It is narrated from Ibn Abi Mulaika that Hazrat Umar did not single out anyone from among the people of the Shura, but he spoke separately with Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Uthman. And he also separated each of them from the other. He said: O so-and-so! Fear Allah, and if Allah tests you with this matter, then do not elevate the Banu so-and-so above the necks of other people. And (in the same way) he said this to the other (among Ali and Uthman) as well.

It is narrated from Hazrat Hasan bin Muhammad that Hazrat Umar said to Hazrat Uthman: Fear Allah, and if you are given authority over any of the affairs of the people, do not elevate the people of Banu Abi Mu'it above the necks of others. And Hazrat Umar said to Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): Fear Allah, and if you are given authority over any of the affairs of the people, do not elevate Banu Hashim above the necks of others.

Abdul Aziz bin Umar narrates from Ibrahim bin Zarah, one of the practicing scholars of the people of Sham, that I asked Ibn Zarah: Who led the funeral prayer of Hazrat Umar? He replied: Suhaib did.

It is narrated from Hazrat Qasim that when Hazrat Umar was struck with a spear, people came to him and began to praise him and pray for him. Hazrat Umar said to them, "Are you considering me pure on the basis of the caliphate? Indeed, I kept the company of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he departed from this world in a state that he was pleased with me. Then I kept the company of Hazrat Abu Bakr, and I listened to and obeyed his commands, and he also passed away in a state that I was one who listened to and obeyed him. And as for myself, I only fear for myself because of your leadership over me."

Hazrat Yahya bin Abdur Rahman bin Hatib and other elders narrate that before his martyrdom, Hazrat Umar saw in a dream that a rooster pecked him between his navel and chest. Hazrat Asma bint Umais was an expert in dream interpretation. When she heard this dream, she said, "Tell him to make his will." I do not know whether this interpretation reached him or not. A few days later, Abu Lu’lu’, the slave of Mughirah bin Shu’bah, came to Hazrat Umar, and Hazrat Umar asked, "What do you do?" He replied, "I make mills." Hazrat Umar said, "Then you are not very numerous, because here no one else does this work. Will you make a mill for me?" He said, "I will make such a mill for you that its fame will spread throughout the world."

2. Then Hazrat Umar set out for Hajj. When he arrived, he lay down at the place of Rami Jamar and placed his sheet under his head. He looked at the moon and was very pleased with its beauty and symmetry. Upon this, he said, "In the beginning, it appears weak, then Allah Almighty keeps increasing and growing it until it becomes full and reaches the height of beauty. Then it starts to decrease until it becomes as it was before. The condition of all creation is the same." Then he raised his hands and prayed, "O Allah! My subjects have become very numerous and have spread far and wide, so call me back to You without weakness or neglect."

3. Then Hazrat Umar returned to Madinah, and it was mentioned before him that a Muslim woman had died at the place of Baida. She was lying on the ground, and people were passing by her. No one shrouded or buried her until Hazrat Kulayb bin Bukayr Laithi passed by her and stayed with her until he shrouded and buried her. This was mentioned before Hazrat Umar, so he asked, "Which Muslims passed by her?" People replied, "Among those who passed by her was Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)." So he called Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said, "Woe to you! You passed by a Muslim woman who had fallen on the ground on the way, and you did not shroud or bury her. Why?" He replied, "I did not know about her, nor did anyone mention her to me." Hazrat Umar said, "I fear that you may be devoid of goodness." Then Hazrat Umar asked, "Who shrouded and buried this woman?" People replied, "Kulayb bin Bukayr Laithi did." He said, "By Allah! Kulayb is worthy of receiving goodness."

4. Then Hazrat Umar went out to wake people for the morning prayer, and he met Abu Lu’lu’, the disbeliever, who struck him three times between his navel and chest. He also struck Hazrat Kulayb bin Bukayr and killed him. People raised their voices, and a man threw a large sheet over Abu Lu’lu’. Hazrat Umar was carried to his house, and Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf led the people in prayer. Hazrat Umar was told, "Prayer!" So he prayed in that condition while blood was flowing from his wounds. He said, "The one who does not pray has no share in Islam." Thus, he performed the prayer while his blood was dripping. Then people came to Hazrat Umar and said, "O Commander of the Faithful! You have no wounds, and surely we hope that Allah will keep your blessings for us and grant you respite for another time or for another good deed."

