Hadith 38

Narrated by Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, some of the companions were saddened to the extent that some of them began to have doubts. Uthman said: "I was one of them. While I was sitting, Umar and Abu Bakr passed by me, but I did not realize they had passed. Then Umar complained to Abu Bakr, and they both came to me and greeted me. Abu Bakr asked, 'What prevented you from responding to your brother Umar's greeting?' I said, 'I did not do that.' Umar replied, 'Yes, by Allah, you did!' I said, 'By Allah, I did not realize that you had passed by or greeted me.' Abu Bakr said, 'Uthman is speaking the truth; something has occupied him.' I said, 'Yes.' He asked, 'What is it?' I replied, 'Allah took His Prophet ﷺ before we could ask him about the safety of this matter.' Abu Bakr said, 'I asked him about that.' I went to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you are the most deserving of this matter.' I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is the salvation of this matter?' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: 'Whoever accepts from me the words I have offered him and rejects them, it will be salvation for him.'"