Khalifa Uthman bin Affan - Sermons of Uthman

Some sermons of Uthman have been preserved in history. We refer to some of these sermons with a view to illustrating the beliefs of Uthman. These sermons speak of Uthman's unshakable faith in Islam.

His role In one of the sermons, Uthman defined his role as Caliph. He said:

"My role is to follow what has already been laid down. I do not intend to be an innovator. I declare that I will faithfully follow the Quran and the Sunnah. In matters not covered by the Quran and the Sunnah, I promise that I will follow all such things which command consensus before my caliphate. If in any matter, no consensus has been reached already, I will follow the way of the good with your consultation. I assure you that I will restrain my hand from you, till that is the dictate of the law "

The World is a tarrying place
In another sermon Uthman said:

"O people, this world is merely a tarrying place. You are marching towards your goal. Do as many good deeds as you can, so that when death overtakes you, there is much of good in your account. Learn from the lives of those who are dead. O people you consider yourself to be safe within your houses. Beware that you are in the latter part of your life. Therefore do good deeds during whatever life is left for you. No body knows when the call of death may come. You should spend your life in such a way that when you die, you die as a true Muslim. Take lesson from death, and be constantly engaged in good works. It is a matter of wonder that man believes in death, and yet laughs. O men instead of running after the world run for the hereafter. In the Holy Quran Allah asked the Holy Prophet to explain to the people the simile of the world. The life is like water which descends from the heavens. In the hereafter there will be Punishment as well as reward. Worry for the world darkens the soul, and anxiety for the hereafter brightens the soul. Know that the world is not everlasting; the hereafter is ever lasting. Therefore prefer the hereafter to this world. If your eyes can have true vision then every day is doomsday."