10. Ibn ‘Umar defending ‘Uthman from three accusations cast at him.

وَبِهِ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ: أَخْبَرَنَا المُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، سَمِعْتُ كُلَيْبَ بْنَ وَائِلٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ حَبِيْبِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَاهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَشَهِدَ عُثْمَانُ بَيْعَةَ الرِّضْوَانِ؟ فَقَالَ: لَا، قَالَ: فَقَالَ: أَشَهِدَ بَدْرًا؟ قَالَ: لَا، قَالَ: فَكَانَ مِمَّنْ اِسْتَزَلَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، فَقَامَ الرَّجُلُ، فَقَالَوا لابْنِ عُمَرَ: إِنَّ هَذَا يَقُوْلُ أَنَّكَ وَقَعْتَ فِي عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ: أَوَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ؟ فَقَالُوْا: إِنَّهُ يَقُوْلُ ذَاكَ، فَقَالَ: رُدُّوْهُ، فَرَدُّوْهُ، فَقَالَ: أَعَقِلْتَ مَا قُلْتُ لَكَ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، سَأَلْتُكَ أَشَهِدَ عُثْمَانُ بَيْعَةَ الرِّضْوَانِ، فَقُلْتَ: لَا، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: أَشَهِدَ بَدْرًا، فَقُلْتَ: لَا، وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَكَانَ مِمَّنْ اِسْتَزَلَّهُ الشَّيْطَانُ، فَقُلْتَ: نَعَم، فَقَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: تَعَالَ أُخْبِرْكَ، أَمَّابَيْعَةُ الرِّضْوَانِ، فَإِنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ قَالَ: إِنَّ عُثْمَانَ اِنْطَلَقَ فِي حَاجَةِ اللهِ وحَاجَةِ رَسُوْلِهِ، وإِنِّي أُبَايِعُ لَهُ، فَضَرَبَ بِإِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى الأُخْرَى، وَأَمَّا بَدْرٌ، فَإِنَّهُ تَخَلَّفَ عَلَى بِنْتِ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ بِمَرَضِهَا فَضُرَبَ لَهُ بِسَهْمِهِ وَلَمْ يُضْرَبْ لِأَحَدٍ غَابَ غَيْرُهُ، وَأَمَّا الَّذِيْنَ تَوَلَّوْا يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الجَمْعَانِ فَإِنَّمَا اِسْتَزَلَهُمُ الشَّيْطَاَنُ بِبَعَضِ مَا كَسَبُوْا، فَقَدْ عَفَى اللهُ عَنْهُمْ، فَأجْهِدْ عَلَيْهِ جَهْدَك

Ibn Ishaq states—Mu’tamir ibn Sulaiman narrated to us—Kulayb ibn Wa’il narrated to us—from Habib ibn Abi Mulaykah—from Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma:

A man came to him and asked, “Did ‘Uthman witness the pledge of Ridwan?”

Ibn ‘Umar replied, “No.”

The man asked, “Did ‘Uthman witness the Battle of Badr?”

Ibn ‘Umar replied, “No.”

The man then asked, “Was ‘Uthman from those who Shaitan caused to slip?”

Ibn ‘Umar replied, “Yes.”

The man stood up and it was said to Ibn ‘Umar that the inquirer is claiming that you criticised ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma asked, “Did I criticize ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu?”

They said, “He is claiming that you have.”

Ibn ‘Umar said, “Bring him back,” and he was brought back.

Ibn ‘Umar said, “Did you understand the answers I provided to your questions?”

The man said, “Yes, I have. I asked you did ‘Uthman attend the pledge of Ridwan and you said that he did not. I also asked if ‘Uthman witnessed the Battle of Badr and you said he did not. Finally, I asked if ‘Uthman was from those Shaitan caused to slip and you said that he was.”

Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma said, “Come over here, I shall inform you [of its reality]. As for the pledge of Ridwan, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, ‘‘Uthman is occupied with a task ordained by Allah and his Prophet and I shall be taking the pledge on his behalf.’ The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then placed his other hand, to symbolize taking it on behalf of ‘Uthman. As for the Battle of Badr, he stayed behind nursing the sick daughter of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and was given a share of the booty, while no other non-attendee was given a share. As for those that turned their backs and ran on the day the two armies met [at Uhud], it was Shaitan who caused them to slip because of some blame they have earned. Verily Allah has already forgiven them. [Al ‘Imran: 155] [Go away] and do whatever you wish against him.”[1]

