I dreamt that a rooster pecked me twice, and I can only interpret it as meaning that my death is near, and there are people who are telling me I should appoint someone to be my successor, but Allah will not cause His religion and the caliphate, with which He sent His Prophet ﷺ, to be lost. If death comes to me soon, then the caliphate is to be decided by these six men with whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased when he died. Whichever of them you swear allegiance to, then listen to him and obey. I know that some people will object to this matter. I have fought them with my own hands in the defence of Islam. If they do that, then they are the enemies of Allah and misguided kafirs. I am not leaving behind anything more important to me than kalalah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never emphasised any issue to me since I accompanied him more than the issue of kalalah, and I did not ask him about anything more than I asked him about kalalah, until he poked me in the chest with his finger and said: “O 'Umar, is not ayatus­-saif (the verse of summer, i.e. it was revealed in summer), which appears at the end of Soorat an-Nisa', sufficient for you?ʿ If I live I will issue a decree that will be so clear that those who read the Qur'an and those who do not read it will be able to make decisions concerning it. Then he said. O Allah, I call upon You to bear witness over the governors of the regions, for I only sent them to teach the people their religion and the Sunnah of their Prophet and to the divide the fai' among them and to be just to them and to refer to me concerning any difficult matter, O people, you eat two plants which I find to be nothing but repugnant. I remember the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if he noticed their smell coming from a man in the mosque, he would issue orders that he taken by the hand and led out to al­-Baqee', Whoever must eat them, let him cook them to death.ʿ (Using translation from Aḥmad 186)   

بِأَنْ أَسْتَخْلِفَ وَإِنَّ اللهَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُضِيعَ دِينَهُ وَخِلَافَتَهُ وَمَا بَعَثَ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَإِنْ عَجِلَ بِي أَمْرٌ فَالشُّورَى بَيْنَ هَؤُلَاءِ السِّتَّةِ الَّذِينَ تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ عَنْهُمْ رَاضٍ فَمَنْ بَايَعْتُمْ فَاسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَأَطِيعُوا وَإِنَّ نَاسًا سَيَطْعَنُونَ فِي ذَلِكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلُوا فَأُولَئِكَ أَعْدَاءُ اللهِ الْكَفَرَةُ الضُّلَّالُ أَنَا جَاهَدْتُهُمْ بِيَدِي هَذِهِ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَإِنِّي لَا أَدَعُ شَيْئًا أَهَمَّ عِنْدِي مِنْ أَمْرِ الْكَلَالَةِ وَمَا أَغْلَظَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي شَيْءٍ مَا أَغْلَظَ لِي فِيهِ فَطَعَنَ بِأُصْبُعِهِ فِي صَدْرِي أَوْ فِي جَنْبِي ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عُمَرُ يَكْفِيكَ آيَةُ الصَّيْفِ الَّتِي فِي آخِرِ سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ وَإِنِّي إِنْ أَعِشْ أَقْضِ فِيهَا بِقَضَاءٍ لَا يَخْتَلِفُ فِيهِ أَحَدٌ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ أَوْ لَمْ يَقْرَأِ الْقُرْآنَ وَإِنِّي أُشْهِدُ اللهَ عَلَى أُمَرَاءِ الْأَمْصَارِ فَإِنِّي إِنَّمَا بَعَثْتُهُمْ لِيُعَلِّمُوا النَّاسَ دِينَهُمْ وَسُنَّةَ نَبِيِّهِمْ وَيَرْفَعُوا إِلَيْنَا مَا أَشْكَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تَأْكُلُونَ مِنْ شَجَرَتَيْنِ لَا أُرَاهُمَا إِلَّا خَبِيثَتَيْنِ قَدْ كُنْتُ أَرَى الرَّجُلَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ يُوجَدُ رِيحُهُمَا مِنْهُ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِيَدِهِ فَيَخْرُجُ إِلَى الْبَقِيعِ فَمَنْ أَكَلَهُمَا فَلْيُمِتْهُمَا طَبْخًا الثُّومُ وَالْبَصَلُ قَالَ خَطَبَ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَمَاتَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِأَرْبَعٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ  

[Machine] The following passage has been translated into English:

