Badr, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—left him behind to care for his daughter and assigned him his share. As for the Pledge of al-Ridwān, it took place because of Uthmān: the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—sent him to Mecca and took the pledge on his behalf with his own hand; and the hand of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is better than the hand of Uthmān” (1).

Thus Ibn Umar replied that, of what they regard (2) as a fault, [whatever was in fact a fault on his part] (3), Allah had pardoned him for it; as for the rest, it was no fault at all, but rather among his good deeds. Likewise, the great majority (4) of what the rest of (5) the Companions are faulted for is either a good deed or something that has been pardoned.

[Response to the Rāfidī’s Claim That Uthmān—May Allah Be Pleased with Him—Appointed Those Unfit for Office]

Accordingly, regarding the Rāfidī’s claim (6) that Uthmān appointed someone unfit for office, either this claim is false and he appointed only those who were fit, or he did appoint someone who was in fact unfit, but exercised his considered judgment in the matter, believing that he was (7) fit, though his judgment proved mistaken (8). This does not impugn him.

As for al-Walīd ibn Uqba, whose appointment was criticized, it is well known from the works of Quranic exegesis