• The First Caliph, Abu Bakr (632-634 A.C.)
• The Second Caliph, Umar (634-644 A.C.)
• The Third Caliph, Uthman (644-656 A.C.)
• The Fourth Caliph, Ali (656-661 A.C.)

The Third Caliph, Uthman (644-656 A.C.)

"Every Prophet has an assistant, and my assistant will be Uthman." (Hadith)

Uthman's Election

When 'Umar fell under the assassin's dagger, before he died the people asked him to nominate his successor. 'Umar appointed a committee consisting of six of the ten companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) about whom the Prophet had said, "They are the people of Heaven" - Ali, Uthman, Abdul Rahman, Sa'ad, Al-Zubayr and Talha - to select the next Caliph from among themselves. He also outlined the procedure to be followed if any differences of opinion should arise. Abdul Rahman withdrew his name. He was then authorized by the committee to nominate the Caliph. After two days of discussion among the candidates and after the opinions of the Muslims in Medina had been ascertained, the choice was finally limited to Uthman and Ali. Abdul Rahman came to the mosque together with other Muslims, and after a brief speech and questioning of the two men, swore allegiance to Uthman. All those present did the same, and Uthman became the third Caliph of Islam in the month of Muharram, 24 A.H.

Uthman's Life

Uthman bin Affan was born seven years after the Holy Prophet (peace be on him). He belonged to the Omayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. He learned to read and write at an early age, and as a young man became a successful merchant. Even before Islam Uthman had been noted for his truthfulness and integrity. He and Abu Bakr were close friends, and it was Abu Bakr who brought him to Islam when he was thirty-four years of age. Some years later he married the Prophet's second daughter, Ruqayya. In spite of his wealth and position, his relatives subjected him to torture because he had embraced Islam, and he was forced to emigrate to Abyssinia. Some time later he returned to Mecca but soon migrated to Medina with the other Muslims. In Medina his business again began to flourish and he regained his former prosperity. Uthman's generosity had no limits. On various occasions he spent a great portion of his wealth for the welfare of the Muslims, for charity and for equipping the Muslim armies. That is why he came to be known as 'Ghani' meaning 'Generous.'

Uthman's wife, Ruqayya was seriously ill just before the Battle of Badr and he was excused by the Prophet (peace be on him) from participating in the battle. The illness Ruqayya proved fatal, leaving Uthman deeply grieved. The Prophet was moved and offered Uthman the hand of another of his daughters, Kulthum. Because he had the high privilege of having two daughters of the Prophet as wives Uthman was known as 'The Possessor of the Two Lights. '

Uthman participated in the Battles of Uhud and the Trench. After the encounter of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be on him) determined to perform Hajj and sent Uthman as his emissary to the Quraish in Mecca, who detained him. The episode ended in a treaty with the Meccans known as the Treaty of Hudaibiya.

The portrait we have of Uthman is of an unassuming, honest, mild, generous and very kindly man, noted especially for his modesty and his piety. He often spent part of the night in prayer, fasted every second or third day, performed hajj every year, and looked after the needy of the whole community. In spite of his wealth, he lived very simply and slept on bare sand in the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque. Uthman knew the Qur'an from memory and had an intimate knowledge of the context and circumstances relating to each verse.

Uthman's Caliphate

During Uthman's rule the characteristics of Abu Bakr's and Umar's caliphates - impartial justice for all, mild and humane policies, striving in the path of God, and the expansion of Islam - continued. Uthman's realm extended in the west to Morocco, in the east to Afghanistan, and in the north to Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his caliphate a navy was organized, administrative divisions of the state were revised, and many public projects were expanded and completed. Uthman sent prominent Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) as his personal deputies to various provinces to scrutinize the conduct of officials and the condition of the people.

Uthman's most notable contribution to the religion of God was the compilation of a complete and authoritative text of the Qur'an. A large number of copies of this text were made and distributed all over the Muslim world.

Uthman ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by internal peace and tranquility, but during the second half of his caliphate a rebellion arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking advantage of dissatisfaction among the people, began conspiring against Uthman, and by publicly airing their complaints and grievances, gained so much sympathy that it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe.

It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Uthman had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment it began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of Muslims, however rebellious they might be. He preferred to reason with them, to persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well remembered hearing the Prophet (peace be on him) say, "Once the sword is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day."

The rebels demanded that he abdicate and some of the Companions advised him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of action, but again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the Prophet. "Perhaps God will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman" the Prophet had told him once, "and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it off for them." Uthman said to a well-wisher on a day when his house was surrounded by the rebels, "God's Messenger made a covenant with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."

After a long siege, the rebels broke into Uthman's house and murdered him. When the first assassin's sword struck Uthman, he was reciting the verse,

"Verily, God sufficeth thee; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing" [Q2:137]

Uthman breathed his last on the afternoon of Friday, 17 Dhul Hijja, 35 A.H. (June. (656 A.C.). He was eighty-four years old. The power of the rebels was so great that Uthman's body lay unburied until Saturday night when he was buried in his blood-stained clothes, the shroud which befits all martyrs in the cause of God.

