A brief life sketch of Hadhrat ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan (May Allah be well pleased with him)

A brief life sketch of Hadhrat ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan

(May Allah be well pleased with him)

 

His blessed name is Uthman and his Kuniyah is Abu Abdullah.  Above Abde Munaf, his lineage joins the lineage of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

When did he embrace Islam?

 

He is among the earliest people to embrace Islam and among the earliest to emigrate.  He is among those great people whom the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave the glad tidings of paradise in this worldly life.  As given in Usdul Ghaba:

 

Translation: He embraced Islam in the early days of Islam.  Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (May Allah be well pleased with him) invited him to Islam and he embraced Islam.  He used to say:  Indeed I was the fourth person to embrace Islam.  (Usdul Ghaba Li Ibn Ul Atheer, ‘Uthman Bin ‘Affaan)

 

When did he emigrate?

 

Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) also has the honor of emigrating twice – once to Abyssinia and the second to Madina.  There is a Hadith in Mo’jam Kabeer Tabarani:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Indeed, after Prophet Lut (May peace be upon him), Uthman is the first person to emigrate with his wife for the sake of Allah Most High.  (Mo’jam Kabeer, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 61, Hadith No: 141)

 

When did he marry?

 

Hadhrat Uthman is also distinguished in that one after the other, he was married to 2 daughters of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Himself.  For this reason, he is called Dhun Noorain i.e. the one with 2 radiances.  After the demise of Hadhrat Syeda Ruqayya (May Allah be well pleased with her), the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) wedded Hadhrat Umme Kulthoom (May Allah be well pleased with her) to Hadhrat ‘Uthman.  On this occasion, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

 

Translation: By Allah!  Even if I had 100 daughters and all of them died one after the other, even then I would have wed them to you one after the other.  Just now Jibreel (May peace be upon him) came to me and said:  Allah Most High has ordered that I should wed Umme Kulthoom (May Allah be well pleased with her) to you.  (Jame’ Ul Ahadith Wal Maraseel, Hadith No. 16107; Jame’ Ul Kabeer, Harf Ul Laam; Kanz Ul ‘Ummal, Hadith No. 36206; Nuzhatul Majalis, Bab Manaqibi ‘Uthman Bin ‘Affaan Raziallahu Anhu)

 

How many children did he have?

 

Hadhrat ‘Uthman got 1 son from Hadhrat Ruqaiyyah (May Allah be well pleased with her), whose name is Hadhrat Abdullah (May Allah be well pleased with him).

 

For how long was he the caliph?

 

Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) was seated on the caliphate the 3rd day after the burial of Hadhrat Umar Al Farooq (May Allah be well pleased with him), as per “Tarikh Ul Khulafa” and his caliphate was for 12 years, almost.

 

When was he martyred?

 

He was martyred on 18 Dhul Hijjah, 35 Hijri, Friday after Salaat Ul ‘Asr.  His blessed grave is in Jannatul Baq‘ee.  It is given in Usdul Ghaba:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Ma’ashar (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said:  Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) was martyred on Friday, 18 Dhul Hijjah, 35 Hijri.  His caliphate was for 12 years less 12 days.  (Usdul Ghaba Li Ibn Atheer)

 

What was his distinguishing attribute?

 

His distinguishing attribute was his generosity.  Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) says:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: Whoever buys the house beside Masjid Nabawi and includes that in it, that person will be pardoned by Allah Most High.  Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) did so.  Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Whoever buys the granary of so and so clan and gives it to Muslims in charity, Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) did so. 

 

Imam Hakim Neshapuri (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has narrated a Hadith in Mustadrak on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him):

 

Translation:  It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said: Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) has purchased paradise twice from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), one when he dug the spring of “Ma‘oona” and the second time, when he provided equipment to the army going to Tabook.

 

After this, Imam Hakim writes:  The chain of narration of this Hadith is rigorously authenticated.  (Mustadarak ‘Alas Sahihain, Vol. 3, Pg. No. 107)