Utsman bin Affan, he was a friend of the Prophet ﷺ who was on the list of those who were guaranteed to enter heaven, a wealthy merchant who became the third caliph.
Have you ever imagined that a wealthy merchant could turn into a pious and highly respected leader? The life story of Utsman bin Affan is proof that this is not only possible, but can also inspire many people. Utsman bin Affan, one of the friends of the Prophet ﷺ who was known not only for his wealth, but also for his noble attitude, showed that true wealth is not only about material things, but about how we benefit the people in devotion to Allah ﷻ. How can a wealthy and generous merchant become a loving and wise leader? Find the answer in this zeedsharia.com article!
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Utsman bin Affan: Heir to a Wealthy Family
Uthman bin Affan was born in Tha’if in the sixth year of the Elephant (±576 AD) approximately five years younger than Rasullulah ﷺ.
His full name is Utsman bin Affan bin Abi Al-Ash bin Umayyah bin Abdu Asy-Syams bin Abdu Manaf bin Qushai bin Kilab bin Murrah bin Ka’ab bin Luwai bin Ghalib bin Fihr bin Malik bin An-Nadhr bin Kinanah bin Khuzaimah bin Mudrikah bin Ilyas bin Mudhar bin Nizar bin Ma’addu bin Adnan. His nicknames are Abu Amr and Abu ‘Abdillah.
Utsman’s family were successful merchants who were super rich, Utsman also grew up in a life of abundance. Even though he lived in abundance with a wealthy family, Utsman was known as a generous and humble person. Utsman never showed arrogance.
Also read: Prohibition of Wasteful Lifestyles in Islam
Understanding Uthman’s Life
With his wealth, Uthman often used his wealth to help other people. In Usman bin Affan’s book (Muhammad Husein Haikal, 2010) it is told that Uthman ra. does not hesitate to spend his wealth for the good of the Muslim community.
“Uthman bin Affan once bought a Jewish well during a dry period, then he allowed residents to take water from the well for free.
Uthman also donated a lot of his possessions to uphold the religion of Allah. For example, during the Tabuk War against the Romans, Uthman provided 300 camels and 1000 dinars for the Tabuk War fighters.
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The Path to Islam
Initially, Uthman was part of the Umayyads, a group that strongly opposed the teachings of Islam. However, after discussing with the Prophet’s companion ﷺ, Abu Bakr, Uthman first embraced Islam in 611 AD. Since then, he became part of the As-Sabiqun Al-Awalun group, namely the first people to convert to Islam. At that time, the Umayyads were very disappointed because they felt betrayed.
Because of his kindness and closeness to the Prophet ﷺ, Uthman later married two of the Prophet’s daughters ﷺ, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum. Because of that, he was known by the nickname “Dzun Nura’ini Wal Hijratain,” which means “The Owner of Two Lights,” referring to the Prophet’s two daughters ﷺ and the two hijrahs that Utsman carried out.
Usman bin Affan, a friend who is guaranteed heaven
From Riyah bin Ibnul Harith, he said,
رِيَاحِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ سَمِعَ سَعِيدَ بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَاشِرَ عَشَرَةٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعُمَرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعُثْمَانُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعَلِيٌّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَطَلْحَةُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالزُّبَيْرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَعْدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ مَنْ التَّاسِعُ قَالَ أَنَا
Riyah bin Ibnul Harith he heard Sa’id bin Zaid bin ‘Amru bin Nufail say; The Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam is the tenth of ten people.” Sa’id said; “Abu Bakr is in Paradise, Umar is in heaven, Uthman is in heaven, Ali is in heaven, Talhah is in heaven, Zubair is in heaven, Sa’d is in heaven and Abdurrahman is in heaven.” Then it was said to him, “Who is the ninth?” He replied: “Me.” (Sunan Ibnu Majah No. 130)
In another hadith from Abu Musa Al-Asy’ari, he said,
أَنَّ النَّبِىَّ – صلى الله عليه وسلم – دَخَلَ حَائِطًا وَأَمَرَنِى بِحِفْظِ بَابِ الْحَائِطِ ، فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ يَسْتَأْذِنُ ، فَقَالَ« ائْذَنْ لَهُ وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ » . فَإِذَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ يَسْتَأْذِنُ فَقَالَ « ائْذَنْ لَهُ وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ » . فَإِذَا عُمَرُ ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ يَسْتَأْذِنُ ، فَسَكَتَ هُنَيْهَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ « ائْذَنْ لَهُ وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ عَلَى بَلْوَى سَتُصِيبُهُ» . فَإِذَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ
The Prophet Shallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam entered a garden and ordered me to guard the door of the garden. Then a man came to enter, he said, “Allow him to enter, then inform him that he has entered Paradise.” It turned out that the man was Abu Bakr. After that another man came and asked to be allowed to enter, he said, “Allow him to enter, then tell him that he has entered Paradise.” It turned out that the man was Umar bin Al-Khaththab. Then another man came and asked to be allowed to enter, he was silent for a moment and then said, “Allow him to enter, then tell him that he will enter Paradise along with the trials that befell him.” It turned out that the man was Uthman bin Affan. (HR. Bukhari, no. 3695)
Usman bin Affan Becomes the Third Caliph
After Umar bin Khattab died, Usman was elected as the third caliph in 644 AD. Even though he was already 70 years old, Usman still accepted this great responsibility.
