Uthman Ibn ‘Affan (RA) (Third Caliph)
Uthman (RA) was born some six years after the birth of the Prophet (SAW). His father’s name was Affan. Arwa was the name of his mother. His granddaughter, Baiza, was a daughter of Abdul Muttalib and therefore an aunt of the Prophet (SAW). Uthman (RA) belonged to the Omayya branch of the Quraish. Banu Omayya were thought to be the equals of Banu Hashim. The national flag of the Quraish was in their keeping. When Uthman (RA) grew up, he became a cloth merchant. His business grew rapidly and he came to be looked upon as a top business man of the city. He often visited Syria in connection with his business. Flourishing business brought him both wealth and position. However, Uthman (RA) was an extremely kindhearted man. He looked upon wealth as a means of helping others.
It was Abu Bakr (RA) who won Uthman (RA) for Islam. Abu Bakr (RA) and Uthman (RA) were great friends. The Prophet (SAW) belonged to Banu Hashim and Uthman (RA) belonged to Banu Omayya. There was old rivalry between the two tribes. This did not keep back Uthman (RA) from accepting the truth. As soon as he heard the message of Islam, he accepted it. He was one of the first Muslims. The Prophet (SAW) gave to him his daughter, Ruqayyah (RA) in marriage.
By becoming a Muslim, Uthman (RA) drew upon himself the anger of his relatives. His uncle, Hakam, tied his hand and foot. He then shut him up in a dark room. Uthman (RA) gladly underwent all kinds of torture, but refused to give up Islam.
The Quraish who once loved Uthman (RA) now became his enemies. His own relatives would have nothing to do with him. This made Uthman (RA) feel miserable. He went to the Prophet (SAW) and asked permission to go to Abyssinia. The permission was given. Othman was the first Muslim to leave for Abyssinia. He and his wife crossed the Red Sea and sought refuge in Abyssinia. They were the first to give up their home and all they had for the cause of Allah.
When migration from Mecca began, Uthman (RA) and his wife Ruqayyah (RA) also went to Medina and settled there. Uthman (RA) was among those who were very close to the Prophet (SAW). He fought by the side of the Prophet (SAW) in all battles except Badr. He could not go to Badr because his wife, Ruqayyah (RA) , was very ill. The Prophet (SAW) himself told Uthman (RA) to stay back at Medina and attend to his ailing wife. Ruqayyah (RA) died of this illness. Uthman (RA) took the death of Ruqayyah (RA) very much to heart. He was all the more sad because he no longer enjoyed the honor of being the son-in-law of the Prophet (SAW). The Prophet (SAW) saw this. So he married to Uthman (RA) his second daughter, Umm Kulthum (RA). This was a rare honor. It earned for Uthman (RA) the title of “Zun-Noorain,” or “the possessor of two lights.”
In the sixth year of Hijrah was signed the treaty of Hudaibiya. Uthman (RA) played an important part in the peace talks. It was he who was sent by the Prophet (SAW) to contact the Quraish. The Quraish said they had no objection if Uthman (RA) alone visited the Kaaba, but they were unwilling to let the Messenger of Allah (SAW) enter Mecca. To this Uthman (RA) replied: “It is unthinkable that I take preference over the Prophet (SAW). If he can’t visit the House of Allah, I too, will not visit it.” Uthman’s (RA) firm stand at last forced the Quraish to yield ground.
In the meantime, a rumor got afoot. It was given out that Uthman (RA) had been killed by the Quraish. The report shocked the Prophet (SAW). He determined to avenge the death of Uthman (RA). He stood under a tree and took a pledge from his followers. He struck his hand on each man’s hand and the man said, “I will fight unto death for the sake of Uthman.” Such was the regard in which Uthman (RA) was held by the Prophet (SAW)! However, the rumor proved to be untrue. Uthman (RA) came back safe and sound.
