Siege of Uthman

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This is a sub-article of Uthman.

The Third Sunni Caliph, Uthman, was killed at the end of a Siege.

1 Event
- 1.1 Dump merge
2 Shi'a view
3 References

[edit] Event

Anger at Uthman grew so general that soldiers from Egypt traveled to Medina to present their grievances to Uthman directly. According to accounts, Uthman is said to have given the rebels of Egypt a letter to deliver to their governor replacing him with Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr. Muhammad accompanied the group on the road home. En route this group intercepted another letter, ostensibly by Uthman, which contained an order to the governor of Egypt to kill Muhammad and the deputation. The soldiers returned and laid siege to his house for more than twenty days in 656. At his request of reinforcement none came to his help. The siege ended when some of the rebels broke into Uthman's house and killed him. Certain accounts have it that he was reading the Qur'an when he was slain.^[1] Uthman was eventually buried in Medina.

Ali had sent his two sons, Hasan and Hussayn, to protect him, but they were not successfull in the event. It is notable that Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr was Ali's adopted son.

[edit] Dump merge

During the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan, the third caliph, the adult Ibn Abī-Bakr was stationed in the newly conquered province of Egypt, where he incited the soldiers against the rule of Uthman. Uthman was widely perceived to be ruling as a king and favoring his kin rather than following the traditional Arabian pattern in which the leader was merely "the first among equals". Uthman was accused of seizing lands that should have been shared, and of misusing donations to the zakat or "charity tax". Ibn Abī-Bakr was not alone in his resentment of Uthman; he was one of many early Muslims who felt that the Islamic community, the Ummah, was headed in the wrong direction. Ibn Abī-Bakr's half-sister Aisha was among the protesters.

In 651 CE, some of the Egyptian soldiers sent a deputation to Uthman. According to the account given by Wilferd Madelung, Ibn Abī-Bakr did not accompany this delegation, but preceded them to Medina. The events that followed are still a matter of much dispute.

Wilferd Madelung, a 21th century non-Muslim Islamic scholar recounts the story much as follows.

Once in Medina, the soldiers encamped around Uthman's palace and demanded reforms. Their bearing was insolent and threatening and Uthman indeed felt under siege. He temporized, offered an apology, and the soldiers, apparently satisfied, left briefly. However, Uthman is said to have reneged on his promises. Medina residents stoned him when he attempted to give a Friday sermon, and the contingent from Egypt returned and laid siege in earnest to Uthman's palace. Uthman seems to have had no troops at his command; they were all on the frontiers of his expanding empire. Some of Uthman's kin and supporters mounted a feeble resistance, throwing stones at the besiegers. However, Uthman's true protection was the edict of Muhammad that Muslims should not shed each other's blood. The soldiers hoped to gain their ends by threats, without having to resort to actual violence; Uthman refused to take up arms. Eventually the soldiers stormed the palace and murdered Uthman as he sat reading the Qur'an.

Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr was apparently deeply involved with the mutineers, even though he was not one of their formal leaders. According to several accounts, he was one of the small party that entered `Uthman's palace by the roof and killed `Uthman. He is said to have seized Uthman by his beard, berated him, and slashed him on his forehead. Kanana ibn Bishr is said to have given the killing blow ^[2].

When Uthman died in the hands of the rioters, Nayla bint Farasa, `Uthman's wife, sent a letter to Mu`awiyah stating:

"The rioters penetrated into the house. They burnt the gate, broke fine windows and looted property. Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr pulled the beard of the Caliph."^[2]

The assassination took place in Medina, then the capital of the burgeoning Islamic empire. There was great confusion afterwards, and some (either the mutineers, or concerned citizens, or both) are said to have approached `Ali, begging him to become caliph and put an end to the chaos. ˤAlī accepted, despite his disapproval of the murder of Uthman. However, he did not punish the rioters and mutinous soldiers—possibly because his own position was insecure and he did not have the power to do so, possibly because (some say) the mutineers were his strongest supporters.

Safiyya bint Huyayy sided with Uthman. She defended him during his last meeting with Ali, Aisha, and al-Zubayr, and when Uthman was besieged in his house Safiyya made an unsuccessful attempt to reach him, and brought him food and water by means of a plank placed between her dwelling and his.^[3]

[edit] Shi'a view

Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi, a 21th century Shi'a twelver Islamic scholar writes:

'Uthman, the third Caliph, was killed by the Muslims who were not happy with his nepotism. The circumstances did not provide him the opportunity to choose his own successor. Muslims were, for the first time, really free to select or elect a caliph of their choice; they flocked to the door of 'Ali (as) ^[4].