‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan رضي الله عنهBorn six years after the year of the elephant (‘Aam al-Feel), ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan, may Allah be pleased with him, belonged to a well-reputed and honourable 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 ‘Uthmaaan Ibn ‘Affaan Ibn Abi Al-’Aas Ibn Ummayyah Ibn ‘Abd Shams Ibn ‘Abd Manaaf. His mother’s name is Arwa Bint Kurayz.
‘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 decent 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.
‘Uthmaan, may Allaah 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.
Kharijite insurgents were plotting to assassinate and murder ‘Uthmaan. When the period of Hajj was over and support came from Madeenah in favour of the Caliph, this made things difficult for the insurgents. So they decided on this ground to execute their mission immediately before things got out of hand and before they were overpowered by the allied forces supporting the Caliph. They tried to break into the Caliph’s house, but failed because of the resistance of the Ansaar and the Muhajireen. Then the insurgents decided to burn ‘Uthmaan’s house. They climbed the walls and attacked him while he was reciting the Glorious Qur’an silently. Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr did not hurt the caliph, but Al-Ghafiqi Ibn Harb immediately hit ‘Uthmaan with an axe he was holding. Then another one struck him with his sword. On seeing this ugly scene, the Caliph’s wife, Naa’ilah tried to protect him, but the sword chopped off her fingers. One of the insurgents ultimately put an end to the Caliphs life by striking him. The insurgents robbed the Caliph’s house and Baitul-Maal.
This event took place on Friday, 18th Dhul-Hijjah, 35 A.H (656 AC).
These evil men only allowed the people to bury the Commander of the Faithful in secret. Then his decent and clean body was finally laid to rest at night and his burial was attended by a few mourners.
This unfortunate and painful incidence brought to an end to the life of the third Rightly-Guided Caliph, ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan, at 80 years of age. It was undoubtedly an abundant life of one of the revered Companions, one of the pious early Muslims who strove in Allaah’s cause with his soul, money and his utmost service and self-sacrifice. To justify this event was nothing but pain felt by all the Muslims. Its effect is still remembered in the Muslim world today.
[Biographies of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, prepared from the works of Ibn Katheer, At-Tabari, As-Suyooti, and other historians, Dar Al-Manarah]
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