Another form of repentance
It is narrated through the channels of Abu Aun from Abdur Rahman bin
Aswad bin Abd bin Yaghuth that he mentioned Marwan bin Hakam and said:
“May Allah keep Marwan from good. Uthman came to people and pacified
them and wept from the pulpit and the people also wept till I saw the beard of
Uthman wet with tears and he was saying: O Lord, I repent towards You. I repent
towards You. I repent towards You. And by God if truth returns me to that I
should be a slave, I will agree to that. When I return to my house, you come to
meet me, so that by God, I do not hide from you and make you satisfied and may
increase your approval. And that I keep away Marwan and his like.”
Another pledge after breaking the first pledge
Tabari has narrated from Abdullah bin Zubair from his father that: The
people of Medina wrote a letter to Uthman and asked him to repent and protested
swearing in the name of God, that they would not leave him till they eliminate
him, except that he should give them the right, which was obligatory upon him.
And when Uthman feared for his life, he counseled with his well wishers and
relatives and said: “I see that these people would do what they intend, so what is
the way out of this?”
They said: “Send someone to call Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) and ask him to
remove them from here. And to give them what would pacify them so that you
may get their support.”
Uthman said: “These people will not accept excuses and the first time they
came, I had done that. So if I make a pledge to them they will make me honor it.”
Marwan bin Hakam said: “Chief of believers, negotiating with them till you
become strong is better than to dispute and confront them. So give them what
they are asking for. And till the time they keep you suspended, subjugate them;
indeed they have been unjust to you and do not have any pledge.”
So Uthman sent for Ali and summoned him. When he came he said; “O
Abul Hasan, indeed, previously you saw what the people did what I had done. I
am not secure from being killed by them, so remove them from me and I swear in
the name of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime that I would make them satisfied
though I may not be pleased with it. And that I would restore their rights from my
side and from others even if my blood is shed.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “People are more needful of your justice than of killing you
and I see people that except for accepting their demands, nothing would satisfy
them. When I came to you for the first time, I gave them pledge in the name of
God, that you would refrain from what they demanded and sent them back from
you. After that you did not honor any of the terms. Now don’t deceive me with
anything. Indeed, this time I guarantee them from your side for applying the
truth.”
Uthman said: “Yes, give them their rights as by God, I will fulfill my
promises to them.”
So Ali (a.s.) came to the people and said: “O people, indeed, you demanded
the right and it is given to you. Uthman says that he would observe justice
regarding you from his side and others, and he has given up whatever you don’t
like. So accept his proposal.”
People said: “We accept. So take his pledge on our behalf. Indeed, by God,
we will not approve words without actions.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “This is your right.”
Then he came to Uthman and reported what had occurred. Uthman said:
“Appoint a period of time between me and them as I should get some respite,
because I cannot effect changes in a single day.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “Whatever is in Medina, there is no time for that [you can
remove the difficulties immediately] and what is far away, you have time to act
regarding that.”
He said: “Yes, but give me three days to effect the changes in Medina.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “All right, go to the people and inform them about it.”
He wrote a document between Uthman and them and he was given respite
for three days that he would remove all injustice and that he would depose every
governor whom they don’t want.
Then in that document, they took from Uthman the greatest pledge Almighty
Allah takes from people and some elder Muhajireen and Ansar witnessed that.
So Muslims released him and returned from there that he may fulfill the
pledges he had made to them.
But, he started preparations for war and gather arms and a huge force
comprising of slaves, who had been received by way of Khums and were a part
of Public Treasury. When three days were up and he was in his original condition
and had not fulfilled any of their demand; did not depose any official.
People rose up against him and Amr bin Hazm Ansari came out of Medina
till he came to the people of Egypt, who had camped at Zee Khashab and told
them about it. They set out from there till they came to Medina. Then they sent a
message to Uthman:
“We did not go away from you till you repented of your heresies and
negative acts; and we didn’t go away till we took a pledge from you.”
Uthman said: “Yes, I am still upon that pledge.”
The messenger said: “Then what is this letter, which we have seized from
your messenger…till the end of the report.1