Life Of Uthman ibn Affan (ALLAH Bless With Him)
Quick Facts
|
Uthman ibn Affan (Arabic: عثمان بن عفان) born in 576 CE and died in 17 June 656 CE was a companion (Sahabi) and the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). He played a major role in early Islamic history as the third of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 644 – 656 CE when he became the third Muslim Caliph following Umar ibn al-Khattab death at the age of 65.
Under his leadership, the empire expanded into Fars in 650 (present-day Iran), some areas of Khorasan (present-day Afghanistan) in 651 and the conquest of Armenia was begun in the 640s. Some of Uthman's notable achievements were the economic reforms he introduced, and the compilation of the Qur'an into the unified, authoritative text that is known today.
Under his leadership, the empire expanded into Fars in 650 (present-day Iran), some areas of Khorasan (present-day Afghanistan) in 651 and the conquest of Armenia was begun in the 640s. Some of Uthman's notable achievements were the economic reforms he introduced, and the compilation of the Qur'an into the unified, authoritative text that is known today.
Early Life
City of Taif today
The exact date of birth of Uthman is not known with any degree of certainty. There is also some controversy about the exact age attained by Uthman. When he died in 656 C.E. some said that he was eighty-five, while others said that he was eighty.
The weight of available evidence is to the effect that Uthman was 80/79 old at the time of his martyrdom. On this basis it can be computed that Uthman was born around 576 C.E - 577 C.E. That was six years after the "Year of the Elephant" the year when Abraha the Christian Viceroy of Yemen invaded Makkah, and had to withdraw having failed in his object. Uthman was younger than the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) of Islam by five or six years.
Although the family of Uthman belonged to Makkah they had some property in Taif as well, and Uthman was born in Taif and not in Makkah. As Taif is a hill station, the presumption is that Uthman was born during the summer months of the year 576 - 577 C.E.
Uthman belonged to the Umayyad section of the Quraish. He was the son of Affan, who was the son of Abi Al A'as, who was the son of Umayyah, who was the son of Abd Shams, who was the son Abd Manaf.
The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was the son of Abdullah, who was the son of Abdul Muttalib, who was the son of Hashim, who was the son of Abd Manaf.
On the mother's side Uthman's relationship with the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was still closer. His mother was Urwa. She was the daughter of Kariz, who was the son of Rabeah, who was the son of Habib who was the son of Abd Shams.
Urwa's mother was Umm Hakim who was a sister of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) father. Urwa was thus a first cousin of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). On this basis, Uthman was a nephew of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) both on the side of the father as well as the mother.
Abd Manaf was the common ancestor of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as well as Uthman. Abd Shams and Hashim were the two sons of Abd Manaf. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was descended from Hashim, while Uthman was a descendant of Abd Shams. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was fourth in descent from Abd Manaf, while Uthman was fifth in descent from Abd Manaf. Affan the father of Uthman was thus a second cousin of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and Uthman was a nephew of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) .
In his book History of the Caliphs, Jalaluddin Suyuti records on the authority of Ibn Asakir that Uthman was of medium stature, neither short, nor tall. He was of a comely aspect. His complexion was white with a yellowish tinge. There were faint marks of small pox on his face, which instead of disfiguring the comeliness of his appearance, added to his beauty. He was full bearded, and the beard looked well on his face. The locks of the hair of his head fell below his ears. He was large of limbs, broad between the shoulders; fleshy in the thighs; and long in the forearms. His teeth were most beautiful, and were bound with wires of gold.
No account has been preserved about the early life of Uthman. Only a few stray facts can be gleaned from here and there and on the basis of this meager information, we can have some glimpses of the early life of Uthman.
Uthman was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. His father Affan was a merchant and was counted as one of the richest men among the Quraish. Uthman was one of the few young men in Makkah who could read and write. This shows that as a child, Uthman received formal education.
Uthman spent the days of his childhood like other Arab children. One of the games played by the Arab children was to uncover themselves and carry stones in their shirts. One day when as a child Uthman had uncovered himself he heard a voice "Cover yourself". Uthman hastened to cover himself. Thereafter he never uncovered himself. Thus at an early age, Uthman developed the habit of modesty, and that remained his lifelong attribute.
Affan the father of Uthman died young when travelling abroad. Uthman was hardly twenty years old at the time of the death of his father. His father, however, left much wealth for him to inherit. Uthman followed the same profession as his father. His business flourished, and after a few years he became a millionaire, one of the richest men among the Quraish. For his wealth, Uthman came to be called "Uthman Ghani".
After the death of Affan, Urwa the mother of Uthman married Uqba bin Maheet. From the accounts that have come down to us it appears that Urwa had only two children from Affan, namely: Uthman and his sister Amna. She bore Uqba three sons and one daughter, namely: Walid; Khalid;'Amr and Umm Kulthum.
It appears that during the age of ignorance, Uthman had two wives, namely Umm'Amr bint Jandab, and Fatimah bint Al Walid. Bint 'Amr was the mother of 'Amr, Khalid; Aban; Umar; and Maryam. Fatimah was the mother of Walid; Said; and Umm Said.
Amr, was the eldest son of Uthman, and during the pre-Islamic period, Uthman was known by the surname of Abu'Amr.Uthman was conspicuous for his strong moral character. He was handsome and wealthy, and many women were attracted to him, but he never touched a woman beyond wedlock. In the immoral society of Makkah in the age of ignorance, he led a chaste life. He never touched wine. He did not gamble, and took no part in the frivolities which formed the pastime of the youth of Makkah.
He enjoyed the friendship of Abu Bakr. Even in the pre-Islamic period he profited from the company of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He was much impressed with the personality of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and always sought his counsel and guidance. He did not worship the idols in the Kaaba.
He was an embodiment of modesty. In spite of his wealth there was no sense of pride in him. He never boasted of anything. He never tried to thrust his opinion on others. He believed in action rather than talk. There was a particular decorum and dignity about him. He was very particular that by his behavior he did not offend any body. On account of his endearing qualities of head and heart, he enjoyed great popularity among the people of Makkah.
The weight of available evidence is to the effect that Uthman was 80/79 old at the time of his martyrdom. On this basis it can be computed that Uthman was born around 576 C.E - 577 C.E. That was six years after the "Year of the Elephant" the year when Abraha the Christian Viceroy of Yemen invaded Makkah, and had to withdraw having failed in his object. Uthman was younger than the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) of Islam by five or six years.
Although the family of Uthman belonged to Makkah they had some property in Taif as well, and Uthman was born in Taif and not in Makkah. As Taif is a hill station, the presumption is that Uthman was born during the summer months of the year 576 - 577 C.E.
Uthman belonged to the Umayyad section of the Quraish. He was the son of Affan, who was the son of Abi Al A'as, who was the son of Umayyah, who was the son of Abd Shams, who was the son Abd Manaf.
The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was the son of Abdullah, who was the son of Abdul Muttalib, who was the son of Hashim, who was the son of Abd Manaf.
On the mother's side Uthman's relationship with the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was still closer. His mother was Urwa. She was the daughter of Kariz, who was the son of Rabeah, who was the son of Habib who was the son of Abd Shams.
Urwa's mother was Umm Hakim who was a sister of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) father. Urwa was thus a first cousin of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). On this basis, Uthman was a nephew of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) both on the side of the father as well as the mother.
Abd Manaf was the common ancestor of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as well as Uthman. Abd Shams and Hashim were the two sons of Abd Manaf. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was descended from Hashim, while Uthman was a descendant of Abd Shams. The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was fourth in descent from Abd Manaf, while Uthman was fifth in descent from Abd Manaf. Affan the father of Uthman was thus a second cousin of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and Uthman was a nephew of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) .
In his book History of the Caliphs, Jalaluddin Suyuti records on the authority of Ibn Asakir that Uthman was of medium stature, neither short, nor tall. He was of a comely aspect. His complexion was white with a yellowish tinge. There were faint marks of small pox on his face, which instead of disfiguring the comeliness of his appearance, added to his beauty. He was full bearded, and the beard looked well on his face. The locks of the hair of his head fell below his ears. He was large of limbs, broad between the shoulders; fleshy in the thighs; and long in the forearms. His teeth were most beautiful, and were bound with wires of gold.
No account has been preserved about the early life of Uthman. Only a few stray facts can be gleaned from here and there and on the basis of this meager information, we can have some glimpses of the early life of Uthman.
Uthman was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. His father Affan was a merchant and was counted as one of the richest men among the Quraish. Uthman was one of the few young men in Makkah who could read and write. This shows that as a child, Uthman received formal education.
Uthman spent the days of his childhood like other Arab children. One of the games played by the Arab children was to uncover themselves and carry stones in their shirts. One day when as a child Uthman had uncovered himself he heard a voice "Cover yourself". Uthman hastened to cover himself. Thereafter he never uncovered himself. Thus at an early age, Uthman developed the habit of modesty, and that remained his lifelong attribute.
Affan the father of Uthman died young when travelling abroad. Uthman was hardly twenty years old at the time of the death of his father. His father, however, left much wealth for him to inherit. Uthman followed the same profession as his father. His business flourished, and after a few years he became a millionaire, one of the richest men among the Quraish. For his wealth, Uthman came to be called "Uthman Ghani".
After the death of Affan, Urwa the mother of Uthman married Uqba bin Maheet. From the accounts that have come down to us it appears that Urwa had only two children from Affan, namely: Uthman and his sister Amna. She bore Uqba three sons and one daughter, namely: Walid; Khalid;'Amr and Umm Kulthum.
It appears that during the age of ignorance, Uthman had two wives, namely Umm'Amr bint Jandab, and Fatimah bint Al Walid. Bint 'Amr was the mother of 'Amr, Khalid; Aban; Umar; and Maryam. Fatimah was the mother of Walid; Said; and Umm Said.
Amr, was the eldest son of Uthman, and during the pre-Islamic period, Uthman was known by the surname of Abu'Amr.Uthman was conspicuous for his strong moral character. He was handsome and wealthy, and many women were attracted to him, but he never touched a woman beyond wedlock. In the immoral society of Makkah in the age of ignorance, he led a chaste life. He never touched wine. He did not gamble, and took no part in the frivolities which formed the pastime of the youth of Makkah.
He enjoyed the friendship of Abu Bakr. Even in the pre-Islamic period he profited from the company of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He was much impressed with the personality of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and always sought his counsel and guidance. He did not worship the idols in the Kaaba.
He was an embodiment of modesty. In spite of his wealth there was no sense of pride in him. He never boasted of anything. He never tried to thrust his opinion on others. He believed in action rather than talk. There was a particular decorum and dignity about him. He was very particular that by his behavior he did not offend any body. On account of his endearing qualities of head and heart, he enjoyed great popularity among the people of Makkah.
Conversion to Islam and After
Uthman was an early convert to Islam and is said to have spent a great amount of his wealth on charity, therefore he gained the epithet "Uthman Ghani", which means "Uthman the giver". As a trader, Uthman traveled frequentl y to Yemen, Syria, Abyssinia and elsewhere. In the year 610, Uthman went as usual with a trading caravan to Syria. This year the business of Uthman had been particularly brisk, and he had earned a huge profit.
