The virtues of ‘Uthman bin Affan رضي الله عنه

Narrated Abu Musa:

The Prophet entered a garden and ordered me to guard its gate. A man came and asked permission to enter. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Admit him and give him the glad tidings of entering Paradise." Behold! It was Abu Bakr. Another man came and asked the permission to enter. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Admit him and give him the glad tidings of entering Paradise." Behold! It was 'Umar. Then another man came, asking the permission to enter. The Prophet kept silent for a short while and then said, "Admit him and give him the glad tidings of entering Paradise with a calamity which will befall him." Behold! It was 'Uthman bin 'Affan. 'Asim, in another narration, said that the Prophet was sitting in a place where there was water, and he was uncovering both his knees or his knee, and when 'Uthman entered, he covered them (or it).

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ دَخَلَ حَائِطًا وَأَمَرَنِي بِحِفْظِ باب الْحَائِطِ، فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ يَسْتَأْذِنُ، فَقَالَ " ائْذَنْ لَهُ وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ ". فَإِذَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ يَسْتَأْذِنُ فَقَالَ " ائْذَنْ لَهُ وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ ". فَإِذَا عُمَرُ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ آخَرُ يَسْتَأْذِنُ، فَسَكَتَ هُنَيْهَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ " ائْذَنْ لَهُ وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ عَلَى بَلْوَى سَتُصِيبُهُ ". فَإِذَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ. قَالَ حَمَّادٌ وَحَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ الأَحْوَلُ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ، سَمِعَا أَبَا عُثْمَانَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، بِنَحْوِهِ، وَزَادَ فِيهِ عَاصِمٌ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ قَاعِدًا فِي مَكَانٍ فِيهِ مَاءٌ، قَدِ انْكَشَفَتْ عَنْ رُكْبَتَيْهِ أَوْ رُكْبَتِهِ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عُثْمَانُ غَطَّاهَا.

Narrated 'Ubaid-ullah bin 'Adi bin Al-Khiyar:

Al-Miswar bin Makhrama and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Aswad bin 'Abu Yaghuth said (to me), "What forbids you to talk to 'Uthman about his brother Al-Walid because people have talked much about him?" So I went to 'Uthman and when he went out for prayer I said (to him), "I have something to say to you and it is a piece of advice for you " 'Uthman said, "O man, from you." (Umar said: I see that he said, "I seek Refuge with Allah from you.") So I left him and went to them. Then the messenger of Uthman came and I went to him (i.e. 'Uthman), 'Uthman asked, "What is your advice?" I replied, "Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth, and revealed the Divine Book (i.e. Quran) to him;
and you were amongst those who followed Allah and His Apostle, and you participated in the two migrations (to Ethiopia and to Medina) and enjoyed the company of Allah's Apostle and saw his way. No doubt, the people are talking much about Al-Walid." 'Uthman said, "Did you receive your knowledge directly from Allah's Apostle ?" I said, "No, but his knowledge did reach me and it reached (even) to a virgin in her seclusion." 'Uthman said, "And then Allah sent Muhammad with the Truth and I was amongst those who followed Allah and His Apostle and I believed in what ever he (i.e. the Prophet) was sent with, and participated in two migrations, as you have said, and I enjoyed the company of Allah's Apostle and gave the pledge of allegiance him. By Allah! I never disobeyed him, nor did I cheat him till Allah took him unto Him. Then I treated Abu Bakr and then 'Umar similarly and then I was made Caliph. So, don't I have rights similar to theirs?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Then what are these talks reaching me from you people? Now, concerning what you mentioned about the question of Al-Walid, Allah willing, I shall deal with him according to what is right." Then he called 'Ali and ordered him to flog him, and 'Ali flogged him (i.e. Al-Walid) eighty lashes.

حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ شَبِيبِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ يُونُسَ، قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، أَنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَدِيِّ بْنِ الْخِيَارِ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ الْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ وَعَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ يَغُوثَ قَالاَ مَا يَمْنَعُكَ أَنْ تُكَلِّمَ عُثْمَانَ لأَخِيهِ الْوَلِيدِ فَقَدْ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ. فَقَصَدْتُ لِعُثْمَانَ حَتَّى خَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ، قُلْتُ إِنَّ لِي إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةً، وَهِيَ نَصِيحَةٌ لَكَ. قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَرْءُ ـ قَالَ مَعْمَرٌ أُرَاهُ قَالَ ـ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْكَ. فَانْصَرَفْتُ، فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِمْ إِذْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ عُثْمَانَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ، فَقَالَ مَا نَصِيحَتُكَ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابَ، وَكُنْتَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَجَابَ لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ، فَهَاجَرْتَ الْهِجْرَتَيْنِ، وَصَحِبْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَأَيْتَ هَدْيَهُ، وَقَدْ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسُ فِي شَأْنِ الْوَلِيدِ. قَالَ أَدْرَكْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ لاَ وَلَكِنْ خَلَصَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ مَا يَخْلُصُ إِلَى الْعَذْرَاءِ فِي سِتْرِهَا. قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ بِالْحَقِّ، فَكُنْتُ مِمَّنِ اسْتَجَابَ لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَآمَنْتُ بِمَا بُعِثَ بِهِ، وَهَاجَرْتُ الْهِجْرَتَيْنِ كَمَا قُلْتَ، وَصَحِبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَبَايَعْتُهُ، فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَصَيْتُهُ وَلاَ غَشَشْتُهُ حَتَّى تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مِثْلُهُ، ثُمَّ عُمَرُ مِثْلُهُ، ثُمَّ اسْتُخْلِفْتُ، أَفَلَيْسَ لِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي لَهُمْ قُلْتُ بَلَى. قَالَ فَمَا هَذِهِ الأَحَادِيثُ الَّتِي تَبْلُغُنِي عَنْكُمْ أَمَّا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ شَأْنِ الْوَلِيدِ، فَسَنَأْخُذُ فِيهِ بِالْحَقِّ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ دَعَا عَلِيًّا فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَجْلِدَهُ فَجَلَدَهُ ثَمَانِينَ.

Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

During the lifetime of the Prophet we considered Abu Bakr as peerless and then 'Umar and then 'Uthman (coming next to him in superiority) and then we used not to differentiate between the companions of the Prophet

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ بَزِيغٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شَاذَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ الْمَاجِشُونُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كُنَّا فِي زَمَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لاَ نَعْدِلُ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ أَحَدًا ثُمَّ عُمَرَ ثُمَّ عُثْمَانَ، ثُمَّ نَتْرُكُ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لاَ نُفَاضِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ. تَابَعَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ.

Narrated 'Uthman:

(the son of Muhib) An Egyptian who came and performed the Hajj to the Kaba saw some people sitting. He enquire, "Who are these people?" Somebody said, "They are the tribe of Quraish." He said, "Who is the old man sitting amongst them?" The people replied, "He is 'Abdullah bin 'Umar." He said, "O Ibn Umar! I want to ask you about something;
please tell me about it. Do you know that 'Uthman fled away on the day (of the battle) of Uhud?" Ibn 'Umar said, "Yes." The (Egyptian) man said, "Do you know that 'Uthman was absent on the day (of the battle) of Badr and did not join it?" Ibn 'Umar said, "Yes." The man said, "Do you know that he failed to attend the Ar Ridwan pledge and did not witness it (i.e. Hudaibiya pledge of allegiance)?" Ibn 'Umar said, "Yes." The man said, "Allahu Akbar!" Ibn 'Umar said, "Let me explain to you (all these three things). As for his flight on the day of Uhud, I testify that Allah has excused him and forgiven him;
and as for his absence from the battle of Badr, it was due to the fact that the daughter of Allah's Apostle was his wife and she was sick then. Allah's Apostle ﷺ said to him, "You will receive the same reward and share (of the booty) as anyone of those who participated in the battle of Badr (if you stay with her).' As for his absence from the Ar-Ridwan pledge of allegiance, had there been any person in Mecca more respectable than 'Uthman (to be sent as a representative). Allah's Apostle would have sent him instead of him. No doubt, Allah's Apostle had sent him, and the incident of the Ar-Ridwan pledge of Allegiance happened after 'Uthman had gone to Mecca. Allah's Apostle held out his right hand saying, 'This is 'Uthman's hand.' He stroke his (other) hand with it saying, 'This (pledge of allegiance) is on the behalf of 'Uthman.' Then Ibn 'Umar said to the man, 'Bear (these) excuses in mind with you.'

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ مَوْهَبٍ ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ مَنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ فَرَأَى قَوْمًا جُلُوسًا، فَقَالَ مَنْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْقَوْمُ قَالَ هَؤُلاَءِ قُرَيْشٌ. قَالَ فَمَنِ الشَّيْخُ فِيهِمْ قَالُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ. قَالَ يَا ابْنَ عُمَرَ إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ فَحَدِّثْنِي هَلْ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ فَرَّ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ قَالَ نَعَمْ. قَالَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ تَغَيَّبَ عَنْ بَدْرٍ وَلَمْ يَشْهَدْ قَالَ نَعَمْ. قَالَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ تَغَيَّبَ عَنْ بَيْعَةِ الرُّضْوَانِ فَلَمْ يَشْهَدْهَا قَالَ نَعَمْ. قَالَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ. قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ تَعَالَ أُبَيِّنْ لَكَ أَمَّا فِرَارُهُ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ فَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَفَا عَنْهُ وَغَفَرَ لَهُ، وَأَمَّا تَغَيُّبُهُ عَنْ بَدْرٍ، فَإِنَّهُ كَانَتْ تَحْتَهُ بِنْتُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَتْ مَرِيضَةً، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ " إِنَّ لَكَ أَجْرَ رَجُلٍ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا وَسَهْمَهُ ". وَأَمَّا تَغَيُّبُهُ عَنْ بَيْعَةِ الرُّضْوَانِ فَلَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ أَعَزَّ بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِنْ عُثْمَانَ لَبَعَثَهُ مَكَانَهُ فَبَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عُثْمَانَ وَكَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ الرُّضْوَانِ بَعْدَ مَا ذَهَبَ عُثْمَانُ إِلَى مَكَّةَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى " هَذِهِ يَدُ عُثْمَانَ ". فَضَرَبَ بِهَا عَلَى يَدِهِ، فَقَالَ " هَذِهِ لِعُثْمَانَ ". فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ اذْهَبْ بِهَا الآنَ مَعَكَ.