Before he died, Umar had appointed six companions who were considered worthy to replace him, including Usman, Ali bin Abi Thalib, Thalhah bin Ubaidullah, Zubair bin Awwam, Abdurrahman bin Auf, and Sa’d bin Abi Waqqash. Through deliberation, Usman was finally elected as caliph and led the Muslims for 13 years, from 644 to 655 AD.
Territorial Expansion and Prosperity of Muslims
During his reign, Usman succeeded in expanding the territory of Islam to various continents, including Africa, Asia, and Europe. He also enlarged the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Nabawi Mosque in Medina, which became symbols of the progress of Muslims at that time.
Even during his reign, Muslims lived in prosperous conditions. Many people were able to go on the Hajj multiple times, and even slaves were sold based on their weight. All this shows how prosperous the Muslim people were under Uthman’s leadership.
Writing the Qur’an and Controversy
In addition, Uthman is known for his efforts to standardize the writing of the Qur’an. He ordered the collection of scattered sheets of the Qur’an and compiled them into a more neat and authentic mushaf. This step ensured that the Qur’an remains authentic and valid to this day. So that the Qur’an can be read and studied properly by Muslims throughout the world.
However, his reign was also marked by controversy. Uthman’s decision to appoint officials from his family caused dissatisfaction among some Muslims. This sparked riots and rebellions that escalated, reaching their peak in 656 AD.
The Siege and Death of Utsman
In 656 AD, the rebellion reached its peak when Uthman was besieged in his house. In an increasingly critical condition, Uthman dreamed of meeting the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, and Umar, who invited him to break the fast together. Patiently, Uthman accepted his fate. He even opened the door of his house wide for the rebels who finally attacked him.
Uthman died in very tragic circumstances. However, he died while reading the Koran, which left a deep impression on Muslims. “The blood flowing from the severed hand, hit the open mushaf and wet the word of Allah which reads:
فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
“..Then Allah will protect you from them. And He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Q.S. Al-Baqarah: 137].
Lessons from the Life of Utsman
The life of Utsman bin Affan teaches us many things about the meaning of true wealth, which is using wealth for the good of the people in order to achieve piety to Allah ﷻ. In addition, even though he lived in prosperity, he was never arrogant and always shared with others. Utsman also teaches us the importance of policy, justice, and piety to Allah ﷻ in leadership.
Utsman bin Affan is an example of how a wealthy merchant can become a caliph who leads the Muslim community towards prosperity and progress. His life story inspires us to always do good, live our lives wisely, and provide benefits to humanity.
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References:
Al Quran Al Karim
Hadith Sunan Ibn Majah No. 130. Accessed from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/majah/130
Hadith Bukhari, no. 3695. Syarhus Sunnah: The Virtues of Utsman bin Affan. Accessed from https://rumaysho.com/26616-syarhus-sunnah-keutamaan-utsman-bin-affan.html
Ibnu Katsir, Al-bidayah Wan Nihayah Masa Khulafa’ur Rasyidin (Darul Haq, Jakarta), 2004
Muhammad Husein Haikal, Usman bin Affan, (InterNusa Jakarta Literary Library), 2010