Uthman Ibn Affan (part 1 of 2)
- Categories: Stories of the Companions -
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. 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.
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Footnotes:
[1] The Sealed Nectar. Safi Ur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri.
By Aisha Stacey
IslamReligion.com
Revised to agree with authentic
hadeeth