Nov 04
Beginning of Uthman (RA) Khilafat
Sunday 5 Moharram, 1469
Nov 04
Sunday 5 Moharram, 1469
When Caliph ‘Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was fatally wounded in 23 AH (644 CE), the Muslim community faced a crisis. On his deathbed, ‘Umar appointed six prominent men from Medina to choose the next leader. These men were ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, Talḥa, Zubayr, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, and ʿUsman ibn ʿAffān. They met in private and agreed on ʿUsman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) as caliph. The choice of ʿUsman surprised some because he was older and known for his gentle nature, but he was a respected Companion and son-in-law of the Prophet(ﷺ). In the end they selected Usman, who was then in his late 60s.
Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) himself was humble and somewhat nervous at the outset. When he addressed the gathered Muslims immediately after being chosen, he admitted he felt tongue-tied and told them: “O people, the first day is difficult but if I live I shall deliver a proper speech.” The next day he spoke at length, reminding everyone that he would strictly follow God’s Book and the Prophet’s (ﷺ) example. He pledged to be just and consult the community. In his address he urged people to uphold right and justice, saying: “Enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil. No believer should subject himself to humiliation, for I will be with the weak against the strong, so long as he has been wronged, God willing.” This early promise to defend the rights of the wronged and not favor the powerful set the tone for his rule.
After taking office, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) set about continuing Umar’s sound policies with a few changes of his own. One of his first changes was in Iraq (Kūfa). Early in 24 AH, he removed al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah from Kufa and appointed Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ as governor, following ʿUmar’s own advice. Saʿd governed for about a year and part of another, until ʿUsman later appointed al-Walīd ibn ʿUqbah to succeed him.
Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was a wealthy merchant, and he never took a salary from the public treasury. He was known for generosity: he freed many slaves, often every Friday, and he took care of widows and orphans. He even doubled the living allowances that had been given to the Prophet’s widows. To help ordinary people and merchants, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) raised the state allowances by about 25% and permitted interest-free loans from the public treasury, which was forbidden by Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). He himself refused any regular pay, but he did accept gifts.
At the same time, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reorganized the provincial governments. He largely retained Umar’s governors but replaced a few whom he distrusted. For example, he dismissed the famed conqueror ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs as governor of Egypt and appointed ʿAbdullah ibn Abi Sarh (an associate from earlier days) in his place. In Syria, he confirmed his cousin Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān as governor, who had already been ruling Damascus under Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Many of Usman’s appointees were from the Umayyad clan, because they were experienced and trusted.
Usman (رضي الله عنه) advised all his governors to be honest and just, reminding them that they were “the guardians of the Muslims and their shield,” and warned them against exploiting the people. Overall, his first years were peaceful in most lands. He sometimes dealt with soldiers’ restlessness, for example, in Kufa and Basra, by sending them on new campaigns, which both gave them work and helped expand the empire. Through these reforms and appointments, Usman (رضي الله عنه) created a more uniform administration and ensured that the rapidly growing Muslim state remained stable in the West, the Nile Valley, and the mountains of Arabia.
One of Usman’s most important acts was standardizing the Qur’an. By around 650 CE it became clear that Muslims in different regions were reciting the Qur’an with slight dialectical differences. A companion named Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman warned Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) about this problem. He said to the Caliph: “O chief of the believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Qur’an) as the Jews and the Christians did before.” Usman took this warning seriously.
He ordered that all available Qur’anic materials, especially the parchments kept by his wife Hafsa (a widow of the Prophet ﷺ), be brought together. He appointed a committee led by Zayd ibn Thabit and including other knowledgeable companions to carefully rewrite all these fragments into one single, official codex of the Qur’an. When the task was completed, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) returned the original parchments to Hafsa and sent the new, authoritative copy to every major city in the empire. He then commanded that all other variant copies and unapproved fragments be burned.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman came to `Usman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were Waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan. Hudhaifa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur'an, so he said to `Usman, "O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Qur'an) as Jews and the Christians did before." So `Usman sent a message to Hafsa saying, "Send us the manuscripts of the Qur'an so that we may compile the Qur'anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you." Hafsa sent it to `Usman. `Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, `Abdullah bin AzZubair, Sa`id bin Al-As and `AbdurRahman bin Harith bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. `Usman said to the three Quraishi men, "In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit on any point in the Qur'an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur'an was revealed in their tongue." They did so, and when they had written many copies, `Usman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. `Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur'anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. (Sahih al-Bukhari 4987)
This move ensured that all Muslims, from Persia to North Africa, would recite exactly the same text of the Qur’an. Usman’s order was carried out peacefully, and it became his greatest legacy: the unified Qur’anic text that Muslims use to this day.