"He deserves this position more than those people or the group who were present when the Messenger of Allah passed away, and he was pleased with them. He named Ali, Uthman, Zubair, Talha, Saad, and Abdul Rahman Ibn Awf. He said, 'I bear witness to you, Abdullah Ibn Umar, even though he has no authority in this matter, like the consolation for him.' He also said, 'If the leadership falls into the hands of Saad, then that is good. Otherwise, let him seek the help of whichever one of you he is commanded to.' He said, 'I am not dismissing him due to any disability or betrayal.' He also said, 'I advise the caliph after me regarding the early migrants to acknowledge their rights and protect their sanctity. And I advise him concerning the Ansar, who took on the burden of the home and faith before them, to accept their kindness and pardon their mistakes. And I advise him regarding the people of the provinces, as they are the support of Islam, collectors of wealth, and the anger of the enemies. And let nothing be taken from them except their surplus beyond what pleases them. And I advise him regarding the Bedouins, as they are the roots of the Arabs and the backbone of Islam. Let their surplus be taken from the outskirts of their wealth and distributed to their poor. And I advise him regarding the covenant of Allah and the covenant of His Messenger, to fulfill their promise to them. And I advise him to fight from behind them and to not burden them beyond their capability.' When he passed away, we carried out his will and started walking. He mentioned the incident while burying him. He said, 'When we finished burying him and returned, this group of people assembled.' Abdul Rahman Ibn Awf said, 'Let's leave this matter to three of you.' Az-Zubair said, 'I have entrusted my matter to Ali.' Talha said, 'I have entrusted my matter to Uthman.' Saad said, 'I have entrusted my matter to Abdul Rahman.' Abdul Rahman said, 'Which one of you will absolve himself of this matter so that we can entrust it to him?' By Allah, he will judge with his own understanding and work diligently for the good of the nation. He said, 'The two sheikhs kept quiet.' Abdul Rahman said, 'Are you entrusting it to me? By Allah, I will not fail in fulfilling your best interests.' They said, 'Yes.' Abdul Rahman took the hand of one of them and said, 'You are from the close relatives of the Messenger of Allah and have a distinguished position in Islam. I have full confidence that if I appointed you, you would make justice your priority. And if I appointed Uthman, you would listen and obey him.' Then, he went to the other and said the same. When he made an agreement, he said to Uthman, 'Raise your hand, O Uthman,' and he pledged allegiance to him. Ali also pledged allegiance to him, and the people of the house pledged allegiance to him."  

