Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Haritha bin Mudarrib that I performed Hajj during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar, and there was no doubt among the people that after Hazrat Umar, the caliphate would be with Hazrat Uthman. (That is, it was certain.)

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Sinan that when Hazrat Uthman was appointed as Caliph, Abdullah said: "We have not neglected the highest of it, the one above."

It is narrated from Hakim bin Jabir that when the pledge of allegiance was given to Hazrat Uthman, Ibn Mas'ud said: "We have not neglected the highest of its highest."

Hazrat Marrah Khareem narrates that one day we were with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on one of the roads of Madinah when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "What will you do in that tribulation which will spread over the land like the horns of a cow?" The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), then what should we do?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "You must adhere to him and his companions." The narrator says: Upon hearing this, I quickly clung to that man and said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), this man?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Yes, him," and this person was Hazrat Uthman.

It is narrated from Hasan that Waththab related to me. And this narrator Waththab says: I saw two marks of arrows on his throat. These spears were struck at him during the days of the siege in the house of Uthman. He narrates that the Commander of the Faithful, Uthman, sent me and said: Bring al-Ashtar to me. Ibn ‘Awn says: I think he also said that he (al-Ashtar) had left a cushion with the Commander of the Faithful, and he had a cushion with him. So Uthman said: O Ashtar! What do these (rebellious) people want from me? Al-Ashtar said: There are three things, one of which must be done. They give you the choice that either you hand over the leadership to them and say: This is your leadership, give it to whomever you wish. Or, that you give them the opportunity to take retribution from you. So if you refuse both of these, then the people will fight you. Uthman asked: Is it necessary to choose one of these? Al-Ashtar said: (Yes) It is necessary to choose one of them.

2. Uthman said: As for the matter of me relinquishing the responsibility of their leadership—(listen) I will never remove what Allah, the Exalted, has clothed me with. Ibn ‘Awn says: Another narrator besides Hasan relates: If I were to be presented so that my neck be struck off, even then this is more beloved to me than that I leave the affair of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) among the people. Ibn ‘Awn says: This statement is similar to your speech. And as for the matter of giving people the opportunity to take retribution from me, by Allah! I know that my two companions before me used to give people the opportunity to take retribution from themselves. But my body will not stand for retribution. And as for the matter that people will kill me, by Allah (remember), if they kill me, then after me they will never be able to love one another, nor will they ever be able to unite together for jihad against the enemy after me.

3. The narrator says: Then al-Ashtar got up and left. We remained there and we said: Perhaps the people will go back. Then Ruwayjil came; it seemed as if he was a wolf. He peeked through the door and then went back. Then Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr stood with thirteen men and reached Uthman and grabbed his beard, saying: Mu‘awiyah did not benefit you! Ibn ‘Amir did not benefit you! Your armies did not benefit you! Uthman said: O nephew! Leave my beard. O nephew! Leave my beard.

4. The narrator says: I saw that he sought help from a man among his people, so a man came to him with a broad-bladed spear and struck Uthman’s head with it, driving it into his head. The narrator was asked: Then what happened? The narrator replied: Then these rebels entered upon Uthman and killed him.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Laila Kindi that I saw Hazrat Uthman looking towards the people … while he was besieged … and he said … O people! Do not kill me, rather seek my consent and pleasure. By Allah! If you kill me, then never again will you be able to gather together for jihad. And never again will you be able to unite to fight against the enemy. And you will remain behind in such a state that you will become like this. Hazrat Uthman interlaced his fingers into each other. And he recited the verse { وَیَا قَوْم لاَ یَجْرِ مَنَّکُمْ شِقَاقِی أَنْ یُصِیبَکُمْ مِثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ ، أَوْ قَوْمَ ہُودٍ ، أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ ، وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِنْکُمْ بِبَعِیدٍ }. The narrator says: Hazrat Uthman sent a messenger to Hazrat Abdullah bin Salam and asked him (about this matter). He replied: Remain patient. Remain patient. Because this attitude will be a strong argument in your favor. So these rebellious people entered upon Hazrat Uthman and killed him.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Aamir says that I heard Hazrat Usman saying: Surely, in my view, the most beneficial person among you is the one who restrains his weapon and his hand.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Sirin that Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit came to Hazrat Usman and said: "The Ansar (companions) are present at the door. They are saying that if you wish, we will once again become helpers of Allah's (religion)." Hazrat Usman replied: "If they are talking about fighting, then absolutely not."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair. He says: On the day of the siege, I said to Hazrat Uthman, "Come out and fight these people, because with you today are so many people that Allah the Exalted has granted victory with even fewer than them. And by God! It is lawful to fight these people." The narrator says: Hazrat Uthman refused and ordered, "Whoever considers my obedience obligatory upon himself should obey Abdullah bin Zubair." On that (day of the siege), Hazrat Uthman appointed him as the leader in the house, and Hazrat Uthman was fasting on that (day of the siege).

