Fitnat Maqtal Uthman ibn Affan
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- Deanship of Scientific Research at the Islamic University
Fitnat Maqtal Uthman ibn Affan (The Discord of the Assassination of Uthman ibn Affan) is a historical and hadith-critical study of the events surrounding the siege and assassination of the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, authored by the contemporary Saudi scholar Muhammad ibn Abdullah Ghabban al-Subhi .
Background and Composition
The work originated as a master's thesis submitted to the Department of Higher Studies (Division of Sira and History) at the Islamic University of Madinah in 1410 AH (1989–1990 CE), supervised by Akram Diya' al-Umari . It was subsequently published by the Deanship of Scientific Research at the Islamic University of Madinah, as well as by Maktabat al-Ubaykan in Riyadh (1419 AH / 1999 CE) .
Method and Sources
Al-Subhi applied the critical methodology of hadith scholars (manhaj al-muhaddithin) to historiography by systematically collecting, grading, and evaluating early transmission chains (isnads) and narrative texts (mutun) . He gathered over two thousand reports on the discord from hadith compilations, general chronicles, local city histories, and biographical dictionaries, merged duplicate transmissions, and filtered authentic narrations from weak ones to reconstruct an integrated narrative . While he relied strictly on sound reports for theological and core historical matters, he accepted certain mursal and weak reports for secondary details unrelated to creed and law—such as the exact date of death and Uthman's age—by comparing variants and stating reasons for preference .
Structure and Scope
The book is organized into two primary divisions (qisman): a narrative analytical text and an extensive source appendix .
The first division contains an introduction, a prelude, two main sections (babs), and a conclusion :
- Prelude (al-Tamhid): Covers highlights from Uthman's biography from birth to martyrdom and includes prophetic traditions forewarning of the upcoming tribulation .
- Section One (al-Bab al-Awwal): Focuses on the justifications for the rebellion and the outbreak of the fitna. The first chapter evaluates the grievances leveled against Uthman, categorizing them into: authentic grievances cited by the rebels, weakly transmitted grievances, and baseless claims lacking any chain of transmission . The second chapter examines the instigators of the unrest and the arrival of the provincial delegations .
- Section Two (al-Bab al-Thani): Addresses the siege and assassination across three chapters. The first chapter chronicles the Day of the House (Yawm al-Dar), detailing the layout of the residence, the onset of the siege, negotiations, the Companions' offers of military defense and Uthman's refusal, the fighting, and Uthman's dream in his final days . The second chapter covers the manner of his killing, the date, his age, the identity of the assassin, and the funeral prayer and burial . The third chapter includes statements of the Companions concerning the aftermath of the killing, followed by a critique of modern writings on the subject, specifically the book Dhu al-Nurayn Uthman ibn Affan by Abbas Mahmud al-Aqqad .
- Conclusion: Summarizes the findings of the study, emphasizing that no Companion took part in inciting or carrying out the assassination, and dismissing reports alleging the participation of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr .
The second division forms an appendix compiling all transmitted reports with their complete chains of transmission, variant routes, evaluation of transmitters, and critical rulings on their authenticity .
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