Agitation Against Uthman

The Holy Prophet and the Jews

When the Holy Prophet migrated to Madina, there was a considerable number of Jews there. They were wealthy, and commanded great influence as they controlled all trade. The Holy Prophet laid down the policy of "Live and let live" with reference to the Jews. He accordingly entered into a treaty of mutual cooperation and collaboration with them. According to the terms of the treaty, the Jews were to enjoy religious freedom and there was to be no interference .in religious affairs. The Muslims and the Jews were to be on friendly terms, and were to help each other in the promotion of objects of common interest. It was stipulated that the Muslims and the Jews would jointly defend Madina against any enemy from. Without. The Jews were not to give protection to the Quraish of Makkah, and in the event of any attack by the Quraish, both the Muslims and the Jews were to join hands in the defense of the city.

Betrayal of the Jews

The Jews knew that in their holy books, there were references to the advent of a prophet in Arabia. They were? however, under the impression that the expected prophet would rise from their midst. When the Holy Prophet rose from the ranks of the Quraish in Makkah, the Jews recognized in him all the signs of prophethood foretold in their sacred books. When the Holy Prophet came to Madina the Jews thought that he would be subservient to them, and would have to depend upon them. When the Holy Prophet followed an independent policy based on the supremacy of Islam, the Jews followed the policy of betrayal, and embarked on a campaign of ridicule and vilification. Only a few Jews accepted Islam. Even some out of them were hypocrites, whose object in accepting Islam was to disrupt Islam from within. Those Jews who did not accept Islam remained hostile to Islam at heart.

Banu Qainuqa

After the battle of Badr in 694 C.E. a dispute arose between the Muslims and the Jews of Banu Qainuqa. All attempts to settle the dispute peacefully failed, and the Muslims were forced to accept the challenge of the Jews. The Banu Qainuqa shut themselves in their strongholds, and the Muslims laid siege to their strongholds. The siege lasted for a fortnight, and then brought to bay, the Jews surrendered. The Muslims wanted to kill the Jews for their treachery, but on the intercession of Abdullah bin Ubayy, the Holy Prophet agreed to spare their lives but exiled them from Madina.

Banu Nadeer

On the occasion of the battle of Uhud, the Jews of Banu Nadeer resorted to treachery. They entered into secret negotiations with the Quraish and even planned to assassinate the Holy Prophet. After the battle of Uhud, these Jews were asked to explain their conduct and when they could offer no satisfactory explanation they were served with an ultimatum of war. They accepted the ultimatum and shut themselves in their strongholds. After a few days they surrendered. They were required to leave Madina. They were allowed to take away whatever movable property they could except arms.

Banu Quraiza

In the battle of the Trench, the Jews of Banu Quraiza acted treacherously. Their treachery was established, and they were given the ultimatum. Instead of appeasing the Muslims they chose to adopt an attitude of defiance. They were besieged, and they ultimately surrendered. An arbitrator was appointed to determine their fate. The arbitrator gave the award that in accordance with the Jewish law all male Jews should be killed, and all children and women should be taken captive as slaves. This award was duly executed. All Jewish slaves were purchased by Uthman. Most of these slaves accepted Islam and Uthman liberated them. It is reported that Uthman used to liberate a slave every Friday.

The Khyber

Even after expulsion, the Jews did not stop intriguing against the Muslims. After the Hudaibiya pact with the Quraish, the Jews of Khyber entered into conspiracy with some of the tribes to attack Madina. The Holy Prophet anticipated the move of the Jews and marched with a force to Khyber. The Jews were overpowered.

The apostasy campaigns

In the apostasy campaigns the Jews secretly aided the apostates, and incited the tribes who had accepted Islam to apostatize. The designs of the Jews were frustrated, and the apostasy campaigns ended in victory for the Muslims. Then under Abu Bakr and Umar the Muslims embarked on a campaign of conquests. Within a short time the Muslims were masters of Iraq, Persia, Syria and Egypt. That alarmed the Jews. The Jews were now no longer in the position to come in direct confrontation with the Muslims. They therefore changed their strategy, and instead of a direct attack on Islam they resorted to a campaign for the subversion of Islam from within.

Abdullah b Saba

The movement of the Jews for the subversion of Islam from within was spear headed by Abdullah b Saba. He was a Jew of Yemen. At one time the Jews had ruled over Yemen. The movement launched by Abdullah b Saba aimed at the restoration of the glory of the Jews by subverting Islam from within. Abdullah b Saba came to Madina and was converted to Islam. He posed as a champion of Islam, and pretended to live a life of piety according to the injunctions of Islam. He had considerable funds raised by the Jews at his disposal and this money he distributed among the poor. Within a short time Abdullah b Saba became popular with the Muslims.

