by Imam Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti, trans. ‘Abdassamad Clarke. Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd., London: 1998.

‘UTHMAN IBN ‘AFFAN
may Allah be plelased with him

Uthman ibn ‘Affan ibn Abi’l-‘As ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abd Shams ibn ‘Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilab ibn Murrah ibn Ka’b ibn Lu’ayy ibn Ghalib, al-Qurashi, al-Amawi (al-Makki and then later al-Madani) Abu ‘Amr, and it has been said Abu ‘Abdullah and Abu Layla.

He was born in the sixth year of the Elephant, and he accepted Islam very early on, being one of those whom as-Siddiq called to Islam. He emigrated on both emigrations: the first to Abyssinia and the second to Madinah.

He married Ruqayyah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, before prophethood, and she died with him during the nights of the Battle of Badr. He was held back from Badr, because of her becoming ill, with the permission of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who assigned a portion of the spoils to him and rewarded him, and so he is counted among the people of Badr because of that.

The messenger brought the good news of the victory of the Muslims at Badr on the same day that they buried her in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, married him to her sister Umm Kulthum after her, and she later died with him in the ninth year of the Hijrah.

The men of knowledge said: We don’t know of anyone who married two daughters of a prophet apart from him, and for that reason he is known as Dhu’n-Nurayn–the Possessor of Two Lights.

He was one of the first outstrippers (as-Sabiqun al-Awwalun), the first of the Muhajirun, one of the ten for whom it was witnessed that they were destined for the Garden, and one of the six with whom the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was pleased when he died. He was one of the Companions who memorised all of the Qur’an, and indeed Ibn ‘Abbad said, ‘None of the khulafa’ memorised all of the Qur’an except for him and al-Ma’mun.’

Ibn Sa’d said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed him as his deputy in charge of Madinah during the military expeditions to Dhat ar-Riqa’ and Ghatafan.

One hundred and forty-six hadith of his from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, have been narrated.

The following related hadith from him: Zaid ibn Khalid al-Juhani, Ibn as-Subayr, as-Sa’ib ibn Yasid, Anas ibn Malik, Zaid ibn Thabit, Salamah ibn al-Akwa’, Abu Umamah al-Bahili, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar, ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal, Abu Qatadah, Abu Hurairah and other Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and a great number of others of the Followers (of them Abban ibn ‘Uthman, ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adi, Humran and others).

‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Harib said: I saw none of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who, when he narrated a hadith, narrated it more completely and more excellently than ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, unless it was a man who was in awe of the hadith.

‘Uthman was the most knowledgeable of them in the rites of the Hajj, and then after him, Ibn ‘Umar.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Abban al-Ju’fi said: My maternal uncle Hussein al-Ju’fi siad, ‘Do you realise why ‘Uthman was called the Possessor of Two Lights?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘No-one has ever been united to two daughters of a prophet since Allah created Adam (nor will be ) until the Hour arises other than ‘Uthman, and for that reason he was called the Possessor of Two Lights.’

Al-Hasan said: ‘Uthman was only called the Possessor of Two Lights because no-one is known of who closed his door upon two daughters of a prophet other than him.

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib was asked about ‘Uthman and he said: That was a man who is called in the Highest Assembly (of the angels) the Possessor of Two Lights. He was the son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with two of his daughters.

Sahl ibn Sa’d said: It is said about ‘Uthman ‘the Possessor of Two Lights’ because he will pass from one abode to another in the Garden and there will gleam forth for him two flashes of lightning, and it is for that reason that is said about him.
It is said that he was given the kunya of Abu ‘Amr in the Jahiliyah, then in the time of Islam, Ruqayyah gave birth to ‘Abdullah for him, and he took his kunya from him (Abu ‘Abdullah).

His mother was Arwa bint Kurayz ibn Rabi’ah ibn Habib ibn ‘Abd Shams (ibn ‘Abd Manaf) and her mother was Umm Hakim al-Baida’ bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim and she was the twin sister of the father of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The mother of ‘Uthman was the daughter of the paternal aunt of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Ibn Ishaq said: He was the first to accept Islam after Abu Bakr, ‘Ali and Zaid ibn Harithah.

‘Uthman was of middle stature–he was not short, nor was he tall–with a beautiful face, a fair complexion tinged with red, on his face the marks of small-pox, with a full beard, large-limbed, broad-shouldered, plump in the shank, long in the forearms, hair covering both his forearms, curly-haired but balding to the fore of his head, the most beautiful of people in the fore-teeth, his locks fell beneath his ears and he coloured them with yellow, and he had strengthened his teeth with gold.

‘Abdullah ibn Hazm al-Mazini said: I saw ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan and I have never seen a man or woman with a more beautiful face than him.

Musa ibn Talhah said: ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan was the most beautiful of people.

