Islamic Diplomacy Under Utsman Bin Affan

Arranged By:

Graacylia Puspha Sena 20200510358

M. Kelvin Haiqal Arigih 20200510155

Namira Agustina Purba 20200510380

Ilyasha Nabiel Imani 20200510369

History of Islamic Diplomacy Class J

Lecturer:
Sidiq Ahmadi,S.I.P.,M.A.

International Programs of International Relations

Faculty of Social and Politics
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta
2022
Background
Diplomacy studies developed rapidly after the 1961 Vienna convention, which
explained that the purposes of privileges and impunity were not for individual gain but to
ensure the efficient implementation of the functions of diplomatic missions in representing
countries. According to KBBI, there are several definitions of diplomacy, namely as follows:

1. Diplomacy is the business or organization of official relations between one country and
another.
2. The affairs of a country's interests with other countries through the intermediaries of its
representatives.
3. The skill of relations between one country and another.
4. The ability or skills to choose the right words or strategies for a large country.

Next is the definition of Islam.Islam is a religion brought by the Messenger of Allah

and guided by the holy book Al-Qur'an which was revealed through Allah SWT's revelation
through the angel Gabriel's intermediary. So Islamic Diplomacy can be defined as official
relations between one country and another, which originates from the Qur'an with the examples
of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. Islamic diplomacy is based on the Koran,
Hadith, and dates with the Prophet as a role model in practice. In Islamic diplomacy, there is
the practice of Islamic diplomacy, Uthman Bin Affan's diplomacy towards the Quraysh,
namely as the envoy of the Prophet Muhammad in negotiating the Hudaibiyah agreement.
Uthman bin Affan was one of the companions of the Prophet who had a very close relationship
with the Prophet. Uthman used his wealth and wealth to benefit the religion he embraced. When
he migrated to Medina, he bought a well for the Muslims, who could not get clean and fresh
water then. When there was a call for jihad to Tabuk, and the people were asked to raise funds
to arm the war troops, Uthman issued a thousand gold coins, a thousand camels, sixty horses
and various other war equipment for the benefit of a third of the army. When the Prophet was
in Hudaibiyah, the Prophet sent himself as a messenger to convey to the Quraysh that the arrival
of the Muslims led by the Prophet was for pilgrimage and peaceful purposes.
Introduction

One of the Prophet's companions, Uthman bin Affan, had a particularly tight bond with
the Prophet. His mother was the Prophet's cousin. His father was a prosperous and well-liked
merchant who left a sizable wealth. Due to his marriages to Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum, two
of the Prophet's daughters, Uthman held a particularly unique status. Uthman contributed to his
adopted religion by using his riches and resources. Uthman always released a slave on Friday.
He led a morally upright life and was well known for his generosity and kindness. One of the
ten companions who directly got the Prophet's promise that they would join heaven is Uthman.
Six contenders for caliph were debated, along with Muslims, before Uthman was chosen.
Uthman, who was 70 years old when he became caliph, was a senior citizen. Uthman believed
that the caliph's role went beyond simply collecting taxes and included serving the community.
He offered policy directives to his governors, directing them to perform their roles as tax
collectors with compassion and kindness. He offered policy directives to his governors,
directing them to perform their roles as tax collectors with compassion and kindness.
According to him, one indication of a good government administration is warmth, focus, and
consideration (consideration). Uthman bin Affan never employed a system different than the
one that Rasulullah SAW and his forebears had used while handling state administration in the
areas of law and military organization.

