Imam Ahmad said:

“They never united in pledging allegiance to anyone as they united in pledging allegiance to Uthmān.”

He was asked about the caliphate that followed Prophethood and replied:

“Every such pledge of allegiance took place in Medina.”

It was as he said. By the end of Umar’s rule, they were more powerful and prominent than ever before. They all pledged(1) allegiance to Uthmān without any inducement offered [to them](2) by him or any intimidation. He gave no one either money or office in exchange for his accession. Abd al-Rahmān, who pledged allegiance to him, was neither appointed by him to office nor given any money. Abd al-Rahmān was among those farthest removed from self-serving motives. Moreover, he consulted everyone; Banū Umayya had no power base, and none of them other than Uthmān sat on the consultative council.

Furthermore, the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—were as Allah, Mighty and Majestic, described them:

“He loves them, and they love Him; they are humble toward the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, striving in the way of Allah and fearing no reproach from any reproacher.” [Surah al-Mā'idah: 54]

[They had pledged allegiance to the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—that they would speak the truth wherever they might be and, for Allah’s sake, fear no reproach from any reproacher](3). Not one of them objected to Uthmān’s accession. Rather, among those who pledged allegiance to him were Ammār ibn Yāsir, Suhayb, Abū Dharr, Khabbāb, al-Miqdād ibn al-Aswad, and Ibn Masūd.

Ibn Masūd said:

“We appointed as ruler the foremost among us—a man of consummate excellence—and did not fall short.”

Among them was al-Abbās ibn Abd al-Muttalib, and among them were some of the chiefs, such as Ubāda ibn