The virtues of Hadhrat Uthman - As mentioned in the Hadith

The books of Hadith are filled with the virtues and excellences of Hadhrat ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan, the third caliph of Islam.  Here we present some of his boundless virtues.

 

Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) is the most modest of all.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would also acknowledge this.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Ata bin Yasaar, Hadhrat Sulaiman bin Yasaar and Hadhrat Abu Salma bin ‘Abdur Rahman (May Allah be well pleased with them) that Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) said:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was resting in his house with a bit of His thigh or His ankle showing.  Hadhrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (May Allah be well pleased with him) asked for permission to come in.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) permitted him in His presence.  Then Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) came and requested permission.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) permitted him as well.  Then Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) came and requested permission.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) sat up and adjusted His clothes.  Then Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) came and spoke with the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  When he went away, Hadhrat ‘Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) said:  Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him) came, you didn’t move and didn’t mind (lying in that position), then Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) came and neither did you move nor did you mind.  When Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) came, you sat up and adjusted your clothes?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Why shouldn’t I be modest before the one with whom even angels exercise modesty?  (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Ul Fadhailis Sahabah, Hadith No. 6362)

 

[To be continued...]

 

It is mentioned in another Hadith in Sahih Muslim:

 

Translation: The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  ‘Uthman is modest.  I feared that if I permitted him in that condition, out of modesty, he would not be able to tell me his need.  (Sahih Muslim, Fadhaailis Sahaabah, Hadith No. 6363)

 

Mulla ‘Ali Qari (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says that the meaning of thigh being exposed is that the tunic (kurta) covering the area of the thigh had moved and not the lower garment.

 

Companion of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in paradise

 

Allah Most High has granted this honor to Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) that he has been given the glad tidings of paradise in this world itself.  He also has been granted the honor of being the companion of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in paradise.  As given in Jame’ Tirmidhi:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Talha bin ‘Ubaidullah (May Allah be well pleased with him), he said:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Every Prophet has a companion and my companion in paradise is ‘Uthman.  (Jame’ Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 4063)

 

Allah Most High has granted generosity and munificence to Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him).  Whenever there was a need for money for the cause of Islam, he would unreservedly spend his money.  There is a Hadith in Kanz Ul Ummaal:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Imran (May Allah be well pleased with him), Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) was present in the army which went to Tabuk.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had ordered us to give charity, strengthen ourselves and be obedient.  The Christians of Arabia wrote a letter to Heraclius that this person who claims Prophethood, His community is in straitened circumstances as their produce has been destroyed.  If you want to help your religion then this is the time.  He sent a governor by name “Sannaar” and readied an army of 40,000 and sent it.  When this news reached the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), He sent epistles to all the neighboring clans.  Every day, He would grace the pulpit and say:  Lord!  If these few Muslims are slain, there will be none who worships you on the face of this earth.  The financial condition of the Muslims was disastrous.  Hadhrat ‘Uthman had prepared a caravan to go to Syria for food grains.  Looking at the needs of Muslims, he said:  O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  I present 200 camels with their equipment and 200 Oqiyya (a unit of measure).  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) and said that Takbeer.  The Muslims became so happy with on this that there were cries of Takbeer from all around.  Then the next day, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) exhorted Muslims to give their wealth as Sadqa for this cause.  Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) stood up and said:  I give 200 camels and 200 Oqiyya.  On this, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said the Takbeer and there were cries of Takbeer from all around.  (Kanz Ul Ummaal, Hadith No. 36188)

 

In this way, in different gatherings, Hadhrat ‘Uthman gave 950 and as per another narration 970 camels, 30 horses and 700 Oqiyya of gold and 10,000 Dinar cash.  Hadhrat Huzaifa (May Allah be well pleased with him) says:  When 10,000 Dinar were presented to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), He would turn them over with His hands and say:  O ‘Uthman!  Allah Most High has forgiven all your sins, be them hidden or apparent, until the Day of Judgment.  Then He said:  After this, ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) can do whatever he wants, nothing to worry, nothing will harm him.  (Kanz Ul Ummaal, Hadith No. 36189)