IV. Language Focus.

A. Grammar in Context – uses of co-ordinating conjunctions.

What do the sentences in Set 1 have in common? What do the sentences in Set 2 have in common? What is the difference between the sentences in Set 1 and Set 2? Discuss your answers in groups.

Set 1

• Sometimes he would walk round the markets and recite the Quran to the people.

• At that time there was no call to prayer, and as a result, people sometimes forgot to go to the mosque to pray.

Set 2

• I am just another man like you, but the Prophet (SAAS) wanted me to take over from Abu Bakr.

• On his plate was a delicious piece of camel meat, but he refused to eat it.

b) Analysis.

Look at the sentences and fill in the blanks with and or but.

1. He knew they might attack………..hurt him,………..he did not care.

2. Finally, they all attacked him………..beat him. He was badly hurt, ……….. he did not care.

Find two other sentences using and or but and write them below.

1.

2.

Why do some sentences use and? Why do some use but?

c) Comparing Structures

Combine the following sentences, using and or but.

1. He spoke to the Prophet (SAAS) about it. Once again, a new revelation appeared.

2. The young man approached the caliph. Nobody saw his dagger.

3. Once more he lifted the dagger. He stabbed himself in the heart.

4. Rule Formation.

Help to write the grammatical rules by completing the sentences.

1. Words like……….. and……….. are called coordinating conjunctions.

2. ……….. can be used to link together structures, such as a noun with a noun, or a verb with a verb in one sentence. It can also be used to link clauses together.

3. ……….. is also used to link structures and clauses, but it is often used to show an unexpected result, or to show opposition or contrast.

e) Grammar Cloze Task.

Fill the gaps in the passage below.

Umar wanted to improve the way of life of Muslims, (1)……….. he was upset, when he became a Muslim, by the fact that Muslims had to hide their faith. He suggested they should come out into the open, (2) ……….. this led many Muslims to do so, led by the Prophet (SAAS). Umar also wanted everyone to pray at the appointed times, (3)……….. at that time there was no call to prayer. Muhammad (SAAS) also worried that people sometimes forgot to go to the mosque to pray, (4) ……….. he decided to use a bell, (5)……….. Umar had a dream telling him not to use a bell, (6)……….. to call the people to prayer. Umar was worried about telling this to the Prophet (SAAS), (7) ……….. Muhammad (SAAS) told him that he had had a revelation, (8)……….. that it had said that people should be called to prayer. Umar (9)………. talked to the Prophet (SAAS) about alcohol and asked him what they should do about the problem. The Prophet (SAAS) had another revelation which said there might be profit in wine and gambling. (10)………. that the sin was greater than the profit.

V. Critical Thinking.

Umar was a great leader. During his time as caliph much was achieved to spread Islam and to introduce systems and organization into the Muslim world. How did he do this? Whit personal qualities did he have in addition to the ones mentioned in the text?

1. In groups, discuss what personal qualities are required of great leaders today. Thinking of leaders you know about and admire, write a list of at least ten of these qualities.

2. List the qualities in order of importance, from the most important to the least important. Try to reach an agreement with the other members of your group.

3. One group member will read your list to the class. Be prepared to ехрlain and defend the contents of your list. You can do this by referring to leaders of the present and re past. Listen to the other groups' contributions and be ready to question them if necessary.

4. Try to agree on a list with the whole class.

Unit 9 UTHMAN bin AFFAN (RAA).

I. Pre-reading tasks.

Before reading the text, look at the title of this unit and answer the questions: 1. You will read about the man who became the third caliph. What do you know about this person? What people or events do you think when you hear this person's name? 2. Work in groups. List your pieces of information about Uthman bin Affan in order of importance. 3. Compare your list with other groups. Are they similar or different? II. Reading. Develop your Reading Skills: As you read, try to find the information you listed above in the text.

