Religious Measures of Uthman

Promotion of the purposes of Islam

Uthman was a great Muslim. He followed the injunctions of Islam rigorously in letter as well as in spirit. He spent a greater part of the night in prayers. He knew the Holy Quran by heart, and would complete the recitation of the whole of the Holy Quran during a night. He held that the primary and basic responsibility of the Caliph was to protect and safeguard Islam, and take steps to promote its purposes and values. During his caliphate Uthman took several measures with a view to promoting the purposes of Islam.

Recension of the Holy Quran

To Uthman belongs the honor of undertaking the measure of the recension of the Holy Quran, and uniting the Muslim community on a standard text of the Holy Quran for all times.

The Holy Quran was revealed to the Holy Prophet in parts extending over a period of twenty-three years. Whenever the Holy Prophet received a revelation, he would dictate it to some person who would record it on some piece of leather, date skin or even bones and stones. The principal scribe of the Holy Prophet was Zaid b Thabit. Uthman also served as the scribe occasionally. Many companions committed the Holy Quran to heart and Uthman was one of them.

Many Huffuz (those who had learnt the Holy Quran by heart) died in the battle of Yamama during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. It was felt that it was necessary that the Holy Quran should be compiled in a book form for the guidance of the people. A compilation was thus prepared, and it was called Mashaf. In the time of the caliphate of Abu Bakr this compilation was kept in the custody of Ayesha. In the time of the caliphate of Umar this compilation was kept in the custody of Hafsa, daughter of Umar. and a wife of the Holy Prophet. In the time of Uthman, Hudhaifa who had been to different parts of the Muslim dominions came to Madina, and reported that the people of different regions had different readings of the Holy Quran. The people of Homs held that their reading of the Holy Quran was correct as they had learnt it from Miqdad an eminent companion. The men of Basra held that their reading was correct as they had learnt it from Abu Musa Ashiari. In Kufa, the people claimed superiority for their reading as they had learnt it from Abdullah bin Masud an authority on the subject. There were thus divergent readings of the Holy Quran. It was stressed that unless some attempt was made to unify the text, that was likely to be a cause of split among the people.

The question was considered by the Majlis-i-Shura, and it was decided that an authoritative standardized text should be compiled and no divergence should be permitted from the standard text. Uthman appointed a Committee comprising: Zaid b Thabit, Abdullah b Zubair, Saeed b Al 'Aas , and Abdur Rahman b Al Harith. This Committee was commissioned to prepare an authorized text. Copies of the Holy Quran in use in various parts of the dominions were collected and compared with the copy in the custody of Hafsa which had been compiled in the time of Abu Bakr. The Committee worked hard. All the discrepancies were reconciled, and an authorized standard edition was prepared. Uthman checked the compilation himself and finally approved it. Copies of this edition were prepared and supplied to all parts of the dominions. All previous copies in use in the various parts of the Muslim dominions were collected and burnt.

This was a measure of great importance and significance, and thereby Uthman did a great service to the cause of Islam. The books revealed to all previous prophets had been corrupted by the followers of the respective prophets. But for the measure undertaken by Uthman, the same fate would have befallen the Holy Quran. Uthman deserves the gratitude of the Muslims by this single service in preserving the Holy Quran in its original form free from any corruption. It is surprising that some of the critics of Uthman made this measure a matter of criticism against Uthman. They urged that the burning of the copies of the Holy Quran with a view to introducing a uniform text was a sacrilege. This criticism is entirely misconceived. The burning of the unauthorized texts could by no stretch of imagination be called a sacrilege. It was on the other hand a most pious act inasmuch as it united the Muslim community on an authoritative and standard text for all times.

Zakat on horses and slaves

According to the Shariah, the Muslims were enjoined to pay Zakat on their capital assets. In the time of the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Umar, no Zakat was levied on horses and slaves. Uthman reviewed the position and ordered that Zakat should be levied on horses and slaves as well. This measure was approved by the people in general, but some of the persons hostile to Uthman made it a subject of criticism. They argued that as Zakat had not been levied on horses and slaves by the Holy Prophet, Uthman had violated the Sunnah by levying such Zakat.

