me—a spring in Paradise if I buy it?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ ʿUthmān said, ‘I have bought it and endowed it to the Muslims.’

Abū Hurayrah related: ‘ʿUthmān purchased Paradise from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ twice—on the day of Rūmah and on the day he financed the Army of Hardship.’

ʿĀʾishah said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was lying in his house with his thigh or shin uncovered. Abū Bakr asked permission to enter; he admitted him and continued in that state, and they spoke together. Then ʿUmar sought permission; he let him enter, still unchanged, and they conversed. When ʿUthmān requested permission, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat up and arranged his clothes. ʿUthmān came in and they talked. After he left I asked, “Messenger of Allah, Abū Bakr entered and you did not sit up; ʿUmar entered and you showed him no special attention; yet when ʿUthmān entered you sat up and straightened your garments.” He replied, “Shall I not feel shy before a man before whom even the angels feel shy?”’ Narrated by Muslim.

A similar report is transmitted from ʿAlī, Abū Hurayrah, and Ibn ʿAbbās.

Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘The most compassionate of my community toward my community is Abū Bakr; the firmest among them in Allah’s religion is ʿUmar; and the most genuine in modesty is ʿUthmān.’

Talḥah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Every prophet has a companion, and my companion is ʿUthmān.’ Recorded by al-Tirmidhī.