It is narrated from Hazrat Nafi' that a man, who was called Jahjah, took the staff that was in the hand of Hazrat Uthman and placed it on his knee and broke it. Consequently, (in the end) that man developed an unending itch at that very spot.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Hazrat Uthman addressed the people one morning. He said: Last night I saw the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Uthman! Break your fast with us. Hazrat Uthman began the morning in a state of fasting and was martyred on that very day.

Hazrat Saeed bin Zaid says that I strengthened Hazrat Umar and his sister in Islam. Whatever you did with Hazrat Usman, after that, whatever treatment is done to you will be justified.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Salam that when the house of Uthman was besieged, Ibn Salam said: Do not kill him, for he has only a little life left anyway. By God! If you kill him, then you will never pray together in congregation again.

It is narrated from Abu Saeed, the freed slave of Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him), that Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah! If you kill Uthman, after him you will not find any rightful successor.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Qalabah that there was a man from the Quraysh who was called Thumamah, and he was in the region of Sana'a. When the news of the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman reached him, he began to weep and continued weeping for a long time. Then, when he regained composure, he said: "Today, prophethood has been taken back from the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). The caliphate has been taken back. And (now) there will be kingship and harshness. So, whoever prevails over something will consume it."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Qalabah that when Hazrat Uthman was killed, the preachers of the place of Ilya stood up. Then the last preacher among the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, stood up, who was called Marrah bin Ka’b. He said: If it were not for such a hadith that I heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, I would not have stood up. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned a tribulation... According to my understanding, the narrator says... he described its near occurrence... that during that time, a man passed by, wrapped in his cloak. So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: On the day of this (tribulation), he and his companions will be upon the truth. (The narrator says) So I went and turned that person’s face towards the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and asked: This man? The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Yes.” That man was Hazrat Uthman.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said: If all the people had gathered together for the killing of Hazrat Uthman, then all the people would have been stoned to death, just as the people of Lot were stoned.

It is narrated from Muhammad bin Sirin that Hazrat Uthman looked at the rebels from his house and said, "Bring me a man to whom I may recite the Book of Allah." So the rebels brought Sa'sa'ah bin Sawhan. He was a young man. Hazrat Uthman said, "Did you not find anyone other than this young man to bring to me?" The narrator says, then Sa'sa'ah spoke something. Hazrat Uthman said to him, "Recite the Qur'an." He recited: { أُذِنَ لِلَّذِینَ یُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّہُمْ ظُلِمُوا ، وَإِنَّ اللَّہَ عَلَی نَصْرِہِمْ لَقَدِیرٌ} Hazrat Uthman said, "You are lying. This verse is not about you and your companions, rather this verse is for me and my companions." Then Hazrat Uthman recited: { أُذِنَ لِلَّذِینَ یُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّہُمْ ظُلِمُوا ، وَإِنَّ اللَّہَ عَلَی نَصْرِہِمْ لَقَدِیرٌ} Hazrat Uthman recited up to: { وَإِلَی اللہِ عَاقِبَۃُ الأُمُورِ }.