Under Usman’s rule, the Muslim world continued to expand on all fronts. Although Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) did not personally lead armies, he gave his generals wide authority. In the east, the wars against the Sassanian Empire reached a climax. In 651 CE, the Persian Emperor Yazdegerd III was killed, and Persia collapsed. Muslim armies then conquered Khorasan and moved into Central Asia. By 652 CE, they had reached Sindh (present-day Pakistan), bringing the region under Muslim control.
At the same time, campaigns against the Byzantines pressed on. In 646 CE, the Byzantines tried to retake Egypt (Cairo and Alexandria), but the Muslim garrisons repelled them. During the 650s, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) authorized the building of the first Muslim navy. In 649 CE, Cyprus was captured, followed by Rhodes in 654 CE. In 655 CE, a major naval battle off the coast of Lycia (in Anatolia), later known as the Battle of the Masts, significantly weakened Byzantine sea power.
To the west, Muslim armies moved across North Africa. In Libya and Tunisia, they defeated the Byzantines at Sufetula in 647 CE, securing the central Mediterranean coast. From these base cities, they even launched raids into the Mediterranean Sea and toward Italy. In Spain, a Muslim force led by ʿAbdullah ibn Saʿd crossed the Strait of Gibraltar (probably in the early 650s) and captured coastal parts of Iberia.
By the end of Usman’s caliphate, the Muslim empire spanned from Sindh in the east to southern Spain in the west, and from Central Asia down through the Fertile Crescent into Egypt and North Africa. Throughout these campaigns, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) typically tried to resolve conflicts by negotiation first. For example, when a serious rebellion arose in Medina around 656 CE, he even refused his cousin Muʿāwiya’s offer to send Syrian troops to attack the rebels, hoping instead to settle the issue with calm discussion.
From the start, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was known for his personal virtues. He was extremely kind, modest, and humble. The Arab described him as “pious, gentle, and kind, known for his modesty and shyness, and admired for his generosity”. He ruled with impartial justice and a mild, humane style, following the example of the Prophet (ﷺ), Abu Bakr, and Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
He often gave quietly from his own wealth. Stories say that every Friday, he would buy slaves only to free them, and he had so few servants because he freed them so quickly. At the Battle of Tabuk (630 CE), while the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was requesting donations, Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) turned out to be the single largest contributor: he gave 900 fully equipped camels for the army. He also personally fasted frequently (sometimes on alternate days) and spent many nights in prayer. Despite his rich background, he chose to live simply. In Medina, he once slept wrapped only in a woolen blanket on the mosque floor.
`Aisha reported:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was lying in the bed in my apartment with his thigh uncovered and Abu Bakr sought permission to enter. It was given to him and he conversed in the same very state (the Prophet's thigh or shank uncovered). Then `Umar sought permission for entering and it was given to him and he conversed in that very state. Then `Usman sought permission to enter; Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sat down and he set right his clothes. Muhammad (one of the narrators) said: I do not say that it happened on the same day.
He (`Usman) then entered and conversed and as he went out, `Aisha said: Abu Bakr entered and you did not stir and did not observe much care (in arranging your clothes), then `Umar entered and you did not stir and did not arrange your clothes, then `Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) entered and you got up and set your clothes right, so he (ﷺ) said: Should I not show modesty to one whom even the Angels show modesty. (Sahih Muslim 2401)
This hadith verifies the character and modesty of Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Such praise from the Prophet’s own family and companions showed that Usman’s faith and courtesy were exceptional.
The early years of Usman ibn Affan’s (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) caliphate were marked by peace, fairness, and strong leadership. He carried forward the example of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the caliphs before him with sincerity and care. His rule showed his deep concern for justice, unity, and the well-being of the Muslim community. Usman (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was gentle in nature but firm when it came to matters of faith and responsibility. He treated people with kindness, listened to complaints, and often forgave those who wronged him.
Usman’s efforts to organize the administration, expand the Muslim lands, and standardize the Quran were major achievements. His letters to governors and his sermons reflected a leader who truly wanted to serve, not rule for personal gain. He faced growing challenges later in his rule, but he chose to respond with patience and prayer rather than harshness or anger.
Usman’s (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) early leadership is remembered for its calm and wisdom. His character and choices offer a lasting lesson on how a true Islamic leader should act, placing the needs of the people and the command of Allah above all else.