
Book Review: The Pious Caliphs:
All comments and poetry aside, finshed "the pious caliphs" today. A little over 200 pages but was all new info for me. MIx has already requested for the book, so anyone else has to wait.
Good points about the book is that the author has given sufficient details about each of the 4 caliphs and events during his time. The villians in history have been pointed out. the succession and method of succession ahs been mentioned as well. It was really new to me that Aisha (RA) did not accept Ali's (RA) caliphate at the start until the battle between their armies.
Frankly I cannot comment about any of these caliphs since they have already reserved their places in that castle up there. But looking back at Uthman's (RA) rule, you somehow feel that we must not be lax with muslims but be strict in matters that can cause shirk. Uthman (RA) knew best about his times, but a general uprising that was coming about should have been exposed if muslim blood was not be shed.
Something that i did not understand is that one paragraph about the roots of tasawwuf and sufism being connected to Ali (RA) and hence to the Prophet (SAWS). Also missing was that commentary in which Abu Bakr (RA), while on his deathbed as the caliph, requested Aisha (RA) in terms of a Prophet's friend rather than her father or the caliph, to request her of the grave beside the Prophet (SAWS).
and the axe - it signifies the gruesome martyrdom of Uthman (RA). Even at the age of 82, the assassins did not have the least bit of sympathy.