Ending of a Pious Man

It was narrated that Aisha (radi Allahu anha) said:

"The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: 'O Uthman, if Allah places you in authority over this matter (as the khalifa) some day and the hypocrites want to rid you of the garment with which Allah has clothed you (i.e. the position of khalifa), do not take it off.' He said that three times."

[Ibn Majah - graded Sahih; Tirmidhi]

Uthman who was at the age of 82 years old was being attacked by the Muslim rebels at the time of his Khilafah. He was fasting for 40 days and on the 40th day, his house was in seige. When Ali (R) heard about this, he placed his two sons Hassan and Hussein to guard Uthman's home and Zubair also took his son Abdullah ibn Zubair to guard him. Uthman kept repeating to them, "I do not want a single blood dropped in my cause." Ali (R) was begging Uthman that we have to get rid of this Fitnah (chaos), and Uthman was consistent with his response.

The rebels kept coming closer and closer to Uthman's house and set his gate on fire. One man jumped to the back of Uthman's house and said to Uthman, "Leave it and we will leave you." Uthman wanted to leave this position but he was reminded of the hadith of the Prophet (SAW).  Uthman said to the man, "Don't you know that there are woman uncovered in this house?" Upon hearing this, the man was ashamed and left the house. The next incident that took place was that the rebel threw stones into the house of Uthman. Uthman then says outside of his window, "Don't you know that there are others inside of this house other than me? You might harm them." The rebels then replied with, "We didn't throw the stones at you. Allah threw them at you." Uthman then said to the man, "May Allah (SWT) disgrace you, you are a liar. If Allah threw them at me, he surely wouldn't have missed." There were further attempts on Uthman and their plots all failed.

While Uthman was reading Quran on Thursday, July 16th doses off and falls asleep around the time of Salatul Asr. This was also the 40th day of his fasting. Uthman sees in his dream, The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) standing in front of him with a smile. Behind the Prophet was Omar (R) and AbuBakr (R). The Prophet says to Uthman, "O Uthman, did they forbid you from water?" Uthman said, "Yes O Prophet of Allah." The Prophet then said, "O Uthman, did they forbid you from food?" Uthman said, "Yes O Prophet of Allah." The Prophet said, "O Uthman, did the forbid you from praying salat in my Masjid?" Uthman said, "Yes O Prophet of Allah, they forbid me from praying in your Masjid." The Prophet says some beautiful words to Uthman, "Good news O Uthman, you're going to break your Fast with us tonite." Everybody who was in the house at the moment seen the tears coming down Uthman's eyes as he was sleeping. Uthman then wakes up full of joy and narrates his dream to the people. 

Moment after that, the rebels storm the house. They see Uthman, the 82 year old reading Quran and they stop because of their Fitrah (Instinct) and don’t know what to do. Some of them thinking to themselves, “Look at this man and his humblesness, how could we kill him?” One man tries to strike Uthman with his sword and Uthman put his hand up to protect himself and cuts of Uthman's hand. Uthman said, "Wallahi the hand you just cut off was the first hand to write the Quran. "Then Al-Ghafiqi takes a metal iron and strikes Uthman in the forehead with it. The blood comes running down his head and falls on the Ayah:

 فَإِنْ آمَنُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا آمَنتُم بِهِ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَواْ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ فِي شِقَاقٍ فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللّهُ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice for you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

Mohamed bin Abi Bakr then grabs Uthman’s beard and as he was about to him.. Uthman said, “Let go of my beard because your father used to honour it.” After hearing that, Mohamed lets go and runs away. Sowdan who was the most evil of them all, stabs Uthman nine times sayin, “Three times for Allah and six times for the hate that I have for you.” He was the one who murdered Uthman in that state. The dream of Uthman came true and he had Iftar with the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Omar and AbuBakr in the Heavens.

The rebels went to the point where they wouldn't let Uthman's body be buried to the point where Ali (R), Hassan, Hussein and Ibn Thalha had to bury him at night in Jannatul Baqqi. 

Hassan mentioned that the day Uthman died, he seen the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in his dream standing by the Throne of Allah. The Prophet looked worried and Hassan said, "This was the first time I seen the Prophet looking worried in my Dream." AbuBakr then came behind the Prophet and placed his hand on the shoulder of the Prophet. Omar also came and placed his hand on the shoulder of AbuBakr. Shortly after this Uthman (R) came with his face full of blood and his head was in his hand. Uthman said,"O Messenger of Allah, for what sin did they butcher me like a cow?" Hassan narrated that after Uthman said this, the Throne of Allah started to shake and two streams of blood came down from the throne of Allah. A voice also came out from the unseen saying, 

"Until today, no believer has taken the life of a believer. After today, until The Day of Judgment believers will be taking the lives of other believers."

We need to understand that the live of another believer is more honorable in the eyes of Allah than everything under the Seven Heavens. 

The Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The Destruction of the Entire Dunya (World) is lighter in the eyes of Allah than taking the Life of one single Believer.

The Murder of Uthman bin Affan caused many blessings to be taken away from this Dunya.