= CHAPTER 27 a Martyrdom of Hazarat Uthman%é _ Martyr According to the Arab historians, every act of the Caliph and every event during the last six years of Uthman Caliphate radually but inevitably increased his unpopularity and troubles and ultimately ended in his martyrdom at the hands of the rebel armies of Kufa, Basra, and Egypt. But the origin of his troubles could be traced from the very beginning of his Caliphate. Changes of Governors Kufa: As we said above, Hazarat Umar had appointed Mughira bin Shu’bah as Governor of Kufa. But he was soon dismissed by Uthman on his accession. He reinstated Sa’ad bin Abi Wagqqas, as he said, according to the last instructions of his - predecessor. A dispute broke out between Sa’ad and his treasury officer, Abdullah bin Masud. Sa’ad borrowed some money from the public treasury, but did not pay it in time. Ibn Masud insisted upon prompt payment, upon which hot words were exchanged between the two. The factious people in Kufa ranged themselves part on the side of the Governor and part on that of his treasury officer. When the news of this dispute reached the Caliph, he recalled Sa'ad from his post within a year of his appointment. In his place, he appointed Walid bin Uqba. Walid was a young and brave warrior. But he was a kinsman of the Caliph, being his uterine brother and the son of a man, who was captured in the battle of Badr and put to death by the orders of the Prophet as a rabid opponent of Islam. All these past events were now raked up by the faction in Kufa to aes the Caliph for dismissing a renowned Companion like Sa’ad nd appointing a kinsman compromised by his past. For sometime, He nd Walid bin Uqba won the support of the people of Kufa by faction bee camPaigning on the borders. But at last the hostile murderer pails angry with him when he justly punished 4 and conc coe him before the Caliph of drinking wine their charges oe le Prayers in intoxication condition. In proof o sald, they hed produced the signet-ring of office, which, they ed from his finger when he was unconscious Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 355 ith drink. Though no legal proof was given of drinking, Uthman recalled him to Madinah. In his place he appointed Said bin al-As. He was also another young relative of the Caliph. His father too had been killed in Badr, fighting against the Muslims. Though an enterprising warrior, Said was an inexperienced administrator. Finding the people of Kufa factious, arrogant and seditious, he used strong words against them, threatening to punish them for their lawlessness and mischief mongering. For this purpose he invited the Quraishite nobility to come and settle in Iraq, which incensed the people all the more. ‘One Quraishite succeeds the other as our Governor, they said, ‘the last no better than the first. Itis as if we have fallen from the frying pan into the fire.” A wave of discontent and opposition spread among them, which provided afertile soil for the conspirators and rebels to incite them against the Caliph. For some years, however, Said managed the affairs well by diverting the attention of the people to wars abroad. In the end, however, the hostile faction got an opportunity to drive out the Governor from the city. Basra: In the sister—city of Basra, matters deteriorated in the same way. Abu Musa al-Ashari was the Governor of Basra at the time of Uthman accession. He used to lecture the people to lead ahardy life. But when he set out upon an expedition, the factious people were surprised to see their Governor riding to the front in pomp, with ample luggage, carried on forty mules. ‘Give us these animals to ride upon,” they said, ‘while you set us the example of going on foot.” Then they repaired to Madinah and complained to the Caliph of Abu Musa’s favouritism towards the Quraishite migrants, and tyranny over the Arab tribes. Again the Caliph, instead of reprimanding them, accepted their unfounded charges and dismissed Abu Musa. In his place, he appointed Abdullah bin Amir to the Governorship. He too was a young cousin of the Caliph, albeit an intrepid general. As we have described above, he Suppressed the rebellion in Persia and extended the frontiers of the empire by successfully launching campaigns in the East. But he displeased the people by filling the local offices and the commands in Persia with his own favourites. Once again the people held the Caliph responsible, as subsequent events showed. Egypt: Amr ibn al-As, the conqueror of Egypt, was its Governor when Uthman became the Caliph. Amr foiled the Yantine attempt to regain the lost Province in 645 A.D in the arly days of Uthman Caliphate. In spite of it, a dispute began Scanned with CamScanner356 A Short History of Islam one of his subordinates; named Abdullah bin He was made a commander in Upper Egypt by Hazarat Umar. Being an enterprising soldier, vi akg ed his arms against the Nubians in Upper EgUPt and annexed large territory in Nubia (now called sudan). When Uthman became Caliph, he appointed Abdullah bin Abi Sarah as the ae Treasury pte of Egypt. This appointment highly incense: et is Tefused to ‘hold the cow's horns” as he called Egypt, while another milked her. He indignantly threw away the command of Egyptian troops an repaired to Madinah and complained to the Caliph against his unfair treatment. Uthman replied by appointing Abdullah bin Abi Sarah as the supreme commander as well. As we have noticed above, Abdullah bin Abi Sarah was an able administrator, for he increased the revenues of Egypt, 4 courageous general and the first great admiral of Islam. But for all his victories, his appointment increased the unpopularity of the Caliph. He too was a kinsman of the Caliph, his foster brother. Worse still, Abdullah bin Abi Sarah had the bad repute of a renegade. He had accepted Islam before the fall of Makkah, and was employed by the Prophet