‘Open the gate for him and give him the glad tidings of Paradise in return for a calamity that will befall him’
It was narrated that Abu Moosa (ra) said: I was with the Prophet ﷺ in one of the gardens of Madinah when a man came and asked for the gate to be opened. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Open the gate for him and give him glad tidings of Paradise.” I opened the gate and saw it was Abu Bakr, and I gave him the glad tidings of what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said, and he praised Allah. Then another man asked for the gate to be opened, and the Prophet ﷺ said, “Open the gate for him and give him the glad tidings of Paradise.” I opened the gate and saw it was ‘Umar, and I gave him glad tidings of what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said, and he praised Allah. Then another man asked for the gate to be opened, and (the Prophet ﷺ ) said: “Open the gate for him and give him the glad tidings of Paradise in return for a calamity that will befall him.” It was ‘Uthman, and I told him what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said, and he praised Allah then he said: Allah is the One Whose help I seek.[1]
‘Be still, O Uhud, for there is no one on you but a Prophet, a siddeeq and two martyrs’
It was narrated that Anas (ra): The Prophet ﷺ climbed Uhud, accompanied by Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, and (the mountain) shook. He said:
“Be still, O Uhud,” and I think he struck it with his foot – “for there is no one on you but a Prophet, a siddeeq and two martyrs.”[2]
‘Be calm for there is no one on you but a Prophet, a Siddeeq or a martyr’
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was on Hira’, along with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, Ali’, Talhah and az-Zubayr, and the rock shook. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Be calm, for there is no one on you but a Prophet or a Siddeeq or a martyr.”[3]
The modesty of ‘Uthman (ra)
It was narrated from Yahya ibn Sa’eed ibn al-‘Aas that Sa’eed ibn al-‘Aas told him that ‘Aa’ishah the wife of the Prophet ﷺ and ‘Uthman (ra) told him that Abu Bakr asked for permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he was lying down on his bed, wrapping himself in the cover of ‘Aa’ishah. He gave permission to Abu Bakr (to enter) when he was like that, and he fulfilled his need and went away. Then ‘Umar asked for permission to enter and he gave him permission (to enter) when he was like that, and he fulfilled his need then he went away. ‘Uthman said: Then I asked permission to enter and he sat up and said to ‘Aa’ishah:
“Cover yourself properly.”
I fulfilled my need then I went away. ‘Aa’ishah said: O Messenger of Allah, why did I not see you stirring for Abu Bakr and ‘Umar as you did for ‘Uthman? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“‘Uthman is a shy man, and I was afraid that if I gave him permission to enter when I was in that state, he would not tell me of his need.”[4]
The shyness of the angels before ‘Uthman (ra)
It was narrated from Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was lying down in my house with his thigh or shin uncovered. Abu Bakr asked for permission to enter and he let him in while he was in that state, and he spoke to him. Then ‘Umar asked for permission to enter and he let him in while he was in that state, and he spoke to him. Then ‘Uthman asked permission to enter and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat up and straightened his garment – Muhammad (one of the narrators) said: I do not say that this all happened on one day – and he came in and he spoke to him. When he left, ‘Aa’ishah said: Abu Bakr came in and you did not stir for him, and ‘Umar came in and you did not stir for him, then ‘Uthman came in and you sat up and straightened your garment. He said:
“Should I not feel shy before a man before whom the angels feel shy?”[5]
Al-Mannawi said: The main characteristics of ‘Uthman is modesty, and modesty results from great respect for the One Who is looking at him as well as awareness of some faults that he can see in himself. It is as if he was overwhelmed by the glory of Allah and saw in himself some faults and shortcomings. These are of the lofty qualities of those who are close to Allah. Thus ‘Uthman was raised in status, so the chosen one of Allah’s creation (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ) felt a sense of modesty and shyness before him, just as the one who loves Allah loves His close friends, and the one who fears Allah will be feared by all.[6]
“The most sincere (of this ummah) in modesty is ‘Uthman.”
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The most compassionate of my ummah is Abu Bakr, the strictest in adherence to religion is ‘Umar, the most sincere in modesty is ‘Uthman, the most knowledgeable about halal and haram is Mu’adh ibn Jabal, the most knowledgeable about the Book of Allah is Ubayy, the most knowledgable about inheritance is Zayd ibn Thabit. Every nation has a keeper of secrets, and the keeper of secrets of this ummah is Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah.”[7]
Notes:
[1] al-Bukhari, no.3695
[2] al-Bukhari, no.3697
[3] Muslim, no.2417
[4] Muslim, no.2402
[5] Muslim, no.2401
[6] Fayd al-Qadeer by al-Mannawi, 4/302
[7] Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, Baqi Kitab Musnad al-Mukthireen, Bab Musnad Anas ibn Malik, 12493 9- Al-Musnad, 4/106, edited by Ahmad Shakir
