Uthman Ibn Affan – Zulnoorain

    Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was lying in her apartment with part of his thigh uncovered when Abu Bakr sought permission to enter. The Prophet ﷺ allowed him to enter and remained in the same position. Then Umar ibn Al-Khattab asked permission to enter, and the Prophet ﷺ again remained as he was. However, when Uthman ibn Affan sought permission to enter, the Prophet ﷺ sat up and adjusted his clothes properly. After Uthman left, Aisha asked: ”O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr entered and you did not change your position, and Umar entered and you did not change your position, but when Uthman entered, you sat up and adjusted your clothes.” The Prophet ﷺ replied: ”Should I not show modesty toward a man before whom even the angels show modesty?” This was Uthman ibn Affan (RA) — the third of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and one of the ten Companions who were promised Paradise. Sayyiduna Uthman was also given the title Dhun-Nurayn (”The Possessor of Two Lights”) because he married two daughters of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He first married Ruqayyah (RA), and after her death, he married her sister Umm Kulthum.

    Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Affan was the third Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam. His full name was Uthman ibn Affan ibn Al-As ibn Umayyah ibn Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf. He was born in Makkah during the sixth year after the Year of the Elephant and was about five years younger than the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He accepted Islam at an early stage and participated in both migrations: the first migration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and the second migration to Madinah. Even before embracing Islam, Uthman was known among Quraysh for his noble character, modesty, and honor. He was also among the few people of Makkah who could read and write. He was one of the earliest people to embrace Islam. Ibn Ishaq stated that after Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Ali, Uthman was among the first to accept Islam. He was the fourth man to become Muslim.

The story of his conversion to Islam is remarkable. During a journey returning from Syria, he heard a voice calling out:
”O sleepers, arise! Ahmad has appeared in Makkah.” When he returned home, he began hearing about the message of Islam. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, who was a close friend of Uthman, spoke to him about the new religion and invited him to meet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Uthman later described his conversion, saying: ”Abu Bakr said to me, ”What is wrong with you, Uthman? You are an intelligent man who can distinguish between truth and falsehood. What are these idols that our people worship? Muhammad ibn Abdullah is the Messenger of Allah, whom Allah has sent with His message to His creation. Will you go to him?”. We then went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he said to me, ”O Uthman, respond to Allah and accept Islam, for indeed I am the Messenger of Allah sent to you and to all His creation.” By Allah, as soon as I heard his words, I could not hesitate in accepting Islam. I testified that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner.

     Before Islam, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had arranged the marriage of his daughters Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum to Utbah and Utaybah, the sons of Abu Lahab. However, when Surah Al-Masad was revealed condemning Abu Lahab and his wife, Abu Lahab and Umm Jamil ordered their sons to divorce the daughters of the Prophet ﷺ. As a result, both marriages ended before they were consummated. When Uthman ibn Affan heard about the divorce of Ruqayyah, he proposed marriage to her, and the Prophet ﷺ accepted his proposal. It is reported that Lady Khadijah bint Khuwaylid accompanied her daughter Ruqayyah to her new home after the marriage. Upon seeing them together, a man named Basim remarked: ”I have never seen a more beautiful couple than Ruqayyah and her husband Uthman.” Abd Al-Rahman ibn Uthman Al-Qurashi narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once entered while his daughter was washing Uthman’s hair. The Prophet ﷺ then said:

”O my daughter, be gentle with Abu Abdullah, for he is the companion among my followers who most resembles me in character.”

   May Allah be pleased with Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Affan and elevate his rank in Paradise. He remains a shining example of generosity, modesty, and unwavering dedication to Islam, and his legacy continues to inspire Muslims to this day.