to write down the revelations. But once he tempered with what he wrote and, when discovered, fled to Makkah where he apostatized and satirized the Prophet. On the fall of Makkah, he was proscribed to death as a renegade but was let off by the Prophet on Uthman intercession. Now, when Abdullah bin Abi Sarah appropriated a part of the royal fifth as his personal share from the booty captured near Carthage, the Caliph was blamed for favouring his kinsman who was a former renegade. His splendid naval victory only served to increase to odium against the Caliph for appointing such a man to be the admiral of the fleet which included several Companions and other devout citizens of Madinah. The Caliph was also blamed for allowing Merwan, another of his kinsmen and his secretary, to appropriate the remaining royal fifth of Carthage when it was brought to Madinah. Later the Caliph explained that they had purchased it. But no one believed him. Syria: Syria, originally placed under four commanders, was now placed under the sole charge of Muawiya bin Abu sufyan, another Umayyad kinsman of the Caliph. It must be rememberes however, that Muawiya’s appointment was made by Umar, W 0 chose his Governors for their ability and skill, which Muawiy? possessed to a conspicuous degree. He held the Province firmly by his wise policy of rallying the loyal and aristocratic elements 0" among the Quraish and other tribes. Syria remained a haven a | between Amr and Sa’ad bin Abi Sarah. Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 357 ace and order throughout the troubled reign of Uthman, while discontent, sedition and intrigues beset all other Provinces of the Empire. Domestic Events in Madinah and Makkah. As fate would have it, several events occurred in Madinah and Makkah, which increased the unpopularity of the Caliph, although he could not be held responsible for them. Indeed, they were for the real good of the Muslims. Standardization of the Quran: 651 A.D. As we noticed above, Hazarat Abu Bakr had the original copy of the Quran entrusted to the care of Hazarat Umar before his death. Umar entrusted it to the custody of his daughter, Hafsa, on his death— bed. During Uthman reign, a controversy began over the correct recitation of the holy text, for Arabic pronunciation varied in different tribes and places. The Arabs of Iraq, following Abdullah bin Masud, asserted that their recitation was correct, while those of Syria, following Miqdad bin al-Aswad, claimed their recitation was more authentic. When the controversy reached the ears of the Caliph, he consulted his advisers and decided that an authentic text, based on the copy in Hafsa custody, be issued as the standard qj text for all. Accordingly, copies of the original text were prepared and dispatched to the provincial headquarters. At the same time all other manuscripts were called in and put to the flame to prevent future controversy. Abdullah bin Masud refused to accept the standard text and declared that his was the only authentic one. The factious people of Kufa took up his plea and accused the Caliph of tampering with holy text. The charge was an absolutely groundless. On the contrary, it was a laudable act of faith on the part of the Caliph, which preserved the purity and correctness of the Quran. Enlargement of the Court of the Ka’bah: 647 A.D. Another pious act of the Caliph also increased his unpopularity. It Was the enlargement of the court around the Ka’bah, in 647 A.D., which Hazarat Umar had commenced. The owners, whose houses were demolished, raised a hue and cry against the compensation. The Caliph complained, justly, that they had submitted quietly to the same thing by his predecessor, but raised the hue and cry Against him. However, they also joined the growing ranks of the detractors and critics of the Caliph. Certain changes in the Ceremonies of Hajj opened the Caliph to the charge of innovation in Matters of religion. The affair was unimportant, but was magnified Scanned with CamScanner358 AShort History of Islam | critics into an impermissible innovation. Durin, by his eae the Caliph pitched a tent for shelter fie Pilgrimage Arafat, When asked whether he had the examples «! the aes ‘and of his two predecessors for doing so, he replied teehee done it on his own will. At this the Companions objected and a popular outcry was raised against the Caliph. Thus the troubles of the aged Caliph multiplied from year to year, Treatment of Abu Dharr al-Ghafaari: 651 ap, A change had come over the Arabs since the days of the Hoy Prophet. They were no longer so poor and penurious, as they were before. The great conquests had made them the masters of immense riches, acquired both by spoils of war and taxation. The dwelt in the rich and prosperous lands of the Fertile Crescent, A class of the nouveau riche had sprung up—the new aristocracy in Islam. It rolled in immense wealth, possessing vast number of slaves, lands, palaces, gardens, horses and precious stones and metals. Many of them possessed palaces and mansions in all the important towns of the Empire, — Makkah, Damascus, Kufa, Basra, etc. Some of them owned a thousand male and female slaves each. Among them were several Companions. Along with the riches, luxuries and amusements, pomp and show in dress and food and such other evils crept into the social life of the Arab, especially of those who had settled in Syria and other conquered Provinces. Some of the Muslims looked upon the growing luxuries and riches with horror. They regarded them as un-Islamic and against the simple and abstemious teachings and practice of the Prophet. One of them was Abu Dharr al-Ghafaari. He was one of the early converts and a close associate of the Holy Prophet. Being of ascetic habits and temperament, he viewed with great. disquiet the growing luxuries among the Muslims, During a visit to Damascus f was shocked to see