Uthman ibn Affan is the third righteous caliph. The Assassination of Uthman: History and Modern Reflection Righteous Caliphs Uthman Ibn Affan

Uthman ibn Affan, Osman ibn Affan(Arabic: عثمان بن عفان ‎‎ - ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān) (- June 20) - one of the companions of Muhammad and the third Arab caliph (from 644). Under Uthman, the codification of the Koran was completed (see Uthman's Koran). Sunnis regard him as one of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, along with Abu Bakr, Umar and Ali.

early years

Uthman was born in Taif. He came from the influential Banu Umayya tribe. Usman was a wealthy man. Became one of the first companions of Muhammad. He was a man of great character, magnanimous and generous, doing good and merciful. Being a wealthy man, he spent huge amounts of money on donations. He always helped the poor, oppressed and disadvantaged, he was very fair and very modest. This is proven by the following reliable stories from his life: Having moved to Medina, Muslims discovered that there was very little fresh water in it and the only source of good water was the Rumah well. It belonged to a man from the Banu Gifar tribe and the people of Medina bought water from him, one tub for one mudd of food. Seeing all this, the Messenger of Allah promised paradise to the one who would buy the Rumah well and give it for use to the residents of Medina. Usman immediately did this. After much persuasion, the owner agreed to sell half of the well for a lot of money and Usman bought the well for thirty-five thousand dirhams. And he gave it for free use to the residents of Medina, and was so modest that then he, like everyone else, stood in line for water. Once a year, when people were suffering from hunger, Uthman returned with a trade caravan full of food and drink. Upon arrival, Uthman, seeing that people were suffering from hunger, distributed the entire contents of the caravan to the starving people without taking absolutely nothing from them. At different times, Muhammad was married to two daughters, for which he was nicknamed “the owner of two lights.” He performed Hijrah twice.

Governing body

Islamic conquests conquests under Uthman are indicated by the number IV

Uthman became Caliph by the unanimous opinion of all the companions of the Prophet Muhammad. Uthman's reign was primarily distinguished by diplomacy, and was also distinguished by a significant expansion of the boundaries of the Caliphate and the strengthening of state institutions laid down by his predecessors. Under him, Islam penetrated into the Caucasus, Iran and Cyprus. It is also to his credit that he created the first fleet in Islam, allocated a separate building for legal proceedings and organized law enforcement officers. During the reign of Uthman ibn Affan, infants under one year of age and nursing mothers, as well as all slaves, were first included in the maintenance from the state treasury. The rest of the category remained the same as during the reign of his predecessors, these are the poor, the disabled, orphans, travelers and the elderly. The reign of Uthman ibn Affan was one of the best in the history of the Caliphate.

Uthman ibn Affan was killed by hypocrites from among those who only outwardly accepted Islam, and under the guise of Muslims they introduced all sorts of innovations into the religion in order to destroy the unity of Muslims and, of course, thereby weaken the Caliphate. Their leader was Abdullah ibn Saba, in the past he was a Jew, then outwardly converted to Islam and began to forge seals and signatures. He inflated the fitna and, on the basis of documents forged by himself, rebelled against the Caliph. Uthman ibn Affan did not fight them and did not allow his companions to do so, since the killers of Uthman called themselves Muslims. They surrounded Uthman's house and held him hostage for more than forty days. And they killed him when the month of Hajj began, and many men of Medina left for Mecca to perform Hajj. It also played into their hands that Usman had a gentle disposition.

Uthman ibn Affan al-Umawi al-Qurashi was a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him!) and the third righteous caliph (644-656). He was characterized by such human qualities as generosity and willingness to help, so the prophet entrusted him with issues of offerings and gifts.

Biography

Some say that Uthman was born in Taif, which is why he acquired such wonderful personal qualities. Others claim that in Mecca (the most common version).

Uthman grew up in a successful and wealthy family, engaged in trading activities and belonging to the top of the nobility of Mecca. Their family was united with the prophet by one ancestor - Abd-Manaf.

Uthman was distinguished by his modesty, never worshiped any idol, did not commit adultery and did not drink wine. He traveled a lot and interacted with other peoples. Usman increased the wealth acquired by the family by inheriting trade from his father.

After 30 years, Uthman converted to Islam, thanks to the call of Abu Bakr, and was among the first Muslims.

Emigration to Ethiopia

Uthman was among the first muhajirs to Ethiopia when the first Muslims began to be oppressed by the Quraish. The companions, including Uthman and his wife Ruqiya (the daughter of the prophet), went in a south-west direction from Mecca, to the port of Shuaibah. There they hired two ships that transported them to Ethiopia.

In Medina, Usman helped Muslims and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him!), sharing his wealth with them. He took part in almost all the battles. He only missed the battle of Badr because he was caring for the sick daughter of the prophet.

Personal qualities of Usman

Usman was always a model of generosity and was ready to help those in need. The march to Tabuk was the most difficult for Muslims. And here Usman showed all his best qualities. He equipped them with weapons, spears and food.

Uthman bought land for the prophet when his mosque became too small. Today this land is in the possession of the mosque, and therefore Usman receives a reward for all the bows performed on it.

Uthman was a member of the Shura Council and was an assistant to Umar and Abu Bakr. After he was assassinated at the age of 68, he was elected caliph.

During the era of Uthman, many states were conquered (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tunisia, etc.) and a navy was founded. The Islamic State has become a maritime power.

