Nuayman lived on after the Prophet and continued to
enjoy the affection of Muslims. But did he put an end to his laughter?
During the caliphate of Uthman, a group of Sahaba were sitting in the
Masjid. They saw Makhramah ibn Nawfal, an old man who was about one
hundred and fifteen years old and obviously rather senile. He was
related to the sister of Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf, who was a wife of
Nuayman.
Makhramah was blind. He was so weak that he could hardly move from
his place in the Masjid. He got up to urinate and might have done so in
the Masjid. But the companions shouted at him to prevent him from doing
so.. Nuayman got up and went to take him to another place, as he was
instructed. What is this other place that Nuayman took him to? In fact
he took him only a short distance away from where he was sitting at
first and sat him down.
The place was still in the Masjid!! ..
People shouted at Makhramah and made him get up again all in a
frenzy. The poor old man was distressed and said: "Who has done this?"
"An-Nuayman ibn Amr," he was told.
The old man swore and announced that he would bash Nuayman on the head with his stick if he should meet him.
Nuayman left and returned. He was up to some prank of his again. He
saw Uthman ibn Affan, the Amir al-Muminim, performing Salat in the
Masjid. Uthman was never distracted when he stood for Prayer. Nuayman
also saw Makhramah. He went up to him and in a changed voice said: "Do
you want to get at Nuayman?"
The old man remembered what Nuayman had done. He remembered
his vow and shouted: "Yes, where is he?" Nuayman took him by the hand
and led him to the place where the Khalifah Uthman stood and said to
him: "Here he is!"
The old man raised his staff and bashed the head of Uthman. Blood flowed and the people shouted: "It's the Amir al-Muminin!"
They dragged Makhramah away and some people set out to get Nuayman
but Uthman restrained them and asked them to leave him alone.
In spite of the blows he had suffered, he was still able to laugh at the deeds of an-Nuayman!
------------- O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, investigate to determine if it is the truth; so you will not harm a people unknowingly... [Qur'aan Kareem 49:6]
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