the 9°rgeous costumes and palaces, crowds of slaves, and the fashionable living of the Muslims around Muawiya. He gave vent to his feemn | Ae Mosque, in which Pelinecn his feelings in many speeches in ‘ inveighed agai ury an license of the rich Musli gt igainst the senseless luxury a” eae which would be meted out to them in life hereafter for end be tes. Quoting a Qurfanic verse that spendthrift Re canct aes bare with their gold and silver in the fires of hell, more than ‘their immeddone 2€2y in als and charity all chat wes Nate needs. The words of Abu Dharr were Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 359 eagerly listened to by the needy and the poor among the Muslims. They became restless and clamorous for the re-distribution of the wealth of their compatriots. Disorders threatened to break out. Muawiya, warned of the danger, tried to test the sincerity of the preacher and found him in dead earnest. But he was too great a Companion to be dealt with by him. He sent him to Madinah, where Uthman endeavoured to expostulate with him. “When the eople have paid Zakat and Sadaqah, they have purified the excess wealth they possess and enjoy it,” he argued with Abu Dharr, 4 have then no power to compel them to give away their possessions.” But these arguments were of no avail. Abu Dharr denounced the rich as a greedy and ungodly race. He refused to live among them and requested the Caliph to permit him to go away. He was sent to Rabadha, a place some twenty miles from Madinah on the road to Iraq. There he died in much distress and penury two years later in 653 A.D. His death, discovered bya party of the people coming to Madinah from Kufa, became the talk of the town. People blamed the Caliph for his cruel treatment of a Companion. They charged him with his exile to a lonely place where he died in extreme want. Yet the fact remains that the Islam of Abu Dharr was incompatible with the Islam of the new Empire, which could only be built by the new aristocracy of the big landlords. He preached a sort of Islamic Socialism which would kill the goose that laid golden eggs. Who would have striven hard to Conquer new lands for Islam and amass great fortunes, if they Were to be distributed in toto to the indigent idlers and mendicants? Social evolution is not determined by sentimentalism °F unrealistic moralism. However, the unfortunate Caliph earned disapproval and odium for his treatment of Abu Dharr. His Unpopularity further increased when he reprimanded Abdullah ibn lasud and some’ other Companions for their criticism of the Compilation of the Quran and of Abu Dharr’s treatment. Alienation of the Companions. Gradually a change came Sver Madinah since the Yathrib days. It was the seat of the ‘overnment, from where armies, officials and orders were sent to the newly conquered Provinces. Since the days of the Holy Prophet, 2 governing class had sprung up, comprising his Companions, Guided and trained by him. He and his two successors, had always Consulted the Companions, which became a regular council of Advisers, the Shura, under Umar. The position and prestige in the Council were based on piety, wisdom and sagacity of the RR Scanned with CamScanner360 AShort History of Islam i i ith the Prophet, regard) icipants and their standing with t phet, regardless of era bal or family affiliations. The most prominent among them were Ali, Talha, and Zubayr. Zayd bin Thabit, Sa'ad bin Waggas, Abdur Rahman bin Auf (who died in the early years of Uthman Caliphate) and others. At first Hazarat Uthman continued the tradition of Umar and consulted the members of his Shura in affairs of the State, But gradually he gave up this practice and began to rely upon his kinsmen, like Merwan bin al-Hakam. The dismissal of Governors in the Provinces like, Sa’ad Mughira and Amr and their replacement by his kinsmen was not welcomed. All such kinsmen had ill-repute of persecuting the early converts, like themselves and Opposing Islam in the days of the Prophet. These companions suspected that Uthman was turning the Muslim Empire into an Umayyad Empire, a family rule of the kinsmen of the Caliph. The Shura had ceased to meet, as the Caliph now closeted with his kinsmen more and more. For this, indeed, the unfortunate Caliph could not be much blamed. He was now a very aged person, nearly eighty years and more, harassed by the ever-growing host of his detractors and critics, The fears and suspicions engendered by the changes of the Governors, divided his advisers into several factions. in fact, the Quraishite, the ruling tribe of the Empire, were split into two factions, the Hashemite, who looked to Ali, and the Umayyads who rallied around the Caliph. Owing to the internal dissensions and disputes among the Quraish, the consultative machinery of the ¢ down. The Caliph was pulled into different and even tions by each one of these factions and groupings. ne u "enated them all the more. Thus most of the one of Madinah, whether Companions or later converts, tare te held themselves more and more aloof from the Caliph. Some of thea ©228ed to advise or be consulted by the enemies of the Cath’ (Me Attar bin Yasar, actually joined the Caliph. This was Particularly true of the younger Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 361 generation, the sons of Abu Bakr, Abu Hodhaifa and others, like Muhammad bin Abu Bakr and Muhammad bin Abu Hodhaifa. A dangerous gulf was created between the Caliph and the Companions and citizens of which the conspirators and intriguers, now springing up in the Provinces, took full advantage of their nefarious plot to assassinate the Caliph, as the sequel would show. Conspirators at Work Abdullah bin Saba: The time was now ripe for the evil work of the conspirators to incite the discontented people against the Caliph. The Arab tribes were disaffected by the pretensions of the Quraish, while, the