Among the main achievements: creating 4 copies of the Koran and distributing them to various areas. Uthman founded the first police force and built a courthouse in an Islamic state.

During the era of Uthman, luxury and general prosperity spread, which did not please the companions, who were accustomed to asceticism. Everything came to the "Great Troubles", which began with the murder of Uthman.

Chronicles of Muslim states I-VII centuries. Hijra Ali-zade Aydin Arif ogly

3. Uthman ibn Affan (23/644 - 35/656)

3. Uthman ibn Affan

(23/644 - 35/656)

After the death of Umar, Suhaib performed a funeral prayer for him, and he was buried near the graves of the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr. Miqdad ibn Amr invited the council members to the house of al-Muwassir ibn Mahrama. There were five of them: Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abu Talib, Abdurrahman ibn Auf, az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Saad ibn Abu Waqqas. The only one missing was Talha ibn Ubaydullah, who was not in Medina at the time of these events. Umar's son Abdullah attended the council as an observer. The meeting place was guarded by a small detachment of 50 men under the leadership of Abu Talha al-Ansari.

During the meeting, two candidates were nominated for the position of caliph: Usman and Ali. Saad ibn Abu Waqqas voted for Uthman, and al-Zubayr for Ali. Everything could have been decided by the voice of Abdurrahman ibn Auf. However, he did not dare to give preference to any of them and left the council in order to find out the opinion of the people. He met and consulted with many commanders and respected people.

After these meetings, he returned to the house of al-Muwassir ibn Mahrama, and the next morning all the members of the council went to the mosque to pray. The leaders of the Ansars and Muhajirs, respected people and commanders also gathered there. The mosque was overcrowded, and after the prayer, Abdurrahman ibn Auf addressed the people and announced that the council members intended to complete consultations and elect a new caliph. Following him, some of the assembled Muslims spoke. Said ibn Zayd offered to become caliph to Abdurrahman ibn Auf himself, but he rejected the offer. Ammar ibn Yasir and Miqdad ibn Amr spoke for Ali, and Abdullah ibn Abu Sarkh and Abdullah ibn Abu Rabi for Uthman. In order to prevent disagreement and delay in the process, Saad ibn Abu Waqqas demanded that Abdurrahman ibn Awf vote for one of the candidates and complete the matter. Then Abdurrahman turned to Ali ibn Abu Talib with a question whether he promised to rule in full accordance with the provisions of the Koran and Sunnah of the Prophet and to continue the work of the first two caliphs. Ali replied that he would try to do this to the best of his ability. This answer did not satisfy Abdurrahman, as he considered it vague. He then approached Uthman with the same question, and Uthman confidently answered in the affirmative. Then Abdurrahman publicly swore allegiance to him as the new caliph. All the people gathered in the mosque, without exception, followed his example. Thus, Uthman ibn Affan became the third righteous caliph. At the same time, Talha ibn Ubaidullah returned to Medina, who was also a member of the council appointed by Umar, but was absent during the election of the caliph. When he was informed that Uthman had been elected caliph, he declared that he supported this choice and immediately swore allegiance to him. After this, Uthman made a speech to the assembled Muslims.

It should be noted that historians have given different assessments of these events. Some believed that at this time there were disagreements and political conflicts between the companions of the Prophet Muhammad. However, no serious upheavals were noted in the political and economic life of the Caliphate at this time, and the process of electing Uthman as caliph had nothing to do with the events that occurred at the end of his reign. According to tradition, at that time Uthman was the most worthy person to be called caliph, and the choice of council members was faithful and fair.

The situation on the military fronts

Conquests continued during Uthman's reign. They were a continuation of the work begun by Umar and continued for another 10 years. However, in the last two years of his reign, the policy of conquest was suspended due to the fact that civil strife and unrest began in the Caliphate, which led the state to anarchy and rebellion. All this culminated in the murder of Uthman.

During this period, Muslims, despite their numerical minority, managed to conquer vast territories. However, in the conquered territories they had to leave only small military contingents, which often could not protect the interests of the Caliphate. Therefore, the local population often violated agreements with Muslims and started uprisings. After the assassination of Umar, such uprisings began in several conquered regions of the Caliphate. The rebels hoped that the Muslims would then be weakened and would not find the strength to suppress these protests.

Western Front

In 25 AH, the population of Alexandria broke the treaty with the Caliphate and rebelled. In response to this, Amr ibn al-As marched against them and won the battle, once again bringing the city under the Muslim state. A few years later, the North African provinces of the Caliphate rebelled, refusing to pay the jizya. Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abu Sarkh moved towards them. He managed to conquer them again, and they again agreed to pay the jizya.

As is known, after the conquest of Tripoli by Amr ibn al-As, Caliph Umar forbade him to further advance in northern Africa, but Uthman gave permission for this. The Islamic army led by Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abu Sarkh began offensive operations against the Byzantines in this direction. Having passed Tripoli, the troops captured Byzantine ships and in 27 reached Kairouan. There, in the town of Subatila, a battle took place with the Byzantine troops, commanded by Jarpir. The Muslims defeated the enemy, and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr killed Jarpir. Then the commander of the troops, Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abu Sarkh, concluded a peace treaty with the Byzantines, according to which they agreed to pay the jizya. He was forced to take this step due to the fact that in the south of Egypt the Muslims were threatened by the Nubians. Meanwhile, the governor of Syria, Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, launched a campaign against Ammuriya. Ubada ibn al-Samit, Khalid ibn Zayd, Abu Zarr al-Gifari and Shaddad ibn Aus took part in this campaign with him.

Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan wanted to establish complete control over the coastal regions of Syria. However, this was made difficult by the fact that the Muslims had practically no navy. Despite Mu'awiya's appeals, Caliph Umar did not recommend that he undertake naval operations, preferring instead land operations. However, under Caliph Uthman the situation changed. He allowed Muawiyah to begin building a naval force, and the Muslims began to establish their control over the coast. In 28 AH, the battle fleet of Mu'awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan reached the island of Cyprus, and the Muslims conquered the population of this island. The Cypriots pledged to pay the Muslims the jizya. Among the conquerors of Cyprus were such glorious companions as Ubada ibn al-Samit, Miqdad ibn Amr, Shaddad ibn Aus, Abu Zarr al-Gifari.

To build and equip ships, it was necessary to establish control over the coasts, rich in forests. For this reason, fierce battles took place throughout the southern Mediterranean. In 31 AH, the first major naval battle between the Muslim and Byzantine fleets took place in Cilicia. The Muslim fleet was commanded by Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abu Sarkh, who arrived from Egypt, and the Byzantine fleet was personally commanded by Emperor Constantine. However, despite their great superiority in warships, the Byzantines were again defeated, and Constantine fled.

In the same year, Habib ibn Maslama managed to annex some more areas of Syria to the Caliphate, which had previously remained under Byzantine control.

Eastern front

After the death of Umar, the population of Azerbaijan and Armenia, which had previously been brought into submission by Huzaifa ibn al-Yaman, rebelled. In this regard, Caliph Uthman sent troops there under the command of al-Walid ibn Uqba. At the forefront was Salman ibn Rabi'a al-Bahili. Having broken the resistance of the rebels, they forced the population to again enter into an agreement with them and pay the jizya.

In 29 AH, troops under the command of Umair ibn Uthman ibn Saad launched an attack on Fergana. At the same time, campaigns took place against Khorasan, in which the governor of Kufa Said ibn al-As, the sons of Ali ibn Abu Talib al-Hasan and al-Husayn, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn az-Zubair took part. Earlier, Abdullah ibn Amir arrived here from Basra.

After this, Said ibn al-As entered Qumis, the inhabitants of which had previously entered into an agreement with the Muslims and did not violate it. From here he moved to Gurganj and obliged its population to pay jizya. But after the Muslims left, the Gurganj people began to commit robbery on the roads, and this continued until Qutayba ibn Muslim was appointed ruler of Khorasan.

Then supporters of the last Persian Shah, Yazdegerd III, rebelled again. They were defeated, and Yazdegerd himself fled to Kirman. He was pursued by the Muslim commander Mushaji ibn Masud al-Silmi. Fleeing from persecution, Yazdegerd fled to Khorasan and was killed under mysterious circumstances by a miller in the city of Merv. The population of Khorasan also rebelled. Troops under the command of Abdullah ibn Amir moved to this province and conquered it a second time.

Destabilization of the political situation in the Caliphate

As already mentioned, Umar's son Ubaidullah killed Khurmuzan, Jufayna and Abu Lula's daughter Firuza out of revenge. According to Islamic law, his actions were regarded as lynching, and Ubaydullah should have been punished. In addition, his action interfered with the investigation, and the guilt of these people was not proven. By that time, Hurmuzan had accepted Islam, and Muslims had no reason to consider his act insincere. When Hurmuzan's son Kumazeban was asked about the dagger that was in the hands of his father during his conversation with Abu Lulu Firuz, he replied that his father, seeing the dagger in Firuz's possession, snatched it and asked about the purpose of carrying the weapon. Firuz replied that he had no intention, and he simply carried it with him. When Khurmuzan gave the dagger to Firuz, they were seen, and after the murder of Umar, the witnesses told people about it. From his words it followed that Ubaydullah killed Khurmuzan without having evidence of his guilt.

Taking these circumstances into account, Uthman ordered the arrest of Ubaydullah. According to Islamic laws, for arbitrariness and murder of people, and especially the Muslim Khurmuzan, he should have been executed. This is what Ali ibn Abu Talib and some other companions of the Prophet thought. However, many companions considered such a sentence to be too harsh, since Ubaydullah did not intend to kill the faithful and was confident that Khurmuzan was guilty of the death of his father. According to Sharia law, a Muslim cannot be executed if he killed a person whom he considered an unbeliever, if he attempted the life of the faithful. Therefore, many associates offered to pay financial compensation to the families of the victims and close this case. However, Caliph Uthman decided to transfer Ubaidullah to Khurmuzan's son Kumazeban, who himself had to make a decision regarding the fate of Umar's son. He could demand his execution or pardon him. Kumazeban was given complete freedom of choice, and the Muslims promised that if Ubaydullah was sentenced to death, they would not make claims against him and would consider his sentence fair and correct. At the same time, they begged Kumazeban for a long time to have mercy on Ubaydullah and forgive him. Kumazeban agreed to spare Ubaidullah, and the assembled people were so pleased with his generosity that they took him in their arms and carried him to his home. Caliph Uthman paid him a large monetary compensation from his personal funds, and the families of the other two victims were paid compensation from the state treasury.

The problem was successfully resolved and life in the Caliphate returned to normal. However, this stability did not last long, and contradictions in the Caliphate gradually grew. Of course, there were objective reasons for this. Some of them were related to the personal qualities of the caliph, while others were related to changing conditions and the political situation.