On returning from a business trip, Uthman found out that Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had declared his mission. After a discussion with his friend Abu Bakr, Uthman decided to convert to Islam, and Abu Bakr took him to Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to whom he declared his faith. Uthman thus became the fourth male to convert to Islam, after Ali, Zayd and Abu Bakr. His conversion to Islam angered his clan, the Banu Ummayyah, who strongly opposed Muhammad's teachings. The only two people who supported Uthman's decision were Saadi, one of his maternal aunts, and Umm Kulthum, who was his stepsister and who had also converted to Islam. Because of his conversion to Islam, Uthman's wives deserted him, and he subsequently divorced them.
The Holy Prophet of Islam was much impressed with the sacrifice that Uthman had made in the cause of Islam, and he married his second daughter Ruqayya to Uthman. In the days of ignorance Ruqayya had been engaged to her cousin Utba son of Abu Lahb, an uncle of the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet declared his mission Abu Lahb became hostile to him, and under his instructions Utba repudiated his engagement to the daughter of the Holy Prophet. Uthman and Ruqayya made a unique pair. Uthman was the most beautiful person among men, and Ruqayya was the most beautiful person among the women of Makkah.
After marriage with Ruqayya, Uthman felt most happy. It was a happy union, and Uthman and Ruqayya were lost in the love of each other. That led to jealousies. The wives of Uthman felt very bitter at their separation from Uthman. The mother of Uthman and his other relatives felt unhappy at his marriage to a daughter of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Uthman and Ruqayya felt that the atmosphere in Makkah was not congenial. Uthman had already some business contacts in Abyssinia, and after a good deal of deliberation and consultation with the Holy Prophet, Uthman and Ruqayya decided to migrate to Abyssinia. On their departure the Holy Prophet prayed for their safety and protection. He said that after the Prophet Lot, Uthman was the first to migrate with his family in the way of ALLAH. After Uthman and his wife had left for Abyssinia, some other Muslims also left for Abyssinia. The Negus of Abyssinia welcomed the emigrants, and provided them with all necessary facilities for their stay in his dominions. The Quraish sent a delegation to Abyssinia to prevail upon the Negus to expel the Muslims from his State. The Negus heard the Quraish as well as the Muslims, and refused to oblige the Quraish by expelling the Muslims. The Quraish delegation saw Uthman, and prevailed upon him to return to Makkah, but they failed in their object.
For long the Holy Prophet got no news about Uthman and Ruqayya, and he got worried about their welfare. A Quraish woman came from Abyssinia to Makkah. The Holy Prophet inquired from her about the welfare of Uthman and Ruqayya. She said that she had seen Ruqayya riding a pony and Uthman walking by her side. She added that Uthman and Ruqayya were doing well in Abyssinia.
In Abyssinia, Uthman followed the profession of a trader. He worked hard, and although there were some difficulties at the outset, these were soon overcome, and the business of Uthman flourished. A son was born to Uthman and Ruqayya in Abyssinia. They named him Abdullah. Henceforward Uthman came to be known by the surname of Abu Abdullah. A colony of the Muslims had sprung up in Abyssinia. Uthman was most popular with the Muslims, and he provided liberal aid to such Muslims who were poor or in distressed circumstances.
After two years, a news spread among the Muslims in Abyssinia that the Quraish of Makkah had accepted Islam. That made Uthman, Ruqayya, and some other Muslims return to Makkah. When these Muslims reached Makkah it transpired that the news about the Quraish having accepted Islam was false. Some of the Muslims who had come from Abyssinia returned there, but Uthman and Ruqayya decided to stay in Makkah.
In Makkah, Uthman had to start his business afresh. The contacts that he had established in Abyssinia stood in good stead and the business of Uthman prospered. Although the number of the Muslims steadily grew, there was no relaxation in the persecution of the Muslims by the Quraish. The family of Uthman continued their pressure, but Uthman's faith in Islam was too firm to know of any wavering. In the persecution of the Muslims, Uqba bin Abi Muheet, the step-father of Uthman (The man his mother had married) was in the forefront. One day Uqba put his sheet round the neck of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), while he was praying in the Kaaba, and tried to strangle him. Abu Bakr and Uthman rushed to the aid of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and frustrated the evil design of Uqba.
In Makkah, Uthman spent most of his time in the company of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He liberally helped such Muslims who were poor. He liberated some Muslim slaves.
When the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and the members of the Banu Hashim were shut up in the valley outside Makkah as a consequence of social boycott by the Quraish, Uthman took steps to ensure that there was no break in the supply of provisions to the besieged persons. Uthman exercised his influence on the youth among the Quraish to create an opinion in favor of the lifting of the boycott.
When after the lifting of the boycott, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had his experience of the "Miraj" (ascension), there were some persons who were skeptical about it. Abu Bakr and Uthman, however, believed in letter as well as in spirit what the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said.
When in 622 C.E., the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) advised the Muslims to migrate to Yathrib, Uthman migrated to Yathrib with his wife Ruqayya. Uthman was among the few Muslims who undertook two migrations in the cause of ALLAH, once to Abyssinia and for the second time to Yathrib.
In Yathrib renamed Madina, Uthman carried on his business as a merchant. His business flourished, and Uthman and Ruqayya lived on happily for sometime in Madina. Such happiness was however short-lived. In 624 C.E. Ruqayya fell ill and died when the Holy Prophet and the Muslims were fighting with the Quraish at the battlefield of Badr. The news of the Muslim victory of Badr was received at Madina when the good lady was being buried. The Holy Prophet could not attend the funeral of Ruqayya. Ruqayya left a son Abdullah, but he died two years after the death of his mother.
Towards the close of the year 625, the Holy Prophet married Hafsa, and Uthman was married to Umm Kulthum the third daughter of the Holy Prophet. While still a child she was engaged to Utaibah a son of Abu Lahb, an uncle of the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet declared his mission, Abu Lahb opposed him, and under his instructions his son Utaibah repudiated his engagement to Umm Kulthum.
When the Holy Prophet married Umm Kulthum to Uthman, he said to her, "Verily, your husband resembles most among men your forefather Abraham, and your father Muhammad". Ibn Asakir has recorded on the authority of lbn Umar that the Holy Prophet said," I find a resemblance in Uthman to my forefather Abraham".
Uthman's union with Umm Kulthum was as happy as that of the union between Uthman and Ruqayya. Unfortunately such happiness was short lived, and Umm Kulthum died in 630 barely six years after her marriage. Umm Kulthum bore no child.
To Uthman belongs the unique honor of having married two daughters of the Holy Prophet, one after the other. For this rare distinction he was called "Dhun-Nurain" The possessor of two lights.
When the Battle of the Trench was fought in 627, Uthman was in charge of a sector of Medina. After the battle a campaign was undertaken against the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa, and when they were taken captive the question of the disposal of the slaves became a problem. Uthman solved the issue by purchasing all the slaves and depositing their price in the Bayt al-mal (Treasury). Any of these slaves who accepted Islam were set free by Uthman in the name of ALLAH.
In March 628 (6 Hijri), Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) set out for Mecca to perform the ritual pilgrimage of Umra. The Quraysh denied the Muslims entry into the city and posted themselves outside Mecca, determined to show resistance, even though the Muslims had no intention or preparation for battle. Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) camped outside Mecca, at Hudaybiyyah, and sent Uthman as his envoy to meet with the leaders of Quraysh and negotiate Muslim entry into the city. The Quraysh made Uthman stay longer in Mecca than he originally planned and refused to inform the Muslims of his whereabouts. This caused the Muslims to believe that Uthman had been killed by the people of Quraysh. On this occasion, Mohammad gathered his nearly 1,400 Followers and called them to pledge to fight until death and avenge the rumoured death of Uthman, which they did by placing a hand on top of Muhammad's. It is reported that Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) placed one of his hands on top of the other and pledged on behalf of Uthman as well. This pledge took place under a tree and was known as the Pledge of the Tree and was successful in demonstrating to the Quraysh the determination of the Muslims. They soon released Uthman and sent down an ambassador of their own, Suhail ibn Amr to negotiate terms of a treaty that later became known as the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
One of the consequences of the treaty of Hudaibiyah was that the Arab tribes had to ally themselves with the Quraish of Makkah or the Muslims of Madina. The Arab tribes who were not favorably inclined to the Quraish sought alliance with the Muslims. Most of these tribes accepted Islam. In view of large scale conversions that took place in the post Hudaibiyah period, the Prophet's mosque at Madina became too small to accommodate all the Muslims who came there to pray, and the need for extension came to be felt. The Holy Prophet appealed to his followers to finance the project for the extension of the mosque. Uthman financed the entire project, and it was no longer necessary for the other Muslims to make any contribution. Immensely pleased with the conduct of Uthman, the Holy Prophet gave him the tidings of paradise in the next world.
In 629 CE, Uthman fought in the Battle of Khaybar and later that year, he followed Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to perform Umrah in Mecca. While in Mecca, he visited his mother and found that his family was not as hostile to Islam as they used to be. In 630 CE, the Quraysh broke the treaty of Hudaibiyah, and the Muslims attacked and conquered Mecca. General amnesty was granted to the people of the city. Following the Conquest of Mecca Uthman's family converted to Islam and he rejoined his mother and siblings. Two weeks later, under the command of Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), he participated in the Battle of Hunayn which was followed by the Siege of Ta'if.
To Uthman, the conquest of Mecca and Ta’if were of particular significance, as he had considerable property in both cities, and he could now profitably develop them. He was also able to set up sub-offices for his businesses at Mecca and Ta’if.
In 630 Muhammad decided to lead an expedition to Tabuk on the Syrian border. In order to finance the expedition Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) invited contributions from his followers. Uthman made the largest contribution: 1,000 dinars in cash, 1,000 camels for transport, and horses for the cavalry, which Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) greatly appreciated. In 631, along with other Muslims, Uthman moved to Mecca to perform Hajj under Abu Bakr while Muhammad stayed in Medina. In Mecca Uthman married Umm Saeed Fatima bint Al Walid b Abd Shams, a Qurayshi lady, and returned to Medina with her.
In 632, along with Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), Uthman participated in The Farewell Pilgrimage. In 632 Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) died.
On returning from a business trip, Uthman found out that Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had declared his mission. After a discussion with his friend Abu Bakr, Uthman decided to convert to Islam, and Abu Bakr took him to Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to whom he declared his faith. Uthman thus became the fourth male to convert to Islam, after Ali, Zayd and Abu Bakr. His conversion to Islam angered his clan, the Banu Ummayyah, who strongly opposed Muhammad's teachings. The only two people who supported Uthman's decision were Saadi, one of his maternal aunts, and Umm Kulthum, who was his stepsister and who had also converted to Islam. Because of his conversion to Islam, Uthman's wives deserted him, and he subsequently divorced them.
The Holy Prophet of Islam was much impressed with the sacrifice that Uthman had made in the cause of Islam, and he married his second daughter Ruqayya to Uthman. In the days of ignorance Ruqayya had been engaged to her cousin Utba son of Abu Lahb, an uncle of the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet declared his mission Abu Lahb became hostile to him, and under his instructions Utba repudiated his engagement to the daughter of the Holy Prophet. Uthman and Ruqayya made a unique pair. Uthman was the most beautiful person among men, and Ruqayya was the most beautiful person among the women of Makkah.
