Muslims; rather, he restored affairs to the state they had been in before the apostasy. Islam continued to expand through further conquests, and he began the campaigns against Persia and the Byzantines. He died while the Muslims were besieging Damascus, and he left the caliphate more detached from worldly things(1) than when he entered it: he had appropriated nothing for himself to their exclusion(2), nor had he appointed any relative of his to command.

Umar ibn al-Khattāb then assumed authority over them. He conquered the lands, subdued the unbelievers, strengthened the people of faith, humbled the people of hypocrisy and aggression, spread Islam and the faith, extended justice throughout the world, established the register of land-tax revenues and stipends for the people of the faith, and founded garrison towns for the Muslims. He left the caliphate more detached from worldly things(3) than when he entered it. He was not tainted by any of their wealth, nor did he appoint any of his relatives to office. This is something known to everyone.

As for Uthmān, he built upon an order that had already become firmly established before him, governing with calmness and forbearance(4), guidance, mercy, and generosity. He did not possess Umar’s strength or statecraft, nor the full measure of Umar’s justice and detachment from worldly things. As a result, some began to harbor ambitions against him, and people allowed themselves greater worldly indulgence. (He also involved some of his relatives in governance and financial affairs)(5). Through his relatives’ involvement in positions of authority and financial matters(7), certain practices arose(6) for which he was censured. There consequently arose, from the desire(8) of (some)(9) people for worldly gain and from the weakness of