The predecessor of Caliph Uthman, Umar, was distinguished by justice and kindness. At the same time, he was decisive, strict and demanding, and thanks to these qualities he was able to restore order in the Caliphate and achieve great success, both in the internal life of the state and in wars with external enemies.

Usman was a gentle and generous person. Some people took advantage of this circumstance to spread unkind rumors against him. Taking advantage of the caliph's generosity, people began to make claims against him. On various occasions they demanded the removal of provincial governors. Yielding to their demands, Caliph Uthman often made personnel changes and appointed new governors. In Kufa alone he changed governors seven times, and in Egypt he replaced Amr ibn al-As with Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abu Sarkh.

When the conquests expanded and the state treasury was replenished with significant funds, Caliph Uthman, fearing theft, began to appoint his relatives, whom he could trust, to government posts. His fear of God and sincere attitude towards his subjects convince historians that he appointed his relatives as governors only after he was convinced that they were truly worthy of it.

Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan was appointed governor of Sham by Umar ibn al-Khattab, and Uthman merely retained this position for him.

Al-Walid ibn Uqbah was appointed governor of Al-Jazeera also by Umar ibn al-Khattab, and Uthman sent him to rule Kufa. For five years the people were happy with his rule, but subsequently he was accused of drinking wine, and then Uthman summoned him and, in accordance with the rules of Sharia, punished him for drinking wine. Said ibn al-As was appointed in his place.

Said ibn al-As grew up as an orphan and was raised under the eyes of Uthman. Later he was sent to Sham, and he worked next to Muawiya. One day, Umar ibn al-Khattab ordered him to come to Medina and rewarded him generously. He was a noble, generous and eloquent man, and no one doubted that he truly deserved the position of viceroy.

Abdullah ibn Amir ibn Qariz was the son of Uthman's maternal uncle. His grandmother Umm Hakim bint Abd al-Muttalib was the Prophet's maternal aunt. Abdullah ibn Amir received an excellent upbringing and was considered one of the most glorious and worthy representatives of the Quraysh family. Uthman appointed him governor of Basra when the city's residents began to argue with Abu Musa al-Ashari. At that time, Abdullah ibn Amir was only twenty-five years old, but he was already leading the Muslim army. Under his command, Muslim troops captured Khorasan, Sistan and Kirman. It was he who pursued the Persian Shah Yazdegerd until he was killed, and it can be said that through his efforts the Sasanian Empire fell. Thanks to his generosity and wonderful disposition, he earned the love of Muslims.

Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn Sarkh was appointed by Uthman as governor of the Egyptian region of Harb, while Amr ibn al-As remained as governor of Kharaj. Later, disagreements arose between them, and Uthman ordered Amr ibn al-As to leave Egypt, after which Abdullah ibn Saad became the governor of both regions. There was another reason for the removal of Amr ibn al-As. It consisted in the fact that after the conquest of Alexandria in 25 AH, Amr ibn al-As began to treat the residents of the city the same way they treat those who violated the peace treaty. Uthman did not believe that the people of the city had broken the treaty, and so he removed Amr ibn al-As and appointed Abdullah ibn Sarkh in his place. After this incident, Amr ibn al-As moved to Palestine and only occasionally visited Medina. The Companions did not blame Uthman for appointing Abdullah ibn Sarkh as governor of Egypt, and this is supported by the fact that when Uthman ordered him to begin the conquest of Africa, he stood at the head of an army that included many Companions and their sons. Among them were Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdurrahman ibn Abu Bakr, Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, Abdullah ibn Jafar, al-Hasan ibn Ali, al-Hussein ibn Ali, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As.

As for Marwan ibn al-Hakam, he was eight years old when the Messenger of Allah died. He was Uthman's secretary and related hadiths from the words of Uthman and Ali ibn Abu Talib. There were a lot of complaints against him, but some hadith experts described him with qualities that soften the accusations against him. Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi said: “Marwan was a just man and was considered an outstanding Muslim among the Companions, their students and Muslim theologians.”

From all that has been said, it follows that the accusations that Uthman ibn Affan abused his power in the appointment of governors are unfounded.

It is pertinent to note that, unlike his predecessor Umar, Caliph Uthman treated his governors gently, and this was the reason why some of them dared to contradict him and even did not carry out some of his orders. Umar was strict and demanding even towards his relatives. Uthman loved them and was gentle and kind towards all people.

During the time of Umar, the economy of the Caliphate was still undeveloped and weak. During the time of Uthman the situation changed. Due to the huge funds regularly received from the conquered territories, the standard of living of the population increased significantly. The influx of significant funds and the overflow of the treasury became the reason that they became the property of the entire people. Caliph Uthman, in addition to this, gave his personal funds to the people. All these changes in the life of the state led to a big difference between the era of Umar and the era of Uthman.

The social position of the state has also changed. Extensive conquests led to population migration. People sought to live in the centers of the Caliphate. There was a mixture of cultures and traditions in the cities. Many accepted Islam, but these newly converted Muslims did not yet feel the charms of faith and remained adherents of their old traditions. The situation was complicated by the fact that many hypocrites appeared who secretly remained followers of their religions. They were the most dangerous elements in society, as they sought to split the ranks of the faithful and weaken the Muslim state.

