No Companion Participated in the Martyrdom of Uthman, May Allah Be Pleased with Him
Our master Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred by some lowly and rebellious people of Egypt; no companion was involved in this.
✿ Hafiz Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him (676 AH), says:
لم يشارك فى قتله أحد من الصحابة .
No companion was involved in the martyrdom of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.
✿ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (728 AH), says:
خيار المسلمين لم يدخل واحد منهم فى دم عثمان، لا قتل ولا أمر بقتله ، وإنما قتله طائفة من المفسدين فى الأرض من أوباش القبائل وأهل الفتن .
None of the best people among the Muslims participated in the martyrdom of our master Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him; neither did they kill him nor order his killing. Rather, those who martyred Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, were a group of rebels, miscreants, and troublemakers.
✿ Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (774 AH), says:
ليس فيهم صحابي، ولله الحمد
No companion was among the killers of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, praise be to Allah.
✿ Our master Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
لو أعلم بني أمية يقبلون مني لنفلتهم خمسين يمينا قسامة من بني هاشم ما قتلت عثمان ولا مالأت على قبله
If I come to know that the Banu Umayyah will accept my statement that I did not kill our master Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, nor did I support his killing, then I am ready to take fifty oaths on behalf of Banu Hashim for reconciliation.
The Companions continued to defend:
✿ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه says:
قلت لعثمان رضى الله عنه : إن معك فى الدار عصبة مستنصرة، ينصر الله تعالى بأقل منها، فأذن لي فلأقاتل، بأقل فقال رضى الله عنه : أنشد الله رجلا أهراق فى دمه، أو قال أهراق فى دما
I asked Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan رضي الله عنه: You have such a large protective group of Muslims in your house that even if they were fewer in number, Allah Almighty would grant victory through them. So please allow me to fight (these rebels). Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه replied: For Allah’s sake! Do not shed anyone’s blood for the sake of one person, or he said: Do not shed anyone’s blood because of me.
✿ Kinana Mawla Safiya رحمه الله narrates:
إنه شهد مقتل عثمان رضي الله عنه، قال : وأنا يومئذ ابن أربع عشرة سنة، قال : أمرتنا صفية بنت حيي أن نرحل بغلة بهودج فرحلناها، ثم مشينا حولها إلى الباب، فإذا الأشتر وناس معه، فقال الأشتر لها : ارجعي إلى بيتك فأبت، فرفع قناة معه، أو رمحا، فضرب عجز البغلة، فشبت البغلة، ومال الهودج حتى كاد أن يقع، فلما رأت ذلك قالت : ردوني، ردوني، وأخرج من الدار أربعة نفر من قريش مضروبين محمولين، كانوا يدره ون عن عثمان، فذكر الحسن بن علي، وعبد الله بن الزبير، وأبا حاطب والصحيح : محمد بن حاطب ومروان بن الحكم ، قلت : فهل ندي محمد بن أبى بكر بشيء من دمه، فقال : معاذ الله دخل عليه ، فقال له عثمان : لست بصاحبه، وكلمه بكلام فخرج ولم يند من دمه بشيء ، قلت : فمن قتله؟ قال رجل من أهل مصر يقال له : جبلة بن أيهم فجعل ثلاثا يقول : أنا قاتل نعتل قلت : فأين عثمان يومئذ؟ قال : فى الدار
I was fourteen years old, I was present at the martyrdom of Uthman رضي الله عنه. Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Safiya bint Huyy رضي الله عنهما asked us to put a saddle on the mule, so we put the saddle on the mule. Then we walked around you رضي الله عنه to the door (of Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه’s house), where we saw Ashtar (Malik bin Harith) and his companions standing. Ashtar said to Sayyida Safiya رضي الله عنهما: Please go back to your house, but Sayyida refused. Then Ashtar lifted a spear and struck the mule’s back. The mule became restless and lifted its front legs, the saddle slipped, and it almost fell down. When Sayyida saw this treatment, she said: Take me back, take me back. (I saw) four young men of Quraysh were taken out of the house, who were covered in blood. These four kept defending Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه; they were Hasan bin Ali, Abdullah bin Zubair, Muhammad bin Hatib رضي الله عنهم, and Marwan bin Hakam رحمه الله. (The narrator Muhammad bin Talha رحمه الله says) I asked Kinana رحمه الله: Was Muhammad bin Abi Bakr رحمه الله also present at the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه? He said: May Allah forbid! When he went to Uthman رضي الله عنه, Uthman رضي الله عنه said to him: You are not the one who will kill me. Besides this, there was other conversation. So Muhammad bin Abi Bakr رحمه الله left and did not participate in the martyrdom of Uthman رضي الله عنه.
