Episode 2: Life of Uthman ibn Affan
Marriage to Ruqayyah and the Migration to Habasha and Madinah:
The first wife of Uthman ibn Affan was Ruqayyah bint Muhammad and they were married in Makkah and made Hijrah together to Habasha (Abyssinia).
They also made Hijrah to Madinah when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did so.
Uthman ibn Affan and Ruqayyah had one child, Abdullah ibn Uthman, who was born before the Hijrah and he went to Madinah with his parents.
Deaths of Ruqayyah and Abdullah ibn Uthman:
Ruqayyah bint Muhammad became ill in the second year of the Hijrah and she passed away in Madinah and was buried in the Al-Baqi graveyard.
Abdullah ibn Uthman also died at the age of six in the fourth year AH.
Ruqayyah passed away before Abdullah ibn Uthman as she passed away in the second year AH.
The Death of Ruqayyah and the Prophet’s Consolation to Uthman:
After she passed away, Uthman ibn Affan was very sad as he lost his wife and felt as if he lost his personal connection to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The Prophet saw his sadness and asked him: Why are you so sad? Uthman replied: Has anyone been afflicted with what I have been afflicted with? I was married to the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, and now I have lost her.
Marriage to Umm Kulthum and the Title of ‘The Possessor of the Two Lights’:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then went into the state that he would go into when he would receive revelation from Allah.
When the Prophet came out of this state, he told Uthman: O Uthman, Jibril has told me that Allah has ordered me to give my daughter Umm Kulthum to you in marriage, with the same Mahr that you gave Ruqayyah, and you should treat her the same as Ruqayyah.
Allah SWT was pleased with Uthman and his treatment of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Umm Kulthum became the second wife of Uthman and after this, he was known as ‘The Possessor of the Two Lights.’
The Death of Umm Kulthum and the Prophet’s Love for Uthman:
Umm Kulthum passed away in the ninth year AH.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, after the death of his daughter, said to Uthman: If I had another (third) daughter, I would give her to you.
Later Marriages of Uthman and the Expansion of his Family:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ reached out to his companions and asked: Is there any father, guardian or Wali of a single girl? Give your daughter to Uthman.
After the death of Umm Kulthum, Uthman had a number of wives and married six times after this, eight times in total.
Uthman’s Marriage to Fakhitah bint Ghazwan:
Uthman then married Fakhitah bint Ghazwan and they had one son named Abdullah.
He was known as Abdullah al-Asghar (Abdullah, the smaller one) because he already had a son with Ruqayyah named Abdullah as previously mentioned.
Uthman’s Marriage to Umm Amr bint Jundub:
Uthman next married Umm Amr bint Jundub and the children he had with her were: Khalid, Amr, Umar, Aban and Maryam.
Aban ibn Uthman – Well-Renowned for His Knowledge:
Aban ibn Uthman became very well-known because he was the most knowledgeable scholar of Hadith and Fiqh in his time and also later became the governor of Madinah for seven years.
Aban ibn Uthman narrated a number of Hadiths from his father and Zayd ibn Thabit.
One of his narrations was: I heard my father (Uthman) say: Whoever says the morning and evening adhkar three times, no harm will come to him during that day or during that night.
Aban ibn Uthman Addresses a Hadith He Narrated:
Towards the end of the life of Aban ibn Uthman, he became paralysed on one side of his body.
Some people came to him and said: O Aban, you were the one who narrated this Hadith that whoever says the morning and evening adhkar, nothing will harm him. So how has this happened to you?
Aban replied: It was the decree of Allah. He wanted to test me with this affliction so I forgot to make that Dua one night. I have been making this Dua every single day of my life, three times in the morning and three times in the night, but one night I forgot it and this happened to me.
Death of Aban ibn Uthman:
Aban ibn Uthman died in the year 105 AH.
Urhman ibn Affan’s Marriage to Fatimah bint al-Waleed ibn Abd-Shams:
Uthman ibn Affan also married Fatimah bint al-Walid ibn Abd-Shams and they had two sons with her, Sa’id ibn Uthman and Al-Walid ibn Uthman.
Sa’id ibn Uthman was a great military commander for the Muslims.
Uthman ibn Affan’s Marriage to Umm Al-Banin:
Uthman ibn Affan married Umm Al-Banin, who was the daughter of Uyaynah ibn Hisn, the leader of the tribe of Ghatafan. (Mentioned in the Seerah).
Uthman had a son with her named Abdul-Malik ibn Uthman.
Uthman’s Marriage to Ramla bint Shubayt:
Uthman also married Ramla bint Shubayt and they had three daughters: Aisha bint Uthman, Umm-Aban and Umm Amr.
Uthman’s Marriage to Naila bint al-Furafisa:
The last wife Uthman ibn Affan married was Naila bint al-Furafisa, who he married while she was still a Christian.
Before consummating the marriage, Uthman called her to Islam and told her about the beauty of Islam.
Naila bint al-Furafisa’s Study of Islam:
Naila accepted Islam and she became a very pious Muslim and studied the religion with Aisha bint Abi Bakr, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Naila narrated some narrations from Aisha and one of the narrations she mentioned was: Aisha led us in Salah, and she stood in the middle of the first line.
This was evidence to show that if a woman leads other women in prayer, she would not stand at the front and rather, she would stand in the middle of the first line.
Naila’s Bravery on the Day of Uthman’s Assassination:
Naila bint al-Furafisa was actually with Uthman ibn Affan on the day that he was assassinated.
Naila defended him against her enemies and lost her fingers trying to protect her husband from the sword of his enemy.