Musnad Ahmad

Hasan bin Abi al-Hasan says that once I entered the Prophet’s Mosque, and my eyes suddenly fell upon Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). He had made his cloak into a pillow and was reclining against it. Two men came to him arguing, and he settled the matter between them. Then I approached him and looked at him closely; he was a handsome and beautiful man, there were some marks of smallpox on his cheeks, and hair covered his arms.

Bananah says that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) never applied dye.

The observers say that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had gold wire fitted on his teeth.

Musa bin Talha says that I saw Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) seated on the pulpit, the muezzin was giving the iqamah, and he was inquiring about the conditions of the people and asking about the prices of goods.

Sa’ib bin Yazid says: On one occasion, Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) recited Surah Sad, and when he reached the verse of prostration, he also performed the prostration.

Farukh says that I have offered the Eid prayer behind Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he used to say seven and five takbeers.

Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) once mentioned Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and his intense modesty, saying: If he was inside the house, he would not remove his clothes to pour water over his body until he had properly closed the door, and his sense of shame and modesty would prevent him from straightening his back.

Umayyah bin Shibl and others say that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) remained on the throne of caliphate for twelve years, out of which the last five years passed in trial and tribulation.

Abu Ma’shar says that! The martyrdom of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) occurred on Friday, the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah, in the year 35 AH. His total period of caliphate was twelve years, less twelve days.

Abu Uthman says that the martyrdom of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) occurred during the days of Tashreeq. (Not many days had passed since the days of Tashreeq.)

Qatadah says that at the time of martyrdom, the age of Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him) was 90 or 88 years.

Abu Al-Aliyah says that during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, we were standing guard at the door of the house of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.

Qatadah reports that Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) led the funeral prayer of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and buried him, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had made this bequest to him.

Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Aqil says that in 35 AH, Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred, and five years of trial passed, out of which Sayyiduna Imam Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) was also caliph for four months.

Abu Al-Aliyah says that during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, we were standing guard at the door of the house of Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him.

Aslam says that on the day when Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was besieged at "Mawdi' al-Jana'iz," I was present there at that time. The rebels were so numerous that if a stone was thrown, it would certainly fall on someone's head. I saw that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) looked down from the upper chamber, which was near the place of Jibreel, and said: "Is Talhah among you, O people?" The people remained silent. This happened three times. Finally, Sayyiduna Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) came forward and appeared. Uthman al-Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him), upon seeing him, said: "I did not think that you would be present here. I thought it could not be that you would be present in any group and hear my voice three times and not respond." "Talhah! I ask you by Allah, do you remember that day when you and I were with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at such-and-such a place, and besides you and me, there was no other companion with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" He said: "Yes, I remember." Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "At that time, did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) not say to you: 'Talhah, with every Prophet in Paradise, there will surely be a companion from his Ummah, and this Uthman ibn Affan will be my companion in Paradise'?" Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes, it is so." Then Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) went back.

Humran narrates that on one occasion, Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) called for water for ablution in his presence, then rinsed his mouth, put water into his nose, and washed his face three times. Then the narrator mentioned the complete hadith.

Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) once said to those present with him, "Shall I not show you how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed ablution?" The people said, "Why not!" So he called for water, rinsed his mouth three times, put water into his nose three times, washed his face three times, washed both arms up to and including the elbows three times each, wiped his head and ears, and washed his feet three times. Then he said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform ablution in this manner.

Thumamah bin Khuzan Qushayri says that on the day Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred, I was present there. Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him) once looked out from his house and said: "Bring those two companions of yours who have incited you against me." They were called. Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: "I ask you by Allah, do you know that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah and the Prophet's Mosque became too small, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Who will buy this piece of land with his own wealth and dedicate it for the Muslims? Its reward will be given to him in the best form in Paradise.' So I bought it purely with my own wealth and dedicated it for the Muslims. Now you stop me from praying two rak'ahs in it?" Then he said: "I ask you by Allah, do you know that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, there was no sweet water well except the well of Rumah? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Who will buy it purely with his own wealth and make his share equal to that of the Muslims? And in the Hereafter, receive the best reward in Paradise?' So I bought it purely with my own wealth and dedicated it. Now you stop me from drinking its water?" Then he said: "Do you know that I was the one who provided the equipment for the expedition of Tabuk?" The people affirmed his statement.

Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once Walid bin Uqbah met Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him). Walid said: "What is the matter, are you not being just with the Commander of the Faithful, Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)?" He replied: "Convey this message from me to him." Then the narrator mentioned the complete hadith. And as for the reproach he gave me for staying behind from the Battle of Badr, the real matter is that I was occupied in nursing the daughter of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and my wife, Sayyida Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with her), until she passed away during that time. While the Prophet (peace be upon him) included my share in the spoils of war with the participants of Badr, and it was understood that whoever the Prophet (peace be upon him) allotted a share to, he was considered to have participated in the Battle of Badr.

Abu Wa'il says that I once asked Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), "How did you people pledge allegiance to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) instead of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)?" He replied, "What fault is mine in this? I had first said to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that I pledge allegiance to you on the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the way of the two Shaykhs (may Allah be pleased with them). He said to me, 'I will try to do so as much as I am able.' But when I made this offer to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), he accepted it."

Abu Salih, who was the freed slave of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), says: I heard Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him) saying on the pulpit during a sermon: O people! Until now, I have not narrated to you a hadith that I heard from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) so that you would not separate from me, but now I consider it appropriate to narrate it to you so that everyone may choose what he deems suitable. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Standing guard for one day in the way of Allah is better than standing guard for a thousand days elsewhere.

The previous hadith is also narrated through this second chain of transmission.

Saeed bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I heard Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him) delivering a sermon on the pulpit, saying: I used to buy dates from a family and tribe of Jews called "Banu Qaynuqa," and after keeping my profit, I would sell them further. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to know of this, he said: "Uthman! When you buy, weigh it, and when you sell, sell it by weighing."

Ubaidullah bin Adi bin Al-Khiyar narrates that Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Allah Almighty sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the truth. Among those who responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger, I was also included, and among those who believed in the Shariah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), I was also included. Then I migrated to Abyssinia both times. I also had the honor of being the son-in-law of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and I pledged allegiance at the blessed hand of the Prophet (peace be upon him). By Allah! I never disobeyed him nor deceived him, until Allah called him to Himself.