Third caliph, 644–656 CE.
The third caliph
Uthman ibn Affan belonged to an Umayyad family of Quraysh and was a companion of Prophet Muhammad. He governed as the third caliph from 644 to 656. His reign involved changes in provincial administration and economic organization, as well as growing disagreements about authority.
The Qur’an and the final years
Uthman is particularly associated with the preparation and distribution of standard written copies of the Qur’an. This is a central episode in accounts of the text’s transmission. It should not be confused with a claim that he composed the revelation. His final years were marked by unrest; his death was followed by the first major civil war. The Met’s historical introduction offers context and directs readers to further scholarship on the Qur’an and this period.
Sources and further reading
Betsy Williams — The Third Caliph: Uthman ibn Affan, The Metropolitan Museum of Art