Query
Come let us together ask the Caliph about one, who was cursed and driven
away by Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) – that is Hakam, whereas the revelation of
the verse regarding him and curse one after another from the side of Prophet on
him and his progeny, except for believers, who would be few, was before him.
What can justify his calling him back to Medina and giving him refuge? Whereas
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) drove him and his descendants out in order to keep
Medina clean from those filthy persons.
And Uthman petitioned Abu Bakr and after him, Umar to call him back and
each of them said: “I will not untie the knot, which the Prophet has tied.”1
And Halabi has written in his Seerah:2
“He is said to be cursed and rejected one of the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.). His Eminence (s.a.w.a.) expelled him to Taif and he remained there as
long as the Prophet was alive. During the time of Abu Bakr, Uthman requested
him to admit Hakam back in Medina, but he declined. Uthman said: “He is my
uncle.”
Abu Bakr said: “Your uncle will go to Hell and I will definitely not change
what Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) had done. By God, I never allow him to
return.”
When Abu Bakr died and Umar became the Caliph, Uthman spoke to him
regarding this and Umar said: “Woe upon you, O Uthman, you are talking about
one, who was cursed and driven away by Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and who
is the enemy of God and His Messenger?”
When Uthman became the Caliph, he recalled Hakam to Medina, which was
disliked by Emigrants (Muhajireen) and Helpers (Ansar); and senior companions
of Prophet condemned him, and this was the greatest cause of the uprising against
him.”
Was the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) not a model for the Caliph, whereas
Almighty Allah says:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللهِ أَسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللهَ كَثِيرًا
“Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent
exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and
remembers Allah much.”3
Or he was more loyal to his relatives and supporters than he was to Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.), whereas the Quran was before him, saying:
قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلٌ ٱقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـٰرَةٌۭ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادٍۢ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ (٢٤)
“Say: If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your
mates and your kinsfolk and property which you have acquired,
and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which
you like, are dearer to you than Allah and His Apostle and
striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His
command: and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.”4
The point after this is: What justification does he have for restricting these
excessive bestowals from rights and provisions of Muslims to that man after he
appointed him as collector of taxes, whereas trustworthiness and honesty is a
condition in collecting taxes, and an accursed one is never trustworthy and
reliable?
Also, bestowing taxes to those rulers is clearest implication of assisting in
sins and transgression whereas Allah, the Mighty and the High says:
وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ (٢)
“And help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help
one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty
to) Allah; surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).”5
The point after this is: The Caliph claims that6 after speaking with
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) the latter promised that he would recall Hakam. If this promise is correct, why no one other than him knew about it and Abu Bakr
and Uthman did not know?
Why when he spoke to those two regarding his return, and those two
confronted him with the reply you know, he did not narrate this report? Or that
those two were not assured by this report?!
And the Caliph had another reasoning and excuse. Ibne Abde Rabb has
mentioned in Iqdul Farid that:7
When Uthman recalled Hakam to Medina, who was banished by Messenger
of Allah (s.a.w.a.), Abu Bakr and Umar; people discussed regarding this matter;
Uthman said: “Why do they pick fault with me? I have done a good turn to the
relatives.”
We will not hurt feelings of people through analysis of this statement, and
will not go into details of those words, because when you recognize Hakam and
his sons, you will understand why recalling them to holy Medina and appointing
them in official capacities, and imposing them on Shariat of Islam, and reserving
pastures and lands for them, was an unforgivable crime against the Ummah, and
can never become the source of satisfaction.