A Simple Guide to ISLAM
Pious Caliphate
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Usman was a simple and kind-hearted man. The administration of a
vast empire needed a man of stern character like Umar. Although
Usman was a deeply religious man he proved to be a weak leader.
His administration was not so disciplined as that of Umar Farooq,
the second Caliph. Usman felt that by appointing his friends and
relatives to key positions he will be able to probably manage
administrative affairs. But this did not happen. Having no fear for
being taken to task by the kind hearted Caliph they were all the
more emboldened to rule according to their own whims and
fancies, without looking after the public good. The public resented
such callousness, holding the Caliph responsible for the bad
administration. They even demanded his abdication, but the Caliph
refused to do so. The Egyptians in particular were angry with him.
They blamed the Caliph for replacing a capable governor there with
his own cousin who set taxes more than they could bear to pay.
This dissension finally developed into a state of civil war. The
Egyptians took more active part in this revolt. The demanded his
resignation but Uthman rejected all such advice and preached a
public sermon against them. Soon afterwards, while he was at
prayer, a group of these unruly men attacked and killed him. He
had ruled from 644-656.
Usman’s most important contribution to the cause of Islam was the
preparation of the second and final version of the Qur’an. He
ordered the Qur’an to be written in the Quraysh dialect of Arabia.
Then he commanded that a few Copies of it be made and sent to
the centers of the Muslim province. Every other version was
