Uthman Ibn Affan
عثمان بن عفان
Uthman ibn Affan was the third of Prophet Muhammad’s
successors. He was known as the leader of the faithful and ruled for
approximately 12 years. The first six years were times of relative
tranquillity and peace, however the last years of his reign were marred by
internal conflict, and pockets of rebels trying to cause havoc throughout the
Caliphate. Uthman is remembered as a pious, gentle, and kind man, known for his
modesty and shyness, and admired for his generosity. He ruled with
impartial justice and mild and humane policies, based on his obedience to God
and his love for Prophet Muhammad and the Muslim nation.
Uthman, may God be pleased with him, was born seven
years after Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him,
and belonged to the Umayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. The Umayyads
were the most influential clan of the Quraish, they were the strongest and
wealthiest, and Uthman was their “golden child”, the most beloved, due to his
good manners and shyness. Like his predecessor Omar ibn Al Khattab,
Uthman was able to read and write. This was an unusual skill in pre
Islamic Arabia and Uthman became a successful trader and cloth merchant.
Throughout his life he was known as a kind, generous man and even before
his conversion to Islam he would freely give money to help those in need.
It was his close friend Abu Bakr who introduced Uthman
to Islam and he embraced the new religion at the age of thirty-four. This
was during the very early days of Islam when the men of Mecca were
systematically abusing and torturing any converts to Islam. In spite of
the abuse, Uthman would not give up his Islam and in time Uthman was married to
Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, Ruqiayah, thus strengthening his relationship to
the Prophet.
The abuse and torture continued and Uthman’s wealthy
family and status in society as a merchant did not protect him. He was
abused and tortured even by members of his own family; his uncle shackled his
hands and feet and shut him in a dark enclosed room. The continual bad
treatment by his close family led Uthman and his wife to participate in the
first migration to Abyssinia. Prophet Muhammad praised his forbearing
character and said “After Lot, Uthman is the first man who, with his wife, has
given up the comfort of his home for the sake of God”. After some time
Uthman and Ruqiayah returned to Mecca to be with the struggling Muslims and
their beloved father and Prophet.
Uthman formed a very close relationship with Prophet
Muhammad, and he gained intricate knowledge about the religion of Islam.
He narrated 146 traditions directly from the Prophet himself and was one of
very few people who were able to write down Quran. Uthman also became a
reference point for those trying to learn the rituals of worship. He
understood and was able to instruct others in the rituals of ablution, prayer,
and other Islamic obligations. Uthman also participated in the migration
to Medina and here he assisted Prophet Muhammad in establishing the Muslim
nation. Prophet Muhammad even referred to him as his assistant.
In Medina, water was scarce and control of the wells
was tightly held by several men. Because he was a skilful trader and
negotiator, Uthman set about trying to procure a well for the use of the
Muslims. He negotiated a price for half a well; he would have control one
day and the other owner the next day. However, Uthman gave his water to
the Muslims freely, so nobody wanted to pay for the water on the alternate
days. The original owner of the well had no choice but to sell his half
of the well to Uthman who nevertheless paid a fair price for it. Uthman
continued to allow the water to be used freely by all and never reminded the
people of his charity. He was humble and modest.
Uthman gave freely from his wealth to please God and
His messenger Muhammad. Historical Islamic stories mention that every
Friday Uthman would buy slaves for the purpose of setting them free and that
although he was wealthy he was often without servants because of this habit.
When Prophet Muhammad and the Muslim armies were going to fight the
Byzantines at Tabuk, he called on the wealthier people to give from their
wealth and property to support and equip the soldiers. Uthman presented
200 saddled camels and 200 ounces of gold. He also gave 1,000
dinars. Prophet Muhammad kept asking for donations hoping to inspire
others to give as freely as Uthman. However, it was Uthman who surpassed
them all and gave a total of 900 equipped camels. [1]
The portrait we are able to build of Uthman is that of
a generous, unassuming, and kind man. He was known for his humbleness,
modesty, and piety. Uthman would often spend the nights in prayer and he
was known to fast often, sometimes on alternative days. In spite of his
wealth, he lived simply and would often sleep, wrapped in a blanket, on the
sand of the mosque. Uthman was appointed as the third leader of the
Muslims after Prophet Muhammad by a council of six men. He continued the
humane and just rule of Prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and Omar. He cared
for the Muslims and expanded the Muslim Caliphate into Morocco, Afghanistan,
and Azerbaijan. For six years, his reign was one of peace and calmness,
but the winds of change were blowing over the empire.
Uthman ibn Affan, like his predecessors was a
man of the people. He was modest, shy, and humble but still his later
reign was marred by infighting and rebellion. God had chosen Uthman to be
the third leader but the people of dissension plotted to remove him from this
noble position. Prophet Muhammad had prophesized that Uthman would be
placed in a very difficult situation when he said, “Perhaps God will clothe
you with a shirt, Uthman, and if the people want you to take it off, do not
take it off for them.” Uthman did not remove his shirt, his love for
God and his Messenger kept him both strong and humble in the face of old age
and extreme difficulties.
Uthman ibn Affan[2]
was a man so loved by Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of
God be upon him, that he was called the possessor of two lights.
Uthman was married to Prophet Muhammad’s daughter Ruqiayah and when she died,
he married Muhammad’s other daughter, Umm Kulthum, thus possessing the two
lights.
