Answering allegations of nepotism on ʻUthmān ibn ʻAffān

A brief refutation to the allegation of nepotism on Uthman ibn Affan

Uthman’s Governors From Banu Umayyah:

1. Muawiyah ibn Sufyan

2. Abdullah ibn Saad ibn abi Sarah

3. Waleed ibn Uqbah

4.  Saeed ibn al-Aas

5. Abdullah ibn Aamir

Uthman’s Governors from Other tribes:
1. Abu Musa al-Ashari

2. Qa’qa ibn Amr

3. Jabir al-Mazni

4. Habeeb ibn Muslima

5. Abdul Rahman ibn Khalid ibn Waleed

6. Abu al-Awar al-Salami

7. Hakeem ibn Salama

8. Ash’as ibn Qais

9. Jareer ibn Abdullah al-bajali

10. Uyaynah ibn Nahas

11. Malik ibn Habeeb

12. Naseer Ijli

13. Saib ibn Aqra

14. Saeed ibn Qais

15. Salman ibn Rabee’a

16. Khunais ibn Habeesh

17. Ahnaf ibn Qais

18. Abdul Rahman ibn Rabee’a

19. Yala ibn Maniyyah

20. Abdullah ibn Amr Hazrami

21. Ali ibn Rabee’a ibn Abd al-Uzza.

Few facts about the Umayyad Governors of Uthman:
The five Umayyad governors didn’t remain at the post at one time. Rather, Uthman made Waleed ibn Uqbah as his governor, then removed him and appointed Saeed ibn al-Aas. When he died, only three Banu Umayyad governors remained.

1. Muawiyah ibn Sufyan

2. Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Sarah

3. Abdullah ibn Aamir.

Muawiyah ibn Sufyan was the governor of Syria in the era of Caliph Umar. So Uthman appointed only two governors i.e Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Sarah, and Abdullah ibn Aamir. Both were highly skillful in wars, and lead Muslims to many victories over the Romans and Persians.

The Prophet (S) also appointed Umayyads as governors of various places:
1. Utaab ibn Saeed ibn abi al-Aas the governor of Mecca

2. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb al-Umawi the governor of Najran,

3. Khalid ibn Saeed al-umawi the collector of Zakat on Bani Mazhaj,

4. Abaan ibn Saeed the governor of Bahrain

5. Amr ibn Saeed al-Umawi as the governor of Khaiber

6. Hakam ibn Saeed on Sawq

7. Amr ibn al-Aas over Amman

8. Uthman ibn Saeed the governor of Tayma.

Abu Bakr appointed Yazeed ibn Sufyan the governor of Syria. Then Umar made Muawiyah the governor of Syria after he died.

The Hashimi Governors of Ali ibn Abi Talib:
1. Ubaidullah ibn Abbas over Yemen,

2. Qasam ibn Abbas over Makkah and Taif,

3. Tamam ibn Abbas over Madinah,

4. Abdullah ibn Abbas over Basrah.

Moreover, he appointed Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, whom he adopted after Abubakr’s death, over Egypt.

So where is nepotism in the era of Uthman (ra) ?

By Kalaam

Posted here by 13S2010