Uthman bin Affan (RAA) was born seven years after Muhammad (SAAS) in a respectable family in Ta’if. He was generous, polite, and well bred. He never drank alcohol or gamble. Uthman preferred to work hard and honestly, and his business flourished, soon becoming one of the richest traders among the Quraysh tribe. Uthman had a very close relationship with Abu Bakr, another trader. When Abu Bakr became a Muslim, he told Uthman about Islam and about the One True God. He acquainted Uthman to the Prophet (SAAS). They became close friends. Soon after, Uthman embraced Islam.

Close Friends.

The Prophet (SAAS) admired Uthman’s politeness and tolerance. He was also very modest and generous. He spent a great deal of his wealth on charity. The Prophet (SAAS) called him the “bashful” one. He was one of ten people promised heaven by the Prophet (SAAS). The Prophet (SAAS) allowed Uthman to marry two of his daughters. He married the eldest daughter, Ruqayyah bint Muhammad, soon after he became a Muslim. After Ruqayyah’s death, he married Um-Kulthum bint Muhammad, the Prophet’s (SAAS) second daughter. Thus, his friends called him the man with “two lights”.

Generosity.

Uthman was a generous man. He helped the Muslim Army by buying all the necessary weapons. He also bought 1,000 camels and 50 horses.

He was also good at bargaining. More and more people were converting to Islam and for more water they needed. The Prophet (SAAS) proclaimed: “Who will buy the Well of Roma for the Muslims?” Uthman offered to buy it.

A Jew suggested to sell it for 24,000 dirhams, but Uthman said that this price was too expensive. He offered to buy the half of the well. “I shall pay you 12,000 dirhams. The Jews will use the well one day, and the Muslims will use it the next day, and so on”.

The Jew agreed. However, every time the Muslims used the well, they took all the water! Next day, there remained very little water for the Jews. The Jews complained and stopped using the well. Now a man who sold the well had no money. The Jews were not using his well, so they did not give him any money. He went to see Uthman. “You have made me poor “, he said. “Please buy the other half of the well for 8,000 dirhams”. Uthman did so.

A Pious Man.

Uthman was a very religious man. He usually prayed most of the night. He did not sleep very much. Many Muslim scholars believe that the Quranic verse in Surat Az-Zumar (ayah 9) is about Uthman:

Is one who worships devoutly During the hours of the night,

Prostrating himself or standing in adoration, Who believes in the Hereafter And who places his hope In the mercy of his Lord (Like one who does not?)

A Scholar.

Uthman was a highly educated man. He helped Prophet (SAAS) to write down the revelations. He also helped people to understand them. Both Abu Bakr (RAA), the first caliph, and Umar (RAA), the second caliph, asked him questions about the revelations.

Reign as a Khalifah.

When Umar was assassinated, on his death bed he formed a committee of six people to choose the next Caliph from amongst themselves.

After Abdurrahman bin Auf (RAA) consulted the leaders of public opinion in Medina, he arrived at the conclusion that the majority of the people favoured the election of Uthman. On the fourth day after the death of Umar, Abdurrahman asked people to vote for a caliph. Most people voted for Uthman. He was made caliph in 24 A.N. at the age of seventy. He was caliph for twelve years. In his time, Islam spread very quickly. Armenia and Azerbaijan became Muslim countries. Persia and some parts of Byzantium were conquered. During his caliphate a navy was organized, administrative divisions of the state were revised, and many public projects were expanded and completed. Under Uthman the people became economically more prosperous, and they invested their money in the construction of buildings. Many new and larger buildings were constructed throughout the country. During the caliphate of Uthman as many as five thousand new mosques were constructed.

Quran.

Uthman is perhaps best known for forming the committee, which compiled the text of the Quran, as it exists today. The reason was that various Muslim centres, like Kufa and Damascus, had begun to develop their own traditions for reciting and writing down the Qur'an. Towards the end of his reign, the committee finished compiling the text, and Uthman had it copied and sent to each of the Muslim cities commanding that alternate versions of the Quran be destroyed, and only the official version used.

The Death of a Great Man.

Uthman died at the age of eighty-two. He was fasting and reading the Quran when assassins killed him. Even as the murderers stabbed him, Uthman continued to read the Qur'an. His blood flowed onto the pages of the Qur'an. He died for the cause of Allah (SWT).