First possibility
It is not easy to accept hesitation and admit to that, but the companions in
view of Ahle Sunnat, are all just, and they are trusted and it is reasoned through
their statements and acts and their faith is trusted, and companionship of Holy
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has thrown lightning upon them and have polished them and
removed the blemishes of their existence.
In that severe dispute were ten persons, who were given glad tidings of
Paradise, from them Talha and Zubair were also present, especially Talha, who
had a very nasty disposition and other people of nobility, like Ammar bin Yasir,
Malik Ashtar, Abdullah bin Budail were also present among them; and among
them was the Imam of Muslims and chief of believers, who on that day the
glance of Caliphate fell on him and small fingers had turned to him for allegiance
and the Ummah was more obedient to him than a shadow is to its owner.
Do you think, that in this condition, he should remain quiet in face of such a
horrible act, whereas he was honored with those acts and was most
knowledgeable about laws of Shariah and most guiding one of people to the path
of religion, knowing that committing such acts is prohibited. No, by God, or that in those terrible situation, he remained neutral or regarded their conduct to Uthman as lawful? We don’t know.
It cannot be said that most companions were unaware of these happenings or
did not know that it would reach to such an extent, or did not approve that
incident, because this incident was not all of a sudden and not due to deceit and
trickery, regarding which no one had any doubt what was to happen.
Because the dispute continued for more than two months, and during this
period protestors did not make any demands from the Caliph, except that he
should give up his heresies or resign from the post of Caliph; and they threatened
him with death if he did not do either. The protests of those people had filled the
atmosphere, and sometimes Uthman repented of his acts, sometimes refused to
step down from his seat, and sometimes warned them about the consequences of
his murder.
If more companions had not been inclined to this view, they would have
dispersed through discussion and exhortation. But inspite of the fact that none of
their statements and acts prove this matter, or it possibility close to reality has not
been mentioned.
Numerous traditions, which we mentioned previously,1 and which expose
the beliefs of companions regarding the Caliph and regarding the attack on him,
destroys this possibility. Although if we don’t say that these traditions are
consensus on enmity to the Caliph, agreement on his defects, which they pointed
on him and the approval of what befell him, it should be; what to say that it is not
narrated from anyone that the call of the killer of Uthman, who roamed through
Medina for three days saying: “I am the killer of the old fool,”2 had unnerved
him.
Second possibility
It is very difficult that bad expectation from Caliph should reach to such an
extent that companions regard him as deviated from path of truth; but they were
cognizant of things that a person, who is absent cannot see, and we informed you
about the statements of Ayesha that she said:3
“Kill the Nathal (old fool), may Allah kill him! As he has apostatized.”
And said to Marwan: “By God, I wished I were able to put him in a bag and
throw him into the sea.”
And she said to Ibne Abbas: “Don’t restrain people from this transgressor.”
And Abdur Rahman bin Auf said to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.): “If you want,
raise your sword and I will also raise the sword. He has gone back on his promise
to me.”
And it was mentioned that: On the day of Uthman’s murder, Talha was the harshest of all against Uthman and he was killed in retaliation of Uthman’s murder!
And Zubair said: “Kill him, as he has distorted your religion.”
And he said: “Indeed, tomorrow on Judgment Day Uthman would be on the
Siraat in form of a filthy corpse.”4
And Ammar said on the day of Battle of Siffeen: “O servants of God, come
with me to confront those, who imagine that they are taking revenge for Uthman,
who had themselves oppressed him and acted against commands of the Book of
Allah.”
He also said: “He wanted to distort our religion, so we killed him.”
Hujr bin Adi and his companions said: “He was the first to be unjust in
issuing commands and he acted in opposition to truth.”
And Abdur Rahman bin Hassan Anzi Kufi said: “He was the first to open
the door of injustice and to close the door of truth.”5
Hashim Mirqal said: “Indeed, the companions of Muhammad and reciters of
people killed Uthman, when he started heresies and contradicted the commands
of Quran and companions of Muhammad are companions of religion and they are
more eligible to have concern for the welfare of Muslims.”6
And Malik Ashtar said: “To the Caliph, who has been proved guilty, who
has distanced from Sunnah of Prophet and thrown the command of Quran behind
his back.”
And Hajjaj bin Ghaziya Ansari said: “By God, if from his age only as much
duration remains as the gap between Zuhr and Asr, we would still shed his blood
and seek divine proximity.”7
And Muhammad bin Abu Bakr said to Uthman: “O aged fool, what religion
do you follows? You have distorted the Book of Allah.”
During such severe circumstances, it is not possible for me to choose one of
the two options: that is either I should blame one person for heresies or regard
thousands of people as deviated, among them being leaders, scholars, the wise
and righteous people; and regarding their excellence traditions are recorded as we
believe; or all of them were fair and it could be reasoned through their words and
deeds as Ahle Sunnat believe. The judge is a healthy nature.
And if personal judgment is placed in between – as Ahle Sunnat have belief
in such circumstances – it is on both the sides.
And to decide that one person reached truth according to his personal judgment, but those numerous people were mistaken, is audacity and carelessness
that is only putting oneself into difficulty after a difficulty, which is not
acceptable.
وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْقِسْطِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
“And if you judge, judge between them with equity; surely Allah loves those who judge equitably.”8