English translation
7207. Narrated Al-Miswar bin Makhrama: The group of people whom 'Umar had selected as candidates for the caliphate gathered and consulted each other. 'Abdur-Raḥmān said to them, "I am not going to compete with you in this matter, but if you wish, I would select for you a caliph from among you." So all of them agreed to let 'Abdur-Raḥmān decide who will be the new caliph. So when the candidates placed the case in the hands of 'Abdur-Raḥmān, the people went towards him and nobody followed the rest of the group nor obeyed any after him. So the people followed 'Abdur-Raḥmān and consulted him all those nights till there came the night we gave the Bai'a (pledge) to 'Uthmān. Al-Miswar (bin Makhrama) added: 'Abdur-Raḥmān called on me after a portion of the night had passed and knocked on my door till I got up, and he said to me, "I see you have been sleeping! By Allāh, during the last three nights I have not slept enough. Go and call Az-Zubair and Sa'd." So I called them for him and he consulted them and then called me saying, "Call 'Ali for me." I called 'Ali and he held a private talk with him till very late at night, and then 'Ali got up to leave having had much hope (to be chosen as a caliph) but 'Abdur-Raḥmān was afraid of something concerning 'Ali. 'Abdur-Raḥmān then said to me, "Call 'Uthmān for me." I called him and he kept on speaking to him privately till the Mu'adh-dhīn put an end to their talk by calling the Ādhān for the Fajr prayer. When the people finished their morning Ṣalāt (prayer) and that (six men) group gathered near the pulpit, 'Abdur-Raḥmān sent for all the Muhājirūn (emigrants) and the Anṣār present there, and sent for the army chief who had performed the Hajj with 'Umar that year. When all of them had gathered, 'Abdur-Raḥmān said, "Lā ilaha illallāh (none has the right to be worshipped but Allāh), then said, "Amma Ba'du, O 'Alī, I have looked at the people's tendencies and noticed that they do not consider anybody equal to 'Uthmān, so you should not incur blame (by disagreeing)." Then 'Abdur-Rahmān said (to 'Uthmān), "I gave the Bai'a (pledge) to you on condition that you will follow Allāh's Laws and the Sunna of Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and the legal ways of the two caliphs after him." So 'Abdur-Rahmān gave the Bai'a to him, and so did the people including the Muhājirūn (emigrants) and the Ansār and the chiefs of the army staff and all the Muslims.