and grant him peace—and said to Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh:

“By Allah, you will neither kill him nor be able to kill him.” (1)

Although this was a sin on Sa‘d’s part, it did not expel him from the faith. Rather, Sa‘d is among the people of Paradise and among the earliest and foremost of the Ansar. How, then, could Uthmān be blamed for sheltering a man who was not known to be a hypocrite?!

Even if he had been a hypocrite, showing him kindness would not justify censuring [Uthmān], for Allah (2), Exalted is He, says:

“Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and justly with those who neither fought you because of your religion nor drove you from your homes. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.”

[Surah al-Mumtahanah: 8] (3).

It is authentically established that Asmāʾ bint Abī Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah, my mother has come seeking something from me. Should I maintain ties with her?” He replied:

“Yes, maintain ties with your mother.” (4)

Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab also made a bequest in favor of some Jewish relatives of hers.

If a believing man may maintain ties with his disbelieving relatives without thereby being expelled from the faith, then what of one who maintains ties with his Muslim relatives, when the most that can be said of them is that they are suspected of hypocrisy?!