Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Habib bin Abi Mulaikah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a man asked Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) about Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him): Was he present at the Battle of Badr? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: No. Then he asked: Was he present at the Pledge of Ridwan? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: No! He asked: Did he turn his back and flee on the day when the two armies faced each other (the Battle of Uhud)? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: Yes! The narrator says: Then that man left, so it was said to Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): Surely this man thinks that you have mentioned a fault of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Call him back to me. So that man was brought back. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: What I have told you, did you understand it? He said: Yes! He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You asked me whether Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) participated in the Battle of Badr? So I told you he did not. Because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Allah! Surely Uthman is engaged in Your and Your Messenger’s need. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) allotted him a share in the spoils of war. And you asked me whether Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was present at the Pledge of Ridwan? So I told you he was not. Because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to the polytheists so that they might make peace with us, but they refused. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took the pledge on his behalf. And he said: O Allah! Surely Uthman is engaged in Your and Your Messenger’s need. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed one of his hands over the other and took the pledge on his behalf. And you asked me whether Hazrat Uthman turned his back and fled on the day when the two armies faced each other? So I told you: Yes! And indeed Allah, Lord of Might and Majesty, has said: (Translation: Surely those of you who turned their backs on the day when the two armies met, it was only Satan who caused them to slip because of some of what they had earned. But Allah has forgiven them.) So go and do whatever you wish against me.