The Prophet (peace be upon him) was resting in his home one day when a Companion knocked on his door seeking permission to enter. The Prophet, who was reclining at the time, sat up and adjusted his clothing to cover his shin. The visitor then entered, and after speaking to the Prophet for a short while, the Companion departed.

 The Prophet’s wife, ‘A’isha, entered the room and was curious about something: “O Messenger of Allah, I did not see you change your position for [your other Companions] Abu Bakr or ‘Umar as you did just now.” The Prophet  said to her, “Should I not be shy with a man from whom even the angels are shy?”

 This Companion of special modesty wasn’t one for lengthy verbiage. His calm and composure were well-known among his peers. His disposition even found expression in his comely face. But it wasn’t his good looks that the angels were shy of. This man was legendary for his ability to solve problems and rescuing the community from hardship. But he did so with a personality that is either extinct today or severely endangered, for this truly great man assumed a low profile, although he was bold in his actions. He would perform heroics without fanfare or parades. He did not seek out leadership; it came to him. And when he gave from his abundant wealth, he did so with the humility of a servant. This was ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, also known as Dhu’l-Nurayn (the Possessor of the Two Lights).

 Six years after the Prophet’s birth, ‘Uthman was born the son of ‘Affan, a very wealthy merchant of Quraysh, and Arwa, whose mother (Um Hakim) was a sister of the Prophet’s father. ‘Affan died while on a journey to Syria, leaving his wealth and enterprise to his son, who built upon its success. ‘Uthman’s generosity outstripped all of Banu Umayya, his clan of Quraysh. It was said about him, “He would feed people the best of food, while himself eating vinegar and oil.” By the time he was 30, he was among the tribes’ richest men. At 34, though, he would reap his greatest benefit. Abu Bakr came to him and said, “‘Uthman, you are a determined person capable of discerning truth from falsehood. What are these idols that our people worship? Are they not made of silent stones that do not hear or see us?”

 “Yes, indeed they are,” ‘Uthman said.

 “Muhammad says he is the Messenger of God sent to mankind. Would you like to meet him?” ‘Uthman spoke to the Prophet  who invited him to Islam. “O ‘Uthman,” the Prophet  said, “Respond to Allah and His promised Paradise. For I am the Messenger of God to mankind.” Pleased by the straightforwardness and simplicity of the Prophet’s message, ‘Uthman declared his belief. “My heart opened immediately,” he later revealed.

 But it was not the only door opened. ‘Uthman’s choice of religion shocked the very people who had come to love and esteem him. His uncle had him accosted and bound his hands and feet together. “Are you leaving the ways of your fathers for the religion of an innovator!” his uncle said. “I swear I will not untie you until you abandon this religion you have entered!”

 ‘Uthman replied, “By Allah, I will never leave this religion nor stray from it.” Seeing ‘Uthman’s impenetrable resolve, his uncle resigned and untied him.

 This steadfastness in faith became ‘Uthman’s hallmark. Once the Prophet  ascended the pulpit encouraging the outfitting of an army in a time of distress and threat. ‘Uthman exclaimed, “O Messenger of Allah, I respond with 100 camels, including their furnishings and saddles for the sake of Allah.” The Prophet continued exhorting his community. Again ‘Uthman cried out, “O Messenger of Allah, I respond with 200 camels, including their furnishings and saddles for the sake of Allah.” When the prophet persisted in encouraging the believers, and ‘Uthman called out again, “O Messenger of Allah, I respond with 300 camels, including their furnishings and saddles for the sake of Allah.” The Prophet  descended the pulpit saying, “‘Uthman will not be accounted for whatever he may do after this.” Such a declaration, coming from the Final Prophet of God, introduced no complacency into ‘Uthman. He kept to his ethics and true to himself, as it was blossoming in his new faith. Once when the desert sun over Madinah was unusually merciless and no water was around, it was he who purchased a nearby well outside the city for 12,000 dirhams from the owner of the well, who saw the desperation of the Muslims and thus raised the price accordingly. ‘Uthman allowed all to quench their thirsts.