During the earlier period there was a great dearth of horses. Most of the horses had been killed in early battles. In the time of Uthman things had changed. With the expansion of the Muslim dominions the supply of horses had considerably improved, and the population of horses had increased. The position regarding slaves was similar. With the expansion of the Muslim dominions the number of slaves had considerably increased, and the people owning slaves were deriving much advantage from them. Indeed the slaves were great assets for their masters, and they played an important role in economy.

As a matter of fact Zakat is leviable on all capital assets. In the time of the Holy Prophet horses and slaves had not acquired the dimensions of capital assets and as such these were not assessed to Zakat. As in the time of Uthman these things had become definite capital assets, Uthman subjected them to the levy of Zakat. Such levy was in accord with the spirit of Islam, and was in no way repugnant thereto. Where any articles were not subjected to Zakat because of special circumstances, and these articles were later subjected to the levy as the special circumstances necessitating exemption no longer obtained, such levy was not repugnant to the injunctions of Islam. The levy would have been repugnant if the Holy Prophet had ordered the levy, and such levy was withdrawn. The levy of Zakat on horses and slaves was based on Uthman's Ijtihad. and his Iihhad was correct and in public interest.

In the time of Uthman, a question arose whether Zakat should be assessed by the person concerned or it should be assessed by the State functionaries. Uthman's view was that Zakat was not a tax; it was a species of religious obligation and was a matter between the person concerned and God. Uthman, therefore, held that while the Zakat should be assessed by the person concerned himself, it should be collected by the state functionaries.

Prayers on the occasion of the Hajj

During the first year of his caliphate, Uthman suffered from blood hemorrhage of the nose. Many other persons suffered likewise and in the Arab annals this year came to be known as the year of the hemorrhage. Uthman was not able to perform the Hajj during the first year of his office, but in subsequent years he performed the Hajj and presided at the Hajj functions.

When offering the prayers on the occasion of the Hajj between Mina and Mt Arafat, the Holy Prophet had shortened the prayers from four rakaats to two rakaats. Thereafter Abu Bakr and Umar while presiding at the Hajj functions followed the precedent set up by the Holy Prophet, and offered only two rakaats in prayers. In the early years of- his caliphate, Uthman followed the same precedent, but in the year 649 C.E. Uthman offered the full prayers in four rakaats.

Uthman was criticized by hostile circles for making this departure from the precedent set up by the Holy Prophet. Even such companions like Abdur Rahman b Auf and Ali questioned Uthman about the advisability of such innovation. Uthman argued that as a matter of fact the prayer comprised four rakaats, and it could be shortened to two rakaats under special circumstances. When the Holy Prophet shortened the prayer, he had settled at Madina, and had come to Makkah as a visitor. Uthman said that his case was different. He had married in Makkah and had a house there. He also had some property at Taif. As such when he came to Makkah his status was not that of a mere visitor. As such he did not feel himself entitled to enjoy the concession of shortening the prayers. He also argued that in case he continued the practice of shortening the prayers, the Bedouins were apt to feel that the prayers comprised two rakaats only. In order to remove such impression it was necessary that the prayer should be offered in full. Uthman further argued that the shortening of the prayer was a concession. A concession was in principle meant to meet certain exigencies, and had to be withdrawn when such exigencies no longer existed. Uthman held that according to his Ijtihad, a stage had reached when the concession was no longer necessary, and the prayer should be offered in full. Uthman also elaborated that the offering of the prayers in full was in no way repugnant to the injunctions of Islam or Sunnah. If Islam had provided for four rakaats and he had offered two rakaats that would have been repugnant to Islam. Where Islam provided for four rakaats and gave the option of shortening the prayer in certain circumstances, and he chose to offer the prayer in full and not to avail of the concession, such an act was in furtherance of the purposes of Islam, and was in no way repugnant thereto.

Other measures of Uthman

Uthman introduced a few other measures as well to promote the purposes of Islam. On the occasion of the Friday prayers he introduced a second call or Takbir for the convenience of the people. He provided stipends for the first time for the 'Muezzins'. On the occasion of the Ramadhan, he increased the daily allowances of the people. He also arranged to supply free meals to all concerned at the time of the breaking of the fast. Uthman made special arrangement for the upkeep of mosques.