A student spoke about a research paper on the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) of the killing of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). And the Shaykh discussed this student's research on the killing of 'Uthman.

The Shaykh : ... Okay, so can you summarize what is authentic regarding the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) of 'Uthman? What was the position of 'Ali? What was the position of al-Hasan? The position of al-Husayn, and so on?

The questioner : Yes, I summarized only what is authentic. I took the authentic narrations and those that appeared to me to be good (hasan), compiled from some of the narrations, and formed an image of the event. I hope it is complete. It reached two hundred and thirty pages, which is what the brother 'Ali currently has in his hand. However, the most important part of it, because there is a lot, is the position of the Companions in defending 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). I dedicated a special chapter, or a special section, in the chapter on the Day of the House, to the Companions' defense of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). This is summarized in the fact that the Ansar came to him, as is authentic, the Ansar came to him and offered him their defense, saying to him, "If you wish, we will be the supporters of Allah twice: we supported the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the migration, and we will support you now." Also, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar came, and al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came, and a large number of others came, whom I mentioned, attributing the information to their sources and stating their grading and referring to the appendix. Because I divided the research into two parts: an appendix and a summary. In the appendix, the narration is presented with its chain of narration from the author to its end to the text, followed by discussion of the men, the defects, and the chains. The summary is a summary of these narrations, so I would mention the position of the Companions, then mention the grading of the narration and refer to the appendix.

The Shaykh : Is there anything authentic regarding the accusation against 'Uthman of appointing his relatives from Banu Umayyah?

The questioner : This is considered one of the justifications for the rebellion that the rebels used to justify their rebellion against him!

The Shaykh : You are dodging, dodging the answer.

The questioner : No, I will give the answer, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : No, the best speech is what is brief and to the point. Say whether it exists or not, and then if the matter requires detail, elaborate for us.

The questioner : There is nothing.
Al-Halabi : O brother Muhammad, this is a practical exercise fromThe Shaykh : the discussion

The questioner : on the conclusion, meaning you are benefiting us if there are observations. If you like, I can read it? What is your opinion?

The Shaykh : Read it.

The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, by whose praise good deeds are completed, and blessings and peace be upon the Seal of the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, with much peace. And after that.

The Shaykh : As for the word "and after that," this is contrary to the Sunnah. The Sunnah is "as for after that."

The questioner : The most important results that appeared to me through this research are as follows: First: It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he informed of the occurrence of a fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) in which 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) would be killed, and that he called upon the people to be with him when it flared up, and that he specified the time of its occurrence, and that 'Uthman and his companions were upon the truth and guidance in it.

The Shaykh : "He specified the time of its occurrence" — what do you mean?

The questioner : In the hadith in which he (peace and blessings be upon him) said And I had quoted your commentary on this hadith and the discussion of it from al-Silsilah.

The Shaykh : Was the killing of 'Uthman in the thirty-fifth year?

The questioner : Yes, exactly.

The Shaykh : Okay, continue.

The questioner : Second: He indicated the magnitude of this fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) by comparing it to his death (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and to the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) of the Dajjal, and that whoever is saved from it is saved, and that 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) would be martyned in it while upon the truth, patient in the face of being killed, giving him the status of a martyr who, after this martyrdom, would move to the Garden of Eternity. Third: He informed 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) of the occurrence of this fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and that they would ask him to abdicate the caliphate, and he ordered him not to do so. Fourth: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) explained the magnitude of this fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and that whoever is saved from it is saved, and that this includes those who lived through it and those who did not, and the salvation of those who did not live through it is by not delving into it with falsehood. Fifth: What the sources transmitted of defects attributed to 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), some of which is authentic as coming from the rebels against him, some of which is not authentic, and some of which became famous but I did not find a chain of narration for it, and that these defects in their three categories are in reality either virtues for him, or fabrications against him, or an ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) for which he is rewarded. Sixth: The personality of Ibn Saba' is a real personality, indicated by its existence in authentic narrations, and it is not established solely by the narrations of Sa'ib ibn 'Umar al-Tamimi, but others narrated it with authentic and weak chains. Seventh: The obligation to be cautious when speaking about the positions of 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) in the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) guided him to positions to take when this fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurred, of which only a little has reached us. Eighth: The belief of the Salaf (the earliest generations) regarding the Companions is not to delve into what occurred between them, except when an innovator appears who disparages them with falsehood, in which case it is obligatory to defend them with truth and justice. Ninth: Allah is not pleased with any of His creation except when He knows, Glorified is He, that they will meet His pleasure, and since Allah has been pleased with the Companions, their end will certainly be in goodness, and this is what actually happened. Tenth: 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) did his utmost in the path of extinguishing the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) from the arrival of the people of the provinces until he opened the door and the killer entered and killed him. Eleventh: The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did their utmost to defend 'Uthman on the Day of the House, but he prevented them, and he was strict in preventing them from doing so, so he stood between them and what they wanted to do to defend him, and since he was their commander and obedience to him was obligatory upon them, they carried out his order and did not fight the rebels against him after they despaired of his allowing them to defend him.

