\nNarrated Marwan bin Al-Hakam:\n \n\n`Uthman bin `Affan was afflicted with severe nose-bleeding in the year when such illness was \nprevelant and that prevented him from performing Hajj, and (because of it) he made his will. A man \nfrom Quraish came to him and said, "Appoint your successor." `Uthman asked, "Did the people name \nhim? (i.e. the successor) the man said, "Yes." `Uthman asked, "Who is that?" The man remained \nsilent. Another man came to `Uthman and I think it was Al-Harith. He also said, "Appoint your \nsuccessor." `Uthman asked, "Did the people name him?" The man replied "Yes." `Uthman said, "Who \nis that?" The man remained silent. `Uthman said, "Perhaps they have mentioned Az-Zubair?" The man \nsaid, "Yes." `Uthman said, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, he is the best of them as I know, and \nthe dearest of them to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ."\n

\nNarrated Marwan bin Al-Hakam:\n \n\n`Uthman bin `Affan was afflicted with severe nose-bleeding in the year when such illness was \nprevelant and that prevented him from performing Hajj, and (because of it) he made his will. A man \nfrom Quraish came to him and said, "Appoint your successor." `Uthman asked, "Did the people name \nhim? (i.e. the successor) the man said, "Yes." `Uthman asked, "Who is that?" The man remained \nsilent. Another man came to `Uthman and I think it was Al-Harith. He also said, "Appoint your \nsuccessor." `Uthman asked, "Did the people name him?" The man replied "Yes." `Uthman said, "Who \nis that?" The man remained silent. `Uthman said, "Perhaps they have mentioned Az-Zubair?" The man \nsaid, "Yes." `Uthman said, "By Him in Whose Hands my life is, he is the best of them as I know, and \nthe dearest of them to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ."\n

\nحَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مَرْوَانُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ، قَالَ أَصَابَ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ رُعَافٌ شَدِيدٌ سَنَةَ الرُّعَافِ، حَتَّى حَبَسَهُ عَنِ الْحَجِّ وَأَوْصَى، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ قَالَ اسْتَخْلِفْ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالُوهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ وَمَنْ فَسَكَتَ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ ـ أَحْسِبُهُ الْحَارِثَ ـ فَقَالَ اسْتَخْلِفْ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ وَقَالُوا فَقَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ وَمَنْ هُوَ فَسَكَتَ قَالَ فَلَعَلَّهُمْ قَالُوا الزُّبَيْرَ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ أَمَا وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّهُ لَخَيْرُهُمْ مَا عَلِمْتُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لأَحَبَّهُمْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