Diplomacy During Ustman Bin Affan

Ustman Bin Affan, who succeeded Umar bin Khattab as caliph, is generally recognized
as the Prophet's friend and as the third caliph. Uthman carried out the transfer of the leadership
mandate at 73 years old, which is considered to be a highly mature age. In both the western
and eastern parts of the world, the government led by Uthman was successful in spreading the
name of Islam and urging da'wah Islamiyah. Uthman was regarded as the Prophet's buddy and
was known for his noble, kind, astute, and other admirable traits, which some of the other
companions of the Prophet did not possess. This quality of Ustman's contributed to his great
regard among Muslims and respect during his rule for the duration of his Caliphate. The
Prophet trusted Uthman to be the Messenger in resolving numerous disputes between Muslims
and Quraysh infidels because of his speaking ability and intelligence in a variety of areas,
including citizenship and leadership. As the first Muslim diplomat, Ustman Bin Affan.
Ustman's diplomacy had an impact on the governing ideologies and practices he upheld during
his tenure as president. He uses democratic principles to uphold state sovereignty and grants
democratic freedom to everybody with a point of view on negotiations. Additionally, he
assigned assignments to anybody who could carry out the mandate in order to implement the
policies he set. The Hudaibiyah Agreement was broken by the Quraysh when Muslims wanted
to perform Umrah to Makkah, and we can see this in Muslim history. which the Quraysh
infidels met the Muslims with at that time as they were traveling. Since the Al-Quran and
Sunnah are sources of all human life, the aim of diplomacy itself is to carry on the prophetic
mission started by the Prophet Muhammad in his day, along with rules and laws that are
inseparable from those sources and are all sources of human existence.

Ustman's diplomacy allows us to observe the distinctions that have developed

throughout the current era of global division between the western and eastern blocs. For the
western bloc, diplomacy is conducted in accordance with recognized international legal
principles. Whereas Islam, has never made a law that is detached from the principles of divinity
and is based on our holy Al-Quran which ultimately proves that living in the world is not only
concerned with all material gains but things that are useful for our lives, after the end of the
world which we are in now.

The various successes achieved by Caliph Uthman bin Affan in his first period of reign
were the crushing of rebellions that took advantage of Umar's death, as well as the expansion
of Islamic regional powers. Uthman bin Affan undertook expansionary politics to conquer
areas such as Azerbaijan, Ar-Ray, Alexandria, Tunisia, Cyprus, Armenia, Tripoli, An-Nubah,
Kufah, and Kerman. This expansion of Islam was a continuation of what had been attempted
by Umar bin Khattab who had previously rapidly controlled large areas. In the economic field,
Uthman founded a place to manage financial problems which is called the Baitul Mal. At the
end of his term, many rebellions occurred due to dissatisfaction with his government. This
conflict was exacerbated by the presence of Abdullah bin Saba' who was the instigator of the
rebellion as well as the spreader of slander or Uthman's actions. The rebels, whose situation
was already very bad, finally managed to surround Uthman bin Affan's residence. When the
siege took place, Uthman completely refused to counterattack until finally the rebels managed
to enter Uthman's house. At the end of his story, Utman was killed by the rebels on June 17,
656 AD, when Uthman was reading the Koran. He died at the age of 82 years and he was the
first caliph who died as a martyr at the hands of the Muslims. His reign was the longest reign,
where he reigned for 12 years. He is also remembered as a gentle caliph in leadership and is a
caliph who succeeded in carrying out territorial expansion that extends from Morocco in the
west to Kabul Afghanistan in the east.

Utsman Bin Affan as The First Islamic Diplomat

Some of the other companions of the prophet did not have Uthman's noble, charitable,
clever, and other good attributes. This quality of Ustman's contributed to his great regard
among Muslims and respect during his rule for the duration of his Caliphate. The Prophet
trusted Uthman to be the Messenger in resolving several disputes between Muslims and
Quraysh infidels because of his speaking ability and intelligence in a variety of areas, including
citizenship and leadership. We can replay this in the history of Muslims regarding the
"Hudaibiyah Agreement" which was violated by the Quraysh when Muslims wanted to perform
Umrah to Makkah. which, at that time on the way, the Muslims were confronted by the Quraysh
infidels. This agreement was agreed in one of the cities named the city of Hudaibiyah in 628
AD.The "Hudaibiyah Agreement," which the Quraysh broke when Muslims intended to
perform Umrah to Makkah, can be reenacted in Muslim history as the Muslims were faced by
the Quraysh infidels at that time while traveling.

