When Hafsa bint Umar became widowed after the death of her husband Khunays bin Hudhafa al-Sahmi, who was one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and died in Medina, Umar bin Khattab said, "I went to Uthman bin Affan and offered Hafsa to him in marriage."Uthman replied, "I will think about the matter."Umar continued, "I waited several nights, then he met me and said, 'It seems best to me not to marry at this time.'"Umar said, "Then I met Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and said to him, 'If you wish, I will marry you to Hafsa bint Umar.' Abu Bakr remained silent and gave me no reply. I felt more upset with him than I had with Uthman. I waited several nights, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ proposed to her and I married her to him."Later Abu Bakr met me and said, "Perhaps you were upset with me when you offered Hafsa to me and I gave you no reply?"Umar said, "I answered, 'Yes.'"Abu Bakr said, "Nothing prevented me from responding to what you offered me except that I knew the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had mentioned her, and I would not disclose the secret of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Had the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left her, I would have accepted her."
إن عمر بن الخطاب حين تأيمت حفصة بنت عمر من خنيس بن حذافة السهمي- وكان من أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ فتوفى بالمدينة- فقال عمر بن الخطاب: أتيت عثمان بن عفان فعرضت عليه حفصة فقال: سأنظر في أمري. فلبثت ليالي ثم لقيني فقال: قد بدا لي أن لا أتزوج يومي هذا. قال عمر: فلقيت أبا بكر الصديق فقلت: إن شئت زوجتك حفصة بنت عمر، فصمت أبو بكر فلم يرجع إلى شيئا، وكنت أوجد عليه مني على عثمان، فلبثت ليالي ثم خطبها رسول الله ﷺ فأنكحتها إياه، فلقيني أبو بكر فقال: لعلك وجدت على حين عرضت على حفصة فلم أرجع إليك شيئا؟ قال عمر: قلت نعم. قال أبو بكر: فإنه لم يمنعني أن أرجع إليك فيما عرضت على إلا أني كنت علمت أن رسول الله ﷺ قد ذكرها، فلم أكن لأفشي سر رسول الله ﷺ، ولو تركها رسول الله ﷺ قبلتها.
Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Marriage (5122) from Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah, who said, Ibrahim bin Saad told us, from Salih bin Kaysan, from Ibn Shihab, who said, Salim bin Abdullah informed me, and he mentioned it.Khunays bin Hudhafa Sahmi was wounded on the day of Uhud and died from it. Hafsa died in the year forty-one, though it is also said the year forty-five. Isabah (11180).