 When the Byzantine army was posturing to attack the northern Arabian city of Tabuk, it was ‘Uthman who put before the Prophet nearly 1000 camels, 60 horses, and 44 pounds of gold in support of an initiative to thwart the invaders. When the Muslim forces arrived, Byzantine had second thoughts.

 When ‘Uthman saw how overcrowded the Muslims were in the Prophet’s Mosque of Madinah, he purchased an adjacent lot so that the Mosque could be expanded. And later, when the Prophet wanted the Haram around the Ka’ba to be enlarged, ‘Uthman purchased the homes around the Ancient House so that the expansion could take place.

 We can go on. He did.

 By the death of the Prophet , ‘Uthman had compiled a record that anyone would be pleased to take before God: ‘Uthman was among the first seven to accept Islam; one of the 10 guaranteed Paradise; the first to migrate in the cause of Allah, when he left to Abyssinia. He was loved by the Prophet , such that ‘Uthman married the Prophet’s beloved daughter Ruqayya. She died, however, in Madinah (of small pox, some say). Later, the Prophet gave him the hand of a second daughter, Um Kulthum. For this reason he is known as the “Possessor of the Two Lights.”

 During the reign of Abu Bakr, there was a famine and severe draught. Abu Bakr said one night, “Relief is coming.” It so happened that a caravan was approaching Madinah that belonged to ‘Uthman. All the merchants approached him to purchase the goods from him. But he asked them, “How much profit can you offer me?” “Twenty percent,” they called out. “I have a better offer than that,” he replied. They then increased their bid to 50 percent. Again, ‘Uthman said that he had a better offer. Astonished and perturbed, the men asked ‘Uthman, “Who could have offered you a better price?” “Allah has offered me a 1000 percent. Can you offer me more? O Allah, I have left [my goods] for the needy of Madinah without charge.”

 ‘Uthman wore the cloak of the Caliph in the 23rd year of Hijra. Under ‘Uthman’s leadership, new lands and a handful of precedents would be recorded to his list of accomplishments. Cyprus was taken via a treaty when Mu’awiyya and an army sailed to the island, a journey ‘Umar was reluctant to permit. The first naval initiative of the Muslims came in 31 Hijra (651 ce) when the Byzantines sent 500 ships to invade Alexandria. A makeshift Muslim navy defeated the old-hand Roman seamen, who wisely reset their sails in retreat to Sicily. When ‘Uthman appointed ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’d as governor of Egypt, Muslims opened Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, and parts of Algeria. Soon after, Afghanistan fell into Muslim hands to the East, and Spain discovered Islam to the West. Samarkand, Tashkent, Khurasan, Tabrastan, Anatolia, and Asia minor also came to the fold of Islam, while Palestine, Syria, and Jordan were consolidated under one governorship.

All of this good in one lifetime—with his greatest and most enduring accomplishment still to come: the compiling and safeguarding of the authentic written text of the Quran. This story shall be addressed in another article, God willing.

Uthman was generous with the needy; he responded to the call of the Prophet in times of need; he secured water in times of drought and food in time of famine; he freed slaves (nearly every day, according to some reports); he expanded the mosques of Madinah and Makkah so that more worshippers can enjoy the blessings of these special lands; and he safeguarded, by the grace of Allah, the Majestic Quran. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was reciting the verse, [What about] one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night, bowing down and standing in Prayer, fearful of the Hereafter and hopeful of the mercy of his Lord? (Quran, 39:9). ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said, “This is ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. The great poet, Ka’b ibn Malik, had this to say about ‘Uthman: “He restrained his hands, and made fast his gait. / And he knew that the Lord was not heedless.” The Prophet  said, “The most compassionate of my Community towards my Community is Abu Bakr; the staunchest in God’s religion is ‘Umar; and the most truthful in his modesty is ‘Uthman.”