In the ninth year of Hijrah, reports reached the Prophet (SAW) that the Emperor of Byzantium was preparing a march on Medina. These reports disturbed the Muslims. The Prophet (SAW) began to counter preparations. He appealed to people to give whatever they could. Uthman (RA) gave one thousand camels, fifty horses and one thousand pieces of gold. The Prophet (SAW) looked at the heap of gold and declared, “Whatever Uthman (RA) does, from this day on, will do him no harm.”
Uthman (RA) was one of the scribes of the Prophet (SAW). He was one of the men who wrote portions of the Qur’an as they were revealed. He was also one of the ten Companions whom the Prophet (SAW) gave the good news of the kingdom of Heaven.
Closeness to the Prophet (SAW) won Uthman (RA) a high place among the Companions. He was one of the advisors of Abu Bakr (RA) and Umar (RA) during their Caliphate.
Uthman’s (RA) Election
Umar (RA) had nominated a six-man council to choose a Caliph from among its members. These members were: Ali (RA), Uthman (RA), Abdur Rehman bin Auf (RA), Saad bin Abi Waqqas (RA), Zubair bin Awwam (RA) and Talha bin Ubaidullah (RA). The electors were to meet and finish their task within three days of Umar (RA) death. Such was the will of the late Caliph. The electors met. Talha (RA) had been out of Medina for some days, so he could not attend the meeting. The council of electors had a long sitting. It could not come to an agreed decision. There was an impasse. So Abdur Rehman bin Auf (RA) said, “If any man is willing to withdraw his name, he will have the right to nominate the Caliph. Who will withdraw?” All kept silent. Then Abdur Rehman (RA) said, “I withdraw my name.”
All except Ali (RA) said they were ready to accept Abdur Rehman’s (RA) decision. Abdur Rehman (RA) asked Ali (RA) what he had to say. He replied, “Promise to be just. Promise not to be partial on account of kinship. Promise to be led by the welfare of the people alone. If you promise these things, I agree to abide by your decision.”
Abdur Rehman (RA) promised all these things. The election of the Caliph now rested with Abdur Rehman bin Auf (RA). Abdur Rehman (RA) was fully alive to the heavy responsibility he had placed upon himself. The news of Umar’s (RA) death had drawn to Medina the leaders of public opinion from all over the empire. Abdur Rehman (RA) went to each one of them and held long talks. The Banu Hashim were for Ali (RA). All others favored Uthman (RA). Other candidates were out of the picture.
Abdur Rehman (RA) now talked to the two likely candidates.
“Who do you think is the fittest person after you?” he asked Ali (RA).
“Uthman,” was the reply. He put Uthman (RA) the same question and he named Ali.
At last the third night came. In the morning Abdur Rehman (RA) was to announce his decision. He sat up whole night, holding long talks with the other four members of the council. He made a last effort to get a unanimous decision. But he failed in this effort. The differences between Banu Hashim and Banu Omiyyah could not be patched up. At last the call to the Morning Prayer brought these talks to an end. When the prayer was over, people in the mosque were all ears to hear what Abdur Rehman (RA) had to say.
Abdur Rehman (RA) stood up. For some minutes he prayed to Allah to guide his thoughts. Then he said, “O people,” I have given my best thought to the matter. I have talked to different people and got their opinion. I hope you will not differ with my decision.” Then Abdur Rehman (RA) called Uthman (RA) and said, “Promise that you will act according to the commandments of the Qur’an and the example set by the Prophet (SAW) and his two Caliphs.”
“I promise to do that to the best of my knowledge and ability,” declared Uthman (RA).
Thereupon Abdur Rehman bin Auf (RA) pledged loyalty to Uthman (RA). His example was followed by all present. Ali (RA) also pledged loyalty to the new Caliph. Uthman (RA) became the third Caliph of Islam.
First Speech
When the pledge was over, Uthman (RA) rose to address the gathering. All were eager to hear what the new Caliph had to say. But the weight of the new responsibility made Uthman’s body shake. All he could say was, “O people, it is not easy to manage a new horse. There will be several occasions to speak to you. If I live, I will address you some other day. But you know, I am not very good at speech-making.”