After marriage with Ruqayya, Uthman felt most happy. It was a happy union, and Uthman and Ruqayya were lost in the love of each other. That led to jealousies. The wives of Uthman felt very bitter at their separation from Uthman. The mother of Uthman and his other relatives felt unhappy at his marriage to a daughter of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Uthman and Ruqayya felt that the atmosphere in Makkah was not congenial. Uthman had already some business contacts in Abyssinia, and after a good deal of deliberation and consultation with the Holy Prophet, Uthman and Ruqayya decided to migrate to Abyssinia. On their departure the Holy Prophet prayed for their safety and protection. He said that after the Prophet Lot, Uthman was the first to migrate with his family in the way of ALLAH. After Uthman and his wife had left for Abyssinia, some other Muslims also left for Abyssinia. The Negus of Abyssinia welcomed the emigrants, and provided them with all necessary facilities for their stay in his dominions. The Quraish sent a delegation to Abyssinia to prevail upon the Negus to expel the Muslims from his State. The Negus heard the Quraish as well as the Muslims, and refused to oblige the Quraish by expelling the Muslims. The Quraish delegation saw Uthman, and prevailed upon him to return to Makkah, but they failed in their object.
For long the Holy Prophet got no news about Uthman and Ruqayya, and he got worried about their welfare. A Quraish woman came from Abyssinia to Makkah. The Holy Prophet inquired from her about the welfare of Uthman and Ruqayya. She said that she had seen Ruqayya riding a pony and Uthman walking by her side. She added that Uthman and Ruqayya were doing well in Abyssinia.
In Abyssinia, Uthman followed the profession of a trader. He worked hard, and although there were some difficulties at the outset, these were soon overcome, and the business of Uthman flourished. A son was born to Uthman and Ruqayya in Abyssinia. They named him Abdullah. Henceforward Uthman came to be known by the surname of Abu Abdullah. A colony of the Muslims had sprung up in Abyssinia. Uthman was most popular with the Muslims, and he provided liberal aid to such Muslims who were poor or in distressed circumstances.
After two years, a news spread among the Muslims in Abyssinia that the Quraish of Makkah had accepted Islam. That made Uthman, Ruqayya, and some other Muslims return to Makkah. When these Muslims reached Makkah it transpired that the news about the Quraish having accepted Islam was false. Some of the Muslims who had come from Abyssinia returned there, but Uthman and Ruqayya decided to stay in Makkah.
In Makkah, Uthman had to start his business afresh. The contacts that he had established in Abyssinia stood in good stead and the business of Uthman prospered. Although the number of the Muslims steadily grew, there was no relaxation in the persecution of the Muslims by the Quraish. The family of Uthman continued their pressure, but Uthman's faith in Islam was too firm to know of any wavering. In the persecution of the Muslims, Uqba bin Abi Muheet, the step-father of Uthman (The man his mother had married) was in the forefront. One day Uqba put his sheet round the neck of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), while he was praying in the Kaaba, and tried to strangle him. Abu Bakr and Uthman rushed to the aid of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and frustrated the evil design of Uqba.
In Makkah, Uthman spent most of his time in the company of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). He liberally helped such Muslims who were poor. He liberated some Muslim slaves.
When the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and the members of the Banu Hashim were shut up in the valley outside Makkah as a consequence of social boycott by the Quraish, Uthman took steps to ensure that there was no break in the supply of provisions to the besieged persons. Uthman exercised his influence on the youth among the Quraish to create an opinion in favor of the lifting of the boycott.
When after the lifting of the boycott, the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had his experience of the "Miraj" (ascension), there were some persons who were skeptical about it. Abu Bakr and Uthman, however, believed in letter as well as in spirit what the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said.
When in 622 C.E., the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) advised the Muslims to migrate to Yathrib, Uthman migrated to Yathrib with his wife Ruqayya. Uthman was among the few Muslims who undertook two migrations in the cause of ALLAH, once to Abyssinia and for the second time to Yathrib.
In Yathrib renamed Madina, Uthman carried on his business as a merchant. His business flourished, and Uthman and Ruqayya lived on happily for sometime in Madina. Such happiness was however short-lived. In 624 C.E. Ruqayya fell ill and died when the Holy Prophet and the Muslims were fighting with the Quraish at the battlefield of Badr. The news of the Muslim victory of Badr was received at Madina when the good lady was being buried. The Holy Prophet could not attend the funeral of Ruqayya. Ruqayya left a son Abdullah, but he died two years after the death of his mother.
Towards the close of the year 625, the Holy Prophet married Hafsa, and Uthman was married to Umm Kulthum the third daughter of the Holy Prophet. While still a child she was engaged to Utaibah a son of Abu Lahb, an uncle of the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet declared his mission, Abu Lahb opposed him, and under his instructions his son Utaibah repudiated his engagement to Umm Kulthum.
When the Holy Prophet married Umm Kulthum to Uthman, he said to her, "Verily, your husband resembles most among men your forefather Abraham, and your father Muhammad". Ibn Asakir has recorded on the authority of lbn Umar that the Holy Prophet said," I find a resemblance in Uthman to my forefather Abraham".
Uthman's union with Umm Kulthum was as happy as that of the union between Uthman and Ruqayya. Unfortunately such happiness was short lived, and Umm Kulthum died in 630 barely six years after her marriage. Umm Kulthum bore no child.
To Uthman belongs the unique honor of having married two daughters of the Holy Prophet, one after the other. For this rare distinction he was called "Dhun-Nurain" The possessor of two lights.
When the Battle of the Trench was fought in 627, Uthman was in charge of a sector of Medina. After the battle a campaign was undertaken against the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa, and when they were taken captive the question of the disposal of the slaves became a problem. Uthman solved the issue by purchasing all the slaves and depositing their price in the Bayt al-mal (Treasury). Any of these slaves who accepted Islam were set free by Uthman in the name of ALLAH.
In March 628 (6 Hijri), Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) set out for Mecca to perform the ritual pilgrimage of Umra. The Quraysh denied the Muslims entry into the city and posted themselves outside Mecca, determined to show resistance, even though the Muslims had no intention or preparation for battle. Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) camped outside Mecca, at Hudaybiyyah, and sent Uthman as his envoy to meet with the leaders of Quraysh and negotiate Muslim entry into the city. The Quraysh made Uthman stay longer in Mecca than he originally planned and refused to inform the Muslims of his whereabouts. This caused the Muslims to believe that Uthman had been killed by the people of Quraysh. On this occasion, Mohammad gathered his nearly 1,400 Followers and called them to pledge to fight until death and avenge the rumoured death of Uthman, which they did by placing a hand on top of Muhammad's. It is reported that Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) placed one of his hands on top of the other and pledged on behalf of Uthman as well. This pledge took place under a tree and was known as the Pledge of the Tree and was successful in demonstrating to the Quraysh the determination of the Muslims. They soon released Uthman and sent down an ambassador of their own, Suhail ibn Amr to negotiate terms of a treaty that later became known as the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
One of the consequences of the treaty of Hudaibiyah was that the Arab tribes had to ally themselves with the Quraish of Makkah or the Muslims of Madina. The Arab tribes who were not favorably inclined to the Quraish sought alliance with the Muslims. Most of these tribes accepted Islam. In view of large scale conversions that took place in the post Hudaibiyah period, the Prophet's mosque at Madina became too small to accommodate all the Muslims who came there to pray, and the need for extension came to be felt. The Holy Prophet appealed to his followers to finance the project for the extension of the mosque. Uthman financed the entire project, and it was no longer necessary for the other Muslims to make any contribution. Immensely pleased with the conduct of Uthman, the Holy Prophet gave him the tidings of paradise in the next world.
In 629 CE, Uthman fought in the Battle of Khaybar and later that year, he followed Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to perform Umrah in Mecca. While in Mecca, he visited his mother and found that his family was not as hostile to Islam as they used to be. In 630 CE, the Quraysh broke the treaty of Hudaibiyah, and the Muslims attacked and conquered Mecca. General amnesty was granted to the people of the city. Following the Conquest of Mecca Uthman's family converted to Islam and he rejoined his mother and siblings. Two weeks later, under the command of Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), he participated in the Battle of Hunayn which was followed by the Siege of Ta'if.
To Uthman, the conquest of Mecca and Ta’if were of particular significance, as he had considerable property in both cities, and he could now profitably develop them. He was also able to set up sub-offices for his businesses at Mecca and Ta’if.
In 630 Muhammad decided to lead an expedition to Tabuk on the Syrian border. In order to finance the expedition Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) invited contributions from his followers. Uthman made the largest contribution: 1,000 dinars in cash, 1,000 camels for transport, and horses for the cavalry, which Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) greatly appreciated. In 631, along with other Muslims, Uthman moved to Mecca to perform Hajj under Abu Bakr while Muhammad stayed in Medina. In Mecca Uthman married Umm Saeed Fatima bint Al Walid b Abd Shams, a Qurayshi lady, and returned to Medina with her.
In 632, along with Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), Uthman participated in The Farewell Pilgrimage. In 632 Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) died.
The Caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar
Islamic Empire During The Reign of Umar
Uthman had a very close relationship with Abu Bakr, as it was due to him that Uthman had converted to Islam. When Abu Bakr was selected as the Caliph, Uthman was the first person after Umar to offer his allegiance. During the Ridda wars (Wars of Apostasy), Uthman remained at Medina, acting as Abu Bakr's adviser.
During the caliphate of Umar, Uthman remained at Madina as his Adviser. Umar did not allow the Companions including Uthman to leave Madina, nor did he employ them for the purposes of the State. Umar is reported to have said that he did not employ such eminent persons to high offices because of their virtues. He said that he did not appoint them to high offices lest for any lapse they might lose the eminence that they enjoyed.
During the time of Umar considerable wealth flowed into the public treasury. Heretofore the practice was that all that was received in the treasury was immediately distributed among the people. Uthman advised that instead of such distribution, some amount should be kept in the treasury as reserve for future needs. This advice was accepted by Umar.
In the time of Umar, a controversy arose about the land in conquered lands. The army was of the view that all lands in conquered territories should be distributed among the soldiers of the conquering army. Another view was that lands should remain with the original owners, and the lands whereof the owners left the country should be declared state property. Uthman supported the latter view and this view was ultimately accepted.
At the time of the conquest of Jerusalem the Christians desired that Umar should himself come to Jerusalem to accept the surrender of the city. Uthman was of the view that it was not necessary for the Caliph of the Muslims to go to Jerusalem and that the enemy when defeated would of its own accord surrender the city. There was much force in the view-point of Uthman but in order to win the good will of the Christians, Umar decided to go to Jerusalem to accept the surrender of the city.
In the time of Umar, a severe famine broke out in the country and there was acute shortage of food supply. At that time a large caravan belonging to Uthman, carrying large supplies of food grains arrived in Madina. Traders rushed to the house of Uthman, and tried to prevail upon him to sell the grain to them at profit. Uthman wanted them to indicate the profit they would allow him. The highest bid they could offer was cent per cent profit. Uthman said that he would not sell his goods at a profit less than ten times the original price. The traders said that they could not afford him profit to that extent and that no body could do that. Uthman said that he had already an offer for ten times profit. "Who had made such offer", inquired the traders. Uthman said that God had assured him of ten times profit. Thereafter Uthman distributed the entire stock of food grains among the poor free of cost and expected ten times profit from God. Umar died on Sunday, 7 November 644 (26th Dhu Al-Hijja 23 Hijri ).
