When allegiance was pledged to Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), I heard Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: "In choosing the most eminent among us, we have not fallen short in any way."

Hazrat Abu Al-Malih (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: If all the people had united upon the killing of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), stones would have been rained down upon them just as they were rained down upon the people of Lot.

Hazrat Ubaidullah bin Umar (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Nafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Indeed, there was a man who was called Juhjah. He snatched a stick from the hand of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and broke it with the help of his knee, so a disease that eats away at the limb developed at that very spot.

Hazrat Ziyad bin Abi Habib (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It is as if I am seeing towards him that there are burning coals of fire in both of his hands, meaning the killer of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) who killed him.

Hazrat Abu Sahla (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the freed slave of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said during his final illness: "I wish that I had a companion with me." So Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Shall I call Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)?" She says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. I understood that he did not wish for him to be called. Then I said: "Shall I call Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. I understood that he did not wish for him to be called either. Then I said: "Shall I call Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. I understood that he did not wish for him to be called either. Then I said: "Shall I call Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Yes!" So I called him. When he arrived, the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured for me to move away. So he came and sat by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke to him for some time, and the color of Uthman kept changing. Hazrat Qais narrates that Hazrat Abu Sahla (may Allah have mercy on him) told me: When Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was besieged in his house, he was asked: "Why do you not fight?" He replied: "Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took a promise from me, and I am going to be patient upon it." Hazrat Abu Sahla (may Allah have mercy on him) says: The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) thought that the promise was made in that very gathering.

34207 - Qais said: Abu Sahla informed me, he said: When it was the Day of the House, it was said to Uthman: Will you not fight? He said: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم made a covenant with me, and I am patient upon it. Abu Sahla said: They think that it was that gathering (1).

Hazrat Abdullah bin Aamir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Usman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Among you, the person who will benefit me the most is the one who restrains his weapon and hand from fighting.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { ہَلْ یَسْتَوِی ہُوَ وَمَنْ یَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَہُوَ عَلَی صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ }, states that it refers to Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hazrat Abu Wa'il (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was writing the will of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when he (Abu Bakr) fell unconscious. So Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) quickly wrote the name of Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) regained consciousness, he asked him: Whose name did you write? He replied: Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). He (Abu Bakr) said: You wrote exactly what I wanted, and I intended to instruct you to write his name. And if you had written your own name, you too were worthy of this position.

Hazrat Habib bin Abi Mulaikah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a man asked Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) about Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him): Was he present at the Battle of Badr? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: No. Then he asked: Was he present at the Pledge of Ridwan? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: No! He asked: Did he turn his back and flee on the day when the two armies faced each other (the Battle of Uhud)? He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: Yes! The narrator says: Then that man left, so it was said to Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): Surely this man thinks that you have mentioned a fault of Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Call him back to me. So that man was brought back. Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: What I have told you, did you understand it? He said: Yes! He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You asked me whether Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) participated in the Battle of Badr? So I told you he did not. Because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Allah! Surely Uthman is engaged in Your and Your Messenger’s need. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) allotted him a share in the spoils of war. And you asked me whether Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was present at the Pledge of Ridwan? So I told you he was not. Because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to the polytheists so that they might make peace with us, but they refused. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took the pledge on his behalf. And he said: O Allah! Surely Uthman is engaged in Your and Your Messenger’s need. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed one of his hands over the other and took the pledge on his behalf. And you asked me whether Hazrat Uthman turned his back and fled on the day when the two armies faced each other? So I told you: Yes! And indeed Allah, Lord of Might and Majesty, has said: (Translation: Surely those of you who turned their backs on the day when the two armies met, it was only Satan who caused them to slip because of some of what they had earned. But Allah has forgiven them.) So go and do whatever you wish against me.