UTHMAN IBN AFFAN LIFE: 574AD - 656AD CALIPHATE: 644AD - 656AD PART II CONTRIBUTIONS TO ISLAM DURING THE PROPHETS SAW LIFETIME Son-in-law of Muhammad SAW Because of his conversion to Islam, Uthman had to separate from his wives, who refused to accept Islam. He was grieved and distressed by this, but his love for Islam was of more value to him. The Prophet SAW was so impressed by his sacrifice, that he married his second daughter, Ruqayya, to Uthman. It is said that Uthman and Ruqayya made a unique pair, as Uthman was the most beautiful person amongst the men, whereas Ruqayya was the most beautiful amongst the women.Marriage to the Prophets SAW daughter had elevated the bond shared between them. However, the marriage was short lived. Ruqayya was taken ill at a time when the Muslims went to war at Badr and subsequently passed away when the Holy Prophet SAW and the Muslims were fighting the Quraish at the battlefield of Badr.Deeply grieved by the loss, Uthman was asked by the Prophet SAW to marry his other daughter, Umm Kulthum. When she too passed away six years later, the Prophet SAW noted Uthmans grief in his manner of walking and expression on his face and said: Had we a third daughter, surely, we would have given her in marriage to you. What an endorsement when the Prophet of Allah SAW considers you worthy of marrying his own daughters!It has been said that marriage to two daughters of the Prophet SAW had earned Uthman the nickname Dhun-Noorayn (the one with the two lights) as there was no one else had the privilege of having the Prophet SAW as a father-in-law twice over.The First MigrationThe series of persecution started in the fourth year of Prophethood and accelerated and worsened by the day. In the fifth year it began to seem intolerable for the Muslims and Allah saw to this when He made it known in Surat Az-Zumar that it is time for the religion to spread further afield with the migration of a few Muslims.Good is for those who do good in this world, and Allahs earth is spacious. Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning. [Quran 39:10]In Rajab of the fifth year of the revelation, a group of twelve men and four women, including Uthman and his wife Ruqayya, left for Abyssinia (Ethiopia). The Prophet SAW had directed this small group to migrate for he wanted to preserve the Muslim community from increasing belligerence. He chose Abyssinia as much had been heard of the Christian ruler, Al Najashi, who did not allow any form of persecution in his land. The Prophet SAW, when bidding Uthman and Ruqayya farewell, said No doubt, they are the first to emigrate to Allah after the Prophet of Allah, Lut AS.Uthmans migration to Abyssinia, while escaping the harassment by the Quraish and the oppression in Mecca, was also a means for him to lead by example, the peaceful life of worship to Allah. It has been said that migration from life to life, from existence to existence is a journey to Allah with new provisions as one concedes what is old with its sanctities and glories. For Uthman the migration had strengthened his good characteristics and made them more effective and elegant. It was primarily a migration of spirit.Oppression in MeccaWhen Uthman returned to Mecca he discovered that the Muslims had remained oppressed and in fact their living conditions had worsened. The Quraish had decided to cut all social, economic and familial relations with Muslims and Bani Hashim (the Prophets SAW clan). Banishing them to a valley and depriving them of a reasonable living, the Muslims did not even have sufficient food and water. Uthman ordered his agents to buy food and secretly supply the Muslims.The Second Migration and Continued Hardship in Yathrib (Medina) Again, the Prophet had asked his companions and other Muslims to migrate, this time to Medina, to save themselves from enduring further evil plots of the Quraish. Among the emigrants to Medina were Uthman and Ruqayya.The Muslims in Medina were poor as they had left their worldly possessions in Mecca. Much depended on the Ansar (dwellers of Medina) to adopt a Muhajireen (emigrants from Mecca) to support them in maintaining their livelihood and for survival. A Jewish trader had taken advantage of the need for the city dwellers survival when he sold water (a precious commodity indeed) at a very high price. Uthman took the initiative to relieve them of such high expenses. He offered to buy the well at Rawmah from the Jew but was only allowed to purchase half of it. Uthman then told the Muslims to purchase enough water for two days each time it was his turn to sell water, thereby avoiding purchase of water on the second day when it was the Jews turn to use the well. The Jew was then unable to get any buyers and eventually had to sell his share to Uthman. The well then overflowed with its sweet water and provided the people of Medina with water at no price or account.Uthmans Generosity ContinuesWhen the number of converts to Islam increased in Medina, the space available for them at the mosque in Medina decreased. The Prophet SAW had hoped that perhaps one of his Companions could help with the purchase of the neighbouring area to facilitate the expansion of the mosque. Uthman was only too willing to oblige and proceeded to the owners of this area with an offer to purchase. The Prophet SAW had said, Who will buy the land of so and so add it to the mosque in return for something good for him in Paradise?Again, when the Prophet SAW returned from their victorious campaign in Mecca, he sought to expand the area of the sacred mosque. He suggested that the owners of the home beside the mosque to donate it but they did not, saying that they had nothing else to their name and no other means of finding another home. For the third time Uthman came forward, purchased a house for the owners with an even larger one than they had given up.During the rule of Abu Bakr, the Muslims had undergone great hardship and one of them was the need for food. As a merchant Uthman was due to receive a substantial delivery of food and other goods from Damascus but he had chosen to give up the entire caravan to the poor to help them survive the harsh conditions.Baya Al RidwanOn the 1st of Dhul Qaidah, in the sixth year of Hijrah, the Prophet with 1,400 Muslims from Medina began their journey to Mecca to perform their pilgrimage. As they journeyed, they heard that the Quraish would not allow them to enter the city. Upon reaching Hudaibiyah, the Prophet sent three messengers to the Meccans to convince them to allow the pilgrimage as that was their sole intention. Each returned unsuccessful. The Prophet then sent Uthman to cheer the believing men and women still in Mecca with the tidings that Allah was about to make their religious victorious.Uthman entered Mecca under the protection of Abban bin Sayeed Umwi and conveyed the message. The Quraish offered him the opportunity to make tawaf but he refused for as long as the Prophet had been prevented to do so. The Quraish then decided to detain Uthman, perhaps wanting to ensure they had a card to play in negotiations with the Muslims but this resulted in rumours that he had suffered death in the hands of the Quraish.The death of a messenger is often deemed as a declaration of war and the Prophet went about to prepare for a confrontation in Mecca. The Prophet SAW called upon his followers to take an oath that they will remain on the battlefield and to fight unto death, that they would not flee and will stand or fall together to avenge Uthmans death. With one hand on the other, the Prophet said, this is the pledge on behalf of Uthman. The pledge had pleased Allah but thankfully it need not be acted upon for Uthman emerged soon after. Allah revealed a verse in Surat Al-Fath referring to the sanctity of the covenant:Verily, those who give Bayah (pledge) to you (o Muhammad) they are giving Bayah to Allah. The Hand of Allah is over their hands. Then whosoever breaks his pledge, breaks it only to his own harm; and whosoever fulfils what he has covenanted with Allah, He will bestow on him a great reward. [Quran 48:10]The Expedition to TabukThe ninth year after Hijrah saw the Prophet SAW preparing an army for battle with the Romans who were plotting to disrupt the State of Islam. With limited resources and the near impossible task of adequately equipping the army in the middle of a very hot summer, the Prophet sought the assistance of his companions to donate as much as they could. Uthman immediately obliged and was credited to have provided nine hundred and forty camels along with sixty horses for the Tabuk expedition. He had also given ten thousand dinars to the Prophet SAW to ensure that the army was well equipped. The Prophet SAW remarked, Whatever Uthman does from this day onward, he will suffer no harm.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 09:27:40 +0000
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