In his book History of the Caliphs, Jalaluddin Suyuti observes:
"Uthman ruled the Caliphate twelve years. For six years. he governed the people without the people having anything to reproach against him, and he was more beloved by the Quraish than Umar, for Umar was stern with them, and when Uthman ruled them, he treated them with leniency and was attached to them. But afterwards he became heedless of their affairs, and appointed his kinsmen to high offices during the last six years, and bestowed upon Marwan a fifth of the revenues of Africa, and lavished on his kindred and family the property of the State, and explained it as the assistance to kindred which the Lord had enjoined, and said, "Verily Abu Bakr and Umar have neglected in that matter, and I have taken it, and divided it among my kindred but the people disapproved of it."
