It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) was widowed after the death of Ibn Hudhafah, Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I met Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) and offered him (marriage to) Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her). He said: 'I will consider my situation.' Then I waited a few nights until he met me and said: 'It has become clear to me that I should not marry at present, in these days.'" Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Then I met Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: 'I would like to marry Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) to you.' But he gave me no reply, because of which I was more upset with him than with Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Then I waited a few more nights, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a proposal for her, and I married her to him (peace and blessings be upon him). After that, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) met me and asked: 'Perhaps you were upset with me when you offered Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her)?' I said: 'Yes!' He said: 'Nothing prevented me from answering you except that I knew that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had mentioned her, and I did not want to disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Had the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) given up his intention regarding her, I would certainly have married her.'" Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I complained about Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Hafsah will be married by one who is better than Uthman, and Uthman will marry one who is better than Hafsah.' So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then married his daughter to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)."
Hadith Referenceمسند أبي يعلى الموصلي / مسند أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه / 6
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده صحيح
Hadith Takhrij«حکم الحدیث مسند ابی یعلی محققاً تنسیق حسين سليم أسد - مکتبہ شاملہ :قال حسين سليم أسد: إسناده صحيح . » «قال سعيد بن محمد السناري: صحيح» «أخرجه سنن النسائي برقم: 3259، وأخرجه مسند أحمد برقم: 75، وأخرجه المستدرك على الصحيحين برقم: 6810، وأخرجه السنن الكبرى للنسائي برقم: 5601، وأخرجه شرح مشكل الآثار برقم: 3384، وأخرجه الأوسط في السنن والإجماع والاختلاف برقم: 7145، مسند ابویعلیٰ ترقیم الاثری: 6»