There are many questions and problems about the caliphate of ‘Uthman, some of which are mentioned below:

Was The 6-Members Council Elected By The People Or By ‘Umar B. Al-Khattab Himself To Elect The Third Caliph?

A. ‘Umar B. Al-Khattab's Disbelief In The 6-Member Council

According to Sunni sources, the Second Caliph did not believe in the council, and he believed that had Salim been alive, he would have chosen him as the next caliph without any council. Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr (d. 463 AH) narrates:

عن عمر أنه قال: لو كان سالم حيا ما جعلتها شورى.

Also, Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari writes:

قال عمر: لو كان سالم حيا ما تخالجني الشك في توليته عليكم أو في تأميره.

B. Electing Council Members Without Consulting The Companions

The election of the members of the caliphate council has never been done by the vote or even in consultation with the Companions; rather, the Second Caliph himself directly elected the members of the council, as quoted by al-Bukhari from him:

... إني لَا أَعْلَمُ أَحَدًا أَحَقَّ بهذا الْأَمْرِ من هَؤُلَاءِ النَّفَرِ الَّذِينَ تُوُفِّيَ رسول اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه واله وسلم وهو عَنْهُمْ رَاضٍ فَمَنْ اسْتَخْلَفُوا بَعْدِي فَهُوَ الْخَلِيفَةُ فَاسْمَعُوا له وَأَطِيعُوا فَسَمَّى عُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيًّا وَطَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَعَبْدَ الرحمن بن عَوْفٍ وَسَعْدَ بن أبي وَقَّاصٍ.

C. The Second Caliph Ordered The Assassination Of Dissidents In The Council

Regarding the caliphate council, the Second Caliph issued a strange order which asked for the killing of those who object the majority vote.

Ibn Shabba, al-Tabari and Ibn al-Athir have narrated this in their books:

وقال (عمر بن الخطاب) للمقداد بن الأسود إذا وضعتموني في حفرتي فاجمع هؤلاء الرهط في بيت حتى يختاروا رجلا منهم وقال لصهيب صل بالناس ثلاثة أيام وأدخل عليا وعثمان والزبير وسعدا وعبد الرحمن بن عوف وطلحة إن قدم وأحضر عبد الله بن عمر ولا شيء له من الأمر وقم على رؤوسهم فإن اجتمع خمسة ورضوا رجلا وأبى واحد فاشدخ رأسه أو اضرب رأسه بالسيف وإن اتفق أربعة فرضوا رجلا منهم وأبى اثنان فاضرب رؤوسهما فإن رضي ثلاثة رجلا منهم وثلاثة رجلا منهم فحكموا عبد الله بن عمر فأي الفريقين حكم له فليختاروا رجلا منهم فإن لم يرضوا بحكم عبد الله بن عمر فكونوا مع الذين فيهم عبد الرحمن بن عوف واقتلوا الباقين إن رغبوا عما اجتمع عليه الناس.

D. Assigning Arbitration Of The Most Fundamental Issue Of Islamic Society To Abdullah B. ‘Umar, Who Has No Authority To Divorce His Wife

As mentioned in the previous narration, Abdullah b. ‘Umar was chosen by his father ‘Umar b. al-Khattab to make the final judgment. However, according to some Sunni sources, Abdullah b. ‘Umar had no competency to even divorce his wife:

عن إبراهيم قال: قال عمر من أَسْتَخْلِفُ ؟ لَوْ كَانَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بنُ الْجَرَّاحِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ: يَا أَمِيرَ المُؤْمِنِينَ فَأَيْنَ أَنْتَ مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بن عُمَرَ ؟ فَقَالَ : قَاتَلَكَ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْتَ اللَّهَ بِهَذَا أَسْتَخْلِفُ رَجُلاً لَيْسَ يُحْسِنُ يُطَلقُ امْرَأَتَهُ.

Ibrahim narrates that ‘Umar said: “Who should I make the caliph? If Abu ‘Ubayda b. al-Jarrah were alive, I would have made him caliph.” A man said to him: “O Amir al-Mu'minin! Why don't you make your son Abdullah the caliph?” ‘Umar said: “May God kill you! I swear to God that you have not considered God with this statement. Shall I make a man a caliph who cannot divorce his wife?!”5

• 1. Ibn ‘Abd al-Birr, al-Isti‘ab, vol. 2, p. 568; Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghaba, vol. 2, p. 383.
• 2. Ibn Qutayba al-Dinawari, Ta’wil Mukhtalaf al-Hadith, p. 115; Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, al-Mahsul, vol. 4, p. 322.
• 3. Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 2, p. 107, hadith no. 1392.
• 4. Ibn Shabba, Tarikh al-Madina, vol 2, p. 82; al-Tabari, al-Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 581; Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 461.
• 5. Ibn Sa‘d, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 3, p. 343; al-Suyuti, Jami‘ al-Ahadith, vol. 13, p. 382; al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa, vol. 1, p. 145.