With the strengthening of the Caliphate and the greater scope of conquests, the importance of Medina as the capital of the state decreased, since it was located on its outskirts. New centers began to form in the Caliphate, significantly superior to the capital in terms of population, standard of living and amenities.

Umar forbade the Prophet's companions from leaving Medina and settling in other cities. He kept them all with him so that they could help him. Companions were people whom he trusted and entrusted with all important matters. Umar set them as an example for newly converted Muslims and feared that in other areas of the Caliphate they would begin a new life, full of material wealth, and dissolve into the general mass. Under Uthman, the situation changed, and he allowed them to leave Medina. Taking advantage of this, some companions left for other cities and became familiar with prosperity and luxury. Their lifestyle changed and they became more and more involved in worldly affairs. There were also positive aspects to this process, since thanks to the resettlement of the Companions, people in different areas of the Caliphate had the opportunity to personally meet them and gain first-hand knowledge about the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

Thus, the political, economic and social situation in the Caliphate underwent significant changes. The factors listed above led to the fact that anarchists and troublemakers began to spread unkind rumors about Caliph Uthman. According to many historians, one such person was a Jew named Abdullah ibn Saba (he was also known as Ibn al-Saud) from Sana'a, who, according to Muslim historians, during the time of Uthman pretended to be a Muslim and began to conduct propaganda among Muslim converts , traveling around different regions of the Caliphate. First of all, he arrived in Hijaz. Not finding favorable soil there to realize his plans, he went to Basra and Kufa. From there he went to Syria, but was rejected and expelled there. Finally, he came to Egypt, where he managed to find supporters and followers. He began his activities by promoting the idea that the Prophet Muhammad, and not Isa, is the Messiah, whose coming is expected before the end of the world. He spread his vicious ideas among newly converted Muslims who had not strengthened their faith.

Abdullah ibn Saba chose Ali ibn Abu Talib, who was the most influential and authoritative person in Muslim society after the caliph, as the object of his sympathies. In addition, Ali was a literate man, devoted to the ideals of Islam, was the closest companion and relative of the Prophet Muhammad, the husband of his daughter Fatima and the father of his grandchildren al-Hasan and al-Husayn. Abdullah ibn Saba spoke of his love for Ali and conducted active propaganda in his favor with the aim of causing a split among Muslims. He declared that Ali was the only legitimate heir of the Prophet. However, according to Muslim historians, after Ali came to power, the same man began to express dissatisfaction with his actions and the governors he appointed. The beginning of the confrontation and civil war in the Caliphate began in Kufa, whose residents began to slander the governor of this province, Said ibn al-As. These events entered Muslim history under the name “fitnah,” which means “turmoil.” In Kufa, rumors against Caliph Uthman gradually developed into a rebellion. These events, which occurred in the tenth year of the reign of Caliph Uthman, marked the beginning of the destabilization of the political situation in the state.

In 34 AH, a group of rebel Kufis set out from Kufa towards Damascus. However, they soon returned and then went to Al Jazeera. There, the governor of the province, Abdurrahman ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid, took harsh measures against them. One of the Kufi rebels, Malik ibn Harith al-Ashtar al-Nahi, was sent to Medina. Caliph Uthman accepted him and allowed him to settle wherever he wanted. Al-Ashtar chose to return to Al-Jazeera again to Abdurrahman ibn Khalid ibn al-Walid. At the same time, Abdullah ibn Saba's people carried out active subversive activities.

In the same year, during the Hajj season, Caliph Uthman gathered his governors for a council. Among those who arrived were Muawiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, Amr ibn al-As, Abdullah ibn Saad ibn Abu Sarkh, Saeed ibn al-As and Abdullah ibn Amir. The Caliph exchanged views with them regarding this problem. Some governors suggested that he send the rebels to the front and get rid of their immediate presence. Others suggested giving them financial rewards and resolving the issue that way. Still others proposed to apply the most severe measures to them, but Uthman did not accept these proposals.

When the governors returned to the provinces, Caliph Uthman began to receive even greater complaints against the governor of Kufa, Said ibn al-As. The Kufis demanded that Said be removed from his position and that Abu Musa al-Ashari be sent to them in his place. Uthman granted their request, and Abu Musa became the governor of Kufa. However, this did not stop the conspirators, and they continued to implement their plan. To get acquainted with the state of affairs on the ground, Caliph Uthman sent trusted associates to the provinces. Muhammad ibn Maslama went to Kufa, Osama ibn Zayd to Basra, Abdullah ibn Umar to Syria, and Ammar ibn Yasir to Egypt. They all came with encouraging news that the situation in the provinces was stable. Only Ammar, the last to return, reported that dangerous rumors were circulating in Egypt.

In the year 35, a group of people arrived from Egypt to Hijaz under the pretext of a small pilgrimage. In reality, they arrived with the intention of making political demands on the caliph. They intended to enter Medina and destabilize the situation there. Arriving in the capital, they obtained an audience with the caliph, to whom they conveyed their complaints. Uthman addressed them with a speech and took advantage of the help of Ali ibn Abu Talib and Muhammad ibn Maslama. During the negotiations, the parties came to an agreement, and the people were promised that the caliph would deal with their problems and satisfy their demands. The Egyptians went back to their province and it seemed that the incident was over. However, the rebels continued to spread propaganda among the population, urging people to go to Medina with complaints against their rulers in order to plunge the capital into chaos.