The Shaykh : Which of these Companions, or non-Companions, who offered to defend him and then he refused (may Allah be pleased with him)? Do you remember?

The questioner : Yes, Zayd ibn Thabit was the delegate of the Ansar and presented to him the request of all the Ansar to defend him, and 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar.

The Shaykh : Where is the narration?

The questioner : The narration was narrated by Khalifah ibn Khayyat in his book al-Tarikh.

The Shaykh : With a chain?

The questioner : With a chain that is either authentic or good (hasan).

The Shaykh : Okay, other than Zayd ibn Thabit?

The questioner : 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and there are many narrations from him, and al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, with many narrations from him, including one narrated by 'Ali ibn al-Ja'd with a good (hasan) chain also, and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Shaykh : What was 'Ali's position?

The questioner : He wanted to defend him.

The Shaykh : Is there a narration from him like that?

The questioner : There are several weak narrations, from which some things are authentic, points I mentioned. He sent 'Uthman to 'Ali to ask for him, so 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) rose and headed to the house. Then, when he was near the house, one of his household stood up to him; in some narrations it was Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, and he warned him against entering the house because he saw the enemy surrounding it with weapons, so he feared for him. So 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) threw his turban into the house to indicate that he had responded to the call. Then he went to the oil stones, and news of the killing of 'Uthman came to him, so he was grieved by his killing (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Shaykh : Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Disposer of affairs. Yes?

The questioner : Twelfth: Among the reasons for 'Uthman's refusal to fight are the following:
A - His knowledge that this fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) would end with his killing, due to the information given to him by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
B - His lack of desire to be the first to follow the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in his community by shedding blood.
C - His knowledge that the rebels did not want anyone other than him, so he disliked to be protected by the believers and preferred to protect them with himself.
D - Acting on the advice of 'Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) to him to refrain from fighting.
Thirteenth: There was no fierce fighting on the Day of the House, but rather a light skirmish occurred which led to the injury of al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) and his being carried out of the house following this injury. Fourteenth: 'Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) saw in a dream on his last day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) with him, along with Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), saying to him Break your fast with us. So he rose fasting and brought out from the house those who were with him who wanted to defend him, then he placed the mushaf (a written copy of the Qur'an) before him and ordered the door to be opened, and he began to recite the Qur'an. So a black man from the people of Egypt entered upon him, throwing a garment due to the darkness of his skin, and it is not unlikely that he was 'Abdullah ibn Saba' the Jew.

The Shaykh : Was 'Abdullah ibn Saba' from Egypt?

The questioner : I mentioned that the narrator may have described him as being from Egypt because he arrived with the people of Egypt, and because he spent a period of time in Egypt and his ideas permeated among them.

The Shaykh : You mean he lived his life in Egypt?

The questioner : No, but he says he is from the people of Egypt.
Abu Yahya: He was influenced in Egypt, stayed there, and gained supporters.

The questioner : It is a possibility.
Abu Yahya: It is a possibility from Muhammad, and he wants to attach this to Ibn Saba, even though he is not Ibn Saba.

The questioner : No, Shaykh, there is no certainty. I did not assert it; I stated the possibility.
Al-Halabi : You are being cautious.The Shaykh : Fine, if you could point it out.

The questioner : It came to my mind, and I indicated that it is possible that some of it was intended.
Al-Halabi : No, the Egypt issue, I mean.

The questioner : Yes.
Al-Halabi : His being from the people of Egypt is a more precise expression than saying he arrived with the people of Egypt or such. Being from the people of Egypt implies a necessary attribute!

The Shaykh : The expression implies that he is from the people of Egypt. So if Abdullah ibn Saba, this hypocrite, if it is not known that he resided in Egypt, and as he said...The Shaykh : Abu Yahya: He settled there, for example, that would be a weak interpretation.

The questioner : He, Shaykh, I am reciting my words to you, and you give us your observation on them.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : Inside the letter, I said that he is considered from the people of Egypt because his ideas permeated among some of its people and because he stayed there at the end of his life.

The Shaykh : This reasoning is not sound.

