Uthman Ibn Affan His Life and Times (IIPH)

Contents:

1. Mecca Years and the Migration

2. A Home Full of Peace and Virtue

3. Aisha the Immaculate

4. After the Prophet

5. Aisha and Knowledge

PREFACE

Khadija and Aisha had a special position among the wives of God’s Messenger; while the former was like the royal vizier in Mecca for fifteen years before the revelation, the latter fulfilled the same duty during the Medina years and later on. When they are considered in terms of the mission that they performed, each of them had the proper qualifications. God Almighty provided the Messenger of God with a strong character: in Mecca where belief, self-sacrifice and bravery were so necessary, He gave him Khadija; in Medina where the requirements of knowledge, intelligence and reasoning were felt, He bestowed him Aisha.

The life of the first Rightly-Guided Caliph, Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him) is a valuable roadmap for the Muslims of today. One of the first people to believe and embrace the Prophet’s Message of Islam, Abu Bakr remained a close companion of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) throughout the Prophet’s life. Appointed as the Prophet’s successor on the basis of consultation, Abu Bakr proved to be a great leader who, with Allah’s help, steered the Ummah through difficult times. He faced numerous challenges within Arabia: some people apostatized, others refused to pay zakâh, and quite a few individuals emerged as false prophets, attracting many followers. Outside Arabia, the Persians and Byzantines keenly observed these developments, looking for an opportunity to crush the new state. Abu Bakr employed effective strategies to deal with these challenges and had remarkable success in doing so. Thus, he paved way for the Islamic conquests that toppled tyrants and carried the message of Islam to the entire world. His leadership should be a great source of inspiration for the Muslims today.