Tarikh (al-Tabari) 2020
The Caliphate of ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān
ذكر ابْتِدَاءِ قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ تَكَاتَبَ نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ: أَنِ اقْدَمُوا فَإِنَّ الْجِهَادَ عِنْدَنَا، وَعَظُمَ النَّاسُ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ وَنَالُوا مِنْهُ، وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ يَنْهَى وَلَا يَذُبُّ إِلَّا نَفَرٌ، مِنْهُمْ: زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، وَأَبُو أُسَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيُّ، وَكَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، وَحَسَّانُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، فَاجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ فَكَلَّمُوا عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ فَقَالَ لَهُ: النَّاسُ وَرَائِي وَقَدْ كَلَّمُونِي فِيكَ، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لَكَ وَلَا أَعْرِفُ شَيْئًا تَجْهَلُهُ وَلَا أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى أَمْرٍ لَا تَعْرِفُهُ، إِنَّكَ لَتَعْلَمُ مَا أَعْلَمُ، مَا سَبَقْنَاكَ إِلَى شَيْءٍ فَنُخْبِرَكَ عَنْهُ، وَلَا خَلَوْنَا بِشَيْءٍ فَنُبَلِّغَكَهُ، وَمَا خُصِصْنَا بِأَمْرٍ دُونَكَ، وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ وَصَحِبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسَمِعْتُ مِنْهُ وَنِلْتُ صِهْرَهُ، وَمَا ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ بِأَوْلَى بِعَمَلِ الْحَقِّ مِنْكَ، وَلَا ابْنُ الْخَطَّابِ بِأَوْلَى بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ مِنْكَ، وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَبُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَحِمًا، وَلَقَدْ نِلْتَ مِنْ صِهْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا لَمْ يَنَالَاهُ، وَمَا سَبَقَاكَ إِلَى شَيْءٍ، فَاللَّهَ اللَّهَ فِي نَفْسِكَ، فَإِنَّكَ وَاللَّهِ مَا تُبْصِرُ مِنْ عَمَى وَلَا تَعْلَمُ مِنْ جَهَالَةٍ، وَإِنَّ الطَّرِيقَ لَوَاضِحٌ بَيِّنٌ، وَإِنَّ أَعْلَامَ الدِّينِ لَقَائِمَةٌ. اعْلَمْ يَا عُثْمَانُ أَنَّ أَفْضَلَ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ إِمَامٌ عَادِلٌ هُدِيَ وَهَدَى، فَأَقَامَ سُنَّةً مَعْلُومَةً وَأَمَاتَ بِدْعَةً مَتْرُوكَةً، فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ كُلًّا لَبَيِّنٌ، وَإِنَّ السُّنَنَ لَقَائِمَةٌ لَهَا أَعْلَامٌ، وَإِنَّ الْبِدَعَ لَقَائِمَةٌ لَهَا أَعْلَامٌ، وَإِنَّ شَرَّ النَّاسِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِمَامٌ جَائِرٌ ضَلَّ وَأَضَلَّ، فَأَمَاتَ سُنَّةً مَعْلُومَةً وَأَحْيَا بِدْعَةً مَتْرُوكَةً، وَإِنِّي أُحَذِّرُكَ اللَّهَ وَسَطَوَاتِهِ وَنَقَمَاتِهِ، فَإِنَّ عَذَابَهُ شَدِيدٌ أَلِيمٌ، وَأُحَذِّرُكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ إِمَامَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ الَّذِي يُقْتَلُ فَيَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهَا الْقَتْلَ وَالْقِتَالَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَيَلْبِسُ أُمُورَهَا عَلَيْهَا وَيَتْرُكُهَا شِيَعًا لَا يُبْصِرُونَ الْحَقَّ لِعُلُوِّ الْبَاطِلِ، يَمُوجُونَ فِيهَا مَوْجًا، وَيَمْرَجُونَ فِيهَا مَرْجًا. فَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ: قَدْ عَلِمْتُ وَاللَّهِ لَيَقُولُنَّ الَّذِي قُلْتَ، أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْ كُنْتَ مَكَانِي مَا عَنَّفْتُكَ وَلَا أَسْلَمْتُكَ وَلَا عِبْتُ عَلَيْكَ وَلَا جِئْتُ مُنْكِرًا، أَنْ وَصَلْتَ رَحِمًا وَسَدَدْتَ خَلَّةً وَآوَيْتَ ضَائِعًا، وَوَلَّيْتَ شَبِيهًا بِمَنْ كَانَ عُمَرُ يُوَلِّي. أَنْشُدُكَ اللَّهَ يَا عَلِيُّ هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْمُغِيرَةَ بْنَ شُعْبَةَ لَيْسَ هُنَاكَ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّ عُمَرَ وَلَّاهُ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَلِمَ تَلُمْنِي أَنْ وَلَّيْتُ ابْنَ عَامِرٍ فِي رَحِمِهِ وَقَرَابَتِهِ ؟ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: إِنَّ عُمَرَ كَانَ يَطَأُ عَلَى صِمَاخِ مَنْ وَلَّى إِنْ بَلَغَهُ عَنْهُ حَرْفٌ جَلَبَهُ، ثُمَّ بَلَغَ بِهِ أَقْصَى الْعُقُوبَةِ وَأَنْتَ لَا تَفْعَلُ، ضَعُفْتَ وَرَقَقْتَ عَلَى أَقْرِبَائِكَ. قَالَ عُثْمَانُ: وَهُمْ أَقْرِبَاؤُكَ أَيْضًا ! قَالَ: أَجَلْ، إِنَّ رَحِمَهُمْ مِنِّي لَقَرِيبَةٌ، وَلَكِنَّ الْفَضْلَ فِي غَيْرِهِمْ. قَالَ عُثْمَانُ: هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ عُمَرَ وَلَّى مُعَاوِيَةَ ؟ فَقَدَ وَلَّيْتُهُ. فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ: أَنْشُدُكَ اللَّهَ، هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَانَ أَخْوَفَ لِعُمَرَ مِنْ يَرْفَأَ، غُلَامِ عُمَرَ، لَهُ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ عَلِيٌّ: فَإِنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ يَقْتَطِعُ الْأُمُورَ دُونَكَ وَيَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ هَذَا أَمْرُ عُثْمَانَ، وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ ذَلِكَ فَلَا تُغَيِّرُ عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ خَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ، وَخَرَجَ عُثْمَانُ عَلَى أَثَرِهِ فَجَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ آفَةً وَلِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ عَاهَةً، وَإِنَّ آفَةَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَعَاهَةَ هَذِهِ النِّعْمَةِ عَيَّابُونَ طَعَّانُونَ يُرُونَكُمْ مَا تُحِبُّونَ وَيَسْتُرُونَ عَنْكُمْ مَا تَكْرَهُونَ، يَقُولُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ، أَمْثَالَ النَّعَامِ يَتَّبِعُونَ أَوَّلَ نَاعِقٍ، أَحَبُّ مَوَارِدِهِمْ إِلَيْهِمُ الْبَعِيدُ، لَا يَشْرَبُونَ إِلَّا نَغَصًا وَلَا يَرِدُونَ إِلَّا عَكَرًا، [ لَا ] يَقُومُ لَهُمْ رَائِدٌ وَقَدْ أَعْيَتْهُمُ الْأُمُورُ، أَلَا فَقَدْ وَاللَّهِ عِبْتُمْ عَلَيَّ مَا أَقْرَرْتُمْ لِابْنِ الْخَطَّابِ بِمِثْلِهِ، وَلَكِنَّهُ وَطِئَكُمْ بِرِجْلِهِ وَضَرَبَكُمْ بِيَدِهِ وَقَمَعَكُمْ بِلِسَانِهِ، فَدِنْتُمْ لَهُ عَلَى مَا أَحْبَبْتُمْ وَكَرِهْتُمْ، وَلِنْتُ لَكُمْ وَأَوْطَأْتُكُمْ كَتِفِي وَكَفَفْتُ يَدِي وَلِسَانِي عَنْكُمْ، فَاجْتَرَأْتُمْ عَلَيَّ. أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَأَنَا أَعَزُّ نَفَرًا وَأَقْرَبُ نَاصِرًا وَأَكْثَرُ عَدَدًا وَأَحْرَى، إِنْ قُلْتُ هَلُمَّ أُتِيَ إِلَيَّ، وَلَقَدْ عَدَدْتُ لَكُمْ أَقْرَانًا، وَأَفْضَلْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ فُضُولًا، وَكَشَّرْتُ لَكُمْ عَنْ نَابِي، وَأَخْرَجْتُمْ مِنِّي خُلُقًا لَمْ أَكُنْ أُحْسِنُهُ وَمَنْطِقًا لَمْ أَنْطِقْ بِهِ، فَكُفُّوا عَنِّي أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ وَعَيْبَكُمْ وَطَعْنَكُمْ عَلَى وُلَاتِكُمْ، فَإِنِّي كَفَفْتُ عَنْكُمْ مَنْ لَوْ كَانَ هُوَ الَّذِي يُكَلِّمُكُمْ لَرَضِيتُمْ مِنْهُ بِدُونِ مَنْطِقِي هَذَا. أَلَا فَمَا تَفْقِدُونَ مِنْ حَقِّكُمْ ؟ وَاللَّهِ مَا قَصَّرْتُ عَنْ بُلُوغِ مَا بَلَغَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلِي، وَلَمْ تَكُونُوا تَخْتَلِفُونَ عَلَيْهِ. فَقَامَ مَرْوَانُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ: إِنْ شِئْتُمْ حَكَّمْنَا وَاللَّهِ مَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ السَّيْفَ، نَحْنُ وَأَنْتُمْ وَاللَّهِ كَمَا قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ: فَرَشْنَا لَكُمْ أَعْرَاضَنَا فَنَبَتْ بِكُمْ مَعَارِسُكُمْ تَبْنُونَ فِي دِمَنِ الثَّرَى فَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ: اسْكُتْ لَا سَكَتَّ، دَعْنِي وَأَصْحَابِي، مَا مَنْطِقُكَ فِي هَذَا ! أَلَمْ أَتَقَدَّمْ إِلَيْكَ أَنْ لَا تَنْطِقَ ؟ فَسَكَتَ مَرْوَانُ وَنَزَلَ عُثْمَانُ. ( عَنِ الْمِنْبَرِ، فَاشْتَدَّ قَوْلُهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَعَظُمَ وَزَادَ تَأَلُّبُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ ).
Translation
✧ Mention of the Beginning of the Killing of ʿUthmān In this year, a group of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and others wrote to one another: “Come forth, for jihad is with us.” The people magnified [their grievances] against ʿUthmān and disparaged him. None of the Companions forbade [them] or defended [him] except a few, among them: Zayd b. Thābit, Abū Usayd al-Sāʿidī, Kaʿb b. Mālik, and Ḥassān b. Thābit. The people gathered and spoke to ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib. He entered upon ʿUthmān and said to him: “The people are behind me, and they have spoken to me about you. By Allah, I do not know what to say to you, nor do I know anything that you are ignorant of, nor do I point you to a matter that you do not recognize. You surely know what I know. We have not preceded you to anything so that we might inform you of it, nor have we been alone with anything so that we might convey it to you. We have not been singled out for any matter apart from you. I have seen and accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, heard from him, and attained his kinship by marriage. The son of Abī Quḥāfah is no more entitled to act upon the truth than you, nor is the son of al-Khaṭṭāb more entitled to any good than you. You are closer to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in kinship, and you have attained through marriage to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ what they did not attain. They did not precede you to anything. So fear Allah, fear Allah for your own self. For you, by Allah, do not see out of blindness, nor do you know out of ignorance. The path is clear and evident, and the landmarks of the religion are standing. Know, O ʿUthmān, that the best of Allah’s servants is a just imam who is guided and guides; so he establishes a known sunnah and puts to death an abandoned innovation. By Allah, each is clear; the sunan are standing with landmarks, and innovations are standing with landmarks. The worst of people in the sight of Allah is a tyrannical imam who errs and leads others astray; so he puts to death a known sunnah and revives an abandoned innovation. I warn you of Allah, His assaults, and His punishments, for His punishment is severe and painful. I warn you against being the imam of this ummah who is killed, thus opening upon it killing and fighting until the Day of Resurrection, confusing its affairs and leaving it as factions that do not see the truth due to the ascendancy of falsehood, surging in it like waves and mingling in it in confusion.” ʿUthmān said: “I know, by Allah, that you will surely say what you have said. By Allah, if you were in my place, I would not rebuke you, nor would I abandon you, nor fault you, nor come as a denier—that you joined ties of kinship, filled a gap, sheltered a lost one, and appointed one similar to those ʿUmar used to appoint. I adjure you by Allah, O ʿAlī, do you know that al-Mughīrah b. Shuʿbah is not there?