The First Fitnah (part 5)
Please read this if you havent.
The First Fitnah: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
The Umayyads were proving themselves to be very talented and even the biggest critics could not complain about their generals hip as the empire continued to expand on all frontiers but this clearly did not extend to allowing one clan to monopolise the command of all the armies of Islam. Hazrat Usman (RA) ws privately warned by various Sahabas and Umm-ul-Momineen that he must not allow his immediate kinsmen to be seen to be dominating the Islamic Empire.
A revlutionary ferment of dissatisaction was brewing up especially in Kufa and Fustat. It is believed that many people with personal grudges against Hazrat Usman (RA) exploited this sentiment and they were soon joined by some young people who supported the right of Hazrat Ali (RA) to be a Caliph. It is known that Hazrat Ali (RA) himself stayed away from this whole affair as much as he could.
When Hazrat Usman (RA) found out about it, the 82 year old Caliph, decided to investigate the matter. During the Hajj o that year, led by Hazrat Usman (RA) himself, he called for an informal meeting with all his key governors and advisors to discuss the troubled times. Many recommended to go on a war against those who had gone against the Caliph but Hazrat Usman (RA) was a pacifist and could not agree to spill blood of Muslims. Some even recommended brutally that he should leave the office to which he replied, “I cannot take off a dress in which Allah (SWT) has dressed me.” So he decided to find another and more peaceful solution to the problem.
The rebels had already formed three different armed bases in and around Medina and sent deputations to three different Sahabas including Hazrat Ali (RA). At first all of them rebuked the rebels from entering the holy city and refused to have anything to do with them. Finally, Hazrat Ali (RA) decided to act as a counsellor and advised Hazrat Usman (RA) to sack the governor of Egypt, something that was supported by Hazrat Aisha (RA) too. The people of Egypt wanted Mohammed ibn Abu Bakar (who was brought up in Hazrat Ali’s (RA) home) to be the new governor. Hazrat Usman (RA) agreed and the rebels decided to go back to their city.
Just three days later on their march back to Fustat, they saw an African slave who had a letter for them which had the new seal of the Caliph. The letter was for the sacked governor and ordered him to kill the rebels on their return to the city. At this, they felt betrayed and decided to march back into Medina.
Once again Hazrat Ali (RA) acted as the arbitrator. Hazrat Usman (RA) informed Hazrat Ali (RA) that he had no knowledge of the letter. Although the mystery surrounding the letter has never been solved but it is a common belief that it was written by Marwan ibn al-Hakam (a cousin of Hazrat Usman (RA), who also later became a Caliph) or perhaps was a maination of Amr ibn al-As (also an Umayyad sacked from governorship of Egypt much earlier).
Hazrat Usman (RA) decided to address the people at Friday prayers but the sermon was never to be completed as the rebels started pelting stones at the old Caliph who had to be taken to the safety of his house through the angry mob, never to be able to step outside the house before his death.
Hazrat Ali (RA), Hazrat Talha (RA) and Hazrat Zubair (RA) each appointed one of their sons to guard the Caliph. As the days passed, the rebels intensified their pressure against Hazrat Usman and also forbade the entry of any food or provisions, and later water as well, into his house, even turning down the Umm-ul-Momineen.
A few days later, the rebels entered the house. It is believed that Hazrat Iman Hasan (AS) got injured while trying to stop the rebels from entering but was unable to stop the inevitable from happening. Hazrat Usman (RA) had already ordered his guards not to relataliate anymore. He was alone in his room, reading from a copy of the Qur’an when the rebels found him right after the Friday prayers. One of the rebels, commonly blelieved to be Mohammed ibn Abu Bakar, grabbed the old Caliph with his beard who cried out, “Son of my brother, your father would not have touched what you have grabbed in your hand.” On hearing this, Mohammed ibn Abu Bakar pierced Hazrat Usman’s (RA) forehead while another rebel thrust behind his ear so that its point emerged hrough his throat spilling blood on the opened copy of the Qur’an.
Wow, I never knew this. I still don’t understand why Mohammed ibn Abu Bakar was part of the rebels?
i have been trying to calculate how old Mohammed ibn Abu Bakar was at the time this all happened. He was the last born of Hazrat Abu Bakar (RA) so even if he was born the same year Hazrat Abu Bakar (RA) died then according to my calculation, he was at least 24-25 years old.
He was brought into Hazrat Ali’s (RA) household wen Hazrat Ali (RA) married his mother, Asma Binte Ummays,the widow of Hazrat Abu Bakar (RA), making Hazrat Ali (RA) his step father. Obviously he must have been too young and had only known Hazrat Ali (RA) as his father. He might have felt too strongly in favor of Hazrat Ali (RA) and from wat I have read he was a warrior, like his step father rather than his biological father, and was far more aggressive than both Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Abu Bakar (RA). Further, he strongly opposed the monopoly of one clan and it is known that people of Egypt wanted to see him as their governor. He must have been someone who wanted to solve issues with his sword rather than someone like Imam Hasan (AS) who would want peace at any cost. But obviously, Wallah u Alam
I find it hard to understand how ppl of our ummah from the time of the Prophet ( SAW) who had witnessed the miracles of our religion, and were offsprings of the Sahaba themselves, could act like this. We speak of how wrong the world has gotten today, but then i suppose its always been the same.
a major player in this controversy is abdullah bin sabbah .. you completely missed him.
@ farooq
money, ambition, power…they have always been the biggest fitnah for Islam
@ Yousuf
i have read some real nasty stuff about him, thought of including him too but then i thought i might go over board. and anyway, he would require a completely new post.
http://safiullahhussaini.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/when-two-asses-chat/
consider this a tag!!!
anyways … this topic is really controversial .. i mean real controversial .. and might lead us to take sides.
when accessing this topic .. there should be a notice “please handle with care” along with the ayah .. (aale-imran:103)
واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعا ولا تفرقوا
which means “Hold on to Allah and be not divided among yourselves”
yep, its a very very sensitive topic and thats why i always remind everyone to read the Schism post before actually commenting on these posts. I myself refrain from giving any opinions, and thus the tone is always that of narration. Perhaps, that is also one of the reasons why so few people leave comments on these posts and several others are blocked daily by me.