وَبِهِ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ: أَخْبَرَنَا المَخْزُومِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ عُثْمَانَ [بْنِ] عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ، قَالَ: قَدِمَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ فَرَأَى قَوْمًا جُلُوْسًا فِيْهِمْ ابْنُ عُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: أُنْشِدُكَ بِحُرْمَةِ هَذَا البَيْتِ، هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ فَرَّ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، فَقَالَ: فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ تَغَيَّبَ عَنْ بَدْرٍ وَلَمْ يَشَهَدْ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، فَقَالَ: هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ تَغَيَّبَ عَنْ بَيْعَةِ الرِّضْوَانِ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَكَبَّرَ الرَّجُلُ، فَقَالَ: تَعَالَ أُبَيِّنْ لَكَ مَا سَأَلْتَ عَنْهُ، أَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ عَنْ بَدْرٍ، فَإِنَّ بِنْتَ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ كَانَتْ تَحْتَ عُثْمَانَ، فَمَرِضَتْ، فَتَخَلَّفَ عُثْمَانُ، فَجَعَلَ لَهُ سَهْمَهُ وَأَجْرَهُ، وَأَمَّا فِرَارُهُ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ، فِأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى قَدْ عَفَى عَنْهُ وَغَفَرَ لَهُ، وَأَمَّا بَيْعَةُ الرِّضْوَانِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ بِمَكَّةَ أَحَدٌ أَعَزَّ مِنْهُ لَبَعَثَهُ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ، فَبَعَثَ عُثْمَانَ، وَكَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ الرِّضْوَانِ بَعْدَمَا ذَهَبَ عُثْمَانُ إِلى مَكَةَ، فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ بِيَدِهِ اليُمْنَى، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ يَدُ عُثْمَانَ، أَنْ يَضْرِبَ بِهَا عَلَى يَدِهِ، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ لِعُثْمَانَ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ: اِذْهَبْ بِهَذَا الْآنَ مَعَك

Ibn Ishaq states—Makhzumi[2] narrated to us—Abu ‘Awanah narrated to us—from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah[3] ibn Mawhab who narrated that a man came from Egypt and saw a group, amongst who was Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma.

He said, “I implore you by the sanctity of this house; do you know that ‘Uthman fled on day of Uhud?”

Ibn ‘Umar said, “Yes he did.”

The man said, “Do you know that he was absent on the Day of Badr?”

Ibn ‘Umar said, “Yes he was.”

The man said, “Do you know he was absent on the day the pledge of Ridwan was conducted?”

Ibn ‘Umar said, “Yes he was.”

The man made Takbir (exclamation in glorifying Allah).

Ibn ‘Umar told him, “Come, so I can explain to you the inquiries you have brought. As for the Battle of Badr, ‘Uthman was married to the daughter of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, she fell sick and ‘Uthman stayed behind. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam gave him a share of the booty and established for him the reward of attendance. As for him fleeing on the Day of Uhud, I bear witness that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has forgiven him. As for the pledge of Ridwan, if there was a person more honourable then ‘Uthman in Makkah, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam would have sent him. Since there was no one more honourable, he dispatched ‘Uthman. The pledge of Ridwan occurred after his departure for Makkah. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam lifted his right hand and then he said,[4] ‘This is the hand of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu,’ and placed it in his other hand, saying this is for ‘Uthman.[5]

The man then said[6] (something) and Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu said, “Go with this now.”[7]

NEXT⇒ 11. Establishing the legitimacy of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu Caliphate based on the consensus of the Ummah and the equivalency of his deeds to that of the entire Ummah.

[1] The current isnad is da’if. Abu Dawood narrates it in his Sunan (2726) from Mahbub ibn Musa—from Abu Ishaq al Fizari—from Kulayb ibn Wa’il—from Hani’ ibn Qais—from Habib ibn Abi Mulaykah. This chain is weak due to the anonymity of Hani’ ibn Qais, who was accredited only by Ibn Hibban in his Thiqat (5115). It is also narrated by al Tabarani in his al Awsat (8494). Commenting on it he states, “Those who narrate this narration did not place between Kulayb ibn Wa’il and Habib ibn Abi Mulaykah, Hani’ ibn Qais except ‘Abdul Wahid ibn Ziyad. Za’idah and others narrate from Kulayb ibn Wa’il—from Habib ibn Abi Mulaykah—from Ibn ‘Umar.”

Note: Za’idah’s narration is recorded by al Tabarani in his al Kabir (125) abridged. This statement of al Tabarani is contentious, considering the fact that Abu Ishaq collaborates ‘Abdul Wahid ibn Ziyad’s narration by mentioning Hani’ ibn Qais. The Hadith is Sahih as will become evident.

[2] Mughirah ibn Salamah al Makhzumi

[3] In the original copy, it was “from” and not “ibn” as mentioned. What we mentioned is more accurate, Allah willing.

[4] It appears in the original with he said appearing twice.

[5] This is how it appears in the original, in Sahih al Bukhari too it is reported, “Allah’s Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam held out his right hand saying, ‘This is ‘Uthman’s hand,’ and he stroked his (other) hand with it.”

[6] This is how it appears in the original.

[7] The isnad is Sahih. Al Bukhari narrates in his Sahih from Musa ibn Ismail al Minqari—from Abu ‘Awanah—from Ibn Mawhab (3699); and from ‘Abdan—who narrates from Abu Hamzah Muhammad ibn Maymun—who narrates from Ibn Mawhab.

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