Summarizing the events at the end of Uthman’s reign, Justice Abu Bakr ibn Al-Arabi says: “After he had exercised power in a proper manner, he was unjustly killed so that God would accomplish His purpose. He neither set out to fight, nor raised an army, nor stirred strife. He did not call upon the Muslim community to pledge their loyalty to him. Indeed, none of his peers fought against him or sought to replace him. It is unanimously agreed that no one may do that against a much lesser ruler than Uthman, let alone stand against Uthman, the Prophet’s companion (may God be pleased with him).
“Reports mention the names of those who rose against Uthman. When we examine the list we find that it includes only people who had their wicked purposes foiled. They were reprimanded time and again. They stayed for a while (in Hums) where Abd Al-Rahman ibn Khalid ibn Al-Waleed warned them of severe punishment. As a result, they declared their repentance, whereupon he sent them to Uthman where again they declared that they were no longer hostile to him.
Uthman offered them a choice and they chose to travel to different provinces. When each group of them went to the land of their choice, they began to instigate rebellion against him and came back in force. He was in his garden when he spoke to them, reminding them that they should fear God and refrain from shedding his blood. Talhah ibn Ubaydellah came out with tears in his eyes warning people against committing a very grave crime. Ali sent his two sons (to keep guard at the Caliph’s place). The rebels said to them: ‘You have sent to us to come here to support you against the one who has changed course. When we came in response to your call, this man (meaning Ali) sits in his home, while you come out with your eyes swelling with tears. By God, we will not return until we have shed his blood.’
“This was certainly an attitude of grave injustice, fabricating lies against the Prophet’s companions and stating these lies to their faces. Had Uthman wished, he would have asked the Prophet’s companions for support and they would have immediately come to his aid. Those rebels adopted an attitude of one seeking the removal of injustice, but Uthman warned them, and they were furious. The Prophet’s companions wanted to stop them by force, but Uthman made it clear to them that none should fight on his account. He thus gave himself up, and the Prophet’s companions let him have his choice. This is an important question of Fiqh: Is it open to a man to give himself up, or must he defend himself? If he gives himself up and forbids others to defend him by shedding blood, is it permissible for such others to defend him against his wish? Scholars have different views on this. In short, Uthman committed no offence at any time in his reign. Nor did the Prophet’s companions. People should ignore any false report they may hear on these events.”
This is a very concise report of the serious events leading to the assassination of Uthman, the third Caliph who was dearly loved by the Prophet and the overwhelming majority of his companions. As usual, Muhibb Al-Deen Al-Khateeb adds extensive footnotes to explain what Ibn Al-Arabi had written several centuries earlier. As we have seen, Ibn Al-Arabi begins his account by saying that Uthman was unjustly killed. Al-Khateeb quotes here a Hadith related by Ahmad on the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned some future trouble, and as he spoke a man passed by. The Prophet added: ‘This hooded man will be wrongfully killed then.’ I looked up and saw the man to be Uthman ibn Affan.” This Hadith has been verified by the scholar Ahmad Shakir to be certainly authentic.
Explaining Ibn Al-Arabi’s words, Al-Khateeb clarifies that Uthman never contemplated a fight against fellow Muslims. As for fighting unbelievers to ensure the spread of Islam, his reign witnessed greatly successful activities on several fronts. He never sought power for himself. In fact, he was chosen by the Muslim community without ever aspiring to be in the position of Caliph.
Al-Khateeb also endorses the statement that “none of (Uthman’s) peers fought against him or sought to replace him.” He explains that his peers were those nominated by Umar as candidates to succeed him. As for the crowds raised by Abdullah ibn Saba’ (the mastermind of the rebellion against Uthman), those were of a level far below such candidates. By their blind following of Ibn Saba’, they caused much evil. Sufficient to say here that the jihad movement that started in Abu Bakr’s time came to a very long halt as a result. Imam Ibn Taimiyah says: “None of the good Muslims shared in anyway in Uthman’s killing, by word or deed. Those who took part in his murder were some of the worst people. Indeed, Ali ibn Abi Talib used to pray: ‘My Lord! Let Your curse overwhelm Uthman’s killers in land and sea, in the plains and on mountains’.”
Al-Khateeb also mentions that those people were repeatedly warned against rising in rebellion. They were first warned by a number of scholars in their own provinces, like Kufah, Basrah and Egypt. They were also strongly warned by Muawiyah, the governor of Syria, after Uthman had sent them there. Abd Al-Rahman ibn Khalid, who was the governor of Hums and surrounding areas, arrested them and warned them severely, and they pretended to him that they had taken heed. He then gave them the choice of traveling to see the Caliph, and one of their leaders, Al-Ashtar Al-Nukha’ie, took up that offer, which we will discuss in more detail later. But when they arrived in Madinah they took a hostile attitude. Hence, the Caliph warned them that they would put themselves in very serious trouble if they were to kill him.
Yet those rebels found in Madinah a situation totally unlike what they expected. They found the great figures among the Prophet’s companions supporting Uthman. Ali sent his two sons to guard him in his home, and Talhah spoke to them passionately, with tears in his eyes. They expressed their surprise telling Talhah that they had received from him and others letters calling on them to come over and stop the Caliph who had adopted a course different to that of the Prophet. Yet Talhah and other companions of the Prophet never wrote such letters, but apparently letters of the sort were forged by Abdullah ibn Saba’ and his fellow conspirators to persuade ordinary people that by joining the rebellion, they would be putting the Muslim state back on the course followed by the Prophet and his first two successors.
Indeed, many of the Prophet’s companions tried to persuade Uthman to stand up to those rebels. Muawiyah suggested to him to move his capital to Syria, or that he should send him a powerful army to defend Madinah against any rebellion. Uthman, however, refused all these offers, holding the rebels to their claims that they came up with complaints. He felt that if the complaint was genuine, then he should explain his case. But they did not listen to him. On the contrary, they were determined to kill him. Therefore, he felt that he would spare the Muslim community further bloodshed by sacrificing his own life. He ordered all those who came to guard his home to leave and stay in their own homes, so that no more trouble should develop. He thought that by sacrificing his own life, he would let the trouble subside. We will have more to say on this in future articles.
Arab News Islam 28 July 2003
