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Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan (r.a.) & the Ahl al-Bayt

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is not the understanding of Sunni Islam that Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ), the third caliph, was hostile towards the Ahl al-Bayt .   The following are some examples to prove the contrary from both Sunni and Shi’ah sources.   This so-called hostility between the Ahl al-Bayt and the Khulafah ar-Rashidin was manufactured after the fact.   Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal ( r.a. ) recorded a narration, with its isnad from Hadhrat Muhammad ibn Hathib ( r.a. ), that he said, “I heard ‘Ali reciting:   سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقَتۡ لَهُم مِّنَّا ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰٓ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَنۡہَا مُبۡعَدُونَ (١٠١)   Those for whom the Good (Record) from Us has gone before, will be removed far therefrom. (Surah al-Anbiya’:101)   And he said that from amongst them is ‘Utsman.”   This is found in Fadha’il asw Swahabah , and is swahih .   Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Amr ad-Dahhak ibn Abi ‘Aaswim ( r.a. ), in his as-Sunnah

The Facilitator of Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib’s (k.w.) Marriage

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) was instrumental in the marriage of Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ) to Sayyidatina Fathimah az-Zahrah ( r.a. ).  Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn ‘Isa ibn Abi al-Fath al-Arbali ( r.a. ), a Shi’ah scholar, mentioned this in his Kashf al-Ghummah .  He recorded that Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) said, “Then, the Messenger of Allah ( s.a.w. ) told me, ‘Go now and sell your armour and come back with its value so I may prepare what is good for you and Fathimah.’  So, I went and sold my armour to ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan for 400 darahim .   When the money was in my hand and the armour was in his hands, ‘Utsman said to me, ‘Abu al-Hasan!  Do you not need the armour more than I do and do you not need the money more than I do?’  I answered with a yes.  So, he said, ‘Then take back the armour.  It is a gift from me to you.’  So, I took back the armour and the money and went to the Messenger of Allah ( s.a.w. ).  I handed

The One Who was Dzu an-Nurayn

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ) said, about Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ), after his passing, “He is the person who is remembered as ‘ Dzu an-Nurayn ’ in the gathering of angels, for the Prophet ( s.a.w. ) married two of his two daughters to him.” “ Dzu an-Nurayn ” means “the possessor of two lights”.   This is found in the Shi’ah book, Iswabah ma Iswtiyyab , and in the Sunni books, Tarikh al-Khulafah , and Kanz al-Ummal .

The Decision to Standardise the Readings of the Qur’an

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is recorded, in Fath al-Bari , of Imam Shihab ad-Din Abu al-Fadhl Ahmad ibn Nur ad-Din ‘Ali ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani ( r.a. ), that during the caliphate of Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ), some agitators were still upset about Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ) for forcing one reading of the Qur’an and burning all the others.   Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) said, “O people, do not accuse ‘Utsman of extremism, and only say what is good about him.  By Allah, he did what he did openly in front of all of us.  By Allah, if I were given authority, I would do the same as he did.”

Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr 'Utsman ibn 'Affan (r.a.) & the Ahl al-Bayt had Close Ties

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ In 35 AH, Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas ( r.a. ) was appointed ‘amir for haj under the caliphate of Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ).   This is found in both Sunni and Shi’ah sources.   There were also other members of the Ahl al-Bayt appointed to important positions, including Sayyidina Hasan ibn ‘Ali ( r.a. ), and Sayyidina Husayn ibn ‘Ali ( r.a. ).   Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abi Thalib ( k.w. ) was a personal advisor for the caliph, and functioned as the chief qadhi , in addition to other responsibilities.   Even Qurb al-Asnad , a major Shi’ah text, acknowledges the fact that in the preceding caliphates, almost all hudud cases were handled by Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ).   Another of the Banu Hashim, Sayyidina Mughirah ibn Nawfal ( r.a. ), married a widow of Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) after his death.   He was the grandson of Sayyidina ‘Ali’s ( k.w. ) uncle, Sayyidina al-Harits ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib, and acted as governor during the

The State of the Ummah during the Khulafah ar-Rashidin

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ In a famous narration, a man from the Khwarij came to Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ), when he was the caliph, and said to him, “What is wrong with you, that the people disagreed on ‘Utsman and you, while they agreed on Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?” Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) answered, “The people agreed on Abu Bakr and ‘Umar when the people were people like ‘Utsman and I, and they disagreed on ‘Utsman and I when they were people like you and your kind.”

