The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 108
108 H A D RAT MIRZA BASHIR-UD-DIN MAHMUD AHMAD even allow a few people to gather and it was impossible to collect in groups larger than two or four. Even if a few daring men opted to fight the rebels, this would have resulted in nothing but massacre. The mosque was a place where people could gather. However, the rebels had very cunningly taken measures to prevent this as well. They would spread out in the mosque before prayer and keep the people of Madinah at a distance from one another so that they could not do anything. H A D RAT ‘ UTHM A N RA ADMONISHES THE REBELS Despite this commotion and conflict Hadrat ‘ Uthm a n ra would regularly come to the mosque to lead the prayers. The rebels would not hinder him in this regard and stop him from leading the prayers, until the first Friday approached after their occupation of Madinah. After leading the Friday prayer Hadrat ‘Uthm a n ra admonished them and said: “O enemies of Islam! Fear God the Exalted. All the people of Madinah know that the Holy Prophet sa has cursed you. So repent and erase your sins through deeds of virtue because Allah the Exalted does not erase sins with anything other than good deeds. ” In response Muhammad bin Maslamah An sa r i ra stood up and said, “I testify to this fact. ” The rebels realised that although their associates thought ill of Hadrat ‘ Uthm a n ra , if the companions began to testify in his support and their party learnt that the Holy Prophet sa had explicitly made a prophecy about them, then the public may leave them. For this reason they began to stop this practice. The robber H ak i m bin Jabalah, who I have