Uthman ibn Affan

I. Introduction

Uthman ibn Affan (Arabic: عُثْمَان بْن عَفَّان, romanised: ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān; c. 573 or 576 – 17 June 656) was the third caliph, ruling from 644 until his assassination in 656 رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him.

He was ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan Abi’l-‘Aas ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams ibn ‘Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilab.¹

Dates: Birth and death

He was born in Makkah six year after the year of the Elephant, according to the correct view. ²

Location: Place of birth

It was said that he was born in al-Ta’if. He was about five years younger than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him.³

Lineage

The lineage of Uthman Ibn Affan coincides with that of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him in ‘Abd Manaf. His mother was Arwa bint Kurayz ibn Rabee’ah ibn Habeeb ibn ‘Abd Shams ibn ‘Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy.⁴ Her mother was Umm Hakeem al-Bayda bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib, who was the full sister of ‘Abd-Allah, the father of the Prophet ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him, and it was said that they were twins (this was narrated by al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar). So he was the son of the cousin (daughter of paternal aunt) of the Prophet ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him, and the Prophet ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him was the cousin (son of maternal uncle) of his mother. The mother of ‘Uthman became Muslim and died during the caliphate of her son ‘Uthman, and he was among those who carried her to her grave.⁵ ‘Uthman’s رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him father died during the Jahiliyyah.

II. Early Life and Upbringing

Describe their upbringing and childhood environment.

His Physical Attributes

He was neither short nor tall, soft skinned, with a huge thick beard, big-boned, broad-shouldered, with thick hair on his head, and he used to dye his beard with saffron. Az-Zuhri said: “‘Uthman was a man of average height, with handsome hair and face and a bald spot; he was bow-legged,⁶ with a hooked nose, big calves, and long arms that were covered with hair. He had the most handsome mouth of all people, his hair came down below his ears, and he had a handsome face. It is most likely that he was white-skinned, and it was said that he was dark skinned.⁷

His Family

‘Uthman رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him married eight wives in all, all of them after Islam. They were:

• Ruqayyah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him, who bore him ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Uthman.
• After Ruqayyah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا Allah be pleased with her died, Umm Kulthoom, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him
• Fakhitah bint Ghazwan, she was the sister of the governor ‘Utbah ibn Ghazwan. She bore ‘Uthman ‘Abd-Allah the younger;
• Umm ‘Amr bint Jundub al-Azdiyyah, who bore ‘Uthman ‘Amr, Khalid, Aban, ‘Umar and Maryam.
• Fatimah bint al-Waleed ibn ‘AbdShams ibn al-Mugheerah al-Makhzoomiyyah, who bore him al-Waleed, Sa’eed and Umm Sa’d.
• Umm al-Baneen bint ‘Uyaynah ibn Husn al-Fizariyyah, who bore him ‘Abd-Allah.
• Ramlah bint Shaybah ibn Rabee’ah al-Umawiyyah, who bore him ‘Aaishah, Umm Aban and Umm ‘Amr.
• Na’ilah bint al-Farafisah al-Kalbiyyah, who was a Christian, then she became Muslim before he consummated the marriage with her, and she became a good Muslimah.⁸

Pre-Islamic life

During the Jahiliyyah, ‘Uthman رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him was among the best of his people. He was of high status, very wealthy, extremely modest, and eloquent in speech. His people loved him dearly and respected him. He never prostrated to any idol during the Jahiliyyah and he never committed any immoral action. He did not drink alcohol before Islam and he used to say: It (alcohol) destroys reason and reason is the most sublime thing that Allah has given to man, and man should elevate himself by means of reason, not try to destroy it. Similarly, during the Jahiliyyah he was not attracted to songs or entertainment. ‘Uthman also used to refrain from looking at any ‘awrah.⁹

May Allah have mercy of ‘Uthman رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him, for he made it easy for us to get to know him, when he said: “I had no interest in songs, I never committed any immoral deed, and my right hand never touched my private part since I swore allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him. I did not drink alcohol during the Jahiliyyah or in Islam, and I did not commit zina during the Jahiliyyah or in Islam.”¹⁰

He was well versed in the knowledge that was available to the Arabs during the Jahiliyyah, including lineages, proverbs, and the history of important events. He travelled to Syria and Abyssinia, and mixed with non-Arab peoples, learning things about their lives and customs that no one else knew.¹¹

He took care of the business that he had inherited from his father, and his wealth grew. He was regarded as one of the men of Banu Umayyah who were held in high esteem by all of Quraysh. In the Jahili society of Makkah in which ‘Uthman lived, men were respected for their wealth and for the number of children and brothers they had, then for the tribe and people to which they belonged. ‘Uthman was regarded as being of high status among his people, and he was loved dearly.