Usamah ibn Zaid said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent me to ‘Uthman’s house with a dish in which there was meat. I went in, and there was Ruqayyah, may Allah be pleased with her, seated. I began to look at the face of Ruqayyah one time and another time at the face of ‘Uthman. When I returned, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, questioned me and asked me, ‘Did you go in to them?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Have you seen a couple more beautiful than them?’ I said, ‘No, Messenger of Allah.’

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith at-Taymi said: When ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan became a Muslim, his paternal uncle, al-Hakam ibn Abi’l-‘As ibn Umayyah took hold of him, bound him with rope, and said, ‘Do you wish to leave the religion of your fathers for an innovated deen? By Allah, I will not leave you until you give up that which you are involved in.’ ‘Uthman said, ‘By Allah, I will not give it up nor abandon it.’ When al-Hakam saw his firmness in his deen he left him.

Anas said: The first one to emigrate with his family to the Abyssinians was ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘May Allah accompany the two of them. ‘Uthman is the first to emigrate with his family for the sake of Allah since Lut.’

‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, married away his daughter Umm Kulthum, he said to her, ‘Your husband, of all men, is the one who most resembles your grandfather Ibrahim and your father Muhammad.’

Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘We find a resemblance in ‘Uthman to our father Ibrahim.’

The ahadith related on his merit
apart from what have already been quoted

‘Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gathered his garments around him when ‘Uthman entered and said, ‘Should I not feel shy of a man of whom the angels are shy?’

Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman As-Sulami related that ‘Uthman, when he was besieged, looked out over them, and said, ‘I adjure you by Allah, and I adjure none but the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do you not know that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever equips the Army of Difficulty (of Tabuk) then there is the Garden for him.”? And I equipped it. Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever has the well of Rumah dug, then the Garden is for him.”? And I had it dug.’ They affirmed what he said.

‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Khabbab said: I witnessed the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, urging (people to) support the Army of Difficulty, and then ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I will be responsible for one hundred camels with their saddle blankets and their saddles, in the way of Allah.’ Then he further urged people to support the army and ‘Uthman said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I will be responsible for two hundred camels with their saddle blankets and their saddles, in the way of Allah.’ Then he further urged people to support the army and ‘Uthman said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I will be responsible for three hundred camels with their saddle blankets and their saddles, in the way of Allah.’ Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came down (from the mimbar) saying, ‘There will be nothing at all against ‘Uthman whatever he does after this.’

Anas and ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Samurah both said: ‘Uthman came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with one thousand dinars when he equipped the Army of Difficulty and poured them into his lap. The Messenger of Allah, began turning them over, saying, ‘Nothing ‘Uthman does after this day will harm him,’ twice.

Anas said: When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered the Pledge of Allegiance of Ridwan (at Hudaybiyah) ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan was the messenger of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, to the people of Makkah. So people pledged allegiance. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, said, ”Uthman ibn ‘Affan is upon the business of Allah and the business of His Messenger,’ and he struck one of his two hands upon the other, so that the hand of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was better than their hands were for them themselves.

Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned a fitnah (a trial or sedition) and said, ‘This one will be killed wrongfully in it,’ about ‘Uthman.

Murrah ibn Ka’b said: I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioning a trial which he thought to be near. A man passed by, muffled up in his garment, and he (the Prophet) said, ‘This one on that day will be upon the guidance.’ I stood up and went to him and it was ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. I turned, faced him (the Prophet) and said, ‘This one?’ He said, ‘Yes.’

‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ”Uthman, perhaps Allah will robe you in a garment, so if the hypocrites wish to strip it off you do not take it off until you meet me.’
‘Uthman said, on the day of the House (the site of his siege), The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made a covenant with me and I will be patient with it.’

Abu Hurairah said: ‘Uthman bought the Garden from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, twice: when he had the well of Rumah dug and when he equipped the Army of Difficulty.
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with him and grant him peace, said, ”Uthman, of my companions, most resembles me in character.’

‘Asmah ibn Malik said: When the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, died under (the roof of) ‘Uthman, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Get ‘Uthman married. Even if I had a third (daughter) I would have got him married, and I did not get him married except through revelation from Allah.’

‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him said: I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say to ‘Uthman, ‘Even if I had forty daughters I would marry them to you, one after another, until none of them remained.’

Zaid ibn Thabit said: I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, ”Uthman passed by me while one of the angels was with me, and he said, “A martyr whose people will kill him. We are shy of him.”‘
Ibn ‘Umar related that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘The angels are shy of ‘Uthman, just as they are shy of Allah and His Messenger.’

Al-Hasan related that the modesty of ‘Uthman was mentioned in his presence. He said, ‘If he were in the middle of the house–and the door locked—then he put off his clothes in order to pour waer over himself, modesty would prevent him from raising (straightening) his backbone.

(…157)