Khalifa Uthman bin Affan - Governors of Uthman: Muhammad bin Abu Hudhaifa

Family of Muhammad b Abu Hudhaifa
Muhammad bin Abu Hudhaifa belonged to the Umayyad section of the Quraish. His father's original name was Utba bin Rabea'ah. Utba's daughter was Hind who was the wife of Abu Subian and the mother of Muawiyah. Muhammad was thus the maternal uncle of Muawiyah. Utba was one of the early converts to Islam. It is to be noted that while Abu Sufian led the Quraish in all wars against the Muslims till the Muslim conquest of Mecca, Abu Sufian's father-in-law accepted Islam at an early stage. One of the daughters of Abu Sufiyan was also converted to Islam at an early stage, and she was later married to the Holy Prophet. Abu Hudhaifa migrated with his wife Suhaila to Abyssinia In Abyssinia Uthman and Abu Hudhaifa worked in close unison. Muhammad the son of Abu Hudhaifa was born in Abyssinia. On return from Abyssinia Abu Hudhaifa migrated to Madina. In the battle of Badr, Abu Hudhaifa fought against his father who was an infidel Later he fought in all the battles under the command of the Holy Prophet. He participated in the apostasy wars during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. Abu Hudhaifa was martyred in the battle of Yamamma. Muhammad was then, a boy, fourteen or fifteen years old.

Uthman's guardianship of Muhammad
On the death of Abu Hudhaifa, Uthman assumed the guardianship of Muhammad b Hudhaifa. Muhammad b Abu Hudhaifa was brought up under the loving care of Uthman. Uthman treated him as a son. When Uthman became the Caliph, Muhammad bin Abu Hudhaifa desired that he should be made the Governor of some province. He wanted him to wait for some time as he was not yet fit for the high office of the Governor. That annoyed Muhammad b Abu Hudhaifa. He desired that in the circumstances he should be permitted to go somewhere else to seek his fortune. Uthman gave him some money and permitted him to go any where he liked. Muhammad b Abu Hudhaifa chose to go to Egypt.