__________________________________________________________
The plan of the Caliph’s enemies was to cause a general rising when the Governors were away for the conference at Medina. But the plot could not be carried out the hooligans of Kufa, however, did not allow their Governor to enter the city when he came back from the conference. They wanted Abu Musa Ashari to be their Governor. The Caliphs granted their request and made Abu Musa the Governor of Kufa.
The hooligans now made another plot. Their ring-leaders, from each province, decided to meet in Medina. They were to study things in the capital and decide upon the future course of action.
Accordingly, the ring-leaders from all provinces met outside Medina. The Calpih came to know of their coming. He sent of them two men whom they trusted. The men came back with an alarming plot. They said the ring-leaders were bent on mischief. Their plan was to go back and tell the people that the Caliph had refused to listen to their complaints. In the following year, they intended to march on Medina at the head of large parties and to kill the Caliph. The Caliph heard the report calmly but did nothing in the matter.
The ring-leaders then entered Medina. The Caliph had been told about their future plans. Some people suggested that they should all be killed. That would dry up the source of mischief, they suggested. But the Caliph replied, “I cannot kill any man without sufficient legal reasons. These people have some misunderstandings. I will try to remove these. I will be kind and forgiving to them and try to bring them to the right path. If kindness fails to work, I shall give myself up to Allah’s will.
The Caliph then called together the leading men of Medina as well as the ring-leaders who had come from the provinces. He addressed that gathering thus: “It is said I have reserved some pastures for public use. By Allah, I have not reserved any pasture which was not so reserved before me. In these pastures graze the animals that are public property. Moreover, the pastures are open to everybody. Only those were disallowed their use who offered bribes to get more than what was their due. As for my use of these pastures, I have no more than two camels. These camels serve me at the time of Hajj. You all know that before I became Caliph, no one in Arabia had more animals than I.I have sent authorized copies of the Qur’an in all parts of the empire. There are people who object to this. You all know that the Qur’an is only one book sent down by Allah. The Companions who wrote down this book, under the eyes of the Holy Prophet, are still alive. It is they who compiled the copy which I have sent everywhere.
It is said I have appointed young men as officers. The fact is that it is not age but ability and character that guides my choice. Here are men from the provinces. They cannot deny the ability and honesty of my officers. Young age is no disqualification. The Prophet (SAW) gave Usamah the command of an army, although he was younger than all the men I have appointed. It is said I gave to the Governor of Egypt the whole booty of North Africa as a reward. The fact is that he was given only one-fifth of the fifth part due to the State. There are examples of such rewards before my time. Anyhow, when I came to know that people objected to it, I took back the money from the Governor. It is said I love my kinsmen and bestow rewards on them. It is no sin to love one’s kinsmen. But this love has never made me unjust to other people. As for rewards, I have never given a kinsman any thing out of public funds except what was his due. But I do make gifts to my kinsmen out of my own pocket. I spent on them before I became Caliph. Now that I am old and do not hope to live long, I do not wish to keep anything with me. I do not think it right to spend anything on my kinsmen out of public funds. In fact, I do not get anything out of these funds for my own expenses either. The revenue of each province is spent on the people of that province. The public treasury at Medina receives nothing but the fifth part of booty. This money is spent by the people themselves in times of need. It is said I have given lands to my friends. This is not true. Many people from Medina went with the conquering armies. Some of them settled in the conquered lands. There they acquired pieces of land. Afterward, some of them came back to sell their lands in distant parts of the empire and give them the price thereof.”
The Caliph asked his hearers if these facts were true. All said they were!
It became clear to all present that the charges heaped on the Caliph were false. However, no one suggested a way to clear him in the eyes of the common man of these false charges. The ring-leaders went back to their provinces. They told people that the Caliph was not willing to set things light. They waited for the next Haj. As the time for Haj came near, they decided to send strong parties from Basra, Kufa and Egypt, seemingly for Haj. From Mecca, these parties were to march on Medina and decided things with the sword.