Subversive activities of Abdullah b Saba

From Madina, Abdullah b Saba went to Basra. There he stayed with Hakim b Jabala, a brigand. There he indulged in the propaganda that those who robbed the rich were not outlaws; they merely aimed at narrowing down the differences between the rich and the poor. He insinuated that as a matter of fact, the Government which depended upon the support of the rich was a tyranny. The common men came to feel that Abdullah b Saba was their well-wisher. Abdullah b Saba thus poisoned the political atmosphere at Basra. The Governor of Basra kept a watch on the activities of Abdullah b Saba. From the reports that he received it transpired that Abdullah was preaching doctrines which were very dangerous. The Government of Basra accordingly expelled Abdullah b Saba from the province of Basra.

Abdullah b Saba in Kufa

From Basra, Abdullah b Saba came to Kufa. Here he pretended to lead a virtuous life and the people were attracted to him. In Kufa, most of the people favored Ali. Abdullah b Saba exploited this position in a subtle way. Addressing the persons who were pro-Ali, Abdullah b Saba said, "Every prophet has Wasi. Moses had his brother Aaron as his Wasi Similarly the Prophet of Islam had Ali as his Wasi. In the presence of the Wasi no one else had the right to the caliphate". By his subtle talks he exhorted the people of Kufa to rise to a man to overthrow Uthman and install Ali as the Caliph. In his talks he dwelt on the sins of omission and commission of Uthman. He observed that Uthman had imposed his near of kin as Governors in various provinces. He distorted facts, and even the good things done by Uthman were presented in bad light. Posing as a great Muslim -he would say, "Look here, Uthman calls himself as a Caliph of the Prophet, and yet he has burnt copies of the Holy Quran. There could be no sacrilege greater than that." He would further say: "O people, do you know what innovations in your religion your present Caliph has introduced. On the occasion of the Hajj, the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar offered only two rakaats of prayers, but he raised the number of rakaats to four. He has deviated from the precedent set up by the Holy Prophet, and has forfeited the right to be the Caliph. "He would multiply the list of such imaginary innovations, and sigh at subversion of Islam by the Caliph. Arguing in a crooked way he would say, "O Muslims, under the circumstances it is not for you to undertake Jihad across the borders of the Muslim dominions; the real Jihad lies against the Caliph who has played fast and loose with Islam". Those who listened to him fell under the impression that Abdullah was a true Muslim who was prepared to take up cudgels on behalf of Islam. When the activities of Abdullah b Saba were reported to the Governor of Kufa he asked Abdullah to leave the province.

Abdullah b Saba in Syria

On expulsion from Kufa, Abdullah .) Saba came to Syria. Here he came across Abu Dhar Ghifari. Abu Dhar Ghifari was an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet who was held in high esteem by the people. He, however, propounded ultra socialist doctrines, and vehemently denounced the luxurious way of living of the rulers. That made him very popular with the poor. Abdullah b Saba exploited this position in Syria, and posed himself as a devoted follower of Abu Dhar Ghifari. Meeting Abu Dhar Ghifari, Abdullah b Saba said, "Look Sir, the Governor calls the 'Baitul Mal', the property of Allah. That is a device to avoid its distribution among the people." The argument appealed to Abu Dhar Ghifari, and when he saw Muawiyah he was critical of the amassing of funds in the treasury; he wanted the immediate distribution of available funds among the people. When Muawiyah pointed out the unpractical aspect of the proposal, hot words were exchanged between Muawiyah and Abu Dhar Ghifari. When it came to the notice of Muawiyah that Abdullah b Saba was at the back of these ultra socialist thoughts, he ordered Abdullah to leave Syria.

Abdullah b Saba in Egypt

From Syria Abdullah b Saba came to Egypt. Here he found the atmosphere more congenial. Muhammad b Abu Bakr and Muhammad b Hudhaifa were already carrying on hostile propaganda against Uthman. Abdullah b Saba took advantage of this position, and posing as a pious Muslim he projected doctrines aimed at the subversion of Islam. Posing as a staunch Muslim he said, "I wonder at the wisdom of the Muslims. They believe that Jesus is alive, while they hold that Muhammad is dead. If Muhammad is the last of the prophets, how can he die ? He must be alive til1 the doomsday. And again if Muhammad is the last of the prophets, Wily should Jesus come back again to usher in an era of peace and justice?" The common men who listened to him came to regard him as a staunch Muslim and felt that there was considerable weight in what he said. By such activities the Jews were able to wage a war against Islam on the intellectual plane. Abdullah b Saba sent secret emissaries to major towns in the Muslim empire, and through cunning device and subtle talks these emissaries misled the people, and made them feel that they had been wronged.