Quraish, were disgusted with the pretensions of the Umayyads. The new cities, like Kufa, Basra and Fustat, peopled by the nomadic settlers, were rife with discontent and jealous of the new aristocracy and resentful of their Umayyad Rulers. In this strife-tom atmosphere appeared a man, named Abdullah bin Saba, also known as Ibn as—Sauda, after his mother. His teachings. Abdullah bin Saba was a born conspirator. He knew how to combine theology with politics—a combination which was all the more deadly, for pure politics would not be very effective with the simple-minded Muslims. He was a Jew of the Yemen. During Uthman Caliphate, sometimes, in 653 A.D. he migrated to Basra and embraced Islam, but with the ulterior Motive to wreck its unity and subvert its theology. ‘He went from Place to place,” writes Tabari, ‘Seeking to lead the Muslims into error.” He preached a new Islam, which later came to be known as Sabaism or Extremist (Ghulat) Shiaism. Firstly, he preached that Muhammad?#, like Jesus, would return to earth. ‘{t is strange, indeed,” he said, ‘that people should believe in the return of Jesus 4s a Messiah, and deny the return of Muhammad, although God has announced it in the Quran, where He says, ‘ Verily, He who has Sent Quran to thee, will bring thee back to a place of return”. He further taught that every Prophet had his executor or ‘ wasi’, who executed his testament after his death. Thus Moses had Aaron and Muhammad had Ali. ‘Muhammad is the last of the Prophets, and Ali is the last of the executors.” There is a divinity that resides in every Prophet. The divinity in Muhammad was transferred into Ali, But he was denied his legitimate right to rule Islam by Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman who were really usurpers, and should be Temoved from Caliphate or succession to the Prophet which rightly belonged to Ali. ail Scanned with CamScanner362 A Short History of Islam These preaching had a deep affect upon the simple mindeq but restive and factious people of Basra, Kufa and Egypt, where he went later. They were discontented with Uthman Government and displeased with the rising aristocracy of the Quraish ang Umayyads who had monopolized Governmental offices, State lands and all the good things of life. Many were won over by him and joined in the conspiracy to revolt and overthrow the Government of Uthman. Later, as his followers, called Sabaites, achieved success, they went a step further and declared Alii was God, — ‘anta anta”, and taught that the divinity which resided jn Ali was transfused or transmigrated into his sons and descendants, Thus they became divine Imams, to be worshipped by their followers. Finally, they preached the dogma of ‘Hidden Imam” that is, the Imam who had withdrawn himself from the world temporarily, but would return to fill the earth with justice when tyranny and unhappiness have become rampant on it. Thus the ‘Hidden Imam” was always at hand as compared to the prophetic Messiah, for he could appear on earth at anytime, while the latter would come only once before the Resurrection. His Conspiracy. But, along with these quaint teachings, Abdullah bin Saba carried on actively the work of conspiracy. He organized a party in Basra, consisting of those who were discontented with their Governor, Abdullah bin Amir. Ibn Amir discovered the plotters and drove out Abdullah bin Saba from the city. He came to Kufa where he at once started his preaching and conspiracy among the people who were equally discontented and factious as those of Basra. However, he kept himself in touch with his followers in Basra by correspondence. In Kufa he formed a party which included Malik bin al-Ashtar, Abu Khusha al- Ghafaari, Abu Musab, Amr bin Dhabi, and others. They were the leaders of the group which agitated against Walid bin Uqba and got him replaced by Said bin al-As. When the new Governor discovered the plotters, he drove out Abdullah bin Saba from the city. He went to Syria, where he found no opportunity for his conspiratorial work. Finally, he reached Fustat, where the atmosphere of disaffection against the Government was like that of Basra and Kufa. He soon had a large following in Egypt, many people were dissatisfied with their Governor, Abdullah bin feet By eae Correspondence, the Sabaites in Egypt ie ere a ouch with the plotters and malcontents in Bas . Ff Madaah eo rote secret letters to the Companions and citize” of Madinah complaining of Oppression and tyranny © the Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 363 Governors of Uthman. The people of Madinah were also disappointed with the way the Umayyads were coming into the fore-front in the affairs of the Caliphate. Many of them believed what they were told by the conspirators. The time was now ripe for revolt. The Mutiny of the Muaatila. The Trouble in Kufa: 651-54 A.D. The revolt against the Caliph began with the troubles in Kufa. In course of time, it became a mutiny of the Muqatila, dwelling in the garrison—cities of Kufa, Basra and Fustat. Said bin al-As, the Governor of Kufa, had all the arrogance of the Umayyads without their tact and diplomacy. He boasted of the Quraishite achievements and belittled those of the Arab tribes. He called the fertile Delta of Lower Iraq as the ‘Garden of the Quraish”. He thus insulted Mugatila, the fighting Arabs, who retorted that ‘without our strong arms and lances, they could never conquer Iraq”. Said’s remarks spread disaffection in the city, which was at length expressed in an outcry. It was a custom with Said to hold informal meetings with the leading personalities of the city. One day, in such a meeting, when Malik al-Ashtar and other trouble-makers were present, a discussion began about the bravery of Talha bin Ubaydullah, a great Companion and warrior. At this the Governor remarked, ‘He was, indeed, a warrior of the Quraish, a real gem amongst your