Muhammad bin Talha رحمه الله says: I asked Kinana رحمه الله: Who martyred Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه? He said: Uthman رضي الله عنه was martyred by an Egyptian (Jew), whose name was Jablah bin Aiham. Then he (went around the streets of Medina three times and) shouted three times: I am (seeking refuge with Allah!) the killer of Na’tal (a derogatory name for Uthman رضي الله عنه). I asked: Where was Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه on the day of martyrdom? He said: In his house.
Some Traditions and Their Analysis:
✿ Attributed to Abdul Rahman bin Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah, may Allah have mercy on him:
أنا أنظر إلى عثمان يخطب على عصا النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم التى كان يخطب عليها وأبو بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما، فقال له جهجاه : قم يا نعتل، فانزل عن هذا المنبر، وأخذ العصا فكسرها على ركبته اليمنى، فدخلت شطية منها فيها، فبقي الجرح حتى أصابته الأكلة فرأيتها تدود، فنزل عثمان وحملوه وأمر بالعصا فشدوها، فكانت ببة، فما خرج بعد ذلك اليوم إلا خرجة أو خرجتين حتى حصر فقتل
I was looking at Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him. He was holding the same stick of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, on which the Prophet himself, and after him Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, used to lean while delivering sermons. Then Jahjah, may Allah be pleased with him, said to Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him: “Nattal!” (Nattal was the name of a man from Egypt who had a long beard; rebellious people used to mock Sayyiduna Uthman by calling him Nattal.) Get up and come down from the Minbar. Jahjah, may Allah be pleased with him, took the stick and struck it on his right knee, breaking the stick. The broken piece entered the knee, causing a wound, which became itchy, and I saw that worms had infested it. Anyway, Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, came down from the pulpit, and the (rebellious) people took him away. Later, the stick was repaired and iron was fitted onto it. After that, Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, came out only once or twice until he was besieged and martyred.
The narration is false. Muhammad bin Umar Waqidi is “abandoned and a liar”.
✿ Attributed to Nafi Mawla Ibn Umar, may Allah have mercy on him:
إن جهجاها الغفاري أخذ عصا كانت فى يد عثمان فكسرها على ركبته، فرمى فى ذلك المكان بأكلة .
“Sayyidna Jahjah Ghafari, may Allah be pleased with him, took a stick from Sayyidna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, and struck it on his knee and broke it; at that place (later) a rash appeared.”
The narration is weak due to discontinuity. Nafi did not live in the time of Sayyidna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.
✿ Attributed to Abu Jubaybah Mawla Urwah, may Allah have mercy on him:
After that, Sayyidna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, gave a sermon, then Jahjah Ghafari, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up and shouted: O Uthman! We have brought this mount (she-camel), on it is a cloak and a necklace; come down from the pulpit, we will put that cloak on you, put the necklace around your neck, mount this animal, and throw you off at Jabal Dukhan. Sayyidna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: May Allah destroy you and your deed!”
The narration is false.
① Muhammad bin Umar Waqidi is “fabricator and liar.”
② Abu Habibah did not live during the time of Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه.