Abu Dhar Ghifari

Abu Dhar Ghifari. was an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet and was among the early converts to Islam. His original name was Jandab b Janadah, and he belonged to the Ghifari tribe who had their settlements between Makkah and Syria. The Ghifari tribe was converted to Islam through the efforts of Abu Dhar Ghifari. When the Holy Prophet migrated to Madina, Abu Dhar also came to Madina, and there devoted himself exclusively to prayers and religious meditation. He adopted a more or less ascetic way of life, shunned luxury, and stood for austerity. He is described as the first socialist in Islam. After the death of the Holy Prophet he went to Syria, and undertook Jihad. He was outspoken and he freely criticized the administration where he felt that there was anything wrong. The Holy Prophet said of him that nothing could deter him from speaking whatever he considered to be the truth.

Abu Dhar and Amir Muawiyah

During the times of Abu Bakr and Umar, Abu Dhar Ghifari did not have much to criticize. When Uthman came to office, the people progressively took to a luxurious way of life, and this became a matter of great criticism with Abu Dhar Ghifari. He vehemently denounced the palaces, the expensive costumes, the rich dishes, and the luxurious indulgences of Amir Muawiyah and his court. He thundered, "The gold and silver that you hoard would be heated red one day in the fire of hell, and struck against your forehead." He cursed those who hoarded wealth. He wanted the rich people to distribute all their surplus wealth among the poor. He held that one should have only as much money which was just enough for one day's bread. On the same analogy he advocated that nothing should be kept in the Baitul Mal and all that was there should be distributed among the people. The doctrine preached by him that no one should possess more money than what was sufficient for a day's expense appealed to the common man. Large groups assembled round him and listened to his preaching.

Amir Muawiyah saw Abu Dhar Ghifari, and brought home to him the point that the doctrine preached by him was unpractical and dangerous. He argued that the Baitul Mal belonged to Allah, and money had to be kept for use in the way of Allah from time to time. Abu Dhar stuck to his own way of thinking and vehemently urged that the Baitul Mal was not the property of Allah, it was the property of the Muslims and should be distributed among them.

One day Amir Muawiyah sent a purse containing one thousand diners. Abu Dhar distributed the amount among the poor immediately. When Amir Muawiyah came to know that Abu Dhar Ghifari had kept nothing for himself and had distributed the entire amount among the poor, he felt much concerned, for Abu Dhar Ghifari actually practiced what he preached, and as such his preaching would be a source of danger to the State. Amir Muawiyah brought the matter to the notice of Uthman, and Uthman directed Amir Muawiyah to send Abu Dhar Ghifari to Madinah. Amir Muawiyah accordingly sent Abu Dhar Ghifari to Madinah.

Abu Dhar Ghifari in Madinah

Abu Dhar Ghifari had come to Madinah after some ten years. During this period a great change had taken place in the environments. Palatial buildings had sprung up, and the city had expanded up to the hill of "Sala'a". Abu Dhar Ghifari stayed in the Prophet's mosque, and addressing the people he said, "O the people of Madinah, you have departed from the ways of the Holy Prophet. You are after amassing wealth; you have raised palatial buildings, and have become the victims of luxury. I give you the tidings of troubled times that lie ahead, for the Holy Prophet said that when the city expanded to the Sala'a hill there would be trouble for the people."

Uthman saw Abu Dhar Ghifari, and pointed to him the fallacy in his view point. He pointed out that Islam condemned asceticism and monasticism. Islam stood for both this world and the world hereafter. Islam stood for a proper synthesis between this world and the next world. As such it was not advisable that what was in the Baitul Mal should be distributed immediately among the people. Money had to be necessarily kept for meeting the needs of the administration and the requirements of the State. The State was under an obligation that the real needs of the people were met. Uthman pointed out that he had raised the stipends of the people, and these were enough to meet their needs. Some persons were critical that he had been lavish in raising the amount of the stipends. Uthman made out the point that in the circumstances to preach the doctrine that nothing should be kept in the state treasury and should be distributed immediately was not only unpractical, it was dangerous as well.

Ka'ab Ahbar an eminent companion who was also present on the occasion joined in the discussion. He observed that it was inadvisable to condemn the rich for hoarding. The obligation on them was to pay Zakat, and after they had paid Zakat they could use their money in any way they liked and they could not be condemned for hoarding money or violating any injunctions of Islam. Abu Dhar Ghifari did not agree with this view. Hot words were exchanged between Abu Dhar Ghifari and Ka'ab Ahbar. In a fit of fury Abu Dhar Ghifari struck Ka'ab Ahbar with his staff. Uthman took strong notice of this conduct on the part of Abu Dhar Ghifari and said, "O Abu Dhar may God have mercy on you; hold your tongue and your hand".

