Khalifa Uthman bin Affan - Governors of Uthman: Mugheera b Shu'ba

Early Life
Mugheera b Shu'ba belonged to the tribe of Thaqueef of Taif. He became a convert to Islam after the battle of Taif in 628 C.E. On conversion to Islam he took part in all the battles. He was a brave fighter. He lost an eye in the battle of Yamamma. During the caliphate of Umar, Utba b Ghazwan was the Governor of Basm while Mugheera b Shu'ba was the Deputy Governor. Utab b Ghazwan died in 639 C.E., and Mugheera b Shu'ba became the Governor of Basra.

Deposition of Mugheera b Shu'ba
Mugheera b Shu'ba had a weakness for women. He would marry women, and would divorce them after some time to make room for some more beautiful face. In this way he married no less than eighty women, taking steps to ensure that at a time his wives were not more than four, the limit prescribed by the Shariah. In those days there was a beautiful woman Umm Jamil at Basra who belonged to the same tribe as that of Mugheera. Her husband had died and she had become notorious for her love affairs. Mugheera was attracted by her and she visited him often.

Some Muslims in Basra became critical of the conduct of Mugheera. Among them was Abu Bakra. Thaqueefi whose house was across the street facing the house of Mugheera. One day a strong wind blew, and the windows of the houses of Abu Bakra and Mugheera got opened through the force of the wind. Abu Bakra saw through his window that in his houses Mugheera was locked up in an uncompromising state with a woman. He suspected that the woman was Umm Jamil. He had some friends with him, and they also saw Mugheera involved with a woman.

Abu Bakr wrote to Umar accusing Mugheera of adultery. The report was endorsed by four witnesses who had seen Mugheera in an uncompromising state with a woman. Mugheera as well as the complainants were summoned to Madina. At the trial, Mugheera pleaded not guilty. His defense was that the woman in question was his wife and not Umm Jamil. Out of the four witnesses, one witness stated that he had not seen the face of the woman, and as such he did not know who was she. The other witnesses were cross-examined, and on such examination it was found that there are some weak points in their evidence. They were asked whether that woman had her face or her back towards them. They said that she had their back to them. They tried to make out that even from her back, she could be identified as Umm Jamil. They said that the scandal of Mugheera and Umm Jamil was very common in Basra, and that the lady was none other than Umm Jamil. Mugheera was given the benefit of doubt and acquitted. He was, however, deposed from the governorship of Basra, and Abu Musa Ash'ari was appointed as the Governor in his place.

Mugheera as Governor of Kufa
In 643 C.E. Umar appointed Mugheera b Shu'ba as the Governor of Kufa. When Uthman became the Caliph, Mugheera continued in his office for one year, and was thereafter deposed to make room for the appointment of Sa'ad b Abi Waqas according to the testament of Umar.