As a result, about 600-1000 Egyptians gathered, and anarchists from Kufa and Basra were supposed to join them. They went to Hijaz and divided into four groups. The Egyptian rebels were led by al-Ghafiqi ibn Harb al-Kaaki. Abdullah ibn Saba was also with them. In words they declared their sympathy for Ali ibn Abu Talib and posed as his supporters. The Kufi anarchists were led by Amr ibn al-Assam. Zayd ibn Sawkhan al-Abdi was also with them. The Basri anarchists were led by Harkus ibn Zuhair al-Sadi. Hakim ibn Jaba al-Abdi was with them.

The rebels pretended to be pilgrims so as not to arouse suspicion among local authorities. It never occurred to anyone that they intended to assassinate Caliph Uthman.

Finally, groups of armed rebels entered Medina from three directions. The population of the city expressed dissatisfaction with the penetration of armed groups into the city. Caliph Uthman turned for help to Ali ibn Abu Talib, Talha ibn Ubeydullah, az-Zubair ibn al-Awwam, Muhammad ibn Maslama and his other comrades. They supported him and went with him to the rebels. Ali turned to them with a demand to return back. It seemed that the anarchists agreed with him and even decided to return. However, when Ali and the other representatives of the caliph left, they continued their advance and surrounded the house of Uthman. Ali urgently arrived there and asked them about the reasons for their return. The rebels responded that they learned that Uthman had sent a message to the governor of Egypt, in which he ordered him to execute all participants in this uprising. Abu Bakr's son Muhammad presented Ali with Uthman's letter to the governor of Egypt as proof of the veracity of their words. Ali said that if this matter concerns the Egyptians, then why are both the Basrians and the Kufians participating in the siege of the caliph's house? The rebels replied that they had sworn to be with their comrades. It became clear that these events were not an accident, but the result of a carefully planned action.

At first, the siege of Uthman's house was formal. He could move freely, and other people could freely come to him. However, then the rebels forbade this. Uthman called in troops from Damascus, Egypt and Basra under the command of Habib ibn Maslama, Muawiyah ibn Hudayja and Kaaki ibn Amr. During Friday prayers, Uthman addressed the rebels, but they constantly interrupted him and prevented him from speaking. Angry supporters of Uthman, who had gathered in the mosque, came out in defense of the caliph, and the first conflict occurred between the parties. The opposing sides threw stones at each other. The caliph's supporters decided to arm themselves and give armed resistance to the rebels, but Usman forbade them to do this. The caliph then visited the houses of Ali, Talha and az-Zubair. This was his last exit from home, since after that the rebels did not give him such an opportunity. Even one of the rebels, al-Ghafiki ibn Harb al-Kaaki, began to lead the prayer. Only in the presence of Ali or Talha did he give up this place to them.

Gradually the rebels tightened the siege. They forbade the supply of water and food to the caliph's house. Under these conditions, the caliph's friends sent their sons to help him. Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, the sons of Ali al-Hasan and al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn Talha and many others stood up in defense of Caliph Usman. However, Uthman categorically forbade them to use weapons against the rebels.

Finally, news arrived that troops from Syria were approaching Medina. The news of this plunged the rebels into panic, and they decided to break into Uthman's house. However, a group of companions, which included al-Hasan ibn Ali, Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, Muhammad ibn Talha, Marwan ibn Hakam, Said ibn al-As, prevented them. Then they rushed to the other entrance and set it on fire. Having burst into the house, al-Gafiqi ibn Harb al-Kaaki struck Caliph Uthman on the head and killed him. Sudan ibn Hamran and Kinana ibn Bishr ibn Utab also participated in his murder. One of Uthman's guards managed to kill Sudan ibn Hamran, but he himself was also killed. The rebels then set fire to Uthman's house. This happened on Zulhij 18, 35 AH. Caliph Uthman was then 82 years old.

