WHAT GAVE RISE TO THE CONFLICT?

Now the question is how did this conflict come about? Some have alleged the cause to be Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) while others, Hazrat ‘Ali(ra). Some say that Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) introduced certain innovations in the faith, which caused an uproar among the Muslims. Others assert that Hazrat ‘Ali(ra) secretly conspired to acquire Khilafat and had Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) killed by creating hostility against him so that he could become the Khalifah himself. However, both of these notions are false; neither did Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) introduce innovations in the faith, nor did Hazrat ‘Ali(ra) have him killed or took part in a conspiracy to murder him in order to become the Khalifah himself. In fact, there were other causes for this revolt. Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) and Hazrat ‘Ali(ra) are completely free from the blemish of such allegations. Both were very holy men. Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) was the person about whom the Holy Prophet(sa) had said, that he had served Islam to such a great extent that now he could do whatsoever he wished, God would not question him.1 This did not imply that he would not be held accountable even if he renounced Islam. In fact, it inferred that he had acquired so many qualities and had progressed so much in virtue that it was no longer possible for any of his actions to be in violation of the commandments of Allah the Exalted. As such, Hazrat ‘Uthman(ra) was not a man who would issue an order in violation to the shariah, nor was Hazrat ‘Ali(ra) a man who would secretly conspire to assume Khilafat. As far as I have contemplated and studied there are four reasons for this horrific uprising.