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.

وَبِهِ قَالَ إِسْحَاقَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو دَاودَ الحَفَرِيُّ عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَائِشَةَ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ ذَاتَ غَدَاةٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ قَبْلَ الغَّدَاةِ كَأَنِّي أُعْطِيْتُ المَقَالِيْدَ وَالمَوَازِيْنَ، فَأَمَّا المَقَالِيْدُ، فَهَذِهِ المَفَاتِيْحُ، وَأَمَّا المَوَازِيْنُ فَهِيَ هَذِهِ الَّتِي تَزِنُوْنَ بِهَا، قَالَ: فَوُضِعْتُ فِي كِفَّةٍ، وَوُضِعَتْ أُمَّتِي فِي كِفَّةٍ، فَوَزَنْتُهُم، فَرَجَحْتُهُم، ثُمَّ جِيْءَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَوُزِنَ، فَوَزَنَهُم، ثُمَّ جِيْءَ بِعُمَرَ، فَوُزِنَ، فَوَزَنَهُم، ثُمَّ جِيْءَ بِعُثْمَانَ، فَوُزِنَ، فَوَزَنَهُمْ، ثُمَّ رُفِعَتْ، وَاسْتَيْقَظْت

قُلْتُ: وَقَوْلُهُ: ثُمَّ جِيْءَ بِعُثْمَانَ، فَوُزِنَ، فَوَزَنَهُمْ، إِشَارَةٌ إِلَى أنَّهُ يَكُوْنُ خَلِيْفَةَ جَمِيْعِ الأُمَّةِ بِاتِّفَاقِهِم أَجْمَع، فَحَظِيَ بِمِثْلِ ثَوَابِ خَيْرَاتِهم لِكَوْنِهِ إمَامًا عَدْلًا، نَحْوَ الإمَامَيْنِ العَدْلَيْنِ قَبْلَهُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، وَنَحْوَ عَلِيٍّ المُرْتَضَى بَعْدَهُ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُم.

وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ: ثُمَّ رُفِعَتْ – يَعْنِي: بَعْدَ عُثْمَانَ لَا تَجْتَمِعُ الأُمَةُ أَجْمَعُ عَلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُ، بَلْ يَقَعُ هَرْجٌ وَاخْتِلَافٌ وَفِتَن.

Ibn Ishaq states—Abu Dawood al Hafari ‘Umar ibn Sa’d narrated to us—’Umar[1] ibn ‘Uthman narrated to us—from ‘Ubaid al Allah ibn Marwan—from Abu Aisha—from Ibn ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam came out one morning and said, “I saw before the break of dawn a dream in which I was given maqalid (reigns) and Mawazin (scales). As for the reigns they are these keys, and the scales are those which you weigh with. I was placed on one hand of the scale and my Ummah (nation) was placed on the other. I outweighed my nation. Then Abu Bakr was brought and weighed against the Ummah, and he too outweighed the Ummah. ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu was brought and weighed against the Ummah, and he too outweighed the Ummah. ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu was brought and weighed against the Ummah and he too outweighed them. Then the scale was lifted and I woke up.”[2]

I [the author] say: The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam statement, “‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu was brought and weighed against the Ummah and he too outweighed them,” is indicative of the fact that he is the Khalifah of the entire Ummah, enjoying their consent. He amassed all of their meritorious deeds due to him being a just leader. As did the two just leaders before him, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and the just leader that was after him, ‘Ali, as well.

As for his statement, “Then the scale was lifted,” it foretells that the Ummah will never unanimously support a Khalifah after ‘Uthman.

NEXT⇒ 12. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam asking forgiveness for all of ‘Uthman’s sins

[1] This is how it appears in the original manuscript. The correct name is Badr ibn ‘Uthman, Allah willing.

[2] The isnad is Da’if. Imam Ahmed narrates in his Musnad (5469) and Ibn Abi Shaibah in his Musannaf (31951) from Abu Dawood al Hafari. It is weak due to the anonymity of ‘Ubaidullah ibn Marwan who was only accredited by Ibn Hibban in his Thiqat.

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