Arab caliph who reigned 644-656. Genus. OK. 575 † June 17, 656 Uthman ibn Affan was one of the first students and followers of Muhammad. From the very beginning, he played an important role in the Muslim community and carried out important diplomatic assignments for the prophet. Around 614, during the persecution that began in Mecca, some Muslims, led by Uthman, emigrated to Ethiopia for a while. Shortly before this, he became related to Muhammad by marrying his daughter Ruqaiya. Ten years later, when she died, Muhammad gave him his other daughter, Umm Kulthum, as his wife. After the death of the prophet, Uthman was the closest adviser to the first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar. In 644, shortly before his death, Umar named the six most respected veterans of Islam and instructed them to choose a new caliph from among them. The oldest of these electors, Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf, immediately renounced his claims to the throne and took over the negotiations. Another elector, Talha, was not in Medina at that time. Thus, there were four applicants in total: Uthman, the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet Ali ibn Abu Talib, Saad ibn Abu Waqqas and az-Zubayr. Abd ar-Rahman asked each of them face to face the same question: who will he choose if they don’t choose him? Ali pointed to Uthman, Uthman to Ali, Saad and al-Zubayr to Uthman. Having then gathered all the contenders, Abd ar-Rahman said: “You have not agreed on one of these two, Ali and Uthman.” After that, he took Ali by the hand and asked: “Do you swear to follow the book of Allah and the custom of the prophet and the deeds of Abu Bakr and Umar?” Ali replied: “Oh God! No, I only swear to try to do it to the best of my ability.” Uthman answered the same question in the affirmative, without any reservations, and Abd ar-Rahman, raising his head to the ceiling of the mosque, exclaimed: “O God! Listen and bear witness. O God, I place what hung on my neck on Uthman’s neck! " - and the first swore allegiance to him. After him, the rest of the electors took the oath, and then the rest of the townspeople. So Usman became caliph. Comparison of the new ruler with his predecessor was clearly not in favor of Uthman. After the stern and intelligent Umar, he seemed weak-willed and narrow-minded. Moreover, he did not want to imitate his simple life and became the first of the caliphs to take advantage of his high position for personal enrichment. They write that he built a large stone house in Medina and generally tried to surround himself with pomp worthy of the head of a powerful state. He acquired a lot of real estate outside of Arabia. During the reign of Uthman, many important events took place. First of all, we should point out the continuation of large-scale conquests. In 648, the governor of Egypt, Abdallah ibn Saad, defeated the African exarch Gregory and briefly subjugated Carthage. However, Ifriqiya had not yet been conquered at that time. In the same year, the ruler of Syria, Mu'awiya ibn Abu Sufain, with 220 ships, undertook the first naval expedition in the history of the Caliphate - he tried to conquer the island of Crete. And in the spring of 655, the Arab fleet had already won the first naval victory in its history over the Greeks in the battle of Foinik (off the coast of Asia Minor). After this, the Arabs became masters of the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. But despite all his efforts, Muawiya failed to conquer Asia Minor - the Arab advance was stopped by the Taurus ridges. In the north, regular campaigns into Armenia continued. Gradually, the power of the Arabs was recognized by the majority of the local rulers. In 653, Georgia and Azerbaijani Albania submitted to the Caliphate. Having captured Derbent, the Muslims in the same year undertook a large campaign into the depths of the Khazars' possessions, but suffered a severe defeat from them. The most extensive conquests during Uthman's lifetime were carried out in the east. In 645-646. Rey and Isfahan finally submitted. Then, for several years, there was relative calm in the war with the Persians. A new impetus to the conquests was given by the young and energetic Abdallah ibn Amir, who was appointed governor of Basra in 649. In the same year he captured Istakhr, thereby completing the conquest of Fars. In 650, the Arabs invaded Northeastern Iran, took Shirejan and the main city of Sistan - Zarenj. In 651, the last Shah of the Sassanid dynasty, Yazdiger III, was killed. After this, the Arabs easily captured all of Khorasan, and only Nishapur, which defended itself for several months, gave them a worthy rebuff. Nisa and Abivard surrendered without a fight. In 652, the Arabs moved up the Murgab, defeated a large Turkic-Hephthalite army and occupied Merverrud. The largest city of Tokharistan, Balkh, surrendered to them by agreement. This completed the conquest of the lands that had ever belonged to the Sassanids. It is unlikely that Uthman had much influence on all these events that took place far from Medina. In the capital, his power, of course, was exercised more directly. Although here, too, Arab historians do not note great merits for the caliph. In December 649, Uthman ordered the destruction of the previous adobe mosque, built by the prophet, covered with palm leaves, and by the fall of 650 he built a new, more spacious one made of hewn stone, with columns and a ceiling made of Indian teak wood. Despite the fact that the new mosque was more beautiful, more spacious and more comfortable than the previous one, many Muslims reacted negatively to this restructuring. In the same way, the attitude of the Muslims of that time towards the most important of all the acts of Uthman - the publication of the canonical text of the Koran - was ambiguous. The need for this measure has been long overdue. As you know, the prophet himself did not write a single line. But the recording of his sermons and speeches, especially in the last years of his life, was kept by secretaries. Many of Muhammad's companions and relatives also had some kind of records that were recognized by one or another group of Muslims. Some sermons were kept and transmitted orally. There was no consolidated text, and by the time of Uthman, each of the major provincial centers had its own edition of the Koran, authoritative for it. This situation could no longer continue. To avoid dogmatic disputes, Uthman ordered the compilation of a single list of the Koran for all Muslims. Its canonical text was based on the records of the Medinans Zayd ibn Thabit and Hafsa. Several copies were made from their list and sent to large garrison cities. Usman ordered the remaining editions to be destroyed. At the same time, some of the old companions of the prophet were deeply offended that their lists were not taken into account. Opposition sentiments towards the third caliph grew gradually. The first six years of his reign, that is, until about 650, did not cause discontent among the Muslims. Then conflicts began, the cause of which is not entirely clear. It can be assumed that over the years the caliph began to take less into account the opinion of the Medina nobility, but willingly listened to the advice of his relatives. The caliph's relatives, most of whom turned out to be unworthy people, soon occupied all the important posts in the Caliphate. Usman more than once gave them gifts from funds that were considered the common property of the community. It is clear that such arbitrariness caused indignation. For some time, discontent was not expressed openly. The reason for its explicit expression was, as one might think, the destruction of the old mosque. Then many began to accuse the caliph of betraying the sunnah of the prophet. They write that once Abd ar-Rahman, Ali and az-Zubayr reproached Usman for giving a certain Saad ibn al-As 100 thousand dirhams. Usman allegedly replied: “He is a relative related to me by blood.” “Didn’t Abu Bakr and Umar have close and blood relatives?” - they asked. To which the answer came: “Abu Bakr and Umar showed piety by removing their relatives, and I show my piety by rewarding loved ones.” “By God, their behavior is nicer to us than your behavior,” remarked his comrades. “Nothing can be done,” Usman answered them. There were many dissatisfied with Usman in the provinces. The local military elite was burdened by the constant and not always appropriate interference of the caliph and his relatives in their affairs. During the Hajj of 656, detachments of dissatisfied people from Egypt, Basra and Kufa united in Medina and presented various claims to Uthman - from purely religious ones (why did he burn the old records of the Koran?) to specific financial abuses. They also demanded that the salaries of some noble Medinans (mostly relatives of the caliph), who were holed up in the capital, be deprived of their salaries, and be transferred to those who had won the right to this in battles with the infidels. Usman accepted all the conditions of the dissatisfied, however, when they went to their garrisons, he sent messengers to the governors of the regions with the order to execute the perpetrators. But it so happened that the Egyptian Arabs intercepted one of the messengers and thus discovered the caliph’s treachery. They immediately returned to Medina and demanded that Uthman abdicate the throne. Usman refused. The rebels surrounded the caliph's house and laid siege to it for forty days. The situation was heating up every day. In the end, the rebels launched an assault. Having broken the resistance of the caliph's few supporters, they burst into his room. Usman met his enemies with the Koran in his hands, conjuring them not to encroach on the life of the prophet's deputy. But the holy book did not stop the murderers. One of them knocked the old man to the floor and held him by the beard while the others cut his throat.

