‘Abdullah ibn Sa‘ad

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

‘Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ (Arabic: عبدالله بن سعد بن أبي السرح‎) was the foster brother of Uthman. His father was Saad ibn Abi Sarh.

[edit] During the Lifetime of the prophet Muhammad

Abdullah began as a secretary of the the Islamic prophet Muhammad. According to Baidawi in the famous Tafsir Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Ta'wil, Muhammad dictated verses starting at (Qur'an 23:12) that says, "We created man of an extraction of clay" and when Muhammad reached the part that says, "... thereafter We produced him as another creature (23:14)", Abdullah said, "So blessed be God the fairest of creators!" in amazement at the details of man's creation. The prophet said, "Write it down; for thus it has been revealed." Abdallah doubted and said, "If Muhammad is truthful then I receive the revelation as much as he does, and if he is a liar, what I said is a good as what he said.". After this incident, Abdullah repudiated Islam, left Medina and went to Mecca, spreading his belief that Muhammad composed the Qur'an himself without divine intervention.

Following the conquest of Mecca in 629 Muhammad ordered that Abdullah should be executed but Uthman protected him. When conditions calmed, he was presented to Muhammad seeking pardon and offering the oath of loyalty. However, Muhammad withheld his hand, and maintained silence. Uthman begged him to pardon Abdullah and eventually he was, but once Uthman and Abdullah were gone Muhammad turned to those around him, and said I was silent for such a long time hoping that one of you would kill him.

[edit] The Caliphate of Uthman

When Uthman became caliph in 644 he appointed Abdullah governor of Egypt, and Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa as his aide. While governor of Egypt, Abdullah led an expedition that captured Tripoli in 647.

Abdullah's rule of Egypt was disturbed by protests against his governorship. Some of the protests appear to had been instigated by his aide, Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa.

Muhammad's father (Hudhaifa) was an early convert to Islam who died in the battle of Yarmuk. Muhammad was raised by Uthman. When he reached maturity he participated in the foreign military campaigns and accompanied Abdullah bin Saad to Egypt as an aide.

Muhammad bin Hudhaifa admonished Abdullah, recommending changes in the government but Abdullah did not respond. After continuous efforts, eventually Muhammad lost patience and turned from sympathetic admonisher to a disillusioned opponent – first of Abdullah bin Saad and later of Uthman for appointing him. Abdullah wrote to Uthman claiming that Muhammed was spreading sedition, and that if nothing was done to stop him, the situation would escalate. Uthman attempted to silence Muhammad's protests with 30,000 dirhems and expensive presents. This bribe backfired, with Muhammad bringing the money and presents into the Great Mosque and saying:

Do you see what Uthman is trying to do? He is trying to buy my Faith. He has sent these coins and these goods to me as a bribe.

Uthman sent numerous placatory letters to Muhammad, but he continued building the agitation against Abdullah bin Saad. In 656 the leaders of Egypt decided to send a delegation to Medina to demanding Abdullah's dismisal. Abdullah also left for Medina to defend himself at the court of the caliph. In his absence, Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa assumed charge of the government.

When Abdullah reached Elath, he was told that Uthman's palace was under siege and decided to return to Egypt. At the border he was informed that Muhammad ibn Hudhaifa had given orders to prevent him from entering Egypt. He then went to Palestine awaiting the outcome of events in Medina. In the meantime, Uthman was killed in Medina, and when Abdullah heard the news, he left Palestine, and went to Damascus to live under the protection of Muawiya.