Bedouin counterfeits. A few more like him and we should dwell at ease.” Then a Bedouin chief remarked, ‘He is very generous,” Yes”, added Said bin al—As, ‘He is very rich. Had I been as rich as he, | too would have given you to your heart’s content.” At this a young man said, “Why don’t you acquire Multat estate of the Chosroes lying near Kufa’? “What!” shouted the company, ‘do you ask our best lands to be acquired by the Governor’? With this they rushed upon the lad and his father who ran to protect him and beat them soundly, till the Governor pushed them out of the assembly. Thenceforward they began to abuse the Governor openly. Said wrote to the Caliph against them. He instructed him to arrest the ringleaders and banish them to Syria where Muawiya would reform them. Ten of the ringleaders, including Al-Ashtar, were sent to Muawiya, who subjected them to Various indignities such as calling them rude and uncultured Bedouins and traitors. After a month or so of such rough treatment, they repented and were set free. Ashamed to return to ufa, they stayed behind in Syria, except Al-Ashtar, who went to Madinah. Scanned with CamScanner364 A Short History of Islam Said expelled from Kufa: 655 A.D. In spite of the expulsion of the ringleaders, matters did not improve in Kufa. It was at this time that Abdullah bin Saba reached Kufa, after being driven out of Basra. Then Said made a mistake. He sent away most of the leading men in Kufa to military duties in the neighbouring districts of Persia and Bahrain. Their influence might have kept the turbulent populace in check, Abdullah bin Saba sowed the seeds of sedition in Kufa before he was driven out from there to Egypt. The malcontents of Basra, Kufa and Egypt were now in league with each other through correspondence. The conspirators in Kufa now came to the front and recalled the exiles from Syria. Al-Ashtar and his collaborators were again in Kufa. At this critical juncture, Said left Kufa for Madinah. The city fell into the hands of Al-Ashtar and his fellow-conspirators. He roused the popular passions by telling that he had just returned from Madinah where Said was counselling the Caliph to decrease the ata or stipends of the solider of Kufa and even of the women. At this a standard of revolt was raised. When news reached of the return of Said from Madinah, a party of one thousand soldiers marched out of the city and stopped him from entering the city. When one of his slaves tried to push his way through the insurgents, they killed him on the spot. Said fled in terror to Madinah to seek the aid of the Caliph. A party of the insurgents reached Madinah hard on his heels. Hazarat Uthman, instead of taking strong measures against the rebels, weakly accepted their demands to dismiss Said and appoint Abu Musa al-Ashari in his place. The crisis deepens. It was the first fatal mistake of the Caliph. Had he severely punished the rebels as they rightly deserved, he would have crushed all the troubles brewing up against him. He would have rallied all the loyal elements among the Quraish around him, for it was obviously a struggle between the new aristocracy of Islam, on the one hand, and the Bedouin unruliness, on the other. But by meekly submitting to the rebels, he obscured the issue which was about to ignite the civil war in the Islamic Empire. Instead, it became a tussle between the Caliph and the rebels, the Caliph protesting his good intentions and the rebels charging him with favouritism and nepotism. Had he been more a he would have exposed the conspirators and rebels for what 'ey were, threatening the unity and stability of the Empire. But he missed this Opportunity, and gently and mildly accepted the rebels’ lemands. By so doing he exposed his weakness, and convinced the Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman cople of Madinah and the Provinces that he did not possess the firmness and wisdom to steer the ship of the State through the coming storm. Many people already displeased with his favouritism and nepotism now became indifferent to his fate. They decided to remain neutral in the coming struggle. Some even went over to the side of the conspirators and rebels, as for instance, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr. Amr ibn al-As left Hudayfah, and above all, Ammar bin Yasar. Am ibn al-As left Madinah for Palestine to watch further developments. Seditious letters were circulated freely everywhere and many people began to canvass the claims of their candidates to succeed Uthman. The events now moved rapidly towards the tragic end, the assassination of Uthman. There were still many among the citizens of Madinah whose hearts were saddened by the impending tragedy. They asked Ali to explain the Caliph the dangers which beset him due to his weakness and nepotism. But Uthman refused to accept the charges. He went to the Mosque where he addressed the people after the prayers. He told them of the prosperity his reign had brought to the Muslims and of the victories his arms had won. 4{ entreat you,” he concluded, ‘to refrain from abuse of me and my Governors, lest you kindle the flames of sedition and revolt throughout the Empire.” The appeal was marred by his cousin, Merwan, who cried at the end of his speech, ‘ff you will oppose the Caliph, we shall soon carry the issue to the sword.” The appeal produced little or no effect. The Governor Conference in Madinah. At last on the advice of the leading citizens, the Caliph sent for emissaries to the four Provinces to find out whether the people there were as Oppressed and tyrannized by his officers as the secret letters alleged. Three of the emissaries returned from their Provinces and Teported that they discovered nothing amiss there. The fourth, Ammar bin Yasar, who was dispatched to Fustat, failed to return. He had joined the rebels in that city. It showed that all was not well