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Uthman ibn Affan (ra) is recognized as one of the most respected figures of the Islamic Ummah. During his reign as the third Rightly Guided Caliph, a written version of the Holy Qur'an was compiled. In total, he ruled the Muslim state for more than 11 years.

Uthman (r.a.) was born 6 years after the so-called “year of the elephant,” which refers to the invasion of Mecca by the Ethiopian army to destroy the Kaaba.

He bore the nickname Zi-n-Nurain, which can be translated as “the owner of two lights.” There are two interpretations of this nickname. According to the first version, it is connected with the fact that Uthman (r.a.) married two daughters of the Final Messenger of the Almighty (s.g.w.) - Umm Kulthum and Ruqayya. According to the second, he began to bear this nickname due to the fact that he devoted a lot of time to reading the Noble Quran at night.

Even before the beginning of the prophetic mission of Muhammad (s.g.w.), Uthman (r.a.) was distinguished by a noble disposition - he did not drink alcoholic beverages, did not commit adultery, kept family traditions and gained respect from his fellow tribesmen. He contributed to his adoption of Islam. In fact, Uthman (ra) became one of the first Muslims - the fourth among men after Ali, Abu Bakr and Zeid ibn Harisa.

Virtues of the Third Rightly Guided Caliph

Sunni Islamic theologians believe that Uthman is the third most meritorious companion and Muslim in history after Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with all of them). This statement has been questioned by some thinkers, especially in light of the relationship with Ali ibn Abu Talib (r.a.), but we will not dwell in detail on this highly controversial point.

And the undeniable reasons why Uthman ibn Affan (r.a.) occupies such a high position in the Islamic community are the following:

1. In the collection of hadiths of Imam at-Tirmidhi, the following very remarkable statement of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is given: “Every messenger and prophet in the Paradise abode will have his own companion (rafiq). For me, such a friend will be Uthman ibn Affan.”

2. In the collection of Imam al-Bukhari you can find a hadith from Ibn Umar. He said that when the Final Messenger of God (s.g.v.) was still living in this world, Abu Bakr had the maximum authority among his companions, followed by Uthman, after whom came Usman’s turn (may the Almighty be pleased with them!). Ibn Umar notes in a hadith that apart from these three closest companions of Muhammad (s.g.w.), no one else could boast of such high respect.

3. It was during the reign of Uthman as caliph that the codification of the Holy Quran took place - its presentation in the form of a single written document.

4. Uthman (r.a.) twice supervised the expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque (s.a.w.) in Medina.

5. He was married to two daughters of the Final Messenger of the Most High (s.g.v.). After Umm Kulthum died, her father (s.g.v.) said that if he had another unmarried daughter, he would certainly give her in marriage to Uthman (r.a.). At the same time, none of the companions could boast of being married to two daughters of the Grace of the Worlds of Muhammad (s.g.w.).

6. Uthman (ra) was among the organizers of the secret resettlement of the first Muslims from Mecca, which was extremely hostile towards them, to Ethiopia. Then he also took part in the hijra - the emigration of Muslims to Medina and the building of a genuine Muslim society there.

7. Prophet Muhammad (s.g.w.) mentioned Usman (r.a.) among those companions to whom Paradise was promised during his lifetime (follows from hadiths from Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah).

8. During the events of Hudaibiya, when an important, from a political point of view, agreement was signed between Muslims and pagans, the Messenger of the Almighty Muhammad (s.g.w.) decided to obtain an oath from the companions that they would actively resist all those who dares to obstruct their access to the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. Due to the fact that at that moment Uthman (r.a.) was serving as ambassador to this city, the Prophet (s.a.w.) personally swore allegiance for him, since he was sure that Uthman (r.a.) would be the first, who will agree to this.

Uthman ibn Affan (ra) died in his own home at the hands of rebels who opposed his course of action as head of a Muslim state. In fact, the murder of the third righteous caliph became the beginning of the first unrest in the history of Islam (fitna - in Arabic). It is noteworthy that the day of his death coincided with both the festival of sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) and Friday. Moreover, the conspirators stabbed him while Uthman (r.a.) was reading the Holy Quran. He was buried in the Al-Baqi cemetery in Medina, where the graves of many companions of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) are located.