Part 46

From *Awn Ibn *Abdullaah Ibn * Utbah: "Sit with the Oft-repentent (Al-Tawwaaboon), for they are the softest-hearted of people."

From Aslam, ~Umar's freedman: "Be the vessels of the

Book and the-well-springs of knowledge, and ask Allah for your sustenance day by day."

From Abu ~Uthmaan An-Nahdi: "Winter is the treasure of devotees."

From Yahya Ibn Abu Katheer: "If it were announced from heaven: 'O people! You will all be admitted to Paradise except one,' I would fear to be he; and if it were announced: 'O people! You will all enter Hellfire except one,' I would hope to be he."

As we bid this righteous companion goodbye, we can only pray: May Allah handsomely reward you for all that you did for Islam and Muslims. The story of your life abounds in lessons for us and for the entire world to contemplate. You have certainly managed to leave an indelible mark in the history of mankind. No wonder that all people, be they Muslims or nonMuslims, can only marvel at such a unique person, the light of whom has never trodden the earth thereafter.

may Allah be pleased with him

"Should I not be bashful of a man in whose presence even the Angels feel bashful."

*Uthmaan Earns the Title Dhun-Noorayn (Owner of the Two Lights)

The Angels Feel Bashful in the Presence Of *Uthmaan Hadiths on the Virtues of *Uthmaan

*Uthmaan as a Great Scholar

The First Case before ~Uthmaan

Conquests in the Life-Time of *Uthmaan

Rebellion of Azerbaijan and Armenia

Byzantine Invasion of Alexandria

Conquest of Khurasan and Tabrastan

Conquest of North Africa

The Conquest of Cyprus

The Battle of Dhaat As-Sawaari (31 652 AC) Uthman's Pioneering acts

Official Manuscript of the Glorious Quran

Extension of the Prophet's Mosque

Who Is “Abdullaah Tbn Saba’? And What Is His Relation to the Sedition?

The Caliph's Meeting with the Governors of Provinces

¢ The Siege of Caliph’s House and His Martyrdom

Born six years after the year of the elephant (*Aam AlFeel), ~Uthmaan Ibn * Affaan, may Allah be pleased with him, belonged to a well-reputed and honorable family of Makkah in the period of Jahiliyyah, Banu Umayyah, a branch of the tribe of Quraysh. His ancestral pedigree joins with that of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him in the fifth generation. His father’s name is ~ Uthmaan Ibn * Affaan Ibn Abi Al--Aas Ibn Ummayyah Ibn ~Abd Shams Ibn * Abd Manaaf. His mother's name is Arwa Bint Kurayz. *Uthmaan was also known by other names, namely Abu *Abdullaah and Abu Laylah.

*Uthmaan was one of the few persons in Makkah who learned how to read and write at an early age, and as a young man became a successful merchant and businessman. Of all his contemporaries, he was a venerable man of overrated virtue and outstanding attributes. Though he was extremely wealthy and of high rank, he was always noted for his modesty and humbleness. Even before landing on the safe shore of Islam, he was a soft natured and kind hearted man; he used to help the needy and the poor-stricken, and did not hesitate to spend any amount of money on seeing a man in trouble in order to remove his misery. For his lofty morals and descent way of expression, the Makkans had great respect for him. It is also said that he never wronged anyone, nor did anything obscene, or prostrated himself before idols in Jahiliyyah.

It is said that *Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, was a little above average height, extremely handsome, a fairskinned man_ with a touch of redness in his face, brunet, large-

jointed, broad-shouldered, with a thick beard which he dyed yellow, and long hair which reached his shoulders, and goldbraced teeth.

~Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Hazm Al-Muzanyy is reported to have said: "I saw ~Uthmaan Ibn * Affaan, and I never saw a man or a woman handsomer of face than him." (Reported by [bn * Asaakir.)

*Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, was among the early converts to Islam, He and Abu Bakr were close friends, and it was Abu Bakr who convinced him to embrace Islam, when the latter was thirty-four years of age.

It is narrated that when * Uthmaan was informed about Prophet Muhammad's giving his daughter Rugayyah in marriage to his paternal cousin ~Utbah [bn Abi Lahab, he regretted he had not asked for her hand before him, because everyone wanted to marry her because of her good manners and noble descent. ~Uthmaan went home one day in a_ state of sorrow to find there his maternal aunt Su’ da Bint Kurayz, who was a very wise and old woman. She gave him the glad tidings that a Prophet would be sent to abolish idol worship and call to monotheism, and she started calling him to the new faith, which she said would fulfil his desires.