with the Empire. Thereupon the Caliph summoned the Governors to meet him in Madinah after the annual Haj. He also Proclaimed that anyone who had any grievance against his Officials might put it before the Caliph at the time of the Pilgrimage. The pilgrimage time came, but no one stepped forth to put ery complaint. before the Caliph. Then the Caliph and the vernors repaired to Madinah, where he enquired them of the Scanned with CamScanner\ — a 366 A Short History of Islam They could tell him nothing, for all was so quiet and usual. He then asked them what measures should be taken against the trouble-makers. Various suggestions were made, but none accepted. Then all advised the Caliph to take strong measures against the conspirators. But Uthman refused to be severe. fam an aged man,"he said, ‘1 do not want to shed blood in the last days of my life.” When Muawiya suggested the Caliph to accompany him to Syria where he would be safe, he replied that he could not leave the city where the Holy Prophet lay buried. When he offered to send a force of 5,000 Syrian troops, he rejected it also. 4 shall never station troops around the houses of those who dwell around the grave of the Holy Prophet.” ‘fn that case,” said Muawiya, ‘f see nothing but destruction awaiting thee.” The Caliph replied, ‘God is my defence, and that will suffice me.” The Governors then departed to their Provinces. Insurgent armies march on Madinah: March 656 A.D. While the Governors were away to Madinah, the conspirators in Kufa, Basra and Fustat by brisk correspondence hurried their plan to rise in revolt. They planned to march on the Capital, where they would present an endless list of demands before the Caliph. If he rejected anyone of them, they would force him to abdicate, in the last resort, by the sword. But they could not agree as to whom they should next elect. Egyptian party was for Ali, the people of Basra for Talha and those of Kufa for Zubayr. However, the plan miscarried. But after a few months on the pretext of the Lesser Pilgrimage, a party of one thousand rebels each marched out from Basra, Kufa and Fustat. In the Egyptian party were Abdullah bin Saba, the arch-conspirators, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr, Muhammad bin Abu Hudayfah and Amaar bin Yasar. Kufan party included Malik al-Ashtar, the ringleader of the Kufan conspirators. They converged upon Madinah where they reached in the month of March, 656. On hearing of their approach, a wave of anger spread through the city and the people took up arms. It was not since the Wars of Apostasy that a hostile force had approached the Capital of Islam. | The rebels found the city ready to meet their attack unitedly. They were dismayed. Their ringleaders approached All, Talha and Zubayr. But they rebuked the rebels for their impudence- At last they feigned to be satisfied with the assurance of the Caliph to redress their grievance, and agreed to return home. The three popular discontent. Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 367 forces then, apparently, took The city heaved a sigh of relief, But a few days later the citizens were su three hostile bands again converging upon Madinah, Thereupon Ali went out to enquire the reason of their sudden return. In reply they produced a letter of the Caliph which the Egyptian beng had captured from the person of a camel—rider hurrying towards Fustat. He was a slave of Uthman and the camel was the State— camel. The letter was addressed to Abdullah bin Abi Sarah, ordering him to arrest, torture, cut the beads of the insurgent leaders and put them to death. It was a breach of pardon which the Caliph had granted to the rebels before their departure. They now accused him of breach of trust and demanded his abdication. Suspecting collusion, Ali asked them as to how did the other two parties, going in opposite directions, come to know of the letter and its capture? But the insurgents in reply only produced the letter which apparently “bore the seal of the Caliph. When Ali enquired the Caliph, he denied all knowledge of writing it. The rebels, having now secured an entry into the city, became insolent and defiant of the Caliph’s authority. They had sowed seeds of doubt in the hearts of the Majority of the citizens, who suspected that the letter was the work of Merwan, the cousin and secretary of the Caliph, who had his confidence. Many of them shut themselves in their houses. So did Ali, Talha, Zubayr and other leading men of Madinah. The unfortunate Caliph was left alone to the tender mercies of the rebels. Only his own Umayyad kinsmen and the young sons of Ali, Talha, Zubayr and others remained to defend him. A few days later, the rebels who flocked the Mosque, severely wounded the Caliph by throwing stones at him when he Tose to deliver his Khuthah. He was carried home unconscious. He was now besieged in his house by the rebels. Knowing the designs of the rebels now the Caliph summoned Ali, Talha and Zubayr to his help. But they did nothing more than to send their sons te defend him. Upon this the Caliph came to the roof of his house ia : Addressed the rebels, ‘0 men, you have risen up to slay t Sal elect. Have a care. By taking my life without any and blzo shed Suspend the sword over your own necks. Sedition and blo: will then never depart from among the Muslims. peri Martyrdom of Uthman: 17 June, 656 A.D. 18 Zu’'l Hajj ‘ I 35 A.H. For about forty days the Caliph was besieged by the rebels in his own house. The pilgrimage had come. Mos the road to their respective places. rprised to see the Scanned with CamScanner‘A Short History of Islam 368 . it completely in the h, h. The city was NOW C rely in the hands rted tO Mak gitencd their siege around the Caliph's he the rebels. et es water supply. The little band of Calipty? even cutting © rebels at the gate. At last the pilgr defenders EE ant apprehensive