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The narrations of the Ahlul Bayt on the virtues of Dhu al Nurayn Sayyidina ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan

 

The Angels show Modesty to Sayyidina ‘Uthman

 

The narration of Umm al Mu’minin Sayyidah Hafsah:

 

عن حفصة بنت عمر قالت دخل علي رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم ذات يوم فوضع ثيابه بين فخذيه فجاء أبو بكر يستأذن فأذن له و رسول الله على هيئته ثم جاء عمر يستأذن فأذن له و رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم على هيئته و جاء ناس من أصحابه فأذن لهم و جاء علي يستأذن فأذن له و رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم على هيئته ثم جاء عثمان بن عفان فاستأذن فتجلل ثوبه ثم أذن له فتحدثوا ساعة ثم خرجوا فقلت يا رسول الله دخل عليك أبو بكر و عمر و علي و ناس من أصحابك و أنت في هيئتك لم تحرك فلما دخل عثمان تجللت ثوبك قال ألا أستحيي ممن تستحي منه الملائكة

Sayyidah Hafsah bint ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhuma narrates, “Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam entered my house one day and placed his clothes between his thighs. Just then, Abu Bakr came and sought permission to enter. He was given permission and Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam remained in his position. ‘Umar then came and sought permission to enter. He was given permission and Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam remained in his position. Some other Companions came and he granted them permission. ‘Ali then came seeking permission and he was granted permission while Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam remained in his position. Thereafter, ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan came and sought permission. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam neatened his clothes then allowed him to enter. They spoke for a while and then departed.

I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Ali, and some other Companions came and you remained in your position without moving. However, as ‘Uthman came, you neatened your clothes?’

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, ‘Should I not feel shy before the one whom the angels feel shy?’”[1]

 

Had people not sought revenge for the blood of Sayyidina ‘Uthman, they would have been pelted with stones

 

The narration of Zuhdum al Jarmi from Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbas:

 

عن زهدم الجرمي قال خطبنا ابن عباس فقال لو أن الناس لم يطلبوا بدم عثمان لرجموا بالحجارة من السماء

Zuhdum al Jarmi relates, “Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma addressed us in a sermon saying, ‘Had the people not sought revenge for the blood of ‘Uthman, they would have been pelted with stones from the sky.’”[2]

 

Sayyidina ‘Ali’s love for Sayyidina ‘Uthman and declaring his innocence from his murder

 

The narration of Qais ibn ‘Abbad from Sayyidina ‘Ali:

 

عن قبس بن عباد قال سمعت عليا رضي الله عنه يوم الجمل يقول اللهم إني أبرأ إليك من دم عثمان و لقد طاش عقلي يوم قتل عثمان و أنكرت نفسي و جاءوني للبيعة فقلت و الله إني لأستحيي من الله أن أبايع قوما قتلوا رجلا قال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم ألا أستحيي ممن تستحي منه الملائكة و إني لأستحيي من الله أن أبايع و عثمان قتيل على الأرض لم يدفن بعد فانصرفوا فلما دفن رجع الناس فسألوني البيعة فقلت اللهم إني مشفق مما أقدم عليه ثم جاءت عزيمة فبايعت فلقد قالوا يا أمير المؤمنين فكأنما صدع قلبي و قلت اللهم خذ مني لعثمان حتى ترضى

Qais ibn ‘Abbad reports that he heard Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu saying on the Day of Jamal, “O Allah, I declare my innocence before You of shedding the blood of ‘Uthman. I lost my mind the day ‘Uthman was killed and I couldn’t believe myself [i.e. what I was witnessing]. They came to pledge allegiance to me and I said, ‘By Allah, I feel ashamed before Allah to accept the allegiance of people who killed a man of whom Allah’s Messenger said, ‘Should I not feel shy before the one whom the angels feel shy?’ I feel ashamed before Allah to accept allegiance when ‘Uthman is lying slain on the ground and has not yet been buried.’ The people went away, but after ‘Uthman had been buried the people came back and asked me to accept their allegiance, and I said, ‘By Allah, I am worried about what to do.’ Then I decided to go ahead and accept the oath of allegiance. As soon as they said, ‘O Amir al Mu’minin!’ it was as if my heart shattered and I said, ‘O Allah, take [good deeds] from me and give them to ‘Uthman until You are pleased.’”[3]

 

The narration of Ibn Abi Layla from Sayyidina ‘Ali:

 

عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي ليلى قال رأيت عليا رافعا حضنيه يقول اللهم إني أبرأ إليك من دم عثمان

‘Abdur Rahman ibn Abi Layla recalls, “I saw ‘Ali raising his hands submitting, “O Allah! I declare my innocence to You from the blood of ‘Uthman.”[4]

 

Sayyidina ‘Uthman is among those for whom the best reward has preceded from Allah

 

The narration of Muhammad ibn Hatib from Sayyidina ‘Ali:

 

عن محمد بن حاطب قال سمعت عليا يقول إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنٰۤی منهم عثمان

Muhammad ibn Hatib reports that he heard ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu saying regarding the verse:

إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنٰۤی منهم عثمان

Indeed, those for whom the best [reward] has preceded from Us.[5]

Among them is ‘Uthman.[6]

 

Sayyidina ‘Uthman is among those who believed, then feared, then believed, then feared

 

The narration of Muhammad ibn Hatib from Sayyidina ‘Ali:

 

عن محمد بن حاطب قال سألت عليا عن عثمان فقال هو من الذين آمنوا ثم اتقوا ثم آمنوا ثم اتقوا و لم يختم الآية

Muhammad ibn Hatib relates that he asked Sayyidina ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu concerning Sayyidina ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu and he replied, “He is among those who believe, then fear Allah, then believe, then fear Allah.” He did not complete the verse.[7]

 

Sayyidina ‘Ali and Sayyidah Aisha curse the killers of Sayyidina ‘Uthman:

 

The narration of Muhammad ibn al Hanafiyyah from his father:

 

عن محمد بن الحنفية قال بلغ عليا أن عائشة تلعن قتلة عثمان فى المربد قال فرفع يديه حتى بلغ بهما وجهه فقال و أنا ألعن قتلة عثمان لعنهم الله في السهل و الجبل قال مرتين أو ثلاثا

Muhammad ibn al Hanafiyyah reports, “News reached ‘Ali that Aisha was cursing the killers of ‘Uthman in the battlefield. He raised his hands up to his face and prayed, ‘I also curse the killers of ‘Uthman. May Allah curse them in the plains and the mountains.’ He repeated this twice or thrice.”[8]

 

 
NEXT⇒ The narrations of the Sahabah on the virtues of Abu al Sibtayn Sayyidina ‘Ali

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[1] Imam Ahmed narrated it in al Musnad hadith Hafsah Umm al Mu’minin radiya Llahu ‘anha hadith no. 26509 and in al Fada’il hadith no. 748; al Arna’ut and Wasi Allah ‘Abbas declared it sahih. It has a shahid, viz. the hadith of Sayyidah Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha which Imam Muslim has recorded in Kitab fada’il al Sahabah, bab min fada’il ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan radiya Llahu ‘anhu hadith 2401.

[2] Al Tabarani narrated it in al Kabir, fi al ’asharah al mubashsharin bi al Jannat, regarding ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan radiya Llahu ‘anhu vol. 1 pg. 84 hadith no. 122 and in al Awsat vol. 2 pg. 379 hadith 3453. Al Haythami mentioned it in al Majma’ vol. 9 pg. 97 and attributed it to al Tabarani in al Kabir and al Awsat and then said, “The narrators of al Kabir are the narrators of al Sahih.” Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated it in his Musannaf vol. 6 pg. 360 hadith 32034 from Abu al Malih from Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhuma with the words, “If the people united to murder ‘Uthman, they would have been pelted with stones like the nation of Lut were stoned.”

[3] Al Hakim narrated it in al Mustadrak, Kitab Ma’rifat al Sahabah, bab fada’il Amir al Mu’minin dhi al nurayn vol. 3 pg. 101 hadith no. 4527 and stated, “Sahih according to the standards of Sheikhayn but they have not recorded it.” Al Dhahabi agreed with him. Ibn Kathir said in Al Bidayah wal vol. 7 pg. 193, “Hafiz Ibn ‘Asakir has gathered the many chains ‘Ali’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu narration where he declares his innocence from shedding the blood of ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He would say this on oath in his lectures and at other places; that he did not kill him, nor ordered his killing, nor assisted, and was not happy with it. He prevented it, but they did not listen to him. This has been established from so many chains which provides al qat’ (conviction) according to many of the scholars of hadith.”

[4] Imam Ahmed narrated it in al Fada’il 727, Wasi Allah ‘Abbas declared it sahih. Al Hakim in al Mustadrak vol. 4 pg. 51 hadith 4583 and said it was sahih. Ibn Sa’d narrated it in al Tabaqat vol. 3 pg. 82.

[5] Surah al Ambiya’: 101

[6] Imam Ahmed narrated it in Fada’il al Sahabah no. 771, Ibn Abi ‘Asim in al Sunnah vol. 3 pg. 198, Ibn Jarir in his Tafsir vol. 17 pg. 75. His isnad is sahih as declared by Wasi Allah ‘Abbas.

[7] Imam Ahmed narrated it in Fada’il al Sahabah 770. It appears like this in fada’il. Nevertheless, probably the correct wording is as appears in al Durr al Manthur in Surah al Ma’idah: 93 and al Fitan of Marwazi vol. 1 pg. 83:

Those who fear and believe and do righteous deeds then fear and believe then fear and do good.

His isnad is sahih as declared by Wasi Allah ‘Abbas.

[8] Imam Ahmed narrated it in Fada’il al Sahabah hadith no. 733. His isnad is sahih as declared by Wasi Allah ‘Abbas. Mirwazi in al Fitan vol. 1 pg. 95; Sa’id ibn Mansur in his Sunan vol. 2 pg. 336 hadith no. 2943.