Abu Dhar Ghifari thereupon wanted permission to live outside Madinah. Uthman permitted him to live wherever he liked. Abu Dhar Ghifari chose Rabza as the place of his residence. Uthman sanctioned a stipend for Abu Dhar Ghifari. He granted him some camels, and placed the services of a slave at his disposal. Abu Dhar settled at Rabza with his wife and daughter. He built a mosque at Rabza, and spent the remaining years of his life in prayers and religious meditation. Abu Dhar died in 652 C.E. A curious story is narrated about his death. On the day he was to die he asked his daughter to see whether any men were visible on the horizon coming that way. She saw some persons in the distance, and informed her father accordingly. Thereupon he lay on the bed with his face to the Kaaba. He told his daughter that he was now going to die, and that when the men she had seen reached there, they should be given his salutation and asked to arrange for his burial. She was further asked to prepare meals for the guests, and they should be fed after they had buried him.

Thereafter Abu Dhar Ghifari died. It was a peaceful passing on from one life to another. When the people she had seen arrived at the hut, the daughter of Abu Dhar Ghifari. Gave them the salutation of her father That was a caravan of fourteen persons led by Abdullah bin Masud. On inquiring where was Abu Dhar Ghifari, she said that he was in the hut and had died. Abdullah b Masud and his men arranged for the burial of Abu Dhar Ghifari. Abdullah b Masud recalled that the Holy Prophet had said about Abu Dhar: "He would live alone and die in solitude." When Uthman came to know of the death of Abu Dhar Ghifari, he shifted the wife and daughter of Abu Dhar Ghifari to Madinah, provided them with accommodation and sanctioned a special stipend for them. Later he also arranged for the marriage of the daughter of Abu Dhar Ghifari. Uthman always spoke high about Abu Dhar Ghifari He used to say: "May God have mercy on Abu Dhar Ghifari He was a great soul, who was more a citizen of the next world than that of this world."

Exile of Abu Dhar Ghifari

In the accounts that have come down to us, there is a good deal of confusion in the matter of the relationship between Uthman and Abu Dhar Ghifari. In the books which have a critical stance with reference to Uthman it is made out that Uthman was too harsh with Abu Dhar Ghaffari and that he had exiled him. In the books generally favorable to Uthman it is stated that Uthman did not exile Abu Dhar Ghifari, and that Abu Dhar Ghifari had of his own accord chosen to reside at Rabza. If all the evidence is examined dispassionately the conclusion that emerges is that there is no truth in the story about the exile of Abu Dhar Ghifari by Uthman. Rabza was only three miles from Madinah and if Uthman had exiled him he would have exiled him to some remoter place in the interior of the country. Again there is evidence to the effect that Abu Dhar Ghifari came to Madinah from Rabza on some occasions. If he had been exiled he could not have gone to Madinah. There is also evidence to the effect that Uthman had gifted some camels to Abu Dhar and also placed a slave at his disposal. He had also sanctioned a stipend in favor of Abu Dhar Ghifari. If Abu Dhar Ghifari had been the victim of the hostility of Uthman, he would not have been allowed such privileges. The truth of the matter is that Abu Dhar Ghifari being of an ascetic bent of mind preferred the solitude of the desert to the busy life of Madinah which had developed into a metropolis. Both Uthman and Abu Dhar Ghifari were great Muslims, and although they had different outlooks on life, there was no ill will between the two.

Abdullah b Masud - Early Life

Abdullah b Masud was an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet. He was among the early converts to Islam. He migrated to Abyssinia and was supported there by Uthman. On return from Abyssinia he migrated to Madinah. He entered into brotherhood with Muadh b Jabal of the Ansars. He participated in all the campaigns undertaken by the Holy Prophet. On the occasion of the battle of Badr, he had the distinction of cutting off the head of Abu Jahl the arch enemy of Islam. In Madinah he became an attendant of the Holy Prophet. Whenever the Holy Prophet came to the mosque Abdullah b Masud held his shoes. On Fridays' Abdullah b Masud while reading the Holy Prophet to the pulpit carried his scepter in front of him.

After the death of the Holy Prophet

After the death of the Holy Prophet, Abdullah b Masud migrated to Syria and there participated in the various border campaigns against the Byzantines. During his caliphate, Umar appointed him as the Qadi and the treasurer of the Baitul Mal at Kufa. Abdullah b Masud was an authority on the Holy Quran, and at Kufa he established a school where he lectured on the Quran. He was scrupulously honest and enjoyed great fame as an eminent Muslim and a religious scholar.

