ibn Affan (l. 576/583-656 CE) was an early convert to , a close friend and son-in- of (l. 570-632 CE), and the third caliph (r. 644-656 CE) of the (632-661 CE). His charitable acts and modesty earned him prominence in the early Islamic community, and he was among the favorite and most loyal companions of Prophet . Lacking the political strength of his predecessors, he was puppeteered by his kinsmen from the Banu Umayya clan (who later rose to the caliphal seat as the ) throughout his tenure. This stirred resistance against his rule, which climaxed in an open rebellion and culminated in his murder in 656 CE. His created a rift in the Islamic , the effects of which can be seen even in the present time.
Early Life & Conversion
Uthman was born in 576/583 CE in Taif, a resort Arabian town in the Hejaz region, to Affan ibn Abi al-As, a successful merchant and a wealthy man. Uthman was well educated and soon found himself in his father's position who had passed away, making him one of the richest men in Mecca. When the Islamic Prophet declared his mission, a mutual friend, (l. 573-634 CE) persuaded Uthman to accept Islam in 611 CE, making him the first of the Meccan to do so.
Uthman was ostentatiously pious and soon became renowned for his dedication to Islam, his charitable acts were especially pronounced within the nascent Islamic community in Medina, after the Hegira (migration from Mecca to Medina, 622 CE), and earned him the nickname of Ghani (the generous). According to one famous legend, he purchased a well and allowed people to draw water from it for free. Yet he tended to favor his kinsmen, which became a problem later on.
Being the first Muslim of noble birth, he was befriended by the Prophet. The relation was cemented when Muhammad made Uthman his son-in-law in 615 CE by the virtue of his daughter Ruqayyah (l. c. 601-624 CE). The couple had one son, who died at the age of six. Ruqayyah fell ill in 624 CE, at the time when the Muslims fought their first against the Meccans at Badr. Uthman, who had stayed back at home, caring for his wife, did not join the army for battle, but as fate would have it, Ruqayyah passed away. Later that year, he was married to another daughter of the Prophet, namely Kulthum (l. c. 603-630 CE); this marriage was childless and ended with her death in 630 CE. For his matrimonial bondage with two of Prophet Muhammad's daughters, he was given the title of Dhu al-Nurayn (The Possessor of Two Lights).
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