THE STORY OF CALIPHATE UTHMAN (r.t.a) (Episode 24)

 ASSALAAMU ALAYKUM WARAHMATULLAH WABARAKAATUHU . LET'S START TONIGHT'S EDUCATION. OUR TOPIC IS 👇.                                                                            *THE STORY OF CALIPHATE UTHMAN (r.t.a) (Episode 24)*

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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.

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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.

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 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 A concession was in principle meant to meet certain exigencies, and had to be withdrawn when such exigencies no longer existed.

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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.

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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.

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 In the time of Uthman the economic resources of the State were: Zakat, Ushr, Khara;, Jazya, Fay and Ghanimah. Zakat- was a 21/z per cent levy on capital assets. Uthman levied the Zakat on some of the items which had escaped taxation previously. Ushr was a ten per cent levy on agricultural land as well as merchandise imported from abroad. Kharaj was a levy on land in conquered territories. The rate of Kharaj was higher than the Ushr. Jizya was a poll tax levied on non-Muslims. Fay was the income from State land. Ghanimah was the booty captured on the occasion of war with the enemy. Four-fifth of the booty was distributed among the soldiers taking part in the war while one-fifth was credited to the State fund.

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During the time of Uthman the income of the State increased considerably. When 'Amr b Al 'Aas was the Governor of Egypt the complaint against him was that the receipts from Egypt were low. He said that the she-camel could not give more milk. When Abdullah bin Sa'ad was appointed as the Governor, the revenues of the province increased. When confronted with this situation 'Amr b Al 'Aas said, "Yes, the she-camel has given more milk, but its young ones have been starved." This shows that under Uthman the revenues of the State increased.

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The view of 'Amr b Al 'Aas that the young one of the she - camel had been starved was merely an apologetic way of justifying his own administration. Umar had fixed the stipends of the people. On assuming office, Uthman increased these stipends by 25 per cent. That was an economic measure which contributed to the prosperity of the people. Writers like Taha Hussain have taken the view that there was no justification for an increase in the stipends so soon after the death of Umar. It is very strange that the critics of Uthman blame him for regarding the public funds as the property of Allah and not that of the people, and not distributing all the funds among the people, and on the other hand they criticize Uthman for raising the stipends.

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This view is uncharitable. Taha Hussain has dropped the hint that this was the means of political publicity to secure popularity. This view is obviously biased. An unbiased writer cannot help but admire the beneficent measure of Uthman which Promoted the material prosperity of the people.

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Under Umar it had been laid down as a policy that the lands in conquered territories were not to be distributed among the combatants, but were to remain the property of the previous owners. The army felt dissatisfied at this decision, but Umar suppressed the opposition with a strong hand.

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End of Today's Education. Subhanakallahuma wabihamdik ash-hadu an laaila Anta astagfiruka wa atuuubu ilayhi. Questions, Suggestions and problems are welcome privately. *We shall continue tomorrow on this same topic in sha Allah*. May HE strengthen and make us steadfast in faith. May HE accept our ibaadat and grant us the Good in this World and the Hereafter. May Allah Azza wa jalla forgive and grant us Jannah...AMIN