The Caliph had known about this plot of the mischief-mongers long before. But he did not want to use force against his enemies. He was determined to win them with love or to perish in the attempt. In the month of Shawwal 35 A.H., rioters set off from Basra, Kufa and Egypt. They left in small parties. They numbered about one thousand from each province. They marched on Medina and encamped some miles away from the city, at three different places. Some of the Egyptians came to Ali and requested him to accept their leadership. He refused. Some men from Basra went to Talha with a similar request and got the same answer. The rioters of Kufa made the same request to Zubair. He too refused to be a party to their evil plans.
Uthman (RA) came to know what the rioters had in mind. He went to Ali (RA) and requested him to use his influence with the mischief-mongers and to send them away.
“Did I not tell you so often,” said Ali (RA), “not to be led by your kinsmen? But you listened to Marwan, Muawia, Ibn Amr, Ibn Abi Sarah, and Saeed bin As. How can I send back these men now?”
Uthman (RA) assured Ali (RA) that in the future he would be guided by his advice and would not listen to his kinsmen. “You better say this thing publicly in the mosque,” said Ali (RA). “That would make the change in State policy known to everyone. The rioters then will have no excuse to create trouble.”
Uthman (RA) went to the mosque and said in his address: “If I have made any mistakes, I beg Allah’s forgiveness. I request all men of insight among you to give me the right advice. By Allah, for the cause of truth, I am ready to obey even a slave. I promise to be led by your wishes. No longer will I listen to Marwan and his men.”
Tears flowed down the Caliph’s cheeks as he finished the address. The hearers also began to weep.
Ali (RA) now went to the Egyptians. He assured them that all their complaints would be removed. They seemed to be satisfied and set off on the road to Egypt. Rioters from Basra and Kufa also marched off to their cities. The storm seemed to have blown over.
Everybody in Medina thought that the trouble had ended. Presently, the streets of the city began to ring with the shouts of the rioters. They trooped around the Caliph’s house and ringed in on all sides. Loud shouts of “Revenge! Revenge!” rented the air of Medina. Ali (RA) came to the Egyptians and asked why they had come back.
“You assured us,” they said, “that our complaints would be removed, but we saw a messenger hurry past us. We stopped him and searched his person. We found him carrying a letter from the Caliph, ordering the Governor to kill us as soon as we were back. Here is the letter it bears the Caliph’s seal. This is a clear breach of faith. The Caliph must suffer for it.” “And what has brought you back?” Ali (RA) asked the rioters from Kufa nd Basra. “We had to help our Egyptian brothers,” they said.
“But your roads were so apart. How did you come to know of the letter, after having gone several miles on your roads?” To this there was no reply.
“It is clear,” said Ali (RA), “that you have made a plot. You seem to be bent on putting it through.” “Say what you will,” replied the rioters, “we do not want Uthman to be the Caliph. Allah had made his blood lawful to us. You too, should help our cause.”
“By Allah,” replied Ali (RA), “I will have nothing to do with you.”
“Then why did you write letters to us?” they demanded.
“What letters?” said Ali (RA) in amazement. “By Allah, I never wrote to you anything.” Ali (RA) saw that things were beyond his control. The rioters seemed bent on dragging him in as well. Ali saw that his position was becoming difficult. So he left for Ahjaruzzet, a place some miles from Medina.
The rioters showed the letter to the Caliph and said, “Did you pass this death sentence on us?” “I swear by Allah,” replied Uthman (RA), “I know nothing about this letter.”
“Well, then you are not fit to continue as Caliph,” roared the rioters. “If you wrote the letter, then you are clearly unfit to be the Caliph. But if someone else wrote it and you know it not, even then you are equally unfit. If such important orders can be sent out without your knowledge, you should not continue as head of the State. We demand that you give up the Caliphate.” Uthman (RA) rejected the demand. “I will not take off with my own hands,” he declared, “the robe of honor which Allah made me put on.”