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Al-Khulafaa Ar-Rashidin - The Rightly Guided Caliphs Links:

The Rightly Guided Caliphs :: الخلفاء الراشدون رضوان عليهم | The First Caliph, Abu Bakr (632-634 A.C.)  | The Second Caliph, Umar (634-644 A.C.) | The Third Caliph, Uthman (644-656 A.C.) | The Fourth Caliph, Ali (656-661 A.C.) | Muhammad The Messenger Of Allah :: محمّد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلّم  -- Biography by a Muslim, Muhammad Hamidullah | Biography by a non-Muslim, K. Rao | The Prophet (s.a.w.) as a blessing to mankind | Description Of The Prophet (s.a.w.) | Finality of Prophethood | Last Sermon Of The Prophets (s.a.w.) | What other scholars say about the Prophet (s.a.w.) and additional sayings | Stories Of The Companions :: قصص الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم  -- 'Abbaad Ibn Bishr | ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas | ‘Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn Al-'Aas | 'Abdullah ibn Hudhafah as-Sahmi | 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh | 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'uud | 'Abdullah Ibn Rawaahah | 'Abdullah Ibn Sailam | 'Abdallah Ibn 'Umar | 'Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum | 'Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubair | 'Abd Ar- Rahman Ibn Abi Bakr | 'Abd Ar-Rahman Ibn 'Awf | Abu Ad-Dardaa | Abu Ayuub Al-Ansaariy | Abu Dhar Al-Ghifaariy | Abu Jabir Abdallah bin Amr bin Hiram | Abu Hurairah | Abu-l Aas ibn ar-Rabiah | Abu Muusaa Al-Ash'ariy | Abu Sufyaan Ibn Al-Haarith | Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah | 'Adiyy ibn Hatim | 'Aishah bint Abi Bakr | Al-'Abbaas Ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalib | Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik | Al-Miqdaad Ibn 'Amr | 'Ammaar Ibn Yaasir | 'Amr Ibn Al -'Aas | 'Amr Ibn Al-Jamuuh | An-Nuayman ibn Amr | An-Numan ibn Muqarrin | Asmaa bint Abu Bakr | At-Tufail Ibn 'Amr Ad-Dawsiy | Az-Zubair Ibn Al-'Awaam | Barakah | Bilaal Ibn Rabaah | Fatimah bint Muhammad | Fayruz ad-Daylami | Hakim ibn Hazm | Hamzah Ibn 'Abd Al-Muttalib | Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan | Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl | Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib | Julaybib | Habib Ibn Zaid | Khabbab ibn al-Arat | Khaalid Ibn Al-Waliid | Khaalid Ibn Sa'iid | Khubaib Ibn 'Adiy | Mi'aadh Ibn Jabal | Muhammad ibn Maslamah | Mus'ab Ibn 'Umair | Nuaym ibn Masud | Rabiah ibn Kab | Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan | Rumaysa bint Milhan | Qais Ibn Sad Ibn Ubaadah | Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqaas | Sa'd Ibn Mitaadh | Sa'd Ibn 'Ubaadah | Sa'iid Ibn Aamir | Sa'iid ibn Zayd | Saalim Mawlaa Abi Hudhaifah | Salamah Ibn Al-Akwa' | Salmaan Al-Faarisiy | Suhayb ar-Rumi | Suhayb Ibn Sinaan | Suhayl Ibn'Amr | Talhah Ibn - Ubaid Allah | Thaabit Ibn Qais | Thumamah ibn Uthal | 'Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamit | Ubaiy Ibn Ka'b | Umair Ibn Sa'd | Umair Ibn Wahb | 'Umraan Ibn Husain | Umm Salamah | Uqbah ibn Aamir | Usaamah Ibn Zaid | Usaid Ibn Hudair | 'Utbah Ibn Ghazwaan | 'Uthmaan Ibn Madh'uun | Zayd al-Khayr | Zayd Ibn Al-Khattaab | Zayd Ibn Haarithah | Zayd Ibn Thaabit | Muslim Profiles -- Imam Abu Hanifa | Imam Ibn Hanbal | Imam Malik | Imam Al Shafi’i | Al Ayoubi | Al Battani | Al Biruni | Al Buzjani | Al Farghani | Al Kindi | Al Idrisi | Al Khayyam | Al Khawarizmi | Al Tusi | Al Zahrawi | Dan Fodio | Ibn Al-Baitar | Ibn Al Nafis | Ibn Batuta | Ibn Haiyan | Ibn Khaldun | Ibn Rushd | Ibn Qurra | Ibn Sina | Ibn Ziyad | Ibn Zuhr | Sheikh Abdulfattah Abu-Abdullah Adelabu (Ph. D. Damas)