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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib The Allegiance To Imam `ali `Uthman assumed the reins of office at the age of seventy on the first of Muharram 24 H. Unfortunately his period, excepting the Umayyads, was not very good for the Muslims in general. The people were put to too much hardship. Even very senior, and octogenarian, of the Prophet (a.s) were ill-treated. The ribs of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ūd were broken. `Ammar ibn Yasir was tortured.

Abū-Dharr al-Ghifari was exiled. Cruelty and torture was rampant. Voices were raised against this attitude of `Uthman. There was unrest amongst the people. From amongst the members of the Shūra, `Ali (a.s) was already unhappy with the way the succession was effected. Talhah and al-Zubayr too turned openly hostile to the caliph.

`Abd al-Rahman ibn `Awf who was instrumental in bringing `Uthman to the caliphate by playing the ruse of sirat al-shaykhayn was repentant and not very happy for promoting him. He was so angry that he did not talk to `Uthman until his death. Ibn `Abd-Rabbih writes: “During the illness of `Abd al-Rahman, `Uthman went to inquire about his condition.

Looking at him, `Abd al-Rahman turned his face towards the wall.”[1] `Uthman was killed in his house on the eighteenth of Dhul-Hijjah 35 H because of the general unrest amongst the people owing to his nepotism with Banū-Umayyah and general maladministration. These twelve years of misrule awakened the people about the wrong choice of the ruler.

They realized that the control should be in capable hands and a person who had the welfare of the people at heart and not that the wealth of the nation got concentrated in one person and his cohorts hands. Therefore, as soon as the position of the caliphate was vacant, the leading and the public looked towards `Ali (a.s). If `Uthman had died a natural death, the caliphate might not have come to the focal point where it ought to have been.

If `Uthman had sufficient time, he might have put the mill of Saqifah and Shūra into operation as did his predecessors. But death was sudden and did [1] Al-`Iqd al-Farīd, Vol 3, Page 79 not give him respite to organize the succession. The cohorts of `Uthman were the people who were using him in their personal interests. They too would not have tolerated to see a person in the position of the caliph who would put a stop to their activities of loot and pillage.