1 — As for the hadith of Saʿid ibn Zayd, it is narrated from him by ʿAbd Allah ibn Zalim al-Mazini, who said: “I bear witness that nine are in Paradise; and if I were to bear witness concerning the tenth, I would not be sinful.” He was asked, “How so?” He replied, “We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on Hira, and he said”—then he mentioned it. He was asked, “Who are they?” He said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthman, ʿAli, Talhah, al-Zubayr, Saʿd, and ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn ʿAwf.” He was asked, “Who is the tenth?” He replied, “I am.”

It was recorded by Abu Dawud (2/264), al-Tirmidhi (4/336), Ibn Majah (1/61), al-Hakim (3/450), and Ahmad (1/187, 188, 189). Al-Tirmidhi said: “A good, authentic hadith,” and Ibn Hibban authenticated it (2198).

I say: Its chain of transmission is good. Its narrators are trustworthy, and all are among Muslim’s narrators except this al-Mazini. Ibn Hibban mentioned him in al-Thiqat (The Trustworthy Narrators), a number of people narrated from him, and Abu Ishaq corroborated him in Abu Nuʿaym (4/341).

2 — As for the hadith of ʿUthman, it is narrated by Abu Ishaq from Abu ʿAbd al-Rahman al-Sulami, who said: “When ʿUthman was besieged, he looked down upon them from above his house and then said: ‘I adjure you by Allah: do you know that when Hira shook, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said…’” Then he mentioned it.

It was recorded by Ibn Hibban (2168) and al-Tirmidhi (4/320), who said: “A good, authentic hadith.” Al-Tirmidhi also has another chain for it (4/322), narrated by Yahya ibn Abi al-Hajjaj al-Minqari from Abu Masʿud al-Jurayri, from Thumamah ibn Hazn al-Qushayri, who said: “I witnessed the siege of the house when ʿUthman looked down upon them…” Then he mentioned it, with the wording: “Be still, Thabir, for upon you are only…”