Standard of Justice
With regard to the justice of Hazrat Uthman (ra) and how he ordered for his brother to be punished after he was proven guilty, there is a narration by Ubaidullah bin Adi in which he relates, “Both Hazrat Miswarra bin Makhrama and Abdur Rahman (ra) bin Aswad bin Abd Yaguth said to me, ‘What is preventing you from speaking to Hazrat Uthman (ra) regarding his brother, Walid, as people have said many things about him based on some of his misdeeds.’ So I went to Hazrat Uthman (ra) and when he went out for prayer, I said, ‘I have a request, and this is something that is beneficial for you.’ Hazrat Uthman (ra) said, ‘O good man! Did Mu‘ammar say this to you? I believe that he has said this to you’”, i.e. that he has come to deliver their message.
“Following this, Hazrat Uthman (ra) said, ‘I seek refuge with Allah from you.’ Upon hearing this, he” – the person who came to Hazrat Uthman (ra) – “left and returned to those people. In the meantime, a messenger from Hazrat Uthman (ra) came [calling for me] and subsequently, I went with him to see Hazrat Uthman (ra). Hazrat Uthman (ra) enquired, ‘What was the advice that was beneficial for me?” as he had said this earlier. “I replied, ‘Allah the Almighty sent Muhammad (sa) with the truth and revealed the Book [Qur’an] to him. You are also amongst those, who accepted the call of Allah and His Messenger (sa) [to Islam]. You participated in two migrations, supported the Holy Prophet (sa) and witnessed his practices.’ Following this, I said, ‘People have raised many concerns about Walid’”, who was Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) brother. “Hazrat Uthman (ra) said, ‘Did you witness the time of the Holy Prophet (sa)?’ I replied, ‘I did not, but his knowledge reached me.” That is, he did not witness his time, but matters relating to the time of the Holy Prophet (sa) reached him, “and this would even reach an unmarried woman living in seclusion.’ Following this, Hazrat Uthman (ra) said, ‘Allah most certainly sent Muhammad (sa) with the truth and I am amongst those who accepted the invitation of Allah and His Messenger (sa). I believed in everything the Holy Prophet (sa) was sent with and participated in two migrations, as you have said. I enjoyed the company of Allah’s Messenger (sa) and pledged allegiance to him. By Allah! I never disobeyed him, nor did I ever cheat him, eventually Allah caused him to pass away. Then after him, in my view, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) is to be obeyed in the same manner and I obeyed him, just as it was compulsory to obey Hazrat Umar (ra) as well. Subsequently, I was made the Khalifa; thus, do I not possess the same right as the two previous Khulafa?’ I replied, ‘Indeed,’ to which Hazrat Uthman (ra) replied, ‘Then what are these matters that I am informed of? As for the matter you mentioned regarding Walid, insha-Allah, we will hand him the prescribed punishment (i.e. he would be punished according to the crime he had committed).’ After this, he called for Hazrat Ali (ra) and ordered for Walid to be whipped. Subsequently, Hazrat Ali (ra) ordered for him to be handed 80 lashes.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fada‘il Ashab al-Nabi (sa), Bab Manaqib Uthman (ra), Hadith 3696)
In the commentary of this hadith from Bukhari, Hazrat Syed Zain-ul-Abideen Waliullah Shah Sahib (ra) writes:
“The allegation against Walid bin Uqbah was for drinking [intoxicants] as a result of which he was punished. Witnesses confirmed that it was not a juice prepared from dates or munakka [beverage made from raisins] and was in fact an alcoholic beverage like those consumed in the days of the Jahiliyya period. Hazrat Uthman (ra) did not take into consideration his close relationship with him; in fact, owing to his close relationship with him, he ordered double the punishment; instead of handing him 40 lashes, he was given 80 lashes and this amount is proven from the example of Hazrat Umar (ra).”
(Urdu Tarjumah Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 7, p. 192, Nazarat-e-Ishaat Rabwah)