Uthman reported that Abu Bakr sought permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was reclining on his bed wearing Ayesha's wrap. He granted permission to Abu Bakr in that state, settled his matter with him, and then Abu Bakr left. Then Umar sought permission, and he granted it to him while still in that condition, settled his matter with him, and then Umar left.Uthman said, "Then I sought permission to enter, and he sat up and said to Ayesha, 'Gather your clothes about you.' I settled my matter with him and then left."Ayesha said, "Messenger of Allah, why is it that I did not see you become alert for Abu Bakr and Umar as you did for Uthman?"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "Uthman is a modest man, and I feared that if I gave him permission to enter while I was in that state, he would not bring his matter to me."
وعثمان حدثاه أن أبا بكر استأذن على رسول الله ﷺ وهو مضطجع على فراشه لابس مرط عائشة، فأذن لأبي بكر وهو كذلك، فقضى إليه حاجته ثم انصرف، ثم استأذن عمر، فأذن له وهو على تلك الحال فقضى إليه حاجته، ثم انصرف، قال عثمان: ثم استأذنت عليه فجلس، وقال لعائشة: اجمعي عليك ثيابك. فقضيت إليه حاجتي ثم انصرفت، فقالت عائشة: يا رسول الله مالي لم أرك فزعت لأبي بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما، كما فزعت لعثمان؟ قال رسول الله ﷺ: إن عثمان رجل حيي، وإني خشيت، إن أذنت له على تلك الحال، أن لا يبلغ إلي في حاجته.
Muslim narrated it in the Virtues of the Companions (2402) from Abdul-Malik bin Shuayb bin Layth bin Saad, my father told me, from my grandfather, Aqeel bin Khalid told me, from Ibn Shihab, from Yahya bin Saeed bin Aas, that Saeed bin Aas informed him that Ayesha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, and Uthman told him about it, and he mentioned it.