THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY: Islam’s Ethical and Spiritual Outlook

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT on the actual point of disagreement—it does not deviate from the issue at hand. Second, both parties fully ensure that the disagreement remains intellectual in nature; it does not turn into personal hostility or bitterness in their hearts. The statement, “It does not affect our religion,” means that this disagreement does not give rise to doubts about each other’s intentions. It does not lead them to make moral accusations or attack one another’s character. Their entire discussion is based on reason and argument—not on blame, backbiting, or fault-finding. DESPITE DIFFERENCES Uthman ibn Affan was the third Caliph of Islam. In the final period of his life, more than a thousand people from Egypt came to Madinah based on false reports. Upon reaching the city, they created a great commotion and eventually surrounded the house of Uthman. Although the accusations against him were completely baseless, these Muslims were so angry with him that they prevented him from leaving his house or even receiving water. Eventually, on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah in the year 35 AH, they attacked and killed him. At the time of his death, he was 82 years old. The siege of Uthman lasted for around forty days. When the rebels had surrounded him and barred him from leaving his home, it became impossible for him to go to the mosque. As