Seeing that Uthman (RA) would not part with the Caliphate, the rioters laid siege to his house. For forty days the siege went on. As days went by, the blockade became tighter. Rioters disallowed even the supply of water to reach the aged Caliph. There were other men inside the house besides the Caliph and his family. Among them were Hasan(RA), Husain (RA), Muhammad bin Talha, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abu Hurairah (RA), Marwan and others. These men served as the guards of the Caliph. They had some encounters with the rioters. In these encounters Hasan and Marwan got wounded. Marwan’s wounds were serious. But the rioters avoided a pitched battle. They knew that because of Hasan (RA) and Husain (RA), men of Banu Hashim would join the fight against them. It was during the siege that Uthman (RA) sent Abdullah bin Abbas to Mecca. He was to lead the Haj as the Caliph’s deputy. The Caliph also sent messengers to provincial Governors to tell them of the siege. When the hardship of the siege grew, Mughira bin Shaaba requested the Caliph to do something about it. He put three proposals before him. “Come out of the house,” he proposed, “and fight the rioters. You have men with you. The people of Medina will also fight at your side. Moreover, you are in the right truth and must win. Or, leave by the back-door and reach Mecca. The rioters cannot lay hands on you in the holy city. Or, go to Syria. There you will be safe with Muawia to protect you.”
To this Uthman (RA) replied, “I do not agree to the first proposal because I do not want to be the first Caliph to shed the blood of Muslims. I do not accept the second proposal either. This is because I do not want to become a danger to the holy city of Mecca. The third proposal is also unacceptable. At no price will I give up the neighborhood of the Prophet (SAW).”
Things were getting worse every day, but Uthman (RA) was bent upon fighting evil with love, even though it cost him his life. Uthman (RA) made use of only one weapon. It was his kind and soft words. He went to the roof of his house several times and spoke to the rioters. He told them how close he had been to the Prophet (SAW). He reminded them what services he had rendered to Islam. But his words fell on deaf ears. Nothing could stop the rioters from mischief. As the day of Haj grew near, the rioters’ anxiety grew. In a few days hundreds of men would be back from Haj, they knew. Help from provinces might also arrive. They had to put through their plot without delay or it would be too late. They had to act quickly. Uthman’s house was very big. Hasan, Husain, Muhammad bin Talha and Abdullah bin Zubair stood guard at the main gate. The rioters had no wish to cross swords with these men. That would draw the kinsmen of these men into the fight. To avoid this, a part of rioters stealthily jumped over the back wall of the house, and rushed towards where the aged Caliph was. The guards at the main gate knew nothing about what was going on inside. Uthman (RA) was sitting with the Holy Quraan open before him. He was reciting the Qur’an. Muhammad bin Abu Bakr was leading the party of assassins. He got hold of the Caliph’s beard and pulled it. “My dear nephew,” said Uthman (RA), looking into Muhammad’s eyes, “if your father had been alive, he would not have liked this conduct of yours.”
The young man was cut to the quick and turned back. Then another man hit the Caliph on the head with an axe. The third struck him with a sword. Naila, the faithful wife of Uthman (RA), had her fingers cut off in trying to shield her husband. Then all the rioters fell upon the aged Caliph. They inflicted several wounds on his body. One of them, Amr bin Hamq by name, cut off his head. The news of Uthman’s (RA) cruel murder came as a rude shock to everybody. Ali (RA) was stunned when he heard of it. He rushed to Medina. “Where were you?” he rebuked his sons, Hasan and Husain, “When the Commander of the Faithful was murdered?” Similarly, he was angry with Abdullah bin Zubair and others who stood guard at the gate.
Uthman (RA) was murdered on Friday; the 17th of Dhul Hijjah, 35 A.H.
After killing the Caliph, the rioters plundered his house. Then they rushed to the public treasury and looted it. Horror-stricken people looked on the orgy from behind closed doors. No one dared to call a halt to it. Medina seemed to be at the mercy of the rioters. For three days, Uthman’s (RA) dead body lay unburied. Rioters would not allow anyone to bury it. At last some people went to Ali (RA) and spoke to him about the matter. At Ali’s (RA) request, the rioters allowed the burial. Late in the evening, seventeen men carried Uthman (RA) body to the graveyard of Medina and buried him.
