23. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stating ‘Uthman is in Jannat and the Companions regarding ‘Uthman as most virtuous during the time of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam over all the Companions besides Abu Bakr and ‘Umar

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23. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stating ‘Uthman is in Jannat and the Companions regarding ‘Uthman as most virtuous during the time of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam over all the Companions besides Abu Bakr and ‘Umar

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو القَاسِمِ الشَحَّامِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ الصَّابُونِيُّ إذْنًا، أَخْبَرَنَا الحَاكِمُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الحَافِظُ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو حَاتِمٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حِبَّانَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ البُسْتِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الحَسَنِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ العَسْقَلَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الوَلِيْدِ المَخْزُوْمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ [الحَبَطِيُّ]، حَدَّثَنَا  الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ مَا صَعَدَ المِنْبَرَ بِمَنْزِلٍ حَتَى قَالَ: عُثْمَانُ فِي الجَنَّة

26. Abu al Qasim al Shahhami narrated to us—Abu ‘Uthman al Sabuni narrated to us in commission—Al Hakim Abu ‘Abdullah al Hafiz narrated to us—Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban ibn Ahmed al Busti narrated to us—Muhammad ibn al Hassan ibn Qutaybah al ‘Asqalani narrated to us—Muhammad ibn al Walid al Makhzumi narrated to us—Hafs ibn ‘Umar [al Habati][1] narrated to us—Al Awza’i narrated to us—from ‘Ata’—from Jabir:

The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam never climbed the pulpit except that he said, “‘Uthman is in Jannat.”[2]

وَبِهِ قَالَ الحَاكِمُ: أَخْبَرَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مَحْمُوْدٍ القَطَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَعْقُوبَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيْسَى بْنِ يُوْنُسَ الجُرْجَانِيُّ بِنِيْسَابُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يُوْسُفَ يَعْقُوْبُ بْنُ يُوْسُفَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الأُرْمَوِيُّ، حَّدَثَنَا مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: كُنَّا نَقُوْلُ وَرَسُوْلُ الله بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا وَأَصْحَابُهُ مُتَوَافِرُوْنَ: خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الأُمًةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، ثُمَ عُمَرُ، ثُمَ عُثْمَانُ، ثُمَ نَسْكُتُ، لَا نُفَضِّلُ أَحَدًا عَلَى أَحَدٍ، فَيَبْلُغُ ذَلِكَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ فَلَا يُنْكِرُهُ وَلَا يَنْهَانَا

27. Hakim states—Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Mahmud al Qattan narrated to us—Abu Ya’qub Ishaq ibn ‘Isa ibn Yunus al Jurjani narrated to us in Nisabur—Abu Yusuf Ya’qub Ibn Yusuf al Dimashqi narrated to us—’Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah al Urmawi narrated to us—Malik ibn Anas narrated to us—from Nafi’—from Ibn ‘Umar:

We would say in the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam lifetime, while there were numerous Companions. The best of this Ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman; and then we would remain silent, not giving preference to one over the other. This would reach the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and he would not disapprove or prohibit us from doing it.[3]

NEXT⇒ 24. The title of ‘Uthman Dhi al Nurayn (possessor of the two lights) inscribed on the leaves of the trees in Jannat alongside Abu Bakr and ‘Umar

[1] The original has al Khabati, which is an error. What we have stated, al Habati , is correct as mentioned in al Majruhin of Ibn Hibban (1/314).

[2] The narration is Mawdu’ (fabricated). Ibn Hibban narrates it in Al Majruhin (1/314) from Muhammad ibn al Hassan ibn Qutaybah; and in the chain there is Hafs ibn ‘Umar al Ayli. Ibn Hibban said, “He alters the narrations and attaches authentic chains with weak traditions. He depends on a tradition only known from one angle and narrates it from an unknown angle.” Ibn al Jawzi in ‘Ilal al Mutanahiyah (1/204) said, “This narration is not authentic. Al ‘Uqayli said, ‘Hafs ibn ‘Umar narrates fabricated narrations from famous scholars.’ Abu Hatim said, ‘He was a liar.’” Al Khatib al Baghdadi narrates in Tarikh Baghdad (8/157) with his chain of transmission from Hamad ibn al Mubarak al Baghdadi—from ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun—from Ismail ibn Umayah—from Ibn Jurayj—from ‘Ata’—from Jabir. Then he mentioned al Daraqutni’s statement, “Likewise Hamad ibn al Mubarak narrates—from ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun—from Ismail ibn Umayah—from Ibn Jurayj. This narration is only known from Ismail ibn Yahya ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi—from Ibn Jurayj. And Allah knows best.” Al Daraqutni said in Al Du’afa’ wa al Matrukin (81) under Ismail ibn Yahya, “A liar, suspected of forgery”. Al Dhahabi in his al Mizan (2/397) said, “Hamad ibn al Mubarak, a native of Baghdad, nothing is known.” I say: It is not authentic that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said that whenever he climbed the pulpit, but there are other narrations that mention the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam giving ‘Uthman glad tidings of Paradise. See the third and fourth narration in this book.

[3] Al Bukhari (3698) narrates the content of the narration, but does not have, “This would reach the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and he would disapprove or negate us from doing it”. Despite this it is farfetched to assume that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not know about this. The isnad of this particular narration is weak due to the anonymity ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah al Urmawi; I could not find a biography of his in any hagiographical work. I do not think Imam Malik narrates this narration in the first place. Rather it is Yahya ibn Sa’id al Ansari and ‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Umar as mentioned in Sahih Al Bukhari (3656) and (3698).