When Umar died, looking at the dead face of Umar, Uthman said, "Out of us who can equal Umar". That was a great tribute to Umar.
During the caliphate of Umar, Uthman remained at Madina as his Adviser. Umar did not allow the Companions including Uthman to leave Madina, nor did he employ them for the purposes of the State. Umar is reported to have said that he did not employ such eminent persons to high offices because of their virtues. He said that he did not appoint them to high offices lest for any lapse they might lose the eminence that they enjoyed.
During the time of Umar considerable wealth flowed into the public treasury. Heretofore the practice was that all that was received in the treasury was immediately distributed among the people. Uthman advised that instead of such distribution, some amount should be kept in the treasury as reserve for future needs. This advice was accepted by Umar.
In the time of Umar, a controversy arose about the land in conquered lands. The army was of the view that all lands in conquered territories should be distributed among the soldiers of the conquering army. Another view was that lands should remain with the original owners, and the lands whereof the owners left the country should be declared state property. Uthman supported the latter view and this view was ultimately accepted.
At the time of the conquest of Jerusalem the Christians desired that Umar should himself come to Jerusalem to accept the surrender of the city. Uthman was of the view that it was not necessary for the Caliph of the Muslims to go to Jerusalem and that the enemy when defeated would of its own accord surrender the city. There was much force in the view-point of Uthman but in order to win the good will of the Christians, Umar decided to go to Jerusalem to accept the surrender of the city.
In the time of Umar, a severe famine broke out in the country and there was acute shortage of food supply. At that time a large caravan belonging to Uthman, carrying large supplies of food grains arrived in Madina. Traders rushed to the house of Uthman, and tried to prevail upon him to sell the grain to them at profit. Uthman wanted them to indicate the profit they would allow him. The highest bid they could offer was cent per cent profit. Uthman said that he would not sell his goods at a profit less than ten times the original price. The traders said that they could not afford him profit to that extent and that no body could do that. Uthman said that he had already an offer for ten times profit. "Who had made such offer", inquired the traders. Uthman said that God had assured him of ten times profit. Thereafter Uthman distributed the entire stock of food grains among the poor free of cost and expected ten times profit from God. Umar died on Sunday, 7 November 644 (26th Dhu Al-Hijja 23 Hijri ).
When Umar died, looking at the dead face of Umar, Uthman said, "Out of us who can equal Umar". That was a great tribute to Umar.
Reign as a Caliph
Islamic Empire During The Reign of Uthman 655 A.D.
On the fourth day after the death of Umar, 11 November 644, 5 Muharram 24 Hijri, Uthman was elected as the third Caliph, with thetitle "Amir al-Mu'minin".
During his caliphate Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) took several measures with a view to promoting the purposes of Islam. To Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) belongs the honor of undertaking the measure of the recension of the Holy Quran, and uniting the Muslim community on a standard text of the Holy Quran for all times.
The Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in parts extending over a period of twenty-three years. Whenever the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) received a revelation, he would dictate it to some person who would record it on some piece of leather, date skin or even bones and stones. The principal scribe of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was Zaid b Thabit. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) also served as the scribe occasionally. Many companions committed the Holy Quran to heart and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was one of them.
Many Huffuz (Those who had learnt the Holy Quran by heart) died in the battle of Yamama during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. It was felt that it was necessary that the Holy Quran should be compiled in a book form for the guidance of the people. A compilation was thus prepared, and it was called Mashaf. In the time of the caliphate of Abu Bakr this compilation was kept in the custody of Ayesha. In the time of the caliphate of Umar this compilation was kept in the custody of Hafsa, daughter of Umar and a wife of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). In the time of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), Hudhaifa who had been to different parts of the Muslim dominions came to Madina, and reported that the people of different regions had different readings of the Holy Quran. The people of Homs held that their reading of the Holy Quran was correct as they had learnt it from Miqdad an eminent companion. The men of Basra held that their reading was correct as they had learnt it from Abu Musa Ashiari. In Kufa, the people claimed superiority for their reading as they had learnt it from Abdullah bin Masud an authority on the subject. There were thus divergent readings of the Holy Quran. It was stressed that unless some attempt was made to unify the text, that was likely to be a cause of split among the people.
The question was considered by the Majlis-i-Shura, and it was decided that an authoritative standardized text should be compiled and no divergence should be permitted from the standard text. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) appointed a Committee comprising: Zaid bin Thabit, Abdullah b Zubair, Saeed b Al 'Aas , and Abdur Rahman b Al Harith. This Committee was commissioned to prepare an authorized text. Copies of the Holy Quran in use in various parts of the dominions were collected and compared with the copy in the custody of Hafsa which had been compiled in the time of Abu Bakr. The Committee worked hard. All the discrepancies were reconciled, and an authorized standard edition was prepared. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) checked the compilation himself and finally approved it. Copies of this edition were prepared and supplied to all parts of the dominions. All previous copies in use in the various parts of the Muslim dominions were collected and burnt.
This was a measure of great importance and significance, and thereby Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) did a great service to the cause of Islam. The books revealed to all previous prophets had been corrupted by the followers of the respective prophets. But for the measure undertaken by Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), the same fate would have befallen the Holy Quran. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) deserves the gratitude of the Muslims by this single service in preserving the Holy Quran in its original form free from any corruption. It is surprising that some of the critics of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) made this measure a matter of criticism against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). They urged that the burning of the copies of the Holy Quran with a view to introducing a uniform text was a sacrilege. This criticism is entirely misconceived. The burning of the unauthorized texts could by no stretch of imagination be called a sacrilege. It was on the other hand a most pious act inasmuch as it united the Muslim community on an authoritative and standard text for all times.
On the occasion of the Friday prayers he introduced a second call or Takbir for the convenience of the people. He provided stipends for the first time for the 'Muezzins'. On the occasion of the Ramadhan, he increased the daily allowances of the people. He also arranged to supply free meals to all concerned at the time of the breaking of the fast. Uthman made special arrangement for the upkeep of mosques.Under Uthman the people became economically more prosperous, and they invested their money in the construction of buildings. Many new and larger buildings were constructed throughout the empire. During the caliphate of Uthman as many as five thousand new mosques were constructed. Uthman enlarged, extended, and embellished the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi at Medina and the Kaaba as well. With the expansion of the army, the cantonments were extended and enlarged, more barracks were constructed for the soldiers and stables for the cavalry were extended. Uthman provided separate pastures for state camels.
During the caliphate of Uthman, guest houses were provided in main cities to provide comfort to the merchants coming from faraway places. More and more markets were constructed and Uthman appointed Market Officers to look after them. In Iraq, Egypt and Persia numerous canals were dug, which stimulated agricultural development. In the cities, particular attention was directed towards the provision of the water supply. In Medina, a number of wells were dug to provide drinking water for the people and in Mecca the water supply was also improved. Water was brought to Kufa and Basra by canals. Shuaibia was the port for Mecca but it was inconvenient, so Uthman selected Jeddah as the site of the new seaport, and a new port was built there. Uthman also reformed the police departments in cities.
In his testament, Umar had instructed his successor not to make any change in the administrative set up for one year after his death. For one year Uthman maintained the pattern of political administration as it stood under Umar, later making some amendments.
Under Umar, Egypt was divided into two provinces, Upper and Lower Egypt. Uthman made Egypt one province and created a new province for Efriqya. Under Umar, Syria was divided into two provinces but Uthman made it one province. During Uthman’s reign the empire was divided into twelve provinces. These were:
Medina, Mecca, Yemen, Kufa, Basra, Jazira, Faris, Azerbaijan, Khorasan, Syria, Egypt and Efriqya (lit. "Africa", signifying N. Africa)
The provinces were further divided into districts (more than 100 districts in the empire) and each district or main city had its own Governor, Chief judge and Amil (tax collector). The governors were appointed by Uthman and every appointment was made in writing. At the time of appointment, an instrument of instructions was issued with a view to regulating the conduct of the governors. On assuming office, the governor was required to assemble the people in the main mosque, and read the instrument of instructions before them. Uthman appointed his kinsmen as governors of four provinces: Egypt, Syria, Basra and Kufa. The kindest explanation for this reliance on his kin is that the Rashidun Empire had expanded so far, so fast, that it was becoming extremely difficult to govern, and that Uthman felt that he could trust his own kin not to revolt against him.
Islamic empire expanded at unprecedented rate under Caliph Umar, following the death of Caliph Umar, almost whole of the former Sassanid empire's territory rebelled from time to time until 650, when the last Sassanid emperor was assassinated. Caliph Uthman thus directed several military expeditions to crush rebellion and re-capture the Persia and their vassal states. The main rebellion was in the Persian provinces of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Fars, Sistan, Tabaristan, Khorasan, and Makran. These provinces were across present days Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Turkmenistan and Armenia. In addition to these provinces several other territories were also subdued in the region. After the death of Caliph Umar, Byzantine emperor Constantine III launched an attack but was repulsed, due to which Uthman ordered annual raids in Anatolia to cut off the power of Byzantine. From 647 to 651 major offensives were launched in Cappadocia, Caesarea Mazaca, Cilicia and Isauria in 650–651 forced the Byzantine emperor Constans II to enter into negotiations. The truce that followed made it possible for Constans II to hold on to the western portions of Armenia. A naval force was built and island of Cyprus was captured in 649 followed by the capture of Crete and Rhodes. After a naval victory against Byzantine fleet a part of Sicily was also captured. In 654–655 Uthman ordered for the preparation of an expedition to capture Constantinopole, it was about to be launched when Uthman was murdered. North Africa was invaded in 647 and Byzantine Exarchate of Africa which had declared its independence under its King Gregory the Patrician was annexed. Nubia was invaded in 652 and its capital Dongola was sacked. Though battle remained inconclusive and a peace offer from Nubian King was accepted according to which no party will any aggressive moves against each other. In 652–653 the Iberian Peninsula was invaded and its coastal areas were captured, before further expansion could be made Caliph was murdered and forces were pulled back from Iberia and north Africa during Muslim civil war.
Umar, who maintained discipline with a stern hand, Uthman was less rigorous upon his people; he focused more on economic prosperity. Under Uthman, the people became economically more prosperous and on the political plane they came to enjoy a larger degree of freedom. No institutions were devised to channel political activity, and, in the absence of such institutions, the pre-Islamic tribal jealousies and rivalries, which had been suppressed under earlier caliphs, erupted once again. In view of the lenient policies adopted by Uthman, the people took advantage of such liberties, which became a headache for the state, and it culminated in the assassination of Uthman.
According to some scholars, the foreign powers became nervous at the success of the Muslims under the leadership of Uthman, and now their only hope lay in aiding and abetting subversive movements within the territories of Uthman's caliphate.
