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Seerah: 'Uthman ibn 'Affan — Dhul-Nurayn: Generosity, the Mushaf, and the First Civil Crisis

السِّيرَة: عُثمَانُ بنُ عَفَّان — ذُو النُّورَيْن: الكَرَمُ وَالمُصحَفُ وَالفِتنَةُ الأُولَى
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'Uthman ibn 'Affan (عُثمَانُ بنُ عَفَّان — approximately 579-656 CE; from the Banu Umayyah clan of Quraysh; *Dhul-Nurayn* — the One with Two Lights, because he married two of the Prophet's daughters sequentially: first Ruqayya, then after her death, Umm Kulthum; third caliph of Islam 644-656 CE) was among the wealthiest Sahabah and one of the earliest and most generous converts. He financed significant portions of the early Muslim community's needs: equipping the Army of Tabuk largely from his own wealth, purchasing the Well of Ruma (Medina's only private well) and making it freely available to all, and donating generously to the construction of Masjid al-Nabawi. His caliphate's greatest legacy is the standardization of the Quranic text into a single authorized manuscript — the *Uthmani mushaf* — that all Muslims recite to this day. His caliphate ended in the first major internal crisis of Islam: his assassination in 656 CE by rebels, which set in motion the First Civil War (*al-fitna al-kubra*).

Generosity and Early Conversion

‘Uthman converted through Abu Bakr early in the Meccan period. The Prophet reportedly said: “The most truthful in modesty in my community is ‘Uthman.” He was so modest that even the Prophet himself felt self-conscious when ‘Uthman entered a room where the Prophet was lying informally — the famous hadith that the Prophet sat up and arranged himself, saying the angels feel shyness before ‘Uthman.

The Well of Ruma: When the Prophet asked who would purchase the well from its Jewish owner and make it public, ‘Uthman purchased it for 35,000 dirhams and endowed it as a waqf.

Tabuk expedition: When the Prophet asked who would equip this most difficult campaign, ‘Uthman donated 950 camels, 50 horses, and 1,000 gold coins.

The Uthmani Mushaf

During ‘Uthman’s caliphate (approximately 650 CE), Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman returned from a campaign in Iraq and Syria alarmed: “O Commander of the Faithful — save this community before they differ about the Book as the Jews and Christians differed!” Different regions were reciting the Quran in different recognized dialects — legitimate but creating confusion.

‘Uthman appointed a committee under Zayd ibn Thabit (who had led the earlier compilation under Abu Bakr) to produce a single standard text. The process:

  1. Used Abu Bakr’s compiled text as the primary reference
  2. Cross-referenced with known huffaz (memorizers)
  3. In cases of discrepancy, prioritized the dialect of Quraysh (the Prophet’s tribe)
  4. Produced 4-7 identical copies
  5. Sent one copy to each major provincial center
  6. Ordered all other private copies burned

The standardization was not without controversy — the burning of variant manuscripts was painful — but the result is the text all 1.8 billion Muslims use today.

The Assassination and Its Consequences

‘Uthman was 80+ years old when rebels (primarily from Egypt and Kufa, complaining of nepotism in his appointments) besieged his home. He refused to flee or allow violence on his behalf. He was reading the Quran when he was killed — blood reportedly fell on the verse “Allah will suffice you against them.” (2:137)

His assassination triggered the First Civil War: Ali became caliph, faced rebellion from Talha, Zubayr, and ‘Aisha (Battle of Jamal) and then Mu’awiya (Battle of Siffin).

See also: Sahaba, Khilafa Rashida, Prophet Muhammad, Seerah Medina, Quran Sciences, Bohra History

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