When 'Uthman saw him...

When 'Uthman saw him, he said sharply: "If your father were here and saw your disrespect to me, he would reproach your deed!" These words caused Muhammad's hands to tremble, but at this moment the other two accomplices leapt in and with many blows of their daggers killed 'Uthman.240 Ibn Abi al-Hadid writes241: "On the day that 'Uthman was killed, Talhah who had covered his face with a cloth to hide himself from public eyes, shot arrows at 'Uthman's house and when he saw that the presence of the defenders made it impossible to enter the house and seize 'Uthman, he took his friends to 240.

Ansab al-ashraf of al-Baladhuri 5/69, at-Tabari 5/118. Ibn Abi al-Hadid 5/404. the roof of an Ansar's house and climbed down to 'Uthman's house and killed him." at-Tabari242 says this Ansari fellow was 'Amr ibn Hazm and quotes a witness of this event as follows: They went inside 'Amr ibn Hazm's house who was a neighbor of 'Uthman and had a brief clash with the defenders. I swear to God I have not forgotten the moment when Sawdan ibn Hamran came out and cried out: "Where is Talhah?

We have killed 'Uthman!" al-Baladhuri writes243: When 'Ali learnt of 'Uthman's assassination, he hurried to 'Uthman's house and said to his sons: How did this happen whereas you stood at the caliph's door? Then he gave one of them a slap on the face and the other a blow on the chest, and in great anger left the house. On his way he came across Talhah who seemed to be as active as before. When he saw 'Ali, he said: "O Abu al-Hasan!

What has made you so red in the face and angry?" 'Ali answered: "May God's curse fall upon you! How can one engage in killing a companion of the Prophet?!" Talhah answered: "If he had driven away Marwan from him, he would not have been killed!" 'Ali turned away and went back to his house.

The incident of the caliph's burial There is a unanimity of view that 'Uthman's body was left on the ground for three days until 'Ali himself intervened for his burial.244 at-Tabari writes: The companions of 'Uthman discussed with 'Ali the question of the caliph's burial and requested him to allow 'Uthman's family to bury his body. 'Ali did so and gave them permission. 'Uthman's body was escorted by a small number of his family members.

They intended to have the body buried in Hash Kawkab, a Jewish cemetery. On seeing the coffin the crowd threw stones at it and rushed to overturn it.