It is believed that the movement had its links with conquered territories out of Arabian Peninsula. Due to the lack of any particular political department to deal with the growing political agitation in the Islamic state, the political leaders in various towns campaigned against Uthman. Initially, they started with arguments over Uthman's kinsmen, who were governors of Egypt, Bosra and Kufa and they were joined by the companions who supported Ali. The most prominent of these were Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, who despite being an Umayyad like Uthman, was raised in Ali's house, and Ammar ibn Yasir, who supported the right of Ali to become caliph because of his close relationship with Mohammad. The campaign was also supported by some companions who had a personal grievance with Uthman, like Amr ibn al-As, also an Ummayad, who was stripped of the governorship of Egypt by Uthman, and Uthman's adopted son, Muhammad bin Abi Hudhaifa, who Uthman had refused to appoint as a governor of any province.
Many anonymous letters were written to the leading companions of Muhammad, complaining about the alleged tyranny of Uthman's appointed governors. Moreover, letters were sent to the leaders of public opinion in different provinces concerning the reported mishandling of power by Uthman's family. This contributed to unrest in the empire and finally Uthman had to investigate the matter in an attempt to ascertain the authenticity of the rumours. The movement however exploited differences between the Hashemite (Ali's clan) and Umayyad (Uthman's clan) clans of Quraysh.
The situation was becoming tense and so the Uthman administration had to investigate the origins and extent of anti-government propaganda and its aims. Some time around 654, Uthman called all the governors of his 12 provinces to Medina to discuss the problem. In this Council of Governors, Uthman directed the governors that they should adopt all the expedients they had suggested, according to local circumstances. Later, in the Majlis al Shurah (council of ministry), it was suggested to Uthman that reliable agents should be sent to various provinces to investigate the matter and report about the sources of such rumours. Uthman accordingly sent his agents to the main provinces, Muhammad ibn Maslamah was sent to Kufa; Usama ibn Zayd was sent to Basra; Ammar ibn Yasir was sent to Egypt, while Abd Allah ibn Umar was sent to Syria. The emissaries who had been sent to Kufa, Basra, and Syria submitted their reports to Uthman, that all was well in Kufa, Basra and Syria. The people were satisfied with the administration, and they had no legitimate grievance against it. Some individuals in various locations had some personal grievances of minor character, with which the people at large were not concerned. Ammar ibn Yasir, the emissary to Egypt, however, did not return to Medina. The rebels had carried on with their propaganda in favour of the Caliphate of Ali. Ammar ibn Yasir had been affiliated with Ali; he left Uthman, and instead joined the opposition in Egypt. Abdullah ibn Saad, the governor of Egypt, reported about the activities of the opposition in Egypt. He wanted to take action against Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, Muhammad bin Abi Hudhaifa (adopted son of Uthman) and Ammar ibn Yasir. However, Uthman did not want Abdullah ibn Saad to be harsh against them because he held them in high regard. After the Egyptian emissary's failure, Uthman looked for further developments in Egypt.
In 655, Uthman directed the people who had any grievance against the administration to assemble at Mecca for the Hajj. He promised them that all their legitimate grievances would be redressed. He directed the governors and the "Amils" throughout the empire to come to Mecca on the occasion of the Hajj. In response to the call of Uthman, the opposition came in large delegations from various cities to present their grievances before the gathering.
Uthman addressed the people and gave a long explanation of the criticism about himself and his administration and then said:
During his caliphate Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) took several measures with a view to promoting the purposes of Islam. To Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) belongs the honor of undertaking the measure of the recension of the Holy Quran, and uniting the Muslim community on a standard text of the Holy Quran for all times.
The Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) in parts extending over a period of twenty-three years. Whenever the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) received a revelation, he would dictate it to some person who would record it on some piece of leather, date skin or even bones and stones. The principal scribe of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was Zaid b Thabit. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) also served as the scribe occasionally. Many companions committed the Holy Quran to heart and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was one of them.
Many Huffuz (Those who had learnt the Holy Quran by heart) died in the battle of Yamama during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. It was felt that it was necessary that the Holy Quran should be compiled in a book form for the guidance of the people. A compilation was thus prepared, and it was called Mashaf. In the time of the caliphate of Abu Bakr this compilation was kept in the custody of Ayesha. In the time of the caliphate of Umar this compilation was kept in the custody of Hafsa, daughter of Umar and a wife of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). In the time of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), Hudhaifa who had been to different parts of the Muslim dominions came to Madina, and reported that the people of different regions had different readings of the Holy Quran. The people of Homs held that their reading of the Holy Quran was correct as they had learnt it from Miqdad an eminent companion. The men of Basra held that their reading was correct as they had learnt it from Abu Musa Ashiari. In Kufa, the people claimed superiority for their reading as they had learnt it from Abdullah bin Masud an authority on the subject. There were thus divergent readings of the Holy Quran. It was stressed that unless some attempt was made to unify the text, that was likely to be a cause of split among the people.
The question was considered by the Majlis-i-Shura, and it was decided that an authoritative standardized text should be compiled and no divergence should be permitted from the standard text. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) appointed a Committee comprising: Zaid bin Thabit, Abdullah b Zubair, Saeed b Al 'Aas , and Abdur Rahman b Al Harith. This Committee was commissioned to prepare an authorized text. Copies of the Holy Quran in use in various parts of the dominions were collected and compared with the copy in the custody of Hafsa which had been compiled in the time of Abu Bakr. The Committee worked hard. All the discrepancies were reconciled, and an authorized standard edition was prepared. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) checked the compilation himself and finally approved it. Copies of this edition were prepared and supplied to all parts of the dominions. All previous copies in use in the various parts of the Muslim dominions were collected and burnt.
This was a measure of great importance and significance, and thereby Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) did a great service to the cause of Islam. The books revealed to all previous prophets had been corrupted by the followers of the respective prophets. But for the measure undertaken by Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), the same fate would have befallen the Holy Quran. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) deserves the gratitude of the Muslims by this single service in preserving the Holy Quran in its original form free from any corruption. It is surprising that some of the critics of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) made this measure a matter of criticism against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). They urged that the burning of the copies of the Holy Quran with a view to introducing a uniform text was a sacrilege. This criticism is entirely misconceived. The burning of the unauthorized texts could by no stretch of imagination be called a sacrilege. It was on the other hand a most pious act inasmuch as it united the Muslim community on an authoritative and standard text for all times.
On the occasion of the Friday prayers he introduced a second call or Takbir for the convenience of the people. He provided stipends for the first time for the 'Muezzins'. On the occasion of the Ramadhan, he increased the daily allowances of the people. He also arranged to supply free meals to all concerned at the time of the breaking of the fast. Uthman made special arrangement for the upkeep of mosques.Under Uthman the people became economically more prosperous, and they invested their money in the construction of buildings. Many new and larger buildings were constructed throughout the empire. During the caliphate of Uthman as many as five thousand new mosques were constructed. Uthman enlarged, extended, and embellished the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi at Medina and the Kaaba as well. With the expansion of the army, the cantonments were extended and enlarged, more barracks were constructed for the soldiers and stables for the cavalry were extended. Uthman provided separate pastures for state camels.
During the caliphate of Uthman, guest houses were provided in main cities to provide comfort to the merchants coming from faraway places. More and more markets were constructed and Uthman appointed Market Officers to look after them. In Iraq, Egypt and Persia numerous canals were dug, which stimulated agricultural development. In the cities, particular attention was directed towards the provision of the water supply. In Medina, a number of wells were dug to provide drinking water for the people and in Mecca the water supply was also improved. Water was brought to Kufa and Basra by canals. Shuaibia was the port for Mecca but it was inconvenient, so Uthman selected Jeddah as the site of the new seaport, and a new port was built there. Uthman also reformed the police departments in cities.
In his testament, Umar had instructed his successor not to make any change in the administrative set up for one year after his death. For one year Uthman maintained the pattern of political administration as it stood under Umar, later making some amendments.
Under Umar, Egypt was divided into two provinces, Upper and Lower Egypt. Uthman made Egypt one province and created a new province for Efriqya. Under Umar, Syria was divided into two provinces but Uthman made it one province. During Uthman’s reign the empire was divided into twelve provinces. These were:
Medina, Mecca, Yemen, Kufa, Basra, Jazira, Faris, Azerbaijan, Khorasan, Syria, Egypt and Efriqya (lit. "Africa", signifying N. Africa)
The provinces were further divided into districts (more than 100 districts in the empire) and each district or main city had its own Governor, Chief judge and Amil (tax collector). The governors were appointed by Uthman and every appointment was made in writing. At the time of appointment, an instrument of instructions was issued with a view to regulating the conduct of the governors. On assuming office, the governor was required to assemble the people in the main mosque, and read the instrument of instructions before them. Uthman appointed his kinsmen as governors of four provinces: Egypt, Syria, Basra and Kufa. The kindest explanation for this reliance on his kin is that the Rashidun Empire had expanded so far, so fast, that it was becoming extremely difficult to govern, and that Uthman felt that he could trust his own kin not to revolt against him.
Islamic empire expanded at unprecedented rate under Caliph Umar, following the death of Caliph Umar, almost whole of the former Sassanid empire's territory rebelled from time to time until 650, when the last Sassanid emperor was assassinated. Caliph Uthman thus directed several military expeditions to crush rebellion and re-capture the Persia and their vassal states. The main rebellion was in the Persian provinces of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Fars, Sistan, Tabaristan, Khorasan, and Makran. These provinces were across present days Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Turkmenistan and Armenia. In addition to these provinces several other territories were also subdued in the region. After the death of Caliph Umar, Byzantine emperor Constantine III launched an attack but was repulsed, due to which Uthman ordered annual raids in Anatolia to cut off the power of Byzantine. From 647 to 651 major offensives were launched in Cappadocia, Caesarea Mazaca, Cilicia and Isauria in 650–651 forced the Byzantine emperor Constans II to enter into negotiations. The truce that followed made it possible for Constans II to hold on to the western portions of Armenia. A naval force was built and island of Cyprus was captured in 649 followed by the capture of Crete and Rhodes. After a naval victory against Byzantine fleet a part of Sicily was also captured. In 654–655 Uthman ordered for the preparation of an expedition to capture Constantinopole, it was about to be launched when Uthman was murdered. North Africa was invaded in 647 and Byzantine Exarchate of Africa which had declared its independence under its King Gregory the Patrician was annexed. Nubia was invaded in 652 and its capital Dongola was sacked. Though battle remained inconclusive and a peace offer from Nubian King was accepted according to which no party will any aggressive moves against each other. In 652–653 the Iberian Peninsula was invaded and its coastal areas were captured, before further expansion could be made Caliph was murdered and forces were pulled back from Iberia and north Africa during Muslim civil war.
Umar, who maintained discipline with a stern hand, Uthman was less rigorous upon his people; he focused more on economic prosperity. Under Uthman, the people became economically more prosperous and on the political plane they came to enjoy a larger degree of freedom. No institutions were devised to channel political activity, and, in the absence of such institutions, the pre-Islamic tribal jealousies and rivalries, which had been suppressed under earlier caliphs, erupted once again. In view of the lenient policies adopted by Uthman, the people took advantage of such liberties, which became a headache for the state, and it culminated in the assassination of Uthman.
According to some scholars, the foreign powers became nervous at the success of the Muslims under the leadership of Uthman, and now their only hope lay in aiding and abetting subversive movements within the territories of Uthman's caliphate.
