It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when Sayyidah Hafsah bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with her) was widowed by the death of her husband Sayyiduna Khunays bin Hudhafah al-Sahmi (may Allah be pleased with him), who was an eminent Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I went to Sayyiduna Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) and, offering him marriage to Sayyidah Hafsah bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with her), I said: If you wish, I will marry Hafsah to you. He replied: I will think over my situation. I waited a few nights; then, when he met me, he said: I have decided not to marry at present. 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 to him: If you wish, I will marry Sayyidah Hafsah bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with her) to you. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) remained silent and gave me no reply at all, at which I was far more upset with him than with Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). I waited a few more days, and then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) himself sent a proposal for her, so I married her to him (peace and blessings be upon him). Afterwards Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) met me and said: Perhaps you were upset with me when you offered me marriage to Hafsah and I gave you no reply? I said: Yes. He said: In fact, nothing prevented me from answering your offer except that I knew that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had mentioned her (with the intention of marriage), 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 accepted her."
Hadith Referenceمسند أبي يعلى الموصلي / مسند أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه / 7
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: هذا إسناده صحيح .. و» «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: 7»