Uthman ibn Affan was appointed Caliph (leader of the
Muslim nation) through a process of consultation and careful
deliberation. On his deathbed, Omar ibn Al Khattab appointed a council of
six men to choose a new leader. It was a time of confusion and chaos for
the Muslims, small disagreements were becoming obstacles. Some people
wanted to appoint Ali ibn Abu Talib because he was from Prophet Muhammad’s
family, others wanted to appoint Uthman because he was from one of the great
tribes of Mecca. Ibn Kathir, the respected Islamic scholar of the 14th
century suggests that the leader of the council, Abdu Rahman ibn Awf questioned
both men and then chose Uthman.
Abdurrahman asked Ali, “Do you swear to rule by the
glorious book of God (Quran) and the Sunnah (traditions) of His
messenger?” To which he replied, “I hope to act according to my best
knowledge and capacity”. When Abdurrahman asked Uthman the same question,
he replied simply, “I do”. It would be too simplistic to suggest that the
decision was made solely by the answer to this question but rather it was part
of a process of reflection and deliberation. Both men were amongst
several who were eminently qualified to lead the Muslim nation. Uthman
was a man known to be pious, generous, and modest, perhaps his simple answer
reflected his personality. A shy man, who spoke few words but whose heart
was filled with love for God and His messenger.
Immediately after being elected, Uthman ibn Affan
addressed the people from the minbar previously used by Prophet Muhammad.
He looked at the Muslims and praised God, sent blessings upon Prophet Muhammad,
and reminded the people that this world was full of deception. He advised
the people to shun living luxurious lives and to seek a place in the hereafter,
full of happiness and peace.
“And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is
like water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth
mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry
and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And God is Able to do
everything. Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this
world. But the good righteous deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of
God’s obedience, good and nice talk, remembrance of God with glorification,
praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and
better in respect of hope.” (Quran 18: 45 - 46)
Uthman was a pious man who loved and trusted God
completely, thus his first action as leader was to assure the people that he
would guide them according to the way of the Prophet and Caliphs Abu Bakr and
Omar ibn Al Khattab. Uthman was turning 70 when he became leader of the
Muslims and for many years, he had refrained from the pleasures of this life in
order to seek nearness to God. After setting a tone of piety and concern
for Muslims that would be the hallmark of his reign, Uthman turned his
attention to giving direction to the governors and the Muslim armies.
To the governors Uthman expressed his desire for them
to serve the people, and never to exploit them. He sent prominent
companions of Prophet Muhammad, as his personal deputies to the provinces to
scrutinize the conduct of officials and the condition of the people.
Uthman reminded the armies to follow the clear guidelines set down by Omar ibn
Al Khattab and asked them never to forget that they were defending the
believers. Extensive conquests were made during the reign of Uthman,
including parts of Spain, Morocco, and Afghanistan. Uthman was also the
first Caliph to organise a navy. He reorganised the administrative
divisions of the Muslim Caliphate, expanded, and initiated many public
projects. Perhaps Uthman’s most astounding contribution to the Muslims
was his compilation of the Quran.
The Uthmani Quran
After the death of Prophet Muhammad and during the
time of the Caliphs, hundreds of thousands of non-Arabs converted to
Islam. Consequently, the Quran began to be recited and written in various
different dialects and scripts. One of Prophet Mohammad’s companions, and
Uthman’s friend Hudhaifah, whilst on a journey noticed that there were many
different recitations of Quran throughout the Muslim Empire. Hudhaifah
suggested to Uthman that there be an official version written in
the style used in Medina.
Uthman knew the Quran by heart and had intimate
knowledge of the context and circumstances relating to each verse. The
Quran had been gathered during the time of Abu Bakr and was in the safekeeping
of Prophet Muhammad’s wife Hafsah. Uthman took possession of the
originals and ordered some of the most trusted companions to make careful
copies. He then ordered all other unofficial copies to be burned
or otherwise destroyed. Five official copies were sent to the greatest
cities of the Muslim Caliphate. Original copies exist to this day in
Tashkent, Uzbekistan and the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey.
A Tragic End
The final six years of Uthman’s reign were marked by
rebellion. Some of the governors that had been appointed during the reign of
Uthman were heavy handed and to some extent unjust. In this way, the seeds of
dissension spread and many of the people began to love the luxuries of life
that Uthman had warned against. Conspiracies arose and it was difficult
for Uthman to discern friend from foe. He was reluctant to shed the blood
of any Muslim however rebellious they may be. Uthman preferred to
persuade with kindness and generosity for he always remembered the words of
Prophet Muhammad. “Once the sword is unsheathed among my followers, it
will not be sheathed until the Last Day.”
The rebels called for Uthman to step down and indeed
many of the companions advised him to do so. Uthman, now an old man of more
than 80 years, heard the words of his beloved prophet ringing in his ears and
refused to stand down from his position. “Perhaps God will clothe you
with a shirt, Uthman and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it
off for them.” Uthman remained true to his covenant but after a long
siege, the rebels broke into his house and murdered him. As the
assassin’s sword struck, Uthman was reciting the following verse.
“So God will suffice for you against them. And He is the All
Hearer and the All Knower.” (Quran 2:137)
Such was the tragic end of one of the most pious, kind
and selfless men in Islam.
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