أَحَقَّ بِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ النَّفَرِ أَوِ الرَّهْطِ الَّذِينَ تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ عَنْهُمْ رَاضٍ فَسَمَّى عَلِيًّا وَعُثْمَانَ وَالزُّبَيْرَ وَطَلْحَةَ وَسَعْدًا وَعَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَوْفٍ ؓ وَقَالَ لِيَشْهَدْكُمْ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ شَيْءٌ كَالتَّعْزِيَةِ لَهُ وَقَالَ فَإِنْ أَصَابَتِ الْإِمْرَةُ سَعْدًا فَهُوَ ذَاكَ وَإِلَّا فَلْيَسْتَعِنْ بِهِ أَيُّكُمُ مَا أُمِّرَ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَعْزِلْهُ مِنْ عَجْزٍ وَلَا خِيَانَةٍ وَقَالَ أُوصِي الْخَلِيفَةَ مِنْ بَعْدِي بِالْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ لَهُمْ حَقَّهُمْ وَيَحْفَظَ لَهُمْ حُرْمَتَهُمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِالْأَنْصَارِ الَّذِينَ تَبَوَّؤُا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ وَأَنْ يَعْفِي عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِأَهْلِ الْأَمْصَارِ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّهُمْ رِدْءُ الْإِسْلَامِ وَجُبَاةُ الْأَمْوَالِ وَغَيْظُ الْعَدُوِّ وَأَنْ لَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا فَضْلَهُمْ عَنْ رِضَاهُمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِالْأَعْرَابِ خَيْرًا فَإِنَّهُمْ أَصْلُ الْعَرَبِ وَمَادَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ مِنْ حَوَاشِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ فَيُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ وَأُوصِيهِ بِذِمَّةِ اللهِ وَذِمَّةِ رَسُولِهِ أَنْ يُوفِي لَهُمْ بِعَهْدِهِمْ وَأَنْ يُقَاتِلَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ وَأَنْ لَا يُكَلَّفُوا إِلَّا طَاقَتَهُمْ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ خَرَجْنَا بِهِ فَانْطَلَقْنَا نَمْشِي وَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ فِي دَفْنِهِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا فُرِغَ مِنْ دَفْنِهِ وَرَجَعُوا اجْتَمَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الرَّهْطُ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفً ؓ اجْعَلُوا أَمْرَكُمْ إِلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ مِنْكُمْ قَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ طَلْحَةُ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَى عُثْمَانَ وَقَالَ سَعْدٌ قَدْ جَعَلْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ أَيُّكُمَا يَبْرَأُ مِنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ فَنَجْعَلَهُ إِلَيْهِ؟ وَاللهِ عَلَيْهِ وَالْإِسْلَامُ لَيَنْظُرَنَّ أَفْضَلَهُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَلَيَحْرِصَنَّ عَلَى صَلَاحِ الْأُمَّةِ قَالَ فَأُسْكِتَ الشَّيْخَانِ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ أَفَتَجْعَلُونَهُ إِلَيَّ وَاللهُ عَلَيَّ أَنْ لَا آلُو عَنْ أَفْضَلِكُمْ؟ فَقَالَا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِ أَحَدِهِمَا فَقَالَ لَكَ مِنْ قَرَابَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَالْقِدَمِ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ وَاللهُ عَلَيْكَ لَئِنْ أَنَا أَمَّرْتُكَ لَتَعْدِلَنَّ وَلَئِنْ أَنَا أَمَّرْتُ عُثْمَانَ لَتَسْمَعَنَّ وَلَتُطِيعَنَّ ثُمَّ خَلَا بِالْآخَرِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا أَخَذَ الْمِيثَاقَ قَالَ ارْفَعْ يَدَكَ يَا عُثْمَانُ فَبَايَعَهُ وَبَايَعَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ؓ وَوَلَجَ أَهْلُ الدَّارِ فَبَايَعُوهُ  

[Machine] "Abdullah called me once or twice for me to join them in this matter, but Umar did not involve me. I did not like being with them because I knew that they would make a decision that my father did not agree with. By Allah, I rarely saw Umar move his lips for anything unless it was the truth. When Uthman's calling to prayer increased, I said, 'Don't you understand? You give orders while the Commander of the Faithful is alive?' By Allah, it was as if I had woken Umar from a deep sleep. Umar said, 'Wait, if something happens to me, then Suhayb, the freed slave of the Banu Jud'an, should lead the people in prayer for three nights. And then gather the nobles and the commanders of the soldiers on the third day. You should appoint one of you. And if anyone orders without consultation, then strike his neck.'"  

عَبْدُ اللهِ فَدَعَانِي عُثْمَانُ ؓ مَرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ لِيُدْخِلَنِي فِي الْأَمْرِ وَلَمْ يُسَمِّنِي عُمَرُ وَلَا وَاللهِ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنِّي كُنْتُ مَعَهُمْ عِلْمًا مِنْهُ بِأَنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ مَا قَالَ أَبِي وَاللهِ لَقَلَّمَا سَمِعْتُهُ حَرَّكَ شَفَتَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا كَانَ حَقًّا فَلَمَّا أَكْثَرَ عُثْمَانُ دُعَائِي قُلْتُ أَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ تُؤَمِّرُونَ وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَيُّ؟ فَوَاللهِ لَكَأَنَّمَا أَيْقَظْتُ عُمَرَ ؓ مِنْ مَرْقَدٍ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمْهِلُوا فَإِنْ حَدَثَ بِي حَدَثٌ فَلْيُصَلِّ لِلنَّاسِ صُهَيْبٌ مَوْلَى بَنِي جُدْعَانَ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ ثُمَّ أَجْمِعُوا فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ أَشْرَافَ النَّاسِ وَأُمَرَاءَ الْأَجْنَادِ فَأَمِّرُوا أَحَدَكُمْ فَمَنْ تَأْمَّرَ عَنْ غَيْرِ مَشُورَةٍ فَاضْرِبُوا عُنُقَهُ