"We were with 'Uthman when he was under siege and we could hear what was said from Al-Balat. 'Uthman came in one day, then he came out, and said: 'They are threatening to kill me.' We said: 'Allah will suffice you against them.' He said: 'Why would they kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in one of three cases: A man who reverts to Kufr after becoming Muslim, or commits adultery after being married, or one who kills a soul unlawfully. By Allah, I did not commit adultery during Jahiliyyah or in Islam, I never wished to follow any other religion since Allah guided me, and I have never killed anyone, so why do they want to kill me?'"  

نَسْمَعُ كَلاَمَ مَنْ بِالْبَلاَطِ فَدَخَلَ عُثْمَانُ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَتَوَاعَدُونِي بِالْقَتْلِ قُلْنَا يَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ قَالَ فَلِمَ يَقْتُلُونِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلاَمِهِ أَوْ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانِهِ أَوْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلاَ إِسْلاَمٍ وَلاَ تَمَنَّيْتُ أَنَّ لِي بِدِينِي بَدَلاً مُنْذُ هَدَانِي اللَّهُ وَلاَ قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا فَلِمَ يَقْتُلُونَنِي  

We were with Uthman when he was besieged in the house. There was an entrance to the house. He who entered it heard the speech of those who were in the Bilat. Uthman then entered it. He came out to us, looking pale. He said: They are threatening to kill me now. We said: Allah will be sufficient for you against them, Commander of the Faithful! He asked: Why kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: It is not lawful to kill a man who is a Muslim except for one of the three reasons: Kufr (disbelief) after accepting Islam, fornication after marriage, or wrongfully killing someone, for which he may be killed. I swear by Allah, I have not committed fornication before or after the coming of Islam, nor did I ever want another religion for me instead of my religion since Allah gave guidance to me, nor have I killed anyone. So for what reason do you want to kill me? Abu Dawud said: 'Uthman and Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with them) abandoned drinking wine in pre-Islamic times.  

كُنَّا مَعَ عُثْمَانَ وَهُوَ مَحْصُورٌ فِي الدَّارِ وَكَانَ فِي الدَّارِ مَدْخَلٌ مَنْ دَخَلَهُ سَمِعَ كَلاَمَ مَنْ عَلَى الْبَلاَطِ فَدَخَلَهُ عُثْمَانُ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا وَهُوَ مُتَغَيِّرٌ لَوْنُهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَتَوَاعَدُونَنِي بِالْقَتْلِ آنِفًا قُلْنَا يَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ وَلِمَ يَقْتُلُونَنِي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ كُفْرٌ بَعْدَ إِسْلاَمٍ أَوْ زِنًا بَعْدَ إِحْصَانٍ أَوْ قَتْلُ نَفْسٍ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلاَ إِسْلاَمٍ قَطُّ وَلاَ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنَّ لِي بِدِينِي بَدَلاً مُنْذُ هَدَانِي اللَّهُ وَلاَ قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا فَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونَنِي  

ʿUthman bin 'Affan looked at them when they spoke of killing. He said: “Are they kill threatening to kill me? Why would they kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “It is not lawful to shed the blood of a Muslim except in one of three (cases): a man who commits adultery when he is a married person, then he should be stoned; a man who kills a soul not in retaliation for murder; and a man who apostatizes after becoming Muslim.' By Allah (SWT), I never committed adultery either during Ignorance days nor in Islam, and I have never killed a Muslim soul, and I have not apostatized since I became Muslim.”  

إِنَّهُمْ لَيَتَوَاعَدُونِي بِالْقَتْلِ فَلِمَ يَقْتُلُونِي وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلاَّ فِي إِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ رَجُلٌ زَنَى وَهُوَ مُحْصَنٌ فَرُجِمَ أَوْ رَجُلٌ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ رَجُلٌ ارْتَدَّ بَعْدَ إِسْلاَمِهِ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلاَ فِي إِسْلاَمٍ وَلاَ قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا مُسْلِمَةً وَلاَ ارْتَدَدْتُ مُنْذُ أَسْلَمْتُ  

We were with ‘Uthman when he was under siege in the house. He went to the entrance of the house, from which his words could be heard in alBalat. He went to that entrance, then came out to us and said:They were threatening to kill me just now. We said: Allah will suffice you against them. O Ameer al-Muʿmineen. He said: Why would they kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ʿIt is not permissible (to shed) the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: if a man disbelieves after becoming Muslim, or commits zina after being married, or kills someone and is executed in return.” By Allah, I have never wished to change my religion after Allah guided me; I never committed zina either during the Jahiliyyah or in Islam; and I have never killed anyone. So why would they kill me Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif narrated: I was with ʿUthman ؓ in the house when he was under siege. We would enter through an entrance... and he narrated a similar hadeeth. And he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:... and he narrated a similar hadeeth,  