Among the evidence which points to the people’s love for ‘Uthman because of this combination of good qualities is the report which says that at that time, an Arab woman would sing to her child a song which speaks of the people’s respect and love for him:

“By the most Merciful, I love you as much as Quraysh love ‘Uthman.”¹²

III. Journey to Islam

‘Uthman was thirty-four years old when Abu Bakr al-Siddiq called him to Islam, and he did not hesitate at all, rather he responded immediately to the call of Abu Bakr. Thus he was one of the earliest Muslims, of whom Ibn Ishaq said: The first person to become Muslim after Abu Bakr, ‘Ali and Zayd ibn Harithah was ‘Uthman. ¹³

Thus he was the fourth man to embrace Islam. His coming to Islam so early was, perhaps, the result of what happened to him when he was returning from Syria. He told the Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him about that when he entered upon him along with Talhah ibn ‘Ubayd-Allah and he presented Islam to them and recited Qur’an to them, and told them of the duties of Islam and promised them that they would be honoured by Allah. They believed him, and ‘Uthman said: O Messenger of Allah, I have come recently from Syria, and when we were between Ma’an and al-Zarqa’, I was about to sleep when I heard a voice calling: O sleepers, get up, for Ahmad has emerged in Makkah. Then we came here and heard about you.¹⁴

Undoubtedly this incident had a positive effect on ‘Uthman and he could not forget it when he could see all the facts before him with his own eyes. How could anyone who heard of the emergence of a Prophet before reaching the city in which he lived, and found upon his arrival that what he had heard was true, then hesitate to respond to the call? No matter how arrogant a man may be, he cannot fail to submit to the truth; if he tries to ignore it his conscience will continue to trouble him until he either believes in it or dies, thus saving himself from the stirrings of his conscience.

‘Uthman quick response was not based on foolishness or rashness, rather it was based on certainty and firm belief that left no room four doubt.¹⁶

He thought about this new call calmly, as was his way in all things, and he found that it was a call to virtue, a call to shun immorality, a call to Tawheed and a warning against heedlessness, a call to good morals and a warning against bad morals. Then he looked at his people and saw them worshiping idols, eating dead meat, mistreating their neighbours and regarding as permissible forbidden things such as the shedding of blood, etc.¹⁷

But the Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-ullah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him was sincere and trustworthy; he knew nothing but good about him and he had heard nothing bad about him. He was calling for the worship of Allah alone with no partner or associate, and for the upholding of family ties, kind treatment of neighbours, prayer and fasting, and not worshiping anything other than Allah.¹⁸ So he became Muslim at the hands of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, and he persisted in his faith, calling others to Islam in a friendly and patient manner; he was content and generous, helping the weak and oppressed until Islam became strong.¹⁹

IV. Character and Virtues

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him was reclining in his house while his legs were uncovered. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him sought permission to enter, so he permitted him to enter and he spoke to him. Then Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him sought permission to enter, so he was permitted likewise, and he spoke to him as well while he continued to recline. Then Sayyiduna ‘Uthman رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him came and sought permission to enter, so the Prophet ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him sat up and straightened his garments. Sayyiduna ‘Uthman رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him was then permitted to enter and he spoke to him.

When he left, Sayyidah  ‘Aaishah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا Allah be pleased with her said to Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): ‘Abu Bakr came and you did not move, ‘Umar came and you did not move, but when ‘Uthman came you sat up and straightened your garments?’ He said:

“Should I not feel shy before a man whom the Angels feel shy of “?²⁰

‘Uthman رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him is regarded as one of the senior scholars among the Shahabah with regard to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him.

The most sincere (of this ummah) in modesty is ‘Uthman

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him said:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَجِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْحَذَّاءُ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏ “‏ أَرْحَمُ أُمَّتِي بِأُمَّتِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَأَشَدُّهُمْ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ عُمَرُ وَأَصْدَقُهُمْ حَيَاءً عُثْمَانُ وَأَقْضَاهُمْ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ وَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالْحَلاَلِ وَالْحَرَامِ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ وَأَفْرَضُهُمْ زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَمِينًا وَأَمِينُ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ‏”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that:

The Messenger of Allah said: The most merciful of my Ummah towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr; the one who adheres most sternly to the religion of Allah is ‘Umar; the most sincere of them in shyness and modesty is ‘Uthman; the best judge is ‘Ali bin Abu Talib; the best in reciting the Book of Allah is Ubayy bin Ka’b; the most knowledgeable of what is lawful and unlawful is Mu’adh bin Jabal; and the most knowledgeable of the rules of inheritance (Fara’id) is Zaid bin Thabit. And every nation has a trustworthy guardian, and the trustworthy guardian of this Ummah is Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Jarrah.”²¹

`Uthman’s generosity was boundless. Even before he became caliph, he was always ready to spend in the cause of Islam and to help the needy with his wealth. On two special occasions he proved to be one of the most generous men of his time.