It is believed that the movement had its links with conquered territories out of Arabian Peninsula. Due to the lack of any particular political department to deal with the growing political agitation in the Islamic state, the political leaders in various towns campaigned against Uthman. Initially, they started with arguments over Uthman's kinsmen, who were governors of Egypt, Bosra and Kufa and they were joined by the companions who supported Ali. The most prominent of these were Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, who despite being an Umayyad like Uthman, was raised in Ali's house, and Ammar ibn Yasir, who supported the right of Ali to become caliph because of his close relationship with Mohammad. The campaign was also supported by some companions who had a personal grievance with Uthman, like Amr ibn al-As, also an Ummayad, who was stripped of the governorship of Egypt by Uthman, and Uthman's adopted son, Muhammad bin Abi Hudhaifa, who Uthman had refused to appoint as a governor of any province.
Many anonymous letters were written to the leading companions of Muhammad, complaining about the alleged tyranny of Uthman's appointed governors. Moreover, letters were sent to the leaders of public opinion in different provinces concerning the reported mishandling of power by Uthman's family. This contributed to unrest in the empire and finally Uthman had to investigate the matter in an attempt to ascertain the authenticity of the rumours. The movement however exploited differences between the Hashemite (Ali's clan) and Umayyad (Uthman's clan) clans of Quraysh.
The situation was becoming tense and so the Uthman administration had to investigate the origins and extent of anti-government propaganda and its aims. Some time around 654, Uthman called all the governors of his 12 provinces to Medina to discuss the problem. In this Council of Governors, Uthman directed the governors that they should adopt all the expedients they had suggested, according to local circumstances. Later, in the Majlis al Shurah (council of ministry), it was suggested to Uthman that reliable agents should be sent to various provinces to investigate the matter and report about the sources of such rumours. Uthman accordingly sent his agents to the main provinces, Muhammad ibn Maslamah was sent to Kufa; Usama ibn Zayd was sent to Basra; Ammar ibn Yasir was sent to Egypt, while Abd Allah ibn Umar was sent to Syria. The emissaries who had been sent to Kufa, Basra, and Syria submitted their reports to Uthman, that all was well in Kufa, Basra and Syria. The people were satisfied with the administration, and they had no legitimate grievance against it. Some individuals in various locations had some personal grievances of minor character, with which the people at large were not concerned. Ammar ibn Yasir, the emissary to Egypt, however, did not return to Medina. The rebels had carried on with their propaganda in favour of the Caliphate of Ali. Ammar ibn Yasir had been affiliated with Ali; he left Uthman, and instead joined the opposition in Egypt. Abdullah ibn Saad, the governor of Egypt, reported about the activities of the opposition in Egypt. He wanted to take action against Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, Muhammad bin Abi Hudhaifa (adopted son of Uthman) and Ammar ibn Yasir. However, Uthman did not want Abdullah ibn Saad to be harsh against them because he held them in high regard. After the Egyptian emissary's failure, Uthman looked for further developments in Egypt.
In 655, Uthman directed the people who had any grievance against the administration to assemble at Mecca for the Hajj. He promised them that all their legitimate grievances would be redressed. He directed the governors and the "Amils" throughout the empire to come to Mecca on the occasion of the Hajj. In response to the call of Uthman, the opposition came in large delegations from various cities to present their grievances before the gathering.
Uthman addressed the people and gave a long explanation of the criticism about himself and his administration and then said:
"I have had my say. Now I am prepared to listen to you. If any one of you has any legitimate grievance against me or my Government you are free to give expression to such grievance, and I assure you that, I will do my best to redress such grievance."
The rebels realized that the people in Mecca supported the defence offered by Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and were not in the mood to listen to them. That was a great psychological victory for Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). It is said in accounts, that before returning to Syria, the governor Muawiyah, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him)’s cousin, suggested Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) should come with him to Syria as the atmosphere there was peaceful. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) rejected his offer, saying that he didn't want to leave the city of Muhammad (referring to Medina). Muawiyah then suggested that he be allowed to send a strong force from Syria to Medina to guard Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) against any possible attempt by rebels to harm him. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) rejected it too, saying that the Syrian forces in Medina would be an incitement to civil war, and he could not be party to such a move.
After the Hajj of 655 things remained quiet for some time. With the dawn of the year 656, Medina, the capital city of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), became a hotbed of intrigue and unrest. Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr returned to Medina from Egypt, and assisted in leading a campaign against the Caliphate of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
When the crisis deepened in Medina, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) addressed the congregation in the Masjid-e-Nabawi and gave an explanation and rebuttal of all the claims against him. The general public was again satisfied with Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). He had hoped that after his speech in which he had explained his position, and offered full defence for his actions, the allegedly false propaganda against him would cease.
The politics of Egypt played the major role in the propaganda war against the caliphate, so Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) summoned Abdullah ibn Saad, the governor of Egypt, to Medina to consult with him as to the course of action that should be adopted. Abdullah ibn Saad came to Medina, leaving the affairs of Egypt to his deputy, and in his absence, Muhammad bin Abi Hudhaifa staged a coup d'état and took power. On hearing of the revolt in Egypt, Abdullah hastened back but Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was not in a position to offer him any military assistance and, accordingly, Abdullah ibn Saad failed to recapture his power.
In middle of 656, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him)’s governor of Kufa, Abu-Musa al-Asha'ari, was unable to control the province. In Basra the governor, Abdullah ibn Aamir, left for Hajj, and in his absence the affairs of the province fell into a state of confusion. The three main provinces of Egypt (which was already the center of the dissident movement), Kufa, and Basra became essentially independent from the Caliphate of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and became the center of revolt.
In the month of Shawwal, a contingent of about 1,000 persons was sent from Egypt to Madina. These persons traveled in four separate groups, and gave out that they were going to perform the Hajj. They were fully armed, and their instructions were to overthrow the government of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and to murder him. The contingent was led by Amir Ghafqi bin Harb Ibn Saba accompanied the contingent as their general adviser.
Similar contingents marched from Kufa and Basra to Madina. The Kufa contingent was led by Ashtar Nakh'i while the contingent from Basra was led by Hakim bin Jabala.
All these contingents converged on Madina according to a pre-arranged plan. Reaching the neighborhood of Madina the contingent from Egypt encamped at Dhil Marwah. The contingent from Basra encamped at Dukhshab, while the contingent from Kufa encamped at Ahwas. From these camps the contingents sent their representatives to one another for mutual consultation. They also sent their representatives to Madina to contact the leaders of public opinion. The representatives of the contingent from Egypt waited on Ali, and offered him the caliphate in succession to Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Ali turned down their offer. The representatives of the contingent from Kufa waited on Zubair, while the representatives of the contingent from Basra waited on Talha, and offered them their allegiance as the next Caliph. These offers were turned down. This move on the part of the rebels neutralized the bulk of public opinion in Madina. Madina could no longer offer a united front; it became a divided house. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) could enjoy the active support of the Umayyads, and a few other persons in Madina. The rest of the people of Madina chose to be neutral and help neither side. That was a big gain for the rebels. After surveying the situation in Madina, the rebels felt satisfied that the circumstances were favorable to the launching of their campaign for overthrowing the government of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
The accounts that have come down to us about the activities of the rebels are very much distorted and confused. The usual version is that Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) appealed to Ali to intervene and use his influence with the rebels to prevail upon them to withdraw from Madina. It is related that Ali was critical of the conduct of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) gave a solemn undertaking that in future he would be guided by the counsels of Ali. It is said that Ali met the rebels, and prevailed upon them to retire from Madina. They agreed to do so, in case formal orders were passed by the Caliph for the deposition of Abdullah b Sa 'ad from the governorship of Egypt. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) passed the orders for the deposition of Abdullah b Sa'ad, and the appointment of Muhammad bin Abu Bakr as the Governor of Egypt.
It is stated that on the demand of Ali, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) addressed the people in the Prophet's mosque; admitted his mistakes; prayed for the forgiveness of ALLAH and the people; and undertook to make amends within three days. It is said that on this occasion Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) wept and the audience wept with him. The accounts continue that under the influence of Marwan bin Hakam, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) retracted from his repentance, and did not make any amends. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and Ali had another meeting at which Ali accused Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) of breach of faith. Ali felt deeply annoyed, and said that that was the parting of ways between them.
The accounts that have come down to us continue that when the rebels from Egypt proceeded a few stages from Madina they came across a slave of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) who was carrying a letter of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to the Governor of Egypt commanding him not to give effect to the orders regarding his deposition, arrest the rebels and execute them. That made the rebels return to Madina. The rebels from Kufa and Basra returned likewise. It is stated that the rebels brought this breach of faith on the part of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to the notice of the leaders of public opinion in Madina and invoked their assistance. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) admitted that the letter bore his official seal, but he denied all knowledge about the contents of the letter. It was contended that the letter was in the handwriting of Marwan. Marwan was however never confronted with the letter, and the accounts recorded in histories leave the matter about the contents of the letter unresolved.
When the rebels besieged the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), the siege was not severe at the early stage. The rebels merely hovered around the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and did not place any restrictions on the movements of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) went to the Prophet's mosque as usual, and led the prayers. The rebels offered prayers under the leadership of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
On the first Friday after the siege, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) addressed the congregation in the mosque. After offering praises to God and the Holy Prophet, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) invited the attention of the people to the commandment in the Holy Quran requiring the people to obey God, His Apostle, and those in authority among them. He observed that the Muslims had been enjoined to settle all matters by mutual consultation. He said that he had kept the doors of consultation wide open. All the allegations that had been levelled against him had been duly explained by him, and shown to be false. He had expressed his readiness to solve the legitimate grievances of the people, if any. He observed that under the circumstances it was uncharitable on the part of some persons to create disturbances in the city of the Holy Prophet. He said that he was not afraid of death, but he did not want the Muslims to be guilty of bloodshed. To him the solidarity of the Muslim community was very dear, and in order to prevent dissension among the Muslims he had instructed his supporters to refrain from violence. He wanted the people to be afraid of God, and not to indulge in activities subversive of Islam. He pointed out that the foreign powers smarting under their defeat inflicted by the Muslim arms had sponsored some conspiracies to subvert Islam. He warned the people not to play in the hands of the enemies of Islam. He appealed to the rebels to retire from Madina. He wanted the people of Madina to support the cause of truth and justice, and withhold their support from the rebels bent on mischief.
Some two or three persons from among the congregation stood up to assure Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) of their support. They were manhandled by the rebels, and were forced to sit down. The rebels including Amr b Al-Aas, Ammar bin Yasir, and Muhammad bin Abu Bakr raised their voices against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). One Jabala bin Amr Saahadi addressing Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) said, "Beware you foolish old man, that unless you abdicate we will strangle you to death". When Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was addressing the congregation from the pulpit, one Jamjah Ghaffari seized the staff from the hands of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and broke it on his knees. Addressing Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), Jamjah Ghaffari insolently said that he had brought a dirty apparel and an old camel for Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to wear and ride, for he was no longer worthy of wearing the robes of the caliphate. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) merely dismissed him with the remarks, "May God curse you, and all that you have brought."