✿ Attributed to Uqbah bin Muslim رحمه الله:
إن آخر خرجة خرجها عثمان يوم جمعة، فلما استوى على المنبر حصبه الناس، فقال رجل من غفار يقال له الجهجاه : والله لمغرينك إلى جبل الدخان، فنزل، فحيل بينه وبين الصلاة، فصلى للناس يومئذ أبو أمامة بن سهل بن حنيف
Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه came out for the last time on a Friday, ascended the pulpit, but the rebels stopped him. A Ghafari, known as Jahjah رضي الله عنه, said: By Allah! We will take you towards Jabal Dukhān. Then Uthman رضي الله عنه came down from the pulpit, and he was also prevented from praying. On that day, people were led in prayer by Sayyiduna Abu Amamah bin Sahl bin Hunayf رضي الله عنه.
The narration is very weak.
① Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abi Al-Fawaris, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Ali bin Muhammad bin Abi Qais:
كان ضعيفا جدا. He was very weak.
② Uqbah bin Muslim did not live during the time of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.
✿ Attributed to Sulaiman bin Sayyar, may Allah have mercy on him:
Jahjah Ghafari, may Allah be pleased with him, took the stick of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, from the hand of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, and struck it against his knee, breaking it, which caused itching in the knee of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, after it was wounded.
The narration is very weak.
Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abi al-Fawaris, may Allah have mercy on him, says about Ali bin Muhammad bin Abi Qais:
كان ضعيفا جدا “He was very weak.”
✿ Attributed to Abdul Wahid bin Abi Awn, may Allah have mercy on him:
Kinana bin Bishr struck the forehead of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, with an iron weapon, causing him to fall on his side to the ground. After that, Sudan bin Hamran al-Muradi attacked and martyred him. Then Amr bin Humaq, may Allah be pleased with him, jumped and climbed onto the chest of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, who still had some life left. Then Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, struck nine spears and said: Three spears were struck for the sake of Allah, and the remaining six were struck to cool the fire in my chest.
This is a false narration:
① Muhammad bin Umar Waqidi is “fabricated and a liar.”
② Abdul Wahid bin Abi Awn, may Allah have mercy on him, is not a witness to this incident.
✿ Attributed to Sayyiduna Uthman bin Shurayd, may Allah be pleased with him:
مر عثمان على جبلة بن عمرو الساعدي وهو بفناء داره ومعه جامعة، فقال : يا نعثل والله لأقتلنك ولأحملنك على قلوص جرباء، ولأخرجنك إلى حرة النار، ثم جاء : مرة أخرى وعثمان على المنبر فأنزله عنه
Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by Jibla bin Umar and Saadi, may Allah be pleased with them, who were in the courtyard of the house. He had a necklace with him. He said: O Naathil! By Allah, I will surely kill you, and I will place your corpse on a scabby she-camel and throw it in a place called Harrah al-Nar. Then he came once more while Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, was delivering a sermon from the pulpit, and he was brought down.
The narration is false:
① Muhammad bin Umar Waqidi is “abandoned and a liar.”
② Ubaidullah bin Rafi’ bin Khadij is of unknown status.
③ Ubaidullah bin Rafi’ did not hear from Sayyiduna Uthman bin Shurayd رضي الله عنه.
✿ Attributed to Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Hamdani رحمه الله:
Sayyiduna Abu Tufail Amir bin Wathilah Kinanī رضي الله عنه came to Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, and Muawiyah رضي الله عنه asked him: Abu Tufail? He replied: Yes. Muawiyah رضي الله عنه asked: Were you among those who martyred Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه? He said: No, but I was present there, though I could not help him. Muawiyah رضي الله عنه asked: Why did you not help? He said: Even the Muhajireen and Ansar could not help him, and indeed you yourself could not help. Muawiyah رضي الله عنه said: The demand I make for the blood of Uthman رضي الله عنه, is that not his support?
The narration is very weak.
① The identity of Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Hamdani could not be determined.
② There is a discontinuity between Ali bin Muhammad Madaini and Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman, or Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Hamdani is not a witness to this incident.
✿ This narration is also transmitted from Abdur Rahman Hamdani.
