Part 48

were all pleased with the policies of the two righteous caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, in running the affairs of the Muslim nation. This being the case, *Umar did not command his successor to abide by the conduct of his two predecessors. Since following the policies of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar was not compulsory, it would be wrong to assume that * Ali was not made a caliph because he announced that he would act according to his best knowledge and capacity.

Lastly, if the question *Abdur-Rahmaan posed to both *Uthmaan and * Ali to which the two of them gave two different answers constituted the basic criterion in deciding who was to succeed *Umar, there was no point then in all the consultations and efforts that lasted for three whole nights in order to select the new caliph? So, if this issue was based on the conversation between the two candidates and *Abdur-Rahmaan, he could have asked them immediately after “Umar was buried and announced the name of the new caliph right away sparing himself and Muslims the trouble of consultations and deliberations.

Further, ~Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn *Awf could not have expected a different answer from that * Ali gave simply because Abu Bakr and *Umar ruled the Muslim state according to their best knowledge and capacity; i.e. they both relied on their personal opinion as to questions not tackled in the Glorious Quran and the Prophetic Tradition. For this reason, ~ Ali has

every right, it is incumbent on him, to lean on his personal judgment too, being an equal to both Abu Bakr and * Umar in status. Likewise, it would be unfair to accuse * Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn > Awf of rejecting personal opinion or preventing the caliph from making use of his knowledge that is based on the Glorious Quran and the Prophetic Tradition.

Therefore, the selection of the third righteous caliph was based on a wide-scale open referendum painstakingly conducted by Ibn ~Awf to ensure that the result would represent what the masses of Muslims wanted. Given such a detailed account, the issue of how ~Umar was selected as Muslims’ new caliph becomes crystal clear.

As soon as *Abdur-Rahmaan gave the pledge of allegiance to ~Uthmaan, people gathered to pledge loyalty to him while he was standing on the pulpit. That was on a Monday towards the end of Dhul-Hijjah, 23 year AH So he officially came to office at the start of the month of Muharam, 24 AH.

After he was given the pledge of allegiance, he went up the pulpit of Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and addressed the people saying: "Praise and Glory be to Allah, may He be exalted. Peace and blessings be upon the Prophet. We all live in a ephemeral world as passers-by. So make the best use of your lives according to your capacity for this world is full of deception. Let not this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) let you astray.

"Learn a lesson from the lives of those before you. Then work hard and always remember Allah, for He forgets you not. Where are all the people who lived and populated this world and lead a luxurious life? Their lives came to an end. Discard

this world as Allah expects you to and seek the Hereafter which Allah describes saying: (A889 gSSly "SU By UY GH ee Go Sta Sl

"Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: it is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things. Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world: but the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of thy Lord, as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes." (Al-Kahf: 45-6)

It is obvious that the address ~ Uthmaan gave conveyed no agenda at all, as it made no reference to the policy he intended to follow in the future. Perhaps he thought he already did in the answer he gave ~ Abdur-Rahmaan while giving him the pledge of allegiance; that he would implement the Glorious Quran, the Prophetic tradition and the RightlyGuided principles of the two caliphs that preceded him. On the other hand, this address was rich in deep meanings as it portrayed the character of the new caliph, who turned seventy when he came to office, who refrained from all worldly pleasures seeking Allah's reward instead. One is not to be surprised that his first address to his subjects would be to admonish and guide them righteously so that they would follow his example of piety and asceticism.

{t was not too long before the new caliph publicly announced his policies in running the Muslim state. They were expressed in the messages and announcements he sent to the governors in the various provinces of the state. In his very first read, he admonished his governors to spare no effort in serving the people and never to exploit them. He advised them to take care of Muslims’ affairs, give them their due rights and have them fulfill their obligations.

The second message was sent to the commanders of armies on borderlines. ~ Uthmaan reminded them that they were the defenders of Muslims. He asked them to follow the clear guidelines ~ Umar had laid down for them with no alterations.

He next wrote to the Kharaaj collectors wherein he reminded them that Allah accepts nothing but what is right. They therefore ought to take none but what is their due and let people have what is rightfully theirs. He urged them to treasure what they are entrusted with and warned them not be the first to betray those who placed their trust in them. He further warned them not to oppress the orphans and those under their protection, for Allah will revenge on those who oppress them.

As regards his message to the public, *Uthmaan called on his subjects to closely abide by the rulings of Islam. He warned them not to not let worldly goals distract them from what is in their best interest. He warned them that this nation would turn from consensus and truths to innovation of ideas. He pointed that the Muslim nation would witness three things in the time to come: people will amass wealth, have children begotten by their slaves, and Arabs and non-Arab will read the Quran, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Ignorance is the cause of disbelief." for when people are ignorant of something, they will resort to innovations.

The First Case before *Uthmaan:

According to historians, * Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abu Bakr said: ~Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn *Auf saw the dagger with which “Umar was killed with Al-Hurmudhaan and Jufaynah. He also said when ~Umar was stabbed: "I passed by Abu Lu'lu'ah, “Umar's murderer, while he was secretly talking to AlHurmudhaan and Jufaynah, one of the Christians of Al-Hayrah. When | caught them off guard, they were startled and dropped a two-edged dagger with its handle in the middle. So see whether it is the one."

No sooner had people pledged allegiance to ~ Uthmaan as the new caliph than *Ubaydelalah Ibn ~Umar was brought before him in the mosque in order to pass a judgment in his case. “Uthmaan sought the opinion of the elderly among the Makkan Emigrants and the Medinan Supporters saying: "I need your advice as regards this person who caused a rupture in Islam with his crime." * Ali said: "He should be killed." Some Makkan Emigrants pointed: "* Umar was killed yesterday and his son will be killed today!"

Hence, *Uthmaan was confronted with difficult, not to mention delicate situation in his early days in office. But he was able to handle the situation immediately. The caliph said: "1 am the guardian of those killed, so I will take blood money instead, and it will be deducted from my money." No doubt that the caliph displayed obvious wisdom in dealing with a very thorny and complicated issue.

The reason why that was such a precarious situation was because ~Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, a prominent figure in the Islamic world, was killed the day before, and the perpetrator was put to death right away. Killing Abu Lu'lu'ah was indeed the just penalty, according to the law of equality in punishment (Al-Qisaas), since it was one soul that executed the crime.

*Ubaydelalah Ibn ~Umar, having heard the story of *Abdur-Rabmaan Ibn Abu Bakr, had a different opinion. He believed that all three of them: Abu Lu'lu'ah, AlHurmudhaan and Jufaynah collaborated and teamed up to assassinate his beloved father. But Abu Lu'lu'ah was the one chosen to put the plan in effect. Still, the crime was masterminded by the three men. As a result, ~Ubaydelalah grew furious as he contemplated the idea that his father, ‘Umar [bn Al-Khattab, was no ordinary man. He was the caliph of the Muslim state. Killing him would not be a mere crime to be committed by an ordinary criminal. There must be several motives and collaborators behind it. That was especially true since the three criminals were nursed bitter hatred and harbored vindictive feelings against Islam and Muslims. That went double for their caliph who conquered their countries and subjected them and their nations to the rule of Muslims. It was only natural therefore for them to commit such a hideous crime.

For three days while his father suffered the pain of the injury, his son was fuming with rage against the devilish 289

perpetrators. Right upon his father's death, * Ubaydelalah did not think twice to avenge his father's death. However, he crossed the line by he killing a girl who had no hand in killing the caliph. No Abu Lu'lu'ah's daughter was undoubtedly the victim of * Ubaidullah's rash action,