The Story of Usman bin Affan, The Man Dealing Business with Allah

              Once upon time in Abu Bakr leadership era, Muslim community suffered a severe famine. Wheats and dates palm were dead due to the lack of water. As the result, there were no harvested crops in a whole year and the inflation of staple food was inevitable. In order to find a solution, people asked the khalifa if he could show an escape preventing them from starving. Sadly, he had no appropriate answer to solve it then the honest man said to public that they had to be patient because there weren’t money or foods anymore in the state repository.

Suddenly, a well news came informing them that Usman trade cargo had just arrived in Madinah. It brought a great deal of foods traded among small traders there. All sellers visited Usman’s house to buy food stocks merchandised to the people of Madinah. They asked the same thing to him. These are some conversations among them.

Usman: “What are your purposes?”

Sellers: “You know it. Since our society don’t have something to eat, could you please trade your stuffs to us, so that we can sell them to the people!”

Usman: “I’ll meet your request happily. It is well-known, as a businessman I want suitable price for these needed commodities. How much you dare to pay?
Sellers: We will grant 4 dirham of profit for each thing you let!”

Usman: “Hmmm, honestly i have someone daring to settle more than you. Because of him, I am not willing to sell it”

Sellers: “Then, we dare to add 1 more dirham as your gain”

At the end, Usman had been offered 5 dirham of benefit by them, yet he insisted not to fulfill their proposal.

Usman: “I’ll not sell it unless you dare to pay more than what he has promised to me”.

Sellers: “How could you say that? None of us dare in paying more. There are no traders in Madinah except us, so would you please tell me the name of rich man having deal with you!”

This was his answer which noted by golden pen in the history of Islamic civilization.

“Surely, Allah has pledged me benefits ten times more than the value of them. So, who dares to pay in greater amount of money?”

Of course, they couldn’t afford it and they agreed to leave Usman emptily

Before being left by the sellers, Usman said that he would grant all foods to the community freely as his charity and he did what he said as well. Finally, people of Madinah had halal food to fill their stomachs.

[The story is quoted from The Book of Khulafa Ar Rasyidin written by Syaikh Sulaiman bin Soleh Ar Rummi]   

It was the generosity of Usman, the man doing business with Allah. A great businessman who would prefer delayed reward in the heaven rather than a great deal of money in the world. May peace be upon him.  

Prepared for 103rd Daffodils' Public Speaking Class 
Pare, 21/9/2015