The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 46
46 H A D RAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMAD unjust than a person who attacks the wa si of the Holy Prophet sa and snatches his right?” 44 Therefore, aside from the political strategies that this person employed in order to create rift in Islam, he had instigated a religious disorder as well. Furthermore, he was also conniving to corrupt the beliefs of Muslims, but took precautions to ensure that people considered him to be a Muslim. In this state of affairs, three years elapsed and this mischievous group continued to carry out these secret conspiracies. This party continued to multiply in number. However, in this three year period no significant incident transpired except that two residents of Mad i nah Munawwarah named Muhammad bin Ab i Bakr and Muhammad bin Ab i H udhaifah, began to take part in this disorder to some extent as well. 45 Muhammad bin Ab i Bakr was the younger son of Hadrat Ab u Bakr ra and except for the fact that he possessed the distinction of being the son of Hadrat Ab u Bakr ra , he held no religious merit. Muhammad bin Ab i H udhaifah was an orphan who had been brought up by Hadrat ‘ Uthm a n ra. However, after reaching an age of maturity, he played a prominent role in the uprising against Hadrat ‘Uthm a n ra. I shall explain why shortly hereafter. In the fourth year, this conflict took on somewhat 44. T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, p. 147, Dhikru Mas i ri Mann S a ra Il a Dh i Khashabin Min Ahli Mi s ra. . . . . , Published by D a rul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002 edition [Publishers] 45. T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, p. p 117-118, Dhikrul-Khabari ‘ An Maqtali Yazdajar. . . . . , Published by D a rul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002 edition [Publishers]