In AH 9 the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) got the news that the Romans were plotting to destroy the newly emerging Islamic state, so he wanted the Muslims to equip themselves and prepare for the attack. That seemed impossible because in that year the Muslims suffered from reduced crops and limited resources, as they had faced an extremely hot summer. They did not have enough resources to meet such a powerful army, and most of the Muslims were poor. This situation did not stop the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He urged his Companions to prepare for the battle. Every Companion tried his or her best to strengthen the army. The women sold the few jewels they had to help the men prepare for the battle.

Though hundreds of Companions were ready to enter the battlefield, they were short of many things that were required for the battle, such as horses, camels, even swords and spears. The Prophet told them that this was a matter of life or death for the new Islamic state. The Prophet made a loud and clear announcement: “Anyone who provides outfits for the soldiers will have all his sins forgiven by Allah.”

The moment Uthman heard this, he outfitted two hundred saddled camels that were to travel to Ash-Sham, and presented them all with 200 ounces of gold as charity. He also fetched 1,000 dinars and cast them into the lap of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Again and againUthman gave till his charity topped 900 camels and 100 horses, besides the money he paid. Seeing Uthman’s generosity, the Prophet made the following statement: “From this day on, nothing will harmUthman regardless of what he does.”²²

V. Contributions to Islam

As Caliph, Uthman’s contributions were monumental. His most notable achievement was the compilation of the Quran Quran into a single, authoritative text, a monumental task that preserved the word of Allah for future generations.

Under his leadership, the Islamic empire expanded rapidly, stretching across North Africa and into the Byzantine territories. Uthman’s era was marked by prosperity, but his policies also laid the groundwork for future challenges within the Muslim community.

The expansion of the Muslim empire under his leadership, despite the challenges, laid the groundwork for the flourishing of Islamic civilization in the centuries that followed. Reflecting on Uthman’s Enduring Impact Today, Uthman ibn Affan’s legacy shines brightly, guiding the Muslim community with principles of leadership, faith, and unity in diversity. His life and martyrdom highlight the vital importance of staying true to Islamic values and navigating governance challenges in a growing community. Uthman’s tale highlights the complexities of leadership and the importance of unwavering faith. By compiling the Quran, he preserved Islam’s message for future generations. His contributions significantly enriched Islamic scholarship.

His legacy lives on, inspiring generations to explore the depths of their faith and the rich history of Islam. ²³

Conquests at the time of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him

VI. Narrations and Hadiths

Prepare for death yourself [khutbah of Uthman]

It is narrated that ‘Uthmān b. ʿAffān – Allāh be pleased with him – said in a sermon:

Son of Adam! Know that the angel of death who has been assigned to you has not ceased to pass you and move on to others, ever since you have been in this world. But it is as if he is about to pass someone else and move on to target you, so be careful and prepare for him (by correcting your deeds). And do not forget him, for he does not forget you. And know o son of Adam, if you are heedless about yourself and do not prepare, no one else will prepare for you. You must meet Allah the Mighty and Majestic, so take for yourself and do not leave it to someone else. Peace be on you.

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm 2: 73, 74.²⁴

Regular Reading of the Quran

It is reported that ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān – Allāh be pleased with him – said: I do not like it that a day or night comes upon me without me looking at the speech of Allāh, meaning reading from the muṣḥaf.

Imām Aḥmad, Al-Zuhd #675.

Sermon of Uthman on Guidance before Death

It is reported that ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān – Allāh be pleased with him – once addressed the people in a sermon. He praised Allāh, then said: O people! Fear Allāh and obey Him, for piety is a valuable prize. Verily the most intelligent person is he who takes account of himself and works for what comes after death, and acquires through the light (guidance) of Allāh a light for the darkness of the grave.

The servant of Allāh should fear lest Allāh the Mighty and Sublime resurrects him blind though he used to see. A few comprehensive words can be enough for a wise man, whereas the deaf (who does not listen to guidance) is being called from afar. And know that whoever Allāh the Mighty and Sublime is with has nothing to fear; but whoever Allāh the Mighty and Sublime is against, then in whom can he hope after Allāh?!

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm 4:116,117.

VII. Opposition at the end

During his caliphate, Uthman faced a lot of hostility. His rivals started accusing him of not following the Prophet and the preceding caliphs. However, the Companions who were true defended him. These accusations never changed him. He remained persistent to be a merciful governor. Even during the time when his foes attacked him, he did not use the treasury funds to shield his house or himself. As envisaged by Prophet Muhammad,Uthman’s enemies relentlessly made his governing difficult by constantly opposing and accusing him. His opponents finally plotted against him, surrounded his house, and encouraged people to kill him.

Many of his advisors asked him to stop the assault but he did not, until he was killed while reciting the Qur’an exactly as the Prophet had predicted. `Uthman died as a martyr.

Anas ibn Malik narrated the following hadith:

The Prophet once climbed the mountain of Uhud with Abu Bakr, Umar, andUthman. The mountain shook with them. The Prophet said (to the mountain), “Be firm, O Uhud! For on you there is a Prophet, a Siddiq, and two martyrs.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 5, Book 57, Number 24).

VIII. Conclusion

References:

1. At-Tabaqat by Ibn Sa’d, 3/53; Al-lsabah. 4/377, no. 5463 ↩︎
2. Al-Isabah, 4/377, no. 5465 ↩︎
3. Uthman ibn Affan, by Sadiq ‘Arjoon, p. 45 ↩︎
4. At-Tamheed wal-Bayan fi Maqatal al-Shaheed Uthman, by Muhammad Yahya al-Andalusi, p. 19 ↩︎
5. al-Khilafah al-Rashidah wa’l-Dawlah al-Umawiyyah, by Dr. Yahya al-Yahya, p. 388 ↩︎
6. Tareekh at-Tabari, 5/440 ↩︎
7. Sifat al-Safwah, 1/295; Saheeh al-Tawtheeq fi Seerat wa Hayat Dhi’l Noorayn, p. 15 ↩︎
8. Tareekh at-Tabari, 5/441; al-Tamheed wa’l-Bayan fi Maqtal al-Shaheed ‘Uthman, p. 19; al-Ameen Dhu’l-Noorayn, by Mahmoud Shakir, p. 364 ↩︎
9. Mawsoo’at al-Tareekh al-Islami, by Ahmad Shalaby, 1/618 ↩︎
10. Hilyat al-Awliya, 1/60, 61. This report is saheeh. ↩︎
11. Aqbariyyat ‘Uthman by al-Aqqad, p. 72 ↩︎
12. Mawsoo’at al-Tareekh al-Islami, 1/618 ↩︎
13. Al-Seerah al-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hisham, 1/287-289 ↩︎
14. At-Tabaqat by Ibn Sa’d, 3/55 ↩︎
15. Image from: https://sabonhomeblog.tumblr.com/post/184272452654/petra-ma-an-jordan ↩︎
16. Jawlah Tareekhiyyah fi ‘Asr al-Khulafa al-Rashideen, p.302 ↩︎
17. See: Marwiyat al-Ahd al-Makki, by ‘Aadil ‘Abd al-Ghafoor, 2/805 ↩︎
18. Fitnah Maqtal ‘Uthman, by Dr. Muhammad ‘Abd-Allah al-Ghaban, 1/37 ↩︎
19. ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, by Sadiq ‘Arjoon, p.53 ↩︎
20. Modesty of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Peace and Blessings be upon him and ‘Uthman ibn Affan رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ Allah be pleased with him https://islamqa.org/hanafi/hadithanswers/118867/the-modesty-of-sayyiduna-uthman-ibn-affan-radiyallahu-anhu/ ↩︎
21. Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, Baqi Kitab Musnad al-Mukthireen, Bab Musnad Anas ibn Malik, 12493 ↩︎
22. Uthman ibn Affan The Man With Two Lights (Part Two), last visited on 26/06/2024 https://islamonline.net/en/uthman-ibn-affan-the-man-with-two-lights-part-two/ ↩︎
23. Uthman ibn Affan: The Architect of the Quran’s Compilation
    https://iqranetwork.com/blog/uthman-ibn-affan-the-architect-of-the-qurans-compilation/, last visited: 26/06/2024 ↩︎
24. Sayings of the Salaf, visited on: 26/06/2024 @ https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/name/uthman-b-affan/ ↩︎