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Many Prophets blessed this world with their magnificent presence and whilst residing in this world with the mission of spreading the light of guidance, they were also blessed with the gift of children. The fortunate people who were placed in the wedlock of these children were undoubtedly esteemed and revered personalities as they had become the husbands or wives of a Prophet’s child. In this regard, Hazrat Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) has a unique individuality and speciality due to the fact that he is the only human being to have ever been fortunate enough to have married two daughters of a Prophet. And that too, the Prophet of whom he became the son-in-law of twice, was the leader and master of all the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).
It is narrated by Hazrat Ali (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) that he heard Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) stating to Hazrat Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) that if he had forty daughters, he would have given them all in the hand of Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) one after the other until eventually no daughter would remain unmarried. [Taareekh-ul-Khulafa]
Imam Baihaqi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) has narrated in his Sunan that Hazrat Abdullah Ju’fi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states that he was questioned by his maternal uncle, Hazrat Hussain Ju’fi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) about whether he was aware of the reason for Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) being given the title ‘Dhun Noorain’ (the possessor of two lights). When he answered in the negative, Hazrat Hussain Ju’fi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) explained to his nephew that no person since the time of Hazrat Adam (Alaihis Salaam) had been blessed with the fortune of marrying two daughters of a Prophet apart from Hazrat Uthman Ghani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) and obviously it was not possible for anyone else to be blessed with this fortune in the future.
The first marriage of Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) took place with Hazrat Sayyidah Ruqayyah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) who fell ill at the time when the Battle of Badr occurred. With the permission of Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) remained in Madina Shareef in order to nurse his wife. Although Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was unable to participate in the battle, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) gave him a share from the war booty thus he is counted to be amongst those who were part of the Badr victors. When Hazrat Zaid ibn Haritha (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) arrived in the city of Madina with the good news of victory in Badr, Sayyiduna Ruqayyah’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) burial was taking place.
Regarding this couple, Ibn Asaakir (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) narrates from Hazrat Osama ibn Zaid (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) once sent him with a bowl in which there was meat, to give to Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Hazrat Osama (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states that when he entered the house, he saw Sayyidah Ruqayyah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) seated whilst Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was present. Hazrat Osama (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was looking towards Sayyidah Ruqayyah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) for one minute then towards Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) for another (out of amazement). Hazrat Osama (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) then returned to the blessed gathering of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) who then asked him, “Did you enter the house?” Hazrat Osama (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) replied in the affirmative after which Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) asked, “Have you seen a more beautiful couple than this couple?” Hazrat Osama (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) replied, “No, I have never seen a more beautiful couple than them.” [Taareekh-ul-Khulafa] (This event occurred before the verse of Hijab was revealed in which women are ordered to conceal their beauty from men who are not close relatives.)
Upon the demise of Sayyidah Ruqayyah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha), Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) placed his other daughter, Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha), in the wedlock of Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Hazrat Sayyidah Aisha Siddiqa (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) states that upon the marriage of Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) with Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh), Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said to Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha), “Your husband, Uthman Al Ghani is similar in complexion to your forefather Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) and your father Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).” [Taareekh‑ul-Khulafa] Sadly, Hazrat Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) also passed away in the ninth year after the migration of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) to Madinatul Munawwarah.
Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) thus received the appellation ‘Dhun Noorain’. With Sayyidah Ruqayyah (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had one child named Abdullah who passed away after his mother at the age of six and with Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) he had no children.
Another uniqueness of Hazrat Sayyiduna Uthman Dhun Noorain (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) is narrated by Hazrat Anas (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). He states that when Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) ordered everyone to pledge the allegiance of Ar-Ridwaan in Hudaibiyah, Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) was in Makkah as a representative of Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The companions all pledged allegiance (Bay’ah) and when everyone had pledged allegiance, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said that Hazrat Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) had gone to fulfil the duties ordained by Allah and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). The Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) then placed one of his blessed hands above the other and pledged allegiance on behalf of Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). Thus in spite of being absent, Sayyiduna Uthman’s (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) allegiance was the most virtuous due to the fact that the blessed hand of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) pledged allegiance on his behalf. [Tirmidhi Shareef ] Shaikh Abdul Haqq Muhaddith Dehlwi (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) states with regard to this Hadith that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) describes his hand as being the hand of Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh) which is a privilege that is specific to Sayyiduna Uthman (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anh). In other words, no one else has been blessed with such a privilege. [Ash’at-ul-Lam’aat]
May Allah Ta’ala grant us true love and respect for the Blessed Companions of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and the Taufeeq to stay away from those who insult them, Ameen.
