Islam stood for social discipline and social solidarity. The Muslims were enjoined by Islam to be a disciplined people and obey those in authority among them. The Muslims were required to maintain social solidarity, and preserve unity in their ranks. During the caliphate of Uthman the Muslims lost their sense of discipline, and they also lost their strength of solidarity. Certain sections grew among the Muslims who made it a point to carry on propaganda against authority. Uthman took steps to redress the legitimate grievances of the people, but there was no slackening in the virulence of the vilification campaign against Uthman and his government.
Islam stood for unity in the ranks of the Muslims. During the caliphate of Uthman the Muslim society fell a prey to disunity, and things came to be looked at from the partisan point of view rather than from the point of view of the interests of the Muslim community as a whole.