of the returning alr in ended. The rds “who would be indignant over the insults Offered thet a the Caliph. News of armies marching from the by them to the rescue of Caliph also reached Madinah. The rebels Peed to hurry with their nefarious design to kill the Caliph, then dereight scaled the wall in the rear of the house sri & roam Then two of them rushed upon the aged Caliph and cut fine down with their swords, while he was reciting the Quran. The third Caliph died on 18th of Zu’l Hajj, the 17th June, 656 (A.D). so reat was the fear of the rebels, that for three days the dead bod of the Caliph lay unburied. At last it was secretly buried in the cemetery of al-Bagee (known as Jana-tul Bagee). Soon after their dastardly act, the rebels rushed to the Public Treasury and plundered it. Lawlessness reigned over Madinah. Character of Uthman and his Caliphate. His Character and Caliphate: Character of Hazarat Uthman became a subject of heated controversy for long, after his martyrdom. That he had many laudable qualities and noble virtues is indisputable. Since his early youth, he was renowned for his chastity, integrity and modesty. Islam had a deeply edifying influence on his pure nature. He became one of the most pious among the pious company of the Companions. His prayers were ong and his fasting constant. He was gentle, kind-hearted, generous and mild. Leniency was the hall-mark of his Government. Asaman and as a Caliph, he displayed great energy and courage, even in the face of the besiegers and assassins. And his courage did aa fu when he saw himself alone and defenceless amidst a city en ‘in the hands of the people whose swords were treed against him. To this extent he was a martyr, a martyr t0 to save Te i Islam and his resolution not to shed Muslim blood | ins tarot from his merciless enemies surrounding him. He | even his itl ‘ing in the face of personal danger, he refused to lift if © Finger to punish his detractors and enemies. | twelve paar Uthman was also an energetic Caliph. During his enemies who hed he not only saved the young Empire from its ‘ad incited rebellions in Persia, invaded Syria an’ i Alexandri Tia, but also expanded it by brilliant victories in all the four Scanned with CamScannerMartyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 369 ections of the Empire. Suffice to say that during his reign such vast territories as Khurasan, Kirman and Makran, Armenia, Cyprus, lfrigia and Nubia were annexed to the Arab Empire, Above ail, Hazarat Uthman was the first Ruler in the history of Islam who built a navy and won decisive victories at sea. He was indeed the puilder of the Arab naval power in the Mediterranean which roved decisive in the Muslim advance into the farthest corners of North Africa and Spain in later decades. Naval history of Islam begins with him. His Failings as a Statesman: But Hazarat Uthman lacked some essential qualities as a Statesman. His personal qualities and noble virtues might have endeared him to his people, if he had been q Ruler in times of peace. But his age was an age of transition in the fortunes of the Islamic State. The age of equalitarian tribalism was coming to a close and an era of big feudalism and strong centralism was opening. Even the tribal feudalism of Hazarat Umar was becoming unstable and was gradually replaced by the big feudalism of the new aristocracy. But the transition from one social order to another required political leadership of a very high calibre, which could visualize the significance of the change perly and guide it intelligently. Hazarat Uthman lacked these lities of Statesmanship. His personal virtues and qualities of dire pro} qual gentleness, mildness and reluctance to use strong measures prevented him from properly understanding the supreme task of at the helm of which he stood, safely steering the ship of the State, and successfully through the storms and stresses of the age of crisis and transition in which he found himself. He was too weak, too vacillating and often irresolute in the face of these perils. Weakness or lack of firmness in the policies and administration is a bane of politics and good Government. It weakened the whole body politic of his Caliphate. Another equally tragic failing of the Caliph was his favouritism or nepotism for his Umayyad kinsmen. When blamed for it, he endeavoured to justify it by declaring that the Holy Prophet also favoured his own Hashemite kinsmen. But it is absolutely wrong. The Holy Prophet never allowed his love and solicitude for his relatives and kinsmen to come in between him and the interest of the Islamic State and society, or affect his Tesponsibilities as the head of the State. He never allowed his Kinsmen to monopolize Governmental offices. His love for his kinsmen was a private virtue, which never came between him and Scanned with CamScanner370 AShort History of Islam ' uritism or nepotism reall c See ae into public affairs or at public x the intrusion of Co that Hazarat Uthman had allowed to "It was exactly t rows gentle and mild nature, he was at fir Pe. Owing to us oe people, who wanted a relief from the stern Se But as time passed and as he allowed his Uma fa ae ‘and kinsmen to acquire nearly all the key~positions inthe Government of the Provinces, he created doubts and SUSPicions jn the hearts of people and discontent among the Arab tribes, He ceased to consult the Shura of the leading Companions and citizens of Madinah and relied more and more on the advice of his kinsmen, Thus he narrowed the support of a large number Of people in Madinah which he needed so urgently against the rising tide of discontent among the Arab tribes, the Muqatila, due to the emergence of the new aristocracy. Had he relied upon all the loyal elements among Companions, the citizen of Madinah and the chiefs of the tribes, regardless of their tribal or clan affiliation and recruited