Hazrat Usman (Rad. A) Elected as the Third Khalifah (Caliph) Before his death, Hazrat Umar (Rad.A) appointed a panel of six men to select a ”Khaiifah” from amongst themselves and then sought his approval through Bai’at (pledge of loyalty) by Muslim public. He also instructed them to make the nomination within three days. The panel included Us>man, Ali, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas, Talha, Zubair and Abdur Rahman bin Auf as the members.
The panel could not arrive at any decision even after long meetings. Then Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf proposed somebody to withdraw his name in order to decide the matter. When he got no response, he withdrew his own name. The remaining members agreed that he could take a decision. He consulted each member individually except Hazrat Talha (Rad.A) who was not present at
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Political and Cultural History of Islam
Medina. It so happened that Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) proposed Ali’s (Rad.A) name and Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) proposed Usman’s (Rad.A) name for the post of Khalifah. But Zubair and Sa’d were more in favour of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) than Hazrat Ali (Rad.A). After more consultations with other companions and thinking over the problem during the third night, Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (Rad.A) gave his decision in the morning of the fourth day in favour of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A).
, First of all Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (Rad.A) took Bai’at at the hands of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) and then all the Muslims present in the Mosque followed suit and took Bai’at (pledge of loyalty) at the hands of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) in this way, Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) was declared to be the third Caliph. When Talha returned to Medina, Usman (Rad.A) requested him either to accept the post of ”Khalifah” (as he was among the persons proposed by Hazrat Umar for the post) or to acknowledge h;m as Khalifah by taking Bai’at. Hazrat Talha declined to be the Khalifah and took pledge of loyalty at his hand, saying ”How can I object to your being the Khalifah when all the Muslims have agreed upon you.”