~Uthmaan narrates: | went away thinking of my aunt's words. I met Abu Bakr and told him of what she said, whereupon Abu Bakr said to me: "By Allah, your aunt has spoken the truth, and has given you glad tidings. O ~ Uthmaan! You are a wise man of sound opinion. You know exactly where the truth lies, and falsehood cannot find way to your heart." Then he said to me: "What are those idols which our people

take as lords?! Are they not idols which neither see nor hear, and do not respond to our prayer?! "Definitely yes,” | replied. Abu Bakr continued, “What your aunt foretold has come true: Allah has sent His Messenger to all mankind with a religion of truth and guidance." | asked, "Who is he?” Abu Bakr answered, "He is Muhammad Ibn *Abdellaah Ibn ~ Abdel Muttalib." I wondered, "The Truthful and Trustworthy?!" "Yes, he is," said Abu Bakr. I said, "Would you accompany me to him?" Abu Bakr accepted, and we went together to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. When the Prophet saw me he said, "Respond to Allah's call, O ~Uthmaan, for | am Allah Messenger to you in particular and to all people in general."

~Uthmaan added: "By Allah, no sooner had I looked at him and listened to his words than he become the apple of my eye and found his way quickly to my heart. | therefore did not hesitate to acknowledge his prophethood and believe in him. I pronounced Shahadah: there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

When he accepted Islam, the Quraysh who once loved ~Uthmaan became his enemies. Even his relatives began to rebuke him and chastised him severely.

One of the daughters of the Prophet, Ruqayyah was married to one of the sons of Abu Lahab (an arch-enemy of Islam). When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, started to preach Islam, Abu Lahab asked his son * Utbah to divorce her. No sooner had * Uthmaan heard of the divorce of Rugayyah than he rushed to ask for her hand, and the Prophet in turn gave her in marriage to him. Thus he fulfilled his longestablished desire.

*“Uthmaan Earns the Title Dhun-Noorayn (Owner of the Two Lights):

“Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, earned the title Dhun-Noorayn, or owner of the two lights, because he enjoyed the high privilege of entering into matrimonial alliance with two daughters of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. These two daughters were the lights which illuminated his house, and thus he was called Dhun-Noorayn. First he married Ruqayyah following her getting divorced from *Utbah, and she died during the battle of Badr. Ruqayyah was seriously ill just before the battle of Badr, and ~Uthmaan sought the Prophet's permission to stay behind with a view to looking after her. The Prophet excused him from participating in the battle, and further gave him the glad tidings that he would be rewarded as though he had taken part in the battle.

Then illness of Rugqayyah proved fatal and finally she passed away. At the time of burial, the news came that Muslims gained victory over Quraysh. Yet, the death of Ruqayyah had left ~Uthmaan deeply grieved, so the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, offered him the hand of his second daughter, Umm Kulthoom, *Uthmaan accepted the Prophet's proposal and married his second daughter. The latter lived with him until she died on the ninth year after Hijrah.

Scholars state that no one except * Uthmaan is known to have married two daughters of a Prophet, and because of this he was called Dhun-Noorayn.

The Angels Feel Bashful in the Presence Of *Uthmaan:

*Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, was a very pious Companion and a man of high character, He was the most

bashful of all the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

The Mother of the Believers, ~Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates: The Prophet was lying down one day in my apartment with his thighs (or shanks) exposed. Then Abu Bakr came and sought permission to enter, and the Prophet bade him come in, in that very state of his. Abu Bakr came in and spoke to him and, having his need fulfilled, went back. Then, “Umar came, sought permission to enter, and the Prophet permitted him to enter while he was in that state. *Umar entered and spoke to the Prophet and, having his need fulfilled, went back. Then, ~Uthmaan came and sought permission to enter, whereupon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sat up, straightened his clothing, and then let him enter. ~Uthmaan came in and spoke to the Prophet. After he had gone, 1 asked the Prophet: "Abu Bakr came in and you neither sat up nor show any anxiety (with regard to dressing), and ~ Umar came in and you neither sat up nor show any anxiety. But when ~Uthmaan came in, you straightened out your clothing?! The Prophet said: "Should I not be bashful of a man in whose presence even the angels feel bashful?” (Reported by Moslem.)

Hadiths on the Virtues of ~Uthmaan:

In addition to the Hadiths mentioned earlier, the following Hadiths may be quoted in order to confirm the virtues and outstanding merits of * Uthmaan Ibn * Affaan, may Allah be pleased with him.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "*Uthmaan" purchased Paradise from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, two times: when he dug the well of Roomah and when he equipped the army of Al-* Usrah." (Reported by Al-Haakim.)

Abu Hurayrah also narrates that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "“Uthmaan is the most of my Companions in resembling my character." (Reported by Ibn * Asaakir.) :