Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 159
KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH 159 be taken by Muawiyah. He said, “Muawiyah, you are sharp by temperament. I am afraid that you might treat the Muslims harshly. Therefore, I cannot make such an announcement. ” Now it is said the Hadrat Usman ra was a man of weak heart. But think about it. How many people can be so courageous? In the presence of these testimonies can it be said that there was fear in his heart. If he was afraid he would have asked for a platoon of an army for his protection, and he would get their salaries paid. If he was afraid then he would have made an announcement that if anybody raised a hand against him, then the revenge would be taken by Muawiyah. But he replied only by saying this much, “Muawiyah! You are sharp by temperament and I am afraid that if I give you this power, you will be hard on Muslims”. When the enemies climbed up the wall and attacked him, he continued reciting the Holy Quran without any fear. So much so that a son of Hadrat Abu Bakr (God’s mercy upon him) stepped forward and strongly pulled the beard of Hadrat Usman ra. He raised his eye and said, “O son of my brother if your father had been present, you would never have done this”. On hearing it, he shivered from head to toe, and went out ashamed. After this another person came forward and hit an iron bar on his head and kicked away the Holy Quran lying in front of him. On his retreat another person came ahead and martyred him by sword. In view of these incidents how can one say that Hadrat