The questioner : And because he stayed there at the end of his life, and because he arrived with its people, meaning these three things.

The Shaykh : First, his ideas permeating among the people of Egypt, this is not... I mean, if a man’s ideas permeate in America, is he called an American?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh : Fine, second, what is it?

The questioner : If you combine it with his staying there at the end of his life.

The Shaykh : No, it was not the end of his life.
The researcher: Yes, exactly.

The Shaykh: All right.
The researcher: And because he arrived with its people.

The Shaykh : Excuse me, here you need to observe something. Was the end of his life when the fitnah of Uthman occurred?

The questioner : The end of his life, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : It is one thing, meaning we changed the hamza to an ain, so the meaning is the same.

The questioner : And because he arrived with its people.

The Shaykh : Did you notice this observation? I mean, the end of his life, is that not so? ...

The questioner : Shaykh, only this page remains for us to read.

The Shaykh : Please, if you wish to read it, we have no objection, but on the condition that you do not miss the prayer.

The questioner : There is no missing...

The Shaykh : Oh Allah, please.

The questioner : Yes. Fourteenth: That Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a dream on the last day of his life, with Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), saying to him: O Uthman, break your fast with us. So he became fasting, and he expelled from the house those who were with him who were defending him. Then he placed the mushaf before him and ordered the door to be opened, and he began to recite the Qur'an. So a black man from the people of Yilqi ibn Jabalah, due to the darkness of his skin, entered upon him, and it is not unlikely that he was Abdullah ibn Saba the Jew.

The Shaykh : By the way, did the narration of his blood falling on the word of Allah the Exalted: فسيكفيكهم الله So Allah will suffice you against them pass by you?

The questioner : Yes, exactly.

The Shaykh : Valid?

The questioner : It is not established. The established fact is that the blood fell on the mushaf, meaning when his hand was cut.

The questioner : Fifteenth: That none of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) participated in inciting against Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), let alone killing him, and that everything narrated regarding that is weak in chain.
Sixteenth: That Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr did not participate in the incitement or in the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and that everything narrated regarding his accusation of that is false and has no validity.
Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, the sixteenth and seventeenth are based on the opening of the two parts.

The Shaykh : That is correct.
Al-Halabi : The twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth are all based on the opening of the two parts.

The questioner : Seventeenth: That his killing was on the morning of the Friday corresponding to the middle days of Tashriq, the twelfth of the month of Dhul-Hijjah of the thirty-fifth year after the Hijrah.
Eighteenth: That his age at the time of his killing was eighty-two years, according to the stronger position.
Nineteenth: That many trials and tribulations resulted from his killing (may Allah be pleased with him), which the Muslim community is still suffering from to this day.
Twentieth: That most of the writings of contemporaries regarding the fitnah of the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) are not reliable, due to the authors not verifying the authentic narrations in constructing the historical picture of the fitnah, and their reliance mostly on weak narrations reported by weak narrators or the Rafidah, and their failure to attribute the information to its sources.
Twenty-first: That the narrations of Muhammad ibn Umar al-Waqidi regarding the fitnah of the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) contain much fabrication and contradict the authentic narrations in most of the facts, and that they reflect a distorted picture of the fitnah and highlight incorrect positions of the Companions, and in them appear the features of Shi'ism.

The Shaykh : And why did you not reveal the truth about al-Waqidi?

The questioner : I mentioned it in the letter, Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Here, in one word, a quick word.
The researcher: In the conclusion.

The Shaykh : Of course, you are summarizing.
Al-Halabi : That the narrations, for example, of Muhammad ibn Umar al-Waqidi, who is accused, regarding the fitnah of such and such, but it is just between two dashes.
Twenty-second: That the narrations of Saif ibn Umar al-Tamimi regarding the fitnah of the killing of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) are a collection of narrations with chains which Saif deletes, then he narrates them through a number of his sheikhs, which sometimes reach four sheikhs, and that Saif's narrations are not free from criticizing some of the Companions and accusing them of what they are innocent of, and sometimes they are balanced and show the correct picture of their positions.

The Shaykh : The same is said about Saif as was said about al-Waqidi, so he is abandoned!
Al-Halabi : Brother Muhammad, did you come across the book "Uthman ibn Affan, the Possessor of the Two Lights" by Saad 'Arjoub?

The questioner : Yes, exactly.
Al-Halabi : How is this book?

The questioner : Like the contemporary books I mentioned, it does not rely on authentic narrations and does not clarify.
Al-Halabi : Other than the defense, I mean, or not?

The questioner : There is defense, but it does not rely on authentic narrations; it must fall into that.