5. Then Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) came to Hazrat Umar... Hazrat Umar loved Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)... Hazrat Umar said, "See who has killed me." So Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) went out and then returned and said, "O Commander of the Faithful! Rejoice, for your killer is Abu Lu’lu’, the Magian, the slave of Mughirah bin Shu’bah." Upon this, Hazrat Umar said "Allahu Akbar" so loudly that his voice reached outside the door. Then Hazrat Umar said, "All praise is due to Allah, who did not make my killer a Muslim man, so that on the Day of Judgment he would not dispute with me over a prostration that he made only for Allah." Then Hazrat Umar turned to the people and said, "Is this man from your people?" The people said, "Allah forbid! We would prefer to sacrifice our fathers for you and add to your life from our own lives. You have no..."

It is narrated from Hazrat Haritha bin Mudarrib that I performed Hajj during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar, and there was no doubt among the people that after Hazrat Umar, the caliphate would be with Hazrat Uthman. (That is, it was certain.)

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Sinan that when Hazrat Uthman was appointed as Caliph, Abdullah said: "We have not neglected the highest of it, the one above."

It is narrated from Hakim bin Jabir that when the pledge of allegiance was given to Hazrat Uthman, Ibn Mas'ud said: "We have not neglected the highest of its highest."

Hazrat Marrah Khareem narrates that one day we were with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on one of the roads of Madinah when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "What will you do in that tribulation which will spread over the land like the horns of a cow?" The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), then what should we do?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "You must adhere to him and his companions." The narrator says: Upon hearing this, I quickly clung to that man and said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), this man?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Yes, him," and this person was Hazrat Uthman.

It is narrated from Hasan that Waththab related to me. And this narrator Waththab says: I saw two marks of arrows on his throat. These spears were struck at him during the days of the siege in the house of Uthman. He narrates that the Commander of the Faithful, Uthman, sent me and said: Bring al-Ashtar to me. Ibn ‘Awn says: I think he also said that he (al-Ashtar) had left a cushion with the Commander of the Faithful, and he had a cushion with him. So Uthman said: O Ashtar! What do these (rebellious) people want from me? Al-Ashtar said: There are three things, one of which must be done. They give you the choice that either you hand over the leadership to them and say: This is your leadership, give it to whomever you wish. Or, that you give them the opportunity to take retribution from you. So if you refuse both of these, then the people will fight you. Uthman asked: Is it necessary to choose one of these? Al-Ashtar said: (Yes) It is necessary to choose one of them.

2. Uthman said: As for the matter of me relinquishing the responsibility of their leadership—(listen) I will never remove what Allah, the Exalted, has clothed me with. Ibn ‘Awn says: Another narrator besides Hasan relates: If I were to be presented so that my neck be struck off, even then this is more beloved to me than that I leave the affair of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) among the people. Ibn ‘Awn says: This statement is similar to your speech. And as for the matter of giving people the opportunity to take retribution from me, by Allah! I know that my two companions before me used to give people the opportunity to take retribution from themselves. But my body will not stand for retribution. And as for the matter that people will kill me, by Allah (remember), if they kill me, then after me they will never be able to love one another, nor will they ever be able to unite together for jihad against the enemy after me.

3. The narrator says: Then al-Ashtar got up and left. We remained there and we said: Perhaps the people will go back. Then Ruwayjil came; it seemed as if he was a wolf. He peeked through the door and then went back. Then Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr stood with thirteen men and reached Uthman and grabbed his beard, saying: Mu‘awiyah did not benefit you! Ibn ‘Amir did not benefit you! Your armies did not benefit you! Uthman said: O nephew! Leave my beard. O nephew! Leave my beard.

4. The narrator says: I saw that he sought help from a man among his people, so a man came to him with a broad-bladed spear and struck Uthman’s head with it, driving it into his head. The narrator was asked: Then what happened? The narrator replied: Then these rebels entered upon Uthman and killed him.