Sometimes Ibne Umar pays allegiance and sometimes delays and avoids it
This is the intelligence and understanding of Ibne Umar, which is away from
understanding the reality, and it was this, which impelled him to delay and
hesitate regarding allegiance to Maula Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and which
impelled him for allegiance to Uthman.
He did not sideline him and was in his service, till the day Uthman was
killed. After all companions, except few, had condemned him. On the contrary he
was of those, who deceived Uthman regarding his life till he was killed.
As is mentioned in Ansab of Balazari quoting from Nafe that he said:1
“Abdullah bin Umar narrated to me that when Uthman was besieged, he said to
me: “What is your view regarding what Mughira bin Akhnas has hinted?”
I asked: “What is it?”
He replied: Mughira says: “These people want to make you abdicate; unless
you do that they would kill you. So leave the seat.”
I said: “Tell me if you don’t abdicate would they do something more than
killing you?”
He replied: “No.”
He said: “I don’t think that it is lawful to start the practice that when people
become infuriated on Caliph they can make him abdicate. The dress that God has
dressed you in, will not be taken off!”
Following this, it is mentioned in a traditional report that when Uthman
faced people and saw that some were saying: “We will not kill him, on the
contrary we would dismiss him.”
Uthman said: “As for dismissing me, no. And as for killing me, there is risk
of that.”
This was the most senseless viewpoint of Ibne Umar, because his suggestion
to Uthman that he should not leave the seat of Caliphate, lest this becomes a
general practice, in the instance that he said that leaving his seat was worse than
his killing. This is also applicable and as well as the awe of the ruler would go
away in both cases. Only abdicating and saving his life was not worth that
mischief which was created.
Due to this clamor and mischiefs groups of companions, companions of
companions, important personages of cities, chiefs of tribes, righteous Muslims
were killed in a general manner in a cruel manner.
Were these mischiefs due to anything, except foolish suggestion, which Ibne
Umar made to the Caliph? If he had made peace with those people as Mughira
bin Akhnas hinted to him, and they had dismissed him, he would have remained
in his house and there would have been no bloodshed and massacre and the houses of Muslims would have remained safe and sound and mischiefs would not
have spread in the cities.
Ibne Hajar writes in Fathul Bari:2
“Mischiefs spread in the country, because the Battles of Jamal and Siffeen
were fought as the consequence as the killing of Uthman and Battle of Nahrawan
was there due to arbitration of the Battle of Siffeen; and every battle, which
occurred at that time was as result of the killing of Uthman or something, which
created the factors which led to it.”
And we condemn Ibne Umar’s reasoning of paying allegiance and then
sitting behind, except what Ibne Hajar has designed for him in Fathul Bari and
written:3
Ibne Umar did not mention the Caliphate of Ali (a.s.), because he had not
pledge allegiance to Ali (a.s.) as controversy had developed regarding him, as this
issue is well known and is mentioned in traditional reports.
The point of view of Ibne Umar was that he would not pay allegiance to
anyone on whom the people did not have consensus. Therefore, he did not pay
allegiance to Ibne Zubair and Abdul Malik as they disputed among themselves,
and he paid allegiance to Yazid and after Ibne Zubair was killed, he paid
allegiance to Abdul Malik bin Marwan.
Also, it is mentioned in Fathul Bari that:4
During that period Abdullah bin Umar refrained from paying allegiance to
Ibne Zubair or Abdul Malik, like he had refrained from paying allegiance to Ali
or Muawiyah; but after Muawiyah signed peace treaty with Hasan bin Ali and
people united under Muawiyah, he paid allegiance to him, and after the death of
Muawiyah, since there was consensus of people on Yazid, he paid allegiance to
him, then in a condition of confusion, he did not pay allegiance to anyone till
Ibne Zubair was killed and rulership came to Abdul Malik. At that time he paid
allegiance to Abdul Malik.
This reasoning which Ibne Hajar uses to deceive the unaware Ummah is
frivolous; it has concealed the hidden facts and perhaps it can be obtained
through the following tradition: Since Abdullah refrained from paying allegiance
to Ali (a.s.) it was ordered that he should be apprehended. So he was arrested and
told to pay allegiance. He said: “I will not pay allegiance till all the people do
so.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “Then bring a surety that you will not leave this place.”
He said: “I will not get a surety.”
Ashtar said: “O Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), indeed this fellow has escaped
your lash and sword so far; so allow me to strike off his head.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “I don’t want forced allegiance from him. Free him.”
When he went away Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) said: “He was uncouth
during childhood and in his adulthood, he is worse.”
It is narrated that: He came to Ali (a.s.) the following day and said: “Indeed,
I am your well wisher. All people have not approved your allegiance; alas if you
only glance at your view in religion and leave the matter to Shura committee of
Muslims.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “Woe upon you, was this allegiance not requested from me?
Did you not hear about their conduct with me? O fool, get up. These words have
not come with you.”
So he went out, then someone came to Ali (a.s.) on the third day and said:
“Indeed, Ibne Umar has gone towards Mecca and he is instigating people against
you.”
So he ordered them to pursue him. At that time, his daughter, Umme
Kulthum arrived and requested him about Ibne Umar and said: “O Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.), he has gone to Mecca to settle down over there; and he does not
have power,” and asked him to accept her request about him as he was the son of
her husband. He accepted her plea and did not send anyone in his pursuit. And he
said: “Leave him to his devices.”5
O Ummah of Muhammad! Come with me, so that we may ask Ibne Umar
why he paid allegiance to Abu Bakr whereas people did not have consensus on
him, and his allegiance was given only by four or five individuals as was
mentioned.6
And the Caliphate of his father came into being only through Abu Bakr,7 and
people condemned Abu Bakr and accused him for partiality; they asked: “What
justification will you present before your Lord? If he asked you regarding
appointment of a nasty person [Umar] over Us?”8 After that the above mentioned
factors made people join him.