60 Facts About Uthman

Uthman instituted centralized reforms in order to create a more cohesive administrative structure and fostered rapid economic growth.

Uthman is related to Muhammad through his mother, who was the first cousin of Muhammad and made Uthman his first cousin's son.

Uthman's father died at a young age while on a caravan travel, leaving Uthman with a large inheritance.

Uthman brilliantly invested the wealth in trade and became a highly successful merchant, making him one the wealthiest people from the Quraysh.

On returning from a business trip to Syria in 611, Uthman learned of Muhammad's declared mission.

Uthman thus became one of the earliest converts to Islam, following Ali, Zayd ibn Haritha, Abu Bakr and a few others.

Uthman is listed as one of the twenty two Meccans at the dawn of Islam who knew how to write.

Uthman had to start his business afresh, but the contacts that he had already established in Abyssinia worked in his favour and his business prospered .

Uthman was one of the richest merchants of Mecca, with no need of financial help from his Ansari brothers, as he had brought the considerable fortune he had amassed with him to Medina.

Uthman realised there was a considerable commercial opportunity to promote trade among Muslims and soon established himself as a trader in Medina.

Across the Muslim world, Uthman is known by his honorific title "Ghani" that translates to "exceedingly generous" which was bestowed upon him for his remarkable donations towards helping those in need and for the cause of Islam.

Later, Uthman presented the armour back to Ali as a wedding present.

Uthman participated in all major battles which took place in the early period of Islam except for Badr and that too because the Prophet of Islam commanded him to stay back and tend to his wife who was unwell at the time.

In 632, the year Muhammad died, Uthman participated in the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Uthman was present at the event of Ghadir Khumm, where, according to Shia sources, he was among those who pledged allegiance to Ali.

Uthman had a very close relationship with Abu Bakr, as it was due to him that Uthman had converted to Islam.

On his deathbed, Abu Bakr dictated his will to Uthman, saying that his successor was to be Umar.

Uthman was a businessman and a successful trader from his youth, which contributed greatly to the Rashidun Caliphate.

Uthman withdrew these restrictions, as the trade could not flourish.

Uthman permitted people to draw loans from the public treasury.

Uthman did not receive any gifts, nor did he allow any of his family members to accept any gifts from any quarter.

Uthman honestly expressed that he had the right to utilize the public funds according to his best judgment, and no one criticized him for that.

The economic reforms introduced by Uthman had far-reaching effects; Muslims, as well as non-Muslims of the Rashidun Caliphate, enjoyed an economically prosperous life during his reign.

Uthman succeeded his elder brother Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, who died in a plague, along with Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, the governor before him, and 25,000 other people.

However, it is clear that the Muslims did conquer some portion of Spain during the caliphate of Uthman, presumably establishing colonies on its coast.

On this occasion, Uthman is reported to have addressed a letter to the invading force:.

The military campaigns under Uthman's rule were generally successful, except for a few in the Nubia, on the lower Nile.

Some time around 654, Uthman called all twelve provincial governors to Medina to discuss the problem.

In 655, Uthman directed those with any grievance against the administration, as well as the governors and "Amils" throughout the caliphate, to assemble at Mecca for the Hajj, promising that all legitimate grievances would be redressed.

The rebels realised that the people in Mecca supported Uthman and were not inclined to listen to them.

Uthman rejected it too, saying that the Syrian forces in Medina would be an incitement to civil war, and he could not be party to such a move.

The politics of Egypt played the major role in the propaganda war against the caliphate, so Uthman summoned Abdullah ibn Saad, the governor of Egypt, to Medina to consult with him as to the course of action that should be adopted.

On hearing of the revolt in Egypt, Abd Allah hastened back, but Uthman was not in a position to offer him any military assistance, and so Abd Allah was unable to suppress the revolt.

The early stage of the siege of Uthman's house was not severe, but, as the days passed, the rebels intensified the pressure against Uthman.

The gates of the house of Uthman were shut and guarded by the warrior Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr, along with Ali's sons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali.

The actual reason for the anti-Uthman movement is disputed among the Shia and Sunni Muslims.

The resistance against Uthman arose because he favoured family members when choosing governors, reasoning that, by doing this, he would be able to exact more influence on how the caliphate was run and consequently improve the feudal system he worked to establish.

Wilferd Madelung discredits the alleged role of Abdullah ibn Saba in the rebellion against Uthman and observes that few if any modern historians would accept Sayf's legend of Ibn Saba.

Uthman's election was at once their victory and their opportunity.

Uthman soon fell under the influence of the dominant Meccan families and one after another, the high posts of the Empire went to members of those families.

The weakness and nepotism of Uthman brought to a head the resentment which had for some time been stirring obscurely among the Arab warriors.

But, the causes lie far deeper and the guilt of Uthman lay in his failure to recognize, control or remedy them.

Uthman prayed to God for protection from killing, the rebel stabbed him in the head, and the other rebels followed suit.

The historian al-Tabari notes that Uthman was of medium height, strong-boned and broad-shouldered and walked in a bowlegged manner.

Uthman is said to have had large limbs, with fleshy shins and long, hairy forearms.

Uthman had a full reddish-brown beard to which he applied saffron and thick curly hair which grew past his ears, though receded at the front.

Uthman's teeth were bound with gold wire, with the front ones being noted as being particularly fine.

Unlike his predecessor Umar, Uthman was not a skilled orator, having grown tongue-tied during his first address as caliph.

Uthman remained somewhat apart from the other close Sahaba, having been an elegant, educated and cultured merchant-prince standing out among his poorer compatriots.

One story relates that Aisha, having noted that Muhammad reclined comfortably and spoke casually with Abu Bakr and Umar, asked him why when he addressed Uthman, he chose to gather his clothing neatly and assume a formal manner.

Muhammad replied that "Uthman is modest and shy and if l had been informal with him, he would not have said what he had come here to say".

Uthman was a family man who led a simple life even after becoming the caliph, despite the fact that his flourishing family business had made him rich.

Prior caliphs had been paid for their services from the bayt al-mal, the public treasury, but the independently wealthy Uthman never took a salary.

Uthman was a humanitarian; he customarily freed slaves every Friday, looked after the widows and orphans, and gave unlimited charity.

Uthman was not completely plain and simple he built a palace for himself in Medina, known as Al-Zawar, with a notable feature being doors of precious wood.

Uthman is said to have been the first caliph to adopt the title.

The general opinion of the Sunni Muslim community and Sunni historians regarding Uthman's rule were positive, particularly regarding his leniency; in their view, the kinsmen he appointed, such as Muawiya and Abdullah ibn Aamir, proved to be effective in both military and political management.

From an expansionist perspective, Uthman is regarded as skilled in conflict management, as is evident from how he dealt with the heated and troubled early Muslim conquered territories, such as Kufa and Basra, by directing the hot-headed Arab settlers to new military campaigns and expansions.

Uthman is credited with bringing unity to the current version of the Quran.

Uthman then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, Abdullah bin Az-Zubair, Sa'id bin Al-As and Abdur-Rahman bin Harith bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts.