Who really killed ‘Uthman?

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bought it with my own money?” Talha answered, “O’ Allah, I do
know.” … ‘Uthman said again, “I call you by the grace of Allah,
do you know that I supported the army of Al-Esrah just like a
hundred men?” Talha answered, “O’ Allah! I do know.” Then
Talha said, “O’ Allah! I know nothing of ‘Uthman except that he is
an innocent man!”” [Mawaqif Al-Sahabah fi Al-Fitnah, vol. 2, p.
24]
The same Abu Sulaiman also mentions later that Marwan was one of those individuals that had
sought to protect ‘Uthman when he was besieged. Clearly if anyone was to know who played a
role in killing ‘Uthman it would have been him. So whom did Marwan blame for killing ‘Uthman?
We read in Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah Volume 7 page 248 Dhikr Jamal:
“Talha was killed in the battle of Jamal by the arrow of Marwan, who then told
Aban-bin-Utham that I have taken the revenge for the blood of ‘Uthman”
It is written in Riyadh al Nadira Volume 4 page 34, Part 9 that Marwan after killing Talha
declared that there was no longer any need to avenge the slaying of ‘Uthman.
The classical works of Ahl’ul Sunnah record from Yahya Ibn Sa'id:
Marwan Ibn al-Hakam who was in the ranks of Talha, when he saw Talha retreating
(when his army was being defeated in the battlefield). As he and and the Banu
Ummaya recognised him as the killer of Uthman, he shot an arrow at him and
severely wounded him. He then said to Aban, the son of Uthman, that: "I have
spared you from one of your father's murderers." Talha was taken to a ruined house
in Basra where he died.
You can find this reference in the following texts:
1. Tabaqat, by Ibn Sa'ad, v3, part 1, p159
2. al-Isabah, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, v3, pp 532-533
3. Tarikh Ibn al-Athir, v3, p244
4. Usdul Ghabah, v3, pp 87-88
5. al-Isti'ab, Ibn Abd al-Barr, v2, p766
Marwan was the Son in Law of ‘Uthman, he stood alongside Hadhrath Ayesha and Talha at
Jamal. When it became clear that defeat was inevitable Marwan killed Talha by his arrow and
later said I killed him (Talha) as a revenge for ‘Uthman’s murder. These reports prove that even
the Umayad leaders such as Marwan who (along side with Talha) was fighting against Imam
Ali, knew that Talha and Zubayr were the killers of Uthman.
It is little wonder that even Talha’s son admitted the role of his father in killing ‘Uthman. In al
Imama wal Siyasa page 60 we read that:
"Someone asked Muhammad bin Talha who killed ‘Uthman? He replied that "one
third of his death was attributable to Ayesha and one third was due to my father
Talha".
Also in Iqd al Fareed Volume 2 page 218 and al Imama wal Siyasa page 45 we are told that:
"Sad ibn Abi Waqqas was asked 'who killed ‘Uthman? Sad replied, 'the sword was
lifted by Ayesha and it was sharpened by Talha".
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