Some of the supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) took up cudgels on behalf of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Hot words were exchanged between the parties. Tempers flared up on both the sides, and that led to the pelting of stones at one another. The state of complete rowdyism came to prevail in the mosque. One of the stones hit Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and he fell unconscious. The gathering dissolved in a state of great disorder, and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was carried to his house in a state of unconsciousness.
The proceedings in the mosque showed to the rebels that Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) did not enjoy the full support of the people of Madina. Apart from the Umayyads and a few other persons, most of the people of Madina preferred to be neutral and watch developments. When the rebels felt that the people of Madina were not likely to offer active support to Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), they changed their strategy, and tightened the siege of the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was denied the freedom to move about. He was not allowed to go to the mosque. Prayers in the mosque were now led by Amir Ghafiqi the leader of the rebels. Madina thus came to be in the full control of the rebels
As days passed on, and no one came forward to oppose the rebels, they felt bold, and intensified their pressure against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). They forbade the entry of any food or provisions into the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Then they placed an embargo even on the entry of water into the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) had purchased a well with his money and dedicated it to the use of the Muslims, and now he was denied water from the well which belonged to him. Umm Habiba, a widow of the Holy Prophet, and a sister of Muawiyah came to see Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and brought some water and provisions for Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). She was not allowed to enter the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Ayesha made a similar attempt, and she was also prevailed upon by the rebels to go back.
Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) remained the Caliph for twelve years. During these twelve years, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) presided at the Hajj ceremonies personally for ten years. He could not perform the pilgrimage during the first year of his caliphate, as he was suffering from the oozing of blood from the nose. That year Abdur Rahman b Auf led the Muslims in Hajj on behalf of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) could not perform the pilgrimage during the last year of his life, as he was besieged in his house by the rebels. On that occasion, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) appointed Abdullah bin Abbas as the "Amir-ul-Hajj".
With the departure of the pilgrims from Madina to Makkah, the hands of the rebels were further strengthened, and as a consequence the crisis deepened further. The rebels apprehended that after the Hajj, thc Muslims gathered at
Makkah from all parts of the Muslim world might march to Madina to the relief of the Caliph. They therefore decided to take action against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) before the pilgrimage was over.
It is related that during the course of the siege, Mugheera bin Shu'ba went to Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and placed three courses of action before him, firstly to go forth and fight against the refuels; secondly to mount a camel and go to Makkah; and thirdly to betake himself to Syria. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) rejected all the three proposals He rejected the first proposal saying that he did not want to be the first Caliph during whose time blood in shed. He turned down the second proposal to escape to Makkah on the ground that he had heard from the Holy Prophet that a man of the Quraish would be buried in Makkah on whom whom would be half the chastisement of the world, and he did not want to be that person. He rejected the third proposal on the ground that he could not forsake the city of the Holy Prophet.
It is recorded on the authority of Abu Thaur al Fahami that he visited Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) when he was besieged, and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) referred to his ten distinctions vis-a-vis Islam, namely: He was one of the first four converts to Islam. He had the distinction of marrying two daughters of the Holy Prophet. He had not applied his hand to worldly use since he had offered allegiance to the Holy Prophet. He liberated a slave every week. He never committed fornication. He never committed a sin. He preserved the text of the Holy Quran. He was one of the ten persons who were given the tidings of paradise during their lifetime. He freely spent his wealth in the way of ALLAH. The Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar were happy with him.A companion Nayyar bin Ayyad Aslami who joined the rebels exhorted them to enter the house and assassinate Uthman. When the rebels under the leadership of Nayyar bin Ayyad advanced to rush into the house, Kathir bin Salat Kundi a supporter of Uthman shot an arrow which killed Nayyar. That infuriated the rebels. They demanded that Kathir bin Salat Kundi the man who had killed Nayyar should be handed over to them. Uthman said that he could not thus betray a person who had shot an arrow in his defense. That precipitated the matters. Uthman had the gates of the house shut. The gate was guarded by Hasan, Hussain, Abdullah bin Zubair, Marwan and a few other persons. Open fighting now began between the rebels and the supporters of Uthman. There were some casualties among the rebels. Among the supporters of Uthman Hasan, Marwan and some other persons were wounded. When Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) came to know of this action he said: No, I do not want to spill the blood of Muslims, to save my own neck.
After the Hajj of 655 things remained quiet for some time. With the dawn of the year 656, Medina, the capital city of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), became a hotbed of intrigue and unrest. Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr returned to Medina from Egypt, and assisted in leading a campaign against the Caliphate of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
When the crisis deepened in Medina, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) addressed the congregation in the Masjid-e-Nabawi and gave an explanation and rebuttal of all the claims against him. The general public was again satisfied with Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). He had hoped that after his speech in which he had explained his position, and offered full defence for his actions, the allegedly false propaganda against him would cease.
The politics of Egypt played the major role in the propaganda war against the caliphate, so Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) summoned Abdullah ibn Saad, the governor of Egypt, to Medina to consult with him as to the course of action that should be adopted. Abdullah ibn Saad came to Medina, leaving the affairs of Egypt to his deputy, and in his absence, Muhammad bin Abi Hudhaifa staged a coup d'état and took power. On hearing of the revolt in Egypt, Abdullah hastened back but Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was not in a position to offer him any military assistance and, accordingly, Abdullah ibn Saad failed to recapture his power.
In middle of 656, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him)’s governor of Kufa, Abu-Musa al-Asha'ari, was unable to control the province. In Basra the governor, Abdullah ibn Aamir, left for Hajj, and in his absence the affairs of the province fell into a state of confusion. The three main provinces of Egypt (which was already the center of the dissident movement), Kufa, and Basra became essentially independent from the Caliphate of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and became the center of revolt.
In the month of Shawwal, a contingent of about 1,000 persons was sent from Egypt to Madina. These persons traveled in four separate groups, and gave out that they were going to perform the Hajj. They were fully armed, and their instructions were to overthrow the government of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and to murder him. The contingent was led by Amir Ghafqi bin Harb Ibn Saba accompanied the contingent as their general adviser.
Similar contingents marched from Kufa and Basra to Madina. The Kufa contingent was led by Ashtar Nakh'i while the contingent from Basra was led by Hakim bin Jabala.
All these contingents converged on Madina according to a pre-arranged plan. Reaching the neighborhood of Madina the contingent from Egypt encamped at Dhil Marwah. The contingent from Basra encamped at Dukhshab, while the contingent from Kufa encamped at Ahwas. From these camps the contingents sent their representatives to one another for mutual consultation. They also sent their representatives to Madina to contact the leaders of public opinion. The representatives of the contingent from Egypt waited on Ali, and offered him the caliphate in succession to Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Ali turned down their offer. The representatives of the contingent from Kufa waited on Zubair, while the representatives of the contingent from Basra waited on Talha, and offered them their allegiance as the next Caliph. These offers were turned down. This move on the part of the rebels neutralized the bulk of public opinion in Madina. Madina could no longer offer a united front; it became a divided house. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) could enjoy the active support of the Umayyads, and a few other persons in Madina. The rest of the people of Madina chose to be neutral and help neither side. That was a big gain for the rebels. After surveying the situation in Madina, the rebels felt satisfied that the circumstances were favorable to the launching of their campaign for overthrowing the government of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
The accounts that have come down to us about the activities of the rebels are very much distorted and confused. The usual version is that Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) appealed to Ali to intervene and use his influence with the rebels to prevail upon them to withdraw from Madina. It is related that Ali was critical of the conduct of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) gave a solemn undertaking that in future he would be guided by the counsels of Ali. It is said that Ali met the rebels, and prevailed upon them to retire from Madina. They agreed to do so, in case formal orders were passed by the Caliph for the deposition of Abdullah b Sa 'ad from the governorship of Egypt. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) passed the orders for the deposition of Abdullah b Sa'ad, and the appointment of Muhammad bin Abu Bakr as the Governor of Egypt.
It is stated that on the demand of Ali, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) addressed the people in the Prophet's mosque; admitted his mistakes; prayed for the forgiveness of ALLAH and the people; and undertook to make amends within three days. It is said that on this occasion Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) wept and the audience wept with him. The accounts continue that under the influence of Marwan bin Hakam, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) retracted from his repentance, and did not make any amends. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and Ali had another meeting at which Ali accused Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) of breach of faith. Ali felt deeply annoyed, and said that that was the parting of ways between them.
The accounts that have come down to us continue that when the rebels from Egypt proceeded a few stages from Madina they came across a slave of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) who was carrying a letter of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to the Governor of Egypt commanding him not to give effect to the orders regarding his deposition, arrest the rebels and execute them. That made the rebels return to Madina. The rebels from Kufa and Basra returned likewise. It is stated that the rebels brought this breach of faith on the part of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to the notice of the leaders of public opinion in Madina and invoked their assistance. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) admitted that the letter bore his official seal, but he denied all knowledge about the contents of the letter. It was contended that the letter was in the handwriting of Marwan. Marwan was however never confronted with the letter, and the accounts recorded in histories leave the matter about the contents of the letter unresolved.
When the rebels besieged the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), the siege was not severe at the early stage. The rebels merely hovered around the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and did not place any restrictions on the movements of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) went to the Prophet's mosque as usual, and led the prayers. The rebels offered prayers under the leadership of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
On the first Friday after the siege, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) addressed the congregation in the mosque. After offering praises to God and the Holy Prophet, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) invited the attention of the people to the commandment in the Holy Quran requiring the people to obey God, His Apostle, and those in authority among them. He observed that the Muslims had been enjoined to settle all matters by mutual consultation. He said that he had kept the doors of consultation wide open. All the allegations that had been levelled against him had been duly explained by him, and shown to be false. He had expressed his readiness to solve the legitimate grievances of the people, if any. He observed that under the circumstances it was uncharitable on the part of some persons to create disturbances in the city of the Holy Prophet. He said that he was not afraid of death, but he did not want the Muslims to be guilty of bloodshed. To him the solidarity of the Muslim community was very dear, and in order to prevent dissension among the Muslims he had instructed his supporters to refrain from violence. He wanted the people to be afraid of God, and not to indulge in activities subversive of Islam. He pointed out that the foreign powers smarting under their defeat inflicted by the Muslim arms had sponsored some conspiracies to subvert Islam. He warned the people not to play in the hands of the enemies of Islam. He appealed to the rebels to retire from Madina. He wanted the people of Madina to support the cause of truth and justice, and withhold their support from the rebels bent on mischief.
Some two or three persons from among the congregation stood up to assure Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) of their support. They were manhandled by the rebels, and were forced to sit down. The rebels including Amr b Al-Aas, Ammar bin Yasir, and Muhammad bin Abu Bakr raised their voices against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). One Jabala bin Amr Saahadi addressing Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) said, "Beware you foolish old man, that unless you abdicate we will strangle you to death". When Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was addressing the congregation from the pulpit, one Jamjah Ghaffari seized the staff from the hands of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and broke it on his knees. Addressing Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), Jamjah Ghaffari insolently said that he had brought a dirty apparel and an old camel for Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to wear and ride, for he was no longer worthy of wearing the robes of the caliphate. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) merely dismissed him with the remarks, "May God curse you, and all that you have brought."