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23. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam stating ‘Uthman is in Jannat and the Companions regarding ‘Uthman as most virtuous during the time of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam over all the Companions besides Abu Bakr and ‘Umar

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو القَاسِمِ الشَحَّامِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ الصَّابُونِيُّ إذْنًا، أَخْبَرَنَا الحَاكِمُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الحَافِظُ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو حَاتِمٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حِبَّانَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ البُسْتِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الحَسَنِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ العَسْقَلَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الوَلِيْدِ المَخْزُوْمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ [الحَبَطِيُّ]، حَدَّثَنَا  الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ مَا صَعَدَ المِنْبَرَ بِمَنْزِلٍ حَتَى قَالَ: عُثْمَانُ فِي الجَنَّة

26. Abu al Qasim al Shahhami narrated to us—Abu ‘Uthman al Sabuni narrated to us in commission—Al Hakim Abu ‘Abdullah al Hafiz narrated to us—Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Hibban ibn Ahmed al Busti narrated to us—Muhammad ibn al Hassan ibn Qutaybah al ‘Asqalani narrated to us—Muhammad ibn al Walid al Makhzumi narrated to us—Hafs ibn ‘Umar [al Habati][1] narrated to us—Al Awza’i narrated to us—from ‘Ata’—from Jabir:

The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam never climbed the pulpit except that he said, “‘Uthman is in Jannat.”[2]

وَبِهِ قَالَ الحَاكِمُ: أَخْبَرَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مَحْمُوْدٍ القَطَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَعْقُوبَ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيْسَى بْنِ يُوْنُسَ الجُرْجَانِيُّ بِنِيْسَابُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يُوْسُفَ يَعْقُوْبُ بْنُ يُوْسُفَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الأُرْمَوِيُّ، حَّدَثَنَا مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: كُنَّا نَقُوْلُ وَرَسُوْلُ الله بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا وَأَصْحَابُهُ مُتَوَافِرُوْنَ: خَيْرُ هَذِهِ الأُمًةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، ثُمَ عُمَرُ، ثُمَ عُثْمَانُ، ثُمَ نَسْكُتُ، لَا نُفَضِّلُ أَحَدًا عَلَى أَحَدٍ، فَيَبْلُغُ ذَلِكَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ فَلَا يُنْكِرُهُ وَلَا يَنْهَانَا

27. Hakim states—Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Mahmud al Qattan narrated to us—Abu Ya’qub Ishaq ibn ‘Isa ibn Yunus al Jurjani narrated to us in Nisabur—Abu Yusuf Ya’qub Ibn Yusuf al Dimashqi narrated to us—’Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah al Urmawi narrated to us—Malik ibn Anas narrated to us—from Nafi’—from Ibn ‘Umar:

We would say in the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam lifetime, while there were numerous Companions. The best of this Ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman; and then we would remain silent, not giving preference to one over the other. This would reach the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and he would not disapprove or prohibit us from doing it.[3]

NEXT⇒ 24. The title of ‘Uthman Dhi al Nurayn (possessor of the two lights) inscribed on the leaves of the trees in Jannat alongside Abu Bakr and ‘Umar

[1] The original has al Khabati, which is an error. What we have stated, al Habati , is correct as mentioned in al Majruhin of Ibn Hibban (1/314).

[2] The narration is Mawdu’ (fabricated). Ibn Hibban narrates it in Al Majruhin (1/314) from Muhammad ibn al Hassan ibn Qutaybah; and in the chain there is Hafs ibn ‘Umar al Ayli. Ibn Hibban said, “He alters the narrations and attaches authentic chains with weak traditions. He depends on a tradition only known from one angle and narrates it from an unknown angle.” Ibn al Jawzi in ‘Ilal al Mutanahiyah (1/204) said, “This narration is not authentic. Al ‘Uqayli said, ‘Hafs ibn ‘Umar narrates fabricated narrations from famous scholars.’ Abu Hatim said, ‘He was a liar.’” Al Khatib al Baghdadi narrates in Tarikh Baghdad (8/157) with his chain of transmission from Hamad ibn al Mubarak al Baghdadi—from ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun—from Ismail ibn Umayah—from Ibn Jurayj—from ‘Ata’—from Jabir. Then he mentioned al Daraqutni’s statement, “Likewise Hamad ibn al Mubarak narrates—from ‘Abdullah ibn Maymun—from Ismail ibn Umayah—from Ibn Jurayj. This narration is only known from Ismail ibn Yahya ibn ‘Ubaidullah al Taymi—from Ibn Jurayj. And Allah knows best.” Al Daraqutni said in Al Du’afa’ wa al Matrukin (81) under Ismail ibn Yahya, “A liar, suspected of forgery”. Al Dhahabi in his al Mizan (2/397) said, “Hamad ibn al Mubarak, a native of Baghdad, nothing is known.” I say: It is not authentic that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said that whenever he climbed the pulpit, but there are other narrations that mention the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam giving ‘Uthman glad tidings of Paradise. See the third and fourth narration in this book.

[3] Al Bukhari (3698) narrates the content of the narration, but does not have, “This would reach the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and he would disapprove or negate us from doing it”. Despite this it is farfetched to assume that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not know about this. The isnad of this particular narration is weak due to the anonymity ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah al Urmawi; I could not find a biography of his in any hagiographical work. I do not think Imam Malik narrates this narration in the first place. Rather it is Yahya ibn Sa’id al Ansari and ‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Umar as mentioned in Sahih Al Bukhari (3656) and (3698).