Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Saeed bin Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the wife of the Messenger, Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and Sayyiduna Uthman (as is narrated in Sahih Muslim and others) told me that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sought permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), while he (peace and blessings be upon him) was lying on his bed, covered with the sheet of Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). He (peace and blessings be upon him) granted Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) permission to enter in that state; he presented his matter and left. Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sought permission; he (peace and blessings be upon him) granted permission in that state, he fulfilled his need and left. Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) says: After them, I sought permission to enter upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat up and said to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "Wrap your clothes properly." (Then he granted me permission.) I fulfilled my need and left. Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: O Messenger of Allah! What is the reason that you did not make such an arrangement for Abu Bakr and Umar as you did for Uthman? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Uthman is a shy and modest man; I feared that if I gave him permission in that state, he would not be able to express his need."