قُلْنَا يَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ وَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونَنِي ؟ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلاثٍ رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلامِهِ أَوْ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانِهِ أَوْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا فَيُقْتَلُ بِهَا فَوَاللهِ مَا أَحْبَبْتُ أَنَّ لِي بِدِينِي بَدَلًا مُنْذُ هَدَانِي اللهُ وَلا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلا إِسْلامٍ قَطُّ وَلا قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا فَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونَنِي؟  

I was with ‘Uthman ؓ in the house when he was under siege. We would go into an entryway where, when we entered it, we could hear what the people were saying in al-Balat. ʿUthman ؓ entered it one day for some reason, then he came out with his face flushed and said: They were threatening to kill me just now. We said: Allah will suffice you against them, O Ameer al-Muʿmineen. He said: Why would they kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim man except in one of three cases; a man who disbelieved after having become Muslim, or a man who committed zina after being married, or a man who killed a person not in retaliation of murder But by Allah, I never committed zina either during the Jahiliyyah or in Islam... I never wanted to change my religion since Allah, may He be glorified and exalted guided me, and I never killed anyone So why do they want to kill me?  

فَدَخَلَ عُثْمَانُ يَوْمًا لِحَاجَةٍ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا مُنْتَقِعًا لَوْنُهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَتَوَعَّدُونِي بِالْقَتْلِ آنِفًا قَالَ قُلْنَا يَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونِي؟ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلَّا فِي إِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِ أَوْ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانِهِ أَوْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلَا إِسْلَامٍ قَطُّ وَلَا تَمَنَّيْتُ بَدَلًا بِدِينِي مُنْذُ هَدَانِي اللهُ ﷻ وَلَا قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا فَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونِي؟  

"We were with 'Uthman when he was under siege and we could hear what was said from Al-Balat. 'Uthman came in one day, then he came out, and said: 'They are threatening to kill me.' We said: 'Allah will suffice you against them.' He said: 'Why would they kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in one of three cases: A man who reverts to Kufr after becoming Muslim, or commits adultery after being married, or one who kills a soul unlawfully. By Allah, I did not commit adultery during Jahiliyyah or in Islam, I never wished to follow any other religion since Allah guided me, and I have never killed anyone, so why do they want to kill me?'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 4019)  

نَسْمَعُ كَلَامَ مَنْ بِالْبَلَاطِ فَدَخَلَ عُثْمَانُ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ خَرَجَ مُتَغَيِّرًا لَوْنُهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَتَوَاعَدُونِّي بِالْقَتْلِ قُلْنَا يَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللهُ قَالَ وَلِمَ يَقْتُلُونِّي؟ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِ أَوْ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانِهِ أَوْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلَا إِسْلَامٍ قَطُّ وَلَا تَمَنَّيْتُ أَنَّ لِي بِدِينِي بَدَلًا مُنْذُ هَدَانِيَ اللهُ وَلَا قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا فَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونِي؟  

I was with ‘Uthman ؓ in the house when he was under siege. We would go into an entryway where, when we entered it, we could hear what the people were saying in al-Balat. ʿUthman ؓ entered it one day for some reason, then he came out with his face flushed and said: They were threatening to kill me just now. We said: Allah will suffice you against them, O Ameer al-Muʿmineen. He said: Why would they kill me? I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim man except in one of three cases; a man who disbelieved after having become Muslim, or a man who committed zina after being married, or a man who killed a person not in retaliation of murder But by Allah, I never committed zina either during the Jahiliyyah or in Islam... I never wanted to change my religion since Allah, may He be glorified and exalted guided me, and I never killed anyone So why do they want to kill me? (Using translation from Aḥmad 468)   

كُنَّا مَعَ عُثْمَانَ ؓ فِي الدَّارِ وَهُوَ مَحْصُورٌ وَكُنَّا نَدْخُلُ مَدْخَلًا نَسْمَعُ مِنْهُ كَلَامَ مَنْ فِي الْبَلَاطِ فَدَخَلَ عُثْمَانُ ؓ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ مُتَغَيِّرَ اللَّوْنِ قِيلَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا شَأْنُكَ؟ قَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَتَوَاعَدُونِّي بِالْقَتْلِ آنِفًا وَلَمْ أَسْتَيْقِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى كَانَ الْيَوْمُ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ يَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ وَبِمَ يَقْتُلُونَنِي؟ وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَا يَحِلُ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلَامِهِ أَوْ زَنَى بَعْدَ إِحْصَانِهِ أَوْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ فَوَاللهِ مَا زَنَيْتُ فِي جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلَا فِي إِسْلَامٍ قَطُّ وَلَا أَحْبَبْتُ بِدِينِي بَدَلًا مُنْذُ هَدَانِي اللهُ وَمَا قَتَلْتُ نَفْسًا؛ عَلَامَ يُرِيدُ هَؤُلَاءِ قَتْلِي؟