Uthman Ibn Affan (RA) – Basic 4 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Third Rightly Guided Caliph

Life History

Before Islam

• Born in: Makkah around 576 CE
• Job: Very rich merchant and businessman
• Family: From the wealthy Umayyad tribe
• Character: Kind, generous, and shy
• Known for: His honesty in business

Becoming Muslim

• One of the first people to accept Islam
• Accepted Islam through Abu Bakr’s invitation
• Was about 34 years old when he became Muslim
• Married Prophet’s daughter Ruqayyah
• Later married another daughter Umm Kulthum

Before Becoming Caliph

• Called “Dhun-Nurayn” (The Possessor of Two Lights) because he married two daughters of the Prophet
• Very generous – gave lots of money to help Islam
• Migrated twice – to Abyssinia and then to Madinah
• Always supported the Prophet with his wealth

Becoming Caliph

• Chosen by a council of 6 people after Umar’s death
• Became Caliph in 644 CE
• Ruled for 12 years (644-656 CE)
• Was 68 years old when he became Caliph

Major Achievements as Caliph

1. Compiled the Official Quran

• Most important achievement
• People were reading Quran in different dialects
• Uthman made one standard copy (Mushaf)
• Sent copies to all major cities
• Burned other versions to avoid confusion
• This Quran is what we read today!

2. Expanded the Islamic Navy

• Built a strong naval fleet
• Conquered Cyprus island
• Protected Muslim lands from sea attacks

3. Continued Conquests

• Expanded Islam to North Africa
• Conquered parts of Afghanistan
• Islamic empire grew even larger

4. Developed Cities

• Beautified Madinah
• Expanded the Prophet’s Mosque
• Built roads and markets
• Improved water supply systems

5. Generous Leadership

• Used his own money for public projects
• Never took salary from state treasury
• Helped poor and needy people
• Continued his business to support himself

His Character

Known for:

• Very generous – gave away lots of money
• Humble and modest – despite being very rich
• Kind and gentle – never harsh with people
• Pious – spent much time in prayer and reading Quran

Why Muslims loved him:

• Selfless service to Islam
• Fair treatment of all people
• Simple lifestyle despite wealth
• Deep knowledge of Quran

Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks:

• Uthman was called “_______” (The Possessor of Two Lights)
• He ruled for _______ years as Caliph
• His most important achievement was compiling the _______
• He married _______ daughters of the Prophet

2. True or False:

• Uthman was a poor man before Islam ( )
• He was one of the first Muslims ( )
• He compiled the official Quran ( )
• He took a big salary as Caliph ( )

3. Circle his achievements as Caliph:

• Compiled official Quran
• Built strong navy
• Started Hijri calendar
• Expanded Prophet’s Mosque
• Conquered Cyprus
• Became a trader

4. Why was Uthman called “Dhun-Nurayn”?

• a) He was very bright
• b) He married two daughters of the Prophet
• c) He had two houses
• d) He was very rich

5. What was Uthman’s most important achievement?

• a) Building a navy
• b) Conquering new lands
• c) Compiling the official Quran
• d) Expanding the mosque

6. Match the achievement with its importance:

• Official Quran → Same Quran for all Muslims
• Naval Fleet → Protected from sea attacks
• Expanding Mosque → More space for worship
• Using own money → Did not burden people

7. Short Answer:

• What does “Dhun-Nurayn” mean?
• How long did Uthman rule as Caliph?
• Why was compiling the Quran important?
• What kind of character did Uthman have?

Answer Key:

1. Dhun-Nurayn, 12, Quran, two
2. False, True, True, False
3. Circle: Compiled official Quran, Built strong navy, Expanded Prophet’s Mosque, Conquered Cyprus
4. b) He married two daughters of the Prophet
5. c) Compiling the official Quran
6. Matching as shown above
7. The Possessor of Two Lights / 12 years / To have one standard version for all / Generous, humble, and kind