for indeed you have arrived—whether at morning or at evening. Behold, the life of this world has been folded up in deception, so let not this worldly life deceive you, nor let the Great Deceiver beguile you concerning Allah. Take heed from those who have passed away, then strive in earnest and do not fall into heedlessness. Where are the children of this world, its comrades who stirred it up, cultivated it, and enjoyed it for so long? Did the world not cast them out? Cast the world where Allah has flung it, and seek the Hereafter, for Allah has coined a parable for it—one that is better—when He, Exalted is He, said:

“Give them the parable of the present life: it is like water We send down from the sky; the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, then it becomes dry chaff scattered by the winds—yet Allah is capable of everything (45). Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world, but the enduring righteous deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope.” [al-Kahf, 45-46]

He (the narrator) said: The people then advanced to pledge allegiance to him.

I say: This sermon was either after the ‘Aṣr prayer that very day or before the sun reached its zenith—while ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf was seated at the top of the pulpit—and the latter seems the more probable; Allah knows best.

As for what some people relate—that when ‘Uthmān delivered his first sermon he became tongue-tied and did not know what to say until he declared, “O people, the first ride on a mount is always awkward; if I remain alive you will hear the sermon in its proper form”—this is mentioned by the author of al-‘Iqd (1) and others who collect scattered anecdotes, yet I have not seen it with a chain of transmission that would put the heart at ease. Allah knows best.

With respect to ash-Sha‘bī’s report that he increased the people’s stipends by one hundred—that is, he added one hundred dirhams to the allowance that ‘Umar had fixed for every soldier of the Muslims—know that ‘Umar had granted every Muslim one dirham from the public treasury each night of Ramaḍān for breaking the fast, and for the Mothers of the Believers two dirhams. When ‘Uthmān assumed authority he confirmed that arrangement and increased it. He also set up a public table in the mosque for the devoted worshippers, those in retreat, travellers, the poor, and the destitute—may Allah be pleased with him.

Whenever Abū Bakr preached he would stand on the step immediately below the one on which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had stood. When ‘Umar succeeded him, he descended one step lower than Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him. When ‘Uthmān became caliph he said, “This will only prolong matters,” and so he ascended to the very step from which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to preach. He also introduced an additional, earlier adhān on Friday, before the call that was made in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he sat upon the pulpit.

The first judicial ruling he issued concerned ‘Ubayd Allāh ibn ‘Umar. At dawn he went to the daughter of Abū Lu’lu’ah—the assassin of ‘Umar—and killed her; he then struck a Christian man named Jufaynah with the sword and killed him, and he slew al-Hurmuzān, who had been the ruler of Tustar. It had been said that the latter two had conspired with Abū Lu’lu’ah in assassinating ‘Umar—Allah knows best.

‘Umar had ordered that he be imprisoned so that the succeeding caliph might decide his case. When ‘Uthmān assumed the caliphate and sat for judgment, the first matter brought before him was that of ‘Ubayd Allāh. ‘Alī said, “Justice does not allow him to be spared,” and he ordered that he be executed. Some of the Muhājirūn, however, said, “Shall his father be killed yesterday and he be killed today?”

Then ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās remarked, “O Commander of the Believers, Allah has absolved you of this; it is a case that did not arise during your own time, so leave it aside.” Consequently ‘Uthmān—may Allah be pleased with him—paid the blood money for those slain out of his own wealth, for their affair rested with him, since