Abdullah b Masud and Uthman:

After the death of Umar when Uthman became the Caliph, Abdullah b Masud addressed the citizens of Kufa in the mosque, and exhorted them to take the oath of allegiance to Uthman, as he was the best choice for the caliphate. In the second year of his caliphate, Uthman appointed Sa 'ad b Abi Waqas as the Governor of Kufa. Soon a quarrel arose between Sa'ad and Abdullah. Sa'ad took some loan from the Baitul Mal and failed to return it within the stipulated period. Abdullah b Masud insisted on the repayment of the loan. The dispute grew and culminated in the deposition of Sa'ad b Abi Waqas. After Sa'ad, Walid b Uqba was appointed as the Governor of Kufa. At one time Abdullah b Masud used to shepherd the goats of Uqba b Abi Moheet the father of Walid. To start with the relationship between Walid and Abdullah b Masud was very cordial, but later differences grew between the two.

When Abdullah b Masud came to know of Uthman's reform about the recension of the Holy Quran, Abdullah b Masud was critical of the exercise. He regarded himself as an authority on the Holy Quran, and he felt aggrieved that in the standard text his viewpoint had not been accommodated. He began to criticize Uthman. According to the accounts that have come down to us Abdullah b Masud levelled the accusation that some of the verses against the Bani Umayyads had been suppressed.

Walid b Uqba also took some loan from the Baitul Mall He failed to return the loan within the stipulated period and that became the subject-matter of dispute between Walid and Abdullah. Walid complained to Uthman, and Uthman is reported to have taken objection to his conduct against the Governor. Thereupon Abdullah b Masud resigned his office, and confined himself to his house where he freely criticized Uthman and his administration. Walid reported the matter to Uthman, and Uthman directed Walid to send Abdullah b Masud to Madinah.

Abdullah b Masud in Madinah

It is alleged that when Abdullah b Masud came to Madinah, he saw Uthman in the mosque. Some hot words were exchanged between the two, and Uthman had Abdullah b Masud expelled from the mosque. Uthman is further said to have stopped the stipend of Abdullah b Masud. It is further stated that Abdullah b Masud wanted to go to-Syria for undertaking Jihad, but Othrnan did not grant him the permission, Abdullah b Masud died in Madinah in 6 54 C.E. two years before the assassination of Uthman. According to one account when Abdullah b Masud fell sick, Uthman visited him and the two were reconciled. According to another account Abdullah b Masud died without being reconciled to Uthman.

Analysis of the accounts

If all the accounts that have come down to us about the relationship between Uthman and Abdullah b Masud are analyzed, it will be seen that all these accounts are highly colored, and remote from reality. There can be no two opinions on the point that Uthman's exercise about the recension of the Holy Quran was in the best interests of Islam. Uthman had set up a board of eminent companions and the standard text was compiled after due deliberations and considerations of all the view points. There are reasons to hold that Abdullah b Masud submitted his view point before the board and this was duly considered. If for any reason any of the points urged by Abdullah b Masud had not been accepted, Abdullah b Masud could not be justified in making this a ground for agitation. Again Uthman took no decision in the matter at personal level. He merely accepted the recommendations of the board. As such there was no justification for making this a cause of personal grievance against Uthman. The allegation, that Uthman had some verses which were unfavorable to the Umayyads suppressed, is preposterous. A man of the caliber of Uthman could never dream of tampering with the word of God.

It appears that, in the matter of the administration of Baitul Mal, Abdullah b Masud was too fastidious. In the matter of administration a more rational view had to be taken, and if Uthman did not approve of his over sensitiveness in some cases, Uthman as Caliph had every right to do so and no blame can rest on him.

It appears that the later writers because of partisan considerations indulged in the exercise of condemning Uthman for picking up quarrels with all eminent companions. It is inconceivable that Uthman could have expelled Abdullah b Masud from the mosque. The allegation is false firstly because such conduct could not be expected of a man like Uthman, and secondly because no Muslim could be expelled from the house of God.

The truth of the matter is that Abdullah b Masud himself resigned from the office of the treasurer of the Baitul Mall Uthman called him to Madina and looked after his needs. Soon after his arrival in Madina Abdullah b Masud fell sick and died. Uthman attended him during his sickness, and there was no ill-will between the two. Uthman led the funeral prayer of Abdullah b Masud, and the story that there was any dispute between the two on account of the recension of the Holy Quran is fictitious and false.