Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Saba Gets Friends
Abdullah bin Saba was in search of some important men who were having some influence over the Muslims. At last he won over three important figures. One among them was Hazrat Ammar bin Yasir, described above. The other two joined Ibn Saba before

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278 Political and Cultural History of Man

Hazrat Ammar. They were Muhammad bin A IJudhaifah and Muhammad bin Abi Bakr. Muhammad bin Abi^i Mhaifah was an orphan and was brought up by Hazrat Usman rku/.A) along with some other orphans. When he grew up he des|\ad some big post. Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) did not consider him fit fed ihat. So he left Medina and went to Egypt and ultimately V ^icd Ibn Saba. Muhammad bin Abi Bakr (Rad.A) was in joif . The creditor complained to the Khalifah who decided the ”ebt /, impartially in favour of the creditor as a result of which Muha^ase^d bin Abi Bakr left Medina and came to Egypt and ultimately joym/lbn Saba. Plan of the Sabaites
The Sabaites were planning to cause a /ral rising when the governors were away to attend the conferen(<*en^owever the plot could not be carried out. Kufa was the main c^. H of the Sabaites besides their headquarters in Egypt. The hooligVe /of Kufa tried to carry out the plan and did not allow the goven’hs LO enter the city when he returned from the conference. They diV fjded that Hazrat Musa Ash’ari should be appointed as the govet’W in place of Sa’d bin A’s. Their request was granted and Hazrat (W ^an (Rad.A) sent Hazrat Musa Ash’ari to Kufa. Jsn/
Then they chalked out another plan aq ^cided that their ring leaders should meet at Medina. This plan ^ d’ to serve double purpose. On the one hand they wanted to sti^Had/he situation for future course of action, and on the other hand th^y /anted to show to the public that they put their grievances before 0 v/Khalifah” but he did not pay any attention to them. V
According to the plan three delegatiq /;ame. One from Egypt, the second from Kufa and the third }|h ’. Basrah. Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) was informed about their pla^orOt he accepted it quietly. When these Sabaites entered Medin^ b*v>me companions suggested to Usman (Rad.A) to kill them buA sAold that without sufficient legal grounds no men can be execute nd that he would try to remove the misunderstandings. He told t|\ /, I would be kind to them and if kindness failed to work I would r^enf/r sacrifice myself for Allah’s will. Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) listeneAth/ them and gave a long address in which he replied to all the ch^l ta^ which were put against him. Some parts of his historical ac! IrejVggVe quoted here: ”I have been accused of loving my kinsmen and *s a/>e unduly kind to them. It is not a sin to love one’s relatives (\\o i have never been unjust to other people because of my love of m»t I Datives. Whatever
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Hazrat Usman (Rad. A.) 279
I give them that is from my own pocket. I never spent anything on
my relatives and kinsmen from public funds ”
”It has been said that I have appointed comparatively young men as officers. I did it only because I found them abler for the cause of Islam. Nobody could deny their honesty and the work they rendered for the cause oflslam and the Muslims. The appointment of Usamah as the commander of the army by the Holy Prophet is proof that youth is no disqualification.”
It has been alleged that I gave the whole booty of North Africa as reward to the governor of Egypt. It is true but when I learnt the public objection to it. I took back the money from the governor and deposited it in the Bait-ul-Maal.”
”It is said that I have reserved the public pastures for my personal use. I swear by Allah that I never did it. In public pastures only those animals graze which are the property of the Bait-ul-Maal (Public Treasury). All of you know that when I was entrusted with this office (i.e. Caliphate) I had more animals than any one in the whole of Arabia but now I have only two camels that are to serve me at the time of Hajj. How could I reserve the public pastures for my personal use?”
”People accuse me of sending copies of the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Qur’an is Allah’s book sent down to his Prophet. The companions who wrote it under the direct supervision of the Holy Prophet are still alive. I have sent only that copy of the Holy Qur’an
which was compiled by those companions ” It is said that I called
Hakam to Medina who was exiled by the Holy Prophet. Actually the Holy Prophet exiled him from Makkah to Taif. Then the Holy Prophet had allowed him to live at Medina on my request. I only put into force the permission granted by the Holy Prophet himself....”
In this way Hazrat Usman (Rad.A) gave satisfactory explanation to all the allegations put against him by the Sabaites. In the end of his address he asked the audience: Tell me if all what I have said is not correct.” But the aim of these ring leaders was to create mischief. They returned to their places and instead of telling the truth told them that the ”Khalifah” was not ready to set things right. Then they planned to send strong contingent^ from places like Basrah, Kufa and Egypt for the forthcoming Hajj. The parties were to leave their places pretending to perform Hajj but their aim was to go to Medina and decide the matter with the sword i.e. to change the ”Khalifah” by force. Though the ”Khalifah” knew about this plan

280 Political and Cultural History of Islam

from before hand but he did not want to use force. He was determined to win over his enemies with love and compassion.4