Bukhari, Muslim and others have through their chains of narrators, narrated
from Abdullah bin Umar that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) shortened prayers
in Mina and after him Abu Bakr continued the same practice and after that Umar
also continued and after that Uthman also during the initial part of his Caliphate,
till a time came when Uthman recited the prayer in full.
When Ibne Umar recited the prayer with the imam (Uthman), he recited it in
full and when he recited it solitary, he recited it in shortened form.1
Abu Dawood and others have narrated from Zuhri that Uthman bin Affan prayed the prayer in full for Bedouin people, because they were numerous that
year and he prayed the prayer in full in order to make them familiar that prayer is
four units (Rakat).2
Ibne Hazm in Al-Mahalli,3 has narrated from Sufyan bin Uyyana from Ja’far
bin Muhammad from his father that he said: Uthman fell ill when he was in
Mina. So Ali (a.s.) was asked: “Lead the people in prayer.”
He replied: “If you want me to pray, I will pray for you the prayer of
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.); that is two units.”
They said: “No, pray the prayer of chief of believers (Uthman), which is
four unit.”
So, His Eminence Ali (a.s.) refused to do so.
It is narrated from Abdul Malik bin Amr bin Abu Sufyan Thaqafi from his
uncle that he said: Uthman prayed the congregational prayer in Mina as four
units. A man came to Abdur Rahman bin Auf and said: “Do you approve the act
of your brother, who has recited four-unit prayer with people?”
So Abdur Rahman recited the prayer with his companions as two units. Then
he came to Uthman and asked: “Have you not recited prayer with Prophet in this
place as two units?”
He replied: “Yes.”
He asked: “Did you not recite it as two units with Abu Bakr?”
“Yes,” he replied.
He asked: “Did you not recite it as two units with Umar?”
“Yes,” he replied.
He asked: “Did you not recite it as two units in the beginning of your
Caliphate?”
“Yes,” he replied, “O Abu Muhammad, listen to me. I heard that some Hajj
pilgrims from people of Yemen and ill-wishers said last year: Prayer is two units
for someone, who is not a traveler. And this your leader, Uthman who recites two
units. And I have taken a wife in Mecca and due to that I fear that people would
like if I recited four units. I took another wife in Mecca and I have property in
Taif and often I travel over there. After my return, I remain in Mina to complete
the rituals of Hajj.”
Abdur Rahman bin Auf said: “These are not valid reasonings. But as for
what you said that you have taken a wife from Mecca, your wife is in Medina and
when you want, you leave Medina, and when you want to return, you return; and
wherever you stay, she will also stay.”
As for your statement that: “I have properties in Taif: between you and Taif, there is a distance of three days and nights and you are not a citizen of Taif.”
And as for your statement: Hajj pilgrims of Yemen and others return and
say: “This leader of yours, Uthman, who is a resident of Mecca, recites two units
of prayer, indeed revelation came on Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and that day
some people had embraced Islam, in the period of Abu Bakr also it was as such,
then during the time of Umar, Islam was established and he prayed the prayer as
two units till his death.”
So Uthman said: “This a view, which I prefer…”