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Do you know that ʿUmar appointed him?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “Then why do you blame me for appointing Ibn ʿĀmir in his kinship and blood relation?” ʿAlī said: “ʿUmar used to tread on the ear canal of anyone he appointed; if a word reached him about him, he summoned him and then inflicted the utmost punishment upon him. But you do not do that; you have weakened and become soft toward your relatives.” ʿUthmān said: “They are your relatives too!” He said: “Indeed, their kinship to me is close, but excellence lies in others.” ʿUthmān said: “Do you know that ʿUmar appointed Muʿāwiyah? So I have appointed him.” ʿAlī said: “I adjure you by Allah, do you know that Muʿāwiyah was more fearful of ʿUmar than Yarfāʾ, ʿUmar’s servant, was toward him?” He said: “Yes.” ʿAlī said: “Muʿāwiyah cuts off matters without you and says to the people, ‘This is ʿUthmān’s command,’ and you know that but do not change it against him.” Then ʿAlī went out from him, and ʿUthmān went out after him, sat on the pulpit, and said: “Now then, every thing has a blight and every matter has a defect. The blight of this ummah and the defect of this blessing are fault-finders and slanderers. They show you what you love and conceal from you what you hate. They say to you and they say—like ostriches, they follow the first crier. The watering places they love most are the distant ones. They do not drink except with annoyance, and they do not come to water except at muddy residue. No scout stands for them, and matters have exhausted them. Indeed, by Allah, you have blamed me for what you did not accept from Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb in the like of it. But he trod upon you with his foot, struck you with his hand, and suppressed you with his tongue, so you submitted to him in what you loved and hated. I was gentle with you, lowered my shoulder for you, and withheld my hand and tongue from you, so you became bold against me. By Allah, I am mightier in number, nearer in supporters, greater in count, and more able—if I say ‘Come,’ it will be brought to me. I have counted for you equals, favored you with surplus, bared my canine at you, and you have drawn out of me a character I did not possess and a speech I had not uttered. So restrain your tongues from me, and your fault-finding and slandering of your governors. For I have restrained from you one who, if he were the one speaking to you, you would be content with less than this speech of mine. Now what of your right do you miss? By Allah, I have not fallen short of reaching what those before me reached, and you did not differ against him.” Marwān b. al-Ḥakam stood and said: “If you wish, by Allah, we will make the sword judge between us and you. We and you, by Allah, are as the poet said: We spread for you our honor, but your resting places spurned you—you build upon the dung of rich soil.” ʿUthmān said: “Be silent—may you not be silenced. Leave me and my companions. What is your speech in this? Did I not previously tell you not to speak?” Marwān fell silent, and ʿUthmān descended from the pulpit. His words weighed heavily on the people and grew great, and their coalition against him increased.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording.