Uthman b. Maz'un: Difference between revisions

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  | Burial place = [[al-Baqi' cemetery]]  

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'''Abū Saʾib, ʿUthmān b. Mazʿun b. Ḥabīb b. Wahab al-Jumaḥī''' (Arabic:{{ia|عثمان بن مظعون}})  (d. [[2]]/623) is one of the [[Sahaba|Prophet's Companions]] and his foster brother. He was among the first Muslim. He, his brother, [['Abd Allah b. Maz'un]], and his son, [[Sa'ib b. Maz'un|Sa'ib]], were present in [[Migration to Abyssinia]], [[Migration to Medina]], and the [[Battle of Badr]]. 'Uthman was a pious man and a close companion of prophet Muhammad (s) and [[Imam Ali (a)]]. Imam Ali (a) named one of his sons after him as "'Uthman."

He was the first [[Hijra|Emigrant]] to be buried in [[al-Baqi']]. The Prophet (s) marked his grave with a stone and visited it. The Prophet (s) buried his children: Ibrahim, Ruqayya, and Zaynab next to him.

His Kuniya is Abu Sa'ib. His mother was Sukhaylat bt. 'Anbas b. Uhban b. Hudhafat b. Jumah. Sa'ib and 'Abd Allah were his maternal brothers.

His wife was Umm Hakim, Khula bt. Hakim al-Ansari. After the demise of lady Khadija (s), Khula suggested the Prophet (s) to marry 'A'isha and Suda. Later (after that 'Uthman passed away), she offered herself to the Prophet (s). 'Abd al-Rahman and Sa'ib are her sons.

His sister, Zaynab, was the wife of 'Umar b. Khattab; so 'Abd Allah b. 'Umar, Hafsa and 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Umar are his nephews and niece.  

'Uthman b. Maz'un has forbidden drinking wine on himself during the Ignorance time before the emergence of Islam. He, along with Abu 'Ubayda and Arqam b. Abi Araqm embraced Islam at the presence of the Prophet (s). Ibn Ishaq says, “he converted to Islam after the [first] thirteen Muslims."

'Uthman is one of the emigrants to Abyssinia and Medina. After the Emigration to Medina, the Prophet (s) recited 'Aqd al-Ukhuwwa (bond of brotherhood) between him and Ibn Tihan; also between him and 'Abbas b. 'Ibada, who was later martyred in the battle of Uhud.

Sunnis have regarded 'Uthman b. Maz'un along with other great figures such as Hamzat b. 'Abd al-Mutallib, Ja'far b. Abi Talib and Ali b. b. abi Talib as the twelve disciples of Prophet Muhammad (s).

'Uthman, his son, Sa'ib, and his brother, 'Abd Allah, emigrated to Abyssinia and to Medina and participated in the battle of Badr. Sa'ib was martyred in the battle of Yamama at his thirties. 'Uthman has composed some poems about emigration to Abyssinia. Returning from Abyssinia, he entered Mecca under the safe conduct of Walid b. Mughayra; but when he saw that other Muslims are being tortured, he asked asked Walid to nullify his safe conduct so that he become like other Muslims. Although he was tortured by polytheist of Mecca he expressed his happiness for this.

'Uthman b. Maz'un was one of the great Companions of the Prophet (s) and a very pious person. He fasted the days and spent the nights worshiping. After the burial of his children, Ibrahim, Zaynab and Ruqayyah next to 'Uthman b. Maz'un's grave, the Prophet (s) said, “They joined their righteous predecessor, 'Uthman b. Maz'un."

'Uthman was one of close companions of Imam Ali (a) as well. Imam Ali (a) called him as his brother, and also named one of his sons after him. Ziyarat al-Nahiyat al-Muqaddasa reads: “Peace be upon 'Uthman b. Ali, 'Uthman b. Maz'un's namesake."

He was the first Muhajir (Emigrant) to pass away in Medina in 2 (22 months after the arrival of the Prophet (s) in Medina), and was buried in Baqi'. According to Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, some reported that he passed away after the battle of Badr - 30 months after the arrival of the Prophet (s) in Medina. Probably the different reports about his demise date originate in a disagreement between Muhajirin and Ansar about the first Companion of the Prophet (s) buried in Baqi': Ansar believed that As'ad b. Zurara, who was present in both Pledges of al-'Aqaba and passed away before the battle of Badr was the first Companion buried in Baqi'; while Muhajirin believed that it was 'Uthman b. Maz'un.

After his demise the Prophet (s) kissed between his eyes and said, “What a good predecessor was 'Uthman b. Maz'un for us."

'Uthman b. Maz'un was buried in the middle of Baqi' cemetery. The Prophet (s) marked his grave with a stone and visited it. This stone was on his grave until the time of Mu'awiya's reign, then it was put on 'Uthman b. 'Affan's grave - which was later added to Baqi' - by Mu'awiya's order.  

Other great figures were buried near 'Uthman b. Maz'un's grave. Recent sources reported that there was a shrine and a dome over his grave; but there is no information about the sponsor or the time of building that shrine. Concerning the similarity between the Zarih of the infallible Imams buried in Baqi' and the Zarih on 'Uthman b. Maz'un's grave, some scholars attributed building of his shrine to Majd al-Malik Baravistani (d. 492 or 493) the Persian vizier of Sultan Barkiaraq Saljuqi (reign 486-498).

Describing his Zarih, Ibn Jubayr reported that it was made of wood, decorated with exquisite patterns and beautiful nails knocked on it. The Zarih was like a wooden window, that opens toward Qibla. After mentioning the grave of Ibrahim, Matari also mentioned a latticed Zarih located toward the Qibla of the grave.  

The dome built on his tomb was white. According to the reports about the building - the last of which is from Raf'at Pasha in 1325 – it existed until the first destruction of the shrines in Baqi' - by the first Saudi government - in 1220.