Abu Sahla told that `Uthman said to him on the day of the house, "God's messenger made a covenant with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it." Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

`Uthman b. `Abdallah b. Mauhib told that a man who belonged to Egypt came with the purpose of making the pilgrimage to the House and saw some people seated. He asked who these people were and was told that they were Quraish. He asked who was shaikh among them, and when he was told that he was `Abdallah b. `Umar, he said, "I have a question to ask you, Ibn `Umar, so tell me. Do you know that `Uthman fled at the battle of Uhud?" He replied, "Yes." He asked, "Do you know that he was absent from Badr and failed to be present there?" He replied, "Yes." He asked, "Do you know that he was absent from the oath of allegiance of God's good pleasure and failed to be present there?" He replied, "Yes." The man said, "God is most great," and Ibn `Umar said, "Come and let me explain things to you. As for his flight at the battle of Uhud, I testify that God forgave him; as for his absence from Badr, he was married to God's messenger's daughter Ruqayya who was ill, and he was told by God's messenger that he would have the merit and the portion of a man who had been present at Badr; and as for his absence from the oath of allegiance of God's good pleasure, if there had been anyone more honourable than `Uthman in the valley of Mecca he would have sent him, but God's messenger sent `Uthman, and the oath of allegiance of God's good pleasure took place after `Uthman had gone to Mecca. God's messenger then said of his right hand, `This is `Uthman's hand,' and he struck his hands together saying, `This is for Uthman'." Ibn `Umar then said, `Go away now, and keep that with you." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Sahla `Uthman's client said: The Prophet began to tell `Uthman something in private and `Uthman's colour changed. On the day of the house, we asked him if he would not fight and he replied, "No, God's messenger charged me with something and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."

Abu Habiba told that he entered the house when `Uthman was besieged in it and heard Abu Huraira asking `Uthman's permission to speak. He granted him permission, so he got up, praised and extolled God, then stated that he had heard God's messenger say, "After I am gone you will encounter civil strife and disagreement (or he said, disagreement and civil strife)." One of the people asked him, "To whom should we adhere, messenger of God?" or, "What do you command us to do? He replied, "Adhere to the commander and his companions," pointing at the same time to Uthman. Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Dala'il an-nubuwa

Anas told that the Prophet, Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman went up Uhud and when it quivered because of them the Prophet kicked it with his foot and said, "Keep steady, Uhud, for there are only a prophet, a friend and two martyrs on you." Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said: When I was with the Prophet in one of the gardens of Medina and a man came asking that the gate be opened, the Prophet said, "Open it for him and give him good news of paradise." I opened the gate for him and found He was Abu Bakr, and when I told him the good news God's messenger had given me, he praised God. Another man came and asked that the gate be opened, and the Prophet said, "Open it for him and give him good news of paradise." I opened the gate for him and found he was `Umar, and when I informed him for what the Prophet had said he praised God. Another man asked that the gate be opened, and he said, "Open it for him and give him good news of paradise after a trial which will afflict them." I found he was `Uthman, and when I informed him of what the Prophet had said he praised God and then said, "God is the One whose help is sought." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn `Umar said: When God's messenger was alive, we used to say, "Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman, God be pleased with them!" Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir reported God's messenger as saying, "Last night a good man had a vision in which Abu Bakr seemed to be joined to God's messenger, `Umar to Abu Bakr, and `Uthman to `Umar." Jabir said: When we got up and left God's messenger, we said that the good man was God's messenger and that their being joined together meant that they were the rulers over the matter with which God had sent His Prophet. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sa`d b. Abu Waqqas told that God's messenger said to `Ali, "You are in the same position with relation to me as Aaron was with relation to Moses; but there will be no prophet after me." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Zirr b. Hubaish told that `Ali said, "I swear by Him who split the grain and created the soul that the Gentile prophet assured me that only a believer would love me and only a hypocrite would hate, me." Muslim transmitted it.