The justice of Hadhrat 'Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him)

The justice of Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

Harth bin Al Hakam was the cousin of Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) and also his son-in-law.  Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) had appointed him as a supervisor.  His work was to monitor the prices of goods in the market and to watch the weights used by the shopkeepers so that neither the buyers nor the sellers had any problem.

 

However, Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) learnt that he was not performing his duties properly and is misusing his power.  Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) expressed his extreme displeasure and dismissed him from the job.

 

For some reason, Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) developed a misunderstanding about Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud and Hadhrat Ubai bin Ka’ab (May Allah be well pleased with them) and he stopped the pensions which they got from the public treasury.  Thus, when Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (May Allah be well pleased with him) passed away, Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) meticulously paid his heirs the full amount that was owed to Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (May Allah be well pleased with him) by the public treasury.

 

When Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) was martyred, Hadhrat ‘Ubaid bin ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) killed the daughter of the assassinator and Harmazaan who was an Iranian who had just embraced Islam, as he thought that they were also participants in the assassination of his father.

 

When Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) became the caliph, this was the first case he had to judge over.  He conferred with the Companions.  Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) said that Hadhrat ‘Ubaid would have to be executed for the murder of Harmazaan.  Others objected to it. 

 

At last, Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) ruled that Harmazaan is without any heir.  Thus, as the caliph, I am his representative.  I accept blood money in lieu of the death of Harmazaan.  Then, he paid the blood money from his own money.