Some of the supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) took up cudgels on behalf of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Hot words were exchanged between the parties. Tempers flared up on both the sides, and that led to the pelting of stones at one another. The state of complete rowdyism came to prevail in the mosque. One of the stones hit Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and he fell unconscious. The gathering dissolved in a state of great disorder, and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was carried to his house in a state of unconsciousness.
The proceedings in the mosque showed to the rebels that Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) did not enjoy the full support of the people of Madina. Apart from the Umayyads and a few other persons, most of the people of Madina preferred to be neutral and watch developments. When the rebels felt that the people of Madina were not likely to offer active support to Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), they changed their strategy, and tightened the siege of the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was denied the freedom to move about. He was not allowed to go to the mosque. Prayers in the mosque were now led by Amir Ghafiqi the leader of the rebels. Madina thus came to be in the full control of the rebels
As days passed on, and no one came forward to oppose the rebels, they felt bold, and intensified their pressure against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). They forbade the entry of any food or provisions into the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Then they placed an embargo even on the entry of water into the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) had purchased a well with his money and dedicated it to the use of the Muslims, and now he was denied water from the well which belonged to him. Umm Habiba, a widow of the Holy Prophet, and a sister of Muawiyah came to see Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and brought some water and provisions for Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). She was not allowed to enter the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Ayesha made a similar attempt, and she was also prevailed upon by the rebels to go back.
Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) remained the Caliph for twelve years. During these twelve years, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) presided at the Hajj ceremonies personally for ten years. He could not perform the pilgrimage during the first year of his caliphate, as he was suffering from the oozing of blood from the nose. That year Abdur Rahman b Auf led the Muslims in Hajj on behalf of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) could not perform the pilgrimage during the last year of his life, as he was besieged in his house by the rebels. On that occasion, Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) appointed Abdullah bin Abbas as the "Amir-ul-Hajj".
With the departure of the pilgrims from Madina to Makkah, the hands of the rebels were further strengthened, and as a consequence the crisis deepened further. The rebels apprehended that after the Hajj, thc Muslims gathered at
Makkah from all parts of the Muslim world might march to Madina to the relief of the Caliph. They therefore decided to take action against Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) before the pilgrimage was over.
It is related that during the course of the siege, Mugheera bin Shu'ba went to Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and placed three courses of action before him, firstly to go forth and fight against the refuels; secondly to mount a camel and go to Makkah; and thirdly to betake himself to Syria. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) rejected all the three proposals He rejected the first proposal saying that he did not want to be the first Caliph during whose time blood in shed. He turned down the second proposal to escape to Makkah on the ground that he had heard from the Holy Prophet that a man of the Quraish would be buried in Makkah on whom whom would be half the chastisement of the world, and he did not want to be that person. He rejected the third proposal on the ground that he could not forsake the city of the Holy Prophet.
It is recorded on the authority of Abu Thaur al Fahami that he visited Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) when he was besieged, and Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) referred to his ten distinctions vis-a-vis Islam, namely: He was one of the first four converts to Islam. He had the distinction of marrying two daughters of the Holy Prophet. He had not applied his hand to worldly use since he had offered allegiance to the Holy Prophet. He liberated a slave every week. He never committed fornication. He never committed a sin. He preserved the text of the Holy Quran. He was one of the ten persons who were given the tidings of paradise during their lifetime. He freely spent his wealth in the way of ALLAH. The Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar were happy with him.A companion Nayyar bin Ayyad Aslami who joined the rebels exhorted them to enter the house and assassinate Uthman. When the rebels under the leadership of Nayyar bin Ayyad advanced to rush into the house, Kathir bin Salat Kundi a supporter of Uthman shot an arrow which killed Nayyar. That infuriated the rebels. They demanded that Kathir bin Salat Kundi the man who had killed Nayyar should be handed over to them. Uthman said that he could not thus betray a person who had shot an arrow in his defense. That precipitated the matters. Uthman had the gates of the house shut. The gate was guarded by Hasan, Hussain, Abdullah bin Zubair, Marwan and a few other persons. Open fighting now began between the rebels and the supporters of Uthman. There were some casualties among the rebels. Among the supporters of Uthman Hasan, Marwan and some other persons were wounded. When Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) came to know of this action he said: No, I do not want to spill the blood of Muslims, to save my own neck.
Assassination
Grave of Uthman
The rebels increased their pressure, and reaching the door of the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) set it on fire. Some rebels led by Muhammad bin Abu Bakr climbed the houses of the neighbors and then jumped into the house of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). It was the seventeenth day of June in the year 656 C.E. corresponding to 18th Zulhijjah 35 AH. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was keeping the fast that day. The previous night he had seen the Holy Prophet in a dream. The Holy Prophet had said, "Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), break your fast with us this evening. We will welcome you". That made Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) feel that it was his last day of life. He prepared himself for death. He sat reading the Holy, Quran, and his wife Naila sat by his side. Some rebels entered the room of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), but they could not dare murder the Caliph. Then Muhammad bin Abu Bakr entered the room and held the beard of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) said that he was like a nephew to him, and he would be false to the memory of his father Abu Bakr if he contemplated any violence against him. That made Muhammad bin Abu Bakr waver in his resolve, and he walked out of the room. Seeing this some of the rebels entered the room, and struck blows at the head of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Naila threw herself on the body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to protect him. She was pushed aside, and further blows were struck on Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) till he was dead. From God he had come and to God he returned. He died while keeping the fast, and true to his dream he broke the fast in the company of the Holy Prophet that evening.
Some slaves of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) fell on the person whose blows had killed Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and killed him. There was some fighting between the rebels and the supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). There were casualties on both the sides. Rowdyism prevailed for some time, and the rebels looted the house. When the women raised loud lamentations over the dead body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), the rebels left the house.
The dead body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) lay in the house for three days. Naila the wife of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) approached some of the supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to help in the burial of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Only about a dozen persons responded to the call. These included Marwan bin Hakam, Zaid bin Thabit, Huwatib bin Alfarah, Jabir bin Muta'am, Abu Jahm bin Hudaifa, Hakim bin Hazam and Niyar bin Mukarram. The dead body was lifted at dusk. In view of the blockade no coffin could be procured. The dead body was not washed as water was not available. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was carried to the graveyard in the clothes that he was wearing at the time of his assassination. According to one account permission was obtained from Ali to bury the dead body. According to another account, no permission was obtained, and the dead body was carried to the graveyard in secret. According to another account when the rioters came to know that the dead body was being carried to the graveyard they gathered to stone the funeral, but Ali forbade them to resort to any such act, and they withdrew. According to one account Ali attended the funeral. There is however overwhelming evidence to the effect that Ali did not attend the funeral. Naila the widow of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) followed the funeral with a lamp, but in order to maintain secrecy the lamp had to be extinguished. Naila was accompanied by some women including Ayesha a daughter of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
The dead body was carried to "Baqi' al Farqad", the graveyard of Muslims. It appears that some persons gathered there, and they resisted the burial of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) in the graveyard of the Muslims. The supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) insisted that the dead body would be buried in the graveyard of the Muslims. Those who were opposed to such burial grew in strength, and fearing lest such opposition might take a more ominous turn. The dead body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was taken to the neighboring graveyard of the Jews "Hush Kaukab", and buried there in a hurry. The funeral prayers were led by Jabir b Muta'am, and the dead body was lowered in the grave without much of ceremony. After burial, Naila the widow of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and Ayesha the daughter of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) wanted to speak, but they were advised to remain quiet as danger was apprehended from the rioters.
When we reflect at the accounts that have come down to us about the funeral of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) we cannot help but grieve at the hapless state of affairs to which the Muslim polity had become a victim. What a pity that the Caliph of the Muslims could not be given even a decent burial. No tragedy could be more tragic than that. It is not understood Wily the people of Madina had become so callous that they could not attend the funeral of the Caliph who had looked after their interests for twelve years, and who had done so much for the promotion of their interest. It is most ironical that he who had been the Caliph of the Muslims was denied burial in the graveyard of the Muslims and had to find a resting place in the graveyard of the Jews who had worked for the subversion of Islam. When Muawiyah came to power he had the wall between the Muslim graveyard and "Hush Kaukab" demolished. More Muslims were buried around the grave of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and this part of "Hush Kaukab" became a part of "Baqi' al Farqad; the graveyard of the Muslims. Uthman ruled 11 years, 11 months and 14 days.
Some slaves of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) fell on the person whose blows had killed Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and killed him. There was some fighting between the rebels and the supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). There were casualties on both the sides. Rowdyism prevailed for some time, and the rebels looted the house. When the women raised loud lamentations over the dead body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), the rebels left the house.
The dead body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) lay in the house for three days. Naila the wife of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) approached some of the supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) to help in the burial of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him). Only about a dozen persons responded to the call. These included Marwan bin Hakam, Zaid bin Thabit, Huwatib bin Alfarah, Jabir bin Muta'am, Abu Jahm bin Hudaifa, Hakim bin Hazam and Niyar bin Mukarram. The dead body was lifted at dusk. In view of the blockade no coffin could be procured. The dead body was not washed as water was not available. Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was carried to the graveyard in the clothes that he was wearing at the time of his assassination. According to one account permission was obtained from Ali to bury the dead body. According to another account, no permission was obtained, and the dead body was carried to the graveyard in secret. According to another account when the rioters came to know that the dead body was being carried to the graveyard they gathered to stone the funeral, but Ali forbade them to resort to any such act, and they withdrew. According to one account Ali attended the funeral. There is however overwhelming evidence to the effect that Ali did not attend the funeral. Naila the widow of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) followed the funeral with a lamp, but in order to maintain secrecy the lamp had to be extinguished. Naila was accompanied by some women including Ayesha a daughter of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him).
The dead body was carried to "Baqi' al Farqad", the graveyard of Muslims. It appears that some persons gathered there, and they resisted the burial of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) in the graveyard of the Muslims. The supporters of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) insisted that the dead body would be buried in the graveyard of the Muslims. Those who were opposed to such burial grew in strength, and fearing lest such opposition might take a more ominous turn. The dead body of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) was taken to the neighboring graveyard of the Jews "Hush Kaukab", and buried there in a hurry. The funeral prayers were led by Jabir b Muta'am, and the dead body was lowered in the grave without much of ceremony. After burial, Naila the widow of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) and Ayesha the daughter of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) wanted to speak, but they were advised to remain quiet as danger was apprehended from the rioters.
When we reflect at the accounts that have come down to us about the funeral of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him) we cannot help but grieve at the hapless state of affairs to which the Muslim polity had become a victim. What a pity that the Caliph of the Muslims could not be given even a decent burial. No tragedy could be more tragic than that. It is not understood Wily the people of Madina had become so callous that they could not attend the funeral of the Caliph who had looked after their interests for twelve years, and who had done so much for the promotion of their interest. It is most ironical that he who had been the Caliph of the Muslims was denied burial in the graveyard of the Muslims and had to find a resting place in the graveyard of the Jews who had worked for the subversion of Islam. When Muawiyah came to power he had the wall between the Muslim graveyard and "Hush Kaukab" demolished. More Muslims were buried around the grave of Uthman (ALLAH Bless With Him), and this part of "Hush Kaukab" became a part of "Baqi' al Farqad; the graveyard of the Muslims. Uthman ruled 11 years, 11 months and 14 days.