1210 — Abū Shuayb Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan al-Harrānī narrated to us: Abd Allah ibn Jafar al-Raqqī narrated to us: Ubayd Allah ibn Umar narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Abī Unaysa, from ⦗1752⦘ Amr ibn Murra, from Khaythama ibn Abd al-Rahman, who said: When death drew near to Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—he instructed the six men to consult among themselves. Talha was absent. He also instructed Suhayb to lead the people in prayer for three days, until they agreed upon one man.

Umar said, “If you reach agreement before Talha arrives, carry through what you have agreed upon. If Talha arrives before you reach agreement, admit him to your deliberations, for he is one of the Emigrants.”

When they assembled, there were five of them, and they could reach no agreement. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf—may Allah have mercy on him—said, “You will not reach agreement while you are five. Let each man among you pair off with another, and I shall count as the absent man’s counterpart.”

Alī and al-Zubayr paired off, and al-Zubayr placed his decision in Alī’s hands. Uthmān and Sad paired off, and Sad placed his decision in Uthmān’s hands. Abd al-Rahman then said to al-Zubayr and Sad, “You have entrusted your decisions to Alī and Uthmān, so withdraw.”

Abd al-Rahman, Alī, and Uthmān then remained alone. Abd al-Rahman said to Alī and Uthmān, “You are both descendants of Abd Manāf. Choose one of two courses: either renounce any claim to leadership, whereupon I shall entrust the matter to you both so that you may choose a man for the community of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—or entrust this task to me, and I shall renounce any claim to leadership.”

They entrusted it to him. He supplicated his Lord for a time and raised his hands. Then he took Alī by the hand and said, “Allah is watching over you: if I pledge allegiance to you, you must act justly among the community of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and fear Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. If I do not pledge allegiance to you, you must hear and obey whomever I pledge allegiance to.”

Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—replied, “Yes.”

He then took Uthmān by the hand—may Allah be pleased with him—and said, “Allah is watching over you: if I pledge allegiance to someone other than you, you must hear and obey.”

Uthmān replied, “Yes.” Then Abd al-Rahman clasped Uthmān’s hand in a pledge of allegiance—may Allah be pleased with them all.