till there came the night we gave the
oath of allegiance to 'Uthman. Al-Miswar (bin Makhrama) added: 'Abdur-Rahman
called on me after a portion of the night had passed and knocked on my
door till I got up, and he said to me, "I see you have been sleeping! By
Allah, during the last three nights I have not slept enough.
Go and call Az-Zubair and Sa'd.'
So I called them for him and he consulted them and then called me saying,
'Call 'Ali for me." I called 'Ali and he held a private talk with him till
very late at night, and then 'Al, got up to leave having had much hope
(to be chosen as a Caliph) but 'Abdur-Rahman was afraid of something concerning
'Ali. 'Abdur-Rahman then said to me, "Call 'Uthman for me."
I called him and he kept on speaking
to him privately till the Mu'adhdhin put an end to their talk by announcing
the Adhan for the Fajr prayer. When the people finished their morning prayer
and that (six men) group gathered near the pulpit,'Abdur-Rahman sent for
all the Muhajirin (emigrants) and the Ansar present there and sent for
the army chief who had performed the Hajj with 'Umar that year. When all
of them had gathered, 'Abdur-Rahman said, "None has the right to be worshipped
but Allah," and added, "Now then, O 'Ali, I have looked at the people's
tendencies and noticed that they do not consider anyboy equal to 'Uthman,
so you should not incur blame (by disagreeing)."Then 'Abdur-Rahman said
(to 'Uthman), "I gave the oath of allegiance to you on condition that you
will follow Allah's Laws and the traditions of Allah's Apostle and the
traditions of the two Caliphs after him." So 'Abdur-Rahman gave the oath
of allegiance to him, and so did the peopleincluding the Muhajirin (emigrants)
and the Ansar and the chiefs of the army staff and all the Muslims.
Uthman's Life
Uthman was a member of the wealthy
Umayyad clan; his early conversion is noteworthy since most members of
his clan did not convert until the conquest of Mecca in 630. His aristocratic
background may be the reason behind Muhammad's forging an alliance with
him through marriage to two of his daughters. Uthman appears to have played
only a small role during the lifetime of Muhammad and the caliphates of
Abu Bakr and Umar.
Uthman was chosen caliph by a six-member
comittee in 644. The reasons for his selection are unclear; it may be partly
due to his willingness to continue Umar's policies, partly due to his Umayyad
lineage. During his twelve-year reign, grievances which had been suppressed
under Umar's caliphate came to the surface. 3 He was accused of nepotism,
favoritism, misadministration, and religious innovation by his detractors,
which included the man who would become the fourth caliph, Ali. Uthman
was murdered in 656 by a group of discontented Egyptians.
Bay'ah Of Uthman
Uthman bin Affan was born seven years after the Holy Prophet (peace
be on him). He belonged to the Omayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. He
learned to read and write at an early age, and as a Islam Uthman
had been noted for his truthfulness and integrity. He and Abu Bakr were
close friends, and it was Abu Bakr who brought him to Islam when he was
thirty-four years of age. Some years later he married the Prophet's second
daughter, Ruqayya. In spite of his wealth and position, his relatives subjected
him to torture because he had embraced Islam, and he was forced to emigrate
to Abyssinia. Some time later he returned to Mecca but soon migrated to
Medina with the other Muslims. In Medina his business again began to flourish
and he regained his former prosperity. Uthman's generosity had no limits.
On various occasions he spent a great portion of his wealth for the welfare
of the Muslims, for charity and for equipping the Muslim armies. That is
why he came to be known as 'Ghani' meaning 'Generous.'
Uthman's wife, Ruqayya was seriously ill just before the Battle of Badr
and he was excused by the Prophet (peace be on him) from participating
in the battle. The illness Ruqayya proved fatal, leaving Uthman deeply
grieved. The Prophet was moved and offered Uthman the hand of another of
his daughters, Kulthum. Because he had the high privilege of having two
daughters of the Prophet as wives Uthman was known as 'The Possessor of
the Two Lights. '
Uthman participated in the Battles of Uhud and the Trench. After the
encounter of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be on him) determined to perform
Hajj and sent Uthman as his emissary to the Quraish in Mecca, who detained
him. The episode ended in a treaty with the Meccans known as the Treaty
of Hudaibiya.
The portrait we have of Uthman is of an unassuming, honest, mild, generous
and very kindly man, noted especially for his modesty and his piety. He
often spent part of the night in prayer, fasted every second or third day,
performed hajj every year, and looked after the needy of the whole community.
In spite of his wealth, he lived very simply and slept on bare sand in
the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque. Uthman knew the Qur'an from memory
and had an intimate knowledge of the context and circumstances relating to each verse.
Uthman's Caliphate
During Uthman's rule the characteristics of Abu Bakr's and Umar's caliphates
- impartial justice for all, mild and humane policies, striving in the
path of God, and the expansion of Islam - continued. Uthman's realm extended
in the west to Morocco, in the east to Afghanistan, and in the north to
Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his caliphate a navy was organized, administrative
divisions of the state were revised, and many public projects were expanded
and completed. Uthman sent prominent Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) as his personal
deputies to various provinces to scrutinize the conduct of officials and
the condition of the people.
Uthman's most notable contribution to the religion of God was the compilation
of a complete and authoritative text of the Qur'an. A large number of copies
of this text were made and distributed all over the Muslim world.
Uthman ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by internal
peace and tranquility, but during the second half of his caliphate a rebellion
arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking advantage of dissatisfaction among
the people, began conspiring against Uthman, and by publicly airing their
complaints and grievances, gained so much sympathy that it became difficult
to distinguish friend from foe.
It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose
armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Uthman
had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment it
began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of Muslims,
however rebellious they might be. He preferred to reason with them, to
persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well remembered hearing
the Prophet (peace be on him) say, "Once the sword is unsheathed among
my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day."
The rebels demanded that he abdicate and some of the Companions advised
him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of action, but
again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the Prophet. "Perhaps
God will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman" the Prophet had told him once,
"and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it off for them."
Uthman said to a well-wisher on a day when his house was surrounded by
the rebels, "God's Messenger made a covenant with me and I shall show endurance
in adhering to it."
After a long siege, the rebels broke into Uthman's house and murdered
him. When the first assassin's sword struck Uthman, he was reciting the
verse,
"Verily, God sufficeth thee; He is the All-Hearing,the All-Knowing" [Qur'an 2:137]
Uthman breathed his last on the afternoon of Friday, 17 Dhul Hijja,
35 A.H. (June. (656 A.C.). He was eighty-four years old. The power of tHe
rebels was so great that Uthman's body lay unburied until Saturday night
when he was buried in his blood-stained clothes, the shroud which befits
all martyrs in the cause of God.
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