Uthman ibn Affan RA Flashcards
Why was Uthman RA considered to be the most suitable candidate to become the third Caliph?
Due to his closeness to the Prophet SAW in all aspects (his companion and son-in-law), he was considered to be the most suitable by all companions.
How was Uthman RA elected to be the third Caliph?
‘Umar RA appointed a panel of six men to elect a Caliph within three days. The men were Uthman himself, ‘Ali, Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas, Talha Ubaidillah, Zubayr al Awwam, and AbdurRahman bin Awf.
What did the six companions decide to do when a decision could not be made?
AbdurRahman ibn Awf withdrew his name to facilitate the matter. The remaining members agreed that he should make a decision. He consulted each member privately. Uthman RA had proposed Ali RA’s name, and Ali had proposed Uthman’s name. Eventually, AbdurRahman ibn Awf gave his decision in favor of Uthman and took the pledge of loyalty, followed by others.
Which territories did Uthman RA include in the Islamic Empire?
Across Anatolia and Central Asia: Samarkand, Khurasan, Turkemenistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey
Across North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt
Including Arabia and the countries of ash-Sham
What were the major services that Uthman RA did during his Caliphate? (Mention three)
- Created a standardized copy of the Quran
- Established the first Islamic Naval Force
- Expanded the Prophet’s Mosque and developed the Islamic state with the construction of dams, wells, and bridges
What was the reason for Uthman RA’s decision to make a standardized copy of the Quran?
After the conquests in the East and West by the Muslims, a large number of non-Arabs accepted Islam. Because of this, differences arose in the recitation of the Quran due to various dialects. Thus, Uthman RA decided to create a standardized copy.
Which companion did Uthman RA take as an advisor for the standardization of the Quran?
Hudhaifa ibn Yaman RA
Which companion led the mission?
Zaid ibn Thabit RA
How did they create a standardized version of the Quran?
They ordered all the copies of the Quran that were used throughout the Islamic state to be sent to them. They compared these with the original copy kept by Hafsa RA. Finally, they removed all variations of dialects and made several copies of the new standardized version.
What happened to the new copies of the Quran after they had completed them?
They were distributed throughout the Islamic state.
What happened to the old copies of the Quran?
The old copies were burned to avoid confusion, falsehood, and disunity.
How many ships did Muawiya RA build?
Nearly 500 ships.
Mention seven things Uthman RA constructed during his Caliphate.
Rest houses, new roads, bridges, water tanks, wells, dams, and a port in Jeddah
Mention six causes of the revolt against Uthman RA.
- Uthman’s tender-heartedness
- Uthman’s old age
- Conspiracies by a Yemenite Jew, Abdullah ibn Saba
- Arab and non-Arab conflicts and disputes
- Rivalry between the Hashimites and the Umayyads
- Lack of firm faith among the new Muslims
What were the charges filed against Uthman RA by the hypocrites and the rebels? (Mention four points)
- His appointment of inefficient administration
- His leniency to the governors
- Burning the copies of the Quran
- Spending from the public treasury on his relatives
What was Uthman RA like in terms of his administration?
- He was soft in nature but had a very sharp eye
- He did not change anything in the executive administration set up by Umar RA
- He appointed four of his relatives as governors of four provinces: Egypt, Basra, Syria, Kufa to avoid any revolt
- He divided the Islamic Empire into 12 provinces
Mention the remarkable acts of Uthman RA during his caliphate.
- Used to come to the Masjid on Fridays long before the athaan to listen to the complaints of Muslims
- Every hajj, he used to listen to the public about their difficulties and complaints against government officers
- He took special care of the military personnel and increased their salary
- Arranged free distribution of food to the poor and disabled during Ramadan
- He established a fixed salary for the Muathins (callers of Athan)
What did the insurgents do to Uthman RA during his last days?
The insurgents/rebels demanded he give up his Caliphate, but he rejected them. They laid siege to his house for 40 days. At first, they only allowed him to come out for prayers, but eventually, they stopped allowing him to go for prayers. They stopped the supply of water in the last few days.
How did Uthman RA respond to the insurgents?
He reminded them of his familial relations with the Prophet SAW and the services he had rendered to Islam, but to no avail.
What did the insurgents decide to do with Uthman RA?
The insurgents were afraid that Hajj was coming to an end and Uthman’s supporters would return to Madinah. Therefore, they decided to assassinate him without delay.
How was Uthman RA killed?
Uthman RA was murdered tragically while reciting the Holy Quran. His wife Nailah tried to shield him, and she also got wounded.
How old was Uthman RA when he was martyred?
He was 80 years old.
When was Uthman RA martyred?
17th DhulHijjah 35 A.H.
What was one significant act that Uthman RA did before he was assassinated?
He refused to have the Muslim army fight the rebels in Madinah as he did not wish for bloodshed in the sacred city of Madinah.
