Uthman bin Affan suffered a severe nosebleed in the year of the nosebleeds, so much so that it prevented him from performing the Hajj, and he made his will. A man from Quraysh came in to see him and said, "Appoint a successor."Uthman asked, "Have the people been saying this?"The man replied, "Yes."Uthman asked, "And whom?"The man fell silent. Then another man came in, whom I believe was Harith, and said, "Appoint a successor."Uthman asked, "Have the people been saying this?"He replied, "Yes."Uthman asked, "And who is it?"The man fell silent. Uthman said, "Perhaps they have named Zubayr?"He replied, "Yes."Uthman said, "By the One in whose hand my soul is, he is indeed the best of them as far as I know, and he was the dearest of them to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."
أصاب عثمان بن عفان رعاف شديد سنة الرعاف حتى حبسه عن الحج، وأوصى فدخل عليه رجل من قريش، قال: استخلف، قال: وقالوه؟ قال: نعم. قال: ومن؟ فسكت، فدخل عليه رجل آخر،- أحسبه الحارث- فقال: استخلف. فقال عثمان: وقالوا؟ فقال: نعم، قال: ومن هو؟ فسكت، قال: فلعلهم قالوا: الزبير، قال: نعم. قال: أما والذي نفسي بيده إنه لخيرهم ما علمت، وإن كان لأحبهم إلى رسول الله ﷺ.