Silsilah as-Sahihah 2476 — A Prophet's outward and inward are the same

Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) says: On the day of the conquest of Makkah, ‘Abdullah bin Sa’d bin Abi Sarh hid with Sayyiduna ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with them). He brought him and made him stand before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! Accept allegiance from ‘Abdullah. The Prophet raised his head and looked towards him three times, and each time he refused. After doing this three times, he accepted his allegiance. Then he turned to his companions and said: “Was there not among you any intelligent man who, when he saw me withholding my hand from accepting his allegiance, would stand up and kill him?” The companions said: O Messenger of Allah! We do not know what is in your heart. Why did you not signal to us with your eyes? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “It is not befitting for a Prophet to be deceitful with his eyes.”