Bearer of Two Pure Lights

• Uthman was a tenderhearted, sweet-faced, and goodtempered person of a medium height. His face had slight traces of smallpox. His hair fell to his shoulders and he occasionally applied henna to his beard, which was quite large, bushy and brownish. He was a big-boned person with broad shoulders.

• Uthman had a twin sister named Amina bint Affan. She was a hairdresser during the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliya). She and her mother did not convert to Islam until the conquest of Mecca, finally embarking on the savior ship captained by the Prophet. The rest of Uthman’s brothers and sisters converted to Islam after them.

• The people of Quraysh loved Uthman who stood out as a monument of modesty and civility among them. His social status, wealth, and good temper, in addition to his virtuous character captivated them. This love of the People of Quraysh towards him would manifest itself on the day of Hudaybiya. Years later, a Quraysh woman composing poems for her child could not help praising him: 

I swear I love you my son,
Just like the Quraysh loves Uthman.

• Uthman led an exemplary life, never committing any shameful deed or crime. In a time when people consumed alcohol like water, when alcohol flowed through the veins like blood, and when houses were converted into wine cellars, he did not even drink one drop of alcohol. It was as if God was guarding and preparing him for the future. Even during the period of the Age of Ignorance, he warned about the dangers of alcohol consumption:

“Alcohol wipes out reason which is the most beautiful blessing that God has bestowed on a human being, so, it befits a human being to use his reason for taking wings and ascending towards the heights of humanity.”

• It was the sixth year of the Hijra and Uthman made the decision of transforming the coastal town of Jeddah into a port, instead of the Sha’biya, a port town for Mecca during the Age of Ignorance. Uthman traveled to Jeddah and personally participated in the transformation project. This new port opened up a new route for both merchants and pilgrims, heading to Mecca by sea. Today, Jeddah is still serving as a port city and is an excellent example for Uthman’s vision of urbanization.

• “May God reward with His paradise the person who behaves soft when buying or selling something, when paying a debt or asking for its payment.”(Hadith)

• Uthman was a tenderhearted and tearful person. Whenever he stopped by a graveyard, he would begin to cry, so much so that his tears wet his blessed beard. The people who did not know the reason for his crying asked him:“O Uthman! You don’t cry even when you speak about Paradise and Hell. But you cry whenever you visit a graveyard. Are you that fearful of the grave?” Uthman replied:

“I heard the Messenger of God say:‘The grave is indeed the first stage in one’s journey in the Hereafter. If a deceased one is saved from torments of the grave, the next stages will be more relaxing. If one is not saved from torments of the grave, the coming stages will be more trying and troublesome.’” Uthman added that the Messenger of God concluded by saying:
“I have not seen any scene as grievous as the grave.”

• I advised my daughters to read chapter Waqi’ah every night. I heard the Messenger of God saying, ‘Whoever reads the chapter Waqi’ah never faces poverty’.”