بويع بالخلافة بعد دفن عمر بثلاث ليال. وروي أن الناس اجتمعوا في تلك الأيام مع عبد الرحمن بن عوف، يُشيرون عليه ويتناجون معه سرًّا. فلم يبقَ أحدٌ من ذوي الرأي خلا به إلا رأى أحدًا لا يعدل عثمان. ولما جلس عبد الرحمن للبيعة حمد الله وقال في خطبته: «إني رأيت الناس لا يعدلون بعثمان أحدًا». رواه ابن عساكر عن المسور بن مخرمة. وفي رواية أخرى: «أما بعد يا علي، فإني قد اجتهدت في الناس فإذا هم لا يعدلون بعثمان أحدًا، فلا تجعلنّ على نفسك سبيلًا». ثم أخذ بيد عثمان وقال: «نبايعك على سنة الله وسنة رسوله وسنة الخليفتين من بعده». فبايعه عبد الرحمن، وبايعه المهاجرون والأنصار.

He was pledged allegiance as khalifah three nights after the burial of cUmar. It is related that people got together, during those days, with cAbd ar-Rahman ibn cAwf, advising him and talking confidentially with him. Not one person of judgement who sat alone with him saw any to equal cUthman. When cAbd ar-Rahman sat to pledge allegiance, he praised Allah and said, during his speech, ‘I saw that people refuse anybody but cUthman.’ Ibn cAsakir narrated it from al-Miswar ibn Makhramah. In another narration, ‘Now! cAli, I have researched among people and I don’t see them regarding anyone equal to cUthman. Therefore, do not make a way against yourself.’ He took the hand of cUthman and said, ‘We pledge allegiance to you according to the Sunnah of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger and the Sunnah of the two khalifahs after him.’ cAbd ar-Rahman pledged allegiance to him and the Muhajirun and the Ansar pledged allegiance to him.

روى ابن سعد عن أنس قال: أرسل عمر إلى أبي طلحة الأنصاري قبل أن يموت بساعة، فقال: «كن أنت في خمسين من الأنصار مع هؤلاء الرهط أصحاب الشورى، فإنهم فيما أرى سيجتمعون في بيت. فقف على ذلك الباب مع أصحابك، ولا تدع أحدًا يدخل عليهم، ولا تدعهم يتجاوزون الليلة الثالثة دون أن يولّوا أحدهم الأمر». وفي مسند أحمد أن أبا وائل قال: قلت لعبد الرحمن بن عوف: كيف بايعتَ عثمانَ وتركتَ عليًّا؟ فقال: وأين كان جَوري؟ بدأتُ بعلي فقلت: أبايعك على كتاب الله وسنة رسوله ﷺ وسيرة أبي بكر وعمر؟ فقال: فيما استطعت. ثم عرضتُ ذلك على عثمان فقال: نعم. وقد رُوي أن عبد الرحمن قال لعثمان على انفراد: «إن لم أبايعك فمن تُشير عليّ؟» قال: علي. ثم قال لعلي: «إن لم أبايعك فمن تُشير عليّ؟» قال: عثمان. ثم دعا الزبير فقال له: «إن لم أبايعك فمن تُشير عليّ؟» قال: علي أو عثمان. ثم دعا سعدًا بعد ذلك فقال: «فمن تُشير عليّ؟»

Ibn Sacd narrated that Anas said: cUmar sent for Abu Talhah al- Ansari an hour before he died and said, ‘You be among fifty of the Ansar along with this group, the companions of the counsel, because they, as I believe, will gather in a house. Stand at that door with your companions, allow no-one to enter, and do not leave them to allow the third day to pass without their appointing one of themselves to the command.’ There is in the Musnad of Ahmad that Abu Wa’il said: I said to cAbd ar-Rahman ibn cAwf, ‘How could you have sworn allegiance to cUthman and neglected cAli?’ He said, ‘Where was my wrong action? I started with cAli and I said, “Shall I swear allegiance to you according to the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger and the conduct of Abu Bakr and cUmar?” He said, “In what I am able.” I hen later I offered the same to cUthman and he said, “Yes.”’ It has been related that cAbd ar-Rahman said to cUthman in private, ‘If I don’t pledge allegiance to you who would you point out to me?’ He said, ‘cAli.’ He said to cAli, ‘If I don’t pledge allegiance to you who would you point out to me?’ He said, ‘cUthman.’ Then he called for az-Zubayr and said, ‘If I don’t pledge allegiance to you who would you point out to me?’ He said, ‘cAli or cUthman.’ Then later he called for Sacd and said, ‘Whom would you indicate to me?

