Sahih Adab al-Mufrad

Sayyiduna Uthman and Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with them) narrate that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sought permission from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to enter. At that time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was lying on Sayyidah Aisha’s (may Allah be pleased with her) bed, wrapped in her sheet. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) permission while he was in that state. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) fulfilled his need and then left. After that, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sought permission; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also granted him permission while he was in the same state. He fulfilled his need and then left. Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Then I sought permission from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so he sat up properly and said to Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), “Gather your clothes.” She said: I fulfilled my need with you and then I left. Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: O Messenger of Allah! I noticed that you did not make the same arrangement for Abu Bakr and Umar as you did for Uthman. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “Uthman is a very modest man. I feared that if I allowed him to enter in that state, he would not be able to express his need to me.”