It is narrated from Sa'id bin al-Musayyab that Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), was widowed by the death of her husband, and the wife of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyidah Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with her), passed away. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked: "Would you be interested in marrying Hafsah?" But he gave no reply. So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Have you not seen Uthman? I offered Hafsah to him, but he turned away from me and gave no reply." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will be something better than that: I will marry Hafsah, and I will marry Uthman to Umm Kulthum." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), and married Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) to Sayyidah Umm Kulthum (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) was born when Quraysh were building the House of Allah (the Ka'bah), and that was five years before the Prophethood of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).