The Principle of the Bay’ah

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ In the 6 th Letter of Nahj al-Balaghah , it is recorded that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ) said, “Verily, the people who pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Utsman, have pledged allegiance to me based on the same principles as the allegiance to them.  So, anyone who was present has no right to go against his pledge of allegiance, and anyone who was absent has no right to oppose it.  And verily shura’ is only the right of the Muhajirun and the Answar .  So, if they decide upon a man and declare him their imam , then it is with the Pleasure of Allah ( s.w.t. ).  If anyone goes against this decision, then he must be persuaded to follow the rest of the people.  If he persists, then fight with him for leaving that which has been accepted by the believers.  And Allah ( s.w.t. ) shall Let him wander misguided and not guide him.”

They Preferred Each Other to be Caliph

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is recorded, in Hafizh ‘Imad ad-Din  Abu al-Fida’   Isma’il ibn ‘Umar ibn Katsir’s ( r.a. ) al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah , that after the death of Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab al-Faruq ( r.a. ), the shura’ made Sayyidina ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf ( r.a. ) responsible for collating their opinions on the best candidate for the next caliph.  Most of them chose Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ).  Sayyidina ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf ( r.a. ) asked Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ), “If not you, who do you suggest for me?”   Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) said “‘Utsman”.   And when Sayyidina ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf ( r.a. ) asked Sayyidina ‘Utsman ( r.a. ) the same question, he replied, “‘Ali.”

A Shi’ah Scholar on Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan (r.a.)

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is recorded, in Nasikh at-Tawarikh , by Imam Muhammad Taqi Lisan al-Mulk ( r.a. ), the Shi’ah scholar of sirah and ahadits , that Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas ( r.a. ) said, “May Allah have Mercy on Abu ‘Amr,” the kunya of Sayyidina ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan ( r.a. ).   “By Allah, he was the noblest and most righteous of men.   He prayed a great deal at the time before dawn, shed many tears when he remembered the Fire, the first to do righteous deeds and to offer help at the time of calamity, beloved, confident and loyal, the one who equipped the army of Tabuk, the son-in-law of Rasulullah ( s.a.w. ).”

Cursing the Murderers of the 3rd Caliph

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal ( r.a. ) recorded, in his Fadha’il asw-Swahabah , that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib ( k.w. ) said, “I hope that I, ‘Utsman, Thalhah and Zubayr are from people regarding whom Allah Says:   سُوۡرَةُ الحِجر وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِى صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلٍّ إِخۡوَٲنًا عَلَىٰ سُرُرٍ۬ مُّتَقَـٰبِلِينَ (٤٧)   And We shall Remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury: (they will be) brothers (joyfully) facing each other on thrones (of dignity). (Surah al-Hijr:47)   This is also recorded by Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi ( r.a. ), in his al-I’tiqad ‘ala Madzhab as-Salaf Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah .   This was said in response to Sayyidina ‘Utsman’s ( r.a. ) murder.   Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ( r.a. ) said Sayyidina ‘Ali ( k.w. ) described him, after his passing as, “‘Utsman was the closest of us to his kin and he was among those who believe, then are fearfully aware and do good.   Allah Lo

He was from the People of Paradise

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بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal ( r.a. ) recorded a narration, with its isnad from Hadhrat Muhammad ibn Hathib ( r.a. ) that he said, “I heard ‘Ali reciting:   سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقَتۡ لَهُم مِّنَّا ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰٓ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَنۡہَا مُبۡعَدُونَ (١٠١)   Those for whom the Good (Record) from Us has gone before, will be removed far therefrom. (Surah al-Anbiya’:101)   And he said that from amongst them is ‘Utsman.”   This is found in Fadha’il asw Swahabah and is swahih .   Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad bin ‘Amr ibn Abi ‘Aaswim ( r.a. ), in his as-Sunnah ; Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Jarir ath-Thabari ( r.a. ), in his Tafsir ; and Imam Abu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn ‘Umar az-Zamakhshari ( r.a. ), in his Mukhtaswar Kitab al-Muwafaqah , all recorded it as well.   In addition, in Imam ath-Thabari’s ( r.a. ) Tafsir , a similar atsar is recorded through a different chain of transmission.