«لِأَنَّا، أَنَا وَأَنْتَ، لَا نُرِيدُهُ»، قَالَ: «عُثْمَانَ». ثُمَّ اسْتَشَارَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ جَمِيعَ الْأَعْيَانِ، فَرَأَى أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ مَائِلٌ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ.

because, as for me and you, we don’t want it.’ He said, ‘'Uthman.’ Then cAbd ar-Rahman sought the counsel of all the notables and saw that most of them were inclined to cUthman.

روى ابن سعد والحاكم عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أنه قال، لما بويع عثمان: «قد وليَ أفضلَ الباقين، ولم نقصّر». وفي سنة خلافته فُتحت الرَّيّ، وكانت قد فُتحت من قبل ثم انتُقضت. وفي تلك السنة كثُر الرُّعاف في الناس، حتى عُرفت بعام الرُّعاف. وأصاب عثمانَ الرعافُ حتى منعه من الحج، فأناب عنه غيره. وفي تلك السنة فُتحت حصون كثيرة للروم. وفيها ولّى عثمانُ سعدَ بنَ أبي وقاص على الكوفة، وعزل المغيرةَ.

Ibn Sacd and al-Hakim narrated that Ibn Mascud, may Allah be pleased with him, said, when cUthman was pledged allegiance, ‘We have charged with command the best of those remaining and we have not been negligent.’ In this year of his khilafah, Rayy was opened [to Islam], and it had been opened previously and subsequently lost. In that year many nosebleeds occurred among people, so that it was known as, ‘The year of the nosebleeds.’ cUthman was afflicted by nosebleeds to such an extent that he stayed away from the Hajj and deputed someone in his place. In that year many Byzantine fortresses were taken. In it cUthman appointed Sacd ibn Abi Waqqas as governor of Kufa and removed al-Mughirah.

في سنة خمس وعشرين للهجرة، عزل عثمان سعدًا عن الكوفة، وولّى الوليد بن عقبة بن أبي معيط، وكان صحابيًا، وأخًا لعثمان من أمه، وكان ذلك أول ما عيب به، لأنه ولّى أقاربه الولايات. وقد رُوي كحكاية أن الوليد صلّى بهم صلاة الفجر أربع ركعات وهو سكران، ثم التفت إليهم فقال: «أزيدكم؟». وفي سنة ست وعشرين للهجرة، وسّع عثمان المسجد الحرام وأطاله، واشترى دورًا (مجاورة له) للتوسعة. وفي السنة نفسها فُتحت سابور (ويُحتمل أن تكون شاپور).

In the year 25 AH, cUthman removed Sacd from Kufa and appointed al-Walid ibn cUqbah ibn Abi Mucayt — and he was a Companion, and a brother of cUthman on his mother’s side - and that was the first thing for which he was disliked; because he appointed his relatives to posts of authority. It has been told as a tale that al-Walid led them in prayer for the dawn prayer with four rakcfat when he was drunk, and that then he turned to them and said, ‘Shall I do more (raka?at) for you?’ In the year 26 AH, cUthman enlarged and extended al-Masjid al-Haram, and bought sites (adjoining it) for the enlargement. In the same year Sabur (possibly Shahpur) was opened.

في سنة سبع وعشرين للهجرة غزا معاوية قبرص، وحمل الجيوش في البحر، وكان مع الجيش عبادة بن الصامت وزوجته أم حرام بنت ملحان الأنصارية. فسقطت عن دابتها فماتت هناك شهيدة، وكان النبي ﷺ قد أخبر بغزو هذا الجيش لها، وقد دعا لها أن تكون منهم. وقد دُفنت في قبرص. وفي هذه السنة فُتحت أرجان ودارابجرد. وعزل عثمان عمرو بن العاص عن مصر، وولّى عليها عبدالله بن سعد بن أبي سرح، فغزا شمال أفريقيا وفتحها، في السهول والجبال، وأعطى كل رجل في الجيش ألف دينار، وقيل ثلاثة آلاف دينار. ثم فُتحت الأندلس في هذه السنة نفسها.

In the year 27 AH, Mucawiyah went on a military expedition to Cyprus, taking the armies by sea. cUbadah ibn as-Samit was with them and his wife, Umm Haram bint Milhan al-Ansariyah (of the Ansar). She fell from her riding beast, and died there as a martyr, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had foretold this army for her. He had supplicated for her that she should be of them. She was buried in Cyprus. In that same year Arrajan and Darabjird were opened. cUthman removed cAmr ibn al-cAs from Egypt and appointed cAbdullah ibn Sacd ibn Abi Sarh over it, who led an expedition against northern Africa and opened it [to Islam], both on the plains and in the mountains, and every man in the army received one thousand dinars, and it has also been said, three thousand dinars. Then Andalusia was opened in this same year.