his Governors from them all, he could have organized a strong and centralized Government at Madinah, which would have held the nomadic indiscipline of the Muqatila in check. With a far sighted leadership, broad-based centralism and an impartial administration, smacking neither of favouritism nor of irresolution, Hazarat Uthman would have overcome the political crises he was confronted with. his publi By his untimely leniency and misplaced nepotism, he obscured the real issue confronting the State, viz., the struggle between a new social order and the old unruly nomadism in the new environment of the settled life of the new towns and cities of Iraq and Egypt. By his nepotism, he lowered the significance of this Struggle to the level of a personal tussle between himself and his detractors and enemies. He lost the sympathy and support of many who could have defended him and saved the Islamic Empire | in the times of trouble, the Fitna, which was unleashed on the | plans world immediately after his death. Hazarat Uthman was no ae 9 good but not a great Caliph. Owing to his weakness a5@ | ay he changed an Age of Transition into an Age of Troubles oF evil war which began soon after his death. Historical’ Conse. dom. The ‘quences of Uthman Martyrdo | we of Hazarat Uthman was a turning-point in the history a the Ar, wre ned the floodgates of the first civil war of Fiend e | “® NMistorians put it. Tt destroyed, as Browne writes, e Scanned with CamScanner| | | | I Martyrdom of Hazarat Uthman 371 and for all the outward semblance of unity which had hithert existed in Islam and led directly to wars wherein for the first time the sword was turned by Muslims against their fellow—believers,” The Caliphate of Ali, who succeeded Uthman, was bedevilled with the consequences of his death. It raked up the almost forgotten family quarrels of the Umayyad and Hashemite clans of the pre~ Islamic Makkah, and magnified them into an importance and significance which they did not possess in the petty city-State of the Quraish. Due to this fact, at first the polities and then the religion of the Islamic State came to be dominated by these family uarrels of the two Quraishite clans. The ensuing civil war or Fitna was at first a political quarrel. But it soon acquired the form of a religious schism, which permanently split Islam into two and later into more sects and dogmas. Though Muawiya and other Umayyad Rulers succeeded, however temporarily, in restoring political unity of the Islamic Empire, they failed to heal its religious dissensions and disputes. Indeed, the death of Uthman shattered the unity and solidarity of Islam for all subsequent ages, as he had himself predicted. “Once you draw the sword against me,” he warned the besiegers, ‘you will open among the Muslims a door of dissension that will never be closed.” The revolt against Uthman was the revolt of the disorderly and turbulent elements of the Arab tribes against their Governors who sought to impose discipline, law and order among them. His death was, though temporarily, a victory of the forces of disorderly nomadism over the forces of orderly Government and strong centralism. But this fact posed a difficult question for Uthman successors: whether they should side with the forces of discipline and centralism or with the forces of tribal disorder and lawlessness or, to put it in sociological terms, whether they should be on the side of the new social forces of feudalism or of the old tribalism. Unfortunately, the immediate consequences of Uthman death was that it threw Hazarat Ali into the arms of the rebels. The Hashemite became the allies of the unruly nomadism of the Iraqi tribes, while the Umayyads, under the leadership of Muawiya, relied upon the more disciplined tribes of Syria. Once again in the Person of the two great protagonists of the ensuing civil war, ‘Warat Ali and Amir Muawiya, the two divergent socio- political orces of the early Islam, the equalitarian but unruly tribalism of raq confronted its rival, the emergent big feudalism of Syria. a More than a century this antagonism of Syria and Iraq dominate Scanned with CamScanner372 AShort History of Islam and determined its destiny in y in more tha of Islam was, so to say, both a product gn" and q olitics vr Pumayyad Caliphate victim of this antagonism. Furthermore, the Caliphate of Uthman created , , Uc| crises that the party of the Orthodox Muslims was thrown into 42 background in the bitter struggle between the rival dame the and Muawiya. It was indeed, a mystery why the mantle S of Al did not fall on the shoulders of anyone among the Orthod OF Ung The Orthodox pietistic remained silent and passive in face Port claims of Banu Hashim and Banu Umayyad, both of — Of the aiming ultimately to transform the elective Caliphat OM Were hereditary one, confined within their own family ane into q ee ete roan and powerlessn ess Gaede the decline in the power an int A fo the Empire. id influence of Madinah as the capital of The death of Uthman was sadicati, political importance and re fa indication that the since the days of the Holy Prophet, was vanishi inah possessed party failed to realize this shift in the lance of iti on the Arab Empire. They stuck to Madi ee gradually but inevit i fadinah and, thereby, lost theological influence, coupled wii eclouncigearuMIart area emerging in other an ple with that of other theological centres Basra, gave tise to ee especialy in the new cities of Kufa, and Ulema, who spun out ne political influence of a new class of the cultural theories, as ey political, economic, moral and party, politically eclipsed < in Sigh and sharia. Thus the pietistic caliphs, quietly fae y the rise and rule of the Umayya influence under the Aires force that acquired politica in the genesis and d asids and thus became an important factor evelopment of Medieval Islam. r Scanned with CamScanner