At 628 AD, this agreement was reached in the city of Hudaibiyah, one of the cities.
Ustman was instructed by the Prophet to act as a messenger from the Muslims to make an offer
regarding peace negotiations between the Muslims and the infidels in Mecca due to the
numerous articles in this agreement that were harmful to Muslims in order to maintain security
and prevent threats to the Muslim community who other. From this point on, Ustman was seen
as the first Muslim diplomat who could bargain by bringing a clear vision and mission in
accordance with the sharia laws given by the Prophet in diplomacy. He was seen as being able
to lead the Muslims to the triumph that Allah had promised. Because the Al-Quran and Sunnah,
which are origins of all human life, and other rules and laws that are inseparable from those
sources are what constitute the aim of diplomacy itself, which is to continue the prophetic
mission carried out by the Prophet Muhammad in his era. Ustman's diplomacy allows us to
observe the distinctions that have developed throughout the current era of global division
between the western and eastern blocs. For the western bloc, diplomacy is carried out based on
the logic of international law that has been established. whereas Islam, has never made a law
that is detached from the principles of divinity and is based on our holy Al-Quran which
ultimately proves that living in the world is not only concerned with all material gains but
things that are useful for our lives, after the end of the world which we are in now. The
diplomacy that Ustman did, influenced the practices and principles of government held by
Ustman during his leadership. He applies democratic practices to maintain state sovereignty,
and provides freedom in democracy for anyone who has an opinion in negotiating. In addition,
he also delegated tasks in realizing the policies he made to anyone who was able to hold the
mandate.

Not only that, Uthman Bin Affan also had several policies in his diplomatic journey
such as land policies. Uthman bin Affan took several policies that were far different from his
predecessors. He adopted a new policy in 30 AH. That is, if a resident of the Hijaz has wealth
in a conquered area, it is permissible for him to replace that wealth with existing wealth in his
area. The reason, in Uthman's view, was that this was aimed at reducing pressure from several
cities, such as Kufah and Basrah, because the increase in the Bedouin population and their
slaves gave rise to many social problems. This policy was welcomed by the people of the Hijaz.
But permission to exchange land is a double-edged sword. The Companions who owned land
in the Hijaz began selling their lands and buying new lands in various provinces. Talha, for
example, bought a lot of land from owners who were in the Hijaz. This policy has given rise to
an elite class of landowners and landlords. Prominent Quraysh people who previously only
focused on Mecca due to Umar's policies, have now spread to various Islamic countries in the
world and they have become a source of suffering. Small landowners sell their land to capital
owners, who can invest the amount of money they have. People like Talha, Zubair, Marwan
bin Hakam bought large amounts of land as a result of this dispensation. The landowners in the
Hijaz cultivated their lands by bringing in workers from outside the conquered areas.
Landowning classes arose in Mecca, Medina and Taif. They lived in luxury in the cities, while
the tenants toiled the land to give prosperity and power to the rich.
Conclusion

Caliph Usman bin Affan reigned for twelve years (23-35 H) during his reign, making
many glorious and proud achievements for the Muslim Ummah, including the first navy of the
Islamic Ummah formed during his reign, the conquest of territories. Uthman Bin Affan was
one of the first Islamic diplomats at that time and implemented several policies, one of which
was a policy related to land. He has many travels and stories related to Quraysh. As one who
has a close relationship with the Prophet Muhammad SAW, he carried out his duties properly
accompanied by honesty, trustworthiness and the like. Uthman Bin Affan also succeeded in
carrying out Islamic da'wah to all corners of the world, from west to east. Some problems that
require bidding and negotiation skills to avoid a threat that comes from outside, Uthman Bin
Affan is the one who can solve these problems so that he becomes one of the people or envoys
of Muslims who are trusted by both parties and he’s the one brought peace.
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