The Reason Behind Calling Sayyiduna Uthman Bin Affan “Jami Al Quran”

Madani Muzakarah

The reason behind calling Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ "JamiꜤ al-Quran"

Q: Why is the third Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ referred to as "JamiꜤ al-Quran"?

A: Explaining the reason behind calling Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ "JamiꜤ al-Quran", Imam Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes in his Fatāwā Razawiyyah (volume 26, pg. 441): By the command of Allah and according to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the compilation of the actual Quran was complete, but the consolidation of all the surahs in one place was yet to be done. The first Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ consolidated the surahs after consultation with Sayyidunā ꜤUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ. Thereafter, with the suggestion of Sayyidunā ꜤAlī, Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān had copies of the Quran made based on the Ṣiddīqī manuscripts, which he distributed throughout the Islamic lands. He instructed the entire ummah to gather upon the original Quraishi dialect (when reciting the Quran). Therefore, he (i.e. Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ) is called "JamiꜤ al-Quran" (the compiler of the Quran), otherwise in reality, the compiler of the Quran is Allah Almighty.^[1]

Should a person first fulfil the obligation of hajj or get their daughter married?

Q: If performing hajj becomes obligatory on someone with enough money who also has a daughter that is an adult, should he get her married first or is performing hajj necessary?

A: If a person is capable of performing hajj and the other necessary conditions are also met, it becomes mandatory. Hajj will not be delayed for the daughter's marriage; it will be offered first. Even if someone's parents have not performed hajj and do not give him permission to perform it too, he will still have to perform hajj. In any case, people have increased the amount they spend on marriage themselves; otherwise, marriage itself is not overly expensive.^[2]

A way to offer dam (sacrifice of expiation)

Q: If someone is fortunate enough to go for hajj or umrah once in their life, but on their return, they discover that they have to offer dam due to some reason, what should they do? 

A: If they are unable to return to offer the dam themselves, they can arrange for someone to perform it on their behalf by phoning them, or alternatively, offer it through someone who is going for hajj or umrah, as offering the dam within the boundaries of Haram is necessary.^[3]

Note: Dam refers to the sacrifice of expiation incurred by a mistake or violation of a law related to the pilgrimage. This can be given in the form of a goat (male or female), a ram, a sheep, or the seventh share of a cow or camel.^[4]

Using the ihram for domestic purposes

Q: I have two ihrams; can I use them for domestic purposes in my home?

A: The ihrams belong to you, so you can use them for any purpose you want. However, keep in mind that the ihrams have been touched by the breeze of Makkah and Madinah, so it is not appropriate to use them for scrubbing the floor, cleaning, dusting dirty windows, etc. It is advised to use them in a way that is not considered disrespectful.^[5]

Encouraging children when they carry out good deeds

Q: How can we encourage young children?

A: Young children can be encouraged in various ways. For instance, things that children like can be given to them as gifts, which will act as encouragement. If a child is engaged in a good deed, any shortcomings should not be pointed out unnecessarily, but rather the child should be praised for their efforts. This can motivate them to strive and do other good deeds. On the other hand, if a child is not praised for their good deeds, it is possible that they may not engage in such deeds in the future. However, children should never be praised for doing something wrong. For instance, if a child is reading the Quran and has correctly read one letter but made mistakes when reading the others, he should not be praised but rather encouraged to make greater effort. Children should not be scolded for reading something incorrectly either, as this could discourage them from learning. Some teachers can be excessively harsh on children, which is something they should refrain from.^[6]

Q: Is it permissible to perform the Tahajjud prayer after the Fajr azan?

A: If the time for Fajr has already begun, the Tahajjud prayer cannot be performed, regardless of whether the azan has been called or not. If it is performed, it will replace the sunnah units (rak’āt) of Fajr.^[7] Note that the time for voluntary night prayers lasts until the break of dawn. After this, no voluntary prayers other than the sunnah units of Fajr can be offered until sunrise.^[8] Voluntary prayers can be performed 20 minutes after sunrise. If two units of voluntary prayer have been performed, and it later becomes clear that Fajr time had already commenced, that prayer will become the equivalent of the sunnah units of Fajr.^[9]

Q: A husband gave his wife a gift and then took everything back in anger, giving it to his mother or sister instead. The wife remained silent, lest there be an argument. What is the ruling regarding this? Moreover, will the husband be sinful for upsetting his wife like this?

A: When the husband gave the gift and his wife accepted it, she became the owner of that gift. Therefore, the husband cannot take it back. He cannot even ask for it to be returned, as it is prohibitively disliked (makrūh taḥrīmī) in Islamic law to ask of others for something without a reason permitted by shariah. It is mentioned in a hadith that the one who gives a gift and then takes it back is like a dog that licks its own vomit.^[10]  However, if the wife willingly returns the gift herself, there is no harm in that. Therefore, the husband should repent and return the items he seized from his wife (without permission). He should also apologise to her for causing emotional distress. Family members—such as parents, siblings, and husband and wife—should not check or use each other's mobile phones or other belongings without permission as it can lead to disagreement. However, certain small items can be used without seeking permission.^[11]