Hazrat Umar (RA)

Hazrat Umar (RA) was one of the great Muslim Khalifa in history. H was also the best companion of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He was born in a respectable Quraish family which was known for in depth knowledge of genealogy. Hence from childhood to manhood he became quite proficient in this branch of knowledge along with several other skills of swordsmanship, wrestling, and art of speaking. He chose to become a merchant like many other Arabs. The experience in trade gave him a keen insight into the affairs of men and ways to handle them. Umer (RA) personality was vibrant, self-assertive, frank and straight forward. He always spoke whatever was in his mind even if it displeased others. Because of these and many other eminent qualities he became the successor to Caliphate after Abu Bakr (RA).

Like many other Makkans, Umar was also against the spread of Islam. It enraged him so much one day that he swore to kill the Prophet. On his way he was informed that his own sister Fatima and her husband had accepted Islam too. He went straight to her house and beat her up. Her sister had been reading Quran before that. After the beatings subdued she said, “Umar (R.A), you can do what you like, but you cannot turn our hearts away from Islam.” These words had a strange effect on him and he demanded to hear what she had been reading. He was moved to the core by the words of the Qur’an and immediately grasped their truth. He went straight to the house where the Prophet was staying and vowed allegiance to him.

During his Khalifate Islamic state went through a vast expansion. Islam flourished and spread to Egypt, Iraq, Palestine and Iran. The greatness of Umar’s lied in his quality of leadership and expertness on Islamic jurist. He earned him the title Al-Faruq ("the one who distinguishes between right and wrong"). He was valiant and a strong disciplinary. Umar (R.A) gave his government an administrative structure. In a short period of 10 years he had many achievements and reforms done.

Hazrat Umar Farooq (R.A) breathed his last on 26th Dhul-Hajj, 23 Hijri. He is buried next to the side of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). 

Hazrat Uthman (RA)

Hazrat Uthman (RA) belonged to the “Ummayah” family of Quraish. It was a noble and reputed family of Makkah. The descendants of this family are known as as "Banu Umayyah" or "Umawwin". Hazrat Uthman (RA) was among those few people in Makkah who knew how to read and write. He grew up and started his own business of cloth and became very rich. His kind and helping nature earned him a great respect among the Makkahans. He did not hesitate to accept Islam and acknowledged the prophet hood of Prophet Muhammad (saw). The Quraish became his enemies after his acceptance of Islam. They tried to rebuke and chastise him severely. The Holy Prophet (saw) married one of his daughters to him after she was divorced by Abu Lahb son. When the hardships of the evil Quraish began to become unbearable Uthman (RA) along with his wife migrated to Abyssinia. He was the first Muslim to migrate. Uthman (RA) married the second daughter of Prophet when his wife died hence he was given the title of “Dhun-nurain" i.e., the man with two lights. 

Hazrat Uthman (RA) served Islam by all means. His services are prominent and inspiring. He fought in all the battles of Islam except Badr. He bought a well for free use of Muslims of Madinah at the cost of twenty thousand dhirams from a Jew. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave his the tidings of paradise for this kind act. He also extended the mosque of Madinah to accommodate the increasing population by buying a land. His other services include for bearing the expenses of one third army (10000 men) in the expedition of Tabuk. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu'alaihi wa Sallam) remarked on this, "Nothing will do any harm to Uthman from this day, whatever he does." Hadrat Uthman (R.A.) was one of the scribes of the “Wahy" (Revelation) and also used to write other documents (letters and messages etc.) of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam).

He became the third Muslim Khalifa. Muslims conquered a number of new areas under his regime. They took over Antalya and Asia Minor in the west including Cyprus. Afghanistan, Samarkand, Tashkent, Trukmennistan, Khurasan and Tabrastan in the East and North East; and Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco in North Africa. In this way Muslims were ruling over a vast part of Asia and Africa viz. Afghanistan, Turkmennistan, Uzbekistan, Persia or Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and of course Arabia (now Saudi Arabia) and Yemen including the Gulf states. Sayyiduna 'Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) himself was made Shaheed by rebels while he was reading the Holy Quran inside his house. This happened on Friday, the 17th of Zil Hajj in 35 A.H.. He was 84 years old.